Bleacher Report - Articles by Zahi Sahli

Humor: We Know What Happened During The France—Ireland Clash

Zahi Sahli — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:42:53 -0500

It was a day like any other. Or not so.

Thierry Henry handled the ball, crossed a ball that was headed by William Gallas into the back of the net to launch France into the 2010 World Cup and eliminate Ireland from contention. Or is that only what "they" want us to see.

Was it FIFA, the ones who staged the match with a seeded draw, wanting Ireland to meet the French and bring all the media's attention to football by having a "controversial" goal scored late?

Was it the French who demanded that the last game and all its drama be held in Paris to attract more media spotlight to its capital? Or maybe it was all shot in a Hollywood studio!

Were the Irish in on it too? Does Henry's apology come from his heart or is it all scripted?

Ahh! We saw Henry coming down the bus. What was he doing talking with Ireland's assistant manager Marco Tardelli? They were laughing and smiling! They must be in on it!

What we have heard and are not so sure of until now (although we are pretty sure about the rest of the story) is that Henry called Diego Maradona to ask the Argentinian legend for help.

Henry asked Maradona about the "correct" usage of "the hand of God" in order to get the maximum out of cheating by using the hand and keeping it out of the referee's sight.

Maradona was reportedly happy to give Henry advice.

Later, when asked about the rumor, Maradona cursed using words familiar to his not-so-distant history in cursing and denied the whole alleged phone calls, deleting Henry's number from his phone book in the process.

Look at Henry's photo. Thierry "The Cheat" Henry. And he has his two arms raised up in the air! That's good. At least he knows he's the bad guy in this story.

It was all part of a great deal concerning the biggest countries in the world. For sure the United States know about it.

Or maybe it was all part of Saddam's plans to ruin the world. Or perhaps some aliens who we thought came "in peace". Oh, how evil can these green creatures get?

What if referee Hansson is an alien himself? He's a blind one, that's for sure. Or maybe Bleacher Report's Barney is even in on it so that he can write another brilliant edition of "The Great Debate".

Other theories however, include some who believe it was all—how can we put it? A "coincidence". Ha, if they only knew!

Ladies and gentlemen, we are in front of a new world order. Conspiracy lies among us. Maybe we are among those who are on it too.

No, it's not "just another game". It's the sign of the times! Is it 2012 already?!

Zahi's Notes: Behavior of Egyptian and Algerian Fans Is Shameful

Zahi Sahli — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:24:10 -0500

When I read the articles in the papers of Algeria and Egypt, I wonder whether some nations should have sports competitions on their agendas. Some writers seem to think that the two countries are at war.

It seems that the countries have no democratic institutions whatsoever and, in reality, have surrendered their dreams of social and economical satisfaction. It doesn't seem like they can take it when they lose yet another "dream".

This has happened several times in the history of many of the small countries' federations; a team loses a crucial game and right after that, the whole country calls for the head of the coach.

And even worse can happen. If the national team loses, the whole nation could claim that the referee is the reason, or the players have "betrayed" the country's people.

Before their national team's crucial group stage game against Algeria, Egyptian fans attacked the bus of the Algerian team. After Egypt won the match, many Egyptian corporations in Algeria were harmed and had to close after threats and attacks.

In Sudan, where the final playoff game was held (on a neutral field because it was part of the playoffs), the fans locked horns and fought in chaotic fashion after Algeria won the game.

Meanwhile, Ireland lost to France in a game in which Ireland dominated ball possession and was more dangerous than the French team.

Despite that, Ireland lost because of awful refereeing. But still, Giovanni Trapattoni shook hands with Raymond Domenech.

The Irish are disappointed. But they will not blame Trapattoni or the players. They know that they should be united in victory and in defeat.

That is simply not the case in Egypt.

Let us not forget that Egypt has won the last two African Cup of Nations. Egypt defeated Italy and had a historic game against Brazil in the Confederations Cup last year.

The Egyptians were led to all these major achievements with the same faces on their squad. Their coach, Hasan Shehata, must be credited and not criticized after so many great times and after coming extremely close to World Cup qualification.

The players must receive a standing ovation in Cairo, as I am sure the Irish players will be praised in their own home country.

Sports, after all, are all about discipline, peace, and sportsmanship.

Ireland Deserved To Progress to the World Cup

Zahi Sahli — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:55:14 -0500

I think all those watching on television and live in Paris would love to say in French to a spirited and literally fantastic Republic of Ireland team: chapeau bas.

Ireland went into the match against the mighty France in the worst conditions possible. They had lost on their own home soil and they had to travel to Paris to face world-class opponents.

But instead of panicking, Giovanni Trapattoni's men had the guts to put the French into a tough challenge and a truly classy competition was held. It was evident throughout the match in Paris that "the Irish were coming" close to victory.

After a 1-0 result in the first leg in Dublin with France scoring through a deflected Nicolas Anelka shot that found its way to the net somehow, France got lucky again tonight.

Robbie Keane had initially gotten Ireland the lead when "the hand of Henry" followed an outrageous mistake from the referee contributed to a late France goal. The goal—scored by William Gallas—did just enough to seal the qualification for France.

But what I personally saw on the pitch was a heroic performance by the inferior Irish players. Their misfortune twisted their fates as they could—and probably should—have secured a famous win.

What strikes me is the amount of danger Ireland caused to a world-class team with quality players on the pitch and on the bench.

What's missing France is a quality coach. Raymond Domenech is arguably one of the worst influences on a football team in modern times.

Domenech's team could not pose threat to a much weaker Ireland team. France were unable to possess the ball for long terms and could not be creative over two matches.

France scored two goals against Ireland in the two legs.

The first goal came from a lucky deflection. The second goal featured an incident that should have clearly been whistled as a handball. Initially, the chance came from a cross from the middle of the pitch from a foul in favor of France.

So during two matches, we did not see the mighty France we usually know. We could not see a side that challenge for the World Cup. Much like Real Madrid in the first galacticos era, we only saw big names and lost players on the pitch.

Domenech has actually reduced the roosters of France to chicks.

Our respects to a courageous Republic of Ireland team that has made every Irish man proud with a fantastic performance. Despite the failure to qualify, the team played brilliantly.

Trapattoni did a fantastic job getting the best of the Irish players who had failed to bring good results in the last couple of years.

And to Shay Given: yes that handball should have been given!

I understand the frustration after this game because of the terrible refereeing in the incident, but France will be going to the World Cup.

It is still unknown to me however, whether the French are lucky to qualify or they are unlucky that they are going into another major competition with Domenech at the helm of their national team.

Rumors & Realities: Crocked Arsenal and Broken-Down Liverpool

Zahi Sahli — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:36:25 -0500

Rumors & Realities is back with the latest humorous rumors in the world of football. Yes, we are not always funny. But at least we try.

R-R has been busy watching Arsenal run out of strikers, Liverpool play like Derby County, and Manchester United missing Cristiano Ronaldo yet not admitting it.

Chelsea has been in top form. They may be "old," according to Sir Alex Ferguson, but that isn't holding them back from beating Ferguson's United to the top of the table.

R-R wouldn't want to be tagged a Chelsea fan, but we can't help but take a swipe at the Spaniard tagged the fat chef.

Rafa Benitez recently said that the next game against Manchester City is an important one. It is so important that Liverpool can start the season with it.

The only problem is that while Liverpool are starting their season next week, Chelsea, United and Arsenal have started three months ago.

Transfer Rumors

Broken-down Liverpool are also thinking of luring either Real Madrid outcast Raffael van der Vaart or Benfica's Angel di Maria .

Whether they have money to fantasize about these players remains to be seen.

Who says Liverpool is only about Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard? Okay, perhaps it's everyone who watches football. But others think that Andriy Voronin can score 20 goals a season. Perhaps he can...if he goes to MLS.

With Robin van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner injured, Arsenal are ready to bounce on... absolutely no one.

On a more serious note, Fiorentina are interested in signing Roma's Matteo Brighi .

Brighi was destined for "greatness" according to Marcello Lippi a few years back. He hasn't turned into a great player, but he would certainly give Fiorentina a push.

Juventus, on the other hand, are said to be eying Manchester United's Nani .

Nani isn't too happy at Old Trafford since he has not really established himself as the new Ronaldo or the next Ryan Giggs. He's more of a new Solskjaer...although we rate him higher than Ferguson does.

Meanwhile, Manchester City are desperate to have a first team without home-grown players come next season.

They're so desperate to sign Daniel Alves or Maicon so that Micah Richards doesn't show up in their first eleven. The next step is probably finding a replacement for Stephen Ireland.

