Why We must Mock all Relegation Talk about Liverpool

No doubt the last few weeks have been quite entertaining (as a neutral observer), in terms of the off-the -field controversies, the high-court dramas, the stubborn owners, the protests, and what have you. But amidst all this, supporters and fans have forgotten about the on-field “problems” as well; choosing to turn a blind-ish eye towards the team’s dismal results on the pitch.

Note how I maintain them to be dismal “results”, and not “performances”. No doubt the more enlightened will tend to raise an unwavering finger here, and point out that performances reflect results. But in my opinion: do they really?

One look at the current scenario at the Kop will tell you the ground realities.

We have been seeing from before the season itself; that before every match, the Captain or the Manager, or other Icons at the LFC mention how one win will set the pace for the rest of the season. That the same tosh has been reiterated before almost every match has not been lost on the viewers and supporters, and hence the growing concern over the club’s downhill trend.

What are we now, seven games into one of the most competitive league in the world? And with one win to show from these, languishing in the relegation zone, with the imminent threat of administration at the club, which will further dock another 9 points, no doubt my sympathies are with the fans.

But let’s get things into perspective.

Firstly, Hodgson is as good a manager as he ever was: it’s only that the manager is as good as his players and vice versa that has placed him under so much fire. And to replace him with Dalglish? I mean, yes, it is the era of Texting and Twitter, but giving a manager around a dozen games to prove himself with a new squad before booting him out, seems quite ridiculous. And to replace him with Dalglish? I concede that Dalglish was a great player in his own rights, but look at his recent past – the man hasn’t coached or managed a team for close to ten years, since his unceremonious exit from Celtic. Whereas Hodgson has shown us some miracles with Fulham as recently as last season, leading them to the finals of a European tournament.

Moreover, the EPL is quite competitive as it is, it does not come as a surprise that a team not at it’s best goes down the pecking order. But if anything could be seen from Liverpool’s display against Manchester United or in the second half against Blackpool (both of which they lost), it is that they are actually a decent team in the making. Maybe the then ongoing off-field legal battles had taken the spring out of their step. Maybe the team was  still gelling together.

And from all the newspaper-rubble that I go through, also comes the unceasing attacks on Fernando Torres. Not that I will adjudge his present form a product of bad luck and injuries. But the fact that his best season for Liverpool came around two years ago, and yet despite his unconvincing performances since then, he has still managed to capture the terror and topics of defenders and columnists alike, says one thing about the man: that he definitely is still a force to be reckoned with, with soem fuel left in the tank.

All in all, a Premier League without Liverpool is simply unthinkable. One can only hope that the dreary era is behind us, and we can finally see some positive results.

FIFA World Cup Gossip: Loew’s Special Sweater

Germany coach Joachim Loew has revealed that he will wear the same sweater as long as his team are in the World Cup.

Loew has been conspicuous at the touchline, and in the dugouts, by his blue sweater, that has created quite a buzz around it.

“The thing with the sweater is that I am not driven by superstition,” Loew joked. “The other coaching staff said I should be wearing the sweater now because every time I wear it we score four goals.”

Germany beat England 4-1 in the second round and reached the semi-finals following a 4-0 demolition of Argentina, with Loew donning the V-necked garment each time.

“I am not even allowed to wash it now and I think I will wear it again (against Spain),” he said.

Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger also hoped to see his coach wearing it at Durban Stadium.

“I do not know how many sweaters he has that are blue. But I hope he has the one or two left in his suitcase,” he said.

Loew has already gone on record saying that Spain can never be taken lightly, and has been quoted as saying that Soain have several Messis.

Schweinsteiger, too, is wary about the remaining games. The Germans face European champions Spain in Wednesday’s semi-final in Durban hoping to improve on their 2006 exit at the same stage when they hosted the tournament and a defeat by the Spaniards in the Euro 2008 final in Vienna.

The talismanic player knows that a return to Berlin without a trophy will be heart-breaking for himself. Considered a veteran already though he is only 26, he said, “Going back to Berlin to celebrate in front of hundreds of thousands was special. In 2006 we finished third and in 2008 we were second so it is clear that something is missing and we hope to fill that gap,” said Schweinsteiger.

“I don’t want to go back there with nothing to show — I’ve done that twice already,” he said.

