THE EAGLES MIGHT SOAR HIGHER AT THE CONFEDERATIONS CUP

 

The Nigerian Super Eagles has finally trounced their pathway to the glare window of the world again after a protracted period of drowsiness at the football center stage. The tell-tale of the glory days of the super eagles has been narrowed down to the valley of folklore since the heart-stopping and breath-taking exploits of the ’94 and ’98 world cup squad, and if not for the once-in-a-while romp-rout of the younger sides of the Nigerian National team at the Olympics and Youth championships, Nigerians would have gone feisty in their national football fanatism.

The 2013 African Cup of Nations brought about a rare but justifiable assemblage of local and foreign players in the mix of the super eagles. The average Nigerian support for the super eagles at the football fest in South Africa was more of loyalty riding on optimism than an expected performance. We haunted them with an elephantine shadow of uncertainty, but rather than be crushed by it, they severed this familiar foe to our total disbelief. The Super Eagles won only their third AFCON trophy in South Africa, although not a great feat for a self-styled giant of Africa (who has come close in no few times of 7 finals) but a breakthrough long overdue. The romp in South Africa is sure a resound to the whole of Africa of a new force rising in the west, but if that message is to excite the world, the super eagles will have to blow their bugle loud enough in the confederation cup in Brazil

The super eagles defied the odds of football punditry in South Africa, having simply overpowered their opponents with strength and speed, recovering quickly from a shaky defence at the start of the competition to build on a stable midfield and quick piercing attack. The availability of the likes of Vincent Enyeama, Elderson Echiejile, Efe Ambrose, Kenneth Omeruo, Mikel Obi, Nosa Igiebor, Ogenyi Onazi, Ahmed Musa, Emmanuel Emenike, Brown Ideye, Victor Moses, Ike Uche, and Sunday Mba, who all formed a formidable team for Stephen Keshi in South Africa means the coach need not grow gray hairs in his business of raising a perfect team for the confederations cup. Obi Mikel has just returned from injury in Chelsea FC of London, and should be fully fit before Nigeria kick a ball inBrazil, while Nigeria’s main goal threat, Emmanuel Emenike, is the only player probable to miss out of the competition, having suffered a recurrence of his knee ligament injury that will rule him out of action for two months. Nonetheless, Werder Bremen forward, Joseph Akpala, has been summoned to replace Emenike in the Super eagles squad.

And ahead of the competition in June, Head coach Stephen Keshi, has handed Nigerians high hope that the Super eagles will not be push overs at the confederations cup in Brazil, even though qualifying the Super eagles for the 2014 world cup in Brazil is the top priority for him and the entire team. According to him , the team shall approach the confederations cup  “with the same seriousness that won us the Africa cup of nations in South Africa……..the confederations cup will be tough with all the continental champions on parade, but I can assure you that the Eagles will give good account of themselves in Brazil and see where we stand at the end of the day” Stressing further, Keshi believes “playing against World and European champions Spain and South America champions Uruguay will not be easy” but that the team “shall not fear them. So long as it is going to be 11 vs 11 on the pitch” “we can spring some surprises” He stated.

The confederations cup is an association football tournament for national teams held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the holders of each of the six FIFA confederation championships (UEFA,CONMEBOL,CONCACAF,CAF,AFC,OFC), along with the FIFA world cup holder and the host nation, to bring the number of teams to eight. It is seen as a rehearsal for the World cup, which is why it takes place in the FIFA World cup host nation a year before the football fiesta. Nigeria will participate for the first time, representing Africa as a result of their triumph in AFCON 2013. Host, Brazil is drawn in Group A alongside Italy, Mexico and Japan, while the Eagles will play in Group B with Uruguay, Tahiti and World defending champion, Spain. Nigeria will play its first match against Tahiti on June 17, its second against Uruguay on June 20 and its last group game against Spain on June 23.

The Nigerian Super Eagles has finally trounced their pathway to the glare window of the world again after a protracted period of drowsiness at the football center stage. The tell-tale of the glory days of the super eagles has been narrowed down to the valley of folklore since the heart-stopping and breath-taking exploits of the ’94 and ’98 world cup squad, and if not for the once-in-a-while romp-rout of the younger sides of the Nigerian National team at the Olympics and Youth championships, Nigerians would have gone feisty in their national football fanatism.

