Craig Bellamy’s fairytale triumph over Manchester City is a delicious irony that embarrasses the world’s richest club
January 26th, 2012 at 1:07 am
Love him or hate him, and Craig Bellamy has come a long way since he famously rubbished Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer, you have to respect the brilliance of the proud Welshman.
Shipped out on loan to his beloved Cardiff when Manchester City inexplicably dumped him a couple of years ago, it is poetic that Bellamy – arguably the best player in Roberto Mancini’s team at the time – rubbed his former club’s noses in it by knocking them out of the Carling Cup.
Bellers was outstanding in an epic semi-final with a match winning display and the goal that sealed Liverpool’s dramatic 3-2 aggregate win at Anfield. But the fact that City allowed him to join the Merseysiders on a free transfer makes you question whether or not the Arab funded Mancunians have more money than sense.
The truth is City have made a habit of falling out with their best players. Despite all the spin that turned their fans against former skipper Carlos Tevez, does anyone really believe that the Blues are a better team without the hard-to-handle Argentinian?
There is no doubt City have assembled a formidable side. But there is still a sense that Mancini’s men lack the mental strength they need to emulate Manchester’s champions over at Old Trafford. And there is a suspicion that their Italian boss is too quick to fall out with strong personalities.
It will be interesting to see if Mancini can go the distance with Mario Balotelli, or will the head-stamping bad boy go the same way as Tevez and Bellamy?
In Bellamy’s case there is no logic whatsoever to the way Mancini discarded him after an outstanding season back in 2010 – and for City to eventually send him packing on a free transfer is just crazy.
There is no doubt City’s loss has been Liverpool’s gain and for Bellamy now to be looking forward to a Wembley final against his hometown club Cardiff in the final is a fairytale outcome that is richly deserved.
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Dempsey, Keane and co are proving that America is no longer football’s poor relation
January 22nd, 2012 at 1:27 am
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – there is a lot of snobbery in Britain at the way so many people dismiss the standard of football in America.
The reality is that soccer is getting stronger all the time in the States and home grown players and big name imports are doing the MLS proud
Texas-born Clint Dempsey, arguably the best player to emerge from the MLS, has been at Fulham since 2007. His second half hat-trick that gunned down Newcastle in a thrilling 5-2 win at the Cottage is only the latest class act by the American.
Meanwhile, a brilliant second half double in Aston Villa’s 3-2 win at Wolves by veteran Republic of Ireland star Robbie Keane, on loan from Los Angeles Galaxy, is proof that playing in the MLS has not held him back.
With Thierry Henry, another star on loan from the MLS, making his mark at Arsenal, there is no shortage of evidence that the perceived gulf in class between the American game and the Premier League is not as big as some people have us believe.
David Beckham, shortlisted for Team GB at the Olympics, has decided to extend his career at LA Galaxy. But who would argue that Becks could not hold his own in the EPL?
Muhammad Ali will always be the greatest
January 18th, 2012 at 1:38 am
It is impossible to imagine us ever seeing a sportsman or woman to rival Muhammad Ali as the greatest of them all.
To see the great man celebrate his 70th birthday on Tuesday is a milestone many thought was impossible after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease a generation ago.
But Ali is still a fighter. And he has never lacked the courage to go the distance. He has tackled impossible odds his whole life. From standing up to racism and having the strength of character to refuse to go to Vietnam, to upsetting the odds so many times in the ring, Ali has never stopped surprising people.
In 1964 he became world heavyweight champion after being given no chance against Sonny Liston. Not only did he win an epic fight but he destroyed Liston in the re-match.
It was those victories over Liston that first propelled Ali into a world star. But not the last time he would defy impossible odds. His trilogy against the late Joe Frazier is part of boxing folklore and arguably his greatest achievement was when he overcame George Foreman in The Thriller in Manilla.
For me Ali has always been the greatest and always will be. My own personal memory was when I met him over 20 years ago and even in the early stages of Parkinson’s Ali still had that unmistakeable aura that only the greats possess.
He also showed me that he has a heart of gold by giving us an hour of his time when we arranged to film him meeting two unknown brain damaged boxers in South London. Earlier in the day he’d been to visit Michael Watson recovering in hospital from his fateful fight with Chris Eubank. Ali was so genuine, so humble that day and it was wonderful to see how kind he was to his fellow boxers less fortunate than himself.
