In For The Hat Trick

Every year it happens, or does it. My sources say it doesn’t, wait, it actually does…Pending image rights, of course. Okay, here are three of football’s most annoying transfer sagas…

1. Sneijder To United- Alright, so perhaps this saga has yet to reach the epic proportions of some that have rocked the World in the past, but nevertheless, it has annoyed me sufficiently to warrant inclusion. First, there is the on-off effect, the changing news every day, one newspaper reporting one thing, before headlining its polar opposite the next day. However, it was Sneijder’s “god” comment which really got me riled up…

There is nothing worse than when a footballer claims that only “god” knows what his future holds. An act of foolish religious commitment some would say, but tantamount to a transfer request others might argue; talk of god only leads to confusion…And my disgust.

2. Fabregas to Barcelona- If tapping up was really a crime that Uefa were at all interested in punishing, then Barcelona would have banned, fined and docked points about ten thousand times over the past few years. Their constant efforts to unsettle Cesc are frankly disgusting and (probably) prohibited by transfer law. Not to mention the common respect and courtesy that they breach every time one of their players force a Barca kit onto him.

Yes, what Barca have been doing to Cesc Fabregas should certainly be considered “tapping up” despite the fact that no one has any real evidence of them contacting him illegally through the phone. Every day it seems, another Barca player comes out to announce Fabregas’ “secret” desire to leave The Emirates, and every day Sandro Rosell or Pep Guardiola or some one high up at the club talks about him covetously. For a club so often sickeningly classy, Barca’s pursuit of Fabregas really disappoints me.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid- The mother of all modern transfer sagas, Ronaldo’s move to Real Madrid was perhaps the most followed transfer story of the “Naughties.”

After starring with Manchester United, Ronaldo immediatlly moved on Real Madrid’s unusually large radar screen. Along with every other attacking player who had kicked a ball straight during the past twelve months, Ronaldo was hotly linked with the Merengues, rumors that the Portuguese international neglected to quell.

Much like during Sneijder’s saga, the big “g” word was brought up a few times, as Ronaldo did his best to stir the pot in Manchester. Despite publicly comitting his future to Manchester United on several occasion in the months preceding his exit, Ronadlo eventually left United for eighty million pounds in 2009.

Comment with some of your least favorite transfer sagas.
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A summer of discontent for the United States. First a disjointed showing at the Gold Cup, capped by defeat at the hands of Mexico, and now more proof, that the next decade of North American football with be swathed in a sea of green.

As one era of Mexican football ends, another is set to begin; while Rafa Marquez is still the anchor for El Tri, up front a new wave of youngsters are ready to make life miserable for American defenses in the years to come.

Javier Hernandez, Pablo Barrerra and Gio Dos Santos were all key elements of the Mexican’s Gold Cup success, three players gifted with speed, skill and an eye for goal. While Hernandez is already on the path to greatness at Old Trafford, both Barrera and Dos Santos are set to resurrect their fledgling careers over the next twelve months, the wing duo are yet to replicate their national success at the club level.

Earlier today too brought more bad news in the direction of Bob Bradley and the boys, as an even younger generation of Mexican footballers cut their teeth at the international level. A team headlined by hat trick hero Julio Gomez claimed the World U17 World Cup, defeating Uruguay after semi final success over Germany; a team which earlier in the competition had thrashed the USA 4-0.

While youth competitions are not always clear indicators of where the future really does lie, it is safe to say that the performances of the Mexican youngsters, in comparison with their American counterparts, makes ominous viewing for fans of the United States. Mexico clearly have a talented set of players ready to emerge at senior level, something that the US sorely needs.

Players like Juan Agudelo and Teal Bunbury are hardly of the quality of Javier Hernandez, and even if they were to reach their full potential, it is unlikely that they would achieve the same feats of brilliance as Chicharito. Even more worryingly, the back line being groomed to protect against the threat of players like the Little Pea, is hardly good enough to insure solidity; the very one footed Tim Ream failed to shine at the Gold Cup, while the equally one footed Omar Gonzalez wasn’t even called into the squad.

As Mexico watch their youth blossom at both the senior and U17 level, the United States continue to stick with the group they have, persisting with players like Carlos Bocanegra at the back.