The midfielder believes that since that loss in the Euro finals, Germany have closed the gap between themselves and Spain. The fact that the Germans virtually have a new team, whereas Spain have almost the old one has not slipped his notice.

“If you look at it on paper there is no doubt they are the better side but maybe now we have a better chance,” he added.

“Now we have fresh faces and different characters — an unencumbered state of mind. Spain have not changed so much. Sergio Busquets in for Marcos Senna is maybe the only real change whereas we have many, many newcomers.

“Spain haven’t really dazzled in the way that their fans might have hoped but they have still been winning. We need another tactical masterpiece,” said Schweinsteiger.

Though Spain were the pre-tournament favorites, and Germany have the third-youngest side of the World Cup, the Germans have outclassed most of their opponents and created quite a buzz with their faultless tactics and telepathic passing. Will the talisman Klose equal the Brazilian Ronaldo’s World Cup record for most goals scored? Can Germany truly make it to the finals and go one better than their Euro progress? All will be clear, in a couple of exciting days.

Agent: Torres Could Leave Liverpool

Torres: Looking for greener pastures?

Spain and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres’ agent, Jose Anotonio Martin, has hinted that the player will leave Liverpool after the World Cup.

“It is very likely that Fernando Torres will stay in the Premier League, but I cannot say that it will be with Liverpool,” he told the Daily Mail.

“We are working on his future but right now you cannot guarantee that he will stay with the English club.”

Though how appealing the striker will be to top clubs, given his none-too impressive form in the ongoing World Cup, remains to be seen. Among Premier League clubs, Chelsea and Manchester City have been linked to the striker off and on, with other clubs backing down from the player’s wage demands of 100,000 pounds a week.

Liverpool, who underwent a managerial change earlier in the summer, are presently in a fix. Having finished seventh in the Premier League and out of Champions League competition this season, the fans vented out their anger at the former manager Rafa Benitez and the club owners. Eventually, Benitez moved on to the European champions Inter Milan, and Roy Hodgson was brought in to handle matters at the club.

Benitez has made no secret of the fact that he is very interested in getting Mascherano and Kuyt to his new club in Milan. Also, rumors have been ringing linking influential captain Steven Gerrard to Real Madrid, where Jose Mourinho will set about building a trophy-winning squad. Yossi Benayoun has already left for Chelsea.

Among the players left, only Agger, Torres and Reina are what pundits are considering to be world class material.

Torres had a forgettable season, plagued by injuries, and seemed unhappy with several decisions that Benitez made. He has also not exactly shown his attacking prowess so far at the World Cup. In fact, Spain looked a much better team once he was substituted for Cesc Fabregas.

With Hodgson intent on building a squad from the ground up, and bringing back some much needed team chemistry, Torres will have to resign himself to the fact that should he stay at Liverpool, he could be in for another season without silverware, especially considering that the Europa league also has Manchester City, who at present, look much better off on paper than Liverpool. And with Hodgson going to put more emphasis on the youth development of English players, it might be time for Torres to ply his trade elsewhere.

World Player of the Year Award and Ballon D’Or to be Merged

FIFA has inked a deal with the France Football magazine about combining the two biggest individual player awards on an international stage into one.

Fifa World Player of the year

The FIFA World Player of the Year award and the Ballon D’Or, shall be merged together to become the FIFA Ballon D’Or from January,2011 onwards.

FIFA announced that the goal was to create a combined, undisputed best player award, and revealed that the first award will be given on January 10, 2011, in Zurich, Switzerland.

“I am a very happy president today,” said FIFA president Sepp Blatter after signing the agreement with Marie-Odile Amaury, president of the group that owns France Football.

“The winner is football because as of January we will have one single trophy for the best player of the world and this will be the Ballon d’Or.”

Coaches and captains of national teams, as well as media, will vote for the new award.

Currently, the French Football Association awards the Ballon D’Or independently of the FIFA World Player award, and both are equally prestigious among player circles.

Lionel Messi, of Argentina,  currently holds both the awards.

The FIFA World Player of the Year award dates back to 1991, when it was awarded to Germany’s Lothar Matthaeus, but the Ballon D’Or has a longer history, dating back to 1956, when Stanley Mathews won the French award. While the Ballon D’Or had initally been restricted to only European players, it was made a global award in 2007.

