Category Archives: Tribute

Robin van Persie: An Ode, a Fond Farewell to the Dutch artist

  By O-Posts Team | August 1, 2024 - 15:15 | , , , , , ,
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Farewell, then, Robin. Your time in the Premier League may have come to a rather acrimonious end with unverified claims and counterclaims about the manner of your departure but the ride has been eventful, full of niggling injuries, a controversial move and breathtaking goals.

Who could forget the “goal of a lifetime,” as Arsène Wenger succinctly described that 2006 volley against Charlton, the late winners against Liverpool and Everton in 2011/12 and of course the hattrick against Aston Villa that handed Manchester United their record Premier League title. The hattrick that, in hindsight, marked the beginning of the end of van Persie’s Premier League career.

The memories were beautiful and perhaps not as much as we’d have loved them to be due mostly to the litany of injuries that curtailed your time in Blightly but you were absolutely brilliant in your time there. You’ll be missed, no doubt.

van Persie arrived on English soil in the summer of 2004 having established himself as a serial troublemaker in his time at Feyenoord. Clashes with his manager Bert van Marwijk led to his demotion to the reserve side at some point. “His behaviour made it impossible for him to remain in the squad any longer, so he will join the reserve side for the time being,” said a frustrated van Marwijk.

Another round of off-field spats led to van Marwijk sending him home on the eve of the 2002 UEFA Super Cup against Real Madrid following van Persie’s reaction to being asked to warm up for a Champions League qualifier.

When Arsenal finally offered £2.75m for his services following lengthy negotiations– half of what the Dutch club initially wanted for him – Feyenoord were all too keen to get rid of the talented youngster with an obvious disregard for authority. Arsenal, for their part, saw van Persie as the ideal replacement for the ageing genius that was Dennis Bergkamp.

Like Thierry Henry before him, Arsène Wenger planned to convert van Persie from a winger to a striker, with the Gunners chief praising the versatility of his latest acquisition: “He can play on the left side of midfield, as a creative player behind the main strikers or as a target man.”

Injury worries derailed van Persie’s Arsenal career and the man dubbed “the flying Dutchman” had only one injury-free season in the entirety of his time in the north London – the 2011/12 season, which unsurprisingly was his best at the club.

Arsenal’s inability to compete for major honours meant van Persie followed in the footsteps of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri to seek pastures anew and the Dutchman switched London for the red half of Manchester to howls of discontent and crackles of burning polyester.

“I always listen to the little boy inside of me in these situations – when you have to make the harder decisions in life. What does he want? That boy was screaming for Man United,” said van Persie at his United unveiling.

Having been pipped to the Premier League title by Manchester City on goals difference the previous season, Ferguson was desperate for the perfect farewell and in van Persie he found the player he wanted. van Persie, too, was desperate for a Premier League title and at 29, was fully aware that time was fast running out to actualize his dream.

van Persie was the embodiment of Ferguson’s vanity project, the veteran manager splurging £24m on an injury-prone 29 year old while his central midfield was bound together with paper, glue and a couple of Hail Marys in between crossed fingers and hearts-in-mouths moments. Both men were raging fiercely against the dying of the light, turning back the hands of time for one final hurrah. Sir Alex Ferguson and van Persie, in more ways than one, were a perfect match.

In that season, we witnessed what was close to footballing perfection. United swatted away all opposition before them, with van Persie naturally the tormentor-in-chief. The Dutchman was virtually unplayable, obliterating opponents with the dogged determination of a man who could not be stopped.

There was a Premier League title to be won and nothing could stop United, not with van Persie in the form of his life. 38 games and 26 goals later, the title was United’s in what was essentially a procession. It was time for a period of sustained success, or so van Persie thought but Sir Alex had other ideas.

van Persie has claimed Ferguson’s influence was one of the reasons why he moved to Old Trafford and during their year together, they developed a close working relationship. When Sir Alex announced his retirement in 2013, van Persie was the worst hit of a shell-shocked group. It was a descent he never quite recovered from under David Moyes and Louis van Gaal.

In an interview with MUTV, former United defender Ferdinand described how distraught van Persie was when Ferguson announced he was stepping down: “Everyone was really appreciative for what he’d done for our careers. The person it hit more than anyone was Robin. He’d come the year before, tasted that success and wanted more. Visually you could see it hit him harder than anyone else at the time.”

Under David Moyes, the van Persie of old was gone, in place of the high-grade marksman of previous years was an injured parody of the real deal. Although there were moments of genuine quality, most notably the hat-trick against Olympiakos, it was never quite the same again with him.

“I had to gasp for breath and I shook my head. Had he really said what I thought he’d said? The room fell silently quiet and then everyone became emotional. Sir Alex then had a long talk with the squad, I found it a very special speech and felt privileged to have witnessed it,” said van Persie with the tone of a jilted lover trying to come to terms that his once beautiful relationship had come to a sad, unexpected end.

van Gaal’s appointment at Old Trafford was expected to be the shot in the arm for his fellow countryman’s United career but in the end, van Persie was too far gone. The injuries had taken the hugely talented goal machine we all knew. The van Persie that bestrode the Premier League was a rare breed, all clean lines and geometric awareness.

