Athletic Events 2019-2022
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New footballing season starting slowly all over
Europe. The Premiership is kicking off today
with Crystal Palace-Arsenal at Selhurst Park.
Serie A kick off in a week, on Saturday the 13th.


Και πάλι στον αγώνα τα παιδιά στο Oregon για ό,τι
καλύτερο. Ο Μίλτος στο μήκος και η Κατερίνα στο
επί κοντώ πέρασαν στα τελικά. Καλή τύχη, παιδιά!
Αλλά, μπράβο και στην Ελένη και τη Νικόλ και στα
άλλα παιδιά που προσπαθούν, ακόμα κι αν δεν τα
καταφέρουν να μπουν στους τελικούς. Η προσπάθεια
και η συμμετοχή μας δίνουν μεγάλη ικανοποίηση και
χαρά, ανεξαρτήτως αποτελέσματος.


In Juve, we consistently refuse to learn lessons
from super expensive transfers that end up in
complete disaster because the parties involved
have super egos and think that they are almost
gods incarnate. We also refuse to acknowledge
that, when a team has limited resources, then
the best recipe for optimal chances of success
throughout history has been to build a cohesive
ensemble of very good players, without super
stars to avoid unnecessary frictions and draining
confrontations. We'll wait and see, but we are
not moving in the right direction right now...
 
 

We are selling or letting go the best and getting
(except for Angel) questionable personalities
of doubtful capabilities. How are Andrea and
Pavel expecting Juve to compete in the 2022-23
season against the best? Are they, perhaps,
saving funds to engage in another Calciopoli
for some extra bonus points outside the pitch?
And no word yet about any of the stars of the
Azzurri... What a mess. Very low expectations.


Bravo, BBC! That was really funny and well
deserved. Full respect on the court, but these
tweets... Man, they are wearing us out, and he
is not that young anymore; we cannot attribute
it simply to immaturity. There must be a real
philosophical vein hidden there somewhere...


I would hope that Juve would see the light at this
eleventh hour and, together with Di Maria, they
re-sign Dybala, whose talks with Inter did not come
to fruition from what is reported. Dybala and Di
Maria will form a much more powerful duo for
Juve than Pogba and Di Maria. We do not want
to rehash and retry failed recipes. Do not bring
back a man that was tried by others and did not
have much to offer...

Change the penalties in tennis! Your rules and your
fines and your methods of enforcement make the
brutes and the rogues laugh at your expense and
mock you in plain daylight; do you really think that
they are acting in any way as a preventative measure
so that some semblance of civility in the sport can be
maintained? Wake up! DO THE RIGHT THING!


Συνεχίζονται οι μεγάλες επιτυχίες και στο πόλο,
άνδρες και γυναίκες μας έδωσαν πάλι μεγάλη
χαρά με την προσπάθεια τους και το μετάλλιο.
Μπράβο, παιδιά!!


Pity for tennis... If one wants to watch a person
badmouthing opponents or umpires or throwing
punches, then they can go to Las Vegas and the
"fights". Tennis is supposed to be a game of
concentration and strategy and the way the
rules are set up and the way umpires enforce
those rules is not helping the sport and it will
find itself in difficult situations. I call on tennis
authorities to make rules against both constant
and persistent complaining and rowdiness and
against misbehavior tougher, and to ask and
train umpires to enforce those rules rigorously
and very strictly, without exceptions.
Kyrgios knows very well that, if one pesters
the umpire constantly and swears constantly,
even if those taunts are not directly addressed
to an opponent, it creates an altogether un-
pleasant atmosphere, unconducive to playing
tennis, because it deprives opponents from the
focus and deliberation needed to play the sport.
It is the same in a classroom; if one is loud
(regardless of whether talking to a friend or
making general inappropriate or irrelevant
comments), it becomes disrupting and prevents
the other students from focusing properly.
And Tsitsipas also knows very well that, if the
conditions become unbearable, it is better and
more civilized to go quietly to the referee and
tell him/her that one cannot continue under
those conditions, pack his stuff and walk out.
Instead of having to deal with the shenanigans
of an uncivilized opponent and of apathetic
authorities by smashing balls and rackets and
bringing himself down to their level, it is much
better to walk out and call it quits preserving
both one's own and the sport's dignity.


Μπράβο και στα παιδιά της Κολύμβησης. Διαβάζω για
τον Κώστα στα 50 πρόσθιο, την Άννα στα 50 πεταλούδα,
τον Ανδρέα στα 100 ελεύθερο, τη Χαρά στα 100 πρόσθιο
και το Δημήτρη στα 1500 ελεύθερο. Αλλά μπράβο και
στα άλλα παιδιά που προσπάθησαν και έδωσαν ό,τι κα-
λύτερο, παρόλο που δεν τα κατάφεραν για τους τελικούς,
τη Χρυσούλα και την Ξανθή στα 200 ελεύθερο, την
Ιωάννα στα 200 ύπτιο, τη Γεωργία στα 50 πεταλούδα,
το Σάββα στα 50 πρόσθιο, το Στέργιο στα 100 ελεύθερο,
τη Μαρίλεια στα 100 πρόσθιο και το Δανιήλ στα 400
μικτό. Μπράβο, παιδιά! Και Καλή Τύχη στους τελικούς!

Χρυσή και πάλι η Άννα! Μπράβο, Άννα!!


Και ευχάριστα νέα από το Οράν της Αλγερίας για την
Ελληνική Πάλη. Μπράβο, Γιώργο! Μπράβο, Κώστα!
Μπράβο και στα άλλα παιδιά που συμμετέχουν.


Πολύ καλά νέα και από τη Μαγιόρκα!
Μπράβο, Στέφανε!!


Sad. Very sad. We saw an extraordinary talent and
it seems that it's been wasted away for money.
If this had no basis and was not an issue, her agents
would not have been forced in the position to discuss
it and deny it. I hope she does not end up in a young
age at a yacht in the Bahamas, all bought from un-
or under- deserved endorsement and promotional
money and almost none of it won in an honest and
straightforward way on the court, and with nothing
much or very little other than that one trophy to show
for her unique talent. We all know that talent is not
enough; hard work, dedication and focus on the task
are sine qua non for success and these are not trivial
to maintain at such a young age. But, perhaps, her
family and advisors are pushing more for income
than towards fostering her skills and encouraging
her success in the sport. But it is her life and not
theirs, and they do not want to become the cause
of regrets and sorrow later on by pushing her off
track into a tempting but dangerous path.


Κι άλλα πολύ ευχάριστα νέα από Βουδαπέστη.
Μπράβο, Κορίτσια!!
Διαβάζω πολύ καλά νέα για την Καλλιτεχνική
Κολύμβηση από το Παγκόσμιο στη Βουδαπέστη.
Μπράβο, Ευαγγελία!!

Sometimes, one cannot believe that they are even
watching the same team playing, and, maybe, they
are not, because of the wild variations and the bold
experimentation on Mancini's part. Whereas in
one game the passion, the fighting spirit and the
willingness to sweat and toil are obvious, in the
next, like, e.g., last evening, the team appears
uncoordinated, static and disjointed. Suffice to
say that several times I observed Wilfried, who
supposedly started as a left forward, running and
struggling to defend at the right back amidst the
general apathy of other members of the team.
Wilfried, by the way, was the only player yesterday
that covered the entire field back and forth many
times over, while everyone else was more or less
standing and watching. This cannot fly! We must
move, we must fight, we must be willing to give
all. The History of this Jersey is so heavy, no one
has the right to shun it or to take it easy while
wearing it. Those that need a rest (and that is
understandable) have to say so to Roberto before
the game and leave their positions to someone else.

Bastoni Mancini Cristante Spinazzola Pellegrini Gigio         Gnonto Raspadori Calabria Barella Politano

BRAVO, AZZURRI! Excellent work and, of
course, the score does not tell the whole story.
We run, we pressed, we did not let Hungary
any breathing space and we created many
many chances. That is what we like to see!!
 
 
 

This is what I see as the predicted starting lineup
against Hungary at the Dino Manuzzi in Cesena
today:
                         Donnarumma
Di Lorenzo Mancini Bastoni Spinazzola
            Barella    Cristante   Locatelli
     Gnonto          Scamacca      Raspadori

Give or take, what would we be expecting to see
on the pitch to secure a win? First, Gigio, Gianni,
Gianluca and Sandro at the back have to be in
form, stand firm and be solid. When the azzurra
defense falters, the day does not end up well...
Even though the two play in different horizontal
lines, we expect a similar vertical toiling from
Leonardo on the left and Wilfried on the right.
Go up and down, be destructive, be fast and be
dangerous, like Juan Cuadrado at Juve and like
Carvajal at Real. Nicolo, Bryan and Manuel,
run, run, run, press, press, press, disrupt their
game, steal the ball up high, between midfield
and their own area, and create chances for
Gianluca and Giacomo. If we do that well, then,
perhaps, this evening at Cesena, both of those
Sassuolo Aces could score, and they should. Let's
play at full strength! FORZA AZZURRI!!

(On the side, BRAVO, Fox Sports! At least one
channel in the United States that takes a soccer
tournament seriously and shows a high quality
game each day as it should! How else could the
most beautiful sport in the World become also
very popular in our United States?)

On the left is the starting line-up against Argentina
in the Finalissima, on the right the starting eleven
against Germany in the Nations League. The team
last night was impressive, constantly running and
tightly pressing up high, leaving no room at all to
the Germans to play their game and constantly
stealing the ball and counterattacking. Yesterday's
formation against Germany was much more athletic
and enthusiastic, and generally more seaworthy, and
their passion and determination augurs well for the
imminent resurrection of the fortunes of the Azzurri.
Regardless of who is in the starting lineup, the style
of play that the Azzurri followed against Germany
has to be sustained and improved upon; run, run, run;
press, press, press; never give an inch; and pound,
whenever given the chance.
 

And an excellent analysis of the Finalissima 2022 and
the relative strengths and weaknesses of both teams
by Phil Dawkes on the BBC. Just adding, I think that
Italy also has great talent and enormous potential and
the selection of allenatore Mancini was excellent. But
one would have never figured that this group had ever
played together before. They seemed rather poorly
organized, uncoordinated and they had quite a bit of
trouble combining and creating. With some effort,
however, one could still discern narrow intervals in
which the sparks were there and, briefly, for a few
minutes after going down 0-1, their style of play and
passing was reminiscent of the Azzurri of two years
ago, and they were outplaying the Argentinians.
Now the task is, apart from bonding the team into a
disciplined and organized whole, to methodically and
clinically replace the world-class losses, such as Giorgio,
with younger players that can step up to the task and
that can fit in and lead with the same finesse, humility
and respect, and, above all, the same joy for the most
beautiful sport on the Planet. THANK YOU, GIORGIO!!
 

Another great analysis on the State of the Azzurri
by Daniele Verri on the BBC website.


Μπράβο στα παιδιά της αποστολής! Πολύ ευχάριστα
νέα από την Ρουμανία για την Ελληνική Πάλη.


Real won the Champions League at the Stade de France.
A lot of credit to Maestro Carlo and to a team that, despite
the fact that they had to face multiple, perhaps, stronger
and more favored opponents, they never gave up and
always came back fighting. Specifically for the Final,
one has to single out obviously Thibaut, who, with many
critical saves, kept a clean sheet, and Carvajal at the back,
as well as, of course, Vini, who scored, but also because he
does a lot of work and focuses on the essentials, shedding
unnecessary fluff and the extravagant, for which Brazilians
are unfortunately so well-known for, and Karim, who
kept this team together when success seemed elusive.
On the English side, besides Jurgen, who, even without
winning any trophies, would have to be commended for
having built the most impressive team in Europe, one
has a host of world-class players, none of whom played
bad last night; and they created several chances; it was
simply a matter of finishing and it was decided in the
details. Partly awkwardness and partly Thibaut's class
prevented a successful outcome. To close, I would also
like to commend the English fans. I was not there, but
from past experience, from what we read and from a
few scenes we followed on he social media, they created
an unbelievable atmosphere in Paris and they, among very
few, know how to enjoy and elevate the most beautiful
sport on Earth to a whole different level. Liverpool
should be proud, regardless of final outcome.
 
 

Ήθελα και πάλι να πω Συγχαρητήρια στα ονειρικά
κορίτσια του πόλο του Ολυμπιακού μας. Βεβαίως
όλοι ξέρουμε πόσος κόπος, υπομονή και επιμονή
είναι αναγκαία για να καταφέρει κάποιος να σηκώσει
ακόμα και ένα τρόπαιο, καθώς πλέον ο συναγωνισμός
είναι μεγάλος και η ποιότητα των ομάδων επίσης,
ιδίως δε όταν βρίσκεται κανείς στην κορυφή σε
Ευρωπαϊκό επίπεδο. Το να καταφέρουν λοιπόν να
κατακτήσουν, όχι ένα αλλά, τέσσερα τρόπαια την ίδια
χρονιά είναι αξιολάτρευτο, αξιοθαύμαστο και δείγμα
του ταλέντου, των ικανοτήτων, της σκληρής δουλειάς,
της αγάπης για το άθλημα, της αλληλεγγύης και του
ομαδικού πνεύματος. ΜΠΡΑΒΟ, ΚΟΡΙΤΣΙΑ!!
Είστε εκλεκτό παράδειγμα για όλους μας, μας συγκι-
νείτε και μας δίνετε δύναμη, κουράγιο και ελπίδα.
 
 

Bravo to Roma! They kept Italy on the map at the
highest levels of European Competition and, with
their triumph in the Europa Conference League at
Tirana, also in the list of trophies. And despite the
fact that, admittedly, their quality of play lacked
this season and has not been enviable, they are a
young team, trying to rebuild and they deserve to
be warmly congratulated for this formidable feat.
BRAVO, ROMA!!
 

The vultures, who have the least honor, prestige
and authority to speak, are the ones that are
whining, complaining the loudest and crying
foul, as is they were being slaughtered. Uefa and
its despicable, excremental boss of bosses, Real
Madrid and its despicable and excremental
"president", who bears one of the heaviest
responsibilities for having made football all -
and only - about money and wealth, and the
Qataries, with their petrobucks, who are oiling
in bribes and graft every two-legged being that
moves and is willing to indulge, are the ones
that, instead of shutting up and reckoning
with, and dealing with, the consequences of
their own greed and their own actions, are now
complaining, when the same methods they have
used to annihilate competition and win trophies
in the past are coming back to bite them...
WHAT A SHAME! WHAT A SCANDAL...


Such expressions from players that have just won
a Championship and should show fraternity and
respect for their opponents, especially for those
of the same City (despite the age-old rivalry between
the two Clubs), is shameful and unforgivable. Much
more so, in fact, when one takes into account that
Inter has shown such quality, feistiness and deter-
mination that it ranked in the top five European
clubs (in my view second only to Liverpool) this
last season. This is a feat that, certainly, no other
team in Italy came even remotely close to and no
other team in Italy, even Milan, can boast about.
Maybe that is exactly what is so hurtful and what
caused those players to show such disrespect and
hatred for their fellow players. Pity for Milan.
But I am not sure we were expecting more...


I hope that between today and Wednesday the powers
to be will come to their senses and show us live on TV
in our United States the Europa Conference League
Final between Roma and Feyenoord. It is never too
late to do the right thing. When there is such an
important game, you should not ignore it and show
crap instead, under the excuse that you are showing
it on some "paramount+" online. Do the right thing.
Show it on CBS or on CBSSN and cut the crap.

It is so sad that players who are affected by racism
and discrimination every day in their profession, in
their communities and in the societies they live in
would not, or refuse to, connect the dots and realize
that bigotry and discrimination do not stop to race
but affect equally devastatingly other communities
and other minorities for various absurd and incom-
prehensible and reprehensible and lamentable reasons.
Too bad. A real shame, disheartening and disgraceful...
On the other hand, BRAVO to PSG for the initiative.
We have an obligation to support all those around us
that find themselves in less comfortable circumstances,
and in challenging and, sometimes, dangerous situations
because of their beliefs, personal preferences and
characteristics and/or the color of their skin.
 

Congratulations to Trabzonspor and Bravo to Manolis
and all his fellow players! I wish all footballers had the
same feelings and this strong message of Fraternity and
Unity between All People of the Earth, but, unfortunately,
we hear too often of opinions or behaviors that are not
aligned with, or are altogether incompatible, with those
principles. Footballers are, after all, among the professionals
that travel in many places, play with many opponents
and deal with fellow Humans of all Religions and all
Races, and should be among those most open-minded
and those most appreciative of equality, brotherhood
and diversity, of common dreams and aspirations and
of the unlimited possibilities that are created when
people of various backgrounds, with various skills and
talents come together and join forces and fight for
common goals to mutual benefit. Μπράβο, Μανώλη!


juvefc.com is predicting
De Sciglio Bonucci Chiellini Pellegrini
              Zakaria       Miretti
Cuadrado       Dybala    Bernardeschi
                       Vlahovic
This is one of the best formations that
we have been hoping to see all along.
Alas, now Giorgio and Paulo are not
going to be with us for much longer.
But perhaps, if we brought in one or
more of Jorginho, Barella, Zaniolo,
Raspadori, Berardi, Scamacca or
Spinazzola, we could replace those
departing with relative success, and
build a very very competent team
for the coming season and for the
coming years.

I hope this information is invalid. We do not
need or want Pogba at Juve. Have we not
learned anything from the Ronaldo fiasco?
Spend the money to bring in Jorginho or
Barella or Berardi or one of the formidable
centrocampisti of the Azzurri, with lower
cost, much better performance, way superior
Team Spirit, less ego and less problems.
ΤΟ ΔΙΣ ΕΞΑΜΑΡΤΕΙΝ ΟΥΚ ΑΝΔΡΟΣ ΣΟΦΟΥ.
The last goes to Andrea and Pavel, and they know
exactly what I am talking about, even if they still
find the Ronaldo debacle too hard to admit.


Why, Max? Why? Why? Why do you allow Juve
to play like Juve only when they are losing? Don't
they deserve it even more when they are winning?
What were you thinking playing all eleven players
on our goal line when we were 2-1 up? And against
Inter of all teams... Did you not think that they
would find their way through? Never again. If
your plan calls for defense, then defend up high
close to the center line, run, press tight and give
any opponent, but especially a powerful one, a
run for their money, as we did between 5'-30'.
Perhaps you did not deserve the red card from
Paolo Valeri, but you certainly deserve one for
that awful, ill-conceived, doomed and decrepit
strategy. What a pity and a shame and thinking
that the kids were all so well-prepared and so
determined and would have done it, had it not
been for that abject, uninspired idea and tactics...
 
 
 
 

Despite the poor start, Juve could have won the scudetto
if it had not slipped up in 2-3 critical games in the last
few weeks. But, things being as they are, the most valuable
and most important game of this season ended up being the
one we have to fight tomorrow for the Coppa. And we are
ready, even though Inter has one of the best teams in Europe
this current season and, in quality, we've been trailing rather
far behind. But still, we have individuals with so much talent
and such a strong team spirit and we want this so desperately
and so much that it is possible to make it happen. Say, e.g.,
                          Perin
De Sciglio De Ligt Chiellini Sandro
Cuadrado  Zakaria  Dybala Locatelli
              Vlahovic    Morata
Also, I do not know how the negotiations with Roma are
panning out concerning Zaniolo's possible transfer, but,
while we are at it, why don't we also express an interest
in Spinazzola? Both Nicolo and Leonardo started from
the bench yesterday in Roma's defeat at the Artemio
Franchi and the team may be open to a double transfer.

FORZA JUVE!!

That is exactly the reason why a team should
invest primarily and foremost in a solid keeper.
Even if you have Mo or Lewa or another super
expensive forward in your formation, if your
defensive line leaks, especially your keeper,
then you are not going to go very far. Those
that advocate extravagant expenditures for
forwards and think of defense as secondary,
or neglect it altogether, should think twice
about such a proposition. Of course, belief
in such an erroneous strategy directly implies
that the person holding that attitude has never
been a (good) student of either Juve or the Azzurri...


I know that it is not nice to speak ill of the dead,
but, when someone is not nice and gentle, why
would they expect anything than reciprocity in
return? An egomaniac, foul-mouthed, overpriced
parasite that played its role in keeping football
back from the age of reason and that contributed,
to a large extent, in the infestation and ravaging
of football, mafia-style, by people with humongous
personal interests, conflicting with that of the
sport, for personal profit and aggrandizement.
Sorry... nothing good to say; only words that
reflect exactly how he moved in his life, at least
professionally. Changing one's history and
distorting the essence of his actions and trying
to smooth and embellish his intentions and his
activities to make them look less perilous and
less devastating after one's death is not wise,
because it gives other motivation and impetus
to follow in this same destructive, despicable
path. Sad thing is, I believe he knew what he
was doing and how unethical it was, but he
tried, true to his character, to justify it with
various shady arguments and excuses, to feel
more comfortable and at ease in his own skin.


Napoli-Sassuolo tomorrow, Milan-Fiorentina and
Udinese-Inter on Sunday. Can any go our way so
that, if we make it against Venezia, we edge even
closer to the top?
FORZA JUVE!!

They wasted close to half a billion dollars for
someone that has proven simply a huge liability,
a prima donna with a bad attitude and a whiner,
and now they want someone to make the same
mistake so that they can recover the money they
spent mindlessly. But of course, and justifiably,
no one is being fooled or buying at that, or any
comparable, price... Just look at the effort and
the seriousness that Vini put in the City-Real
game yesterday. A fresh air from a Brazilian
star who focuses, without pomposity, shenanigans
and theatrical performances, at the essentials.
We are tired of the overvalued and underperforming
Neymar. It is time to see some good quality football.


 

We can all do something very easily both for those
parents that lost their sons under inhumane and
unbelievably exploitative conditions and to send
a clear signal to the oligarchs in Switzerland that
they have zero power and that football is governed
by those that love the sport and that respect the
values surrounding the sport. We could decide,
at a collective level, that no European National
Team is going to participate in Qatar 2022 and
let FIFA fill the schedule and the stadia, that are
oozing with the blood of innocent workers, with
teams from other Continents, unless they are
also ready to take a firm stance and follow suit.
Does the FA and the other Associations, that make
all of those superficial statements about "Respect"
and "Peace", when they cost nothing, have the
cojones to stand up for the RIGHT THING and
to push for a massive change of the culture at
the highest echelons, even when it means losing
income and, perhaps, paying a hefty price?
FA, DO THE RIGHT THING; TAKE THE LEAD!


Empoli won 3-2 against Napoli today and this is
obviously good news for Juve, assuming that they
will be able to subdue Sassuolo tomorrow, which,
of course is not an easy task, given the quality of
Sassuolo's players. On the other hand, I am very,
very, very suspicious when keepers of the caliber
of Meret make mistakes like the one that allowed
Pinamonti to equalize for Empoli. It makes one
wonder whether something more than an innocent
mistake was at play, and whether some other
shenanigans, of which, unfortunately, many more
happen, I am afraid, than those we actually get to
learn and hear, were involved behind the inexplicable,
for a keeper of such quality and experience, idea
of "handling" and dribbling the ball inside his own
area at plain sight waiting for the inevitable...

Bravo, JUVE!! Excellent work by both the starting 11
and by those coming in from the bench. I hope Andrea
and Pavel noticed that their excellent move to renew
Mattia's contract gave wings to one of the steadiest
and most impressive keepers in the World right now.
I also want, if I may, to make an observation regarding
defense. The way the team was organized was almost
impeccable. But, in my view, the pressure that the kids
were directed to apply - and they did really well - must
be started closer to the midfield. We should not apply
the first pressure zone just outside our own area. If
we do this, we take part of the situation out of our
control and relegate it to chance, since an accurate
shot or an ingenious pass may create danger from
that short of a distance. If we disrupt the opponent's
play and force them to make mistakes and release the
ball closer to the midfield, we have better chances
both to spoil their game earlier and to counter-attack
more successfully. FORZA JUVE!!
 
 
 

Μπράβο, Στέφανε! Ευαισθησία και ανθρωπιά.
Σε όλους τους τομείς και σε όλα τα σπορ. Τα
χρειαζόμαστε όσο ποτέ άλλοτε και θέλουμε
όλοι οι αθλητές, και ιδίως εσείς με τις μεγάλες
επιτυχίες και απήχηση, να πρωτοπορείτε...
ΜΠΡΑΒΟ, ΣΤΕΦΑΝΕ!


Every time Inter plays, it is a joy to watch Lautaro
and his goal-scoring acumen, in par with those of
Mo and Lewa. But, as the saying goes, "behind every
great man, there is a great woman" and look who's
behind Lautaro and how they are performing and
supporting his efforts: The Azzurri Darmian, Bastoni
and Barella together with Calhanoglu and Perisic.
And how about a team with such depth that has
the luxury to leave Arturo and Alexis on the bench!
In my view, at this point in time, in European football
at club level, Inter is on par with Liverpool, followed
close behind by Manchester City, and it is a bit ironic
that they are both second in the premier and serie A.
Simone, by keeping good company to Jurgen and Pep
in the quality and class of the team he is directing,
has joined, rightfully, the pantheon of Italian maestros,
one of the most exclusive clubs in the history of the
most beautiful sport on the Planet.


A few words about Juve and its open fronts:
1. If Juve had won against Inter and had not tied in
    a couple of games that could have been won recently,
    e.g., against Bologna, then it would have been within
    a game's range from the top, despite the unfortunate
    start in the Campionato. So, all those analysts that
    rushed to dig our grave from the beginning should
    take the proverbial "it ain't over until the fat lady
    sings" deeply to heart for the next time around.
2. I hope Andrea, Pavel, Max and. most importantly,
    the kids all want the Coppa as badly as we do. We
    consider it as important as the other trophies and
    want you to give all you got tomorrow (with care
    in the defense, but also relentless pressure and
    determined offensive coordination) to make this
    campaign a big success.
3. I hear again names, like Kroos, Nkunku etc for
    new transfers. Let us focus on bringing in some
    excellent Azzurri, even if we have to spend a
    little more in the endeavor. Gigio under the posts,
    Jorginho, Zaniolo and, perhaps, one of the men in
    the center-attacking formation at Sassuolo, if any
    are open for a transfer to Juve.
4. Let's try to do our best tomorrow and not to shed
    any more points so as to finish strong in Serie A.
FORZA JUVE!!

