Author: Phil Warden

The Best Players In Premier League History: An All-Time XI

The Premier League is widely recognised as the one of the finest and most competitive leagues on the planet and has been the home of some extraordinary talent since its inception in 1992.

Today the task is to craft the ultimate team from the superstars of the game that have provided us with so much excitement and fond memories over the past 28 years.

An attack minded 3-4-3 formation forms the basis of the team and to dispel any controversy each selection is no longer active in the Premier League today.

Goalkeeper: Peter Schmeichel

The towering Dane arrived at Manchester United in 1991 as a virtual unknown and left as a club legend, captaining the club to the unprecented treble in 1999 in what would be his final act for the Red Devils.

Widely lauded as possibly the greatest Goalkeeper to ever grace the game, he was an intimidating and imposing figure for any opponent he came up against, and at times looked unbeatable with his shovel like hands and trademark star shaped spread saving United on countless occasions.

His talents were not restricted to his own penalty box either, his torpedo like long throws being the launchpad for many a counter attack, and if United were in dire straits you would often see him creating havoc in the opposition area for any late corners, most famously in the European Cup final of 1999, leading to Teddy Sheringham scrambling home a precious stoppage time equaliser.

Often seen barking out orders on the pitch to his back four in front of him, Schmeichel was an uncompromising leader who demanded the best from his team mates and was the foundation for United’s all conquering team of the 1990’s.

Defender: Tony Adams

Known as ‘Mr Arsenal’, Adams spent the entirety of his playing career at the Gunners and captained his side to league titles in three different decades.

A commanding presence at the heart of the Arsenal defence, he earned full international honours as he participated in 3 major tournaments for England.

Openly battling gambling addiction and alcoholism throughout the tenure of his career, his desire for success in the game never waivered, his commitment and courage on the pitch earned him the adulation of his peers and the fans.

His crowning glory came in 1998 as Adams strolled through an Everton backline and drilled home the final goal of the season, wrapping up the Gunners first Premier League title in front of the Highbury faithful, a ground he had called home his entire career.

This moment was later encapsulated by the club, as a monument of the image above was later constructed outside the Emirates stadium to honour Adams outstanding contribution to the club.

Defender: Stuart Pearce

This former electrician was known as a fearless, no nonsense defender, who wore his heart on his sleeve everytime he set foot on a football pitch, ferocious in the tackle and the owner of a blockbusting left foot, he found the back of the net 99 times in his career, often from 12 yards or free kicks.

His all action and courageous approach to the game didn’t go unnoticed and he was dubbed “Psycho” by fans and players alike.

Pearce’s career spanned four different Premier League clubs, however it was his time at Nottingham Forest where his committed and dogged displays gained national recognition, earning him a starting postion at both World Cup Italia 90 and Euro 96 for England.

It was these two tournaments that seemed to define the career and character of the man.

Having been the villain of Italia 90 after missing a crucial penalty in the semi final against West Germany, he openly wept on the pitch as England were agonisingly sent home empty handed.

England and Pearce later found themselves in similar terrirtory against Spain in the quarter finals of the European Championships in 1996.

Penalties were to decide England’s fate yet again and as a nation held its breath, up stepped Pearce to exorcise his demons.

Unflinched, he slammed home his penalty, and as the crowd erupted so did Pearce as he punched the air like a Wildman with tears in his eyes in celebration, a true display of guts and bravery that epitomised his career.

Truly an iconic moment that would be forever etched in the memory of a nation.

One of the finest left backs England had ever produced he was capped 78 times by his country and was club Captain of Nottingham Forest for 12 years.

Defender: Vincent Kompany

It seemed that Manchester City had lived in the shadows of arch rivals United ever since both clubs had been in existence, but in 2008 the tides began to shift towards the blue side of the city via a multi million pound takeover by Sheik Mansoor.

A young 22 year old Vincent Kompany was to be one of their first signings under this new regime and whilst multiple players seemed to come and go, Kompany remained a City stalwart for 11 years, bowing out in his final season with yet another Premier League winners medal hung around his neck.

Despite being hampered by a series of injuries throughout his tenure at the Etihad, Kompany’s desire to be the best never waivered, time after time he admirably fought back from the brink of despair to regain his place back in the heart of the City defence.

City were a different proposition with the Belgian leading them into battle on the pitch, his leadership seemed to push the team onto another level and when he wasn’t present his absence was clear to see.

Kompany also had a goal or two in his locker and more often than not he seemed to produce at vital moments when his team needed him the most.

His goal against Leicester City in the closing stages of the 2018/19 season will live long in the memory, with the game locked at 0-0 with 10 minutes to play, it was vital that City picked up 3 points from this fixture with Liverpool snapping at their heels in second place in the league.

Kompany picked up the ball and headed towards goal and unleashed a 30 yard thunderbolt that left Kasper Schmeichel clutching at thin air, as the ball rippled into the net the Ethiad stadium erupted, yet again he had set the example for his team mates and it was fitting that the he would deliver a season defining moment when his team had their backs against the wall.

The Belgian can now be found plying his trade back in his home land at FC Anderlecht, which is where his story began.

Midfielder: Gareth Bale

The Welsh wizard began life in the Premier League at Tottenham Hotspur, signed initially as a left back, Bale’s start to life at White Hart Lane was both rocky and uninspiring.

Seemingly overawed by top flight football and hampered by injury he remarkably did not participate in a victory for his club for over two years.

Soon after Bale broke his supposed ‘jinx’ and overcoming various aches and pains, the youngster began to find his feet and confidence under the guidance of his manager Harry Redknapp, who was adamant he was destined for the top.

Pushed forward onto the left side of midfield, he was freed from his defensive shackles and duly became a world star, thanks to his barnstorming performances in the Champions League against elite level teams such as Internazionale and AC Milan.

Bale called North London his home for six years and left for Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2013, it came as no surprise as he was pure box office each and every week.

His ability to electrify and wow a crowd was a sight to behold, raw pace and power allowing him to conjure up some fantastic goals during his spell at Spurs.

A proud Welshman, he is the lynchpin of his national team and carries the burden of a nations expectations admirably on his shoulders, leading Wales to major tournament qualification twice under his captaincy and he is the holder of the record number of goals for his country with 33.

A mesmerising performer who could destroy defenders at will, his departure to Spain was a true loss to the Premier League.

Midfielder: Matt Le Tissier

This Guernsey born maestro was voted Southampton’s greatest ever player and it is not difficult to see why.

Le Tissier in his pomp was a sight to behold, his balance and grace with the ball at his feet was second to none, he found space when there wasn’t any, crafted goals from nothing, and struck some of the most elegant goals the premier league has ever witnessed.

Penalty taking was also his responsibility and he holds the remarkable record of successfully converting 47 out of 48 spot kicks.

His talent knew no bounds, ‘Le God’ could muster a goal from anywhere, free kicks, a volley, a lob, or beating 3 to 4 men at a time, he had everything in his locker, a real pleasure to watch every week.

Despite overtures from other clubs he stayed loyal to the Saints throughout the entirety of his career, netting 209 times.

His record of just 8 England caps still baffles fans and pundits alike to this day.

Midfielder: Paul Scholes

Regarded by many of his fellow professionals as the greatest midfielder of his generation, Scholes spent the entirety of his career at Manchester United after being promoted to the first team ranks from the much heralded class of 92.

After beginning his career as a striker he was moved into central midfield by his manager Sir Alex Ferguson where he formed a formidable partnership with Roy Keane, becoming an absolutely integral part of Manchester United’s success.

Scholes creativity and eye for the killer final pass became his trademark, along with his ability to keep possession of the ball under pressure and dictate the flow of a game.

He also boasted a healthy strike rate for both Manchester United and England, often seen arriving on cue at the edge of the penalty area for another valuable contribution to the scoresheet.

Often under utilised by England however, he was regularly shunted out of position to accommodate other players, most were simply not in the same class as the ginger genius.

Seemingly disenchanted by this treatment, he retired relatively early from England duty to focus on his club career where he racked up over 700 appearances for Manchester United and won 11 Premier League titles.

Midfielder: Cristiano Ronaldo

Perhaps the greatest footballer of all time, Ronaldo left the Premier League behind just as he was arriving at the peak of his powers, departing for Real Madrid in then a world record transfer for a footballer at £80 million.

However, it was here in England where he forged his reputation under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson for 6 years.

Signed as a fresh faced 18 year old, he was handed the famous number 7 jersey at Old Trafford and with that came the weight of expectation on his young shoulders.

Unfazed, Cristiano performed admirably in his debut season, yet he was often labelled a show pony by opposition fans and became an easy terrace target, even more so after he arrived home from the World Cup in 2006 as public enemy number one, after playing an integral role in getting Wayne Rooney dismissed in the quarter finals of the tournament, leading to Englands exit.

This incident and subsequent fan backlash seemed to inspire the Portuguese winger, his performances getting stronger game by game, an end product to his artistry was finally coming to the fore, which was mirrored by his vastly improved goals and assists record.

The boy had become a man both physically and mentally, a powerful and imposing physique coupled with lightning pace and the ability to score from almost anywhere on the pitch made him a truly frightening opponent.

Not only was he the owner of an outrageous skill set that allowed him to tease and torment his opponents, he was also remarkably strong in the air with a leap an NBA basketball player would be proud of.

His record breaking haul of 42 goals from midfield in 2008 enabled him to finally capture the Ballon D’or trophy for the worlds greatest footballer, an honour he had personally coveted for so long.

Departing in 2009, Cristiano left with 3 premier League titles, an FA cup Winners medal, and a European Cup under his belt.

This was only the beginning for this once in a lifetime athlete.

Striker: Didier Drogba

One of Jose Mourinho’s first signings in his first spell at Chelsea in 2004, Drogba arrived from Marseille with a £24 million price tag around his neck, this seemed to weighed heavy on the Ivorian, labelled a cheat and a diver as he struggled to find form early on in his Premier League career.

Eventually finding his feet and confidence, Drogba gradually changed those perceptions, as a lone frontman he became a goal scoring monster who chewed up defenders and spat them out.

His physical prowess and devastating finishing ability propelled Chelsea to a golden era in their history, many of his 157 goals arriving in momentous matches and occasions.

It was therefore fitting that it was the man himself who would dispatch the match winning penalty against Bayern Munich in the 2012 Champions League Final in his last outing for the club.

Drogba had bowed out of Stamford Bridge with a fairytale ending as Chelsea Sealed their one and only European Cup in their history and he was later voted their best player of all time.

Striker: Thierry Henry

Arriving at Arsenal in 1999 from Juventus, Henry had yet to truly reach his full potential despite a big money move to the Serie A giants after a successful World Cup campaign in 1998 with his home nation France.

Signed by his fellow countryman Arsene Wenger For £11 million, he was promptly placed into the unfamiliar position of central striker, it proved to be a stroke of genius by Wenger as he flourished in his new found role and became one of the most feared strikers in the game for the next eight years that he spent at Arsenal.

Possessing a truly frightening turn of pace with an eye for the spectacular, he became a unstoppable force and was simply unplayable on his day, seemingly running teams ragged by himself each and every week.

His remarkable talent led Arsenal to two league titles and two FA Cup titles during his stay at the club, with the unprecedented 2004 campaign being amongst those honours, as Arsenal went the entire league campaign unbeaten, earning the tag of the invincibles.

Henry himself was a huge contributing factor, his insatiable appetite for goals and success drove him on to become the clubs leading all time goal scorer, finding the back of the net 228 times in his illustrious career at Arsenal.

The Frenchman’s place in Arsenal folklore is cemented permanently after a statue in his honour was commissioned at the Emirates Stadium.

Quite simply one of the most sensational players to have ever graced these shores, it seemed criminal that he was never crowned world player of the year by FIFA.

Striker: Alan Shearer

The leading Premier League marksman of all time, this man stands alone at the top of the goalscoring mountain with 260 goals to his name, a model of consistency throughout his playing career.

Beginning his club career at Southampton, it wasn’t long before his powerful and impressive performances began to catch the eye of other top flight sides and he was soon snapped up by Blackburn Rovers for £3.6 million.

It was here where he was a part of a title winning team for the only time in his career, firing Blackburn Rovers to the Premier League crown in 1995, his stonking record of 112 goals in 138 games promptly earned him a switch to his hometown club Newcastle United, where he remained until his retirement from the game. becoming The Magpies and the Premier leagues greatest ever striker.

known as Mr dependable throughout his international and club career, his game was built on aggression and an ability to hold his own in a physical battle with any opposing defenders, a lethal finisher with both his head and feet, Shearer was simply a goal machine.

Gaining 62 caps for England until his retirement from international duty in the year 2000, he struck 30 times and led the line admirably as captain.

A man who was seemingly unmotivated by money and championships, Shearer happily lived out his childhood dream simply playing for his hometown club, and he was adored on Tyneside by the fans in equal Measure.

Eventually Jackie Milburn’s long standing club record of 200 goals was eclipsed by him and Shearer retired with a astounding haul of 206 goals for Newcastle United in all competitions.

Conclusion:

This is my ultimate team compiled from being a follower of the beautiful game for the past 30 years, thus attempting to condense such a huge pool of talent into a outfit of 11 players was both an enjoyable and arduous task.

I firmly believe that this starting line up with its combined talents would be all conquering, yet I also realise that everyone will have their own opinion on the subject and that is one of the greatest aspects of the game we love.

Therefore I ask the question…..Who would make it into your ultimate team?!

Feel free to leave any comments down below and I look forward to hearing from any readers on the matter.

Thanks for reading!

Phil.

AEW Wrestling results: Bash At The Beach.

Welcome along to All Elite Wrestling’s Bash at the Beach, emanating from the Watsco Centre, Miami Beach, Florida.

We are off to sizzling start as a fatal four way match to determine the number one contenders to SCU’s Tag Team Titles is set to open the show.

The Young Bucks vs Best Friends vs Santana/Ortiz vs Kenny Omega/Hangman Adam Page.

Nick Jackson of the Young Bucks and Trent of Best Friends got the action underway, trading counter for counter and quick fire reversals, setting the tone for a frenetic match up featuring 4 of the premiere tag teams in AEW.

Proud and Powerful eventually took charge with a cannonball dive from Ortiz and a textbook top rope Senton from Santana taking out the other contenders, Trent eventually recovered and found himself on the top turnbuckle accompanied by the oldest of the Jackson brothers, Matt.

A fist fight ensued with Trent gaining the upper hand and delivering a huge superplex on Matt to the outside landing on the other combatants.

As the bout continued it began to spill over into a wild wrestling brawl, Kenny Omega entering the fray, cleaning house with countless Snap Dragon suplexes.

An 8 man tag team suplex was under construction in the ring soon after, with both sides at stalemate in the scrum, all unable to lift the other.

Freshly squeezed Orange Cassidy made his trademark nonchalant arrival to the roar of the capacity Watsco Centre, and was the difference maker as he turned the 8 man suplex to 9…..in the favour of his stablemates The Best Friends.

Eventually it was Kenny Omega and Hangman Adam Page who would chalk up the win and go on to face SCU next week for the championships, the pinfall coming after a devastating V-trigger knee and Buckshot Lariat combination on Chuck Taylor of the Best Friends.

Cody answers MJF.

Next up the American Nightmare Cody Rhodes is set to answer the stipulations requested by Maxwell Jacob Friedman if they are to meet at the next AEW Pay-Per-View Revolution.

Cody accepted each of the conditions laid out, not being able to touch MJF until Revolution, 10 lashes on live tv, and the 3rd being having to face MJF’s henchman Wardlow inside the confines of a steel cage.

I for one am looking forward to AEW’S maiden steel cage match and finally seeing what Wardlow is capable of inside the square circle, as I am admittedly unfamiliar with his work, however Im sure that Cody will deliver on the big stage as he inevitably has since his departure from the WWE.

The date has been set for February 19th at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

The Nightmare Collective vs Kris Statlander/Shida.

A slow paced match began eventually pick up steam with Statlander hitting a stiff looking roundhouse kick to Brandi Rhodes followed by a falcon arrow in the centre of the ring for a close near fall.

Rhodes partner Mel entered the fray and was proving to a dominant factor in this showdown, her sheer size and raw power was on display as she hit a catatonic slam on Statlander for a 2 count.

It was Mel who eventually took the clean pin fall however, when Kris Statlander blasted her with the devastating Big Bang Theory Piledriver for the win.

For a womens division that has been lacking since its inception on October 2nd, it seems that the fans have really taken to Statlander since her debut, and her imminent showdown with the Japanese native Riho for the title should be one to look forward to.

Sammy Guevara vs Jon Moxley.

The Spanish God Sammy Guevara was out first to determine a spot in the number one contenders match next week, which would decide who would be the next challenger to Chris Jericho’s World Heavyweight Championship.

Fan favourite Moxley arrived in the sports car he had acquired from the Inner Circle after double crossing them last week.

Moxley had been running roughshod over the competiton in AEW in recent weeks and was expected by many to cruise to a convincing victory, it was not to be the case however as Guevara controlled large portions of the match, delivering solid offense aerially and on the mat.

A corkscrew plancha over the top rope and a springboard cutter by Sammy, Moxley was struggling to cope with the quicker more agile opponent and out of desperation attempted to plant Guevara with the avalanche Paradigm Shift, the move used to dispatch Darby Allin weeks before in an excellent match up.

Sammy countered this into a sublime Spanish fly from the top turnbuckle followed by a firemans carry face crusher for a VERY close three count.

Unable to put Moxley down, Guevara then headed up top for the moonsault press but it was once to the well too often, as Moxley caught him on the way down locking in the rear naked choke for the submission victory.

Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle made their presence felt post match and Jericho violently attacked Moxley’s eye with a spike fashioned from his jacket, leaving him laying, softened up for the main event next week where Moxley will take on the winner of tonights main event of Pac vs Darby Allin.

The Butcher and The Blade, MJF vs DDP, Dustin Rhodes, QT Marshall.

Six man tag action is up next with the eagerly anticipated return of the original peoples champion, the master of the Diamond Cutter, Diamond Dallas Page.

DDP started the match eager to lock up with MJF who backed away from the confrontation in predictable fashion, leaving The Natural Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall to bring the fight to The Butcher and The Blade.

As the battle broke down DDP eventually got the hot tag from Dustin, drilling The Butcher with the patented Diamond Cutter.

Rhodes hit a destroyer on MJF soon after, setting up another Diamond Cutter from the 63 years young Page, to the delight of the Miami crowd.

Not yet finished, the former x3 WCW World Heavyweight Champion Page headed up to the top rope and connected with a cross body block to the outside on his opponents, back in the ring however, the slippery MJF rolled up QT for the quick fire pin.

This match was great fun, watching DDP glide around the ring so graciously at his age was a real treat and an inspiration, proof that age is but a number.

Pac vs Darby Allin.

In the main event of the evening its the second spot in the number one contenders match that is on the line, The ‘Bastard’ Pac a vastly experienced 13 year veteran taking on the enigmatic youngster Darby Allin.

Darby’s unorthodox style came to the fore early on with two missile like shoulder blocks through the middle ropes to the outside leaving their mark on Pac.

Pac began to turn the tide and began to focus on the lower back of his smaller more lightweight adversary, a wicked powerbomb on the steel steps nearly giving him the count out victory.

Allin began to rally and nearly forced a count out victory of his own after taking out Pac with his signature Coffin Drop from the top to the floor below.

As this battle headed towards its conclusion it was Pac who would continue the assault on the lower back of his opponent with a brutal sit out powerbomb leaving Darby laying in perfect position for the Black Arrow finisher.

Pac climbed up to the top turnbuckle and crashed down onto Darby’s spine with the scintillating Black Arrow.

Clinching the win via pinfall, he seals his spot against Jon Moxley next week.

As Pac revelled in his victory, clearly in the belief that Jericho’s attack on Moxley would leave him no opponent next week, he declared himself the automatic number one contender.

The unhinged Moxley appeared on the stage however, still nursing his eye injury suffered at the hands of the Pain Maker Chris Jericho earlier on in the night, declaring he would indeed be on the Jericho cruise next week for AEW Dynamite and would fight Pac even if he had one eye, was blind or was even half dead.

Thoughts….

All in all I found this to be an enjoyable edition of Dynamite to watch from bell to bell.

I like the way that AEW continues to add meaning and build relevance to the championship titles within the company, giving the product a more sports like and legitimate feel.

The forthcoming AEW Dynamite broadcast from the Rock ‘N’ Rager Jericho Cruise ship next week should provide a truly unique backdrop for the show, and as a wrestling fan I like to experience fresh and innovative ideas, as I believe it will only serve to make AEW a true viable alternative wrestling show to the WWE.

Competition can only raise the standards across the industry which is something we as fans need to be excited about!

Thanks for reading!

Phil.

Manchester United: The Rise and Fall

Alexander Chapman Ferguson was appointed manager of Manchester United on November 6th 1986. Inheriting a historic club on the wane toiling with mediocrity, he was tasked with turning its fortunes around.

It’s only major success coming in a previous era, lifting two league titles under Sir Matt Busby in the 1960’s culminating with the 1968 European Cup success against Benfica, capturing the nations hearts after the tragedy of the Munich air disaster.

He would take Manchester United on an epic era of unrivalled triumph and excitement for 27 years, this magnificent team and club was built in the image of the great man himself, the never say die attitude, the will to win, the desire to overcome with your back against the wall.

His success would not come instantaneous however, his first trophy not arriving until 1990 securing the FA cup against Crystal Palace, this heralded the start of a chapter that fans of the club will remember for the rest of their lives, and to be perfectly honest we were spoilt rotten!

The Cup Winners Cup duly followed in 1991 with a 2-1 win over Barcelona in the final, my earliest footballing memory.

I was 7 years old at the time but I’ll never forget that night in Rotterdam, watching the drama unfold out on the pitch, captivated by the electric atmosphere and the sheer theatre as Mark Hughes fired in the tie clinching goal from an acute angle, the wild celebrations as captain fantastic Bryan Robson held the trophy aloft.

I was hooked on the beautiful game, Manchester United were my team.

Ferguson famously declared that he would “knock Liverpool off their perch” and 13 Premier League titles later he delivered on that prophecy, with some of the most enthralling and captivating football the game has ever seen, you could guarantee drama every time United were in action.

The comeback kings, the team that would never surrender, if United were 3-0 down with 10 minutes to go it was always still possible, streaming forwards like the red arrows until the death, no matter the opposition.

Who could forget the greatest comeback of all?

The Champions League Final of 1999, trailing 1-0 in the 90th minute against Bayern Munich at a sun kissed Nou Camp stadium in Barcelona, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer snatching two late strikes at the death, capturing the historic treble.

Manchester United were box office every week under Sir Alex, seemingly doing the impossible time after time, so many moments and so many fantastic players had come through the doors at Carrington, Peter Schmeichel, Rio Ferdinand, Roy Keane, Wayne Rooney, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and maybe the greatest of all time to lace up a pair of boots…..Cristiano Ronaldo.

The youth system was second to none, the great man presiding over the development of the class of 92, six players who would rise to prominence in the game and become some of the most decorated and gifted footballers of that generation.

Class of 92 Pictured below: Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, David Beckham, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Paul Scholes.

As the years rolled by and the league titles began to accumulate, it was a 2nd European Cup that Sir Alex craved on his CV, and in 2008 he delivered, with a victory over Chelsea in the first ever European Cup Final contested by two English teams.

As in the now tradition of the club, it came down to a nail biting finale on penalties, Edwin Van Der Sar saving Nicolas Anelka’s spot kick amongst the pouring rain in Moscow, handing United their 3rd European Cup trophy.

Back to back losses in the 2010 and 2011 finals followed, to a Barcelona team led by the incomparable Lionel Messi, who themselves may have had a claim to be the finest team of all time at that period in history.

The aforementioned triumph in 2008 was to be Sir Alex’s and United’s last, a thought hard to fathom in 2020 such as has been the clubs fall from grace since his departure in 2013, where he brought down the curtain on his astonishing career at United with a 13th Premier league title, again this being the clubs last.

It’s difficult to know where to begin with the clubs woes since his exit, every managerial appointment seemingly more disappointing than the last, David Moyes an abject failure with Louis Van Gaal and Jose Mourinho both delivering trophies in their reigns, but never the Premier League title or the European Cup, trophies that a club of this stature and history should be fighting for on a regular basis.

Each of them never truly grasped and embraced the spirit and values of the club that Sir Alex had manifested over his long and prestigious leadership, throwing our attacking principles to the wayside in order to justify the means, trophies were delivered, but at the cost of what made this club truly unique and loved around the globe.

Vast amounts of money has been squandered on mediocre players that have failed to deliver at the Theatre of Dreams, Radamel Falcao, Angel Di Maria, Alexis Sanchez, Romelu Lukaku, Fred, Paul Pogba the list goes on.

All household names in their own right and have proved themselves to be big game players at other clubs, so why has the failure been consistent at United? I would lay the blame at a negative managerial approach and the vast amounts of money that is awash within the game today.

