Bleacher Report - Articles by Danny Brown

The English Premier League Glory Years Part Two: The Greatest Managers

Danny Brown — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 05:14:55 -0400

The English Premier League has hosted some the best football managers worldwide since its inception 16 years ago. It continues to attract the top names today, as proven by Luis Scolari's appointment at Chelsea.

Yet who have been the best managers in the Premier League overall?

In part two of my series looking at the glory years of the English Premier League, I offer my opinion on who has made the biggest impact. You may or may not agree—feel free to leave your own views as to who the best Premier League managers are.

Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United

There can be no doubt that Fergie will go down as one of the greatest ever football managers. From his success with Aberdeen in breaking the Rangers and Celtic monopoly in Scottish football in the 1980's to his phenomenal success with Man Utd, Fergie is a true managerial great.

It didn't seem that way at first, though—in his first season at Man Utd in 1986, fans were calling for him to be sacked after a disappointing league campaign. Thankfully, the Man Utd board were made of stern stuff and supported Fergie.

They were rewarded in spades when Fergie's Man Utd side started winning silverware like it was going out of fashion. Beginning with the FA Cup in 1990, Fergie led Man Utd to the European Cup Winners Cup the following season and then the League Cup in 1992.

He finally got his hands on the Premier League title in the 1992-93 season and hasn't looked back since. The wonderful treble-winning season in 1999, when Man Utd won the Champion's League, Premiership and FA Cup and last season's double has cemented Fergie's reputation as a world-class manager.

Arsene Wenger, Arsenal

The second-longest serving manager in the Premier League behind Ferguson, Arsene Wenger has shown that you can build great teams without spending hundreds of millions.

Sure, he has spent big in the past, but Wenger is better known for his ability to take raw talent and turn them into mature superstars. Just one look at the players he's nurtured over the years attests to his managerial skills.

Who else would have seen Thierry Henry's potential as one of the game's most lethal strikers when he was being wasted as a winger at Juventus? Or the undoubted class of teenager Cesc Fabregas when he was in the Barcelona reserves?

Wenger hasn't been short in the success stakes when it comes to silverware either. He won the Premier League in only his second season, and did the double of the Premiership title and the FA Cup in 2001-02.

Although his last major successes with Arsenal were the Premier League title in 2003-04 and the FA Cup in 2005, there's no doubting that Wenger is currently building a young team capable of challenging on all fronts for many years to come.

Harry Redknapp, Portsmouth

One of the most-loved managers in the game, and possibly the best manager never to lead the English national team, Redknapp is currently enjoying a late career bloom.

Famous for leading little Bournemouth to victory over Man Utd in the FA Cup, Redknapp's greatest achievement came last season when he led Portsmouth to FA Cup glory.

Known for his wheeling and dealing and getting the best out of the players he signs, Redknapp is regarded as one of the best managers to buy hidden gems. Although he's had his fair share of controversy surround him with alleged bungs and dubious transfer deals, Redknapp continues to confound critics with his Portsmouth team.

Keeping Portsmouth in the Premiership, and turning them into genuine Top Six contenders, ensures Harry Redknapp can sit happily in this list.

Sam Allardyce, Bolton

Although no longer at Bolton, Allardyce joins this list for his achievements at this most unfashionable of clubs. From guiding Bolton to the semi-final of the FA Cup in his second season to taking them into the Premiership in the 2001-02 season, Allardyce always over-achieved with his band of ragamuffin footballers.

Having perhaps an even better knowledge of budget buys than Harry Redknapp, Allardyce built his team on a shoestring budget. He was also known for bringing in players in the twilight of their careers and getting even more out of them—Ivan Campo is a prime example.

While never a team that would challenge for the title, the fact that Allardyce made Bolton a solid Premiership team who stood toe-to-toe with the big boys sees his name in this list of best Premiership managers.

Jose Mourinho, Chelsea

Sure, he had Roman Abramovich's millions to help him and sure, he was also able to sign some of the biggest names in world football because of it. Yet Mourinho still had to make sure these superstars gelled into a team, and he did this fantastically.

In his first season with Chelsea in 2004-05, Mourinho led them to the Premier League title as well as the League Cup. He went on to retain the Premier League the following year, and he added another League Cup as well as the FA Cup and Charity Shield.

Yet this wasn't enough for his Russian boss, who saw the Champions League as the Holy Grail.