Pundits have tipped Spain and Barcelona’s David Villa; and Netherlands’ and Bayern Munich’s Arjen Robben to be the forerunners to win the inaugural FIFA Ballon D’Or Award in January, based on their performances for country and club. Others have touted Lionel Messi or Wesley Sneijder to walk away with the award.

Maradona: My Chapter has Ended

Argentine football manager at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the effervescent Diego Maradona, tearfully told a local newspaper that ‘his chapter had ended’.

Maradona

Argentina, who many had touted to win the World Cup this time, were sent packing by Germany’s young guns on a day that many have already suggested will go down in the annals of history. And in spite of having an outstanding array of attacking talent, it was the defensive frailties of the squad that ultimately led to their demise.

Even with the best player in the world Lionel Messi amidst their ranks, the South Americans failed to stamp their mark on the game, save for a hectic ten minutes after the break. But time and again, their brittle defense, which has been criticized throughout this World Cup, was finally exposed by an efficient German team.

“It’s done, my chapter has ended,” Cronica newspaper quoted Maradona as saying, two days after Germany’s resounding 4-0 win over Argentina. “I gave everything I had.”

Maradona compared the loss to the feeling he felt the day he left football. Back then, embroiled in controversy, he stepped down from being one of the most influential footballers in history. When Maradona took up the reigns of the Argentine team, his team went through a disastrous qualifying campaign that almost saw them not qualify for the main event. It took a personal promise and a vacation for the soul for Maradona to lead his men to South Africa.

Although he has not yet handed in his resignation letter, close contacts believe that it is only a matter of time.

A spokesman for the Argentine Football Association said Maradona had not officially resigned and that AFA President Julio Grondona would meet with Maradona after the World Cup had finished.

A close friend of Maradona’s said: “I still can’t confirm it, (the resignation) is something that’s being discussed.”

The friend said Maradona’s decision would be announced during a press conference but he did not say when.

Maradona will thus become the latest casualty from the managers’ bench, if he decides to step down for good.

Facts, Stats and All Thats

FIFA World Cup 2010

The two day break in the World Cup has given us some time to gather our collective wits about ourselves and take a break. Though the same cannot obviously be said about the hundreds of analysts and number crunchers around the world. Here’s a few fun facts and stats of what has transpired so far….

If you have been asleep, in a bunker, or in DPR Korea the last few weeks, you can be forgiven if you aren’t up to date with the happenings of the World Cup. So here’s some tit-bits to get you going at the water-cooler chat.

1. Wayne Rooney got dispossessed of the ball 52 times, while in possession – the most by any player in the World Cup so far.

2. The average number of goals so far in the World Cup per game comes to 2.20. The lowest so far was in 1990, which was 2.21 goals per game.

3. The Nigerian President banned the national team from international football for two years. English fans are claiming to do the same with the English team as well, with some of them going so far as writing letters to clubs about halving the stars’ salaries in games.

4. Beckham has a chance to become next England’s manager. A recent poll in Britain put him at only a 16 to 1 shot to replace Capello – good odds!

5. Germany have stoked the fire ahead of their game against Argentina – calling them swarthy, conniving, tango-dancing cheats. Kind of true, considering Maradona’s antics and Tevez’s offside goal.

6. One of the funniest moments of the tournament, and I say this as a neutral observer, was Dutch striker Van Persie pleading to the referee that he couldn’t hear the whistle blown over all the vuvuzelas in the stadium. He would have been booked otherwise for continuing play even after being flagged offside, but the referee felt his case carried weight.

7. Ten of the worst referees of the tournament have been sent home. And guess what – the referees in the spotlight for the glaring mistakes in this World Cup are among them too.

8. It’s not everyday you see an English referee explaining to a bunch of South Americans about why he is booking them – and making a hash of it.

9. Kaka’s sending off during the match against Ivory Coast was both ridiculous and outrageous at the same time. He was forty yards away when the referee decided to send him off. He’s been playing with a big grin ever since.

10. This is the first time when a host nation has exited during the group stages itself. This is also the first instance when both the finalists of the previous World Cup exited during the group stages itself.

11. Most of the so-called superstars have exited one by one. Rooney, Lampard, Gerrard, Ronaldo, Drogba…only Messi seems to be enjoying himself. Note that four out of eight teams remaining are South American – maybe the balance of power is shifting?

