Like in chess one wrong move and your king dies which marks the end of your game and all your strategies that is the case when it comes to clubs making their moves in transfer market. So here I am trying to point out some of the wrong moves made by the clubs in the past:
Xabi Alonso
Considered to be one of the most technically sound and class apart kind of midfielder that the footballing world has ever witnessed. Joined the Benitez brigade of Liverpool along with fellow Spaniard Luis Garcia in the summer of 2004-05 and as soon as he arrived at Anfield Benitez started building the team around him and Gerrard. Coincidently that was the very season in which the world witnessed the biggest comeback in sports history. I call it the biggest comeback cause in the Finals of UEFA Champions League that very season at the end of first half Liverpool were trailing AC Milan 3-0 but the Kops managed to make a comeback which included a penalty from Xabi to make the score 3-3 and at the end of that day Liverpool were declared champions with them winning the penalty shootout 3-2. Since that day Xabi has always been praised for his pivotal role in the Merseyside and Benitez had always put strong praising words when it came to Xabi’s role in the side. Since then Alonso managed to win one UEFA Champions league, one FA cup, one European Super Cup and one community shield.
In the summer transfer window of 2008-09 season rumours surrounded Anfield with Alonso thinking of moving out as Liverpool were thought to be in pursue of England international Gareth Barry. But as the season started neither Barry nor Alonso changed their jersey color but that left the Spaniard unsettled and unimpressed with the transfer strategies that Liverpool management were trying to imply behind his back. Some of his wounds were surely healed with the support he was getting from his supporters on and off the field as undoubtedly he was a crowd favorite. Even though he went through all the rumors that surrounded him during the transfer window Xabi managed to have a very impressive 2008-09 season.
But with the end of season much to the shock of the faithful Anfield supporters the management of Liverpool had made it clear to him that he was surplus to their requirement. The man who had given so much to the club and its history finally decided to leave the Merseyside which would save him from furthermore embarrassment from the club which he till date loves. In the summer of 2009 Xabi joined Spanish giant Real Madrid and there also it didn’t take the pass master much of a time to settle at Santiago Bernabeu who once completed 1000 passes in EPL in one season.
And what happened after that to Liverpool everyone has seen that and till now the players the followers and the media criticize the wrong move that has left the club in disarray. Still whenever Alonso gets a chance he never holds himself back from saying he still misses Liverpool.
Cesc Fabregas
Fabregas is going back to Barcelona oh! He is not … no no he is going to Barcelona oh again!! Arsenal not happy with deal this is what I have been hearing for past 2 seasons. This part of my blog is not much of a wrong move but this passage would surely signify what has been a pain in arse for both Arsenal and Barcelona supporters. Fabregas signed for the world renowned respected star factory La Masia in 1997 at the age of 10. Barcelona has so much belief in this youngster that they actually wanted him to be hidden from scouts from around the world he was like their precious treasure. He belonged to the same batch of budding young footballers which also has Messi and Pique.
Seeing that players like Xavi and Iniesta who had huge potential were already playing in the first team squad Fabregas supposedly soon sensed that he would only be getting limited number of chances to play for Barcelona. This reason got him unsettled and the rule in Spanish football that a player under the age of 18 couldn’t be held under any contract got many clubs interested in this youngster. Hence Arsenal which is said to be having the second best youth system in the world after Barcelona took advantage of the restless and unsettled mindset of 16 year old Fabregas and brought him to North London in 2003. So Fabregas left La Masia and Barcelona looking for first team opportunity which he actually did get in the same year making him the youngest player to play in first team for Arsenal.
And now after 8 years and after becoming the youngest captain at Emirates stadium and now being one of the best player in his position and finally after the drying of silverware at Arsenal rumors are haunting the Gunners faithful that Fabregas might return to where he was born. But I fail to understand why leave a club which has given him so much, why break the trust of may be his biggest fan and his coach Arsene Wenger all because he doesn’t get to win Premier League or FA Cup or Carling cup or Champions League. If given a chance I would resonate with Emirates faithful and call upon Cesc and say Mr. Captain if you really want it go snatch it from the hand of Manchester United, Manchester City, Birmingham City or even Barcelona cause fact remains same neither you nor your clubs are loosers. I say that cause Arsene Wenger is still there may be off path now and at the age of 16 no child in the world has the guts to leave his country leave his club leave his family all to make his future.
But all said and done this tussle between Barcelona to bring him back and Arsenal to either keep him at Emirates or get a lot of money for him has surely left the supporters the media in a dizzy situation.
Samuel Eto’o
In 1997 a 16 year old African kid known as Eto’o came to Spain’s capital Madrid with big dreams in his small little eyes, he signed for Spanish giant Real Madrid. For a small kid coming so far from his I am sure he must have dreamt to give everything to this club as this is the club is not only his first step on international but for most Real is a big step. As a Madrid supporter I am disheartened and sad they didn’t care a penny about Eto’o. In his first season being a minor he could only play for Real Madrid B which in the season got relegated so Eto’o was loaned out to Leganes the next season where he gained a lot of experience by playing 30 matches that season and scoring four goal. The very next season now 18 after returning to Madrid Eto’o was again loaned out to Espanyol when he could have easily been retained given some experience playing in Santiago Bernabeu.
After getting no chance to play at Espanyol he was now loaned out to Mallorca in the winter window. That is where Eto’o actually showed what he is worth, notching up 54 goals in 133 appearances for Mallorca. And at the end of 1999-2000 season I am sure Eto’o must have felt unwanted at Bernabeu and was signed by Mallorca for £4.4 million with Madrid still holding some portion of his contract.
After proving to himself and the world the he can score goal at his own will and what a hard worker he has proven to be while playing for Los Bermellones at the end of 2003-04 season Barcelona came knocking on his door. And after a three way tussle he was finally sold to Catalan giants for a mammoth amount of €24 million. And that is when actually not the ghost of Eto’o but Eto’o himelf actually returned to haunt Bernabeu, where he went on to score 108 goals in total of only 145 appearances and out of the five seasons he spent at Nou Camp he won three La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey and two Champions League crown and on an individual note one Pichichi trophy. Where during the same duration all Real could manage was two La Liga titles.
I am sure if today also a Madrid supporter sees these fact all he would say what were they thinking when they made such a bad move to let such talented striker leave. And if a list of bad moves made by Madrid is made today letting go of Eto’o would give a very strong competition to sacking of charismatic Spanish coach Vicente del Bosque.
Some bad moves I feel that can actually be made this transfer market are:
1. On selling note:
a. Meireles (Liverpool) – déjà vu Xabi situation
b. Kaka (Real Madrid) – don’t know why
c. Torres (Chelsea) – Abramovich is crazy
d. Fabregas (Arsenal) – Never ending
2. On buying note:
a. Coentrao (Real Madrid) – why when Marcelo is playing at the peak
b. Fabregas (Barcelona) – he goes back to bench from being a captain
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