Friday, January 30, 2009

injury scare

so David Beckham was a celebrated player four days ago, can he make the same move this weekend?. i hope he would, however this news worries me a lot. i saw him limping off the field and i was quite suspicious on his substitution. it turned out that i was correct. he might have accidently injured himself while kicking a ball from getting caught in his area and i assumed he had injured himself after the kick.

                          david-beckham-lakers3

nevertheless, always hope for the best. he could still play and enjoy good performance like he had in midweek, he might be replaced in the second half though considering his condition. i am sure Ancelotti is unwilling to lose one of his best asset at the moment, so giving him a rest might boost his fitness for the next game. if he’s not getting any better, i will expect Ancelotti to give Flamini a chance this time. who knows? i just hope it doesn’t happen. Beckham has been an influential player since joining from LA Galaxy on loan. Milan’s performance have also responding in a positive way. meanwhile, Lazio are pretty hard to crack, therefore AC Milan need their best players available this weekend. so Becks, good luck and we wish you to get better soon! 

Inter hit by a scandal

i was obviously shocked by the news i read in goal.com claiming that Inter was involved in match fixing scandal. they threw away matches just to increase their chances for winning Scudetto. i don’t know how it means and how is it going to affect their chances to win the title. suddenly, the Juventus saga flashing back to me. three years ago, Juventus had been stripped from the championship at the end of the season. and guess what? Inter had been handed the title soon after the guilty charges applied to Juventus and it didn’t stop there. not only being stripped from the title, Juventus had also been banished to serie B. one level lower than serie A. since that year, Inter had always managed to clench their serie A title tightly from their rivals reach. wow! if this actually happened, i can’t imagine what would befall upon Inter. *sigh* why can’t you play fairly? or there is no such thing as fair in this life? figure yourself.

FA best player of the year

it is already 2009 and soon, the FA England player of the year will be announced, however not after stiff competition in the poll section. i believe the fans have the chance to pick their favorites and then finally those votes will be counted in a structure way to enable the best player win. i have yet to vote as i do have a strong feeling that my favorite player will not win this one. no offense, but he is not a popular figure in England especially in the recent times. people still respect for his passion but i doubt it they will vote for him since he’s not the number 1 choice in Capello’s term. it is probably down to his age, i mean if this guy could actually reverse his age, he would have done it long time ago. unfortunately, the curious case of benjamin button only happens in the movie. still, someone voted for him and made a brave comment on him, let’s read it

Michael Malpass chose David Beckham
"David has always risen to the challenge and he exemplifies why he is a true hero not only to children but as a positive role model that parents are proud for their children to look up to."

the goal

match-VS-Genoa-at-san-siro-stadium-14

it must be one of the best goals he ever scored. fortunately, i had a good look on this one. his first goal for Milan was when they were against Bologna, but i didn’t watch the match because of the availability in the local TV. i thought he had aimed for his teammates in the penalty box, however the ball was just too close to the goalkeeper. and after that, it was history for him. the ball went in with so much ease. i can’t help it but to look again and again. so, i decided to post it right here therefore i won’t be missing anything.

darn! i want to add something right after this video but how on earth will i do that. nevermind, i let my words fly right before it.

Capello impressed by Beckham (SOCCERNET.ESPN.GO.COM)

Obviously Becks made a headline after the game. unfortunately, his first goal at San Siro didn’t end the way we had wanted to. late goal from Genoa had put Milan in difficult position to catch Inter from going away with their Scudetto title. it means they have to put an extra work to win the remaining matches, if not Inter would walk away with the title once again. it will be the forth year to win the Scudetto for Inter if they had the ability to walk through challenges up ahead. however, nothing can be counted as worthless if their rivals are going to make this difficult for the league leaders by winning their matches especially at home. i am not a fan of AC Milan, however i would like to see other club winning the title. i have had enough seeing Inter’s captain lifted the cup over so many years. it’s time to see some other champions.

by the way, here’s an article from soccernet regarding Capello’s view on David Beckham after the match.

                 match-VS-Genoa-at-san-siro-stadium-7

England boss Fabio Capello has confirmed he was impressed by David Beckham's latest performance for AC Milan.

However Capello insists he has not yet decided whether to include Beckham in his squad for the February 11 friendly against Spain in Seville.

Capello watched on as Beckham scored from a free-kick in Milan's draw against Genoa at the San Siro.

Beckham has played four matches for Milan, and scored twice, since joining on loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Capello had welcomed Beckham's move to Milan, which ensured he remained active during the Major League Soccer off-season.

He could hand him a 108th cap in the match against Spain, which would see the former Manchester United midfielder match Bobby Moore's record number of appearances for an outfield England player.

Capello said: ''I must still decide, however I was happy with Beckham's performance yesterday. He seemed to be making progress from the previous games.''

Speaking at an awards event this evening in Milan, and quoted by Corriere dello Sport's website, Capello said: ''I was at the San Siro yesterday to check his performance and before that I had sent my assistants. He seems well integrated in the Milan team.''

Capello brushed aside the question of whether Beckham would be included in his squad for next year's World Cup in South Africa.

He said: ''We must qualify first, then I will think about who to select.''

Tonight it was reported by Sky Sports News that Beckham is registered with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) until the end of June, meaning Milan would not need special dispensation to keep him beyond March 9, the date of his scheduled return to LA Galaxy, in the event of him seeking an extended stay.

However LA Galaxy are confident Beckham will return to the United States at the end of his two-month loan with Milan.

Milan head coach Carlo Ancelotti has offered plenty of praise for Beckham since his arrival but has stressed the 33-year-old must make the decision on where he wants to spend the rest of his club career.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

frustrated

by now, the result has deserted us to a world beyond our imagination. a draw will totally ruin AC Milan’s chances to win Scudetto for sure. it’s already 8 points gap and they have no spot in the champs league, therefore the only fair good chances will be EUFA Cup which of course proves to be one of the toughest European cup in history. if they had been able to conquer Genoa this morning, the gap wouldn’t have been so monstrous as it is today. what have gone wrong?. i could actually write a match analysis, however everyone else has done it so i don’t think i want to give more pressure on myself. whatever the result we got was never enough for us to say, “yup, we can make it to win the Scudetto”. 3 points in each game combined with luck, will certainly give us the trophy, however merely surviving the game is an act of a fool.  Inter had managed to win again and left Milan with nothing but jealousy glare. whose fault was it to let the result have gone the way it had?. the answer would be, the whole team which include managers and players themselves. yes, it was Ancelotti who called upon his players to barricade his defense line, however it was up to them to make it happen. i saw some glittering chances right before the conceded goal but they failed to grab the golden opportunity for their own sake. if i had been given a chance to make a suggestion, i would have chosen to take off Kaka and Beckham 10 minutes before the final whistle. it is solely because the two players deserved to be rested and continue the game as they had in the first half. Kaka was not himself that night and seemed lacked of pace in 20 minutes after the break, so he had to go. while Kaka was a bit abnormal yesterday, newcomer Beckham enjoyed a beautiful night with one more goal in his pocket. replacing Becks with someone who is more defensive such as Flamini would have been the answer, however i suggest to do this only when the time shows 80 minutes into the second half. do take note, Ancelotti replaced Becks on the 69th minute. I would love to see Ronaldinho  playing Kaka’s position to give more room for Pato to advance in the penalty box. the kid was doing really well and i can say he’ll succeed no matter what position he plays. Ancelotti decided that guarding his goal post with armed soldiers would have been the best solution instead of combining counterattack to regain team’s confidence. Genoa had few chances that nearly broke the deadlock and made them a better team from those nervous moments. it was then, i knew AC Milan would have been finished if they continue to back off. i was right, because no more than 10 minutes after that moment Genoa had made it more difficult for Milan to get closer to league leaders, Inter Milan. what a pity, it could have been the best match so far for Beckham in Milan but it was not meant to be. i have been asking the same question over and over again until my head hurts with so much pain. why God didn’t grant my wish?. when Manutd play, i always have the same prayer. i want them to lose badly and won’t be able to catch league leaders. however, my prayers were denied all the time. why?

reading people’s comments, both from readers and supporters made me realize that one tactical error could cause a lot. this, however not the first time Carlo Ancelotti made a horrendous decision which cost Milan 2 points. there were other matches that ended the same fashion. get a goal and then barricade the defense. among many of those critical comments, i have found this particular weird message. i assumed this man is a Chelsea fan and had watched the game intently. well, one person can actually be a fan of 2 or more football clubs from around the world. however, his comment wasn’t about Milan. he was talking about David Beckham!. it is seldom to see a fan of rival would fancy his opponent’s playmaker. it is true that David had left Manutd for so long and most probably this man had forgiven his goals against his beloved club, Chelsea that could be starting from Becks march to the exit door from Manutd stadium. well, a good fan can be found in this crazy world of football. nevertheless, it’s worth mention. i even post his comment in here (taken from goal.com)

Chelsea FC fan: Beckham still has it.! go and take Peter Shiltons national record of England appearances (caps)!!! i know you can, so do it, cause you showed it in front Capello’s face, that you still have the golden touch ( and the golden balls)!!!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

less is more

i know it is not significant to post comments of people who say positive things about Becks, but i like it anyway so i am going to put them here. these comments were taken from Daily Mail

Doesn't David look so nice in white?

