Notes from La Liga

Well, it certainly isn’t business as usual in Spain. Last year, between them Barcelona and Real Madrid amassed a “****ing barbaric” total of points (according to Barca coach Pep Guardiola) – 62 wins from 76 games between them, and their nearest rivals (Valencia) 25 points behind.

This year, with five games played, Barca have already been beaten at home by lowly (but heroic) Hercules, and Madrid have been held to nil-nil draws by Mallorca and the most unlikely of resistors, Levante. Valencia, meanwhile, have streaked ahead with four wins and a draw; Unai Emery’s men have played fast, organised attacking football, scoring goals at will and piercing defences with a combination of tactics and speed. You’d hardly be able to tell that they lost their two’ best’ players in the summer break: David Villa to Barcelona, and David Silva to Man City. Then again, Valencia’s success should not surprise many. With Ever Banega marshalling the midfield (currently injured, though), and the finishing and skill of Juan Mata and Joaquin (who is now finally delivering on the promise he showed at Real Betis all those years ago), not to mention Pablo Hernadez and Aduriz’s  renewed form, Valencia have been firing in all the major areas. The question, of course, is whether they can keep it up for 38 games..

Mourinho, meanwhile, is still settling in at Real Madrid. Tinkering with the system, firing volleys at all and sundry, and just generally being Mourinho, he’s so far failed to get the team to mesh well together. His system against Auxerre (in the Champions League mid-week) was, frankly, bizarre, with both Xabi Alonso and Lassana Diarra on the pitch, but with Diarra pushed up along with Khedira (who looked like he was, to put not too fine a point on it, just a bit lost. As if he’d just nipped out to grab a sandwich, and suddenly found himself on a football pitch in central France). Ozil, though, has been a revelation, slotting into a attacking midfield playmaker role, just behind the strikers, feeding whichever of Higuain, Benzema or Ronaldo happens to be in a free position. Ozil is not quite Xavi; he is more of a young Kaka – controlling the play in the area 20-yards from goal, delivering defence-piercing passes and making himself available. Ronaldo, though, has been shooting as if he’s got spot-bets going on the side. Last year, he, together with Higuain, saved Real from difficult situations by showing pieces of extravagant individual skill. This year, under Mourinho, the Real project is to build a side that works: one that wins by judgment, not luck. Ronaldo and Benzema in particular need to realise this, and find their place.

Barcelona have looked . . . well, like Barcelona, to be honest. Beautiful. Sublime. But now, unlike two years ago, also fallible. No better illustration of this than Hercules’ trip to the Camp Nou, where they came away with a, it must be said, deserved 2-0 win over the champions. Hercules played the Inter (and Chelsea) strategy of defeating the formidable Barca 4-3-3-high pressing-possession-attackingfullbacks-game: narrow the pitch by concentrating defenders and defensive midfielders in the middle of the park, giving Barca the wings and possession, and attacking on the counter when Barca have overcommitted and lose possession through a mistake (also capitalising on diagonal balls into the box . . Barca has, for some reason, never been good at dealing with those).
Against Atletico, who are traditionally a bit of a bogey-team for Barca, though, Guardiola managed to pull of a tactical masterpiece. And it’s all down to Sergio Busquets, who has proved that he is not quite as useless as I had initially thought. Busquets now plays the Yaya Toure role, but instead of the previous system, where the defensive midfielder would only slot back when defending, he now plays as part of almost a 3-CB system, with Puyol going left and Pique going right . . . allowing the full backs (Maxwell and Alves) to work more as wingbacks. This creates almost a 3-4-1-2 system, with Messi and Villa as roaming strikers and Pedro playing off them on the right. For a much better, full description of this set-up, read this excellent post by Zonal Marking. [In related news, I recently tweeted Jonathan Wilson asking why more European teams don't play this 3-4-1-2 system. To my utter astonishment and joy, he responded: because it doesn't make sense to have three at the back against single striker formations. Against Atletico, though, Barca's modified 4-3-3/3-4-3 seemed to work, even when they didn't have the ball - the key to this is in Busquet's versatility and in Xavi and Iniesta being able to marshal the midfield on their own, without needing a third 'pivot' point. It also allows you to defend in 'bands', much like Mexico at this World Cup] Read the rest on Zonal Marking, who has summed up my thoughts far better than I could hope to.

So what happens through the rest of the season? Expect Mourinho to figure out a formula that works for Madrid fairly quickly. Barca need to address their traditional weaknesses, though, of not dealing with cross-balls into the box at head height, and not having much of a plan B. Againt Kazan midweek (in the Champions League), you could seem them settling into familiar passing patterns, but with a packed central defence, sometimes the option of going for the habitual pass to the open wide fullback was the wrong option . . . Barca, after all, now have no tall Ibrahimovic to cross the ball to, when other gaps fail to materialise.

