So when I was browsing through various articles and news sources over the past few days, one article really stood out and shocked me. Eto'o to Kuruvchi?
That's not everyday transfer rumours. He's actually been seen in Tashkent, fueling claims that he might actually sign a deal to play there for 6 months and in the process become the best paid footballer ever. Sure he'll only be the best paid for 6 months but would you turn down €40m for 6 months work? Personally I think he should sign that short term deal. It's only 6 months. At the end of it, he'll have a plethora of interested clubs lining up to sign him for free for the second half of the European season. Not to mention a healthy bank balance at the end of it all. He won't be cup-tied for the Champions League/UEFA Cup either, which means he'll have more clubs to choose from. Go for it! Make history in Uzbekistan! I'd like to see the deal go through. It also means he won't be in the Premiership scoring against Man Utd for at least 6 months. More importantly, he'll raise the profile of Uzbek football significantly and give football a huge boost in the nation. Unless Inter spoil the party.
Another interesting story that popped up today is a new, possible mega deal. And one that eclipses the main event of the summer. Apparently Chelsea have lined up a world-record €100m for Kaka and he hasn't rebuffed their advances. And we've been talking about a world record fee for Cristiano Ronaldo for the whole summer! No one will pay that for Ronaldo, not even Madrid. So if the deal goes through, it looks like Kaka will be the most expensive footballer in history.
"This time is different. This is the first time we feel that a deal will definitely happen," says his elated spokesperson/personal assistant/advisor. I wonder if he's also Kaka's agent. I'm sure he could retire if he manages to persuade Kaka to ditch Milan for London.
"Because of the situation Milan are in at the moment, the deal is good for all parties involved." By all parties, I believe he is including himself. Even if agents get a 1 or 2% cut, this deal is massive for them. He could get up to €2m just for persuading Kaka to head off to Chelsea. For that kind of money I'd give it a go as well! For now, although nothing has been confirmed by either club, fans of the Rossoneri must be a bit concerned that their star player might be heading off elsewhere. Especially when it comes from his own mouth!
“There are two teams who are very interested in signing me, but now I do not want to talk about it. Until we return to Milan and know how things are, we cannot decide what happens with my future.”
That's what he said. The second sentence usually is code for I want to leave! For now he'll keep quiet until more light is shed on the matter. I can't imagine how he'd do in the Premiership though. He's world class so I'm pretty sure he'll find a way to adapt. For that kind of money, Chelsea better make sure he's not a flop! Oh, the abuse they'll get from fans up and down the country. And the rest of Europe.
And as I write this, Milan have issued their statement on the matter.
"Kaka is absolutely not for sale." There are some things money can't buy and Kaka is not one of them. I'll be following this one closely.
In other news, the Lampard saga is still ongoing and does not look like moving anywhere anytime soon. Just like the Ronaldo saga but Fergie has insisted he's not going anywhere.
"I can say he'll be a Manchester United player next season. He won't be sold."
Strong words from Fergie but I was hoping he'd leave. As long as he plays half as well as he did last season in the coming one, I don't think any United supporter will hold a grudge against him. That's 21 goals we expect from you Ronaldo sir. And don't do the seizure dance when taking penalties. And don't cry!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
We have movement!
Finally! We have some transfer activity worthy of mention. At the same time as Ronaldinho's switch to Milan, Aleksandr Hleb's transfer to Barcelona is almost done and sealed.
Neither transfer is surprising and in fact have both been mooted for months. Two of the summer's midcard transfer sagas have finally been completed, with the distinct possibility of a third mega transfer by the end of the transfer window. If you have no idea of this possible main event record breaking transfer you probably haven't been anywhere near any form of communication or media. Or you might simply be a North Korean.
