A birthday is a very special occasion for anyone. For a footballer, getting a year older by scoring a goal on the same makes it the icing on the cake. Time and again, we have seen amazing performances by birthday boys on the field.Here is a compilation of some amazing birthday goals by great footballers.

Ryan Giggs:

This United legend has piled misery on every side he has faced since his debut. Cutting across the left flank and piercing the defenses of the opposition. But his brace for his 100th Premier league goal on the eve of his 36th birthday, 28th November 2009. He scored the final goal in the 4-1 demolition of Portsmouth at Fratton Park becoming the 17th player then to reach this coveted milestone.

James Milner:

He was the youngest goalscorer in the Barclays Premier League. He was a part of Aston Villa‘s formidable strike team who used to surprise from set pieces. On his 23rd Birthday, on January 4th, 2009 he struck two goals past the Gilingham goal at Priestfield to secure a FA cup round win for the visitors.

Miroslav Klose:

Who said height ever mattered? Our little man has been a master of headed goals, besides being clinical finishing with his feet. But the opening match of 2006 World Cup saw him close two great goals against Costa Rica in a match which finished 4-2. Cant be a better way to celebrate a birthday!

Karim Benzema:

The Frenchman is known to be lethal before the goal, a poacher in the box. On his 22nd birthday, he finished superbly in a win which found Real Madrid maul Real Zaragoza 6-0.

Shinji Kagawa:

The then Borrusia Dortmund star attacking midfielder recieved the best present of his life, not just a great party, but a winning goal to keep his team in the title race. The goal came on his 23rd birthday against a resilient Werder Bremen side, where he headed in superbly from an IIkay Gundogan.

Steven Gerrard:

The midfielder has been a legend at Anfield and has been known for his long range and powerful shots. He had his birthday goal in a friendly against Hungary where he headed in a David Beckham free kick.

Emmanuel Adebayor:

Not all birthday partys end well. He scored a goal in his 28th birthday against former team and arch rivals Arsenal to get Spurs 2-0, only to have the match miraculously finish at 5-2 victory for the Gunners.

Andre Villas-Boas, manager of Tottenham Hotspur has led his team into Champions League contention. (Getty Images)

4th March 2012. Following a 1-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion, Andre Villas-Boas was relieved of his managerial duty at Chelsea, bringing an end to their continued defeats and internal conflicts, which were destabilising the London club. Fingers were raised on his capability of managing top flight clubs and his decisions in choosing the first team.

Exactly 3 months later, Tottenham Hotspur announced the signing of Villas-Boas as their new manager, raising eyebrows as to how he would be able to repeat the success Harry Redknapp had with the North London side. But Villas-Boas had other plans in mind. Tottenham are now a side to beat this season with their ferocious approach to the game, it’s a treat to watch how the Spurs players execute the plan laid down by Villas-Boas to cripple opponents. The Portuguese has done wonders to silence all his critics in what is only his second season in the Premier League.

So what exactly has he done at White Hart Lane at the North London side? Is he a coaching genius? Or a great tactician who gets the best out of his players for the best results possible?

Man-management was Villas-Boas’ biggest problem at Chelsea. He was up against the likes of John Terry, Petr Cech, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, who were all about his age. They found it difficult to take orders from him, and he found resistance in the process of getting his plans executed. But we cannot forget the fact that at 33, he was the youngest manager to win a European competition; that season Porto had gone unbeaten and seen off Benfica by 21 points.

When he landed at Spurs, he made sure he had worked on his man-management skills. Better relations with players ensured that he can implement his high-tempo tactics well. There is no better validation of this fact than the way his players embrace him when they find a winner.

He may have signed a number one goalkeeper in Hugo Lloris, but Brad Friedel had been outstanding last season. He made good use of this, letting Friedel keep the woodwork while easing Lloris into the brutal scenario of English football, presenting Lloris in his best form in the league. Besides that, he has also made good use of his players by rotating the squad well and bringing fringe players into the limelight. With an injury to Benoit Assou-Ekotto, he put Jan Vertonghen in the left-back role and let Michael Dawson play the centre-back.

He also helped Sandro and Aaron Lennon achieve their best by giving them ample first team football action. He has made some very quality signings in Sigurdsson, Moussa Dembele, Clint Dempsey, Lloris and Vertonghen. All of whom have helped Spurs with their push for a Champions League spot.  His recent signing of Lewis Holtby from Schalke has aptly filled in the void left by Luka Modric’s departure.

All managers make mistakes, the best ones learn quickly from them. In all, Villas-Boas is a man who has actually redefined the modern managerial approach. He still puts in a lot of hours in preparing DVDs of opponents, carrying his notebook to the touchline, plotting vicious strategies against opponents and making himself present in training hours, easing the work of his assistant, besides connecting well with his players personally. He surely is here to stay and here to achieve.

With every new season, we are back with another comic rant on the worst kits across the globe. These have been handpicked from the world over and promise to be an eyesore. The previous edition of this article had a lot of rave reviews and on public request, I am bringing forth this year’c collection. Read, enjoy and do comment. So let’s begin the fun ride.

10. Fulham Away Kit

Given the amount of popularity that circulates in the English Premier League, we do expect top flight clubs to set the standard in their uniforms. However, clearly, no matter how big your club is, kit makers may give you the blushes with their design. While the home kit is another super black and white design, what made the club and authorities agree to the injection of a generous quantity of sunrise orange remains a mystery. This kit is a real let down from the Cottager’s point of view.

9. Braga Away kit

The Portuguese giants have really made a mess by choosing Macron as their jersey makers. Olive green shirt, with a long parallel white strip, and a collared look adds to the paleness of the jersey. Green kits are difficult to make look good, and the moss colour may just have been incorporated to add to the element of camouflage on the field so that a player can suddenly jump out of the field to intercept the ball, much to the opposition’s surprise.

8. Derby County Third kit

My good heavens! Kappa again get the honors! Fluorescent colours can burn eyes, and this one makes a perfect example of the same. Bright sky blue blatantly brushed all over, with the club logo almost smudged into it and just the sponsor’s name all over the shirt. A real waste!

7.  Espanyol Away kit

Another experiment gone wrong with fluorescent colours, and this time by jersey giants Puma. This horrendous kit is an example of dull nothingness. Adding to that is the grey Puma band across the chest. G-R-O-S-S!

6. Liverpool Third Kit

This is what happens when Lacrosse dress manufacturers try their hand in making football jerseys. As if a purple and grey kit with orange neckline was not enough, they went for tribal designs all across the arms. Thumbs down.

5. SC Heerenveen Home Kit

Wow. Love is in the air they say. But on uniforms, they don’t actually send out a good message in men’s football! Blue and white have been the traditional colours for the Dutch outfit, but embedding hearts all over them only made them look disgusting.

4. Montpellier Home Kit

It seems like, on a decent blue kit with orange arms, some kid with a white marker had let his imagination run wild. The entire jersey is scribbled all over in various font style and sizes; something we least expect from Nike.

3. Reggina Calcio kit

Now look what we have here. Regina have designed chiselled, weather-worn torsos of probably an ancient Greek mythological hero to strike fear in the hearts of their opposition. Well, looking at their league standings so far, the kit has failed to achieve its primary objective. However ladies and gentlemen, it did create a mocking figure of the club.

2. Barcelona Away Kit

Sherbet kits again! Well nobody has been able to pull them well ever, nor could the most feared team in the world. Terrible ‘fruity’ choice by the Catalans.

