The FA Cup

The FA cup final is the one match all Liverpool fans will shun, because there will be no happy ending for them whichever team wins.

Will it be Everton the Merseyside rival or Chelsea whose feud with Liverpool is well reported in recent years?

Well... whoever it is, expect some electrifying atmosphere and good fun in the final of the oldest cup competition in England.

Another sheik for the BPL?

The title shouldn't really be a question but more of a foregone conclusion. Looks like Portsmouth is going to be the next club owned by a rich Arab billionaire after Manchester City.

Sulaiman Al Fahim looks like someone who is more level headed than the current owners of Man City and has vowed to take in the views of Portsmouth's loyal fanbase. Well, they always say that at buy-in periods, don't they?

This is the looming sign that the BPL is increasingly a cosmopolitan league that hosts the "hobby" interests of billionaires. Not that it necessarily is a bad thing since they have the cash to build this league into a major cauldron of superstars and mega teams, attracting TV revenue and investments from major sponsors.

But sooner or later, the BPL is going to take over world football in player talent and what's going to be left for the Primera Liga and Serie A? Can we ever see another team from another league apart from the BPL making the finals of the Champions League? We could possibly witness the top ten teams in Europe consisting of mostly English teams except for perhaps Barca and Real Madrid. And you can't really call this league an English league any more can you? The influx of Brazilians, Spainards, the French, Russians, Argentinians and what have you at all levels of play makes BPL more of a commercial league than conducive grounds for grooming English talent.

The fact is, fans of the old English Premier League must come to terms with this reality. Club history and values will certainly pale in comparison to the big money rolling in. New agendas by new owners who do not belong to the history of the club are likely to deride club values and clash with what the club stands for. The landscape has changed. The league could be increaisng its power and standing but it is starting to lose its unique identity which has endeared it to many of its most loyal fans. Pity.

Outclassed

Outplayed, outmaneuvered, outsmarted and outclassed. There was not a moment in the entire match when I could see Man Utd winning the Champions League final except for the first few minutes. Quite simply put, Man Utd was beaten by a better team. And this is a rare occurence that must be applauded for its sheer quality of football.

It was no fault of the line-ups involved or the players' desire. In the end, the difference was in who played better and executed their gameplan more effectively. And Barcelona did that in fine style. None of Barca's players had a bad game whereas Man Utd made a few mistakes here and there which was all but enough for a clinical Barcelona side.

Like I have said before, no matter who wins the Champions League FInal, football has already won. So congratulations to Barcelona for putting up a great display. For Man Utd, its time to reflect on what has been a successful season domestically but to come back stronger than ever before in next year's Champions League campaign.

Champions League Champions: Barcelona

Well, what can I say? Barcelona reigns Champions in Europe!

Beautiful performance by Messi. Henry finally gets his Champions League medal. A strike from Eto'o changed everything after 10 minutes. It just wasn't Manchester United's day.

A fantasy end to Barcelona's season and a wonderful story for all their fans around the world. Barcelona, European Champions!

Unpopular Managers

The job of a soccer manager often times highlight what every organizational leader goes through. Decision making, power control, man management, motivation, playing the right cards at the right time, handling media pressure, public relation skills.... these are all the crucial elements that make up a good manager. Truth be told, these are the same for every other leader in his/her organization.

The most crucial thing about a manager's job is this... he leads and he makes decisons. He cannot and will never be liked by everybody whether directly or indirectly involved in his work. Why? Because a manager makes hard decisions, and like it or not, any decision he makes is going to be unpopular with somebody.

What do you think the pressure was on Alex Ferguson when he chose to sell the star of Man Utd, David Beckham? Probably excruciating pressure from the whole club plus the fans plus the media and maybe even his own wife. Everyone will have questioned Sir Alex for selling Brand Beckham who was the most profitable sports figure and the future captain of England at that time. But I don't see Sir Alex flinching; he probably wasn't a 100% sure at that time that it was going to be the right choice but he made the decision for the benefit of the club and based it on his vision of a winning team... and that quite frankly was that. Nobody was going to change his mind once he made it up. Today, no one can question his decision, because more than being European and English champions... Man Utd remains the richest club in world football. Sir Alex is not the most popular man in football but who can question his success?

The job of a soccer manager is for a certain type of people. And you will agree with me that every one of them had made and will continue to make unpopular decisions. If there ever is a Mr Nice Guy and Mr Everybody Loves Him among football managers, please point him out because I will like to prove you otherwise.

If you wish to be liked by everyone, then you probably cannot consider "soccer manager" as a profession. May I even boldly suggest this... if you wish to be liked by everyone, you probably won't make the most effective leader in your organization because the truth is... a leader in a team/organization is placed there to make decisions for the benefit of the team and if his unpopularity with his opposers is something he must pay, then he will gladly pay it. Managers and leaders who have earned their success this way... by earning the highest level of respect for sticking to a mantra few will find it a tad too much to take... you are a rare breed.

My Best Eleven of the Season

Now that the season is over, it is time to crown the top eleven players in the BPL for the season of 08/09.

Goalkeeper (Edwin Van Der Sar)
This is pretty much a shoo-in for Edwin Van Der Sar. The Dutch veteran is the best goalkeeper in this season simply because of his record-breaking effort in midseason for the most number of minutes in the BPL without conceding a goal. Coupled with his leading presence in the backline of Man Utd and more than a number of match-winning saves this season, Van der Sar is by far the most consistent keeper. In comparison, Petr Cech, Pepe Reina and Manuel Almunia have been let down by inconsistency.

Centre Backs (Rio Ferdinand and Nemandja Vidic)
The meanest defence in the world, Rio Ferdinand and Nemandja Vidic. No central defensive pairing comes close in the BPL. You don't seperate a defence that has almost telepathic understanding with each other. It is half the battle won when you know that Rio and Vida is the central defence you will be fielding. Expect little or nothing conceded.

Right Back (Glen Johnson)
This is a tough one, especially as there was no stand-out right back this season. Perhaps Liverpool's Alvaro Arberloa has been the most improved right back this season. He has put in solid performances for Liverpool this season. Another one is Portsmouth's Glen Johnson who has earned a call-up to the England national team. Johnson's performances have been slightly more impressive this season in a team that has been struggling with Harry Redknapp's departure (who can forget the wonder goal he scored?) There are even rumors that Johnson could leave Portsmouth and end up at Liverpool next season, which means goodbye to Arberloa's first team position. For that matter, Johnson wins my vote.