Anyways let's get down to analysing what both can contribute to their clubs. Ronaldinho, in my opinion, still has a lot to offer. His drive is clearly evident from his decision to join Milan rather than Manchester City. Milan are an established European superpower and are always among the favourites for the Scudetto at the start of every season. Although they only managed to qualify for the UEFA Cup, you can bet they'll be vying for the league title as usual. Man City probably have a much smaller chance of winning any silverware this season compared to Milan and if Ronaldinho felt he didn't have anything to prove, he'd probably head for England. The reported offer of a £200,000 per week contract is one even Frank Lampard wouldn't be able to turn down. I said before that I think he would've shone in the Premier League but I guess his hunger to win probably tipped the balance in favour of Milan. Man City as champions of England or Milan as champions of Italy? You can choose which statement sounds more realistic.
Another possible reason for Ronaldinho moving to Milan is the company. Kaka and Alexandre Pato both play for the club and although Ronaldo won't be seen much on the pitch he'll most likely be in and around Milan. Three fellow Brazilians, all of whom he has played with in the national team. Better company and probably an easier transition into a new place and language. Try picturing Ronaldinho living it up in Manchester with Martin Petrov, Dietmar Hamann and Richard Dunne. No it doesn't work at all. Ronaldinho was always going to go to Milan over City and for all the reports that City were close to signing him and were the favourites to win his signature, you never really felt that the former World Player of the Year would ever join them.
Meanwhile, Barcelona see Hleb as a direct replacement for the departing Ronaldinho. His ball skills, vision and creativity can shine in La Liga where individualism is more widely encouraged than in the Premiership. Playing alongside players such as Bojan and Lionel Messi can only help his game go from strength to strength. On the downside, he was also tipped for greatness when Arsenal signed him from Stuttgart. However, his time at the Emirates can hardly be classified as the stuff of legend. Common sense dictates that he will be a solid, dependable performer for Barca rather than a superstar enjoying the adulation of millions. Ronaldinho at the peak of his power was a crowd puller and he was recognised from Catalunya to the streets of Cambodia. I can't really see Hleb filling in Ronnie's role as brilliantly as he did when he actually played as if he gave a crap. Can you see Hleb tearing Real Madrid to bits at the Bernabeu and getting a standing ovation from their fans? Point made.
Another downside for him is that Messi is likely to be the focal point of attention from the fans. Even when Ronaldinho was wowing crowds weekly, Messi was championed as their superstar of the future. The downfall of his former teammate has only elevated him to the top a lot quicker than imagined. Hleb can't possibly hope to enjoy similar status unless he makes a sigificantly larger impact than Messi on a regular basis. And with Messi enjoying his status as the world's second best player (behind the world's richest slave), there is little chance of Hleb establishing himself as a true global superstar. Good luck to him. He could still prove everyone wrong but I highly doubt it.
And a final dig at the world's richest slave. GO! It's clear his heart isn't at Man Utd anymore and they don't need to be dragging deadweight around. No doubt he'll command a world record fee and rightly so. However, even if he is the best, United have to let him go. No one wants to see Ronaldo crying on pitch (although it happens every other game). He might suffer a nervous breakdown soon if he is forced to continue his hard labour for United. Maybe Madrid will warm to his tears instead.
Neither transfer is surprising and in fact have both been mooted for months. Two of the summer's midcard transfer sagas have finally been completed, with the distinct possibility of a third mega transfer by the end of the transfer window. If you have no idea of this possible main event record breaking transfer you probably haven't been anywhere near any form of communication or media. Or you might simply be a North Korean.
Anyways let's get down to analysing what both can contribute to their clubs. Ronaldinho, in my opinion, still has a lot to offer. His drive is clearly evident from his decision to join Milan rather than Manchester City. Milan are an established European superpower and are always among the favourites for the Scudetto at the start of every season. Although they only managed to qualify for the UEFA Cup, you can bet they'll be vying for the league title as usual. Man City probably have a much smaller chance of winning any silverware this season compared to Milan and if Ronaldinho felt he didn't have anything to prove, he'd probably head for England. The reported offer of a £200,000 per week contract is one even Frank Lampard wouldn't be able to turn down. I said before that I think he would've shone in the Premier League but I guess his hunger to win probably tipped the balance in favour of Milan. Man City as champions of England or Milan as champions of Italy? You can choose which statement sounds more realistic.