Sergio Busquets, pictured celebrating the fact that The Offside Trap
no longer thinks he is utterly useless.

- el kapitan

 

Does Diego Maradona Deserve A Second Chance?

Diego Maradona would rather the world stop turning if he weren’t the center of the universe for Argentinian Football.

The buzz on the streets of Buenos Aires has come full circle since the start of the World Cup. Everyone seems to be talking about Diego Maradona yet again. A country obsessed with one man that won them a World Cup. Were I president of the A.F.A (Argentine Football Association) I wouldn’t be getting such great sleep these days with the impending task of choosing a new manager for the national side.

We all probably remember that Diego Maradona was denied a 4 Year contract extension immediately after the World Cup owing to his unwillingness to budge on the subject of key members of his back room staff. Particularly long time assistants Alejandro Mancuso and Hector Enrique, whom  the A.F.A didn’t get along particularly well with. Faced with the objections of just two members of his staff, Maradona in yet another moment of madness, decided to stand his ground and refused to replace them or to budge on the issue altogether.

Then the unthinkable happened. The President of the A.F.A Julio Grondona actually showed some backbone when the A.F.A decided that Maradona’s contract would not be extended since he refused to accommodate their demands. Pele must have busted out his favorite samba moves to the tune of that news byte, having come to the conclusion that the final nail in the coffin of Diego Maradona’s career in football was now over.

Legacy intact, Pele and the great majority of the South American continent went to sleep content that they wouldn’t ever have to entertain the possibility of Maradona running across a football pitch with the golden trophy of dreams gleaming under the spotlights as he ran, in what would have seemed like an eternity. Love him or hate him, lets face it we all had our own personalized rendition of what that would have looked like once his side got to the knock out stage of this last World Cup in nothing short of dominant form.

That being the case, I wonder what went through Pele’s mind this last week when Diego Maradona dropped a bombshell on the Argentine press literally begging the A.F.A for the head coaching job back minus the bravado and pre-conditions he was so adamant on before. Having asserted itself to be a strong institution not willing to succumb to the demands of its national heroes the A.F.A are now in a bigger hole than the one they thought they’d dug themselves out of when they refused Maradona the first time around. Murphy’s Law appears to be in full force for the football troubled nation once again.

The reason the A.F.A are in a bigger hole than they were before, is because in the immediate aftermath of Diego’s tantrum and on the back of a 4-0 spanking at the hands of Germany in the quarter finals, none other than Sergio Batista took the reigns of the national side becoming the Argentinian provisional head coach.  Batista is still  remembered by many as a footballing legend in his own right and ironically was a long time team mate of Maradona playing along side him on the Argentinian national team during their illustrious careers.

No one knew what to expect from Batista and quite frankly I don’t think anyone really expected much, but after just two games in charge, Batista’s selections saw victories over Ireland and even World Cup winners Spain by a three goal margin on the 7th of September 2010 in what was a friendly in all but name. Leaving plenty of Argentina’s faithful holding their heads, left to think long and hard about whether they sent the wrong team to the World Cup or the wrong man to lead them.

The question on everyones lips now has to be what the A.F.A will do next. Sandwiched between the legacy of one of the greatest players the game ever saw and Sergio Batista who has delivered success against the freshly crowned champions of the world, I don’t think anyone envies the men sitting in the A.F.A’s headquarters these days.

In the next few weeks, as the situation in Argentina unfolds like a melodramatic latin soap opera, don’t be too surprised if events follow the usual soap plot lines. A marriage to a man she didn’t want and having to live with until she could no longer stand the shame of his poor management of his affairs dishonoring the family name and a messy divorce to follow. Lets hope we aren’t looking at the situation in a few weeks drawing parallels because if that is how things go, I just want to say Argentina, sweetheart. You deserve better.

 

How to recover from the day sanity decided to go on sabaticle

Pakistan’s Sherlock Homes or another jester trying to usurp the court?

We all know the story of how three cricketers might or might not have made fools of Pakistan in their potential pursuit of riches. We also know that the chairman of the PCB made an incredibly serious accusation in anger that might have cost the country the next few years of international cricket. We might or might not also think that all of the aforementioned individuals are the worst thing that ever happened to the nation, wondering why Suo Moto Notice has not been taken of the issue already. We might or might not be being too sarcastic for our own good.