The 2013 African Cup of Nations brought about a rare but justifiable assemblage of local and foreign players in the mix of the super eagles. The average Nigerian support for the super eagles at the football fest in South Africa was more of loyalty riding on optimism than an expected performance. We haunted them with an elephantine shadow of uncertainty, but rather than be crushed by it, they severed this familiar foe to our total disbelief. The Super Eagles won only their third AFCON trophy in South Africa, although not a great feat for a self-styled giant of Africa (who has come close in no few times of 7 finals) but a breakthrough long overdue. The romp in South Africa is sure a resound to the whole of Africa of a new force rising in the west, but if that message is to excite the world, the super eagles will have to blow their bugle loud enough in the confederation cup in Brazil

The super eagles defied the odds of football punditry in South Africa, having simply overpowered their opponents with strength and speed, recovering quickly from a shaky defence at the start of the competition to build on a stable midfield and quick piercing attack. The availability of the likes of Vincent Enyeama, Elderson Echiejile, Efe Ambrose, Kenneth Omeruo, Mikel Obi, Nosa Igiebor, Ogenyi Onazi, Ahmed Musa, Emmanuel Emenike, Brown Ideye, Victor Moses, Ike Uche, and Sunday Mba, who all formed a formidable team for Stephen Keshi in South Africa means the coach need not grow gray hairs in his business of raising a perfect team for the confederations cup. Obi Mikel has just returned from injury in Chelsea FC of London, and should be fully fit before Nigeria kick a ball inBrazil, while Nigeria’s main goal threat, Emmanuel Emenike, is the only player probable to miss out of the competition, having suffered a recurrence of his knee ligament injury that will rule him out of action for two months. Nonetheless, Werder Bremen forward, Joseph Akpala, has been summoned to replace Emenike in the Super eagles squad.

And ahead of the competition in June, Head coach Stephen Keshi, has handed Nigerians high hope that the Super eagles will not be push overs at the confederations cup in Brazil, even though qualifying the Super eagles for the 2014 world cup in Brazil is the top priority for him and the entire team. According to him , the team shall approach the confederations cup  “with the same seriousness that won us the Africa cup of nations in South Africa……..the confederations cup will be tough with all the continental champions on parade, but I can assure you that the Eagles will give good account of themselves in Brazil and see where we stand at the end of the day” Stressing further, Keshi believes “playing against World and European champions Spain and South America champions Uruguay will not be easy” but that the team “shall not fear them. So long as it is going to be 11 vs 11 on the pitch” “we can spring some surprises” He stated.

The confederations cup is an association football tournament for national teams held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the holders of each of the six FIFA confederation championships (UEFA,CONMEBOL,CONCACAF,CAF,AFC,OFC), along with the FIFA world cup holder and the host nation, to bring the number of teams to eight. It is seen as a rehearsal for the World cup, which is why it takes place in the FIFA World cup host nation a year before the football fiesta. Nigeria will participate for the first time, representing Africa as a result of their triumph in AFCON 2013. Host, Brazil is drawn in Group A alongside Italy, Mexico and Japan, while the Eagles will play in Group B with Uruguay, Tahiti and World defending champion, Spain. Nigeria will play its first match against Tahiti on June 17, its second against Uruguay on June 20 and its last group game against Spain on June 23.

AND FERGIE RESIGNS

Legendary football gaffer, Sir Alex Ferguson will step down finally as Manchester United manager at the end of the season after a 26 year tenure that has made him the most successful in British football.

Fergie, in a statement,  revealed that his decision to retire is well thought out and one not “taken lightly” he stressed the significance of retiring at a time like this by stating “it is the right time. It is important to me to leave an organization in the strongest possible shape and I believe I have done so”

The 71 year old scot, has won 38 trophies during his reign at Old Trafford and will now become a director and ambassador for the club. His trophy haul includes 13 league titles, two champions league crowns, five FA cups, four league cups, the FIFA club world cup, Intercontinental cup, the UEFA cup winners’ cup and the UEFA super cup.

