Bleacher Report - Articles by Michelle Alves

When the Reds Go Marching Out; Now Who Are We to Blame, Liverpool?

Michelle Alves — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:00:40 -0500

An unconvincing victory after a long spell of bad luck proved to be insignificant for Liverpool FC, and instead of a miraculous lifeline into the Champions League, they were faced with elimination and a lot of ridicule.

Not only are they now left to deal with not being in the top four of the premier league, injuries, and a manager under scrutiny, Liverpool are also facing financial issues that seem to be getting worse.

As a Liverpool fan, what follows this defeat is embarrassment. It’s not fun to be mocked and to picture Sir Alex Ferguson’s delighted sneer at the final whistle of last night’s game. We all know of his attempt at working his mind games on Rafael and it might be believed that he had some effect in leading Liverpool's downfall. However, all that is left to happen now is the blame game.

Who are we going to blame now? Ferguson? Benitez? The players? The physiotherapist?? Every time something goes wrong, people look for someone to turn the blame to. It can’t always work this way. Global warming isn’t the result of one factory’s pollution, but a combined effort in destroying planet earth.

How long will this continue? Maybe someone needs to get to the bottom of this, but what we really don’t need right now is someone to point fingers at.

If you look into it one person at a time, you’ll realise that no person single-handedly led Liverpool to its sad fate.

Rafael Benitez

Quite a few people have been saying that the manager is to blame. I don’t think so. This is still the same manager we had back in 2005 when we won the Champions League, made the finals back in 2007, and when we reached the quater’s the following year. He hasn’t changed, so one season with no Champions League success and suddenly all fingers are pointed at him?

Admittedly, he has had no luck with the Premier League, but so far in the last 19 years, no one has. Wenger hasn’t won a single Champions League trophy and made the finals only once, yet he’s still a top manager and it can’t be denied. He’s had a few bad signings, but hasn’t Ferguson, too? But so far he’s been one of the most successful managers.

Last-minute goals conceded also aren’t Benitez’ fault. If a team is playing well for the first 80 minutes and concedes two goals in 10 minutes, how can you turn the blame onto the manager? Was it Benitez’ fault that some fan threw that beach ball on to the field? He is a smart man that’s previously been very successful in the Champions League; sure he’s made a few very weird substitutions, but it seemed more like a desperate attempt to revive a semi-injured team.

Injuries

Every team faces injuries and we had our share of them last season. Torres was missing for quite a while, as well as Steven Gerrard for games against Chelsea and United. Even with injuries, they managed to make it to second place as well as make it to the quarter finals last year; but yes, this year was much worse.

More than 10 injuries since the start of the season? That can’t be of any help; and yes, it could be the reason why Liverpool isn’t working, too many injuries lead to too many changes, but you can blame no one for injuries. Their training will always be spot on and diets perfect. If someone takes a bad knock at the game, it’s all part of football.

Financial Issues

Although lack of proper financial support is another addition to the list of reasons why Liverpool has faltered this season, it cannot be completely because of it. It’s not as if Liverpool were mighty rich before this season and suddenly couldn’t afford anything, even proper shoes and shirts.

Sure, we could have used a new striker and some proper help in defence, but minus Alonso and Arbeloa, we had the same team the previous seasons and it didn’t go too badly. We can blame the owners for not being supportive enough, but blaming them isn’t going to make them drop a pool of cash on the team. If only it would....

Alonso

Yes, I’ll admit that in my head his departure is probably the biggest reason why Liverpool have not been performing up to par. It’s like a puzzle; you remove the centre piece and no matter how much you try to cover it up, unless you find a piece of an equal fit, things will seem incomplete. This is exactly the case for Liverpool; players like Lucas can never be the right fit, but this cannot be used as an excuse.

United lost a key player in Cristiano Ronaldo at the same time, yet are performing much better in both the Premier and Champions League. Liverpool are not a one-man team, how many times has it been said? We cannot leave all our blame on the departure of one player and then claim not to be a one-man team.

Maybe all of these factors put together have led Liverpool to their breakdown, but it certainly isn’t just one of them. Winning is a collective effort and losing can’t just be the work of one person. By blaming Rafael Benitez, or individual players, we’re not standing together. “You’ll Never Walk Alone” isn’t only for the good times. Supporting Liverpool is like being in a relationship, you can’t stick by them through the good days when there are the bad days to handle too.

Here’s a great team, with a truly magnificent history, but it can’t always be perfect. I’m sure Shankly, Paisley, and Houllier had their bad days, too, and had times where things seemed impossible at that moment, but they slowly built Liverpool as a team, making them a feared name till date.

Players have come and gone, great players like Rush, Dalglish, and even Robbie Fowler, but things didn’t deteriorate once they left. Like any great club, Liverpool will continue to improve through the season and hopefully learn from their mistakes in the next; till then it’s only right to avoid the blame game and enjoy the football.

Ryan Babel: Another Failure in Liverpool's History of Poor Signings?

Michelle Alves — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:51:47 -0500

Potential—that’s what Ryan Babel started off with in 2007 when Rafael Benitez signed him for a hefty $11.5 million. Such a fee would only go to a well deserved player, one would think. Maybe the 22-year old should have stuck with rapping, judging by the impact he’s had on Liverpool FC since he has joined the team.

With things going downhill for Liverpool since the start of the season, each player's every move has been scrutinized, and every one of them looks vulnerable. The team cannot afford any more mistakes if they wish to stay anywhere in contention.

Ryan Babel had it easy last season, but with each faltering step of Liverpool, his exit is drawing closer, leading us to the question—is Ryan Babel another Rafa signing gone bad?

Often, it has been said that Babel would have been great if he were given enough time, thus putting the blame on manager Rafael Benitez. One might argue that Benitez, having seen Babel play during practice, felt that he would not be able to handle a full 90 minutes for Liverpool, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Benitez started Ryan Babel against Manchester City, hoping a change would make them victorious. However, just 20 minutes into the game, Ryan Babel left the pitch injured, and Liverpool ended up with a draw.

One can only hope that the start of the new year not only brings a run of good luck for Liverpool, but some good new signings too. Not another Rafa-like 50 percent good, 50 percent bad, and 100 percent profit loss coming out of Liverpool FC yet again.

How long can the likes of Gerrard, Carragher, and Torres keep Liverpool away from unfortunate losses?

Yossi Benayoun has undoubtedly been a strong player this season, but even he was struck with injury worries and could not pull the team out of its miserable run. How many seasons can we start off by saying “This is our season” and end it with “Better luck next time?”

Ryan has the ability to be a fantastic young player, but he needs to be fit and in form. He has had some very good games in the Champions League and even against Manchester United in the premiership.

With the Liverpool side seeming to lack the spark it had last season, players like Lucas and Babel need to prove themselves and help the club get through seemingly bad times.

Many critics have been saying that the loss of Alonso has had a huge effect on the team. Alonso played a fantastic defensive midfield role for the club but also provided key passes and scored some terrific goals. He is a very hard player to replace, even with fantastic performances from players like Benayoun and Mascherano, both of whom are making up for the loss of such a world class player.

The question right now, following Liverpool’s exit from the Champions League is, are players like Babel and Lucas going to show Liverpool fan's why they’ve been signed?

Or are they going to find themselves playing for a different club very soon?

Does Liverpool have a chance of making the top three this season, or is their Premier League run going to be just as unlucky as their Premier League history?

Eduardo to Liverpool?: You're Kidding, Right?

Michelle Alves — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:33:48 -0500

Undoubtedly, this is the worst start for Liverpool in a long time; manager Rafael Benitez will need nothing less then a miracle to keep league dreams alive.

Having lost only two games last season, Liverpool still did not go on to win the league. With a start of more than seven losses this season, it seems nearly impossible that Liverpool win the League.

Rafa’s future will remain in question unless he can force somewhat of a phenomenon into the team.

Liverpool’s injury-struck season has not gone unnoticed and the start of January signals an opportunity for Benitez to bring on some much-required reinforcement to the Liverpool team.

With Torres and Gerrard unable to play and the Reds facing one of their worst seasons in a long time, what has Rafa got planned?

According to transfer rumours, Benitez has set his sights on Arsenal striker Eduardo. With all the recent unsuccessful transfer attempts, this one, it seems, might be taking a similar route to being just a “rumour.” For a fee of £10 million, it is doubtful that either Wenger or Eduardo may give in.

Although, recently, the Brazilian-born striker has started only three games despite completely recovering from the appalling injury he suffered back in February last year, which could compel him into moving to a team that might allow him more time on the field.

Eduardo is an incredible striker and it is understandable why Rafa would turn to him at such a time, but a fee of only £10 million is what sets uncertainty in one’s mind. A player of Eduardo’s calibre certainly won’t move for so low a price.

His contract is set to expire in 18 months, and so far he has had no indication of whether his contract will be extended.

Rumour has it that, Rafa has said that Eduardo is the answer to Liverpool’s striking crisis. It is undeniable that Eduardo at £10 million is a definite asset, but it’s almost too unrealistic.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s persistence and the injury of Robin Van Persie might lead to Eduardo getting more game time for Arsenal, and this could lead to Benitez having to turn to someone else to save his team.

Eduardo is no stranger to injury, though, and maybe Rafa needs to set his sight on someone consistent, stable and not injury prone...Liverpool certainly don’t need another bench warmer.

Liverpool FC in the Stars: What Astrology Says!

Michelle Alves — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:38:42 -0500

Usually, I’m not a big believe in star signs, but from what I hear, they say a lot about people. Recently, I decided to look up Liverpool players and their manager to see if their personality and game play is affected.

Andriy Voronin —Cancer (A crab, how appropriate)

“Blonde Vegetable,” “A gift from a secret admirer (Alex Ferguson)” and “What’s his face” are few of the terms I’ve used in reference to him. Yes, Voronin might be a great player, but in all honesty I don’t think he’s a great “Liverpool player.” Lets see what his star sign says about him.

—Cautious—Avoids easy goals? Sounds cautious to me.

—Changeable—Great in Germany, poor in England. Accurate.

—Unable to let go—Got rid of him, yes. He comes back? Yes.

—Untidy, sulky, devious, moody, inclined to self—pity because of an inferiority complex—Need I say more?

Lucas Leiva —Capricorn (A goat?)

I may not know much about him...but here is what his star sign says:

—A very depressed individual—I wouldn’t know!

—The tendency to ruin things by unexpected and utterly irresponsible bouts of flippancy.—I’m not going to deny this

—They can be economists, financiers, bankers, speculators, contractors, managers and real estate brokers—But not footballers.

—Getting too tired out—Oh really? That explains a lot.

Pepe Reina - The Virgin (Virgo, I know...)

—Modest. Claims Casillas is the best goalkeeper in the world. Modesty

—Perfectionist—Certainly seems so!

—Analytical—Great goalkeeping skills, so I guess that must be correct.

—Virgo is the only zodiacal sign represented by a female. I’m sorry Reina, I didn’t make that up.

—Essentially tacticians—Looks like someone gets along with their manager well.

—Liable to indecision—Watch “beachball incident”

Jamie Carragher —The water carrier

Mr. Aquarius, Jamie Carragher displays quite a few Aquarian traits.

—Honest—Carra is someone you’ll never catch cheating or diving. True story.

—Loyal—With Liverpool being his only club ever, and having played more than 500 games for them, can you doubt it?

—Exuberant—Lively, and vocal. Seems a perfect description for Jamie Carragher , doesn’t it?

—Intelligent, concise, clear and logical—Qualities not only for a great defender, but a great future manager ;)

Without water what is life? Without Jamie Carragher what is Liverpool?

Fernando Torres —(The fish?)

Pisces. Yes, sign of water. Which makes the ground slippery, like a fish. Slippery. Which is why Torres seems to slip a little too often. See the connection? No? Okay, ignore that.

—Popular with all kinds of people—In Torres’s case, specially the girls.

—Greatly creative. Have you seen his goals? It’s talent, guys.

—Receptive to new ideas and atmospheres—Which is why he broke records in his first season at Anfield! Class.

—Yearning for new sensations and travel to remote, exotic places.—Exotic places? Dude. You’re from Spain...how much more exotic can it get?

—Better working either by themselves or in subordinate positions.—Lone striker says much?

—Walked on or over in all manner of ways.—Thanks to the opposition players, that fact is true.

