1-The Italian Job is still effective
Life, they say, is a cycle. It involves births and deaths, ins and outs, and the constant rearrangement of thoughts and ideas. It's the same principle in football where formations and play styles have been created and replaced by better ones. However, last night, the otherwise dead "catenaccio" made a comeback at the Camp Nou in the form of AC Milan as they faced Barcelona.It even had the "grab-the first-goal-and-close-the-door" feel of old. Pato scored in 24 seconds and the Rossoneri held on for 35 minutes until Pedro got the champions back into it but they kept the "piece de resistance" for the last as Thiago Silva headed home a Seedorf corner in injury time. The classic mark of an Italian team. They score when you least expect it. Allegri's team didn't have the rigidity of classic Italian teams but they still showed how tough they can be when it's needed.
2-The right gaffer will leave you smiling
Getting the right man to guide the playing body has always been invaluable to football. Mourinho, Ferguson, Sacchi have over the years made various cases to back this simple piece of football truth and this season, Bayern Munich looks like they have the right man. Of course, it's too early to pass judgement on Jupp Heynckes but if Frank Ribery says he feels at ease playing under him, vindication must be the resulting feeling. He's led Munich to the top spot in the Bundesliga and a masterful win away to Villareal to top a group containing both Manchester City and Napoli. It seems Munich can look forward to a fruitful season.
3-The wrong gaffer will leave you Gasp-ing
If there's one thing Gian Piero Gasperini will have in close proximity,I'm sure it'll be pain killers. No,he's not suffering from a serious health condition. He's only dealing with the accompanying headaches caused by poor results. What's worse is that he's the man they brought in to steady an Inter Milan ship that nearly sunk under Benitez and came alive under but was slow under Leonardo. Gasperson, as the new coach is called, looks like he's sending the Inter Milan vessel down to the icy regions by using the terrible 3-4-3 coordinate on his map. From the Italian Super Cup till date, his players have shown an all-too obvious lack of understanding of the system and this is alarming as Inter are in the frame to challenge for major honours. They may have won off the pitch by milking Anzhi Makachkala in the Eto'o episode and keeping Wesley Sneijder away from Man United's waiting arms but on the pitch, they look like the villain in a horror flick: terrible.
4-Wonderful goals will abound
It may only be matchday 1 but the goals have been simply breathtaking.
Perisic's volley against Arsenal, Villa's freekick against AC Milan, Cardozo's elegant turn and shoot against Man United,Hulk's tracer bullet against Shakhtar,Pato's wonderful blitzing run against Barcelona. These just say one thing: the Champions League is unrivaled in class and quality. Players and teams transcend mortality and go into a realm where only the divine is created when the competition's anthem blares out of stadium's speakers.
I'm just wondering if we can keep track of the wonderful memories we'll have by next May.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
A tribute to Fabregas
"Parting is such sweet sorrow" are Juliet's words to Romeo in Shakespeare's classic drama, Romeo and Juliet. An expression of how difficult it is when time shared with a loved one has to end but it is done in hope that there will be another meeting for the same thrill to be recreated or even surpassed. For Francesc Fabregas Soler, these might have been his last words to Arsenal as the 3-year old soap opera titled " Will he go or stay?" ended.
News from Arsenal insiders say Fabregas' appearance at training last Friday was a valedictory one and I can bet it was emotional too. Seeing one's colleagues for the last time after spending time with them is tough and tougher when the time period in question is 8 years but it's all gone now and the memories are the only things left.
Even from a position of a "foe" (because I'm a Manchester United fan), Fabregas's departure has robbed the EPL of a genius.I don't know how many of my Man United supporting friends will side with me but seeing Fabregas play in England was an honour. Of course, we'll see him in the Barcelona squad but not as captain, command center and choir director all in one.
Popularly called, "Nokia" in Nigeria because of stunning ability to "connect" to players with his passing, Fabregas has given us memories both pleasurable and painful.His defence-splitting pass to Nasri at the Emirates for the Frenchman to blast it past Van der Sar got me furious but objectively, it told of a master thinker.Further back in 2006, he dispossessed Cristiano Ronaldo only for the Spaniard to feed Adebayor to poke it past Kuzsack in the Man United to clinch a victory for the Gunners. Gutted I was that day but once again, there's nothing you can do when you meet superb players on their game. But Fabregas didn't only create, he scored goals too and I think my favourite was the lovely slalom run and finish against Tottenham at the Emirates. His great knee-slide celebration topped the sequence and it proved how magnificent he was. Yes, I admit he didn't have the inspiring nature as Henry and the boss-like air of Gallas but Fabregas was magnificent and he let his football talk, shout and inspire for him.
