Five Kevin Strootman facts

PSV’s dominating midfielder Kevin Strootman has three top English clubs chasing his signature according to Talksport.

The Dutchman has been linked with Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool for some time, but PSV have insisted that the 22 year old is not for sale, yet inside sources have suggested if the price is right he will be allowed to leave, which may start a bidding war between the three giants.

The price believed to be the magic number is £18 million and reports in Italy have stated that an English club have come forward. With AC Milan also showing interest, it’s Old Trafford that is at the forefront of the Strootman’s mind as he openly spoke about the pride of being linked with United and has expressed his desire to play in the Premier League.

Here are five things that we might need to know about the 22 year old, if indeed he does come to the Premier League.

1) Strootman made his international debut four days before his 21st Birthday in a friendly against Austria and he has gone on to win 15 caps; scoring his maiden goal against Finland in September of the same year. The Midfielder came through the ranks of the Dutch set up and was included in their Euro 2012 squad.

2) The 22 year old became Holland’s youngest ever captain in a competitive match, when he led his country out in World Cup qualifiers against Andora and Romania in the absence of Wesley Sneijder, demonstrating the promise and respect he has in Holland. He has gone from second tier football to national captain in just two years.

3) Even though he is known as a deep lying, holding midfielder, he used to be more attacking earlier in his career, especially during  his days playing for Sparta Rotterdam, and that has shown in his play this season. With the introduction of Mark Van Bommel at Philips Stadion, he has been allowed not to just think about being a containing midfielder but also to look forward and affect the play in the opposition half, resulting in five goals and five assists in 18 Dutch Eredivisie appearances, which has been by far his most prolific season in front of goal. He hasn’t forgotten his main job though, picking up four yellow cards in the league.

4) In his short career he has felt the pain of relegation. In his opening season of first team football, he was outstanding playing for Sparta and excitement was created around the youngster. His second season was completely different, the lowest point of his career, as Sparta for only the second time in their history were relegated to the second tier football.

5) Strootman signed for Sparta in 2007 and was elevated to the first team in 2008. After a fantastic first season of professional football he created real interest from other clubs. After relegation the following year, he gained a lot of respect in Holland for  his loyalty by staying with the club at the start of the following season, when bigger teams namely champions at the time FC Twente came calling. He played another 16 times for Sparta, before moving back to the top flight in the winter, signing for FC Etrecht and quickly moved on to PSV. He has emerged as one of the best midfielders of his age around the world.

http://threeandin.com/2013/01/09/5-kevin-strootman-facts-some-of-which-are-almost-worth-knowing/

Dream 2012 team

It’s been a fascinating 12 months in the premier league with great individual and team performances, none more so than Manchester City in the last game of the 2011/2012 season to clinch the title. We’ve seen youngsters step up to the mark, while tried and tested players have gone to all new heights.

At the Britannia Stadium I have seen some of the best players in the world visit the home of Stoke City, my club of choice, and here is my dream XI of 2012.

Goalkeeper

Asmir Begovic (Stoke City)

The Bosnian has been in tremendous form in 2012, stripping the number one jersey away from Thomas Sorenson and making it his own. The 25 year old supports his two centre backs solidly. He is strong in the air when balls come into the box and is confident with his feet and has pulled off some spectacular saves, leading to one of the tightest defences in the league. He has started to attract the attention of clubs at the top end of the league, and it will be really important for Stoke and Tony Pulis to keep hold of Begovic if we are to fight for a top half finish.

Denfence

Right Back – Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City)

Zabaleta in my opinion is the complete full back. He is strong going forward, like most are nowadays, but he is a reliable defender as well, making him by far the best in the league. The Argentine goes about his business in the right way with little fuss, while being a leader on the pitch, helping Manchester City to their first title in 44 years.

Centre Back-Vincent Kompany Captain (Manchester City)

City’s captain was fantastic in their league winning campaign; a real rock and  leader for Roberto Mancini. He started this season a bit slower than the heights he set at the start of the year, but is starting to attain them now. The Belgian international won the player of the season award for the 2011/2012 campaign, showing how strong he was at the beginning of 2012.

