What's in a name? [Part 3 of 3]

Morning. Great to have you all back. We've reached the end of this three-part series. Today we focus on the siblings. Past. [not so] Past and Present who have turned up and contributed handsomely to this game we love so dearly.

Again, if you've missed the previous two writes. Here they are.

Part 1 of 3

Part 2 of 3

Moving along then.

 

Jack and Bobby CHARLTON

England's most famous footballing brothers. Orchestrators of the FIFA World Cup '66 triumph. [Sir] Bobby scooping the Ballon d'Or that year as well for his efforts. While Bobby was/is a legend at MUFC with 750+ appearances for the club, his brother Jack opted to play for the rivals Leeds and there carved his name in history, notching up 770+ appearances. It is widely publicised that the two no longer speak to each other, after a toxic family feud, which is quite sad considering the contribution both made to the game of football.

Erwin and Ronald KOEMAN

There's really not too much to say about Erwin and there's a helluva lot to say about Ronald. What we can deduce from the Koeman's is that they love this game [no not the NBA]. Their father played, they've played and Erwin's son now plays as well. Erwin enjoyed reasonable success in Belgium with Mechelen and also at PSV, while he and his brother were both involved in the '88 Euro Championship victory. Ronald is mostly remembered for his time at FC Barcelona. It was his goal that won them the [then called] European Cup aka UEFA Champions League. There are also 4x La Liga titles to speak of. Both brothers now coach in the Eredivisie, Erwin's at PSV, while Ronald is at Feyenoord. Their contributions to football qualify Ruud Gullit's quote "If it aint Dutch, it aint much"

Frank and Ronald DE BOER

A definite case of Double Dutch. The De Boer twins are two of my favourites in football gone by. Frank, the younger of the twins [no i don't know what time's they were born], could be said to be the slightly more successful of the two. During his decade at Ajax Amsterdam he won 5x Eredivisie titles, 1x UEFA Champions League + 1x UEFA Cup. Ronald did about the same, besides the UEFA Cup. Both won La Liga titles with FC Barcelona. Anyone remember this pass at FIFA World Cup '94? Quite FRANKly, sublime from both players. Yes, i know you saw what i did there.
Frank is still quite involved in the game of football, coaching Ajax Amsterdam, who are on the verge of winning yet another Eredivisie title.

Brian and Michael LAUDRUP
There's the Great Dane [Schmeichel] and then there are Great Danes. These two are the latter. You mention Rangers FC or FC Barcelona and i'm sure their names will come up. Brian's the younger brother, but don't be fooled. He is well travelled and has loads to show for his footballing career. Serie A title with Milan as well as a UEFA Champions League winners medal, three SPL titles with Rangers and of course the Euro Championships victory with Denmark. Michael is one of the few to cross the great-divide in Spain, playing for both FCB and Real Madrid. No pigs head for him though. He racked up 5 La Liga titles [4x FCB + 1x RMA] plus titles in Italy with Juventus and Netherlands with Ajax. Rather decorated, i'd say. Michael still had a hand in football [in Spain] up until last season, coaching Mallorca.

Phil and Gary NEVILLE

And then there were these two. Both 'products' of the MUFC youth system, enjoying successful stints at the club they cut their teeth at. Phil, although the more versatile of the two in being able to play in midfield or down the flank in defense, wasn't as favoured at Old Trafford and eventually moved on [to Everton] seeking more game time. Wise move. That being said, he had notched up close on 400appearances for the club and had won 6x EPL, 3x FA Cup and 1x UEFA Champions League. Not bad for a 'bit part' player. Gary played for the club up until last season, during which time he accumulated the following 8x EPL 3x FA Cup 1x UEFA Champions League 1x World Club Cup. I'll always remember his passionate celebrations and heart on sleeve showings for the club. Phil is still playing, currently at Everton where he is club captain. Gaz has continued talking...off the field at the studios for Sky Sports. Sometimes he even has an orgasm when a striker scores.

This brings to an end the 'What's in a name?' series...

Current siblings plying their trade in leagues around the world include

• Kolo and Yaya Toure
• Xabi and Mikel Alonso
• Fabio and Rafael Da Silva
• Jerome and Kevin-Prince Boateng
• Bastian and Tobias Schweinsteiger
• Asamoah and Baffour Gyan
• Arouna and Bakari Kone
• Itumeleng and Lucky Khune
• Bamuza and Matsilela Sono

Thanks for sharing this three-part write with me.
Football unites.

I'd like to wish Themba [Part 3 of 3 of footiecall] and his family a safe journey abroad. Did you know that 1 out of every 78 South African's move to England, citing crime as their reason for leaving?! Ok, i made that statistic up. Cheers brother. Enjoy your time there!

