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European Football Weekend Review: The Surprises were Unsurprising

  By O-Posts Team | April 20, 2024 - 20:11 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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So the weekend is over and it’s now time to analyse what happened, in the most honest, unbiased and fair way… Or just the opposite. It depends on how you see it.

 

Barclays Premier League

Chelsea stayed true to their ‘one goal margin’ name when they defeated Manchester at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. And of course, it was Eden who scored the only goal of the game. Despite all the ‘memorable moments’ that the game had, there is one thing that really stood up in the game and it was not the fact that Falcao played more than 10 minutes (although that was really surprising). It was Chelsea’s new trend: “Don’t dominate, just win”. Many coaches might disagree with that mantra, but it might be what wins Chelsea the title this season, and it’s Mourinho’s new system. Remember the ‘parking the bus’ tactic from last season?

On United’s side, it’s the end of an amazing run of impressive wins. Who is to blame? Mourinho’s tactics? Was it the fact that Mata, Fellaini, Herrera, Rooney and Ashley Young didn’t deliver? Although it maybe one or all of the above, the reason that many will go with is the fact that Falcao started the match and started up front, while Rooney was again dropped in midfield.

Moving to other side of Manchester, City beat West Ham 2-0 to end their run of well deserved defeat. Jesus Navas was the unlikely hero as he had his feet on his team’s 2 goals, but all eyes was on Aguero as he scored his 20thgoal of the season (sorry Navas). Although the win got the Citizens back to winning ways, it won’t ease the pressure on Pellegrini and his ‘old-er men’.

Oh yeah and on a sad note, David Silva was stretched off the field after being elbowed by Cheikou Kouyate. Get well soon D. S.

 

FA Cup

Despite the fact they booked their place in this year’s final with a 2-1 win over Reading, the Gunners weren’t themselves possessed by ‘the Ghost of Arsenal’s past’. Of course, all the credit should go to Reading (except their goalkeeper) for revealing Arsenal;s true colours but for a team that is hoping to stop ‘Chelseazard’ from winning the title, it should have been a routine win. And of course if it wasn’t for Adam Frederici generous gift, it’s very likely that the game would have gone to penalties. However, on the positive side, Sanchez got his title of ‘Gunners’ saviour’ back.

Now despite the fact that many expected Liverpool to be Arsenal opponent in final, the Reds had other ideas. Rodgers men went down 2-1 against Aston-Benteke Villa, despite taking the lead.

Who was to blame this time? Was it the fact that Lovren and Skrtel were at their usual worst? Was it the fact that Gerrard was a ghost during the game? Was it cause Moreno is an overrated wing back? Was it the fact Balotelli had 45 ineffective minutes? Or was it a ‘come and coach us plea’ to Jurgen Klopp? Whatever it was, it definitely sounds like a ‘leave when you can’ message to Sterling.

 

La Liga

Barcelona beat Valencia 2-0 and Luis Suarez scored again. Nothing much to report on that except the fact Messi scored his 400th La Liga goal. No offense but that would have been impressive if Leo and his buddy Cristiano weren’t busy breaking records every week.

Speaking of Cristiano, him and his teammates (sidekicks) recorded a 3-1 win over Malaga to stay 2 points behind Barca. Now the big issue with this game was the fact that Ancelotti lost Modric and Bale through injury. Why did he play them just few days before hosting Atletico Madrid in Champions League? What happened to rotating the squad? That’s maybe a discussion for another day, but Ancelotti depleted his squad of 2 important players by employing Mourinho’s no rotation policy.

 

Bundesliga

It was a weekend of expected and unexpected results in Germany. Yes Dortmund and Leverkusen won, but Monchengladbach and Wolfsburg De Bruyne drew and Bayern didn’t win by 7 goals. Maybe I’m wrong about the Bundesliga not being exciting. Or maybe those teams played the way they did just to make me change my opinion about the Bundesliga. Is there a conspiracy against me by this league?

 

Serie A

Juventus won and Tevez scored. The Milan derby, aka the battle of the best bench-warmer XI, was so boring that you could have felt as asleep watching it, and Roma drew (it would have been a surprise if they didn’t). A typical Serie A weekend.

 

Ligue 1

In Ligue 1, aka PSG 1, it was business as usual. PSG won and their closest rivals all drew to make sure that the Les Parisiens win the title in peace. Like I said, un weekend sans surprise.

 

Conclusion

Those who thought that this weekend would be surprising, you were right, it was surprisingly unsurprising. Supra Checkin’ Out.

 

Written by Christopher Kayembe

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European Football Weekend Preview: Chelsea vs Man United, Barca vs Valencia are the games to watch

  By O-Posts Team | April 17, 2024 - 20:05 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Here comes the weekend… On the Football front.

Here comes another weekend of… OK let’s me just step right in:

 

- Starting in England:

The game everybody (unless you hate those teams or you just don’t care) is talking about this weekend is the derby between ‘one goal margin’ Chelsea and ‘the former outcast and out positioned’ Manchester United. With Mourinho’s boys doing everything to win the title and Van Gaal’s army trying to finish the season on a high, this looks like it’s gonna be a cracker…Or just an ordinary game. We never know with those teams.

- Manchester City will be hoping that their recent… run of amazing nonsense will end when they meet ‘used to be fancied’ West Ham. With both teams hoping to grab the three points in order to… well for City is to finish in the top 4 , for West Ham to justify their large spending last summer. This game is announcing itself to be a real fight for redemption for both teams.

- Liverpool meets Hull City on Sunday and with The Reds on the road to recovery and the Tigers at the door of relegation, we will probably witness another routine win for Liverpool. Or for Hull, we never know (even though we already do).

