RICH PICKINGS...

Mario Baloteli's move to Manchester City two and half years ago was one of those curious moments for me as a follower of the game. I spent a while watching him play for Man city, without really being able to fathom the "talent" this lad had. I frankly thought it was all a waste of money. I remember him labouring in his tracking back duties last Easter Sunday, when Man city's title hopes took a false dent at the Emirates, against Arsenal. Joleon Lescott in one moment, barracking the Italian international after Walcott  menaced with one of his runs on the flank. Balotelli seemed out of sorts in that game. Unsuited, and struggling to do the basics.
For someone who came to England with a reputation in his home country for trouble, and not really a starter at Man city, I was  bemused by his inclusion in Italy's squad for the Euros last summer, by Cesare Prandelli. Not only in the suqad, but at the apex of Italy's attack. I must say his performance in that  tournament had me conceding my optics were erroneous. Mario Balotelli was one of the best strikers at EURO 2012, and his stock rose, if you add the fact that he was one of the top scorers with three goals.
His time at the Ethihad was fraught with juvenile delinquency, and moronic tendencies, especially off the pitch. shame most in England will remember him for that, rather than a very capable player. Roberto Mancini, Man city's boss must share part of the blame for failing to get Balotelli's head right in establishing himself as a player to be taken seriously. Before you disagree with me profusely, hear me out... 
Balotelli's protracted transfer to Milan, and his performances so far, lends us an insight once more as to why managers need to have some solid sort of ideas of what they are getting into when they sign certain players. I have watched this lad play four games for AC Milan since his january move, and you can see from his body language, he is relaxed, comfortable, and  acts like a star player. His team mates oblige him : he takes the free kicks, gets served the goal scoring opportunities.... Intrinsically, the club and the manager, Massimiliano Allegri, have in effect implied " go and be the star for us ";  and sometimes, that is what characters like Balotelli need - a platform to perform, and players around who would pander to their playing needs / ego. A return of four goals in four games presents the right sort of beginning to his Milan career. Against Inter Milan, last Sunday, Balotelli gave the clearest indication yet, Milan is the right Place to further his career : Playing as a centre forward, he was sharp, focussed, a threat all the time in the air, on the deck, and came up with skills we never saw of him at Man city.
At Man City, he was Clown Prince. An embodiment of an idle mind is the devils's workshop. He perceived he was not going to start games, nor play through the middle if he did; and the press had chracterized him in a certain way, and played to the gallery. Milan has challenged him, and I believe he is in the right environment to fulfill his potential. More inportantly, the tactical culture in Italy suits him. Balotelli is not a striker to play down the left, or track back, or made to be the first line for "pressing" defenders. He won't be made to do that in Italy either. That may mean we shall not be speaking of a wayward genius in the future. Hope !!!


BARCELONA VS AC MILAN : First Blood to Milan. Their 2-0 victory was another clear indication of how vulnerable Barcelona's style is to the counter attack. They push so many men forward on occasions, it seems foolhardy. We must applaud their dogma; they have never changed, never got shy. We have seen Barcelona armbushed this way in the champions league by Man United, Chelsea, Inter Milan in the knockout stages, over the recent years. But i reckon they are due some luck now on the law of averages, hence i am backing them to turn the tables on Milan at the Camp Nou in two weeks time. We should remember as much as goals change games, incidents do too. To suggest this tie is beyond Barceloana is something i am not willing to countenance.  I believe they will blow Milan apart, and double down on this smash and grab postulation. Having said that, Milan deserve a lot of credit for their discipline, work rate, and ability to put in a very balanced performance  in their San Siro victory.

MAN UTD VS REAL MADRID : After Real beat Barcelona 3-1 in the Spanish cup semi finals on tuesday, the press signalled it a warning to Sir Alex ferguson on how dangerous Madrid remain;  and Jose Mourinho has it coming for Man Utd.... Talk is cheap. Like i said before the first game, Man utd are not Barcelona, and do not play that way either. If anyone thinks Fergie will adopt a cavalier approach at Old trafford next week, they'll be in for a shock. I see United adopting a sequel to the tactics of the first leg, except an improvement in ball retention and circulation. Fergie has been too long in the game to go chasing the first goal. That's for Real to do, while they look to unpick them on the break. United would look to control possession with a solid shape, and i believe they'll win at Old Trafford. Of course, Ronaldo and Di Maria on the flanks are ever so dangerous. United would be encouraged by how they doused  Madrid's flames in the first leg, and once again I feel are better nuanced to take this tie.

SWANSEA'S CAPITAL CUP : Congratulations to Swansea FC for their capital one cup triumph. It was one of the strangest cup finals i have ever witnessed, because you almost knew what fate had in store for plucky Bradford. You knew their fairytale was going to encounter a reality check at wembley. Swansea were too good for them tactically. It snuffed life out of them keeping  the ball as swansea did.  Swansea players must realise cup finals are not customarily like that. It was so easy,  Jonathan de Guzman and Natan Dyer spent time arguing over who would take the penalty to put Swansea 4-0 up.  The incident encapsulates how straight forward the game was for Swansea, and pundits were divided on who had the right to take the penalty between the two contending players. scoring a hat-trick at wembley in this cup final  had never been done before, which makes me side with Nathan Dyer. I am sure we have most often seen a player on a hatrick obliged the oppurtunity to take the penalty. I was quite shocked de Guzman refused that protocol. Fair enough he wanted to get on the score sheet too; neither can I understand Patrick Barclay, of the Evening Standard, and his enhanced version of events, nor his derogatory charactertization of Nathan Dyer :
             
 " it was sad to see Nathan Dyer expose his self -absorption at wembley Yesterday.....
   Dyer played very well against the League two side and has given some half-decent performances
   for Swansea against premier opposition but yesterday's display gave a hint as to why his England
   career stopped at youth level "

PATRICK BARCLAY. MONDAY, FEB 25TH, 2013 EVENING STANDARD.

