Pep Guardiola - The Luckiest Man In Football

Sport is full of stories about people getting lucky breaks, being in the right place at the right time and of people making the most of the opportunities handed to them but in my opinion these phrases sum up one man better than most.  That man is new Bayern Munich Head Coach, Pep Guardiola. 

Guardiola must be one of the luckiest people in world football.  He was a very good player winning six La Liga's, two Copa del Rey's, four Spanish Super Cups, a European Cup, a European Cup Winners Cup, two European Super Cups and an Olympic gold medal but it's since his playing career ended in 2006 that his fortunes have really picked up.

Some ex players go into the media, some go into minor coaching roles and some go into management.  Guardiola was fortunate that he was so highly thought of at Barcelona from his playing days that they decided to hand him the job of manager of their B team in 2007.  After a successful season he was promoted to manage the first team when Frank Rijkaard left the club.  After just one season in charge of a team playing in the third tier of Spanish football, Guardiola now found himself in charge of one of the biggest clubs in world football and a team that had been crowned European Champions just two years before. 

I can't think of many other managers who had such a quick rise to the top and a look at the other modern era managers who have won multiple European Cups shows that the rest of the games top coaches had to earn their places at the top.  Guardiola has to consider himself very fortunate as he inherited a fantastic side with players like Carlos Puyol, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto'o. 

As much as people like to talk about Barcelona bringing through their own talent it's not entirely true.  Obviously, they have brought some fantastic players through their youth teams but they also backed Guardiola in the transfer market.  In his four seasons at the club they spent hundreds of millions on Dani Alves, Seydou Keita, Gerard Pique, Alexander Hleb, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Dmytro Chygrynskiy, David Villa, Javier Mascherano, Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas.  That's quite a list of talent and whilst they didn't always work out, the point is he was given the best players to do his job from the very beginning. 

Guardiola took advantage of this opportunity and rewarded Barcelona with a very successful period in their history.  In his four year spell he won fourteen trophies; three La Liga titles, two Copa Del Rey's, three Spanish Super Cups, two European Cup's, two European Super Cup's and two Club World Cup's.  Nobody can argue with the trophies he won in his time at Barcelona but I do feel there are questions about how much of a part he played in this success. 

The Barcelona squad he took charge of has been considered by many to have been the greatest club side of all time.  Lionel Messi is one of the best players I've ever saw.  Xavi and Iniesta are legendary figures too and were at the peak of their powers throughout the years that Guardiola managed them.  Those three alone could have pushed any side to the top of Europe but Guardiola also had world class players all over the park to support them.  Time will tell how good Guardiola is but he certainly landed on his feet when he got the Barcelona job. 

After resigning last year Guardiola said he was taking a year out and despite being linked with many top jobs he has stuck to his decision and has taken a year away from the game although he did announce his plans for next season back in January.  Bayern Munich announced that Pep would be taking over the German giants from next season as their current manager, Jupp Heynckes was set to retire. 

Since then, Bayern Munich have secured the Bundesliga title by a huge margin and also set about the Champions League knock out stages in amazing fashion, obliterating Arsenal, Juventus and Barcelona on the way to their third Champions League Final in four years.  Bayern managed to squeeze past their German rivals, Borussia Dortmund in the Final and now have the chance to secure a famous treble when they face Stuttgart in the German Cup Final.  They have already announced that Dortmund star, Mario Gotze will join them next season and it is also expected that his team mate, Robert Lewandowski will join him in Munich next season.  Once again, Guardiola seems to be landing on his feet by taking over a team in a position of strength. 

Guardiola will go to Munich this summer inheriting the best squad in Europe and Bayern have always been one of the biggest spenders in football so he will be well backed.  I do like him but I think he still has a point to prove.  Most managers could make a success of managing Barcelona and if he needs an example of how the grass isn't always greener, he should look at the man he replaced. 

Frank Rijkaard had a successful spell in charge of Barcelona but followed it up with unsuccessful spells at Galatasaray and Saudi Arabia.  Whether Guardiola is a truly elite coach or just another Frank Rijkaard remains to be seen but he has certainly enjoyed a fair share of luck in the fact that he has arrived at two great clubs at just the right time.

21st May 2003 - My Best And Worst Day As A Celtic Fan

The 21st May 2003 is a day that brings about mixed emotions for Celtic fans.  It's a day that we are very proud of but it's also a day that broke our hearts.  It was a day that I'll never forget but it's also a day that I've tried not to look back on until now.

I think when asked about that day most Celtic fans will remember the huge numbers of Celtic fans who were in the Estadio Olimpico de Sevilla and the thousands more who made the trip without tickets.  Many will talk about Henrik Larsson's brace and the bravery of the players in difficult conditions.

