Bayern Munich: FC Hollywood are back to the big time

Farewell, Jupp

When many think of vintage FC Bayern Munich, the names Franz Beckenbauer, Uli Hoeness, Paul Breitner, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Gerd Müller are just a few player identities that spring into their minds. One of the greatest Bayern teams was that in the 1970s which won three consecutive European Cup titles in 1974, 1975 and 1976.  Fast forward nearly 30 years, and what you have is the same club based in the Bavarian city of Munich, which has an excellent crop of world class first-team players and an ever-wonderful youth academy.  Last season, Bayern Munich proved that they are a force to be reckoned with, after completing a historic treble – the first in the history of the German club.  Unquestionably, the most significant aspect of their treble season was the 2-1 victory over Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final which took place at the Wembley Stadium in May 2013.  Having lost the final the previous year to Chelsea, it is needless to say that Heynckes, his players and the rest of Bayern’s management team used that agonising defeat (which was on home soil at the Allianz Arena) as a catalyst for an astounding 2012-13 season. The Bavarians announced in January that Pep Guardiola would be taking over Heynckes as manager of the club in June this year – coming off the back of a year-long sabbatical – indicating that there is a new era in German and perhaps European and world football.

THE TERRIFIC TREBLE: IT’S ONLY THE BEGINNING

Its summer 2012, and Bayern have acquired the services of Javi Martinez and Mario Mandzukic – two standout performers at Euro 2012. In addition, Xherdan Shaqiri and Dante were two of the biggest bargain deals which Bayern made this time last year.  Once these players gelled with the likes of Robben, Ribery, Schweinsteiger and Badstuber, it was clear by January that the Bundesliga title was destined for the Allianz Arena, for the first time since 2010. By now, Die Roten were cruising and excelling almost perfectly. They clinched the title on 6^th April – the quickest acquisition of the Bundesliga title in Bundesliga history. Furthermore, FCB broke many a record within the league, overwhelming Borussia Dortmund’s most away points of 37 in the 2011/12 season (same for Werder Bremen in 2003-04), by 10 points. And that’s not all – they emulated longest winning streak within a single Bundesliga season – Borussia Monchengladbach ( 1986/87) and Wolfsburg (2008-09) both had their 10 game win streak toppled by Bayern’s emphatic 14 match win streak [1]. Muller, Mandžukić and Gomez were imperative for Bayern in terms of obtaining goals, and although the latter has joined Serie A club Fiorentina, Die Roten will still have a fabulous crop of attack-minded players for 2013/14.

One, Two, Three for Bayern

And who could forget that exhilarating Champions League triumph over Dortmund at Wembley?  Arjen Robben, largely determined and focused, made up for his pain-drenching penalty miss against former club Chelsea in last year’s Champions League final, by netting the winner for Bavarians in the 89^th minute. But the final alone cannot do justice to Bayern’s amazing European campaign. The 4-0 demolition of FC Barcelona, which contained the likes of Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas, at the Allianz Arena, has sounded out a severe warning to all clubs competing in the top tier of European football next season. What was even more emphatic for Die Roten was that they played the Catalan club off the park at the Camp Nou, winning 3-0 as a result. If similar performances in Europe are seen next season, then it is very much possible that this current Bayern squad can emphasise that the Bavarian club is, deservedly FC Hollywood, and repeat (or even emulate) the famous European cup hat-trick of 1974, 1975 and 1976. Will people, in the next two or three decades be speaking of Bayern’s potential hat-trick of 2013, 2014 and 2015 Champions League victories? Only time will tell.

Muller and Beckenbauer in the 1970s...

The DFB-Pokal (German Cup) was the icing on the cake as Bayern defeated Stuttgart 3-2 in an epic final which saw Mario Gomez (now of Fiorentina), net twice against his former employers at the Olympiastadion, located in Germany’s capital city, Berlin.  It was Jupp Heynckes’ final game as Bayern Munich manager, and the game in which the historic German treble was accomplished by the club based in south-eastern Germany. The FA Cup in England may not be regarded as highly as it was 5-10 years ago, but in Germany and Spain, the DFB-Pokal and the Copa Del Rey respectively are highly sought-after domestic cups, which are expected to be claimed by the top teams in such countries. In this case, Bayern added a magnificent piece of silverware to their trophy cabinet, which effectively capped off a scintillating season.

...And another Muller in 2013! 