The Brazilian who made sure his country beat England's second team on Saturday, Nilmar , has caught the attention of many top clubs in Europe. The teams that are reportedly chasing him are Chelsea and Manchester United.

Chelsea will definitely miss Didier Drogba, among other Africans, when the African Cup of Nations comes by. Hence, they need another striker and Nilmar may fit the bill.

Finally, Milan are ready to put an end to their reputation as a 30 and above club.

They want to get rid of Giuseppe Favalli and Dida...perhaps as soon as the January transfer window opens.

Milan are interested in signing Moussa Sissoko and Ajax striker Luis Suarez . They might even opt to renew their interest in Edin Dzeko of Wolfsburg.

That's it for the rumors for now,

Ciao!

Zahi's Notes: Robert Enke Case Shows There's More to a Professional Than We Know

Zahi Sahli — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:33:11 -0500

Robert Enke's death has undoubtedly come as a shock to every football fan around the globe.

Germany's first-choice goalkeeper committed suicide in a train station after suffering from depression.

I cannot deny that I am personally in shock and that the story left me in tears. It's such a sad story to hear. Under the goalkeeper's uniform that he wore, we now get to see the human side of the story of a footballer.

I can't help but think, "How often do we neglect the fact that sportsmen are as human as any of us?"

If we look into the archive of football, we will see that football fans have sometimes been harsh towards some footballers.

All football fans recall Ronaldinho's magical performances a couple of years back in his Barcelona shirt. The Brazilian No. 10 was a magician. He played with a constant smile on his face. He loved what he was doing.

But after the media covered his late nights out, his drinking and dancing, the man lost his smile. We should not always blame the legs, for the psychological state of a sportsman is basically his ticket to success or failure.

Another story is that of Andriy Shevchenko. After the Ukraine striker moved to Chelsea with a reputation of a goal machine, Sheva lost his spark.

Maybe he is the type of man who needs time to settle in a new city. Maybe his English is weak and he found it difficult to communicate with people in London.

The critics rushed to write about his failure, and so they crushed his spirit even more.

Because sports is such an important part of our lives, it gets us on the edge of our seats. We are dazzled and drown in the excitement of watching our team play. We want professionals to be 100 percent professionals.

David Beckham is not allowed to miss a penalty? We get swept away in the moment of the thrill that carries us to limits of excitement beyond our imagination. We get to judge players who are under huge pressure forgetting they are humans.

So let's think for a while before we judge the players of our favorite team for not performing extremely well. Maybe they have problems in their lives, or perhaps they have lost interest in the game for a little while. Can anyone be perfectly "professional"?

So hey, let new fathers miss a game to see their newborn babies! Let players suffering from personal problems take a good break without making drama out of it! Let's just lift the masks off the faces of sportsmen and realize that they too are human.

Enke's tragic death comes to remind us that the sportsmen in uniforms, whom we expect perfection from, are as human as anybody.

My condolences and compassion to Robert Enke's family and friends.

The Footie's Rooster Call: Everybody Hates Diving

Zahi Sahli — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 08:24:12 -0400

Rise and shine football fanatics, The Rooster has already woken up, checked on his chickens, read the newspapers, flipped all the unnecessary pages, landed his feathery hands on the sports section, circled the uncanny news on the page and drank his morning coffee. It’s another beautiful day in our football world.

From Didier Drogba and Cristiano Ronaldo to Eduardo and Wayne Rooney, the theatrical art of diving seems to be on the rise in football.

A man with Rooney's physique may well be standing still and unmoved after being hit by a truck. Yet a mini-tussle makes him fall to the ground and appeal for a penalty. That's an eyebrow-raising, beautiful "co-incidence."

But the man of the moment is Eduardo. Known for his accurate left foot, Eduardo has been tipped to move away from London and to Hollywood soon after his brilliant piece of acting at Celtic.

The interesting issue is that FIFA has chosen to ban Eduardo. With Arsene Wenger tagging the decision as "disgraceful", some ask why the Croatia striker has been singled out in the new trend of theatrical football.

Ronaldo, Drogba and a host of other players have had their share in faking injuries to appeal for fouls and never had they been fined as it is in Eduardo's case.

But in all fairness to them, they knew how to act. When FIFA used to view the replays, the referee's decisions would be seen as controversial.

However, Eduardo left no doubt in anybody's mind. He didn't even try to conceal his theatrics. Maybe he didn't know a close camera was rolling. Or maybe he's not such a talented actor.

Maybe he got fined for not being such a talented actor. After all, Arsenal are paying him millions and he's playing in the English Premier League. Can he not even act?

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Guess who hates diving? Okay, everybody-even Sir Alex Ferguson.

Yes, Ferguson might have stood by Ronaldo all the time as the Portuguese, who is "living his boyhood dream" at the Bernabeu after he did exactly that at Old Trafford, made a living out of diving.

Yes, Ronaldo took his theatrics to the ultimate theatre, the great Old Trafford. They were great times for Manchester United and Ferguson had never talked of his player's acting.

But now, since it's not his player-more specifically since Eduardo's a Gunner-Ferguson seems to emphasize the importance of catching the criminals in every way possible.

It's never bad to change one's opinion for the better, but The Rooster would love to know Ferguson's views on Rooney's antics.

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Happy Birthday

Emre Belozuglu and Gabriel Milito turn 29 today.

That wraps up this edition of The Footie's Rooster Call.

Why Zlatan Ibrahimovic Might Turn Out To Be a Barcelona Flop

Zahi Sahli — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:23:31 -0400

It's too early in the season to judge any player who has moved clubs over the summer, but there are plenty of reasons, in my own mind, why Zlatan Ibrahimovic might fail to live up to expectations at Barcelona.

Ibrahimovic seems more than intent on proving that he is worth the money spent on him. Adding Samuel Eto'o to the deal piles the pressure on Ibra to show that he can offer more to this Barcelona than his Cameroonian predecessor.

Studying Ibrahimovic closely in his first couple of performances, it is clear to see that he has really been trying a bit too hard to justify his price tag.

But it won't really be all his fault if he fails. The problem will be more of an overlooked detail that Barcelona did not think of when they launched the mega deal to secure the Swede's services.

First of all, Ibrahimovic is not an ordinary number nine striker. He's more of the Thierry Henry-type than a Samuel Eto'o-type of player.

Thus, he did not fit well in Jose Mourinho's 4-3-3 formation at Inter Milan. Mourinho had to shift to a 4-4-2 diamond formation, which paired the Sweden international alongside a top finisher upfront.

With Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry helping to set up the play, Barcelona simply need a finisher.

On many occasions, Ibrahimovic is spotted outside the box, dropping deep to set up play, which proves this point. What makes him a special footballer is his dribbling, power and pace attributes, while his finishing cannot match the quality of Eto'o's.

Although there is no doubt about his quality, his strengths may not match up with what Barcelona need in a striker.

Another reason is the pressure on the whole Barca team to produce top performances and match last season's achievements.

The pressure will surely be great on Messi, Henry, Xavi and other Barca players. If Ibra doesn't get the chances, he won't score. That is, of course, if they find him in the box!

Have Your Say: What's The Best Summer Transfer Deal?

Zahi Sahli — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 06:01:08 -0400

As it is the case with every summer, a host of players have moved clubs around Europe.

However, this transfer season has been one that will go down in the history books as many of the best players in the world moved in a bid to add to their personal trophy cupboard.

Without a doubt, the return of Florentino Perez in his reign as Real Madrid president has added thrill to the market this season. The signings of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Xabi Alonso, and Kaka have caught the eyes of the football world.

Also Manchester City did well to contribute to the inflation of prices, making fantastic signings along the way.

Despite Real Madrid and Manchester City making the most eye-catching, big-name signings, some clubs made excellent signings and brought in value for money.

Diego (Werder Bremen to Juventus) for €25million

The Brazilian star was amazing last season as he contributed to his side's excellent showing at the UEFA Cup. Bremen reached the final of the competition.

Diego will be among the stars of the new-shaped Juventus team that wants to challenge for all honors.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic swapped for Samuel Eto'o plus €40million (Barcelona and Inter)

I can't see where Barcelona will benefit from this deal. I see it as a deal for Inter.

This is probably the best deal I have ever seen Inter complete. 40 million Euros is a great sum of money and Samuel Eto'o is among the best finishers in world football.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United to Real Madrid) for £80m

One of the finest wingers in the world and definitely among the best players in the world today, Cristiano Ronaldo chose to part ways with The Red Devils in favor of playing at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The deal wasn't really a bargain at £80 million, but surely it's a top signing for Real.

