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Is this the best era in men’s tennis history with Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and, to an extent, Andy Murray all pushing each other to reach new heights?

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The first edition looks at the England captaincy, Fabio Capello’s resignation and the Patrice Evra-Luis Suarez Saga.

His 2011 season saw him rack up a record of 70-6 (a win percentage of 92.1), making it one of the best seasons in tennis history. Of those six defeats, four came after the US Open, by which point the Serbian had arguably already checked out mentally. Djokovic did not lose until Roger Federer defeated him in the semi-final at the French Open in May, a remarkable 43 match winning streak. Although he lost at Roland Garros, Djokovic won the remaining three Grand Slams (Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open) and achieved a record of five Masters 1000 event wins (Indian Wells, Miami, Canada, Rome and Madrid). His season winnings of $12.6 million was just another in a long line of records Djokovic smashed in 2011.

What was most impressive was his dominance over the world’s top players. He went 6-0 against Rafael Nadal (all wins were in finals) and he bested Roger Federer 4-1. This saw him rise to become world number one and undoubtedly become the man to beat.

Tennis fans have known for years that Djokovic is extremely talented and he actually won his first Grand Slam in 2008 at the Australian Open. He did however, always seem to be operating on the rung of the ladder just below Federer and Nadal and looked set for a long stay as the world’s third best player. There were question marks over his conditioning as breathing difficulties and poor physical fitness led to numerous retirements. Furthermore, his mental strength was also doubted as he showed a propensity to become frustrated, which often manifested itself in Djokovic breaking rackets. In 2011, the Serb turned all of this on its head and his record of 10-1 over the two men who have dominated men’s tennis in the last decade is the biggest proof of this. So, what has changed? Well, it depends who you ask.

On one side of the fence you have those who point to clear technical improvements in Djokovic’s game, most notably his serve. In the past, this had been seen as the one clear weakness in his game, now it is a weapon. In years gone by, the world number one had a tendency to serve a fairly high number of double faults. Experts put this down to poor technique, noting that the elbow on his serving arm was very low, causing him to ‘bowl’ rather than strike the serve. This has now been rectified and Djokovic’s serve looks solid and he has become very difficult to ‘break.’ His second serve is also much improved and so there is less pressure on his first serve. In this year’s Australian Open final, Djokovic won 63% of points on second serve. His opponent Rafael Nadal won just 45%, a clear advantage for the Serb and probably the difference between winning and losing.  He has also improved his forehand and it is now arguably the most feared shot in tennis. Djokovic hits forehand winners that seem to defy the laws of physics almost at will and he is the only player on tour who seems to have found the perfect way of countering Nadal’s top spin and high bouncing forehand. He also looks much fitter. It is true that he has lost some weight and that he is consequently perhaps slightly weaker than he was before but during his record breaking season, Djokovic displayed unfathomable athleticism. There does not seem to be a spot on the court that the 24 year old cannot reach. He shows great speed and flexibility to reach shots that would be winners against anybody else. Rafael Nadal seemed as baffled as anybody else by Djokovic’s ability to return almost any shot and proclaimed: “It’s something unbelievable how he returns, no? His return probably is one of the best of the history. I never played against a player who’s able to return like this. Almost every time.” All of these technical and physical improvements have contributed to Djokovic becoming the world’s best tennis player, but some argue that the biggest factor behind his rise lies elsewhere.

The ‘Novak Djokovic Diet’ has become the stuff of legend, causing some to speculate that the days of sportsmen indulging in so-called ‘carb-loading’ may be over. In January 2010, Djokovic’s nutritionist discovered that his client suffers from a gluten allergy and subsequently removed it from the Serb’s diet. As mentioned already, Djokovic has lost some weight but he says that he has felt the benefits of the new diet right from the off, stating that he feels much better on court. Djokovic notes that his movement on court is much sharper and that he feels great physically, while world famous tennis coach Brad Gilbert has gone on record saying that he has never seen anyone move better on a tennis court. Given what we saw in 2011, it is impossible to disagree with either of them.

David Levitsky, Professor of Nutrition and Psychology at Cornell University in the US, feels that the gluten-free diet argument is over-played and that it is a case of mind over matter. Levitsky claims that “if you believe in a cause of your disorder, it becomes the cause.”

