The 90s were, well for me at least a pretty good deal. I may have been a fairly young kid back then but I knew when something was good. Many of my fondest memories were forged in that time and everything seem pretty sweet. Rap was amazing, the Super Nintendo was brightening lives and my West Indies cricket team weren't awful...well they were pretty bad but they were better than what they are now. All and all it was just a merry and care free period of my life. The Generation 90 series showcases young players of today and I have to admit is one of my more favorite pieces simply because this is my generation. It's one thing for me to talk about older players like Pirlo and Zidane and going either further back the likes of Socrates and I do like my seasoned pros but these are my grandfathers footballers, their not mine. The admiration is still there but it's something about seeing a guy who is your age playing the game and sometimes I tell myself if I had just stuck with game as a player and kept my vices at bay maybe I could be that 24-year old gracing fine football pitches the world over. All I can do is sit here and write about these young men and women and do them justice or try to. With that here is the second edition of Generation 90. Squad (Goalkeepers) Bernd Leno (GER), Jack Butland (ENG), Abdul Hamid (USA) (Defenders) Kyle Walker (ENG), Raphael Varane (FRA), Matija Nastasic (SRB), David Alaba (AUT), Steven Caulker (ENG), Ricardo Rodriguez (SUI), Rafael Da Silva (BRA) (Midfielders) Paul Pogba (FRA), Granit Xhaka (SUI), Isco (ESP), Iker Munain (ESP), Viktor Fischer (DEN), Lucas Moura (BRA), Thomas Ince (ENG), Oscar (BRA) (Forwards) Christian Benteke (BEL), Stephan El Shaarawy (ITA), Teemu Pukki (FIN), Nelson Oliveira (POR) Formation 4-3-3 They are some very potent wingers and attacking midfielders in this current crop of youngsters so I have decided to pick a formation to show up their talents. The current trend in football is to play with the solo striker so I will bend to modern day ways. Starting XI Goalkeeper- Bernd Leno (GER) Right Back- Kyle Walker (ENG) Center Back- Raphael Varane (FRA) Center Back- Matija Nastasic (SRB) Left Back- David Alaba (AUT) Central Midfielder- Paul Pogba (FRA) Central Midfielder- Granit Xhaka (SUI) Central Attacking Midfielder- Isco (ESP) Right Winger- Iker Munain (ESP) (captain) Striker- Christian Benteke (BEL) Left Winger- Viktor Fischer (DEN) WHY? Bernd Leno- With the great and the good of the football world declaring Germany as the next superpower in the sport due to Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund killing everyone of late, I figure I might as well jump on the bandwagon as well and kneel before the Germans. Bernd Leno I'm hoping will have a few more fans after this little article. This post won't be the reason people will come to love the German shot stopper but rather his stellar performances between the pipes. If Bayer Leverkusen happen to reach the Champions League in the 2012-2013 season Mr. Leno would have played an integral part. Leno has played a fair bit games already at senior level, before tending net for Bayer he was a regular at Vfb Stuttgart where he was very impressive. Let's be real here, Germany are not short on good goalkeepers the likes of Manuel Neuer, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and even at his age Roman Weidenfeller still looks the part so Leno's national team prospects do not look too healthy. What I like about him is that he is very brave. He stops shots with his legs, chest, shoulders and face and if he isn't stopping shots he is screaming and everybody knows you can't be a good goalie if your not screaming.
Kyle Walker- Though England may not have much quality options at the left fullback position with Ashley Cole entering the twilight of his career and Leighton Baines starting to peak, the same can not be said about the opposite flank. With Glen Johnson, Micah Richards and auxiliary options like Phil Jones and Chris Smalling all around means England has no need to worry. No denying that Johnson is the premier option for the "Three Lions," at right back and most likely it his position until he retires or if serious injury occurs. Jones and Smalling are capable but they aren't honest fullbacks. So the only contenders to challenge Johnson are Richards and Kyle Walker. England's PFA Young Player of the Year in 2012 Walker is a modern day fullback. He has good movement going forward, tracks back well and has tremendous powers of recovery. The England right back has good pace, decent crossing and a belts the ball when he takes shot. What impresses me about him is tackling and his temperament. Walker isn't a dirty player and when he goes in for the tackle it is usually a clean. Overall, a very very solid fullback with excellent ball skills.
Raphael Varane- I like to think I follow football pretty closely but this guy came out of nowhere and even evaded me. Very few outside of France knew who Raphael Varane was. Jose Mourinho and the Real Madrid just waltzed up to the French club Lens inquired about him, told Zidane to take a look and Varane became a "Meringue." Let's just look at some facts here, Varane in the bulk of his debut season in the white of Real Madrid has kept out the Portuguese duo of Pepe and Ricardo Carvalho out of the starting XI. Ricardo Carvalho isn't a young buck anymore but I'm sure he can still cut it. As for Pepe, a lot of people may get on his back and bash him but on a good Pepe can be very effective. Varane under the Mourinho era at Real has made both basically null and void. The young Frenchman knows what he is doing. I have never seen Sergio Ramos babying him and holding his hand through the course of games. Madrid have a good player in their ranks but my fear is the revolving door that is Real Madrid may chew him up.
Matija Nastasic- Serbia has a lot of very very very good defenders. Let's call names shall we: Nemanja Vidic, Branislav Ivanovic, Neven Subotic, Aleksandar Kolarov, Slobodan Rajkovic and Anotnio Rukavina. So they aren't short on talent but another name we can sneak into to that stellar list is Matija Nasatic. When Roberto Manicini signed Stefan Savic the young Montenegrin center half he brought in a player who looked liked he was still learning the game. A ball of nerves was Savic. Sketchy back passes and the ones that were heading in the other way weren't that great either. So when the Italian signed Matija Nastasic for the 2012-13 EPL campaign I was like here is another goofball eastern European kid who dallies on the ball in the back. As with most things I was proven wrong. Nastasic by popular consensus seems to be a very "cool," customer. I have heard it from fans of Man. City, pundits, commentators and players, even a Manchester United fan I know once called him a "boss." It is clear that the Serbian has a fairly big fan club but it really is well deserved. I tend to keep a close eye on City games and he is what they say and more. Yes, he is cool with his decision making but I think he is a tough guy too and you can't bully him and did I mention he has kept England international Joleon Lescott on the bench of late?
