May I take this opportunity to wish everyone a blessed Christmas and a magical 2010 and may all your dreams come true!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
One year on...
What started off as a football blog has since then seen it not only preserve its roots but expand itself to include articles of a varied nature, including general news items, opinions, short stories and photos. Many events have happened both on a personal, national, European and international level that have shaped the world we live in and left an indelible mark on our lifes.
I would personally like to thank all those who have found some time to read the articles and view the photos whilst sending feedback and also being of inspiration both directly and indirectly. Ad multos annos!
I would personally like to thank all those who have found some time to read the articles and view the photos whilst sending feedback and also being of inspiration both directly and indirectly. Ad multos annos!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
The ugly in football
Football events are always in the spotlight for various reasons but unfortunately lately it's more on negative aspects rather than on the beauty of the beautiful game.
Ugly scenes preceded and followed the two matches of Algeria against Egypt, with players, fans and normal people not involved attacked and injured just because of their nationality. One of Egypt's most prominent players, Zaki, arrived to the extent of stating that he would not be willing to play with Portsmouth because in their ranks they have Belhadj an Algerian and two Israelis, Ben Haim a player and Avram Grant the Sports Director of team. Surely this is not what football is all about and on the contrary, should serve as a unifying aspect.
Much has been said and will continue being said about the goal Gallas scored against Ireland courtesy of an assist by Henry who helped himself by handling and controlling the ball with his hands. The referee and/or his assistant who until the episode were having a brilliant game were unfortunate not to spot the episode but slamming the referee is certainly not the right way of dealing with the situation. Admittedly they should have spotted the infringement but in a packed area and confused gameplay, they cannot really be faulted for missing it. This reignites the point that technological aids should be made use of as is already taking place in other sports. One can take tennis as an example, where each player has 3 chances to make a call to view a replay of a 50/50 decision. If the player is right, he does not lose any of the three chances to make recourse in doing so but if he is wrong he loses one chance and will have two remaining opportunities and so on to do so. Many said that Henry should have admitted his handball, as witnessed in similar episodes in the past when Fowler once admitted that a penalty in his favour should not have been awarded or when Di Canio had a glaring chance to score but stopped the ball with his hands because a defender was on the ground injured. But realistically, how many of us in his shoes would have done so? Episodes like this one even happen during 5-a-side games amongst friends, so one can only imagine the pressure Henry felt with the hopes of a nation hanging on him. What could have been avoided and that left a bad taste where his celebrations and the way that both Henry and the French Federation dealt with the situation. Henry ultimately did admit his mistake and asked for a replay but only after having been slammed and having said that he was not the referee... like we didn't know that! Henry has to realise that he is a role model for many people and that he inevitably should expect some stick from home and opposing supporters. The French Federation on the other hand were arrogant all throughout and actually even delayed supporting Henry in this ordeal. Kudos to the Irish team who did not create any big problems both on and off the pitch despite being 'robbed' of a World Cup slot.
The racist chants by so-called supporters in Juve's latest two games are despicable and should be outright condemned and as a result Juve, even though not directly culpable should accept any penalty inflicted upon them. But it is also the players and coaches themselves who should give a positive example and not incite supporters through uncalled for actions and words. Supporters should also realise that it would be beneficial for all that supporting outright their team through thick and thin instead of insulting and resorting to violence can only enhance football's image and lure more people to the stadium to watch games.
A curious fact that happened last weekend was when a goalkeeper in the Croatian League was given a yellow card for helping a cat that risked being hit by a ball during the match. Sometimes a bit of common sense wouldn't be amiss!
Ugly scenes preceded and followed the two matches of Algeria against Egypt, with players, fans and normal people not involved attacked and injured just because of their nationality. One of Egypt's most prominent players, Zaki, arrived to the extent of stating that he would not be willing to play with Portsmouth because in their ranks they have Belhadj an Algerian and two Israelis, Ben Haim a player and Avram Grant the Sports Director of team. Surely this is not what football is all about and on the contrary, should serve as a unifying aspect.
Much has been said and will continue being said about the goal Gallas scored against Ireland courtesy of an assist by Henry who helped himself by handling and controlling the ball with his hands. The referee and/or his assistant who until the episode were having a brilliant game were unfortunate not to spot the episode but slamming the referee is certainly not the right way of dealing with the situation. Admittedly they should have spotted the infringement but in a packed area and confused gameplay, they cannot really be faulted for missing it. This reignites the point that technological aids should be made use of as is already taking place in other sports. One can take tennis as an example, where each player has 3 chances to make a call to view a replay of a 50/50 decision. If the player is right, he does not lose any of the three chances to make recourse in doing so but if he is wrong he loses one chance and will have two remaining opportunities and so on to do so. Many said that Henry should have admitted his handball, as witnessed in similar episodes in the past when Fowler once admitted that a penalty in his favour should not have been awarded or when Di Canio had a glaring chance to score but stopped the ball with his hands because a defender was on the ground injured. But realistically, how many of us in his shoes would have done so? Episodes like this one even happen during 5-a-side games amongst friends, so one can only imagine the pressure Henry felt with the hopes of a nation hanging on him. What could have been avoided and that left a bad taste where his celebrations and the way that both Henry and the French Federation dealt with the situation. Henry ultimately did admit his mistake and asked for a replay but only after having been slammed and having said that he was not the referee... like we didn't know that! Henry has to realise that he is a role model for many people and that he inevitably should expect some stick from home and opposing supporters. The French Federation on the other hand were arrogant all throughout and actually even delayed supporting Henry in this ordeal. Kudos to the Irish team who did not create any big problems both on and off the pitch despite being 'robbed' of a World Cup slot.
The racist chants by so-called supporters in Juve's latest two games are despicable and should be outright condemned and as a result Juve, even though not directly culpable should accept any penalty inflicted upon them. But it is also the players and coaches themselves who should give a positive example and not incite supporters through uncalled for actions and words. Supporters should also realise that it would be beneficial for all that supporting outright their team through thick and thin instead of insulting and resorting to violence can only enhance football's image and lure more people to the stadium to watch games.
A curious fact that happened last weekend was when a goalkeeper in the Croatian League was given a yellow card for helping a cat that risked being hit by a ball during the match. Sometimes a bit of common sense wouldn't be amiss!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Memories
Whilst sitting down trying to find some sort of inspiration, I hear bells chiming from a far away church as a result of the wind acting as a carrier on a typical wintry day. These sounds immeaditely brought me back to my childhood when many a time I used to spend whole summer days in my grandmother’s house, running around like crazy amongst the trees and playing with my aunt’s dog. Early evening when the sun used to start hiding behind the trees, bells from many churches used to start ringing reminding all those who could hear them that mass would soon start and there I would stop, mesmerised by the different sounds emanating from the different churches. At that time of the year many church domes would have been adorned with many colourful lights in prepartion for an upcoming feast giving a particular aura to the surrounding neighbourhood. And as I type yet again the bells start to ring and I close my eyes, reminiscing my childhood years...
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Fastest goal in the world
Imagine that you have been looking forward to watching your favourite team playing for some time but because of traffic on the day you are either late to arrive at the stadium or at home to watch the match on tv and your team scores after 2 seconds. Would you not feel rather disappointed! But this is what happened last weekend when Nawaf Al Abed who plays for Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia scored the fastest ever goal in football history. Now this is one record that will be difficult to beat!
Following is the link of this historic event:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SqIdmG3m-M&feature=player_embedded
Following is the link of this historic event:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SqIdmG3m-M&feature=player_embedded
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Dreams...
Can inspire us and lead us to roads never been through before. They can lead us into taking drastic decisions, happy decisions, uncalled for decisions, meeting new people and going through life-changing experiences.
A dream can be lived in every moment of our lives, such as students who aim to do well in their studies and achieve a particular job in life, inspired by their parents, an episode in their lives, friends or also packing up and starting afresh or pursuing further studies, job and travel experiences in a totally different country and a new culture.
Dreams can give a person that impetus to move on in life, an aim to work hard at to achieve. They can give a person hope, courage but also despair if they fail to materialise.
A man who died for his dreams was Martin Luther King Jnr whose words continue to reverberate even in today's so-called modern society...
I look forward confidently to the day when all who work for a living will be one with no thought to their separateness as Negroes, Jews, Italians or any other distinctions. This will be the day when we bring into full realization the American dream -- a dream yet unfulfilled. A dream of equality of opportunity, of privilege and property widely distributed; a dream of a land where men will not take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few; a dream of a land where men will not argue that the color of a man's skin determines the content of his character; a dream of a nation where all our gifts and resources are held not for ourselves alone, but as instruments of service for the rest of humanity; the dream of a country where every man will respect the dignity and worth of the human personality.
A dream can be lived in every moment of our lives, such as students who aim to do well in their studies and achieve a particular job in life, inspired by their parents, an episode in their lives, friends or also packing up and starting afresh or pursuing further studies, job and travel experiences in a totally different country and a new culture.
Dreams can give a person that impetus to move on in life, an aim to work hard at to achieve. They can give a person hope, courage but also despair if they fail to materialise.
A man who died for his dreams was Martin Luther King Jnr whose words continue to reverberate even in today's so-called modern society...
I look forward confidently to the day when all who work for a living will be one with no thought to their separateness as Negroes, Jews, Italians or any other distinctions. This will be the day when we bring into full realization the American dream -- a dream yet unfulfilled. A dream of equality of opportunity, of privilege and property widely distributed; a dream of a land where men will not take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few; a dream of a land where men will not argue that the color of a man's skin determines the content of his character; a dream of a nation where all our gifts and resources are held not for ourselves alone, but as instruments of service for the rest of humanity; the dream of a country where every man will respect the dignity and worth of the human personality.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Sending the wrong message
My eyes could not believe what they had just read after viewing an article that Matthew Camilleri (former Msida goalkeeper who nowadays plies his trade with Qormi FC) was suspended by the MFA till the end of January, reason being because he failed to report the alleged attempted bribery case before last year's Premier League match between Msida and Marsaxlokk within the stipulated timeframe. No, there are no spelling mistakes or mismatched words.
MFA are really doing their 'utmost' to eradicate corruption by suspending people who do their duty and report any alleged corruption. Any player or person who might want to report such a case will surely think twice before doing so, seeing that they risk getting punished for doing the right thing. One can imagine that it is already difficult to report such a misdemenour so why is the MFA removing any sort of incentive for individuals to report alleged corruption cases and try rid Maltese football once and for all from this scourge?!
In this regard, a definite and big thumbs down to the MFA!
MFA are really doing their 'utmost' to eradicate corruption by suspending people who do their duty and report any alleged corruption. Any player or person who might want to report such a case will surely think twice before doing so, seeing that they risk getting punished for doing the right thing. One can imagine that it is already difficult to report such a misdemenour so why is the MFA removing any sort of incentive for individuals to report alleged corruption cases and try rid Maltese football once and for all from this scourge?!
In this regard, a definite and big thumbs down to the MFA!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Champions League Trivia
Seeing that we’re in the midst of what promises to be a fantastic 2009/10 Champions League season, these facts might make for an interesting read for all football aficionados.
§ 3 finals have been played by teams from the same country: Real Madrid-Valencia (1999/00), Juventus-Milan (2002/03), and Manchester United-Chelsea (2007/08).
§ Up to now 9 finals have been decided courtesy of a penalty shoot-out, the last one being in the season 2007/08.
§ The player to have won the highest number of Champions League medals is the Spanish player of Real Madrid, Gento: a cool 6 wins!
§ Only one player has won the Champions League with 3 different clubs: Clarence Seedorf (Ajax, Real Madrid and Milan).
§ The youngest ever player to have made his debut in the Champions League was Celestine Babayaro at the age of 16 years and 87 days.
§ The only team to have drawn all its 6 games in the group stage was Aek Athens in the 2002/03 season.
§ Liverpool-Besiktas 8-0 (2007/08) is the highest scoring game in the history of Champions League.