Whether or not this applies in the case of Novak Djokovic is anybody’s guess, but what is not in any doubt is the result. His trophy-laden year saw him deservedly crowned ATP Player of the Year, Ace of the Year by GQ magazine, ITF World Champion, BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year and he also won the highly prestigious Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year.

Djokovic has continued the form of 2011 in to 2012 as he won the Australian Open in a five set thriller against Rafael Nadal. In truth, Djokovic looked a class above for large parts of that match. If he can maintain his current level, he is more than capable of dominating for years to come and maybe even of topping the achievements of Pete Sampras and Roger Federer.

The news emerged on the day the Italian met with FA chiefs at Wembley to discuss last week’s decision to strip John Terry of the England captaincy. That decision, it seems, was taken by David Bernstein and co. without consulting Capello and this looks to be the root cause of Capello’s sudden decision to turn his back on the Three Lions just four months before the start of the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.

The decision to strip the Chelsea defender of the captaincy was announced last week and in all honesty was not exactly met with great surprise. What was much less expected was Capello’s subsequent interview with Italian TV network RAI on Sunday night (5^th February). The veteran manager appeared notably vexed when quizzed about whether he felt the FA board had taken the correct action and in what was a direct challenge to its authority, he replied: “No, absolutely not. I spoke with the chairman [David Bernstein] and I told him that I don’t think someone can be punished until it becomes official. The court will decide. It’s going to be civil justice, not sports justice, to decide if John Terry committed that crime that he is accused of. And I thought it fair that John Terry keeps the captain’s armband.”

However, as anyone who has followed Capello’s career will now, he is as stubborn as a mule. He is cut from the same cloth as the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson: uncompromising, controlling, obstinate, but ultimately very successful. If Capello genuinely believes in what he said to the RAI interviewer, it is no surprise that he has refused to budge. His pride has evidently been hurt by what he will see as unwelcome interference from the FA and he has obviously decided that he can no longer work in a set-up that does not afford him complete control over the players and on-field matters. On the flip side, if he has breached his contract, perhaps he has jumped before he was pushed?

Whatever the case, England are now manager-less with 21 days to go until the friendly at Wembley versus the Netherlands and only four months before the start of a major tournament. Stuart Pearce, it would appear, will take temporary charge for the match against Bert van Marwijk’s men but what now happens for the Euros and beyond? The England team has gone from a position of certainty (Capello was definitely leaving after the Euros) to one of disarray. To whom does the FA now turn? Will the incoming manager insist on no interference from the board? The huge salary on offer, as well as the kudos of the job, will ensure there is plenty of interest but in truth, there is no obvious choice for Capello’s successor. This is a problem given that the decision now needs to be made in much greater haste than was previously thought.

Harry Redknapp has long been seen as the man for the job given his passion for England and the superb job he has done at Tottenham. However, how likely is he to leave White Hart Lane in the middle of a season in which Tottenham still have an outside chance of winning the title? Will he want to stay and build the club to the point at which they are perennial title contenders? From a footballing point of view, surely working with the likes of Luka Modric and Gareth Bale beats managing the likes of Joleon Lescott and Peter Crouch? Redknapp also gives the impression of a manager who thrives on the day-to-day aspects of club management so there is some doubt as to whether international management would suit him.

Beyond the man affectionately known as ‘Arry, there is certainly no obvious candidate. A quick glance over the bookmakers’ odds reveals names such as Jose Mourinho, Roy Hodgson, Sam Allardyce and Alan Pardew. All of these men are currently in employment and other than Allardyce, have never expressed an interest in the England job.

The FA now faces a very difficult choice and has very little time in which to reach a decision. The last time that happened, they ended up with Steve McClaren and we all know how that turned out. Let’s see if they have learned from that experience. Capello on the other hand will ride off in to the sunset, his pockets filled with cash. In truth, Capello has never quite fitted in in English football, as his bemusement over the importance of the captain showed. He will be disappointed that he has been unable to take England to the very top of international football as that is what he was brought in to do. His achievements at AC Milan, Roma and Real Madrid will, however, ensure that his reputation as one of the top managers of the last 30 years will remain intact. The real losers from the situation are the FA and the England team. The question is, will they pay for it? Time will tell.

John Terry will no longer wear the captain's armband (This image is the property of Getty Images)

Terry stands accused of racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand during a match on 23^rd October last year and this is a matter that has crossed the footballing ring fence and become subject to criminal proceedings. The FA’s announcement in fact came on the back of a statement issued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announcing that Terry’s trial date has been set for 9^th July 2012, conveniently after the conclusion of this summer’s European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.