 

What's in a name? [Part 2 of 3]

Welcome back. If you missed Part 1 of this 3 part series, fear not. Here it is

Part 1 of 3

In this piece, we'll look at 4 father and son[s] combinations. The difference though is the youth of the sons and their challenges ahead and maybe also what they've contributed to football thus far. We'll also go down memory lane to remember the impact their fathers' had on The Beautiful Game.

Let's be off then.

Jordan, Andre and Abedi 'Pele' AYEW

You got to be having something special if your nickname is 'Pele'...and Abedi Ayew had just that. Another one of Africa's finest exports, he made his mark in France with Olympique Marseille scooping the Ligue 1 and UEFA Champions League titles with them. Besides that, he is still regarded as Ghana's finest player, with his goalscoring exploits taking them to victory in the '82 AFCON Tournament.

He has three sons currently playing for clubs around Europe [Abdul Rahim not pictured here]. Of the three, Andre 'Dede' has made the biggest strides. You'd recall his contributions to Ghana's U20 African Youth Championship and U20 FIFA World Cup triumphs in '09. Further to this he was rather involved at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which is where i think most of us got to learn more about him as a tricky winger capable of playing in a three-pronged attack [as well]. This season, most notably, was his 93min winning goal against Inter in the Last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. On the whole though, he has enjoyed a fantastic season at Marseille, form which prompted a contract extension to 2015.

As for Abdul Rahim [currently at Lierske SK] and Jordan [also at Marseille], neither's star has shone brightly. Jordan, though, is still only 20years old and is highly spoken of by Andre.

Thiago Alcântara, Mazinho and Rafael Alcântara DO NASCIMENTO

Remember the 'three men and a baby' celebration at FIFA World Cup '94? Yep, that's Mazinho [with Romario and Bebeto]. Club spells at Vasco Da Gama [the Brasileiro outfit] and Celta Vigo coupled with his contributions to A Seleção in their '89 COPA America and '94 FWC victories are what we'll remember him for. Now onto Thiago. Born in Italy to a Brazilian father and now plying his trade in Spain's La Liga. Quite the mix eh. Now 21 and having just recently signed a new deal with FCB [with a massive buyout clause], the skillful midfielder seems to be getting reasonable game time if you consider who he's up against for a place in the side. After seeing him for the reserves, I again noted his exceptional ability at the European U21 Championships last year...a tournament in which he and Javi Martinez bossed the midfield for Spain. They'd go on to win this tournament. Thiago rightfully received the player of the tournament award.


There's also Rafa or Rafinha as he's known. He was born in Brazil, but has also represented Spain at youth level. Still with the B side of the Catalan giants, but has this season made his senior debut in the Copa Del Rey. It's going to be interesting to see how both siblings get on at Barca. I can certainly see a bright future for [at least] Thiago ahead.

Peter and Kasper SCHMEICHEL
How do you measure up to your dad, who is arguably the finest goalkeeper of our generation? You don't. You just get on with your game and grab as much insight from him as possible. The Great Dane has pretty much done it all for club and country [barring the FWC], see this piece for extensive coverage of his work in goal. Kasper hasn't had it all his own way. I thought he was quite unfortunate at City and then made a dud move to Notts County followed by a poor showing while at Leeds. He now finds himself at Leicester and has regained confidence and has done rather well in goal there, starting 44games this season. Kasper turns 26 in November, so is still relatively young, especially in 'keeper years' and could still realise a move to a top club. I strongly doubt he'll ever reach the heights [see what I did there] of his father, but reckon there's a bright future ahead, despite earlier setbacks. 

Zinedine and Enzo ZIDANE
So, not only are you the son of the famous 'Zizou' you've also been named after a Uruguayan legend [Enzo Francescoli]. No pressure! We can list the individual contributions of Zinedine as well as his achievements for club and country [see this article for further proof] and scoff at the likelihood of his son ever coming close, but that would be wrong. Still only 17years of age and already the Jose Mourinho has invited him to train with the Real Madrid FC first side. Must say something for the potential he posseses eh. Early doors and certainly a youngster we should keep an eye on. Who knows...the Marseille Roulette could make a surprise re-appearance.

Youngsters. Already facing the pressure of the media, based on what has gone before. I'm thankful we get to see another generation, carrying the name of former greats.

I'm sure these lads have known football from the moment they opened their eyes. Now they have the opportunity to display their talents and some of them may even go on to be great themselves.

As much as football is a team sport, it's the individuals [names] that we remember.

Thanks for joining me again.

Part 3...coming soon!

What's in a name? [Part 1 of 3]

Football. Very much a family sport. Today we'll look at five father and son combinations, highlighting their individual achievements which would allow you the reader to decide who had the more illustrious career.