In a game that has become increasingly fast-paced, van Persie was somewhat anachronistic, rarely relying on pace but instead on his manipulation of space. Give him an inch of space and the Dutchman manipulated it to his advantage with ruthless efficiency. van Persie at his pomp was gracious, beautiful and wonderfully technical.

At 31 (he turns 32 next week), van Persie is entering the twilight of his career and it is hoped there is enough left in the tank to terrorise defences across Turkey in his new sojourn with Fenerbahce. If there is, we’ll all be richer for the experience.

Farewell, thee, Robin.

 

Written by Aanu Adeoye

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The Gay Sports Report: The Seven Greatest Gay Sportsmen

  By O-Posts Team | July 25, 2024 - 16:30 | , , , , , , , , , , ,
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What makes a great gay sportsman? It’s not just about their performance – it has to be more than that, the impact they have made, whether they have been a role-model, or made a difference in some way.

It may be a bit of a subjective topic, but it’s an interesting discussion point when you start to try and whittle it down to just seven.

With an increasing number of professional athletes being out and proud, coming up with a definitive list of who are the greatest gay sportsmen is definitely getting harder – it’s encouraging that there are lots of contenders to consider when compiling a list such as this, it’s a good problem to have.

To make it a little easier for ourselves we’ve tried to limit our choices to one outstanding athlete per sport.

Here are our nominations (in no particular order):

Basketball: Jason Collins

Collins played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association in the US. When he announced that he was gay (in Sports Illustrated in 2013) he became one of the world’s highest profile professional athletes who was out and proud.

Honourable mention here to John Amaechi, a former professional basketball player who has become a strong advocate for equality and anti-discrimination.

 

Boxing: Orlando Cruz

Cruz is a professional boxer from Puerto Rico. In 2012 he became the first openly gay boxer. Unapologetically a proud gay man, Cruz has been fearless in just being himself.

 

Hurling: Donal Og Cusack

The sport of hurling may not be the most high profile sport in the world, but in conservative Ireland it was a big deal when in 2009 champion player Donal Og Cusack confirmed that he was gay.

 

Diving: Matthew Mitcham

Diving is a sport that has produced some incredibly talented athletes who are gay. Greg Louganis was an undoubted champion, but he didn’t publicly confirm his sexuality until after retiring. Tom Daley is still diving and is very much a prominent gay celebrity.

For us though, it has to be Matthew Mitcham that is recognised as the greatest. He won gold at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and has consistently been a leader and role model for gay men around the world.

 

Cricket: Steven Davies

When Davies confirmed in 2011 that he was gay he became the first openly gay international cricketer. He is perhaps a quiet achiever – his coming out as gay was no big deal, the world of cricket simply shrugged its shoulders and carried on playing because it was no big deal.

The fact that it was no big deal speaks volumes about all involved.

 

Gridiron Football: Michael Sam

Sam became the first publicly gay player to be drafted in the NFL – when his draft pick was announced his reaction (he kissed his boyfriend) was broadcast live on news networks.

 

Athletics: Tom Waddell

Tom Waddell competed in track and field events at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, but it was his role in establishing the Gay Games that has really defined his contribution to sport. The first Gay Games were held in San Francisco in 1982 and the event became a major catalyst for the establishment of gay sports clubs and increased participation in sport at all levels by gay men.

 

Other contenders that nearly made the list? Billy Bean (Baseball); Chris Morgan (Powerlifting); Blake Skjellerup (Speed Skating); Gareth Thomas (Rugby Union); Ian Roberts (Rugby League); Daniel Kowalski (Swimming); Ian Thorpe (Swimming); Robbie Rogers (Football); Justin Fashanu (Football); and Anton Hysen (Football).

We’re making slow progress, but professional sport is gradually becoming a safe space for gay men.

 

Written by Gareth Johnson

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Iker Casillas: A Tribute to a Real Madrid Legend - Why Did It End Like This?

  By O-Posts Team | July 15, 2024 - 17:19 | , , ,
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After 25 years, the Real Madrid chapter of the Iker Casillas story has finally come to an end. Unfortunately, this particular football tale did not finish with the ending that it deserved. And what should have been a glorious departure after a trophy-laden career, ended with a quiet exit through the back doors of the Bernabeu.

The last days of Iker Casillas could not have been more different to those of Xavi Hernandez, who recently left arch rivals Barcelona amid a fanfare of unbridled appreciation. So why did it end in such a bittersweet way for the man they called ‘The Saint”?

In truth, the Casillas story was allowed to go on far too long. There is normally a right time to leave; an optimum moment when you call it day and everyone involved agrees that the time is right, and for the former Real Madrid goalkeeper, that time had long since past.

From the moment that the club legend became the central figure in a dressing room soap opera that began following the arrival of Jose Mourinho in 2010, the writing was on the wall. After being dropped to the bench and with most of the fanbase still on his side, Casillas could have left in the summer of 2013 with his head held high and with Mourinho painted as the pantomime villain.

As it happened, Mourinho was the one to leave that summer and Saint Iker remained, bound by his loyalty and affection for a club that had been his home since 1990. With the Portuguese coach gone, Casillas probably thought that it would be business as usual in the Spanish capital but he soon discovered that he had another adversary to contend with - his form.

