Federer ‘s previous best shows he’s the man to beat

A glittering career résumé featuring sixteen Grand Slam wins looks set to be Roger Federer’s benchmark for success at this year’s US Open in New York.

Heavily criticised and after being written off by many due to two below par outings at Roland Garros and on the hallowed turf at Wimbledon, Federer’s welcome return to form under the guidance of Pete Sampras’s and Tim Henman’s former Coach Paul Annacone has seen the Swiss ace chalk up back to back finals in Toronto (lost to Andy Murray) and Cincinnati (beat American Mardy Fish) in the run-up to the year’s final major.

The predatory instincts of a consistently placed serve and a enviable forehand offered a throwback to the Federer of old, and with nemesis Rafael Nadal still seeking his first US Open title and struggling on the quicker hard courts, it is a golden opportunity for the father of two to turn a mediocre year (in comparison to his standards established in recent years) into a good one yielding two Grand Slam crowns.

A player, whom is still to taste his first major success, is Britain’s Andy Murray. The talented Scot, two years ago was crushed by Federer under lights in the Flushing Meadows final but many feel this is the World number 4’s best chance to claim a maiden major title.


Murray (left) and Federer (right) pose for the photographers following the Swiss players comfortable three set final win.

Much, it appears depends on Murray’s ability to transfer the form he has shown against Federer in best of three set matches into the long, slog of a five set marathon. If he can put the past behind him he has a chance, with Federer perhaps not being as ruthless as previous, but still it looks likely it will have to take a career best Murray performance to beat Federer, a Federer of which is coming into form.

Egomaniac Mourinho will need to maintain respect for new suitors Real

It is often a footballing commandment of the highest order and the thesis “no one is bigger than the club” is somewhat of a ritual.


Jose Mourinho (above) looking typically stylish as he feeds quotes to the army of journalists.

But to the surprise of the Santiago Bernabeu press conference on May 31st this hallmark was greeted with respect and honour, by the ingenious and self proclaimed arrogance of new Real Madrid Coach Jose Mourinho as he sat picture perfect addressing the world’s media ahead of arguably his greatest managerial challenge to date. The tone of Mourinho’s utterances in the media spotlight spoke elegantly about the importance of the history of his new club, its exclusive mannerisms and the need for the typically mad Madrid circus, to not focus on him: "I look at what's best for the team. The identity of a club, no matter what, is not going to change" he said. This promise rejecting the personal pride Mourinho typically has taken above all else before (notably his players) underlines the test of his mental attribution facing him as he prepares to pick his wits against the occasional insanity of Real President Florentino Perez and the ever so hard to please Los Blancos faithful.

The impresario Portuguese character is a man whom on the back of his past credentials deserves a plethora of respect. His work taking an unfancied, ordinary and rather starless Porto to Europe’s richest honour (the 2004 Champions League), followed by a success laden spell at Chelsea where he had to juggle Roman Ambramovich’s ambition in turn with an endless multimillion pound chequebook to break English football’s traditional monopoly, identify a distinctive management mind ticking an abundance of crucial attributes. Italian giants Inter Milan, Mourinho’s next port of call expressed the then San Siro Coaches organizational and man management prowess to stifle even the normally unassailable attacking forays of Barcelona on route to winning the Champions League at the Bernabeu last season, the ground just a few weeks later that would welcome him yet again.

A decade for Real Madrid, which started off with two Champions League triumphs in 2000 and 2002 respectively, has since faltered into a congregation of chaotic confusion. The fallen era of the original and well documented ‘Galacticos’, added to with the woes of the ever revolving Coach exit door begs the question of where exactly does Mourinho start on re-building one of Europe’s great clubs? One of the former Barcelona Assistant Coach’s enviable talents is his ability to connect with his players, thus increasing their desires to work with him, and not against. The reputable skills of an international class Madrid squad incumbently makes for pleasant reading on paper, but Mourinho’s quest to turn the mentality of a highly assembled group of players into one whereby they are a collective force could yet prove to be difficult. For example, the mercurial talents of Mourinho’s Portuguese compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo will need diffusing. Although, a wholesale hit last term, Ronaldo may take a little persuading to have to slot into a rigid organizational structure (usually a feature of Mourinho’s teams) hence limiting his flamboyancy on the front foot.

