The news of Mourinho's exit came as a bolt from the blue to me. Yes, everyone knew that Mourinho wasn't too happy lately at Stamford Bridge, but I never thought that he would leave, or that Abramovich would fire him, whichever the case may be, at such a crucial point in the season. I expected Mourinho to stay at least another season, take another crack at the Champion's League trophy that has so far eluded him in his three full seasons with Chelsea, try to regain the Premier League title, and leave England on a high, justifying "the Special One" name he gave himself.
Where does this leave Chelsea, and the Premier League? That can only be confirmed in the weeks to come. It depends heavily on how the Chelsea players react to their new manager. A lot of them were very close to Mourinho, and his departure could result in many wanting to leave the club. This could be noted in Ricardo Carvalho's statement, "It is a very sad day for me and the team. I had a big offer from Real Madrid but I stayed at Chelsea because of Mourinho." Didier Drogba is known to be furious over Mourinho's sudden exit, and Frank Lampard had put contract talks on hold at the start of the season. Could Chelsea soon be without several players that defined their game during the three seasons Mourinho spent there? Well, at least not till January till the time the transfer widow opens again. Grant, previously the coach of the Israeli national team, has a tough job of gaining respect of his players till then, or else Chelsea will be in turmoil.
As a Manchester United fan, I am elated by Mourinho's exit. For one, it means I no longer have to bear his arrogant antics. Also, this means Chelsea come into the important clash with United on Sunday distracted. I believe this could give United an edge over Chelsea this weekend, although when Ranieri took over in 2000 and faced the same fixture on his debut, Chelsea scraped a 3-3 draw. If Chelsea end up like Real Madrid, hiring and firing their managers every now and again, it could mean that all the hard work Mourinho had put in during his time would be undone. The hierarchy prior to Abramovich's take-over would return, with Arsenal and Liverpool already showing signs of becoming the power teams they previously were. The nature of this season, and maybe even the next few, could well be decided in the next couple of months.
e shtunë, 22 shtator 2007
e martë, 28 gusht 2007
To Sledge or not to Sledge
There was a lot of talk during the recently concluded India-England Test series over the volume of the stump cameras. The English team wanted the broadcaster to lower the volume so that when they sledged an Indian player, it wasn’t heard by the million of viewers following the match on their television sets. But, really, is sledging that important part of the game?
People defending sledging would say that it is integral, a modern strategy to your rivals all tensed and makes it easier to cause them to make mistakes. It shows aggression, it shows a burning desire to win, it shows that you belong here and are confident enough to be a part of the sport. But should verbal abuse (yes, sledging is nothing more than verbal abuse in more common terms) really be used to such a great extent in a sport which is called ‘The Gentleman’s Game’?
Don’t get me wrong here, I’m not attacking cricket alone. I am a critique of sledging in all sports. The players are looked up to by young adoring fans and it most certainly would not send out the right signals to them if you say that the secret behind your success is hard work, practice, physical fitness and a vocabulary of F-words used in various forms to have a go against your opponent’s moms and dads. It was a horrendous experience for me to recently play a small football match at school where every time during a corner there was some or another altercation with an opposing player where I had to bear insults to my family.
Athletes must realize that they are the ambassadors for good sportsmanship. I’m sure you can show your aggression in ways other than by sledging. If you remember the Chelsea-Manchester United game towards the end of last season, there was an incident involving Didier Drogba and Rio Ferdinand. The stare Drogba gave to Ferdinand made even a rough-and-tough guy like Ferdinand cower. Nobody can deny that Ferdinand was shaken by that look. If Ferdinand can be scared off by a mere gaze, anyone can be. And at least this way, we spare the kids vocabulary of some, well, unneeded words.
e mërkurë, 27 qershor 2007
Glory, Glory Man United!!!
If ever in my blogs you feel that I am favorable to Manchester United, in relation to their performances, or their dealings in transfers, or for that any matter where you may have a negative opinion of the club, you must forgive me. The problem is, I am in love with the team and the football that they play, and as any man can't bear to hear anything spoken against his Lady Love, I can't bear anything said against the Red Devils, and to me they would never be in the wrong.
