Mo Salah and the Temptation of Saudi Arabia’s Fat Cheques!!

 

Liverpool FC Egyptian-born star, Mo Salah, was speculated to have been seriously enticed by several Saudi Arabian football clubs during the August 2023 transfer window. Salah is the most accomplished homegrown footballer from the Middle East and has broken so many records, especially in club football. Succumbing to the lure of the money-driven Saudi Arabian football revolution would be an immense achievement for his suitors, but would this enhance or diminish his impact on World football since he appears to have several seasons of top-flight European football ahead of him? Mo Salah started his career in Egypt, with Al-Mokawloon at a very tender age of about fifteen years. He moved to Switzerland, England, and Italy until finally settling with Liverpool FC in England. It wasn't so smooth for him but his exquisite skills and perseverance paid off. Some brilliant performances for Basel FC in Switzerland got Chelsea FC to sign him. He met a brick wall with Jose Mourinho, who rarely entrusted him with playing time. Salah was shipped to Roma and then sent on loan to Fiorentina FC until Liverpool FC rescued him and put his immense skill to proper use. 

Mo Salah, The Fourth Pyramid

Pep Guardiola: The Johan Cruyff Disciple Changing Football!

Pep Guardiola, the Catalan-born Manchester City FC Coach and serial trophy winner in Spain, Germany, and England has held the coaching industry spellbound since he took his first senior position. He started as a footballer, who grew from the Barcelona Academy, where he first encountered Johan Cruyff. Cruyff is renowned as probably the best footballer to have emerged from the Netherlands and as coach of Barcelona FC, 1988-96, greatly influenced the tiki-taka possession football that became synonymous with the Catalan side. As one of his players, Guardiola was hugely influenced by Cruyff. Theirs was a chance meeting during a training session whilst Guardiola was still in the academy team but it grew to become a father–son relationship until the passing of Cruyff.

THE FOUNDATIONAL YEARS OF PEP GUARDIOLA

Pep Guardiola started as a deep-playing midfielder with both defending and attacking qualities and could conveniently play whatever this role was assigned to him. He played over 380 matches for Barcelona FC and captained the team for four seasons, 1997-2001. Guardiola also had stints with Brescia and Roma FC in Italy, including a short period in Qatar and Mexico. He also played over 40 matches for the Spanish national team.

PEP GUARDIOLA's FOOTBALL PHILOSOPHY 

He retired in 2003 and shortly after, joined Barcelona FC B, as a coach; was given the senior team job three years later. Guardiola is known for his detail in setting his team for free-flowing football. He is obsessed with recruiting players (including goalkeepers), with good ball-handling skills, with a strong understanding of team cohesion, rather than individualistic tendencies to impress the spectators. This, combined with his high pressing to unsettle the opposition from easily building constructive play, has made the teams he’s managed difficult to beat! Guardiola makes his goalkeepers able to launch attacks from the back, using precision passes to players up front. He detests goalkeepers without good handling of the ball with their feet.

His job as a coach has taken him from Spain to Germany and currently in England and he’s never played second fiddle to any coach or team for more than a season. With Barcelona FC, he virtually took dominance of the Spanish La Liga and maintained Bayern Munich FC’s hold of the German Bundesliga. With the Qatari investments into Manchester City FC, Guardiola has made his club remain the team to beat in England. They have won the EPL 6 from 8 campaigns since he came.

THE GROWING IMPACT OF PEP GUARDIOLA's FOOTBALL PHILOSOPHY 

Pep Guardiola and his football philosophy has immensely impacted other coaches, raising disciples to his style! His former assistant at Manchester City FC, Mikel Arteta makes no secret of the similarities of his football philosophy with that of Pep, same with Roberto de Zerbi at Brighton FC, Ange Postecoglou, a Tottenham FC and so many others. Legendary Manchester United FC goalkeeper was eased out partly because Coach Erik Ten Hag dreamt of having a ball-playing goalkeeper to suit his football philosophy. Making the goalkeeper an integral attacking rather than a defensive asset originates from Pepe Guardiola’s philosophy. This attribute has become an important requirement for goalkeepers of the current decade.

Whilst Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, both renowned coaches of the twentieth century would conveniently set their teams for defensive play for an entire 90 minutes, the same is alien to Guardiola. That is the strength of his football knowledge and artistry. He brings out the real fun that comes with football and arouses inestimable joy whenever you watch any team raised by him.

WHAT NEXT FOR PSG's KYLIAN MBAPPE?

 Very few footballers can make claim to the laurels that Kylian Mbappe has won since he started his senior professional football career with Monaco FC in 2015. He’d be 25 next month, but Mbappe is already regarded as one of the best footballers in the World as a result of the listless records he’s broken and titles won. He won the 2018 World Cup with France, scoring in the final match, and has also won the French League title win Monaco and his current club, Paris Saint Germain FC. Mbappe narrowly missed winning another FIFA World Cup in the 2022 Qatar Competition, when the French team lost to the Lionel Messi-inspired Argentine team through penalties. 

