Pádel – ¿el deporte olvidado?

Pádel es un deporte relativamente desconocido. Se juega, generalmente, de a dos sobre una cancha cerrada con pasto sintético. La puntuación es igual al tenis, las diferencias más importantes son: las canchas tienen paredes de cristal y las pelotas pueden rebotar sobre ellas de manera similar al squash y las raquetas son sólidos y sin cuerdas. James Hillyard se sentó con Roby Gattiker, la leyenda viviente del pádel, para descubrir las razones detrás de la espectacular aparición, rápida caída y nuevo futuro del deporte.

Un departamento en el norte de Buenos Aires, mirando hacia el Rio de la Plata, es la casa elegida por Roberto Gattiker. Podría haber elegido vivir en España o E.E.U.U. pero el hogar es donde está la familia. Fuertes lluvias y ráfagas de viento pegan contra los marcos de la ventana. Lo único que hace que este día sea un poco más soleado es la incontenible pasión cuando habla de un deporte, que según su primo y excapitán del equipo argentino de la Davis, Alejandro “Colo” Gattiker, fue hecho a su medida. Descendiendo de una larga línea de deportistas extraordinarios, todos relacionados con deportes de raqueta, inicio su carrera como tenista a los 18 años. Roby fue invitado a jugar un partido de pádel contra un equipo que nunca había perdido, Aubone-Perez Corral. Gattiker y su compañero de equipo ganaron ese partido con facilidad y desde ese momento nunca más abandono su “raqueta sin cuerdas”. Paso a convertirse en Campeón Mundial 11 veces y rememora sus éxitos con orgullo: “Recuerdo haber disfrutado ganar el mundial en 1998 mucho más que cualquier otro porque no éramos los favoritos, éramos los que llevaban todas las de perder. Jugamos Cristian Gutiérrez de 17 años y yo,” dice Roby. “Lo terminamos ganando. ¡Fue espectacular!”

En los 90 fue cuando el gran crecimiento del pádel empezó en Argentina, lugar de nacimiento de Roby. De 1992 a 1994 se construyeron alrededor de 30,000 canchas de pádel. Este deporte, accesible y placentero, se jugaba alrededor del país. Tenistas de primerísimo nivel, como Gattiker, estaban cambiando de bando. Llegaban esponsoreos y se creaban torneos. Entonces, ¿qué pasó? Roby, en la manera que lo distingue, calmo y casual, dice: “Pasó Argentina”. “Pasó Argentina” significa que el deporte empezó a desvanecer por razonas políticas y económicas, como sucede en la mayoría de los casos en este país. Las canchas eran reemplazadas por edificios y departamentos, rumores de que el deporte causaba lesiones, costos altos de propiedad y enfrentarlo al tenis en vez de unirlo, llevaron a su caída. Comenta Roby: “Tenistas habían empezado a jugar al pádel, y se llevó mucho de la madre de los deportes de raqueta porque es más fácil jugarlo para personas sin experiencia, más divertido, más sociable. Pero, en Argentina, había una rivalidad entre los dos deportes, en vez de una unión, como en España. La gente lo dejo de jugar”. Gattiker decide ir entonces hacia donde estaba la acción: España.

Encontró su compañero perfecto en Alejandro Lasaigues. Dominaron todos los torneos de pádel habidos y por haber durante siete años; tuvieron temporadas record, llegando a perder solo dos partidos de 184. El pádel es un deporte de a dos, no es de equipo, ni de a uno. Roby habla en relación a las diferencias entre tener un compañero, a un deporte singlista como el tenis: “Tu compañero es importantísimo. Si uno de los dos está teniendo un día desastroso y juega a un nivel de dos sobre 10, uno también juega a ese nivel. Necesitas una mentalidad especial, para pelear contra tu oponente y a veces contra tu compañero”. A la edad de 47 sigue buscando un compañero que se asemeje a la conexión que tenía con Lasaigues y no tiene intenciones de dejar: “Me siento perfecto, increíble,” dice con una sonrisa.

Ahora Gattiker recorre el mundo jugando exhibiciones y el ocasional torneo, dando clínicas, enseñando y promocionando el deporte. Asimismo, es parte de un grupo, liderado por Paul Dorochenko (ex entrenador de Carlos Moya y Roger Federer, entre otros), que promociona un fascinante nuevo concepto para el mejoramiento deportivo llamado Activa Concepts. “Combina la alta tecnología y la neurociencia aplicada para mejorar el rendimiento deportivo. El método utiliza un dispositivo especial que reduce el tiempo de evolución para mejorar el rendimiento, de varios meses a pocas horas. Reduce el riesgo de lesiones y aumenta las posibilidades de éxito” (ver página de internet de Activa Concepts). Conferencias se llevaran a cabo en Dubái, Emiratos Arabes Unidos y Marbella, España.

“En España el pádel era para la elite, junto con el polo. Ahora eso cambio. Es un deporte profesional con esponsoreo de alta gama, como la cerveza española Estrella Damm, y los torneos se pueden ver en la T.V.”, recuerda Roby. Hay seis millones de jugadores de pádel en España, deporte que crece minuto a minuto. Cada club tiene una cancha, cada deportista una paleta. “El nivel es impresionante. Hay clubes que tienen hasta 40 o 50 canchas de pádel. Hay mucha cantidad pero no tanta calidad y se necesitan escuelas para fomentar el entrenamiento de futuras estrellas”. Jugadores de tenis de primer nivel, como es el caso de Moya, Bruguera y Nadal, también se están convirtiendo en entusiastas del deporte y jugándolo por entretenimiento. Se está expandiendo por las redes sociales y sus devotos son cada día más leales.

Gattiker tiene muchos proyectos para el futuro. Sus compromisos: construir canchas y clubes de pádel, abrir escuelas, enseñar a futuros entrenadores y promocionar un deporte con el que tanto cariño habla. Sus destinos: Buenos Aires, Argentina, Miami y Los Ángeles, E.E.U.U. El ve el deporte en Argentina volviendo a convertirse en lo que era. El ve un futuro. Su optimismo es fuerte, es tan fuerte que no cabe en su vitrina de trofeos, tan fuerte que ni siquiera los 11 campeonatos del mundo se comparan. ¿Es el pádel un deporte olvidado? ¡Ni cerca! 