12. France refusing to practice. Altercation between Anelka and Domenech. Domenech’s speech of using ‘revolutionary tactics at the World Cup’ coming to naught.

13. The pigeon perched on the Algerian goal during their match with England didn’t move at all. Not that it had to – but none of the English shots even came close to it.

14. The story England’s fans were so pissed that they stole the team’s undies and equipment. Turned out to be a hoax story.

15. The octopus Paul predicting each and every of Germany’s results correctly. For anyone who doesn’t know, it has also predicted that Germany will win against Argentina in the quarter finals.

16. Portugal’s captain Ronaldo spits in the direction of the camera. Not that he spit AT it. But it has sent headlines blazing.

17. DPR Korea registering a striker as a goalkeeper, in an underhand way to sneak in more striking options. FIFA wouldn’t hear of it; and the player was not allowed to play as an outfield player.

18. Rooney’s outburst at the English fans who booed the team during their games.

19. New Zealand went home unbeaten in the World Cup after three draws in the group stages. Italy finished below them.

20. Capello claiming that beer was the secret behind England’s only win at the tournament. Looks like they were still hung over during the German game.

More talking points to come by.

International Friendlies Lined up for Indian Football Team

India’s football team have begun their preparations for the 2011 Asian Cup in earnest. Set to return to top-level competition after a gap of 26 years, Bob Houghton and his squad have spared no expense in preparing the team for the mega-event in Doha.

As Mr. Arunava Chaudari reported earlier today, the Indian football team is all set to travel to Portugal for a two month training camp. Out of the 30 probables that have been named for the squad, 29 will be travelling together to Portugal. Star striker Sunil Chettri is not expected to join the squad because of his commitments with the Kansas City Wizards, but defender Gouramangi Singh and goalkeeper Subrata Pal join the Indian side after failing to bag contracts at the Melbourne Heart FC and Vancouver Rapids, respectively.

The football squad will train at Vierra from July 1-31, which is 200 miles from Lisbon, on the road to Porto. The training facilities there are good, and the town also has a third-division team. The aim during the first month is to improve the fitness of all the players, since they are all part of different clubs and routines, and some have just recovered from injuries and are lacking the desired fitness levels, according to coach Bob Houghton.

In August, the Indian football team will travel to Lisbon where they’ll train at the training facilities of Sporting Club de Lisbon, a Portuguese Premier side.

“The players will train at the Sporting Clube academy for the month of August. The academy is famous for producing two World Footballers of the Year in Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Figo. We will play 10 friendlies there,” the experienced British coach said.

The ten friendlies scheduled are against second division teams.

On returning, the Indian football side has several international friendlies scheduled to keep up their international exposure, and to get used to different climates and tactical formations. The first will be against Thailand on September 4, which will be played in Bangkok. India will then host the return leg friendly against Thailand at the Ambedkar stadium on September 8th.

Four more friendlies have been planned for the month of September, and the AIFF has contacted countries such as Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan, DPR Korea and China. Exposure against such football sides will surely help the Indian team’s resolve and mental fitness, as some of them have represented Asia at the World Cups too.

October 8th and 12th are official FIFA match days, and India will play two internationals, the opponents are yet undecided. In November, they will travel to either UAE or Qatar for their final preparations before the Asian Cup in Doha.

India have been drawn in a very tough group, in fact in the so-called ‘Group of Death’, which also features Australia, South Korea and Bahrain. But coach Bob Houghton is not too worried, and in fact believes it will be a good experience for the side.

“Australians in the ongoing World Cup is an ageing side. I expect many of them retiring before Asian Cup. The coach will also retire, so we can expect a new-look squad. That would be better for us,” said the experienced coach who had been at helm of affairs for national sides of China and Uzbekistan.

“Regarding South Korea, only a couple of players from their World Cup squad may not be in Asian Cup. Their coach may also be there. When I was coach of China in 1998-2000 I was against the South Korean coach for three matches. So we know what to expect from the South Koreans,” he said.

Given the unusual 6-month training camp that the Indian football team will go through, Houghton certainly expects to make an impact at the Cup. He also agreed that the Asian Cup carried more importance than the Asian Games, and pointed out that even countries such as Japan and China send only developmental teams to the Games. And with all the international friendlies lined up, given that the Indian football team performs well, it will certainly not do any harm to our FIFA ranking as well.