David Alaba- Hands down the best Austrian player of this generation. David Alaba will look to prop up a flagging Austria over the next few years. Remember you heard it here first. I think Alaba is and probably will go down the path that Gareth Bale is heading down right now. Bale started his career as a left back same as the Austrian, over time the Welshman advanced up the park. Alaba learned his craft alongside Philipp Lahm, so he knows what a proper full back looks like but the Austrian does have extremely useful attacking traits. He has a wonderful shot, great control and an impressive long ball all sitting on a goal scoring touch. Alaba can go far and being the main for his country will only make him mature even faster.
Paul Pogba- Manchester United let this guy just walk away and now Juventus is benefitting. Paul Pogba is one of the most physically impressive players to running up and down a pitch nowadays. Nice and tall so he wins balls in the air and he is a long player as well. His long legs eats up the pitch. His game is robust, he is not afraid of a tackle or to give one. Short passes, long passes, crosses, dinks and chips Monsieur Pogba has it all. Accompanying all of this is his pile-driving long shots. With the physical comes the mental and the young Frenchman excels at that as well. He reads the game well from his often deep lying position. Being a former captain for France at youth level just shows that he has qualities of leadership and maturity, traits that will only lend to his development.
Granit Xhaka- I absolutely love his first name...Granit like the rock, it might be missing an "e," but it is a fantastic name either way. I fancy myself as an expert on unique names having one of my own. Names aside Granit Xhaka it has to be said is a dynamo of a player. Exciting to watch and full of running. The Swiss is seen as a luxury player and blessed with trickery and a golden touch. Every time I've seen him play whether it may be for his national side or club he is always doing something. I don't know what they are doing over there in Switzerland but Xhaka and likes of Xherdan Shaqiri and Nassim Ben Khalifa are reaping rewards form it. There is too much good to say about Xhaka and this paragraph is already slightly lengthy.
Isco- Francisco Roman Alarcon Suarez or Isco to the rest of us is a virtuouso Spanish midfielder running things at the moment for La Liga outfit Malaga. A task that I don't think he will be doing for too long because the bigger sides of the world are lining up for him as they should. Unless Malaga's finances sort themselves out immediately he will go! I personally tend to throw words like fantastic, wonderful and awesome around but Isco just is. My favorite player of all time is Juan Carlos Valeron because in his day his he simply had an aura about him and Isco has that. The now Malaga man is so refreshing to see in a game that seems to be all about passing and team play, he brings back individualism to the sport. He isn't selfish, Isco is a assist shark but he is always willing to take on a defender with controlled dribbling... his balance is phenomenal, simply the guy is divine.
Iker Munain- Spain does not do wingers. Sure, they have had their wingers, the likes Albert Luque and the evergreen Joaquin come to mind but they haven't given the world pristine sidemen like their Iberian cousins the Portuguese, who have been cranking out wide men since Luis Figo. Jesus Navas heads up the new generation of Spanish flankers followed by Juan Bernat and this guy, Iker Munain. The man from Pamplona is one of the most graceful things running at the moment in football. He is so elegant I really mean that I don't know if it is his slight frame and gait but he looks like moves on air. Munain who plies his trade with Athletic Bilbao at the moment shared a great relationship with target man Fernando Llorente and had a good chunk of success with the club but so often is with the case with Spanish clubs not named Barcelona, Real Madrid and Valencia they hit a snag and at this time they might be in a bit of lull. Munain if he stays will fighting on an uneven battlefield because teams like Bilbao simply don't have the money to compete with the "big two." The local youth systems can only produce so much and when they find a gem the youngsters are ferried away and I won't be surprise if Iker is on a ferry himself very soon.
Christian Benteke- First of all I love the picture below and it sums up what the player is all about. So many times I've Christian Benteke just celebrating a goal. In his first season in the Premier League he has done more than some players who have spent their whole careers in England. Signed for Aston Villa for the 2012-13 campaign and already there is talk of bigger clubs coming in for him. Personally I like him at Villa. The Birmingham side is a much larger club people give them credit for. His movement is good, he is a strong player and has a very nice touch and most importantly he scores a lot of goals and in a variety of different ways. He never scores the same goal and is always on the prowl I like that and he got me a lot of points in my Fantasy Football League that's always a plus.
Viktor Fischer- A lot of attention is focused on Denmark's Christian Eriksen and it is well deserved but there is another young Dane looking just as excellent. Viktor Fischer is an in your face winger who absolutely blitzes down sidelines with his hare like pace. Fischer plays alongside Eriksen at the moment at Ajax Amsterdam and his doing well for the Dutch club who will no doubt if he stays a little longer instill some other assets to his game but already he is a handy player. He has a nice goal tally as well, that always a winger look more valuable.
