The Rants & Ravings' of a Man.United Dad...

No Shame In This Defeat...

2011-05-29T08:34:00.000-07:00

United were hoping to exorcise the ghost of the 2009 Final against the same team. However, the 'tiki taka' passing game that has become the hallmark of this team punctuated why they are regarded as the best football team on the planet at this moment.

Despite starting brightly as they did in Rome two years ago, United fell behind to a Pedro goal.

Nevermind that Rooney cancelled out that goal seven minutes later, that did not dampen but made Barcelona pressed forward even more with Iniesta & Xavi pulling the strings in midfield.

Then in the 54th minute Wembley witnessed why Lionel Messi is the best player in the world with a superb left foot strike that gave the Catalans the lead.

David Villa completed United's misery in the 69th minute & gave Barcelona the crown to European Football.

I guess it's back to the drawing board for United to plot another path to European glory next season. But there's no shame in this defeat, the best team won.

'Kongsi' worth Kongsi-ing

2011-05-29T01:19:00.000-07:00

Just finished watching this movie after several unsuccessful attempts. You see I work on weekends either Saturdays or Sundays, so when I found out that my better half bought this movie on Astro First, I was really looking forward to it.

However, my little boboi was very annoyed that my attention was not on him. Tantrums were thrown & many tactics plus techniques were put into motion to get me to pay attention to him.

It's a good thing the movie plays on & on non-stop for the next two days, so it's not a problem should I miss it. After little boboi fell asleep, I switched on the tv & found out that Farid Kamil's movie is not bad at all.

I think the whole movie is lively & well-paced. The fighting scenes were enjoyable to watch plus I applaud Shaheizy for doing all those stunts (it looked like he did all of them...? Or did the stunt guys did it?) The dialogs were funny & the scenes depicted were hilarious! I personally enjoyed when a car of kongsi gelap gangsters were suddenly transformed into 'Pak Hajis & Lebais' when they came to a road-block by the PDRM.

The car chase were also well done. Although I wonder whether PDRM really gave their consent to have their patrol cars smashed up? Hmmmm....

Another funny scene was how Shaheizy aka Tumulak can't figure out how to assemble a sniper rifle in order to carry out his assignment. It's funny when you see him struggling with it. Also was when he 'tortured' his hostage! That was funny too!

Anyway, Shaheizy is a talented actor & I can see why he is highly regarded. I would pay good money to watch his movies. For those who have not caught it, do also watch 'Adnan Sempit'.

So go ahead & kongsi watch this 'Kongsi' movie! It's worth it.

Owen Exit

2011-05-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

No, not Michael Owen. But Owen Hargraves.

I just read that Man.United will not be offering him a new contract. He was an integral part of the squad that helped MU seal the double of BPL Championship & UCL Cup in his first season with the club.

Such a pity for him. Injuries has hampered his career & he has only made 39 appreances for MU in his four years there.

Daddy's Boy

2011-05-18T00:39:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is IJN day.

Another appointment from the last six months.

Another long drive to Jalan Tun Razak.

Another long wait before it's your turn to see the Cardio Paed.

Another long wait to see the Genetics Doctor after lunch.

Another opportunity to re-visit the one place where Allah SWT choose to test my wife & I by almost taking our son away,

the one place where Allah SWT taught us the true meaning of patience & humility,

the powers of Doa',

the powers of Solat Hajat,

the powers of redha'

and where Allah SWT gave our son back to us with new hope, joy & lots of kesyukuran.

Another trip down memory lane.

Each step I take down IJN's corridoors reminds me of all those things, and I thank Him The Almighty for showing me how small I am & how short life is, and how to Thank Him for giving me this one human being as my amanah.....

Alhamdulillah.....

Auditers=Busybodies...!

2011-05-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

Today most of my time was spent in the Security Room because there's only one thing I hate more than a busybody.....it's auditers!

Yep, they came...they took all my files....they interrogated me (only in the morning)....and they dumped all the files on my table when they're done...Stupid people! "Simpan la balik mana ko amik tadi, bodo!"

This was the third audit my team had to go through. First it was internal audit, then fixed asset audit and now...finance audit. I know these auditers people are just doing their jobs but I can't help but be offended & 'meluat' when they start to question me.

As if I'm gonna 'steal' money or 'hide' cheques. First of all, my job does not allow me to accept cash for rental payments. And two, all payment cheques are crossed cheques. So there's no issue of 'lost' payment. And all documents are in place where it should be.

So, all you auditers aka 'busybodies' can go fly kites & 'menyemak' somewhere else...!

Sweet 19..!

2011-05-14T02:41:00.000-07:00

We've got out trophy back!

A draw was all that was needed to confirmed Man.United as BPL Champions for a record 19th time. Despite trailing to a Brett Emerton goal, United drew level through a Wayne Rooney penalty.

Rooney did admit he was 'terrified' before taking the penalty that would see the Red Devils overtaking Liverpool as the club with the most championships in England.

So now...onward to Wembley to conquer Europe...! Lookout Messi & Co.

Why are some people like that...?

2011-05-09T09:23:00.000-07:00

Why are some people just so rude? I received a phone call today from a potential tenant, but her manners was just plain....well to be honest.... 'cibai'..!

Do you call someone and say "Eii ini sapa ah?"

What the fish?! was my first reaction. And she proceeded to talk rudely.

It just goes to show it doesn't matter how much money you have or make, when you have no manners, you are just another fucked up moron.

You can be hipped, have a business, drive an expensive car, but without proper manners....you are just another 'cibai mother-fucker'...and all I'm gonna say to you is "Fuck U & Piss Off"...

Inter are Champions!

2010-05-25T03:30:00.001-07:00

Inter Milan are back at the summit of European football. A convincing 2-0 win over Bayern Munchen of Germany assured the Italians as worth treble winners this season.

Two goal hero Diego Milito had only two shots on target but he made it count & converted both of them.

Jose Mourinho aka "The Special One" has worked his magic again. Ironically it was two of Madrid's "rejects" who were playing in the final, Arjen Robben of Bayern & Wesley Sneidjer of Inter. I guess now Real Madrid realise how foolish they were to sell these two.

Rumour has it that Mourinho is now planning to swap Italian football for Spanish football, and it seems Real Madrid will be his most likely destination. Jose's tough no-nonsense approach will surely shake up the squad & put all those 'Galaticos' egos in their place.

"There are no stars in a team. The players are not the stars, the manager is not the star. The entire team is the star"

Well said Jose. Whip those Galacticos into shape. Show them who is boss.

Pictures courtesy of www.uefa.com

UEFA Europa: Diego Seals It

2010-05-12T13:57:00.000-07:00

Diego Forlán struck with four minutes of extra time remaining as Atlético Madrid ended a 48-year wait for major continental silverware, beating Fulham FC 2-1 in the inaugural UEFA Europa League final.

There had been little to choose between the sides throughout. Forlán and Simon Davies exchanged first-half goals then, as fatigue set in, they matched each other for endeavour. Yet as those around him tired the Uruguayan international gained energy.

With the lottery of a penalty shoot-out looming, Forlan did just enough to divert Sergio Agüero's cross into the far corner via Brede Hangeland. The wait was over.

Credit I must say to Fulham to come so close to winning a European title. Nobody gave the Cottagers a chance of reaching the quaters, let alone play in the final. Names like Hamburg SV were touted to run riot over this London club & make the final because it was played at their home stadium. But Fulham should be proud & held their heads up high for reaching a major European final. Now they can build on this experience & try again next season. They did better than their other London rivals i.e. Chelshit, opps I mean Chelsea, Spurs, West Ham & Arse-nal.

Well done to Roy Hodgson for leading Fulham FC! My hat's off to you!

News source & pictures: www.uefa.com

The P - Towers

2010-05-12T12:58:00.000-07:00

Another shocker! Either it's vandalism or the building management missed it. Take a look below:

Anyway, must be one heck of a tower, eh? Hmmmmm....

Copies Gone Bonkers...!

2010-05-11T18:01:00.000-07:00

Saw this on my friend's facebook wall.

Expilian.....? Maybe it's "Experience" - the copywriter can't seem to find the BM word for it. And what's "menyadapi" & "menmasan"...? Or Mama San?

Here's another. This one has proper english, but either the Editor was half-awake or was in a horny mood when he approved this headliner.

Nice one eh? Hahaha! Guess what it was one of our local dailies.

The New Kit 2010/11.....is it?

2010-05-10T13:30:00.000-07:00

Latest info:

I don't know whether this is true of not, got these pictures from a buddy of mine, but check out Manchester United's supposedly new jersey for 2010/11 season!

The Home jersey:

Looks much better than the current one. The "Chevron" stripe is just a turn-off for me. That's why I refuse to get one this season.

The Away jersey:

As usual, United will be sticking to the traditional black & white colors for the Away kit.

The 3rd Strip:

Reminiscent of Cantona's era?

Or did United's designers got inspired from this? LOL...!

Go Kedah Hijau Kuning! Heheh...

Champs in Blue...

2010-05-10T01:55:00.000-07:00

So, Chelshiiit.....opss I mean Chelsea won it on the very last day.

Although United did all that they could by beating Stoke 4-0 at home, it was not enough to prevent The Blues from lifting the BPL title with a 8-0 thrashing of Wigan in Stamford Bridge.

Once I saw Steven Caldwell red-carded & 'Lampoop' scoring the penalty, I already knew that the West Londoners were going to be crowned Champions.

To me the turning point to this season was when United failed to beat Blackburn to surge forward & build that gap at the top after Chelsea had already lost to Tottenham. Had United won that match, they would have been a significant gap between them & Chelsea. It would also be a psychological blow to Chelsea. But United missed that boat.

So, congrats to Chelsea......but United will be back next season to win that title.

Transfer Speculations

2010-05-07T21:27:00.000-07:00

With the BPL fast approaching its final matches, transfer rumours are already playing & a few names have caught my attention.

Luka Modric is being pursuit by Sir Alex as a possible replacement for Paul Scholes. The little Croatian has great range of passing, a good footballing brain, coupled with good acceleration, vision & technique.

No disrespect, but I think United should go for Miguel Veloso of Sporting Lison. In my book, Veloso is a better suited player for United's style of play. He's fast, reads the game very well, good tackling ability (unlike Scholesy), and a mean left foot.

Another player it seems who hinted that he might be interested in United is Valencia's David Silva. He would be a very good signing as replacement for Giggs. He's super quick, great dribbling abilities & very effective on the flanks.

Quote from footballfancast.com:

"Silva in no uncertain terms is receptive to the Premier League. More specifically: Manchester United. Though Antonio Valencia has excelled this season, and Nani has markedly improved, neither possesses the kind of versatility & vision that Silva has to offer"

This boy would be a good long term signing for Man.United.

It seems Chelsea have all but agreed to sign Sergio 'Kun' Aguero from Atletico Madrid for 40 million pounds. Rumours has it that a deal is set & will be concluded soonest possible.

Guess who is heading back to White Hart Lane? Michael Carrick! He's gone down the pecking order in Fergie's squad. With Scholesy still playing well & if Veloso comes to Old Trafford, Carrick's days at MU are numbered. This would thrilled Carrick's former boss Harry Redknapp who managed him at West Ham.

Taking It To the Wire

2010-05-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

It was a hard fought victory for Man.United when they had to overcome an aggressive Sunderland to win 1-0 at the Stadium of Light to take the BPL title to the very last day.

A superb first half strike from Portuguese winger Nani put United ahead after piling on the pressure. It could have been a lot more comfortable scoreline had Dimitar Berbatov put on his shooting boots.

The Bulgarian contrived to miss three of the simplest of chances, firstly a tap-in from Rooney's pass, the second a header from the former Everton forward's pinpoint cross and the final one a header from a yard out.

It proved too much for Ferguson to bear as he hoiked his £32million. This Berbatov is one dumb wanker! Why la Fergie wants him I have no idea. Those were three easy-peasy chances & this wanker can't convert none of them.

Now it will take a monumental effort from Wigan to take anything from Stamford Bridge next Sunday and in all probability they won't - but all Sir Alex Ferguson's players can do is win their game at home to Stoke and pray.

News source: www.newsoftheworld.co.uk

Gerrard: The Dumb-Ass Scouser Wanker

2010-05-03T07:50:00.000-07:00

I watched in horror when Stevie G committed a stupid back pass that handed Didier Drogba a simple opening goal in the first half and later Frank 'Lampoop' added a second after the break for Chelsea to win 2-0 at Anfield.

The result ensured Chelsea remained in pole position to win their first BPL title for four years but also finally put paid to the Merseysiders' hopes of securing Champions League football next season.

I was hoping that Liverpool were going to put up a serious fight to secure that Champions League spot for next season, but instead watch this one-time great English team playing like a bunch of M-League side.

