Lightning won’t strike twice…

If you are a football romantic, then Andre Villas Boas to Tottenham could end up being one of the potential feel good stories of the new season. If you are a skeptic, then every single sign says Villas Boas will crumble more than an England player during a penalty shoot out.

The former Chelsea and Porto manager certainly has a point to prove on his return to the Premier League. His failure at Chelsea leaves many unanswered questions about his overall ability to manage a team at that level. Many would argue winning the treble with Porto is easier than winning the Premier League with Chelsea. Either way, there is an evident gulf between the two leagues but surely people can respect winning the treble at any level is quite an achievement.

The biggest question about Villas Boas returning to the Premier League will be whether or not he has learned from his serial mistakes at Stamford Bridge. Can he man manage veteran players at a high level of the game? Does he have the ability to park his ego aside both tactically and with the UK media? Ego and arrogance can hurt anyone in life, but in sports, it can destroy an individual or team if it’s not projected in the right way.

What do I mean by that? Jose Mourinho is probably one of the most arrogant people in all of sports. But his arrogance also has a twist of tongue n’ cheek. It has a comedic value and element that makes him likable. Plus when you can back-up your arrogance with winning in every country you’ve ever managed, it makes it all the more acceptable doesn’t it?

Andre Villas Boas arrogance made him an immediate hate figure with the UK media. He didn’t endear himself to them. He wasn’t as smart as Mourinho in terms of winning them over. He came across as bitter, snobby, superior and bitchy most of the time. He believed he was above everyone and eventually, he paid the ultimate price for his immaturity and naivety during his brief spell in England.

Had Andre Villas Boas been winning on the pitch at Chelsea, nobody would have complained about his ego, arrogance, brash style or tactics. He probably would have been labeled as a no nonsense boss who takes a tough stance on players and doesn’t care who he enrages in the pursuit of winning. So was it more about the Chelsea players not responding to his style of football or his personality? Clearly the Porto team he led to a treble responded well to both. Just ask Hulk and Falcao about their experience at Porto and in particular, Falcao, who enjoyed an emphatic record-breaking season in front of goal playing for Villas Boas.

The Chelsea players didn’t see him the same way as people did at Porto. Relationships broke down early, results were poor and the team was inconsistent. Granted the 5-3 loss to Arsenal at Stamford Bridge was more about woeful defensive tactics than players not putting in the effort. However, the manner in which the Chelsea players performed away to West Brom last season was completely unprofessional. By then, the relationship between manager and players was toast and the players showed how they felt about Villas Boas on the pitch. It was without question one of the most unsavoury and deliberately negative performances of any top team during the 20 year history of the Premier League and Andre Villas Boas did nothing but help the players cause. He even put the final nail in his own coffin after the Champions League debacle in Napoli. Leaving veterans like Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard out gave the players more ammunition that this guy had no clue or idea what he was doing. There was no turning back.

Despite Villas Boas unsuccessful time at Chelsea he has been given the opportunity for redemption and he will have to earn it. The sports universe does love a comeback and if he leads Tottenham to glory, it will be an incredible story. If Villas Boas can learn from his rookie errors, he has the talent and belief to make a team successful. Like every other manager (other than Carlo Ancelotti), Villas Boas had to live in the shadow of Mourinho. He suffered more than any other manager from “Mourinho Syndrome” because he was Mourinho’s boy during the Special One’s time at Chelsea. Despite returning to the club as a man, people still saw him as whatever he was before. A bit like the Secretary who makes it as an Executive but many people still see her as a secretary. It’s hardly fair is it?

The good news for Spurs fans is that the White Hart Lane dressing room is not like the Stamford Bridge dressing room. Regardless, Andre Villas Boas does bring a stigma with him and he will still have to win over players like Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart and future superstar Kyle Walker. Players talk. Players from opposing teams are mates. Tottenham players have read and heard a lot about what happened at Chelsea. Hopefully they will focus on Villas Boas success at Porto and not the tidal wave of disasters at Chelsea.

