Monday, August 30, 2010

Argie bullies board into sale


The transfer window slams shut tomorrow evening but not until we have about 12 hours solid of Sky Sports News getting overly excited every time a player gets into his car and we’ll also have the ridiculously false, yet highly amusing, ‘My gran’s best friend’s sister’s cousin’s twice removed aunt just saw Adebayor by a red t-shirt from JJB sports and now he’s off to Liverpool’ type texts.

However, what this window has yet again proved is that players hold all the cards on transfer deals. Unless you have a strong board or manager that is.

The main transfer this year that has conveyed this would be the Javier Mascherano transfer to Barcelona which was finally completed today (Monday) after a summer-long saga in which the Argentine midfielder threw his toys out of his pram and demanded a move out of Anfield.

We thought he wanted to follow Rafa Benitez to Inter Milan, the man who signed him from West Ham and gave him a starring role in Liverpool’s midfield, which, while still not right considering he’s contracted to Liverpool, it may have made more sense.

He excelled at Anfield and became one of the world’s best midfielders. Not saying it was just Liverpool that done it for him, playing with Lionel Messi and co in the Argentina squad would also have helped too, but the Reds paid a lot of money, £17million in fact to prise him from West Ham and that agent player owning agent, Kia Joorabchian and gave him a chance to play at the top level.

What reward did Liverpool get? A situation where they were forced to settle for just £500,000 more than what they paid for the Argentine back in 2008 and that was from Barcelona, as Inter wouldn't even give that.

Now £17.5million is not a figure to be sniffed at but surely if he was worth so much two years ago, he’s worth a few million more this time.

However, Liverpool were left with the dilemma of having a player who doesn’t want to be at the club or getting some money for him now and keep harmony in the squad.

That saying, Roy Hodgson and the Liverpool board could have handled it differently.

Sir Alex Ferguson knew Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to join Real Madrid in 2008 but the Scot managed to talk the Portuguese star into staying another year at Old Trafford – a year where Man United won another league title and reached a Champions League final. He also got £80million for him.

This summer Arsenal refused to be bullied by Barcelona into selling Cesc Fabregas even though the midfielder wanted to join the Nou Camp outfit, they held their stance and Arsene Wenger no doubt talked the Spaniard into staying, for another year at least.

But the problem is with the players. Mascherano should not be allowed to put the board and management under pressure to sell. He signed a four-year deal and is handsomely rewarded for his efforts on the pitch, he should be made to play it out if the club wants him.

Jamie Redknapp spoke about players constantly being ‘tapped-up’ by managers and clubs on Sky Sports a couple of weeks ago and said it’s part of the game. Well it shouldn’t be.

No player should be approached by another club unless they are asking him to sign when his current deal ends or they have permission from his club. That has also led to this all happening time and time again. FIFA need to implement new rules or tighten the ones they have currently in place.

Clubs take financial risks in giving these players huge contracts and, while I’ve always backed players in getting their fair slice of the cake, they’re not doing themselves any favours when they demand to leave with the threat they’ll walk around in a sulk for the season.

Emanuel Adebayor was whinging about the travesty of him having to sit on the bench at Manchester City now that they’ve brought in some more big names, I bet he didn’t even stop to think that would happen when he signed that big contract last summer. Put up with it.

City were always going to buy more players with the war chest that they have, he would have known that but still fancied a nice pay rise to move to Manchester.

Imagine the tragedy that Adebayor will have to endure at City every time he leaves his big house and drives to Eastlands in his flash sports car to earn over £100,000 a week by maybe playing 90, 60, or god forbid, just five minutes of football.

Also, ‘the inhumane’ conditions Mascherano may have had to endured according to international team-mate Messi if Liverpool had not succumbed to his demands. I’d say those people in Pakistan watching their homes being washed away shed a tear for the Argentine.

If players don’t want to be tied down to a club for too long then they should negotiate shorter contracts instead of worrying about getting a big signing on fee so that they can buy a new lamborghini to sit in the drive alongside the Range Rover, Ferrari and Porsche.

Or maybe they should stop complaining, be grateful for the talent they have and be happy that a club is paying them ridiculous amounts of money to play a sport that most enjoy as a hobby. Showing some loyalty would be nice too.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Frampton's refreshing focus


Carl Frampton’s and his promoter Barry McGuigan’s confidence in the young Belfast fighter has been shown again as he prepares to square up to former European title challenger Yuriy Voronin at the Ulster Hall on September 18.

After just six fights for the man known as ‘The Jackal’, it’s certainly a bit of a risky decision to take on an experienced boxer like Voronin who, despite seven losses, has 27 wins and 18 knockouts to his name.

Voronin also pushed Irishman Bernard Dunne to the limit back in 2005, losing by just two rounds and has drawn one of his European title challenges against France's Cyril Thomas.

However, the Ukrainian lost in his last outing against Manchester featherweight Joe Murray who, like Frampton, had just six bouts under his belt before he faced Voronin back in February.

And at 37-years-old, Voronin is certainly no spring chicken which means it is a fantastic match up by Frampton’s team as it provides him with a credible opponent that may be tough, but is certainly beatable.

