Tag Archives: mortem

Henning Berg forced to shake-up Blackburn backroom staff by club chief Shebby Singh

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Berg loses his team as Blackburn club chief Singh forces boss into shake-up

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UPDATED:

22:30 GMT, 12 December 2012

Blackburn manager Henning Berg has been told to find a new backroom team to halt the club's slump, although his own job is not yet in jeopardy just eight games into his return to Ewood Park.

Rovers have won just once in that time, dropping to 13th place in the Championship, and the players will also be warned to improve performances or risk being sold in the January transfer window.

Plenty to ponder: Henning Berg has been forced to overhaul his backroom staff

Plenty to ponder: Henning Berg has been forced to overhaul his backroom staff

Berg's assistant Eric Black, first-team coach Iain Brunskill and goalkeeping coach Bobby Mimms are all expected to be axed, with Brad Friedel lined up to return to the club from Tottenham as player-coach next month and replace Mimms.

Friday's 4-1 home defeat to Cardiff was the final straw for club chief Shebby Singh who held crisis talks with Berg on Monday night.

'After a result like that it is inevitable there was going to be a post mortem,' said Singh.

Out of sorts: Blackburn have claimed one point from a possible 12

Out of sorts: Blackburn have claimed one point from a possible 12

'Decisive action was needed. Now we know the direction we are heading in and what decisions have to be taken.

'The pressure is on. We did not expect this to be easy, and it hasn't been, but the decisions have been made that need to be made.'

Stuart Lancaster will change England up for Australia challenge

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Ruthless Lancaster will change England up for Aussie challenge in bid to find top gear

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UPDATED:

23:24 GMT, 11 November 2012

From a coaching perspective, the scenario is perfect. A half-century of points and seven tries to ignite this autumn campaign, but enough glitches along the way to ensure England’s players will be subjected to a harsh post-mortem.

Stuart Lancaster and his assistants have the luxury of conducting a critical review on the back of a rousing victory. They will have ample ammunition at their disposal to ensure the feet of their squad are kept fixed to the floor. Five days before confronting wounded Wallabies, this is no time for back-slapping.

‘I don’t think there is any danger of us getting carried away,’ said England’s head coach. Nor should there be.

Tough call: Charlie Sharples nearly had a hat-trick of tries against Fiji but could lose his place to Chris Ashton

Tough call: Charlie Sharples nearly had a hat-trick of tries against Fiji but could lose his place to Chris Ashton

He added: ‘You only have to look at the players in the changing room — they were quite pleased with the performance but they weren’t shouting from the rooftops.

‘We recognise the challenges ahead and we know we’ll have to up our game to win next week.’

It is absolutely vital for England’s prospects in the next three weeks that all the holes in their performance in this first QBE International against sadly poor opposition are laid bare. For all the gloss of the final scoreline and the undoubted class of some of the home side’s attacking craft on Saturday, there are issues to address. The video screening on Monday will illuminate several gremlins.

LIONS WATCH

Full back Alex Goode produced ample evidence that he should be a contender for next summer’s tour, with a man-of-the-match performance full of guile and nous.

Captain Chris Robshaw was typically full of energy and endeavour, without dramatically advancing his own case for selection, while Danny Care showcased the speed and eye for a gap which would be such an asset in Australia.

Manu Tuilagi is another who took a positive step in the right direction with his power running, his improved distribution and his tries.

Before the eulogies, let’s tackle what the management would term the ‘work-ons’. First of all, England were dreadful for almost the entire first quarter; conceding the initiative to their outclassed rivals and failing to regain it in a hurry. After 15 minutes they had claimed 19 per cent of the possession, they were hemmed in their own half, they fell off a few tackles and had to scramble feverishly to defend their line.

Even when that slow start had been worked out of the collective system, Lancaster’s men were not as slick as they should have been after a fortnight of painstaking preparation. Too often passes were sent high or wide of their intended recipient, or simply released too soon, the re-start was a mess throughout and there were some moments of dubious decision-making, such as when Dan Cole ignored an overlap on the right, ploughed on to the line but was held up.