Lucio (Bayern Munich to Inter)

Although the clubs chose not to disclose the transfer fee, the deal is said to have cost Inter about €9million as Lucio was in his final year of contract. It's definitely a bargain for the towering Brazilian.

Gareth Barry (Aston Villa to Manchester City) for £12m

Simply, a superb signing. A reliable and versatile midfielder at £12 million, Barry can be City's most interesting player this season.

Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid to Juventus) on a free-transfer

Even though Cannavaro has passed his peak, nobody can deny that he still has quality to offer. And signing a former World's Best Player for free isn't a bad deal at all!

Kaka (Milan to Real Madrid) for £50m

After a lot of drama in the media in the last two years, Kaka has moved to Real Madrid and away from his beloved Milan.

Karim Benzema (Lyon to Real Madrid) for €35 million

Benzema was arguably the most-hyped player in the French Ligue 1. His move to Real Madrid came after interest from several parties including Manchester United and Chelsea.

Xabi Alonso (Liverpool to Real Madrid) for €35 million

Alonso's move to Real Madrid shows a huge change in the mentality of the Real Madrid board as the Spanish midfielder can man-mark as well as be pushed forward.

Glen Johnson (Portsmouth to Liverpool) for £18.5 million

After Alvaro Arbeloa left Anfield in favor of a Real Madrid return, Liverpool had to sign a quality right-back. Johnson is arguably the best right-back in England today.

Wesley Sneijder (Real Madrid to Inter) €14million

Sneijder is exactly what Jose Mourinho's Inter wanted. He's a playmaker who can form the much-needed link between the forward and midfield line. It's a fantastic deal at €14m.

Arjen Robben (Real Madrid to Bayern) for €25m

Robben has proved himself to be a world-class winger at Chelsea as well as Real Madrid. Having been told he is surplus to requirements at Real Madrid after a host of talented players signed for Real, Robben moved to Bayern.

With his talent and experience, Robben is an intriguing signing.

Michael Owen (Newcastle to Manchester United) on a free-transfer

I honestly don't believe that Owen will go back to his best, but signing a player with such a glorious past on a free-transfer has to be a good deal.

Plus, I wouldn't want to disappoint United fans.

Other top signings:

Kolo Toure (Arsenal to Manchester City) for £15m

Carlos Tevez (Manchester United to Manchester City) for £25.5m

Emmaneul Adebayor (Arsenal to Manchester City) for £25m

Joleon Lescott (Everton to Manchster City) for £22m

Fabio Grosso (Lyon to Juventus) for £3m

Thomas Vermaelen (Ajax to Arsenal) £10m

Stewart Downing (Middlesborough to Aston Villa) for £12m

Darren Bent (Tottenham Hotspur to Sunderland) for £10m

Marco Amelia (Palermo to Genoa) for €6m

Felipe Melo (Fiorentina to Juventus) €20m

Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (Zenit to Bayern) €12m

Marco Motta (Udinese to Roma) for £6m

Ramires (Cruzeiro to Benfica) for £6.5m

Peter Crouch (Portsmouth to Tottenham) £10m

So here you go, these are the top deals of the summer. Which one is the best?

Did I miss a great signing? Have Your Say!

Calcio Chat: Are Milan and Juventus Serious Challengers For Inter?

Zahi Sahli — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:41:27 -0400

Hello and welcome to the Serie A version of round table, Calcio Chat.

Milan and Juventus have looked upon Inter with envy as the Nerrazzurri cruised to their fourth straight Serie A title. But this season, will it be different? Will Juve and Milan be able to seriously challenge Inter for the Serie A crown?

Around the roundtable today, we welcome Zahi Sahli, Adamo Digby, Andrew Jordan, Matthew Maloney, Mohamed Eldin Masri and Rocky Getters to discuss this matter.

Q: What do you think Andrew?

I think it's in Leonardo's hands. Adding Klaas Jan Huntelaar from Real Madrid will also help the club throughout the season. I see AC Milan finishing third, not more. They would need an extra player to challenge.

Inter made a great deal to get Eto'o plus 45 million euros for Ibrahimovic, and Juventus got Diego from Werder Bremen. Diego will be a key asset for Juventus.

But still, I just see Mourinho leading Inter to yet another Serie A championship, as they will get by Juventus by several points and will have a strong run to close out the season.

Q: Yes, about Diego, can he make Juventus competitive enough to make the Old Lady land the Serie A title, Zahi?

Diego is one of the best signings this summer especially in terms of quality for money. Off course you can't compare him to Real Madrid's signings but at the same time you can't compare the fees paid.

Diego will bring great change to the Serie A. Juventus will be much more powerful than last season with an excellent playmaker.

But on the other hand, Inter have also strengthened their team with their signings, so I think the gap will still be there. I say Inter will get the Serie A, but not without a fight from Juventus. Milan will contend, but Juve are better.

Q: Do you agree Adamo?

Surely. This will be a competitive season. I think the Calciopoli scandal handed the title to Inter for the past few years. Losing Ibrahimovic is a massive blow for them.

Milan won't be pushing them however, as losing your captain, match winner and tactician in one summer is impossible to overcome.

Juventus will mount a serious challenge at long last. The midfield has been strengthen with the arrival of Felipe Melo, the defence gains vital experience from Cannavaro's return. The forwards will benefit from Diego's arrival as the fantasista will allow them to play closer to goal, Del Piero in particular should flourish.

Q: The Juventus faithful are without a doubt hoping that Del Piero flourishes next season. But as for Inter, can Eto'o and Milito fill in Ibrahimovic's shoes, Matthew?

Millito and Eto'o should more than make up for Ibrahimovic, and are likely to surpass his goal tally from last season while Motta and the possible addition of a playmaker can only strengthen the squad which if anything seems stronger than last season.

I'm not a fan of rookie players or coaches at the highest level. While Inter have Mourinho as manager, Juve and Milan have two rookies in the shapes of Ciro Ferrara and Leonardo.

Imagine finding out a rookie airline pilot was flying the plane you were on: you would not be comfortable!

Pre-season results confirm something I suspected and the Italian league's tactical aspects demands experienced coaches. Even looking at the squads, Milan have definitely went far back in terms of quality with the loss of Maldini and Kaka.

This may be a transition season and no more. While Juventus have strengthened, Inter are still stronger. I find it would be a hard sell saying the additions fully make up the 10 points that separated the teams last season.

Q: So you actually think Inter have improved their quality. What about you, Mohamed?

Inter have taken a big knock in my eyes. Milan still can't find themselves so to make a long story short, Milan do not have the quality to contend. Meanwhile Juventus might be the most likely contenders for Inter.

If Juventus are consistent enough, they will be destined to lift the Serie A title this year.

Q: Will we see a competitive Serie A next season, Rocky?

Milan is in a rebuilding process right now, and the key new signings Huntelaar and Oneyewu, though brilliant, will take time to settle. Despite the departure of Kaka, Milan have a strong side with quality players; but going by our pre-season performances so far, the team is still discovering itself under Leonardo. Once the team gels together well, I see Milan doing extremely well in the league; it just comes down to how quickly Leo can get Milan going.

Inter and Juventus, on the other hand, have balanced sides and will take an early lead in the points table. Jose wants Inter to do well in the CL, and that might serve as a perfect distraction. I don't think Inter will cruise to another Serie A title, but for that, Juve and Milan especially, will have to play to their best potential to keep the Nerrazurri at bay! But of course, Juventus are still second favorites behind Inter.

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So that about raps up this edition of Calcio Chat, the Serie A Roundtable.

Thank you for joining us. Don't forget, we value your opinion.

This edition's question: Can Juventus and Milan compete with Inter for the Serie A title?

Have Your Say!

Carlo Ancelotti Undermines The Importance of Winning Trophies

Zahi Sahli — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 07:04:49 -0400

Carlo Ancelotti has surprisingly said that winning trophies is not Chelsea's priority. The Blues, in his point of view, should look to realize their potential.

When Ancelotti was asked if not winning a trophy would mean failure, he replied, “No, this is not my [measure]—for the season is not all important to win, it is important that Chelsea do the maximum of the team's possibilities.”

“It's a very competitive championship, there are a lot of great teams that can win it,” said the Chelsea boss.

Chelsea undoubtedly has one of the best teams in the world and matching Chelsea's potential has to mean winning silverware.

Ancelotti wouldn't want to test Abramovich's patience for the Russian billionaire has sacked many good coaches who did well—but not fantastically.

For example, Avram Grant did very well to pick up Chelsea after Jose Mourinho's sacking two years ago.