Para más información sobre Activa Concepts http://activaconcepts.net

Sigan a Roby Gattiker en twitter: @robygattiker

Entrevista realizada por James Hillyard @gasometre

Paddle Tennis – the forgotten sport?

Paddle tennis is a relatively unknown sport. It is typically played in doubles on an enclosed synthetic grass court. James Hillyard sat down with Roby Gattiker, a living paddle tennis legend, to uncover the reasons behind the sport’s remarkable rise, fast demise, and new future.

An apartment overlooking the River Plate, in the north of Buenos Aires, is Roberto Gattiker’s chosen home. He could choose to live in Spain or U.S.A., but home is where the family is. Heavy rain and strong winds batter the window frames. The only thing making the day sunnier is his alluring passion when talking about a sport, as his cousin, former Argentine captain of the Davis tennis team, Alejandro “Colo” Gattiker put it, “tailor-made for Roby Gattiker”. He comes from a long line of fantastic sportsmen, all related to racket recreation. Starting out as a tennis player at the age of 18, Roby was invited to play a paddle tennis match against a team that had never lost a match, Aubone-Perez Corral. Gattiker and his partner won that match with ease and he never let go of his stringless racket ever again. He went on to be World Champion 11 times and remembers his achievements with pride: “I recall and enjoyed winning the 1998 World Cup much more than any other because we weren’t favourites, we were the underdogs, myself and 17 year-old Cristian Gutierrez," he says. "We went on to win it. It was spectacular!”

The rise of paddle tennis began in the 90s in Argentina, Roby’s birthplace. From 1992 to 1994 around 30,000 paddle tennis courts opened. This inexpensive and pleasurable sport was played around the country. Top tennis players, like Gattiker, were switching ship. Sponsors were arriving and tournaments were being created. So what happened? Roby, in his usual calm, collected and casual manner, says: “Argentina happened”. “Argentina happened” means the sport began to disappear due to political and economic reasons, as do most things here. Courts being replaced by apartments and buildings, rumours about the sport making players injury-prone, high ownership expenses and placing it as a competition against tennis instead of joining the two, all led to its decline. He comments: “Tennis players had decided to start playing paddle tennis; it took a lot away from the mother of all racket sports because it’s easier to play for inexperienced people, more fun and more sociable. But in Argentina there was rivalry between the two sports, instead of co-existence like in Spain. People just stopped playing”. Roby Gattiker decided to move to where the action was: Spain.

He found the perfect partner in Alejandro Lasaigues. They went on to dominate every possible tournament in the paddle tennis world for seven years; they had ground-breaking record seasons, losing only two out of 184 matches during one year. Paddle tennis is a two-man sport, not a team nor an individual sport. Roby says in regard to the differences between having a partner to a one-man sport like tennis: “Your partner is essential. If one of them is having a bad day you play like a disastrous two out of 10. You need a special mentality, to fight against your opponent and sometimes against your partner”. At the age of 47 he’s still trying to find a partner that resembles the connection he had with Lasaigues and has no plans of quitting: “I feel incredible, amazing,” he smiles.

Gattiker now travels the globe playing exhibition matches, the occasional tournament, teaching and promoting the sport. He is currently part of a group, led by Paul Dorochenko (Roger Federer’s and Carlos Moya’s former trainer), promoting a fascinating new concept for sports improvement called Activa Concept. “It combines high technology and neuroscience, applied to enhanced sporting performance. The method uses a special device that reduces the evolving time to improve performance, from several months to a few hours. It reduces the risk of injury and increases the chances of success” (from Activa Concepts website). Conferences are to be taken place in Dubai and Marbella, Spain.

“In Spain, paddle tennis used to be for the elite, alongside polo. Now that has changed. It’s a professional sport with top sponsors, such as Estrella Damm and tournaments are shown on T.V.”, Roby recalls. There are six million paddle tennis players in Spain, the sport growing by the minute. Every club has a court, every sportsman a racket. “The level is impressive. Clubs have 40 or 50 paddle tennis courts. There’s quantity but not too much quality so schools are needed to train upcoming players”. Top tennis players are also becoming enthusiasts, playing the game for entertainment, for example Moya, Bruguera and Nadal. It is expanding on social media with devotees becoming more and more loyal.

Scoring is the same as normal tennis, the main differences: the court has glass walls and the balls can be played off them in a similar way to squash and solid, stringless rackets are used. During the 1990’s it rose phenomenally in Argentina and Spain.

Gattiker has many projects for the future. His intentions: building paddle clubs and courts, opening schools, teaching future coaches and promoting the sport he so fondly speaks of. His destinations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, Miami and Los Angeles, U.S.A. He sees the sport becoming what it used to be in Argentina once again. He sees a future. His optimism is strong, so strong that there is no place for it in his trophy cabinet, not even alongside the 11 World Cups he has won. Is paddle tennis a forgotten sport? Not even close!

For more information about Activa Concepts visit http://activaconcepts.net

Follow Roby Gattiker on twitter: @robygattiker

Interviewed and translated by James Hillyard @gasometre

Lost in Translation and Losing the Game

Racism in football is a matter of concern. It is a worldwide problem that occurs on and off the pitch. It is seen and heard in the vast majority of countries, in some on a smaller scale, in some on a much wider scale. And although there have been attempts to abolish it, with organizations such as “Let’s Kick Racism out of Football” and “Show Racism the Red Card” doing their upmost best, the issue just won’t dissipate.

Argentina is a nation that oozes football. The passion for the game is mind-blowing, one of the greatest derbies in the world is played here at least four times a year, if we include the not-so-important but nonetheless passionate Summer Cups, being River vs. Boca. It’s at the height of the Everton vs. Liverpool, Roma vs. Lazio, Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, Rangers vs. Celtic, Panathinaikos vs Olympiakos, PSG vs. Marseille, Ajax vs. Feyenoord derbies. All these derbies are filled with hatred and the Argentine derby is not one to be taken lightly. The build-up to the match weeks before, the colour, the flags, the drums, the singing and the outrageous racist chants are all part of this “Superclasico”.

