The man who keeps his friends close, his enemies even closer.

That man, mind you, is one who pokes agony all over me. A pretender when he took the reigns 20 years ago, he has emerged a master and one of the finest managers in the world. That he has almost set the record straight in 11 glory years, speaks of a man with immense stature.

Alex Ferguson’s greatest challenge arrived in the form of a nutcase duo; one believed he could buy everything, the other believed he could win everything. The challenge was nothing compared to the occasional verbal sparring with Wenger, or the spiteful 2 games with Liverpool every season. Chelsea’s dynamic team meant that the bar had been further raised to be crowned champions of England. Liverpool have found life easier in the Champions League where the spotlight is on the team of the night, not of an entire campaign. Carefully blending a team of true consistency and grit was the ultimate challenge for Ferguson, and he has openly adopted his greatest nemesis as a person he’d share good bottles of wine with. Ever since that fateful evening Porto eliminated Man Utd from the Champion’s League, you get the feeling it was the start of a stormy rivalry between the two managers every time they met.

That this season they have made their love affair public, Ferguson had more than just gall to talk about the team he probably spites as much as Liverpool. He had respect. And maybe Mourinho gave him a tad too much, or must be still drunk from all the wine Fergie has put on his doorstep. He had honestly believed he could win everything. But was his own stubbornness to blame? He spoke of what might happen if Roman doesn’t listen to him and not give him some $$$ to reinforce a beleaguered team who was missing far too many ‘untouchables’. And it was apparent on the pitch with 10 draws. Mourinho said, “I knew there will be a season where i will not be a champion.” But i dont think this was the season.

While Mourinho would envy the longevity and status of Ferguson, the latter would swap his soul for youth. How Ferguson turned the tide on Mourinho by turning the pressure over to the Champions was the key to this season’s league title. For the last 2 seasons, Ferguson was playing catch, and just could not match Chelsea’s strength. This season he forced Chelsea to paddle up to them, and 4 competitions proved too much for a Chelsea squad that was thinner than last season’s.

Ferguson lured Mourinho into far too many drinks, and even gave him a sparkle of wild imaginations; that they could meet each other in the Champion’s League final. In all that talk, Fergie must have been lusting over the Premiership all along anyway. And the Devil himself triumphs in the end.

The Complete History of Chelsea F.C

Here it is.

S’Wonderful by the Kop Choir

That’s Stevie Wonderful, following the footsteps of my “housemate” Charlie (cos he bunks over all the time) and pay tribute to the one and only Steven Gerrard. Anfield legend / captain / general / lead bombardier / fan / player / inspiration / engine / engine oil / superhero  he is a winner and Liverpool thru n thru. Sure sure, we all dreamt of a team of Carraghers and Hyypias at Anfield for the devotion to the cause. We just don’t dream of a team of Stevie Gs cos he’s too much class to dream of. We don’t say just cos Stevie G missed a penalty, he’s had a bad World Cup. I don’t care to say the least since i’m not English. But here’s a song and a clip to show my (and Charlie’s) gratitude towards the superlatives of Steven Gerrard!

“There’s only one Stevie G”

It’s all right
Stevie G
You don’t have to
say you’re sorry

It’s all right
Stevie G
We’re still happy
with one trophy

It’s all right
Stevie G
We’ll just blame it
all on Wayne Rooney

It’s all right
It’s all right, right, right
It’s all right
Stevie G!!

There’s only one
Stevie G
He runs and marauds you
and stings like a bee

There’s only one
Stevie G
He looks and shoots
and we laugh with glee

There’s only one
Stevie G
He just drives
all you mancs crazeee

There’s only one
There’s only one, one, one
There’s only one
STEVIE G………

It’s all good
Stevie G
We’ve got five
and one to keep

It’s all good
Stevie G
Don’t worry bout Chelsea
We’ve got 18, they’ve got 3

It’s all good
Stevie G
Not long more
til they sack Fergie

It’s all good
It’s all good, good, good
It’s all good
STEVIE G!

Football and Monsters

It looks like Chelsea has wrapped up the title in emphatic fashion, hitting 3 past their nearest challengers. Their midfield prowess was almost unmatchable for long periods in the game, and from that performance it is hardly any wonder why they are champions. And their championship was not won without effort. It did seem like a ‘Buy One, Get One Free Deal’. Big efforts in the transfer market with funds surpassing perhaps the fortunes of the entire Premier League, meticulous efforts from the staff and players, but pale pale supporters.

Besides, Chelsea is one of the most expensive clubs to support, with its ticket prices bordering on the outrageous. These tolls may limit the tenacity and ferocity of its supporters to push the team beyond the boundaries, perhaps instead resting on the laurels of the overwhelming team sheet and benches, which in some cases is worth more than another team’s entire squad. The stadium lacks bite. Lacks a vicious atmosphere. Perhaps, at the time being, still sorely lacking in silverware too, though that may change in the next few years. But it was plain funny, amidst all the hype of securing their 2nd consecutive title, at the end of the game, they needed some “we are the champions” anthem over the P.A to stir the crowd into blissful choruses and echoes stretching from end to end. Before long, the song ebbed away into obscurity again, with only certain quarters singing, certain ones waving at the TV cameras, some chatting with loved ones, and the little London school kids who probably never seen Peter Osgood played in a Chelsea shirt in their lives, remembering only the last days of Zola donning the Blues.

I’m not complaining, nor am i fighting jealousy, but it seems as though some of the crowd lacks the passion of putting their voices, pockets and energy behind their beloved team. They have lost 2 vital semi finals to Liverpool now, the latter semi with a ticket against an underdog team in the final which would make them odds on favourites to win. The bitter part of the 2 ties is that on paper, in both games, Chelsea have a far superior side on the field, witnessed both in worth and form. Yet somehow the pride of the club were not worn on the shirt, for maybe they still lack the history to say that, “A club like Chelsea should be winning every damned silverware”.

What i felt that tilt the tie in Liverpool’s favour was some the great desire to win it for the amazing fans and some good fortune, while Chelsea’s millionaire superstars are highly motivated to achieve the peak of every footballer’s career with as many winner’s medals as possible. Bear in mind, Istanbul was won with the fans in mind, the fact that they sang their hearts out at half time, down 3-0, still believing something could happen in the next 45 minutes. How in the world did we, from being railed off the park by an invincible Milan side, to come out and match them, and to beat them? It was the fans. They carried the team on against Olympiacos, Juventus, Chelsea and Milan.

A club with special people does not make a club special, for it is the individuals in the clubs who are special. Great clubs are about dynasties. Leeds were big at one point, so too were Arsenal, Man Utd, Liverpool and European Cup winning sides of Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa. Liverpool, engineered a footballing dynasty with successive League titles and European Cups in the 70s and 80s. Man Utd did not achieve immortality in the public eye before 1999, 5 league titles in the last 6 seasons, and a European Cup to boast. That is a dynasty.

2 league titles do not make a club immortal, nevertheless there is a core of a great thing in Chelsea that could work in the future. Unless they win a hattrick of titles, a double, a European Cup, a treble, it remains to have no right to claim greatness. Not yet at least, especially when a club is so full of itself. Just remember to get poor ol’ Mourinho a Chelsea scarf to show off next time.