The month of February saw the return of the competition that whets the appetite of football lovers across the lands. The Champions League made its way back on our television screens and football lovers were able to witness some fantastic games. The battle which was pinned up to be the tie of the round, Manchester United against Real Madrid, did not disappoint. All the games played out were mostly entertaining to watch, and many, bar the Juventus-Celtic affair, will mostly be decided in the second leg (Yes, I still give Arsenal a chance!).

There was one bit of information that can be gathered from almost all the games that were played out in the last two weeks, and that would be the fact that all the sides who had to travel came back home with a slight – in case of Bayern and Juventus, a massive – advantage for the second leg. Barcelona, surprisingly, are the only ones coming out with absolutely no advantage from the first leg.

The question, though, is if it is really an advantage? The obvious answer would be, of course, why not?

Let us take the example of the game between the two giants of Europe, Real Madrid and Manchester United. The Red Devils travelled to Spain and managed to hold the Liga champions to a 1-1 draw.

Madrid manager, Jose Mourinho, was quick to refute any advantage that Manchester United apparently had, while his opposite number, Sir Alex Ferguson, also stated that the tie was still 50/50 going into the second leg. Though, if one were to look into it a bit more, it would seem Madrid have the advantage. If the game at Old Trafford were to finish 1-1, it would mean both teams would finish level on aggregate, and hence the game would enter extra time. This is where Madrid would gain the advantage over the Red Devils.

Los Blancos would receive 30 extra minutes in which they could score an away goal, something that Manchester United did not receive.

Now, after explaining the scenario, does it not seem unfair that Madrid could possibly end up getting 120 minutes to win via an away goal, whereas United would only get 90? Suddenly, the thought of playing away first doesn’t really seem much of an advantage, does it?

This is not the only problem with the away goal though.

When the away goal was introduced in 1965 by UEFA, it was because of the need at that time to balance out the matches. Technology was nowhere near the level of sophistication that we see today, and hence teams like Real Madrid travelled to unknown parts of Europe, where they would encounter not only pitches of terrible quality, but opponents whose sole aim was to kick their counterparts out of the game.

Surely, rules made almost 50 years ago may require changing now?

50 years ago, Borussia Dortmund may not have had much knowledge about their Round of 16 opponents Shakhtar Donetsk, but due to the availability of technology, even the fans of the German club can claim to have information on their opponents and what style of play the Bundesliga Champions will encounter.

The rule, in fact, has now started working in a completely opposite manner. The rule was meant to encourage and reward away teams, who would look to play on the attack, but it has led to the home team in the first leg deliver some cagey performances, in the fear of allowing the dreaded away goal.

Going back to the game between Real Madrid and Manchester United, it was interesting to note how Mourinho made some defensive substitutions near the end of the match to ensure Manchester United, who had looked dangerous near the end, did not score another away goal.

Also, if two teams are level at the end of 180 minutes football, the game should be going into extra time. This would not only be fair, it would also help UEFA. Another extra 30 minutes minimum (unless the game went to penalties), would mean more revenue for the association.

A possible solution to the away goal rule, could infact be a small tweak in the rules. How about the away goal only be considered  if and when the game is locked at a stalemate after the additional 30 minutes? This would allow more chances of the game ending without the scores level, and it would also allow UEFA to earn more money through broadcasting revenue.

Hence. a change (in fact removing it completely) would not only level the playing field a bit more, it could also possibly bring in more revenue for UEFA.

Is it really fair that Dortmund or even United could play a nil all draw and go through without having outscored their opponents? Would it not be more exciting if teams tried to outscore each other, rather than try to nick an away goal and then defend it? At the end of the day, it is all about opinions. People who lean more towards the tactical side of the game will prefer that the away goal remains as it’s  interesting to see how a team sets up to play away from home against their opponents.

The away goals rule was created in 1965. Today is 2013. Does the rule need to change with the times, or not change at all?

Manchester United managed to secure a comfortable win thanks to a hat trick by Shinji Kagawa which helped open up a 15 point lead at the top of the table. The league leaders go into their game against Real Madrid in positive form after drubbing Norwich by four goals. The scoreline flattered the home team as they didn’t even need to get out of second gear. A win and three points are important though as Manchester United begin a key week in their race for the treble.

Manchester United started the half brightly but failed to threaten the opposition goal. Mark Bunn’s dive at the feet of Robin Van Persie and a Michael Carrick shot was all that the Red Devils were able to manufacture. The Norwich defence was successfully keeping the 19-time league champions at bay with Sébastian Bassong and Bradley Johnson leading the back four. Shinji Kagawa though managed to spoil the party in first half additional time. Antonio Valencia floated a rare left footed cross into the box. The cross found its way to RVP whose stretching foot brought the ball down for the Japanese playmaker. Kagawa then surprised the Norwich goalkeeper with a shot from the outside of his boot that managed to creep in at the near post.

The second half began with United enjoying possession and the Canaries did not manage to create much. There was one moment in the game though where Norwich could have scored, but Russell Martin failed to take advantage. Grant Holt rose above Evra to lay it off for the full back but not only was the shot way off target, Holt was adjudged to have fouled Evra.

With one eye on the big Champions League clash in mid-week, Sir Alex decided to take Van Persie off after the 60 minute mark and replaced him with Danny Welbeck. Manchester United then went on to score 3 goals in the last 15 minutes to seal the game. Two of the three goals were scored by Kagawa to hit his first hat trick for Manchester United. It was the first time an Asian player had managed to score a hat trick in the Premier League. His second came after 76 minutes after Wayne Rooney chased a ball by Michael Carrick and Kagawa was there to tap in Rooney’s cut back. He then fooled the keeper with a delightful chip three minutes from time to claim the match ball. Rooney then managed to get his only goal of the game and United’s fourth with a fantastic shot in the dying moments of the game.

Sir Alex will hope his players can improve on today’s performance and it will be interesting to see who manages to hold on to their place in the squad and who find themselves on the bench. Kagawa’s performance, may have given the manager something to think about, as all eyes now turn to Real Madrid on Wednesday.

Final score: Man United (Kagawa (3), Rooney (1)) 4-0 Norwich

As the Premier League season rolls into March, the club at the top of the table is all too familiar with the race for the title. It has been part of that race for the best part of 20 years, and shown up on the winning side 12 times. This fact and the current 12 point gap at the top has led many fans, and also many TV pundits, to claim that the title will now make its way from the blue half to the red half of Manchester.

“It’s Manchester United, they won’t let a 12 point gap go”, “City have been inconsistent, no guarantee that they will win all their games (which they need to do)” and “Ferguson and his team won’t repeat the mistake of last season” have been some of the reasons given by supporters of not only United, but rival clubs as well, to explain their reasons for already accepting the Red Devils as English Champions.

Currently, it seems hard to see City overcoming a twelve point lead, as their rivals seem to be having the momentum. A momentum that has brought United 8 wins in the last 10 games. Even the goals at the back have dried up, with only 3 being conceded since the 4-3 against Newcastle, back in December. This, inevitably, helped the Red Devils to open up a 12 point lead over their blue half.

But, and there is always one of that, if anyone saw the game between Chelsea and City on the weekend, you would have seen the kind of performance that lifts the spirits up of a club. Joe Hart made a fantastic save from a Lampard penalty and that confidence booster led the current League champions to beat the current European Champions  two goals to nil.

This is where the next week is key for both the clubs. Manchester United play Norwich City in the Premier League, Real Madrid in the Champions League and then Chelsea or Middlesbrough (unless the game ends as a draw) in the FA Cup. Now, if Norwich were to manage a draw at Old Trafford, and Mourinho and his men managed to knock United out of the UCL, it would be a big dent to the confidence of the Premier League leaders. A defeat in the FA Cup could make it worse. Then, you could see a free fall, with City taking advantage of it.

That is, of course, the worst case scenario, but it is one that is possible. For all you know, United could win all those games to end up winning the treble come May (oh,how I would love that!). The point being that fans should probably show some restraint in their celebrations of “No.20″, because as it was proved last season by City, and Manchester United many times before, it’s not over till it’s mathematically impossible.

The race for the Champions League Spot

Everyone seems to have their eyes now gazed on spot no.3 and 4 in the Premier League table, with the current leaders seemingly running away with the league title.

A few weeks ago, both the Merseyside clubs were talking about a possible battle to reach the top 4. Not that recent results have dampened that belief, and it should not. Everton surely still have an outside chance for the fourth spot, with Chelsea, under Rafa, looking all too shaky and inconsistent in their performances. Rafa Benitez could possibly focus more on either the FA Cup or the Europa League, opening up an opportunity for those below, mainly Arsenal (2 points behind) and Everton (7 points behind) to possibly take over 4th spot. Tottenham, barring a meltdown in the last 12 games, seem to have all but ensured their place in next season’s Champions League, though many Spurs fans would remind you of last season, and would hope AVB has sorted that out this season. Liverpool have a small outside chance to reach the top 4, but will need to show consistency in their results (not performance but results), so as to make a late charge for the fourth spot.

The games between the challengers for 3rd and 4th spot would be the key to decide who ends up where on the table. This is one race which is still wide open, and it needs two teams to get into a consistent run of form to take charge of the battle. Whosoever does that best, will come out of it with the spoils.

*The game could be postponed due to a possible clash with Everton’s commitments in the FA Cup. Postponement of the clash will only take place in the event of Everton beating Oldham.

So who do you think will end up in the top 4? Post your views in the comments section below.

For Manchester United fans it means, talking about the form of their forwards, Michael Carrick‘s revitalization, which has finally seen him receive credit, none of which has been undeserving. Also supporters of the Red Devils point towards  desire and more importantly the overall sense of team unity, something which Real Madrid seem to lack, as a factor that could tip the balance in the favour of the club from Manchester.

Real Madrid, may not seem to have the same unity as their rivals, but the sheer quality that the team posses on the field, promises to provide fans all over the world with a match that will be remembered for generations to come.

Let’s look at five areas where Manchester United need to focus in order to ensure that the club makes it past the La Liga champions and into the quarters of the Champions League.

Form of Wide players

(L-R) Valencia, Nani,Young: Who will be the key on the wing?

Manchester United are traditionally known to be a team, which relies on width provided by their wide players to get past opposition defences and score goals. That becomes hard to do though, when all 3 of the natural wide men in your team are either injured or out of form.