But why is it just the beginning for Bayern? The signings of Mario Götze, Thiago Alcantara and Jan Kirchhoff have added to the star-studded crop of players currently on the books at the Allianz Arena. If utilised properly and regularly rotated, then it is possible that Bayern Munich will once again be victors of yet another German treble. In August, they come up against Chelsea, who they lost to in the 2012 Champions League final on home soil, in the UEFA Super Cup. No team from Germany has lifted this trophy and they will want to make history yet again, as well as avenging that pain-staking defeat to the club based in west London. Pep Guardiola certainly has the vision and capability to emulate what Heynckes achieved in his third stint as Bayern manager, and if his philosophy works to its optimum with the Allianz Arena outfit, then the success he delivered at Barcelona can be replicated at Bayern.

The implications of Bayern’s historic season are also on an international scale. Neuer, Lahm, Badstuber, Schweinsteiger and Müller are among the many talented German players at Bayern. Last season, they proved that not only can a German team dominate Europe, but also the world. Germany will be pursuing a 4^th FIFA World Cup title next summer in Brazil, and such players will be largely pivotal in helping the country located in central Europe bring home a trophy which it last won as West Germany in 1990. 

MARIO GÖTZE AND THIAGO ALCANTARA: ADDING TO THE SQUAD DEPTH

Controversial: Gotze with his Bayern shirt

On the day they thrashed Barcelona 4-0 at home, Bayern announced that Borussia Dortmund’s 21-year-old (then 20) attacking midfielder  Mario Götze would be joining them this summer, on a 4 year deal for £32 million, making him the most expensive German footballer of all time. This move came much to the anger of Dortmund fans who felt betrayed and deceived, especially during the latter stages of the 2012-13 season in which they were dearly fighting for a place in the Champions League final (which they achieved by defeating Real Madrid 4-3 on aggregate), having lost out on the opportunity to clinch a third successive Bundesliga title. Marco Reus, who re-joined Dortmund last year from Borussia Monchengladbach, stated that he cried when Götze said that he’d be leaving at the end of the season. Götze finished the season injured and thus missed the Champions League final, which was ironically against his current club Bayern.  Many have criticised the fact that the signing of Götze is a “waste of money” or “pointless buy”, given the readily available attacking midfield crop at Bayern of Robben, Ribery, Shaqiri and Kroos. The competition for places may indicate that Götze may not get as many games as he did at Dortmund, but on the plus side, he has made a choice which he believes is the right one for his career, in terms of progression and the chance to win more trophies. There is a possibility that Guardiola will deploy the former Dortmund man as a “False 9”, which he did so with Lionel Messi at Barcelona – a role which so profoundly suited the Argentinean winger-turned-striker. The sale of Mario Gomez to Fiorentina means that Thomas Müller and Mario Mandžukić are the only two prominent strikers Die Roten have, thus implying that Götze will play more games as a “False 9” than he would have expected to at Dortmund (which was quite a rarity when he was on the books at the Signal Iduna Park club).  But it’s not just the 21-year-old German prodigy who’s the new boy in Munich…

A Re-union with Pep: Thiago Alcantara

…Thiago Alcantara, who was considered to be Xavi’s natural heir at Barcelona, re-united with his former coach last week, who was adamant that there was no alternative as to signing Thiago. Ironically, when Guardiola was Barcelona manager, the Blaugrana beat Bayern 2-0 in the 2011 Audi Cup final, thanks to a brace from Thiago, which was a game that indicated that there was a new star in Europe. The most primal reason why the 22-year-old attacking midfielder departed that claret and blue Catalonian outfit is the fact that he did not get as much playing time as he deserved, making 31 appearances in all competitions [2], with Xavi being preferred to him in Tito Vilanova (who has just been replaced by the Argentinean Gerardo Martino) side’s pecking order. Despite a far from impressive season with Barcelona, in the European Under-21 Championships, Thiago, alongside the rest of the Spanish Under-21 squad, played magical football to claim a second successive Euro U-21 title, with the ex-Barcelona prodigy netting an excellent hat-trick in the final, where Spain defeated Italy 4-2. Not only does Thiago’s move to Bayern help him make the most of his club career, but increased opportunities to play first-team football is extremely essential for him in terms of getting on to Spain’s plane for the 2014 World Cup.  

But how would the two youngsters fit into Bayern’s team if playing together? Guardiola will have many a selection headache next season, and will hence feel the need to rotate his squad regularly, although it is likely that he will play 4-2-3-1/4-5-1.

•        Formation A: 4-5-1
  

 Martinez plays as a holding midfielder, with Schweinsteiger and Thiago having flexible roles, with the latter predominantly aiding Robben and Ribery. Götze plays as a false 9, leaving main forwards Müller and Mandžukić on the bench. 

• Formation B: 4-2-3-1

Guardiola drops one of Robben and Ribery, with Götze playing just behind Müller, and Thiago on the right hand side of the attacking midfield position zone.

