SHOULD PLAVI GO?

Goran Stevanovic popularly knpwn as Plavi has been criticised by majority of Ghanaians for failing to win the AFCON 2012 trophy with the Blackstars of Ghana. He is said to be working on borrowed time and is likely to leave after his contract expires next month(March 2012).
  The main question is "ON WHAT BASIS SHOULD HE BE SACKED?" Is it because of his tactics, his changes or his team selection. In my opinion he hasn't had the best of times with the Blackstars but is doing an absolutely fantastic job for the future. Carrying on from where his predecessors Claude le roy and Milovan Rajevac left, he has drafted in more young and enthusiastic players who have the nation at hand. After John Boye made his international debut under the then caretaker coach Sellas Tetteh, he was nowhere to be found until Plavi rediscovered the young man's talent and recalled him to the team. Jordan Ayew has exhibited his best football under the leadership of Mr. Stevanovic. Every single coach has a weakness and that also applies with Stevanovic. He is Serbian and a real professional and his commitment to the team will definitely be lesser than a Ghanaian born and bred coach. Will you feel comfortable living and working in a different country with no friends and relatives? Why then criticise him for failing to scout players in  the Glo Premier League when scouts are being paid to do so? If he faces the sack before the next AFCON, I can bet all my money on it that his sucessor will give an excuse in case he fails.
We hope Ghanains stop criticising coaches for crisis in the team instead, ask question about the management. The coach does not do evrything alone, he does it with a team. We hope the team is able to solve its own problems and we wish tem all the best in South Africa next year.
NB:THIS IS A MUST READ FOR SETHO.

WHY THE GHANA GLO PREMIER LEAGUE IS UNEXCITING

It is a fact that a Ghanaiain is supposed to patronise made in Ghana goods. But the question is how can an unexciting good or a good without taste be marketed to yield maximum consumers or ,in the football sense,at least a close to maximum of spectators in a stadium. The quality of coaching, poor transfer policies, controversial refreeing, match fixing etc. in every single season squeezes out all the excitement from the most popular sport in the world. A single team can recruit up to 12 to 13 thirteen new players in a single transfer window with questions raised about the mode of transfer of those players. Place a picture of a Berekum Arsenal player on this screen and i will bet all my money on it that about ninety percent of Ghanaians will look at him as if he were a newly born baby. Anytime a new name is heard in European football, there is no panic because thanks to wikipedia, details on the player, his past life, playing position and a whole lot of information is pasted the same cannot be said about the premier league in Ghana.
               The media has also played a huge part in the lack of spark and excitement in the Ghanaian league. The English League is the most followed league in the world because of its media hype. Why cant we do the same for our domestic league instead of adding to the European Hype. Instead of concentrating on criticising players and coaches who perform poorly, why dont we talk about the exceptional players in the league. Club websites must updated regularly with exclusive information for the fans to get to know what is going on in their respective clubs.
  Another issue is the motivation for  the players.This is a real problem in the league in terms of incentives for the players and even the coaches. They are so low to the extent that our stars are not are not eager to stay in the league for at least one more season amidst offers from foreign lesser known clubs. These players are sold for un wrthy prices leaving the fans with bad news at the end of evry transfer window.
 Excitemnt in our league will restored if we manage our information well. The way we keep information, the way we create it and also hte way we disseminate it should be improved. This will send a message to sponsors out there especially kit sponsors that we are really serious. Wont it be beautiful to see 2 players in the Glo Premier League exchange shirts at the end of every game? Think about it!!

WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS TRANSFER WINDOW IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE.

After spending big in the just ended winter transfer window, the teams participating in the English Premier League will be looking to bring in more high profile names to boost their individual teams. Big spenders Chelsea were the highlight of the January transfer window as they splashed 71.5 million pounds on David Luiz and Fernando Torres, with the signing of the latter leading to Liverpool bringing in Andy Caroll for 35million and Luis Suarez for a region around 22 million. Other signings like that of Darren Bent  to Aston Villa and Eden Dzeko to Manchester City from Wolfsburg also made headlines but this is all in the past with focus of managers and club owners on the future.
 There are a lot of, if not big name players, players considered to be value for on the radar of either big teams , average teams and also teams rising in their standards. With all teams focused on youth development, this raises concerns over the future of existing players and also coaches who are described as dead men walking.
Romelu Lukaku, the 17 year old Belgian International is on the radar of four top-flight teams with Anderlecht demanding a fee of around 18 million pounds. The youngster who is compared to Didier Drogba has a higher chance of  joining the Blues than that of any other club interested in him and Manchester City will provide huge competition in order in order to sign the youngster.
Neymar, the Brazlian youngster who has made headlines  in England not only because of numerous English teams fighting for his signature but also because of the spectacular performance he put up against Scotland at  Arsenal's Emirates Stadium which rewarded him with a brace. He has made headlines in Manchester with both United and City interested. Roman Abramovich recently expressed his interest in the youngster after he rejected an offer from Chelsea at the beginning of the season.
Jack Rodwell, already featuring in the Premier League for Everton is atarget for Manchester United and  Chelsea. Sir Alex Ferguson is in the driving seat to sign the young midfielder as a long term replacement for ageing and departing Paul Scholes.
The player to be considered the best buy of the Premier League and with assurances of good performances for any club is the REIGNING Premier League player of the year, with a standing ovation, Gareth Bale who is a target for  the top three teams in the league with teams from outside England expressing their interests.
To mention but a few, believe you me , by next season you will see one of the world's best players in the Premier League in the likes of Van der Wiel, Arda Turan, Wesley Sneijder,Kaka and others.