Steven Gerrard —Captain Gemini

—Demands attention, admiration.—He doesn’t just demands it. He deserves it.

—Throws tantrums if they don't get what they want—I’ve never seen him throw a tantrum, but has anyone noticed that pouty face he makes when he’s injured and can’t play?

—Intense—Every game. It’s absolutely true.

—Their intellect is strongly analytical—Does this help in making him one of the greatest Midfielders? Maybe.

—Health problems brought on by overindulgence of food, drink, or the night life which only gets worse as you age—Stay away from the junk food and alcohol, Stevie G!

—Mental agility and energy—Sounds like an addition to the recipe of a perfect player!

—Successful. Any doubt?

Rafael Benitez —born under the sign Aries.

Adventurous—Substituting Benayoun for Voronin. Check

Quick-tempered—Behaviour during games. Check

Good champions of lost causes and last-ditch resistance—Istanbul, Double Check.

Higher capacity to speak—Rant directed at Ferguson, Check.

High sex drive—I really don’t want to know.

Looks like my sources were right, star signs really do say a lot of people. I'm going to go look up mine now. What do you think?

Is Alonso's Exit the Reason for Liverpool's Downfall?

Michelle Alves — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:04:16 -0500

Liverpool isn’t a one-man team, as they have proven quite often by beating big teams like United and Chelsea without some of their main players, but why the sudden slump following Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres's injuries? Is it just their injuries that have affected the team, or does the cut run deeper than it actually looks?

Was Xabi Alonso’s transfer the breaking point? Steven Gerrard might think so. The skipper recently said that he was still “devastated” by the sale of Alonso to Real Madrid. He was quoted saying, “It will be a while before Alonso’s out of our system because he was such a top player. He was so good at protecting the central defenders and, going forward, he was one of the best passers I’ve ever played with.”

Since Alonso’s departure, Liverpool have lost six of their last eight games, their only victory being against the latest premier league champions Manchester United. His terrific play last season helped Liverpool to a remarkable finish in the Premier League, threatening to over throw United till the very end.

Without Alonso, the underrated playmaker, Liverpool’s rhythm appears upset and their confidence seemed to have faltered. The new first team additions by manager Rafael Benitez seems to be lacking the quality of Xabi Alonso, the defence abilities of Jamie Carragher, or the impeccable finish of Fernando Torres.

People tend to take things for granted until they are lost, and like Steven Gerrard says, “It was always going to be different when you lose one of the best players in the world—and people are finally realizing that’s what he [Alonso] is, on the back of his form for Real Madrid and the difference in us from last year.”

Alonso himself hasn’t been silent about Liverpool’s current downfall. He has talked of his sadness at his former teammates performing so disappointingly. It is obvious that Alonso still is up to date about his team and has a bond with some of the players.

In relation to their recent form he says, “They have had injuries, they've had some bizarre moments like the one at Sunderland [when Darren Bent's shot bounced off a stray beach ball and flew past Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina. Liverpool will always be in my mind. I keep in contact with my former team-mates, I look for their results and, whenever I can, I watch their games on TV."

Liverpool’s unfortunate run has also given a reason for fingers to be pointed at manager Rafael Benitez. Admittedly, certain decisions seen by the Spaniard may have left people puzzled and led them to ask for his exit, but Xabi Alonso thinks different. Despite the seemingly hostile relationship between the manager and player, Alonso took a stand for his former manager saying that he remains to be the right man for Liverpool.

“It is not the Liverpool way to sack a manager after a few bad results early in the season,” he said. “They have full confidence in him and he is the right man for the club. He’s a great manager and certainly one capable of managing the squad that he has right now. It would not be a good decision to change the manager.

"I still have great respect for Rafa and I am very grateful to him for the five great years I had at Liverpool. He knows the squad very well and is working with the team on a daily basis. Benítez knows how to turn things around.”

Benitez sticks by his decisions, including confusing substitutions and isn’t giving up hope. He says "We have come back before—and we can do it again. We now must be ready for the next match. I have confidence that we have the quality to overcome these problems.”

Without Alonso and Arbeloa, with all the injuries and what appears to be an incomplete line up, is an early exit from the Champions League next in line? Is Liverpool’s second place finish last season the closest Benitez will get to Premier League triumph?

According to Pepe Reina, things aren’t over. "We must show heart, passion and belief. If anyone can do this, Liverpool can."

Liverpool, God & Jesus...Have We Found A Judas in Michael Owen?

Michelle Alves — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:59:11 -0400

“Like Judas, it kisses and kills; like Joab, it salutes and slays”

Everyone knows 'GOD' Robbie Fowler. In my last article I wrote about Jesus joining Liverpool...Have we now found Judas?...Judas who has sold his soul to the Devils... the "Red Devils"? I'm talking about Michael Owen, yes the "ex" Liverpool footballer.

Michael Owen, one of the most memorable players to have played at Liverpool was respected and admired, even after his shocking move to Real Madrid. A lot of people then could talk about him being a traitor and money hungry...some did, yet many yearned to see him back at Anfield.

I’m not accusing "MO" of anything. I’ve always respected him and appreciated all he’s done for us but at the end of the day I’m a Liverpool supporter, I can’t help feeling betrayed.

Put yourself in our place, imagine your favorite player, someone who was raised and learned to play at your club, saying something about the team you detest, something that goes like this: "'Right throughout the squad they are obviously a fantastic team with fantastic players, that's why they've all won so much throughout their careers, and hopefully I can jump on the bandwagon, score a few goals, and help us to further success'.”

And when you remember former quotes like ‘“I believe my ambitions can be fulfilled at Liverpool. I find it a little insulting that, after 12 years’ service, my loyalty is being questioned. I want every supporter to know that I am as committed to Liverpool as any player at the club. I have been the same ever since I first came to Anfield as an 11-year-old.”

You wonder...Where is that commitment?

Hurts doesn’t it?

His move to Real Madrid didn’t leave the greatest impression in one’s mind, but a move to Manchester United is a true blow. Cristiano Ronaldo has been a few times accused to being a traitor... but nothing can be as traitorous as moving to a rival team.

Manchester United fans might agree with me that someone who achieved fame and popularity at one team, leaving as soon as he hears a big number is not a positive quality.

Michael Owen’s move to Madrid is strikingly similar to Ronaldo’s move, except for the fact that Ronaldo was born and bought up in a foreign country. Michael Owen graduated through the Liverpool Academy and grew up in Liverpool.

One may have wondered why would he moved to Real Madrid... Is the fame? Or the money?

In his autobiography, Michael Owen spoke about his move. He said that he wanted to become a greater player. 118 goals in 216 appearances, winning five trophies in one year, including the UEFA Cup and the FA Cup... and he feels that Liverpool FC is stifling his growth?

Implying that by moving to a ‘greater’ team, he would achieve his dreams reminds me of the words of Jamie Carragher... ‘Who’s bigger than Liverpool?’

For two guys who were really close in their young days, they seem to have different morals and beliefs. Jamie Carragher would just laugh in Ferguson’s face if approached for a move. It is obvious that no matter how great he gets, he would not accept an offer to Madrid. It is such loyalty that is appreciated in football. Has football become about money, fame and status now?

The same year Owen moved to Madrid, another very famous Liverpool player was offered a chance at another club. This player stayed, while the other one left... Steven Gerrard is now undoubtedly the more successful of the two, would you deny it?

Although comparing Owen to Judas might be wrong, Jesus also says to him ‘You will be cursed by the other generations—and you will come to rule over them”...

Owen, minus injuries, has the capability to be a remarkable force for United, he could revert to his former goal scoring ways... or maybe this is a huge mistake on Ferguson’s part.

Whatever the future holds, I no longer hold the same respect as I did for Michael Owen, and wish him good luck in all his future endeavours. I will, from now on, deny his existence... and only refer to him as Judas, till the shock of this betrayal wears off.

Liverpool: If You Need a Miracle, Sign Jesus

Michelle Alves — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:30:27 -0400

With God having played at Liverpool, it's only natural that Jesus would follow in his footsteps

Sixteen-year-old Spaniard Jesus "Suso" Fernandez was not only targeted by Liverpool, but also Barcelona and Real Madrid. Taking on the position of a left side midfielder, he seems to be a great addition to any team.

Rafa has apparently been monitoring Suso’s performance over the last few months, and finally made a successful move to sign him. His trainer at his former club, Cadiz, speaks of him highly, saying, "great quality, a good shot, his vision is great and his passing is outstanding. I think they have signed a jewel." Liverpool seem to have made a good decision, yet the kid is said to be lacking in speed.

A compensation fee will be paid to Cadiz but the amount is unknown. Rafa may not be as good as Arsene Wenger when signing a young talent, but his record with Spanish signings are nearly perfect.

Suso has apparently signed a five year deal and has made his former club proud in knowing that the Cadiz youth system is working well. His trainer, Quique Gonzalez, is quoted saying, "If Manchester United cannot even keep Cristiano Ronaldo when Real Madrid was interested, you can imagine what it is like for a club Cadiz. I think he has everything needed to succeed there."

Liverpool is known to have more Spanish players in the their starting XI than Real Madrid; will this Spanish flair help the team win the league next season? Although he’s definitely not guaranteed a place in the starting lineup, It will be interesting to see how he fares with the first team.

Everyone knows Liverpool’s financial situation is a cause for concern. In order to redeem Liverpool, many people were quoted saying a miracle was needed. Has Madman Rafa taken those words a tad too seriously? Is bringing Jesus to Anfield really going to be the answer? What do you think?

Why It's Getting Tiring Now... (Football Of Course!)

Michelle Alves — Tue, 05 May 2009 18:10:47 -0400

I’m a football addict.

A huge fan of the sport... and almost everyone who knows me will know that. I love everything about the game, the excitement, the noise, the goals...but football recently has been having it’s déjà vu moments.

I’m tired of a lot of things about the sport, most involving the fans and supporters. Starting with what I call "The one-game Newbie’s".

I’m not sure why I’ve chosen that term, but it’s something to do with newly born supporters. These certain kids, who just started supporting a team this current season, but go along pretending they’ve been into the team all their lives...I know I’m not old enough to suggest that i'm the greatest fan or something, but at least I don’t claim to know everything...

A certain person I know, watched one game of a certain team, and decided to support them. Which isn’t a bad thing, I suppose, but when you run around challenging people who’ve been watching football they’re whole lives, pretending to be know-it-all’s, it gets very irritating.

Fakhts (I have to stop doing that), don’t make up all of football. You can’t talk about how great a game was, if you didn’t watch it live...if you weren’t there cheering your team on, crossing your fingers, biting your nails—praying to the gods of football for a win.

You can’t say "that was the greatest moment ever" if you didn’t feel the pain and the passion of a true supporter at that moment.

It’s not the same if you knew what the result would be!

You can’t tell me, someone who was in tears midway through the Champions League finals in 2005, that I don’t know how great that game was, when you yourself didn’t watch that game at that time...and only did watch it because some encyclopedia mentioned it as the greatest game ever, its just so wrong!

Of recently, I’ve stopped checking the news and forums after games too. It’s all so monotonous...Every time Liverpool win, they talk about how great they are, what a great tactician Rafa is, and then when they lose...they call him a madman and ask him to leave. It just doesn’t make sense to me.

When Man United win...they are the greatest team in the world... but when they lose, all you hear is how Liverpool is winning the league. It's absolute rubbish. I hate Manchester United and would love to hear nothing more about how they’d lose to Liverpool, but you can’t go blaming certain players and insulting people just because of one defeat.

I hate listening to stories about "Luck". For example Liverpool winning with a last minute equaliser = luck.

Yes, luck does play it’s part in the game, but I don’t see a luck running around in a jersey scoring goals... I didn’t see him the day Man United scored a last minute winner? Where was he?

Another thing I’m tired of? Girls... Yes I know I’m one too.

What I mean is I’m fed up of hearing girls go on about how hot Ronaldo is. Watch the football, damn it! Not the guy! Every time I talk about football to someone not of the male species, all I get is a full description of how hot Cristiano Ronaldo is!

I don’t see it—I just don’t!

It’s all boring the hell out of me, to the point where I just get irritated and turn of the laptop.

I guess nothing in life is perfect...Nothing is what it should be. Maybe I’ll have to spend the rest of my life listening to stories about Ronaldo’s abs , Man Utd’s greatness, looney Wenger, and Liverpool’s inconsistency.