§ The longest streak of games without a loss in the Champions League belongs to Manchester United: 25 consecutive games, whose unbeaten streak was interrupted in the Champions League final against Barcelona (2008/09).
§ Marcello Lippi is the only coach to have won a Champions League and a World Cup.
Source (Translated from Calcio 2000 – October 2009 Edition)
Monday, September 28, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Inglorious Basterds
This is one of those films which makes one wonder how a bit more than two hours literally fly by. The plot is an ingenious one and keeps your eyes glued to the screen, the script witty and the soundtrack impeccable with the right excerpts played at the right time even more precisely than a Swiss clock.
Some scenes may be considered as being gory whilst it is rather obvious to state that the storyline tears up all that is told in most history books. But it definetly provides an entertaining two hours Quentin Tarantino style!
Some scenes may be considered as being gory whilst it is rather obvious to state that the storyline tears up all that is told in most history books. But it definetly provides an entertaining two hours Quentin Tarantino style!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
It has been one hot long football summer...
93 million euros were spent by Florentino Perez to buy Cristiano Ronaldo yet no one seems willing enough to cough up roughly the same amount to buy Newcastle, an established team with a fervent following and with a modern stadium which is nearly packed to the brim for every game. Boggles the mind!
Chelsea have been banned from buying any players following the Kakuta controversy and now quite a few English clubs may face the same music pending investigations that have to take place. These include Manchester United and Manchester City and football fans still remember when Roma were inflicted a similar ban a few years following the Mexes saga. So one cannot say that there is a witch hunt taking place against English clubs but one hopes that as a result of all this furore, more clear cut regulations are set in place so as not to give rise to similar cases of player poaching.
Mutu has been slapped with a 17 million euro fine to be paid to Chelsea following his sacking after having been found positive in a drugs test. Now one cannot deny that what Mutu did was a big mistake as he himself admitted even though he was going through a turbulent personal time. But neither are Chelsea saints as all fans have seen and have squandered millions in players that flopped, testimony of this fact being Shevchenko. So to ask a player to pay such a hefty fine after having been fired by the club is tantamount to at least being considered as being hypocritical. At least one hopes that his plea, that the fine will be paid to charitable institutions will be accepted.
Being one of the best players to ever grace football stadiums around the world does not automatically qualify one as being capable of coaching, Maradona clearly bearing testimony to this.
Chelsea have been banned from buying any players following the Kakuta controversy and now quite a few English clubs may face the same music pending investigations that have to take place. These include Manchester United and Manchester City and football fans still remember when Roma were inflicted a similar ban a few years following the Mexes saga. So one cannot say that there is a witch hunt taking place against English clubs but one hopes that as a result of all this furore, more clear cut regulations are set in place so as not to give rise to similar cases of player poaching.
Mutu has been slapped with a 17 million euro fine to be paid to Chelsea following his sacking after having been found positive in a drugs test. Now one cannot deny that what Mutu did was a big mistake as he himself admitted even though he was going through a turbulent personal time. But neither are Chelsea saints as all fans have seen and have squandered millions in players that flopped, testimony of this fact being Shevchenko. So to ask a player to pay such a hefty fine after having been fired by the club is tantamount to at least being considered as being hypocritical. At least one hopes that his plea, that the fine will be paid to charitable institutions will be accepted.
Being one of the best players to ever grace football stadiums around the world does not automatically qualify one as being capable of coaching, Maradona clearly bearing testimony to this.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Serie A Predictions
It is that time of the year when football fans would have just gone through a summer choc-a-bloc with friendlies and numerous ‘important’ tournaments. Finally some major European leagues have kicked-off and some will soon do, such as the Serie A. Many people try guessing who will win the league, who will get relegated or get a respectable position in the league. Inspired by all this I have decided to air my personal predictions for the Serie A.
Atalanta
They always manage to combine introducing fresh young faces with astute buys. This season is nothing different having got Acquafresca and Barreto amongst others and having faith in a young but determined coach in Gregucci. Comfortable mid-table position.
Bari
Having lost their talismanic coach Conte and some players who were vital in winning the Serie B, the management have decided to put their faith in experienced coach Ventura and players such as Langella, Meggiorini and Almiron. It has been reported that Bari will be taken over by the American Timothy L. Barton after 30 years of ownership by the Matarrese family but it has been stated that the transfer targets haven’t changed. Possible relegation candidates.
Bologna
Went through a botched acquisition by the Albanian businessman Taci but nonetheless have an expierenced wily coach in Papadopulo. They have invested wisely in players such as goalkeeper Viviano, defenders Raggi and Portanova and midfielders Guana and Vigiani and managed to hold on to Di Vaio but still lack that attacking prowess and depth in the squad so that one can say that come May, they will still be in Serie A. Relegation candidates.
Cagliari
Having managed to keep their coach Allegri can be considered a coup in itself and have invested well to make up for Acquafresca’s absence and to strengthen the squad, especially with world cup winner Barone now in their ranks. Comfortable mid-table position
Catania
Have invested a lot and well in this summer’s transfer market and have given new coach Atzori one of their most competitive squads ever. Players like Campagnolo, Barrientos and Delvecchio could fit in easily with any Serie A club that has ambitious targets. If they’ll manage to start winning more away games, this could prove to be one of their most satisfactory seasons in the history of the club. Comfortable mid-table, possible Europa Cup qualification.
Chievo
Managed to save themselves after a bad start and having changed coach but notwithstanding all this haven't really invested in new players to try and beat the drop with less heart-pounding moments. I personally admire the team for every year they seem like a fairy tale... the small team that invests wisely and manages to survive but unfortunately have to consider them as relegation candidates.
Fiorentina
Have thrived alot under the duo leadership of Della Valle and Prandelli in the last few years. Corvino is a master in unearthing gems at good prices and selling them at a profit, Felipe Melo being a case in point. They have bought Marchionni and Cristiano Zanetti and might spring a few surprises before the transfer market closes, especially in defence which doesn't seem to be rock solid as yet. If Mutu manages to put behind him the CAS/Chelsea problems and Gilardino continues to score on a regular basis and if they’ll also manage to address their defensive frailties, Fiorentina fans should be in for another positive season and consolidate their status. Top 8 placing
Genoa
One of the teams to have invested heavily in the summer transfer market following a very positive previous season. Even though they lost their star players Thiago Motta and Milito they have brought in Amelia, Floccari, Crespo, Palacio and Kharja just to mention a few. If they'll manage to cope on all fronts, they should have yet another great season. Top 6 placing
Inter
Arguably the best equipped team not only in Italy but in all Europe. They have continued investing in players like there is no tomorrow and have brought in Lucio, Thiago Motta, Milito and Eto'o. If they'll manage to deal with the loss of Ibrahimovic and buy the attacking midfielder that Mourinho craves for, their season can only bring smiles to all Inter fans. Serie A and Champions League contenders.
Juventus
Relatively new coach Ferrara seems to have instilled the right attitude in the Juve squad and new faces include Italian captain Fabio Cannvaro, Felipe Melo and Diego. This seems to be one of the strongest Juve squads in the last few years and have their best chance of prising away the scudetto from Inter whilst also making inroads in the Champions League. Serie A contenders and a good run in the Champions League.
Lazio
In Ballardini they have a wily coach who always manages to bring the best out of his available squads. Lazio have invested well with Bizzarri and Cruz arriving on free transfers and exciting new prospect Eliseu for less than a million euros. Lazio started off the season with a bang by winning the Supercoppa Italiana against Inter and if they'll manage to solve the problems with star players De Silvestri, Ledesma and Pandev, they should be in for a satisfactory season. Top-half finish
Livorno
The return of the prodigal son Lucarelli together with Tavano and the creativity of Diamanti should guarantee Livorno a fair number of goals and entertainment. Not shipping in too many goals will prove the key to whether they'll survive or not. Relegation candidates
Milan
The simultaneous loss of Kaka and Maldini might prove a bit hard to overcome, especially since the only notable investment up till now has been Huntelaar but Milan will always remain Milan and a top 4 finish should be within their grasp.
Napoli
The team to have invested most in this summer's transfer market. They have brought in De Sanctis, Zuniga, Campagnaro, Cigarini, Hoffer and Quagliarella together with the quality players previously available such as Hamsik and Lavezzi should ensure that Napoli fans are in store for a great season. If their vociferous fans will give them uninterruped support, even in difficult times, then this might be the season when Napoli can qualify for the Champions League, or at least the Europa League is definitely within reach. Top 6 finish
Palermo
In Zenga Palermo have a much travelled and intelligent coach who together with explosive President Zamparini will certianly give life to some highly entertaining outbursts. Zenga is a master tactician and motivator whilst Zamparini always invests and this summer was no exception with Rubinho, Bertolo and Pastore joining already established players Liverani, Simplicio, Cavani and Miccoli. Europa League qualification
Parma
Only spent one year in purgatory and have stated their intentions to remain in Serie A having bought 13 new players such as Mirante, Panucci, Fontanello, Galloppa, Biabany and Bojinov. If Guidolin will manage to amalgamate all this players without much delay, Parma might be the surprise team of the 2009/2010 season. Comfortable safety
Roma
Come every summer reports abound that Roma will be sold so as to pay the huge debts they have and invest in new players but the reported offers never seem to materialise. The Sensi family are true Roma supporters but unfortunatly have their hands tied when coming to invest in players. In Spalletti they have one of the league's best coaches and a strong starting 11 even with the departure of Aquilani but as always lack strength in depth. Top 6 finish
Sampdoria
Possibly have the most exciting striking duo in Serie A with the duo Cassano-Pazzini. If they'll thrive and have an injury-free season, Sampdoria will be able to spring up quite a few surprises. Mid-table finish
Siena
Seem to have weakened their squad from the previous year, especially with the loss of their star defender Portanova to Bologna but have managed to hold on to coach Giampaolo. Relegation candidates
Udinese
Can be considered a model club as they always seem to find the right equation in buying good young prospects, having a positive season then selling the players at a profit. This year is no different and they managed to lure Corradi on a free transfer and investing in young prospects such as Orellana. In Marino they have one of the best prepared coaches in Italy and in Pozzo a dream club President. Comfortable mid-table position with possible European qualification
Football isn’t an exact science and the indications all lead to the fact that this should be an exciting and great 2009/2010 Serie A season. These predictions can be radically overturned but the most important thing is that we have entertaining football which may be admired by fans from all corners of the earth! Happy Serie A viewing to everyone!
Atalanta
They always manage to combine introducing fresh young faces with astute buys. This season is nothing different having got Acquafresca and Barreto amongst others and having faith in a young but determined coach in Gregucci. Comfortable mid-table position.
Bari
Having lost their talismanic coach Conte and some players who were vital in winning the Serie B, the management have decided to put their faith in experienced coach Ventura and players such as Langella, Meggiorini and Almiron. It has been reported that Bari will be taken over by the American Timothy L. Barton after 30 years of ownership by the Matarrese family but it has been stated that the transfer targets haven’t changed. Possible relegation candidates.
Bologna
Went through a botched acquisition by the Albanian businessman Taci but nonetheless have an expierenced wily coach in Papadopulo. They have invested wisely in players such as goalkeeper Viviano, defenders Raggi and Portanova and midfielders Guana and Vigiani and managed to hold on to Di Vaio but still lack that attacking prowess and depth in the squad so that one can say that come May, they will still be in Serie A. Relegation candidates.
Cagliari
Having managed to keep their coach Allegri can be considered a coup in itself and have invested well to make up for Acquafresca’s absence and to strengthen the squad, especially with world cup winner Barone now in their ranks. Comfortable mid-table position
Catania
Have invested a lot and well in this summer’s transfer market and have given new coach Atzori one of their most competitive squads ever. Players like Campagnolo, Barrientos and Delvecchio could fit in easily with any Serie A club that has ambitious targets. If they’ll manage to start winning more away games, this could prove to be one of their most satisfactory seasons in the history of the club. Comfortable mid-table, possible Europa Cup qualification.