Was England ever Truly in the Race?

England, the Three Lions, had always been touted as a contender, and their exemplary qualifying campaign lay testimonial to the fact that they were indeed a force to be reckoned with. Hard core critics realized that while the World Cup glory might be a little far fetched for Capello’s boys, a top- four finish was certainly within reach. Boy, were they wrong!!

So what went wrong?

1. Wazza Rooney

For all the brilliance he showed during the Premier League, Rooney was nowhere near as influential during any of the matches he played in. For Manchester United, he was drafted in a duo with Ronaldo, Tevez, Berbatov, even Mihael Owen. WHen he was up on his own, too, he had Giggs, Valencia in support.

FUN STAT 1: Wayne Rooney has gotten tackled of the ball while in possession 32 times this World CUp, more than any other player in the tournament.

FUN STAT 2: Rooney has failed to score in his last nine games for England, his longest barren run for the national team.

FUN STAT 3: Rooney completed only 55 per cent of his passes for England against Germany – the lowest rate in the game.

The Boy Wonder just looked a pale shadow of the player who has won Premier League titles, a Champions’ League trophy, voted as the PFA Player of the Year, nominated for the Young Player of the Year, and what not. Where was the hunger and the versatility that prompted rumors about hi price tag being 90 million pounds?

2. ‘Terry’ble Defending:

Terry has seen the lowest point in his career now. The game against Germany was probably his worst in an England shirt. The oh-so inspirational “captain, leader, legend” at Chelsea was simply found lacking in positioning, speed and strength as Germany made a mockery of him. Call it the infamous interviews that has given, or the loss of captaincy which he claimed to have gotten over, it never really came together for Terry. And once your most experienced central defender is floundering, the backbone of the team cracks.

3. Capello (noun): Rigidity

Of course we are going to point fingers now, fellas. While Rooney might not like it, fans have indeed been let down. Among the meek rumors that dared to float around about the Italian manager, were those who whispered about his strict regime and attitude. Not that I have anything against it, but it certainly incenses us when translated on the pitch. Emile Heskey and Wright Phillips when the team is 4-1 down? And if three first round matches didn’t teach you that the front line wasn’t getting the goals, then I don’t know what did.

4. Off-Field:

England came into the World Cup with more than enough of the share of drama already. Ferdinand couldn’t play, and Gerrard took over at a very late hour. Beckham was injured, but offered moral support from the bench..and he did cut a desolate figure yesterday, not even being able to bring himself to watch the final few minutes. Terry and Bridge. Terry saying things to the public media Capello wasn’t too happy with. And worst of all – the complaint from the players that they were getting bored, and cursing Capello’s rules of not allowing their WAGs  to stay with them at least till the quarter finals. They are playing for their country, in the world’ biggest sporting event. And complained about being bored! The signs were there for all to see.

Karma indeed caught up with the team at the most inopportune moment, with Lampard’s goal getting disallowed. (I refer to 1966 Eng-Germany)

All in all, this was neither the team we expected to see, nor the team we betted to reach the semifinals. Even Sven Goran Erikssen seems to have done better, with the Ivory Coast, inspite of  being appointed as manager at a very late hour indeed. And the English team’s ride at the World CUp 2010, South Africa, was short. And wasn’t even fun while it lasted.

Time for introspection now, England.

The One-Goal Phenomenon: A Goal Analysis

As can be seen clearly, this has been a defensive minded World Cup so far. 14 games have ended 1-0 and 7 games so far (including all pre-quarter finals) have ended goalless ( Japan v/s Paraguay penalties were taken as a 0-0 result).

26 games out of 56 have been decided by a goal difference of just 1.

14 others were draws, out of which 6 were goalless.

In fact, the only team that has by a single goal on more than one occasion is Chile, which was touted to be one of the most attack-minded teams of the tournament!

31 of the 48 games have seen two goals or less, whilst only three games have seen five or more goals.

What has caused this decline in goals? I remember a time when Arsenal were called the ’1-0 Arsenal’ as they grinded out result after dull result, one after the other. Is this similar?