Antonio Valencia, who on his request was handed the prestigious No.7, has been poor. While at that time, he deserved to wear the famous jersey worn by greats like Best, Beckham, Ronaldo to name a few, he has not justified it this season. Injuries have not helped him, and his confidence of beating his man seems to have eroded. Opposition fullbacks have realised that it’s more a matter of when he decides to move right, and this is where his lack of a left foot hurts Valencia.

Ashley Young, was showing signs of improvement when he returned from his injury this season, but just when it looked like he had caught up some sort of form, he was sent back to the injury room. His work rate is of real importance down the left flank for Ferguson, who chose to use him there in some important games this season. His return from injury also provides the Scotsman with further options to rotate.

Then there is the wild card of the pack, Nani. On his day, he has the potential to make any defence in the word look ordinary, and hence a key player for the club. But sadly, performances like those have been of rare occurrence in the past two season. That is not to say, he should not play, since returning from injury, the Portuguese has shown some sign of improvement and the supporters will be hoping he returns to form in time for the Champions league game.

Considering such form of the wide players, it may not be a bad idea for the United manager to maybe look to contain and start with a diamond formation in the first leg away from home.

Defending

Defence will be crucial to United’s chances over the two legs.

This is one area where there has been marked improvement in recent weeks, but there is still more improvement, which will be needed to beat a team of the calibre of Madrid, especially with the attacking threat that they pose.

As good as they have been this season, Evra and Rafael haven’t been perfect. The Brazilian fullback has certainly improved on the defensive side to his game, he still needs to work on his positioning, and with Ronaldo attacking down his end he will need to be at the top of his game.

Evra has resurrected since the arrival of Alexander Büttner; the push key to the Frenchman’s renaissance. There maybe a marked improvement in this season, but he still has troubles with quick and tricky wide players. Angel Di Maria will most likely start for Madrid on the right flank, providing Evra with a task he must not fail.

Concentration

This has been one facet of Manchester United, that has failed to improve since the start of the season, one which Ferguson has failed to remove, though at time just delaying it. In the start of the season, if it were poor starts, now it seems to be poor second half’s after completely dominating teams in the first.

Concentration is key to making sure these celebrations are kept to a low.

Concentration for the full 90 minutes, is something that the Red Devils seem to be having trouble with.

The start of the season was plagued with many defensive lapses, now with the defence improving every game, too many passes have gone astray in the closing stages.

Jose Mourinho would have clearly identified this as one area where Los Blancos could look to take advantage of. Also with players like Ronaldo, Ozil lining up against United, they do not need an invitation to make most of whatever opportunity is presented to them, however small it may be.

Considering how key an away goal could be for both sides, in a tie which is bound to be closely fought, any mistake over the two legs will be magnified.

Goalkeeper

David De Gea will have to be at the top of his game.

There has been a lot of discussion on David De Gea in recent weeks, with the Spanish goalie having critics and defendants in an equal number. But what cannot be doubted of the United No.1 is that he has made some improvements in his game over the summer. Also on the flip side, he still retains weaknesses in his game, that will need to be looked at, but luckily for him he has time on his hand and the fans support.

De Gea has had his moments and he will need to ensure that he steers clear of making mistakes in both the legs.

Pressure (both on and off the ball)

This is one part of the game, that Sir Alex will need to look at if his team stand a chance against Madrid. In recent game, United have shown a tendency to sit back and absorb the pressure after taking the lead. The defence seems to back off and the rest of the team follows suit, and this defending deeper than usual has led to many nervous endings, and a few missed heartbeats for fans.

Xabi Alonso will need to be kept quiet, the duty of which could end up on the shoulders of Wayne Rooney

Defending deeper against the likes of Xabi Alonso in midfield, is asking for trouble and is something that cannot be allowed as it can come back and haunt them. Madrid’s defence is not infallible as has been shown throughout the season and attacking their defence would not be a bad idea.

Ferguson’s men will also need to cope with pressure applied by Madrid when United have the ball. Opposition teams have identified this weakness, with the Red Devils and they have faced problems playing the ball out when rivals have applied pressure. This will need to be addressed, as the Special One would surely have identified this chink in the Red Devil armour.

These are some of the key areas that the men from Old Trafford need to look at to ensure that fans of the Manchester Club, are on the morning of March 6, rejoicing qualification to the quarters of the Champions League. Mourinho will have surely  identified areas of weakness, which his side can take advantage of, and Ferguson while looking at areas at which he can exploit in Madrid’s armour and also look at areas where United themselves can improve.

The match could prove to be a one with lots of goals and a neutral could be in for a treat.

Let’s look at some of the players who will be out to prove a point in the New Year.

1. Fernando Torres

When you look back at the year, on the face of it, Fernando Torres seems to have done it all – winner of the Champions League, FA Cup, Euros and Golden Boot.

When you dig deeper though, you realize that Torres has still not reached the world class standards that he had set in Liverpool. In fact, other than a few days here and there, he hasn’t even been close to that. Now, with Chelsea close to signing Ba, Torres will have some competition for the striker slot at Chelsea, something he didn’t face in the first half of the season.

Recently, with Benitez at helm, Torres has started scoring more regularly. This will be a very important year for the Spaniard, and he will be out to prove to all his doubters that some of the old Torres who mesmerized them in his Liverpool days is still there.

2. Mario Balotelli

Mario Balotelli. The headline boy. The boy who either makes headlines, or people just make headlines for him. The headlines are not always in favour of Balotelli.

The last time he was in the news, Balotelli had decided to drop his appeal against a two-week fine that the club had imposed upon him. Balotelli came into the new season after impressing one and all with his performance against Germany, and showcasing the extent of his talent.

Sadly for him though, since then, he would go on to show to those same people why we may never get to see him perform on that level on a regular basis. Balotelli has scored only one goal in 13 games in the league and has three in 18 in all competitions this season. He has completed 90 minutes in only one game this season.

His actions at the end of last season against Arsenal could have cost City the title. Mancini after game stated,  ”We have six games left and he will not play.”

It would be something of an irony then, that it would be Balotelli, of all people, who would set up THAT Aguero goal.

This will be a crucial year for Balotelli. He will have to try and ensure that he makes the headlines for the right reasons and not for the wrong ones. If he can do that, he has a big future ahead of him.

3. Aaron Ramsey

Aaron Ramsey did not have a great 2012. He was generally poor and a shadow of a player that he once was. Last season was a clear result of too many games too soon. He started the season well, but at the turn of the year his performances dipped. Playing 44 games in your first full season is not something which is very helpful, especially considering the injury he had just recovered from.

This season has seen him become a bit part player in the Arsenal squad. Wenger has used him on the right side more often than not this year, a position which Ramsey is clearly not comfortable with.

With almost two years back from the injury, Arsenal fans patience with Ramsey has been decreasing game after game. Ramsey will need to look deep inside and resurrect the Ramsey of old and win back the Arsenal fans.  He needs to ensure that 2013 is not his last year as a Gunner.

4. Daniel Sturridge

One man army. Well, atleast that’s what he sees himself as. His dictionary lacks the word “pass” and he has become great friends with the bench he has been warming at Chelsea for most part of 2012.

Daniel Sturridge now, in 2013, is at a crossroads. He is currently 23, a time where footballers start moving towards their peak (unless you’re a Messi). He is still not old, but certainly not young either. This is the age where the talk of “potential” dies down, and “product” is what is talked about.

He is too inconsistent and fails to find his team mates far too often. He has all the potential to make it big, but now he needs to start performing regularly.

A move to Liverpool may seem as a backward step, but it’s a step which will hopefully help him move forward. 2013 is the year Daniel Sturridge gets to prove his doubters wrong and finally move forward in fulfilling the potential he has always shown. Liverpool will hope he does.

5. Nemanja Vidic

Nemanja Vidic had been a rock at the heart of Manchester United‘s defence for almost 5 years. However, last year was one which was marred by injuries.

The injuries to his knees have no doubt affected the club, but this year Vidic will have a point to prove. He would want to prove that he can come out of the last horrific 16 months of injuries and keep players away from his goal. He will certainly need to be managed better now, but a fit and firing Vidic is as good as any defender in the world.

Vidic will want to prove that he can still be a first choice CB at Manchester United and captain of the English Club.

This news was confirmed by Surf Excel spokesperson Suyash Jaiswal who had this to say: “Surf Excel proudly announces its association with Chicharito. We were on the lookout for a big celebrity, who would be recognized worldwide and Chicharito, because of his status at Manchester United, is a worldwide celebrity.”

The spokesperson also went on to say how the Newcastle game was the reason that Surf Excel signed him on, and that the deal was done very quickly. “The boss was watching the Manchester United game and he loved the look of Chicharito after his winner, and he immediately told us to get the deal done. Chicharito was very excited and hence the deal was easy to complete.”

We have managed to get a sneak peek at one of the plans, for the ad campaign. Here is an exclusive picture just for you!

Sneak peek at the possible Surf Excel Ad Campaign
Credits: Damodar Chowdhary

It will be interesting to see, how successful this ad campaign will be for Surf Excel.

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction and is not to be taken seriously.

All said and done, there will be a few particular stories that will be interesting to follow during this transfer window.

1. Will he sign the thing?

Wigan Athletic v Arsenal – Premier League

Arsenal have lost a good number of players in the transfer windows gone by, and there is a chance they might just lose another one. Theo Walcott’s refusal to sign a new contract at Arsenal has meant that rumours of him leaving have been abound for quite some time now. He has been linked with Liverpool, Chelsea and even Manchester United. A newspaper went as far ahead as to state that Wenger may be keen on a Nani-Walcott swap! This one has been tedious no doubt.

The news in the last week or so has been slightly encouraging for the Arsenal faithful. Walcott has been getting chances as a the center forward, which is his current demand, and it seems he may also get the wage packet he wants, though it’s still questionable if he actually deserves it.

If he doesnt sign the contract, it seems likely that Liverpool and Chelsea are waiting, ready to pounce on the player. Where will Walcott be at the end of the winter transfer window? We will have to wait and see.

2. Ba(t) who will get him?

Newcastle United v Manchester City – Premier League

Alan Pardew was recently quoted in the Independent saying that Demba Ba can decide about his own future. It is also common knowledge that Ba has a £7.5 million release clause that can be triggered by anyone who wants to buy the Newcastle hit man.