On the back of a robust, probing review, it is equally crucial that selection this week is approached with a critical eye and a ruthless streak. The old mantra about not changing a winning team can be dismissed as a red herring in this instance.

Expanding repertoire: Centre Manu Tuilagi bagged a brace of tries of Twickenham on Saturday

Expanding repertoire: Centre Manu Tuilagi bagged a brace of tries of Twickenham on Saturday

There is a case to consider several changes, with Chris Ashton available again after his one-game ban, leaving one of Saturday’s try-scoring wings, Ugo Monye and Charlie Sharples, vulnerable to a cruel cut. Sharples struck twice, very nearly had a hat-trick and was particularly dangerous and dynamic, but he — like Ashton — favours the right flank, which may count against him.

Elsewhere, Thomas Waldrom was heavily involved but not a dominant, marauding presence at No 8, so Ben Morgan should be in strong contention to replace him. Tom Wood was sufficiently prominent in the closing stages to give Lancaster cause to consider starting him ahead of Tom Johnson.

In the front row, Joe Marler went off early in the second half after suffering a back spasm and despite his forceful scrummaging contribution, Alex Corbisiero has a chance to usurp him at loosehead. Rookie lock Joe Launchbury could further reduce the cap-count by taking over from his Wasps team-mate Tom Palmer.

Lancaster indicated that he is ready to make tough calls by removing men who featured strongly in this emphatic win.

Man of the match: England full back Alex Goode (second left) started the autumn internationals in style

Man of the match: England full back Alex Goode (second left) started the autumn internationals in style

‘The selection philosophy will always be to pick the best side we can to win the next game,’ he said. ‘If that means players retain the shirt or other players will get opportunities, then that’s what we will do.

‘With the likes of Alex Corbisiero, Chris Ashton and Jonathan Joseph coming back into the equation, we’ve got some decisions to make leading into the Australia game.’

For now, thrusting London Irish centre Joseph straight back into the starting midfield seems an unnecessary disruption. On Saturday, Brad Barritt displayed more of his attacking qualities and Manu Tuilagi alongside him was typically effective in generating precious momentum, while also showing an improved awareness of support runners around him. There were several off-loads from the Anglo-Samoan Tiger; some effective and some on the wild side, but he is certainly expanding his repertoire.

Choices: Thomas Waldrom (centre) faces a fight to keep his place at No 8 ahead of Ben Morgan

Choices: Thomas Waldrom (centre) faces a fight to keep his place at No 8 ahead of Ben Morgan

Having shone a bright light on England’s shortcomings, it is only fair to emphasise that these were far outweighed by lots of encouraging aspects against Fiji. While the Pacific Island side were able to claim two tries, the home defence was largely rock solid, as was the set-piece work, with the scrum in total command and debutant hooker Tom Youngs’ line-out throwing in perfect working order.

Best of all, Alex Goode at full back delivered a majestic performance to enhance England’s attacking potency significantly. He popped up at various points in the line, running cleverly, using his deft footwork to good effect and sharing the playmaker’s load with Toby Flood.

Once the first-quarter problems had been rectified the hosts swept away from Fiji. Sharples cut inside and twisted through several tackles for his first strike, the home pack won a penalty try with their dominant scrum and Goode’s quick tap penalty allowed Monye to glide over on the left just before the break. In the second half, crisp handling from Goode and Chris Robshaw allowed Johnson to apply a simple finish on the right, then Sharples pounced on the opposite wing and Tuilagi punished a tiring Fiji defence with his brace late on.

Hair-raising: The unmistakable figure of Joe Marler may lose his spot in the front row to Alex Corbisiero

Hair-raising: The unmistakable figure of Joe Marler may lose his spot in the front row to Alex Corbisiero

The fact that Manasa Saulo’s try gave the visitors a consolation and the last word in this game will be one of those issues addressed in today’s review.