- jack king, sw london, 26/1/2009 13:21

Profesional, serius and nice person.........David I'd like to have you in My AC Milan untill world cup.

- Francesco, Milan - Italy, 26/1/2009 12:20

What I love most about David Beckham, is how he can still celebrate scoring a goal as if it was the first one he ever scored. His attitude is refreshing in sport today and the people at Milan seem to be delighted with the way he works. He must be included in the England side, as an example to the youngsters.

- Catherine, Switzerland, 26/1/2009 11:53

David Beckham Delight as He Scores for Milan (DAILY TELEGRAPH)

David Beckham even managed to steal some of the limelight from Kaka as the England midfielder scored his first goal in Serie A as AC Milan beat Bologna 4-1 on Sunday.

Kaka, who snubbed Manchester City's big money approach last week, added two goals and was given a standing ovation by Milan's fans when he was taken off with 20 minutes remaining.

Kaka may find that the Milan fans will soon be campaigning for Beckham to stay after an impressive display capped by his first goal since joining on loan from LA Galaxy last month. On 60 minutes, he netted Milan's fourth goal, finishing off a slick move with a powerful shot after being put into space by Alexandre Pato.

Beckham is due to return to America on 9 March but said after the game: "To score my fist goal is great and I will keep this shirt, but the important thing is we won. I think we played well, even when they went down to 10 men, we still played our game.

"The future? We'll have to see. I want to enjoy my time with AC Milan, like I've always said. It's a fantastic experience and I'm having a great time."

But adding to the speculation that he is desperate to stay in Italy and show England coach Fabio Capello that he is still worth a part in his future plans is the news that he is learning Italian and even willing to take a drastic drop in wages.

Top-selling Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport had a front page headline in English on Sunday saying: "Beckham Forever."

Gazzetta also revealed that he was staying up until the early hours every day to brush up on his Italian verbs – not an easy task and had downloaded conversation classes on his ipod for away trips on the coach and plane.

Beckham's problem is that his deal with LA Galaxy – worth $200m over five years – ties him to LA Galaxy for five years. He can get out after three but that would not be until October when he would be almost 35 and unlikely to be offered a return to Italy.

AC Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said: "He is a great player. At first we were criticised for taking on a doll but now there is regret that he is leaving in March."

hail true footballer; David Beckham's future his decision, says AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti (DAILY TELEGRAPH)

when we talk about footballer, we can instantly imagine loaded man with a model wife on his side and going to the most prestigious area in the neighborhood to rest. talking about talented football player will almost bring us to a certain level which money is never be a problem. where's the the genuine football value? almost gone eroded by  drowning wave from the south. David Beckham is probably one over many in today's modern football who still believe professionalism leads to a greater level. that's why Carlo Ancelotti would like to keep him in the squad for many years. he sacrifices a lot in Milan and always give everything for his team. i'd like to see him playing good football again. spending his time in MLS would not make him accountable for England, not even close. although i love to see him stay in AC Milan, it is sad to see he will leave this March. i doubt he will overturn his loan spell and stay with AC Milan for longer term. i guess, i have to be patient and so does he.

Beckham, who scored his first goal for Milan in their 4-1 win over Bologna, is set to return to America at the beginning of March for the start of the new Major League Soccer season.

However, Ancelotti said: "In football everything is possible. Milan's position is the same as it was and no pressure will be made. The choice remains exclusively his.

"Our desire is that he continues with us. When March 9 comes and he returns to America, that will sadden us because of the help he is giving his team in terms of quality of play and balance.

"He has had the ability to come in and right away have a starring role. It is all down to him, his desire and willingness to return to play in a league and in an important team."

Beckham fuelled reports he will remain in Italy to help the Rossoneri battle for the Scudetto title, by saying: "I can't say what will happen. My contract says that I'll be here until March. We'll have to see.

"At the moment I'm enjoying this experience. I'm at one of the biggest clubs in the world."

Milan midfielder Kaka, no stranger to a transfer saga, having turned down a record-breaking move to Manchester City last week, endorsed Beckham's stay.

"It was beautiful to see Beckham's first goal in the Rossoneri colours," said the Brazilian playmaker.

"He is a great professional; he puts in a lot of effort and works very hard to give a great contribution to the team.

"When he scored we were all delighted and we ran towards him to hug him because he is a great man. We hope he can stay longer."

heavy burden indeed; David Beckham told by LA Galaxy he cannot stay at AC Milan (DAILY TELEGRAPH).

there have been rumors about Becks' intention to extend his loan contract with AC Milan after his season in MLS ended this October. however, there has no confirmation as yet whether or not he will play for AC Milan in the near future. he had said previously that no other deal would keep him in the Italian capital. his intention has always been about staying fit during off season and get himself available for England call up for friendly against Spain next month. while he can enjoy great experience in  San Siro, sad ending is about to overshadow his exit. unfortunately for him, his loan will not able him to see end season in Italy. no matter what, he had made a choice and a noble man would never back down from his words.

The England midfielder is under pressure from Milan to secure a permanent transfer to the Rossoneri.

However, Galaxy coach Bruce Arena is furious and insists Beckham must return when his loan spell finishes in March.

Arena said: “We at LA Galaxy have set the highest standards during this process. We agreed to the loan, set conditions and lived up to our part of the loan agreement.

“We can’t be responsible for other club managers, presidents, players or lawyers. All we know is that we did things properly, ethically and we are going to hold up to our end of the loan agreement.”

Arena, though, has suggested that reports claiming Beckham is looking to buy himself out of his Galaxy contract to stay in Milan may be accurate.

He said: “A lot of this stuff is inaccurate, but some of it is accurate. However, you can’t react to every report.”

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has already told Italian radio that he hopes Beckham can stay beyond the loan agreement.

“Beckham knows what our wish is,” Ancelotti said. “We all hope that he can stay with us. If he leaves, that will sadden us because of the help he’s giving in terms of quality of play and balance.”

A Milan spokesman said negotiations could only start after Beckham’s loan ends.

The loan expires in time for Beckham, 33, to return to Galaxy and start training with the team for their March 22 season opener against DC United at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

Capello to watch David Beckham play against Genoa

Capello is going to Italy this week, his reason is of course to watch Becks play in Italian league. a match against Genoa could prove to be his turning point. whether or not he will selected, the match is going to determine his fate.

              becks in arsenal 5

like it or not David Beckham had to give his best and pray to God Almighty that he will be considered in the next England match in Seville. Capello is a person who takes no excuses and make his point very clear for not having an average player on his squad. i know Becks can pass this one and succeed, amin. he had endured Capello's glare before and i am sure he can cope with him standing far from the sideline this time around. i hope he could make an impact like he did 2 days ago. go Becks!

another Man Utd news (DAILYMAIL)

i know it's a bit lame to post Man Utd in my blog but this time it is considered an exception case of me (negative impact). early warning to all! a sleepy human being had written this post and had been punching the buttons back and forth with so many troubles, but in regard to this article, all delays must be abandoned.

...Meanwhile, United will break new ground this summer when they visit Indonesia as part of their four-match Asia tour.

Although the Red Devils have visited the continent six times previously since 1995 and won the Club World Cup in Tokyo last month, they have never been to Indonesia, a country with a large United fan base in a population of 200million.

The match in Jakarta against the Indonesia Super League Select will be played on July 24 and forms the third leg of a four-leg trip that begins in China on July 18 and heads to Seoul before the long flight south...

'New Beckham' Could Make United Bow in February

becks

here's an excerpt of article from Daily Mail. it is talking about Man Utd particularly but it also mention a bit about Beckham. january signing, Zoran Tosic, could take his center stage around February and has been largely compared to David Beckham. i can't wait to see him play...

Manchester United new-boy Zoran Tosic could be ready to make his first-team debut by the end of February.

...with set-piece delivery akin to David Beckham, which could make him a very useful asset.

