Joe Cole Is Only Chelsea’s To Lose

I wonder why a lot is not being made on the slight possibility of Joe Cole leaving Chelsea this summer. The English winger’s contract runs out at the end of this season and thus he becomes a free agent if no new deal is negotiated. This piece of news is massive!
   He is an exceptional talent and has in the past, haunted the sides of many pitches with his excellent dribbling and crossing skills. He has however been injured for majority of this season’s campaign and added to that, a dip in form too could be some of the reasons why Chelsea are not willing to give in to his massive wage demands. In Cole’s defence, his wife has just given birth to a baby girl and so he is a young dad now! He will now want to be at a secure place where he is sure of his future and financial commitments.
And Joe is smart. He knows very well that there are several clubs out there who are more than willing to happily fork out his salary week in- week out. Tottenham Hotspur & Manchester United are some of the clubs that he has been linked with and I honestly wouldn’t rule out the former. Harry could do with another Englishman bombing the flanks. And given his Champions League experience, he might indeed come in handy next term.
All in all, its more of Chelsea’s to lose than Joe Cole’s to gain.

C'mon Spurs, Seal The Deal!

English football needs a new superhero. And Tottenham Hotspur are on the verge of breaking in. So it's time for Harry to 'Seal the Deal'! Champions League football deserves a new home. And this time its on the white side of North London.
What a season it has been for Harry and his men! Having flattered to deceive for many years now, Spurs have finally stepped up to the plate. And how!
Fabulous performances against Wigan, Chelsea and Arsenal have made Spurs favorites to clinch that highly coveted 4^th place in the league and Champions League football might finally be coming to White Hart Lane.
And it is going to be awesome! I love the way Tottenham play. It’s an amazing mix of flair, balance and the good old British muscle. They have one of the best squads in England and I find this key for a good European campaign next season. Powered by England hot rod Jermain Defoe, Croatian wonder kid Luka Modric & co; Tottenham are definitely ‘suited’ for the Champions League in the way they play and the kind of strategies that Harry is capable of pulling off.
C’mon, re-inventing Gareth Bale on the left wing! Master class.
Of course, it is still a little tricky considering that they are yet to play Bolton at home and Burnley and Manchester United away. Manchester United away! How juicy a tie is that! Over the years it has made for some of the craziest games the sport has ever seen. Take last year’s 5-2 for instance! (With Spurs leading 0-2 at one stage!)
However, this year Spurs will HAVE to beat United, and United will HAVE to beat Spurs. Manchester City are just two points behind the Lilywhites and slipping up now could kill off their European dream, while United need to keep up the pressure on league-leaders Chelsea.
The last time Spurs got this close was under Martin Jol in the 05/06 and 06/07 season when they finished 5^th on both occasions. And this season, they have every chance of making it to the Top 4. And as a fan of the Premier League, I want change!
It’s time now for the Pretenders to stand up and be counted. Liverpool have failed miserably this season and if they still manage to bag 4^th place, it will be a shame! Manchester has seen the rise of a new power. It’s North London’s time now to rise.
And I don’t mean Arsenal.

All you Gooners out there, Watch Out!

Oh Barcelona, Please Stop Crying!

I am so disappointed with FC Barcelona. Not because they lost to Inter on Tuesday night but because of what followed. They went overboard with their accusations at the referee and Xavi’s Portuguese comment was just too much.

You got beaten by a better side on the night. Accept it.

The Barca that I believed in would have brushed their knees, dusted their shirts and said - ‘Well boys, they’re yet to come home’. But that attitude went missing last night.

Pedro and Pique made it seem like they were already out of the Champions League. In all honesty, the referee didn’t have a bad game at all. In fact my only criticism of him would be the way he dished out those two early yellow cards to Eto’o and Busquets when he could have, really, given them a warning. Yes, the Alves incident was controversial, but pick one game in this modern era that has been perfect as per refereeing standards. Exactly, you just won’t be able to do that.

None the less, in Barcelona’s defense, they’re not used to it. It has been ages since a side last managed to toy with them the way Inter did. But then again, who can forget last year’s Tom Henning Ovrebo incident. So in a way, Justice has been served. What goes around, comes around.

In all, Barca were beaten by tactical genius and heart. If they manage to replicate that, 3-1 may not seem that bad after all.

Oh Wenger, Please Go Shopping!

They say 'money saved is money earned'. But in football, you don’t spend money. You invest it. Arsene Wenger has always been one to save. Barring a certain Nicolas Anelka (whose returns would've put the smartest stock broker to shame), Wenger has only been a ‘saver’ and not an ‘investor’ in the transfer market. Arsenal fans have been very patient for more than three years now. but what they witnessed on Wednesday night against Spurs might have been the final straw.