England are up and running, but they must reach greater heights when the serious business starts in five days’ time.

England ratings

England ratings

Flood sees world of difference: No 10 relishing Lancaster"s new England era

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Flood sees world of difference: No 10 relishing Lancaster's new England era

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UPDATED:

21:31 GMT, 9 October 2012

A year ago, England were on their way home from the World Cup. Their controversial campaign had ended uncomfortably early and they were returning to face the music.

It was a year ago, but as Toby Flood said, ‘it seems like a lifetime’.

The ensuing 12 months have been the most eventful and turbulent in the history of the national team, with far-reaching consequences.

What followed the tournament in New Zealand was a post-mortem exercise that descended into an unprecedented clear-out. This, in turn, had a profound impact on the higher reaches of the sport here.

Auckland blues: Toby Flood is tackled by Imanol Harinordoquy during the quarter-final defeat by France

Auckland blues: Toby Flood is tackled by Imanol Harinordoquy during the quarter-final defeat by France

Political manoeuvring within a divided RFU — and the leaked reports into England’s World Cup debacle, on and off the field — led to a dramatic overhaul of leading personnel. Martin Johnson resigned as manager of the Test side, paving the way for the dismantling of his coaching staff and later a revamp of the playing squad.

Record since World Cup

P8 W4 L3 D1 F156 A129

World rankings

1 New Zealand……………………………………93.50
2 Australia…………………………………………85.92
3 South Africa…………………………………….84.69
4 England………………………………………….83.09
5 France……………………………………………83.03
6 Wales……………………………………………..82.26

That process was instigated by caretaker coach Stuart Lancaster, who also set about a cultural make-over with the emphasis on national pride, humility and good behaviour.

England performed well in the Six Nations with a rookie line-up, losing only to Grand Slam champions Wales, and cleaned up their act to such an extent along the way that Lancaster was put in charge of the side long-term.

Flood was a frustrated figure in New Zealand, having been usurped at No 10 by Jonny Wilkinson just before the tournament after making the place his own for the preceding 18 months.

Reflecting on the fast-moving events since the World Cup, the Leicester stand-off said: ‘A year ago seems like a lifetime. So much has gone on. There’s been massive change. It’s one of those things you try to bury, because it was such a disappointment. It’s been a long year.

‘Such emphasis was placed on us and our behaviour. We were having things written about us as we sat there drinking coffee next to the hotel.

Overhaul: England have been transformed on and off the pitch under Stuart Lancaster

Overhaul: England have been transformed on and off the pitch under Stuart Lancaster

‘It was like, “Look at the England boys out drinking”. It did make you think, “Do I want to be in an environment like this”. But Stu hasn’t allowed that feeling to fester. He’s reinvigorated everything and hidden away the things that cause you strife and stress.

‘After the turmoil from the World Cup, it was so important to start with a clean slate. I wouldn’t say the squad was divided, but there was a fall-out from what happened, from the pressure that was being applied. Cracks started to emerge.’

Those cracks were exposed by the leaked reports which represented the lowest ebb for England and the RFU. That episode was referred to as the time they hit ‘rock bottom’ and Johnson stood down soon afterwards. The picture painted was of a set-up beset by misgivings among the players about their coaches.

But Flood rejects that simplistic notion and actually suggests the upturn of the last year may still have occurred had Johnson remained in charge.

Learning curve: England suffered Six Nations defeat against Wales

Learning curve: England suffered Six Nations defeat against Wales

‘No system is perfect, no environment is always right,’ he said. ‘There’s always going to be a process of evolution. So ultimately, to have your problems aired publicly is difficult. It was a 100-odd page document from which 50-60 negative quotes were plucked out and nothing about the positivity.

‘No player or coach would have been in that environment if they didn’t have more strengths than weaknesses. The rawness was hard and it was difficult at the time, because you wanted to put it to bed. I respected all those guys (coaches) and thought they gave everything they could.