Another possible reason for Ronaldinho moving to Milan is the company. Kaka and Alexandre Pato both play for the club and although Ronaldo won't be seen much on the pitch he'll most likely be in and around Milan. Three fellow Brazilians, all of whom he has played with in the national team. Better company and probably an easier transition into a new place and language. Try picturing Ronaldinho living it up in Manchester with Martin Petrov, Dietmar Hamann and Richard Dunne. No it doesn't work at all. Ronaldinho was always going to go to Milan over City and for all the reports that City were close to signing him and were the favourites to win his signature, you never really felt that the former World Player of the Year would ever join them.
Meanwhile, Barcelona see Hleb as a direct replacement for the departing Ronaldinho. His ball skills, vision and creativity can shine in La Liga where individualism is more widely encouraged than in the Premiership. Playing alongside players such as Bojan and Lionel Messi can only help his game go from strength to strength. On the downside, he was also tipped for greatness when Arsenal signed him from Stuttgart. However, his time at the Emirates can hardly be classified as the stuff of legend. Common sense dictates that he will be a solid, dependable performer for Barca rather than a superstar enjoying the adulation of millions. Ronaldinho at the peak of his power was a crowd puller and he was recognised from Catalunya to the streets of Cambodia. I can't really see Hleb filling in Ronnie's role as brilliantly as he did when he actually played as if he gave a crap. Can you see Hleb tearing Real Madrid to bits at the Bernabeu and getting a standing ovation from their fans? Point made.
Another downside for him is that Messi is likely to be the focal point of attention from the fans. Even when Ronaldinho was wowing crowds weekly, Messi was championed as their superstar of the future. The downfall of his former teammate has only elevated him to the top a lot quicker than imagined. Hleb can't possibly hope to enjoy similar status unless he makes a sigificantly larger impact than Messi on a regular basis. And with Messi enjoying his status as the world's second best player (behind the world's richest slave), there is little chance of Hleb establishing himself as a true global superstar. Good luck to him. He could still prove everyone wrong but I highly doubt it.
And a final dig at the world's richest slave. GO! It's clear his heart isn't at Man Utd anymore and they don't need to be dragging deadweight around. No doubt he'll command a world record fee and rightly so. However, even if he is the best, United have to let him go. No one wants to see Ronaldo crying on pitch (although it happens every other game). He might suffer a nervous breakdown soon if he is forced to continue his hard labour for United. Maybe Madrid will warm to his tears instead.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
The saga continues.....
Now that Wimbledon is long gone, I can finally turn my attention back to football again. It was competitive sport and certainly kept my attention away from football for awhile.
But then again there's nothing new to write about. It's all transfer rumours and signings and press conferences again and that's the way it's going to stay until the start of the new season. The big story that has emerged today is Liverpool's reported interest in David Villa. Rafa Benitez certainly would love to pair him with Fernando Torres in a direct clone of Spain's forward line. You get the feeling however that Torres will be a completely different player should Villa arrive at Anfield. It was clear in Euro 08 that Torres did most of the running and Villa simply added the finishing touch to the move. Just a thought.
And apparently, Goal.com has the exclusive scoop that Barca have concluded a deal for Aleksandr Hleb and are going to make an official announcement within the next two days. It's another signing to boost their midfield which will be missing Deco, and most likely Ronaldinho as well, next season. I think Hleb will do no better for Barca than he did for Arsenal. He is accustomed to their one touch passing style and may find it difficult to adjust to the Spanish style of play. However, he has wonderful dribbling abilities and may indeed shine in Spain where individual skill is allowed to shine much more than in the Premiership. Only time will tell but my feeling is that Barca have signed themselves a solid player who won't take La Liga by storm.