Not many fans will mention the result, Bobo Balde's red card or Rab Douglas' mistake that led to the winning goal.  I'm not sure if it's just a Celtic thing or whether it's something all football fans do but all the bad memories of that day have been erased from the memory and the positives are still there.

I am one of a large number of Celtic fans who have never watched the highlights of that game.  I have saw hundreds and possibly thousands of Celtic fans on various forms of social media and message boards say that they have never watched it.  I actually have the official video, "The Road To Seville" in my parents house but as far as I'm concerned it finishes with Henrik Larsson's late winner against Boavista.

When I decided to pen this article I did consider watching the highlights but I'm not ashamed to admit that when I thought about it I got a real sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.   I honestly think the only way I will ever watch that game again is if we get to another European Final and win it.

My own personal memories of that day are faded now but I will try to piece them together.  I was eighteen at the time and went to work as normal.  I seem to remember a newspaper in the office that had a mock up on the front of Paul Lambert lifting the UEFA Cup with the headline "the picture all Celtic fans want to see tonight."

The joys of working flexi hours meant I could leave early.  After work I went home and tried to eat something and then got myself dressed for the occasion.  Shorts, Celtic top, oversized sunglasses, an oversized leprechaun hat and a beach ball seemed to be the obvious choice of attire.  Fed, watered and dressed appropriately it was beer time.

The St Comgalls Club, Larne was my venue of choice and I never saw the place look so well.  The room was jam packed with green and white.  People, flags and beach balls everywhere and everyone of them in the hoops.  I seem to remember a promotion of some continental beer at a pound a pint so I was all set.

My memories aren't great of the game itself so forgive me if some of it is inaccurate.  I could obviously search the internet for answers but I think it means more coming from memory.  I recall the first half was a cagey affair which Celtic grew into as the game progressed.  However, Porto took the lead just before the break just as we were finally starting to believe that we could win.

Many a team would have crumbled after conceding so close to half time but it seemed to give Celtic a new lease of life and they started the second half like a team who had nothing to lose.  Henrik Larsson equalised with a great header from a Didier Agathe cross.  I only remember it was Agathe with the assist as I spent most of his Celtic career praising his pace and criticising his crossing but even I had to admit he got that one spot on.

Unfortunately, it didn't last for long though and Porto took the lead again but thankfully the "King of Kings", Larsson was on top form and he equalised with another excellent header.  From there the game went into extra time.

I remember Balde's red card for what was quite a rash tackle if my memory is correct. When Bobo got sent off I still felt like we needed to find a goal as I didn't fancy a penalty shootout.  Unfortunately, after what seemed like an eternity of hanging on with ten men, Rab Douglas made his customary howler and Porto took a late lead.

My last and perhaps clearest memory of the game was a late Celtic free kick in a good position outside the box.  Shaun Maloney had been earning himself a reputation as a reliable set piece taker but on this occasion he fluffed his lines and hit possibly the worst free kick of his career.  I don't remember the final whistle, Celtic receiving their medals or Porto lifting the trophy.  All I remember was taking a private moment to get my emotions under control and heading to the bar with a friend for treble vodkas, a vodka for each trophy Celtic were going to win the following season.

It's funny when I think back to Seville as the Final itself is way down my list of memories.  When I think of Seville my first thought is the Semi-Final.  The goal Henrik Larsson scored is still my favourite moment as a Celtic fan.  Boavista had been so negative for the full game and it looked as though they were going to be rewarded with a place in the Final until the footballing God's intervened.

Other great memories were beating Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park after listening to the English media saying about how easily Blackburn were going to beat us.  There was an away goals victory over Celta Vigo and a classic 5-4 aggregate win over Stuttgart.  I will also never forget big John Hartson scoring a screamer at Anfield in the Quarter-Final to see us past Liverpool.

I have watched all of those on video and on YouTube but all I've watched of the Final is a few of the fans singing in the Fanzone.  Maybe one day I'll find it in myself to watch the game but as it stands, ten years later, it's still too painful.

Looking back on it, it was a very special time to be a Celtic fan.  We had some very talented players including one of the best in the world in Henrik Larsson.  Back then many people didn't appreciate Larsson as he was "only playing in the SPL."  After he left us he went onto Barcelona were he swung the 2006 Champions League Final in the Catalans favour, breaking the hearts of Arsenal fans all over the world and he also had a brief loan spell at Manchester United were he won over a lot of his doubters who thought he wasn't good enough for the Premier League. 