1. Olympique Lyonnais Away Kit

AND THE WINNER IS… wait, WHAT? 3D Kit? But manufacturers claim 3D glasses can enable you to see images popping out of the shirt. Wow, about 100 to 200 meters away, where players are barely visible, there is now a technology to view the kit design. Seriously?

Special honorable mention of the year:

Recreavito de Huelva - the oldest team in Spain has now produced a jersey that makes footballers look like cyclists! Red jersey with polka dots! Ridiculously amazing really.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are that of the author and do no necessarily reflect the views of Sportskeeda. The author has made this list through a local poll and with help from various websites. It is meant to be a humor piece and has no intention of ridiculing any club.

Ferguson’s decision to sign him arises from several factors. United had seen an era of no nonsense defending from the Ferdinand-Vidic pair. However, as both have grown in age and are increasingly injury-prone, the onus now falls on Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans, who despite showing promise cannot be tipped to replace the proven pair. Moreover, no one seemed to be capable enough to be the ‘brute’ of the team in the middle of the park since the departure of the intimidating Roy Keane. The gaffer seemingly wished to bridge the gap with this move, with the future in mind.

To everybody’s surprise, Jones didn’t struggle for a place in the squad or warm the benches. The very first season, despite a sheer lack of experience, he started 31 matches and had 6 substitute appearances, which can be attributed to his versatility and the way he kept the momentum going till the final blow of the whistle. What seemed even more amazing was how the youngster fit in well at any position on the park and lunged ahead with the ball whenever he wanted to push the play forward. He even fit well into his now favourite central defensive midfield role during United’s midfield crisis.

Also a fact which stands out is Jones’ ability to man-mark high value targets on the field. We could discuss two recent scenarios in this light, when United played Everton and had an epic battle against Real Madrid.

MADRID, SPAIN – FEBRUARY 13: Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid clashes with Phil Jones of Manchester United during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between Real Madrid and Manchester United at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on February 13, 2013 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

The Everton away fixture had seen United lose out to the Toffees via a Fellaini bullet header. The reverse fixture saw Phil Jones rise to the occasion and keep Fellaini in his pocket. Fellaini was forced to drift out to the left wing position at times too, but he could never make an impact on the game and had to drop so deep that he could never contribute even when Everton advanced in attack. The Real Madrid game saw Jones do the Herculean task of keeping Ronaldo quiet. He was ready to throw his body on the line whenever there was the need to, and produced a superb block when Ronaldo almost scored his second goal in added time at the Bernabeu.

Great things are expected of Jones in the future. He has a leader in him; even without the armband, he brings in the ‘rock in the raging sea’ effect, barking orders, intimidating opponents and bossing the midfield. United have been heavily linked with midfield enforcers like Kevin Strootman and Victor Wanyama. Jones may lack Roy Keane’s goalscoring skills, but so do Wanyama and Strootman. If Jones stays fit and is not plagued by injuries, then he is really set for big things at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, and Sir Alex may actually have signed two quality players in one.

United have been the extraordinaire team of the EPL this season. Strikers who poach goals and punish the opposition for the slightest of mistakes in the box, midfielders who are young and very creative and equally injury prone and a strong full back attack system have been the high points of the season till now. However, the player we often miss out is the man who sits deep in the middle of the park, intercepting pass after pass, making way for his colleagues up field with his impeccable passing; thus making way for the famous notion, “Keep calm, and Carrick on!”

Michael Carrick has been the man of the hour for United this season. Be it Van Persie’s vision for goal, Chicharito’s substitute cameos, Vidic’s return to fortify the back four or Cleverley and Kagawa pairing up in the middle; all would have fallen apart if this man would have been under dereliction of his duty. United have missed a ‘Roy Keane’ role in the middle: an intimidating and rough holding midfielder and tackler. But Carrick is the definition of the changing needs of the game; of how perfect positioning, having a vision for the pass, intelligent reading of the game and anticipation on the field topped with the icing of experience eliminates the need of having midfield enforcers and anchormen with pace and horrifying tackles.

As they say “What talent can’t, experience can”.

In big matches, the key is to keep hold of the ball, not only to round up your possession figures but also to prevent the opposition surging forward with it. Carrick has more than satisfied this defensive role for the side – screening the ageing and slow center backs from vicious counterattacks and intercepting the supplies sent up to the forwards, to feeding intelligent passes to the unmarked players generously match after match.

It’s no fluke that he has started a stunning 47 out of 48 matches this season. A vital part of Carrick’s play has been his disciplined style of play and his dictation of the pace of game. He never drifts away wide from his allotted position. Even when the opposition floods  the midfield, he stays calm and angles himself against the center forwards so as to cut out the pass. Be it foxing the scary midfield and snapping up the ball from the feet of Silva and castling Yaya Toure on derby day to until recently taking the wind out of counterattacks of Liverpool, he has been superb.

Despite all this, Carrick is not among the midfield legends. His international scenario has been worse with even Gareth Barry and Scott Parker being prefered to him. Fans still call him “The poor man’s Xavi”. However, it’s high time we recognize his contribution to the side and his dedicated and awesome play. He is a master of his trade and a true gem in the midfield. He has coped well with the Herculean task of handling an average midfield and sealing the matches in United’s favour.

In Sir Alex’s words,

Southampton’s captain is perhaps one of the most lethal counter-attackers and goal poachers in the league. He is a great interceptor and distributor of the ball in the Saint’s team. He has 5 assists so far and has been absolutely marvellous on the ball and off , added to that, he has the ability to play as a false 9 and score goals. At 24, he can easily fancy a move away to a big club.

Alex Pearce

He is a great asset of center back in the Reading Royals side. He is a academy product and has plied his trade in the Reading side that had let very tight amount of goals last season at the Championships. He is the one to watch out for, with several clubs keeping tabs on the 23 year old English born Ireland defender and his talents will be put on some grinding test at the hands of some of the best defenders in the trade.

Ali Al-Habsi

A man who prevents Wigan Athletics’ score line from looking like a cricket score. He is definitely one of best goalkeepers in the league. But all his efforts go unnoticed. He certainly could have been plying his trade at any better club, however his loyalty to the club has made the Oman goalkeeper the reason Wigan avoid relegation from the top flight.

Ben Foster

For a long time, he had been carrying the weight of being a Manchester United reject. But he has been exceptional with his tenure at Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion. He has been instrumental in the newly rejuvenated West Brom side that seeks a top 10 finish. He is 29 and at an age when goalkeepers mature. He certainly has been turned a blind eye to by everyone.

Barry Bannan

The 22 year old Aston Villa midfielder has been on three very fruitful loan spells since coming from Celtic and is passing and vision has already been compared to likes of Scholes and Xavi. The young Scot has all in him to make it big in the league and can really make it big in his coming years to become the midfield commander at any big club. Under Paul Lambert’s guidance he is getting more play time and is demonstrating his exceptional passing skills in the midfield.

Brede Hangeland

Standing 6ft 6in, the Norwegian may not be the best tackler and ball winner in the league, but he over the time has proved himself as the heart of the Cottager’s defense line. He has tremendous aerial ability and strength and has always been heavily underrated alongside Colocini. Undoubtedly, he is one of the most intimidating center-back in EPL who never got the attention he deserved.

Carl Jenkinson

He has really evolved from a wandering Jew in the field to the most versatile right backs in the league. If you take a look at his on field performances rather the possession won vs. lost stats of his, you would see how his improvement curve has risen exponentially in just two seasons. He has shown his true class and hopes he keeps up with it.

