At 66 many said it is time to quit from any thing worrisome let alone managing a soccer side a full time under pressure job. How ever for the Scottish wizard ever voracious for titles, the only thing that matters is winning again and again. That is why when asked after his latest victory whether he might consider retiring; he rather told them Manchester United will win next season’s title and share the record held by Liverpool winning the title 18 times. It is surprising Ferguson’s is as title hungry as his early days with the Red Devils .Twenty one trophies in his twenty two years reign at Old Trafford he is now poser for his twenty second trophy on Wednesday. “It is a must win situation we faced” Sir Alex Ferguson remarked.
'British'Champions League Final Clash wednseday
His tenth English premier league championship title already in the bag Britain's all time greatest club manager Sir Alex Ferguson travels to Luzhiniki-Russia to the European champions league cup final show down against Chelsea, the premier league runner -up under little known yet much achieved Avram Grant. This is for the first time in their 100 year history the Blues have reached for the champions' league cup final clash while the third for the Red Devils out of which they came out victorious in the past two occasions.
Winning arguably Europe's biggest action packed premier league title for a record tenth times, the 66 year old Alex Ferguson who vowed to equal Liverpool's all time record 18 times title victory next season, boasted a fully fit, ready to the big show down twenty six men squad. Voted best manager of the season for the seventh time in his twenty two years reign at Old Trafford, Ferguson who saw every thing to be seen told reporters he wants to become the Manchester United's first ever manager to win two champions league titles. "I am fed up of sharing the record spot light with Matt Busby" said title voracious Alex Ferguson .
The seven times best manager of English premier league season and manager of the month in twenty one occasions Ferguson won the champions league title in 1999 crushing Bayer Munich 2-1 trailing by a goal to nil before those heart stopping injury time goals through … and Solskjaer.
On the other hand Chelsea , never to reach for the cup final place travels to Russia where their boss Roman Abramovich regarded the king behind the shadow. Loosing the premier league title after so much hard work the oil tycoon wants nothing more than the coveted title that eluded Jose Maurinho in his three years stay at Stamford Bridge . Though considered a low profiler Avram Grant brought better football and still better result than the big mouth Maurinho when it comes to European football. No more boring Chelsea to be heard under Avram Grant. Although reviving the German ace midfielder Michael Ballack meant a lot to Grant, past experience showed that with out central defender and exemplary team skipper John Terry Chelsea could be in the losers end against mighty Manchester United that have Rooney , Ronaldo and Tavez spear heading the striking force. Though Terry vowed to appear at the cup final manager Avram Grant is not sure that he could make it in so short time for a relocated shoulder. Other wise Chelsea squad is as full as fit as that of Manchester United. Both having world number one goal keepers scoring goals is not an easy job although both have highly regarded strikers. Well it may be possible to match Rooney against Drogba, Tavez against Schevichenko but what about the main catalyst for United's glory that is Christiano Ronaldo best player of English premier league season, top scorer of the league with 31 goals and winner of best goal of the premier league season?
Wednesday is the day for the European Champions League cup final clash for the very first time featuring two English premier league sides…..MANCHESTER UNITED VS CHELSEA at Luzhniki stadium, Moscow.
Saint George win Millennium MIDROC Cup
Saints Vs Coffee on Thursday
The Ethiopian millennium MIDROC championship season biggest derby match took place on Thursday, Saint George are crowned champion of the tournament.
With no defeat and only four draws so far in the season Saints claimed the trophy with two matches to go. Crushing Mugher Cement FC 4-1 last Sunday, a hat trick from Salhadin Said, Saints point tally reached 58 too far for either Adama Kenema or Awasa Kenema the two title contenders, dare to catch up.
Serbian head coach Mittio back from South Africa for his second spell, he built a formidable side consisting of the best talents in the country. A blank check from club board chairman Abnet G/Meskel Mitto managed to sign every one worth of donning Saint's jersey. In his very first season with the champions, Salhadin scored the recent time highest goal tally seventeen now a match away from crowining top scorer of the season. The biggest show down on Thursday is not only between city rivals Saint George and Ethiopian Coffee but also between Salhadin and Coffee's marks man Tafesse Tesfaye trailing second with 16 goals.
