As the footballing sphere bids farewell to one of it’s greatest ever patrons, legendary Brazilian forward Ronaldo, we good folk at Soccerlens thought it high time to compile a concise list of our top five ‘strikers in world football’ – with the only stipulation being that any nominee must have played ‘up top’ and have had been in their prime at some point during the last two decades.

Plus, I’m talking real, bona fide strikers here. None of your new-fangled free-radical trequartistas are available for inclusion, capiche?

So Messi? C-Ron? Gary Taylor-Fletcher? Jog on lads.

Believe me. It wasn’t a particularly easy task to whittle down the long-list (hence the myriad of ‘honourable mentions at the foot of the page!), but eventually – after several long hours spent watching endless reels of grainy, awful Euro House-laden compilation videos – we managed to arrive at our choice quintet.

In reverse order…

5. Filippo Inzaghi, 37, Italy (Career; 1991-present):

If anyone embodies just what an ‘out-and-out’ striker should encompass, it’s AC Milan’s resident poacher incarnate – a man so enamoured with the tenuous art of the four-yard tap-in that he screams himself hoarse after notching every single one, and it just so happens that there have been quite a few down the years.

Despite possessing fairly limited all-round ability, Super Pippo is an arch-scavenger, well-versed in slipping fleet-footed past his foes and seemingly blessed with almost unparalleled levels of serendipity when it comes to simply ‘turning up in the right place at the right time’.

Aside from being a World Cup winner and a double Champions League winner, Inzaghi is currently the most prolific goal-scorer (tied on 70 goals with Raul, who may just feature a little lower down the list) in European club competition and the third top goal-scorer in Milan’s history behind Gunnar Nordahl and Andriy Shevchenko – though he has played significantly fewer games for the Rossoneri than either of the two players above him.

He’s also netted a record ten Serie A hat-tricks, a record three Champions League hat-tricks and…phew!… is the oldest player to have scored in the Champions League at the grand old age of 37 years and 85 days.

Oh, and he’s also a 5th class knight of the Italian Republic.

Not bad for a spindly lad that was apparently ‘born offside’.

4. Romario, 45, Brazil (1985-2009):

The man that Johan Cruyff dubbed ‘the genius of the goal area’ scored a self-proclaimed, and often disputed, tally of 1000+ goals during his career, and many of the game’s most illustrious names have followed Cruyff in freely tooting the Brazilian strikers horn, in fact fellow Barcelona alumni Diego Maradona once went on record as saying Romario should be the ‘first pick in any dream team’.

There were no overly-fancy tricks, no endless parade of superfluous step-overs, just a razor-edged striker’s instinct and an unswerving ability to finish from all angles.

Yes, he could be a stubborn, egotistical little so-and-so when it suited him (e.g, when forced to suffer the ignominy of having to turn up to training), but on his day (e.g, at the apex of Brazil’s 1994 World Cup winning side) he was untouchable.

3. Raul Gonzalez, 33, Spain (1994-present):

If Inzaghi embodies the breed, perhaps Raul represents the purest ‘out-and-out’ striker that football has ever seen.

The Spaniard currently holds the record for all-time Real Madrid appearances and it just so happens that in those 741 games, he’s found the back of the net on no fewer than 323 occasions – also a Real Madrid record -  and it’s perhaps also worth mentioning that he’s Spain’s all-time top-scorer (44 goals in 102 caps) as well.

A clinical, gifted and still criminally underrated forward, Raul is surely one of the greatest strikers never to have been honoured with the FIFA Player of the Year award and sadly, with his career now winding down in Germany with Schalke, only a minor miracle will see that oversight addressed.

2. Thierry Henry, 33, France (1994-present):

It took a while to get there, but when Thierry Henry reached his peak for Arsenal at the turn of the millennium, my goodness were all of his previous false-starts forgotten in a jiffy.

In his pomp, Henry played with an aloof swagger that only the truly gifted can pull off convincingly without looking like a bit of an Emmanuel Adebayor. Shots were clipped, curled and placed – never hammered blindly – touches were loving, delicate and precise, his effortless skill flowed freely and under no circumstances did he ever get his crisp white shorts muddy.

Not only was he responsible for a fairly high percentage of the greatest goals the Premier League has ever seen, being the sporting chap that he is (unless you ask the Irish, of course!), Henry also found time to ridiculously fluff the odd tacked-on sitter – y’know, just to remind us all that he was human after all.

1. Ronaldo, 34, Brazil (1993-2011):

Since 1993, Ronaldo’s scoring record reads something akin to 44 goals in 44 games for Cruzeiro, 54 goals in 57 for PSV, 47 goals in 49 for Barcelona, 59 goals in 99 for Inter, 104 goals in 187 for Real Madrid, 9 goals in 20 for AC Milan, 35 goals in 69 for Corinthians, 62 goals in 97 for Brazil so, bearing in mind that his knees began to give way somewhere around 1999 (his second season at Inter), it’s little wonder that he earned himself the nickname ‘O Fenomeno’ during the course of his glittering, goal-studded career.

Now, admittedly my Portuguese isn’t as good as it should be, but I’m pretty sure that constantly being referred to as a fenomeno is a fairly positive thing.

The original (and the best by a country mile) Ronaldo was one of the very few players I truly idolised as a young sapling, and the accompanying stories of transsexual discretion and bloated physical decline should never serve to shroud the fact that Senhor Nazario de Lima was truly one of the game’s unimpeachable greats.

A modern-day legend, the 34-year-old striker hung up his old R9′s for the last time on Monday, staving off the tears as he announced to the world that he  had finally been forced to accept he had ‘lost his fight with his body’.

So long Ronaldo, muito obrigado for everything old bean…

Honourable mentions: Gabriel Batistuta, Jurgen Klinsmann, Alan Shearer, Hernan Crespo, Samuel Eto’o, Dennis Bergkamp, Henrik Larsson, Eric Cantona, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Andriy Shevchenko, Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero.

Spotted a glaring omission? Feel free to leave your suggestions (or your very own top 5) in the comments box below…

More from the Soccerlens Archives:

3 Up Front’s Top 5 Strikers Of Last 20 Years
Football Legends: The Forwards.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Werder Bremen looked set for a dismal season. Not only had their star of last season left for Real Madrid, but they had numerous injury problems and results weren’t going their way.