Μπράβο, Στέφανε!!


FORZA JUVE!!
 
 
 


Μας συγκίνησαν και μας έκαναν ευτυχισμένους πάλι
τα κορίτσια του Ολυμπιακού μας. 11-7 στον τελικό
της Ευρωλίγκας τη Sabadell και πάλι στην κορυφή
της Ευρώπης. Στα ομαδικά, το νερό και η στρογγυλή
θεά μας οδηγούν, όπως άλλωστε είναι και το φυσικό!
ΜΠΡΑΒΟ, ΚΟΡΙΤΣΙΑ!! ΣΑΣ ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΟΥΜΕ!!
 

Everything ready for Olympiacos' formidable girls
of Polo to face Sabadell in an attempt to defend
their Euroleague title. Whatever the outcome, this
Team has already made us happy and proud for so
long that it is almost unbelievable. BRAVO, GIRLS!!


Απίθανα και πάλι τα κορίτσια του Ολυμπιακού μας!
ΜΠΑΒΟ, ΚΟΡΙΤΣΙΑ!!


Let's do the right thing and start with our best tomorrow.
If we win, then who knows?... A lot can happen.
       De Sciglio De Ligt Chiellini Sandro
Cuadrado Bernardeschi Dybala Locatelli
                    Morata Vlahovic
Zakaria may also be in good form in the midfield.
FORZA JUVE!!
BTW, what a mess is this 2022-23 appearance? Why are you
tweaking the classics and creating dubious "innovations"?
This is football! It is not a Milano passarella...

Μπράβο, Γιώργο!


I could not agree more with Coach van Gaal. Both
players and managers, probably prodded by parasitical
agents with conflicts of interest and by an uncertain
promise of even greater fame (but doubtful matching
success), are lured into signing into clubs with big names
and humongous budgets, where, on the one hand, the
pressure and, on the other, the style of play may be
detrimental and/or unfitting to their skills and talents.
I am worried, apart from ten Hag, also about Salah,
Lewandowski and Dybala. For all three players, their
tremendous success is tightly related to the environment
they found themselves in at Liverpool, Bayern and Juve,
respectively, and I am not sure whether they'll find their
next stop as conducive to their styles of play and as
nurturing to further foster and boost their achievements.
It would be a pity indeed to move from somewhere where
their skills and talents are admired and touted to new
places where they could potentially get overwhelmed
and made unhappy. (BTW, this is not happening only
in football... Many people, lured by financial gains and
promotions in many other, more "ordinary" and less
lucrative, professions, get into unfortunate adventures
and unwelcome predicaments for similar reasons...)


We read reports that at Juve, they are willing to part
ways with Dybala, Sandro, Melo, Bernardeschi, Kean,
Rabiot and Ramsey. There is no doubt in my mind that
Melo, Rabiot and Ramsey have performed below par
and below expectations at Juve and  that Juve's midfield,
with the addition on the roster of two powerful strikers,
like Chiesa and Vlahovic, needs rebuilding in a way that
would better serve the needs and connect and coordinate
with the current powerful attacking formation. About
Kean, I am not entirely certain, but it is true that more
had been expected. But, I am rather surprised by, and
disappointed with, the decision concerning the other
three players in that list, who, in my view, are key
contributors and Juve could build a powerful team
around them, if their skills and capabilities are used
and exploited in the right way (and Max can certainly
do this). Alex at the left back, but also with his more
attacking orientation, not unlike Juan on the right side,
Federico as a powerful midfielder, also with an attacking
orientation, and, of course, Paulo, who can play a critical
role just behind the two forwards and both assist in and
create chances, as well as score himself, would be very
hard to replace and would call for an almost radical
revamping. The best way to rebuild is to do so gradually
and progressively; not try to get rid of and replace all
at once those players that keep the team, and its spirit
and style of play, vibrant and who show passion and
virtuosity, when given the opportunity and chances.
FORZA JUVE!!

The AZZURRI will be back and they will, again
one day, play miracles. But, for now, we have to
survive and to start rebuilding in the grim reality
described by Daniele Verri on BBC Sport.
 

Italy had a marvelous team. Right now, I would say
that it is one of the best teams in Europe together
with England and France. However, as Jorginho
points out, the superb and the exquisite in today's
football is all in the finishing and the detail and, in
that, both Coach Mancini and his Team failed and
failed rather catastrophically. For us, the fans of the
Azzurri, who find it difficult to switch allegiances,
but also, in my view, for the entire footballing class
and for the quality of the most beautiful sport of
the Planet, Italy's absence from Qatar 2022 is a
disappointing, lamentable and disastrous event.


I would like to warn Juventus against hiring Rüdiger for
two reasons. First, he may be really good when he plays
at top form, but he has exhibited volatility and variations
in his game and, for a defender, it is best to have someone
consistent and very good, than someone inconsistent and
excellent. Second, Juve does not need reinforcements at
the defensive line right now (with De Sciglio, De Ligt,
Bonucci, Chiellini, Rugani, Pellegrini and Sandro) and,
when it is time to bid farewell to Giorgio and Leo, then
we should look at the domestic market and try to get two
excellent defenders (possibly of the Azzurri) for the price
of one "super star". Be careful on how you handle these
transfers. If a mistake is made, then we get stuck with it
for many years (and usually lose on the resale) and it is
not something that should be taken lightly and that can
be corrected pronto (even if Jeep sells well...).


If it was up to me, I would play
                           Perin
De Sciglio Chiellini De Ligt Pellegrini
Cuadrado Bernardeschi Dybala Rabiot
             Vlahovic        Kean
but, of course, it is not up to me, but up
to Max to decide, and he knows best.
FORZA JUVE!!
 
 


I hear that Juan and Paulo had a disagreement/altercation
with Max at Juve's offices. They are both key players in the
effort the team is making to improve and achieve something
better this year in the Serie A and the Coppa Italia and, in
the coming year, hopefully, also in the Champions League.
They should also remember that Max is a very good coach
and that, hopefully, he will also be, with them, part of this
equation, part of the team that will be entrusted with this
demanding and difficult task. Mutual respect, solidarity and
mutual support are necessary and indispensable; mindless
arguments and friction which help no one and would lead the
team into even darker places than it is in right now should be
avoided at all costs, despite the understandable frustrations.
I know that each individual's career is important and that
they all want to be part of a winning whole, but JUVE is
above all else, and it is everyone's privilege, duty and
responsibility to strive to become members of a winning
team by working all harmoniously and with determination
together... WE CAN DO THIS! IT MUST BE DONE!


Μπράβο, Μίλτο! Μπράβο, Μαρία! Μπράβο και στα
άλλα παιδιά που κάνουν μεγάλη προσπάθεια στο στίβο
στο Βελιγράδι, ακόμα κι αν δεν τα καταφέρουν για
κάποιο μετάλιο. Η προσπάθεια και ο αγώνας τους για
ό,τι καλύτερο μας συγκινεί, ανεξαρτήτως αποτελέσματος.
  

Juve was scattered in the four winds and utterly
humiliated. The dream was definitely much rosier
than raw reality, as good, uplifting dreams usually
are... Too bad... Juve deserves much better, but
Juve needs a lot of work, serious rethinking,
deliberate re-planning, and some reconstruction.


Usually I wake up vaguely remembering a nightmare,
or sometimes in the middle of one. But this morning
it was a different daybreak, and because of its rarity,
and its content, it felt pleasant and happy. I was with
a close friend watching live inside the Juventus Stadium,
standing on the side of Andrea, the match between
Juve and Villareal. It was very close to the end of the
first half and Juve, despite having played an impressive
and powerful game, was 0-1 down, when suddenly,
Moise scored. We were all so happy and Andrea stepped
out to the refreshment stand and brought back a few
beers to celebrate. Then, the whole group embarked on
a lively discussion, all with the certainty that victory in
the second half would ensue, but debating whether,
because of the exquisite performance, two more would
follow to secure victory or one would be enough. Then
the alarm rang. I hope that tomorrow evening the
outcome is positive, and, if I was to make a prediction,
besides Moise, on whom I would bet based on the
dream, I hope that Juan and either Alvaro or Dusan
also score to make it in the end a 3-1 victory at home
and advance to the quarter-finals.

Something is telling me that Salah is as powerful
as he is because the style of play at Liverpool suits
his own particular talents and skills. If he leaves
and goes to a team whose style and whose players
do not fit as well to what he needs and what he is
good at, he may find himself less impressive, with
more money in the short term, but with a tainted
reputation, less effectiveness and, ultimately, less
money in the longer term. I hope that he is not
mindlessly and easily swayed by his parasitical
manager, who, of course, would like to pocket more
from a possible transfer, as they always do, often-
times to the detriment of the players they manage,
and always motivated by unacceptable, despicable
ulterior motives, with no obligation whatsoever
to moderate their own vigorish and profits for the
good of their clients, who are the ones of any worth
at all in the first place.


FORZA JUVE!!
 
  
 
 
 
 

Bravo, Juve!! To add a couple of words, continue
on the same path with other excellent key players,
like Mattia and Paulo. We need to offload players
that do not give their best to the Club and whose
effectiveness is lackluster on average, at best, such
as some of the midfielders; not the most successful
and most hardworking ones, like Mattia and Paulo.
Renew their contracts soon, before it is too late and
we regret it, to show also that they are very much
valued and their efforts appreciated. Let us, also,
try to get some of the centrocampisti of the Azzurri,
if at all possible. It might cost a bit, but, along with
Bernardeschi, Locatelli, Dybala and Zakaria, they
may help us become an even better team next season.
FORZA JUVE!!


I did not watch multiple times or very carefully the
replay of the first goal of Real against PSG, but I
thought that Gigio, admittedly at fault in terms of
his risk-taking, might have had a valid claim when
he complained about Karim's pushy interference.
I understand that the pressure that Karim exerted
would have been acceptable against any of the ten
players in the field, but, usually a keeper enjoys
special privileges and special protection against
roughing and, in my view, this may have been one
of those cases that a foul could have been justifiable.
In another, completely different vein, until last
night I was very fond of Mbappe. However, the
trick (or shall we say the Maradonism or Neymarism)
that he attempted for fooling the referee at the last
couple of minutes of stoppage time (and this despite
the obvious fact that such attempts are mostly doomed
in the era of VARs) significantly diminished my
respect and made me think that one cannot avoid
the price to be paid for being a teammate of Neymar
and tempted to use the same shenanigans, i.e., death-
like screams, deathly-like dives and Oscar-level
performances invoking excruciating pain and
suffering. Credit to Real and Karim, even though
the team is, in quality, far from its glory days, but,
at least, they have a true maestro orchestrating the
strategy and the performance, and it shows.
 
 

I call on CBS to seriously rethink their inappropriate
decision not to show any Champions League matches
on the main channels on Tuesday and Wednesday, the
15th and 16th of March, respectively. It is still time to
do the Right Thing and show either Ajax-Benfica or
Manchester United-Atletico Madrid on Tuesday and
Juve-Villareal on Wednesday. When it comes to games
like these, no channel, which has obtained the rights,
but, also, undertaken the responsibility, to showcase
Competitions of that caliber in our United States,
has the right to evade its commitments or hesitate
and disappoint its viewers by unbecoming decisions.

It is only fair to admit that Liverpool did not have
luck on their side last evening, given that they hit
thrice the post in situations where it was more likely
to score than to miss. On the other hand, OOWOO!!
Inter! INTER!! What a team! With the passion and
the heart they showed on the pitch and the effort
they put in, even when down to 10, they must be
given absolute credit. From Bastoni and Dumfries
and Skriniar to Calhanoglu and Perisic to Arturo
and Alexis and Lautaro and all the other kids and,
of course, Simone, directing and coordinating an
impeccable and enviable performance... OOWOO!!
BRAVO, INTER!! CREDIT TO YOU ALL!!
 

What I am reading in this article about the performance
of Manchester United and the condemnation of the attitude
and the lack of feistiness of several of its players is exactly
what I felt the other day about Juve, and some of its
players, while watching the Coppa Italia match against
Fiorentina (despite the undeserved win). And, at least
at Manchester, they have Ronaldo to blame, who is, as
was at Juve, all over the place and with his behaviors,
egoism and shenanigans, damages the peace and the
calmness and the focus that a team, as an entire whole,
should enjoy before an important game. But, at Juve,
we have no one, except our own unwillingness to sweat
and lack of dedication, to blame for subpar, unacceptable
performances. In view of the Champions League match
against Villareal, the ongoing fight for the best possible
in Serie A and the second leg of Coppa Italia against
the Viola, there is no room for laxity and carelessness.
Every member of the team has to give everything he
has, has to follow Max's instructions and combine and
co-operate with teammates in an exemplary way.
FORZA JUVE!! Let's do it!!


I tre attaccanti of Sassuolo that any team would be
proud to include in its roster. Andrea, Pavel and Max
should be looking at the domestic market, instead of
overspending for foreign players, like Pogba, whose
contributions are doubtful and who, often, create
trouble and cause frictions through their super-in-
flated egos, unreasonable demands and expectations,
and uncontrollable behaviors...


Juve was a total mess yesterday. The Viola were
a much superior team and deserved to win, but
it is not always the best that win a match, and
luck was on the Vecchia Signora's side in the
end. In the first half, Juve was unorganized,
and its midfield, with the exception of Locatelli,
not even capable of holding the ball, let alone
passing and organizing, unsuitable even for a
Serie B game. In the second half, the fact that
the entrance of Juan changed the performance
so dramatically and, seemingly, was worth more
than the other midfielders' efforts combined,
is a testimony that Rabiot, Arthur and Ake are
either not capable or are unwilling to move their
legs, press with all their might and consistently
sweat and give it all for Juve... Such players,
should be off loaded and let choose the next
goal in their career, a team for which they are
willing to play with dedication and passion,
unlike what they are offering at Juve. In my
view, with the exception of De Ligt and De
Sciglio at the back, Locatelli (and, of course,
Juan) in the midfield, and the two attackers,
plus Perin, who may not be World-class, but
is very good and steady (unlike some World-
class keepers, who do not inspire confidence,
because of inconsistencies), the performance
overall was disappointing and a strong message
to Max that, unless some things change and
the team sweat their shirts, we will find our-
selves in the difficult position of not being at
the Coppa Italia Final game this season...

A good game last evening at the San Siro, where
Milan and Inter tied goalless in the first leg of the
first semifinal of Coppa Italia. Tonight, Juve is
facing Fiorentina in the second semifinal.
FORZA JUVE!!


Μπράβο, Άννα!


To laugh or to cry? That is the question... The degree of
imbecility and the total inability to learn from their and
from others' mistakes is stupefying. It leaves one totally
speechless, as if this decision is made by a robotic or AI
malfunction and not by any human intelligence or by
human beings... The Olympic fiascos meant nothing to
those greedy, avaricious parasites.

What can I say? Those brothers of ours, inhabiting a certain
Island up north, who have disappointed us deeply in the not
so distant past by doubting the value of unity and solidarity,
really know how to enjoy the most beautiful game on earth!


FORZA JUVE!!
 
 
 

I know that most likely this is not true for Pedro
Martins, but it is true, in general, from the vibe
in the media, that Olympiacos underestimated
the power of Atalanta. First, Serie A is one of
the strongest leagues on the planet and, as a
result, every team in Serie A is competing at
such a high level that it is almost as if taking
part in a top European game every weekend.
Compare this with the level of the Superleague,
one of the weakest, probably, competitions in
the World. Second, despite all the injuries and
the troubles that Atalanta has faced recently,
it has not been diminished to a level anywhere
nearly comparable to Olympiacos. We are
talking about teams whose roster qualities
are incomparable, almost to the point of day
and night. It is advisable and very constructive
and helpful that teams which are clearly below
the level of their opponents stay cognizant and
focused. I think that was the case in a previous
year's game against Arsenal, and that is why
the outcome (and the tactics and performance)
were so much different.


UEFA and FIFA have to send a clear message to
Russia and Belarus. When a State contravenes
international law and invades another State and
tries via the use of force to change borders and
to impose its political will, there cannot be business
as usual in other sectors of its life, like athletics
and entertainment. Both Russian and Belarusian
teams have to be banned from European Leagues
and Competitions and the Russian Football
Association thrown out of UEFA. One cannot
accept, under the old argument that punishing
clubs and players targets people non-responsible
for the havoc, that in sports and where it concerns
income, pleasure and fun, Russia can participate
unhindered, but in pain and destruction, where
it chooses, it can cause them unpunished and
unsanctioned to its "playing partners". One
cannot have their pie and eat it too. I call on
UEFA to not only consider moving the Final
of the Champions League but to suspend the
Russian Federation's Membership and ban all
Russian and Belarusian teams from all major
European club competitions in the year to come.
Send a very clear and strong message that cowboy
and bandit mentality and the wild west view in
contemporary politics, and under the modern
World Order, are not acceptable or tolerated,
not only in international relations but also in
sports and entertainment.


Nicolo Zaniolo would be an excellent addition
to Juve's roster, in view, especially, of the rumored
departure of Morata this summer. On the other
hand, the move to give Bernardeschi up to Roma,
as part of an exchange, is not sound. Federico is
a key player for Juve's midfield and/or attack,
a very good and very versatile player. If I had
a choice, I would either do without Arthur or
without Rabiot rather than without Federico.


It seems that, in tennis, the pressure to stay at the top
and the inhumane drive and greed to win the huge
amounts of prize money that are at stake at every
single tournament are so enormous that many players
cannot handle them and cannot withstand them and
resort to questionable or outright inappropriate
behaviors. Not to mention that the collegiality and
friendliness that one would expect between athletes
belonging to an exclusive club is becoming rarer and
rarer, almost disappearing by the wayside... Too bad
and too sad that the outfits in charge are doing nothing
to temper this unsustainable situation, except impose
sanctions and fines when it is too late and when events
get out of hand. We are not simply talking about
someone becoming passionate or simply upset or
a breaching of the rules here; we are talking instead
of converting decent human beings into psychological
wrecks and decrepits and into aggressive animals.




FORZA JUVE!!
 

I feel neither sympathy nor anger at Kamila
Valieva. Even though, even at 15, one should
have a better conception of her surroundings
and the situation she finds herself in, what is
most certain is that she is a product and a
part of a despicable, ruthless, sick and corrupt
system from the foundation to the surface.
Where indignation and anger should clearly
be directed is at the top of the sports establi-
shment and sports authorities and medical
authorities in Russia that, despite previous
outcry and condemnation, are still walking
on the same path and, of course, at the
international sports authorities, the "olympic"
outfits and those gangs at sports' "courts",
which, for exclusively monetary reasons
and for the sake of profit, do not want to
shake things and to displease people and
organizations that should be displeased
in order to force change, because they see
and perceive keeping the status quo as their
best bet to maintain privileges, their parasitical
status and their fortunes intact and undiminished.
RETURN THE OLYMPICS PERMANENTLY
TO GREECE, WHERE THEY BELONG, AS
A LAST DITCH EFFORT TO MAINTAIN A
SEMBLANCE ON DECENCY & INTEGRITY.


With all due respect to Aris, when one hears
from new coaches such loud and, in a sense,
utopic and absurd declarations, it makes one
feel that, on the one hand, the person is not
at all familiar with Greek conditions and with
how the Greek football and the Greek Super-
league work and, on the other, based on this
first impression, that the person has to be
reminded that talk is easy and cheap and
that the fans should not hold their breath
expecting dramatic changes and/or radical
improvements...


Liverpool, as everyone knows, is formidable.
But, after this evening, we'll find out if one
could still claim that Inter are "unfancied"
in Europe... As the morph used to say, "we
have to wait (for a few more hours) and see".


By adopting these ridiculous decisions, they embolden
the culprits and make them shameless and ruthless to
the point of mocking the international community and
not caring at all about truth and decency... Bravo, CAS,
the exact right decision all around and with immediate
positive, amazing and inspiring consequences... teaching
a young girl that getting fixed and lying about it is OK
and perfectly in line and consistent with existing practices
and with business as usual... As long as the medals, the
sponsorships, the praise and money flow... BRAVO, CAS!


BRAVO, CAS! Everyone under 18 may be turbo
doped, but all are protected and can compete!!
Bravo, CAS!! The exact right message all around!


Θα το παλέψει η Μαρία, πάντα με το χαμόγελο
στα χείλη και με το πείσμα, τη δύναμη και την
ψυχή που μας έχει συνηθίσει. Και αν δε νικήσει,
το ίδιο θα είναι για 'μας, πάλι θα τη θαυμάσουμε
και θα τη χειροκροτήσουμε. Η ούτως ή άλλως
μας έχει αφήσει όλους με το στόμα ανοικτό...
Και ο Μίλτος, μόλις διαβάζω, πέταξε πάλι
μακριά... Μπράβο, Μίλτο!


If international organizations, which care only about
fattening their pockets and enriching the parasites
based on Switzerland, gave a rat's a** in the first
place about ethical considerations, fair competition
and the health and well-being of athletes, they would
have never allowed this travesty of a state-sponsored
and state-organized doping apparatus being a part
of the games under a supposedly "timorous banner"
of ROC. But, by doing this, they have sent a clear
message that doping is tolerated and that, if you are
caught practicing it (IF), then the most that one would
expect to happen is that, instead of your taking part
in the games as Russian Federation, you would take
part as Federation of Russia so that you would feel
ashamed and repentant (even though you did not
have any such feelings of guilt when actually getting
and distributing the dope)... What a shame... What
a ridiculous and detestable and embarrassing system.
RETURN THE OLYMPICS BACK TO GREECE,
WHERE THEY BELONG, ON A PERMANENT
BASIS. This is the only way some of the fundamental
underlying values may still be preserved, and an effort
in earnest be made for them to be safeguarded & upheld.


Stefanos in the Final at Rotterdam also!


St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy. February 13, 2022.
 

Bravo Max!! Forza Juve!!

I see a predicted line-up for the Coppa game against
Sassuolo: Perin; De Sciglio, Bonucci, Rugani, Pellegrini;
McKennie, Arthur, Locatelli; Cuadrado, Kaio Jorge, Morata.
It is strong; I would only replace Arthur with Dybala and
Jorge with either Kean or Vlahovic. With these replacements,
the team will be in turbo mode, super powerful. No offense
to the two players mentioned (Arthur and Jorge), but they
have not yet proven that they are good fits for Juve's needs.
FORZA JUVE!!

Good vibes from St. Petersburg...


Μακάρι να γίνει αυτό το περιστατικό αφορμή να
δίνουν οι φίλαθλοι ραντεβού πριν τα παιχνίδια όχι
για ξυλοδαρμούς και για να βγάλουν τ'απωθημένα
τους οι μεν εναντίον των δε, αλλά για ένα καφέ
και μια μπύρα, για ένα καλαμπούρι και για μια
μεγάλη αγκαλιά πριν τη χαρά και τη διασκέδαση
που προσφέρει ένας αγώνας. Και μετά, αφού δουν
ένα παιχνίδι μαζί, πάλι να γυρίζουν αγαπημένα
και προστατεύοντας οι μεν τους δε, ο καθένας
στο σπίτι του ασφαλής πριν το νέο ραντεβού,
και πάλι μαζί, για το επόμενο Σαββατοκύριακο...
Κι όμως, κάτι μου λέει ότι στην Πατρίδα μας
(και όχι μόνο) απέχουμε παρασάγγας απ' αυτόν
τον αθλητικό παράδεισο και ότι, δυστυχώς, θα
θρηνήσουμε πολλούς ακόμα Άλκηδες προτού
βάλουμε όλοι μυαλό, προτού συνειδητοποιή-
σουμε ότι δεν είναι μόνο ανάγκη ο σεβασμός
στον Άνθρωπο, κάθε άνθρωπο, αλλά είναι και
κάτι που, σε αντίθεση με το ξύλο και τη βαρβα-
ρότητα, κάνει τη ζωή μας πολύ καλύτερη γιατί
κάνει κι εμάς και τους γύρω μας πολύ πιο
εύχαρεις και πολύ πιο ευτυχισμένους...


Juve is starting 2022 with a better roster (in the details)
than it had in the first half of the season. At the back,
probably one of the best defending formations in the
World, with double power in every position, a solid
midfield formation without excessive light weight (after
good transfer moves during the break) and a powerful
attacking formation (hampered, unfortunately,  by the
injury of Chiesa), with Dybala moderating and wingers,
such as McKennie and Kean, adding power and, up front
Morata or Vlahovic forming a very dangerous tip. I hope
that today, against Verona at the Juventus Stadium, the
power of this team will shine through once more.
 
 
 

FORZA JUVE!!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


"It's an unfortunate comment and a very bad message to
the people of Cameroon. I think he forgot that Cameroonian
people died at the stadium several days ago, and so making
this declaration of war before one game shows that he learned
nothing from his time in professional football.
It was a very, very unfortunate comment, because football
is not about war, it's about celebration, joy and happiness.
We are going to answer to war with football, we're going to
answer football with joy; We're here to please the people, not
to make people die, but to give them fun and some joy.
There are people who are starving whose only moment of
happiness is when their team wins a match; So to challenge
the Cameroon team to come and play war against us is
something I have to leave to CAF, because one comment
like this is a red card.
War is to protect people who die in the doors of the stadiums,
people who don't have food to eat -- that is war."