Centre Back- Ryan Shawcross (Stoke City)

Shawcross is a real defender, puts his body on the line for his side and leads by example at the Britannia. He reads the ball well in the air and on the deck, while tackling hard but fair. It was a tight decision between him and teammate Robert Huth to partner Kompany, but in the light of the defensive display against Southampton, Shawcross is my man. Huth looked totally lost in the first half without his mate (suspended) in a usually water tight defence. The 25 year old’s hard work in 2012 was rewarded with an England cap, and he will keep improving as he plays more at the top level. Pulis and Peter Coates will be hoping their captain puts pen to paper on the six year contract they are offering, as he is a vital cog in the team.

Left Back- Leighton Baines (Everton)

Baines is part of one of the strongest left sides in the premier league, playing behind Steven Pienaar. The 28 year old has been tremendous in the last calender year, with consistent performances going forward and backwards. I watched him this season at the Britannia Stadium and he was rock solid and deserves all the attention he is getting during the transfer window.

Midfield

Right Midfield- Leon Osman (Everton)

I believe Osman is one of the most underrated players in the league, and he  has been exceptional in 2012, picking up his first England cap. The one club man is a real work horse, with the quality and touch that you need at the top level. With the range of passing he possesses, he is a real threat in the opposition’s half.

Centre Midlfield- Juan Mata (Chelsea)

Mata made the team just in front of Arsenal’s Santi Cazorla, because he has been performing at the highest high level for 12 months not just this season. Mata with his tremendous skill on the ball, creates chances for his side that other players wouldn’t see. He is the best player in the league in the role he plays for Chelsea and has added goals to his effective performances towards the latter end of the year, having a major say in most games.

Centre Midfield- Marouane Fellaini (Everton)

Fellaini has had a tremendous 2012 and has reached even greater heights in the current season than he did in the last. He can play any role in the middle of midfield while going up top at times too. He has one of the best touches I have seen especially taking the ball out of the air with his chest. His outstanding performance in 2012 would be against Manchester United on the opening day of the 2012/2013 season, helping his Everton side pick up three points.

Left Midfield- Gareth Bale (Tottenham)

Bale has turned himself into one of the best left sided players in the world, and he has been outstanding in 2012. With pace, trickery and vision, right backs fear the Welshman and its not surprising that the likes of Real Madrid are sniffing around the 23 year old. He is not only a danger going forward with the ball, but he can spot danger through his not so effective years at left back. This season alone Bale has 10 goals and four assists in the Premier League, showing why he is the best winger in the league.

Centre Forward- Luis Suarez (Liverpool)

Suarez never fails to be in the papers either for his football or his actions, but it is the football that is most spectacular. He is the main player at Liverpool and the Anfield side would be in huge trouble if it wasn’t for the Uruguayan. He scores all kinds of goals with his feet and head, from all angles and distances, but also has the ability and vision to set chances up. He has been chosen over Swansea’s Michu, because he has the better all round game.

Centre Forward- Robin van Persie (Manchester United)

RVP has been my stand out player of 2012, scoring 30 league goals last season for Arsenal and already bagged 16 goals for Manchester United this campaign. The Dutchman has the ability to score from anywhere on the pitch anyway he wants, but also  has the ability to create chances with six assists in the current season. RVP has been in stunning form throughout the whole of 2012 both Arsenal and Manchester United’s 2012/2013 seasons would have been a lot different if he hadn’t made the switch to Old Trafford.

The Top 10 Breathtaking Players Who ‘Defined’ The Premier League

We have seen some of the best players in the world applying their trade over the last 20 years in the Premier League and here are my top 10 breathtaking players to grace these shores.