Left Back (Patrice Evra)
Who else by Patrice Evra of Man Utd? Tireless worker, natural attacking instincts, smart defending. Evra is the best left back this season by a long mile from his next competitor, Ashley Cole of Chelsea.

Left Midfielder (Wayne Rooney)
Some say Ashley Young of Aston Villa, others say Ryan Giggs. In my opinion, Giggsy is too old now to play effectively on my left wing. What you need is someone who has the ability to track back and defend while full blooded when counter attacking. Ashley Young doesn't come close here when compared to my choice... the versatile Wayne Rooney. If you've seen Wayne in matches when he played on the left for Man Utd, he's every right back's greatest nightmare.

Central Midfielder (Steven Gerrad)
Steven Gerrard is the best midfielder in the world if you ask for my frank opinion. His versatality, guile and fighting spirit on the field is second to none. Gerrard will be the best option in midfield whether attacking or defending, plus his goalscoring ability from midfield is a must for any top notch team. He is a must have in my best eleven.

Central Midfielder (Michael Carrick)
Michael Carrick or Ryan Giggs will win my vote here. While Giggsy had an unbelievable season, I have to go with Carrick in this postion. Frankly, no one comes close to his range of passing. His ability to pick up attackers from the back of the field turns defence into quick counter attacking opportunities. No one can train for a vision like his. While he is slower than most, his tactical acumen more than makes up for it. Plus he provides solid defensive cover sitting in midfield while Gerrard bombs forward to support the attack.

Right Midfielder (Cristiano Ronaldo)
It has to be Ronaldo in this position for me. By his lofty standards, Ronaldo had an ok season. But he still finished as the top scorer of the champions this season, second top scorer in the entire Premier League. Let's not forget that he can play in virtually any position across attack, whether centre forward or winger. His lethal free kicks from 30 yards out and easy ability to get past defenders are of the worst fears to opposing teams.

Centre Forward (Fernando Torres)
Fernando, Fernando, Fernando Torres. Too gifted, too good. I remembered only too well how he embarassed Vidic with his darting runs and clever touches. His aerial ability and accurate shooting makes him the outstanding striker of the season. A Gerrard and Torres partnership is guranteed goals. Just as how Rio and Vidic share a mutual understanding for the game, Torres and Gerrard's inter-play is one in a million and is deadly upfront. The only reason why Liverpool was so outstanding this season is Torres-Gerrard.

Centre Forward (Nicolas Anelka)
Well, you can't leave out the top scorer of the season can you? Anelka the sulker of Stamford Bridge was played often in the wrong position on the left but he stuck to his instincts and still finished the season with aplenty of goals. In my opinion, he will score goals at any club in the world, even if you put him with Hull City or Middlesbrough. He even proved it before when he was with Bolton. Its just pure instinct. He outscored the big, bad Drogba even when the club favors Drogba over him. I say what the hell is Chelsea thinking?

As you can see, Man Utd players rule my best eleven, but that is only because the first team of the champions have truly been outstanding in every department.

"Winners always want the ball"

I remember watching a movie once "The Replacements" and there was a line which stuck with me for the longest time. Not an exact quote but, I remember the coach telling their quarterback, "how winners always want the ball". What the crap does this mean?

Well, I'm sure we've all had our fair share of problems and obstacles and we find ourselves deciding if we should face our problems or should we just avoid them. I can tell you now that running away always seem to be the easier way out. Facing the problems, tackling it is tougher than it looks and requires a lot of mental strength to deal with all the pressures that come with wanting to confront your problems.

I guess this applies to all areas in our lives. The relegation battle has just ended and Newcastle, one of the biggest clubs has seen themselves dropped to the Championships. What will they do now? A similar situation occurred with Leeds many years back and they have never stopped falling. Will Newcastle end up free falling too? Well, I guess it will greatly depend on how the club is going to handle the situation. Even if they choose to confront their problems, it does not guarantee their immediate return BUT, I can confidently say that it will at least stop them from free falling forever.

"Winners always want the ball". Something that maybe everyone should bear in mind when dealing with their problems. Are you a winner? Are you the sort who will choose to tackle things the hard way and at least give it a chance? Or will you be one of those who chooses to take the easy way out of things. Only you will have an answer to that. Only Newcastle will have an answer to that. Only time will tell if Newcastle will not free fall and make it back into the Premiership again.

Relegation Battle's done. Season is Over.

The season has come to a close... alas Survival Sunday had no fairy tale ending... As if anything was a surprise for the four teams involved, all of them lost their games. None of the managers could be proud of their team's performance and frankly all four of them should head down to the Coca Cola Division. In the end, it was Newcastle and Middlesbrough that took the dreaded drop.

Newcastle United must be one of the most clueless teams when it comes to executing tactics this season, even till the last game of the season; their players ran around like headless chickens. A team that boasts the attacking talent of Owen, Martins, Duff and Viduka were full of running but most of it was aimless since they had no creative playmaker who could pick those runs. They could have done a whole lot better with a Ginola or an Emre but I don't think even that could have given them anything at Villa Park. Even Lady Luck wasn't on their side with that deflected own goal from Duff. Well, owner Mike Ashley (pictured) just witnessed the demise of his beloved club. Goes to show a big fan doesn't equate to a sensible owner.

Hull City can celebrate all they want now for the rest of pre-season but the reality of how much needs to be done must surely sink in at the end of the delirium...... simply because their first team just lost to a team of 17 and 18 year olds from a Man Utd second team. Not really a good sign in my opinion. If anything, the manger Phil Brown's face says it all at the end of the game, it looked somewhat like embarassment.

Boro should have seen it coming for the last two seasons. None of their first team players could have made the bench of any Top Four Premier League clubs. Gareth Southgate's youth policy just didn't work out. He really should have broke the bank for at least one decent striker because his team just doesn't know how to score goals.

So its goodbye to the Barclays Premier League season of 2008/09. We look forward to the next season as teams rebuild and re-challenge the status quo. Till then.

The Final Matchday of the Season

The final run-up to the season promises to be a cracker! Who will be relegated with West Brom to the First Division? Its anybody's guess.

Will it be the struggling Hull City who was never thought to be a contender for the demands of the BPL? Will it be Middlesbrough who had been in this situation before for the past few years but somehow found a way to survive? How about Sunderland, whom I thought will not be in this situation with a team like theirs but is somehow caught in a desperate bid to survive? Or will it be the underachieving Toon Army, once the mighty giants of the BPL from Geordie Land?