The issue of racism in football and the CPS’s decision to delay the trial for such a long period are matters for another time but from a football perspective, England are now left captain-less and a swift decision on Terry’s successor is needed, ideally before the friendly against the Netherlands on 29th February.

In many major footballing countries, for example Germany, Italy or Spain, the captaincy issue would not even have been deemed newsworthy. For example the latter two simply give the armband to the most-capped player. It is simply not a big deal. This is in stark contrast to the situation in England. The England captaincy is, and has long been, front page news and in truth, something of a circus. Never has this been truer than during the reign of John Terry.

Terry was first named captain of the Three Lions by Steve McClaren in August 2006 and was seen as the ideal man for the job. He had just captained Chelsea to back-to-back league titles, exhibiting all the hallmarks of a great captain along the way (vocal, motivating, giving his all for the cause etc). McClaren was convinced he had the right man in place stating ‘John has all the attributes an international captain needs – leadership, authority, courage, ability, tactical awareness and a total refusal to accept second-best,’ and the rest of the country agreed. It all started so well as Terry scored the first goal of the McClaren regime in a 4-0 thumping of Greece and stated that ‘It is the ultimate honour to be the captain of your country and I am very proud to be given this great opportunity.’ Terry and the England captaincy: a match made in heaven.

Not quite. England faltered badly during qualifying for Euro 2008 and eventually missed out on qualification for the tournament inAustria and Switzerland. McClaren however, played the role of fall guy and Terry remained captain under new manager Fabio Capello.

Terry once again showed that he embodies all the qualities of a great captain as England showed immediate signs of improvement and qualified for the 2010 World Cup with ease. However, in the run-up to the finals, Terry became embroiled in an off-field scandal as newspapers alleged that he had had an affair with the then wife of former Chelsea and England colleague Wayne Bridge. Sordid details of the affair appeared on the front and back pages of all major newspapers in England and the sporting media soon began to ask whether the Chelsea man was fit to captain the national team. This then turned, at least in some of the tabloids, to cries of ‘Strip Terry of the captaincy.’

In truth, Capello looked simply bemused by it all. The Italian never has, and probably never will, understand why the captaincy is such a big deal in England. He comes from a land where they prefer to focus on playing football and where the media supports the team. Perhaps this is why the Azzuri have won four World Cups? Nevertheless, Capello was forced to act and whether his hand was forced by the FA or not, he stripped Terry of the captaincy in February 2010. Rio Ferdinand was his replacement, although his injury problems meant that Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard wore the armband in South Africa.

The circus did not stop there. Oh no, it continued to roll along, racking up column inches as Rio Ferdinand was deemed too injury prone to carry the honour. In March 2011, England named its new captain, John Terry. It seemed a strange decision given the qualities of Steven Gerrard and the furore that had surrounded Terry a little over 12 months earlier, but it quickly became old news and England went about their business of booking a place on the plane to sunny Poland.

Fast forward to October 2011 and Terry was again in the papers for all the wrong reasons. During a heated match against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road, the defender reportedly hurled racial abuse at Anton Ferdinand and the heat was on once again.

Terry is everything you could ever want in a captain on the field; tenacious, vocal, an excellent organiser and a great motivator, but his off-field conduct leaves a lot to be desired. In fact, to those who criticise football and its exponents, he is a perfect example: he earns a fortune, has an attitude problem, is arrogant and seems to feel he can do as he pleases. Those on the other side of the fence would claim he represents everything that is right with the game in so far as he is a fantastic rags to riches story; a true symbol of working class hope.

The latest ‘Terrygate’ scandal has caused the FA to say enough is enough and to go over Capello’s head in removing Terry as captain. The defender was informed by way of a phone call from FA Chairman David Bernstein, implying that it was a decision taken by the association and not the manager. This will actually be a relief to the Italian who will be glad the decision has been made for him. It should mean that his relationship with Terry will remain unaffected and so everyone can focus on the job at hand, namely European Championship glory.

Whether or not you think the FA is right to go over the manager’s head on this issue depends on whether or not you see the captaincy as important and as a purely footballing function. For many teams, this is the case. However, for England there are other issues at play. Former England captain Alan Shearer alluded to this on Football Focus when he spoke of the commercial commitments the FA and the captain have to fulfil. As England captain, you are the face of the team. You appear at the front on adverts for match tickets, merchandise and kit supplier commercials and so the image of the man with the armband has taken on a greater importance than is arguably necessary thanks to the FA’s obsession with corporate relations.

