The Commonfan’s Football Poll – What should Man United do with Cristiano Ronaldo

The statistical relevance and bias prevention steps for this poll are the same as the last Commonfan Poll. So if you agreed with that one then read on. If you didn’t, I hope you are wiser the second time round.

Poll – What should Man United do with Cristiano Ronaldo?
Results - Send him to a first division club on loan – 35%
Sell him to Barcelona to spite Real – 28%
Sell him to Real for a fortune – 21%

I am totally sick of the Ronaldo – Real Madrid saga and I am sure other United fans are too. Forget United fans, I think every football fan has had enough of it. The voting clearly shows what they think about the three protagonists in the drama

The biggest villain as clearly shown by the votes is Ronaldo himself. He is full of himself and probably thinks he is god’s gift to football; a mediocre Euro 2008 notwithstanding. Every morning he makes a new statement and then sits back to enjoy all the attention that brings. He surely feels he is at the centre of the football universe right now. So it’s not surprising that the fans would love to give him a taste of some solitude and isolation, away from all the media glare. How about a little club in the English first division - preferably some place cold where Ronaldo is forever wrapped in mufflers and woollen caps and the media can barely identify him. That will serve him right!!!

The other villains quite obviously are Real Madrid – who think they can get away with anything. They think they have a divine right on every footballer on the planet – they will just make a wish and the player will come running to them. They might have the seal of Spanish royalty but we aren’t ready to treat them as kings. Man United could spite them real bad by offering Ronaldo to Barcelona. As part of the deal, Ronaldo should be allowed to take all the penalties Barca get against Madrid. I would love to see Calderon’s face when Ronaldo scores against Real at the Bernabeau.

United should let Real Madrid have Ronaldo if they can get a fortune in return

And finally, a fair portion of fans also think that United could do well to make the most of this opportunity. I guess most of these are United fans like me, who can see the benefits of a mega transfer kitty - which Ronaldo’s move to Real could bring. United could use that money to buy a right-back, a striker and also pay for Carlos Tevez’s transfer fee. They haven’t managed to ad a single player to their squad this year. The heavy expenditure made last year seems to have tied down Fergie’s hands this season. And how good is a disgruntled superstar. And nobody will pay more for Ronaldo than Real Madrid. The first two options will give us (United fans) a lot of wicked pleasure but option three is most beneficial for the club. Man United and their manager should just shed their pride and sell Ronaldo to Real Madrid for a fortune.

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Important note to Sir Alex Ferguson and Man United – Remember what happened the last time a great player called Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid

Real Madrid’s pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo is becoming a major cause of concern for Alex Ferguson and all United fans. Now here’s a precedent which should cause more concern.

Real Madrid were successful the last time they pursued a player called Ronaldo – Ronaldo Luis Nazário de Lima - the Brazilian striker who was a three –time World Player of the Year in 2002 when Real got him from Inter Milan. Like Cristiano he was also one of the top players in the world.

The Ronaldo on the left could repeat what the Ronaldo on the right did in 2002

United believe Cristiano has enough reasons to stay at Old Trafford.

Beware !!!

There was a good reason to believe that ROnaldo would also not want to move to Real. He had just been through 20 months of rehab. Inter Milan had been fully supportive, not only paying his full salary but also his medical bills. Ronaldo was expected to feel grateful and stay at Inter. But he got lured by Real. Such is the attraction of Real.

Now for the scariest part

In exchange for Ronaldo, Real gave Inter 35 million euros and the option to take one of two players – Steve McManaman or Santiago Solari. The valuation of these players was put at 10 million euros each, thus making Ronaldo transfer value 45 million euros.

Fair deal? Not really

Inter Milan choose Solari but the player refused to join the club. It took more then six months and a lot of trouble before Inter finally got hold of Solari. The player, however, was a disgruntled man and his frustration showed in his performances. He was a shadow of the player he was at Real. It became a bad investment of 10 million for Inter.

Now for the remaining 35 million. Real Madrid paid one instalment but defaulted on the balance payment. Inter had to go to FIFA and another painful saga ensued. Finally, Real compensated Inter by giving them another player. Needless to say the player was highly over-valued for the deal and did not make a name for himself at Inter. A bad deal became worse for the Italian club.

So as a Red Devil and a well-wisher of Man United, I have just one piece of advice for Sir Alex and his legal team

United should not settle for mediocre players like Solari

You are dealing with a Club who are absolute crooks. They have already made illegal advances. They are fully capable of luring Cristiano to the Bernabeau. Prepare for the transfer well in advance and do your homework. Please ensure that you get your pound of flesh for Cristiano. Don’t settle for Real’s rejects like Robinho or fall for a complicated payment plan.