What is your pick? My picks are Middlesbrough and Hull City. Sunderland will only go down if both Hull and Newcastle win and they lose to Chelsea at home. Chances are one of those two will draw/lose. Well, I fully expect Newcastle to give the thin and fatigued squad of Aston Villa a street fight and probably steal a narrow win at Villa Park. I really don't think Hull will get an easy game with a second string Man Utd, even at home. Expect the very-eager-to-impress second team of Tevez, Macheda or Welbeck play a full counter attacking game at the Tigers' home. The truth is such games are usually in full attacking flow and unexpected things happen. Hull might probably get a scored draw at home. Middlesbrough will need some miracle to expect Hull and Newcastle to both lose their games and win theirs at West Ham in front of the Hammers' home fans. I think its too late for them this time round. Time to rebuild from a lower division.

So we shall see.

God is in Singapore.

Yes indeed, the man whom everyone touts as God of the Kop, ex-Liverpool hero Robbie Fowler is gracing the tiny island of Singapore, at our very own Jalan Besar Stadium. To see God, ticket ranges from $25 (Grandstand), $15 (Gallery) to $5 (children below 12) This divine encounter is happening next Sunday May 31 at 7.30 pm. Tickets available at Jalan Besar Stadium or at http://www.redcard.tv/.

Fowler will be donning the colors of North Queensland Fury and their opponents will be the Eastern outfit from Singapore, Tampines Rovers. Even though its a lesser shade, slighly overweight version of the Robbie Fowler we see during Liverpool days, anyone who wished all their life to watch Fowler display his natural goal instincts... I suggest you don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity. It is likely to be his last foray in competitive soccer. Drop a message in the shoutout box if you're interested and let's see if we can all arrange something together. Too bad our co-editor, Fowler's loyal fan will be stuck in London.

"Teamology"

A team is made up of 2 or more people. The question that everyone usually asks themselves is, "What makes a successful team?". In most cases in sports (which can be applied to all areas in life), a team comprises of a group of people who come together and work towards a common goal. The team that succeeds usually is defined by the team that reaches the goal first or simply reaching the goal. So how do we answer the question of "What makes a successful team?"?

Well, if you ask me, a successful team is not one that is made up of superstars. Neither is it one made up one superstar. A team is not simply defined as a group that is constantly winning. A team is successful when the people in the team work together, when their hearts truly beat as one.

Most winners would argue that talk about heart and passion is losers' talk. However, I beg to differ. I may not be a winner. But I still feel that heart and passion is what identifies a team. It is the whole concept of belief, working together and hearts beating as one that makes a team what it is.

In times of ups, it is easy for everyone to jump onto the bandwagon and support the Champions. However, it is the times of down that is the real test of what a team is. It is where the fundamentals of a team is tested. It is where we truly see if a team is successful. It is heartwarming to see fans cheer for their team despite when they are losing. These are the scenes that portray the true meaning of a team, standing together no matter what the results are. It is when the team is bigger than any one person, it is when everyone do things for the team, it is when we fight together as team can a team truly succeed and consider themselves to be successful. I would rather belong to a team that is losing and yet standing by each other than a team that is successful but yet full of individualistic thinking of personal gains in priority.

Again, neither is it about results or monetary matters. It is about a process of achieving and working towards a common goal together regardless of the circumstances and sticking by each other through this tough process with no inclination of personal gain will a team be considered a success.

Are you playing your part in the team? Do you belong to a team? Is your team successful?

Be a team player. It is always most difficult to put aside your personal needs for the team. It takes strong beliefs to make such sacrifices. Yet, it is these people who will contribute to a successful team.


I am that is.

Oh, the things pressure do to you...

I don't admire the jobs of managers at top football clubs. They have a demanding job. And I mean it.

Look at Joe Kinnear, the caretaker coach of Newcastle United for most of the season. The ginormous task of saving The Toon Army coupled with his critics' close scrutiny probably triggered his heart attack. Most of you should remember his once in a lifetime press conference when he went mad and spewed "f**k" no less than 20 times at reporters who condemned his "average joe" abilities. A sign of mental breakdown maybe? That probably culminated to his poor health. Get well soon Joe.

The manager doesn't just get it from the media. How about the recent Arsene Wenger saga? Poor Arsene who really has nothing to prove to anyone these days got a mouthful from his own fans who cannot believe they have not won anything this year (as if it was a big shock in the first place). A typical Frenchman's reaction you would expect; Wenger threatened to leave the club... which immediately got everyone involved to shut up and realise they have offended the one man who held and still holds the club together. Oh come on, spare the manager some slack... Arsenal had already overachieved with a paper thin squad this season. What else could he do with a team of kids? They could only get better next season with a few additional signings.

How about the whiney whiney Spainard at Merseyside? I smell the distinct stink of sour grapes at Anfield. If you watched the interview of Benitez at the end of the match between West Brom and Liverpool, you would have turned away in disgust at the manager's childish antics. As if Alex Ferguson did anything that caused him to make so many mistakes in the season... as if Fergie was the culprit behind the failure of Liverpool to be trophyless again this season. Come on Rafa, has the pressure gotten to your brain so much that you are punching at shadows now? While I see extensions of gentlemen behavior and congragulatory comments from Liverpool fans all over the world, their manager is sadly not man enough to stand up to his mistakes nor did he have the balls to acknowledge that he had been pipped by a better man in Sir Alex. Boo... .... shame shame...

Why not take a leaf out of Arsene Wenger's book Rafa? Pay your opponents some respect... stop whining and start competing. If you can't take the pressure of a Top Four Club, take your bow and leave gracefully.

Benitez, Please Shut Your Trap!

If you have been reading the news, you will have read that Benitez is continuing his little feud of words with Alex Ferguson. Benitez has continued on to attribute Liverpool's lack of silverware to Liverpool's lack of financial ability as compared to Manchester United. Benitez is behaving like a sore loser who refuses to lose (graciously) with his integrity and honour intact, taking Liverpool down together with him by refusing to congratulate Alex Ferguson graciously.

Listening and reading all these makes me sad to be a Liverpool fan, as we have a sore loser at the helm. Liverpool is a club of long and great tradition. In my earlier posts, I have spoken about what a true champion is and yet, the club I faithfully support is behaving the direct opposite of that.