- Arsenal: with the Gunners in an amazing form, who can stop them? A team that can manage to defend well and put Arsenal defenders under pressure. Is Sunderland that team? Maybe. Or maybe not. No offense to the Black Cats but it looks like they going down. No offense if you are a Sunderland fan. Or a Chelsea fan.

 

- Moving to Spain:

And honestly speaking, the only game that looks tricky this weekend is Barcelona vs. Valencia (even though Barca is at home). No offense to Valencia but this looks like slam dunk for Enrique’s team. When it comes to rest of the game, its looks like business as usual.

Although it will be interesting to see how Ancelotti will mix his regular starting 11 and Castilla Senior (Real bench-warmers). And when it comes to Atletico, it’s obvious that ordinary football fans just don’t care anymore. But I do. Lol. No offense if you are an Atleti fan.

 

-Moving to Italy:

Realistically speaking, there are just a few questions that we should be asking ourselves: Will Juventus drop points to give Roma false hope? Will Salah score again? Will Napoli transfer their Europa League form in the League? Will Roma loose again? And of course which bench-warmer or which finished player will be linked to the two Milan clubs.

 

- In Germany:

Again just a set of questions: Will Bayern score 7 or just 3 goals? How will Kevin De Bruyne influence Wolfsburg’s game? Will he score? Will he assist? Or will it be both just like every week? And for the rest of the teams (Leverkusen and Monchengladbach), good luck in your Champions League quest and all the best in your development of future Bayern players.

 

- And in France:

PSG have a chance to avenge their defeat to Barcelona by bullying Nice, Lyon can keep on enjoying top spot while it last (although we know it won’t), Marseille can close the long gap to PSG with a win over mid-table Nantes, Monaco can show the world that they as bad as we think with a positive result against Rennes.

 

- Conclusion:

Before I check out I just want to point out something: Regardless of what happens between now and the end of the season, City must do a major overhaul this summer, from Pellegrini to Boyata. Coz if they don’t, they will most definitely end up in the longest trophy-less spell in the history of trophy less spell. We might be looking Arsenal trophy-less run 2.0.

 

Supra Checkin’ Out.

 

Written by Christopher Kayembe

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Jurgen Klopp: The charismatic and adored manager knows it’s time to end a remarkable chapter in Dortmund

  By O-Posts Team | April 16, 2024 - 19:25 | , , , , , ,
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So the brilliant reign of Jürgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund is at a close as the 47 year old will bow out at the end of this season following seven years at the club. In a press conference that was held on Wednesday Klopp announced that he had not received contact from another club but he would rule out taking a year’s sabbatical, putting clubs from around Europe on red alert as to the manager’s availability.

Klopp will enter the summer in severe demand which is ironic given his team have spent the vast majority of this campaign fighting relegation, finding themselves bottom of the Bundesliga as recently as February before a small resurgence has seen them clamber to tenth place. However his two league titles with Dortmund, one of which accompanied a domestic cup to make him the first coach in the club’s history to land a double, are far more prevalent sections of a C.V that also includes a thrilling run to the Champions League final of 2013.

What made the Klopp era so special is the platform from which he built it, inheriting a side that had come close to relegation in both 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons as they shuffled between 3 managers in four years. It was a club that teetered on the edge of financial ruin twice in the early 2000s, having to rely on a €2 million loan from Bayern Munich to service their payroll the first time round. In their last couple final in life before Klopp, they would lose out 2-1 to Munich in the DFB Pokal.

Two years later, with a squad renovated with a mixture of youth-team starlets and well-scouted signings in adherence to a strict budget, Klopp would deliver a first Bundesliga in nine years before winning it again the following season with a league record points haul of 81. The spectre of their Bavarian rivals would then re-emerge to haunt Klopp with the rampant Munich machine of Jupp Heynckes surpassing that total to deliver a Bundesliga on 91 points, as well as the DFB Pokal and the Champions League, with victory over Dortmund at Wembley, in a treble.

Perhaps the writing was on the wall back then, with Dortmund ending that campaign 25 points behind Munich and losing Mario Gotze, the attacking midfielder who had been with Dortmund since he was 8, to the newly crowned champions.

The club were €37 million richer, with Bayern meeting a release clause inserted into a contract Gotze signed in 2012, though it was a priceless loss of status, conceding an admission to Bayern that their financial clout, together with the pull of the newly-appointed Pep Guardiola, was too strong for them to withhold.

Furthermore, unlike the sales of Nuri Sahin and Shinji Kagawa in the two preceding years, Dortmund found themselves unable to replace Gotze despite smashing their own club record transfer fee on the €27 million Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Two underwhelming seasons later and it is evident the Armenian is not a viable replacement of the same class.

Robert Lewandowski, the striker who managed 103 goals in 4 years after signing for €4.5 million from Lech Poznan, would follow Gotze to the Allianz Arena on a free deal a year later and in similar fashion, Dortmund after found it difficult to replace the Pole. Aware that the striker would depart in 2014 after refusing to let him move in the final summer of his contract in 2013, Klopp and his team had a year to scout his replacement, yet the likes of Ciro Immobile and Adrian Ramos, signed for a combined £25 million, have failed to step up, managing just 5 goals between them.

Gone is the intense pressing from the front that Lewandowski led and so too the direct option that the Polish striker provided for sharp transitions of play. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been a relative success, scoring 34 times over his 2 seasons to date after moving from St Etienne, but his searing pace offers different qualities to the focal point Lewandowski offered in attack, permitting the likes of Marco Reus and Gotze to shine in areas of space the big striker had created.

Possessing players adept at playing in space, on the shoulders of defenders, has often seen them struggle against teams who defend in numbers, hence the series of defeats to perceived weaker teams. Handing the ball to Dortmund and asking them to do something with it rather than utilise the quick counter attack has been the fashionable domestic tactic and Klopp, who has cited a difficult pre-season, has failed to come up with a solution.