Bodo betul la Gerrard ni! You can't pull a back pass you dumb-ass Scouser! Back in 2006 you set up Henry "beautifully" for a calm and collected goal. Then you also committed a similar back-pass against France in Euro 2004 that led to a Zinedine Zidane penalty. WTF!

You wanker! You should've gone to Madrid when you had the chance instead of just rotting away at Liverpool.

News source:

www.premierleague.com

www.newsoftheworld.co.uk

Angling For A Move

2010-04-30T17:25:00.000-07:00

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits he has been left disappointed by comments recently attributed to Andrei Arshavin when he admitted his admiration for Barcelona.

Arshavin - signed from Zenit St Petersburg during January last year - talked up Barcelona, who knocked Arsenal out of the Champions League, and claimed playing for the Spanish giants at some stage would be ''would be the peak of my career''.

However, his comments have evoked a response from his manager as Wenger maintains all of his players should respect their own club.

''Yes, I am very disappointed because he shows a completely different attitude,'' said Wenger. ''He wants to extend his contract with us and stay with us, so the noise coming out of Russia is very difficult to explain. He looks to be very happy here, so you should ask him where it comes from.

''We do not, of course, accept that. When you are at Arsenal, you are at Arsenal. When you are somewhere else, you are somewhere else.

''I believe that your pride makes first that you defend your club. Everybody has the freedom to speak, but you want to make sure first of all that you respect your club.''

Wenger, though, admitted he has reservations about the source of the quotes.

''I just put one question mark behind the things that come back translated,'' he said. ''Usually you have direct access to him, you can ask him where that comes from.

''I don't forbid you to talk to him, but I take with a little bit of distance what comes back translated sometimes with the help of some agents who want to move the players.''

Hiya Mr Wenger your little Ruski wants to move away from London lah. He's not winning trophies at Arsenal, plus Andrei is gonna be 29 soon, where got much time left to play Champions League & win it...He's frustrated & can't wait anymore la.

I'm not an EPL manager & I can see it coming already.

News Source: soccernet.espn.go.com

Lyon in Champions League Final.....The Women's Team Not The Men's!

2010-04-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

Lyon's female team succeeded where their men's side failed as they progressed to the UEFA Women's Champions League final.

Olympique Lyonnais's female team succeeded where their men's side failed last night as a goalless draw at Umeå IK proved enough for a place in next month's UEFA Women's Champions League final in Madrid.

Hahaha....funny eh?

News source: www.uefa.com

Clearance Sale! Hurry! Hurry!

2010-04-29T08:16:00.000-07:00

Struggling English Premier League clubs West Ham United & Hull City have put almost all their star players up for sale.

West Ham have put up every player except Scott Parker. The clear-out comes less than 72 hours after The Hammers finally beat the drop.

Joint-owner David Sullivan said: "Parker is not for sale. He has several years left on his contract and has intimated on several occasions he wants to stay. He is Mr West Ham."

But it looks like England trio of Robert Green, Matthew Upson & Carlton Cole will all be up for grabs as the club try to trim a 60 million pounds wage bill.

As for Gianfranco Zola, he is '99%' gone as boss for next season, according to Upton Park insiders.

Meanwhile, Hull City will offload most of their best-known players as a result of their impending relegation from the Premier League .

High earners Jimmy Bullard, Geovanni, Anthony Gardner, Stephen Hunt, Kamil Zayatte & Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink are all expected to be put up for sale this summer as the club battle to avoid going into administration, a move that would mean starting life in the Second Division with a 10-point penalty.

Club chairman Adam Pearson admitted last week that administration was a very real possibility for a club who are 35 million pounds in debt.

So any rich Arab Sheikh or Malaysian billionaire interested in buying?

News source: www.thestaronline.com

Dreaming of Barcelona

2010-04-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

Andrei Arshavin a long time Barcelona fan, still dreams of playing for the Spanish giants one day.

"Even playing for just one season for Barcelona would make a pinnacle of my whole career"

The Russian added: "Barca are the best team in the world and I enjoy their style of play so much. But after watching them against Arsenal in the Champions League quarterfinals the enjoyment turned to sorrow".

"They're so much better than anybody else at the moment"

Hmmmm looks like little Andrei is angling for a move to sunny Spain. He's turning 29 next month & that means it is time for a move because in footballing terms, he doesn't have much playing years left, and staying at Arsenal does not guarantee Champions League glory, which is what I believe he is chasing.

News source: www.thestaronline.com

Munich to Madrid

2010-04-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

A stunning hat-trick from Ivica Olić capped a majestic performance from FC Bayern München who impressively brushed aside ten-man Olympique Lyonnais to book their place in the UEFA Champions League final.

Already leading thanks to Arjen Robben's solitary first-leg goal, the four-time European champions never looked like surrendering their advantage as they picked up where they had left off in Munich with another dominant display.

From the moment Olić slotted in his first on 26 minutes Lyon were fighting a desperate battle, and when the French side lost skipper Cris to a red card just before the hour, Bayern merely had to bang nails into OL's coffin. Olić duly obliged, scoring his second midway through the second half before completing his treble on 78 minutes.

News source: www.uefa.com

Pictures courtesy of:
www.uefa.com
dailymail.co.uk

Say No to Kalah Bola

2010-04-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

I saw this picture & was quite shocked!

He used to be the BEST goalkeeper in the world, but now....

So to all of you out there - "Makan lah Tiger Biscuits & Say NO to Kalah Bola"....macam Peter Schmeichel...! Hehehe!

United's "Little Pea" from Mexico

2010-04-27T00:25:00.000-07:00

Manchester United has announced the agreement to sign Mexico's 21 year old striker Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez.

Nicknamed Chicharito or Little Pea, in reference to his green eyes, Javier is the son of Mexico legend Javier "Chicharo" Hernandez who was a top striker who played in the 1986 World Cup.

United's little amigo has a record of scoring 21 goals in 28 appearances for Chivas de Guadalajara in Mexico's Primera Division this term. Standing at only 5'9", Javier is not the biggest striker, but he compensates the lack of height with his quickness & eye for goal.

If a work permit is granted, Javier will become a Manchester United player on 1 July 2010. As part of the deal, United will play a match to open the new 45,000 capacity Chivas Stadium in Guadalajara as part of its 2010/11 season preparations.

Here's hoping this Little Pea is a better deal than a certain 30 million pounds over-rated striker.

Back in our court again...

2010-04-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought Stoke was gonna do an upset, they got thrashed BIG time!

7-0 is a real thrashing, when I saw the score was already 2-0, I told myself..."that's it, game over. Chelsea are going back on top.."

The pressure is now back on United to win their next game & give the West Londoners the tightest finish ever to the season.

Damn!

We're back on top!

2010-04-25T06:22:00.000-07:00

When I was tuning in to this match I had no doubt that United were gonna bag the 3 points. It's just a question of when do they score.

Credit to Spurs for denying full points off Chelsea & Arsenal. I must say this is the best Spurs side I've seen in many years.

The sprint for the BPL title is well & truly on as United cranked up the pressure on Chelsea with this win.

Giggs put United in the driving seat from the penalty spot in the 58th minute, before Ledley King rose unchalleged over Michael Carrick's shoulders to head home Spurs equaliser in the 70th minute.

However, a neat one-two between Nani & Kiko Macheda put the young Portuguese winger through towards goal & he finished with a cool audocious chip over the onrushing Gomes.

2-1 ! United were on fire!

Spurs misery were further aggravated when Wilson Palacios fouled Nani in the box & a second penalty was awarded. Up stepped Giggsy to convert United's third & his personal second.

Game set match! Over to you Chelsea.

2010-04-23T02:35:00.000-07:00

I heard that AC Milan is planning a bid of 20 mil pounds for Berbatov. Thank God for that!

Please quickly come & get United's "I-wanna-be-like-Cantona" wannabe.

I'm not saying he's a bad footballer, just that he's not suited for United. With a price tag of 30 mil initially when bought, he should be hitting the back of the net regularly, contributing at least 20+ goals per season.

Instead he turned into a flop. Never buy an overrated player.

Well Done Hendri Mulyadi...!

2010-01-08T07:59:00.000-08:00

An Indonesian football fan was so frustrated with his national team's lacklustre performance that he invaded the pitch & tried to score a goal.

Hendri Mulyadi, 25, took matters into his own hands as his team were heading for a 1-2 defeat
against Oman.

He sprinted onto the pitch, got control of the ball and ran down the wing, but his attempt to score ended in failure after Oman's keeper blocked the shot.

Police eventually overpowered him and he later apologised on a website.

"I was very disappointed with the Indonesian national team. They never win. It's either lose or draw," said Mr Mulyadi.

Defeat in the match in front of a 40,000-strong Jakarta crowd means Indonesia failed to reach the finals of the Asian Cup for the first time since 1992.

Several online postings next to footage of the incident on YouTube praised Mr Mulyadi's antics.
One said: "He could be a future striker for Indonesia."

Indonesia used to be one of Asia's leading lights in soccer, but its fortunes have been on the slide recently, according to the BBC correspondent in Jakarta, Karishma Vaswani.

News source: news.bbc.co.uk

I saw this piece of news on ESPN Sportscentre report & it was hilarious!

Bravo to Hendri for having the guts to show pro-footballers how the game is really played.

Wonder if any of our fellow Malaysians would dare to attempt this? LOL...!

Going Dutch

2010-01-03T04:36:00.000-08:00

This just in! Can't believe it....Liverpool are on the verge of signing Dutch duo-former Red Devil goal-poacher Ruud Van Nistelrooy & former Real Madrid midfielder Rafael Van der Vaart.

Maybe these two players are just the tonic that Rafa Be-neath-Us (Benitez) need to turn Scouser's season around.

Sorry to say this....wait a minute.....no I'm not sorry to say this....Liverpool are just not that good enough to challenge for the Premier League title.

When you look at Liverpool's team sheet, only two names can be classified as world class players-Stevie Gerrand & Fernando Torres.

The rest are just making up the numbers. Jamie Carragher is a good defender, but why hasn't he been as highly rated as Rio Ferdinand or John Terry? Because he's not as consistent as these two guys are.

Scouser's can't always be relying on El Nino Torres for goals. That's too much weight on his shoulders. Kop flop Andriy Voronin is heading back to Hertha Berlin. Same goes for Andrea Dossena who looks very likely to go to Napoli despite interest from Atletico Madrid.

Now, should the deal is done. It will be an interesting senario to see Ruud scoring at the Stretford End of Old Trafford. I am sure he is still bitter about how he was shoved out of Man.United with reasons being -"unsettling the team-spirit".

I have always said that letting Van Nistelrooy go was a big mistake. Here is a prolific, natural goal-poacher never seen before since Denis Law. Give him half a chance & Ruud will stick the ball into the net.

I'm sure Ruud would want to score a few against United to rub it into Fergie.

World Cup 2010

2010-01-02T21:09:00.000-08:00

I found this posting on the net and decided to reproduced it here coz I felt it is worth reading, hilarious & very creative by the writer (hope the writer doesn't mind)

Group A

South Africa - powered by Charlize Theron's smile

Mexico - powered by burritos

Uruguay - powered coz they won the first one

France - powered by Thierry Henry's handball

Group B

Argentina - powered by Tevez's continual bitching

Nigeria - powered by flying super eagles

South Korea - powered by Park-Ji Sung's third lung

Greece - powered by The Gods

Group C

England - powered by David Beckham's latest haircut

USA - powered by the same people who brought you Liverpool Soccer Club

Algeria - powered by the Tropic of Cancer

Slovenia - powered by a lot of Alps

Group D

Germany - powered by Oktoberfest

Australia - powered by useless people like Mark Viduka

Serbia - powered by superb people like Nemanja Vidic

Ghana - powered by Bintang Hitam

Group E

Netherlands - powered by horse placentas

Denmark - powered by Eyeris Learns To Rock

Japan - powered by VVTI, NEO-VVL, i-VTEC, MIVEC, Wankel-rotary......

Cameroon - powered by crazy-flexibile-bodies during throw-ins

Group F

Italy - powered by headbutts

Paraguay - powered by a person named Santa

New Zealand - overpowered by their rugby mates

Slovakia - powered by lots of roads

Group G

Brazil - powered by samba

North Korea - powered by Kim Yong-il's nuclear toys

Ivory Coast - powered by Drogba's multi talented acting career

Portugal - powered by Cristiano "80 Mil Best Buy" Ronaldo

Group H

Spain - powered by breastfeeding Torres

Switzerland - powered by Swiss Bank Accounts

Honduras - powered by their political crisis

Chile - not powered by their horses's placentas

World Cup fever has finally started! For football fans the world over, I'm sure you know what the posting above means...LOL!

Pictures courtesy of:

theaustralian.com.au

arenabola.com

fadedyouthblog.com

liverpooldailypost.co.uk

alachuacountyfair.org/oktoberfest2.jpg

dailymail.co.uk

Money = Success? Of course not.

