Football's Silly Season

So one of the biggest transfer sagas has come to an end. Neymar has officially moved to Barcelona for an undisclosed sum of money. Excellent, so let's move on.

This period of the year always leaves me anxious. As an Arsenal supporter I'm always concerned that one of our star talents will leave. However, this season, no one player has stood out. Add to that the £70m Arsene Wenger has earmarked for new players and suddenly, I'm not so concerned.

It's been a while since we have been linked with big names. Arshavin was the last 'big name' we were linked to I think. Before David Villa of course. Now, however, we have been linked with Villa, Wayne Rooney and our former captain, Cesc Fabregas. Such a plethora of talent would seemingly put us into the spending regions of both Man City and PSG. Except it won't.

Thanks to Wenger's shrewdness, Arsenal have first refusal on Fabregas. Couple that with Barça having to pay half of his transfer fee to Arsenal and suddenly it makes more financial sense for them to sell him to Arsenal for £20m than to anyone else for £30m.

Rooney wants to leave United. That's a fact. Whether Moyes changes his mind and convinces him to stay, it will only be for one more season. As a result, he'd probably be a lot less expensive than he would otherwise have been. The only issue is his salary. Rooney reportedly makes £200k a week, twice that of Arsenal's highest wage-earner, Lukas Podolski. I doubt Arsenal would be happy to spend that.

Finally David Villa. He's 31. He's going to be less than people say he's worth. I reckon if he goes anywhere, it'll be for £16m. No-one is going to pay more than that. Especially considering that Thierry Henry who, as Leeds fans will know, can still perform magic cost Barça that amount when he moved to them.

I love this part of the season, the drama, the headlines, the mistrust and the broken loyalties all played out to an audience of billions.

Let the silly season begin!


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End Of Season Review

So that's it for another season. All in all, pretty incredible. After the first few games, I said that the Premiership was Chelsea's to lose. They seemed unstoppable. Then Abramovich sacked the manager and they spiralled into free fall. Although all credit to Benitez for dragging them back up to the dizzying heights of the Europa League final.
Manchester United were sensational. He may not have won the treble, or even the double, but I feel that Ferguson went out on one helluva high. What a team. Even Rooney can't secure a starting place in it and he's one of their highest paid players.
Manchester City, on the other hand, endured a terrible season. Second in the toughest league in the world and runners up in the most prestigious national cup competition in the world. I'm surprised they didn't sack Mancini earlier.
Obviously I'm being sarcastic, but you get my point. As an Arsenal fan it always pains me when I remember the last time we won a cup and then you look over at the spoilt brats at City and you can't help but tell them to move away from you in a four-letter direction.
Tottenham had an excellent season, all things considered. They amassed a club record points haul this season which is great and, if they're able to keep hold of Bale, they will be in for a top four shout next year. I felt they missed Rafael van der Vaart though. Without his dynamism and creative influence, they relied too heavily on Bale knowing that if he had the season he did have, other bigger teams would be gunning for him.
At the other end of the scale it was a real shame to see Harry Redknapp go down. I really hope that him and his band of overpaid wannabes languish in the Championship for season after season. If I had one wish, it would be that he never managed a Premier League club again. I pray that his twitchy, smug, potato face is forced to work for jack all and earn an honest wage out of which he pays his taxes. As you can probably tell, I'm not his biggest fan. I've never liked him. I was so glad that QPR went down I started singing some Bay City Rollers. All together now! "Bye bye Harry, Harry goodbye."
So now that the season is over, I can dish out my awards. I would write some justification for them but I'm pretty sure they'll speak for themselves. If you disagree, I'd love to hear your opinion.
Signing of the Season: Robin van Persie/Christian Benteke/Michu
Manager of the Season: Sir Alex Ferguson
Worst Decision of the Season: Letting Mike Dean referee anything more important than an U10 game
Best Moment of the Season: Tottenham fans celebrating Newcastle's 'equaliser' on the last day of the season
Worst Signing of the Season: Christopher Samba
Underrated Player Award: Romelu Lukaku
Overrated Player Award: Gareth Barry
Funniest Moment of the Season: Chelsea fans' reaction to Benitez hired as manager
Legacy Award: Wilfried Zaha to Man U. Ferguson has left Moyes with another gem
The Golden Mug Award: Luis Suarez
The Silver Cock Award: John Terry
The Bronze Genitals Award: Jamie Redknapp (almost as crap at analysis as his dad is at keeping teams up)
The Biggest Surprise: Gary Neville praising Arsenal, never been so proud
Hope you've enjoyed the season. I certainly have. Coming up over the summer we have the British GP, Wimbledon and the Lions in Australia so keep an eye out for more posts.
Oh, and don't forget the transfer gossip!
Follow me on Twitter: @obmij1

News

Hello everyone!