Chievo
Managed to save themselves after a bad start and having changed coach but notwithstanding all this haven't really invested in new players to try and beat the drop with less heart-pounding moments. I personally admire the team for every year they seem like a fairy tale... the small team that invests wisely and manages to survive but unfortunately have to consider them as relegation candidates.
Fiorentina
Have thrived alot under the duo leadership of Della Valle and Prandelli in the last few years. Corvino is a master in unearthing gems at good prices and selling them at a profit, Felipe Melo being a case in point. They have bought Marchionni and Cristiano Zanetti and might spring a few surprises before the transfer market closes, especially in defence which doesn't seem to be rock solid as yet. If Mutu manages to put behind him the CAS/Chelsea problems and Gilardino continues to score on a regular basis and if they’ll also manage to address their defensive frailties, Fiorentina fans should be in for another positive season and consolidate their status. Top 8 placing
Genoa
One of the teams to have invested heavily in the summer transfer market following a very positive previous season. Even though they lost their star players Thiago Motta and Milito they have brought in Amelia, Floccari, Crespo, Palacio and Kharja just to mention a few. If they'll manage to cope on all fronts, they should have yet another great season. Top 6 placing
Inter
Arguably the best equipped team not only in Italy but in all Europe. They have continued investing in players like there is no tomorrow and have brought in Lucio, Thiago Motta, Milito and Eto'o. If they'll manage to deal with the loss of Ibrahimovic and buy the attacking midfielder that Mourinho craves for, their season can only bring smiles to all Inter fans. Serie A and Champions League contenders.
Juventus
Relatively new coach Ferrara seems to have instilled the right attitude in the Juve squad and new faces include Italian captain Fabio Cannvaro, Felipe Melo and Diego. This seems to be one of the strongest Juve squads in the last few years and have their best chance of prising away the scudetto from Inter whilst also making inroads in the Champions League. Serie A contenders and a good run in the Champions League.
Lazio
In Ballardini they have a wily coach who always manages to bring the best out of his available squads. Lazio have invested well with Bizzarri and Cruz arriving on free transfers and exciting new prospect Eliseu for less than a million euros. Lazio started off the season with a bang by winning the Supercoppa Italiana against Inter and if they'll manage to solve the problems with star players De Silvestri, Ledesma and Pandev, they should be in for a satisfactory season. Top-half finish
Livorno
The return of the prodigal son Lucarelli together with Tavano and the creativity of Diamanti should guarantee Livorno a fair number of goals and entertainment. Not shipping in too many goals will prove the key to whether they'll survive or not. Relegation candidates
Milan
The simultaneous loss of Kaka and Maldini might prove a bit hard to overcome, especially since the only notable investment up till now has been Huntelaar but Milan will always remain Milan and a top 4 finish should be within their grasp.
Napoli
The team to have invested most in this summer's transfer market. They have brought in De Sanctis, Zuniga, Campagnaro, Cigarini, Hoffer and Quagliarella together with the quality players previously available such as Hamsik and Lavezzi should ensure that Napoli fans are in store for a great season. If their vociferous fans will give them uninterruped support, even in difficult times, then this might be the season when Napoli can qualify for the Champions League, or at least the Europa League is definitely within reach. Top 6 finish
Palermo
In Zenga Palermo have a much travelled and intelligent coach who together with explosive President Zamparini will certianly give life to some highly entertaining outbursts. Zenga is a master tactician and motivator whilst Zamparini always invests and this summer was no exception with Rubinho, Bertolo and Pastore joining already established players Liverani, Simplicio, Cavani and Miccoli. Europa League qualification
Parma
Only spent one year in purgatory and have stated their intentions to remain in Serie A having bought 13 new players such as Mirante, Panucci, Fontanello, Galloppa, Biabany and Bojinov. If Guidolin will manage to amalgamate all this players without much delay, Parma might be the surprise team of the 2009/2010 season. Comfortable safety
Roma
Come every summer reports abound that Roma will be sold so as to pay the huge debts they have and invest in new players but the reported offers never seem to materialise. The Sensi family are true Roma supporters but unfortunatly have their hands tied when coming to invest in players. In Spalletti they have one of the league's best coaches and a strong starting 11 even with the departure of Aquilani but as always lack strength in depth. Top 6 finish
Sampdoria
Possibly have the most exciting striking duo in Serie A with the duo Cassano-Pazzini. If they'll thrive and have an injury-free season, Sampdoria will be able to spring up quite a few surprises. Mid-table finish
Siena
Seem to have weakened their squad from the previous year, especially with the loss of their star defender Portanova to Bologna but have managed to hold on to coach Giampaolo. Relegation candidates
Udinese
Can be considered a model club as they always seem to find the right equation in buying good young prospects, having a positive season then selling the players at a profit. This year is no different and they managed to lure Corradi on a free transfer and investing in young prospects such as Orellana. In Marino they have one of the best prepared coaches in Italy and in Pozzo a dream club President. Comfortable mid-table position with possible European qualification
Football isn’t an exact science and the indications all lead to the fact that this should be an exciting and great 2009/2010 Serie A season. These predictions can be radically overturned but the most important thing is that we have entertaining football which may be admired by fans from all corners of the earth! Happy Serie A viewing to everyone!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Maltese mentality
Blogging is increasing in popularity at a fast rate and the fad seems to have caught up also in Malta, with thetimesofmalta.com being a popular site where people express their opinion. This is a clear sign of a democracy taking place but unfortunatly this cannot be said to apply worldwide, with countries like Iran and China blocking websites in the light of recent insurgencies taking place.
The comments range from serious and being well-informed to being sarcastic, out of point and context and at times attacking people and their actions. A few weeks ago we had around 400,000 architects after Renzo Piano's plans for Valletta were unveiled and in recent times we've had around 400,000 doctors all giving their 'expert' opinion (sic) about swine flu.
One comment that always manages to bring a smile on my face for one reason or another is...
"Because the people are against the plans" - as far as I know I never told anyone to speak in my name! All well and good to say that it is only YOUR opinion but not to profess that you have some sort of self-given mandate to speak in my name.
Happy blogging to everyone!
The comments range from serious and being well-informed to being sarcastic, out of point and context and at times attacking people and their actions. A few weeks ago we had around 400,000 architects after Renzo Piano's plans for Valletta were unveiled and in recent times we've had around 400,000 doctors all giving their 'expert' opinion (sic) about swine flu.
One comment that always manages to bring a smile on my face for one reason or another is...
"Because the people are against the plans" - as far as I know I never told anyone to speak in my name! All well and good to say that it is only YOUR opinion but not to profess that you have some sort of self-given mandate to speak in my name.
Happy blogging to everyone!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Positive attitude
Whilst surfing on the internet, I came upon the story of Nick Vujicic, a 26 year-old from Melbourne. What made this story stick out from others and serve as an inspiration is that Nick Vujicic was born without arms and legs with the exception of a small foot at the bottom of one hip. He has had his share of difficult moments but still does normal things such as playing football, swimming and surfing amongst other activities and uses his experience to instill belief and courage in other people.
One should take a leaf out of Nick Vujicic’s life and learn that in life, one is always faced with bad times as well as with good times. It is how we deal with life experiences that make us who we are. We should tackle what life throws at us as a challenge to turn it into something positive both for ourselves and for all those around us!
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/real_life/2511213/Nick-has-no-arms-or-legs-but-a-huge-zest-for-life.html
One should take a leaf out of Nick Vujicic’s life and learn that in life, one is always faced with bad times as well as with good times. It is how we deal with life experiences that make us who we are. We should tackle what life throws at us as a challenge to turn it into something positive both for ourselves and for all those around us!
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/real_life/2511213/Nick-has-no-arms-or-legs-but-a-huge-zest-for-life.html
Monday, June 22, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Blood Donation
It was reported today on the Times of Malta that a certain Mr. Joe Baldacchino has donated blood for a record number of 106 times and has every intention to continue doing so. This man’s actions are rather admirable and are a breath of fresh air amidst all the political and war events reported in Malta and in the rest of the world. Something like this should make us all think; even a simple gesture can help so many people in a moment of suffering and can bring a smile on many people. Surely the fruits of such a noble gesture are innumerous!
This should make us all reflect and maybe urge us to take positive action, not necessarily by donating blood but by helping anyone who is less fortunate than us.
This should make us all reflect and maybe urge us to take positive action, not necessarily by donating blood but by helping anyone who is less fortunate than us.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Vandalism
Amidst the MEP Elections furore little attention was given to the fact that vandals threw burnt oil on the parvis and steps in front of the Chapel of Mary Magdalene at Dingli Cliffs. One must mention that it is the second time this Chapel has been targeted by vandals. This follows on the steps of vandal attacks taking place at Portes de Bombes and Ħaġar Qim just to mention a few. Why is it that we are not able to appreciate our own heritage?
Also baffling was the way this news item was reported. The journalist was of the opinion that this vandal attack ‘happily did not mar the façade.’ There is nothing ‘happy’ about such an action. Wonder of all wonders, some people who commented about this act found it natural to blame the minister whilst not even condemning the perpetrators. Many are of the opinion that CCTV cameras should be installed but as a blogger commented, all one needs to do is wear a balaclava to elude the CCTV. Quite a few were sensible enough to mention education as the way forward, making people understand and appreciate more our heritage so as to become proud of what this island has. Malta is endowed with so much history that is the envy of many countries. Let us all appreciate the multitude of historical wealth available on the islands!
Also baffling was the way this news item was reported. The journalist was of the opinion that this vandal attack ‘happily did not mar the façade.’ There is nothing ‘happy’ about such an action. Wonder of all wonders, some people who commented about this act found it natural to blame the minister whilst not even condemning the perpetrators. Many are of the opinion that CCTV cameras should be installed but as a blogger commented, all one needs to do is wear a balaclava to elude the CCTV. Quite a few were sensible enough to mention education as the way forward, making people understand and appreciate more our heritage so as to become proud of what this island has. Malta is endowed with so much history that is the envy of many countries. Let us all appreciate the multitude of historical wealth available on the islands!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Onore a Maldini e Nedved
One cannot start by not mentioning the great career both players have had and the plethora of leagues, cups and personal awards that they have won. Maldini has won a grand total of 26 trophies in various competitions, has a record of appearances in Serie A, Uefa Competitions, Champions League and minutes played in the World Cup. Many players can only dream to remain physically fit and continue playing till 40 just like Maldini managed to do and he is also a role model for many people, not only football players for apart from being one of the greatest players ever to grace football stadiums around the world, he is also a gentleman and holds close to his heart strong family values.
Certainly the farewell given to Maldini by some pseudo Milan supporters cannot be condoned for a player who has spent more than half his life giving his all for the same club and being booed on his last home game for some petty disagreement beggars belief. At least all this was offset by the dignified farewell given to him by the Florentine supporters in his very last game; a fitting end for a great player.
Nedved’s determination both when playing and during training are characteristics that distinguish him from most other players. He always gave his all with whatever jersey he wore and will be mainly remembered for having won the Golden Ball in 2003 and for having stayed with Juventus when they were relegated after the 2005/2006 season which made him an undisputed idol amongst all Juventus players. One most not forget to mention that he won 16 trophies in various competitions.
Chapeau to Figo who also retires after a glorious career and to Ibrahimovic for winning the best goalscorer award.
May more players of this calibre allow football supporters to go through raw emotions that football is so capable of producing!
Certainly the farewell given to Maldini by some pseudo Milan supporters cannot be condoned for a player who has spent more than half his life giving his all for the same club and being booed on his last home game for some petty disagreement beggars belief. At least all this was offset by the dignified farewell given to him by the Florentine supporters in his very last game; a fitting end for a great player.