With only one Bundesliga win to their name, Thomas Schaaf’s team must have been dreading the visit of Hamburg to the Weserstadion. However, in a thrilling contest, Bremen came out on top, but they certainly made hard work of it.

Werder couldn’t have dreamt of a better start when Marko Marin’s deflected shot looped over Hamburg goalkeeper Frank Rost and ended up in the net. This season is an important one for Marin, who has become Bremen’s biggest offensive threat. Although very skillful, Marin is still young, and his small frame means he is often pushed around very easily.

It was a pulsating game as Hamburg went searching for the equalizer, with Ruud van Nistelrooy looking their most dangerous threat. Out of nothing, Bremen had somehow doubled their lead. A free-kick was played into the box from Aaron Hunt, and nobody picked up Hugo Almeida, whose bullet of a header left Rost with no chance.

Things couldn’t have been better for Die Grün-Weißen, but the momentum suddenly changed after the break. Although Per Mertesacker had returned for Bremen, he was wearing a face mask after fracturing his eye socket for Germany against Azerbaijan. Mertesacker was instrumental in Bremen’s victory, but there was nothing he or the rest of the Bremen defense could do to stop Hamburg’s resurgence.

Marcell Jansen forced a great save from Tim Wisse, but van Nistelrooy’s backheel bobbled over the line despite a last-ditch attempt by Mertesacker. Three minutes later, substitute Jonathan Pitroipa hit a bullet from the edge of the box to tie the score. It looked like Hamburg would take all three points as they began to dominate. However, with five minutes left, Almeida scored a tap in after a perfect cross from Wesley. Mertesacker denied van Nistelrooy from equalizing with a dramatic late block as Bremen took their second win of the season.

Bremen weren’t able to dominate against a strong Hamburg team. In fact, for large parts of the game they were second best. However, the Bundesliga is extremely competitive this season, and getting three points against one of the league’s strongest sides will give them hope.

Werder do not spend a lot in the transfer market compared to their rivals. This is coupled with their best players leaving without really being replaced. Diego jumped ship to Juventus last summer, and Mesut Ozil left for Madrid this season. Ozil took over from Diego as Bremen’s creative threat. However, it is yet to be seen whether Marko Marin can fill the void left by Ozil.

Marin was part of Germany’s World Cup squad, but wasn’t really given a chance to shine in such a talented German team. He is extremely skillful on the ball, and has a similar style to Lionel Messi. Marin is joined in midfield by Aaron Hunt, a quick winger with a bright future ahead of him. Bremen do have some experience in midfield through captain Torsten Frings, but Bremen really lack strength in depth.

Schalke, Bayern, Leverkusen, Dortmund and Hamburg all have strong squads. Bremen’s starting eleven is strong, when they are all fit, but splashing out in the transfer market gives you a strong squad. Bremen may be up and running with this well-deserved win, but it is going to be a long season. Momentum will be key to any success for Werder, and lots of pressure will be on Marin and Hunt. Hopefully for Bremen, their young shoulders can take the load.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Before the international break Kaiserslautern gave a massive boost to everyone hoping for a more competitive Bundesliga this season with their 2-0 win over Bayern Munich – two goals in two minutes sent most the near 50,000 crowd in the Fritz Walter Stadion and plenty of non-Bayern fans in Germany and around the world into raptures as the Red Devils beat ‘FC Hollywood’ for the first time in the league since 1999.

The bookies reacted to poor starts by Bayern Munich, Schalke and Bayer Leverkusen by cutting Hamburg’s price to win the title and it wouldn’t be a big surprise if HSV topped the table after this weekend’s games. Ruud van Nistelrooy is joint top scorer and Nuremburg’s recent record at HSV is awful (a win and a draw in the last ten league visits) – but before you grab your wallet it’s worth remembering that Hamburg last won the title in 1983 and have finished outside the top three in nine of the last ten seasons. However, that lack of success has got to come to an end at some point; if the indifferent form of their immediate rivals continues, the only founder member of the Bundesliga that has never been relegated from might be able to return to glory.

Kaiserslautern’s win – combined with results elsewhere – means that after two games there are already only six undefeated teams in the Bundesliga; surprisingly none of the pre-season contenders are in that group. Although only two league games have been played in Germany, the slightly odd look to the current table might also be explained by the fact that ten of the 18 games this season have finished in away wins.

Five of the six unbeaten sides are at home this weekend and the only game to feature two of them is between Mainz and Kaiserslautern on Sunday afternoon. Mainz owe their good start to a remarkable second half performance in their last game at Wolfsburg. After 45 minutes Thomas Tuchel’s side were staring defeat in the face; having trailed by 1-3 at the Volkswagen Arena, the ‘Nullfünfer’ scored twice in 13 minutes at the start of the second half before Hungarian international Adam Szalai scored the winner with four minutes left.

Week 3 kicks off on Friday night when Schalke travel to current leaders Hoffenheim. Schalke literally cannot afford to continue their poor start to the season: having invested in Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Spanish midfielder Jose Manuel Jurado and French defender Nicolas Plestanbefore the transfer deadline, they will be looking for an immediate return on their investment. However, Schalke may have to settle for a point: the last two meetings between these two at the Rhein-Neckar Arena have ended in draws.

Two of the three German clubs in this season’s Champions League play each other in the late Saturday game and both Bayern and Werder Bremen will be looking to pick up points. However, anyone expecting an easy win for the defending champions may have to think again, as Werder’s recent record at the Allianz Arena is impressive – Bayern haven’t beaten them at home in the league for nearly five years. Both clubs were involved in transfer deadline activity: ex-Manchester United and Arsenal defender Mikael Silvestre will probably make his debut for Werder but Bayern striker Mario Gomez will be staying at the club after a loan deal with Liverpool was rejected. Possibly more significantly, Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho made it abundantly clear that Bastian Schweinsteiger is on his short list; Bayern countered almost immediately by saying that ‘Schweini’ wasn’t for sale – so watch this space as these statements sound very similar to the start of the Cristiano Ronaldo saga.

At the foot of the table, Köln’s two defeats have sparked rumours about the future of their Croatian coach Zvonimir Soldo – the Billygoats host St. Pauli on Sunday and although the game was described as ‘incredibly important, but not a final’ by club President and former German international Wolfgang Overath, Köln have tough looking consecutive away games at Bayern Munich and Mainz coming up.

