Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Legend at the Bernabeu : Raul



no 7 in our programme, no 1 in our heart. gudbye n all the best to Raul.

Just two weeks after Andres Iniesta’s extra-time goal saw Spain crowned as the finest footballing nation on the planet, one of their finest ever players - Raul - ended an era at the Bernabeu.

Imagining Real Madrid without Raul is like picturing the New York skyline without the Empire State Building. The man defined the club he represented for 16 years and one of Jose Mourinho’s first challenges in Madrid will be to recapture the chunk of identity Raul (and fellow veteran Guti) took with them as the doors of the Bernabeu closed behind them for the final time.

Raul won more than he ever could have imagined with Los Blancos and still tops the all-time Champions League scoring charts with 66 goals. So it couldn’t have been easy for the Spanish icon to accept that his inevitable decline would coincide with Spain’s emergence as a superpower.

The sumptuous tiki-taka style that saw Vicente del Bosque’s side confirm their status as the world’s best, relies on a David Villa or a Fernando Torres to convert the chances Xavi and Iniesta craft from deeper areas of the pitch. But even in a system so apparently perfect, it’s difficult to imagine that Raul at his peak wouldn’t have added something extra, something different. But, of course, this is something we’ll never know.

Raul still managed an exceptional 44 goals in 102 games for Spain throughout a barren period when, despite possessing able players, they were never genuine challengers for trophies. So, it was in the Champions League and La Liga that Raul went about his business of destroying defences and beating goalkeepers. Something he achieved 323 times.

Raul once cited the predatory instincts of Gary Lineker as his inspiration and, after making his debut as a skinny 17-year-old, the Spaniard begun the work of emulating his hero. But it was against Lineker’s former side, Barcelona, in a vintage episode of the El Clasico in 1999 that Raul demonstrated his lethal presence in front of goal, creating a symbolic moment in the process.

Despite Raul’s early goal, Real Madrid were trailing 2-1 in Camp Nou. With five minutes to go, Raul collected a piercing through ball from Javier Saviola before exquisitely lifting it over the rushing ‘keeper and into the Barcelona net. The Nou Camp fell deafly silent and, after kissing his wedding ring in tribute to his wife, he suggested the Catalan fans remained quiet by running in front of the main stand with his finger on his lips.

But Raul was always respectful to friends and foes and, in his last ever Real Madrid press conference on Monday, he admitted that another Barcelona player, Pep Guardiola, was the opponent he respected the most.

“My favourite opponent was Guardiola. You tell when he was playing that he was the manager as well. I used to think how could he talk so much and play so well,” Raul said. “And it was he who gave me my assist for my first goal for Spain.”

The highs of Raul’s career in the pristine white of Real Madrid are too many to mention, but as he continues his career in a new league - most likely the Bundesliga - Los Blancos say goodbye to a true great of the modern game. Indeed one, for his prolific service for club and country, who deserves a share in the recognition his international colleagues enjoyed earlier this month in Johannesburg.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Jose Mourinho


Born: January 26, 1963
Birthplace: Setubal, Portugal
Previous Clubs: FC Porto, Uniao de Leiria, Benfica; Chelsea; Inter Milan
Honours: Champions League: 2004, 2010; UEFA Cup: 2003; English Premier League: 2005, 2006; English FA Cup: 2007; English League Cup: 2005, 2007; FA Community Shield: 2005; Portuguese Liga: 2003, 2004; Portuguese Cup: 2003; Italian Super Cup: 2008; Italian Serie A: 2009, 2010; Italian Cup 2010

Mourinho is the self-titled 'Special One' and his rise from being a mere translator to becoming one of the best managers in the world was nothing short of meteoric. He never played professionally and had held low-profile positions at Estrela Amadora and Vitoria Setubal before taking his first high-profile role in 1992 when appointed to work under Bobby Robson at Sporting Lisbon. Mourinho initially worked as a translator, but he duly became an assistant manager when Robson moved on to FC Porto and, in three years, they clinched two titles.


The Robson-Mourinho combo then moved on to Barcelona in 1996, where they won a pair of Spanish Cups (1997 and 1998) and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1997, but Mourinho went his own way and, after a nine game reign at Benfica, he took perennial strugglers Uniao de Leiria to a fourth-place finish and a European adventure.

FC Porto took note of the young manager's talents and snapped him up after a poor start to the 2002-03 season. The side then stormed to the league title, the domestic cup and UEFA Cup final in his first season. Almost inevitably the 2003-04 season yielded more success with Porto retaining their league title but, of course, the outstanding success was their clinching of the Champions League trophy after a 3-0 victory against Monaco and Mourinho was heralded as a genius.

When Chelsea came calling in May 2004, Mourinho jumped at the chance and guided the club to their first title in 50 years, also picking up the Carling Cup trophy. However, he also had numerous run-ins with the authorities. The most high-profile case came with the Ashley Cole 'tapping-up' affair, while he accused Swedish referee Anders Frisk of bias in the Champions League - a move that saw the official retire - and his run-ins with the press provided much amusement.

Chelsea retained their Premier League title though - Mourinho's second title in two years in England - and the club set a new English record for unbeaten league matches at home in August 2007. However, the club did not begin the new season well and Mourinho left the club 'by mutual consent' in September amid rumours of a bust-up with the boardroom thought to stem from a breakdown in his relationship with skipper John Terry.

It took until June 2008 for him to get into his new role - taking over from Roberto Mancini at Serie A giants Internazionale - but immediately showed his talent. He led the side to back-to-back Serie A titles, and a few cups as well, while in 2009-10 he brought unprecedented success to the club with the Treble of league, European and domestic cup. However, when Real Madrid came calling at the end of the season, he decided to follow his dream of managing in Spain and moved to the Bernabeu before the 2010 World Cup.

Strengths: Always willing to produce a sound-bite for the thronged media men, he is a dream for the tabloids and has a silver tongue. His tactical knowledge is second to none and he is always first to defend his players. A real man-manager.

Weaknesses: Hot-headed and passionate, he suffers from red mist occasionally and his antics can detract from the football. Accused of playing defensive, dull football to grind out results.

Career high: His first Champions League with FC Porto was an incredible achievement for such a young manager, but his Treble with Inter Milan will take some beating.

Career low: Sacked by Chelsea after failing to impress in the Champions League. Numerous controversies hurt his reputation and the Anders Frisk incident won't be forgotten.

Tactics: Mourinho likes playing with three men up front, two in the wide positions and then three in central areas. Two defensive midfielders usually provide the spine, and allow one attacker to drift. Flying full backs are also asked to provide the width.

Quotes: ''Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm European champion and I think I'm a special one"- Mourinho's first press conference at Chelsea.

Trivia: Mourinho owns a pet dog called Gullit and the Portuguese was arrested and cautioned after refusing to let police take the dog into quarantine, having let it loose to escape capture.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

cerita2 hantu popular


baru2 ni aku ada dpt emel koleksi Siri Bercakap Dengan Jin-Tamar Jalis..
lama tak baca cerita tu..
terkenang zaman sekolah2 dlu..
pastu baru aku teringat ada lagi penulis cerita seram2 ni..
selain tamar jalis, seorang lg penulis yg popular tok awang ngah..

surf punya surf jumpa la blog yg ada ada cerita tok awang ngah..
tp x byk la..
dah aku rembat dan lekat kat sini..
bukan apa , bg senang skit peminat2 oldtimer access cerita2 seram tok awang ngah and tamar jalis tu..
kurang2 bleh gak menanam minat membaca..walaupun cerita hantu..

p/s klik kat atas,kanan tu utk membaca koleksi cerita tok awang ngah

till then
salam..