Johann and Jordi CRUYFF
A bit of a no-brainer when it comes to who is the more memorable of the two. We cannot blame Jordi though, trying to live up to the mastery of his father is near impossible. Try bettering a 3-time Ballon d'Or winner [only three others have equalled this feat] or have a look at his contribution in getting FCB to play the way they are now. Insurmountable. For those 'Barca lovers', did you know, he is the current coach of Catalonia [is not Spain]?!


Jordi too played for FCB, but his spell[s] there and even at MUFC were hardly flattering. Most notable was his time at Deportivo Alaves. Some may remember the UEFA Cup final vs Liverpool...quite a game that was. 



Dads 1-0 Sons

 

Paolo and Cesare MALDINI

Two Milan legends. With 400+ appearances, you'd think dad Cesare would be the more spoken of. Think again. Paolo notched up 902appearances for the Rossoneri. An amazing achievement. While Cesare enjoyed quite a measure of success with Milan, his son's achievements and contribution to the club supersedes his own. I mean, seriously, 7x Serie A titles + 5x UEFA Champions League [includes European Cups].

Both are now retired from playing The Beautiful Game, however, they remain active in the sport and this surname may still continue. Paolo's sons Christian and Daniel look to carry this prestigious name and in doing so continue to write football history.

Dads 1-1 Sons

Harry and Jamie REDKNAPP

The father and son pairing with a past-to-present interest in THFC. I'd say 'Arry has been more influential as a gaffer than as a player. His most notable spells as a footballer are at West Ham United and Bournemouth. In charge, we've come to love him for his time at Pompey, which included some great escapes and of course that FA Cup triumph...and now at Spurs, where this season he looks to take them back to the heights of UEFA Champions League football.

Jamie, barring the injuries, had quite an impressive spell at Liverpool FC. Signed by Kenny Dalglish during his previous spell, JR went on to play for the Reds on more than 300 occasions before moving back to Spurs [the club where it all began for him].
In terms of on-field contributions, I'd go with Jamie...all-round I'd say Harry.

Dads 2-1 Sons

Nigel and Brian CLOUGH

There aren't many footballers as prolific in front of goal as Brian Clough. The End. Nah, but seriously, he was devastating. Imagine scoring 40+ goals in 4 consecutive seasons. Brian can. It's also worth documenting that Brian made the move across town to local rivals Sunderland [from 'Boro] and continued to score freely there. Nigel was not as clinical, but wasn't half bad, with a 1 in 3 ratio for Nottingham Forrest. He also had relatively short spells at LFC and then City before later ending it at Burton Albion.

Like his father, Nigel now too has moved on to coaching and is currently head coach at Derby County. Brian Clough passed in 2004, but will be remembered for years to come.

Dads 3-1 Sons

Shaun WRIGHT-Phillips and Ian WRIGHT

Another one dead in the water. Sadly, Shaun has failed to reach the heights of his father Ian, who is a legend at Arsenal FC and highly spoken of at Crystal Palace too. Not many footballers score a hattrick on their league debut, which pretty much sums up the goalscoring prowess of Ian. My feeling on Shaun is that he definitely has potential and quite a bit of ability, but his greed in chasing the high-paying contracts has cost him dearly. Now at Queens Park Rangers, he could end his career on a high. A career which really has been wasted...on the bench.

Dads 4-1 Sons

To conclude today's read, from these examples, it seems clear that living up to the challenge left by fathers' is often helluva impossible. Unfortunately the media doesn't do these footballers' any favours with continuous comparisons etc etc.

Next time we'll look at a few younger [current] footballers and the legacy their fathers' have left.

Thanks for joining me.

Greatest ever? No such thing!

“sup Footie nuts.

So after COUNTLESS debates worldwide! And after countless Tweets about this topic, I thought I’d share my thoughts on this debate…

Is Lionel Messi really the greatest player in the world? Or is Cristiano the greatest? My answer is… a resounding no! Now hold on there, put the knives, guns, bricks and false teeth back. Allow me to explain myself before the riots start…firstly allow me to address the “recent” Barcelona fans….shut up. Ok, let’s start and try to make sense of it to you.

See what I have...

I can’t for the life of me, try and justify labeling someone as the “greatest footballer” in the world. What makes Messi, or anyone else for that matter, the Greatest? How do we do it?! Many people are out there saying, well he has scored so many goals and created so many others, he must be! But how many tackles has he made? How many times has he been the last line of defense? How many times has he intercepted a through ball ala-Thiago Silva? Not many. For me, the World’s greatest player needs to do everything! Tackle, score, create and make a mean Instant coffee. Unfortunately Messi doesn’t do all of the above. No player out there in the world at the moment or EVER can or has been able to do it. 