Defeating Air Force FC on Wednesday, the season's surprise package Adama Kenema stands in pole position to grab runner-up spot while former twice premier league champion Awasa Kenema is one point down to third place. Awasa's 1-0 away victory over Electric on Thursday gained the side a three pints advantage thus coming closer to second place Adama Kenema.
Three straight wins in the past ten days Ethiopian Coffee only one defeat since Tilahun Mengesha's appointment is making giant progress to secure fourth place. Currently fifth on the table Coffee needs to create the biggest upset of the season that is beating Saint George to finish fourth.
The twenty five side Ethiopian Millennium MIDROC cup to close on Thursday, the first fourteen sides
To book their place in next years' 16 sides Ethiopian premier league while the remaining eleven sides, three from Addis Ababa , are to go down and join the twenty sides national league.
For the first time in ever, MIDROC Ethiopia title sponsor for the tournament, is to give away prize money for the champion and those who finish in the first four. ETB 100000 for the champion, 15, 000 for best coach of the season and another ETB 15000 each top scorer and best player of the season.
Manchester United win record tenth title
Ferguson voted manager of the year
The premier league defending champion Manchester United retained the title after 2-0 away victory over Wigan to clinch the title for a record tenth time. Thirty four years old Ryan Giggs scored the season's final goal to share the once considered an attainable club appearance record of 758 matches hailed for thirty five years by Sir Bobby Charlton.
First half goals from the penalty spot by top scorer of the premier league season an astonishing 31 goals Christiano Ronaldo. Ryan Giggs came from the bench to collect a marvelous through pass from Rooney then seal the day with two minutes in to the final whistle. Relegation survival Wigan featured a strong challenge to Sir Alex Ferguson's best squad but failed to grab a win in front of home fans.
Title contender until the very last day of the league season Chelsea failed a final match home victory to settle to 1-1 draw thus wrapping the season campaign runner-up with two points down. Though the home side featured the Blues best squad and managed to take the lead the visitors stood their ground to deny a home win. The day was marred for Chelsea when team skipper John Terry carried out of the field with a dislocated shoulder.
Manchester United took the premier league title collecting 87 points from 27 wins, 6 draws, 5 defeats and an aggregate of 58 goals. Runner up Chelsea won 25, drawn 10, lost 3 to collect 85 points with an aggregate 39 goals. Ronaldo won top scorer spot with 31 goals followed by Fernando Torres and Emmanuel Adebayor who finished with 24 & 25 goals tally respectively. No silverware for third successive season Arsenal finished second runner-up with 83 points followed never to win the English premier league Liverpool with 76 points. Thus United and Chelsea joined Europe giants in the next champions league season while Arsenal direct entry to qualification of round three and Liverpool to first round qualification. Carling Cup Champion Tottenham Hotspurs booked a spot in next year's UEFA cup together with Everton that finished the season fifth on the league table.
Despite huge final day victory Over Blackburn Rovers and Derby, both Birmingham and Reading flushed down to the national league. Featuring gallant performance Birmingham crushed Blackburn Rovers 4-1 while Reading devastated already relegated Derby to 4-0 score line. Reading with 36 points, Birmingham with 35 and Derby the worst ever result with just 11 points relegated to the lower division.
Coming to trophies and awards the champions took most of any thing that came in the platter. Best player and top scorer of the premier league season Christiano Ronaldo also won the best goal of the season award for his sensational free kick that found the back of the net against Portsmouth. The manager who joined United in Rooney's first birthday Sir Alex Ferguson voted by fellow colleagues best manager of the year for the seventh time in twenty two years.
