Player Profile: Bobby Charlton

Bobby Charlton

11th October 1937

Country: England

Major Clubs: Manchester United

"I wonder all over again how so much could come to one man simply because he was able to do something, which for him was so natural and easy, and which he knew from the start he loved to do more than anything else", said Bobby Charlton in his autobiography, My Manchester United Years. He was a player whose life was changed in the blink of an eye. One of the original Busby's Babes, Charlton was a Red Devil throughout the extent of his career. He played 759 games for Manchester United, and scored 249 goals in the duration of 17 years at the club.

One thing in Charlton's life that haunts him till date is the Munich air disaster. Seven of his teammates, including the great Duncan Edwards, died in the disaster, but Charlton somehow managed to pull himself out of the injuries he sustained. Later, he along with Matt Busby's assistant Jimmy Murphy, was responsible for the resurrection of the club. He possessed qualities of being a terrific goal-scorer, as well as being able to score splendid goals; something of a rarity in English football at the time.

In 1966, England hosted the FIFA World Cup. The team that year was completely in the hands of Alf Ramsey, who selected Charlton for the side playing the World Cup Finals. His contribution to England was commendable throughout the tournament, as he won himself the Golden Ball that year. However on 30th July 1966 when England played their World Cup Final at Wembley, Charlton was rather quiet. England, though, went on to win the cup.

Two years later, he captained United to remarkable run in the European Cup, leading a team that became the first English side to reach the cup final. The final, played at Wembley against Benfica, was a tight affair, until Charlton scored twice in extra time to hand United a 4-1 victory.

Much later, during his days at Old Trafford, he was a part of the Holy Trinity which included himself alongside Denis Law and George Best. George Best said for Charlton, "I've never seen anyone go past players as easily as he did.". On the individual front, the list of the honours he's won is too long to be written here. But some of the greatest honours such as the Ballon d'Or, FWA Footballer of the Year, among others still dress up his cabinet.

Bobby Charlton went on to manage Preston North End towards the end of his career, and also had a brief spell at Wigan as a caretaker manager. However, he didn't embark on a full fledged career in management. Charlton was conferred with the knighthood in 1994, and is currently on the Board of Directors at Manchester United.

His contribution to the club is and probably will be unmatchable by anyone so far, and even in the future. Despite the many blows he took at Manchester United, starting from the Munich disaster, to the 1958 FA Cup loss, and the 1969 European Cup defeat, Charlton believed in hanging in there, unlike many of the modern footballers who change colours for medals.

-PRANAV MUKUL

Written for India's premier football magazine: 90 minutes (October 2011)

United We Stand: The Story Of An Infant Football Club

FC United of Manchester, The Red Rebels, FCUM are various names of the same club. But don’t confuse this Northern Premier League Premier Division club for the English top-flight giants Manchester United. This club was formed in 2005 after hundreds and thousands of fans detached themselves from United following the takeover by American businessman Malcolm Glazer. The takeover which was controversial in many ways, including huge loans from hedge funds, is still being opposed by Man. United fans in the way of the “Anti-Glazer” Green and Gold campaign. This campaign was launched only recently by the independent Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST). The trust started with an intent of taking over the club from the Glazer family and launched the campaign which has 167369 supporters as on 22-03-2011 08:37 IST. For more information on the MUST, visit http://action.joinmust.org

The Glazers managed to retain David Gill and Sir Alex Ferguson at the club considering the great successes achieved by the duo in all the past years. But this effort didn’t hinder the small group of disgruntled supporters from forming a small club known as ‘FC United of Manchester’. This club is based in Bury, Greater Manchester. FC United started their journey in the English club football on 14th June 2005 at the Gigg Lane ground which they share with Bury F.C. They entered the tenth level of the English club football system which is known as the second division of the North West Counties Football league. Since their formation, the first three years they saw ultimate success with winning promotion thrice in a row and lifting themselves to Northern Premier League Premier Division where they currently play. Currently, FC United is managed by the ex-Macclesfield Town player Karl Marginson.

The club recently came to light when for the first time they reached the first round proper of the FA Cup. They were anticipated to face their parent club Manchester United in some later stages had the former not been beaten in a replay against Brighton & Hove Albion. This young club has a lot of promise and aims to build its own ground before 2012 which will be known as the ‘Ten Acres Lane’. The club has a fund-raising campaign for their new home known as ‘Make it so?’ where it collects pledges and donations from supporters.

