Claudio Ranieri: Anyone Else Feel Bad For This Guy

After reading a headline we all knew was coming - Ranieri sacked by Inter Milan - a range of thoughts registered in my mind.

Mother always said there'd be days like these...

Oh Ranieri, sacked again was my first thought. This scenario has happened time and again to the unlucky Italian. I know all coaches at top clubs get put under the ol' Bunsen burner, but it seems like Ranieri is constantly roasted at any club he arrives at and ultimately sacked or forced to resign.

He totally deserved it was my second thought. Based on his history of being the "nearly man," I figured this was bound to happen to Ranieri at Inter. He nearly led (X) to the pinnacle (X = Valencia, Chelsea, Juventus, Roma etc...) year after year after year. Will this man ever finish first? It was only a question of when for poor Claudio. It came sooner than I thought, but Ranieri fully deserved to be fired... Right?

Wrong. Ranieri was set up for failiure is my final thought. Even though he often falls victim to the axe and in the past had deserved it for being the guy that almost won it for the team, at Inter Milan, a post-golden age Nerazzurri, Ranieri and any other coach (see Rafa Benitez and Gian Piero Gasperini) did not stand a chance. People will claim Jose Mourinho's massive shadow of success has led to the club's meltdown, but as far as I'm concerned, President Massimo Moratti failed Inter, not Mourinho's mirage and most definitely not Claudio Ranieri. 

Inter President Massimo Moratti

Consistent missteps by the flamboyant club president have resulted in Inter's troubles. He has made a myriad trivial moves over the past two seasons, which have led to the downfall. He sold Samuel Eto'o to Russia, albeit for big money, when Eto'o was the club's main force upfront. Older players like Dejan Stankovic, Esteban Cambiasso, Christian Chivu, Lucio, etc... have not been sold, yet still relied upon as an integral part of the team. Younger players like Andrea Ranocchia and Coutinho have been heavily relied upon, only to perform below-par. Wesley Sneijder has been run-ragged trying to keep this team together, which has ultimately crushed his world class form of a few years back. And the list goes on.

Ironically, Moratti blames the coaches - ones that he chose to hire - for poor performances. Hey Massi: when this keeps happening, it might not be the coaches. 

Does anyone else feel bad for Ranieri? This time, it wasn't the Tinkerman's fault.


Photo Credits:
Ahram Online
guardian.co.uk

Thierry Henry: Still Clinical

At age 34, New York Red Bull captain Thierry Henry is still as clinical of a finisher as he was ten years prior. We saw a rejuvenated Henry score a few big goals for Arsenal during a loan spell this winter, but I for one was not sure which Henry would turn up at the beginning of the MLS season: the hands in the air frustrated Henry or the barn-storming goal-scoring French man-machine. Here's what we got in NY's home opener:





Bald head slick is back and ready to rock in New York!

Remembering Italy's 2006 WC Run

Earlier this morning, I re-watched a few inspirational videos of Italy's monumental World Cup championship run in 2006. Some of you might not care so much about their triumph, but those moments had great personal significance for me, as I was beginning my own journey in Italy at the time.

I found the Azzurri's run to the top of world football intriguing in that several factors within the squad clicked into place, which allowed the team to persevere through tough times on the home front (Calciopoli Scandals) and win the tournament for a fourth time:

Andrea Pirlo hit form in spectacular fashion. His vision and distribution were fantastic throughout the tournament. If Pirlo had not been in the side, I do not believe Italy would have won the World Cup.

Fabio Grosso reached the peak of his career during the month of the tournament. Relatively unheard of, Grosso made history for his country by scampering down the left flank and scoring some huge goals.

Fabio Cannavaro lead a backline that was as solid as granite. His defense in Germany was flawless. Moreover, through his tough-as-nails actions on the field, he united the team he captained.

Gianluigi Buffon was considered the world's best keeper at the time and lived up to it. His stunning saves throughout the summer backed up the Azzurri's stellar defensive unit. Particularly, his save on Zidane's bullet header in extra-time of the final was monumental.

Francesco Totti overcame a leg-break in just three months to join the squad in Germany. He played an integral role in linking up the attack and assisted on a fair share of goals. His clinically struck penalty deep into injury-time versus Australia is a career highlight for the Roman, as it kept Italy alive in the tournament.