It’s hard to understand why a club would put such a small release clause for a player who is so important to their team, especially considering the shocking form of his compatriot Papiss Cisse. There are a few clubs who could be on the lookout for a striker during the transfer window, and Ba would have to be one of the best choices right now. Arsenal have been rumoured to have had an interest in Ba, and the price tag shouldn’t be a roadblock for the deal. Maybe Chelsea might look at Ba, considering his form and price tag. Is Ba interested in moving away from Newcastle?

The release clause may come back and haunt the Geordies, and the fans will be hoping that Ba says no to any offer that comes his way.

3.  Who’s coming to the Bridge?

Falcao,Villa,Negredo or Walcott?

Falcao, Walcott, Negredo and Villa all have been linked with a move to Chelsea in the last couple of months. Falcao has been linked with Chelsea ever since the season started. The expected departure of Daniel Sturridge to Liverpool means that Chelsea will no doubt be looking at signing a striker. The question though remains: Who will they sign? Falcao seems to be Roman’s first choice, but it seems like he has stated his desire to play out this season at least with Atletico Madrid, who are currently placed 2nd behind league leaders Barcelona in La Liga.

So who will come to the Bridge? Will he be ready to play second fiddle to Torres? Or will Torres play second fiddle to the incoming striker?

4. Vill-a leave?

FC Barcelona v SL Benfica – UEFA Champions League

Rumours of David Villa being linked to a host of English clubs has gathered steam in the past couple of weeks. He has been linked with Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea. Some rumours claim an outright buy of the Spanish striker, whereas some claim he will be loaned out to an English club.

There is no doubt Villa needs time to regain his fitness. He is 31 years old and the likelihood of him leaving is low, but in the world of football you can never say no, can you?

5. Where will Beckham go?

2012 MLS Cup – Houston Dynamo v Los Angeles Galaxy

David Beckham ended his MLS career and has since then been linked with various clubs for a final move. Where will Beckham finally end his career?

Tottenham, QPR and PSG have all been linked with him. Will any of the clubs mentioned be successful in signing him, or will he ply his trade somewhere else?  Wherever he goes, his next club can be guaranteed to gain a lot of public exposure, because they not only sign a player, they sign the brand that is David Beckham.

The year 2012 has been one full of great adventure for Chelsea Football Club and its fans. While the fans were celebrating their conquest of the Champions League in the month of May, seven months down the line they were disappointed, with the defending champions failing to qualify for the knockout rounds. In between all of this, Roman Abramovich found time to sack yet another manager to ensure at least some normality in the workings at the club. Let’s look back at the year that was.

How will 2012 be remembered at Chelsea?

2012 was the year that Roman Abramovich finally realized his dream of winning the Champions League. The dream he had set out on achieving almost a decade back was finally realized by him because of Roberto Di Matteo, a care-taker manager.

The Champions League was the Holy Grail, and it was finally conquered. There was speculation of what Roman would do now that he had achieved what many perceived to be his ultimate goal.

The old guard at Chelsea now needed changing, and with this, Chelsea fans witnessed the start of their first transition under Roman Abramovich. Reduced roles for Lampard and Terry and with Drogba leaving the club at the end of the season, Chelsea now needed new heroes to look up to and lead the club forward.

Roman Abramovich would try hard but ultimately fail to convince Pep Guardiola to be the leader for this transition. Pep wanted the break and he would not give that away.

Roman spend more money on players he thought would fulfil his desire of watching an attacking and exciting Chelsea outfit. Hazard and Oscar came in for big amounts of cash, while they were supplemented with the buys of Marin, Moses and Azpilicueta .

John Terry‘s four match ban by the FA for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, along with the court battle also was one of the leading talking points of the year. The four game ban and his subsequent absence from the team also highlighted the fact that the team lacked a leader other than John Terry. Although Terry’s defensive skills are not what they used to be, what he adds to this side is his ability to organize the defense. The club has clearly missed his experience for the past few months as the side slipped from being first to third in the Premier League.

If it was Ancelotti who was treated with lack of respect last year, this year it was Roberto Di Matteo who was treated the same way by the owner.

It was clear since the start of the season that Roberto Di Matteo was never the first choice for Roman, and it was only due to a lack of choice that Roberto got a contract. Roman then waiter for Roberto to slip up and after Chelsea got knocked out of the Champions League this season, Roman took his chance and sent Roberto on his way.

The fans were not happy one bit. This time it was a club legend who had been disrespected and the fans revolted. The worst was yet to come though. Rafa Benitez would be appointed interim manager of the club and the fans were shocked and showed their displeasure by booing Rafa when he took charge of his first game.

In a period of one year, Roman had fired two managers. It seems as if some things will never change. Chelsea’s off-field issues remain the biggest soap opera in English Football, and you feel that till Roman is there, that will not change.

You can expect something similar in the next year considering there will be a new manager to be found for next season, and possibly buying strikers in the transfer market.

Highlights of the year:

1. The Champions League victory in Munich which was won by Didier Drogba on Penalties.
2. The semi-final win over Barcelona was also another highlight. A match which was deemed as a Barcelona win before it even began, was miraculously won by Chelsea.
3. Another FA Cup was added to Chelsea’s list of titles. Finishing with two trophies at the end of the season, when at one point, even one seemed a distant dream.

Lows of the year:

1. The competition that provided them with great glory also managed to provide them with the disappointment of the year. Chelsea, defending champions, knocked out of the Champions League in the group stages.
2. Roberto Di Matteo’s sacking was another low point in the season, more so for the club fans, who saw their legend being sacked in typical Roman style.

Hero: Didier Drogba

It was hard to look past this man, a force of nature in blue. He left London as a Chelsea hero, an immortal one. He left as many legends wish to – on a high, having won Chelsea the Champions League with the last kick of the ball in the blue of Chelsea. He was highly instrumental in what Chelsea managed to achieve last season.

To say that Chelsea miss a player like him is a gross understatement. He was known to stand up when it mattered most and last season he did exactly that.

Bayern Munich, Tottenham and Barcelona all felt the wrath of Drogba. Ferocious strength, finishing off any chance that he gets and committed to the Chelsea cause, he displayed all the qualities that made him one of the most feared target men world football has ever seen.

Didier Drogba left Chelsea Football Club as a Hero, and there are few who would begrudge him for that.

Special Mention: Juan Mata

What an absolute gem of a signing he has been. Juan Mata has been excellent for Chelsea this year, and is now an integral part of the squad. There were a few murmurs that Mata would be sidelined with Hazard being bought in, but that has not been the case with Mata just getting better as the season has gone by. Next year will be crucial for the Spaniard and he will hope that he can inspire Chelsea to greater heights and more trophies.

What does 2013 hold?

More changes to follow? More players to be signed? More money to be spent? These are some of the questions that Chelsea take into 2013.

The equation between Benitez and the fans will be one that will be interesting till the end of the season. It is an open secret that Roman wants Pep to replace Benitez at the end of the season, but whether Pep accepts the offer remains to be seen.

One thing that can be said with surety is that Chelsea need to buy a striker. They cannot continue to put faith in Fernando Torres alone. He may or may not return to form, but putting faith in only one proven striker for a club the size of Chelsea is a sin. Falcao seems to be the most obvious choice, but he will not be a cheap acquisition and it will be interesting to see what is then done with Fernando Torres.

There will be more changes to follow in the style of play and team personnel. Next year, around this time, Lampard and Cole may not be plying their trade for Chelsea, with doubts over their contract extensions.

All the attention will be on Roman and how he handles all of this will be subject to immense discourse  He has already tested the fans’ patience by appointing Benitez, and so he may want to tread more carefully, though I doubt he cares, and will ultimately do what he feels is best for the club.

All in all, it is with great uncertainty that Chelsea enter 2013. It will be interesting to see where they go from here.

Following the defeat at the final of the Club World Cup, you could see quite a few Chelsea players who looked sad and disappointed that they lost. But Lucas Piazon has come out after the 1-0 defeat to Corinthians and criticized those who put on the blue shirt. He claimed they did not show their love for the blue shirt and that the trip was a total waste.

According to Terra, Piazon said,“We lacked character and love for the shirt,” he said. “Nobody wanted to play. At least Oscar tried, I will not specify which players didn’t but the team came unwillingly. You can’t get in to a final and be unwilling to play, that is unacceptable. They were missing the desire to be a champion. I think the Brazilian players, Ramires and David Luis, strove to the utmost and therefore are sad.”

David Luiz was seen crying on the pitch. Lucas Piazon was able to shed some more light on how disappointed Luiz was after the game in the dressing room.

“He can’t enter a final without thinking about being in a final,” he added. “But I realized that David was ill. No wonder, he was one of the few who actually cared.”

It is very rare that a young player on the fringes of the first team squad criticizes the first team players like that. He will surely be on Twitter or will release a statement soon claiming that he never said that or that he was sorry to doubt the players’ commitment. He will find it truly hard to survive in the dressing room if he doesn’t.

]]> http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/12/16/lucas-piazon-takes-aim-at-chelsea-players/feed/ 1 13924 http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/12/07/he-will-retire-when-he-wants/ http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/12/07/he-will-retire-when-he-wants/#comments Fri, 07 Dec 2012 13:39:27 +0000 Sushant Kaw http://www.sportskeeda.com/?p=1047240

“You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain.”

This is a quote that I have seen various writers use in articles, trying to justify the fact that it may be time for Sachin Tendulkar to retire.

The thought that comes to my mind, whenever I read such views is: Maybe he is not living to see himself become a villain. Maybe he continues to play, for the same reasons that he first picked up a bat. His love for the game.

It seems that everyone who has ever watched even a single over of cricket, has an opinion on Sachin Tendulkar. People seem to think that they know more about when Sachin should retire than the guy who has actually served this country and cricket as a whole for more than twenty years.

It is agreed that his retirement is near, but who are we to decide when he should retire? Have we scored more than 34,000 runs in international cricket? Have we hit more than 50 test centuries and an almost identical number of ODI centuries?

History is testimony that one may count Sachin out at one’s own expense. He has had one of the most illustrious careers of all time, yet he can’t be afforded a lean patch? There are others in the current cricket team who do not necessarily deserve a spot in the squad, yet somehow Sachin is the easiest scapegoat.