Meanwhile, Everton manager, David Moyes, has been confirmed as the new United manager. Moyes, who shares Ferguson’s Scottish working class roots, has built a steady career in over a decade at the Merseyside club as he is the third longest-serving manager in the premier league, with coaching experience also in the champions league. The 50 year old manager, who is out of contract in the summer, has excelled at over-achieving on a limited budget, rather than managing a large squad of superstars.

Moyes once said of Sir Alex “He is someone all the football managers look up to, they respect him. Even when he is fighting them, he still has the humility to have a drink with them at the end of the game. And he still has the dignity to phone them if they are sacked or out of work”           

TALENTED BUT TEMPRAMENTAL…….AN ANECDOTE OF LUIS SUAREZ’S FOOTBALLING ORDEAL

 From goal-mouth saves, dressing room bust-ups, biting players, handballs to finger-wagging, Luis Suarez has munched a little more than chewable in a controversy-laden career. He doesn’t seem like he can nip it in the bud or maybe he is just a little too green around the gills. Like a leopard, with an embarrassing renown for its indelible dark spots, Suarez is bespeckled with an ugly but inate trait which he has hitherto found difficult to oust.

Up there with the likes of Messi, Ronaldo and Falcao in quality, he is one of the brightest talent ever to have graced modern football. However, poor Luis should be apparent to us for such great reasons, but for the smoke of his attitude befogging his dexterous footballing artistry. He has been unable to keep the fume out of his chimney since it ushered him to public glare in 2005.

After bursting on to the South-American scene for Nacional in the 2005/2006 season, Suarez made his international debut in a world cup qualifier for Uruguay the following year. He failed to score but did make the headlines with an 85^th minute sending off after two yellows. A red-mist debut I call it.

Consequent to virtuoso performances, Suarez caught the eye of several leading clubs before Ajax snapped him up on a five-year contract in 2007. That November, Suarez continued to show his combative streak when he and team –mate Albert Luque were fined for a dressing room altercation during half-time against Feyernoord.

In South Africa 2010, Suarez’s handball on the goal-line prevented Ghana’s Dominic Adiyiah from scoring in the last minute of the World cup Semi-final. He was subsequently sent off (his second international dismissal after being shown a red card on his Uruguay debut in February 2007), with Asamaoh Gyan missing the resulting penalty, Suarez celebrated on the sidelines and Uruguay went on to triumph in the shoot-out bringing Suarez in for stinging criticism across the globe.( Doubt he has a Ghanaian fan, the black star team was en-route history lane to become the first African country to ever get through to the World cup semi-final, if Suarez had not blackballed that last minute goal-bound attempt with his last-ditch goalkeeping).

After his World cup horror-heroics, Suarez increased his notoriety that November (2010), earning a seven-game suspension for biting the shoulder of PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal during an Eredivisie clash with Ajax. He was thence christened Suarez the “cannibal of Ajax” by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.

Following his move to Liverpool in January 2011, he was entwined in a tackle with then Everton player Jack Rodwell and went down with apparent minimal contact, leading to the sending off of Rodwell. More controversy as the Liverpool striker is accused of a “nice dive” by West Brom’s Pau, Scharner after being challenged by Jerome Thomas at the Hawthorns in October 2011. Charlie Adam converted the penalty in a 2-0 win, while Scharner tagged Suarez as one “of the best in the world at winning penalties”. Still in October 2011, subsequent to a month-long investigation, Suarez was charged for racially abusing Manchester United defender, Patrice Evra. The Frenchman made the claims immediately after the match at Anfield, alleging Suarez had used a racist insult on him ‘at least 10 times’ during the game. Suarez was banned for eight matches and fined £40000. Another league game, another bout in the bowl, like Suarez never gets tired of hurling pebbles in his glass house, he was seen making an offensive gesture at supporters after Liverpool’s defeat to Fulham. The Uruguayan had been taunted by home fans after  referee Kevin Friend did not award him a penalty when he went over after a challenge by Brede Hangeland in the second half. At this time, although not yet penalized, Suarez had already been charged by the football association over the Evra incident, he was handed a further one-match ban for the gesture.

United and Liverpool matched again at Old Trafford (later in February 2012), but more contention ensued as Suarez refused to handshake Evra before kick off.