From this point of view, the FA has made the correct decision. Racism is an emotive issue and the FA has worked hard to stamp it out in the last 25 years. Regardless of recent press, the game in England has moved on a lot since John Barnes was pelted with bananas in a Merseyside derby in 1987. Although nobody is saying Terry is guilty at this point, it is a very serious charge and having a man who has a court date set fronting such publicity campaigns simply will not do. In fact, it would not be surprising if some of England’s sponsors have put pressure on the FA to take this action. The only question would be: if the FA is saying that its decision does not imply Terry’s guilt and that it is merely pending the outcome of the case, why was the decision not reached earlier?

If you see the captaincy as a footballing function, Terry should have stayed. He is the outstanding candidate and in truth, Capello (assuming the decision is his) may now struggle to replace him. Steven Gerrard would be the obvious choice but he has struggled with injury of late and is far from guaranteed to be in the starting eleven. It is of course impossible to guarantee that any player remains fit and in form but all things being well, only Joe Hart and Ashley Cole can be certain of starting berths. Many managers do not like goalkeeper captains and Cole is not exactly squeaky clean having been in the news for his own affairs and reportedly shooting a work experience boy at Chelsea’s training ground. Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney would be another, but he is suspended for the opening two games of Euro 2012 and has not exactly demonstrated a sound temperament down the years.

Capello is on the next train out of England after this summer’s tournament and so he could do worse than to look at the example set by his homeland: put an end to the circus by trivialising the captaincy and give it to the most experienced player.

Lukas Podolski is Germany's most popular footballer (This image is the property of AP)

Strictly speaking, Podolski is not German. He is however, the country’s most popular and most talked-about footballer. Born in Gliwice, Poland to two professional athletes (his father was a footballer and his mother represented Poland at handball) he arrived in the Cologne suburb of Bergheim as a two year old. Podolski has even described himself as Polish and was noticeably subdued when scoring both goals in a 2-0 win for Germany over the country of his birth at Euro 2008. The young striker initially wished to play for Poland and it was recommended in 2003 to then national manager Pawel Janas to call up the young talent. Janas refused stating: ‘we have much better strikers in Poland and I don’t see a reason to call up a player just because he played one or two good matches in the Bundesliga. He’s not even a regular starter at his club.’ Podolski however quickly established himself in a struggling Köln side, scoring 10 goals in 19 Bundesliga games. Whilst this was not enough to keep the club in the top flight, it attracted the attention of the German media and, more importantly, then national coach Rudi Völler. The media saw the youngster as the future of German football and quickly dubbed him ‘Prinz Poldi’ (Prince Poldi). Poland’s loss was Germany’s gain and Podolski made his debut for Germany in June 2004 before going on to make one substitute appearance at that summer’s European Championships. He has not looked back since, representing Germany in two World Cups and another European Championship. As at the time of writing, he had amassed 95 caps and scored 43 goals, making him Germany’s sixth highest scorer of all time. Not bad for a 26 year old.

As a result of his stellar performances for the national team and his affable, approachable manner, the boy from Gliwice has become a national hero across the border in Germany and so the speculation over his future dominates the sports pages. Nowhere is this more the case than in his adopted hometown of Cologne. To say that Podolski is a superstar in Cologne is a gross understatement. His status is akin to that of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in India; demigod. He is the face of 1. FC Köln. If there is an advert for the club in a train station or newspaper, you can bet it has Prinz Poldi’s face on it. If a Köln match is advertised on TV, you can bet his image will be used. If someone is walking around the city in a replica shirt, you can bet it has a number 10 on the back. Numerous bands from the area have made songs dedicated to the striker, most notably when trying to lure him back from Bayern Munich, and this year, he was even invited to ride in the so called ‘Präsidenten-Wagen’ at the front of the Carnival parade (this is a huge honour). In short, he is indispensable to 1. FC Köln, not only as a player, but also as a money spinner and marketing tool. This is why Podolski’s reluctance to commit to a contract extension is so worrying for the club.

