World Cup

World cup football and my daughter – 2 strong reasons that have kept me off the blogosphere.

World cup has been a pleasant surprise, I was not too sad to see Brazil and Argentina go early. I don’t like their attitude, always whining to the referee, overacting when fouled, they act more like a bunch of kindergarten students than professional football players.

So finally it is Oranje vs La Furia Roja. My prediction is for Netherlands to nick it. I like watching Spain play, but they are one dimensional. They could be choked by the Netherlands midfield. van Bommel and de Jong have been the best defensive midfielders on display this world cup.

Just a couple more hours and we will know the winner !!

Also busy with my little one. I am in charge of sending her off to school and receiving her once she comes back. A few minutes with her is the best stress reliever  ever !!

Jose again …

Jose Mourinho is back after his Inter Milan won 3-1 against Barcelona in the first leg of their champions league semi-final. When asked by a journalist about some petty complaints that Barcelona had about the loss, he answered

“The way they are, tomorrow we will probably read I am to blame for the volcano. Maybe it is true. Maybe I have a friend in the volcano and I am responsible for that."

Barcelona , of course had to take a long bus journey to Inter to play their match because all flights were canceled due to volcanic ash

I like this guy !!

A good blog

If you are keen follower of football , especially the English Premier League, be sure to read Chris Charle’s Blog on BBC. Especially look at the Quotes of the week section.

The irrepressible Roy Keane came up with this during the past week :
"Attempts on goal is like going to a nightclub. You could speak to 50 girls but if you're going home on your own, it's no good, is it? You could only speak to one and go home with her!"
Roy Keane's dating tips and Ipswich's scoring issues!

And one of the reason why so many of us love The Special One : Jose Mourinho is captured in the quote below. This was just before the Champions league match between Mourinho’s Inter Milan and Chelsea, the club he formerly managed.
 "Before the game I know everybody and I love them, and after the game I know everybody and I love them - for 90 minutes I know nobody." 
The one and only Jose Mourinho on his return to Chelsea
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/chrischarles/2010/03/quotes_of_the_week_17.html)

Also if you are looking at a humorous round up of the weeks football action, you could do a lot worse than Robbo Robson’s blog.

Non football lovers, please excuse :-)

Eyes of steel

As usual , I was driving around aimlessly through Bangalore streets in my trusty WagonR. Lots of thoughts swirling through my mind, when somehow this image drifted in from my memory.

It was from a world cup football match that I saw some years back. The close-up image of Francesco Totti’s eyes as he lined up to take a last minute penalty kick in a world cup match against Australia. See from 00:40 on in the video below

 
How do you describe this look ? Steely determination ? Ruthlessness ? Aggression ? I don’t know. The moment I saw the look ( I am sure a lot of others felt the same too ), I just knew that he was going to score.

The image has somehow lingered on in my mind ever since. Today was the day when I finally Googled and saw the images and videos once more :-))

Robert Enke

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8361113.stm.

Though I am a keen football follower, I had not heard of Robert Enke till he tragically took his own life. Apparently was almost a certainty as the first choice goal keeper for German national football side for 2010 world cup.

And just 32 years old too, an year younger than me. A professional footballer, one trained to perform in front of thousands. A man who you would think to be well equipped to handle the highest order of pressure.

This should be a true eye opener on how dangerous an opponent depression can be. When all your sense of logical thinking disappears and only negative thoughts hover in your mind. When you just cannot see even a shred of hope, while in reality things are not quite as bad.

Really, how low must he have been feeling to perform this act ? I only hope that is a low I would never feel ………..

RIP Robert Enke.

Sport as mood elevator

Nothing lifts your mood like when one of your favorite teams pulls of an amazing victory.

I was watching Manchester United Vs Aston Villa on ESPN . For the most part of 80 mins, it looked like ManU will slip to their 3rd consecutive defeat.

They were trailing 2-1, their makeshift defensive line getting torn up time and again by a pacy and crafty Villa forward line, injuries and suspensions had caused at least 5 first team players to miss out. With Liverpool going above them in the table yesterday, the ManU title challenge seemed to be headed towards disaster.

That is till two pieces of brilliance turns the match on their head. Cristiano Ronaldo had been a passenger for most of the match after his early strike. He latches onto the ball outside the penalty area and lashes in a low drive to the corner of the net. 2-2

Then in injury time, 17 year old Federico Macheda makes a stunning turn and curls in an unstoppable short. GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL and 3-2

This is surely how Premierships are won.

Liverpool is playing some stunning football, sets up a fascinating final few matches. This season has been one of the best that I have watched

A long drive

Sunday nights are usually pretty boring for me, add to that the fact that power failed here. After around half hour , I could not take it any longer. Took my car and headed out aimlessly , just wanted to get away from my house for sometime. Anything to get rid of the dark clouds in my mind.

Ended up driving towards Hebbal, then took a turn towards Malleswaram, went under the Windsor Manor Bridge and on to Infantry road and then Cubbon Road. Sudden right turn towards brigade road, then further right on brigade road to Church Street. The place is jam packed at 9.30 pm on a Sunday night. A few twists and turns later I am back on Brigade road, this time headed towards Koramangala. Decided to stop for dinner at imperial and then headed back home through HSR layout and outer ring road. A touch under two hours,  was sufficiently tired and distracted by the time I was done.

Came back home to see Liverpool annihilate Aston Villa. Coupled with a miserable performance by Manchester United yesterday, that should set up a great finale for the English Premier League. I still think United will win.

The Dribble

Roger Federer in full form, Virender Sehwag in a destructive mood , Tiger Woods on a 4th day charge or Zinedine Zidane [when he is not head butting others] are some people who have the capability to make professional sport look ridiculously easy

Stumbled across this video on YouTube, which is actually an ad for poverty eradication program. Especially watch the section The dribble from seconds 20 -26

Need I say more ? An unquestionable Genius, this guy was.

ManU wins !!

Was up till 3.30 am yesterday to watch the Champion's league final. It was worth every minute. Such a dramatic match !! 1-1 at end of extra time, fast paced , Drogba being shown a red card (for a remarkable piece of stupidity in slapping Vidic right under referee's nose , see the video below) and a see-saw penalty shootout.

Poor John Terry. Had the chance to win if for Chelsea ,had he converted his spot kick. As luck would have it he slipped as he was taking the shot and blasted wide. Imagine being stuck with the stigma of being the player who had the chance to win "The" cup for your team and blew it. Must be really awful.

I hate Chelsea, because I think their player behavior is out of control and they do not entertain enough for the talent they have at their disposal. But boy, didn't I feel for John Terry when he missed.

I stay in Bangalore , I've never been to UK, absolutely no link with the city of Manchester, so it is a bit silly to say I support a local English team like Man United. Maybe Viva Kerala is the team I should support :-)