However, his 8-year spell at Arsenal had to come to an end in a rather difficult fashion because he got involved in a battle between heart and head. His love for Arsenal was evident but the constant reminder of not having a club honour to his name especially when his friends from his Barcelona B team from 2002/3 had now become winners in all aspects. Pique and Messi had won club and national team honours almost effortlessly and one of their victims on the way to these achievements was Arsenal and Fabregas. Certainly,the young Arsenal captain had to take a decision and it wasn't the easiest thing to do.
Arsenal say they'll cope without him and they'll have to. The unit must show grit to prove doubters wrong but that's Arsene Wenger's job. Fabregas' job is to keep developing as a footballer and help Barcelona extend their reign as European and Spanish champions. However, how he does that with Xavi, Iniesta and now Thiago Alcantara all in the same squad is a question that only time can answer and we'll all be privy to that answer one day.
My job as a fan is to enjoy the football and the magnificent Fabregas made me enjoy it and even though he played for the enemy, he was an enemy I would have loved to have as a friend. Truly fabulous.
News from Arsenal insiders say Fabregas' appearance at training last Friday was a valedictory one and I can bet it was emotional too. Seeing one's colleagues for the last time after spending time with them is tough and tougher when the time period in question is 8 years but it's all gone now and the memories are the only things left.
Even from a position of a "foe" (because I'm a Manchester United fan), Fabregas's departure has robbed the EPL of a genius.I don't know how many of my Man United supporting friends will side with me but seeing Fabregas play in England was an honour. Of course, we'll see him in the Barcelona squad but not as captain, command center and choir director all in one.
Popularly called, "Nokia" in Nigeria because of stunning ability to "connect" to players with his passing, Fabregas has given us memories both pleasurable and painful.His defence-splitting pass to Nasri at the Emirates for the Frenchman to blast it past Van der Sar got me furious but objectively, it told of a master thinker.Further back in 2006, he dispossessed Cristiano Ronaldo only for the Spaniard to feed Adebayor to poke it past Kuzsack in the Man United to clinch a victory for the Gunners. Gutted I was that day but once again, there's nothing you can do when you meet superb players on their game. But Fabregas didn't only create, he scored goals too and I think my favourite was the lovely slalom run and finish against Tottenham at the Emirates. His great knee-slide celebration topped the sequence and it proved how magnificent he was. Yes, I admit he didn't have the inspiring nature as Henry and the boss-like air of Gallas but Fabregas was magnificent and he let his football talk, shout and inspire for him.
However, his 8-year spell at Arsenal had to come to an end in a rather difficult fashion because he got involved in a battle between heart and head. His love for Arsenal was evident but the constant reminder of not having a club honour to his name especially when his friends from his Barcelona B team from 2002/3 had now become winners in all aspects. Pique and Messi had won club and national team honours almost effortlessly and one of their victims on the way to these achievements was Arsenal and Fabregas. Certainly,the young Arsenal captain had to take a decision and it wasn't the easiest thing to do.
Arsenal say they'll cope without him and they'll have to. The unit must show grit to prove doubters wrong but that's Arsene Wenger's job. Fabregas' job is to keep developing as a footballer and help Barcelona extend their reign as European and Spanish champions. However, how he does that with Xavi, Iniesta and now Thiago Alcantara all in the same squad is a question that only time can answer and we'll all be privy to that answer one day.
My job as a fan is to enjoy the football and the magnificent Fabregas made me enjoy it and even though he played for the enemy, he was an enemy I would have loved to have as a friend. Truly fabulous.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Tradition Is No Mask
If tradition were a person or an object,it would rival the Ark of The Covenant,the Shroud of Turin or even the presence of a deity or priest.Not to be touched because of its powerful aura.However,in the world of sport,tradition is not all that immune to ''human'' defects and situations if the aura is not kept as mysterious as it should normally be and yesterday in Argentina,River Plate became the latest example of tradition gone wrong and out of the window.For those who might be too abreast,I'll make it as clear as possible for you.River Plate got relegated from the Argentine elite division and this is not from the league games I played on my Sony Playstation or a big footballing joke.It happened yesterday after they lost their playoff game to Belgrano by 3 goals to 1.This means that 110 years of history,tradition,clout and legacy have been sacrificed on the altar of incompetence just like in so many other cases in world football.West Ham United,Newcastle United,Deportivo La Coruna,Juventus and AS Monaco to mention just a few.
I am never against tradition.In fact,I'm one of its huge followers.Clubs like Liverpool,Real Madrid,AC Milan,Ajax,Boca Juniors,Benfica,Santos,El-Ahly (Egypt) have my eternal respect simply because of what they have given to our beautiful game.They set the standards for modern clubs to follow and that is magnificent.However,tradition can only be tradition when it grows with time, adapts to modernity and adopts contemporary ways of keeping the old brand still powerful.Real Madrid,for instance,have never gone away from their ''traditional'' ways of gathering the best talent around to put on the jersey of the King' club.They had Paco Gente,Puskas and Stefano back then.Now,it's Ronaldo,Kaka,Casillas wearing that kit and they still challenge for everything around.
