May 1st 2005
90 minutes of football yesterday after 5 weeks out injured has left me feeling a bit wrecked today. Luckily for me it’s just my limbs, torso, extremities and organs that are in searing, agonising pain.
I suppose this morning I have to say something about Chelsea winning the league for only the second time in their history. On the pitch they’ve been extremely good. Consistent, solid and even though they don’t have a striker worth £5 they’ve scored plenty of goals, most of them from Frank Lampard who’s had the season of his life. Nobody can say they don’t deserve it although it does grate to see Joe Cole and Didier Drogba get medals simply because they’re two of the most annoying twats in football.
Anyway, well done to them and we’ll be back next year to give them a proper fight. The problem though is that off the pitch Chelsea’s behaviour is never going to win them any fans. They have a chief executive who loves secret meetings but is so crap at them he gets caught every time. They have a very talented manager who’s sulkier than my teenage daughter. They’re funded by money which, being as fair as I can about it, is tainted with the blood of thousands of Russians and with that money comes an arrogance which is never going to make them any friends. Their transfer dealings across the globe are suspect at best – see how they’ve worked a deal to sign Arsenal target Javier Mashcerano. It is a remarkable turnaround though. Before Abramovich took over Chelsea were £80m in debt and on the brink of recievership. All their top players were up for sale and their future was about as bright as Stevie Wonder’s world. Now they’re champions, holders of the Carling Cup and in the semi-finals of the Champions League, which is about the minimum you’d expect after an investment of nearly £300m.
What they have done though is break the Arsenal – Man United monopoly on the Premiership title and next season is going to be very interesting, particulary as we always react well after a relatively disappointing campaign. Bring it on.
Last word to Arsene Wenger who said “They have scored many goals and they haven’t conceded many, so that is a perfect balance and I respect it. I give them a lot of credit. I don’t have anything against what has happened on the pitch.”
In other news Barcelona want Thierry Henry with their President, Joan Laporta, saying “The truth is I’d love to see Thierry Henry here. He would have to come now, given his age.” Of course every club in the world would love Henry and while it’s hard to imagine the club even considering any kind of bid for Thierry it’s worth bearing in mind that his contract expires next summer so there’s a bit of work to be done in the meantime. The Sunday Mirror links us with midfielder Modest M’Bami and Uruguyan goalkeeper Sebastian Viera. On the goalkeeping front I’m told there’s some serious interest in a young Spanish keeper along with our continued interest in the Swede Isaakson. Teamtalk, via the News of the World, links us with a summer move for David Beckham.
And that’s your lot. Enjoy your Sunday. I’m off to sit in the sun and read the papers trying not to choke on the sports pages. Laters.
