The Madridistas are 100% wrong about Our Gareth

Gareth's trademark er, shape thing

As the bookies fall over each other to shorten the odds on Gareth Bale returning to the Premier League this summer, spare a thought for the man himself.

Pilloried everywhere he roams, on the pitch even in the car park, Gareth Bale is a man under pressure to perform at Real Madrid.

But the world’s most expensive player is at the Bernabeu for a reason.

Here is a young Welshman, who through sheer weight of personality and self-belief, forced his way from left-back to wing back to left-winger and finally centre-forward, scoring half of Tottenham’s goals the season before last.

All this via a loan spell at Nottingham Forest, where he was nearly offloaded.

From the Real Madrid museum at the Bernabeu

If his first season at Real was dreamy, his second has proved a rude awakening

Stooping to score a brilliant header befitting the Champions League Final, he also used every sinew of his admirable physique to score one of the goals of the season in the Copa Del Rey Final.

Two trophies, two great goals and a gaggle of ungrateful, spoilt Real fans with short memories.

How dare those fans kick his car while driving out of Madrid’s training ground after defeat in Barcelona. Had Ronaldo not been offside, he'd have scored.

And the 25-year-old should ignore everyone of them. He’s earned the right to play for the Galacticos.

Champions League night at the Bernabeu

And he is a Galactico.

Not only that, he's a man of character. Just look at the vigour and patriotism with which he dons the Welsh shirt. How his performances have put Wales in with a shout of qualifying for a major tournament for the first time in two generations.

The man towers above the Madrid booboys, literally and metaphorically. What have they done but pay a few quid for their tickets year-after-year? Sure they can boo (if it empowers them) – but they don't have the right to hooliganism.

Tough it out and rise above it, Gareth.  The Madridistas are absolutely wrong about you.

Argentina and Atletico: legendary status missed forever.

Don't Real Madrid and Germany always win? Seems like it - but 2014 could've been so different.

For it was the year that claiming silverware would've rewritten history - a chance to cast a different light on previous events for good.

Chance missed.

It before - 1954 to be precise.

Messi. Legend? Really?

When West Germany beat Hungary in that World Cup Final, little did the Germans know they were creating a football dynasty while consigning another to history. It doesn't look it today, but that 3-2 win for Die Mannschaft over the Marvellous Magyars was a big shock.

And had Argentina won in the Maracana, they'd have won the World Cup for keeps. For all of Brazil's five World Cups, they'd have lost it to their nearest and fiercest rivals in their own backyard - for good.

It was a date with destiny that Atletico Madrid, in a similar situation didn't grab either. Had they beaten city rivals Real Madrid in the Champions League Final, they'd have won their only European Championship forever, consigning a huge blot on Real Madrid's trophy laden history.

"We've won 9 European Cups!", Real fans would've boasted.

"Yeah, but we beat you when it COUNTED!", little brother Atletico would've said.

They didn't take that one money shot.

Final score: Real 10 Atleti Never.

Summer 2014 was the moment for the generation's greatest player to step up to the plate and confirm his place in history.

Lionel Messi already netted a hattrick for Argentina against Brazil. He needed to add the World Cup to his stellar achievements with Barcelona.

Argentina could have taken their own World Cup count to 3, but this one was the immortal one – victory across the border. Brazil, the greatest of all nations in football? Trumped by Germany in the semis and then the ultimate slap in the face had Argentina won it?

Argentina won't be back in four or eight years time. Not with that team. Messi didn't take it.

Great players do it when called for. Zizou in 1998, Maradona in 86, Pele in 58 & 62.

Like Atletico, it was Messi's time.

Instead normal service resumed. Real Madrid and Germany - again.

Al Jazeera's Inside Story: Football in an age of austerity

Here's Jonny's appearance on Al Jazeera's Inside Story the day Gareth Bale was unveiled as Real Madrid's latest 'Galactico'.

Jonny comments on Bale's chances of succeeding at the Bernabeu plus UEFA's Financial Fairplay, an attempt to quell overspending clubs. Can it be stopped and if not, will football end up in financial ruin?

Gareth Bale: is any player worth £86m?

Double Player Of The Year - but can he make the step up?