I'm not listening to you

Another point where I think he falls short is his international form. All too often he has disappeared or just never pitched up in an Argentinian shirt. That disappoints me. It also shows me that he can’t be the greatest player can he? The likes of Maradonna and Pele have performed for whatever team they have graced with their presence at National or at Club level. Ronaldo has performed in 2 of the toughest leagues in the world and come out on top. Messi had only played in Spain and almost always with Xavi and Iniesta around him.

But Messi, you can't do this - Pele

For the love of Football, I am not saying that he isn’t a great player. No Sirs and Madams.. I might even be brave enough to say, he is the greatest ever player in that position at Barcelona. But no, in my opinion, he sadly isn’t the greatest player in the world. I rate a solid Centre Back a lot more than an attacker. But, sadly, will they ever receive such recognition as The Messi’s, Cr7’, Pele’s etc? No they won’t. Because football “fans” want to see goals and skills and tricks and ponies covered in garlic loaves! Nobody is interested in a Centre Back who can read the game better than most novelists. A Centre Back that throws his body in front of his goals or keeper in order to prevent the old onion bag from bulging (That could be a PG Comment)

You right Potz...so right. 

Please, don't think that I am agreeing with Pele's reasoning for why Messi ISN'T the best in the world. That sounds a wee bit like a. Schizo. I saw a picture of Messi vs Ronaldo and some stats were involved. It was showing that Messi was a better player than Cristiano. It was actually calling Cristiano a “Loser!!” Sure, Champions league winner, League winner with Manchester United, a player who has proved himself in 2 leagues.  Loser? Whatever.

Erm Pele, you are embarrassing me. Please stop

Anyway, that’s my opinion. Like or lump it. I’m entitled to it.

Potz

Managers then & now

In today's footballing world, it's quite common for ex-players to become managers...for example, Steve Bruce, Martin O'Neill, Deschamps & John Terry.

So, what's the one thing all of these ex-players have in common? Yes, you're right, they all looked ridiculous when they were young! Here's a prime selection of bad hairdos, bad pictures & bad memories. Try and guess the manager before scrolling down.

Starting off with an easy question and an easy hairdo. 

Clue: he loves kids.

Yes you got it!!! Ridge Forrester from The Bold & The Beautiful.

_______________________________________________________________________

Next up, take a look at the special guy in this picture:

Clue: You're a Real idiot if you don't get this.

Of course, it's Mourinho at a special club with his special friend.

_______________________________________________________________________

Now this picture would stump his own family.

Clue: It is saf to say that this picture was taken very long ago.

Indeed it's Sir Alex, and here's a pic of him receiving the hair-dryer treatment.

_______________________________________________________________________

It's time for a bit of sexiness, so here's a supermodel so hot that he gets 2 pictures. Ladies hold your ovaries please.

Clue: Me Gusta' ??

Was it hard to see through the sex? It is actually Pep stores model, mr Guardiola.

_______________________________________________________________________

That was too easy, so to mix things up a little bit, here's a picture of a pretty girl for you.

Clue: Kit deals

NO! I lied! It is of course King Kenny Dalglish!!

_______________________________________________________________________

You guys are too good. Ok, 2 more for this session.

Clue: a Scottish toffee

The king of the mid-table, David Moyes!! So precious...

_______________________________________________________________________

Our last one for today is a good'n. You'll notice Pele wearing no. 10, you may even notice Beckenbauer no.6, but can you guess who's wearing the coveted no. 22 ?

Clue: How do you get relegated 3 times & not get fired?

You buy a club, become owner, make yourself chairman & CEO & head coach, then make sure you don't fire yourself. Jomo "Black Prince" Sono.

That's what she said

My A to Z of Football [Part 4 of 4]

Good day and thanks again for joining me.

Wow what a journey this has been. We've reached the final part of this four-part write. If you've missed the previous three, don't be alarmed, here they are.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Full steam ahead then.

Francesco TOTTI. Captain from the Capital. No coincidence that he dons the no.10 shirt for his beloved AS Roma. The attacking midfielder is as much a goalscorer [all time leader at the club], as a creative-mind, his vision and eye for a pass are there for all to see. It's not every day you get mentioned in the same sentence as masters like Giuseppe Signori. It makes perfect sense though, when you consider he has been crowned Italian Footballer of the Year, no fewer than 5 times. A sublime talent and it will take a while for Rome to see another player, with the talent AND passion, he possesses.

