Top 10 FIFA World Cup 2010 Moments Part II

Here’s the second part of my earlier post.

• Leave aside marauding footballers, their feisty managers. What left tongues wagging during FIFA 2010 WC was undoubtedly Paul, the Oracle Octopus. He predicted all 7 of Germany’s games, and the final too. And most importantly he got all his predictions right! He captured the imagination of the whole world. I am not ready to believe that he has some supernatural powers, but if people believe in him, then I have no problem with that. I feel that he has been hyped way too much, and he has received more attention than was required! If it was up to me, Paul would be in the chopping blocks by now!

• Biggest Stars flopped. Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Lionel Messi, Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney. You name the Superstars of the game, and they all failed to live up to their billing of being Global Superstars. Ronaldo was the sole scorer. Lionel Messi ran past most of the defences only to be stopped at the attacking third. He was the Best of the lot, but he was way off his true colours. This World Cup was surely a stage where new stars were born, and same old Stars like Diego Forlan showed the world what he is truly capable of.

• Larissa Riquelme. That Paragyuan Model. Most of the neutral Football Supporters started supporting Paraguay just because she promised she’d go nude if Paraguay reached the Semis. Spain eventually denied them in the Quarter-Finals, but she went ahead and did a nude photo shoot. She said she was proud of her players. We sure are proud of her! And, needless to say she has already bagged a multi-million dollar deal for a leading Modeling Agency in New York! She took great advantage of the Biggest Stage in the Sporting Arena!

• I will remember this World Cup, because of the World Cup parties we hosted at our home during most of the Games. It was terrific atmosphere at home during the Netherlands – Brazil Quarter-Final game. Everybody was supporting Brazil. Only I was on the side of the Dutch. 45 to 1, the ratio was. And gratuitous to articulate, I was ecstatic. It was one great night for me! It was Sweet , with a Capital S.

My World Cup All-Star Squad:

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas, Manuel Neuer, and Maarten Stekelenburg

Defenders: Gerard Pique, Carlos Puyol, Jorish Mathijsen, Sergio Ramos, Phillip Lahm, Diego Godin, Maicon

Midfielders: Xavi, Nigel De Jong, Wesley Sneijder, Bastian Schweinstiger, Mesut Ozil, Mark van Bommel, Honda, Diego Forlan, Iniesta

Strikers: David Villa, Luis Suarez, Thomas Muller, Asamoah Gyan

Special Mention: I was happy that Spain finally went on to win the World Cup, but I was hoping that the Oranje would be third time lucky. But, that was obviously not to be! Holland gave it their all, and that is what matters. I would be happy, if Welsey Sneijder ends up at United this season. Spain have the Golden Generation playing for them, and appreciatively they have had their taste of success, unlike the ’74 team that Netherlands accumulated.

All in all, FIFA World Cup 2010 was an amazing experience for me. Even though I had no way to be present right in the middle of the action in South Africa, nevertheless, I loved 2010 FIFA WC, and it would always be etched in my memory. “It was a Special World Cup”, exclaimed FIFA President, Sepp Blatter. I can’t seem to agree more.

So, farewell then, CR7.

Hi, readers, this is Steve Morgan, a Man Utd Fan since the dawn of my senses. I have been asked to be a Guest Blogger, by Dipanjan. My Guest Article is about CR7 and his departure from Old Trafford.

The long goodbye that began in earnest in summer 2008, with Real Madrid’s entreaties, and the drip-drip of public pronouncements from sloganeers, has finally played itself out. The fabled shirt is vacant once more.

For those who mourn the passing of one of the modern game’s finest talents, a word of advice: don’t dab your eyes as he dots the ‘I’s on his new contract. Memories are wonderful and precious things, but that, ultimately, is all they are. They will not win trophies, nor push us forward; and the quest for fresh challenges has always kept Sir Alex one step ahead of the chasing pack.

Manchester United, as the boss has always said, are bigger than one man. A constant summer of constant speculation would have benefited no-one.

We’ve been down this road before, of course. We were told we should never have sold the goals of Ruud van Nistelrooy; that we would never replace David Beckham’s dead-ball expertise, or transplant the lungs and heart of Roy Keane anew. We did and we have. There will be new names to conjure with, new songs to learn and sing.

Of course, we will miss Ronaldo’s quest for invention; yes we will smile fondly as we recall the astonishing, buck-toothed, spaghetti-haired kid who bewildered Bolton’s defence for 29-minutes six summers back. That initial cameo was a performance so dripping with wit and wonder, those fortunate enough to have seen George Best in the flesh were moved to make comparison. Six summers: half a career.

