Uncategorized

NO ROOM FOR RACISM IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE!

Posted on by Olivia O.

No room for racism

The premier league has kicked off it’s ‘No room for racism’ campaign in the light of recurring and increasing racist chants in football matches on both international and club levels.

The campaign started off at the craven cottage as Fulham FC faced the current league champions Manchester City.

The ‘No room for racism’ series of operation will be strongly showcased before each match from Saturday 30 March to Monday 8 April 2019.

No room for racism2

The premier league has also teamed up with the ‘kick it out brand’ an English football equality and inclusion organisation that have over the course of twenty-five years, worked tirelessly towards challenging discrimination and encouraging inclusive practices in the English football.

For the next two rounds of premier league fixtures, the kick it out brand will feature at the start of each game while the skippers of each team will be putting on ‘kick it out’ armbands in solidarity of this campaign.

The first game feature of the kick it out brand was at Anfield at the game between title contenders Liverpool FC and Top four chasers Tottenham Hotspurs.

The campaign which is also highlighted across social media platforms hopes to bring awareness to football supporters to keep their emotions in check even as they support their favourite clubs and players.

Premier league interim chief executive Richard Masters in the wake of this campaign said,  “It is evident that there is still a minority of people who think discriminatory behaviour is acceptable but the No room for racism campaign makes it clear that it will not be accepted by the premier league and our clubs”

“We know how passionate football fans are, but this should never lead to any form of prejudice. We want everybody to be positive and respectful, create a welcoming atmosphere and show that football is everyone’s game”.

The No room for racism campaign was agreed upon following a meeting between the premier league and it’s member clubs.

The group agreed that now more than ever, more diversity and inclusion is needed in the footballing world.

Hopefully, this will encourage people from diverse racial backgrounds to take up coaching and administrative roles in the sports.

Players of colour have for as long as anyone can remember been at the receiving end of all forms of racism in the English football with Raheem Sterling being at the forefront of the recent long list.

Danny Rose on his recent international duty for England in the game against Montenegro also took a share of this unfortunate racial discrimination situation.

However, here’s to hoping that this campaign can go a long way in making the most positive impact and bringing an end to racial discrimination in this beautiful game.

I however do think that the campaign should have lasted a lot longer than just two rounds of match fixtures on the pitch.

I believe that putting it out there before the start of every game for as long as possible will be a continuous reminder of the change the campaign hopes to bring.

So share your thoughts with us;

 

Do you think that the No room for racism campaign is one that will actually achieve success in reducing and subsequently eradicating racial discrimination in football?

Do you feel that the campaign’s pre- match awareness should be extended beyond 8 April?

 

 

No need to panic yet: Why Chelsea should not sack Maurizio Sarri.

Posted on by barema Kwem

sarri

Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has been under immense pressure, following the 0-2 defeat the team suffered against Manchester united in the FA cup fourth round fixture. This was just after the embarrassing 6-0 thrashing at Etihad (not only was this the worst defeat in the Abramovich era, but the first time Chelsea conceded 6 goals in a premier league match). Everything seems to be going wrong with club at the moment with 5 losses in the last 10 games, including a 4 nil defeat to Bournemouth. This has led to speculations as to whether the manager should be sacked or not.

Roman Abramovich has never hesitated to decide the faith of a manager at Chelsea. However, in Abramovich era, only two managers have been sacked in their first season. The first was Luis Scolari when he was sacked in February 2009 and then Andres Villas-Boas who was dismissed in March 2012. With the club currently in 6th position, a chance to participate in the champions league is looking unlikely. If the board is to take the decision to sack Sarri, now will be the perfect time to do it.

Who is to blame for the issues?

sarri2

Chelsea team at a training session. (Photo | Twitter | Chelsea FC)

There are many debates among pundits and fans as to who is to be blamed for the situation at Chelsea. One thing is for sure, and that is the fact that Mr Sarri deserves some criticism. As a manager in a big and demanding club like Chelsea, you have to deliver regardless of the circumstances you are faced with. If you are not able to, then you are kicked out immediately. Sarri needs to be flexible with his tactics and approach, right now he needs to be thinking of how he will survive this season rather than insisting on playing Sarri-ball. Over the season Sarri has maintained the same starting eleven and like for like substitutions, even in situations the team was losing, it was that bad that the fans had to voice out their frustration in the game against United, it was an unpleasant sight to watch when the fans booed him. The only time I could remember that happen was the situation with Rafa Benitez. Sarri has been reluctant to twitch his team selection, this has led to questions about the Italian’s tactics. I understand the ‘success’ he achieved with Jorginho sitting in a three-man midfield at Napoli, but the player has struggled in that position since joining Chelsea at the start of the season. He lacks the pace and strength to play in that sitting role. I would expect he takes Kante back to that role and play Jorginho in a more advanced role or sit him on the bench. The objective right now should be securing a top four position in the league and winning the Europa league.