Despite his vast experience, the keeper did not always react well to pressure and criticism from the fans. The events that occurred under Mourinho led to a few dissenting voices amongst the fans and the Madrid man was desperate to get the crowd back on his side. However, a string of mistakes in front of goal the following year had exactly the opposite effect and the questioning voices grew louder. Of course, every mistake made at Madrid is a high profile one and with each fumble or failed attempt to punch the ball, the more intensely his performances became scrutinised.

Once the Madrid fans, the Spanish press and certain members of the clubs hierarchy started to doubt the captain of the world’s biggest club, there was only going to be one outcome.

And so it became that Real Madrid said goodbye to a servant of 25 years via a message on their website and the humble player left the stadium quietly and tearfully in the dead of night. Since the completion of his transfer to Porto, Real Madrid have made efforts to arrange a tribute match between the two clubs. This has been seen as a token gesture by some cynics, who have criticised the way that the club handled the whole episode. However, club president Florentino Perez has insisted that they always wanted to arrange a proper send-off but that the player himself wanted a low-key exit.

While the story did not have the happy ending it deserved, and with many fans seemingly glad to see the back of a man who was once seen as a hero, his achievements should never be forgotten. During the Galactico era at Real Madrid, the lad from Mostoles provided that vital local connection to the fans. And as an ever-present in the golden generation of Spain’s national team, Casillas was a major force in uniting a dressing room made up of the countries fiercest rivals.

During all this, he accumulated a haul of trophies that would be the envy of most footballers that have ever played the game.

Here are just a few examples of his major achievements as a professional:

Real Madrid:

  • La Liga: 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2011–12
  • Copa del Rey: 2010–11, 2013–14
  • Supercopa de Espana: 2001, 2003, 2008, 2012
  • UEFA Champions League: 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2013–14
  • UEFA Super Cup: 2002, 2014
  • FIFA Club World Cup: 2014
  • Intercontinental Cup: 1998, 2002

Spain:

  • FIFA World Cup: 2010
  • UEFA European Championship: 2008, 2012

Individual:

  • FIFA World Cup Golden Glove: 2010
  • FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2010
  • UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament: 2008, 2012
  • UEFA Team of the Year: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
  • FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
  • La Liga Best Goalkeeper: 2009, 2012
  • Zamora Trophy: 2007–08
  • Best European Goalkeeper: 2010

 

Written by Neil Morris

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Lionel Messi: The reinvented genius the same as he always was as he passes 400 and sets sights on another treble

  By O-Posts Team | April 22, 2024 - 21:21 | , , ,
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Things are always slightly easier when you have Lionel Messi in your team. It is why Luis Enrique was jumping up and down on the Nou Camp touchline as his Argentine striker broke clear on the half-way line before he even reached the box. His manager’s assuredness was stalled a moment as Diego Alves saved his first effort, but the ball fell back into Messi’s path and Valencia were finally seen off at 2-0.

As Messi lied on the grass behind the goal he had just scored in, the relief, not just in Enrique or his striker but in every Barca supporter among the 93,000 in the Nou Camp, was palpable. Barcelona had just negotiated a tough run of games which involved away trips to Celta Vigo and Sevilla, while Nuno Santo’s resurgent Los Che ran the Catalans through the toughest of examinations on Saturday afternoon. The 2-0 win made left Barca with 7 points from those 9 on offer and with a 2 point lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga still intact.

The goal also represented an individual landmark for the 27 year old who now has 400 club goals for Barcelona, the player who continues to smash records and for whom the superlatives have become cliché. Enrique’s regime has seen him take on a deeper, wider role than the excellent “false 9” he filled in the centre of Pep Guardiola’s attack, but that has not slowed down the scoring. The Valencia goal was his 35th in the league, while another 11 have followed in other competitions as Barcelona remain on for a treble in Enrique’s first year in charge.

Still a relative novice as a manger, Enrique deserves great credit for the shape Barcelona, and Messi personally, are currently in as they reach the end of a season that had at times threatened to implode. Against a backdrop of boardroom unrest which involved the transfer ban as well as the uncertain rule of new president Josep Maria Bartomeu, who replaced Sandro Rossell following his resignation over the disputed deal for Neymar last year, and the forthcoming summer elections, Enrique has managed to keep Messi focussed while also effectively introducing new £65 million signing Luis Suarez into his previous role of the central point of the three-pronged attack.

Rumours of dressing room turmoil, which Messi himself has admitted he had to intervene in, had engulfed the Catalans back in January when the club had to fend off substantial reports that linked him with a move away. Enrique would bench the attacker for the 1-0 loss at Real Sociedad and anxiety would begin to take hold amid stories of a severely strained relationship between player and coach.

What followed was an intense PR campaign that involved Bartomeu publicly endorsing his star asset, indulging Messi with a series of platitudes that saw him this week promised a place at Barcelona for life.

It is very different from the disillusionment Messi felt under Rossell who was seen by some, a view fuelled by the acquisition of Neymar, of attempting to drive the Argentine out of the club. The attacker would publicly criticise vice president Javier Faus over his refusal to enter contract talks and in February that season former assistant coach Angel Cappa accused Messi of losing some of his passion for football, possibly becoming bored after 15 years in the game.

