So check out the control of this boy, Amezian Aherdane, as he juggles through the course (using his right foot only) to a jumpin’ backing track from DJ Hamida. AA is only 9 years old – we’ll be watching for him since he’s obviously off to such a great start. Once he gets that la jambe gauche in motion, look out.
{ 0 comments }
Frank Lampard: Champion of Europe
Chelsea were supposed to win this trophy under Jose “the Special One” Mourinho and then were one penalty kick away from winning it in Moscow in 2008 under manager Avram Grant. You would have bet on them to win back then. And very few would have bet on the Blues to win the coveted European trophy this season – especially after a 6-place league finish and the firing of the highly touted manager Andre Villas-Boas. But that’s just what Chelsea did and as a result, according to fading star Frank Lampard, the win was sweeter than it could ever have been:
“I’m pleased we haven’t won it before, because it feels even more special,” he was quoted as saying in the Sun. “That might sound stupid but to wait so long and to do it the way we did with the season we’ve had, the spirit in the team – it’s amazing.
“I’ve been here 11 years and I’ve been waiting for this baby for a long time. I’ve never been so emotional in a game. Players were crying, tears in their eyes. Football can do that to people. It’s the best footballing night of my life – the hour we spent on the pitch with the fans afterwards.
“Right now it feels like the crowning moment of my career. The feeling of not winning it for so long almost makes it feel better. No one wants to have sad moments and miss out on it a lot.
“But the circumstances of the season, everything from where we were to where we are now, the circumstances make it feel absolutely massive. You can see that in the celebrations.
“If you had asked me three months ago if we would win this competition, I would have laughed. But we have done. The key players have been there a long time and we want to win, we are determined to win, in the dressing room we have a tough group.
“We struggled earlier in the season, confidence was low, but there is a real determination here, and when times are hard, we dig in. Teams are always changing, but why should we stop now? We want to carry on, move forwards.
“We’ve won the FA Cup and now the Champions League and the determination and spirit we have shown, it’s been fantastic. Robbie’s got to take a lot of credit and it shows an amazing spirit and group we’ve got here.”
I must say that I am very happy for Frank. I have been one of his biggest critics over the years – mostly because I have thought him over-rated and thought that he thought himself to be better than he actually was. I also thought that AVB was correct in limiting his playing time.
But he is now a champion of Europe and he deserves credit for being one of the eleven men on the pitch for the whole match and one of Chelsea’s penalty-shoot-out scorers.
Well done Frank. I also think that this type of win is especially sweet and you will be able to savour it to the end of your days.
{ 0 comments }
A devastating, clinical, near-post header that over-powered one of the best keepers in the world in Manuel Neuer. Vintage Drogba. He brought his team back into the game and then won it for Chelsea with the final penalty. Bravo, Drogba, Bravo.
{ 0 comments }
Young England star Oxlade-Chamberlain
While the exclusion of former captain Rio Ferdinand was a surprise to England fans, another surprise came in the shape of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s inclusion in Roy Hodgson’s 23-man Euro 2012 squad.
Oxlade Chamberlain, 18, who becomes the youngest member of the squad has never previously played for the England senior side, though he has impressed with four goals in eight games for the Under-21s and has sparkled for Arsenal this season.
This may not be a bad move for Hodgson as in my mind the England squad doesn’t look very fresh or impressive – on paper at least. I’m not picking them to get out of their group – mostly because the team will be lead by an old guard which never accomplished much when they were known as the Golden Generation.
Btw – I do not think that Hodgson picking the Ox is like Sven Goran Eriksson picking previous Arsenal wonderkid, Theo Walcott, to go to the German World Cup in 2006. I think that the Ox is more mature than Walcott was at the time, plus he has a wider range of skills and personality.
The Ox could help England at these Euros but I still don’t think he will help them enough to get out of their group.
{ 0 comments }
No Rio at Euros
At one time he was thought to be one of the best defenders in the world but today he is not good enough to play for England.
While manager Roy Hodgson has made no official announcement, Rio Ferdinand himself announced that Hodgson told him that he has chosen to take Chelsea centreback John Terry instead.
While some may find injustice in seeing the racially abusive Terry go to the Euros ahead of the brother of the player he abused, in footballing terms this move does make sense. The fact of the matter is that despite Rio having played more games this season than he had previously, he no longer has the physical ability to be a dependable day-in-day-out player. To put it simply, Ferdinand is old and injury prone.
John Terry is old too – but is not prone to injury. Plus – despite being a controversial figure in the England camp, he is the one true leader the team has.
Having said all of that – I don’t think that either John Terry or Rio Ferdinand will make any kind of difference to England’s prospects at Europe’s tournament of it’s best footballing countries.
My prediction for England in fact is that they will not get out of the group stage.
So Rio may as well put his feet up at home, getting himself healthy for the next Premier League season, and enjoy watching what is always one of the best, most dramatic tournaments in the world.
{ 0 comments }
Sergio Aguero scored the most dramatic and memorable goal in Premier League history, winning Manchester City the 2011-2012 title.
{ 2 comments }
