David Beckham has now equaled Sir Bobby Moore’s record of most England caps for an outfield player. A fantastic achievement indeed, considering he has always been criticized of being a one-trick pony. Whatever his shortcomings, and yes there are many; he deserves every bit of praise coming his way. Sir Bobby is a legend, and Beckham going past his record will not diminish the legendary status he enjoys amongst football enthusiasts.
The criticism directed towards Beckham has always struck me as a bit unfair. When Beckham plays, England have that much more in them; he always gives his best; his work rate is one of the highest in the world and because of the blessed right foot, he always presents a real threat to the opposition. He may not be able to tackle, or burst along the wings, but he makes it up with the brilliance of the right foot. Anyway, there are very few players who are equally good on both feet, so saying he does not have a decent left foot is stretching things a bit too far.
He has been relegated to the bench in many of his recent appearances. This is only natural considering his age and the need to find a consistent player on the right side of midfield. Let’s face it, Walcott is prone to injuries, Downing, Lennon, Bentley and Wright-Philips are frustratingly inconsistent. Even Walcott is a work in progress and his ability to perform well in crunch situations remains to be tested. The game against Spain has only underlined the fact that England do not have a good player on the right apart from Beckham.
Let’s not delude ourselves. England were pathetic. They had only two real chances, one of which was provided when Beckham came on as a sub. We must applaud a very good player and appreciate what he has done for football, not moan about how he is undeserving of the honour.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Money Won't Give Success
Manchester City’s million dollar bid for Kaka has shocked many, including the revered Sir Alex Ferguson. There are many (and I must confess to belong to this group) who snigger at City’s attempts to attract the best talent in the world via the bucket loads of cash they now posses. It is indeed comical for a club which fights to avoid relegation every other season harbor illusions of being the best club in the world. The Sheikhs who bought City would have been no doubt inspired by the Abrahimovic story at Chelsea, but the Londoners had a number of world class players like Frank Lampard, John Terry before the oligarch took over; therefore, it was easier to convince players like Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and the rest. In comparison, the only world class player in the City team is Robinho, and even he came to the club after the Arabs took over. Stephen Ireland and Richard Dunne are not in the same as league as these champions, while Shaun Wright-Philips is a perennial under-achiever.
So must there always be a hierarchy of a handful of clubs, and must only these clubs fight for glory? No, but the methods employed by the likes of City and dare I say it, Chelsea before them, are obscene. All the big clubs in the world (Manchester United, Barcelona, AC Milan, Real Madrid, etc) have history. It took years for each of these clubs to be in the position they enjoy today. Many of these clubs became what they are after starting with limited money; the millions we see today was a by product of the success, the money was not a cause for success. For many of the best players in the world, ambition and ability to back it up with tangible results is the main criteria, money is only secondary.
Modern Day football is big money business. In today’s globalised world, matches in Europe are followed with equal amount of passion by fans in Asia. Ticket sales alone do not contribute to the club’s coffers; TV rights, merchandise sales contribute just as much, if not more. This has resulted in a situation where a handful of world class players are chased by hundreds of clubs. The biggest beneficiary of all this is the player himself, and he cannot be blamed for wanting to earn as much as he can in the 10-15 years that he plays the game. However, after a point, money becomes secondary; the player seeks to gain recognition as a player. Thus, he invariably plays for a club which has history, ambition and the talent to supplement the ambition. The reality of modern day football is that a club which fulfills the above requirements can also offer the player the six figure salary he seeks. If a player moves to a club solely for the money (like Robinho), the arrangement is bound to be a temporary one, with happiness and satisfaction eluding both the club and the player.
It is therefore a relief that Kaka has rejected a move to the Eastlands. If the deal had materialized, football would have been the casualty, for there would then be no morals and ethics involved. We must therefore be thankful that money has not corrupted a fantastic player, and this would discourage similar stories from happening in the future. Indeed, it would have been fantastic for the Premier League to have a talent like Kaka, but this would be no compensation for the grievous harm caused to the game. Teams like Manchester City can seek success, but they must realize that success would mean a lot of hard work spread over decades. Money will play a part, but it must not remain the primary means for achieving success. Maybe one day we will see City in the Champions League on a regular basis, but it would be a shame if this were achieved by basically bribing eleven of the best players in the world.
So must there always be a hierarchy of a handful of clubs, and must only these clubs fight for glory? No, but the methods employed by the likes of City and dare I say it, Chelsea before them, are obscene. All the big clubs in the world (Manchester United, Barcelona, AC Milan, Real Madrid, etc) have history. It took years for each of these clubs to be in the position they enjoy today. Many of these clubs became what they are after starting with limited money; the millions we see today was a by product of the success, the money was not a cause for success. For many of the best players in the world, ambition and ability to back it up with tangible results is the main criteria, money is only secondary.
