Arsenal Memo
Arsenal overcame a mini crisis of loosing two games on the trot be beating the new boys to the European elite competition, Standard Liege 3-2. Gunners came from two goals down to introduce the Belgian club to the reality of the Champions’ league group stages. Before this encounter Arsenal lost to two Manchester teams, Man United and Man City. In both games, officials came under scrutiny. In the Manchester case Arsenal fans will be forgiven for thinking that Rooney dived and Arsenal deserved a goal that was denied at the tail end of the game, something that prompted the official to send Wenger to the stands, after he kicked a water bottle in protest, although the decision was rescinded by FA latter. Against Man City Adebayor, the former Arsenal player’s behavior overshadowed their win against Arsenal. His goal celebration particularly attracted a lot of criticisms. So was his tackle on Van Persis and Fabregas. A player with whom he was team mates just a couple of months ago. By running the whole length of the filed celebrating, Adebayor provoked Arsenal fans. Anyway, how many times can I say that this kid has no class?
Diving in football has been rampant! However, Arsenal was at the centre of this debate when Edward dive earned a penalty against the Celtic. UEFA suspended him for two matches; they however rescinded their decisions after Arsenal lodged a complaint. Incidentally, Eduardo scored the winning goal against Standard Liege. Minus Eduardo, Wenger would have had no first team striker. Van Persie was injured, so was Theo Walcott, when shall he be fit for a half a season? And Samir Nasser broke his leg in the pre season tour. This reduced Wenger’s options upfront. However, the team pulled off a win.
With the win behind them Arsenal can now steadily focus on the weekend game against Wigan Athletic. Wigan will be a different side with the release of their hottest property over the summer, Antonio Valencia to join Man U. Wigan’s coach Roberto Martinez, who admire Wenger’s philosophy of attacking football is looking forward to a “glamorous” weekend. How nice when two managers despite the urge to win commit to the beautiful flowing football? That’s when football is elevated to the status above just being a mere sport. Its art, exemplified by Barcelona, and copied by Arsenal.
Against Wigan, Arsenal will be boasted by the return of Van Persie. The manager confirmed this as a piece of good news. However, it came with another piece of not so good news, Denilson, who played in every Arsenal last season, will be out for a couple of weeks, so is Andrei Arshavin.
Buckle up and let’s head for the Emirates Stadium On Saturday. A little bit of digression though, Man U and Man City will be squaring it out on Sunday. And Fergy has branded Man City Cocky. Man City will be without suspended Adebayor and injury to the dual of Robinho and Tevez. Oh! Hoe Tevez wanted to be part of this fixture.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Soccer
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The Champions League Final
Fergy or Gurdiola? Welcome to Rome!It’s always nice to have good team in the finals. And truly, Manchester United and Barcelona both deserve to be in the finals of the Europe’s elite competition. The Grand Old Master Sir Fergie against novice with a Midas touch! And in Rome awesome! I must admit from the outset where my loyalty lies, and this is purely from the stand point of soccer philosophy (if there is anything like that in football) I love teams that attack, play free flowing football and midfield is where the game is won and lost. If you haven’t figured out yet, I support Barcelona in today’s match.I know my Man U friends think that my support for Barcelona is motivated with the hate For Man U. Far from that, I like this Man U team than any of the Man U team that the Boss has created over his 23 years at Old Trafford (OT). This team is the most balanced, ruthless and efficient that I have watched and the next couple of years will prove. My point is that everyone is talking about how Arsenal has such a young squad and they forget the fact that Fergie has so many semi finished product coming up from the academy or snapped at younger age. The Da Silva brothers, the second brothers after the Neville have to be at OT, although these ones are twins, isn’t that cute? What about, what about Anderson and Nani, We also forget that Cristiano Ronaldo, CR the reigning player of the year is only 24 and Wayne Rooney, WR is 23 years only, and they’re the future of Man U. If they win tonight, they will become the first team to win Champions League, CL back to back. Will they?Barcelona on the other hand posses the troika of Clinical Thiery “Titi” Henry, Speedy Samuel Etto and the heir apparent to Maradona’s Kingdom Lionel Messi. In the midfield, they have Xavi, Yaya Toure and Iniesta. Barcelona’s Achilles Heels will be its defense where it has been hit by series of injuries and suspension. Trust them to compensate what they do not have in defense by attacking.What about the two bosses, Fergy is 67 and as green as ever, they guy is just like wine he gets better with age. Gurdiola is 38, and he is Barcelona through and through. He came through the academy and he won the CL with the 90’s team and coached the B team. This is his first big stage managerial job. The setting cannot be better, Rome. May Barcelona win!