Grant took Chelsea to the Champions League Final, only to lose to Manchester United on penalties.

The team was struggling before becoming extremely competitive and only losing the English Premier League on the final match of the season.

And even though Grant made Chelsea realize their potential, still he got sacked.

After Grant came Luiz Felipe Scolari.

The Brazilian manager was not given enough cash to spend and could not find the right formula for the team and could not motivate his players enough.

After a good start, Chelsea's form drastically deteriorated which eventually made Scolari face the sack.

So as you see, Chelsea's demands go beyond "realizing their potential".

Chelsea want silverware, and if Ancelotti fails to bring silverware, his job might be in the balance.

Inter Milan In The Hunt For a Playmaker, Who Should They Sign?

Zahi Sahli — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 21:05:02 -0400

Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho has admitted that his squad is not complete yet. Despite strengthening his team by signing Lucio, Samuel Eto'o, Diego Milito and Thiago Motta, Mourinho believes that the Italian champions' squad still needs a playmaker.

Although Dejan Stankovic played well last season, the Serbian playmaker is certainly past his peak and Inter are actively looking to acquire a creative midfielder who can provide the link between the forward line and center midfield in Mourinho's diamond formation.

The media has already talked of several options that Inter are rumored to be interested in signing. Here are some of the possible candidates:

Raffael van der Vaart (Real Madrid)

The Dutch playmaker only arrived at Real Madrid last season from Hamburg. However, his first-team chances have been extremely limited. With the new arrivals at Real Madrid, van der Vaart has been deemed surplus to requirements at Santiago Bernabeu.

Van der Vaart has proven his abilities at Ajax as well as Hamburg where he was the star of the German team before moving to the Spanish capital to play with Real Madrid.

Wesley Sneijder (Real Madrid)

Real Madrid have not said that the Dutch playmaker is up for sale. Yet with plenty of excellent players arriving at Real Madrid, Sneijder's playing time might become limited.

Sneijder's creativity, passing, vision and technique might be what Inter are looking for. Sneijder is also an expert at set-pieces.

Deco (Chelsea)

The Portuguese playmaker has already served under Jose Mourinho at Porto, where the duo won many accolades including Porto's surprising Champions League victory in 2004.

Deco enjoyed a good start at Chelsea last season, but injuries and a slump in form caused the Portuguese to fall down in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge.

Although he turns 32 this month, Deco can be a very useful addition to Inter's squad as a playmaker is urgently needed by Mourinho.

Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria)

Cassano is one of the most talented Italian players in the Serie A. His Serie A and international experience along with his talent and creativity can be what Inter require to be transformed into a "complete team".

The only issue is Cassano's negative influence in the dressing rooms. But with Mourinho's no-nonsense policy, Cassano will not cause any trouble.

Cassano can be an excellent choice for Inter since he can serve as an attacking midfielder and a striker too which means he can really be of great benefit for Inter in case of injuries or bans.

Any other possible candidates? Who do you think Inter should sign?

Zahi's Notes: From a Great Footballer to a Great Man

Zahi Sahli — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 20:23:25 -0400

Dear Diary,

In my short journey in this life, I've found a million reasons and more that makes a crowd feel that a certain person is particularly great.

He who is a good citizen is forever a great man; he who is proud of what he has been given and appreciative of his own "gifts of nature" has an unyielding art.

He who enjoys competition and yet continues to work hard in search of a victory only through a fair game is a great man, an artist in human morality.

He who is raised to appreciate morality, stand facing the hardships of life with iron will and great determination is closest to the eternal splendor of God.

That is the same man who is helpful and lives to welcome a smile and smile back in search of a happiness beyond the reach of most mortals. This man is as close to perfection as possible for a human.

In football, this good man takes his goodness as a citizen and a human to the pitch.

Surely talent is required, but greatness is a far-fetched dream for a man with impressive dribbling and low morals.

I have never heard that the likes of Andrea Pirlo, Ryan Giggs, Paolo Maldini, Frank Lampard, or Xavi ever got addicted to a certain drug or had a fight with a bouncer outside a nightclub.

Such is the professionalism of a great footballer turned into a great man.

The great footballer dribbles well, passes with accuracy and finds the back of the net at most times after taking a shot, but a great man does more than just that.

A great man tackles in search of the ball, not the opponents leg. No matter how his self-crafted rage demands his body to go even beyond the limits of professionalism, a great man would keep humanity first.

A great man would help up an injured player, never point to a crowd with immoral signs and never leave his beloved club for a little bit of extra cash.

That is because he searches for the pleasure of having a good job and living well, without demanding sky-high wages. He seeks a life of having sufficient resources and does not solely aim for the temporary Hollywood spotlight.

Such is the image of a great man. If we happen to be lucky enough to watch a great footballer play, then we are lucky. But if we view a great footballer and a great man, then double the luck.

For, my dear diary, I believe that success lies in both having a great career and for being a great man, but eternal satisfaction only lies in the hearts of great men.

Why Manchester City's Revolution Might Benefit Their Rivals

Zahi Sahli — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 19:48:07 -0400

Real Madrid may be the stars of this transfer market, but Manchester City have taken the transfer season by a storm in England with top-quality signings. But can City's plans be favoring their rivals over them?

The Eastlands club have splashed the cash, signing top players this summer.

City have signed two players from Arsenal, Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure.

While the two former Gunners are undoubtedly excellent players, the City players will feel the growing pressure of the media and fans. They will have to gel quickly and get the right results to keep their supporters and the board happy.

Meanwhile Arsenal's sale of two of their first-team stars decreases the pressure on them without really stalling The Gunners' ability to contend for a Champions League spot at the very least.

Arsenal's policy makes them work under little pressure while City's big-name signings and great spending means they have to deliver as soon as possible.

But I find City's pursuit of Joleon Lescott to be the least intelligent transfer of the summer for the Eastlands club.

First, City will have to spend £30 million to sign Lescott, which is a hefty sum for any player, keeping in mind that Lescott isn't a world-class defender. Such a sum has been spent by Manchester United to buy Rio Ferdinand. But Lescott isn't Ferdinand.

Second, City will be giving a potential rival £30 million to spend. Everton's David Moyes knows how to spend the money he gets very well and £30 million can do miracles for him.

City may have a splendid team on paper but the players will need to gel in altogether to be more of a team than a bunch of good players. With Arsenal, Everton and Aston Villa being the better teams currently, perhaps City's big-spending will back-fire.

Or maybe not.

What do you think?

Have Your Say.

Rumors & Realities Humor: No, No, It's Beyond "Arsene Knows Best"

Zahi Sahli — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 00:23:27 -0400

Arsenal have not made a signing that has caught the eyes of football spectators. However, they have left a mark in the football transfer market this season by selling top players in what R-R classifies as an "unclear clear-out".

Other than the fact that Arsene Wenger has actually sold two of his top players in Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure to soon-to-be fierce rivals Manchester City, R-R has another phenomenon catching its open eyes-and mouth for that matter.

That phenomenon is Arsenal fans' justification of whatever Wenger does. To say it right, without angering any Arsenal fans, we have been getting a daily dosage of entertainment when reading some of the articles of some writers who always analyze in a positive manner.

It's beyond "Arsene knows Best", it's more of an "Arsene is God" or even "We Are Not in Denial, We Are Arsenal Fans".

The way Arsenal fans have been finding excuses for selling their best players has been extremely humorous, and even creative, for that matter.

R-R has read many comments and articles of the "Know-it-all" fans, who happen to know the shoe size of every Gunner, and R-R has been amazed.

"Why did we sell Adebayor? I'll tell you why... Ah... He's not faithful, that's right. He's no good anyway. No we don't need him. We've got Bendtner!"

R-R has never seen Bendtner do something, anything meaningful that implies that he has any talent of any kind on a green football pitch. Never.

"Why did we sell Toure? He's getting old you know (oh yes, we forgot about Arsenal's under-18 policy). How can we count on him? He's gotten Malaria, you simply can't blame us for selling him. 16 million is good, we'll get a better one."

That's exactly what was said when Arsenal sold Patrick Vieira and when they let Thierry Henry go. "We'll find a replacement". R-R is not sure they did (smirk).

But the best of what R-R had to read on the web was this one (approximation of what was read. R-R loves to add some spice. Yes, we used to be chefs).

"I'm sure Arsene Wenger knows what he's doing. You think he'll let Toure leave without having a plan. He will do it right, as always. Wenger is the best in the world, and you know that. Wenger will bring in another Toure who will be even better than this one!"