Sarri needs more time.

sarri3

Sacking Sarri will defeat the whole aim of hiring the Italian in the first place. Sarri was brought on board for the attacking style of football he played at Napoli. Since 2004 up until last season with Conte, Chelsea played a defensive style. Last season the team played a 3-5-2 formation under Conte, Sarri inherited the same set of players who were used to the defensive football. This is a transition period for the team, you do not expect things to just change overnight, these things take time to actualise. The board needs to back him up, give him the players he needs to play his style of football, especially with the transfer ban looming upon the club. Look at Guardiola and Manchester City for example, Pep’s first season was not all that, he was given the players he needed the next season and everything clicked for him. I believe Sarri has what it takes to take the club to greater heights. He wants to play an attacking football, a style the club and the fans always wanted. He needs to find a way to communicate his ideas to his players.

Questions have been asked over Sarri’s authority and control over the players, following the incidence between the manager and Kepa Arrizabalaga during the Carabao cup finals. This is the one thing he needs to get right. The moment he loses control over his players, then he loses everything. As Sir Alex Ferguson once said, ‘’if the coach has no control, he will not last…..you can’t ever lose control; not when you are dealing with 30 top professionals who are all millionaires. If anyone steps out of my control, that’s them dead’’. Sarri needs to get that right in order to have a lasting career at Chelsea.

chemnc_1

The cup finals at Wembley on Sunday showed that the Coach still had his tactics right and he is ready to make adjustments in order to get results. With the season drawing to a close, crucial matches are coming up. The team needs to build on their impressive performance they showed against Manchester city, and try get results in order to secure a top 4 finish and at least get to the Europa league finals. I understand the club needs to keep winning trophies, but Sarri is not in Chelsea just for trophies, but for his style of play as well. As long as the club is still interested in playing an attacking style of football, the board and likewise the fans need to exercise some patience with the coach and allow him to build the brand of football they want to see at the club.

 

Who gets to seat on the Iron Throne….??

Posted on by niclause

thumb_65222_default_news_size_5

Arguably the greatest competition in the game of football kicks off and side talks have already begun. With the world cup earlier, the Champion’s league was kept mute for a period and now it has found its voice again.

 

PSG’s Neymar, left, and Celtic’s Olivier Ntcham, right, challenge for the ball during the Champions League Group B soccer match between Celtic and Paris St. Germain at the Celtic Park stadium in Glasgow, Scotland, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)

The last Champion’s league season was packed with everything you could think of in football; amazing goals, equally amazing saves, controversial moments, beginning of rivalries, teams setting records, teams beating the odds and new threats surfacing. As the new season began, major transfers rocked the world of football and last minute steals that infuriated oppositions.

Now as the Champion’s league starts everyone fans and players alike have that burning question in mind; who takes that prize home?

 

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 25: Jesse Lingard of Manchester United celebrates after scoring his sides second goal with team mates during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford on February 25, 2018 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Is it finally time for an English team; with the Manchester sides, Spurs and Liverpool all gunning for the trophy with the exclusion of Arsenal and Chelsea this season. With Manchester city and Liverpool coming real close last season they seemed tipped as front runners for this challenge. The Parisians on the other hand take this moment as one of glory, with presumably the best strike force they have had in a long time consisting of Neymar, Mbape and Cavani. 344684080

In Italy, Juventus are showing great promise and have taken strides towards finally securing the trophy this season as they brought in to their squad Champion’s league living legend Cristiano Ronaldo. unnamed Could he be the missing link to the Azurri’s dry spell in Europe dominance? His goals might just be what put them across the finish line.