Now try to digest this part, everything mentioned in the paragraph above is absolutely and totally irrelevant. The most pressing matter at hand is not to tend to what DID happen, it happens to be making some tough decisions regarding what NEEDS to now happen with the past firmly behind us in our minds. Having thought about the issue extensively, I’d like to share with the nation a potential four point strategy any portion of which I would welcome decision makers to use if they should see it fit.

#1 – Show the world that Pakistan does not support institutions or leaders that make outrageous and potentially reputation damaging claims without having credible evidence or facts to base those claims.

How I’d do it: Issue a formal notice to Mr. Ijaz Butt explaining that the board is incredibly disappointed that he with held information on the subject of the English team participating in match fixing until after the fact, which is against the mandate of the ICC and its participating institutions in the first place. Then ask him to share the proof with the PCB for verification prior to it being forwarded to the ICC and appropriate officials. Failing to do so would result in his termination from the PCB within a period of 30 days which he has to submit the evidence, since failing to provide evidence would suggest that he used his position in the PCB as a platform to commit slander against the ECB.

Why this is so important: Why? Because Pakistan is not a nation of match fixing cheats that don’t respect other countries and their cricket boards. Some Pakistani’s might be match fixing cheats and others might not respect other cricket boards, but that is not an accurate reflection of the remaining 149 million+ Pakistani’s out there. Something which no one will realize unless you hold the culprits accountable.

#2 – If a politically neutral international body like the ICC finds the players guilty, ban them for life.

How I’d do it: I’d just do what the collective conscious of the country has been clamoring for since 1947, a sense of justice. Except this time, I’d actually muster up enough courage to effectively follow through on it and would definitely ban these individuals from participating in local cricket as well. Indefinitely.

Why this is so important: So that the nation sends a strong message to its playing representatives in that playing for Pakistan is a closely guarded privilege not a God given right after you have handed over enough money in a manila envelope to some selectors Uncles, nephews best friend for that one year they managed to remain in college together before getting collectively booted out. The nations citizens can only make heroes of individuals it genuinely respects, not thieves. Banning them for life IF they are guilty sends that message loud and clear.

#3 – In the event that the ICC does indeed ban Pakistan from International Cricket

What I’d do: Accept their decision and not cry about it in any fashion whatsoever.

Why this is so important: Two reasons, firstly it sends a clear message to any other nation out there cheating that they too will be held accountable. Since the whole world thinks the rest of the world is cheating at cricket, Pakistan would be restored in a flash if a few others were proven to be frauds as well. Allowing us to find out once and for all if it is only Pakistan committing these sins. Not to mention it would be a rare show of humility for Pakistan to accept a decision that affects the nation for the greater good of the sport globally.

Secondly, because South African cricket developed considerably during the period of time it was cut off from the rest of the world owing to the cardinal sin it committed by promoting apartheid. There is a time and place for everything and maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea for the game to develop internally a little better if the nations external cricketing opportunity were non-existent. It would definitely give the selection committee post ban jitters, knowing that the most capable cricketers in the country are well known to every person that follows local leagues and any inconsistencies in terms of choosing the best talent would be tough.

#4 – Give the media and population that cares an oppertunity to put their money where their mouth is in terms of selection

How I’d do it: I’d set up a non-affiliated body that invited well known sports writers and ex-Pakistan Team players that won something significant during their careers to choose three players for each tour. This might sound like the most impractical suggestion in the world, but its not because a working model of a far more complex system in sports already exists on the other end of the Atlantic in the United States.For those of you not familiar with it, college football in the United States is ranked not by wins and losses but by historic head to head records that are crunched through a computer model and an opinion poll asking every college football team coach in the nation along with members of the associated press as to whom they think are the top 25 teams in football.

Why It’s Important: The system isn’t perfect, but it works well enough where the entire sports community gets their say and no one can blame the teams for their performances because they were put in that position by the same critics that get paid to publish stories about the game. Similarly, if such a system was devised here in Pakistan, the press and population couldn’t do much but blame themselves for their poor choices. Before you go off and kill the idea, don’t forget that when a guy named Bill Gates told a board full of the greatest minds of the time that the future was a bunch of simultaneous tasks running in an operating system called windows, they laughed at him. Yet, you are reading this article using his very idea to load this page.

Conclusion

If we are going to affect positive change in Pakistan’s institutions then we need to be ready to take unprecedented steps since we all accept that previous measures have not had the desired effect. However lets focus on future strategy instead of crying over spilled milk.

 

Will We Ever Witness Another Talent like Ronnie O’Sullivan Again?

A lion hearted Champion of the sport with a conscious.

Will We Ever Witness Another Talent like Ronnie O’Sullivan Again?

The answer to that question is a very definite ‘No’ in my mind.