2010-01-02T07:53:00.000-08:00

I was fuming at the way Mark Hughes was dismissed by owners of Manchester City FC.

This is another case of Man. City's billionaire owners doing an 'Abramovich'. You know what I mean.

You do remember a certain Russian oil tycoon who fell in love with the game after watching Man.United against Real Madrid and decided to buy a certain London club.

All is well in the beginning, but as the years go by, reality hits in his face. Money does NOT buy lasting success. Not in football it doesn't.

You can buy some of the best players in the world, pay them with so much money that it oozes out of their ears, but that is NOT a guarantee the trophies will keep coming every season.

It takes hard work, years & years of work to get that magic of winning all the time. Even that is not full-proof.

Look at how long it took for Alex Ferguson to shape Manchester United into what they are today. It wasn't instant, it was years & years of dedication & hard work. Players come & go but the club has to sustain that winning mentality & momentum.

Our Russian owner of that London club has finally begun to understand that concept, but Man.City's new owners have not. Soon they'll learn, and it will be a bitter lesson for them.

Again, I am absolutely disgusted at the way Sparky was treated by his former employer. Roy Keane said the Sparky was better off without City.

Steve Bruce also expressed support for his former team mate.

You did a good job at City Sparky. I guess some people are just 'blind' & plain 'dumb' not to understand that.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

Gosh a lot has happen & before we know it, it's already the new year!

Football-wise has been extremely exciting! Cristiano Ronaldo finally left Manchester United to fulfill his mom's dream of seeing him in the white jersey of Real Madrid.

Deep down I've already known that Ronaldo was never gonna be around this season for United. It was sad to see him go, but he has contributed a great deal to United for five seasons. Premier League titles, FA Cup, League Cup & UEFA Champions League are the main prizes which were won & now the boy wants a new challenge. Sad to see him go to Spain, but I can understand his need for something fresh.

What I don't understand is how United is not bringing in a new striker to fill the goal getting boots of Ronaldo. No disrespect to Rooney, but Wazza needs help up font. Berbatov has yet to justify his 30 million price tag, while Michael Owen is......well........you know.

We missed Karim Benzema who opted for Madrid instead, but now it looks like he's not playing regularly for the new 'Galacticos'. Perhaps he should've opted for United to get regular first eleven action.

Antonio Valencia has done well so far, but I feel he has not been severly tested yet.

Wonder who are the replacements for Scholesy & Giggsy once they decide to call it a day...?

To me, honestly Nani needs to go. The same with Ben Foster-he looks to have the making of the new Fabian 'Butterfingers' Barthez. United need someone solid & reliable.

Kuszczak has been brilliant in several matches, I do hope he keeps the good form going. You can't be asking Edwin Van der Sar to cover all the time. I believe this is Tomasz's time to stake a claim as the next No.1 goalkeeper at United.

I am still shaking my head as to why United's management decided NOT to buy Fernando Torres. That was a HUGE & monumental mistake by them. Now El Nino is a scouser & scoring against United! I guess now they realised how silly they have been.

And why oh why hasn't United made any bid to sign French ace Franck Ribery is beyond my comprehension. Oh dear, I sincerely hope this won't come back to bite United in the a**e.

Hope Fergie won't regret this.

Pictures courtesy of:

news.bbc.co.uk

getty images

thesun.co.uk

AC to MC...?

2009-01-16T06:09:00.000-08:00

Just saw Sports Centre on ESPN. It seems that AC Milan is considering an offer from Manchester City for their star player Kaka for 175 million pounds!

That's a lot of money and I'm sure Kaka is worth his huge price tag, but Manchester City?! Is Kaka serious? Or has Kaka gone Koo Koo?

No disrespect to Manchester City, but if you are a star player of high pedigree from a World Cup winning country where football is breathe in like the fresh air, or is treated like a religion-a top club with a rich history, tradition & champion pedigree would be a more logical & suitable choice.

Europe is not short of clubs that fit the bill above-Real Madrid, Barcelona, and of course Manchester United are huge clubs with all those mentioned qualities.

I wouldn't even blame Kaka should he choose to head to Liverpool or Arsenal or even Chelsea, but Manchester City?

Again no disrespect to Man.City, but just because you have tons of money & is currently the richest football club in the world doesn't mean that you can buy success by luring the world's best through your chequebook.

Look at Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas. He's currently one of the best midfielders in the world, yet he has not accepted big money offers from Real Madrid or his native Barcelona.

Look at Liverpool's Stevie G -another outstanding player. Why is he still staying at Merseyside Red when Chelsea & Real Madrid were clamouring for his signature few seasons ago. The money that was offered was unbelievable, yet Stevie stayed with Liverpool.

And why is Paul Scholes & Ryan Giggs are still at the very same club since they were 11 years old? Again money is not the issue. It's playing for the RIGHT club.

Pictures courtesy of: Google Images

Brave Gesture

2009-01-10T21:39:00.000-08:00

Mali international & Sevilla striker-Frederic Kanoute was fined by the Spanish Football Federation for revealing a T-shirt that expressed support for Palestine during a match.

Kanoute lifted his Sevilla jersey over his head after scoring in his team's 2-1 Copa del Rey win over Deportivo La Coruna. Kanoute, who was born in France, is a practicing Muslim.

Kanoute's action, which has been interpreted as a response to Israel's recent attacks on Gaza that have killed nearly 700 people, was met with a yellow card from referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz.

Lahoz said in his post-match report that he'd cautioned Kanoute for raising his shirt over his head in accordance with federation rules, while also noting the message of the striker's T-shirt.

Raphael Schultz, Israel's ambassador in Madrid, told Radio Marca on Thursday that Kanoute's gesture "had gone beyond his profession and FIFA rules to this respect."

"I saw the match and the T-shirt bore nothing more than the name of Palestine. It was not an incitement against Israel. I don't think it extolled violence," Schultz said.

Meanwhile, Palestine embassy official Mahmoud Aluanen told the same station that Kanoute "has shown himself to be a very brave person to support our people at a public event."

"Sportsmen are human beings and cannot contain their feelings. They have all the right in the world to express their opinion about matters which contravene human rights.

"I'm sure that all Palestinian children, those who love football, will be happy about this gesture," Aluanen added.

The incident came a day before Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas paid a visit to Madrid for talks with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and King Juan Carlos.

My Opinion:

It was a very brave gesture from Kanoute, despite the fact it was against Spanish football regulations.

Yes, yes-sports & politics should not & never ever mix, but you must admit what is currently happening in Palestine goes beyond human rights. Innocent people especially children are dying senselessly.

You don't need to be a genius to figure that one out.

So while all the world leaders & the UN Security Council are "content" & "powerless" while sitting their butts down, with fingers up their a**e, and no action is being taken, the simple & brave gesture of a professional footballer should be applauded & saluted for reminding us that in the mix of our celebrations & happiness, we should spare a thought for those unfortunate ones in the Middle East.

Frederic Kanoute-I salute U...

Picture & news source:

http://news.bbc.co.uk

My Life So Far....

2008-07-21T11:27:00.000-07:00

It's been ages since I've blogged.

Tons of events have taken place which prevented me from indulging in blogging. One in particular is my work. Fyi, I'm currently attached to a PR company which boasts 21 years of experience in the field.

One would expect that being attached to such a "well-known" company, your future is secure, and being someone the boss counts-on, you are much valued by your superior. This is however, not the case in my story.

My company has only 1 PR Executive - Me!

And dear old me is handling a myriad of accounts which include some of the big names in the corporate sector. I have no PR Assistant to assist me in the little trivial task such as calling up the clients, photocopying, follow-up on payments from clients, and hosts of other tasks. Dear old me is doing EVERYTHING. Overwhelmed with so many tasks, I am bound to miss a thing or two, no matter how careful I try to be.

Despite salaried with such a ridiculous amount each month, I am still loyal. I show up for work, I do the job. Does my boss appreciate me for all that I've done so far? Big fat - NO!

I joined the company in January this year. Since then up till this month, my company has lost-

1 Finance Exec, 2 DTP Artist, 1 very experienced Designer, 2 Personal Drivers, 1 Special Assistant to CEO & 2 PR Execs.

Surprised? You haven't heard anything yet. The Special Assistant to CEO has to drive the CEO's wife to pasar once every week....AND wash both their cars whenever required. I wonder whether that part of the job was in his job scope. He has left for greener pastures since, and he left abruptly without handing in a notice nor was there a phone call.

Well, he did call me to confide his troubles, and I advised him for his own good-to think about the future of your family & decide. Glad to see that he made a wise choice & left.

I've been working for 7 months and I haven't received a single payslip. NOT ONE! Weird huh? I have NO Socso deduction, so should I get injured (God forbid NO!) in the event of perfoming my duties, I am not covered & shall not be entitled to Socso. Nice isn't it?

My boss once mentioned about how international companies would simply fire/terminate staff without any compensation/benefits. Case in point was a local PR firm (I shall not mention the name) which was owned by a foreign party, who sacked the entire staff, took the money & left for their home-country.

My boss further continued that I was lucky to be working with him, saying that he provides me with EPF deduction plus Employer's EPF contribution of 12%.

Ummm...isn't EPF a RIGHT of every person working fulltime in Malaysia? Every individual working fulltime in this country is entitled to EPF! And the Employer MUST contribute their share (certain %) to the Employee!!! That's the LAW! So how can my 'smart' boss say that I'm LUCKY to get EPF from him? Isn't that stupid?

How do you react when your boss ask you (with a smirk on his face)...Are you affected by the recent petrol hike?"

My response (after staring blankly at his stupid face)..."What do you think boss?"

After I educated him on how much I spent on petrol & toll, his response was - "Hmm, maybe I should charge XXX company more since costs are going up nowadays"...

Bodo tak? Baik kau naik kan gaji aku yang ciput ni! Dah berapa kali aku sound-NAIK GAJI AKU! Bodo!

My boss makes tons of money from various PR assignments, if he were to double my salary, his company will NOT go bust. Many times he said that should I am unable to push this one particular client to pay their monthly PR Fee, he won't be able to credit in my salary for the month. I am just ONE Exec you moron! You can't afford to pay me ke?!

I'm currently scouting around for other job opportunities. Should any of you reading this hear of anything just leave a note in the comment box. I really appreciate it.

I need a much better job with better prospect & future because my son is coming in August...Insya-Allah. YIPPPEEE!!

I hope to be a good father....working with a better company....Wish me luck people :o)

Pictures courtesy of:
www.employeefactor.com

Oranje Power!

2008-06-18T04:46:00.000-07:00

Because of work, I am unable to follow matches during this year's Euro Championship. What a waste. I can only catch highlights & repeats.

The thrill of getting up & watching a football match 'live' is what gets my adrenalin going, but alas, I couldn't do it this year.

However, I'm thrilled to see that my Oranje team is doing extremely well in this tournament. Whipping two previous World Cup winners looks like a breeze for Van Nistelrooy & co.

Hope that Netherlands will go all the way to win it this year.

Pictures courtesy of:

www.telegraph.co.uk

www.thesun.co.uk

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS!

2008-06-18T04:36:00.000-07:00

As if being English Champions is not enough, we beat Chelsea again...this time to be crowned European Champions!

Hahaha! This is the best sucker punch delivered to the Blues!

Although Chelsea played well, but luck was never on their side. I guess God is a Man.United fan.

Nevermind the fact that United won it through penalties, bottom line is we won! We are now the EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS! Too bad Chelsea.

Say it loudly...."CHAMPIONS! CHAMPIONS! CHAMPIONS!

EPL Champions!

2008-06-18T04:24:00.000-07:00

Should've posted this long time ago.

Although it's long overdue, but I guess Man.United fans worldwide would never grow tired of this piece of news....Manchester United are Premier League Champions!

Once again we showed all the other teams in the EPL that it doesn't just take star players, or billions of pounds showered by their respective club owners, but more about experience, patience, humility & respect towards your opponents. These are equally important elements in making a championship winning team.

I guess Chelsea, and the rest would need to understand that Man.United became the best in the league through years & years of hard work.

Congrats again to Manchester United! My team & yours! Say it loudly..."CHAMPIONS! CHAMPIONS! CHAMPIONS!

"Yes we are the Special One!"

Red Army To Invade Moscow

2008-05-07T22:53:00.000-07:00

22 May 2008 will be D-Day for United. It will be the day when Manchester United have the opportunity to clinch the biggest prize in club football.

Who would've thought that an all-England final would take place?

To me, this is the perfect night for Manchester United to show the world & all the Blues fans that just because your club owner is a mega-rich oil tycoon, does not guarantee you the Champions League trophy.

Wasn't that biased? Of course, I'm a Man.United fan through & through.

Frankly speaking, I'm tired of seeing Abramovich luring players to Chelsea by flashing his cheque book. And what does that say about the players? Well, don't they sound like football mercenaries?

