tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-96892352024-03-19T07:34:22.013+00:00I Luv FootballThe thoughts of a football obsessive on the latest events in the football world.Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-91741209229505634602011-07-16T12:21:00.004+01:002011-07-16T13:41:16.989+01:001-2-1 With... Samuel Eyinda (Kenyan Football Writer)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld//files/2010/04/cr_mega_642_kenya-fan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld//files/2010/04/cr_mega_642_kenya-fan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="color: black;">After last years World Cup in South Africa, African football has been largely ignored by Europe. So what did I do? I searched for someone I could talk to about football in Africa. In my search I found writer Samuel Eyinda from Kenya.</div><div style="color: black;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black;">Kenya is a country more famous for long distance runners than football, but Samuel covers the beautiful game to ensure it has the publicity it deserves and has kindly taken some time to talk to me about football in his homeland. </div><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Full Name:</span><span lang="SW"> <span style="color: black;">Samuel Michael Jimmy Eyinda</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span lang="SW"> </span></div><span style="color: blue;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Website<span lang="SW">: <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.kenyanstar.co.ke/">http://www.kenyanstar.co.ke/</a> </span></span><br />
<div style="color: black;"><span lang="SW"> </span></div></div><span style="color: blue;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span lang="SW" style="color: blue;">Football Team Supported (Kenyan and Foreign):</span><span lang="SW"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.michezoafrika.com/NewsImages/AFCLeopardschics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://www.michezoafrika.com/NewsImages/AFCLeopardschics.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AFC Leopards Fans Celebrate Their Teams Success</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span lang="SW">I’m a fan and supporter of AFC Leopards (All Football Club Leopards) otherwise know as ‘INGWE’ in Kenya. Elsewhere I’m a fan of Arsenal Football Club in England.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span lang="SW"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><span lang="SW"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Could you please explain a bit about the history of football in Kenya?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://alusainc.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/kenyafootballfederation.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://alusainc.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/kenyafootballfederation.png" width="235" /></a></div><br />
<div style="color: black;"><span lang="SW">Kenya is currently on a recovery from bad times in football. Soon after we had some of our best moments ever, complacency creeped in and together with politics and corruption our game was left bleeding. At some time the country actually had two parallel leagues running. This is however behind us. Much efforts have been redirected towards revamping soccer and even though the results are yet to reflect in the National team, the ever growing standards of the Kenyan league are a sign of good things to come.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Our football history is a tale that always generates lots of excitement. At club level, two clubs have almost over dominated the local football scene. AFC Leopards has won the National league a record 13 times while Gor-mahia has won it 12 times. Tusker FC(Formely Kenya breweries) has won the league 8 times While Ulinzi has won the league 4 times. The two teams dominated the regional football in the 70s and 80s, the same years that kenya had her best moments. Between 1977 and 1987 kenyan clubs won all </span><span lang="SW">except one of the East and Central Africa club cups with AFC Leopards winning four(including three back to backs in 82, 83 and 84), Gor mahia won three, Luo Union won two while Kenya breweries(Currently Tusker FC) won once. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">It is also within this period that kenya’s national team won three successive CECAFA senior challenge cups 81, 82 and 83. The epitome of Kenya’s quest to conquer the continent in football was in 1987 when the country hosted the 4th All African Games. At the tournament Kenya beat Tunisia 2-1, drew 3-3 with Cameroun, beat Madagascar 2-1 and then beat Malawi 3-2 in a penalty shootout. In the final, Kenya lost 1-0 to Egypt. The same year, Gor-mahia were crowned champions of the African cup winners cup, a feat no other team in east and central Africa had ever achieved. Tusker FC were later to make to the finals in 1994. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">A worthwhile mention in kenyan football history is 1997 year that saw a brief revival of the fortunes of Kenyan soccer under coach Reinhard Fabisch. Fabisch assembled a youthful team whose average age was 22 years. The team played extremely well, winning against the likes of Gabon and Guinea while forcing draws away to Cameroun and at home to Nigeria. However politics and corruption had long taken over football in kenya and Fabish had to leave following misunderstanding with the Football association(KFF) over player allowances. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">More kenyan football history is documented here </span><span lang="SW" style="font-family: Wingdings;">à</span><span lang="SW"> </span><span lang="SW">http://kenyapage.net/football/foot-hist.html</span><span lang="SW"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">What is the top football club in Kenya and how do they compare to their counterparts in Europe and Africa? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.michezoafrika.com/NewsImages/Sofapaka%20Celebrate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://www.michezoafrika.com/NewsImages/Sofapaka%20Celebrate.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sofapaka players celebrate during their 4-0 success against Egyptian side Ismaily</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black;"><span lang="SW">I could be stoned back at home for not mentioning either AFC Leopards or Gor mahia despite their rich history and huge fanatical following. Making matters worse is the fact that I’m a trustee of CLAWS TRUST(Club of Leopards Active and Wise Supporters), a supporters trust for AFC Leopards. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">However i would name SOFAPAKA as the top club in Kenya. They won the league title in 2009 while taking part for the first time(the only other team to achieve this is Gor-mahia in 1968). They have participated once in ACL and once in the CAF confederations Cup. The earlier resulted in a disastrous exit in the first round in 2010 courtesy of a 2-0 loss to Egyptian side Ismailia. However Sofapaka had their revenge in 2011 when the two sides met in the second round of the CAF confederations cup. Despite losing 2-0 away in Egypt, Sofapaka outclassed Ismailia in the return leg scoring 4 goals to end the match with an aggregate of 4-2. Sofapaka went on to lose 4-3 on aggregate(despite a 3-1 win at home) in the third round to Tunisian side ‘Club Africaine’.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Sofapaka takes the honours mainly because of the proffessional way in which the team is run. The team also currently has some of the best players in the country and on many occassions provides four to five players to the national team. To sum it all up, sofapaka is currently home to Kenya’s most successful and best qualified coach, Francis Kimanzi. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">However, worthy mentioning when it comes running a team proffessionaly are two other teams Mathare United and Thika united.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Who would you say are the top 3 Kenyan players playing in the Domestic league? And</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><span lang="SW" style="color: #c00000;"><span style="color: blue;">why?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.michezoafrika.com/NewsImages/masika-is-the-best-of-the-month.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://www.michezoafrika.com/NewsImages/masika-is-the-best-of-the-month.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Masika picking up the domestic player of the month award</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Erick Masika, the Gor mahia central defender will definitely lead the list. He is currently the best defender in Kenya and can easily be rated among the country’s greatest of all times. He has an amazing pace and is a great leader on the field.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.michezoafrika.com/NewsImages/Thika-United-celebrate-goal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://www.michezoafrika.com/NewsImages/Thika-United-celebrate-goal.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moses Arita celebrates another goal for his club</td></tr>
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<div style="color: black;"><span lang="SW">Thika United striker Moses Arita will come in second. Currently the league’s top scorer with 8 goals from 14 matches. He has a powerful shot and is very composed infront of goal.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://football-uniform.up.seesaa.net/image/Kenya-04-unknown-white-white-white.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://football-uniform.up.seesaa.net/image/Kenya-04-unknown-white-white-white.JPG" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Titus Mulama Kenya's David Beckham? </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black;"><span lang="SW">Veteran Titus Mulama of Sofapaka. Class is permanent! That’s all i can say about him. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Could you name 3 Kenyan U21 prospects for the future, what are their positions and attributes?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.michezoafrika.com/NewsImages/Lavatsa-edwin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://www.michezoafrika.com/NewsImages/Lavatsa-edwin.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enthusiastic striker Lavatsa lining up for his club</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Edwin Lavatsa, 19 years old Gor-mahia forward. He has a never ending hunger for goals and is amazingly composed infront of goal with very excellent dribbling skills. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Youngster Ali Bhai will definately at one time find a place in Kenya’s crowded midfield. His small body might deceive one to dismiss him but you got to love the way he holds on to the ball and controls the midfield of Kakamega based Western Stima.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">16 years old, Enock Agwanda,the newly signed Sony Sugar forward. He came into the limelight in April during the inaugural KPL under-19 tournament Where he emerged top scorer helping the Sony Sugar Junior team clinch the Title. The young striker with a powerful left shot will no doubt light up the second leg of Kenya premier league and probably lift his side to higher grounds.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Could these three players play in Europe and do you see them moving in the future?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/091E40H0Y84Kf/439x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/091E40H0Y84Kf/439x.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Could these three youngster be joining Kenyan Denis Oliech playing in Europe?</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Yes, I’m confident that Lavatsa and Bhai will not stay long. Agwanda is however still a young boy and might stay on a little longer. However the efforts being put towards development of the local league could mean that in future, a player will only depart if the deal is extremely good. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Who do you consider to be the greatest Kenyan footballer ever? And why?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.colnect.net/images/f/438/197/Soccer-scene-and-Joe-Kadenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i.colnect.net/images/f/438/197/Soccer-scene-and-Joe-Kadenge.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How many players can say they have a stamp dedicated to them?</td></tr>
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<div style="color: black;"><span lang="SW">Joe Kadenge; He was so legendary that football in Kenya was named after him. Great dribbling skills and vision. Just a mention of his name on the line up could assure his team’s fans of victory.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Inter Milan player Mcdonald Mariga is possibly Kenya most well know export, can you see Kenya producing players of a similar standard to challenge the traditional African powerhouses like Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon? And where does the Kenyan national stand in comparison to its neighbors?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/gallery_images/photos/000/351/902/GYI0060256750_crop_450x500.jpg?1272291150" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/gallery_images/photos/000/351/902/GYI0060256750_crop_450x500.jpg?1272291150" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">Mcdonald Mariga alongside fellow African export Sulley Muntari</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black;"><span lang="SW">Like our history will prove me right, Kenya has the potential of rising to the levels of the continent’s power houses or even doing better. Currently our standards compared to the likes of Ghana and Cameroon are slightly on the lower side. On behalf of kenya’s footballing community allow me to say that the world is yet to see our finest.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">How do you feel about Kenyas prospects for qualifying for future World Cups?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmoLR4TyhXOduOogxORrZmUb2c_bPgExdGCV9x2Oa120u8EfHzEj0ED5PlmtZtKNrfKtNLHAiGHrB6dYY3LxiUcwiL5g3cGm_f5Dc3_dsrbSpP0J8V47M_HTCfHI1xeDM2_5i/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmoLR4TyhXOduOogxORrZmUb2c_bPgExdGCV9x2Oa120u8EfHzEj0ED5PlmtZtKNrfKtNLHAiGHrB6dYY3LxiUcwiL5g3cGm_f5Dc3_dsrbSpP0J8V47M_HTCfHI1xeDM2_5i/s1600/2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">Kenya President Mwai Kibaki, could this be the closest a Kenyan gets to the World Cup?</span></td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">If the current momentum in restructuring of soccer in Kenya is sustained then the 2014 world cup might not be a long shot. I’m mainly banking my hopes on the steadily growing Kenyan league.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Which foreign team has had the biggest impact on domestic football in Kenya?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">In terms of fanatical following It’s a see saw between Arsenal and Manchester united. However i must really commend AC Milan. There children's tournament in Nairobi’s Korogocho slums recently came to an end albeit with no much media focus. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Which European based player is the most popular in Kenya</span><span lang="SW">? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Lionel Messi, then maybe Christiano Ronaldo.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">How do you feel the World Cup 2010 being held in Africa has affected football in Africa??</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
<div style="color: black;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nickpar.dyndns.org/uploads/files/1/Graphics/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa-copie1%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.nickpar.dyndns.org/uploads/files/1/Graphics/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa-copie1%5B1%5D.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><br />
<span lang="SW"> Mainly i feel it instilled some self belief to the African teams in the spirit of ‘yes we can’.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Where do you think the Kenyan Domestic League football and the international team will be in ten years time?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
<div style="color: black;"><span lang="SW">Once again if the momentum is mentained then in 10 years we could be among the best leagues in Africa. Our league is currently ranked 7th best on the continent. Plus we have an ever growing population of foreign players coming in to be part of the league. Majority from Congo and quite a number from Naigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi. A 2014 world cup slot wont come as a suprise to me.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><div style="color: blue;"><span lang="SW">And finally please could you tell us a little about your website and your plans for the future in football?</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Kenyanstar is all about highlighting the uncelebrated talents of Kenya. As the name suggests, we keep it strictly Kenyan. There is so much action that goes unnoticed and so much talent that goes to waste. We Currently our capacity doesn’t allow us to do more beyond highlighting but we are on course for better things to come</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Media wise, we are the sole content provider for a local weekly football newspaper called ‘Pepeta’. PEPETA is a print media dedicated to reporting of Kenya premier league including but not limited to From coaches and players of all the 16 teams in the league on their views on both the previous and upcoming matches. It also includes pre-match and post match reviews of major league matches every week. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">There is also a quarterly sports magazine called ‘Kenyanstar’ print version of the website that seeks to redefine Kenya sporting lifestyle. The first edition was released in may and the second one is coming up in September.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Finally still on media, besides our YouTube channel ‘kenyanstar89’we will soon be running a sports TV show on smart TV’s ASN channel. Talks on this are ongoing and we will give details to our readers once we are ready to run. The long run plan is to have a TV channel 100% dedicated to Kenyan sports.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="SW">Back to the community and in football to be specific, we are in talks with two local academies that we plan to use as our talent nurturing centers. We hope to adopt at least 4 young talents every year to get them out of either the streets or the village and assist them nature their talents while studying in conducive environments. This program is set to begin in 2012 and the success assessed over the next 5 years. The partnership with the said academies also extends to organizing bi-monthly sports development workshops for referees, players, coaches and team officials with the aim of uplifting the Kenyan game. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;"><span lang="SW">I would also like to mention that we do manage the Rangers FC website (<a href="http://www.rangersfc.co.ke/">www.rangersfc.co.ke</a>) on a CSR basis. With 16 league matches played out of the maximum 30, Rangers are leading the league standing and we as Kenyanstar are proud to be associated with them. And finally as away of streaming down the Kenyan Premier league success to lower level Leagues, we have offered to sponsor the kenyan Nationwide league online portal beginning the 2012 season. Our offer includes incurring the cost of setting up a nationwide league website and managing the leagues media content free of charge for the 2012 and 2013 season. </span><br />
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</div>Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-19593627445053306482011-07-02T16:00:00.000+01:002011-07-02T16:00:36.962+01:00Message to Arsenal Supporters: In Wenger You Should Trust<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://soccer-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/arsene_wenger.jpg" width="320" /></div><br />
Over the last 3 months there has been a growing discontent amongst Arsenal supporters in relation to their manager Arsene Wenger. The voices calling for his dismissal or doubting his ability to manage the club have gradually become louder. Robbie Savage although not the most reliable or respected voice in football personifies the current anti-Wenger sentiment by saying:<br />
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<blockquote><br />
“So if Arsenal fail to win the poorest Premier League title battle in history, there must be a call for Arsene Wenger to see the board. No other manager would get away with it.</blockquote><br />
<blockquote>“He’s unearthed gems, financed some of their magnificent new ground and played the prettiest football in the division. And do you know what? That means absolutely nothing when you win nothing.</blockquote><br />
<blockquote>“In Arsene We Trust? Not any more. Fan after fan told me [on his 606 phone-in] that just qualifying for there Champions League every year wasn’t enough and I agree with them. For a team that is in the top 10 in the world and is probably the equivalent of a Juventus or Inter, it is not enough.”</blockquote><br />
This in my eyes is a disgrace and an insult to the man who turned a "nearly club" into one of the most successful and financially secure clubs in the Premier League era.<br />
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When Wenger joined Arsenal they were still looking for their first Premier League title and were comparable to clubs the size of Everton or Tottenham in terms of recent achievement and stadium capacity. Now they are up there with Europe's elite consistently playing in the Champions League. To compare Arsenal to Inter Milan and Juventus is an unfair comparison. These two clubs are long established institutions in dominating Italian Football and have been forces in European football long before Arsenal reached their first Champions League Final which was incidentally during Wengers tenure as manager.<br />
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This season has been deemed a failure by many after their defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League, finishing 4th in the league and an unfortunate League Cup Final defeat to Birmingham City. What most fans don't realise is that top clubs are more than about winning trophies immediately. I understand that they haven't won a trophy in six years but what Arsene Wenger is building is an institution following a specific philosophy similar to Manchester United, Barcelona, Ajax and Bayern Munich. Wenger is trying to do what Busby and Ferguson have done for Manchester United and what Johan Cryuff did for Ajax and Barcelona. This kind of success doesn't come overnight and without setbacks.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barcelona steeped in tradition and "more than a club"</td></tr>
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If you look at the history of some of the best clubs in the world, the foundations are what make them great. An example is the length of time it took Manchester United to start winning major trophies again after the end of the Busby era. The same for Liverpool who hadn't won a European Cup in over 20 years until their defeat of Milan in Istanbul. It isn't a coincidence that when it comes to winning trophies its always the same clubs that keep popping up. In Spain it's Real Madrid and Barcelona, in Italy until Calciopoli it was Juventus and AC Milan and in England up until relatively recently it was Manchester United and Liverpool. Obviously there are brief exceptions to the rule, these are usually due to what Wenger would call financial doping or an exceptionally good manager who is inevitably signed up by one of the big boys. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wenger made the idea of a new stadium a reality for Arsenal</td></tr>