River vs Boca

Racist chants are very common in Latin countries, unlike in the UK where everything is being done to abolish racism on and off the pitch. Here, in Argentina, however, little is being done. Only recently, while watching a River vs. Boca Summer Cup match, one could hear the River Plate supporters chanting “They are all from Bolivia and Paraguay”. It is extremely degrading, in Argentina, to call someone a Bolivian or Paraguayan, due to economic limitations, skin colour. The referee, when hearing these chants, decides to stop the match until the chanting ceases, when the chanting ceases the match restarts, when the match restarts so do the chants. Here’s when a typical trait of an Argentine is seen. The referee, instead of ending or stopping the match again says to the players and people in charge: “There’s nothing I can do about it, let’s carry on.” So the match goes on, the flags wave, the drums beat and the outrageous racist chants continue, all for the love of the game. It is part of the culture and something that will take time, if ever, to change.

The English Football League now has more foreigners than ever before, players come and go from different countries across the globe and not only have to adapt to a different style of play but also have to adapt to a different style of life, with the cultural and traditional ideologies that come with it. This takes time, sometimes quite a while. The fans have also had to adapt and that is also taking time - who can forget the banana peels thrown at John Barnes in 1987 - we seemed to have moved so far on since then, but it is still something very difficult to abolish.  Recently, in the UK, there have been two on-field racist incidents: the Suarez-Evra and the Terry-Ferdinand affairs both in October 2011. And though these were both similar they were both very different too. In the Terry-Ferdinand affair both players were English, they both know what was said and what wasn’t and in what context the words were used, therefore being a much easier case to study. On the other hand we have a Uruguayan and a Frenchman. By fact the word “negro” (black) used by Suarez to Evra, in Latin countries means “mate”, not always in a friendly way, but nothing more than that. Extracts from Suarez’s new book “Crossing the Line – My Story” show how the Uruguayan felt and still feels about this dilemma and ongoing situation. He said: “Did I use the Spanish word "negro" in an argument that took place, in Spanish, with Patrice Evra on 15 October 2011 in a game between Liverpool and Manchester United? Yes. Is the word "negro" the same in Spanish as it is in English? No, absolutely not. Am I a racist? No, absolutely not.”

Suarez and Evra

Suarez comes from a background of controversial incidents which made it all the more easy to punish him. Suarez has had dark-skinned teammates, dark-skinned family and friends. It is very hard to believe he would use the word in a derogatory sense. He went on to say: “As I am now fully aware (and I did not even know this at the time), in English there is a word that is spelled the same way but is pronounced differently and it is highly offensive: negro, pronounced nee-gro. Negro (pronounced neh-gro) in Spanish means "black", nothing more.”

Moreover, when the punishment came to an end and Liverpool played against Manchester United with Suarez on one side and Evra on the other there was the hand-shake incident. Now, I wonder, if I were the victim of racial abuse I would never want to shake hands with the perpetrator of such offense and, if, let’s say, I was falsely accused of racially abusing someone I definitely wouldn’t shake hands with the person accusing me of it.

The footballing world is all for the abolishment of racism, a utopic matter in the times we live in. Cultural differences and ideologies must be taken into account for each and every incident thus understanding why and in what context the words are being said.

I have often been called “negrito” by people in the streets in Argentina and I’m white, should I take this as an offense? Should I consider it an ironic joke? Or should I take it as it is? Part of the culture.

For more information regarding anti-racism organizations in football, visit:

www.srtrc.org

www.kickitout.org

Kranevitter - the future of Argentina's midfield.

Argentina, who lost to Germany at the Brazil 2014 World Cup final, has an outstanding figure amongst their ranks. A captain among players, a lion, a footballer who has played for the best and biggest, passing through River Plate, Corinthians, West Ham United, Liverpool and Barcelona. Javier Mascherano has been Argentina's number 5 since 2003, excelling as the years have gone by. Nicknamed the little chief, he is a defensive midfielder who defends every ball as if it were the last. He is now 30 and the "albiceleste" will need to be looking for someone to step into his shoes soon.

Matias Kranevitter is a 21 year-old defensive midfielder born in San Miguel de Tucuman in the north of Argentina. His family is from an area that clearly shows the unbalance of prosperity with disturbing poverty and is one of 6 siblings. He found his first job at the age of 12 becoming a caddy at the local golf course. Difficult and traumatic beginnings are common traits for the Argentine footballer. These roots, that are very different from immaculate European footballing academies, help up-bring committed players that give everything to succeed.

Kranevitter has played 40 matches for River Plate's first team after leaving San Miguel de Tucuman's youth ranks at the age of 14. He wears Mascherano's number 5 shirt at River Plate and has been impressing for the past 2 Argentine championships. He has also played for Argentina's Under 20's. He pulls the strings in the midfield and is an impassable wall at times, a balance between defence and attack. A great opponent play-breaker who quickly sets up his teammates in attack, Kranevitter is the next central midfielder to come from a long line of great number 5's from River Plate: Rossi, Merlo, Astrada, Almeyda, Mascherano.

Matias Kranevitter

Kranveitter had been recently called up to the Argentine National squad by Gerardo Martino (Argentina's head coach) for 2 friendlies against Brazil and Hong Kong on a tour of South-East Asia during October. Ponzio, Kranevitter's teammate and fighting him for a spot in River's team said about the redhead in an interview with Diario Ole (in Spanish): "He's the best number 5 in the country, he has an enormous future. He was made at River, he always wants to learn and in training he is all sacrifice and will". Ponzio, an experienced midfielder who has played for Newell's Old Boys, Zaragoza on 2 occasions and River Plate, also said: "Krane and I know that one may play one week and the other the next. We always talk, he's respectful and intelligent".

Unfortunately, while playing against Independiente in September, Kranevitter sustained an injury, a fracture to the 5th metatarsal bone of his right foot, that will keep him on the sidelines for at least 3 months. He will miss the Argentina matches and most of what is left of the Argentine National championship which River Plate is currently leading after playing 11 matches. River Plate's team and fans alike will be anxiously waiting for his recovery and return, and hopefully he will have a few more seasons in Argentina to demonstrate how much he is actually worth. Juan Pablo Varsky, a respected and renowned Argentine journalist said of Kranevitter: "He is the most important project of Argentine football. He is already good".

Due to the fact that most Argentine teams are debt-ridden, players like Matias Kranevitter usually do not have long careers in South America and are swiftly and cheaply recruited by European teams. Top clubs will be coming for the Tucuman-born player and regardless of the accessible price-tag, he has everything needed to become one of the best and even may become the next Mascherano, fill his boots as Argentina's new number 5 and who knows, he may even take the "albiceleste" that extra step in the next World Cup.