Nedved’s determination both when playing and during training are characteristics that distinguish him from most other players. He always gave his all with whatever jersey he wore and will be mainly remembered for having won the Golden Ball in 2003 and for having stayed with Juventus when they were relegated after the 2005/2006 season which made him an undisputed idol amongst all Juventus players. One most not forget to mention that he won 16 trophies in various competitions.
Chapeau to Figo who also retires after a glorious career and to Ibrahimovic for winning the best goalscorer award.
May more players of this calibre allow football supporters to go through raw emotions that football is so capable of producing!
Friday, May 29, 2009
The Roman Final
The 2009 Champions League Final brought to an end another great season of European competitions, with entertaining games, spectacular football and goals, drama and unfortunately also some controversial decisions.
The Barcelona vs. Manchester United final consecrated two greats in modern European football. First and foremost is Lionel Messi, who tormented the United defence for long phases of the game and scored a spectacular goal through a flying header even though he was the shortest player on the pitch! Second but definitely not inferior in importance is Guardiola, the 38 year-old Barcelona coach. In his debut year as a coach, he won the Spanish Liga, Spanish Cup and none other than the Champions League. Pretty impressive for someone who many believed didn’t have the necessary experience to coach such an important and world-wide known club. Watching Barcelona play this season has been a joy, with their slick passing epitomised by the midfield duo Xavi-Iniesta and the huge number of goals scored by the team in general.
Hats off for Manchester United in graciously accepting that on the night Barcelona were the better team and did not create any sort of controversy.
The host city was praised for its organisational procedures that worked like clock-work and the lack of knife attacks that many feared would take place. The atmosphere inside the stadium was as expected electric and full of tension and full of colour and joy. Hopefully all major football finals will be like the 2009 Champions League Final!
The Barcelona vs. Manchester United final consecrated two greats in modern European football. First and foremost is Lionel Messi, who tormented the United defence for long phases of the game and scored a spectacular goal through a flying header even though he was the shortest player on the pitch! Second but definitely not inferior in importance is Guardiola, the 38 year-old Barcelona coach. In his debut year as a coach, he won the Spanish Liga, Spanish Cup and none other than the Champions League. Pretty impressive for someone who many believed didn’t have the necessary experience to coach such an important and world-wide known club. Watching Barcelona play this season has been a joy, with their slick passing epitomised by the midfield duo Xavi-Iniesta and the huge number of goals scored by the team in general.
Hats off for Manchester United in graciously accepting that on the night Barcelona were the better team and did not create any sort of controversy.
The host city was praised for its organisational procedures that worked like clock-work and the lack of knife attacks that many feared would take place. The atmosphere inside the stadium was as expected electric and full of tension and full of colour and joy. Hopefully all major football finals will be like the 2009 Champions League Final!
Friday, May 22, 2009
The Eurovixin
Much hullabaloo is created on an annual basis regarding Malta's participation in Eurovision. Just like in politics, public opinion is divided into two; those who favour participation of local talent in this event and those who are of the opinion that it is a waste of money and taxes. A positive step forward was taken when private sponsorships were sought to part-finance this venture.
I'd like to consider this aspect on a two-fold basis, in the sense that if it does not involve an exorbitant expense to participate, I do not see why Malta should not involve itself. Participation has the potential of promoting both local talent and Malta as a prospective destination for tourists since the Eurovision is viewed by millions of people all over Europe. On the other hand, expectations in Malta winning should be toned down a little bit. It is good to be ambitous and be of the opinion that Malta has a winning chance, but this should not be taken to extremes and be turned into a matter of life and death and heated discussions.
The second aspect I'd like to discuss is the singer that represented Malta, Chiara. I admire her great talent and voice and most of all her resilience in reaching such heights in her career especially when faced with adversity. She has definetly made Malta proud each and everytime she has participated in the Eurovision. But it is also time that other singers are given a chance on the Eurovision bandwagon and with them different types of songs and fresh ideas.
I'd like to consider this aspect on a two-fold basis, in the sense that if it does not involve an exorbitant expense to participate, I do not see why Malta should not involve itself. Participation has the potential of promoting both local talent and Malta as a prospective destination for tourists since the Eurovision is viewed by millions of people all over Europe. On the other hand, expectations in Malta winning should be toned down a little bit. It is good to be ambitous and be of the opinion that Malta has a winning chance, but this should not be taken to extremes and be turned into a matter of life and death and heated discussions.
The second aspect I'd like to discuss is the singer that represented Malta, Chiara. I admire her great talent and voice and most of all her resilience in reaching such heights in her career especially when faced with adversity. She has definetly made Malta proud each and everytime she has participated in the Eurovision. But it is also time that other singers are given a chance on the Eurovision bandwagon and with them different types of songs and fresh ideas.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Logħba tipika bejn il-ħbieb ta’ matul il-ġimgħa
Il-plejers jibdew jaslu ftit ftit għal madwar il-ħin tad-disa’ ta’ filgħaxija ġewwa l-grawnds ta’ Swatar. Jibdew jitkellmu bejniethom dwar x’ikun ġara fi tmiem il-ġimgħa ta’ qabel jew dwar xi karozza lussuża li jixtiequ jixtru. Ftit wara l-plejers li jkunu waslu jidħlu ġol-grawnd u jibdew jagħmlu ftit eżerċizzji qabel ma tibda l-logħba. Fl-aħħar kull plejer jasal u wara li jitqassmu l-plejers, il-logħba tibda bil-plejers kollha ħerqana li jkollhom prestazzjoni tajba. Il-logħba ta’ madwar siegħa tkun mimlija b’kollox; gowls spettakolari, azzjonijiet ta’ attakk li jħalluk bla nifs, xi żamma inkredibbli mill-gowler biex isalva t-tim tiegħu fost azzjonijiet oħrajn. Ma jonqosx xi dagħwa meta plejer ifalli ċans tad-deheb biex jagħmel gowl jew meta jkun hemm xi fowl ikraħ fuq plejer. Fl-aħħar tal-logħba kulħadd jinġabar fuq it-taraġ għajjien mejjet, min jixrob biex jirkupra xi enerġiji , min jipprova jsib il-flus sabiex iħallas is-sehem tiegħu għall-kiri tal-grawnd u min jiddiskuti l-andament tal-logħba.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Much ado about nothing
When initially released, the photo on the right caused quite an uproar, with people labelling it as a 'disgrace', as not being fit for a President and that the background was too cluttered amongst other points raised. A few days ago, a new version was released and found more consensus amongst the Maltese but some still found some nitty-gritty points to pick upon. As one blogger on the timesofmalta.com said with some tongue in cheek, "Finally, the biggest problem we had in the last 12 months has been solved!"
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Driving manners
Malta is an island of around 410,290 people, with a square area of 316km and has 2,254 kilometres of roads with 87.5% of them paved and the remaining unpaved[1] (even though some might snigger at this fact!) and in December 2005 there were 213,651 registered vehicles.[2]
From all this information one can gather that our island is rather crowded in all senses and therefore basic manners towards other drivers should be a must but are unfortunately lacking. This can be clearly seen in the way a good number of Maltese drive, showing no respect towards basic driving rules and especially towards fellow drivers. Drivers not giving way when they should, shooting red lights, driving slow on the fast-lane with the proverbial arm dangling out of the window or overtaking dangerously are only a few examples of daily occurrences on Maltese roads. Stop signs also do not need to be put up because with or without them does not make much of a difference. I think that we can all identify ourselves in having witnessed and/or been a victim in one of these situations at least on a weekly basis.
If we were all to observe basic manners when driving it would make life much less stressful for all Maltese drivers and there would be less accidents as well as less cases of road rage.
You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive. ~Author Unknown
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta
[2] http://www.maltatransport.com/en/tsd/transportstatistics/DrivingLicenses2005.pdf
From all this information one can gather that our island is rather crowded in all senses and therefore basic manners towards other drivers should be a must but are unfortunately lacking. This can be clearly seen in the way a good number of Maltese drive, showing no respect towards basic driving rules and especially towards fellow drivers. Drivers not giving way when they should, shooting red lights, driving slow on the fast-lane with the proverbial arm dangling out of the window or overtaking dangerously are only a few examples of daily occurrences on Maltese roads. Stop signs also do not need to be put up because with or without them does not make much of a difference. I think that we can all identify ourselves in having witnessed and/or been a victim in one of these situations at least on a weekly basis.
If we were all to observe basic manners when driving it would make life much less stressful for all Maltese drivers and there would be less accidents as well as less cases of road rage.
You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive. ~Author Unknown
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta
[2] http://www.maltatransport.com/en/tsd/transportstatistics/DrivingLicenses2005.pdf
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The common good
'for the common good'
If something is done for the common good it is done to help everyone.
Is the meaning that is found on the online Cambridge Dictionary website. This certainly wasn't the case last week in GWU's stand-off against the Freeport concerning union recognition for the Freeport's workers. I am not disputing this particular aspect, but GWU's actions after the Director of Industrial Relations had established that MDU had the highest number of worker's affiliated and should therefore be granted this recognition. What concerned me most was that GWU wanted an international boycott of the Malta Freeport. And why may I ask? Had they managed to get their way... Would less work at the Freeport been of benefit to the workers? I think not. Would it have been of benefit to the Maltese economy in general in these tough times? I think not too. So what benefit would this action have brought about? In my eyes none and it seemed like the GWU was a sulking child who did not get its way and started to cause trouble to all those people that should be 'dear' to them.
If something is done for the common good it is done to help everyone.
Is the meaning that is found on the online Cambridge Dictionary website. This certainly wasn't the case last week in GWU's stand-off against the Freeport concerning union recognition for the Freeport's workers. I am not disputing this particular aspect, but GWU's actions after the Director of Industrial Relations had established that MDU had the highest number of worker's affiliated and should therefore be granted this recognition. What concerned me most was that GWU wanted an international boycott of the Malta Freeport. And why may I ask? Had they managed to get their way... Would less work at the Freeport been of benefit to the workers? I think not. Would it have been of benefit to the Maltese economy in general in these tough times? I think not too. So what benefit would this action have brought about? In my eyes none and it seemed like the GWU was a sulking child who did not get its way and started to cause trouble to all those people that should be 'dear' to them.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Fejsbuk
From what started as a social network between Harvard University students has now become a worldwide phenomenon and is being used for a various number of reasons. These start with keeping in touch with long-lost friends, organizing a birthday party amongst friends, reunions with old schoolmates and have recently evolved into forming groups for charity, such as in the case of Lisa Gatt who unfortunately got injured whilst on holiday in Cambodia. Politics has entered the sphere of Facebook too, with most Parliamentary Members having done a profile and formed groups to promote themselves and their work and current and hopeful MEP’s have also jumped on the bandwagon. Companies have started to promote on facebook with adverts and the creation of events and groups. Even this aspect has been taken a step further and nowadays one can also find funeral services being promoted.
The crux of it all is that unfortunately, some tragedies have taken place because of Facebook. Recently a woman who was going through a divorce was killed by her husband when she changed her status to ‘single’ in her profile. Another negative event happening as a result of facebook was when a young female was fired from her job after stating in her title that her job was ‘boring’.
It has also led to positive actions taking place, one instance being when a burglar in Queensland, New Zealand was identified through photos uploaded on facebook. Shocking also was when after having a row with his a girlfriend, a youth stabbed and killed a father-of-three but luckily was apprehended when police where tipped off about a message he had left on facebook.
If used appropriately, Facebook can be useful and fun to play around with but always pay attention to the information and type of photos that are disclosed. Happy facebooking to everyone!
The crux of it all is that unfortunately, some tragedies have taken place because of Facebook. Recently a woman who was going through a divorce was killed by her husband when she changed her status to ‘single’ in her profile. Another negative event happening as a result of facebook was when a young female was fired from her job after stating in her title that her job was ‘boring’.