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This is what Wenger is trying to build, a club that can sustain itself by following a specific philosophy long after he is gone. Fair enough they aren't currently winning anything but the discord regarding his future at the club is due to a culture of short termism amongst modern football fans. We all know what happened to Leeds United, Portsmouth and West Ham, clubs who have all spent huge amounts of money for short term success with long term financial viability as an afterthought. When teams become successful fans start to suffer from tunnel vision. For example if you told a Leeds supporter after their run to the Champions League Semi Finals that they would be lurching in the depths of the Championship in 2012 you would've been laughed out of the stadium. Wenger doesn't suffer from this, he has tasted success and feels that it should be obtained in unison with guaranteeing the long term future of the club.Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-3648679846617685922011-06-22T21:31:00.000+01:002011-06-22T21:31:46.728+01:00Who is Alexis Sanchez? And Why Does Everyone Want Him?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static.diario.latercera.com/201106/1272236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://static.diario.latercera.com/201106/1272236.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>With the rumour mill going into overdrive since the transfer window reopened one player has received more attention than most. His name is Alexis Alejandro Sanchez and a illustrious list of Europe's biggest clubs are vying for his signature, Manchester United, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus and Manchester City have all been linked with the Chilean forward.<br />
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He first caught the eye as part of an attacking and tactically innovative Chilean side in last years World Cup with his skillful surging runs causing opponents no end of problems from a wide right position. But as we all know a World Cup isn't really the best place to judge a player (please see El Hajj Diouf, Stephane Guivarc'h and Lukas Podolski).<br />
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This season while most players have been struggling with post World Cup hangovers Sanchez has really shone. His manager experienced Italian Francesco Guidolin has used him as a Trenquartista playing him in a more central and deeper role than he has been used to, although he did play there during a short spell with Argentine side River Plate. In this position he has been unfettered and free to invent as the perfect foil for Floro Flores and Di Natale Udinese's two strikers who have profited from the space Sanchez creates in his new role to score 41 goals between them. When asked about this move his manager explained to the Italian media:<br />
<blockquote>"This year we tried to get him to play in a role that was not used to cover. Simply working on a change to the position that he has always occupied. I wish he would play behind the strikers, who did the attacking midfielder moved slightly to the right. He knows how to beat a man, has great speed and is able to split the opposing defenses. If you can give more tactical discipline all will benefit, he first. Now he is better physically and is brighter than a few weeks ago. Must be convinced that football is not just instinct. The attacking midfielder is not necessarily the man the last step, but it can also be the one that will create the numerical superiority. I can think of Kaka."</blockquote>This season he has played 31 league games scoring 12 goals and providing 6 assists. This comparison to Kaka is a big statement especially with the high regard Kaka is still held in Italy.<br />
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In the past his national team manager Claudio Borghi has compared him favourably to another iconic modern footballer, Lionel Messi, saying that:<br />
<blockquote>"Alexis can be even better than Messi - physically he can do much more. I do not wish to talk nonsense, but Alexis will be one of the world's best. Messi already is."</blockquote><blockquote>"I consider him to be among the ten best players in the world at the moment. Sometimes your strengths and weaknesses come from the team-mates you have."</blockquote>According to media reports a move to Barcelona is "80% complete", the thought of him playing alongside Messi, Iniesta and Xavi is a mouth watering prospect for most footballing purists. Former Italy manager Arrigo Sacchi when asked about the prospect of his move to the Catalans responded by saying: <br />
<blockquote>"<span id="divAdnetKeyword">"He is a real phenomenon. He would not only do a great job with Guardiola at Barcelona, but he would be of added value to any other team,"</span> </blockquote>If hardened football men like Sacchi are speaking so highly of Sanchez it seems the world is at his feet and it is obvious why so many clubs want him. But the real question of how good he is, still remains unanswered but I get the feeling we will have it answered in the coming year.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="223" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4UIXUvpz4bk" width="340"></iframe>Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-32143265126610535172011-06-18T16:08:00.001+01:002011-06-18T16:10:59.106+01:00European Football Podcast: Episode 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sportplayerwallpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/FC-Barcelona-Champions-league-Winner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://sportplayerwallpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/FC-Barcelona-Champions-league-Winner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This isn't one of my usual articles, but I came across this podcast and felt it has to be shared with all those who have a love for the beautiful game. With guests varying from Michael Cox from Zonal Marking to Daily Telegraph football writer Ben Lyttleton it gives an enlightening insight on European football, I hope you enjoy.<br />
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<object height="81" width="100%"><param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F16271114&"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F16271114&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed></object><a href="http://soundcloud.com/european-football-show/european-football-show-final">European Football Show Final Mixdown</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/european-football-show">European Football Show</a>Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-24022834140878385062011-06-18T00:29:00.001+01:002011-06-18T00:29:48.564+01:00European U21 Championships: Same Old English Deficiencies...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEOSXISWCt5AacxSk7qEA6kZ93haPobRAQ4IpddyySQHZ7rmy4cxNviJJgFxFrZEKPTK4CC26X_O-DqGh9DhhvNjFUhUiDv88TSxOqwAS2kjUe-Ssez9N9BiHbZnODMb-C6sB/s1600/Spain+U21+vs+England+U21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEOSXISWCt5AacxSk7qEA6kZ93haPobRAQ4IpddyySQHZ7rmy4cxNviJJgFxFrZEKPTK4CC26X_O-DqGh9DhhvNjFUhUiDv88TSxOqwAS2kjUe-Ssez9N9BiHbZnODMb-C6sB/s320/Spain+U21+vs+England+U21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Having watched England's first two games of this summers European Championships, I can see the young lions suffering from the same shortcomings at their senior counterparts.<br />
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The lack of a creative presence in the side has been clearly visible with the stale and thoughtless performances put forward by England's best young prospects. Yes before you say it, I know that Jack Wilshire isn't playing, but how can a nation which classes itself as part of the European elite, pin its hopes on a single player. This is not progress as we've all heard this before, there was Paul Gascoigne, then there was Paul Scholes, then David Beckham, followed swiftly by Wayne Rooney and now its Wilshire.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stats England v Spain</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The concept of passing the ball along the ground still seems to be alien to this collection of graduates from from the academies of some of England's finest clubs. Spain had 64.5% of possession when the two sides met recently. I know its lazy to rely on statistics but that is a huge gulf considering that the two sides are many pundits favourites to win the tournament. Even sides such as the Czech Republic, Belarus and Switzerland made up of players plying their trades in leagues considered inferior to the much hyped Premier League seem to be able to grasp this aspect of the game.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting Line Up v Ukraine U21</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Danny Wellbeck, Danny Rose and Daniel Sturridge the trio of pacey forwards had no support from a midfield of grafters which included new Liverpool man Jordan Henderson, Jack Rodwell and Michael Mancienne. There is no classic "number 10" to supplement the forwards no-one to provide the ammunition for the forwards to fire. Mancienne is a centre half or full back by trade and Rodwell and Henderson are both energetic box to box midfielders neither have the ability to unlock an opposition defence. This line up has similar weaknesses to what we see with the Gerrard, Lampard and Barry axis in the senior first team. <br />
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What does the future hold for the young lions? They have the same limitations as recent England sides and if they don't beat the Czech Republic on Sunday they will be on an early flight home. Further to this I think we can all look forward to the same dross we had in South Africa for the next ten years.Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-39008020222868084662011-04-11T22:03:00.001+01:002011-04-13T18:52:56.458+01:00European Football: Iberian Dominance Looms?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://answers.bettor.com/images/Articles/thumbs/extralarge/Real-Madrid-v-Tottenham-Hotspur-UEFA-Champions-League-Half-time-review-Part-1-61469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://answers.bettor.com/images/Articles/thumbs/extralarge/Real-Madrid-v-Tottenham-Hotspur-UEFA-Champions-League-Half-time-review-Part-1-61469.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This weeks European results have shown a dominance of sides from the Iberian Peninsula. In the 8 matches in the Europa League and the Champions League there were 6 teams involved from Spain and Portugal. In comparison there is only one Italian side left and two English sides.<br />
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The results of the matches were also ominous for the rest of Europe. The Champions League results were Real Madrid hammering Spurs 4-0 and Barcelona disposing of Ukrainian champions Shaktar Donestk in a 5-1 demolition. <br />
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In the Europa League is where the less heralded but equally one sided dominance of the sides from the Iberian Peninsula can be seen. FC Porto, Benfica and Braga represent Portugal in the last eight with Villarreal being the sole Spanish outfit remaining in the tournament.<br />
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Porto smashed a much fancied Spartak Moscow side 5-1 with star striker and former Liverpool target Radamel Falcao getting an impressive hatrick. Rumours are that Inter Milan are looking for a replacement for current manager Leonardo with Porto manager Andre Villas-Boas on the top of their wanted list. <br />
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Porto's rivals Benfica also registered an impressive 4-1 win over Dutch side PSV Eindhoven. This is impressive considering key players such as Ramires, David Luiz and Angel Di Maria have all left the club this season. <br />
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The third and final Portuguese side left in the tournament are a less illustrious yet equally dangerous Braga side. They are responsible for Liverpool's exit from the Europa league, ending the Champions League hopes of Sevilla and Celtic before being knocked out at the group stages despite beating Arsenal 2-0. They were up against Manchester City's conquerors Dynamo Kiev and grabbed a credible 1-1 draw in the Ukraine, giving them a good foundation to go through to the last four.<br />
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Villarreal are possibly the favourites for the trophy following their impressive defeats of Italian side Napoli and Germans Bayer Leverkusen they defeated FC Twente of Holland 5-1, virtually guaranteeing their place in the semi-finals. <br />
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Looking at these results, I wouldn't bet against two Spanish sides making the final four in the Champions League and an all Iberian quartet in the semi-finals of the Europa League. These results clearly show that both trophies are likely to end up in Southern Europe, I'm not sure whether it will last but it's good to see sides playing more expressive and creative football succeeding on Europe's biggest stages.Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-74464678371390957402011-03-05T11:52:00.000+00:002011-03-05T11:52:33.990+00:00English Football's War On The Trequartista<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://blogdelrojo.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/argentinacolombia2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://blogdelrojo.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/argentinacolombia2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In Argentina they call him the "enganche", in Italy the "fantatista" and in England simply the advanced playmaker. Footballs "number 10's" have always had an aura about them. The best description for such a player I could find was one put forward by Guardian writer Marcela Mora y Araujo, who when writing an article on Argentine star Juan Roman Riquelme described it as,<br />
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<blockquote>"the thinker, the one who marks the pause, the <i>hook</i> if you like. This is the best word for it, hooking the midfield with the strikers, and naturally the Spanish "enganche" is the most commonly used (though Fifa's dictionary of football terms doesn't include the word). Inside-forward, the suggested English term for the position, doesn't even begin to describe it." </blockquote><br />
Examples of such players include Juan Roman Riquelme, Diego Maradona, Alessandro Del Piero and Francesco Totti are all examples of sublimely skillful creative players. But currently in England there is a shortage of such players, the only examples I can think of is Arsenal man Cesc Fabregas and even then, his club have him wearing the number 4 shirt (although he is number 10 for Spain) and possibly at a stretch Ashley Young for Aston Villa. This lack of an attacking central playmaker in teams I feel was clearly shown in this weeks match at Stamford Bridge between Manchester United and Chelsea.<br />
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With both sides playing with a 4-4-2 shape there was no room in the formations for a player to operate "between the lines". Personally I'm a romantic when it comes to the beautiful game and particularly enjoy watching a maverick number 10 pick apart an opponents defence. So this seasons Premier League hasn't been my favourite when it comes to aesthetic pleasure. <br />
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I don't understand English footballs aversion to a central creative figure in a team. Last seasons Champions League winners Inter Milan had Wesley Sneijder as their creative fulcrum which clearly shows that their is room for players of his ilk at the highest level. Players who have played the this role and moved to England have more than often had to change their role within a team to gain first team football. Two players who are a prime example of this are Jon Obi Mikel of Chelsea and Manchester United man Anderson.<br />
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Both players mentioned were originally attacking creative midfielders, lynch pins for both their previous clubs respectively. Now I know that this would be a shock for most Premier League followers, as Mikel is now accepted as a holding player occupying the "Makelele role" and Anderson is a "water carrier" for Manchester United, helping with the transition of the ball from the defensive third of the pitch to the attacking third, without taking up particularly threatening positions himself.<br />
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Andersons stats show a downward trend in his goalscoring record. Prior to his move to England he scored 8 goals in 37 league appearances for Porto and Gremio respectively, he has now played 66 league games for Manchester United scoring 1 goal. With Mikel his national team manager Samson Siasia has spoken out against how Chelsea have transformed him into a defensive player saying,<br />
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<blockquote>"Chelsea destroyed the player Mikel once was," Siasia says, groaning. "They did a lot of damage to Nigerian football. Here was a young, enterprising midfielder who was going to be like Jay-Jay Okocha. He was about opening up defences, not protecting them."</blockquote><br />
One explanation for this lack of advanced play-makers playing in the British game could be the importance put on the quick tempo of the game. Watching most games in the Premier League the midfield is packed with hard working midfielders or two wingers with possibly one deep lying play-maker like Mikel Arteta, Charlie Adam or Luka Modric (who was recognised as a number 10 for his former club Dinamo Zagreb). With this kind of line up there is an culture in teams to get the ball forward as quickly as possibly. There are two problems sides would experience in the Premier League playing with a trequartista. Firstly a traditional number 10 would slow down the progression of the ball into the penalty area and secondly the direct style of play produced by teams in England leaves the enganche bypassed and a mere spectator in most games.<br />
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Unfortunately the footballing climate in England doesn't encourage creative attacking players, this has been well documented every time England are knocked out of a major tournament. The problem is that things don't seem to be changing, the only team bar Arsenal I can think of who play with a creative maverick at the heart of their team is Queens Park Rangers who have Adel Taarabt as their trequartista. More and more teams have shifted towards a very functional way of operating which I feel is part of a legacy which Mourinho left in England with his after his spell at Chelsea and also the influence of Sam Allardyce after his successes at Bolton with a very limited budget. Lets just hope more progressive managers like Arsene Wenger are introduced to the Premier League so that we can start enjoy more expressive forms of football more suitable for creative players to flourish in.<br />
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Examples of established trequartistas moving to the Premier League and experiencing a difficultly performing to the standards expected from them, include Juan Sebastian Veron, Deco, Alberto Aquilani and Gaizka Mendieta. All these players were highly rated playmakers plying their trade in Serie A and La Liga respectively but all of them I can safely say their moves to England weren't as successful as their spells elsewhere. Players of this type have often been described by pundits as lacking a work ethic, not being "team players" and have been moved on or used sparingly.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe Cole an example of creative talent in English football wasted</td></tr>
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I hope that this outlook changes as I feel that this part of the game is something English football is missing out on. Hearing the stories of both Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United rejecting the chance to sign Zinedine Zidane, the former doing it in favour of Garry Flitcroft, players like Tuncay Sanli and Joe Cole having their careers and development frozen by distrustful management, both make you realize what is lost from our game.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="285" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dzoRkTRP7Cc" title="YouTube video player" width="340"></iframe>Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-65224309618563931402011-02-28T17:18:00.000+00:002011-02-28T17:18:56.459+00:001-2-1 With... Ewan Dinwiddie (Colombian Football Writer)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.planetworldcup.com/CUPS/1990/WC90_023.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.planetworldcup.com/CUPS/1990/WC90_023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>My last 1-2-1 was with Mexican football writer Tom Marshall, the next logical step was to move to South America. One country which really caught my attention was Colombia. A country known more for drug related violence than its football which in my eyes is a real shame.<br />
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In my search for someone who could give me an insight into football in Colombia, I found Ewan Dinwiddie. Ewan emigrated to Colombia in 2005 and works on a blog covering Colombian football, he also runs his own site on travel and tourism in Colombia.<br />
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<b>Name</b>: Ewan Dinwiddie<br />
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<b>Teams Supported: England</b>: Nottingham Forest; Colombia: Millonarios<br />
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<b>What is the top football club in Colombia and how does it compare to their counterparts in Europe and South America?</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fans of Atletico Nacional of Medellin display the clubs famous green and white colours</td></tr>
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Atletico Nacional of Medellin would have to be considered the biggest Colombia football club, certainly in the last couple of decades. Both Millonarios and America de Cali have won more titles than Nacional (13 compared to Nacional’s 10), but it was Nacional’s victory in the Copa Libertadores (South America’s Champions League) in 1989 that began an era of dominance that also signalled the decline of America and especially of Millonarios who have not won a championship since 1988. <br />
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In addition to their dominance on the pitch they also have by far the largest support in Colombia. During the 1990s the vast majority of the Colombian national team was made up of Nacional players. They even adopted a policy of only signing Colombian players during that period. Their attractive brand of passing football won them many plaudits and many supporters throughout the country. <br />
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These days, however, with football a fully globalised business and players sometimes being sold abroad before they’ve even kicked a professional football in Colombia it is impossible for even Atletico Nacional or any of the other big clubs to compete with their European counterparts. <br />
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<b>Who do you feel are the top 3 players playing in Colombia and why are they in your top 3?</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giovanny Hernandez in action for his club side</td></tr>