Modern Day football is big money business. In today’s globalised world, matches in Europe are followed with equal amount of passion by fans in Asia. Ticket sales alone do not contribute to the club’s coffers; TV rights, merchandise sales contribute just as much, if not more. This has resulted in a situation where a handful of world class players are chased by hundreds of clubs. The biggest beneficiary of all this is the player himself, and he cannot be blamed for wanting to earn as much as he can in the 10-15 years that he plays the game. However, after a point, money becomes secondary; the player seeks to gain recognition as a player. Thus, he invariably plays for a club which has history, ambition and the talent to supplement the ambition. The reality of modern day football is that a club which fulfills the above requirements can also offer the player the six figure salary he seeks. If a player moves to a club solely for the money (like Robinho), the arrangement is bound to be a temporary one, with happiness and satisfaction eluding both the club and the player.
It is therefore a relief that Kaka has rejected a move to the Eastlands. If the deal had materialized, football would have been the casualty, for there would then be no morals and ethics involved. We must therefore be thankful that money has not corrupted a fantastic player, and this would discourage similar stories from happening in the future. Indeed, it would have been fantastic for the Premier League to have a talent like Kaka, but this would be no compensation for the grievous harm caused to the game. Teams like Manchester City can seek success, but they must realize that success would mean a lot of hard work spread over decades. Money will play a part, but it must not remain the primary means for achieving success. Maybe one day we will see City in the Champions League on a regular basis, but it would be a shame if this were achieved by basically bribing eleven of the best players in the world.
Life Is Good!!!
Aah, Life is good. Seriously. I know this would seem a little out of touch with reality in this milieu of recessions and frauds and blackmail by a failed state, but I refuse to be sucked into this whirlpool of depression.
Therefore, I shall celebrate the good things happening around me, the best of which is that come May, I would officially be an Engineer. Yay Me!!! Srinivas Chandrasekhar Mandapati, B.E. Has a nice ring to it, no? As I continue to evaluate the endless wonder of my new name, as it were, I am reminded of another fantastic event- the end of George Bush’s presidency. If all goes well, we could even get mukti from the biggest challenge to our sanity- Himesh Reshammiya and his suroor. Definitely something to be happy about (I couldn’t care less for the sods who appreciate his music and his acting!). I am sure I am in a majority when I say that I will be over the moon if he sticks to the reality shows…for eternity.
Now the one thing that positively makes me giddy with joy (besides my degree) is the masterpiece Deshdrohi. For a person who turns to endless re-runs of Friends for comic relief, this is manna from heaven. A complete swadeshi mode of entertainment and if you ask me, it is also the best antidote to all those wallowing over the multiple crisis’s. Can you blame me for being contended when I have such fascinating events and modes of entertainment to look forward to? And so, life is good. It just got better, because Manchester United have thrashed Chelsea 3-0.
Therefore, I shall celebrate the good things happening around me, the best of which is that come May, I would officially be an Engineer. Yay Me!!! Srinivas Chandrasekhar Mandapati, B.E. Has a nice ring to it, no? As I continue to evaluate the endless wonder of my new name, as it were, I am reminded of another fantastic event- the end of George Bush’s presidency. If all goes well, we could even get mukti from the biggest challenge to our sanity- Himesh Reshammiya and his suroor. Definitely something to be happy about (I couldn’t care less for the sods who appreciate his music and his acting!). I am sure I am in a majority when I say that I will be over the moon if he sticks to the reality shows…for eternity.
Now the one thing that positively makes me giddy with joy (besides my degree) is the masterpiece Deshdrohi. For a person who turns to endless re-runs of Friends for comic relief, this is manna from heaven. A complete swadeshi mode of entertainment and if you ask me, it is also the best antidote to all those wallowing over the multiple crisis’s. Can you blame me for being contended when I have such fascinating events and modes of entertainment to look forward to? And so, life is good. It just got better, because Manchester United have thrashed Chelsea 3-0.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Liberalism-Still India's Salvation
The world economy is in shambles. This has prompted many to declare that this crisis marks the end of capitalism. What does this mean for India, where liberalism has been in practice since 1991? I am no economist, nor do I claim to be an expert on the subject. My understanding is based on common sense, on statistics and the experience of a 21 year old that has had the fortune to be raised in a middle class household. It cannot be denied that the middle class has been the biggest beneficiary of the post-1991 policies, for could a family like mine own a car, a house of our own and live in comfort if change had not been brought about? My story is similar to those of thousands of Indians, many of those studying in the best schools and colleges in the country. We are not elitist; we are just making the best use of the opportunities available to us.