First, we need to put Ronnie O’Sullivan’s career into perspective. World No.1 ranked player five times, won the World Championships three times and has won an incredible twenty two rankings titles in his career so far. Last but not least, second on the list of all time competitive match century breaks at a whopping six hundred and five, second only to the much loved legend of the game Stephen Hendry.

While there has been a lot of hot talk about whom the greatest player in Snooker really is between Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry, two events in the recent past should have all but put any lingering doubts to bed.

The first was after Stephen Hendrys shocking loss to O’Sullivan in the semi-finals of the 2008 888.com World Championships, where Stephen Hendry went up 4-1 on frames only to be beaten for 12 straight frames thereafter. At one point Hendry was forced to remain glued to his seat while Ronnie “The Rocket” O’Sullivan scored an incredible 448 unanswered points. All credit should go to Stephen Hendry who immediately applauded and recognized O’Sullivan’s achievement going so far as to say that O’Sullivan was the greatest talent the game had ever seen hands down. A view that was further supported by Steve Davis, another legend of the game who now commentates for the BBC on snooker events worldwide and is nothing short of an authority on the game.

The second event that will remind us that Ronnie O’Sullivan is second to none took place at the World Championships at Glasgow just a few days ago. Three balls into the frame, O’ Sullivan sought clarification as to what the purse was for a perfect game of 147. Some will call this utter audacity and an embarrassment to the sponsors but I see it as the most transparent show of self-confidence in a sport since Babe Ruth pointed to the stands behind center field in the 1932 World Series, a declaration that he would hit a home run right up the middle and out of the park on the next pitch, which he did.

I see the world through the lens of probabilities when it comes to sporting feats and one slug out of the park is a lot easier than declaring you are about to make  thirty plus consecutive shots without a mistake. Simply put, Ronnie O’ Sullivan’s declaration was the greatest single show of belief in ones talent I have ever seen in my life. What happened next though, was somehow even better.

Having reached 140 with only the black ball to pot. O’Sullivan left the ball on the table and went over to shake his competitors hand, in effect giving up a perfect game. He cited the fact that there wasn’t enough money involved as an incentive for him to pot the black, which he later did after he was guilted into it by the referee but I think there was far more going on than met the eye of the average fan.

In my personal opinion, O’ Sullivan was taking the opportunity of having caught the lime light to highlight the subject of a lack of monetary incentives to players in the modern game of snooker. In doing so, he has sent a strong message to sponsors urging them to come up with funds so as not to embarrass themselves in the future.

Whether or not he will be successful in his crusade is relevant, that he used a moment that should have been about him and transformed it into a moment to try and benefit the well being of every professional snooker player world wide is probably his careers greatest accomplishment. Nothing that any other player has done in the history of the game has sent such a clear message of a champions affection for the sport he plays and the games ultimate best interest over his own.

While Ronnie O’ Sullivan is on a roll, I urge sports fans globally that have not had the chance to fully experience Ronnie at the snooker table to take a few minutes out of their day this week to watch a few of his matches at the World Championships or at the very least re-live the memories with him potting the fastest 147 of all time in the link below. I can guarantee it won’t be time you’d ever want back, because as far as I’m concerned there will never be another Ronnie O’ Sullivan. Ever.

Ronnie O’ Sullivan – Fastest 147 Break in The History of Professional Snooker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McThDshEgU0

 

Why No Football Fan Can Afford To Miss This La Liga Season

This upcoming La Liga Season has the potential to be the best season in memory.

Conflicting styles of playing football have been the subject of debate for decades. Countries have through the performances of their national sides, found themselves on opposite sides of the fence in their approach to tactics and strategy. The universally recognized dividing line seems to be whether teams are considered attack minded or defense minded, which makes perfect sense in a game where there are three outcomes (win, draw, lose) as opposed to the usual two (win, lose) in other sports.

Clashes in styles of play that belong at opposite ends of the spectrum are usually at the continental level if not the International level alone.  Leaving us with few chances to exhibit a true test of grit between defensive and attacking sides since one has to wait four years for each opportunity to see the same at each World Cup.  This upcoming La Liga season however, is somewhat of a unique situation.

Jose Mourhinio’s move to Real Madrid, signals the beginning of some of the most pragmatic and conservatively minded football to ever be played at the Bernabeau. In sharp contrast, his ultimate rival in the league happens to be Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, the epitome of the exact opposite style of play.

I have to say, that I am a tad biased towards to the idea of Barcelona winning it all this year, mainly because I am a vocal critic of Jose Mourinho, whose legacy I feel is a feeble one but that is another discussion for another day.

