WEEKEND WRAP!
It’s the FA Cup weekend, so you’d be forgiven for finally creeping out from under your blankets and rubbing your eyes… except it’s another case of ‘Back to the Future’ and Thierry Henry has returned for Arsenal! Although you’d all like to believe this is one of monsieur Arsène’s secret master plans, his arrival is meant to support the loss of Fútbolitos Gervinho and Chamakh Challo to the three-week long African Nations Cup, which kicks off on January 21st!
Anyway, Thierry remained modest (as he always does) on the two-month loan deal. “ll be on the bench most of the time. If I can make the bench, that is,” he said. “I always said I was never going to come back and play in Europe again, but when the team you love and support asks you back, it’s kind of hard to say no.” Now get in there!
Another former Arsenal man who has returned to his ‘Homie Club’ (where you get to walk everywhere and kick the vending machines because you are the BAUS!) is none other than José Antonio Reyes, who used to be so good back in the day! Reyes expressed his happiness at playing for Sevilla – the club where he grew up and learnt everything from – and received a fantastic welcome from the Sevillistas at the ceremony yesterday. Sergio Ramos… watch and learn!
Interestingly, there were no massive transfer fees involved in his transfer from Atletico Madrid and it was in fact, a monetary loss to the player. However, Reyes admitted “It’s better to lose money and be here than not to be here (at Sevilla) at all.” Ah, that’s the spirit!
Pep Guardiola is a nice man – and even if you don’t believe it for yourself, the Catalans will certainly spoon-feed you with this fact till the end of the time! The Barca coach has (unsurprisingly) picked up the award for ‘Best Coach In The World’, according to the IFFHS or International Federation of Football History & Statistics. He received 201 points – 89 more than runner up and Pep’s perpetual daisy-picking partner, Jose Mourinho. We can all predict the next El Clasico press conference : “He’s the boss, he’s the fucking eighty-nine boss!”
Surprisingly, Andres-Villas Boas (78) received a higher score (and more votes) than Roberto Mancini (45). Stop sending the IFFHS your leftover jaffa cakes, Abramovich!
Photos via El Mundo Deportivo, Sevilla & AP
