Mr. Elegance Personified: Daredevils Experienced Recruit #2

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Mahela Jayawardene:

Description:

When someone talks about Mahela first thing that strikes your mind is this guy knows what playing like class means. Jayawardene is one of the best the island country of Sri Lanka has ever produced and will ever produce his batting is sheer class and every stroke of his is sheer elegance. Scoring more than 10,000 runs in both ODI and Tests makes him one of the most prolific batsman in world cricket. With his batting he has not only earned the respect of the cricket world but demanded respect from every bowler he has ever faced.

Sri Lanka has been able to produce many great batsmen in the past including Aravinda de Silva, Arjuna Ranatunga, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Marvan Atapattu but what differentiates Mahela from all of them is his calmness which help to tackle toughest of the situation. Many times Mahela has batted down the order and recently as the opening batsman also, reason being be it any position on the batting lineup Mahela understands his own ability and knows how to mould himself to that particular position. Mahela is a man with a cool head and a tough shoulders to depend upon which i am surely must have been one of the 1000 reasons for appointing Mahela as Sri Lankan team captain.

In Delhi Daredevils Jayawardene will hold the role of deputy to swashbuckling Indian opener Virender Sehwag. And there couldn’t have been a better decision that the Daredevils backroom staff could take. Mahela can assist Sehwag whenever needed and in process maintain his cool when Sehwag decides to lose it. Surely Kerela Tuskers getting dissolved has been a blessing in disguise for the GMR group.

Favourite Stroke:

Smooth cover drive with less of feet movement and more of hand-eye coordination.

Facts:

>> Leading campaigner of HOPE cancer project.

>> He has a thing for Jennifer Garner (yes the Elektra chic)

>> Mahela is a big Roger Federer fan

>> Loves travelling obviously when you have travelling consultant as your wife thats what you have to enjoy.

Interesting video:

Jayawardene Six

Mr. Bold and Beautiful: Daredevils Experienced Recruit #1

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Kevin Pietersen:

Description:

I guess those two words aptly describes a player who is brash, fighter, talented and walking-talking fashion statement. I have called him bold because throughout his career that is exactly what Kevin Peter Pietersen has been. A man who could have been a player playing along with the likes of Kallis, Gibbs, Boucher or even Pollock decided to play with players like Vaughan, Strauss, Swann and Anderson because he quit South African cricket in protest of the racial-quota system governing the cricket board. I am sure something which South African cricket regrets till now. He is also a man who has boldly transformed himself from an offie who could bat a bit to a power hitter who can bowl a bit and field outrageously well.

I called ‘KP’ as he is known by his team mates a beautiful player in two aspect first being with the kind of talent this tall broad fellow has every innings oh his nothing less than a scenic beauty for his millions of fans around the world. He broke Sir Viv Richards record when he reached 1000 run mark in 21 ODI and is second best only to the great Sir Don Bradman in scoring maximum number of runs in his first 25 Tests. As I said his fielding is an eye candy for his followers best part being he can field at any position in the field. Second reason for me considering Pietersen as a beauty is his fashion statements that he makes while he is on the field and also while he is off the field. Be it his bleached Mohawk at initial stage of his career or the fluorescent bright Oakley shades he wears on the field. And while off the field its going to be a nice summer for the ladies in Delhi.

In a brief description he is a perfect combo of an English and South African player. I think this says a lot about this highly rated cricketer.

Favourite Stroke:

Reverse Switch-hit sweep (yes the same which he used to hit Murali out for a six)

Facts:

>> Kevin Pietersen is a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE)

>> Pietersen’s is also an avid football follower his favourite club being Chelsea.

>> Enjoys night life but never on the cost of cricket.

>> He has ECB logo tattooed on his left biceps.

>> Kevin is an Ambassador for Barnardos children’s charity.

Quotes:

“My hair doesn’t make me play cricket any differently!”

Interesting Video:

KP Blind Cricket

Daredevils Perfect Cocktail for Fightback

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After a dismal performance which led to the debacle of IPL 4, Delhi Daredevils are back with fire of vengeance and fightback in their heart. The two time semi-finalist from the heart of the country will be looking to put their names back into the league of top notch sides in IPL. Delhi has always been a side with great squad so what makes the difference this time around? What are the weapons in Daredevil’s arsenal this time which can make them a title-contender in IPL5?

1. Balanced squad:

With an average of 25.5 years Delhi has a relatively young squad at the same time mid 20s are always a number of balanced age when you are young as well have apt amount of experience. Age is not the only aspect of making this team balanced but the right players for right requirements is what makes this team a dangerous competitor. For the opening pair Delhi has one of the most dangerous pair in the form of Sehwag and Warner but this was also the case when Gauti was still part of Delhi. I guess the biggest weapon of destruction for Daredevils is going to be their middle order trio of Pietersen, Jayawadene and Ross Taylor. These three names can send a chill down the spine of any bowler or opposition. Naman Ojha the wicket-keeper batsmen is an able performer at any position while the addition of Doug Bracewell & Andre Russell makes a stronger looking list of all-rounder along with experienced Irfan Pathan. Also Delhi’s bowling department looks like a very exciting zone with Aaron, Umesh Yadav and Morne Morkel leading the attack.

2. Thinking team:

Delhi Daredevil this time is a team full of past and present captains which adds to the thinking ability of the team and hence tackling of difficult situation an easy task. Sehwag along with being the captain of the Franchise is also the deputy to Dhoni in the national side. Mahela is present Sri Lankan national team captain and now the newly crowned vice-captain of Daredevils and he is not the only national captain in the side as he joined by New Zealand swashbuckling captain Ross Taylor. If we go on Kevin Pietersen has also had a brief stint as captain of England side. So with four captains in the side this idea surely sounds nice but can also be a major reason of clash of ideas. But if shown the right direction their experience and captaincy skills will not only help the whole squad but will help the franchise to scale new heights.

3. Fans make a team:

Delhi is always known as ‘Dil walo ki Dilli’ (Delhi is a place of people with amazing hearts) and when Dil is on Delhi Daredevils there is no looking back. After a little bit of hiccup during the last IPL when some fans might have chosen a route away from the illustrious Feroz Shah Kotla stadium this time a rejuvenated Daredevils franchise has taken it upon themselves to not only bring those lost fans back but to make whole of Delhi support their IPL franchise. Delhi Daredevils must have already gained many followers with the launch of four Superfans which easily represents ‘Who needs a famous celebrity when you can find stars among common people’. And this thought process might take Daredevils a long way as I truly believe a team is as big as the support it gets from their fans.