I'll always look back with fond memories of the 2003 Celtic team.  All of the players involved and the management will always have a special place in mine and every Celtic fans hearts but unfortunately I don't think I'll ever be able to look back at what was without doubt their greatest achievement, at least not with dry eyes. 

The Managerial Merry Go Round

The football world has been dominated in recent weeks by news of managerial changes.

Sir Alex Ferguson started it all off by announcing his shock decision to retire as manager of Manchester United.  United moved quickly to appoint David Moyes as his replacement which created a vacancy at Everton.  I'm not totally convinced that Moyes is the right man for the job but most United fans seem happy with him and believe that he deserves a shot at one of the big jobs.

My own opinion is that United don't need to take a gamble on anyone.  They're one of the biggest clubs in the world and could have pretty much anyone they wanted.  For me Moyes is an unnecessary risk and they should have went for someone with a proven record who could guarantee success. Time will tell how good Moyes is but for me his record at Everton is pretty much par as he has them performing at the level I'd expect Everton to be at.

The Everton board now have to look at who they want to replace Moyes.  Much of the talk has been about Roberto Martinez and Neil Lennon.  Of those two Martinez would be a better appointment but I think he might give Wigan another year as he won't want to end his time there as the manager who got them relegated.

That leaves Neil Lennon but as a Celtic fan I don't think he would be a great appointment for Everton.  His stock was increased by the Champions League run but from watching Celtic every week I'm not convinced by him.  He seems to struggle to motivate the players in certain games and some of the changes he makes during games are bizarre. 

Whilst I don't think Everton should appoint him, the Celtic fan in me would love it to happen.  I love Neil Lennon and he will rightfully be remembered as a club legend for his time as a player.  He played and later captained us through what was a very successful period in our history but I genuinely don't think he has the right attributes to be a long term manager at Celtic.  If he were to take the Everton job he could leave Celtic with his head held high.  I would hate it if he stayed at the club and ended up being sacked as it's the last thing he deserves for all the years service but unless the domestic performances improve it is a realistic possibility.

The man who I would like to see get the Everton job is Gus Poyet.  Poyet has done a fine job since his playing days ended, coaching at Leeds and Tottenham before taking on the Brighton manager's job.  In his time at Leeds he assisted Dennis Wise and whether it was coincidental or not, there was a huge drop in fortunes when Poyet left for Tottenham.  Personally, I think it was no coincidence and that Poyet was the brains behind the operation but we will never know for sure. 

In his time at Brighton he has took them from being a relegation threatened League One club to the Championship playoffs.  His CV is almost identical to David Moyes' at this stage in his career.  Moyes took over a struggling Preston before guiding them to promotion and then losing in the playoffs for promotion to the Premier League.  The move may have been made a little easier too with the news that Poyet has been suspended as Brighton manager for a "breach of contract."  In one of his interviews after losing in the playoff semi-finals to Crystal Palace he commented on his future, indicating that he did not know whether or not he would be at Brighton next year.  It may be messy but it certainly looks like Poyet's time at Brighton is coming to an end and Everton would be perfect move for both parties.

Another big job up for grabs is Manchester City.  Roberto Mancini was sacked on Monday following City's FA Cup Final defeat to relegated, Wigan Athletic.  In my honest opinion it was only a matter of time before Mancini was sacked and I think the club will be better off without him.  Mancini earned a reputation as a top manager after winning three Serie A titles with Inter Milan.  When you read it like that it looks impressive.  However, the fact is he never won the first title.  Inter finished third that year but Juventus and AC Milan were deducted points after being caught up in a match fixing scandal which meant Inter were awarded the title.  The following season saw Juventus playing in Serie B and AC Milan beginning the year minus eight points and understandably Inter romped to the title.  In Mancini's final season at Inter, he won another title, narrowly edging Roma to the championship.  Juventus were still recovering from the effects of losing half their squad the season before and Milan's ageing squad was finally catching up on them. 

On paper, Mancini's three Serie A titles look impressive but when investigated a little further, the record really isn't as good as it seems.  He also struggled to make an impact in the Champions League and made the Quarter-Finals on just one occasion.  He was eventually sacked after the 2007/08 season and replaced by Jose Mourinho.  This decision was criticised by many at the time but Mourinho went onto win the Champions League in his second season so the Inter board were proven to be right in the end.