Patrick Barclay, how condescending of you ! For the record, you are a Jerk. Your extrapolation on Dyer is sanctimonious nonsense. I bet people like you in 1985 did not want Kevin Moran to get his FA Cup winners' medal because he was the first player to be sent off in an FA Cup final. How about a taste of you own medicine.

RAFA'S OPINIONS : I had to watch the press conference on U tube to understand the press reaction to Rafa Benitez's comments after they beat Middlesborough. They made out to be the Spaniad lost a few screws in his head . Calling it a "rant". While i can understand their need to sell stories, I have misgivings on how they have labelled the situation. It makes them educated idiots. Rafa has the balls to say what they, the press, know is true. Chelsea are a psychotic patient dancing deliriously in the town centre.  The facts suggest so. Their fans' hounding of Rafa Benitez is like the psychotic patient joined by a self-mutilating ally. We should give him kudos for calling the fans' bluff, and reminding everyone Chelsea is run by warped people. The fans are further making  the club  haemorrhage. 

THE NORTH LONDON DERBY : This Sunday shall be an intriguing one. i hope it does not end in a draw. We need to find out what mettle these two teams have. Have Spurs had an easy ride under the radar, or Arsene wenger's mastery of fourth place finish is about to reach epic propotions, given that seems to be the challenge that turns him on the most. There shall be firewroks for sure : Adebayor's misplaced vendetta, Aresenal's non-defense, Garreth Bale's recent incredible form, the intense atmosphere of White Hart Lane, and the sort of game Arsenal have the potential to win. There will be no hiding place for the losers. Spurs might just be peaking a little too early for their own good. Arsenal know the scent of fourth place, and their manager makes that his claim to fame; So, I err on his side, and an Arsenal victory. If they lose, Wenger's credibility would be at an all time low.

Arsene Wenger's One-Eyed Vision

......."we made more than six hundred passes in that game ( against Norwich ) and i watched it again twice, and they defended very well. We were not quick or sharp enough to create chances....... "

ARSENE WENGER - OCT 24TH, 2012.

"We do not have a big gap between what our players earn at Arsenal. We are more a socialist model and vulnerable because of that. We have something that is defendable in front of every single player. We make exceptions, but the exceptions are maybe not as high as else where.

ARSENE WENGER - JANUARY 6TH, 2013.


......" I couldn't see how we could lose the game because we had lots of the ball and they
         had one shot on goal but they defended well and it's the kind of game you can lose
         if you make a mistake at the back like we did".........

ARSENE WENGER - FEBRUARY 16TH,  2013.  ( after being knocked out of the FA Cup )

Those three quotes are a microcosm of Aresene Wenger's mentality as the coach of Arsenal Football Club, and the reasons behind it's lack of sporting success for eight years. It's not some kind of jinx, it's simply because the manager's raw instinct to win... that feeling of "my career here depends on winning a trophy this season "; that disconnection with the reality and aspirations of the fans ; that stout pursuit of an agenda that he has fostered, that he has gotten so mired in, so blind to, that he cannot fashion an exit strategy from..., is eroding his credibility. Arsene Wenger is lost as a football man. He now belongs in a wilderness of impractical theories and  self-absorbed in fantasies.  In this vain, his players are badly managed, and unfit for purpose..... figures of confusion, torn between their primal instinct, and how Arsene Wenger has programmed their minds to perform, hence their schizophrenic displays.

VISION : in 1996, Arsene Wenger inherited a winning squad, which he made even better, and went on to win more titles. He was influential in the move to a stadium of bigger capacity. The grand idea behind the move was to compete with Manchester United financially, and elbow them out of their sporting pole position. it made sense.  Old Trafford with gate takings from 70,000 fans, and Highbury with 38,000 was  depicted  as  a distortion of Arsenal's true potential. Man Utd could build a better squad of players than Arsenal because it had more cash to buy better players every year than Arsenal.  Arsene Wenger must be given credit for navigating the club through a period of austerity, while a new stadium was being built. He used his extensive surveillance network to bring in rough diamonds from Europe, Africa, and South America - Jeremy Aliadiere, Fabregas, Song, Emmanuel Eboue, Denilson,  for very cheap. He transformed the style of play, making the team technically affluent and flamboyant. To have masterminded such a delicate vision, and bringing it to fruition, amid a cash crisis was nothing short of amazing. It will be arguably his most admirable legacy. It got the Club loads of support from neutrals in recognition of it's noble cause. It takes courage to fashion out a business model that is healthy, sustainable, and taking practical steps to service the debt on a stadium.

ROAD BLOCK : Arsene Wenger's Baby was to get his team to play attractive,  technical football, and to give 60.000 thousand home fans entertainment and value for their money. He recognized ticket and hospitality costs at the Emirates stadium was about the highest in the land, but perhaps felt the fans would see it as a price worth the exchange for their pleasure. This is the point where the great man began to get it all wrong, and the drift away from reality. Football is a pleasure for fans only when their team win matches and titles. The writing was on the wall from the very first season at the Emirates. They thumped Liverpool 3-0, but struggled to break down teams that played on the counter attack with a resilient defensive shield. That trend has continued to this day. It's  been eight years  of a recurring pattern.... brilliant and incisive in one game, labouring to score in the next, permanently erratic. Titles remain elusive to teams that are void of consistency.