4. Gift of Experience:

No doubt the addition of Taylor, KP & Mahela has taken the experience quotient of Daredevils to a new level but players like Umesh Yadav & Varun Aaron who were uncapped players last time have now already made their debut with the senior team. Experience is something which a player utilises to mould his career, experience is what gives a face to a players career and experience is what the whole movie is made of when the player is in the stadium. So experience with national side is going to do Aaron & Yadav great good and hence it contributes to a better looking bowling attack.      

5. Other Artillery:

  • Players coming into IPL with rich vein of form on the international circuit. Players like KP, Mahela, Taylor, Umesh Yadav & Morkel are in the purple patch of their career. Many of you must be thinking i am shying away from talking about Sehwag frankly speaking I am not because he one kind of players who hits a purple patch in driest of the desserts. Or as TA Sekhar says “He is saving it for the IPL”
  • Eric Simons at the helm of backroom staff is a positive step towards a bigger picture. Simons has been closely involved with Indian national side and Delhi Daredevils in the past years which makes him a coach who wouldn’t need time to adjust to Indian conditions, Indian players or as a matter of fact to India. And his bowling expertise can do wonders to comparably young bowling attack.
  • Delhi Daredevils are taking interaction with the Delhites to a new level. Last year they opened the first and only IPL team to own a sports bar when they got a space at Indira Gandhi International airport. This time around along with the launch of Superfans, Daredevils have come up with a catchy theme song ‘Khele Front Foot Pe’, new interactive web-site, soon to launch Daredevils Superfans fashion line and many competitions for their fans which has left Delhi buzzing much before the IPL even started. I guess there is not going to be only a 29-30 member squad but a squad full of 17 million Delhites.

So as it can be seen there have been many changes in this Delhi Daredevils franchise and all seems to be for the good. Now its for us living in Delhi to come out of our lazy monotonous daily schedule to bring life to this year’s IPL and push & pull the Daredevils to the top the IPL exactly where Delhi belongs. Or as it is said its time ‘Hum Khele Front Foot Pe’.

TOON ATTACK – I

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Wile ‘Gunner’ Coyote

For those who don’t know Wile was one of the smartest and fastest Looney toons and this character totally suits one Gunner. Yes you guessed it right it has to be Theo Walcott. Walcott is fast and he is extremely smart player but you know there was another side of Wile and that was he never knew how to use his smartness in the right way. And yes I see that side in Walcott also he has a habit of overdoing his smartness and then looking like a lost child. Wile used to bring in all the ACME gadgets fix it up, and all this to catch up with the Road Runner but was never successful. One of the important reasons for this was Wile never used to think about the final step. Same is the case with Walcott he runs and runs and does tricks and stepovers but when he gets into the box 7/10 cases he has no idea how to give his run a face of a goal or an assist. But as in the case of Wile, Arsenal’s Walcott is an amazing talent and imagine a player who could change the conversion rate from 3/10 to 7/10.

White Nemo

With Oscar fever still around us, me a football freak dreamt of Ozil getting the Oscar for best actor for the movie ‘Finding Ozil’ directed by Jose ‘the Special one’ Mourinho. Yes for me Ozil does look like ‘Nemo’ especially with those crazy eyes seeing passes which most of the defenders don’t think are possible. Yes he does glide across defenders with super fast flipping of his fins. Yes most of the time he can’t last on the land for more than 75 minute for obvious reasons he needs water to get some air into his lungs. Yes he is funny too when he beats 4 defenders and the goalkeeper just to roll the ball on to the post which Benzema ‘the cat’ pounces upon. On a serious note there cannot be a better director than Mourinho because he saw the elegant footballer in the punk looking Bremen’s Ozil. Only difference between Nemo and Ozil being Nemo eats fish food where as Ozil feeds on assists and goals and in angry mode he only feeds on Villa’s blood.

Magical Jerry

Jerry from the Tom and Jerry show is surely one of the most loved and most favourite cartoon characters around the world. And I see all the attributes of Jerry in our very own magical player Lionel Messi. Jerry is fast, Messi is also fast and that also with a ball in his feet. Jerry knew how to utilize the situation when in trouble (obviously due to Tom) be it using the frying pan to leave Tom bamboozled or using the door to bang it on Tom’s face. Same is the case with Messi he will never fall (God knows where is his centre of gravity), he will use one defender to fake the other defender, if you are lucky enough you might just see him use his gliding powers to get through the defenders without they even knowing and finally he does get into those little holes left in the defense.

Bugs ‘coelho’ Bunny

In this case I am going to first tell you the characteristics of Bugs in such a way that I will leave you with no option but to identify the players. Bugs was surely one of the smartest and ambitious character that Warner Bros. ever created. He would use his smartness and cunningness to achieve whatever he has aimed for, be it by hook or by crook. There have been scenes when Bugs has faked his death to finally get the gold (read Goal) out of his enemies. Along with all this Bugs had an aura of elegance and self-best attitude and never cared what others had to say about him because for him he was the best in all possible ways. Bugs also loved fame and being the centre of attraction in a crowd of other famous people so yes Bugs was also very flashy. I would want to end this section with two words Cristiano Ronaldo.

Red Granny

Obviously this fictional character has to be a player whose talent on the field makes you feel ‘Old is actually gold’ and if you haven’t guessed it till now I am talking about Ryan Giggs. This guy has actually been tearing defense apart since 1991 and all this in his very same red jersey. Like the Granny who used to use her wittiness to keep saving Tweety on a regular basis Giggs has been playing like a street smart footballer and beating defenders with the very same ease as he used to during his debut year 1991. When you look at Giggs you actually feel some players turn into a legend for what they did for a club but as for him he is already a legend because he keeps on and on doing whats best for the club. As Granny sometimes used to be one hell of a naughty character our Giggsy is also very well known for his naughtiness. Granny was a character who whatever be the situation used to take pretty good care of Tweety same way Giggs has been influential enough that many young players over the years look up to him for inspiration and that feeling of being protected.

DELHI DAREDEVILS ‘SUPERFANS’ HAVE ARRIVED

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Delhi Daredevils have finally kicked off their IPL5 campaign with a bang and a brand new conviction. The Daredevils believe in their motto ‘Dare to Dream’ and to put a stamp on this motto this season they have decided to build their campaign on four pillars. Those four pillars being Daring, Attitude, Resolute and Energetic and they have got these four attributes in the form of Anuradha Vaidyanathan, Arjun Vajpai, Arun Bhardwaj and Reena Kaushal. These four humans with super human abilities are the ‘Superfans’ who share the same aim and motive that the Daredevil franchise thrives upon.

These four remarkable flag bearers of daredevilry were revealed to the media in a press conference organized by the franchise on 27th February 2012 and many of the dignitaries from the GMR Sports were also present at the gathering. GMR Sports Head (Marketing) Hemant Dua described the Superfans as “Common people with achievements beyond limit” and according to Mr. Kiran K Grandhi, Chairman GMR Sports “Superfans display what Delhi Daredevils means for us”.