I'm delighted to welcome my friend James Craven to the site as a contributor. I'm sure you'll enjoy his thought-provoking articles.

Always ready to argue a point, James has previous experience writing for a number of websites. Most recently for a site where Manchester United and Manchester City fans discussed/argued with each other.

In other news, I will be increasing my contribution to www.room101-102.com from this month. So if you want to read my opinions on stuff other than sport plus the opinions of other people then check it out.

Until next time!


Follow me on Twitter: @obmij1

Maybe More Mourinho?

Many people believe that when Chelsea have finally had their fill of 'interim' managers they always cry Mourinho! But do they? Since he left in 2007 his 5 year absence has left Chelsea have won 2 FA cup, 1 League title and most significantly their first Champions League in their history.

It is notable to mention however, that under Mourinho's guidance Chelsea won 2 League titles, 2 League cups and an FA cup. It isn't surprising then that the fans clamour for their lucky talisman and whatever the truth behind him leaving, be it financial, a personal spat or simply to develop his own career Chelsea do require a manager of Mourinho's enormous calibre to get them back on track. Real Madrid have already said in a press conference that they would require "no compensation" when Mourinho leaves at the end of this season because it is a "mutual termination". Chelsea will also want to secure the services of the special one because their current manager Rafa Benitez is leaving due to their own harsh treatment of the Spaniard. The Chelsea fans booed their current manager after a poor string of results early in his career, it turned out enough was enough and Rafa has decided to leave after his post season duties are over. Even though Benitez guided his Chelsea team into Champions League football and a uncomfortable third place finish, the Chelsea fans at the Bridge apologised via messages on the club website and with handwritten signs some of which said "Thank you Rafa - We Forgive You" but I believe it is too little too late.

So, will Mourinho expect the same? I believe he would be a fool not to consider the same treatment. Chelsea fans have shown their candid nature in the last season, and scared off many potential suitors, but will the 'Special One' be thinking of this if he gets into talks with Mr Abramovich's staff?

A lot of it comes to down who the new manager will sign and everyone knows that Mourinho will undoubtedly draw the biggest names to whichever club he chooses to go to. 

But what do you think?

Please comment bellow?

Ferguson And Beckham - Two Footballing Icons

I am a staunch Arsenal fan. Yet, when I woke up this morning, I felt a tinge of sadness. Both Sir Alex Ferguson and David Beckham have decided to retire at the end of the season. From an Arsenal fan's perspective, SAF leaving can only be a positive thing, but from a football fan's viewpoint their retirement brings to an end an era that has spanned more that 20 years. An age that has launched football into becoming the global brand that it is today.
First, Sir Alex. What that man has achieved at Manchester United cannot really be put into words. People will say that it can through the facts and figures but you look at the way he conducted himself throughout the 26 years he has been there and the way that people who have played for him and played against him talk and you see that it just cannot be described. His record as a manager is nearly faultless, bringing what everyone regards as the 'Holy Grail' of football, the Champion's League Trophy, to Old Trafford not once, but twice and completing what few managers have done in the famous 1999 Treble.
He will be missed by everyone involved in football. I know I'll miss him. Principally because I had this ridiculous notion of Ferguson and Wenger having one last season as adversaries. The two longest serving managers in the top flight of English football signing off with one last full-on season where they would go head-to-head for 38 or more matches and one would emerge victorious. Then they'd retire to become board members of their respective clubs and pass on those incredible squads to the next generation.
Of course, that's just a fantasy. Similar to the one that fellow Arsenal fans experienced during this season's January transfer window when it looked like we were going to sign David Villa from Barcelona. Now, it seems, Spurs have nearly got him. The heart sinks.
Ferguson's legacy will be measured by the success of his successor. David Moyes has a real job on his hands. On the one hand, if he does well, it'll be because of Ferguson's squad that he has inherited. If he does badly, it'll be his fault. Although the fact that he has signed a six-year contract makes me believe that the board have absolute and unwavering faith in him. So I wish him good luck.
Now onto David Beckham who, like Sir Alex, cannot be described purely by words. I looked through twitter earlier and found that Phil McNulty, a man who has never got a good word to say about anyone or anything and knows jack all about sport, said that he should not be considered as one of the game's 'greats.' Funnily enough, I think he's wrong.
He has won the league title with every team he has played for, with the exception of AC Milan but he spent a grand total of 3 months there. Not only that, but he has helped those teams win those titles. Look back at the Galacticos at Real Madrid in 2007. Look at the players in that team that could have won them the title. Robinho, Guti, Roberto Carlos, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Sergio Ramos but no, it was to David Beckham, who during the January transfer window said that he was going to play for LA Galaxy in America the following season and was then marginalised, they looked to and who came back and helped them with the La Liga trophy for the 30th time.
Now, we can't say that it was purely down to Golden Balls, but there was a period when he wasn't playing that Madrid suffered a severe dip in form. Then, when he came back, he was more determined to prove future England manager Fabio Capello wrong.
As a player, he was one of the world's greatest. Committed on the pitch and humble off it. All he wanted to do was play the game that he loved so much and enjoyed being a part of for 20 years. I will have a lot of fond memories of David Beckham, not least the free kick that saw us through into the 2002 World Cup Finals.
I wish them both the best of luck in their future endeavours and note that the landscape of global football has changed. Whether for the better, we are yet to see.