Substitutes (GK) Jack Butland- Carrying on with the England's great goalkeeping tradition, Jack Butland is touted to be one of the greats. Butland has always impressed for England's youth sides and his spell in the Championship was littered with fine moments. I'm looking forward to the rivalry he and Joe Hart will share for the "The Three Lions," No.1 jersey in the future. (GK) Abdul Hamid- For those who don't watch Major league Soccer I won't grudge for not knowing who Bill Hamid is but what I will say to you is to just take some time out to check the young man's game. Bill as he is known seems like he has been in the league forever, he is staple and consistent. Above all Hamid has really great reflexes and I always have him down for a sick save or two per game. Tim Howard and Brad Guzan are headed of him in the national team but he isn't a bad replacement if the injury bug hits. (CB) Steven Caulker- I'm old fashion. I make no qualms about that so when Steven Caulker hit the scene I was automatically infatuated. I like my center halves tall, strong and mean and Caulker is certainly all that. The Englishman first came to my attention while he was on loan at Swansea City and he looked genuinely good. There a lot of giant defenders out there but I just like Caulker's aggressiveness. (LB) Ricardo Rodriguez- Switzerland has a bunch of young talents coming through in almost every position, up top there is the likes of Nassim Ben Khalifa and Admir Memhedi, in midfield sees Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri and Yann Sommer is a nice goalkeeper. The Swiss defense though is starting to get on in years so it's good thing Ricardo Rodriguez has showed up when he did. The left back is very mobile and when his team(s) are dominating the game he practically lives in the opposition's half. (RB) Rafael da Silva- This probably going to be the shortest explanation ever. Everybody knows Rafael, he plays for Brazil and Manchester United. He's quick, a good defender, has nice leap for a short guy and aggressive. He's a good fullback but you already knew that. (CAM) Lucas Moura- I have to come clean haven't seen much of Lucas. Where I live at we don't get much Campeonato Brasiliero and get very few Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana on the tele. International matches with Brazil are also a rare treat for me. So my Lucas experiences are limited to glitzy YouTube clips and highlights. Now he is with Paris Saint Germain so I do get my fix of him at least once a week and I tell you he is inspiring. I constantly heard the hype about him and Neymar but never bought into it but Lucas quickly changed my mind I just love how he glides across the pitch and the typical Brazilian trickery. (LW/RW/CAM) Thomas Ince- England with another swift winger. SWP, Aaron Lennon, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Raheem Sterling and now there is Tom Ince. The son of English hero Paul Ince. Tom who adorably plays under his father at the moment at Blackpool certainly has an intriguing future ahead of him. The names on that list are very impressive and there are ton of options for England so it is up to Ince to make a name for himself. For some reason I think he would make a good Manchester United player. (CAM) Oscar- Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Junior was one of the first of this batch of Brazilian stars to tackle Europe. I won't say Oscar has really been amazing but given his limited role at Chelsea so far but what he has done is be effective. What we do know about the little Brazilian is that he can score cool and vital goals and there is no doubt if he wasn't at Chelsea he would be an automatic starter in most teams. (ST) Stephan El Shaarawy- It's amazing how a need can make a hero out of someone. El Shaarawy definitely filled the void left my departed Milanese. You don't replace Zlatan Ibrahimovic but El Shaarawy has certainly done the best he can to make AC Milan fans forget about the Swede. Giampaolo Pazzini hasn't really done the job, Bojan Krkic is on loan at the moment and Mario Balotelli is great but he can greatly cost you so El Shaarawy needs to be the man now, the responsible one and he can be, he has already proven it. (ST) Teemu Pukki- The Fins in recent times have always had a striker they can depend on Mikael Forssell, Jonatan Johansson and Jari Litmanen were old favorites. Now it is the turn of Teemu Pukki. Learning form the Klaus Jan Huntelaar at Schalke Pukki has the ability to become a top player. Rifle of a shot and quick, the Fin will be hot property in the future. Believe me. (ST) Nelson Oliveira- What the Portuguese should have done is build a time machine to take a fighting fit Nelson Oliveira to the exact point when Pedro Pauleta retired so Portugal wouldn't have to suffer through the lack of quality strikers. Hugo Almeida, Nuno Gomes and Helder Postiga really over the years contributed little to the Portuguese national team. Before Oliveira hit the scene Portugal have been lobbing Cristiano Ronaldo up top into the center forward position, mind you he can do it but Ronnie as I like to call him is a winger first, striker second. Thank goodness Oliveira a genuine goal scorer has arrived I was getting tired of watching Hugo Almeida try. Let's hope these guys make it and make me look like I actually know what I'm talking about.
In a world of globalization the idea of a country some believe is starting to wear thin. They argue that the shape the world is taking and the ever movement of man from one place to another will make the notion of a nation obsolete. Technology and man's mobility is starting to smudge established borders on maps. For people like soldiers who are either defending or carrying their country's interests into foreign lands, the label of what a nation is, is extremely clear. To them it is a place where all their values have been established and a place where they love. One of the greatest things anyone can ever do is serve their country in what ever that maybe. The Olympics and other world tournaments will continue to push the idea of nations and national pride and in no other sport to you see such a love for country than in football. To be cliche', football is the global game and it is fair to say most of the 195 odd countries of the world play the game. At the top there is the very best, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Holland, England and France then there is the very good like the Uruguays, the Ivory Coasts and the Belgiums of the world. In contrast to the great and the good there is the awful and San Marino and Anguilla certainly fit that bill. Somewhere in between there are nations like Iceland who trying to challenge the elite and distance themselves from the nobodies. Iceland may literally sit at the top of the world but when it comes to moving a football between the white lines the European nation could do with wave good fortune. The kind of fortune that has followed their more illustrious Scandinavian neighbors over the years. Norway, Denmark, Sweden and even Finland have had wonderful moments on the international scene while Iceland have only shown sporadic periods of genius. At the moment Iceland sits snuggly between the African nations of Togo and Morocco in 73rd. If your down with FIFA rankings that's great but I can't believe currently that Haiti and Libya are better than Iceland, so I have to call shenanigans of the way FIFA determines these positions. That being said Iceland are where they are and for a European nation that can't be too pleasing and if being ranked 73rd in the world doesn't seem to flattering, the Nordic nation's 131st position in April of 2012 must have been heartbreaking for the Icelandic. This was the lowest FIFA ranking Iceland ever held, a far cry from their loftiest place on the totem pole in 1994 when they were the 37th best team in the world. Iceland's football history began in 1930, with a