COULD TROPHY DROUGHT COST ARSENAL CESC AND VAN PERSIE?

Arsene Wenger's Arsenal have failed to win any major trophy since Patrick Vieira's penalty won them their last trophy against Manchester United in 2005. This has left their star players very frustrated leaving with options on their future at the club. Cesc Fabregas has clearly stated his intention to move to his former club Barcelona due to a six year trophy drought at Arsenal. As at December, Arsenal were in the top four and were also featuring in both the FA cup and the Carling Cup in addition to the Champions League.
 This year seemed to be a bad year for them as they lost to Birmingham City in the Carling Cup final, got eliminated by Barcelona at the Camp Nou after a spectacular display at the Emirates and were outclassed by a Manchester United team that started the game with seven defenders with one of them on the score sheet in the FA cup quarter finals. Their title hopes dealt a big blow after some late drama against Liverpool where two penalties were awarded to either teams within 12 minutes of added time.
Van Persie could be lured by other clubs who are capable of winning at least one trophy a season and surely this will be a mouth watering offer he might find difficult rejecting. Arsenal at the moment in can find solace in the Emirates Cup they have won in the past few years. Could they recover from this shock or improve upon this season's performance next season? This si a question to ask frustrated Arsene Wenger.

THE PLAYERS CHELSEA REALLY NEED

Since the takeover of the West London Club by Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich, Chelsea has won everything with the exception of the all important Uefa Champions League. At the beginning of the season, the Blues looked to have been running away with the League trophy until a surprising and unexpected slump in form coinciding with injuries to key players like Lampard, Alex,Zhirkov as well as Didier Drogba struggling with a bout of malaria. This became a blessing in disguise as the young ones were given the opportunity to prove their worth bt with the exception of wonder teenager Josh Mceachran the rest proved inexperienced enough to rescue their team from such crisis.
    This then raised concerns over the EMPTINESS of their Champions League cabinet. Not even the 50 million purchase of  World Cup Winner Fernando Jose Torres Sanz could rescue them from their Champions League drought. It could be said that David Luiz could , but he was cup-tied. Chelsea really need players who have fresh determination and skill to win trophies as compared the dying detrmination being shown by players who look to be satisfied with the numerous trophies won in their early career. In almost every department Chelsea need a replacement.
  In defence, there is no problem with the centre backs as the return of  Alex boosts the defensive qualities. The real problem is at right back where Jose Bosingwa has looked lackadaisical of late leading to the away goal scored by Rooney after some excellent work from Giggs.As Bosingwa is set to be cashed in on ,Gregory Van der Wiel of Ajax is undoubtedly the worthy replacement. Known for his pace and quality deliveries,Gregory will fit and who knows may be the solution to Fernando Torres' goal scoring drought. No big problems at left back with the exception of no competition for Ashley Cole leading to lack of passion and urgency at the flanks. Patrick Van Aanholt currently on loan at Leicester City would definitely provide competition  with his fresh legs.
A lot of work needs to be done in midfield especially at the left flank where the inefficient Malouda and the average Zhirkov operate. Michael Essien has been fantastic as well as Ramires who has began to settle in the English game quickly. It is too early to early to judge Yossi Benayoun as he has been crocked by injury for the majority of the season.The solution to the not effective left flank could be Gareth  Bale or Santos star Neymar.
 In the frontline, the Didier Drogba era looks to be over as the arrival of Fernando Torres suggests. Due to Didier's current form it will be difficult to say he will be cashed in on but with Anelka , there's a surety. Kevin Gameiro of the French Ligue 1 and Lucas Barrios or even Romelu Lukaku could partner Fernando Torres or Didier Drogba with Kalou remaining the super sub and who knows , it could even be Daniel Sturridge to spark up Chelsea's season. Already one of the young prospects Lucas Piazon has signed a pre contract agreement with the London based club and these are good signs of Youth development for next season's campaign.

sportyn lyf: Romelu Lukaku the wonder kid with the world at his...

sportyn lyf: Romelu Lukaku the wonder kid with the world at his...: "Romelu Menama Lukaku the 17 year old prospect who plays for Anderlecht in Belgium is one of the most wanted players by Europes elite clubs.L..."

Romelu Lukaku the wonder kid with the world at his feet

Romelu Menama Lukaku the 17 year old prospect who plays for Anderlecht in Belgium is one of the most wanted players by Europes elite clubs.Lukaku who has been compared to Didier Drogba was born on the 13th of May 1993, in Antwerp. He began his football career with the youth team of Rupel Boom where he grew up at the age of six and later moved on to further his youth career at Lierse in 2003 before eventually joining Anderlecht in 2006. He signed a professinal contract with Anderlecht in May 2009 and has been a revelation since that time.

Lukaku became a member of the  Belgian Under-21 side where he 5 matches and scored 2 goals include one on his debut against Slovenia.His consistency in front of goal has earned him a senior call up to the Belgian Senior National Team. He scored his international goals against Russia at the Tsentralnyi Profsoyuz Stadion where they won 2-0 in Russia. At the moment he is being tracked by English Premier League sides Chelsea ,Manchester United ,Manchester City and others . Watch out for Lukaku in the near future probably next season.