“Overhead, Dimples, Abelenkpe, Dzorwulu junction … 37!” cried the driver’s mate. With a worn look I signaled to the mate and hopped inside the tro-tro. I did this with a heavy heart. I despise tro-tros in general, but the dislike I have for “207” tro-tros is special. Given my economic circumstances, the other option – taxis – seem unreasonable to pursue. So I silently ride the “devil’s contraption” – which I can afford – while I watch others ride the unaffordable angel’s carriage.
The “207” is a special one. It is a Mercedes Benz van. Rumour has it that most of the ones imported here are the cargo box ones and not the mini-buses. However, when they are imported into the country, they are converted into passenger carriers. Windows are cut in the sides for ventilation and lighting and seats are constructed and fixed into the van. The back seats have a collapsible fourth seat to allow passengers to go in and out by the sides of the fixed three-seats (the collapsible seat is the fourth when you count from the driver’s side of the vehicle). I think that is a brief description of my nightmare of a vehicle.
What is my problem with these tro-tros? Like many other tall people, I find the seating arrangement and design very thoughtless. Five rows of clumsy seats are forced into this vehicle so that there is virtually no room for the legs. The front seats are mostly tall-people-friendly. If you are tall and you miss the front seat, then you are in for a rough ride. You will have to ‘fix’ your legs into the marginal spaces between the seats. Once you sit, you try to maintain your initial posture no matter how uncomfortable. Yes, your legs will become numb and sore but it will be beneficial to endure that than the problems that will arise from a change in initial posture. You might have to sit in mid-air till you reach your destination if you lose your original posture that accommodated your height. To make matters worse, most of these vehicles are poorly maintained. Sometimes I enter these tro-tros to see the upholstery work falling apart as the owners work it without the slightest concern. When the supporting rods in the seats become weak, they lean back into the already limited legroom to aggravate your distress. There are times when I had to push against the seat in front of me with my hands to prevent further damage to my knees.
Oh that is not all! I have totally ignored those annoying big black speakers and spare tires that compete with the passengers for legroom. They always win! The rusty windows, doors and metal fittings in the tro-tros cannot be glossed over easily. My word! In many tro-tros, you can see the tarred road by looking down your seat. How? They are plagued with holes and rusty openings. If you do not tread cautiously in these tro-tros, you will get a nasty cut from a rusted piece of metal. I know, because I have a seen people bleed terribly by suffering cuts from the ill maintained window edges. I do not remember ever getting a cut. My clothes have not been that successful though. My pair of school shorts was converted into a wrapper skirt while alighting at a bus stop, thanks to a poorly constructed seat joint. My boxer shorts saved me from total ignominy. My ordeal is not a special case. I have seen it happen on countless occasions. The driver’s mate will apologise and wish you all the best in your endeavours as they drive away, leaving you fuming. On any day, I will choose the torn apparel over a tetanus injection – which you will have to get if you get seriously cut by the rusty elements of the tro-tro.
Have you also noticed that “207” tro-tros are incredibly noisy? Once the vehicle is started, it is a noise fest; total chaos. Some very horrible sounds come from the bonnet. I sometimes wonder if it is the engine’s way of registering its displeasure at the way it is used or maintained. When the driver accelerates, the noise escalates in perfect harmony. From beneath the vehicle, you will hear this irritating grinding noise, which can be likened to a mill at work. The poorly cut and fitted windows join the orchestra. The glasses hang loosely in there, making banging sounds at the least disturbance. The seats are not left out of this act. They squeak and creak as the vehicle wobbles down the road. Some passengers contribute their quota by engaging in noisy conversations, sometimes right across your face. Sometimes, not always though, you will have an infuriating passenger having a loud conversation on phone. The last straw that breaks the camel’s back is a class act from the driver. Remember the huge speakers underneath the back seats? When these low sound - quality noise factories are turned on, the passengers are turned into acoustic waste dumps. Their cries to the driver to reduce the volume of the player usually fall on deaf ears, and rightly so. Who would not be deaf if he/she listens to a radio at such earsplitting volume levels for long periods of time?
So picture this. I am aboard a “207” tro-tro from Lapaz to the 37 station. I have managed to ‘fix’ myself into the middle seat. There is a spare tire under the seat in front of me and a huge speaker under mine. My legs are growing numb and I can only cringe in pain. The two passengers by my sides are asleep. The one on my left is leaning on me. The one on my right is sweating profusely and drooling as well. The speaker is blasting away to a hip hop song. We are stuck in traffic and the window on my row cannot be opened – the glass is stuck! The seat in front of me is leaning back and the passengers sitting in it can do nothing to help save my aching legs.
Am I being too harsh by calling that tro-tro abominable???
By Kwame Joe.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
MY TOP FOUR RADIO MORNING SHOWS IN GHANA- PART 3
Over the past weeks, a conscious effort has been made to present what I deem the top four radio morning shows in Ghana. In fact, the rationale and effects of these morning shows cannot be overemphasized. In this edition, I intend to consider the third of these four shows. For the benefit of first-time readers, the previous editions considered Peace Fm’s Kokrokoo and Joy Fm’s Super Morning Show. Issues considered included the style of the respective hosts as well as how they assert their authority over their shows, the content of the shows, audience participation, target audience, as well as some laurels achieved. Although not following the pattern of the trailblazers, this third part takes a different look at the show in question.
The show’s host is by far one of the most controversial hosts early morning radio listeners may have encountered. Perhaps that is why he has become a household name. Transmitting on a frequency emanating from Ghana’s first port city, this gentleman competes with other big-wigs in the morning show industry each morning, drawing some followership to whom he delivers his show. Adakabre Frimpong Manso is this host in question and the show- Adom Fm’s Dwaso Nsem. “Dwaso” in Akan connotes a market place and by extension, a place where brisk business is undertaken. Dwaso Nsem, as the show goes by, aims at presenting to its listeners, the news-making headlines, the latest sound bites as well as interviewing the newsmakers. At the helm of affairs of this newsgathering and presentation is the UK trained show host who also doubles as a lawyer. Perhaps his legal background gives him the courage to challenge politicians on his show, although he sometimes does so to the extreme. Like Peace Fm’s Kokrokoo, the main lingo on Dwaso Nsem is Akan along with its many varieties including Akuapim Twi, Asante Twi and Fanti. This therefore makes the show reach out to all shades of Akan speakers in and out of Ghana. This is made possible by the large number of affiliates Adom Fm has around the world. For the sake of the audience, interviews conducted in a language other than Akan are translated. In most cases, Adakabre in his bid to interview people frames his questions in such a way that he answers them by himself, even before the interviewee does. I guess that may be one of the issues he may have to work on, alongside his shouting and aggressiveness on radio.
