Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Diego Costa Defends Jose Mourinho, Admits Starting Chelsea's Season Overweight




Chelsea striker Diego Costa has hit back at criticism of manager Jose Mourinho following the Blues' poor start to the new term and admitted he returned "overweight" for pre-season training.

The defending Premier League champions have won only twice in eight matches in 2015-16 and currently lie 16th in the English top flight, which has led to Mourinho's methods being questioned, per Tony Banks in the Express.

However, Costa believes Mourinho is being unfairly blamed for Chelsea's woes and suggested the Portuguese manager's directness invites unfounded criticism, per Darren Lewis in the Mirror:

When things don’t go the way that everyone expects, people - the supporters as well - always look for someone to blame.

There’s no doubt it’s because of the way he is. He’s very direct, very straightforward.

He always speaks what he thinks and what he believes to be the truth. Sometimes it’s not what people want to hear. It’s the way he is and it’s why sometimes they criticise him.

Certainly, Mourinho's combative style is not to everyone's liking, but he is far from blameless for Chelsea's poor early-season form.

He has chopped and changed his team dramatically, sporadically benching key players like John Terry, Eden Hazard and Nemanja Matic, and Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe has branded him the Premier League's most disappointing manager so far this season:

Costa has largely survived Mourinho's frantic rotation in 2015-16, although he did miss out on three of Chelsea's most recent matches after picking up a ban following the Blues' defeat of Arsenal.

The 27-year-old has been significantly less effective this term than he was while winning the Premier League in his debut season with Chelsea in 2014-15.

Costa has accepted responsibility for his poor form by admitting he returned for pre-season "a little bit overweight," a factor that has had an adverse effect on his game, per the Daily Mail's Matt Barlow.

He is far from the only Chelsea player to have underperformed in the new campaign, but considering Mourinho's dearth of quality alternative options up front, the Spaniard's lack of form has been noticeable.

Costa has not been called up to the Spain squad for their two upcoming Euro 2016 qualifiers, per the Sunday World's Kevin Palmer:

Friday, October 9, 2015

Will Cristiano Ronaldo Finish His Career at Real Madrid?





Under contract with Real Madrid until the 2017/18 season, why Cristiano Ronaldo's future is such a massive topic has yet to be divulged. Nothing is more infuriating than manufactured smoke, and Los Blancos' former boss, Carlo Ancelotti, has attempted to throw water on burgeoning fumes.

The five-time UEFA Champions League winner—twice as a player, thrice as a manager—told Le Parisien (via ESPN FC's Mark Rodden): "I don't see Ronaldo changing clubs. I think he'll finish his career at Real Madrid where everyone likes him."

Managing one of the world's most recognisable sportsmen for two seasons, Ancelotti is in an advantageous place to speculate about Ronaldo's Madrid future. Moreover, his previous employment with Paris Saint-Germain could have garnered the French publication some latitude—but the Italian was rather definitive.
Calculating the long-term viability of 30-year-old footballers is challenging. Some have the capability of playing at high levels for years, while others fall off cliffs. Given his exceptional conditioning and unquestioned talent, Ronaldo (who turns 31 in February) should have at least three seasons of world-class football left in his tank.

The questions to answer are: Will Real Madrid want an aging superstar (as they are normally last to realise they have fallen off)? Second, and possibly more important: Will the Portugal international want to play past a certain age—one that could make him a liability to his current employers?

Only Ronaldo could attempt to answer the latter—but answering the former is not as straightforward as it seems.

Rafa Benitez, filling the prestigious boots of Ancelotti, has attempted to establish his own brand of football at the Santiago Bernabeu. The 4-3-3 of yesteryear has been replaced by the 4-2-3-1—with Gareth Bale seeing unprecedented minutes in the No. 10 role. Other than a spellbinding, five-goal tour de force vs. Espanyol, Ronaldo has been held scoreless in six of Madrid's opening seven La Liga fixtures.