Claudio Yacob

Call me biased on this one, but just because he has his stats flooded with yellow cards went actually can’t ignore the lad’s defensive midfield capabilities. He also has been graded below average, but for those who have seen him perform, he along with Morrison can launch counter-attacks and fall back defensively if needed.

Morgan Schneiderlin

The Frenchman is just 22, buts has actually redefined the word, ‘interceptions’. With his physical presence, and his great defensive abilities, one can easily consider him way ahead of his counterparts in the league. And if you scream about stats, he had one of the best tackles per game ahead of Carrick, Mikel and Dembele. No wonder Manchester United fancy negotiating his deal with the Saints, he deserves a move to a big club soon.

Marc Wilson

The former Portsmouth man has been the other side of Stoke City’s physical and brutal game play alongside Matthew Etherington. He is the best utility player Tony Pulis has had in his time at Stoke who could play full back, winger or midfielder and work really well everywhere. His crosses, his timings with the run are amazing and the 24 year old Irishman has got a great time ahead in his career and is the one for the watch this season too.

Grant Holt

The Canaries’ three time running Player of the Year never got the reputation and attention he deserved. He, alongside his supply line in the midfield Wes Hoolahan, are a treat to watch when they link up and Holt just adds the icing to the cake with his finishes. He was a gem of a striker England never had, just like they failed to have a great manager under Brian Clough.

Jack Colback

He is in the mould of becoming a midfield maestro of the likes of Scholes and Iniesta. His exclusion from Britain’s Olympic squad was a shame, but his ability of finding and safely delivering the right passes forward. He is infact the poor man’s Christian Eriksen.

Pablo Zabaleta

Reduced to the status of a relic at the Citizens roster, he has always delighted fans with his extreme work rate, terrific crossing and dedication to his work. Despite tough competition from Micah Richards and the phenomenal goal scoring Kolarov, he still makes his way up the roster at times, but when he does so, our former Espanyol man puts pen to paper all his touchline instructions very well. He is certainly more than what meets the eye.

Ryan Shawcross

He is no Pepe, but his tremendously intimidating approach, his skills and his dominating aerial ability is enough to strike caution in the minds of attackers. The United academy product has adapted himself well at Britannia Stadium with the armband and has been the symbol of Stoke City’s trademark physical play. He has come a long way from his infamous tackle on Ramsey and SAF may be interested to look up to him if he wishes to bolster his injury-ridden defense line.

However, all good things must come to an end. It’s just a matter of time, before the inevitable departure of the Red Devils contract rebel. It’s time for United to open up their wallets and get home a perfect replacement for the star. Finding someone like Nani may not be that easy after all. But hunting down an injury-free, lighting fast, goal-scoring and dominating left-winger may not be such a difficult job at all. After posing the question in various forums, the following are possible replacements for the Portuguese star, if at all he leaves greener pastures.

James Rodriguez

James Rodriguez of Porto.

The Porto starlet has proved his mettle and shown the world he is the next big thing. SAF has already set eyes on him and would have considered a serious move had the Zenit Petersburg deal to snap Nani up in the summer not fallen through. Given Porto’s ability to squeeze money from the perspective buyers of their players, he wouldn’t come cheap. But one thing is for sure, given the ability and skills he is blessed with and the array of goals and assists he has on his report card, he would be a superb long term replacement at United.

Nicolas Gaitan

Nicolas Gaitan of SL Benfica (L).

Tabloids said his arrival was almost certain this summer but it fell apart mysteriously, much to the surprise of many United fans. But the Argentine who is young and already giving his counterpart Di Maria a fight for the national squad is the jigsaw that can fit in perfectly in United’s formation puzzle. He was a reason for United’s elimination from the group stages last year. In most of the fans view he would be the ideal buy. However, interest from Anzi would mean United will have to make serious bids to get him.

Viktor Fischer

Viktor Fischer of Ajax (L)

Ajax Amsterdam’s academy is a home to talents who have, every now and then proved their worth in the world. This Danish wonderkid  is a goal machine and United seem interested in him. Only 19, but viciously technical, he lethally finds the net with ease. With Danish starlets Eriksen and Boilesen, he represents the new face of Ajax. Given SAF’s ability to turn talent into professionals this lad will be a good addition to the United’s rooster.

Thomas Ince

Thomas Ince of Blackpool

Like father, like son. This lad has the technical ability to be a defender’s nightmare and has the ability to pierce the defense from his flank. Like most wingers he can play left, right or centre forward if needed. He has several areas to improve on if we have a look at it and is more of a future first team player at United than as a regular. But yes at more or less 6 million, he is one hell of an investment. He would be a  perfect understudy for Valencia, Giggs and Young; of course if United are fine with his ‘ex-Liverpool’ tag.

Nacer Chadli

Nacer Chadli of FC Twente

At 23, he is dubbed the next in the league of Hulk, Cristiano and Ibrahimovic. Over time he has exquisitely refined his attacking prowess and has shown sign of being a proper no. 7 jersey bearer in a major club. He alone can rip a defense to shreds and is amazing with the ball at his feet. If United are interested, he would surely come at a bargained price.

Marko Marin: To Chelsea From Werder Bremen £7.0m

The blue side of London have after long negotiations got their hands on the ‘German Messi’, for a paltry sum of money compared to what technically gifted players are sold for these days. In the pre-season we got a glimpse of what the lad is capable of. He is here to make it big at Stamford Bridge and with age and talent on his side, he will be a transfer success.

Cesar Azpilicueta: To Chelsea From Marseilles £6.5m

With Bosingwa joining QPR, the right back position has become a problem for Chelsea. However with the recruitment of the Spaniard, who turned heads with his clean dispossession and attacking intent in Ligue 1, they can be at peace. He may be young and unproven at English football, but he is one player to bet your money on.

Kevin Mirallas : To Everton from Olympiacos FC £ 6.0m

Eden Hazard is not the only Belgium starlet in the premier league after all. Mirallas is a striker with a clean finishing ability and is hailed as Belgium’s future and a lethal strike partner for Lukaku at international level. Sources say that he was egged on on by fellow countryman Fellaini to make the move and at just 6m, he  is the  ’steal of the summer’.

Dimitar Berbatov : To Fulham From Manchester United £ 5.0m

Having lost out on Pogrebnyak, Etuhu and recently Dembele, Jol pulled off this transfer right under the noses of the Serie A giants. Berbatov may have been reduced to a substitute striker, but he has enough juice left in him to torment defenders whenever summoned. Indeed a smart and apt move.

Adam Johnson : To Sunderland From Manchester City £10m

Martin O Neil may have made transfer blunders last season. But he is right on the money this time. Having secured Steven Fletcher and Louis Saha, he needed a pacy energetic winger to supply them the passes and create them the chances. It was a pity to see him reduced to the bench in Mancini’s Spoiled-For-Choice side, but he is here to give himself the playing time he thoroughly deserves.

Ki Sung Yueng : To Swansea City From Celtic £ 6.0m

Call me biased but the swans since their arrival to the Premier League have been fantastic at finding bargain buys. When most clubs are loosing their purse strings to sign midfield players, this class player escaped most eyes. At 6m they have secured the services of a great player, who can fit into attacking and defensive roles with equal perfection.

Gylfi Sigurdsson : To Tottenham from Hoffenheim £ 6.8m

 There is no need for introduction about this gem of a player. Free-kick specialist, long balls, assists and long range efforts all for just 6.8 million. He was chased by several clubs but AVB  wanted him on the spurs roster. A fantastic buy indeed.   

