17 January 2013

Pep Guardiola is Heading to...

I’m sure so many in the football world are surprised if not shocked of Pep Guardiola’s choice when he decided to manage a football club away from England. Everyone knows that Pep took a season long sabbatical after winning 14 trophies when he was the coach of Spanish giants Barcelona. It was Barca’s most successful seasons, winning almost trophy there is and became a dominant football club anywhere else. And as the 2012 season coming half way, the clock is ticking for him to reveal which club he will manage in 2013. 

Then comes the announcement which you all know already that it didn’t came from any English club, the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City who both have been linked and much to the latter as Man City had recently signed two of Guardiola’s former colleagues at Barca. 

It was the German club Bayern Munich who will get the services and expertise of Josep “Pep” Guardiola. He will be tied up with The Bavarians as he signed a three-year contract that will run until 2016. Pep will replace the current coach Jupp Heynckes when he decided last December not to extend his contract beyond the end of the current season. It was during that time also, before Christmas that Pep agreed to join the Bundesliga giants until, at least, 2016.

NB: Image from wikimedia commons.

08 January 2013

2012 FIFA Team of the Year

As I have said in my other post, FIFA Ballon d’Or 2012, that the selection of players for FIFA Team of the Year is very much interesting or perhaps bizarre. That depends on whose opinion you ask. Some experts would say that the Spanish league has all the best individual talent in football however, some also believe that the result has no credibility as there are other players who are more than capable and superior but was not included in the selection. 

So here’s the list of players selected for the 2012 FIFA Team of the Year and it’s up to you to decide whether it is laudable or some of them should not deserve to be included at all. The names of the players mentioned according to their position, starting from the back. 
Casillas; Alves, Pique, Ramos, Marcelo; Xavi, Alonso, Iniesta; Ronaldo, Messi, Falcao. 

You see, there are no other players from other European Leagues or anywhere else in the world. All of them played in La Liga and if Falcao wasn’t selected then it is all about Real Madrid and Barcelona. But nonetheless, that’s the result from the votes of approximately 45,000 professional football players around the world with a 4-3-3 formation.

NB: Image from bleacherreport.com.

07 January 2013

FIFA Ballon d’Or 2012

I almost forgot to watch the annual FIFA Ballon d’Or Ceremony but luckily my son tried to touch the touchpad of our laptop and that’s where it sinks back into my mind that today is the FIFA World Player Gala in Zurich. Messi leads the three nominees for the coveted World Player of the Year award. Although I want it to go to CRon but with the way Messi broke records after records then it’s no surprise if he takes it home again. 
And if he does, then he will break another record and an unprecedented four successive years. Right now, he is one of the only three players (Ronaldo-Brazil and Zidane) who won the annual FIFA Ballon d’Or award three times but neither of the two won it in successive years. Only Messi have done such feat since 2009. Anyhow, I was just giving you of a little background and the winner is?

Lionel Messi wins FIFA Ballon d’Or 2012 for the fourth time and in successive years. Ronaldo on the other hand, came second in the voting. What made the ceremony very interesting is when the FIFPro World XI was announced. La Liga swept all the positions and it is also almost all Real Madrid and Barca who occupies it and only Falcao from a different team who made the XI.

Image from FCBarcelona.com.

04 January 2013

The Never Ending Twists in Dexter

I finally watched the remaining two episodes of Dexter Season 7 but it wasn’t that thrill at all although it wasn’t bad either. So here’s what happened if you haven’t seen it or still lagging behind a few episodes back. 

I was right that LaGuerta was killed at the last episode but the twist and bizarre thing that happened is that it was Debra who killed her. She actually was left with no other choice because LaGuerta told her to shot Dexter when she woke up from the half dozed injection given to her by Dexter. And Debra said to Hannah that she will protect him no matter what but she’s still shocked of what just happened. 
Then I think Hannah will live for another season as she disappears in the dark after she escaped from prison while being treated at the hospital. She also left a flower outside the door of Dexter’s apartment. So there are three things that I am so curious about Dexter Season 8, first of all, is how LaGuerta’s body was disposed or would it be a set-up shootout between LaGuerta and the killer of Dexter’s mom? Second, since Hannah is alive, how will Dexter hunt her and if so, will Dexter kill her? And lastly, what will be the life of Debra knowing that she’s the one who killed LaGuerta. 

Perhaps, that would make the first few episodes of Dexter Season 8 which will be aired on June 30.

01 January 2013

Happy New Year Everyone!

Another 365 days were gone and another one is about to come. Or should I say 364 days only? 

Happy New Year everyone and don’t you all worry about the Fiscal Cliff deal, it has been signed already. 

What I am worried about is the sad news of another senseless loss of life caused by a senseless way of celebrating the year of the water snake. I was watching the early evening news today when I heard the passing of the innocent child who was a victim of a stray bullet as everybody celebrates New Year’s Eve 2013

It is indeed great to celebrate the New Year but it is very awful and ridiculously unreasonable if it is done at the expense of a parent and loved ones without their precious child. Indiscriminate or not but firing a gun at a blank target surely would result into something. Hopefully it won’t cease a lovely life, much to it if it is from an innocent angel who probably have so many dreams and desire to achieve something either for herself or for her family. But that we cannot know anymore as the little girl passed away with a bullet that enters her skull, passed through her brain and lodged on her cheek just behind her left eye. 

According to medical reports, she was already comatose when she was brought in the hospital and suffered several cardiac arrests but survived until they reached the maximum threshold of resuscitating her before they call it. 

Is this the way we suppose to celebrate New Year’s Eve?

NB: I have posted this in my two other blogs. Snapshots as they happen and Be a Lifesaver Of Goodness. Image from wikimedia commons.