Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Valdano Bitchslaps Iberian Duo

I know I'm seldom a whiny person that goes around complaining what people say but it's just going worst. It's getting on my nerves.

Maybe jealous, maybe a little sour grapes. But Real Madrid legend, has came out blasting Jose Mourinho and Rafa Benitez for their team's extremely boring game at Anfield last week.

But I personally thought it was uncalled for and the man clearly doesn't understand that football is no longer what he think it is now.

Yes, we all could tell that it wasn't the best game on TV all season long and when Chelsea drew Liverpool, everyone probably went 'oh no not again'. It was a game of two extremely organised and disciplined side, going head to head and it was about finding the right opportunity, pouncing on opposition's mistake and punish them.

But how insulting it is to go on and say the Anfield crowd will probably cheer even if a stick with a sh*t hanging out of it? He probably needs to come down to Anfield to actually experience it himself or he's just outside looking in.

Does he not know what is the passion of football all about? Does he think that football is all about skills, flicks and tricks? Absolutely not.

Because we know in this age, money has flooded into the game and the financial implication of a loss in cup games is a huge undertaking for clubs, especially at the top level. Losing is probably never an option so teams set out to try and not lose games. It's understandable.

In Europe, you can risk and play football the 'beautiful' way and get punished. How many teams can tell you that? Ultimately, people remembers the winners, not the losers. Barcelona plays better football than Liverpool to be honest, but it's the result that matter at the end of it.
And this is of course, out of the mouth of a sporting director of Real Madrid, of all places. They've tried to build the 'galaticos' and play beautiful football but how the mighty have fallen. When was the last time they won the league 'beautifully' with all the money spent?

I'm no preacher of the negative direct football of both Jose and Rafa but I don't think anyone has the right to criticise a certain style. Formations and tactics move on with times and we no longer see the 3-4 forwards, which was commonly used back in the 60s.

We've got to understand that football tactics have evolved and with so much at stake, it's understandable as to why certain managers are more careful with their formations. As cliche as it sounds, a team usually is a the direct representation of their manager. So why is it wrong?

And the last part of it was the worst when it became a personal attack on both Jose and Rafa. He mentioned as to how both of them failed to make it big in football, as if ridiculing them for not being able to make it as footballer while he himself is a World Cup winner.

Thing is, winning you the World Cup doesn't give you the right to have a right pop at people with their style.

Probably yes, their failure previously made them who they are. But I do not think he is in any position to criticise how people should and should not deal with their team. I do not love Jose and I do not really want to defend a t**t but there's always a bigger one out there.

Yes, it's hard to watch. But welcome to 2007, where every win matters and every lost is probably something more. And I for one, can't stand what he said about our fans. We have the right to sing and be passionate about so why take it away from us?

Saying that is questioning the intelligence of the fans. We do not need some obnoxious, ignorant, self righteous and high on pedestal person to preach to us how to play football.

I hope that keeps his mouth shut, World Cup winner. But hey, even Kleberson is one!

5 comments:

psychohare said...

someone's just jealous...
that guy lives in the pre-historic age or something... the world changes...someone tell him communism has fallen and Real Madrid is no longer one of the most feared teams in Europe.

Anonymous said...

i actually think the guy has a point. initially i was extremely insulted as well, but after thinking about it, he may just have been too harsh, but the underlying point is some validity.

like football is a beautiful game. and it's a shame to see it marred by divers (not liverpool tho~) and lack of football skills (and by skills i mean the fancy footwork)

don't get me wrong, i'm not saying let's breed a band of C.Ronaldos just for his footwork. but you have to admit that kinda stuff brings a certain flair to the game.

and yes. the result is ultimately all that matters. but we can have the result AND the flair. and you have to say, liverpool and chelsea are lacking in that flair compartment.

sure, they still keep you on ur toes, eating your fingers and your heart in your mouth. but once in a while, i would like to see some sublime football (and not just in hte goals...but in the setting up of the goal...and no, i didn't mean a cross)

i am no less a liverpool fan. i love them with my life. but there is room for improvement still =)

Anonymous said...

oh i forgot to mention, the lvierpool chelsea match cannot be used as a correct sample of football. when 2 teams who play rather similarly clash...htey;re bound to neutralise each other.

and yes. fans are allowed to sing all they want. i read some stupid article that said that reds fans are doing hte team damage by singing when we're down... it was a total WTF? we're fans, we're supporters. we're not gonna leave just coz we're losing. what kinda "fan" was the author of that article (sigh)

panji.semirang said...

I'll say none that can beat Liverpool fans as a results they do not have that kind of supporters. People paid to watch their team. They've rights to support by singing all away. If they say its damaging the game, then go play in an empty ground.

RedsMan said...

All immaterial from a man capped 22 times for Argentina. You can have style, panache, the manager, the players, the fans even, but it is all about who turns up on the night or day, spiritually and mentally as well as physically. Chelsea had a 1-0 lead and blew it and all they wanted was one goal. Mighty two times champions and League cup winners riding high up the table, expected to beat Liverpool and exact revenge, failed. We had the nerves and they did not and clearly we were the better side.

That aside, all you need as a team is one more goal than the opposition. It doesnt matter how you get it, once you achieve it you have won. Simple. Teams have played other teams off the pitch but have ended up losing. Look at Man Utd at Milan, comatose, rabbits in headlights. Not the Utd who just won the title and have been getting results, lucky or otherwise. You either want to entertain or win the game, the two dont necessarily go together.


RedsMan.