I'm sorry if "mercenary" is such a strong word, but how many Chelsea players play for Chelsea because they love the club? John Terry is the perfect example. He's Mr.Chelsea. He's the "Keano" of Chelsea. What about the rest of his team mates? Do you think they love Chelsea or Roman's billions? Go figure.

Anyway I can't wait for the final when England's Red Army sweeps Moscow and win the Champions League!

Pictures courtesy of:

www.fannation.com
www.soccerlens.com

We're Getting Closer...!

2008-05-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

Another win in the bag!

Man.United took another crucial step towards retaining their Premier League crown by thrashing East Londoners West Ham 4-1, at Old Trafford.

A brace from Portuguese wizard Cristiano Ronaldo, as early as the 3rd minute gave United a commanding lead inside the opening half-an hour.

Carlos Tevez's strike from 30 yards was simply unstoppable and extended United's lead.

However, shortly before half-time United were reduced to 10 men when Nani was given his marching orders after tangling with Lucas Neill off the ball. The West Ham skipper pushed him, and the young Portuguese retaliated by head-butting. Both players fell theatrically to the ground. After seeking advice from his assistant, referee Mike Riley produced the red card to Nani.

I totally agree with the match official's decision. It was a moment of pure immaturity from Nani, and he will learn from his mistakes.

Right before the hour mark, Michael Carrick became the second ex-West Ham player to score against his old club when his low drive shot was deflected and wrong-footed the helpless Robert Green. United were 4 goals up and cruising. It could've been 5 up had Darren Flecther's side-footed shot not rebounded against the post.

When the final whistle sounded, the entire Man.United squad did a victory lap to thank their fans for all the support given, as this was the last match played at Old Trafford this season.

United's last game of the season will be held at the JJB Stadium, home of Wigan Athletic.

A win at Wigan will guarantee Manchester United their 10th Premier League title.

Pictures courtesy of:

www.premierleague.com
www.news.bbc.co.uk
www.soccerlens.com

Despair....

2008-04-30T22:51:00.000-07:00

What should've been a day for United to wrap up the title, turned out to be a defeat instead.

I knew that Man.United were not going to win at Stamford Bridge the moment I saw the line-up. Why isn't Ronaldo, Scholes and Tevez in the starting eleven? And why is Giggs playing?

Don't get me wrong, I consider Giggs to be one of United's legends, but he has lost that pace to be a winger. Instead of fielding Ronaldo, Giggs was played, with Nani slotted on the other flank.

There was also no depth in midfield either. Scholes was missing, and his footballing brain and wit was needed to neutralise the strength and passing by Essien.

Things did not look good when Vidic was taken off due to injury. On paper, Chelsea were the more balanced side on that day.

I think Ballack had a terrific game, and his display was the reason that Chelsea won. Nevermind that Drogba tried to brush the German captain with his ego, Ballack was just superb.

Rooney's goal was a fluke, and it was really charitable of Ricardo Carvalho to hand United the equaliser. At this point, the game was level again, and United should've brought on Ronaldo and Tevez to beef up their side and match Chelsea.

When United do decide to bring in the young Portuguese, he was clearly held, wrestled and obstructed by Ballack which should've been a clear cut penalty, but somehow match official Alan Wiley missed the incident, when replays clearly showed the offence.

This decision incensed Fergie and the entire United fans in Malaysia. And as if that wasn't enough, in the dying minutes the linesman flagged Michael Carrick for handball inside the penalty box, and awarded Chelsea a penalty instead! Replays clearly showed that it was ball-to-hand & NOT hand-to-ball. Linesman is soooooo BUTA KAYU!

In my personal opinion, Fergie made a mistake with his selection for this match. Instead of fielding a strong side, he opted to rest several stars and paid the price for it.

I was really disappointed.

Pictures courtesy of:

www.premierleague.com
www.soccerlens.com
www.goal.com

Red vs Blue

2008-04-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

Everybody is waiting for this game. This Saturday, it's a head-to-head clash between the top two teams in the English League.

League leaders Manchester United will take on rival Chelsea in an afternoon kick-off in London. United will be going into this match wanting to beat Roman's Blue Army at their own ground. While that is easier said than done, Chelsea have this impressive record of staying unbeaten at home since 2004.

Despite having a far superior goal difference over their opponents, United would love to break Chelsea's unbeaten run at home, while Abramovich's men need a win in order to halt "Fergie's Fledings" from winning the title.

Pictures courtesy of:

www.football-kit.org.uk
www.fifa-mra.com

Honours Even

2008-04-24T22:06:00.000-07:00

Man.United and Barcelona drew 0-0 in the Champions League semi-finals played at the Nou Camp.

Although Cristiano Ronaldo could've nicked a goal as early as the third minute from the penalty spot, United looked a solid side as they neutralised the Catalan giants potent attack.

With the stakes so high, both teams were happy keeping each other at arm's length and were very cautios in their approach.

In the first half’s final act, Ronaldo was again tripped by Marquez outside the area, and the Mexican was punished with a yellow card which rules him out of next week’s return leg. From the free kick, Ronaldo curled his effort a yard wide of the far post.

At the other end, Wes Brown was alert to block a goal-bound shot from the ever-dangerous Eto’o, while Edwin van der Sar comfortably clutched a low 25-yard free kick from Deco.

Into the second half, Xavi went one better just before the hour mark, hitting the target with a powerful effort from 20 yards, but van der Sar contorted well to hold the Spaniard’s low, deflected shot.

With United so resolute at the back, pot-shots were Barca’s best hope of establishing a lead. Substitute Thierry Henry and Iniesta both tried their luck from distance, but found van der Sar equal to their efforts as the game wound towards its climax.

With 90 decisive minutes to come in Manchester next Tuesday, however, it’s safe to assume that the second course will be a far tastier affair.

News source: http://www.manutd.com/

Pictures courtesy of:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
http://www.football.co.uk/

Nou Camp again...

2008-04-16T22:11:00.000-07:00

Did I mention that Man.United made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League this season?

Well, Man.United MADE IT to the semi-finals this season!

And we're facing, in my opinion one the best teams in Europe-Barcelona.

Despite the off-form of Ronaldinho, I still believe that Barcelona would be the most difficult opponent that United had faced this season. Forget how we beat Roma, that was not such a tough match.

But playing against the Catalans is a whole different game altogether.

No Ronaldinho, no problem. Barca have Henry.

No Deco, Barca have Xavi to pull the midfield strings.

No Messi, Barca have teen sensation Bojan Krikic & Giovanni Dos Santos. Let's not forget they also have 'steel iron hardman' Carles Puyol to galvanise the team & lead the defence.

Believe me beating Barcelona is no easy task, what more trying to do it in Spain. But I'm confident that United can bring back an away goal for the return leg at Old Trafford.

I'm praying for another glorious night for Man.United. A repeat at the Nou Camp like it was in 1999.

4 more matches & we're there!

2008-04-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, Manchester United took another crucial step towards retaining their Premier League title, with a 2-1 win over bitter arch nemesis Arsenal. It was a killer blow which totally ended the Gunners' title race for this season.

Arsenal started the match brightly with some fluid passing which is their hallmark signature over the years. United were finding it difficult to settle down & find their rhythm, despite playing before a full house in their own back yard.

The Londoners was clearly the better side in the first half, but were unlucky to register on the score sheet.

However, after the break, Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor found the net with a rather peculiar header, which replays shown to have come off his hands rather than his head. Arsenal was 1-0 up, and Old Trafford was silent.

Lady luck was smiling at United when William Gallas was penalised for handball. Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up & scored his 38th goal of the season with such confidence despite being instructed to re-take his initial spot-kick due to players enroachment into the box.

In my opinion, this penalty was the turning point for United to gather their strength & go for the win & kill off the game.

18 minutes from time, Owen Hargreaves curled in a glorious free-kick 25 yards from goal and sent Old Trafford into a frenzy, and Arsenal into a glump.

Manchester United 2....Arsenal....1

I guess this made West Londoner Blues cursed such profanity. Arsenal was doing Chelsea a favour by leading 1-0.

Even at 1-1 it was still a wide open title race.

But at 2-1 to United, the EPL title looks pretty much sure to remain up in the red side of Manchester.

But we're not celebrating just yet. Anything can happen with 4 more matches remaining. Until then.....GLORY...GLORY...MAN.UNITED.....!

Cheers! :o)

news source: www.manutd.com

pictures courtesy of: www.premierleague.com

Stupid Boss

2008-04-03T21:12:00.000-07:00

What do you do when your boss doesn't understand that you have a family function to attend to?

What do you do when your boss scoffs/laughs when you tell him that you have a family emergency to go to?

What do you do when your boss belittles your family problems, and makes remarks like..."What family emergency? You are all young people, you should not have family emergencies, you should breeze through life easily...."

To me that sounds like a man who doesn't want to understand or just couldn't be bothered to understand.

You see my boss just wants me to devote my life 100% to work. Even during 11pm he would text message me asking about work.

He even asked me to accompany him early in the morning on one fine Saturday to meet clients!

HELLO?! It's a Saturday! My day off. If I have to work on my off day, then when do I get my day off? Mind you I'm very particular about my off day. I would NOT answer any text message, nor calls during the weekends regarding work.

Do you guys understand me? Do any of you have bosses like mine?

It's difficult when you're dealing with people who thinks that your problems are minor or trivial.

Vote for Makcik Maimun

2008-03-18T16:01:00.000-07:00

OK, a little detour from the usual football post I keep putting up.

I know that the General Elections is over, but I just found out about this. Remember the makcik from Terengganu who contested? She has a blog. Fuyoo!

And she actually introduces herself through You Tube too. That is featured in her blog as well. Have a look!

Hehe...!

No to Wembley...

2008-03-10T22:13:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday (8th March) was a shocking day.

No, it's got nothing to do with the General Election results. Manchester United's FA Cup dream was dashed after losing 0-1 to Portsmouth.

Despite controlling most of the match, United was having a string of bad luck. In addition to that, the refereeing of the match was appalling. United should have had a clear cut penalty when Pompey's Slyvain Distin clearly made no attempt to get the ball, and body-checked Ronaldo in the box. However, referee Martin Atkinson waved away United's claim, a decision which left Alex Ferguson fuming on the touchline. The Red Devils can feel a deep sense of frustration, and injustice too.

Portsmouth would have been a goal down inside 20 minutes, but for some brave defending by Glen Johnson. Tevez broke down the right and put Rooney one on one with keeper David James, but Wayne was not quick enough to get his shot away and James saved. Tevez latched onto the loose ball and fired towards goal, but Johnson cleared off the line.

Shortly after United had a second penalty claim turned down by the referee. John Utaka bundled into Nani inside the area, though it was a far less clear cut than Ronaldo's incident. United had plenty of attacking opportunities in the first half, most frequently on the counter. But the final pass, decision to whether to shoot or not, wasn't quite right. United's crossing also wasn't as sharp as it needed to be against the towering figures of Distin, Campbell & Hreidarsson.

In the 78th minute, Pompey snatched victory through a penalty, which resulted in a red card for sub keeper Kuszczak. Yes, I do admit it was a foul, but it did not warranted a sending off, because there were still two United players defending & the keeper was not the last man. A yellow card was the correct decision.

With that outrages decision by match official, Rio Ferdinand pulled on the keeper's jersey & gloves, and took his place between the posts. Even though guessing the right way where the ball went, he was unable to stop Sully Muntari's powerful shot hitting the back of the net.

United then threw men forward in search for an equaliser to rescue their FA Cup dream, but it was not to be. Harry Redknapp's men managed to hold on the lead & claim victory at Old Trafford and a place in the semi-finals.

United's FA Cup dream was officially over for this season.

pictures courtesy of:

www.manutd.com
www.news.bbc.co.uk
www.football.guardian.co.uk

My precious...

2008-03-02T06:24:00.000-08:00

This post should've been up weeks ago.

Yesterday against Fulham, Manchester United chalked up another win and secured another vital three points in the Premier League.

Fielding a number of understudies, United were still too strong for their opponents despite without several key regulars like Ronaldo, Rooney, Vidic & Anderson. United's 'Ginger Top Prince' Paul Scholes was playing, while Owen Hargreaves was his midfield partner.

And in was the latter that broke the deadlock with a beautiful curling free kick in the 16th minute which gave United the lead, after Carlos Tevez was fouled outside the box.

Seconds before the stroke of halftime, Scholes supplied a pin-point cross which was headed home with great accuracy by Korean international Park Ji-Sung. It was his first goal for about a year.

With this win, United managed to cut Arsenal's lead at the top from five points to just one.

Pictures courtesy of: www.manutd.com

FIFA Ranking List 2008

2008-02-15T23:00:00.000-08:00

Fifa released its latest ranking list.

African Nations Cup host Ghana went up to 14th place, while champions Egypt are now in 29th.