The Champions League Final
Fergy or Gurdiola? Welcome to Rome!It’s always nice to have good team in the finals. And truly, Manchester United and Barcelona both deserve to be in the finals of the Europe’s elite competition. The Grand Old Master Sir Fergie against novice with a Midas touch! And in Rome awesome! I must admit from the outset where my loyalty lies, and this is purely from the stand point of soccer philosophy (if there is anything like that in football) I love teams that attack, play free flowing football and midfield is where the game is won and lost. If you haven’t figured out yet, I support Barcelona in today’s match.I know my Man U friends think that my support for Barcelona is motivated with the hate For Man U. Far from that, I like this Man U team than any of the Man U team that the Boss has created over his 23 years at Old Trafford (OT). This team is the most balanced, ruthless and efficient that I have watched and the next couple of years will prove. My point is that everyone is talking about how Arsenal has such a young squad and they forget the fact that Fergie has so many semi finished product coming up from the academy or snapped at younger age. The Da Silva brothers, the second brothers after the Neville have to be at OT, although these ones are twins, isn’t that cute? What about, what about Anderson and Nani, We also forget that Cristiano Ronaldo, CR the reigning player of the year is only 24 and Wayne Rooney, WR is 23 years only, and they’re the future of Man U. If they win tonight, they will become the first team to win Champions League, CL back to back. Will they?Barcelona on the other hand posses the troika of Clinical Thiery “Titi” Henry, Speedy Samuel Etto and the heir apparent to Maradona’s Kingdom Lionel Messi. In the midfield, they have Xavi, Yaya Toure and Iniesta. Barcelona’s Achilles Heels will be its defense where it has been hit by series of injuries and suspension. Trust them to compensate what they do not have in defense by attacking.What about the two bosses, Fergy is 67 and as green as ever, they guy is just like wine he gets better with age. Gurdiola is 38, and he is Barcelona through and through. He came through the academy and he won the CL with the 90’s team and coached the B team. This is his first big stage managerial job. The setting cannot be better, Rome. May Barcelona win!
Museveni the conscious Provocateur
Unbridled arrogance, needless contempt and unfulfilled expansionism is the bane of Museveni
Since my days at Makerere University, I have always suspected that Museveni is living in a grand bubble of delusion, and he harbors something akin to contempt, laced with envy, for Kenya and Kenyans. This was well on display when he recently made disparaging remarks about the Luo’s. But make no mistake, his remarks were not meant for people from the Lake Victoria, they were meant for all Kenyans. Museveni’s total disdain for civility is legendary. His respect for rule of law is suspect. And his expansionist streak is well documented. Here is a man who, during the disputed general election results in Kenya, was quick to congratulate President Mwai Kibaki, just to spite Raila Odinga Instead of displaying statesmanship like his Tanzanian counterpart Jakaya Kikwete.
Museveni’s confidence emanates from the fact that for a while he has been the “blue eyed boy” of the West, particularly the United States. The last two US administrations have been overly generous to President Museveni., in part because of marketing and because of the US geostrategic interests. During Southern Sudan’s SPLA/M civil war against Khartoum, Museveni championed himself as the guardian of US interests by supporting the late John Garang. Earlier in his Presidency Bill Clinton christened Museveni, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Meles Zinawi of Ethiopia and Isaiah Afewerki of Eritrea as the next generation of Africa leaders! How wrong can Clinton be, as all have turned into village despots? During Clinton’s presidency, and Blair’s premiership, these leaders enjoyed good diplomatic backing. Museveni thrived globally during that era. He, indeed, cemented his resume by discarding his Marxist ideals and adopting marketing friendly neo-liberal policies. Further, during this period he initiated what was then a positive and intensive HIV/AIDS program. As a result Uganda was identified as a poster child of a successful HIV/AIDS campaign. Let history be the judge of if this was indeed a success.
