When the name ‘Edin Džeko’ is mentioned, what words spring to mind? For me, the main ones are clinical, strong, technical, and the least pleasing of the lot, moody and lazy. Edin’s style of play and the actions that follow, depending if he plays or not, have been bothering me for a good few months now. I used to be a strong fan of Edin, and thought he was one of the most clinical strikers in the Premiership, finishing almost all of the 1 on 1 chances he got, with either foot, but now, a few months later, he has become a big concern of mine, and I am no longer sure where his priorities in the Manchester City team lie. Now it would be incredibly unfair and downright preposterous to say that the Bosnian hasn’t played a vital role in the City team since joining from Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg in 2011. 2 memorable moments being his class display against Tottenham, where he became the only Manchester City player to score 4 goals in a single game. And secondly, “THAT game” yes the one we all know, the game which won us the league, I think it’s fair to say if we had never bought Edin, we would never have a Premier League title under our belts, as his 90th minute header, helped us on our way to securing the win and the trophy in the dying embers of the game. My problems with Džeko don’t lie in his past performances, or what the future holds for a matter of fact, but the present time. Since the signing of Alvaro Negredo in the summer transfer window, he has been side-lined for the majority of games, as Alvaro is just simply a class above in his all-round game. We often see the ex-Wolfsburg star warming up on the side-line, be it a cold night, or a warm one, he never fails to warm up along the touchline. His effort is not the problem, it’s his demeanour if he is not chosen to rise to the occasion, and go on the pitch. More times than once have I seen him not be chosen to come on as a substitute, and throw his bib on the floor in a temper tantrum, and fling his arms around and proceed to return to the bench and don his coat and hat, professional? I wouldn’t say so, no. So what lies ahead for Džeko? Rumours circulated in the summer just gone of him returning to Germany, and they might not be far wrong. Jurgen Klopp, manager of German Giants Borussia Dortmund, has publicly shown his fancy for the Bosnian striker, so this could be a highly possible destination for the 27 year old. I think before anybody jumps the gun, we should think about the reasons behind the things he does, are his tantrums those of a footballer who just wants regular football? Or are they those of a football who can’t stand to see a strike force better than him? Of course we’d all like it to be the first one as it shows passion and a desire to play football, but it could quite possible also be the second one, as before Negredo arrived, he was getting regular football, be it starting or as a substitute. Since joining City in 2011, Edin has racked up a not Sergio esque record, but not an embarrassing one either, netting 33 goals in 83 club appearances, this quite obviously shows the man is more than capable of putting the ball in the net if he’s given the chance. The smiley Bosnian is often seen posting pictures on Twitter or Instagram, quite often sporting his cheesy grin, which goes to show his lack of first team football, isn’t getting him down too much, which I enjoy seeing. His lack of football in recent times is obviously having a negative effect on the Bosnian hit man, as it would any professional footballer who is not getting the game time they so desire, which leaves the question to us, and probably to Džeko, is the grass always greener? So whatever the future holds for Edin, whether it means moving abroad to satisfy his footballing needs, or staying at City to earn first team football once again, I’ll be happy in his decision, as he comes across as a great character, and one that if he left, I’d greatly miss seeing on the teamsheet.
In this day and age, if a player hasn't made it on the big stage by age 21, his chances of becoming a world-class star are often written off. The story of Marco Reus is a sobering reminder that development can come later still.