Mourinho's failure to win the elite European competition, along with the alleged falling out with Abramovich over the signing of striker Andriy Shevchenko, meant his days at Chelsea were numbered.

After a mixed start to the 2007-08 campaign, Mourinho left Chelsea in September. However, history will show that he was Chelsea's most successful manager ever, with six trophies to his name.

His Chelsea side were also unbeaten at home under him, making Mourinho one of the best in the Premier League.

So there you have it—my choices for the best Premier League managers since the competition began. There are some big names missing from there—Rafa Benitez at Liverpool, for example. However, Benitez's continued failure to win the Premier League sees him discounted.

For the big three managers—Ferguson, Wenger and Mourinho—their achievements in the Premier League ensures their place here. Redknapp and Allardyce's success with limited budgets is the reason for their inclusion.

Do you agree with the managers listed here? Or would you have someone else included? I've listed my candidates—now it's over to you.

The USA Versus China In The Olympic Games: Why Nobody Cares About Either Bully

Danny Brown — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:52:45 -0400

There's a lot of media talk about USA versus China in the Olympic Games this year. Many are likening the rivalry to a new Cold War (albeit a sporting one), with China taking the place of Russia.

Others are saying that due to the political differences between the two countries, this is spilling over into the track and athletes from both countries are now viewed as "warrior soldiers" and neither country wants to lose to the other.

Personally, I think this is a side story to the real issue—which country is the biggest bully and most hated worldwide? Meaning, what country does the rest of the world want to see lose the most?

Human rights issues work both ways. For example, much of the American media is playing on the fact that spectators of the games are cheering the USA on to "teach the dictators of China a lesson" from a moral standpoint. The same media cites China's (lack of) human rights as a reason everyone wants the USA to beat China.

Hold the press a minute. Yes, China has appalling human rights history and continues to do so. Yet lately, America hasn't exactly been whiter than white in this area.

The USA still has the non-political prisoners and tortures in Guantanamo Bay, the mental and physical torture of Canadian teenager Omar Khadr, and the illegal and non-sanctioned invasion of Iraq, as well as the continued war-mongering of George Bush.

People argue that China is a dictatorship where the citizens don't have a say. Yes, that's true. But do the free people of the USA have a say as well? Did their leaders listen when the public spoke about the War on Terror?

Did the people's views count when Bush was somehow voted into power in the first place despite quite clearly losing to Al Gore?

So as much as we'd like to think we live in a democracy, it depends how you define the word.

Two failing superpowers and one big ego. Another reason why so many people just don't care about who wins the most medals between the USA and China is that the countries aren't as important as they like to think they are.

The US economy is a disaster. The dollar has lost its place as the world's currency, the housing market is in disarray, and the manufacturing industry is shedding jobs by the thousands.

Let's face it. The US is no longer a superpower. The same goes for China.

Although on the face of it their economy is healthy, foreign investment is drying up. The old idiom of "cheap labour in China" is being thwarted by the very same human rights issues that have brought the country to front the media spotlight prior to the Olympics. Simply put, foreign businesses are looking elsewhere for cheap labour.

The only thing super about the US and China now is the "super ego" of their relevant leaders, who believe they have the right to do what they want in the world.

The Olympics simply aren't relevant anymore. Sad, but true. This year's Olympics is the first time I haven't watched any coverage whatsoever. That might have you asking, "Well what right do you have to speak about them then?"

Which would be fair—if it weren't for the fact we're all entitled to opinions.

But after years of tainted results thanks to drug-enhanced performances and the same countries winning the largest amount of medals year in and year out, I just don't care anymore. The fact that the biggest talking point is whether the USA versus China has political connotations merely enforces my view.

The Olympics are meant to be the purest form of sport in the world today—true athletes competing for the greatest prize.

Now, though, commercialism has effectively ruined that ideal forever. And that commercialism began in earnest at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. So the decline of the Olympics could be traced back to the USA.

Don't get me wrong. This isn't an anti-US or anti-China missive. While I personally loathe the Governments and administration of both countries, the majority of people in both the US and China are some of the friendliest around.

Yet as far as caring who comes first in the "battle" between the USA versus China? Forgive me if I pass and concentrate on real issues, such as the world being a safer place all around, the wealth of the richest countries helping the poorest, and the environment being much healthier than it is now.

Until then, the USA and China can go play out their little games and the media hype can take a running jump.