The sensational Reus, with whom Gotze formed a formidable partnership to symbolise the bright, young element of Klopp’s success, remains in place having penned a new deal until 2019 in February, though his past 2 seasons have been disrupted with injuries. The same fate has effected nearly every member of the squad, with Mats Hummels, Ilkay Gundogan, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Sahin all enduring long spells out. It is perhaps not a coincidence that these players, integral to Klopp’s title-winning squads, have suffered fitness issues in a squad that is constantly urged to play at full throttle.

Dortmund also retain the likes of Kevin Grosskreutz, Neven Subotic, Sebastian Kehl, Sven Bender, Lukasz Piszczek and Shinji Kagawa, who has returned after two years at Manchester United, from the early days of Klopp and they have aged together with the manager’s devotion to gegenpressing, the energy-sapping high-octane closing down of opponents, which Guardiola says makes Dortmund “attack space like beasts, like animals”.

Maybe those players have lost the energy levels required to do it on a regular basis, causing the struggles of this campaign. A huge setback has been the loss of Oliver Bartlett, Dortmund’s former fitness coach, now orchestrating Bayer Leverkusen’s surge to the upper echelons of the league as assistant to Roger Schmidt. Klopp, wherever he heads next, will be without Bartlett which makes the potential links to England and the Premier League, where his brand of relentless pressing will be strained to the maximum with a packed fixture list, very intriguing.

He will also be without the majority of the loyal servants he knows so well in the Dortmund squad and speculation will grow as to who will follow Klopp out of the Signal Iduna Park, especially with Dortmund certain to miss out on Champions League football for next season. But a huge rebuilding mission will undoubtedly await his successor as they look for a swift return to the recent glory days.

Klopp, in his press conference, acknowledged he was no longer the man to deliver them and it seems like all parties are due for a fresh start. Though Klopp’s story in Dortmund has been one of modern football’s most unforgettable.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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Manchester City: Laziness, lethargy and worry as history repeats itself for the Citizens

  By O-Posts Team | April 14, 2024 - 17:50 | , ,
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Perhaps history wasn’t on the side of Manuel Pellegrini when he won Manchester City the Premier League title in his first season a year ago. In just 11 months City have gone from league champions to stumbling over the line in disarray, a decline that has borne striking similarities to the conclusion of the Roberto Mancini era back in 2013.

That year City finished in second, eleven points behind champions Manchester United but this time around, after defeat to their rivals in the red half of the city on Sunday, they lie in a battle to hold on to fourth. The stuttering form of 4 wins in their last 12 league games has seen City at risk of being chased down by Liverpool in the hunt for Champions League qualification and if they are edged out, manager Pellegrini is almost certain to go the same way as Mancini and pay with his job.

City’s owners, the Sheikh Mansour-fronted Abu Dhabi Group, may act sooner if the malaise continues and they fall in danger of finishing outside of the top 4 before the end of the season, with Patrick Vieira in contention for a temporary role. Currently coach of the Elite Development Squad, Vieira is being groomed to eventually earn the top job on a permanent basis as part of a long-term vision which Mansour is funding and chairman Khaldoon El-Mubarak, together with former Barcelona board members Ferran Soriano and Txixi Begiristain are trying to cultivate.

A continued fight with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations, which saw them obliged to pay a £16 million penalty to the governing body, was given a boost in December as they reported decreased losses and increase in revenues of £346.5 million. “Importantly, Manchester City is entering the next phase of its development with zero financial debt” said El-Mubarak at the time, not envisaging such a dramatic slump in the second half of this season.

Missing out on the Champions League, in which Pellegrini managed to direct City past the group stages for the first time last season, will be a huge setback to a club seeking to fund off-field projects as well as looking to rebuild the squad on it. City received £28.4 million in prize money from UEFA in this campaign following their elimination in the second round and missing out on such riches would be damaging to the club’s ambitions.

There is a recognition within the City hierarchy that missing out on Europe’s premier competition would present a major hurdle for Pellegrini or a replacement to attract the calibre of player needed to renovate a squad that, with an average of 28.9, is coming to end of its collective cycle. Again the shadow of Mancini hovers over Pellegrini and City with the now Inter Milan manager reportedly targeting Samir Nasri and Yaya Toure, both of whom have significantly lapsed in form this year, as well as James Milner who is out of contract in the close season.

Toure was rampant as City won the title last year scoring 20 goals, yet this year he has just 8 and his overall influence in games is well down. Stemming from his bizarre complaints last autumn about the club’s failure to recognise his birthday, Toure has often looked disinterested, earning sharp criticism after his listless performance in the Manchester derby.

The Ivorian’s lethargy has seemingly been contagious, spreading to other members of City’s squad a dereliction of defensive duties, betraying the often-simplistic and misguided criticisms of Pellegrini’s devotion to 4-4-2. It must be a grave concern that Wayne Rooney said United actively exploited City’s laziness in their victory on Sunday.

Toure, who is 32 this May, is one of ageing headline acts in City’s squad that has not been adequately replaced despite the vast sums spent on reinforcements. Since their first Premier League title win in 2012, £230.2 million has been outlaid on 18 players, of which only Jesus Navas, Fernandinho and Martin Demichelis remain as first-team regulars.

£22 million has seen Stevan Jovetic start just 11 league games in 2 seasons and omitted from the Champions League squad this season, Matija Nastasic and Javi Garcia were signed for a combined £27 million but both lasted just 2 years while Eliaquim Mangala, bought for an eye-watering £32 million from Porto in the summer, has been far short of the required standard. Fernando, the centre-midfielder who followed Mangala to the Etihad from Porto for £12 million, has also struggled to adapt.