Marco Materazzi is a jerk, but he also peaked in the summer of 2006. His defense was gritty and his towering header in the final was epic.

Gianluca Zambrotta was a catalyst for Italia's attack on the right flank. Some daring runs down the line, mixed with a few cracking goals proved vital to the team's offense.

These factors, along with others, came together and created a winning formula for the Italians. I feel that if either of these players were not in the squad for one reason or another, Italy most likely would not have won their fourth World Cup.

Re-live the joy with me and check out these three videos of Italy's journey in 2006:

Totti's penalty vs. Australia


Grosso & Del Piero's last gasp semifinal goals vs. Germany


The final




Photo Credit:
ESPNSoccernet

Video Credits:
YouTube

Vincenzo Montella: Quietly Becoming a Top Manager

Since trading in his pilot wings for a seat in the control tower, Vincenzo Montella has continued his successful career in football, this time on the sidelines.

In his first real coaching gig, Montella has led Serie A club Catania to the brink of Europe. Currently in 8th place - the highest position the club has ever achieved in the league - the Sicilian club is poised to make a serious run at a Europa League spot.

L'Aeroplanino did not simply land in this position, but rather gained prior management experience with AS Roma, the club he scored so many precious goals for. After a successful stint as the head of the organization's youth club, he was promoted to first-team manager midway through the 2010-11 campaign, following the resignation of Claudio Ranieri. Charged with the task of avoiding further Ranieri-level destruction, Montella gradually instilled confidence back in the side, guiding them to a Europa League berth. Unfortunately for the Little Airplaner, a sweeping American takeover of the club essentially shut the door on his coaching career in Rome. More frustrating for Montella were the credentials of his replacement, Luis Enrique; a coach just as untested as himself.

After being dropped by the Capital Club, Montella quietly landed in Sicily with Catania. As the year has progressed, the Rossazzurri have grown to a new level. No longer are they part of the lower-tier contingent of the Serie A, but a formidable opponent for even top sides - just ask Inter, Roma and Lazio. Montella's brave tactics - often incorporating a 3-5-2 - and gutsy player selections - sitting Maxi Lopez (who ultimately left the club) in favor workhorse Gonzalo Bergessio - has gained wild praise amongst Serie A pundits because of the team's success. Corriere dello Sport recently claimed Catania to be the most in-form side in Serie A, unbeaten in their last six matches, with only one loss in nine. Catania Director Pietro Lo Monaco even went so far to say Montella has the DNA of a great coach.

With a semi-difficult schedule in the last quarter of the year, the Rossazzurri have their work cut out for them, but with gritty Top Gun performances inspired by their young coach, the club has reason to be excited.

I'll leave you with the most legendary night in any footballers career:

That's the most goals scored by a single player in any derby ever. It had to be you Montella! Hats off to a great former goal scorer on his was to becoming a top manager.


Photo Credit:
forzaitalianfootball.com

Ibrahimovic: I'm Sick Of You

At first, the hard man attitude of Zlatan Ibrahimovic was alluring. A tough guy backing up his tough talk through gritty performances usually is. His prolific scoring record and affinity to win titles - currently nine in a row - speaks volumes about his talents as a footballer, regardless of an inflated ego. However, I'm getting sick of his over-the-top arrogance. As Ibra has gotten old, so has his antics on and off the field. Lets review some history:

Incredible efforts at Ajax garnered the attention of many leading clubs around Europe. Hilarious interviews after matches endeared fans to the tall Swede's tough, yet playful style:

The cool-talking Ibrahimovic was a delight at this point of his career. Seeing a player sensibly spar with a prying journalist is always enthralling.

At Juventus, Ibra rose to stardom. His flicks, tricks and flashy goals drew the attention of the world audience. Moreover, he arrived in a top league and immediately made an impact, scoring 16 goals while leading the Old Lady yet another title. Check out the scope of his dope skills during one of Nike's Joga Bonito clips prior to World Cup 2006:

That had to be Dubble Bubble! Ibra's tenure at Juve was cut short due to the Calciopoli scandals, which lead to his move to Inter.