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He may be getting on a bit but <b>Giovanny Hernandez</b> is still a class above most other players in the Colombian League. Straight out of the Carlos Valderama mould Hernandez (or “The Prince” as he is known) is the mastermind behind Atletico Junior’s attack. His pace has long since deserted him, but his vision, range of passing and set-piece taking are still a potent combination.<br />
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<b>Dayro Moreno</b> of Once Caldas is a strong, bulky, out and out goalscorer. He has the strikers’ instinct of being in the right place at the right time and has a knack of making goalscoring chances out of nothing. A natural finisher who should be playing his football abroad before the end of the year. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dorlan Pablo in action for Colombia against Peru</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Dorlan Pabon</b> is another terrific talent and at 23 should have a bright future. His pace and quick feet frighten the life out of defenders and he his shooting can be devastating from outside as well as inside the box. <br />
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<b>With English clubs always looking out for young foreign talent, name 3 under-21s playing in Colombia who you feel can make it in the Premier League one day? And what are their attributes and position? </b><br />
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<b>Victor Ibardo</b> (20) could have a bright future. He is strong, fast and appears calm when under pressure which could make him a candidate for the Premier League one day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part time Luis Nani look-alike Mosquera celebrates for his club Millonarios </td></tr>
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<b>Luis Mosquera</b> (21) is another to look out for. A left-sided midfielder currently at Millonarios with good pace and an excellent touch. He likes to get forward and trouble defences with his mazy runs. <br />
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It’s very early days but <b>Fabian Castillo</b> (18) of Deportivo Cali could be another one for the notebook if he continues his current trajectory. Another short, fast winger who has made a big impression since breaking into the Cali first team in 2010. <br />
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<b>Colombia has a rich history of international stars including Carlos Valderrama, Faustino Asprilla and Rene Higuita, who do you consider to be the greatest Colombian player of all time?</b><br />
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“El Tino” Asprilla has certainly been the player I’ve most enjoyed watching in terms of all out flair. But for his crucial role in the great Colombian team of the 90s it has to be Carlos “El Pibe” Valderama. Valderama was the centrepiece to that side around which their forward play was created. His vision, passing and movement defined the entire style of Colombia’s football during that period. Something which has been sadly lacking in the Colombian game since his retirement. <br />
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<b>What is your most memorable international match involving Colombia or involving Colombian clubs? </b><br />
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<br />
Colombia’s 5-0 victory over Argentina in Buenos Aires in 1993 during qualification for the 94 World Cup is easily the most memorable match in the Colombian national team’s history. Argentina entered the game on a 33-match unbeaten run and were destroyed by a mesmerising Colombia performance. Valderama and Alvarez were as dominant in midfield as Asprilla and Rincon were clinical up front. <br />
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<b>Do you think a Colombian club will win the South American Champions League anytime soon? </b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/6f/fullj.7423cabb2acbcd54b6a9ab273a607e75/7423cabb2acbcd54b6a9ab273a607e75-getty-fbl-libertadores--tolima-corinthians.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/6f/fullj.7423cabb2acbcd54b6a9ab273a607e75/7423cabb2acbcd54b6a9ab273a607e75-getty-fbl-libertadores--tolima-corinthians.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brazilian legend Ronaldo battles as his team are eliminated from the Copa Libertadores by Deportes Tolima</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
With the dominance of the Brazilian clubs at the moment it seems unlikely, but not impossible. Deportes Tolima recently dumped Ronaldo’s Corinthians out of the competition and Atletico Junior have put together a decent squad for their campaign, but they cannot compete with the Brazilian clubs’ spending power and with all ties played over two legs it’s difficult to see any Colombian side making it as far as the final. <br />
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<b>Which foreign club is the most popular in Colombia? </b><br />
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Most football supporters here tend to have at least one team they follow in each of the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A. Barcelona and Real Madrid are both well represented, as are Manchester United. I’ve managed to convert one or two into Nottingham Forest fans but there is still much work to be done. <br />
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<b>Which European based player is the most popular in Colombia? </b><br />
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Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo predictably hog most of the limelight, although players like Fabregas, Rooney and Tevez have a lot of followers too. <br />
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<b>There has been an obvious demise in Colombian football in recent history how can this be explained?</b><br />
<b> </b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drugs Baron Pablo Escobar (centre) clearly showing his interest in football</td></tr>
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During the 80s and 90s the drug cartels bankrolled many of Colombia’s football clubs, most notably Atletico Nacional (Pablo Escobar was a fan), America de Cali and Millonarios. The illicit money floating around Colombian football brought many top players from the continent and also ensured that Colombian players stayed for longer periods in the Colombian League than they do now. As the large drug cartels were gradually destroyed the money dried up and so too did the footballing talent playing in Colombia. <br />
<br />
The demise of the national team is harder to explain, but is probably due to a change in footballing mentality of those running both the national team and the club sides. There has been a strong emphasis in recent years on producing tall, strong players and playing a more direct form of football as opposed to the intricate passing style of the 90s. A Colombian football pundit recently remarked that it was a good thing that Messi is Argentinian because had he been Colombian the short, squatty player wouldn’t have even been given a chance at playing professional football. The emergence of players like the slender Giovanni Moreno (now at Argentine club Racing) could signal a potential change in direction, but there is still a long way to go. <br />
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<b>Has the political situation in Colombia impacted on its football? </b><br />
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Colombia’s golden footballing era occurred at the same time as the country’s most violent period with the Medellin cartel declaring war on the Colombian government during which time bombings, kidnappings and assassinations were occurring every day. This would suggest that the violence didn’t negatively impact the country’s football. Some players may have been put off from coming to play in the Colombian League as a result of the violence, but they were almost certainly outnumbered by those more than happy to accept a juicy wage packet. <br />
<br />
In the Copa America of 2000, held in Colombia, Argentina took the decision not to participate citing the situation with regard to kidnappings as their reason. In Argentina’s absence Colombia won the competition beating Mexico in the final. An example of how the political situation here may have possibly benefitted Colombian football!<br />
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<b>Do you see Colombia qualifying for the next World Cup?</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0fejerZ6FB9QJ/610x.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0fejerZ6FB9QJ/610x.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colombia's hopes for the 2014 World Cup rest with star striker Falcao</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
FIFA are set to meet in early March to decide on the allocation of places for the 2014 World Cup to be held in Brazil. If FIFA decide not to include Brazil in South America’s allocation of 4 and a half spots then it will be a huge boost for Colombia’s hopes of qualifying for the World Cup, particularly as Colombia have found themselves just a place outside the qualification zone in each of the last three campaigns. <br />
<br />
Colombia have shown some signs of improvement in some of their recent games. Two weeks ago they lost by just a single goal to world champions Spain and were unlucky not to score on several occasions. The key man for Colombia (who was absent against Spain through injury) is Porto striker Radamel Falcao. He has a prolific scoring record for the Portuguese side, but has so far struggled to replicate that form for the national side. Getting Falcao among the goals will be crucial if Colombia are to qualify for the next World Cup. <br />
<br />
<b>Where do you see Colombian football internationally and domestically in ten years time?</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7d/Colombia_2011_world_cup_logo.svg/500px-Colombia_2011_world_cup_logo.svg.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7d/Colombia_2011_world_cup_logo.svg/500px-Colombia_2011_world_cup_logo.svg.png" width="266" /></a></div>This year the Under-20 World Cup is to held in Colombia. We’ll have to wait and see if the next Asprilla or Valderama emerges, but it is unlikely that Colombian football will be anywhere near it’s level in the 90s. <br />
<br />
It’s difficult to imagine the Colombian economy strengthening to the extent of that of the Brazilian economy and so Colombian football clubs will continue to be forced to sell their best talents for the foreseeable future which will inevitably limit their chances of success in the Copa Libertadores. <br />
<br />
<b>Please could you tell us a little about yourself, your website and your plans for the future in football? </b><br />
<br />
I emigrated to Colombia back in 2005. My website; http://www.colombiatravelguide.net/index.html. is principally a travel guide to Colombia, but I hope to have my Colombian Football blog up and running again in full by June 2011. I have a Guide to Colombian Soccer on the site at the moment which can be found at: <a href="http://www.colombiatravelguide.net/colombian-soccer.html">http://www.colombiatravelguide.net/colombian-soccer.html</a>. It covers the history of the Colombian game from the 50s when many of the best players in the world plied their trade in the Colombian League, through the glory years of the early 90s, and the tragic death of Andres Escobar in 1994. It also explains the format of the league as well as coverage of the top teams. <br />
<br />
For the next few years my plans are to continue covering Colombian football, both domestic and international, with the hope of doing some freelance work for newspapers or websites.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">(END) </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Well after that I'd like to thank Ewan for taking the time out to enlighten us on the history and current condition of Colombian football. I hope you've enjoyed reading this and also take the time out to have a look at Ewans site. </div>Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-89444829907117991682011-02-23T17:21:00.001+00:002011-02-23T17:21:46.024+00:00Four Of The Finest: Father And Son Footballers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://manchesterunited.y2u.co.uk/David_Beckham_And_Son_Brooklyn_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://manchesterunited.y2u.co.uk/David_Beckham_And_Son_Brooklyn_2.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><br />
I'm sorry there haven't been any recent posts. I haven't been able to spare the time due to becoming a father for the first time. I'm pleased to say it is a boy, so I'm able to introduce him to the beautiful game, buy him a football kit and all the other football things boys like to do. With this in mind I decided to look into the fathers and sons who have both been part of the footballing fraternity. <br />
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<u>Johan and Jordi Cryuff</u><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1CvgaWPMYp7X7zz7G4nu5XwuR9V3vnMg7IG8p64P52nvyCv_w_uEyrTm91698RZYvf2wOZgK3cQJ2U3YiFy4NRQ_gfoU7Dv3OKFqXjIji56GoJFOCK0h4S-_oOEocapccAwD/s400/Johan+ve+Jordi+Cruyff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1CvgaWPMYp7X7zz7G4nu5XwuR9V3vnMg7IG8p64P52nvyCv_w_uEyrTm91698RZYvf2wOZgK3cQJ2U3YiFy4NRQ_gfoU7Dv3OKFqXjIji56GoJFOCK0h4S-_oOEocapccAwD/s320/Johan+ve+Jordi+Cruyff.jpg" width="248" /></a></div> <br />
Cryuff is a name almost synonymous with Dutch football. Johan Cryuff played a major part in implementing "Total Football" for Holland and Ajax Amsterdam and then exporting the concept to Barcelona where his tactics have become a mantra espoused by the coaches at the club. His son Jordi also played for the Dutch and Catalan sides. Jordi was also capped by Holland and most notably played in Euro 96.<br />
<br />
When the independent compared the careers of father and son it noted that Jordi may have benefited from his fathers name but he may have also been underrated as a player due to the often comparisons between the father and son.<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="color: #666666;">"The thought has always lingered that had Jordi's surname been (say) Beaglehole, then his career would not have touched the dizzy heights of Barcelona and Manchester United. Johan was one of the best players ever to grace the game and a legend at Barcelona and Ajax. When dad was manager at Ajax, so Jordi was in the youth set-up there. When dad took over at Barcelona, so Jordi joined him. In truth, he was a decent player (decent enough to play for Holland) but not a superstar like his dad. And when Johan was sacked, Jordi was sold. He failed to really establish himself at United and returned to Spain to play for Alaves and Espanyol. He is now in management in Malta."</blockquote><br />
<u>Cesare and Paolo Maldini</u><br />
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Between them they played 994 games for AC Milan the most successful Italian club in European competition. Son Paolo is a record holder for caps for Italy and games played for AC Milan and father Cesare has managed both club and country.<br />
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They also became the first and only father and son to lift the European Cup when Paolo as captain lifted the trophy exactly forty years after his father, captained the Rossoneri to victory over the legendary Eusebio's Benfica side in 1963.<br />
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In the 1998 World Cup Cesare managed Italy with Paolo as the captain. In most countries there would be murmurs of nepotism, but in Italy such is their standing there was no such discontent.<br />
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When Paolo retired, so did his number 3 shirt, but will be issues again only if another Maldini makes it into the AC Milan first team. So far, Paolo Maldini's oldest son and Cesare Maldini's grandson Christian is shaping up well to take up the challenge. Just seventeen he is currently a member of the Milan youth squad, displaying the sterling defensive talents that made the Maldini dynasty so long a feature at Milan and on the Italian international scene <br />
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<u>Diego Maradona and Sergio Aguero</u><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static.vg.no/uploaded/image/bilderigg/2009/06/10/1244618375293_659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="http://static.vg.no/uploaded/image/bilderigg/2009/06/10/1244618375293_659.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Okay, I know that these two are only family as Maradona is Aguero's father-in-law but after seeing Aguero's two year old son, Maradona's grandson, Benjamin kick a ball on Youtube I had to mention it. <br />
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Benjamin aside, Maradona is possibly the greatest player of all time leading Argentina to 1986 World Cup victory. Famous goals against England in that tournament have ensured that Maradona's name is etched in World Cup history.Aguero on the other hand doesn't have the legendary status of "El Diego" but he has played in a World Cup for Argentina and scored 113 goals in 274 club games for Independiente and Athletico Madrid.<br />
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<u>Peter and Kasper Schmeichel</u><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01823/schmeichel2_1823214i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01823/schmeichel2_1823214i.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>When Kasper Schmeichel came on to the scene their were all sorts of comparisons between him and his father, Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel. When making the comparison between father and son, after Kasper had kept two clean sheets for his now former club Manchester City it was said,<br />
<blockquote><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1574113838">"Kasper Schmeichel has followed his father into the family business of keeping clean sheets. Two Premier League games, two shut-outs.</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1574113838"> </a><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-475821/EXCLUSIVE-Peters-proud-son-Kasper-keeping-family-tradition-alive.html#ixzz1EjeMRjcH">Now all he has to do to emulate dad is to play 129 games for his country, win five titles and a European Cup. Oh, and score 11 goals at the other end."</a></blockquote><br />
Kasper has made a promising start to his goalkeeping career and is currently playing for Leeds United in The Championship. Most recently he put in a superb performance in the FA Cup against Premiership side Arsenal, pulling off one particularly good save which even his father would've been proud of.<br />
<br />
<br />
<object height="255" width="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xgn7dq?width=340&theme=none"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xgn7dq?width=340&theme=none" width="340" height="255" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object>Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-10299335709360307362011-02-12T22:24:00.000+00:002011-02-12T22:24:20.287+00:00Why Do Manchester United Keep Winning?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/05/16/article-1183429-04F71089000005DC-146_306x423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/05/16/article-1183429-04F71089000005DC-146_306x423.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>This is probably the question on most people lips this season. On paper I wouldn't say they have a far stronger line up than either Chelsea, Arsenal or even Manchester City. As everyone keeps saying they haven't played well consistently this season, but why does the table say otherwise? Is it more advanced training methods? Is it they are tactically superior? I'm not so sure. What I think it is, is what many in the game call a winning mentality.<br />
<br />
The first time it was brought to my attention was after an interview with former United Keeper Ben Foster and what he explained as the differences between Birmingham and Manchester United.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"It's just a bit more relaxed at Birmingham than it was at United," said Foster. "A club like United is cut-throat, win at all costs, whereas here you know you're not going to win every game but the players that we've got, we battle for 90 minutes and don't give someone a second breath. There is more pressure at United, without a doubt. Even if we drew it was the end of the world, two points dropped, regardless if we got back into it in the last minute."</blockquote><br />
This pressure to win and reluctance to accept anything other than a victory is what has driven United this season. Foster might not have been comfortable with the "cut throat" environment at the club but this is what has made United the most successful English side in the last two decades. <br />
<br />
This season United have been under the cosh for long periods of games numerous times but have come out out with points from all of them bar the game against Wolves. When you see Sir Alex Ferguson after a defeat you can see that it has visibly affected him, and this ethic is transferred to the players. One example of this is Rio Ferdinand's attitude towards a game against Aston Villa in which United trailed 2-0 but grabbed two late goals to ensure the gained a point from the fixture in comparison to the England national sides' performances.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><span id="divAdnetKeyword">"Finding the formula, you could say, is part of management. The manager has it at Manchester United.<br />
<br />
"You look at the game on Saturday [against Aston Villa]. We're down, he sends on two attacking players and that puts you on the front foot.<br />
<br />
"You respond to that. It stems from the manager, you don't want to go into the dressing room and face him if you've left something on the pitch.<br />
<br />
"But that said, it's not just management. Up till now as players we've not done our bit. There's no hiding from that."</span></blockquote><br />
This shows a collective winning mentality, a manager who has instilled a winning mentality into his players and players who understand the managers expectations of them, add a bit of fear of the manager into this and you have a formidable unit. Regardless of the quality of the players a well drilled team can cause anyone problems. With the scouting systems teams have these days its also possible to have reports on the mentality of players which I feel United do particularly well.<br />
<br />
Tottenham striker Jermaine Defoe pointed out his experiences with some Manchester United players when asked what his team needed to become title challengers.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"I think it’s important to have that winning mentality, the mentality that the United players used to have.<br />
<br />
"I remember when I first got into the England squad, all my mates would ask me what it was like training. I used to tell them, ‘You know what? It’s mad’. Because the Man United players, the likes of Rio, Phil Neville, Gary Neville, Becks, even in training and in little five-a-sides, wanted to win every game.<br />
<br />
“And if they didn’t win they’re moaning and moaning, it was amazing. Sometimes they’d still be talking about it over dinner."</blockquote><br />
This winning mentality is further enhanced by Ferguson's willingness to sell any player who isn't willing to buy into the collective team ethic. The players who have fallen include Paul Ince, Lee Sharpe, David Beckham and Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Players like Nani, Anderson and Wes Brown have all been frozen out for various reasons but have returned and have been noticeably improved players.<br />
<br />