Mexico’s U17 World champions are by no means guaranteed to ever even play in a senior match against the United States, but the fact remains that they vastly outperformed Americans of a similar age. Regardless of whether or not the bicycle king with a bandage wrapped around his head ever makes it, it is clear that Mexico’s up and coming talent is totally superior to that of the United States. Something must change, or Americans will just have to get used to losing to their Southern neighbors on a much, much more frequent basis.

From the moment the “Bosman Rule” was introduced, this was always going to be an inevitable occurrence, one that that for better or for worse, has changed the face of football forever.

The only parties that will benefit from Nasri’s potential transfer are United and the player, but most importantly the player. It seems that now the footballing World is dictated by players, and perhaps, that is the way it ought to be. For years, players were pushed around and controlled by clubs, even now, in league’s like MLS, players are still bullied by the teams they represent. 

 It is tragic that the career of a player as brilliant as Messi, will forever be haunted by the ghost of a past legend. Oh, what wouldn’t Leo give to rid himself of Diego Maradona’s specter.

From the moment that Messi blew that terrible free kick miles high and wide of the target, he must have known that a chastening morning was in the offing. That miscue infront of goal was just one of a plethora of attacking errors, which consigned Argentina to yet another unimpressive performance, one compounded by an even less impressive result.

For a team blessed by attackers like Messi, Aguero, Higuain and Lavezzi, one goal in two games against teams far below top quality is unacceptable. Whether such failures are the fault of a tactical system which partially negates Messi’s threat, or just a symptom of the lack of initiative needed to qualify from the farcially organized Copa America group stages, it is hard to say. The stodgy play of Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Mascherano does nothing to complement the World’s greatest player, though in the end, stodgy or not, Argentina are virtually guaranteed to qualify for the next round.

The fall out from Argentina’s latest underwhelming match will do nothing to lift what is fast becoming a cloud of criticism soaring over the head of a certain little number ten, Messi’s failure to inspire so far has led to unfair treatment by the fickle Argentinian press.

For all his genius, there is nothing Messi can do to relive the pressure building upon him, the two time Champions League winner is forever cursed by comparisons to arguably the all time greatest exponent of the beautiful game. Diego Maradona constantly haunts all Argentinian players of a certain stature, the man who single handedly won the Albiceleste a World Cup is the benchmark that all of the country’s attackers are held to.

While Messi has reached heights at the club level that Maradona never touched, El Diego’s World Cup winners medal will always see him favored in comparative conversations. Whatever Messi does, how ever many goals he scores, he will always rest firmly in the shadow of Maradona, just as entrenched as other Argentinians of less prodigious skill.

Surely at this point in the development of the game, we have reached a stage where players should exist in their own right, and not have to be constantly entered into a futile race to overtake Maradona and Pele. At this stage, Lionel Messi is by far the most accomplished player on the planet, and maybe it is time for the footballing public to accept that, and stop trying to push him even farther.

What Maradona achieved with his performances at the 1986 World Cup is a type of success unlikely to be replicated ever again. The man dribbled, passed and cheated his way to football’s summit, and with it sealed a legacy which will likely outlive that of brilliant players who never won a World Cup, men like Cruyff, Puskas and Best. Maradona is football’s ultimate player, and no man of any ability deserves to be held to his standards.

Messi is a gift to the modern footballing world, a player that deserves better than to be chained down by a perpetual discussion. Messi is Messi, Maradona is Maradona, perhaps now is the time to abandon our efforts, and let Messi be his own man.

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As I flicked through the BBC Sport headlines earlier today, one piece of “breaking news” which really should have grabbed my attention, just didn’t. Carlos Tevez had issued a formal transfer request, again.

It wasn’t so long ago that fans around the World were transfixed by an ongoing legal saga at Old Trafford, one which saw Tevez, Kia Joorbachian and David Gill attempt to reach an unattainable compromise that could potentially have kept Tevez at Manchester United.

But no, after beguiling the fans of all his previous clubs, Tevez replicated the process at Old Trafford, betraying a faithful that had grown to love him, by joining their greatest rivals.

