Great Clash and HairStyles

 The Return of the Champions League

Match

 Father and Son or Not

With the return of the much awaited Champions League, comes a match that promises to be a classic, with the return of worlds’ second best player playing against his former team. Ronaldo has a lot to thank Sir Alex for, from the selling Ruud van Nistelrooy to ensure that the Portuguese develops to  be the player he is today to ensuring he left United a hero in the eyes of the fans by playing another season. Ronaldo once described his relationship with Sir Alex as that of a son and a father but I really doubt this would be on his mind today as he plays his former team. Ronaldos’ thirst for glory goes beyond old relationships he would want to once again show the calibre of player he is.

The Dutch or The Portuguese

As both teams clash today it remains to be seen which of the two star men would shine brightest Cristiano Ronaldo or Robin van Persie? The arrival of both players is very different whereas Robin van Persie was a very experienced and dangerous striker Ronaldo came in as a skinny trick master. Both players have done a lot of remarkable work for their teams. Ronaldo who now plays a more central role than he has before for Real Madrid is now even more lethal than he has ever been. For United fans watching Ronaldo play them will  be the same feeling an arsenal fan would get watching Robin van Persie play for United against Arsenal. Who will outshine the other its difficult to call because both player have different motivations going into this one. One knows what it feels like winning the Champions League but wants to be there again the other doesn’t know what it feels like but is driven by the feeling

The Hair Cut

One theme that ran throughout the Nations Cup was the Weird Hairstyles some of the players had. So I have selected a few that ‘Stood out’ for me.

The Number Slot has to go the man himself Bance the Beautiful. 

1) Aristide Bance

Nationality: Burkina Faso

2) Mohamed Koffi

Nationality: Ivory Coast

3) Mubarak Wakaso

Nationality: Ghana

 4) Robert Muteba Kidiaba

Nationality: Congolese

  

5) Ideye Aide Brown

Nationality: Nigeria

6) Ahmed Musa

Nationality: Nigeria

7) Isaac Vorsah

Nationality: Ghana

  8) Asamoah Gyan

 9) Siphiwe Tshabalala

  10) Anthony Annan

Nationality: Ghana

 

                      

        CROWN WORTHY?.........YOU DECIDE

Top of the morning to you all. Sorry for the hiatus(will leave the explanation for another article). So there we have it...the super eagles have ended their(very very,very...)Long wait for the AFCON trophy. Ill refrain from using the word 'we' in this article for the simple reason that I don't support the super eagles. Now Hey..don't judge me yet; at least listen to my reason(s) first...then go ahead and crucify me...or not(i would prefer the latter though).

That's not to say I'm not happy for the eagles for their achievement...they came to a competition of 32 nations and ended up as no 1.That's by no means an easy feat. But let's be honest, barring the goal, and the performances of Efe Ambrose and Victor Moses, it was a bad advertisement for the game we love so dearly.

I realize I'm making my self a villain(and foolishly so)..but every once in a while we have to be honest...if not out aloud..then to ourselves.I honestly love my country(which is as hard as it gets), but just not the national team.  This was a tournament devoid of quality teams..and it would be unfair of me to say that's the sole reason for Nigeria's triumph but as the old saying goes 'you can only beat whats in front of you'.

Anyway(I remember I have some explaining to do), the major reason for my resignation as a Super eagles fan, is the lack of spirit,bite, and discipline we have shown for a while.Gone are the days when when we could actually say we were a soccer heavyweight,not just saying it under our breath as we have become accustomed to. We were once an organised side, from the football association to the least important person in the set-up;but like every other sector of my dear nation, we have been reduced to taking ‘short cuts’.There is a visible lack of discipline and organisation on and off the pitch; all the while having some of the most loyal and passionate supporters fully behind them no matter what. I view it as a slap in the face to those supporters that some spoiled kid runs on to the pitch and doesn't give a 100%(well,i am being modest for safety reasons) for the nation he has pledged to serve with all his heart, or to refuse a call up from the nation he has countless times said he would be faithful and loyal to.

 

So in the end, am I really a villain, who doesn't support his national team, and has turned his back on a nation he claims to love....or am I a victim of constant heart break, resulting from a quid pro quo gone sour. I don't think I have gotten back the same amount of effort I've put into supporting this team as they've given back...so I've taken the cowards route(yea I said it)..and not cared at all.However, despite Stephen Keshi's resignation as national coach, let hope this is a sign of good things to come; i'm not holding my breath though.

 

The Week Begins.....Lets talk..

