Most expensive transfer flops

I have been wanting to write this post for some time but found the time today.

Our modern day football has become a case of Crony Capitalism where every owner wants his club to win the League title and Champions league ASAP after he has taken over. In that quest of fulfilling his dreams he usually hands an open chequebook to the director of football, which results in inflated transfer prices.

With the price tag looming large it is but often that many times they fail to live up to the expectations, I will look at in my view the 10 transfer flops and these players after the moves have a looked a shadow of their original self in no specific order

1) Andriy Shevchenko: The Ukrainian poacher was a legend at the San Siro, He had it all speed, quickness, predatory instincts and an amazing midfield to assist him. But his move to Chelsea backfired and tarnished his legacy, he was 30 and did not have the creative minds of Pirlo and Seerdorf to support, the price tag of 30 Million made matters worse, he played intermittently and never showed signs of being his old self,

2) Fernando Torres: Liverpool Legend, the nemesis of Nemanja Vidic, Scoring in the final of European championship, He was one of the best in the Planet in the final third, he made Liverpool a contender, but similar to Andriy an ill fated move has killed his career to this extent now he is more known for missing sitters than exquisite finishing for which he had built a reputation. Chelsea have shipped him out to Milan where he is looking even more bad, No budding footballer today wants to be compared Fernando and what a shame it has become

3) Juan Sebastian Veron: The man nicknamed "La Brujita" was expected to destroy the opposition's midfield when he joined Manchester United, But he remained injury prone and unconvincing causing people to doubt where was the man who guided Lazio to the Serie A title. He never adjusted to the pace of England and even after another expensive transfer to Chelsea where he was even worse.

4) Denilson: Before Cristiano Ronaldo was dazzling with his tricks, there was Denilson the "Magician" from Brazil for whom Real Betis broke the transfer record and the rest as they say is history, rather Denilson was history, other than the stepovers he could not produce any chances for his team mates

5) Owen Heargreaves: The Man is only 33 but is unable to play and no one wants to take a chance on him, with his injury chequered past it was silly why Manchester United paid 17 million for him. You can't blame heargreaves, he did what he does best, Stay Injured throughout his time

6) Andy Carroll: The Domino effect, Fernando Torres dramatic departure allowed Liverpool to press the Emergency button and sign Andy Carroll for 35 million !!!1. 35 Million for a man who had scored 10 goals in 6 months seemed Outlandish, but not for Liverpool who bought him for his Physical strength and Rocket left foot which made him a sensation in the North East, but i guess the 35 Million did not cover those two as he flopped badly and now currently trying to revive himself at West Ham

7) Kaka: The Man had the World at his feet, he was the World's best player, Milan's formation was designed in a way to ensure Kaka could score, but he chose to leave it to become a Galactico at Madrid and tough he boosted his Ego he shot himself, he could never stay fit and always seemed off pace during his stay, his going to paly out the twilight of his career in MLS

8) Dmytro Chygrynskiy: How Barcelona forked out 25 million for him still seems to baffle me. After Two Solid performances at the Camp Now while playing for Shakhtar he somehow convinced Barca to break the bank for him but he lasted one fateful season and was sold back at a Discount to Shakhtar, Now at 27 he is in his prime but no club wants to even go close to signing him

The two names which are close to my heart, it was tough to see them struggle after making their name at the Mestalla and will be forever legends in our hearts

9) Roberto Soldado: It was a homecoming for Soldado, the kid from Valencia who went to Madrid, blossomed in Getafe and became awesome at Valencia. Signed to replace David Villa, he did his role amazingly well of leading the line and banging the goals, he score more than 25 goals in all of his three seasons which earned his mega money to Tottenham where he has become the butt of Jokes, hope he could rediscover the old self

10) Gaizka Mendieta : He was the star of the Valencia team which reached the final of Champions league in 1999 and 2000. He was the complete midfielder and was destined for greatness but for money and Lazio broke the bank to sign him for 48 Million and his performances were not even worth a player of 4.8 Million subsequent spells at Barcelona and Middlesbrough helped him ride away time but snatched away his legacy.

