"We're delighted to be in the draw," said Aberdeen manager Craig Brown after he led his team into the Scottish Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 win at Motherwell. "All the teams are fairly even,” he added. Sorry Craig, but they are not. Celtic will play either Hearts or St. Mirren who are a resounding 36 and 44 points respectively behind the league leaders in the SPL. Brown’s team trail Celtic by 42 points while their opponents in the last four, Hibs are a whopping 52 points behind the champions elect. Craig, in what universe are the teams fairly even?
Celtic recently announced meagre profits of $283,000 for the last financial year. At the time the amount was released it was ridiculed in the Scottish and English media and on fans Internet forums. Since the announcement of Celtic’s fiscal status Rangers have gone into administration amid mounting debts while Man City-08 announced losses of $299 million, Man United losses of $173 million and Chelsea-03 losses of $110 million. All things considered Celtic are doing quite well while the financial performances of the other four demonstrate why Financial Fair Play rules cannot be introduced soon enough.
Celtic recently announced meagre profits of $283,000 for the last financial year. At the time the amount was released it was ridiculed in the Scottish and English media and on fans Internet forums. Since the announcement of Celtic’s fiscal status Rangers have gone into administration amid mounting debts while Man City-08 announced losses of $299 million, Man United losses of $173 million and Chelsea-03 losses of $110 million. All things considered Celtic are doing quite well while the financial performances of the other four demonstrate why Financial Fair Play rules cannot be introduced soon enough.
Can we put to bed two myths about Arsenal? The first, that they don’t spend money on player salaries or transfer fees. If that is true, then how is it that their overall salary expenditure is one of the highest in world soccer, and more than twice that of their big rivals Tottenham, the team with which they are competing for third place in the EPL? And if they don’t spend money then how to explain that Gervinho ($16.5m), Chu Young Park ($3.9m), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ($12m), Mikel Arteta ($15.7m), Per Mertesacker ($12.5m) and Andre Santos ($9.7m) were all signed last summer for a total outlay of $70.3m? The second, that Arsene Wenger’s policy to play youth in the Carling Cup will pay dividends down the road by bringing through players to the first team. During the run to the 2007 final and especially in the aftermath of Arsenal’s semi-final win over Spurs, Wenger and the club’s fans stressed the role youth development played in the club getting to the final. Of the team that lost the final to Chelsea only four players – Manuel Almunia, Theo Walcott, Abou Diaby and Johan Djourou – are still at the club. The rest have all moved on. So much for youth development!
Claudio Rainieri’s days at Internazionale of Milan are surely numbered. While his team won the tie on the day, they failed to advance to the Champions League last eight having been eliminated on away goals by Marseille. Inter wasted numerous chances to build on their one goal lead and paid a heavy penalty when the French side scored out of nothing in the final minute. CL elimination and failure to qualify for next year’s competition will mean that Wesley Sneijder will be playing in England next season. What odds on his strike partner Diego Milito joining him there?
Claudio Rainieri’s days at Internazionale of Milan are surely numbered. While his team won the tie on the day, they failed to advance to the Champions League last eight having been eliminated on away goals by Marseille. Inter wasted numerous chances to build on their one goal lead and paid a heavy penalty when the French side scored out of nothing in the final minute. CL elimination and failure to qualify for next year’s competition will mean that Wesley Sneijder will be playing in England next season. What odds on his strike partner Diego Milito joining him there?
I am very fortunate to have seen the likes of Pele, Diego Maradona, George Best and Johann Cruyff play live. My memories of all four players are fading, but courtesy of digital media their skills will be forever the click of a mouse away. The only two of the true greats of the game I never saw live were Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas. These six players will always be on any list compiled when discussing who the best player the game has ever seen is. It is now without doubt that Lionel Messi belongs on the list and perhaps even at the top. Pele (Brazil 1958 and 1970) and Maradona (Argentina 1986) validated their careers with World Cup wins and there are those who say Messi must do the same to be mentioned in the same breath as them. Pele and Maradona never won the UEFA Champions League which is now the world’s most important tournament. In fact, other than a cameo role with the New York Cosmos Pele did not play outside his native Brazil. I rate Pele and Maradona highly, but in my opinion Messi is now better than both.
If ever a case could be made that the EPL is not as tactically advanced as its Spanish and Italian counterparts it is in a quick analysis of the four most recent Arsenal games against Newcastle United, AC Milan, Liverpool and Spurs. Milan took a 4-0 lead to the Emirates and while they conceded three goals they looked more comfortable in the final 20 minutes maintaining their slender one goal lead. They kept the ball, dictated the tempo of the game, took the emotion out and with it the pressure, and limited Arsenal to precious little in the way of space or opportunity. Both Newcastle and Liverpool conceded injury time winners to Arsenal with some schoolboy defending and questionable tactics in the buildup to both goals. Spurs threw away a two goal lead at the Emirates and capitulated amidst an onslaught from a rampant Arsenal. Spurs did not have the wherewithal to slow the game down, shut Arsenal down or take their lead into the halftime break. Were Fabio Capello, Jose Mourinho or Pep Guardiola in charge of the three English sides the results would likely have been different.
Major League Soccer kicked off this week and the quality of the football in the opening games combined with fan and media interest augurs well for the coming season. MLS and American soccer is often the butt of jokes in the European and domestic media, but one would be hard pressed to find many games with as good an atmosphere as was in evidence when Portland beat Philadelphia Union at Jeld-Wen Field. That the game was entertaining and produced some excellent goals in the Timbers 3-1 victory was a bonus.
If ever a case could be made that the EPL is not as tactically advanced as its Spanish and Italian counterparts it is in a quick analysis of the four most recent Arsenal games against Newcastle United, AC Milan, Liverpool and Spurs. Milan took a 4-0 lead to the Emirates and while they conceded three goals they looked more comfortable in the final 20 minutes maintaining their slender one goal lead. They kept the ball, dictated the tempo of the game, took the emotion out and with it the pressure, and limited Arsenal to precious little in the way of space or opportunity. Both Newcastle and Liverpool conceded injury time winners to Arsenal with some schoolboy defending and questionable tactics in the buildup to both goals. Spurs threw away a two goal lead at the Emirates and capitulated amidst an onslaught from a rampant Arsenal. Spurs did not have the wherewithal to slow the game down, shut Arsenal down or take their lead into the halftime break. Were Fabio Capello, Jose Mourinho or Pep Guardiola in charge of the three English sides the results would likely have been different.
Major League Soccer kicked off this week and the quality of the football in the opening games combined with fan and media interest augurs well for the coming season. MLS and American soccer is often the butt of jokes in the European and domestic media, but one would be hard pressed to find many games with as good an atmosphere as was in evidence when Portland beat Philadelphia Union at Jeld-Wen Field. That the game was entertaining and produced some excellent goals in the Timbers 3-1 victory was a bonus.
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