Juve did the right thing to sell Bentancur and
Kulusevski. What troubles me is that we pay
too much to bring players in, but we seem to
be selling for too little to offload players. Are
we taken for suckers by managers and para-
sites? Is there someone responsible in Juve to
oversee that both our sells and our buys are
done at reasonable fees and market prices?
I should add that it is better to lose out in
signing even a good fit and a good player than
being coerced to pay exorbitant prices for them.
Let them go somewhere else and, when the buyer
realizes they overpaid, we can sign them the next
time around at a reasonable price. Exactly as
others did against us when we were taken for
suckers in the Ronaldo fiasco...


New low for U.S. TV. Sunday January 30, 2022,
3:05pm, with 300 channels and nothing on, the
despicable sports channels are not showing live
the very important game Canada-U.S.A. for
the World Cup Qualifiers. When are these
disgraceful channels, that are an insult for the
reputation of the most beautiful sport in our
United States, going to place, at last, someone
who has an idea of what football is all about in
charge of programming and scheduling??


Juve clearly needed reinforcements in its attacking
formation after Chiesa's unfortunate injury. So the
acquisition of Vlahovic from the Viola is a welcome
and needed move. But, truth to be told, the price was
not right and the expenditure was extravagant. I do
not think that the people responsible at the Vecchia
Signora learned or absorbed the lessons from the
"Ronaldo fiasco", even though, admittedly, this move
is much more appropriate and a much better fit to the
current needs of the club than that haphazard and
ill-conceived disaster.


They gather like concubines when the sultan asks
to see them all in the harem to enjoy live his newly
acquired possessions... That the trip is totally uncalled
for and totally irrelevant, not a word about, of course.
Shame to Howe, shame all around... What a disgrace...


With Cuadrado and Locatelli on the right and
Sandro going up on the left, Juve looks good.
And, if the choice of Kulusevski and Morata
does not pan out, there are Dybala and McKennie
on the bench that can come in for support and
make the scheme even more dangerous. Juve
should get this. FORZA JUVE!!

I think that Bernardeschi and Locatelli should have
been starting. The middle of the center, as is, looks
rather weak against an opponent playing 3-5-2. The
defense has to be very solid to absorb the pressure.
FORZA JUVE!!
 
 

Juventus, despite losing the supercoppa in extra time
last night, played with heart and determination and
deserve the greatest of praises. What we saw on the
field was a team that is focused and organized and
that certainly does not deserve being below the top
four spots in the Serie A table. In my view, it is a team
with tremendous potential and will keep improving
and fighting for its rightful position as time goes by.
BRAVO TO MAX AND ALL THE PLAYERS THAT
FOUGHT TO THE END! They deserved to win, but
the match was decided in a detail, and could have
gone either way. FORZA JUVE!!


Mud, pure mud, and more mud. More and more lies,
and empty apologies to clear lies, and much less truth.
Worthless statements... And all this because some
people (in the 21st Century no less) put religion and
herbs and the healing power of the universe (!!) above
science and medicine. What can anyone say? That
Humanity, despite appearances, has been developing,
mentally at least, at a snail's pace?


Another sad day for the footballing community.
Ahmet Calik is with us no more...


Καλή Τύχη, Χάρη, και ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΟΥΜΕ ΓΙΑ ΟΛΑ!!


WHAT A GAME!! FORZA JUVE!!
 
 
 


It is reported that the climate at Juve is not the best.
It is not the right time now for friction and enmities.
Keep it all together and stay focused because the race
is still on. Here is what I would like to see, based on
what I have already seen:
De Sciglio Rugani de Ligt Pellegrini
Cuadrado Bernardeschi Locatelli Sandro
              Chiesa            Dybala
McKennie and Kean are also in good form, but
Alvaro, as I saw him against Napoli, does not seem
to be in top form right now (or is thinking about the
purported move to Barcelona too much) and, perhaps
should be given a rest today. Let's stay focused! Let's
GIVE ALL WE GOT! FORZA JUVE!!


This should not have happened, however much money
was offered. He's only 30 years old and a European
Champion, for goodness' sake... There must have been
better choices than this, albeit a bit less lucrative.


Τελικά το έχει αυτό το παιδί... Αποδεικνύεται μέγας
αρχιτσογλαναράς και μας τη βγαίνει κι από πάνω ως
εθνοσωτήρας, εθνομάρτυρας και ήρωας-υπερασπιστής
των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων και ελευθεριών. Σα δε
ντρεπόμαστε... Δε μας χέ**ς ρε Νταλάρα...


I hear from leeches and parasites, like Gianni
Infantino, that the reason they want to increase
the numbers and/or the frequency of the World
Cup and of the Euro is because many more
countries are involved and playing football
now than used to be the case years ago. I am
wondering why is it so difficult for these leeches
and parasites to admit that, in expressing these
opinions, they have a clear conflict of interest,
and that a lot of money, for them personally
and for their "organizations", are at stake,
which is the major factor motivating their
"opinions" and their "plans". Perhaps it is
so hard because they know this is the plain
truth and, if it is admitted, their "opinion"
would not be considered as seriously or would
be outright dismissed. The issue here, when so
many nations are involved and have an interest
in football, is not to allow each and every one of
them to play at final competitions, no matter
how bad they are and how low their quality of
football is, but to give everyone the chance to
qualify, if they are good enough, and this is
already happening. There is nothing that needs
tampering with or fixing. Those teams that deserve
to be there are there. Why would a team that
cannot beat enough opponents in the qualifying
stage to finish in a qualifying position be allowed
to participate and lessen the quality, the interest
and the level of competition at a major phase of
a tournament, just to fatten the pockets of a greedy,
gangsterous and parasitical outfit and its bosses?
There is nothing else in this push other than
cold-blooded calculation of profit and revenue.
It is time that National Associations resist much
more vocally and fiercely, fire Infantino and his
stooges and associates and implode FIFA.


If Morata decides to leave for Barcelona, then Juve
should look primarily at the Italian market and
gauge whether it would be possible to get one of
the strikers of the Azzurri. E.g., the other day, it
was rumored that Insigne is not renewing at Napoli
and looking into, perhaps, moving to Toronto.
Why not at Juve, instead of Toronto? And we
should also keep our eyes firmly on Gigio, who
is also rumored to be seeking a way out of PSG.
 

A lamentable situation and bad news all around...
He threw Juve completely off balance, he played a
critical role in firing Ole, and now is disorienting
and throwing United off balance. But, when some
one gets the fame and reputation and starts selling,
agents, managers and other parasites, with clear
conflicts of interest and substantial stakes in making
enormous profits, have a hard time admitting that
they are not proposing or selling an advantage, but
rather a burden and a heavy load, with dire conse-
quences, some predictable and some unforeseen,
for the tricked buyer.

Άστα να πάνε... Κλάφτα Χαράλαμπε... Κακά μαντάτα...
Διέλυσε τη Γιούβε, απέλυσε τον Όλε και πάει προς διάλυση
και τη Γιουνάϊτεντ, αλλά όταν κάποιος βγάλει τ'όνομα και
τη φήμη και αρχίσει να πουλάει, δύσκολο να αποδεχτούν
και να παραδεχτούν διάφοροι ατζέντηδες, παράγοντες και
άλλα ποδοσφαιρικά παράσιτα απο δω κι από κει, με προ-
φανή ιδιοτέλεια και άκρα σύγκρουση συμφερόντων, ότι,
αντί να πουλάνε πλεονέκτημα, προωθούν ένα βαρίδι με
πάρα πολλές δυσάρεστες συνέπειες για τον αγοραστή.


FORZA AZZURRI!!


Κατερίνα, εκτός από τα αποτελέσματα σε επίσημες
διοργανώσεις, όταν έχει να κάνει κανείς με βραβεία,
πρέπει να τα εκλαμβάνει και με λίγο χιούμορ και
κάποια ευδιαθεσία και ανεκτικότητα. Φυσικά και
είναι πολύ δύσκολο να πεις αν κάποιος σε ένα άθλημα
Α είναι καλύτερος από κάποιον σε ένα άθλημα Β κ.λ.π.
Είναι, κατά κάποιο τρόπο, σα να συγκρίνουμε μήλα
με πορτοκάλια, πόσο μάλλον που ακόμα και όταν
αναφερόμαστε σε αποτελέσματα επίσημων αγώνων
και διοργανώσεων, ενδέχεται ο νικητής να μη είναι
ο καλύτερος ή αυτός που έχει κάνει τη μεγαλύτερη
προσπάθεια, αφού στη νίκη συντελούν πραγματικά
πολλοί παράγοντες, όπως η τύχη, η κατάσταση ενός
ατόμου ή μιας ομάδας τη συγκεκριμένη χρονική
στιγμή κ.λ.π. Οπότε απόρησα λίγο με τα σχόλια
που έγιναν, και ειδικά από κάποιαν που περίμενα
ότι θα είχε επίγνωση της περιορισμένης σημασίας
αυτών των βραβείων, και της συγκέντρωσης, της
αυταπάρνησης, των θυσιών, του κόπου και της
προσπάθειας που κάνουν όλα τα παιδιά, είτε είναι
σε Ολυμπιακούς Αγώνες ή σε τουρνουά ή σε Κύπελλα,
Πρωταθλήματα και ούτω καθεξής. Είναι κρίμα να
μην αναγνωρίζονται όλοι, ανεξαρτήτως επιτυχιών,
και να μην χειροκροτούμε όλους με γενναιοδωρία,
ειδικά δε εσείς που ξέρετε από πρώτο χέρι ότι, είτε
είναι ο Μίλτος, είτε είναι ο Λευτέρης, είτε είναι
η Μαρία ή ο Στέφανος ή τα παιδιά των ομάδων
μας ή παίκτες, όπως ο Γιάννης και ο Κώστας, ή
και όλοι και όλες εσείς που κοπιάσατε και δώσατε
τα πάντα στο Τόκιο και αλλού, αξίζετε όλοι, για τις
θυσίες, το κουράγιο, τον κόπο και την προσπάθεια,
ένα μεγάλο ΜΠΡΑΒΟ και μία μεγάλη επιβράβευση.
Έχει πραγματικά ελάχιστη σημασία να σας βάλουμε
σε ζυγαριά και να βγάλουμε, δίκαια ή άδικα, κάποιον
ή κάποια πρώτο/η και κάποιον ή κάποια δεύτερο/η,
και θα ήταν κρίμα να αγνοήσουμε ή να παραβλέψουμε
ως ελάσσονος σημασίας, π.χ., τον αγώνα, τον κόπο και
την αγωνία τόσων προπονητών απλά και μόνο επειδή
οι αμάδες τους και/ή τα παιδιά που προπονούν δεν
μπόρεσαν φέτος να διακριθούν...
ΚΑΛΑ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥΓΕΝΝΑ και τις ΚΑΛΥΤΕΡΕΣ
ΕΥΧΕΣ για ΥΓΕΙΑ, ΕΥΤΥΧΙΑ και ΕΠΙΤΥΧΙΕΣ
σε όλους και σε όλες τη ΝΕΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΑ 2022.
 

Συγχαρητήρια και ΜΠΡΑΒΟ σε όλους τους αθλητές και
τις αθλήτριες και όλους τους προπονητές που διακρίθηκαν
φέτος με τα βραβεία του ΠΣΑΤ. Ήταν πραγματικά μία πολύ
αποδοτική και πλούσια χρονιά. Ποιούς να πρωτοαναφέρει
κανείς, με μεγάλο φόβο ότι θα αφήσει έξω πολλούς αθλητές/
αθλήτριες και προπονητές που όλοι αξίζουν μνεία, αλλά ας
μας συγχωρέσουν, ώστε να αναφέρουμε μερικούς από την
κορυφή: Από τους αθλητές μας ο Γιάννης, ο Μίλτος και
ο Στέφανος, από τις αθλήτριές μας η Μαρία, η Άννα και η
Κατερίνα, από τους προπονητές μας ο Θοδωρής, ο Γιώργος
και ο Χάρης, και ας μην ξεχνάμε και τα ομαδικά, με μεγάλες
διακρίσεις και χαρές, την Εθνική μας Ομάδα Πόλο και τα
Κορίτσια του Πόλο του Ολυμπιακού μας. Στην τριάδα είναι
και η ομάδα Χάντμπολ της ΑΕΚ, της οποίας, δυστυχώς, την
πορεία δεν είχα την τύχη να παρακολουθήσω.
ΜΠΡΑΒΟ ΣΕ ΟΛΟΥΣ ΚΑΙ ΣΕ ΟΛΕΣ, που έδωσαν, και
δίνουν, τα πάντα για επιτυχίες και διακρίσεις, ακόμα κι αν
αυτές δεν ήρθαν. Πάντα χειροκροτούμε την αφοσίωση, το
ήθος, τον κόπο, τον αγώνα και την προσπάθεια και θαυμά-
ζουμε και υποστηρίζουμε, ανεξαρτήτως αποτελέσματος.

FORZA JUVE!!
 

Bravo to the girls of Olympiacos Water Polo for bringing
the Super Cup home. For the last several years they have
gotten us used to unbelievable successes in international
competitions at the highest level, and this year they made
sure to repeat the feat and fill us again with pride and joy.
BRAVO, GIRLS!!
 

FORZA JUVE!!
 
 

I am so excited about, and looking forward to following,
the NCAA Volleyball Final tonight. My two most favorite
teams, multiple of whose games this season I have watched
on the BIG10 Network, have made it both to the Final.
Obviously, all of the girls are among the best players in the
Nation, and it is a joy watching both sides play, their
camaraderie, their focus, their individual skills, their
coordination and their game strategies. Geographically
speaking, I feel very close to both teams, not only because
both States are among the flagship states in our Mid-West,
but also because Nebraska borders Iowa in the West and
Wisconsin borders Michigan in the West. The only reason
I favor slightly more the Huskers is because of the calm
and reassuring demeanor and tone of their head coach,
John Cook, whom also it is a joy to observe on the sideline,
directing and encouraging the girls and using challenges
very wisely, in a deliberate way. I should not let a false
impression linger, however, that I do not like Coach
Sheffield and his work with the Badgers. Clearly, a
coach that directs a team to the National Finals is not
to be questioned or judged lightly, especially by non-
experts, let alone by someone with only a cursory and
rather superficial knowledge of the sport and what it
takes to form a winning side. It is only a matter of gut
feeling, of personality, of subjective taste and of rather
individual idiosyncracy, and personal preference, not
a judgment in any way. My Admiration and Respect for
both Coaches and for all the Girls is strong and given.
 
 


Excellent choices again by Max! Up the left flank
Pellegrini, Locatelli and Bernardeschi and up the
right De Sciglio, Rabiot and Cuadrado, with Leo
and De Ligt at the back, and Dybala and Morata
up front. To me it seems like Juve has the best
players on Earth. We must capitalize.
FORZA JUVE!!
  
 
Unfortunately, Juve could not keep up the tempo
of the first half and the same intensity in the second
half and a steep price in the race for the top four was
paid - a price that Juve cannot afford any longer...

FORZA JUVE!!


New low for soccer coverage in the United States.
As we were thinking that things could not get much
worse, CBS, which has the TV rights for the major
European club competitions, is showing on CBS
Sports Network not selected games but this awful,
atrocious and detrimental to the sport, Golazo! show.
The charlatans, instead of leaving the review for a
post-game report, they have managed to create an
awful zapping competition during playing time of
the actual competition matches. You know, you
should let someone who knows and appreciates
soccer manage soccer viewing in America. Take
it off the hands of those charlatans that think they
are sitting on their home couches and trying to
decide, amidst the chaos of their wives' and kids'
peculiarities, which channel and which game they
want to watch. Show some soccer games the way
they are supposed to be viewed and admired, not
by depicting your idiocy and your short attention
spans... On the other hand, let me congratulate
NBC Sports Network. Although they do not
show as many games of the premiership as they
possibly could, they, at least, take care to show
those they do properly, as soccer is supposed
to be enjoyed, and with insightful commentary.
BRAVO, NBC!! Shame on the destructive CBS.

FORZA JUVE!!
 

Excellent starting line-up by Max against Atalanta.
FORZA JUVE!!


The issue here is not to try to appease leeches
and irrelevant parasites and engage in PR
campaigns to avoid sanctions against China.
The issue is to do the Right Thing domestically
by China's Citizens and athletes and to make
sure that the State and the official athletic
authorities and organizations stand on the
side of those suffering and being abused and
harassed. And without a satisfactory degree
of transparency (not permitted and controlled
phone or zoom or skype calls), this cannot be
achieved. CHINA, DO THE RIGHT THING
FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR OWN PEOPLE
AND ATHLETES; not to suck up to foreign
leeches and parasites; those do not need your
help and care; they lavishly take care of them-
selves, oftentimes to the detriment of sports
and of moral and ethical obligations.


Juve won at the Olympico and is slowly, but steadily,
climbing up the table to get where it ought to be.
Definitely better decisions in the starting line up,
and better management. Max is edging the team
towards better and better form. FORZA JUVE!!
 

I do not know if Ole gave the green light for
getting Ronaldo. But, from what we have
read and heard, if that happened, he had
been, perhaps unbeknownst to him, digging
his own grave... One cannot succeed when
managing players that would rather have
somebody else replace him.


China has to learn to deal with allegations of
impropriety, be it sexual harassment or any
other form of intimidation both in the work
place and outside, in a constructive way, so
as to help its Citizens to both seek redress
through the Justice system and to grapple
with the physical and psychological consequences
of such despicable acts. Instead of further torture
and intimidation, and of sending emails and making
false statements and declarations on her behalf,
it would have been an excellent opportunity for
the Chinese athletic authorities, starting from
Ms. Peng's allegations, to investigate and send
a clear message to those responsible, and to all
sports officials, that, no matter how high up in
the Party and governing hierarchy any man or
woman happens to be, behaviors like that shall
not be tolerated, and that immediate and decisive
action shall be taken to clear the situation in a
transparent way and attribute blame, when and
where blame is due by imposing tough penalties.
CHINA, DO THE RIGHT THING!


Anett and Garbiñe are crossing swords (or shall we
say rackets) tonight at Guadalajara in the Final of
the WTA tournament.
 

It is a shame that Mancini's squad did not score to
automatically qualify for Qatar from their group.
There is one thing though that should definitely
change in the European Qualifiers. There have
been so many ridiculous scores because there are
in many groups many ridiculously unqualified teams.
It is not proper to have teams that lose 0-10 or 0-6
or 1-7 in a serious qualifying competition for the
World cup and this is, unfortunately, becoming
routine. The best way is to have a pre-qualifying
competition involving only those teams classified
as third tier and below and have only those few
of them that end up first in their groups there
participate in a final qualifying stage among
those teams that are deserving powers. And, if
that is done, then the first two of each of those
groups should qualify directly doing away with
the play-offs. Enough is enough of matches between
teams that are improperly matched and with scores
that are not even pleasant to witness in division 5
of a domestic tournament, let alone serious
competitions for a world class tournament.


WHAT A GAME! Alyna lost focus and wasted too
many points by excessively double-faulting in her
service. But Maria kept her cool and fought tooth
and nail, with sparks of brilliance! Unforgettable!!
ΜΠΡΑΒΟ, ΜΑΡΙΑ!!


FORZA JUVE!!
 

FORZA JUVE!! When all three mavericks score,
then one can tell that something fantastic and something
engaging is happening at Juventus. The team is regaining
its balance and its magic. Let us start with a magnificent
selection and bring in the formidable bench to support.
FORZA JUVE!!


We do not need Pogba at Torino. We should not be
in the business of retrying old and failed recipes
and in bringing in again big personalities and big
egos that spoil the balance of the Team. Juve has
to simply start by using its best, who, right now,
are among the best in the World.

                De Ligt              Chiellini
Cuadrado            Bonucci             Sandro
             Bernardeschi      Locatelli
                             Dybala
                 Chiesa              Morata

and an excellent bench of substitutes to fill-in, if and
when the need arises. FORZA JUVE!!


Juve should have started with Locatelli, Bernardeschi
and McKennie. Unfortunately, a center with Rabiot,
Arthur and Bentancur cannot shoulder the weight of
such a game, a game that should not have been lost...
The best choices have to be made in every game because
now Juve does not have the luxury to take any game
lightly...


How could anyone blame Ole, when they know
very well that, even before the last game, the
performance in the game was compromised
and his position undermined by a certain newly
acquired star being rumored to go around
practically demanding that he be replaced?
I cannot comprehend how people with the
relevant authority can do this. If you do not
want him and the said player is acting under
your auspices, then tell this straight without
mincing your words and pretending that this
is due to latest results. If you do want him, then
deal and impose penalties on the player(s) who
are emboldened to undermine his authority at
the helm. But, in any case, get your act together...


BRAVO, CRYSTAL PALACE!! If the FA will
not only not do its job properly, but spits in the
face of all reason and mocks the Premiership
fans by selling them lies and absurdities as if
they are uncomprehending idiots, then the fans
have every right to call the League out and to
insist that the rules and regulations and the
"ethics" that the League and the Association
stand for on paper and s**t and vomit upon
in practice are upheld without deviation and
without special allowances and special discounts
for the ultra-rich and the super-privileged, who
seem to be able to strong-arm their way through
this leaking structure, no matter how criminally
they behave and how soaked in blood the money
they are trying to whitewash and launder by
involving it in "respectable deals" are.
BRAVO, PALACE!!


Θα ήθελα να πω πάλι μπράβο στο Λευτέρη.
Όλοι κάνουμε λάθη και όλων οι δηλώσεις
μπορεί να είναι ασαφείς ή να παρερμηνευτούν,
απλά γιατί δεν είμαστε τέλειοι ούτε στη σκέψη,
ούτε στη χρήση της γλώσσας.
Το τίμιο και σωστό είναι, εάν και όταν κάτι
τέτοιο συμβεί, να μην υπεκφεύγουμε ή να
απαντάμε αμφισήμαντα ή διφορούμενα,
αλλά να κάνουμε σαφείς και ξεκάθαρες
διευκρινήσεις για τις θέσεις μας. Και αυτή
η δήλωση του Λευτέρη δεν αφήνει κανένα
περιθώριο για αμφιβολίες ή ερωτηματικά.
ΜΠΡΑΒΟ, ΛΕΥΤΕΡΗ!

Είναι πραγματικά κρίμα που βλέπουμε και ακούμε
τέτοια πράγματα... Ρατσιστικά σχόλια από ποδο-
σφαιριστές που μια ζωή παίζουν με συμπαίκτες
και με αντιπάλους όλων των χρωμάτων και θα
έπρεπε να νοιώθουν την αδελφοσύνη μεταξύ όλων
των ανθρώπων, αντι-εμβολιαστικά σχόλια από
παίκτες του τέννις, που όντες πρωταγωνιστές
σε ένα τόσο απαιτητικό άθλημα, θα έπρεπε να
νοιώθουν την ανάγκη για υγεία, αντοχή και δύναμη,
ημι-απαξιωτικά σχόλια για θύματα απανθρωπιάς
και βιαιότητας από αθλητές της γυμναστικής, που
όντες τόσα χρόνια πλησίον τόσων άλλων που έχουν
ταλαιπωρηθεί και υποφέρει, ακόμα κι αν οι ίδιοι
κατά καλή τύχη δεν έγιναν αυτόπτες μάρτυρες
ειδεχθών πράξεων, είμαι σίγουρος, έχοντας
μάτια και αυτιά, έχουν ακούσει και δει συναθλητές
τους και συναθλήτριές τους να υποφέρουν και να
λυγίζουν από την εκμετάλλευση και τον πόνο.
Και να πει κανείς ότι για την αυτοπροβολή τους
χρειάζονται να λένε αηδίες ή να επιδεικνύουν
τα οπίσθιά τους ή τα σπίτια που αγοράζουν
για να έχουν ακολούθους στα κοινωνικά δίκτυα...
αλλά πρόκειται για παιδιά που έχουν αποκτήσει
την φήμη τους και την εκτίμησή μας μέσα από
δυσκολους αγώνες και προσπάθειες και μεγάλες
επιτυχίες... Οπότε το ερώτημα παραμένει: ΓΙΑΤΙ;


FORZA JUVE!!


BREAKING NEWS: If fifa decides to hold the
World Cup every two years, it is reported that
the Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian and Swedish
Associations are considering abandoning fifa.
I wholeheartedly support this move and the
implied red line drawn by those Associations
and I am wondering, where is the FA, where
are the German and the Italian Associations?
Should the most powerful European Associations
not converse with one another and present a united
front and draw together non-negotiable red lines?
Can anyone imagine fifa holding a World Cup
without the European Powerhouses?
...where Qatar and UAE etc. would compete
with Argentina and Brazil? But would the
South American Nations no follow suit in
abandoning fifa if the European Associations
opt out? Move now and move quickly.
The power is not in fifa's hands. The power is
at the grassroots and the power is immense.
If you do it, then fifa will have to embark in a
total full-scale retreat (and the parasites will)
to save the luxurious gifts, the graft and the
bribes that fill their pockets and Swiss coffers...


Juve is doing really well. I saw Max starting with
Bonucci, Chiellini, De Sciglio and Danilo, also
employing Locatelli and Bernardeschi in the
center and all forwards (Chiesa, Dybala, Kean
and Morata) up front. This group are able to
perform miracles. The feeling of relief in having
unloaded Ronaldo is tremendous. I am observing
what he is doing and his selfishness at United and
I am not envious of either his teammates or Ole.
On the one hand, he is whining whenever he does
not start or whenever he is substituted and, on
the other, it is rumored that he has encouraged
the management to get in touch with Zidane!!!...
Can you think of anything more unprofessional
and detrimental to this team and their morale?
Not everything is about him, but I guess he has a
hard time grasping this and behaving accordingly.
I like the freedom that his departure is affording
Max and Juventus in experimenting with various
lineups and in using substitutions in an unfettered
and strategic way, without having one's hands tied
behind one's back and always watching out for one
player's actions and reactions.