This season has shown why Ferguson runs the club in the way he does. On paper rivals Chelsea and Arsenal have equal quality but it is visible neither have same discipline and drive to win, from the way their seasons have panned out so far.Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-89230772291454702712011-02-08T22:44:00.002+00:002011-02-08T23:30:12.293+00:001-2-1 With... Tom Marshall (Mexican Football Writer)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ibnlive.in.com/pix/f1/photogallery/2506argmex7_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://ibnlive.in.com/pix/f1/photogallery/2506argmex7_big.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>After my last chat with American football writer Jeremiah Johnson, I realised that I couldn't talk about football in North America without taking the time at look at the US' neighbor and footballing rival Mexico. With its proximity to South America and the US, I feel that Mexico has been overlooked as a footballing haven.<br />
<br />
In view of this I went to Tom Marshall who is a freelance writer on Mexican football, to find out a bit more about the land that spawned the likes of Hugo Sanchez, Jared Borgetti and most recently Chicarito...<br />
<br />
<b>Full Name</b>: Tom Marshall<br />
<br />
<b>Website</b>: <a href="http://mexicofooty.blogspot.com/" style="color: #cccccc;">mexicofooty.blogspot.com</a><br />
<br />
Football Team Supported (Mexican and Foreign): Mexico: Atlas. Foreign: neutral but watch Premier League mainly.<br />
<br />
<b>What is the top football club in Mexico and how do they compare to their counterparts in Europe and South America?</b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.oleole.com/media/main/images/member_photos/group1/subgrp364/chivasfansarethegrea_114134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://www.oleole.com/media/main/images/member_photos/group1/subgrp364/chivasfansarethegrea_114134.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fans of Chivas, the most successful team in Mexican domestic football</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
The best supported are Guadalajara Chivas and Club America. Chivas are quite unique in that they play with only Mexican players and currently rely heavily on their youth system to produce players. The last big name they produced was Javier Hernandez who isn't doing too badly at Manchester United. Carlos Vela and Carlos Salcido are both products of the Chivas youth system too. They are also the Mexican club with most league titles: 11.<br />
<br />
Chivas do currently face a dilemma. With their policy of only Mexican players, if youngsters aren't of the desired quality they have a problem. Other Mexican clubs often inflate the prices of players when Chivas are interested because they know that Chivas can't bring someone in from South America like other Mexican clubs can. It's a similar dilemma to what the Basque clubs faced when they only played with Basques. At the moment fans complain about the team but the average age is 23 years and needs time. With a brand new international quality stadium Chivas fans, like many other fans, simply don't want to wait for something that is in no way guaranteed.<br />
<br />
<b>Who would you say are the top 3 players playing in the Mexican domestic league? And why?</b><br />
<br />
Christian Benitez (Santos):24-year-old Ecuadorian striker Christian Benitez is strong, direct, fast and a good finisher. He spent a year on loan at Birmingham with little success but he'll surely go to Europe again and has all the quality needed to make it.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="285" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JxJQsk7mwVQ" title="YouTube video player" width="340"></iframe><br />
<br />
Humberto Suazo (Monterrey): 29-year-old Chilean striker Suazo has the knack of being in the right place at the right time. Was the key player in Monterrey winning the championship last year. Similarly to Benitez, many in Mexico are scratching their heads at how no European clubs wanted him after his loan spell with Zaragoza in the first half of 2010. May have one last chance to make it in Europe. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="285" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/s3jP1LCb4ds" title="YouTube video player" width="340"></iframe><br />
<br />
Christian Gimenez (Cruz Azul): 29-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder provides the midfield magic. A product of the Boca Juniors youth system Gimenez is the creative beat of Cruz Azul and scores spectacular goals (have a look on You Tube).<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="285" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gGRdR4Y8Jvs" title="YouTube video player" width="340"></iframe><br />
<br />
Note: Mexico is spoiled for good goalkeepers at the moment, many of whom would make the grade abroad: Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul), Jonathan Orozco (Monterrey), Luis Michel (Chivas), Oswaldo Sanchez (Santos), Memo Ochoa (America), Alfredo Talavera (Toluca)<br />
<br />
<b>With Chicharito being a hit in Premier League, all eyes are on Mexico's potential prodigies. Could you name 3 Mexican U21 prospects who you feel might be able to ply their trade in Europe in the future, what are their positions and attributes? </b><br />
<br />
Martin Galvan (Cruz Azul): the 17-year-old striker has been seriously injured over the last five months but it now coming back. Made his debut aged 14 for Cruz Azul although has had disciplinary problems that forced him out of the U-17 World Cup. Barcelona wanted him to join their youth system but his family didn't have enough money to send him. Now Arsenal are said to be following his progress.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="285" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vgYJ675MW-o" title="YouTube video player" width="340"></iframe><br />
<br />
Edgar Pacheco (Atlas): 20-year-old attacking midfielder/winger with a lot of energy. Has just got back into the Mexican squad. His versatility, drive and long range scoring ability make him one to watch.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="285" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/A5q75nW_Nrg" title="YouTube video player" width="340"></iframe><br />
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Erick Torres (Chivas): 18-year-old striker. Club insiders are very excited about this prospect and readily mention Torres in the same breath as Chicharito. Some believe he's better than the Manchester United man. A predator and 1.80m (5'11) tall. Moved straight from the Under 17s to the first team where he's scored one goal so far this season. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/572/614/106657231_display_image.jpg?1292595399" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/572/614/106657231_display_image.jpg?1292595399" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is this the next Chicharito?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<b>Who do you consider to be the greatest Mexican footballer ever? And why?</b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/27/article-0-0002E6DC00000258-942_634x477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/27/article-0-0002E6DC00000258-942_634x477.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hugo Sanchez the greatest Mexican footballer ever in action for Real Madrid</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Hugo Sanchez for the impact he had playing for Atletico and Real Madrid and the titles he won in Europe. 207 goals in 283 games for Real. Five consecutive league titles. You can't really argue with the stats. Sanchez put Mexican football on the map. <br />
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<b>Which foreign players would you say have had the biggest influence on Mexican domestic football?</b><br />
<br />
When businessman and media owner Emilio Azcarraga bought America in 1959 it is said he stated: "I don't know anything about football but people have told me that the best players are Brazilians and Argentinians. On that base I'll construct America." Azcarraga followed through on his promise to bring South Americans. Some of the best in the late 60s and 70s were Francisco Moacyr Santos, Jose Alves, Carlos Reinoso (the current manager) and Enrique Borja.<br />
<br />
I'd say they have the biggest influence because America's policy laid out the groundwork for today's league in which many South Americans enjoy huge success. Obviously, Chivas are the exception. <br />
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<b>Which foreign coach has had the biggest impact on domestic football in Mexico?</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ricardo La Volpe during his tenure as Mexico manager</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Difficult question. Dutchman Leo Beenhakker had a big impact although his America team didn't win the league. Indeed, he was only at the helm for one season. Nevertheless Beenhakker brought the attacking Dutch style to Mexico. The emphasis was on attacking, free-flowing football. Another coach that had a big impact was Argentine Ricardo La Volpe. His Atlas team of the late 90s played effective attacking football. Even today commentators use the term Lavolpista to describe teams that like to attack. <br />
<br />
<b>Who is the greatest/most respected Mexican coach and why?</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Javier de la Torre lining up trophies he helped Chivas win</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
Javier de la Torre managed Guadalajara Chivas during the famous Campeonismo period. Out of the eight titles Chivas won, de la Torre was at the helm for five of them. No team has ever dominated Mexican football like Chivas did in the 1960s and for that de la Torre must take a lot of credit. In total he worked for Chivas for over 60 years. <br />
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<b>Which foreign team has the largest following in Mexico? </b><br />
<br />
These days Barcelona followed closely by Real Madrid and Manchester United. The number of Manchester United fans is growing all the time thanks to Chicharito. Obviously, apart from being massive clubs, Rafa Marquez recently played for Barca and Hugo Sanchez is a legend at Madrid.<br />
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<b>How do you feel about Mexico's World Cup 2010 performance?</b><br />
<br />
Same as usual! On one hand reaching the last 16 is a good achievement but everyone in Mexico demands more. El Tri has gone out at the last 16 stage in the last five straight finals! People want a quarter final at least. There's no reason that Mexico can't do it but you need a bit of luck too, which they didn't have against Argentina even though they matched them for quality.<br />
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<b>What is your most memorable international match involving Mexico?</b><br />
<br />
My favourite Mexico match was against France in the last World Cup. Looking back France were terrible but at the time and especially going into the break at 0-0 it felt like it would be another case of Mexico playing well but failing to capitalise. Then Chicharito broke the deadlock with a goal that really put him on the map internationally. The celebrations after the game were wild too. <br />
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<b>Which European player is the most popular in Mexico? </b><br />
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European-based player would be Leonel Messi. Actual European? Probably one of the Spanish world cup winners: David Villa, Iniesta or Xavi. <br />
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<b>What do you think of the decision to allow Qatar to host World Cup 2022 instead of the US?</b><br />
<br />
I don't necessarily think it should've been the United States but a lot of the Qatar bid didn't really make sense, as has been well documented. It's such a small country and it'll be so hot. It's good to take the game to new places but it doesn't seem completely thought out. From a Mexican point of view, holding the World Cup in the U.S. would be great. The Mexican national team is the only football team that regularly sells out stadiums over there.<br />
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<b>Finally where do you think the Mexican Domestic League football and the international team will be in ten years time?</b><br />
<br />
Domestically: Hopefully some major changes. I've done an article on them: <a href="http://bit.ly/fDeXXN">http://bit.ly/fDeXXN</a> One of the main points is that businesses and individuals shouldn't be allowed to own more than one team. The television deals needs to be thought about too. On the positive side the fact Mexican teams pay higher wages than in Argentina and Brazil means that if a restructuring is carried out there is no reason why the league can't become the best on the continent.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sdpnoticias.com/sdp/blackbox/imagecache/flat_nota/velachichar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://sdpnoticias.com/sdp/blackbox/imagecache/flat_nota/velachichar.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two of the "Golden Generation" Chicharito and Carlos Vela celebrate together</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
International: A lot depends. The raw ingredients are there to be successful. The 'Golden Generation' that won the U-17s World Cup in 2005 in Peru needs to finally establish itself. Players like Giovani Dos Santos, Hector Moreno, Carlos Vela and Efrain Juarez have huge potential but have had a frustrating couple of years. If they can get playing regularly in Europe and with Chicharito thrown in the mix, there's no reason why Mexico can't do as well as Uruguay did at the last World Cup. <br />
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<b>Please could you tell us a little about your website and your plans for the future in football?</b><br />
<br />
I run a blog - <a href="http://mexicoworldcup.blogspot.com/">mexicoworldcup.blogspot.com</a> - and a Twitter - @mexicoworldcup - all about the game here in Mexico. They were featured by the Guardian during the last World Cup. I plan to keep up the blog, keep doing bits of work for Manchester United and other media organisations and hopefully in the future get some work writing about Mexican football in a U.S. newspaper or website.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">(END)</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">I hope you enjoyed that insight into Mexican football, I certainly did. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Tom for taking his time out to enlighten us. As usual thanks for reading.</div>Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-70467201662786817172011-02-06T20:14:00.001+00:002011-02-06T20:15:45.629+00:00Liverpool Go Retro With a 3-5-2...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChGivHYx4mzwuhwBrSS8FLvxIZ68IjFNkwtnwdIMLI8QHILRD_K7Z86zps9FrRePqdx7zsSAwTTUFNcvBovCS8o78o4xuPePtD194a96GATO7ltoimykkrnSJMRdfUyBh9NRe/s1600/3+5+2+Liverpool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChGivHYx4mzwuhwBrSS8FLvxIZ68IjFNkwtnwdIMLI8QHILRD_K7Z86zps9FrRePqdx7zsSAwTTUFNcvBovCS8o78o4xuPePtD194a96GATO7ltoimykkrnSJMRdfUyBh9NRe/s400/3+5+2+Liverpool.jpg" width="251" /></a></div>Respected football writer Jonathon Wilson asked if "3-5-2 is dead?" he cited Napoli as the main example of a club currently playing the formation. Now Napoli have company in this group with Liverpool under Kenny Dalglish joining them.<br />
<br />
The pioneer of the formation was former Argentina coach Carlos Bilardo who led the country to World Cup victory in 1986. The formation was used to accommodate the talents of their most talented player, Diego Maradona. Now Liverpool are using a formation which died out in the late 80's and very early 90's, popular tactical analysis site Zonal Marking pointed out,<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"The use of a three-man defence is extremely unusual in the Premier League – this was the first time a true three-man defence has been used in 2010/11 by any side (drawing a distinction between three- and five-man defences), and in that respect, it was a very interesting decision." </blockquote><br />
But why have Liverpool decided to adopt this formation? I'm hoping by looking at their matches against Chelsea and Stoke respectively, I might be able to answer that.<br />
<br />
Against both Stoke and Chelsea Dalglish has elected to start with three centre backs. This is feel is a pretty good response to sides playing with a 4-4-2 especially taking into consideration that neither Stoke or Chelsea play with a withdrawn striker. The theory behind this is that playing with three at the back leaves two centre backs in this case Agger and Carragher marking the two centre forwards leaving Skrtel free to sweep up any loose balls. I think that this three at the back also gives the side to make the most of Carragher and Aggers' passing ability from the back, ensuring that less wasteful long balls are played from the back as they were under Roy Hodgson.<br />
<br />
On the attacking side of things it frees up wing-backs Martin Kelly and especially Glen Johnson to attack and give their side the width Liverpool have lacked in past seasons. After the sales of Albert Riera, Yossi Benayoun and now Ryan Babel the Liverpool squad has no recognised wingers. The logical step if you have in side with these deficiencies is to do what Liverpool have done which is to play a formation with none. The abundance of midfielders in the shapes of Raul Meireles, Steven Gerrard, Christian Poulsen, Lucas, Maxi Rodriguez and Jay Spearing also made this decision a practical one.<br />
<br />
Another attacking benefit of the 3-5-2 Liverpool play is that they have the standard 3 v 2 advantage in midfield against a 4-4-2. But with so many teams playing the modern 4-5-1/4-3-3 Meireles drops deeper to then give Liverpool effectively a 4 v 3 advantage, like he did against Stoke, leaving Dirk Kuyt as the lone striker.<br />
<br />
All in all the formation currently suits the way Liverpool play and reflects clearly the kinds of players they have at the club. But will this be a long term switch? Jonathon Wilson in the Guardian put his feelings across when using Napoli as an example,<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"So what, then, of Napoli? If 3-5-2 is ailing, how can their success be accounted for? The answer is that they are quite happy to have, in effect, two liberi. Napoli are not a team who need to take the initiative to the opposition; rather – as happened in the early days of <i>catenaccio</i> – they often sit deep, invite the opposition onto them, and break quickly, using the pace of Ezequiel Lavezzi.<br />
<br />
It would not work for everybody – probably not for a top, top club, who feel the onus to take the game on themselves – but it works for Napoli."</blockquote><br />
The thing is, I feel formations don't determine the way a team plays. With Liverpool there are no liberi (sweepers) and they don't defend with a deep line. They also have what was described as a "foraging foursome to fear" in the Guardian by Paul Hayward. He was referring to a foursome of Andy Carrol, Steven Gerrard, Raul Meireles and Luis Suarez but in the last two games it has been a very effective foursome of Meireles, Gerrard, Maxi and Kuyt. All four have pushed high up the pitch when battling for possession and attacking especially against Chelsea today. This in the end pinned Carlo Ancelotti's side back and lead to them giving away possession in their own third.<br />
<br />
All in all the formation change has been a success, but the true test will be when this formation becomes a regular occurrence. Teams will then amend their systems to counter it and try to expose any perceived weaknesses. For now I'm just enjoying this deviation in tactics from the usual 4-4-2 and 4-5-1/4-3-3 we've got used to seeing week in week out in the Premier League.Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-38056049649677935952011-02-03T15:01:00.000+00:002011-02-03T15:01:19.592+00:00A Tribute To The Gary Nevilles Of This World...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00335/herbie-ap_335127t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00335/herbie-ap_335127t.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>Gary Neville has retired from football after 602 games for Manchester United and 85 England caps. With 8 Premier League titles under the belt 3 FA Cups and 1 Champions League medal. The thing with Neville is that he isn't the most talented footballer on the planet but is a perfect example of where you can get with hard graft and good management. Today I will be paying tribute to those players like Neville who failed to set the world alight with their skills and talent but punched above their weight by showing grit, determination and a strong will to win... <br />
<br />
<u><b>David Beckham</b></u><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://answers.bettor.com/images/Articles/thumbs/extralarge/2010_7_26-2010_7_26_2_32_24-jpg-18457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://answers.bettor.com/images/Articles/thumbs/extralarge/2010_7_26-2010_7_26_2_32_24-jpg-18457.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who's the least talented in this group?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
Definitely the the most popular and famous footballer in the world. David Beckham is probably more recognizable around the world than Maradona or Pele who are both infinitely more talented than the LA Galaxy man. So what can Beckham do as a footballer that those two cant? Can he dribble past defenders like they aren't there like Diego? No he can't. Has he won in World Cup finals like Pele? No he hasn't.<br />
<br />
What can Beckham do? Well he is good with a dead ball, a bit like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvGfOf2eY7g&feature=related" style="color: #cccccc;">Juninho (the Lyon one) and former Celtic man Shunsuke Nakamura</a>. He can also send in a decent cross a bit like Gareth Bale or David Bentley. But what separates him from these men? Well if you look at it, its sheer hard work, willing to learn and excellent marketing. Beckham on the football pitch doesn't have pace, doesn't have skill, can't tackle particularly well but has still managed to established himself as a one of the most popular and well know players in the history of the game.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Roy Keane</b></u><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.risorseonline.org/sfondi_1024/calcio/Roy_Keane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.risorseonline.org/sfondi_1024/calcio/Roy_Keane.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roy Keane letting some of his more skillful opponents know he is there</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Keane is the personification of hard work, grit and a will to win. He took these aspects to such an extreme level that they eventually ended his career at club and international level. These attributes still dog him through his managerial career, but without them he probably would never have made it as a footballer.<br />
<br />
At the start of his career He was originally thought too small to play professional football and so set upon improving his physique by getting himself a job carrying beer barrels around. This was the sign of the man he was.<br />
<br />
Keane's defining moment was in a Champions League match against Juventus in which he was booked and knew he would miss the final of the tournament but went on to put in a performance which Alex Ferguson described as, <br />
<br />
<blockquote>"the most emphatic display of selflessness I have seen on a football field. Pounding over every blade of grass, competing if he would rather die of exhaustion than lose, he inspired all around him. I felt it was an honour to be associated with such a player."</blockquote><br />
<u><b>Jamie Carragher</b></u><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmq8EdihUtr3lowEQTrYyLt-BrV_YbfQR7z00uIpzbQZyaaUQLhzuV5fyPadXoSkEk4w-_hWsC9_gfSK-WIxJMY1Hu8JKhv1urWSwbLAowLe6j4D1fmlKDgZCAY4xEW7jnn8gy/s1600/carra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmq8EdihUtr3lowEQTrYyLt-BrV_YbfQR7z00uIpzbQZyaaUQLhzuV5fyPadXoSkEk4w-_hWsC9_gfSK-WIxJMY1Hu8JKhv1urWSwbLAowLe6j4D1fmlKDgZCAY4xEW7jnn8gy/s320/carra.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Before Rafa Benitez's spell at Liverpool he was known more for how versatile he was, rather than as a good player, a bit like a scouse John O'Shea. <br />