If there is one man whose neck is on the line even more so than Villas Boas if things don’t go well it’s Daniel Levy. The Tottenham Chairman has taken a huge risk with this appointment. Bringing in a younger manager with a tarnished reputation to follow in the footsteps of a hugely popular man like Harry Redknapp who changed Tottenham’s fortunes is more risky than investing in today’s stock market. Levy is willing to take his chances with Villas Boas in order to build Tottenham into a global brand. He will definitely have more patience than Roman Abramovich and perhaps he sees this as a very similar situation to when Chelsea initially drafted the Special One as their man.

It will be a fascinating situation to watch. Who isn’t already excited about Tottenham v Chelsea next season? Something tells me Andre Villas Boas will have success down the Lane and that this time around, lightning won’t strike twice…

Player of the year…

The ultimate climax is upon us. The season is reaching its crescendo. We are all about to burst. This is one of the most exciting finishes to a season in recent years. Who will win the Premier League? Who will win the Champions League? Heck who will win the World Cup?

We are all waiting. And in the midst of our anticipation comes another question. Which player has made his team tick the most in the Premier League? Which player has been the sensation of the season? Who deserves to win Player of the Year?

Can anyone eclipse the season Wayne Rooney has had? If Manchester United don’t win the league, is Rooney’s season a failure? Do his 30 odd goals count for nothing? Can we call him the best if United don’t win it all?

With all his injuries, is it fair that Cesc Fabregas is in the frame for Player of the Year? Has he really made a difference to Arsenal’s season? Has he truly been the best player?

Carlos Tevez has scored a bundle of goals for Manchester City. Has the Argentine hit man done enough to be considered the best in 2010? If Manchester City don’t qualify for the Champions League, can we really put Tevez on the best player pedastal?

Didier Drogba has been superb for Chelsea over the years. But has he really lit it up this season? The Blues could easily walk away with the title, but has Drogba done enough to win the big player prize?

Which players do you think have been totally ignored for Player of the Year? Did Gareth Bale deserve a shot? Should Vermaelen have been considered? Why is Lampard ignored year-after-year?

Have your say…

Who will cross the finish line first..?

horsesOur crystal ball spoke to us clearly and concisely when the excitement and anticipation of the 2009/10 season kicked-off.  We made our predictions. We chose the chosen ones and it was off to the races.

As the best of the best galloped into the eyes of victory and defeat, we raved, we ranted, we posted and we polled about the beautiful game. And as the race to be crowned champion nears its end, we can’t help but wonder, who will cross the finish line first?

For so long Chelsea have been the favourites to scoop the Premier League title. If I remember correctly, we warned the Stamford Bridge outfit not to celebrate too soon. At Christmas, the Chelsea players and faithful believed they had it in the bag. There was an evident cockiness to them which has become synonymous with Chelsea. But a loss to Everton and a whipping by Manchester City in their own park soon made the Blues players and fans realize the fight to the finish will not be so easy. Did they under estimate their opponents? Did the John Terry scandal hurt them? What would they do without Drogba? Will the iron Chelski curtain find its strength again as they head towards the finish?

With Wayne Rooney turning on the style and making a case to be European Footballer of the Year, Manchester United are once again finding their strength and form at the right time. Determined to create history and make it four Premier League titles in a row, the Red Devils are as hungry as ever for silver ware. They’ve already bagged the Carling Cup, they have one eye on a Champions League quarter final spot and they are two points clear at the Premier League summit. Granted they haven’t been as exciting to watch as a team this term, but Rooney has given us every reason to be up for watching Manchester United play. Do you think they’d be flying if Ferdinand and Vidic were fit all season? Do you think Rooney deserves to be Player of the Year? Has Valencia been a success? Will Berbatov be the man United fans want him to be?

And what of Arsenal? After losses to Manchester United and Chelsea, everyone had written off their title chances for good. How could the Gunners win the league if they couldn’t beat the two best teams in the country? Somehow, some way, Arsenal have hung in there. Even though they lost to the big two, they picked up some good results in games we’ve easily seen them lose over the last few seasons. Beating the likes of Stoke and Hull has helped. Losing Ramsey to such a horrific injury has not. But unlike the Eduardo injury experience which saw Arsenal implode that season, it appears this time around the team are galvanized to win it for Ramsey. They seem to have a purpose we may not have seen in recent times. Can Arsenal finish strong without Fabregas? Would they be clear of United and Chelsea on points at this stage if Van Persie hadn’t been injured? Was Vermaelen the best buy of the season? How good could Arsenal actually be if they bought three more world class players?