Μπράβο στους παίκτες της ΑΕΚ γιατί δεν είναι
μόνο η χαρά και η διασκέδαση που προσφέρει το
ποδόσφαιρο, αλλά και η ευγένεια και η ανθρωπιά
που μπορεί να καλλιεργηθούν, να προαχθούν και
να προβληθούν μέσω του ποδοσφαίρου και των
άλλων αθλημάτων. ΜΠΡΑΒΟ, ΑΕΚ!!


FORZA JUVE!!
 

I agree with Thibaut, even though he is taking naturally
the side of players and does not analyze the situation in
its entirety. Players lose because they are overwhelmed
and get no breaks, fans lose because they end up trying
to follow too many and too insignificant and trivialized
competitions, and football loses because the aura of the
big competitions lessens and because the prestige and
the laurels resting with the champions for a quadrennial
will now tend to mean so much less and will be taken
away by embarking on an incessant cycle of anointing
new champions almost immediately after a huge
investment of time and effort, dedication and passion.
The only - absolutely the only - winners are the redundant
umbrella associations which should not exist, and which
consist of parasites and leeches, in the first place. Totally
disastrous situation in the world of football as it exists
today. The National Associations have to get together
and draw red lines based on input from the real
stakeholders (players, managers and fans) and make
it clear that, should those red lines get crossed, there
will be an implosion of the umbrella organizations
and a decisive banning and abolition of the parasites
and the leeches that plague the world of football today.


It was clear that something was amiss with Mbappe's
goal at the San Siro. France put up a good effort and,
despite the meaningless imbalance in the possession
sheet, they were the better team on the pitch.
However, it always leaves the spectators, regardless of
whether they are sympathetic or not, with a bitter taste
when one team wins, not through fairness, but by a
referee mistake and/or an untoward and unsuitable
decision.


I am actually wondering... are there people on our
Planet that would trust a person, or team, who are
not hesitant to order the butchering of an innocent
man when it suits their interests, and who, I am
sure would not hesitate under similar circumstances
to do it again, to abide by any kind of ethics, rules
and/or principles when it comes to administering
a football club? Is it not as obvious to them as it
is to everybody else that, given such a history, if
and when any bending of the rules, any bribery
or any other buyoff or alternative method, that
would be forbidden and/or unimaginable for any
other person, seems like a good plan to serve their
interests as club owners, they would not hesitate
to execute it? That is why the history of a person
is to be examined thoroughly before he is allowed
to get involved and get mixed up in an enterprise
whose rules and regulations are incompatible with
all indicators and past actions of that person.
The FA and Premiership decisions on this issue
are completely puzzling and incomprehensible
to me, to say the least, but I would not be surprised
at all if some greenbacks or watches or other
commodities and/or luxury items changed hands,
like it happened with the "free", "informed" and
"fair" "choice" of Qatar for "fifa 2022"...


The sell-out of the Premiership continues. No wonder
why the FA is always hesitant and defensive when it
comes to defending football from absurdities and
from the untoward influence of big bucks and from
corruption. Because they are themselves willing and
eager to approve these shady deals and sell-offs of
their domestic clubs to the highest bidder, no matter
how frivolous, ridiculous and totally worthless the
"guarantees" they purport to provide are.
SHAME, TOTAL SHAME... AND PITY THAT
SOME PEOPLE ARE REJOICING WITHOUT
THINKING TWICE & CAREFULLY FIRST...


I am not following the Premiership that closely, but
hiring one of the members of the Italian managerial
pantheon is a powerful move. And if one takes into
account that they did it in the middle of a season,
after most coaches of that caliber are all signed up,
it is even more impressive. I hope this serves Watford
well, but their owner has to show some patience for
the rewards to be visible, which is difficult to expect
from someone that seems to be in the business of
changing managers like underwear or worse...


Ο Στέφανος ξεκινάει σε λίγες μέρες τους αγώνες
για το BNP Paribas Open στην California. Όσο
παραμένει ευγενής και συγκεντρωμένος στα περί
του αθλήματος και στην προσπάθειά του για μία
ακόμα διάκριση, εμείς θα είμαστε όλοι μαζί του.
Καλή τύχη, δύναμη και μαχητικότητα, Στέφανε!


 
 
 
 

FORZA JUVE, FORZA JUVE!!


Μπράβο, Μαρία!


Για όσους πιστεύουν ότι είναι περιττό να επικροτούμε
την ευγένεια, την αδελφοσύνη και τις ορθές συμπεριφορές
στο τέννις, και γενικότερα στον αθλητισμό, ας το ξανασκε-
φτούν. Δυστυχώς, δεν είναι προφανές ούτε αυτονόητο σε
όλους τους αθλητές και τις αθλήτριες ότι χρειάζεται
σεβασμός στον αντίπαλο και ευγένεια και ήθος ώστε ο
αθλητισμός να μην καυτηριάζει την ζωή (όπως πολλές
φορές συμβαίνει, π.χ., με ρατσιστικές συμπεριφορές),
αλλά να αποτελεί πρότυπο προς μίμηση, όπως έχουμε
δει και στη στάση της Μαρίας, αλλά και των κοριτσιών
και των ανδρών που ήταν στους τελικούς του Open φέτος.
Βέβαια, τα τελευταία νέα σχετικά με σχέσεις του Novak
με ακραίες εθνικιστικές τάσεις στη Σερβία δεν έιναι και
πολύ ενθαρρυντικά σ' αυτόν τον τομέα...


I hope that the Greek Prime Minister reminded
this despicable personality that football is not
synonymous with fifa, nor it is the only goal of
leeches and parasites of the game to personally
enrich themselves and to maximize the stashes
stowed away in Switzerland at the expense of
the dignity, well-being and development of the
sport, and that football fans will not easily forget
what football is suffering at the hands of these
unscrupulous personalities. If I was in Kyriakos'
position, I would have found an excuse to avoid
such a meeting, given so many other genuinely
useful meetings that one could attend during
such busy events.


The friendly tie of the girls against Paraguay yesterday
was of course very unequal and one-sided. But, it took
place after a very significant, historic, decision by the
U.S.A. Association to offer equal pay to men and
women players and this put wings on the girls' legs.
It became, also, clear once more that Carli Lloyd
has been one of those rare players with a "scoring
instinct", that very rare ability that one witnesses
in some games and in some tournaments that goes
beyond and surpasses the ordinary goal scoring
virtuosity. The most vivid memory for me fitting
the bill was Paolo Rossi's hat trick against Brasil
in the Espana 1982 World Cup. It is sad to think
that the time to close this wonderfully successful
cycle for such a masterful and magical player is
approaching, but is it not the case that all things
come eventually to an ending?


Basketball is much poorer today. And European
Basketball has lost one of its greatest, a LEGEND.
Dušan Ivković is with us no more...


Incredible indeed!!


CBS is abusing the privilege of showing
the Champions League this year. They are
showing matches exclusively on CBSSN
and, at 3:00pm, with nothing else quite
as important on air, not a single game is
broadcast on CBS and open to all. I do
repeat that, when one sells rights, they
should make sure that they are used for
the benefit of the sport, to make it more
widely available and to widen its appeal;
not with the only goal being the seller
and buyer making as much profit as
possible. I am a fool to expect more from
outfits like UEFA; they have shown over
and over again that they are unable to fulfill
higher expectations and do the right thing.

My own view is that Juve is not entering a period
of crisis and decline, but rather exiting one. The
team still has a brilliant defensive line and a very
good midfield. It only needs to acquire a keeper
of greater quality that would refrain from making
easily avoidable mistakes and making everyone
nervous with his volatility, and to add one more
solid attacking player to reinforce the excellent
lineup of Chiesa, Dybala, Kean and Morata. (I
am, of course counting Bernardeschi and Kulu-
sevski in the midfield.) If this is done, I have every
confidence that, granted the time and given a little
patience, Max can not only turn things around, but
also keep Juve at the very top, where it belongs,
in the years to come. Max is one of those brilliant
Italian managers that, once you have, you do not
want to let go that easily.
FORZA JUVE!!

Novak and Daniil, Emma and Leylah.
This year, Tennis and New York could
not have asked for more.
 

BRAVO, EMMA! BRAVO, LEYLAH!
Congratulations, girls! You are so young, but also
talented, determined and hard working and an
inspiration to us all. You will discover that, as
difficult and demanding as climbing to the top
is, staying there is even more trying and it has
its joys, but also, inevitably, its disappointments
and its sorrows, like everything else in life.
Through it all, remain kind, gentle, thankful,
appreciative and, above all, great friends and
comrades, regardless of what the future holds
in store. Being a Human Being and retaining
your Heart and Soul and your sensitivities far
exceeds in value any and all trophies and rewards.


Maria did not make it through, but she tried.
The memorable features of this year's semi-
finals at the U.S. Open were of course the
formidable performances of the teenagers
who went through. Both the Canadian Leylah
Fernandez and the British Emma Raducanu
gave such brilliant performances that they left
one wondering how it is possible for someone
to improve so fast and so explosively in their
game. Without prejudice to the outcome of
Saturday's final, let me make, if I may, an
additional observation: Even though Leylah's
game was mesmerizing and unbelievable for
her age, in Emma I could not but notice a
very rare charisma, which I think was the
main factor which swept Maria aside and
left her totally helpless in the first set of the
match. And that was Emma's exquisite sense
of space. One could feel that her placing and
her returns were guided by something more
than mere training and drilling; she had a
feeling for, and was in command of, dimension
and space in a way very rarely encountered
even in tennis, where this skill obviously adds
tremendously to one's ability to prevail.
In a nutshell, I expect Emma, barring
unforeseen circumstances like injuries
and personal matters, to dominate many
tournaments in the future.
BRAVO, LEYLAH! BRAVO, EMMA!
 

Maria advanced to the semi-finals of the US Open.
It was a very good performance, but not one of her
best so far. It just seemed that Karolina was not
in top form. Still the passion and athleticism were
there, and, as always, kindness, calmness, joyfulness
and an athletic spirit throughout. Μπράβο, Μαρία!


Our United States needs new leadership. Yesterday,
playing below par, we were unable to defeat a rather
mediocre Canadian side. We could have won with a
little luck, but it is unbecoming for the Stars and
Stripes to rely on luck to beat a team like Canada.
Even if the team advances to the World Cup, they
have to give more than what we saw yesterday to
stand any chances - not for going far, but simply
to avoid misery and early and premature return
home. My apologies to Mr. Berhalter, but he does
not seem to be a manager capable of answering the
high demands that are placed on this Team or the
high expectations that the USA Fans are accustomed
to, and it may be time for a change. An internationally
recognized and recognizable team calls for an
internationally recognized coach with a proven
managerial record, who will come to the United
States, not for the money or to relax or to retire,
but motivated to build a high quality team both
mentally and physically ready to play at high level.
Not unlike what Roberto Mancini set out to do for
the Azzurri after the painful 2017-18 Italian fiasco.


Squadra Azzurra broke a remarkable record yesterday.
Tying Switzerland at Basel, it became the first team ever
to complete 36 international matches undefeated. Behind
Roberto Mancini's and the kids' formidable ensemble
stand Brasil and Spain, each with a 35 game undefeated
streak, the first in 1993-1996 and the second in 2007-2009.
What a team, what heart and soul, what force and power!
FORZA AZZURRI!
 

I hear that Salah is asking Liverpool for astronomical
amounts to continue at Anfield. Players see what is
going on around them and with what generosity and
magnanimity owners and clubs put their hands in the
pocket and reason "why not me?" Players, however,
no matter how good, should know that a very competitive
club, like Liverpool, will most likely stay as competitive
after they move away and that their quality and their
achievements and their fame are not inherently tied
to their person and their talent, but have a lot to do
with the support, the team and the environment that
they found themselves in and with how happy and
satisfied they are at a specific place. It may be that
Salah, when he moves away, if that happens, finds
himself less happy and/or less supported under new
circumstances, and this will unavoidably harm his
performance and his effectiveness. When players,
under the influence of useless leeches and parasitical
managers, think mostly about money and do not
take carefully all those other factors into account,
they may inadvertently wound themselves and their
quality and competitiveness and it is them, and not
the despicable managers who push for Midas' riches,
that will have to pay the price of a decline in the end.


The only thing these despicable personalities care
about is making more money for themselves, their
associates and their outfits. They do not give a rat's
a** about the health and well-being of athletes and
the extreme and excruciating demands on schedules
that would be imposed by holding qualifiers for the
next cup practically before the previous one is over,
should what they are proposing get to pass. Shame...
I suggest they first apologize for giving, through
bribes, gifts and shenanigans, the cup to Qatar
(I do not have anything with this State, but imagine
the conditions there, when now, even when playing
in Central Europe, one needs hydration breaks
because of the extreme heat), and then implode
themselves and leave football alone before their
disastrous proposals and brainless interventions
cause such grave damage to the sport that would
be beyond repair. Pity that Arsene Wenger, who
should know better both about playing conditions
and about the motives of these bloodsucking leeches,
has decided to back these ridiculous non-proposals.


To me, it seems like Stefanos is trying hard to "break
the spirit of the law while making sure that he does
not break the letter of the law". In most cases in real
life, when something like this occurs, it may not be
illegal but it is certainly immoral and/or unethical.
Bathroom breaks are there for the peace of mind of
athletes and to facilitate handling emergencies; they
are not there to be used as a psychological and mental
weapon against the opponent in an all out battle to win
that goes beyond mental and psychological strength
and physical ability on the court. These rules should
be there, but, unfortunately, behaviors like the one
that Stefanos is consistently engaging in, will cause
these rules to change to the detriment of the peace
of mind of all athletes, the majority of whom, are
using them in good faith to alleviate genuine needs
and real emergencies... Too bad...


Άρχισαν τα σχολεία και τα πρωταθλήματα
ποδοσφαίρου και δεν υπάρχει πολύς χρόνος
για τηλεόραση και νέα, αλλά διαβάζω για τις
συμμετοχές, τις προσπάθειες και τον αγώνα
των παιδιών της αποστολής στους Παρα-
Ολυμπιακούς, καθώς και για τις επιτυχίες
και τις διακρίσεις τους. Μπράβο σε όλα τα
παιδιά και σε όλους τους προπονητές και
μέλη της αποστολής που τα υποστηρίζουν
στην ευγενέστατη και αξιόλογη προσπάθειά
τους για ό,τι καλύτερο! ΜΠΡΑΒΟ, ΠΑΙΔΙΑ!


Juve cannot afford wide ranging experiments, simply
because it has an extremely good selection in offensive
positions, but it has no depth and therefore no choice
when it comes to the front. Max has to start (and stay)
with Chiesa and Morata up front and two of Bernardeschi,
Dybala and Locatelli right behind them, as attacking
midfielders. On the wing, Sandro should be on the left
and Cuadrado on the right. Bentancur, McKennie,
Rabiot and Ramsey are quality backup choices and at
the back two of Bonucci, Chiellini and De Ligt should
play (as they are) at the center with choices among
Danilo, Rugani and DeSciglio on the flanks. The center
is inflated, even though choices for the flanks are limited
(that's why Spinazzola would have been good to have),
but the front should stay fixed, since there is a scarcity
of quality there and experiments make things worse.
The failure in management is showcased in a big way
if one thinks of the quality under the posts and at the
deep front that 80M would have guaranteed, which
was instead wasted in needless trading games with
Real and United, which, of course, are teams that
engage in that sort of mindless games regularly and
are expert in the tricks of bargaining with fortunes,
and winning and losing fortunes, and can surely
outperform Juve at that game, as they have already
done at the expense of Agnelli, any time.


Ronald Koeman was not as explicit as Karl-Heinz
Rummenigge the other day, but he took essentially
the same stand. He acknowledged Kylian's worth,
but he noted that it is absurd to spend such huge
amounts for transfers, especially at present, however
valuable the player being traded might be.


Ronaldo's saga at Juve is a lesson on what not to do
if you are a manager or an owner at a club. Nedved
and Agnelli messed up beyond imagination. They paid
over 115M, they got miniscule rewards and they are
selling for 25M. But, probably they sold some T-shirts
and merchandise, got a few endorsements and, in any
case, Jeep sells well... So why would they care?


Champion's League draw 2021-2022.


Ronaldo was never a Messi, and, truth to be told,
right now, he is not worth over $30M a year, simply
because his contribution to the quality of a team is
not that valuable or irreplaceable. So, in my view,
what his agent is asking (or rather begging, it seems)
of a justifiably unwilling market is totally absurd.
This, BTW, ties really well with what Rummenigge
requested of UEFA today.
 

Some people in the fashion capital of the World may
not be sleeping very easily tonight... despite yesterday's
solid beginning.
 

I think the FA should listen carefully to what Jürgen
says and the same goes for other national and for
international authorities. What happens today in
football, in terms of pushing and shoving and using
one's body and arms and hands in functions that are
much more appropriate for wrestling than for foot-
ball, should stop, should not become the norm and
should not start to pass as being acceptable and
viewed as standard. Football should remain a sport
played using the dexterity of one's legs and feet, the
agility of one's body and the organization and the
strategy to coordinate, cooperate, defend and attack.
It should not be shifted towards more upper bodily
strength and physicality. Some people may like it
more that way, but that is simply not the character
of the sport or how it was meant to be or be played.
They, perhaps, need to switch to another sport rather
than taking an existing one and refitting it to their
own tastes to its detriment and demise, let alone to
the chagrin of Jürgen and of all the rest of us.


Μπράβο, Στέφανε! Για τα μη αθλητικά, το καλύτερο
θα ήταν βέβαια να μην είχες μιλήσει γιατί ο θόρυβος
που δημιουργήθηκε με τις ανακρίβειες δε βοηθάει
εκείνους που προσπαθούν να κάνουν τη δουλειά τους
σωστά και να πετύχουν συγκεκριμένα αποτελέσματα,
όπως κάνεις κι εσύ στο τέννις. Αλλά, αν πραγματικά
θα ήθελες να βοηθήσεις κι εκεί, μπορείς να κάνεις
κάτι μαγικό! Μία λιτή δήλωση ότι καταλαβαίνεις
ότι έσφαλες από πολλές απόψεις και ότι θα κάνεις το
εμβόλιο με την πρώτη ευκαιρία, και για' σένα και για
τους δικούς σου, αλλά και για όλους εμάς που πάντα
θέλουμε και σου ευχόμαστε το καλύτερο και μεγάλες
επιτυχίες και διακρίσεις. Είδες και το σεβασμό όλων
των γιατρών, κι αυτό παρά την απογοήτευσή τους
και την αγωνία να μεταδώσουν το βέλτιστο για την
προστασία όλων μας. Όπως βοηθάει κι εσάς, εσένα
και τη Μαρία, και σας δίνει κουράγιο η υποστήριξη
και η αγάπη του κόσμου, έτσι θα βοηθούσε και το
ιατρικό και νοσηλευτικό προσωπικό αν όλοι μας
στεκόμαστε στο πλευρό τους και βοηθούσαμε όσο
μπορούμε να πετύχουν τους δικούς τους στόχους
(για τη δική μας υγεία και το καλό όλων μας).


Some people are better in mathematics than at
medicine and some people are better at playing
tennis than at giving medical advice or directions.
That is how life is. No one can excel at everything.


Gerd Müller is with us no more...


Προσπαθώ να καταλάβω τις συνθήκες, τις υποθέσεις
και τους όρους υπό τους οποίους γίνεται η συζήτηση
γα το μέλλον του κ. Βλάχου στον πάγκο της Εθνικής
μας ομάδας και του Ολυμπιακού. Κατά την άποψή
μου, υπάρχουν δύο βασικές διαστάσεις, η πρακτική
και η ψυχολογική.
1. Από πρακτικής σκοπιάς, ο κ. Βλάχος έχει αποδείξει
    ότι μπορεί να χειριστεί και τα δύο πόστα με τρόπο
    αποτελεσματικό. Φαίνεται, επίσης, ότι πιστεύει ότι
    έχει ακόμα τις δυνάμεις και τη δυνατότητα να
    συνεχίσει και στο εγγύς μέλλον και στα δύο πόστα
    με επιτυχία.
2. Στον ψυχολογικό τομέα, που είναι υποκειμενικός
    και καθαρά προσωπικός, ο άνθρωπος δηλώνει ότι
    "με μαύρη καρδιά" και λύπη θα αναγκαστεί να
    πάρει όποια απόφαση τελικά πάρει και ότι είναι
    σα να τον υποχρεώνουν να διαλέξει ένα από τα
    δυο του παιδιά. Δε θα έπρεπε η Ομοσπονδία να
    αντιληφθεί ότι ακόμα και να διαλέξει να δουλέψει
    μαζί τους, θα έχουν έναν άνθρωπο λιγότερο ευτυ-
    χισμένο και χαρούμενο, και κατά κάποιο τρόπο
    "πληγωμένο"; Και δεν είναι ο στόχος να είναι όλοι
    όσοι ασχολούνται με τον αθλητισμό όσο ευτυχισμένοι
    και όσο ικανοποιημένοι γίνεται ώστε να αντανακλάται
    αυτός ο ενθουσιασμός στη δουλειά τους?
Προς τί λοιπόν να επιδιώκουμε να φέρουμε έναν πολύτιμο
άνθρωπο του αθλητισμού (και δη έναν με μία τόσο μεγάλη
πρόσφατη επιτυχία) σ' αυτή την αχρείαστα δύσκολη θέση;
Αν θα μπορούσε κάποιος με ψυχραιμία να το συζητήσει
και να επηρρεάσει λίγο την Ομοσπονδία, νομίζω ότι δε
θα αποβεί προς ζημία κανενός να παρθεί μία διαφορετική
απόφαση. Θα είναι και προς όφελος του πόλο μας και
θα χαρεί και ο κύριος Βλάχος (που, βεβαίως, το αξίζει).


I hear that international sporting authorities are in the
process of deciding on new standards, rules and regulations
concerning trans athletes in international games. Instead
of making haphazard, hasty and half-informed decisions
that will create uncertainty, volatility, frictions and will
be bound to either be modified or change often and,
perhaps, substantially every so often, given new data,
why don't you create a new temporary, experimental
World Games (running every year for a while) that will
be open to all and will be unisex? Of course, they will
involve some tests for all artificial boosters, doping and
anabolics and other banned substances, as done in all
official games. All rules that govern the Olympic games
will apply there too, but men, women, LGBT people, in
short every human being, will be able to compete side
by side and qualify and run side by side with everyone
else and the best performers, regardless of sex or
sexual orientation, will be able to compete in the
finals side by side. Let us see how such games play
out and all the issues and questions that will arise.
I presume (but I do not know) that many of those
issues and questions will coincide with thoughts and
questions that people will ask or are already thinking
about when decisions like the ones you are trying to
make are under consideration. And having games
like the ones I am suggesting here occurring for a
little while may help us provide some more informed
answers before making definite decisions on what is
the right thing to do and how to proceed. But all sides
have to be a little patient. This is not about delaying
or banning anyone or equivocating. This is about
honestly trying to make the best decisions, based
on data, that will hold up in the long run and will
withstand criticism, scrutiny, dissatisfaction and
complaints and will ensure that the best possible
alternative is adopted under challenging circumstances.

Μπράβο, Θοδωρή! Μπράβο σε όλους τους προπονητές!
Και πάνω απ'όλα, ΜΕΓΑΛΟ ΜΠΡΑΒΟ ΣΕ ΟΛΑ ΤΑ
ΠΑΙΔΙΑ! Εκτιμήσαμε τον κόπο και απολαύσαμε τις
προσπάθειες όλων των παιδιών σε όλα τα αθλήματα.
Και πανηγυρίσαμε για την παρουσία όλων στο Τόκιο.
Και γελάσαμε και κλάψαμε και χαρήκαμε και στενο-
χωρηθήκαμε στα επί μέρους μαζί με όλα τα παιδιά,
που έδωσαν ό,τι μπορούσαν, τους καλύτερους εαυτούς
τους. Και έκλεισε η αυλαία με μία μεγάλη επιτυχία σε
ένα ομαδικό και "θαλασσινό" άθλημα με δεσπόζουσα
τη στρογγυλή θεά, στην οποία - γιατί να το κρύψουμε,
άλλωστε - έχουμε μία υπέρμετρη αδυναμία και λατρεία
στην Ελλάδα.
Κατανοούμε ότι η απόφαση για απόσυρση από την
ενεργό δράση είναι προσωπική για κάθε αθλητή/
αθλήτρια και εξαρτάται από πολλούς παράγοντες,
την ηλικία, την κούραση, τα συναισθήματα, προσω-
πικούς παράγοντες και καταστάσεις, δυσκολίες και
αντιξοότητες. Για όσους πάρουν την απόφαση, θα
τη σεβαστούμε και θα την τιμήσουμε, θα θυμόμαστε
την προσφορά τους και τα ταξίδια και τις χαρές που
μας πρόσφεραν, την ελπίδα μέσω των προσπαθειών
τους, και τους ευχαριστούμε και ελπίζουμε να τους
δοθεί η δυνατότητα να προσφέρουν σε συγγενείς
ή σε νέους τομείς στο μέλλον. Σε όσους συνεχίσουν,
τους ευχόμαστε Υγεία και Δύναμη, Κουράγιο και
Πείσμα, τους ευχαριστούμε επίσης για την προσπάθεια,
τα ταξίδια και τις χαρές, και ανανεώνουμε το ραντεβού
για τα προσεχή meeting, τουρνουά και αγώνες και,
όσο μπορούμε, θα συνεχίσουμε να τους υποστηρίζουμε,
να συμμεριζόμαστε τις αγωνίες τους, να μοιραζόμαστε
τις προσδοκίες τους, να παρακολουθούμε τις προσ-
πάθειες τους και να χαιρόμαστε με τις επιτυχίες τους.
 

Πίσω στην Αθήνα και ο Θοδωρής με τα παιδιά.
Πάντα υγειείς και δυνατοί με πολλές διακρίσεις!
Σας ευχαριστούμε όλους!
 