Meanwhile, Frank Lampard is still unsure where he will be playing next season. Chelsea have also denied reports that Lampard was angered by Luiz Felipe Scolari's announcement that he will still be a Chelsea player for the coming season. Inter had a bid of £7.95m rejected by Chelsea and it is widely expected that they will continue to bid for the England player over the summer. Chelsea and Lampard have yet to come to an agreement on a new contract and this can only be beneficial from Inter's point of view. Lampard could work wonders in Italy given his talents. His pasing range can be fully shown of in a league where the pace is slow, giving him ample time to pick out his target. It would also probably give him more time to unleash his trademark strikes from distance. If he could regularly score those in the Premiership with such little time and space, he could probably do it a lot more frequently in Italy. There is also the small matter of linking up with Jose Mourinho again, a relationship that goes deeper than just footballing matters. I'm not too sure what to expect with all the different reports from different perspectives. I wouldn't be surprised if Lampard stays but I wouldn't be surprised if he left for Italy either.
The Ronaldo saga will simply not die down. Apparently Rafael Nadal was told after his Wimbledon victory that Real Madrid have the transfer of Ronaldo under control and that all that was left was for them to seal the deal. While this may be true it's a sign of how this transfer had blown everything out of proportion and any sliver of news is viciously gobbled up by the media. Then again we all read it so it gives them a reason to. Either way I still expect him to go. I ceased to care a long time ago. I only hope he leaves quickly. Gives United ample time to bargain for more players.
But then again there's nothing new to write about. It's all transfer rumours and signings and press conferences again and that's the way it's going to stay until the start of the new season. The big story that has emerged today is Liverpool's reported interest in David Villa. Rafa Benitez certainly would love to pair him with Fernando Torres in a direct clone of Spain's forward line. You get the feeling however that Torres will be a completely different player should Villa arrive at Anfield. It was clear in Euro 08 that Torres did most of the running and Villa simply added the finishing touch to the move. Just a thought.
And apparently, Goal.com has the exclusive scoop that Barca have concluded a deal for Aleksandr Hleb and are going to make an official announcement within the next two days. It's another signing to boost their midfield which will be missing Deco, and most likely Ronaldinho as well, next season. I think Hleb will do no better for Barca than he did for Arsenal. He is accustomed to their one touch passing style and may find it difficult to adjust to the Spanish style of play. However, he has wonderful dribbling abilities and may indeed shine in Spain where individual skill is allowed to shine much more than in the Premiership. Only time will tell but my feeling is that Barca have signed themselves a solid player who won't take La Liga by storm.
Meanwhile, Frank Lampard is still unsure where he will be playing next season. Chelsea have also denied reports that Lampard was angered by Luiz Felipe Scolari's announcement that he will still be a Chelsea player for the coming season. Inter had a bid of £7.95m rejected by Chelsea and it is widely expected that they will continue to bid for the England player over the summer. Chelsea and Lampard have yet to come to an agreement on a new contract and this can only be beneficial from Inter's point of view. Lampard could work wonders in Italy given his talents. His pasing range can be fully shown of in a league where the pace is slow, giving him ample time to pick out his target. It would also probably give him more time to unleash his trademark strikes from distance. If he could regularly score those in the Premiership with such little time and space, he could probably do it a lot more frequently in Italy. There is also the small matter of linking up with Jose Mourinho again, a relationship that goes deeper than just footballing matters. I'm not too sure what to expect with all the different reports from different perspectives. I wouldn't be surprised if Lampard stays but I wouldn't be surprised if he left for Italy either.