Matt Jarvis : To West Ham United From Wolverhampton Wanderers £ 7.5m

His inclusion may spark criticism. But in a depleted club with no one to provide assists for, he alone ran the show at Wolves. It was time for him to move and  find a place in the big league with better players around him. Watch him weave his magic wearing the coveted No.7 jersey this season with the hammers.

Jan Vertonghen to Tottenham from Ajax, £10m

For a player who is probably the most versatile player in his position, capable of playing as a Left-Back, defensive midfielder and an emergency attacking midfielder too, Spurs have made a superb purchase of a complete defensive utility package for a price which is surprising in the light of big money moves defenders are lined up for. He has got a commanding aerial ability, physical presence, flair and age on his side and shall make it big in this league.

Fabio Borini to Liverpool from Roma, £10.5m

A strong versatile attacker who can put in defense splitting passes right under the opposition’s nose, arrives at Anfield for a mere 10.5 million has put everyone in awe. But Rogers’s association with the player in the past has proved critical in completing this move and he is the key who can unlock Suarez’s true potential as a striker. Expect him to be on the score sheet soon and make it big with Liverpool.

Modibo Maiga to West Ham from Sochaux, £5m

He was the most sought after in the January window before failing the Newcastle medical and paving way for Papiss Cisse. But at 24, having a 6ft 2 in height, a wrestlers physique, with an option of wing play, he is the strike power which torments defenders. This is a signing which is going to be crucial for the newcomers to prolong their stay at the top division.

Adrian Mariappa to Reading from Watford, £3m

The Jamaican is one of the fastest defenders around and has had a great season with Watford. It’s time now that he tests his exceptional interception and complete no nonsense strong physical defending skills at the top level.

Robert Snodgrass to Norwich from Leeds, £3m

The Scottish winger is one of the fastest on the pitch with a lethal eye for goal. He is just 24 and already has had 300+ first team appearances in the past and its only a matter of time till he provides assistance and eases the enforcer, Grant Holt’s job on the field to give Norwich a pleasant second consecutive Premier League run.

Junior Hoilett to QPR from Blackburn, Free

The Canadian has been on the radar of several clubs with his exceptional wing play abilities. He has got a clean strike and can really set the tempo of the play when he has the ball at his feet. He is very young, and with the ability to provide assists, scoring goals and  excellent passing, he is one gem of a signing.

Michu Rayo to Swansea from Vallecano, £2m

As they say, we keep the best for the last. With this capture, Swansea City have replicated the transfer success they had with Vorm last season. Michu is a very versatile playmaker and is always on the peak of his form, and has already got of to s flyer by scoring this season’s first goal along with two goals and an assist in the very first match. He is bound to go all guns as Swans aim to stay strong in the Premier league this season.

Juventus step into the new season with mixed emotions. One one hand they very impressively claimed their first Scudetto since 2006 when the Calciopoli scandal lead to their relegation from the Serie A, which leaves them high on confidence and inspired for the new season.But on the other hand several members of Juventus were found guilty in the latest betting scandal colloquially known as the Calcio Scommesse  in Italy, which has thrown the spotlight on the fact that several Serie B matches were fixed.

Nevertheless, Juventus look in great shape for their opening fixture against Parma despite the long term suspension of manager Antonio Conte. Club’s Director General Giuseppe Marotta who played a key role in the transfers Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal to the rooster, has high hopes that the Bianconeri shall do well not only in their local domains but also in the Champions League this season.

THE SEASON THAT WAS

The team started the season with a new coach, Antonio Conte, and a new stadium(named Juventus Stadium shifting from the Stadio Olimpico). They won the Serie A title on 6 May 2012 by beating Caligari on the penultimate day of the season, building on A.C.Milan’s defeat against Inter Milan in Derby della Madonnina, leaving them 4 points ahead. Juventus could not qualify for any European Championships due to a disgrace full 7th place finish the season before.

Juventus played a total of 38 league games wining 23 of them while securing 15 draws. Juventus were unbeaten this Serie A season as they did not lose a single league game. They finished with a +48 goal difference and an incredible 84 points.

TRANSFERS SO FAR

Juventus have spent fairly this season to secure some good players.

Player IN:

Name                                             FROM                             FEE (in Euros)

Martin Caceres                           Sevilla                                      8 m
Kwadwo Asamoah                    Udinese                                     9 m
Mauricio Isla                               Udinese                                   9.5m
Sebastian Giovinco                    Parma                                     11m
Emanuele Giaccherini              Cesena                                   4.2m
Lucio                                         Internazionale                            Free
Alberto Masi                              Pro Vercelli                        Undisclosed
Richmond Boakye                      Genoa                                      4m
Paul Pogba                                  Man. Utd                                  Free

Several players have gone the other way too,with Christian Pasquato, Eljero Elia, Alessandro Del Piero, Alexander Manniger, Fabio Grosso Marco Borriello, Marcelo Estigarribia, Marco Motta, Milos Krasic, Felipe Melo all having left the club.

First Team Squad, Formation and the Bench

Juventus will probably continue with the the 3-5-2 formation as they have for quite some time now. However, the signing of Caceres as their RB and with Paolo de Ceglie developing as a LB, Juve may opt for a 4-4-2 formation too

           

EXPECTATIONS THIS SEASON

 

With AC Milan loosing their marquee players and the big players of Inter still in poor form, Juventusare favorites to take the cup home this year too; however, this time the margin may be even larger given the signings made.

Juventus shall be playing in the Champions League after 3 long years and that should inspire them to show the world that they mean some serious business. With the experience and influx of talent into the squad, the squad now has the dept required to successfully compete in the European scenario.

However, the absence of manager Conte can make matters slightly difficult and complicated, and its only for us to see if they end up in disarray or come out of the mess in style.

PREDICTION

SERIE A: 1st

The Coppa Italia: Finals

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Knockout Stages.

This part of the article features the newly promoted teams and the bottom finishers last season.

The Greenhorns!

Without much adieu, we begin with the new additions to the 1. Bundesliga this year:  SpVgg Greuther Fürth, Eintracht Frankurt and Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Fortuna Düsseldorf cruised to a comfortable qualification beating Hertha Berlin over two legs. Fortuna fans now have more to cheer about as their fierce local rivals 1. FC Koln have been relegated to the lower division.Eintracht Frankfurt, on the other hand, have returned back to their more familiar scenario after just 1 year of relegation and have the highly rated German shotstopper Kevin Trapp at their services after making his switch from  1. FC Kaiserslautern.

 SpVgg Greuther Fürth have come in very strongly into the big league not only winning 2.Bundesliga convincingly but also reaching the semi finals of DFP Pokal cup, which just sends out a strong message to the contenders that they mean serious business.

The Bottom feeders

Now we shift our focus to the bottom half of the table.

1.FC Nuremberg is used to the word ‘turmoil’. Their season began with a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Schalke and they were placed 15th during the winter break, aggravated by the loss of several first team players. However, with the on-loan Daniel Didavi and Markus Feulner finding form, they avoided relegation woes. But lack of proper budget and with several players like Didavi returning to parent club Stuttgart, Albert Bunjaku (Kaiserslautern), Christian Eigler and Philipp Wollscheid (both to Leverkusen) departing, Hecking has to cope up with greater stress this season.We can expect a relegation or another poor finish.

