The Highway Gigger

Music is my life and passion, I beleive that everybody has a song in their head as they go about their lives, its an internal soundtrack that either motivates you or adds extra melancholy to your depression. Who hasnt listened to sad love songs after a breakup? Even hardcore death metal lovers will attune to Dido or Boyz II Men when the time called for it..in their head. Its the soul and the passion in music as a form of expression that gets me. again, how many people make a mixtape for that special someone hoping to spark the right chord(Pun-O-matic)and pull their heart strings? Emotion in music is everywhere as a certain song will jog distant memories and for us living in seasonal climates, music can add a loose form of pathetic fallacy to the weather or feelings. I am a huge fan of live music and unplugged sessions, the rawness of a live intimate set always strikes me as the best way to listen to music,no dubbing, no effects or lip syncing, just the artist expressing his thoughts through song.

With that i headed down to the Half Moon in Putney to not only catch a live set but get a chance to see my old friend Ben Wheatley play an acoustic set. Coming in at a reasonable £2.50 i caught Redvers Bailey, the man behind the Monday Night sessions and he immediately struck me as a budding Art Garfunkel with his smooth imagery in his lyrics of 'Roses Garden' and soft sentiment written in his tracks. Amazingly the next artist struck me as a hint of Neil Young more so through stance and mannerisms coupled with his anthemic folk musings. On the back of two great starters a blues players Richard Kitson caught my attention as he muscled his way through his delta blues like musings with great accuracy and vigour. Hailing from the North it must have been quite a trek but the audience appreciated his work. Next up was Ben Wheatley who started off with 'Undiscovered Lovers' moving onto 'Paper Aeroplanes' and finished with 'Blow your cover' struck me as the reports i had read before as a mix between The Police and Maroon 5 with his soulful lyrics. The night was headlined by Elsa Chapman, not only did she bring a different instrument(a piano) but she has provided vocals for Youassnou D'iors '7 Seconds' which was not surprising as she blew the audience through her confident stage prescence coupled with an amazing R&B voice. After checking out all these acts on myspace, the chance to see them live allowed deeper meaning into their work as they have all worked hard and slaved countless hours crafting and perfecting their songs. all in all, the night was a great gig as all artists showed that there is talent out there, it may not be heard on commercial radio stations but listen closer to the sound of the underground, you never know what you might be missing out on.

Feet Do The Talking

Athletes competing at this summer's Olympics are fighting for a trip to the medal stand. For Nike and Adidas, the Beijing games are a brawl for 21st century dominance of the sneaker world.

While every Olympics is a dogfight for the longtime rivals, this year's games are a bigger deal. Beijing's the doorway into a vast new market. There are 2.6 billion feet in China, most of them without sneakers. Both companies expect the country to be its second-largest market, after the U.S., within a few years. "It's the ultimate land grab," says Swangard. "There's been no other Olympic year in this kind of growing market."

For Adidas, it's especially important. After an ill-fated 2005 deal for Reebok failed to juice Adidas' results, the three stripes finds itself increasingly marginalized by the swoosh. Adidas sees this summer's Beijing Olympics as a way to make up ground.

Adidas paid approximately $100 million in cash and merchandise donations for the partnership rights, according to various reports. The company will supply apparel to athletes, staff volunteers and technical officials, plus sponsor interactive Internet gaming featuring several Chinese athletes, to place its brand in front of the crowd. Nike's gone another way, focusing, as usual, on sponsoring specific athletes. "Nike has never had to be an 'official sponsor' to make inroads," says Paul Swangard, managing director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon.

Despite the relative strength of Germany-based Adidas in Europe and weakness in Nike's flagship U.S. market, Nike has expanded its global lead over its rival over the past three years. Nike's 36% worldwide market share dwarfs the 21.8% share for Adidas, according to Sporting Goods Intelligence. Adidas has been consistently dragged down by the once-mighty Reebok brand, which contributes about 6% to its parent's total.

Yes, the deal brought some volume savings by letting Reebok piggyback on Adidas' production infrastructure. The company has also successfully pruned its distribution network, getting out of discount stores that slashed the brand's image along with its prices. But, notes industry expert Barbara Smit, author of The Sneaker Wars, there's still the matter of re-launching the brand and growing sales. "So far, we haven't seen any results," she says.

By the time the games begin in August, Adidas plans to have 4,000 exclusive stores in the country, including a 10,000-square-foot palace in Beijing. Nike has close to that number of stores as well, in a country where a dearth of general sportswear chains like Foot Locker make building your own outlets necessary.