Dwaso Nsem over the past years gained popularity due to the presence of certain people I dub the most humorous and fearless people on radio including Wofa Sekyere “Popro” Boateng, Afia Pokuaa and then show host, Ekourba Gyasi now with Hot Fm. These personalities were a delight to listen to each morning. However, with the exodus of Ekourba to Hot Fm and the advent of Adakabre Frimpong Manso from Hot Fm to Adom Fm, things took a different turn. The once interesting show was to turn into a platform for politicians to trade insults as well as for the host to “cause fear and panic.” You may recall the Amina-Yutong Bus rape saga which threw the entire country into a state of distress. In fact, news about the incident was broken on Dwaso Nsem. Adakabre then used several of his shows as a platform to address the implications of the incident. In the end, the incident turned out only to be a hoax. While some may describe that news item as a desperate attempt by the show’s producers to regain their lost popularity, others believe that even if the incident in question took place, the show’s host exaggerated matters. That was not going to be the end of such fearsome news items emanating from the studios of Adom Fm. One fine morning, Adakabre was on air again, this time with news that had the propensity to fuel yet another national debate; he said on his show that President Mills had earmarked Gh¢ 90 million to be used to fund his campaign towards winning the ruling NDC’s flag bearership race. He alleged that he had in his possession an audio tape from former football administrator, Herbert Mensah, which contained the said revelation. This issue was debated for weeks unending until it turned out to be yet another hoax. Perhaps these further dealt a blow to the Tema-based media house.
In terms of knowledge about the geography of Ghana, I will bet my last pesewa that no one beats Adakabre to it. He tends to know almost every location in Ghana and can give vivid descriptions about the various towns and villages that make the news. Perhaps that puts him ahead of his competitors as he is able to relate to the situations being presented. For instance, if the issue at stake concerns a deplorable road somewhere in the hinterlands of the Brong Ahafo region, you can trust him to tell you where the said road leads to, some popularly food joints along the stretch, some landmarks, among others. All these add to the humorous tone of his show.
Like most of its competitors, in-studio discussions of the day’s big news are always marked by huge political interference. With representatives of the major political parties all in the studio, you are bound to notice that each person skews his presentation in favour of his political party. Well, that is what they are paid to do. However, the show sometimes loses sight of what to discuss. This is a problem with most shows anyway. There is always a conscious effort to discuss issues that have no bearing on the national agenda and which only fuel tribal and political conflicts. However, in a nutshell, Dwaso Nsem serves as a reference point to many political activists and avid politicians.
To this end, one may ask, why is this show part of my top four radio morning shows? Honestly, I find that hard to answer. Perhaps it’s because of the niche it has carved for itself over the years. It may not be your favorite but for my part, it remains a force to reckon with when it comes to radio morning shows in Ghana and quite a number of people share the same sentiments. Let me end by making a quick reference to a gentleman named Isaac who commented on the first part of this series on http//www.ghanaweb.com who said “I think Adom FM is number one, when it comes to morning shows. Most of the Ghanaian morning [show] hosts are very disgraceful because they’re not helping Ghana develop. Almost all the morning [show] hosts are politicians, working for their 'masters' and receiving money secretly in fat and hefty envelopes from politicians. To me, Lawyer Adakabre Frimpong Manso stands tall and thus I recommend him as the number one morning show host. He is brave, witty, funny, well informed, very knowledgeable, fearless, geographically inclined, and has international experience.”
Sunday, September 18, 2011
THE TOP FOUR RADIO MORNING SHOWS IN GHANA- PART 2
While reflecting on the first part of this write-up, it dawned on me that my top four (4) radio morning shows were indeed made up of two Twi-based as well as two-English shows. Honestly, that outstanding feature hadn’t come to mind until now. Having considered Kokrokoo, a Twi-based show and obviously Peace Fm’s flagship programme, it’s only prudent that I consider an English-based show, for a change.
This show has in fact been what most of the inhabitants of corporate Ghana have been waking up to. You can call it the “kokrokoo” of the educated elite. It is however worthy of note that the use of the term “kokrokoo” here is with reference to the wake-up call most hens and cocks send out each morning. Manned by another of Ghana’s finest broadcasters, his show is indeed his station’s flagship programme; The Super Morning Show (SMS). Hosted by Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the SMS indeed touches every sensitive spot.
The show isn’t complete without a motivational word from award-winning playwright, counselor and motivational speaker, Uncle Ebo Whyte. His words are the needed elements to get you in the right frame of mind for the working day. After a quick run through the headlines of the leading newspapers, the sweet voice of Kojo Oppong Nkrumah guides listeners throughout the show, lasting till 10am. Whether he’s on the phone lines, speaking to newsmakers or analyzing the news-making headlines, he comes across as a young man who is truly talented to the core. Sometimes, one wonders why he never pursued a first degree in Mass Communication, but rather toiled at the University of Cape Coast for a Bachelor of Commerce! But perhaps, it’s from the Casely Hayford Hall (CASFORD), his hall of affiliation as an undergraduate that he garnered that can-do spirit.
The SMS is always complete with the latest music which leads listeners wondering how the current affairs cum politics and development inclined show can be so in sync with music. It’s a delight listening to Kojo’s funny comments about the songs he plays and I must confess he’s got good taste for music.
The astute SMS listener would have the privilege of listening to various lawmakers as well as those who matter, on their views on issues being discussed. Almost every time, the right questions are posed, necessitating answers that no doubt inform the opinions of listeners. Because the show and in fact the station, JOY 99.7 Fm, runs all its shows in English, it reaches out to all who comprehend the Queen’s tongue. And indeed, a vast majority of Ghanaians are unable to comprehend the popular Akan language. The SMS therefore reaches out to all such ones including the huge representation of foreigners Ghana has come to be home to. This includes members of the diplomatic corp., refugees, asylum seekers and businessmen. All who fall within this bracket are assured of high quality debates, analysis, and entertainment when they tune in to the Super Morning Show.
Thanks to the wonders of technology, listeners across many oceans can still tune in to the SMS via www.myjoyonline.com although that feat has also been achieved by Peace Fm’s Kokrokoo which also streams live on the internet via www.peacefmonline.com. Perhaps the uniqueness of the Super Morning Show is how it incorporates social networking into the morning show. Thus listeners do air their views and interact via Facebook and Twitter, getting to have their messages read all the same, at little or no cost, rather than using the conventional MTN short code 1422 which costs 30Gp per text.