 

THE HURDLE BEFORE KYLIAN MBAPPE 

In March 2023, French National team coach, Didier Deschamps named Kylian Mbappe the new captain of the French national football team, to replace Hugo Lloris. Like Pele, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo, Mbappe's major attributes include his dribbling skills, wonderful speed, and deadly finishing in front of goal. Despite these, the lure to replicate his wonderful skills elsewhere appears to be the remaining credentials necessary to cement his legendary beyond his current achievements. Though he’s yet to win the UEFA Champions League and Balloon D’or, pundits believe that a transfer to a bigger club in the most prominent leagues of England, Spain, and possibly Germany, would further enhance his chances of winning these titles and completely stamp his legendary on the annals of football. The addition of the declining Neymar and Lionel Messi to the PSG project of asserting their dominance over Europe had failed and both players have left leaving Mbappe to carry this burden alone! His club’s current performances in the group stage matches of the UEFA Champions League gives a clue to the weight of Mbappe’s current burden to winning the UEFA Champions League.

KYLIAN MBAPPE MUST MAKE A CONCRETE DECISION 

On the 4th of November 2023, Real Madrid FC of Spain released an official statement denying any discussion between their club and Kylian Mbappe for a transfer to join them. This was a culmination of several rumors that have lasted for about three seasons about a purported move to the Spanish club. The same situation had existed before the resumption of the current season, including Mbappe’s exclusion from PSG’s pre-season tour. Whilst there’s the huge possibility that Real Madrid FC is interested in Mbappe’s signature, the tussle to get him has remained difficult since his current contract with PSG ends in 2025. Also, is the interest of his club owners to keep him for as long as possible. Moving to a club with a bigger football profile than PSG would enhance Kylian Mbappe. He needs to make a concrete decision and move fast. He’s got age on his side to attract more accolades and remaining in France much longer appears unattractive. With players of his generation such as Pedri, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, and Erdin Haaland excelling in Spain and England respectively, an extra season at home could continue to deem his prospects.

GIFT ORBAN'S BOOTS ARE FIRING AGAIN!

 Gent AA FC Nigerian striker, Gift Orban’s boots are back to scoring goals again! He scored a hat-trick to give his team a hard-earned victory during last week's UEFA Conference League group match against Breidablik Kopavogur FC of Iceland.  Gift Orban scored 20 goals in 22 matches last season and created the record for the fastest hat-trick in a UEFA competition. Clubs across Europe went on full alert to get him, but he remained with Gent FC only for events to turn the other way!

The writer had earlier highlighted the hurdles he'd encounter leading to the January transfer window and like a seer, these have come to pass! His ability to continue to score goals for his team and remain fit would determine his future. The lure of joining the bigger leagues of England, Spain, and Germany remains the dream for strikers with the fortune and football prowess that Gift Orban has shown.

 

GIFT ORBAN SILENCES SKEPTICS

Young Gift Orban, who had scored just 2 goals in seven matches, was given a red card in their match against Eupen FC in the Belgian Juliper League and thereafter benched by his coach. Rather than allow a little patience with him, tongues began to wag within Belgium and some questioned his football qualities and attitudes.  ExGent AA FC goalkeeper, Wim De Connick accused him of being selfish and thinkingonly about himself.  Thanks to providence, he got his opportunity last week when his coach gave him some minutes to enable his newfound replacement to get some rest. Orban took his chance with a hat-trick.

 

 

GIFT ORBAN’s GOOD RUN MUST CONTINUE

For a man who came from nowhere to take Belgium by storm, something must have caused his goal drought. It could be an internal issue within his team, looking at the swiftness his coach took to bench him! More renowned strikers sometimes go through such situations and maintaining trust in them helps rebuild their confidence in front of goal.

Now that he's again shown his worth, we expect he continues to get more match time to allow him to continue his good form from where it stopped. His worth has increased and was even nominated for the Confederation of African Football Best Young Player of the Year Award. With the array of Nigerian strikers on good form, we wait to see the possibilities of his being selected for the January 2024 CAF African Nations Cup, and his good performance here, could yet enhance his value and attract more revenues for his club.

The good fortune for Orban and his club is that they have a win-win situation before them and vice versa. When a bigger club comes for him with the right fee, it would give more money to them, otherwise, allowing him to languish in mediocrity would be their loss.

As events unfold we can only wait to see what the January transfer window holds for him and how well he'd maintain good form to convince more suitors to come for his signature.

Easy Path to Revival For Chelsea FC

 

Chelsea FC has a very rich history, especially during the 21^st century. Their performances last season  fell below their good standards and a revival to their glorious times remains the target this season. 

With its takeover by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich in June 2003 and the arrival of coach Jose Mourinho, the eccentric Portuguese, who aptly referred to himself as ‘the special one’’, they won virtually  every trophy in club football history. Three years ago, in 2021, they won the UEFA Champions League. Events outside football led to the exit of Abramovich and the emergence of some new owners led by American businessman Todd Boehly.