La Liga will then be able to look forward to ‘The Special One’ vs. ‘The Chosen One’ in two El Classico encounters which are going to be incredibly hard fought matches, ones that I would think have more significance to them than clashes on their respective Champions League schedules. We are in for an incredible treat not just during the regular season, but La Liga Cups and of course the mouth watering prospect of a knockout round Champions League encounter.

No matter whom your allegiance lies with, I think football fans around the world should embrace this season of La Liga with an attitude befitting a universal football fan more than anything else. We are going to get to see the greatest in the world square off, constantly pushing each other to retain top spot in the table or face the humiliation of coming second. Last year if you remember, Real Madrid and Barcelona both crushed La Liga’s all time point tally. Sadly, only one of them could win. This year, I don’t think anyone would be surprised to see last years record walloped as well.

A couple of short notes on the sides as they are now, keeping in mind that the transfer window is very much open:

Real Madrid

Arguably the most successful coach of all time, having won the league and champions league with several different teams. Jose Mourinho is worthy of the name “The Special One” however his success against Barcelona in the past has been limited to his most recent victory over them while coaching Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-final of 2009. A result that could have gone horribly wrong for him had Bojan Kirkic put head to ball in the dying minutes of the game with a near open goal.

The Special One’s move to the Bernebeau saw sweeping changes he is famous for, building a residential complex for players to live in between practices and instituting a list of disciplinary rules so tight that one might think he has some strong German roots we are not aware of. It will however, be of incredible interest to the footballing world as to what happens when a superstar like Christiano Ronaldo breaks one of his team rules. One must wonder as to whether Real Madrids top brass will unconditionally support their coach over their superstars, something that has been in short supply as of the last eight years or so.  If there was ever a manager that could keep the board room happy it is Jose. After all, he managed to win over the support of Inter Milan, another club that had a poor history with respect to supporting their managers through thick and thin.

Real Madrid however have a lot to look forward to. Kaka is now fit again and will hopefully settle in better this season. Ricardo Carvalho moved to Real Madrid for a mere eight million pounds and is easily one of the best center backs in the world. Gone are the days of having to rely on Hierro. Ozil who shone in the world cup could prove to be a solid compliment to the midfield taking some of the pressure off of Christiano Ronaldo. To be honest, now that Xabi Alonso is playing for Real Madrid, it is tough to spot whom the weakest link really is anymore.

Barcelona

Just when they thought they might be able to rest on their laurels in terms of solidifying their legacy, Pep Guardiola’s side have been openly challenged to a war by Real Madrid over this years La Liga title. For the last three years, everyone has tried to prove Barcelona wrong and have more often than not, ended up on the short end of the stick.

As an AC Milan fan for life, I know the unsettling feeling that is associated with hearing Jose Mourhino is coming to manage a team in your league. It is a slow sinking feeling of despair. It will be no different for Barcelona unless they make some early statements in the form of a few big wins at the start of the league. They absolutely cannot afford any early mistakes or draws because one thing is for certain, Real Madrid under Jose Mourinhio will only get better as time goes on and Jose is famous for his tail end of the season, nerves of steel performances that always manage to squeeze out of a result.

On the transfer side, David Villa promises to deliver what Ibrahimovich should have and with the departure of Henry, Pedro should get some much deserved playing time up front nearly guaranteed. The biggest disappointment out of Barcelona in the last few months has to be the transfer of Yayah Toure to Manchester City, as Pep Guardiola will need to find an able replacement and doesn’t know what he is missing out on. The assertion that Sergio Busquets will be able to fill his shoes and also be able to play a full season is laughable and while Keita proved he is worthy of the Barcelona jersey last year, he is far from a seasoned veteran. A replacement for Maxwell at the back would also go a long way to boost Barcelona’s chances, Eric Abidal is now showing his age unfortunately and cannot be deemed a worthy replacement.

No matter what happens though, this season is the ultimate litmus test of what the game of football is all about and what style is going to prevail over the course of the next few years in club football. The arguments will go on forever, but the proof is in the pudding and the pudding just happens to be this La Liga season.

 

The Importance of Salman Butt

Salman Butt’s reign as Pakistan captain started of incredibly well. This match isn’t going as well, but whatever the outcome, he represents an important change in our cricketing tradition.

Mohd Aamer excites us with his increasing resemblance to Wasim. Meanwhile Brother Umar shows us flashes of Sehwag.
What Salman Butt is though, is someone who isn’t outrageously talented, has more drops to his name than brother Kamran (ok not quite), and has had to persevere to get to where he is today.