Exit Clinton; enter George W. Bush, who came into the office on the crest of a rightwing wave. As foxy as always, Museveni who is not known to be strictly religious, apart from his wife, who is an avowed evangelical, all of a sudden he started courting people like Pastor Ssempa of the Miracle Centre, to get the attention of the White House. Indeed! He got that attention, and he used it to his advantage. He used this leverage and turned the spotlight on the murderous rebel group in Northern Uganda, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). During This time the Ugandan military obtained substantial military aid to kill or capture the leader of the LRA, the evasive Joseph Kony, something the Ugandan Army has been attempting for over two decades without a success. For an army that was built in the bush during the 80’s and adept to counterinsurgency tactics, why has it been difficult to root out Kony’s LRA? Therein lays a million dollars question – and by extension, a conspiracy theory – something I will avoid for now.
Kony, a primary school dropout has lost support not only with the Khartoum regime, which supported LRA for years to counter Kampala’s support for SPLA/M, but even the support of the people in Northern Uganda, in whose name Kony launched the rebellion,. If Museveni can’t even contain him, why would he pick a fight with Kenya more so, over a rocky piece of land?
Come to think of it this has been in the works for a while. Museveni has always cast himself in the lofty terms of a being “visionary” leader, and this, in his warped vision, this involves displaying an expansionist streak, something that he has in huge supply as his well documented foray into DRC shows. Equally, he has been betting on is the East Africa Political Federation, which, if formed, will allow him to be the elder statesman, because both Presidents Kikwete and Kibaki are greenhorns. Unfortunately, the process has been painfully slow for him. Not even fast tracking of the federation that he has been pushing has been successful.
Museveni’s salami tactic needs to be stopped midstream. Salami tactic is a process whereby someone engages in somewhat small and seemingly innocuous activity, but this small thing (s) is nothing but a decoy for bigger things. Remember Hitler started small by acquiring small portion of French and before they realize, he had huge appetite for ruling entire Europe. Minister Moses Wetangula and Saitoti should utilize every available diplomatic opportunity to stop Museveni/
Since my days at Makerere University, I have always suspected that Museveni is living in a grand bubble of delusion, and he harbors something akin to contempt, laced with envy, for Kenya and Kenyans. This was well on display when he recently made disparaging remarks about the Luo’s. But make no mistake, his remarks were not meant for people from the Lake Victoria, they were meant for all Kenyans. Museveni’s total disdain for civility is legendary. His respect for rule of law is suspect. And his expansionist streak is well documented. Here is a man who, during the disputed general election results in Kenya, was quick to congratulate President Mwai Kibaki, just to spite Raila Odinga Instead of displaying statesmanship like his Tanzanian counterpart Jakaya Kikwete.
Museveni’s confidence emanates from the fact that for a while he has been the “blue eyed boy” of the West, particularly the United States. The last two US administrations have been overly generous to President Museveni., in part because of marketing and because of the US geostrategic interests. During Southern Sudan’s SPLA/M civil war against Khartoum, Museveni championed himself as the guardian of US interests by supporting the late John Garang. Earlier in his Presidency Bill Clinton christened Museveni, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Meles Zinawi of Ethiopia and Isaiah Afewerki of Eritrea as the next generation of Africa leaders! How wrong can Clinton be, as all have turned into village despots? During Clinton’s presidency, and Blair’s premiership, these leaders enjoyed good diplomatic backing. Museveni thrived globally during that era. He, indeed, cemented his resume by discarding his Marxist ideals and adopting marketing friendly neo-liberal policies. Further, during this period he initiated what was then a positive and intensive HIV/AIDS program. As a result Uganda was identified as a poster child of a successful HIV/AIDS campaign. Let history be the judge of if this was indeed a success.
Exit Clinton; enter George W. Bush, who came into the office on the crest of a rightwing wave. As foxy as always, Museveni who is not known to be strictly religious, apart from his wife, who is an avowed evangelical, all of a sudden he started courting people like Pastor Ssempa of the Miracle Centre, to get the attention of the White House. Indeed! He got that attention, and he used it to his advantage. He used this leverage and turned the spotlight on the murderous rebel group in Northern Uganda, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). During This time the Ugandan military obtained substantial military aid to kill or capture the leader of the LRA, the evasive Joseph Kony, something the Ugandan Army has been attempting for over two decades without a success. For an army that was built in the bush during the 80’s and adept to counterinsurgency tactics, why has it been difficult to root out Kony’s LRA? Therein lays a million dollars question – and by extension, a conspiracy theory – something I will avoid for now.