Peter Schmeichel: I’m going to start in a bit of a different direction, and have a goalkeeper in the list. Schmeichel is one of the best keepers the world has ever seen, pulling off saves most keepers wouldn’t dream of making, while scoring the odd goal at the other end. In his eight years at Old Trafford he won the Premier League five times, three FA Cups, one League Cup and the Champions League in 1999 and he played a key part in all of these successes. The save that sticks out in my mind is the penalty save in the FA cup semi final replay in 1999 against Dennis Bergkamp in the final minutes of the game to take it into extra time. The great Dane still holds the record for clean sheets to game ratio, with a clean sheet every 2.38 games and was elected into the English football Hall of Fame in 2003.

Ryan Giggs: The Welshman has played in every season of the Premier League, and is the only person to score in each. Giggs made his debut for United in 1991 in the old division one, and has terrified full backs for nearly two decades down the left, with his blistering pace and dazzling skills. He has become the most decorated player in English football, winning the league an astonishing 12 times. Even though his role has changed over recent seasons he still plays an integral role at Old Trafford. The goal that I can still see in my mind comes in the same game as Schmeichel’s save. He picked the ball up on the half way line took on a number of Arsenal defenders then blasted it past David Seaman into the roof of the net.

Gianfranco Zola: The little maestro has to be on of the most professional footballers this country has seen. With his tricks and flicks defenders had trouble getting on top of the Italian, but he could also score some spectacular goals setting Stamford Bridge alive. He spent seven years at Chelsea, and has been voted the club’s greatest player, receiving 60% of the votes on Chelsea’s official website.

David Ginola: The Frenchman is one of the most technically gifted players there has been, taking on players at will. He was at his best on Tyneside , he could not only take players on but score with both feet, which isn’t a certainty, even with the best players in the world.   He wasn’t just a tricky winger, he had the build to look after himself, in a very physical league.

Dennis Bergkamp: He has already been mentioned for missing a penalty, but his first touch was out of this world. He could bring any ball under his command and with his vision was a real master around the 18 yard box. He seemed to have more time on the ball than those around him, while having a real eye for goal, scoring some tremendous goals from all angles, one of the best coming against Newcastle. With his back to goal he flicked it over his shoulder and around the back of  Nicos Dabizas before slotting it home in one movement.

Thierry Henry: He arrived at Highbury as a winger but Arsene Wenger quickly transformed him into one of the most feared strikers the English game has seen. He could glide past defenders at will, with sheer pace and real skill, defenders didn’t stand a chance and he seemed able to find the back of the net from most parts of the pitch, with all kinds of shots. He became a club legend at Highbury, being part of the Invincibles scoring a total of 228 goals for Arsenal.

Christiano Ronaldo: He arrived at Old Trafford at the age of 18 and set the place on fire at once. From the very start fans could see he had incredible skill, but what came next was staggering. The amount of goals that the Portuguese scored  is really impressive and in the 2007/2008 season he scored 42 goals in all competitions. In 2008 he became the first United player since George Best in 1968 to win the Ballon d’Or and in January 2009 was United’s first player to win the FIFA World Player of the Year award. He is one of the cleanest strikers of the ball there has been, with a killer free kick. His credentials were shown when he became the world’s most expensive player moving to Real Madrid for £80 million.

Eric Cantona: He could have been put in a list of the most arrogant players to play in the Premier League with his trademark celebration arms aloft centre stage, but he had the skill and quality to back it up. He was a genius on the pitch, lifting the game with his presence while bringing others into the game. He played a central role in Manchester United transforming into a championship winning side, claiming the league title three times in his four and a half seasons at Old Trafford. There were his downsides, leading to him being banned for eight months but on his return he helped his side over turn Newcastle to win the 1995/1996 league.

Paolo Di Canio: Nothing was impossible for the eccentric Italian and he would try nearly anything, which was shown with his scissor kick volley against Wimbledon. He to was highly strung like Cantona and you weren’t quite sure what was going to happen next with him, but you can’t deny that he was an incredible talent, with incredible skill.