Unfortunately our talent level isn’t quite what it used to be especially when it comes to the batting. Domestic cricket isn’t preparing players like it used to. Therefore, players will need time to adapt after reaching the international stage. What will be crucial is trying to establish which players have the mental toughness and work ethic to make it and which don’t. For these young players like Azhar Ali and Umar Amin, Salman Butt is terrific role model.

 

Victory, despite ourselves

Let’s be clear about this: we did almost everything in our power to throw that game away. Pakistan, over the last year in a particular, but throughout its cricketing history, has made a habit of contriving to lose from the most dominant of positions. That we got away with it on Saturday morning doesn’t mean that our batting has emerged from the (mostly self-inflicted) psychological trauma of the last few years of Test cricket.

Like a demented 3-year-old with a pair of gardening shears, Pakistani batsmen seem to take some sort of perverse pleasure in getting to the very brink of victory, before stabbing themselves in the heart with the business-end of said shears. Today was no different. We wobbled more than a bowl of trifle on a tray that has had a discreetly placed stick of TNT go off underneath it. Only Pakistan could make chasing 180 seem daunting, and chasing 40 (with 7 wickets in hand) a virtual mountain. One shudders to think what would have happened if, with 5 runs required, Kamran Akmal had been given out when Hussey claimed the catch at gully.

Shudder.

In the end Muhammad Amir had to come out and finish the job himself, with Umar Gul of all people stroking the winning runs through cover. Hardly confidence-inspiring stuff.

Nevertheless, Pakistan has broken it’s 15-year long duck against the Aussies, and there is something to be said for the good that will do this team. In a way, it seemed that Pakistan was afraid of winning against Australia. Sydney proved that we, on some level, simply did not know how to do it. Headingley has now proven that we can. There is, of course, much to be said about having the right mentality when it comes to Test cricket in particular: the Aussies, over the last decade and a half, have been so used to winning, so efficient, so ruthless, that they now expect nothing less than victory, and much of their fighting spirit comes from this expectation. That this team is not as talented as the teams before it is almost inconsequential: the Aussies own the pitches they step out onto.

The same cannot, of course, be said for Pakistan, which generally displays all of the application and determination to win of a small cat faced with a ball of yarn. This win will not change that, but it will help. It has, of course, been a long, long time since Pakistan won a Test of consequence.

Looking forward, England come next, and their batsmen will not fall to quality swing bowling as easily as the Aussies. An interesting summer awaits – will Pakistan draw strength from the tremendous psychological boost of having finally beaten Australia to band together as a unit, or will the wheels fall off, causing said unit to explode in a shower of thwarted ambition and misplaced confidence? Who knows – demented 3-year olds are unpredictable creatures.

“I’m not going back to the pavilion. They’ll murder me!”

- el kapitan

 

The Case for Shahid Afridi

Afridi calling time on the weakest format of his career should be applauded not ridiculed.

Seldom do sports personalities face the public and withdraw themselves from positions of influence before they have completely humiliated their team at one point or another. In a world of endorsement deals and public appearances that make players the great bulk of the money they earn during the course of their sporting career, it is odd to see someone giving up their chance to do just that, though no one seems to be focusing on that aspect of Shahid Afridi’s decision!

To better understand Shahid Afridi’s motivation is in my opinion folly, to ridicule him is just a demonstration of utter stupidity.

Pakistani’s live in a nation of well recognized corruption that exists from the bottom all the way to the very top of every aspect of life. How then can the masses crying for justice on a near daily basis criticize the exception that admitted he felt he was incompetent for a leadership role and would prefer a better candidate to take the position. That is the epitome of honesty and a full disclosure of ones intentions, is this not the fabled transparency we long for of public figures,  is that not worthy of our praise? Why then is everyone taking a shot at criticizing this act of honesty?

Let me answer that one for you, it is a simple trait that in my opinion has enveloped the country over the past 30 odd years since nationalization. Fear of the unknown.

While most Pakistani’s are more than competent at pointing out the problems that others are creating, they are less willing to step up to the plate and solve the issues that plague our society. When a willing party courageously raises his hand to take the helm, people applaud this effort, soon after however the candidates every single fault is highlighted to the nth degree once he or she is in the driving seat. The usually incompetent candidate then proceeds to hold on to the position for dear life, sucking any benefit out of it for as long as possible until public pressure demands a resignation. The individual is then ridiculed and his or her reputation sullied.

Shahid Afridi’s honesty has prevented that cycle. He should be heralded as a national hero for helping the country near single handedly lift the T-20 World Cup not more than 24 months ago and did a great  job of showing the nation how to convert their potential into results in high pressure situations in the process. Something that the nations cricket team has had a history of being awful at as of late.