WHEREIN LIES THE FAULT ?  Sadly, you have lay it at the door step of the manager.  In my opinion far too entrenched in the club's financial side for the good of anyone. Wenger has taken his role as custodian of the Club's financial health to the detriment of his evolution as a coach.  Yes, he has brought in loads of cash from selling players for vastly inflated sums, but the consequence of that is the club has lost it's focus on trophies. The environment has become excessively commercial. Contracts and remuneration have overshadowed  proceedings. He has failed to galvanize the team to a winning ethos.
The synergy of player genre and style of play has resulted in untold malfunctions. Players are signed for the primary point of fitting in with the team's tactical structure. It is never about ambitions to help it win trophies, nor tapping the players experience at winning. Arsene Wenger puts style over substance, never generating a squad hell bent on winning. Too predominant is the idea of how to play the Arsenal way, failing to realize nothing has been achieved with this methods, and how upset the faithful are
Arsenal need to fashion a simple winning formula, that can provide consistency. This intricate, one pass too many makes their attacks  easy to deal with by the opposition. To compound matters, because the strategy involves pushing many men into attack, they are vulnerable behind,  and the manager let's this state of affairs' perennial existence. Even a novice could tell Arsenal's play lacks the right defensive organization.
Arsenal have become a club where too many players arrive for the purpose of their own development. It's the right place, there is stability with the manager, and youth being given a chance, then once that has been achieved , move on to win titles elsewhere.

ADJUST : Arsenal need to rediscover it's road map to titles. That has not been emphasized and worked towards with the gravitas required. The atmosphere must be imbued with a mentality to win, rather than for hollow plaudits for playing "good football". There is no doubt the details left to achieving formidable status are marginal. It's  a need to adjust the philosophy slightly, be smarter, the prestige of winning trophies complements the current project.... in fact it enhances it. There is no need for the club to be organized  on  wholly puritan values. Borussia Dortmund and Ajax have made success of the this laudable model.  The right balance is missing at Arsenal. Over to you Mr. Wenger.

Real Madrid shall Fall !

An iconic club, nine times European champions, a combustible, but ultra successful  trainer ; One of the best   forwards currently in their ranks, Spanish champions, and a team with no less than four, double European championship, and world cup winners in their first eleven. Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, we are talking about the Great Real Madrid, and it's glittering personnel. If you overlook the grand introduction I have accorded them, we are talking about a club, a team, and a trainer in the middle of a crisis of some proportions.  Real Madrid are sixteen points behind Barcelona in La Liga; third in the table, even behind back waters, Atletico Madrid. Who is to blame ? take your peak.... Jose Mourinho who manages the team, the players, internal politics ????? more like the first two.

Real Madrid would weather storms, and continue to write successful chapters in it's history. The club as ever shall keep the worthy players, and rid itself of the unproductive ones. If Real Madrid fail to get past Manchester United in the 2012 / 2013 champions league last 16 tie, Jose Mourinho, their combustible coach would no doubt be the poster boy for their failure. A man who  plays high stakes always in his quest for success and trophies, or in confrontation of any sort. A man whose coaching fame was born after his swagger out of Old Traffford in 2004, when his Porto team downed United 3-2 on aggregate. He went on to win the champions league that year, and that triumph defined Jose Mourinho's standards.  He taunted his rivals about his levels of success. He brought a new definition to success..... it was personalized. Here we are, on the eve of Real Madrid's second round tie with the premiership leaders Man Utd, and Jose Mourinho's reign as Real Madrid's trainer hangs by a thread.... in the most vulnerable and  precarious of situations he has ever been professionally. This tie holds the key to the next chapter in Mourinho's coaching career. Another flawed genius ? all those lofty words he said " am the special one"......." i  am the only one "....... shall unravel before him with the out come of this tie. Truth or dare ? Only the coveted champions league trophy can save Mourinho's job, or at least  insulate him after the impending sack as manager at the Bernabeu. Isn't it ironic he needs the Champions League for redemption ? After winning La Liga last year, Real have gone into a tail spin, with their volatile coach feuding with his players, the spanish media, club officials, referees, and all. High stakes or siege syndrome ? motivation or implosion ? Mourinho has used these ploys as a means to an end, but diminishing returns have set-in. He is going to taste his own medicine. Decline, or the beginning of it is imminent.

No doubt this tie shall be a fascinating contest. The winner of it would need to master certain elements better. ADAPTABILITY :  winning will depend on which team settles best to the change in style from the regimen of playing domestically over the last two months.  DEFENDING : two teams with lethal marksmen in Ronaldo and Robin van persie. FIRST LEG ADVANTAGE :  the team to come out of the first leg with an advantage of any sort would go on to win the tie. I am backing United on all three indices . It started out as a strange season for them with a spate of injuries, musical chairs in the keeper's department, a suspect defense, and questions about van Persie being able to replicate his Arsenal goal scoring feat. Fergie and his team have consistently found solutions to these issues, and the team have performed to a consistent level in quality, and starting to gain the right sort of momentum for february - April. I believe United have the players to generate the sort of flexibility crucial to this tie. Robin van persie and Wayne Rooney hold the key for them. Rooney can do everything on the pitch, and is playing right now with sublime imagination. van Persie has that menacing look at the moment - a devil in the box, with an instinct to conjure a goal from an improbable situation

if United have consistently found solutions, Real Madrid are wallowing in the lack of them. One doubts their manager's psychological and motivational skills being able to get through to the players. Madrid's strongest point is not about style, but substance, and in particular scoring goals. They have lost too many times this season to be able to raise their game past United.  Jose Mourinho is a great tactician, but United are not as predictable as Barcelona ; at this point,  he is like an artist without a canvass to paint on.  Having said that, with Ronaldo the scoring sensation, and the duo of Mezut Ozil and Angel  Di Maria, Real have the sort of players to squeeze you in the tender areas. These three are key to Real taking this tie.