In October 2012, Suarez ducked for the dramatic as he celebrated a goal in the Merseyside derby by diving in front of then Everton manager, David Moyes, who had earlier claimed that “divers such as Suarez are putting fans off the English game”.

Liverpool coach Brendan Rodgers felt the onus was not on Suarez to own up to the handball that helped Liverpool reach the FA cup fourth round at the expense of minnows Mansfield.  But Suarez could have followed a different path and live  to the herald of a hero if he had acknowledged fault after using his right wrist to beat the ball down over the line and celebrating Liverpool’s second.

During a World cup qualifier for Uruguay in March, Suarez appeared to punch Chilean defender, Gonzalo Jara after tussling with him. Although the referee failed to see the incident, with FIFA launching an investigation, a retrospective punishment is impending for the karate kid.

And now at a time when the English Premier League winds up and the stage curtain drops on its eye-catching theatrics, Suarez says it is not over, and pulls a bizarre Dracula of an act. A flick of on-pitch cannibalism. During Liverpool’s premier league game against Chelsea at Anfield in April, Suarez scuffled with Branislav Ivanovic in the box and either misplaced his temper or of a sudden realized he was very hungry, before apparently taking a bite out of the Serbian defender, whom he mistook for a giant pizza. The Uruguayan escaped without  punishment from the referee, but has been handed a 10-game ban that will extend six games into next season, for his inability to control his on-pitch appetite.

Although the reaction from Anfield was swift and serious, Liverpool’s determination to retain their prize asset at all costs undermines their condemnation of his actions. Luis Suarez’s time at Anfield has been beset by controversy but he remains Liverpool’s only world class forward (first Liverpool player to score 30 goals in a season since Fernando Torres), so expect to see him munch on some more pounds of flesh next season, because the “cannibal of Ajax” has resurrected in Merseyside.

TALENTED BUT TEMPRAMENTAL…….AN ANECDOTE OF LUIS SUAREZ’S FOOTBALLING ORDEAL

 

From goal-mouth saves, dressing room bust-ups, biting players, handballs to finger-wagging, Luis Suarez has munched a little more than chewable in a controversy-laden career. He doesn’t seem like he can nip it in the bud or maybe he is just a little too green around the gills. Like a leopard, with an embarrassing renown for its indelible dark spots, Suarez is bespeckled with an ugly but inate trait which he has hitherto found difficult to oust.

Up there with the likes of Messi, Ronaldo and Falcao in quality, he is one of the brightest talent ever to have graced modern football. However, poor Luis should be apparent to us for such great reasons, but for the smoke of his attitude befogging his dexterous footballing artistry. He has been unable to keep the fume out of his chimney since it ushered him to public glare in 2005.

After bursting on to the South-American scene for Nacional in the 2005/2006 season, Suarez made his international debut in a world cup qualifier for Uruguay the following year. He failed to score but did make the headlines with an 85^th minute sending off after two yellows. A red-mist debut I call it.

Consequent to virtuoso performances, Suarez caught the eye of several leading clubs before Ajax snapped him up on a five-year contract in 2007. That November, Suarez continued to show his combative streak when he and team –mate Albert Luque were fined for a dressing room altercation during half-time against Feyernoord.

In South Africa 2010, Suarez’s handball on the goal-line prevented Ghana’s Dominic Adiyiah from scoring in the last minute of the World cup Semi-final. He was subsequently sent off (his second international dismissal after being shown a red card on his Uruguay debut in February 2007), with Asamaoh Gyan missing the resulting penalty, Suarez celebrated on the sidelines and Uruguay went on to triumph in the shoot-out bringing Suarez in for stinging criticism across the globe.( Doubt he has a Ghanaian fan, the black star team was en-route history lane to become the first African country to ever get through to the World cup semi-final, if Suarez had not blackballed that last minute goal-bound attempt with his last-ditch goalkeeping).

After his World cup horror-heroics, Suarez increased his notoriety that November (2010), earning a seven-game suspension for biting the shoulder of PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal during an Eredivisie clash with Ajax. He was thence christened Suarez the “cannibal of Ajax” by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.