‘I haven’t seen Johnno around, but for all those quotes, only two negative comments were levelled against him. I’ve seen Brian Smith and Mike Ford around. Ultimately it was a collective effort and I believe those guys in charge probably could have turned it around. Had Johnno still been in charge and had he ripped it apart like Stu has and started again, would it have been as good You could argue it would.’

Heading in the right direction: England drew 14-14 in South Africa in June

Heading in the right direction: England drew 14-14 in South Africa in June

As it is, Lancaster has wielded a new broom to positive effect and England go into the autumn Test series next month on the back of an encouraging draw against South Africa in Port Elizabeth in their last game.

They face Fiji and then the world’s top three of Australia, South Africa and New Zealand striving to protect — or improve on — their current fourth place in the IRB world rankings in order to gain a top seeding for the 2015 World Cup draw in December.

Flood, who will be vying with Owen Farrell for the No 10 shirt, is well aware how much is at stake.

He is optimistic, saying: ‘These next four games are massive given our position in the rankings. New Zealand are untouchable at No 1, but there are places to play for, so we need a good autumn. We are targeting winning three of those games.

‘Having that experience in South Africa and coming away with that draw has given us belief. It can be a springboard.’

Where are they

Where are they

Anderson has "Andesron" shirt for Manchester United at Everton

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Is that Man United's latest signing Sub 'Andesron' carries shirt gaffe in Everton defeat

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UPDATED:

07:46 GMT, 21 August 2012

Manchester United looked far from organised against Everton on Monday night – and that includes Anderson's shirt!

When the Brazilian was brought on as a second-half substitute at Goodison Park, eagle-eyed fans noticed that his name was spelt incorrectly.

Spot the difference: Anderson wears his dodgy shirt at Everton

Spot the difference: Anderson wears his dodgy shirt at Everton

So, we had 'Andesron' wearing the No 8 shirt as he attempted to help them salvage something from their Barclays Premier League opener.

Unfortunately for United, it's not the first time they have misspelt one of their players' names on the back of the shirt.

They once had Goldenballs down as 'David Beckam' in the 1997 Charity Shield against Chelsea at Wembley.

Former goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak – never the easiest name to get right – had 'Zuszczak' for a Carling Cup match against Crewe in 2006.

Another name that can trip people up – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – was down as 'Solksjaer' in 2002.

Even John O'Shea – a relatively straight-forward name – was printed as 'S'hea' for a match against Real Madrid in 2003.

Let's hope Sir Alex Ferguson didn't spot the latest gaffe during his post-mortem of the defeat at Everton…

South Africa 36 England 27: No excuses for Stuart Lancaster

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No hiding and no excuses: Another heroic failure must not be enough for Lancaster

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UPDATED:

21:30 GMT, 17 June 2012

The gravest threat to England’s prospects would be a willingness to take comfort from heroic failure, so arguably the most heartening aspect of Saturday’ s defeat was not the on-field fightback, but Stuart Lancaster’s refusal to hide behind it.

‘Taking the positives’ has become the modern-day mantra of beaten sides trying to find hope amid the wreckage of a negative result and England did fall back on it as a central plank of their post-match message.

Yet, to have any hope of a consolation victory in the series finale in Port Elizabeth next weekend, the tourists must instead focus on the negatives.

Down and out: England look dejected as they lost the second Test and the series to South Africa

Down and out: England look dejected as they lost the second Test and the series to South Africa

The post-mortem must be harsh and robust and not diluted by the merest hint of satisfaction at turning a potential rout at Ellis Park into a compelling contest.

If England are to produce the sort of seven-day transformation that Ireland achieved in going from cannon fodder for the All Blacks to so nearly conquering them, management and players have to agree that near-misses will not suffice.

