Euro Two-thousand-and-Great! ( Plus Stream )

For a crazy football fan like me, it would be really strange for me not to have a post about Euro 2008 in my blog. Come on now. Most of the time I’m idle I think about only two things- either myself or football (read as Euro 2008 for the current month) So firstly I’l tell you why I have not been watching matches. It all started with the first day of the Euro and all of a sudden my tv was showing pictures I never dreamed I would see in it. Yeah I got no Set Top box at home but there it was! The opening match of Euro 2008 Live before me. I was jumping for joy(Watched those 2 whole matches) only for it to be cut short the next day. Since the Asia Cup had started, my most generous cable operator had switched over to providing those free channel viewers the chance to see it. But damn it DD was already showing those matches. Then I realized what a biased country this is towards Cricket. And to be a football fan here. You could as well be in Mars (exaggeration, I admit) 

But then I wasn’t one to give up so easily. I started searching for any live streams that might be on offer on the Net. Infact there were many of them – Sopcast, TV Ants etcetera. But problem is my broadband internet speed is about 256kbps which is not suited for watching live streams. So I gave up on seeing the Euros…………………………….. until today!!! I finally found a stream link that gives me uninterrupted streaming of all matches of Euro. Just watched Spain edge it past Sweden. Unlucky Sweden, but good thing Spain are showing signs of a lack of killer instinct. Man, I want them to face Netherlands in the Semi’s or Finals and get thrashed! Yeah I support the Netherlands. Been supporting them ever since World Cup 2006 where I was just drooling over their play. This time they are showing some real spirit and drive. Hope they win it. 

Btw here’s the stream link is below. I honestly do not know if its illegal or anything. But then who cares. I’m not Scobliezer

Stream Link
 
Ramji

Jose Mourinho! You are the best……

People say when the day doesn’t begin well for you it doesnt get any bettr afterwards. Thats what happened today in my case. The stunning exit of Jose mourinho came as a shock to me and many other Chelsea fans around the world this morning. Infact i was just thinkin yestrday how real the possibility actually is that he may leave given Chelsea’s run of 3 consecutive games without a win. I dont know many managers would have been appointed at some clubs if the club owner had the policy of hiring a new manager every time the team goes 3 matches without a win(Certainly i know of one very famous club in a red jersey who wud have had atleast 50 managers in the last 3 seasons!!) But i dont want to get into club rivalries in a blog which i dedicate to the best football manager in the world right now.

Love him or hate him(there are no middle grounds when it comes to jose) u still gotta admit he’s the best. Audacious, impulsive, controversial, charming… This is how jose comes across to many football fans around the world. But beneath all that lies a master of his work. He is good in his job and he is not afraid of admitting he’s that good. I dont know why people have a problem with that. Who else could have just landed in chelsea and won the toughest league in the world back to back for 2 successive years. Many say its because he had a big transfer kitty. So what even the manager before him had it but he didnt know how to sue them. Besides you cant just buy success in a football club. You also need a football brain. Someone who can put all that money to work. This has been shown at so many clubs most notably real madrid(And i expect it to be shown again by the red-jerseyed-team-i-talked-about-earlier this season )

What i liked about him most was his audacity and frankness. He is not a cold and cunning guy who does things in the background and comes across as a good person. he was not a hypocrite. He spoke what he felt and he was honest. And thats characterised by the kind of affection thats shown by the players towards him. I admire him the most for the so-called inevitablity factor thats shown clearly in his stats. I read an article pre season in BBC about the favorites to win the premier league this season. It listed chelsea as favorites simply because while a lot factors must come right for other teams to actually be in contention right at the end, the article said whatever happens chelsea will be there. No matter what happens you know chelsea will turn up and play well and try to win the match. Ofcourse there are times when we have lost but when it happens 20 times in 180 matches u dont mind, do u!

He took a lot of pressure off his players by being in the brunt of the controversy himself. This allowed them to be free from media hype and prepare which is probably as brilliant as some of his tactical changes on field. I just wish the “owner” wud have stuck with him. I expected more from a guy who has made billions as a businessman. I dont think there was anythin horribly wrong with chelsea at the moment. Its just a bit of bad luck that chances dont stick. But if anyone can change that i’l bet it on mourinho but roman just dint see that which surprises me to be honest.

So its testing times for chelsea. I’l be happy if they win anything this year. i think anything’s a bonus and i certainly wont be surprised if we see 3 different managers this season. I hope the new manager is good enough and is someone with a reputation to back. I guess it would be a different experience. But accept it or not the special one will be missed. I guess we’l go for a more attacking manager since thats what roman wants. Anyway letting go of jose was a bad call. I just hope chelsea are not made to pay for this shocking decision.

Adios mourinho… We’l miss you…

Ram

P.S. Hey Jose how about becoming manager of tottenham! i would love you to still stay in EPL. And if u were in tottenham it wud send the top four scurrying away from White hart Lane. Plus u wont need to buy a new house or find a new school for ur kids