The Climate Change in the EPL

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks

New coaches, new players, new teams, newness galore has brightened the veteran English Premier League in 2013.

There have been changes in broadcasting. Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Sports has been pushed aside and replaced by the new glitzy NBC Sports. Bein, the interloper coming in from the Middle East, has broadcasting rights for the English Champions’ League, LaLiga and Serie A.

The EPL has started with a bang with last year’s champions Manchester United beating up on Swansea. Once again, it was the Van Persie show as his performance demonstrated the valuable nature of his acquisition to Manchester United.

The fate of Wayne Rooney is still to be decided. Rooney came on as a substitute in the second half but it is clear that he would like to relocate to a team where he will again be the “supreme striker”.

Chelsea under the second coming of Jose Mourinho, looked dazzling in the first half and were up by 2-0. They took their foot off the pedal in the second half.

The fortunes of players change depending on the whim and the philosophy of the manager. Under the Mourinho regime, Lampard and Terry are back as starting stalwarts. David Luiz is supposedly hurt and did not play and the rumors persist about his move to Barcelona.

Juan Mata and Demba Ba did not feature and the new Chelsea is overstocked in midfield. This will make it difficult for players like Mikel and Victor Moses to see much time. Some of Chelsea’s excessive baggage will be off loaded before the transfer window closes.

Hull lost 2-0 to Chelsea on their Premier League debut but particularly in the second half, they gave a decent account of themselves. When Liverpool and Huddleston entered the game in the second half, the Hull City squad looked less of a second rate team. The acquisition of the two former Tottenham players should strengthen the Hull squad.

Tottenham without Bale squeezed out a victory against Crystal Palace. The sole goal came in the form of a penalty. Tottenham has a rejuvenated squad with Soldado as the new striker and Paulinho, et al, in midfield. It is apparent that Bale is on his way to Real Madrid and the Bale-less Tottenham will struggle to score goals.

Most of the top tier teams have looked to bolster their roster with new acquisitions except Arsenal. Arsenal lost to Aston Villa 3-1 as they took the lead in the early start of the game and thereafter everything fell apart. The left full back, Gibbs, was hurt and had to leave the field. They gave up two penalties and Koscielny received a second yellow and the unchanged aggregation of yesteryear had to finish the game with ten men.

Arsenal as a club lacks imagination. When one looks at the new talent that Chelsea , Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham have brought in, it becomes clear that Arsenal scouting of players is too limited and lack the outreach of the top tier clubs.

Brandon Rodgers’ Liverpool is a classical example of astute acquisitions. Last season, he went out and acquired Sturridge and Coutinho. Suarez’s future is still up for grabs but he also brought in Kolo Toure to strengthen his back four. When Liverpool plays, it is clear the kind of soccer philosophy that is on display and the players with the dexterity to play that brand of ball. Liverpool also won on their 2013 debut with Sturridge’s goal. Arsenal seems condemned to the wilderness as in recent years they have lost the cream and replaced them with players who are quite mediocre. Wenger is a sad anachronism

Whither Ronaldinho, Robinho and Kaka

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks

Paul Vickery who is one of the better soccer pundits published a piece on ESPN soccer stating that the Brazilian coach, Scolari, has indicated that 80 percent of the Brazilian team for the World Cup 2014 has already been selected. Based on the success of the Confederation Cup, I doubt if Scolari will tinker with his starting eleven or the bench. Scolari has a lot to do with accelerating the work rate of every member of the squad. The forwards are expected to fall back and defend. The mid-field players and full backs are expected to join in the attack. It’s a full court press for ninety minutes and especially in the final with Spain, Brazil out-hustled, out-muscled the Spaniards.



The pre-Scolari teams tended to play too slow, were too tardy and lacked intensity. That is anti-thetical modern football. Like the workers of the world, international players must have a high rate of productivity. Unlike the workers of the world, the professional soccer players are well paid.



Does that mean there is no hope for Ronaldinho, Robinho or Kaka?