Juan Sebastian VERON. Personal favourite. The conductor of the orchestra. Influential in the successes of Parma, Lazio and most recently Estudiantes La Plata - the club where it all began, with an unfortunate time at MUFC followed by a short stay at Chelsea FC, in between the memorable Serie A and Argentina's Primera Division campaigns. La Brujita has experienced league victories in England [MUFC], Italy [Lazio, Inter] and in his native Argentina [Estudiantes]. You would note, the holding-midfielder, always straps just below his right knee...a superstition, since he injured it in '97. Another bit of info, of his 153 passes against Greece, he completed 131, the most at a FIFA World Cup since '66. The Little Wizard sure does know how to find a teammate.
How about Gianluca VIALLI, then. Was it his memorable partnership in attack with Roberto Mancini, which saw Sampdoria win their first Serie A and also a Cup Winners' Cup. Maybe it was his contributions to The Old Lady, taking her to victories in the UEFA Cup, Serie A and most significantly the UEFA Champions League. A short-er spell at the Blues of London ended an illustrious career for the striker from Cremona. Wherever the bald-headed forward set foot, he scored. This was the nature of the man.
Ruud VAN NISTELROOY [Rutgerus Johannes Martinus van Nistelrooy]. Prolific goal-machine. If you've followed the red side of Manchester, you'd know. Clinical in front of goal, scoring from just about anywhere [in the box...in fact, he actually banged one in from outside as well]. There aren't many who could register a goal every [other] game consistently. The all-time second highest goalscorer in UEFA Champions League football, says it all really. Winning leagues in England, Holland and Spain with him being at the forefront, is another achievement not to be scoffed at. If it ain't Dutch, it ain't much [right Ruud?!]

George WEAH. The Liberian started his career in France at Monaco, where he played under Arsene Wenger. His next move, was to the capital [PSG] where he helped in winning the Ligue 1 title. On a personal [achievement] level he also ended top scorer in the UEFA Champions League for the 94-95 season, a great achievement considering he was in the company of Stoichkov, Romario and Jari Litmanen [then at Ajax]. At the end of that season he was rewarded for his exploits, picking up the FIFA Footballer of the Year award ahead of Maldini and Klinsmann as well as the EU Player of the Year. Towards the end of his career, he had short spells at both Chelsea and MCFC. For me, it was amazing to see how he awakened people, to what Africa had to offer
the footballing world.

XAVI [Xavier Hernández i Creus]. 15years at one club. Mesmerising us and more so, his opponents, with some breathtaking passing and even chipping in with the odd goal as well. Besides his extensive winners' medal collection with FCB, he has also been at the centre [literally] of Spain's recent success, helping them to EURO Championships and FIFA World Cup victories. His contribution at the Euro's was worthy of the Player of the Tournament award. Xavi seems to have cultivated a winning mentality from early on, with a FIFA World Youth Cup success back in '99. At 32yrs of age, there's still a year or two of his brilliance to come [barring injury]. Sit back and enjoy.

Let's look at another African talent. Anthony 'Tony' YEBOAH. Darn could he hit a football. Not only could he hit it, but he was quite prolific as well. His career saw him play in Germany [FC Saarbrücken, Eintracht Frankfurt and later for Hamburger SV] with a spell at Leeds United in between ze German spell. Two things to note. 1. He was only the 2nd black player to play in the Bundesliga, a notable and brave feat, considering he ventured there in the late 80's. 2. He is the 2nd all-time scorer for Ghana, behind another legend Abedi Pele. On two occasions he ended [joint] top scorer in Germany. His impact at Frankfurt was that significant that fans made T-shirts with the words "Zeugen Yeboahs" emblazened on them, which is Yeboah's Witnesses [as opposed to Jehovah's Witnesses of course]

Z is for Javier ZANETTI. The Argentine fullback/defensive-midfielder who has stayed faithful to Internazionale Milan and represented his country with great aplomb. Having spent almost 20years at the Nerazzurri, and at 38yrs of age, still capable of 'smoking the pipe' with the whose who of footballing talent...it's easy to see why he earned the nickname "El Tractor"
Gianfranco ZOLA. The diminutive Italian. Only thing small about this guy was his stature...he was a footballing giant. Early spells at Napoli [Serie A, Supercopa Italia] and Parma [UEFA Cup UEFA Supercup, UEFA Cup Winners Cup] followed by a memorable stint at Stamford Bridge with Chelsea FC. He was signed by Ruud Gullit for a measly sum of £4.5 million. With over 300appearances for CFC, and loads of highlights to show from that, it's easy to see why he's a cult-hero among the Blues.
Lest we forget Zinedine ZIDANE aka Zizou! How good was this guy? I'd swear, he made going bald in the centre of your head, fashionable. Such mastery of the football. His finesse in even the tightest situations, his ability to turn a game on it's head with a single strike [see goal in UCL final vs Leverkusen] or that famous Marseille Roulette to bamboozle oponents. Before Messi, there was Zidane...and despite the continued magnificence of Lionel, we would be fools to forget what Zizou contributed to The Beautiful Game.