The problem for Adidas is that,while it's staked out its turf as an official sportswear partner, Nike has more top athletes. They include Swiss tennis ace Roger Federer and Australian track star Craig Mottram, along with old standby basketball legends Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

The fact that Nike's athlete's aren't guaranteed to win at the games means there's risk in going the performance route but also bigger payoff if they do. And to make local inroads, the company has signed up 22 of China's 28 sports federations to outfit most of its athletes. That means even Yao Ming, the Chinese marketing sensation who plays for the NBA's Houston Rockets, will be outfitted in a Nike basketball uniform despite a personal deal with Adidas' Reebok unit.

The deal is just one of 40 that Nike signed with various national federations, including the U.S, Germany and Russia, ensuring that team members will be decked out in Nike gear during play regardless of where they have their individual endorsements.

So for many of 3,000 athletes in the Adidas stable who will compete in Beijing [about a third of the total], donning the three stripes will be limited to the medal stand. During play, they'll be in Nike gear. Major Adidas endorsers include U.S. basketball star Dwight Howard and Chinese soccer star Ma Xiaoxu.

On the plus side for Adidas, the company's status as an official Olympic partner shouldn't subject it to too much risk from the volatile political climate that has protesters shouting down China's human rights record, Swangard thinks. Because Adidas' primary objective is building business in China, it can actually benefit from being seen by the locals as supportive of the country.

But while referees and staff will be running around Beijing in their Adidas, the bulk of the athletes getting attention will be competing in their Nike gear--and getting most of the air time, both live during the games and in all the follow-up photos and video to be viewed for years to come.

As Smit puts it: "A high jumper will have a Nike shirt on while jumping, then an Adidas shirt when receiving a medal on the stand. Which would you rather have?"

Msnhttp://sport.my.msn.com/olympics/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1569889&imageindex=2

A Boy Named Goo

I recently crossed off one of my lifetime ambitions, I got to see the Goo Goo Dolls play a set at the O2 wireless festival on Sunday and they rocked or as Tukac put it 'Played great rock you can dance to'. As I grew up in Singapore and Malaysia, the influence on my music tastes were not that diverse considering that whatever talent or inspiration you were given was whatever their radio stations fed you. Having said that, i stumbled across the Goo around 1995 when 'Name' was receiving enough airplay and hype in the States to warrant the local pop radio station to play it late at night along with 'Peaches' by the Presidents of the USA and 'Hey man,nice shot' by Filter. It started a non specified legion of music fans with a liking for the genre 'Alternative Music' which had many levels but broken down simply to music that was alternative for the current style of the generation. On hearing 'Name' i was hooked, the opening acoustic arpeggiated intro created an image of lonely optimism that transcends the whole song all the way to the crescendo mini solo where Johnny Rzeniks guitar skills are subtly shown. Since then I have avidly followed their music as 'Dizzy up the girl', 'Gutterflower' and 'Let Love In' have never disappointed but always deepened my liking of the band and what they stand for. I have always had an affinity for college radio music, being that you identify it as a time when everything is possible and life can be anything you want it to be,Plus it stands for a time when jobs,mortgages,rent and other 'adult' problems are so distant.

The Goos create great radio music and epitomise alternative rock in the late 90s as'Iris'(the one song everybody knows) dominated the airwaves along with 'Slide' and 'Black Balloon'. On Sunday they rocked the stage with the above hits among others such as 'Broadway' 'Stay with you' and 'Let Love in'. The crowd braving the impending thunderstorm sang in delight to all the hits as Johnny and Robbie reeled of their best stuff and even showcased a new song which smacks of 'Better Days' so should be a hit with Goo fans. All in all, it was a great day out, the counting crows were on the bill as well but after seeing the Goos I was shattered as the set ended with the Grey sky looming ever ominous and Johnny taking a break for the last verse of 'Iris' for the crowd to sing in unison which led to a crescendo of lights and music and Johnny running over to thank the fans. The Goos sing about love, loss and hope though as always, music is interpreted by the individual but in years to come I hope that The Goo Goo Dolls can be recognised as more than just a college radio band or as a replacement for 'The Replacements' as they are so much more than that, they are a great rock band. Johnny's lyrics aswell as his voice sound out a greater meaning for the band, but it doesn't really matter what happens as they have influenced my musical life for the better and the chance to see them live is indescribable. Rock On.