The temporary deal for Frank Lampard and subsequent backtracking over his commitment to play for City’s American sister club New York FC in order to secure the 36 year old’s services for the whole season gives indication into a scattergun approach that has failed to inject fresh impetus into a squad that has grown stale and desperately in need of a revamp.

32 year old Bacary Sagna is said to be already considering his future just 9 months after arriving on a free from Arsenal, has only made sporadic appearances despite first choice right-back Pablo Zabaleta becoming one of the group to decline in form in Pellegrini’s second season. Only David Silva and Sergio Aguero, who have combined for 30 goals and 10 assists, have emerged from the campaign with credit for consistent performances.

Doubts have also gathered over the captain Vincent Kompany, the once embodiment of rock solid leadership at the back for both of City’s title wins, who was dropped for the recent win over Leicester following a series of mistakes that boiled to a head in a dressing room dispute with Fernandinho in the aftermath of the defeat at Liverpool.

Kompany is back in the side and wearing the armband once again, but to see his authority questioned for the first time in his City career has been one of the more significant elements of the club’s troubled season. With 34 goals conceded and 6 games remaining, it is no coincidence City are on course to ship more goals than they have in any of the last 5 seasons.

Kompany is unlikely to be part of the summer clear-out that looks to be on the horizon, but he will undoubtedly benefit from stiffer competition than Mangala. Maybe another central defender will be targeted in City’s planned summer spending spree which is reportedly looking at the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Ross Barkley in a refreshed transfer policy designed to prioritise a youth influx.

Whether Pellegrini will still be around to oversee it rests on the next 6 games, both of great importance to club and manager.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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Paulo Dybala: Palermo’s destructive weapon

  By O-Posts Team | April 6, 2024 - 19:11 | , , , , , , , , , ,
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Despite making a slow start to the season, newly promoted Palermo have grown in confidence to a huge extent. The horrible defense punished the attack as Palermo had failed to hold on the leads in their opening three games of the season against Sampdoria, Hellas Verona and Inter respectively. Earning a point after going two goals down in the opening 10 minutes of the game against attack-enriched Napoli telecasted the Rosanero’s fighting spirit.

When following Palermo’s campaign, it is easy to spot Paulo Dybala as the Aquile’s significant performer. Dybala’s contributions have alone secured 18 points of the acquired 35 so far for Palermo this season.

Moving to Palermo in 2012 after a highly successful season in the Argentine second division with Instituto, Dybala’s opportunities in his maiden season at Sicily were limited because of the veteran Fabrizio Miccoli. Following the departure of Miccoli in 2013, Dybala’s partnership along with Abel Hernandez and Andrea Belotti upfront has earned the promotion for the Aquile back to Serie A with Palermo emerging as Serie B winners.

Dybala is a natural footballer. The 20-year old has fed up with amazing qualities that cannot be manually taught. Dybala’s finishing qualities, movements on and off the ball and crossing abilities make him a top footballer. The Argentine’s skills while moving forward and tendency to get past the defenders often push journalists to compare him with Sergio Aguero.

Dybala has already scored 13 goals this season and has seven assists under his name.

According to Whoscored.com, Dybala has possessed the passing accuracy of 82.5% in this Serie A campaign and average 1.5 key passes per game. The Argentine has made 2.7 dribbles per game and been fouled 2.6 times per game, with seven in the dangerous areas of increasing the possibility of scoring. He averages 3.6 shots on goal per game.

Speaking to the Argentine newspaper La Manana, Dybala once said: “I always try to keep it simple. One or two touches and then I look for the return ball. And I also run to win the ball back. I would like to handle the set pieces as well, but that’s difficult at the moment.”

In the first three games, coach, Giuseppe Lachini played 3-5-2 with Dybala and Franco Vazquez upfront. But considering the lack of efficiency in moving forward, Vazquez was pulled back to midfield and Andrea Belotti was brought back to the line-up to lead the attack with Dybala for the Napoli game.

Despite conceding two goals within 10 minutes of the game, Belotti’s partnership with Dybala secured a point for Palermo, which was just a symbolic representation to highlight Dybala’s versatility to pair with anyone upfront.

Pairing up with Vazquez, Belotti and the new acquisition, Joao Silva, Dybala’s role is very important for Palermo to finish in the first half of the Serie A table, which will possibly lead him to greener pastures with many of Europe’s top clubs reportedly keeping a watchful eye on the Aquile’s destructive weapon. Watch this space.

 

Written by Raghuvarman Sampathu

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Raheem Sterling: The unsettled Liverpool star and his agent hold the power and could set a dark precedent of player representation

  By O-Posts Team | April 3, 2024 - 21:41 | , , , , , , , ,
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On April 1st, FIFA marked April fool’s Day by ending their global licensing system for agents, passing regulation over to individual organisations. The deregulation means that anybody with an “impeccable reputation”, a catch-all criteria that includes anybody without a criminal record, can pay £500 to register to become an “intermediary”, who will then be able to represent players.

The fear is that this legislation will allow opportunist “intermediaries” to target talented teenagers in order to make quick money. The English FA have prohibited intermediaries entering into agreements with players until they are 16 while FIFA recommend no 3rd party is allowed to be paid for a deal involving a player under 18. But Mel Stein, chairman of the Association of Football Agents, says this will not deter any new intermediary, saying the practice will be “pushed underground”.

“They’re saying you can’t make a charge for a professional player unless he’s 18”, said Stein, “so that means whoever did Raheem Sterling’s deal could not have charged. What will happen is they won’t charge anything, they’ll go the club and say: ‘You give us a scouting agreement for £1m a year’.

Sterling was signed by Liverpool from QPR as a 15 year old back in 2010 for an initial £500,000 fee and Steve Gallen, the QPR under-21 manager, warns of how agents are now targeting the young via backdoor routes. “When a young star comes along agents are already sitting outside his house” he said, “I’ve known parents who have come to me and said: ‘We’re at breaking point, we’re getting 15 calls a night coming into our house phone.’”