'There are similarities with Beckham in terms of going box-to-box and his good delivery,' said Ferguson...

good performance; Beckham hints at staying with AC Milan (AFP)

i peeled open my eyes just to wait a delayed match of AC Milan vs Bologna 2 days ago, but to much of my disappointment there was nothing. instead of broadcasting AC Milan, local TV had chosen to air a match between  AS Roma and Napoli! whatta a mess!. i'd had this weird feeling of not able to watch the match. it was just an hour before FA CUP matches and it would be follish to hope the match will be aired live on TV, but i waited anyway. sometimes things happened for a reason, it sounds cliche but it's true. i was searching for a review of the match on youtube and found something worth more than that. youtube user uploaded a video that says, free live football match. i was curious as hell and clicked on the link; voila! there was an ongoing match between Real Madrid and Deportivo la Coruna. unfortunately by the the time i had found the website, AC Milan's match had long gone. at least, i had found alternative rather than sitting without nothing much to do every weekend. i just knew! whenever David plays an important role i have always been in the dark. yay! what a scary idea even for a 12 month old baby. this is a link to a good article from AFP. rather than post the whole chunk of it, i'd just put the good ones. here they go:

                 match-VS-bologna-at-dallara-stadim-14

...Playing only his third match for Milan, Beckham wrapped things up on the hour mark with Milan's fourth, a rocket that beat Francesco Antonioli at his near post...

"I feel very good here. I arrived in a team that wanted me for years and I play for exceptional fans," said the former England captain.

"I'll stay here until March and then we'll see. Right now I'm focussed only on my football."

...he has been an instant hit in Milan for his industrious play on the right side of a three-man midfield and now the former Manchester United and Real Madrid player seems to be considering a longer stay in the Italian financial capital...

...On Sunday, he struck from about 15 yards out to the right of goal to net his first successful strike for Milan...

"It was a truly special goal, just as it is special for me to be playing here," he told RAI TV...

"The important thing was to win so now we are even more confident ahead of Wednesday's game (against Genoa)."...

Milan have been a more balanced and effective outfit since Beckham joined, something they had lost since Gennaro Gattuso was injured...

Coach Carlo Ancelotti is keen to keep him at the club but admits that it is out of his hands.

"It's up to him what happens. Our hands are tied because he is locked into a very precise contract," said Ancelotti...

"But as long as we have him at our disposal I see no reason not to take advantage of that because he's giving us a lot."...

Monday, January 26, 2009

busy night or should i say morning

I had a feeling yesterday that i might have missed this week's match against Bologna. true to tell, i was disapointed and hoping there would be a replay the next morning even though i know there's a little chance for that to happen. it's aready 4.30 am and i haven't been able to put my mind at rest. some disturing images came into play and i am certain it will only get worse. however, AC Milan won again this week and it showed some strong signal to Becks haters around the world that he is still worth the attention. moreover, he finally scored his first goal for AC Milan! must be a good one, too bad i couldn't watch the match. here's all the good ones:

Beckham- 7.5: He blasted in his first Serie A goal and was involved in many Milan moves. After Bologna were down to ten men he showed his skill-set with some fine passing and movement. (player rating for the match; courtesy of goal.com)

BECKHAM PROUD OF FIRST MILAN GOAL

Following his first goal in Rossonero colours, David Beckham has commented on the game and how long he will stay at Milan.

David Beckham scored his first goal in Italy on Sunday in Milan's 4-1 win over Bologna, and Kaka added two more to keep the team in touch with Juventus and Inter Milan.
Pato provided the assist for 'Golden Balls' on the hour mark.
Beckham revealed, “It was a really special goal, and in the same way it is very special to play here. The most important thing was for us to win and now we have even more belief in ourselves ahead of Wednesday’s game.”
The midfielder added, “I feel really good here [at Milan]. I have joined a squad that has wanted me for years and for I play for exceptional fans. I will remain here until March and then I will see. For now I am only thinking about playing.”


Peter Pedroncelli, Goal.com

RICKY AND DAVID WHAT A DAY!

...But it was not only a special matchday for the Brazilian. It was also special for David Beckham, who gave a generous performance in the first half, and scored a brilliant fourth goal in the 15th minute of the second half, with a great right footed shot which beat Antonioli on his near post. It was the first goal in Italy for the English star, who was well served by Seedorf and who was suffocated by the embrace of all his team mates after scoring...

This article was taken from AC Milan official site

i will post a link to an article from goal.com which of course contain a preview of the game and hopefully they will store it for many years to come.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/723/serie-a/2009/01/25/1077240/beckham--kaka-on-target-as-milan-thrash-ten-man-bologna

ON BECKHAM AND THE RUMOURS OF AN EXTENSION TO HIS MILAN STAY

“If Beckham is fine with us, we are happy and the fact that he plays Is because he is a tactically intelligent player, disciplined and unselfish. He will decide what to do in his future. For the time it remains confirmed that on March 9 he will return in America. He's a very good player in the defensive phase, even though he has offensive characteristics and does not create any unbalance in the squad. I was expecting a player who would face more difficulties in adapting to the team, but his intelligence and qualities allowed him to come in and play. He’s a great professional, but he’s also a great man with noble sentiments and for this reason the other afternoon he accepted to come with me to meet Stefano Borgonovo who wanted to meet him.”

this is an interview and taken from AC Milan official site

it is frustrating indeed for not having what we desire to come to reality. a week before, i had been able to watch the match live, however i'd missed the last 15 minutes of the game. my dad had duty called and we were supposed to fetch him up at the airport very early in the morning, and unsurprisingly he accept no excuse. yesterday, AC Milan were having their match early in the afternoon (evening in our timezone), and was considered as comfortable time for me to watch the game live. unfortunately, this weekend premer league were ceased and replaced by FA CUP matches. so, no serie A for me. 

Arsenal played today and scored not a single goals against low profile club Cardiff, how that surpised me indeed. from the start of the game until the very end, Arsenal had not impressed at all and failed most of the time to score a goal. sometimes it is okay to have a go, rather than hovering around the penalty box without much of effort. i loved the way they passed the ball around and made it look complicated for regular footballer, however result is the most important thing. lack of command in the center midfield, made Arsenal look embarrassing. Wenger had made a promise to his young players in the reserve team to let them play outside premier league matches, and FA CUP is one of the example. last night Ramsey, Gibbs, Song, and Fabiansky made an appearance away from the Emirates stadium and most of them had not been impressive so far. Song and Gibbs had an intermittent good performance throughout the match while Ramsey and Fabiansky enjoyed silent match. i do think Ramsey is yet to be a player everyone is talking about and i can see he's far to be a class player. he missed his passes and those mistakes were threatning to Arsenal defense more than ever. i say, Arsenal were far better when Diaby and Adebayor came in to replace Ramsey and Eboue respectively. Wenger should have replaced both of the players from earlier of the match, we could have probably gone leading the first leg. o well, i could already imgine how the headlines would go. Arsenal fail to shine, or worse, The worse has yet  to come. i admit, the team made a lot of mistakes and failed to repay their debts. i hate this! at least, Liverpool were held by the visitors and may have to visit merseyside with huge task. hopefully, Arsenal will be able to fire bullets at home.

Becks might start

after disappointing performances, Ronaldinho is to be dropped from XI once again. he had been given a chance once and it seemed the coach had not pleased with his performance during a match against Hannover and might as well be opted from the starting line up this weekend. he has not been himself and has been struggling to make an impact in almost every game. contrary to his countryman Kaka, he has failed to shine and most of his time is spent on the bench. it is most likely, he will have to do the same against Bologna. on the other hand, newcomer Becks migt be given a chance to start for the fourth time. his previous performace had been impressive and combined beautifully with midfield pal, Pirlo. i can't wait to watch it...

Sunday, January 25, 2009

wow

victoria-beckham-faux-fur-04

good pic! i found this from always reliable Justjared, of course. it seemed i missed taking this one from my previous visit to the webpage. it's an old article and it's funny how did i miss taking this one? at least, i've got it now. can't wait to watch him play this weekend against Bologna which i expect him to start. however, much of enthusiasm i am still unsure whether it will be broadcasted live in here. pray to God it will, coz it'll be a blast.