 

Competitions in Europe have almost always in recent time been dominated by Spain. Real Madrid winning the Champion’s league the last three times in a role are looked at as favorites but could they live up to that standard after losing key figures in Ronaldo and Zidane? Could this put a halt to their steaming success?

 

Maybe it’s time for the last holders before Real Madrid stake a claim to the title. After quite a number of purchases for FC Barcelona, the club having had domestic successes have set their intentions on winning the Champion’s league. Would this be the season for their dominance in the Champion’s league once again or would their losses play a more significant role as the likes of Paulinho and Andres Iniesta left at the end of the previous season. 1504639597819

With the hunger for success at an all time high; the teams, this competition and the fans are part of the reasons why football is arguably the greatest sport in the world.

Has Cristiano Ronaldo’s time of amazing performances and galore of goals in the Champion’s league come to an end? Could Lioniel Messi captain his side to a Champion’s league trophy? Is Mo’ Salah the man for the job? Can Pep Guardiola get that elusive trophy for the City of Manchester? Where is Bayern Munich in all of this? Can PSG put their forwards to good use and will it be enough?

A lot of unanswered questions and I dare say the answers you and I are looking for starts at kickoff today.

Welcome to the Champion’s league..

Golden Gloves🧤

Posted on by niclause

Goalkeepers, they are the last line of defense and very recently the originators of an attack. Goalkeepers have always been an essential part of the team. More often than not they get to be amongst the best in the team squad like Gigi Buffon, David d’ Gea, Manuel Neuer, Jan Oblak, Iker Casillas to mention a few.

Back in the day, goalkeepers weren’t valued as much both financially and otherwise. It seemed then as though if those kicking the ball and running around played very well, they would have good results with no attention given to the goalkeeper. Not even a thought crossed their minds to select a goalkeeper as one of the best players in the world.

A time came when goalkeepers showed their value and extra talent which the world couldn’t turn a blind eye to.

3 Mar 1999: Peter Schmeichel of Manchester United throws the ball out during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg match against Inter Milan at Old Trafford in Manchester, England. United won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Ben Radford /Allsport

The likes of Jorge Campos of Mexico,  Jose luis Chilavert of Paraguay,Jose luis Chilavert of Paraguay, Oliver Khan of Germany, Peter Schmichel of Denmark were among the stand out goalkeepers who showed greatness with both feet  and hands being a threat to opposition on either goal side whether its saving a goal or scoring one. Jose Luis Chilavert of Paraguay

In this present day, they would be called sweeper keepers.

As things changed the value of goalkeepers began to get a lot of attention. Clubs like Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspurs, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid can boast of having the best goalkeepers in the world and with the level of competition amongst teams now, to convince a club to let go of their player of standout talent the interested clubs have to break bank.

In the premier league recently, the three most expensive goalkeepers in the world currently reside with clubs all fighting for the league trophy. But does this mean they are recognized as the best in the world? They might be close but I think clubs have realized it’s difficult to price out great talent from any side these days but nothing as we know all too well in football is impossible.

With goalkeepers being in high demand these days, will this be the moment a goalie can join the elite of those considered as the best in the world and equally purchased at a very high cost?

Mou and the 3rd season madness

Posted on by niclause

jose-5Looking at his calendar, it’s just about 3 days to the kickoff of Jose Mourinho’s third season in Manchester United and he is adamant to have a better record this time around.

As fantastic a manager Jose is, the records have placed him in a very questionable position. Is this going to be his last season with the Manchester club?

Coming to the premier league in 2004/05, Jose dubbed “the special one” set the English league ablaze as he took home as manager of the London club Chelsea an amazing double in the Premier league and league cup (now the Capital One Cup) ending a 50 year drought for the club. Retaining the Premier league the following season, it seemed there was no stopping “the special one”

images

On the arrival of his third season at the London club, everything began going downhill for Jose and Chelsea football club. Although reaching the semi-final of the Champions league and winning both the FA cup and league cup, aspirations for Jose and the club had been knocked off course.

Parting ways with the English club side in 2007 Jose Mourinho made his way to Italy where Inter Milan handed him an opportunity to set himself back at the top.

This he did with such aplomb. Although winning the Serie A, he was viewed as not doing so well with the Italian side.