Mr. Benitez, think before you speak and learn to SHUT UP! It is not about how much money you have. Liverpool have spent a great deal of money on transfers since your arrival. Probably to the same extent as Manchester United or even more. We have quality players all throughout the squad. However, it is your crazy antics that is causing Liverpool the lack of success. Even more so, we have not exactly lost, we just have not won. We do not go around being sarcastic and whine about our lack of success to the media.

This season has been a great season for Liverpool because for so many years, we have been serious title contenders and I was looking forward to Liverpool finally winning the Premier League. However, a turn of events mid-season has cost us the lead and crucial points. Next season, we can expect Arsenal to challenge the title as their players mature and we can also expect Chelsea and Man City to splurge and probably bring in established stars. What are we (Liverpool) going to do then? Are we going to continue to whine about how other teams have more stars or more money than us? Are we going to sit there and cry and say that we do not have stars sitting on our bench while Manchester United have people like Berbatov as a substitute? No....We need to strengthen our existing squad by firstly, playing our game right at every match. We need to seriously consider and recruit players that will help increase depth in our squad so we can challenge not only the Premier League but other competitions too.

Liverpool needs focus. Liverpool needs to have a plan. Benitez needs to stop being a whiner and start being a winner. A true champion loses with his head held high. As long as we play our game right, winning or losing is no longer something that we should be concerned with. Perfection is our game and we need to work towards that. Live up to the Liverpool's tradition Mr. Benitez. Walk and talk like a Champion. Before we can be champions, we need to learn not only to lose but lose like a champion.

20 years down the road, no normal fan will remember who won the league title in 2009 or the champions league in 2009. People will remember the club and team not for the silverware achievements but for something beyond trophies. People will remember the club and team for their legacy. Continue the legacy of Liverpool and Liverpool shall remain a great club for a long time to come.

Who will be the next manager of Chelsea?

Million dollar question: Now that Guus Hiddink is gone, who will be the next manager of Chelsea?

We all know the fickle-mindedness of Chelsea club owner Roman Abramovich, When he first came in, he sacked Claudio Ranieri when the Italian has been doing well, and consequently sacked 2 more world class coaches in Jose Mourinho and Luis Felipe Scolari. Frankly, with Roman at the club, expect a few more sacks in the next few seasons... the owner has no sense of what it means to run a successful football club. If all he needed was an obvious clue, just look at the current BPL champions Man Utd, Arsenal not so long ago, and the Liverpool of the 80s. Dynasties are built into a club from the youth system, and longevity of the manager is crucial in seeing the vision of the club come to past. No prize for guessing why Sir Alex and Arsene Wenger have been 2 of the more successful managers in club history; they were trusted to do their job.

Even though it looks increasingly likely that Carlo Ancelotti is the top pick for the Chelsea job, I highly doubt he will do a good job. Why? Because Chelsea is a players' club; John Terry, Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba have too much say at the club. A manager who cannot communicate in English, lest motivate this gang inherited from Mourinho cannot succeed in getting the best out of them. Look at Scolari, his English wasn't that bad, but he couldn't get along with the players and that cost him his job. Hiddink did relatively well because he probably is the most affable and likeable man in football, look at him motivate and guide his moderate players from all over the world to greatness in World Cups, from South Korea to Australia to now Russia.

No manager will succeed unless his players back him up. IF Carlo Ancelotti signs eventually, he needs to rid the players who are still stuck in the age of Jose Mourinho and bring in his trusted subjects. Sell Drogba, exchange him for Inter want-away Ibrahimovich. Sell Ballack, bring in Pirlo. Sell Malouda, bring in Kaka. Revive the magician in Deco, bring out the best in Bosingwa, Essien and Anelka. Build on the respect of Terry and Lampard, recognize they are indispensable and club motivators, command the tactics to be used but trust the execution with them. Hire a proven footballing mind to be the director of football; who is solely responsible for building the youth system.

But the hardest part of it all? Getting the clueless owner to leave you to do your job. Unless Abramovich retains his powers to just signing chequebooks for the club, Chelsea will forever be stuck in the group of has-beens and rich owner football clubs. Their fortunes will end with Abramovich's short-lived and shallow interests.

Reviews: Manchester United Champions. Relegation battle still on!

Alas, the inevitable has happened. Manchester United has once again won the Premier League and Liverpool will now have to wait till next season to try again at the title. The excitement is now at the bottom of the table where the relegation battle is taking place. Newcastle's loss to Fulham has almost condemned them to the Championship. Middlesbrough draw with Aston Villa has left them 2nd from the bottom. Hull City isn't exactly safe as they sit one point above Newcastle.

If West Bromwich Albion fails to at least draw Liverpool tomorrow, it will be all over for them as it will guarantee their relegation back to the Championship League. Newcastle has to win their final match with Aston Villa on the 24th and will need Hull City to lose/draw their final match to Manchester United on the 24th as well.

It will be a great loss to see any team getting relegated but it will be so much more painful to see Newcastle getting relegated after so many years of top flight football. All the best to the Toon Army! Fight on! Don't stop believing. I will be cheering Newcastle on and I am sure many football fans out there will be cheering them on as well. I am sure we will not want to see a club with so much history and talent relegated.

Once again, congratulations to Manchester United. Try harder next season Liverpool! 24th of May will decide the fate for these teams and will bring a close to the 08/09 Premier League.

Champions Champions Champions !!

It was ugly, it was scrappy, Arsenal outplayed us... all credit to them but who cares ?!?! The season is decided throughout the entire campaign, not on one game... and no one can deny that Man Utd was the best team in the BPL this season. Liverpool pushed the champions hard, and it added spice to the season. Kudos to Liverpool but it only made victory all the more sweeter.

You never get sick of winning, it spurs on everyone who supports Man Utd. Today, we celebrate. Tomorrow the Reds will be fully focused on the Champions League.

Champions... champions... champions, champions , champions !!!! As the Reds go marching ON ON ON !!!

Preview: Manchester United vs Arsenal

Whether or not Liverpool will have a chance at the Premier League title this year will greatly depend on the results of this match. Arsenal MUST beat Manchester United at Old Trafford to allow Liverpool a chance at the title.

All Liverpool fans will momentarily cheer for Arsenal! GO GUNNERS! Shoot down the Devils! Given Arsenal's recent poor run of form, it will be tough for the young gunners to perform a miracle and defeat Manchester United. However, if anyone can do it, Arsenal can!