 

THE NEW CHELSEA FC

The arrival of a new ownership for Chelsea FC also led to a total overhaul of the entire team and this led to the arrival of Coach Mauricio Pochettino. The Boehly-led group has bought a full squad, spending over a billion British pounds. Getting the team to gel has become a daunting task for the coach. So far Chelsea FC has won four matches, drawn three, and lost four.

Chelsea FC took the 12^th position in last season’s English Premier League, their worst position since the 1993/94 season. Their four goals to one triumph over Tottenham Hotspur FC, last week was a major confidence boost for the players and the entire team. Getting another victory over English Premier League titleholders, Manchester City FC, on 12^th November, would be a genuine and easy shortcut to restore their quest back to stardom.

 

On assuming his new role as Chelsea FC Coach, Pochettino affirmed his vision and mindset about winning by saying thus;

‘‘The objective is to win because football is about winning. We will have good times, create good relationships, and have a nice environment and relationship with people, but the most important thing in the end is to win.

‘If you win, it helps develop all the other things. Football is about results, how you achieve that is different because we are people that care about the way we achieve the results………….

 

CONSISTENT VICTORIES SHORTCUT  TO RESURGENCE FOR CHELSEA FC

Sunday’s match against Manchester City FC remains a very good opportunity for Pochettino to prove to skeptics that their victory over Tottenham FC was no fluke but a result of his managerial acumen. A duel with probably the world’s greatest football tactician is never an easy one. Pep Guardiola’s team stands solid in whatever situation with seasoned and a well-oiled squad that can adapt to overwhelm every opposition, as they come!

Their victory over Tottenham FC last Monday covered the profligacy of the Chelsea FC players in several missed goals and tactical laxity against Tottenham FC.  They need to take their chances as they come as they might not get the same listless opportunities (against Manchester City FC) as they did against two-man short Tottenham FC. Getting a draw would help sustain their confidence from their last match, but anything short could wipe out the newfound confidence that their large margin triumph on Monday has given the team. Former Manchester City player Cleve Palmer affirmed his expectations for them to continue their good form on Sunday against Manchester City FC and do hope the same passion runs through the entire team.

Can Girona FC Become The New Force in Spanish La Liga?

Girona FC is creating some surprise in the Spanish La Liga. With twelve matches so far, the Barcelona-based club occupies the first position, with two points ahead of Real Madrid and four above their city neighbors, Barcelona FC. This is their fourth participation in the Spanish Premier division; hitherto their activities have been dominant in the lower rungs of Spanish football. 

THE RISE OF GIRONA FC 

The club was taken over by Abu Dhabi-owned, Capital Football Group in 2017 when it bought a 44.3% share in the Catalan club. Pere Guardiola, the brother of Man City manager Pep Guardiola, serves as the managing director of Girona Football Group, which has an equal 44.3% share in the club. Compared to Real Madrid FC, Barcelona, Athletico Madrid, and even Sevilla, who are considered the perennial favorites of the Spanish La Liga, Girona FC, remains a small club with a very meagre budget. The biggest player purchase in their history is around €7.8million. Though the league is still far away from ending with a third of the matches completed, one would expect that their good run could be a result of huge capital investment, but it’s not truly so. They came into the Premier division in 2020 and for a club whose entire wage bill for the 2023/24 season is just €27, 240,000 Million Euros; they have exceeded their expectations for the season and mathematically guaranteed another year in La Liga, with their current 31 points in twelve matches

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They have a crop of virtually unknown players most of who arrived this season after they lost most of their best players to bigger clubs. Oriel Romeu was bought by Barcelona FC and Taty Castellanos is now with Lazio FC of Italy. With just 12 games into 2023-24, this is the first time in 20 years that a club other than Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid have topped the Spanish table at this stage of a season. 

WOULD GIRONA FC BECOME THE NEW FORCE? 

Paulo Gazzaniga, the former Tottenham FC third choice goalkeeper, Ex Man United and Bayern Munich player, Daley Blind, Brazilian Savinho, on loan from Troyes, Ukrainian Viktor Tsygankov and Eric Garcia on loan from Barcelona FC, form the spine of their team and so far, they have excelled. Guided by 47-year-old coach Michel, Girona FC took the 10th position last season and according to him, they have exceeded their expectations and continue to remain humble about the possibilities of continuing their smooth ride until the end of the season. Girona FC is a high-scoring side with 29 goals so far and their fluid and attacking quality gives the impression that they'd score many more goals. Speaking about their prospects, Real Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti says; The Catalan side has a "very big advantage" – not having to worry about European competition. "They have the chance to prepare well for games each week," said the Italian. "We have tiredness and injuries; we don't have time to recover." 

With the kind of attention they have drawn and the financial backing from the new Abu Dhabi partners, their emergence as a new force in Spanish La Liga would be exciting and this would bring a new vista to Spanish football.