On comes his second season and Jose Mourinho made believers out of doubters as he picked up the treble with the Italian side which included the Champions league. As he stares himself in the mirror, with the world of football recognizing him as one of the best coaches, he had no room for errors.

This was mourinho at his best. But will his decision to leave Inter Milan at the end of the season haunt him as a wrong one made?

Making his way to the Bernabeu, it couldn’t get any bigger for Jose.  The only coach referred to as a galactico arrived in Spain to shake things up. Prior to his arrival Real Madrid had underperformed even with stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Ricardo Kaka in the side. Winning Madrid’s first trophy since 2007/08 laliga title and ending an 18 year Copa del Rey drought, he finished the season as Copa del Rey champions. On his second season at Madrid Jose Mourinho clinched the league title which hadn’t happened for the Madrid club in 4 years and also getting to the semi-final of the champions league in the successive year. This was considered as a huge success taking the league title from arch rivals FC Barcelona but this only made the club and fans hungry for more and it was only fair for Jose to deliver.

His third season at Real Madrid was the worst of his career as Jose Mourinho put it as he lost the dressing room, having disagreements with senior players and as they went on to have a trophy less season, his stay at Madrid coming to a colossal end.

Real Madrid’s new coach Portuguese Jose Mourinho attends the team’s first training session of the season at Real Madrid’s sport city in Madrid on July 16, 2010. AFP PHOTO / DANI POZO (Photo credit should read DANI POZO/AFP/Getty Images)(Photo Credit should Read /AFP/Getty Images)

Jump forward and here comes the second coming of the manager they knew as the special one”. That’s right, Jose Mourinho back in London with the Chelsea faithful. Was this to be a match made in heaven?

With the aim to replicate is prior success and this time steady the ship, Jose came on board seeming a lot more calm and happy hence dubbing himself “the happy one” in a press conference. As usual the brilliant manager got off to an amazing start winning his first game of the season but eventually finishing third place. His second season was a much better one as Chelsea took home the League cup and the premier league. Jose Mourinho concluded the season as the league manager of the season.

Unfortunately for Jose he couldn’t maintain his successful ride as relationships soured between him and some players in the club as the club did miserably leading to his yet infamous exit from the London club.

Jose is Redmourinho-presentado-con-manchester-united-1464338762704

Since the exit of legend Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United have struggled to win games, titles and keep a manager, but it is safe to say that Jose has put that to rest. Winning the Europa league, having being able to lure quality players to the Manchester side once again and finishing second on his second season in charge, Machester United seemed to be moving in the right direction.

Going into his third season at the club, would this be strike 3 with curtains being drawn on his tenor  at the Manchester club? Will the third season curse follow him or will there be a different history being made this season? You should know Jose wins the league in his following season after a second place finish in his just concluded one.

So which will it be? It’s looking like the latter as the Reds put the 2015/2016 champions Leicester to the sword in their opening campaign.

Question:

Do you think Jose will win the premier league with Manchester United or will he be leaving the club this season?

 

 

A case of life’s imitating art

Posted on by abutugcfr

A case of life’s imitating art

Real Madrid finally signs Mr Alex Hunter. After series of discussions and sessions between the big guys from the Capital City of Spain and the Capital of Electronics Arts, Hala Madrid finally laid hands on a coveted replacement for their departed icon, Christian Ronaldo – number 7. The team from Spain were so elated that they had Mr Hunt join in the unveiling of their environmentally friendly shirt for the 2018/2019 season.

alex h

Though he will favour the humble number 29 shirt (which the Madrid team store is presently selling for $ 159.99), the number 7 shirt is still selling more. Fans of the Galaticus however have been given a glimpse of their new iconic player who was unveiled and welcomed by other senior team regulars via a video posted on YouTube by the gentlemen from Electronic Arts. Alex Hunter, (it was later disclosed) will not be featuring in ‘real live’ for the Champions league winners any time soon or in the nearest future as his deal would restrict his activities to the visual arena of FIFA19.

In 2016, when Manchester united forward Marcus Rashford got a wind of Alex Hunter’s journey to stardom, he was quick to link the glorious climb to his own journey to fame with the Devils in Red, only to have his delightful bubble busted by an EA Sports producer who called the link “a case of life imitating art”.