It all began back in 1997, when I was introduced to the computer game FIFA 1997 on my mom's ICQ account. I didn't know a God damned thing about football back then, didn't even know that players play at different positions. All I knew though, was that United was the team with the best attributes in the English League then, which I chose because it was the first option given to me while choosing the region of the League I want to play. Neither did I know that that Number 9 who would always be at the centre when the game was about to kick off was not just another Number 9, that it was Eric "the King" Cantona. I didn't know that that Number 11 who I always for some reason found on the left side of the pitch from my goal was who I would later call Giggsy. To me, it did not matter back then what there names were, all that mattered was that they played decent, kicked the ball in the right direction, and won me the matches, which they somehow always did.
But, alas, for some reason I couldn't play the game any longer, since ICQ for some reason decided not to provide it any longer. I was separated from the lads for years, until, one fine day at a boarding school where I was then studying, Liverpool vs Manchester United was being aired. There were two reasons why I was rooting for United that day, one was of course my previous liaison with them, and because there was this bully that I loathed who was supporting Liverpool. Almost everyone in that room was in fact on Liverpool's side, scared to be on the wrong side of the bully, but it helped me a great deal that United got all three points, and, mor importantly, won the most bitter rivalry in the English game.
I wasn't a die hard United fan till I began playing FIFA 2002. Till then, I only preferrde to read in the newspapers that United won a game, but it didn't matter much to me, the same way right now I would like to read the Dallas Mavericks performing well in the NBA. But things changed with the new FIFA game. I started knowing players names, also learnt from my sister that there was this bald guy who plays for United who all girls drool while thinking of him. Now, with the ability to transfer players in the game, I also learnt of the talents that lay beyond the English borders. Soon, I was a football addict. All of us at my school were. We used to play football, or footsie or footer, as we called it, for about four or five hours on the sundays at our school. And I started following United's performances more seriously. The first United match I watched live was United vs Liverpool in December '02. It was at Anfield, and United won 2-1, with Diego Forlan scoring both. Maybe that's why I always liked Forlan, and that I did not really like to see him depart for Villareal.
Although they won the League that season, the next three seasons, where they only had an FA Cup and League Cup victories, were hard to bear. But, nonetheless, they were still by far the best team in the world to me, because when they played well, they made the good sides look like teams that should be playing in lower divisions, and smaller teams like they consisted of a bunch of guys picked up at a local club and thrown onto the pitch with a jersey. And, finally, last season United's real abilities came through as their newer players finally found their feet. Rooney finally began performing more consistently, though more often providing goals than scoring them, and Ronaldo by far was the player of the season. Long time players Giggs, Scholes and Neville provided the team with leadership, and the Vidic-Ferdinand combo at the centre defense positions provided the backbone. Result? United dethroned Chelsea in the League, narrowly lost out to the London team in the FA Cup final, and lost to eventual winners AC Milan in the Champions League. With new recruits Nani, Hargreaves and Anderson lined up for next season, I'm looking forward to more than one new addition to the trophy cabinet, and some more breathtaking games to savour.
It all began back in 1997, when I was introduced to the computer game FIFA 1997 on my mom's ICQ account. I didn't know a God damned thing about football back then, didn't even know that players play at different positions. All I knew though, was that United was the team with the best attributes in the English League then, which I chose because it was the first option given to me while choosing the region of the League I want to play. Neither did I know that that Number 9 who would always be at the centre when the game was about to kick off was not just another Number 9, that it was Eric "the King" Cantona. I didn't know that that Number 11 who I always for some reason found on the left side of the pitch from my goal was who I would later call Giggsy. To me, it did not matter back then what there names were, all that mattered was that they played decent, kicked the ball in the right direction, and won me the matches, which they somehow always did.
But, alas, for some reason I couldn't play the game any longer, since ICQ for some reason decided not to provide it any longer. I was separated from the lads for years, until, one fine day at a boarding school where I was then studying, Liverpool vs Manchester United was being aired. There were two reasons why I was rooting for United that day, one was of course my previous liaison with them, and because there was this bully that I loathed who was supporting Liverpool. Almost everyone in that room was in fact on Liverpool's side, scared to be on the wrong side of the bully, but it helped me a great deal that United got all three points, and, mor importantly, won the most bitter rivalry in the English game.