The English Premier League Glory Years Part 1: A New Beginning

Danny Brown — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:01:12 -0400

Undoubtedly the most popular football league in the world, the English Premier League is consistently voted the Best League in the World by fans, players and pundits alike. No other league can boast the same mix of flair, tough-tackling, and speed of movement than the Premier League.

In the first part of an ongoing series, I'll be looking at what makes the Premier League so special—from its inception in the early 90's to the ascendancy of the League's popularity abroad, and even look at what the future may hold for the League. This time around, it's the formation of the Premier League itself.

A New Beginning for English Football

The Premier League was founded in 1992 and was originally known as the FA (Football Association) Premier League. The reasoning behind it was simple: in the previous decade, English clubs had been banned from European football due to crowd violence, which reached its tragic peak at the 1985 Heysel Stadium disaster in Italy.

Couple this with domestic crowd violence that led families to stay away from matches, and the English game was obviously in turmoil. TV figures were down and the old English First Division (the top league in England) was seeing its biggest stars leave to play abroad.

The 90's, however, saw a reversal in fortunes for English football. The five year European football ban dished out to English clubs following Heysel was lifted, the English national team had a very successful run in the 1990 World Cup, and there was a new TV service called Sky Television that had money to burn and was looking at football to headline its sports coverage.

Cue the biggest change in English football since all-seater stadiums were introduced. The leading teams in the English First Division decided to break away from the Football League and start their own "premier elite" division, and on May 27, 1992 the FA Premier League was formed.

All Hail the FA Premier League

The new Premier League was an instant success. Buoyed by the incredible take-off of Sky Television, and more relevant Sky Sports, the first season saw both TV and match day figures rate highly.

The presentation of Sky Sports made a huge difference. Previously, football matches had been covered by the two main terrestrial TV stations in the UK: BBC Television and ITV. Yet the formats by these stations were prehistoric, to say the least.

Sky Sports introduced multiple viewing angles, half-time expert analysis by respected figures in the game, and the beloved Andy Gray Football Table for stats and play-by-play analysis. The future of football had arrived and it hasn't looked back since.

The first season of the new league saw 22 teams compete and was won by Manchester United, who would go on to defend it successfully the following year. There are currently 20 teams in the league, and the FA moniker was dropped in 2007 so that the competition is simply known now as the Premier League.

With revenue of more than $1.8 billion for the 2007-2008 season, the English Premier League is the most lucrative and most watched football league in the world. Its success has seen both the Spanish La Liga and the Italian Serie A usurped as the leagues where the world's best players want to perform.

It may still have its faults—the dominance of the Big Four, for example—but for all its minute bad points, the plus factors of the Premier League make it, without a doubt, the best football league on the planet today.

Coming Soon

Hopefully you've enjoyed this look at the inception of the Premier League. If so, stick around as the series grows and I look at:

The greatest characters of the Premier League. From Eric Cantona to Harry Redknapp, I'll be looking at the players and managers who bring a smile to the faces of fans everywhere.
The greatest managerial battles. Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho, Kevin Keegan—all have had some great battles, both on the pitch and off. I look at some of the best.
The classic matches. Who can ever forget the 4-3 Newcastle versus Liverpool classic? Or the 6-3 drubbing of Manchester United by little Southampton? I recall some of the best-ever matches in the Premier League's history.

These are just some of the featured articles to come. If you have a suggestion or idea on what you'd like to see covered, drop me a line or message and I'll do my best to accommodate. Until the next time...

Can David Bentley Replace Robbie Keane at Spurs

Danny Brown — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 02:26:09 -0400

So the ink is dry and Robbie Keane has left Tottenham Hotspur and moved to Liverpool after all, in a deal that's worth between $35-40 million. While this could be excellent news for the Reds—imagine Keane feeding off Fernando Torres and vice versa—where does it leave Spurs?

According to the media, the answer could lie in Blackburn's David Bentley. While there's no doubting the talent that Bentley unbdoubtedly possesses—even being compared to the great Dennis Bergkamp during his fledgling Arsenal career—there are doubts whether he can fill the role that Keane did so well.

Admittedly, the two players are different-while Robbie Keane is a more traditional striker that can play through the middle, David Bentley is more of a winger that can play as a forward. This perhaps explains why the goal-scoring stats of the two players differ for last season:

Robbie Keane: 15 goals from 36 Premier League games.
David Bentley: 6 goals from 37 appearances.

It may be argued that Bentley assists more and that is why his goal tally is considerably less than Keane's. However, with ongoing reports that Dimitar Berbatov is headed toward Old Trafford and Darren Bent not really producing the goods, is Bentley really the player that Spurs currently need?