A Day In The Life - Part 2 -

Waking up on Monday morning I broke into a smile, my bet placed on the Spanish winning the Euros will richly reward me for my tactical nous and belief in putting my money where my mouth was. Entering the bookies is a strange experience, outside in the summer the sun radiates brightly and touches everything across this vast land, walking into this room of seasoned gamblers only the light beaming out of the many televisions hooked up on every wall mumble Horse results and the latest tips on Wimbledon. In the middle of the room there is a bunker-like structure which houses the tellers of fortune who listen to the hope of every man in this place and place their faith accordingly. I half expect them to turn to ash when I hand over my betting slip with the words 'Spain to win' scribbled across it. That did not happen as the teller unduly checked the date and reached into the cashier for some notes to give back to me. Riding on the crest wave of my flutters, Im pondering the next move for my millions. Should I invest it in a High yielding bond? Change the scope of third world nations for the better? abolish child poverty with a pro active communist verve where instead of the people suffering together for the good of the nation to instead bask in their new found wealth and just enjoy themselves for the riches I have passed to them? all these dreams seem possible when you have amassed new wealth.

Alas of course realistically I should be thinking about paying back my loans or saving the money for a rainy day. Looking across at the newspaper on my desk I see that Andy Murray is ready to give England new hope after his amazing comeback against Gasquet. I think to myself that Ill use whatever stake I had at the beginning to spread my bets with Wimbledon. There is something about adding to what you have. Who knows,come 4pm today, maybe I might be a step closer to that last dream.

The Best Form Of Defense is Attack

Spain have made it to the finals and getting ever closer to ending their long drought of trophies. Yesterdays bout with Russia was a show in attacking football, both sides with ever engaging wing backs and willingness to attack was billed to be the highlight of the tournament but what transpired instead was after all the hype of Russia and their wizard Arshavin, Spains willingness to attack Russia forcing them to defend and develop another route made them fallible which allowed Spain to dominate with ease which was expected of the Dutch in the earlier round.

The key to the game was quickness of play, Spains main threat has been their forwards but it lies in the midfield, the best midfield in the world at this point. With Xavi,Iniesta,Silva,Fabregas,Senna and Alonso, Aragones has vast technique and creativity at his disposal and they all played vital parts in their route to the final. Iniesta though criticised for his lack of big game adaptations, assisted for Xavi to open up the scoring, Fabregas laid balls on a plate twice for Guiza and Silva to strike home the decisive goals. Senna and Alonso stopped Arshavin working, though absent in the first game, his influence was neautralised and limited to the occasional space needed to make a play.

Though Spain were the victors, the ultimate victory will hopefully lie with attacking football as a whole. In comparison with World Cup 2006, where Italys fabled Catenaccio bored viewers into submission, this years football season as a whole has shown that fast flowing positive football is the way forward. In a list of the best players of the tournament, the vast majority will be attackers or creators. The final will hopefully go the same way as teams look to adopt General Fords view of the best for of defence is attack and in my view, Spain stress it further than Germany to help me win my bet I placed. ;)

A Day In The Life - Part 1 -

I sit down on the black swivel chair and grimace as my back twinged with crunching aplomb due to another night sleeping on the soft bed which leads me to believe it would not fair well in a fight with other beds. The hazy sunshine of another summer day cascades in through the window casting a light shadow against the floor. For a minute i want to be a cat and lie in that puddle of light and soak up the warmth. Ah to be a cat. I lie back and ponder the day ahead, I have been unwittingly voted unanimously by my boss to head into Chinatown to distribute leaflets promoting the company which I detest as I did the same 'Marketing breakthrough' Exercise a day ago and the only people willing to come near me were those thinking I would make a great representation for their summer holiday albums as proof they went to there and that it was such an amazing cultural experiance. If they were rolling a video with sound, you would have picked up a possible descendent of the great emperor shouting out with great vivacity that with every order of a can of coke you would get a free croissant. I thought that a strange combo too, oh how the Hebrew woman who created the pastry in the time of Jeremiah must be turning doughy in their graves over such a use of their crescent shape offerings. Back to reality with the shrill of a phonecall. Ive been here for 6 months now, learning my trade by doing everything available and liking the experience but the idea of a proper career still lingers in my mind. I can't help but wonder if this was what I thought I would be doing when I was still carefree and in school. Ah to be a cat....or a dog with his head out of a window of a moving car....ah to be something else.