One of the factors involved is obviously the Jabulani ball. It really seems to be as bad as it has been made out. Does anyone remember the dip it took on Ronaldo’s free-kick yesterday against Spain? Casillas almost spilled that one and pushed it back right in front of him towards a lurking attacker. Luckily for him and Spain, the defense got to the ball first. Green’s blunder against USA was another high profile error. There have been several more as well.

The argument you might make here is, if the ball is so difficult for keepers to handle, then why have we still seen so few goals? It has turned out that teams are very wary when keeping the ball. They know pelting their shots from long distance is almost certainly going to end in disappointment, given the ball’s weight and spin. More shots have ended in the crowds than seems worthy of a national team player. But they might not be to blame after all.

Only on a couple of occasions has the ball actually done enough to bring despair among goalkeepers though, most notably Maicon’s goal.

The other reason is that the smaller teams, or the more unfancied ones, have come to realize that the best way to attack is actually counter-attack. Teams like DPR Korea have understood that the drill is to defend and defend deep, pull out the oppositions’ players, and hit them on the break. While it has worked pretty well for some more than others, you cannot expect many goals to go in when the opposition has every man behind the ball. (Note that the comparison to DPR Korea does not stand ground as they let in seven goals against Portugal – but you get my gist).

When you see the attack-mindedness of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, in fact most of the South American countries, all the weaker teams can do is to come onto the field with a defensive mindset, looking to dry out the goals before snaring away a chance or two of their own. No doubt a good tactic – something that Jose Mourinho would be proud of, probably – but that’s what has caused the dearth of goals at this World Cup so far.

Beckham next England Coach?!? – The WC Hots and What Nots II

Quite a few shockers in the last few days, and the excitement only gets better and better as teams batter each other in an attempt to win the ultimate prize – and some respect.

David Beckham the new England coach ?

The Hots:

1. David Beckham has gained popularity recently to replace Capello as English coach.

Becks, who missed the World Cup due to an injury, was seen on the bench for England’s matches, as he tried to offer moral support to a severely under-performing squad. I don’t know whether it was the sight of him in that stylish suit on the bench, or some one’s idea of a joke, but Beckham is now only a 16 to 1 shot away from being England’s next manager. What with every critic and pundit clamoring for an English manager who also places more emphasis on the youth system, Becks might actually be tempted!

2. Robinho was simply inspirational yesterday against Chile.

Say what you want about the guy’s flops at Manchester City – but Robinho sure does put a lot of pride when in the national jersey. His goal was simply sublime, and his work rate was even more commendable. He might not have played at the same position as Pele, but maybe – just maybe – he is finally showing us why he was once touted as the next best forward. Or maybe it was his beard that  changed his fortunes. When asked about it, Robinho simply said that he had forgotten to shave.

3. Joaquim Loew explained his team strategy against England.

The stylish German manager talked about his tactics to exploit England’s slow defense to the press, and how to use the space left behind by Lampard and Gerrard. And that too all in front of Capello, who was waiting right behind Loew to talk to the press next. What class!  Full marks in my book.

4. Mueller scored two goals in the second half against England to quash whatever hopes they had left.

All of 20 years, Mueller was singled out by his manager as a very cool finisher and a predator in the box. Not that The Brits needed any reminding of the fact.

5. Maarten Stekelenburg, Dutch goalkeeper.

No real reason, I didn’t put him on this list for his excellent instinctive saves in the second half that sent Slovakia packing. He gave away a penalty in the last minute of the game after charging and bringing down Vettek, who coolly scored his fourth goal of the tournament from the spot. That penalty scored me a cool 16 points in the Sportskeeda Predictor and pushed me into the top 10! All hail! 

The What-Nots:

1. England: For a whole 2 minutes when they scored and had a goal disallowed, England looked every inch the team that bulldozed through their qualifying stages. Too bad about the other 88 minutes, though.

2. England: The Lions deserve another special mention, for their amazing defending that Capello could not believe he was watching. As Terry and Upton were made mockery of by the German front line, at least Ashley Cole and Glen Johnson had okay shifts.

3. Carlos Tevez: Whether he really is a top class striker is beyond question. But the way he celebrated his goal even though he knew he was clearly offside was worth watching.

4. Sepp Blatter and the Giga Fifa mistakes: Goal-line technology and video technology have been the war-cries issuing forth from all corners of the world. Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal and Tevez’s offside that was not given – in addition to showing it on the big screen in the stadiums – might have put crosshairs on FIFA’s head.