In his youth, Reus was a talented but frail player. The Dortmund native left his hometown club of BVB in 2005, aged 16 years, for Rot Weiss Ahlen. He rose up the ranks of the then-2. Bundesliga club and made his senior debut as a substitute on Aug. 17, 2008 in a 2-1 win against FSV Frankfurt. At Ahlen, Reus teamed up with fellow BVB youth outcast Kevin Grosskreutz. Within a month, Reus had nailed down a starting role on the left wing. Although he only scored a modest four goals in his first season at Ahlen, Reus' potential caught the admiration of Gladbach, who paid €1 million for his transfer the following summer. At Gladbach, Reus had his first taste of 1. Bundesliga football. He played in all but one of BMG's domestic matches, earning a regular starting role on the right wing before October 2009. Never previously involved in the German international youth teams, he earned his first cap for country at the U-21 level in August 2009. By season's end, he was on the bench for Joachim Low's senior team. Reus' initial nomination to the German national team can be attributed more to potential than to consistent performance. He had a great skill set and showed his brilliance in brief spurts but not on the regular. The 2010-11 season was much the same for Reus, who was often deployed in a nonspecific, attacking role, sometimes as a supporting striker and otherwise on either flank. His freedom meant that Reus was the center of most of Gladbach's attacking plays, and as a result, he developed into a fine playmaker, giving nine assists in the Bundesliga that season. As a 21-year-old, Reus scored almost exclusively wonder-goals: volleys, long-ranged blasts and striker-like finishes from quick passes and runs. But they were few and far between, amounting to 10 in league play. One of the few ordinary goals Reus scored in 2010-11 was his last of the season and also the most important he'd struck until that point. With 18 minutes left to go in Gladbach's relegation playoff against Bochum, Reus finished a fine passing sequence with a critical equalizer, which saw Borussia win the tie on away goals. The versatile attacker was a hero at Gladbach, although illness and short-term injuries saw him play just 21 minutes in two games for country that season. The following season was Reus' breakthrough, one that came perhaps a little late at 22. Used almost exclusively as a central forward after the early stages of the campaign, he scored 21 goals for Gladbach during the club season and added 14 assists. His contribution was no longer intermittent and only in the form of wonder-goals: He scored some brilliant, some ordinary and did so with both feet. Critically, Reus' contribution led Gladbach to surprising success in the Bundesliga: A year after narrowly avoiding relegation, the club exceeded all expectations in finishing fourth. For his efforts, Reus was later named Germany's Player of the Year. However, minor knocks and minimal prior experience with the national team left him on the bench at Euro 2012. In order to affirm his quality and take the next step in his career, Reus needed to prove himself on the international stage. He got his chance in rejoining Dortmund at age 23, and his first season back with his hometown club has been magnificent. A replacement for Shinji Kagawa, who had been sold to Manchester United, Reus had immediate success from his left-wing position. He hasn't delivered in every game, but in those that have mattered the most, his play has been exemplary. Reus opened the scoring in Champions League away matches against Real Madrid,Manchester City and Ajax, and played a key part in all three of BVB's goals in a dramatic 3-2 win against Malaga in the quarterfinals. Though Real kept him scoreless in the semifinals, he provided two assists in the first leg. Reus' brilliance in the Champions League and for Dortmund overall has seen him gain the trust of Germany coach Joachim Low, who has preferred the ex-Gladbach man as his starter on the left wing ever since the beginning of the season. With 22 goals and 18 assists in 53 games for club and country in 2012-13, Reus has finally hit "world-class" status. Without him, BVB would in all likelihood be nowhere near the Champions League final. Reus' climb to the top was a long one that had a rocky start, but he showed uncommon resilience. Although he began his professional career lacking in some areas, with each season he's taken another step or developed a new skill. He learned to play in all positions in attack, to create play and to shoot with both feet. Once a part of the supporting cast at Gladbach, he's matured to become fully capable of shouldering the pressure at Dortmund—even on the greatest stage Reus is a huge figure in Dortmund's team this season,so lets watch and wait to see which team Reus ends up at in couple of years time. Written by @TacticalRodgers Back in March 2012, four-time Balon D’Or winner Lionel Messi named Sergio Agüero with Robin Van Persie and Wayne Rooney as the Barclays Premier League’s top three players. High praise indeed, from not just arguably the world’s best player, but also from a friend (with one of sport’s favourite current myths claiming the Barcelona star is the godfather of Agüero’s son).