Instead of a "flair player" that can provide strikers their firepower, Spurs would be better suited going after a recognized striker or two. Allegedly they are in talks with Spartak Moscow for Roman Pavlyuchenko as well as Diego Milito from Real Zaragoza.

While these players may be the answers to Keane and Berbatov, the question of whether David Bentley can step into an already talent-heavy midfield remains.

Samir Nasri Gets No. 8 Jersey at Arsenal—Could He Live Up to Ian Wright?

Danny Brown — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 11:20:45 -0400

In what may be seen as a surprising move, new Arsenal signing Samir Nasri has been given the famous No. 8 shirt to wear. While Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has a solid history of spotting young and promising talent, is he going too far with giving the coveted shirt to this 21-year-old from France?

Over the years, the No. 8 shirt has been worn by some of Arsenal's most famous and beloved players—none more so than the legendary Ian Wright, arguably Arsenal's greatest ever player. Previous to Wrighty, you had Arsenal stalwarts like Liam Brady, George Graham, Alan Ball and Charlie George wearing the famous jersey, while, recently, Freddie Ljungberg did an excellent job of carrying on the pride of the uniform.

Although Nasri comes with an excellent reputation—the "next Zinedine Zidane," according to some media pundits—it's still debatable whether he can adapt to the style of the English Premier League, where so many others have failed (Jose Antonio Reyes, for example).

If anyone can help the youngster to shine, however, it will be Wenger, who has one of the best records in world football when it comes to bringing the best out of young players.

Combined with Cesc Fabregas in midfield, Eduardo da Silva when he returns and a certain English whizkid by the name of Theo Walcott, a solid core is taking shape. If Wenger can get these players to gel, then Gunners fans may just have a season to enjoy this upcoming year.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas – Who’s Best

Danny Brown — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:13:01 -0400

Although there are other great midfielders/attacking forwards in the game (Juan Riquelme and Kaka spring to mind), there can be no denying that the three players being compared here offer the most exciting prospects for both their domestic teams and soccer in general.

Although Cristiano Ronaldo is causing a lot of heated debate at the moment regarding his potential transfer to Real Madrid, it can’t be denied that he was arguably Manchester United’s star player last season.

However, Cesc Fabregas was just as influential for Arsenal, and although Barcelona failed to live up to their high standards last season, Lionel Messi was the one shining light in an otherwise disappointing campaign.

So who is the best of these three young and extremely talented players?

Goals

Although not really classed as out-and-out strikers, each player has contributed a healthy amount of goals for their sides. Each total is from league, cup and European competition games combined:

Cristiano Ronaldo – 97 from 269 appearances
Lionel Messi – 42 goals from 110 appearances
Cesc Fabregas – 26 from 198 appearances

On paper, then, Messi comes out on top, with a goal in almost every other game, compared to Ronaldo’s 1-in-3 average and Fabregas’ low total.

In fairness, the departure of Thierry Henry has opened the door for Fabregas to be more prolific, as was shown last year when he scored 13 goals in 45 appearances, with 24 assists.

So, round one to Messi.

Career Achievements

With these players all playing at high-level clubs in their domestic leagues, the opportunity to win silverware is always a realistic one. So how do they compare? The following are winning achievements only and do not count runners-up medals:

Cristiano Ronaldo – 2 Premier League’s, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 Champions League, 1 Community Shield
Lionel Messi – FIFA U-20 World Cup, 2 La Liga’s, 2 Supercopa de Espana, 1 Champion’s League
Cesc Fabregas – 1 European Championship, 1 FA Cup, 1 Community Shield, 1 Emirates Cup, 1 Amsterdam Tournament

While you can’t take away Fabregas’ excellent achievement of being part of this year’s European champions team, nor Messi’s club and international achievements, the award here goes (just) to Ronaldo.

That could change next year as Barcelona come back strong and Arsenal perhaps finally live up to their potential and see a whole season through.