All in all, Bayern have acquired two wonderful youngsters who will be both crucial first-team players and will be adhered to accept a potential squad rotation policy at the club. If utilised properly, then Bayern may emulate the benchmark they set last season.

WHAT CAN BAYERN’S UNIQUE 12^TH MAN EXPECT IN 2013-14?

Fanatical fever: The Allianz Arena faithful

One would expect the answer “trophies galore”. Indeed, Bayern have heavily invested into the signings of Götze and Thiago, but that does not guarantee that they will be treble winners again in the season ahead. It will take time for Guardiola and his players to gel and utilise a philosophy, just as he did at Barcelona. It is without question that Bayern may still require another centre back, and David Alaba, who was marvellous for the Bavarians last season, will still need to cement a regular starting place. Bayern are absolutely spoilt for choice in terms of first-team players, so much so that not every prominent player will be able to make Guardiola’s match-day squads. The atmosphere will, as always at the Allianz Arena, remain electric and mesmerising, with Bayern fans demanding more of the same of last season, and perhaps this time, an unbeaten season, given the quality of the manager’s squad and the manager’s ability itself.

 Borussia Dortmund are keen to bring the Bundesliga title back to Signal Iduna Park, having won it in 2011 and 2012, with Jürgen Klopp’s side taking German football by storm and defying the odds. The transfer of Gotze from Dortmund to Munich has unquestionably intensified the league rivalry between the two clubs, and the former club in particular will want to impress their fans, who want Dortmund to win the domestic campaign, in order to make up for Götze’s controversial move. The two clubs first meet next season in this year’s DFL-Supercup, which is a re-match of last year’s match, in which Bayern were the 2-1 victors on home soil. It is a trophy which both clubs are vying for, although Klopp’s Dortmund will want to claim victory in front of their former man Götze.

In addition to the German Supercup, Guardiola’s side face Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, in a re-match of the 2012 UEFA Champions League final. In this case, the rivalry between Guardiola and Mourinho will begin another chapter, which in the last 3 years has grabbed the attention of football fans worldwide. In December, Bayern will fly to Morocco to compete in the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup, where they will compete against other continental cup winners, in order to officially claim the stake of being the “best team in the world”. If Bayern scoop up these three trophies, they will once again make history by becoming the first German team to have won the sextuple – 6 trophies in a calendar year – this was something which Guardiola achieved in 2009 with Barcelona, and although he has players of a similar (but not of the entirely same) ability at Bayern, there is absolutely no guarantee that Bayern will achieve such honours in the latter parts of the 2013 calendar year. But if there is any guarantee, then that is that the club certainly has a love affair with silverware, and is hungry for more.

Will Mitchell Weiser get any game time this season?

Moreover, homegrown talent is something that is imperative at any club in the world. The likes of Hargreaves, Beckenbauer, Schweinsteiger, Lahm are just some examples of Bayern’s finest homegrown players in the past and the present. It’s anyone’s guess who’ll be there in the future, but a name spoken of so significantly amongst die hard Bayern fans is that of Mitchell Weiser’s – a 19-year-old winger who spent the latter parts of the 2012-13 season on loan at FC Kaiserslautern, and is an exciting young talent who has starred for Germany’s under-18 team. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, aged 17, is also an excellent prospect for the Bavarian club. Appearances may be limited to the DFL-Pokal for Bayern’s youth players, which they will need to grasp with both hands, in order to prove that they are future first team players. At Barcelona, Guardiola blooded in the likes of Thiago, Isaac Cuenca, Christian Tello, Marc Bartra and Sergio Busquets from Barcelona B, into the first team. All of these players, bar Thiago are currently on the books at Barca, and are showing promise each game they play. Bayern’s 12^th man can expect some youth team players to make first team appearances, and if successful, in a few years, they can cement a place in Guardiola’s starting line-up. There is no doubt that Bayern’s players will put in a minimum of 100% effort in order to be successful in the 2013-14 season on all fronts.

PREDICITIONS FOR THE SEASON

Hola, Signor Pep

With their current squad, every Bayern fan will expect their club to be Bundesliga champions yet again, though perhaps not by as great a points margin as last season. They will be pushed hard by Borussia Dortmund, and even FC Schalke 04, who haven’t won the German league title since 1958. The DFB-Pokal is another trophy Bayern are expected to retain. They are capable of repeating last season’s treble in 2013-14, although in terms of the Champions League, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus and Chelsea will have strengthened to the extent that they are capable of adding a 2014 Champions League victory to their scroll of honour. Barcelona are tipped to snatch the trophy off the team that annihilated them on both legs of the semi-final of the tournament last season, with the anticipated Messi-Neymar partnership expected to be the most feared in Europe.