Arsenal are playing in FA Cup this evening and i am hopeful they will get through. other premier big clubs had made their way and if Arsenal were to be dumped by low profile club, i would be embarrassed. the only thing bugs me though, is the fact that it will air one hour after the Milan's match *sigh* i know already who will win the competition

it's been a long time

                       brad-pitt-angelina-jolie-gray-outfits-02

it's been a while since i have had them in my blog. 4 years ago, both of us had been renaming our FS to 'TEAM JOLIE' dedicated to the couple. there had been hate messages pointed to Angelina Jolie due to rumors claiming she had taken Brad from JenAs by force. it also means, she had an affair with Mr. Brad while he was married to JenAs. wow! wait a minute people. way before he and JenAs split, Brad had always reminded JenAs of the importance of family value in one's life. and it seemed, JenAs was too busy with her career and pretended not to know Brad's need for real family value. in other words, he wanted children with JenAs. however, instead of calming down she geared up for more. the marriage nearly collapsed and needed friends' advises and helps in order to get it back on track. at first, it worked, however JenAs hadn't kept to her words. she floored the gas even further, and lead to another crack in their marriage. and that's where Angelina came into the picture. by then, she had adopted a child named Maddox. contrary to JenAs, she was more laid back and children loving. i guess Brad was quickly made a move to get closer to both of them and felt something he had not experienced before. he had found a family at last. like people say, the rest is history.

picture taken from justjared

talk up front

i read an article talking about Becks current loan in AC Milan. the president of the club has spoken once again that David Beckham is going to respect his contract with parent club LA Galaxy. it is indeed that Ancelotti is deeply interested to sign Becks for a long term despite his long contract with Galaxy. he fit in well with his midfielder teammates and considered as stable replacement for Gattuso whom is sitting on the sideline because of injury. however, David Beckham had once said that he only intended to stay for a short term in the Italian club, while other Galaxy players are enjoying their time off. honestly, i believe he will not be backing off from his earlier promises to stay on with LA Galaxy. it is unfortunate however, that he had made such promise therefore nothing could intercept with those promises said before. if he wants to be featured in every England's matches, he has to bear in mind that Milan is his logical option. anyway, he can always find a way to get himself counted. perhaps, he will consider another loan move to guarantee a place in the squad for WC 2010? only he and God know the answer. Becks, sometimes saying i told you so just don't quite say it. i have quoted the words from my favorite movie I Robot, very nice eh?. before his signed with Real Madrid, i had written over and over again in my blog that he should have considered a move to another European elite, it could have been in Italy since it was the only place he had not 'visited'. i was agitated to see his deal finally had gone off smoothly. i'd been hoping to see him playing with a deserved club such as Inter Milan or their city rival AC Milan. instead, he had gone off to a barren club. i am sorry if i offend some people, however a player who intends to play internationally for his country should not consider a move outside Europe. what was he thinking? he thought he could have come to England training camp just like that?. well, Becks since you are not 27 anymore you should work 3 three times harder than other player in order to be picked by Capello. i can only say "enjoy your time in US then"

Friday, January 23, 2009

unconfirmed report; David Beckham keen on Milan Stay-report

Goal.com has pointed a report saying that Becks might be staying after all. he is supposed to go back to MLS after his loan contract with AC Milan runs out this March. however, some people are suggesting that Becks is keen to prolong his career in AC Milan. being played alongside great players such as Kaka, Maldini and Sheva has put him in a different situation. while he was a lone ranger back at home, in Milan he was a team player. in contrast to Galaxy, he doesn't have lots of burden to carry on his shoulders. each and every player has their own responsibility on the field and urged to take part in every occasion possible. will he go back on his words? i don't know. he has never been that kind of player, however his intention to play in WC 2010 may push him to a different direction. i think the media awaits a perfect moment to snub him right after he signs a permanent contract with the Italian giants, therefore they can have weeks of rocketing sales point. i have learnt from the past that these rumors are very hard to believe, thus i can do nothing except to wait for any confirmation.

     match-vs-fiorentina-at-san-siro-stadium-3

Press rumours suggest that Becks is planning to extend his adventure in the peninsula and has also started taking Italian lessons.

Milan have signed David Beckham on loan until the end of the season, but there is a gentleman’s agreement in the deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy to release the England international on March 9, ahead of the start of the MLS season.

But La Gazzetta dello Sport today reports that the 33-year-old is starting to love life in the Belpaese and is apparently ready to forego a sizeable percentage of his wages in order to remain in Lombardy.

'Golden Balls' has settled in well at Milanello and is studying Italian to improve his grasp of the language. And he knows perfectly well that his chances of making the England squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa would definitely increase by plying his trade in Serie A rather than in the rather obscure MLS.

Milan general manager Adriano Galliani yesterday reiterated that Beckham is quickly becoming a valuable asset for the team and that he is not a "figurine", but also insisted that contracts "must be respected". But will they?

Vince Masiello, Goal.com

friendly visit; Beckham pays visit to Stevano Borgonovo (GOAL.COM)

David Beckham paid visit to Stevano Borgonovo who happened to be Milan striker when he was young. a match was dedicated to him back in October 08, however, Becks was unable to attend the match due to availability. he was no Milan player that time and it would seem inappropriate to attend the match when he was yet to sign with AC Milan. here's the article:

David Beckham decided to pay a visit to former Milan striker and ALS sufferer Stefano Borgonovo today, after missing out on the recent charity match in his honour.

Since he was not yet a Milan player, David Beckham did not take part in the recent charity match the Rossoneri organised in honor of their former striker Stefano Borgonovo, who is suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a paralyzing illness.

However, today he wanted to make amends and decided to pay him a visit, along with coach Carlo Ancelotti, after the afternoon training session.

Beckham and Borgonovo talked about his illness, and also about their respective football schools. Beckham's are based in London, Los Angeles, and another is being built in Brazil, while Borgonovo has one in his birth town of Giussano, where he also lives now.

44-year-old Borgonovo played for both Milan and Fiorentina during a long career, and even made it to the Italian national team for a brief period in the late 1980's.

On 8 October 2008 a friendly was organised by Milan and Fiorentina at the Artemio Franchi stadium, which saw a number of former stars of both clubs turn up, to raise awareness of his rare illness, which also killed another footballer, Gianluca Signorini, in 2002.

Borgonovo attended the match as well, in spite of his condition, and was accompanied by his former Fiorentina team mate Roberto Baggio.

--Danilo Pochini, Goal.com

news of Becks; Milan Gattuso Impressed with Beckham (goal.com)

it is known that David Beckham has been praised by many as one of a kind football player. i am saying based on Carlo Ancelotti's comment on his new recruit. he said that Becks attitude is positive and out of many players he has ever trained, Becks is special. Becks professionalism has been hailed and earned a lot of respect from teammates and clubs around Europe. i don't have to say more because action speaks louder than words. here's a complete article of Gattuso's comment on David Beckham.

                  against roma

Milan midfield warrior Gennaro Gattuso is pleasantly surprised with the professionalism and work ethic displayed by new team-mate David Beckham.

The injured Milan midfielder Gattuso has been impressed with England midfielder Beckham since his arrival at the Rossoneri, in which time he has been somewhat of a revelation at the club.
Gattuso is out for several months following an injury to his cruciate knee ligament suffered in December, but Beckham has come in to fill his place in the team and is quickly becoming a favourite for both the players and Milan fans.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid dead ball expert is on a two-and-a-half month loan from his current club LA Galaxy in the MLS, and is set to return to the United States in time for the start of the American season.
Commenting on Beckham, Rhingio told Italia 1, “He's surprised me in a positive way. He's a great professional, he arrives at training two or three hours early. He's not Kaka but he's a great player.
"He's playing in my position because I'm injured but we're completely different. For sure he sets up more goals than I do, but I win back more balls.”


Peter Pedroncelli, Goal.com

Thursday, January 22, 2009

worrying news

i read an article from GOAL.COM which was saying that former Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, has been staging a huge comeback by signing two remarkable people in football. those people are Kaka and Arsene Wenger.  i know it is only a rumor for now, but nothing can be ruled out this moment. if let's say Arsenal were out of the champs league next season, he would certainly be looking somewhere else to go and Real Madrid seem to be the brilliant answer. here's the article and an excerpt of it:

"Kaká will become Real Madrid's new Luis Figo as Florentino Pérez prepares to promise the Spanish club's supporters that the Brazilian will join the club if he is re-elected as president.

The former supremo has will also pledge that Arséne Wenger will be the new coach, according to reports in Spain.

Arsene Wenger is set to be offered the duel role of head coach and general manager in a bid to persuade him to move to the Spanish outfit with the same duties that he currently has at Arsenal" ...

 

he speaks

finally the man himself speaks out his true frustration. the club have insisted that they are currently deal with the London club and no agent is involved. Arshavin is excited to play with his future club and it is Arsenal. here's what he says:

With little prospect of an immediate move in sight, the 27-year-old said, "I see Arsenal as my team of the future.