Following his move to Liverpool in January 2011, he was entwined in a tackle with then Everton player Jack Rodwell and went down with apparent minimal contact, leading to the sending off of Rodwell. More controversy as the Liverpool striker is accused of a “nice dive” by West Brom’s Pau, Scharner after being challenged by Jerome Thomas at the Hawthorns in October 2011. Charlie Adam converted the penalty in a 2-0 win, while Scharner tagged Suarez as one “of the best in the world at winning penalties”. Still in October 2011, subsequent to a month-long investigation, Suarez was charged for racially abusing Manchester United defender, Patrice Evra. The Frenchman made the claims immediately after the match at Anfield, alleging Suarez had used a racist insult on him ‘at least 10 times’ during the game. Suarez was banned for eight matches and fined £40000. Another league game, another bout in the bowl, like Suarez never gets tired of hurling pebbles in his glass house, he was seen making an offensive gesture at supporters after Liverpool’s defeat to Fulham. The Uruguayan had been taunted by home fans after  referee Kevin Friend did not award him a penalty when he went over after a challenge by Brede Hangeland in the second half. At this time, although not yet penalized, Suarez had already been charged by the football association over the Evra incident, he was handed a further one-match ban for the gesture.

United and Liverpool matched again at Old Trafford (later in February 2012), but more contention ensued as Suarez refused to handshake Evra before kick off.

In October 2012, Suarez ducked for the dramatic as he celebrated a goal in the Merseyside derby by diving in front of then Everton manager, David Moyes, who had earlier claimed that “divers such as Suarez are putting fans off the English game”.

Liverpool coach Brendan Rodgers felt the onus was not on Suarez to own up to the handball that helped Liverpool reach the FA cup fourth round at the expense of minnows Mansfield.  But Suarez could have followed a different path and live  to the herald of a hero if he had acknowledged fault after using his right wrist to beat the ball down over the line and celebrating Liverpool’s second.

During a World cup qualifier for Uruguay in March, Suarez appeared to punch Chilean defender, Gonzalo Jara after tussling with him. Although the referee failed to see the incident, with FIFA launching an investigation, a retrospective punishment is impending for the karate kid.

And now at a time when the English Premier League winds up and the stage curtain drops on its eye-catching theatrics, Suarez says it is not over, and pulls a bizarre Dracula of an act. A flick of on-pitch cannibalism. During Liverpool’s premier league game against Chelsea at Anfield in April, Suarez scuffled with Branislav Ivanovic in the box and either misplaced his temper or of a sudden realized he was very hungry, before apparently taking a bite out of the Serbian defender, whom he mistook for a giant pizza. The Uruguayan escaped without  punishment from the referee, but has been handed a 10-game ban that will extend six games into next season, for his inability to control his on-pitch appetite.

Although the reaction from Anfield was swift and serious, Liverpool’s determination to retain their prize asset at all costs undermines their condemnation of his actions. Luis Suarez’s time at Anfield has been beset by controversy but he remains Liverpool’s only world class forward (first Liverpool player to score 30 goals in a season since Fernando Torres), so expect to see him munch on some more pounds of flesh next season, because the “cannibal of Ajax” has resurrected in Merseyside.

BARCELONA MUST LEARN THE BEAST IS REQUIRED WHERE BEAUTY BETRAYS OR FACE EXTINCTION AS A FOOTBALL MAINSTAY

Football they say is a beauteous sport, that realism becomes four-legged whenever FC Barcelona graces your TV screen, and so they say whenever you suffer from sleeplessness, go watch a West-ham VS Reading game (it tranquilizes better than a lullaby), that’s when you get to appreciate being in this Barca-adorned generation. Every deft touch, flick, craft and fluidity showcased by the Catalans, aver that their substance is more than ‘kick-about’ football, it is more of refined style and class, ensuring victory in topnotch sort

They have been dictatorial in domineering the game for the last six years achieving feisty landmarks in European and World football, and have not but toyed with the scepter of club football with their Ghadaffi grasp. Can you blame them? NO!! FC Barcelona vaunt the finest crop of talent in the football planetary, ranging from the mestalla harvests (Barcelona Football Academy revered as the best in the world) to stars (groomed by other teams), who find them irresistible at any slight pursual.