LIVERPOOL vs EVERTON - Match Preview 27-09-2014

LIVERPOOL VS EVERTON: MATCH PREVIEW

SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 JAMES HILLYARD

The Merseyside derby is upon us, the longest running top-flight derby in England. A historical and scintillating fixture that, along the years, has been full of controversy, breath-taking performances and famous quotes that have cemented in our memories.

From Liverpool manager Bill Shankly saying: “In my time at Liverpool we always said we had the best two teams on Merseyside, Liverpool and Liverpool Reserves”, to Everton player Ratcliffe referring to his goal against the Reds in 1986: “When you score against that lot it’s the best feeling in the world and anything goes.”.

From Everton’s four-time comeback in the thrilling 4-4 F.A.Cup match in 1991, to Suarez’s flopping celebration in front of Moyes at Goodison Park. The passion, the excitement and the bragging rights are all part of this captivating event.

This fixture is up there with the biggest and the best derbies in the world. It’s the city of Liverpool’s own version of Manchester City vs Manchester United, Celtic vs Rangers, Racing Club vs Independiente, Rosario vs Newells, Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan vs AC Milan, Fenerbahce vs Galatasaray, Fluminense vs Flamengo.

What makes the Merseyside derby different from the rest? Once catalogued as the “friendly derby” due to the proximity of their stadiums: Anfield and Goodison Park, the many players that have crossed the park, the dominance of both teams in the 80’s on the local and European stage and the Hillsborough tragedy, it has now become a fiery encounter. With 20 red cards, Liverpool vs Everton holds the record of most sending offs in any Premiership fixture.

Team News

Liverpool: The Reds still have a few lingering injury concerns, Can, Allen, Flanagan, Johnson are all out. Sturridge would be a big boost to the team, however, it seams as if he’ll be starting on the bench having not fully recovered from an injury sustained during the international break. Starting XI 4-2-3-1: Mignolet, Moreno, Skrtel, Lovren, Manquillo, Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana, Coutinho, Sterling, Balotelli.

Everton: Ross Barkley is still on the sidelines and, although recovering faster than expected, will miss the derby. Fortunately for the Toffees no other player is on their injury list and they have a near to full squad for the trip to Anfield. Starting XI 4-5-1: Howard, Coleman, Stones, Jagielka, Baines, Naismith, Barry, Besic, McCarthy, Mirallas, Lukaku.

Match Preview

Saturday 27th’s first Premier League match of the day will see the Reds and the Toffees battle it out for a much needed victory. After back-to-back defeats for Liverpool in the league against Aston Villa and West Ham and Everton losing against Crystal Palace, both teams will be desperate for a win. What better a fixture than this to bounce back from losses?

The Toffees also lost against Swansea and the Reds endured 120 minutes of play and a record-breaking 30 penalties against Middlesborough in midweek in the Capital One Cup. Neither teams are at the top of their game and a defeat may put pressure on either Martinez or Rodgers. The defensive problems for both may make it another goal-fest and the Merseyside teams have what it takes upfront to do so.

Rodgers said in his pre-match conference:

“The derby gives us an opportunity to do that [improve], it provides a platform to go on a good, consistent run”

Everton have not won at Anfield for a remarkable 15 years and strangely enough that victory came on a 27th of September, Martinez said

“Fifteen years is a long, long, long time and [covers] different stages in the history of the two football clubs. All that matters now is the one on Saturday and that’s the only one we need to be focusing on. It’s a terrific target to have and a great motivation to be able to go there and rewrite the history.

Head-to-head

• At Anfield Liverpool and Everton have faced each other 98 times, with the Reds winning 41 and the Toffees coming out on top in 24. They have drawn on 33 occasions.
• Last season saw Liverpool come back from a 2-goal deficit to secure a 3-3 draw in a pulsating match, Sturridge scoring in the final minutes at Goodison Park.
• At Anfield Liverpool thrashed Everton 4-0 in a magnificent display, practically ending the match after 35 minutes of play with the scoreline already 3-0.

Prediction

With both teams needing a win and both defences having serious problems we may be in for another great derby, hopefully there will be more goals than cards. A draw is on the cards but it shall be another classic.

Prediction: Liverpool 2-2 Everton

WEST HAM vs LIVERPOOL - EPL PREVIEW

Liverpool to face West Ham at Upton Park for Saturday's evening EPL match. After midweek Champions League action, the Premier League returns and Liverpool will be hoping to improve after a poor defeat against Aston Villa at Anfield and a lacklustre victory versus Ludogorets in Europe. Ending this week on a high note will be crucial for the upcoming weeks where the Reds have a tight schedule, playing Middlesborough for the Capital One on Tuesday, having the derby clash versus Everton on the following Saturday and then travelling to Switzerland to play Basel in the Champions League.
The Hammers are yet to get a point playing at The Boleyn Ground and while their away form has been better (a win and a draw) their fans will be expecting, or hoping for, a first home win. With Sam Allardyce on a constant fight with the West Ham board the fans seem to be at a 50-50 point with the gaffer. Talking in his pre-match conference he recalled last season's match: "I remember last year we were sadly done by a refereeing decision. They complained that they had to park too far away, the dressing rooms were too hot, and the grass was too long, whatever."

Team News:
Liverpool: The new Red signings will have to start gelling together and fast for the fans to see some of the amazing displays from last season and Rodgers will be keen to have his creative players show their finesse. With Sturridge, Allen, Can, Flanagan and Johnson all out injured, the Liverpool Boss will probably be going for a similar team that walked out onto Anfield on Wednesday, with a couple of changes. Starting XI: Mignolet, Moreno, Skrtel, Lovren, Manquillo, Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana, Coutinho, Sterling, Balotelli.

West Ham: The Hammers made a couple of astute signings in the summer in the form of Enner Valencia and Mauro Zarate to boost their attack. The Argentine has experience playing in Argentina, Qatar, Italy and in England for Birmingham, scoring for all teams. He can be greedy at times but has a good eye for goal. Liverpool were linked with Alex Song for the whole summer but ended up moving to West Ham on a free transfer, he has played at the top level with Arsenal and Barcelona and is stalwart in the middle. Starting XI: Adrian, Jenkinson, Cresswell, Tomkins, Reid, Song, Noble, Zarate, Downing, Sakho, Valencia.