Moyes - Yes or No?

There are two discussions to be had here, and being on the fence, I thought I'd make both of them.

Yes: He just needs time. Like every new manager at every new club time is always needed. However, Manchester United is not every new club and David Moyes may not have long to impress the Old Trafford faithful. On the plus side, he does have a shining track record as a loyal manager, who with scarce resources, kept his Everton team in the highest tier of English football. Not only that he kept his Everton team competitive as they were rarely in the bottom half and often 8th or even a few places above Liverpool in recent seasons. Which to Everton fans is more important than domestic trophies.

The fact that Manchester United's board have chosen to sign Moyes on a 6 year contract shows me that they have faith in the ex Everton boss. My concern however, doesn't lie with that, I am worried about the mountain Moyes has put himself in front of. Can he really be expected to live up to a living-legend? Many managers internationally would most likely have jumped at the chance of the United job but why pick Moyes? I believe United picked Moyes because he is consistent, loyal and safe. He consistently finished 9th or above in his 10 plus years as Everton manager never once getting relegated. I'm not saying that Moyes is the right choice but for now he is definitely not going anywhere, and Manchester United are in safe hands.

No: There are only two people in the world capable of handling Manchester United and one of them just retired. The other one is special...

Jose Mourinho. The 'Special One' has the same fire and passion for football that other managers just seem to lack and Manchester United sorely needs that after the departure of such a worthy, and longstanding steward. I truly believe that had Mourinho been appointed, then United fans worldwide would be just as up-in-arms about it as they are about the appointment of David Moyes, because in their eyes nobody can live up to Sir Alex. Nor should they have to, a new manager means new times and unfortunately for diehard fans that means change.

Change is hard for a reason, and it is never harder when a manager that is both comfortable, beloved and consistently successful departs without fair warning. But Sir Alex is 80, and no matter how big or small a person is no one lasts forever in football. Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs in world football. Is Moyes one of the biggest managers? There's a simple answer to that. No. Mourinho is. His resume speaks for itself. He is one of the only managers to win a domestic league title in 4 different countries, and currently the manager of Real Madrid. Next to, David Moyes who hmmm...

So there we have it. Both sides of the discussion laid out. But what do you think? Are you a Yes? or a No?

Comment below

Bale Hype - Justified?

Here's a little statistic for you. Yesterday, two former Southampton teammates played their 200th games for their current clubs. Both play in similar positions and both were chasing that elusive 20th goal. Gareth Bale was one, who was the other?

Admittedly, there may be some bias here but I will try to be as objective as I can. The media cream themselves over Bale. There are no two ways about it. Because he is from the British Isles he can do no wrong. I have to say that he is a great player, but that's because he's playing for a mediocre team. I wonder how well he would play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, up against some of the best defenders in the world like Dani Alves. I don't think it would work. He'd probably end up doing a Michael Owen and spend the rest of his career as an expensive benchwarmer.

I argue it like this, I believe that Messi is currently the best player in the world but Ronaldo is a better footballer. To make you understand, I'll say this: Ronaldo is more technically proficient with the ball than Messi is. Messi's just a goal machine. Ronaldo is not as selfish as people think. He plays for the team, which makes him invaluable. But, he has a darkside. That curse that has also stricken the media's beloved Bale. A disease that is best left to the likes of Tom Daley. I'm talking about diving.

Now, Ronaldo doesn't do it so much anymore, which is great, but the memories of him in the Premier League still stay with me. It's the same with Gareth Bale. Why does he feel the need to do it? It's cheating!

It really annoys me that the media in this country pander over him like he's the second coming. 'He's a young lad, he'll grow out of it.' On Wednesday, I will be the same age as him, I only dive in swimming pools. Agreed, I play less football than he does, but my point still stands. If he was a teenager, you could forgive him for his little discrepancies. But he isn't, he should have learnt that by now.

I think he could be a great footballer, he's already halfway there, all he really needs is a great club to play for and, I'm sorry Tottenham fans, Spurs just isn't a great club. However, Gareth Bale will never be a great player.

Walcott's better.


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