Ali truly is the greatest. Always has been and always will be.
When success turns to ‘failure’ depression is hard to beat
January 15th, 2012 at 2:42 pm
Until you have hit rock bottom it is impossible to understand the overwhelming emotions and pressures of depression. And the more successful you have been the harder it is to deal with.
Anyone who does not understand this should ask themselves how would they react if they lost everything they value in life – and I am not just talking about money. Trust me.
Dean Windass is a hero because he has had the guts to tell the world that he twice tried to commit suicide last week when he hit rock bottom.
‘I have cried every day for the last two years since retiring,’ Deano told The People newspaper.
‘People outside football think we have it all. But I was in a hole that I honestly didn’t know how to get out of.’
Those words will resonate with anyone who has suffered depression. How we deal with those emotions quite literally determines whether we live or die.
By publicly confessing he has depression Dean Windass – an ex-footballer with a reputation as a tough guy on the pitch – has taken the first step to recovery. God bless him.
Dean Windass
King Cantona speaks more sense than most politicians – but sadly Eric was only joking about running for President of France
January 10th, 2012 at 8:29 pm
Eric wins the popular vote . . . Cantona at the Theatre of Dreams with Sir Alex Ferguson
Eric the King would make a great French president – but sadly, it seems, Cantona was only kidding when he convinced the media he is ready to stand for election.
Pictured wearing a tie on the front page of the French daily Libération alongside a letter to French mayors asking for 500 signatures – the symbolic number needed to run for president – it appeared the maverick ex-football messiah turned movie star was launching a bid to succeed Nicolas Sarkozy in the presidential elections this spring.
Seasoned Cantona watchers have learned to expect the unexpected. And many will say it’s a shame he was only joking because Eric speaks more sense than most politicians. But the brilliance of the maverick ex-Manchester United icon is that his eccentric publicity stunt has definitely hit the target.
The aim was to raise awareness of the plight of poor people in France. And once again Eric hit the back of the net. It’s been a good week for football legends making headline-grabbing comebacks.
“He isn’t looking for signatures to be a candidate for the presidency, but to pass on the message of the Abbé Pierre foundation in support of better housing policy, and to make housing, which is a priority for French people, a priority for the presidential candidates”, Libération‘s deputy editor, Paul Quinio, told the I-Tele news channel.
When the seagulls follow the trawler – Eric Cantona the beauty & the beast
Thierry Henry’s fairytale return for Arsenal is further proof that playing soccer in America is not the end of the road
January 9th, 2012 at 10:46 pm
Thierry Henry is one of the Premier League's Greatest Ever goalscorers
For anyone who doubted the wisdom of Arsenal’s re-signing of Thierry Henry, his dramatic matchwining return in the FA Cup against Leeds United tonight was the perfect answer.
Personally I found it hard to believe that anyone thought the Frenchman was too old at 34, simply because he has been playing for New York Red Bulls in America’s MLS since quitting Barcelona and international duty with France in the summer of 2010.
On-loan during the winter break, it was a fairytale return when the iconic Gunner came off the bench and settled the third round tie at the Emirates with the only goal of the game. But this is not just a flash in the pan. Don’t be surprised if Henry continues to make a big impact during this surprise Premier League comeback.
Just like Paul Scholes coming out of retirement to help Manchester United, this is a story of a footballing genius who still has plenty to offer the beautiful game.
In the case of Henry I think it is unfair that English fans and critics wrote him off simply because he has been playing in the under-rated MLS. David Beckham has enjoyed success at AC Milan and extended his England career since he ‘retired’ to America. And Beckham’s Los Angeles team-mate Robbie Keane has been good enough to help the Republic of Ireland qualify for Euro 2012.
FA Cup is still the greatest domestic cup competition in the world – and United hungry to take the trophy off City
January 7th, 2012 at 3:38 pm
The media are constantly telling us that the FA Cup no longer has the status it used to have – but take it from me it is still the trophy all players want to win.
When Manchester United visit City tomorrow they will be motivated not just by the burning desire to knock their noisy neighbours off their perch.
Ryan Giggs and the resting Darren Fletcher are the only players at Old Trafford who have won the cup. And there is no greater motivation than that for the likes of Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Luis Nani.
