Today in the news Bruno Conti, technical director of Roma, has blasted Sir Alex Ferguson for his double standards as Manchester United has prized Davide Petrucci, a youth player who is tipped to be the next Francesco Totti, away from Roma.
Alex Ferguson is being specifically blasted because of the current Cristiano Ronaldo transfer saga, where he and Manchester United have criticized Real Madrid for trying to prize the gifted winger away from Old Trafford, yet on the other hand continue to steal young talent from clubs like Roma that developed them.
Roma is not alone, Barcelona especially has had many of their gifted youngsters tempted into moves by English clubs, the biggest of these being Cesc Fabregas, who signed for Arsenal back in September of 2003 at the age of 16, the same age that Davide Petrucci of Roma is. Atletico Madrid has also been recently said to be protecting their youth team from English clubs such as Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool with the likes of Ignacio Camacho being promoted to first team action. Other names within the youth team who coaches tip to be promoted in the coming year are Borja González , Sergio Marcos, Pedro Mba and Perico.
What I don't like is that the English Premier League is currently boasting to be the best league in the world, yet still the majority of the talent playing in the league are not English, hence one of the reasons the English national team could not even qualify for Euro. The money and effort that they put into stealing other people's young players should be put into developing their own talent and nothing is stopping them from doing it. They are the richest league but yet they are content to steal, and that's why I personally have no respect for English clubs or their league. Bruno Conti was right for calling Alex Ferguson a hypocrite, I would call him one too.

New coach of Fc Barcelona, Pep Guardiola, was officially presented today and has announced his plans for next season. The coach has stated that he is not counting on Ronaldinho, Deco or Eto'o, come next season and that these three players have their own futures in their hands. However he said that if Ronaldinho wanted to continue at the club he could do so and earn his place.
I can understand Pep's comments, apparently the relationship with these players and the club has deteriorated and he cannot really count on these players, who seem to have lost motivation to play for the club. I understand that he has to move on and build a strong side, one which does not include Ronaldino, Deco and Eto'o because these players' names are constantly in the transfer market and who knows what decision they will make.
Of the three, the player most likely to leave is Deco, he has been linked with Chelsea and Inter, but he has stated that nothing will be decided until he has finished with his international duties with Portugal. Ronaldinho too like Deco has been linked with Chelsea and has been urged by his teammate to join him at Chelsea should he join the Blues this summer. Eto'o on the other hand has expressed that Barca is his first choice but if he's not wanted he would move on. Despite Pep stating that he's not counting on Eto'o, I find it hard to believe that statement, primarily because of the high price tag Barca has placed on the striker. My view is, if you really want a player to go, you would do everything necessary to make it happen and lowering the transfer price would be a good start.
Pep has implied that he already has replacements lined up for the trio by stating that he and Barca know who they want. Recent news in the transfer market has stated that Barca are still keen on signing Emanuel Adebayor and Aleksandr Hleb from Arsenal, and time will tell if they get their targets. Clearly I can see why they would want to buy these players because to me Arsenal's style of play is quite similar to that of Barca's, but Barca just does it better in my opinion.
With all this said, Pep has stated that he is ready for the challenge ahead and that if he wasn't ready he wouldn't take up the job. I'm glad to hear his comments, I'm just hoping and praying that at least one of the three mentioned, stay at the club. I'm thrilled that he's ready for the challenge and I hope he doesn't disappoint. FORCA BARCA!!!

With the appointment of "Big Phil" at Chelsea, the media are currently speculating about the two time World Player of the year going to Stanford Bridge.
Ronaldinho has been very quite these days and has not really spoken to the media about anything concerning his future. However recent news suggest that El Gaucho would be interested in a reunion with newly appointed coach of Chelsea, Luiz Scolari, who he played under at the 2002 World Cup. Ronaldinho is said to have a good relationshop with Scolari on and off the pitch but whether or not he will join him at Chelsea for sure, is another matter.
Ronaldinho has been in the shadows for much of the season that has just passed and is looking to revive his career starting next season. Known as a player that really only likes to play for big clubs, he is likely to snub a move to Manchester City, who he has been linked with for several weeks now, especially now that Chelsea are interested in signing him and Scolari has been appointed head coach.
I said it before and I will say it again, I would love for Ronaldinho to revive his carrier at Barcelona, as I am a big fan of the club, but he appears to have lost motivation to play there. However above all I would like to see Ronaldinho at his best again and if that means moving to Chelsea so be it.