Since Mancini arrived in Manchester he was well backed by the owners who spent millions to give him all the tools he required to make City a top team not only in England but also in Europe.  In three and a half years he managed to pick up an FA Cup and the Premier League title but for the money he spent I don't think the City owners got value for money.  Once again his European record was terrible with City twice failing to make it out of the group stages of the Champions League.  Many will point to the groups they have been drawn into and there is no doubt they have had tough draws but for the money he has spent and the squad at his disposal it was nowhere near good enough.  Last year Bayern Munich and Napoli made it out of the group ahead of City.  Bayern Munich was fair enough but Napoli weren't world beaters and City should have been able to get the better of them.  This year people will say that Dortmund and Real Madrid went onto reach the Final and the Semi-Final which is a fair point but they finished bottom of the group behind those two and Ajax who went on to get knocked out of the Europa League by Steaua Bucharest. 

For me it was the right decision and thoughts now turn to who will replace him.  Manuel Pellegrini appears to be the hot favourite and I think he would be a decent man to get the nod.  His record since coming to Europe has been impressive.  In his time at Villarreal he took a small provincial club to the Champions League Semi-Final before losing out narrowly to Arsenal.  He also guided them to a second place finish in La Liga.  After leaving Villarreal he had a year at Real Madrid were he never done much wrong but just finished behind the best team in the world.  His Real Madrid team finished the year with ninety-six points which was a club record at the time but Barcelona managed ninety-nine to pip Madrid to the title.  After being released from Real Madrid he moved to Malaga.  Malaga were another provincial club but once again he managed to guide them to the Champions League and they were extremely unlucky to be knocked out by Borussia Dortmund after conceding two goals in stoppage time. 

Pellegrini is yet to be officially confirmed as City manager but it looks as though it's just a matter of time before he gets the job and if the board give him the financial backing they gave Mancini, I expect the trophy cabinet at Eastlands to have a few pots in it by the end of next season. 

The other big job opening in England is the poisoned chalice at Stamford Bridge.  The only thing Roman Abramovich loves more than winning trophies is appointing new managers and Chelsea will have yet another new man in the dugout when the 2013/14 season kicks off.  Rafa Benitez has done a decent job as interim manager, qualifying for next years Champions League and winning the Europa League but his position is untenable as he has a fractured relationship with the Chelsea fans which dates back to his time as Liverpool manager.  It's a pity as Benitez has done well and deserves a crack at it but there's no chance of it happening. 

The media and pretty much everyone in the footballing world seem to think that the job is Jose Mourinho's.  He has had a rough spell in Madrid and in typical Mourinho fashion he has clashed with players, media and fans.  It seems that he has decided that enough is enough and he will leave at the end of the season.  He always said he felt there was unfinished business at Chelsea and it looks as though he feels now is the time to go back and finish what he started. 

I am a big Mourinho fan but I do have a few reservations about this appointment.  Everyone knows about Mourinho's ego and for anyone that doesn't I've no doubt Jose himself would be only too happy to tell you how great he is.  The problem is Chelsea already have a huge ego at the club and Mourinho's biggest problem is the other big ego sits in the board room and is the guy who signs all the cheques.  It didn't work out between Mourinho and Abramovich the last time so why is it going to work this time?  As I see it, nothing has changed since last time.  If anything they've both got worse and I just don't see this story having a happy ending. 

If Mourinho does leave Real Madrid, that will be another huge job that needs a big name manager.  Rumour has it that Carlo Ancellotti may be in line to leave PSG to take it which in turn would leave another huge job to be filled. 

Whilst all this managerial merry go round is happening there is one man who I would like to see make a move to one of the bigger clubs.  That man is Borussia Dortmund manager, Jurgen Klopp.  Klopp has done an amazing job at Dortmund and many people will ask would he leave the Champions League finalists but with the news that Mario Gotze is leaving for Bayern Munich and rumours circulating that Ilkay Gundogan, Robert Lewandowski, Marco Reus and Mats Hummels could also be moving on you would wonder will Klopp want to rebuild the squad again.  Gotze on his own is a huge loss to Dortmund but if the others leave too then surely Klopp will have to consider his future.  The one thing standing in the way is Klopp seems to be one of the few in football who have loyalty and respect for their contracts but I just wonder how many more players he can afford to lose and still feel he can keep Dortmund competitive. 

Right now there seems to be more questions than answers and with the Premier League finishing this weekend there may be even more managerial casualties and as the weeks pass things should become a little clearer.  With new managers usually comes new signings so despite the fact that the league is coming to an end at the weekend, the real drama is just about to get under way. 

Sir Alex Ferguson - The End Of An Era!

Football has lost one of it's all time greats with the news that Sir Alex Ferguson is to retire as manager of Manchester United.  Ferguson has been in charge at Old Trafford since 1986 and has won thirty-eight trophies in that time.  Regardless of what team you support, Sir Alex has been one of the best managers of all time and deserves respect from all football fans.