<br />
Under Benitez he became the rock at the heart of a very stingy Liverpool defence. He's not quick, tall or particularly good on the ball, but he made his name by playing with his heart on his sleeve and by making numerous game saving last ditch tackles.<br />
<br />
Carragher in the last five years has shown his leadership and organisational qualities. His never-say-die attitude and willing to put his body on the line have etched his name in Liverpool folklore after he was part of "that night in Istanbul" against AC Milan.<br />
<br />
When describing Carragher theoffside.com said,<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"he’s not the most talented or athletic of players, he’s gotten to the pinnacle of the game through his intelligence, passion for the game, never say die attitude and sheer bloody-minded determination." </blockquote><br />
That quote basically sums up Carraghers career in nutshell and I'm sure even the most die-hard Liverpool fans wouldn't disagree with that. <br />
<br />
<u><b>Conclusion</b></u><br />
<br />
Gary Neville fits in perfectly with Beckham, Keane and Carragher. All four of these players are examples of how someone who isn't naturally gifted can make their way to the top of the footballing tree with hard work, a positive mentality and an overwhelming will to succeed regardless of the setbacks they may face. One Arsene Wenger when looking back on Neville's career said,<br />
<br />
<blockquote> "I respect a lot what he has done because he was certainly not one of the most talented players in the league but what he has achieved is consistency. His record is down to intelligence and motivation - he is an example to players who are maybe less gifted than the Giggs and the Beckhams but still make a fantastic career because they are intelligent and highly-motivated. They deserve a great credit." </blockquote>Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-81117420056808736992011-02-02T15:51:00.000+00:002011-02-02T15:51:26.601+00:00Five Of The Worst: Horror Tackles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/02_03/TackleMOS_468x278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/02_03/TackleMOS_468x278.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Every week in football around the world there are bad tackles. Some accidental others deliberate, but there are few which stick in the consciousness of football like the five below... Please be warned there are some distressing images in the videos below if you have a weak stomach you might not want to watch... <br />
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Harald Schumacher on Patrick Battiston, Germany v France, Euro 88<br />
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Like all the tackles I'm going to mention, this one is brutal. There was no intention to get the ball and the recipient of it ended up with damaged vertebrae, numerous teeth knocked out and in a coma. The assailant of this crime German keeper Schumacher didn't even get a booking or concede a foul.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="285" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tGq7VcaHoqo" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="340"></iframe><br />
<br />
Martin Taylor on Eduardo, Birmingham v Arsenal, Premier League 07-08<br />
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This tackle was one of the biggest talking points of the 07-08 season. Some say it even derailed Arsenals title charge, one thing we can say for sure is that Eduardo was never the say player after it. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger went on to call Taylor to be banned for life although he retracted this statement later on. What do you think?<br />
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<br />
Roy Keane on Alf Inge Haaland, Man United v Man City, Premier League 01-02<br />
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<blockquote>"Even in the dressing room afterwards, I had no remorse. My attitude was, f**k him. What goes around comes around. He got his just rewards. He f**ked me over and my attitude is an eye for an eye."</blockquote><br />
Do I need to add much more to that little rant from Roy Keane reflecting on his disgraceful tackle on Haaland?<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="285" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/p_st29mlQwU" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="340"></iframe><br />
<br />
Benjamin Massing on Claudio Caniggia, Argentina v Cameroon, Italia 90<br />
<br />
There's an old Cameroonian saying if the first and second tackle don't kill him, make sure the third one decimates him. Well they enacted this out on Argentine legend Claudio Caniggia in the opening game of Italia 90. If you want to see a perfect example of a premeditated tackle this is the one...<br />
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Axel Witsel on Marcin Wasilewski, Anderlect v Standard Leige<br />
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This I feel is the worst out of a bad bunch. The bad intention was their and the player on the receiving end of the tackle paid for it in the worst way. The tackle on first sight looks innocuous but after watching the replay you really see the malevolent nature of the tackle and the effect it has on the opposing player.<br />
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I hope you managed to get to the end of this collection of unsavory moments, can anyone think of any worse tackles?Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-24550757800869802002011-02-01T20:45:00.000+00:002011-02-01T20:45:54.119+00:00Is Andy Carroll Worth £35 Million?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Sport/Pix/pictures/2010/10/18/1287391118583/Andy-Carroll--005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Sport/Pix/pictures/2010/10/18/1287391118583/Andy-Carroll--005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I don't know what to say... A player who isn't first choice for his country and has only played half a season in the Premier League is being sold for £35million... Is Andy Carroll really worth that much?! <br />
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I'm not sure even if he believes he's worth the fee Liverpool paid for him. Is he really worth more than David Villa, Edin Dzeko and Carlos Tevez? Yes I understand that he's homegrown and that the lack of English talent dictates the values in the market but even then, its a ridiculous amount of money.<br />
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Fernando Llorente probably the closest comparison with Carroll as your going to get with a foreign player won't be sold for that much by his club Athletic Bilbao to another Spanish club. Even though he has over a dozen caps for World Champions Spain with a goal every other game as his strike rate. He isn't going for the vast sum Newcastle have received.<br />
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Carroll is a good player don't get me wrong but he's more of a John Carew than a Dzeko, Torres or Drogba. He wins everything in the air but lacks pace and cant be describe as creative. Yes he's scored some good goals against decent opposition but at the moment he cant be described as a guaranteed success, would you advocate spending £35 million on him?<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="221" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CMsXI1hK1Bo" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="340"></iframe>Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-72553457102680424112011-01-29T21:46:00.001+00:002011-01-29T21:47:38.493+00:001-2-1 With... Jeremiah Johnson (US Football Writer)<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://onearthtravel.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/us-soccer-team-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://onearthtravel.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/us-soccer-team-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>America,<span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b>the motherland of baseball, basketball and that the annoying sport that shares its name with our beautiful game. But today we've put those sports aside for the fastest growing sport in the US, Football. To find out more about Major League Soccer (MLS) I went to Jeremiah Johnson. Jeremiah writes for his site goalkeepergrades and is an expert on goalkeepers but today he took some time out from his day job to reflect on US football as a whole.<b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Full Name:</b> Jeremiah Johnson</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Website:</b> <a href="http://www.goalkeepergrades.com/" target="_blank">www.goalkeepergrades.com</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Football Team Supported (MLS and Foreign):</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Unfortunately my hometown doesn't align me with any top flight club geographically. There is a USL (2nd division) team in Minneapolis called the NSC Stars (formerly the Minnesota Thunder)... but I don't feel like the club has historically done a great job of marketing their product which makes them hard to follow through the local media.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the MLS, I tend to vacillate between several teams I pull for. In the early days, it was DC United because I enjoyed their consistency and the style of play. Recently I've found myself aligning with the LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake (for the same reasons I liked DC United). I've also become a fan of the Seattle Sounders and I wear my Seattle Sounders warm-up all the time. The club's fan following is infectious.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Globally I follow all the big clubs... Man U, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Inter, Real Madrid, Barcelona. Otherwise I tend to gravitate towards clubs spotted with guys from the US. Wolverhampton, Aston Villa, and Everton showcase some US goalkeeping talent and Fulham just seems like a really cool small club in a big city (Clint Dempsey). </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>What is the top football club in the US and how do they compare to their counterparts in Europe? And also when compared to other North and South American teams?</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Landon Donovan playing in the CONCACAF Champions League defeat to Puerta Rican outfit PR Islanders</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The MLS features a playoff system to determine the league champion which makes the end of the season very dramatic, but doesn't always end up featuring the best squad. The 3 clubs that standout as today's best are the LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake, and the New York Red Bulls.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">None of these clubs would hold up in the European Champions League, but could potentially avoid relegation from some of the top leagues around the globe. In friendly matches, MLS teams have been gaining ground. The Red Bulls completely outplayed Juventus and Sporting Kansas City (Wizards) defeated Manchester United in their summer friendly matches of 2010.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Historically, the CONCACAF Champions League hasn't been a priority for MLS clubs but the new format, which started in 2009, mimics that of the UEFA Champions League and seems to be gaining popularity. Real Salt Lake has made it an organizational priority to succeed in this competition, which has been dominated by Mexican clubs, and intends to do well in order to advance to the FIFA Club World Cup. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Who would you say are the top 3 top young players playing in the MLS? And why? (please state their positions also)</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fredy Montero, 23, F, Seattle Sounders, Columbia</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Andy Najar, 17, M, DC United, Honduras</span></div><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tim Ream, 23, D, New York Red Bulls, USA</span></div><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Could these three players play in Europe and do you see them moving in the future?</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Yes. I think that they are best served getting a few more seasons under their belt in the MLS before testing European soil.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Who do you consider to be the greatest US footballer ever? And why?</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Aston Villa man Friedel greatest US player of all time?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Brad Friedel, GK</span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;">No US player can claim to have more of a long-term impact in top-flight club football than Friedel. He currently holds the Premier League record for consecutive appearances (250 as of 1.17.2011) and still has a tight grip on the starting position with Aston Villa at nearly 40 years old.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;">Since winning a collegiate championship with UCLA, he has gone on to play professionally in Turkey, the US (Columbus Crew), and England (Liverpool, Blackburn, Aston Villa). </span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;">Internationally he has played in the Olympics, started for the US in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups before retiring from international play in 2005. It is my opinion that Friedel would have been the starting GK for the 2006 World Cup had he not retired and currently ranks as the #2 US goalkeeper only behind Tim Howard (Everton).</span></div></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Which foreign players would you say have had the biggest influence on the MLS?</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">From a marketing perspective, David Beckham. Unfortunately he has been more focused on impressing England National Team Managers than winning MLS titles. His impact on the field has been marginal.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Other players have brought excitement to the MLS with their notoriety. Carlos Valderrama (Columbia), Preki (Yugoslavia), Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria), Thierry Henry (France), Lothar Matthäus (Germany), Walter Zenga (Italy), Piotr Nowak (Poland), Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Mexico), Rafael Márquez (Mexico) and Hugo Sánchez (Mexico).</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Marco Etcheverry (left) beats Landon Donovan (right) during an MLS All Star Match</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div><span style="font-size: small;">The foreign player who made the biggest impact on the field is, by far, Marco Etcheverry (Bolivia). Etcheverry played eight seasons with DC United and led them to 3 MLS Cups, a CONCACAF Champions Cup, and a Copa Interamericana title. He was also named an MLS MVP, MLS Cup MVP, MLS All-Star Game MVP, and to the MLS All-Time Best XI. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Which foreign coach has had the biggest impact on domestic football in US?</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Milutinovic has now been mentioned twice in 1-2-1 With... During an interview about Chinese football and now America ironically</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bora Milutinovic (Serbia) - led the US National team into the second round of the 1994 World Cup</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Which foreign team has had the biggest impact on domestic football in America?</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Manchester United. It's probably due most to the fact that the Premier League is a highly visible league on television in the US... and they are perennial contenders in the EPL and Champions League. </span><span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 19px;">Manchester United is one of the wealthiest and most widely supported football teams in the world... and just happens to be owned by an American (not that he's well liked). People in the US who don't know soccer (football) know Manchester United. It's kind of like going to other parts of the world and talking to people who don't know baseball but they know the New York Yankees.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Has the popularity of football increased in recent years in America or do you still see American Football, Basketball and Baseball dominating American sport in the foreseeable future?</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The game is growing but still sits behind (American) football, basketball, and baseball when it comes to exposure to the masses. A large part of the problem is inconsistent media coverage. Until the MLS can get a high-visibility television deal, people can't pay attention. We live in a ESPN SportCenter world where most of the time we can only keep up with the highlights rather than full matches.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Attendance at MLS games is growing, especially with these clubs moving out of major NFL stadiums and building soccer-specific stadiums. The atmosphere is much better at a full 30,000 seat stadium than at a less than half-full 75,000 seat NFL stadium. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For the 2010 season , the average MLS attendance was 16,675. These numbers fall behind the NFL (67,508) and MLB (30,129) but are on par with the NBA (17,110) and NHL (17,004). The club with the highest average attendance numbers for 2010 was Seattle Sounders FC with 36,173. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If the Sounders were in the MLB they would rank 10th in average attendance. If the Sounders were in the NHL or NBA they would rank 1st in average attendance. If the Sounders were in the Premier League they would rank 9th behind Aston Villa and ahead of Tottenham Hotspur in average attendance. The MLS needs more clubs like the Sounders.<b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Which European player is the most popular in America, other than David Beckham of course?</b> </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Thierry Henry (France)<b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>That do you think of the decision to allow Russia to host World Cup 2018 instead of England?</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Russia was an acceptable choice. I would have rather seen it go to England, but FIFA has no ability to grow the game further in England. FIFA will benefit from giving more visibility to the game throughout Russia.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">However, I am interested to see how they work out teams potentially playing across 9 time zones.<b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>And how to you feel about the decision made to give the World Cup to Qatar instead of the US?</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Horrible decision. 120 degree heat! Are they really going to build air-conditioned outdoor stadiums with technology that doesn't exist? Are they really going to build 9 stadiums to be used for 1 month? Qatar has never made it to the World Cup finals. Congrats on your automatic bid.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There is so much opportunity to grow the game in the U.S... it just needs that additional boost of visibility that another World Cup could provide.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Finally where do you think the MLS and the international team will be in ten years time?</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>MLS</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><u> </u></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The MLS needs to continue to build tradition and history. Remember, this league as only been in existence for 14 years. The league needs to continue to build relationships with their surrounding communities, just as the NFL has done since the 1920's and English football since the 1880's.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In my opinion, the best thing the MLS can do is move to a true pyramid structure with promotion and relegation as soon as feasibly possible. It's the one thing that would make professional (soccer) unique in comparison to any other American professional sport. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>US National Team </u></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><br />
</u></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our player development approach has been moving towards the utilization of regional academy structures aligned with MLS clubs rather than the fragmented US Olympic Development Program that has traditionally served as the feeding mechanism for the national squads. This will be a significant factor in the improvement of our senior national teams.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I would expect that the US would secure a berth in the World Cup quarterfinals either in Brazil 2014 or Russia 2018. Anything less than that is a failure. Anything more than that will be a bonus.</span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">I hope you enjoyed that informative chat about the current condition of football in the US. After that I'm hoping that we get to see the next generation of Brad Friedels, Landon Donovans and Clint Dempseys playing in Europe in the future... </span></div></div>Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-30802835862498366642011-01-28T18:08:00.001+00:002011-01-28T18:09:22.507+00:00My Favorite Teams This Season: FC Porto<b><u> </u></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.abola.pt/img/fotos/porto/2010/apresentacao/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.abola.pt/img/fotos/porto/2010/apresentacao/3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This Porto side has arguably been the most explosive side in Europe bar Barcelona as usual. What I feel makes this side tick is their amazingly young manager Andres Villas Boas, he has galvanised the Portuguese side after their relatively poor showing last season when they finished third behind Benfica and Sporting De Braga.<br />
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He sold two stalwarts of the old regime Bruno Alves and Raul Meireles for a combined amount of over £30million and built the side around the axis of Argentine Belluschi and former Sporting Lisbon star Joao Moutinho.<br />
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Villas Boas at 33 is the youngest manager in the Portuguese top flight and learned his trade under one Jose Mourinho who had him as part of his backroom staff at Porto, Chelsea and Inter. Just like his mentor he is an excellent man manager as well as a tactician.<br />
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When asked about some of the fringe players he responded "Every player in the squad is an important player. They all have a place," he said . "I have praised both Andre Castro and Ukra (Andre Monteiro) publicly and privately. I don't want to lose them. James has incredible potential and I intend to make him realise it. He will have opportunities (in the Portuguese Cup and Europa League) against Juventude Evora and Sofia, which will be good opportunities for him and they won't be his last, that's for sure." Following these comments youngster James Rodriguez went on to put in two excellent performances helping Porto beat Sofia and Juventude de Evora in the Portuguese Cup.This is just one example of how Villas Boas gets the best out of even his players.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXUTmigOeGlIXIfskxPUQs2zFjp-i99W0GUxJcp9_fkCX_QMVcB1TKoGYQyiCMhi4qht-0na-FN3KNjFQDNHjqj76C5etLDe5HJ3ha0vtA5XY144KtizTpNosVrkxTPtXp5xYJ/s1600/porto2010-2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXUTmigOeGlIXIfskxPUQs2zFjp-i99W0GUxJcp9_fkCX_QMVcB1TKoGYQyiCMhi4qht-0na-FN3KNjFQDNHjqj76C5etLDe5HJ3ha0vtA5XY144KtizTpNosVrkxTPtXp5xYJ/s400/porto2010-2011.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><br />