Gareth Bale completed his 'dream move' to Real Madrid despite Tottenham insisting they didn't want to sell him.

The 24-year-old Welshman signs a six-year contract which will earn him £300,000-per-week.

But in this age of austerity and mass unemployment - paricularly among 24-year-olds in Spain - is any player worth this kind of money?

Here's Jonny's take as broadcast on Smooth Radio the day after the deal was completed.

listen to ‘Is any player worth £86m?’ on Audioboo

Is Gareth Bale's head being turned by Real Madrid?

Star quality: opportunity of a lifetime.

It seems after weeks of harmony at Spurs, Gareth Bale is now looking to make the leap to Madrid. But will it happen?

listen to ‘#Bale transfer latest. Will he Real-ly leave #thfc PLUS #F1 and #Ashes news’ on Audioboo

Football is so Real in Madrid.

Galatasary know how to party

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O Lord, may I always feel the enthusiasm for a new footballing experience, however many games and grounds I go to.

I have been pre and post-Taylor in the Premier League and Division 1, seen iconic moments in a World Cup Final, Champions League and European Championship Finals, but my trip to the Bernabeu for the Champions League quarter-final between Real and Galatasaray shows me there is still more to experience.

Procuring a ticket from a hotel concierge the evening before (at near face value) is a lottery. Where would I end up in the ground? how many flights of stairs would I have to climb in this tower of power?

So imagine my pleasure when ´Fila 001´ meant ´Row 1´. Contra to my fears, I climbed downwards, not upwards - to the front row in the rather amusingly called ´Vomitorio´ seats.

Real fans at the other end. Loud and proud

I settled myself in front of the snappers and unsmiling stewards facing away pitchside and pondered, why on earth they´d want such a joyless job outnumbered by such passion?

And another thing: while Arsenal and Wembley and doubtless others proudly, corporately proclaim they´re non-smoking stadia, there´s none of that bullshit here. It´s outside.. so smoke! Even some of the stewards took a sly drag.

I actually own these images! Cool!

Arriving 45 minutes to kickoff, I was metres away from the huddle of Madrid superstars warming up, sprinting, stretching and taking shots at the keeper. Watching Cristiano Ronaldo sprint from a standing start is to watch an athlete with few peers.

To have a job where you´re required to be as agile as you can be, already bestowed with God given talents must be uplifting.

The game promised everything. Fatih Terim, the Galatasaray boss urged his players to leave the Bernabeu with at least a fighting chance of winning the tie at the famously hellish cauldron of Istanbul.

And why not show that ambition? For this was undoubtedly the highest quality, most international team ever to have emerged from Istanbul. Signing Sneijder was a coup, Drogba, a reigning and matchwinning European Champion leading the line with homegrown joint-topscorer Yilmaz. Gala could dare to dream.

But then there was Real. They may be about to relinquish the league title in a lacklustre domestic campaign infuriating Jose Mourinho, but in the Champions League, there´s little doubt they´re potential winners.

Cristiano is twice the player he was leaving Fergie´s tutelage at United. Watching him perform at this exceptionally high level week-in week-out is to marvel at his fitness, consistency and bravery.

But Real have an abundance of talent and don't need Ronaldo as the focal point in the final third. There's goals throughout the team and even on the bench.

Unfortunately for Gala, Real´s opener came too early to catch their breath. Ronaldo´s exquisite left-footed chip over the advancing keeper from Ozil´s pass put them ahead.

His muted "calm down" celebration says everything about his state of mind at 28. Watching Cristiano at the Bernabeu is to watch a man in control of himself. A mature leader and goalscorer.

The papers can talk all they want. He´s not leaving even if Jose is. His career at Real is slowly etching itself into the club´s illustrious Hall Of Fame. Winning the big one would certainly escalate him to Di Stefano, Puskas and Zidane sainthood.

2-0 Benzema must have been morale-crushing for the Turks. The cross was too high for Ronnie, but spare man Karim rustled it home at the far stick.

And any lingering hopes the tie could be salvaged back in Istanbul were extinguished by the third from sub Higuain from another routinely accurate free-kick by Xabi Alonso.