It has also led to positive actions taking place, one instance being when a burglar in Queensland, New Zealand was identified through photos uploaded on facebook. Shocking also was when after having a row with his a girlfriend, a youth stabbed and killed a father-of-three but luckily was apprehended when police where tipped off about a message he had left on facebook.
If used appropriately, Facebook can be useful and fun to play around with but always pay attention to the information and type of photos that are disclosed. Happy facebooking to everyone!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
The Maltese Football National Team
Much has been said and will continue to be said about the meagre results obtained by the Maltese National team, with the last win in an official game dating back to October 2007 in a 2-1 home win against Hungary. To commemorate this special event, a special edition DVD was made available… this just goes to show how rare a Maltese win is. Many remember the Malta-Turkey match held on the 7th of September 2007… an electrifying atmosphere with a rarely seen packed stadium supporting their Maltese heroes for 90-minutes non-stop. The end result was a merited 2-2 draw with the Maltese also going close to clinching what would have been a well-deserved win.
So all-in-all one cannot say that the Maltese national team cannot produce good football and memorable results but what is certainly lacking is consistency from several viewpoints. The Maltese national team always starts off slowly mainly due to a inferior complexity which results in the team conceding a goal at the initial stages of the game, then making it difficult to catch-up and try and achieve a positive result and a goal too. Unfortunatly Malta hasn’t yet scored a goal in the qualifying matches for the World Cup 2010 but at least managed to gain a hard-earned home draw against Albania on a cold February night. Another point is the fitness of the Maltese national players. The ones that play abroad in one way or another always seem to last the whole match but the local players seem to last approximately 60 to 70 minutes than run out of gas. The attitude of the Maltese national players in general is questioned; some find the physical exercises too tough and at times show a lack of respect towards the national coach. It is attitudes like these that should be eradicated once and for all and all involved in the Maltese national team should have one aim: that in unison they should strive to achieve positive results! Small nations like ours have made it, why not us then?
So all-in-all one cannot say that the Maltese national team cannot produce good football and memorable results but what is certainly lacking is consistency from several viewpoints. The Maltese national team always starts off slowly mainly due to a inferior complexity which results in the team conceding a goal at the initial stages of the game, then making it difficult to catch-up and try and achieve a positive result and a goal too. Unfortunatly Malta hasn’t yet scored a goal in the qualifying matches for the World Cup 2010 but at least managed to gain a hard-earned home draw against Albania on a cold February night. Another point is the fitness of the Maltese national players. The ones that play abroad in one way or another always seem to last the whole match but the local players seem to last approximately 60 to 70 minutes than run out of gas. The attitude of the Maltese national players in general is questioned; some find the physical exercises too tough and at times show a lack of respect towards the national coach. It is attitudes like these that should be eradicated once and for all and all involved in the Maltese national team should have one aim: that in unison they should strive to achieve positive results! Small nations like ours have made it, why not us then?
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
KSU 2009 Elections…
… are soon with us. Campaigning has already started and this year it seems to be rather tense and all signs show that it will be a close call since there are two groups contesting, SDM and ACT; the latter formed by members from various student organisations. At a glance one might say that SDM are PN’s representatives on campus whilst ACT are independent, but when one sees that in ACT’s ranks there is PULSE, it might make one think whether they really are 100 % ‘independent’. On seeing the comments made by students on ACT’s website and on the Times of Malta, one can see that this might be one of the few elections that will go down the line.
Heavy campaigning has already started, with team launches, handing out of glossy manifestos, tents set up on quad with Wii and table-soccer games available to be used by all and sundry so as to lure every possible vote.
What is most important is that the winning group continues with the initially shown enthusiasm all throughout the year and that it does not fizzle out just like a Coke that is left for too long in the sun. Any decision taken should be done taking into account the student and not a party’s particular fancy. Many would appreciate if politics are left out completely within university boundaries… Malta is already exasperated enough with politics as it is!
Heavy campaigning has already started, with team launches, handing out of glossy manifestos, tents set up on quad with Wii and table-soccer games available to be used by all and sundry so as to lure every possible vote.
What is most important is that the winning group continues with the initially shown enthusiasm all throughout the year and that it does not fizzle out just like a Coke that is left for too long in the sun. Any decision taken should be done taking into account the student and not a party’s particular fancy. Many would appreciate if politics are left out completely within university boundaries… Malta is already exasperated enough with politics as it is!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
A regeneration of the Italian national football team
The term 'young players' is not really synonymous with Italian teams as is with the case of English and Spanish teams. This because Italian teams prefer to buy and have faith in tried and tested players rather than some unknown promising talent. The rationale behind this way of seeing things being that success can be 'acquired' quicker when buying experienced players rather than having patience in nurturing young talent. In time this has backfired on Italian teams for they now find themselves in a quandrum having to revolutionise their teams at a relatively high cost so as to become competitive as they once were, especially in Europe, whilst English and Spanish teams have the luxury of aiming to buy one or two quality players to complement their already existing competitive teams.
Yet Italy has always produced good quality young players and testimony to this are the 5 European Under-21 championships won since 1992.
Following is a list of potential young players that may have an important role to play with the Italian football national team in the coming years:
Goalkeepers: Amelia (Palermo), Consigli (Atalanta), Viviano (Brescia), Curci (on loan with Siena from Roma).
Defenders: Santacroce (Napoli), Santon (Inter), Criscito and Bocchetti (Genoa), Chiellini, De Ceglie and Ariaudo (Juventus), Motta (on loan with Roma from Udinese), De Silvestri (Lazio), Andreolli (on loan with Sassuolo from Inter), Bonera and Darmian (Milan).
Midfielders: De Rossi and Aquilani (Roma), Montolivo (Fiorentina), Marchisio (Juventus), Cigarini (co-owned between Atalanta and Parma), Dessena (co-owned between Sampdoria and Parma), Bolzoni (Inter), Pirlo (Milan).
Attackers: Giovinco (Juventus), Rossi (Villareal), Acquafresca (co-owned between Cagliari and Inter), Gilardino (Fiorentina), Balotelli (Inter), Paloschi (co-owned between Parma and Milan), Cerci (on loan with Atalanta from Roma), Lanzafame (on loan with Bari from Palermo), Paolucci (co-owned between Catania and Udinese), Osvaldo (Bologna), Pepe and Quagriaella (Udinese).
This is obviously not an exhaustive list and I am pretty positive that their are other promising Italian players that can be included in this list.
Many Italian teams have started to realize that the way forward without spending too much money is investing wisely in their youth academies. It is often the case that players that manage to make the grade from the youth team are usually a bit more passionate when playing than other players so this can be considered as an added bonus when investing and having patience with young players.
One hopes that in a year's time, there will be more than one Italian team in the combined final draw of the Champions League and the newly rebranded Uefa Europe League that will replace the current Uefa Cup as from July 2009.
Yet Italy has always produced good quality young players and testimony to this are the 5 European Under-21 championships won since 1992.
Following is a list of potential young players that may have an important role to play with the Italian football national team in the coming years:
Goalkeepers: Amelia (Palermo), Consigli (Atalanta), Viviano (Brescia), Curci (on loan with Siena from Roma).
Defenders: Santacroce (Napoli), Santon (Inter), Criscito and Bocchetti (Genoa), Chiellini, De Ceglie and Ariaudo (Juventus), Motta (on loan with Roma from Udinese), De Silvestri (Lazio), Andreolli (on loan with Sassuolo from Inter), Bonera and Darmian (Milan).
Midfielders: De Rossi and Aquilani (Roma), Montolivo (Fiorentina), Marchisio (Juventus), Cigarini (co-owned between Atalanta and Parma), Dessena (co-owned between Sampdoria and Parma), Bolzoni (Inter), Pirlo (Milan).
Attackers: Giovinco (Juventus), Rossi (Villareal), Acquafresca (co-owned between Cagliari and Inter), Gilardino (Fiorentina), Balotelli (Inter), Paloschi (co-owned between Parma and Milan), Cerci (on loan with Atalanta from Roma), Lanzafame (on loan with Bari from Palermo), Paolucci (co-owned between Catania and Udinese), Osvaldo (Bologna), Pepe and Quagriaella (Udinese).
This is obviously not an exhaustive list and I am pretty positive that their are other promising Italian players that can be included in this list.
Many Italian teams have started to realize that the way forward without spending too much money is investing wisely in their youth academies. It is often the case that players that manage to make the grade from the youth team are usually a bit more passionate when playing than other players so this can be considered as an added bonus when investing and having patience with young players.
One hopes that in a year's time, there will be more than one Italian team in the combined final draw of the Champions League and the newly rebranded Uefa Europe League that will replace the current Uefa Cup as from July 2009.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The English Job
I would have preferred using 'The Italian Job' as a title but unfortunatly because of a number of factors all the Italian teams have been eliminated from the Champions League... and we haven't yet arrived at the quarter-finals stage! On the one hand English football has registered an impressive en plein with Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd and Arsenal qualifying for the quarter-finals but all three Italian teams, namely Juventus, Inter and Roma have been eliminated uncerimoniously by the current greatness of English football.
The signs have been there for quite some time that Italian football is losing its allure when compared to the English and Spanish leagues. Teams from these two leagues have been dominating in Europe for the last few years, taking over from what was once an undisputed dominance from the Italian teams.
Even though the English teams have an advantage financially-wise when compared to teams from other countries when it comes to money derived from television rights, what is needed is an overhaul in the Italian football culture. New, modern and more comfortable stadiums where whole families can watch a game without the risk of violence erupting are badly needed, less exasperation when it comes to dealing with referees and relations between Italian teams have to improve. Also English and Spanish teams put alot of faith in young players while this is rather lacking in Italian teams, with the odd exception here and there.
The signs have been there for quite some time that Italian football is losing its allure when compared to the English and Spanish leagues. Teams from these two leagues have been dominating in Europe for the last few years, taking over from what was once an undisputed dominance from the Italian teams.
Even though the English teams have an advantage financially-wise when compared to teams from other countries when it comes to money derived from television rights, what is needed is an overhaul in the Italian football culture. New, modern and more comfortable stadiums where whole families can watch a game without the risk of violence erupting are badly needed, less exasperation when it comes to dealing with referees and relations between Italian teams have to improve. Also English and Spanish teams put alot of faith in young players while this is rather lacking in Italian teams, with the odd exception here and there.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The parking situation at University and in Msida...
... is utterly ridiculous! Spending over an hour to find parking in the University/Msida area has become the norm rather than something that only occasionally takes place. Some time ago the idea of a new undergound/multi-storey car park had been mooted but shot down because of environmental reasons. While this point of view is understandable because of the ever-increasing number of building sites that are mushrooming around the island, neither are the innumerous ammount of cars going around University and/or Msida on a daily basis being very healthy for the residents and people who work in this area.
A plausible solution could be that of building a car park in an area in Car park 6. In this way no virgin land will taken away for this cause and it is pretty close to the hospital and can reach two aims; the first being that it won't be the only building in the area and thus will not jar with the surrounding landscape. I am also sure that with the number of quality architects that there are, a practical and pleasing design may be found. Second, it can help solve the parking quandrum both for hospital visitors, students and for the Msida residents and all those working in the area. This because less students will park in the Msida area whilst medical students can leave their cars in this car park without taking up additional space in the hospital car park.
If a minimal fee is put into place, I doubt it would irk the students, including me, for I can safely bet that more money is wasted in fuel when going round in circles in an attempt to find a parking slot. Outsiders may also use this car park but preference should be given to students, especially during peak hours when finding a parking slot is tantamount to finding the infamous golden pot at the end of a rainbow.
Other solutions do exist, aimed mostly at students and hospital visitors. The first involves the implementation of a sensible and well studied car-sharing system aimed primarily at students. Another possible answer to this problem would be a marked improvement in the public transport system.