In his side Moutinho acts as the "Xavi", he keeps the game ticking and opens up space for his team mates with his accurate passing. He also brings ball winning industry to the midfield which he needs to have being in a midfield with one holding player. One well known football site when looking at him form this season has said <a href="http://inbedwithmaradona.com/the-existential-reinvention-of-joao-moutinho/" style="color: white;">"Given his performances this season, it seems inconceivable that he was not selected for the World Cup this summer, but it is true."</a><br />
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The full backs for Porto are the Romanian Sapanaru and Portugal man Pereira who both like to get forward but are nothing special. What its spectacular about this team are the front five, the midfielders I mentioned earlier and the trio of Hulk, Varela and Falcao.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrFDPzJJllJfDc6KO8BeeGpp4jXk8WvckvAVmzsabscy0Gk4XbS_Xhx-Yc9QVexs3uWh8LCx4vUu3TcES6he1v4l2Z32BtrVKAfiah1TSXBaNBQjE1fC6t3Y2tKF2HqRp7wZ6/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrFDPzJJllJfDc6KO8BeeGpp4jXk8WvckvAVmzsabscy0Gk4XbS_Xhx-Yc9QVexs3uWh8LCx4vUu3TcES6he1v4l2Z32BtrVKAfiah1TSXBaNBQjE1fC6t3Y2tKF2HqRp7wZ6/" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hulk (left) and Falcao (right) celebrate another goal</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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The thing with the attacking trio which is most notable is the fluidity of their play with especially Varela and Hulk switching positions. Varela is a left winger and has been described by IMScouting as a " fast player, with great overall technique and excellent dribbling skills." He is the only natural winger out of the trio but still manages to get on the scoresheet, this season he's played 16 games scoring goals and providing 1 for his teammates.<br />
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This side plays in a 4-3-3 formation which has been compared to the system Jose Mourinho played in his early seasons at Chelsea. Hulk is considered their best player and plays in the inside right position where is explosive shot and powerful runs can cause some serious damage. When describing him a Portuguese commentator said "With all due respect to the other professional footballers playing in Portugal, Hulk does not belong in our championship. He's too good." His statistics this season are amazing in 15 appearances he has scored 16 goals and provided 8 for his teammates, he is a one man defence wrecking machine.<br />
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His link up play with Belluschi has been key this season and was the main talking point in their 5-0 victory against rivals Benfica, in which all the goals came for the Porto right side both players occupy.<br />
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To top of this trident is Colombian hitman Radamel Falcao. He is what Arsene Wenger would call a "fox in the box" if there is a chance more than likely he'll be at the end of it. He's scored 8 goals in 14 games and can be seen scoring from a brilliant back heel in the clip above. <br />
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I have chosen this side more for their attacking flair than its defensive attributes which I haven't spoken about for good reason. But people in England say that Arsenal are a good team to watch, I think Porto are far more aesthetically pleasing due to the intensity, pace and power at which they attack.Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-21982465268549924402011-01-27T14:39:00.002+00:002011-01-27T14:55:16.625+00:00Palestine: Football Burns Brightly In The Darkness Of War...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sabbah.biz/mt/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/6104x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://sabbah.biz/mt/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/6104x.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Palestine, a place which hasn't seen peace since 1948. The conflict between Israel and Palestine will be seen as a black spot in the history of the 20th and 21st Centuries. In the west this part of the world is more known more for Israeli air strikes, rocket fire and suicide bombings than any sporting achievements. There are few things to look forward to for the innocent people of Palestinian who live their lives constantly under siege. One of the few bright lights that continues to shine for the Palestinians is football.<br />
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Just like much of the Arab world football is the number one sport in Palestine and because of this I decided to speak to respected blogger on Palestinian Football (<a href="http://www.footballpalestine.blogspot.com/" style="color: #999999;">www.footballpalestine.blogspot.com</a>) and sometimes political issues, Bassil, to gain an insight of the issues the beautiful game faces in the country and also to learn a little bit about the domestic players and league. <br />
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<b>Khanage</b>: What is the top football club in Palestine and how do they compare to their counterparts in Europe? And also when compared to other Asian teams?<br />
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<b>Bassil</b>: This is a difficult question to answer. Traditionally speaking, the hotbed of footballing talent is Gaza but they have hadn't had a consistent, uninterrupted league for nearly a decade. Furthermore, the league in Gaza is essentially an amateur league. As far as the West Bank League is concerned, this is their first year as a professional league. There is a lot of parity, but before professionalization Shabab Al-Khaleel [Hebron] were the best team. At the current moment Hilal Al-Quds [Jerusalem] is the best team along with Al-Am'ary. I don't think there is any comparison, there is some raw talent there, but teams are devoid of resources. There are only 8 pitches in the entire West Bank! <br />
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<b>Khanage</b>: Who would you say are the top 3 Palestinian players playing in the Palestinian leagues? And why? (please state their positions also)<br />
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1- Ismail Amour (Jabal Al-Mokaber [Mount Scopus], RW, 26): Amour has a wealth of experience with the national team having been an ever-present for the better part of five years. The Gaza native is extremely quick and perhaps one of the most technical players in the history of Palestinian Football (since its rebirth in 1998, at least). In most national team games you can count on Ismail to penetrate into opposition territory and win a series of corners or send in crosses that lead to goal scoring opportunities. <br />
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2- Abdullah Saidawi (Hilal Al-Quds [Jerusalem], GK, 31)- A very capable goalkeeper with an imposing frame. He hasn't had a lot of opportunities to prove himself behind Ramzi Saleh who is the same age and has been the unquestioned starter since 2000. At the halfway point of the season, he is let in 5 goals in 11 games this season with a whopping 8 clean sheets. His form has attracted interest from Egyptian clubs Zamalek (he was there on trial in January) and Alexandria United but Hilal Al-Quds decided not to sell him. <br />
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3- Murad Alyan (Hilal Al-Quds [Jerusalem], FW, 33)- A very, very late bloomer... No one had heard of him before this season but then just started scoring goals. He has 12 in 11 games with Hilal Al-Quds, he's been so prolific that he forced National Team Manager Mousa Bezaz to call him up despite previously stating that the player was too old. He is a Palestinian citizen of Israel (what is commonly referred to as an Israeli-Arab) and has played football in the Israeli League for Beit Safafa and Hapoel Jerusalem. <br />
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<b>Khanage</b>: Which foreign players would you say have had the biggest influence on Palestinian domestic football?<br />
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<b>Bassil</b>: I can't really answer this question because there are almost no foreigners in the Palestinian League. Due to the Israeli occupation, foreigners can't remain in the West Bank for more than 3 months at a time. The Palestinian Authority really has no authority when it comes to issuing work permits and residency visas. <br />
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<b>Khanage</b>: Which foreign coach has had the biggest impact on domestic football in Palestine?<br />
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<b>Bassil</b>: Well, none have really had an effect on the league setup. The league was relaunched in 2008, before that the last time a full season was completed was in 1997. Since then, league football in the West Bank has continued uninterrupted and has become a professional league, with the league and cup winners being allowed to compete in AFC continental competitions (the third tier competition known as the President's Cup). This was made possible because the international community (with the blessing of the US) decided to flood the West Bank with aid money to strengthen the Palestinian Authority and Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party. <br />
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To answer your question, I think two managers have had a profound effect on our national team. The first is Nicola Shahwan, A Chilean of Palestinian ancestry who brought in many South Americans of Palestinian ancestry into the fold such as: Pablo Abdala, Roberto Kettlun, Roberto Bishara, Edgardo Abdala, and Francisco Alam. He started the trend of looking beyond our borders and the Arab states for Palestinian footballing talent. He also got the team to play free flowing football which was a departure from our bunker-ball tactics of the past. The other manager that deserves credit is his successor, Alfred Riedl, who coached Vietnam at the 2007 Asian Cup and is currently in charge of the Indonesian National Team. Riedl built on a lot of Shahwan's work but he got the team to a point where they started to expect to win games and not just hope for it. <br />
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<b>Khanage</b>: Which foreign team has had the biggest impact on domestic football in Palestine?<br />
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<b>Bassil</b>: Like many other places in the world Palestine is divided into Barcelona supporters and Real Madrid supporters. The other big teams in England and Italy also have a decent following. You'll have no problem catching a Champions League game if you're ever in Palestine. <br />
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<b>Khanage</b>: Do you see Palestine playing in the Asia Cup anytime soon?<br />
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<b>Bassil</b>: With Palestine, you have to take into account our inability to host home games. I think we're every bit as good as Jordan, but if Jordan didn't collect 7 points from three games at home (their total point haul was 8) they wouldn't have qualified. I think this rings true for most teams in the region. Until that changes I can't see Palestine qualifying via the qualification tournament. I do think they have a very good chance of qualifying through the Challenge Cup, the route India and Korea DPR (somebody ask Bin Hammam how they're classified as a developing association) took to punch their tickets to Qatar 2011. <br />
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<b>Khanage</b>: Which is your most memorable match the Palestinian national team has played in?<br />
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<b>Bassil</b>: 2006 World Cup qualifier versus Iraq, in March of 2004, the match ended in a 1-1 draw and allowed us to go top of our qualification group (we had won our first game against Chinese Taipei 8-0). I remember sneaking out of class as a High School Senior going to the library and firing up a grainy stream to follow the proceedings. The team showed so much resolve against a much more talented side, every single one of those players gave 110% and Roberto Kettlun's second half free kick to equalize was a thing of beauty. <br />
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<b>Khanage</b>: Who is the most successful Palestinian footballer of all time?<br />
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<b>Bassil</b>: I would have to say our current captain and goalkeeper Ramzi Saleh is the greatest footballer we ever produced. He has been the undisputed starter since he was 19. His amazing saves kept us in so many games and although you don't hear his name mentioned he is undoubtedly one of the best goalkeepers in Asia. Ramzi was on trial with Sheffield United in 2005/06 but the deal fell through due to work permit issues. Three years later, he went from his tiny Gazan club- Shabab Jabaliya- to the biggest one in Africa and the Arab World. In his first season with the club, he didn't start a match until March but his commanding performances allowed a transitional Al-Ahly to win the league.<br />
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<b>Khanage</b>: Who are the top 3 Palestinians playing in foreign leagues?<br />
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<b>Bassil</b>: 1- Ramzi Saleh (GK)- He's currently unattached after deals with Zamalek and Harras El-Hodood of Egypt fell through. Both clubs raised concerns about an ACL injury Ramzi has played with since he was a teenager. In order to squash any concerns he will undergo surgery in Germany by the same team that operated on the ACL of Ahmad Hassan (Egypt's national team captain). He helped Al-Merreikh (Sudan) to the Sudanese Cup before demanding a release from his contract. <br />
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2- Roberto Bishara (CB/LB)- Bishara plays in the Chilean Primera for Palestino a club founded by Palestinian immigrants. He has appeared for the club over 300 times in the league and is a vice-captain. Will give his heart and soul for the team. <br />
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3- Abdelatif Bahdari (CB)- There are some that may disagree and choose to include one of our players that plays in Europe or South America. Bahdari plays in Jordan for Wehdat, when he arrived last year, he actually had to try out for the team. After 1 month with the club they were scrambling to tie him up for the long term. He is without a doubt a big reason why Wehdat are poised to win all four trophies in Jordan this year and make a serious assault on the AFC Cup. He's 6'1, comfortable on the ball, great in the air, and has a knack for scoring on set pieces. Zamalek of Egypt are reportedly interested in the player. <br />
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<b>Khanage</b>: How badly has the political situation in Palestine affected the football in the country?<br />
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<b>Bassil</b>: It is a struggle to even get a team to a location to play a match. We can't play official matches in Palestine, we play most of our matches in Qatar or Jordan. So we have to get our players from Europe and South America there (which is the easy part) and then hope Israel will let our players travel. There have been times where Israel has not allowed our players to leave. This logistical nightmare cost us dearly in our attempts to qualify for South Africa 2010. We fielded so many players that had literally just stepped off a plane hours ago and lost to Singapore in Doha 4-0 (this a team we beat 1-0 a year ago in an Asian Cup Qualifier). For the return leg, none of our players living inside of Palestine could travel, so we had to forfeit. There are many more examples: we only played 5 games instead of 6 in our Asian Cup qualifying group because of the same reason (the last match was a dead rubber against, Singapore so it was called off), we faced Uzbekistan in a game for first place in our 2006 WCQ group with a 14 man squad. <br />
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Israel also does more than just disrupt our travel. They have demolished some of our players homes, they also have killed four footballers (three died during the 2009 War on Gaza). There is no telling what we might have accomplished if we did not have to overcome these hurdles.<br />
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<b>Khanage</b>: Where do you see Palestinian football in ten years time?<br />
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<b>Bassil</b>: I can't answer that question because I simply don't know where we will be in 10 years as a people. I will continue to hope for the best, if there is one thing you can say about Palestinian football and its players it is that they are incredibly resilient. Most footballers today are more interested in money, fast cars, and their WAGs than the pride involved in representing their country. Palestine has no such problem, if there is a team on the pitch with a Palestine crest they will play with heart and passion for 90 minutes.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">(END) </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Following that discussion it does make you realise that there is a wider world out there and that there are bigger things than football. One of the striking things from that conversation with Bassil that has stuck with me is the suffering the people go through and continue to try their best to normalise their lives. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;">"They have demolished some of our players homes, they also have killed four footballers (three died during the 2009 War on Gaza). There is no telling what we might have accomplished if we did not have to overcome these hurdles."</div></blockquote><br />
The quote above puts things into perspective. The Palestinian players continue to play the sport they love despite the risks it entails. It's hard to imagine John Terry, Steven Gerrard or Joe Hart taking these risks even for the millions they earn every season. This clearly shows the strength and determination of the Palestinian people and hopefully one day this endurance will mean they are able to experience the peace and freedom we take for granted. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="245" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lhxopCm0EFc" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="340"></iframe>Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-49203061593900329422011-01-23T15:24:00.001+00:002011-01-27T09:53:06.184+00:00How Liverpool Have Improved Under Kenny...<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://www.boncherry.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/dirk-kenny.jpg" width="320" /></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Liverpool in recent games under Kenny Dalglish have shown signs of improvement. But why has this happened? What is Kenny doing that Roy Hodgson wasn't? Well I hope I might be able to answer that question.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">I think that the key difference is the back four. Yes, Liverpool are looking like they pose more of a attacking threat with Fernando Torres scoring 3 goals in four games in Dalglish took charge. I feel this improvement in form stems from the organisation of the defence.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgZNRp8RwAJVTAXgUDNI2c7MyLxfRfr-qH-F1l-VbsXLpWzpcBTGPPk9xbe4uUmEA4Pr0uLoJjDqbY2VUy3aQbFWGFUw7uMnLHyTcFGHmL7P_MKklr2HpEHtyTEUMOV02oRvJ/s1600/liverpool+hodgson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgZNRp8RwAJVTAXgUDNI2c7MyLxfRfr-qH-F1l-VbsXLpWzpcBTGPPk9xbe4uUmEA4Pr0uLoJjDqbY2VUy3aQbFWGFUw7uMnLHyTcFGHmL7P_MKklr2HpEHtyTEUMOV02oRvJ/s400/liverpool+hodgson.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Under Hodgson the Liverpool back four consisted of Johnson, Kyrgiakos, Skrtel and Konchesky. Of this back four there is only one player, Glen Johson who is recognised as a good ball player. The others are known as efficient defenders all know for their combative attributes more than anything else. With Kyrgiakos at the heart of that defence there is also a lack of pace (when Carragher played under Hodgson the same applies). This led to him dropping deeper, which meant that the other 3 had to do the same, to ensure he isn't playing the opposition forwards onside. Dropping deep and not having players you cant play the ball from the back is footballing suicide and can turn games into attack v defence training sessions. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">With the defence dropping deeper left space "between the lines" which meant Meireles and Lucas had to drop deeper to cover the space. This basically meant that Liverpool were surrendering large areas of the pitch to the opposition which Kuyt and Maxi would have to cover defensively leaving Torres isolated. Now this would be fine if the team had two traditional holding midfielders and wingers with pace to expose the space the attacking team leaves behind it. For example Manchester City have operated with a similar system this season with Yaya Toure, De Jong and Barry in midfield. The wingers in the side are Johnson and Milner who both have pace and can expose gaps teams leave when attacking them. Liverpool don't have this pace in Kuyt or Rodriguez and Torres is left in 2 v 1 situations far too often with the centre backs. Therefore they don't pose a threat when they are defending deep and are set up to be picked apart by the opposition. This theory was shown in the second half performance in the recent performance against Everton when Agger was injured at halftime to be replaced by Kyrgiakos.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Watch <a href="http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/sports/watch/v20730774jK72YCXR">Liverpool v Everton</a> in <a href="http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/sports">Sports</a> | View More <a href="http://www.veoh.com/">Free Videos Online at Veoh.com</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><br />
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When Kenny Dalglish took over there has been a major change in the defence. The back two consists of Agger and Skrtel neither of whom lack pace and Agger is exceptionally good on the ball. Dalglish has also started playing youngster Martin Kelly at right back and moving Glen Johnson to left back. Now they are playing with one stopper (Skrtel) and three ball players (Agger, Johnson and Kelly). This template is followed by all the top sides in the Premier League for example Manchester United have Evra, Rafael and Ferdinand who are excellent on the ball with Vidic as the stopper.<br />
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With this change in the back line it has allowed Lucas and Meireles to be more forward thinking and push higher up the pitch and in turn has led to Maxi, Kuyt and Torres becoming more of a threat in the attacking third of the pitch. This was noted by Zonal-Marking who described the reasons Liverpool won,<br />
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<blockquote>"Simple passes combined with good movement from Torres and forward runs from midfielders caught out Wolves’ defence, and Liverpool were comfortable after their second goal, despite a couple of nervous defensive moments."</blockquote><br />