To be honest, this article isn’t even supposed to be published. If ever it does go up somewhere, it’ll be due to the fact that I have nothing else to do. This is just me trying to get a tiny bit of the frustration in me out, so I can write like before which means... YOU don’t have to read, comment or even like what I’ve just written...

Cheers

Liverpool vs. Barcelona: What Could Happen There?

Michelle Alves — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 06:18:18 -0400

A Champions League clash, such as the upcoming one with Liverpool and Chelsea, in my opinion, is boring, as the reds and blues face each other in the Champions League for the fifth consecutive season. With Liverpool already beating Chelsea two times in the Premier League this season, can they do it again? I hope so, because if they do, there is a possibility of their facing Barcelona FC. This is the game I have been waiting for.

Barca is definitely one of the teams to keep your eye on, scoring goals and playing attractive football at the same time. Not that they haven’t lost, but they will still be difficult to beat. Liverpool players are at their best, especially after destroying Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Aston Villa, scoring 13 goals in the last three matches.

Now, it’s still too early to go on about how Liverpool will win the title and how they’ll knock over United, because that might not happen. Anyone who has watched them for long will know they lack consistency in league games, and tend to lose or draw with weaker teams. Liverpool is a much stronger team as far as the Champions League is concerned, and when they play, they seem to be kings, the true champions of Europe.

Barca fear facing the Reds, and Liverpool, too, are wary of Barcelona. Johan Cruyff spoke about his former team facing Liverpool, suggesting that Barca has to avoid Liverpool at all costs if they are looking to win the Champions League.

He talked about the Madrid game, saying "Against Madrid, Liverpool became a steamroller, and for sure, many of those who feared playing against Manchester United don't want to face Liverpool now."

Liverpool player Albert Riera also expressed the same sentiment as Cruyff, saying he hopes to avoid Barcelona in the Champions league too.

"Barcelona is playing unbelievable football this year."

"They are one team we wouldn't like to see in the Champions League against us," stated Reira.

On the other hand, Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa seems confident that Liverpool will "knock Barcelona down a peg if they meet them."

Joking with his Spanish teammate Xavi, Arbeloa said ‘"I have already said to Xavi that we will knock them down a few pegs because they are very high up."

The Barca player responded to the red, saying "They look at us and see we are very strong. As Arbeloa says, Barcelona are the team to beat, therefore we have to be humble, because even though we are in form, the season is long."

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola’s views differ from those of Cruyff. Whether it's mind games or he genuinely means it, he stated that he believes that Arsenal is the more worrisome team. He also says that the Gunner’s style of football is very similar to that of Barcelona.

Barcelona and Arsenal do share that smooth passing game, that silky, “sexy” football that we all crave, but whether that would be enough to go to a Champion’s League final and win, is a test that both Arsenal and Barcelona will be put through. Liverpool F.C. are specialists on Europe’s biggest stage and if they have taught us anything, it’s that saviour Rafa Benitez can make any group of players into a Champions League machine, as the squad had a change of personnel almost every season and yet managed to reach the semi-finals, if not the finals, each time around.

Either way, there will be a lot to prove for many teams, be it the players from Barca, who can give their ever-demanding fans a double, if not the treble, this season, or Arsenal, whose coach still stands by the fact that his players are mature enough and do have what it takes to go all the way. Either way you look at it, we have a long and exciting road of Champions League mania ahead of us!

I. M. Vijayan: What Does Indian Football Have To Do with Selling Soda Bottles?

Michelle Alves — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:35:57 -0500

India is an interesting country. Some parts lie shadowed with poverty and some are brimming with the rich. There are places so ugly it’s hard to watch even on screen, and then there are places so beautiful they will leave you speechless.

You’ll have someone with a very high status, lacking any talent, and then someone who had sold soda bottles as a kid with unbelievable skill.

One such person is I. M. Vijayan. At an early age, he made his living selling soda bottles for 10 paise each, which is less than a U.S. penny. Today, he is regarded as one of the best footballers India has ever seen, and is the highest-earning footballer in India.

Vijayan was born in 1969, in Kerala. He made his first football appearance at the age of 17 for the Kerala Police and soon became highly accepted in domestic football.

Later, Vijayan played for teams like Mohun Bagan a very popular Indian club, and East Bengal. There, he partnered with India football celebrity, Baichung Bhutia.

Vijayan was known as a deadly striker. Aggressive and accurate, he was a lethal combination for opposing teams.

If India has more players like him, they might be unbeatable. Once he passes the wall of defense, a goal is undeniable, causing opposing teams to fear him.

On paper, he is just as notable, being the first Keralite to win the Arjuna Award and Footballer of the Year three times. He also scored the fastest-ever international goal, clocking in at 12 seconds against Bhutan.

Thailand and Malaysia both showed interest in him, but he decided to stay on in India. He retired as the highest goal scorer in the country. Vijayan was a team player, a match winner, and a great fan of the sport.

What amazes me is how many Indian players have gone unnoticed.

There are legend-worthy players with unbelievable talent from the poorest of families, yet they fade away in time and we go back to our conversation of how India isn’t producing any good football.

Is it the lack of resources? Or the ignorance of people?

If a soda bottle seller can be a top footballer, if a “Slumdog” can win the top prize in the game show Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, if someone who lifted a wicketkeeper's gloves because his coach asked him to can captain the Indian cricket team, what are we missing?

Vijayan is a well-respected player, but not very well known. He should be looked up to. You don’t have to be a superstar to be great. No one ever knows what talent lies hidden within them.

Having said that, things seem to have gotten better for Indian football recently. Akshay Joshi, a 10-year-old, is now being brought into the limelight. The fact that he scored 26 goals in six games shows how bright his future is.

Akshay, the son of a headload worker, was spotted playing for Vision India Projects, helping the future of Indian football. His favorite player is Cristiano Ronaldo and he says that his ambition is to score more goals and become a famous footballer.

Composure and skill are some of his qualities, yet we are still to see him play. There is no doubt this kid will one day play for India, but for now his story shows a positive side of football.

Kerala has promised to improve the football in its state. Manchester United and Chelsea have shown interest in helping to improve football in the country.

If India can be a force in cricket, tennis, hockey, chess, and so much more, then football should be next on the list.

And, finally, I sign out with the words of former U.S. president John F. Kennedy.

"All of us do not have equal talent, but all of us should have an equal opportunity to develop our talents.”

Move Over Picasso, Liverpool is Taking Over!

Michelle Alves — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:18:37 -0500

Art can be seen in every moment of life. In memories, in music and even in sports. As every artist knows, you don’t have to look too far to find the beauty of art hidden even in the darkest corners. Liverpool FC is a football club that many people know about. If we talk about art and football in the same context, how can we leave out the masters? Would you talk about cubism and leave out Picasso? Would you talk about rock and roll and leave out Elvis?

Liverpool’s players are true artists. Not even a United or Everton fan will deny this. Not when we talk about what the team specializes in. Drawing.

If you haven’t seen Liverpool play as of yet, let me tell you, they are masters in drawing and could challenge the likes of Leonardo Da Vinci and Monet.

Of course, unlike famous artists, we don’t draw the ‘Mona Lisa’ or ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring.'

No, Liverpool draw other teams.

Everton - Draw
Arsenal - Draw
Stoke – Draw
Wigan - Draw

And that isn't even a quarter of it. Oh how talented Rafa's team is.

Moving on from drawing, let’s talk about painting. There are different styles of art, different styles of painting and Liverpool has perfected a lot of them.

Futurism, Like the name suggests is a form of art that depict the present interpretation of the future. When every season begins, our team, our fans paint a picture of success. "This is our season, this is it."

"However daring, however violent," bore proudly "the smear of madness," is the perfect way to describe two things: One would be Futurism and the second would be Liverpool’s last game. Daring, is what the team was, to suggest a great win. Violent, might describe Lucas and the smear of madness, would be Rafa, for his wonderful substitutions of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

Surrealism, illusion art, usually based on dreams...It plays with the eyes and with the mind. Liverpool have perfected this art over the years. Oh yes, let me explain how great it is.

So the team started the season well, till recently. The illusion involved United. See how far at the bottom we put them? That’s a form of illusion, because if you open your eyes now, and look at where they actually are, which is a few points above us...yeah, you get the rest, don’t you?

A form of modern art is called Cubism, and is described as "The paintings are not supposed to look real. The artist uses geometric shapes to show what he is trying to paint."

In football it is known as Rafa’s team sheet. Looking at Lucas in the line up and Robbie Keane on the bench definitely seems unreal. The picture of confidence is what he tries to paint, and sometimes might use weird angles and shapes to describe what the player is supposed to be doing. Sadly, this art fails because it only works on paper.

And finally Realism. The name says it all, and it usually applies just around the end of a season...

To all you United and Chelsea supporters, have a great season. To the Liverpool fans out there, hope you’ve got insurance, you’re going to need it

Cheers.

Chocolate & Football; It's A Girl's World Now

Michelle Alves — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:07:09 -0500

Everyone knows a way to a girl’s heart is chocolate, that’s why it’s a most preferred Valentine’s gift. It’s also how a lot of people see girls. Sweet, beautiful and feminine, but things change. Men cook, women work...

Gone are the days of getting our claws out and sharpened when we decide that we don’t like the girl in a green shirt. It’s now time to bring on the boots and the shorts. It’s time for a battle on the field. No more hair pulling and name calling now is about brutal pushes and tackles... it’s not about getting the girl, it’s about getting that goal.

Earlier women weren’t allowed to get involved in sports, especially Muslims but those were the days women weren’t allowed out at all, the United Arab Emirates now has a football team for local girls. It’s a different era, a case of ‘Men are from Mars, but Women are taking over’

A girl playing football is seen as a sort of rebel, someone who will stand out, they will play football not for the money but for the passion. She in truth, will fight for the ball, not be afraid to push, to shove, but she won’t dive...or cry because she doesn’t want people to say ‘This is why girl’s don’t play football’. She is strong and independent and is a force to reckon with on a football pitch.

Some people find this hard to digest, like one German coach who says "Women are graceful creatures. I like to watch lady gymnasts. But when girls gallop around football pitches like cart-horses, that are going too far!”

Well I could say the same thing about a certain fairy boy, running around a field on his toes and crying every time he’s pushed. It’s going too far, isn’t it? When men cry, whine and act feminine, it’s okay.

How is it, that men can gallop and it’s acceptable, men can take up ballet and that’s acceptable and men can stay at home – look up stay at home dad- and take care of the kids, and that is acceptable, yet women cannot run around kicking a ball? This world may have been sexist once but things are different now, yet once in a while ‘Girls don’t play football’ will still slip into a conversation.

Girl’s know a lot about the sport too, we accept arguments for what they are and do not call war on each other, screaming insults and racist comments. Writing on sports websites like B/R brings into question women’s knowledge on sports, but as you can tell by the many female writers, that some of us actually do know our football *shocker*.

Nowadays, try saying ‘Girls can’t...’ and you’ll be stopped right there. Is there something girls can’t do? This doesn’t just go for football, but almost every sport and almost every country.

Recently, women’s football has been introduced in Bengal, India. For a country where girls aren’t even allowed to touch football’s and are forced to get married at very young ages, this shows signs of progress. At schools, girls are encouraged to take part and have shown a lot of potential, even boys taunts and a slight edge of gender racism doesn’t deter them anymore.

India has a national women’s team and some of you really need to see these girls play, sexist comments like ‘Get your kit off’, will be lost amidst the brilliant tackles, goals and saves.

They say men are physically stronger, built bigger and more fit for football. I bet I could find you many girls who fall down less easier than Ronaldo and who are built bigger than Messi. Women are also psychologically stronger than men, and be able to deal with pressure better.

Sometimes , I wonder if it’s the fear of losing to ‘a bunch of girls’ that brings on so many sexist comments and insults. If that’s the case, then please continue, because we girls love seeing people act envious of us. Women have already dominated in tennis, why not football?

One more ‘A woman’s job is to cook and take care of the kids’ from someone, and I’ll make sure their stadium for the rest of their lives is a hospital, that’s the kind of attitude we girls have.

Women are not chocolate; we don’t melt in the heat and break easily. We can take on a men’s team, we do get messy and we like to fight dirty. Just because you’ve seen a few girls cry about broken nails and bad hair days doesn’t mean everyone is like that. It’s time to get used to seeing girls do keep ups and headers, who knows, maybe one day we’ll be saying ‘A Mans stadium is his kitchen’...