5. England: Oh yes, one more mention of the team that many of my friends were rooting for. And this special mention goes to Wayne Rooney who has screwed my Sportskeeda All-Star points!

Time for John Terry to start Tweeting

John Terry loves the idea of a Press Conference

It seems we have heard it all. And then some. And out of nowhere, the so called ‘John Terry saga’ rears its ugly head yet again. Of course, I am a Chelsea fan. Of course, I do not like the allegations against him, even if they are true. Not that I consider his behavior inspirational. But enough already. Oh yes, the last that the so-called pundits have come up with, is his “factionist” remarks in the press conference, that has (apparently) left all of England seething.

Terry has been called so many names in the last few months that it’s hard to keep track of all his (mis)accomplishments! The latest among these so-called atrocities, is the public claim that Terry made, wanting his (now ex-)Chelsea teammate to get more time  on the field for England than on the bench. Oh yes, what the  World Cup needed was just this. We don’t care about the Anti-Vuvuzela Campaigns, the Anelka-Domenech issue, the French team skipping practice, the Maradonas claiming that they prefer women, the host nation getting knocked out, the North Koreans requesting to be called by their proper names only, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea – (but DPR takes so much lesser time to type), the Spanish loss, the German loss, the French loss, and what not.

Not to say England haven’t had their fare share of attention. Two dull draws at the group stages and everyone claims that the multimillionaire boys don’t want to spoil their white kits, with an eye on the pictures in the next day’s papers. What a load of tosh. Of course they are multimillionaires. But they are multimillionaires for a reason – they are among the best at what they do! Look at their qualifying campaign. Anyone who saw England in these matches can be forgiven if he said a month ago that England was going to win this World Cup. The second Golden Generation 34 years, a charm?

B******* Behind the back

Now Terry speaks out his mind to the public about what his team selection would be? Papers and reputed columnists are clamoring for his head. Letters might be on their way to Capello right now pleading him to a Domenech and send Terry the Anelka way. Apparently the so-called Player Power that these guys are used to at the Chelsea club has an effect on how they function while in their respective national jerseys as well. Well then, what about Lampard? Has he been involved in such matters? And Malouda? And Ashley Cole? Next we come to the fact, that TERRY IS NO LONGER THE CAPTAIN OF THE ENGLISH TEAM. Who scored the only goal that the sorry team has on their score sheets? Their new captain, Gerrard. So why the blazes should people pay so much attention and criticism to what Terry says? Oh yes, the oft-floated theory that Terry has not gotten over his demotion from captaincy, and that he will jump to any tactic to gain back his lost power in the dressing room. Well, Terry was sacked months ago! He knew beforehand that he would be sacked! He has still been the captain of his club! He has witnessed history while leading Chelsea FC to a double! Do the theories stand ground now too?

Fabio Capello animated

I loved a comment on a forum not unlike this one. “John Terry does press conference. John Terry says what most of the nation and all the hacks having been saying since Friday. Hacks praise John Terry’s honesty. Everyone goes to bed. Hacks lay in to John Terry for ‘attempted coup’. Sheep-like general public outraged with John Terry. Scapegoat ready in case of bad result on Wednesday.” Sums it up quite nicely, don’t you think? And a nice ring to it, too.

I have always been a fan of John Terry. I would love it if he reads my article! So here goes a personal message from me (and all the other fans) : Mr. Terry, we are delighted to have been brought up watching you play for club and country, putting your heart and soul into the sport, your blood and tears into the fans, and your sweat on the training grounds. But crowd tendencies to point fingers (justified or otherwise) may hurt your overall reputation and stature. Do not let it bother you. Do not give press conferences to air your views, especially if you are not captain. But by all means, use Twitter. (if you ain’t doing so already). Yeah, tweeting has it’s own share of scandals, but at least that forum is personal. Your views can be debated and clarified with you. Not like this, behind your back. Not like this, that leads to the the so-called “disharmony” in the English camp. Not like this, when England need to pull their socks up in the last game of qualifying to avoid going home in what would be a major upset.

P.S – The above article are purely the author’s views. Any comments or debates are more than welcome. The gist of the article is that I am a Chelsea fan, but don’t really care for the latest Terry conference. I do, however, make it a point NOT to go along with the public outcry.