Encouragingly, the man in charge of the whole operation insisted that rallying from 19 points down to trail 31-27 with 15 minutes to go, did not constitute a moral victory. ‘I don’t think there will be any hiding,’ said Lancaster. ‘We want to set the bar high — we won’t sit back and say that was good enough. If you review the game in the context of it being good enough to come back to within four points, there’s a danger of taking too much comfort and consolation from that.

‘But we won’t. We will review it in the context of a side that wants to win these games.’

Unstoppable: South Africa's JP Pietersen dives past England's Ben Youngs to score

Unstoppable: South Africa's JP Pietersen dives past England's Ben Youngs to score

What England did on Saturday was provide further evidence of the collective spirit fostered by Lancaster since he took charge at the end of last year. They dragged themselves off the floor to move within range of a stunning comeback through sheer force of will.

But what preceded the about-turn was one of the most shattering episodes any England team has ever endured, as the Springboks simply pounded them into the dirt.

Lancaster’s men were out-gunned in terms of intensity and physicality. Spirit alone is not enough, that should be a basic prerequisite. In these parts there must also be a sustained ferocity and that was lacking on Saturday. England were reeling at every collision in the first half. Their defence was all at sea.

Brought down: Tuilagi is tackled by South Africa's Marcell Coetzee

Brought down: Tuilagi is tackled by South Africa's Marcell Coetzee

They had missed 12 tackles after just 25 minutes as they toiled in vain to contain South Africa.

/06/16/article-2160270-13A4281E000005DC-166_634x455.jpg” width=”634″ height=”455″ alt=”Good catch: JP Pietersen takes a high ball as Mouritz Botha challenges” class=”blkBorder” />

Good catch: JP Pietersen takes a high ball as Mouritz Botha challenges

And yet. And yet. There was a lack of flow in many of the attacks as passes found static runners.

Manu Tuilagi was over-zealous in
following orders to look for support runners and off-load. Part of the
problem was that the support was not close enough, so he was isolated.
In addition, the line-out, which had been immaculate in Durban, was
less precise this time.

Put aside the issues of individual players such as Ben Morgan struggling to match exploits from earlier in the season and there was a team-wide inability to keep clear heads amid the first-half onslaught.

The obvious consequence of Lancaster’s bold selection strategy is a lack of experience.

Diving over: Toby Flood scores for England

Diving over: Toby Flood scores for England

On Saturday, the wheels came off for a
time as loose passes were thrown, kicks were wild, hesitancy and
indecision ruled. The senior players needed to restore order, but it
took too long for that to happen.

So the talk of learning went on.
England are young and callow — both the coaches and the players — so
they are on a journey of discovery together. That process will mean
there are setbacks along the way and the stark truth is that these are
the country’s finest.

Aside from injured absentees such as Tom Croft, Courtney Lawes and Tom Wood, the English game does not have a stockpile of talent that is being ignored. This is a raw team and the development process will be savage at times. The character of Lancaster’s side was demonstrated in their ability to make a game of it, courtesy of Toby Flood’s try at the end of a sweeping raid, his flawless goal-kicking and Ben Youngs’ brace of touchdowns in the second half.

Stop there: Ben Foden is stopped in his tracks

Stop there: Ben Foden is stopped in his tracks

The revival was founded on a scrum
surge prompted by Alex Corbisiero’s arrival as a replacement, to join
forces with fellow prop Dan Cole. The London Irish loosehead should
start in Port Elizabeth, as could Tom Palmer and Thomas Waldrom.

Whatever the line-up, they must be prepared for this season finale in keeping with Lancaster’s pledge to avoid ‘hiding’ and set the bar high.

England are young and learning hard lessons but the education process cannot be used as a safety-net for defeats. If the coach is true to his word about aiming for the stars, there cannot be any excuses.

Heroic failure cannot be enough.

Diving save: Bryan Habana is tackled by Ben Foden

Diving save: Bryan Habana is tackled by Ben Foden

England made bad start against South Africa – Ben Kay

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Dreadful start cost England dear against Springboks

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UPDATED:

21:30 GMT, 17 June 2012

Stuart Lancaster should force his players to watch a re-run of the dreadful opening to the game in an effort to put this tour back on track.