Will Podolski remain a 1.FC Köln player? (This image is the property of AP)

This is driven in part by his unhappy three year spell at the Allianz Arena. During his time in Munich, Poldi struggled to hold down a first team place and mustered only 26 goals in 106 games. This led to criticism of Podolski, with some claiming he is unable to shine for a team in which he is not the focal point and others claiming that he lacks a so-called ‘big time mentality’. Podolski naturally refutes the claims and has said in recent interviews that he feels he is capable of playing for a big club in England, Spain or Italy and of making an impression there. Perhaps in the back of his mind he feels a need to prove this to himself as well as his detractors. Such comments will do little to allay the fears of the Köln faithful and the reputed attention of several big clubs must surely turn the striker’s head to some extent.

Podolski’s form in the current season has been the best of his career and has certainly attracted scouts from some of Europe’s top clubs. He has netted 14 goals in 17 league games and also chipped in with four assists, form which has seen him linked with moves to AC Milan, Arsenal, Lazio, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Tottenham and, most recently, Lokomotiv Moscow. A switch to a number of these teams would give Podolski the opportunity to shine on club football’s biggest stage, the Champions League, and also to compete seriously for silverware. This will be a key consideration for him. Although Podolski has talent to rival almost anybody in the world, his trophy cabinet is not exactly bulging. A move in summer at the age of 27 would give the striker four or five years at a top club to prove himself as a genuine world-class operator and to win trophies, something which will appeal. Importantly, it will allow him to do so during the years that are typically seen as a footballer’s peak. For their part, the clubs in question know that Podolski represents excellent value at £10-15 million.

Podolski has publically stated that he is more than happy to speak to Köln about a contract extension describing them as the ‘erster Ansprechpartner’ (the first point of contact) and seems to remain relaxed about the speculation. Köln’s Sporting Director Volker Finke met with Poldi over the winter break only to be told by the striker that he wanted time to consider his future. He said that he does not wish to leave the RheinEnergie Stadion in the January transfer window as he does not want to jeopardise his place in Jogi Löw’s squad for Euro 2012, a tournament being co-hosted of course in Poland.

Whilst he has not stated that he wishes to further his career by leaving Die Geißböcke, Podolski has certainly dropped hints that his future may lie outside of Germany. Köln may of course decide not to cash in on their prized asset and keep him until his contract runs out should he refuse to sign an extension and so the story may not develop at all this summer.

What is certain, however, is the fact that the issue will continue to dominate the German sporting press until it is resolved, but whilst for fans it represents little more than exciting speculation, for Podolski it is the biggest decision he will face as a footballer. Whether he makes it with his heart or his head remains to be seen.

Name: Łukasz Podolski

Place of Birth: Gliwice, Poland

Nationality: German

Date of Birth: 4^th June 1985

Career League Appearances: 228

Career League Goals: 90

Total Career Appearances: 273

Total Career Goals: 108

International Caps: 95

International Goals: 43

Underneath the stack of jokes about Sir Bobby Charlton being seen warming up at Old Trafford and Nigel Winterburn returning to ease Arsenal’s full-back crisis lies a serious question: why have two of Europe’s leading clubs felt a need to resort to such emergency transfers? Are they papering over cracks which belie fundamental problems at both clubs? Or are they in fact masterstrokes?

In the case of Henry, the answer is relatively straightforward. The Frenchman is an Arsenal legend in the truest sense of the word and one of the most popular players to ever pull on the famous red and white of the Gunners. Furthermore, Henry’s attitude towards the club proves the old adage that ‘love is a two-way street,’ with the player himself stating that ‘when it comes to Arsenal, it is kind of hard for me to say no,’ and describing it as the club he ‘loves and supports.’ In an eight year stint that spanned 1999-2007, Henry terrorised defences at home and abroad on his way to becoming the club’s all-time record goal scorer with 226 goals. These goals helped the club to two Premier League titles, three FA Cup wins and an appearance in the Champions League Final in 2006. As a result, he is afforded a God-like status by the Emirates faithful, as anyone who saw the reception he got when he made his comeback against Leeds United can testify. Add to this the fact that some of Arsenal’s young players (most notably Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshere) grew up idolising Henry, and there is a clear ‘lift’ factor.

The deal makes sense for the London club as it is a six-and-a-half week loan deal with an option to extend it to eight weeks. There is however, no commitment on Arsenal’s part beyond covering the striker’s reputed £70,000 a week wages.[1] This not does not amount to a great deal of money by modern standards and averts the need to enter the notoriously difficult and inflated January transfer market. If Henry does provide the fans and the players with a lift and is even able to chip in with the odd goal and/or assist, the deal will represent excellent value for the club. In short, it is a low risk, potentially high reward transaction. It should also be said that it also makes sense for the player as it allows him to attain match fitness ahead of the start of the MLS season.