Tevez embodies everything that is wrong about the modern player, his perpetual journey through the European football landscape is one guided only by the cheque book’s compass point, and not by any love or passion. Tevez is the quintessential footballing mercenary, he goes and does as he likes, wooing the adoration of fans before reciprocating their love with the game’s greatest slap in the face.

While the sudden departure of some players is greeted with surprise, Carlos Tevez’ transfer will be accompanied only by a chorus of sighs, as the footballing world witnesses yet another act of foul betrayal by the man fast becoming the sport’s number one villain.

While other players prize the love of a support above anything else, Tevez uses it only as a means of negotiation, a way to either force a new lucrative contract, or push through a move to another team.

Tevez’ latest actions are the continuation of a pattern which has rightly earned him a rather negative reputation, the man seems to enjoy sucking up the love of a stadium, before spitting it back into fans’ faces.

First it was Boca, as Tevez left his very first club for Corinthians, where the striker would earn his biggest pay check yet; though his time in South America was only a brief interlude before the real business of betrayal began across the pond.

At West Ham, Tevez single handedly saved the Irons from relegation, but only before pushing through a move to Manchester United. At United, the Argentinian once again garnered the support of millions; only to see it turn to venom as he joined rivals Manchester City. What’s more, while at  City Tevez continued to aggravate his former supporters, taunting them after scoring in the first leg of a Carling Cup semi final, and entering into a verbal sparring match with Gary Neville.

However, City fans relishing the pain Tevez imposed on their rivals were not to have the last laugh, as always, Tevez reserved that right for himself. After toying with the Citizens for months, Tevez earlier today announced that he intends to leave the City of Manchester Stadium for “family reasons.” About eleven months ago, having failed to settle in Manchester, Tevez’ estranged wife moved back to Argentina, bringing along his two daughters. Yet, Tevez’ inability to gain access to his children remains a mystery to me, why he was unable to have them stay with him in Manchester is a question that the Argentine international would no doubt struggle to answer.

Though it is difficult to claim that family wasn’t a motivating factor in Tevez’ latest move, his history of betrayal indicates that possibly, it was not the only one. A move to Spain or Italy has been one forever attractive to the striker, and it wouldn’t surprise me if pleasant weather and an opportunity to escape from a city he loathes also played into the decision. Tevez must have known the drawbacks of playing in Manchester when he signed for City though, but as always, money talks, and I’m sure it will continue to do so as the Argentinian evaluates his options, and prepares for a move to pastures new.

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Over the past few seasons, the too often predicable top twenty percent of the English Premier League table has been tossed up; cast asunder by the changing tides of high level English club football, and then rebuilt, but this time adorned by a smattering of Middle Eastern checks.

There was Grand Slam Sunday, the All English Champions League final, and the constant lack of action between fifth and fourth; the days of the big four were monotonous ones indeed. Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool seemed set to rule football’s most exciting league for years to come; financially as much as anything else the others just couldn’t get close.

And then came good old Tottenham Hotspur, keen to put a spanner in the works, the team led by Harry Redknapp finally broke up the big four’s Premier League oligopoly, firing themselves into the Champions League places through sheer verve and excitement on attack. Inspired by the fantasy of Luka Modric and the goal scoring exploits of Jermain Defoe, Tottenham were able to take advantage of Liverpool’s calamitous season; claiming fourth spot after a 1-0 away victory over Manchester City.

However, for all the fun and energy of Spurs’ ascent, their success was an anomaly, a rare occurrence that is unlikely to be replicated in the future. Like it or not, a new big four is on its way back, and this one could be here to stay much longer than past versions. For the first time set to compete in the Champions League, Manchester City are the team ready to figure the new “big four” as Tottenham face exclusion, where they will be kept company by neighbors Arsenal.

With Manchester United and Chelsea as strong as ever, City filled with ambition and Liverpool on their way up, North London’s time at the top of the English game has reached its sell by date; next season could be the start of a serious decline.

Arsenal’s actions this summer have come awfully close to the footballing equivalent of suicide; selling top players to rivals is never a good idea, especially during a period of such flux. With Cesc Fabregas ready to finally secure a return to Barcelona, the last thing Arsenal needed to do was sell another two of their best  players to rivals. Clichy will sign for Manchester City next week, while Samir Nasri can take his time deciding whether to join Chelsea, City or United, whichever destination he chooses, the end result will spell trouble for the Gunners.