The very same afternoon as FIFA swore in this deregulation, Sterling was warning clubs about the dangers of having to deal with these advisors and agents who are in the business to prioritise profit rather than what is best for their client. The 20 year old has 2 years left on a contract worth £35,000 a week he signed back in 2012, but confirmed on Wednesday talks over a new deal had stymied after he rejected an offer of £100,000 a week and expressed a desire to wait until the summer before he discusses it further.

It was intriguing why Sterling and his party felt the need to organise an unnecessary interview with the BBC without the prior consent of Liverpool and his manager Brendan Rodgers, but if their aim was to drum up interest from other clubs then they have certainly succeeded.

The usual transfer rumour vacuum has been occupied by the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City all being linked, but it is hard to imagine one of Europe’s top clubs, from Bayern Munich to PSG to Real Madrid, not being put on red alert as to the winger’s availability.

Sterling is of course an exceptional talent, one who has become a regular for his country by the age of 20 and one who was part of the irrepressible front 3 that so nearly fired Liverpool to the Premier League title last season. He is 12 appearances away from a century for Liverpool and, with 7 goals and 8 assists coming in a season where he has filled a multitude of positions for Rodgers in a side experiencing a rough transition, he has become indispensable to his manager. It is unsurprising that Rodgers stressed the following day that he would not be sold under any circumstances in the summer.

A £50 million price-tag has been swiftly slapped on Sterling and the Infield hierarchy believe that is enough to price him out of a move away to any club. Liverpool’s owners and chief executive Ian Ayre stood their ground when Arsenal bid over £40 million for Luis Suarez back in 2013 and it is probably with that assurance that Rodgers can speak comfortably in his prediction that he will keep his cherished winger throughout the summer. “Liverpool are one of the superpowers of football and if the owners don’t want to sell, they don’t have to” he said.

However the most significant point in Sterling’s interview was his admission that “all he talks about is trophies” and more curious still, his point that if he was offered a contract this time last year, with Liverpool on the brink of a long-awaited league title, he would have “most definitely have signed straight away, probably for less money than being said now”.

Now Liverpool are languishing in fifth, five points off a Champions League qualification spot. Luis Suarez has been sold and not adequately replaced while the jury remains out on a raft of Rodgers’s summer-signings. With Steven Gerrard heading to America in the summer, it remains to be seen if the club can fill the massive void that will be left by the departure of the long-standing captain.

The claim from Rodgers that “if his ambition is to win trophies that’s aligned with what we do here” looks weak when considered the regression the club have undergone over the past 12 months and it has given Sterling, and his agent Aidy Ward, huge leverage in the negotiating game.

They will be aware that his club and country will still hand him a platform to perform to high-standards on, to continue to demonstrate his electric brand of vibrant attacking play to the world while the years and months on his contract wind down. Eventually Liverpool will have to cash-in on their prized-asset, that is if they fail once again to surmount a viable title challenge. It is a strategic move from Ward and Sterling to signal the player is ready to sit in the window and the agent is ready to do business.

Liverpool and Rodgers have undoubtedly been brilliant to Sterling’s development, working consistently on his upper-body to forge a physique that makes him so difficult to stop when he is running at defenders, but that will mean little to Sterling’s advisors when they are cashing in. It is another instance in modern football where sadly, the agent holds all the aces and now Romelu Lukaku’s new agent Mino Raiola has emerged to say his client should not have joined Everton last summer and will eventually join one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

It does not take a cynic to realise Raiola has his eye on a possible paycheque here, the same with Ward and Sterling. The obscene riches of the modern game has allowed them to do just that, but they are forego to the next batch of money-makers, only these will target the younger, the more impressionable, doing it more clandestine and with more false promises.

As both Merseyside clubs can probably testify, FIFA may have just opened the door to anarchy.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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Top 10 British Sporting Cities

  By O-Posts Team | March 20, 2024 - 20:18 | , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Britain truly is the home of organised sport, and her sporting influence is felt across the globe. Whether you’re a South American footballer, a North American golfer, an Indian cricketer, an Australasian Rugby star, or a Chinese snooker player, you owe it all to the sporting heritage of the UK.

This article aims to tap into the lucrative market of British sporting tourism. The ten featured cities range from the metropolis of London, to smaller destinations such as Preston and St. Andrews.

 

London

London is easily the UK’s largest city, so it not surprising that some of the nation’s most famous sporting venues are found here. The north London skyline is dominated by the newly refurbished Wembley Stadium, which plays host to international matches, and domestic cup finals, such as the F.A. Cup. In addition to the national arena, there are also a dozen league clubs to be found in and around London.

The English Rugby Union side also play their home games in North London, at the majestic Twickenham Stadium, with its 80,000 capacity. Tennis enthusiasts flock to the lawns of Wimbledon for a fortnight each summer, to view the oldest Grand Slam tournament.

Whilst the spiritual home of World Cricket is also to found in London, at Lord’s Cricket Ground. Finally, from 2012 onwards the sporting tourist will have the chance to visit the Olympic Stadium in the East End of the capital.

 

Cheltenham

Whereas Aintree in Lancashire claims the Grand National, the town of Cheltenham holds the three-day racing festival that offers the tourist the best atmosphere of any Horse Racing event in the world.

This is due in part to the pleasant Cotswold Hills that overlook the Race Course, and the high standard of equestrianism, but above all the wave of Irish punters who flock annually to this elegant corner of England.

Every March the usually sleepy town is transformed into a home from home for thousands of Irish racing enthusiasts, even when there isn’t an Irish trained winner, the Guinness is sure to flow long into the night.