The root cause of England’s defeat came in the opening minutes when they fell off too many tackles by using their arms rather than shoulders in tackling the Springboks.

England had clearly not learned lessons from the first Test in Durban which had seen the Springboks build an unstoppable momentum in the early stages of the second half.

Post-mortem: England gather after their second defeat to South Africa

Post-mortem: England gather after their second defeat to South Africa

It was no surprise that South Africa used the same tactics at the start of Saturday’s match and it looked as though England’s mindset was wrong.

/06/17/article-2160718-13A54339000005DC-632_468x291.jpg” width=”468″ height=”291″ alt=”Crocked: Ben Youngs (centre) will miss the final Test through injury” class=”blkBorder” />

Crocked: Ben Youngs (centre) will miss the final Test through injury

It might work in England’s favour, despite Youngs’ role in leading the revival on Saturday.

His over-use of ‘crabbing’ across the gain line, looking for a hole to open up for either himself or another runner, can hamper England’s attacking opportunities.

This tactic allows the opposition to close up the midfield, leaving Flood and his outside backs little time.

Care, who had a very good midweek match last week, is one option, while Dickson, a substitute on Saturday, gives Lancaster strength in that position.

Option: Danny Care could come into the England side for the third Test

Option: Danny Care could come into the England side for the third Test

Another player under the spotlight is line-out organiser Geoff Parling. He had his poorest game in an international shirt as the Springboks disrupted England’s flow of possession from the set-piece.

The line-out has been an area of great strength and it has to improve next Saturday. Dylan Hartley must look at his throwing because he seemed to be hitting his men too low.

Parling should hang on to his place — ahead of substitute Tom Palmer — but one change in the pack could well be at No 8, where Ben Morgan has yet to produce the form of the Six Nations. Thomas Waldrom backed up his good game in midweek as a substitute and deserves his chance.

McLaren

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Don't panic! Button backs McLaren to bounce back… but Lewis wants quick answer

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UPDATED:

10:49 GMT, 29 May 2012

McLaren's debrief back at their Woking headquarters on Monday amounted to yet another post-race post-mortem on a hugely disappointing grand prix weekend.

Monaco served to demonstrate that, while the likes of Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari are getting to grips with the technical challenges and strategy questions posed by 2012's regulations and tyres, McLaren are stuck at the head-scratching stage.

Warning: Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button don't want to be left behind

Warning: Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button don't want to be left behind

The fact that McLaren are in trouble is all the more strange given their strong start as Jenson Button opened the campaign with victory in Australia. Since then there has been an alarming, steady decline in their fortunes.

Button, to his credit, continues to offer confident predictions his team will get it right even as he struggles to achieve the all-important balance with his car which will enable him to return to the business end of races rather than languish in a midfield battle.

'There is no sense of panic,' insisted Button despite being classified 16th in Monaco after failing to complete all 78 laps. 'We have seen such inconsistency (in the results), that is why we should not panic and panicking wouldn't make a difference.

'The first three races were good and then suddenly in the last three – I don't know where it is. It is nothing we can't sort out. We will solve the issues. It's just a question of whether we do it in time. We need to get back on track and start fighting those guys out in front.'

Slow lane: McLaren have struggled after an impressive start

Slow lane: McLaren have struggled after an impressive start

The next race in Canada would seem to be the ideal place for Button to do just that given, last year, it was the scene of his greatest ever victory.

'I have great memories of Monaco but even greater memories of Canada in 2011,' said Button harking back to his remarkable recovery drive which saw him, following a collision with teammate Lewis Hamilton, come from 21st to first following a in a downpour affected grand prix.

But even Button was forced to concede that, even in a season which has produced six different winners from six races, it may be easier to decipher who will be best placed to win in Montreal.