Fast forward just over a year and there is no doubting his motivation has returned, with the dreadful night in the Anoeta providing the pivotal moment, even if it is a slightly different Messi that we are now witnessing. It is one that has accepted more of a withdrawn role as a result of the arrivals of Suarez and Neymar and one that has become more creative, registering 20 assists so far this season as well as his superb 46 goal haul. He has also regained his desire to work hard when off the ball while Neymar has also become more physical, allowing Enrique to see his front 3 to intently press high once again, led by Suarez to whom such a style comes naturally.

Neymar’s double in the second leg Champions League quarter-final victory over Paris St Germain on Tuesday took the front 3 to 95 goals for the season and well on course to beat the club record of 100 held by Samuel Eto’o, Thierry Henry and Messi under Guardiola in 2009. It came after Suarez’s double in the first leg as the supporting cast this time seized the headlines while the Argentine, who forged the vital first goal in France with wonderful precision and remained dangerous over the course of the 180 minutes, took on a more peripheral role.

Yet he is happy enough to carry out such a role for the team and his manager and regardless of whether he could do better if fielded elsewhere, it is currently working well enough for Barca to close in on another round of silverware. As he lay on the ground at the very end of the game with Valencia on Saturday with the Nou Camp awash with admiration for his latest contribution and achievement of 400 goals, they were yet again indebted to his genius.

400 is the latest landmark in an extraordinary career and with form, motivation and happiness rediscovered, many more will certainly be added to it.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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John Terry: The Life and Soul of Chelsea Football Club

  By O-Posts Team | March 31, 2024 - 22:18 | , , , ,
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The man has been handed a one year extension by Chelsea and looks to see out the last season of his career with the club before jetting off to a distant location or leaving his boots at the training ground and calling it a day.

The Chelsea captain has been somewhat of a rock all through his career and even now as age takes its toll, it seems like the only disadvantage Terry has to other players competing for his place is his speed – but even then, Terry’s reading of the game and his anticipation is second to none which is why week in week out he’s ahead of the ever developing Kurt Zouma.

Even with speculation rife about the possible signing of Real Madrid wonderkid Varane, it seems like he’ll still get a good crack of the whip under Jose Mourinho next season.

Yes, you can replace Terry’s quality in a side without a shadow of a doubt. I’m under the impression that the two centre backs just mentioned will be better players than Terry, which really is an exciting proposition for Chelsea fans – but what you can’t replace is his leadership, the way he takes the club on his shoulders and rides with it as if it’s a school bag you used to carry to school every day.

The man has given a lot to Chelsea and it’s probably time, in the last year of his contract to give even more back and try and instil an idea of how important the club is to the fans, to the new guard coming through: the likes of Nathan Ake and probably the man that’ll go on to replace him in my mind, Kurt Zouma.

It’s sad to see an English player of his quality to leave the game after holding the position on the pitch to such a commendable level, but there always comes a time where he has to leave, but what is most important is that he gives back to the people that gave him his opportunity and I believe he will do that for Chelsea and for England also.

Now, for Chelsea fans it’s time to get behind John Terry for the good of the club. I can imagine it’s hard to take two legends in the form of John Terry and Frank Lampard leaving both at a similar time, but you’re in safe hands.

 

Written by James Clark

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Arthur Wharton: Britain’s first black professional footballer

  By O-Posts Team | March 17, 2024 - 21:16 | , ,
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In the late nineteenth century, Arthur Wharton (1865-1930) was an athlete of legendary proportions, competing at the top level in many sports including cycling, rugby, cricket athletics and football. It was previously believed that Wharton was the first ever black football player; however new evidence has recently come to light that shows this distinction goes to Andrew Watson, who played in Scotland in the 1870s.

Despite this, Wharton was a pioneer in the sporting world, competing in arenas almost universally occupied by white people. He was a well-liked, well respected competitor but unfortunately, his life story did not have a happy ending.

In 1875 Wharton and his father, the Rev Henry Wharton, moved from the West Indies to England. He attended Dr Cheyne’s school in London from 1875 and in 1882, he began training as a missionary teacher at Shoal Hill College and two years later at Cleveland College in London.

In 1886, at the age of 20 Wharton entered the Amateur Athletics Association (AAA) Championships at Stamford Bridge. As well as becoming the first black athlete to win an AAA championship, he also set a new world record at the event becoming the first man ever to run 100 yards in 10 seconds flat.

Later that year, Wharton signed a professional contract with Preston North End football club, one the top teams in the world at that time. Ironically, despite being the fastest man on earth, he was to become a highly respected goalkeeper.

Wharton had a reputation as a hard man on the field and when he unleashed his trademark ‘prodigious punch’, it was said that he always connected with ether the ball, or an opponents head! In those days a goalie could handle the ball anywhere in his own half and players could barge him whether he was on or off the ball, which explains the logic of having a fast, powerful goalkeeper.

Wharton seems to have relished the more physical side of the game and like many goalkeepers, he seems to have had an eccentric streak. In a letter to the Sheffield Telegraph and Independent (January 12, 2024), T. H. Smith wrote;

“In a match between Rotherham and Sheffield Wednesday at Olive Grove I saw Wharton jump, take hold of the cross bar, catch the ball between his legs, and cause three onrushing forwards - Billy Ingham, Clinks Mumford and Mickey Bennett - to fall into the net. I have never seen a similar save since and I have been watching football for over fifty years”.

Wharton stayed at Preston North End for three years before signing for Rotherham United in 1889. Five years later he moved to Sheffield United were he spent a miserable year, finding it difficult to hold a regular first team place. In 1895 he went back to Rotherham United, where he played in only fifteen league games in six years.