Match Preview:
Liverpool's defensive frailties seem to be a continuous problem, Mignolet making similar mistakes to last season and the centre-back pair not playing up to standards, especially defending set-pieces. Moreno and Manquillo have excelled, but lack of supplying Balotelli upfront and Coutinho's drop in form could pose a dilemma. Fortunately for the Reds, Super Mario found the back of the net versus Ludogorets opening his goal-scoring tally. Brendan Rodgers admitted afterwards:
“We are not at the standard we were last season, that’s for sure. There is a lot of adaptation going on as we have a lot of players who have come in and are still adapting. We are a work in progress. While we do that, it’s important we win games.” Sterling and Henderson have both stood out this season, the new vice-captain constantly commanding in midfield and young Raheem seeming unstoppable at times.
West Ham have had in Stewart Downing their best player this season, showing that his time at Anfield just didn't go his way. With Song in the middle of the field pulling the strings, it will be up to the front men to show their strengths. The Hammers back-line may have some trouble coping with the speed of Sterling and the strength of Balotelli.

Head to Head:
At Upton Park, Liverpool and West Ham have played a total of 57 matches, the Hammers winning 20, Liverpool 22 and the teams drawing on 15 occasions. Liverpool have had 4 wins out of the 5 last trips to Boleyn Ground, winning the corresponding fixture last season 2-1 with Steven Gerrard scoring twice from the penalty spot.
Liverpool are undefeated in 21 of their last 23 matches against West Ham in all competitions and have scored at least 2 goals in 8 of their last 9 away matches in the Premier League. West Ham have seen over 2.5 goals in 8 of their last 9 matches against Liverpool in all competitions.

Prediction:
West Ham 2 vs Liverpool 3
Liverpool are having trouble keeping a clean sheet and this probably won't be the exception. Balotelli to score a brace and Lallana to open his goal-scoring account for the Reds. Zarate and former-Red Downing to score for the Hammers.

Complete Guide to LFC's Summer Signings - Rebuilding a team around a team & the Future of LFC

Life without Suarez has begun for Liverpool F.C. and Liverpool fans around the world. The prospect of not seeing the Uruguayan with a Liver-bird on his chest causing havoc was and maybe still is a devastating idea for most. There may be a lack of nutmegs, a lack of high calibre goals, a lack of mazy runs, a lack of protesting, a lack of diving, a lack of that goal-scoring prowess, but F.S.G., Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool F.C. have invested well. With the sale of Suarez and a few other departures, plus some money from owner John W. Henry, all areas of the team have improved and instead of being a team playing around a player it seems as if Liverpool will be a team rebuilt around a team. Rodgers will be able to instil more of his ideology and tactical approach with a team full of players that he wants and needs. It will take some time, changing of tactics and gelling of new players thus fans will have to be patient. The rise of Raheem Sterling (still only 19 years old), a steadier defence with the arrival of a right back, a center back and a left back, a midfield with the experience in Gerrard and youthful additions helping Henderson, new wingers and Sturridge alongside Balotelli upfront, who can both score at least 20 goals a season and will be taking the role of goal-scoring machines with Suarez gone, make Liverpool a team with a solid backbone and strong second line of players that can fit in easily. The defensive frailties from last season need to dissipate, and fast.

The Anfield team are back in Europe to every fan’s delight, the Premier league was a few points adrift in 2013/14 and there is silverware in the form of the Capital One Cup and the F.A. Cup. Four fronts, four pieces of silverware possible, squad depth needed, and this is exactly what F.S.G., Ian Ayre and Rodgers have started putting together. Whether Suarez’s departure was a good or bad move only time will tell. Stats have shown us that Liverpool won more points without Suarez than with him last season (percentage-wise), let’s hope that those stats stay the same.

Here are Liverpool F.C.’s new summer signings:

Lambert, Lallana, Can, Lovren, Markovic, Origi, Balotelli, Moreno, Manquillo

There we have it, nearly a complete starting XI of new signings (with the possibility of a 10th player, goalkeeper Victor Valdes, arriving soon on a free transfer), adding quality, depth and future to Liverpool's current squad. For a full profile of all Liverpool's new signings see below. Players have gone on loan: Teixeira, Wisdom, Ibe, Alberto, Aspas, Ilori, Coates, Assaidi, Smith, Páez. Players have left on permanent deals: Suarez, Reina, Coady, Kelly, Peterson, Robinson, Agger, Adorjan and L.F.C. has received a total of £83 million. Players have come in: Stewart (youth team), Lambert, Can, Lallana, Markovic, Lovren, Origi, Manquillo, Moreno, Balotelli and L.F.C. has spent a total of £117 million. For owners who have a strict spending policy and are also defining the future of one of the most important football teams in the world, only letting 34 million out of your pocket must feel great. They are defining their own way of managing a football team, similar to the infamous "Moneyball" idea. Buying players with specific traits, who are young, who are not too expensive, who can fit into a specific role and who may then be sold for much more, if necessary, in the future. This may be a risky way of doing business especially when you have the power to affect so many people and fans in the world, however they have done well up to now and their promises (unlike the Americans Hicks and Gillett, who came before J.W.Henry) have been kept. The redevelopment of Anfield is another key aspect for the successful future of Liverpool. Week in and week out the stadium is jam-packed. 45000 passionate fans flock to Anfield every week to watch the team win, lose or draw, no matter what. Redeveloping Anfield into a stadium for 58800 people would bring in a lot more revenue and would allow the stadium facilities to be top-notch, attracting more and more followers from around the globe. Anfield currently lies 7th in capacity of football stadiums in England, by 2017 it will have moved up to 4th, behind Wembley Stadium (90000), Manchester United's Old Trafford (75700) and Arsenal's Emirates Stadium (60300).
Here's what the proposed stadium should look like in 2017:

The transfer window has now officially closed and 3 matches have already been played, Southampton at home, Manchester City away and Tottenham away. Liverpool had a difficult 1st match of the season but took the 3 points, City away proved to be as difficult a venue as always and came away with nothing. Tottenham in London was a game Liverpool needed to win desperately and like last season took them apart. So sitting 5th after 3 matches with 6 points from a possible 9 is not a bad start at all. Hopefully the arrival of Balotelli and the synchronizing of the new signings will make the difference Liverpool are looking for.