Awards

The sign of any great player can often be measured in how their peers rate them, whether it’s sports journalists, managers, fellow players or fans. All three players rate well in this category (these are individual awards only and not team awards):

Cristiano Ronaldo – 2 PFA Players’ Player of the Year, 1 PFA Young Player of the Year, 2 PFA Fans’ Player of the Year, 2 Barclays Premier Player of the season, 4 Barclays Player of the Month, 1 Barclays Golden Boot, 1 Barclays Merit, 2 Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year, 2 Manchester United’s Players’ Player of the Year, 3 Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year, 3 Manchester United Goal of the Season, 1 Portuguese Sports Personality of the Year, 1 Portuguese Footballer of the Year, 1 Champion’s League Top Scorer, 1 European Golden Shoe, 1 U-21 European Footballer of the Year, 1 European Footballer of the Year, 2 FIFPro Special Young Player of the Year.
Lionel Messi – 1 FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Ball, 1 FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Boot, 1 Bravo, 2 World Soccer Young Player of the Year, 1 Argentinean Player of the Year, 1 FIFPro World Young Player of the Year, 1 EFE Trophy for Best Ibero-American Player in La Liga, 1 Best Foreign Player in La Liga, 1 Copa America Best Young Player.
Cesc Fabregas - 2 FA Premier League Player of the Month, 1 PFA Young Player of the Year, 1 Bravo, 1 UEFA U-17 European Championship Golden Player, 1 FIFA U-17 Golden Shoe, 1 FIFA U-17 Golden Boot, 2 Arsenal Player of the Season.

Hands down, Ronaldo wins this category, although in fairness to both Messi and Fabregas, he has been playing first team football more than his two rivals.

So, overall, it looks like Cristiano Ronaldo comes top as the best young midfielder between these three hugely talented players. At least on paper, that is—there are mitigating circumstances that could place either Messi or Fabregas above him.

When comparing the three, for example, it could be argued that Fabregas and Messi are both far superior team players than Ronaldo, who is often sat on the pitch complaining about a non-tackle as opposed to tracking back.

Additionally, Cesc Fabregas officially has a less glamorous role for Arsenal, being played more as a holding midfielder, as opposed to the attacking freedom given to both Messi and Ronaldo. He also has less top-class players surrounding him (no offence to Arsenal fans) than Ronaldo does at Manchester United and Messi enjoys at Barcelona.

Whatever way you look at it, there’s no denying that these three players all deserve the praise that comes their way for the way they excite fans of the beautiful game.

Which one will stand out as the greatest of the three, only time will tell—but it promises for an intriguing and enjoyable long-term battle.

Toronto FC Supporters To Protest During MLS All-Star Game

Danny Brown — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:39:28 -0400

A coalition of Toronto FC supporters groups will stage a silent protest during the upcoming Major League Soccer all-star game at BMO Field in Toronto.

The groups are increasingly concerned about the possible expansion of BMO Field to accommodate CFL football and specifically the Toronto Argonauts. The groups feel strongly that this would ruin the unique experience that has made Toronto FC such a successful franchise. It is not possible to fit a CFL field into the stadium without major reconstruction.

Toronto FC's most rabid supporters will sit rather than stand during the all-star game. There will be limited chanting and cheering. They will wear black. Many of these supporters have pledged to boycott Toronto FC games should the stadium be retrofitted for CFL football.

"This is not an anti-Argos protest," said Pedro Almeida, leader of the North End Elite supporters group.

"Many of our members are Argos fans. We have nothing against the Argos or the CFL. We wish them the best of success. But Toronto FC fans signed up in the thousands to support this team based on the premise of it being a soccer-specific stadium with real grass and an intimate setting. We didn't get the grass. We better get to keep the intimate setting."

Fans around the world mock MLS soccer when they see highlights of games being played in cavernous NFL stadiums decorated with football yardlines.

"The supporters groups are united on this," said Jack DePoe, president of the Red Patch Boys. "The club, the players, the media, everyone has acknowledged the contribution of the supporters groups in the club's success. We want everyone to understand how upset we are about the possibility of a CFL football retrofit. We won't stand for this kind of expansion."

"This was supposed to be our national soccer stadium," said Rudi Schuller, one of the leaders of U Sector. "But the national team players have already made it clear they prefer to play in other venues because of the Field Turf. Rebuilding for the CFL would further take BMO Field away from being the national soccer stadium."

Soccer-specific stadiums has long been a key part of the league's business plan. Seven of the league's 14 teams currently play in SS stadiums. Two others will move into SS stadiums within the next year. The rest have plans to build one.

For more information, contact Jack with Red Patch Boys.

www.redpatchboys.ca

Tottenham Hotspur Move For Luis Garcia: Bye Bye Keane and Berbatov?