Liverpool fans will have their eyes and ears glued to the TV or radio as we await the results of the match between Arsenal and Manchester United. Do not let us down Theo Walcott! Score one for the KOP at Liverpool!

Hee haw... Patrick Kinghorn....

Has anyone seen Patrick Kinghorn on ESPN Star... He appears on Football Forecast and occasionally pops up on Nokia Football Crazy. Well, some of you might have seen my last entry on the clueless Shebby Singh. Kinghorn is just as clueless but hey... the guy has got some entertainment value.

Catch him on TV and you probably wonder why the heck a British clown is on a sports channel. He speaks with a shriek in his voice, talks way too fast especially with that thick British accent, makes way too many biased judgments i.e. he hates Rafa Benitez, and if you see his track record in forecasts, you wouldn't bet a dollar based on what he says, but of course in any case you should never trust any pundit with their over-eager and "I have nothing to lose" comments. And of course, he likes to make cheap monkey remarks, and make passing comments bordering on flirtatious with Jamie Yeo, the only female football "commentator" on TV.

Frankly, ESPN Star at least got the cast right this time. I suggest keeping Kinghorn limited to comic relief. His clown antics strangely has a hilarious and honest effect on the usual pundit reviews which always seem to suggest that they know everything except of course nobody does. So I say "Stop confining Patrick Kinghorn to a small screen on the wall !!" I mean seriously, have you ever seen a clown restricted to just performing with his facial expressions and animated voiceover. The poor clown will pass out in no time.

If I may boldly suggest to ESPN's producers, replace Shebby Singh with Patrick Kinghorn on Football Focus with John Dykes. Pull that guy down from London and station him in Singapore. For sure, its a step forward... Anyone with me??

Latest casulty, Steve Coppell resigns from Reading.

Steve Coppell has resigned from Reading after a 5.5 years tenure at Madjeski Stadium with Reading. It is a tragic day at Reading as they missed both the chance for promotion back into the Premier League and also lost one of the most promising managers in England.

I have always had a strong opinion about managers resigning or getting the sack after a run of bad results. In my humble opinion, what define the club are the managers, coaches, players and the fans. A club to be successful needs to have a good combination of the 4 factors. To develop a successful team in any sport, time is required. In the context of a soccer, time is needed for the manager to train his players and to develop a style of play amongst his team. Time is needed for the fans to learn about the culture of the club and to build a sense of belief and belonging to the club they support. Time is needed for the management, players and fans to bond together and to play the sport as a team, which includes everyone involved with the club.

Today, teams are too concerned about results that they forget the requirements of a successful club. Owners are too concerned about the dollars and cents to give the managers the time they need to do their job. Please do not misunderstand me, lousy employees of the organisation should be "given the boot", but we should not simply sack an employee or apply too much pressure on an employee just because a game was lost or 3 games were lost in a row. We all have our bad days and if given the right amount of support, the right dynamics and the right relationship will be allowed to blossom within the club to ensure success at all levels.

As fans, we must stand by our team. As the Liverpool's slogan says, "You'll Never Walk Alone". The KOP at Liverpool will always stand by the team and I will always do my best to stand by the team no matter what the results are. Owners should too stand by their managers and support them to create success. Success is not something that we can achieve overnight but can only be achieved, over time.

Steve Coppell must have his reasons for resigning from the club but he has done a fantastic job at Reading, bringing them this far. I believe there will be a few more sackings/resigning as we head towards the end of the season. To all the owners, think twice before you fire someone whom you appointed and trusted. Analysis the situation objectively and not just financially. Give the managers a chance to do something at the club and to create success, perfection.

"Perfection is never about winning. Winning is no different from losing. Be perfect." -anonymous. Perfection is what we should be striving for and being perfect at what we do has nothing to do with whether or not we have won. Success is in achieving perfection. "Perfection in imperfection"-anonymous. Truthfully, there is nothing in this world that we really say is perfect. We as humans are imperfect. The world is imperfect and yet, that is what makes the world work and in a word, perfect.

Man Utd signs Dodo ?!?!

No no... not the clumsy bird that went extinct... its Dodo the new left back that Manchester United is signing. Not much information now. All we know is he is Brazilian, 17 years old, plays for FC Corinthians and is worth 5 million pounds. Its the 5th consecutive Brazilian boy at Man Utd now. Looks like Sir Alex is going for youth and most of them hail from the land of Samba and Joga Bonito. Brazilians are just born with a football at their feet. They live and breathe it, which is why they are so darn good.

If Dodo is half as good as Evra, Man Utd has got its left back position well covered for years to come... it has been one of the less reinforced positions since Gabby Heinze left. I am pretty sure Dodo flys down the wings faster than the extinct bird he shares a name with.

The future is truly bright and exciting at Old Trafford. A quick glance at the Reds' Reserve team: Macheda, Welback, Possebon, Petrucci, the Da Silva twins, Gibson, Foster, Tosic, Ljajic, Campbell, Brandy, Martin... and now DODO !! I love that name... We have a mini Arsenal right here in our own backyard.... step aside Arsene Wenger.... the youth system of Man Utd is second to none.

"Your Season Ticket, Your Choice."

FC United came up with an interesting and novel idea to sell their season tickets. Fans can decide how much they want to pay for their season tickets! FC United was established in defiance of Manchester United's takeover by Malcolm Glazer and their recent campaign goes to show a few things that we all can and should learn from.

Firstly, they still believe in doing things for the fans. By allowing the fans to decide on the price of their own season tickets, they ensure that no discrimination is achieved and that everyone who is a true FC United fan will be able to purchase a season ticket and make it to the games. This clearly shows that they identified that fans are a big part of what the club is and will be. The fans are IMPORTANT!

Secondly, in a statement released by FC United, they believe that fans with more money will be able to contribute more with the implementation of this scheme while fans with lower financial ability will be able to purchase the season tickets at a price that is affordable to them. I guess, they are in a way putting their fans above their financial situation and believing strongly that this club, set up by fans, will continue to survive because of a mutual trust and belief between the fans and the club.

Such "pure" thinking and belief is difficult to find in today's world. If this scheme works, I guess it will show me and I hope show the world that there is still so much room for maturation our of culture and our community and this first step taken by FC United will hopefully help kick start this mutual belief and trust within the sports community where sports is not simply just about making money. There is so much more to sports and that the key to sports is to enjoy the game.