In conclusion, Bayern are the champions elect for the Bundesliga and will be a threat across Europe in 2013-14. However, opposition teams will not accept failure without a fight, so we may well see the Bavarian club winning the German league title by tight margins, in Guardiola’s first season in Germany. 

IN A NUTSHELL:

• Bayern are expected to build on last season's treble and claim the sextuple
• Guardiola has the ability to make even more history with Bayern
• 2013-14 will not be as easy a season for Bayern as fans would expect

CREDITS FOR STATS:

[1] http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/lists/166027/comprehensive-list-of-all-bundesliga-records-broken-by-bayern-munich-this-season.html

[2] http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=53707&season_id=142

A hard-worker and a man-manager : Why Moyes is the right man for Manchester United

Being a Liverpool fan, it was a day of happiness and euphoria when Sir Alex Ferguson threw in the towel, but as a football fan and part of the football family, it feels vastly strange that the game has lost a godfather of management and coaching. The day he announced his retirement, it was a sad day for football as a whole. Millions of Manchester United fans (and fans of other clubs too) were deeply hurt by Ferguson’s decision, and to some extent, their lives will have changed forever.

CHAMPIONS: Fergie poses with United's 20th league title in his final game at Old Trafford

In November 1986 a 46-year-old Alex Ferguson who had just led Aberdeen to their most successful era in their history arrived at Carrington, ready to put pen to paper at a club where he went from zero to hero. In his first 4 years, it was almost as if he was an internal menace towards Manchester United Football Club, which was arguably in decline, but the 1990 FA Cup victory was a catalyst for greater honours and seasons, including the illustrious 1998-99 Treble campaign, and the 19^th League title in May 2011, which helped the Mancunian club surpass arch rivals Liverpool as the most successful team in England (when considering FA Community Shield wins).

In May 2013, Sir Alex Ferguson called an end to an incredible 27 years at the Old Trafford helm, and so fittingly, he won United’s 20^th League title in his 1500^th game as manager. What was so nit-picking and stressful for United was finding a successor to the 71-year-old Scotsman. Enter David Moyes.

WHY MOYES?

Unveiled: Can Moyes continue the sparkling successes of the Ferguson era?

Last Monday Fergie’s fellow Glaswegian David Moyes officially began his reign as manager of the Red Devils. From 2002 to 2013, the 50–year-old almost always gave 100% to Everton and upon his arrival at the Liverpudlian club, declared the Toffees as “The People’s Club”. Although he did not claim any silverware during a successful period of time with Everton, Moyes won fans over with his determination and passion for the club, guiding them to a Champions League place in the 2004-05 season and in the last two campaigns, helping them finish above local rivals Liverpool. A 2009 FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea was hard for Moyes’ team to digest, but that by no means was a factor that could have cost him his job. What’s even more fascinating is the fact that he had limited resources during his reign as Everton boss, in terms of finances. Yet somehow, the canny Moyes kept Everton in the top half of the Barclays Premier League for many seasons, getting bargain deals in the transfer market along the way, including for Tim Cahill, Marouane Fellaini, Mikel Arteta and Nickica Jelavic. 

United most definetely have the correct man for the job, but on the other hand have also taken a gamble on Moyes who has won just a single piece of silverware in his managerial career – the First Division play-off title with Preston North End FC. But will that prevent him from becoming an Old Trafford managerial great? No. Unlike at Everton, Moyes has sufficient transfer funds at his disposal, and has made no secret of his desire for success. 

On 4^th July 2013, Moyes appointed veteran Ryan Giggs as a player-coach, with Phil Neville returning to the Manchester club where he began his career, as first team coach. Giggs is contracted as a player at United until the summer of next year, and will turn 40 in four months’ time. He will also be keen to prolong the Red Devils’ dominance of English football for many years to come. Neville, another one of Fergie’s Fledglings has followed Moyes from Everton back to United, and like his former teammate Giggs, could be vital in nurturing the performance of United in the Premier League, the FA Cup (a trophy United have not won since 2004), and Europe.

ROONEY: STAYING PUT AT THE RED DEVILS IN THE SHORT-TERM

Wonderkid: When Rooney was just 16 years of age

Moyes said in his first press conference last week that Wayne Rooney will remain as United’s number 10 for the foreseeable future, despite the fact that there have been various disagreements and grudges between the pair, ever since the latter departed Goodison Park for Old Trafford in August 2004. At large, many United fans have claimed that they wouldn’t mind if Rooney departs, but what the ex-Everton man’s most significant quality is that he works harder than most of his fellow strikers, and can on some occasions, play in various attack positions, namely as a winger.  However, last season he scored just 12 league goals (Premier League official website), whereas in 2011/12, he accumulated a staggering 27 goals in a league campaign in which United narrowly missed out on their 20^th league title. This major difference was chiefly down to the arrival of Robin van Persie from Arsenal, who was regularly picked ahead of Rooney by Sir Alex Ferguson, in the former Aberdeen boss’s last season at the Old Trafford helm.