Having squad depth is essential for a team that has to play on 4 fronts: the Premier League, Champions League, F.A. Cup and Capital One Cup. Hopefully Rodgers will deploy some young talents coming through the ranks for them to get experience playing top level football. Here are 4 teams possibilities for each of these fronts:

Profiles of L.F.C.'s new signings:

Signing N1: Rickie Lambert was born 16 February 1982. He is a 1.88mts (6 ft 2 in) striker and will be playing with the number 9 shirt. He has recently been called up to the England national team. Lambert started playing professionally at Blackpool, after Liverpool let him go as a youngster. He went on to play for Macclesfield Town, Stockport County, Rochdale, Bristol Rovers and Southampton, before making a dream return Liverpool. Lambert was a key signing for Southampton, becoming their top scorer as they were promoted twice in 2 seasons, first from the Championship to League One in 2011 and to the Premier League the following season. He has won three league Golden Boots. Lambert is known for his large stature and physical performances, a typical area striker who can be on a pitch for 2 seconds and will already have a shot at goal to his name. He has drawn comparisons with Southampton legend Matthew Le Tissier for his ability in front of goal and penalty record.In August 2013, Lambert was called up to the England team for the first time and scored on his debut at Wembley in a friendly against Scotland with his first touch. He was part of the England squad for the 2014 F.I.F.A. World Cup. Penalty record: scored 6 from 6 attempts at Stockport County, and 5 from 6 attempts for Rochdale. 13 goals from 14 attempts at Rovers. At Southampton, he scored all 34 attempts. He has a career total of 233 goals in 619 matches at club level and 3 goals in 7 matches on the international stage.

Signing N2: Emre Can, Bayer Leverkusen confirmed he would be joining Liverpool after activating his release clause £9.75 million. Can was born in Frankfurt and began his footballing career with SV Blau-Gelb Frankfurt, after six years he joined Eintracht Frankfurt before moving to the youth ranks of Bavarian giants Bayern Munich. He later switched to Bayer Leverkusen. Brendan Rodgers said in a press conference later in the week that Can was an "inspirational young talent". He has been to compared to fellow German midfielders Michael Ballack and Bastian Schweinsteiger, because of his mid-fielding ability to attack and defend, constantly going back and forth. Can is a player that makes the necessary sacrifices a team needs, a complete box-to-box midfielder. He's a smart player, who has played a number of positions despite his tender age. The German is a strong and tall footballer and fits Rodgers' young-versatile-player block perfectly. Emre loves running with the ball at his feet and finding space after dribbling. His sacrificing for the team sometimes brings him discipline problems, receiving 14 yellow cards in 39 matches with Bayer Leverkusen. Offensively he may not be the best goal-scorer out there but certainly tries to create chances with sublime passing and through balls.

Signing N3: Adam Lallana was born 10 May 1988. He is English and is Liverpool's new 1.73mts (5ft 8 in) attacking midfielder wearing the number 20 shirt. He began his youth career with Bournemouth before transferring to Southampton in 2000, where he became a professional in 2006. He broke into Southampton's first team as they earned two promotions from League One to the Premier League, becoming captain in 2012. Lallana was given his senior international debut for England in 2013 and was selected for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He is a creative player who loves giving and receiving the ball especially in the opposition's half. He is not a player who will help much in defence but Lallana is a fast dribbler and loves an attacking style of play. He is not a typical individualistic kind of footballer, opposed to Sturridge who sometimes goes alone when other options may be better. Adam is a good long-range shooter and gets into the box as often as possible, a very nerveless player who has dance-like moves. A positive aspect is that he knows Lambert well and their partnership will strive given the chance.

Signing N4: Lazar Markovic was born 2 March 1994 and is Serbian He plays for the Serbian national. He was described by Andrea Stramaccioni as a player with exceptional qualities and impressive acceleration. With this signing Rodgers is definitely setting his ideas and style. Markovic is a fast growing talent who, 2 years ago, was one of the pillars for Partizan who dominated the Serbian league. He has now landed at Anfield after a brief spell at Benfica. He is quick with the ball at his feet, loves dribbling and needs a Liverpool-style of play to adapt well. Lazar can play as a winger on either side or as a striker, although his preferred area on the pitch is down the right wing. The Serbian needs 3 important aspects to show-off his quality: not too much defensive responsibility, freedom to roam upfront and space in front of him. He has an amazing change of rhythm and is unstoppable when he gains pace. Markovic is an exciting player who tires easily only completing the full 90 minutes in 16 of the 49 matches he played for Benfica. He prefers scoring nearer to the goal than trying long shots which is not one of his strengths.

Signing N5: Dejan Lovren, born 5 July 1989 is a Croatian footballer,  1.88 m (6 ft 2 in), who plays as a central defender and will be wearing the number 6 shirt. Lovren began his career at GNK Dinamo Zagreb before moving to Olympique Lyon in 2010. He spent three-and-a-half seasons with the Ligue 1 team, winning the 2012 Coupe de France. In 2013, he signed for Southampton, and after only one season there, he has joined Liverpool for £20 million. Although born in what is now Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lovren has represented Croatia at many levels and has been a full international since 2009. He has gone on to make more than 25 appearances and score two goals for his country, as well as being selected for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Dejan Lovren, is a great defender, who has played total of 247 matches representing club and country and bagging 10 goals. His passing skills and ball interceptions are a high point, however discipline is not. Throughout his footballing career Lovren has many honours to his name. With Dinamo Zagreb he won the Croatian Championship in 2005-2006, 2008-2009 and the Croatian Cup in 2009. When loaned to Inter Zapresic he won HNL championship, 2006-2007. Playing for Olympique Lyon, the club won the “Coupe de France” in 2012. Lovren is a defensive leader and has already settled into Liverpool's defence despite playing only 3 games. He is strong in the air in both areas and very vocal.

Signing N6: Divock Origi was born 18 April 1995 in Ostend. He is Belgian and was bought by Liverpool but has since returned to Lille on loan where he will play for one more season. Divock was part of the Belgian National team in Brazil at the 2014 World Cup where he played around 245 minutes scoring 1 goal and getting 1 assist. He ended up being chosen ahead of Lukaku in Marc Wilmots team. Origi can play as a winger on either side or an out-and-out striker. He is 1,84mts tall but his height doesn't affect his good ball control. He always looks towards the opposition goal and plays very vertically. Divock is an extremely fast and agile player, resembling Sterling who is also 19. He is one for the future and fits FSG's policy well: a player who is relatively cheap and will improve and therefore may be sold at a higher price.