For so many Indian cricket fans, Sachin is the be all and end all. A match would not have truly started until Sachin had made his way to the crease with bat in hand, and the match would end when Sachin would sadly, be dismissed.

For the past few years, my interest in cricket has waned to the extent of extinction, but my interest in watching Sachin play is stronger than ever. My television remote switches to a cricket match only when Sachin is batting.

I can say that this holds true for many Indians out there. There is a whole generation of fans who would suddenly lose interest in the sport once Sachin retires. The same generation that first picked up a bat because they wanted to play like the Little Master. The same generation that would leave studying for an exam just to watch Sachin play another of his wonderful innings.

Ramachandra Guha, a cricket historian, once wrote an article about the giants of the game, from W.G. Grace to Bradman, Sobers and Tendulkar. A comment he made holds some significance currently:

“Grace was loved by 15 million Englishmen. Bradman was idolized by 10 million Australians. Sobers worshiped by a like number of West Indians. But Sachin is answerable to a billion hyper-expectant and too-easily dissatisfied Indians.”

The day Sachin retires, cricket will become poorer than it’s ever been. Not just Indian cricket, but international cricket as well.

Many want him out rather than support him during this time of struggle. His first innings knock against England at Eden Gardens showed that he was after all a human. He was ready to grind out a knock, ready to struggle.

Sachin’s innings have so many times lifted the spirits of a country. It is time we support him in his struggle.

Many people out there want him to retire. They fear his image may be tarnished if he does not retire at the right time, which they feel is now. What many do not realise is that deep inside, Sachin knows when he wants to retire. After all, who knows more about timing it just right than the master himself?

There have been some very good performances from various players this season. RVP has been influential at Manchester United, Cazorla has been a joy to watch for Arsenal and more recently even Giroud has found his scoring boots. Michu for Swansea, Hazard for Chelsea, Bale for Spurs have been other good performers in the league this season.

As with every season, you have players who disappoint as well. Some fail to live up to what is expected by fans while some fail to recreate their form from previous seasons. The Top 5 players who have been disappointing in the English Premier League so far-in no particular order- are:

Papiss Cisse

Last season Cisse took the EPL by storm. He scored 13 goals in 14 games for Newcastle in the second half of the season after being bought in January. This time with a full season ahead of him, he was expected to continue that form and maybe even challenge for the Golden Boot possibly.

Unfortunately for Newcastle United, that has not been the case. Cisse has managed only 1 goal in 11 appearances for the club this season. According to Whoscored.com, he has had 21 shots in 11 appearances for the club.  Only 5 of those have been on target. That comes to a miserly 24% of shots on target.  Comparing to last season, he had 39 shots out of which 21 were on goal. That is more than 50% of shots on target.

Strikers feed on goals and if Cisse is to return to his previous form, he needs goals.  When Cisse came to Newcastle, what put him onto the spotlight was the fact that he made difficult things look easy. Some of his goals could easily have been Goal of the Season contenders if scored in different seasons.  His first instinct is to score goals. Somehow due to lack of goals or loss of confidence those instincts have been lost.

Due to this drop in confidence rather than relying on his instinct, he is in fact thinking about it a split second too much, which has not helped him at all.

Also, Newcastle’s change from playing a lone front man last season to playing a more orthodox 2 man striker force could also be attributed to his poor showing.

Considering the lack of back up in the striker’s department, Newcastle fans will hope Cisse quickly regains his form of last season.

Pepe Reina

Pepe Reina has been a constant now at the back of the Liverpool defence, guarding the goal for almost 7 years. In the last 3-4 years which have been turbulent to say in the least for Liverpool Football Club, Reina has been one of the few players to have been a constant source of confidence.

Liverpool fans have seen the defence chopped and changed, midfield ruined with departures of Mascherano and Alonso and Torres leaving, Reina has never been a source of real trouble, until now that is.

He has, since his arrival, been in the top 5 goalkeepers regularly season after season. This season has been somewhat different. Reina has seen a dip in form.

Though the spiral did not start this season. It was there last season as well, not as obvious as this season, but their were signs last season as well. The lack of goals up front managed to mask that though.

This season Reina has made 3 defensive errors according to Squawka out of which two have directly led to a goal i.e against Arsenal and Norwich.

His poor form could be related to various reasons. Two that would be important to point out are the fact that he seems to have gained weight and also a lack of a strong no.2 to challenge his position.

The solution for the first one is obvious, lose weight.

Another potential problem for Reina is the lack of competition at Anfield. Liverpool’s back-up goalies have never pushed Reina, and have only ever been called upon whenever Reina has been suspended. We saw something similar happen to Evra in the last season or two, where lack of a good back-up led to his dip in form as well.

Reina needs to find his good form back and has showed signs of improvement in the last one or two games. An in-form Reina is highly important to Liverpool’s defence and of course the club as a whole.

Thomas Vermaelen

In the summer, when RVP made his way towards the red half of Manchester, Arsene Wenger was left with a void to fill. This was a void that he had faced a number of times in the past few seasons. The one of Captaincy. Wenger decided to thrust it on a person he felt would finally stop the trend of the captain leaving. He gave the armband to Thomas Vermaelen.

The defender ticked all the boxes- vocal, high levels of performances, and he had leadership skills. The fans were happy with the decision too.

Unfortunately for all parties involved  the ‘high levels of performances’ have dropped off of late. After Arsenal started the season with three clean sheets, Vermaelen along with the whole defence was being praised and Bould was also winning plaudits for his part in the impressive defence, that Arsenal had shown.

Since then though, the defence has rarely ever shown such form and Vermaelen’s form has slowly been deteriorating. The worst game for him this season, performance wise, has to be the one against Manchester United. He made two key errors in the game against Manchester United, one of which led to a goal, with RVP dispatching the ball in the back of the net. The other, Valencia should have scored but missed, due to poor finishing.

What Wenger now needs to decide is, if he wants to keep playing Vermaelen or drop him. The problem here lies in him being the captain. A captain cannot be seen regularly making mistakes, especially when it can cost the team goals. It is clearly a lack of form and Wenger needs to find some solution for it and he has to do it fast.

Clint Dempsey

When Spurs beat Liverpool to the signing of Dempsey before the transfer window closed, he was touted as the replacement for Van Der Vaart. He had impressed many neutrals last season, who had seen him play, due to his impressive finishing ability and this was the reason Liverpool were also after him.

The Tottenham summer signing though has struggled to make an impact since joining the North London club, despite accumulating two goals and two assist in 10 appearances for the club.

The American has failed to really stand out for the club. Some of his fans may point to his two goals, each of which were match-winners (against Manchester United and Southampton), but even those were mere tap-ins off the back of his teammates’ good work.

His worst performance has to be the game against Manchester City, where he was appalling to say the least.

The 8 million transfer fee which the club paid for him at the time of signing may have been seen as a bargain, now seems to be a mistake. Maybe not a costly one, but considering the form of his alternative option, Gylfi Sigurdsson, it could turn out to be costly.

AVB could now either continue with Dempsey and hope he comes out of this poor form, or drop him and try playing Sigurdsson in that role. AVB has tried a formation with two strikers, but as seen in the North London Derby, Adebayor can not necessarily be trusted.

Fernando Torres

This name stands out slightly from the others in the list. While the others came into this season on the back of some impressive performances last season, Torres was not really impressive. Truth be told, he was not really thought to be there either, especially near the end of the season.

This season though was expected to be different. Chelsea had done everything possible to ensure he performed. Got rid of any striker who would cause him insecurities. Bought players who could play the attacking style that suited him and was also the desire of their owner Abramovich. He had won the Golden Boot-slightly lucky that- at the Euros with Spain.

All in all, Torres was finally expected to show his form of old. Except that has not really happened.

He started the season on a positive note, but as the season has gone by, Torres started to regress once more.

He has scored only 4 goals in 13 games this season for Chelsea, which for a striker at Chelsea is just not good enough.

Now, the media wants football fans to believe that Benitez has been brought in for the sole purpose of regaining Torres’s form, considering he played his best football for Liverpool under him.

Though as Gary Neville said Torres needs to change his game as he is not the striker he once was. The team also takes part of the blame   but if you want to be termed as a World Class striker you need to adapt to how the team plays.

Chelsea fans and certainly Abramovich will be hoping Benitez can somehow bring the Torres of old back for everyone to see and enjoy.

There were those who(luckily!) just missed the list of five. Three of those lucky players are:

Gylfi Sigurdsson

This was another player that Spurs managed to beat Liverpool to, and has managed to disappoint Spurs till now, just like Dempsey has. Intelligent on the ball, technically astute with a great understanding of the game, Sigurdsson seemed to have it all to become a key component in this new Spurs team under AVB.

The season did not really start so well for Spurs, and soon Gylfi saw himself on the sidelines. The problem lies in the fact that Gylfi may not be suited to a 4-2-3-1 but more of a 4-3-3. This can be seen in the Reading game, which saw him give his best performance of the season in a 3-1 win.Maybe AVB needs to look at his tactics to get the best out of Sigurdsson.

He did not make the top 5 because he really has not got his chances yet. He has made only 5 starts in the season and if given more games,and maybe a slight change in AVB’s tactics,  he may be able to reproduce the form of last season.

David Luiz

Last season when Chelsea managed to somehow dig deep and win the Champions League, beating Barcelona and Bayern Munich on their way to glory, their defense was applauded a lot. David Luiz who had been criticized a lot had been part of that defense and admirably played his part in ensuring the opposition was kept away.

Hence, this season he was expected to build on that late season form and cement his spot in the starting line up. Unfortunately, Luiz has not been able to replicate the form of last season and also has been average at best. There have been some games where he has been shockingly poor. The game against Manchester United was one such game.

The point that has been emphasized really about David Luiz is that, his form is really erratic. He will amaze you with something one minute, and then just confound you with an act of stupidity the very next. He has not really been as poor as people in the list, but the fact that John Terry has been missing, due to various reasons, Chelsea needed Luiz to take charge of the defense, which really has not happened.

Chelsea fans may be nervous about what happens when John Terry retires, and would hope Luiz improves this erratic form, just like Rafael has shown at Manchester United, this season.