The reaction to Shahid Afridi’s announcement being as hostile as it has been highlights the illiteracy of this nation when compared to the reaction that an early retirement from other global superstars of sport prompted elsewhere. Justine Henin is a pretty good example I would think. Having won everything that there was to win of significance to her, she decided to retire her tennis racquet in her mid twenties.

While this might have shocked the world of tennis, she was never ridiculed by her fellow Belgians or the Belgian press with respect to her decision. In their opinion, Justine Henin was a player who had the potential to become a legend of the game of womens tennis and perhaps managed to fulfill the criteria to become one already but had not fully solidified her legacy to the point of being able to shut up even the most unreasonable of critics.

It was a personal decision that she made, owing to her wish to concentrate on other aspects of her life having come to the conclusion that there was more to life than tennis and that she was extremely grateful for the support her band of traveling fans provided over the years. The Belgian government thanked her for representing the nation with dignity and respect over the years along with the joy she brought to the nation associated with the titles she proudly displayed each time she came home at the end of a long season.

Shahid Afridi in contrast brought several successes to Pakistan from a young age all the way up to his late twenties. He started his career with the fastest century the world had ever seen and managed to restore a sense of pride into a nation still hungry for further cricketing success having lost many of its heroes to retirement after the 1992 World Cup victory. He had a strange metamorphosis making his contribution  primarily first as a batsman but went on to become an unpredictable spin bowler worthy of mention.

He brought home the T-20 World Cup in 2009 and nearly led the Pakistani’s to victory in 2010 if not for one of the most unlikely losses in the countries cricketing history. A match which the Australians won, not one that the Pakistani’s lost in the opinion of crickets most knowledgeable critics.

He followed this up with a few honest assessments of the situation only to  be labelled a traitor and a ruffian.

What is better then, I ask, lying to the nation about your capability or being honest and wanting continuity in a game you dearly love?

 

Why Diego Maradonna Staying On Would Expose The AFA For Being The Weakest Sporting Body of Significance In Memory

I’m reading the initials A.F.A, but all I can think of is the word SHAM in big block letters for some reason.

Thank God Diego Maradonna didn’t win the World Cup.

A powerful notion that I have quite vocally mentioned in the past has been dispelled. It takes more than inspiration to win a World Cup. It takes organization and meticulous preparation. It is not a job that any layman can do. It is not a role that any unqualified ruffian can simply assume and achieve success because he believes in his team. It is more than that. Amen.

Diego Maradonna is now living proof of that fact, yet the Argentinian Footballing Association (AFA) are looking to bring him back for a new 4 year contract. Ladies and gentlemen, all sanity has since exited stage left if what we are hearing is true. That, or something far more sinister is afoot. Politics.

Often ignored and swept under the rug are the issues that plague sporting bodies abilities to pick the best teams. There are a series of personal motivations for selectors, under the table deals and mutual back scratching exercises that are part of every national team selection. This is one of the ugliest sides of the sport, one that is often not well publicized because it cannot easily be proven seeing it as though national teams only are allowed one entry into each tournament, not an A team and a B team. So how would we ever know who really deserved to be there?

The other often ignored area of world sport is the political blame game that ensues after a team loses and is on its way back home. Gone are the days when mere rotten tomatoes were enough to silently protest hurt feelings and broken dreams. In a world of mass communication we are actually in a situation where jobs change hands hours after the flight home lands and people go out of their way to ruin individuals they feel chose poorly or incorrectly for the rest of their professional careers.

Argentina has a legacy of teams that raised the national expectation only to disappoint, especially in the world of football. The truth is, the Argentines really aren’t as good as they think they are or want to be, but which man wants to tell his own people that?

The answer is no one does. What ensues after each disappointment is a blame game involving resignations and severance payments. The Argentinian Football Association have found somewhat of a loophole in the system. His name happens to be Diego Maradonna and he is the ultimate scapegoat.

The Federation has to figure that the usual ire directed at them for losing the World Cup was soaked up by a crying Diego Maradonna rather effectively. So much so, that giving the people what they want in him as the coach of Argentina all over again should trump what is best for the nations football side, especially if it means they all get to keep their jobs. In my opinion, truer words could not have been spoken about a situation from a neutral perspective and while I am sure our token Argentinian fan who reads the blog has all but deleted it from his favorites, I like to think that many but not all of us learn early that the truth hurts the most sometimes.

The tragedy in all of this, is that Diego Maradonna is being used but knowingly I am sure for his own pig headed ambitions and is prepared to deal with the consequences. The tragedy part comes in when one realizes that he is deeply committed to this cause and his intentions are genuine, despite his inability to deliver the goods which is really not for him to determine. He is neither a victim nor a hero. Just an overconfident idiot that isn’t qualified enough to win a World Cup. Plain and simple.