Signing N7: Javier Manquillo, is a 20 year-old, right back born in Spain. He began in Real Madrid's youth system with his brother and then moved on to city rivals Atletico de Madrid's youth team. In 2012 he was promoted to Atletico's senior team playing 42 matches for their B team and six for their A team. He also featured for Spain at every youth stage possible: Under 16's, U-17's, U-18-s, U-19's and U-20's. Manquillo won La Liga in 2013/14, the Copa Del Rey in 2012/13, Under 19’s Eurocup 2012, European SuperCup 2012. Nicknamed "the red and white gazelle", he is known for his speed and long stride, being able to outrun any opponent down the sideline. Manquillo is considered to be the future right back of the Spanish National team. He has been compared to Toulouse’s Serge Aurier due to his market value and similar footballing traits. Manquillo is a mix between Flanagan and Johnson. Similar to Jon in the way he always gives you his all, always trying to be correct and offensively similar to Glen with speed and being able to go back and forth down the right. The perfect balance of the two, which is an ideal fit for the right-back Liverpool needs. He comes to Liverpool F.C. on a 2-year loan.

Signing N8: Alberto Moreno was born 5 July 1992. A Spanish footballer from Seville, Andalucia, Moreno came through the youth ranks at hometown club Sevilla F.C., spending his first season as a senior with the reserves in the third division. In 2012 he made his first-team debut in La Liga, coming off the bench for Manu del Moral's team in the last minutes of a 0–1 away loss against Athletic Bilbao. In February 2013, Moreno was definitively promoted to the main squad. Moreno is more than just a teeth-bearing full-back, he can also get forward often and well. He is quick, good with the ball and 33 successful take-ons in the Spanish league last season shows he’s not afraid to beat a man either. Even though he didn't get any assists, he did score three goals. Over 40 percent of his key passes came from wide on the left in the final third of the pitch. The 22-year-old is the latest player to come through the youth system at Sevilla and be sold for big money. Jose Antonio Reyes, Sergio Ramos and Jesus Navas are some to have gone before him; now Moreno will swap Andalucia for Liverpool, where he is expected to become Brendan Rodgers’s first choice left-back. Moreno has taken the No.18 shirt at Liverpool, but wasn't registered fast enough to be available for selection in this Sunday's Premier League season opener against Southampton.

Signing N9: Mario Balotelli, born 12th August 1990 in Palermo, Italy. He is a strong, 1.89mts (6 ft 2 in)tall striker. His birth name was Mario Barwuah and parents were from Ghana. He was given into foster care at the tender age of 3 and was adopted by the Balotelli family. His footballing career began at Lumezzane in the Italian 3rd division and after a failed trial at Barcelona he moved to Inter Milan on loan in 2006. “Super” Mario scored 20 goals in 59 appearances for Inter and in 2010 was bought by Manchester City for a fee around £23.5 million and was reunited with his former boss Roberto Mancini. At City he scored 20 in 54 appearances before moving back to Italy in 2013 for £16 million. Playing for Inter Milan’s archenemies, A.C. Milan, he has gone on to score 26 goals in 46 appearances for the club. On the international stage he has played for Italy since 2010 and has scored 10 goals in 33 matches. Liverpool has agreed a 4-year deal with Balotelli's agent for a transfer fee of £16 million. He will wear his typical number 45 shirt at Anfield. Balotelli is a difficult player to define. No one can deny his footballing traits, power, flair, agility and technical ability. He’s a set-piece master, free-kicks and penalties coming easy. He has won personal awards, including: Golden Boy (2010), FA Cup Final MOTM (2011), UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament (2012), Serie A Team of the Year (12/13). The big question here is whether Rodgers and the Liverpool team will be able to tame this fierce being. His attitude on and off the field will have to change. A poor image and sometimes aggressive and immature, he’s a sulky player who doesn't celebrate goals. Asked why, he responded: “This is my job, have you ever seen a postman deliver a letter and run off in celebration?” Many footballing idols across the planet have talked of Balotelli's potential and have said that if surrounded by the right people and the correct environment, Mario can become one of the world’s best. He already considers himself as that, saying in 2010: "There's only one that is a little stronger than me: Messi. All the others are behind me." His agent, Mino Raiola, has said that this is Mario’s last chance to show himself at a big club. Hopefully Liverpool will get the best out of Balotelli, hopefully he will become the world-class player he wants to be, hopefully he will form a mouth-watering partnership with Sturridge and Sterling and hopefully he will guide Liverpool to the top.

The Liverpool F.C. team and squad has grown well, new players have adapted and are adapting to a style imposed by a young, fresh manager, who feels the Anfield way of life. Rodgers has the ability to make this squad tick, to make this squad show passion, to bring home the silverware.The lineups have altered and styles of play have changed but the spirit and idea is there, foundations are set, I hope we are in for a great run like last season and why not better!

Images courtsey of @dianqamajaya
Lineups created at lineupbuilder.com
Videos courtesy of youtube.com

FSG – A critical evaluation.

To compete with top teams nowadays, a team needs financial backing; they need top dollars coming from someone or somewhere other than the club itself regardless of history. Liverpool FC is a club renowned for its history, culture and tradition. We rely on it so much that we still believe that it is enough to get us to high places, however in the past 10 years Liverpool have only won 5 trophies. One of them being the amazing Champions League in 2005 but still missing that elusive Premiership title that every fan craves. On the 6th February 2007 two American, Hicks and Gillett bought Liverpool FC. For three years the fans heard promises come and go, stadiums, players, managers come and go. Fortunately that reign came to an end, with court battles included and on the 15th October 2010 NESV (New England Sports Venture) now known as FSG (Fenway Sports Group) and their owner John W. Henry bought Liverpool Football Club.

Football as we know it has changed. It is no longer a city, town or suburb attraction. It has become a worldwide, global fascination. The main cause of this phenomenon is media and globalization. We have witnessed a fine display of the globalization of Liverpool during the pre-season tour of Australia and Asia where fans flocked by the thousands to catch a glimpse of their favourite team and players. This commercial asset is one LFC and their owners must and will take advantage of.