Stéphane Sessegnon

Sessegnon was Sunderland’s star man in the second half of the season. He scored 7 goals and 9 assists last season for the Black Cats. Martin O’Neil’s team was resurgent mainly due to his form, where sometimes he even had to play as a striker.  He ended the season as the top scorer and was voted as the club’s Player of the Season.

The reason that can be attributed to his slow start to the season could be the ankle injury he suffered in pre season, which meant he was not at peak fitness when the season started. That though cannot be an excuse any longer. His form has shown signs of improvement in the last few games but they have been fleeting. He will need to improve for Sunderland to rack up the points and get some pressure of Martin O’neil.

So there you go, that was my list of players who have disappointed us with their performances this season. This though is a very subjective topic, and you are bound to have your own opinions. So let me know what you think and what is your list.

There is a storm brewing. A storm that is coming right at Jack Wilshere. Unfortunately for him, he cannot avoid it. He cannot dodge it. He has to stand up and face it. He will need help though. All the help he can get. From his manager to the players and right down to the fans. The Media? Expecting help from them is like expecting Stoke to play football.

The Media, as is their job, will certainly do what they have to do. Create a storm of expectations. The British Media love to do that. They have been doing that effectively for a long time.

Jack Wilshere plays for England and is highly regarded and many would say rightly so, as one of the most talented youngsters in the world. This youngster dominated an opposition team which had Xavi and Iniesta in its ranks in a Champions League Knockout Round. That is enough for anyone to announce himself on stage.

He has everything that England need. Dribbling, Passing, Movement, keeping possession and moving the ball effectively.

But England is not the only that needs him. Arsenal do too. That is where this storm gets even dangerous.

Jack Wilshere has yet to play football for the first team since recovering from his injury. Still, circumstances surrounding Arsenal and what happened in Poland with England means that all the spotlight is on him.

Jack Wilshere has been portrayed by fans and media alike to be some sort of messiah for both club and country. Like all problems will be solved when Wilshere will step into the midfield for both.

That unfortunately is not true. I am not doubting Wilshere’s ability here. I am just questioning the thought process of putting faith in a 20-year-old football player who is returning from a FOURTEEN month injury lay off.

Jack Wilshere, though, seems to be a player who can handle the pressure of expectation. But will he able to handle all of this?

When representing England he still has Rooney, who remains one constant source of expectation at every big tournament. Rooney alone has not been able to handle the pressure at International Level, though there are various other reasons as well for his non-performance which are best left for another article.

At Arsenal though, fans expect Wilshere to save the day. He has been handed the No.10 jersey and Wilshere is expected to start from where he left off, before the unfortunate injuries befell him. Fans, though, should be cautious. A player coming back from a 14 month injury lay off cannot be suddenly expected to hit his peak level of performance.

Fans need to be patient with him. Arsenal fans need to understand that. More so, England fans need to understand that.

Arsene Wenger needs to make sure that Jack Wilshere is not rushed back. He has still not given him time on the pitch for the first team but he was not facing the sort of pressure he faces now.  He has managed to keep Wilshere away from the spotlight or atleast tried his best.

Based on the current tensions surrounding the club, Wenger might really be tempted to put Wilshere out there on the field. He simply has to resist it and follow through with his original plan for Wilshere. Maybe a substitute appearance against QPR would be good.

Even though letting Wilshere start may prove beneficial to Arsenal in the short term, it may end up harming the long term prospects of both the player and the club.

Wilshere needs to get ready, both mentally and physically. A storm is coming his way and when it hits him, and you can bet that it will, he needs to be prepared to face it.

]]> http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/10/26/jack-wilshere-walking-towards-a-storm-of-expectations/feed/ 1 145110 http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/10/19/manchester-united-vs-stoke-preview/ http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/10/19/manchester-united-vs-stoke-preview/#comments Fri, 19 Oct 2012 11:50:36 +0000 Sushant Kaw http://www.sportskeeda.com/?p=859017

Finally! The International break is over and we can welcome back the English Premier League back into our lives after two very long, painful and excruciating weeks.

Old Trafford welcomes Stoke in the first game for Man Utd since the international break. Old Trafford has not been a happy hunting ground for Stoke and will be targeting their first win at Old Trafford since 1972.

Team News:

Sir Alex has declared Ashley Young fit for the encounter. Chris Smalling was also expected to return to the squad, but fails to make it to the squad this week. Phil Jones and Vidic are still injured and unavailable for selection. The delayed game between Poland and England could also cause a few selection headaches to Sir Alex Ferguson, especially considering Carrick and Cleverley  played the full 90 mins with Rooney lasting around 70 mins before being subbed off. Elsewhere, everyone returned fit from their respective international duties which is always good to hear. Guessing Sir Alex’s line up has become a harder task this season considering the options he has, more so in attack, but here is mine:

Expected line-up: Lindegaard; Rafael, Rio, Evans, Evra; Scholes, Anderson; Valencia, Kagawa, RVP, Welbeck
Bench: DDG, Buttner, Cleverley, Carrick, Giggs, Young, Rooney

Stoke, apart from one or two injury worries, go into this game with a near full squad. Michael Owen is expected to be fit for the game and make his return to Old Trafford. Glen Whelan remains a doubt for the game. Guessing the Stoke line up was lot easier.

Expected line-up: Begovic; Cameron, Shawcross, Huth, Wilson; N’zonzi, Whelan; Walters, Adam, Knightly; Crouch
Bench: Sorensen, Upson, Edu, Whitehead, Jones, Etherington, Owen

Manchester United Player to watch:

Shinji Kagawa: He started off brightly but recently has slowed down a bit. It could have to do with the fact that he has been played out of position with Rooney playing in the role Kagawa was brought to play in. Rooney might be rested for this game considering his exploits with the National Team. This will allow Kagawa to play in his favored role. He needs to start facing the goal more than he has till now as that is when he is at his most dangerous compared to when his back is towards goal.

Stoke Player to watch:

Peter Crouch: 4 goals in 7 games. United have conceded 9 in the 7 games and you know why Crouch might love facing Manchester United right now. According to Stats courtesy WhoScored.com,  Peter Crouch has won 57/83 aerial duels this season whereas Manchester United as a whole has managed to win only 46% of their headers. Rio and Evans showcased a better rearguard against Ba and Cisse before the international break and it will be interesting to see if Crouch alone is able to provide more of a challenge. He will be a major threat from every set-piece or throw-in near the box and the CB’s will have to be aware of him all the time.

Key Battle:

Stoke CB’s vs RVP: RVP will be expected to get the goals for the team once again. Stoke are known to be very miserly in terms of goals: both scoring and conceding! Considering the stretch of games that United will be facing with Chelsea and Arsenal coming up next, it will be very important for MUFC that RVP wins this battle and gets the goals for the Devils to secure three points.

Trivia

- Manchester United have managed to save NINE points from losing positions this season. That is the most this season for any EPL side.

- There have been over 2.5 goals scored in Manchester United’s last 6 games in the Premier League.

- Stoke have failed to win their last 13 away games.

- Manchester United have managed to beat Stoke 7 out of the last 8 times in all competitions.

Stats are courtesy WhoScored.com

Final Prediction:

I am not expecting Manchester United to manage to a clean sheet, but they should be able to win the match. Expect Stoke to get a goal, but more than that would catch everyone by surprise, considering Stoke’s record.

Their recent away record also holds no optimism for the away fans, and hence I predict a Man United win with RVP and Kagawa to get the goals.

Final Score: 2-1

]]> http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/10/19/manchester-united-vs-stoke-preview/feed/ 3 363337 http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/10/18/terry-accepts-fa-verdict/ http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/10/18/terry-accepts-fa-verdict/#comments Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:32:12 +0000 Sushant Kaw http://www.sportskeeda.com/?p=855894 John Terry has decided not to appeal against the four match ban that was handed down by the disciplinary commission of the Football Association.

He had this to say “After careful consideration, I have decided not to appeal against the FA judgment. I want to take this opportunity to apologize to everyone for the language I used in the game against QPR last October. Although I’m disappointed … I accept that the language I used, regardless of the context, is not acceptable ..in any walk of life … with the benefit of hindsight my language was not an appropriate reaction to the situation. My response was below the level expected by Chelsea Football Club, and by me, and it will not happen again.I will continue to do my part in assisting the club to remove all types of discriminatory behavior from football.”

While Terry has apologized for his actions, it is interesting to note that he has yet to apologize directly to Anton Ferdinand.

The former England Captain was cleared of all charges by the Court but the FA found him guilty of  using “abusive and/or insulting words and/or behavior, which included a reference to ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race.”

John Terry had before the result also announced his retirement from the National Team because he was not happy with the FA’s stance in respect to the incident with Anton Ferdinand. He retired before the decision of the FA was released. He cited the FA’s action as the reason with his position in the England team becoming “untenable”.

Terry who was also fined  £220,000, has had two weeks to study all the evidences and the reasons for the decision taken by the independent FA Panel.

This acceptance means that John Terry will miss Chelsea games against Tottenham,Man Utd(both league and Carling Cup) and also the Swansea game.

It will also be interesting to note if Chelsea now discipline him internally as well.

Comparisons….It’s something we as humans, love to make. It is a natural tendency. No matter where you are from, no matter where you have lived, where you were brought up: You do compare. You compare your earnings with others, who has a better car, who has a better house, phones, watches, etc.

In sports too, such comparisons exist. They are bound to. Be it tennis, cricket, rugby, football, etc. comparisons are rife. We love discussing and arguing over who’s better.  Such debates can go on for hours, some are just never ending.

Then there is this one. Just one. One which should not be argued.

Its Ronaldo vs Messi. Who’s better?

It’s a topic that has been fiercely debated for as long as I can remember. It is one that continues to evolve as time passes by. New stats, new incidents, new performances and the new non-performances.

Every time Real Madrid play Barcelona, comparisons between Ronaldo and Messi can be found around the corner. Pre-match, during the match, post-match. There is always an analysis.

On Sunday, they once again came face to face on the same pitch. The season’s first El Clasico. It was billed up to be a BIG game, as so many BIG derbies are, across Europe. It did not disappoint, as some do.

