Tag: Academy Award

The world awaits its fate…

Charlize_Theron_280_940205a32 countries. 1 dream. 1 goal. To win the World Cup.

Buckle-up football fans. The greatest show on earth is upon us and the journey evolves this Friday as the World Cup draw takes place in South Africa. Two years of playing, watching, battling, scoring, missing, hoping, kicking and even a little cheating has come to its end. If you’re in, you’re in. If you’re out, you’re out. There are no more chances. There are no more dress rehearsals. This time, it’s show time. And who better to lead the celebrations at Friday’s event than Academy Award winner and South African native Charlize Theron. Finally we have an excuse to post a picture of one of the world’s most beautiful women…even if she is holding a Chelsea shirt for the cameras! We’ll forgive you this once Charlize, but don’t let us catch you a second time.

The World Cup draw is always full of pleasant surprises and it’s especially tasty when old foes are drawn against each other and when David vs Goliath type games shock the world and take our collective breaths away.

Are you excited for Friday’s draw? Who is your dark horse for the tournament? Which country do you want your country to avoid? Which player will shine as the world’s best? Can you believe the World Cup is almost here again?

And the PFA award goes to…

giggsyRyan Giggs was named the PFA’s Player of the Year today. It’s the icing on the 20 year career cake for Giggsy. He’s twice been named as the Young Player of the Year, but he never won the big one. A lot of people in the media think he didn’t deserve to win as he only started 12 games for Manchester United in the Premier League this season. Most people think it should have gone to his United team mate Nemanja Vidic and that this was a heart string vote by his fellow professionals. One thing you can’t deny is his contribution to football and Manchester United. But that’s not what this award is about is it?

Not knowing if Giggs would return for more football next season, the PFA seem to have pulled an Academy Award type move by rewarding the great Welshman in a season that was definitely influential, but not necessarily his best. It’s a bit like the year when Paul Newman won Best Actor for the Colour Of Money. He’d been nominated so many times before for great movies and he’d never won. But in 1996, the Academy were bitten by the nostalgia bug and before anyone could say “and the award goes to…”, the statuette was already on proud display in Paul Newman’s downstairs bathroom.

Is Ryan Giggs the Paul Newman of football? Do you thinks Giggs deserved it this year? Was he named PFA Player of the Year because of his legend? It’s undeniable he’s one of the best talents the Premier League has seen. But should this have been Steven Gerrard’s year?