If anyone can bide his time in search of a winning formula, it is Mourinho. The shackles seem to be off as far as Real Madrid’s Director’s inputs go on the dawn of another new project, and so it seems a little bit of patience has been required from the hierarchy reigning above. Patience has always however and probably will still be a forlorn activity among White’s supporters. Los Blancos’s new Coach is aware of the symbolic stature of Real Madrid, a hallmark he seemed to always reiterate in his maiden Madrid media gathering, but a quick fix of footballing artistry should not be expected from the offing. With the prominent powers that be, in bitter rivals Barcelona overturning footballing myths into submission at present, Mourinho needs time to develop a team with an ethos of winning. The latter, a word poignant in the so called ‘Special One’s’ vocabulary fuels his desires and if he can strike the right chords with Madrid’s players and home contingent quickly, the rapport generated could see Real Madrid return to where they want to be: in Champions League finals once more. In a throwback, to Los Blancos’s imperious European supremacy in the 1950’s, the legendary figures of personalities such as Alfredo de Stefano indefinitely create pressure and cannot be escaped from, but the key to Mourinho’s armoury will be stamping his authority on the team, whilst nurturing the players along to work effectively together.


Alfredo de Stefano, arguably Real Madrid's finest player of all time struck up Los Blancos's fascination with the European Cup following the clubs dominating spell in the 1950's.

Jose Mourinho is a born winner. Real Madrid, his next vested interest is a club where winning is the central ingredient to its make-up. This coming campaign could be one of the most defining ever in Los Blancos’s 108 year history and just maybe, if Mourinho is given time to pursue the dream and everyone is with him, the Santiago Bernabeu can look forward to a cluster of titles decorating its trophy cabinets in years to come.

There’s just one key component to this Madrid mission statesment. Can the cultured Mourinho keep his confident ambiance under wraps and his relationship with the Bernabeu Presidential suite admirable as whether he likes it or not, his search for further greatness is hindered by Los Blancos’s history and the old proverb Mourinho was so willing to adhere to in his Bernabeu baptism “no one is bigger than the club” inevitably rings true.

Iniesta Waves His Magic Wand In Effortless Footballing Artistry

Artistry at its finest. Mesmeric, deft defining touch, combined with a fatal killer instinct to seize the moment are all superlatives chronically associated with the name Andres Iniesta.

His native Spain, its make-up consisting overtly of his Barcelona team mates have propelled footballing immortality into a new life form. Iniesta, and his partner in crime Xavi Hernandez do not just bring their playing cards to the table, but their incessant cognitive brain power, reminiscent of an ‘Einstein’ on a football pitch.

The petite number six’s late, late show finally drove a powerful dagger into the hearts of the Dutch, a team willing to use sheer brute force and untainted aggression to break a footballing legacy. Luckily, their efforts fell on deaf ears, as Spain reigned supreme.


Iniesta (above) writes his name into Spanish folklore.

It is hard not to want to praise Espana and its total football realm. With a player like Iniesta, the football oaths have shined on his patch, and rightly so. Maybe, it was destiny he would drill home the winning goal, but just sacred reward for a player who has redefined the modern technique and skill needed in a modern day footballer.

Faultless, humble, ingenious and modest depict Iniesta’s personal pedigree apart. I for one, say let it rain a Spanish footballing dynasty for as long genius touches effortlessly the history of the greatest sporting spectacle on earth.

The People Of Both Nations Await A Legacy To Be Written

The World’s perennial underachievers and total football nearly men tonight have the chance to inscribe their seeds of commitment into the oath of footballing folklore.

Twenty five games unbeaten and memoirs of final outings in 1974 and 78 will count for nothing as the Netherlands look to shed criticism from past Dutch greats as ‘Oranje’s’ quest for modern day perfection is close to boiling point thanks largely to the tactical nous of Van Marwijk’s workmanlike, but effective outfit.

Spain, on the other hand, still gleaming from 2008 European Championship glory have failed to reach the heavy heights expected, but they still find themselves moments away from rewriting Spanish history books. Maybe, the seamless engineered passing, technical wizardry and a Barcelona over balanced squad have meant Espana have not had to play at their sublime best.

Soccer City, a place where dreams have been conquered in this World Cup’s colourful African spectacle adhere us to the more natural side of the ‘Beautiful game’ which could be said has lost transition in recent years. South Africa, a country reunited through the valiant and extraordinary Nelson Mandela, is a place where peoples pride of nationalism has allowed them to show-off a country entrenched in fascinating culture.


Nelson Mandela, a man breathing inspiration.

One touch, memorising and flamboyant, Vicente Del Bosque’s side look on paper the team to win the World Cup virginity of both sides in their first ever clash of worthwhile note. Wesley Sneijder, the Dutch’s modern day Cruyff can expect the weight of history planted upon his shoulders as the Netherland’s remain desperate to turn the screw on the statistical books and finally put to bed the agony of previous World Cup Finals defeat.


Johan Cruyff, the Dutch's legendary hitherto the mainstay in Oranje folklore.

None needn’t be shy, but notoriously nervous as two sets of eleven players have the World at their feet in Johannesburg. With the high and mighty watching on, the battleground of footballing beauty is open to viewing once again tonight. The temple of both nations awaits a legacy to be written.