Ronaldo and Messi did not disappoint either. Both ended up on the score sheet.  At one point the Ronaldo vs Messi battle seemed to be all that mattered. First Ronaldo, then Messi twice and then Ronaldo again scored the goals in a highly entertaining and fast-paced El Clasico.

While watching the game, I realized one thing though. I realized I was lucky. I realized WE were lucky. To witness two players (can we call them that?) who are surely from another planet, playing football on the same pitch. The amount of goals they score added up to their performance is simply unreal.

Even Pele and Maradona never played against each other or in the same generation.

To be able to see such players play together makes me, in the least, feel very lucky. And what do we do? We fight, crib, and look for mistakes just to get a point over the other.

The best player is a highly subjective question. One, which can never have a DEFINITE answer. So what’s the use in fighting over it?

Why not just enjoy watching Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi do what they do best? Rip defenses apart.

I used to waste my time debating who is better. Now I use my time enjoying them play. Gawking how every week they seem to score goals and think “Damn! Are they playing at amateur level or something?”

That’s how easy they make it look.  That’s the amazement, enjoyment and excitement you get when you watch these two play. Yes, they BOTH have done stuff, which may not have been right. That though is just a reminder to us. A reminder, that no matter how in-humane they might seem on the pitch, at the end of the day, they are truly humans. (Yes, it’s TRUE)

So, I would suggest stop arguing over who is better. Just thank your stars you are lucky to see both of them creating magic on the pitch, and enjoy it. Comparisons can only get you so far, but does it give you the joy you get when Messi glides past defenders or the adrenaline rush when Ronaldo scores one of his long-rangers? Think about it.

I am sure I will find many people challenging this opinion, but then what is an opinion, if not challenged?

The weekend’s game between Manchester United and Wigan witnessed many milestones. One of them being Sir Alex Ferguson’s 500th home league game as manager of Manchester United. Then, just last night, Sir Alex became the first manager to win 100 Champions League matches. You don’t get to manage a club like Manchester United for more than 25 years if you have not been successful and Sir Alex has been successful all right.

The reasons for his success are many but there is one that stands out. It is the fact that Sir Alex rules with an iron fist. What he says is carved in stone. You do not cross his path. If you do, prepare to feel the wrath of “THE BOSS”. There have been quite a few who (foolishly?) crossed the boss. Some of them accepted they were wrong and others just got shipped out because the rift became too big to be solved.

5. Wayne Rooney

Recently, Wayne Rooney completed a decade in the English Premier League. Out of those 10 seasons, he has spent 8 with Manchester United and currently he is running in his 9th year as a Red Devil. Out of these 9, he has been the principal striker for the last 3 years. The year that brings him into this Top 5 list though, is the the year of 2010. The season that was his most prolific as a striker in the United shirt.

He can count himself lucky because he is one of the few to have had a fallout and still managed to stay at the club, albeit with a nice wage packet.

On 19 October 2010, Sir Alex Ferguson came out and announced that Wayne Rooney had decided that he was not going to sign a new contract. His current one was going to end at the end of the 2011/12 campaign. This was a shocking revelation. Initially it was thought that he wanted to leave Manchester United for…Manchester City.

Later on it became clear it was more about getting a better pay and not really his desperation to leave the club. He could be called greedy; and let’s be honest how many of the footballers these days are not; but not necessarily traitorous.

This greed resulted in a rift between player and manager, with Rooney openly coming out and questioning the ambitions of the club which was seen as a direct questioning of the Manager. This you do not do. Thankfully, Rooney came to his senses and realized his mistakes. He got his wage packet, Boss got his apology and everybody was happy.

Rooney went on to lead Manchester United to another League Title the same season and also scored a goal in the final of the Champions League against Barcelona, which the Red Devils lost.

4. Ruud Van Nistelrooy

He was one of the best imports the Premier League had ever seen. He scored goals galore when at Manchester United. 150 goals in 220 appearances. He was the top scorer in the Champions League 3 times out of the 5 years that he was at the club.

He made one mistake. He pissed THE BOSS off.

His war with Ronaldo started because RVN commented “go and cry to your daddy”.

Now, who he meant, was Carlos Queiroz. What made the comment insensitive was that Ronaldo had just recently lost his dad and Carlos had become a sort of father figure in his life. The comments considering the situation were uncalled for and wrong.

Even though the reports were denied, there was a rift that was growing bit by bit. SAF benched RVN for the League Cup Final. He was left on the bench for 6 consecutive games in the league.

He would on July 28, leave for Spain, signing for Real Madrid.

3. David Beckham

He was part of the “Fergie Fledglings”. He would go on to become one of the best right wingers England had produced and the World had ever seen. He was a hero, an idol to many. He was famous. He was a very good footballer, no doubt but he was also a star.

Then he did something that he would later regret. He angered the Boss. SAF was known to never have been at ease with Beckham’s star lifestyle. Then came THE tipping point.

After a 1-0 loss in the F Cup at the hands of Arsenal, Becks and SAF had a showdown. SAF, reigning down tirades at Beckham, accidentally kicked a boot into the player’s face.

Few months later Real Madrid signed David Beckham. This was a start of an interesting pattern. Apart from Beckham, Ruud, after a feud with SAF, was bought by Real Madrid. Gabriel Heinze also followed Ruud. I guess, Real Madrid were the biggest beneficiaries from these feuds.

2. Jaap Stam

This was one which SAF later stated was one of the biggest mistakes of his managerial career. After you read this, you may also nod your head. I, for one also agree, that this was a big mistake.

The fight happened when Stam published his autobiography. Stam revealed that Ferguson had been tapping him up before he made the move from PSV in 1998.

Sir Alex got this from what the papers had written. He had not read the autobiography.

While the war between the two was still waging, in came an offer of around 16million pounds. He was almost 30 and according to Sir Alex it was “an offer too good to refuse”.

Since then, SAF has admitted to making a mistake in letting go off Stam.  Additionally, his plan to buy Blanc, while trying to bring in O’Shea and Brown, also backfired.

His sale went on to mark the start of a barren spell for the club, and he was never truly replaced till Nemanja Vidic joined the club.

1. Roy Keane

How they managed to work together for so long will always remain a mystery. It could possibly be termed as one of SAF’s greatest managerial works.

Roy Keane is one of the most angry people to have ever played football. On the pitch, I think, Barton probably compares to him but only in terms of anger, not in terms of what he brought to the team.

He was a leader in every sense of the word. He took no nonsense from the players and never held back from the truth. He was almost Sir Alex but the ‘playing on the pitch’ version.

He famously walked out of the ROI’s 2002 World Cup campaign after he fell out with the manager, Mick McCarthy.

He is a Manchester United hero. His performance against Juventus in the Semi Final of the Champions League is the stuff of legends. The rift between the two started with something totally baffling – Keane complaining about the poor training facilities on their pre-Season tour.

Then came an interview to MUTV which the management decided would not be aired. It included him blasting his team mates following an embarrassing 4-1 loss to Middlesbrough.

Two weeks later Keane would go on to reach an agreement with the club, which allowed him to leave immediately.

The spat with SAF though, has not ended till date. Keane, just last season, had another go at the youngsters of the club after the club failed to qualify from the group.

He stated as an ITV Pundit that Manchester United “got what they deserved”.

SAF would snipe back by mocking Keane’s managerial record and dismissing his comments. Bad blood still exists between the two.

Those who did not make the list:

Peter Schmeichel: Here is one feud that, thankfully for Manchester United and the fans of the club, did not end with the player being sold. The year was 1994, and Schmeichel had let 3 goals past him. After the game, a very heated argument between the Dane and the Boss ensued and the Dane threw some not so kind words (read: insults) the boss’ way. He was on the verge of being sacked the next day but he accepted his mistake and apologized . This earned the respect of the Boss and so he was allowed to continue playing for the Red Devils. Rest, as they say, is history.

Paul McGrath: When SAF came to the club, he was intent on correcting everything that was wrong at the club. Paul McGrath, according to SAF, represented all that was wrong at the club (off the pitch). He wanted to remove the drinking parties and as McGrath, captain of the club at that time, was the head of all of this, he had to go. Not much can be found on it, as during that time news was not reported or dug up like today, but there was disagreement and hence McGrath moved on to Aston Villa.

Carlos Tevez: In 2009, when his contract ran out, fans wanted him to re-sign. Ask the same question now and most will say: NO. He was close to the  top 5 but the fact that most of his antics were pulled after he left the group, hence he does not find a place there. The “RIP” sign was a tipping point and an embarrassing one for Manchester City as a club.

So there you have it. A list of the top 5 spats between Sir Alex Ferguson and the players. In such a long career as manager, he was bound to have a few.

When Yuvraj Singh was chosen for the T20 Internationals against New Zealand and the T20 World Cup draw, there were mixed reactions from his friends and well-wishers. Some liked the idea, whereas some showed their concern saying that it was too early for Yuvi to rush into international cricket. But then only Yuvraj knew where he stood and his magical return was made possible.

Yuvraj made his comeback in Chennai, coming in at no.4 and played a determined knock. He ended up with 34 runs of 26 balls, but it failed to save the match for India against the Kiwis. All the speculations regarding his fitness and form were put to rest as Yuvraj showed that he still had it. It was an emotional game for him as he mentioned after the match

This return by Yuvraj put him in some illustrious company of individuals who scripted their own reversal of fortune while still at their prime. I will now list down some of those individuals, who overcame injuries or medical conditions when all seemed lost and went on to scale great heights after their return.

Lance Armstrong (Former professional road racing cyclist)

The Incident:  On 2nd October, 1996, then aged 25, Lance Armstrong found out he had testicular cancer. This cancer was at stage 3 and had by now spread to his stomach, lungs and the brain. His chances of survival were slim, and he had to have immediate chemotherapy and surgery to save his life. After the surgery took place where his diseased tumour was removed, the doctor s announced that Armstrong had a 40% chance of survival.

The Comeback: Throughout his battle with cancer, Lance Armstrong continued to maintain that he would be back, cycling competitively again. His comeback began in 1998 after intense chemotherapy. He would go on to win 7 consecutive Tour De France titles. He certainly kept his word and more! But there is an anti-climax to all this. All the titles were later stripped after he refused to bow down to the authorities with a dope probe. His career may have ended in a bad taste for him, but to the world he will always remain an inspiration.