 

Cardiff

Rugby Union was invented in an English Public School almost two hundred years ago, but the spiritual home of British rugby is undoubtedly in South Wales. There are many proud ‘Rugger’ towns in the vicinity, but Cardiff is the site of the Millennium Stadium, with its retractable roof.

Built as a replacement for Cardiff Arms Park, the most hallowed of twentieth century rugby grounds, the Millennium Stadium represents not only the pastime of Wales, but also the regeneration of the Welsh capital.

The Millennium Stadium also hosted the English F.A. Cup between 2001 and 2007, during the renovation of Wembley Stadium.

 

Nottingham

The East Midlands city of Nottingham is the smallest English city with two football teams, Notts. County and Nottingham Forest, the latter having twice won the European Cup. The riverside stadium of Trent Bridge is a scenic venue for Test Match cricket.

In addition, the National Water Sports Centre is one of the most impressive leisure facilities in Britain. The fast-flowing artificially created rapids challenge Britain’s elite canoeists, kayakers, and white water rafters.

Whilst the two kilometre long Regatta Lake caters for the needs of Britain’s hugely successful Olympic rowing team.

 

Sheffield

Both Sheffield football teams, Wednesday and United have been crowned English champions, but perhaps the hilly Yorkshire city’s most famous sporting association is with snooker.

The Snooker World Championship is held every spring in Sheffield, in what is literally the most dramatic setting for any high profile sporting event, the Crucible Theatre.

 

Leeds

Yorkshire is perhaps the proudest of all English cricketing counties, and there are few venues in the world that can match Headingly for nostalgia, and passionate support. Cricket is a way of life in Yorkshire, and until very recently only those born within the Four Ridings of Yorkshire could qualify for the county team.

The cricketing ground is next door to the home of Leeds Rhinos Rugby League Club, who have enjoyed recent successes that Leeds Football Club can only dream of.

However, despite its tenants falling on hard times, the footballing stadium of Elland Road still makes an impact on the visitor.

 

Manchester

There’s more to Manchester than Old Trafford, though the home of Man. United does attract fans from around the World. Local rivals Manchester City also boast an impressive stadium, which was originally constructed for the Commonwealth Games of 2002.

In addition to the two large stadia that between them can hold 125,000 spectators, the city also hosts the Manchester Velodrome, one of the World’s premier cycling venues.

For fans of the oval ball, the rugby league towns of Salford, Wigan, and St. Helens are a just a short hop away.

 

Preston

The small Lancashire city of Preston has one major claim to fame, namely being the Mecca of world club football. Preston’s unparalleled footballing heritage, centres around the recently refurbished Deepdale stadium, home of the famous Preston North End Football Club.

Deepdale is the oldest professional football ground anywhere on Earth (football was first played here in 1880), and consequently the English F.A. chose as the site for the National History Museum, a must-see for football fanatics of any allegiance.

The Museum has an extensive collection of artefacts from the nineteenth century to the present day. There are also many interactive amusements for children, and the opportunity to view the hallowed turf of Deepdale itself.

Preston has excellent transport links due to it’s proximity to the M6, and the West Coast railway that connects the Midlands to Scotland.

 

Glasgow

Glasgow, not Edinburgh, is the footballing capital of Scotland, as testified by the majestic sight of Hampden Park. Hampden is the headquarters of the SFA, the second oldest football association in the World, and it also holds the Scottish Football Museum.

The rivalry between the two main Glaswegian teams, Celtic and Rangers is perhaps the fiercest in Europe. Rangers have won the Scottish League more times, but Celtic was the first British team to lift the European Cup back in 1967.

Both grounds are worth a visit; Celtic Park (Parkhead to traditionalists) is the bigger of the two, and holds over 60,000 supporters, however it lacks the red-bricked elegance of Rangers’ Ibrox Stadium.

In fact, Glasgow is the only European city that can claim three football venues with a capacity of over 50,000. However in the summer of 2014, football will for once take a back seat, as Glasgow hosts the Commonwealth Games.

 

St. Andrews

Scotland’s association with golf goes back many centuries, in fact it is said that Mary Queen of Scots enjoyed the game. Though the Fife town has a population of little more than 15,000, it is home to the world’s most famous golf club, the Royal and Ancient (founded in 1754), plus a dozen pristine golf courses in the vicinity of this historical university town.

The advantage of a trip to this seaside location, is that any party members who are not interested in golf, can enjoy the beach, or the rustic charm of St. Andrew’s many old buildings.

 

Written by Brian Heller

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Danny Ings: England cap not just yet in the offing, but the Burnley striker shows the talent to go far

  By O-Posts Team | March 17, 2024 - 19:28 | , , , , , , , , ,
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Burnley’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City on Saturday evening gave the Lancashire outfit a real chance of staying in the Premier League against the odds in what would be an extraordinary achievement for Sean Dyche and his shoe-string assembled squad. A season that has seen them take points off Chelsea, Manchester United, Southampton and now the current title-holders has already made it a sensational campaign for the Clarets who may be about to see one of their players earn a cap for England for the first time since Martin Dobson in 1974.

Danny Ings faces solid competition from the likes of Harry Kane, Saido Berahino and Charlie Austin to be the new star in Roy Hodgson’s attack for the matches with Lithuania and Italy at the end of March but, despite having scored less than his rivals, his 9 Premier League goals are extremely hard to ignore. That is certainly the case with Real Sociedad, Newcastle, Everton, Arsenal, Liverpool and most recently Manchester United, all whom have expressed an interest in signing Ings once his contract expires in June.

Amid the rumours that have circulated since October which have told of Ings rejecting a new contract offer at Burnley, seeing a £4 million bid from Liverpool turned down in January and having signed a pre-contract deal with Real Sociedad, it has indeed been testament to the man-management skills of Dyche and the application of Ings that his performances have not suffered in the face of such rife speculation.

