Spain will WIN the next World Cup in Brazil

I know they just got thrashed 3-0 in Brazil, by Brazil, ending an amazing run of god knows how games played without losing. However, this is NOT the end of Spain.

Some may compare to how France were on top of the world a few years back, winning both World Cup and Euro's in subsequent fashion. They had the cream of the crop - Makelele, Desailly, Anelka, Henry, Lizarazu and Zidane, who in my opinion, was the greatest footballer of our generation, better than Ronaldo and Messi, comparable to Maradona and Pele.

But Spain is not France. They will endure, and for the very simple reasons that i have listed down below. I have no doubt you will agree with me.

Why Spain will win the 2014 World Cup in Brazil:

1. Brazil were clearly MORE 'up' for it in the Confed Cup final. They were clearly more motivated to win it, and you can understand why. Brazil needed to send a message out, not to everyone else, but to themselves, that they CAN beat the best teams. Will Brazil be as up for it next year? Yes, you can count on it. The question though, is will Spain be more motivated to win the World Cup 2014 as compared to the Confed Cup? Seems obvious. So motiviation wise, both teams will be equals.
2. As clichéd as it sounds, the weather had a serious effect on the Spainards, and also the Italians. This is not an excuse, simply a fact. But Spain would have learnt from this. The experience of playing in this Confed Cup serves as a preperatory exercise not only for the Brazillians, but also for the Spanish. The Spanish team would now a better idea of what to expect, and be better prepared.
   Some might say that the weather should not have an effect, these are professional players that should rise above petty excuses, and also point to the fact that Brazil have won plenty outside the South American heat. But that is to be expected, when you consider that at least 60%-70% of the Brazillian players over the years have played their club football in Europe and have adapted to the colder weather.
3. Spain are still U-20 and U-21 champions. That itself is a scary thought for. The old guard of Xavi, Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, Torres will be eventually phased out. 2 of the top European footballers of last season - Juan Mata and Javi Martinez - are bench warmers for Spain. Other wonderfully talented footballers like Santi Cazorla and Daniel Cavarjal have yet to be integrated into the team. The young guns who are making headlines like Isco and Thiago Alcantra will definitely be in the next World Cup squad. In short, the Spain production line is still rolling out world class footballers in every department. 
4. Tiki-Taka is not dead. Contrary to the recent evidence of this Confed Cup final, and also of Bayern outmusclining Barca in the Champions League final, let me say it again, Tiki-Taka football is not dead.
   Teams all over the world are STILL trying to emulate the Tiki-Taka style. A full strength team playing Tiki-Taka will overwhelm a full strength team playing aggresive, counter-attacking football. 

Will we see similiar celebrations come the next World Cup?

Do you still disagree? 

I'm back!

Its been a good 4 years since my last post! Plenty has happened.....changed jobs, met an amazing woman. ...married her...had a kid....and just changed jobs again.

The Living Legend that is Ryan Giggs

Yesterday i talked about a player, that quite frankly has been a dissapointment so far IMO, Robinho. You can check out yesterday's post to see my points on this. Today i'd like to pay tribute to someone who's the complete opposite ....Ryan Giggs

A quick check on Wikipedia reveals the following facts on Giggsy:

• Ryan Joseph Giggs was born Ryan Joseph Wilson on 29 November 1973 in Canton, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom (Wilson was his Dad's surname. He took the name Giggs so that everyone knows that he is his mothers son)
  

• Giggs holds a host of football records, including that of being the most decorated player in British football history. On 11 May 2008, he became the first footballer to collect 10 top division English league title medals. (to have won all those things...damn..i'm so jealous!)
  

• Giggs was the first player in history to win the PFA Young Player of the Year award consecutively (1992 and 1993) and as of today has played and scored in every single season of the FA Premier League since its inception, also holding the league's record for most all time goal assists with 289 assists in 535 appearances. (thats almost an assist every other game!)
  

• Giggs is mixed race — his paternal grandfather is from Sierra Leone — and has spoken of the racism he faced as a child. (i wonder how many people actually know this?)

• Giggs had no English grandparents, and was only available to play for Wales and Sierra Leone, the home of his paternal grandfather. (wasn't there some hype about 10 years ago that Giggs should have played for England? How is that possible if neither his parents or grandparents were actually British folk from England!?)
  

• While playing for Deans FC, Giggs would be watched regularly by local newsagent and Old Trafford steward Harold Wood. Wood regularly told the senior staff at Manchester United about Giggs, but they did not send anyone down to watch him until Wood spoke personally to Alex Ferguson. Wood told the United boss "He's with City at the moment, and if you lose him you'll regret it". So Ferguson sent a scout to a Deans match, who was impressed enough that United offered Giggs a trial over the Christmas period in 1986. (Giggs at Man City...what a waste that would have been...no offence City fans, but you guys haven't done squat in the league)
  

• The following November, on Giggs' 14th birthday, Ferguson turned up at Giggs's house with United scout Joe Brown and offered him two years on associate schoolboy forms. They also waived YTS forms, and persuaded Giggs with the opportunity to turn professional in three years. Giggs signed there and then. (Wow...on your 14th birthday, a manager tells you that you can play pro when you're 17, and he actually goes on to become pro at the age of 17..read on!)
  

• Giggs turned professional on 29 November 1990 (his 17th birthday) and made his League debut against Everton at Old Trafford on 2 March 1991 (Giggsy has been playing forever!!!)
  

• Giggs had a very good disciplinary record during his early career receiving relatively few bookings. In fact, he has never been sent off when playing for Manchester United and only once when playing for Wales. His only red card came in 2001 in an international match against Norway, which Wales lost. (and he's such a nice guy too..hahaha)
  

Personally, my forever enduring memory of Giggs will be that famous FA Cup goal, when after Patrick Viera lost the ball well into the Man United half, he picked it up, ran up to the half way line, then proceeded to beat the entire Arsenal backline before slotting in the winner. We will probably never ever see another goal like that in the near future.

I also remember that during his early years, a lot of of the media were saying that the last time they saw a lad this talented, it was a certain George Best. I think they were also expecting Giggs to take the same path down life: Football, Booze, Women.

Thank goodness he did not, and thank goodness for Sir Alex Ferguson, who knew what had happened to Best, and did his best to guide Giggs down the 'right' path, without jeapordizing his footballing skills.

There' a rumours that Giggs might retire this year, if he feels he cannot play anymore, or can't play regular games. Either way, he's had an explicably awesome career, littered with medals and cups. He's won practically everything there is to win, except the World Cup. What a way it would be to end a career, if he could lift the BPL throphy one last time, at the end of the season.