The Tragedies of Football: All That Glitters...

Michelle Alves — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:18:31 -0500

Tragedy.

One word, simple enough. Three syllables, a lifetime of meaning. Seven letters, countless emotions. Such a tiny word holding so much behind it...and this might just be the beginning.

You could say people think with their feet. There are some people I refer to as the extremists of football, outcasts, trying to find a place within.

Explain life to me. Explain football to me...which would be easier? I’m sure you’d say the latter.

No. Life is a series of unfortunate events, each reminding you of how good you had it—that’s what I think. Football is more complicated. It’s a sport, it has all the emotion of the world in it, and when the world gets tiring, it’s that dark corner that you were looking for.

For some, the colours of a football team flag are the true symbol of loyalty—such is the beauty of the game. But everything has a shadow, a dark side, and football is no exception to this rule. There has always been tragedy, on and off the pitch.

With millions of people watching, when a tragedy occurs, it hits the viewers and the fans with great distress. In the world of football, such disasters and lives that can be taken would almost seem like the casualties of a war. Why would such a beautiful game turn into a battle?

Friendly rivalry is fun, in the same way a religious debate is acceptable, but when it results in mockery of one’s belief, things take a different route altogether. When the thunder of fans in a stadium is the sound of encouragement, it fills people with pride. When that encouragement turns to abuse, another word is added to the dictionary of football. Ugly.

One of the biggest tragedies in English football was the Hillsborough disaster. Although I hate to remind everyone of the 96 deaths that occurred during the FA Cup Semifinal on 15th April 1989, it also reminds us of the terrible things that can happen during the game that need to be remembered.

Not being there, or even near the place at that time makes me a poor judge of what actually happened, but I know enough not to bring out the blame game. I’m sure no decent person would have wanted this to happen.

So what do I think when I hear people sing about it... Suddenly others' lives have lost relevance to people. Harsh but true. Life has become dispensable.

Mentioning just the greater tragedy would be nothing compared to smaller, more subtle events that have tainted football in general. Racism, for instance, is something that isn’t just confined to the grounds of football. It is seen as a part of daily life for many.

When such an unacceptable form of discrimination is acted out in football, it is enough to make any football fan uneasy. From abusive chants to players getting personal on the field, it spells out tragedy loud and clear.

Living in the Middle East leaves me no stranger to violence, being Asian leaves me no stranger to racism...but when your escape from everything is a reminder of what you’ve been avoiding, it makes you look at things differently.

Football is an international language. Go to a remote part of Africa, and you'll find someone who'll tell you how good David Beckham is. Africans are known for their athleticism; they're built well and are good at what they do. That is why you see many Africans playing in the Premier League, Didier Drogba, for example. But even here can be found a hint of tragedy.

Instead of improving conditions for youngsters in such countries, the best of the best are taken abroad, and some people might classify this as stealing. In an article I recently read, the writer, from Uruguay, spoke about how a lot of good players were being "exported" and nothing was done to help build new players. This in turn decreased the fervour and passion to play football within the country.

We all consider the glory of football, but shy away from the pain. Some tragedies had two sides to them. It’s an ugly part of the game that somehow snuck into the history of football, and since the beginning of time tragedy has tagged along with football on the road of history.

In the 1950 FIFA World Cup final, where Brazil lost to Uruguay at home, many fans were stunned and led into committing suicide from the shock of losing. It adds to my list of emotion behind tragedy, and rightfully so. It has also been labelled as a show of loyalty to a team and how much more than “just a game” it really is.

Another heartrending example would be the death of midfielder Escobar from Colombia, who scored an own goal in the 1994 World Cup game against USA, which resulted in their elimination. Upon his return home he was shot outside a bar.

Is the price of someone’s life worth revenge? One emotion, strong enough to take something valuable not only of one person, but who knows how many? Someone loses a father, a brother, a son, because of an uncontrollable burst of emotion—what is this going to lead us to?

I’ve always wanted to talk about how I see what happened, and finally I found the words I’ve been searching for. Suddenly, I don’t care about what people think of me bringing up such a sensitive topic. This I needed to say for myself more than anyone else.

Football is life, but it is not larger than life.

Cricket For Dummies: A Footballer's Guide

Michelle Alves — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 22:24:35 -0500

Cricket is a sport. Like football.

It’s not hard to understand, but for those who never watch it can be about as fun as chemistry class (that is, if you’re not a nerd).

Teams, points and stumps...

Each team has 11 players—Yes, exactly like football. Points are scored by running between two sets of three wooden sticks (stumps) , called wickets. The wickets, you could say, are like goals. The goal for the bowler is to hit the ball at it. Think of the batsman as a goal keeper. Instead of using his hands to prevent the ball from going into the goal, he uses his bat to strike the ball away from the wicket.

Figuring out the teams on field... Here’s where it gets a bit different. The team batting (the goalie’s team) has only two players on the field, where as the team bowling (attackers) have 11.

Wickets...

Each batting team, has 11 lifelines. So think of it as 10 red cards. When the bowler throws the ball at the batsman, and he misses, causing it to hit the wicket, he’s given an OUT. In football terms, a red card. "leave the field."

Another way to get a red card is if the batsman hits the ball and it gets caught before one bounce.

There are lots of ways to get a red card (wicket), actually. There’s also a run out. For you to get that, let me explain RUNS.

Runs...

Everytime the batsman manages to hit the ball away from him, he runs between the wickets.

One run = One point

Two runs = two points

Three runs = three points.

Four runs = it’s impossible to run that much before the fielders (10 men and the bowler of the opposite team) get the ball, unless there is a serious mess up or blunder on the field.

Run out...

Now, if you continue running and the fielder gets the ball, he has to attempt to throw the ball at the stumps before you get there (if you watch baseball you might understand that).

He can either aim directly at the stumps or throw the ball to the "wicketkeeper" (the opposition’s goalie) who will hit the stumps before the player crosses the line.

Hit Wicket...

When batsman uses his own bat, leg or his body to hit the wicket when batting, he is called out.

In football terms, this would be an own goal and is probably just as embarrassing.

Handling the ball (to make it simpler)...

If the ball is going towards the wicket, the batsman cannot use his hand to stop it at anytime.

It’s like a handball in the penalty area. Simple enough?

LBW

Also known as leg before wicket. Simple English, complicated theory. Not really.

See, players aren’t allowed to use their legs to block the wicket. Just like goalkeepers aren’t allowed to stop the ball using hands outside the "D."

If the ball hits the batsman anywhere below the knee, before hitting the bat, the Umpire (aka Referee) will decide whether if the leg hadn’t been in the way, would the ball have hit the stumps. If he thinks it would, the player is signalled an OUT.

Overs

Think of them as minutes in a football match because they are equally important.

An over consists of six balls. To make it simpler, when you throw a cricket ball at a batsmen six times. It makes an over! Each match consists of hundred overs. Team A will bat for 50 overs and team B will bat for another 50. In between those, will be a short break, equivalent to half-time. Yes, this means the game could go on for hours, but time isn’t really important.

The bowler

Bowler’s have to "throw" the ball at the batsmen, in a straight line with his arm going over head, in order for it to be counted. Like the goalie has to be inside the D when using his hands, the bowler has a line he has to bowl before. If he crosses that line (like the line in a Long Jump) It’s counted as a "NO BALL" and the umpire gives the opposite team another ball plus a run.

If the ball is bowled to far to the left or right, its a wide, and the opposite team is given a run (which, in case you forgot is a POINT).

If you try to kill the batsman with speed, its okay, but avoid it swinging so much that it hits the batsman’s helmet or you could get a warning.

The batsman

There are two batsmen on the field. Each on opposite ends. They’re aim is to hit the ball , run and score points. When they run, they switch positions, mainly at one or three runs.

Fours and Sixes

These are extremely fun to watch.

You get four points, when the ball is hit towards the boundary with once bounce or more.

You get six points if you hit the ball towards the boundary and it crosses it without a bounce or lob.

If football were judged on the quality of goals, it would make it similar to cricket.

The Run Chase

Now an average score in 50 overs, would be 250. Anything crossing 300 would be great. Once Team A makes, say, 250 in 50 overs, his innings (first half) is over. The next team up to bat, has to score 250 to draw, or 251 to win.

Like in football. When Milan scored three goals (say 300 runs in cricket) Liverpool had to score four to win (301). It’s as simple as that.

Remember factors that count is the overs and wickets (in other words, don’t waste time and don’t get too many red cards)

So that was the basics of cricket ODI (50 over game), in football terms, it’s not too hard, and once you understand this, you’ll be able to watch the game and not get very bored!

Give it a shot, the next time you see a cricket match, stop and watch. Maybe it will make more sense to you now.

Duckworth-Lewis Method: Cricket Fair Play Or Another Complication?

Michelle Alves — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 05:43:55 -0500

In football, you see the players out on the ground, no matter what. Be it rain, storm or snow. Cricket, isn’t as rough. It’s a tiring game no doubt and sure does test your stamina.

Can you imagine, standing out there for hours batting, bowling, and chasing a ball around the field? And these games can last for days! Of course you do get breaks in between, but it doesn’t take away the fact that it is not a girl’s sport.

In case of rain, unlike in football, play will have to be stopped, or delayed. It affects the surface, making it difficult for bowlers and bad light makes it difficult for batsmen to see the ball.

A lot of cricket matches played in countries like India and England are stopped due to rain. This ruins everything because can you imagine paying to see your country a big game and returning home with no result? How was this to be solved?

Step in, Mr. Tony Lewis and Frank Duckworth. A statistician and a mathematician. You know what I first thought when I heard that? My two worst subjects... statistics and mathematics. As if cricket wasn’t complicated enough!

As it turns out, the Duckworth-Lewis method is relatively easy to apply. You don’t need to have a degree in mathematics (although that might help).

Applied to 50 over matches, each team has to face at least 20 overs before D/L can decide the game. In Twenty20games, each side has to face at least five overs. It is used to calculate required runs for the team batting second.

The method is based on two "resources" used to score as many runs on the board in order to win a game. One, would be the over’s and the second would be the amount of wickets in hand. A table (and a D/L calculator which can be found online) would give you a percentage of the resources. The percentage then gives you the target amount of runs required to win the game with the remaining over’s.

The D/L method has often been criticized for many reasons. One would be because it’s too complicated to understand.

For me, being a cricket fan...it still wasn’t easy. Hours of reading up about it and pestering my dad to explain it to me and I was still confused. Over the year, it got less complicated, but this method would understandably confuse a lot of people and even cause them to lose interest in the sport.

Also, according to a few sites on the internet wickets are (necessarily) a much more heavily weighted resource than over’s, leading to the observation that if teams are chasing big targets, and there is the prospect of rain, a winning strategy could be to not lose wickets and score at what would seem to be a "losing" rate.

The D/L method is not altogether perfect, because it is controlled by humans. In 2003, a game was played between South Africa and Sri Lanka, a wrong calculation while using the D/L method after play was interrupted by rain sent South Africa out of the World Cup.

The score required to win was 229, but one more run would have secured a victory for South Africa and Pollock’s team had miscalculated. Not pushing for that one extra run, cost them a chance to win the World Cup.

Over all, the Duckworth Lewis method might bring fair play in to cricket but in my opinion its complicated, and makes things hard. Where are those good old days, where when it rained, play was stopped and it seemed easier to understand?

Rain. No game. Oh, that’s understandable.

Now it's:

Rain. Pause. Bring out calculator...What the hell?

If only these mathematicians found a way to build a retractable shelter for the stadiums when it rains. How much more simple would life be?

Sigh. But cricket was doomed to be complicated, which is why we spend hours trying to explain it to others and they go "Hey, football’s on!" in the face of all our hard work!

Steven Gerrard: Liverpool's Future Manager?

Michelle Alves — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 22:37:48 -0500

Soon celebrating 10 years at Liverpool, Steven Gerrard admits he wants to end his career at Anfield. A brilliant 10 years, of which five have been as captain of the team, Gerrard says he wants to sign a contract at Liverpool for life.

He also says, "If someone had said ten years ago that I would go on to be captain and lift the European Cup then I wouldn't have believed them.”