The loan signing of Henry also represents the solution to a problem; Arsenal’s lack of strikers. Robin van Persie has had to shoulder the goal scoring burden all season, but at least Arsene Wenger had other options in Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh. With both of these players on national duty in the African Cup of Nations, Henry’s loan deal gives Wenger another ‘impact player’ option from the bench and covers the period in which Arsenal will be two strikers down.

Thierry Henry celebrates his winning goal on his second Arsenal debut (This image is the property of The Daily Mirror)

Whilst it is clear that the Frenchman is not the player he was during his first spell in London, he is still capable of contributing as a bit part player. Henry’s own stated aim is to help the club, not to ‘try to be a hero’ and in one 20 minute cameo, he has already shown that he will add a touch of class to Arsene Wenger’s team. Having seen the likes of Andrey Arshavin and Marouane Chamakh thrash at chance after chance, the crowd was growing frustrated, fearing an unwanted replay at Elland Road. Cue the entry of the man dubbed ‘The Bearded Warrior’ thanks to his new facial hair. Henry got one chance in the game and finished it with aplomb. Alex Song’s delightful slide-rule pass was right in to the path of Henry and the returning striker took one perfect touch to get the ball out of his feet before calmly slotting the ball in to the far corner, thus firing the Gunners in to the FA Cup fourth round. In doing so, he showed a composure Arsenal had been lacking in front of goal. Yes, he looked overweight and at least a yard slower than the last time he graced the Emirates, but that simple control and finish proved that some things do not dull with age. If Henry is able to pop up with just two similar contributions in the league, Wenger and the Arsenal board will see the loan as a great bit of business.

Two hundred miles north at Old Trafford, another club legend has made an even more unexpected return to action, Paul Scholes. Whilst Thierry Henry is still an active football player and therefore a loan signing, Scholes has re-emerged from self-imposed retirement. Following United’s comprehensive defeat to Barcelona in last year’s Champions League final, the midfielder decided to call time on an illustrious career with his place as a Manchester United all-time great already cemented. He subsequently took up a coaching role with the club’s reserve team as he contemplated a career in football management.

Fast forward to Christmas 2011 and there were one or two murmurs that Sir Alex Ferguson may try to persuade Scholes to lace up his boots as United struggled with something of an injury crisis. Not many took the rumours seriously so it was a huge shock when it was announced before the FA Cup third round tie with local rivals Manchester City that Scholes was in fact on the bench. In fact, Wayne Rooney said in his post match interview that the players did not even know until they were in the dressing room at the Etihad Stadium. In a similar manner to the Henry announcement, this gave the fans and players a huge lift with Ferguson stating that it had been kept top secret so as to create that effect. It certainly worked.

Scholes entered the fold as a 59^th minute substitute and immediately looked like somebody who had not played for eight months. The man famously dubbed ‘Sat-Nav’ for his pinpoint passing ability gave the ball away on several occasions and was at fault for City’s second goal. He did however, show signs of bringing an assuredness to the midfield once United settled on playing out for a 3-2 win.

Even more surprising however, was Scholes’ inclusion in the starting eleven for the league match versus Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford. Given his relative lack of match practice and fitness, the midfielder had been seen as a man to come off the bench when required. Ferguson evidently feels otherwise and his decision was vindicated. Just as 75,000 fans were growing frustrated at seeing United waste chance after chance (including a penalty), Scholes rolled back the years, appearing in the box to turn in Wayne Rooney’s cross from eight yards out. The goal calmed United nerves and they eventually went on to secure a comfortable 3-0 victory. This all-important first goal, coupled with Scholes’ control of midfield proceedings, already has many naysayers eating their words.

Paul Scholes is overjoyed to score the opener against Bolton Wanderers (This image is the property of The Daily Mirror)

Much like Arsenal’s acquisition of Henry, the move represents potentially excellent value for United. No fee is involved in bringing a player out of retirement and he is, in all likelihood, on a pay-as-you-play deal. If Scholes can help United to lift the Premier League trophy in May, it may just go down as one of the greatest ‘transfer’ masterstrokes in living memory. That is however, a big if.