Kony, a primary school dropout has lost support not only with the Khartoum regime, which supported LRA for years to counter Kampala’s support for SPLA/M, but even the support of the people in Northern Uganda, in whose name Kony launched the rebellion,. If Museveni can’t even contain him, why would he pick a fight with Kenya more so, over a rocky piece of land?
Come to think of it this has been in the works for a while. Museveni has always cast himself in the lofty terms of a being “visionary” leader, and this, in his warped vision, this involves displaying an expansionist streak, something that he has in huge supply as his well documented foray into DRC shows. Equally, he has been betting on is the East Africa Political Federation, which, if formed, will allow him to be the elder statesman, because both Presidents Kikwete and Kibaki are greenhorns. Unfortunately, the process has been painfully slow for him. Not even fast tracking of the federation that he has been pushing has been successful.
Museveni’s salami tactic needs to be stopped midstream. Salami tactic is a process whereby someone engages in somewhat small and seemingly innocuous activity, but this small thing (s) is nothing but a decoy for bigger things. Remember Hitler started small by acquiring small portion of French and before they realize, he had huge appetite for ruling entire Europe. Minister Moses Wetangula and Saitoti should utilize every available diplomatic opportunity to stop Museveni/
whats the fuss about Obama's snub of Kenya
By Abdullahi Boru
What’s the fuss about Obama's Kenya snub?
Kenya and Obama obviously share a history. But it should not be overplayed. Obama Snr worked with Mwai Kibaki at the Ministry of Planning, both as Post Independence bureaucrats who were enthusiastic to serve their country. As fate will have it both Obama junior and Kibaki’s have again crossed path. Although, in different circumstances. While Barrack is the President of the United States, Kibaki is the president of Kenya. And the young Barrack has decided to snub Kibaki .
A meal has been made of his snub of Kenya during his first official visit of Africa. Many commentators have made it sound like this is the end of “Kenya favored” status in the White House. Let’s be patently clear, there is nothing intrinsically useful in being a United States partner. If anything, being in good books in this global age only invites trouble from those American haters. And they're not in short supply. If in doubt, ask Britain which has suffered multiple attacks because of its close association with the Bush policies in the Middle East.
Granted Obama’s father, Obama Snr was a Kenya. As a result many in Kenya have come to expect that Kenya will have a favored status in the United States. Far from that, Tanzanian President has instead been the first African President invited to the Obama’s White House. Obama is displaying tough love to Kenya! Tanzania’s diplomatic stock has been on the rise, for quite sometime now. This is without a doubt as a result of the country’s profile as an island of peace, in the true sense of the word. Frankly speaking, what are the benefits of Kenya being in the good books of the United States?
For a long time, the united States sitting Presidents beginning with Bill Clinton have been snubbing Kenya. They have both visited the neighboring states of Uganda and Tanzania, and giving cold shoulder to Kenya. During his swan song visit Clinton visited Tanzania and Uganda, and the then President Moi was asked to attend as a guest. He dully did. Presidents of Uganda and Tanzania’s wives were seen cleaning the streets. Clinton didn’t even drink water from those two countries. Instead he had everything of his from the United States. This is without mentioning the security and other unnecessary hustle that people have to go through, including the loss of internet for some time.
US presidents’ visits are usually nothing but mere symbolic diplomatic gestures. For most part they are just accompanied by industry captains lobbying for certain business deals and bureaucrats pushing for certain issues. This is followed by signing of grants and aid agreements that amounts to nothing. During the recent meeting between Obama and Kikwete , they agreed that United States will support African agriculture. Haven’t we had that agriculture is the back bone of the economy since independence? The US envoy to Africa Johny Carson, who was a former ambassador to Kenya, said that the Bush policy towards Africa will continue
While it’s inexcusable for the current government to be in involved in endless chicken fights, they shouldn’t nonetheless loss night sleep because they have been snubbed by Obama in favor of Ghana or another country for that matter. The working toward good governance, rule of law and respect for human rights should not be something we should do it to please Washington or London. Obama has more on his table already including, but not limited to collapse of the entire financial architecture two wars going on at the same time and the angry and hungry Republican who are waiting and praying for his fall, as the reprehensible right wing radio show host Rush Limbaugh said recently.