These deep runs weren't possible under Hodgson as the team was playing far too deeply putting to much pressure on attacking players to defend rather than concentrate on attacking. When players like Rodriguez and Kuyt are expected to defend deeper it leaves far too much space in between them and the goal to make them an attacking threat and leaves Torres isolated. Now with the support of the two wide men Torres is starting to look like his old self by getting on the scoresheet.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZynD_8fLcf-x66Ijd00XBF5SKyPLZUwKIhbBogXjxBd3dQs-OnrdyoBY-sbBUvFIUiszs_P8JWujCkVNa2J6d3IjX4xFoJ_i0Padl52E7q4zQf3Rup2q0wa9cWHpw94V946CX/s1600/liverpool+kenny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZynD_8fLcf-x66Ijd00XBF5SKyPLZUwKIhbBogXjxBd3dQs-OnrdyoBY-sbBUvFIUiszs_P8JWujCkVNa2J6d3IjX4xFoJ_i0Padl52E7q4zQf3Rup2q0wa9cWHpw94V946CX/s400/liverpool+kenny.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><br />
Another benefit of a higher line is that Glen Johnson can play to his strengths, under Hodgson his defensive weaknesses were exposed as his teams centre backs kept dragging both full backs deeper putting him in positions around his own penalty where he was uncomfortable. A key aspects of the first goal against Everton was Johnson burst forward even though he was playing out of his natural position he wasn't asked to defend deep and allowed to get forward. <br />
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<u>Conclusion</u><br />
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The players bar Kyrgiakos are the same but they are playing with a higher line which I think is due to an improvement in morale and confidence aswell as a tactical/selection change Dalglish has implemented. These changes have led to a more attacking style of play with the side keeping the ball on the floor rather than being pin back in their own half and hitting long balls towards an isolated and demoralised Fernando Torres.Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-22378661179901761592011-01-22T00:43:00.003+00:002011-01-22T09:56:42.215+00:001-2-1 With... Kolkata Football (Indian Football Writer)<a href="http://cdn.wn.com/ph/img/14/d1/f36858855d2e174fd43ee37d2812-grande.jpg"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://cdn.wn.com/ph/img/14/d1/f36858855d2e174fd43ee37d2812-grande.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
The last Asian football nation I investigated was Japan probably the most commercialised and successful nation in Asian football. Today I'm going down a few steps down in the footballing ladder to India. India is more known for its domination in cricket rather than any footballing achievements but today I had a chat with the guys at www.kolkatafootball.com about the condition of Indian domestic football.<br />
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<b>Q. What is the top football club in India and how do they compare to their counterparts in Europe? And also when compared to other Asian teams?</b><br />
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A.The Indian football scenario is like any other major leagues of the world. There are 3-4 teams which are competitively equal and none of them can be singled out as a run-away winner. The teams which command respect and are fairly consistent in terms of winning are – Dempo Sports Club (4 times winner I-League from Goa) as also Kingfisher East Bengal Club and McDowell Mohun Bagan Club (Three times winner of I-League and both are from Kolkata).<br />
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It will be foolish to draw any comparison with any of their foreign counterparts of Europe or for that matter advanced Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore or the Middle East countries. The setup in India is diametrically opposite to that of Europe and the above named Asian countries. In India, there is a woeful lack of infrastructure with none of the Clubs having exclusive lease ownership of any football ground or practice facilities. None of the football clubs are privy to the share of the gate receipts on match days and have to depend on prize monies and grants from the Football Association to supplement their sponsorship income. <br />
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<b>Q.Who would you say are the top 3 Indian players playing in the Indian Domestic league? And why? (please state their positions also)</b><br />
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A.Despite the mediocrity in the standard of Indian football, the following three players have performed creditably in the last few years –<br />
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i) Subrata Pal – (Goalkeeper) – Extremely agile and good goal-keeping skills he has caught the eyes of the football critics both in India and in the Asian circuit. Has been with a middle ranked side Pune FC for the last two years and has had a major influence in helping the side finish 3rd in the 14 team National League in 2009-10.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="245" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eB8dMpJYl7Y" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="340"></iframe><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Goalkeeper Subrata Pal save three penalties against Syria in the Nehru Cup Final </span><br />
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ii) Mohammad Rafi – (Midfielder) – Rafi had been a consistent attacking midfielder for his Club, Mahindra United which is now defunct. His excellent football skills prompted his call-up for national duties. Slightly frail looking like Chelsea’s Yossi Benayoun, Rafi has been bogged with injuries time and again. Very often than not, Rafi does love to surge ahead from his midfield zone and score goals for his side.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://footballkerala.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/kd-27-a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://footballkerala.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/kd-27-a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mohammad Rafi celebrates scoring another goal from midfield </td></tr>
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iii) Sunil Chettri – (Forward) – Sunil who plays for Dempo Sports Club of Goa has been a consistent performer for both club and country for the last few seasons. He tried his luck in U.S.A.’s MLS for one of the Clubs but had to come back home as he could not cope up with the pressures of being away from home for long durations.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://patelism.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Sunil-Chhetri-3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://patelism.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Sunil-Chhetri-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunil Chetri in action during his spell in the MLS for the Kansas City Wizards </td></tr>
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<b>Q.Who do you consider to be the greatest Indian footballer ever? And why?</b><br />
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A.There have been quite a few footballers who played with pride and passion during their playing careers. Sailen Manna, Jarnail Singh, Yusuf Khan, Tulsidas Balaram, P. K.Banerjee, Subimal (Chuni) Goswami are the names which off-hand come to mind. Of them perhaps the last named Chuni Goswami ranks slightly ahead because of his all-round skills and ability to score goals from impossible angles and situations. Under his captaincy India won the 1962 Asian Games in Djakarta. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sabujmaroonswapno.com/smsweb/images/Chuni_Int_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://sabujmaroonswapno.com/smsweb/images/Chuni_Int_4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chuni Goswani India's greatest footballer in action</td></tr>
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<b>Q. Which foreign player would you say has had the biggest influence on Indian domestic football? </b><br />
A. Undoubtedly it has been Odafa Onieyeka Okolie, the Nigerian. This man has been the highest goal-scorer in 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10. This is no mean achievement and he is still a major influence and could also end up with the laurel in this year’s competition as well. In this year's edition of the I-League Churchill Brothers have thus far scored 10 goals in 5 matches. Out of which Odafa alone has pumped in 9 goals. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://u.goal.com/31000/31035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://u.goal.com/31000/31035.jpg" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Odafa Onieyeka celebrates after scoring for his club Churchill Brothers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Q.Which foreign coach has had the biggest impact on domestic football in India?</b><br />
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A.Quite a few foreign coaches have tried their luck in this country’s football in various clubs and also for the national team. Ciric Milovan, Bob Houghton, Clifford Chukuwama, Karim Bencherifa,Trevor Morgan have all contributed to the development of football in this country at various stages. Because of their short tenure it is extremely difficult to pin-point any one individual as the best.<b> </b><br />
<b> Q. Which foreign team has had the biggest impact on domestic football in India?</b><br />
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A.In 1977, Kolkata football fans were honoured to see the all-time best footballer, Pele play for Cosmos Football Club against local giants Mohun Bagan Athletic Club. The packed Eden Gardens stadium with 100,000 spectators was witness to this rare spectacle in this part of the continent. The match ended inconclusively 2-2. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pele the greatest player ever played in India, don't tell me you knew that</td></tr>
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Thereafter, a few top class club sides did turn up to play in Kolkata, the Mecca of Indian football, namely, Bochum FC and FC Bayern from Germany, but Pele’s Cosmos impacted the most.<b> </b><br />
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<b>Q. Will we be seeing India playing at a World Cup soon and how good is the Indian National Team in comparison to the other footballing nations?</b><br />
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A. Answering the second question first, the standard of Indian football is at Tier 3 level clubbed together with countries such as Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. Understandably, it is far below the Tier 1 and Tier 2 level countries of Asia such as Australia, Japan, South Korea, China, the Middle East countries. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.southasiafair.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/indian-football-team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://www.southasiafair.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/indian-football-team.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">India's national team celebrate winning the Nehru Cup an International tournament organised by the Indian Football Federation </td></tr>
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As far as India’s chances of playing the World Cup in the near future, the National Football Association, AIFF has drawn up an ambitious project of seeing India give it a try either in the 2018 or 2022 edition. A bunch of footballers in the 18-19 years age bracket are currently undergoing training and match practice. At least the effort is there but what needs to be done is regular match play to hone up their skills.<b> </b><br />
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<b>Q.Has the AIFF considered scouting for British born Indians in the UK to call up for the national team?</b><br />
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A.Unfortunately no. The response from UK based boys of Indian parentage can best be termed as poor because of the comparatively poor opportunities to earn money playing the game here. Assuming a British born Indian does play in UK’s third level league, i.e. the 2nd division, he stands to earn much more than what he would have earned playing in a premier club in India.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/43997000/gif/_43997166_chopra_getty.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/43997000/gif/_43997166_chopra_getty.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michael Chopra a British footballer of Indian descent</td></tr>
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<b>Q. Has the popularity of football increased in recent years in India or do you still see cricket being the more dominant sport in the foreseeable future?</b><br />
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A. Football is an extremely popular sport in India and can match the popularity of cricket. Unfortunately, the present generation can rattle off the achievements of Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan but may falter if asked anything about clubs such as Churchill Brothers, Dempo, East Bengal or Mohun Bagan. Interest in football was mostly confined to Bengal, Goa, Mumbai and Kerala. But now parents are increasingly coaxing their wards to attend cricket camps in the hope that one day their sons could become another cricketer like Sachin Tendulkar or Sourav Ganguly.But it is simply impossible.<br />
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<b>Q. Who is your favourite European team and why?</b><br />
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A. FC Barcelona of Spain. Once there player were Cruyff,Deco, Figo,Guardiola,Kluivert,Koeman, Laudrup,Gary Lineker, Maradona,Neeskens, Rivaldo,Romario,Ronaldinho,Ronaldo, Stoitchkov,<br />
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Zubizarreta and now Messi. Their track record and huge fans world wide is another cause of my love.<b> </b><br />
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<b>Q. Which European player is the most popular in India?</b><br />
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A. In India, Ten Sports, ESPN etc., do telecast the matches live for the benefit of Indian viewers. Accordingly football enthusiasts keenly watch EPL, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A, Bundesliga along with the Champions league etc. Different fans have different favourite players. For MU it is perhaps Wayne Rooney, for the Chelsea followers it could be Drogba, for the Barcelona fans it is Messi, Xavi or Iniesta, for Real fans it could be Ronaldo. My favourite is Xavi Hernandez, the super midfielder of FC Barcelona. <b> </b><br />
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<b>Q. What do you think of the decision to allow Russia to host World Cup 2018 instead of England?</b><br />
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A. FIFA’s intention has always been to expand the spread of the game as far as possible. Their effort in allotting the 2010 FIFA World Cup to South Africa was commended by all. The erstwhile communist countries never had the honour of hosting the tournament and now Russia has been allotted the 2018 competition. FIFA’s Sepp Blatter has expressed his desire to see the competition being hosted in China and India in the foreseeable future.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">(END) </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If I'm honest with you I pretty much knew nothing about Indian football before that chat. I didn't know it had such a rich history with greats like Pele even playing a part in it. Maybe we might see India in a World Cup in the future, who knows? Anyway I hope you enjoyed reading...</div>Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-62571174596974077212011-01-20T22:42:00.000+00:002011-01-20T22:42:11.187+00:00Darren Bent... Why He Wanted A Transfer...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Pix/pictures/2009/8/5/1249480462824/MH-Darren-Bent-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Pix/pictures/2009/8/5/1249480462824/MH-Darren-Bent-001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><blockquote>"It does hurt to be honest," said Bent in response to the idea that he is a footballing mercenary. "When I was at Charlton I could have gone to West Ham for double but I chose for footballing reasons to go to Tottenham. I am sure people will have opinions on why I have joined Villa given where they are [17th in the league]. But I believe Villa are in a false position and it's a massive football club with massive tradition and massive history." </blockquote><br />
I'm no mercenary screams the headline in the Guardian... So why has Darren Bent moved? Is it to move to a bigger club like he says? Is it to be closer to his family in London like the rumour mill says? Or is it for the money like most people think but don't say?<br />
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I have a theory, all footballers have a shelf life, with strikers having the shortest sell by date. He is currently in the richest vein of form in his career scoring 38 goals in 58 games for Sunderland and challenging for a first team place for England. His market value is currently as high as its going to get. So why move? Paul Hayward of the Guardian has probably summed it up the best in my eyes when talking about Wayne Rooneys transfer request,<br />
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<blockquote>"Advisers get ideas. Advisers think ahead. A notion that starts in a sleepless night becomes a possibility and then a desired objective. Already we see that Rooney is not on the Scholes longevity chart. He smokes and drinks and blunders across the minefield of our front pages. When precocity collides with hedonism, agents tend to calculate that their star ought to make one big move before deterioration sets in. That way the whole camp can shake the money tree."</blockquote><br />
Now I don't know if Bent has hedonistic or self destructive tendencies, what I know is he doesn't sell shirts and it is likely that he won't gain international recognition like a Rooney, Lampard or Gerrard. He is known for being a Premier League footballer who gets goals and at the moment he's currently looking like the best one at doing that, with the demise of Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney.<br />
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It's fair to say that Bent has hit his peak value at the age of 27. So its time to make some money for Bent and his agents. His name doesn't carry the same brand value as a Villa, Rooney or an Ibrahimovic and he doesn't have the all round ability to reinvent himself like Alan Shearer and Dwight Yorke for example have done in the past. His agents know this and understand that goals can dry up as quickly as they come. An example of this was Kevin Phillips was at Sunderland, the club rejected a £16m bid for Kevin Phillips only to sell the striker to Southampton for £3m less than two years later. Bent and his agents have just ensured that he doesn't end up missing a bumper payday like Kevin Phillips.Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-46875293762250886312011-01-19T20:37:00.000+00:002011-01-19T20:37:46.973+00:00My Favorite Teams This Season: Borussia Dortmund<a href="http://www.spox.com/de/sport/fussball/bundesliga/1008/Bilder/borussia-dortmund.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="http://www.spox.com/de/sport/fussball/bundesliga/1008/Bilder/borussia-dortmund.jpg" width="320" /></a>Every season there are teams who surprise everyone. Either by punching above their weight, by their tactical creativity or their brilliant season so far. The team I will cover today is German side Borussia Dortmund.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>They are top of the Bundesliga, played 18 won 15, drawn 1 and lost two and are currently 12 points ahead of their nearest rivals. These facts in themselves should show Dortmunds quality. Why I like them is not because where they are but how they've got there.<br />
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Finishing fifth in the Bundesliga last season was considered an excellent finish and nobody expected them to do anything other than fall out of the top 6 after an uneventful summer with regards to transfers. The "Black and Yellows" have surpassed all expectations this season with their explosive start to the season.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bundesliga.de/media/images/00_vereinsbilder/dortmund/klopp_sahin_468x345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://www.bundesliga.de/media/images/00_vereinsbilder/dortmund/klopp_sahin_468x345.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jurgen Klopp celebrates with young star Nuri Sahin</td></tr>
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Under relatively young manager Jurgen Klopp not have they only played their attractive attacking brand of football from last season. they have now added defensive solidarity to their assets this season. They remind me of Barcelona with their high defensive line, with this the ensure the game is played in the opponents half and the opponents have large amounts of space to cover on counter-attacks. But its all well and good playing with a high line but this needs to be implemented with pressing, this sides passing described by respected German football journalist Raphael Honigstein who said "Borussia under Jürgen Klopp are to space what <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeru_Kobayashi" style="color: #cccccc;" title="Takeru Kobayashi">Takeru Kobayashi</a> is to hot dogs: they eat it up until the opposition is blue on the face and going down with cramps." So far this season they have conceded 11 goals in 18 games.<br />
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The thing is any team with a group of players with a high work rate can implement these tactics but what makes this seasons side special is their creativity and attacking play. When they attack they do it with reckless abandon with both full backs storm forward to add width to their attacks. With the energetic holding midfielder Sven Bender covering midfielder Nuri Sahin and playmaker Shinji Kagawa have license to get get forward. Sahin has been attracting attention from major European clubs with his technical ability and creativity and Kagawa has been described as the "Jewel in Borussia Dortmunds crown". The 21 year old Japanese star has played 17 games scoring 8 goals so far in his first season in Europe. Whats amazing about him is he was signed for €350,000 (£294,000) from the J-League new boys Cereza Osaka.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shinji Kagawa (left) celebrates with Mario Gotze (right)</td></tr>
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To support Kagawa in his role as the playmaker they have youngster <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Kevin Großkreutz</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span>on the right and wunderkid Mario Gotze on the left hand side. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Großkreutz </span></span></span>is a full international for Germany and has scored 6 goals in 18 appearances so far this season. Gotze is the one who has really caught everyones attention, following an excellent performance against rivals Bayer Leverkusen he was described as "the first ever <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/bundesligafootball" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Bundesliga">Bundesliga</a> footballer substituted for being too good in a game." Yes that's how good he was in it. When describing his performance further against Leverkusen in the Guardian Honigstein said "Götze, buoyed by his team's dominance, played himself into a kind of dream-like state where every flick and turn was coming off."<br />
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Playing in front if this attacking duo is Paraguayan centre forward Lucas Barrios who has scored 8 goals in 16 league appearances. He is known for his work rate as much as his goal scoring records which compliments the pressing style the Klopp likes his team to play and has recently been linked with a move to Real Madrid.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheT9P11cMJ8AQs_A4mWOckrPMlpeoEsJWmIv6oWf-O0rgcNBk_jlOQqBGtWIHXytc-1Qa275gH2FvGh600wD-PURRpyCYGPrij4GGsX8aQK_a5h6pnKauGm2iie2kNWEZ2niKG/s1600/dortmund2010-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheT9P11cMJ8AQs_A4mWOckrPMlpeoEsJWmIv6oWf-O0rgcNBk_jlOQqBGtWIHXytc-1Qa275gH2FvGh600wD-PURRpyCYGPrij4GGsX8aQK_a5h6pnKauGm2iie2kNWEZ2niKG/s400/dortmund2010-11.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><br />
