Tag: maestro

HATS OFF to the MAESTRO

Sir Alex Ferguson retires. Citing health reasons, he said, “The decision to retire is one that I have thought a great deal about and one that I have not taken lightly. It is the right time. It was important to me to leave an organization in the strongest possible shape and I believe I gave done so. ”
Well, I am not a great fan of Red Manchester, but I do respect this man. I have always appreciated his composure, intensity on the pitch. The way his sheer presence inspires his team and the respect he incurs from adulating fans is one that only greats can achieve and he is no exception.
For the 27 years that he served the club, not once did the United administration must have thought about installing a new manager. He has been calm, unruffled and dedicated in making a team that is balanced in every sense, be it age-wise, or position-wise and stardom-wise as well.
He has been a solid inspiration to the young crops of managers that take cues from him in managing their respective clubs. The large numbers of good-bye messages on Twitter reflects so.
He joined Old Trafford in 1986 from Aberdeen and never looked back as the Red Devils have dominated not only the English but European scene as well. His tally includes 13 Premier League titles, 5 FA Cups, 4 League Cups and 2 Champions League titles. The 71-year Scotsman will join the team’s board members and will serve as ‘Ambassador’ in the upcoming season. Till now, United have two games left and one of them is a home game against Swansea where we may expect some emotions from the not-so-much expressive coach.
                Well, talking about replacing him is a contentious issue. United never had to think about the position of manager, it was already in very capable hands. It’s always hard to replace a veteran; plus the void left for the first time in 27 years, is a thought that United administration would always have dreaded. But it’s time to answer that. Rumour has it that Everton boss David Moyes may be stepping in his shoes, but before the confirmation from the official website; it’s going to be a matter of fierce debate. Former Chelsea and current in-charge of Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho is also a sought-after name by the grim fans. The administration is also in pressure to declare the new name, as Manchester United are listed on New York stock exchange, so any change in administration will have to be reported back to its shareholders. So, the secret can’t and won’t be held long.
                Whoever is chosen as a manager, he will have a tough time handling the pressure but it would not be so gruesome on the pitch considering Sir Alex has left his team in the strong possible shape.
#RESPECT and good luck on your future endeavours Sir Alex!

 

Ronaldo vs. Messi battle- My take

 A common debate encountered between football fans is: Who is better??
Ronaldo or Messi
When it comes to hardcore fans, opinions don’t concord. Messi sure has the lead with his 4th Ballon d’Or but it isn’t enough when he has a fierce competitor like Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo’s transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid in 2009 made them stand head to head and pit against each other. The rivalry between their clubs fuelled up the comparison talks between them. While Messi was product of a brilliant product of Barcelona academy that they exhibit ostentatiously, Ronaldo was brought at Bernabeu on popular fan appeal.
Although both have different roles, different positions, different methods at their respective clubs, but the comparison between them is inevitable owing to the fact that they have shared last 5 Ballon’dor amongst them. Both give 100% to their clubs.
Ronaldo has an unflinching pace that takes defenders with surprise; his sharp acceleration helps the cause.  Messi likes to take defenders one-on-one while inching closer to the opponents’ goal-line.
                Well, I am not taking any sides, but every individual has a right to have an opinion, so in order to facilitate that I have garnered some points that can ease you into making your judgment.
  1. Pace and acceleration: Ronaldo has a pace like a leopard, out-beating his markers is a walk in the park for him. Messi has sufficient pace to do the out-pacing and he puts his dab body in good use by making low profile supporting runs.
  2. Ball control and Dribbling: Dribbling is the Magnus opus of Messi. Infact most of his goals are the result of his gifted supremacy in dribbling. On the other hand, Ronaldo though has a supremacy in the step-overs (or the scissors), but he has been seen a little shy of perfectly executing at times.
  3. Assists: I consider both players selfless, though Ronaldo is often touted as a selfish player, but having played at winging position myself, I know that wingers don’t get many chances to prove their selflessness.  
  4. Strategy: Both players are good at crafting clear-cut opportunities for their teams. They are not only great cool finishers but are equally expert in engineering opportunities that literally beg for finish.   
  5. Shooting: Shooting from a distance is what has made Ronaldo a priceless treasure. His thunderous shots are a scary sight for even best of the goalkeepers. Messi hasn’t been seen much with the long shots but he can’t be underestimated for that.
  6. Acrobatics and weak foot ability: Messi has been termed weak in this particular department, and it is quite true owing to his meager 5’7” height, but in recent seasons, he has been making constant progress to subdue such allegations. Statistically speaking, he scores a fair amount of goals with headers. Ronaldo leaps over jumping defenders is a constant sight in Real’s game and its quite clear that there’s no dearth in his aerial abilities. Weak foot ability is a thing, though isn’t a necessary quality but is a great quality to have when bailing out from a compromising situation. Both wizards have excellent weak foot ability, which helps them to gain extra points and fan appreciation.
Another quite impressive quality to consider is free kick taking ability. But I believe when you are in a 5-star team, it isn’t a much needed one. Generally such teams already possess a free kick genius, for example Barcelona has Xavi while Madrid had the services of Beckham and Roberto Carlos.
The discussion will not end, and may never end, but one thing’s for sure that the duo will keep us entertained in the years to come.