That brings to an end this 4part series. You may claim, i forgot U? No, i did not...It's you that carries the message of this game we love. It's you who will continue to remember great players and speak about them for years to come. It's you [the football fan].

Thanks.

I'd like to make mention of Piermario Morosini, who literally gave his life to/for football. My thoughts go out to all those affected by his death.

My A-Z of Football [Part 3 of 4]

Welcome back. Hope you've all had a good week thus far. Today we continue our journey, remembering footballers who have captivated us with their abilities and possibly even changed our minds as to how we view this The Beautiful Game.

If you've missed the previous two posts, here they are
Part 1 of 4
Part 2 of 4

Pavel NEDVED. The attacking midfielder/winger is well known for his exploits at both Lazio and Juventus. At Lazio he played a key part in their Coppa Italia success and also the Cup Winners Cup win, the last of it's kind. In the final itself, he scored the winner, an 81st minute goal to hand Biancocelesti victory. His move to Juventus was highly publicised, as he was seen as the direct replacement for Zinedine Zidane, in a deal which cost Juve €41 million. Of course his natural ability helped The Old Lady to Scudetto victories in the '01-'02 as well as '02-'03 seasons. I think the pinnacle of his career, was winning the European Player of the Year award or Ballon d'Or in 2003. His international involvement speaks volumes as well. The contribution of the blonde-haired maestro at the '96 Euro Championships, in which his beloved Czech Republic reached the final, is one that stands out in the memory.
A sublime talent, who was able to strike the ball sweetly with either foot.

We move on. Remembering now two Nigerian midfielders, different in their craft, but both leaving a mark on the game. Austin "Jay Jay" OKOCHA and Sunday OLISEH. It's safe to say Jay Jay [so good that they named him twice] was the more influential of the two. His trickery and flair at PSG and then Bolton Wanderers are remembered fondly. Sunday is mostly remembered for his winner against Spain in the '98 FIFA World Cup, earning him cult-hero status among his Nigerian countrymen. There's no doubting, it was a cracking strike! Africa has produced some fine footballers and continues to do so. 

The fullback from Romania, Dan PETRESCU [Daniel Vasile Petrescu]. Beginning his football journey at Steaua Bucaresti where he reached the final of Europes' most prestigious club competition, losing to the [then] masterful Milan. Nothing to be ashamed of, if you look at the AC Milan teamsheet.
A few years later, he joined Chelsea, winning the FA Cup and Cup Winners Cup with the Blues. Dan was quite influential for his country as well, a formidable force in the '94 side, who reached the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals.
Another player with a P worthy of a mention is Emmanuel "Mannu" PETIT. Remembered for his role in midfield [at Arsenal] alongside Paddy Vieira and also for his '98 FIFA World Cup contributions in which Les Bleus won the tournament on home soil. His corner led to Zizou's opener and Mannu then went on to seal the win with a goal in the final minutes of the game. Petit had a great eye for a pass and had pin-point accuracy from corners.
Both, defensive by nature, but a good advertisement for the modern game, as they were not afraid to carry the ball forward and join in on attacks.

MUFC lost out on the services of Ricardo QUARESMA, as the winger opted to join FC Barcelona from Sporting, instead we signed a certain Cristiano Ronaldo. It was said that Quaresma was the more naturally gifted of the two [and maybe he is], but we all know how the scenario has played itself out. Now at Besiktas, the Portuguese misfit has had spells at FCB, FC Porto, Inter and Chelsea. The stand-out showing being at Porto, moving there from Barca in a deal seeing Deco go the other way. I am a fan, but like Adriano of Brasil, his natural talent is overshadowed by his lack of discipline. Still only 28yrs old, there might be more to give, maybe even at EURO 2012?!

This letter! Anyone recall the midfield mastery of the Argentine playing for Real Madrid FC? Fernando REDONDO. He was a defensive midfielder with a difference. Ask Henning Berg. There's Cristiano RONALDO, the 'one trick pony' who turned into one of the finest footballers' we've seen. Scoring for fun, dominating the EPL and now La Liga. Then there were the three from Brasil. RONALDO [De Lima], RIVALDO and RONALDINHO. All three having a stint at the famous Blaugrana club and mesmerising us with their abilty to play the game beautifully, for club and country. Joga Bonito. Would football be the same without these magicians? Really...

