Premiership Round-up 25-26 Oct

This weekend’s games drew more than a few raised eyebrows as Hull City continued their remarkable ascendancy to the Premiership summit. The Tigers recorded their fourth consecutive league win away from home when dispatched West Bromwich Albion with consummate ease. New-boy Zayatte opened the scoring for Phil Brown’s side before another summer signing Geovanni struck his fourth of the season. Marlon King completed the rout to send the huge travelling contingent into raptures and catapult Hull into dreamland. It doesn’t get any easier for this year’s surprise package. Next up its Chelsea and Manchester United.

The champions will be looking to get back to winning ways after squandering a lead at Goodison Park. Perhaps suffering from a European hangover, United were pegged back by Toffees record-signing Fellaini after Scottish international Darren Ferguson had coolly given the Red Devils an early lead with a smart finish. At the other end of the table Newcastle and Sunderland played out a frenetic derby at the Stadium of Light. The game, marred by violence between fans, was settled when Kieran Richardson’s sublime free-kick evaded Shay Given in the Newcastle goal. Loanee Djibril Cisse had converted Malbranque’s early cross to given the Mackems a lead but Ameobi cancelled out his effort just ten minutes later.

Saturday’s only other game saw Blackburn and Middlesbrough share the points at Ewood Park. In bitterly cold conditions Alfonso Alves rasping drive gave ‘Boro a late advantage only to see Benni McCarthy bundle home in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

On Sunday Liverpool shattered Chelsea’s four year unbeaten home record with a gritty victory by a solitary goal. Midfielder Xabi Alonso’s deflected strike proved the difference between the sides as Liverpool, missing Torres through injury; find themselves at the top of the table. Big-money Man City sealed a convincing 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Stoke with a magnificent Robinho hat-trick. More performances like that and the Brazilian will go some way to repaying his astronomical wages. Meanwhile, Wigan fans will have been less happy to see their side brought crashing back down to earth after their promising run of results. Aston Villa easily overcame the Latics with a thumping 4-0 victory, with Barry opening the floodgates with his early penalty. Ablongahor and Carew combined for the England youngster to finish, before Sidwell and Carew completed the rout.

It was all smiles at White Hart Lane as Tottenham secured their first Premiership victory of the season. Buoyed by the arrival of new boss Harry Redknapp, Roman Pavlyuchenko headed Spurs into the lead before Darren Bent dispatched a late penalty. On a bad day for Gary Megson, Bolton were reduced to 10-men when Gavin McCann picked up two bookings. Tottenham will be hoping ‘Arry will be able to lift them out of a relegation battle and face Arsenal on Wednesday in a mouth watering derby clash.

The Gunners scored twice late on to confine West Ham to their third consecutive league defeat. Wenger’s men broke the deadlock when Julian Faubert diverted into his own net, and substitute Adebayor finished off a fine passing move in the dying minutes. Carlton Cole received his marching orders with a dubious dismissal after he clashed with Alex Song. Finally manager-less Portsmouth could only manage a point after taking the lead against Fulham. Peter Crouch poked home to give Pompey hope but Clint Dempsey’s header rescued an unlikely point for the Cottagers.


(Scotzine.com article, 2008)

Fraud Prevention Week is a timely reminder we’re all at risk

The UK’s fourth National Identity Fraud Prevention week, a partnership between the Metropolitan police and various organisations including Experian, Fellowes and Equifax took place earlier this month. The awareness campaign educates consumers about the threat of identity fraud as well as offering advice to prevent it happening to consumers and businesses. Fronted by the BBC’s Adrian Chiles, the nationwide event aims to tackle the problem of identity theft, one of Britain’s fastest growing crimes. According the government estimates, the annual cost of identity fraud is more than a staggering £1 billion. It is therefore little surprise that a Populus poll revealed that 81% of British people were concerned about becoming a victim of stolen personal data, that’s more than the worry expressed towards burglary, mugging and pickpocketing.

The survey also showed that a fifth of the British public access their bank details at work or at internet cafes, putting them at risk of identity fraud. And don’t worry, even if you don’t share your personal data across the net you’re still just as vulnerable to attack. Perhaps most alarmingly, a bin-raiding survey conducted by Fellowes exposed that over half of all UK household waste contained one or more items which would give a potential fraudster everything needed to steal an identity. That’s more than 18 million homes across the country. To make matters worse, research carried out by credit reference agency Experian found that it takes an average of 467 days for someone to discover they are a victim of identity crime.

