Paul Pogba becomes the first 100 million pound Premier League player and the most expensive footballer in the world! Really? More than Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez and Neymar? Do you think Paul Pogba deserves the tag?
Will his return to Manchester United be different this time around? Can he become the next hero at Old Trafford? Will he ignite the Red Devils the same way he did Juventus? So many questions. Why not put your feet up and join the conversation.
We dive into a pool of football happenings In A Conversation With Eoin O’Callaghan.
The former host of Fox Soccer Report discusses attacking, defending, buying and selling in the Premier League. We look at the exciting debut of Eden Hazard for Chelsea and how Sir Alex Ferguson might regret not signing him for Manchester United. Does Nuri Sahin fit best with Liverpool or Arsenal? Is Andre Villas Boas changing too much too soon at Spurs? Can Everton burst into the top tier of the league like Newcastle United did last season? We dissect all of this and much more from an English football perspective.
There’s even a little time to touch on some Italian madness and in particular the Antonio Conte situation at Juventus and the heartbreak of AC Milan fans as Antonio Cassano defects to the enemy Inter Milan. Grab a tipple of your choice and enjoy the conversation.
Talking Italian in A Conversation with Janusz Michallik from ESPN. AC Milan are going through a huge change in personnel having lost some legends together with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva. How will the Rossoneri cope? Is Allegri the manager under the most pressure in Europe before the season starts?
And what of the Old Lady? Can Juventus repeat their magical season? How will they perform in the Champions League? We even dabble in a little Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey and Robin van Persie, plus Janusz shares his thoughts on the players he’s most excited to see as the new season approaches. You won’t want to miss this conversation. Pour a glass of fine Italian wine and enjoy!
Sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom and fighting through adversity in order to rebuild character and achieve greatness.
The Calciopoli match fixing scandal destroyed the hearts and souls of Juventus fans across the universe. It was a dark period for the Bianconeri. They were stripped of their 2005 and 2006 Serie A titles won under Fabio Capello and were sent to Serie B as further punishment for their involvement in Italy’s biggest ever football scandal.
Since that shameful chapter in their history and for all those who remained at the club, the one common goal was to resurrect the good name of Juventus and restore some pride and respect to one of the most famous football teams the world has ever seen.
On Sunday night, after winning their first Serie A title since 2003, Juventus restored more than just pride. They proved the Old Lady lives on. And this time, the Old Lady might just be stronger than ever before.
Following the capture of the Scudetto, Club President Andrea Agnelli perfectly described the emotions of fans as he tweeted “from heaven to hell and back to heaven again.” Despite the despair and pain, Juventus fans always hoped their team would be restored to greatness. Andrea Agnelli finally has them back on the right track, but not without some help from his friends!
For players like Giorgio Chiellini, Claudio Marchisio and legends Gigi Buffon and Alessandro Del Piero, capturing the title is even sweeter as these players remained loyal to the club and stuck with the team when they were relegated to Serie B. And for Del Piero, as he prepares to leave the Old Lady he loves, what a better way to exit than as a champion. It’s only fitting for one of Italy’s finest ever footballers to bow out of the game in this style.
Talking to Sky Sports Italia after the game, Del Piero shared how this could be the most satisfying of all the trophies he has won at Juventus. “This Scudetto has a special taste after some difficult years and I’d go as far as to say that this Scudetto is even better than the one we achieved in Rimini (to win Serie B). I start every season with the hope of winning something, and sometimes it doesn’t happen, but what has happened to me tonight makes up for many years of failing to win a trophy. Tonight we are celebrating a championship that we all deserve and I’m glad to have contributed.”
It’s also an incredible achievement for manager Antonio Conte. From legendary ex-Juventus player to coach of the team now, together with Alessandro Del Piero, he represents everything that is the Bianconeri. He’s experienced the elation. He’s felt the pain. He understands the agony Calciopoli caused. He is family and he was the perfect man to bring Juventus back from the dead. Conte created a dynamic team who have dazzled at times in Serie A and overall, have dominated Italian football without losing a game. The exclamation mark on their season will be if they could win their last game against Atalanta. This would make Juventus unbeaten in all 38 league games and is something that hasn’t been achieved in Italy since Fabio Capello’s AC Milan won the title back in 1992.
Many say Pep Guardiola changed football during his managerial spell at Barcelona. On World Football Daily, I’ve suggested many times that Juventus could be the new Barcelona. Granted they do not play Barcelona’s tiki-taka style of football, but what Juventus do have is a legendary ex-player as coach who is beloved by their fans. They have a special player in Marchisio who has been compared to Tardelli by the Italian media. They have solid ownership in the Agnelli family. They have a brand new stadium that is beautifully set for future years of glory and they have money to spend so they can build on the success they have achieved this year. Some might think the Barcelona comparisons are over-the-top. Even Pep had to start somewhere with the Catalan giants. If Andrea Agnelli keeps faith with the 42-year old Conte, there’s no reason why he can’t duplicate the same type of success Pep had at Barcelona.