Rafa Benitez speaks of Stevie’s commitment to the club and backs him to take over as the next manager of the club by saying, “Maybe he will one day be the manager to replace me. He has great passion for the club; he loves the club and the city."

When asked about management, Stevie says, "We will have to wait and see about management but I certainly want to get my qualifications to enable me to coach and manage. Then I will have to decide what I want to do. "

"Whether I will be interested in the Gary Ablett (reserve coach) type role, the Sammy Lee (assistant manager) role or the Rafa Benitez role, I do not know."

"I just want to get all my badges and then we will see”

This means he is definitely not ruling out taking over Rafa’s position in time.

Rafa seems sure that Gerrard will continue to play for Liverpool for another five to six years and Gerrard confirms saying, "I do not know what is going to happen over the next 10 years but certainly for the next five or six I hope I am playing in Liverpool's first team."

In my opinion, Jamie Carragher might make a good assistant manager, if at times Gerrard doesn’t feel too vocal, Carra could lend a voice, a shout anything needed, as we’ve seen him do a number of times!

Would it be too far-fetched to hope that someday Stevie manages our team? He has been an inspirational captain, one that people supporting all teams admire and respect and maybe one day he will lead Liverpool to many more trophies, not as a captain, but as a manager.

Here’s to seeing Stevie at Anfield for much more than just another 10 years! Could we ask for a better player, captain or manager? What do you think? Would Gerrard be a perfect pick as manager? Or do you have someone else in mind?

Steven Gerrard And I Have a Lot In Common

Michelle Alves — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:25:23 -0500

I type the name "Steven Gerrard" and get news, pictures and videos linked with him.

I type Michelle Alves, and I get some model, who looks nothing like I do and I know this because if I looked half as hot as she did I wouldn’t still be single!

Steven Gerrard, Liverpool mid-fielder, captain and an "Inspirational Player." Well boo-hoo, I should be as famous too! Why? We have a lot in common, That’s why!

The "Inspirational factor"

Well, everyone knows a lot of people look up to Gerrard. Great, but so what! People look up to me too!

Ask my cat. Every night at 8 o'clock, he sits on the floor and looks up to me. Ok, so perhaps that’s just because he is hungry but it's true!

My four year old cousin looks up to me too! And no, it’s not because he is short!

Come-back king’s leader!

Yes, he leads Liverpool to brilliant come-backs with his motivation and faith. And I do too! Well, not my team since I have none, but I did lead my FIFA 09 team to a brilliant come back.

We were losing 1-0 and then I scored thrice (yes I did, because so what if there’s another name on the back of the player with the ball, I’m controlling him, so I win!).

Faithfulness

Stevie has stuck by his team through thick and thin, and so did I (not my team but myself).

I’ve always stuck by the fact that I’m great! No matter how much my mother tells me that am not true! I bet even Stevie’s mother says "You don’t move your feet right," or "Stand up straight, Steven." It doesn’t change the fact that he’s a good footballer! And it does change the fact that I am graeat!

The NumberEight

Of course it means a lot to Stevie, and it does to me too!

1) It was the age I started supporting Liverpool

2) It was when I started watching cricket

3) I went for my first ever concert at eight

4) I have eight Liverpool shirts (different seasons, but eight anyway)

5) I have eight m&m’s in front of me (well, okay so I put them there because I needed more points)

6) I’m a size eight! So see...the number eight should mean a lot to me too!

The English factor

Okay, so I’m not English but I’ve got Indian blood. And who doesn’t know that India used to be ruled by the British, right?! Right???

So you never know, there could be a bit of it in me!

The goal scoring!

I once scored 12 goals in a game. That makes me better than Stevie *sigh* I know. But, it was against eight year olds, so let’s say it was five goals! Since I had a bit of an unfair advantage.

Determination

I am a very determined person, Like Steven.

Once, I got a 23 out of 100 in my math examination. I was determined to do better the next week, and guess what. I got a 28/100! Which proves my point, if I put my mind to it, I can succeed!

Leadership Qualities!

Stevie is a great leader! Guess what, me too! Little boys from all over shiver in fear when they see me! They listen to whatever I say. I’m their gang leader. I can get them to do good and evil! Most of the time is the latter though!

So that was just a few reasons and there are many more but I won’t go on in order to avoid boring you guys.

So hey, Steven if you ever end up reading this...Give me a call, imagine how much more famous we could be together...

And you other people reading, you know I’m better, so get me up on Google! I know you guys can do it! Make me rich!

India Might Teach the World a Few Lessons in Football

Michelle Alves — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 03:14:16 -0500

We all look up to stars like David Beckham and Zidane and aspire to be like them. Wealthy, popular, and everything that comes with it.

Is that wrong?

No.

There are times where such players teach you nothing...

You don’t have to be rich to be great. You don’t have to earn £30 million just to prove that you are successful. What’s the world come to, letting a series of numbers in your bank account prove how talented you are?

India’s former captain, a part of the first-ever Indian football team on an overseas tour, a hard-hitting, skilled player and the one and only Asian footballer ever to be named among the best 10 captains in the world, by the English Football Association.

Now declared one of the footballers of the Century by the All-India Football Federation, Sailendra Nath Manna aka Sailen Manna, is a true legend in the history of Indian football.

Born in 1924, he started playing football at the age of 14. The second club he played for turned out to be the opening point of his career, Mohun Bagan, where he played for 19 years.

Manna led India to become Asia’s top team, inspiring more wins than ever. He captained Mohun Bagan and helped them win the Durand Cup three times in a row, with a total win of six in his career.

Times weren’t good for football in Manna’s days, not only had he to play with bare feet but during his 19 years career in Mohun Bagan, he allegedly earned only Rs.19—less than 1 USD.

In 1950, the Indian team had to miss the World Cup as they didn’t know that playing bare feet wasn’t allowed.

Not for money, not for fame but for the love of the game, is what Manna played for and his success showed in his records.

Six Durand Cups, 10 times winner of the Calcutta League as a Captain for Mohun Bagan, two Rover Cups, he led India to four successive titles in the South East Asian quadrangular meet The Padma Shri Awards (A prestigious award given by the Indian Government), he also led India to win the Gold Medal in the 1951 Asian Games.

Never one to strive for richness, Manna lives to see Indian football shine, like many others. As a player, he did not take money from his club, he was happy with the salary he got from his employer and played out of passion and loyalty for his team.

For people who talk about India not being successful due to the lack of money, here is a correction. If Manna could lead 11 boys to see the Asian World Cup in bare feet, why can’t we produce a World Cup team with training grounds, proper kits and (although not that great) some income?

African nations have managed to qualify for to the World Cup stages, look at Senegal...so what exactly is holding us back?

Many footballers’ today seem to be led astray by the lure of money and fame, but in India, "football" still remains the reason why youngsters play. Of course, everyone wants to be rich and famous, but they know that most of India’s wealth is invested in cricket.

Yet, if you pass by a car park or an usually empty street in India, you’ll see a number of small boys, in bare feet, wearing worn out "Beckham" or "Zidane" shirts running around kicking the ball as if it was the most important thing in the world.

They don’t have goal posts, they use stones to mark posts and yet it is more beautiful than any professional field that you will ever see.

Maybe we should learn a lesson or two from India. We called them a third world, we think about how poor it is, yet we know about India’s richness in culture. What we should know is about the richness in passion and team spirit.

In watching them play you learn so many little lessons that have a huge impact on your life. You see children of all ages and sizes come from homes barely worth living in, where food is scarce and survival is the key, we think "Oh, how sad."

They don’t though. No they don’t.

Give them a football and see their eyes light up, the same way most current EPL footballers would at the sight of a cheque worth a million dollars. Can you imagine feeling like you’ve won a million dollars just because you get to play football?

I didn’t think so. That’s why we need to learn from them.

That’s how we’re going to make a difference, that’s how we’re going to bring back what football once was.

Let these kids, show us the meaning of "football".

Stefano Borgonovo: An Inspiration to Our Beautiful Game

Michelle Alves — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:57:47 -0500

In my previous article, I wrote about Liverpool and the passion fans like Liam Harker have for the team.

This time I’m looking at other inspirational players, and reasons why every time someone gives up on football, something new comes their way and sheds light on the beauty of the sport.

Starting his football career at the age of 17, Stefano Borgonovo began with Como Calcio and soon moved to AC Milan. He was loaned back to Calcio, and spent two years playing for them.

Following that he was loaned to Fiorentina, where he excelled in Serie A and won three caps for his country, Italy. Later he was given a chance to play for Milan again, but was unsuccessful and moved back to Fiorentina.

It came as a shock in September this year when Borgonovo was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease—named after the famous baseball player who was hit with the condition at just 36 years of age and died two years later). The same disease killed Gianluca Signorini in 2002.

It is a motor neurone disease that a surprising number of ex-footballers suffer from. The disease affects muscles, leading to a weakening in movement and, eventually, to complete paralysis. It also makes it difficult to breathe and talk.

The disease slowly eats away at muscles, leaving you with a lifeless body awaiting the cruel whisper of death.

Borgonovo cannot talk and has to use a computer-generated voice that tracks his eye movements in order to communicate. He vowed to fight this condition, saying, ''What if I became the first to cheat this?''

When told about the disease affecting a lot of footballers, Borgonovo replied, ''I love soccer too much to believe this is a football disease," refusing to believe that the one thing he loved the most could kill him.

Spoken like a true football fan, like a candy-loving child who couldn’t believe that something so nice could be the reason for so much pain.

On Oct. 8 in Florence, a game called "Everyone for Stefano" was played to honor the footballer. The charity meeting was organized to support research to find a cure for the illness. The event tugged at heart strings and was warm and touching. He smiled through the game; his strength and heroism were an inspiration to all who watched.

At the conclusion of the match, Stefano Borgonovo had a message for every one of the individuals in his situation. “I wanted to say to those who suffer from what I suffer, believe in yourself, believe in football, and believe in the players and the football leagues that will help to find a cure for our illness.”

Many of the players had to fight back tears, so overwhelming was the night.

Investigation is still going on regarding the spread of this disease among Italian soccer players. So far more than 40 Italian ex-football players have been victims of ALS. One theory suggests the link of pesticides on the stadium grass, but so far nothing has been confirmed.

Fabio Cannavaro said, "If you look at the statistics for the number of players affected, there is reason to be worried."

Borgonova has brought awareness to this issue. His bravery and courage to accept this disease and fight it, and at the same time attempt to prevent the spread by speaking out is worthy of applause.

The charity game will help give Borgonova and many others affected even more strength to move ahead.

At the moment of his definitive exit, a five-minute round of applause accompanied him on his way off the pitch. A perfect ending to a perfect day.

It is a difficult time in football, some would say, yet it brings the sport back to what it was before some (mild, would you say?) form of corruption took place.

It put out of mind all the "dirty games" going on surrounding football lately. The mind games, the fixing, the accusations, the racism, the money talk, and the distraction. This is what football is about. This is what is meant when they say "Joga Bonito." This is what it should be all about.

I can only thank people like Borgonovo and Liam for constantly reminding me what it’s all about and why I still watch this breathtaking game.

Liam Harker: Three Miracles Up, Is He Our Saint?

Michelle Alves — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 03:10:38 -0500

Every night before I sleep, I say a prayer. One for myself, one for my family, and one for Liverpool FC.

No, I’m not obsessed. The prayer is not just for the team. It’s for the fans, the love, and the passion that I see almost every day.

A few days ago, Liam Harker would have celebrated his 18th birthday.

Every true Liverpool supporter knows Liam. He put the Liverpool anthem YNWA (You'll Never Walk Alone), to a test.

The club he supported responded by proving it wasn’t just a slogan. It was an extended hand, a glimmer of truth. And it was a silent whisper loud enough to help a crippled man walk, to give a blind man faith, and a boy, whose life was about to be taken away from him, the strength to hold his head up high and "Walk on...".

Liam Harker, was 17 when he was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Although after treatment, the doctor told him that he had beaten the cancer, it came back stronger and worse. He was told he had only two weeks to survive. Liam's final wish was to be buried in a Liverpool shirt, signed by all his favourite stars. When the word got around , Liam and his dad were given an offer to meet not only the players, but Rafael Benitez too. Being too ill, Liam couldn't make it to Liverpool, but got his shirt.

The news spread all over and touched the fans of Liverpool supporters from all over. They made banners that were to be put up on the day of the UEFA cup semi-finals, showing Liam, that he wasn't alone.