To combat this, MPs called for Brown to appoint an ID fraud tsar – a central figure to coordinate efforts and reduce the potential knock-on effects to businesses and consumers alike. An All Party Identity Fraud Group spokesman said, “Appointing a single person to work across the government and private sector would certainly create a more unified approach to the problem. We believe a national strategy for fraud should be established, and sooner rather than later.”

However, the calls were received with mixed reviews from the industry. Some critics believe an appointed figure would just be a case of the government bailing out private firms unwilling to review their own security processes. Instead it was argued that educating staff more efficiently and investing in secure technology will help to stem the flow of identity fraud in the UK, which already has the highest rates in Europe, with four million British adults falling foul of identity crime last year. One reason for the soaring rates is the difficulty in reporting computer crime. Because it doesn’t have to be reported to the police, organisations now just alert their banks who have no incentive to publish damning figures that reflect negatively on their business. It’s not going to get any easier either. Over the next few years the average person will have ten times the current amount of personal information in the public domain and fraudsters will be licking their lips at the prospect.

In October alone, there have been a vast number of identity crimes affecting businesses and individuals across Britain. Facebook, the world’s most popular social networking site, was hit with an IM-based spam campaign aiming to steal a user’s log-in details. The scam worked when a member clicked on a site link promising a ‘hot date’. When the member clicks on the link the virus obtains personal credentials using a php script, giving the fraudster access to passwords, email and even financial data.

In addition to this, a number of malicious PDF files were discovered in Adobe Acrobat Reader. The PDF’s had been created to exploit security flaws in the software and to install malware in vulnerable applications. More than 25,000 attacks were recorded in just two weeks. The Home Office’s incredible ability to lose vital information continued when Ministry of Justice sheepishly announced the loss of 3,500 security passes for prisons. On average, one employer loses their security pass every day suggesting an inexcusable culture of carelessness. The problem isn’t just confined to British shores. French President Nicolas Sarkozy recently revealed his bank account had been breached and small sums of money had been stolen, after hackers had obtained entry details to the President’s account. France has seen a 9% increase in online theft prompting the government to warn citizens of their own online vulnerability.

There are ways to prevent identity fraud. By managing personal information carefully the risk of crime can be substantially reduced. There are various ways to do this. Be vigilant when asked to give account details, and pay attention to billing cycles. Use strong passwords, and various email addresses if necessary. Most importantly, invest in up-to-date anti-virus software and the latest security patches. Believe me; it’ll be worth it in the long run.

(Smartcard News Ltd, 2008)

California becomes second state to ban skimming – but is it too little too late?

Earlier this month California became the second state to pass a law making it illegal to steal data from RFID (radio frequency identity) cards. It is hoped the new legislation will help to deter fraudsters from conducting identity theft such as skimming, a practice that is becoming increasingly common among fraudsters and organized gangs. The bill stipulates that anyone found guilty of stealing information from RFID tags can be ‘punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for up to one year, or face a fine of not more than $1500.

There are security mechanisms that issuers can employ to make it more difficult for a fraudster to steal data stored on RFID cards. Unfortunately many don't or do so poorly, so it’s hoped the laws could help serve as a deterrent against would-be hackers. But is this really enough to tackle a growing problem? It’s unlikely that a criminal will be discouraged by the prospect of a four-figure penalty, an amount of money that pales in comparison to the lucrative benefits of identity scams. In a nutshell, the potential amounts of cash waiting to be snaffled overshadow the tame punishments put in place.

Nevertheless, when the California state governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the ‘SB31’ law he drew support from a number of groups and organizations including the Republican Liberty Caucus, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the National Organisation for Women (NOW) and the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. Nicole Ozer, technology policy director for the ACLU of Northern California praised Arnie saying, “By signing SB 31, Governor Schwarzenegger has taken an important step to safeguard the privacy, personal and public safety, and financial security of millions of families."

Schwarzenegger had vetoed another related bill also introduced by Simitian. The bill would have required schools to obtain written consent from parents before issuing RFID-enabled cards to students. RFID tags could be used for recording attendances and tracking student whereabouts. The legislation was drafted after controversy erupted at a Californian school regarding student privacy but was eventually barred due to ‘parental opposition.’