The 23 year old has missed just 3 league matches and although he’s rated as Burnley’s 6th best player by Whoscored.com, his 9 goals, 4 assists and a rate of 1 chance created per game make Ings by far their biggest threat.

Both goals in the victory over Stoke, vital goals in draws with Newcastle and West Bromwich Albion and the winner over relegation rivals QPR have been indications to his cool-touch in-front of goal but many will point there is much more to his game than goal-scoring.

A player who is as comfortable turning with his back to goal and creating space between the lines as he is heading in a cross past David De Gea at Old Trafford, he is an intelligent reader of the game, one who operates with astute movement and a desire to run in behind defenders and in to space. Running is certainly something he does a lot of, both off the ball and on it, it was not a surprise to recently hear his manager saying that the striker can be “criticised for trying too hard”.

His work in providing Ashley Barnes for his recent goal against West Brom is an insight into the striker’s ability; the look over his shoulder whilst anticipating the long ball, the clever feint of the shoulder and the movement to retrieve the follow-up. Then he displays the strength to hold off two defenders before finding Barnes in the centre with an improvised cross.

The link-up with Barnes, Scott Arfield and George Boyd, with whom he played off in the victory over City, has been superb at times this season, often more deserving than the 25 points from 18 games Burnley have accrued. His understanding with Sam Vokes in the build up to Ings’s goal against QPR is almost telepathic, a sign of a player perfectly in synch with his team-mates and thriving off their service.

After scoring 26 goals to fire Burnley into the Premier League last year Ings was named the club’s player of the year and he looks set to retain that accolade by scoring the goals that could well keep them there against all expectation. If he manages to achieve that, few will begrudge him his decision to end his four years at Turf Moor and pursue his ambitions elsewhere.

When it is announced on Thursday, Hodgson’s next England team could be too soon for Ings who is likely to stay in the under-21s, for whom he has 4 goals in 7 appearances, but if he continues on his current path many senior caps are sure to come.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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English Premier League: The top three best 30+ performers this season

  By O-Posts Team | February 26, 2024 - 21:20 | , , , ,
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All players decline with age no matter how gifted they are. However, some players are able to adapt their play to emphasize technical ability and intelligence over physicality, and are able to make an impact in the best leagues in the world well past their physical peaks.

 

3. Frank Lampard

What Frank Lampard has accomplished in the English Premier League (EPL) is unrivaled. He is the top scoring midfielder of all time, and has scored more goals than most strikers. In addition, he has been a mainstay of the English national team since a young age.

Even at the age of 36, Lampard has postponed a transfer that would result in him playing in Major League Soccer (MLS) in order to remain at Manchester City for the 2014-2015 season. He’s already scored a number of pivotal goals to help them challenge for the title.

 

2. Martin Demichelis

Also at Manchester City is Martin Demichelis. At the age of 34, Demichelis is sometimes exploited for his lack of pace, but does an admirable at recovering by using his intelligence and vast experience.

Despite his age, Demichelis has been a crucial part of the Manchester City team this season, starting almost every game. In the absence of Vincent Kompany for a long stretch, Demichelis stepped up to hold the defense together.

 

 

1. John Terry

Most players slow down, Terry seems to do the opposite. Even at the age of 34, he has never looked sharper. Terry has been a rock in the Chelsea backline this season as they challenge for the league title and other trophies.

Terry has stated that he has no intentions of retiring anytime soon, so don’t worry about seeing him leave any time soon. With a strong protective midfield that includes Matic, the Chelsea captain can utilize his intelligence while he directs his teammates to do any extra physical work that is needed.

 

Conclusion

While the up-and-coming stars are exciting to watch for the first time, it’s the experienced leaders that put in a shift every week that are crucial to a club’s success and stability. While they may not have as much value on the transfer market, they have tremendous value to their clubs.

 

 

Written by Dale Cahill

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The Boys in Green: The top 10 best players ever to don the Irish green jersey

  By O-Posts Team | February 25, 2024 - 17:27 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Ireland may well be a small country but it is certainly not short on footballing talent. Over the years, many great players have donned with pride the green jersey of the Republic of Ireland. From the many years spent in the football wilderness to the heady days of Italia 90 and beyond, the Irish have, without doubt, had their fair share of football legends.

The Top 10, in no particular order…

 

Liam Brady

Liam was born in Dublin on 13 February 1956. From 1972 – 1990, he was capped 72 times for the Republic and scored 9 goals. He spent most of his domestic career as a midfielder with Arsenal from 1973 – 1980, making 235 appearances before leaving for Italy and playing for Juventus, Sampdoria, Inter Milan and Ascoli. He returned to Britain to end his playing career with West Ham before retiring in 1990.

Liam progressed into management positions with Celtic (1991 – 1993) and Brighton & Hove Albion (1993 – 1995) before rejoining Arsenal in 1996 as head of Youth Development, a role he still holds.

In 2008, he was appointed assistant manager of the Republic of Ireland soccer team under Giovanni Trapattoni.

 

Packie Bonner

Packie was born on 24 May 1960, in County Donegal, Ireland. The goalkeeper made his debut for the Republic in 1981, the first of 80 appearances. He played 642 times for Celtic from 1978 – 1995, winning 4 League Championships, 3 Scottish Cups and 1 League Cup.

In 2003, Packie took up the position of technical director with the Football Association of Ireland and also currently works as a soccer pundit on Irish television.

He is probably best remembered internationally for his penalty save against Romania in the 1990 World Cup Finals in Italy.

 

Johnny Giles

Johnny was born 6 November 2023 in Dublin, Ireland. He joined Manchester United in 1957, playing 99 times before leaving for Leeds United in 1963. He played 383 games for the side and became one of the all time Leeds heroes during their golden days under Don Revie.