However, I see the pain of the less fortunate everyday, and it makes my heart bleed. There are many who say liberalization has failed. Many who say the benefits have not reached the neediest. Just as this cannot be denied, a system which brought about 3 percent growth at an average cannot be seen as a substitute. Socialism is hypocrisy. We have practiced socialism for more than 40 years. What did we have to show for it? A nation that begged the international community for money? A nation, whose best sons and daughters left its shores disillusioned, convinced that their talents would forever go waste if they remained in the land of their birth? If India is respected, even feared by some, it is due to the massive progress we have made in the last 17 years. Otherwise, we would have forever remained a land of elephants and snake charmers in the eyes of the world. However, amidst all of the euphoria, we must not forget the story of the farmer who commits suicide because he cannot pay his loans; of the child who leaves school as his parents cannot afford the cost of his or her education. This presents an opportunity, for a system that worked for the 300 million bourgeoisie Indians can surely produce the same results for the millions in our villages.
Yet, liberal economics in itself is not a solution. No single ideology can claim to the only solution to all our economic woes. We will need to be flexible as rigidity will get us nowhere. We cannot remain prey to the insecurity that suggests that we need to protected, nor should we remain apathetic to the woes of the common Indian tilling his land everyday, hoping for a better tomorrow. The votaries of the old order say that the present crisis in the world and sectors of our economy is proof that our economic policies have failed. Common sense dictates that every ideology has its faults; what should be determined is whether the good outweighs the bad, and one must strive for improving upon the good and eradicating the bad. This is what these people fail to grasp. The crisis is not an excuse to fall back to the old incompetence; it offers us opportunity to identify the mistakes that have been made and improve on it. Competition offers a scope for improvement, not the “curbing of autonomous development” as many so called experts have so colourfully declared. If I am exposed to highly skilled people, I will only improve. This is not esoteric, expert mumbo-jumbo; it is plain common sense.
To be honest, I do not understand half of what experts talk about these days. But I am convinced that often the simple route is the best. All our problems have one simple solution, common sense. And common sense tells me that in every crisis lies an opportunity, because crises do not arise unless there is something wrong. This may be an absence or regulation or a case of too much government intervention. I am convinced that the policies we follow will take us to the development and self sufficiency we seek. Yes, there will be hiccups, but these will only mean that we need to improve on the foundation. The tallest tower in the world cannot be built without the strongest foundation. Similarly, the policies we follow today will lead to India being one of the biggest economies in the world. Would this be possible if we had allowed the old order to continue? The most obvious answer is no.
However, I see the pain of the less fortunate everyday, and it makes my heart bleed. There are many who say liberalization has failed. Many who say the benefits have not reached the neediest. Just as this cannot be denied, a system which brought about 3 percent growth at an average cannot be seen as a substitute. Socialism is hypocrisy. We have practiced socialism for more than 40 years. What did we have to show for it? A nation that begged the international community for money? A nation, whose best sons and daughters left its shores disillusioned, convinced that their talents would forever go waste if they remained in the land of their birth? If India is respected, even feared by some, it is due to the massive progress we have made in the last 17 years. Otherwise, we would have forever remained a land of elephants and snake charmers in the eyes of the world. However, amidst all of the euphoria, we must not forget the story of the farmer who commits suicide because he cannot pay his loans; of the child who leaves school as his parents cannot afford the cost of his or her education. This presents an opportunity, for a system that worked for the 300 million bourgeoisie Indians can surely produce the same results for the millions in our villages.
Yet, liberal economics in itself is not a solution. No single ideology can claim to the only solution to all our economic woes. We will need to be flexible as rigidity will get us nowhere. We cannot remain prey to the insecurity that suggests that we need to protected, nor should we remain apathetic to the woes of the common Indian tilling his land everyday, hoping for a better tomorrow. The votaries of the old order say that the present crisis in the world and sectors of our economy is proof that our economic policies have failed. Common sense dictates that every ideology has its faults; what should be determined is whether the good outweighs the bad, and one must strive for improving upon the good and eradicating the bad. This is what these people fail to grasp. The crisis is not an excuse to fall back to the old incompetence; it offers us opportunity to identify the mistakes that have been made and improve on it. Competition offers a scope for improvement, not the “curbing of autonomous development” as many so called experts have so colourfully declared. If I am exposed to highly skilled people, I will only improve. This is not esoteric, expert mumbo-jumbo; it is plain common sense.