I wasn't a die hard United fan till I began playing FIFA 2002. Till then, I only preferrde to read in the newspapers that United won a game, but it didn't matter much to me, the same way right now I would like to read the Dallas Mavericks performing well in the NBA. But things changed with the new FIFA game. I started knowing players names, also learnt from my sister that there was this bald guy who plays for United who all girls drool while thinking of him. Now, with the ability to transfer players in the game, I also learnt of the talents that lay beyond the English borders. Soon, I was a football addict. All of us at my school were. We used to play football, or footsie or footer, as we called it, for about four or five hours on the sundays at our school. And I started following United's performances more seriously. The first United match I watched live was United vs Liverpool in December '02. It was at Anfield, and United won 2-1, with Diego Forlan scoring both. Maybe that's why I always liked Forlan, and that I did not really like to see him depart for Villareal.
Although they won the League that season, the next three seasons, where they only had an FA Cup and League Cup victories, were hard to bear. But, nonetheless, they were still by far the best team in the world to me, because when they played well, they made the good sides look like teams that should be playing in lower divisions, and smaller teams like they consisted of a bunch of guys picked up at a local club and thrown onto the pitch with a jersey. And, finally, last season United's real abilities came through as their newer players finally found their feet. Rooney finally began performing more consistently, though more often providing goals than scoring them, and Ronaldo by far was the player of the season. Long time players Giggs, Scholes and Neville provided the team with leadership, and the Vidic-Ferdinand combo at the centre defense positions provided the backbone. Result? United dethroned Chelsea in the League, narrowly lost out to the London team in the FA Cup final, and lost to eventual winners AC Milan in the Champions League. With new recruits Nani, Hargreaves and Anderson lined up for next season, I'm looking forward to more than one new addition to the trophy cabinet, and some more breathtaking games to savour.
e diel, 24 qershor 2007
Tiger, King of the Fairways
There's a joke in the golfing circles which goes like this, "What do you call three hundred white men, chasing one black man? Answer? The PGA TOUR." It's been over a decade since Tiger joined the most elite golfing Tour on the professional circuit, and truly turned the game on its head. Tiger's raw power, his aggressiveness, and his ability to do things with a golf ball that nobody before him ever could, made him a favorite amongst the spectators. They loved to see his 300+ yard drives, his precise approach shots, and his clutch putting, which would all be followed by his trademark fist pump to celebrate a birdie, or like on some occasions, an eagle.
When he first arrived, he was something the golfing world had never seen. When he drove a the green of a long par 4 green at Augusta National during the Masters, this news was passed onto Jack Nicklaus, hailed as one of the greatest players to have played the game, and the player with the most major victories. Nicklaus reply was"He what?" That's what Tiger Woods did, he accomplished feats that even the greatest players of all-time never thought could be done. Tiger went on to win the Masters by a record 12 strokes, his first of four green jackets, and first of twelve major wins. He is currently tied for second with the most number of major victories, six behind Nicklaus, all at the age of 31.
After Tiger, several other top youngsters came in, all with a solid game. Yet, nobody made an impact as much as Tiger did. Woods has held the top of the world rankings for almost the whole 21st century, only briefly losing it to Vijay Singh, when Tiger felt that his game could get better and sacrificed temporary success to take his game to a new level with a new coach and a new swing. But there's more to Tiger than his swing mechanics and his power, he has an unbelievable control over his mind and an extremely high level of concentration. Nobody is better down the stretch in a tournament as he is, which explains why he has won all the majors he led at the third round. And his playing partners on Sunday ore often than not for some reason play worse than they usually do, maybe just because of the aura of playing in the marquee group on the final day of a Major. Some of you may have seen at this year's Masters an occasion when, Tiger, during his tee shot, miraculously pulled out of it just as his driver began its trip down to the ball, when it would peak at over 120mph. Apparently, at the top of his swing, a bird flew overhead with its shadow being cast down from just behind the ball and through his legs, distracting him. I have see all kind of amazing shots, hole in ones from far far away, unbelievable hole-ins from out of nowhere and even trick shots that nobody could have ever even imagined, but that instance when Tiger quit his drive remains the most amazing sight I have ever seen in golf. If anyone could do that, it has to be Tiger. That is why he is by far the top player in the world, and one of the legends of the game. Long live Tiger.