You can say that the night's happenings were ‘Typical Arsenal’. Everything seemed to be going for them. United had slipped up at the weekend, Chelsea just about managed to get past Bolton in a volleyball, erm, I mean football game and all Arsenal really had to do was beat Tottenham to jump into second place. But then again, what happened was that Spurs took the game 2-1 in probably the only time in the last four seasons where this fixture’s result actually mattered. 

Wenger, if you’re out there listening, it is time to loosen those strings. Spend! And I don’t mean spend on unknown commodities who no doubt will become ‘future’ superstars, but I mean spend on those stars who you call over-priced and over-hyped for at least they will deliver those trophies before you are on your way. The current generation of Arsenal fans too deserve to see success, so stop building for the future and start focusing on the present.

It’s good to hear that Chamakh is heading to London. Word from the Arsenal camp is also that a certain Wojciech Szczesny is the next big thing to hit the Emirates faithful. Wenger needs to also go out and look for an out and out striker. Something that Arsenal have never really had, which in my findings seem crucial for a club’s success. 

Just look at the number of goals Ruud Van Nistelrooy scored forManchester United during his term there. Look at the way Drogba has been banging in goals consistently over the past three seasons. An out and out machine-like robotic striker who would just put the ball in the back of the net regardless of the class, touch or skill, and would kill all those claims of Arsenal being shy in front of goal and lacking the edge to kill the game off. Bendtner, im sorry, but you are just not the one for this. 

Defensively too, Wenger needs to add more Vermaelen’s to his squad. Get rid of Silvestre! Bring in a high profile signing. On the flipside, if we really now think about it, apart from injuries there has been no other reason why they have failed yet again this season. It hasn’t been because their squad isn’t good enough or any such thing. On their day, Fabregas, Arshavin, RVP & co. can destroy pretty much any defensive line up in the world, but how many games have the three of them actually played together?

So how about this Mr. Wenger, go out and buy a good physio and fitness coach! Revamp the medical staff you have at the Emirates. Bring in the very best. If you’re saving on the outside then at least invest it inside! Give those poor Arsenal fans one major injury free season!
That’s all they’re really asking for.


Of Rooney, Real And Other Such Fantasies!
If reports are to believed, Rooney could very well be on his way to the Spanish capital this summer with Real reportedly willing to part with a whopping 90m. Adding to that, personal terms with the former Evertonian could see him pocket a mind boggling 60m in wages over the next five years.

Rubbish. Absolute rubbish. As long as Sir Alex Ferguson remains in charge at Old Trafford, no such deal can or will ever take place. Unlike Ronaldo, who only left to cherish his childhood dream of playing for the club he loved, Rooney is already at that club.

My belief is that no amount of money will be enough to sway his thoughts and if anything, the clubs' 800m debt could be the only factor that they may take into consideration. What I like most is that, since his move, Ronaldo has always talked about how he misses playing with Rooney and how he would love the oppurtunity to link up with him again. But not once has Rooney said anything similar about Ronaldo. Clearly, he wants nothing to do with Madrid and does not want to give the media any chance to write anything whatsoever on him being unhappy or unsettled at the club.

That is Mr.Manchester United for you. 

Go Ahead Shilpa, Indian Football Needs The Glamour

The Media. Flashing Lights. Cocktail Parties. Celebrities. Oh, and a little bit of cricket as well. This is The IndianPremier League or the IPL as it is commonly referred to, that has taken our country by storm. 

The brainchild of a certain Lalit Modi, it is one of the biggest sporting ventures in the world and is touted by the organizers to even topple the English Premier Leaguein no time. It has it all – money, drama, action, cheerleaders, everything to make this cricketing affair a lot more for the non-cricket enthusiasts. 
 
Now imagine this. It's the East Bengal Tigers vs Mahindra United Rhinos (Or something). The venue - the Salt Lake Stadium, with a packed crowd of over a hundred thousand people shouting incessantly at every blow of the referees whistle as the cheerleaders light up the various makeshift stages with their sexy curves and groovy moves. 

The game is pegged at 1-1 with just three minutes to go. East Bengal Tigers get a free kick. Their star man steps up. He places the ball delicately on the wonderful new pitches provided by the owners. He measures his run, lines up the shot, and BANG! DAVID BECKHAM has won it for the East Bengal Tigers in the dying minutes of the game! 
 
Sounds like a fantasy right? 

Well, if recent sources are to be believed this, or something similar to it, could very soon turn into reality. NRI Business tycoon Raj Kundra and his Bollywood actress wife Shilpa Shetty are apparently keen to kick-start (no pun intended) an ‘Indian Football League’ of sorts, parallel to the IPL, to take the sport in our country to even greater heights.  