Whereas Henry’s deal at Arsenal has a pre-determined timescale, Scholes’ reintroduction to first team life at Old Trafford does not and this is perhaps the most worrying aspect for the club’s fans. United have, in all honesty, been in need of a so-called ‘A-list midfielder’ for the last three years and the fans have seen nothing come of rumours linking Wesley Sneijder, Mesut Özil, Eden Hazard, Mario Götze, Luka Modric and many more with a move to Old Trafford. Ferguson’s line continues to be that there is no value in the transfer market but that flies in the face of the £18.9 million and £16.5 million purchases of David De Gea and Phil Jones last summer. Many fans and members of the press continue to express doubts about the financial situation at Old Trafford as the club continues to feel the strain of high levels of term debt and The Sun recently fanned these flames of doubt by claiming that the Scholes move was borne out of financial necessity. According to the newspaper, United’s early exit from this year’s Champions League will have a huge financial impact. Furthermore, it also claims that the transfers of Javier Hernandez, Bebe, Anders Lindegaard, Ashley Young and Phil Jones are all accounted for in this financial year (July 1 2011-June 30 2012) which means that the club will have to shell out £55,127,000 in transfer and related fees during that period, almost £44 million more than in the previous year.[2] Whether or not this is the reality behind the Scholes decision only the Manchester United money men really know, but it will do little to alleviate the fears long held by certain sections of the Old Trafford faithful. Sir Alex Ferguson cannot however, worry about this and if Scholes is able to help United control games and perhaps even contribute with the odd assist or goal, nobody will be laughing or speaking of desperation come May.

Both deals do, on the face of it, smack of desperation and many will continue to view them as little more than that. They could however, prove to be two highly cost-effective moves that add experience and a touch of class to two teams with designs on English football’s biggest prizes. If they help the clubs achieve their aims, it will be hats off to the two grandfathers of Premier League management. Even if they do not, neither club will have lost anything. As such, both are calculated risks, which is more than can be said of forays in to the January transfer market. Just ask Chelsea and Liverpool.

Less than 18 months on, the Lambeau Field faithful have forgotten all about Favre and his position as Green Bay’s demigod has been usurped by Rodgers. This is some achievement given that Favre played as a starter for the Packers for 16 seasons, led them to two Super Bowl appearances (won one, lost one) and set a whole host of NFL records in the process. So how has the unassuming University of California (UCal) alumnus managed to fill Favre’s shoes in such a short space of time?

Well firstly it must be said that Rodgers is a supremely talented quarterback in his own right. In fact former NFL wide receiver and NBC commentator Chris Collinsworth described him as being ‘born to play quarterback’ and anybody who has witnessed Rodgers’ performances over the last three seasons would find it impossible to disagree. It is still a mystery to many why Rodgers slid down the draft order to 24 back in 2005 and to this day, Green Bay can still not believe its luck in having snared such a precocious talent with such a low pick.

Most importantly however, Rodgers has delivered on the promise he showed as a young quarterback at UCal. After patiently waiting for his opportunity to replace Favre, Rodgers has lit up Lambeau Field with a string of amazing performances and, crucially, last year delivered the franchise’s first Super Bowl victory since 1996 with an MVP performance. In doing so he matched Favre’s tally of Super Bowl rings and having led the Packers to an astonishing 15-1 record this season, few would bet against him making it two in a row, a feat Favre failed to achieve when losing to a John Elway inspired Denver in 1997. If he is able to accomplish this, he will most certainly, and quite justifiably, be seen as a bigger legend and better player than the great number 4.

Aaron Rodgers has had arguably the best season by any quarterback in NFL history

Whilst it is fair to state that Rodgers has not single-handedly led Green Bay to a 15-1 season, it is impossible to overstate just how successful his season has been from a personal perspective, particularly considering that he was rested for the last game against Detroit and so played only 15 games. His tally of 45 touchdowns has only ever been bettered by three players (Dan Marino 48, Peyton Manning 49, Tom Brady, 50) and six interceptions is one of the lowest season totals in NFL history. Add to this a pass completion rate of 68.3 percent and you have the highest season passer rating in NFL history with 122.5. This has made Rodgers the overwhelming favourite to win the league’s MVP award and far surpasses anything Favre ever achieved in his time at Lambeau Field (his best rating was 99.5 in 1995). In fact, it would not be overstating the point to say that Rodgers’ 2011 season will go down in NFL folklore as possibly the greatest ever by a quarterback.