GMR Sports Cricket Head and Delhi Daredevils mentor TA Sekhar talked about the team for IPL5. Sekhar talked about some new combinations which they have thought about one of the new combination that he discussed was about the instatement of new coach Eric Simmons. The Daredevils were looking for a hard hitter in the middle order and that was a reason for Kevin Pietersen being traded into the side.

Sekhar called Kochi Tuskers banishment from IPL5 as a blessing in disguise for them as they had been looking to sign the new Vice-captain Mahela Jayawardene for a very long time as a player of his calibre brings stability and technicality to the side. Delhi Daredevils mentor looked very excited when he talked about the inclusion of two young promising allrounders West Indian Andre Russell and New Zealand’s Doug Bracewell. The GMR Sports Cricket Head was also happy to announce the signing of three uncapped Indian players Pawan Negi, Manpreet Juneja and Kuldeep Rawat. When asked about Dinda’s transfer to Pune Warriors Sekhar wished him luck and also confirmed there is nothing to worry as Varun Aaron will be fit for IPL5. There were lot of questions asked regarding Captain’s bad run of form and TA Sekhar looked positive when he replied “He is saving it for the IPL”.

So let’s look at the Superfans that Delhi Daredevil’s would look upto for their revival in this edition of the Indian Premier League:

Arjun Vajpai the pillar of Daring: Since his amazing feat in 2010 when he became the youngest Indian to climb the Mount Everest Arjun Vajpai has become a household name. He is a symbol of motivation and inspiration for thousands of kids in our country irony being he himself is still a teenager. For a 18 year old Arjun brings positive vibes around him, when he was asked about being linked to a franchise which finished bottom of the table all he had to say was “That is the good part as there is no way but to go up. In mountaineering there are times when you are at a dead end but what I do is dare to take another step.” Arjun also talked about living on the edge and adrenalin pumped life is what defines Daredevils.

Anuradha Vaidyanathan the pillar of Attitude: In daily life Anuradha would seem like just another lady happy and enjoying her life. But it’s Anu who knows all about blood, sweat and tears, as India’s first female Ironman triathlete. In day to day life she is a lady with many faces with few of them being of an engineer, a PhD holder, a writer, a charity campaigner, a triathlete and also a stereotype breaker. Yes a stereotype breaker her attitude towards life makes her the wrong lady to mess with as she loves beating stereotypes and her ambitions just have no limits. When asked about how does she relate to Delhi Daredevils all she said was “There is one factor which is common in all athletes and that is mental fortitude which takes an athlete a long way.”

Arun Bhardwaj the pillar of Resolute: Arun is a man who would go an extra mile to achieve what he wants and yes he does that literally. Arun is an Ultramarathon runner from India for those who don’t know whats this sport about basically it’s a sport where you run continuously for days and days covering hundreds and hundreds of kilometre. He has won the prestigious 567 km George Archer 6 day’s race and in 2011 was invited to Badwater Ultramarathon which National Geographic declared as the toughest organised race. And yes he completed the race in 41 hours 6 minute 1 second in 2011 which being his first attempt. When asked how Daredevil defines him he replied “It’s about coming out of normal life and doing something out of the world.”

Reena Kaushal the pillar of Energy: In the movie Pirates of the Caribbean Captain Jack Sparrow travels to the end of the world but that was in a movie in real life we have a West Delhi housewife Reena Kaushal Dharmshaktu skied over 915 km in 38 days to reach the end of the world and by doing so the first Indian women to ski her way to South Pole. Being from an Army background as a kid she was taken on many of trekking expeditions by her father which has helped her learn the tricks and trades of mountaineering and when someone has Darjeeling as home town that is enough to prove her love for mountains. But her domain of interest doesn’t end at Mountaineering as she is regularly involved with awareness campaigns spreading the importance of preserving the environment. Reena surely comes up as a lady full of energy that embodies daredevilry.

With these pillars of success and new players Delhi Daredevil surely looks like a team on mission and a team looking as a serious challenger in IPL5. And as GMR Sports Operation head said “New direction, entity, vitality will do us a lot of good.”

WHERE IS FOOTBALL GOING?

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There was time when shear brilliance of Pele, Maradona, Best, Beckenbauer, Maldini, Zidane used to overshadow their darker side. Which was actually needed to bring football at a stage where it is now or it can be said their class and talent brought football to the world map. No I am not trying to say that there was no match fixing, racism or other pull back factors at that time but what I am trying to say it was not spread to such an extent that football was going down the drain. Recent incidents in football world have actually made me feel ‘Where exactly is football going?’

RACISM:

Hey!! No offence. So we good here?

On 15th October 2011 during a match the biggies of English Premier League Manchester United and Liverpool collided at Anfield. It was a high intensity match for obvious reasons but what stood out of the match wasn’t the spirit of football but an altercation between Luis Suárez and Patrice Evra. Why? The reason was simple after the match Suárez was accused of racially abusing Evra. And what was needed was actually done with FA opening up an inquiry into the incident which resulted in Suárez being found guilty and was handed an eight-match ban and a £40,000 fine. The £40,000 wasn’t much of a blow for a professional footballer but an eight-match ban was a big blow to King Kenny’s plan. But on top of all this it was a big blow to the beautiful game. Worst part is all Suárez had to say about all this is ‘in his home country the word that he used is not considered racially abusive’. For God sake Luis why is it so difficult for you to understand when on the field it’s not about country or which world you live in its about just one thing i.e. to simply play the beautiful game.

Yes, I am talking to you mate.

On 2 November 2011, Terry was placed under police investigation following an allegation of racist abuse made at Anton Ferdinand during a match versus Queens Park Rangers. Video footage circulated on the internet led to accusations that Terry called Ferdinand a “fucking black cunt”. The investigation is done by Metropolitan Police. For those who don’t know Terry is present Chelsea captain and Terry & Anton both are English. Why I wrote the last line is simple why a player would put his respect and captaincy on line just for a momentary pleasure of disrespecting the opposition or why would two fellow countrymen want to racially abuse each other. Things are really messy in football these days, its saddening& shocking to see the state of football in the world.

Repercussions:

We have no idea what we doing here. We are just holding the banner.