'You would say that people who were good in Monaco will be good in Canada,' admitted Button. 'You need cars with good traction, low speed mechanical grip and guys have proved they have that – the Ferrari, Red Bull and the Mercedes.'

Button's prediction for Canada was echoed by Hamilton who, hampered by an overall lack of pace from his car and dubious pit stop strategy calls by his team, could only manage fifth in Monaco.

Hamilton, while supportive of his team, clearly feels the onus is on McLaren to give him a car capable of carrying to his first win of the campaign.

'I feel like I'm in the best place I've ever been,' he insisted. 'I'm driving as well as I've ever driven. I'm not making mistakes at all and it feels great. I can feel comfortable now leaving the track and knowing that I couldn't have done any more.

'It's just unfortunate the car wasn't quick enough. We've got to try and find some time, these guys are quicker than us in the race, we've to find some time so we can start challenging them.'

Piermario Morosini autopsy inconclusive

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Morosini autopsy proves inconclusive as further tests are ordered

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UPDATED:

22:45 GMT, 16 April 2012

An autopsy on Italian footballer Piermario Morosini, who died after collapsing during a Serie B match at the weekend, has proved inconclusive.

The post-mortem examination was carried out on Monday and lasted more than six hours but no cause of death was determined.

'There is no macroscopic evidence that allows us to determine his death,' coroner Cristian D'Ovidio said in quotes reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

'Further tests are needed, even of toxicological nature.'

Tribute: Livorno fans pay their respects to Morosini

Tribute: Livorno fans pay their respects to Morosini

Morosini, 25, died after collapsing while playing for Livorno in a match at Pescara on Saturday afternoon.

Livorno, the club Morosini joined on loan from Udinese in January, confirmed on Monday afternoon that his body will arrive at Leghorn's Armando Picchi stadium on Tuesday in order to allow fans to pay their respects.

Morosini's body will then be taken to his home city of Bergamo where a funeral will take place on Thursday.

Earlier on Monday, Livorno announced that Morosini's number 25 jersey would be retired and called on certain media outlets to cease broadcasting images of the incident.

'In the name of Morosini's family, Livorno kindly asks all national and international media to stop showing the video images and photographs of the time when Piermario collapsed on the pitch and of its,' a statement read.

Request: Livorno have asked the media to stop showing images of Morosini's death

Request: Livorno have asked the media to stop showing images of Morosini's death

Meanwhile, an inquiry into Morosini's death has been opened after a parked car belonging to traffic police blocked the ambulance's path into the stadium on Saturday.

One of the car's windows had to be broken in order for it to be moved, and the mayor of Pescara, Luigi Albore Mascia, revealed he was taking the issue seriously.

'There has been an admission of responsibility from the traffic policeman that on Saturday parked his car in the stadium, thus blocking for a few minutes the entrance of the ambulance to the pitch,' Mascia told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

'It is an unforgettable act that is serious.

'But, if the medical assistance was considered timely as I believe it was, then it is wrong to place direct responsibility on the traffic policeman regarding the death of the unfortunate player.'

Piermario Morosini: More must be done to prevent heart attacks

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More must be done to prevent football tragedies, insisits Italy's sports minister

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UPDATED:

12:22 GMT, 15 April 2012

Italy's sports minister Piero Gnudi has requested for athletes to undergo more frequent medical tests following the sudden death of Livorno midfielder Piermario Morosini.

The 25-year-old, on loan from Udinese, collapsed during Saturday's Serie B match at Pescara and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead.

A post-mortem examination will be conducted on Monday to ascertain whether Morosini's cause of death was cerebral or cardiac.

Tragic: Medics assists Livorno's Piermario Morosini after he collapsed

Tragic: Medics assists Livorno's Piermario Morosini after he collapsed

Gnudi said: 'It is always difficult to accept the death of a young man of only 25, especially during a context of enjoyment and sport.