But when we look at the River Plate case,it tells us of how some have failed to see the wisdom in keeping the brand alive by embedding and growing with the ages.The club that produced Daniel Passarella and blessed us with Ariel Ortega is now grappling with debts of about $19 million (according to the BBC).It looks a paltry sum but that's how huge it looks for a club popularly known as ''The Millionaires''.Alledged stories of gangsters being beneficiaries of transfer fees and a decline in general managerial success are marks that show how low River have sunk.Of course,relegation could have been nature and science's only just rewards for such sins but it tells us all that no big club is too big to go down in this modern era of football.Even my mother's favourite Hearts Of Oak in Ghana who were African Confederations Cup champions just 6 years ago flirted with the drop until late on in the just ended Ghanaian season.Frightening,it may seem but it can happen to any club.All you need to do is mismanage affairs.If your fans don't go on rampage like River Plate fans did yesterday,you'll have the club's ego to rebuild and face the constant reminder that the many years of tradition have gone down the drain under your watch.
Now that the dust has settled in Argentina,let the lesson rise up in the air:tradition is,certainly,no mask.
I am never against tradition.In fact,I'm one of its huge followers.Clubs like Liverpool,Real Madrid,AC Milan,Ajax,Boca Juniors,Benfica,Santos,El-Ahly (Egypt) have my eternal respect simply because of what they have given to our beautiful game.They set the standards for modern clubs to follow and that is magnificent.However,tradition can only be tradition when it grows with time, adapts to modernity and adopts contemporary ways of keeping the old brand still powerful.Real Madrid,for instance,have never gone away from their ''traditional'' ways of gathering the best talent around to put on the jersey of the King' club.They had Paco Gente,Puskas and Stefano back then.Now,it's Ronaldo,Kaka,Casillas wearing that kit and they still challenge for everything around.
But when we look at the River Plate case,it tells us of how some have failed to see the wisdom in keeping the brand alive by embedding and growing with the ages.The club that produced Daniel Passarella and blessed us with Ariel Ortega is now grappling with debts of about $19 million (according to the BBC).It looks a paltry sum but that's how huge it looks for a club popularly known as ''The Millionaires''.Alledged stories of gangsters being beneficiaries of transfer fees and a decline in general managerial success are marks that show how low River have sunk.Of course,relegation could have been nature and science's only just rewards for such sins but it tells us all that no big club is too big to go down in this modern era of football.Even my mother's favourite Hearts Of Oak in Ghana who were African Confederations Cup champions just 6 years ago flirted with the drop until late on in the just ended Ghanaian season.Frightening,it may seem but it can happen to any club.All you need to do is mismanage affairs.If your fans don't go on rampage like River Plate fans did yesterday,you'll have the club's ego to rebuild and face the constant reminder that the many years of tradition have gone down the drain under your watch.
Now that the dust has settled in Argentina,let the lesson rise up in the air:tradition is,certainly,no mask.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
The Mad Season
Fans look forward to it.Managers gear up for it.Agents salivate at it and players revel in it.It's not the league season but the season in between seasons.It's the transfer season.The mad period in football where players are so linked to various clubs,you wonder if they are communication lines.The period where obscene sums of money are thought of,quoted and in the some cases,given away or taken depending on where you stand in the exchange process.This year's market season has seen some of the most mind-bugging scenarios till date and I'm sure it will get crazier.
The ''El Nina Maravina and His Many Suitors'' saga is one that has captured attention.Young Chilean star,Alexis Sanchez had suddenly become the must-have player if you fancied pace,skill and some cherry in your team and a lot of teams wanted that.First,Manchester United showed their interest but Barcelona showed more than interest.They showed money and soon,Udinese chairman,Giampaolo Pozzo was rubbing his hands in expectant fashion as a deal worth about 27 million euros neared completion.Barcelona even made space for the Chilean by selling Bojan.Bloggers,tweeters,journalists and fans has accepted the facts.Sanchez was going to join the European champions.All too smooth for Mr.Murphy to let go,right?So he struck and maybe he struck Pozzo's head in a dream and when the boss woke up on Thursday morning and said if you didn't have 50 million pounds ready,get lost.He said if Ronaldo was worth 80 million quid,his ''playalike'' was also worth a lot if less.Quite engrossing for the mind and you can be sure that's not the last of it.
Luka Modric also had a say in the mad season too.Yes,Luka Modric.The quiet,nice Croatian bloke who runs the midfield for Tottenham.His claim to mad season fame was his open desire to join Chelsea as he ''wanted to win titles''.Once again,the wheels started turning and it was all in the news.The deal had begun from articles even before the two parties even dreamt of talking.However,Spurs chairman Daniel Levy didn't wait for Mr.Murphy to stir him into action.He said no and a big one at that to shut us all up.