The Ronaldo saga will simply not die down. Apparently Rafael Nadal was told after his Wimbledon victory that Real Madrid have the transfer of Ronaldo under control and that all that was left was for them to seal the deal. While this may be true it's a sign of how this transfer had blown everything out of proportion and any sliver of news is viciously gobbled up by the media. Then again we all read it so it gives them a reason to. Either way I still expect him to go. I ceased to care a long time ago. I only hope he leaves quickly. Gives United ample time to bargain for more players.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Back to normal
With many suffering from withdrawal symptoms post-Euro 2008, there is nothing to satisfy people like us, deprived of competitive international football until the World Cup 2010 qualifiers commence. Unfortunately, we're now back to the usual reports of players and managers in the traditional summer transfer frenzy. Only the media blow it out of proportion. A lot.
Then again, we're so starved of anything football related, we'll take anything that come our way. In this report, Andriy Shevchenko has reported agreed to join Sampdoria on loan for the coming season. Really? I thought Milan were open to the idea of the legend returning to the San Siro at anytime. That report is probably just that. A report. Full of nothing. Shevchenko may be desperate to quit England but although he's likely to return to Italy sometime, I doubt it'll be to Sampdoria. Milan's pursuit of Emmanuel Adebayor is likely to end in failure because they can't afford the measly sum of £35.6m for the Togolese hitman. Wouldn't they have a spot for Shevchenko to fill? I can definitely see it happening.
Speaking of Adebayor, £35.6m? Really? For him? With all due respect to the man, no one in world football is worth more than £35m apart from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. While he is a great player, he is certainly no world legend of the game. Neither are Messi or Ronaldo but you get the feeling they're more likely to reach the summit than Adebayor. I expect (and I suspect many others too) Ronaldo to pick up this year's FIFA Player of the Year award. The only question is which club will he be playing for then? I'm not too interested in the ongoing saga so I'll leave it at that.
Moving onto this editorial I found, Asia's next top talents are briefly profiled. One thing I have a problem with is the inclusion of two South Asian players, Sunil Chettri and Ali Ashfaq. Why do they deserve a spot on the list? I don't need to mention due respect because South Asian football is quite frankly rubbish. Let me put this into perspective. Those two Asian talents are from India and the Maldives respectively. India's best (Bhaichung Bhutia, once of Bury FC) has tried their luck in the Malaysian league and did not exactly turn on the style, leaving after a few months. Ashfaq, meanwhile, played in the Malaysian Super League for DPMM FC (Brunei), and was hardly a superstar either. Now to the damning conclusion of the article. Malaysian football is widely regarded as crap nowadays (and that's being polite) and I'm in complete agreement. So why do those two players merit a spot on the list of Asia's top talents when they can't even stand out in one of Asia's worst football leagues? It's not an official list, nor is it a conclusive list. But it reaches a large readership and certainly portrays a wrong view of talent in Asia. I won't comment on the rest as I have not seen them play. I've seen those two play, and they are not what you would call Asia's best. Not by a long shot.
That concludes the random rant of the day. The lack of solid football news leads me to write upon anything I set my eyes on. The concluded transfers to the Premiership may warrant some space but I'm tired of the focus on the Premiership. Jo's joined Man City for a club record. Great. I won't be bothered analysing whether he'll be a hit or miss. If Ronaldinho joined him there, that would be a lot more interesting. Apparently Man City are still confident of pulling off the coup. Intriguing.
Then again, we're so starved of anything football related, we'll take anything that come our way. In this report, Andriy Shevchenko has reported agreed to join Sampdoria on loan for the coming season. Really? I thought Milan were open to the idea of the legend returning to the San Siro at anytime. That report is probably just that. A report. Full of nothing. Shevchenko may be desperate to quit England but although he's likely to return to Italy sometime, I doubt it'll be to Sampdoria. Milan's pursuit of Emmanuel Adebayor is likely to end in failure because they can't afford the measly sum of £35.6m for the Togolese hitman. Wouldn't they have a spot for Shevchenko to fill? I can definitely see it happening.
Speaking of Adebayor, £35.6m? Really? For him? With all due respect to the man, no one in world football is worth more than £35m apart from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. While he is a great player, he is certainly no world legend of the game. Neither are Messi or Ronaldo but you get the feeling they're more likely to reach the summit than Adebayor. I expect (and I suspect many others too) Ronaldo to pick up this year's FIFA Player of the Year award. The only question is which club will he be playing for then? I'm not too interested in the ongoing saga so I'll leave it at that.