Matt Le Tissier: The one club man spent his whole career at his boyhood team Southampton, despite offers from “bigger clubs” and gained the nickname Le God by the fans at The Dell. Between January 1994 and May 1995 he scored an impressive 45 goals in 64 games and won the Match Of The Day Goal of the Season award for his 40 yard lob against friend and Blackburn keeper Tim Flowers. He became the first midfielder to score 100 goals in the Premier League and is well known for his penalty record, converting 47 out of 48. Barcalona’s Xavi can be quoted of saying: “His talent was simply out of the norm. He could simply dribble past seven or eight players but without speed-he just walked past them. For me he was sensational.”

There are a few that didn’t make the list that are in the Premier League still like David Silva, Santi Cazorla and Robin Van Persie but I think you need to make a real mark on the league over a number of years, but they have real potential and may have made the list on another day.

There are also players from the past that came very close with the likes of David Beckham, Alan Shearer  and Michael Owen being a few.

http://threeandin.com/2012/12/09/the-top-10-breathtaking-players-who-defined-the-premier-league/

Best, Beauty or Beast?

Women adored him, men wanted to be him. Pele called him the greatest footballer the world has ever seen.

He was of course George Best.

At his pomp in the height of the swinging 60s, he was the biggest name in the English game. However it wasn’t just the skills he possessed on the football pitch that made him great, it was his way of life.

It is well known that Best was a player on and off the pitch, from becoming Footballer of the Year in 1968 to womanising and alcoholism that eventually lead to his death in 2005 at the age of 59.

It all started at the age of three, when he kicked a football around the garden and his late father Dickie Best told him to use his left foot as well as his right.

Dickie said: “George would have kicked a rugby ball if he could. He was never happy unless he was kicking something.”

When Best got older: “He did it all on his own, practice, practice, practice” said Dickie.

This determination led to his first professional contract at the age of 15 at Manchester United. Bob Bishop spotted the young Northern Irishmen and brought him to Manchester but Best only stayed for 36 hours, before returning home due to home sickness. However he returned to Manchester a few months later and stayed.

He waited a further two years to make his debut at the tender age of 17 against West Brom in 1963. Best’s potential was clear and he started to become a household name.

Barbara McNarry George’s sister said: “The press were constantly at our door. He was big news, our lives became public.”

Best spent 10 years at Old Trafford before being sacked for excessive drinking and failing to turn up for training. His appetite for the game he loved as a child had disappeared. However during those years he had a phenomenal career, scoring 179 goals, helping them lift the European Cup in 1968 and two First Division championships.

After his time at United he spent the next decade playing around the world for a number of different clubs, his most productive time being in America.

Best’s career declined as his celebrity lifestyle increased. He was known by some as the ‘fifth Beatle’ and he started to live like a pop star. He was described by his sister Barbara as a ‘bit of a character’.

This showed in his antics off the pitch, which he spent with the likes of Miss World and several other beauty queens. His evenings ended in night clubs where alcohol and women followed. It soon became clear that George had become an alcoholic.

George told his brother in law, Norman McNarry, if he wanted a drink, he could get one anywhere.

The drinking landed a troubled George on the wrong side of the law. He was jailed for three months in 1984, for drink driving, assaulting a police officer and failing to answer to bail. This wasn’t the end of his criminal record with further drink driving offenses, and an investigation for sexual assault for which he was never found guilty.

Barbara McNarry admitted that her brother’s drinking had a ‘profound impact’ on the family’s life when it was at its worst.

George gave up drinking for a while, but it had already taken its toll. In 2002 he nee
Barbara said: “He tried everything to overcome alcoholism he possibly could.ded a liver transplant to save his life.

“He came through the liver transplant very well, but a year later he succumbed again.”

This last temptation was going to cost George dearly; the world would lose one of the greatest icons of the game.

He died in hospital on the 25^th November 2005, as a result of a kidney infection.

He would have been 65 this month. His father summed him up perfectly.

“George will be remembered, as one of the very best.”