There are so many young fighters, too many to mention in fact, that are over-protected by promoters who are keen to ensure they can cash in on their men in the future, McGuigan’s stance is refreshing.

The former world featherweight champion wants his man in against top opponents and is happy to take the chance but there’s no doubt it’s not a silly risk, he’ll know that Frampton is ready for a bout like this.

Moving his fighter on quicker means it keeps people interested in him and there’s enough hype about Frampton already that McGuigan can put him top of the September 18 bill, despite it only being his first eight round contest.

McGuigan is hoping that the ‘The Jackal’ made enough of an impression on the Belfast faithful in his Kings Hall win over Londoner Ian Bailey in June so that he can fill the Ulster Hall this time and the selection of a tough fighter will be key to increasing Frampton’s support.

As McGuigan said at the announcement of Voronin as the opponent, boxing fans in Belfast won’t stand for him putting a dud in front of Frampton.

And he’s right, fans in Northern Ireland have been treated to watching some world class fighters over the years fight in their capital– McGuigan himself, Wayne McCullough and Dave McAuley have all defended world titles in the city.

They won’t settle for seeing a 23-year-old prospect easily stopping another young fighter in the early rounds as top of the bill entertainment and Voronin will provide a good enough fight to excite fans while also giving the Belfast man a chance to show his worth.

Frampton is also keen to take on better opponents and he wants to keep moving quickly and at a young age he’s certainly got the world at his feet.

A win over an opponent like Voronin who is known across Europe would certainly increase the Belfast boxer’s reputation across the continent.

Not only that, but it will show how he can handle a strong, experienced opponent as he continues to learn the ropes in the paid ranks.

It’s certainly Frampton’s biggest test yet but it should just be a small bridge that this exciting fighter has to cross on his way to the top of the super-bantamweight division.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Paul Scholes - Loyalty pays off for both sides


In the past few days we have seen Paul Scholes receiving plenty of adulation from football fans after two outstanding performances against Chelsea and Newcastle United in the red shirt of Manchester United.

And it’s certainly well deserved as the Premier League’s quiet man continues to churn out top-class performances at the age of 35 and looks set to have a solid season with last year’s Premier League runners-up.

Four-years-ago, Scholes’ career looked like it was declining after a number of injuries hampered his performances, and he wasn’t a regular on the Sir Alex Ferguson’s team sheet.

However, now, as his manager pointed out, he’s had his first season in a long time last year where he remained injury free and that has helped him regain the level of performance that we saw from him in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In fact, some would say Scholes is a better player nowadays. Having had to curb his box-to-box style of his younger days, the Salford born midfielder now let’s the younger legs do the running as he picks out pass after pass with consummate ease.

Analysts, fans and opposition players seem flabbergasted that at his age he can still do it but it’s for the same reason the like of Paulo Maldini could keep going for so long at the top level – a loyalty to one club.

When Scholes was struggling with injuries a few seasons ago, it would have been easy for Ferguson to decide his midfielder’s days were up at the club and sold him on to a lesser club.

But the United boss never even thought of doing such as thing, as he was in debt to Scholes and he had to repay the faith the ginger haired number 18 displayed for Manchester United over the years.

Scholes’ head has never been turned by big-name clubs on the continent and he’s never been tempted to ‘face a new challenge’ as all these top stars seem to say when they sign on the line of a contract double their previous salary.

No, Scholes has stuck with the club he grew up supporting and his challenge has always been to help United win trophies and represent his country before his international retirement, there aren’t many more challenges bigger than that.

If the 35-year-old moved to another club five or six-years-ago, it is unlikely he would be still playing at the top level as other manager’s may have grown impatient with him when he continued to pick up niggling injuries and he could have found himself constantly out of favour.

Ferguson repaid his loyalty by sticking with him and is now reaping the benefits of having Scholes returning to top form as £18million man Owen Hargreaves struggles to get back to fitness.

It’s not been a risk for Sir Alex, he knew Scholes still had the burning desire in him and he knows the ability is still there from the midfielder.

But when you know a player inside out, when you grow a professional relationship with him and when he has helped bring you success in the past, you’ll always give him opportunities.

Staying with the same club also means less moving about, a solid base and not having to constantly adapt your playing style to suit different teams. Scholes knows how Ferguson works and he knows how United play better than most.

The same can be said for Scholes’ team-mate Ryan Giggs too as his loyalty to United has meant he is still being utilised at the top level but you also have to look at how the pair have dealt with the glitz and glamour of a professional footballer’s life – they shunned it and lived a normal life, well as normal as it gets for top class sportsmen.

There’s never been a story of Scholes urinating in the streets of Manchester at 5am or bedding an £800 hooker on a trip away. He’s a family man, and a better footballer for it.

Keeping himself out of the spotlight has helped him live a low profile life with less stress so he can just enjoy his football. And he certainly seems to be having fun on the pitch at the moment.

It is a shame that his interviews are as rare as a well-timed tackle from him, because he has spoken to Sky Sports after his last two games and it just proves how much of an intelligent football man he is.

But it’s all proof that young players living the high life and signing more contracts and sponsorship deals than Nike itself, won’t be around at the top level as long as Paul Scholes and if they are, certainly not putting in performances of his calibre. It’s just a shame he can’t tackle!