Danny Brown — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:08:24 -0400

With all the talk of Chelsea's war chest for new manager Luis Felipe Scolari, as well as the ongoing transfer saga of Cristiano Ronaldo, Tottenham Hotspur have stayed under the radar. Yet the London club is possibly making some of the best buys of the summer.

As well as the addition of Luka Modric, Giovani dos Dantos and Heurelho Gomes to an already talented squad, Spurs boss Juande Ramos is now looking at capturing exciting Espanyol forward Luis Garcia.

Garcia is a formidable talent in front of goal-as well as scoring 24 goals in 79 games for Espanyol, he's also equally adept at laying them on for his strike partners.

If Spurs are to buy Garcia, it will likely cost them around $15 million, although for someone with Garcia's talent that's an extremely competitive fee.

With the news that Spurs are also after attacking midfielder/striker David Bentley and (potentially) another attacking midfielder in Dutch whizkid Rafael Van der Vaart, question marks must now be raised over the futures of strikers Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov.

Although Spurs deny that any of these two players must move, Berbatov has made no secret of the fact that he would like to play elsewhere, while Keane is attracting the interests of Liverpool.

Whatever happens, if Spurs do sign Garcia and Bentley it will take their summer spending to over $100 million. While sporting eyes may be on Chelsea and Manchester United, the activity over at Spurs could lead to a surprise package in this season's Premier League.

Premier League Managers: Stop Moaning About the Olympics and African Cup

Danny Brown — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:51:24 -0400

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is complaining about the fact that Ryan Babel may be called up to the Dutch national team for the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing. While it's understandable that he doesn't want to risk further damage to a key Liverpool player just coming back from injury, Benitez's comments raise some interesting points.

"It's a big problem. We prepare him and then he goes with the national team," Benitez is quoted as saying. This seems a bizarre statement to make, yet more managers (particularly in the Premier League) seem to be using similar words.

Frankly, it's getting tiresome.

It's called being an international player

When a team signs a player of Babel's quality, it's with the knowledge that he could be called up for his national team. While I feel that manager's have a point when it's just a friendly match (I'm of the belief that these types of games should be for experimenting with young talent), I don't see the argument for full internationals.

Jose Mourinho always complained about the African Cup of Nations, as did (to a lesser extent) Arsene Wenger at Arsenal and Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth. But if you buy a lot of African players then you should expect to lose them to their most important tournament.

Managers need to realize that buying quality also means buying someone that you could lose to their national team for certain periods of time. Unless they want to start buying players from the lower leagues, then the likes of Benitez et al should get on with more important things—like getting the best out of an under-performing team.

Manchester United Don't Need Cristiano Ronaldo

Danny Brown — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:25:00 -0400

One of the most bitter transfer sagas of this summer has been the "will he/won't he" debacle regarding Cristiano Ronaldo. Although currently at Manchester United, the player is a target of Spanish giant Real Madrid, with the player himself stating "it would be a dream to play for such a club."

So incensed are Manchester United about this whole situation that they have (unsuccessfully) reported Madrid to world football governing body FIFA, citing the Spanish club's unethical tapping up of a player under contract. Although I have to think that it's fair karma for United, who have been guilty of the same thing over the years, I do have some sympathy for them.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Selective Memory

Although there is no denying his talent, there is also no denying that Ronaldo has a very selective memory. Much like other players of his generation, he seems to forget who helped make him who he is today, as well as believe in his own importance just a little too much.

At the World Cup in 2006, Ronaldo was involved in the controversial sending off of England striker Wayne Rooney, a team mate at Manchester United. Ronaldo was playing for his national team Portugal, and England were their opponents in the quarter finals of that year's tournament.

Despite the backlash that ensued across England on Ronaldo's return to the domestic scene, the protection and loyalty shown by Manchester United staff, players and fans alike was impressive, to say the least. Yet Ronaldo seems to have conveniently forgotten this.

Better than Ronaldo
Yet does it really matter anyway? It looks fairly settled that Ronaldo will probably end up at Madrid for the 2008-2009 season, but so what? Should United try and hang onto a player that has eyes elsewhere anyway?

Additionally, if the rumour mills are true, a certain Lionel Messi could be Old Trafford-bound and this little powerhouse midfielder could run rings around Ronaldo.

One thing that the Manchester United fans can be sure of-their manager Sir Alex Ferguson will do what's best for the team. He has never shirked from making big decisions, as the likes of Roy Keane, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Jaap Stam, Paul Ince, David Beckham and more have found out.