In 1975, he joined West Brom, followed by player manager posts with Irish side Shamrock Rovers and in USA.

He spent 19 years as a member of the international squad and has gained many awards and accolades, including a position in the 100 League Legends and the best Irish international player of the past 50 years.

Johnny is currently a football pundit on Irish radio and television.

 

Ray Houghton

Ray was born 2 January 2024 in Glasgow, Scotland. He began his playing career with West Ham in 1979, making only the one appearance before moving to Fulham in 1982. He spent the majority of his career with Liverpool, from 1987 – 1992, where he scored 28 goals in 153 appearances.

He also spent time with Oxford United, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Reading and Stevenage Borough, retiring in 2000.

He played his first game for Ireland against Wales in a friendly on 26 March 1986, went on to play 73 matches, and scored six times. He was in two World Cup squads, which travelled to the finals, in 1990 and 1994.

Ray now works as a football commentator on both radio and television.

 

Roy Keane

Roy was born 10 August 2024 in Cork City, Ireland. He began his somewhat controversial career with Irish side Cobh Ramblers in 1989 before moving to Nottingham Forest in 1990, Manchester United in 1993 and Celtic in 2005 where he stayed for one season before retiring from the game. He was one of the all time favourites at Old Trafford where he played on 452 occasions, scoring 51 times.

Roy was chosen to play for Ireland in 1991, going on to captain the side and made international headlines when he was sent home in disgrace from the 2002 World Cup Finals after a bust up with manager Mick McCarthy. He made a comeback to the team under new manager Brian Kerr in 2004, although not as captain. He announced his retirement from international soccer in 2006 after 66 games and 9 goals.

After hanging up his boots, Keane moved into management and is now currently the assistant manager of the Republic of Ireland’s national side.

 

Niall Quinn

Niall was born 6 October 2024 in Dublin, Ireland. The lofty striker began his professional career with Arsenal in 1983, staying with the club for 7 years in which he made 67 appearances, scoring 24 times. He moved to Manchester City where he stayed until 1996, playing 204 times and hit the back of the net 90 times. A move to Sunderland followed, with another impressive 91 goals in 203 appearances before retiring from playing in 2002.

Internationally he made his debut in 1986 and on retiring in 2002 he was the all time top scorer for his country with 21 goals, a record since broken by Robbie Keane.

He received an honorary MBE in 2002 after donating the entire proceeds of his testimonial between Sunderland and Republic of Ireland to charity. Quinn played for both teams during the game.

After retirement from the game, he had a short coaching spell with Sunderland before buying a stake in the club with a business consortium. He was chairman of the side until 2011.

 

Mick McCarthy

Mick was born 7 February 1959, in Barnsley, England. He began his career playing for Barnsley in 1977 for whom he made 272 appearances. He moved to Manchester City in 1983, followed by Celtic in 1987. He moved abroad to play for French side Lyon in 1989 before returning home to Millwall in 1990, retiring in 1992.

He played his first of 57 games for the Republic in 1984, going on to captain the side and becoming known as ‘Captain Fantastic’. He was in the Euro 88 squad and World Cup 1990 team, where he gained the dubious honour of committing the most fouls in the tournament.

After retiring both domestically and internationally in 1992, Mick went into management, firstly with Millwall from 1992 – 1996. He then managed the Republic for a spell until 2002, resigning after coming under constant criticism that had mounted since his bust up with Roy Keane.

He then managed Sunderland from 2003 – 2006, before taking other management roles with Wolves and Ipswich Town, which he currently holds.

 

Paul McGrath

Paul was born on 4 December 2023 in Ealing, London. Brought up in Ireland, he began his playing career with local side St Patrick’s Athletic in 1981 before moving a year later to Manchester United. The defender made 163 appearances for the team and scored 12 goals. He moved in 1989 to Aston Villa, scoring another nine times in 252 games and was christened ‘God’ by the fans.

In 1996, he spent a year with Derby County, followed by another year at Sheffield United before retiring from the game.

Internationally his career spanned from 1985 – 1997, with 83 appearances and 8 goals, captaining the side 4 times. Football pundit Eamon Dunphy named him as one of his all time Irish top three players in 1997.

 

Steve Staunton

‘Stan,’ as he is affectionately known by the fans, was born 19 January 2024 in Drogheda Ireland and began his career with Irish side Dundalk in 1985. He moved to Liverpool the following year, spending 5 seasons at Anfield with 65 appearances, including a short loan spell at Bradford in 1987.

In 1991, he joined Aston Villa and played for them 205 times before moving back to Liverpool for another 2 years in 1998. 2000 saw a loan spell at Crystal Palace, followed by another 73 games at Villa where he remained until 2003.

The next 2 years were spent at Coventry City and his final year as a player was with Walsall in 2006.

Internationally, Steve gained 102 caps between 1998 – 2003, including playing in two World Cups and captaining the squad for the 2002 tournament. He is the only player to have played in over 100 matches for Ireland.

After his playing career ended, Staunton took up a management position with the Republic of Ireland. It was a short-lived post and ended in 2007 after much controversy over the side failing to qualify for Euro 2008.

 

Frank Stapleton

Frank was born 10 July 2024 in Dublin, Ireland. The striker joined Arsenal in 1974, playing 225 times and scoring 75 goals. He netted another 60 for Manchester United, who he joined after leaving the Gunners in 1981.

He spent short periods with another nine teams – Ajax, Anderlecht, Derby, Le Havre, Blackburn Rovers, Aldershot, Huddersfield Town, Bradford City and finally Brighton & Hove Albion before retiring from the game in 1995, after spending 21 years as a professional player.

He won his first international cap with Ireland in 1976 and played 71 games for the squad until 1990. He was captain of the Euro 88 squad and is considered one of the all time greats of the national team.

 

Written by Julie-Anne

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