Tip of the week: having got off to a good start, I was going to pick Hamburg to beat Nurnberg but that looks a bit obvious and may not have enough value (although van Nistelrooy to score first at 4/1 with Bet365 may be worth a look), so I’m going to chose Borussia Mönchengladbach to beat Eintracht Frankfurt, which should be available at around 11/10 but may drift to evens before Saturday.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Monday Monday, can’t trust that day.

The new week has brought with it a flurry of fresh transfer rumours, some perfectly feasible, some a little dubious and some completely and utterly nonsensical! Brilliant!

It seems that the relentless speculation surrounding the future of Cesc Fabregas is showing no sign of dying down whilst the Spaniard represents his country at the World Cup – with Real Madrid now apparently set to enter the race to sign the Arsenal talisman.

Premier League

I was wondering how long this would take. Real Madrid are reportedly preparing a £40 million bid for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, with designs on sabotaging their bitter rivals Barcelona’s attempts to sign the 23-year-old midfielder. (FootyLatest)

However, according to a poll conducted by MARCA, Liverpool (and now England) skipper Steven Gerrard is the Madridista’s preferred transfer target. (MARCA)

Meanwhile, Arsenal have told Barcelona that they will have to double their opening £30 million bid if they wish to stand any chance of signing Fabregas. (Daily Mail)

The Catalan giants are also planning to raid Arsenal for their French left-back Gael Clichy, thus straining the relationship between the two clubs even further. (Daily Mirror)

Arsenal have put together an offer worth £16 million for CSKA Moscow’s highly-rated Serbian winger Milos Krasic, who has also caught the eye of Liverpool and Manchester United. (World Football)

The Gunners have also returned with a fresh £8 million offer for Lorient centre-back Laurent Koscielny. (Sky Sports)

Ligue 1 outfit Marseille are considering an £8 million move for Manchester City bench-warmer Roque Santa Cruz. (Mail)

City themselves have returned with a £27 million for Aston Villa midfielder James Milner, but Villa are holding out for their full asking price of £30 million. (Daily Star)

Manchester United are eyeing up a move for Real Madrid’s £24-million-rated holding man Lassana Diarra. (Caught Offside)

Chelsea legend Marcel Desailly has told England winger Joe Cole that he would be better off joining Manchester United than Arsenal. (Four-Four-Two)

Wolfsburg will attempt to make Dimitar Berbatov their first major signing of the summer, and will open talks with Manchester United over a €20 million move for the Bulgarian during the coming weeks. (Footy Latest)

Tottenham have renewed their interest in Porto striker Radamel Falcao and are in the midst of preparing a £16 million bid for the Colombian hitman. (World Football)

Birmingham have made an improved offer for Palermo forward Fabrizio Miccoli after seeing their initial £3.4 million bid rejected. (Mail)

La Liga

Valencia are desperately searching for a new striker following the departure of David Villa to Barcelona last month. The two options Los Che have settled on are Toulouse striker Andre-Pierre Gignac and Hamburg’s veteran goal-machine Ruud Van Nistelrooy. (Football Press)

Spurs outcast Giovanni Dos Santos is on the verge of joining La Liga side Seville along with fellow Mexican international, Arsenal striker Carlos Vela. (Mirror)

According to his agent, Antonio Caliendo, Juventus striker David Trezeguet is in talks over a move to Atletico Madrid. (Football Press)

Benfica have promised Real Madrid first refusal on Angel Di Maria if Los Blancos allow their young defender Marcos Alonso to move to Portugal as ‘part-exchange’.

Serie A

The immediate future of many of Inter Milan’s players has been the subject of near-constant speculation since a certain Portuguese coach departed the Guiseppe Meazza for pastures new, but president Massimo Moratti seems certain that at least two of Inter’s biggest stars will still be donning the famous Nerazzurri next season;

“There’s nothing strange about players asking themselves about their own future after a change of technical guide, but Mario Balotelli has got my trust, as well as all the players which have given us such incredible emotions during last season. Maicon will stay with us too, he does love our colours”. (Il Corriere Dello Sport)

AC Milan and Juventus would both be tempted by a cut price deal for Dimitar Berbatov, however, both clubs have admitted that the Manchester United forward is not one of their top summer transfer targets. (Goal)

Lecce have asked to take Genoa’s Montenegrin left-back Ivan Fatic on a season-long loan next term. (Big Soccer)

Parma are chasing Napoli’s Uruguayan midfielder Mariano Bogliacino, but will face competition from Lazio for the 30-year-old’s signature. (Tutto Mercato)

Udinese have targeted Sunderland goalkeeper Marton Fulop. (Eurosport)

Napoli are said to be tracking Saint-Etienne midfielder Blaise Matuidi. (Tutto Napoli)

Roma are planning to sign additional wingbacks and their first target will be Udinese’s Mauricio Isla. The 22-year-old Chilean can also play in midfield. (Calcio News)

* * * * *

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From Soccerlens.com - Football News

It is with some distain, if not total consternation, that I observe the clichéd comments of the media, rival fans, and (most of all) my fellow Manchester United fans in relation to the ‘old guard’ at Old Trafford!

I could paraphrase an endless list of comments across an endless list of articles and blog contributions but let me quote a comment by the BBC’s chief sports writer, Phil McNulty, in his review of the season this week:

“once again we have to ask how much more Ferguson can dredge out of the old reliables such as Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.”

And the replies to such observations arrive quick and fast, many suggesting that it will be impossible for Utd to replace Neville, Scholes and Giggs when the time comes.

It’s just about then that I pour myself a glass of wine, take a deep draught, and again wonder whether I live in a different parallel universe to the rest.

But before I get into the meat of my point let me first set some background. Sir Alex Ferguson can be accused of many things but lack of loyalty is not one of them, and when it comes to loyalty he’s totally black and white. Loyalty has always been a two-way street for Ferguson (no argument with that)…….you cross him at your peril…..a lesson learnt the hard way by the likes of McGrath, Sharpe, Stam, Beckham, Van Nistelrooy and even Keane over the years. You’re either in or you’re out with Sir Alex and there are no half measures.

At times he has taken on the world in support of a player (Cantona) and been richly rewarded in return, and for those ‘less troublesome’ souls who have devoted an entire career to the cause Fergie’s loyalty and support is absolute.

The question is whether this is a vice or a virtue, or, more poignantly, when does that virtue actually become a vice?