The most common users of RFID tags are the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry. The technology is used for tracking drugs and equipment as well as identifying patients on health insurance cards. Used in a growing variety of applications, RFID chips store small amounts of data which can be read from a nearby device. Although this provides a great number of benefits it’s also easier than ever to steal someone’s personal information. A recently published paper in the Stanford Law Review underlined the frailty of RFID tags and the alarming simplicity involved in exploiting the technology. The paper detailed a case in which researchers at the John Hopkins University (a world leader in science and engineering research) cracked the encryption code on chips used in Exxon Mobil gas cards. Armed with this information, and an unauthorized reader, they were able to fill up their tanks with free petrol.

Unlike most, an RFID card does not need to be swiped but can be read automatically without the card-bearer even batting an eyelid. Some cards with RFID capabilities can be read from over several yards making it easier to surreptitiously obtain personal information without their prior consent or knowledge. Of course, RFID technology is not the issue. The chips have enabled customer data to be stored on credit cards, and created ‘keyless’ entry systems allowing millions of Californians to open locked offices, apartments or car doors. Even passports now carry built-in RFID allowing personnel to be scanned and cross-referenced with other databases.

The issue is identity theft, a crime that is on the rise particularly in California. According to the Federal Trade Commission, there were 45,175 victims reported in the state last year. With 125 victims per 100,000 population, California ranked third in the entire country behind Nevada and Arizona. State Senator Joe Simitian, a Palo Alto Democrat first introduced the bill in 2006, before the proposed law was finally passed in recent weeks. He said, “The problem is real. Until now there haven’t been any laws preventing skimming your information, and millions of Californians are at risk.”

The legislation makes exemptions for certain emergency situations, such as allowing health care workers to scan an unresponsive patient’s health card without permission, in order to help that person. In addition police authorities would be able to view information held on an RFID card if in possession of a warrant. Earlier this year Washington became the first American state to pass a law against stealing RFID data. Any identity theft for the purpose of fraud is classed as a level C felony. That means a criminal convicted in Washington could receive as much as a $10,000 fine and five years in prison in comparison to just one year and a $1500 penalty in California.

It’s heartening to see positive reactions to the issue, and others are sure to follow suit. There is no doubt that the only way to prevent identity fraud is to introduce harsher penalties for those convicted, and if the problem persists then the severity of the punishments will only increase too. Whether the Californian bill will deter criminals remains to be seen. Until identity theft is taken seriously and stricter legislation is put in place, I very much doubt it.

(Smartcard News Ltd, 2008)

Beckham closes in on outfield record, so should he get ‘Moore’ respect?

After relinquishing the captain’s armband after England’s 2006 World Cup exit and being unceremoniously dropped by ex-manager, Steve McClaren, even the most ardent of David Beckham’s fans would grudgingly have conceded his international days were over. During McClaren’s tragic reign Beckham missed nine matches, and also found himself out of favour at Real Madrid who had a certain Fabio Capello at the helm.

However, despite having lost his place on England’s right flank to the pacy Theo Walcott (14 years his junior), Becks made his 107th international appearance coming on as a substitute against Belarus. The 33 year-old usurped record goalscorer Sir Bobby Charlton in the appearance charts and only trails Bobby Moore by one. Moore appeared 108 times in the white of England while Shilton holds the all-time record featuring between the sticks a staggering 125 times.

In next month’s friendly against Germany, Beckham is likely to draw level with Bobby Moore, which begs the question – Has the World’s highest paid footballer done enough to emulate England’s only world-cup winning captain? The two have more than a little in common. Both hugely popular on and off the field, Moore and Beckham led their country admirably, and achieved accolades recognizing their efforts. Moore was the first footballer to win BBC sports personality of the year while Beckham was twice a runner up at the FIFA world player of the year awards.

Moore was also one of the first footballers to truly exploit the role of an advertising icon outside of the game. His image and popularity allowed him to start a number of business ventures, including a sports shop next to Upton Park. He also appeared with his glamorous wife Tina (sound familiar?), in a television advertisement for the pub industry. In comparison, Beckham is an elite advertising brand and top fashion icon. Currently plying his trade in America, Becks remains Google’s most searched of all sports topics.

There is undeniably a world of difference between the football experienced by Moore to that of today’s money-driven game in which Beckham finds itself. The truth is that international caps are easier to win now than in previous years. There are far more meaningless friendlies, and far more substitutions. Becks won his 107th cap by playing two minutes in Belarus. In fact, his past four caps carry a combined playing time of 12 minutes. At that rate Beckham can win 12 caps playing less than Moore would have done by playing a full game, as he did almost every time he took to the pitch.