Everything now depends on Zenit. If they want to sell me, they can do it very quickly.
"My hopes now rest with God. Apart from him, nobody can help me."

stupid

i have no idea what is actually happening between Zenit and Arshavin's agent. i thought a deal had been sealed, however there was news today that the agent had not received any offers from Arsenal. i don't know which of this news are genuine, but i can guarantee this will not be the end. it is known, that Wenger is a fan of the player and wishes him to play in the Emirates. however, this tricky game played out by the two sides have tired everyone, especially the fans. if Zenit wants to sell him, name the price. but instead, they play hide and seek. one time they claimed to have received an offer of 17 million Euros from Arsenal, however the next day came a bizarre news saying, no deal had been reached. you know what Zenit? you can keep your player coz we don't want him anymore. if this is the way you conduct yourself, you must be a gold digger. what don't you try to sell him to Man  C, they might be interested and propose a deal worth $100 million. you think it's funny eh? try laughing at yourself when no one else is interested on the player anymore. now i can laugh it off...

http://www.goal.com/en/news/553/russia/2009/01/22/1072193/andrei-arshavins-agent-blasts-barbaric-zenit

 

new story aroused

when the going gets tough the tough gets going. Real Madrid went pretty much last week, seeing their president walked toward the exit door. scandals were shadowing his premature career in Bernebau and sent him away from the Spanish capital. the recently vacate position is still held by the deputy, however there has been speculation that election would be held this summer to elect new president. i've said before that Predrag will be out from the office as soon as Mr. President walk. i may have wrong but i was rational to have said that considering his lack of popularity among Madrid fans. one example is David Beckham case. 2 years ago, when David Beckham contract was nearly expired, two of these officials seemed to lack desire to hire Becks for another term. the man himself had been saying time and time again that he would not leave to any club and would stick to Real Madrid until he's retired. however, instead of renewing his contract they had brought in new players and forgetting their first obligation with under-contract-player. when Becks had signed for Galaxy 6 months before his contract ran out, these two people allegedly forced Capello, former Real Madrid coach, to oust Becks from the squad and leave him on the sideline for the rest of the season. unfortunately, for both of them Becks was not someone to be pushed around. instead of sitting down on his house, he showed up every morning to join the rest of the team and train hard as if there had been nothing but rumors. his resistance to give up had put Capello in difficult position. moreover, he needed Becks to solve his problem in midfield. it seemed Becks was the missing puzzle. Real Madrid won the title, however they had lost a dedicated player with nothing but dust.

i have written down a page claiming that Real Madrid former president, Florentino Perez, could make a comeback following the exit of Ramon Calderon. and rumor has it that he might ask Zidane to come along and become his part of management. although this story has yet to be confirmed , everyone knows that these two have solid relationship and bringing Zidane back to his old club could propel Perez into someone important once more. i have to wait for news development regarding this interesting issue....

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1705/real-madrid/2009/01/22/1072420/zinedine-zidane-to-make-real-madrid-return-if-perez-is-elected

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

rumors

i have heard a rumor claiming that Wenger is willing to offload Niklas Bendtner from the squad to enable him sign Zenith's forward, Andrei Arshavin. i am not sure how this news could be trusted but some people are starting to ignite this possibility considering Arsenal's limited fund and landing Arshavin will not come easy. Man C are also interested to sign the forward, however no single news confirmed as yet.

there also has been spreading across the media headlines that David Beckham loan deal might get extended. this is totally absurd. Becks has always stick to his words and moving on to AC Milan will only make his appearance looks bad in front Galaxy's fans. whatever he chooses, i'll stick by him.

what??

http://www.goal.com/en/news/724/premier-league/2009/01/20/1069124/manchester-city-confirm-robinho-walk-out

while some other footballers are trying hard on the field to prove their worth, Robinho is thinking otherwise. he was not in the training camp and the club itself seems puzzled of his whereabouts. it is assumed that he might be in his home country to celebrate his birthday which is on the 25th january. there have been some reports saying that Robinho isn't doing well with Mark Hughes and recent failure to lure Kaka from AC Milan could have triggered his MIA. nonetheless, his action was beyond professionalism and considered as lunatic. fellow Brazilian, Adriano has always shared quite the same antics and regarded as a bad boy in Inter. his lack of team work might end his career in the English club sooner than everyone's expected. his move from the Spanish giant Real Madrid had cost Man C a lot and by giving cold shoulder on his manager, he deserves to be punished. i am sure we can hear the news soon. Robinho, are you out of your mind? it's simply foolish

new signing?

by now, all Arsenal fans are aware of Wenger's interest on Russian forward Andrei Arshavin. some reports claimed that Zenit St. Petersburg denied previous offers from Arsenal and pushed for more higher transfer fee. this player won't come cheap that's for sure. after glittering display in the EURO 08, he is certainly  targeted by many elite clubs including Barcelona and Arsenal. i was unaware actually on Arsenal's interest especially when the coach had said last season that he had not planned to add his squad member in the near future. however, considering his weak standing in the premier league he might have to chewed off his own words and started to look for some kind of inspiration from new players. plagued by injuries and instability of the youngsters seem to jeopardize Arsenal's dream to win premier league title and possibly, champs league. Wenger needs some reinforcement and it doesn't come from the inside. he has to make sure at least, a title is sealed in the trophy room this season, otherwise gooners all over the world would start to question his leadership. not to mention other rich clubs peeking over the peep hole ready to snatch away young star captain Cesc Fabregas. AC Milan are also interested to strengthen his team next season by bringing promising striker, Adebayor from the gunners. i hope Arshavin will come and help the team in any ways possible.

judging by the team's performance last weekend, i can safely say that Samir Nasri is ready for battle in the premier league. after his absence for many weeks of injury, he can become sort of a 'leader' in the up front. seeing him play it reminds of Ljunberg. he is now off football and take his time elsewhere. and now Arsenal are having 'Ljunberg' for the second time. i am actually not in the mood blabbering about anything perhaps i can talk more sense in a different time.

the deal is now off

after some heated discussion between the two sides, Kaka is finally off the market. in the last minute, Milan's president canceled the deal and wished Kaka to stay in the club instead. it was by far, the most extravagant deal ever involving one player at one time. when Real Madrid brought Zidane from his old club Juventus, it was thought to be the greatest achievement for a football club. but the price was somewhat rational compared to the amount offered to bring in Kaka from AC Milan. i have mentioned earlier in my post that football isn't a place to splash that kind of money. people want to see quality indeed, however denying a player to play for the game itself is somewhat cruel beyond imagination. if let's say this kind of businessmen 'prowling' around Europe and ready to fork out deep into their pocket, how many players would have been tempted to move to a better 'equipped' club? the answer would be many. and what's left in other less equipped clubs? the answer would be not much. it's too sad to imagine that kind of thing could happen in the near future. i just wish it would not be a reality for a very long time. so, Kaka you can now train with your usual teammates while Man C boss can eat his hat out of misery

Monday, January 19, 2009

PANIC

now that Kaka's deal is almost certain, the Abu Dhabi based owner wants other top players to join his party. he will come door to door like a salesman with no dignity and pushes everyone around to buy his goods. after Kaka is sealed, a report told that he might lure Inter's coach Mourinho to manage Man C next season. Mark Hughes is to slow and heavy headed to lead a club that aims to reach champs league next season. Inter Milan will not be the only clubs which under threat from raiding of 'Abu Dhabi businessman' this january. a promised $100 million something could snatch away 2 players from Arsenal and not mention other clubs as well. AC Milan are planning to buy those two Arsenal players with the money they received from Man C owner, supposed they agreed of Man C terms and conditions. this situation will only get worse if Man C's owner decides to 'steal' away star players from other European clubs. rumor has it that, John Terry could be his next target and if he can offer lump sum cash plus huge amount of monthly wages, Terry could be tempted to join the club. however, i find it unlikely for him to leave Chelsea at the moment considering his responsibility as captain in the club. furthermore, Scolari won't let him go at any price, that'd be stupid if he does. i will put my attention closely to this matter, i guess we'll have to wait for further development...

christina aguilera and fred durst

this is cool! while i was browsing, i was suddenly grasp by the idea that there could be a video available of the unlikely duet between Christina Aguilera and Fred Durst in the VMA 00. i loved Limp Bizkit and this duet was awesome. there was a rumor that these two were dating, but Christina Aguilera was quickly denied all this. here it goes...time to dig in again.