The last time I soul searched on this issue was in the 2005/6 season. United were heading for a 3rd successive year without the title and Keane was very much in decline. Club captain, but hampered by injury and age, I wondered whether Fergie would ever bite the bullet and move on. In the end, Roy did the honourable thing and spat the dummy, making his departure on his own terms and for the greater good of all. Don’t get me wrong, Keane was one of the all time greats to grace the Old Trafford pitch but he had the nous to call time… at the right time (just)… which is typical of the pragmatist that Keane is.

Everyone moved on, Fergie re-shuffled and 3 titles in a row landed on his doorstep. Carrick arrived amidst a wave of controversy over his fee and, while he is no Roy Keane and never will be, he provided a piece of the jigsaw that once again provided Ferguson and his team with a relatively settled “middle 4”. It was the catalyst (along with the emergence of Ronaldo as a major force) for further decorating one of the most impressive CVs in football management history, and three years of plenty followed.

Now, football commentators and fans are a fickle bunch, none more so than this one, who change their minds daily (never mind weekly or even monthly). As Fergie’s team mounted an assault on six trophies last season, somewhere around the New Year the scribes were suggesting that they would succeed on all fronts and questioning whether this was the ‘great man’s’ best ever squad.

But a season on from all of that, with Ronaldo now departed and Utd failing to win the title for a 4th time (by just a single point), decline is on the agenda, the squad needs major investment (according to many) and the imminent departure of the ‘old guard’ is a major worry!

All of which brings me back to my main point. Let me preface this by acknowledging that as the 3 most decorated players in the history of the Premier League, Neville, Scholes and Giggs, are true legends of the game and will rightfully take their place in the ‘hall of fame’….never to be forgotten!

But time and tide waits on no man and right now, if not for some time now…..if I may be sacrilegious…can I suggest that they are (have been) more of a liability than an asset?

To support this claim I must firstly return to my musings at the start of the season just finished. My greatest wish was that Fergie would somehow ‘find’ a settled midfield unit….get to the point where Utd had a recognised ‘best’ central four. To that end my hope was that Anderson would be given the chance to claim the AM role, that Nani would finally emerge and that Hargreaves would return from injury.

But most of all I wished that Ferguson would forsake his endless rotation of 8 or 9 midfield players with the inevitable consequence of lack of continuity and the lack of team understanding that that brings with it. And to support my aspiration, it went without saying that Scholes and Giggs should be given a back seat……left to lend their experience in the dressing room to the younger players, to come off the bench occasionally, and to play a part in some of the cup competitions.

Utd kicked-off the season against Birmingham and followed that up with the away trip to Burnley…and Sir Alex changed his entire ‘middle’ 4 for the Burnley game (in fact he rotated 5 of the front 6). I instantly knew the game was up and resigned myself to another season of ‘guess the line-up’, knowing in my heart that no team ever achieves greatness with a question mark over what is it’s best 11 (or at least best 14).

Giggs started 20 PL games for Utd last season, Scholes 24 and Neville 15. Not huge numbers but that’s exactly the point. Too much a case of players on the way out not being left out and players who should be brought through not being left in!

Let me address Gary Neville first. Absent for the best part of 2 seasons through injury, Gary probably played more games than he would have this season due to injuries to others. While truly awful in some of his early season performances, in fairness, he put in some decent shifts in the 2nd half and deserves credit for that.

But let’s be crystal clear on this one. Neville is now 4th choice RB at Old Trafford, behind Rafael, Brown and O’Shea. If he walked out the door tomorrow it wouldn’t cause the slightest blip on the future achievement of the club……so let’s lay that one to rest. He’s long since been replaced. Next!

The case of Giggs and Scholes is more complicated, but only relatively so. The two had contrasting seasons. Giggs had some good performances in the first half of the season but, for my money, was mostly missing in the 2nd half. For Scholes it was the reverse, he seemed to come to life from January on. But even given that, there’s still a problem to my mind and it’s this. For every decent game Giggs and Scholes have, they have one average one and one poor one. You just can’t rely on that, it’s a crap shoot, and you better believe that it comes at a cost!

A good example is Liverpool away last season. Fergie selected a midfield of Carrick, Scholes, Giggs and Valencia. A ‘backs to the wall’ game for Liverpool and a guaranteed battle! I saw the line-up and winced, and so it proved. They just don’t have the legs for a high tempo battle anymore.

But the main problem is Ferguson’s insistence on including them so often. It retards the emergence of the next generation, Anderson in particular; it possibly undermines the confidence of players like Carrick, whose form collapsed in the latter part of the season and it definitely undermines any chance of getting to a point of having a settled midfield unit which, to my mind at least, is fundamental to creating any great team.

So when, by degree, I learnt that all three in question had signed 1 year extensions to their contracts I was far from happy. I’m not suggesting that they shouldn’t have been given those extensions, far from it. Let them continue to influence the younger players, bring some experience to the bench and play in some cup games …….exactly my prescription for last season.

But I just know that Fergie won’t approach it this way. He’ll continue to overplay this trio of aging greats; continue to undermine the game time and by extension the confidence of others, and continue to over rotate and detract from any possibility of Utd establishing a quality midfield unit.

So what would I do? Assuming Hargreaves can get back to his former level, I’d have Hargreaves, Fletcher, Anderson and one quality CM purchase, along with Nani and Valencia, as my ‘midfield 6’. By that I mean 4 or 5 (depending on formation) from this 6 as the regular starters.

I’d sell Carrick and have Park, Gibson, Oberton and the emerging Cleverly as the back-up, but only to be used sparingly in the event of injury or to occasionally rest someone (unless of course they impress so much that they can’t be ignored). After that Giggs and Scholes would get a look in, which would mean not very much at all. The “2nd string”, including Giggs and Scholes, to be given game time in the CC and FA Cup.

I understand the criticisms of Utd’s midfield quality in recent times but remain unconvinced that it is down to lack of good players. I’m convinced that it has as much to do with lack of continuity and failure to establish a regular starting line-up. Yes, I know it’s a squad game now and you can’t get anywhere without depth……but there’s a balance between squad depth and not having a first choice (‘best’) team and for two seasons now that balance has been missing from United.

Neville, Scholes and Giggs have long since been replaced at Old Trafford. They owe us nothing more and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude.