To be honest, I do not understand half of what experts talk about these days. But I am convinced that often the simple route is the best. All our problems have one simple solution, common sense. And common sense tells me that in every crisis lies an opportunity, because crises do not arise unless there is something wrong. This may be an absence or regulation or a case of too much government intervention. I am convinced that the policies we follow will take us to the development and self sufficiency we seek. Yes, there will be hiccups, but these will only mean that we need to improve on the foundation. The tallest tower in the world cannot be built without the strongest foundation. Similarly, the policies we follow today will lead to India being one of the biggest economies in the world. Would this be possible if we had allowed the old order to continue? The most obvious answer is no.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Stop Blaming...Start Cleaning!!!
It's amazing..isn't it?Pakistan continues to change its tune very frequently.It was the ISI chief first, then the issue of Kasab's nationality, JuD and most recently, Masood Azhar.It is now apparent that they are not going to act...so what happens next? Some people advocate the military option, but that would be akin to suicide. That is what the terrorists want us to do, and also what the rouge elements in the Pakistani establishment responsible for 26/11 want us to do. This is on account of two reasons;the most obvious being that the threat of a confrontation with India would lead to the Pakistanis withdrawing from the Afghan border.Secondly,such machismo has never produced the desired results...Iraq and Afghanistan are a case in point.
The only realistic option before the country is to strengthen its intelligence and continue to apply diplomatic pressure on Pakistan...not because Pakistan will buckle,but because it would send a message to the terrorists.Some good would have come out of the tragedy that is 26/11 if long overdue change is brought to this country.And change needs to start from within the aam admi.It is no use blaming politicians;we vote them to power.Their inefficiency is bad judgement from our part.There are many good leaders in this country..we will find them if we are sincere.Blaming Pakistan is going to get us nowhere.It is time we started wielding the broomstick and cleaning our house.Our Cynical attitude to life must stop.Tragedies will continue as long as this characteristic feature is not eliminated.All of us have a stake in what happens around us.We must not complain about corruption...it continues only because we give in.If all of us make a solemn promise to ourselves that we will not give in,i believe the levels of corruption will go down drastically.This is just one example of how we must change.We must learn to respect the law.Only then will our politicians respect us.Till then,we must not crib,moan,scream about how things will never improve.It is time we went back to the belief around which Indian Independence was won....Be The Change You Want To See.....
The only realistic option before the country is to strengthen its intelligence and continue to apply diplomatic pressure on Pakistan...not because Pakistan will buckle,but because it would send a message to the terrorists.Some good would have come out of the tragedy that is 26/11 if long overdue change is brought to this country.And change needs to start from within the aam admi.It is no use blaming politicians;we vote them to power.Their inefficiency is bad judgement from our part.There are many good leaders in this country..we will find them if we are sincere.Blaming Pakistan is going to get us nowhere.It is time we started wielding the broomstick and cleaning our house.Our Cynical attitude to life must stop.Tragedies will continue as long as this characteristic feature is not eliminated.All of us have a stake in what happens around us.We must not complain about corruption...it continues only because we give in.If all of us make a solemn promise to ourselves that we will not give in,i believe the levels of corruption will go down drastically.This is just one example of how we must change.We must learn to respect the law.Only then will our politicians respect us.Till then,we must not crib,moan,scream about how things will never improve.It is time we went back to the belief around which Indian Independence was won....Be The Change You Want To See.....
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Fundamentalism Is Terrorism
The abominable attacks on Churches in Orrisa have been a topic of much debate. It is not unfair to compare the carnage to Nandigram or Gujarat. The perpetrators of the crime have had the audacity to openly declare that they were responsible. This incident is the latest in a series of events which have threatened the secular fabric of this nation, the very quality which made our country so special. Rabid elements have strutted around with impunity, be it the SIMI or the Bajrang Dal-RSS-VHP troika. The BJP, which claims to be concerned about our internal security, calls this damnable troika "nationalists". I do not know about my fellow countrymen, but this is a form of nationalism i truly detest. If the fundamentalists who blew up Delhi, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad are to be called terrorists, the fumdamentalists who attack churches or mosques or any place of worship for that matter, deserve the same treatment. I see no difference between the two. The Government, which insists that terrorism will be dealt with firmly, should see to it that this troika is treated the same way as SIMI is. Only then can it claim to be sensitive to the urgent need of protecting the secular nature of the country, and also be true to its claim that it truly stands as an alternative to the shameful and despicable acts of communal violence that the BJP and its ideological masters pursue. For the record, i am an engineering student. My family lives in Ahmedabad, and we were very, very lucky that the bombs did not hurt us the way they destroyed so many families. As much as i appreciate bringing those who planned that attack to justice, i would be deeply ashamed if the same justice was not offered to the thousands of brothers and sisters, whose loved ones were hurt by the events of the past two months.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Tssskkk...