Beneath an Orange Sky

Total voetball is back and with a vengeance. With the Tournament getting to the nitty gritty, the dutch are playing a style of football only surpassed by their raucous support and bright orange shirts. For a group labelled with 'Death' the Oranje have brought football to life with their two breathtaking displays over the finalists of the 2006 World Cup. With the Italians it was sublime counter attacking football at its best and against France it was Dutch courage and steel that brought about a rout for Les Bleus that showed up a telling sign of their age and lack of new blood. Marco Van Basten must have studied at Arsene Wengers school of thought with their dynamic attacking plays and speed. In Sneijder and Van Der Vaart lie the key to success so far, two ex Ajax boys who plied their trade in the streets of Amsterdam before eventually taking their cohesion and abilty to dazzle the French. Their movement and versatility allow play to open all over the pitch as they are as deft with their weaker foot as their strong one allowing play to switch in an instant. Sneijders goal was welcome reward for an industrious and tireless midfielder who was instrumental for Real Madrid. In Robben and Van Persie the Dutch have match winning wingers who can turn a game on its head shown with Robbens instant reply. Arjen Robben when injury free, can push Ronaldo for ability for it was the former who originally terrorised defences for Mourinho before the hatchet men stopped him.

But he is still young and given a good run, can show why he is still regarded as dangerous as the portuguese winger. Dirk Kuyt is a workhorse and also understands linkup play, his industry and doggedness may tire in the later rounds but his down to earth style allow a balance.Finally in Van Basten's arsenal(no pun intended) is Ruud Van Nistelrooy, the Dutch man seemingly turned his back on the regime only to return and show that the Madrid experiance has turned him into an even better player, his deep movement and linkup play is vital to the side and on top of that he has not lost his predatory instincts and eye for goal, Ronaldo learnt from this man so it shows his class. I personally never liked him but recently his play shows a maturity and great understanding of the game.

The defence in front of the ever present Van Der Sar is raw and engaging, Ooijer and Mathijsen though unappreciated in top level football, aid their ability with bravery and courage in defence, Boulahrouz must be frustrating for Chelsea fans as his performances for Holland are World Class and assured, i believe the difference is comfort, Boulahrouz knows the gameplan for Holland and sticks to it with precision whereas at Chelsea he was not comfortable with his positioning. His opposite flank Gio Van Bronkhorst is the player Ashley Cole dreams he could become, quick, assured and consistent,always ready for the counter and just as comfortable in his role.

All this combined with the holding midfielder Engelaar allow the attack to prosper and not have to worry of over complicating their jobs. The team has a unity and cohesion not seen during the days of the Kluivert,Davids, Cocu and the De Boer Brothers. Too many egos hindered one the most technically gifted teams ever but in the present, there is a balance which may prove that this tournament holds no bounds and come the end we may be sitting underneath an Oranje Sky...

The Punt

Euro 2008 is underway after an understated start with victories for all the favourites so far as Czech Republic, Portugal,Germany and Croatia all kicked off their challenge for Greece's title without any hiccups or surprises. It has not gone the way of the club scene with the underdogs causing a massive stir and setting up some shocking results though we are only halfway through the 4 groups and tonights group of death will create some much needed highlights as France will try to prove their title credentials against Romania and the eagerly anticipated World Champions starting off against the dutch masters. The need to start really well cannot be stressed enough already but in a group as tight as this, its paramount. The same goes for the start that Spain will need to help shake off their own doubts with a win against Russia though it wont come easily.

My punts are for La Furia Roja as i feel it is their time to show what they can do and the Dutch masters as they have come into the tournament without as much pressure as the other favourites, but have enough quality and youth to spring a surprise. Gone are the days of Bergkamp and Co, but with Wesley Sneider and Huntelaar, the dutch have compensated overall technical abilty for strength and prescence. I obviously hope that through the groupings my two bets dont meet each other to early in the next rounds but its all for abit of fun.

The Gamble

With Euro 2008 around the corner, I have decided to go Las Vegas and bet on the potential winners of the tournament, it adds spice to a dish where Steve Mclarens appetiser had left all England fans with a bland and sour after taste. This also gives me a chance to blog my brains out as it always matters more when there is money on it. For the past two weeks i have pondered over the 16 teams competing and have my heart set on putting a bet down on Spain as one of my choices at 5/1. The Liverpool contingent makes La Roja my personal favourites as their speed, technical abilty and the fact that since they havent won anything for more than 40 years makes the Spaniards ideal replacements for England in terms of always hotly tipped but always failing. However, i was hoping this would not be the case as Fabregas,Torres and Co finally prove their worth.