None of this will however mean anything to the superstar quarterback if Green Bay’s trip to the playoffs proves fruitless. Rodgers will be itching to win a second Super Bowl ring and ensure that the Vince Lombardi Trophy remains on display at Lambeau Field. He will undoubtedly be aware that he will need to maintain his almost superhuman level of performance throughout the playoffs if Green Bay is to achieve this goal as they continue to struggle to gain yards on the ground and allow more points than coach Mike McCarthy is happy with. You would however be a fool to write off Green Bay’s chances, especially with Rodgers pulling the offensive strings. If he lifts the trophy at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 5^th, we will have witnessed the birth of a true NFL legend and he will not have just filled Brett Favre’s shoes, he will have replaced them with his own pair, a pair which may prove impossible to fill.

Anyone who followed European football in the late 90s, and certainly anyone who played Championship Manager around the same time, will be familiar with the Uruguayan who signed for Internazionale in the summer of 1997 for a fee in the region of £15 million, a huge sum at that time.

Like current Uruguay stars Diego Forlan and Edison Cavani, Recoba was a product of Danubio’s much-vaunted youth system and burst on to the scene as a 16 year-old. Two impressive years at the Montevideo-based club saw the young Recoba earn a move across the city to the country’s most famous club, Nacional. After one and a half seasons plying his trade for Nacional, Recoba was sold to Internazionale, for whom he made his debut in August 1997.

That match will forever be seen as one of the great debuts in Serie A history. With 20 minutes remaining and Inter trailing 1-0 to Brescia, manager Luigi Simoni decided to bring on the man known as El Chino. The Uruguayan became an instant hero as he scored two 30+ yard screamers (one of which was a freekick) to send the tifosi into raptures and help the Milan club to three points. Perhaps his dream debut brought unrealistic and unachievable expectations and the remainder of the 1997/1998 season was less spectacular for Recoba, who was overshadowed by the likes of Youri Djorkaeff and the great Ronaldo. It could not be doubted however, that Inter had landed one of football’s hottest prospects.

Recoba was subsequently recalled to Inter and was used much more by Marcelo Lippi than he was by either Simoni or Mircea Lucescu. The Uruguayan settled in to the new setup well and despite Inter enduring a difficult season, in which they failed to qualify for the Champions League, Recoba impressed. His performances convinced Chairman Massimo Moratti to offer him a new six year contract which reportedly made Recoba the highest paid player in the world. The 23 year old appeared to have the world at his magic feet.

At this point however, the wheels started to come off. First of all, Recoba was banned from football for a year (reduced to four months on appeal) for holding a fake Italian passport and a string of knee, ankle and shoulder injuries halted his progress further over the next few years. Inter fans were treated to glimpses of El Chino’s brilliance, most notably against Sampdoria in 2005. After entering the game as a substitute, Recoba inspired a comeback that saw Inter, who were trailing 2-0 after 88 minutes, to win 3-2. The Uruguayan set up the first goal for Obafemi Martins before rifling in a 20 yard winner in the 94^th minute, demonstrating textbook shooting technique in the process.

Such performances were becoming increasingly sporadic and in his last four seasons at Inter, Recoba managed only 16 goals, a poor return for someone of his ability. Inter loaned him to Torino at the beginning of the 2007/2008 season, where he was reunited with his manager at Venezia, Walter Novellino. He did not however, have the expected impact and by the end of the season was no longer in the starting eleven.

He subsequently joined Panionios where he spent two injury-plagued seasons and has now disappeared in to football obscurity with Danubio in Uruguay.

It cannot be said that Recoba’s career has been a failure, after all, over 50 goals for Internazionale in 175 games is not a bad return and 69 caps for Uruguay are not exactly handed out in Christmas crackers. There is however a nagging feeling that he could have delivered so much more. In terms of natural ability, there have been few with anything like as much. Contemporaries of Recoba such as Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo are regarded as some of the best players of the last 25 years. Neither had the natural talent of the mercurial Uruguayan. They did however, have a will to win and work ethic that Recoba seemed to lack. The Uruguayan was undoubtedly highly unlucky with injuries and bad advice led to the passport scandal and probably caused him to stay at Inter when a move might have helped to reignite his stalling career. Whatever the cause, I always feel a tinge of sadness when I think of what could have been for Recoba as we were probably denied the opportunity to marvel at an all-time great.