In a cricket-crazy nation, one might wonder whether such a venture can really catch on big time. But my count is, it most definitely will! Why? Simply because once glamour and entertainment is attached to football, it gives it that ‘X-Factor’ of sorts, that can really make it work.  

Let me give you an ideal example. Ranji Trophy Cricket in India has been in existence for more than 50 years now. The Ranji Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between different city and state sides, much similar to the IPL. Yet, the IPL has garnered far more attention from all of us in its three years than the Ranji Trophy probably ever has!

The format of the competitions are similar. Both involve one state playing another. Then why such a huge difference?  Its simple, refer to the opening lines. 

The I-league in India is the football equivalent of the Ranji Trophy. You have various sides from different parts of the country playing against one another to determine the ultimate winner.

However, the infrastructure is very poor. The playing conditions at some places are not fit for a national league. The training methods are not in sync with the rest of the world, and in all, it’s a tad boring to a majority of our population, who refuse to watch it.

With the introduction of an IPL-style league, everything could change. For starters, money will begin to flow in, and team owners will make sure that their franchises have access to better infrastructure. And with better infrastructure, comes better talent, and far more attractive football. It’s a positive loop.

And with the kind of influence our nations’ big shots have acquired, big name footballers like David Villa, David Beckham, Fernando Torres, etc might just be tempted to come down to India for a while to play in the league, and become some of the names that we start associating our local clubs with. 

Indian Football deserves that boost. Why must a nation of more than a billion people have just one sport to be crazy about? The whole world watches football! The FIFA World Cup is one of the biggest sporting events on our planet. Yet our country has not featured in it for light years now.

What Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty are doing is also potentially setting up the country for greater things in the future. As India Football Coach Bob Houghton recently mentioned in an interview, India have vast potential but zero resources. Now imagine providing that vast potential with maximum resources. It surely will make an impact now, wouldn’t it? 

After all, even if we don’t like the sport, we still like the hundred odd things that surround it. 

Hope the BCCI is listening!


For latest football news and editorials, log on to Goal.com India.

DIVING IS AN ART

Play hard. Get into every tackle. Pull their shirts. Make them scream. This is today’s 'lesser' sides' approach to a game against The Big 4. If you cannot match them on quality, you certainly have a chance at physicality. So push them off the pitch and break their superior style of play. Let them keep possession...but make them pay for it.

Now the question is...."Is this fair"?

Of course it is.

Arsene Wenger will most certainly beg to differ, but that is the modern game! English football as compared to the other leagues of Europe does allow that little extra sense of physicality. So if you don't have the quality, bulk up your quantity. Now by no means am I defending Shawcross for his tackle on Ramsey. That was a one-off (well, for the league) and although it is more likely to happen in the Premiership (with flying tackles and kung-fu bouts), it is not something that is really well endorsed.

British Football has and always will be about playing hard. The Spaniards are well known for their silky smooth style, and in Spain, the referees are a lot stricter when it comes to physicality. Shirt pulling – a norm in the Premiership usually ignored by referees, is a ‘serious crime’ according to their Spanish counterparts who do not hesitate in pointing to the spot for even the slightest of tugs. Most Spaniards who come to England to play are the biggest victims of crass English defending. In the United Liverpool game last Sunday, Maxi Rodriguez looked like he had been put through three stages of hell by Gary Neville. Every time he would touch the ball, Neville’s man-marking instincts would take over and he would immediately go right through the Spaniard. Eventually Maxi was taken off, bruised, battered and bandaged!

THIS Is the main reason why “Diving” is so common in the premiership now. A phenomenon that I believe is a foreign import has come up as a sly counter to hard tackles and challenges. Although it may be an immoral and cowardly act, ‘Diving’ according to me is an art.

An art of deception, that takes a magician to master. The rewards are excellent and the punishment is just. Either you get booked, abused and left there lying to incur your own abhorrence, or you are perceived to have been ‘brought down’ by the defender who is duly sent off just before you score that ‘well earned’ winning penalty. It’s a gamble that most strikers today are willing to take. 

My favorite example is Didier Drogba. Undoubtedly one of the best strikers in the world, in every game that he plays, he is easily the biggest man on the pitch. Yet, at the slightest tug, pull or tackle, this giant of a man comes crashing to the ground as though he was steamrolled by a twenty tonne engine and lays there simulating a pain sequence that would easily be deserving of an Oscar.

But that is what the modern game has evolved to. With results becoming a matter of life and death – “if that’s what you gotta do, then just do it”. (Nike would endorse that!).