But please Fergie, spare us the death by a thousand cuts! I’ve bled enough already and I can’t face another season with more of the same.

It’s time to move on……time to get the balance back…… and time to get a best 11 again!

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Like so many of you out there I’ve long since lost all respect for Real Madrid and how they conduct their affairs. The malaise born out of the ‘presidential’ system seems to me to tarnish the clubs image rather than enhance it and the side effect that it channels through the media is, frankly, an embarrassment.

Yes, Barca have a similar system but somehow seem to do it with a lot more dignity.

Just as with political elections worldwide, the Real Madrid presidential election comes with mass canvassing and a manifesto that invariably promises more than you would think can reasonably be delivered; the substance of which always involves signing several of the top players on the planet (read Galacticos).

Not to suggest that Real’s prancing egoists (read presidents) don’t deliver. Bankrolled by seemingly unlimited credit from institutions that have long since been taught to respect a ‘national icon’, money is seldom the problem for Real. Florentino Pérez, the current incumbent, prompted the press to invent the ‘galacticos’ term during his previous reign between 2000 and 2006.

Here’s a man who delivers on his promises and knows no fear when it comes to delving into the deep pockets of the club he represents. And during his two terms as president of Real he has overseen the signings of some notable talent:

Ronaldo (both versions), Zidane, Kaka, Figo, Beckham, Benzema, Owen, Alonso, Ramos, Robinho, Babtista, Woodgate, Albiol……even the one and only Thomas Gravesen, were all signed during his tenure. Just approaching a combined 6 ½ years in the coveted role, Perez has overseen 2 La Liga titles, 1 CL and 2 Supercopa’s; the relatively meagre return for some (please forgive the understatement) extravagant investment during his reign.

Just not good enough!….. most of you would suggest. He may still deliver another La Liga title this season but has already had to endure the ignominy of seeing his team dumped out of the CL by Lyon in the first knock-out stage; not withstanding Ronaldo, Kaka, Benzema et al. But Real (not to be confused with ‘real’) presidents don’t overly worry about failings on the pitch. Why would you when there’s always a manager (albeit one who has little control over singings) waiting to be the fall guy!

Real have had no less than 17 managers in the past 20 years, three of those serving two separate terms in the job, and one, Vicente Del Bosque, actually serving three (yes 3!) terms as manager. We hear much talk of players being ‘mercenaries’ these days….but what of managers? Is it a tick on the CV that must be had or are the dollars too lucrative to ignore? Whatever the bait, it obviously trumps self-respect every time.

It’s all a bit of a joke ReaLly!

Just as Real Madrid treat their managers as instantly disposable, so too do arriving presidents treat their players. If they’re not to their liking or (more likely) if cash is needed to deliver on some of those pre-election promises then, as a player, your days are numbered and you’ll quickly be on your way….falling back on contracts being about as useful as sticking a finger in a dyke (meaning the Dutch version of the word!)

And so, with the arrival of Perez last summer and the toute suite (that’s French for immediate…..nothing like a bit of showing off I think you’d agree!) arrival of Ronaldo, Kaka, Alonso, Benzema and Arbeloa, some then current, not to mention recently arrived, Real players suddenly found themselves with a target on their back.

Now I’d accuse the Real presidents of many things but racism is not one of them! Not that I’ve researched this aspect of the subject but, let’s face it, the Dutch are as affable, hospitable and inoffensive a group of people as you are likely to meet. They speak good English, drink good beer and for a nation with a population of just 16 million citizens (could be 17m now since the last census) have hugely out-punched their weight in world football terms over the years.

Cryuff, Neeskens, Van Basten, Van Nistelrooy…. I could go on for a very long time, but take it as read that their pedigree is beyond question. Losers in 2 World Cup Finals, unluckily in both cases some would suggest, I’ve the greatest respect for the Oranje! So there had to be some other motive/logic behind last seasons clear-out at Real.

How about stupidity?

Sneijder, Robben and Van Huntelaar quickly found themselves surplus to requirements and all were moved on toute suite (yeah, I’m lovin’ it!)….to Inter, Bayern and Milan respectively. OK, I accept that the previously prolific (previous to arriving at Real that is) Huntelaar hasn’t set the world on fire….but what of the other two?

As a Man U fan I riled against my fellow supporters’ calls for multiple signings, post Ronaldo, last year. That said, when I heard Sneijder was on the market….I was interested….if not totally committed to the cause. With Scholes ensconced in twilight and Anderson still wiping his feet on the mat, here was a player I admired….and then some.

In December 2008 I had the dubious honour of nominating the Soccerlens ‘Team of the Year’. Being misguided, as I generally am, I chose Sneijder in midfield, at the expense of…..and excuse me while I blush……Xavi. My choice was mainly on the basis of his performances for his country at Euro 2008, even though he’d spent much of his club time injured that year.

And the unrelenting Soccerlens public gave me some (not undeserved) stick for that choice. But as I learnt the hard way, whoever gets the hospital pass of that particular article each year is guaranteed a good kicking….and rightly so!

However, I now confess to feeling somewhat vindicated. Not that I will ever stoop to giving credit to the narcissistic wannabe that is Mourinho, but even I must respect that signing (and rue the lack of same signing by Fergie in equal measure.)

Sneijder will be 26 before the World Cup kicks-off in SA…..still some way from his peak. For my money, he has been the catalyst for everything that has gone right for Inter this season. Ostensibly an attacking midfield player, Sneijder is much more than that! With a career average of better than 1 goal in 4 appearances (a quality return by any standards), this is a player who’ll give you that return going forward while at the same time never be found wanting when defensive duties call.

For every clinical finish and killer assist you’ll find, in equal measure, defensive qualities of the Roy Keane variety as he shuts-out the best his opponents can produce everywhere on the pitch. Yes, this guy is a street fighter with passion and commitment in abundance. If I was going over the top in the trenches and had to choose who to bring with me he’d be the first name on my list of comrades. And if Inter do win the CL this season I’ll declare, with only minor fear of contradiction, that Sneijder provided the foundation for that achievement. Mourinho’s tactics my ass! Sneijder will be the over-riding reason for Inter’s 45 year reunion with the biggest prize in European football.

Real (and Perez) should be highly embarrassed for having let him go and I’d argue that he’d walk into the current Real Madrid team and add huge value!