match albeit unofficial with it's lowly neighbor the Faroe Islands with the Icelanders coming out 1-0 winners. Iceland's first official game according to FIFA was against Denmark in 1946 with the Danes walking away with a 3-0 win in Reykjavik. I wish I could sit here and tell adventures about the Iceland's grand encounters in the Euros and World Cups of old but unfortunately the country hasn't even gotten near to either one of the major tournaments. Time and time again Iceland has failed to make it to the big dance but this time around the Icelandic are going well . Iceland are in Group E of UEFA qualifying zone for the 2014 World Cup that is going to be held in Brazil. Surprisingly as I write they sit second just behind the young lads of Switzerland and are holding off the likes of Albania, Cyprus, Slovenia and their Scandinavian rival Norway. Hopefully Iceland can hold on and actually make it to the World Cup as difficult as it may sound but with some luck they can make it and shouldn't be written off and do have some weapons that they can call on. For nation that hasn't really made a mark on the international stage, Iceland has produce some very handy players. Eidur Gudjohnnsen is one of the greatest forward the world will ever see and even at the tail end of his career he offers the Icelanders much needed quality. Not as good as Gudjohnsen but forever steady are the old guard like Heidar Helguson, Hermann Hreidarsson and Gretar Rafn Steinsson have all served Iceland extremely well and were mainstays in England once upon a time. As they fade the burden of Iceland now rests on the playmaking Gylfi Sigurdsson who is clearly one of the brightest talents in all of Europe. Backing up Mr. Sigurdsson is the midfield trio of Aron Gunnarsson, Eggert Jonsson and Johann Gudmundsson while Dutch based Alfred Finnbogason and Kolbeinn Sigporsson will look to scare opposition goalkeepers up top. With the names mentioned here is no doubt that Iceland can give the world a player or two but can they produce a cluster of players to give it a go on the international stage? I don't know and they do get around to producing a virtuoso, the player seems to come around every leap or decade. The generational gap between Gylfi Sigurdsson and Eidur Gudjohnsen is so great that even having them in the same team doesn't help the country. There is no segue from the former to the latter and it hurts Iceland. The country may only have just over quarter of a million but there is talent and all they have to do is bide their time and grow a forest of fine players so they can at least match their Nordic neighbours. Gylfi Sigurdsson
Qualifying out of any FIFA region is tough despite what some people think. They are factors that one has to keep into consideration. If you look through the various federations some like Europe's UEFA, speaks for itself. The bulk of the world's football giants call Europe their home and some of the nations on the continent are very hard to get to. CONMEBOL may only have the ten nations to duke it out but two of them are Brazil and Argentina and it should be pointed out that in South America some of the greatest players to have ever played the game past and present come from this place. CAF the African governing body has just about the same amount of nations as Europe. Being honest some of the conditions in Africa aren't the greatest, they are either remote, or playing conditions such as the pitch are sub-par. Asia's AFC in my opinion has the most extreme terrain and weather change in FIFA. One minute a team can find it self playing near the foot of a Tajik mountain, the next game they can be battling it out in searing heat of the Middle East and on top of that they are some really good teams out there Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia are no mugs. At the surface, Oceania that encompasses nations from the Pacific like Fiji and Vanuatu doesn't look like much and in truth it really isn't in terms of talent but as New Zealand and Australia in the past would tell you, traversing those tiny islands that dot the Pacific is not easy at all, there will be fatigue, mentally and physically. CONCACAF, the region that embodies North and Central America, the Caribbean and a few territories on the South American mainland is a mix bag. On the one hand you have the Americans and Mexicans that sit alone at the summit and then you have some of the Caribbean islands that huddle together like a bunch of small fish at the bottom of a shrinking pond. It is easy to say that the United States and Mexico encounters are the marquee games in the region and maybe the only stand out game in the federation. On Tuesday, March 26th 2013, the United States and Mexico squared up at the famed Azteca in Mexico City where the two played out a 0-0 draw in a World Cup Qualifying game. People who like to give CONCACAF grief and down cry it would have ample reason to do so, seeing that its most celebrated teams gave 90 mins nothing and for those who appreciate the North American zone they themselves will have to admit it really wasn't a great match. On the night what I saw for the first time is a Mexico team who didn't have a clue, devoid of ideas, passion and commitment. I think most people familiar with the Mexican national team could see that. They had no midfield, no killer ball and the width they offered was omitted by the excellent Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler. If watch the full 90 that was easy to see. Mexico in what seems to me overnight has become a team that is rooted in it's on ways, so much so that the major players in CONCACAF, the likes of the United States, Honduras and Jamaica have become wise to them and has found ways to peg them back and the proof is the current three draws and the table in which they sit second bottom barley holding of Jamaica by a point. In contrast the United States under Jurgen Klinsman has adapted a "horses for courses," approach. Klinsman who has gotten a lot of flak from American pundits and fans for results and style of play has proven that versatility is an avenue worth exploring. Klinsman's predecessors clung on to virtually the same players time and time again and there is nothing wrong with that. The likes of Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and Carlos Bocanegra have been magnificence servants to the United States and if not for Donovan's leave of absence and his reluctance to play for the national team and Howard's injury I am sure they would be the first names on the team sheet in recent games. The difference is that with Klinsman's America, he is willing to try new things. Bocanegra, Donovan and Howard are older players but so is Demarcus Beasley, so he isn't turning his back on veterans. Beasley has played at left back in these last two games, sure he picked up a yellow in the early stages of the Mexico game and made a few mistakes but in the main he looked good. The German's willingness to spot problems only lends to his versatility and picking the right player is key. In 2011 USA loss to Mexico 4-2 in the Gold Cup final under Bob Bradley. I remember it because of that wonderful solo goal from Giovanni Dos Santos where he chipped the ball over Howard's head along with the trailing US back line. Clarence Goodson and Carlos Bocanegra were at the heart of that defense. People on the US side belly-ached about how slow the defense was and I agreed. The defense also included Eric Lichaj and Steve Cherundolo. Bocanegra and Cherundolo are aging players that is fair but not Lichaj and Goodson. The four of them on the day could not deal with Mexico's mobility. There is no doubt Klinsman has seen that tape since his appointment and has planned to suit, he opted for a younger back line minus Beasley against Mexico and it paid off. The rise of Graham Zusi and Herculez Gomez isn't by chance either. By including more players into the national set up Klinsman is giving himself more options and is allowing himself routes out of tight jams. To me making a statement saying that he won't be stuck like his predecessors in crunch time situations. He will have more players he can trust. Not to say Bob Bradley and Bruce Arena didn't blood many players but Klinsman seems to use a wide-array of individuals. At the end of the Mexico USA clash some "El Tri," fans were shouting "Fuero Chepo," which translates to fire "Chepo," the nickname of the Mexican head coach Jose Manuel de la Torre. If there is anything the US can teach the Mexican coach is don't be afraid to try something new and granted he did Carlos Salcido a left back in midfield isn't revolutionary but it is a change. Maybe a more lucrative change can come from the in form Carlos Vela who has snubbed the national team and by the looks of it they could need another option at the moment. Giovanni Dos Santos Goal vs USA (Gold Cup 2011)