Transfer
Fever
The Ethiopian Millennium Midroc cup championship is at an end, and it is high time for players transfer market. Actually the rumor is that already many players are in negotiations even before the season's final day. Featuring twenty five clubs, the championship was an ideal scouting ground to simply pick out any one a potential talent. This may mean a good opportunity for the players since it is the one and only golden chance to pocket tens of thousands. However, since players are there for their clubs, I advocate priority must be given for the well being of the clubs. I say the player's transfer law is one of the most important factors in keeping one club in to existence.
I want to remind the newly elected Ethiopian Football Federation that one of the weakest points of the former executive body was failing to produce document that gives clear picture of players transfer. In addition to other factors players transfer is one of the reasons for the chaotic situations surrounding every club. A club with strong financial muscles could simply sign any player paying whatever he asked. Other clubs with a limited authority to splash cash are simply to watch what is happening around their own players. Coaches are there behind the transfer market who deal with players for some kickbacks. There also are club executive committee members who directly deal with players without the knowledge of other members. In my opinion the reason for all these fiasco is luck of transparent formula for players transfer market. Therefore to curb this problem once and for all the executive committee should come up with a new players transfer law before things start getting out of hand.
Here in Ethiopia players negotiate whatever benefit coming their way either in the form of terms of contract, monthly salary or bonuses. Since no one with good knowledge of the sport as well as contract is there to guide the players they simply put their signature anywhere they feel right. This does not necessarily mean right for the player. The middlemen, once they grab the kick-back do not no care whether the player is to have a regular place in the team or not. They don't bother what may happen at the end of the contract. They even forget the name of the player until another season comes. This is a problem faced by every club yet EFF is not yet to come up for the solution.
Experience shows that most player transfer contracts cover a two year duration. I am not sure it is wise for the player to merry go round every two years. How can one form a strong side while signing in and off players every two seasons? Past the first season the player is no more focused on his current club but rather starts looking around where to land for the coming year. Coaches are also busy listing prospective players on the move and calculating how much the kickback would be this time.
Therefore, I feel player transfer rules must be a priority for EFF before the start of the coming season or if possible before the end of June the usual date for contract expiry. Otherwise it is going to be hard to build a strong team, let alone a strong national side. To stop chaotic situations among clubs EFF must come up with a player transfer rule sooner than later.
Sport Briefs
Twentysix year old African 5000 meter gold medalist Kenenisa Bekele disclosed he is in preparation to set a new 10000 meter world record in Oregon- USA. World 5000 and 10000 meter record holder Kenenisa told reporters he is to go for the new record in Oregon in a month time. His manager, Dutchman Jos Hermes also remarked Olympic and World champion Kenenisa will try to slash a few seconds from his own record then go for the hard hit in a month's time. Married and father of a son, Kenenisa is currently king of both long distance and cross country races. The former twice world best athlete of the season, Kenenisa also hinted to reporters that he may represent Ethiopia at the in Beijing Olympics in both the 5000 & 10000 meters.
Five years in Nou Camp, two Spanish and a European champions league titles, Frank Rijkaard booted out of Barcelona following the two years draught of any silver ware. Forty five year old Rijkaard signed the likes of Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o and Deco to help Barcelona win Spanish league twice and a second European championship for the Catalans. Those very players are said the cause for both Rijkaard and Barcelona 's down fall. Samuel Eto'o the first to sour Nou Camp then Brazilian ace midfielder Ronaldinho whose love to Samba undermined his miraculous talent. Rijkaard became the third Dutch man since Johan Cruyff and Luis Van Gaal to win league titles for Barcelona .
Russian representative Zenit St Petersburg won UEFA championship title after a 2-0 victory over Scotland side rangers. Hot favorite once they crushed out Bayer Munich at the semi final stage, Zenit under former Rangers coach Dick Advocaat dominated from the very start although Rangers defense stood firm. The 60 year old Adviocaat steered Zenit to its biggest ever glory Russians all over danced coming out to the street. Even Russian Prime Minister Vladmir Putin called Dick Advocaat and former Victor Zubkov joining the dancing in the dressing room for winning the title. The former PSV Eindhoven coach Advocaat had been with Rangers 1998-2001 and led them to home treble in 1999, before he was sacked for failing to deliver European trophy.
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