Will he burn brightly enough to score 42 goals in a season in Spain? Who knows? Will he miss the arm of Sir Alex, the paternal, protective touch in those long, dark moments of the soul? Probably. Will we miss him? Yes, of course – those capable of pinging in 40-yarders to order are in short order. But we can and will move on. The adventure continues.

Goodbye Cristiano and good luck. You will live in interesting times; the times you leave behind may yet prove to have been the most interesting.

Regards,

Steve

Let us all hate Manchester United

The other day I was just hanging around in the school fields with a certain friend of mine. We were talking soccer. Suddenly a bunch of eager faces pass by and I hear one of them screaming out, (now I do not know if that was intentional) “Ronaldo? O khelte paare naki? Ball niye nachleyi hoye gelo? Aar Rooney? What does he think himself to be??/Ronaldo? Does he even know how to play? Is there any profit in dancing with the ball? And Rooney? What does he think himself to be?”. And next what I hear is that “Ebar dekhis Tottenham bhalo khelte shuru korbe/Now you will see that Spurs will play well.”

It did not take much time for me to realize that those few were the usual Arsenal-Chelsea fans or ARSEnal-ChelSHIT (if thats a better way of putting things). But the point here is that I fail to understand each time as in why do people tend to hate Manchester United just for nothing. A sane person requires at least one particular reason to hate something or somebody. But when it comes to hating Man Utd its like “Hey…Lets hate Man Utd”. Now how sick is that?

This reminds me of a song I used to hum all the time in my class 6-7 days – Boyzone’s Love Me For A Reason (Did I get the name right?). Although I never really bothered to understand the meaning of the song . Its time now, I guess that I should sing the same song, just replacing “ME” with “MU” and “Love” with “Hate. I mean look dude this is hilarious, you suddenly start hating Man Utd for no specific reason?

OK, I understand if you are a fan of the rest three in the Fatal Four or AC Milan you’ve got all the reasons on earth to hate Man Utd, but if you are a Sunderland fanatic or a Villareal fan why would you hate Man Utd, unless of course you are playing them in the weekend. Its perfect to dislike a club if you are fan of another but u know what is like literally HATING!

In the past two decades Man Utd have given English football a whole new meaning and world football at large. They have easily become ‘the’ most supported club. But it surely does not form the bulk of the footballing fraternity. We (if I am allowed to say that) are the most successful club since the inception of the English Premier League. “Initial strugglers to later heroes”.

Is the immense success we boast about which makes others jealous and hence the hatred?? If its that then people listen up. Here is what I say. Liverpool is a club I really look upto. Man just look at them , they are a FIVE time European Champion. And which makes them the most successful English club along with their domestic glories. Well then why don’t hate Liverpool?

Money matters. Oh yes, it does. Now I do remember that time and again Man Utd have been earning the highest revenue and is probably the richest club in the world. I wish that Beckham still being in the car. The shirt sales in an year alone would have bought a lower division club! .
So, I presume you rightly get my point. Well, just the fact we are filthy rich is enough for people to you know what. When Malcom Glazer took over the club, acquiring 100% shares the club was under heavy debt and still is.But still they have easily managed to buy in players and mind you with huge amounts of sterling. Now that’s the Man Utd way.

As my perplexity deepens even more, I find out another probable reason. Its the men who ultimately matter. Players. Man Utd have attracted some of the best players in the world and who each one of them is a legend. The named number 7 jersey alone has bore some of the best. Charlton, Best, Cantona, Beckham, Ronaldo. Man Utd have produced some of the best in their own positions. Schemiechel under the woodwork. Stam and Charlton before him. Beckham, Giggs, Best and Ronaldo on the wings. Then we had Roy Keane who redefined the holding position. In the front line we boast about having legends like Cantona, Law and recently Van Nistelrooy and Rooney. These names are good enough for anyone to cast a black eye. But is Man Utd the only club with big names? Who is better than Real Madrid when it comes to having the biggest of names in the industry. So, it pretty much comes down to the same thing. Just an EXCUSE!

I remain perpetually confused in this regard. Although I do have come to a probable conclusion. As the devil holds his head high, there reads few words below him – “THE WORLD’S GREATEST CLUB”. I guess that sums up most of it. Doesn’t it?

Till then keep hating Man Utd as they forge towards greater glories!

Glory, Glory, to Man Utd!

Bye,

Dipanjan