As a player Ferguson was a decent striker, averaging better than a goal in every other game.  He spent his entire playing career in Scotland and spent a few years at Rangers although it was during a period of Celtic dominance and he never picked up any silverware.  His only honours as a player came when he won the Scottish Division 2 title with St Johnstone (1962/63) and Falkirk (1969/70). 

Ferguson started his managerial career at East Stirling but was only there for a few months and quickly moved onto St Mirren where he transformed the clubs fortunes, winning promotion to the Premier Division after winning the league in 1977. However, he was sacked by St Mirren in 1978 and moved onto Aberdeen were he really started to show the brilliance that he is now known for. 

Scottish football has been dominated by Celtic and Rangers over the years but Sir Alex gave them a rough ride during his time at Pittodrie.  He managed to break the Glasgow dominance by winning three league titles, four Scottish Cups and one League Cup.  More remarkably though was leading Aberdeen to victory in the Cup Winners Cup which included wins over Bayern Munich and Real Madrid on the way to the trophy.  They also went onto win the European Super Cup in the following season. 

In 1986 he led Scotland to the World Cup in Mexico, stepping up from assistant manager after the death of Jock Stein.  Scotland failed to make an impact in Mexico and in November 1986 Ferguson left Aberdeen to take over at Manchester United after Ron Atkinson was sacked.  When he took over United they were second bottom in the old first division and he had a big job on his hands.  Slowly but surely he began to rebuild the club but at a club like United, trophies are a big part of it and it has been said that if they had lost to Nottingham Forest in the 1990 FA Cup, Ferguson was going to be sacked.  Fortunately for all concerned, United won that game and went on to win the FA Cup, giving Ferguson his first trophy as manager of Manchester United. 

United followed that success by winning the Cup Winners Cup in 1991 and in the following season United took part in their first real title race of the Ferguson era.  On that occasion they were pipped to the title by Leeds United but Ferguson learned some valuable lessons and hasn't looked back since, winning thirteen league titles in the next twenty-one seasons.   

As well as those thirteen league titles, Ferguson will end his career with five FA Cups, four League Cups and ten Community Shields.  His success hasn't been limited to England and he has added to the Cup Winners Cup with a European Super Cup, two Champions Leagues, an Intercontinental Cup and a Club World Cup.  That is an extraordinary record and it puts Ferguson up there with the best managers of all time.

For someone who is not a United fan it is difficult to put into words my thoughts on Ferguson.  When I was younger I really hated him.  He had a nastiness about him and when United lost it was always the referee's fault.  As he has aged he has mellowed and has become a more likeable character.

Maybe I'm wrong in saying that as my anti-United bias has dwindled since Leeds got relegated and we are no longer in direct competition with them.  I still watch as much Premier League football as I ever did but without that personal rivalry perhaps it's me that has mellowed.  However, when Leeds beat United in the FA Cup at Old Trafford, Ferguson spoke very well of Leeds which wasn't like the guy I remembered. 

I found Ferguson's statement to be quite interesting.  The part were he says it was important to leave the organisation in the strongest possible shape combined with what seems like a sudden change of heart over his future suggests to me that there is more to this than meets the eye.  In recent programme notes he has indicated that he would be around to oversee what he believes is a bright future at Old Trafford and now all of a sudden he has announced his retirement.  I'm not convinced that it hasn't long since been decided who is to follow Ferguson and with that person being available this summer, someone and perhaps even Ferguson himself has decided that this would be an appropriate time to step aside. 

I just find it strange that this turnaround has happened so quickly.  In his programme notes at the weekend he said "whether I will be here to oversee another decade of success remains to be seen but I certainly don’t have any plans at the moment to walk away from what I believe will be something special and worth being around to see."  I can't imagine Ferguson writing those words knowing that he was on the verge of retiring.  It suggests to me that something has happened behind the scenes and Ferguson has either decided to step aside to allow who he believes to be the right man to come in or that the club have someone lined up who they believe is the right man and they have forced the issue.  It may well be something that we never find out the truth about but there is something that doesn't quite add up here. 

All eyes will now turn to Ferguson's successor.  David Moyes of Everton appears to be the front runner but I have to be honest and say I don't think he is the right man for the job and it would be a mistake on everyone's part to give him the job.  Moyes has done a decent job at Everton but in my opinion he is vastly overrated.  There seems to be a big deal made of Moyes guiding Everton to a lot of top half finishes but is that not Everton's level?  Everton are one of the biggest clubs in England and I would have them in the top eight clubs.  If he was guiding a top eight club to top four finishes then I'd be impressed but he has took them to the top four as many times as he has to the bottom four. 