Watching Barcelona play is now deemed boring by many. Barca run the game like it’s a circus, and you don’t want to get used to seeing one team  bullyrag around another team for 90 minutes. The experience of the opposition team is like that of a boy learning to play ‘Computer star-six’ on a newly bought soccer video game, he might end up breaking his controller pad. Nonetheless, Barca opponents have in recent times, orchestrated a game plan in demystifying the Blaugrana’s enigmatic passing game. You have to stick to your gun of resilience in frustrating their poise by matchmaking their beauty with your beast- yes! I said so.

Anti-football indeed seem the only route to thumping FC Barcelona. Its effectiveness cannot be over-emphasized. It is as potent as vasectomy- Go for the balls, and then there is no ball for FC Barcelona. Inter Milan and Chelsea. Perhaps you have heard of them. They are the winners of two of the three most recent champions league titles. Moreso is the fact that, they have clinched renown because of their defensive exploits (or better put signs and wonders) in taming the ferocious footballing prowess of Barcelona on their way to European glory.

Having set so many records that might not be broken in our lifetime or the next, and being immortalized as the best team to have adorn modern football, the blaugrana are undisputed heroes and innovators in this game of chants and only those who watch them play through the speaker of a radio set will controvert this view.  And there is the anti-football, the only known way to beat a side you can’t outplay (except for a once-in-a-while Real Madrid side), some say its negative football and such teams that win with it are put in bad light. Whichever lane you ply, football is football, everyone is entitled to his own opinion, and every approach that leads you to a result, whether bus parking or rocket launching, is commendable. This is why this column is adulating the heroics of those who showed stern guts in depriving the music of Barca’s football rhythm, 100 percent airplay. You think they employed the wrong alternative? I think they did what needed to be done.

Last week’s villain, according to the Barcelona faithful is AC Milan. A traditional European powerhouse who through disciplined defending made ‘FC out-of-this-world’ look mundane and achieved a shocking 2-0 result in the first leg of their double header in the UEFA Champions League knockout round. Judging by pure game statistics, Barcelona should have won. But Milan stunned us, NO! them, with their counter-gimmick and achieved a shocker!!! A laudable result they worked for.

They are the best team in the world, how can you beat them when you are not better. The only way is anti-football. Just make sure your tackles are carefully reckless ( stylishly jab Iniesta and Messi once in a while, yes! I can be your Mourinho), play ‘kick and follow’ football ( even your passes should be a volley) don’t forget to always play long balls to your big number nine upfront (who said DROGBA?)  and you could do well and better with fast widemen. European giants like AC Milan, Chelsea, Inter Milan and relative Champions League minnows Celtic have all used disciplined defending to usurp Barcelona. Simply put, it works! It’s effective! And, it gets results! Barcelona has no answer when it encounters a side hell-bent on enforcing such tactics. Their passing drabs, they don’t create space, gets few shots if any at all, and are successfully put to the sword on the counter attack.

Anti-football, as it is referred, is a tactic. It’s a tactic that can work against any team but is famous for working so well against Barcelona. Who can blame these teams really? To win a game you must play to your strength. Hence, defensive football (parking the bus) is what teams who can’t match FC Barcelona, on an even playing field opt for. They play to their strengths and to Barcelona’s weakness, the counter attack. Defensive football is not outlawed by the rules of the game. It’s not much of a show, but it’s a means to an end, an end that is very much worth the sacrifice to play defensive football and secure progression in the UEFA Champions League. You don’t agree? Ask any AC Milan fan how he feels right now and compare it to how a Barcelona fan feels. These days defensive football is the only antic to get a result against the best footballing side on the planet.

For every tactic there is a counter-tactic. One would reckon that after the mistakes made at Inter Milan and Chelsea, Barcelona would have figured out how to overcome defensive sides, but they have not. They prefer to entertain, they should join Hollywood, and hence rather than vie for the standings they would deck the box office ranking. The point is, they believe in staying true to their style and feels they are the better team. But tactically, they are not. Barca pride themselves on not just winning, but romping in style, playing football the right way. They want to put on a show for the spectators, entertain the masses with their cheer-worthy TV series, come out the hero to be praised and adored. But in always trying to entertain, FC Barcelona forgets that in this game, result is what matters most. No one cares about amusement, no one cares about how you won, but that you did. In this game, sometimes a clean victory is not possible. Sometimes you must do what it takes to achieve victory. By keeping true to their style against a defensively organized squad, they play defensive teams to a disadvantage, plays open, risks everything, and loses everything. You need to forsake finesse sometimes, one must change what one does wrong, to ultimately do something right. Barcelona are playing straight into the jaws of defeat by continuing to approach these fixtures with the same naivety, as if they were playing at the camp Nou on a chilly Saturday night against a la liga bottom feeder. One can’t play everyone the same way.