Big money contracts get signed and players come and go for obscene amounts of money, once a player earns £500,000 a week where does his motivation come from…?

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer now has the keys to the castle and inherits the same problems mentioned above, he has an unenviable task of trying to bring back the glory days to our club, but players of his irk and desire are of a by-gone era.

How much would Eric Cantona have been worth in the modern game? bought for a now modest looking £1 million at the time by Sir Alex, he was the catalyst that propelled the club to their 1st league title in 27 years, a genius with the ball at his feet and a true joy to watch.

Defenders like Steve Bruce, solid as a rock at the heart of the defence and would run through brick walls for the team.

Box to box midfielders like Roy Keane, a true leader who never gave in, fought for every blade of grass on the pitch and failed to ever settle for second best.

Goal scoring machines like Cristiano Ronaldo, developing himself physically and technically on a daily basis until he became the greatest player on the planet.

The club seems to be in an eternal malaise with not only player recruitment being truly abysmal but a real lack of young talent coming through the ranks with Marcus Rashford being the only player to have truly broken through and I firmly believe he will become a truly world class player, whilst Jesse Lingard has seemingly gone into reverse over the past two years.

Rashford aside, the well has seemingly run dry, with this generation evidently more interested in the commercial aspects of the game rather than football itself, lacking in the basic fundamentals that will take you to the upper echelons of the sport…..hard work, commitment, and desire.

Sadly I feel Manchester United will be a long time in the wilderness, with the likes of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City seemingly light years ahead on and off the pitch in terms of leadership, recruitment, and playing style.

If this trend continues at the club its hard to wonder where it will end, a slide into irrelevancy beckons.

However, I feel that this isn’t just an exclusive Manchester United issue with the ridiculous amounts of money awash within the game taking it away from the man in the street to be enjoyed, ticket prices always rising and multiple subscription services needed to just watch a game.

The premier league has become a relentless money making juggernaut that cannot be stopped and that along the way has created the era of the modern day footballer, which I can no longer personally get behind.

What is the answer?

Who knows!

Thanks for reading.

Phil.

PDC World Darts Championship Final 2020

Could the colourful Peter Wright finally topple the neon green machine Michael Van Gerwen….?

That was the question on everybody’s lips in this highly anticipated World Championship final.

Wright had astonishingly failed to beat MVG in 10 previous finals with Snakebite agonisingly missing six match darts in this years premier league final still fresh in the memory.

Snakebite vowed in pre-match interviews that he wouldn’t make the same mistake in this showdown, boasting far superior stats in every aspect to Van Gerwen on his run to a 2nd World Championship final.

MVG a x3 World Champion himself, was competing in his 4th final and was looking to defend his title for the very 1st time.

Wright got the party started by racing into a 2-0 lead on sets, leaving MVG trailing heading into the break, unfamiliar territory for the Dutchman who had not fallen behind since the opening round of the tournament…the break seemingly came at a good time for MVG who made brisk work of the following two sets, tieing the match at 2-2.

Wright had to stem the tide and soon began to pull away from his rival, by racing back into a 5-2 lead with his dead-eye finishing coming to the fore…..the question was beginning to linger however, could snakebite finally land the big one, the elusive World Championship title that he had coveted for so many years?

With the fans at home and the raucous Alexandra Palace crowd cheering him on, Wright remained the picture of calm, despite Van Gerwen clawing back a set to make it 6-3 and missing double 12 for a magical nine-dart leg.

The Scotsman’s moment of glory awaited with double 10 standing between him and immortality and this time he did not waiver, planting his 3rd dart into the double bed, sending the Alexandra palace into scenes of jubilation and Wright himself breaking down on stage.

His dream of being a World Champion had been realised at the ripe old age of 49, the second oldest man ever to claim the trophy and the £500,000 jackpot.

You would surely be hard pressed to find a more popular winner in recent years as Wright invited his family onto the stage to help him celebrate, as the tears rolled down his cheeks whilst he held the trophy aloft.

As such an entertaining and ground breaking Championship came to a close, it was Peter Wright, the former tyre-fitter and van driver, who had finally scaled the mountain, his name forever etched on the magnificent Sid Waddell trophy.

Never give up on your dreams!

Thanks for reading!

Phil.