It’s inevitable that Beckham will overtake Moore and become the longest-serving outfield player in England’s decorated history. It’s unlikely however that LA Galaxy’s finest will ever be considered in the same breath as Bobby Moore – widely regarded as one of the finest defenders ever. You’re good David, but you’re not that good.

(Scotzine.com article, 2008)

Premiership Round-up 18-20 Oct

After the International break it was back to the bread and butter of domestic football as the Premiership returned in style. The big four continued their domination, all securing maximum points and scoring a combined total of 15 goals in the process. Chelsea kicked off proceedings at the Riverside and Gareth Southgate may have wished his hapless ‘Boro side hadn’t bothered turning up. After Kalou’s early goal it was one-way traffic as Chelsea plundered four more in an emphatic 5-0 victory. Kalou added another, Malouda capitalised on a Turnbull error while Lampard and Belletti also chipped in to complete the rout and keep Chelsea in top spot.

It wasn’t such smooth sailing at Anfield as Premiership top-scorer Amir Zaki struck twice to give Wigan a shock half-time lead. Liverpool fought back however to maintain their unbeaten league record with Dirk Kuyt scoring late on to seal a remarkable 3-2 win. The Dutchman had cancelled out 10-man Wigan’s opener before Albert Riera equalised, providing Liverpool with the momentum to go on and claim a hard-fought victory. Benitez was hoping city rivals Everton could do his side a favour against fellow title contenders Arsenal. The Toffees started explosively, Leon Osman drilling home in the early minutes. But Arsenal have proved they are no soft touch finding the net three times after the break to record a comfortable 3-1 victory. Nasri, Van Persie and man of the moment Theo Walcott struck to keep the Gunners in touch with the front-runners.

Manchester United weren’t going to miss out on the party either. The champions showed their class in an emphatic 4-0 win over newly-promoted West Brom. Rooney finished off a slick passing move after his first half finish was bizarrely disallowed for pushing. Ronaldo, Berbatov and Nani all weighed in with close-range finishes as United never looked in trouble against a disappointing West Brom outfit. At Villa Park, Pompey and Aston Villa battled out a 0-0 stalemate with Sean Davis seeing red for the visitors. Defoe was guilty of a glaring miss while Ahley Young went close for the home team. On a sour note assistant-referee Phil Sharp was struck with a coin thrown from the stands, proving that at least one person in Villa Park managed to hit the target on Saturday.

Bolton and Blackburn played out an entertaining 0-0 draw at The Reebok Stadium with Matt Taylor clipping the bar with an audacious effort for the hosts. Bolton continued their wretched form against Blackburn having failed to win at home against their Lancashire neighbours since 2000. Roy Keane will be unable to comprehend how his Sunderland side failed to beat Fulham at Craven Cottage. The black cats were desperately unfortunate to see Kieron Richardson’s free-kick ricochet off both posts but not cross the line. Late on, Richardson did find the net with a fabulous curling free-kick, only to see his effort ruled out for pushing in the defensive wall.

On Sunday, the surprise package of the season Hull consolidated their position in the top four with a determined 1-0 victory over a West Ham side with as many problems off-field as they have on the pitch. Michael Turner’s header proved the difference between the sides. Fellow Premiership new boys Stoke City took advantage of some lacklustre Tottenham defending to record an exhilarating 2-1 win confining their North London opponents to the root of the table.

Spur’s defending looked as fragile as Ramo’s managerial position when Bale was adjudged to have committed a professional foul, conceding a penalty and being sent off in the process. Higginbotham duly dispatched the resulting spot-kick only for Bent to equalise from a seemingly offside position minutes later. Stoke’s man advantage eventually paid off when Rory Delap volleyed home midway through the second half and Michael Dawson also went for an early bath. Despite a host of missed chances including a second penalty Stoke held out for the points to further pile the misery on a Tottenham Hotspurs side in complete disarray.

Finally, on Monday evening Man City came from behind to salvage a point against 10-man Newcastle at St James Park when Stephen Ireland prodded home late in the game. Newcastle stay second bottom and went behind to Robinho’s early penalty which also saw Habib Beye sent off. Ameobi and a Richard Dunne own goal had given Newcastle hope before City clinched a point with five minutes to spare.