Επέστρεψε στην Αθήνα και ο Γιώργος Πομάσκι.
Πάντα υγειής και δυνατός, Γιώργο, με μεγάλες
επιτυχίες! Σ'ευχαριστούμε!
 

Juve should have moved faster to keep Donnarumma
on Italian soil and acquire Marco Verratti. Unfortunately,
it is clear that the way things developed, with bad planning,
hesitation, procrastination and misguided choices, PSG
is now clearly going to have all the aces in this new era,
where tilted fields and rigged plays will still be the norm,
only with different ptotagonists, earning, however, their
passes and their privileges in the same old extravagant
and unreasonably expensive ways.


Μπράβο, Αντιγόνη! Μπράβο, Κυριακή! Μπράβο,
Παναγιώτα! Μπράβο, Γιώργο! Μπράβο στα παιδιά
του πόλο! Τέσσερεις μεγάλες δυνάμεις, με ιστορία
και μεγάλο πάθος κονταροχτυπιούνται για μία θέση
στο βάθρο, η Ελλάδα, η Ισπανία, η Ουγγαρία και
η Σερβία. Και όλα τα παιδιά, όλων των χωρών, τα
δίνουν όλα σε κάθε τουρνουά με στόχο μεγάλες
διακρίσεις. Στο Τόκιο, η Ελλάδα εξασφάλισε μία
από τις δύο πρώτες θέσεις και η δύναμη και η
ιστορία όλων των ομάδων και το πάθος και η
δίψα όλων των παιδιών για την υπέρβαση καθιστά
αυτήν την επιτυχία υπερπολύτιμη και εξαιρετικά
τιμητική. Μπράβο, παιδιά!
 


Loyalty or money? Money or loyalty? The ultimate
test. Messi, during seventeen years in Barcelona, has
been paid so much money so as to enable several
generations of Messis to live in luxury, even if he
was to make not a single cent more (highly unlikely,
of course, even if he stopped football). So is he going
to return the favor by staying, while accommodating
some of the financial difficulties the club faces or is
he going to decline to make more somewhere else?
I strongly encourage him to stay despite pay cuts.
We need to believe in something more and something
higher than money, greed and avarice, especially at
this point in time, when the overwhelming majority
of his fellow players, the clubs, uefa and fifa are not
helping us at all in keeping the faith...


Μπράβο, Χρήστο! Μπράβο, Άλκη! Μπράβο, Μαρία!
Μπράβο, Κατερίνα! Μπράβο, Νικόλ!
 
 

Legendary Giannis and family on the Acropolis!


I hear Manchester City is in the process of agreeing
an exorbitant amount to acquire Harry Kane. Harry
Kane is a very good striker, without a doubt. But, in
my view, it is much more constructive, helpful and
reasonable to pay that same amount to acquire two
or three excellent players and fill in more needs than
paying such an exorbitant amount for a single super
star. Teams will find that, despite the quality and
stardom of the individuals they spend such huge
amounts on, they cannot and do not contribute in a
team sport, such as football, the striking effects in
results or in performance that would justify such
mindless and bankrupting expenses. The case of
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks is different,
since NBA basketball does not qualify as a team
sport any longer, but, due to its rules and regulations,
it has become an individual affair, almost devoid of
team tactics and team strategy, at least at the top level.


Μπράβο στα παιδιά του πόλο! Μπράβο, Παναγιώτη
και Παύλο!


I have a lot of questions and concerns about this issue,
but only as far as fairness and clean competition goes.
As far as Humanity, Equal Treatment and Equal Rights
under the Law and the inalienable right of every person
to self-identify and to live a happy and prosperous life,
there is not a single doubt in my mind that LGBT Rights
have the same place in our communities as the Rights
concerning race, gender, ethnic background, etc., that
everyone accepts are important and non-negotiable.
Russia has chosen, erroneously, to challenge these
rights and to follow an ultra-conservative approach,
in the mistaken perception that, somehow, if they
become inclusive, the rest of the population will
become debased and lose their humanity, when, in
fact, in all societies, the opposite happens. When we
become diverse, inclusive, tolerant and kind, we not
only make particular people happier, but our whole
societies become more harmonious, more open, more
understanding and more cooperative and productive.
So my view is that Russia, currently, is siding with the
wrong side in fact and History on this issue. But, I am
hopeful that, as things change with time in Russia, as
they are bound to (since even extremely influential
people and extremely heavy-handed people are
mortals and are getting older and older), the younger
Russians, as happens with younger people in all states,
will realize that, they have much to gain if, instead of
fearing, humiliating and disparaging minorities, they
adopt and espouse Universal Respect and Fraternity
and Harmony, and, thus, become more progressive
and more accommodating on these, and other, issues.


Μπράβο, Κώστα! Μπράβο, Εμμανουήλ! Μπράβο, Ευαγγελία
και Εβελίνα! (Πρώτα απ' όλα η Υγεία.. Και οι ατυχίες είναι
μέσα στη ζωή, αλλά τίποτα δεν αφαιρεί από το ότι δώσατε
το παρόν και ήσασταν έτοιμες.) Μπράβο, Ειρήνη!
 
 

Bravo, Simone!!


Explosive ingredients! One of the most beautiful and most
Historic Cities on Earth, one of the most promising Teams
in the new upcoming season of Serie A, one of the most
beautiful newly designed kits in Serie A and, of course,
the stunningly beautiful Greek model introducing it in
this breathtaking background! Good Luck, Venezia!!


Μπράβο, Ευαγγελία και Εβελίνα! Μπράβο, Αννα-Μαρία
και Ειρήνη! Οι αδελφές Αλεξανδρή εκπροσωπούν την
Αυστρία, αλλά εκτός του ότι είμαστε ως Ελλάδα στον
Αθλητισμό και όχι μόνο, φίλη και αδελφή χώρα με όλες
τις χώρες του κόσμου, μας θυμίζουν ότι καμιά φορά για
να κυνηγήσει κανείς τα όνειρά του πρέπει να μετοικίσει.
Και μας θυμίζουν να είμαστε όλοι φιλόξενοι και ευγενικοί
προς όλους και ευγνώμονες για την φιλοξενία των άλλων.
Και επίσης να αναγνωρίζουμε και να επιβραβεύουμε ακόμη
περισσότερο το πείσμα, τον αγώνα και την προσπαθεια
των παιδιών στην Ελλάδα, που, παρά τις αντιξοότητες
και τις δυσκολίες, παλεύουν για τις διακρίσεις εκ των έσω,
υπό την Ελληνική σημαία, με το εθνόσημο στο στήθος.


Μας συγκίνησαν πάλι τα παιδιά. Από το Λευτέρη και το
Μίλτο, μέχρι την ομάδα του πόλο, αγώνας, προσπάθεια,
υπέρβαση και επιτυχίες. Και σήμερα η Ευαγγελία μετά
από τόση ταλαιπωρία, και η Κατερίνα και η Νικόλ και
όλα τα άλλα παιδιά. Μπράβο, μπράβο σε όλους! Και
στην Ελένη, τη Ραφαέλα, το Χρήστο και το Μιχάλη!
Να σταθώ και στο γεγονός ότι οι γονείς των παιδιών
δίνουν συγχαρητήρια σε όλα τα παιδιά της αποστολής
για το ότι δίνουν το παρών, για την προσπάθεια, για το
πείσμα και για τον αγώνα, ανεξαρτήτως αποτελέσματος.
Εκείνοι μάλλον κάτι παραπάνω θα ξέρουν...
ΜΠΡΑΒΟ, ΜΠΡΑΒΟ ΣΕ ΟΛΑ ΤΑ ΠΑΙΔΙΑ!
 
 

A Big Thank You! to the Japanese Authorities for doing
the Right Thing and shielding Krystina from abduction
and, very likely, much worse that was to follow. And a
Big Thank You! to the Polish Mission in Japan and to
Poland for doing the Right Thing and, realizing the dire
situation of the Belarusian athlete, offering her a special
status and special protection. If it had been up to me to
decide, given the gravity of the circumstances and the
actions from Belarus, which are contrary to the Spirit
of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Ideals, I would
have immediately revoked permission for the team to
keep competing and would have forced all remaining
Belarusian athletes to wear the brand of the "Belarusian
Olympic Committee", which, of course, as everyone
knows by now, is a euphemism, meaning that you are
from a certain state that has broken all the rules and
does not deserve to be there, but, somehow, it has been
decided to allow it to be there because the oligarchs in
charge in Switzerland do not have the guts to do the
Right Thing, in protecting the integrity of the Olympic
Games and defending the Olympic Ideals, to impose
penalties commensurate and proportional to the very
serious infractions and breaches damaging competition
and gutting fairness and almost every other Olympic
Value and Ideal.


Bravo to Gianmarco and Mutaz!!


Μπράβο, Σταματία! Μπράβο, Κριστιάν! Μπράβο,
Παναγιώτη και Παύλο! Μπράβο, Αιμιλία και Αριάδνη!
Μπράβο, Βασιλεία!
 
 


Να συμπληρώσω κι εγώ ότι, ανεξαρτήτως κατάταξης,
το ότι παλεύετε και δίνετε τον καλύτερό σας εαυτό είναι
η μεγάλη επιτυχία. Το ότι σε πολλούς κύκλους, αν αυτό
δε συνοδεύεται από μετάλλιο, βαφτίζεται "αποτυχία"
είναι ατυχές και ασύμβατο με το Ολυμπιακό Πνεύμα.
Μπράβο Κριστιάν! Μπράβο, Εμμανουήλ! Μπράβο,
Κώστα! Μπράβο, Χρυσούλα! Μπράβο, Θοδωρή!
Μπράβο, Γιάννη! Μπράβο, Μίλτο!
 
 
 

Speaking of Athletics and of the Olympic Games,
it seems that athletics, its modus operandi and the
Athletes themselves, in various sports and various
competitions, are at crossroads and it is a great
responsibility for the organizers to choose wisely,
minimize mistakes and pay attention to give the
greatest weight to Health and Ethics, doing the
Right Thing, rather than to the financial aspect
of sports. I am referring to the courageous initiatives
we saw recently in tennis, mainly by Naomi, in
gymnastics by all athletes who fought against
sexual assault and by Simone who brought into
perspective mental health, by Megan and the
other girls in women's soccer about equal pay
and equal treatment and, by the NCAA athletes
who are edging closer and closer to be recognized
as the bread winners in a bygone-era-and-mode
style despicable ring of exploitation and cheap
labor, where an organization makes hundreds
of millions of dollars, while claiming that all its
main sources of income and employees are
amateurs so that it may shortchange them
and maximize the profits going to the pockets
of the sharks, the leeches and parasites that
surround the real money-makers. I hope that
all these movements change the essence, and
face, of sports positively. The bottom line is that
all organizations involved in athletics should start
viewing themselves as supporting organizations,
being there to organize and facilitate, while
adapting to athletes' requirements and requests
and accommodating their needs and ensuring
a plane field across competitions. Their role is
not to impose and enforce their own standards,
rules and regulations, despite athletic needs,
and in spite of public outcry, simply because
of old habits, inertia and tradition, or because
of unacceptably prioritizing administrative and
monetary considerations over health, humanity,
decency and equality.


Μπράβο, Στέφανε! Μπράβο και στην Άννα και στη
Ραφαέλα και στην Αννέτα και στη Βούλα, σε όλα τα
παιδιά για τη μεγάλη προσπάθεια (απολογούμαι που
δεν τους αναφέρω όλους με το όνομά τους, αλλά λίγο
τα πολλά αθλήματα, λίγο και η διαφορά ώρας από
την Ιαπωνία, δυσχεραίνουν την παρακολούθηση).
 

Another competitive season is predicted this year
in Serie A. And again, very wise moves by the bulk
of the teams that still, in overwhelming majority,
choose, and justifiably so, to entrust management
to a host of very capable Italian coaches. This
upcoming season the only foreign managers are
the Croat Ivan Juric at Torino, the Serb Sinisa
Mihajlovic at Bologna and, of course, Jose Mourinho
at A.S. Roma of the Eternal City. Empoli, with
Aurelio Andreazzoli, is joining Fiorentina from
Tuscany, Salernitana, with Fabrizio Castori, is
joining Napoli from Campania, and Venezia, with
Paolo Zanetti, is joining Hellas Verona from Veneto
in the top flight of Italian and European Football.
A notable feature is that below the Eternal City's
Parallel, only three teams are present; Napoli and
Salernitana from Campania in the mainland and,
of course, Cagliari from Sardinia, still under the
direction of Leonardo Semplici. Kick-off only in
three weeks time... FORZA JUVE!!


Μπράβο, Μαρία και Χριστίνα!! Μπράβο, Ελισάβετ!
 

Ο κόσμος όταν γράφει δε σκέφτεται καθόλου...
Πώς επιτρέπει κανείς στον εαυτό του τέτοια
σχόλια όταν συζητά περί ενός ή μίας από τις
καλύτερες αντικειμενικά, και πιο επιτυχημένες
παγκοσμίως αντικειμενικά, στην ειδικότητα/
άθλημα/ασχολία της; Πρόκειται τουλάχιστον
περί βάναυσου ατοπήματος και, μάλλον, περί
φθόνου, της κλασικής ελληνικής (εσκεμμενα
με μικρο) μικρόνοιας που δε μας επιτρέπει να
γιορτάσουμε τις επιτυχίες και την αναγνώριση
των άλλων όταν είναι πέρα από δυκτιώσεις,
μέσα και γλειψίματα. Κρίμα... Δε θα ήθελα να
το γυρίσω και να χρησιμοποιήσω παρομοίως
χυδάιο λόγο, αλλά ήρθε, μόλις το διάβασα,
αμέσως στο μυαλό μου ότι δεν είναι η Μαρία
που έχει ανάγκη "γκόμενο το γιο του Πρωθυπουργού"
για να προβληθεί και για να κερδίσει, αλλά, μάλλον
ο Κωνσταντίνος να έχει "γκόμενα μία από τις
μαέστρους του παγκόσμιου τέννις" για να
απολαμβάνει την προβολή. Αρκετά με αυτά
τα ελεεινά και κακοήθη σχόλια... Μόνο τις
καλύτερες ευχές στα παιδιά να είναι υγιή
και δυνατά και να βρίσκουν τη δύναμη να
ξεπερνούν, δυστυχώς, όχι μόνο τα πρόσφατα
σχόλια αλλά και πολλά παρόμοια που είμαι
σίγουρος θα τα ακολουθούν για πάντα,
ανεξαρτήτως σχέσεων και επιτυχιών ή
αποτυχιών (που είναι στο πρόγραμμα), γιατί
απλά έτσι είναι η χώρα, και η νοοτροπία των
κατοίκων της χώρας, στην οποία έτυχε να
γεννηθούν και να μεγαλώσουν και κάποιες
απ' αυτές να κοσμούν και να τιμούν πέρα
και πάνω από κάθε απαιτούμενο και κάθε
αναμενόμενο... ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΟΥΜΕ, ΜΑΡΙΑ!!


Not anything different should be expected from a bund
of oligarchs, whose only hobby and responsibility is
salivating and banking. When are we at last going to
wake up and rebel against all those despicable outfits,
such as the "olympic committee" and "uefa" and "fifa",
who have assumed somehow "exclusivity" over very
popular sports, for which guardianship and charge
should be collective and distributed and for which
financial considerations should be secondary to the
ethics and ideals involved, and are making undeserved
and unjustifiably humongous fortunes and amassing
in that way even more influence and power? The
Olympic Games should return permanently to Greece
to maintain their character and viability and football
federations should implode those organizations that
do the most beautiful sport on the planet disservice
and injustice.


We are nobody's fiefdom and no company's lackeys.
We are a Historic Club with millions of fans everywhere.
Shame to Andrea and shame to all who cannot stop
surprising us with nonsense and garbage and who,
instead of being proud to be part of History, it seems
the only thing they have in mind is milking the cow
until it is left with nothing and until it has no more to
offer their avarice and their insatiable greed. Shame...


Μπράβο, Άννα!


Καλά έκανε ο Λευτέρης. Δεν είναι ώρα για
αντεκδικήσεις και τσακωμούς. Υπάρχει το
αναπόφευκτο άγχος για κάτι καλό και όλα
τα παιδιά χρειάζονται πλήρη συγκέντρωση.


JUVE, with Dybala, Chiesa and Griezmann,
and behind them Cuadrado and Bernardeschi,
would have an attacking line and orientation
that would be very difficult to tame or rival.
It would be awesome if Barca got Mbappe and
Juve sent Ronaldo to PSG and got Antoine from
Barcelona. But, if it sounds too complicated to
occur, it probably is... Corriere dello Sport
mentions Icardi in lieu of Griezmann; this
would be excellent, but, perhaps, Marco Verratti
would be even better to steal in the melee.


Έφτασε και η Κατερίνα. Καλή τύχη, Κατερίνα!
Και η Άννα σήμερα στη μάχη. Καλή τύχη, Άννα!
Όσο για τα παράπονα του Λευτέρη (δεν τον αδικώ),
αυτά είναι συνέπεια την άκρατης εμπορευματοποίησης
που επιβάλλει αποκλειστικότητα στα πάντα, ενώ το
Πνεύμα των Ολυμπιακών Αγώνων θα έπρεπε να
αποτελεί κίνητρο για να είναι όλα ανοικτά και να
μπορούν οι φίλαθλοι του κάθε σπορ να μπαίνουν
στο site της Ολυμπιακής Επιτροπής ή των Οργανωτών,
να διαλέγουν το άθλημα που τους ενδιαφέρει και
να βλέπουν δωρεάν και ζωντανά το πρόγραμμα των
αγώνων που λαμβάνει χώρα την συγκεκριμένη στιγμή
στο συγκεκριμένο άθλημα. Αυτό θα μπορούσε να
γίνει με κάποια συμβολή από την Επιτροπή, τις
συμμετέχουσες χώρες, τα έσοδα των αγώνων και
από συνδρομές ή τέλη από τα μέσα ενημέρωσης
που θα ήθελαν να αναμεταδώσουν ή να αναπαράγουν
εικόνες, βίντεο κ.λ.π. από τους αγώνες. Κρίμα που
είναι όλα αποκλειστικά και μπορεί κανείς να δει
μόνο όσα κάποιοι άλλοι πιστεύουν ότι είναι τα πιο
συναρπαστικά ή καλύτερα αθλήματα και πλάνα...
Αυτό δεν είναι ούτε ευχάριστο ούτε δίκαιο...
  

I will not comment specifically about the various
shortcomings and unpleasant incidents in the
Japanese organization of these events that,
unfortunately, cannot all be attributed to the
pandemic and the timing of the Olympic events.
Let me just say, though, that, in my view, to regain
full Respect and full Realization of the Importance
and the Meaning of the Olympic Games and of
the Olympic Spirit there is no other way than
bringing the Olympics permanently back to
their Natural Home in Greece. Greece has both
the know how and the ability to house them
and it is the only place that can guarantee that,
when one thinks of the Games, one will relate
them not only to money and medals, but also
to those larger, universal Values and Ideals,
such as Fraternity and Solidarity Between
All Peoples, Peace and Friendship Between
All Nations and Respect and Appreciation
for the Unique, the Different and the Diverse.
BRING THE OLYMPICS PERMANENTLY
BACK HOME, WHERE THEY BELONG!


Sadly, the sixth and last game of the NBA Finals
exemplified in the worst possible way my comment
and feelings below. We did not see two teams playing
at any part of the game. We simply saw ten totally
disconnected and totally uncoordinated individuals,
each trying to do his own thing to impress with his
own skills and in his own way by running up and
down, at times with miserable moves and with
almost unacceptable shooting percentages for
such highly paid professionals. Just imagine how
disappointed one would be if one went to a concert,
allegedly to listen to an orchestra playing a symphony,
and instead found each musician playing a different
piece, some in complete discordance, and, in the end,
critics declared that it was marvelous because the
leading violin, despite playing independently and
a different piece than all the rest, was very skilled,
very well rehearsed and a real prodigy... I am so
disappointed at NBA and I think that the way ball
is played today has destroyed the spirit of the game,
and the sport is on the verge of not qualifying any
longer as a team sport and looks much more like
an all-star individual drill competition, with the only
difference being that all competitors are present and
run around the one whose turn it is to hone his skills.
Sad... Really sad... But congratulations to the Bucks
and, more accurately, to Giannis for their title.


I would like to note this not because I want to
diminish Giannis' value as a player or his special
contributions to Bucks' successes, but because it
is fair and it is constructive to state the negatives
also when we analyze the performance of players
and, in particular, superstars continuously lauded.
When the Bucks were way down (16 points) in
the first half, their coach saw the complete chaos
and disorganization dominating their game and
withdrew Giannis for a while. And what a change
that was! We saw for the first time in that Final
a different team that was playing in an organized
way, with a strategy and as a real team, instead
of a single megastar running up and down like
a crazed beast out of control and trying to do all
by himself and neither taking advantage of his
teammates' services nor allowing the opponents
any reasonable reaction (you cannot quintuple
play a single man, even knowing that the others
will participate very little). Frankly, after seeing
that change and its effects (in eating up the big
score gap that had opened), I got a sour feeling
about Giannis and a positive vibe about Budenholzer
for his courage to do the right thing. You may
imagine that this has something to do also with
Juve and Ronaldo and similar situations there
present, and, I admit, you wouldn't be off the
mark, except that, in general, Giannis' part in
Bucks' success is grand and indisputable, whereas
Cristiano has not had much to show to defend
a stake for greatness at Juve, since every single
accomplishment by the Club would have certainly
been possible even without such an expensive
prima donna on the roster.


Φεύγουν ένα-ένα τα παιδιά για το Τόκιο και για τη
μεγάλη προσπάθεια. Να ευχηθούμε πρώτα υγεία και
δύναμη και μετά επιτυχίες και στο αγωνιστικό μέρος.
Αλλά, όπως σημείωσε και ο Λευτέρης, είμαστε μαζί
με όλους και στηρίζουμε τις προσπάθειες όλων και
χειροκροτούμε και επιβραβεύουμε τον κόπο, την
αφοσίωση και την προσπάθεια όλων, ανεξαρτήτως
αποτελεσματος και ανεξαρτήτως μεταλλείων.
Ας ευχηθούμε, επίσης, και πάλι, να επιστρέψουν
μόνιμα οι Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες στην Ελλάδα και
να γυρίσει η έδρα της Ολυμπιακής Επιτροπής στην
Ελλάδα, όπου και ανήκει και όπου μπορούν, με τον
καλύτερο δυνατό τρόπο, να διασφαλιστούν οι
Αξίες και τα Ιδανικά του Αθλητισμού και του
Ολυμπιακού Πνεύματος. Είναι ώρα της μόνιμης
επανεγκατάστασης και να σταματήσει η άκρατη
εμπορευματοποίηση, η απληστία και το γυρολόϊ.
 

At first sight these changes do not sound very attractive
or very constructive. One hopes that they would try them
extensively before causing irreparable damage. Also, in
terms of jurisdiction, I do not think that they have either
the legitimacy or the credibility to change the sport as it
exists today in such a radical way. On the positive side,
one would hope that, if they do, and there are powerful
voices disagreeing and becoming fed up with this terrible
organization, there might, at last, be a split and, as a side
effect, a welcome implosion of FIFA by elements that
would want to see football played as it has been forever,
and wanting to preserve both its athletic character and
the Values and Ideals of competition, which have been
all but abandoned and sold out to the highest bidder by
the terrible, unscrupulous, oligarchs in Switzerland.


Juve should have moved more aggressively in selling
Ronaldo and in acquiring Donnarumma and, if that
had been possible, 2-3 more of the other players in the
National Team. Almost any player of the Azzurri that
I can think of this summer had a much more developed
TEAM SPIRIT and CONTRIBUTION IN THE
FORMIDABLE COLLECTIVE EFFORT than
Ronaldo has had or will ever be capable of either in
Portugal or the clubs he has been through. That is
exactly what I meant when insisting that Juve has
always been a team-spirited club and both the
successful National Side of older years and the
successful National Side under Mancini this year
exactly reflected that kind of spirit. Stardom is for
commerce, advertising, selling and impressing, but
it - the right kind of stardom - helps only minimally
in a sport that requires teamwork, strategy and
coordination and in which a genuine family spirit
and leaving behind egoism and personality issues
are the key for collective excellence and success.

 
They overdid it in Milano... The new jerseys of Inter
are not in very good taste, but, maybe in the fashion
capital of Italy, they pass for haute couture... To me
they are reminiscent of a woman's undergarment or
stockings, suitable for a night outing. Sometimes,
simplicity, classicism and tradition are better than
innovation and trying to outdo oneself in extravagance.


Gigio, please do not go to Paris! PLEASE, PLEASE,
PLEASE, TRAVEL TO THE NORTH AND SIGN
WITH THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CLUB AT TORINO!!


The coach did the hugging, but the hugs and the love
and the appreciation and the thanks are from all of us!
Thank you, Bukayo and Jadon and Marcus and all the
other kids, all players of England and of Italy and of all
other Nations, for unforgettable moments this summer.


Football is not only the joy of winning and the sadness
and disappointment of losing. It is above all, the joy
and excitement of the competition, love and fraternity
between teammates and opponents and all fans of all
Nations on Earth, and respect and appreciation for the
effort of teammates and of opponents. Give these guys
the Respect, the Love and the Appreciation that they
deserve and that they have earned by helping your
side reach the second position on the Continent in a
very competitive and tough tournament. You owe
them at least that much and you owe yourselves the
decency and conduct that qualify one as a fan of the
most beautiful sport on the planet. Stop abusing and
harassing players that gave their best and made you
and our entire footballing community proud. THEY
ARE, like all others, OUR BROTHERS, and we thank
them for all their efforts, for all ups and all downs
and all the joy and the excitement of this summer.


And the HEAT KEEPS RISING!!
FORZA AZZURRI!!