1899 Hoffenheim had a shift in power from Holger Stanislawski to Markus Babbel to mark a revolution in itself. Despite losing out players like Vedad Ibisevic and Chinedu Obasi, he still managed to put together a united offensive and remain unbeaten for a long run before Bayern Munich thrashed them 7-1. But this season they are surely hoping for a better finish after securing the services of experienced shot stopper Tim Wiese from Werder Bremen along with Derdiyok, Usami and Joselu. They are sure to finish in the top ten this season.

With just 13 points at the winter break and the transfer of the lethal Papiss Cisse, SC Freiburg were sure to be engulfed in relegation. However, Christian Streich took matters real seriously and secured the team by not losing a single match at home and picking up a monumental 27 points in the later half of the season. Having made some sensible signings like 1.3 mil for Spanish midfielder Ezequiel Calvente on loan from Betis; Vegar , Eggen Hedenstad , Max Kruse, and Oliver Baumann coming as a new revelation combined with Streich’s policy of promoting young homegrown talent, worked wonders. We can expect a serious season for them if things go their way.

“Axing one’s own feet” is a proverb personified by 1FSV Mainz. After losing great talents in Lewis Holtby, Christian Fuchs and Andre Schurrle, they never really made replacements of their stature. Inconsistency was starkly visible with them often failing to win consecutive matches. The arrival of Szalai and Zidan did change things yet they finished a lowly 13th after last years impressive 5th place. They now have recruited Chinedu Ede and Junior Diaz yet they still need a marquee signing if they want to get back to their old ways.

If there was one team named a big climber, it had to be the last years newcomers FC Augsburg. Their spirit was on a high as they managed 14 stalemates with the toughest in the leagues and the winter signing of the energetic game changer, Ja-Cheol Koo. This season they are all set to get the ball rolling yet again in the top flight as they have secured several loan and permanent moves including the likes of Andreas Ottl, Matthias Strohmaier, Knowledge Musona, Jan Moravek and Aristide Bance.

Five out of six games ending as defeats and the Bundesliga’s only ever present club, Hamburg SV under Michael Oenning, was threatened with relegation woes. But the arrival of Thorsten Fink things changed things. But they were really given a good dose of the fact that they need better signings to do better. But with the recent signing of Paul Scharner and Artem Rudnev and two marquee signings with the highly rated Lativian Forward Artjom Rudnevs and the world class keeper Rene Adler, they are sure to take the Bundesliga by surprise.

]]> http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/08/11/before-the-kick-off-the-bundesliga-scenario-part-1/feed/ 0 01182 http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/07/05/the-rise-of-die-schwarzgelben/ http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/07/05/the-rise-of-die-schwarzgelben/#comments Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:27:18 +0000 Debojyoti http://www.sportskeeda.com/?p=437322 Take a look around in your social spheres and pop the FAQ: “Hey buddy, which football club you support?” You’re usually greeted by “I am a Red Devil, mate!”, “Gunner all the way!”, “Who else? Real Madrid of course!”, and so on. You’re probably a proud supporter of a successful top flight club. But small budgeted and underrated clubs hardly have any support beyond their domains.

It was a similar story with me. When a small group of friends and I pledged support to the black-yellows, we were greeted by taunts of supporting a mediocre and below average poor club, especially by Bayern Munich lovers. But now that Die Borussen have taken the Bundesliga by storm, it’s time to let the BVB flag fly high, for this is a side which has set examples for the best of the best clubs in the world.

Even though the success of the club has been recent, leaving out a surprise 1996-97 Champions League victory, there is some significant history at the club. To begin with, it’s a 102 year-old-club. Borussia means Prussia in Latin and has been taken from a brewery with the same name in Dortmund. As followers of the Bundesliga would be aware, the Dortmund-Schalke rivalry is as intense as Real Madrid-Barcelona or Man United-Liverpool. This dates back to World War II when Dortmund rose to the ranks of title contenders, challenging leaders Schalke’04. The first National title was won by them in 1955-56 and since then, they have come a long way. From being coached by greats like Ottmar Hitzfeld, Bert van Marwijk, Thomas Doll and now the young Jurgen Klopp, the club has had greats like Michael Zorc  who had 550 glorious appearances, Manfred Burgsmüller – the all time top scorer for Dortmund – Lars Ricken, Andreas Möller, Thomas Rosicky and Nuri Sahin being the former greats, and Blaszczykowski, Hummels, Subotic and Lewandowski being the current stars of this side.

2006-2007-2008: The worst seasons for Borussia Dortmund, a season we all would love to forget. Three manager changes, Metzelder leaves on a free transfer, the Club finish a point above relegation. Thomas Doll’s side get mauled by the most insignificant clubs in the league.

19^th May 2008: Doll resigns. Enter Jurgen Klopp. He has the mammoth task of taking the club forwards and upwards. He had scant funds and fan pressure to greet him. All he had at hand were some talented but very young blood at hand. That was enough to take the club to finish 6^th. He had great foresight, investing in young, unproven players like Kevin Grosskreutz, Sven Bender, Mats Hummels and Shinji Kagawa besides having wonderkid Nuri Sahin at hand, enjoying a free role in an attacking football side, creating a revolution at the club. He won the double last season and finished with 81 points: the highest ever in the Bundesliga.

Dortmund are not a feeder club. But young and successful players do attract prying eyes. Shinji Kagawa has joined Manchester United and is Piszczek strongly linked with a move to Madrid. But that shall never shake the club’s focus and Klopp has once again added to his young armory by adding Marco Reus, Julien Schieber and Leonardo Bittencourt to the roster. A determined young enthusiastic squad, coupled with Klopp’s magic is actually giving the top teams of Bundesliga a run for their money. The present belongs to Dortmund and their golden years are here.

]]> http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/07/05/the-rise-of-die-schwarzgelben/feed/ 0 01304 http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/07/01/top-10-footballer-tattoos-in-the-world/ http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/07/01/top-10-footballer-tattoos-in-the-world/#comments Sun, 01 Jul 2012 17:27:50 +0000 Debojyoti http://www.sportskeeda.com/?p=421784 A footballer is not only characterized by their skills and firepower on field but also some interesting off-field issues, the two most hot ones being WAGs and Tattoos.

Footballers are often idols for millions worldwide and the fans love to imitate them – their hairstyles and tattoos are the most targeted. So I my post today I shall put forward some footballers and their inks which are famous around the world.

So let’s get the dice rolling!

1. David Beckham:11… Yes, that’s the number of tattoos that adorn the  great David Beckham. And who wields the paintbrush on Beckham’s sleek bidy canvas? The phenomenal tattoo artist Louis Malloy who has been rated to be the best in the UK. He has his sons’ names (namely Brooklyn, Cruz, and Romeo) on his back, a guardian angel in the shape of a cross adorning back of his neck and his wife’s name and a replica of her around her name in Hindi. He also has the Roman numerals VII for keeping his number 7 memories he wore for Manchester United on his right arm. Other more intricate tattoos adorn his arms and has an added tattoo of Jesus on his stomach.

2. Dani Alves: The Brazilian has some bold inks adorned on his muscular physique. He is Messi’s support in the back and both wreak havoc against oppositions. The Barcelona and former Sevilla full back’s right arm had his wife’s face etched on it and his son’s name etched on his chest and now sports added designs too.

3. Deco: The former Porto, Chelsea, Barcelona and now the Fluminense man. He is too injury prone and hardly scored a spectacular to rip open his shirt and celebrate. Yet he has from time to time hit the headlines for a cute Geisha inked on his back aligned right and a smaller tattoo on the arm.