Just remember what happened the last time a superstar called Ronaldo moved to Real. Please for god’s sake; spare us (Red Devil fans) the same heart break.

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A Commonfan’s Euro 2008 Diary - 11/06/2008 – A lone Englishman and a scouting report on the Portugese

Scouting note for future opponents of Portugal

1. The Portugese defense is poor in the air. The shorter Turks couldnt take advanateg of it but the taller Czechs neraly made the portugese pay. Teams like Germany who are strong in the air would be taking note of this weakness with glee.

Please note - The right-footed guy in Blue is playing left-back for Portugal

2.There's a guy with a poor left foot masquerading as a left back for the Portugese. He has been a right back all his life and has not been a very good one the last few seasons. Wonder why his coach thought he would do well on the left when he was bad on the right. Is it simply because the Scolari has no other defensive options available? That is a scary thought for the team's fans.

The 2006 World was a bad nightmare

Check this

1998 World Cup - 36 goals in 14 games between European nations ( both teams from Europe)
2000 Euro - 85 goals in 31 games
2002 World Cup - 24 goals in 8 games between Europen nations
2004 Euro - 77 goals in 31 games
2006 World Cup - 31 goals in 16 games between European nations
2008 Euro - 23 goals in 10 games so far

Average number of goals per game have been - 2.57, 2.74, 3.00 ,2.48, 1.93 and 2.3

Notice the trend - The 2006 World Cup won by Italy was a nightmare for attacking football. Thankfully, there has been a revival at Euro 2008. The goal average at this tournament will improve further if Italy or France are not present in the second round.That looks a real possiblity and fans of attacking football can rejoice furtjher.

The lone Englishman at Euro 2008

Turkey's Kazim- Kazim was born in England and given the name Colin Kazim-Richards at birth. He got the name as his mother is Turkish Cypriot. A prodigy in England he failed to live upto his early promise and his career floundered. It has seen a revival in Turkey and now Kazim gets to be the solitary Englishman at Euro 2008.

Calling himself Kazim Kazim is a nice move. It makes him more Turkish and less English. Saves him from the curse which befell the the 'Englishmen who are not at Euro 2008'

Rising transfer prices

Ronaldo’s outstanding displays at Euro 2008 would have whetted the appetite of the Real bosses even more. His already high transfer value is now going through the roof. And he’s not the only player increasing his market value by impressing at this tournament.

Deco's signature just became a hell lot more expensive

Deco is another. Already on his way out of Barcelona, he will have more suitors then he can handle if he continues in the same vein. And then there is David Villa. Rafa Benitez would be kicking himself for not signing him when he was available for far less than what he would cost after this tournament.

On the flip side players like Karim Benzema could hurt their transfer valuations if they don’t improve their play quickly.

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Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid - the good and the bad of it

Real Madrid’s chase of Cristiano Ronaldo is the biggest story in European football right now. Other than the soon-to-start Euro 2008 that is. Real have been undaunted in their pursuit of the Portuguese, while his current club – Manchester United have been equally determined to hold onto him. Off late there have been some ifs and buts from both parties. The player himself has been giving mixed signals and adding to the confusion. Let’s analyze all the angles and all that could be good and bad about this move.


Why Ronaldo might go to Real Madrid

Ronaldo has already achieved all he could with Manchester United. He has won the EPL, the FA Cup and the Champions League. He has been the Player of the year in England, won the golden boot and will end up as the European player of the year in all probability. He will want to go to Real in search of new conquests.

By winning the Champions League, Ronaldo has also repaid the debt he owed to Sir Alex Ferguson for giving him a chance at Old Trafford and for standing by him when the English media was berating Ronaldo for his role in Wayne Rooney’s red card at the World Cup. The Scot wanted the Champions League more than anything else and will have little to begrudge Ronaldo if he walks away.

Ronaldo is an Iberian from Portugal. Becoming a star in Spain (another Iberian country) at Real will be a dream come true. It doesn’t get any bigger than this for him.

Why Ronaldo might not go to Real

Ronaldo was completely overwhelmed with emotion during the Champions League final. The final reminded him of his own mortality and probably gave him a new perspective in life. He would have realized that he has a great thing going for him at Old Trafford and would be a fool to jump ship and run off to Real. He would want soak in the glory of his efforts and not want to start afresh at the Bernabeau.