I repeat :  I fancy United all the way. They have the nuances that are vital to clinching this this two legged contest. It would be the end of Real's grand ambition of a tenth champions league success,  and an end to Morinho's contentious reign in Madrid. Who would have thought the champions league would prove to be his hamstring. What a crazy game !

Promising for England, Worries for Brazil

England 2 Brazil 1. Wembley Stadium, on a Cold February 6th night, with 85,000 spectators proves the  pulling powers of these  two first tier soccer nations. With the World cup finals in Brazil only a year and a half away, this friendly game served as a bellwether for both nations' state of play.  Sometimes, friendly games offer misleading conclusions; generally the truth lies some where between promise, apathy, and worry.
England have not beaten Brazil for over two generations, and for those who have followed this fixture long enough, you'd know that has not occurred since the heydays  of Gary Lineker ( remember his goal scoring exploits for England  in that epoch ? ) ; and the season Liverpool last were Champions of England....

ENGLAND :  I am pleased Roy Hodgson chose his team and tactics primarily on current form. Opting for a 4-3-3 formation in  vogue with premiership teams currently. A three man attack with Walcott to the right, Welbeck to the left, and Rooney through the middle. This trio gave England's attack a cutting edge.  In midfield, Steven Gerrard moped-up, Tom Cleverly was busy, and Jack Wilshire stole the show as the furtherest of the three-man midfield, with some exciting play of skill, incision, and poise. On the whole, the midfield was balanced, and that was an enabling factor in getting especially Walcott into combat with the Brazilian defense-line, which suited the Arsenal Striker to dominate with his scorching velocity. Defensively, Glen Johnson,  Chris Smalling, Gary Cahill, and Ashley Cole were efficient, and bar Cahill's error for Brazil's goal, left little or no space behind when the yellow shirts converged to contrive an equalizer.  The best thing for England is that it played within a conceived and sustainable frame work, and the players largely got it right on the night.  Yes, Jack Wilshire sparkled the most,  but it's fair to say this was  a good team performance, especially taking into account the absence of Jermaine Defoe, Daniel Sturridge, and Ashley Young. It was smart of Roy Hodgson not to water down this very important up-tick in standard of the team, by making too may substitutions, as was the irritating inclination of managers in the past.

WHERE TO GO : If it is widely acclaimed the performance and score line against Brazil was a qualified success, then perhaps it is an indication there is still a  long way to go. As stated earlier, friendlies sometimes can be a misrepresentation of reality. Jack Wilshere's  thrusts in midfield is adventurous and refreshing, but this style makes him very vulnerable to man-marking the more his talent unravels, which could potentially stymie the team. Just like Walcott is not going to be allowed to act fast and loose to the opposition when we get down to the business end of the spectrum.
There remains the uncompleted task qualifying for the world cup finals proper; then the "unknown unknowns ", injuries, form, and of course the reality that a year and half to the tournament is a pretty long time to be sure of anything. There is a stockpile of disappointment and wayward hope in the past surrounding England's fortunes. The public and the media must tread carefully henceforth.  No doubt the emerging generation - Raheem Sterling, Tom Cleverly, Jack Wilshere, Theo  Walcott,  Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, have arguably the potential for greater collective technical application than many of their predecessors could muster, but maybe it's best to take a different tact this time, like being muted, and let their football do the talking.

BRAZIL : There was some alarm and consternation at the performances of the team under the previous manager .  " Today is a historic day, Brazil needs to celebrate"....... Those were the words of legendary Brazil striker, and world cup winner Romario, when Mano Menezes was fired as coach in November 2012.  Not for the first time in history, the Brazilian public were not enamoured by the style of their team.  Mano Menezes tried unsuccessfully ( as many coaches in the past have found out ) to create a team whose attributes were not predominantly vintage Brazil  - flair and magic in it's character.  Menezes opted for the functional variant, and even though the team won over sixty percent of matches under his care, he had few friends. In came the man to have managed them to their last world cup victory - Phil Scolari, and he was greeted by defeat to England. Sincerely, I believe Brazil are not producing / do not possess the sort of talent to reflect the traditional values it's great sides  of the past embodied. Aside from Neymar, Oscar,  Lucas Moura, Thiago Silva ( who is injured) and the keeper Julio Caesar, the other players are not great. Danny Alves is in decline, Adriano is far less talented than Junior, Roberto Carlos, or  Leonardo, David Luis is erratic at best,  and the overrated striker Hulk is struggling for form at his club Zennit St Petersburg. Hulk's  international  goal scoring statistic of six goals in eighteen games is definitely less than you'd want ; the likes of Kaka, Ronaldinho, Fabiano, and even Fred  (  all 30 +) are staging a come back.... that crystalizes the scarcity of exceptional talent in  Brazilian Soccer at the moment.
To be fair to Big Phil Scolari,  if there was to be a game of grace, it  had to be the England (his first ) one. It would have been one of assessment and analyses, then a plan going forward, more than anything else. They did not play badly in my opinion : their tactical formation was  a similar 4-3-3 to England's. Ronaldinho did not really serve Neymar and Oscar on the flanks.... Paulinho and Ramaires  did not get a grip in midfield either, meaning the scene could not be set for their famous  team-combination play. In truth, they mounted some decent, albeit desperate offensive play in the last ten minutes, but the issues with the team are glaring. First things first, their defense needs better quality personnel
I'll tell you what : Brazil last hosted the World Cup finals in 1950, and lost in the final 2-1 to Uruguay. The country was gripped by such fervour and anticipation of victory the attendance for the game at the Maracana stadium was 210.000 ( 172,000 ticket sales for the game ) ; after the loss, the all white kit the national team normally wore was changed permanently as a form of banishing the  hoodoo that loss evoked. Thirdly, sadly at least two fans committed suicide in the aftermath of that loss.  There is still  time to put it right, and Big Phill fits the bill. Spain are such  awesome champions at the moment, and if Brazil are going to wrestle away their crown in 2014, it will take more than passion, hysteria, or home advantage. More importantly, they need more talent, and fast.