Is this a call for Arsenal to sign Yaya Toure?

And with Joleon Lescott's possible move to Manchester City, Everton will turn their sights to signing a decent defender.

Who's selling?

Oh yes, that's Arsenal. R-R suspects Arsene Wenger has opened himself a summer garage sale to sell all his players and get himself a squad made up of French teenagers.

That's his "veghsion of Heavan".

Philippe Senderos is wanted by Everton. Psst, Wenger!

Wenger, "What is it that you want fghom me?"

R-R, "They're gonna get Senderos from you too!"

Wenger, "Yes. So, I don't caghe. I don't I tell you. They're will be an adequate replacement. I will get Willy. Knock-knock."

R-R, "Who's theghe? I mean there!"

Wenger, "Wengegh!"

R-R, "I really don't get it, Wenger who?"

Wenger, "Wengegh with a special someone."

R-R, "Special someone who?"

Wenger, "I am Willy"

R-R, "Willy who?"

Wenger, "Willy, the 5 month-old French staghlet, soon-to-sign fogh Aghsenal! Oh oui, oui, Willy cannot only play with a soft ball, he has also beaten Sponge Bob in a one-in-one contest and continues to pghactise how to get up from sleep in his baby-bed. Yes, he's a bghilliant football pghospect"

R-R, "Wow Wenger... That's... Wow"

Wenger, "Hoo hoo hoo... Yes. I know. Hoo hoo hoo".

While Arsenal fans believe Wenger knows best, some R-R fans have been rioting and sounding-out their love for this series. Rumors & Realities will be back with... Well, rumors and realities in the next edition to show that it can be said that...

"R-R Knows Best"

PS: This article is fictional and written for humor purposes. The writer respects all point of views and has deep respect for Arsene Wenger and Arsenal fans. Although I may not really have their love at this moment. Please don't boycott my articles.

Dedicated to my friend Abhimanyu Vinay Rajput on B/R.

Special dedication to my dear friends and Arsenal fans Maire Ofeire, Callum D'Souza, and Shyam Parthasarathi. Laughter is the best medicine guys.

Thank you,

Zahi Sahli

Pep Guardiola May Have Been Right In Selling Samuel Eto'o

Zahi Sahli — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 23:02:14 -0400

Surely the sale of a major striker at Barcelona, who happens to be a top goalscorer, netting 25 goals a season, raises some questions.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola had, since arriving to the Barcelona managerial post last season, expressed his desire to sell Cameroonian star Samuel Eto'o.

Eto'o has been instrumental in Barcelona's success story for five consecutive years, finding the net 130 times with the Catalan giants and winning the UEFA Champions League twice.

Many have questioned Guardiola's wisdom in selling one of his top stars, who have established themselves in La Liga. As part of the mega swap deal between Inter and Barcelona, Zlatan Ibrahimovic arrives to Catalunya.

Although no one can deny the talent of the Sweden international, Ibrahimovic will need time to fully adapt to Spanish football.

However, there is another side in the shadows of this story. Guardiola might be analyzing the past experiences of Barcelona and building on them in his future plans.

Guardiola's predecessor, Frank Rijkaard, had just won the double in the 2005-06 season in style when things started to go in the wrong direction.

After a magnificent season that saw Barcelona dominate Spain and Europe with Rijkaard building a strong team around Ronaldinho with a brilliant attacking 4-3-3 system, the Dutch manager failed to bring changes in the following years.

He sticked with the same tactics and players and eventually lost the Spanish and European crown.

While upon his arrival, Guardiola put the major faces in Rijkaard's era up-for-sale. Deco was transferred to Chelsea and Ronaldinho was sold to AC Milan.

Since the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi are deemed as the heroes at Barcelona, the last unwanted piece of Rijkaard's time is Samuel Eto'o.

Thus, Guardiola wants a new era of success and sees that change must come every year to enhance the team from one hand and keep the enthusiasm at the Catalan club at the highest level possible.

The change is not merely restricted to the modification of faces at the Nou Camp. Ibrahimovic's arrival means there will be a change of tactics.

It is quite different when a team plays an attacker such as Eto'o up-front and a team that employs Ibrahimovic as striker.

Eto'o is characterized by his pace and his finishing attributes. Meanwhile Ibra is a better player in terms of technique and strength. Ibrahimovic is considered a target man.

Ibrahimovic can be employed as a second-striker as he can easily set-up plays and assist. Eto'o, on the other hand, is a perfect striker who enjoys to run with the ball towards goal and confronting the opposition's goalkeeper.

Another possible reason for this swap can be Barcelona's need to bring attention to their club. While Real Madrid spend great sums of cash on players, the Madrid giants were taking all the media attention away from the treble heroes.

The only solution to bring the media focus and the supporters' delight was to splash the cash by making a big-name signing.

This big-name signing had to be Ibrahimovic. However, there is no denying that Eto'o is a big loss for Barcelona.

Guardiola will hope "Ibracadabra" can bring some magic to his team's performances, but still Eto'o is a major loss and I still think Inter Milan got themselves a great deal after signing Eto'o and making a decent €40 million in the process.

Manchester City: Perhaps Three Signings Away from the Premier League

Zahi Sahli — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:18:10 -0400

Manchester City have had an excellent transfer season so far, signing players of high quality. Their big-name signings include Emmanuel Adebayor, Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz, and Gareth Barry.

They have more-than-capable strikers with Santa Cruz, Adebayor, Tevez, Robinho, Craig Bellamy, and Valeri Bojinov.

In midfield, Stephen Ireland, Nigel de Jong, and Gareth Barry are terrific center midfielders. City also have decent wingers in Martin Petrov and Shaun Wright-Phillips. Meanwhile Robinho can also shift to a wing role.

City also have a reliable goalkeeper as Shay Given and a good defense that features the likes of Wayne Bridge, Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta and Richard Dunne. However, City have been linked to John Terry, Joleon Lescott and Kolo Toure.

John Terry has snubbed City in order to continue playing at Chelsea. However, City seem ready to increase their bid to land Lescott while Arsene Wenger has admitted Toure may be set to leave The Gunners to play at The City of Manchester.

Now I think Manchester City are really beginning to build a squad capable of challenging for the Premier League. In my eyes, City need to land three more players to challenge.

First, City need a midfielder. A creative midfielder who can defend and attack as well. Remember a team that once had a similar revolution built around money? Well, that team was Chelsea, and lucky for them, they had a player called Frank Lampard.

City need to get themselves a Lampard. Perhaps not the player himself, but a similar footballer. City do have the cash to hijack Real Madrid's bid for Xabi Alonso!

Or, if that fails, how about Tim Cahill or Joa Moutinho? It's better to have English Premier League experience, but valid options are Roma's duo Daniele De Rossi and Alberto Aquilani.

In defense, City would have an iron defense if they sign two defenders. Toure would be perfect. I am not a big fan of Lescott and would have preferred if City would chase Ricardo Carvalho or Inter's new signing Lucio or Porto's Bruno Alves.

But hey, if City sign Lescott, Toure and a decent midfielder, I seriously think Manchester City can contend. And I am not the only person who thinks that way.

Jose Mourinho has picked Manchester City to be the champions of England this season. I second that. Who "thirds" it?

Manchester City for the English Premier League?

Have Your Say!

The Footie's Rooster Call: A Boxing Lesson with Stevie G

Zahi Sahli — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:01:46 -0400

Rise and shine football fanatics, The Rooster has already woken up, checked on his chickens, read the newspapers, flipped all the unnecessary pages, landed his feathery hands on the sports section, circled the uncanny news on the page, and drank his morning coffee. It’s another beautiful day in our football world.

And on the right corner, Stevie "the nightclub boxer" Gerrard

Oh yes, nothing like a talented fella’!

We all know that Steven Gerrard can run and more than half of the overpaid footballers on the football pitch, pass better than three-quarters of them, and puts his heart into football more than them all, but there’s more to Stevie G than we know.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, if you are interested in learning some quick boxing moves, don’t bother watch Mohammad Ali in the ring and don’t put your name on a list in some neighborhood boxing school, because you can get your lessons from the Liverpool captain himself.

Aside from him knowing how to throw quick punches, Stevie G knows how to do it in “the speed and style of a professional boxer.”

The Liverpool captain had a fight in Lounge Inn nightclub with 34-year-old Marcus McGee.

The row erupted after Gerrard asked McGee for a card controlling the CD player, saying: "Give me that, lad," the court heard.

"Mr. McGee took offence at his attitude and the expression 'lad' and he refused. Not many people on Merseyside, or indeed anywhere else, would refuse a request from Steven Gerrard but Mr. McGee did," said prosecutor David Turner.