 One might wonder where the morals have gone, but the stark truth is, they were thrown out the window the day sliding tackles came into effect. ‘Diving’ is just a reminder that Football’s underbelly can get very ugly and yet remain seductive.

Its a classic case of Big vs. Small and Right vs. Wrong. It may not always work. And only makes things worse.

But when it is your only tactic, go ahead, create magic.  

THE ROONITED EFFECT

It was a tie worthy of a Champions League final. But the Round of 16 was where they met. Two great sides. Sides with history, tradition & ambition.
Amusing as it may seem, both sides are recovering from massive breakups. One with Kaka and the other, Ronaldo. Hence, the fight was on to see who had moved on first.

The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza or The 'San Siro' as we know it was the venue and hosts AC Milan took on 'favorites' Manchester United. Both teams fielded their strongest lineups with Milan adopting a 4-3-3 of sorts and Manchester United playing their newly acquired 4-3-2-1. The game was touted to be a Rooney vs Ronaldinho affair. A lot was made of the Beckham saga too. Would he play? Will he start? Can he play? In all fairness, he did ok in the night. His cross set up the first goal and he displayed some master class defending as well.

At the very beginning of the game it was Milan who struck first blood. And who else, but Ronaldinho with a beautifully timed volley that deflected past Carrick into the back of the net. Pure class! It baffles me how a player like Ronaldinho manages to get himself omitted from his national side.  He showed great skill with the ball and played the kind of football that would have broken into smiles even the stubbornest of souls. For a lot of us, he was reborn last night. The bucktoothed wizard was arguably the best player on the pitch for the whole of 90 minutes. With the stylish flip flaps, to his intricate Joga Bonito style of play, he was the master performer of the night. Matched against his fellow Brazilian Rafael, he made the latter look half his age.

Milan dominated the first half despite a scrappy goal from veteran Paul Scholes that drew the visitor’s level. The attacking triplet of Pato, Huntelaar and Ronaldinho tormented the United defense that somehow managed to let loose only one goal despite their shabby performance. In all fairness, had Milan converted their chances, the game could have ended very differently. But they didn’t. And they paid for it.

Man of the night Wayne Rooney was virtually absent for the opening Thirty minutes of the game. The Nesta-Silva pairing, dubbed as Seria A's very best were given an easy first half with Milan's midfield enjoying majority of the possession. United's midfield in contrast were dismal and allowed the likes of Pirlo and Beckham to take a touch too many, too often. This was apparent when Thiago Silva marched nearly 20 yards within goal without being challenged for the ball.

Much was expected out of United's young wing wizard Nani, who not too long ago was out destroying world class defenses on his own. But he, like the rest of his teammates, had a very poor start and a majority of his crosses ended up in the stands leaving behind a very irate Rooney.

But, enter second half! The game transformed. Nani Out, Valencia In. And that made the difference! Scholes latched onto a misplaced pass by Silva and immediately drilled it towards the United substitute who then took on Favalli head on and after feigning an extra touch delivered a beautiful high cross which Rooney duly met with his head. As the ball rose from Rooney's head towards the top right corner, rose with it a million red devils from the edge of their seats. And as the ball sunk into the side net of Dida's goal, sunk with it the 'heady' hopes (no pun intended) of the Rossoneri.

Suddenly, there was a shift in possession. Fletcher and Carrick finally got into the game. United were creating chances after chances. Nesta and Silva were being unsettled by the quick pace of Valencia, Park and Rooney. And then came United's third of the night. The Game Breaker. Another wonderful header from Rooney, and the dream fixture was put to a premature end.

Or so we thought.

One criticism I have of AC Milan is them not starting with Clarence Seedorf, the man who proved to be the very same opposition’s nemesis 3 years ago. Nonetheless, the substitution was made and almost immediately you could see the difference. Within 5 minutes of full time, the ball was played to Ronaldinho who in a flash, played a dazzling low cross to Seedorf who's classy finish United fans will find hard to forget. To add to their woes, Carrick was shown Red for time wasting.
Milan's final chance came in injury time, when once again Ronaldinho sliced open United's defense with a slick through ball to Inzaghi only for him to shoot high and wide. The referee blew his whistle soon after, much to the relief of the United entourage.

Final Score - AC Milan 2-3 Manchester United

One thing to note is that despite the result, the tie is by no means over. Old Trafford may not be the kindest; when it comes to travelling teams but, Milan have done it in the past. The return leg will be won by the team that wants it more. Heart will play a big factor. Sir Alex Ferguson's men have been exposed too many times this season and with all the melodrama surrounding Beckham’s return and with Ronaldinho and co. out to prove a point, anything can happen.

After all, persistence is not just key.

It’s everything!