Ronaldinho has recovered some form since returning to Brazil and has taken his team, Atletico Mineiro, to the final of Copa Libertadores. But at 33 can Ronaldinho play on two sides of the ball? He certainly is capable of defense splitting passes but for Scolari that might not be enough.

Robinho has fallen off a cliff. A.C. Milan was negotiating a transfer to Santos of Brazil but the transfer negotiations have broken down. Robinho doesn’t seem to be in the plans of A.C. Milan and his hefty salary of 4 million pounds makes it a chore for another club to give the once Brazilian star an opportunity to play on a regular basis.

Kaka’s career also plummeted once moving to Real Madrid. Plagued by injuries and the garguantun footprints of Ronaldo, Mourinho kept him in the shadows. With the advent of Ancellotti, Kaka hopes that he will be given more playing time. Whether that will mean space on the Brazilian national team, that will not be an easy task.



Scolari’s message is that Brazil has entered a new age and the stars of yesteryear must be confined to the history books.

Spain Loses Its Footing in the New World

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks

Although not known as a principal colonizer in Africa, Spain won the World Cup convincingly in South Africa, 2010. The Spanish Empire was in fact more established in the New World and much of Latin America with the exception of Brazil came under the rubric of the Spanish crown. In the Confederation Cup, Spain ventured to Brazil as the new conquistadors of world football. But alas, the world champions were dethroned by Brazil who had the advantage of playing at home in front of a patriotic but troubled nation.



It was befitting that the final in the Confederation Cup would conclude with Spain vs Brazil. Everyone anticipated a photo-finish contest but Brazil simply outplayed the Spanish team, surprising many soccer pundits who pontificated that Spain 2010 and in the European Cup 2012 was not just the best team at this juncture but the best ever in the history of the game.



In tournaments like the World Cup and the Confederation Cup, the endurance of teams is severely tested as teams are playing back to back games. Some of the Spanish stars like Xavi and Iniesta are no longer young lions and the rigor of league play and national duties are beginning to take a toll on the performance of these aging lions.

Scolari’s squad did not allow Spain the space to play their passing game. From the genesis of the first half, Brazil pressured Spain and had the champions discombobulated from which they did not recover. Further adding to the Spanish disarray, Brazil scored in the opening minutes of the match. It was downhill for Spain for the remaining ninety minutes.



As the match progressed, Spain’s grueling semi-final with Italy left the champions bereft of energy and they failed to get into their established rhythm. What does this 3-0 victory over the World Champions mean for Brazil? Scolari has put together a team that combines “skill and steel” as one of the television commentators stated insightfully. The Confederation Cup is when boys become men. Neymar is on his way to Barcelona with ample confidence gained in the Confederation Cup. Gustavo and Paulinho are the men of steel in mid-field and Oscar, Neymar, Fred and Hulk provide the skill in the attacking third. Marcelo and Alves are splendid attacking full backs and David Luiz and Thiago Silva constitute a fortress with the veteran goalkeeper, Julius Caesar at the back.

Brazil hosts the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. The demonstrators throughout the tournament have sent a clear message to the Brazilian government that life is more than football. If Brazil is to calm the waters in 2014 and 2016, the government will have to vigorously tackle the widespread corruption that involves businessmen and elected officials. The pressing issue of social justice must be immediately tackled. In the words of the late reggae superstar, Peter Tosh, there will not be peace in the streets unless the Brazilian government can demonstrate that they are committed to social justice.

Neymar Dazzles and the Movement Mushrooms

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks

Neymar has ignited Brazil and his spectacular performance thus far in the Confederation Cup has been instrumental in Brazil getting to the semi-final where they will likely play Uruguay. The other semi-finalists will be Spain and Italy and that sets up a Brazil vs Spain final to conclude the Confederation Cup, the precursor to the World Cup to be held in Brazil in 2014.