BUT the real Alex Hunter was a goal keeper! He was born in 1895 and passed in 1984.  Alex played for Queen Park Rangers and was in the team from Tottenham who won the 1921 FA cup, thereafter, he joined a number of teams in Britain before he crossed the pond to the states where he was kept till he kicked at the ball in the bucket.

alex hunter

The Gen Z (kids born at the turn of the millennium) is coming of age and they have found a way to flourish in e sports. EA Sports is capitalizing on their juvenile appetite and we should give the team from EA some kudos, they have done a very fantastic job so far. Alex Hunter is famous among this Gen Z but what about the older gents who still grieve the exit (without replacement) of CR7?

cr7

The absence of CR7 would be felt all season long, in fact it was stamped by the demolition of Hala Madrid by Diego (el Toro) Costa and the happy lads from across the city at the Europa Super Cup. Madrid relied on the feet of Benzema and Bale to deliver the desired start to the season and new manager’s career. That was never to be as Real’s hopes were crushed by Diego’s charges and a combined lack of decisive action by the Welsh and the French man upfront for the Real side of Madrid. However, equally guilty of Blame is the defence, Sergio and his mates were awed by the presence of the ragging Costa, who coasted through them like a car on cruise control. This leaves the question, is Madrid in decline mode?

costa

In Spain, Madrid’s arch rivals took Boca to school and lashed them 3:0, Barcelona FC it appears are more poised to do business in the season, with regular suspect Mr Messi getting on the score sheet and as usual, he inspired the Catalans with his performance and courted the crowd with his trickery. Meanwhile, Real Madrid have Alex Hunter, we hope life will imitate art at Santiago Bernabéu before 81,044 heads, but whose life would be imitating Alex Hunter’s art?

Abutu, Achema

16th August 2018.

World Cup moments to remember.. by Abutu Achema

Posted on by niclause

The Mundial unfortunately has come to an eventual end and we are already missing the football frenzy. I in particular had a delayed world cup fever, but now that the 2018 festivities have been concluded, I literally feel lost and I miss the world cup.

mvp

At the conclusion of the world cup, our football heroes were decorated and as it pleased FIFA, some were singled out and given divers articles of Gold, Silver and bronze. Some were got memorabilia in the form of medals made of Gold, Silver or bronze, others got theirs in the shape of football shoes, others got it in the golden globe, others had theirs in a leather form while a few got the rare privilege of having their picture taken while holding the Jules Rimet trophy.

mvp1

Today, we decided to celebrate the efforts of those who made this world cup a success, the MVPs off the pitch. These we could conclude after due deliberation with a couple of beers and Mr Rimet, our world famous beer palour football’s best unknown pundit.

 

MVP 5.

Own Goal

This is the only time when the goal scorer is saddened by his impeccable goal mouth abilities. Slamming the ball into your own net can be very humiliating both for the goal Scorer and his team.

mvp2

However, this has been the world cup of own goals, of all the 53 own goals in world cup history, 12 (the highest so far) were scored in Russia.  The Host managed to put two into their own net. To highlight the importance of the own goal,  Mario Manzukic scored one before putting in a proper goal at the other side in the Final Match between France and Croatia.

 

MVP No 4

VAR

According to FIFA.com –

The team consists of the video assistant referee (VAR) and his three assistant video assistant referees (AVAR1, AVAR2 and AVAR3). All video assistant referee team members are top FIFA match officials.

‘The video assistant referee team has access to 33 broadcast cameras, eight of which are super slow-motion and four of which are ultra slow-motion cameras. In addition, they have access to two offside cameras. These two cameras are only available to the video assistant referee team’.

mvp3

‘Making sure the technology at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ functions seamlessly is a very complex task that requires a lot of planning, coordination and organisation. Due to this, FIFA has multiple technology providers who are experts in their field to ensure the technology functions correctly’.

mvp4

We all witnessed VAR in the world cup, computers are finally taking the jobs of referees, soon, we will do away with the good old dudes running around the pitch with a whistle or a piece of flag as the case may be.