If Moyes rotates his squad regularly, then Rooney will without doubt reap a greater number of chances than he did last season, but that does not guarantee that the relationship between him and his number 10 will be good. In April 2007, Moyes sued Rooney for libel, where in his autobiography, the latter criticised his now re-united manager for being arrogant in terms of his overall power over his players. Rooney was sued £300,000 by the Glaswegian manager, but can that stop the two from now being successful? No. The pair must take into account that in general, life is too short to bear grudges, and if United are to have any success over the next few years, Moyes and Rooney must put what’s happened behind them and successfully work together.

Should Rooney leave, the most suitable Premier League parties will be London clubs Chelsea and Arsenal, who are both tabling a bid for a prominent striker. But with both having reportedly submitted bids for Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez (Arsenal have also considered a bid for Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid) respectively, Rooney who also wanted to leave United in 2010, could consider his options abroad, and may head for the Serie A, where he would be suited to AC Milan and Juventus. Alternatively, the former Everton boy wonder could replace the outgoing Higuain at Real Madrid, and re-unite with his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.

In terms of a replacement, Robert Lewandowski of Borussia Dortmund is widely tipped to move to Manchester United or Bayern Munich, although the German media have fuelled speculation that he prefers the latter, in order to re-unite with Mario Götze, who was unveiled as a Bayern Munich’s new number 19 last week.

Wherever Rooney’s fate lies, there is no doubt that United’s management team will continue to do their very best to keep him, especially David Moyes.

STYLE OF PLAY

Everton most certainly did not play the most attractive football in the Premier League last season, but that did not prevent them from finishing 6^th in Moyes’ final season as Everton boss – one place higher than city rivals Liverpool. Manchester United is a club known for regular squad rotation, which allows them to play different styles of football week in week out. Counter-attacking play is associated heavily with the Red Devils, who have had many wonderful attackers in the last 15-20 years, such as Eric Cantona, Andy Cole and Ruud van Nistelrooy. It is likely the Moyes will continue to ensure that United play counter attacking football during his reign at the Theatre of Dreams, with the Glaswegian being spoilt for choice in terms of the many wingers, attacking midfielders and strikers available to him.

In terms of formations, with the players Moyes has, he can play a 4-2-3-1, with Rooney, as a CAM, supporting Shinji Kagawa and one of Ashley Young/Antonio Valencia/Nani. United fans can expect Moyes to deploy Rooney as dovetailing Robin van Persie, which could lead to selection headaches, with Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez also vying for a first-team spot. Defensively, mainstays Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand are no longer in their prime, although they are always 100% committed each game. Therefore, the aforementioned defenders are likely to stay for at least another year at United, with Jonny Evans and Phil Jones also competing for the centre-back starting places. It is unlikely that Moyes will play 3 centre-backs, so Rafael and Patrice Evra will almost certainly maintain their positions.

At Everton, Moyes ensured that left-back Leighton Baines joined the attacking players during an offensive move, which was a tactic that frequently paid off. Baines could be lured to the Theatre of Dreams if the 32-year-old Evra is told that he is not part of Moyes’ plans/wishes himself to move on. However, Baines will be turning 29 later this year and may not be a long-term replacement for the Frenchman.

WHAT CAN UNITED FANS EXPECT IN TERMS OF THE MANAGER AND HONOURS?

As mentioned earlier in this article, Moyes has one just a single honour with Preston North End throughout his entire managerial career. At United, he has the money, the players and over 300 million fans worldwide behind him which will all be massive influences as United quest to dominate English football for many more years to come. One would expect Moyes’ inaugural season to not be trophy-less nor trophy-laden, but one in which they add at least one or two major titles to their scroll of honour.

Just the one: Moyes kisses the Division play-off trophy

He is a man-manager who at the same time as being someone who is focused intently on football, can counsel his players if they are going through a negative spell, on and off the pitch. At the same time, he will not tolerate players moaning and complaining about team selections, and will therefore make amends as soon as possible. The former Everton boss is not someone who is notorious for playing mind games  although he can be critical of opposition players at times, as well as his own squad’s members. He could be considered as a father-figure too, for he is mindful of his player’s activities off the pitch.

