FFTASIA50: The Jedi Enforcer: How captain Mile Jedinak made himself indispensable to Socceroos

With the first half in its late stages, Australia were on the ascendency, searching for their second goal to give the side the lead heading into half-time of their opening encounter of the Asian Cup.

As far as starts to matches go, this was arguably not the Socceroos at their best — Kuwait had scored from a set-piece in the opening eight minutes and Melbourne’s AAMI Park fell silent. While Ange Postecoglou’s troops somehow managed to fight their way past Kuwait’s high-pressing play to equalise through Tim Cahill, as if to add insult to injury, the home side suffered another shock blow. Mile Jedinak injured his ankle.

The skipper, though, was not about to give up. Despite lying motionless on the turf for a good few minutes, agony visibly etched across his battle-hardened face, the “Jedi” soldiered on ruthlessly. He did so not with the help of painkillers but by sheer adrenalin, to lead his troops to victory, not only in their opening Asian Cup match, but ultimately as Champions of Asia.

Such stoicism is hardly the result of some pre-match pep talk Postecoglou delivered minutes before kick-off, nor the tactical training the team had undergone weeks prior to the tournament proper. Rather, Jedinak’s display of courage to play on for the glory of the nation is a result of a lifetime of hard-work, dedication to the task at hand, and, in some respects, patriotism.

Read the rest of my analysis on FourFourTwo

FFTASIA50: How former Bayern Munich recruit Takashi Usami is making up for lost time back home

"The Japanese are disciplined, hard-working and obedient toward the team. They have speed, technique, and discipline" - Felix Magath

For many football fans, Japanese starlet Takashi Usami is not exactly a household name. While most Asian youngsters continually dream of plying their trade amongst Europe's elite in the near future, the versatile attacker has been there and done that. For a player who is only 22 years of age, the realisation of his potential no longer lingers upon the hypothetical 'if', but the imminent 'when'.

How the tables have turned.

Nowadays, there seems to be an air of expectancy when it comes to producing talented footballers for the European stage. One does not need to look any further than Yasuhiko Okudera. While many may know of him as the former president of English side Plymouth, in the eyes of Japan's footballing fraternity, Okudera was a pioneer for the local game — a Messianic figure in many respects.
Indeed, Okudera's feats most notably at FC Koln, Hertha Berlin, and Werder Bremen opened the floodgates for the continual influx of local talent on the European stage. Japanese football, for that matter, is all the better for it.

The consistency of Keisuke Honda and the meteoric rise of Shinji Kagawa at Borussia Dortmund are just two modern examples of Okudera's legacy in action.

So while in some respects the aforementioned duo continue to struggle with consistency on the pitch, it seems almost coincidental, if not fateful, that their natural successor, Usami, would be creating shockwaves back home. With each performance, the attacking phenomenon finds himself edging closer to a permanent European move.

Read the rest of my analysis on FourFourTwo

Messianic Messi raises Barca’s bar

In many respects, it was a match of biblical proportions in a way which was somewhat expected. Only this time, though, Lionel Messi was the Messiah, and Pep Guardiola was the prophet.

“The way Messi is playing at the moment, there's no defence that can stop him. It’s impossible,” remarked the 44-year-old tactician ahead of his official return to Camp Nou.
And how prophetic that proved to be.

Barcelona, many opined, already had the tie in the bag prior to kick-off – there was no way in the world a depleted Bayern Munich set-up would be able to defeat a Blaugrana outfit in supreme form in their own fortress. But for 70 minutes or so, the match panned out in such a way many would have least expected.

Guardiola, as most would know, is not the sort of guy who dies wondering. Sitting back and defending with grit at the expense of potentially exposing their opponents with countless waves of attack is, for the Bayern coach, a mortal sin. And indeed, his troops gave the Catalans a run for their money in astonishing fashion.

Read the rest of my article on Football Espana

Why Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona return will see mixed reception

It was 19 March, 2015, and with 37 minutes gone, Manchester City were hanging onto dear life against a ruthless barrage of attacks at the hands of Barcelona at the Camp Nou. Pep Guardiola sat on the edge of his seat alongside his parents at the back of the lower tier, donning a thick black coat and a scarf as if to try to remain incognito. Yet, as Lionel Messi nutmegs James Milner to the raucous jeers of the Blaugrana faithful, leaving the latter in a heap on the turf, not even the former Barcelona manager could conceal his joy.