He passed away on 5th May, yet he remains stronger than ever in spirit.

A team isn’t made up of just players, and Liverpool proves that. The ever famous Kop, known as the 12th man, is almost as much part of the team as the great Steven Gerrard himself. We may not be there, but fans all over the world unite to show their support, whether it is a banner in a car in Italy, or the "You’ll Never Walk Alone" in my home all the way in India, the burning passion, the faith and the hope is what brings us together.

Why do I support Liverpool FC? When you hear about incidents like these, when you read about Liam Harker and so many other passionate supporters, how can you not feel a burst of pride?

I know that if I was in the same position as Liam, yes, the first thing I’d ask for is to be buried in a Liverpool shirt. No this is not talk, this is how I really feel. There’s nothing I’ve ever been more passionate about. Liverpool defines my life, it defines who I am.

The banners screaming Liam’s name, shining pride, the fans heads held up high that night against Chelsea overshadowed the disappointing outcome of the game. It’s not about one game, one season, one year. This is for eternity. We can suffer defeat on the field, but never in our hearts.

Football is one of the most popular sports, not just for what goes on the ground, the enthusiasm and fervour can convert even the extremists, and I know because I’ve seen it with my own eyes.

Girls who detest football getting caught up in the excitement, people who never cared about teams with tears in their eyes after the most overwhelming games. What more can I say?

Liam, I know, was there with the team when Babel led us to victory against United, and I could see Liam shining in Alonso’s eyes that night against Chelsea, and was it Liam’s miracle during that brilliant comeback against City?

Has he done his three miracles? Can we brand him our Saint? It’s not 12 men anymore (KOP included)—Liam Harker’s our 13th.

Liverpool are off to the best start in 12 years and I know, I just know, that if we win the league this year, everyone will agree with me, even if he hasn’t done it yet, that will be Liam’s third miracle and he can be our St. Liam.

We don’t need an official statement.

Someone who fights the odds, makes a difference and still shines on the world after leaving it...doesn’t that make a saint?

Is Liam already there? Is he a high leader in Kop heaven? Sitting next to Shankly? Do we just need to accept it? I don’t know...

But this is our season, yes it is and wherever Harker is, I know he’s smiling, singing "You’ll Never Walk Alone" and probably even saying "this is our season" too.

By God, I hope it is.

Why The World Loves Cristiano Ronaldo!

Michelle Alves — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:28:16 -0500

Someone once told me, even if you hate someone, try looking at the positive qualities of that person and you might change your mind. Ever since I've seen him, I've harboured deep hatred for Cristiano Ronaldo. He has always been up there on my list of most hated people, sometimes I’ve had reasons for hating him, and sometimes none at all. Yes I know, it doesn’t make me sound like a great person but emotions are hard to control.

One of the articles I’ve written, entitled ‘Why the World Hates Cristiano Ronaldo’, seemed to get me quite a few haters, on and off B/R. Now, this is not an attempt to ‘suck up’; I am merely trying to find reasons that suggest, to myself and other Cristiano haters that he isn’t such a bad person after all.

I’ve never, no matter what, doubted the talent oozing out of this youngster and he definitely has style – Yes this is the part where you gasp in disbelief over me complimenting the ever so famous “CR7”

Intelligence: Is Cristiano really smart? Or plain stupid?

No one, not even me, can deny Cristiano the ‘smart’ tag. Although he does have the tendency to come off a little over smart at times, I wonder if it’s all an act. The tantrums and arrogance has definitely increased his popularity, even if it may not be very positive. More people know him, more people talk about him and thus more people watch him. His antics make him unpredictable and I’m told ‘fun to watch.’ Which is – and it hurts me deeply to say this – very true.

"Diving is an art" people say; it now has become a part of football and if anybody should be hailed diving King, it's Cristiano. To risk your individual popularity and glory (because diving is frowned upon) in order to score a goal for your team, shows selflessness and a bit of integrity and until I wrote that last line, it was the last thing I’d associate Cristiano with. I know I don’t know him personally and who was I to judge, but since I’ve seen some change in him and so I’m ready to change my opinion about him too

Improvement

Although he started off, even at a young age as a great player, he seems to be improving. Cristiano used to be selfish and yes, a bit whiny too, but I’ve seen change. Although I hate him, I do watch him play and I’ve seen him improve a lot under Sir Alex Ferguson. Earlier known as a ball hog, he’s been assisting Rooney a lot lately, and thinking more about scoring goals for the team rather than just himself.

The Crying

At first, and for a very long time the crying really annoyed me. The shocking, over done break down after the Euro’s in 2004 didn’t impress me at all. When John Terry broke down after missing the penalty last season , something made me feel bad for him, but it wasn’t like that for Cristiano Ronaldo. I clearly remember saying ‘Yuck, what a baby!’

The ‘wink’ in 2006 during the world cup had me baffled. How and why in the world is he trying to portray himself as a sensitive person and yet shows so much attitude? Doesn’t he know it’s the foundation for a worldwide Anti-Ronaldo campaign? That it might make him seem fake? Yet with an exception of few, many seem to love him. He got even more popular and became a ‘celebrity’.

Cristiano, cried, threw tantrums and pouted, yet was exceptionally good on the field –and as any Manchester United fan how good. Even after the most childish tantrum you can still see people, grown up men even, wearing United shirts with the number 7 on their back.

Skills

Everyone knows about Cristiano’s skills, his famous step over and the creativity in his football. Moaning, whining and hitting the ground howling in faked pain is also, in my opinion one of his skills! How many times have I tried to fake an injury and no one ever fell for it? For that I applaud him. If only he could have taught me a few things in school, I wouldn’t have to bother with Algebra every Tuesday, and I’d just fake an injury. Woo.

He is very good with the ball – by ball I mean football. Cristiano emulates inventiveness and style and almost always brings forth an element of surprise. Why watch boring old soap actors, when you’ve got the real deal?

The Metro-sexualness

Everyone wants to look pretty. Even men. Hairy eyebrows, hairy legs and stupid hair is definitely a turn off and I guess that’s something Cristiano realised. The plucked eyebrows and waxed legs may work, but dumping loads of hair gel on his head, I was never sure of.

But, like I said , he’s a celebrity. The world watches him, he has the right to want to look good, so hey, every man for himself.

What HE Says...

Randomly coming across some of Cristiano’s quotes, I realised he is human. When you hate someone so much that you stop thinking of him as a human being that’s when you know it’s really bad. I’d like you to try and imagine how hard it is for me to write this, being such a huge hater of Ronaldo, but I do appreciate good football, and that’s what I’m trying to prove. Even if I hate a person and he’s talented I will not deny it. I’m trying to convince myself that there is more to him than the diving and winking.

"A part of the supporters show themselves to be more unhappy than others. But I hope to change their minds. When I put on the United shirt I give my maximum. Nobody can condemn me on this”

And he’s right, I haven’t seen him give anything less that his best, and he knows it!

"Now I understand I have made the best decision. I am with Manchester in body and soul,"

"After what happened to the Arsenal player (Eduardo da Silva), I am scared to do my skills.”

I’ll tell you one thing, if I was playing against him he’d be right to worry about doing his “skills” ...

He is a great player and definitely will be marked by quite a few players.

"Last season was the best time of my career, but I know I can get even better." – Looking for improvement, which player doesn’t? It’s great to know that he’s accepted the fact that he can get better

Cristiano seems to be maturing and his future is looking brighter. Now I know I might get a lot of stick for actually complimenting Ronaldo too, maybe about how I don’t stand up for what I believe , or how easily I change my words. To be honest, none of that is true. I’ve hated Cristiano for four years! Not because he was a bad player, but because he didn’t play fair, because he seemed like an immature brat who didn’t seem to want to grow up.

I feel he has bettered since those days, so why should I go insulting him for no specific reason?

Think of this as a peace offering, an admission of true talent and maybe a new era of my life. Where I may learn to start hating less (well it’s only Cristiano I’ve ever really hated, but still) and accept talent for what it is.

Cristiano, is good. I am not calling him great or legendary, because that’s crossing a boundary that’s still too far out of my reach. I’m taking baby steps... maybe someday I might call him great, maybe I won’t.

So far I haven’t convinced myself that he’s outstanding, but I definitely like him better than I did when I started writing this... so it’s hard to tell... nothing is impossible now, is it?

Football: Expressing Yourselves!

Michelle Alves — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 08:20:51 -0400

Sitting, waiting, wishing. A Jack Johnson song? No, not just that. It’s the slogan of every football fan. Let’s admit it. How much more can we do than that?

You, wearing your lucky socks, or you who keeps your fingers crossed... it’s time to face it! That’s not going to help! I know because I’ve tried. I’ll sit one day wearing my lucky Crouch shirt, and we win.

All excited I’ll sit through the next game, with the same shirt... in the same place, after having done the exact same thing I did the day we won, yet we lose.

I’m not superstitious by nature, but I’ll do anything if it means seeing my team winning another trophy. Sadly there’s nothing I can do.

Isn’t it crazy? Even after the score being 6-0 and we’re losing at the 89^th minute, when the whistle blows, we express utter most shock “Oh my God! How could we lose?”

It doesn’t stop us though. We know the outcome of a game could be: a) victory or b) defeat (or a draw).

Yet, when the time of the final whistle comes we go...

Here’s the deal, when you lose 6-0, the right answer to that question is, your team played like crap. It’s as simple as that. The wide open mouth and shocked expression is really not necessary.

I can sit through the penalties with my eyes shut, with them opened, or with one shut and one open. The result is still the same.

The fact that I took all the trouble and energy to shut one eye makes no difference to the 22 players on the field.

Why is it, that some of us sit through a game after our team having taken the lead with a smirk on our faces. Can the opposition team really see us through the television?

Do you think they’re looking at us thinking... "That son of a... is smirking at us, how dare he/she?"

Let me break it to you, in all probability they have no idea who you are, and frankly, I think even if they did, they wouldn’t give a rat’s a**!

Another thing, I know I can’t resist is yelling at the television...we’re crazy aren’t we?

Have you ever responded to something the commentator said? Or went "how dare you?" as if he could actually hear you? It’s useless doing that... I know you know that by now, why is it that we know that yet still do it?

Don’t you state random facts or opinions at the television? Talking to it as if it were a real person? I don’t know about you, but I feel football is the reason I’m going crazy, one game at a time.

Now... goals. Everyone knows most games will have at least one goal. Yet not knowing when the goal will be scored adds an air of mystery to football. So instead of going yawn... there are many things you could scream.

Like “finally”, or “OH MAN” or even “offside, you bloody ref”. Or just hold your head and scream out all the frustration!

My mum always says, football is a health hazard. She's probably right! If you end up sick in bed, or passed out on the floor after celebrating a victory, it's not your fault. It really isn't! Blame it on football!

Football expressions are such Kodak moments... faces turn all kinds of colours; red, blue, green... maybe even purple (once I'm done strangling the odd United supporter! ) Spare a moment, say cheese...and keep up those exaggerated expressions! You never know who's watching.

Cheers.

Liverpool v. Wigan: Comeback Kings at Their Best!

Michelle Alves — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 05:34:15 -0400

After sitting through the Chelsea game, hoping that they would lose this one so we could take first place, I felt it wasn’t going to be a good day.

Half way through the Liverpool game, I was in no doubt it was a dreadful day. After Wigan scored the first goal, I was all right...after all, it’s nothing new, Liverpool would come back. When kuyt scored I was ecstatic, jumping around my cat yelling at him “I knew it”, then tripping and hurting my toe.

But why, why does this team do this to us? Why can’t we have a normal game, with a normal victory, instead of having to sit on the edge of our seats for the whole game. After the second goal scored by Wigan I was in doubt, but I had a feeling they would score again.

Hmm, I wondered if Liverpool could steal Zaki (yes I know you’re probably thinking "dream on")! His goal was class, no doubt.

Kuyt’s failed attempt was bloody brilliant! Too bad the post came in the way, that darn nosy thing! Of course, Agger’s off to a good start, but I knew that would happen, I’ve always loved him.

I write this at half time. 1-2 and we’re just going down. Have we people jinxed Liverpool with all the talk of winning the league?

Second half ...