Eric Abidal (Plays left back for Barcelona and France)

The Incident:  On 15 March 2011, Barcelona announced that Abidal was diagnosed with a tumor in his liver which was found to be 4-cm long. Players and fans from all over the world wished for his recovery. He underwent surgery two days later. Additional details in relation to his condition were not released citing privacy concerns.

The Comeback: Seven weeks later, Eric Abidal was back on the pitch for Barcelona and also went on to play the Champions League Final that season on May 25 against Manchester United. Carlos Puyol, after the game, which Barcelona won 3-1, handed the armband to Eric Abidal, so he could lift the trophy for the Catalan Club.  On 15 March 2012, it was announced that Abidal would have to undergo a liver transplant because of problems which were unresolved with the previous operation. He expects to be back by December and play football once more.

Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi A.K.A Tiger Pataudi(Former Captain of the Indian Cricket Team)

The Incident:  This is one incident from which Yuvraj could probably have taken some inspiration while he was on the road to recovery. Pataudi had a car accident in England in July 1961, lost sight in his right eye. This when he was aged 20. A shard of glass from the broken windscreen permanently damaged his right eye. The damage caused by this glass meant Pataudi would see a double image, and it was feared that this would mean the end of a promising cricketing career.

The comeback: He was determined to continue playing and set about learning how to play cricket with one eye. Six months later, he made his Test debut against England in Delhi. He would pull a cap over his damaged right eye and play watching the ball using his left only. He surprised everyone in the series when in the third test, he would go on to score a century. Of the 46 Tests he played, Pataudi was captain of the Indian Cricket Team for 40 of those matches.

Petr Čech (Goalkeeper for Chelsea and Czech Republic)

The Incident: On 14 October 2006, Čech and Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt both challenged for the ball inside Chelsea’s penalty area within the first minute of a league match at the Madejski Stadium. Hunt’s right knee hit Čech’s head, leaving the keeper requiring treatment. Čech would undergo surgery for a depressed skull fracture. Initially, the doctors were unaware of this but later realised that this injury nearly cost him his life. Due to the collision, he underwent severe headaches and was warned by the doctor to not return to early as it could be fatal. Čech’s father would later come out and state that he would be out for at least a year.

The Comeback: Čech made his comeback in a Premier League match against Liverpool on 20 January 2007, which Chelsea eventually lost 2–0, wearing a rugby style headguard. It was made by the Canterbury of New Zealand which caused frictions between the player and Adidas (Chelsea’s apparel sponsor) and Puma (Sponsors of Czech national team). This issue was resolved later. Čech , after losing in his comeback game, would go on and not allow a goal for an approximate 810 minutes. He would later be awarded Premier Leauge player of the Month, his first, in recognition for keeping 8 Clean sheets in a row. Čech since then has won 1 EPL title and also the Champions League, where he managed to save  a penalty in extra time, and two penalties in the subsequent penalty shootout, which enabled Chelsea to win the Champions League.

Dougie Marillier (Zimbabwean Cricketer)

The Incident: He was one of the earliest players to popularize the “scoop” shot. He is credited for his invention of this shot which is famously known as the  ”Marillier”. Just as his career was taking off, however, disaster struck. Marillier was involved in a horrific car accident. A truck pulled out in front of the car he was in; and he broke both his femurs, suffered a compound fracture in the right leg, severed an artery there as well, and had a bone in his left leg crushed.  Mariller would find himself on the wheelchair for the next 3 months. There were serious doubts about whether he would actually be able to play cricket once more.

The Comeback: He returned back for his school against Oakham School, one year after the incident. He would later go on to represent Zimbabwe at the national level. He famously ”Marilliered” Glen Mcgrath, in the final over of a run chase when 15 runs were required in the last over, in an ODI game, where he almost led Zimbabwe to an impossible victory, falling short by one run.  His two unorthodox boundary strokes, though, made him a legend, temporarily at least, with the shot becoming known as the Marillier shot. This shot is now more famously known as the “DilScoop”.

Salvador Cabanas (Paraguayan Striker)

The Incident: Cabañas was Club America’s star striker before he received a near-fatal gunshot wound to the head during a disagreement in a Mexico City bar on January 25, 2010. He still has the bullet lodged in his brain. He left the ICU in February and he tried to make a push for the Paraguyan World Cup Squad. The doctors desribed his recovery as miraculous but had reservations if he would be able to play so soon once again. He was left out of the World Cup Squad.

The Comeback: After a long period of recovery, he played for Paraguayan third division 12 de Octubre, the club where he began his career in 1997, on the opening day of the Primera B third-tier championship on April 15, 2012. He started the game and managed to complete 40 minutes before being substituted.

Notable Mentions:

Serena Williams: In July 2010, Serena would step on broken glass at a restaurant and tore a tendon on her right foot. 12 stitches on her right foot and 6 on her left and a surgery is what she had to undergo. Post- Surgery, Williams bounced back with renewed vigour. She would go on and win the US Open 2012 and also Gold at the London Olympics.

Kaka: At the age of 18, Kaka suffered a spinal fracture in a swimming pool incident. It could have ended his career as the incident was a likely paralysis inducing injury. His recovery though was nothing short of extraordinary. He would go on to be known as a magician on the ball. He would represent AC Milan, where he would be voted as the World’s Best Footballer in the year 2007. He also won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002. He currently plays for Real Madrid.

All these players and many more have been an inspiration to one and all. It teaches one of believing in oneself and having patience and faith that things can turn around. Also it showed that if you are determined to do something you can achieve it. All these athletes wanted to make a comeback and they did so in style. Here is hoping that Yuvraj Singh’s second innings proves to be just if not more fruitful than his first.

I, today, write to share my experience as an Indian Red Devil, currently living in Mumbai. My story with Manchester United though does not start in any part of India. It starts in a land far away from India. It starts on an island. An island so small, that if you were to search for it on the map, it would require a good amount of your concentration to spot that dot (literally) on the map, the dot which says Fiji Islands.

First Sighting

In 2004, I along with my parents moved to a city called Suva in the Fiji Islands owing to my dad’s transfer there for 4 years. It was on this beautiful island that my interest in the game of football was created. Till then, I was a pure Indian Cricket fan. Then came the night where I watched, what I would later realize, were full highlights of a Manchester United vs Arsenal game.

I had played football before with friends in school and on the streets, but this was the first time I watched a football match at club level. I had always watched the games involving Brazil, Italy and other international teams during a World Cup while growing up, but I was unaware of the club football culture. That night I watched in amazement, as Manchester United came back TWICE from going behind and eventually winning it 4-2.

I simply loved how Manchester United came back and won the game. I was in awe of Roy Keane. I loved how he played his game. The fight, the in-your-face attitude was simply amazing! Then there was Ronaldo. He did lose the ball quite a number of times but I thought he was already a star player, considering the fact that I was new to football. He scored two goals that game, and I loved his “shh” celebration.

I was immediately drawn into the club. Henceforth, I slowly but steadily became engrossed with the club and everything related to it. My acquaintance with it also meant learning about all the troubles that the club went through and how it came back from the Munich Disaster, the Manchester Derby, the rivalry with Liverpool and so on.

As I learnt more about the culture, history, players, etc. I became more emotionally drawn in. Today, I have reached that point where I rejoice, cry, cringe and get nervous whenever Manchester United are playing. The thing I love about my club is that we simply do not give up. We continue fighting till the last minute of the game. Also, if we ever do fall, we get right back up and come back at you. That belief, that no matter what, we CAN do it – that attitude, is what I love the most. And that is why I love Manchester United.

Memorable Moment

I have now supported the club for more than 7 years, and in that time there have been quite a few memorable moments. I have been lucky enough to witness the club win so many trophies and they are all memorable moments for me. The Champions League, for instance, sticks out for it was, after all, an amazing moment.

My most memorable moment though, has to be THAT goal by Federico Macheda. I remember that goal like it was scored just yesterday. Manchester United, who had lost two games in a row, were ravaged by injuries and had an in-form Liverpool breathing down their necks in the race for the English Premier League Title and they simply could not afford to drop more points.

Manchester United went into the game without either Rio or Vidic, the two rocks at the back. Tevez was the only fit senior striker. Welbeck and Macheda were on the bench.  Manchester United were 2-1 down, but there were 30 minutes remaining and as a Manchester United fan you tend to get this habit of  BELIEVING that we are going to win.

Twenty minutes later, that belief grew even stronger when Ronaldo scored from just outside the box to make it 2-2, his second of the night.

It was all Manchester United from there even though Friedel made saves from Fletcher and Welbeck.

But Friedel was not going to be able to stop the inevitable. Giggs passed to Macheda. Macheda, who till that point, was literally unknown. He, who had scored a hat trick during the week. He, whose first team experience spanned barely 30 minutes. That Macheda, who produced a moment of magic. Turning his marker, curling his shot, went past the goalkeeper and as the ball went into the net, Macheda entered into United folklore. Manchester United would go on to win the title, dropping only 2 points, a nil all against Arsenal, by which time the title race was all but won by the Red Devils. That one turn and curl, was easily one of the biggest key points for that season.

The shot that changed the course of the Title Race in 08-09.

Worst Moment as a Fan

Supporting the club for more than 7 years now, does leave you open to having moments as a fan you wish you could just erase from your memory. There have been quite a few of those and some of them came in the previous season itself. The 6-1 loss to Manchester City, the UCL group stage exit or even the 3-2 loss to Blackburn. Though my worst moment is a different one but from the same season.

That moment involves a dramatic comeback in injury time. It was engineered by a Manchester side, just not the right half of Manchester(well atleast for me it was not and neither for all the other Reds). It was Manchester City and their two injury time goals against QPR on the last day of the season. The two goals in four minutes that took the title back away from United and right back to them.

It was cruel fate for United fans, who now probably understood what the Bayern Munich fans had felt on THAT night.

It is the worst I have ever felt as a Man Utd fan. It hurt a lot. Losing the title on goal difference does that to you.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MAY 13: Sergio Aguero #16 of Manchester City celebrates winning the title as the final whistle blows during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers at the Etihad Stadium on May 13, 2012 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Favourite Player

Now this is a tough one. I tend to love almost all the play from thers that have played for us. There are a few exceptions to this rule; like Carlos Tevez – who I dislike, Obertan and Gibson who I never really considered “MUFC” quality.