The biggest soap opera of the season continues. No, we are not talking of yet another inane, melodramatic binge from Ekta Kapoor but of the impasse over the civilian nuclear deal. The Left continues in its opposition to the nuclear deal and even Sonia Gandhi has supposedly told the Left that she cannot go against the Prime Minister's wishes vis-à-vis the nuclear deal. A day after I was taken by surprise at the rare show or courage by the Prime Minister, I was let down the very next day. Somehow, statements that followed the bold assertion seemed to be a climb down for the Government. Admittedly, this could have been influenced by the knowledge that if the government were to go ahead with the deal, it would probably result in early elections. This is hardly what the United Progressive Alliance would want, especially after inflation rose to 11.05%, the highest in 13years. Normally, this would be adieu to a deal that pulls India out of nuclear isolation, but with the Prime Minister not backing off, we are in for an interesting equation.
It is unfortunate that Indian democracy has not reached a level of maturity where political parties look beyond political gains and put national interest at a premium. In all honesty, one can't blame the Left as it would be against their ideology to support the nuclear deal. It is another matter that this very ideology is hogwash, to put it mildly. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the constituents of the UPA are more to blame, the BJP even more as they were in power when the deal was in its initial stages. Well, what can one say of the Congress? In spite of their boast of them having a special relationship with Indian democracy, they have never shown the maturity to be think beyond their lust for power. At stake is India's credibility, surely that is more important than who comes to power in the next elections. if this deal does not go through, the country will forever be in nuclear isolation, our nuclear power plants will be rendered ineffective and we will be bullied even more by China, who had the sense to sign a similar deal with the US, even if the terms were not as favourable as they are to India. Moreover, India will not be trusted to keep an agreement. But no, all the Congress and its allies care about is that they return to power. The interests of the nation are at best secondary. The BJP is even worse. They go about tarnishing the country with their rabid ideology, claim to the ones striving for development whilst in power, and forget their progressive economics whilst in opposition. The government should go ahead with the deal, irrespective of the consequences. For once, the Congress should put national interest ahead of its selfishness, and lust.
It can be argued that an election is rarely fought on a foreign policy issue whilst there are more pressing problems such as inflation; and elections at a time of high prices and inflation is suicidal. However, the economic crisis is not going to fade away soon. In any case, prices are going to be high by the time the country goes to the polls, deal or no deal. The government might as well earn some brownie points by saying we risked losing power for a deal which is good for the country. The Congress and its allies could then occupy the moral high ground. As Albus Dumbledore would have said, there are times when we have to chose between what is right and what is easy. The Congress can earn the gratitude of the nation by doing what is right and sign the deal.
It is unfortunate that Indian democracy has not reached a level of maturity where political parties look beyond political gains and put national interest at a premium. In all honesty, one can't blame the Left as it would be against their ideology to support the nuclear deal. It is another matter that this very ideology is hogwash, to put it mildly. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the constituents of the UPA are more to blame, the BJP even more as they were in power when the deal was in its initial stages. Well, what can one say of the Congress? In spite of their boast of them having a special relationship with Indian democracy, they have never shown the maturity to be think beyond their lust for power. At stake is India's credibility, surely that is more important than who comes to power in the next elections. if this deal does not go through, the country will forever be in nuclear isolation, our nuclear power plants will be rendered ineffective and we will be bullied even more by China, who had the sense to sign a similar deal with the US, even if the terms were not as favourable as they are to India. Moreover, India will not be trusted to keep an agreement. But no, all the Congress and its allies care about is that they return to power. The interests of the nation are at best secondary. The BJP is even worse. They go about tarnishing the country with their rabid ideology, claim to the ones striving for development whilst in power, and forget their progressive economics whilst in opposition. The government should go ahead with the deal, irrespective of the consequences. For once, the Congress should put national interest ahead of its selfishness, and lust.
It can be argued that an election is rarely fought on a foreign policy issue whilst there are more pressing problems such as inflation; and elections at a time of high prices and inflation is suicidal. However, the economic crisis is not going to fade away soon. In any case, prices are going to be high by the time the country goes to the polls, deal or no deal. The government might as well earn some brownie points by saying we risked losing power for a deal which is good for the country. The Congress and its allies could then occupy the moral high ground. As Albus Dumbledore would have said, there are times when we have to chose between what is right and what is easy. The Congress can earn the gratitude of the nation by doing what is right and sign the deal.
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