Due to his amazing performances at Euro 2008, many of Europe's elite clubs are interested in signing El Guaje from Valencia this summer. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Arsenal and now Liverpool have all been linked with the 26 year old.
Villa had been reported to say he would prefer to play for a big club in Spain but now seems to be interested in a move to England, but as I see it, it's still in the air. He could very well stay at Valencia, as the club is reluctant to sell. If i were Valencia, i would not sell my top striker either, but it all comes down to what the player wants and what's best for the club as a whole.
It's funny to me how clubs are now beginning to take notice of Villa, because in my opinion he was always a great striker and one of the best in La Liga. Dating back to the 2005/2006 La Liga season, he was the runner-up in the race for the piccici and was only outscored by Eto'o.
Villa recently said that he would be tempted to join Liverpool because of Rafa Benitez and the many friends he has at the club, including Spanish teammate Fernando Torres. However, I've heard no news of Liverpool trying to capture the player, they are currently fending off the interest from Chelsea for Torres.
Wherever Villa goes or if he decides to stay, I just hope it is the best decision for such a gifted striker, on thing is certain at Valencia, he won't see the bench.

With the Netherlands securing their spot in the quarter-finals of Euro 2008 with an impressive 4-1 display over France, that literally had me jumping out of my seat, I just want to point out why I think they're being so successful thus far in this competition.

Attitude
Wesley Sneijder declared before this game that he and his teammates are afraid of no one and you can vividly see it. These players really want this cup, you see it in their attitude on the pitch ,they never look like loosing and they play at a high energy level especially on their fast-breaks.

Chemistry
With Ruud van Nistelrooy, Robben and Sneijder all playing at Madrid, it is clear that this team has an upper hand in terms of knowing each other very well. You can see how easily they play as a unit and definitely playing with each other at the same club is a big factor in competitions like this one, where teams are comprised of players who play in various leagues.

Raw Talent
Just take a look at Sneijder's screamer in the top V, Robben's fantastic left footed strike, which he scored even while Gallas was closing his space, Van Nistelrooy's incredible ability where if he isn't scoring he's providing, and also with the likes of Van Persie and Van der Vaart. Clearly the Dutch aren't short of raw talent, this team oozes it through their pores.

Good Management
I know many people question Marco Van Basten's ways and tactics, but clearly he has the formula for winning. Italy blamed their lost on the poor tactics of their manager, never giving the Dutch credit for the way they played, but they proved today that Italy's beat-down was no fluke. Van Basten's tactics and decisions may be questionable to some, but let's face it, he's Dutch, and the Dutch produce good managers.

After seeing the Netherlands destroy two heavyweights in this competition, I definitely see them going all the way to the final. Let's wait and see if my prediction holds true.

Given the fact that Luiz Felipe Scolari has now been officially appointed coach of Chelsea, it will be very interesting to see what the Brazilian has to offer. Said to be a man who always has good relationships with his players by interacting with them and seeing how they like to play and where on the pitch. To see him coaching Chelsea will be very interesting indeed.
For me, bringing him to Chelsea was a good move by the directors and owner, Roman Abramovich, it will be very interesting to see how similar or different Chelsea plays under Scolari's rule. While Avram Grant was manager Chelsea pretty much played the same physical, brute force kind of football that they had been playing when Jose Mourinho was manager. However we will see if Scolari brings them to playing more attractive football, the kind that Abramovich would like to see.
Another point of topic, would be the players that he decides to bring to Stamford Bridge, will he follow the trend of the other managers in the EPL, and bring in players of his nationality, like Rafa Benitez brings in Spanish players and Arsene Wenger brings in the French. Well, we shortly shall see.
One player who it has been suggested that he will bring to the Bridge is Deco, who Scolari is currently coaching at Euro 2008 along with the other Portuguese players. It is reported that Scolari has indicated to Lampard that he should leave, thus leaving the press to speculate about Deco replacing Lamps. Regardless of who he brings in to play, one thing is certain, Chelsea fans are excited about Scolari's appointment, let's all just wait and see what he has to offer.

I've been following Euro 2008 and I have enjoyed watching the competition thus far. I watched two impressive victories thus far Spain's 4-1 brilliance over Russia and the Netherlands' thrashing of Italy.
I want to draw some attention right now to the Portuguese, who seem to be in good form, as they have won both of their matches thus far. Although they don't look to me as impressive as the Netherlands or Spain, they get the job done and have been beating their opponents quite convincingly, but i don't think the score lines in both their matches truly reflected how close their games were. The only difference between them and the teams they have beaten is that they took their opportunities when they came, and in football this is what separates the best from the rest.
Portugal has a good team with the likes of captain Nuno Gomes, Simao, Deco, Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe, but do they have what it takes to be crowned the best of Europe. With the lineup they possess I believe they are capable of doing it but I really don't see them winning this one. They have a good midfield but their defense looks a bit shaky at times and their chemistry seems to be a bit off. I do like the way Cristiano Ronaldo is playing, as he is passing the ball a lot more than he would had he been playing for Manchester United, but I'm never overly impressed with the things he does.
One thing that I have really questioned about this Portuguese team is the fact that team coach, Luiz Scolari allows Ronaldo to wear the captain's armband when Nuno Gomes is substituted. Personally, I think the band should be given to a more experienced player like Deco, but I guess the armband is given to Ronaldo to boost his confidence. However he is still very young and I don't think he's ready to lead the national team.
Overall Portugal are playing well and with a little bit more time together they most likely will get better, we just have to wait and see how they hold up against the bigger guns of the competition. Good luck to Portugal.

