What A Start!
Bye, Roger
With no club football, this weekend looks scarier than the last. However, I couldn't have prayed for a better start to the weekend. When I heard the news about the impending retirement of Roger Federer, I was heartbroken and relieved at the same time. Heartbroken because it's time to say goodbye to the man who made me fall in love with such a wonderful sport; relieved because it has been a painful watch each time Roger Federer comes back from an injury setback only to get beaten in the Grand Slam by one of the new boys. I can stomach Federer losing to Nadal or, to a lesser extent, Djokovic. However, it's frustrating to see him beaten by these boys who are yet to earn their stripe at the top level.
A Federer-Nadal pairing is the dream. Growing up, I disliked Nadal solely because he scared the shit out of me whenever Federer had to play him. I compared the Spaniard with the Swiss great on several occasions and always come out with the same result - Federer is better. At least, that's my opinion. Despite my belief, a match against him was always hell for Federer.
As time went by, I learned to appreciate the Spaniard warriors' greatness so much that I fell in love with him - after all, there's always room for two. After Federer, Nadal is the man I want to watch. While Federer oozes grace, class and poise, Nadal gives energy, tenacity and ruthlessness in abundant quantities. Watching two modern greats together for Federer's last dance was emotional. I wiped tears off my face a few times as a teary Federer bid goodbye for the last time. We will never see his likes again.
Doomed England?
The match between Italy and England only made the start of another sporty weekend a lot more interesting. In the afternoon, SkySports senior reporter Rob Dorsett answered a couple of questions about the England squad. As he answered those questions I noticed a recurring phrase "the better teams" in his answers. He answered questions while constantly referencing the fact that some teams are better than this England squad. If a reporter who is privy to inside knowledge continuously hammer home the point, why are most England football fans talking about the World Cup trophy "coming home"? Why do they see themselves as favourites for this tournament?
In typical fashion, an out of form and seriously depleted Italy beat England 1-0. In fact, they should've scored more. And, England goes another game without a goal from open play. That makes it five or so in a row. During the question and answer section with Dorsett, one fan asked why Southgate continues to play with three central defenders, two wing backs and two defensive midfielders despite being blessed with a lot of attacking talents. The game against Italy gave a perfect answer to that question.
Before Kyle Walker's error that led to the goal, England were relatively untroubled; they carried no serious threat upfront too. Immediately they switched from the 3-4-3 to a four man defence, it all started happening; England looked more dangerous upfront, but they also looked more vulnerable at the back - Italy should've scored more. Is Southgate using an ultra-defensive approach because he doesn't trust his defenders?
Despite the popularity of the English Premier League, England is yet to have a team that can be labelled as the best in the world. I'm not sure they are even in the top 3. Is the influx of foreigners to the EPL the reason to blame for this? In all sincerity, the top teams in England have the least amount of locals in their regular starting 11. Man U has just two (Sancho, Rashford), Man City has two (Walker, Foden), Arsenal has three (Ramsdale, White, Saka), Chelsea has three (James, Mount, Sterling), Liverpool has two (Arnold, Elliott), Tottenham has two (Dier, Kane). Real Madrid (Carvajal) and PSG (Kimpembe, Mbappe) are probably the only top teams with as few locals in their starting 11.
With just under two months to the start of the World Cup in Qatar, English fans look primed and destined for another heartbreak. They've waited for success for so long. It looks so close, yet so far.
Image Source: www.skysports.com/amp/tennis/news/12110/12704183/laver-cup-roger-federer-brings-glittering-career-to-tearful-end-alongside-rafael-nadal
Roger Federer is the best tennis player ever. We won't see anybody like Roger he is the Best.
The guy is unbelievably gifted. He made it look so easy, and he played the game his own way. I'll miss him.
The best in the history I will miss him too.
Hehe,it seems like two things–
For me as a tennis player,this guy is my best,especially in terms of his ideology. He comes with a unique style that I think will be hard to match. When a man makes difficult things look easy(just like Messi does in football) then that man is a genius indeed. It is in that vein we can talk of him as the best ever. He raised the tennis bar to a whole new level!
However,when we talk of matters of titles and laurels, 2 boys came onboard and "spoilt" everything. But it was first a Nadal that appeared and yeah I felt the way you felt @mckane. He was like an irritation, that I felt will go away much like mammoth Pete Samparas–Andre Agassi tussle, where Pete generally got the better of Andre. By the way,Samparas was my love,before Federer came in and stole my heart. A tennis person will understand why I connect with both players.