During his time at Rotherham, Wharton was also a pub landlord, running the Albert Tavern and later the Plough Inn in Rotherham then the Sportsman Cottage pub in Sheffield. During this period, he developed a drinking problem, causing his career to nose dive and eventually forcing him to retire from football in 1902.

He spent the rest of his life as a colliery haulage worker and by the time he died, on the 12th of December 1930, of epithelioma and syphilis, he had fallen into obscurity and was a penniless alcoholic.

In recent years, Wharton’s name has been brought out of obscurity and, while he is by no means a household name, a number of articles and a few books have been written about him.

A colourful and well respected all round sportsman, Wharton was a trailblazer for black sportsmen throughout the Western world and deserves his place in history as one of the greatest athletes of his day.

In 1886, Arthur Wharton became the fastest man on earth when he ran 100 yards in 10 seconds flat. Soon after, he became only the second black man to play top level football.

Despite his blistering pace, Wharton had a successful career as a goalkeeper and left a mark on the beautiful game.

 

Written by Auron Renius

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Andrew Watson: The World’s First Black International Football Player

  By O-Posts Team | March 15, 2024 - 17:57 | , , ,
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Taken from Scottishsportshistory.com

Until recently, it was believed that the world’s first black footballer was Arthur Wharton, who played for Preston North End in the late nineteenth century. However, evidence has recently come to light showing that a man by the name of Andrew Watson was playing in Scotland around ten years earlier than Wharton.

Watson was born in British Guyana in 1857 and later came to Britain, attending public school in Halifax. In 1875 he enrolled in Glasgow University, where he studied Maths, Natural Philosophy, Civil Engineering and Mechanics.

Watson, who played on either side of defence or in midfield, began his playing career with Maxwell in Glasgow, followed by a stint at Parkgrove in 1874. Later, he played for Queens Park, the top team in Scotland at the time, spending seven years there from 1880-1887.

According to the ‘Scottish Football Association Annual’ of 1880-81, he was:

“One of the very best backs we have; since joining Queen’s Park has made rapid strides to the front as a player; has great speed and tackles splendidly; a powerful and sure kick; well worthy of a place in any representative team.”

He is also known to have represented the London Swifts in the English Cup Championships (FA Cup) in 1882, becoming the first player of African descent to play in an English cup competition. Watson won four Charity Cup medals and two Scottish Cup medals, the earliest of which was another milestone in football as he became the first non-white player to be in the winning side of any major football competition.

Watson also holds the distinction of being the first black international player. Acknowledged in the ‘Who’s Who’ for his international performances, he represented Scotland three times from 1881 – 1882, in the International Challenge Match. In his first international on the 12th of March 1881, Watson was captain and led Scotland to a 6-1 mauling of England at Kennington Oval in London, with a crowd of 8,500.

In his second, two days later, 1,500 people saw his side beat Wales 5-1 at Acton Park, Wrexham. His team again hammered England a year later on 11 March 2024 in the same competition, beating them 5-1 at First Hampden Park in Glasgow, in front of 10,000 fans.

Watson was not only a pioneer on the field; as club secretary at Queens Park, he was probably the first black member of a football club’s boardroom. Watson spent most of his career as an amateur and was a seasoned and valued player at Queens Park when football officially went professional in 1885, although it is unclear whether he himself turned pro.

When his playing days were over, he and his family emigrated to Australia, where he remained the rest of his life.

After his death, Andrew Watson fell into obscurity but has now reemerged to claim his place in both football and black history. As a successful black sportsman living at the end of the nineteenth century, it is easy to speculate on the difficulties and prejudices he would have undoubtedly faced.

However, despite the obstacles put before him, he had a successful career in a previously all white sport, and deserves to be remembered as one of histories true trail-blazers.

Recent evidence has come to light that reveals a man by the name of Andrew Watson was the world’s first black football player. Starting his career in 1874, he was successful at all levels of the game and set the path for those that would follow him.

 

Written by Auron Renius

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Gheorghe Hagi: The Maradona of the Carpathians

  By O-Posts Team | February 24, 2024 - 17:07 | , , , , , , , ,
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Short summary

The article presents the career of one of the greatest Romanian football players of all time in detail. Gheorghe Hagi was Romania’s best scorer and the national team’s leader during its most fruitful period. He played for top teams like Real Madrid and F.C. Barcelona.

Also, Hagi became Turkey’s hero after leading Galatasaray Istanbul to the all-time best performance in Turkish football: winning the UEFA Cup. The article includes a chapter on the player profile, depicts his activity after ending the football career and discloses some of his personal preferences.

 

Long summary

Every country has a huge talent, a symbolic football player within one generation. Zinedine Zidane was France’s football player of the ’90s, Raúl González was Spain’s football player of the ’90s, Del Piero is a symbol of Italian football and Romário is a symbol of Brasil in the’ 90s. Who was Romania’s symbolic football player in the ’90s?

 

Beginnings

Gheorghe Hagi was born on May 2, 1965, in Săcele, Constanța. His parents were Macedonian farmers. Little Gheorghe was declared the most technical football player of the Hope Cup and his name appeared in “Sportul” newspaper on September 7, 1976. Hagi played for the junior team under sixteen (four matches), for the junior team under seventeen (13 matches, 1 goal), for the junior team under eighteen (32 matches, 9 goals) and for the Olympic team (four matches). His first coach was Iosif Bükössi.