Most teams only play defensive when they face FC Barcelona. Look at Chelsea, Inter Milan, and AC Milan, these teams play attractive football week-in week-out. But to achieve result, under very specific circumstances like facing Barcelona in a two-legged knockout Champions League tie, they sacrifice their repute for the result. Barcelona on the other hand isn’t doing the same. They must adapt and sacrifice style. No shame in defending, matching and rivaling defense with defense. No shame in a 0-0 draw, their fans will not protest, at the least they won’t play like that permanently. One must match up with the opposing team. To do so, Barca must play defensive. There is no way around it, no two way to hell but sin, if Barcelona doesn’t adjust, they will continue to suffer these type of demeaning and humbling defeats.

FC Barcelona must conform or face extinction as a football mainstay. The round leather game is a beautiful sport and Barcelona in all likelihood play it the most beautifully, but sometimes the beast (defensive football) is required if the beauty cannot win the day.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY: MARIO BALOTELLI’S MULTIFARIOUS SIGNATURES ON THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE



Never tired of seeing RED, colour of his blood and TEMPER



Welcome to the Mario Balotelli SHOW-The English Premier League, where the ‘Mario’ in question has succeeded in grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck and stamping his personality all over it. Never since Eric Cantona, has the EPL box office premiered a scintillating flick like Balotelli. ’The Balotelli Series’ is an interminable blockbuster that has earned somewhat more than expedient hits in the English Premier League. Take Mario from the EPL and tell me what is left. He’s the out-of-the-blue pop-up at your attempt to surf a sport site, as he haunts and feeds off on our football passion, leaving almost nothing left of it for other enthralls.

Mario Barwuah Balotelli, fondly called ‘SuperMario’, is the most talked about player in the Premier League. He has inked the headlines perhaps more than any other footballer, with outrageous antics as much as his sensational talent. The Manchester City star has become famous and notorious for his on and off field eccentric misdemeanours. From setting fire to his house, tossing darts at fellow players, to giving a beggar £1,000, Balotelli has nothing but stun us with his weird escapades. You call it the wrong reasons but they tickle your fancy.

In the meantime, grab yourself a pastime while we treat ourselves to some amusing anecdotes of MR CONTROVERSIAL-Mario Balotelli.

CAR CRASH (AUGUST 2010): Just days after signing for city, Balotelli hits the headlines after wrecking his AUDI R8 en route to the club’s training ground. Balotelli is found to be carrying £5,000 in cash at the time of the accident and when police ask why, he reportedly replies “Because I am rich.”  

WOMEN’S PRISON (OCTOBER 2010): Balotelli takes his younger brother to visit a women’s prison. When questioned by guards, Mario said he and his brother were “just curious at the fact that it was a women’s pison.”

FIRST RED-CARD (NOVEMBER 2010): Balotelli scores his first premier league goals in a 2-0 win at west brom but the achievement is marred when he sees red following a clash with Youssuf Mulumbu.

WILSHERE SNUB (DECEMBER 2010): Ater beating Jack Wilshere to the FIFA’s young player of the year, Mario claims he had never heard of the Arsenal midfielder before. This may be owing to the fact that Balotelli suffers from what psychologists call “Nicklas Bendtner Syndrome”- Mario genuinely believes he’s the best player the world has ever seen, he was once quoted as saying “there’s only one player that is a little stronger than me: MESSI. All of the others are behind me”

DART THROWING INCIDENT (MARCH 2011): Balotelli was once found guilty of throwing darts at members of the Man city youth team. His excuse? “I got bored and wanted to pass some time”

SECOND RED-CARD (MARCH 2011): Balotelli apologises to his team-mates after he is sent off during a Europa League tie with Dynamo Kiev for a reckless challenge on Goran Popov.