After the tumultuous time with Hicks and Gillett most of us thought we were going down the same road with Henry and FSG and they didn’t fully start off on the right foot. Even though words can be soothing and hearing quotes from the Chairman of FSG saying: “We recognize that Liverpool Football Club is a historic institution ultimately grounded in the community and the fans. Our first step as new owners will be to listen”, is all very nice but Liverpool fans needed to see actions and for the owners to put money where their mouth is.

One of FSG’s first moves was to get rid of Hodgson only after 6 months in charge and appoint Kenny Dalglish. A very bold move that went down extremely well with Liverpool fans who now had “The King” back where he belonged. Following this came a string of sales, new signings, record fees and positivism. The likes of Suarez, Carroll, Downing, Adam, Enrique, Coates, Bellamy, Henderson, Doni all come into the re-shaping of the LFC team, with the “help” of Liverpool’s new Director of Football, Damien Comolli. However things quickly began to change. Their “moneyball’ stance of finance and how to buy and sell players is a very American way of doing things, whether this works only time will tell, many are very skeptical. Of the new players that came in 2011, today, we see that Luis Suarez is the only one who has lived up to the price tag. Jordan Henderson has had his ups and downs and seems to be a much more mature player nowadays, the rest have faded off to below-mid table teams, leading to the understandable sacking of Comolli. This affected Dalglish’s team and never got going. Although winning the Carling Cup in 2012 after 6 years of no trophies the results in the Premiership were not as expected and FSG parted ways with Dalglish. Tom Werner, chairman of FSG, said: “Kenny came into the Club as Manager at our request at a time when Liverpool Football Club really needed him. He didn't ask to be Manager; he was asked to assume the role. He did so because he knew the Club needed him. He did more than anyone else to stabilize Liverpool over the past year-and-a-half and to get us once again looking forward.”

Rodgers is appointed as manager, a young manager without experience managing a top team but with a view of football that could give anyone goose bumps when played with perfection. FSG have taken a gamble with Rodgers, but I consider it to be an important step forward and hopefully we will allow him to develop and show us what he can do. Rodgers transfer policy seems to adapt quite well to the style of FSG and although we lost an irreplaceable leader in Jamie Carragher we seem to have a good player in Kolo Toure, a player with the necessary experience to talk and boss people about. Young players are coming in for reasonable prices, fringe players are being let go and exciting times lie ahead. FSG has promised the redevelopment of Anfield, an amazing item on the to-do list and plans have begun with the purchase of housing around the grounds.

Liverpool fans are still very incredulous to what the future holds and only time will tell but rest assure, FSG are in for the long run, and rest assure, Liverpool FC will once again become great.

Ellerstina takes Polo Open 14-13 vs. La Dolfina.

A majestic performance by the Pieres Bros., Facundo and Gonzalo, and man of the match Juan Martin Nero, helped Ellerstina take the coveted Triple Crown, the first team to do so since 2003.

The 117th final of the Argentine Polo Open at the Campo Argentino de Polo in Palermo, Buenos Aires saw Ellerstina beat La Dolfina 14-13. It also meant Adolfo Cambiaso, considered the greatest Polo player of all times, was left trophy-less. 


The lead changed throughout the match and coming into the final chukkas everything seemed to show it was heading for an extra chukka being tied 13-13 with little time to go. However Facundo Pieres scored the decisive final goal with a perfectly hit 30-yard penalty. It was the first time in six years this tournament was not decided with a supplementary chukka.

Although La Dolfina did everything they could to get a goal back, Ellerstina’s resilient defence and Juan Martin Nero’s controlling of Adolfo Cambiaso made it impossible for them to come back into the game. Cambiaso, La Dolfina’s highest goal-scorer, could only score seven goals in the final, marking this his worst tally in a Palermo final. Gonzalo Pieres was also very important for the champions. He fought hard and won the duel in the midfield and added six goals to the score-line, helping Ellerstina win the match. 

It was another typical December day at the Polo grounds for the crowds: heat, hats and high class galore, but not another typical day for Ellerstina, who can feel very proud of themselves after achieving what many have not.

Chukka by chukka: First chukka: Ellerstina 2- La Dolfina 3; Second: Ellerstina 5- La Dolfina 4; Third: Ellerstina 7- La Dolfina 5; Fourth: Ellerstina 7-La Dolfina 7; Fifth: Ellerstina 8 – La Dolfina 10; Sixth: Ellerstina 12- La Dolfina 10; Seventh: Ellerstina 13 – La Dolfina 13; Eighth: Ellerstina 14 – La Dolfina 13.
Ellerstina scorers: Facundo Pieres (6), Gonzalo Pieres(5), Pablo Mac Donough (1), Juan Martín Nero (2)
La Dolfina scorers: Adolfo Cambiaso (7), David Stirling (5), Bartolomé Castagnola (1).

Javier Manquillo Gaitan - Replacement for Glen Johnson or starlet for the future?

Manquillo at Atletico de Madrid

A young, 20 year-old, right back born in Spain in 1994, began in Real Madrid's youth system with his brother and then moved on to city rivals Atletico de Madrid's youth team. In 2012 he was promoted to Atletico's senior team playing 42 matches for their B team and six for their A team. He also featured for Spain at every youth stage possible: Under 16's, U-17's, U-18-s, U-19's and U-20's. Manquillo won La Liga in 2013/14, the Copa Del Rey in 2012/13, Under 19’s Eurocup 2012, European SuperCup 2012

Nicknamed "the red and white gazelle", he is known for his speed and long stride, being able to outrun any opponent down the sideline. Manquillo is considered to be the future right back of the Spanish National team.

He has been compared to Toulouse’s Serge Aurier due to his market value and similar footballing traits.

With Glen Johnson's time at Liverpool running out, not being a fan favourite and not having had a very good season in 2013/14, Manquillo could be a perfect replacement. Johnson's wages and the fact that he disappears throughout large portions of matches could see LFC offload him soon. Unfortunately Manquillo does not have a lot of experience playing 1st team football, but with the most successful club in England back in the Champions League they will be needing quality and quantity, squad rotation being a must. Rodgers has certainly made a point in getting at least two players per position. Flanagan, Johnson and Manquillo may all be fighting for one or it may just be rotation between Flanagan and Manquillo with Johnson being left out. Whatever happens, and only time will tell, Liverpool will hopefully have a little gem.

Sources: http://clubatleticodemadrid.com/jugadores/javier-manquillo-gaitan-2013-2014

              http://www.transfermarkt.com/javier-manquillo/profil/spieler/162029