The Bulgarian who was a key part of the Cruyff 'dream team' at FC Barcelona, Hristo STOICHKOV. His contributions [and that of his highly talented teammates] saw FCB win La Liga for four seasons running as well as the European Cup [UEFA Champions League]. Stoichkov also received the Golden Boot award [with Oleg Salenko] at the '94 FIFA World Cup. A master!
Clarence SEEDORF. The most decorated footballer in the UEFA Champions League, winning the tournament on 4 occasions with 3 different clubs. Did you know that he is still the youngest player to play for Ajax Amsterdam, considering the generation he comes from, that is some achievement. His footballing CV includes playing for Ajax, Real Madrid and AC Milan, undoubtedly three of Europe's biggest clubs...and to a slightly lesser degree, Internazionale as well. At 36yrs of age, he is still capable of playing at the highest level, as we saw against FC Barcelona in the first leg of their UCL quarter-final clash.
Now onto Peter SCHMEICHEL. Arguably the finest goalkeeper of our time. The Great Dane was 'larger than life' between the sticks and it's laughable to think we paid a measly £505k for his services. It's also worthwhile noting, that MUFC almost let him go after a heated argument with SAF. Fortunately, things were resolved, and Schmeichel stayed.
His achievements at MUFC include 5x EPL titles, 3x FA Cup titles and 1x UEFA Champions League victory in the famous '99 final vs Bayern Munchen. His most notable achievement for Denmark was winning the Euro Championships in '92, saving a penalty from Van Basten in the semi-finals of the same tournament.

Thanks again for joining me recall some of the games' outstanding players.

Join me next time as we wrap up this [alphabetic] journey down football's memory lane.

Get it sorted NOW!

'Sup footie nuts? Did everyone enjoy their weekend of the beautiful game? I did! FA Cup finals for my beloved Reds!

I thought I'd do a "Jump on the bandwagon" piece this week. The second FA Cup semi-final on Sunday, produced another crazy piece of officiating! Atkinson (who was clearly sipping on Grand Pa's cough medicine) awarded a goal that shouldn't have been.

Granted, Chelsea ran out comfortable 5-1 winners on the day, Mata's goal was the crucial "Second" goal. It changed the complex of the game on it's head.

Where did it cross the line??????

We know that clubs like Spurs (who don't have tons of Russian mafia money) rely on cup runs and top four in the league financially. So when the ref gets it wrong...it hurts them more financially than anything else.

I'm not going to sit here, and say "WE NEED TECHNOLOGY"! Because, every other Tom, Dick and Sally is doing that already. I would prefer an extra set of eyes on the goal line, like in the Europa. But that assistant should be given more authority, like with awarding dubious penalties (I'm not referring to Ashley Young - or maybe I am)

So I'm sharing some other costly errors by the men in black (with the whistle) too.

So I'd thought we would start in probably the most famous "Was it a goal, was it not a goal" ever. Geoff Hurst's extra time goal against Ze Germans in the final of The World Cup, was only proved some years later to be incorrect. But this was a lot tougher to call than the rest in the list.

too close to call

Next up is Roy "Butter Hands" Carroll. A rather speculative shot from Spurs' Pedro Mendes directed at the rather Speculative Goalkeeper for Man United resulted in a rather speculative call by the rather speculative Mark Clattenburg (OK I'm done) the ball seemed to be at least 1 metre over the goal line. How the officials got this wrong I'll never know...

How can you miss this?!

It's the Champions league Semi-final second leg. It's Liverpool vs Chelsea. The first leg was a 0-0 draw. It's Anfield. Liverpool are attacking the KOP end. A ball get's dinked over the top. Cech Clatters a Liverpool player but misses the ball. It lands close to Little Luis Garcia. He mishits his attempt...it goes towards goal (In slow motion) Gallas clears off the line! The Kop erupts! The goal is awarded! YES! Wait...that didn't cross the line...did it? Yes, it did. But wait...it didn't. This "goal" knocked Chelsea out of the Champions league. A competition the Russian wants so badly...he will PAY anything for it.

Still not sure this crossed the line

World Cup 2010! It's England vs Germany. The most hated rivalry between two countries in Europe. A youthful German side were up 2-1. Enter Frank "The Most shots ever" Lampard. The ball beats Neuer in flight, hits the cross bar and drops about a metre over the line. The goal isn't given.Bacon and eggs for breakfast anyone? England end up losing 4-1 to the old enemy. That call effectively knocked England out of the world cup...

See?

Last one. And something a bit more recent than the rest. And that could prove a lot more costly than any of the above. We talking Premier league survival. At the moment if there is 1 club who deserve the title as the most "Unluckiest" club in the English Premier league, it Queens Park Rangers (Sorry Kenny) since Sparky took over, I quite fancied them to stay up. But calls like this, is not helping their cause....or my prediction for relegation contender. At a foot over, I still can't believe this wasn't given!

Can they beat the drop?

This concludes my piece. Hope you enjoyed the read.

Potz

FA Cup semi-final preview

Without hyping it up too much, it’s the oldest & possibly the most amazing and terrific domestic trophy in the world. The FA Cup!!