Και η άποψη του Βασίλη Μοιρώτσου στο in.gr όσον
αφορά το VAR  με βρίσκει απόλυτα σύμφωνο, αν και,
προφανώς, δεν έχω δει το replay όσες φορές εκείνος για
να έχω τόσο ξεκάθαρη θέση, αλλά ταυτίζομαι επί της
αρχής και επικροτώ το πόσο ξεκάθαρος είναι και πόσο
ένθερμα υποστηρίζει το Δίκαιο και τη Διόρθωση λαθών,
ανεξαρτήτως ποιά πλευρά ευνούν. Αυτός δεν είναι και
ο κύριος λόγος εισαγωγής του; Φτάνει πια να βλέπουμε,
ακόμα και επί εποχής VAR, στο ποδόσφαιρο φανταχτερές,
χτυπητές αδικίες. Με το VAR απαιτούμε πλήρη Ισοτιμία
και Δικαιοσύνη και διόρθωση όλων των κρίσιμων λαθών.


Συγχαρητήρια στην Άννα και στο Λευτέρη και καλή
τύχη σε όλους τους αθλητές και αθλήτριες στο Τόκιο.
Πρώτα απ' όλα Υγεία και Δύναμη και μετά ό,τι καλύτερο
στον αθλητικό τομέα. Σας παρακολουθούμε με χαρά,
μας συγκινεί η προσπάθεια και ο αγώνας όλων και σας
υποστηρίζουμε, ανεξαρτήτως αποτελέσματος.


Unjustifiable, absurd decision by the Dutch Association
to sack Frank de Boer. Netherlands was impressive in the
Euro and, unlike other coaches who did indeed make
strategic mistakes that cost their team, Frank de Boer
was in no way responsible for the mishap that plagued
the Netherlands and cost them a spot in the quarterfinals.


The HEAT IS RISING!!




Μπράβο, Στέφανε! Μεγάλη χαρά και σήμερα. Πώς
θα μπορούσε να είναι αλλιώς όταν ο αντίπαλος είναι
ο Novak στον τελικό του Roland Garros και η μάχη
τεντώνεται μέχρι και το πέμπτο set;
 

Stefanos booked a place in the final.


Μαγεία! Ακόμη κι όταν χάνει, το ότι βρίσκεται εκεί
που βρίσκεται και το ότι παλεύει όπως παλεύει μας
δίνει τόσο μεγάλη χαρά. Ίσως λίγο περισσότερη
ψυχραιμία να βοηθούσε, αλλά εύκολο είναι για μας
απ'έξω να υποσημειώνουμε. Όταν είναι κανείς μέσα,
χρειάζεται μαζί και πάθος και νεύρα από ατσάλι...
ΜΠΡΑΒΟ, ΜΑΡΙΑ! ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΟΥΜΕ, ΜΑΡΙΑ!


Σκληρή δουλειά, υπομονή και επιμονή, αλλά πάντα με
ανεκτικότητα, με ευγένεια, με καλοσύνη, με τη χαρά
και το χαμόγελο στα χείλη. Πώς θα μπορούσε να μην
κέρδιζε, ανεξαρτήτως αποτελέσματος;

Μετά κι απ' αυτό το αποτέλεσμα, κάνουμε όνειρα
θερινής νυκτός. Αλλά Παρίσι έιναι... ποτέ δεν ξέρεις...
ΜΠΡΑΒΟ, ΜΑΡΙΑ!! ΜΠΡΑΒΟ, ΣΤΕΦΑΝΕ!!


Ο Στέφανος δε μισεί κανέναν. Αγαπάει το τέννις και
όσους ασχολούνται με το τεννις με καλή πίστη και
με ζεστασιά κι ανοιχτή καρδιά. Όλα τ' άλλα είναι
κουραφέξαλα, σενάρια επιστημονικής φαντασίας
και προϊόντα προς φθηνή αντιαθλητική κατανάλωση.
Με σεβασμό προς όλους τους αντιπάλους, συγκεντρώ-
νεται πάντα στο παιχνίδι. Αν ήταν οπωσδήποτε αλλιώς,
δε θα μπορούσε να κάνει πρωταθλητισμό ή να είναι 5.


Ο Στέφανος και η Μαρία παίζουν πάλι πολύ καλό τέννις
στο Παρίσι και μας κάνουν περήφανους. Νά'ναι καλά τα
παιδιά, δυνατά και υγιή, και να απολαμβάνουν πάντα
μεγάλες επιτυχίες και να χαιρόμαστε κι εμείς μαζί τους.
 

Real is going to be managed again by one of the
greatest and most powerful coaches on Earth.
Even though, there is word circulating around
that, perhaps, there are repercussions coming
for the "super league" shenanigans from earlier
this season... We'll have to wait and see.


Ο Ολυμπιακός διαψεύδει ότι διαπραγματεύεται για
ανταλλαγή του Φορτούνη... Ωχ... Πάει ο Φορτούνης.


I strongly support Naomi Osaka's position with
regard to interviews and media appearances
during tournaments. It should be up to each
individual player, and not up to the tournament
organizers, whether or not they are available to
engage with the media. If they think that it is
detrimental to their well-being , their sanity and
their performance doing so, they should be allowed
to forego public appearances. After all it is so
tiring listening to people that rarely have any-
thing useful or informative to say speak simply
because they are obliged to do so by obsolete,
meaningless and absurd regulations. As the
Greek saying goes "τα πολλά λόγια είναι φτώχια";
Let the players do what they think is best.




Just so people do not think that I am some sort of
"disgruntled employee" (as the term has become
fashionable and meaninglessly overused, usually
when someone has a, mostly, legitimate beef against
authoritarianism, bulls**t and/or heartlessness,
exhibited by questionable quality managers, CEOs
and CF**kOs ) and that I am alone in thinking the
way I do about Juve, here is a similar point of view;
a more pragmatic analysis, since I do admit of a
tendency to refer to Ideals and to Values a little
more. I do care about both to an equal degree,
however. One should try both to do the Right
Thing and to be both Good and Efficient at what
they do. If not, then something is lacking, and if
they fail at more than one, then something more
substantial, perhaps even something massive
and critical, is missing. That is my worry and worst
nightmare about this Club, with its Celebrated and
Massive History: That the current administration
is just too little and not too cognizant of the burden
and responsibility they carry to carry it successfully.
 

It is absurd and outrageous that three of the most
affluent club owners in Football's History are
making statements to the effect that the "viability
of football  is far from given", and that they are
playing the avarice game as a "duty to their fans".
First, stay assured that Football is viable because
it is loved by hundreds of millions of people around
the globe; not because your three clubs exist. Your
nonexistence would not have diminished football's
popularity or our fascination and love, not even by
a single iota. So you may go "hung yourselves" or
"drown in your self-invoked vomit" for all we care.
Second, how do you even dare talk about "viability",
when the billions you spend in buying and selling
players are purely your own choice and your doing?
No one forces you to form, oftentimes losing, teams
which are much much more expensive in cost than
much more reasonably priced, and oftentimes
winning, competitors. You could do much better
with sound strategic thinking and less expenditures,
and, in fact, you are free to do so and be more
"viable" and, perhaps, even more successful. If
you choose the path of extravagance, do not dare
come back and whine about "viability" of the
game as a whole. Apologize to your fans for your
incoherent and unsound investments and try
to become "viable" by being reasonable. Your
statements are insulting, injurious and, in their
absurdity, unbelievable and delusional.
 

As the morph used to say, we'll have to wait and see.
But my feeling is that, if the Romans are expecting
successes comparable to those of Inter 11 years ago,
it is very likely, more so than not, that they will be
deeply disappointed. First, it seems that their
leadership is more into "MLS-type management"
than European thinking and planning, resulting in
impressing, but not necessarily delivering. Second,
Mourinho is neither mentally nor psychologically
where he was a decade ago. He has proven this by
being unable to coach successfully a club that,
arguably, has had much greater power and much
more to offer, objectively speaking, than the Romans.
Unless Club directors are willing to back impressive
moves with substance, it is very difficult to envision
a successful streak at the Capital of the once
Formidable Empire and Known World for the
beleaguered (in all but financial comfort) manager.


In Italy, Juve did not perform that well this season and
in basketball, neither Panathinaikos nor Olympiacos were
able to withstand the pressure from other European giants
in Euroleague competition. On the other hand, how could
one be disappointed when these shortcomings were more
than counterbalanced by the Great Successes of Stefanos
and Lefteris and Olympiacos' girls in Euroleague Water
Polo, as well as by the continuous struggle and assent of
Maria towards the top? Not to mention, on the political
side, the decisive resistance and determined opposition to
the shameful European "Super League" conspiracy, which
was rebuffed and all but burned to the ground, with the
loud and clear message that fans and National Associations
will not stand for usurping a tremendously popular and
beautiful sport and will not allow anyone transforming it to
a cash cow, a mere business operation and a money-making
machine in the name of millions, but in the service of very few.
 

Μπράβο, κορίτσια!!
 

A marvelous City, a Legend and a Maestro.
All the ingredients for a formidable final.
 

Μπράβο, Λευτέρη! Μπράβο, Στέφανε!
 

How much of an idiot do you have to be to think that
it would be more exciting for tennis fans if there had
been a Federer-Nadal match "every Wednesday"?
Are you incapable of understanding that part of the
interest and the excitement is the relative rarity of
those games and that part of the anticipation and
thrill consists of those rare occasions when one of
these giants is defeated unexpectedly and a young
talent, still unknown and yet untested, pushes his/
her way through to join the elite in the suspense?
I guess people like Florentino Perez, along with
those who have been spoiled by the habit of paying
whatever it takes to buy the best and, in that way,
predominate by brute force all competitions, have
lost all sense of measure and moderation and have
lost all touch with every and all realities of how the
People and the majority of fans view football.
On a different vein, I read Antonio's position on
UEFA and the claim, based in fact, that it stashes
its earnings in the Swiss accounts benefiting very
few, instead of distributing a larger amount to the
Clubs, which is what Conte advocates. Let me say
that what we have consistently observed is that
the elite of football (players and coaches, like
Conte), who are very lavishly rewarded during
their careers, become administrators of those
despicable agencies, like UEFA, and then, instead
of remembering how they started out and where
they came from, they start indulging in this greedy
and insatiable hoarding of money and assets in
Switzerland, allegedly "on behalf and in the
name and for the benefit of football", but, in
reality, for personal enrichment, benefit and
power. These are the people most responsible
for the decline and decadence in the affairs of
football and the eventual catastrophic demise
brought on by these "super league" proposals.
In other words, these are the main people that
enable and encourage behaviors and attitudes
like the one that Mr. Perez shamelessly exhibits
and advocates, instead of calling those crossing
red lines back to order.
 

Andrea Agnelli has a name that is historically heavy
and extremely significant and no one wants to see him
resign or go (not that he would, being the owner of the
Club). But exactly because Andrea has such a weighty
name, he has, also, a heavy responsibility to reckon
with and come to terms with both History and with
the realities and the true meaning and significance of
football, not only as a professional sport and a money
making machine for the few, but for the Hearts and the
Minds of the Millions of Fans of All Clubs, and of
JUVE, in particular, around our Globe, our World
United by this, the Most Beautiful and Popular Sport.
 
     

Mesmerizing, just to celebrate...
 

Do not make any decisions that you shall regret.
Finish this year's Champions League and take
any appropriate measures for the following year's
tournament. Banning at the semi-final stage those
teams that earned their presence there this year
would be another step towards damaging Merit
and that is the Value and Ideal that fans want to
preserve and against whose damage and detriment
everyone is up in arms. Do not destroy this year's
competition out of your own personal whims and
caprices, before giving this a second thought.


Ceferin is right to characterize Andrea as a
"snake" and a "liar" and charge him with
extreme greediness and avarice to the
detriment of the most beautiful sport on the
planet. On the other hand, Ceferin should
not forget who are responsible, and which
organizations, are responsible for beginning
this indecent descent into the bottomless pit
of greed and avarice. To remind him, two
outfits by the names of UEFA and FIFA,
one of which he happens to "preside" over,
are the most responsible for the woes of
World Football today, and him and his
predecessors should also be held accountable
and, perhaps, even more so than the current
conspirators. The FA should lead the way
by imploding UEFA and by nipping this
"effort" of a closed league in the bud.
The FA has stood on the sidelines for too long
and should heed the fans' cries before the state
of football gets so deep in the mud that it
becomes even more difficult to salvage.


The ultimate bulls**t, simply for money.
Should we have expected anything better
from Andrea Agnelli, who, instead of
focusing on building a better team, is
conspiring behind the scenes, to institute
shenanigans with closed exclusive leagues,
which lead nowhere and will ultimately fail,
since fans will become even more tired than
they are now, seeing year after year the same
old same old, with the deep pockets, looking
themselves in the mirror, full of pomp
and self-satisfaction and congratulating
themselves for being exclusive and the best.
Why? What else, other than monetary
gains, does this scheme entail? And what
is it that makes it necessary? And why is
it that the current intake of these clubs,
despite being disproportionately large
already in comparison to that of others,
is still not enough for their super-greedy,
catastrophically avaricious, "owners"?
 

Μπράβο, Στέφανε!!


Άσ'τα να πάνε... Μπλέξαν και τον μπέμπη στα σκ**ά...




Hispania Futbolensis at its best and greatest form.
 

Stefanos and Maria are inching closer and closer to
the top, with remarkable top-notch performances.
My advice for them is to enjoy the journey, rather
than wishing for a speedy attainment of the goal.
They will realize, once they get there, that the
pressure and the demands will be so high that
it will be very hard to enjoy, and get delighted in
the same way by, every single step, every battle,
every success and every adversity. The expectations
there will be very, very, different.
 

I like the players, but, on this issue, I am behind
Andrea 100%. It is not only a matter of obeying
rules and leading by example, but also of showing
Responsibility and doing the Right Thing for all
those around you, out of Solidarity and Respect.


I am reading that FIFA justified the decision not to
use VARs by the argument that, since many stadia,
where qualifying events take place are not yet equipped
with the technology, for fairness sake, even those games
played at venues that are equipped with it, would not
be able to use it for World Cup qualifying games.
Laughable and ridiculous, like FIFA (and UEFA)
itself, isn't it? First, who can accept and/or digest
the argument that Human mistakes, in, say, Africa
or South America, would cancel out Human mistakes
in Europe or Asia, which could possibly have been
avoided? Do "mistakes everywhere" somehow even
out "avoidable mistakes somewhere"? Is that by
following the logic that "two wrongs shall make a
right", rather than "avoid doing wrong, where we
can, so that we limit doing wrong, at least in those
cases, where technology allows us and is there to
help us in that goal"? Second, how about having
a mandatory requirement that one venue in each
Nation is VAR-equipped and VAR-tested and that
it be used for National Games, so that this incapacity
to use it everywhere does not exist? In States that
cannot do this by themselves, why can't these
arrogant hoarders of wealth (other people's wealth)
in Switzerland help and subsidize, rather than
keeping all for themselves in the Swiss banking
system and mocking the World and ridiculing the
most beautiful and the most fascinating sport on
Earth with their incompetence and their pathetic
actions? It is high time that UEFA and FIFA
imploded and that Associations came together to
organize footballing events in a more transparent
and less autocratic way and, as it turns out, with
much more gusto, finesse, love, sensitivity and
sensibility than are currently used and a la mode
at the very top (where revenues and profit are all
that really matter).


Juve is deliberating over Cristiano's future in the club.
My own view is that, if there is a fair price offered for
his departure, it should be taken seriously and accepted.
First, it is not good for a team - for any team - to be
burdened with a player who, regardless of performance
and regardless of ups and downs, expects and is expected,
because of pricing and other considerations, to be always
part of the starting 11 and, also, not to be substituted.
Second, the way things currently stand, I consider that
a starting configuration, like the one below, could be
very threatening and intimidating against any opponent.
                                Morata
                Dybala                     Chiesa
Sandro                                                 Cuadrado
with, Bernardeschi, McKennie, Rabiot and Ransey
able to fill-in the central positions behind the three
forwards and a multiplicity of excellent, experienced
choices, currently available, for the defensive line.
This configuration can be very productive at a very
reasonable balance between efficiency and cost. The
acquisition of Ronaldo was not a very thoroughly
thought out move, nor was it very well planned. It is
unfortunate that lately, in my view, many of the
planning decisions in the club are haphazard and
hastily made, more on commercial than on footballing
grounds, and this shows in the overall image the team
has been cultivating. The pandemic and the resulting
financial woes may present a good opportunity to
rethink "Plan Juve" and make wiser decisions
concerning the Club henceforth.

Unbelievable! Not that the referee and the assistants did
not see or did not make the right decision, but that there
was no VAR, and that VARs are not required at such a
level of play with such decisive consequences for such a
significant sporting event. When will UEFA and FIFA
wake up and mandate that VARs have to assist Human
Referees in all official games, without any exceptions?
The scandal is not that Cristiano was outraged, but that
UEFA and FIFA still exist and still torture the game.
 

Devastating elimination yesterday at the Juve Stadium,
but, whatever our own faults were, Heartfelt Congratulations
are due to Porto and heartfelt wishes to that tenacious team
and the beautiful City it represents for the sequel! A word
of caution to Andrea Agnelli for the unavoidable decisions
that he now has to make. It is too late to start distrusting
the other Andrea and to withdraw confidence and support
in him and his skills. This had to be done before trusting
him as a rookie and appointing him at a very difficult and
demanding job in a very unusual and challenging season.
Now that he has given indications that he can manage well
and become successful, he is owed the chance to be allowed
to prove himself in the next season, where his experience
will have added to his skills and temperament. I, for once,
would advise Andrea to grant the other Andrea this next
chance. I think, that if this is granted, neither he and Juve
nor us will be disappointed by future performance and results
and we may yet see soon enough Juve at the top again.
FORZA, FORZA JUVE!!


100% Behind LeBron! An informed, free-thinking,
sensitive and sensible Citizen, let alone someone with
an extra power in his voice and a public forum available
to express it, MUST SPEAK UP about the evils in our
societies, such as systemic racism, racial and social
injustice, police brutality and voter suppression, and
about our shortcomings with regard to, and the deviations
from, our proclaimed Values and Ideals. In my view,
it is not only one's Right, but, if the person is aware,
and has a pulpit, it is one's Duty and Responsibility.
100% Behind LeBron, loudly and unequivocally.


Μπράβο στον Ολυμπιακό! Μόλις βλέπω κλήρωση με
Arsenal. Μπορεί ο Ολυμπιακός, αλλά περιττό να
αναφερθεί ότι χρειάζεται πολύ, πολύ μεγάλη προσοχή,
συγκέντρωση και, φυσικά, υπερπροσπάθεια...


Πολύ θετικό σκορ στον Πειραιά, αλλά αν ο Ολυμπιακός
πάει στην Ολλανδία με την  έπαρση του in.gr και με την
ιδέα και τη νοοτροπία ότι στην Αθήνα "τους πατήσανε",
είναι πολύ, μα πάρα πολύ, εύκολο με επιπολαιότητα και
απροσεξία να χάσει με 2-0 και να αποκλειστεί. Ας αφήσουμε
λοιπόν τα πρόωρα και πρώιμα πανηγύρια και ας κάνουμε
το ευφυές και σωστό: ας συγκεντρωθούμε στο ζητούμενο
με την ταπεινοφροσύνη και την επίγνωση που απαιτούν
οι περιστάσεις...


We knew that this year's Campionato would be
extremely competitive. But for La Vecchia Signora
nothing had been definitively lost yet. We must
focus and use effectively all out attacking assets
to the greatest advantage. And, as always, the
most pointed attach always starts with impeccable
defensive coordination, for which we have all the
fundamentals and the aces.
FORZA JUVE!!


Alisson is considered by many one of the top
keepers in the World. He has however made
similar mistakes in one game too many and,
assuming his reputation is justified, these are
rather suspicious and worrisome occurrences.


Κάποια στιγμή, αυτοί που λένε συστηματικά
ψέματα στους δημοσιογράφους πρέπει να
απολύονται, αν τα αφεντικά τους δεν είναι
αφερέγγυα και κατάπτυστα. Αλλά φαίνεται
στην Ελλάδα, επειδή το έχουμε κάνει σύστημα,
όταν κάποιος διαψεύδει κάτι, να κατανοούμε
όλοι ότι αυτό το κάτι είναι έγκυρο και να
περιμένουμε να συμβεί, δεν ιδρώνει το αυτί
κανενός. Δε σημαίνει όμως ότι αυτό είναι
έντιμο. Κρίμα που ο Καραπαπάς έχει ακόμα
το πόστο που έχει και ο Μαρινάκης χαίρει
της εκτίμησης πολλών. Και κρίμα και για
τον Ολυμπιακό, που αξίζει καλύτερα.
 

If the Japanese Olympic Authorities have decided
against holding the Olympic Games, I STRONGLY
APPLAUD THEIR DECISION AND STAND BY
THEIR SIDE. When millions of People on our Planet
have died and when thousands of People suffer, get
sick and die every single day, it is not the right time
nor is it the right signal to send to be organizing
and to be engaging in sporting events and risking
more damage by allowing or tolerating large
gatherings of people at the same place. Let us first
see what the effects of vaccination will be, let us
first have strong scientific evidence that enough
people have gotten vaccinated to reign on the rate
of spreading, of hospitalizations and of suffering
and death and, then, we can again start talking,
first about life getting slowly back to normal and,
then, at the second stage, starting sporting and
other events. IT IS EASY TO DO THE RIGHT
THING! WE ONLY HAVE TO THINK AND ΤΟ
ΒE REASONABLE AND NOT GREEDY.


It sounds like there is something amiss at Liverpool.
It is not only the negative results that cause concern.
Why do we keep hearing that Salah wants to leave?
Has the climate turned toxic? Have there been
disagreements and friction that have damaged the
coherence of the Team causing an unpleasant, and,
perhaps, untenable, situation? Klopp, at least publicly,
does not seem to think this is the case. If he is right,
then the situation must be reversible and he must
work towards reversing it with some urgency.



 
 

Βόθρος η "ομοσπονδία"ιστιοπλοϊας. Σαπίλα,
βρωμιά και δυσωδία και η "ως γυναίκα και
φεμινίστρια" κυρα Νίκη, που να την πάρει
και να τη σηκώσει.
 

Μπράβο και στον Πρωθυπουργό, και στην Κυρία
Γεννηματά και στον Κύριο Κουτσούμπα. Αλλά,
όπως αναφέρει ο Πρωθυπουργός, δεν αρκούν
λίγες, έστω και παντοδύναμες, φωνές, ούτε μόνο
η γενναιότητα της Σοφίας και κάθε Σοφίας, αλλά
χρειάζεται όλοι οι Πολίτες αφενός να αντιλαμβάνονται
την ευθύνη που τους αναλογεί και αφετέρου να
συμπαραστέκονται με κάθε τρόπο στα θύματα,
χωρίς αμφισημίες και ενδοιασμούς. Μπορούμε
να γίνουμε καλύτεροι ώστε να ελαχιστοποιήσουμε
τα περιστατικά και, όπου συμβαίνουν, να βρίσκουν
τη συντριπτική πλειοψηφία των Πολιτών αυτόματα,
άμεσα και αυτονόητα αντιμέτωπη και στο πλευρό
των θυμάτων.

Μπράβο στον Κύριο Παπαδημητρίου! Γιατί όμως να
είναι ο Κύριος Παπαδημητρίου μόνος του; Πρώτον,
η Ομοσπονδία έπρεπε να αντιδράσει ακριβώς όπως
περιγράφει στην επιστολή παραίτησής του ο Κύριος
Παπαδημητρίου. Δεύτερον, σύσσωμη η Ομοσπονδία
έπρεπε να έχει παραιτηθεί μετά την άστοχη, άναίσθητη
και μη-αλληλέγγυη αντίδραση του προέδρου και την
ανακοίνωσή του, που, ναι μεν φαίνεται να προέρχεται
από το προεδρείο, πλην όμως σαφώς υποσκάπτει
την τιμή και θίγει την εντιμότητα, την ευαισθησία,
το καλοπροαίρετο και την αλληλεγγύη όλων, ή, εν πάσει
περιπτώσει, της συντριπτικής πλειοψηφίας, που είμαι
σίγουρος, στέκεται στο πλευρό της Σοφίας και απαιτεί
τη διαλεύκανση της υπόθεσης και την τιμωρία του
ενόχου, πάντα σύμφωνα με το Δίκαιο και τους Ισχύοντες
Νόμους. Αλλά και την αλλαγή των νόμων και των
κανόνων, όταν και όπου αποδειχθεί ότι είναι ανίκανοι
και/ή ανεπαρκείς να αποσοβήσουν τέτοια περιστατικά
και να προστατέψουν τα θύματα.


We must not ask those who were harassed or molested
to apologize because they did not come forward sooner.
We must ask that those who harassed and molested
explain, assume responsibility and be held accountable,
no matter how long ago the abuse took place. I am very
much moved by this incident and by Sofia's courage to
come forward, even so long after the event, and to speak
publicly and reveal the abuses. I am devastated that the
perpetrator was a member of the association at the time
when Sofia and her teammates were trying their hardest
and giving their all for their Sport and their Country.
I HOPE that in Greece, but also everywhere else, our
Civility, Education and Culture shall reach a point when
no one will be turning around and asking an explanation
from the victims, but will, instead, ask for a deposition,
open an investigation and hold perpetrators to account,
without bias or statutes of limitation.


The FA, it may be, messed this thing up completely.
It should, perhaps, apologize for hasty and uncalled
for action against one of the best forwards and should
instead focus, as THE LEADING ASSOCIATION,
against true racism in the game, on the one hand,
and against the scandalous and provocative financial
misappropriations and misbehavior on the part of
both UEFA and FIFA. The FA MUST BE much more
proactive when and where there are good reasons to
be, in motivating the other European and World
Associations to coordinate to boycott UEFA and
FIFA activities and tournaments, and, eventually,
in imploding FIFA and organizing the events that
FIFA now organizes, with the sole aim of enriching
the pockets of the few select oligarchs of the game,
as a group of cooperating local associations instead.


Εχει απόλυτο δίκιο ο Αντώνης Καρπετόπουλος,
όχι διότι, για κάποιο λόγο, προτιμώ τη δική του
άποψη από την άποψη κάποιων άλλων, αλλά,
απλούστατα, διότι την τεκμηριώνει αδιάσειστα
και δεν αφήνει κανένα περιθώριο περί του λόγου
το αληθές. Φυσικά. όπως εμείς οι Μαθηματικοί
γνωρίζουμε καλά, υπάρχει πάντα ελπίδα, ακόμη
κι αν η πιθανότητα επιτυχίας είναι απειροελάχιστη.
Απλώς και στα αθλητικά, όπως και στα οικονομικά,
είναι αφενός απάτη να πουλάμε φύκια για μεταξωτές
κορδέλες, διογκώνοντας, εν γνώση μας, το ενδεχόμενο
επιτυχίας και αποπροσανατολίζοντας από τις
πραγματικές διαστάσεις και τα ρεαλιστικά
ενδεχόμενα, και είναι αφετέρου προφανές ότι,
γνωρίζοντας την αλήθεια, αν είμαστε λογικοί, δε θα
ρισκάραμε την δική μας περιουσία σε μία επένδυση
με μηδαμηνό αντίκρυσμα και, κατά συνέπεια, θα
ήταν ανέντιμο να ρισκάραμε την περιουσία κάποιων
άλλων, ειδικά όταν εκέινοι περιμένουν από εμάς. ώς
υποτιθέμενους γνώστες του αντικειμένου και ως
ειδήμονες, μία συμβουλή και μία σοφή καθοδήγηση.


Words cannot describe the sorrow...
Paolo Rossi is with us no more.. A TEAM LIKE
NO OTHER IN HISTORY. MEMORIES LIKE
NONE OTHER IN HISTORY. HISTORY...
   

Diego Maradona is with us no more...
He was a man passionate about Social Justice
and this is more than one can say about many
people. On the other hand, he had not fully
realized that many young kids and younger
people are influenced in their sense and their
ideas about Justice, Fairness and Equality and
in the way they behave, comport themselves
and treat others from sports personalities and
sports celebrities and he never gave the best
of examples. He was excellent in talent and
skill, but to a lamentable extent, both inside
and outside the game, he squandered both.
He is one among many that made the fans
painfully aware of the urgent need for VAR and
helped intensify the sense of necessity and the
indignation and insistence for its introduction
in footballing circles. It is stupefying that, even
though everyone was aware to an oppressive
degree about the issues when he was alive,
everyone pretends to forget, everyone forgives
and everyone beautifies and sanctifies after death
So be it; nothing changes a posteriori, and all
matter very little now...
 

How important and how high a priority is soccer
in the big picture of American Sports? One does
not have to look very deeply. Today, October
28, 2020, at 4:00 pm Eastern, Juventus is hosting
Barcelona for the Champions League, in one of the
most important Club Competitions on the Planet,
in one of the most anticipated matches in the group
stage, and for those that perceive of the sport more
superficially and always follow clubs for stardom
and not to be out-trended, rather that for essence
and beauty, in a match bidding the Clubs of Messi
and of Ronaldo against one another. None of the
major cable channels are showing the game,
despite being on schedule at a down-time. But do
not despair; there are very good reasons! ESPN
would not want you to be disappointed; you can
catch the much more important game of Georgia
vs. Vanderbilt on ESPNU. What I would like to
ask UEFA, or whoever it is that negotiates those
broadcasting rights, is why, instead of selling them
simply to the highest bidder, they do not make
sure that, whoever gets them, is also bound by
contract to use them wisely, even if they pay
a little less money? Football should not be held
hostage to capital and only that. Don't they
understand that they are doing a disservice,
to the sport itself, to its spread among U.S.
audiences and to its reputation, by selecting
channels and networks, which are unwilling
to sacrifice half-hour talk shows and reviews
of insignificant sporting events to show one of
the most important and extraordinary games
of the season? But, I admit, from people like
those in charge at UEFA and FIFA, and from
organizations that have proven their greediness,
their corrupt practices and their incompetence
again and again, it would have been silly and
utterly utopian to expect a better treatment of
the Most Beautiful Sport on the Planet.


Μπράβο, Μαρία! Πάλι μας έκανες περήφανους.
Συνέχισε τον αγώνα και τη βελτίωση. Το ταξίδι
είναι το ίδιο, αν όχι πιο, σημαντικό από τον
προορισμό. Χαιρόμαστε να σε βλέπουμε να δίνεις
τις μάχες και να βελτιώνεσαι, όπου κι αν φτάνεις.
Το ίδιο και με το Στέφανο. Πολλοί αγαπούσαμε
ήδη το άθλημα αλλά, βάζοντας και την Ελλάδα
στο χάρτη, μας δώσατε ένα ακόμα κίνητρο να το
παρακολουθούμε και να σας χαιρόμαστε.


A COACH, one of the Greatest and Most Successful
Coaches in the History of the Most Beautiful Sport on
the Planet, is retiring... What else can one say, other
than GRAZIE, MILLE GRAZIE, ALLENATORE!!
How many, and how intense and powerful, memories...
 

Very remarkable year for Serie A. I was just
checking out the changes at the coaching staff
of the teams starting the 2020-21 season and
realized that, except for the Serb Mihajlovic
at Emilia-Romagna's Bologna, the Croat Juric
at Veneto's Hellas Verona and the Portuguese
Paulo Fonseca at Roma, all other managers
are Italian. And not only this, but, in addition,
for those of us that are of certain age, there
are numerous that can be recalled as very
remarkable and memorable ex-footballers.
Where can one start? From Conte at Inter,
from Pirlo at Juve, from Pipo at Benevento
or Simone Inzaghi at Lazio? And where can
one finish? At Gattuso at Napoli, or at Fabio
Liverani at Parma? And the whole roster is
made even richer by older and more tried
and experienced managers, such as Gasperini
at Atalanta, Di Francesco at Cagliari, Ranieri
at Samptoria and Giampaolo at Torino, just
to mention a few. Truly remarkable coaching
rosters, foretelling of an exciting and very
competitive upcoming season. It is high time
that the Italian Football regained, after some
recently lost ground, its place as a leading
paradigm, and Serie A as one of the most
sought after and competitive leagues, in the
Continent and the entire World.


I respect Messi enormously for many reasons:
1. For his talent and his hard work;
2. For the fact that he is one of the very few
    players of our times that has stayed in the
    same club for such a long time and has
    shown true Allegiance and deep Love and
    Dedication for that club;
3. For the fact that he acknowledges, despite
    his singular stardom and the indisputable
    fact that he has given an awful lot to his
    Club, that he has also tremendously
    benefited from that Club and that he
    practically owes everything (except for
    his talent) to his enormous luck to have
    been recognized, recruited and nurtured
    since a tender footballing age by this, one
    the best Footballing Cities and Clubs in
    Our World;
4. For his Professionalism, because throughout
    his, now long, career, he has faced with, on
    many instances, cool temper and introspection,
    and, yes, sometimes with disappointment and
    deep sorrow and heartbreak, many failures,
    and, recently, he was denied his wish, maybe
    the last and one of the most important in his
    career, for a transfer, but, he has always come
    back, no matter the outcome, with the same,
    if not stronger Resolve and Determination
    and Professionalism, to play his part and
    to do his best to help, as much as is within
    his power, his Beloved Team.
I RESPECT LEO FOR ALL OF THESE
QUALITIES AND I HOPE THAT THEY
WILL INSPIRE OTHERS SO THAT IN
THE FUTURE, NOT ONLY HIS TALENT
AND MAESTRY, BUT ALSO, HIS ETHICS
AND HIS TREMENDOUS STATURE IN
THE GAME, WILL BE GUIDES FOR ALL
THE YOUNGER KIDS AND PLAYERS
THAT GET INVOLVED IN IT.
We all know, even though many fail to admit
for various reasons, that Football, the most
beautiful and fascinating game on the Planet,
needs a lot of improvements - one would also
even advocate restructuring - as far as its Ethics
and respect and dedication to Values and non
negotiable Ideals, such as Equality, Fairness,
Economic Integrity and Transparency, go.
If you are wondering, you don't have to do
much more than hold your nose (to survive
the stench) and take a look, even a superficial
one, at the doings of these despicable and
intentionally mismanaged and dysfunctional
outfits, FIFA and UEFA, to get the point...


We could not have asked for more. In the U.S.
Open, Maria really gave all, but Serena, despite
her age, is still in formidable form and at a
formidable and enviable playing level. Maria
took her chances and did the best she could,
given her extreme effort in previous matches,
but Serena dominated with a superb game.
Bravo to both for their skill and competitiveness.


Let's see... All of us, tennis friends and Maria's
longtime followers, are watching her advances
in U.S. Open holding our breath. How far will
she be able to go this year, in the middle of such
adversity and amidst so many upsetting events?


Τυχερή και καλοφόρετη! Σίγουρα με έντονο
λατινοαμερικάνικο χρώμα και πινελιά! Θα
θυμίζει σε όλους μας (τουλάχιστον της δικιά
μας ηλικίας, που θυμόμαστε κάποια σβησμένα
μεγαλεία) το συμπαθέστατο και φίλτατο Peru
στις δόξες του και επίσης, από πολιτική σκοπιά,
έχει και ένα Αργεντίνικο και Μεξικάνικο Άρωμα.
Για να συνοψίσουμε, οι σχεδιαστές αυτού του
project στην Adidas επικεντρώθηκαν για
έμπνευση και στις δύο πιο Ιστορικές Αποικίες
της (επίσης φίλτατης και αγαπητής) Ισπανίας
στο Νέο Κόσμο (για τους Ευρωπαίους), την
Nueva España και το Peru.

To be honest, what is surprising is not that
Maguire got such a long sentence; the police
report seemed pretty damning and the dude
does not seem to be at his nicest under the
influence, nor did he seem to be accompanied
by a company distinguished for their soothing,
relaxing and mellifluous influences. What is
totally surprising, I would even go as far
as to call it stupefying, is that he had the
decision ready and the sentence dished out
in a day or two!!!! I am wondering how it
is possible in a Judicial System like the
Greek one (not unlike the Italian) that he
did not have to wait for years, from date
to new date and from postponement to new
postponement, to learn his fate. Was it that
the attorneys did not procrastinate or was
it that the Judicial Authorities, having gotten
wind that, the defendant being so famous,
any traditional delays would expose the
entire system for what it is, decided to act
and face this particular case with unusual
swiftness and rigor (or shall we say rigour)?


Bravo to both Kostas and Liverpool!!
He is a very talented and impressive player.
He is now leaving a mediocre Championship,
like the "super"league, for, perhaps the
most competitive Championship right
now on the face of the Planet. It is true;
he had other very good players to work
with at Olympiacos and the climate was
European and quite demanding. But
his new assignment is so far above that
and so much beyond what he is used to
that he needs, not only to believe in his
capabilities and his potential, but to be
patient and to work very hard and not
think that anything has already been
achieved. This, in my view, had been
the greatest mistake of previous Greeks
who found themselves suddenly in big
European Clubs, in much more arduous
and demanding circumstances than those
they had been used to at home and they
lacked the right mentality and psychology
for a sustained and patient effort. So,
KOSTA, ON FOR GREAT THINGS!
YOU DO HAVE WHAT IT TAKES!
We are all rooting for you!!
 

Spasmodic, hasty and inexplicable decisions.
I like Andrea (who doesn't?) and hope that
he will prove to be a very successful coach,
along the lines of Antonio Conte and others
of the Juve family, but is it not too much for
a coach who is really only is his first steps
at coaching to take on the Herculean task
of reconstruction of a Team that has performed
much below expectations and whose minimum
expectation every year is to win the scudetto
and, moreover, is aspiring, year-in year-out,
to reach at the highest levels of the Champions
League, the most competitive and challenging
tournament at club level at this moment on
the planet? It remains to be seen, but it does
sound and seem another of those careless
and not well-coordinated moves that we've
seen recently taken by the club management
which have contributed in sinking the club
into a deep crisis resulting in some of the
worst performances in recent memory.


We need a coach that can steer the team towards
a modern, dynamic and quick style of play, while
maintaining the traditional solid defensive
performance and strength that has characterized
Juve's style of play in its most Glorious Days.
Moreover, the administration MUST ENSURE
that Juve returns to, strengthens and maintains
a Team-Style of Play at ALL COSTS. Juve is
not, and never has been, unlike other champions,
a team that has based its style of play around one
or two individuals, and has never relied on a
single player's stardom to excel. It is true that
in its best days the team was star-studded (let
us not start enumerating for fear of leaving
many out), but the stars always formed a
TEAM, an integral whole. It was never the case
that a single player was given disproportionate
and overwhelming weight and attention to the
detriment of the whole. This imbalance and
tilted mentality have to be addressed now by
changing things as they stand. Having one star
that scores now and then (mainly penalties)
and, when he does not score, darkness and
doom, is not the right strategy to claim titles
and earn Championships. Attacking effort has
to be shared and tasks partitioned among many
in harmony and balance (as has always been the
case with Juve's formerly enviable and impressive
defense).


This criminal outfit and its bosses never had any
decency or ethical sensitivity, nor any sensibilities,
and always thought of themselves beyond the law
and always placed themselves above and, if possible,
beyond the reach of the law. So it is no surprise to
anyone that, as did his predecessors and, unfortunately,
as will do his successors, until the outfit gets dismantled
and football returns closer to grassroots rather than
being administered by greedy and avaricious totally
unaccountable criminal elites, Gianni, "the dirty
boss", Infantino neither intends not has any
inclination to resign, despite being implicated in
another damaging criminal investigation and despite
contributing to another severe blow to the irreparable
"reputation" and infamy of this ridiculous, detrimental
to the well-being of the sport and useless "organization".


It did indeed turn out that Signor Sarri and
Ronaldo were not a very good fit for Juventus.
Probably under guidance, directions and strong
encouragement from above, the experienced
coach showed obsessive insistence in using
Ronaldo and timidity in sitting him out and
playing Pipita and Zorro instead, both of
whom had shown to be better fits for Juve's
style of play, which has been significantly
damaged and fallen behind after the arrival
of a, largely, self-centered and very demanding
super star, but also to be an excellent, very
cooperative, very coordinated and well-
fitting-together pair, with some of the most
memorable and impressive combinations
in Juve's flow of play. Unfortunately, this
- and admittedly a mix of other factors -
has brought Pipita close to departure and,
I am afraid, at various points last year, also
Paulo very close to being either traded or
outright sold, a move that would have been
further and critically damaging for the team.
Andrea must ponder over selling Ronaldo
and getting a couple (or three) more reasonably
priced choices, one for each of the lines, which,
it seems from recent games and results, all
need strengthening and rejuvenation to make
the team younger, more confident, faster and
more competitive for upcoming engagements.
FORZA JUVE!!


Music in Tifosi's ears!! Chelsea is reportedly
ready to pay $120M to "steal" Ronaldo. Let's
do it, get them and shop for three players of
more moderate value, superior quality and
greater usefulness to the club!
FORZA JUVE!!

The World of basketball is much poorer
today. The legendary coach Jerry Sloan
is with us no more...


I am reading again thoughts of completely thoughtless
and clueless human beings about swapping Dybala with
Neymar. No one in the know should be pondering on
buying bronze while paying for it on roughly equal
weight in Gold. If, besides footballing value, one takes
into account mental strength and finesse, on the one
hand, versus moroseness and instability, not to mention
prima donnism and whininess, on the other, this is, on
Juve's and Andrea's part one of the most absurd and
detrimental plans anyone could have heard about...


It is not just her, nor is it just a matter of politics or
of political dissent. If the FA, UEFA and FIFA really
believe that violence, extreme violence and brutality
have no place in and nothing to do with football, as
they often express through their, admittedly worthless
and, on many occasions, incompatible with their
actions, rhetoric, then none of these three outfits
should ever allow, not only on ethical grounds, but
on legal grounds, based on facts, a murderer and
a shameless butcher and a trampler of Human
Dignity to get involved in football simply because
he is filthy-rich and because he is connected enough
to be able to bypass the law and to bend the rules.
NO TO PSEUDO-ROYAL SAUDI KILLERS IN THE EPL.


Juve should get rid of Ramsey, who has not fulfilled
expectations, but not by getting Pogba, who has also
disappointed, both with his antics and with his style
and subpar performances, at United, but by selling
him outright to get a cheaper and, perhaps, more
promising option.


BRAVO, CANADA! The athletes' and the spectators'
health and safety first! Competing and, especially, filling
up the coffers of the criminal outfits in Switzerland is
now a non-issue. BRAVO, CANADA!


Two thumps up to Ronaldo, who has done more than
most to offer exceptional help to people suffering the
most from the virus, by offering many of the resources
he has available for public use.
Two thumps way way down to both Japan and the
"international 'olympic' committee", who is creating
intentionally a chaotic situation and spreading,
knowingly, confusion and misinformation, with the
sole purpose of enriching its coffers and the criminally
inflated bank accounts of its worthless 'officials'
in Switzerland, without caring about the physical
and emotional sanity of the athletes, and by taking
advantage and cashing shamelessly on a very delicate
and unfortunate situation. Japan should unilaterally
announce the postponement of the competition to
avoid ridicule and prevent an unprecedented disaster.
RETURN THE OLYMPIC GAMES PERMANENTLY
TO GREECE, WHERE THEY BELONG, SO AS TO
LIMIT THE INFLUENCE OF MONEY & SUBSTANCES
AND ELIMINATE CRIMINAL OUTFITS AND GANGS,
SUCH AS THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES, FROM
DAMAGING AND DESTROYING THE ATHLETIC
SPIRIT AND TAINTING THE COMPETITION.


They say "Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo, blah, blah blah..."
How many of these are penalty kicks? And you see THIS,
the grace, the elegance, Le Champagne de football, and
you are wondering, when is Juve (and Andrea) going to
realize that they have a PLAYER, whose temperament,
whose finesse, whose style and whose elegance parallels
that of the MAESTRO, Señor Messi, and surpasses, by
leagues, that of the arch-cheater Maradona, and that he
is DEFINITELY NOT Ronaldo? JUVE, SIGNOR SARRI,
WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WE HAVE
A JEWEL, A RARE DIAMOND, MORE PRECIOUS
THAN MANY OTHERS TEAMS CAN EVEN DREAM
OF!! FORZA, FORZA JUVE!!!!


Κρίμα για τον Ολυμπιακό... Η Ομάδα που αντιμετώπισε
την Arsenal ήταν απούσα σήμερα στην Τούμπα. Αν ο
Ολυμπιακός είχε παίξει όσο απρόσεκτα έπαιξε σήμερα
αμυντικά στο Λονδίνο, θα είχε πάρει από τα τρία το
μακρύτερο. Κρίμα για τον Martins, αλλά με τέτοια
άμυνα, όχι μόνο δεν θα έχει καμία τύχη έναντι των
Λύκων στο Europa, αλλά εάν δεν βελτιωθεί, καλύτερα
να μην εμφανιστεί στηνΑγγλία ούτε για προπόνηση...


Bravo to Jürgen Klop because he truly is an absolutely
insignificant entity in the big scheme of things and, despite
the millions that he is being paid, regardless of his worth,
he is accepting his worthlessness and he is recognizing it
publicly. Bravo, Jürgen, for your blatant honesty and
your admission that you are overpaid in the big scheme
of things...
 

Χονδροαφερεγγυοτητες... Η Juve χρειάζεται να ξεφορτωθεί
το Ronaldo; οχι να χτισει γυρω απο το Ronaldo. Οσοι εχουν
ματια και βλεπουν, ειδαν τι συμβαινει με το στυλ παιχνιδιου
και την καταστροφη που επιφυλαξε η άφιξη Ronaldo.
Καιρος να ειπωθει η αληθεια και να ψαξει νεο συλλογο.

Μπράβο στον Ολυμπιακό, που στάθηκε πανάξια
σήμερα απέναντι στην Arsenal και τα κατάφερε.
Είναι, αυτή τη στιγμή, καλώς και κακώς, η μόνη
Ελληνική ομάδα που μπορεί να σταθεί αξιοπρεπώς
και να ανταγωνιστεί σε τέτοιο επίπεδο. Ευχόμαστε
Καλή Συνέχεια και ελπίζουμε σε παρόμοιες επιτυχίες
στο άμεσο μέλλον ενάντια σε πανίσχυρους αντιπάλους.


Juve has the players that are needed to win matches
like the one last night in Lyon. Signor Sarri, however,
refuses to use them where they can perform best,
and insists on starting with super-questionable and
dubious formations. In games where the opponent
is expected to play defensively, it is a must to use
Alex Sandro and Juan Cuadrado as left and right
extremes, respectively, and solidify the center with
Pjanic and Dybala behind Pipita and one of the
other forwards. You cannot and must not start
with Bentancur and Rabiot, bring in Ramsey for
Pjanic and pull out Cuadrado, who is one of Juve's
hardest working workhorses, when you bring in
Pipita, nor can you afford, with a limited depth
at the bench, not to use Blaise. Some of the chosen
"corrections" are canceling each other and, besides
a "more attacking spirit", nothing in the set up,
the organization and the blending of the team was
much improved in the second half. Juve needs a
more reasonable  layout and some drastic changes
RIGHT NOW! On of the best teams on Earth
can and should play one of the best football styles
on Earth, like it used to under Antonio and Max
(before the lamentable era of Cristiano, in which
income and celebrity started trumping essence,
elegance, agility and style).


Μαρία, είσαι έτοιμη! Σε περιμένουμε!
Τίτλους και στο Top 10!!


Μπράβο, Λευτέρη!! Μπράβο, Στέφανε!!
 



Signor Sarri, there is no more margin for errors
and for lost points. If you do not straighten your
act and start playing the best - not the best paid -
players of the Juve ensemble on the field, then
the first lost Serie A Scudetto will be because
of your softness and your unwillingness to sit
expensive, but, alas, ineffective players, at the
bench. Start playing Federico, Gonzalo and
Paulo and if they do not score, then bring in
later Cristiano. Give, first, the opportunity to
those that make the greatest impact, not those
that are paid the most!!


FA, keep everything very very strict. VAR needs
to be applied equally and without leniency to
every team and punishments for every infraction,
financial and otherwise, must be strict and the
same for all! DO NOT HEED VOICES THAT
ENCOURAGE YOU TO BEND THE RULES!!
Bending the rules will create a chaos that will
justifiably usher in calls for throwing out VAR
and other very progressive measures and it is
understandable that those powerful ones that
are already breaking them are trying to find
allied voices for bending them. DO NOT GIVE
IN!! STAND FIRM TO CREATE A LEVEL
FIELD FOR THOSE THAT WANT TO
COMPETE FAIRLY AND EQUALLY,
WITHOUT ASKING FOR SPECIAL
TREATMENT AND FAVORS...


Μαρία, ήρθε η ώρα.. Παίξε με αυτοπεποίθηση
και αυτοσυγκέντρωση, με ιδιαίτερη προσοχή
στα πρώτα sets, και φέρε πίσω το Κύπελλο από
το Dubai!


It is very hard to understand what goes on in the mind
of a person who thinks that, because results were not
perfect with Carlo Ancelotti, the solution was to replace
him by bringing in Gennaro Gattuso. Not only is Napoli
worse off now, but, to top it off, it has given away one of
the best and most brilliant Coaches in the Universe and
its owner and directors are watching him from a distance
perform really well (as expected from those that have some
faith and an iota of patience and trust in credentials) at
another club and not at their own... Too bad for Mr. De
Laurentiis, but, I guess, we all wish we had known then
what we know now.


Unbelievable... The fragility and the delicacy of human
existence compounded by the untrustworthiness and the
erraticness of human creations lead to terrible disasters.


Signor Sarri may say whatever he wants for very
well understood reasons, some of which are clearly
financial and political. But the fans realize that the
chemistry and lethality (and the grace) of the
Argentinian duo, when they are matched together,
is unparalleled... The greatest mistake that Juve
could have committed last summer would have
been to trade either Paulo or Pipita. To cap things
off, it is rumored that Andrea is thinking of trading
Bernardeschi for Rakitic. This, also, is a nonsensical
move, given the decisive contributions of the former
in Juve's style of play.


I do not know what to think any more...
But let me start by saying that I do not doubt the
Artist's Positive Intent and his Warm-Heartedness
and Love towards All Human Beings and that I do
Respect his Artistic Freedom and his efforts to
send to All Humanity the Right Message, that
of Equality and Respect for All Human Beings,
regardless of ethnicity, race, religion and/or
other personal preferences and characteristics.
On the other hand, given that monkeys, those
ancestors and those relatives of ours, have been
mischaracterized, misappropriated and misused
as a tool to promote racism, to implant bigotry and
to express condescension, contempt and intolerance,
I would have opted, had I been responsible on behalf
of the FIGC (the Italian Football Governing Body)
for this campaign, for something different, something
simple, powerful, expressive and universally accepted,
like, e.g., a few parallel lines of various colors, that
could be placed easily, without need for much space,
alongside any logo and announcement affiliated with
or endorsed by the FIGC, and would be instantly
recognizable as a sign of Equal Rights and Equal
Opportunity, Open Hearts and Open Minds and
Inclusivity and Tolerance in this, the Most Beautiful
Sport on the Planet, that All of Us, of All Races, All
Ethnicities, All Religions and All Backgrounds are
meant to have the chance to Peacefully, without fear
of harassment, taunting and humiliation, Enjoy,
Play, Direct, Participate in and/or Celebrate.
Never underestimate the Power of Simplicity in
Promoting a Universal Message; sometimes it works
wonders, where more elaborate schemes may fail.
 