The wonderful day that is called Monday  The day that you realise the weekend is a massive fraud as it has gone by too soon and was nothing but a tease. A day that you know you have another 4 days to get with the daily grind of working and hustling to make a living...booooo to Mondays !!!!!. That aside, its the best day to reflect on football as u can spend hours reflecting on what you had seen over the weekend and possibly last week and that definitely makes my Monday go by quickly  I spent most of my weekend in my comfy red chair just in front of the TV and it was football heaven....but I am going back in the week to Wednesday...

 
 England v Brazil..
 
I struggled to get tickets so I could go see the samba boys play but I have come to appreciate the beauty of watching such matches on TV where the replays show you everything you can possibly miss. This game made it evident that Brazil is slowly just becoming another name. Yes, many would say it was just a friendly but what else does Brazil have but friendlies to look to build their team for 2014 because as hosts,they can't  play qualifiers. England gave a brilliant performance exposing the shortcomings of the Brazilian team. The samba boys should give us a break and consider tap dancing..

Ronaldinho had been recalled to the team but this is one invitation he should have refused.Like his country he has became just a name.Quite naturally,you could use age or pace as an excuse but none of that can be used,he is just not the player he used to be. Jack Wilshere living up to the hype showed what a wonderful player he is and gave a lot of English fans hope for what their football would be if players like him continue to evolve. Neymar!!!!!I don't even know where to start,the so called next big thing from Brazil was less than ordinary and reminded me of why you shouldn't  believe a movie is worth the hype from the trailer. He is supposed to be the next best thing to come out from Brazil but in his national team jersey he is just a youtube sensation. With such hype,he should raise his team but all he could raise were his socks every time he fell to the ground.I have lost my belief in youtube..

African Nations Cup

After 23 days,31 matches and 16 teams,the super eagles of Nigeria lifted the African nations cup,the highest goal scorer was Emmanuel Emenike and the super eagles head coach became only the second man to win the tournament as a player and as a coach.Nigeria were unbeaten on their way to lifting the cup,scoring 11 goals and ended the Ivory Coasts dream of lifting the cup themselves by beating them in the quarter-finals. There are a lot of statistics I could tell you but statistics is like a mini skirt,shows plenty but doesn't reveal the major point. This has been a tournament of bad pitches,non-creative football,terrible officiating ,bad tackles,wonderfully horrific hair styles and players showing they can dance better than they play.I personally think the level of football has been dropping over the years in Africa and I say this giving one example only..the team that won the tournament for the super eagles in 2013,none of the players would have been good enough to make the team that won it 19 years ago. The last time a goal was scored in the final of the nations cup by a non Egyptian was in 2004 when Tunisia  won this competition. After this was an unprecedented treble by Egypt who won in 2006, 2008, 2010 and yet could not qualify for this year's tournament. Incredible!  This tournament showed such poor quality in football and raised concerns for footballing greats like Ghana, so called Brazil of Africa. 
 

Manchester and the rest.
 
The English premier league,arguably the best league in the world is currently being held to ransom by two teams from the same town. Oh yes, the Manchester teams are going head to head to see who will eventually become champions. But then with Man United leading city with 12 points you would say my definition of head to head must be poor. City lost to Southampton on Saturday and United beat Everton on Sunday increased the gap by 12 points. Others have said United can afford to lose 3 games and still win the league. Is the title race over with 12 games to go?can there be another twist and turn like last season..u tell me..

 
Gareth Bale
 
I heard someone say the welsh winger is the 3rd best player in the world
And by 3rd he is supposedly behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi...true or false? Bale ensured maximum points against Newcastle on Saturday with his brace to solidify their fight for champions league spot.he is definitely Tottenhams key player but 3rd in the world??????
 
Anyways,this week should go fast as European champions league will be welcomed by us football fans as they are mouth watering clashes to look forward to. And at this point I can say there will be more than a lot to talk about to make Monday go even faster...

In more words to come..Sabi Boi

Two Clubs...One City..

Like most cities, there are two sides….one side with the posh elite and the other with the commoners. One side industrial/commercial and the other residential…and the city of Manchester is like every other city, split in two, even more when it comes to football….come this weekend, the city will either be blue or red, and after 90minutes of 22 men battling over a sack of air one side will be happy the other sad. And even if the spoils are shared…one side will definitely go home the happier. Blue host red as Manchester city hosts Manchester united, that’s right, the Manchester derby coming to a television near you 1:30pm,Sunday the 9th of December. This derby over the last couple of years had nothing but who will have bragging rights as the best in the city but with an inflow of money, purchase of world class players and silverware all on the blue side now…it has become way more than just a derby game as a game between these clubs can determine who lifts the trophy come May. The day of the red dominating hasn’t come to an end but it is well balanced with blue.