This praise from Messi is definitely something that will be echoed by many football fans who have seen the striker play, especially at Manchester City since his arrival for £38 million in 2011. Since then the Argentine international has guided City to a Premier League triumph in his debut season, and after a poor second season in comparison has rocketed out of the blocks in the 2013-14 campaign. I’m not going to lie to you, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when City signed up the former Atletico Madrid star from his former club after weeks of speculation for what remains as a club-record fee of £38 million. When I eventually did see him play, I knew we had someone special on our hands, who took over when Carlos Tevez gallivanted off home to Argentina, leaving City with three strikers for much of the 2011-12 season. Agüero is in fact a very similar player to the man he arguably replaced, former Manchester United forward Carlos Tevez. The two Argentines are both small and skilful players, with the ability to change the game in their own favour within minutes. They also both have remarkable finishing, which lead to Tevez becoming the fastest player to reach 50 goals in a Manchester City shirt (in the Premier League era). The surprising amount of strength that each holds is a massive asset for the team that they are playing for. Both work hard to win the ball back and never stop chasing it down, something formidable in a player. If you had 10 outfield players with the same on-pitch work ethic as these two, I think you’d win almost every game. Agüero’s home debut for the Blues, against newly-promoted Swansea City at the Etihad in August 2011 was a game that showed just how big things we could expect from the newest signing. The Argentine started the game as a substitute, before coming on with half an hour remaining to make his mark on the tie. It took him just eight minutes to open his account for the club, with an easy finish at the back post. It took him just another three to set up his first goal – for City’s star midfielder David Silva – although it should have been chalked off as the ball went off. Agüero then scored a stunning second to really show the watching audience what he’s about, netting past Michel Vorm from nearly 30 yards. Throughout the season, we just saw him getting better and better. Key goals against sides like Vilarreal kept dreams in various competitions alive, and he seemed to pick up a habit of scoring against rivals United, netting twice in three games against them that year. He has gone on to score another 3 since, including the winner at Old Trafford last year. Then, of course, there’s that goal on 13th May 2012, which brought the league title to the Etihad for the first time in over four decades. I think you know which one I mean. Since signing just over two years ago, Agüero has more than proved his worth to me, in bringing silverware and heroics to Eastlands. He may not have had the greatest of campaigns last time round, scoring just 12 in the league all season, but he has come out in the new campaign fitter than ever and on fire. So far, he has scored 13 in 13 in all competitions this season (8 in 9 in the league) along with 6 assists between the Premier League and the Champions League showing just how good he has been this season. After Carlos Tevez left Manchester for Turin in the summer, much thought was put into who could replace Agüero’s strike partner. That man turned out to be Spaniard Alvaro Negredo, capped by his country, and already a favourite for the Blues. The big striker already has 9 in 16 games for his new club, including bagging a hat-trick against CSKA Moscow to send the Citizens into the Champions League knock-out stages for the first time recently. The pair have become lethal up front together, complimenting each other’s strengths and weaknesses very well. It’s still only early in the season, but if Manchester City do end up as league champions in May, it’ll be these two held responsible. The fact that the diminutive Argentine attacker seems to be linked with a move away from City every other week by the press shows how good he is. Barcelona and Real Madrid are the two most commonly mooted as the destination for the Argentina international, but European champions Bayern München and Serie A winners Juventus (who purchased Carlos Tevez off City in July) have also been linked with a move for the City star. However, these rumours seem to not faze the striker, who seems content in northern England for the time being. Sergio ‘Kun’ Agüero has come a long way from his early years playing on the streets of South America. Few could have imagined the success he would reach when he made his debut for his first club, Independiente, over 10 years ago. There will have been a select few who noticed a star in the making, who will now be glad their interest paid off, as the 25-year-old looks to make his mark on the game. He’s got all the tools to do just so, especially with praise like that of Lionel Messi mentioned pushing him towards his goals. Anyone three or four decades older than myself with an interest in football will have been able to marvel at the superb Ajax and Holland sides of the 1970s, who used a brand of football known as “Total Football” to engineer success. This attractive and effective style can be difficult to master for even the most talented of teams, but is one of the game’s best styles, and can destroy any opponents once tamed. Not many tactics were/are able to do this, meaning Total Football is unique in that respect.