Occupying the summit is Argentina, followed by Brazil, while World Cup winners Italy dropped to third.

Our beloved Malaysia dropped another place to 165th. "Adoi!"

Pak Lah's dream of Malaysia winning the World Cup is best forgotten. We can't even beat Singapore, Indonesia or Thailand regularly.

We struggled. Yes you heard me, our footballers s-t-r-u-g-g-l-e-d to beat Vietnam & The Philipines during the SEA Games.

There was a time when I enjoyed watching our national team. There was Mokhtar Dahari, Santokh Singh, Soh Chin Aun "The Towkay", "Spiderman" Arumugam, Jamaluddin Norbit, Dollah Salleh, Azizul Abu Haniffah, and many more from the 70s & 80s.

But now, most of the players are young guns in their 20s, who are more interested in looking good while on the pitch while wearing the latest Nike or Adidas white/blue/orange boots. Yet, they haven't even mastered the most basic of football techniques. What's the point of having a specially designed jersey by Nike if you can't play properly?

Have you seen our national team in action?

The players can't even trap the ball properly when receiving it in the air.

They are incapable of passing the ball to a team mate who stands more than 10 feet away.

They can't dribble properly or take on defenders. "Malu man"

And this is the most common, the players can't score clinically even when the chance is clear cut. If there are 10 clear cut chances to score, our players can't even knock 5 of it into the net. "Seriously bengang to watch"

Did you also notice that our national players constantly run out of steam? They don't have the stamina to last for the full 90 minutes. 'Ginseng-powered' Park ji-Sung would be running circles around them.

Bukit Jalil National Stadium is supposedly our best stadium, along with the Shah Alam Stadium.

But have you seen the condition of the pitch? Try kicking a ball along the ground & count how many times it bobbles up & down. This does not do our national team any favours.

I remembered during 2002. Brazil came over and played a warm up match before they flew to Korea & Japan for the World Cup Finals. We hosted the World No.1 football team with sand filled-grass pitch at Bukit Jalil Stadium. What an embarrassment. Isn't there any allocation in the budget for maintenance of the grass?

By the way, Brazil hammered us 4-0 & went on to become World Cup Champions that year. They played with so much pride, passion & love for the colours of their nation. How I wish our national players would play with that much passion & spirit. It's not that our boys can't, they just aren't doing it.

I guess Malaysian football is destined to be in the doldrums for many many more years. Until FAM get its act together and the national players show improvement & change, nobody can blame me & thousands of Malaysians for opting to watch foreign football instead.

Malaysian football can only 'menang sorak' for the so-called 'Super League' & 'Premier League' but 'standard tak bole pakai'.

pictures courtesy of:

www.the-diplomat.com
www.nst.com.my
www.blog.kievukraine.info
www.football-wallpapers.com

Manchester Remembers...

2008-02-09T12:25:00.000-08:00

Every Man.United fans' radar is on standby.

Tomorrow is going to be an an important derby match for the Red Devils as they will take on city rivals Manchester City.

It will also be an emotional match for United, as there will be a minute's silence to remember the tragic Munich air disaster that took the lives of eight talented Man.United players that occurred on 6 February 1958 in Munich, Germany.

Apart from a minute's silence to remember the 50th anniversary of this tragedy, a special retro kit will be worn by the Man.United team.

The strip, which has been specially designed without kit manufacturer or sponsorship logos, is based on the kit worn by the Busby Babes in the 1950s - in recognition of this week's 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.

Also abandoned are modern squad numbers, with United's 16-man squad set to don numbers 1 through 16 on Sunday after gaining special dispensation from the Premier League.

United's Chief executive David Gill said: "The sincere thanks of the Club go to AIG and Nike for their wholehearted backing for the kit change, and to the Premier League for allowing us to mark the event in a unique way."

Like United, opponents Man.City will don a retro strip, free of sponsorship, especially for Sunday's match. A black ribbon motif, bearing the words ‘Manchester Remembers,’ has also been incorporated as a mark of respect.

As a hardcore United through & through myself, my respects & condolences go out to the family members of those United players, staff & journalists.

I am from Malaysia, and I'm sure all Manchester United fans from here are with you.

R.I.P.

Geoff Bent
Roger Byrne
Eddie Colman
Duncan Edwards
Mark Jones
David Pegg
Tommy Taylor
Liam 'Billy' Whelan
Walter Crickmer (Club Secretary)
Bert Whalley (Chief Coach)
Tom Curry (Trainer)

Malaysia Remembers...

(Information source: www.manutd.com & en.wikipedia.org)

pictures courtesy of: www.manutd.com

Not so "dream final" afterall...

2008-02-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

I watch last night's Buletin Utama sports news with a smile.

So it seems there isn't going to be the much anticipated "dream final" for the African Nations Cup this year. Host Ghana were shot down by a single goal from Cameroon, while Ivory Coast was ripped apart & given a footballing lesson by holders Egypt in their respective semi-final matches.

Despite all the hype before the tournament began that it will only be a final between favourites Ivory Coast & host Ghana, fate stepped in and changed the course of destiny.

Cameroon led through Alain Nkong's second-half goal, scored after a brilliant piece of counter-attacking football which illuminated an otherwise drab semi-final.

The midfielder, who plays for Atlante in Mexico, latched on to a Samuel Eto'o through-ball after 71 minutes to score.

While Egypt showed Ivory Coast that having a squad full of Premier League stars does not guarantee success with a comfortable 4-1 win over them.

I guess this defeat will wipe off that silly arrogant smirk from Didier Drogba's face, and teach him some form of humility.

Congratulations to Egypt & Cameroon, and I'm looking forward to the final. May the best team win.

pictures courtesy of:

www.espnstar.com
www.africanhit.com/news
www.footyblog.net

Africa's Best Player? No!

2008-02-09T11:15:00.000-08:00

He's at it again.

Chelsea hitman Didier Drogba has said that he deserves to win the African Footballer of the Year award. If you remember, he made the same statement for European Footballer of the Year award in 2007. Oh dear, "perasan betul".

Anyway this time, according to Drogba, the reason why he wasn't chosen was because he couldn't travel to receive the prestigious award, due to his commitment with Ivory Coast for the African Nations Cup. So it seems the committee decided to "give" the award to Freddie Kanoute of Mali instead.

Whether that is true or not, I believe that Drogba should just keep his big mouth shut, stop making accusations & just keep on playing football.

And also please stop being so arrogant. You're not the only top footballer from the African continent. Have you forgotten about your team mate Michael Essien? What about Samuel Eto'o? Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue? You don't hear these guys blow their own horn, do they?

So please Didier, just play football, stop being arrogant & please be quiet. Nobody likes an arrogant loudmouth footballer.

pictures courtesy of:

www.skysports.com
www.gongonews.com
www.dhifm.com
www.4thegame.com
www.futbolreal.com
www.arsenal.com

Bobby "The Hamsap" Chinn

2008-02-08T17:00:00.000-08:00

This is a non-football related post.

Celebrity chef & TV host Bobby Chin's famously cheeky ways have finally caught up with him.

He won the Best Entertainment Presenter for Discovery Travel & Living series World Cafe Asia at the recent Asian Television Awards, but lost a lot of points with Andrea De Cruz and her entourage.

The actress-host was posing for the cameras on the red carpet when a man suddenly came up from behind her-hugged her, nuzzled her neck & kissed her ear.

Andrea's actor-husband Pierre Png, her perennial partner for the annual event was not by her side this year because he was filming in China.

When the New Paper caught up with her right after the incident, she appeared shocked, horrified and disgusted.

She complained to a reporter & her managers about Bobby's "rude gesture"-especially since she didn't even know who he was.

Andrea revealed that when she told Png about it, he was "very upset and wanted a public apology".

Her managers from Media Corp were also annoyed and asked her if she wanted to take action against Chin.

They are still deciding whether or not to send an official letter of complaint to the event organisers.

When contacted, an extremely remorseful Chinn apologised profusely for his actions, unaware of the happiness that he had caused.

"I am obviously upset because I upset her and it was not my intention to offend of belittle her".

He claimed he had never been invited to an awards ceremony before and was caught up in the excitement of being at the Asian Television Awards.

He also had no idea who Andrea was or that she was married.

Chinn hopes that the incident won't cause Singaporeans to brand him a lecher. He added that he'll be "more cautious" in the future when "similiar situations" crop up.

He said: "I'm cheeky, but I'm not chee ko pek (Hokkien for dirty old man).

My comments: You ARE a dirty old man Bobby. Shame on you for behaving the way you did. Your excuse of being caught up in the excitement was a silly one, and the fact you don't know who Andrea was is reason enough for you NOT to grab her & did what you did.

For the record, I'm NOT a fan of you.

(news source: The Star, Tue. 25 Dec. '07)

pictures courtesy of:

www.thingsasian.com
www.news.bbc.co.uk

R.I.P. Phil O'Donnell...

2008-02-08T16:40:00.000-08:00

Another post that was supposed to be up last year.

Motherwell captain Phil O'Donnell collapsed on the pitch during a Scottish Premier League match. O'Donnell who won one cap for Scotland in 1993, was taken off the pitch on a stretcher 12 minutes from the end of the game against Dundee United, which third-placed Motherwell won 5-3.

Motherwell owner John Boyle described the death as unspeakable tragedy.

"Phil was rushed to Wishaw General Hospital by ambulance after collapsing during today's game," the club said in a statement on their website (www.motherwellfc.co.uk).

"Motherwell & Dundee United medical staff believe he suffered a seizure and efforts were made to revive him en route to hospital.

"Despite the efforts of the two club's medical staff & medical staff at the hospital. Phil did not regain consciousness and was pronounced dead at 17:18 (GMT).

"This is an unspeakable tragedy for Phil's family," Boyle said.

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee said: "We are totally devastated and our thoughts are with Phil's wife and family.

"Phil was a great professional and gave everything when he played the game. This is a shocking tragedy".

O'Donnell was a huge favourite having made his debut as a 17-year-old in the 1990/91 season, and later that campaign scoring in their 4-3 Scottish Cup final win over Dundee United.

He made his sole Scotland appreance as a sub in a World Cup qualifying game against Switzerland at Aberdeen in 1993 and the following year moved to Celtic for what reamins a Motherwell club record fee of 1.75 million pounds.

He spent five years at Celtic before moving to England with Sheffield Wednesday, where he made only 20 appreances in four injury ravaged seasons.

He made an emotional return to Motherwell in 2004 in a game against Dundee United where nephew Clarkson scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win and earlier this year (2007) signed a new contract as a player-coach.

Former Scotland manager Craig Brown told Sky Sports: It's very very sad news and I just can't take it in. He was a perfect gentleman. You will not get a more ideal role model for a young footballer than Phil O'Donnell".

Rest In Peace Phil O'Donnell...

pictures courtesy of:

www.dailymail.co.uk
www.timesofmalta.com
www.elmundoderpotivo.es

Ryan Giggs OBE

2008-02-08T16:00:00.000-08:00

This post should've been up since December last year.

For his contributions to football, Ryan Giggs was made an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire).

Graham Taylor said: It is very easy to confuse talent & professionalism by first assuming that the two go together.

Talent on it's own only takes you so far. But applied talent, which requires a deep desire to succeed and a commitment to dedicate yourself to your profession, is the hallmark of a true professional. This is how Ryan Giggs is best described.

With a tally of 143 goals in 744 appreances for his club, 8 Premiership medals, 4 FA Cups, 2 League Cups, 1 UEFA Supercup & Intercontinental Cup & 1 Champions League League medal, Ryan Giggs is Manchester United's most decorated player.

At a ripe age of 35, Giggs is still making valuable contributions to the club & his hunger for more success in the United shirt has not waned.

I could never imagined Giggs playing for another club other than Man.United. Giggs' name is up there with Charlton, Best, Crerand, Law, Cantona & Edwards. You say those names and you automatically think Manchester United.

Let's understand one fact, Giggs was never going to play for England for personal reasons. Wales was his choice. But regardless of which national team he chooses, one does not need to be an expert to recognise the natural talent he possessed.

His work-rate, his strict discipline, his absolute devotion to his profession would put any young footballer nowadays, who are more interested in making money & being glamorous, to shame. Man.United gaffer Sir Alex admitted that having Giggs is an absolute gem & he is a model professional for young players at United to look up to and emulate.

In case some you young generation readers who has never seen Ryan Giggs in action before, what he did with the ball-his pace when in possession, his willingness to take on multiple defenders, his dribbling accuracy, the excitement & expectancy that lifts you off your seat-is what Giggs did in those days when he first started playing, like what Cristiano Ronaldo is currently doing right now.

To achieve what Ryan did over so many seasons requires a mental rod of steel, and along with his applied talent, he deserves every recognition that comes his way.