A plausible solution could be that of building a car park in an area in Car park 6. In this way no virgin land will taken away for this cause and it is pretty close to the hospital and can reach two aims; the first being that it won't be the only building in the area and thus will not jar with the surrounding landscape. I am also sure that with the number of quality architects that there are, a practical and pleasing design may be found. Second, it can help solve the parking quandrum both for hospital visitors, students and for the Msida residents and all those working in the area. This because less students will park in the Msida area whilst medical students can leave their cars in this car park without taking up additional space in the hospital car park.
If a minimal fee is put into place, I doubt it would irk the students, including me, for I can safely bet that more money is wasted in fuel when going round in circles in an attempt to find a parking slot. Outsiders may also use this car park but preference should be given to students, especially during peak hours when finding a parking slot is tantamount to finding the infamous golden pot at the end of a rainbow.
Other solutions do exist, aimed mostly at students and hospital visitors. The first involves the implementation of a sensible and well studied car-sharing system aimed primarily at students. Another possible answer to this problem would be a marked improvement in the public transport system.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
The beauty of football
I was easily tempted to comment about Mourinho's uncalled for and shameful outburst or about Balotelli's arrogant goal celebrations in Inter's game against Roma, which certainly don't put Italian football in a very good light. Instead I'd like to focus on the beautiful aspect of the world's most popular sport, that is spectacular goals which become part of football history.
One of these goals was scored by Mascara from an even further distance than the one scored by
Maradona. Apart from its beauty this goal holds a special significance for Mascara as it was scored against Palermo, Catania's most bitter rivals. Following is a link of this grand goal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z4s7qPc790
Other memorable goals include Quagliarella's goal against Chievo 2 seasons ago, Vieri's goal against Siena when playing with Atalanta in the same season, Maradona's coast-to-coast goal against England in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, Adriano's bullet freekick against Real Madrid in a summer friendly a couple of years ago, a wickedly curving freekick by Roberto Carlos in a Brazil-Italy Confederations Cup match of 1997 and Beckham's goal from midfield in the beginning of his career against Wimbledon... just to mention a few!
Following are a few links that should appease most football fans with a couple of fantastic goals!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_dRwsx9ERs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-nDwt4_q8E&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr7FAACFoQ8&feature=related
One of these goals was scored by Mascara from an even further distance than the one scored by
Maradona. Apart from its beauty this goal holds a special significance for Mascara as it was scored against Palermo, Catania's most bitter rivals. Following is a link of this grand goal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z4s7qPc790
Other memorable goals include Quagliarella's goal against Chievo 2 seasons ago, Vieri's goal against Siena when playing with Atalanta in the same season, Maradona's coast-to-coast goal against England in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, Adriano's bullet freekick against Real Madrid in a summer friendly a couple of years ago, a wickedly curving freekick by Roberto Carlos in a Brazil-Italy Confederations Cup match of 1997 and Beckham's goal from midfield in the beginning of his career against Wimbledon... just to mention a few!
Following are a few links that should appease most football fans with a couple of fantastic goals!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_dRwsx9ERs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-nDwt4_q8E&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr7FAACFoQ8&feature=related
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Bend it like Beckham
The English teams are the clear winners of the 1st leg last 16 knockout matches with Arsenal and Chelsea both winning 1-0 at home, respectively against Roma and Chelsea. Liverpool even managed to win 1-0 away against Real Madrid and Man Utd drew 0-0 away against Inter, a good result for the Red Devils considering their defensive crisis.
The Italian and Spanish teams didn't even manage to garner a win for apart from the already mentioned results, Barcelona could only draw 1-1 away to Lyon after a not so impressive performance whilst Villareal did all the work but could only work out a 1-1 draw against Panthinaikos.
On the other hand Bayern Munich seem to have already qualified for the quarter-finals with a 5-0 away mauling of Sporting Lisbon whilst a comedy of errors gave rise to a 2-2 draw between Atletico Madrid and Porto.
Look out for some cracking 2nd leg last 16 knockout matches in mid-March! The England vs Italy saga should prove produce some pure thrillers with unexpected twists and some tense moments!
The Italian and Spanish teams didn't even manage to garner a win for apart from the already mentioned results, Barcelona could only draw 1-1 away to Lyon after a not so impressive performance whilst Villareal did all the work but could only work out a 1-1 draw against Panthinaikos.
On the other hand Bayern Munich seem to have already qualified for the quarter-finals with a 5-0 away mauling of Sporting Lisbon whilst a comedy of errors gave rise to a 2-2 draw between Atletico Madrid and Porto.
Look out for some cracking 2nd leg last 16 knockout matches in mid-March! The England vs Italy saga should prove produce some pure thrillers with unexpected twists and some tense moments!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Taking care of strays
Last week my street witnessed a brutal mauling of a cat by a pack of stray dogs. If memory serves well, there had already been a complaint some time ago about this pack of dogs but as personally witnessed, no action has been taken to rectify the situation. This is leading residents to be scared that this pack of dogs might attack their pets and even worse, their children.
A few weeks ago a man was taken to court having taken care of a number of strays that he picked up in the Pembroke/Swieqi area but did not have the necessary resources to adequately take care of these strays. The residents in the immeadiate area of where the temporary compound is situated also complained because of the noise and for health reasons.
Instead of using up money to prosecute this man, who at the end of the day had his heart set at doing a good deed, funds should have been made available either to improve the set-up of this compound or to create a facility whereby strays can be given the love they crave so much for and be well fed and taken care of.
A few weeks ago a man was taken to court having taken care of a number of strays that he picked up in the Pembroke/Swieqi area but did not have the necessary resources to adequately take care of these strays. The residents in the immeadiate area of where the temporary compound is situated also complained because of the noise and for health reasons.
Instead of using up money to prosecute this man, who at the end of the day had his heart set at doing a good deed, funds should have been made available either to improve the set-up of this compound or to create a facility whereby strays can be given the love they crave so much for and be well fed and taken care of.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
The good and bad aspects of sports
Last weekend saw the tragic running over of a Genoa fan by the coach carrying the Fiorentina players. While first of all wishing him a quick and full recovery, one has to wonder what was he doing next to the coach kicking it and throwing stuff. All this because Fiorentina clinched a dramatic equaliser late in extra-time and the referee was blamed for not having done his job well. Even if this was the case, which it clearly wasn't, there is no excuse for all this exasperation, not only after last Sunday's game but generally. There is a sense of malaise enveloping Italian football and this should be quickly eradicated. It was done in England, where nowadays one sees whole families going to watch a football match but unfortunatly this is not always the case with Italian football. For the good of all, especially true football lovers, a plausible solution should be found and implemented. Italian sports programs have an important role to play in this aspect, where they should stop playing ad nauseum all the decisions taken by referees. Sometimes even the 'experts' themselves in the program do not have a uniform opinion regarding a decision taken. This in the light that the referee only has a split-second to take a decision. One must accept that mistakes are made by everyone in football, starting from club presidents who do not choose the appropriate coach and player/s, the players themselves and referees too.
Also shocking was the decision not to allow the Israeli player Shahar Peer to take part in the Dubai Open tournament. After the initial and understandable uproar, since it is a well-known fact the the Arab countries aren't big friends with Israel, especially following the recent 3-week Gaza conflict, it has been stated that the decision was taken for sporting reasons; these being because of local opinion following the Gaza conflict, the risk of a spectator boycott and a potential to the well-being of the player. As Peer herself stated, she is not representing her government but is simply a tennis player who wants to be able to play the sport that she loves.
Sports events are usually trumpeted and used as a means of unifying people and countries and for fund-raisers, but unfortunatly as can be seen above, this is not always the case.
A well-deserved congrats goes to Alex Del Piero, who shall shortly become dad for a second time and a very big good luck goes to Newcastle's coach Kinnear, who shall be undergoing a triple bypass operation.
Also shocking was the decision not to allow the Israeli player Shahar Peer to take part in the Dubai Open tournament. After the initial and understandable uproar, since it is a well-known fact the the Arab countries aren't big friends with Israel, especially following the recent 3-week Gaza conflict, it has been stated that the decision was taken for sporting reasons; these being because of local opinion following the Gaza conflict, the risk of a spectator boycott and a potential to the well-being of the player. As Peer herself stated, she is not representing her government but is simply a tennis player who wants to be able to play the sport that she loves.
Sports events are usually trumpeted and used as a means of unifying people and countries and for fund-raisers, but unfortunatly as can be seen above, this is not always the case.
A well-deserved congrats goes to Alex Del Piero, who shall shortly become dad for a second time and a very big good luck goes to Newcastle's coach Kinnear, who shall be undergoing a triple bypass operation.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Speechless...
Birthday list
2,000 bottles of champagne — Moët & Chandon and ’61 Bollinger
500 bottles of whisky — Johnny Walker Blue Label, 22-year-old Chivas
8,000 lobsters
100kg king prawns
3,000 ducks
4,000 portions of caviar
8,000 boxes of Ferrero Rocher
16,000 eggs
3,000 cakes — chocolate and vanilla
4,000 packs of pork sausages
500kg cheese
4,000 packets of crackers.
You must be wondering what this list is all about. It is basically a wish list to celebrate Mugabe's 85th birthday that is allegedly being organised by the Zanu party, of whom obviously he is the leader. Donations are being 'collected' so as to finance this lavish party. All this despite the fact that millions of people in Zimbabwe rely on international food, unemployment reaches 94 %, while cholera and famine are widespread in the country. Mugabe always celebrates his birthday lavishly and last year only, 1.2 million dollars were spent for his birthday celebrations, yet he does not have the finances to help out the people of his own country. When people know no shame...
If you are interested in this story, I am posting the link which gives all the finer details regarding this scandalous story.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article5697712.ece
2,000 bottles of champagne — Moët & Chandon and ’61 Bollinger
500 bottles of whisky — Johnny Walker Blue Label, 22-year-old Chivas
8,000 lobsters
100kg king prawns
3,000 ducks
4,000 portions of caviar
8,000 boxes of Ferrero Rocher
16,000 eggs
3,000 cakes — chocolate and vanilla
4,000 packs of pork sausages
500kg cheese
4,000 packets of crackers.
You must be wondering what this list is all about. It is basically a wish list to celebrate Mugabe's 85th birthday that is allegedly being organised by the Zanu party, of whom obviously he is the leader. Donations are being 'collected' so as to finance this lavish party. All this despite the fact that millions of people in Zimbabwe rely on international food, unemployment reaches 94 %, while cholera and famine are widespread in the country. Mugabe always celebrates his birthday lavishly and last year only, 1.2 million dollars were spent for his birthday celebrations, yet he does not have the finances to help out the people of his own country. When people know no shame...
If you are interested in this story, I am posting the link which gives all the finer details regarding this scandalous story.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article5697712.ece
Monday, February 9, 2009
Sports titbits
Both Daniel Bogdanovic and Michael Mifsud have joined lowly Barnsley. Admittedly they are 21st in the Championship but they should be getting competitive football in a very challenging league that can only work wonders for both of them. While Bogdanovic seems to be at the team for long-term, Mifsud has signed a 6-month contract. At the end of the season he will be able to choose his next destination calmly, hopefully making the right decision. In any case, I wish both of them the best of luck and may they make Malta and Barnsley proud !
A photo of Michael Phelps purportedly showing him smoking marijuana was recently published in an English newspaper. This obviously led to an outcry were many people and sponsors metaphorically 'crucified' him. He made a mistake, admitted and accepted the 3-month suspension inflicted upon him by the USA swimming committee without any qualms. As the saying goes... 'he who is without guilt, may he throw the first stone'.
Scolari has just been sensationally sacked by Chelsea. Admittedly he was not doing as well as one envisaged, considering the enormous potential that the players possess. Having not coached at a club for a number of years certainly was not to his advantage and also having to adapt to a new country and a new language. He should have been given some more time for his ideas to be accepted and understood but alas football is not as it once was... it is common knowledge that it took Ferguson a couple of years to rub off at Man Utd and was once on the brink of being sacked, and yet look at what they've won and will most probably win in the near future. My money is on Mancini being the next Chelsea coach while I would not discard Zola, even though the latter is certainly more of a long shot since he's relatively new to the coaching scene and has only been with West Ham for a couple of months; had it been at the start of the 2009/2010 it would have most certainly been a different story.