Serie A boasts a glut of exciting young talent that Italian fans get to swoon over week in and week out, the likes Stefan Jovetic currently at Fiorentina always catches the eye. There is the former Manchester United player Paul Pogba. The Frenchman plays for Juventus these days and has been putting in some solid performances for the "Old Lady." While the newly formed Italian duet Mario Balotelli and Stephan Shaarawy looks to rebuild the fortunes of AC Milan in similar fashion to Marek Hamsik and Edison Cavani of Napoli. Its great that the Italian top flight has these wonderful budding stars but Serie A, for me at least is the place to see vintage players at the top level. While England consistently obsesses over how old Frank Lampard is and how long can he continue for, in Italy no such argument ever takes place. The likes of Francesco Totti, Javier Zanetti, Andrea Pirlo, Esteban Cambiasso and Miroslav Klose are running around like if it's the year 2000 and they are a lot players, on the Italian peninsula who have some how preserved their talents even in their latter years with this man being one of them. Name: Fabrizio Miccoli D/O/B: 06/27/1979 Place of Birth: Nardo, Italy Position: Forward Height: 5'6 ft National Team: Italy National Team Debut: Italy vs Portugal 2003 Club Team(s): Casarano 1996-98, Ternana 1998-2002, Juventus 2002-07, Perugia 2002-03, Fiorentina 2004-05, Benfica 2005-07, Palermo 2007-present The Italian forward of the older generation is a special beast. Deeply loyal, an eye for the flair and full of gusto. The names like Alessandro Del Piero, Antonio Di Natale, Antonio Cassano and Tommasso Rocchi mean a lot to different people in Italy. They all are magnificent players and if you blink quickly enough one would swear that your looking at the same guy. They are all diminutive, tricky, goal hungry monsters, who have been plying their trade for a very long time who have their served clubs and national team extremely well. There is another man to add to that list who is just as short, just as tricky and just as goal thirsty. Fabrizio Miccoli deserves his purple heart for a career littered with goals and an energetic style of play. Miccoli took his first steps as professional at the Stadio Giuseppe Capozza at the home of humble Casarano in 1996. In his two year spell in Puglia the man from Nardo raked in 19 goals in 57 appearances for the club. After his stint at Casarano, Miccoli took his talents to Ternana and the front man showed his class from an early age. With the side from Umbria, Miccoli scored 32 goals in his four year stay and amassed 120 appearances. Miccoli received a lot praise from people in the Italian game and eventually a bigger club had snapped him up. In 2002 the striker made the move to Juventus but despite his ability Miccoli only played 35 times for the club in his five years there scoring eight times. Miccoli as talent as he was and still is just could not oust the Juve cult hero Alessandro Del Piero in the starting line up. The striker was loaned out on numerous occasions, first was to the once prosperous Perugia. In his second time in Umbria, Miccoli donned the colors of Perugia 34 times and got himself nine goals between 2002 and 2003. His second loan saw the forward link up with Fiorentina in the 2004-05 season. In the 35 games he played for the Florentini, Miccoli was able to burst the nets 12 times. This however was not enough for Juve and the Neretini striker was yet again allowed to leave on loan. Miccoli found himself in Portugal in 2005 with Lisbon's Benfica where he spent roughly two years racking up 39 appearances and scoring 14 goals for the side. Realizing the Italian's ability Palermo purchased Miccoli in the summer transfer window from Juventus in 2007 costing the "Rosanero," around 4.3 million euros, with the club inking him to a three year deal. Miccoli's career it is safe to stay never materialized at Juve but with Palermo the forward has really come to prominence. So far to date he has scored over 70 goals for Palermo and has played for them more than 150 times. At Palermo Miccoli has tasted European competition having played for the club in the old UEFA Cup. Now the captain at the Sicilian outfit the forward can say this is the longest he has ever been with a team. He has played alongside the likes of Edison Cavani and Andrea Barzagli and has seen some very good times at the club. The Italian's international career never really took flight, Miccoli has only ever appeared for Italy 10 times, the first of which coming against Portugal in 2003. It's really no surprise that the forward has had such a scant showing for the national team. In Miccoli's playing career the "Azzuri," could have called on the likes of Del Piero, Luca Toni, Antonio Cassano, Francesco Totti and Alberto Gilardino and at the moment, Italy are looking to the future by relying nowadays on Mario Balotelli and Sebastian Giovinco. Miccoli has ruled himself out of playing for his country again due being snubbed over the years from men like Marcelo Lippi. Miccoli has had a wonderful career and where ever he went he a had a goal for his supporters. Palermo is very lucky to have such a versatile and competent player in their ranks and inversely Miccoli has found a support system in the "Rosanero,"that has allowed him to be considered one of the most premier players in Serie A. Despite the skills and efforts of the striker Palermo is going through some worrying times and currently seems cemented at the bottom of the Italian league and its hard to say if Miccoli can even save them now. Fabrizio Miccoli
Swansea manager Michael Laudrup summed it up best when he called the 2012-2013 Capital One Cup final between the Premier Leagues' Swansea City and League Two outfit Bradford City a true "fairy tale," story. When the newly branded Capital One Cup kicked off last summer no one would have ever thought that these two would contest the coveted prize. Swansea who are becoming a very stable top flight team knocked off Chelsea and Liverpool on its way to Wembley. Bradford dispatched the likes of Aston Villa and the Arsenal on their march to England's national stadium which came as a shock to many. The whole story of Bradford is pretty amazing, their story is like those old cup victories the older generation keeps harping about, like when a lower tier team would just cruise through the competition without conceding a single goal. While I think that has never been done in a major European league the idea of it does warm the insides. Bradford has a lot of factors that led to their success in the cup, their staunch defense, Wigan can tell you all about that. Their manager, Phil Parkinson set out his team to be hard to beat and they found a goal when they needed to. Some of those tallies came from Bermuda's Nahki Wells, the now 22-year-old was a key man for the "Bantams," with the forward having already notched three goals for the Yorkshiremen so far in the cup. Watching young Wells on his epic adventure though