 

Club and national team career

Hagi started playing for F.C.Farul Constanţa (1982-1983), scored 7 goals and then moved to Sportul Studenţesc (1983-1987), where he scored 58 goals. Gheorghe Hagi started playing for the national team at the age of 18, in a friendly match against Norway, in 1983 (0-0).

Hagi was loaned to Steaua București in 1986, after the Romanian team won the European Champion Clubs’Cup in 1986. Steaua București (“Steaua” meaning “The star”) is the Army football team, was and still is the most prestigious Romanian football team. Hagi scored 76 goals in 97 matches and won three national championships and three national cups while playing for Steaua.

Hagi won the 1987 UEFA Super Cup (1-0, against Dynamo Kiev), scoring the decisive goal. Gheorghe Hagi was the leading scorer (four goals) in the 1988 European Champion Clubs’ Cup (he was equal to five other players). The owner of Panathinaikos wanted Hagi so bad in 1988 that he offered 8 million dollars to the dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu to allow the transfer to Panathinaikos, but the communist leader refused.

He considered the valuable football players as national values and did not allow them to leave the country until “they had done their duties” to Romania. Some of the football players left Romania illegally (Miodrag Belodedici - Red Star Belgrade, Marcel Răducanu - Borussia Dortmund), others continued to play in Romania in spite of the considerable offers from major clubs (Ion Voinescu - Arsenal Londra, Vasco da Gama, Florea Dumitrache - Juventus Torino, Nicolae Dobrin - Real Madrid, Cornel Dinu - Bayern München, Ilie Balaci - A.C. Milan, Rodion Cămătaru - F.C.Kaiserslautern, Benfica Lisabona).

While other Romanian football players were allowed to leave abroad at the end of their careers (Rodion Cămătaru - Charleroi, Boloni -Racing Jet de Bruxelles, Tudorel Stoica - Lens, Victor Pițurcă - Lens). Steaua reached the 1989 European Champion Clubs’ Cup final (lost 0-4 to Milan).

After Romanians gained their liberty in the 1989 Revolution, Hagi was transferred to Real Madrid for 4.3 million dollars, where he played for two seasons (1990-1992) scoring 15 goals.

From there, he joined Brescia (1992-1994), helping the team to return to the first division (Serie A) scoring another 15 goals in the process.

Hagi led Romania in the 1984 UEFA European Championship and the 1990 FIFA World Cup and then he achieved the greatest performance in the whole Romanian football history, namely acceding to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals in United States. He scored three times there, including a brilliant lobbed goal from 40 meters against Colombia.

Hagi’s goal against Colombia (3-1) was also voted the fifth in a poll hosted on FIFAworldcup.com, gathering 9,297 votes. There were 341,460 votes online from over 150 countries worldwide for the greatest goal ever scored in FIFA World Cup history. Romania lost on penalties to Sweden (2-2, 4-5, after penalty kicks) in its 1994 World Cup final match. Hagi was the fourth football player in the world in 1994 (50 points), according to FIFA. He was selected in the 1994 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team.

Hagi’s performances attracted F.C.Barcelona’s interest and the Spanish club transferred him for 3 million dollars. Hagi scored 7 goals for Barcelona in two years (1994-1996), winning a second Spanish Super Cup for his team.

Hagi with the 2000 UEFA Cup trophy.

Hagi with the 2000 UEFA Cup trophy.

Hagi joined Galatasaray (1996-2001), where he won four championship titles (1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999) and two national cups (1999, 2000). He scored 50 goals in 132 matches for his team. Gheorghe Hagi became Galatasaray’s leader and won the UEFA Cup (1999-2000) in a penalty shootout against Arsenal. Galatasaray Istanbul became the first Turkish team to win a major continental trophy and Hagi was the hero. Three months later, Galatasaray won the European Super Cup (2000), defeating Real Madrid.

Adrian Păunescu, a poet, convinced Hagi to return to the national team in an emotional and carefully prepared TV show in 1999, one year after his retirement. Hagi was cheered by his fans at three o’clock in the morning. It was a night to be remembered… Hagi retired in 2001 after 125 caps.

 

Player profile

Style

Gheorghe Hagi was a great leader on the pitch, blessed with sublime vision, a creative, ingenious and precise passing ability, a disconcerting dribbling and an outstanding ball control. He was a greatly feared shooter from any distance and position. He also had a fine free kick technique. Hagi wore number ten.

 

Fair play

Although Hagi was mostly fair and disciplined player throughout his career, he was eliminated several times in the final years of his career, including during some important games like the final of the 2000 UEFA Cup against Arsenal, in extra time, when playing for Galatasaray (won 0-0, 4-1) (94 minute) and the 2000 European Championship quarter-finals, when playing for Romania (lost 0-2 to Italy).

He also attacked a Turkish referee in 2001, leading to a lengthy suspension (six matches) (Galatasaray- Gençlerbirliği SK 2-1).