Back to Nadal the,top-spin guru with an awkward style(much like how awkward Tyson Fury's style is in boxing),Nadal refused to enter the Agassi mould and he lingered, causing Federer quite a lot of problems. Then a certain Novak Djokovic(a mentality monster with that cute back-hand gift of his) came from nowhere and it became something else. Federer was pushed to the limits and his body caved in. These guys have taken down a lot of Federer's records and created some themselves. No where near as talented at Fed, but they perfected what they were good in and demystified him a lot in the past 5 or 6 years.
It's painful for me to say, but I have to be truthful. Federer will not be regarded as the greatest ever in terms of laurels won or records set. It's just not gonna happen.
My regards to you all.
The rivalry between Federer and Nadal was epic as well as against Novak, all three have dominated tennis in recent years.
I think we agree that Roger Federer is gifted with an individual technique that is very difficult to match. Perhaps there are other tennis players like Nadal that by their way of playing win the Match, but it is due more to his heart and delivery in each Match, with this I do not say that Nadal does not have a good individual technique, however it does not compare with the Swiss, which makes difficult things look easy for example that backhand to a hand.
When I look at the current tennis players I do not see anyone who has the technique or the gift of playing tennis as Roger had, Djokovic is far from reaching the level of Federer.
To my taste Federer will be the best in history even if players like Nadal or Novak surpass him in titles, that's my opinion.
Federer are Nadal are more like Messi and Ronaldo, one is incredibly gifted while the other has an unbelievable dedication and work ethic. However, only a joker will claim Ronaldo to be a better player than Messi. I've always loved Fede', I have deep admiration for Nadal, and I respect what Novak has done for the sport in recent years.
But, as for the greatest, that's a story for another day. There's been tennis players from previous eras who did wonderful things when the game was a lot tougher than what we have now.
In terms of laurels and grand slam titles, Djokovic will likely surpass everyone - he already has more than Federer. However, Federer was that guy that brought the love of tennis to most of my generation. Sampras and Agassi are mammoth tennis personalities, but Federer came in the early 2000s when media was growing and the world was changing. We got to watch Federer a lot more than those two legends. So, he is like the guy who spread the love.
Despite Djokovic's brilliance, he's still less loved as Fed' and Rafa' are. Maybe when those two are gone we will learn to appreciate the Serb more than before. In terms of greatest ever, there's been some huge tennis players I never get to see. And, just like the debate about Messi, Maradona and Pele still rages on, there will probably never be a particular order of acceptance for who the tennis greatest is. But, for my generation, Federer and Serena has been the most influential.
Funny how the fans don't see how crappy the English team really is. I have seen many miracles in sport but those were one off games and not an entire tournament.
English fans are used to hyping their players, their media hasn't helped too. That's why you get a mediocre Grealish for £100M and Championship calibre Maguire for £80M while better plays are bought for way less amounts.
You're right, the absence of English players in Top Premier league teams is affecting the English national team. Xavi keeps using Pedri, Gavi and Busquets together when he has Kessie and frankie on the bench because he is building them for the spanish midfield. He is trying to create a dynamic between these players and we've seen how these top clubs favour local players ahead of foreigners.
Same thing isn't happening in England and the players might be good individually but as a team they aren't because there's no connection between them.
Spain and Germany's world cup winning team had a lot of Pep’s player. The connection they made at club levels transferred to the national team. I hope England learn from this disgraceful Euros Nations league outing before the worldcup starts.
Hi bro,I don't see any intention by Xavi to do Spain any favours,that is stretching things too far. The players he picks are his best(not sentiments),as far as he's concerned.
Yes there's the absence of English players in clubs, yet there's much more presence of top level English players abroad than before. The saying that an English player doesn't thrive abroad which existed in people like Steve Mcmanaman's(who starred for Real Madrid) time, is more or less eroded now. This is an advantage England has not tapped into yet.
There are 4 teams above England in the FIFA world ranking– France,Argentina,Belgium,Brazil. All these teams "import" players to play for their national teams. I mean that most of their best players play outside their native countries.
What these countries have is world class coaching and a system to back it.
Cheers
I could remember back in 2010 when the debate about foreigners dominating the EPL raged wildly. Fabregas gave a perfect solution when he told the English lads to get out of their comfort zones and explore opportunities abroad.