(Scotzine.com article, 2008)

Heading into the unknown: Ireland prepare for the Autumn Internationals

It’s a new era for Irish rugby. Having shrugged off the crushing disappointment of last year’s World cup and an unconvincing six nations campaign Ireland heard into the autumn internationals with a fresh mentality and a squad bursting with young talent. The supposed golden generation of players struggled to make their mark on the biggest stage, and Declan Kidney now has to move fast to revive Irish fortunes. Two years ago they were ranked no. 2 in the world, now Ireland find themselves languishing in eighth. There is little time to improve that position by the end of the year when seedings for the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand are finalised. If the tests against New Zealand and Argentina weren’t big enough before, Ireland’s desperation to climb the rankings adds some extra impetus to proceedings.

Declan Kidney takes charge of his side for the first time when Ireland face Canada in a curtain-raiser at the Thormont stadium. Kidney’s Heineken Cup commitments with Munster meant he couldn’t be involved in the Southern Hemisphere tour this summer. Kidney succeeds Eddie O’Sullivan after pipping Jake White and Pat Howard to the role. Formerly O’Sullivan’s coaching assistant, it was no secret that the pair were never close despite working together for two years.

Now the Cork-born coach can set his sights on establishing his team on home soil. Kidney’s squad will be relishing the opportunity to face the All Blacks again after recently succumbing to a 21-11 defeat in the driving rain of Wellington. Ireland haven’t beaten New Zealand in 103 years. There’s no better time to end the jinx. Munster and Ireland kicking Coach Mark Tainton believes Ireland have all the right ingredients for success. “It’s crucial we put out a good side for all three games, ultimately it will be a strong and experienced team every time. The boys are training well and Declan has allowed the players and staff to express themselves more freely than previously under Eddie O’Sullivan.”

It doesn’t get any easier either. In the subsequent test match Ireland face an increasingly impressive Argentina, predominantly consisting of the same players that unceremoniously dumped the Irish out of the World Cup with a 30-15 defeat. Times have changed since then, Best, Easterby and Hickie have retired and Ireland now find themselves calling upon young players in key positions. Rob Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald will play major roles in the autumn tests, complementing a backline featuring the tried and trusted Trimbles and O’Driscolls of the squad.

Despite their relative inexperience, Kearney’s tenacity in the contact area and Fitzgerald’s darting running lines have given Ireland a new dynamic element to their game. In the forwards, Jamie Heaslip will be looking to continue his fine summer form at the back of the scrum. Tainton said, “Obviously we will be looking at variations in the games, it’s virtually impossible to field the same players every week in. We have some really exciting talent coming through and these games are a perfect opportunity for them to shine.”

(Therugbyblog.co.uk, 2008)

He's fat, He's scouse, He's gonna rob your house..

There were more than a few disgruntled sighs when Bristol Rovers secured the services of Rickie Lambert in the summer of 2006. Just 24 hours previously Junior 'mercenary' Agogo had abandoned a sinking ship to join Nottingham Forest, leaving the pirates with a healthy bank balance but a desperately frail strikeforce. Paul Trollope pledged to splash the cash, and the fans gossiped of high profile signings and possible promotion.

Several names were banded about. Kevin Lisbie, Malcolm Christie and even Andy Johnson were rumoured to have been 'spotted' loitering around the Memorial Ground, pen at the ready to sign on the dotted line. Instead, just as the transfer deadline was fast approaching Rovers sheepishly announced the signing of Rickie Lambert from Rochdale. Who? Talk about an anti-climax.

Needless to say, the pressure was on Lambert to immediately perform. Trolloped assured the media of the striker's pedigree, the liverpudlian had plundered 28 goals for Rochdale and Trolls claimed the £200,000 price tag was practically a steal. Gasheads were skeptical. And Lambert's early performances did little to instil any confidence. After failing to score for three months and waddling around the park in a disinterested fashion it wasn't just the fans who were restless. But that all changed overnight.

Rickie scored. And then he couldn't stop. All of a sudden Bristol Rovers had unearthed a gem. Sure, he was no Barry Hayles, and he didn't have the raw power of Jason Roberts but what Lambert lacked in pace and guile he made up for with supreme intelligence and a canny knack of being in the right place at the right time. Yes he seemed abit lazy, and admittedly he was hardly svelte but when Lambert scored against Bristol City no-one really cared. That close-range rocket past Basso dumped c*ty out of the JPT trophy and booked a first competition final in over a decade at the Millenium Stadium.