With the United States reliant on the Chinese to buy its government bond in order to stay afloat economically, the US will not be a dominant player as it was in the last decades. So, using the carrot approach which has served the US so well diplomatically will not be that useful. Currently the US is indebted to China to a tune of 2 billion in terms of the government debts and these figures might rise with the current financial crisis biting even more. Instead of worrying about the America, which in this case needs Kenya more in the fight against the “terrorists” in the Horn of Africa, Kenya should build more alliance with China. One of the advantages of working with China unlike the US is the fact that you will not be subjected to the conditionalities that have become the modus operandi of the United States. A smart strategic engagement with China in areas of mutual interest that the usual one way traffic that has marked the decades of engagement with the West will the way out. China’s energy demands are overwhelming, Kenya’s infrastructure need is desperate, these can be one are for mutual engagement.
What’s the fuss about Obama's Kenya snub?
Kenya and Obama obviously share a history. But it should not be overplayed. Obama Snr worked with Mwai Kibaki at the Ministry of Planning, both as Post Independence bureaucrats who were enthusiastic to serve their country. As fate will have it both Obama junior and Kibaki’s have again crossed path. Although, in different circumstances. While Barrack is the President of the United States, Kibaki is the president of Kenya. And the young Barrack has decided to snub Kibaki .
A meal has been made of his snub of Kenya during his first official visit of Africa. Many commentators have made it sound like this is the end of “Kenya favored” status in the White House. Let’s be patently clear, there is nothing intrinsically useful in being a United States partner. If anything, being in good books in this global age only invites trouble from those American haters. And they're not in short supply. If in doubt, ask Britain which has suffered multiple attacks because of its close association with the Bush policies in the Middle East.
Granted Obama’s father, Obama Snr was a Kenya. As a result many in Kenya have come to expect that Kenya will have a favored status in the United States. Far from that, Tanzanian President has instead been the first African President invited to the Obama’s White House. Obama is displaying tough love to Kenya! Tanzania’s diplomatic stock has been on the rise, for quite sometime now. This is without a doubt as a result of the country’s profile as an island of peace, in the true sense of the word. Frankly speaking, what are the benefits of Kenya being in the good books of the United States?
For a long time, the united States sitting Presidents beginning with Bill Clinton have been snubbing Kenya. They have both visited the neighboring states of Uganda and Tanzania, and giving cold shoulder to Kenya. During his swan song visit Clinton visited Tanzania and Uganda, and the then President Moi was asked to attend as a guest. He dully did. Presidents of Uganda and Tanzania’s wives were seen cleaning the streets. Clinton didn’t even drink water from those two countries. Instead he had everything of his from the United States. This is without mentioning the security and other unnecessary hustle that people have to go through, including the loss of internet for some time.
US presidents’ visits are usually nothing but mere symbolic diplomatic gestures. For most part they are just accompanied by industry captains lobbying for certain business deals and bureaucrats pushing for certain issues. This is followed by signing of grants and aid agreements that amounts to nothing. During the recent meeting between Obama and Kikwete , they agreed that United States will support African agriculture. Haven’t we had that agriculture is the back bone of the economy since independence? The US envoy to Africa Johny Carson, who was a former ambassador to Kenya, said that the Bush policy towards Africa will continue
While it’s inexcusable for the current government to be in involved in endless chicken fights, they shouldn’t nonetheless loss night sleep because they have been snubbed by Obama in favor of Ghana or another country for that matter. The working toward good governance, rule of law and respect for human rights should not be something we should do it to please Washington or London. Obama has more on his table already including, but not limited to collapse of the entire financial architecture two wars going on at the same time and the angry and hungry Republican who are waiting and praying for his fall, as the reprehensible right wing radio show host Rush Limbaugh said recently.
With the United States reliant on the Chinese to buy its government bond in order to stay afloat economically, the US will not be a dominant player as it was in the last decades. So, using the carrot approach which has served the US so well diplomatically will not be that useful. Currently the US is indebted to China to a tune of 2 billion in terms of the government debts and these figures might rise with the current financial crisis biting even more. Instead of worrying about the America, which in this case needs Kenya more in the fight against the “terrorists” in the Horn of Africa, Kenya should build more alliance with China. One of the advantages of working with China unlike the US is the fact that you will not be subjected to the conditionalities that have become the modus operandi of the United States. A smart strategic engagement with China in areas of mutual interest that the usual one way traffic that has marked the decades of engagement with the West will the way out. China’s energy demands are overwhelming, Kenya’s infrastructure need is desperate, these can be one are for mutual engagement.
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