(news source: The Star, Fri 14 Dec.'07)

pictures courtesy of:

Getty Images
www.manutd.com
www.bbc.co.uk
www.starstore.com
www.telegraph.co.uk
www.dailymail.co.uk

7 is for Ronaldo

2008-02-07T21:55:00.000-08:00

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to be the highest paid footballer in the English League.

Manchester is set to offer the young Portuguese a salary increment of 140,000 pounds-a-week deal which will keep him at Manchester United until 2014, which in total cost about 44 million pounds. This increment will take Ronaldo ahead of the salary currently earned by Chelsea's captain John Terry which is 130,000 pounds-a-week.

Man.United management is more than happy to reward Ronaldo for his sterling performance this season where he has so far banged in almost 20 goals this season. On average that's one goal per match.

What amuses me is how Arsene Wenger revealed 'how close' Ronaldo was to signing for Arsenal. Well, however true that is Mr Wenger, Cristiano decided NOT to sign for Arsenal, didn't he?

On another note, UEFA chief & french legend Michel Platini has challenged Cristiano to prove himself on the world stage if he is to be crowned truly great.

Ronaldo replied he can't wait for Euro to begin.

pictures courtesy of:

www.insanesoccer.com
www.soccer.org.au
www.commentisfree.guardian.co.uk
www.demo-blog-sport.templatextreme.com

England 2.....Switzerland.....1

2008-02-07T21:11:00.000-08:00

Last night, was the beginning of a new era in English football. It was England's first win under the new regime of Fabio Capello.

According to match reports: Capello was down from his seat in the stand after just five minutes, not surprisingly after a passage of play in which England conspired to squander possession.

After bland Sven-Goran Eriksson and insipid Steve McClaren, Capello cut a dark intimidating touchline figure.

And for large parts of a disjointed first half the Italian features were grim with good reason.

If he did not know before then he does now. For some unfathomable reason when England footballers pull on the shirt with the Three Lions they appear incapable of passing the ball more than 10 metres to a team-mate.

I read that Capello has introduced several tight/rigid rules for the team. They include:

a) all players MUST sit down & have meals together

b) Cell phones can only be used in bedroom

c) NO friends or family members are allowed at the team's hotel

d) NO WAGS! (Thank God!)

There are other rules, but I can't recall what they are. Anyway, I'm sure these new regulations would rock the boat & certainly punctured some egos in the England squad. About time!

pictures courtesy of:

www.mrcalcio.it
www.dailymail.co.uk

Daddyhood here I come...!

2008-02-05T16:11:00.000-08:00

Hello people,

I've been busy lately with some work. Hardly had time to breathe or to update my blog. Anyway, one of the good news is located below:

What you're looking at is the very first ultrasound scan of my unborn child, whom my wife & I fondly refers to as Peanut! Hehehe....yep that's right I'm gonna be a daddy!!!

So the time has finally come for me to go through what my dad has gone through when he had me. Whether I'm ready or not I've got to step up to the plate.

Somebody once told me: "There's never a good time to have children...When the baby comes, ready or not, you have to do it & take responsibility"

So wish me luck people :o)

Is it really that stupid?

2008-01-11T12:59:00.000-08:00

I was watching Man.United on the telly one fine day & decided to info another channel. As I was browsing, I came across this.

Obviously the person typing the text hates this programme :o)

Ocean's Eleven....Not.

2008-01-09T09:30:00.000-08:00

In Tokyo, four Japanese teenagers who stole a car and went on a shoplifting spree told police they wanted to be like characters in the 2001 heist movie “Ocean’s Eleven”.

What’s amazing was the four boys were aged between 14 & 15 years old.

They were said to be enamored of the movie starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt & Matt Damon, whose characters robbed three of the largest casinos in Las Vegas, the Daily Yomiuri reported.

The teenagers called themselves “Ocean’s Eleven make believe”, practiced pick-pocketing from each other, stole a car after sticking a pair of scissors in the ignition and went on a shoplifting spree.

A spokesperson for the Tokyo Metropolitan police confirmed the four boys were detained in October on suspicion of car theft, but declined to provide further details.

Good thing they didn’t imitate “Gone In 60 Seconds”.

(news source: The Sun, Wed. 19 Dec ’07)

picture courtesy of: www.dvdtimes.co.uk

World Player 2007

2008-01-01T13:04:00.000-08:00

Apologies for not updating my blog for a while. A lot has happened in these past few weeks which I will tell you about it once everything is settled.

I'll start off with the news of Kaka being crowned as FIFA World Player of the Year for 2007. An award he richly deserves, given his outstanding performance for AC Milan during last season's Champions League. The Brazilian was by far the better & most consistent player throughout the tournament despite stiff challenges from Man.United's Cristiano Ronaldo & Barcelona's Leo Messi.

Messi Barcelona's wonder-kid, could've garnered more points had he not been injured. While United's Ronaldo was missing a major trophy win-the Champions League.

I'm sure in the years to come, one of those three will be crown World Player, add a certain Mr.Rooney & Senor Fabregas into the fray, and perhaps more new faces will shine to add more colour to the competition.

pictures courtesy:

www.fifa.com

Missed Opportunity

2008-01-01T12:13:00.000-08:00

Disappointed. That was how I felt when watching the match between Man.United & West Ham.

Having controlled the match & taken the lead through a quick counter attack, which was superbly converted by C.Ronaldo, United was still unable to shake West Ham United as their bogey team.

I already knew that West Ham is always hard to beat. The Hammers were the only team who managed the double over MU last season.

In my opinion, the turning point was Ronaldo's missed penalty. Opting for power rather than placing, was a rather bad option, what more you have Robert Green in goal who has a knack of saving penalties, much like Paul Cooper, Ipswich Town's goalie back in the 70s.

MU should have poured forward instead of parking the bus in their own half towards the last few minutes of the game. I had a feeling that something bad was gonna happen. Tomasz Kuszczak, deputising for the injured Van der Saar, didn't look comfortable when clearing backpasses, and United's backline was somewhat in disarray.

This only encouraged The Hammers & through two set pieces, they were rewarded when Anton, the younger of the Ferdinands', managed to out-jump big brother Rio & scored the equaliser. Minutes later, Matthew Upson put West Ham in the lead & on course for three points.

Man.United like always offered no excuses for the defeat as echoed by Sir Alex. He added they only had themselves to blame for not killing off the game earlier.

I think West Ham deserved the three points for their hard work. As for Man.United, the mark of a true champion is how you rebound from the defeat.

pictures courtesy of:

www.premierleague.com

Kanoute Saves Mosque

2007-12-16T12:30:00.000-08:00

MADRID: Mali international footballer Frederic Kanoute has saved a mosque from closure in Seville, the ABC newspaper reported on Thursday.

Kanoute paid 510,860 euros so that fellow Muslims in Seville would not find themselves without a mosque.

Kanoute, who plays for Sevilla in the Primera Liga since moving from French champions Lyon in 2005, has also created a foundation in Mali to help children particulary orphans.-AFP

(news source: The Star, sat. 15 Dec '07, pg.56)

"Assalamualaikum to you brother Kanoute"

picture courtesy of:

http://www.lyon.theoffside.com/

The Italian Job

2007-12-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

It is official. Former Real Madrid manager Fabio Capello has been appointed as the new England manager.

His appointment was met with much criticism by English/British managers citing it's not healthy for the growth of future English managers. General opinion wants an Englishman to succeed Steve McClaren, however I believe the appointment of Capello was a wise decision.

As the FA of England said, they needed a "world class" manager and Capello is anything less than world class. His record speaks volumes for the man who thrives on pressure & delivered what is expected from him.

Just look at Real Madrid before Capello came along. The spanish giants was sacking one manager after another, like they were sacking a busboy. He managed to get the team together, played cohesively with great discipline & under tremendous circumstances & intense pressure from the Madrid board & fans, Capello brought the the Spanish La Liga title to Madrid.

And how did they thanked him-by sacking the man. Ungrateful lot.

I think that Fabio Capello is the perfect candidate for the England manager. And I do hope that England will be transformed under his strict guidance & management.

Let's not talk about winning the World Cup. It would be a travesty for England with the kind of quality players they have to not even qualify for it.

pictures courtesy of :

www.realmadrid.com
www.soccerlens.com
www.abc.net.au

Four to the Fore

2007-12-16T11:20:00.000-08:00

This weekend the English Premier League's top four teams will slug it out among themselves. North Londoners Arsenal will take on West Londoners Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium, while Man.United will lock horns with one of their bitterest rival-Liverpool.

It is always intimidating & difficult to go to Anfield & secure all three points. Liverpool always played well at home, and not many teams relish the trip there. However, United's gaffer Sir Alex Ferguson looks forward to the clash every season as one the highlights of his career.

Liverpool was the dominant force in English football back in the 80s, in the old First Division. Man.United was always playing bridesmaid.

Names like Daglish, Souness, Johnston, Lee, Hansen & Rush would give any team the shivers. They were all great players. It took a while for Fergie to break that monopoly, but it was worth the wait.

Presently, Liverpool are lacking that "punch" about them. Honestly, if there was no Stevie G or Xabi Alonso, Liverpool wouldn't be that interesting to watch. It's a good thing they have Fernando Torres. He was a good buy by Benitez.

I could still remember how Torres was so close to signing for United had the management not balked at the Spaniard's price tag. Well, Torres is the man to watch on Sunday.

Hopefully United skipper Gary Neville would be able to make a comeback in this match.

Whatever the outcome of these four matches, it does not decide the title just yet, but it does give a psychological boost to the winning team.

pictures courtesy of:

www.news.bbc.co.uk
www.football.co.uk
www.manutd.com
www.arsenal.com
www.liverpoolfc.tv

Baby Time

2007-12-14T11:56:00.000-08:00

My wife & I have been trying for a baby a few months now.

After consulting her fertility chart, she said this to me...

"Daddy, when I'm ovulating get ready ok, it's pants off sweetheart !"

I feel like such a gigolo.

picture courtesy of :www. guardian.co.uk

Germany's Fastest Taxi Driver

2007-12-12T15:00:00.000-08:00

Michael Schumacher may well be the fastest taxi driver in Germany after the seven-time F1 world champion shocked a cab driver by taking over the wheel in order to be on time for a flight.

Schumacher, flew into the aerodrome at the Bavarian town of Coburg on Saturday and took a taxi to the village of Gehuelz, 30 kilometres away, to pick up a new puppy-an Australian Shepherd dog called "Ed".

But when the former F1 ace, plus his wife & two children, caught a taxi back to the airport they were short on time and, after a polite request, cab driver Tuncer Yilmaz watched in wonder as Schumacher took the wheel.

"I found myself in the passenger seat, which was strange enough, but to have "Schumi" behind the wheel of my cab was incredible", Mr Yilmaz told the Muenchner Abendzeitung.

"He drove at full throttle around the corners and over-took in some unbelievable places".

Mr Yilmaz was well rewarded for the unusual journey-on top of the 60 euros (US$88) fare, he was also given a 100 euros (US$146) tip.

Schumacher's spokesperson Sabine Kehm later confirmed the story.

(news source: The Star, wed.12 Dec '07)

My comment:

What's the big deal?

In our country we have many "Michael Schumachers" driving on the roads, and they also drive at full throttle & over-take at unbelievable places, and sometimes they end up in unbelievable places too.

Look around you next time you're on the road. It's not that hard to spot them.

pictures courtesy of:

www.autoracingdaily.com
www.F1wolf.com
www.roamingkiwis.com

Good Weekend Pt 3

2007-12-10T11:55:00.000-08:00

At the Riverside Stadium was THE best result in the EPL over the weekend.

Unfancied Middlesborough played like it was the FA Cup final. They played with a lot of heart, passion & positive attitude. The got a break through a penalty converted by Stuart Downing much to the amazement of their opponent.

Sorry Toure, but it was a clear foul.

In the second half, Boro didn't rest on their laurels & kept going forward in pursuit of their second goal. In the 50th minute, they were rewarded. Turkish international Tuncay shot from an acute angle & sent every Boro fan in the stadium onto cloud nine.

I screamed in delight when I saw the ball went in.

So for all the boasting that Arsenal were doing, they have finally learned some humility.

I thought after many years in the Premier League, Arsene Wenger would've known better than to boast about going unbeaten throughout the season. Mr. Wenger next time please don't boast, and don't say things like: "watch us go" or "catch us if you can", because you will only invite trouble, not just from Man.United, Chelsea or Liverpool, but even the smaller clubs would have a real go at you.

Final score: Boro 2....Arsenal...1

Was it a good weekend? Nope....it was a GREAT weekend! :o)

pictures courtesy of: www.premierleague.com

Good Weekend Pt 2

2007-12-10T11:40:00.000-08:00

Another great result in the EPL, as fas as Man.United fans are concerned.

It was supposed to be an easy win for the Merseyside Reds, football pundits on ESPN were all predicting a win for Liverpool. However, it was not to be, as Rafa Benitez & Co. found out, Reading under Steve Coppell were no pushovers.

