HELLO my good football people… I trust all is positive your side!
Man, not long to go before the end of the season and into the wilderness of sport free weekends, unless like me you actually care about another code (rugby).
Mind you, for Manchester City and Chelsea fans, there is the new Club World Cup kicking off mid-June for a month, before club friendlies get underway soon afterwards.
Makes you wonder when players actually get a proper break? Perhaps the “big” teams will field reserves, who knows?
It just feels like another Fifa money-making event at the expense of players’ welfare?
Anyway, I hope Mamelodi Sundowns do well in the tournament which plays itself out in the United States. You can’t help but think it’s also just prep for the World Cup next year?
Plastic football for plastic fans… hope I’m wrong. Money is a terrible thing… Yes, it can make life easier and create areas of happiness, but it also creates greed and dishonesty… unfortunately (in football) money has become the key component for players’ decisions (and I don’t blame them).
Let’s take the latest rumour involving Real Madrid and France international Ibrahima Konaté. He is a terrific player and had a great season at Anfield alongside Virgil van Dijk, helping the Scousers cruise to the Premier League title.
But with his contract expiring at the end of next season, it’s generally predicted that he’ll be off to the Bernabau.
Konaté is 25 and earning £70 000 (R1.7m) a week… he’d probably treble that in Spain! Would you stay at Liverpool? The days of players remaining loyal to a club are long gone...
The only example I can really think of is Jamie Vardy and good luck to the fella. He could have upped his salary at a more prestigious club years ago, but decided to stay grounded, happy and avoided the potential difficulties of uprooting his family (he has six kids). Lots of respect for him and it was so fitting that he scored his 200th goal for the Foxes on Saturday in his farewell game.
Top lad, signed from non-league team Fleetwood Town for a £1 million (R24m) 13 years ago and has had a great career, topped by the league title win under Claudio Ranieri.
Sticking with the theme… How fantastic was it to witness Crystal Palace beating City at Wembley!
Moments like these keep the romance of football alive, the hope that the little guys can still beat the bullies!
They played the only way they could against Pep Guardiola’s technically gifted side, stuck to the game plan and lifted the FA Cup trophy!
I think they had the world behind them. They’ve been great this season, possibly one of the most improved teams and as a mate of mine who was at Wembley said “it was an incredible experience seeing grown men crying”.
I hope the hundreds of millions who follow the Premier League around the world took note of what football really means.
It’s not just a game supported by people who don’t consider anything less than the League and Champions League important. Palace are a club with a fantastic fan-base based in south London, a proper neighbourhood team.
Many of you will know Steve Bailey (south Londoner who lives in Cape Town) has been involved in grass-roots football for years. He is a massive Eagles fan! He was at Wembley on Saturday. All the very best Steve, great day for ya’!
Meanwhile, the race for Champions League football couldn’t be any tighter! While Liverpool and Arsenal have secured their places in the competition, the remaining three spots could go to any of the six clubs beneath them… three on 66 points, two on 65. It’s all down to the last set of fixtures on Sunday. I predict Manchester United will beat Aston Villa if they win the Europa League and Chelsea win away at Nottingham Forest to make it City, (who will get at least four points from their last two games) Newcastle United and Chelsea.
And yes… it's the Europa League final on Wednesday, with one of the two worst teams in England set for Champions League football next season.
For United and Spurs, it’s make or break.
Chat next week, bye bye.