Hello good people… wow, it’s amazing, the English Premier League is just unbelievable.
So much money, so much at stake, you just can’t predict it anymore, like Liverpool turning into Norwich, United playing decent football and Chelsea ridding themselves of the Roman Abramovich legacy!
Remember a few weeks ago I said: “Possibly the end of Liverpool’s era” and I got lambasted for being an idiot… Welllll, don’t say I didn’t tell ya’.
It really has gone pear-shaped. The ‘kings of Europe’ could have lost six or seven nil at Napoli last week and look totally disjointed in the league.
No one (including Jurgen Klopp himself) can put their finger on it? I had suggested that after years of high octane, high-press football, something had to give.
With that kind of style (which we love watching), a high squad turnover is needed, refreshing every year. That just hasn’t happened (enough) and it does look like the steaming red locomotive of recent years resembles a beaten up Prasa version during load shedding.
Saying that, football-wise I’m a fan of Klopp, there’s no doubt he’s capable of turning sh!t around, but will the board back him?
Physically he’s an imposing figure… following the Napoli defeat he could have been mistaken for a street corner junkie, barring his magnificent porcelain mouth-work.
Would I be worried as a Liverpool fan? Of course. Would I hope for the Stamford Bridge approach to problems? Of course not.
It’s incredible, a few months ago Chelsea were on the verge of extinction, the Abramovich years over, the UK government playing their pathetic, unjust war games and punishing fans of a football club.
Fast-forward a few months and in roles Todd Boehly with a bank full of dollars blowing the riches of the Roman Empire out the water!
With a record takeover, spending spree and shocking manager axing, this Yank aint f****** about.
Let’s put Thomas Tuchel’s credentials into perspective… last year he was named Uefa men’s Coach of the Year, Fifa Best Coach & IFFHS men’s World’s Best Coach.
And he led two different clubs to the final of the Champions League in the past three seasons. Barring two penalty shootouts and a league title, he achieved (at Chelsea) in 18 months just about as much as Klopp has at Liverpool in seven years. But of course, watching the Blues this season has been painful.
Barring a great performance v Spurs, they have been lethargic, uninterested, lacking creativity, BORING and easily beatable. Despite this, they remain a few points off the top.
There’s rumours of fallouts with players, camps in the dressing room and of course public comments that have angered the new owners. Whatever created the sudden axing, there’s no doubt, Todd had the Brighton boss in mind for the new project and would have agreed the move weeks ago behind the scenes.
Stamford Bridge now looks to Potter to wave his magic wand. I loved Super Tommy Tuchel, but what can you do as a fan?
You just need to support the new coach and players moving forward.
Unconditional support is something that has been missing at Old Trafford for some time, with fans not only demonstrating against the parasitic ‘Glazers’ but openly criticizing managers and players. But that looks to have changed as a wave of optimism has swept over the crumbling stadium, exorcising the hyena bones and filling the red hearts of Manchester with the hope that they can creep out of the shadows of their blue neighbours.
It does look much better, well the benchmark of recent times hasn’t been that high, but there’s no doubt Erik ten Hag is starting to show what he is capable of.
A major contributing factor could be that of Benni McCarthy’s appointment. Marcus Rashford disappeared as a footballer around the same time he became a school-feeding hero. But you get a sense that his hunger and focus is back.
That’s down to McCarthy. But not just Rashford… the attacking mentality generally. Hate United, love Benni… well done!
And finally, have to be careful what I say, once had the British High Commission take me to the authorities for anti-royal comments on the radio. And also there’s this weird love of the royals in Cape Town, but FFS, why do we all have to suffer because the old lady who represents aristocracy and colonialism at the highest level kicks the bucket? I was so pleased when my misses said she had loads on ahead of this past weekend. Hanging out it my boxers, Fulham v Chelsea lunchtime kick off and a whole weekend of sport. And what about the 1000’s who booked tickets, flights and accommodation to watch football in England? What a mess… hopefully they won’t deprive us anymore, stick her in the royal vault at Windsor castle and let us get on with it. See, that wasn’t so bad! Chat next week, Bye byeee.
matthew.marcus@inl.co.za