In the Serie A post-Juve fallout, Inter was evil. They were essentially the Yankees of Calcio, scooping up every serious star in the wake of the scandals, one being Ibra. His dominance continued at Inter, winning three titles and securing Capocannoniere honors - top scorer in Serie A - in his final year.

Ibra silences San Siro boo boys and lets them know to shut up

Towards the end of his tenure at Inter, tempers began to flare. Though goals like these brought fans to their feet, but Ibra's inability to make an impact in games of importance angered fans. On this unsteady ground, Zlatan's hard man from Malmo act made matters much worse. As seen in the picture above, there were several instances where Zlatan threw dissent right back in their faces. No love was lost when the striker flew the coop for Barcelona in exchange for Eto'o.

Barcelona probably could have done without the services of Ibrahimovic. Even after a strong start, it was evident the striker did not fit into Pep Guardiola's system. After the fact, we have learned (through Ibra's biography) about severe problems Ibra had in the locker room. He seemed like the bad kid in school who always acted up in class. To him, Guardiola was not in control, while no one questioned Messi or Xavi. To Barca, he was polluting a good ecosystem. For a person with this sort of ego, I am sure authoritarian problems hit hard. The result: a summer move back to Italy with city rivals AC Milan.

Fortifying his complete lack of care for Inter, Ibra traded over to city rivals AC Milan a year after departing the Nerazzurri. In Italy, this is a serious dis to fans. This move dovetailed into the Swede's current over-the-top arrogance. He was always kind of a jerk, but while in Rossoneri, he has never failed to anger me. His track record:

Constant red cards jeopardized Milan's title winning efforts towards the end of last year.

Fighting to the death with American man-machine Oguchi Onyewu.

An infamous kick on a teammate during training:



Another kick, this time on Antonio Cassano, after winning the Scudetto:


A well placed slap against a Napoli player last month put him in the doghouse.

A temper-tantrum post Champions League progression vs. Arsenal.

And most recently, a spat with a reporter resulted in Ibra asking her "What the F*ck are you looking at??" followed by a headband throw:


What is wrong with this guy? Have years of success made his ego boil over? Maybe it's because he looks like Zorro right now? I used to admire the hard man attitude, but as of late, it just seems excessive.

To conclude this rant, I offer you a hilarious video dissecting Ibrahimovic's attitude via the Barcelona tensions with Pep Guardiola:




Photo/Video Credits:
world-football-report.blogspot.com
blogs.reuters.com
Youtube

Stuart Holden: Inspiring

Stu Holden is a fighter. In the face of an agonizing uphill battle towards recovery from serious injury, the Bolton and USMNT midfielder has maintained a brave and jovial attitude. This mentality despite adversity has been an inspiration to anyone facing hard obstacles.

He'll be back, Wanderer faithful

Injured in a horrific tackle by the studs of Manchester United's Johnny Evans near the end of last season, Holden has been on the long road to recovery ever since. A failed comeback this past September put the young midfielder on the sidelines for the rest of this season, but still, Holden remains upbeat.

After watching his first few "No Holden Back" videos, which detail his journey of recovery, I have gained an even greater respect for my fellow countryman. Oh, and the dude can cook! Check out ESPN's detailed account of Holden's trials and tribulations so far to see what I mean. And do see his videos below to gain some insight on how a top athlete deals with this sort of situation brilliantly:

No Holden Back: Episode 1



No Holden Back: Episode 2



No Holden Back: Episode 3


Here's to a fast recovery for this talented player! Hope to see you kickin' it on the pitch soon Stu! Stay positive and get well. 


Photo Credit:
guardian.co.uk

Video Credit:
Youtube: kick

LA Loses, Makes My Morning Again

For the second day in a row, my morning has been made by a team being knocked out of a tournament!

The LA Galaxy dropped the 2nd leg of their CONCACAF Champions League knockout tie with Toronto FC last night, losing 2-1 (4-3 on aggregate), and ultimately making my morning better. Thanks, losers! I strongly dislike the Galaxy, a team of cry babies, so this was a fitting start to the day.

Un-exaggerated, yet relevant headline

Kudos to Toronto, who surely topped their previous best moment in the MLS with this win. It only took one week, but the Red Stormers from up north made team history again. Unfortunately, mlssoccer.com did not provide a highly exaggerated headline this time around, but we commend them for their review.