I plan to choose another potential winner to make sure i dont put all eggs in one basket, plus, there are so many potential winners to choose from aswell, with Euro 2004's winners Greece shocking everybody with an unexpected victory to which blows all stereotypical views for this tournament, with Zenits victory in the UEFA CUP, Russias outside chance at 22/1 is in my view generous for a team with European experiance and a team full of young Russians ready to show the world that the Bear has re-awoken.

With 4 days to go i still have sometime to decide as i will probably go with my gut instincts and have some fun with it. Plus if it all goes well, an extra bit of lucre never hurt anyone did it?(Unless your a John Grisham fan). Ill blog daily when the tournament starts to go through the motions of a tournament with hopes of making money off Englands failure just like the FA.

The Boy From Basque Country

Reading the headlines recently i chanced over a report that Juventus were trying to booster their squad with acquisitions from all over the continent, they have been linked with the powerful forward Amauri, Frank Lampard and Xabi Alonso recently and it was the latter that struck me as chilling. As an emoter of the beautiful game and also a hardcore Liverpool fan, the idea that Liverpool would part with their playmaker is unthinkable. Casting my mind back to pre-Benitez and at the end of Houlliers reign, the on field turmoil was plain to see. Our saviour of many seasons Steven Gerrard had pulled us through to Champions League football even though we had Bruno Cheyrou, Diouf and Diao all trying their best to deny us that right. Thankfully, Houllier was sacked, he had come to a natural end of his powers. Rafa Benitez arrived to sort out Liverpool's over reliance on Gerrard's ever growing abilities and his first port of call was to sign quality as foil for the talisman. His first act was to bring Alonso in as a balance for Gerrard for £10.5 Million and the squad has grown better ever since. In that first season, along with Luis Garcia, Xabi Alonso showed why Rafa had faith in him, in his deep play making role, his vision and passing garnered praise from around the world labelling him as one of the best passers of the ball in the modern game. Jan Molby, who could pick a pass once commented that 'Once,I was watching him play for Real Sociedad and just kept saying, Yep,that's the right pass, that's the right movement of play'.

Xabi's range of passing and shooting ability has spectacular moments such as his 65 yard goal against Luton and then a year later from behind the halfway line beating Steve Harper. Xabi himself has preferred the latter goal as it went straight,no bouncing involved. He has grown in maturity since his arrival in England and though now having to compete with Mascherano for the midfield slot, Xabi is such a valuable addition. His footballing intellect is one that not many can achieve with such consistency, as good at the short as well as the long pass, Xabi's control over games much like conductor can often be seen as he always plays deep to help out defenders, his stocky build makes him hard to push off the ball and with space he can pick a defence splitting pass from nowhere. This coming summer, Alonso will be playing in Euro 2008 as a back up for Xavi and the Younger Fabregas but his quality is unquestioned, he signalled the start of the Rafalution, and with it the grand prize of the Champions Cup in which he along with Gerrard and Hamann were instrumental. He is well loved by fans for his exploits and commitment as well as the odd goal from the halfway line or two. If he is allowed to leave, I believe the Rafalution will be taking a step back and regret losing one of its main characters.

The Price Of Success

John Terry will get the chance to captain England tonight for their international friendly against the USA. A week on from captaining his club side in the European Cup which was a spectacle for every football fan and showed England's true dominance of club football, English representatives present in the finals for the past 4 years in a row and boasting 2 titles shows that the English Premier League is the strongest league in Europe at the moment, and the most commercially viable. However, tonight will show the cost of such a success, ahead of Euro 2008, England's players who all participate and make the Premier League what it is will have the summer off and watch as all their compatriots duel for the European Championships. Sadly, the only newsworthy story for the buildup for this game is whether or not Terry should get to captain the country after his breakdown last week, personally, from a coaching perspective, Capellos job is to psyche and encourage his players for any match, even friendlies. So, giving John Terry the armband is a good move, it allows fluidity and does not disrupt the team spirit but rather, encourage the team to stick by their captain. The matter about his tears is unfair, his determination and doggedness are unquestioned so of course the despair of not winning is going to hurt, but he will get over the self loathing and train harder for next year.