An infamous incident that took place between Moyes and former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini in 2010 at the Etihad Stadium (then called the City of Manchester stadium) questions and contradicts Moyes' rational attitude, and he can quite quickly lose his temper if things are not going his team's way.

It will take time for Moyes to win fans over although perhaps not as much as his predecessor Ferguson. Once his players are able to work together under any philosophy he may be looking to implement, Moyes can form a team that is capable of maintaining the ability of competing with European titans, such as Barcelona and Bayern Munich, which is a mandatory requirement at Manchester United every season.

As Moyes said last week, Wayne Rooney is not for sale, and will stay put at United, although a transfer to a European club must not yet be ruled out. Moreover, a player who could be parting company with the Old Trafford outfit is Nani, who although is a skilful and talented winger, is known to complain and groan regularly, and will not be accepted by United fans if such an attitude continues to be a recurring problem in the pre-season and season ahead. Leighton Baines could follow in Moyes’ footsteps from Goodison Park, and it can be argued that United definitely require a new, relatively young and experienced centre-back. Other potential defensive targets, some of who are dynamic in defence, are Mamadou Sakho, Diego Godin, Benedikt Höwedes and Nicolas Otamendi.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been heavily linked with a return to Old Trafford, after departing for Real Madrid four years ago, for a record £80 million. Although the return of the Portuguese winger is a possibility, if Moyes is serious about making a bid for Ronaldo, he may well be going into his transfer budget overdraft. 

Will 2013-14 be the last season for Vidic and Ferdinand at United?

Paul Scholes’ second retirement is something that has left a massive gap in the middle of midfield, although the talented and homegrown Tom Cleverley is ready to step up to the plate and play a midfield role similar to that of the former England international’s, which is diverse – both offensive and defensive. Moyes could still delve into the transfer market for Barcelona’s Thiago Alcantara, who last month helped the Under-21 Spanish team clinch their 2^nd consecutive European U-21 Championships title; with reports that he will join the Red Devils very soon in a deal in excess of £15 million fuelling such speculation, United are the front-runners for the talented youngster. Marouane Fellaini has also been linked with a move across the East Lancashire road from Goodison Park to Old Trafford, but unlike at Everton, he would not be guaranteed a starting place.

THE START OF SOMETHING NEW?

Will United be smiling at the end of the season?

It’s definitely a new era at The Theatre of Dreams, but as customary, United fans will still expect silverware to be delivered by their team. The question is, will Moyes continue to deliver the many titles and honours that Ferguson won in his 27 years at Manchester United? If so, then United’s dominance could continue in the foreseeable future, although Chelsea and Manchester City will once again be major competitors for the Barclays Premier League title.

As it stands, it would be absurd to consider that Moyes will be Manchester United manager for over 25 years, but he is fully expected by the board of directors of the Old Trafford club to fulfil the 6 years of his contract. In the 1950s and 1960s, United had the Busby Babes, and in the last 20 years, Fergie’s Fledglings have included some of the greatest players to have graced English, European and World football. In the next decade or two, we may well be talking quite highly of a group of players called Moyes’ Mavericks, should the Glaswegian make the most of United’s fantastic youth system.

In conclusion, the Red Devils can expect great things from their new manager and in order for the club to continue the successes of Ferguson, the Old Trafford faithful will need to get behind their new manager and support him immediately.

IN A NUTSHELL:

·         David Moyes definitely has the ability to succeed at Manchester United
·         In the short-term, Wayne Rooney will remain at Old Trafford
·         United may need to be make 2-3 signings this summer, including a new centre back
·         There is a healthy competition for places at United
·         Moyes is a man-manager of a good demeanour, but is rightly strict at the same time

CREDITS:

STATS: Wikipedia, Official Premier League Website

OTHER TEXT INFO: BBC Sport Football, The Telegraph, The Guardian

PHOTOS:  Daily post.ng, The Mirror, The score.ie, Sports Keeda, Soccer Lens, Official Premier League website

FIFA CONFEDERATIONS CUP 2013: Rightly called the “Festival of Champions”, but off the pitch, the scenes were far from a festival

For two weeks, Brazil showcased a glimpse of what next year’s World Cup will be like, in terms of the atmosphere and the football itself. But the protests that took place off the pitch in Fortaleza and other cities that played host to matches in the 2013 Confederations Cup are a sign that Brazil as a country needs to consider social needs such as better infrastructure, which at present are not being met.