From then on it's been smooth sailing. When Lambert performed so did the Gas. In April 2007, a 30 yard half-volley against Swindon earned him goal of the season. A week later, Lambert's stooping header against Hartlepool secured the Pirate's a last-gasp play-off spot. Cue jubilant scenes and one of the most memorable finals in years. Rickie didn't stop there. Last year, having led the Gas to their best ever FA cup finish (they lost in the quarter finals) Lambert received another goal of the season award with an outlandish rasping drive against Luton.

Last month Lambert signed a lucrative new four-year contract after several Championship clubs had expressed an interest during the transfer window. The deal is thought to make the striker the highest-paid player in the history of Bristol's oldest football club. Already this season Lambert has proved he's worth every penny, topping the goalscoring charts notching 8 goals in 8 games. Long may it continue.



(Article for blogsfc.com, 2008)

Five-star England but this was hardly luxury

It was a balmy September evening in Munich the last time England recorded a 5-1 victory. On that occasion in 2001, Michael Owen plundered a hat-trick and John Motson squawked in delight, shaking the nation up into a frenzied excitement. This time the result was less emphatic. England were unconvincing and disillusioned as they toiled against Kazakhstan, 117 places below them in the FIFA rankings. In terms of results Capello will be smugly satisfied. So far, England’s qualifying record stands at three wins out of three, eleven goals scored and only four conceded. The reality however leaves little to shout about as England, plagued by inconsistency, struggle to shake off their reputation as underachievers.

If ever there was a reason to roll out a sporting cliché, Saturday’s game was it. ‘A game of two halves’ never seemed more appropriate. Few doubted England would succumb to defeat. But after a turgid first half in which Lampard had squandered the only real opportunity, the Wembley crowd was effectively silenced into a tedium-induced coma. Any pre-match euphoria was shattered by a combination of determined Kazakh part-timers and 45 minutes of the most boring football ever played.

So what were the problems? It’s difficult to know where to begin. Rooney was in no man’s land, loitering on the flanks while Heskey found himself isolated up front. Gerrard played too deep, a shadow of his usual self in the red of Liverpool, and Lampard sauntered around the park struggling to link up with his midfield companion. Surely, this was evidence enough for the management that these two were incompatible. Thanks lads, but no thanks. Things needed to change, and mercifully it did. Much to the relief of every football supporter in the country Capello ditched the ineffective 4-3-3 formation at half time, sparing Gareth Barry of another lacklustre 45 minutes and introducing Shaun Wright-Phillips for a desperately needed injection of pace down the left flank.

The tactics paid dividends. Rooney bagged a brace, Kuchma deflected into his own net while Ferdinand and Defoe also chipped in with efforts as Kazakhstan tired. But the fan’s vociferous noise was not reserved just for the goals. The unacceptable booing of Ashley Cole after his error which led to the Kazakh consolation soured the atmosphere and was criticised by the players after the game. It certainly wasn’t pretty, but then again neither was the match.

Nevertheless, England head to Minsk on Wednesday looking to continue their 100% record in the qualifying competition so far. Bar the absences of Terry (nursing his back) and Cole (nursing his ego) Capello has a fit squad to choose from. Belarus will prove a far sterner test, narrowly losing to a last-gasp penalty against Ukraine and easily dispatching Andorra in their previous games. Fortunately, Belarus coach Bernd Strange is without his key man – Barcelona midfielder Alexander Hleb. Strange knows it won’t be easy against the plethora of English talent on Wednesday, but it won’t be the first time he’s been up against some serious armoury. He’s the former Iraq national football coach, after all.

And so England will be hoping for a much-improved performance at the Dinamo Stadium. If Capello sticks with the tried and trusted 4-4-2 formation and is brave enough to drop the underperforming Steven Gerrard then England will surely secure three more vital points. If Capello dithers in his decision making, or if England play with the same ineptitude as Saturday then we could be in for a rude awakening indeed.

(Scotzine.com article, 2008)

The UK Foreign ID card: Terrorism deterrent or just a soft target?