With players like the Johans Cruyff and Neeskens, it was always going to be difficult for the Amsterdam side Ajax to not be successful under their manager Rinus Michels, who was the first to instil a Total Football philosophy at the club. In Michels’ first spell in charge of the club (1965-71), he lead his side to four Eredivisie titles, as well as a European Cup (the first of four straight triumphs in the competition). He ingrained the style of play into the club, meaning it remained after he left, first under Stefan Kovacs, then under George Knobel. It is also considered viable that the philosophy was there since the days of Michels’ predecessor, Vic Buckingham, an Englishman who enjoyed great success managing on the continent at FC Barcelona as well as Sheffield Wednesday in his homeland (among others). It was he who spotted a young Johan Cruyff, who remained a big fan of English coach; for this discovery and the building of Ajax Amsterdam, the former Spurs wing-half needs to be remembered. After a mediocre couple of decades in the 1950s and 60s, during which the Dutch ranked among Belgium and Denmark in terms of footballing capabilities, the 70s was the era when the Netherlands established themselves as an international superpower, using many of the players prominent at the country’s premier club, Ajax, at the time. Along with attacking talents such as Cruyff, defensive stars such as Ruud Krol were at the heart of arguably the best national team in the world in both 1974 and 1978 – unfortunately, they lost the World Cup Final to West Germany and then Argentina in each tournament; many in Holland feel aggrieved by the ’74 defeat, due to the nature of how it occurred. In 1988, AC Milan’s Marco Van Basten – arguable the era’s greatest striker – scored a stunning volley against the Soviet Union in West Germany to win Holland their sole major honour, the European Championships. It’s hard to understand the brilliance of Total Football without first understanding how it works. The style typifies high pressing and constant switching of positions during play, to a devastating effect. Some of the most beautiful play can come from Total Football, so much so that in more recent years, many teams have tried to replicate the style in their own image. One such side is FC Barcelona, of Spain. They took the impetus to do so whilst under Pep Guardiola, and continued to do so under his successor Tito Vilanova, enjoying a multitude of different trophies with the pair. However, the philosophy has been there since the 70s, when Rinus Michels took control of the club for four years, and won La Liga once in 1974. This mindset was then upheld by Mr. Cruyff, who both played for and managed the Catalans. Now, with players such as Lionel Messi and Xavi, we see just how good ‘totaal voetbal’ can be in the modern era. Spain have also been fantastic in recent years using a similar brand of play, winning two European Championships and a World Cup in the last five years under the experienced Vicente Del Bosque. They have become revered the world over for their high-pressure passing style that is used to break down and then beat most national teams that they play. This is using many players from Barça and Real, some of the most talented in the world. In some of the more physical leagues, the style may not work as well as it does in the Eredivisie; for example, the English leagues. Renowned for being physical and “route one” (a view held by many on the continent), it can be hard for passing styles to take a foothold in the Premier League, even at the higher teams, as less technical teams such as Stoke remain physical. However, as we have seen at Manchester City and Arsenal, it can work, just maybe not as well as elsewhere, such as Spain. The 2010 World Cup Final (which Holland played in and lost after extra time thanks to Andres Iniesta’s goal with minutes remaining) is the perfect example of changes in the Dutch style. Both Nigel De Jong and Mark Van Bommel could have been sent off for reckless and unnecessary challenges, and were both lucky to still be on the pitch after 120 minutes. Meanwhile, Everton’s Johnny Heitinga was sent off for two bookings, exacting some revenge for the Spaniards. The beauty of the days of Cruyff and Neeskens was gone, and was replaced by a ‘catenaccio’ of football (which literally means “padlock” in Italian, and is a very defensive-minded tactic, but successful nonetheless). This doesn’t seem right, not with players like Robin Van Persie and Arjen Robben in the oranje side. So, is Total Football still possible in modern day football? Despite sides like Barça continuing the tradition, I’m tempted to say no. Football has moved on since the 1970s, as the Dutch proved in that infamous World Cup Final three years ago (although, to me, that wasn’t the real Holland). I think a type of Total Football is still possible, just not perhaps in the style that Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff perfected. Teams like Spain have re-invented it in their own image, but it is clear where they have got their inspiration from. For the brand known as Total Football to still be going strong almost forty years after its inception proves that it has stood the test of time. Written by Ben Warner - @TurnDeCruyff Racism has been rife in society for centuries. South Africa's Apartheid regime, the slave trade & the Nazi Party are just a few examples of this.