Alonso's setpieces are guided missiles: his free kicks win games. He's rested in lesser La Liga as a persistent groin injury blights the autumn of his career. No matter. He's exceptional.

And Essien may no longer be world-class since his layoff woes but venturing forward, reading the game and always looking for the probing pass still marks him out. He was Chelsea´s lynchpin in the Mourinho years and he´s still a top player.

Galatasaray can point to a terrible refereeing blunder which if the man in the middle had called it right, may have wrought them a priceless away goal.

Instead, Yilmaz ended in the book for diving when actually he´d been stamped on in the penalty area by Ramos. Harsh treatment indeed but few would argue with the result as Galatasaray lacked Madrid's mobility.

I was so moved by the professionalism and intensity of Madrid's play and Galatasaray's persistent attempt at shape despite adversity that the Champions League without English clubs now is a better competition for it.
Despite running away with the Premier League, Manchester United are at best the ninth team in Europe and in my opinion, Galatasaray would have had enough to beat them here.

We have a Little Englander view of Hispanics as prima donnas and cheats, but that's to ignore their inherent characteristics of togetherness, toughness, belligerence and style.

Drive down the road from the airport to the Bernabeu and know Real Madrid is a consequence of a city which is just as professional.

By royal patronage since the 1920´s and not for sale to any fit and proper person. More than any other, Real Madrid know who they are - and they wear the emperor´s clothes with panache.

soccermongery@jonnygould.com

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Will Ronaldo really quit Madrid for Manchester?

Manchester United are working on a stunning £55m deal to bring Cristiano Ronaldo back to Old Trafford.

United aim to piece together a financial package which will become the new model for big contracts in European football. The  Daily Star understands the Ronaldo camp are looking at commercial ventures which would tie in with a Premier League return this summer.

With that plus the immoveable force that is Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, Jonny rounds up the week in football.

http://audioboo.fm/boos/1227433-the-week-in-football

Pep talk on Premier League was a Bayern bluff

Pep Guardiola’s near-theatrical “I want to manage in the Premier League” gush turned out to be the most elaborate "come and get me plea" in the electronic media age.

Pep flirted with England's elite - then signed for Bayern!

The former Barcelona boss, on sabbatical after stepping down at Camp Nou last season said, "As a player I couldn't realise my dream to play in England. But I hope in the future, I have a challenge to be a coach or a manager there."

He added: "It is unique to play in that league. I want to feel the supporters, the environment, the media and the style of the players and everything.

But in the very same day as those words were trumpeted through press and social media, Guardiola agreed terms with German giants, Bayern Munich. So much for feeling the English game then.

Pep guided the Catalan giants to an incredible haul of 14 trophies in four seasons. Auf wiedersehen, Pep!

Then again, Bayern's a prudent and sober choice for someone of Pep's experience and calibre because they resemble his old club, Barcelona in many ways:

Bayern is 82% owned by the fans in a setup similar to that of the Catalan giants and like Barca, they're one of the big two clubs at home.

They also have an enviable youth policy and a desire from the cream of the crop to play for them. It's a hunger shared by just a handful of the world's top clubs.

They're also perennial and viable Champions League performers and sign players from other domestic clubs.

All of these similarities will aid Guardiola to repeat his stellar achievements in the Bundesliga and beyond.

He's spent time away with his family in New York, sampling life and culture in a completely new environment. Despite the growth of the MLS, Manhattan remains one city where Pep can remain almost anonymous in the crowd.

But in signing for the Bavarians, he's ready to step back into the limelight.

Meanwhile, we all know what Jose thinks of English football. The ex-Chelsea boss has a long-held desire to return to these shores when his time at Real Madrid comes to an end.

Jose is open to an English return

England and Spain have been vying toe to toe to be regarded as the best league in the world for the last decade. Perhaps Spain have nosed ahead the last couple of seasons if the FIFA Ballon d’Or awards are a barometer.

But I believe English football is about enter another golden era. Television rights in this country are up 70% from next season – which means while wages are being controlled for lesser talent, English clubs will be able to top dollar and premium for real (or perhaps Real) talent.

Don’t be surprised if the brain drain of managers to England isn’t matched by Latin stars choosing Wigan on a wet Wednesday night too.

Germany's grabbed a superstar coach - but while the Bundesliga's among the most competitive of European leagues, only England has the financial clout to attract a basket of top names.

You heard it here first: English club football is about to enter a period of renewed dominance - and will leave even Spain - and Germany in its wake.

Messi's well-deserved Ballon d'Or crowns an amazing year

He can't wear that again. I hope he only rented it.

Lionel Messi deservedly collected his fourth consecutive FIFA Ballon d'Or at a glittering ceremony in Zurich not least because of his bling-encrusted choice of dinner jacket and matching bowtie!

Not even Roxy Music's sax player would've chosen something that brash. Even John Barnes gasped at his choice of evening wear!

Cristiano Ronaldo and Andres Iniesta were the two others nominated, but in a year of individual goalscoring achievements with an astonishing 91 for the calendar year, few would argue with the pre-eminence of the Argentine in 2012.

So who voted for who? Here's a fascinating slideshow which demonstrates the tactical voting and nepotism in some of the voting. Despite that, FIFA can more than justify the three that were nominated this year.

Early tip for at least a nomination next year? Radamel Falcao, who figured in many a player's personal top three - including the third choice of England manager Roy Hodgson.

Falcao's certain to be top of the shopping lists of all the major European clubs.

Can Mourinho's stock remain high long enough to win battle of succession at United?

Alex Ferguson in 1986

Since Sir Alex Ferguson announced "three more years" just before the shock defeat to Blackburn, the spotlight on succession at Old Trafford has intensified. The three-nil defeat at Newcastle doesn't help Fergie either.

Fergie cites good health and vigour for staying on. He's just turned 70 having completed a quarter-century at Old Trafford in November. Winning is a great tonic and he does seem in rude health.

But just as the England job is dubbed a poisoned chalice, United is whatever the opposite of that is: a refreshing glass of water on a summer's day perhaps -  it's an urgent requirement for those with wildblood..

O'Neill at Sunderland: contender for United job.

Of the two perennial frontrunners, one's sharpened his credentials just by taking a high profile job in the Premier League; the other jokingly referred to a return to a big stage in England in two years, made days before Fergie's seemingly unprompted remark.

I talk of course of Martin O'Neill and Jose Mourinho. O'Neill, whose sheer force of intellect and personality light up wherever he goes, would be a Sunderland hero with Europa League qualification or a trophy. The Roker Roar's been on mute since they left Roker.

Mourinho is the itinerant winning machine. So portable and successful in England, Italy and now Spain at the world's most glamorous club stage. His Midas touch is so powerful, he even got an assist in Andre Villas-Boas' big chance at Chelsea just by being young Portuguese and winning at Porto in similar fashion.

As with Inter, Mourinho's got to wrestle with the best Barcelona of all-time, but as in Italy where Milan and Juventus were beaten off, who'd back against the Portugeezer?

The Special Two

United must learn from their own history though. They've attempted to replace the irreplaceable before. When Sir Matt Busby left, United scrambled round for the right man, a decision at which they repeatedly failed, ending in tearful relegation.



So how to replace the greatest club manager of all time? well, it's got to be someone who consigns United's immediate regime to the past while continually winning at the same pace. A contradiction in terms surely not lost on the Old Trafford ownership. 

Chin up. Mourinho's eyeing Old Trafford

But in reality, it's no different to the way Fergie runs United now. He enjoys the win for a couple of days, then sets the clock back to zero ready to conquer again.
And in both leading candidates, they have the capacity to create distracting tabloid headlines to focus on the hype of the present and ensure the past is the inspiration not the millstone.

Yes, there's other candidates I've not mentioned here: David Moyes, Josep Guardiola, even Eric Cantona's name gets chucked in occasionally, but why look further when there are two outstanding candidates with the all-round CV?

If Mourinho can maintain his reputation as the Special One, I take him to replace Ferguson when the Govanator calls time as Old Trafford's ultimate keeper of the temple.

With that stand named after Sir Alex and squad problems, will the opportunity come faster than the Special One thought?

An Israeli derby. All of the passion. All the bluster.

This is an Israeli Jew taunting Betar's racist fans.

On my travels, I've a fortunate habit of 'happening' upon big football matches I'd not budgeted on going to. Like a Soccer Presence guiding me from above I get to experience games across the world I wasn't expecting to.

Once upon a time on a trip to Bilbao to see the Guggenheim, I passed the famous San Mames stadium, the home of Athletic. By coincidence, it was the weekend of Real Madrid's visit: Galacticos and all. Naturally if Zizou and Co were in town, I was going to be there too.

12,000 fans but it felt like treble that number.

I watched in an atmospheric old ground as Real with goals from Robinho and Ronaldo collected the points in a two-nil win. Sadly, David Beckham was injured that night although I have the distinction of having seen Jonathan Woodgate play a full ninety in a Madrid shirt!

So it was meant to be that I should see one of Israel's top games too.

I found myself at a loose end one night. Someone told me about a flea market in Jaffa with all the atmosphere a westerner would want to lap up.

If you blag your way in, you've just got to!

But it wasn't enough. As I arrived at the ramshackle sheds and alleyways something much more authentic caught my football eye, a familiar sight. Those distant but intense floodlights shining in a hazy eventide with all the lure of a midweek cup game back home (without the damp winter chill). I zoomed there on my bike as an insect to a lamp.

Amid the security ring of police and the army, I found out Happoel Tel Aviv's opponents were no ordinary opposition. It was a game-and-a-half against probably Israel's most controversial clubs, Betar Jerusalem.

There were already 35 minutes gone and of course I had no ticket. It was explained to me by the first copper that fans had bought tickets for this one upto five months ago. There was "no chance" I'd get in.

"Yeah, yeah", I heard myself saying to which the cop replied they weren't like my bobbies back home! Still, they let me through the barrier toward the turnstiles and it was just between me and the stewards now.

After five refusals, I found myself behind the goal in the home end. BINGO! In with no ticket for the first time since Euro 2004, England against France in Lisbon. For the record I did have a ticket then, but I never showed it and was ushered in by a panicking Portuguese.

It's not often you get a security guard taking a short break from his duties to silently recite the evening prayer against a stadium stanchion as though at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. But there he was: palm trees beneath the floodlights. One of the many faithful there.

Steward praying the Jewish evening prayer.

Football, yes... but not as we know it, Jim.

Famed for their salty racist chants Betar, dressed in yellow and black like an annoying wasp swarm over the other side of the ground, bellowed at the Happoel homers who are very much the cultural opposite. Founded by the workers for the workers with fans from all walks of life: eastern and western Jew and Arab alike wearing red. United.

And it was a proper derby dustup on a pitch which frankly fitted the fayre.

The first half I was told, was a dog! I missed nothing. Even the midnight TV highlights only showed action from after the break.

The ground gave the impression of being bigger than it is, but 12,000 committed regulars didn't half make a noise. Not very deep or high, but the fans draw their supporting culture from the Spanish and English games.

And so it was that Happoel settled it with a single late goal to take all three points and set themselves up for a match against Steaua Bucharest in the Europa League.

A collage of great Bloomfield Stadium moments

At the end, Happoel's home fans cleared the stands quickly and all went home, no swift half in the bars or anything like that. The area was deserted. No traffic problems either: surprising. A few stayed on to watch the TV interviews by the goals, but the Betar fans, kept in the ground for security reasons, chanted and chanted that belligerent noise you get in away ends in League 1, Austria's League and Tottenham's away end.

I had one quick nose around the dressing room and coach area, and when I got onto the pitch to take a picture by the corner flag, all parties agreed: it was time for me to go home.



'Garinim' shells, reminiscent of Bilbao. Fans and stadium too.

Bloomfield Stadium is an authentic football home and I hope that the European game strengthens Israel's domestic league because the fans truly deserve it.

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Rooney leaving United? No chance!

As Wayne Rooney's stature in the world game grows, the tabloids are screaming! Manchester United must offload their main man under the weight of a billion dollar debt. Rooney's goals in the San Siro and Old Trafford against AC Milan flag him up as a diamond of the first water.

For Sale to Barca or Madrid at £90million?

United need to service their £715m loan; the Glazers, having whipped twenty million out of the club are restructuring the biggest red balance sheet in football history - just to keep the behemoth afloat.

But the cock-eyed rumour mill fails to factor in the most important pillar at Old Trafford; the manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Not while Fergie's at the club will Rooney leave United. Madrid and Barca have two hopes of capturing Wazza: no hope and Bob Hope while the Govanator's in charge. And he is in charge.

And oh yes, United are fighting for the Premier League title, Carling Cup winners - and desite the shock of losing to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, still did for Milan. A 7-2  aggregate mauling. Does a certain Mark Twain phrase of overstated demises spring to mind?

If Wazza leaves while Sir Alex is in charge, you can be sure the Ravens will have also left the Tower. For it would demonstrate the wave of financial misfortune had swept over the Fergie Empire - and washed it away in a startlingly brutal consequence of the Credit Crunch.

No no no, Fergie is the King Canute of Football's Credit Crunch and Wayne Rooney, once a Blue, is now very much a Red.

Click here: The Champions League has less competitive integrity than the Premier League


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We're heading for a transfer market crash!

All the signs are there... we're heading for a sharp correction in what big clubs are prepared to pay for top talent.

That might seem an odd thing to say at a time of screaming tabloid headlines.

The world record transfer fee has been smashed twice this summer: Kaka's £56million and then £80million for Cristiano Ronaldo to both join Real Madrid obliterated the £47m which took Zizou from Juventus, also to the Bernabeu.

Carlos Tevez is off to Manchester City for over £25million.

And the action won't stop there: Bayern Munich are holding out for over £60million for their French midfield star, Franck Ribéry.

It's such a huge bounty that only three clubs can afford him. Freespending Real plus Manchester United and Chelsea. But Bayern's board know: If not now, when? the time is ripe for a financial killing at the expense of the world's biggest clubs.

Ahead of a crash, every market throughout time reacts in the same way; an intense inflationary bubble followed by interminable financial heartache. The Western World's property and London's Art Market to name but two.

And the same question always seems to be asked in the months leading upto disaster: "Is the Art/Property/Transfer Market recession proof?"

And the answer is always, "Emphatically, NO!"

I'm willing to make a prediction that Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer fee will be the high bar for a decade.

Sir Alex Ferguson remarked in a recent news conference just how maddening prices have become. Aside from being an accessory to creating the new excitement, he claims he's putting the shutters up as far as buying is concerned this close-season.

In the US, it's basketball's close-season and all the talk surrounds lower wages and fees to reflect economic reality.

If revenues from TV, the Champions League, gate receipts and merchandise start falling (some of those are more volatile than others) then the transfer market, which is the most volatile confidence indicator of all - will crash and burn. It happened in 1981.

Manchester United and AC Milan sold well.

You read it here first.

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Ronaldo exit paves way for Rooney ascension to World Player Of The Year

Soccermongery: spot on again! This was written in June 2009 as Cristiano Ronaldo waved adios (or adeus) heading for Madrid.

For all of Wayne Rooney's industry and goals since joining Manchester United in 2004, Cristiano Ronaldo's been Old Trafford's outstanding star of the last five years.

His flicks, tricks, tantrums, car crashes and .... oh yeah, great goals have secured him every major gong, both personally and for United.

And now he's gone - to partner Kaka in midfield at the Bernabeu. Not a bad partnership in the centre of the park. Adeus Ronaldo!

Now step upto the plate, Wayne Rooney.

He's just scored a record ten goals in a season for England - and with 24 goals for his country, aged just 23, he's on course to break Bobby Charlton's all-time England scoring record of 49.

All this in the year that Rooney scored the winner in the World Club Cup Final - having claimed a third successive Premier League title.

Some say United will be weakened without Ronaldo in their line-up, but those voices don't take into account the depth of their squad, the determination of Fergie and Rooney's workrate.

In the shootout to be World Player Of The Year, the subtext to this year's Champions League Final, Messi beat Ronaldo with a goal and a winner's medal. The Argentine will replace Ronnie as the planet's finest player when they announce it in six months time.

But even if United don't reclaim Europe's top prize next season, Rooney has the chance to stake claim to the ultimate individual prize the following season. With Ronaldo's departure and Rooney coming into his prime, few will be able to compete with him.

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