Many people make a big deal of Everton's transfer policy but it really isn't as bad as people suggest.  Outside the Champions League clubs there's not many that spend as much as Everton.  In Moyes time at Everton he has spent over £140m on players and while he has uncovered a few gems for every Marouane Fellaini there is a Diniyar Bilyaletdinov.  I'm not sure Moyes is ready to go to a huge club like Manchester United and feel that he would be much wiser to stay at a team were he seems to be regarded as a great manager for guiding Everton to their rightful position every year. 

There's only one man for me who could go to Manchester United and rise from Sir Alex Ferguson's shadow to make a success of it and that's Jose Mourinho.  Would he care about replacing Ferguson?  Not a chance.  The man's ego is bigger than Old Trafford itself.  With Ferguson still about Old Trafford in his role as a director and ambassador the last thing his replacement needs is Ferguson sitting in the director's box as United go 1-0 down at Old Trafford.  The pressure of managing Manchester United would be hard enough without the weight of Ferguson's legacy on your shoulders too.  For me, Mourinho is the only man who could deal with that pressure and it is well known that he is a huge admirer of Ferguson and Manchester United.  It has been said that he is being lined up to take over at Chelsea in the summer but if he was offered the United job I believe he would walk to Old Trafford to take it. 

If Jose has already signed a deal with Chelsea then I think United should go all out for Jurgen Klopp.  Klopp has done a great job at Borussia Dortmund and with rumours circulating that a lot of his key players are set to leave the German club Klopp may decide to cut his losses and start a fresh somewhere else too.  If United are looking for a manager who knows how to find value for money, bring through youth and have success in Europe then Klopp is the man for the job.  Most people regard Moyes as a great manager because of his ability to build a competitive team with "limited resources".  If that's what we are looking for then I'm grading Moyes as a C and Klopp an A.  Klopp took over a Borussia Dortmund side who were coming through a financial crisis.  He has had to find young talent to develop and he has done a fantastic job at it.  In similar situations Klopp has took his side to two league titles and a Champions League Final while Moyes has took his to an FA Cup Final and one fourth place finish which got them into the Champions League where they failed to negotiate the qualifiers.  Not really a contest is it? 

Regardless of which way the United board decide to go in the coming days, Ferguson's replacement will face a massive task to replace certainly the best manager of my generation and arguably the greatest of all time.  Football won't be the same without him and I can only wish him well in the future.  I'm not sure Sir Alex is the sort of character who can go from running one of the biggest football clubs in the world to tending to the flowers and mowing the lawn so I wouldn't be surprised if we see him in the future with an international side but regardless of what the future holds for him, I wish him well and for what he has done in the football world, I say thank you. 

Sportzine - Volume 3

SOCCER

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

As expected, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich reached the Champions League Final.  Dortmund had a brief scare after two late Madrid goals but they managed to hang on to win 4-3 on aggregate.  Bayern managed to avoid any scares and ran out 3-0 winners in the Camp Nou, winning 7-0 on aggregate.  Barcelona have been an amazing side in recent years but Bayern Munich taught them a real lesson and Barcelona will have to look at how they can improve for next season. 

Borussia Dortmund have been a revelation in the last few years in Germany but never really brought their domestic form into Europe.  Dortmund's biggest problem is going to be holding onto their star players and manager.  They have already lost Mario Gotze to Bayern Munich for next season and there are strong rumours linking Mats Hummels, Marco Reus and Robert Lewandowski with moves away from the club.  If the club sell all their main players then I would think Jurgen Klopp may follow them out and if he does leave Dortmund there looks to be plenty of big job openings across Europe.  Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City could all be looking for new managers and any of those would be a natural progression for Klopp who has worked wonders in his managerial career so far. 

Many people are calling Bayern Munich the perfect team.  I don't buy into that to be honest but they are certainly a very good team, in excellent form at the moment.  Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund have both used pressing in recent seasons to win trophies and Bayern Munich have taken that a step further with their own version of gegenpressing.  As good as they are off the ball, they are equally as good on it and can retain possession as well as anyone.  Barcelona and Bayern Munich play the game in a similar way but the big difference is that Bayern are using athletes.  Barcelona are all quite small and while it doesn't often affect them, Bayern Munich are doing the same things with six footers and the vast majority can move around quickly too.

The Final looks like being a great occasion with two fully deserving teams taking part in one of the best, most modern stadiums in Europe.  Bayern Munich look to be favourites on paper but many a favourite has lost a cup final.  All we can hope for is a good game and that they both come to London to try to win the game rather than the cautious approach we see so often in big games.