4. Wayne Rooney: The superstar of Manchester United flaunts tattoos just like his goals and finishes. His left arm has a St George’s flag and a phrase “English and Proud”. His right forearm carries an imagery of of his skin ripping apart to the words “Just Enough Education to Perform”- a quote from Welsh Band Stereophonics. He also now has a cross, his wife’s name and a meaningful image of praying hands.

 5. Tim Cahill: The Australian and Everton football star Tim Cahill had his left arm tattooed with a sophisticated design paying homage to his family heritage and history. The design is truly picturesque.

6. Christian Vieri: This Italian has bicep tattoos written in Japanese on his right arm and the meanings of the characters say “strength, eternity, thunder”.

7. Stephen Ireland: Ireland has a giant pair of wings tattooed on his back which go well with his lightening pace. *Red Bull addict?* Maybe!

8. Clint Dempsey: The Texas man has an image which one fan taunted to be a hybrid of an angel, Jesus and an armored warrior. But looks simply amazing no doubts about it.

9. Daniel Agger: Besides football the Liverpool’s rock at the back is a trained tattoo artist. He himself has numerous tattoos including a Viking on his upper right arm, a large drawing of Vikings and a graveyard that spans his whole back, which includes his birth date and the Latin motto “Mors certa, hora incerta” (“death is certain, its hour is uncertain”),around his left elbow the phrase “Succes er at leve som man selv vil” (“Success is to live as one wants”).He is indeed the god of tattoo.

10. Natasha Kai: Kai is a female professional footballer having 19 tattoos in total and has said that she got each one when she was going through a difficult time – each tattoo representing something meaningful to her.

AND NOW THE HOROURABLE MENTION

Daniel De Rossi: Beside intricate tattoos on arms his tattoo, ‘Beware of being tackled!” is just too good and is indeed worth a smile and clap. Our master-class tackler has warned beforehand that he is the badass around!

Other mentions: Fernando Torres, Djibril Cisse, Antonio Cassano, Fabio Cannavaro, Ricardo Quaresma, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kevin Prince Boateng.

Goalkeepers:

Christian Abbiati: Coming back from a career threatening head injury, he has saved some stunners and saved some money for Milan in terms of getting another high profile goalkeeper into the team roaster. For some time from now he has had ageing defenders ahead of him, yet he has done his job well.

Petr Cech: No words could describe his ability. He once went 1025 minutes without conceding a goal in the Premier League, a record until it was surpassed by Van der Sar. His athletic saves in the second leg against Barcelona helped Chelsea progress into the semi-finals of Champions league. He is a class of his own.

Brad Friedel: A year ago, experts mocked him as an epic transfer failure, else who would buy an aging 40 years old to save goals? yet he has become a success story at White Hart Lane. He has hit remarkable form, and is all set to stay with Spurs for yet another year.

Defenders:

Lucio: He may be 34 now, but he has been the guiding hand for both his national and club team. He recently went out of contract at Inter Milan, yet several top clubs are in the race for his signature. His physical disposing of opponents and his commanding nature makes him a much sought after defender.

Ledley King: A year ago, he would have never made it to this list. But this year he has been stunning at the back.Tottenham’s success at the league can be attributed to his dedicated performances.

Anthony Reveillere: He is no doubt ageing, but still remains the best French full back capable of playing on both left and right flanks. He is an amazing dribbler, and Lyon is grateful to use his service over the years.

Alessandro Nesta: At 35 he is really injury prone. Still he is one of the best rated defender in Serie A.  It is no wonder why AC Milan still boast of a fine back-line. He is commanding and arranges the defence well during set-pieces.

Midfielders:

Kaka: After his legendary transfer to Santiago Bernebeu, he has been injury stricken and lost out to the young and enterprising Mesut Ozil. But when he laces up his boots, he lets the magic flow and possess his teammates. A formidable midfielder, he sets a new attacking midfielding standard all together.

Paul Scholes: If one types ‘Passing compilation’ in youtube, you will see the top 10 results bearing Paul’s name. The word defense-splitting passes must have been invented for him. Loyal to the very end, he opted out of retirement to solve midfield problems at Old Trafford. He is truly a legend and hats off to him.

David Beckham: Basically a sentimental choice in this list. He helped LA Galaxy to lift the MLS Cup. And he still remains one of the finest dead ball experts in MLS. He is simply awesome and retains his charisma on the field.

Scott Parker: His transfer from West Ham Utd to Tottenham is one of the best English transfers in recent times. He is a defensive midfielder and even though he may not be scoring goals regularly, getting past him is a challenge for the opposition.

Francesco Totti: The legend of Roma has been an example of one-club-players. He now the leader of a very young and aspiring AS Roma. Leave him unmarked and this fifth all-time Serie A top scorer will make you pay.

Michael Ballack: After his transfer to Bayer Leverkusen, he has been plagued by injuries and missed the last chance of playing for Germany in a World Cup at South Africa. But now the midfield Lion is back in business. His shift to the role of a deep lying midfielder makes goals rare, but class remains the same.

Florent Malouda: Another Ex-Chelsea man and his exit from the Stamford bridge to make way for the younger class is admirable. He is still one of the great attacking wingers, and he will find no shortage of clubs to hire him as he has many playing years ahead of him.

Forwards:

Alessandro Del Piero: He may have had been reduced to an impact substitute at the Old Lady’s roster, but he still retains great power and a finish in his feet. He may have left Juve, but may be the guiding light a club needs to come out of their misery.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic:  What is 31, pony tailed and nails down defenders with both his feet and head? you got it right, last seasons  top scorer of Serie A, Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He has shown no signs of mercy on the opposition when he runs down the opposition defenses and is deadly from any range.

Raul Gonzalez:  323 goals for over 10 seasons at Real Madrid and 71 Goals at UEFA Champions League (the highest ever) sums it all. He helped uplift Schalke out of their miseries. He has shifted loyalty to Al-Sadd this transfer season, but he is a real dynamite on field.

Ronaldinho: The two times world player of the year has not lost touch at Atletico Mineiro. He still is one of the most formidable striker and the one to be feared with a dead ball.

Miroslav Klose: He may have lost out to Mario Gomez in the national squad and trying hard to start every game at Lazio. But both at EURO 2012 build up and in the Euros he showed that he can not only bombard the oppositions net, but is a genuine aerial threat and is like a fox in the box. He is the best in business, by a mile.

Goalkeepers:

Iker Casillas: With the Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010 under his belt, along with La Liga titles, he is virtually impossible to get past. He indeed is the god between the posts and is having a great Euro 2012. His saves are awesome and so it’s no wonder that he has been the best for more than three years.

Gianluigi Buffon: He may be 34, but he has a lot left in his tank. His exceptional shot stopping skills have helped a rejuvenated Juventus side to win Serie A, and now he is showing his skills at the Euro this year. He may not be the god he was in Cannavaro’s Italy, but he still has enough to stop most shots on target.

Tim Howard: The American has been a wonderful shot-stopper over the years and has been serving well at Goodison Park. He was rated 10th best in the world by IFFHS in 2010 and he recently even scored a goal from his area against Fulham last season. 

Roman Weidenfeller: Since 2002-2003, he has been with Borussia Dortmund and under Klopp’s guidance, he has helped the side to consecutive league victories. What’s more, he is constantly improving his performances too.

Defenders:

Ashley Cole: He is probably the best ‘left-footed’ left back the world has witnessed in recent times. Even though Baines is all set to take his place in the squad, he is not giving up easily. Having added a UEFA Champions League medal to his collection, he stood out in a relatively average English side this Euro.