When he first arrived, he was something the golfing world had never seen. When he drove a the green of a long par 4 green at Augusta National during the Masters, this news was passed onto Jack Nicklaus, hailed as one of the greatest players to have played the game, and the player with the most major victories. Nicklaus reply was"He what?" That's what Tiger Woods did, he accomplished feats that even the greatest players of all-time never thought could be done. Tiger went on to win the Masters by a record 12 strokes, his first of four green jackets, and first of twelve major wins. He is currently tied for second with the most number of major victories, six behind Nicklaus, all at the age of 31.
After Tiger, several other top youngsters came in, all with a solid game. Yet, nobody made an impact as much as Tiger did. Woods has held the top of the world rankings for almost the whole 21st century, only briefly losing it to Vijay Singh, when Tiger felt that his game could get better and sacrificed temporary success to take his game to a new level with a new coach and a new swing. But there's more to Tiger than his swing mechanics and his power, he has an unbelievable control over his mind and an extremely high level of concentration. Nobody is better down the stretch in a tournament as he is, which explains why he has won all the majors he led at the third round. And his playing partners on Sunday ore often than not for some reason play worse than they usually do, maybe just because of the aura of playing in the marquee group on the final day of a Major. Some of you may have seen at this year's Masters an occasion when, Tiger, during his tee shot, miraculously pulled out of it just as his driver began its trip down to the ball, when it would peak at over 120mph. Apparently, at the top of his swing, a bird flew overhead with its shadow being cast down from just behind the ball and through his legs, distracting him. I have see all kind of amazing shots, hole in ones from far far away, unbelievable hole-ins from out of nowhere and even trick shots that nobody could have ever even imagined, but that instance when Tiger quit his drive remains the most amazing sight I have ever seen in golf. If anyone could do that, it has to be Tiger. That is why he is by far the top player in the world, and one of the legends of the game. Long live Tiger.
e shtunë, 23 qershor 2007
Bienvinido, senor Henry
So Henry's headed for Barcelona, in what is probably the transfer with the biggest possible implications yet this summer (mind the yet, let's see if if Kaka wears the read and black of Milan next season, or the whites of Real). Am I surprised? Truly speaking, all the indicators that came from the Gunners' camp last season pointed to a pointed to a change in guard there. David Dein resigned, reportedly because of him favouring a takeover by an American Billionaire, something the boardroom didn't approve of. Arsenal had clearly changed from a team that was always in the fray for titles, to an also-ran squad. Their performances over the past three seasons were regularly dipping, with a fourth place finish in the League and no silverware for the second season in succession. All that they have to show for the past three seasons was an FA Cup win over a Manchester United team that did everything right in the final, except for putting the ball in the goal, and an appearance at the Champions League final last season, where they lost to Henry's new teammates.
All you Arsenal fans, forgive Henry, he did what he had to do. Wenger's regime at Arsenal is all but in shackles, and his future at Arsenal uncertain. Henry loved Arsenal, he loved to play for them, he loved to score for them, and he loved to win with them. But, sadly, Arsenal aren't anymore the team that they once were. They are no longer the Invincibles that went an enitre Premier League season without losing a game. Patrick Vieira left, so did Robert Pires. Bergkamp's gone too, and Ashley Cole joined bitter rivals Chelsea. And Arsenal had to let Henry go, too. If they objected to his desire to leave, the relationship between the club and their talisman could have soured. And Henry could still have left next season using the new FIFA ruling which allows players over the age of 26 with two years left on their contracts to buy out the rest of it. That way, Barca could have payed Henry to do that, and that would have been less financially beneficial for a club that is already drowned in debts that came with their new state-of-the-art stadium.