Winning a league title in any country is difficult. It is especially difficult in Europe’s most competitive leagues. People will discuss, debate and argue over whether or not this is Juventus 28th or 30th title. Regardless of the Calciopoli scandal, there is so much to be excited about if you are a Juventus fan. When asked by the Italian media about the subject of titles won, Antonio Conte clearly wanted to look towards the present and the future and not the past. “It’s the first for me. It’s the first that I’ve won as a coach.” A classy answer that illustrates the man in charge of the team is clearly focused on the years ahead.
Antonio Conte and Juventus also have the Coppa Italia Final against Napoli to come. They could achieve the double in his first season as coach and they could also go unbeaten in the league. Is anyone still asking if The Old Lady is back?
Tis’ the season to laud the best of the best. The football universe is filled with incredible talent. And we love to bestow awards on those who play sexy football. Messi, Ronaldo, Iniesta and Rooney are world-class players. They are part of the reason we love to watch the beautiful game.
On the other side of the coin, there are some players who have prominent roles in elite teams and they often leave you scratching your head as to why. And let’s face it. Every team has them. Even the team you love and adore.
We present our Overrated FC team of the season. Now remember…the keyword here is overrated. Nobody is saying they are rubbish! But they certainly won’t be winning the Ballon d’Or. Do you agree with our choices?
Goalkeeper = Joe Hart {Manchester City}
Left Back = John Arne Riise {Roma}
Center Back = Joleon Lescott {Manchester City}
Center Back = Johan Djourou {Arssenal}
Right Back = Glen Johnson {Liverpool}
Midfield = Sami Khedira {Real Madrid}
Midfield = Gareth Barry {Manchester City}
Winger = Ricardo Quaresma {Besiktas}
Winger = Aaron Lennon {Tottenham Hotspur}
Striker = Nicklas Bendtner {Arsenal}
Striker = Robinho {AC Milan}
Manager = Arsene Wenger {Arsenal}
Overrated FC Subs = Heurelho Gomes {Tottenham}, Anton Ferdinand {Sunderland}, Christoph Metzelder {Schalke 04}, Assou Ekotto {Tottenham Hotspur}, Jack Rodwell {Everton}, Mathieu Flamini {AC Milan}, Alberto Aquilani {Juventus}, Angel di Maria {Real Madrid}, Andy Carroll {Liverpool}, Edin Dzeko {Manchester City}
Forbes magazine announced the top 10 richest clubs on the planet yesterday and Manchester United still rule the school when it comes to money.
Biggest surprise is Barcelona dropping from 4th to 5th place, even after their treble winning season. You would expect them to be in the top 3.
1. Manchester United {$1.86 billion} 2. Real Madrid {$1.45 billion} 3. Arsenal {$1.19 billion) 4. Bayern Munich {$1.1 billion} 5. Barcelona {$975 million} 6. AC Milan {$838 million} 7. Chelsea {$658 million} 8. Juventus {$628 million} 9. Liverpool {$552 million} 10. Inter Milan {$441 million}.
The richest players list was also revealed by Forbes yesterday. The one surprise here is that Ronaldinho is still bringing in some large coin. And John Terry must be a bit peeved that Lamps made the top 10 and he didn’t!
1. David Beckham {$40 million} 2. Cristiano Ronaldo {$38 million} 3. Lionel Messi {$32 million} 4. Ricardo Kaka {$25 million} 5. Ronaldinho {$24 million} 6. Thierry Henry {$21 million} 7. Wayne Rooney {$20 million} 8. Frank Lampard {$18 million} 8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic {$18 million} 10. Samuel Eto’o {$17 million}.
Cristiano Ronaldo once said “footballer’s are like slaves.” What do you think?
One thing is for sure, the next round is on one of these guys. And if they were getting in the drinks, who would you like to be buying yours?
The Champions League is proving to be really weird this year people. Barcelona struggled to beat a team that sounds like a really delicious sandwich. Liverpool need to get their prayer mats out and hope for a miracle. Bayern Munich do not look like German giants. Inter Milan are not so special. Real Madrid really need Ronaldo back. And Manchester United should look into cloning Rooney 10 times, despite moving closer to the knockout stages.
Did one of you rival fans put something in their nutritional beverages? Or could it be the clocks going back? That always messes with one’s alignment. Whatever the problem is, these teams need to snap out of it and fast.
Bordeaux, Arsenal, Sevilla, Juventus, Lyon, Chelsea, Fiorentina and FC Porto are looking the best thus far in the competition. Arsenal and Chelsea have been regular cast members in the Champions League group stages. And if you are a player, manager, executive or fan of either of these clubs, you have to believe you have a great shot at winning Europe’s greatest prize, especially when you look around and see the big boys struggling.