Which brings me nicely on to Arjen Robben! 26 years old in January this year, Robben, even at that tender age, could almost be accused of being something of a journeyman. Not exactly more clubs than Tiger Woods (and certainly not more women) but 5 clubs under his belt at his, relatively, tender age is somewhat unusual, non?

I accept that Robben has had a relationship with the physio’s couch somewhat more intimate than most of us would like….and I’ll also accept that his temperament may be suspect…and that his right foot couldn’t kick the skin off a rice pudding, but when this guy is fit and on form it’s hard to argue against his ability. Robben’s career goal-scoring record just slides below 1 goal in every 4 appearances, not bad for a winger. But get this, his record for Bayern this year is close to 1 goal in every 1 ½ games!

Not damn bad for a one footed sick note I’d argue!

And like his compatriot Sneijder, he’s carried his team to the brink of Champions League glory this season. Scoring the ‘winner’ against Utd at Old Trafford, and what a sublime strike it was… this week he hit another long range screamer to notch the advantage over Lyon. In a single season Robben has taken his goal/game average from 1 in 4 to 2 in 3. That has to say something about a player who is a couple of years off his peak. And just like Inter (Sneijder), should Bayern go all the way in the Champions League I’ll have to conclude that Robben was the catalyst for their success….the one key player that made it happen, even casting a shadow over that other Bayern winger, and erstwhile main man, Frank Ribery.

Fate may yet determine that neither Bayern nor Inter reach this years CL final. But if they do then two great Dutch players (Real Madrid rejects) will be at the root of their alternative success.

So when the Champions League Final circus rolls into Madrid on May 22nd Seignior Perez will approach the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium with some trepidation. He’ll likely retreat to his quarters somewhere in the bowels of the famous stadium and pour himself a stiff cognac or two. One way or another he’ll have a lot to ponder and will be in need of some Dutch courage before he faces the bright lights. And at this point there’s no palatable outcome for the Real president.

Should Lyon defy the odds and lift the trophy it will be that sickening feeling of what might have been! Real could (and probably should) have dispensed with them at the Bernabeu. If it’s a Sniejder inspired Inter or a Robben inspired Bayern he’ll be feeling a little foolish, he may even be speaking ‘double Dutch’!

And the 4th alternative!

Barca retaining the trophy in the backyard of their greatest rivals! Nuff said! Picture the scene: Guardiola offering to buy Perez dinner after Barca lift the trophy! The only logical response would be “Gracias, but let’s go Dutch!”

Ultimately there can only be one winner…..and, equally, one loser. The winner will be the winner.

The loser will be Real Madrid!

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

If you believe all the rumors out there, Ruud van Nistelrooy alone is the target of every other Premier League club. Wages are pretty big and Real Madrid have so many other options like Raul, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain. But the question is, is he going to come back to Premier League and is he worth the money?

Then again, the clubs are not prepared to spend a fortune on him either, which is indeed the right thing to do. He is probably not going to get £130,000 a week contract again. Lets face it, he 33 years old and facing the end of his career but yeah, his record for Manchester United was quite unbelievable; 95 league goals in 137 starts, which is just phenomenal and probably better than Thierry Henry, Michael Owen and even Alan Shearer.

But! … Can he recreate all that? I don’t think so, but he can be a good impact player in any side he decides to join.

Money might not be the only problem with Nistelrooy. When he left United, everyone was shocked and all but there were statements that suggested that Alex Ferguson had spotted a little bit of attitude problem developing in him and that was the reason United had to let him go. Back then, he was 28 and he was on the top of his game.

Was Fergie right? Did he really have that attitude problem? If he did, it could have developed over the time he spent in Spain or maybe it will come back when he comes back to the Premier League. There sure are a number of question marks dangling above Nistelrooy’s return to the Premier League.

For more on this topic, follow the link and listen to the Episode 37 of the Soccerlens Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Talk of a looming crisis at Old Trafford is rife across the media today, following yesterday’s 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Fulham. It’s not often Manchester United concede three goals in a game and it’s even less often that they concede three goals without reply. So should we go along with the media’s perception of the situation at Old Trafford? Or should we put it into context and analyze it properly?

I’ve always been an optimistic kind of fan. The kind that doesn’t get too downhearted after a defeat. That’s not to say I’m not passionate about my team, God knows it pains me every time we lose, but over the years I’ve learnt not to write United off.

I expect doom and gloom from the media, but perusing the various United message boards last night was a sad sight to see. Many fans have all but written off our title hopes and want significant expenditure by Sir Alex to boost the squad. I’ve even seen people say we’ve been a poor side for the last few years. How short the memories of the ungrateful are.

Four years ago we were similarly written off as title contenders. When Ruud van Nistelrooy left for real Madrid we were deemed a spent force in the Premier League. The one man we could count on to score 20+ goals per season was gone and our era of domination was over, so we were told.

Somewhat predictably for those who have faith in the manager, we won the league the following season after Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo picked up the slack. It was another of those instances where Sir Alex had proven his doubters in the media wrong and won the league. It wasn’t the first time he’d done it (“You’ll never win anything with kids”) and it certainly won’t be the last.

The 2007/2008 season started with us as favourites and ended with a Premier League and Champions League double. Ronaldo was the pick of the players with his 42 goal haul that won him the FIFA World Player of the Year award.

His achievements were written off by most as a one off. A freak occurrence that could never be repeated, and this meant the media and bookmakers had all but crowned Chelsea as champions before a ball had been kicked in the 2008/2009 season. We missed Ronaldo at the start of the season after he underwent ankle injury and we endured a stuttering start. But eventually we picked up the pace and put together a record breaking run of games where we didn’t concede a goal in the league for 1,334 minutes. This led to us overtaking Liverpool and winning our third league title in a row. No other team has won three Premier League titles in a row. We’ve done it twice!

Now I’ve gone off on a bit of a tangent there, but you get the underlying message. You can’t write United off.

It’s understandable to a certain extent, but the media exaggerate much of what they print in order to sell papers with sensationalized headlines. It’s true we’ve lost the best player in the world and an Argentine labrador and not really replaced them adequately. It’s also true that we’re in the midst of arguably the worst injury crisis in recent history. But don’t let that fool you into believing we’re having a poor season. We’re in a similar position now as we were at the same point last year, but Chelsea are still strong favourites.

Last season we’d won 38 points after 18 games. This season we’re on 37, just one point’s difference.