Do let me know your views if someone else should be in the last

Cheers !!

Arvind

 

Am a Nervous wreck ! But hey it is Diwali

This post deserved to posted earlier, but it was shrunk into 70 words into a Facebook status.But now that i have the time to think through it, i would want to share this adrenaline inducing incident in detail.

End of the months are always painful, the couple of thousand rupees are what generally what saves you from the ignominy of asking money from family or friends. This was during 2013 Diwali, I was in Ahmedabad and maa was anxious to know when i would come home, thanks to lack of proper planning i got my tickets at the last minute at a decent price and not at a throwaway price. 

Satisfied that i had a plan, I bought tons of food items for home as i was going home as the reason for festivities (Mom and Dad could not celebrate as we had lost a family member). My Flight was at 6.50 in the evening so i decided to take my luggage and leave from office directly by about 4.30 so that i can check in properly. I have a certain luxury that i commute to office everyday with my manager as it gives us half an hour to joke and laugh around or discuss some issues which have been unable to cover   

 Armed with my luggage we started the day as usual and while i was keeping my luggage,  Krishna (My Manager, Friend and Literally a pillar of support :D ) asked me about specifics of the travel and when i mentioned that i planned to take a cab he offered to drop me at the airport as he was also leaving early. ("Eureka feeling, ah am saving 1500 Rs for Cab charges as well as No luggage entry hassle into office") to which i was overwhelmed and we decided we would leave by 4.30 PM so that i can reach the airport by 5.40 Pm. We did not discuss after that about the travel and started our work. I suddenly noticed that we had parallel meetings and when i wrapped up my work by 4.15 i could not find him. Couple of minutes later i realized that he was caught up in a meeting. The thought of missing the flight and missing Diwali made me quiver. I was pacing through the office hoping for an idea or rather a miracle. Suddenly Krishna mentioned we can start by 5. I made sure everything was ready including his bag and i was so preoccupied and that when Krishna asked me to slow down and not run i yelled "Am a nervous wreck what do you expect miss Diwali" he was taken aback and till this day has never forgotten about it though we joke about it on a lighter note.

We started and i was sitting there in stoic silence, part anger part despair.
 I started praying to the gods to help in avoiding slow moving vehicles and toll queues
 Suddenly there was a hope i could reach, then there was another twist, Krishna asked me what would happen if i miss the flight, i asked why out of the blue moon would you ask the question, He reminded a fact which sent chills down y Spine, He had recently received his car and the number plate was not fixed it was a piece of paper which was stuck and in the daily commute routine it flew away, What if while entering the Airport the security goods stop, It is 1.5 Km's to the Gate from the entrance. Having taken all the chances Krishna said we would just waltz through, I was praying not to get anyone in trouble, thankfully no one stopped us and i reached near the entrance by 6.05 Pm, i had 5 minutes time before the window was closing, I ran as fast as i could with the luggage past the two police officers who got suspicious and at the next point i was asked for reason and they had a laugh when i told am trying to rush in for the Chennai flight as the window was closing, he showed me the queue of 15 people who were waiting ahead of me and wished me all the best, I ran to the front to verify if the queue was for Chennai flight and they confirmed and said they had extended the boarding time window to accommodate all. Finally after 20 mins when i got the boarding pass there was a sense of relief and i forgot to check my phone and saw 15 unanswered calls all from parents, i called them after the security check and told them i was on my way nothing more nothing less :) Later i narrated the whole incident to them

There is one thing which i get reminded of through this incident and that is the great words from Alchemist "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it"

Cheers
Arvind !! 

Of Trains,Buses,Cabs and phew a train

Wow,

It has been almost two years, Since the last time i wrote a post. Lots of things have changed which has contributed to this, i moved out to Ahmedabad from Chennai 18 months back and have been living on my own, which is giving me truck loads of learning.   