As wonderful as that advice sounded back then, their is an other side to it. EPL teams pay the highest combined salary of all the leagues in world football (at least, that's my guess). A relegation struggling team in EPL can match the salary of a top 6 team in other countries. So, why would a player ditch a £50,000 per week wages in England for a £35,000 wages in Germany or Spain? I think this is one of the reasons why English players aren't moving out en masse to other leagues.
Another thing is the world class coaching/nurturing system other countries have that is not taken seriously in England. I once watched the nurturing system of the Belgians, how they raised their players and split players of the same years in different classes based on when they were born. However, I think England have turned a corner in recent years.
You're right, the money EPL club pays can't be matched by most teams in other countries. And you are also right about the nurturing system of other European countries being better than England's.
Maybe I'm a little bias, i feel Frankie should start ahead of Gavi. Gavi is a great player and he has proven himself over and over when called upon but i feel frankie provides something extra and even Kessie.
You're right, the coaching system in spain and other countries beats that of England.
Top teams in other countries have always had local players in their first XI. For English teams the amount of money they can pay means the best players are available for them. When you check available English players right now, you'll find it very hard to name one who is the best in the world in his position. That's probably why they're not as dominant even in their country.
That's true, the English Press have a way of hyping them so much one would think they are the best. They crucify players from other countries easily but spare their's.
That's why they get sold for obscene prices only to flop heavily. Just imagine that average ball hugger, Jack Grealish, having a £100M price tag. Ridiculous!
I hope the English media and their fans wake up to reality, they have overhyped their players to the extent you think they are that good, I remember when Sancho was about to be sold to United, the whole media went on to say he is a world-class player they praised him like he was Messi and Ronaldo only for him to flop at United. England does not have what it takes to win the World Cup sooner their fans know the better for them.
They've started their "it's coming home" chant. Their charge to the final of Euro 2020 made then belief they can win any team. What they forget to take into account is that they played every game in the comfort of their home stadium, with more fans than every other team. Home advantage counted in their favours during the Euros.
You are truly a die-hard fan of Roger, his retiring calms you and still puts out the opposite how loving.
Waltzed in through dreemport.
I would've loved to see him play more tennis, but each knee surgery he's endured left lasting impact. I'll rather have him not play anymore than to see him on crutches or wheel chair the rest of his life. The dude brought tennis to the new generation.
Thanks for porting in through Dreemport.😃
He would be so excited to see this. You are most welcome. And thanks for this loving piece.
Very interesting indeed and it's been an issue for a while with the Premier League. I think one of the other issues they need to consider is making sure they don't lose top level talent. Jamal Musiala was lost to the Germans despite repping the Three Lions at youth level. It could be an issue with the trend of quick wingers playing in the Bundesliga i.e. Sancho and Bellingham.
On a lesser scale Ademola Lookman played youth level for England then switched allegiance to Nigeria. Probably wasn't going to be a regular anyway but could still be a squad player. Who's going to be the next Musiala?
They will continue to lose these young talents who are hungry for top level football. Look at Dortmund, Ajax - top level teams that allows these young ones to flourish. Their is nothing like that in England. The big teams have a lot of pressure on their back so much that they can't even trust their top academy talents to flourish in the first team.
Federer is so great and his persona sort of draws people to him. My uncle loves him a little too much and I sometimes join him to watch some of his games and, he doesn't shut up about how good he is.
I bet he would be sad to hear about his retirement.
Found you from Dreemport.
Federer will be sorely missed. Wish I can just have back to his prime for just one year.
Thanks for porting in.
While I don't follow sports @mckane, either tennis or soccer (football) this is a well constructed and written post. You did a nice job, except for me not being a follower, when you switched subjects it would have been nice to have a marker hahahahahaha for us who don't follow. Also, why no picture for the soccer part?
This post was obtained through Dreemport.
Thanks for the compliment. It's always a pleasure having you read my posts as I always look forward to your advice.
I really have to work on my picture game now, I'm pretty poor at combining picture with words.
Hello friend, I am not really deep into sports but I can see you are a true fan of Roger...
That's an interesting read up there👍
That guy is just lovable. His playing style, his elegance, even his lifestyle - the dude is wonderful. Will miss him.
Thanks for the comment.
Roger has been the only one who has made this game so Interesting to so many people. He is a man of the people.
He created that interest in the heart of so many. He's been the driving force behind the surge of interest in the sport since the early 2000s.
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