 

MVP no 3

“I come from an ordinary family, and this is how I lived for a long time, nearly my whole life. I lived as an average, normal person and I have always maintained that connection,”

mvp5

A lawyer by training, a spy by profession and an accidental politician. Vladimir Putin, the no nonsense president of the Russian Federation has always been a lover of football. One of his biggest dreams has been to see Russia win the World Cup (Which football fan would not want that for his Country?). Well, he got a go at the trophy when he ordered that Russia bid for the hosting rights for the 2018 world cup and the rest is history (as they say).

mvp6

In the midst of all the security treats and issues prior to the world cup, Putin gave the assurance that this would be a secured world cup, the Ph.d holder from Leningrad State University, who is known for putting his foot on the floor (Literarily) assured the world and kept his promise. He controlled everything save the rains.

mvp7

 

MVP No 2

Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović

mvp8

Pretty presidents gracing the world cup is not new, but the 50 years old beautiful fan of world cup finalists – Croatia managed to captivate sports fans world over. She came into limelight at the mundial when her team clutched the semi finals ticket, but little did we know that she had been there all the while; in solidarity with the fans (the real force behind all great teams), in the stands, cheering the gladiators on the arena.

mvp9

However, when she was invited to align with the VIPs, she obliged them. However, she did it in style, showing them how true football cheering is done from the heart and not with stoic nonchalance. Even her outfit betrayed her as a true representative of the real fans. Football fans all over are well pleased, they have not been let down by one of their own.

mvp10

This is the true spirit of football, the real reason why we have a world cup !

 

Finally, the Undisputed

Peter Drury

mvp11

He started off from humble roots, according to him, his first go at commentary was to run one as his mum was ironing and BAM! The one and only football’s poet laureate was discovered. He is not just good at it, he enjoys his craft. We leave these for your reading delight

It’s delicious! Glorious! Glorious! England goal, picture perfect. England in their immaculate white has made an immaculate start

One:One ! He has screamed that in ….

Kroos will go for it, and score! An inspirational moment from Toni Kroos, when they are down, when they are tested, they find a way to win…

The country of 140 million is almost on a standstill. The rain is vertical. The tensions, almost palpable, Spain on the Plane or Spain in the Russian Rain.

There are no favourites on Putins Soil. This Croatian team of artists and labourers, ball winners and ball carriers march into the world cup finals. England are once again denied their Utopian moment.

Boy, they know how to write a tale in these parts…the man who saved them now impales them … Russia dissolves into tears as Croatia’s cream rises to the top

Oh my word !That is quite something, the boys are stars, what a glorious, glorious goal … on one glorious Russian night…

Be honest, whoever you are, wherever you are, no matter the age you are, there’s a little bit of you that wants to be kylian Mbappe tonight.

Tonight the Croats roar on, a roar that was ripped out of England’s throat, the three lions are toothless, voiceless and their dreams in tatters, it’s not coming home Britain, it just limped away…

The first goal in the a final since Pele himself, think of life ahead of this kid, he keeps company with Pele…

Loris with a moment of madness, Manzukic perhaps a moment of redemption…

We could go on and on, but then, Peter Drury is the King in this territory and his is truly natural.

 

You have seen our provisional list, we will keep updating it until the party returns in 2022.

 

Who is on the Radar?

Posted on by niclause

The FIFA World Cup has come to an end and a lot of disappointed faces as people pass side comments on waiting for the next four years to enjoy football again.

But for some they have been on the edge of their seats, biting their finger nails contemplating on who would line up for their clubs come August. That’s right the leagues across Europe and the rest of the world is about to begin. We all enjoyed the world cup but you should know that even with the hunger to win the trophy on everyone’s radar, the tournament was also an exhibition of talent and we all want some these players representing the clubs we support. Do you have an idea whom clubs in Europe are prepared to pull out their check books for? With the transfer window already open and quickly coming to an end here are some of those whom have impressed enough to acquire some attention..

  1. Eden Hazard

The Belgian star has been on the radar of big clubs like PSG, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich for quite a while now but after a stellar performance by the 25 year old in the recently concluded world cup in Russia, the Chelsea star man has a fierce competition for his services as both power houses Real Madrid and FC Barcelona eager to have him on board. As both teams losing influential players in Andres Iniesta and Cristiano Ronaldo both teams would want to fill the void left by the players before the end of the transfer window.