  1. Sepp says it so: Blatter after the Suarez-Evra racism row comes up with a comment that all race rows can be solved by a hand shake. I would like to ask Blatter if someone racially abuses your child will you go and shake hand with that guy and forget everything. Mr. FIFA President, world is fine with one Pope John Paul II you don’t need to act like one.
  2. T-shirt support: After the FA announced the suspension on Suárez the Liverpool squad decided to warm up before a match against Wigan wearing a t-shirt depicting an image of Suarez with his name in the front and No 7 on the back. Surely it was a good move to show the unity in the club and support for the to-be banned striker but what were they actually trying to prove. Were they trying to convey that using the word Negro should be allowed on the field or were they trying to advertise a new range of Suarez t-shirts?
  3. Bullet for my valentine: Before the FA cup tie between QPR and Chelsea, Anton Ferdinand received an envelope in the post with a bullet in it. If the players are in destruction mode on the field the fans are not far different off the field. There is no doubt that an avid fan should stand by his club for as long as possible but that doesn’t give the fan a right to disrespect the opposition club or their players.

Result:

Before the FA Cup tie between QPR-Chelsea & Liverpool-Manchester United, there were bets being made if Evra would shake hands with the ‘Kop’ or will Anton shake hand with Terry. So FA trying not to create any ruckus before the match declares there shall be no handshakes between the teams. But by doing so FA just took away the essence of football which for such a long time has brought the world together on that 105x75yard green patch.

 

TWISTED POLICIES:

No I am not going to talk about why Rooney was given only a three match ban after assaulting a Montenegro player while Suarez got a mammoth eight match ban. Reason being very simple, it is not only difficult but also pointless to compare two different cases and Racism should always be a bigger offence than an assault.

You guys are loosing so you are not allowed to touch the ball.

The 50 year old Napoli Manager was sent off in his side’s 2-0 victory against Villarreal in December 2011 for protesting against Spanish side’s time wasting by pushing the ‘Yellow Submarine’ striker Nilmar. So UEFA announced that the Partenopei boss has been handed a two match sideline ban which means he shall be a mere audience in the stands when his side faces Chelsea in this year’s UCL Round of 16. My case is not why he was banned but why are the rules and policies of our football governing bodies so twisted. I say that when Ronaldo during one of the El Clasico’s last year shoved Guardiola away when the Catalan Boss took the ball in his hand and then just flicked it away from Cristiano. So my question is why the Portuguese striker was not banned for that incident. Not that I wanted him to be banned but the issue which hits me is why there is such differences between different governing bodies rules and regulations. FIFA, FA, UEFA, RFEF all have different sets of rules and regulation which is creating an imbalance between different leagues. Only thing common among them is fight against Racism, why is there only one common platform among them?

No I am not talking to you.

MATCH FIXING:

Match fixing is something I have heard from my parents and the way it is growing I guess I would also be telling my children one day. Match fixing is like a virus we know is eating up different sports in the world from Cricket to Football to Hockey to Basketball but the governing bodies are not able to completely eradicate it from the face of the earth. And it is also a known fact wherever the amount of money is less match-fixing will grow be it from a player’ side or a coach’ side or from a referee’ side. Which shows money is slowly steadily but surely over shadowing the love for the sport.

Recent Virus Attacks:

Don't do what Doni did.

  1. 2011 Italian Football scandal: The 2011 Italian football scandal emerged on 1 June 2011 after a number of football-related figures were arrested, or made under official scrutiny, by Italian police for alleged match fixing. The list included well-known figures like former Italian international footballer Giuseppe Signori, as well as former Serie A players Mauro Bressan, Stefano Bettarini and Atalanta veteran striker Cristiano Doni. Almost 15 Italian clubs were handed fines, points deduction and some were also expelled from their league. Whereas 18 professional and former players were banned for 1-5 years from football activities.
  2. 2011 Turkish sports corruption scandal: This virus has almost destroyed the football and basketball leagues in Turkey with almost 52 bureaucrats, players and managers facing bans and suspensions from Professional Football Disciplinary Board.

Were there cheats hiding behind Fenerbahce's happiness?

Worst part is it is already 2012 and the scandals are still running, illegal betting is still on and players are still showing signs of being match fixers.

 

OTHER HURDLES:

  1. Diving of footballers to earn cards, fouls or may be the game too.
  2. No doubt referees are also human and they do make mistakes but till when the human errors would keep affecting the results of a match.
  3. War of words between the managers for example Guardiola-Mourinho the most famous ones.
  4. Loyalty towards the club from the players which made them the stars they are now. I don’t see another Maldini, Giggs, Scholes, Raul, Totti, Gerrard or even another Sir Ferguson in the near future.

My reason for writing this was not to disrespect any club or player or show my hatred towards them but every word I have written or researched hurts me with the question ‘Where is Football going?’. Will it be running on pure talent and class of players along with the genius tactics of managers or would money be the only fuel which shall run the beautiful game in the future or lie, cheat & steal would be the pillar on which football shall grow in the future. I feel many of the issues would be solved if the club, players, fans and media realises there can be no club, player, fan or a manager bigger than football.

Dont forget to comment and let me know your views.

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Sir Alex Ferguson #25

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On 6th November 2011 the Great Old Scott of modern football Sir Alex Ferguson would complete his 25 years at the helm of Manchester United. Sir Alex has witnessed the transition from a club dipped in sorrow after the Munich air crash to a club which is overwhelmed with happiness after winning the 19 English Premier League title and by doing so becoming the top club in England. This doesn’t end the list of his contribution to the illustrious club, he has helped the club to get acclimatised to modern day football, he has helped boys grow into men of honour and shown the world a Manager is not only about winning silverwares but also about merging his principles with the core of the club. Frankly speaking it’s really difficult to see a Manager beyond the end of Ferguson era, I don’t think there would be a manager who can chew the fear of the opponent as he chews his gum, I don’t think any manager can play the mind games as if he is the Professor X of football world, I don’t think there can be a manger who at the age of 69 jumps high into the air with happiness as his headed goal is going to decide the match and in simple words it would be the worst nightmare for the Red Devil’s faithful if they think there can be any other Sir Alex Ferguson.

Milestones in the Life of the Great Scott:

1986 – FIRST GAME – Oxford United 2-0 Manchester United: He manages the first game as Manchester United manager against Oxford and is deservedly won by the hosts with a score-line of 2-0. But the interesting point to be noticed is that the Manor ground no longer exists on the football map this shows why Ferguson is the Great old Scott.

1990 – FIRST TROPHY – It took three seasons for Ferguson to bring his first silverware to Manchester United when they defeated Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final. But these four seasons were not easy as he many times it was rumoured that the sacking of Ferguson was very close but the Old Trafford believed in him and it’s this belief whose result is visible to the world right now.

1993 – FIRST EPL TITLE – With the signing of Eric Cantona it was as if the Manchester side were playing with a motive to prove and that is why it’s always said Cantona was the best brand ambassador Nike could get for their new range ‘Joga Bonito’ which meant the beautiful game and I say that because that is how the Red Devils treated football that season. And the result for the hard work was first EPL title for Ferguson and it ended a 26 years old Premier League title drought for the Red Devils.