England's Capital Cup reminded me of the former Bermudian greats like Manchester City's Shaun Goater and the pioneering Clyde Best of West Ham United. I wanted to call Bermuda a one off because of the two and now Wells has popped up on the radar and now its throwing my theory in the water. I said maybe this is just a generational thing, every once in awhile Hamilton pushes out a diamond but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe, Bermuda has some really special about her. In my search for more Bermudians making an impact on a football pitch I happened to stumble across the talents Reggie Lambe, Toronto FC's promising winger who I only last season grabbed my attention. Who I did have a working knowledge of were the Bermuda Hogges a team that plays in America's USL, who coming across teams like the Long Island Rough Riders and the Brooklyn Knights which have some budding talent in their ranks. The Hogges are now co-owned by Goater and continue to make strides in a very competitive league. Bermuda isn't going to break the hegemony in CONCACAF the likes of the United States and Mexico are light years ahead of everybody else but they do have pieces that they can work with. The likes of Goater and Best can be good examples for others to follow, the Hogges have a great system that can push through young talent and the performances of Lambe and Wells abroad can only do them a service. For an island so small they certainly have the know how to produce players with a bright spark. Nahki Wells
In Greek mythology there is a reoccurring theme that pops up. Which is the relationships between father and son. Oedipus fulfilled the prophecy that he would kill his father to marry his mother. Further back in this wonderful tradition there was the epic saga of Titans and Olympians. In the beginning there was Uranus the first god. His youngest son Cronus rose up to take his place. Castrated him and banished him to the Underworld, so that he could become king. Cronus in turn had a son, Zeus who rose his hand against him and took his place. In almost every case the son supersedes the father and in football similar scripts are written. Portugal spawned Brazil in every since word, politically, historically and economically but on a football pitch Portugal are the paupers compared to the South Americans. The thing is it's very painful living under the thumb of anyone. New Zealand lives in Australia's shadow as does Canada in America's. It's not easy living next to a giant as Austria will tell you. It's a pity that no matter what Austria does in football it will always fall short when stacked against Germany's pedigree. So where does Austria lie on the football totem pole? As I type this, the men from Vienna sit 60th in FIFA world rankings. The highest they have ever been so far is 17th and the lowest was 105th. If you are one who puts great weight behind FIFA rankings one could say the Austrians tend to float around in the upper middle class in football while periodically dipping from time to time. Austria made it's first bow in the international realm against her oldest ally Hungary in 1902 in a friendly, the Austrians coming out 5-0 winners in the match. In the first World Cup held in Uruguay, Austria didn't enter along with Germany in 1930 due to political reasons.Withdrawal and deciding not to compete in major international tournaments is a theme that Austria knows all to well. Despite obtaining the fourth position in the 1934 World Cup in Italy, Austria made itself scarce in the two World Cups preceding Italy. Austria's annexation from Germany in 1938 meant although the Austrian's had qualified for the World Cup in France they weren't able to play due to the dissolving of the Austrian Football Association thus Austria could not field a team so the Germans stood in their stead. "Purely," a footballing decision saw the Austrians pull out of qualification for Brazil 1950. The Austrians stating the team was, "too inexperienced." In 1954 the Austrians crossed the border to Switzerland where the close proximity to home pushed them to a 3rd place showing, only ousted by the familiar figure of Germany the eventual tournament champions. The year 1958 brought the World Cup to Sweden where Austria finished at the bottom just amassing one point. Austria, from World Cups 1962 to 1974 were missing and went through a lull on the international stage for more than a decade until they found their way back in 1978 at the games in Argentina. World Cups in Spain in 1982 and Italy in 1990 followed, with France 98 the last time the Austrians played in football's marquee to this date.The European Championships hasn't been very kind to them either. Since the Euros inception in 1960 the Austrians have only qualified for one to this date and that was only because they co-host the venture with Switzerland in 2008. They finished bottom of their group, with them once again looking up at the Germans. It hasn't been an iconic footballing history for Austria mainly because they have not produced a crop of players to really spur them on. Hans Krankl is without a doubt the "wunderkid," of Austrian football. Back in the day he was as it got for Austria. Since then the likes of Andreas Herzog and Ivica Vastic had Austria plugging along for a bit but the fact is the most recent crop and maybe those directly after the Krankl has been very ordinary. Paul Schraner is the first person who comes to mind when I certainly think of present day Austria, second is Sebastian Prodl. Both fine players in their own right but not good enough to push Austria on, in a very tough UEFA qualifying zone. Then there is the nearly men. Christoph Leitgeb, Andreas Ivanschitz and Emmanuel Pogatetz. These guys were suppose to lift the national team from the mire. What Austria got was flashes from the trio, the fact that all of them played the bulk of their careers so far at middle level clubs says a lot. We have had cameos from the likes of Roland Linz, Martin Harnik, Erwin Hoffer, Marc Janko and the giant Stefan Maierhofer but none have really done the job. Then there is the future, which is pretty much David Alaba and Marko Arnautovic. In contrast the Swiss seem to making Xherdan Shaqiri(s) every week and the Germans...I don't even have to say anything about their production line it speaks for itself. Austria may not be able to produce wave of players on mass like the other European aristocrats but it does have a rich history and with that they can hopefully inspire a desperately needed star. The formula is, pluck the best youngsters from the Austrian Bundesliga thrust them into the first teams in Austria or export them. They won't master Germany but Cronus thought that about Zeus. Save Them Alaba
I do love these summer tournaments. The Gold Cup is nice. I'm a huge fan of the Copa America and of course it doesn't get any bigger than the World Cup. This summer solstice we had Euro 2012 to keep our attentions in Poland and Ukraine. We have seen the wonderful the odd surprise like the Dutch leaving the tournament with out a single point in the group stage. Don't know if I can call it a big surprise but the Italians making it to the final was a really nice touch seeing that the country is amidst yet another match fixing scandal. We have had the late drama. You had your extra time and penalty shoot outs for those who like to sweat it out and let's forget last gasp scenarios for advancement. The Greeks sat bottom of Group A, beats the heavily tipped Russia to qualify for the knockout round and the Czechs ousting the hometown heroes the Poles, all good stuff. We did have the ugly. Polish and Russian fans clashed. The Germans decided to throw things at players and not lets not forget the good ole fashion racism. All horrific and there is nothing worse than racism but the play at Poland and Ukraine by some off the players has been absolutely toxic and with that here is the worse 23 the summer had to offer.