I should also mention Chelsea and Benfica who successfully made it through to this seasons Europa League Final in Amsterdam.  It's good to see two sides who started the season in the Champions League reach the Final as while many don't agree with the loop hole that sees teams enter the Europa League after elimination from the Champions League, I think it gives the competition credibility.  In recent seasons we have saw teams play second string sides in the Europa League which has devalued the competition but Chelsea and Benfica have put out solid sides and they have been rewarded with an appearance in the Final.


GENERAL FOOTBALL

Hull City secured promotion back to the Premier League after drawing 2-2 with already promoted Cardiff City on the final day of the season.  Hull needed to match Watford's result and as the games were ending, a Watford goal would have sent them to the Premier League but it wasn't to be and Ross McCormack finished them off with a late winner to send them into the playoffs. 

The Championship playoffs will now see Watford take on Leicester and Crystal Palace take on Brighton.  I usually think the team coming into the playoffs with momentum has a fair chance and for me that's Brighton.  Four wins in their last five and nine games unbeaten is exactly the way you want to finish the season if you are heading towards the playoffs.  It doesn't seem that long ago that Brighton were one game away from exiting the Football League and it would be some what fitting if they could finish off the season with promotion to the Premier League. 

Finally, as much as it pains me to say it, Glentoran also deserve a lot of credit for a fine victory in Saturday's Marie Curie Irish Cup Final.  I was at the game in the Cliftonville end and despite Cliftonville taking a 1-0 lead at half-time, Glentoran weren't to be denied and ran out 3-1 winners after extra time.  Cliftonville hadn't already secured the league title and the League Cup but they were denied their treble by a hungry, hard working Glentoran side.  The Glens were excellent after half-time and were first to every ball and Cliftonville just couldn't live with them.  Cliftonville had a great season but Glentoran had the last laugh but hopefully the players and staff will learn from it and Cliftonville can bounce back and enjoy another successful season next year.   
 

BASKETBALL

NBA

The first round of the playoffs have been completed and there were a few upsets.  Of the eight first round ties, only five were won by the higher seed.  In the Eastern Conference the top three seeds made it through safely with only the fifth seed, Chicago Bulls overcoming a higher seed.  The Bulls managed to win game seven in Brooklyn to set up a repeat of the 2011 Eastern Finals against the Miami Heat.  It will be a big ask for the Bulls as the Heat are overwhelming favourites to defend their title but if they set themselves small targets, and avoid getting swept then you just never know what could happen if they reach game six or seven. 

In the East's other game, the third seeded Indiana Pacers made the perfect start with a fine win in New York over the Knicks to go 1-0 up in the series.  Before the playoffs started I was looking at this game as a New York win in five or six games.  However, things have gone badly wrong for New York in the last week or so.  After they took a 3-0 series lead over the Celtics they lost momentum and had to win game 6 in Boston to avoid the possibility of becoming the first NBA team to lose a series after leading 3-0.  The Knicks will be pleased to have avoided that unwanted piece of history but unless they can sort themselves out fairly quickly it will be Indiana who reach the Eastern Finals.

Out West the top two seeds both made the next round but the third and fourth seeds both dropped out.  San Antonio were the most impressive victors, sweeping the LA Lakers.  Oklahoma are the number one seed but it took them six games to dispose of the Houston Rockets.  In the other games, the Memphis Grizzlies overcame the LA Clippers in six games and Golden State also beat Denver in six. 

In the second round Oklahoma managed to edge out the Grizzlies in Game one of the series.  The Thunder have been rocked by Russell Westbrook's injury and this series looks like being far from easy for them.  In the other game San Antonio and Golden State get things under way tonight.  San Antonio look like favourites to represent the West in the NBA Finals and I expect this series could be theirs in five.

ICE HOCKEY  

NHL

The NHL playoffs are now under way and the majority of the ties are tight but going the way they are expected too.  In the East, Pittsburgh lead the New York Islanders 2-1, Washington lead the New York Rangers 2-0 and Boston and Toronto are tied at 1-1.  The only potential shock at the moment is the seventh seed Ottawa Senators are currently leading the second seeded, Montreal Canadiens 2-1.  There's still a long way to go though and nobody is really out of it as things stand.

In the Western Conference the story is similar.  Chicago, Anaheim and St Louis are all 2-1 up against lower seeded teams.  The biggest shock so far is the San Jose Sharks being 3-0 up on the third seeded, Vancouver Canucks.  Vancouver face an extremely tough task to stay alive but the other three ties are still very much alive.  They are all as they would be if the home team had won each game so every team will be considering themselves very much in with a chance. 

Just a word on my Detroit Red Wings.  We started off losing game one in Anaheim but bounced back well to win game two and take the series back to Detroit at 1-1.  Unfortunately, we were well beaten in game three at the Joe and now need to win tonight to give ourselves a chance of progressing.  It won't be easy as Anaheim are a good side but now that the streak has been kept alive we may as well do what we can to go as far as we can in the playoffs.