1996 – AGE NO BARS – The phrase ‘You’ll win nothing with kids’ came back to haunt Alan Hansen as Fergie’s young warriors shrugged off a slow start to pip Newcastle to the league title and beat Liverpool in the FA Cup final.

1999 – THE YEAR OF THE TREBLE – Winning a treble is the best achievement a manger can get and when we are talking about Sir Alex Ferguson a noob in the field of football would also say Ferguson must have won a treble. So for Ferguson 1998-99 season was the year of treble, when his side reclaimed the league title from Wenger’s Arsenal, shrugged of Newcastle with ease in the FA Cup final and achieved a Hollywood style twisted climax victory against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League Final.

1999 – FROM ALEX FERGUSON TO SIR ALEX FERGUSON – Didn’t want to add this in the initial section as didn’t want to take away the shine of this milestone. Two weeks after winning the treble Ferguson received the knighthood in recognition of his service to the game.

2010 – LONGEST SERVING MANAGER – In the December of 2010 Sir Ferguson overtook Sir Matt Busby as the longest serving manager in the history of football. It actually makes you feel is there any silverware or any personal honour in the field of football where you wouldn’t find Ferguson’s name.

2011 – MANCHESTER UNITED BEST CLUB IN ENGLAND – In England The Red Devils were always considered second best to Liverpool mainly because for a long time as they had less number of Premier League titles. But all this changed when at the end of 2010-11 season as United were crowned the EPL winners they left behind Liverpool who had 18 titles where as now the Red Devils were the proud winners of 19 titles. And one of the reasons why Ferguson can hold his head high is out of these 19 titles 12 are the result of his hard work and his leadership.

 

Best IX To Have Played Under Ferguson:

This next section is from the eyes of a non Red Devil fan so you can pardon my IX if they seem too recent. The sole reason being I have grown seeing these players play under the Master Magician Sir Ferguson. The line-up that I could come up is 3-4-2-1, which was the only way i could put up the dream team for United.

Striker:

Wayne Rooney:

If there is any complete forward after Luiz Ronaldo whom you would call a treat to your eyes it has to be Wayne Rooney. After Euro 2004 Rooney was the player in demand by most of the clubs in the world but the 18 year old decided to grow under the wings of Ferguson. He might be temperamental but it’s Ferguson who saw his worth and showed the youngster the path to glory.

Cristiano Ronaldo:

Perhaps the best signing of Ferguson and perhaps the best gift of Ferguson to all the football lovers, Ronaldo who played 196 games for the Devils scored 84 and assisted with the same fluency with which he scored was surely a prized asset for Ferguson for the time he was at Old Trafford. It’s like Ferguson was the director for a movie titled ‘How to turn £12.24 million to £80 million’ starring Cristiano Ronaldo.

Midfielder:

Eric Cantona:

Dubbed by his fans as King Cantona and God for others, as I said earlier Cantona was the lucky charm for Ferguson because with his signing came the first league title for Ferguson. He was one of the most prolific goal scoring midfielder of his time with a goal in almost every two matches that’s what was the value of King Cantona and now the Joga Bonito man.

Ryan Giggs:

Somewhere I read a perfect description of Giggs it said “The Welshman has gone from boy wonder to senior statesmen”, how true this statement is after all right now Giggs is the man with highest number of achievements in EPL.

David Beckham:

Ferguson always was and still is a father figure for the golden boy of Manchester United; Beckham was one of the driving forces for the Red Devils behind the treble season. Beckham was a combined graft with craft on his best days.

Paul Scholes:

The real value of the Ginger Prince was apparent after his retirement when it was said United’s midfield shall always feel the absence of Scholes. Scholes a one-club man came on to the big stage in 1994 and since then won 10 Premier League, 3 FA Cup and 2 UEFA Champions League medals under the guidance of his mentor and his scout Sir Alex Ferguson.

Roy Keane:

Can any United dream team be complete without the no-nonsense captain Roy Keane? He might not have been super skilled but he made up for it with his work ethics and his leadership quality, he was the go to guy for Ferguson whenever he needed any suggestions. Many of my United fan friends still say in place of giving a captains arm-band. Old Trafford captain should wear a jersey with Keane’s name on it. As a matter of fact Manchester United needed a Keane when there was a Vieira playing for Arsenal.

Defenders:

Rio Ferdinand:

Rio is the second best gift of Leeds United to Manchester United, yes I rate him below Cantona. But the best gift for United’s defense, over the past nine seasons undoubtedly has been one of the most consistent players in the side and always the first choice CB for Ferguson.

Denis Irwin:

Bought for 625000 pounds from Oldham Athletic and spent 12 wonderful years at Old Trafford this speaks volume about the kind of purchase Ferguson is known for. There was close competition between him and Evra but Irwin value for money edged Evra for a place in the squad.

Gary Neville:

Another of the Fergie’s Fledglings of the 1990s, if you say the word right-back to any Old Trafford faithful the first name he would say is Gary Neville. Neville spent 10 long years and his link ups with Beckham on the right flank is still missed by many of his followers.

Goalkeeper:

Peter Schmeichel:

The undisputed numero Uno for Manchester United for many years to come, an intimidating figure between the sticks what else do you expect when you see a 6ft 4in tall 103kg weighing man. He got the best going away present when he captained the Manchester United side that completed the treble with the victory against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League final.

 

After a quarter of a century only word Ferguson used to describe his journey was ‘fairytale’ and for many of the Manchester United faithful it meant 37 trophies. Only thing I can say is Old Trafford has been lucky enough to have managers like Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson who have transformed how the world perceives the Red Devils. These are the managers who thrived on their hunger to achieve great heights and believed that a manager can only grow along with the club & knew at the end it’s going to be the club which shall substitute his own identity.

 

DOWN THE MEMORY LANE: THE LANE WHERE THE INVINCIBLES WALKED

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“Just after Arsenal Football Club won the Double in 1998, David Dein, the vice-chairman, filled out a hotel form for his team manager, Arsène Wenger. He wrote down his name and address, and then, in the section marked ‘occupation’, he entered ‘miracle worker’.” He surely did a miracle by transforming a club known for alcohol and drug abuse into the real Gunners who on their good day would gun down any club. Now the question that was being asked at that time was it just a onetime affair or did the French supremo really was a ‘Miracle Worker’.

Just after the starting of 2002-03 season Wenger revealed his ambition of remaining undefeated in all competition with the right kind of attitude and right kind of players. Although they commenced the consequent season on the right note, but some abominable form in the middle of the season and injuries to key players made it impossible for the North London side to retain their Premier League title. That season concluded with the Red Devils crowned as the new champions. So would it be ever possible for Mr. Wenger to fulfill his ambition or would that go down in the history books as just another quote.