Euro 2012 Squad
(Coach) Bert van Marwijk (NED) (Goalkeepers) Woijech Szczesny (POL), Shay Given (IRL), Andriy Pyatov (UKR) (Defenders) Andreas Granqvist (SWE), Richard Dunne (IRL), Ron Vlaar (NED), Yuri Zhrikov (RUS), John O'Shea (IRL), Jetro Willems (NED), Michael Kadlec (CZE), Sergei Ignashevich (RUS) (Midfielders) Ashley Young (ENG), Keith Andrews (IRL), Mark van Bommel (NED), Arjen Robben (NED), Andrei Arshavin (RUS), Nigel De Jong (NED), Bastian Schweinsteiger (GER), Anders Svensson (SWE) (Forwards) Aleksandr Kerzhakov (RUS), Robbie Keane (IRL), Milan Baros (CZE), Karim Benzema (FRA) Formation 4-4-2 Standard old school set up. No false number "9," or any of that for these gentleman. Plus I don't think with the outings these guys showed they couldn't even handle a tactical reshuffle on the fly, it might make some of them pull a hamstring. Simple but the simple isn't always that easy hence why they are in the worse Euro squad. Starting XI Goalkeeper- Woijech Szczesny (POL) Right Back- Andreas Granqvist (SWE) Centre Back- Richard Dunne (IRL) Centre Back-Ron Vlaar (NED) Left Back- Yuri Zhrikov (RUS) Right Midfielder- Ashley Young (ENG) Centre Midfielder- Keith Andrews (IRL) Centre Midfielder- Mark van Bommel (NED) Left Midfielder- Arjen Robben (NED) Striker- Robbie Keane (IRL) Striker- Aleksandr Kerzhakov (RUS) (captain) WHY? Woijech Szczesny- It took me awhile to first to pronounce his name when I first heard of him. I got to know him and with time I learnt how to spell his name with out looking at wikipedia or the computer and finally it took me a while to actually rate young Woijech as a goalkeeper when Arsenal acquired him. Well at least I now know how to spell and call out his name properly because he is awful. I have discounted the shaky Arsenal performances because he really started to come around but this tournament in "POLAND," I took back every nice word written or said about him. He had a prime opportunity to give Poland a solid base but what does he do? Concedes a weak goal to the Greeks then gets himself sent off and gives up a penalty. If not for back up Tyton's brave spot shot save, Greece would have won the game probably. The red card meant that he would be suspended the game after. Poland could have really used his help but through a moment of madness he left his nation adrift and Poland couldn't make it through.
Andreas Granqvist- I really do feel for this guy and on a normal day he wouldn't even come nearly close to this squad but he is. Sweden didn't have the tournament they were looking to have. Ibrahimovich couldn't inspire the men from the north to even get out of the group but one man I think suffered due to bad coaching in this tourney has been Granqvist. Who I really do like and rate but the Swedish coach farming him out to the right back position was cruel and unusual. The massive defender is to slow to gallop forward like modern fullback's do and his natural instinct as a centre back led him to just hold a position which didn't help when wide men ran passed him. I do have some sympathy because he isn't a right back but as a professional player you have to be more adaptable. Shame on Erik Hamren for not knowing what best suits his team and more importantly his players.
Richard Dunne-One of my all time favorite players. Richard Dunne is an old fashion center half who is tough as nails but this tournament, he and Ireland received a real lashing from the opposition. Ireland concede the most goals of any team at the Euros and Dunne has been the focal point for the Irish's woes. Ron Vlaar- I also use to ask. How is John Heitinga a starting player for the Netherlands? Well when you have Ron Vlaar in reserve you see why. I have been hearing about Feyenoord's Ron Vlaar for what has to seem like ages now and the fact of the matter is Dutch players travel well...maybe accept for Dennis player. I mean a Dutch can play in any of the top leagues in Europe. Cryuff, Van Basten, Van Persie you know the story but why hasn't Ron Vlaar left Holland after all this time? I'll tell you why Ron is very good.. I mean you could say he wants to stay loyal to Feyenoord but that doesn't hold water. Against Denmark with an absent Joris Mathijsen Vlaar was asked to deputize. He basically let Michael Krohn Dehli score. Heitinga and Vlaar what a combination. The Netherlands really have to find some commanding centre halves. Maybe they can steal one or two from Belgium across the border I heard they have a couple of good ones.
Yuri Zhrikov- The Chelsea man turn Anzhi man. I remember a time Yuri called himself a left winger but some where along the line or someone told him left back is the spot for him. Now if Yuri wasn't a great winger to begin with what makes people feel he will be a revelation in the back line and at Euro 2012 he wasn't. He ball watches, pushes to far forward and string a pass, lacks basic concentration and most importantly he doesn't know how to defend. You would think Russia would try to go for at least a defender that can actually be tactically aware of the opposition. Too may times I just saw him up the field idling.The bad thing is he is probably one of the more mobile Russians in the team so you would think he would he would be a nice addition. The Czech Republic really left Zhrikov with egg on his face on the last group stage day.
Ashley Young-The English winger was mean unproductive to say the least and I can either peg it at Roy Hodgson playing him just behind the centre forward is not an ideal place for him and then there is fatigue. In a short spell Ashley Young has gone from Aston Villa poster child to a mere foot soldier at Manchester United. He didn't play well. Hardly got to influence any play and when England did get forward it was a ball over the top of his head to whatever striker he was paired with. He didn't get a chance to run and England might not have a slick passing game but one does feel that Young needs passers around him to be able to be effective. He didn't have a good tournament simple as that. It didn't help that he missed his penalty against the Italians either.
Keith Andrews- I almost don't want to write anything about this man because has been so terrible. Of course a possession game is not Ireland's strong suit but my goodness I don't think I have seen Andrews actually pass the ball in the three matches I have seen him play. As a defensive sided midfielder I expect certain things. Like tenacity, work ethic, controlled and measured tackling and most of all a knack for getting your team ball back. Keith did none of that. Every time he played he was absolutely was over ran my the opposition's midfield. Funny side note. I heard the commentator mention that he had played in all of England's four divisions I personally think he should start all over again. How can Ireland rely on a man that has no guile to him in the middle and even more can't even get close to the opposition is beyond me. Spain, Croatia and Italy made him look way less than ordinary.