A photo of Michael Phelps purportedly showing him smoking marijuana was recently published in an English newspaper. This obviously led to an outcry were many people and sponsors metaphorically 'crucified' him. He made a mistake, admitted and accepted the 3-month suspension inflicted upon him by the USA swimming committee without any qualms. As the saying goes... 'he who is without guilt, may he throw the first stone'.
Scolari has just been sensationally sacked by Chelsea. Admittedly he was not doing as well as one envisaged, considering the enormous potential that the players possess. Having not coached at a club for a number of years certainly was not to his advantage and also having to adapt to a new country and a new language. He should have been given some more time for his ideas to be accepted and understood but alas football is not as it once was... it is common knowledge that it took Ferguson a couple of years to rub off at Man Utd and was once on the brink of being sacked, and yet look at what they've won and will most probably win in the near future. My money is on Mancini being the next Chelsea coach while I would not discard Zola, even though the latter is certainly more of a long shot since he's relatively new to the coaching scene and has only been with West Ham for a couple of months; had it been at the start of the 2009/2010 it would have most certainly been a different story.
Best of wishes to the Maltese national team, hoping that they will manage to grind out a positive result against Albania !
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Xena f'restorant
Hekk kif tiftaħ il-bieb, l-arja hi mimlija bil-vuċijiet tan-nies fuq l-imwejjed; min mal-familja, xi żgħażagħ jitbewsu fuq xemgħa b'xi tazza inbid aħmar jiċċelebraw l-anniversarju tagħhom, jew xi ħbieb tax-xogħol jew ta' għaqda jiddiskutu xi kwistjoni taħraq kif ukoll xi tfal jgħajtu għax iridu xi ħaġa partikolari jew jiġru madwar il-post. Fl-isfond jinstema' ċ-ċekċik ta' platti u tazzi li qegħdin jinġabru u jinġarru mill-wejters. F'kantuniera mużiċist qed idoqq il-pjanu, jagħmel li jista' biex iferraħ aktar l-atmosfera u jitgħaxxaq in-nies waqt li qegħdin jieklu. Issa wieħed ikun jista' jibda jxomm diversi rwejjaħ tal-ikel li jkun qed jiġi msajjar li aktar u aktar jiftħu l-istonku u jżidu l-aptit tan-nies preżenti. Xi biċċa laħam tradizzjonali tajba bħat-tiġieġ jew taċ-ċanga jew xi pizza u pasta jew ukoll xi ħuta li tant Maltin imorru għaliha. Ma jonqosx li jkun muri f'xi vetrina mimlija bis-swaba' ta' tfal id-diversi tipi ta' deżerta li minnhom wieħed ikun jista' jagħżel wara l-ikla bnina li jkun ħa; xi biċċa torta dejjem tinżel għasel mal-Maltin !
Monday, February 2, 2009
Sports Bonanza
Much has happened in these last few weeks in the world of sports, with some cracking football matches and nail-biting finals in the Australian Open and in the World Super Bowl Series.
One should tell a good number of coaches and players in many football leagues, that fans are mainly interested in watching interesting matches rather than listen to them nagging about referees. A case in point is Rafa Benitez, who attempted to engage a psychological battle with none other than Sir Alex Ferguson, the king of this type of this type of 'battles.' Inevitably this could have distracted the team and Benitez himself, as evidenced in Liverpool's 1-1 draw against Wigan, when Benitez inexplicably took off Torres and Gerrard, thus losing vital points in their quest of winning the league for the first time in 18 years. Nonetheless, Liverpool made up for this by winning 2-0 against Chelsea with 2 late goals courtesy of Torres and in one fell swoop practically excluding Chelsea for the title challenge. Manchester United continue to grind out more postive results, with their latest wins coming against West Brom (5-0) and against Everton (1-0).
Juventus seem to have lost the plot with the consecutive losses against Udinese (2-1) and Cagliari (3-2). It is pretty evident that in general, all the players seem tired and out of form, missing that spark that is vital for a team definetly not packed with many skillful players but of players who are always willing to give that something extra for the team. One should not start criticizing left right and centre but be patient and sooner rather than later results will pick up. Every team is bound to suffer from a slump, it is how the team reacts that makes or breaks a season. One should also take into consideration the abnormal amount of injuries that Juventus players have had; this is certainly a delicate and vital point that should be dealt with. Luckily enough Inter seem to be stuttering for following their 2-0 away win against Catania, this was followed by a 1-1 home draw against lowly Torino. Milan, Genoa, Roma and Cagliari seem to be the current in-form teams, with Milan leapfrogging into second place and Genoa consolidating their fourth position. Roma have made giant strides in trying to gain a Champions League berth after their disastrous start to the season while the in-form team 'par excellence' Cagliari beat Juventus 3-2 away, thus reaching a Uefa Cup position... quite a remarkable feat both for the team and its coach, who had started with 5 straight losses.
Talking points in the Italian league were Panucci's refusal to go on the bench in Roma's 3-0 away win against Napoli and the unjust suspension inflicted upon Mannini and Possanzini. Panucci should learn what the words 'humility and respect' mean. There were stars like Totti, Perrotta and Aquilani on the bench for the same game, while it is not the first time that stars are benched for some games, such as Ronaldinho lately, Del Piero, Cruz just to mention a few, but never have they uttered a word of dissent. Being a cry-baby never brought any good, especially with regards to the teams harmony. One should learn to fight for his place through hard-work at training and by showing respect to your fellow team-mates and coaches. Regarding the suspension of Mannini and Possanzini, they seem to have been made a scapegoat by WADA even though they did their tests and proved to be drug-free, only because they left the restricted zone for a few moments while their President had a good shout at the whole team after Brescia's 3-0 loss against Chievo in December 2007. Hopefully common sense prevails so that these two players can resume their playing careers as soon as possible.
With a vociferous and fully-armed crowd with banners, Siggiewi Smina unfortunatly did not manage to beat Luxol Bupa even though they showed flashes of brilliance but albeit only at patches. What seems to be Siggiewi's undoing is the lack of harmony and unity within the team's ranks. If some elements would play more for the team rather than for personal interests, the team has the potential to improve in leaps and bounds.
As the commentator's of Eurosport stated, all those who managed to watch the Australian Open final between Federer and Nadal were regaled with a spectacle of outragously magnificent tennis play. Two greats battled it out in a thrilling and nail-biting final in which Nadal seemed to profit from some uncharacteristic tactical mistakes by Federer towards the end of the fourth set and the fifth. Nadal's words that Federer is a great player and that he deserves to break the Grand Slam record and Federer's tears are testimony of two humble yet great tennis players, who have yet years of spectacular tennis left in them !
Finally one must not omit to mention the Super Bowl Final, which has left a whole American state in delirious celebrations. The Pittsburgh Steelers won their record sixth Super Bowl with a nail-biting 27-23 win against the Arizona Cardinals with a dramatic touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes with only a mere 35 seconds of the final remaining.
One should tell a good number of coaches and players in many football leagues, that fans are mainly interested in watching interesting matches rather than listen to them nagging about referees. A case in point is Rafa Benitez, who attempted to engage a psychological battle with none other than Sir Alex Ferguson, the king of this type of this type of 'battles.' Inevitably this could have distracted the team and Benitez himself, as evidenced in Liverpool's 1-1 draw against Wigan, when Benitez inexplicably took off Torres and Gerrard, thus losing vital points in their quest of winning the league for the first time in 18 years. Nonetheless, Liverpool made up for this by winning 2-0 against Chelsea with 2 late goals courtesy of Torres and in one fell swoop practically excluding Chelsea for the title challenge. Manchester United continue to grind out more postive results, with their latest wins coming against West Brom (5-0) and against Everton (1-0).
Juventus seem to have lost the plot with the consecutive losses against Udinese (2-1) and Cagliari (3-2). It is pretty evident that in general, all the players seem tired and out of form, missing that spark that is vital for a team definetly not packed with many skillful players but of players who are always willing to give that something extra for the team. One should not start criticizing left right and centre but be patient and sooner rather than later results will pick up. Every team is bound to suffer from a slump, it is how the team reacts that makes or breaks a season. One should also take into consideration the abnormal amount of injuries that Juventus players have had; this is certainly a delicate and vital point that should be dealt with. Luckily enough Inter seem to be stuttering for following their 2-0 away win against Catania, this was followed by a 1-1 home draw against lowly Torino. Milan, Genoa, Roma and Cagliari seem to be the current in-form teams, with Milan leapfrogging into second place and Genoa consolidating their fourth position. Roma have made giant strides in trying to gain a Champions League berth after their disastrous start to the season while the in-form team 'par excellence' Cagliari beat Juventus 3-2 away, thus reaching a Uefa Cup position... quite a remarkable feat both for the team and its coach, who had started with 5 straight losses.
Talking points in the Italian league were Panucci's refusal to go on the bench in Roma's 3-0 away win against Napoli and the unjust suspension inflicted upon Mannini and Possanzini. Panucci should learn what the words 'humility and respect' mean. There were stars like Totti, Perrotta and Aquilani on the bench for the same game, while it is not the first time that stars are benched for some games, such as Ronaldinho lately, Del Piero, Cruz just to mention a few, but never have they uttered a word of dissent. Being a cry-baby never brought any good, especially with regards to the teams harmony. One should learn to fight for his place through hard-work at training and by showing respect to your fellow team-mates and coaches. Regarding the suspension of Mannini and Possanzini, they seem to have been made a scapegoat by WADA even though they did their tests and proved to be drug-free, only because they left the restricted zone for a few moments while their President had a good shout at the whole team after Brescia's 3-0 loss against Chievo in December 2007. Hopefully common sense prevails so that these two players can resume their playing careers as soon as possible.
With a vociferous and fully-armed crowd with banners, Siggiewi Smina unfortunatly did not manage to beat Luxol Bupa even though they showed flashes of brilliance but albeit only at patches. What seems to be Siggiewi's undoing is the lack of harmony and unity within the team's ranks. If some elements would play more for the team rather than for personal interests, the team has the potential to improve in leaps and bounds.
As the commentator's of Eurosport stated, all those who managed to watch the Australian Open final between Federer and Nadal were regaled with a spectacle of outragously magnificent tennis play. Two greats battled it out in a thrilling and nail-biting final in which Nadal seemed to profit from some uncharacteristic tactical mistakes by Federer towards the end of the fourth set and the fifth. Nadal's words that Federer is a great player and that he deserves to break the Grand Slam record and Federer's tears are testimony of two humble yet great tennis players, who have yet years of spectacular tennis left in them !
Finally one must not omit to mention the Super Bowl Final, which has left a whole American state in delirious celebrations. The Pittsburgh Steelers won their record sixth Super Bowl with a nail-biting 27-23 win against the Arizona Cardinals with a dramatic touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes with only a mere 35 seconds of the final remaining.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Renzo Piano and differing opinions
When it was first reported that Renzo Piano was appointed to design the City Gate and Opera House project, it was like Malta had witnessed an earthquake. It dominated most news articles for a good number of days, many letters were sent and facebook groups in favour and against were formed. The main sticking points were and still are the choice of a foreign architect as opposed to a Maltese one and Renzo Piano's (assumed) style and last but not least, the use of the old Opera Site... ideas floated include a Parliament and cultural centre (the official proposal as things stand), a theatre, an Opera House, a National Library amongst other varied points of view aired by all sundry; as the Maltese saying goes, 'mitt bniedem mitt fehma.' It is a good thing that the public is involved and airs its opinion but unfortunatly most of these opinions are not informed ones.