GUARDIOLA AND BAYERN : AN INTRIGUING MATCH

Pep Guardiola got the trophy cabinet at Barcelona packed full in his three year stint at the Club, why do you think that happened ? What was the reason behind Bayern Munich's appointment of the Spaniard as their manager next season, and what are they expecting from him ?

Pep Guardiola had become the most sought after coach since he took a well deserved sabbatical break. He was linked to most of the managerial posts at the biggest European Clubs - particularly Manchester City, Chelsea, and AC Millan.  It was much publicized that Roman Abramovich had offered him the Chelsea Manager's job; the whole idea being to transform Chelsea into playing the Barcelona way. One thing I did admire about Guardiola and his time at Barcelona, is that he always appeared to control his destiny. In other words, He bossed the timings of his contracts and it's duration, never wanted more than a year at a time, and when his fortunes started to flat line, he decided he wanted out. In the world of soccer management, it's not the norm to be in control of circumstances, especially as it concerns the when and how.

BACKGROUND:  Too many ignore the antecedence to Pep Guardiola's startling success at Barcelona, catapulting him to the mega star status of a soccer coach he now enjoys. Barcelona's playing method has been a work in progress for almost forty years, going back to when Dutch Legend Rinus Michels stepped into Camp Nou in 1971. Guardiola was bred in this special philosophy, played in it, and ultimately enhanced it when he managed the Club, culminating in their most successful era yet... The wider issue here, that seekers of Guardiola's expertise may not process, is that the man is ingrained in the Barcelona way, and you have to be careful with your expectations.

BAYERN MUNICH:  No doubt, outstanding, Germany's most successful Club, and a shinning light of European soccer. Who doesn't admire and respect what the Bavarian club represent. It's stability, stature, consistency, broad fan base, and The Allianze Arena is a magnificent stadium.
What Pep Guardiola would not have missed about his new employers, is that in the last forty eight years, the average duration of a manger at the Club is about two years, and only seven managers in that period, never managed to win a trophy for the club, and they had very short reigns indeed. That crystalizes the fact that they are a club synonymous with success - managers come and leave, the expectations / success rate tend to be the same. Their greatest managers remain Udo Lattek and Ottmar Hitzfeld who both won multiple Bundesliga Titles and took the club to be  Champions of Europe in their respective managerial spells.

DOUBTS : For whatever reason, Bayern Munich and Pep Guardiola have embarked on this working relationship, but it just has that odd feel to it. For Bayern, It's not the first time they have sought the services of a Marquee foreign manager. I still remember eye brows raised when they recruited Italian  Giovanni Trapattoni  in 1994, and his travails with the German language, and the general inadequacy in communicating with his players led him to quit after a barren year in charge at the club. In 2009, when Louis van Gaal was made coach, the Dutchman mentioned Bayern Munich as a "dream club ". Maybe too often, these heavy weight coaches get sucked-in to the allure of managing the Bavarians; they seem to misunderstand the task at hand. It is: "take us to the next level, or you are out" in Munich That was the fate Louis van Gaal met with when he struggled in his second season. For those who need reminding : Guardiola played under Louis van Gaal at Barcelona. At that time, one of Europe's most talented coaches, and spoken about in the same breathless fashion Guardiola is at the moment.
We must all get a grip, and realize PEP has only managed for three years, albeit spectacularly successful ones

Read : Have Barcelona peaked ?

If Bayern think they are on to a coach who is going to replicate Barcelona, or perhaps take them to the next level applying some formula of sorcery,  then they have the next six months to do some soul searching. The squad PEP  had at Barcelona was an exceptional one, with the best player in the world - Lionel Messi in it, and happened at a time when Spain were ( and still are ) producing the best players in Europe. Those ingredients do not exist in Bavaria.  The chances of Bayern looking like Barcelona is zero. On the other hand,  if Guardiola is  thinking that Bayern is a bastion of civility in their relationship with managers, he might find out they are just another wolf in sheep clothing. It's customary for most Bayern Munich managers to win the Bundesliga, but Felix Magath was the last one to spend three years there ( 2004 - 2007 ).  It's fair not to expect too much from Guardiola, and it's looking like he'll be a victim of his own success. His managerial career is very much just starting. The slate has to be wiped clean, and the past forgotten; this is a whole new ball game, and a very uncertain one. His reputation shouldn't precede him. Working outside Barcelona and their unique philosophy would not be an easy feat, even if everyone is hoodwinked Bayern Munich is a magnanimous and cosy environment for the ex Barcelona coach

PREFERENCE : Coaches are no magicians. You may have  genius in a player like Lionel Messi, coaches unfortunately do not exist in that range. The challenge for PEP at Bayern Munich will be a completely different one, and in some ways, more steep, particularly from a socio-cultural and tactical point of view. Coaching theories are great, but you need the vehicle to convey them. Do not underestimate the differences PEP would experience in Munich, and how it potentially could impact on this "plush" job he has just taken.
If I was his advisor, AC Milan would have been my suggestion to him. Their record with managers is more attractive, historically a more glamorous club, the socio-cultural ambience more suited, from a tactical approach, Italy would have been perfect for him to continue his education, and the fact that Milan is a sleeping giant right now, would have made it the right sort of Challenge to take PEP to the next level, or at the minimum,  keep the PEP myth intact.  Let's see how it all develops from here.