Gerrard was left fuming by the exchange, and six minutes later came back over to Mr. McGee, swearing and squaring up to him "in the sort of hostile confrontation that is often seen between professional footballers."

"Steven Gerrard had clearly lost his cool: He was angry with Marcus McGee," said Turner.

Gerrard's friends came over to help, and one of them, John Doran, pushed McGee away and "could not resist following through with his right elbow into Mr McGee's face", said Turner.

"We say at this stage Gerrard totally lost it.

"Within seconds, Steven Gerrard joined in the attack with a succession of well aimed uppercut punches delivered with the style and speed of a professional boxer rather than a professional footballer."

Turner said the key question was whether Gerrard was acting in self-defence.

"Steven Gerrard is a world class footballer. He has the honour to be captain of Liverpool FC and to play for England. He is a star. He is Liverpool born and bred and here on Merseyside is a hero," he said.

"We do not say that Mr. Gerrard is normally an arrogant man, we don't say that he is a bully.

"What we do say is that that night he just lost his self control and joined in an attack which should never have taken place. He let himself down."

Gerrard is facing trial alone, after five co-defendants admitted affray, and one admitted a lesser charge of threatening behaviour.

---

The Rooster Hopes…

- That Javier Mascherano will stay after the Argentine said he is “tired of England.” The Rooster cannot imagine a Macherano-less Liverpool.

- That Michael Owen can show his worth in the Manchester United shirt although he would have maybe fit in better in a Sam Allardyce team.

- That the mega-swap deal between Inter and Barcelona goes through. The Rooster thinks Inter are the winners out of it. You will see.

Happy Birthday

Today, new Aston Villa signing Stewart Downing turns 25, Dennis Rommedahl turns 31, Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt turns 29, and former Juventus and current Fiorentina winger Marco Marchionni also turns 29.

Story of the Day

Javier Mascherano is tired of life in England and wants a move to Spain. Hello, Barcelona?

Rumors & Realities: Marouane Chamakh on Lyon and Arsenal Radars

Zahi Sahli — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:53:54 -0400

Marouane Chamakh has been tipped to move to Arsenal after Gunners manager Arsene Wenger sounded out his interest in the Bordeaux striker.

However, Adebayor-less Arsenal's plans to sign Chamakh might be jeopardized by Lyon.

Lyon president recently stated that he would welcome Chamakh with open arms. However, Marouane Chamakh prefers to hug Wenger, as reports suggest the Morocco striker would rather move to England.

Well, it's better to be an Adebayor-less striker than to be a striker-less club. Roma know that and that's why they have their eyes on Roman Pavlyuchenko.

Although Tottenham are yet to receive a bid for their Russian goalscorer (we should drop goalscorer, R-R knows), Roma are keen to sign Roman.

Back in France, Lyon are hoping to sign Wagner Love should Chamakh decide to move to London and play at the Emirates.

Chamakh's move to Arsenal might well give him more of a home feeling than to move to Lyon.

Sunderland and Everton are in the race to try and sign Marseille captain Lorik Cana. The ex-Liverpool target is keen on a move to the Premier League according to reports.

Meanwhile, Fiorentina are monitoring Porto's Fernando as a possible replacement for Felipe Melo who joined Juventus.

Fiorentina have also signed Serie B side Lecce's hitman Jose Castillo.

Egypt goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary has left Swiss outfit FC Sion and moved back to his homeland. The former Al-Ahly 'keeper has officially moved to Ismaily.

On a final note, Mallorca are reportedly set to sign Chelsea's youngster Sergio Tejera.

Xabi Alonso Leaving Liverpool Must Be a Mega-Swap Deal for Reds to Improve

Zahi Sahli — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:32:27 -0400

Real Madrid have been chasing Liverpool's Xabi Alonso since the beginning of this summer. A move seems likely, as Real's reputation, "project," and mega-bucks will surely tempt the Reds to sell and Alonso to move to Madrid.

Reports are linking Alonso to a £35m switch to Real Madrid.

However, after seeing the Barcelona-Inter mega-swap deal that is set to be completed by Thursday, Liverpool might benefit most if they look for a similar deal.

Why?

Liverpool want Valencia's David Silva, who would cost big money. He may be tempted to stay in Spain and head to Real Madrid should they sound their interest in order to scupper Liverpool's bid.

But Silva can be replaced by Madrid's Arjen Robben, who has Premier League experience and is unsettled at Real Madrid.

Robben had wonderful years at Chelsea where he was a star at the Bridge, helping guide the Blues to consecutive league titles and Champions League semifinals.

Similarly, since Gareth Barry moved to Manchester City, the Alonso-shaped hole in the Liverpool midfield might well be filled by Wesley Sneijder, who is also unwanted at Real Madrid.

Sneijder is a proven midfielder on the club and international level. He has the creativity and vision that Liverpool need for the transition from midfield to attack.

Sneijder will fit in next to Steven Gerrard and Javier Mascherano, while Robben will play on one flank with Albert Riera or Dirk Kuyt on the other wing with Fernando Torres as a lone striker, in what can be a superb offensive force.

The Reds already have a reliable goalkeeper and a very good defensive line, and if Sneijder and Robben move to Liverpool, the Reds will be my favorites to finally land the English Premier League title.

Zahi's Notes: The Transfer Market in 2020

Zahi Sahli — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:54:41 -0400

It's open world we live in... Crazy isn't it? And that's how the transfer market is turning out to be, too.

A decade ago, a million Pounds were considered crazy money, but in 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo thinks his £80 million tag is justified.

Meanwhile Kaka moved to Real Madrid for £50m and Zlatan Ibrahimovic is about to move to Barcelona for £35 plus two excellent players (Alexander Hleb and Samuel Eto'o) moving to Inter, the club he will be leaving.

The transfer market has not only seen very expensive moves, but numerous players have been moving clubs more than once in a single year.

And players seem unsettled right after moving their clubs. If they are paid very well and yet eye a better contract, they would want a move away.

Because it seems a footballer can't live on a £100,000-a-week! Poor, old footballers! What can £5 million-year do?

And the player's wants and dissatisfaction for their already-sky-high wages keep on increasing.

So how will the transfer market of football be in 2020?

-Players will change their teams in July and January according to the best offer they get.

-There will be a draft system, where players will have total freedom. Two-year-long contracts will seem too long

-Players will retire at 30. They don't need the money, so why run for cash for a living? It's tiring, you know.

-A transfer fee of £100m will be put on average players. If you want to buy a Ronaldo, negotiations start at a quarter-of-a-billion Pounds!

John Terry to Manchester City: That Won't Be Wise At All, Captain

Zahi Sahli — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:55:38 -0400

Manchester City have been tracking John Terry for a good time now in the summer and have reportedly made numerous bids for Chelsea.

The Blues captain is an icon of the team and an integral part of Chelsea's strong defense. Carlo Ancelotti and the Chelsea board have made it clear that they are not interested in selling their skipper.

However, Mark Hughes remains optimistic and continues to chase the England international.

Manchester City's race to sign Terry has angered The Blues that they are threatening to report City's actions to the Premier League.

But with rumors that Terry might be interested in a move to the City of Manchester Stadium and feels neglected at Chelsea, the question is: Would it be a wise move?

Not at all.

John Terry is a god-like figure at Chelsea. The fans love him, he is paid very well, and already plays in the Champions League with a team that is always among the favorites to land Europe's most prestigious title.

So why leave? Is is all for some extra cash? It's not worth it, captain.

Terry has had a great role to play with Chelsea's back-to-back titles and continues to be such an important player in the team.

At Manchester City, he won't be realizing his potential more than he is currently doing in West London.

He won't be playing in the UEFA Champions League—at least not in his first year.

It will be a strictly materialistic move, and Chelsea fans will surely tag Terry a traitor.

Instead of moving to City for extra cash, Terry can stay and enjoy his years at Chelsea where the fans worship him, the board pays him well and he gets to win major silverware.

That won't be a wise move at all, captain.

Barcelona-Inter Swap Deal: Best Deal In The History Of Inter?

Zahi Sahli — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 10:10:23 -0400

Inter have always been a "crazy" club in the transfer market, signing more players than all other Italian clubs and yet failing to match Juventus and Milan.

Inter's infamous transfer activities once saw them trade Fabio Cannavaro for the Uruguayan benchwarming keeper Hector Carini and used to spend hundreds of millions to no avail.