This season we’ve scored 37 goals, compared to last season’s 29, so we’ve scored eight goals more!

So you can see we’re actually doing fantastically well when you consider the circumstances. There isn’t another team in the league that would still be in second place if they were missing eight defenders and their first choice goalkeeper. The fact that we’re still within touching distance is a testament to the manager and the squad of hardworking players he’s built to fight for this club against all the odds.

We’re traditionally slow starters in the league, so don’t be surprised if when we get some defenders back from injury, we go on another unbeaten run and really crank up the pressure on Chelsea. So no matter how bad it appears to be at the moment, keep the faith and don’t write us off. Most of all, support the shirt, not the results.

For similar articles, check out StrettyEnder.com – a Manchester United Blog.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Tuesdays have never been so exciting. Even the institution that is the UEFA Champions League and the subsequent “Champions Tuesdays” fanfare it precipitated hasn’t managed to turn a day of boredom and wistful gazing towards weekends past and future into anything more than a filler day.

Seasoned office conversationalists agree on very little- the Euro, Jordan, the eternal cheese versus egg debate- yet most manage to reach a gruff compromise when it comes to naming the most banal day of any week. Tuesday.

Because it works like this. On a Monday you have weekend tales to tell, and in a strange way it can be nice to see people you haven’t seen for an entire two days again. You might even have a new shirt and tie from your weekend excursion to Gap. Wednesdays, well they tend to have office five-a-side in the evening, so the day can be spent picking and re-picking teams, as well as poring over the midweek football coupon.

Thursdays, well they are the start of the weekend these days aren’t they? And there are the five-a-side stories to embellish also. And the Friday feeling, twenty years after the PR department Crunchie tried and failed to, simply cannot be explained. You take that tie off and throw on the new polo, you plan a few drinks in a low-quality alehouse, you talk incessantly of plans for the weekend as if they are of great importance, and the work seems secondary somehow. Phones do not need answering, customers do not need serving, and the clock seems to be in on the act, ticking faster than normal.

Tuesday, by contrast, has nothing going for it. Sure you can chat about the Champions League action, but that only really helps fans of a couple of clubs (or the purist, but since when do they have office jobs?), you can maybe dissect a Monday night game (though SKY and ESPN seem reluctant to utilise this Premier League invention). Tuesdays drift by with nothing to discuss, nothing to enjoy, nothing to anticipate.

Well not any more. This week sees the most exciting time of year condense itself into….a Tuesday! Yes, the transfer window is slamming shut a day later than originally scheduled, due to an unforeseen Bank Holiday which will undoubtedly lead to a pile up of paperwork in the Premier League’s admin department, with most staff off parading round Notting Hill in hula skirts. So the 31st August deadline becomes the 1st September one. The Monday night deadline becomes the Tuesday teatime one.

And boy are we excited. Not as excited as Sky Sports News of course, that would be impossible, but excited nonetheless. Already sensible, grown men are preparing their phones for endless texts to news institutions offering dubious tip-offs. “Marouane Chamakh just arrived at my taxi rank looking for Shenley Training Centre, whatever could it mean?”

Some managers love the last few days of the deadline, Harry Redknapp is like the gambler who takes a jackpot out of a fruit machine- or twelve points from twelve- only to go after that repeat chance and throw another couple of million at a promising young full back.

Tony Pulis’ scout appears to have set up home in the North East and is attempting to relieve both Middlesbrough and Sunderland of all their players- expect Danny Collins and perhaps Kenwyne Jones to appear in a sentence beginning with “Stoke bid” before 5pm on Terrific Tuesday.

Paul Hart too, should be a busy man, Portsmouth’s squad quality may have plunged depths low enough to make Alain Perrin cackle, but he added four new faces on Friday. All of them rubbish. Expect a few more to fatten out the numbers over the next few days, with the last two remaining good players- David James and Niko Kranjcar- likely to leave.

Arsène Wenger is a lot more sensible of course, but still capable of a little deadline day indulgence. Andrey Arshavin was the (tedious) story of the last window, Lassana Diarra was snaffled on deadline day a couple of years back, Denílson a year previously. This year, he may decide to keep his credit card in his wallet after a useful start to the season, though if you ask most he should be scouring the aisles marked “Goalkeepers with goalkeeping ability” and “Strong tall centre midfielders”. Whether he will remains to be seen, Wenger is nothing if not loyal to his charges, but expect plenty of player sightings in and around St Albans this week.

Sir Alex Ferguson is another who is publicly sceptical of deadline day, though that didn’t stop him performing a Bronx-style kidnap on Dimitar Berbatov this time last year in a bid to stop the Bulgarian from taking his languid, chain-smoking, hair-flicking style to Manchester City. This year he has claimed a disinterest in further strengthening the Champions’ squad, though early signs suggest they may need a little fine tuning, perhaps in midfield. Looking round the pool of talent available however shows there are little obvious solutions to such a problem, particularly with Arjen Robben swapping white for red and Real Madrid for Bayern Munich this week.

Rafa Benítez meanwhile is turning over couches all over Merseyside as he looks to stump up enough cash to add in a bit more depth and quality to Liverpool’s squad. Sotirios Kyrgiakos may have been added, but at £2m represents the goo at the bottom of a barrel of sweets in terms of signings, and with the likes of Ryan Babel and Andriy Voronin showing little sign of covering for Gerrard and Torres consistently, a new forward option is patently needed. One wonders whether loan moves for the likes of Eidur Gudjohnsen or Ruud Van Nistelrooy would be feasible.

Manchester City seem to have quietened down a bit since they managed, via Joleon Lescott, to dismantle/galvanise (depending on who you listen to) Everton’s team spirit. Lescott & Sylvinho may be the end of Mark Hughes’ summer spending, but with City struggling to turn dominant possession into commanding wins, there may be a sneaky signing or two to arrive at Eastlands, even despite Pep Guardiola’s insistence that he holds little or no interest in signing Robinho.

And speaking of Everton, they are finally in a position to spend a bit of cash. But like the lad who has been out of work for so long that when he finally gets a paycheque, he spends it on needlessly costly designer clothes, David Moyes is taking risks in the market. Diniyar Bilyaletdinov cost £10m from Lokomotiv Moscow, whilst Sylvain Distin cost £5.3m from Portsmouth, both made a winning debut against Wigan yesterday. Reports suggest that perma-frown Scott Brown of Celtic, Johnny Heitinga of Atlético Madrid, and Ever Banega of Valencia will follow them into Finch Farm over the next few days, though Moyes’ forte has always been the capture and polishing of lesser known, hungrier players. His new policy will be under firm scrutiny over the coming months.