Chelsea, Lightning won't strike twice

I took my daughter to the cinema last sunday to see  MADAGASCAR 3. Watching the movie, I was struck me by the absurdity of the plot. However, the characters were pretty humorous, which made for  the desired entertainment  in a movie of such nature.

There is something about the news of Roberto Di Matteo's sacking, and the context of the long history of managerial dismissals at Chelsea under Roman Abramovic that brings  Madagascar 3 to mind. In their case, it's becoming ludicrous,  and a turn-off.  Folks say, it's soccer, and sackings like this at a big ambitious  club is part of the game. Such comments or thoughts lack intellectual gravitas. If it's an emotional whim,  it's primal and depraved. It's record breaking stupidity for a club to spend £90 million in eight years as compensation for  firing managers that they gleefully employed. Perhaps, somebody  ought to tell someone to redefine their objectives because it is fast becoming impractical and outlandish. Inventing another game to suit their tastes seems more probable than what they set out to achieve going down this route.

REBRAND : One could visit a restaurant and request the best vintage wine and get it. With soccer,  it's a different reality. It's not about requests, it's a contest. Let's walk the story back just over a year ago : Chelsea paid in the region of £ 10 million to Porto to secure supposedly the brightest young coach in Europe - Andreas Villas Boas. His task, or as Chelsea requested,  the new manager was to revamp the squad, play entertainingly, and win trophies. Chelsea wanted a shift from the tedious style they played. The young coach got lost in the impossible route to achieving those lop-sided objectives, got distracted, and sacked as a  consequence. The manager was fine. But there was something wrong with the task he was handed. In comes Roberto Di Matteo, who amalgamated the squad, got them playing pragmatically, and achieved the most spectacular of successes by winning the FA cup and the elusive champions league. That was a monumental feat given the team was all over the map before he took charge. 

Read : Jose, the blues are coming to get you

The thirst for a manager who sprinkles gold dust did not abate with Di Matteo's amazing triumphs. So evident was the club owner's hesitation to hand him the job full time even after his accomplishments, that it took the fans' outcry to sway him, and apparently grudgingly, to make Di Matteo Team Boss full time

Read, Roman, do not look past Robbie


A WORK IN PROGRESS :  I am of the opinion that Roberto Di Matteo's  work on the Chelsea Version 2.0 project was going in the right direction.  He had established the fundamentals of an exciting and attacking team employing the 4-2-3-1 formation. The trio of Oscar, Hazard, and Mata gave us a very clear indication of their attacking potential ; and Di Matteo used Lampard, Obi , and Ramires astutely as formidable anchor men in midfield. The squad is united and content, and individually there was never that sort of alarming deep in form or performance ; and that tells a reasonable observer the manager was doing a good job with the transition, performance, and results. Yes, a few results had not gone their way, and John Terry's suspension,  and subsequent injury weakened the team somewhat. On the whole, there was no need to initiate pressing the panic button. But this is the view from the rational school of thought. Unfortunately, Chelsea use warped standards of measurement, typically void of conventional wisdom when it comes to hiring and firing managers. Therein lies the crux of this insane syndrome they suffer from.


WEAKNESS: Captain John Terry missed most of the games they lost this season, and the pairing of David Luis  and Gary Cahill  crystalizes the problems they have as an alternative defensive pairing. These two are far from complimentary as a unit. Was it not obvious they ought to strengthen in that area  ? The choice of spending vast sums on attacking talent was more alluring. Who builds a team like that ? Then there is the goal scoring problem that seems to have been ducked in terms of finding another top class marksman  The owner  paid the outrageous sum of £50 million to Liverpool for a striker on the decline, and struggling for confidence after injuries. Drogba was made to be his hinderance.... off Drogba went to China, and Fernando Torres still has not found his groove. They were shy to confront the reality : "  Fernando can score goals, we do not need another striker "..... I imagine was the conclusion.  Waste of money,  scarce little football sense - that's Chelsea's world of heresy.  Rather than venting fury on managers, The owner of the club need to send the heads of his advisers for examination. The entire plan involving player purchase, style of play, and ambition is haphazard  and lacking in truth and credibility. It's lie that carries a siren

Read : Why Chelsea  shall fly into strong headwinds


THE BENITEZ OPTION : Here we go again, the new half cooked plan is to re-unite Fernando Torres with Rafa Benitez, and the magic cure is found. One imbecilic decision to another. Benitez got sacked from his last two jobs at Liverpool and Inter Milan respectively ; and the latter he joined as European  and Italian League champions. He proceeded to make a complete mess of events there in the six months he managed them. If Chelsea really want to play attractive Football, Benitez has a  CV that is not compatible with their illusions of playing the game so beautifully. No, I am mistaken, it's another in the series of stop-gap measures, or an interim manager as they are called ; except that Chelsea would expect lightning to strike twice, and Rafa Benitez goes on to win the League, FA cup, and the lot.  How deluded !  Just another retrogressive step. 