"Perfection is never about winning. Winning is no different from losing. Be perfect." - annoymous

Anniversary: Robbie Fowler's last game with Liverpool.

Two years ago today, Robbie Fowler played his last game as a Liverpool player against Charlton Athletic at Anfield. It was also a day where Fowler was given the Captain's armband one final time at Anfield. Robbie Fowler was once hailed "God" at Anfield, being the most natural and prolific striker that has ever grazed the pitch at Anfield.

Light on his feet compounded with his natural goal scoring instincts made him the hit of the KOP as he led Liverpool to many victories, especially during his partnership with Michael Owen and Steven McManaman. He currently plays for North Queensland Fury in the Australian A league.

Fowler's the fourth highest goalscorer for the Premier League and will continue to be sorely missed by all at Anfield. He will forever be remembered as "God" and the memory of the KOP chanting his name will remain in our minds, forever.

Alas, the Toon Army wins

The above says it all doesn't it. The Toon Army once fought for UEFA qualification in the heydays of the 90s, Kevin Keegan had even led them to challenge for the BPL title with the likes of Man Utd. How drastic the drop has been in the past few seasons... the Toon Army is fighting relegation, no thanks to the departure of influential Keegan and the entrance of a clueless fan and owner Mike Ashley.

I like The "carToon" Army. They entertain, quite literally. Some "cartoonic" players don the black and white of Newcastle and remain as "legends" of the BPL today. Who can forget the fumbling defensive duo, "Own goal king" Titus Bramble and "Two left feet" Alain Boumsong? St James Park gave us some forgettable names and big flops like "Overrated" Albert Luque and the "Way past his prime" Patrick Kluivert. Oh yes, how about the current "I have an anger management problem" Joey Barton... ...

But good news for Toon fans, the Geordie Messiah and cult hero Alan Shearer led his team to the first victory in his managerial tenure so far. I don't regard Shearer as much of a manger yet, even though he had been Captain Fantastic when he was with the Magpies as a player. But I like him. He was the typical English striker who takes no nonsense in his play and I pretty much expect him to be the same with his management style. Congratulations to Newcastle United on their first win in many games now... the relegation danger is certainly not over but a win is always nice for the team morale.

Don't get me wrong, I will hate to see the Magpies go down. Afterall, who will entertain us like they do?

"Magic" Money not the way for true Champions.

Despite being a Liverpool fan, I do salute Arsene Wenger's strong belief in not using money to build a champion worthy team. It has always been the style of the Arsenal's manager to develop players rather than buy well established players. This contributes to the wealth of tradition at Arsenal and makes them a side to be respected. The influx of money into the Premier League turned clubs like Chelsea and Manchester City into playgrounds for their wealthy owners as they bid for players just as if they were antique artifacts in an auction.

People like Arsene Wenger needs to be applauded as he identifies promising youths and develops them into stars for Arsenal. It is comforting to know that Theo Walcott is staying under the tutelage of Arsene Wenger and I believe he will blossom into a fine young gentleman if not, a great athlete.

Man City despite splurging so much on Robinho, is a far cry from being hailed as Champions. One day, the financial tap will run dry and clubs like Arsenal will triumph and survive through the test of time to emerge as eventual Champions in the hearts of everyone regardless of their achievements.

Champions are not bought. Champions are grown.

The Tevez Saga

Over the years, many players come and go at Manchester United. Some went out like heroes i.e. Eric Cantona, Gary Pallister while others were given the boot by the gaffer who takes no nonsense from his players and recognises individualistic mentalities as poison to the fabric of his team i.e. Becks, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Jaap Stam. Others stay on to become greats, no shortage of these professionals... Giggs, Scholes, Gary Neville and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who stayed on as the Man Utd Reserves coach.

Carlos Tevez will remain as the one who probably deserves a hero's exit. For all his battling spirit, work-horse attitude, and pure genuis, Tevez has endeared himself to all Manchester United fans. Though all odds point to him not staying on as a Man Utd player next season, Tevez just did what he did everytime he stepped onto the field today, he played like a true professional and scored a fantastic goal in a derby that will eventually culminate to the Red Devils' triumph at the end of the season. This is the epitome of professionalism and the dream player every manager loves, and though he has been dropped so many times to the bench despite excellent performances like these, he never went out of his way to voice his displeasure. In sharp contrast, Cristiano Ronaldo sulked his way out after he was substituted by the gaffer (childish in my honest opinion) Surely at the very least, Tevez deserves a contract at Man Utd next season.

But Sir Alex is Sir Alex, he knows what he will pay for a player and 32 million quid to keep Tevez as a bit part player is apparently out of the club's valuation of him. Afterall, Man Utd just paid 30 million quid for whom he thought was a genuis in Dimitar Berbatov, turned out Berbatov wasn't the fans' favourite.

Sometimes, money can buy you a good player, but that is never a gurantee of success. Tevez proved himself to be a player of passion, drive, determination and heart, traits that resound with every Man Utd fan. Curse fate, him being too similar to Wayne Rooney meant he probably is not indispensable to Man Utd. My mind tells me he is gone after the summer transfers but my heart begs for some resolution to the whole Tevez saga, perhaps Sir Alex and David Gill will budge if it is 15 million pounds not 30 million?? But there will still be a host of clubs out there who will pay 30 million for his services... Manchester City at the very top of that list.

I feel sorry that a player like Tevez has to leave a club whose fans adore him. Fans pay to watch players they love but soccer in modern days have no regard for loyalty, passion and heart when its the dollar sign that the top men in suits running player and club are pursuing.

So we move on, like how we did when stars like Keane, Nistelrooy and Becks left Old Trafford. Tevez's leaving will hurt, him joining a rival team will hurt even more but enter a Karim Benzema or the emergence of Kiko Macheda and Danny Welbeck... and you bet Manchester United fans will refind their voices again, cheering on those who will remain to become Man Utd legends.

Review: Torres & Gerrard too fast for Hammers.

Torres and Gerrard's partnership proves to be too lethal for Hammers as they score within 2 minutes of the game and it was all over for West Ham as it went all quiet at Upton Park except for the cheering from the visitors' section.

Two more goals from Gerrard and Babel respectively, sealed it for Liverpool as they go top in the Premier League. A happy day for all Liverpool fans as we wait for the results of the derby between Manchester United and Manchester City tomorrow.

"You'll Never Walk Alone."