Today I was most definitely looking forward to seeing my favorite team at Euro 2008, Spain, and I was certainly not disappointed.
I had questions in my mind about how well the Spanish would play, primarily due to the previous game before this one against the United States, where they only managed to score one goal. However today in their first game at Euro against Russia, they have certainly found their stride and played the way i expected them too.
Yesterday I failed to point out players who played well in the Netherlands victory over Italy, but today I have no choice. David Villa was just brilliant, his hat trick in Spain's 4-1 victory, did a lot to soften the blow of Raul not being in this competition. He showed that Spain has top strikers besides the Spanish all time leading goal scorer, Raul. Before this match all I was hearing was Torres, Torres, Torres and although I love Torres very much as well, Villa just outshone him in this game. Aragones, to me for once did the right thing and that was to partner Torres and Villa up front, instead of using Villa as a substitute and it payed off big time.
After Villa's performances today, I'm sure Valencia will be beaming with joy, as their player is off to a good start in the competition and has thus potentially raised his value, which will intern justify the high price tag they have attached to the player. Valencia are reported to possibly sell at least one of their star players this summer in order to help ease the financial issues at the club, and Villa could very well be the one to be sold.
Spain have apparently gotten their defensive issues together but personally I think it needs some more tweaking, the defense cannot afford to loose concentration in the dying moments of the game just because they have the lead, it could cost them dearly if the scoreline was much closer. However, it was a good overall display by the Spanish and with a little bit more chemistry, it will be hard to stop them from winning Euro 2008. I give them two thumbs up.

After watching the Netherlands win convincingly over current World Champions, Italy, in their first group encounter at Euro 2008, I felt compelled to write something.
Everyone knows the Dutch have quality and they are capable of beating anybody, but nobody probably thought they would have thrashed Italy the way they did. I myself was so shocked but I throughly enjoyed the display they put on. Shadows of doubt are often placed on the Dutch because although they possess extreamely gifted players, they too like Spain often disappoint on the big stage. However after defeating current World Champions, Italy, one is left to ponder if they have what it takes to win Euro 2008.
Ajax, Barcelona and Dutch legend Johan Cruyff said in an interview before the match with Italy, that his country has a good team but he questioned head coach, Marco Van Basten's tactics, saying he has doubts about them. I wonder what he thinks of his tactics after Italy's 3-0 thrashing. Tactically what I gathered from the way the Dutch played, is that they counter attacked very well, caught Italy off-guard when they pushed heavily up the pitch, they found their wide players frequently to stretch Italy's defense and they often looked to beat the offside trap with quality balls down the middle. To me they played like an ideal Dutch team and I personally found nothing wrong with Van Basten's tactics, as they played quality attacking football.
I was going to state who I personally thought stood out in this game, however it is very hard to point a finger at any one player because overall this was an excellent team effort. The Netherlands truly played like a cohesive unit.
It is still early days in the competition and we are yet to see if the Dutch will play this well again, but after their first game against Italy, they have definitely tipped themselves as one of the favorites to win Euro 2008.

After yet another disappointing season at Barcelona, where the club came up empty handed for a second year in a row and with Ronaldinho missing much of the action due to injury and apparently personal issues. I'm left to ponder what's up with the player who I and the Barcelona faithful loved so much and who a lot of us still do.
Recent news in the press have been liking the two time Fifa Player of the Year heavily with a move to Manchester City as the owner Thaksin Shinawatra definitely has the funds to do so. However one is left to ponder if Ronaldinho would even consider moving to a club of a significantly lower caliber than Barca. There could be several reasons for him moving to a club like Manchester City, but I would say having the opportunity to be the world's best again and reviving a carrier which has gone quite quiet over the last two seasons as the main reasons.
Despite Manchester City being the club most mentioned in the media with being linked to Ronaldinho, apparently according to the player's brother and agent Roberto De Assis Moreier, Chelsea and AC Milan are still very interested. De Assis also made it known that there would be no conclusion to Ronaldinho's transfer saga anytime soon, as the player is relaxing in Brazil trying to recover from injury.
Even though there are reports in the news everyday about Ronnie, the player himself is keeping a very low profile and hasn't stated anything in regards to his future. This puts a huge question mark as to what are the player's views and what frame of mind he's in. Personally I would like to see him revive his carrier at Barca but with that looking unlikely I would prefer if he moved to AC Milan.
Moving to Manchester City to me seems like a huge step down but by moving there the team will most definitely be built around him and playing time will not be an issue. However it's hard to see him playing for City but in football money talks and anything can happen.