 

There is already some pain on the blue side of Manchester as they (Manchester city) have been kicked out of the champions league without winning a single game, their run in Europe epitomised the word rubbish because they failed to even qualify for the europa league. One may say it is better for them seeing as they can concentrate on all domestic cups but the question is why they couldn’t win with a squad filled with world class players? Having said that, they are unbeaten in the premier league,even without hitting the form they hard last season. Now the next question would be, how can a team be the champions of England, the English league supposedly the best in the world, how can Manchester city not win in Europe?…as a man city fan, the reply would be….as long as we beat Man United on Sunday, I don’t care. Manchester city sit second in the league after 15 games, 3 points behind Manchester United, they currently have the best squad in the league and arguably the best midfielder in the world in Yaya Toure...Alot can be said about a team not playing well but still winning games, and against their local and possibly biggest rival, they would not need any inspiration to win against united on Sunday.

 

At the moment there is currently no pain on the red side of Manchester , sitting first on the table, 3 points ahead of their local rivals and the current English champions. They qualified top of their group for the champions league and have a strike force described by Sir Alex as nothing more than World class. but there is a pain that still touches most fans on the red side…..the 6-1 thrashing they received last year at Old Trafford by City and a Vincent Kompany header that gave city 3 points at the ethihad early this year…the pain lingers as city have current bragging rights not only in the city but in the country. United loosing to Cluj in their champions league although they played a second string team, the weakness in midfield still shows.Ryans Giggs and Paul Scholes both played suggesting that they are most likely to miss the derby and it was a game they both would have done well if it was a testimonial. Anderson is out with a hamstring injury, tom cleverly limped off against Cluj, so Fletcher, still struggling to get back to himself and Michael Carrick that occasionally remembers he is a good player. But it’s a derby and form never really matters, at least the united fans will hope so. There are rumours that this might be Mancini's last season,especially after a poor run in the champions league,on the other hand,Fergie seems to be going strong and plans not to leave anytime soon. Both managers do share one thing and that is not to lose come Sunday. There have been 163 meetings between both clubs,United winning 68 and city winning 45. There have been 50 draws but come Sunday am sure there wont be a 51st draw.United rested 7 players against Cluj and will be fresh and buzzing,Kompany and co playing a day before United should also have had enough rest so barring injuries,they are both all up for it.

 

A statue stands in Old Trafford,tribute given to the best ever manager in English football,there is no doubt that sir Alex will live and die as the best manager but if the blue side continues to dominate in the city and in the country,in a couple of years all we will remember is a man that lost power to his local rivals. I am sure he wouldn’t want that. It should be a good game,and hopefully no red cards,racism or some idiot doing monkey chants at any player. We shall see after 90 minutes from 1:30pm on Sunday. In more words to come..Sabi Boi

Superstition?maybe not but Paranoia...

Superstition as they say is part of the game, and certain sports men and women tend to create a pattern that they follow before every game.Chicharito prays at the pass line before every game, Eric Cantona didn't warm up with the first team and me (sabi), when I used to play, never tied my boot laces till the ball was passed..Win or loose, superstition will always be part of the game....when what u believe as superstition continues to hang on the negative, paranoia sets in...And there probably will be some paranoia amongst the man united fans. United have lost 3 games in the league this season, 1 was the first game against Everton, kick off was at 8pm and the other 2 were 5:30 kick offs...losing to Tottenham at home and Norwich away. United have won in a 5:30pm kickoff against villa but even that was a very cagey affair...and was won by the brilliance of the man that prays on the touch line...paranoid yet?

United travelled to reading this weekend,5:30pm kick off...there were certain things that were not in the red devils favour,1,Reading you could say were due a win from playing well for some matches and not winning plus they sit 19th in the league. Never easy playing relegation teams.2, Reading were at home and of course the beautiful paranoia of the 5:30 kick off,Reading  definitely fancied their chances...With the strike force being the core for united this season were  looking to continue their great form especially coming from a win without conceding first and keeping a clean sheet against Westham. United’s defence should be up for it too right? The answer would be no...United conceded first (surprise surprise) and if u ever wanted a game that showed people how not to defend...this was one.

Manchester united have never conceded 3 goals in less than 30 minutes in English football and even after coming from a goal down to lead 2-1, two corners from Nicky Shorey put Reading ahead 3-2...another lesson in how not to defend a corner shown by United...it was a good game for the neutral but for united and Reading....a lot of teams will be glad to play them both if their defending will continue in its generosity.

Anderson equalised after United went down 1-0 with a curling shot to the left post, the Brazilian maintaining his form that has put him in the first team for the last two games, it was sad to see him limp off at half time with a hamstring injury.....Rafael on the other hand was having a very shaky game and had committed two fouls in the first 20minutes putting him in the referees books. He was substituted before half time, refused to shake the hand of sir Alex, his jacket was tossed on him by the kit man and it took Ryan Giggs to cool him down. I think he was substituted for 2 reasons,1,to be used against Man city next weekend and 2,his replacement Smalling, was put in to match the set pieces using his height,so Rafa better apologise....5:30 kick offs, bringing out the drama for the reds..