These are times of rebuilding for England at the moment, knocked out of Euro 2008 and constantly chastised for failure, whats next for them? Capellos regime hasn't really had a long enough time with the players to measure any outcomes just yet but Capello will feel the pressure come September when the World Cup Qualifiers get underway. The pressure he will undoubtedly feel then as he does now is the need to stop the 'rotting' of English pride and talent. The 'rotting' as it has been commented has probably coincided with the start of arguably the best league in the world. Although not immediate, the pressure of having to achieve by any means necessary to succeed at club level has suffocated English talent for the past 10-15 years. The need for success under constraints from the board and budget means having a scouting system to scour the world for talent is an invaluable tool. The plight of the English game has long been debated, the increase of Foreign players going back to when David Ginola and Eric Cantona were strutting their stuff already had an unconsciously xenophobic footballing nation worried, years on and the top four teams are managed by a Scotsman,a Frenchman, a Spaniard and however you look at it, an Israeli and a Portuguese. Starting punchlines for jokes aside, the Chairmen themselves are either from the Wild West or from the Eastern Bloc with a history shrouded by a blanket with the initials K.G.B. Through such an evolution, what about the players? in recent history we have unearthed Micheal Owen, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard, all proudly displayed as England's finest along with Frank Lampard and John Terry. Their exploits are all well known but for a footballing nation with a population of 60 million, we seem to have a problem finding 16 World Class players. Look to France,Spain,Portugal,Holland and Germany(all of them will be in Austria by the way) they have such depth with enough players playing at the highest level to give their National managers a serious headache when it comes to selection. England just does not have a big enough talent pool to seriously choose from, the threat of further damnation from the press by choosing a relative unknown and failing as well, does not give a manager such as Mclaren a chance.

Capello is strong enough to make the tough decisions though and once you get over the fact he is Italian(Shocking!) you feel he can achieve something with the team. He does need help though, and this should come in the form of more options given to him by the club managers as they ultimately have the best chance to unearth the best English talent. Tonight, thanks to Martin O'Neill and others, players he can seriously consider are Gabriel Agbonlahor,Ashley Young, Theo Walcott,Joe Hart,Gareth Barry,Micah Richards,David Bentley,Leighton Baines,Mark Noble and Micheal Johnson. All should be given a lot of playing time over the international friendlies to freshen up the squad. Speaking of fresh, I expect David Beckham will get his 101st appearance as the poignancy of it being against the USA, his new adopted country, will appeal to Capellos soft side. In terms of the game, the purist in me wants Capello to engage an attacking formation with three up top and the midfield given licence to roam and leaving a holding midfielder such as Hargeaves or Carrick,to protect the back four. Peter Crouch is an ideal target man but the formation should be flexible enough to allow Ashton or Rooney even to play in the central striker role. Wembley is in need of beautiful football and it shouldn't have to be brought over from Rio. John Terry and Rio Ferdinand should stay as Englands defensive partnership as they have been amazing all season from start to finish.

With Moscow behind us, Richard Scudamore has pushed fresh plans for that 39th game to take place as the game indeed succeded as a 'game of games'. The FA seem smitten with the idea as it will undoubtedly boost the Premier Leagues status and commercial revenue. The businessmen who control the FA will benefit aswell as the Premiership will expand lending more extravagant money making ideas. Just to be Old school, the point of the Football Association is to oversee the development of the sport from the bottom right to the top, business management is encouraged but not at the expense of the basic aims. Its always easy to finger point but the FA is the leading body of the countries sport, regardless what happens below it, it has aims and targets that must be met. Adding another game to a sport that really doesnt need it wont help, a managers ineptitude is forgiveable but appointing them in the first place is not. Serious planning is needed across the board to improve the situation, although the Premiership since its inception in 1992 has grown to become the most exciting and lucrative league, at what cost has it come?

The Gift and the Curse

After the dramatics of last nights penalty shootout, Manchester United acheived a glorious double to cap off a magnificent season for Alex Ferguson and his men. Cristiano Ronaldo started the proceedings outjumping an out-of-position Essien to draw first blood halfway through the first half. Cech should have done better but it seemed a fitting way to cap off Ronaldos season to get on the scoresheet in the final. Cech redeemed himself with a quick double save which kept Chelsea in the game, Van Der Sar, later to be the saviour, also had to be at his sharpest to keep Ferdinands own goal bound header from a difficult cross. However, there was nothing he could do for Lampards equaliser, after some lucky ricochets, Chelseas source of inspiration in the latter stages of the European Cup arrived late to steer home the ball and spark off an emotional celebration pointing to the black Russian Sky thanking it for his gift.