The rest of the league are fighting for a fourth Champions League spot, a Europa League place or just plain old fashioned survival. How do your predictions match up to what you thought at the beginning of the season? Who do you see wining it all? Chelsea? Manchester United? Or Arsenal? Can Tottenham really steal a Champions League birth? Will Manchester City or Aston Villa ruin their coming out party? Will we see another famous old club like West Ham go down? Has Hull City’s luck finally run out? When Portsmouth go down, how much further will they sink over the next few years? Remember Leeds?

There is still much to play for. It’s sad that the season is almost ending but fear not fellow footie fans! The silver lining is that we are in a World Cup year so the wait for some quality football won’t feel like eternity. Could this be the year Wayne Rooney shines on the world stage? Is it his time to be crowned a world football superstar? The race to the finish line is almost over. The only question is, who will win?

All this money and nobody to spend it on…

77928_featureRoman Abramovich must be throwing his toys off the oil rig this week. Chelsea have been banned from buying or loaning players in the transfer market until 2011. I hear you all now…”it’s about time isn’t it?! For a club like Chelsea, this is a disaster of gigantic proportions.

After Lens launched a legal fight to out Chelsea’s actions, world governing body FIFA finally put their foot down on a touchy subject that many clubs are actually guilty of. Tapping up, inducing and poaching happens in abundance. But just like the diving incident with Eduardo last week, it seems Chelsea are the club of choice to be made an example of when it comes to the ethics of transfers. It looks like Chelsea might be able to appeal, but the process is a little tricky.

The player involved in this entire incident hasn’t even kicked a ball for the first team yet. Gael Kakuta is now 18 years old and has actually done exceptionally well for the reserve team. He has been suffering from an ankle injury, but is widely tipped to make it into the first team at some point. He better. After all this fuss, Kakuta had better turn out to be a huge talent. If not, surely executive heads will roll at Chelsea.

It seems as though the Blues are not the only team in hot water right now. Le Havre are also planning to lodge a complaint against Manchester United. They say United poached 16 year old prospect Pogba and that he has agreed to join the Red Devils next season. United say it’s nonsense. Could you imagine if United suffer the same fate as Chelsea? Liverpool, Arsenal and the rest of the Premier League would love that wouldn’t they?

For now, many fans will be highly satisfied with Chelsea’s punishment. Surely this will weaken the team as they won’t have the ability strengthen their squad during the transfer windows. How do you think this will affect Chelsea? Can you see them being successful without buying players until 2011? Are their younger players talented enough to make the jump to the first team? Like Eduardo, do you think Chelsea are being held up as an example of what won’t be tolerated any longer?

Talk around the pub is…

42-17021668John Terry a.k.a JT and Mr.Chelsea is staying at the Bridge. This could mean he’ll be on his way to Manchester City in a week or so!!! Stranger things have happened but it does look like the Chelsea faithful got luckier than a lottery winner this summer. Their boy has vowed to fight on for the Blues. Could be one of their best signings this summer! What do you guys think?

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has sealed his switch from Inter Milan to Barcelona. Eto’o is supposedly going from Barcelona to Inter Milan. I think we’ll go larger on these two stories once we see the lads in their new pin stripes! Who would you prefer on your team…Zlatan or Eto’o?

Peter Crouch is on the verge of moving from Portsmouth to Tottenham. I guess he misses his old boss Harry Redknapp. What is it about ‘Arry the lads love so much? I’d play for ‘Arry. But will he partner Keane or Defoe or will he come off he bench?