Ahmedabad's proximity to Bombay has often tempted to me make the overnight journey and enjoy the sinful desire known as Bombay City. A city which still fascinates me every time for its ability to contort people and then yet show a straight line. The city has too many memories etched with me, There have always been great incidents/stories every time i have had to leave Bombay. The first one 12 years back was when i reached the station ahead of time for the train but my parents could not come due to traffic to the one last year where i realized people in Govandi forget traffic rules after 10 PM  and ensured i ran into the station with 3 mins to spare and boarded a moving train.  

This time it was even more interesting, I had gone to Bombay for performing the essential rituals of Yajur Upakarma over the Weekend((9th,10th and 11th August), I like to put myself through a period of abstinence leading up to these three days, essentially trying to cleanse body, mind and soul. The three days of Upkarama where extremely fruitful and under the guidance of learned individuals i was elated that i could do it properly. The third day which was Monday i had taken off from work and planned to finish the rituals in morning and board a train in the afternoon so that i could reach Ahmedabad by Night and with a proper sleep i could be fresh for work on Tuesday. 

Things were all going as per plan and my Train was at 1.40 PM from Bombay Central and i was in New Bombay. I planned and left from Nerul station by  boarding the 11.30 am slow local hoping to get down at Sandhurst road by 12.30 and from there take a Taxi to Bombay Central. Things were going as per plan when suddenly my intuition stuck that something is not going right and Viola, the train stopped just before the Mankhurd Station for 5 mins and then later reached Mankhurd station where there was an announcement that because of a power cable cut all trains were stopped. There was my reality check and i came out hoping to catch a taxi, None of the taxi drivers were ready to come and then to compound the misery the clouds opened up and it started pouring. It was 12.15 and i still did not know what to do, By God's grace i spotted an NMMT bus going to Dadar which was caught in traffic at that junction, i sprinted like if there were 3 rabid dogs behind me and did not bother about the rain  my hope was reaching Dadar quickly and from there taking a taxi to Bombay Central. I was then praying to all the god's (Do note in Hindu Mythology there are 330 Million Gods :D) who could help me in reaching quickly, i was hoping for no traffic delay at Chembur and then at the dreaded Sion Junction, Thankfully it was clear and i reached Dadar by 12.45, this gave me reassurance as it takes only 20 mins from Dadar to Bombay Central and in 5 mins i found a Taxi and things were are all going as per plan till we got on the Flyover Near Grant road which was 3 Km Long flyover when suddenly the driver from the nearby taxi yelled at my driver saying that the rear right tyre was punctured. 

Boom suddenly the fear came back, i asked if he could drive till the end of the flyover from where i can get an alternate taxi, he reassured that he could change it in a jiffy and thus he took the tools and started working on the car and i had the ominous job of Indicating people that it was a stationary vehicle and they needed to take the nearby lane (Please note vehicles were cruising at 60-70 Km/Hr in that stretch) with the prayers i got my invigoration's, i did my work and was unscathed for the 10 mins in which the tyre was changed. The time was then 1.20 Pm and i was racing against the clock. I asked him to drive quickly and he raced through the lanes of Byculla streaming past bulls and goats and reached the station at 1.34 Pm i quickly gave the money and ran towards the platform just to realize that my seating compartment where i had a seat was the first from the locomotive meaning i had to cover at least another 1500 meters to check if my name was there on the list and then board the train. I ran like never before and reached the compartment and checked my name, i looked at the watch and it was 1.39. I quickly boarded the train and as i sat down it chugged and started on its way, I took a sip of juice to quench my thirst and reduce my tension, there was an immense happiness in catching and a chuckle remembering the experience.      

Amongst all the chaos there were frantic calls coming from Work and Home which i answered showing little insight of the stress.

P.S: I believe it was divine intervention which helped me catch the train. When i was stuck in Mankhurd in the downpour, i was standing outside a shop and they had a fairly large Sai Baba statue. I prayed to Sai for help and he surely did help me. 

Cheers 

Arvind !!