World Football Quotes of the Week: Messi to PL, Samuel Eto'o Conspiracy Theory
For some, the international break is a tedious affair, robbing supporters of the club football they so desire, irrespective of what patriotic allegiances they may or may not have.
However, one aspect of the sport's cycle that stops for no man lies in communication, with this week producing many a sumptuous sound bite and quote.
Samuel Eto'o believes his international compatriots have devised a plan to keep him away from the ball and Lionel Messi could play in the Premier League according to a Manchester City insider.
All that and more in this edition of the World Football Quotes of the Week.
1. Nicklas Bendtner Targeting "Real Madrid or Barcelona" in Future
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Nicklas Bendtner may not have lived up to the potential once put before him at Arsenal, but you can't fault the guy for his aspirations, that's for sure.
This week, when asked by a Danish journalist (h/t Daily Mail's Matthew Morlidge) how he envisioned his career going after the Emirates Stadium, the striker had a slightly surprising response, saying simply "Real Madrid or Barcelona."
Bendtner was then asked if he went after money when deciding upon his teams, remarking:
"I do not. It is the sport that is the most important. I'm going somewhere where I know I can be happy to play. With a team where I can score goals and preferably to win something. I do not want to sit on the bench and staring. I love playing lots of games.
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That may well be the case, but logic dictates that no Premier League starts for the Gunners in the last three seasons makes the Camp Nou or Bernabeu some very unrealistic targets.
2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic: "World Cup Needs Zlatan More Than Ronaldo"
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A lot of talk about the World Cup UEFA playoffs has revolved around whether it will be Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Cristiano Ronaldo who makes it to Rio, as either Portugal or Sweden face the prospect of not qualifying.
One person who's far from being in two minds about who should go through is the Swedish talisman himself, who believes the world's biggest sporting event would be far better off with Ibrahimovic featuring rather than Ronaldo.
Speaking ahead of the playoff's first leg, the Paris Saint-Germain forward was reported by ESPN as saying:
"I think that the World Cup needs Zlatan more than Ronaldo. The excitement I can bring to the game and the goals I can score - nobody can rival me for that. I believe the fans would want to see me there above anybody.
I respect him as a player - there is no question he is one of the best.
The World Cup is the greatest sporting competition in the world - it needs to have the best players," he said. "If Ronaldo, or Neymar, or Rooney, or Messi, or Xavi is missing then it is a shame for the competition - and it is a shame for the World Cup that one of myself or Ronaldo will not be in Brazil."
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At 32 years of age, this could well be the last World Cup that Ibrahimovic gets his chance to perform in, but he's right on the money in suggesting the spectacle will be worse off for one of the pair's inclusion.
3. West Brom Kit Man Makes Mickey Mouse Mourinho Jibe
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West Brom were unfortunate not to end Jose Mourinho's unbeaten Stamford Bridge record last weekend, drawing 2-2 thanks to a controversial penalty for the West London hosts.
After the match, Mourinho described Baggies defender Jonas Olsson as a "Mickey Mouse player," which West Brom kit man Pat Frost chose to see the funnier side of.
Per the Telegraph's John Percy, Frost posted the following tweet after Mourinho's comments came out, saying:
“Gonna see if I can get 20 sets of big Mickey Mouse ears and ask the lads to wear them in the warm up when Chelsea come to us.”
Sure, the Birmingham club may not be challenging for Premier League honours like their blue opponents, but at least West Brom's staff are able to laugh at the drama.
4. Alvaro Negredo Believes Messi Could Play Premier League Football
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The question is often put forward of whether Lionel Messi would succeed in the Premier League or indeed be able to thrive at Stoke City on a cold February night.
This week, former Sevilla talisman Alvaro Negredo spoke quite hopefully of exactly that coming to pass in the future, using his own experience as evidence.
When asked if he could see the Barcelona striker playing in the English top flight, Steve Millar of the Daily Star reports the Manchester City striker as saying:
"I suppose so. He is a player who can play really well in any league at all. Maybe in two years’ time or five years’ time he will get bored with La Liga, want a change and come here.
People do paint it a bit black but you know it is not bad at all. My family have settled in well and that is really important to me. It is one of the best decisions I have made on a personal level and a football level.
I have got to know the coaches. The city is not too big, not too small. I like it. I’m happy here. I really want to learn English and not by using the Teletubbies, like I read in some newspapers. I’m doing what I can.
In a few months’ time when I have the basics, I can start with an English teacher. The first thing I did, though, was buy an umbrella.
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Bad weather, Teletubbies and the prospect of the world's best player one day coming to the Premier League. Negredo just became one of the more productive interviewees of late.
5. Samuel Eto'o Speaks of Teammates' 'Plot'
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This weekend saw Cameroon book their place at next summer's World Cup, the seventh in their history.
However, there was a slightly sour knot to the whole affair after Samuel Eto'o suggested that his teammates had plotted to ensure he saw as little of the ball as possible.
Hannah Duncan of the Metro reports the Chelsea striker as claiming on Saturday:
"It’s true and regrettable. And when you watched me retreating to the midfield to chase the ball, it’s because I heard of the plot.
Football is a collective sport. You are obliged to pass the ball even to your worst enemy, especially when he is in a good position to receive it. It is time to put all these issues behind us and concentrate on Sunday’s match.
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Eto'o didn't manage to get on the score sheet in Sunday's 4-1 win over Tunisia, but he will want to put any apparent conspiracies behind him should the African nation look to make a go of things in Brazil.