That dream actually came true at the end of the 2003-2004 season when the Gunners ended their season at their home ground Highbury Stadium with stats saying the following fact: Played – 38, Won – 26, Draw – 12, Lost – 0. This was an achievement which no one would have ever thought could be fulfilled in modern-day football especially in such a technically sound and physical league. Which at some part of the season lead to bad form or injuries of the players, hence stalling the winning streak of the club. As Wenger said the right attitude and right players did make this dream a reality. So let’s see what was that right attitude that was inculcated in the side and who were those right players that made all this a bitter truth for the other English clubs.

For the urbane Frenchman the belief of winning always evolved from how good is the coordination within the team. And that is the first thing the Frenchman did, he infused in each every player the thought that passing will win them matches. As the Brazilian great Roberto Carlos was heard saying at the end of 2003-04 season Arsenal were lovely playing the Samba style of football. You bet it was a pleasure to see arsenal pass pass pass throughout the season. And till date that passing game is what is depicted from each and every play of the Gunners.

Second of all there were times in the season when the Gunners were playing one goal down or were even one man down or were just under the pressure of playing against a bigger club. Throughout all such kind of situations one thing was common they never gave up, they fought like the warriors who had only one thought in their head- even if we do go down we would go down as champions. So this fighting spirit that was inculcated in the players by their manger gave them an extra edge over their opponents. For me the two key events which actually show what Arsenal was made of were:


BATTLE OF OLD TRAFFORD

Old Trafford is considered the Mecca of Modern Football but it turns to a battle field when the Gunners arrive there. On Sep 21, 2003 the North London side was in the city of Manchester to compete against the Red devils which would be written down in the history books as the Battle of Old Trafford. At that time this match was considered to be the match that made the Arsenal side to postulate that they can go a long way this time. This match was as usually a high paced match with both team matching up to each other’s moves and plays, leading to reduced number of clear-cut chances. The major moment of the match came when Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira was given his marching orders due to his kicking instincts that he used on the Dutch striker Nistelrooy reducing the Arsenal side to 10 men. Late in the injury time one of the most experienced player in this Gunners side Martin Keown came up with a clumsy tackle and brought down Uruguayan strikes Forlan in the box. Therefore referee Steve Bennett was left with no choice but to award a penalty to the home side which was at the end missed by the United’s spearhead Ruud van Nistelrooy. And the match ended with a slight scuffle between the players of both the side. So even after being 10 men down for more than 15 minute and playing in such a hostile environment they managed to hold their nerves and came out with a well-earned 1 point.

 FINAL MATCH OF THE SEASON

Gunners on the brink of creating history were supposed to play their last match of the season against relegation threatened Leicester city. But their goal of achieving invincibility was in jeopardy as they went one goal down with a strike from former Arsenal player Paul Dickov. As it is said what you are destined to do you would always achieve it. That’s what this North London side did when they came back from behind with goals from Henry and Captain Vieira and thereby being declared as the INVINCIBLES.

As a teacher a manager can only teach but its upto the students, how much they actually want to  learn. In this case Wenger was a lucky teacher not to have the star students but the hard-working and always there to learn students. So my next sections would be about the class of 2003-04.

Jens Lehmann

He was supposed to fill the gloves of the long time Arsenal and England favorite David Seaman, so he surely had a big task in hand. Standing like a giant between the posts he was always a tough nut to crack against any opposition or any attacker. Few of the strikers against whom this German stopper stood tall were best of their time including Alan Shearer, Nistelrooy and Owen. His positioning ability, his reflex, his agility and his ability to decipher the attacking moves was worth huge applause. As for Wenger he could proudly say Seaman wasn’t missed much.

Lauren

This Cameroonian right back was another of the finds for Wenger buying him from Mallorca after a very successful stint in La Liga. He might not be the fastest right back on the green turf but he overcame all this by his presence of mind and his physical strength. And when needed he was always an aerial threat for the opposition.

Sol Campbell

After the 2000-2001 season the Spurs were shocked to hear the controversial transfer of their much highly rated English defender to their North London rivals Arsenal. This sure must have been a despairing moment in the history of White Hart Lane but if you ask the Gunners fan, they would confess to the fact for them he was the best catch in the history of transfer market. With him proving to be the defensive block for the North London side and also turning out to be the best defender that England has ever produced, he was the Mr. Dependable for Wenger.

Kolo Toure

Bought at a very small price of 0.25 million pounds from the Ivorian Football Club Mimosas totally unknown to the world of football, proved to be a great asset to Arsenal’s back line. He formed a terrific partnership with Campbell in the defense which made a definite impact during the Gunner’s INVINCIBLE season. Starting his career as a striker or an attacking midfielder, Kolo was more of an attacking defender always proving to be an offensive threat during set pieces. Till date he is considered to be one of the best defender that Africa has ever produced.

Ashley Cole

A trivia for the readers Cole wanted to be a striker so started his career in the front half of the field but it was his defensive ability that was truly identified by Arsène Wenger. Hence Wenger helped him to establish himself as one of the best left back in the modern-day football. And for me his competency to attack from the flank was such an added advantage for the Arsenal side that at times he was like the third striker in the box. Cole was like an engine covering the flanks, who never got tired and who enjoyed ruling his side of the field during both attack and defense.

Freddie Ljunberg

Once the only chant that the Arsenal fans loved singing was:  ”We love you Freddie, because you’ve got red hair, we love you Freddie because you’re everywhere, we love you Freddie, you’re Arsenal through and through”. He was the superstar of this Arsenal side not only on the field but off the field also. This Swedish international carried a bright red stripe in his hair to show he was a Gunner and carried the ball in his feet with such ease to show what a threat he is to any defense in the world. Comfortable on both the wings Ljunberg loved to attack and with stats like: played 216 scored 46 which is an outstanding stat for any midfielder in the world.

Patrick Vieira

This charismatic and influential captain of the Gunners is considered to be the best defensive midfielder in the world and in some way is justified by his disciplinary record in England, having been sent off 10 times out of the nine years he played in North London. Vieira carried the team on his shoulder through all the ups and downs, showed so much confidence in his side and his team mates. He was one of the most important and major reason for Arsenal’s never die attitude. His style of play proved to be the third line of defense for the side. Vieira was Wenger’s perfect ‘play breaker’.

Gilberto Silva

The man who made the whole team dance to the Samba tune, he was the perfect link between the defense line and the attacking line. Making or creating plays was like breathing for him, seeing him play you would think he surely had the play book written in his head. Born in a poor family this man always played with his root and therefore made him a player who would win the world cup (2002) and also will be remembered as one of the INVINCIBLES in the history book.