Ricardo Carvalho: He has been Chelsea’s best during Mourinho’s rein and went on to win the premier league with him. When Mourinho joined Real Madrid, he bought Carvalho from Chelsea, just like he had brought him from Porto. Even though he is injury plagued, he still is one of the best.

Carles Puyol: This curly haired defender is a fan favourite. Since a career threatening injury, he has come out well and he still is the heart and soul of Barcelona and Spain’s defense. And even at this age, he still can take on strikers very well.

John Terry: Even though his career has been plagued by several scandals, he is the best English Center Back of our times and has redefined the role of a central defender. His slide tackles and his penchant for taking away the ball from the strikers makes him very important for his team.

Nemanja Vidic: He is United’s rock at the back. The ‘Serbinator’ is, in public opinion, the best defender in the world. He lost out most of his season due to injury but the two times winner of Player of the season award is an absolute no nonsense defender.

Midfielders:

Xavi: Perhaps the most talented of this list. No words can define him. He has 600+ appearances for Barcelona. It takes the entire opposition defense to keep control on him. He sets standards for the youngsters with his defense splitting passes and long range goals.

Ryan Giggs: Since joining United’s Academy, the grand old man of Old Trafford has seen almost three generations at United. At 38, he not only plays a full match but he has good pace and dribbling skills to keep defenders in his pocket. A legend and inspiration to all.

Javier Zanetti: One of the finest defensive midfielders in business. He is actually the Serie A version of Ryan Giggs. He is a regular starter for Inter Millan and is still capable of making hearts skip a beat with his skills and finishes.

Giorgos Karagounis:  He has had stints with Inter Milan and Benfica and is remembered by his fans for his stunning free-kicks and one-on-one finishes. Back with Panathinaikos now, who can forget the way he foxed Malafeev to take Greece past the group stage and win Euro 04.

Michael Carrick: He is the best passer in the English league and hardly misplaces any of them. He is United’s backbone and has also played as center back during times of crisis. He is a stunning maestro in the midfield and is just too good to deal with.

Dirk Kuyt: He is a workaholic through and through. He has a reputation of scoring crucial goals in big matches and has, too often, been the savior of the team. Liverpool have indeed made a mistake by letting him leave to Fenerbahce as he is just too good a winger.

Andrea Pirlo: 33 is just another number for the Azzurri masterclass. Since moving from Milan to Juventus, he has shown that age is not going to stop him from doing what he does best. Besides, he is in stellar form and is having a wonderful Euro.

Xabi Alonso: He redefines the deep midfield playmaking role. He possesses a gifted technique and is adept at both attacking and defending. He is a lethal weapon in the middle of the park, ready to explode when needed.

Mark Van Bommel: He may have called time on his international duties, but he is the best ‘midfield destroyer’ alive. He is a complete midfield package and he makes his mark on every game that he plays.

Steven Gerrard: The loyal Liverpool man has played with all energy and vigor at Anfield and his battery never seems to run out. He is a superb leader and deserves the armband at both the national and club level. He is England’s answer to Spain’s Xavi. He is indeed a legend respected by all in the field of football.

Frank Lampard: Give this guy a dead ball in and around 30-40 yards circle, and boom! The ball is in the net. He sadly missed the Euros this year yet is ever energetic and stabilizes the midfield by dictating the pace and flow of the game.

FORWARDS:

Dimitris Salpingidis: He was the pivot in PAOK’s campaign this season in UEFA Champions League. He may be short in height, but he is exceptionally quick and absolutely lethal in counter-attacks. He has been stunning in the Euro and Wolves, Wigan, Stoke City are looking for his signature.

Didier Drogba: This goal machine from Ivory Coast is indeed a fox in the box. Having won his Champions League medal this season, he is moving away from the premier league, having terrorised all the defenders. He still remains a lethal weapon as a striker.

Dimitar Berbatov: Forced to the bench with emerging stars at Manchester United, he has explosive firepower and great skills in his feet. He is a clinical striker and still has quite a few playing years with him.

Samuel Eto’o:  He is still the most feared striker in the world. The Cameroon star has always created fear in the hearts of all opposition players. He is already making his mark in Anzi Makhachakla and he still retains the hunger for goals.

David Villa: Blazing fast, clinical, fox-in-the-box, dribbler – these are words which define him. Purchased from Valencia, he scored 23 goals and 9 assists in his first season with Barcelona. He may have missed a crucial Euro this year, but there is no denying the fact that he is one of the most valued striker in the world.

Antonio Di Natale: Udinese and Italy’s pride, he is the best super-sub in the world and finishes off in some style. From long range efforts to classy set pieces, he is indeed a class above all.

Andriy Shevchenko: 2004 Ballon d’Or winner and third highest goal-scorer of all time in Champions League (58). The former AC Milan and Chelsea  legend has shown that age is no bar with his clinical performance in the EURO 2012. He proves the old adage, ‘Form is temporary but class is permanent’.

Do let your favorites known in the comments.

German Bundesliga winners Borussia Dortmund have successfully signed 23 years striker Julian Schieber from Vfb Stuttgart, after he refused to sign a new contract at his former club earlier this summer. The author here analyses this lesser known youngster and his potential to fare well in the Dortmund side which has always been a relatively young side with an unbeatable zeal to achieve success under their famed coach.

Julian Schieber has always been a physical striker in front of the goal and has great ability to finish. He made his debut on 6th December, 2008 and since then there has been no turning back. For Stuttgart, he has been merely a third choice and backup striker and was basically a bench-warmer. But whenever called upon, he has shown great confidence, and the qualities of a great striker in the making. Some high points of his career are:

1.Scoring a stunner for his first goal in the German Bundesliga in a Baden-Wuettemberg derby match against FC Freiburg.

2.Finding the back of the net twice against Eintracht Frankfurt.

3. Playing a pivotal role this season in VfB Stuttgart’s legendary 4-4 draw in an away match against Borussia Dortmund where he netted twice.

Schieber has found his way into the holy abode of young talents in the Bundesliga. Borussia Dortmund, with its young coach and manager, Jurgen Klopp, who has brought him in to replace Lucas Barrios, and as a back-up for Robert Lewandowski. If one remembers  the summer of May ’08, Jurgen Klopp arrived at a Dortmund side which had no money to spend and had finished a disappointing 13th the previous season. This led the side to prefer signing young talent ahead of proven players. He has a foresight similar to Arsene Wenger and has created and nurtured numerous talents. Alongside the 18 year-old Leonardo Bittencourt (another emerging German talent) who was signed from FC Energie Cottbus, he adds to the young armoury at Borussia Dortmund alongside Marco Reus, whose deal was done this January. So he is in right hands to help his abilities grow and shine at Borussia Dortmund.

The author wishes the youngster all the very best for his future.

KIEV, UKRAINE – JUNE 19: Sebastian Larsson (R) of Sweden celebrates his goal with Zlatan Ibrahimovic during the UEFA EURO 2012 group D match between Sweden and France at The Olympic Stadium on June 19, 2012 in Kiev, Ukraine. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

With all qualified teams having been allotted their quarter-final fixtures, eight teams bowed out of the competitions of elites in Europe. While it includes giants in Netherlands and Russia, it also includes hardworking sides in Poland, the Republic of Ireland, Denmark and Ukraine amongst others.

Here is the author’s compilation of the starting XI and substitutes of the best from the teams that had to go home post the group stages.

P.S. This compilation is purely on performance and form, giving very little importance to star power of a footballer. 