BOUNCE : No matter what happens, Roberto Di Matteo leaves with his head held high. He carried himself with dignity and honour always.  He will enjoy the bounce from his achievements of last season for a long time to come. Chelsea have unwittingly enhanced his career, education,  and name recognition. Not only that, he came across as a very intelligent manager, tactically clued-on, and very intellectual at post match conferences. For a guy who had not much experience managing a big club, to me,  he barely put a foot wrong in his short time in charge. His eyes always burned bright, and he chewed enthusiastically from the touch line. I sensed a man strong on the inside, and powerful in his convictions, hence i do not shed a tear for him. In fact, he is lucky to have left the mad house, and the extra cash to take away ain't that bad too.
This is not exactly a sad ending for Di Matteo.  He joined Chelsea as an assistant manager, never in his wildest dreams would he have thought he would manage Chelsea to winning that historic champions league final in Munich last May. No sacking can take take that off his CV, and i am sure he is going to land on both feet when he takes his next job.
Chelsea bifurcate into another chapter of their infantile and expensive  fantasy. Benitez keeps fellow spaniard Pep Guardiola's seat warm, or does he stake a claim to the hot seat ? There are times when money cannot purchase all kinds of fantasy and fun, simply because it's not practical. There is a limit to everything, and even though football is brilliant and sometimes unpredictable, it's dynamics never defies established wisdom.

ASSISTANT MANAGER

One Player who caught my eye this weekend is Norwich City and Scottish International Robert Snodgrass. He certainly won't be the cup of tea of most observers, but here is a very good player. Tremendous in technical ability playing on either flanks ; smooth in getting his team mates into the game;  delicious with his elegance and poise on the ball. I love to watch graceful players. Some times, they pop up at unfashionable Clubs, and fans only get to take them seriously when they move on to a bigger team, which is  a travesty.  Spare a thought for many of this shtick. Cast your mind to many journeymen players lapping it under the umbrella of a big club !

SWEDEN VS ENGLAND :  I read last week a suggestion from former German International Dietmar Hamann, England need be cautious with the inclusion of Raheem Sterling and Wilfried Zaha. His take is that England should not try to take advantage of the ambiguity surrounding the international futures of these two players :

" if Sterling and Zaha wanted to play for other nations, then let them. I don't think England 
   should lower themselves ( to ) calling players up to stop them playing international
   football elsewhere "

Read Raheem Sterling - A hypothesis for England


I find Hamann's comments patronizing and ill judged, if the quotes attributed to him are correct in context, because primarily, every individual is free. The decision on which nation a player commits to play for when he is eligible  for dual or multiple nations, is a tricky one no doubt, and there surely would be an element of persuading by the respective national  soccer governing bodies. Both lads came to England when they were practically infants, and would no doubt have gained English citizenship; both have definitely represented England at age grade levels, so getting them to play for England at senior level for the reasons Dietmar Hamann suggests is a misnomer. The FA in fact should do a lot more in this area, making sure the best soccer talents who are qualified to represent England end up doing so. The objective is to get the best possible tools at the disposal of the England manager. I'd like to see more follow the footsteps of Danny Welbeck, and the afore mentioned Sterling and Zaha. 

Roy Hodgson earns my praise for using these friendly games to blood new players. Too often in the past, managers were too shy to use friendly matches to experiment wisely. Roy Hodgson gave debuts to six players, starting with three ( Sterling, Osman, and Caulker ) I do not think there will be an England future for Ryan Shawcross and Leon Osman, but that is another matter. England needs gifted players, and a wider bunch to pick from. I am also pleased he has persevered with Daniel Sturridge in his squad. I am a big fan of Daniel Sturridge, and i believe with the right opportunity, and faith from a manager, this boy will reach the top. 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's fourth goal against England was sensational. A sumptuous and technically sublime effort from a player who has not enjoyed the adulation and respect his talent deserves in this country. Yes, he divides opinion, and i guess there are those who cannot stand his prima dona attitude, and that perhaps clouds their judgement of his talent. Ultimately, he is in a class of his own : back to back top scorer in Italy's Serie A ; he has won league titles at Juventus, Inter Milan, and AC Milan,  and do i mention Ajax and Barcelona ?  scored for six different teams in the champions league, and one of only two players in the history of the champions league to deliver four assists in a game. People may choose to talk about his brilliant fourth goal against England, overall, his ability is what freaks me out. He possesses amazing skill for a  big guy, very cerebral, a footballer's  footballer, fuses his team's attacking strategy, opens corridors for other players in attack, drops deep to get the ball, has vision, and his technical repertoire is fearsome. His plays the game on his own terms. His goal on wednesday was reminiscent in context of Maradona's  against England in 1986. Just as the English media were preparing to call Maradona a cheat for his hand ball goal, he scored a second which was a master class, and one of the best goals in the history of the world cup. England Captain Steven Gerrard set the hyperbole rolling by calling Ibrahimovic's fourth goal " the best goal i have ever seen ".  The media latched-on in typical fashion,  almost subscribing to  Gerrard's view. Zlatan  Ibrahimovic was not sold on it, he said :

      " That is the way it is with the English.  If you score against  them, you are good
       if you don't score against them you are not a good player ". 

Dare i say his comments strike a chord a with me. It's called selective prejudice.