 

  1. Thibaut Courtois

The Chelsea and Belgian shot stopper could be leaving the club in the summer. After a great outing at the FIFA World Cup in Russia receiving the golden glove as the best goalkeeper of the tournament and with the Belgian team getting to their best ever finish in the tournament, Spanish giants Real Madrid have intensified their interest for the Chelsea no 1.  Courtois having flirted with the idea of leaving coupled with his family being in Madrid and his refusal to sign a contract extension has made the move more likely to take place.

 

  1. Ivan Perisic
during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Spal at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 10, 2017 in Milan, Italy.

The 29 year old Croatian and Inter winger picked up the interest of English giants Manchester United. Scoring 3 goals in the tournament to get the Croatians into the finals, his performance has indulged the English club to step up their game. After being on the manager’s wish list last summer, his recent impressive performance has definitely not gone unnoticed as he will bring competition to the left wing with Alexis Sanchez.

 

  1. Harry Kane

The English and Tottenham Hotspurs star man has been on the radar of the Spanish giants Real Madrid for quite some time now but interests became glaring after a golden performance by the forward in the concluded world cup as he walked away with the golden boot, top scorer of the tournament. The 24 year old is said to being hunted for with an arsenal of £100m and might be too good an offer for the English side to turn down.

 

  1. Paul Pogba
MOSCOW, RUSSIA – JULY 15: Paul Pogba of France celebrates victory by kissing the World Cup trophy following the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15, 2018 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Lars Baron – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

The World Cup hero Paul Pogba has been in the news since winning the trophy with France. The Manchester united ace is being heavily linked to a move to clubs Juventus FC and FC Barcelona as they try to fill the void of departed club legend Andres Iniesta. Having a difficult season with Manchester United mostly due to lack of attacking freedom, it seems like he might just seek options elsewhere with the likes of PSG, FC Barcelona, Juventus FC and Real Madrid FC on his tail. One thing is certain though, Pogba is a talent that could do great things at any club side.

 

Here are some honorary mentions:

KAZAN, RUSSIA – JUNE 30: Kylian Mbappe of France celebrates after scoring his team’s fourth goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Round of 16 match between France and Argentina at Kazan Arena on June 30, 2018 in Kazan, Russia. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

Kylian Mbappe (France, PSG) – rumored to be wanted by Chelsea FC, Arsenal FC, Liverpool FC, Real Madrid FC, Manchester United, FC Barcelona

transfer-talk-chelsea-face-fight-to-keep-hold-of-eden-hazard-ngolo-kante

Ngolo Kante (France, Chelsea) – rumored to be wanted by FC Barcelona

Ivan Rakitic (Croatia, FC Barcelona) – rumored to be wanted by Juventus FC, Manchester United

PFC-CSKA-Moscow-vs-FC-Rostov-Rostov-on-Don-Russian-Premier-League-e1497329170846

Aleksandr Golovin (Russia, CSKA Moscow) – rumored to be wanted by Chelsea FC, Tottenham Hotspurs, Monaco

yerry-mina-1

Yerry Mina (Colombia, FC Barcelona) – rumored to be wanted by Liverpool FC, West Ham United, Everton FC, Leicester City, Wolves FC

kasper Schmeichel (Denmark, Leicester City) – rumored to be wanted by Chelsea FC

Ante Rebic (Croatia, Eintracht Frankfurt) – rumored to be wanted by Arsenal FC, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Tottenham Hotspurs, Everton FC

Benjamin Pavard (France, Stuttgart) – rumored to be wanted by Arsenal FC, Bayern Munich, Liverpool FC

The Game of Russian Roulette

Posted on by niclause

We all know the Russian roulette. The event where one bullet is loaded into the chamber of a revolver, spinning the cylinder and pointing at one’s own head as you pull the trigger.

8122a612371550e6f5227a6f78c32acb

32 teams came into this competition from different parts of the world and now it’s down to its best two. France and Croatia; young, pacy and vibrant versus experience, grit and a never say die attitude, both sides bathed in enormous talents; this is definitely a fight to the death.

The French conquered a lot to get here. Taking all three points from Denmark, Peru and a point shared with Australia in the group stages. They then took on two of the last four South American sides, power houses Argentina and Uruguay on getting to the semifinals of the World Cup.

France-vs-Belgium

This was the final before the final for France and Belgium also we the viewers because we were entertained thoroughly with amazing football being played by both sides.