My favourite player is the one who has been a loyal servant of the club for a long time. He has spent his whole club career at Man Utd. He is one of the best CM’s to have ever graced football. He is tries to stay away from the spotlight, but lets his feet do the talking on the pitch.

He is none other than, the Ginger Prince. He is the Sat-Nav of Manchester United. He is none other than, PAUL SCHOLES.

I consider myself lucky that I got to watch the game of such an outstanding player before his retirement. Only one more season of Scholes now.

It makes me really sad knowing that a player of his stature will never be seen displaying his skills again for my club. It makes me sad to know he won’t be there next season.

My Connection with the Club

Being a fan from India, it is not easy for one to stay connected with the club. Living thousands of kilometres away from the club’s home, it is also not logical to travel there for every weekend game. Hence, for any foreign Manchester United fan the solution lies with following the club through Television, Social Networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, the Club’s website and other Manchester United websites such as rednews.co.uk, stretfordend.co.uk, therepublikofmancunia.com, etc. Following fans on twitter, who go and actually watch the games Live and live in Manchester, helps you understand to an extent the atmosphere that surrounds the club.

Here in India, more specifically Mumbai, Manchester United fans have their own club, where they get together on match days for a live match screening.  They sing together, drink together and eat together, creating a stadium atmosphere. I have not been lucky enough to be able to go to one of their screenings as of yet, but surely I will plan on doing so.

I do, though, follow the club as I mentioned above. This is not restricted to the first team, but also the Reserves and the U-18′s and news related to them like development of players, new players signed, etc.

My loyalty to the club is strengthened by my principle to always buy original Manchester United Jersey. It was hard convincing my dad to spend so much of his hard-earned money but I stuck to my principle. One jersey and a calendar later, I feel proud and took a vow that when I start earning, my collection of originals is only going to increase.

The Manchester United store in Mumbai

Watched the club Live?

This is one of the things that when I am asked, sadden me to no end. I have seen games on television and also sometimes videos shot by fans of the games on youtube, and really wish I was part of it too. Times like when we won the league, the Aston villa game, THAT rooney goal, etc. I just envy those who are able to go and watch the game and truth be told I am jealous of how lucky they are. If there is one thing that separates a local Manchester United fan, to one who lives in a foreign land, it has to be this. No matter, how much you try and recreate the feel by getting a few Manchester United fans sing together, the feeling of watching it LIVE in the stadium is just Two Worlds apart.

Hopefully one day, I can feel that atmosphere when the team is bearing down the opposition, or when we are coming back from a goal down and win via a last minute winner.  That remains a dream. A dream that I plan on fulfilling in the next five years.

The “Bandwagon Fans”

This is one of the main accusations that rival fans from the local area point at fans of other clubs, who do not reside in the club’s locality. This in my opinion is sadly not true. I would initially like to point out that I do not agree with branding “all foreign fans” as Bandwagon fans.

The theory seems to be that if you do not go to the stadium and watch the game you are not a fan of the club. This is a wrong accusation made towards global club fans. There are many people, I am sure in England, who cannot afford the ticket prices to a game. Would you also call them bandwagon fans?

The fact is, the club has true fans abroad as well, who follow the club with passion. Fans who stay up late at night, till 3am at times, just so that they can watch their club play Champions League Football. I have known an Arsenal fan, who did this right before one of the most important exams in a students life: His 12th grade boards.

I have stayed up late nights to watch Manchester United games, when possible, without worrying about school or exams.

Also, we contribute a lot to what the club earns. Whenever a contract is up for renewal with any company, the club points to the number of fans that it has around the world to get better deals.

NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND – MAY 26: Andrew Flintoff carries the belt to the ring during the Vacant IBF Inter-Continental Super Bantam Weight Championship bout between Carl Frampton and Raul Hirales at Nottingham Capital FM Arena on May 26, 2012 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Scott Heavey/Getty Images)

News has today emerged that Andrew Flintoff has been secretly preparing himself for his PRO In-Ring debut with help from ring legend Barry McGuigan.

Flintoff will get into the ring for the Sky1 series The Gloves Are Off, in which he will make his boxing debut in front of thousands of fans at the Manchester Arena to be screened live on boxing channel, BoxNation. Sky has dubbed this as Flintoff’s last chance to get back into the professional sporting arena.

His opponent is not yet known, but Sky have confirmed that he will be someone “credible”. The First show will be a two hour episode where they will first showcase his preparations for the match, and then the Match itself. A follow up episode will be aired later showcasing the aftermath of the match and Flintoff’s reactions.

Flintoff described it as: “An amazing opportunity to try a sport that I love, to be tutored by a man I respect and admire and, at the age of 34, the chance to be a professional sportsman again.”

He said: “It’s a huge challenge – probably the biggest I have ever undertaken, especially in such a short time frame. I have a long road ahead and a lot of work in front of me. The stakes are high.”

Flintoff  though will first need to receive a professional license for the fight which he does not have as of now. British Board of Boxing Control has said that they are still to receive any application or hold any interview with him.

Flintoff quit the cricket scene in the year 2009 due to the amount of injuries. He was one of the best all rounders in the game at one point, and was also loved massively by the English Fans.

Lets hope he can succeed in his next venture as a Boxing Pro, but nothing he has ever done in cricket would have prepared him for this.

Today, schools and colleges in India celebrate Teachers day. On this day, students honour their teachers for their special contributions in the lives of the students or the community as a whole.

So today I will be talking about some of the teachers who helped shape some of  the sporting icons of our country. They played a key role in where their student stands and this is my way of tipping my imaginary hat at them and saying “Thank You”, Because if it wasn’t for them we may never have had  such inspirational icons to look up to in our lifetime.

Mr. Ramakant Achrekar:

“Who is he?” If that is the first question that struck your mind when you read his name, then you my friend cannot claim to be a cricket fan from India, let alone a Sachin Tendulkar fan. Ramakant Achrekar is renowned for the players he has coached. Some of his famous ones being Ajit Agarkar, Vinod Kambli, Ramesh Powar and the biggest star he ever coached: Sachin Tendulkar. Mr. Achrekar used to coach young  cricketers at Shivaji Park, Dadar in Mumbai.

Sachin till date gives credit to Mr. Achrekar for honing his batting skills. When he was young, Tendulkar would practice for hours and hours in the nets. If he became exhausted, Achrekar would put a one rupee coin on the top of the stumps, and the bowler who dismissed Tendulkar would get the coin. If Tendulkar passed the whole session without getting dismissed, the coach would give him the coin. Tendulkar now considers the 13 coins he won then as some of his most prized possessions. Tendulkar still believes that it is this very technique that was instrumental in enhancing his concentration in matches.

Mr. Achrekar was awarded the Droncharya Award in the year, 1990. This was bestowed upon him for his contributions to cricket coaching. He was also conferred with the Padma Shri in 2010, the highest civilian award in the country. Last year in February he was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by then Coach Gary Kirsten, which was a part of Sports Illustrated’s many awards.

There is a Ramakant Achrekar Foundation which helps out deserving players by handing out scholarships. This foundation was formed by the efforts of  former Ranji Player Sharad Thakre. Harmeet Singh was the inaugural recipient of the Ramakant Achrekar Scholarship when he was 16. He was part of the Indian Cricket U-19 team which recently won the U-19 World Cup.

Ramakant Achrekar has given a lot to Indian Cricket. None so bigger than Sachin Tendulkar who could possibly have not made it big if it was not for the guidance of Mr. Achrekar. So, thank you Sir. Without you the country would possibly have had no God.

Mrs. Susheela Viswanathan

Behind every successful man there is a woman. This may sound cliched but in this case it holds true. Now, before you keep thinking who Mrs. Susheela is, if  her last name was not a big enough clue, she is the mother of Viswanathan Anand, the World Champion of Chess. It was his mother who initiated him into chess and travelled with him to tournaments. Viswanathan Anand once in an interview with Susan Polgar had this to say about how he started to play Chess. The interview was done right after he won his second World Championship in Mexico City. This is the extract from the interview:

It was due to Mrs. Susheela’s initial hard work and helping her son that today Viswanathan Anand has become a household name, not only in India but worldwide. Thanks to her, India is known outside cricket for having given the world a World Chess Champion as well.

Satpal Singh

Satpal Sing needs no introduction. He is as famous as a coach as he was as a wrestler back in the 1980′s. Satpal Singh was a bronze medalist in the 1974 Asian Games and a Gold Medalist in the 1982 Asian Games. Today he is known as the coach of two time Olympic medal winner Sushil Kumar. Sushil Kumar, under Satpal Singh’s tutelage, managed to win a Bronze in the 2008 Olympic Games, then going on to bettering that achievement with a Silver in the recently concluded Olympic games in London.  In between, he also managed to win the World Championships in 2010. Satpal Singh has been influential in Sushil Kumar’s success having trained Sushil for the last 18years.

Sushil Kumar attributes all of his success to Satpal Singh. Satpal Singh, infact, became his father-in-law last year when Sushil Kumar decided to marry his daughter.

Sushil Kumar was the flag bearer at the London Olympics for the Indian Team. If it was not for Satpal Singh’s guidance, Sushil Kumar may have never scaled such great heights and we hope Satpal Singh now is able to guide him towards what we all hope Sushil achieves: A Gold Medal at the Olympics.

Pullela Gopichand

Coach Pullela Gopichand has been a very important person in Saina Nehwal‘s quest to the top in the world of Badminton.

He won the All England Open Badminton Championships in 2001. He became the second Indian to achieve this feat after Prakash Padukone, who won it in 1980. He was awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for the year 2001. In 2005, he was awarded the Padma Shri.

Now, he runs the Gopichand Badminton Academy. He is now a very renowned coach who received the Dronacharya Award and is the main force behind the emergence of Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap.

He is known to be one of the most dedicated coaches of the game. Also the fact that he has played the game helps him understand what a player goes through on and off the field. This was also pointed out by Saina Nehwal when in an interview with an Indian Newspaper she said “He knows the emotions we go through and shows us how to come out of that. Since we are playing at the highest level, he knows exactly what our strengths and weaknesses are and where we need to improve” .

Saina Nehwal has a lot to thank Pullela Gopichand for, and she has grown a lot in the time he has been coaching her, since 2003.