Therein lies Arsenal's true woes. With United, Chelsea, Barca, Real and all other major clubs of Europe having the cash to bring in top players, Arsenal is forced to rely upon the younger talents. They did bring in Rosicky last year, but, alas, he isn't a player that can hold up an entire team, something Henry did post Vieira. They do have some quality players in the form of Fabregas, van Persie and Walcott, but these youngsters could have done so much more if they had some all-time greats along with them, and then take over the reins for the later years. Let's see how much of the 24 million euros does Arsenal spend on bringing in players, for that would truly show what situation the club is in at the moment.
As for Barcelona, they are playing a risky game here. An attacking lineup of Ronaldinho, Eto'o, Henry and Messi sounds great, but honestly, it could be a coaches headache. Will Herny bring them back the Spanish League, which should have been there's but for their slip-ups every now and then during the middle and later phases of the season? Or is this going to be another Galacticos blow up a la Real style? See what problems too many top quality players at the same positions brought at Stamford Bridge, and you would realize what I'm Talking about. Barca have the luck that their manager, a Dutch legend from the times of their dominance in the 70s, uses his attacking 4-3-3 lineup, which would at least allow three of their stars to start, but who would he leave out? Or would he risk playing one of them in midfield, which could risk them being unmanned there during counter-attacks. Does Barca, who scored more times in Spain than any other team last season, really need another regular goal-scorer? All the questions this transfer poses us with cannot, unfortunately, be answered by us, but only by them, and only next season, when all the drama would unfold. Till then, let's just raise a toast to Henry, and wish him all the best for his time in Spain.
All you Arsenal fans, forgive Henry, he did what he had to do. Wenger's regime at Arsenal is all but in shackles, and his future at Arsenal uncertain. Henry loved Arsenal, he loved to play for them, he loved to score for them, and he loved to win with them. But, sadly, Arsenal aren't anymore the team that they once were. They are no longer the Invincibles that went an enitre Premier League season without losing a game. Patrick Vieira left, so did Robert Pires. Bergkamp's gone too, and Ashley Cole joined bitter rivals Chelsea. And Arsenal had to let Henry go, too. If they objected to his desire to leave, the relationship between the club and their talisman could have soured. And Henry could still have left next season using the new FIFA ruling which allows players over the age of 26 with two years left on their contracts to buy out the rest of it. That way, Barca could have payed Henry to do that, and that would have been less financially beneficial for a club that is already drowned in debts that came with their new state-of-the-art stadium.
Therein lies Arsenal's true woes. With United, Chelsea, Barca, Real and all other major clubs of Europe having the cash to bring in top players, Arsenal is forced to rely upon the younger talents. They did bring in Rosicky last year, but, alas, he isn't a player that can hold up an entire team, something Henry did post Vieira. They do have some quality players in the form of Fabregas, van Persie and Walcott, but these youngsters could have done so much more if they had some all-time greats along with them, and then take over the reins for the later years. Let's see how much of the 24 million euros does Arsenal spend on bringing in players, for that would truly show what situation the club is in at the moment.
As for Barcelona, they are playing a risky game here. An attacking lineup of Ronaldinho, Eto'o, Henry and Messi sounds great, but honestly, it could be a coaches headache. Will Herny bring them back the Spanish League, which should have been there's but for their slip-ups every now and then during the middle and later phases of the season? Or is this going to be another Galacticos blow up a la Real style? See what problems too many top quality players at the same positions brought at Stamford Bridge, and you would realize what I'm Talking about. Barca have the luck that their manager, a Dutch legend from the times of their dominance in the 70s, uses his attacking 4-3-3 lineup, which would at least allow three of their stars to start, but who would he leave out? Or would he risk playing one of them in midfield, which could risk them being unmanned there during counter-attacks. Does Barca, who scored more times in Spain than any other team last season, really need another regular goal-scorer? All the questions this transfer poses us with cannot, unfortunately, be answered by us, but only by them, and only next season, when all the drama would unfold. Till then, let's just raise a toast to Henry, and wish him all the best for his time in Spain.
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