Scoucers were convincingly outplayed & beaten 3-1 by Reading.

pictures courtesy of: www.premierleague.com

Good Weekend Pt 1

2007-12-10T11:27:00.000-08:00

Manchester United took another three points with a win over Derby County on Saturday.

It was a no-contest actually. On paper, Man.United were by far the more experienced team & with more quality in their side. Despite that it was not a stroll in the park for the Red Devils.

Derby made it sure that United had to earn their three points for the day. Weather conditions were also conspiring to make things difficult. Heavy downpour was slowly sogging up the pitch & made it difficult for United to play their passing game.

Despite the conditions, a United win was inevitable. Giggs scored his 100th league goal in United colours five minutes before the break. A minute before half time, Carlos Tevez had an air shot, but the ball fell kindly to him again & the Argentine needed no second invitations. United were 2-0 up going into the break.

After collecting a Wes Brown pass, Tevez added his second & United were 3-0 up. The goal was a beauty. C.Ronaldo added United's fourth from the penalty spot. However, Derby refused to submit & managed a consolation goal.

Final score: Man.United were 4-1 winners

pictures courtesy of:

www.manutd.com
www.premierleague.com

Maradona: Rooney's the best

2007-12-07T17:30:00.000-08:00

Former World Cup winner Diego Maradona says Wayne Rooney is better than Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

The Argentinian ace doesn’t believe AC Milan midfielder Kaka should have won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, but neither does he think second-placed Cristiano Ronaldo deserved the accolade.

Instead, the Argentina legend reckons Ronaldo’s United team-mate Wayne Rooney has a far stronger claim to the title of best footballer in the world.

“I don’t know too well how the election is done, but I think that Rooney is better than Kaka,” Maradona told El Grafico.

"Milan is a team that depends all the time on Kaka but that doesn’t make him the best player in the world.”

Rooney returned to action on Monday against Fulham after almost a month on the sidelines through injury. His ankle strain suffered in training halted a run of eight goals in seven games.

Ronaldo has since picked up the baton, and with two goals against the Cottagers earlier this week he took his tally to 11 goals in his last seven starts. It is precisely that kind of form that has put him in contention – and again in competition with Kaka and Lionel Messi – for FIFA’s World Player of the Year award, to be announced in Zurich on 17 December.

(News source: www.manutd.com)

pictures courtesy of:

www.manutd.com
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Transfer Speculation

2007-12-07T17:15:00.000-08:00

Sir Alex Ferguson has said he is unlikely to dip into the transfer market in January, but he has also admitted that the only position he could strengthen is at left back.

Rumours have since emerged that United are tracking Lokomotiv Moscow’s versatile Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic.

The former Serbia U21 captain currently plays in the full national side alongside Reds defender Nemanja Vidic, who signed from Lokomotiv’s neighbours Spartak in January 2006.

Ivanovic would set United back a reported £10million.

(News source: www.manutd.com)

My comment:

Would make an interesting pairing for United's back-line, as well as cover for Patrice Evra.

picture courtesy of : www.juventini-indonesia.org/forum

Tagged

2007-12-07T16:45:00.000-08:00

Got tagged by Mirror me. Sorry it took a while to write this. My 7 Silly me:

1) Growing up I always thought that the "bad" guys on telly were actually bad in real life! Was wondering why the police didn't catch them.

2) I used to wear this "Donny & Marie Osmand" t-shirt EVERY single day. Hehe! I was 4

3) Cycled to Klang town coz I didn't know how to take the bus there. I was 13!

4) Will never get out of car until I've parked it nicely in the box. Present day!

5) Always arranged my dollar notes from the newest/cleanest notes to the oldest.

6) Didn't know how to top my handphone's prepaid until the sales person taught me, hehe! Silly huh?

7) Didn't have a handphone until I was 28!

I know, I'm that weird & silly....

Picture courtesy of: www.es.inmagine.com

Miss World China 2007

2007-12-02T04:04:00.000-08:00

SANYA (China): A 23-year-old secretary from a small town in China was crowned Miss World in a glittering event themed “The Right to Dream”, hosted by her home nation last night.

Zhang Zilin, from Shijiazhuang in Hebei province, beat 105 contestants to become the first Chinese to win the pageant since its inception in 1951. Source : www.thestar.com.my

The closest that a Chinese representative had come to winning the crown was when Guan Qi became second runner-up in 2003.

Malaysia’s Deborah Priya Henry advanced into the semi-finals along with 15 other beauties in the competition that also honoured World AIDS Day.

They included Miss Angola Micaela Reis (first runner-up) and Miss Mexico Carolina Moran Gordillo (second runner-up). The other finalists were Annie Oliv of Sweden and Valene Maharaj of Trinidad & Tobago.

The newly-crowned Miss World posted only one word – Dream – in her blog.

She had likened her journey in the pageant to a dreamland but she realised it was a dream no more when she was crowned.

With pressure of representing the host nation on her shoulders, the stunning 1.82m-tall beauty queen won the hearts of a panel of nine judges with her poise, intelligence and her quick-minded and convincing comment, in English, on why she should be crowned.

“I’m now standing on the stage of Miss World because 1.3 billion people in China support me.

“The Beijing Olympic Games will be held next year.

“If I become Miss World, I want to be the link between the Miss World Organisation and the world and to use the power and beauty to support those in need,” said Zhang, who received her crown from outgoing winner Tatana Kucharova.

Zhang is an active athlete and likes travelling, reading and watching movies.

Former South African president Nelson Mandela presented a recorded message on HIV/AIDS devastating Africa during the live telecast, watched by an estimated audience of two billion.

picture courtesy of: www.missworld.tv/news

Chancellor Brian May

2007-11-29T15:30:00.000-08:00

Queen guitarist Brian May has been appointed chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University in Britain.

May will start the job as honorary head of the university in February, taking over from Cherie Blair, wife of former British PM Tony Blair.

Brian May was awarded his doctorate in astrophysics in August. He started his PhD in 1974, but abandoned it when Queen's fortunes took off before returning to his studies last year.

"Brian May is an intensely talented individual who achieved global success with the band Queen," said the university's chief executive & vice-chancellor Professor Michael Brown.

"In this age of celebrity culture, it is rare to find someone who has fame and universal acclaim and yet who remains true to his core values of learning & enlightenment.

(source: the Sun, 21 nov. '07, pg 20)

pictures courtesy of:

www.telegragph.co.uk
www.brianmay.com

Why can't our local artiste be as educated?

Special One To The Rescue?

2007-11-29T14:09:00.000-08:00

Would the England FA really do this?

Offering the England manager's job to Jose Mourinho? Bookmakers were already tipping the 'Special One' to get it.

There are other candidates such as Fabio Capello (former Real Madrid boss) & Martin O'Neill (current Aston Villa boss), and now AZ Alkmaar's manager Luis Van Gaal has thrown his hat into the ring saying he wouldn't mind the job.

What about Luis Philippe Scolari or 'Big Phil' who currently coaches Portugal national team? He has a proven track record. Before he came along they were playing dreadfully. Now Portugal are playing football worthy of their given nickname as "European Brazilians".

I feel England need a wake up call, someone with a strong enough character to rock the boat. Someone who is not afraid to make bold changes & whom the players look up to. Someone who can bring fresh ideas to rejuvenate the team.

My vote: Bring in Jose Mourinho. The 'Special One' has an infectious winning mentality that will motivate England.

"Yes Jose...you are the 'Special One'..." (just you....not your former team)

pictures courtesy of:

www.uefa.com
www.juventus.com
www.soccerword.com
www.news.bbc.co.uk
www.futballworld.freeblog.hu
www.thezeitghost.blogspot.com

Lisbon To Manchester

2007-11-29T13:30:00.000-08:00

Manchester United is on the verge of acquiring another talented young player from Portugal. Despite his team's loss in the UEFA Champions League, Miguel Veloso's composed performance has further impressed the already admiring eyes of United's top coaching brass.

Suitors are also wooing him from Arsenal, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, but the 21-year-old Portuguese has made it clear that should he move away from Lisbon, Manchester United is the
only club he wants to be at.

Sporting Lisbon manager Paulo Bento himself admitted that Sporting would have a tough time holding on to the talented midfielder.

With fellow Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo & Nani already at Man.United, Miguel Veloso should have no problems settling into the squad. Veloso would make a great long term replacement for Paul Scholes.

pictures courtesy of:

www.manutdpics.com
www.qadsiafans.com

To Rotan or Not To Rotan

2007-11-28T20:35:00.000-08:00

I read with great amusement of a story in a local daily saying that female students should be caned, because their disciplinary cases are just as serious as boys.

“There have been suggestions that girls should be caned as sometimes there are more girls than boys in schools, and the problems they give are just as serious,” said Deputy Education Minister Datuk Noh Omar.

The call to introduce caning for girls in schools, was one of the resolutions passed at the National Seminar on Education Regulations (Student Discipline) 2007. Altogether they passed 21 Resolutions. Besides the idea to' rotan', a resolution on banning handphones in schools was also passed.

Of course, the idea of 'rotan-ning' female students met with much negative reception. Understandably so, I mean which parent would like their daughters been given this punishment. Moreover, it would affect the students self esteem, and should it be public caning during school assemblys, it would only rub salt into a student's already wounded self esteem.

However, having said the above, I'm not against the idea of caning female students, BUT it should be handled tactfully & be done in private. Punishment should not cause physical injury & female students must be told why they are to be caned.

Girls nowadays are becoming bolder & naughtier, so I say using the 'rotan' would be appropriate. Remember how our parents & teachers would whack us when stepped out of line? We became decent, disciplined grown ups.

Source : www.thestar.com.my
picture courtesy of : www.archivist.f2s.com

Zimbabwe...? Oh Yes!

2007-11-27T21:22:00.000-08:00

Received news recently, that if & should everything clicks into gear, I might find myself on a plane to Africa-again. Only this time it's not to West Africa, but to somewhere south-Zimbabwe.

The last time I was in Africa was on a working trip to Ghana. I was posted there for two months & it was an eye opener for me.

Anyway, if I do go to Zimbabwe, one of the many things I look forward to is taking the safari trips. Being several metres away photographing wild lions, elephants, zebras, rhinos & other wild animals is something I've always wanted to do.

I may have to upgrade my trusted standard Canon lenses to a telephoto one or 'Simba' might take a nip at me.

Another exciting thing I MUST do, is cast my eyes on one of the world's greatest natural wonders-Victoria Falls.

Isn't it amazing?

When I was a boy growing up I wanted to be a pro-footballer and play for Man.United, now that I'm older I want to be like David Adams the photo-journalist on Discovery Channel. Traveling the world, seeing new things & photographing breathtaking pictures.

Well, hopefully the opportunity comes, so look out Simba & Zimbabwe.....here I come!

pictures courtesy of:

jeffgoins.myadventure.org
www.davidadamsfilms.com.au
www.vacationtechnician.com
www.britannica.com
www.equitour.co.uk
www.wildlifetourism.net
www.african-safari-and-travel-advisor.com

Much Loved 'Villian' : Hussien Abu Hassn

2007-11-27T20:39:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR: Veteran actor and director Hussein Abu Hassan passed away at 5.30am Monday morning at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital. He was 70 years old.

The actor, most famous for his actor-director role of 1984's Gila-Gila Remaja, died of complications arising from kidney problems.

Hussein's body was brought home to their house at Taman Gombak Setia and laid to rest at the Taman Ibukota, Setapak Cemetery after Zohor prayers Monday afternoon.

Hussein was born in Alor Gajah, Malacca, and had a short stint in the police force before becoming an actor in 1961 with a supporting role in the movie Sri Mersing.

His convincing portrayal in villains' roles made him popular overnight and he went on to act in movies like Tun Teja, Siti Payung, Panglima Besi, Laksamana Do Re Mi, Loceng Maut and others.

For all his contributions to the industry, Hussein was conferred the Ahli Mangku Negara (AMN) by the Seri Paduka Baginda Yang diPertuan Agong in 1997.

The late actor leaves behind his actress wife, Mahyon Ismail, three children - scriptwriter Dilla, actor Faizal and singer Fairuz, and four grandchildren. Hussein is also the uncle of popular actor Rosyam Nor.

(source: www.thestar.com.my)

His passing was a sad one for me. Growing up I spend watching him on the telly as my favourite 'villian'. Nobody could carry such a baddie role & is still loved by viewers of all ages.

May Allah bless your soul. Al-Fatihah...

pictures courtesy of : www.sinemamalaysia.com.my

Hindraf Gathering

2007-11-26T01:06:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR: The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) went ahead with their gathering here yesterday, defying a court order against the rally, and forcing the police to use tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd.

They called off their protest seven hours later without handing over their memorandum to the British High Commission after police broke up their illegal gathering.