Non-whites suffered horribly at the hands of prejudiced groups throughout history & even trying to mix with white people was seen as a crime. People died because of the colour of their skin. Groups such as the Ku-Klux-Klan in America threatened, intimidated & even murdered people purely because they were not white-skinned. We've all been taught that racism is wrong, and we know it is. The majority of society appears to have acknowledged that it is out of order. Yet we're still fighting racism today against a minority. Racism can still be seen in football & it is a problem that must be dealt with. Over the past couple of weeks, incidents have been seen - In Russia, CSKA fans were abusing Manchester City's Yaya Toure. Even in Spain, Elche fans have racially abused members of the Granada team. Fans, teams and governing bodies must stop this from happening. Fans should report anyone being racist at football games. Bans need to be put in place. Culprits have to be dealt with. This can't go on. Simply fining clubs with small amounts of money and forcing them to play 1 game behind closed doors will not help in the slightest. I believe that lifelong bans & criminal charges are necessary for those that are found to be racially abusive. Zenit St. Petersburg players Hulk & Axel Witsel were targets of racism when the club signed them both in the Summer 2012 transfer window. Zenit's largest fan group, Landscrona, penned an open letter to their club which said black players were "forced down Zenit's throat." As well as saying, "The absence of black Zenit players is just an important tradition that underlines the team's identity and nothing more." This was not Zenit's only run-in with racism. In March 2011, Zenit were fined after one of their fans offered Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos, then playing for Anzhi, a banana before a game. Sadly, players have been the culprits in racist incidents as well. Chelsea's John Terry was found to have called QPR's Anton Ferdinand a "f*cking black c*nt" in an insulting manner, but was banned for just 4 games and fined £220,000 (a small amount in the world of top tier football). Liverpool's Luis Suarez was banned for 8 games after repeatedly directing the term "negro" at Manchester United's Patrice Evra. Players beginning to combat racism is an important step. Kevin Prince-Boateng walked off the pitch while playing a friendly for AC Milan after being subjected to racist chants and says he would walk off again. Although criticised by some, such as Clarence Seedorf, he received a huge level of support. Is this the right way to do things? I believe so. By walking off, Kevin Prince-Boateng not only stopped the chants, but also showed 'fans' what will happen if this continues. Something needs to be done about racism in football. How can we call football 'The Beautiful Game' when in the background of many games we hear racially abusive chants? I strongly hope that FIFA and the other governing bodies crackdown on racism & eliminate it from the game as soon as possible. We can't let idiotic, prejudiced thugs win. Written by Jonny McConnell - @jonnysfootyblog Jonny McConnell interview's Preston North End left-back, David Buchanan.1. Can you name any players you would compare yourself to, and for what reason?
Being a full back I like to model myself on players like Baines, Neville and Lahm. All great defenders but are leaders on and off the pitch. They all represent their club with pride. 2. Ultimate goal in your career? I'd like to play at the highest level possible, reach 500 league games and get a few caps for Northern Ireland. 3. In your opinion who is the most talented player you've played alongside? That's a hard question really. But I think it has to be Colin Kazim-Kazim. He was always a special talent and believed he would get to the top. No-one expected him to be playing in the semi-final of the World Cup for Turkey a few years after leaving Bury FC. 4. Who is the best footballer you've played against? There's been a few when I was playing for the u19s and 21s like Prince-Boateng, Ozil, Cabaye, but I would say a player called Jurado who was with Real Madrid at the time I think then moved to Atletico Madrid. He was special on the night. 5. Who were your footballing idols when you were growing up, and why? My idols growing up were Roy Keane and Paul Gascoigne. For me, Roy was the best midfielder of his generation. Sir Alex said he was his greatest ever signing. A leader of men, a winner and won title after title. Gazza still is my number 1 English player of all time. Passionate, majestic and was one of those players who could turn a game on its head. He could have got in any team in the world. 6. 3 footballers you'd like to play against and why? Messi, George Best, Ronaldo. All 3 are the arguably the best players of all time! 7. What is the best moment of your career so far? Signing my first professional contract has got to be the best moment because that's where it all started. Next would be scoring on my debut against Italy for Northern Ireland u19s. 8. What do you hope to achieve with Preston? I'm hoping we can get promotion this season and get back to where our club belongs. I want to play as many games as possible and be remembered at the club for years to come. 9. In what ways do you think the Northern Ireland national team can improve? I think they are slowly starting to move forward. We have a young squad who all want to achieve great things. I think it would help if players weren't allowed to switch allegiance after representing Northern Ireland all through the youth system. I also think a national training centre would be something that helps the country progress to the next stage. 10. Lastly, is there any advice you would give to kids wanting to become footballers? I speak with kids all the time through my business outside football, and my advice is always the same. Believe in yourself, know what you want and how to get there. Then work, practice, work harder and practice even more. Football is the toughest business and its every man for himself. 'All men are created equal, some work harder in pre season'. |