thanks to boneronymous for the video

missing my old gunners; review match

i am not saying this because of recent dip forms from my beloved Arsenal. they still trying to find their best form which is yet to come. 3-1 win over struggling side, Hull City did not make me convince of their performance. i have yet to see the best XI from Wenger's young squad. there are times when winning is easy to get but other times seem difficult. i have found this old picture from Cesc fansite and was missing them so much. there is something missing on the squad but i can't pin point which is it. by the way, i watched the match against Hull City! it was my first live match after months of absence from sitting in front of tv every weekend and i must say, it was entertaining. too bad, no one was accompanying me during 4 hours back to back.

            cesc-fabregas-0450

for the first 20 minutes, Arsenal were struggling to break down Hull's stubborn defence, however the team picked themselves up and kept the ball at the Hull's half. RVP nearly opened the score line from a free kick, however it hit the post before even beat the goalkeeper. in the 30th minute Adebayor scored for Arsenal from a well placed corner kick from RVP. i'd always thought they were doing poorly after the first goal and let the enemy roaming freely in our own half. then, the bad deed went punished, Hull claimed an equalizer not long after Ade's goal. second half started pretty slowly, thus no real chances ever made. the only 'real' thing only came from Samir Nasri whom i regard as the best player in the match. he kept running and running until he found his teammate around the box. his unselfishness and determination overwhelmed me in so many ways. i can even make a comparison to his injury-plagued teammate, Rosicky  for being one hell of a aspirator. second goal came from the man himself who made a beautiful goal from left side, after RVP slide a pass toward him to run unchallenged to the penalty box.  minutes away from the whistle time, Wenger decided to take Eboue off and replaced him with Bedtner. the sub was clearly made himself known by scoring a goal toward the end of the game. he could have added his goal if the ball had not hit the goal post for the second time in the match. overall, it was a good display from Wenger's young squad, however his should probably think again of considering Eboue in the starting line up. he wasn't effective and his selfishness killed the game. there was a moment which Arsenal could have scored a goal but instead of letting his teammate had hit on it, he had chosen to go by himself. as a result, his effort was denied.  Gael Clichy was weak and not himself throughout the game and cost Arsenal a goal against them. well, i am still happy to see Nasri performed really well under Wenger and mingled really well with the other players.

becks is pleased with team's performance; improving Beckham happy with win over Fiorentina (GOAL.COM)

although they could have scored more goals, AC Milan got away with 1 goal against Fiorentina. David Beckham himself almost bagged 1 goal if it hadn't been saved by the goalkeeper. thanks to Pato who cleverly passed the ball to Becks who was freely running on the right side. it would have been the most gracious day in Milan for him if he had score the goal. nevermind, he still has another chance in his next match. unfortunately, he can't be involved in champs league matches as it will expose him to other elite European clubs. too bad for him, AC Milan had failed to snatch a place last season. hopefully, he can score the next time he plays. but for right now, his performance was getting sharper and better. and i think it is enough for Capello to see his experienced midfielder is ready to give his best

                match-vs-fiorentina-at-san-siro-stadium-2

Milan made an important step forward in their quest for Champions League football last night, and David Beckham was pleased with his team’s performance.

Milan earned a 1-0 victory over Fiorentina, but the result was overshadowed by protests from the home fans over the possible sale of Kaka.
Alexandre Pato's goal in the seventh minute was his sixth in the Rossoneri's last four Serie A fixtures, allowing the third-placed Rossoneri to continue a great record at home which has only one blemish on it from the very first day.
David Beckham played 80 minutes for Milan before being replaced by Philippe Senderos. Fiorentina played well, but not even a red card for Milan defender Marek Jankulovski in stoppage time could alter the outcome.
England midfielder Beckham was playing in his third game for the Rossoneri, after a friendly against Hamburg and last week’s Serie A encounter with Roma, where his team drew 2-2.
The former England captain had another fine performance in the red and black of Milan, while linking up well with team mates and coming close to scoring a goal for the club with a volley from the right.
After the game Becks had this to say, “It was a difficult game for all the circumstances and the atmosphere there was around us. The important thing was to win and we succeeded, and we managed to play better.”


Peter Pedroncelli

Saturday, January 17, 2009

odd day

i am too lazy to post the article in my blog, but i am going to give the address anyway for future reference. everyone seems occupied with crazy transfer saga between Man City and AC Milan involving millions of dollars. whilst most of people are tightening their belts, these gentlemen seem 'out of touch'. 3 to 4 years ago we heard of the craziness of Roman Abramovich splashing his cash in the market twice a season just to buy one or two good players. some of these players have grown into the team but the others, were fading away like a mist. anyway, seeing this madness makes me sick to death. how on earth they are going to buy ONE player on such amount? he is not a PROPERTY! he may success but no one can guarantee his talent is not going to die away. look at Robinho, how far has he affected the premier league and the club itself? very little. if these gentlemen are willing to put their investment in checked, they must first build a team around not the other way. which player meets the need and which player should be sent to transfer window. however, these things should not concern the owners of the club and instead let the manager squeeze his brain out of his skull to think about players issue. shame on Man City, they let their ego goes unbalanced. AC Milan should also get punished for their irrational conduct. well, i guess they are being too rational considering the huge amount being offered by the gentlemen. $100 million something for a player who may not succeed in the premier league is both sensational and overwhelming. let's see when they are going to stop.

last

i was about to shut down the laptop, but i found this shocking article about Real Madrid's president Ramon Calderon. he is about to announce his resignation after newspaper  marca  revealed scandal over presidential votes two years ago. furthermore, his secretary made public of his shameful behavior behind closed door. after declining all those allegations, he finally agreed to resign. there were photos to prove his wrongdoing and he will not get away from this one. he failed to secure a deal with the Englishman although David Beckham was eager to sign another extension with the club. i still remember his lashing words to David Beckham on becoming a hollywood star after Becks had agreed to sign for LA Galaxy 2 seasons ago. his conduct was somehow embarrassing and degrading to any player in the world. and now, he pays the price. soon, his 'son' Pedrag Midjatovic will follow suit. if Calderon goes, no one can guarantee he will still be the sports director. some people suggest, Florentino Perez would make a comeback and promised star players will make their way to Real Madrid. but i won't bet on that as he is also had a history with Real Madrid. my beloved club has turned into toothless predator for the second time. when Flo had resigned 3 years ago, Madrid were quickly turned upside down. the team's performance was going anywhere but downhill. i can feel the same way could happen, even if they wish to have the election in the summer. Real are already behind Barcelona in the league standing, and if this Calderon saga continues i doubt they can win anything this season. here's an excerpt of what the article has to say:

Postal votes were not counted and have not been so and that allied with his failed pre-election promises to sign Kakà and Cesc Fàbregas has angered some supporters.
A verbal attack on David Beckham was also not well taken after the England international's decision to join the LA Galaxy...

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1705/real-madrid/2009/01/16/1063560/calderon-resigns-as-real-madrid-president

Friday, January 16, 2009

nothing new

1082879378_57243ac2ca

it is not unusual nowadays reading headlines of Bush being ignored by his own people. few weeks ago, a handful of crowd gather up in front of Obama's house in Hawaii to protest Israel offensive attacks on Gaza and hoping the president-elect would lend a hand to make Israel stop their actions at once. such important issue it was, Obama could do nothing except to wait in line. there's only one president in the country and he did not intend to mix things up. these people could have held the march in Washington D.C, however they declined to do such as that because they consider the current president as lame duck. i do not make up the story, people!. yesterday George W. Bush wrapped up his administration by giving a 13 minutes talk on tv. this, as suggested in the article, has been a tradition since George Washington administration left the office many years ago. unfortunately, there was another top story worth cover for. an airplane made an emergency landing on Hudson river and miraculously, everyone was safe. i would like to take myself in a comfy chair and imagine the whole thing in my own way. if he hadn't been so aggressive to command endless war, he would have made an excellent exit and he would probably have been more appreciated; does this mean the airplane would not have made that landing, so all news channel would have covered his good bye speech in full minutes? only God knows. 

the whole Bush show is another perfect example of dominos effect. one bad choice will lead to another bad result; a single push and the other will follow. his determination to wipe Saddam Hussein off from this world for good did not make things better. violence leads to more grave situation. look at the world now, he has no face. everything has turned to grey and soon will look no better than dark. Mr. Bush, you have done enough damage to our world and because of you there are lots of people crying for their families, friends, homes and so many more. a question remains, how do we reverse our bleak situation?.