Manchester Derby, battle of the Reds and Blues

What a smashing Sunday it is going to be for fans of Manchester. Its the cracking derby between the Reds and Blues that divide Manchester loyalties.

There is a saying in football folklore that resounds in every true fan's heart... "You could lose the season, but you cannot lose the derby."

Well, ask me honestly and I say "I'd rather lose the derby and win the season" but I will probably never make the starting eleven in Manchester United with this mentality. The Red Devils hate losing, and the most painful defeat in the last season of 2007/2008 was the one at the hands of our derby rivals, an excruciating 1-0 loss to "boring boring Sven's" expensively assembled team.

With the oil churning "Sheik" on their side, the blue side of Manchester is looking increasingly like Chelski or the Chelsea of old...except for one thing of course, they haven't been winning like Abramovich has with Jose Mourinho... which puts manager and ex-Man Utd striker Mark "Sparky" Hughes (picture above) under immense pressure.

Sorry Sparky but I don't foresee Robinho and gang upstaging Ronaldo, Rooney and the Reds tonight. A close fight as derbies usually are but a narrow win to Manchester United, and that very one step closer to the title for 2008/2009. Come on you Reds !!!!!

Preview: West Ham vs Liverpool

A showdown between West Ham Utd and Liverpool F.C. Liverpool travels to Upton Park in hope to keep their title challenge alive! West Ham will do their best to invoke a win for a chance to play in the UEFA Cup next season.

Will Zola's italian tricks triumph against the Spaniard's eccentric tactics? Only time will tell.

Why the heck is Shebby Singh a football pundit?

Heres an entry that will perhaps create some controversy. But I just needed to find out if anyone felt the same way as me. If you are half as mad as me about soccer and the BPL, you would have watched anything related to soccer. One of the shows that constantly pops up on ESPN on Starhub is this show called Football Focus with John Dykes whereby 4 football pundits sit in a panel to discuss football with the moderator and anchor John Dykes. Usually it includes ex-Liverpool star Steve McMahon, this old guy called Jamie Reeves, Paul Masefield who used to play for S-League outfit Balestier Khalsa and the very odd one out, Shebby Singh.

I mean seriously, have you heard some of the comments made by Shebby Singh? He cracks me up !! Sometimes he talks in circular arguments, at other times he sounds like he's agreeing with everything John Dykes says, "yes John, I agree with you..." or "Absolutely John..." but most of the time, his comments make no cow sense. I wonder how he got himself on the panel... at least the others had some time playing in the top flight in England while John Dykes is a highly respectable media figure in sports and soccer. Perhaps ESPN just needed an Asian face on the "angmoh" panel since its audience is mostly Asian.

I wonder why no one has considered bringing other pundits onto the show, someone like Ernest Luis from The New Paper has impressed me with his insights while the funnyman Neil Humphreys will add great insights away from the drudgery of football tactics... heck even someone who doesn't know nuts about soccer tactics like Nokia Football Crazy's presenter Jamie Yeo will be of better entertainment value than plain'ol Shebby Singh...

If I have my way... Shebby Singh will be long gone. But then again, many viewers will miss his classic line "yes John, I think so too..."

Transfers: Raul going for 35 million pounds???

Manchester City is speculated to have made a bid for Real Madrid's Raul at a price tag of 35 million pounds. Raul is 31 years old this year and have scored over 20 goals this season. But at 35 million pounds, isn't it all just a waste? No offence to Raul though because he is afterall a great player!

With Newcastle 300 million pounds in debt, and if they were to be relegated, I would be surprised if Man City will swop in to buy off all their stars at a discounted rate. Who knows, we might see Michael Owen playing for Man City next season alongside with maybe....Alan Smith?

It's really interesting to see how these people intend to slurge their money. It sometimes does make me wonder if the game has changed so much it is no longer a game but rather, a race to see who have the biggest names in their register. All in all, Man City is once again going on a spending spree and we can definitely expect to see more audacious bids in the coming months.

its a f***king disgrace !!

Ugly scenes at Stamford Bridge erupted after the final whistle. Didier Drogba (who else will you expect anyway...) shouted profanity down the camera, allegedly accusing the referee who in all fairness did had a poor game, to a live audience consisting of millions of viewers worldwide.

And yes, while I appreciate the passion and fighting spirit of Chelsea, I can't help but notice that this is the 2nd time the issue of referee abuse has happened with the Blues. The eventualities of the last one with a pretty decent referee Anders Frisk; including persistent death threats to him and his family from "overtly" passionate fans resulted in his decision to retire from refereeing. Looks like the Norwegian referee, Tom Ovrebo who officiated the last semi-final is not going to have it easy too, his home address is already going public in Facebook pages that are calling out for his blood.

I can understand that things can get really frustrating when referee decisions don't go your way, but what the Blues exhibit time after time; verbal abuse, physical threats and gangsterism by players and fans is really unbecoming and unfitting for a club who claims to be an elite representative of world football. Whatever happened to sportsmanship and basic courtesy? Surely there are better avenues to voice out unhappiness and dissastisfaction. The club and manager can mask all the ugliness displayed by Drogba behind a veil of passion and love for the club, but such ungentlemanly behavior did the club reputation no good among its peers.

Lets hope some sense prevail in all of these, sometimes the line between soccer and common sense gets blurred when passion overrules the mind. We just saw the death of an Arsenal soccer fan because of the club's loss in the semi finals. Let's hope no referee or any human being's life is under threat just because the game of soccer has superceded even the value of life itself.

And really... to Didier Drogba, your foolish behavior just made you the disgrace in all of this...

Champions League Final

Now that the semi finals are done and dusted, the losers will complain about referee decisions and the winners will shrug at their own luck... but the one fact that wouldn't change; the final showdown will be between 2 of the most entertaining, and arguably the best teams in Europe.

Barcelona vs Manchester Utd, the thought of it is enough to send both sets of fans into delirium. And the prospect of it being played on the biggest stage in European football, the Champions League Final is more than enough to convince all neutrals to set aside time, even if it means sacrificing precious sleep for what is potentially the biggest clash of the year if not the past decade. Most of all, the colossal battle will be played out in Rome, the city of gladiators and soccer fanatism. No better script I reckon could have been written.

Can you even envision the starting lineups on the day? Its the fantasy team in a football fan's wildest dreams. Messi, Rooney, Xavi, Ronaldo, Puyol, Vidic, Henry, Berbatov, Iniesta, Giggs, Etoo, Tevez... the list doesn't end there.