THE SELECAO’S PERFORMANCE

Brazil have now won the tournament three competitions in a row and made it clear to the footballing world that they are force to be reckoned with, despite crumbling at the quarter final stage of the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. Their 3-0 demolition of World and European champions Spain indicates that they pose a threat to some of the biggest titans in international football, such as Germany and Argentina. However, the Brazil team we saw at this tournament is not quite the finished product and is far from the immensity of the 1970 World Cup-winning team, which included the likes of Pele and Carlos Alberto; and cannot yet compare with the Seleção of the 1982 World Cup, that consisted of prominent players such as Zico and the late Socrates. Moreover, there is a hefty amount of a talented crop of young players that did not make the Brazil squad for this tournament, namely Alexandre Pato and Philippe Coutinho.  Although Leandro Damiao was named in Luiz Felipe Scolari’s 23-man squad, injury on the eve of the tournament forced the 23-year-old Internacional striker to pull out and was replaced by former Manchester City striker Jo.

Heroes of Spain 1982 and Mexico 1986: Will Scolari's 2nd Brazil team ever reach the greatness of the squads that included Socrates and Zico?

 

The old guard, as it stands is being phased out by Scolari in his second spell as Brazil manager, with Kaka, Robinho and Ronaldinho being left out of his squad. However, it can be argued that the aforementioned players will not give up the fight to make the squad managed by “Big Phil” in just under a year’s time. Although Ronaldinho in 2013 is not the Ronaldinho of 2002-2008, he is still a 2002 World Cup winner, who under Scolari, helped the Seleção clinch their record 5^th World title in South Korea/Japan. If included, his experience could be pivotal in helping the current crop of Brazil’s youngsters in putting their names in the history books and sealing a 6^th win of football’s most sought-after trophy.

As a whole, this united Brazil in terms of national pride, during a time where there are on-going protests in over 90 cities nationwide.

LA ROJA’S MISSED OPPORTUNITY

Aside the hosts, Spain, who have won the previous two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup, were well on their way to “Completing the Set” by winning the 2013 Confederations Cup. Their passing game was both praised and criticised, with some people claiming Vicente del Bosque’s philosophy as being “boring”, although many at the same time made no secret that they were fond of La Roja’s “exciting” style of play.

Such was their ball possession solid, Uruguay’s striker Luis Suarez made no secret of how difficult it is to play a team of Spain’s calibre. “It is very difficult to generate any kind of danger when you don’t touch the ball” said Suarez. The Uruguayan number 9 added, “Spain are the best side in the world. They are a candidate to win the World Cup”.  And so they are, with midfield greats such as Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets forming the core of La Roja’s astonishing “tiki-taka” style of play, and attackers such as David Silva, Fernando Torres, Juan Mata and when played as a “False 9”, Cesc Fabregas regularly finishing created chances. Jordi Alba once again proved that he is the perfect replacement for Joan Capdevila and with Spain’s Under-21 squad winning the U-21 European Championships last month, the future seems bright for La Roja.

But what went wrong in the final? That is a question that many football fans have been left trying to answer, after Scolari’s Brazil crushed del Bosque’s star-studded Spain 3-0 in an exuberant, packed Maracana stadium, located in the heart of Rio de Janeiro.  Once Neymar and Fred had scored the first two goals of the final, it looked as if it was game up for Spain. There was a reason for that. Their passing was poor from the first minute, right up to the last minute, with so many balls being given away and in addition,   almost every player looked drained of energy throughout the duration of the match. Brazil worked hard all-game long and threatened the Spanish on every move. Usually, one would expect Spain to apply 100% effort in order to retain the ball, but this didn’t seem apparent within the match.  A famous cliché “Goals change games” may have been realised had Sergio Ramos not missed from the penalty spot. Gerard Pique’s  foul on Neymar was bizarre and he was rightly sent-off by Bjorn Kuipers, the Dutch referee.

Although the scoreline was humiliating, this may be just a blip for Spain, whose 29 competitive match unbeaten run that spread from their 2^nd group game in the 2010 World Cup, was ended in Rio de Janeiro.  

PAYING RESPECT TO TAHITI

 The Tahitians conceded 24 goals during the tournament, but even when they were well and truly knocked out of the tournament by Spain in a monstrous 10-0 defeat, their fans still gave a wonderful amount of support and took national pride in the fact that a small nation from the Polynesian islands was represented at a tournament dubbed as the “Festival of Champions”. They scored just 1 goal throughout the tournament, but that was something that brought about a smile on almost every Tahitian fan. A heartfelt gesture among many a football follower was when each Tahitian player presented a necklace to the Spanish footballer they first shook their hand with, before they were demolished by Vicente del Bosque’s astonishing team.

THOSE WHO ENTERTAINED US

The list of talent on display at the 2013 Confederations Cup was endless. Uruguay’s deadly trio of Diego Forlan, Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani were a danger to every team they were playing; Spain, as customary played beautiful football in a team that included many a superstar; and Brazil’s young and talented side stunned opposition fans and Brazilian fans themselves throughout the tournament. In addition, Gianluigi Buffon and Iker Casillas once more proved that they are still two of the world’s best goalkeepers.