In late September Home Secretary Jacqui Smith unveiled plans for the first UK identity card for foreign citizens. The move has sparked widespread criticism with suggestions of double motives and brazen xenophobia rife among some sections of the media. Labour’s hardy following will be tearing their hair out. Already lagging in the polls, and in the midst of an economic crisis it’s a reckless decision by the government to plunder an estimated £351 million on the short-term project.

The Home Office argues that the introduction of an identity card for foreign nationals will tackle ‘human trafficking organised immigration crime, illegal working and benefit fraud.’ Businesses found employing illegal workers could be subject to imprisonment or fines while all migrants applying to leave or enter the UK will be required to have a card. From November, fingerprints will be taken at six centres across Britain as part of the process in deciding whether an ‘applicant’ deserves to stay. Ministers predict 90% of foreign nationals will have ID cards by 2015. However, the seemingly endless lists of positives are not as clear-cut as they seem. Many of the benefits will only be recognised when the personal details of large numbers of the British population are stored in a national register, and biometrics hits the mainstream. That’ll be the National Identity Scheme then.

While Jacqui Smith and her cronies continue to laud the brilliant potential of the foreign citizen card, the underlying belief is that the Home Office is bracing the United Kingdom for the roll-out of National Identity cards. It has worked elsewhere, in France for example, 90% of the population carries one. Despite delaying the introduction of ID cards until 2012 Labour is still as committed to the cause as they ever have been. The Home Office said the ID scheme would be £1 billion cheaper than originally planned, and disastrously promoted the supposed benefits in the hope that the project will be ‘consumer led’ – with people signing up voluntarily rather than being dragged kicking and screaming. Needless to say the plan didn’t work. Not helped by Revenue and Custom’s loss of 25 million personal details, public support for ID cards is at an all time low.

The government’s appalling record of data protection, combined with fears of infringements of civil rights and privacy intrusion have led many citizens, including the Tories and Liberal Democrats to strongly oppose the idea. Phil Booth, Director of NO2ID said, “The government is picking on soft targets, People who have no choice but to comply. They are using vulnerable members of our society, like foreign nationals who do not have the vote, as guinea pigs for a deeply unpopular and unworkable policy.”
It’s a pretty cynical piece of politics to pick on the foreign nationals first. This could easily backfire on Gordon Brown. There are fears that the cards will cause friction among ethnic minorities and force illegal immigrants into avoiding contact with hospitals and police. And let’s not forget the £30 initial fee for a stand-alone identity card.

The introduction of cards for foreign nationals will be closely followed by the first cards for British citizens, targeting workers in sensitive roles and locations such as airports. However trade unions and airport workers have protested claiming the cards will not improve airport safety. The initial targets of the compulsory foreign ID card are students, and partners of permanent residents. Jacqui Smith explained, “We want to be able to prevent those here illegally from benefiting from the privileges of Britain.” It’s difficult to comprehend how a potential illegal foreign student could possibly afford the £12,000 annual fees but fail to afford a visa. And it only gets worse for the student population. From 2010, all students will need biometric cards to apply for student loans, a move that has resulted in protests and marches organised across the country.

Another concern is that the miniscule number of foreign nationals involved in the scheme will have little effect in tackling immigration. Just 60,000 cards will be issued in the next six months to those hailing from outside the European Economic Area (EAA), although ministers expect this to rise to a million cards per year after the system is fully rolled out. The card cannot be issued to people from most parts of Europe as they have the right to move freely in and out of the UK. London’s School of Economics professor Dr Edgar Whitley believes for this reason the card may not be commercially viable saying,
“With the cards being issued to a relatively small number of individuals in the first place, its unlikely employers or universities will rush to invest in the necessary systems to perform formal checks.”

Home Office ministers expect to sign the key contracts to deliver the £4.7 billion national identity database next year. Officials said contracts would include compensation clauses if the project was unexpectedly cancelled but refused to say how much. EDS and Capita, who are rumoured to have already been promised consultancy jobs, must be licking their lips. The irony is Labour are likely to be unceremoniously removed from power by the time the 2010 election comes around, thus eliminating the chance of an identity register. Of course, the private contractors will still be paid in full.

The government have played it safe and opted not to roll out identity cards to anyone with a vote. The ‘plastic poll tax’ could undermine hundreds of years of civil rights and lead to racially incited discrimination and abuse. And while Labour are determined to push ahead with such a costly project in any way they can, it seems as if the ID project could make us less, not more, safe. So much for Brown’s ‘fair Britain’.

(Smartcard News Ltd, 2008)