BACK-HEEL BLUNDER (JULY 2011): Balotelli is immediately substituted by an enraged Mancini after back-heeling wide when through on goal in a pre-season friendly against the Los Angeles Galaxy



First black player to don the Italian National team jersey celebrating his second goal against Germany, at EURO12 semifinal, in demonic fashion



FIREWORK INCIDENT (OCTOBER 2011) : Mario set fireworks off in a bin at his £3 million worth home, then put the bin in the bathroom where the curtains were set alight. The fire brigade was called. Balotelli scored twice the next day, as City handed cross-town neighbor and rival Manchester United their heaviest defeat in Premier League history. Following City’s 6-1 win over United, Balotelli reportedly drove around Manchester high-fiving city fans out of his car window. When interviewed about “Why always me?” (the inscription he unveiled after scoring against United) he explained he wore the famous T-shirt because “people always talk bad and say stuff about me. They don’t know me.” He then donated the shirt to a fan.

THIRD RED-CARD (NOVEMBER 2011): The third red-card of Balotelli’s city career arrives in a league match against Liverpool, the then 21 year-old dismissed for two yellow cards.

RICHARD’S CLASH (DECEMBER 2011): Just days after breaking a club imposed 48-hour curfew ahead of a match against Chelsea, he again attracts negative headlines after pictures emerge of a training ground bust-up with team mate Micah Richards.

MAGNANIMOUS-MARIO (DECEMBER 2011): Balotelli visits his local church where he donated £200 and then went to a pub, and expended £1,000. He also handed a homeless man £1,000 in cash. Asked why, he said it was because he liked his ginger dreadlocks.

PARKER CLASH (JANUARY 2012): Balotelli stamps on the head of Tottenham’s Scott Parker during a Premier League match and then score a winner. He was charged with violent conduct by the FA and handed a four-match ban.

INTER PRESS CONFERENCE (MARCH 2012): Balotelli gatecrashes the press conference to announce the arrival of Andrea Stramaccioni as Inter Milan’s new coach. Strolling in, with a grin, to grant handshakes to the new coach and others on the press docket.

ESCORT (APRIL 2012): The prostitute linked to Wayne Rooney also bedded Balotelli. After chanting “Rooney! Rooney!!” at her across a restaurant, the footballer later bumped into the hooker and asked for her number. The City star claims he never paid for her services.

FOURTH RED-CARD (APRIL 2012): Balotelli sees red for two bookable challenges on Arsenal full-back Bacary Sagna. Also guilty of a shocking first-half knee-high challenge on former Arsenal midfielder Alex Song.

BABY MARIO (DECEMBER 2012):  Balotelli’s daughter Pia was born, the mother accused Balotelli of being “irresponsible” and “not interested” in his newborn baby daughter.

MANCINI CLASH (JANUARY 2013): Pictures of Mario’s training ground altercation with City coach Mancini permeated the internet. Mancini later played down the incident and described it as “not important”.

Balotelli has made the news for almost all the wrong reasons unknown to football, or better put, reasons that are quite uncommon with the round leather game. He has reportedly had his white Maserati sports car impounded 27 times whilst racking up a staggering £10,000 in parking fines. When City won the FA cup, he said he’d only go on the bus parade if he could take his dog, lucky, with him. His request was denied so he missed it. What Manner of Man is He? Pulled over by police for driving around Manchester with £25,000 in cash on his passenger seat, Supermario was asked why, he laughed and reply “Because I can”. You can never predict his ‘hereafter’ the only chance you have at that shot is when he stands above a penalty kick, he would sure score it. He has never missed that in a professional game. Mum sends Mario to buy her iron, he returns with a trampoline. Now you know what I mean. Supermario arrives Italy ( with his recent transfer to AC MILAN) and two weeks after, the pope resigns>>>>>hahahahahahahhbwhaaaa

Nonetheless, with over 50 professional goals and eight major trophies, including the champions league, his talent remains undoubted and undisputed. But his mischievous trait is the more reason he’s been in the spotlight-the lifeline of our naughty amusement. They say football is entertaining, it was never, until Balotelli came around. Let’s just hope he continues to get urged on to do more, as long as he remains crazy and stupid, we will never get bored. NEVER!!!