Wayne Rooney scored twice, his first goal from the penalty spot and his 2nd to level united 3-3, he assisted Robin Van Persie to put united ahead 4-3...and just before half time, United should have been 5-3 up after the ball had crossed the line from a Van persie shot but the goal wasn't given...i guess we could say that evens things out from the goal that wasn't given at St James park. Wayne Rooney gave possibly his best performance for united this season, selfless play, helping in the defence and getting a brace. Robin van Persie should have had a hatrick but the united supporters will hope he is sharper against city this coming weekend.

On a good day, the performance put in by the Reading players should have given them 3 points but bad defending cost them that. They had spirited performances from each and every Reading player but the man of the match from Reading for me was Robson-Kanu...ease on the ball, taking on players and got a goal for his side. Sad story on his part that it wasn’t good enough because he was have a good time with Patrice Evra .

 

United have now won 2 out of 4 premier league 5:30pm kick offs so you could say there is nothing superstitious about that time but there is definitely plenty of paranoia for united fans and the fans of any other team United plays. You can be sure that United will concede but you are also sure that a comeback is in the cards. But with city coming up, as a Manchester United fan….you better hope City doesn’t score first. On the other hand the game against City is at 1:30pm on Sunday so the paranoia here is on the city fans…United always brightens up during Christmas.

 

In more words to come..Sabi Boi..

The Russian or the Spaniard?

How many of you caught the Chelsea V Fulham game on the 28^th of November? And for those of you that were unfortunate to see the game I am guessing no one watched past the first half? If you did, you’re probably a Chelsea fan or seriously in need of a girlfriend/boyfriend. In my opinion I think that's one of the worst Chelsea games I have seen in a very long time. There were literally no highlights in the game. It was so bad that at some point due to lack of interesting moments in the game, replays of players passing the ball became the talking points. My question is this: Where has Chelsea gone wrong? If you must pick one, will it be the over enthusiastic rich Russian owner or the feather weight goal-shy blonde 'Spanish striker'?
















Stand up Mr Abramovich. He took over at Chelsea, clearing the debts of the club and looking to make Chelsea one of the biggest clubs in world football. It was a move accepted and applauded by everyone especially the Chelsea fans. Under Mr Abromovich’s reign, the Chelsea faithful have seen 9 managers in 10 years; you could say he has a business approach rather than a football approach in running his club. But in those 10 years Chelsea has won 8 trophies. And in those 8 trophies, the Chelsea fans have bragging rights as the only London club to win the champions league. My question is has he become too involved in the game. What really is the role of a manger in a club? Is he too strong willed to see his favourite players play for and prosper in his team? Cases can be made for Shevchenko and Torres 'the Blondie . Is his desire to see the Spanish blonde succeed too strong that he had to fire coaches at will? Is Torres the reason he got Rafeal Benitez to head the team?

Stand up Mr Torres. The one striker I know that falls anytime he is challenged, whether he is touched or not. The only Spanish player that makes you think he is Spanish by adoption. I really don't know why Chelsea fans find it difficult to believe that he is past his prime. Is he really goal shy? You could throw in many questions as to why Torres isn't the Torres we saw in Liverpool, the same Torres that Vidic of Manchester United still has nightmares about. The fact remains that he has failed to live up to his £50 million bill paid to Liverpool for whom we all believed was the best striker in the world. It is a bit unfair to say Blondie is the reason why Chelsea isn't up and firing especially the way they (Chelsea) started this season winning 7 in 8 matches but strikers are played and paid to score goals and with a man that scored 82 goals in 214 appearances for Athletico Madrid, 65 goals in 102 appearances for Liverpool……11 goals for over 70 games for Chelsea is not good enough. Or just maybe he needs more prayers? 

Every player is measured and compared with the previous player that was in their role…comparing Torres with Didier Drogba..Torres has been weighed, measured and found wanting...How about giving Daniel Sturridge a chance?

 

Mr Abromovich’s pride is looking to be stained, wasting (looks like it) £50 million for a striker that has a better chance being a model than scoring goals. He is desperate for Torres to live up to the mark, so desperate that it is believed to affect his decisions in sacking and hiring managers. Torres can be used as a lesson….”what we do on earth echoes in eternity” in other words, he is only playing because of what he has achieved in the past. The same way nobody remembers the amount of fights Mohammed Ali lost, all we remember is Mohammed Ali

 

So the Russian or the Spaniard? You tell me...