As Neymar and his compatriots dazzle on the field, the protest movement of millions of Brazilians is sending a clear message to the government that expenditures on stadiums should not come at the expense of people’s lives. The government inastutely raised the cost of mass transportation and the protest movement has forced a rollback in those price increases. To stem the rising tide, the President of Brazil in an address to the nation has promised greater expenditures on health and education. The government’s belated wakeup call might not be sufficient to stem the mushrooming unrest.

Scolari’s squad has been triumphant playing at home and even though Neymar has come of age in the tournament, the Brazilian World Cup team has a long road to travel to return to the top of the heap in world soccer. The back four of Daniel Alves, Thiago Silva, David Luiz and Marcelo were impregnable until David Luiz in the Italy game had to leave the field injured. Dante, the Bayern Munich central defender does not cover as much ground as David Luiz and the two goals by Italy were scored when he replaced David Luiz.

With Marcelo, Scolari has a dilemma. Marcelo has great offensive skills as a left fall back and combines well with Neymar. But on counter-attacks, he leaves gaping holes in the Brazilian left flank. One of the defensive mid-fielders will have to plug that hole.



Against Italy, Scolari brought in Hermanes for the injured Paulinho. Hernanes has played well for Lazio in Serie A but he is yet to show up while representing the national team. Against Italy he was missing in action. Fred, as a striker, displayed his attributes against Italy but Hulk is yet to impress. Oscar played for Brazil in the 2012 Olympics, then joined Chelsea for the 2012-2013 EPL season and is now playing in the Confederation Cup. He has not been effective as Oscar must be in need of a rest.

Scolari made a grave mistake by not selecting Ramires who like Paulinho can run up and down the pitch until the cows come home. Scolari’s Brazilian national team still needs some tinkering and will be truly tested if they play Spain, the World Cup defenders, in the final of the Confederation Cup.



Neymar and most of the Brazilian squad have come out in support of the widespread demonstrations. The Confederation Cup represents Neymar’s showcasing his talent on the world stage. In the fall, he will join the great Messi in Barcelona. The two together will produce for the years to come highlight reels that will be immortalized on YouTube for the ages.

Scolari’s Redemption

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks

One swallow does not make a summer. Brazil’s 3-0 victory over France in a friendly played at home breaks the cycle of poor performances since Scolari replaced Mano Menezes as the coach of the Brazilian national team. The victory against France gives Scolari a temporary reprieve but the real test of the Brazilian national squad’s capabilities will come at the Confederation Cup that begins June 15 and runs until June 30.

Brazil is the host country for the World Cup in 2014 and the national aspiration is to return Brazilian football to its glory days by winning its sixth lien on the World Cup.

Brazil last won the World Cup in 2002. That team with Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Cafu and Roberto Carlos trounced the rest of the world. Since 2002, the Brazilian national team has stumbled and in the present FIFA ranking is at the country’s lowest, placed at 22.

In 2006, France with the aging Zidane, Henry and Patrick Veira knocked out Brazil in the semi-final and in 2010 in South Africa, Holland eliminated Brazil in the quarter finals. Brazil’s football has been struggling to rebound. Mano Menezes replaced Dunga after the 2010 World Cup but under his managerial watch, Brazil was unimpressive against the top tier teams in the world. Scolari, who was the coach in 2002, has been brought back to capture old glory. His beginning was quite shaky. Brazil lost to England at Wembley; drew with Italy and Russia; beat Bolivia and drew with Chile. Things were looking quite chilly for the Scolari epoch.

The victory against a lackluster French team provides the Brazilian national team with some confidence. Previous matches, the defense seemed porous. Against France, they were able to shut the door for 90 minutes. Particularly in the second half, Scolari’s youthful squad played with greater fluidity and deserved the 3-0 victory.

