And Pigs Did fly !

by chinmaykamat on June 22nd, 2007

My last few posts have been really unlike me. Ocean’s 12, Ocean’s 69? Movies? Since when did I start watching so many movies? Have I been watching movies? WHY?

The primary reason that I have been watching on an average 2.4585 movies a day is because there are no good sporting events on TV these days. The Premiership resumes only on the 11th of August, which incidentally also marks the end of the holidays. The European Under 21 Championships were not aired , nor will be the 20-20 County Championsips in England. Wimbledon starts only on Monday and I have more or less given up on cricket these days, especially after some Indian umpire (VG Kulkarni I guess) called a wide when the ball went between the sticks and the batsman who had gone down the leg side to have a full swing at the ball in the recently concluded farcical Afro-African or some useless tournament.

Amidst all this chaos, the Spanish la Liga stood out like a N72 owner in a crowded second class local train compartment. I have never been a great fan of la Liga. I am a Premiership person and still swear by English football. But this year’s la Liga had it all. It had Beckham for the journos and the ladies, a ‘fat’ Ronaldinho, a miracle working Juande Ramos at Seville and finally a serious title race ! Fabio Capello led his side to yet another title when all odds were stacked heavily against him in January, and then again in February, and then yet again in March. (Incidentally, the odds of Derby County getting promoted to the Premiership were 100-1 at the start of last season)

Capello sometimes comes across as a machine programmed to win leagues wherever he goes, whatever team he works with. I personally feel that he is the most under-rated manager in Europe, with Rafa Benitez being the most over-rated and Frank Rijkard coming a close second. Perhaps, Manchester City should hire him for next season ! Perhaps !
The Real Madrid story though is quite stunning. Back in January, David Beckham was told that he would never play for Madrid again. Brazil’s long serving captain Emerson was booed at the Bernabeu and was never played in home games. The jury was still out on Raul and many expected him to depart at the end of the season. A misfiring Reyes who did not want to return to London warmed the benches in Madrid. He wanted to leave for Atletico , Real’s next-door rivals !

But to give credit where it is due, players like Nistelrooy (who went on to be the Pachichi), Sergio Ramos, Casillas played consistently throughout the season and kept Real within striking distance of Barcelona and Sevilla. Gago and Higuain showed maturity well beyond their years. And suddenly Madrid started winning games. Barcelona started throwing away easy wins. Beckham was recalled, kissed, hugged and soon reinvented his dwindling fortunes.

Going into the last game Real needed a win to seal the Championship. And they trailed mediocre Mallorca with half an hour to play. Beckham was pulled out in favour of Reyes. The change worked. ( Many people do wonder why soccer managers are paid tons and tons of money. Well, its basically for making such title-defining changes. Nothing else.) Reyes ended up scoring two goals – one fortunate and the other brilliant. The title was won. Elephants danced and pigs did fly !

A closer look suggests that Real did not actually win the title, but it was Barcelona who threw it away as if it was a piece of chewing gum wrapper. But strange are the ways of Vicente Calderon, Real’s President. Last heard, Capello is on his way out ? No Beckham. No Roberto Carlos. Come next year , the league will be more open. There will be more contenders. The stronghold of traditional powerhouses like Real, Barca and Valencia will be broken by the next-generation teams with young, prodigal managers. Zaragoza , Sevilla, Atletico will be breathing down their necks. I never ever imagined that la Liga could be so much fun.