For Alex Ferguson, his gift other than his tactical nous and Govan like mentality, would have to be Ronaldo, the English Premier leagues best player. The second half paled into comparison with the first as both teams were back at square one, initiating the belief that this could turn into a cagey affair as it was dubbed. But with Ronaldo, United had a trump card that constantly threatened Chelsea, they couldnt give him an inch, as he has proven 42 times. His skill is undoubted but many saw him as a diver and a too many trick pony. his passing distribution in the previous seasons were a source of frustration and never turned up for the big games. However this season he has stepped up from a novelty to a superstar. Like Joe Cole who showed glimpses of his ability last night, Ronaldo excels in criticism. His trickery has been perfected and well timed, along with his searing pace and eye for goal, he has set a benchmark for others to follow.

The Madeira born stars confidence on the pitch is unsurpassed like Drogbas ego,who may have played his last match for the Blues following his red card for slapping Vidic over a throw in. The Curse, like an Achilles Heel, which has affected so many players in finals as it did Drogba,was set to reign on Fergies crown jewel as penalties were used to decide the victor. Ronaldo, either afflicted by a moment of weakness or just to clever for his own good,stuttered his run up giving Peter Cech all the time he needed to judge his save. On the worlds biggest stage, the hero was set to fall as the script all non United fans wanted had happened, nobody is perfect. However, John Terrys slip which would have sealed a perfect set of penalties gave United the opportunity they needed.Anelka, who looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but in Russia, missed to help United claim their third European title and among other things, cement Ronaldos claim as the Worlds best player, a title given to few but earned through victories such as last nights. Looking back, the future Ballon d'or winner should follow Frank Lampard and look to the sky giving thanks for his gift, and for the curse to select another victim.

The 'European' Final

Tonight the world will see the two best sides in Europe and the English Premier League go face to face as fans from both sides descend upon the Russian Capital to cheer on and hope to see their clubs to glory. Some go with a glimmer of hope of being able to see anything but all in all particpating in the whole event.

There is immense talk in the Chelsea camp with Key players either distracted or injured such as Lampard, Drogba and Ashley Cole. On the other side the only worry for Alex's men is withstanding the pressure of being the favourites and sweating over Prince Ronaldo's next destination. Should he succeed, there is every chance the winger will be elevated to the higher echelons of footballing legends, it would be hard to see him bettering his phenomenal season which could see him amass a goal tally unsurpassed by any wingers after him.

However, tonight as the majority of the worlds population watch the events unfolding, think back a couple of months and Richard Scudamore's proposal for a 39th game to be played abroad. The main aspects of the plans were :

1) An additional round of Premier League fixtures, extending the season to 39 games, from January 2011
2) Four clubs to travel to one of five host cities, with two games taking place in each venue over a weekend
3) Cities would bid for the right to become a host, not for individual matches
4) Points earned from the games would count towards the final Premier League table

Although tonights game would be attended by fans from Lancashire and Chelsea, this is probably as close to 'The Scuds' dream. Two English Premier sides competing for a prize on the last day of their season in a foreign country. Russia bid to host the competitions final with the FIFA and UEFA Board which is probably the same format he would like to use so that countries could engage in old school bidding to attract the Premier Leagues best. All the rhetoric aside of the months after the proposal was announced and nearly every fan accusing the FA of being run by 'Money Hungry' Executives, tonight is a chance to imagine what football could be evolving into.

According to experts, the growth of the Premier League has been impressive in the last 15 years thanks to the sale of television rights in this country,but now the market in the United Kingdom is becoming saturated and it is the overseas market which is now the big target area."
This is a chance for the Premier League to showcase its product around the world, the Premier League's income from the sale of overseas TV rights has already increased from £178m in 2001 to £625m for the current deal that runs until 2010. "Globalisation is a challenge for all sports because the whole world seems to be interested in the very best of sport wherever it comes from," added Scudamore.

The idea may be completely offensive to die hard fans and the issue of footballs soul being sold may be questioned but the final is a big reminder that football is beginning to evolve this season, from outscoring wingers to ever changing managers and the legacy of ever present chairmen to foreign owners that oversee tactics and see football as great business sense. Maybe after the final whistle tonight and the curtain falls on another season, fans will not look back with regret but look forward to the future with open arms but others will be worried.