Over 130 people were arrested during the incident, which saw thousands gathering at various locations along Jalan Ampang and Jalan Tun Razak.

The gathering was to submit a petition with 100,000 signatures collected by Hindraf to petition Queen Elizabeth II to appoint a Queen's Counsel to represent the Indian community in a class action suit against the British Government for bringing Indians as labourers to the then Malaya and exploiting them.

The suit, filed at the Royal Courts of Justice in London by lawyer P. Waythamoorthy in August, seeks compensation of up to US$4 trillion (RM13.5 trillion).

People started gathering as early as 6am at various points along Jalan Ampang and Jalan Tun Razak. They had planned to proceed to the British High Commission.

They were however not permitted to proceed further than the Jalan Ampang-Jalan Tun Razak intersection where the police had sealed off the entrance to Jalan Ampang.

The crowd began gathering at the intersection and Jalan Tun Razak had to be closed to traffic.

At 7.20am, the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) used water cannons and tear gas when the crowd failed to disperse after being given warnings. Several people were also picked up by the police.

Tourists and passers-by looked puzzled when they saw the huge crowds of demonstrators and policemen.

The protesters escaped to nearby alleys and regrouped at different locations. They were also met by the FRU.

The protesters dispersed at about 1pm after being told by one of Hindraf’s lawyers, A. Sivanesan, that the protest had been called off indefinitely.

For the entire duration of the demonstration, the Avenue K and City Square shopping complexes and restaurants along Jalan Ampang were closed.

Various hotels and Suria KLCC had strict security at their entrances.

Jalan Ampang was reopened after that and the KLCC and Ampang Park LRT stations, which were closed from 6am, were reopened at 3.13pm.

Sivanesan said the handing over of the memorandum was called off because police action prevented the group from reaching the British High Commission.

“Today’s event has shown unprecedented support. The other reason we are calling it off is because we fear for the safety of innocent people,” he said.

He criticised the police for using tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd.

The Bar Council also made an appearance at the protest by sending a 10-member team to observe the protest. Bar Council president, S. Ambiga, said a statement would be issued today.

(source: www.thestar.com.my)

My comments:

No doubt there are some things that we as Malaysians are not happy or very discontent about, but surely after studying these pictures & reading this report, one would not want to get caught up or be part of something deemed illegal, which could threatened our peaceful & harmonious way of life in this country.

Honestly speaking, do we, as Malaysians want scenes such as these to be a regular occurance?

Do we want the FRU to exercise their duties & utilised their many weapons against our fellow countrymen?

Think. There are other channels where we can voice our discontentment. Not resort to something like this.

Three Lions to Euro '08...?

2007-11-21T00:39:00.000-08:00

With the EPL taking a back seat to Euro qualifying matches, I watch with delight at how the Spaniards deposed of Sweden 3-0 at the Bernabeu Stadium. The Spaniards were playing with such flair and elegance and were no match for the Swedes.

I also managed to catch the match between Italy & Scotland. But what I really want to watch is the clash between England & Croatia.

It's do or die for Steve's McClaren's men. I wonder why England always leave it to the last minute to qualify for a tournament?

Remember the World Cup 2002? Remember England needed at least a draw to go to Japan-Korea. If Becks botched that free-kick into Row Z at the Stratford End, England were goners.

So it's 'deja vu' once again for the Three Lions, only this time it's the Euro Championship. Again the odds are stacked against them. No Wayne Rooney. No Gary Neville.

Despite the 'life-line' handed to them by Israel by beating Russia 2-1, I don't think England really deserve to be in Euro next year. Sure they have world class quality players like Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, but they are lacking that 'omph', that buzz, that zestful punch.

I dare say it's quite boring to see England play. Hence why I find it more entertaining & pleasurable to watch teams like Spain, Portugal & even Turkey!

On the sports section of a local newspaper, has this headline..."I can do it for England"....guess who said that...Peter Crotch...oppss I mean Crouch...Peter Crouch.

Let's hope those long legs of his can put the ball into the back of the net for England. And if Crouchy scores, no 'robot dance' I hope.

pictures courtesy of:

www. wldcup.com/pictures
www.football.guardian.co.uk
www.worldcup.mtnfootball.com
www.paulsworldphotography.com

Hitting The Rich

2007-11-19T01:48:00.000-08:00

Most of my entries are sports related issues. But today I just have to write about this.

It seems the Malaysian government is re-looking the principle behind the fuel subsidy to ensure the rich pay their share while the poor are not affected. A government source said that under the present system the rich paid the same as the poor and this was unfair and regressive.

(taken from the Star newspaper, 11th Nov.2007)

Most of the rich, like company directors, MDs, CEOs, Managers, etc, have fuel/travel allowances & they get company cars. They don't have to fork out their own money to pay for petrol. Lucky them, while the poor have to suffer.

I say tax the rich & be fair.

Strongest Devils in 22 years

2007-11-19T00:26:00.001-08:00

Sir Alex Ferguson has hailed the current Manchester United squad as the strongest he has had in two decades in charge of the Premier League champions. After a string of 1-0 wins, United cruised to four wins & produced 16 goals in that process.

Their latest win against Blackburn was testament that United were not missing talismanic goalscorer Wayne Rooney. Two quick first half goals superbly converted by Cristiano Ronaldo was enough to hand the Red Devils another three points.

Even though the current team has been hailed as the strongest by Fergie, I can't help but think of the "Old Guards" of United. Players like Mark Hughes or fondly known as "Sparky" was a role model of a professional footballer. Let's not forget Steve Bruce & Gary Pallister, the "Twin Towers" of United.

Also Brian "Chocky" McClair, Great Dane Peter Schmeichel & of course King Eric Cantona. These Old Guards fough with heart & soul to make Man.United what they are right now.

Credit to the current team, but salutes to the Old Guards.

pictures courtesy of:

www.news.bbc.co.uk
www.metro.co.uk
www.manutd.diyanazman.com

Top 10 of All Time

2007-11-18T01:30:00.000-08:00

In your mind, who should be on the list of World's 10 Best Footballers of all time?

The general opinion is that, it's either Pele or Maradona occupying the summit, with Johan Cryuff, Platini, Puskas, Garrincha & George Best-all sharing third spot.

However, the latest rankings released by the Association of Football Statisticians (AFS) was the worse ever. The player that single-handedly won the World Cup for Argentina in 1986-Diego Maradona, was placed at No.6 !

Dutch Master Cruyff, who introduced total football to the world, was also not in the list. Just because Holland failed to win the World Cup in 1974, doesn't mean he shouldn't be included in the top 10 list.

Another shocking fact, George Best-European Cup Winner in 1968 with Manchester United, and European Player of The Year in that same year, couldn't make it into the list, while Iran's Ali Daei is at No.26. Oh dear!

George Best was a wizard with the ball, and no disrespect to David Beckham whatsoever, but Best could do things with the football that Becks couldn't even do in his dreams.

Here's AFS so-called Top 10 Great Footballers:

1. Pele
2. Ronaldo (he's better than Maradona? Really?)
3. Romario (huh?)
4. Luis Figo
5. Zinedane Zidane
6. Diego Maradona (what's he doing at No.6?)
7. Lothar Matthaus (what's he doing in the Top 10 list?)
8. Gerd Muller
9. Franz Beckbenbauer
10. Cafu (seriously? are they sure?)

I wonder where is Eusebio? Where is Alfredo Di Stefano? Where is Bobby Charlton?

The AFS guys really need to read the "Dummies Guide to Great Footballers".

pictures courtesy of:
www.theirishrovers.com
www.dspace.dial.pipex.com
www.abc.net.au
www.realmadrid.com
www.blog.eitb24.com
www.soccerpulse.com

Federer vs Sampras

2007-11-16T21:07:00.000-08:00

Come November 22nd 2007, Malaysian tennis fans will witness the clash of two of tennis' greats.

14 time Grand Slam title holder 'Pistol' Pete Sampras will take on current hotshot & World Tennis no.1 Roger 'Fedex' Federer, at Stadium Malawati Shah Alam.

I've been trying to get tickets for this epic clash, but it seems all has been sold out.

pictures courtesy of: sportsillustrated.cnn.com

21 years & still going...

2007-11-13T19:58:00.000-08:00

Sir Alex Ferguson celebrated a milestone in his career-being manager of Manchester United football club for 21 years, as well as the most consistently successful manager in the history of English football.

Man.United would never have tasted the kind of success they are having today had the Scotsman not arrived. United pre-Fergie was a club in disaster, languishing dangerously one place above relegation in the old First Division. The United board took swift action & decided to employ the man who was managing Aberdeen at that time to turn the club around.

Alex Ferguson came in 1986, with the reputation of being the man able to break the Glasgow dominance (Rangers & Celtics) in the Scottish League, by leading his team Aberdeen to three Scottish titles, four Scottish cups, one League Cup and one European Cup Winners’ Cup.

However, United took time to improve. United faithfuls were impatient & calling for the sack. The FA Cup win in 1990 against Crystal Palace saved Fergie his job & gave him much needed breathing space. United then went on to win the now defunct Cup Winners Cup trophy.

Patience finally bear fruit. In the 1993-94 season, United finally won their first Premiership title in 26 years.

The catalyst: A Frenchman bought at a mere 1 million pounds from Leeds United (what were they thinking when they let him go! Hehe...United's gain!) He would later be crowned King of Manchester United.

One premiership title spawned into 9 more titles, 5 FA Cups, 2 League Cups, 1 Supercup, 1 Intercontinental Cup & the holy grail of all-the UEFA Champions League trophy.

Under the management of Ferguson, Manchester United remain the only English club to have won a treble of Premiership title, FA Cup & UEFA Champions League trophy-all in one season. Sorry Liverpool, not even you can emulate this (can't resist it).

Despite the many success, I don't see any signs of Sir Alex Ferguson slowing down. He still has the hunger & motivation to win more trophies & I believe he will remain at Old Trafford and break Sir Matt Busby's record of 23 unbroken years as manager of Man.United.

Eric 'King' Cantona once said in an interview, "When his time comes, I think Alex Ferguson will die on the bench at Old Trafford"...

I also read that Paul Scholes admitted that he has much respect & is still very much frightened of Fergie today, as he did when he first signed for United as a boy. Chelsea had the 'Special One', but United have the 'Hairdryer One'...and you don't want to cross swords with him.

As a United fan through & through since 1981, I am looking forward to many many more years of Manchester United success under Fergie.

So here's a salute to Sir Alex Ferguson-May he remain in good health & bring more glory to Manchester United!

pictures courtesy of:

www.manutdzone.com
www.soccerlens.com
www.red11.org
www.news.bbc.co.uk
www.rte.ie/sport/soccer
www.sprig.com

Ballon d'Or

2007-11-13T18:33:00.000-08:00

I read the sports quickie last weekend. It seems Chelsea hitman Didier Drogba stated that he deserved to win the European Footballer of the Year award ahead of Man.United's Cristiano Ronaldo and AC Milan's Kaka.

OK, so he scored 20 goals last season, but it took him awhile to get into gear. When he first arrived in 2004-05 from French outfit Marseille, much was expected from him. Slapped with a price tag of 24 million pounds, he was Chelsea's record signing before Essien & Shevchenko arrived.

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the reasons why Man.United was in such great form last season & managed to regain their Premiership crown from Chelsea. His twinkling feet have bamboozled many defenders & left spectators in awe. However, that was not the case when he first made his debut against Bolton as a sub in the 60th minute in the 2003-04 season, nobody had heard of him. Everybody wondered whether his name would reflect his skills, much more he had the number '7' on his shirt.

I remember the moment clearly, as soon as Ronaldo came on his step-overs wrong-footed Bolton's defenders & his blistering pace was shocking that the only way to stop him, was to take him down, which they did & United won a penalty for that.

Over the years, Ronaldo was criticized for having the tendency to fall down easily whenever tackled. That may be true, but he has matured tremendously since then, and his all around play has improved under the guidance of Ferguson & the coaching techniques of Carlos Queiroz. Plus his goal count has been steadly climbing since his arrival. Last season he got 23 goals in total, the season before that he netted a dozen.

Brazilian Kaka is another exciting player to watch. His ability to run & dribble around defenders with such grace is a sight many footie fans considered magical.

Last season in the Champions League, when AC Milan came to Old Trafford, Kaka single handedly out played United's defence & scored 2 precious away goals. Since Shevchenko's departure to Chelsea, Kaka is now the focal point of attack for his team.

So who deserves the Ballon d' Or award?

We will know soon enough. Man.United have 5 players (Ronaldo, Rooney, Scholes, Giggs & Tevez) shortlisted for the award and I hope one of Fergie's Fledging's would win it & especially not a certain Blues player.

pictures courtesy of:

www.uk.askmen.com
www.popartuk.com
www.goalvideoz.com
www.forum.fluctuat.net