In terms of promotions and packages for listeners, the SMS sets the standard. Every now and then, a new promotion pops up, promising to start a period of great activity. Perhaps, that’s what Joy Fm is noted for. My personal favorite over the years has been the Read One Hundred (100) Project, which sought to incite listeners, especially the young, to read, while assured of gaining rewards if they were diligent enough at their reading.
Indeed the Super Morning Show lives up to its name. It’s a super morning show; educative, informative, analytical, motivational and entertaining. No doubt it won the CIMG Radio Programme of the Year and GJA Radio Programme of the Year; call it the double, in 2008. It’s little wonder therefore that the Super Morning Show is seated comfortably as a part of my personal top four (4) radio morning shows.
This show has in fact been what most of the inhabitants of corporate Ghana have been waking up to. You can call it the “kokrokoo” of the educated elite. It is however worthy of note that the use of the term “kokrokoo” here is with reference to the wake-up call most hens and cocks send out each morning. Manned by another of Ghana’s finest broadcasters, his show is indeed his station’s flagship programme; The Super Morning Show (SMS). Hosted by Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the SMS indeed touches every sensitive spot.
The show isn’t complete without a motivational word from award-winning playwright, counselor and motivational speaker, Uncle Ebo Whyte. His words are the needed elements to get you in the right frame of mind for the working day. After a quick run through the headlines of the leading newspapers, the sweet voice of Kojo Oppong Nkrumah guides listeners throughout the show, lasting till 10am. Whether he’s on the phone lines, speaking to newsmakers or analyzing the news-making headlines, he comes across as a young man who is truly talented to the core. Sometimes, one wonders why he never pursued a first degree in Mass Communication, but rather toiled at the University of Cape Coast for a Bachelor of Commerce! But perhaps, it’s from the Casely Hayford Hall (CASFORD), his hall of affiliation as an undergraduate that he garnered that can-do spirit.
The SMS is always complete with the latest music which leads listeners wondering how the current affairs cum politics and development inclined show can be so in sync with music. It’s a delight listening to Kojo’s funny comments about the songs he plays and I must confess he’s got good taste for music.
The astute SMS listener would have the privilege of listening to various lawmakers as well as those who matter, on their views on issues being discussed. Almost every time, the right questions are posed, necessitating answers that no doubt inform the opinions of listeners. Because the show and in fact the station, JOY 99.7 Fm, runs all its shows in English, it reaches out to all who comprehend the Queen’s tongue. And indeed, a vast majority of Ghanaians are unable to comprehend the popular Akan language. The SMS therefore reaches out to all such ones including the huge representation of foreigners Ghana has come to be home to. This includes members of the diplomatic corp., refugees, asylum seekers and businessmen. All who fall within this bracket are assured of high quality debates, analysis, and entertainment when they tune in to the Super Morning Show.
Thanks to the wonders of technology, listeners across many oceans can still tune in to the SMS via www.myjoyonline.com although that feat has also been achieved by Peace Fm’s Kokrokoo which also streams live on the internet via www.peacefmonline.com. Perhaps the uniqueness of the Super Morning Show is how it incorporates social networking into the morning show. Thus listeners do air their views and interact via Facebook and Twitter, getting to have their messages read all the same, at little or no cost, rather than using the conventional MTN short code 1422 which costs 30Gp per text.
In terms of promotions and packages for listeners, the SMS sets the standard. Every now and then, a new promotion pops up, promising to start a period of great activity. Perhaps, that’s what Joy Fm is noted for. My personal favorite over the years has been the Read One Hundred (100) Project, which sought to incite listeners, especially the young, to read, while assured of gaining rewards if they were diligent enough at their reading.
Indeed the Super Morning Show lives up to its name. It’s a super morning show; educative, informative, analytical, motivational and entertaining. No doubt it won the CIMG Radio Programme of the Year and GJA Radio Programme of the Year; call it the double, in 2008. It’s little wonder therefore that the Super Morning Show is seated comfortably as a part of my personal top four (4) radio morning shows.
MY TOP FOUR RADIO MORNING SHOWS IN GHANA- PART 1
It’s the desire of every morning person to be fed with what’s happening around the world. For even the most religious among the lot, their quest to be current and abreast of world events supersedes their early morning encounter with their objects of worship. In a cosmopolitan city like Accra, city dwellers satisfy this quest in most cases, by listening to the radio; while in the shower, while taking breakfast or while stuck in traffic on the way to work. With the multiplicity of radio stations in Ghana, one doesn’t have to go through much stress finding a suitable frequency. In fact, it seems wherever one tunes to has one show or another going on each morning.
But do morning shows live up to their name? Are they able to light up the days of their listeners? What about their content? Whom are they aimed at? Well, these questions are going to guide the study of my four (4) favorite radio morning shows and no doubt Ghana’s top four morning shows. This write-up presents a listener’s point of view of these shows. Having spent some time following these shows, I believe it’s in the right direction that I undertake this study. To start with, I would give an overview of each show before delving into the analytical phase.
In no particular order, the following radio shows are going to be the specimen for this study; PEACE FM’S KOKROKOO, ADOM FM’S DWASO NSEM, JOY FM’S SUPER MORNING SHOW (SMS) AND HITZ FM’S DAYBREAK HITZ.
The first show to be considered is PEACE FM’S KOKROKOO. The show’s host Kwami Sefa Kayi, affectionately called “Chairman” by his panelists and listeners expertly drives Ghana to work from 6:30am-10:00am every other working day. According to him, the best thing about being a broadcaster is “The ability to affect millions of lives positively and to contribute to the development of my country.” A line he has become known for on radio is “We are soldiering on for God and country” and actually, that’s what he does.
Serving his breakfast in Twi, he is able to capture a wider audience. From the newspaper review segment through the phone-ins and the part where his panelists, usually from the different political divide, battle issues out, KOKROKOO comes across as an interesting show. Chairman’s probing questions always hit the right spot, making his respondents let whatever cats they have out of their bags. Mention can be made of how he was able to draw out the inner feelings and thoughts of the infamous Bishop Obinim. That interview no doubt added more salt to Obinim’s injury as he said more than he should have.
Lovers of politics are left full and smiling all day as their respected partymen and women try to defend various political actions. While Uncle Allotey Jacobs, the ‘educated fisherman’ as he’s widely called, is always violently championing the cause of the ruling NDC and justifying their every action while code-switching between Fanti and English, the sharp-tongued Ursula Owusu of the NPP also presents the minority’s view of nation building and as always, tries to point out loopholes in what the ruling party does. You can also trust Kwesi Pratt Jnr. to be as analytical as ever and with his favorite word “Massa”, he can stop anyone in his or her tracks, just to make his submission. KOKROKOO is never complete without the presence of the man who has a copy of every document underneath the sun, Kwaku Baako Jnr. who in most cases is torn between speaking Twi/Fanti and English. He is more often than not championing the course of the NPP and not his CPP and it can be noted that it was even on KOKROKOO that he admitted having voted for the NPP Flagbearer, Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo during the 2008 general elections.
On the average, Kwami Sefa Kayi proves to be a good moderator of his show and of course his station’s flagship programme. No doubt he’s the current holder of the Morning Show Host of the Year (Radio) title as well as the Radio and Television Personality of the Year. Yes, you can say he’s cemented his name in history. This can be attributed to the fact that he is with one of Ghana’s best radio stations, if not the best. Running about a 70% of his show in Twi, a language that most of his listeners; young, old, elite, unlettered, can relate to, he reaches a wider audience. Quite positively, most businesses deem it prudent to advertise their products on his show. Although that’s purely a marketing strategy that also fetches the station lots of money, one thing the show’s producers may not have noticed is that these commercials take away most of the show’s time.
Besides being hugely tainted by politics, KOKROKOO really is a force to reckon with in the area of radio morning shows. Kwami’s occasional humorous nature tends to relax things when they go out of hand in his studio. His studio-hands also contribute to the show’s success. Wherever they learnt how to embellish from, they were studious in the learning process. They can make serious issues appear as child’s play and vice versa, although this sometimes draws attention from the issue at stake.
Nevertheless, when next you want to know what’s going on in Ghana when you wake up, remember to tune in to the Chairman’s show on Peace Fm on 104.3 MHz. Quite interestingly, his show runs on over 25 affiliate radio stations in and out of Ghana each morning. It’s little wonder therefore that KOKROKOO makes my top four (4).
But do morning shows live up to their name? Are they able to light up the days of their listeners? What about their content? Whom are they aimed at? Well, these questions are going to guide the study of my four (4) favorite radio morning shows and no doubt Ghana’s top four morning shows. This write-up presents a listener’s point of view of these shows. Having spent some time following these shows, I believe it’s in the right direction that I undertake this study. To start with, I would give an overview of each show before delving into the analytical phase.
In no particular order, the following radio shows are going to be the specimen for this study; PEACE FM’S KOKROKOO, ADOM FM’S DWASO NSEM, JOY FM’S SUPER MORNING SHOW (SMS) AND HITZ FM’S DAYBREAK HITZ.
The first show to be considered is PEACE FM’S KOKROKOO. The show’s host Kwami Sefa Kayi, affectionately called “Chairman” by his panelists and listeners expertly drives Ghana to work from 6:30am-10:00am every other working day. According to him, the best thing about being a broadcaster is “The ability to affect millions of lives positively and to contribute to the development of my country.” A line he has become known for on radio is “We are soldiering on for God and country” and actually, that’s what he does.
Serving his breakfast in Twi, he is able to capture a wider audience. From the newspaper review segment through the phone-ins and the part where his panelists, usually from the different political divide, battle issues out, KOKROKOO comes across as an interesting show. Chairman’s probing questions always hit the right spot, making his respondents let whatever cats they have out of their bags. Mention can be made of how he was able to draw out the inner feelings and thoughts of the infamous Bishop Obinim. That interview no doubt added more salt to Obinim’s injury as he said more than he should have.
Lovers of politics are left full and smiling all day as their respected partymen and women try to defend various political actions. While Uncle Allotey Jacobs, the ‘educated fisherman’ as he’s widely called, is always violently championing the cause of the ruling NDC and justifying their every action while code-switching between Fanti and English, the sharp-tongued Ursula Owusu of the NPP also presents the minority’s view of nation building and as always, tries to point out loopholes in what the ruling party does. You can also trust Kwesi Pratt Jnr. to be as analytical as ever and with his favorite word “Massa”, he can stop anyone in his or her tracks, just to make his submission. KOKROKOO is never complete without the presence of the man who has a copy of every document underneath the sun, Kwaku Baako Jnr. who in most cases is torn between speaking Twi/Fanti and English. He is more often than not championing the course of the NPP and not his CPP and it can be noted that it was even on KOKROKOO that he admitted having voted for the NPP Flagbearer, Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo during the 2008 general elections.
On the average, Kwami Sefa Kayi proves to be a good moderator of his show and of course his station’s flagship programme. No doubt he’s the current holder of the Morning Show Host of the Year (Radio) title as well as the Radio and Television Personality of the Year. Yes, you can say he’s cemented his name in history. This can be attributed to the fact that he is with one of Ghana’s best radio stations, if not the best. Running about a 70% of his show in Twi, a language that most of his listeners; young, old, elite, unlettered, can relate to, he reaches a wider audience. Quite positively, most businesses deem it prudent to advertise their products on his show. Although that’s purely a marketing strategy that also fetches the station lots of money, one thing the show’s producers may not have noticed is that these commercials take away most of the show’s time.
Besides being hugely tainted by politics, KOKROKOO really is a force to reckon with in the area of radio morning shows. Kwami’s occasional humorous nature tends to relax things when they go out of hand in his studio. His studio-hands also contribute to the show’s success. Wherever they learnt how to embellish from, they were studious in the learning process. They can make serious issues appear as child’s play and vice versa, although this sometimes draws attention from the issue at stake.
Nevertheless, when next you want to know what’s going on in Ghana when you wake up, remember to tune in to the Chairman’s show on Peace Fm on 104.3 MHz. Quite interestingly, his show runs on over 25 affiliate radio stations in and out of Ghana each morning. It’s little wonder therefore that KOKROKOO makes my top four (4).
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
THREE REASONS WHY LIONEL MESSI ‘UNDERPERFORMS’ FOR THE ALBICELESTE
The current world best player has been impressive for his club side FC Barcelona over the past few years but his work-rate, goals, influence and ability when he dons his shirt for the Albiceleste is woefully inadequate. Bookmakers tipped the little Argentine to grab the topscorer award at the Copa but he turned out as a top non-scorer (top player who did not score). He was involved in three of the five goals Argentina scored at the Copa and was named man of the match in a low profile game against a lame Costa Rica side. I take a look at why Lionel Messi cannot replicate his club form for his country….
1. TEAM TACTICS: I will use the 2011 Copa America as a case study here. Argentina’s disappointing run during the Copa America went a long way to reveal a lot of things. Lionel Messi was toothless in that first game against Bolivia and lot of criticisms should be leveled at manager, Sergio Batista. The tactician played a 4-3-3 formation (reportedly to suit Messi) with three defensive minded midfielders in Ever Banenga, Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Mascherano and a striking triumvirate consisting of Ezequiel Lavezzi, Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi. Here, there was no creativity in the middle of the park and so Messi had to drop deep to claim the ball so as to create an attacking move. At Barca, it is not so. Supporting cast, Iniesta and Xavi are responsible for creating the attack and Messi finishes them off with relish. This only means one thing…that Messi cannot perform in a team bereft of a Xavi or Iniesta prototype…this also shows that Xavi and Iniesta should be given more recognition. The answer to this problem was quite easy. One of the three defensive midfielders, (probably Cambiasso) should have been dropped for a more creative player (Javier Pastore). Some pundits argue that the telepathy between Messi and his team mates is the reason why he does not perform but I am glad to reveal it is just a fallacy. Messi has played with most of his current team mates at different levels (youth levels). For example, in the 2008 Summer Olympics in which Argentina claimed Gold (this same Sergio Batista was the manager), Messi played alongside players like Ezequiel Garay, Pablo Zabaleta, Fernando Gago, Ever Banga, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Angel Di Maria, Javier Mascherano and Sergio Romero. At the under 20 World Cup in which Argentina again won and Messi himself voted the Best Player and topscorer of the tourney, he played alongside Pablo Zabaleta, Sergio Aguero and Fernando Gago. Therefore, that Chemistry with majority of his team mates is already there but the results desired is not forth coming due to bad team tactics. Argentina should play as Argentina, not try to alter their system to suit Messi.
2. THE TAG OF NEXT MARADONA: I don’t know if anyone else has realized this parallelism that exists between Maradona and Messi. First of all, Maradona won the U-20 World Cup with Argentina in 1979. He was voted the best player. Lionel Messi also won the U-20 World Cup with Argentina in 2005 where he was also voted best player and topscorer. Secondly, Maradona played for Newell’s Old Boys (1993-1994) and FC Barcelona (1982-1984). Lionel Messi’s youth career kick started at Newell’s Old Boys (1995-2000) whilst he’s currently ruling the world of football as he sits on his Barcelona throne in Catalunya. Penultimately, Diego Maradona made his full international debut for Argentina against Hungary in 1977 at the age of just 16 years. Lionel Messi also debuted for Argentina against Hungary albeit it ended in cataclycsm as Messi was sent off just two minutes after he was brought on as a substitute. Lastly, Messi has replicated some of Maradona’s flamboyant and infamous goals. I’ll give two examples. Maradona scored with his hand against England in a crunch quarter final game in the 1986 World Cup. Again in that same game against England, Maradona scored the greatest goal in the history of the World Cup when he took the ball from his own half and mazed through five English players before making goalkeeper Peter Shilton look ordinary and then slotted the ball home. Messi has replicated these two goals. In the 2006/2007 La Liga season, Messi replicated Maradona’s ‘hand of God’ goal against local rivals, Espanyol. In that same season against Getafe he scored another Maradona-esque goal. Messi claimed the ball from his own half and jinked through five Getafe outfield players. The goalkeeper was also not spared as Messi went past him before cooly finishing. Sid Lowe of the Daily Telegraph (London) was quoted as saying “He ran about the same distance, 62 metres (203 ft), beat the same number of players (six, including the goalkeeper), scored from a very similar position, and ran towards the corner flag just as Maradona did in Mexico 21 years before”. Obviously, Diego Maradona had similar playing style as Lionel Messi. Both of them are quite short (in fact, Messi is just 0.04 m taller than Maradona) and their physique is such that, they both have a low centre of gravity meaning they are less likely to fall down when impeded and they both play almost the same position BUT the only difference is that Diego Maradona has done something worthy of note for his country; winning the world cup whilst Messi has not. This has heightened the pressure on Lionel Messi to perform for his country. I’ve been of the opinion that the 2014 World Cup belongs to Brazil and so the only realistic chance Messi has of winning the World Cup will be in 2018. By then, the Barcelona maestro would be approaching 31 years of age…he might have lost some of his quality by then but if he does not win the World Cup in 2018, then it should be adios for Lionel Messi’s international career and then we can safely say he has failed as an international.
3. MORE OF A CATALAN THAN AN ARGENTINE: Not entirely his fault but Messi has spent the best part of his life in Spain. Lionel Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency at the tender age of just eleven years. FC Barcelona opted to take care of his medical bills...some years later the Barca ace has opted to take care of opposition defenders on the pitch. Lionel Messi rarely sings the national anthem and the fact that he’s the only member of the Argentine national team who never played in the Argentine league means that he’s not a fan favourite. Carlos Tevez is the poster boy of the national team…a fan’s favourite and even if he has a bad day on the pitch, the fans urge him on whilst they hurl insults and insinuations at the Barca kid even when he’s giving his all for the team. These criticisims have got to Messi as he recently made it point blank that nothing (criticisms) was going to stop him from playing for the national team. The Argentine FA President, Julio Grondona indicated that Lionel Messi would not play for the national team again if the criticisms from the press and fans persisted. We all know that tension between a player and his fans does not normally auger well for the player and that’s another reason why Lionel Messi is seemingly not performing for his national side.
Lionel Messi is the best footballer on earth, no doubt but he needs to prove it with his national team. All the greatest players we can think of have proved their worth with their national teams; Diego Maradona, world Pele, Franz Beckenbaeur, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo de Lima, Fabio Cannavarro, Ronaldinho et al. Football purists are concerned about his erratic form for his country and the credibility of the FIFA Ballon d’or committee is at stake because their star man can only perform for his club, Barca. The Copa America is over but fortunately, Messi’s international career is not over. He may go down as the greatest player in the history of FC Barcelona but not the greatest player in world football if he does not succeed with Argentina….
I leave you with how goal.com rated Lionel Messi in each of his games at the Copa America.
Messi against Bolivia
“Had a few magical runs and solid through balls but looked nothing like the Barcelona version. Rarely tested the Bolivia goalkeeper”
Messi against Colombia
“Created Argentina’s best chance of the game when he released Lavezzi in an excellent position in the 33rd minute. Tried hard to drive his team to victory but looked a bit intimidated by the Colombians passionate play. Spent most of the time shaking his head, instead of using it.”
Messi against Costa Rica
“Tonight witnessed the reappearances of the mesmeric Messi who terrorizes defences in Barca colours. Provided assists for Aguero and di Maria with delightful passes. Also presented Higuain with a hatful of chances, but the Real Madrid forward failed to take them.”
Messi against Uruguay
“Had a few fantastic 25 min spell in the first 45 in which he was untouchable. Curled over a stunning cross for Higuain to head home and restore parity. Repeated the trick with a freekick, but Higuain’s goal was ruled out for offside. Not quite as mesmerizing in the second half and extra time.”
My own quote: “Nobody remembers that Maradona won the U-20 World Cup but everyone remembers he won the senior World Cup in 1986. Lionel Messi may have won the 2005 U-20 World Cup but he needs to win the senior World Cup to engrave his name in the history books of football.”
I want your take on this issue. Why do you think Lionel Messi ‘underperforms’ for his country?
By Emmanuel Ampiah (ampiahee@yahoo.com)
1. TEAM TACTICS: I will use the 2011 Copa America as a case study here. Argentina’s disappointing run during the Copa America went a long way to reveal a lot of things. Lionel Messi was toothless in that first game against Bolivia and lot of criticisms should be leveled at manager, Sergio Batista. The tactician played a 4-3-3 formation (reportedly to suit Messi) with three defensive minded midfielders in Ever Banenga, Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Mascherano and a striking triumvirate consisting of Ezequiel Lavezzi, Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi. Here, there was no creativity in the middle of the park and so Messi had to drop deep to claim the ball so as to create an attacking move. At Barca, it is not so. Supporting cast, Iniesta and Xavi are responsible for creating the attack and Messi finishes them off with relish. This only means one thing…that Messi cannot perform in a team bereft of a Xavi or Iniesta prototype…this also shows that Xavi and Iniesta should be given more recognition. The answer to this problem was quite easy. One of the three defensive midfielders, (probably Cambiasso) should have been dropped for a more creative player (Javier Pastore). Some pundits argue that the telepathy between Messi and his team mates is the reason why he does not perform but I am glad to reveal it is just a fallacy. Messi has played with most of his current team mates at different levels (youth levels). For example, in the 2008 Summer Olympics in which Argentina claimed Gold (this same Sergio Batista was the manager), Messi played alongside players like Ezequiel Garay, Pablo Zabaleta, Fernando Gago, Ever Banga, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Angel Di Maria, Javier Mascherano and Sergio Romero. At the under 20 World Cup in which Argentina again won and Messi himself voted the Best Player and topscorer of the tourney, he played alongside Pablo Zabaleta, Sergio Aguero and Fernando Gago. Therefore, that Chemistry with majority of his team mates is already there but the results desired is not forth coming due to bad team tactics. Argentina should play as Argentina, not try to alter their system to suit Messi.
2. THE TAG OF NEXT MARADONA: I don’t know if anyone else has realized this parallelism that exists between Maradona and Messi. First of all, Maradona won the U-20 World Cup with Argentina in 1979. He was voted the best player. Lionel Messi also won the U-20 World Cup with Argentina in 2005 where he was also voted best player and topscorer. Secondly, Maradona played for Newell’s Old Boys (1993-1994) and FC Barcelona (1982-1984). Lionel Messi’s youth career kick started at Newell’s Old Boys (1995-2000) whilst he’s currently ruling the world of football as he sits on his Barcelona throne in Catalunya. Penultimately, Diego Maradona made his full international debut for Argentina against Hungary in 1977 at the age of just 16 years. Lionel Messi also debuted for Argentina against Hungary albeit it ended in cataclycsm as Messi was sent off just two minutes after he was brought on as a substitute. Lastly, Messi has replicated some of Maradona’s flamboyant and infamous goals. I’ll give two examples. Maradona scored with his hand against England in a crunch quarter final game in the 1986 World Cup. Again in that same game against England, Maradona scored the greatest goal in the history of the World Cup when he took the ball from his own half and mazed through five English players before making goalkeeper Peter Shilton look ordinary and then slotted the ball home. Messi has replicated these two goals. In the 2006/2007 La Liga season, Messi replicated Maradona’s ‘hand of God’ goal against local rivals, Espanyol. In that same season against Getafe he scored another Maradona-esque goal. Messi claimed the ball from his own half and jinked through five Getafe outfield players. The goalkeeper was also not spared as Messi went past him before cooly finishing. Sid Lowe of the Daily Telegraph (London) was quoted as saying “He ran about the same distance, 62 metres (203 ft), beat the same number of players (six, including the goalkeeper), scored from a very similar position, and ran towards the corner flag just as Maradona did in Mexico 21 years before”. Obviously, Diego Maradona had similar playing style as Lionel Messi. Both of them are quite short (in fact, Messi is just 0.04 m taller than Maradona) and their physique is such that, they both have a low centre of gravity meaning they are less likely to fall down when impeded and they both play almost the same position BUT the only difference is that Diego Maradona has done something worthy of note for his country; winning the world cup whilst Messi has not. This has heightened the pressure on Lionel Messi to perform for his country. I’ve been of the opinion that the 2014 World Cup belongs to Brazil and so the only realistic chance Messi has of winning the World Cup will be in 2018. By then, the Barcelona maestro would be approaching 31 years of age…he might have lost some of his quality by then but if he does not win the World Cup in 2018, then it should be adios for Lionel Messi’s international career and then we can safely say he has failed as an international.
3. MORE OF A CATALAN THAN AN ARGENTINE: Not entirely his fault but Messi has spent the best part of his life in Spain. Lionel Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency at the tender age of just eleven years. FC Barcelona opted to take care of his medical bills...some years later the Barca ace has opted to take care of opposition defenders on the pitch. Lionel Messi rarely sings the national anthem and the fact that he’s the only member of the Argentine national team who never played in the Argentine league means that he’s not a fan favourite. Carlos Tevez is the poster boy of the national team…a fan’s favourite and even if he has a bad day on the pitch, the fans urge him on whilst they hurl insults and insinuations at the Barca kid even when he’s giving his all for the team. These criticisims have got to Messi as he recently made it point blank that nothing (criticisms) was going to stop him from playing for the national team. The Argentine FA President, Julio Grondona indicated that Lionel Messi would not play for the national team again if the criticisms from the press and fans persisted. We all know that tension between a player and his fans does not normally auger well for the player and that’s another reason why Lionel Messi is seemingly not performing for his national side.
Lionel Messi is the best footballer on earth, no doubt but he needs to prove it with his national team. All the greatest players we can think of have proved their worth with their national teams; Diego Maradona, world Pele, Franz Beckenbaeur, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo de Lima, Fabio Cannavarro, Ronaldinho et al. Football purists are concerned about his erratic form for his country and the credibility of the FIFA Ballon d’or committee is at stake because their star man can only perform for his club, Barca. The Copa America is over but fortunately, Messi’s international career is not over. He may go down as the greatest player in the history of FC Barcelona but not the greatest player in world football if he does not succeed with Argentina….
I leave you with how goal.com rated Lionel Messi in each of his games at the Copa America.
Messi against Bolivia
“Had a few magical runs and solid through balls but looked nothing like the Barcelona version. Rarely tested the Bolivia goalkeeper”
Messi against Colombia
“Created Argentina’s best chance of the game when he released Lavezzi in an excellent position in the 33rd minute. Tried hard to drive his team to victory but looked a bit intimidated by the Colombians passionate play. Spent most of the time shaking his head, instead of using it.”
Messi against Costa Rica
“Tonight witnessed the reappearances of the mesmeric Messi who terrorizes defences in Barca colours. Provided assists for Aguero and di Maria with delightful passes. Also presented Higuain with a hatful of chances, but the Real Madrid forward failed to take them.”
Messi against Uruguay
“Had a few fantastic 25 min spell in the first 45 in which he was untouchable. Curled over a stunning cross for Higuain to head home and restore parity. Repeated the trick with a freekick, but Higuain’s goal was ruled out for offside. Not quite as mesmerizing in the second half and extra time.”
My own quote: “Nobody remembers that Maradona won the U-20 World Cup but everyone remembers he won the senior World Cup in 1986. Lionel Messi may have won the 2005 U-20 World Cup but he needs to win the senior World Cup to engrave his name in the history books of football.”
I want your take on this issue. Why do you think Lionel Messi ‘underperforms’ for his country?
By Emmanuel Ampiah (ampiahee@yahoo.com)
Sunday, July 24, 2011
THE TACTICAL TWEAKS IF JOSE MOURINHO SWITCHES TO A 4-3-3 FORMATION
Just yesterday, I was told that Jose Mourinho may switch to a 4-3-3 formation. Well, honestly I don’t really know what the former Inter tactician has in mind but a Barcelona-esque style of play may just not be out of the question. The arrival of new players may have prompted the Special One to change his tactics. Whilst his second season in almost every club he has managed has been better than his first spell, Real Madrid fans should brace themselves for a rollercoaster season whilst FC Barcelona and Europe should be keeping a close eye on the development at the capital club and this suspicious switch to 4-3-3.
As I indicated earlier, the arrivals of new players; Nuri Sahin, Jose Callejon, Hamit Altintop and inevetibaly, Fabio Coentrao and Neymar may have urged Mourinho to have a change in plan. Mourinho is not new to the 4-3-3 formation to start with. During his Chelsea days, a 4-3-3 formation which quickly metarmophosed to a 4-5-1 formation when the team was defending was very much evident. The Portuguese manager started out with a 4-2-3-1 formation at Madrid but in his last few games against Barcelona, a rather defensive 4-3-3 formation was utilized. In fact, Mourinho and Madrid used the 4-2-3-1 on 44 different occasions whilst the 4-3-3 was used in 10 games. In other games, notably the 6-3 mauling of Valencia at the Mestalla in La Liga last season, the attacking intent in a 4-3-3 formation was picturesquely painted. Estaban Granero and Lassana Diarra were the ‘hardmen’ in midfield whilst Sergio Canales was tasked to create chances for the front three; Kaka (2 goals), Benzema (1 goal) and Higuain (3 goals). So, I’ll proceed to discuss which players may play in which position…
Iker Casillas is set to retain his position in goal for the umpteenth time as the Spain and club captain practically has no challenger. The back four may see some changes with respect to the arrival of Benfica superstar, Fabio Coentrao. Jose Mourinho is largely known for utilizing his countrymen, bringing out the best in them, well, apart from Ricardo Quaresma. The 23 year old Fabio Coentrao may slot seamlessly into that left-back position but that means Marcelo will be forced to watch proceedings from the bench. Coentrao is a typical wing-back whilst Marcelo is naturally a winger. None of them is a left-back by trade as they love to join the attack. Pepe and Ricardo Carvalho look set to continue and strengthen the partnership forged last season in central defence. Sergio Ramos was out of form last season and his erratic form and dangerous play culminated in 17 yellow cards and 1 straight red card. I’m looking at a situation where Coentrao may be shifted to right back so that Marcelo maintains that left-back spot albeit this may not really happen.
The problems start in midfield. First, Xabi Alonso is set to maintain his position as a defensive midfielder in the centre of the park. Nuri Sahin is favourite in that left central midfield role. Sahin is a left-footed player who can defend as well as attack. He’ll be preferred to Sami Khedira because Sahin can do whatever Khedira can do and even more. The German has not scored since he joined the Blancos as he’s more comfortable sitting back to read the game but Sahin is more of a defensive playmaker. He scored 6 goals and assisted 8 more from a deep central position for Borussia Dortmund last season. Sahin will also wrestle with Cristiano Ronaldo for “King of Freekick” accolade as taking set-pieces is one of his specialities. That leaves just one spot in right midfield which may be completed by either Mesut Ozil or Angel di Maria. Ozil assisted 25 goals in all competitions last season but his stamina is nothing to write home about and he doesn’t seem interested in defending. Di Mari assisted 20 goals last season whilst his ability to track back to defend means Mourinho will prefer him to the cigarette-smoking Ozil. Again, Coentrao may be shifted into midfield meaning Sahin may move to the right whilst di Maria will have to sit out.
The attack will look an interesting one especially if Neymar were to join Los Merengues. Cristiano Ronaldo will definitely feature on the left hand side of attack meaning either Benzema or Gonzalo Higuain will play as a striker whilst Neymar completes the attacking triumvirate (attack from the right) if only he arrives. Ozil can also attack from the right. Another interesting instance I was observing was playing di Maria and Fabio Coentrao on the left hand side (the former as a left-winger and the latter as a left-back). And with Ronaldo on that left hand side of attack, Real Madrid will look very fearsome down the left hand channel.The trivia here is that di Maria and Fabio Coentrao terrorized right-backs and right wingers during their days at Benfica in Portugal and Mou can dwell on that to play both of them on the left.