 

Various records

Hagi was the top scorer in 1984-1985 season and then again in 1985-1986 season. He scored 141 goals in 222 matches in domestic games (0,63 goals per game). His domestic record is only second to Dudu Georgescu (Dinamo Bucureşti), who held the record (47) for goals scored in one season for a long period (1977-2012, which was eventually surpassed by Lionel Messi- 50 goals) and who also won the European Golden Shoe in 1975- 33 goals, who bagged 252 goals in 370 matches.

Hagi’s percentage (0,63 goals per game) is very close to Dudu Georgescu’s percentage (0,68 goals per game), a very rare performance for a midfielder. Hagi was declared the best Romanian football player of the year seven times (1985, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2000). He has also scored 32 goals in 95 games in European Cup tournaments.

As an offensive midfielder, Hagi compensated for the weakness of the Romania national team’s attack in many cases. A midfielder is rarely the top scorer yet Hagi surpassed the very durable record of Iuliu Bodola, a football player of the ’40s (1939, 30 goals, 48 matches) in 1997 and still holds the first position (35 goals), which Adrian Mutu equaled in 2013.

Gheorghe Hagi played in three World Cups (1990- Italy, 1994- United States, 1998- France) (equalling the old national record of Nicolae Kovacs, present in the World Cup Final Tournaments in 1930, 1934, 1938 and playing 12 matches) and in three European Championships (1984- France, 1996- England, 2000- Belgium and Netherlands).

Gheorghe Hagi also surpassed Boloni‘s record for caps (108 matches for the national team) which had lasted ten years (1988-1998). Hagi holds the second place (125 caps) after Dorinel Munteanu (134 caps). Hagi led Romania 65 times (continuously 1990-2001), holding the present record (the next one is Cristian Chivu, Internazionale Milano, 50 times).

 

Post-football career

Hagi coached the Romania national team, Bursaspor, Galatasaray (twice), FC Politehnica Timişoara and Steaua București. He won a National Cup as Galatasaray’s coach in 2005. He founded “Academia de Fotbal Gheorghe Hagi” (Gheorghe Hagi Football Academy) for training football talents and also founded Viitorul Constanţa, which promoted to the First Division in 2012.

Beside his coaching activities, Hagi is a businessman, he owns the four stars Iaki Hotel in Mamaia. In addition, Hagi is National Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF Romania, supporting children in difficulty.

 

Private life

Hagi is married for the second time. His first wife was Leni Celnicu (1990-1995) and he is now married to Marilena Vlahbei, Gheorghe Popescu’s sister. He has two children from the present marriage, Kira (15 years old), who has humanist inclinations, and Ianis (13 years old), who plays football. Hagi has two older sisters, Sultana and Elena.

Gheorghe Hagi is a close friend of another great Romanian football player, Gheorghe Popescu, who was FC Barcelona captain. Hagi enjoys listening to Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Mariah Carey. He likes Johan Cruijff as a football player and coach, J.F. Kennedy as a politician and Napoleon as a historical figure.

His favorite actors are Al Pacino and Michelle Pheiffer. Hagi likes eating macaroni and drinking red wine and prefers Hugo Boss clothes and BMW cars.

 

Conclusion

“Maradona of the Carpathians”, as Gheorghe Hagi is sometimes called, is a hero in Romania and Turkey alike for helping both countries decisively establish their greatest national or club performances. The Romanian Football Federation declared in 2008 that Hagi is the most valuable Romanian football player in the last 50 years.

Miodrag Belodedici (the Romanian football player with the best club success, namely that he won the European Champion Clubs’ Cup twice, in 1986 with Steaua București and in 1991 with Red Star Belgrade), Gheorghe Popescu (winner of the 2000 UEFA Cup with Galatasaray, was also Barcelona captain in the 1996-1997 season) and Cristian Chivu (winner of the 2010 Champions League with Inter Milan) are the other Romanian football players with international performances.

“The King”, as some people called Gheorghe Hagi, is one of the most popular Romanian sport players abroad, along with the great gymnast Nadia Comăneci and the tennis player Ilie Năstase of the ’70s, and along with football players Adrian Mutu and Cristian Chivu of the present generation.

 

 

Written by Vladimir-Adrian Maftei

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Diego Maradona: A Controversial Career

  By O-Posts Team | February 22, 2024 - 20:33 | , , , , , , ,
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Diego Armando Maradona is widely considered to be the best player ever to grace the football field. Regardless of his playing ability, he is certainly one of the most controversial figures the sport has ever seen. Here is a look back at the life of the diminutive but contentious man.

Born and raised on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, his talents were first spotted playing for his local side Estrella Roja, aged just 11. He was quickly picked up by Argentinos Juniors, where he eventually debuted aged fifteen, going on to score 116 goals in 166 league appearances, spanning five seasons. Boca Juniors payed £1 million for his services in 1981 and he helped them to the league championship in 1982, scoring 28 goals in 40 games for the club.

The national side called soon after Maradona had turned professional and he debuted in February 1977, in a 5-1 friendly win over Hungary. The 1978 World Cup came too soon and he was left out of the squad that went on to clinch the trophy on home soil. His first international goal came against Scotland at Hampden Park, as Argentina won 3-1.

By the 1982 World Cup, Maradona was an important part of the national side and although Argentina disappointed during the competition, the player earned himself a move to Spanish giants Barcelona for a then world-record fee of £5 million.