The Golden period of this club was from April 29th to September 30th 2006 when they were unbeaten for 22 games in a row making it the longest unbeaten streak for the FC United. The highest recorded attendance was on December 8th 2010 at the Gigg Lane ground where they hosted their FA Cup opponents Brighton & Hove Albion and 6,731 supporters registered their attendance. The endeavour put in by the all time top scorer of FCUM, Rory Patterson was enough for the club to attract the interest of various professional clubs all across Great Britain.

If you’re a Man. United supporter but are anti-Glazer, this is the club you should be aware about. To know more about FC United of Manchester or to support it, visit: http://www.fc-utd.co.uk

-PRANAV MUKUL


Also published HERE

Evra chosen over Marcelo

Patrice Evra agreed to a new four-year contract with Manchester United which will keep him at the Old Trafford until the summer of 2015. The French defender’s current contract ends in the summer of 2012 and he was speculated to join the La Liga side Real Madrid coming summer.

Usually, Manchester United wouldn’t have started contract talks until the end of the current season but Sir Alex being aware of the potential move of the Left Back to Spain asked David Gill, the chief executive, to put forward the contract talks. According to some reports, Evra was part of a deal where Real Madrid offered the English side player plus cash which included the Brazilian Left Back Marcelo.

‘Why did Sir Alex choose Evra over Marcelo?’ is the ultimate question here. Obviously he would have thought ‘Real’ hard to make such a choice considering the never ending defense problems at Manchester United. And with an experienced player like Gary Neville hanging his boots the difficulty to make a choice only arose. Considering the time a player like Fernando Torres could take to adjust at Chelsea, Marcelo would certainly be a long term investment for Manchester United. But disturbing the defensive line could only bring troubles for a team who has a poor away-form this season. This point can be supported by the statement Marcelo made in the press conference at the end of the 2008-09 season saying, “I now feel better playing as a striker.”

Also, a player of Evra’s cadre is difficult to replace for any club. The pace at which he proceeds towards the goal on the left flank, the last ditch challenges he puts on opponent wingers, the stamina he flaunts on the field are unimaginable for a 22-year old to fill in for. A career total of 458 club appearances and 12 goals in the process show his commitment towards the backline of the Red Devils’ line-up.

But now the possibility of any move has been eroded with the Frenchman committing his long-term future as a Red Devil. This news must have come as a certain shock to Real Madrid who has made Manchester United their feeder club. From Beckham to Van Nistelrooy to C. Ronaldo and now Patrice Evra, Real Madrid wants every good player that has played at United. But for now they have to be satisfied with what they have and play Marcelo who has been tipped as the successor to Roberto Carlos by many spectators.

Also published here

WHO WILL REPLACE THE SCOT?

Sir Alex Ferguson; not just a name but an era for Manchester United. An era which defined the club's success more than anything in its history. There were ups and downs in this era but fans and critics could only remember the good times of this era.

He came from Aberdeen to make a mark. Had he not won the F.A. Cup in 1990 against Crystal Palace, the world would have not been acquainted to the mighty Scot. Then started the war for the best football club in the world with Sir Alex leading the Red Army. Promoting more players from the youth rather than spending money only helped him stabilize the club both on and off the pitch. David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and others started off with a might. In 1993, the club won its 1st double winning both The Premier league and the F.A. Cup. and then the double in 1996. After that came the historic treble in 1999 where United won The Premier League, The F.A. Cup and The Champions League(for the 1st time under Ferguson). With 24 years of astonishing service to the club, now the Scot considers retiring owing to his age. Will the most adaptable club in the world be able to adapt a new manager and still continue with their mighty run? Who are the best candidates for filling in the Scot's shoes? Will they be able to keep up with Sir Alex's credibility?

5. Martin O'Neill (Aston Villa)

A healthy and well speculated replacement for the Scot, Martin O'Neill has had a powerful spell at Aston Villa. He has even beaten United in a few games over the past couple of seasons. A master tactician, he has led Villa to The English League cup final too. He has won the Premier League ‘Manager Of The Month’ award four times since he joined Aston Villa in 2006. He narrowly missed out on a Champions League spot this year and if he stays on at the club, European football may not be too far away.

4. David Moyes (Everton)

Another manager speculated to take over Manchester United after Sir Alex Fergusonhangs his boots. He has taken Everton to great heights since his appointment. He has managed to qualify for the Europa league and even qualified for the Champions League back in 2005. His squad beat Manchester United in the F.A. Cup to reach the finals against Chelsea two years ago. He has an impressive 42.41% win rate at Everton with his current crop of players and a stronger and better Manchester United squad will no doubt guarantee him a better record. He was even tipped by Sir Alex himself as his successor at United back in April this year. His wish is to manage Celtic where he played once, but the United call may be too hard to resist!