Looks like Arsenal might lose yet another player. Kolo Toure is close to joining Manchester City. Adebayor desperately wants his dancing pal to join the City revolution. Will Toure leave Arsenal for the megabucks of the North? Should Arsenal be worried about losing another player? Can Nicklas Bendtner, Carlos Vela, Eduardo, Djourou, Kieran Gibbs & Co step in to save Wenger if he doesn’t splash the cash a little this summer?

Darren Bent, the 17 million pound Spurs flop could be bound for the North of England and a place in the Sunderland starting line-up. Crouch leaving…Bent arriving…makes sense to me, how about you?

Stuart Downing joined Aston Villa from Middlesborough even though he’s injured and won’t be able to kick a ball until October! Never saw the fuss about this player and don’t rate him as an international at all. Lots to prove as far as I’m concerned. Do you guys rate Downing?

Honorable mentions…Zat Knight joins Bolton from Aston Villa. Sam Ricketts joins Bolton from Hull City. Dean Whitehead leaves Sunderland for Stoke City.

Legend Gianfranco Zola

zolaSize really doesn’t matter in football and Gianfranco Zola is proof of that. The pint-sized Italian superstar set the Premier League on fire when he arrived at Chelsea. Even non-Chelsea fans were excited to watch him dazzle on the pitch. He was just that type of player.

From 1996 to 2003, Zola entertained the fans at Stamford Bridge scoring 59 goals in 229 appearances. He helped the Blues win the F.A. Cup twice, the League Cup, the UEFA Cup and the Super Cup. In 1997 he was voted Player of the Year and he was also voted as Chelsea’s greatest ever player. His #25 shirt has not been worn by any other Chelsea player since he retired. 

Zola was Chelsea’s inspiration and guiding light for many years. You could even say he was the nucleus that inspired the revival of Chelsea. He was like the wizard of Stamford Bridge. He always played with a smile on his face and was a true gentlemen of the game. As a player, he filled the flare void left by Eric Cantona when he retired from his Godly playing days at Manchester United. Zola picked up where King Eric left off , terrorizing defenders on many Saturday afternoons and oftentimes making even the best in the world look like they played for a pub team. 

It’s only fitting that one day he return to Chelsea as their coach. It could happen in the near future. If Ancelotti doesn’t do well, Chelsea could swoop in for their hero sooner than people think. Could you see Zola coaching Chelsea one day? And is he the best player to have ever played for the Blues? One thing is for sure, Zola is truly a Premier League legend. Respect…

Inhale…exhale…Chelsea have a new coach…

FBL-ENG-ITA-PR-CHELSEA-ACMILAN-ANCELOTTINot that I want this to become a Chelsea blog…but news is news people! Carlo Ancelotti was today named as the successor to Guus Hiddink. Do you think Chelsea hired Ancelotti because he looks a little like Guus? Check out the picture of Guus with the F.A. Cup below and judge for yourselves. Perhaps the owner and executive team hired the Italian master so the players can feel “comfortable” with a familiar face in the dressing room! 

Chelsea have hired someone with real pedigree in Carlo Ancelotti. He has been hugely successful in his career as a player and a coach. Ancelotti arrives at Stamford Bridge following a mediocre season at AC Milan, but don’t be fooled…this man has won it all! The Italian Cup, the Super Cup, the World Club Championship, the UEFA Cup and Serie A. He is also part of an elite footballing group being one of only 6 players who have won the Champions League as a player and a coach. The most recent coach to do that was Pep Guardiola this year with Barcelona. 

Ancelotti is an interesting character too. I think he’ll live upto that character a lot more than Phil Scolari did. Some people say he’s as fascinating as Jose Mourinho. In order to manage a club like Chelsea or the “big four” in general, you have to have that something special. Hiddink had it, plus he also started to help erase the memory of Mourinho during his time with the Blues. If you look at Ancelotti’s successes as a player and coach, it appears he might be able to erase the memory of Mourinho completely in his first season. Unless he smokes during training of course and gives his players unnecessary respiratory problems to the point where they are unable to compete and have to forfeit their season.

Do you think Chelsea have made the right choice? Can you see them winning the title with Ancelotti next season? Do you think the Italian master will bring any of his ex-players with him from AC Milan? And will he be able to square-up to Rafa Benitez, Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger?