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Things We’d Like To See Next Season…

Published by Ian John on July 11, 2009

I’m sorry it has been a little longer than usual in posting, I have spent most of the week banging my head against a brick wall reading the same old tired stories in the press as have been circulating since the end of the season and as we spend the last few weeks of pre-season still reading the limp, baseless tripe that passes for news-stories in the gutter press, there are some intriguing things that we’d love to see happen next season which would make, I believe, for a very interesting time. Here is a list of the five things I’d love to see happen next season;

1. Jermaine Pennant’s home debut for Real Zaragoza.
I must admit I was staggered when I heard this move. Of all the clubs Pennant could have chosen to sign for, Zaragoza would be one that I’d have way down the list? Why? Ask Samuel Eto’o, who was the victim of such vile racist abuse at the stadium as a Barcelona player that at one point he attempted to walk off the field of play. The mindless imbeciles who perpetrate this staggering lack of intellect and foresight seem to be numerous in the Zaragoza stands, and one wonders how kindly they will take to Pennant. I’ve never been the winger’s biggest fan, but I really hope he is an absolute star in La Liga and makes a mockery of the Zaragoza fools who choose to indulge. However I fear it is going to be a rocky start for him at the club and as a player who seems to thrive on confidence, I’d worry how he would respond if the fans got on his back immediately. Still, if it makes the Spanish authorities stand up and take notice, and not endorse these vile beliefs by making decisions such as appointing a racist as national team manager, then Pennant’s impact at Zaragoza will be all the more valuable. Then again, pigs may fly first.

2. To have the first meeting between Gareth Barry and Martin O’Neill / Rafa Benitez televised.
“I want to join a club that challenges for honours every season”, “I want to play at the highest level”, “I’m 29 now and need to be playing in the Champions League”, “I want to push myself as a footballer and play at a higher level”. Which of course all explains why Gareth Barry left former League and European Champions, 6th placed finishing and UEFA Cup qualified Aston Villa, snubbed 2nd placed, former recent Champions League winners and perennial qualifiers for that competition, Liverpool and opted for Manchester City. Who finished 10th, have qualified for no European competition next season but who offered the Villa man £30,000 a week more to join them. You see Gareth, the thing is, we’d have more respect for you if you said “City offered me more money, I have a family and I have to take care of their interests…” rather than spout utter tripe and flawed reasoning which, when examined, stands up to no scrutiny whatsoever. Of course Gareth will argue that City are just about to break into the big time. Which they’ve been about to do since 1974.

3. Manchester United to draw Real Madrid in the Champions League knockout stages.
Ooh! How exciting would this be? To see Cristiano Ronaldo return to Old Trafford in the white of Real Madrid? Especially since he has spent the better part of last week decrying the Premiership and stating that the Primera is a stronger league. By which criteria this is based on I am not sure, but I think it is the criteria of “I am being paid a huge sum of money, I’d better try and flagrantly ingratiate myself into the country by stabbing my former employer in the back.” What I do find amusing is that while Barcelona can rightfully claim to be “better” than any Premiership side at the moment, Real Madrid most certainly can not. 5-0 on aggregate to Liverpool ring any bells Cristiano?

4. Chelsea to play Inter & AC Milan in the Champions League.
It’ll be nice for Chelsea fans to bump into the special one once again. They’ve been divorced a while now and it will give the Blues fans a chance to wallow in the nostalgia of their fantastic history of success since, erm, five years ago. Lets not forget they were getting gates of 10,000 not that long ago. In a similar vein, I am sure Carlo Ancelotti would love a return to Milan to his former club given the amount of tear-jerking euologising that has taken place since he left. I’m fed up of hearing how wonderful a club Milan is. If it was so great why would Kaka and Ancelotti leave? There’s more geriatrics in the Milan squad than at the Post Office on a Tuesday morning when the pension’s are being handed out. Their chairman is a politically incorrect buffoon, who just so happens to be the Prime Minister of the country and a media mogul to boot and best of all, they’ve been decidedly second best to Inter Milan for many years now, even with the talents of Pato and Kaka in the team. So a reunion for Carlo would be nice, especially if his Chelsea side can give his former team a damn good spanking.

5. Michael Owen get himself together.
So many football pundits were overjoyed to see Owen seemingly on the scrapheap. On his way out at relegated Newcastle, talks of Hull being keen, Sam Allardyce even stating that Owen wasn’t worthy of a place at the mighty Blackburn. Oh how the mighty have fallen they giggled. Smiles were wiped off their faces when Sir Alex Ferguson, who as we know is revered as the second coming by most of the British media, snapped up the striker on a free in what could prove to be the smartest piece of transfer business in the entire transfer window for Manchester United and Owen. Why? Well, United needed a proven goalscoring striker who can replace the number of goals that left with Tevez and Ronaldo. They need someone to link up with Rooney and Berbatov, a poacher in the style of an Andy Cole or Ole Gunner Solskjaer. That is what Owen is and they got him on a contract that will cost them little to nothing if Owen’s injuries prove to be too problematic. Owen needed to join a club that creates plenty of chances, can afford to rest him for games at frequent intervals and allow him not to be the sole focus for goals for the team and who play quality football at the highest level week in, week out. Other than Barcelona, United are the ideal fit in that respect. As much as it is to the chagrin of Liverpool fans, this well could be a marriage made in heaven. It could also go completely wrong. But it hasn’t cost Sir Alex hardly anything to find out and the potential reward for the club and for the player, certainly outweighs any potential risk. You never know, if Michael Owen can get himself together, it may well be England that reap the reward eventually come next summer.

Image courtesy of **cvrcak1** on Flickr.com

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