Both Arsenal and Tottenham are fast falling behind their Premier League rivals, Chelsea have hired one of the most promising young managers in the game, while United, City and Liverpool have all started transfer projects designed for the long term, designed for consistent Champions League qualification. Young English players have been brought in at both Anfield and Old Trafford, while Manchester City’s monetary might is set to guarantee them a fresh wave of talent to help reinforce for next season.

Meanwhile, Tottenham have spent most of their transfer energies playing down rumors that Luka Modric is on the verge of an exit, in a saga that is becoming increasingly reminiscent of the one which saw Dimitar Berbatov depart in 2008.

Arsenal have been perhaps slightly more productive. When not begging and pleading with Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas, Arsene Wenger has been off arranging for the signing of Ivory Coast international Gervinho, a man with no Champions League experience, and a track record that boasts only a couple semi-impressive seasons in French football.

Yes, as the new season’s beginning looms ever closer, so does the possibility of North London’s elite being left in the dust. Liverpool, City, United and Chelsea mean business heading into 2011/12, while Arsenal and Tottenham are yet to show their willingness to fight back.

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It is fast becoming the bane of all good football, the enemy of exciting, attacking play and the most infuriating tactical ploy that I have ever had the misfortune to encounter.

In a summer blessed with two major international tournaments, one of the most prominent tactical set ups seems to be that which involves two defensive, holding midfield players. At the Gold Cup, Bob Bradley and the United States paired together Jermain Jones and Michael Bradley in the center of midfield, while at the Copa America Sergio Batista sent his Argentina side out yesterday night with Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Mascherano sitting right in front of the back line.

Throughout their Gold Cup campaign, one recurring theme of the United States’ play was their slowness in possession, a detrimental quality which inhibited their ability to storm past inferior teams like Panama and Guadeloupe. When the conduit linking defense and attack is Jermain Jones, slowness is guaranteed, an exceptional holding midfielder, Jones is lacking in ability when it comes to passing and composure in possession. Yet, Bob Bradley kept on starting Jones and Bradley; even against opposition deprived of  midfield creativity, he still saw it fit to play two defensive midfield players.

With the start of the Copa America, a new player in the excess defensive midfield game has emerged- Argentina. Boasting a front three of Messi, Tevez and Lavezzi, Argentina are rarely a side associated with conservative play, yet their starting line-up yesterday was remarkably unambitious given the level of their opponents. Teams such as Bolivia at the Copa America, and Guadaloupe at the Gold Cup, are types that regional powerhouses like Argentina and the USA should sweep past with ease, however, both sides have struggled, mainly due to their obstinate usage of holding midfielders.

Against high class opposition, the use of multiple holding midfield players is an effective strategy; when facing a midfield rife with creative talent, additional sources of defensive mettle are needed to combat the opponent’s attack. But why field such a conservative midfield line-up against minnows like Guadeloupe, Bolivia and Panama? Teams of their ilk will usually bunker down and wait for the opposition to break through, when a more attacking player is fielded, penetration of a deep lying back four becomes more feasible.

Argentina in particular are guilty in that regard. While the US can be excused partially as they lack a really classy treqartista type player, Argentina seem intent on keeping the one that they have rooted to the bench. Moreover, if Argentina’s stated desire is to get the best out of Messi by playing in the style of Barcelona, then maybe they should take a closer look at how Barcelona do play. In a fluid 4-3-3 formation, Barca field only one holding midfielder in Serigo Busquets, who sits behind two attacking midfield players- the well renowned Xavi and Iniesta.

Javier Pastore, if started ahead of Mascherano or Cambiasso, might have been able to provide a bit of ingenuity from midfield, a classy touch that could have helped goals permeate through the staunch Bolivian rear guard. A Pastore-Banega combination in attacking midfield, with Mashcherano sitting just behind, would be much more reminiscent of Messi’s Catalan owners, and would therefore come closer to providing the desired effect.

While the United States have already seen their international campaign end in failure, Argentina still have time to right themselves; their next match is on July 6th against Colombia, hopefully then we will see their midfield bathed in attacking splendor.