Yet this summer, Inter have been careful in picking their targets and their prices. They have already signed Thiago Motta and Diego Milito from Genoa and seem destined to sign Lucio from Bayern Munich.

However, their swap-plus-cash-deal with Barcelona has been the most entertaining and probably one of the best deals in the history of the Milan-based club.

Barcelona and Inter have reportedly agreed that Zlatan Ibrahimovic moves to Barcelona with Samuel Eto'o moving to Inter.

Also, Alexander Hleb is set to move to Inter on loan and the Italian champions will take something in the region of 30 million Euros.

With Eto'o, Inter will have added a powerful striker able to net 20-plus goals a season and Hleb can provide them with the much-needed creativity in the center of midfield.

Initially Inter wanted to sign Deco and Ricardo Carvalho from Chelsea, but with new Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti set to keep the pair, or at least Carvalho, seeing him as an integral part of his squad, Inter have moved on to a very good plan "B."

Lucio is an excellent acquisition and with Eto'o, Hleb and extra cash, Inter can either sign an addition player or use the cash to balance their books after spending money to sign the Genoa pair.

Rumors & Realities: Tim Cahill Set To Leave Everton?

Zahi Sahli — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:42:47 -0400

Tim Cahill has reportedly told teammates that he's sick of the English weather, and wants to move to Spain or Italy.

Cahill is an excellent player, and unlucky not to be playing with a great European club. His contributions to Everton and Australia have been tremendous over the last few years.

Cahill has been linked to Roma and Valencia before, but big clubs should really move for him.

Rumors

Emmanuel Adebayor's move to Milan might get revived after all according to reports. Milan is reportedly set to offer Arsenal a swap deal—plus cash—with Matthieu Flamini going back to Arsenal.

Flamini hasn't had a good first season. Even though Gennaro Gattuso was injured for most of the season, Flamini did not shine as a Rossoneri player.

On another note, ex-Milan coach and current Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti will be given £60m to spend this summer.

Ancelotti has targeted Alexandre Pato of Milan, and the unsettled Wesley Sneijder of Real Madrid.

But if Manchester City's move for Carlos Tevez is not completed successfully, Ancelotti will pounce at the chance and try to sign with Argentina international.

Realities

Manchester United's new signing, Michael Owen, would've happily signed for former club Liverpool for "only" £25,000-a-week, but Owen says he turned down Everton before signing with the Red Devils.

The Footie's Rooster Call: We're Not Dreaming, Right?

Zahi Sahli — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:41:34 -0400

Rise and shine, football fanatics, The Rooster has already woken up, checked on his chickens, read the newspapers, flipped all the unnecessary pages, landed his feathery hands on the sports section, circled the uncanny news on the page and drank his morning coffee. It’s another beautiful day in our football world.

Owen, a Red Devil

Having hoped that a club will finally shelter the almost-unemployed, almost-always injured Michael Owen, The Rooster has seen none other than the champions come to the England striker's rescue. No, we're not dreaming.

A move that has always looked unlikely, crazy and unheard of. A good move for The Red Devils in order for them to replace the departing Carlos Tevez, especially that Real Madrid won't jeopardize Owen's settlement for Old Trafford.

Oh yes, Owen has had enough of Madrid since his stint, as he got "benched" more than Klaas-Jan Huntelaar before being thrown into the Newcastle circus.

It's a chance to revive the career of the once-speedy and yet forever-good finisher, Michael Owen.

Carlo Wants to Get One Back

Newly-installed Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has been linked with every Milan player...even Paolo Maldini.

After failing to sign Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso and Alexandre Pato (apparently), Ancelotti has turned his attention from Milan players to Milan targets.

Apparently, "Carlito" wants Wolfsburg's Edin Dzeko who has already been denied a move to Milan after being stamped with "not-for-sale" by his club.

Whether Dzeko moves to Milan or Chelsea, or stays with Wolfsburg, remains to be seen.

But The Rooster advises him to make the move to a big club while the momentum lasts. That's modern football... One day you're on top of the world, the other you're wishing to sign for any club. Just ask Michael...two days ago.

Happy Birthday

Today, Emmaneul Eboue turns 26, while Manchester City flop Emile Mpenza turns 31.

The Rooster Hopes...

That Michael Owen plays a full-season or a clean half season or even 10 matches, or two, without getting injured
That Real Madrid go back to their old habit of signing strikers
That Real Madrid sign a Roberto Carlos-style left-back to fit their galactico, ultra-attacking style...Ashley Cole or Andre Santos?
That Juventus fill the Pavel Nedved-shaped hole in their midfield
That Real Madrid don't ditch their Dutch pack...Arjen Robben and van Nistelrooy are champions, Perez!

LIVE Football Coming Up

Don't miss the unmatched excitement and thrill of the CONCACAF Gold Cup er... Who cares? Well, if you're country is playing, then fly their flags.

Today's schedule:

Honduras vs. Haiti

USA vs. Grenada

Event of the Day

Wayne Rooney has slipped on his yacht, injured his head and was hospitalized. It was probably one of the best headers he's had in his life.

Quote of the Day

“Wayne might have looked like he was trying to keep a low profile by wearing a cap and hoodie, but he was probably trying to hide his cut", an insider said about Rooney's yacht slip.

That's all for this morning,

Be sure to hear the Rooster's Call in the next good morning.

The Footie's Rooster Call: The Art of the Middle Finger

Zahi Sahli — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:43:25 -0400

Rise and shine football fanatics. The Rooster has already woken up, checked on his chickens, read the newspapers, flipped all the unnecessary pages, landed his feathery hands on the sports section, circled the uncanny news on the page, and had his morning coffee. It’s another beautiful day in our football world.

The Art of the Middle Finger

The Rooster has had his share of taking and giving the middle finger on many occasions. However, it seems that these days Sir Alex Ferguson is the man facing the middle finger. And with his usual bubble gum and red face, he is probably thinking of a way to "get one back" at Real Madrid.

Manchester United had to let Cristiano Ronaldo go to Real Madrid, then had Carlos Tevez leave, Karim Benzema snub them for guess who, ahm...

Oh yes, Real Madrid again!

Ferguson thought he got the better of Real and probably called Carlos Queiroz, telling him about how he won the race to sign Ecuadorian winger Antonio Valencia from Wigan.

The Rooster heard from a crazy, unreliable chicken the dialogue between the two coaches:

Ferguson: “Oh Carlos, you won’t believe it! Oh my God, oh my God! That Florentino Perez must be running out of plans.”

Just when Ferguson thought Perez had run out of middle-finger signings aimed at all big clubs, Franck Ribery comes out and snubs Manchester United and Chelsea in favor of...Real Madrid!

The Rooster Wants Mou

The Rooster loves controversial speech, controversial selections, controversial signings, and controversial press conferences. What’s the word? Oh yes: The Rooster loves controversy.

And it’s been a while since the most controversial figure in the world since strikingly-similar Simon Cowell and the late Michael Jackson first appeared on TV.

It’s Jose Mourinho—the charismatic, white and black-headed Portuguese Inter manager. Mourinho’s rants can provide the Rooster with material enough for a month of crowing.

And with pretty much everybody chasing Maicon, including interested clubs and players just interested to take the ball off of him, Mourinho’s silence is more inquisitive than his rants.

The Rooster Hopes…

•That Michael Owen finds a club that will be dim-witted to a degree as to offer the injury-prone 29-year-old, who hit his peak at 18, a chance to play football regularly again and for 100k a week.

•That Manchester United goes back to signing big names and Ferguson can un-blush his face and smile in a Beckham-style game.

•That David Beckham lasts without nagging himself out of the United States.

Happy Birthday

Nathan Ellington (of West Bromwich Albion) who turns 28, and Danny Rose (of Tottenham) who turns 19

Quote of the Day

Ribery said, "I have made up my mind, I want to leave. It will be Real Madrid or nothing.”

Hope you enjoyed The Rooster's debut!

Until the next good morning!

Confederations Cup: Italy's Failure Signals the Beginning of a New Era

Zahi Sahli — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:50:50 -0400

Italy crashed out of the Confederations Cup after only edging the United States for a hard win, losing at the hands of Egypt and being humiliated by three goals to nothing against a much-better Brazilian team.

The critics are ready to aim a great deal of criticism at Marcello Lippi, as the Italian press is a master of censure.

The greatly-impaired journey of the Italians is a signal of the end of an era and a beginning of a brand, new one.

Lippi brought a highly-experienced side to the Confederations Cup with the announced squad-list mainly consisting of old players.

While Lippi had the chance of testing Inter's promising full-back Davide Santon among other young talents, the Italian manager opted to stick with his old plans.