His expression said it all. You’d think the man who coached Messi to four Ballon d’Ors, during his tutelage at the club, would’ve seen all the skills and tricks of the Argentine maestro by now. But Guardiola’s need to hide his face in exacerbation would suggest otherwise.

On Wednesday evening though, Pep Guardiola will make an official return to the Camp Nou. This time, neither as a fan nor a coach, but as an enemy. And should he decide to take a seat in the one of the most iconic venues in world football, it will be on the opposing bench as Bayern Munich’s manager.

With speculation rife about his future in Bavaria, the 44-year-old tactician will hope that his boyhood club will lose, not that it will be an easy job.

Read the rest of my piece for Soccerlens.com

What you need to know about Barca's Munir El Haddadi

FACT FILE

• Date of birth: September 1, 1995
• Place of birth: El Escorial, Spain
• Height: 5ft 9in
• Position: Forward
• Clubs: Barcelona B, Barcelona; 1 app, 1 goal
• National: Spain U19; 3 caps, 3 goals

The 60 second story

It's perhaps ironic that Barcelona’s newest star was born in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, a small town within the autonomous community of Madrid. Now, nearly 19 years later, Munir El Haddadi finds himself labelled as the next big thing at Real Madrid’s fiercest rivals. 

The 18-year-old’s rise to stardom is an interesting one. Aged 15, El Haddadi – of Moroccan heritage – was snapped up by Atletico Madrid after impressing on trial. Yet, for reasons unknown, he was shipped out on loan to fourth-tier Rayo Majadahonda – a stint which would play a pivotal role in his short career to date. 

During his time with the Madrid minnows, Munir scored 32 goals in 29 matches. Unsurprisingly, his form sent alarm bells ringing all over Europe; from England, the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal took interest in the starlet, while Paris Saint-Germain also showed interested.

However, it was when Barcelona found out that rivals Real Madrid were in the hot seat to sign the attacker that the Blaugrana came to the fore. Legend has it that, during negotiations, Real Madrid refused to provide him accommodation within their academy residencies. Barca, diplomatic as ever, offered him a place in their newly built €11 million facility. The choice was simple, and Munir inevitably headed north.

Why you need to know him

Since his arrival at La Masia, Munir has continued to impress and was given his chance to shine in the UEFA Youth League – the Under-19s version of the Champions League. On his debut he scored a brace against Ajax, before showcasing his striking prowess in several other impressive performances en route to the championship. He netted a brace in the final against Benfica, which included a magnificent strike from halfway in a comfortable 3-0 win.

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Earlier this year the 18-year-old made his professional debut for Barca B, and netted four goals in 11 appearances last term. 

Luis Enrique’s arrival as coach following the departure of Gerardo Martino was always going to be good for the youngster, and he was soon promoted to the first team. In addition, the suspension of Luis Suarez and Neymar’s injury meant the Spaniard has earned chances to prove his worth. By the end of pre-season, he was the Catalans' top scorer with four goals.

Strengths

Despite his young age, Munir exhibits maturity well beyond his years. At 5ft 9in, the teenager is a diminutive forward who exerts confidence and elegance on the ball. The left-footed attacker is pacey and, more often than not, has a trick or two up his sleeve.

It's his ability in front of goal which makes him most formidable, though – that aforementioned halfway wonder-strike is just one example of what he can do. Overall he is technically sound, and equally competent at taking set-pieces.

Weaknesses

Although brilliant with his left foot, Munir is less impressive with his weaker right. At times, despite finding himself in good goalscoring situations, his weaker peg lets him down. 

They said...

"I had no fear about playing him," claimed boss Enrique after Barcelona's opening day 3-0 win over Elche. "He trains like he plays, he gives us a lot of options and he has a lot of character. He never rests. But let's not get carried away, he still has a lot to do."

Did you know?

As a youngster, Munir often looked up to his team-mate “the excellent Messi” as an idol, and tries to base his game on that of the former Ballon d’Or winner. Perhaps even more surprising is the fact he still looks up to QPR player Adel Taarabt, with whom he could yet play with internationally after opening the door to the country of his parents' heritage. With the way things are going at the moment, it might be Taarabt who says the same of the youngster in a few years’ time.