Ronaldo also happens to be part of a great Manchester United side which is on the brink of greatness. They just had a brilliant season and still have scope for improvement. With a young core of outstanding players, they could reel off a slew of titles in the coming years. The scene at Real is not that great. And neither is he going to be winning titles galore with Portugal. This is Ronaldo’s chance to become a football legend. He might not want to let this chance go.

Ronaldo is the biggest star at Man United and their primary goal-scorer. The likes of Rooney and Tevez play second –fiddle to him. This will not be the case at Real. Ronaldo will have to share the spotlight with Raul and many others.

Ronaldo still has age on his side. He can go to Real later also.

Why Man United should let Ronaldo go

This could be the mother of all football transfers. Real are desperate and United can make them pay dearly for their desperation. If they play their cards well, they could end up with a ton of cash and more than a couple of world-class players in return. Every player has a value attached to him and if Real’s price is far in excess of Ronaldo’s value United should pull the plug.

United have holes to fill at right back, centre forward and on the right if Ronaldo leaves. This single transfer could fill all the gaps with world-class players. Real have many redundant players like Robinho who mean little to them but are proven quality otherwise. They will be undervalued in such a deal, much to United’s advantage.

United benefited from addition through subtraction the last two times they sold a player to Real. This could happen once again. Ronaldo’s exit will provide more opportunities for the likes of Rooney, Tevez and Nani. This will bring out the best in these guys and United will be able to compensate for Ronaldo’s loss.

Why Man United should not let Ronaldo go

All the transfer money in the world will count for nothing if there are no players available. The likes of Chelsea, Milan, Real and Barcelona have bottom less trunks of money and could out-bid United in any bidding war. Players of Ronaldo’s quality are few and far between. Man United could be left with a pile of money and no replacement.

It is never advisable to break up a winning combination. United have finally managed to put together a side which can compete with the very best in Europe. To add to it they have also had their share of transfer busts, in spite of all the experience that Fergie has. There is no guarantee that a world-class player will fit in perfectly in the United side. Remember Juan Carlos Veron. United had nine years of frustration before they returned to the centre stage in Europe. They should not be risking another spell on the European fringes.

What I would want United to do

I want to see more of Ronaldo at United. But if push comes to shove, United should make Real pay heavily in return - enough to get at least two players, who can walk into the current United side. I don’t want them to settle for Robinho and cash. Traditionally Brazilians haven’t done well in the rough and tumble of the premiership. The odds of the slightly-built Robinho getting knocked around are very high.

I want United to bargain for Arjen Robben and Wesley Snijder. The former is a proven commodity in England who will at least be a medium term replacement for Ryan Giggs. He will also have extra motivation for the games against Chelsea. Snijder on the other hand will be the best possible replacement for Scholes. Few midfielders have had the kind of impact that he’s had in his first season at the Bernabeau. He will command an immediate place in the United mid field and make them an even greater force.

If United can get only one of Snijder and Robben, then they should get enough additional cash to buy the likes of Ronaldinho, Samuel E’too, Karim Benzema, Dani Alves and Franck Ribery. Nothing short of that will do. And if they fail to land both Dutchmen, then the money should be sufficient to buy two such players.

Ronaldo will be missed at Old Trafford but Real’s benevolence and United’s shrewdness could ensure that Red Devils like me don’t miss the success that United have enjoyed this season.

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Man United are Champions but Chelsea are winners too - all the sub-plots from the UEFA Champions League final

Man United are Champions of Europe once again. We’ll quickly talk about the game and then get to the sub-plots. There were so many in this game; each with the potential of becoming a fairytale ending for the parties. But first about the game.

Match verdict – Two well matched sides that played their hearts out in a game which was of the highest quality. I have never seen attacking football of this high standard in such a big game. Rather than play safe, Man United and Chelsea went for the jugular. Most games end up in penalties when the teams are overly defensive, but this game went to the shoot-out because Chelsea and United were too closely matched.

It’s a pity Chelsea had to lose and I say that as a hard core United fan. For the first time in my life I felt sorry for a side which had lost to my beloved ManU. In just 3 hours Chelsea went from enemy no one to a club I began to show some appreciation for. That I guess is the beauty of this game. A fan can get so mesmerized by its magnificence that he forgets all about enmity and hatred. More glory to football.

Now for the sub-plots.

God and the Busby Babes were with United tonight

2008 marks 50 years since the Munich air crash. This tragedy is one of the saddest incidents in all of sport. The Busby Babes could have gone on to win more than one European Cup. The loss left a huge emotional scar on the clubs psyche. God couldn’t have found a better time and a better way to heal some of United’s wounds. God provided United the slice of luck they needed to edge Chelsea. Fifty years on, the spirits of the Babes must have finally celebrated

Ronaldo the big match player – the good part

Questions have been asked of Ronaldo’s big match temperament. He answered his detractors in the best possible manner – a coolly taken header to give United the lead. Ronaldo continued to create havoc on the left flank and all seemed destined for a perfect finish for the Portuguese and for United; till Frank Lampard equalized throwing the perfect finish out of the window.

