Beckham: An extraordinarily charismatic but, at most, an ‘ordinary’ player
David Beckham has finally drawn curtains on his glamorous 21-year career. Notice the word “glamorous” in my opening sentence and the absence of a single word about football. I won’t shy away from saying I did that on purpose because the notion I’m going to present in my piece here is something that has divided the opinion of the footballing world throughout the glittery career of the former England captain. Have you ever wondered what would happen if Imran Khan didn’t look like he did or didn’t have a charming personality? Would he still have the crazy fan following that ...
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Sir Alex Ferguson: Unpredictable and unforgettable
For those of you who watched Sir Alex Ferguson’s farewell speech at Old Trafford, I think it would be fair to say that it was an emotional experience. For those of you that didn’t, well, ‘Google it’ – it’s worth your time. He begins his speech by saying that he has “got no script in mind” and he is “going to ramble.” I guess what he didn’t realise was that it was this so-called rant that made his speech so poignant. He states, “The players… I wish the players every success in the future. You know how good you are, you know ...
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Who do you prefer, Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi?
Fate wasn’t so kind to the two of the most talented and exciting footballers in history when it decided to send them together to set the world of football on fire. I can foresee regular space for them in the leading newspapers around the world for decades to come. Comparisons have been drawn between the two of them ever since they started playing and will continue to be drawn long after they hang up their boots. I am sure we all know who I am talking about, its Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Their names are synonymous with their clubs ...
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Manchester United versus Real Madrid left red mist rising
Manchester United 1 – 2 Real Madrid (2-3 on aggregate) Prologue: The script was written for another magical night of European football at the “Theater Of Dreams.” The Red Devils lay in wait as the Spanish armada sailed into Manchester bearing their prodigal son, more commonly known as Ronaldo, for the return leg of their clash. However, neither the magic of the night nor the mania of Ronaldo’s return was to take centre stage. A hasty revision had been made; the story line altered the plot thrown asunder. A rollercoaster game that began with the sheer disbelief at Wayne Rooney’s omission from the ...
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English Premier League: Predicting the final league table
Like every year, we are in for a great end to the English Premier League saga. With clubs competing at several avenues this year, it will be a rather stressful, nail-biting finish to see which of these secure elite positions at the league table. The big spender Manchester City is trying to shift in top gear after securing a win over Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium. This is being done in an attempt to bridge the gap between them and their namesake, leading Manchester United. The table leaders, Manchester United, have only lost one league home game (against Tottenham Hotspur) this season and are in ...
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English Premier League: Manchester City or Manchester United?
I’m sure all the avid lovers of the English Premier League (especially Manchester United) think that they have already won the crown of the English Premier league for 2012-2013. However, there are still 12 matches to be played by 18 teams and anything can happen. Manchester United seems to be in a very strong position; 12 points above the second place team (Manchester City), and 16 points over third place (Chelsea). Sir Alex Ferguson’s team has the best lead since the 2000-2001 season and their next five matches are against Queens Park Rangers (QPR), Norwich City, West Ham, Reading and Sunderland. They look ...
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UEFA Champions League returns: Here are the predictions!
February has started, which means the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, the biggest club competition in the world, is less than a fortnight away. Out of 32, the remaining 16 teams will resume their quest for glory with all of them having only one target in their minds, that is to reach the final at Wembley on May 25 and then to be crowned as Champions of Europe. No disrespect to the group stages of the tournament, but the real thrill and excitement starts once the competition enters its knockout stages. And like always this year’s draw has put ...
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Out with Di Matteo, in with Benitez
It’s been a long standing quote that a week is a long time in football. In this case, in fact, it was five days ─ from last Saturday to this Wednesday. The Saturday brought the mouthwatering North London derby and its share of controversy. As the commentator said, “It had to be him,” Adebayor sent off when Spurs seemed to have a better hand in the clash. Traditionally, the clash of Arsenal with Tottenham Hotspurs is only second to the Liverpool derby and players being sent off is fairly common. Adebayor ─ once of Arsenal, and loved in the Islington area ...
Read Full PostIs it time for Arsene Wenger to leave?
Arsenal 2 Schalke 04 2 All that was missing from another disappointing European venture for Arsenal was David Bowie and Queen singing Under Pressure in the backdrop. Another night of frustration and anxiety for Gunners fans the world over as they saw a beleaguered Arsenal team catapult to a 2-0 lead only to predictably throw it away in the end. Despite an impressive first half display, looking at the Arsenal team sheet, the lack of a world-class striker was only too apparent. Rewind to last weekend’s misadventure in Manchester. Both results are symbolic of one man Robin van Persie, popularly known as RVP. It ...
Read Full PostSocial media and sports just don’t gel!
The modern era of sports has seen the industry experience an overhaul of the conventional modes of communication. The integration of the social media with the world of sports meant that communication was taken to a whole new level — one that now seems to be getting the better of most sports organisations and athletes. Social media portals such as Facebook and Twitter are not just confined to sports boards and organisations. The ‘social circle’ now entails athletes and players as well, who have redefined the use of these portals as an outlet to directly communicate with their fans and ...
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