Club-Country Controversy

This weekend, Club Football will give way to National Team to play their friendly matches and to allow the national team chances to try with new plays, or to experiment with new 'winning formula'. Club Football comes to a week-long rest as winter is approaching the european country. Some players who have been omitted by the national coach, or who have not been selected, and also for those who are age-ing and would needed some rest, these break would be welcome, especially by those who are playing the most beautiful game on earth in The English Premier League, as there will not be any winter break like any other european leagues, so a rest is much needed.

But the national call would be something dreaded by the club manager. Players who earn their wages from the clubs often come back from national duty with new found injuries, or career threatening injuries if the player was really unlucky enough. Sometime when the club needed their inspirational player for the upcoming fixture but have to feel good letting the player sit out the match because of injury ACQUIRED from international tie.

So a controversy has arise from this. Club manager dreaded letting go their player, espcially their star player, the talisman to the team. But the national coach needed these player desperately as the team results decide the coach fate and the coach earn a living by coaching the national team. And the expectation from people in the country on the team to perform is so high and intense, especially for a team like England which is managed by Mr. Fabulous Capello, who has really been going on fine with England so far, transformation takes place when he is at work, credit to you Fabio!

But he faces the similar situation like France Coach with Mr. Arsene Wenger over releasing player for national duty. Same issues. As club coach finds it difficult to release star players for purposeless and meaningless friendly tie. But Mr. Fabio is stern, and is firm. He ordered Steven Gerrard to report to national team camp despite liverpool club doctor claimed Stevie G is injured and unable to play. Capello insisted and ordered Gerrard to report in 'even if you are not going to play, and you must prove you are injured'.

My concern is, this may be a good way for the coach to deal with clubs who try to be smarter than national coaches, but is this good for the players? Like Steven Gerrard saga now, he has been unlucky with national team involvment having missed out on major tournament like World Cup 2002 and Euro 2000, he should have had the burning desire to play for the country like every english player wished to. What is more, with the 'can Frank-Stevie partnership synergize issue still being discussed intensely, no one would be more desperate to come out and prove a point than these 2 players, at least i assumed so. But Capello's order has rather like he has no trust over the player committment, than over the club's accountability.

However, the governing body, like FIFA and UEFA for this matter with european country, should come out with a better solution to work over this country-club row over players right.
It is true that the player play for the club and get their wages from club, but it is rather true that the club profits come from the player performances that get them results too, so there should be a mutual benefit existing here, and player should be looked and treated not like employee hence.
It is somehow true that the player should serve their country should they be called to service their country, but it is also true that the player have the right to choose what his priority would be. All these would not have had a better guidelines and solutions to this controversy, but the players hold the very vital decision, it should be up to them, to be, or not to be; to play, or not to play.

Ronaldo Scooped FifPro World Footballer of the Year Award

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named FifPro World Footballer of the Year. It is the first in what is expected to be a host of individual honours for the 23-year-old, who scored 42 goals for Manchester United on their way to Champions League and Premier League title glory last term.

Ronaldo had suggested last week he could do no more than he did to be crowned the best player on the planet and peers from over 40 countries are in agreement.

"To be recognised by my fellow professional players worldwide coming from over 50,000 players is amazing," the Portugal winger said.

"I would like to thank my teammates and coaches and everyone involved at Man United and the national team, as well as my family and friends for their support," Ronaldo said. "Thank you also to FIFPro for this award and for your work in protecting the interests and welfare of players around the world."

It is anticipated Ronaldo will also scoop the Ballon D'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award, with the Portugal international - who has also been named in FifPro's world team of the year - keen to remain at Old Trafford for another couple of seasons at least.

''I insist that I am a Manchester United player and now I think that next year I will continue here,'' Ronaldo told Marca.

The portugal and Manchester United talisman gave his speech in quite a modest and humble way, perhaps he's now learned that his character was deemed to be arrogant thats why the change in his tone now. Which is a good thing, being arrogant might limits his growth and right now he can go on to take world soccer with his mesmerizing skills again. Hopefully Cristiano Ronaldo is not just a single season legend but there're more to come from him and keep on winning with the Red Devil man!

Pride of the IceMan

First allow me to take the pride for able to start this very blog with my first post writting on this legendary footballer named Dennis Bergkamp, aka The IceMan.

Dennis Bergkamp signed for Arsenal for in June 1995 for £7.5million after two disappointing seasons with Inter Milan in the Serie A. The Dutchman hit his best form after the arrival of Arsene Wenger in 1996 and was voted as the PFA Player of the Year for the 1997/98 season when Arsenal won the league and cup double. Bergkamp’s best attributes were always his impeccable control and intelligence when on the ball. He would rarely waste a touch and was just as able to set up a teammate for a goal with a brilliant pass or flick as he was to finish chances for himself. He has the most finest touch on the ball, who can deny me this?

The quality of the goals that Bergkamp scored is something to cherish not only for the gunner fans, but to most of the football slave. This is best illustrated in a 3-3 draw with Leicester City where Bergkamp scored a hat-trick of such brilliance that his three goals took up all three spots in the Premier League Goal of the Month award – the first and only time a single player has achieved this, credit to you Dennis! There was also a monumental goal he scored against Newcastle where he bamboozled his marker to score the Goal of the Season in 2002- you would give up anything just to see that goal, breath-taking. Goals became less frequent as his career progressed, but his contribution on and off the pitch was as influencial as ever. But until his retirement at the end of the 2005/06 season Bergkamp remained a valuable member of Wenger’s team.

Dennis Bergkamp will always be remembered as a great team player and one of the most influential Arsenal players in the club’s history. Thierry Henry has previously called him the “perfect” strike partner because of his unselfishness and ability to read the game. This unselfishness is illustrated by the fact that as well as scoring 121 goals for Arsenal he has also provided 166 assists for the club. This makes him the ideal partner for Henry in the Arsenal Team of the Decade. 166 assists, i am sure every forward in the world would feel great and benefit much with such a wonderful selfless strike partner.

Moment to Remember: The 2-0 victory that Arsenal recorded away to Newcastle in the 2001-2002 Premiership season will forever be remembered for Bergkamp’s amazing piece of skill in opening the scoring for the Gunners. There is conjecture over whether his touch was intentional but in flicking the ball past Newcastle defender Nicos Dabizas and slotting past Shay Given he is credited with scoring one of the best goals in the history of the game.

Dennis Bergkamp claimed that he uses the technique of visualization and imagination to score this goal. It simply means that before he had the ball at his feet, he already began to imagine what he'd do when the ball was passed to him, and he just faithfully execute

what he had held in his mental picture to score that very best goal.
About the “Arsenal Team of the Decade”

Dennis Bergkamp has a very dedicated contribution to his team. As a person who fear taking flights, he would cross contry borders by car or other means just to be available for his team while on UEFA duty, this is the kind of attitude and professionalism we would not see in any other footballer. Dennis Bergkamp, you are the man. Watching you playing football is just like watching Zidane playing football, but you would have something extra, you've the consistancy, you've the unpredictable touches and finishing.

Perhaps the only dark spot you laid on ur career would be when you tried to kick the ball at Laurent Robert during a Newcastle-Arsenal showdown, causing the ref to thought Robert was trying to block you from taking the freekick intentionally and earned him the harsh red card. But nevertheless, your contributions and your magical displays have well made you the best and finest footballer ever lived to play this game.

Tribute to you, Dennis Bergkamp, may you continue to do well in life!