Soccer Football – World Cup – Semi Final – Croatia v England – Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia – July 11, 2018 Croatia’s Luka Modric celebrates after the match REUTERS/Darren Staples

At the opposite corner of the battle ring we have Croatia who has also been a sensation in Russia. One of the very few to move ahead to the round of 16 winning all group matches Croatia took on a Danish side who qualified alongside France. A tightly contested match dragged past 90 minutes and extra time into penalty shootouts as they came out victorious.

fbl-wc-2018-match59-rus-cro_09997f74-825c-11e8-bd7f-aad8d1b78451 Next challenge the Russians. With the whole nation behind them the Russians seemed likely to pull through but the Croatians gave them a fight of their lives. As world class goals rained alongside late comeback dramas and injuries due to fatigue this match didn’t miss on any as both teams went onto penalties, Croatia finishing victorious.

Croatia punching above their weight, and every turn considered their last the semifinal match against England was one where they showed the world they deserved their place among the elite. 1998 was the last and only time a Croatian side got to the semifinals but this group with array of talent went a step further as they came back from losing to England and went on to win the game in such dramatic fashion. They now could smell the trophy and almost touch it….the Croatians are finally there, the finals of the FIFA World Cup.

TELEMMGLPICT000169169769-xlarge_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bq8uevUnK15UalWFmvvIPvmlKKOttnZb6rCRIEPlaOK4Y

Now a showdown between the French and the Croatians, both teams boasting of massive will power and sheer brilliance. Players competing for the golden boot as the tournaments best goal scorer, both keepers for the golden gloves and both nations for the bragging rights in the next four years.

July 6, 2018; Nizhny Novgorod, Russia; France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (1) celebrates after defeating Uruguay in the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup 2018 at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Groothuis/Witters Sport via USA TODAY Sports

We have seen teams have errors determine their fate in this tournament, would that be the case here or would either team take game to their opponent and take their opportunity as they point their revolvers at each other and not themselves in this game of Russian roulette.

VAR: What do you decide?

Posted on by niclause

A view of the video assistant refereeing (VAR) operation room at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia International Broadcast Centre (IBC) in Moscow on June 9, 2018. (Photo by Mladen ANTONOV / AFP) (Photo credit should read MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/Getty Images)
MOSCOW REGION, RUSSIA – JUNE 9, 2018: The FIFA VAR room at the 2018 World Cup International Broadcast Center (IBC) in the Crocus Expo International Exhibition Centre ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup Russia 2018. Mikhail Japaridze/TASS (Photo by Mikhail JaparidzeTASS via Getty Images)

The VAR; this is a new born to the world of football and even newer to the World Cup. The Video Assistant Referee a team of 3 that comprises of a referee, an assistant and a replay operator which is designed to help review decisions made by the referee on the field of play with four types of decisions laid on the table. They are goals (and violations in the build-up to them), penalties, red cards and mistaken identity in awarding a card.

Also the only way a decision made on the pitch can be overturned is if and only if it is a “clear error”, maybe this is the loophole that gives them a bit of deniability. Now the big question is has there been a change for the better in the world of football with the introduction of the VAR or are there more controversies than before?

 

On the 14th of June, the Russia 2018 World Cup kicked off with everyone looking towards an exciting tournament; but little did we know that the attention towards VAR would eclipse the game itself. We approach the tail end of the group stages and so far there have been a total of 24 penalty kicks awarded with the assistance of the VAR. Some would say that’s good right? It seems to be doing its work the VAR…But the major talking points would be the incidents the VAR turned a blind eye to with the whole world watching. Nigeria-penalty-referee-VAR-Argentina-World-Cup-980008 Hence the question, what is the role of the VAR? do they play judge, jury and executioner or does the referee on the field of play take that role even after evidence has been placed on the table. Is there something more to their decision making we know nothing about? Maybe this is where they play their loophole card..

One thing is for sure, some voiced their thoughts on VAR making the sport less entertaining but opposite has been the case in this world cup tournament on a positive note the topic on VAR causing a delay in the game was put to bed as it was discovered that it takes less time to check than most as it clocks an average of 31secs per match compared to others like the goal kick, throw-in etc (https://www.thedailystar.net/fifa-world-cup-2018/it-not-var-slows-down-world-cup-matches-1596745). This world cup has definitely gathered more arguments and talking points as the VAR takes centre stage.