His plan clearly backfired and the World Cup holders struggled to keep their heads high in South Africa. It was clear in Italy's three matches that there were a few major problems in the team:

Squad Selection

Lippi should have tested some of the younger Italian players who showed promise with him in some international games and at club level.

The former Juventus manager recalled Gennaro Gattuso and Mauro Camoranesi. Both players were out injured for the majority of the season and played very few games. It was an unworthwile gamble.

Lippi should have invested in young players, such as Lazio Pasquale Foggia, Catania's Guisseppe Mascara, Sampdoria's Gianpaolo Pazzini, and others.

Formation and Creativity

Lippi stuck with the formation that brought him World Cup glory in 2006—the diamond formation, that was used with Germany, was again used in South Africa with few modifications when necessary.

The failure of the diamond system is due to the fact that Italy has lost Francesco Totti, who retired from international duty.

Totti could have been substituted by Antonio Di Natale but the Udinese star is currently injured. While Lippi has opted against selecting Alessandro Del Piero in his squad.

Lippi continued to play using the formation, employing Guisseppe Rossi behind the strikers. Rossi was probably the only good point in this tournament for Italy.

Where is Antonio Cassano?

Okay, he might not be the best-behaving Italian there is, and he is not a player who will bring total rest in the dressing room, but Italy needs Cassano.

He is among very few Italian players who can dribble and add to the creativity of a side that have hardly built proper offensive maneuvers before being ousted.

The Beginning of a New Era

What is needed now is change. Lippi must not bring Del Piero, Filippo Inzaghi, Camoranesi and the old, slow, and jaded Luca Toni to the Italian side. They are all part of the past.

Robert Acquafresca, Mario Balotelli, and Davide Santon, among others, are the future of Italy.

Maybe this failure can be the start of a new dawn for Italy with a new vision and a new project.

Zahi's Notes: Football Live...From Mars!

Zahi Sahli — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 04:58:53 -0400

Dear Diary,

Well, it seems this round planet doesn't fit all of us anymore. Space shuttles are roaming the space for another planet where life can exist.

There has been water on Mars, and perhaps life. Who knows? Maybe we will go there someday and enjoy a unique life that is different—to say the least—from our parents' lives.

I can picture it now—football, live all the way from Mars! Stadiums, groundsmen and footballers on the top of the red planet.

Imagine football clubs playing head-to-head on Mars. Then international tournaments will be divided into three categories:

1) The current countries of Earth with the new "Earth World Cup" taking place,

2) The countries of Mars playing each other in the new "Mars World Cup", and

3) Champion of Earth v. Champion of Mars, the "derby".

And if we find life on Mars, then we can teach the new-found creatures football and it will be a human versus alien match all the way from Mars. That would be interesting...and weird!

But the question remains—if this hypothesis is to be proved valid with time, who will live on Mars?

I imagine the earth will turn into the Africa of planets and Mars, as the new home will turn into the industrialized, American-European, literally-outside-the-world dream.

But wouldn't it be fantastic? It would definitely be a change!

Real Madrid Must Keep Fighters

Zahi Sahli — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:04:51 -0400

Real Madrid's new Galactico era is much like the first one. It includes a lot of buying and selling of stars, with major names being attracted to Santiago Bernabeu.

Jorge Valdano, Zinedine Zidane and of course the mind of it all, Florentino Perez say they are working on a new "project."

They have already signed Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo and are linked with a host of huge names in the football world.

However, are world-class signings enough to capture success?

The failure of the first Galactico era was due to signing great players, yet in wrong positions. Meanwhile, Fabio Capello's stint that saw the club beat Barcelona for La Liga was not really a "Galactico" era.

Capello had a powerful midfield that could win back possession and keep it, and a good defense. He had a good team overall, but not a special one.

Signing Ronaldo, Kaka, and other big names means Real Madrid have to sell many of their players.

Yet, I fear that Real will sell the players that can enable them to compete with the big teams.

Real Madrid should keep their fighters and not go into other infamous Makelele-like sale of players.

Reports have linked Mahamadou Diarra, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Rafael van der Vaart, Royston Drenthe, Arjen Robben, Javier Saviola, and Gabriel Heinze for an exit from the Bernabeu.

I can't argue about all the names, but winning the league or a European title demands a good defensive midfield, and few in that position are as good as Mahamadou Diarra—he's a fighter.

Fernando Gago is no better than Diarra. Gago is a barbie-like figure and simply not Real material. Even Ruben De La Red has not proven himself as much as Diarra.

Robben came from Chelsea for 40 million and has not played enough. He's a classy player and a true galactico. So why sell him?

Van Nistelrooy was the best goalscorer in La Liga in his first season with Real. Last season, a serious injury hampered him and limited his playing time.

But still, van Nistelrooy is a great striker and Real don't have many good strikers. So why sell him?

If the second Galactico era is to be a successful one, then Real Madrid must keep their fighters. They will not be able to compete on the national or European level unless they have a solid midfield and defense to go with their new and talented forwards.

Confederations Cup 2009: Are There Bees In The Stadiums?

Zahi Sahli — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:16:28 -0400

While watching the Confederations Cup which is taking placing in South Africa, I could not help but hear a continuous buzz as if there were bees next to the cameras.

It turns out that the sounds come from an African "musical" instrument. You must have seen it. Long horns with painful, yes painful sound. Especially when the stadium is filled with 40,000 of those.

And people seem to be enjoying themselves. They blow this unusual horn as the teams are level, when a team scores or when the opposite team draws. They don't care what the scoreline is or what happens, they just want to enjoy themselves.

Okay, let them enjoy themselves, it's fair, but at the viewers' expense? Well, there are two solutions.

It's either that FIFA bans them, which doesn't seem logical or that Television stations filter these sounds.

Just a quick question: I'm not the only one hearing it, am I?

Rumors and Realities: Ribery to Barcelona, David Villa to Real?

Zahi Sahli — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 07:39:18 -0400

The BIG Story

In the process of buying every dribbling forward on planet earth, Florentino Perez is said to be close to signing Valencia's Davids, David Villa and David Silva.

Never mind thinking how Silva, Arjen Robben, Kaka, Raffel van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder, and Cristiano Ronaldo will all fit in the same squad, Florentino.

Who cares? Just buy them, make them richer, happier and give R-R material for a lifetime of articles. That's why "Everybody Loves Florentino." Well, not everybody. I'm sure some clubs would love to keep their stars.

Real Madrid have made a final, "take it-or-leave it-or maybe we'll double the money later" €25m plus Alvaro Negredo offer for Valencia's Spain winger David Silva.

Meanwhile reports suggest Villa is close to his proposed Madrid switch with negotiations going smoothly and a €40m deal believed to have bene agreed between the two clubs.

Rumors

So Ronaldo looks set to move to the Spanish capital. It's unfortunate, it's sad, it's unbelivable, it's a bombshell... But it's true.

Manchester United already know that and won't be stuck in denial. They have moved quickly to bid for Wigan's Antonio Valencia, who looks destined to play in Old Trafford next season.

United are also battling to sign Franck Ribery. However, Bayern are only willing to let go of their France international if the interested club come with a "crazy" bid. Manchester City, where are you?

On the other hand, Barcelona have offered a final €60m bid as they also chase Ribery.

Meanwhile R-R doesn't really know why Samuel Eto'o is being thrown around at clubs. The man scores 20 goals in a bad season for him. Why aren't Barcelona keen on keeping him? And why are they keen on bringing Javier Mascherano?

Do they need Liverpool's Macherano? The crazy reports that have made R-Rfamous (well, almost), are suggesting Barcelona will offer a swap deal with Eto'o moving to Liverpool and Mascherano to Barcelona (that's a stupid one, Laporta).

Meanwhile another Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso is linked with Real Madrid. Shocking, huh?

Real have 'reportedly' offered Arjen Robben and Gabriel Heinze in return for the Spanish midfielder. Not a bad offer. What do you think Rafa?

Finally, The Guardian reckons that Sunderland are closing in on a £10m deal for Darren Bent.

The Black Cats are also considering an audacious £15m swoop for his Tottenham team-mate Robbie Keane.

Realities

Milan are set to bid for Edin Dzeko according Gennaro Gattuso, who said that the Wolfsburg striker is exactly what the Italian giants need after Kaka's sale.

Jeremy Matthieu moves to Valencia Toulose, Bruno Cirillo leaves Reggina and heads to PAOK while Panathinaikos complete the signing of Malian defender Cedric Kante on a free transfer. Yeah, as if anyone cares.

That's it for now,

Cheers!