Dilema Alou Diarra

Ketika menyaksikan perlawanan England menentang Perancis tempoh hari, saya teruja melihat permainan seorang pemain bertubuh sasa dan tinggi lampai berjersi nombor 18. Beliau bermain diposisi "holding midfielder" untuk pasukan "Les Blues". 

Beliau ialah Alou Diarra.

Tahukah anda bahawa dia pernah bersama pasukan Liverpool tetapi tidak pernah berjaya mewakili kesebelasan utama "the reds"? Gerrard Houllier membawanya dari Bayern Munich ke Liverpool pada tahun 2002 ketika Diarra berusia 21 tahun tetapi telah dijual oleh Rafael Benitez kepada kelab Perancis, Lens pada musim 2004-2005.

Beliau kini telah 42 kali mewakili pasukan kebangsaan Perancis tetapi masih belum pernah menjaringkan gol untuk negaranya.

Saya masih hairan mengapa Rafa melepaskannya. Mungkin kerana sukar untuk beliau mendapatkan tempat kerana pada usia yang muda perlu bersaing dengan pemain yang jauh lebih berpengalaman seperti Didi Hamann dan Salif Diao.

Ini membawa saya kepada satu persoalan eksistensial yang penuh dilema; Mungkinkah Jordan Henderson dan Andy Carroll yang baru berusia diawal 20an akan menjadi pemain yang hebat dan harus kekal supaya pisang tidak berbuah dua kali di Liverpool seperti melepaskan Alou Diarra ketika dia muda dan kurang pengalaman tetapi kini terbukti amat mantap?

Kops di dalam persarungan busana melayu.

"I come not to play." - Daniel Agger.

Anfield, a place we call home.

Anfield Stadium, home of Liverpool Football Club.

In footballing terms, it is one of the most historic site in England. Entrenched in the heart of Liverpool for more than 100 years, it was opened in 1884 and since then became the darling of merseyside.

Liverpool used to be a bustling port city where sailors from all over the world had come to work and stay. Infact we can find many Malaysians who once traveled the sea making their living on ships became part of its population and being similar to Detroit USA, Liverpool is a city populated by mostly blue collared worker. It is a tough place to live. Many of the sailors back then were Norwegians and the word "scouse" came from a Norwegian word for stew called "lapskaus". I bet they also have a few negritos from South America around then.

Anyway, from the very beginning football has never been only just a past time sport in England. It is one of the most popular and to some, it is like a religion. In Liverpool, it became their life.

Akin to a synagogue to jews and mosque to muslims, Anfield Stadium became a sacred place for the red half of Liverpool. It is the spot where they would come to socialize, drink and spend time together, cheering their team with unconditional love. Until now, the stadium is filled with friends and the kop end placing their most fiercest.

The English league has now become commercially huge. With that comes the need to make football stadium bigger. Arsenal and Manchester United are some of the big clubs that has made that shift and benefited from it.

With a maximum capacity of only about 45,000 seat compared to 75,000 at Old Trafford and 60,000 at Emirates, Anfield Stadium is at a crossroad.

When Hicks and Gillette took over the team back in 2007, they made plans to build a new stadium in Stanley Park. Visuals on the design have also been published to the public.

Recently, Ian Ayre made a press statement saying that they are making progress on finalizing the future of Anfield. It has been a wide known fact that Fenway Sports Group (FSG) is reluctant to build a new stadium at a cost of 300million pounds with only an additional 15,000 seat. There were also rumours saying that Air China is prepared to invest in building the new stadium subject to them having the rights over its name. Okay, let's not go there.

Contrary to this, a recent article in the Guardian reported that instead of building a new stadium, FSG has opted for the cheaper route, my preferred route. Anfield will be upgraded by demolishing nearby houses to add in new tiers and corporate facilities. The management is in the midst of clearing up issues with the city council especially in the area of "right of light" where residents within the vicinity of the stadium will be guaranteed to have similar "illuminations" or quantity of light even after the stadiums refurbishment.

Whatever the future holds for Anfield Stadium, the fact remains. It will always be the stadium most revered by opponents especially when the home fans starts roaring "You'll never walk alone".

It will always be our home and at home, we can call Evra what ever we want.

Why every team needs a Djimi Traore

Alright. Calm down! Just because I watch footie for the blokes doesn't mean I didn't notice how gobshite Traore was.

Make no mistake. He was gobshite. We know it. His team-mates (or team partners according to Suarez) know it. Everyone and their grandmother know it. Not sure if Djimi himself knows he's gobshite though. He does have more CL medal than the short twat who went to the dark side to warm their bench, after all.

Anyway, back to why every team needs a Djimi Traore in their midst.

Everyone and their dog know Traore used to be the biggest gobshite ever to wear the red jersey.

Hence, Traore was a threat. A huge threat!

In fact, you could say Traore used to be our Fear Factor.

See, this is how it used to work.

When Rafa put Traore on the bench, players get scared.

Extremely scared.

Just the sight of Traore lurking on the bench, ready to take over your place, would make even someone like Lazy Andy plays harder.

Now, if they are still slacking, all Rafa had to do was make Traore go and warm up

This would put the fear of  Robbie Fowler on any player and push them to the edge, make them give the best performance of their life.

Cause no one, but no one, wanted to be substituted for Traore.

Cause you know if you were to be substituted for Traore, you are an even bigger gobshite! Your humiliation would be complete.

So in effect, Traore was a huge motivator. Which is why he is a legend in his own lunchtime. And he deserves the three medals he had.

Having said that, having 3 Traores in the form of the Three Stooges - Hendo, Downing and Frodo - may be a bit too much though.

Start them young

Chelsea's Baby Kit

Citeh's Baby Kit

Arses Baby Kit

Liverpool Baby Kit

Manure's Baby Kit

 Available at Giant, Carrefour and Tesco.