Goalkeeper: Stephan Andersen - Promoted ahead of Anders Lindegaard and Kasper Schmeichel, he showed great character in between the posts and was on top of his form in arranging his defence for set pieces. From fisting away dangerous crosses to closing down angles on strikers, he is indeed the first choice.

Right Back: Łukasz Piszczek - Has been a very hard working and attacking full back, providing constant channels of attack on the right. The Dortmund RB has been linked with a move to Real Madrid.

Center back: Daniel Agger - Liverpool‘s rock at the back has lived up to his hype this season. Exhibiting superb timing with last ditch tackles and clean dispossessing of opponents has been Agger’s trademark this Euro.

Centre back :John Heitinga- Besides being solid in defence, powerful headers on target from corners and having some talent with his feet, Heitinga has been the Oranje’s only hope at the back. His ability to stay active for 90 minutes is another added advantage.

Left back: Martin Olsson - He struggled to keep up with the pace of his first outing. However the Blackburn defender had Karim Benzema in his pocket and his slide tackles saved several goalbound attempts.

Right wing: Andrey Arshavin (Captain) - Despite having a disastrous season at the Emirates, he was on top for Russia, providing crosses and destructive through balls. His experience at international level certainly helps the team.

Defensive Midfielder: Keith Andrews - The only player worth watching in the Republic of Ireland’s disastrous outing. Both his attacking and defensive work rate are astonishingly high and he is actually the boulder in attackers’ paths in midfield.

Attacking Midfielder: Rafael Van der Vaart – He has continued his form at Tottenham with the national team and has been deadly both from long range and within the box. He also set up his forwards beautifully and is the perfect-goal scoring midfielder that a team needs

Centre Forward: Zlatan Ibrahimovic – His inclusion in the squad is no surprise. He is one of the most feared and coveted forwards in the world. He also utilises his height effectively at set pieces. This dynamite can actually blast through the defense line to bulge the oppositon’s net.

Striker: Mario Mandzukic- He has been terrific this Euro. He does not have much in terms of movement, but is difficult to mark and and has an uncanny ability to score from the most unexpected areas. One to watch out for.

Vyacheslav Malafeev, Richard Dunne, Gregory van der Weil, Jakub Blaszczykowski, Andriy Yarmolenko, Michael Krohn-Dehli

Do suggest your choices. Looking forward to your comments.

Last night Greece pulled off a shock win over the Group A favorites Russia. The Russians may have imagined to have an easy outing as the game looked pretty one sided on pen and paper. But certainly Greece had other plans. The solitary goal from Karagounis was enough to defeat a resilient Russian side which had all of its famed attackers in Dzagoev, Pavluchenco and Pogrebenyak on field. Unfortunately, it was ‘head to head’ which decided their fate in their Group, instead of goal-difference.

A dejected Russian side walks past the Greece players as they get beaten by the later on ‘head to head’.

Goal-difference certainly has its pros. Not only does it starkly reflect the power of a team’s attack in the form of the damage it has dealt to the other but it also reveals their defensive approach in the case of less number of goals conceded; just like in the recently concluded Barclays Premier League, where Manchester City with their star players such as Aguero, Dzeko, Balotelli, Silva, Nasri helped amass a +8 goal difference over their neighbours, keeping aside the huge amount spent on these stars. Besides, it also reflects a side’s consistent performances in their league.

At this point we definitely have goal-difference getting the advantage. It measures a team over the duration of the competition and not just in random games.

Goal-difference, in my opinion, favours teams that smash the helpless minnows by a hefty scoreline. This is where head-to-head is more advantageous, giving even more excitement and importance to direct clashes. It makes sure teams don’t just rely on points table and play in a certain way to ensure their qualification. It also rewards the team that beats the other it ties with- fair and square evaluation.

There are mixed opinions regarding this debate. Several pros and cons can be produced in favour and against these two methods. But we can also find solutions to the same. According to some of the fans, goal-difference must be promoted to encourage positive, pacy and most importantly, attacking football. Head to head must be brought in when the goal-difference of the two teams is the same and the deadlock has to be broken. Other alternatives can be penalty shoot out, which itself is under much criticism these days. And maybe a play-off match, which at times looks absurd given tournament time constraints and added expenditures on this.

Team A wins 5-0 game 1, 5-0 in game 2 and loses the 3rd game 1-0 through a 91st minute deflection.

Team B win game one 1-0 – disputed penalty, lose second game 6-0 and then beat Team A 1-0 thanks to a 91st minute deflection.

Team B goes through….Fair or Scandalous?

The author leaves it to you all. Tag your friends and leave your comments below.

Casillas
Arbeloa                           Ramos        Pique                          Alba
Sergio Busquets                Xabi Alonso
Silva                                        Xavi                                  Iniesta

Torres

Vicente del Bosque has come under grave criticism for his decision not to field a recognised striker in Fernando Torres and going with Cesc Fabregas in the opening match against Italy. In the process, Spain could not muster enough shots at goal and were only reduced to long range efforts. Hence it’s highly possible for Torres to start and Fabregas to be on the bench after the latter strained his thigh in the last match. Also Ramos could continue to be the center-back unless Raul Albiol’s preferred over him. The focus will also be on the left back Alba who had a bad outing against the Azzurri and he will go out to prove himself worth a start.

Given
O’Shea                               Dunne       St Ledger                           Ward 
McClean                         Gibson            Whelan                   McGeady
Keane      Long

Trapattoni is likely to include Sunderland winger James McClean to the starting line-up after the fans rued his exclusion from the starting XI. Ireland have strong attacking options in Stoke City forward Jonathan Walters and Simon Cox, both of whom showcased impressive displays from the bench on Sunday while Kevin Doyle seems to be in good form as well. Everton midfielder Darron Gibson is also in contention after recovering from a thigh injury and Richard Dunne will be the anchorman at the center after recovering from his blistered feet.

For Spain’s win: 1/4

For Republic of Ireland’s win: 12

For a draw:5

Here is the Author wishing all the best for both the teams.

According to Sky Sports, former Barcelona and Real Madrid legend is all set to become the manager of Swansea City Football Club.

When Brendan Rodgers left the Liberty Stadium at the beginning of June to join Liverpool, there was much speculation on who would fill the vacancy at Swansea City. But now its quite clear that Laudrup is the most suited candidate for the job.

This Danish masterclass is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of football. He was purchased by Barcelona from Juventus and had won 4 straight La-Liga titles. After making his move to great rivals Real Madrid in 1994, he helped them win the coveted crown too. He had 104 international caps for Denmark and scored 37 times.

*After ending his playing career, Laudrup took up coaching, and became assistant manager of the Danish national team.

*He got his first manager job at former club Brondby in 2002, whom he guided to the 2005 Danish Superliga  championship.

* He eventually refused a contract extention, took over the position at Getafe F.C. and continued his coaching career with notable success there. He brought the club comparative success in the Copa del Rey and UEFA Cup.

*Until recently, he was with RCD Mallorca in the La-Liga whom he joined after getting sacked from Spartak Moscow. He saved them from relegation, in spite of  losing several first team players who wanted to play in the Europa League.

After Huw Jenkins had missed signing Ian Holloway and Marcel Desailly, Laudrup has been the one he is determined to get to manage his club. He has mostly coached mid table clubs, and hence we can expect him to perform well with limited funds at hand. Swansea has managed to stay among the elites this year along with newly promoted Norwich City, thanks to the guidance of Brendon Rogers. Now  only time shall tell what players Laudrup shall sign and how he shall get the momentum going at Swansea.

If he gets the job, I wish him all the very best.