Moving onto this editorial I found, Asia's next top talents are briefly profiled. One thing I have a problem with is the inclusion of two South Asian players, Sunil Chettri and Ali Ashfaq. Why do they deserve a spot on the list? I don't need to mention due respect because South Asian football is quite frankly rubbish. Let me put this into perspective. Those two Asian talents are from India and the Maldives respectively. India's best (Bhaichung Bhutia, once of Bury FC) has tried their luck in the Malaysian league and did not exactly turn on the style, leaving after a few months. Ashfaq, meanwhile, played in the Malaysian Super League for DPMM FC (Brunei), and was hardly a superstar either. Now to the damning conclusion of the article. Malaysian football is widely regarded as crap nowadays (and that's being polite) and I'm in complete agreement. So why do those two players merit a spot on the list of Asia's top talents when they can't even stand out in one of Asia's worst football leagues? It's not an official list, nor is it a conclusive list. But it reaches a large readership and certainly portrays a wrong view of talent in Asia. I won't comment on the rest as I have not seen them play. I've seen those two play, and they are not what you would call Asia's best. Not by a long shot.
That concludes the random rant of the day. The lack of solid football news leads me to write upon anything I set my eyes on. The concluded transfers to the Premiership may warrant some space but I'm tired of the focus on the Premiership. Jo's joined Man City for a club record. Great. I won't be bothered analysing whether he'll be a hit or miss. If Ronaldinho joined him there, that would be a lot more interesting. Apparently Man City are still confident of pulling off the coup. Intriguing.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Congratulations
Now that my virus is gone, I can write a long overdue piece on Spain. Not that it will be long anyways. There wasn't much to discuss.
Well done to Spain. They were the best team in the tournament and fully deserved their 1-0 victory. No arguments. Their dominance was clear to see. After Germany's 10 minutes of fame at the beginning of the first half, Spain took over and never let the Germans back in.
They could have won by more than one goal for sure, such was the poor quality of the German defending. Jens Lehmann was responsible for keeping the score respectable, his saves thwarting Spain although they were guilty of passing up some clear cut opportunities, Sergio Ramos' point blank header and Marcos Senna missing the ball from a few yards out to mention a couple. However, no one can begrudge Spain their first major title in 44 years and they now look to be in a strong position to mount a serious challenge for the World Cup in two years time. The youth of the team should ensure that the core of this squad will be around then, providing the world with a sizeable task.
Germany were unbelievably poor. Michael Ballack put in another sub-par performance and the team went close on one occasion, Ballack shooting into the side netting. They lacked creativity and penetration, something Spain had in abundance. Their good spell created few clear chances and although they dominated possession, they did not use it well. The entire defense was not solid through the night and this was the cause for Spain's goal, Fernando Torres taking advantage of Phillip Lahm's inability to pass the ball back to Lehmann before dinking the ball over the onrushing Lehmann. The pace and the quality of the finish emphasised the clear gap in class. Germany can have no complaints.
Xavi Hernández was named the best player at the tournament, beating off the likes of Andrei Arshavin, Roman Pavlyuchenko and David Villa. Personally, I think he deserves it. Arshavin only set the tournament alight for a couple of games, Villa only scored in two games despite finishing as top scorer and Pavlyuchenko was less consistent than Xavi, considering impact on matches played. Xavi played in all of Spain's games apart from the meaningless group game against Greece, and had a profound influence in every game he played in. His consistency merits the Best Player award and there is surely more to come from him. At 28, he should be approaching his peak and his experience and quality will surely be crucial to Spain's hopes in two years time.