46^th minute... I’m scared of Zaki. I don’t know why, I’m just scared. This is worse than sitting through a scary movie! I’m not too fond of Pennant and poor Skrtel’s gotten himself injured. That damn Torres, I’m so mad about that! Carragher seems...frustrated. Not a good sign.

*sigh* Bloody Kirkland, die goalie, die! I feel like pressing the mute button, this commentator isn’t making me feel any better. Oh shut UP!

50^th minute...They keep showing Zaki, like in Jaws, when they keep showing the shark circling around in the sea! I’m half expecting them to start playing the Jaws theme when they show him. I didn’t realise Gerrard was playing *roll eyes here*.

Score you fools, Score NOW!

I know they’ll score, what am I worried about? I wish they’d just hurry up though!

Oh bloody hell, I need to pee...Damn it, why aren’t there commercial breaks. What if I leave and someone scores. Where are portable televisions when you need them?

55^th minute...Dossena down. Zaki having trouble. Good good!

Corner... hmm. That was the worst ever.

Kuyt’s unlucky today! Not again...This is killing me!! If only Torres were there, we wouldn’t be in this position!

60^th minute...Still no goal—and I still need to pee! WHY IS EVERYONE SLIPPING! There’s only 30 minutes left...What if we lose! We can’t lose today! We’ve got a Chelsea game coming up!

65^th minute...I have a bad feeling about this. Mouth wide open, heart hammering on, just staring at the screen as if awaiting a death sentence.

Free kick...within range, definitely within Gerrard’s range. Can captain awesome come to our rescue? Can he? Can he?

Three... two...one...

*heart in mouth*

Again... aw just hurry up!

Three...two...one...

What’s going on?

Card...card? Bloody hell...I need too pee, will you guys just HURRY UP!

Three...two...one...

FAIL! It’s not our day today!

70^th Minute...Foul! Pennant down and I’m going crazy. I can picture the smirk on the faces of all the United fans at this point!

75^th Minute...Only 25 minutes left.

Red Card. AWESOME! Wigan play with 10 men, this make things better for us, of course. But it will be embarrassing if we lose now.

I wonder if Torres can get on the field. I know he’s injured and all, but one can only hope.

It’s a good thing I have health insurance, I think I’m going to need it soon.

Corner. *Heart starts hammering again*

Dossena out, El Zhar in. El Zhar, sounds like a terrorist or a bull fighter. Good, we need one on right now. Benayoun on for Arbeloa. Interesting.

75^th minute - Goal! Goal! Goal! *dances around making weird noises*

Riera scores his first goal and what perfect timing! What a beautiful step over by Stevie! Anfield’s thundering and my throat hurts from all the screaming!

80^th Minute...With 10 minutes left, anything is possible. Wigan seems to be wasting time, which is a smart move on their part.

Nice try by Benayoun, but tries won’t get up those two needed points.

Goal again!! Dirk Kuyt to the rescue, I wish I could add a video of me here going absolutely crazy, but I can’t. So you guys just picture a crazy, nutshell of an 18-year-old running around a dark room with no lights except for the television glare.

Listen to Anfield! That’s loud!

85^th minute...Marseille, Man United, Man City, and now Wigan, how many times are they going to do this to us?

I asked for ONE game to be a repeat of Istanbul, not all of them. Most Liverpool fans are surely to die before 20. Research says so. My personal research, no proof though.

90^th Minute...Now it's our turn to waste time. Except there’s five minutes of added time, that is so unfair! What if Wigan score?

Yeah right, as if!

"One day they won't be able to come back"

Why doesn't someone shoot the commentator already? He's getting on my nerves!

Sami’s coming on. Nice! Waste more time, Rafa! You smart man, you! Is it me or is Hyypia quite attractive? Ignore me here.

95^th minute...Blow the whistle already, Mr Ref. No hat-trick for Zaki, please!

...Finally!

I’ve been dying to say this : Liverpool WIN! The comeback kings prove that title is one that will stick!

*I KNEW IT *

Time to pop open the champagne.

Well, no. Bring on the tequila instead!

Score 3-2! And Liverpool continue to keep up the winning streak!

Cheers, and have a drunken good day!

Baichung Bhutia: Indian Football's Pride!

Michelle Alves — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:15:19 -0400

Who is Baichung Bhutia?

Baichung Bhutia. A nobody? Definitely not. One of the most acknowledged names in Indian football, he is also the captain of the Indian football team.

How it all began

In the beginning, his parents from Sikkim were apprehensive and believed Bhutia's interest in football would damage his focus on studies, but they gave in when he got a football scholarship at the age of nine from the Sports Authority of India.

He was thrown into the public eye by a first-rate performance in the 1992 Subroto Cup. He was then signed by East Bengal at the age of 16. Two years later, he moved to JCT and won his first Indian football League ever.

Only a year after that, he was named Indian Player of the year. By then, it was obvious he would go on to do something great. Bhutia was the youngest goal scorer for India.

Bhutia is now Indian football's pride and joy.

Going International

In 1999, Baichung traveled abroad to try out for Fulham and Aston Villa but didn't make the cut.

"It has all been getting quite crowded on the front line," an Aston Villa player said, when asked about why Bhutia did not make it. "Baichung played very well here, but Gregory chose to go for the names," he said. He also stated that for playing performance, Baichung was "close" to the standards of the other forwards.

When inquired about how it felt to play an exhibition match against Manchester United, he said, “"It was a dream come true for me to play against David Beckham and Andy Cole, who have been my heroes for years."

Returning back to India

In 2002, Bhutia returned back to India to play for Mohun Bagan. He had a stadium named after him in Namchi. He is one of the most admired individuals in the country and is deemed a role model to countless.

His Personal Life and Beliefs!

Bhutia has a number of favourite players, such as Thierry Henry and Ronaldino. He supports Arsenal and Barcelona.

Speaking about religion and beliefs, Bhutia said, “My being an atheist is more a matter of chance. I have been away from my family ever since I was a child. Usually, it is the family that teaches a child about religion.

"In my case, however, it didn't happen like that. I studied in a boarding school and took up professional football when I was 15. My wife and I don't follow any religion. We intend to remain so even in the future because we think religion only divides people”

The Olympic Torch

In 2008, Bhutia was requested to run with the Olympic torch in India, but he declined to carry the torch to show support for the Tibetan independence movement. Bhutia comes from Sikkim, which borders China. "I sympathise with the Tibetan cause. I'm against violence, but I thought I should stand by the Tibetan people in their fight," Bhutia said.

He was the first sportsman to refuse carrying the Olympic torch. His actions have earned him admiration and approval from the Tibetan community and its followers in India

Speaking about the future of Indian Football

Also India’s highest paid footballer, Bhutia still feels life of a footballer India is very limited. He feels that India has immensely talented players, but the training standards have to be bettered, and I have to say that I fully agree with him.

Bhutia sees the future for Indian football to be very bright, and doesn’t everyone?

This national team has been better than ever, and with a captain like Bhutia, there is no doubt that over the years, there’s bound to be much more improvement. Normally known as the cricket country, things are turning around for India!

Beginning as a small boy, with a big dream, Bhutia’s passion and determination brought him a long way, but he’s not the only one!

Many youngsters are pursuing their love for football in hopes of bringing India to the FIFA World Cup. It all begins with the dream. Why limit ourselves to cricket when, with the second-largest population in the world, we also have a huge amount of talent?

Here’s me signing off with a quote...Hoping and dreaming of a World Cup with India’s name on it!

“This could be the start of something...”

Why I Dislike Women's Football!

Michelle Alves — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:27:29 -0400

The first time I ever turned on the television to watch women play professional football (soccer) was two years ago. I was straight away revolted. Five minutes into the game and I couldn’t take anymore. Nothing possibly could be this awful!

I didn’t have a problem with the manner in which they played or how they looked. No, I didn’t have a problem with that at all. But someone did! My little green friend called Jealousy. That friend of mine who, was until the present, in hiding. Jealousy had a big problem alright, and she was one hell of a persuasive friend!

She whispered hate filled words in my ears. She brought tears to my eyes. Such a monster! She said to me “Look at them; They have everything you don’t have. They’ve achieved everything you wanted to achieve. They’ve stolen your life. Each and everyone on that field. Take a look!”

“Yeah,” I said loudly. “I hate this nonsense. They can’t even play.” But the reality was, I hadn’t seen them play long enough to make a judgement. 30 minutes doesn’t count if you weren’t paying attention. Distracted because you were too busy feeling sorry for yourself.

You hate them.

...No I don’t, I don’t have a reason to.

Lies! They stole your life!

...No they didn’t, they build their individual lives.

You’re a loser and it’s their fault!

...There’s only me to hold responsible, if I’m a loser.

But you hate them.

...OK, maybe just a tiny amount!

Everyone gets envious at times, my cousin is jealous of Angelina Jolie. This is something that she reminds me quite frequently. Even my cat, I’m positive is 'green-eyed' thanks to the pretty kitty downstairs with the pink ears and white fur.

Me, I’m not just jealous of one person. I’m envious of every single person who played in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. That includes the referee’s! I’m so jealous of them, I can admit to wishing the earth beneath them caved in when they were playing. I look at them in their appealing, original, made for them designer jersey’s and think...lucky #%$@#£.”

U.A.E, has a national women’s team but I’m not authorized to play for them because I’m not “Emirati...” Great!

India and Portugal both too have women’s football teams, but I’m not a resident. Even better!

All my life I’ve been hanging in between. It never mattered. 18 years of not caring about that, and now it’s coming to haunt me. If only I believed in re-incarnation. I would run in the face of a speeding car and plead that I came back the next time as the star Brazilian player, Marta.

With my luck, I'll almost certainly end up on a wheel chair. Just perfect.

And then I won’t hate Women’s football at all.

No I won’t! [Last three words said with a tone dripping in sarcasm.]

Liverpool FC - Breaking The Barriers Of Language

Michelle Alves — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:28:58 -0400

Does the fact that we reside in Asia, have never been to Anfield, or have never seen a live Liverpool game, other than on the television make us any different from people born in Liverpool, brought up there and have been fortunate enough to watch a game or two at Anfield? The beautiful thing about football is that there is no language barrier. It is universal.

I walk around a mall, here in the United Arab Emirates, and I see a few people wearing the Liverpool shirt. On my way home, a car passes by with a mini Liverpool shirt on the dashboard. The driver see’s the “You’ll Never Walk Alone” banner in our car, honks and grins. Can a simple nod or smile from one supporter to another transform ones day? Certainly.

Why would an Asian support Liverpool? What is so great about this team? When Poet Emdad Rahman, spoke about Liverpool he was quoted saying “there's the sheer romance of Liverpool FC and that is just something else."

When I was on a vacation in India, I stopped by a few sports shops to see what I could come across for myself. I was taken aback to hear that the new Liverpool shirts were out of supply. No one in my family supports the side, so it was very surprising to hear that I wasn’t the only Liverpool fan there.

Phil Thompson, the two-times European Cup winner visited Asia, and said, “Club like AC Milan and Bayern Munich can say what they like but they have nowhere near the level of worldwide support Liverpool have, and these fans live and breathe the club just as much as lads from Kirkby and Anfield."

Oh how true are those words, Mr. Thompson. If I could put down how much affection I have for this team, I would. Hell, I’ve never even been close to Europe! Games are shown in Asia at ungodly hours, we have perfected the art of sneaking out of bed, pressing the mute button before the volume awakens the dead and coming up with perfect excuses as to why we fall asleep at work or school during the day. “But sir, I was up all night studying,” or “My wife locked me out,”

Here’s where I’d like to mention a friend. Someone who I have got along with so well, because she too, like me, supports Liverpool. They say friendship is when you laugh together, cry together and curse together. Liverpool is the foundation of our friendship.

The colour of your skin, your name, the place you were born, shouldn’t matter in football. Liverpool FC practically yells at you, “Look at me, Look how great I am... Watch me play!”

Liverpool FC, you look at them and think, “No, it’s not possible. They can’t win this game...” And before you know it, they equalise, score again and win and you’ll be sitting there thinking “How in the world...”

уσυ'ℓℓ ηєνєя ωαℓк αℓσηє . Four words, so much meaning. Nothing can part us supporters, it’s never going to be “Walk away,” for us it is “Walk on...”

No matter where you come from, what you do, if you are a Liverpool FC supporter, I salute you.

YNWA

A Tribute To Indian Football's Unknown Hero

Michelle Alves — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 08:16:12 -0400

Celtic Football Club was the first European club to sign an Indian.