In all this, some key names are conspicuously missing; Fernando Gago, Jose Callejon, Hamit Altintopp, Kaka and Lansanna Diarra. The above-listed players will definitely warm the bench with Altintopp the most probable of the quintet to see more playing time.For Fernando Gago and and Lass, I don’t have any hope for them as there are so many quality defensive midfielders at Madrid. Altintopp was a top class defensive midfielder during his days with Schalke 04 in Germany. His rise to stardom waned when he joined Bayern Munich around 2007. On a brighter note, the Turk is an all-round midfielder as he can play in any postion across midfield. Jose Callejon was a youth player at Real Madrid before he was ousted in 2008 but Espanyol has developed him into a relatively matured winger. Very good down the flanks and also tracks back to help out in defence. But as I said earlier, these players will mainly serve as back-up. Real Madrid will be the only club in the world with such strength in depth if they manage to keep all their players and also, all their transfer targets arrive. Ultimately, my dream starting eleven for Real Madrid should look like this….
CASILLAS
RAMOS PEPE CARVALHO COENTRAO
DI MARIA ALONSO SAHIN
OZIL HIGUAIN RONALDO
Finally, I will say that Real Madrid is bringing on all these players and making tactical changes just to make them better than a certain FC Barcelona. Madrid only has Barca to beat and no other team. A victory against the Catalans in the upcoming Supercopa de Espana (Spanish Super Cup) in August will serve as the right tonic for a smooth journey through the 2011/2012 La Liga season which may just see Real Madrid as La Liga Champions and also clinch the ever elusive 10th UEFA Champions League trophy. Hala Madrid!!!
By Emmanuel Ampiah (ampiahee@yahoo.com)
Thursday, July 14, 2011
LIONEL MESSI HAS TO WIN THE WORLD CUP TO BECOME GREATEST FOOTBALLER OF ALL TIME
The meteoric rise of Argentine international, Lionel Andres Messi has led a lot of soccer fans to conclude that he’s the greatest player of all time. Lionel Messi has won everything there is to win, in terms of club football at the age of just 23 years but for Lionel Messi to permanently engrave his name in the history of football, he has to win the World Cup with Argentina.In the era of Pele and Maradona, playing good football at a good club was a prerequisite to becoming a great football but winning the World Cup was the ultimate…and so is today!
Pele was known for his dribbling, powerful shot and occasional wonderful free kicks. ‘The King’ may not have played football in Europe as he rejected the offer Spanish giants, Real Madrid, made in 1962 but he certainly achieved a lot with his football club, Santos. Edison Arantes do Nascimento made his debut for Santos at the age of 16 years and was topscorer in the Campeonato Paulista (Brazilian league) for nine consecutive years (1957-1965). With his club side, Pele won 2 Copa Libertadores (the South American edition of the Champions League), 10 Campeonato Paulista titles (Brazilian league titles) amongst others. Most importantly, Pele won the World Cup not once, twice but thrice even playing a leading role at his first World Cup in 1958 at the age of just 17 years. Pele actually gained world wide recognition when he won the World Cup. In all, Pele scored 1087 goals in 1120 appearances including a record 77 goals in 92 appearances for the Selecao (Brazilian national team).
Diego Maradona is the other player who rivals Pele for title of THE GREATEST PLAYER OF ALL TIME. Diego Armando Maradona was first noticed when he won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 1979 with Argentina. He was crowned the best player of that tournament. After 6 successful seasons with Argentinos Juniors and Boca Juniors in his native Argentina, ‘El Diego’ joined Spanish club, FC Barcelona for 5 million pounds in 1982. His time at Barcelona was a potpourri of success, niggling injuries and indiscipline as he was quickly thrown out of Iberia and into the Italian peninsula. In the Serie A, Maradona led Napoli to two Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990 which was sandwiched by two second place finishes. Diego was even top scorer in the 1987/1988 season with 15 goals to his name. During his time in Italy, the little Argentine powered Napoli to the UEFA Cup, Italian Super Cup and the Coppa Italia as well. In all this, his best moments came at the World Cup. Maradona participated in four consecutive World Cup events. His talismanic nature was brought to the fore in 1986 where he, as it were, single handedly propelled Argentina to the final, ultimately winning the World Cup, as a captain. Maradona and his Argentine side were in the final again four years later but narrowly lost in controversial manner to West Germany whilst his ill-fated 1994 World Cup campaign brought to an abrupt end his sweet romance with international football. In all 34 goals in 91 appearances is what Maradona managed for the Argentine national team whilst he hit a total haul of 311 goals in 589 games in all competitions.
Modern great players include Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Ronaldo de Lima, Cafu, Alessandro Nesta, Claude Makelele, Paolo Maldini, David Bechamp and a host of others. In modern football, three trophies are quintessential if a player wants to be revered as the greatest player of all time: The Champions League trophy, The World Cup Trophy and Domestic League trophy in a reputable league! Many of these modern great players have won two of these three major trophies…only a selected a few have won all three trophies…Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Cafu and Roberto Carlos readily comes to mind. By now, Arsenal fans now know why Thierry Henry left the shores of England to win the Champions League with FC Barcelona in Spain. He wanted to secure his name as a candidate for ‘GREATEST FOOTBALLER ‘. Ronaldo de Lima never won the UEFA Champions League title though a quick glance at the clubs he featured for in his illustrious career reveals European powerhouses like FC Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and AC Milan. Does this mean that he cannot be considered as a great player? This is an emphatic NO!! His exploits in the World Cup has cemented his name in football folklore! Having won two World Cup titles (1994 and 1998) and holding the enviable record of 15 World Cup goals is enough evidence to regard him as one of the greatest players of all time. Zinedine Zidane has won it all; The UEFA Champions League (2001/2002), World Cup (1998) and Domestic League titles (with Juventus and Real Madrid).
What does this mean for Lionel Messi? Messi has won everything in club football including an unprecedented sextuple in 2009. The Barca ace needs to lift the World Cup with Argentina sooner or later. Messi played a bit part in the 2006 World Cup in Germany but was the star of the team in 2010 where he did not score a goal but was involved in almost all the goals Argentina scored. That World Cup adventure ended in cataclysm when Argentina was walloped 4-0 by the German machines in the quarter-finals. The forward can appear in three more World Cups; 2014, 2018 and 2022.The Brazilians are favourites to win the World Cup in 2014 as they are the hosts. Messi will be 27 years old and at his peak by then. By 2022 World Cup, the current best player in the world will be 35 years old and may certainly be ready to hang his boots. Messi has to act fast in either the 2014 or 2018 World Cup! (The latter looks more probable). The Lilliputian might have won everything there is in football but winning the World Cup with Argentina will seal the endorsement made by all and sundry that LIONEL MESSI IS THE GREATEST PLAYER OF ALL TIME.
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