While I do believe that there is a silver lining in every bad decision like the one that involves trying to extend Maradonna’s contract, I cannot take full credit for having pointed it out. That honor belongs to none other than a fellow blogger on The Offside Trap who coined the sentence that should shake a nation. “If Maradonna is re-appointed, it will only serve to prove once and for all that the Argentinian Football Association is a worse run organization than the Pakistani Cricket Board (PCB). Wait, your not one of those idiots that thinks Football is immune to Murphy’s Law, are you?”

Words that will live, in infamy.

 

Why There Was More Than One Winner On The Pitch When The Curtain Came Down On The 2010 World Cup

After a long long time, the Dutch did this roaring Lion proud.

I’ve followed Dutch Football since the first time I was cognizant of what a World Cup means in 1998. The one thing every World Cup has had in common is that the Netherlands and Spain are two teams whom have traditionally had issues of performance on the worlds greatest stage, perennial losers that never achieved what their true potential could have afforded them.

The Final of the 2010 World Cup changed all of that, for both teams, forever.

I could go off on a rant about missed chances, but each team had their fair share of those. We could talk about how controlling nerves is the key to lifting the world cup, but I don’t believe that anymore. The final is about big game players and I struggle to think of whom didn’t fit that bill after 120 minutes of football was played in Johannesburg.

It was an open game, with both sides trying to pressure the other into a mistake, one that never really came. The officials calls were all fairly accurate, although I am a big believer in the idea that officials are bound to get one call wrong per game, as they are like the rest of us mere mortals. I am referring to the red card that Spain managed to create out of what looked like a pretty light challenge. Though, one call doesn’t change a game in which both sides have 120 minutes to play. For anyone that has a greater intellectual understanding of the game, it is not worth blaming the referee for this outcome. No excuses.

I talked about big game players earlier and full credit should go to Andres Iniesta. One shot, one kill and that too off a half volley in the dead of extra time, a defenders boot five centimeters from where the ball left his foot and a hand movement from Skeltenburg that was less than a quarter of a second too late. Anyone, no matter whom they were supporting should be able to appreciate how small a speck of light existed between the two teams that took the field if that is what was required to separate them. The ultimate vindication that perhaps the best two teams really did make it to the final this World Cup.

This is the world cup, it is a story of 32 teams that played for years to get here and two months to decide who the worlds best is. A thing of beauty, drama and skill. For it to be decided by dead ball shots is an insult to the very idea of what makes the game great. That it ended in extra time, is in my mind the greatest compliment to the game of World Football, that we did not have to decide the worlds greatest sporting prize over penalty kicks is to honor the team that lifts the golden trophy of dreams.

To Spains credit, though they were uncharacteristically wasteful especially on set pieces, they managed to hold it together and pounce on the door before it closed on their hands into the vortex of uncertainty that is life after extra time. It was a clean strike, off a brilliantly strung together pass that beat an offside trap and broke the hearts of an army of Oranje fans across the world. Well done and whole heartedly deserved.

As for the Netherlands, they came into the game with nothing to lose and though they were heavy handed in the midfield, there are only so many ways to contain the Spaniards smooth flowing game. Honorable mention should go to Mark Van Bommel, whom I feel has been much maligned this World Cup for all of the wrong reasons. Mainly owing to the position he plays and the responsibility therein to halt play when necessary, which whether you like it or not is part of the game.

Though in my mind, no star shone brighter than that of the captain Van Bronckhorst who saved countless attempts at goal and allowed Skeltenburg no more tension than he deserved to receive. His legacy is a strong Dutch side that still has enough years in it for another attempt at greatness, through what will have to be a completely reformed system. More than anything else though, he left the pitch on a high note and will forever be remembered as one of the greatest Dutch backs to have steered the Oranje to countless victories in the World Cup having taken them all the way to the final.

As for the Spaniards, their victory proves a point that should shake the foundations of the kind of football that Jose Mourhinio prescribes to. I spoke of more than one winner on the pitch when the curtains came down and I’ll explain.

Football is a game of grace, skill and team play. Not a game of containment, throwing players into the box to defend and counter attacks. That might be the golden ticket to winning leagues and the European crown but not the greatest prize in World Football. The aforementioned tactics of the ‘Special One’ all parts of the game, but not what makes it great and that is the reason why I truly believe that there was more than one winner on the pitch when the final whistle blew. In fact there were two, World Football and Spain. In that order.

Goodbye South Africa and thank you for the memories because that ladies and gentlemen was the end of an incredible World Cup. No head butts, no hard feelings and on some level, no outright losers.