His time in Spain was not easy, suffering badly through injury and illness before falling out with directors and demanding a move, which eventually saw him transferred to Napoli for £6.9 million, another record breaking fee. He still managed 38 goals in 58 Barca appearances, winning three medals in 1983.

During his seven years in Italy, Maradona enjoyed the most successful spell of his career, winning two Serie A titles, a UEFA Cup as well as two other domestic medals. He also enjoyed international success, winning the World Cup in 1986 as captain and narrowly failing to defend the title in 1990, losing out in the Final to West Germany.

The first of these tournaments featured the infamous match between England and Argentina, in which Maradona deliberately punched home the opening goal, before scoring what would later be voted FIFA Goal of the Century, single handedly beating five players with eleven touches and cooly firing past Shilton. Controversy about the “Hand of God” raged, but critics were silenced with two goals in the semi-final, before setting up the winner in the final.

By now, his personal problems were building. He developed a cocaine habit and was repeatedly fined for missing matches and training, not to mention allegations of fathering an illegitimate son. A failed drugs test saw Maradona hit with a 15 month worldwide ban and his career would never recover. He returned to the game with Sevilla, where he played for a year before returning to his native Argentina.

On the international front, he played just two games in the 1994 World Cup before being sent home after failing another drugs test, this time for the stimulant Ephedrine. He never played for Argentina again, after winning 91 caps.

Turning his hand to coaching, he had two short and unsuccessful managerial jobs, lasting no longer than four months, which led to him coming out of retirement as a player. He returned to former side Boca Juniors, where he scored 7 goals in 31 games, before finally calling time on his 37th birthday.

After quitting football, his health deteriorated and he struggled with obesity. In and out of rehab with his cocaine problem, he eventually suffered a heart attack in 2004. The following year he had gastric bypass surgery to fight his weight problems, but was back in hospital after less than a month with hepatitis and alcohol abuse related problems.

Later that year, he hosted a chat show in his native Argentina, where he remains something of a celebrity. In 2007 he claimed to have stopped drinking and that he had been drug free for more than two years.

The news that broke at the end of October 2008 surprised many. Diego Maradona would be the new Head Coach of Argentina after the resignation of Alfio Basile, his first game in charge was on November 19th at the scene of his first international goal, Hampden Park, against Scotland. He was also, for a brief period, in charge of a club based in the UAE, Al Wasl.

As magical as he was in his playing days, with the question marks against his health, his tax evasion case and his dip into the field of management it remains to be seen how the great man will fare in that realm. One thing is for sure though, we’re in for a roller coaster ride.

 

Written by Dominic Field

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Lionel Messi: A history of winning and record-breaking on the football stage

  By O-Posts Team | February 19, 2024 - 14:38 | , , ,
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When come across the word ‘Messi’, our brain inevitably starts a slideshow in front of our eyes which depicts a man weaving his magic on the ball and breezing through the defence of any opposition to score immaculate goals. This man may not be the tallest footballer around but his stature in the world of football is higher than anyone else.

The popularity of one Lionel Messi can also be gauged from the fact that for many of us the word football and Messi are synonyms. He has been mesmerising billions of his fans all across the globe with bag full of tricks on the field, relentless attacking style of football, inch perfect passing, ability to create half chances into fabulous goals and the spirit to put personal interests behind team interests.

Owing to these qualities and more, Messi has reached a legendary status in the game of football and is unsurprisingly compared to another legend of the game, Diego Maradona, who himself declared the man as his successor.

The career of this great footballer has not been paved on smooth roads. Born in Rosario, Santa Fe Province, to parents Jorge Horácio Messi and Celia María Cuccittini, Leo Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency at the age of eleven. Due to dearth of resources to meet the necessary expenses for his treatment, Messi’s family had to move down to Spain wherein FC Barcelona’s director offered help after being acquainted with his unreal talent.

Messi started his stint as a footballer with FC Barcelona’s junior teams and quickly moved up the ranks to become one of the youngest players to feature in La Liga. He never looked back ever since and has scored more than 350 goals for his club! Messi also plays an integral and pivotal role as the football captain of Argentina and has scored over 40 goals for his country.

Apart from scoring a plethora of goals at different levels, Messi’s incredible talent has also earned him a room full of awards and accolades. This FC Barcelona frontline player has won a record four FIFA Ballon d’Or awards, three European Golden Boot Awards and 2008 Olympic Gold Medal. He also led Argentina to the finals of the FIFA World Cup 2014 and was adjudged player of the tournament, winning the Golden Ball Award. Messi has also won 21 team trophies at the club level.

Many people around the globe feel that nobody can hold a candle to Messi and he is the greatest player of this era. There are others, however, who believe Cristiano Ronaldo gives Messi a run for his money and even tops him. In terms of sheer number of records, both these players have crossed the 400 goal mark for their respective clubs and countries combined and have regularly won many prestigious awards.

On the personal front though, Ronaldo is perceived as brash character while Messi has always been a humble and shy individual. All in all, both these players are exceptionally talented and will go down as two of football’s all-time greats.

While the gap between Messi and Ronaldo has narrowed after the later moved to Spain, it’s Lionel Messi who is the best player on the face of this planet and in the opinion of some people - the best player ever!

 

Kelly Jules is a sports blogger who primarily writes about the game of Golf and shares her views about other games like soccer, cricket and tennis via different platforms. Visit her blog to read knowledgeable posts.

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