picture taken from http://www.flickr.com/photos/11265902@N07/1082879378/ 

comments

i've always found good comments about Beckham's current adventure in Milan and at times i would post them to my blog for my future reference. it's good to read other people's view about David Beckham. although some of them were tainted with such hatred, the other half seemed applauded his decision to replace his time off with full throttle matches in San Siro. all of this because of his passion to play for his country. and i would suggest to every briton in the world to be proud of their fellow countryman. if Koreans are proud to have Park Ji Sung playing for man utd, Britons should feel the same way too. support Becks is one way to make England a true champion. probably, one thing that prevents England from winning any title is the fact that they can't accept their players the way they should be. criticizing won't help in any way except it is done in a professional way. here are comments from readers of Jeremy Wilson's article.

xxcorrectxx

Beckham is one of the best players England have had in my lifetime. Shilton, Lineker, Shearer, Beckham would be the first four names in my lifetime England squad.
There were whole runs of England games where he was the only player we had on the park, ran the show single-handed, pulled us out of lethargy, confusion and mediocrity and injected the much-vaunted "passion" and, that rarity in British football's case, genuine quality.
And why does it not matter that he's a diligent hard working professional sportsman who's a very clean living athlete by today's football standards? I think they're pretty important characteristics in a fella who does act as some kind of 'role model' for countless youngsters.
He's not the brightest bulb on the porch but why does he have to be? 100+ international caps and $300 million in the bank suggest his constant mockers won't get him down in the dumps too often.
It's fashionable to dislike Beckham, half out of jealousy and half because he flounces about off the pitch and doesn't exude the raw, angry, gritty, spitting personal qualities which "proper," "real" fans seem to think are the starting point for a pro athlete. He's too nice, too remote, too Hollywood celebrity, not mockable in a celebrity Big-Brother kinda way. We can't seem to "take him down a peg or two," and it pisses us off. So we say he's crap and always has been.

tony davies

Well said. Beckham's celebrity might not be to everyone's liking but as a footballer he is pretty much the complete role model. Try finding a manager who has said anything negative about his approach to the game - and that includes Ferguson, who abhorred his wife. If we had a few more David Beckhams and Gary Linekers, and fewer Drogbas and Rooneys, football wouldn't be such a squalid spectacle with the majority of professionals seemingly devoid of any basic decency or integrity .

bob the horse

why do most people think the only type of winger allowed is someone who puts their head down and charges to the touchline? Beckham never really had pace so there is no reason why he cannot go on for a long time, as with Teddy Sheringham. The fact is - his cross is still the best in the world. Not having him in the England squad would be madness. We should be thankful he still cares enough to use his rest period playing for Milan just to make himself available to his country. Why does this get criticism when you consider the antics of some of his peers?

ely whitley

I've never understood this Beckham-baiting. George Best was, it should be said, an arsehead of the highest order off the pitch. His attempt at the playboy lifestyle was laughable and his selfishness without equal and yet he was held as a hero to all. Why then does Beckham's lifestyle off the pitch seem to get so many people hating his guts? WHy also do people keep on at his intelligence? What, exactly, has he done to warrant a lifetime of being labelled 'thicky'? His voice is a little high- oh well there you are then, must be stupid. I believe him to be really quite bright. In some of the most intense media witch hunts in football history he's been able to face packs of hungey press rooms with aplomb and integrity. No foul-mouthed tirades, no stumbling and mumbling and no more 'game-of-two-halves' cliches in his arsenal than any other footballer. He always tries to give a reasoned answer through the mire of expected auto-responses (which is more than can be said for most players who might as well just get a set of answers printed on their shirts so they can save themselves the hassle of speaking).Alex F sounds half cut most of the time but nobody assumes he's an idiot.
Beckham picked up Spanish pretty quickly and has managed to remain both a role model and an athelete for far longer than most in such a cut-throat world so, I ask again, why does everyone think he's thick when, for a footballer, he's clearly quite bright.

respect!

telegraph has an article (why David Beckham deserves more respect for Milan adventure) written by Jeremy Wilson talking about David Beckham's achievement this past years. while everyone seems enjoying themselves sitting by the bar and mocking him like mad, David Beckham trains really hard on the pitch to prove himself that he can still run for miles. this man, Jeremy Wilson has made his point really clear and i agree with him 100%. why do people always laugh at him whenever he wants to play football? after he has joined AC Milan late last year, more people were racing against each other to grab this opportunity to laugh at him, especially the media. Jeremy seems to understand Becks point of view as a footballer, therefore he doesn't complain against his decision to enter Milan's training ground, instead he applauded him as a dedicated player. i agree with Jeremy here; it is far too often to find aggressive and arrogant players these days. but the one such as David Beckham? genuine diamond indeed. i will give a quote from Becks current manager, Carlo Ancelotti; "

I have trained a lot of players, but one as professional in their attitude as Beckham is hard to find.

'That's why the more I get to know him, the more annoyed I get about all the gossip that surrounds him. He is an excellent person. And the dressing room is a magical place because it strips away all the other stuff and leaves each player as just a normal person and part of the group".

Why David Beckham Deserves More Respect for Milan Adventure

WHATEVER he does and wherever he goes, David Beckham continues to possess a rare ability to polarise opinion. He is almost like Margaret Thatcher in the extremes of response he seems to provoke and, just like the Iron lady, he also clearly intends to go on and on.

After playing 89 minutes of AC Milan's 2-2 draw against Roma, he outlined a hope that he could play until 40 and, while his critics might shake with rage at the thought of Beckham dominating the headlines for another seven years, his ambition deserves to be treated with respect.

The Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti has been at Paolo Maldini's side for much of his remarkable career and argues that it is possible, while the club's doctor Jean-Pierre Meerseeman is also optimistic.

"Beckham could go on for another five or six years," said Meerseeman. "His cardiovascular readings are very good. His basic fitness is excellent. All he needs to do now is to alter his training program slightly."

There was a time when frustrations with Beckham were more understandable. Before Fabio Capello arrived at the Bernabeu, the training at Real Madrid was less structured than at AC Milan and Beckham, as well as the rest of the team, seemed below par during the 2006 World Cup. Even so, he was always assured of a place under Sven-Goran Eriksson and there was some footballing logic to Steve McClaren's initial decision to drop him from the team.

However, what is important was Beckham's response. He did not complain, but simply fought his way back into the Real Madrid side and became a key man as they clinched a La Liga title.

He was belatedly recalled by McClaren and almost rescued the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign as a substitute against Croatia. Since then, despite the rather patronising idea (to both Beckham and Capello) that he would be given his 100th England cap as some sort of gift to say 'thank-you and goodbye', he has largely justified his recall.

He has made positive contributions at key moments, notably when England were struggling to break down Andorra, and has accepted his recent role behind Theo Walcott in the pecking order with characteristic grace.

The idea that his career will automatically follow some sort of unbreakable downward curve is also questionable. Yes, he is unlikely to recapture the more explosive energy of his early years, while his ability to get behind opposition full-backs is clearly limited. There are, however, other qualities to consider, notably a rare passing ability and excellent attitude.

All careers go through highs and lows and, just because Beckham is now 33, there is no logical reason why he cannot find improvements to some areas of his game. The hunger to keep going is evident and his love for football remains refreshingly child-like. At his very best, Beckham's quality was often treated with an unnecessary hysteria, but any decline has also been exaggerated.  

At the very least, Capello, surely one of the world's best judges, clearly still regards Beckham as a useful potential option for most eventualities.

If England are behind, his crossing, free-kick and dead-ball ability can change a game, while his ability to do the simple things and retain possession could be invaluable while trying to protect a lead.

In any case, apart from Walcott, who are the alternatives? Question-marks persist about the big-match temperaments of Shaun Wright-Phillips and Aaron Lennon, while David Bentley's most memorable England moment arrived in 2007 when he pulled out of the European Under-21 Championships on the eve of the tournament because he was tired.

Whatever anyone thinks of Beckham, he has always put England first and this is underlined by his decision to risk his reputation at Milan when he could be holidaying in California.

From a footballing perspective, Beckham's biggest mistake was surely the original decision to join the Los Angeles Galaxy and whether he can now play often enough to satisfy Capello ahead of the match against Spain in Seville next month remains to be seen.

The questioning, though, of his right to surpass Bobby Moore's record 108 outfield caps is absurd. If he plays in more games than Moore, he deserves it. What other criteria can there be for a record that is specifically for the most international caps? No-one is necessarily arguing that it makes Beckham the greater player, just that he played more games.

To somehow deny him that honour is no less perverse than saying that Usain Bolt did not deserve to beat Michael Johnson's 200m world record, even though his time was quicker.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

comments here and there (GOAL.COM)

there are good comments here and there, and i do like them all. it seems almost everyone was pleased with becks performance last week against AS Roma. Roma's midfielder Taddei even dropped good comment on becks display against his team.