Contrary to what people say, Baichung Bhutia is not the first Indian to transfer to a European club. The correct answer would be Mohammad Salim. Being an Indian, from Calcutta, it was in the 1930’s when Salim was signed to play for Celtic.

At the time Salim was born, Indians were still under the British rule, although the fact that they played barefoot, and didn't have enough players, they managed to defeat the Englishmen, who wore boots.

A member of the renowned Mohammeden Sporting Club, Salim had claimed five consecutive Calcutta senior league titles. Following his title win in 1936, Salim was requested to take part in two friendlies.

His cousin, Hasheem from England, was visiting Calcutta at the time and watched his first friendly. After seeing Salim's spectacular display, Hasheem insisted Salim try his luck at European football.

It must have been tough to take a barefoot, amateur Indian footballer seriously, but due to Hashim’s determination and diligence, the Celtic manager settled with giving him a trial. Salim's skill amazed him, and he decided to play him in a match against Hamilton Academical Football Club.

Soon, he astonished the crowd and supporters alike—establishing himself to be immensely talented. Salim played for a few months in Scotland, after which he said he got homesick and sought to go back to India.

After returning, he played for his preferred Mohammeden Sporting Club in the Calcutta football league.

Rashid, Salim’s son, later revealed that his father was undoubtedly desired by Celtic, "Celtic tried to persuade my father to stay by offering to organise a charity match in his honour, giving him five percent of the gate proceeds. My father did not realise what five percent would amount to, and said he would give his share to orphans who were to be special invitees for the match. Five per cent came to £1,800 [colossal money then] but although my father was astonished, he kept to his word," Rashid said.

Salim’s story should be legendary, but it seems to be buried deep within the pages of the past—fading away slowly into a distant memory.

It is astounding and unjust that he is not referred to as the initial Indian to play for a European team. In his obituary, his celebrated time with Celtic FC seemed to have been forgotten, and only the Indian side of his football has been brought to the reader’s eye.

Several years later, Rashid wrote to Celtic informing them about his father’s distress and poor health due to old age. He wrote of the money required for Salim’s treatment.

Rashid said, "I had no intention of asking for money. It was just a ploy to find out if Mohammed Salim was still alive in their memory. To my amazement, I received a letter from the club. Inside was a bank draft for £100. I was delighted, not because I received the money but because my father still holds a pride of place in Celtic. I have not even cashed the draft and will preserve it till I die."

Salim was an exceptional player whose role was key in bringing his first team, Mohammeden to its' glory. Not only exceptional at winning games, Salim also managed to capture hearts of fans and critics, too.

Although Salim holds a place in the heart of the Celtics, it astonishes me that he is hardly recognised in the history of Indian football.

Was he a nobody? Is this reasonable? Will today’s superstar Baichung Bhutia, be shunned into nonexistence in several years? Will he, too be left out when another young, legend-in-making, comes in to the picture? Or if some controversy happens to place its mark on Mohun Bagan.

What is it about India and mixing sports with politics? Will this ever stop? India is a country filled with passion for sports, whether its cricket, football or hockey. Why should we corrupt this with politics, or money, or even unnecessary cover-ups. It’s time to stand up for football, for its history and make this the start of a new era in Indian football.

Liverpool vs Man City: The Reason I Love My Team!

Michelle Alves — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 06:01:41 -0400

And this is why I will support Liverpool FC 'till I die...

Even at its worst, I never believed Liverpool would lose this one. It wasn’t possible. It wasn’t going to happen.

Off to a dreadful start, Liverpool seemed like a lost cause. Manchester City was dominating. They were stealing the ball away from Gerrard, like candy from a baby.

My mother was next to me when City scored their opening goal and I thought “Perfect!”

Why, you ask? What could be so perfect about the opposition team scoring a goal? The answer would be the Manchester United game. Remember how United scored the first goal? I took that as a sign.

When the second goal was scored, my mother was thrilled. You’d expect me, a diehard Liverpool fan to break down, curse or march out of the room, wouldn’t you? But no.

A few days ago a friend and I were talking about Liverpool FC. A number of individuals had said to us, Liverpool is a dull and uninteresting team, they’re not exciting. I told my friend that day, what we require is a repeat of the Istanbul final. To prove to the world that not are we merely come-back kings, we can turn over whichever game and make anything exciting.

When City scored the second goal, I kept repeating to myself “Istanbul,” “Istanbul”...My mum must have thought I was crazy. She in all probability didn’t know what I was talking about, but my dad did. He kept smiling and saying “Not Again.”

I refused to give up. It's under no circumstances too late to win a game and this was LIVERPOOL... they’re pro at turning games around. I sat there, refusing to admit defeat...when Torres scored a brilliant goal. Ok, so maybe not so brilliant, but he scored a goal and THAT in itself was brilliant.

I danced around the room twice and walked back to my chair. Silence.

What happened next can only be summed up like this:

Torres scores again. A minute of silence. A shriek. A table crashing. A mad eighteen year old dancing like crazy around a room screaming “Told You So,” to invisible Manchester City fans.

But not even crazy, mad, round the bend and appalling could describe the behavior of this Liverpool fan after Dirk Kuyt scored.

My room looks like it’s been hit by an earthquake. My parents are pretending they don’t recognize me. I’ve said the word miracle so many times it seems like a whole new word and I think my cat detests me.

Who cares though, who cares? I feel like it was me running around that field. I almost certainly don’t know what I’m saying at present, I don’t know where I am... all I can think of is the echo of that final whistle ...

And...

You’ll Never Walk Alone

Dempo SC : India's Face In The AFC

Michelle Alves — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 01:58:24 -0400

Mainly known for its beaches and party lifestyle (don’t forget the Fenny), Goa is a popular tourist destination in India. What many people get to know only after visiting the place, is the people's devotion to football.

Goa has risen to the status of a football powerhouse in India, challenging the might of West Bengal, which is considered the home of Indian football with teams like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.

Considering Goa became a part of India after liberation from Portuguese rule in 1961, they have been quick to adopt a professional approach towards the growth and popularity of the sport at the grass root level. Dempo Sporting Club is a shining example of the rise of Goan football.

Dempo SC, a club based in Panjim, the capital of Goa, was formed in 1960. Dempo is Goa's first professional football club. In the last four years, Dempo SC has won the Indian League thrice ('05, '06, '08), and have also won the India Super Cup (‘08), the Durand Cup (‘06) and the Federation Cup (‘04).

Dempo is the only Indian club to make it to the semifinals of the AFC Cup, when it defeated Home United FC in the quarters of the current edition.

Dempo SC boasts of a star-studded starting line-up, with the newly signed Nigerian striker Chidi Edeh, Mahesh Gawli, Nicolau Borges, Climax Lawrence, and Samir Naik.

Nigerian striker Chidi Edeh scored 11 goals last season and a hat-trick in the Federation Cup. Mahesh Gawli is already branded as the finest defender India has shaped in current times and left winger Nicolau Borges is one of the most exciting players in the league.

Dempo SC was in the dumps at the beginning of the 1999-2000 season, after club legends like Mauricio Afonso and Camilo Gonsalves hung up their boots. Dempo was facing relegation and the owner, Mr. Srinivas Dempo, was considering disbanding the team.

In his own words, “You cannot be mediocre. Either you are among the top or not there at all.”

It was only the intense fan support which made him change his mind. With a reduced budget and an inexperienced line-up, things were set to go downhill for Dempo SC when former player Mr. Armando Colaco took charge of the club to lead them back to their best.

In his first year, the club failed to make it into the top division but eventually won promotion the following year by winning the second division league.

Dempo finished fourth in the NFL and followed it up with a second place finish just four points behind East Bengal. That was the sign of the rise of Dempo and they won their first NFL in 2004-05.

They won back-to-back league titles for the last two years.

“Colaco’s selection of overseas players and his method of handling them have been a key factor. The foreigners have gelled well with the local boys and that is our strength,” says goalkeeper Abhijit Mondal.

An incident that nearly left Coach Armando in shatters, and practically caused him to leave coaching, was the demise of star striker Cristiano Junior in 2004. The Brazilian footballer died on the field on December 5th, tragically leaving his heart and jersey behind in Goa. His death, caused by cardiac arrest, had left almost the whole of India in a gloom.

Although he died on his true home, a football ground, his final act of scoring a goal enabled the team to win the Federation Cup. One player said, “Wish we had lost in the earlier round and returned home, for then our Junior would still be with us."

The team paid its respect to Junior by winning the NFL that year. It was a deep emotional setback for the team. But it was his dream to be the champion who provided the motivation for the whole club to carry on and succeed.

Today, under Colaco, Dempo are one of the most feared sides in Indian football and have won almost everything club football in India has to offer—yet its hunger is insatiable.

Why do people love Dempo SC? Fans say they don’t play for money, they play because they have football in their heart. But rivals say that everyone likes to support a successful team.

Dempo are the most dominant football club in Goa, and maybe even India. They have won almost every silverware in the country—ask the fans who have stood by their club through ups and downs, even when the club almost got disbanded due to poor performances. But thanks to Coach Armando, the club is now at its highest form and only seem to be getting better.

Fans still believe they play with flair and the eternal smile on their faces is not because of money or pride but because of the passion they have for the beautiful game.

Dempo SC faces Lebanese team SAFA FC in the semifinals of the AFC Cup on October 21. The team lost its last league match against JCT but the coach is confident about his team’s chances in the AFC.

The Rules Of Football

Michelle Alves — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:19:42 -0400

You have to know the football rules before you break them...

Here are a few of FIFA’s law’s behind the beautiful game! (The important ones, of course!)

1) Matches may be played on natural or artificial surfaces, according to the rules of the competition. – As opposed to no surface at all.

2) The colour of artificial surfaces must be green - Aw, so no pink, orange and purple? That sucks!

3) The field of play must be rectangular - There was a problem with putting the goalposts on a circular pitch.

4) A goal must be placed on the centre of each goal line - OH, so that’s what should be placed on the goal line. And I thought it was just for decoration!

5) Goals must be anchored securely to the ground - You know, so goal keepers aren’t allowed to move it around according to their convenience.

6) The ball is spherical – Would it be called a ball if it was square? Does FIFA think we’re stupid?

7) If the ball bursts, the match is stopped – So we can’t kick around a deflated ball? Wow, someone tell our school that!

8) A match is played by two teams – That’s news. Call CNN!

9) Each match is controlled by a referee- Of course we know that, why else you think we’d let a short funny looking man who doesn’t touch the football tell us to get off the field? He’s the man who runs around like a fool trying to avoid getting hit by the (spherical) ball.

10) A goal may be scored directly from kick off – Says who? Superman?

11) A goal is scored when the whole of a ball passes over the goal line – As opposed to half the ball!

12) The team scoring the greater number of goals during a match is the winner – I disagree, no matter how many goals scored my team always win!

13) A direct free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player spits at an opponent – So spitting is just going to result in a direct free kick? You hear this Torres? Only a free kick!

14) A yellow card is used to communicate that the player has been cautioned – Oh, so not because it’s pretty? Referees sometimes get mixed up between a RED and YELLOW card.

15) A red card is used to communicate that a player has been sent of – Yet, some players fail to understand this because they also get mix up with RED and YELLOW cards.

16) The player taking the penalty kick must kick the ball forward – Why not backwards? Also, the player should be banned from kissing the ball, it's harassment of a ball.

17) A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw in – Ever tried? It’s not possible!

18) All items of jewellery are strictly forbidden –Does that mean no belts? Aw...

19) The referee must ensure an injured player is safely removed from the field of play – Hear that? No stepping over injured players accidently! That rules out stamping on Cristiano’s head when he’s down on the floor...where he usually tends to be...

20) Any player bleeding must leave the field of play – No Bleeding on the pitch! Turns it red. See rule (2).

21) A played must be cautioned if he removes his shirt while celebrating a goal – Oh well; it’s that rule that’s cost football a lot of female viewers. Also, there can be difficulty in putting the shirt back on the player. (Watch World Cup finals 2002, Brazil vs. Germany)

22) A played must be cautioned if he puts on a mask while celebrating a goal- Thats Tevez' Christmas present ruined...

23) A player who is guilty of violent conduct must be sent off- This rule has kept Zidane from head-butting players... up until the day he forgot about it.