Pitiful Pietersen excuse ends six-year mediocre Hants stay

“Geographically it just doesn’t work- I live in Chelsea” was the curious answer England’s premier batsman Kevin Pietersen gave to journalists when quizzed about his future at county club Hampshire after his only appearance for the Royals this term.

This signalled the beginning of the end for Pietersen as far as his six-year Hampshire tenure goes, with sure enough the South African born player’s agent confirming his exit from the club this week when his current deal expires at the end of the season.

Pietersen’s stark determination to play in London makes his next port of a call a simple choice of two: Middlesex or Surrey. With the batter now settled in Chelsea with a young family, it’s down to who is willing to front up the cash to land the 29 year old whose availability through international commitments will be extremely limited for county cricket. Not since 2005 has Pietersen played a championship match at the Rose Bowl, with Sunday’s rare Twenty20 run-out being his first in Hampshire colours for two years.


Kevin Pietersen (centre) ducks to avoid a vociferous bouncer from Surrey’s Chris Tremlett in possibly what is his last appearance in a Hampshire shirt.

The ECB’s policy of releasing players is one that continues to frustrate county bosses as Hampshire Club Chairman Rod Bransgrove has found out in recent years. He added: "The ECB's policy of releasing players for their counties is quite opaque and I don't understand it."

Pietersen’s reasons for leaving Hampshire though make unpleasant reading for many. The England player’s time at the south coast outfit has not been success ridden and one feels how a quick trip along the M3 can cause wholesale inconvenience, especially as it is usually only once a season at best he has to make the journey to the Rose Bowl. The ego of Pietersen is supported by his star quality but sometimes the arrogance of the man creates a feeling of discontent towards his character.

Despite, a London stay in the offing for Pietersen, a role as a freelance cricketer should not be ruled out for a player worth millions on the Indian market. The flamboyant batter may have been the key figure in England’s successful Twenty20 triumph in the West Indies but it is Pietersen’s next six months or so in Test cricket which could define his status in the world game.

With a current Test Match batting average at just a shade under 50, Pietersen needs to have a big winter down under against Australia to be compared with the mark of consistency incumbent batting greats like Ricky Ponting, Graeme Smith and Sachin Tendulker share.

World Cup 2010 Mini Dissection Thus Far

The World Cup can be a place where dreams are made or dreams are quickly distinguished. Already, we are just under a week into footballs most prestigious prize where a cocktail of decisive moments has tipped back and forth the emotions of millions of people, enthralled in watching their respective and participating thirty-two nations as we know it.

The anguish of intolerable despair whilst watching England’s Robert Green flounder desperately back to his goal line to fish out a weak, impotent Clint Dempsey shot, but only in gut wrenching despair was enough to get anyone off their seat. This, compared to the sizzling left boot of Siphiwe Tshabalala whom fired a thunderbolt to open the hosts South Africa’s campaign lays down the letter of the law over the mixed feelings felt so far.

Music, colour, celebration, national anthems and vuvuzelas have all contributed to the make-up of a rich sporting spectacle, which thus far from a football perspective has not lived up to the billing with first round gitters haunting many opening round matches.

Australian star Tim Cahill saw red in his side’s 4-0 drubbing against a rampant German outfit, whilst one of the tournaments favourites Brazil narrowly squeezed past a resilient North Korea. Current holders Italy looked weary from their triumph four years ago as they drew to Paraguay, whilst Holland produced a resounding double Dutch display to see off the usually tricky test of Scandinavian side Denmark.

Many have chosen Spain as their pick for the coveted prize and with an opening round clash against Switzerland in Durban today boosted with the creative pairing of Xavi and Iniesta, few would not be in favour of them adding to their Euro 2008 win.

In earnest we expectantly watch in the coming weeks where footballing history in some form or the other will be articulated into World Cup dynasty.

Nadal set for another Grass Court adventure

Rafael Nadal’s mesmerising march to his fifth French Open crown on Sunday provided the boldest of memoirs that the special Spaniard is back to his frightening best.

A straight sets thrashing of Swede Robin Soderling in the final must have left a sweet taste in the Majorcans mouth, gaining revenge for his fourth round defeat to the world number six in 2009 ending Nadal’s four year grip on Roland Garros as Roger Federer swooped in to claim the cherished ‘Grand Slam’.

The red dirt of Paris though is a far cry from the new world numbers ones next port of call. Queen’s Club, London awaits for Nadal, who was a winner in 2008 as Wimbledon’s traditional pre tune up serves as the perfect remedy ahead of the heralded grass at SW19.

Fellow countryman and grass court novice, unseeded Marc Lopez is Nadal’s second round opponent today as the 24 year old looks to conjure up the form that saw him pull the curtain down on Roger Federer’s Wimbledon dominance in 2008.