'The recent repetition of dramatic incidents like this must also force us to work on doing everything possible to guarantee accurate and frequent medical tests so that we may limit in every way the chance of this happening again.'

Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba has made remarkable progress since suffering a cardiac arrest during the FA Cup quarter-final at Tottenham four weeks ago, but Italian volleyball player Vigor Bovolenta died during a league game last month at the age of 37 following a heart attack.

Morosini's death has shocked the nation and the Italian Football Federation have cancelled all matches this weekend.

Sudden: Morosini (right) in action before he collapsed on Saturday

Sudden: Morosini (right) in action before he collapsed on Saturday

The Italian Olympic Committee have invited other federations to request a one-minute silence to be observed in memory of Morosini prior to any games taking place on Sunday.

Damiano Tommasi, president of the Italian Players' Union, has planned a meeting in the near future to discuss testing of players for heart-related problems.

'It is a tragedy that leaves us helpless and disarmed,' Tommasi said to www.assocalciatori.it. 'An event like this is inexplicable.

'We wait to find out more from the autopsy, but now the prevailing sensation is of sadness.

Repeat: The incident in Italy had echoes of Fabrice Muamba's collapse

Repeat: The incident in Italy had echoes of Fabrice Muamba's collapse

'We had a meeting planned on Monday, which has been postponed, but we will now organise a get-together to discuss this tragedy and the problems tied to ensuring the safety of players.

'If in professional divisions there are certain guarantees, tens of thousands of players in the amateur Leagues have very few scans.'

Italy already have a very advanced screening programme for heart problems in athletes but some believe that even with those precautions, tragedies cannot be avoided.

'The players are monitored every four or five months,' Lazio coach Edy Reja said. 'But tragedies can happen. It's life's destiny.'

Liverpool crisis: Loyal boss needs foot soldiers, not fools

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Loyal boss needs foot soldiers, not fools, as Liverpool crisis deepens

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UPDATED:

22:00 GMT, 1 April 2012

Kenny Dalglish was bringing his latest post-match post mortem to a close when he was asked whether it would be difficult to lift Liverpool’s browbeaten squad.

'I don’t think so,' he said with a hint of defiance. 'They believe in what they are doing. It is not as if they don’t work hard or have the determination and effort.

'It is up to us to channel our frustrations in the right way. But if they start to enjoy losing games, then we will have a problem.'

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Needless: Pepe Reina was sent off for a foolish lunge of the head

Getting caught up in the moment not only demolished any hope Liverpool had of staging an unlikely comeback, it also immediately jeopardised their hopes of beating a resurgent Everton at Wembley on Saturday week in the FA Cup semi-final.

His place between the posts will now be filled by Alexander Doni. Capped 10 times by Brazil, Doni’s only action since joining from Roma last summer was 57 minutes in a friendly against Glasgow Rangers at Ibrox last October – and even that game ended early after he dislocated his finger.

To watch Doni in pre-match warm-ups, it is clear he is a fine shot stopper but how will he cope with the intensity and pressure of a Merseyside derby Dalglish needed all his big players to tackle their neighbours, so for Reina to get himself banned was rank stupidity. He owes Dalglish an apology.

King: Kenny Dalglish's crown is slipping from his head

King: Kenny Dalglish's crown is slipping from his head

As does Carroll. The barroom sages on Merseyside have long since said that April 14 was going to be a problematic day for Dalglish regarding his 35million striker, with his dilemma being does he play him in the semi-final… or run him in the Grand National

It is the latest in a line of cheap shots that have been aimed at Carroll since he became the eighth most expensive footballer in history on January 31, 2011. Yet while his form has dipped and dived, and the goals have failed to come, Dalglish’s stance has remained unwavering and supportive.

Repaying his manager by aiming a flurry of invective at him at the end of 90 calamitous minutes was poor. When pressed on the matter, Dalglish tried to defuse the situation but the look on his face said everything. These are worrying times for Anfield’s King. The problem is they could get even worse.