" ASSISTANT MANAGERS " : this must be the theme of the weekend, given what is happening at West Brom and Norwich. Give it up for  Steve Clarke and Chris Hughton. 
I wonder if there is a more unspectacular, or selfless manager around than Steve Clarke.  As  an assistant to Jose mourinho,  and Avram Grant at Chelsea ; and to Gianfranco Zola at West Ham, and Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool, it would have been easy to conclude he was too timid to handle the big time and the spot light. There is nothing better than a man who does it his own way, and not shy to be a maverick. In many ways, Steve Clarke still has the demeanor of an assistant manager, except that after 12 games, unfashionable West Brom are fourth in the premier league, one point behind big spending European Champions Chelsea. Add to that, Steve Clarke's West Brom just beat Chelsea. An attestation to the man's dignity and class, he was not even looking excited at the feat his team had pulled-off in the post match interviews, essentially calling for feets to remain on the ground. I am positive West Brom will finish in the Top 8 this season, mark my words. Steve Clarke's modesty is refreshing and respectable. 

Another unsung hero is Norwich's manager Chris Hughton. A long time assistant at Spurs, sacked alogside Martin Jol in 2007;  he then took the impossible job of managing Newcastle in the championship, and successfully got them back to the premiership. For what ever reason, Mike Ashley pointed him to the exit ; Birmingham came calling, and he got them to the championship play-offs. When Norwich got battered at the beginning of the season, i feared succeeding Paul Lambert might be too much for this born and bred Londoner. It's indeed exciting to see him and his Norwich team doing well - beating Spurs, Arsenal, and now Man United so far this season. Watching them against United on saturday, Norwich look a really harnessed team, a confluence of hard work and persistent application in all areas of the pitch.

I have often thought, sometimes managers rush to big time jobs too soon; or young managers fail to finish their apprenticeship before impetuously taking big jobs at big clubs, then facing pressures that become an antithesis to their development.


Read : Martinez not ripe for Anfield.


I am delighted to see these two doing well, and i am rooting for all the unsung heroes working hard behind the scenes, while pompous clowns take all the credit as  "managers". Do not lose your wits folks !!!!

SOFT ON SPARKY : The way the media has handled Mark Hughes'  tenuous reign as manger of QPR lends credence to the theory that they pick winners and losers. Mark Hughes is a favourite son, no doubt. I admired him for his all- action- style as a player, and he had considerable success at Blackburn Rover, Manchester  City and Fulham as manager,  but i was never going to buy into the story line he cooked-up with Tony Fernandes - which involved recruiting twelve new players after beating the drop marginally last season. Those muppets got from Lord knows where, most have envisaged they were coming to England to play for London's version of  " Manchester City ". Gullible players, fans, and owner Tony Fernandes are reaping what they have sown.  The policy of throwing money at the relegation trap door is not going to work for QPR because they have not invested in the right calibre and make of players ; they signed too many and got rid of too many all at once ; and the manager does not have the nous, nor experience at team building, how much more one at supersonic speed.  I am sorry, but the manager has to take the blame for this mess.  The media and most of the fans think it's the players -  greedy and could not care less about the club.  I  would say QPR and Mark Hughes have overestimated. The media ought to get a grip of reality and remember Sparky can take it on the chin when it's the truth. That's why we loved him in the first place.


THE NORTH LONDON DERBY :  The universal verdict seems to be that Spurs lost to Arsenal because Emmanuel Adebayor got sent off after nineteen minutes. That's a load of fallacy. I have another version of the narrative. Spurs lost because they were hustled into submission in the last twenty minutes of the first half. They exhibited a bewildering mental frailty after Adebayor got sent off,  rather than rising to the occasion when they already had the lead. Their task was clear cut - hold on : instead they lost traction,  and that is the reason they lost the derby. Furthermore, Manager Andreas Villas Boas opted to play  3-4-2  with his ten men. They say discretion is a better part of valour, and trying to chase the game exposed his three defenders evermore. I would have opted to play tight for the second half, and stem the bleeding, rather than fighting with gaping wounds.  As for Adebayor, you would have thought  he has learnt his lessons returning to the Emirates. Adebayor should jettison this idea he has a point to prove to


Read: Adebayor must reset priorities 


Arsenal fans. It's a failed theory, and  mendacious.  His transfer to Man city made him a richer man, and  a choice he made.  He has been telling us how he plays with " passion ".  The foot high challenge he made that earned him a red card made no sense in footballing terms, because he was only going to impact the ball in such a way to send it back into danger - to his own half, so he need not have made a move / challenge in the first place. I wish for the sake of common sense he gets his act together.

For Arsenal, their football is lacking conviction and direction. Having said that, i believe they will mount a surprise push for the championship when they settle down in the next few weeks. It's pretty obvious there is competing ideas in the team's attacking tactical approach. They have to go 50 - 50 in terms of their indulgence in ball possession and passing ; and setting up Olivier Giroud through crosses as we saw happen a lot against Spurs. Once a balance is attained, and Gervinho returns, Arsenal will shoot up to title contenders - watch. The players sorted matters out when Spurs went down to ten men. There was a reaction that was spontaneous and organic in that last twenty minutes of the first half that drives a team to greater heights. The spear head of that was Santi Carzola. He drove the team on, and gutted Spurs as i predicted about his talents. This guy is a super player on his day, and would be one of the best Arsenal players of all time. 
   
Read : Santi Carzola : Even better than Fabregas

Not since Thierry Henry have i seen an Arsenal player play in attack with an edge. 

Chelsea, Man United, and Man City have not sustained any form or desire to be champions. Watch out,  Arsenal are going to surprise you soon.