What happens next?

Fortune is on Munir's side. With Suarez suspended until late October and Neymar still recovering from an ankle injury, the door is open for the young attacker to prove his worth. Should he keep his momentum going, the chances will keep on coming – and so will the goals. Expect him to take La Liga by storm in the seasons ahead. 

Why Falcao's Manchester United transfer raises more questions than answers

Radamel Falcao presented as a Manchester United player. Source: Getty Images

Following a lacklustre season in which Manchester United failed to qualify for the Champions League, Van Gaal entered the fray as Moyes’ successor with renewed hope of overhauling a depleted squad bereft of quality. Yet, months into his stint as manager, and it seems little has been done to restore pride to England's most successful club.

Perhaps their latest league outing is a prime example of how far United have fallen.

Slow and overburdened in defence and uninspired in attack, Van Gaal's troops slumped to a 0-0 draw against a recently promoted Burnley outfit which, on paper, is vastly inferior.

While it seems every department is in desperate need for change, forwards, though, should be the least of Van Gaal's worries. Indeed, Rooney and Van Persie still aren't at their explosive best. Slowly but surely, the duo are beginning to regain their form.

Surely, a buying another defender, or midfielder, for that matter, would be more worthwhile?

Instead, Falcao's signing on a loan deal represents another instant of Manchester United's panic buy strategy to appease fans. As for the player himself, it's another example of an illogical transfer.

For much of this summer, the Old Trafford outfit have given their followers much hope of reinforcing the side in the areas they need most. True to form, though, nothing has materialised and for Woodward, it has been another farcical window with no clear transfer policy.

The likes of Arturo Vidal and World Cup winner Mats Hummels have constantly been linked with moves to Manchester. Both are players of the highest calibre and their signings would go a long way to fixing the club's issues. Nothing, though, has been done to back up such interest.

For all it is worth, though, Woodward has shown that he can smell a bargain from a mile away. But he doesn't seem to understand how football works. Their latest signing, in many ways, is similar to their signing of Juan Mata earlier this year, a player who clearly doesn't fit the bill. In addition, Falcao is only starting to find his feet again following a cruciate injury which ruled him out of the World Cup.

The transfer itself also raises questions of Falcao's ambitions. For the second consecutive season, the Colombian has arrived at a club which will not feature in a European competition. I'm fact, he has only featured in the Champions League once - for Porto back in 2011. The fact that such a player with humongous potential sees no need to play against the best in Europe's premier club competition is a incomprehensible.

How Falcao fits into the 3-5-2 set-up is another worry. With the aforementioned duo already occupying the front two offensive spots, it seems as if pushing one of them out of the squad to make way for the 28-year-old could be a dangerous move? One which leads to more unrest in the
dressing room.

All that in conjunction with the recent departures of Patrice Evra, who in many ways was a defensive rock, Shinji Kagawa and Chicharito, or seems that Mancheater United are transferring themselves to destruction.

€200 million spent and numerous signings later, Manchester United are no closer to addressing their issues in defence and midfield. Indeed, the signing of Falcao raises me questions than answers for both the club and player. For United, it seems mediocrity is the way to go.

Follow @Cronan_Yu

Munir El-Haddadi: Profile of Barcelona's newest star

For many, there was only one star in Barcelona’s win over Elche in their first league outing of the season: Lionel Messi. With Enrique opting to play an inexperienced side, which saw six La Masia graduates start alongside each other, the Argentine led by example, scoring a brace as the Blaugrana ran away with a comfortable 3-0 win at home.

Following a disappointing 2013/14 season, it was hailed as the 27-year-old’s return to form, a pure master class which evoked the memories of the past. However, it would be foolish to neglect the exploits of a certain Munir El-Haddadi, whose performance has finally put him under the spotlight.

Luis Enrique’s return to Barcelona, following previous spells as a player then later coach for Barcelona “B” team, was met with jubilation; his arrival was always going to be beneficial for youth players. With their proud history of youth development, the promotion of promising talents into the first team is, essentially, what separates this club from the rest.

With Alexis sold to Arsenal, Luis Suarez banned until late October after biting yet again and Neymar recovering from both a back and ankle injury, it seemed the next chapter in Munir’s career could not have been written any better. And the young attacker has proved his worth.

Read the rest of this piece on The Independent

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