I can't wait, the press will have a field day previewing this match... and no matter who wins the trophy at the end of the day, the beautiful game of soccer has already won.

Tragedy: Arsenal Fan Kills Himself.

Tragedy strikes again in the world of soccer as an Arsenal Fan, Mr. Suleiman Alfonso Omondi, 29, was found dead, apparently having hanged himself at his home after Arsenal lost 1-3 (agg 1-4) to Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on 05/05/09.

There might have been many reasons as to why Mr. Omondi had chosen to kill himself. It could be because of love and disappointment after Arsenal's loss, it could be due to personal problems or most likely, it could be an accumulation of all his problems with a simple triggering point that led to his actions. We will never know the true reason for the reason left with Mr. Omondi. We are not here to judge. Every death is sad as it is afterall, a loss of life.

A moment of thought for everyone as we continue on with our lives, remembering that Mr. Omondi is no longer on this world anymore. To his family and friends, our deepest condolences. To all Arsenal fans, it is the club's and community's great loss to have lost such a devoted fan. To everyone, the human mind can be so fragile at times, as all it takes is a simple incident as such that leads to our decision to end our life that's so precious.

A Clash Of Styles???

Soccernet describes tonight's match between Chelsea and Barcelona as a "Clash Of Styles". What Style?! Chelsea has no style...! Barcelona's the one with the style and all Chelsea have is the theatrics of Drogba.

Watch the match for an entertaining night of diving by Drogba and be mesmerised by Messi's clever plays. If Chelsea is to win this, I believe they'll have to resort to plays without gamesmanship or sportsmanship, which is most probably their "style".

Barcelona to WIN!

Glory Glory Man Utd !!

Tonight is the night... Tonight is the night when winners will be glorified and the losers forgotten, even if they had come so far. Tonight, boys will be seperated from men.

Man Utd vs Arsenal, for years... these two teams have entertained all football fans of the BPL, and both franchises had great dynasties when they rule the Premier League... Arsenal's past era of Thierry, Pires, Vieira and the unstoppable French crew led by Monsier Wenger, and Man Utd's current riches of talent in Cristiano, Rooney and the battling Carlos Tevez, led by none other than the fiery and wily Scot that is Sir Alex Ferguson.

No doubt in my heart of hearts who I think will be the winners at the final whistle tonight, but the Devils will be well aware of the Gunners who are always a tricky side to play, they've especially got good players in the attacking department. I do think Theo Walcott is starting to mature in his attacking game, while Adebayor is always lethal if given half a chance. Arshavin's ineligibility can only be good news for Man Utd, though defnitely not for the neturals. Still Rio and Vida must be at their stingy best to stop the existing attacking threats... boy am I glad we have the most solid and bullying central defence in world football today.

If Man Utd's game plan tonight is to play defence (which is highly unlikely), the Gunners will be dangerous given their home ground advantage. Instead, I am quite confident that the Devils will be full-blooded in their counter attacking game tonight, Giggs, Ronaldo, Rooney, Berbatov and Tevez will make any defence in the world quiver in their boots lest the makeshift central defence that is Silvestre and Toure; without their injured old guard and disgraced captain William Gallas. Well, at least Almunia, that eccentric blonde and Spanish goalkeeper is finding his form now.

One away goal at Emirates and the final could well be sealed. Man Utd will be actively looking to steal an early lead and close the game early. And if all else fails. we always have the wonder boy Kiko Macheda to call on... with so many weapons on the team, Man Utd needs to try really hard to lose this semi-final, I am hoping its not the case tonight.

Come on you Reds !! The quadruple is in sight, about time to relive the glory days of 1999. Tonight is the night. Glory, Glory, Glory, Glory Man United !!

Dalglish shakes KOP again???!!!

Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool's once prolific goalscorer and once Boss of Liverpool has recently been appointed to an advisory position to Benitez. As Benitez continues his search for Liverpool's first Premier League win since 1990, Dalglish could prove to be an asset to Benitez, being one of the 3 managers who have helped Liverpool win the Premier League at least once since the beginning.

Liverpool's chances of winning this year seems to fade away with every game that Manchester United is winning. With Dalglish's presence, we hope that it would shift the club towards developing youth talents once again.

Speculating, if Benitez fails once again to win the Premier League, Dalglish's involvement would definitely help put the ex-Boss back in the hotseat. That, will be an interesting development at Liverpool if it does happen.

Hyypia leaves Liverpool.

Just a few weeks ago, there were reports of Sami Hyppia staying at Liverpool as a coach. The legendary defender whom we usually see run from one end to the other during a free kick or corner will no longer don upon the colours of Liverpool and instead, has been offered a first team place in Germany, Bayer Leverkusen.

As a Liverpool supporter, I am sure he will enjoy his game in Germany at Bayer Leverkusen. It is Liverpool's loss to have been unable to retain him as a coach but he will remain a legendary figure at Anfield.

All the best to Hyppia as the orginial squad of the 1990s continue dilute. Till Liverpool meets Leverkusen will we see Hyppia at Anfield again.

Transfers at Liverpool.

I still remember the days of watching Robbie Fowler partnering up front with Michael Owen. Then, Liverpool had a wealth of young and promising players, freshly graduated from its own academy. Our current Steven Gerrard is a product of such a system.

However today, Benitez is looking more to purchase players every year. There is hardly anymore English players left on the first team squad and much less any from Liverpool's own youth academy. It is true that the team requires some trimming. However, I do believe that Liverpool needs to strengthen its squad not by bringing in new players. Rather, it is time they return to support the tradition of developing players from within.

It may just be my silly wish but, I had always hoped for Michael Owen to one day return to Liverpool and maybe partnering Robbie Fowler just once more so I can see that prolific pair break down defences like they once did. Today, Liverpool seems more like a Spanish club than anything else.

Instead of selling to purchase more players, I believe they should trim what they need to trim, to keep a core of players within the first team and to develop players from their youth system to supplement and strengthen the squad and at the same time provide replacements for the current core of players. This way, a rapport will be set up between the core and the peripheral players so that they can work and develop together to play the variety of matches ranging from the FA Cup, Barclays Premier League and Champions League. With such a motion put in place, Liverpool will be able to put everything else aside to finally become a Champion that it deserves to be.


If Benitez happens to read this, my 2 cents worth of suggestion would be to purchase Michael Owen at a cheap price and inject some spirit back into the KOP.