Neymar is still struggling to recapture his magic but Oscar, Paulinho, Lucas Moura and Luiz Gustavo are emerging as the new nucleus. Brazil’s fans are contentious of mediocrity. Brazil will hear the boos unless they can show they are in the same class as the previous great World Cup teams. Brazil has emerged in a multi-polar world and is recognized as a great power at the same time when their recognition as a great soccer power has declined. The Confederation Cup will give us some sense if the new generation of stars can return Brazilian soccer to recapture the Samba magic.

Germany Takes Center Stage in London

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks



Adolph Hitler tired to conquer the world and failed abysmally. Hitler even sent bombers to the United Kingdom in an attempt to bring the British to their knees during World War 11.

Where the Nazis failed, democratic Germany has triumphed. Germany established their supremacy in the Champion's League as two German teams went to war at Wembley Stadium, London. Of course, the German Chancellor was proudly perched in Wembley Stadium overseeing the German Clubs. Bayern Munich and Dortmund fiercely battled on British soil for soccer supremacy. Both teams played like champions. The level of ball lived up to the expectation.

Bayern was the favorite but Dortmund dominated the first half and it looked as if we could be in for an upset. Both goalkeepers were scintillating and it was their superlative performance that kept the score nil all at the end of the first half.

In the second half, a long ball from Dante, the Brazilian central defender, found the Dortmund defenders napping. Robben got an opportunity to run at the Dortmund defenders and in a flash the favorites were on the scoreboard.



Dortmund equalized with a penalty. As the game progressed, Ribery and Robben got more and more opportunities to run at the Dortmund defenders. Nonetheless, it appeared that we would go into over-time and perhaps penalty kicks which Bayern lost to Chelsea in the Champion League last year.

Robben is a deft dribbler and his left foot is like a guided missile. For someone designated as a great player, Robben failed to play well in the World Cup final in South Africa in 2010 when the Netherlands lost to Spain. Bayern Munich lost the Champions League finals in 2011 and 2012. In both games Robben failed to rise to the occasion.

The 2013 Champions Final became Robben*s redemption. The flying Dutchman picked up a ball in the 89th minute and produced some magic that left Dortmund defenders spread-eagled. Robben scored in the 89th minute.



Bayern Munich for 2012-2013 was a cut above all other teams. Next year the Champions League final will not be monopolized by Germany, we hope, but the German teams displayed a high level of football and the Bundesliga has re-emerged as one of the top teams in the World and the German national team will be serious contenders for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Scolari Hears the Boos

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks



The Brazilian Football Federation has changed horses in mid-stream. They have fired Mano Menezes and replaced him with “Big Phil” Scolari. Since the second coming of Scolari, the Brazilian national team has not made much of a dramatic turn around. The Selecao possesses an abundance of talent but the molding of a great team has just not occurred. The Confederation Cup will be a test as to what this Scolari aggregation is capable of achieving.

At the end of the friendly with Chile that was drawn 2-2, the disappointed Brazilian fans, 50,000 strong, booed the poor performance of the team. As a result, Scolari in the Confederation Cup has opted to go with the young, the promising and the untested. In the Confederation aggregation, there is no Kaka, no Robinho, and no Ronaldinho. And even though Chelsea’s Ramires is in the bloom of his career, he was not included.

All signs pointed to Neymar being signed by Barcelona and making his departure from Brazil. Neymar, from whom much is expected in 2014, has been roughed up not by his opponents but by the fans at Santos and in Brazil in general. Scolari has been encouraging Neymar to play abroad and to develop his full potential. Santos recognizes that the timing is right and if they waited another year, Neymar would have been out of contract and they would have received no compensation for his departure.



World Cup teams need new stars to emerge and establish their credentials on the world stage. Bernard, Ronaldinho’s team-mate at Athletico Mineiro, is designated as a rising star. Often designated stars flop on the international stage like Ganso. But Neymar is no Atlas and cannot single-handedly carry Brazil to another notch in 2014.

Scolari is in the spotlight. Time is of the essence and if he “bombs” in the Confederation Cup, then the boos will not only be directed at the players but at the new manager. Scolari is a long way from covered with glory.