The bookmakers have Cup holders City as odds on favourites. But mark my words this is the best time to pile your money on United and after the week he’s just had I’m tipping Rooney to stand up and make the difference.
how manutd.com squashed a fabricated story by the Independent
Congratulations to Khan for using twitter to force boxing authorities to order a re-match over ‘mystery man’
January 7th, 2012 at 3:03 pm
why was Hill's scorecard alterered?
Congratulations are in order for Amir Khan who appears to have succeeded in persuading the World Boxing Association to order an immediate rematch against Lamont Peterson following his controversial points defeat in Washington DC last month.
Khan claims that he unfairly lost his WBA and IBF titles to Peterson after a mystery man – now apparently identified as IBF official Mustafa Ameen – was seen “interfering with” a WBA official.
Judges George Hill and Valerie Dorsett scored the fight 113-112 in favour of Peterson, with Nelson Vasquez giving the bout to Khan 115-110. But Hill’s card looked to have originally given the seventh round to Khan and contains amendments that resulted in Peterson taking it 10-8.
The breakthrough for Khan follows his impressive use of Twitter to expose the irregularities and win popular support for his demands for a re-match
Who is the mystery guy? Boxing owes it to Amir Khan to investigate his controversial world title defeat by Lamont Peterson
January 6th, 2012 at 12:28 am
Mystery man - the video shows him grabbing the scorecard
Amir Khan is taking no prisoners in his campaign to expose dodgy scoring of his world title defeat against Lamont Peterson in Washington DC last month – and an impressive barrage of tweets has well and truly put the boxing authorities on the ropes.
Any suggestions that Khan is being a bad loser have been ferociously knocked out of the ring by the former WBA and IBF world champion. And it is time for the boxing authorities to defend their sport and come clean by answering Khan’s questions.
The 24 year old British fighter is demanding to know the identity of a mystery man at ringside who appeared to get hold of a scorecard that should have been passed directly to the fight supervisor, a clear breach of boxing rules.
Khan – who insists he was robbed at the Washington Convention Centre after he had two points deducted against Peterson – wants fight commissioner Michael Walsh, who has not been seen since the end of the fight, to come out and clear up the mess.
In one of boxing’s most fascinating controversies for many years, Khan has released a stream of fight clips claiming they back up his belief something is not right with the scoring. And his Twitter campaign has sparked massive support for his case to be examined.
Boxing does not often grab the headlines these days. But this is a story that could turn out to be one of the sport’s most controversial ever. It is already boxing’s biggest ever fightback on Twitter.
@AmirKingKhan . . . Khan comes out fighting on Twitter
Newcastle embarrassed United more than Blackburn because they won easily and now the Reds must bounce back against City
January 4th, 2012 at 11:24 pm
Losing at home to Blackburn was a disaster, but the crushing 3-nil defeat at Newcastle was far more embarrassing for Manchester United because the Champions were well beaten – and on this form could even struggle to finish in the top four.
United are just three points behind rivals City with 18 matches remaining. But the reality is the Reds must rediscover their form, and they must do so quickly or the New Year blip will turn into a crisis. The stakes could not be higher when Manchester’s top two go head to head in the FA Cup third round at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
The Cup showdown is the perfect opportunity for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men to answer the critics. But the pressure is on because injuries have taken their toll on a United side that previously won five straight League matches culminating with two crushing 5-0 triumphs before the unexpected back-to-back defeats in this latest nightmare five day spell.
The worry is Sir Alex Ferguson’s men do not have a strong enough squad to paper over the cracks, unless they dig deep and add re-inforcements in the transfer window which is now open.
In the meantime, it is up to United’s big names to earn their money. Wayne Rooney looked out of condition at Newcastle and not surprisingly was benched before the end. Nani is not at his best, and the same goes for most of United’s squad.
There is no doubt Rooney is one of the best players in the Premier League, and on his day Nani is as good as anyone. But reputations count for nothing when the whistle goes. Every success has to be earned and the players owe it to the fans to work harder to find the consistency expected of Manchester United.
Meantime, let’s give credit to Newcastle for their outstanding display of the season. Manager Alan Pardew summed up the night when he said: ”We won because we controlled the game in terms of what we wanted to do. We would not let them play. Physically and aerially we had an advantage and capitalised on that. We broke up their play so many times today. We beat the champions 3-0 and probably deserved that scoreline. We have had a great season so far without turning over one of the top teams. Today we had our best team out there and it showed.”
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