After the game Roma's Taddei commented on two of Milan's best players on the pitch last night. “David [Beckham] is a great champion and he has nothing to prove,” revealed the skillful Roma ace. (TADDEI)                                   match-vs-hamburger-at-emirates-sevens-stadium-39

“I hope that Beckham’s stay in Milan lasts more than two months,” Kaka declared in a press conference at the Fifa World Player of the Year awards in Zurich.
“I do not know the exact terms of his contract, but it would be a great move that would benefit both he and the club.
“I would like Beckham to remain with us for six months, and even for some years,” he added.
“Against Roma he demonstrated his ability to sacrifice for his team mates, thus proving his great quality, and for this reason and more, I want him to remain with us,”(kaka)

i read this article from soccerlens.com and quite astonished to find a man who can write something nicely on becks. most of newspapers, they are either printed or online, are spreading rumors and hate message to readers. so often they are putting bad words on their article, i almost thought there was no love for him anymore. is his fault that some people find him charming and easy to look at? of course it's not. nowadays, people are not only watching football for pleasure, but also for entertainment. trust me, if this hadn't been the case Sepp Blater the FIFA president wouldn't have been panicking to save 'below par' football clubs around Europe from sinking to much deeper black hole. a lot of clubs are now benefiting from their superstar players such as Ronaldo and David Beckham. by drawing attention to their club, sponsors will be coming like niagara falls. disagree? it's a fact my friend, i am right. here's the link to the respected article (hope it'll be there for months to come, or else) :

http://soccerlens.com/david-beckham-professionalism-personified/20479/

becks to join Milan for longer period?

he sounded so certain few weeks ago, but the way he said these words didn't ease LA Galaxy's BOD in any way. he could have meant otherwise, but no one knows for sure. his team mates are more than welcoming to him and the fans surely liked his performance last week, so i guess it's only matter of time before he changes his mind. i will back him no matter how foolish his decision is, but still playing with one of the most prestigious clubs in Europe is more than tempting. furthermore, AC Milan have history to prolong an aging player to play beyond retirement age. take Maldini for example. he's 40 something and still play good football. there are other retired-age players in Milan and they all playing high flying football level in Europe. what could he ask for more?

Beckham doesn't sound too confident on going back to the La Galaxy as he 'will see what happens' after his loan deal with Milan...

Milan midfielder David Beckham has hinted at a longer stay with the San Siro giants when his loan deal expires in March.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid man is set to return to the Los Angeles Galaxy after his agreement with the Rossoneri ends.

However, speculation over a longer deal has been rife. Brazilian ace Kaka wants the Englishman to stay, and Becks has now hinted that he wouldn't mind the idea.

"The agreement is that I stay at Milan until the end of March and then go back," Beckham told The Sun. "Therefore I will stay here until that date and then we will see what happens."

Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani is also keen on an extension as he has been impressed with the midfielder so far.

The latest reports from Italy suggest the bald-headed chief is working to try and find a way of keeping 'Becks' for longer.

Meanwhile, the Rossoneri clash with Fiorentina at San Siro on Sunday, and Beckham is likely to make his full home debut for the team.

Salvatore Landolina, Goal.com

player rating according to goal.com; AC Milan 2- AS Roma 2

it was clear that becks first match 2 days ago, was more than enough to convince doubters out there to see what becks can still do on the field. i will post it here and give the link for further reference:

Beckham – 7.0: It was the new signing’s first competitive match since the end of October, however despite this; it did not take long for the Englishman to make his mark. His dangerous balls into the area were more than impressive, and his impact tonight was outstanding, considering his short time at the club thus far.

Pirlo – 6.5: The classy midfielder took a while to get into it, but when he did, he looked extremely confident when in possession of the ball. It was evident that he was really comfortable playing alongside Beckham in the midfield, so expect this partnership to blossom in the coming weeks.

i highlighted possible link up in the future

http://www.goal.com/en/news/723/serie-a/2009/01/11/1055977/player-ratings-roma-2-2-milan

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

no extension for becks

           match-vs-hamburger-at-emirates-sevens-stadium-18

becks agent has again and again confirming his client intention to stay only for 3 months in AC Milan and will be back to LA Galaxy for his new season. it's bad news actually. i do not think his chances of joining his England team mates will get bigger if he stays with LA Galaxy this year. capello made clear during interviews that he would have opted becks from his squad if he had not joined AC Milan. and if he wanted to play part in WC 2010, he had to join Milan on permanent basis without a doubt. i don't know what's running on his mind as he will not be able to lengthen his England career if he chose to be with the American team. that's what becks does. he never backs down on his words, not ever. when he was forced to wait  for an extension, he stood his ground and played his parts until the end of season, and finally won the la liga title with Real Madrid. it's clear case for him and there won't be turning back unless he decides otherwise. the club wants him, the fans adores him and his team mate welcomes him more than ever. so, what are you waiting for?

ancelotti on becks

while some people doubted over his capabilty to play football, he showed some toughness on the field. he kept his eyes on the ball was constantly involved throughout the match. if he keeps his performance steady to that level, he will certainly be picked by capello. although he will not be guaranted in the line up, he might have a chance to be in the team. here's a good article about his involvement in the match

David Beckham begins his bid to extend his England career with his competitive debut for AC Milan in Rome tonight.

But his widely anticipated cameo appearance from the substitutes' bench comes with a warning from Milan coach, Carlo Ancelotti, to put England out of his mind for now.

'David Beckham is not here to prepare for England,' said Ancelotti. 'He is here to play for AC Milan and he will have as much playing time as he shows himself to be capable of while he is with us.'

However, Beckham has impressed the Italian club so much already that they are considering ways to bring him back to Milan at a later date.

And those possibilities might help to turn Beckham's dream of playing in the 2010 World Cup finals into a reality.

England coach Fabio Capello will not pick Beckham for a record-breaking 109th cap against Spain on February 11 if he just plays 10 or 15 minutes each week.

Capello wants to see the midfielder play at least an hour on a regular basis if Beckham is to be sure of his place in the national team.

Half-an-hour of match time each week would leave Beckham's England future in the balance. But Ancelotti made it clear last night that Capello's needs are not his concern.

He said: 'If Fabio Capello wants information on Beckham then I will give him information. That's it.'

The AC Milan coach admitted he would be more than happy to have Beckham stay in Italy until the end of the season if the 33-year-old were to change his mind about returning to LA Galaxy on March 9.

'Sure I would,' he said enthusiastically, 'though I think his contract is clear and he is a serious person who intends to go back to Galaxy.

'But if the opposite were to happen, I would be delighted to keep him. I have trained a lot of players, but one as professional in their attitude as Beckham is hard to find.

'That's why the more I get to know him, the more annoyed I get about all the gossip that surrounds him. He is an excellent person. And the dressing room is a magical place because it strips away all the other stuff and leaves each player as just a normal person and part of the group.'

Despite speculation that Beckham plans to stay in Italy, AC Milan believe their best chance to secure the Englishman's services further would come in the summer or again next January.

Last night, the Italian club's organising director, Umberto Gandini, said: 'Any scenario other than Beckham going back to LA Galaxy in March would be for David and LA Galaxy to discuss.

The fact is that he is going back as things are.

'There might be a theoretical possibility that we would be able to take Beckham back in the summer transfer window of July and August, but that would involve David arranging his own release from his contract with LA Galaxy and would only happen if he was very sad to be leaving us in March.

'Otherwise, the only alternative would be to do exactly what we have done in 2009 and have David back in January 2010.'

Last night, Ancelotti was concerned only with ensuring that Beckham gives everything to Milan for the next two months - and he ruled out the idea that the icon might travel back to America to see his family sometimes between matches.

The coach said: 'David will have many commitments here with us and I don't think there will be enough time to travel to California. That is something he will have to resolve with his family.'

Last night, Victoria Beckham turned down VIP tickets for her husband's Milan debut in the Stadio Olimpico and took Beckham's boys - Brooklyn, nine, Romeo, six, and three-year-old Cruz - back to California instead.

A new school term starts in LA on Monday and AC Milan spokesman Vittorio Mentana said last night: 'There would have been no time for David to see his family after the match anyway, because we are flying back to Milan straight afterwards.'

That is why Beckham said goodbye to his children for at least a month when he visited the 4,000 euro-a-night suite Victoria had taken at Rome's Hotel De Russie on Friday afternoon.

He looked dejected afterwards. But now he must concentrate on football.

And that, says Ancelotti, means AC Milan and not England.Ancelotti stressed that the former England captain, who is on a three-month loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy, was 'ready to give an important contribution' to the Milan squad, and would be welcome to stay on after his loan expires.