Before slandering the project, one should evaluate what Renzo Piano comes up with. After all one does not attain international fame and appreciation if one does not reach certain standards and leaves a mark in architectural history. Projects such as The New York Times building, Osaka international airport, the redevelopment of the Genova old harbour are only from his vast portofolio of major projects. It is a positive thing that he is going to visit the Valletta site, even just to get a feel of Valletta... the buildings and the history that transcends from our majestic capital city.
For the good of our country, let us all strive in a positive way to try and get this project done, making maximum use of it so that all the Maltese can benefit from it. At the end of the day, our capital city deserves a grand entrance to be admired by all on a local and international level !
Before slandering the project, one should evaluate what Renzo Piano comes up with. After all one does not attain international fame and appreciation if one does not reach certain standards and leaves a mark in architectural history. Projects such as The New York Times building, Osaka international airport, the redevelopment of the Genova old harbour are only from his vast portofolio of major projects. It is a positive thing that he is going to visit the Valletta site, even just to get a feel of Valletta... the buildings and the history that transcends from our majestic capital city.
For the good of our country, let us all strive in a positive way to try and get this project done, making maximum use of it so that all the Maltese can benefit from it. At the end of the day, our capital city deserves a grand entrance to be admired by all on a local and international level !
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Mifsud's Return
Michael Mifsud scored Coventry's all important winning goal in their 2-1 home win against Blackpool. Coventry's coach Chris Coleman is of the opinion that bigger things await Mifsud if he continues training as hard as he already is. Hopefully all this leads to a positive continuation in Mifsud's experience abroad.
Hibs and Valletta both won their respective games so as to consolidate themselves at the top part of the table while both M'xlokk and Msida recorded vital wins in their quest to gain access in the Championship Pool. One match worth looking forward to is the upcoming Valletta-B'kara clash next Saturday !
Chelsea recorded a dramatic home win in the final minutes against Stoke and have to thank Lampard for a virtuoso performance but its Manchester Utd that find themselves at the top of table with a game in hand following two consecutive 1-0 wins, against Wigan and Bolton Wanderers respectively. Meanwhile, Liverpool drop to third following their 1-1 home draw against eternal rivals Everton.
Kaka makes the all-important and sensible decision of staying with Milan rather than accepting the Arabs petro-dollars and joining Manchester City, who are languishing at the bottom part of the Premier League and with no real appropriate plans to build sensibly for the future. Money isn't everything in life !
Inter lose in a shambolic way in their 3-1 away loss against Atalanta while Juventus are now only 3 points from Inter following their 1-1 away draw against Lazio. In an emotional match for Kaka on Saturday night, Milan won 1-0 home against Fiorentina and Roma continued with their positive streak with a 1-0 away win against Torino, thanks to a rather spectacular goal by Baptista. Watch out for Juventus-Fiorentina next Saturday... should be one hell of a game !Hibs and Valletta both won their respective games so as to consolidate themselves at the top part of the table while both M'xlokk and Msida recorded vital wins in their quest to gain access in the Championship Pool. One match worth looking forward to is the upcoming Valletta-B'kara clash next Saturday !
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Charity begins at home
Istrina's last edition brought with it a bit of controversy because after only a few hours on air, the PBS chairman decided that the video clips and fun games involving local personalities should be omitted and instead the focus should be placed on giving out gifts so as to collect more money. Some were in favour of this move while others said that the whole aim is to highlight the plight of the people for whom the money was being collected. Maybe the organisers of Istrina should take a leaf out from the Dar tal-Providenza television marathon, who without giving out gifts managed to collect a cool 500,000 euros.
Charity does not only involve giving money, though this is a good thing and should be done at least once a year. It also involves giving up some of your personal time for people less fortunate than us. A few examples that come up to mind are helping the Sisters at Creche with the little kids and going to an old people's home and keeping company some of the old people. Obviously there are other ways of doing charity... after all every little bit counts !
Charity does not only involve giving money, though this is a good thing and should be done at least once a year. It also involves giving up some of your personal time for people less fortunate than us. A few examples that come up to mind are helping the Sisters at Creche with the little kids and going to an old people's home and keeping company some of the old people. Obviously there are other ways of doing charity... after all every little bit counts !
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
To celebrate or not to celebrate ?
It is not the first time that we see a player not celebrating after scoring a goal for a number of reasons. Last Saturday one witnessed a young and promising player such as Acquafresca of Cagliari who did not celebrate his goal against Inter in one of the world's most famous and glorious stadiums not because he previously played with Inter, but because he is co-owned between the two clubs and didn't want to offend his potential future employers. Also a few months ago Amauri did not celebrate his goal against Napoli because they were the team that gave him his debut in Serie A many years ago. On the other hand, Gilardino has stated that he will celebrate if he scores against his former team, Milan and Inzaghi has always celebrated his goals, even those against former teams. One can understand when a couple of years ago, Batistuta did not celebrate his goal and even cried with emotion when he scored against Fiorentina. This because he become a symbol, the captain and had passed through thick and thin for Fiorentina. But instances like of Acquafresca and other players in a similar situtation, I cannot really fathom why they do so. Scoring a goal gives an adrenaline rush and one should fully enjoy the moment and not suppress one's true feelings. One must also not overdo it with celebrating, such as was the case of Shevchenko when he kissed the badge of Chelsea with his first goal for the club in the Charity Shield match against Manchester United, thus obviously irritating Milan fans.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
First full Sports update of 2009
Juventus though not playing at their best, managed to beat Siena with a trademark freemark by none other than Alex Del Piero, Beckham was paraded from the 1st minute in Roma-Milan were he played a diligent game with the score ending 2-2 whilst on Saturday night Inter drew 1-1 with Cagliari. What Inter fans should be slightly worried about are two main things; the first thing involves a lot of work by Mourinho, who should try and settle down on a formation and stick with it, not throwing in 4 attackers and playing in a 4-2-4 formation everytime the going gets tough; and secondly they should resolve once and for all the thorny issues with Adriano and Balotelli which could destabalize the atmosphere and harmony within the players themselves. A result that surprised many was Fiorentina's home loss against Lecce whilst Napoli and Genoa seem to be moving steadily ahead with respective wins over Torino and Catania.
Manchester United seem to be steamrolling their way to what might possibly be another Premier League with a very convincing 3-0 win against Chelsea whilst Liverpool stuttered in their bid to win the league for the first time since the 1989-90 season with a goalless draw against Stoke. Aston Villa, Arsenal and Everton, who all have a chance to end up in 4th place, won their respective games against West Bromwich Albion, Bolton Wanderers and Hull City. Tottenham Hotspurs remain a bogey team despite massive investment in players and a change of coach with Harry Redknapp entering the fray, losing 1-0 away against Wigan and remaining anchored in the relegation zone.
In Spain, Barcelona continue their impressive march with a not so impressive 3-2 away win against Osasuna whilst Real Madrid seem to have found some sort of consistency since Juande Ramos was appointed with a 3-0 away win against Mallorca. Seville remain in third place with an impressive 3-1 away win against Deportivo La Coruna but the game of the week was the very entertaining 3-3 draw between Valencia and Villareal.
Regarding the local scene, Marsaxlokk yet again lost, this time 1-0 against Sliema Wanderers whilst Hibs beat Hamrun 1-0 in what was a close game. During the week Valletta beat Hibs 2-0 but more than for the scoreline, this game will be remembered for Njongo Priso's actions when scoring one of his goals. He allegedly left the pitch during the game without seeking permission, which earned him a yellow card and also a two-match suspension. Hib's striker Terence Scerri won the December Player of the Month award.
In the local Basketball scene, Compleet IS SW will be playing against Bupa Luxol in the Louis Borg Cup. It was plain sailing for Bupa Luxol with a 95-79 win against Depiro but it was a different story in the Siggiewi Smina vs. Compleet IS SW, with the latter winning by a mere two points with the final scoreline reading 71-73.
Other interesting international sports news involves Ferrari. They unveiled their new-look 2009 F60 car over the web. The car represents many changes, both aesthetically and engine-wise mainly because of the new aerodynamic and kinetic energy recovery system (KERS). One other note worthy of mention is the re-introduction of slick tyres after a number of years. A fun fact worth mentioning is related to the name given to the new car, that is F60. This number represents the number of years and editions that Ferrari have taken part in Formula One.
Manchester United seem to be steamrolling their way to what might possibly be another Premier League with a very convincing 3-0 win against Chelsea whilst Liverpool stuttered in their bid to win the league for the first time since the 1989-90 season with a goalless draw against Stoke. Aston Villa, Arsenal and Everton, who all have a chance to end up in 4th place, won their respective games against West Bromwich Albion, Bolton Wanderers and Hull City. Tottenham Hotspurs remain a bogey team despite massive investment in players and a change of coach with Harry Redknapp entering the fray, losing 1-0 away against Wigan and remaining anchored in the relegation zone.
In Spain, Barcelona continue their impressive march with a not so impressive 3-2 away win against Osasuna whilst Real Madrid seem to have found some sort of consistency since Juande Ramos was appointed with a 3-0 away win against Mallorca. Seville remain in third place with an impressive 3-1 away win against Deportivo La Coruna but the game of the week was the very entertaining 3-3 draw between Valencia and Villareal.
Regarding the local scene, Marsaxlokk yet again lost, this time 1-0 against Sliema Wanderers whilst Hibs beat Hamrun 1-0 in what was a close game. During the week Valletta beat Hibs 2-0 but more than for the scoreline, this game will be remembered for Njongo Priso's actions when scoring one of his goals. He allegedly left the pitch during the game without seeking permission, which earned him a yellow card and also a two-match suspension. Hib's striker Terence Scerri won the December Player of the Month award.
In the local Basketball scene, Compleet IS SW will be playing against Bupa Luxol in the Louis Borg Cup. It was plain sailing for Bupa Luxol with a 95-79 win against Depiro but it was a different story in the Siggiewi Smina vs. Compleet IS SW, with the latter winning by a mere two points with the final scoreline reading 71-73.
Other interesting international sports news involves Ferrari. They unveiled their new-look 2009 F60 car over the web. The car represents many changes, both aesthetically and engine-wise mainly because of the new aerodynamic and kinetic energy recovery system (KERS). One other note worthy of mention is the re-introduction of slick tyres after a number of years. A fun fact worth mentioning is related to the name given to the new car, that is F60. This number represents the number of years and editions that Ferrari have taken part in Formula One.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
New Year's Resolutions
It being the beginning of the year, one finds quite a few articles regarding the above-mentioned theme. We find articles stating that one should make a few resolutions that may actually be achieved instead of the usual long unrealistic list. One may also find humouristic articles for example by the one and only Jeremy Clarkson, saying that the month of January is the worst one when it comes to keeping up with all the resolutions. You're feeling a bit down and decide to reach for a cigarette but then you remember that you've decided to cut down on these so you decide to grab a nice chilled pint of beer but then you realize that you also promised to cut down on drinking. The next inclination would be to indulge on food but after the numerous Christmas meals, you realize that an attempt at jogging would be more beneficial. Clarkson is of the opinion that life is too short and precious to waste time on resolutions and instead we should focus on enjoying life as much as possible. Only today, the Times of Malta featured an article stating ten ways to save energy; in all probability this article was written as a consequence of the upcoming new energy tariffs. Comments vary with people saying that we should go back to the stone age whilst others said that it is about time we started to waste less and contribute in some way to saving planet earth and Enemalta's inefficieny couldn't really be left out !
I'm of the opinion that New Year's Resolutions may be useful in that they give us aims that should be given at least a shot in trying to be achieved. Not many, but a few realistic ones to try and improve our standard of life in general.
Best of luck to all in keeping those (in)famous New Year's Resolutions !
I'm of the opinion that New Year's Resolutions may be useful in that they give us aims that should be given at least a shot in trying to be achieved. Not many, but a few realistic ones to try and improve our standard of life in general.
Best of luck to all in keeping those (in)famous New Year's Resolutions !
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