Eden Hazard is wanted by Real Madrid. Big deal. Real Madrid, like many other big clubs, has a scouting network which only seems capable of finding world class players after they have become world class.
Whether or not Hazard wants to go to Madrid is, to an extent, irrelevant. Usually when Real want a player they get that player. If Hazard does opt for the riches in Spain it should be seen as a cop out by the Chelsea fans.
At Madrid Hazard will play against generally inferior teams, have a winter break so he doesn’t catch a cold, and win a few trophies. The challenge is very much diminished. He will play for a team which is always co-favourite for La Liga, co-favourite for the Copa Del Rey and even co-favourite for the Champions League. Where’s the fun in that?
Players of a non-Latin heritage who go to Real Madrid are going for an easier life, nothing else. It certainly isn’t ambition. Ambition should be to try and win everything with a team like Chelsea, not with a team which is expected to win everything. So, for the sake of the Premier League, we hope Hazard isn’t as weak a character as Gareth Bale.
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At a crucial stage of the season, when trophies are about to be decided what the hell are we doing having an international break? Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Marouane Fellaini have all been injured whilst on international duty at a time when Manchester United are still competing at the back end of two competitions.
Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne have been injured whilst their club is still trying to win the title or cement second place.
Poor old Seamus Coleman will not be able to help his team remain in seventh position or climb a little higher, thanks to injury in an international match.
This publication has long argued against international breaks during the season and still thinks it could be organised in such a way that everybody is happy-ish, certainly happier than they are at present. Rather than repeat ourselves at regular intervals, we would refer your good selves to this article by Gabriele Marcotti for ESPN, explaining a viable alternative to the way things are currently.
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Wilfried Zaha has chosen to play international football for the Ivory Coast where, it just so happens, he was born. Nothing wrong with that you may think, even though he had represented England in a couple of meaningless friendlies.
Gareth Southgate has, apparently, called into question the passion of Zaha and has explained that, if a player does not show the required desire to play for England then it is not up to him, (Southgate), to sell it to them.
Leaving aside the obvious conclusion that Zaha, not being English, is hardly likely to show the level of desire previously seen with the likes of Bryan Robson and Terry Butcher, the Daily Telegraph has a space for the Zaha reply to this “affront” by the England manager.
So, all in all, the international break has given us injuries to key players at clubs fighting for the top spots in the Premier League. It has given us, probably coincidentally, transfer rumours involving the likes of Eden Hazard and Neymar. Finally, it has given us arguments between national team managers and foreign players.
Oh, and Daley Blind’s dad got sacked.
Who says these breaks are boring?
WHY SAY ANYTHING? 