The number 20 is what this season will be
remembered for: Man United won a record 20th title, and Brutus Van
Persie donning the No.20 jersey was the top goal scorer. To put the cherry on
the cake for the media, the Premier League’s founding date is the 20th
February 1992 and they are 20 teams in the league. One can see the puns and
witticisms going on for a while so when the shock of Sir Alex Ferguson’s
retirement wore off 20 seemed like a nice round figure to call it a day. After
all Sir Alex had succeeded in knocking Liverpool off its “perch”, building Man
United into a global power house brand, making them the most successful team in
the EPL - there seems to be nothing left for Fergie to achieve. Hats off to one
of the best football managers the
world has ever seen! The hair dryer and ‘Fergie
time’ included.
As usual, the League gives you enough controversy
to ensure that World Peace and the Middle East question are not what men are
talking about when they meet. Suarez was handed a 10 match ban for his not so
convincing impersonation of Rob Pattinson of the Twilight fame. The last time
the world was this concerned with a bite was when Mike Tyson took a chunk of
Evander Holyfield’s ear. I guess any attempt to defend Suarez will fall on its
face when one looks at the company he is keeping. Iron Mike, Vikings, Vampires
and several other characters in Quentin Tarantino movies aren’t exactly the
best proponents of the use of minimum force. That having been said the timing
of the ban and the indignation from some of the quarters was suspicious; the
fact that it ensured that Suarez would not be able to add to his goal tally, handing
the Golden Boot to RVP seemed like a befitting parting gift to Sir Alex from
the FA. It also ensured that those who were going to ignore Suarez’s
shenanigans and vote for his mesmerizing talent had to, as lawyers do, “consider”
their vote. The result was Gareth Bale scooping the award. One wonders how much
weight him being British played in all this…
The champions have been crowned and Man United
have silenced the critics and more importantly their ‘noisy neighbours’. While
the champagne bottles popped at Old Trafford on Sunday a cloud was hanging over
the celebrations: the retirement of Sir Alex and Paul Scholes confirmed the end of an era. Sir Alex’s
plea to the fans to back their new manager David Moyes confirmed the anxiety over
the Red Devils future. With Ferguson Manchester United are a good team. The
question is, how will the institution deal with the departure of its
cornerstone? Watching them deal with this change will make next season ever
more gripping. Watching it all crumble I hope even more fun.
Arsenal are currently fifth with 2 games to go and
the battle for the latest Champions League slot with Gareth Bale F.C is
delightful to watch for the neutral. Wenger, whatever the outcome of the last 2
games, will have to bolster his squad with one or two big names. Truth is,
Arsenal have managed to remain competitive without looking threatening. Wenger
looks set to retain his job and decide how he wants to play it - like all good accountants
the books will be looking good whichever way he decides to proceed.
They say 2nd is first to lose and Man
City will be keenly aware of that feeling after losing the Premiership. They
have no silverware this season after failing to put Wigan in its place in the
FA Cup. All they have is the Champion’s League slot and the cold hard
lesson that at the top total focus
is required. Mancini’s running of their dressing room seems questionable but it
would seem dangerous to sack him and start again. I say give him another season
and see if the lessons have been learnt! For now the noisy neighbours have been
taught how to keep quiet.
Chelsea are known as the Blues and their
administration has had the same feel. The sacking of Di Matteo, Benitez’s
arrival and his supposed imminent departure have meant the players are always distracted.
Whoever is in charge next season will have to complete the transition from the old guard to the new guard:
will the Special One return? will they keep Torres? will Torres keep his mask
on? decisions, decisions – that’s what Stamford Bridge’s summer is about. If
only money could buy patience…
Last year Tottenham missed out on the Champion’s League
because Chelsea won it. Now they are in a fight for the last spot with Arsenal.
They deserve the shot at the big boys league but their over reliance on Mr.
Gareth Bale will have to be addressed in the Summer. AVB will have to be shrewd
with his summer purchases -no fancy scandals! He will have to get a good set of
boots he can live in that will see him in a better position; edging his London
rivals for the forth slot should buy him enough leverage - after all, to dare
is to do.
As predicted Everton’s hard work will see the
summer transfer market seek to put them back to mid table mediocrity. David
Moyes, their astute manager, is leaving and I am sure he will take any prodigious
talent with him. If not, the other clubs will use his departure as an excuse to
ransack Goodison Park. After finishing above Liverpool (6th) and
seeking to build on it, they have had the rug pulled from under them. It
doesn’t look good; hopefully they will find the right man to lead them.
By now I am sure you have figured out where my
passions lie – Liverpool finished the season without any Silverware and with
flashes of exquisite passing football that weren’t enough to convince me. Liverpool
still look average. Rodgers will have to persuade the Yankees to spend this summer
and one hopes he won’t buy his chums from Swansea. Liverpool need about 3 more
players, including a world class defender, a good ball winner and a good
finisher in the mould of a Shearer or Ruud if they are to mount a serious
challenge; all in all a good fifty million pounds well spent will give us the
edge needed. I take this opportunity to welcome Augustus to the Reds family. YNWA.
Lastly QPR confirmed what my grade four teacher
Mrs. Marsh taught me: money can’t buy everything. The team had it all: sound financial
backing, talented players and, in the last half of the season, one of the best
survival coaches there is. Still the Rangers went down. Their existence in the
League over the past two seasons will be remembered for the role they played in
the Citizens winning the Title. They will have to get stuck in the Coca-Cola
division and re-strategize. Reading is going down as well, and with Wigan
having got the FA Cup kiss of death, I suspect Martinez will be moving soon and
the Majedski Stadium will be the new venue in the second tier of the English football’s
roster.
Till next time - Adios!! If you don’t like my
thoughts: bite me.
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