FOOTBALL QUIZ

Here's another chance to answer last weeks football quiz.  Send answers to @gjsportsblog on Twitter or alternatively answer them in the comments section.


1. The last Final to take place at Wembley was between Barcelona and Manchester United but who were the beaten semi-finalists?

2. Who are the top three goalscorers in Champions League/European Cup history?

3. Lionel Messi has finished as top goal scorer in the Champions League/European four times. Which other striker has won the title four times?

4. Five different English clubs have won the Champions League/European Cup but how many titles do they have between them?

5. Which European city has the most combined wins?

NBA Star Ends The Wait For Gay Athlete

It's finally happened.  An active athlete has come out publicly as being gay.  I can't even begin to imagine how Jason Collins must be feeling right now but I have nothing but respect and admiration for him.  He is not the first gay athlete but he is the first in a major sport to come out before retirement.

Collins does not have a contract at present but it is just a matter of time before he does and then it's up to him, the NBA and whichever franchise picks him up to decide how to deal with the many issues that have been discussed when debating this subject.

I do not envy Collins.  Sports arenas can be harsh environments.  It's difficult enough going to a rival teams city, into their arena and taking on the local team.  Generally, visiting teams don't get the best of welcomes and there will always be players that get more abuse than the rest.  LeBron James experienced this after his much criticised move to the Miami Heat.  Teams were selling out their arenas weeks and months in advance for the simple reason that people wanted to abuse LeBron.

Unfortunately, Collins has now joined that band of players were he will be singled out for more abuse than his team mates.  It's not right and the vast majority of fans will encourage and support him but everywhere he plays there will be a minority who will single him out.  Getting abused by fans is never nice but it will be even worse for Collins as the taunts will be about something that is so personal to him.  I would hope that any fans engaging in such activity will be dealt with in an appropriate manner.

The league need to be careful in how they deal with this.  Obviously it is a huge issue as nobody has done this before and the media interest will be huge.  However, the NBA need to find the correct balance between showing support to the player but also playing it down as being not that big a deal as they don't want other players to be put off by the media circus that follows.

Ultimately, what needs to happen is this is handled correctly and when it happens again it is handled just as well but with less media coverage.  Eventually, down the line it should become a non issue and people's private lives can remain private.

Collins deserves a lot of credit and respect as by making this announcement he has made the lives of many other athletes slightly easier.  Gay athletes has been a taboo subject for a long time but now when another athlete decides to announce his sexuality to the world it isn't quite as big an issue because Collins has already became the first person to do it.

The entertainment world has already dealt with this and now there is barely an eyelid lifted when an actor, musician or television personality announces that they are gay.  Sports is at least twenty years behind the times in dealing with this but at least it has finally happened and hopefully others can take courage and strength from Collins and feel that they no longer have to hide their true identities.

People also need to be educated better.  My own experience is that I never knew or met anyone who was gay until I began working at seventeen years old.  I remember going out for a night with work colleagues.  One of those colleagues was gay and she just happened to be celebrating her birthday.  As it was her birthday she was deciding where we would go.  She decided that she would like to go to one of the gay bars and I don't mind saying that I and a few of my colleagues were against the idea.

Eventually after much protest we went to the bar and got ourselves some beers.  We took the beers into a quiet corner and sat there afraid to move or speak to anyone.  After a while the need for the toilet kicked in but we were all afraid to go on our own.  Looking back now it's quite funny as whilst we were unquestionably fine looking young men we didn't have women throwing themselves at us so quite why we felt we couldn't go to the toilet without being attacked by a lust filled male is a mystery.

As the night went on we became more relaxed and finished the evening with a rousing rendition of New York, New York right in the middle of everyone.  It was a great night out and we would become regulars at the bar, sometimes even without our colleague. 

Sports needs to play it's part in educating the fans.  Perhaps the NBA and the other leading sports bodies can front some sort of campaign.  Sport has faced similar issues before with players being abused because of race, nationality and religion.  Whilst those issues aren't 100% resolved in all corners of the world, there has been a lot of progress made.

The sooner society starts to look a bit deeper than someone's colour, religion or sexuality the better.  As a sports fan I want to see the best athletes in the world playing to the best of their potential and I'm not sure an athlete can be at their best when hiding such a huge part of their lives.

When I'm watching my favourite sports stars I'm watching them because of the things they are doing on the field/court.  It makes no difference to me whether the person they love and chose to spend their lives with is called John or Janet and the sooner this becomes the normal thought process the better things will be.