Maybe not as dramatic as Sanchez's case but it still highlighted one simple thing.Players want to win titles and they're willing to go wherever to gain football's only objective.Fueled by this wisdom,Aston Villa's Ashley Young swapped blue and scarlet for the red and white of Manchester United and he'll be joined by Phil Jones from Blackburn.Great news for the English champions as they seek a 20th title and go way ahead of their bitter rivals,Liverpool who have also suddenly woken up and have gone into a frenzy.
First,they signed Jordan Henderson for 20million pounds and they're seeking to add more players to their team.Good shot,new owners.At least we can see exactly what you're spending on and you know whom you want too.However,the mad season has not seen one of its main players so far.This team has so much money to spend and they have an owner who's willing to throw more cash around.You guessed it right.I'm talking about Manchester City.Yes,they've looked around.They were ever present in the Sanchez episode and they're linked to every player on Earth.But they've not yet bought anything.Maybe they're still looking around but while they do,it seems they want Jerome Boateng to go away to Bayern Munich.Let's just wait and see.
But this time around,the coaches are also in on the act.Andre Villas-Boas' 13.2 million pound move from Porto to Chelsea tops the lot but the switch from Birmingham to Aston Villa will forever etch Alex McLeish into memory for purity's sake.Joining the enemy is a travesty and should he and Randy Lerner fail,the purists will have this golden rule played so much,it might win a Grammy or even a Billboard award.
The coming weeks will see lots more drama.Questions of loyalty,ambition drive and even money will come up for players and coaches alike but how they answer can and will decide how mad the transfer season will turn out.
The ''El Nina Maravina and His Many Suitors'' saga is one that has captured attention.Young Chilean star,Alexis Sanchez had suddenly become the must-have player if you fancied pace,skill and some cherry in your team and a lot of teams wanted that.First,Manchester United showed their interest but Barcelona showed more than interest.They showed money and soon,Udinese chairman,Giampaolo Pozzo was rubbing his hands in expectant fashion as a deal worth about 27 million euros neared completion.Barcelona even made space for the Chilean by selling Bojan.Bloggers,tweeters,journalists and fans has accepted the facts.Sanchez was going to join the European champions.All too smooth for Mr.Murphy to let go,right?So he struck and maybe he struck Pozzo's head in a dream and when the boss woke up on Thursday morning and said if you didn't have 50 million pounds ready,get lost.He said if Ronaldo was worth 80 million quid,his ''playalike'' was also worth a lot if less.Quite engrossing for the mind and you can be sure that's not the last of it.
Luka Modric also had a say in the mad season too.Yes,Luka Modric.The quiet,nice Croatian bloke who runs the midfield for Tottenham.His claim to mad season fame was his open desire to join Chelsea as he ''wanted to win titles''.Once again,the wheels started turning and it was all in the news.The deal had begun from articles even before the two parties even dreamt of talking.However,Spurs chairman Daniel Levy didn't wait for Mr.Murphy to stir him into action.He said no and a big one at that to shut us all up.
Maybe not as dramatic as Sanchez's case but it still highlighted one simple thing.Players want to win titles and they're willing to go wherever to gain football's only objective.Fueled by this wisdom,Aston Villa's Ashley Young swapped blue and scarlet for the red and white of Manchester United and he'll be joined by Phil Jones from Blackburn.Great news for the English champions as they seek a 20th title and go way ahead of their bitter rivals,Liverpool who have also suddenly woken up and have gone into a frenzy.
First,they signed Jordan Henderson for 20million pounds and they're seeking to add more players to their team.Good shot,new owners.At least we can see exactly what you're spending on and you know whom you want too.However,the mad season has not seen one of its main players so far.This team has so much money to spend and they have an owner who's willing to throw more cash around.You guessed it right.I'm talking about Manchester City.Yes,they've looked around.They were ever present in the Sanchez episode and they're linked to every player on Earth.But they've not yet bought anything.Maybe they're still looking around but while they do,it seems they want Jerome Boateng to go away to Bayern Munich.Let's just wait and see.
But this time around,the coaches are also in on the act.Andre Villas-Boas' 13.2 million pound move from Porto to Chelsea tops the lot but the switch from Birmingham to Aston Villa will forever etch Alex McLeish into memory for purity's sake.Joining the enemy is a travesty and should he and Randy Lerner fail,the purists will have this golden rule played so much,it might win a Grammy or even a Billboard award.
The coming weeks will see lots more drama.Questions of loyalty,ambition drive and even money will come up for players and coaches alike but how they answer can and will decide how mad the transfer season will turn out.
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