I’m sure the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan will make the knockout stages. That’s not what’s in question. What’s in question is how they are playing. Real Madrid should really be beating this particular AC Milan team. They’ve been poor in the Italian league and nobody really thought they were the AC Milan of old when the season started. Ronaldo has been sorely missed by Real Madrid, but after buying so many expensive and quality players this summer, are Real Madrid really a one man team?
Inter Milan were lucky to have walked away with a win against Dynamo Kiev. The Champions League is the piece of silverware the club wants badly. You can see the reflection of the Champions League trophy in Jose Mourinho’s eyes as he observes his team from the touch line. Schevchenko almost came back to haunt the man who didn’t really give him a chance at Chelsea. But a couple of last gasp goals from Milito and Sneijder saved the blushes of Mourinho and his men. And what’s happened to Eto’o since his move from Barcelona to Inter Milan?
Manchester United – although sitting comfortably at the top of their group – just don’t seem to be the same team this season. The loss of Ronaldo has been far greater than even the genius of Sir Alex Ferguson could have imagined. They fought back once Rooney came on as a substitute. But what if Rooney gets injured? What then? Where will their inspiration come from? It’s tricky times at Old Trafford. The amazing thing about United is they are drawing or winning and not playing their best football. They don’t warm up to their sublime best until December/January. The question is, do they have the talent to shift into their usual 5th gear this season?
Liverpool are a mess. Alonso is another player who left for Real Madrid in the summer and Liverpool have not recovered. Aquilani could be the answer, but we just haven’t seen enough of him yet to compare. Voronin and Lucas are not the answer. Benayoun, Kuyt and Torres are the only players that are trying to make an impact and difference on the pitch. Carragher has been a disaster all season and with Gerrard being injured, they don’t have that final driving force in the midfield to make things happen going forward. I don’t like to talk about people losing their jobs, but Benitez is one bad result away from losing his.
Of course this could all change next week and that’s the beauty about the game we fans love! What do you think of the European giants struggling in the Champions League? Which team is looking the most dynamic for you? Is it possible that a Lyon, Fiorentina or Sevilla could win the Champions League? Did you drink wine or beer when watching the games this week?
The most electrifying competition in all the football land returns today. Finally, the Champions League is here. The wait is over. It’s game time people.
There is much excitement and anticipation for the teams that are appearing for the first time. UEFA’s rule to allow league champions from smaller countries has only added to the beauty of this competition and with the added flavour of lesser known champions from Russia and the Netherlands, we have many David vs Goliath clashes to look forward to. So please welcome APOEL Nicosia, Maccabi Haifa, Debrecen, Rubin Kazan, Unirea Urziceni and AZ. This is it. Don’t get scared now!
Many of Europe’s elite teams are also competing for glory again this year including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan AC Milan, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Juventus. But there are also some clubs that could be a force to be reckoned with in the near Champions League future. Could this be the year for team’s like Wolfsburg, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Fiorentina, Marseille and Lyon?
There’s no doubt this could be the most arresting year yet for Europe’s biggest and best competition. Ronaldo, Rooney, Kaka, Messi, Gerrard, Lampard, Fabregas, Arshavin, Ribery, Eto’o and many other elite players will be fighting for the ultimate trophy in football. Prepare to be intoxicated by their wizardry and passion. Who will dazzle the world with their feet? Which team will be victorious? Can you see any upsets happening in these first few games?
Welcome back Champions League football. We’ve been waiting for you…
The Sun and other media outlets are reporting today that Patrick Viera is about to make a shock return to Arsenal. I couldn’t believe it when I read the headline. I think this could be more shocking than Michael Owen going to Manchester United. Don’t you think so? Nobody was expecting this were they?
The truth is Arsenal have never filled the void left by Viera when he joined Juventus in 2005. He was a great captain. He was a phenomenal leader. He was Arsenal’s rock and he became a legend. Now he could be making one of the most dramatic returns in Premier League history. The questions is, does Viera still have the legs to play and compete at the top level?
Let’s face it, he has not had a huge impact since leaving Arsenal and he can’t hold down a regular starting spot under Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan. So what makes Arsene Wenger think he can still play? Is this a desperate move having lost Adebayor, Toure and possibly Eboue too this summer?
Generally people say when a relationship ends you should never go back. They say it’s never the same second time around. Even Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor couldn’t make it work after a second chance. But could Arsenal and Viera fall in love all over again? Could they re-ignite their love affair and live together happily ever after? If Viera can still play with the best of them, anything is possible.
There’s no question the French star is unhappy playing in Italy and he wants a move to another club. Tottenham, Birmingham and Fulham are also after his signature, but who do you think he will sign for? Can you see Viera going back to the Gunners? Will Arsenal fans be happy? Do you think Arsenal would rather buy him back than watch him play for their arch rivals Spurs?!!
He does look good in red and white. I need another drink…