3. Carlos Queiroz (Portugal)

Currently the Portugal National coach, he assisted Sir Alex Ferguson in two separate stints at Manchester United during his career. He was, in 2005, declared as the most likely successor to Sir Alex by the gaffer himself. He certainly knows the tactics and strategies of Manchester United and is a familiar face at the club which can help the players adapt faster. His short spell at Real Madrid was mately successful as he managed to win 35 out of 59 games while at the helm. Can he be the next Portuguese import to hit Old Trafford?

2. Josep Guardiola (Barcelona)

Currently managing the best team in the world, Barcelona, Guardiola is a well deserved candidate to step into Sir Alex's shoes. He won the treble with Barcelona in his first season as manager. His side defeated Sir Alex's in the Champions League last year to complete their historic treble. Another double this year has only strengthened his credentials. Well, Pep at Old Trafford anyone?

1. José Mourinho (Internazionale)

The most speculated replacement for Sir Alex Ferguson, "The Special One". He has ledInter to consecutive domestic league titles and has won the Champions League with two different clubs. His world-class tactics and strategies have made him the best manager in the world. He's done it with Chelsea, he's done it with Porto and he’s done it with Inter. He came, he saw, he conquered. He's Jose Mourinho.

So, are these candidates deserving of replacing Sir Alex who has won 11 domestic titles, 5 domestic cups, 4 league cups, 8 charity shields, 2 champions league cups, 1 UEFA cup winners' cup, 1 UEFA super cup, 1 Intercontinental cup and 1 FIFA Club world cup which tallies to a total of 34 trophies which makes him the most successful manager at United in terms of trophies? Time will only tell.

-PRANAV MUKUL

Also Published HERE

TOP 10 SENSATIONS OF TOMORROW.

They are here for now but in a few years time, they will be where no one may have ever reached. We're talking about the young sensations and prodigies, who will make up the star cast or as well-known, "The Galacticos" of tomorrow. Here I give the list of top 10 young-stars who are more than important to their clubs and countries as well. They get a chance when a Senior player is injured or suspended but don't leave any chance for the critics to fire on them.

10) ALEX SONG(ARSENAL)

COUNTRY: CAMEROON

AGE: 22

POSITION: MIDFIELDER

There was a French who made the key to Arsenal's rear-midfield and since he left in 2005, it has been cumbersome for Arsene Wenger to find a replacement for Patrick Vieira. But come to the late times and things have changed with the emanation of Alex Song. It was the African Cup of Nations in 2008 from where he came into the limelight, playing an important role in the Semi-Final victory over Ghana where he was awarded the Man-of-the-Match too. He joined The Gunners on loan from Ligue 2 side SC Bastia in 2005, then moving permanantly in the summer window of 2006 for a reported fees of £1m.

9) IGOR AKINFEEV(CSKA MOSCOW)

COUNTRY: RUSSIA

AGE: 23

POSITION: GOALKEEPER

From the producers of great 'keepers like Lev Yashin, Rinat Dasaev and Alexei Khomich, comes another shot-stopper, "Igor Akinfeev". Every other guy growing up in the world wants to be a striker or a midfielder and wants to score goals. But, in Russia they all want to be a goal-keeper. Igor, the youngest player to represent Russia at 18 and a first-team goalie for CSKA since he was 17 and a 'keeper with great positioning and alertness makes him the current most-wanted by big European clubs including Manchester United and Chelsea. He was dropped out of his squads in 2007 owing to a knee-injury for four months which obstructed his development but has been Guus Hiddink's first choice goal-keeper since then for Russia.

8) DAVIDE SANTON (INTERNAZIONALE)

COUNTRY: ITALY

AGE: 19

POSITION: DEFENDER

"A predestined that reminds me of a young Paolo Maldini", said Italy coach Marcelo Lippi defining the 19 year old Davide Santon who has also been a part of a praise-worthy InterMilan squad. He joined the Nerazzurri in 2005 but made his debut straight in 2009 against Roma in the Coppa Italia claiming a 1-0 win. Seeing his might on the back of the field, Mourinho placed him in the Champions' League home draw against Manchester United in 2009 straight against C. Ronaldo where Inter managed to stop The English side from scoring any goals. After an astonishing performance in a friendly against Northern Ireland, Marcelo Lippi quickly chose him for the line-up at the FIFA Confederations' Cup but a knee-injury blocked the 19-year-old from playing.

7) PEDRO RODRIGUEZ (BARCELONA)

COUNTRY: SPAIN

AGE: 22

POSITION: FORWARD

"Fire from the within". Barcelona can rightly boast about this phrase as they're experts in manufacturing players from within their academy. From the great Leo Messi to Xavi to Iniesta, we have Pedro. A forward who might not be as mighty as Messi at his age, but surely will make up one of the players with the best techinical ability in a few years time. He has scored 15 goals in the 47 appearances he's made for the European Champions and has made more of his impression by scoring great goals against Ukrainian sides Shakhtar Donetsk in the Super-Cup final and Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions' League group stage this year.

6) MIRALEM PJANIC (LYON)

COUNTRY: BOSNIA

AGE: 19

POSITION: MIDFIELDER

A legend's a legend and so is his jersey. The great Juninho Perambucano only left his number 8 jersey for another dead-ball specialist to take it over. Comes in Miralem Pjanic, the youngster who's already making marks on the dead-ball record sheet at just a juvenile age of 19. He's already scored 7 goals for the French side and assisted 7 as well. While he played for Metz, he represented Luxembourg at the U-17 level but now plays for his birth-land Bosnia at the international level. In 2008, despite receiving offers from European top-flights such as Bayern Munich and Barcelona, Pjanic opted for Lyon considering the playing time he would get at this club.

5) MARIO BALOTELLI (INTERNAZIONALE)

COUNTRY: ITALY

AGE: 19

POSITION: STRIKER

Another 19 year old from the Inter side in this list and you must be aware of InterMilan's future potential. Super Mario as he is nick-named by fellow team-mates, made through his first starting 11 against Reggina in a Coppa Italia and ended up scoring a brace in what Inter won 4-1. Further, scored two goals yet again against Juventus in a Coppa Italia quarter final and this, gained him a national attention. All this at an age of 17, and we couldn't ask for more. The only thing that checks this young star's pitch-time is his discipline. But the 24 goals and 11 assists he's added to the Nerazzurri record-books cancel the ill-records of the young Italian.

4) DANIEL STURRIDGE (CHELSEA)

COUNTRY: ENGLAND

AGE: 20

POSITION: STRIKER

From Aston Villa, he rose to Manchester City and to the current league leaders Chelsea. Daniel Sturridge had no more he could prove at the age of 20. In the 2007-08 season, Sturridge became the only player ever to score in an FA Youth Cup, FA Cup and The Premier League in the same season. He has been a bit unfortunate with the time spent on the pitch but has been used as an impact substitute at Manchester City. In 2003, he was the leading scorer in the Nike Cup which is the largest U-15 tournament in the world at club level. He recently scored his 3rd goal for Chelsea in a tremondous way against Preston North End in a FA Cup tie and proved himself to his Italian boss.

3) JONNY EVANS (MANCHESTER UNITED)

COUNTRY: NORTHERN IRELAND

AGE: 22

POSITION: DEFENDER

Manchester United who're believed to have the world's strongest defense are only made up of mighty defenders like Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and last but not the least Jonny Evans. Evans has been a UCL regular for United for quite a time now. Owing to the injuries of his Senior players Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic for a considerable time, Evans' doors to make his mark on United's defense were opened. He came into the limelight after the match he played for Sunderland at Cardiff under the harsh storm. He stood to ground, implacable and imperturbable to any attacker and calmly collected the ball and left it where it should have been. He has also been a regular for Northern Ireland, a feat for himself at the age of 21. He played an important role in the team that defeated Poland in the FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifier.

2) STEVAN JOVETIC (FIORENTINA)

COUNTRY: MONTENEGRO

AGE: 20

POSITION: FORWARD

"Who's this hairy 18 year old from Montenegro?" This must have been a question from most of the Fiorentina fans. But, as for now, his grin rocks the fans as much as his footwork does. Season 2009-10 must have been a dream come true for this young lad where he scored a decisive Champions' League goal against Sporting Lisbon bringing the result to a 1-1 draw and he also scored both the goals in the match where Liverpool were humiliated 2-0. He scored his first hat-trick at the age of 17 when he played for Partizan in a UEFA Cup qualifier which his side won 5-0. He had then been sought after by European biggies such as Real Madrid and Manchester United. In March 2007, he consisted of the squad that made the found the Montenegro national team.

1) ALEXANDRE PATO (AC MILAN)

COUNTRY: BRAZIL

AGE: 20

POSITION: STRIKER

And here we are, Number 7, oops! Number 1! Alexandre Pato, nicknamed as The Duck by his team mates at Milan. He's been quite lucky to see his international companions at Milan which include his ex-teammate Kaka, Ronaldinho, Dida and Thiago Silva. But, he must be the only probable reason, the Italian outfit would have let Kaka leave San Siro for the Bernabeu. To his might, he scored two goals against Real Madrid this year in a Champions' League group stage match in Spain to take his side to a 3-2 win. He has been linked with quite a few European top-flights such as Manchester United, Chelsea, etc. But, he says he's committed to Milan and what we can see out of him in the coming years can be more than miraculous. In 2008, he broke Pele's record after scoring on his international debut only seconds after entering the pitch. This young prodigy could give out more than what anyone would expect. Only to add to it season 2008-09 would have been an individual satisfaction for the Brazilian wonder-lad as he finished the league as the top goal-scorer for Milan.

Other notable players this list could've included are: Aleksandr Ryazantsev(Rubin Kazan), Jack Wilshere(Arsenal), Bojan Krkic(Barcelona) and Rafael DaSilva(Manchester United)

-PRANAV MUKUL

Where is the Good in Goodbye? -Nemanja Vidic

He came, he saw, he played, he won and now it's time for him to leave. If there could be one thing that could stop Nemanja Vidic to leave United this summer, then Sir Alex Ferguson must have already tried it out. It might be the financial crunch Manchester United is facing or it might be the offers Vidic will be tempted to join either the Rossoneri or Los Merengues or just for a matter of case, it might just be Mrs. Vidic who asks the Serb to leave England.

LIFE'S LIKE THIS.

Manchester United have already started preparing for a life without the 28-year-old defender who made the key to the defence which was termed as the strongest defense in the world by Joe Morrison. Speculations about signing either Giorgio Chiellini from Juventus or Evan Hovland from Adeccoligaen side Sogndal Fotbal who has already been termed as the 'Norwegian Nemanja Vidic' may just show the preparations United has started to make to adapt themselves to a Vidic-less life.

Post-Vidic, United's central-defense will be dominated by only the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Jonny Evans and Wes Brown. Vidic leaving the English side will only weaken the defense and it will be just shattered to pieces as Vidic is a world-class defender and is one of the best in England as well as Europe. He is highly regarded for his physical presence, heading ability in both defence and at attacking set pieces, as well as his bravery.

Sir Alex Ferguson is only ready to sell Vidic if the interested clubs offer a sum of £20m, compared to the £7m he bought him for from Spartak Moscow,then, making him the costliest defender in Russian-League's history. But, is Vidic just worth £20m to Manchester United? I don't think so. He is worth the 13 goals he's scored for United and all the clean-sheets he's earned. It will be almost next-to-impossible for The Red Devils to find a replacement for the Serbian defender. The world is evident about Vida's might on the back of the field and maybe Cristiano Ronaldo would've been too and maybe that's how he's been keenly followed by Real Madrid to land him at the Santiago Bernabeu. Or will it be AC Milan, that are capable enough to get him to the San Siro? Vidic meet's Milan in the Champions' League draw of 16 and maybe it will be a chance for him to decide his future at the Italian outfit.

Within all these speculations and dilemmas, should Vidic leave it on Sir Alex Ferguson to decide his future or should he ask his wife?

- PRANAV MUKUL

Here goes the Ginger-Man - Paul Scholes.

Paul Scholes, one of the most experienced player in the Manchester United squad, is the current crux of United's great record in the referee's books. With the 35 year old making 628 senior appearances for the club in over 18 years, he seems to be the one who's never learnt how to tackle over such a long period of time. Over this span, Scholesy has managed to collect 77 Yellow cards and 4 Red Cards in the premier league and 24 Yellows and 2 second Yellows in the Champions' League, that's more than any other player in any competition.

So, is it time for the Ginger-man to drop out now?

No, not as yet. He's been at United since the very beginning and his experience is what counts. The two things required by any soccer player to be called world class are Great Technical Ability and Great Speed and Swiftness. Maybe Scholes is overloaded with just one of them. He has both technical intelligence and tenacity for the ball, which makes him one of the greatest attacking-midfielders in the world. A recent spit from the back to the front field against United's League-cup 2nd leg draw against Manchester City showed what he's really capable of.
Zizou once said, "My toughest opponent? Scholes. He is undoubtedly the greatest of his generation."
So once Scholes retires, United will feel the void of the legend who had sensational passing range, vision, creativity and goalscoring prowess.

-PRANAV MUKUL