Whether basic functionality or inconvenience in a new system, Real's talisman has yet to mesh with new management. Ronaldo's quality makes him a key component in any formational composition, but getting the best from him (as with every footballer) takes ideal circumstances.

Benitez could be the last manager to have "peak Ronaldo" under his wing. Being a generational talent, the Spanish boss must find ways to maximise the 30-year-old's various talents before Father Time starts taking invariable commissions.

Come 2018/19, Ronaldo will be 33. Before we reach that point, there will be likely be contract sagas and speculations of returning to either Sporting or Manchester United. Madrid, beforehand, must determine whether his on-pitch value equals both his wages and marketing prowess.

Even in his mid-30s, the three-time Ballon d'Or winner will possess the international clout to warrant continuation, but athleticism (which is the hallmark of his game) is Real's primary variable. How Ronaldo copes with an ageing frame will decide his fate in an all-white kit.

There are not better clubs for the Portugal captain to ply his trade for.
Additionally, Madrid have shown, with the likes of Iker Casillas and others, they are willing to accommodate accomplished veterans in their squad (at least for a period). No previous veteran, though, would have had the financial and production credentials that Ronaldo carries—making him an almost singular case.


Ronaldo has moved before (so him moving again is not foreign) but there seems every possibility he will stay in the Spanish capital for the foreseeable future, possibly until the 2018/19 season.

Motivation and desire are whimsical notions in many respects, changing from day to day. So for projecting his exact retirement, not even Ronaldo could see that far.

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Manchester United will bid £92.5million this summer in an attempt to prise Cristiano Ronaldo away from Real Madrid, according to reports.


Ronaldo leaving Madrid this summer is a more realistic proposition than ever before, with Spanish expert Guillem Balague claiming that the 30-year-old will have to seriously consider his future at the end of the season.
And according to Fichajes, United will give Ronaldo something to think about in the form of a £92.5m bid for his services.
United are also believed to be willing to pay the Portugal captain £14.7m a season in wages, an outlay that could be financed by the commercial revenue that he would provide.
PSG are also thought to be interested in a move for the Madrid star, and could offer as much as £110.8m at the end of the season.
Ronaldo has started this season in typically devastating form, averaging over a goal a game for Real Madrid with eight strikes in seven games.

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Amaging Cardio Workout By David Beckham

While he’s still a global icon, it wasn’t that long ago that David Beckham was widely considered one as one of the best soccer players in the world. I alway respected Beckham, but it wasn’t until I interviewed him in 2008 and tried his cardio workout that I realized what it takes to be a professional soccer player.

This cardio workout (most of which are sprints) left me needing about 24 hours of sleep and 72 hours of recovery. And if you’re looking for an abs workout, sprints are the secret weapon of all athletes. Don’t be deceived by the lack of crunches. This will burn fat as well as any high intensity interval training workout.

Before you begin, determine your maximum heart rate using the equation: 220-your age. The percentages below refer to maximum heart rate (max HR).

Each sequence is it’s own workout. Either try at the end of your weight training session or as a standalone workout. Whatever you do, do not underestimate the degree of difficulty.

My personal favorite: Challenge #3. Good luck with that.

Beckham’s training challenge 1: 5-minute run at 80% of your max HR. Rest 4 minutes. Repeat for 5 sets.

Beckham’s training challenge 2: 2-minute intervals running at 95% of your max heart rate.  Rest 1-minute between sets. Repeat for 8 sets

 Beckham’s training challenge 3: Run a 20-second sprint as fast as you can. (Think running for your life.) Rest 1-minute. Repeat 30 times. (Yes, 30 times.)

Beckham’s training challenge 4: Run 60 yards and return back 60 (120 yards total). Complete each set within 20 seconds. Rest 100 seconds and complete for 10 sets.

Beckham’s training challenge 5: Sprint 60 yards. Rest 10 seconds. Repeat for 8 sets.
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