But the one player who definitely grasped everyone’s attention this tournament was Neymar. Following his £50 million move from Santos to Barcelona, there can be no doubt whatsoever that the pressure on him to perform at this year’s Confederations Cup was immense. And did he perform. In 412 minutes of playing time, he scored 4 goals and attained 2 assists, with his first goal being the goal of the tournament and one that gave Barcelona’s rivals a warning of what he can do at his best.  One statement spoken of at large amongst many a football fan regarding Neymar was:  “He’s overrated”. Many have now retracted this opinion, citing that the tournament’s Adidas Golden Ball winner left them on the edge of their seats and that he is someone that will be a major superstar in La Liga, as well as in the Champions League.  Barcelona have had several wonderful Brazilian players in years that have gone by, including Romario, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho, who are all previous World Cup winners, winning the La Liga with the Catalan club too. Only time will tell whether Neymar will be a double winner like the players/ex-players mentioned, on such conditions (winning the La Liga and World Cup).

Former Lyon striker Fred performed amazingly at the 2013 Confederations Cup, and arguably, his best performance was in the final, in which he scored 2 goals. Fred knows that it is extremely unlikely that he’ll be the best player in the world, but that will not prevent him from performing at his very best in order to make Scolari’s 2014 World Cup squad.

Despite a dreadful defeat to Brazil in the final, Spain still played spectacular “tiki-taka” football. Barcelona midfield duo Xavi and Andres Iniesta played amazing short and long passes, as well as through balls which led to chances and the assisting of goals alike. According to FIFA’s official Confederations Cup statistics (presented by Castrol Index),  Iniesta had an average 86.8% pass completion rate in all five of his matches, throughout the 404 minutes he played in Brazil.

Xavi also performed at peak quality at the 2013 Confederations Cup, and at times was unplayable when partnering with Barcelona teammate Iniesta in midfield. In January 2014, Barcelona’s vice-captain will turn 34 and could be at the twilight of his career. What brings about a major surprise is that after Spain’s Euro 2012 triumph, Xavi admits that he nearly retired from international football, only for boss Vicente del Bosque to tempt him away from making such a decision . He is most definitely determined to mend this humiliating defeat to Scolari’s potentially 2^nd great Seleção team and help Spain clinch a 2^nd World Cup.

PUBLIC VIOLENCE IN BRAZILIAN CITIES

Off the pitch, civilian protests regarding the fact that there is not enough investment into education and infrastructure by the Brazilian government, as well as the existence of corrupt politicians turned unsavoury due to the fact that police have had to use tear gas and rubber bullets to reduce the violence caused by the people involved in these demonstrations. However, these people are by all means entitled to cite what they need, in order to improve their social lives in Brazil.

People have criticised the fact that there is more attention towards the World Cup and not towards eradicating corruption, providing efficient transport and improving education. In the long term, the World Cup will be economically beneficial for the Brazilian government, although for now they must ensure that they improve the disadvantaged political, infrastructural and social issues that are apparent at present in whichever way possible.

Worldwide, people are concerned whether or not the World Cup will be held in Brazil this time next year. It is possible that the world’s biggest football contest will be held in a year’s time, but just as South Africa faced difficulties in preparing for the 2010 World Cup, so does Brazil, only that they are better prepared than South Africa were, in the year leading up to the first international football world championship held in the African continent.

 

All in all this tournament was one to remember for the right reasons and if Brazil are prepared in time for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, then this, without question, will pave the way for a wonderful contest that will kick off on the 12^th June 2014.  There are more players that are bound to thrill and excite fans next year and those that will be physically dangerous to play against in terms of club football from now until they leave for World Cup duty in 11 months’ time. What many have learned this year is that the Seleção are trying to prove something – they are worthy of lifting a 6^th World Cup title on 13^th July 2014.

 

IN A NUTSHELL:

·         The Confederations Cup of 2013 was a spectacular sporting event

·         Brazil are out to prove that they can compete against some of the world’s best, again

·         Spain’s defeat in the final was just a glitch and there is no need for them to make drastic changes

·         Neymar made the most of the pressure on him to perform

·         Brazil faces problems to host next year’s World Cup, but can improve its current situation

 

CREDITS:

Statistics: BBC Sport and FIFA (in association with Castrol Index)

Photos: Who ate all the pies,  Politics and Poverty, CNN (International Edition), The Telegraph, Coha.org

Selecao special lettering: Wikipedia