If he feels that Ronaldo will ruin what is clearly another exciting dynasty building up at the Theatre of Dreams, he'll ship him off faster than you can say "selfish brat". The team never suffered too much when the previous wearer of Ronaldo's number 7 shirt, David Beckham, was farmed out-I think it can survive the loss of a certain Portuguese prima donna.

Laurent Robert of Toronto FC: Genius or Disruptive Influence?

Danny Brown — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:24:53 -0400

As one of this year's new signings for Toronto FC, French midfielder Laurent Robert most definitely adds flair and sexy football to the TFC line-up. Yet as explosive as his goals can be, and as penetrating as his passes and runs into the opposing box are, Robert can also be one of the most frustrating players around.

From his early days at Montpellier and Paris Saint-Germain in France, to his heady days as one of the EPL's top players when he was at Newcastle United, ending up at Derby via Portsmouth before joining Toronto this summer, it's been a rollercoaster ride for this Gallic genius.

Throw in Spanish sides Benfica and Levante, and it's a well-travelled road for this midfield enigma. So will Toronto FC be the club that offers Robert a last hurrah, or will it be another short-term love affair? In all honesty, it could go either way.

The Good
There's no denying that, on his day, Laurent Robert is possibly one of the most naturally gifted midfielders around. With a ferocious left foot shot that has seen world class goalkeepers beaten many a time in both League and international matches, including two exquisite long-range goals for Newcastle United against bitter rivals Manchester United, Robert has the ability to both entertain and excite.

His free kicks can be unpredictable and spectacular, and he is widely regarded as one of the best crossers of a soccer ball. At 33, he also should still have a couple of good quality years ahead of him.

The Bad
While the natural talent of Robert can't be denied, neither can his questionable temperament. The amount of clubs that Robert has been through should offer some guidance—Toronto FC is his fifth club in three years. While at Newcastle, he had a very public falling out with both his manager (Graeme Souness—a man you should never take on!) as well as his team mates.

Calling into question everything from the manager's tactics and experience to the quality of the players around him—something had to give, and Robert was shifted off to Portsmouth. Even in the early days of his career Robert has had a reputation as a troublemaker and disruptive influence in the dressing room, and this is something that Toronto FC Head Coach John Carver will have to keep in check.

The Ugly
Perhaps as a result of the reputation that has hounded him (some might say unfairly), Robert can be very short-tempered on the pitch. His career is littered with red and yellow cards for dangerous play, and some of his tackles have been X-rated. He can also lose interest in a game as well, and this has led to him being tagged lazy by both fans and pundits alike.

The jury is still out on Robert—there's no argument that he could be a very pivotal player for Toronto in this, their sophomore season. And when he's on his game, he's very hard to stop. Yet there are also still question marks about his reliability and what Laurent Robert will turn up on match day.

In fairness, if anyone can bring out the best from the player it is Carver. Robert played under Carver during the pair's time at Newcastle United , and both men know each other well. One thing is certain—the fans of Toronto FC will have plenty to say one way or another about this French midfielder looking to prove he still has what it takes.

Toronto FC Revitalizing the MLS: EPL Players Flock to Canadian Soccer

Danny Brown — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:20:45 -0400

Okay, so it's probably been said about a thousand times, with both detractors and supporters, but there's no denying that Toronto FC has revitalized the MLS. Sure, LA Galaxy may have Goldenballs, but let's face it his prime was at least 2 years ago.

No, if you want the reason why the MLS is having a resurgent amount of interest from TV networks, sports networks, and media outlets look no further than the newest franchise—Toronto FC.

Now in its second full year, the club has arguably the most vociferous and best fans in the league. No matter win, lose or draw, the crowd will be singing their hearts out for the Boys in Red.

It also has some of the best non-MLS players currently playing in the league: Laurent Robert, Danny Dichio, Rohan Ricketts. They are all hugely experienced players from the EPL and ones that have added a whole new dimension to Toronto FC's playbook this year.

Add to the mix the huge cross-cultural landscape that is Toronto, with Europeans, Asians, and more, and it's easy to see why the TFC has instilled a fresh impetus into the MLS. Ex-pat Brits living in Toronto are telling their friends and family back home about this team, as are other nationalities.

Additionally, the European sports TV and newspaper networks are wanting to know about this team in Canada that's attracting so many players from the European league.

And with an improved team making all the difference on the field as well, the Reds of Toronto FC aren't going anywhere soon.