Blatter and Platini should not be allowed close to
any football stadium and should be banned from
association with any teams, any federations and
any organizations that have any relationship
whatsoever with football. People that have proven
their rambunctiousness, their avarice and their
eagerness to place self-interest and profit above
the interests and the ethics of the sport and the
common good should never be allowed to get
involved ever again. And don't get me started
about penalties and fines; a mere slap on the
wrist that gives the wink and the green light
to equally greedy and ruthless successors to
do the same, get a few years' bans subsequently
and keep the fat illegal proceeds stashed in
personal bank accounts, offshores and safe
havens with almost no repercussions and no
financial pain at all. A sham and a shame.


Juve fought a good fight during the weekend and,
combined with the Viola's draw against Inter at
the Artemio Franchi, are second in the Table, but
trailing only on goal-difference. Moreover, the
draw from the Champions League just came in
and La Vecchia Signora is destined to face Lyon's
Olympians in the round of sixteen. It is a favorable
draw, avoiding formidable names, but still a very
dangerous one, and Signor Sarri and the Team
should stay focused, dedicated and avoid any feelings
of complacence, based on superiority and on the odds
that do favor Juve. FORZA, FORZA JUVE!!


Very positive news from Torino for the upcoming
transfer season. It is reported that Can is going to
be exchanged for Leandro Paredes of PSG. That
would be an excellent move for Juve, since neither
the style nor the performance of the German mid-
fielder has proven to be a good fit for Vecchia
Signora's energetic style of play. I do hope that
Andrea is able to make this deal go through.


Scientists are spending needlessly time to investigate
why Zebras, one of the most beautiful species on the
Planet, wear striped Black and White suits. The
answer, however, is obvious!! Zebras were anticipating
the founding of the most elegant and beautiful Club
in the history of the most elegant and beautiful Sport
on the Planet and were the earliest and most adamant
BiancoNeri fans from their birth!! No further research
on this important, but resolved, biological question is
needed; so, please, do not needlessly waste any more
resources in examining the issue.
 

Sacking Carlo to hire Gennaro and hoping for
improvement in strategy and performance is a
big risk and may prove a horrendous faux pas
and miscalculation. If things are not yet final,
I would strongly urge Mr. De Laurentiis to look
at the situation more calmly and reconsider this
hasty and unjustified decision. Napoli needs now
more than before to be in steady, trusty and
experienced hands and Allenatore Carlo is
difficult to replace with someone better fitting
the bill.


I see that the game PAOK-Xanthi is still on schedule
as if nothing has happened and as if nothing has been
going on. I am wondering whether there is any kind
of Athletic Justice System in Greece or any Sports
Tribunal with any authority and why Prosecutors
have not intervened to, at least, halt the encounter
from taking place until the unsettling and worrisome
revelations of the last week are investigated and the
truth is revealed concerning alleged masked and
undisclosed illegal double ownership of both teams
by the same financial interests. If the Greek Foot-
balling Authorities and the Greek Sports Justice
System are non-functional, dysfunctional, corrupt
and/or incompetent, should there not be an expectation
on the part of UEFA and FIFA, and other bodies in
which the Greek Authorities belong and which have,
supposedly, oversight over all European and World
Federations, to intervene and stop the inaction and
the "business as usual" attitude of the Greek
Authorities and of the Greek Justice System? Or are
they, again and unsurprisingly, super eager and super
willing to let things stand and to intervene only when
there are financial stakes for them and when the
pockets of their executives and their accounts in
Switzerland are not appropriately lubricated with
the expected amounts of cash and other perks?


Tottenham's and Arsenal's examples should give pause
to those directors who place almost exclusive blame for a
few bad performances to managers and are gung-ho in
jumping in and firing them without second thought.
It is a different thing realizing, after long observations
that the relationship between the manager and the players
has gone south and that the climate in the dressing rooms
and during training is straining and deciding that the
situation is beyond fixing, which does give sufficient
justification for sacking a manager or dismiss some
prima donnas, depending on behaviors, and it is an
altogether different thing to base such a decision on a
streak of a few bad results, which every club is subject
to from time to time, regardless of quality. In my view
both Coach Pochettino and Coach Emery had built
powerful sides and their dismissal was not justified,
despite recent unfortunate results. Even in poorer
performances both Tottenham and Arsenal, especially
the former, were a joy to watch play under Mauricio
and under Unai, respectively, and I consider both their
sackings, especially that of the former, in an extremely
poor judgment on the part of whoever was responsible.


The Coach of the Greek National Side John van't Schip
lost his sister today. Our deepest sympathies and thoughts
go out to our National Coach and his family.


Juve and Napoli are going through some difficult times,
but they both have top quality and formidable managers
and quite good groups of players, and have shown in the
past that they can play and compete at top level. What
are needed are focus, determination and confidence that,
despite recent poor performances and unfortunate results,
the faith and fighting spirit remain so that things can be
turned around sooner rather than later. FORZA JUVE!!
 

A terrible Juve performance today against Sassuolo.
The errors started from the line-up. It is difficult to
understand why a team that has Blaise and Paulo
chooses to start with players like Can and Bentancur
and bring Blaise and Paul in as substitutions. Then,
and I am well known for the Respect and Appreciation
that I have for Gigi, one can tell, by watching closely
his game that the years have started weighing rather
heavily on his body. He does not have the pliability
and agility that he used to and one observes now the
same effects that we saw in the later performances
of another of the Greatest of the Game, Dino Zoff.
Juventus does not have the extreme depth on the
bench like other top teams do. So Signor Sarri has
to start every game with the best and those in top
form, regardless of other considerations. I think
that Juve does not look to be at the form required to
compete for the Champions League this year either,
but it would be a pity if another team made it to win
the Scudetto, because Juve has the manpower and
the determination to fight at least for that.
 

Μακάρι να έχουμε έκρηξη και αυτοδιάλυση της ΕΠΟ.
Οι ευθύνες της για τον πλήρη εξευτελισμό, την πλήρη
απαξίωση και το ξεκατίνιασμα του Ελληνικού Ποδοσφαίρου
είναι τεράστιες και καλό θα ήταν να είχαμε διάλυση και
ένα νέο ξεκίνημα σε τελείως διαφορετική βάση, με οδηγό
τη Διαφάνεια και τον Εκδημοκρατισμό και ριζική και
άμεση απαλλαγή από σκοτεινά συμφέροντα και φατρίες.


I think that Bale's case showcases many of the ills
that have accrued over the years at luxury clubs,
which dish out unjustifiably inflated, ultra-expensive
contracts to players of, sometimes, questionable
quality and, even more questionable motives and
moral characters. The problem, when it becomes
clear, that the club, which pays a player hundreds of
millions of dollars, stands no more as a priority for
them, and they say and tout this in clear contempt
and derision, is that the club is so tight with such
humongous severance costs and other perks
promised that they cannot send them immediately
packing, as would be warranted in some of these
cases. In a nutshell and in all earnestness, if
Andrea brought to Juve, say, e.g., from England,
a player as expensive as Christiano and he had
shown the temperament, behavior and mental
and psychological volatility and (un)willingness
of Bale, posing with posters "England, Cricket,
Juve" and, then Andrea refused to incur the
losses for his deficient hiring and give them the
boot, I would have been pissed and outraged
with both Andrea and Juve, and would not
stop jeering (if I was attending Juve Stadium)
at both Andrea and the hypothetical player.
Sorry Gareth. From players of your stature, wealth,
compensation and, supposed, professionalism, more
is expected and Real's fans have been shortchanged.


Ο κούγιας με τα κατορθώματά του και το βίο του
στο ελληνικό ποδόσφαιρο οφείλει να πλένει πρώτα
το βρωμόστομά του πριν να τολμήσει ακόμα και
να ψελλίσει το όνομα του μεγαλύτερου Συλλόγου
στον κόσμο. Όσο για το ΠΑΟΚ-ΑΕΛ, όπου εσείς
τα παραγοντάκια στρώσατε, εκεί θα κοιμηθείτε.
Όμως είσαστε χαζοί και νομίζετε ότι οι βρωμιές
θα λειτουργούν πάντα και μόνο προς όφελός σας.
Αμ δε... γιατί και οι άλλοι δεν είναι ηλίθιοι και
μπορούν να χειραγωγούν ακριβώς όπως κι εσείς.
Γι αυτό χρειάζεται κάθαρση βαθειά, πραγματική
και αποτελεσματική και όχι ρητορείες, υπεκφυγές
και αφερεγγυότητες, αλλά ποιός απ' αυτούς που
έχουν συμφέροντα περί του αντιθέτου, θα κάνει
την απαραίτητη δουλειά και θα λάβει τα μέτρα
που χρειάζονται για να τη φέρει εις πέρας;


Again, persistence and stubbornness did the trick!
Not to mention the magic duo, Pipita and Zorro
at their best!


Ακόμα και να μην πρωταγωνιστεί η Εθνική, με τον
καινούργιο προπονητή έχουμε δει πράγματα "απλά"
να υλοποιούνται, που έπρεπε να είχαν προσεχτεί προ
πολλού. Πρώτον, υπάρχει αμυντική πίεση ψηλά.
Η Εθνική δεν κάθεται πλέον με την "προχωρημένη",
δεύτερη ζώνη λίγο έξω από τη δική της μεγάλη
περιοχή, δίνοντας ενάμιση γήπεδο στον αντίπαλο,
χωρίς πίεση, να ανπτυχθεί και να κάνει ελεύθερα
και ανεμπόδιστα το παιχνίδι του. Δεύτερον, και
αυτό φυσικά είναι αλληλένδετο με το πρώτο, η
Εθνική, όχι μόνο καταφέρνει και φέρει εις πέρας
πάσες και συνδυασμούς, αλλά αναπτύσσεται καλά
και δημιουργεί επιθετική πίεση και ευκαιρίες,
όταν παλαιότερα ούτε μία-δυό μπαλλιές δεν
μορούσε να αλλάξει σωστά και έδινε την μπάλλα,
με μίνιμουν πίεση, στον αντίπαλο τζάμπα και
καθόταν στην περιοχή και περίμενε το επόμενο
κύμμα "γρονθοκόπησης" και "βανδαλισμού".
Αναγνωρίζουμε ότι είμαστε μία χώρα μέτρια σε
πληθυσμό και χωρίς μεγάλη οικονομική άνεση,
ούτε με την παράδοση χωρών όπως το Βέλγιο και
η Ολλανδία. Όμως στην Εθνική αξίζει, και νομίζω
είναι η φυσιολογική της θέση, να είναι στο μέσο
γκρούπ, δηλαδή να χάνει τα περισσότερα μάτς
από τους δυνατούς, να μοιράζεται αυτά με τους
μεσαίους και να μη χάνει σχεδόν ποτέ από τους
μικρούς. Δεν είναι λογικό να περιμένουμε να
κερδίζουμε κάθε φορά την Ιταλία, τη Γερμανία,
τη Γαλλία, την Ολλανδία, την Ισπανία, το Βέλγιο
ή την Πορτογαλία. Αλλά νομίζω είναι λογικό να
περιμένουμε να κερδίζουμε σχεδόν κάθε φορά
την Ανδόρα, το Σαν Μαρίνο, το Λιχτενστάϊν
και τις Φερόες (χωρίς επ'ουδενί τρόπο να θέλω
να μειώσω την προσπάθεια των παιδιών εκεί,
που αγωνίζονται, με πολυ μικρά μπάτζετ και
με πολύ μικρό πληθυσμό, να καταφέρουν κάτι
καλό και, ενίοτε, προκαλούν το θαυμασμό και
την έκπληξή μας με το πείσμα, την επιμονή
και την μεγάλη αγωνιστικότητά τους).


Ο πιο κατσούφης, γκρινιάρης, κατηφής και κλαψούρης
προπονητής, αυτός που διαλέγει κάθε φορά να τρώγεται
με τα ρούχα του και να κλαίει τη μοίρα του, λέει πως θα
φέρει την άνοιξη και την ευτυχία σε μία ομάδα που μέχρι
τώρα έδειχνε πολύ δυνατή και φορμαρισμένη (αλλά, όπως
είναι φυσικό και αναμενόμενο, εν μέσω γιγάντων και εν
μέσω τιτανομαχιών, δε μπορούσε να κερδίζει όλα τα
παιχνίδια, όπως και δε θα μπορεί να τα κερδίζει εφεξής,
όποιος κι αν είναι ο προπονητής...).
Να δούμε τί άλλο θ' ακούσουν τ' αυτιά μας...


Oh, man! Here starts the theater of the absurd in the
Premiership again. What a decision that has been, with
all the past and the baggage and what this man has been
all about... Kind of inexplicable and a little shocking.


This is a very positive, very appropriate and very
considerate move by Ronaldo. He owes it to his team
mates to take the initiative to smooth things out and
he has to start behaving as being one among many
equals - part - one equal part - of a Formidable Team
a Team with a History and a Quality Full, Heavy and
Impressive, which cannot and should not be tainted
by a single player, nor sabotaged by untoward and
questionable behaviors, by however bright a talent.
Bravo, Christiano!


It is only proper, natural and befitting that the
Most Elegant, Mesmerizing and Beautiful Club
of the Most Beautiful and Fascinating Sport on
Earth have the Most Elegant and Beautiful fans!


 

Μεγάλη προσοχή σήμερα, Στέφανε! Χθες ο Roger δεν
έπαιξε καλά, χωρίς αυτό να μειώνει την επιτυχία, ή να
αφαιρεί τα εύσημα για το πάθος, την επιμονή και την
αγωνιστικότητά σου. Όμως η αλήθεια είναι ότι έκανε
πολλά ανεξήγητα και αψυχολόγητα σφάλματα στις
επιστροφές σαν να μην ήταν απόλυτα συγκεντρωμένος
στο παιχνίδι, ακόμα και σε σχετικά εύκολες φάσεις.
Σήμερα, με τον Thiem, μάλλον δεν θα έχεις αυτό το
πλεονέκτημα, οπότε και στο σερβίς θα πρέπει να
συνεχίσεις σχεδόν τέλεια και στις επιστροφές ακόμα
καλύτερα από χθες. Και πολέμησε την κούραση με
αυτοσυγκέντρωση κι άσε την να δείξει μετά τον αγώνα.
ΠΑΜΕ, ΣΤΕΦΑΝΕ!!


Μπράβο, Στέφανε!!


Δεν είμαι σίγουρος για το, κατά κάποιο τρόπο,
απολογητικό και, σε κάποιο βαθμό, μαχητικό
άρθρο το Λευτέρη Χαραλαμπόπουλου περί
ΜέΡΑ25, Σακοράφα, Κόκκαλη, Ολυμπιακού
και "Καραϊσκάκη".  Ούτε βεβαίως συμφωνώ
με την αντίληψη ότι, όταν μία εταιρία αλλάξει
χέρια και ιδιοκτήτη, τα κρίματα του κοντινού
ή μακρινού παρελθόντος περασμένα ξεχασμένα,
και άμεσα συγχωροχάρτι από Βατικανό, Τράπεζες
και Κυβερνήσεις. Ας σκεφτούμε, για παράδειγμα,
τόσες και τόσες εταιρείες, που στήθηκαν και
αναπτύχθηκαν με τον πόνο, το αίμα και την
αμισθί εργασία υπόδουλων και φυλακισμένων
και, μετέπειτα, παρουσιάστηκαν ως αθώοι και
ανανεωμένοι παγκόσμιοι κολοσσοί, άμοιροι
των συνεπειών παλαιών εγκλημάτων, ίσως
άλλων αφεντικών, αλλά που βρίσκονται πάντα.
και μολύνουν, τα θεμέλια και τις βάσεις τους.
Ούτε ο τόνος, ούτε το ύφος του άρθρου είναι
θετικά, και όσο για το περιεχόμενο, δεν είναι
ούτε ως προς τις αρχές σωστό ούτε πειστικό.


The efforts the FA is expending to improve the usage
and the efficiency of the VAR and to increase its appeal
and appreciation among the footballing audience are
greatly appreciated. It is certain that the Bundesliga
has had less issues with its applicability and has a
longer experience with its clinical and very efficient
usage and that may be a useful direction for the FA
to look towards to get some ideas and inspiration
in these very commendable efforts. The VAR is here
to stay and everything should be done to elevate it
both in practice and in the hearts and minds of still
doubtful fans to an indispensable and irreplaceable
position for the sake of Fairness, Objectivity and
Quality of the Most Beautiful Game on Earth.


Regardless of the true value of Napoli, De Laurentiis
reasons and calculates "since they have immeasurable
wealth, let them show the dough and flush it". He is
not stupid and, after all, the worst that can happen is
for the offer to be withdrawn and him staying with
the club. Not a bad deal at all, is it? A win-win rather...


Οι Κύπριοι το παράχ**αν... Είναι να γελάει κανείς.
Αντί να συννενοηθούν με την Bundesliga, με την
Serie A, ή με την Premier League, όπου τα VARs
λειτουργούν άψογα, ώστε να προσπαθήσουν να
μιμηθούν ή να ακολουθήσουν την αποτελεσματικότητα
ποιοτικών πρωταθλημάτων, κάλεσαν αντιπροσώπους
από την Superleague, όπου τα VARs ούτε έχουν
εγκατασταθεί σωστά ούτε λειτουργούν σωστά και
αποδοτικά και, γενικά, παραπαίουν. Απορεί κανείς
αν η φιλοδοξία τους είναι να φτάσει και το Κυπριακό
Πρωτάθλημα στην ίδια απαξίωση και ντροπή όπου
βρίσκεται αυτή τη στιγμή το Ελληνικό. Τί άλλο άραγε
θα δούμε στον Ελληνόφωνο αθλητισμό; Όπως θα
έλεγε και ο Άγγελος ο Αναστασιάδης "Η Παναγιά
να βάλει το χέρι της και ο Θεός βοηθός..."


Juve showed again that they are not going to relinquish
the top spot and the fight for another scudetto without
stiff resistance and without giving it all.
 
About Ronaldo: If you are a professional player and you
are not playing well and you get substituted, you extend
your hand to wish good luck to your substitute, receive
the "good game" replies from your coach and team mates
and go sit with them at the bench, to watch the rest of your
team's game and to ponder how you can improve and
potentially contribute more the next time around. But,
alas, when you are an ultra-expensive and super-entitled
superstar who thinks of himself above the rest and non
substitutable, then you behave contrary to professional
standards and do your own thing. Sorry, Andrea, but
this does not cut it or sit well with Juve fans and Juve
traditions and it is very well that Signor Sarri has the
personality, kindness and generosity to handle things
as he sees fit and as should be handled, with clear head
and a cool temper, without biases or prejudices.

 

He should not even have been a starter. When you have
a team with one of the best and most lethal duos in the
mid and attacking formation (Zorro and Pipita), they
should be given the chance and, perhaps, bring Ronaldo in
later on to finish the job and help with PR and with sales
of a few more T-shirts and with filling the stadium with
pomp, extravagance and egocentrism, not unlike a certain
Swede that we happen to have on this side of the Atlantic.


Mr. De Laurentiis, back off! The one that has the money
and the financial might is not usually the one that knows
best what to do and what is appropriate. Withdraw for
now and let Carlo and the players regroup and continue
uninhibited their training and their efforts. You will not
regret it. Do not cause this team, which has been improving
steadily, to disintegrate and fall apart because of caprice,
unjustified whim and stubbornness. Let them recover and
let them do their job uninhibited and without pressure.


This is exactly how ethics and behaviors should be in sport,
and especially the most beautiful sport on the planet. Players
should be humble and apologetic, even when a horrific and
unintentional event is not entirely their fault, because one
never knows what his role exactly is when a moment of
bad luck and disaster strikes, nor does one know the exact
consequences and repercussions in the health and safety of
his own and others around him. Contrast this commendable
behavior with that of layers, who, in the past, even though,
obvious from replays, had intentionally tried to cause harm
and, perhaps, serious injury to others through their moves
and actions in the field, kept denying their involvement,
because they were lucky enough not to injure their opponent
as seriously and because they could get away with it. I am
not writing names, but I am looking at the center of the
Iberian Peninsula, and we all remember the recent past.
BRAVO TO SON FOR SENDING, THROUGH HIS HUMILITY,
SINCERITY, DEPTH OF SORROW AND BEHAVIOR, THE
RIGHT MESSAGE TO FANS, THE YOUNGER KIDS AND ALL
PEOPLE FOLLOWING THIS, THE MOST AWESOME SPORT.
And, of course, best wishes to Andre Gomes for a successful
operation and a fast recovery. We hope to see him back as
soon as it is medically possible and advisable.


Napoli is a very good team this year, with one of the very
best and most respected coaches at its helm. Presidents
have to understand and realize that a team, no matter how
finely tuned, cannot be expected to win every game and to
perform continuously at top level.  With this in mind, it is
regrettable and unfortunate what happened after the game
with Salzburg with its owner, Mr. De Laurentiis, and his ill
conceived and misdirected attempts at discipline, punishment
and, seemingly, outright bullying. Such moves do not improve,
but rather, frustrate and dishearten players, who need to be
encouraged and get a boost ahead of very important ties.


I call on the Minister in charge of Athletic Affairs, whose
Ministry approved, funded and supervised the purchase
and installation of the VAR systems in Greece to take
immediate action to correct errors and deficiencies.
YOU HAVE BECOME A LAUGHING STOCK OF THE
ENTIRE FOOTBALLING UNIVERSE! You installed
a system that does not have lines and does not have the
capacity for automated decision making, and in which
the human viewer upstairs is doing work similar with
the referees on the field by trying to measure and estimate
by the eye, with all its biases and its limitations, what has
transpired in the field, with the help of replays. This is
not at all why VAR was introduced, nor what it is
supposed to be doing. VAR is there to eliminate the
human factor and not as another form of a slightly
more careful and adapted replay. GET A GRIP AND
CORRECT THINGS BEFORE LAUGHTER AND
AMUSEMENT BECOME RIDICULE AND DERISION.


Bayern had been playing good football, having made
significant additions in the summer and had very good
potential after the new players really found the right
chemistry. Very poor decision, and in bad taste, to
fire the coach. But I was not expecting much different
by a bunch of bullies and whiners that have proven
repeatedly that they do not know how to lose, even
just a game or two, and even when, seemingly, on the
way to something good and when in good shape and
in very good form. Too bad for the team.


Unless and until there are instituted severe repercussions
and non-negligible fines and punishment to specific "fans"
and specific individuals attending football matches and
caught on venue cameras chanting racist remarks and
taunting players, banning audiences for one or two games
from stadia, especially when the teams are miserable and
"fans" lukewarm in attending the games in the first place,
is not going to change the culture or affect the way people
behave, and the same mentality will persist when the gates
are reopened. In society, we prosecute verbal and physical
abuse emanating from bigotry and racial, ethnic and/or
religious hatred, or any form of hatred or bullying based
on other personal characteristics, as a hate crime that
deserves immediate attention and more stringent forms
of punishment. Unless the footballing governing bodies
(which are really gangs and outfits, there to fatten their
own bank accounts and could not care less about their
contributions to ethics and fair playing) start viewing
similar crimes on the pitch and in the bleachers with
the same seriousness, and as tantamount to those similar
criminal behaviors on the streets, there will be absolutely
no or little change and the problem will perpetuate and
persist and become more acute as the sport gets more
and more diversified.


I see so many comments from Premier League fans
and "fans" who proclaim their distaste at how the
VARs are damaging the Game and they want either
to limit its usage or eliminate it and return to the
"old beautiful" ways, to "make football great again".
One should, in hearing and seeing these comments,
always keep in mind and take into account that
most come from followers of the biggest clubs,
which are, without doubt, the winners of the vast
majority of human referees "human errors" and
benefit by their clubs' influence and sway over the
footballing system, which, like any other system,
without an impartial interference and undeniable
evidence to the contrary, is always tempted and
always ready and eager to help the rich, well
connected and those wielding the most influence
for obvious reasons. This is exactly why supporting
limiting VAR technology is tantamount to abetting,
or at least acquiescing, in football being let to
become again, like society always is in the absence
of Equal Rights and Fair Treatment Under the
Law, a biased enterprise and a rigged system,
working, if not always, mostly, for the fortunate,
the most affluent, the best positioned and the most
well-connected.  WE DO NOT WANT FOOTBALL
TO RETURN TO THAT STATE EVER AGAIN.


I stand with England. I am tired of having to condemn
again and again, a phenomenon which should have never
appeared. How could anyone in their right state of mind
abuse and attack a Human Being, a brother or sister of
ours, simply because of the color of their skin? How
could anyone in their right state of mind taunt and
molest people who are trying to do their job and to
perform at the highest level? How could anyone in their
right state of mind not realize that a Sporting Event and
an Athletic Competition is meant to showcase Brotherhood
and Friendship and bring Fans and Spectators together in
Joy and Celebration and that it is not a venue to air and
manifest the worst instincts that even animals do not
possess to such an aggressive and despicable degree?
SHAME ON BULGARIAN "FANS" FOR
THEIR UNACCEPTABLE, DESPICABLE AND
TOTALLY REPREHENSIBLE BEHAVIOR.
ENOUGH HAS BEEN MORE THAN ENOUGH.
I am afraid that I have to agree that expulsion of Bulgaria
from Euro 2020 is the only way that would send a loud,
clear and unequivocal message that such incidents are
unacceptable and will not be tolerated by footballing
authorities simply because they are incompatible with the
basic Values of Respect for and Dignity of an Individual.
   
   
   

Andrea spoke with Foresight and Wisdom about the
Future on the Continent of the Most Beautiful Sport
on the planet. I applaud and amplify his Vision and
his General Guidelines and think that it would be wise
for the appropriate authorities to follow them, when
the time comes to present more concrete proposals
for moving the sport forward.