This side has been receiving plaudits from the German media as well as their opponents for their style of play. I feel they don't receive attention from around Europe because they aren't in the Champions League. But in Germany one media outlet has said that "as a group, especially, they seem to possess a might and inner light that could take them into the European top level." Lets hope this is the case, as it would be really be a real pleasure to see a side as progressive as Jurgen Klopp's Borussia Dortmund playing at the highest level.<br />
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<object height="245" width="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nmXaeLtazOk?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nmXaeLtazOk?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="245"></embed></object>Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-90804456720022048402011-01-17T20:00:00.001+00:002011-01-17T20:11:18.091+00:006 Thoughts On The Premier League This Weekend...<b>Liverpool cant hold on to a lead...</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.football365.com/11/01/240/Blackpool-v-Liverpool-Steve-Clarke-Kenny-Dalg_2550405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://images.football365.com/11/01/240/Blackpool-v-Liverpool-Steve-Clarke-Kenny-Dalg_2550405.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Sunderland, Wigan, Spurs, Blackpool and Everton... All teams who Liverpool have dropped points against after taking the lead. This was during and after Roy Hodgson's tenure as manager two of Kenny Dalglish's three games in charge have ended up with Liverpool dropped points from winning positions.<br />
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<b>Aston Villa aren't too good to go down...</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Villa have only won 2 out of their last 12 games...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The match was distinctly average made up of long balls, head tennis and generally talentless football. Neither side proved their Premier League credentials. Villa looked toothless bar a few moments from Stewart Downing, Carew lacks pace and work rate and Agbonlahor is better suited to a 100 metre track than a football pitch. They better be looking over their shoulders now they've got Reo Coker and Petrov back in the side no more excuses...<br />
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<b>Luka Modric is a world class player...</b><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.skysports.com/11/01/496x259/Tottenham-v-Manchester-United-Luka-Modric-Dar_2551942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="167" src="http://img.skysports.com/11/01/496x259/Tottenham-v-Manchester-United-Luka-Modric-Dar_2551942.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Darren Fletcher spent most of the game chasing after Modric...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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He ran the show against Manchester United, always beating the first man marking him and releasing the ball efficiently. Bale, Lennon and Van Der Vaart are good players but the little Croat was the best player on the pitch in their biggest league game of the season...<br />
<br />
<b>Chelsea need to spend some money...</b><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Pix/pictures/2009/1/16/1232144737980/Didier-Drogba-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Pix/pictures/2009/1/16/1232144737980/Didier-Drogba-002.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chelsea can no longer rely on Drogba after his out of Malaria and as a result look toothless...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
After threatening an overhaul of the team Carlo Ancelloti held back and it was business as usual with Chelsea. No major changes to their aging first team against Blackburn and a 2-0 victory. Didier Drogba still isn't looking very convincing, I'm not so sure that victory may kick start a title challenge...<br />
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<b>Robin Van Persie is back...</b><br />
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<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 245px; width: 340px;"><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="playerVars=showStats=yes|autoPlay=no|videoTitle=Arsenal Vs WestHam United 3-0 Goals and Highlights" height="245" name="Metacafe_5805018" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://www.metacafe.com/fplayer/5805018/arsenal_vs_westham_united_3_0_goals_and_highlights.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="340" wmode="transparent"></embed></div><div style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.metacafe.com/watch/5805018/arsenal_vs_westham_united_3_0_goals_and_highlights/">Arsenal Vs WestHam United 3-0 Goals and Highlights</a> </div><br />
Getting two goals against West Ham the Dutchman's return from injury has been long awaited and he seems to have given his side the cutting edge so many say they've been missing. If he can stay fit I think the Gunners can aim for a serious title push...<br />
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<b>West Brom scored three and Blackpool scored two...</b><br />
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<br />
Ian Holloway's boys have been looking excellent this season. But against Roberto Di Matteo's West Brom side they were beaten 3-2. This doesn't look like a major result but take into consideration that West Brom lost their last five games and now Blackpool have lost four out their five games in January...Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-47996467990008299952011-01-16T20:32:00.001+00:002011-01-16T22:21:01.311+00:00Cult Player Profile: Nii Lamptey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://users.skynet.be/Crystal/team-info/HSniilamptey3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://users.skynet.be/Crystal/team-info/HSniilamptey3.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br />
I don't know if many of you know the name Nii Lamptey. To me he was just an average footballer who I remember from a 1994-1995 Premier League Sticker book I once had until I decided to research this seemingly forgettable footballer.<br />
<br />
Born in Tema, Ghana to two abusive parents he spent his days and nights avoiding being at home by playing football. By the age of eight he was homeless and sought refuge at a Muslim football camp which he joined after converting to Islam. Slowly Lamptey began to show signs of his footballing talent and received call ups for the junior sides.<br />
<br />
He first received global attention at the Fifa 1991 U17 World Cup playing for Ghana he won the tournament and the Golden Ball as the tournaments best player. Following this tournament Pele was quoted as saying,<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"Lamptey is my natural successor" </blockquote><br />
Those were big words to relate to a 15 year old. Further to his success he was declared Africa's fifth best footballer of that year.<br />
<br />
Following his success at the U17 World Cup he signed for Belgian club Anderlecht. This wasn't easy for him to do as the Ghanaian authorities had confiscated his passport to ensure he doesn't leave the country. He managed to leave by fleeing to Nigeria and then going to Belgium from there.<br />
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For Anderlecht he played 30 league games in three years, scoring 9 goals which is not bad for any player playing his first seasons in Europe but for a 16 year old it is amazing. His performances caught the attention of Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven who signed him aged 19. In Holland he went on to improve his performances and scored 10 goals in 22 appearances. He only spent one season in Holland after his agent engineered a moved to English side Aston Villa.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/08/11/article-1205786-060731BA000005DC-375_468x311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/08/11/article-1205786-060731BA000005DC-375_468x311.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This is where his career began to show signs of declining. The move to Villa wasn't one with Lamptey's football career at heart. His agent allowed the highest bidder to sign him regardless of the status of the club or the implications it may have had on Lamptey's career. It has been publicised that Lamptey's Italian agent took 25% of the fee paid for him. The agent in question was described by another player agent as,<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"a shady character who held Lamptey transfer rights like a slave owner held his slave"</blockquote><br />
The only good thing that came of this transfer was his relationship with Ron Atkinson the Villa manager at the time, Lamptey still speaks highly of him. Atkinson ensured that Lampteys agent didn't get hold of his signing on fee,<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"Ron gave my account number to the office and they paid it in direct. I hadn't even been told I was due a fee. The manager [agent] was very upset. Big Ron has been a good man in my life."</blockquote><br />
Lamptey didn't perform to expectations at Villa Park and when Atkinson was sacked and joined Coventry City, Lamptey followed him. Unfortunately again he failed to impress. Overall in his time in England he scored 6 goals all in the League Cup, 3 for Coventry and 3 for Villa.<br />
<br />
Following his spell in England he played for Venice in Italy, Unión de Santa Fe in Argentina, Ankaragücü in Turkey, União Leiria in Portugal, SpVgg Greuther Fürth in Germany, Shandong Luneng Tai Shan in China, Al-Nasr in Saudi Arabia, Kumasi Asante Kotoko in Ghana, before finally settling in South Africa at Jomo Cosmos.<br />
<br />
He played for thirteen clubs in only 16 years this clearly shows how turbulent his career was. When you consider that at the age of 19, he was a World Champion and Golden Ball winner at the 1991 U17 World Cup in Italy, Olympic Bronze medallist in 1992, and a runner-up in the 1993 U20 World Cup, whilst being linked with the likes of Real Madrid. It seems like a tragic waste of potential.<br />
<br />
When asked about the nature of his career in a rare interview with the Guardian, Lamptey responded by saying.<br />
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<blockquote>"Do I have regrets? I don't know. Perhaps you have to explain more from the dictionary what is regret. I won't say regret. I know if it was me alone and people had left me, for sure I should have been playing for Madrid now. But people want your downfall, too many things.<br />
<br />
'But even through those things I'm able to stand firm. Whatever a footballer is supposed to achieve, I've done it, I've seen it. Maybe as Pelé put it that I'm going to step in his shoes, that one did not happen. That's a bit painful now, but I have to take it like that."</blockquote><br />
Nii Lamptey is now 36 six years old, at this age he should not be looking at his career in top level football as a distant memory but unfortunate circumstances have meant he is. But in his retirement he has set up a school in Ghana which is linked with a local football academy to help children in Ghana have the assistance he never had.<br />
<br />
Africa has stars like Emanuel Adebayor, Michael Essien, Samuel Eto'o and Nwankwo Kanu but Nii Lamptey was the greatest talent Africa and world football lost...Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9689235.post-62163817357686601632011-01-15T17:21:00.001+00:002011-01-15T17:21:46.856+00:00The Premier League... Has It Really Declined?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.chickendinner.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/tevezrooneyandronaldo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://www.chickendinner.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/tevezrooneyandronaldo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Former Spurs and Chelsea midfielder Gustavo Poyet has recently come out and spoken about the decline of the Premier League. Speaking to Reuters Poyet said,<br />
<br />
<blockquote><span id="articleText">"I'm a bit critical of the Premier League this year, I know people may not agree with me but I don't think it's one of the best Premier Leagues in the last few years -- to be honest I think it's one of the worst. Maybe it's more competitive and interesting but at the same time I would say there is not one team that is really better than the rest. Some say the other teams are getting better but in my opinion the top teams this year have got worse."</span></blockquote><br />
So what about Manchester United this season? They've gone into the year unbeaten and are through to the second stage of the Champions League without losing a game, where do they stand in Poyets opinion?<br />
<br />
<blockquote><span id="articleText">"Look at United, they are not even playing well but they are top. They deserve to be top, don't get me wrong, but if they are top without being at their best what's happened to the rest?</span></blockquote><br />
There is also a comparison to the major European leagues and a critique of the matches between the "Big Four" this season from Poyet.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"Look at any other league. If you go to Spain, Barcelona are top because they are absolutely fantastic. If you go to Italy, the same, the teams that are top there it's because they are doing so well and playing good football."</blockquote><br />
Poyet also said some of the matches between the leading clubs in England had been poor.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"I've been very disappointed," he said. "Apart from Arsenal v Chelsea, all the rest including the Manchester derbies and Arsenal v Manchester City, were awful.<br />
<br />
"You expect more but it's even difficult to pick the best player in England. The Premier League has to be careful.<br />
<br />
"I think the best players in the world give you something every week to be happy about. In Spain you watch Barcelona and Real Madrid every week and (Lionel) Messi and (Cristiano) Ronaldo are always, always giving something," added Poyet.<br />
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"The fans will think the money they paid for their ticket was worth it. If I go to Manchester every week it's difficult to pick a player ... the same at Chelsea, and I could go on.<br />
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"Only (left winger) Gareth Bale at Spurs has been exceptional." </blockquote>Now it's all well and good making statements about the demise of the big four, but where is the proof? Have they really dropped off? Well I'm going to have a look if this is a case by comparing Chelsea and Manchester United this season so far and from the 2007-2008 season... <br />
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At the end of the 2007-2008 season English football was at its zenith, Manchester United were European Champions after beating Chelsea in the final of the Champions League. Out of the semi-finalists in the Champions League that season three out of the four sides were English. At the end of that tournament none of the English sides had been beaten by foreign opposition... <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigiycrQkV0KLqIuwDsuWgvQbbsTWhdcChxlaWf1G7OYe8kTGpVdS1v57ml81UFTlJwZz3f-LvXK1coneODNX2eldLSHfivGfuEf6Rn2GFNUQ6GAEF0gJ7FDG5zTQT19BIrognF/s1600/Manchester+United+2007-2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigiycrQkV0KLqIuwDsuWgvQbbsTWhdcChxlaWf1G7OYe8kTGpVdS1v57ml81UFTlJwZz3f-LvXK1coneODNX2eldLSHfivGfuEf6Rn2GFNUQ6GAEF0gJ7FDG5zTQT19BIrognF/s400/Manchester+United+2007-2008.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2007-2008 Reserves: Foster, O'Shea, Pique, Park, Nani, Scholes, Fletcher, Nani, Anderson, Saha</td></tr>
</tbody></table>During this season Manchester United had their strongest squad in the last twenty years and this showed in their achievements winning both the Premier League and the Champions League. Its obvious from the reserves that there was plenty of quality cover for rotation or in case of injuries. There is also room for tactical switches, for example Saha was an alternative as a direct centre forward instead of the "false nine" role Cristiano Ronaldo player. Or if Alex Ferguson wanted to play a convential 4-5-1, Rooney and Tevez could go off for Nani and Park. This was a great squad as well as an exceptional first 11.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34zpihVQuT6g2756zCMVB9b3GhQk0O8QKpqZbKepOi79FmeQFNfV3Y5k9t5XGRLVX7DaTgksVb3f8hjnd0vbBn-yVw6tscittvOOjd0Kku65XfnGaH-a0XkzsN2kaSzLgjVHP/s1600/Manchester+United+Current.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34zpihVQuT6g2756zCMVB9b3GhQk0O8QKpqZbKepOi79FmeQFNfV3Y5k9t5XGRLVX7DaTgksVb3f8hjnd0vbBn-yVw6tscittvOOjd0Kku65XfnGaH-a0XkzsN2kaSzLgjVHP/s400/Manchester+United+Current.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Current Reserves: Kuszczak, Fabio, Rafael, Evans, Smalling, Gibson, Giggs, Scholes, Valencia, Hernandez, Berbatov</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This season only Rooney from the attacking triumvirate is at Manchester United, with Ronaldo and Tevez being replaced by Nani and Valencia or Park. Now the first team is still made up of players from the 2007-2008 squad. Those players who are now in the first team weren't able to get in the side in 2007-08 so this either is a decline or the players have now developed to the stage where they are now good enough for first team football. The only changes have been the loss of Ronaldo and Tevez.<br />
<br />
My next case study is Chelsea the side who finished runners up in the PL and CL in 2007-2008 season.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4A1dGSrU8JGd_idoLqTaG6WH98TTKvk33X7PrIV-_Nw7Shteank93fj4yiLafYdbW-c6gSyTicL1fwVnUbo8ll2XKXWpb7C7991up_MHB9LmKzxoZubPCbUaggYBJB3UTgseB/s1600/Chelsea+2007-2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4A1dGSrU8JGd_idoLqTaG6WH98TTKvk33X7PrIV-_Nw7Shteank93fj4yiLafYdbW-c6gSyTicL1fwVnUbo8ll2XKXWpb7C7991up_MHB9LmKzxoZubPCbUaggYBJB3UTgseB/s400/Chelsea+2007-2008.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2007-2008 Reserves: Cudicini, Belleti, Bridge, Alex, Mikel, Ballack, Kalou, Wright-Phillips, Anelka, Pizarro </td></tr>
</tbody></table>If you look at the current team in comparison to the one in the season under Avram Grant, just like Manchester United there has been very little change to the first team.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhHwD5ll2eJQKiZhzIDzibNs71RNe0n9yAPUhYnx-S9E-l49HKPTvY33Zni6hNqf_jtSBmRWfEaodynmgiS2Qm3gGPsXcqZeiGoaGQdIMmBWku6HQA6GhhPSwvlyZplZY2zbO/s1600/chelsea+current.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhHwD5ll2eJQKiZhzIDzibNs71RNe0n9yAPUhYnx-S9E-l49HKPTvY33Zni6hNqf_jtSBmRWfEaodynmgiS2Qm3gGPsXcqZeiGoaGQdIMmBWku6HQA6GhhPSwvlyZplZY2zbO/s400/chelsea+current.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Current Reserves: Turnbull, Ferreira, Bosingwa, Bruma, van Aanholt, Ramires, Zhirkov, Benayoun, Kalou, Sturridge</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The only changes from the side in 2007-2008 is that Carvalho, Makelele and Joe Cole have left and been replaced by former squad players Mikel, Alex and Anelka. With Chelsea, their reserves have diminished noticeably this season, in 2007-2008 their reserves were made up of established internationals. This season they have Turnbull, van Aanholt, Bruma and a declining Paulo Ferreira. These players wouldn't have got near the first team in previous seasons.<br />
<br />
This season Chelsea's decline can be seen through their results - they currently lie fifth in the table having already lost 6 games out of twenty one. Two seasons ago having Chelsea or Manchester United lose six games in a season was unthinkable, but this season they have both looked beatable on numerous occasions.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4Ox_p4nHtxEpWPuo3C23U7wsrJXtwf5lSAp2GabrZsA_Cxmg6EYFASpJmDblRtzhbnqybVUAyf2c8pSlKppW8ckB2regmUnT_yojwSdC7PDOhzTBCFysRdUigWH_xpO6lUes/s1600/2007-2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4Ox_p4nHtxEpWPuo3C23U7wsrJXtwf5lSAp2GabrZsA_Cxmg6EYFASpJmDblRtzhbnqybVUAyf2c8pSlKppW8ckB2regmUnT_yojwSdC7PDOhzTBCFysRdUigWH_xpO6lUes/s320/2007-2008.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2007-2008 League Table</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>If you look at the table from 2007-08 there is a clear gap between the big two and the rest of the Premier League with there being a massive 20 point gap between Chelsea and Everton. Arsenal and Liverpool as usual pushed them close but failed to upset the duopoly.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTfyjN4A2UMMU035IHwejDDs7mEXr6NOFy_PaKuqpR4mguv3ryZFU5YFQUh84921Lgwd_W6bbq3kmt0fz0dWkBQQiMukvwZUD9dCuSw6kly0TP9iiRHMnt3tURROc_LrIyV-z/s1600/current+league+table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTfyjN4A2UMMU035IHwejDDs7mEXr6NOFy_PaKuqpR4mguv3ryZFU5YFQUh84921Lgwd_W6bbq3kmt0fz0dWkBQQiMukvwZUD9dCuSw6kly0TP9iiRHMnt3tURROc_LrIyV-z/s320/current+league+table.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Current League Table</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The current table shows how close the current league is. There doesn't seem to be such as gap between the big four and the rest. Why is this? Have the rest improved? Or have the big clubs declined? Well I think its a bit of both but the one overriding factor I feel is that Chelsea and Manchester United have both stagnated. What I mean by stagnation is that their decline has followed the frugal spending of their owners. They have both sold players but have failed to replace them and improve their squads.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2HUrzS8PU0wSwJTp_uxBfxDZvdzq6li-Ldrf_L9yrpU832ipl-z3F43BM33x8-G-ssZVWfiNBPAjPKbvpEtUIMjxHH6MMA3nlYGeB9Mj-IpqAoLRC6naIcFOa_tj0F0_Ax3u/s1600/spending.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2HUrzS8PU0wSwJTp_uxBfxDZvdzq6li-Ldrf_L9yrpU832ipl-z3F43BM33x8-G-ssZVWfiNBPAjPKbvpEtUIMjxHH6MMA3nlYGeB9Mj-IpqAoLRC6naIcFOa_tj0F0_Ax3u/s320/spending.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spending Figures 2006-2011</td></tr>
</tbody></table>If you look at the spending figures for the Premier League for the last five years the three biggest spenders have been Spurs, Man City and Sunderland. Two of those are now the top four and the third is 6th compared to 15th where they finished in 2007-2008. Chelsea and Manchester United are 10th and 14th in the spending figures respectively and this can be seen in their performances...<br />
<br />
One thing that does point to a lowering of standards in the Premier League overall is how easy the promoted sides have found it. In past seasons the promoted three would steal points off teams around them and write off the games against the big four. Blackpool have beaten Liverpool twice this season, Newcastle have beaten Liverpool, Arsenal and grabbed a respectable draw against Chelsea and finally West Brom have beaten Arsenal and drawn away to Manchester United. <br />
<br />
<u>Conclusion</u><br />
<br />
I personally feel that this season the Premier League is weaker than it has been in the previous 5 years. I think the money has dried up at clubs like Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea. The likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona have also done a good job of hoovering up talent from various clubs leaving very little for the English sides. This was reflected in the nominees for the Ballon D'or where hardly any British based players were given any sort of recognition.Nadir Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03049048169808642719noreply@blogger.com0