Robert Pires

He was the man behind all the artistic plays that Arsenal ever made, sometimes creating the plays and sometimes finishing it with some wonderful goals.  I still remember seeing him move with the ball, juggling and beating defenders with such ease it used to make me feel of an artist so engrossed in art that nothing else in the world matters to him and hence being best at it. Even though he started his Gunners career on the wrong note because indifferent form at the beginning and hence he was surrounded by lot of criticism. But soon he established himself as one of world’s best scoring midfielder and hence silenced all his critics.

Dennis Bergkamp

The first and till the only Dutch to be inducted in the English Football Hall of Fame, considered second greatest Arsenal player after Henry through an online poll by Arsenal.com and he was also the non-flying Dutchman. His technical awareness, feather touches and deft passes made him a great exponent of the game from the ‘hole’. As for him being a non-flying Dutchman that’s because of his fear of flying which kept him away from his side during their away ties on the European stage. For many he is still considered one of the best supporting striker with the best first touch in the world.

Thierry Henry

Few words that describe this prolific striker Arsenal’s all time leading goal scorer with 226 goals, France’s all time leading goal scorer, twice nominated for FIFA World Player of the Year award, twice awarded PFA Player’s Player of the year award and also thrice Premiere league winner and twice FA cup winner with the Gunners. This is the kind of stature which defines him not only in North London but all around the world. His poaching ability, his ability to beat any defender in the world, his finesse shots curling around the goal keeper and his ability to jump onto smallest little opportunity to score a goal had made him the Legend at Highbury.

So these were the playing 11 for Arsène Wenger who under his conduct made it possible for the Arsenal Football Club to hold their head high and call themselves ‘THE INVINCIBLES’. I would like to end my article with the words from the Arsenal Striker Thierry Henry after the end of the INVINCIBLE season:

 ”IN SEASON 2003-04, A TEAM WENT UNBEATEN IN THE LEAGUE. THAT TEAM IS ARSENAL.”

International Break: Euro 2012 Qualifiers

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Hate International break as we guys starts to miss the club football, but altogether there is a different magic when it comes to International games and its going to be more magical with break being for qualifiers for Euro 2012.

Netherlands:

Euro 2012 Qualifiers Fixture:

vs Moldova- 7th October 2011

vs Sweden- 11th October 2011

Goalkeepers:

Tim Krul (Newcastle United), Maarten Stekelenburg (Roma), Michel Vorm (Swansea City)

Defenders: 

Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart), Edson Braafheid (Hoffenheim), Jeffrey Bruma (Hamburg), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax),Joris Mathijsen (Malaga), Erik Pieters (PSV)

Midfielders:        

Mark van Bommel (AC Milan), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Hedwiges Maduro (Valencia), Stijn Schaars (Sporting), Kevin Strootman (PSV), Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham), Georginio Wijnaldum  (PSV),

Forwards: 

Eljero Elia (Juventus), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Schalke), Luuk de Jong (Twente), Dirk Kuyt     (Liverpool), Jeremain Lens (PSV), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich)

 

England:

Euro 2012 Qualifiers Fixture:

vs Montenegro- 7th October 2011

Goalkeepers:

Scott Carson (Bursaspor), Joe Hart (Manchester City), David Stockdale (Ipswich Town)

Defenders:

Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Bolton), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Micah Richards (Manchester City), John Terry (Chelsea), Kyle Walker (Tottenham)

Midfielders:

Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Stewart Downing (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Manchester City), Scott Parker (Tottenham), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Ashley Young (Manchester United)

Forwards:

Darren Bent (Aston Villa), Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United), Bobby Zamora (Fulham)

 

Belgium:

Euro 2012 Qualifiers Fixture:

vs Kazakhstan- 7th October 2011

vs Germany- 11th October 2011

Goalkeepers:

Simon Mignolet (Sunderland), Thibaut Courtois (Atletico Madrid), Olivier Renard (Mechelin)

Defenders:

Toby Alderweireld (Ajax), Laurent Ciman (Standard Liege), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Nicolas Lombaerts (Zenit St-Petersbourg), Sebastien Pocognoli (Standard Liege), Daniel Van Buyten (Bayern Munich), Jan Vertonghen (Ajax)

Midfielders:

Moussa Dembele (Fulham), Steven Defour (Porto), Marouane Fellaini (Everton), Eden Hazard (Lille), David Hubert (RC Genk), Dries Mertens (PSV Eindhoven), Vadis Odjidja (FC Bruges), Timmy Simons (Nuremberg), Axel Witsel (Benfica)

Forwards:

Igor De Camargo (Monchengladbach), Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea), Marvin Ogunjimi (RC Genk), Bjorn Vleminckx (FC Bruges), Jelle Vossen (RC Genk)

 

Germany:

Euro 2012 Qualifiers Fixture:

vs Turkey- 7th October 2011

vs Belgium- 11th October 2011

Goalkeepers:

Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders:

Dennis Aogo (Hamburg SV), Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich), Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Christian Traesch (VfL Wolfsburg)

Midfielders:

Mario Goetze (Borussia Dortmund), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Cologne), Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid), Marco Reus (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Andre Schuerrle (Bayer Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards:

Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich), Miroslav Klose (Lazio), Cacau (VfB Stuttgart)

 

Russia:

Euro 2012 Qualifiers Fixture:

vs Slovakia- 7th October 2011

vs Andorra- 11th October 2011

Goalkeepers:

Vyacheslav Malafeev (Zenit St. Petersburg), Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders:

Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St. Petersburg), Alexey Berezutsky, Vasily Berezutsky, Sergey Ignashevich (all – CSKA Moscow), Yury Zhirkov (Anzhi), Roman Shishkin (Lokomotiv Moscow)

Midfielders:

Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (Everton), Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv), Igor Denisov, Konstantin Zyryanov, Roman Shirokov (all – Zenit St. Petersburg), Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow), Alexander Samedov, Igor Semshov (both – Dynamo Moscow)

Forwards:

Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal), Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St. Petersburg), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Tottenham Hotspur), Pavel Pogrebnyak (Stuttgart)

 

Portugal:

Euro 2012 Qualifiers Fixture:

vs Iceland- 7th October 2011

vs Denamark- 11th October 2011

Goalkeepers:

Eduardo (Benfica), Beto (Cluj), Rui Patricio (Sporting)

Defenders:

Bruno Alves (Zenit St. Petersburg), Joao Pereira (Sporting), Eliseu (Malaga), Rolando (Porto), Silvio (Atletico Madrid), Ricardo Costa (Valencia), Sereno (Cologne)

Midfielders:

Carlos Martins (Granada), Joao Moutinho (Porto), Miguel Veloso (Genoa), Paulo Machado (Toulouse), Raul Meireles (Chelsea), Ruben Micael (Real Zaragoza), Ruben Amorim (Benfica)

Forwards:

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Danny (Zenit St. Petersburg), Helder Postiga (Real Zaragoza), Nani (Manchester United), Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas), Nuno Gomes (Braga)

 

Italy:

Euro 2012 Qualifiers Fixture:

vs Serbia- 7th October 2011

vs Northern Ireland- 11th October 2011

Goalkeepers:

Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain)

Defenders:

Davide Astori (Cagliari), Federico Balzaretti (Palermo), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Mattia Cassani (Fiorentina), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Zenit St Petersburg), Christian Maggio (Napoli)

Midfielders:

Alberto Aquilani (AC Milan), Luca Cigarini (Atalanta), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Forwards:

Mario Balotelli (Manchester City), Antonio Cassano (AC Milan), Sebastian Giovinco (Parma), Giampaolo Pazzini (Inter), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal)

 

 

Spain:

Euro 2012 Qualifiers Fixture:

vs Czech- 7th October 2011

vs Scotland- 11th October 2011

Goalkeepers:

Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Victor Valdes (Barcelona), Pepe Reina (Liverpool)

Defenders:

Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Raul Albiol (Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Jordi Alba (Valencia)

Midfielders:

Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Santi Cazorla (Malaga), Thiago Alcantara (Barcelona), Xavi (Barcelona), Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao), David Silva (Manchester City), Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Forwards:

David Villa (Barcelona), Pedro (Barcelona), Fernando Torres (Chelsea), Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao), Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

 

Czech:

Euro 2012 Qualifiers Fixture:

vs Spain- 7th October 2011

vs Lithuania- 11th October 2011

Goalkeepers:

Petr Cech (Chelsea), Jaroslav Drobny (Hamburg), Jan Lastuvka (Dnipropetrovsk).

Defenders:

Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin), Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen), Zdenek Pospech (Mainz), Daniel Pudil (Genk), Jan Rajnoch (Ankaragucu), Tomas Sivok (Besiktas), Theodor Gebre Selassie (Liberec).

Midfielders:

Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk), Petr Jiracek (Plzen), Daniel Kolar (Plzen), Marek Matejovsky (Sparta Prague), Milan Petrzela (Plzen), Vaclav Pilar (Plzen), Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux), Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal), Kamil Vacek (Sparta Prague).

Forwards:

Milan Baros (Galatasaray), David Lafata (Jablonec), Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg), Jan Rezek (Anarthosis Famagusta).

MISS YOU CLUB FOOTBALL COME BACK SOON :)

WHAT I SAW: PART VIII: REAL MADRID 3-0 AJAX: UCL

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Its officially 4-4 between Real Madrid and Ajax, yes Real Madrid defeated Ajax by 3-0 at Santiago Bernabeu with Cristiano, Kaka and Benzema writing their name on the score-sheet. Undoubtedly there were three MOM contenders for the tie first being Brazilian magician Kaka, second being Spanish orchestrator Xabi Alonso and third being ever dependable San Iker. So here are few points that caught my eye from my perspective:

Just One Hash-tag #KakaIsBackAndEvenBetter:

This is what popped up on the timeline of Mrs. Kaka’s twitter account and this is what shows what it means to the family. All this because Kaka was just magical against Ajax, going for his speed controller runs, providing the perfect passes, always on the move to support his team mate and weaving a magic throughout the Santiago Bernabeu. Missing almost whole of last season with the serious injury everyone doubted his 60million price-tag and with rumours he might give up his pursuit to perform for the club and look for a new club, he has proved his critics wrong with his performances in past 2-3 weeks which have been nothing less than mesmerizing. The celebration after his left footed bottom right corner goal from outside the box was just so intense especially coming from a guy who is known for his calm and composure on the green turf, it shows what he had to go though to comeback and how strongly he felt for that goal.

 

He Comes, He Plays & He Goes Back To Come Back Again Tomorrow:

Xabi Alonso is one of those guys on whom the coach can blindly believe to perform consistently throughout the season, we might talk as much as we want about Cristiano, Ozil, Benzema, Higuain or Kaka but in most of the cases if it’s not for Xabi they won’t even come in the picture. And that’s what was the scenario last night also Xabi was ever ready with his array of impeccable passes which lighted up the eyes of the Bernabeu faithful every time the ball was at the Spaniard’s feet. Phil Ball was quoted saying “when they saw an 18 year old 12 years ago at Real Sociedad sending out inch-perfect long balls they knew he is going to be someone big someday” and if it wasn’t for his long ball the second and third goal might not have been possible.

 

What’s With The Slow Start??:

One worrying factor that I have been seeing in past 2-3 matches that Real Madrid have played has been their slow start to come into their grooves. And it was rightly put by Cristiano after the match against Rayo “we were sleeping at the start but then we woke up”. The effect of this slow start was felt last night also when Boerrigter and de Jong coming close to scoring at the start of the game. These early minutes sleeping habits might get fatal if we play against other big teams of Europe like Bayern, Barcelona or Milan, may be Mourinho would want his players to for one Tequila shot just before the match.

 

Few Seconds Of Pure Class:

I am not too sure if you guys watched that video on YouTube which showed Ronaldo’s counter-attack goal against Rayo was faster than Usain Bolt 9.58 world record sprint. But the goal last night’s goal on the counter attack was not only fast but was a class-act, spell bounding and treat for the eyes of any football lover around the world. It started in Ajax’s half with a 1to1 between Ronaldo & Kaka, then Ronaldo cutting the ball to Ozil’s feet who slid the ball to the right flank for Benzema to send a grounded ball into Dutch side’s box where Cristiano spanked the ball into Vermeer’s net. It feels just so amazing to write these words which defined that goal which was started by Cristiano and ended by Cristiano.

The Other Things:

  1. And finally Altintop has won the race to regain fitness against his fellow countrymen Nuri Sahin by making his official debut against Ajax and he was welcomed with a round of warm applause at the Bernabeu.
  2. San Iker is like that French vine which becomes better with every crossing year. If it wasn’t for Casillas there wouldn’t have been a clean sheet especially because of his amazing save at the start and the end of the match.
  3. Benzema got Sold-Torres-ified last night he made it up with his second half goal.
  4. Mourinho shall return to European stage sideline from next Champions League match as his suspension expired after last night’s match. But the question is till when?

I would end the review with comments from man of the moment Kaka:

“I’m enjoying football again. I don’t feel any physical problems any more. I feel magnificently well and I’m sure I will continue to improve. I want to succeed on this team”

Follow Sideline Artist : http://twitter.com/#!/sidelineartist

Follow me on : http://twitter.com/#!/SrIjAn_p2P

 

 

Goal Highlight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiHn6uPlyk4 : Ronaldo’s Goal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTNcuOHYONg Kaka’s Goal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w1DHroMig8 Benzema’s Goal

Blunder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1e-SAnkKcg Benzema Blubder