In transfer news, Frank Lampard's proposed move to Inter has reportedly been played down by Jose Mourinho. I thought it was done! Never trust papers, even for a second. For the moment, Lampard hasn't distanced himself from the speculation and Mourinho claims he will have Lampard playing for him by next season at the latest. Interesting. Meanwhile, Deco has finalised his move, fueling the speculation that Lampard is on his way to Inter. He might as well just go now. The saga is heading towards the level of the "Cristiano Ronaldo to Madrid" reports. I don't see this one playing out for so long however. Apparently Man Utd are confident of keeping Ronaldo at the club. As a fan, I'm not bothered whether he stays or goes. United have the advantage whatever the outcome and I'm not Ronaldo's biggest fan. Pretty boy.
I'm done for now. Withdrawal symptoms are a fixture every time a major tournament concludes. I'm already looking forward to South Africa 2010. If it's even held there. Sepp Blatter has reportedly arranged a backup nation should S. Africa fail to complete infrastructure and stadium upgrades. Good luck to them. I wouldn't mind if it's held in Asia again. At least I won't have to stay up every night.
Well done to Spain. They were the best team in the tournament and fully deserved their 1-0 victory. No arguments. Their dominance was clear to see. After Germany's 10 minutes of fame at the beginning of the first half, Spain took over and never let the Germans back in.
They could have won by more than one goal for sure, such was the poor quality of the German defending. Jens Lehmann was responsible for keeping the score respectable, his saves thwarting Spain although they were guilty of passing up some clear cut opportunities, Sergio Ramos' point blank header and Marcos Senna missing the ball from a few yards out to mention a couple. However, no one can begrudge Spain their first major title in 44 years and they now look to be in a strong position to mount a serious challenge for the World Cup in two years time. The youth of the team should ensure that the core of this squad will be around then, providing the world with a sizeable task.
Germany were unbelievably poor. Michael Ballack put in another sub-par performance and the team went close on one occasion, Ballack shooting into the side netting. They lacked creativity and penetration, something Spain had in abundance. Their good spell created few clear chances and although they dominated possession, they did not use it well. The entire defense was not solid through the night and this was the cause for Spain's goal, Fernando Torres taking advantage of Phillip Lahm's inability to pass the ball back to Lehmann before dinking the ball over the onrushing Lehmann. The pace and the quality of the finish emphasised the clear gap in class. Germany can have no complaints.
Xavi Hernández was named the best player at the tournament, beating off the likes of Andrei Arshavin, Roman Pavlyuchenko and David Villa. Personally, I think he deserves it. Arshavin only set the tournament alight for a couple of games, Villa only scored in two games despite finishing as top scorer and Pavlyuchenko was less consistent than Xavi, considering impact on matches played. Xavi played in all of Spain's games apart from the meaningless group game against Greece, and had a profound influence in every game he played in. His consistency merits the Best Player award and there is surely more to come from him. At 28, he should be approaching his peak and his experience and quality will surely be crucial to Spain's hopes in two years time.
In transfer news, Frank Lampard's proposed move to Inter has reportedly been played down by Jose Mourinho. I thought it was done! Never trust papers, even for a second. For the moment, Lampard hasn't distanced himself from the speculation and Mourinho claims he will have Lampard playing for him by next season at the latest. Interesting. Meanwhile, Deco has finalised his move, fueling the speculation that Lampard is on his way to Inter. He might as well just go now. The saga is heading towards the level of the "Cristiano Ronaldo to Madrid" reports. I don't see this one playing out for so long however. Apparently Man Utd are confident of keeping Ronaldo at the club. As a fan, I'm not bothered whether he stays or goes. United have the advantage whatever the outcome and I'm not Ronaldo's biggest fan. Pretty boy.
I'm done for now. Withdrawal symptoms are a fixture every time a major tournament concludes. I'm already looking forward to South Africa 2010. If it's even held there. Sepp Blatter has reportedly arranged a backup nation should S. Africa fail to complete infrastructure and stadium upgrades. Good luck to them. I wouldn't mind if it's held in Asia again. At least I won't have to stay up every night.
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