Elsewhere down the division, West Ham will be looking to sell before buying. Their latest raid on Serie B has been completed with the capture of Alessandro Diamante from Livorno (jury hasn’t even turned up yet on this one), but the likes of Carlton Cole, Matthew Upson and James Collins are all sure to be linked away as Gianfranco Zola attempts to balance the books, with an FA fine and potential ban for crowd disorder expected to add to the financial constraints at Upton Park. The Hammers have already turned down a bid for Upson from….Fiorentina?!!…but will be bracing themselves from bids from the likes of Villa &, of course, Spurs.

Phil Brown at Hull will be busy, and not just in the mirror either, as he looks to add low quality Sunderland players to his squad. Paul McShane looks a done deal, now if only we could get Daryl Murphy too, we would be certain to go down. Benjani may represent a better signing, though the fact that he was last seen carrying Emmanuel Adebayor’s luggage through the lobby of the Manchester Hilton may count against him.

Sunderland themselves are hatching a sneaky plan of their own, buoyed by Lee Cattermole’s decent start at the club, Steve Bruce is looking into a plan whereby every player who has a 6/10+ performance for Wigan over the last two seasons arrives on Wearside for big money- Maynor Figueroa and, cough, Titus Bramble the latest to be linked. Which is handy, because Roberto Martínez is adhering to a similar policy himself, with a sign in the DW Stadium reading “Wanted: Players. Must have Swansea/Spanish roots”. Jason Scotland and Jordi Gomez could soon be joined by Ferrie Bodde, Angel Rangel and John Toshack at Wigan (suppose it’s either that or bring back Amr Zaki and his ego?).

Which leaves the quieter clubs, Bolton, Blackburn, Villa. Villa should add to unfortunate Richard Dunne to their ranks before the close, whilst both Gary Megson and Sam Allardyce will no doubt be maximising the filter option on Football Manager in a bid for cheap/loan signings. The Lancashire clubs in particular appear in dire need of some investment, even if Bolton’s just comes in the kit department.

So make the most of this week boys (and girls, there is no reason why girls can’t love a bit of transfer action), enjoy the moment, this Tuesday may be one of a kind. Terrific, tasty, tantalising……tedious. Wait and see.

Get all the latest premier league transfers and transfer news from Europe here.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Here’s a look at the latest transfer rumours surrounding Ligue 1:

Where do Lyon go from here?

With the recent departures of Juninho, Karim Benzema and Abdul Kader Keita,the club has left many wondering where the 10 time Champion de France cup winners are headed from here?

Who will pick up the void left by these 3 play-makers, as the time closes in on the beginning of this years Ligue 1 season? With both rumours that the club have eyes on Lisandro Lopez of FC Porto and Madrid veteran Rudd Van Nistelrooy, it seems they have a plan for their future after all.

The only concern, is will these 2 be enough for the French club to get back to dominance in Ligue 1? The competition is getting better and better for Lyon, with Bordeaux and Marseille finishing ahead of the club in last seasons dissapointing finish.

Many would assume the club would be on a mission to get some fresh new talent at the STADE MUNICIPAL DE GERLAND, but again maybe Lyon already have some plans in the works. The team is no stranger to success, and no one should take the French powerhouse lightly. It seems it’ll be the waiting game for supporters now.

The club should be looking to start out the season in a postitive way when they take on Le Mans UC 72 in its opening fixture. If I had to guess correctly I’d say the club isn’t out of the news quite yet.

Bangoura in, M’bia wants out at Rennes

Ismaël Bangoura, will be starting another term in Ligue 1 this season. French club Rennes have signed the Guinean to a 4-year deal worth €11m, after spending 2 seasons at Ukranian club Dynamo Kiev

Bangoura, began to bring some attention to himself when he blazed a 25 yard strike into the back of the net against Manchester United back in October of 2007. English clubs Everton, Wigan, and Fulham were said to have made bids for the forward before he decided on a move back to France.

He went on to say in an interview with Rennes official team website “I’m happy to be back! “For the family, for the football and because it’s a good standard of football in France – and the climate can’t be compared to that in Ukraine.” The Guinea international, scored 18 goals in 56 appearences for Le Mans in his previous time spent in France.

M’Bia sets sights on move to Marseille

Stephane M’bia, recently said in an interview with Rennes team website “I’ve chosen OM”. The Cameroonian, hasn’t left any speculation as to where he wants to play as Marseille have been in negotiations over a transfer for the Defensive Mid-fielder with Rennes as of late. OM Director of Football José Anigo, said “Deschamps is preparing a squad with less quantity and more quality”.

This would be a great addition to an already strong defensive mid-field core in Benoit Cheyrou and Lorik Cana, and with the constant speculation of a Cana exit, M’Bia could be a nice replacement for the Albanian.

M’bia’s transfer worth is said to be around €12m, and it looks to be a bit more than OM are willing to dish out after a €25 million pay out for Argentinian Lucho Gonzalez. M’bia went on to say “I’ve chosen OM, and would like to join them as soon as possible. The financial aspect of the deal is holding things up, but I’m confident it’ll be sorted out,” the athletic 23-year-old, who admitted he has spoken to Marseille coach Didier Deschamps said “I dream of playing for him!”.

Yet again another possible good pick-up in the works for Marseille.

One way or another it seems Vieria is out of Italy

Antoine Kombouare, has said “Paris Saint-Germain are interested in Patrick Vieira, but will not pay too much.” Newly promoted English club Birmingham, have also targeted the frenchman.

The 33 year old is a in a tug of war match over his future. Should he go home, or back to England for a reported 100k a week offer from Birmingham? PSG, have said to have had talks with the French international who is looking to bring some attention his way in light of next summers World Cup tournament in South Africa.

When the PSG boss was asked of his intrest in signing Vieira, he was qouted saying “Of course, but not at any price. I have already made a heavy investment for the club with (Mevlut) Erding and (Gregory) Coupet.” Vieira has yet to give any clues as to where his future lies, but hopefully he’ll decide soon.

Its looking to be a great season for Ligue 1 come August 8.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News