Ronaldo the big match player – the bad part

Ronaldo is United‘s regular penalty taker – supposed to be their best. But when his run-stop-run penalty was brilliantly read and saved by Cech, he was on the verge of becoming the villain of the piece. John Terry’s missed penalty ensured that Ronaldo escaped without any deep emotional scars.

Ronaldo and his move to Real Madrid

The chances that Ronaldo moved to Real if United won the title were huge. Having won the biggest club title, he would have had nothing left to prove. Delivering another UCL crown for Fergie would have also liberated Ronaldo of all the obligations he owed the manager for having nurtured him and having stood by him after the controversy of the England- Portugal WC clash.

In the end United won but chances are that Ronaldo will stay at Old Trafford. The Portuguese experienced great emotional upheaval during the game and was totally overwhelmed when United won. The experience should bind him closer to club and manager. Real can wait.

Roman Abramovich and the perfect ending

The Russian oligarch finally had a chance to lay his hands on the trophy he covets most. A victory at home in Moscow would have been almost a dream sequence for him. Roman might end up winning a UCL crown with Chelsea after all, but there is no chance it will happen in Moscow.

What if Andriy Shevechenko had been playing?

Andriy Shevechenko scored Chelsea’s last goal in the premiership. He also happens to have scored a Champions league winning penalty for AC Milan. Therefore, he had the right credentials to be a penalty taker based on historical pedigree and current luck in front of goal. Sadly for Chelsea the closest thing to a home-town boy in this game wasn’t even on the bench.

A reverse déjà vu for United which almost was

The final was eerily similar to United’s victory in 1999; in the reverse however. In that game United’s opponents Bayern Munich took an early lead and threatened to finish the game with a second goal. United had the world’s best goal keeper – Peter Scheimeichel in goal and the big Dane kept his side in the game with some brilliant saves. These saves proved crucial as United nicked two goals in the end.

This time United took and early lead and threatened to finish the contest with a second goal. Chelsea was kept in the game by their keeper Peter Cech – supposedly the world’s best. As Chelsea pressed for a winner towards the end, the events of 1999 flooded back. A late winner for Chelsea would have created the perfect reverse déjà vu. Luckily for united, Chelsea’s best efforts were kept out the by the woodwork.

The impact of the two managers’ new signings on the game

Fergie brought in Owen Hergreaves, Nani, Anderson and Carlos Tevez this season. All of them scored in the penalty shoot-out to keep United’s hopes alive. Avram Grant brought in Nicolas Anelka, whose missed effort buried Chelsea’s hopes. It’s a freakish coincidence but Fergie’s new pieces seem to have fitted in perfectly to create a Champions League Jigsaw for United.

Michael Ballack and a choice of clubs

Chelsea and United had both vied for the Germans services when he was at Bayern. Ballack chose Chelsea; apparently influenced by the fact that Chelsea stood a better chance of European glory with their heavy pockets and big players. On this day Ballack dreams were shattered by the same club he snubbed for Chelsea. Any hints for future players targeted by both clubs?

A fairy tale ending for John Terry that wasn’t

Chelsea has been expensively assembled by Roman’s millions. John Terry is a notable home-grown exception. John Terry miraculously recovered from an arm injury to play the final. He was heroic as usual; making what could have been the defining block of the game in extra time off Ryan Giggs’ effort. A trophy winning penalty by Chelsea’s favourite son would have been the icing on the cake. JT even sent the goalkeeper the wrong way. Unfortunately, he slipped and fluffed the penalty. A horror ending for the brave man. The poor man couldn’t even bear to see the trophy presentation.

The Greatest UEFA Champions League final ever

I saw Roberto Baggio miss a penalty in the World Cup final of 1994. I supported him and the Italians anguish saddened me as well. John Terry was a foe when the game started. He was a bitter enemy when he denied Ryan Giggs. But I felt for him when I saw the brave man cry. Football plays with our lives and binds us with its emotions. The emotions on display in this game make it the greatest Champions League final in living memory.

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isport Soccer Podcast - Episode 2

The panel talks about the Champions League final, Valencia’s free fall , a selfish Ronaldo ,what Wenger needs to learn from the ladies and more. Listen to all the arguments here

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