We’ve reached the semi-final stage this weekend & it’s the most interesting semi-finals in years (with respect to Stoke City, Bolton, Pompey & some others) This year we have the pleasure of watching 2 derby matches - the Merseyside derby & the London derby!! 

Liverpool: In preparation to the game, Liverpool have fired half of their back-room staff including the tea lady Betty and the driver, so Kenny Dalglish himself will be driving the bus down to Wembley. He should know where it is since this is Liverpool's 2nd semi in 2012 already. Adding to this, their in-form striker Carroll has scored 1 goal in his past 1 games. That's a 100% return!! Kenny as a manager has won the FA Cup twice before and would you believe it, both times he played against Everton in the final. All of this bodes very well for a team in need of some good news. With Gerrard rested during the week, captain fantastic is expected to play the full 90+ on Saturday. One last point of interest: there will be a minutes silence to start the game on Saturday with respect to the Hillsborough Disaster.

Team news: Fortunately the LFC board didn't fire any keepers, but will be going in with their 3rd choice keeper, Brad Jones. Jose Enrique (conceded 0 goals as a keeper) is expected to play at left back for this game.

Dangerman: Captain fantastic. He scored a hattrick in this fixture but a few weeks back.

Everton: When David Moyes first came to Everton they were a mid-table squad with no money & no trophies....now look at them!! Fantastic!! However, for the 2nd time in a decade Everton might finish above their rivals in the league. The prospect of knocking them out of the FA Cup would be the "cherry-on-top". Everton last won the trophy in 1995, but Moyes did reach the final in 2009. In February they were very close to the Carling Cup...it was about 1/2 a mile across the city in fact. Everton are known for their late surges & once again have had an impressive post-Christmas run losing 2 in their last 15 games. Coming off the back of an impressive 4-0 victory over Sunderland, Everton will feel that they are the stronger team on form. 

Team news: With only 13 players to choose from, Everton will be missing Rodwell due to injury & Pienaar is cup tied. Jelavic, Cahill, Baines & Darron "shoot first, ask questions later" Gibson all return for the semi.

Dangerman: Jelvaic. He scores when he wants, he scores when he wants.

Tottenham: The most successful team left in the competition are having one of their best PL seasons this decade and their manager Arry has won the FA Cup as Pompey manager. Surely with Gareth "WORLDS GREATEST" Bale, he'll be able to double that tally? Their recent form says otherwise, but Arry is a great cup manager having won silverware with the prolific Pompey, West Ham & Bournemouth. Spurs & Chelsea are in a fight in the league for 4th, but the FA Cup & the pride of London is at stake on Sunday. These 2 teams drew both league games against each other this season and something will have to give on Sunday. Expect a "gung-ho" attack from Spurs with little care for their defense.

Team news: Ledley King is injured. Obviously. Kaboul & Dawson also which depletes their centre backs. Betty the Liverpool tea lady is available for free.

Dangerman: Gareth "WORLDS GREATEST" Bale. So good that commentators get excited even if it's just a throw in he takes.

Chelsea: Di Matteo has done well for himself & Chelsea since he took over from interim manager John Terry, who took over from interim manager Andre Villas-Boas. Fortunate not to be fired already for not winning the Champions League yet, Di Matteo will want to leave his mark on the club and return the FA Cup to London. Chelsea have won 3 FA Cups in the past 6 years which is an impressive return. This is a trophy they seem to know how to win. Rob himself won 2 FA Cups with Chelsea as a player in the late 90's, scoring in both Cup finals. Despite a poor season by their recent standards, Chelsea are seen as favourites for the FA Cup and for good reason. Torres has been the butt of many jokes this season, but has had a good run in the FA Cup & boasts 13 assists for the season. This ageing squad can still be one of the strongest in the league, although this may be the last time we see some of their star players together. Ironic that this team was nicknamed The Pensioners until the 50's. 

Team news: Ivanovic is suspended & A. Cole is doubtful.

Dangerman: Juan Mata. The Spanish dwarf has been the creative spark in the middle for Chelsea and as long as one of their strikers actually takes advantage of this, Chelsea will have goals served up on a platter.

FA Cup Quiz

Answer these correctly to win an amazing prize of a mention:

1. The 4 remaining teams each have won the FA Cup numerous times. Match the trophies to the team:

• 8 FA Cups -
• 7 FA Cups - 
• 6 FA Cups -
• 5 FA Cups -

2. Name the 2 managers remaining who have won the trophy as a player?

3. Only 1 manager remaining has never managed a team in the FA Cup final. Name him.

4. Who won the last FA Cup at "old Wembley"?

5. Who are the main sponsors of the FA Cup as of last season?