Mark van Bommel- Euro 2012 might have been a tournament to far for van Bommel. I mean on the other side of the coin we have Andrea Pirlo who seems like he can go on forever but everyone is not like that and van Bommel I feel just wasn't able to catch up with the pace. I don't want to be so hard on the Dutch as a whole because to be in a group with Portugal, Germany and even Denmark isn't an easy thing but some of her players were merely passengers Mark van Bommel being one of them it doesn't help. His role isn't to score goals or create plays but to stop the play in midfield and offer some help to his defense none was forthcoming. Sad really for a man who has been such a dynamic player over the years.
Arjen Robben- I personally am tired of this guy. I think he can be summed up as a great talent with a weak heart. You ask Bayern Munich about him in the 2011-2012 Champions League Final. He simply is not brave enough. In qualifying and the normal running of a league season he is absolutely stunning but when it matters like that final I just spoke of or the World Cup in South Africa you might as well turn off the TV when he has the ball. He didn't play well this tournament, looked uninterested and I'm starting to think that Robben is a limited player. In his late twenties they won't be an upheaval in his style of play and I don't think he can redefine himself and I will say this over time I think people will forget about Arjen Robben unless he does something major.
Robbie Keane-This is another reason why Ireland got the boot from the Euros early, lack of scoring power. Let's be real if the bulk of your squad is comprised of relegated Premier League players and those who play for sides in the bottom have of that division your going to have a problem. Kevin Doyle played for Wolverhampton Wanderers last season that's pretty bad. What's even worse is that Robbie Keane plays for the LA Galaxy. I like the MLS, I really do but you can't come to a major tournament well maybe the Gold Cup with your main attacker playing against the likes of Chivas USA and Toronto FC it's not going to be a good look and it wasn't for Keane and the Irish. Keane at this point in his career has to be for me a super sub, an impact player and to ask the former Spurs man to find the goal against Italy, Spain and the Croats is a tough ask. The striker barley got a touch in the opposition's half.
Aleksandr Kerzhakov- Aleksandr has to be a part time butcher or mason because I can't believe any team in Europe actually pays this man a wage to play football. Having a striker that can't shoot is like having a fish that can't swim. What's the point? Kerzhakov in three games took a whooping 12 shots at goal. Only one hit the target. So that means he had 11 shots off target and if I was Pavel Progrebnyak and Roman Pavlyuchenko I would have been laughing on the sidelines. Alan Dzagoev performances for the Russians masked Kerzhakov's performance. We were all saying what a player Dzagoev is so we turned a blind eye to how bad Zenit St. Petersburgh man is and he is all types of bad. He works hard but his skills are shocking.
Bert Van Marwijk- I don't understand what really happened. Van Marwijk a mere two years ago led this almost identical Dutch team minus Giovanni van Bronckhorst to a World Cup final. It was like the problem of having two strikers in good form in Van Persie and Huntelaar was confusing so ultimately a proper system was in place. I don't want to heap too much blame on him, having a weakened Joris Mathijsen who I think is better than what people give him credit for didn't help his cause. Fact is alot of players let him down. The aforementioned strike force, Arjen Robben certainly did, so did Sneijder. Jetro Willems the young kid was not up for the moment. Gregory van der Wiel had a poor tournament and Vlaar and Heitinga played like they were afraid the ball might hit them in the face. All leaving poor Stekelenburg stranded. I think what hurt him is he couldn't get the guys heads lifted after the defeat to the Danes if he had done that they could have beaten the Germans and the Portuguese and who knows what would have happened after that. As the coach you don't just deal with the tactics but you have to lift morale when things go wrong van Marwijk didn't do that.
Substitutes (GK) Shay Given- It seem this summer all the Irishman did was pick up the ball out of his net. It was a close ran thing between him and Szczesny for the worse goalie of the summer but the Pole barely edged him. (GK) Andriy Pyatov- He had a lot of work to do and he made some saves but still altogether shaky. (CB) John O'Shea- At least St. Ledger scored a goal. Can't believe he was a Manchester United player at one point. That Mario Balotelli goal against Ireland when he was suppose to be marking him sums it up for me. (LB) Jetro Willems- A Dutch reporter asked in a press conference if the next time the Dutch play do they have to play with a left back.That is how bad the youngster was, I feel for him. (RB/CB) Michael Kadlec- The Czech defender found himself out of position numerous times in that hammering against the Russians. Settled as the tourney progressed but still need bailing out many a time. (CB) Sergei Ignashevich- Russia needs a whole new back line. Ignashevich needs to retire. (CAM/FW) Andrei Arshavin- He actually had a good tournament I felt, had three assists good movement and was fired up but he's in this team for being a jerk. This guy had the nerve to tell the Russian fans some of which spent their hard earned cash to see their country play that Russia's early exit was their fault. I wouldn't want to play on the same team as this guy.,
(CDM) Nigel de Jong- Had a tough tourney with him and van Bommel in there. The lack of game time last season and Manchester City really hampered him.
(CM) Bastian Schweinsteiger- I think the further coaches ask him to retreat into the midfield the worse he will become. He started his career as a winger then for moved to the top of midfield now he is a deep lying ball winner? I think they should just let him play where he wants.
(CDM) Anders Svensson- He is a foul machine. Couldn't stop the Ukraine or the English from getting to that very slow and juxtapose Swedish back line.
(CF) Milan Baros- In Euro 2004 Baros had a ton of goals even finished as the top scorer in the tournament. This time around can't remember him taking a shot.
(ST) Karim Benzema- Admittedly I don't think he had a bad tournament. Made some assists but for a top player like Benzema to not have not one goal is really bad. Even Girogios Samaras got himself goal.
That is the worse of the worse in Poland and Ukraine. Feel free to add your own disappointment to this list.
The 90s were, well for me at least a pretty good deal. I may have been a fairly young kid back then but
