Raya Overdose

Can't imagine how much ketupat, rendang, lemang i have been stuffing down my throat for the past 3 days now. Its psychotic. I lose 5 kilos of my weight during the whole fasting month, which i am very much proud of, and what do you know? Within the first 3 days of raya, i managed to regain THREE of 'em back. At least its a nett loss of 2 kilos, which isn't too bad. I mean, 3 months ago, i was almost the same weight of... gasp... my dad!! For goodness sakes!! Thats when it finally sunk into me, the reality that i was riding on a one way street to obesity if i didnt keep it in check.

Anyway, raya this year was a blast. All of my relatives came back and at one point of time, it was actually a full house at my grandma's. Uncles and aunties joking with one another, sarcastic remarks being shot around the house like nobody's business. For some very weird reason, the people at the kampung are like so very obsessed with Siti Nurhaliza. I mean, like yeah, she does have an absolutely amazing voice, and i would be lying if i said she wasn't one of the prettiest women i have come across, but still!!! Whats with the cult-ish idolizing? Its not like she's doesn't have her flaws, i mean, just look at what she wears! Sometimes its just baffling that someone in their right mind would actually step into what she parades while she dishes out her numbers on stage. But i guess, its just a case of different people with different tastes.

Enough of her, so whats been happening lately. Well, on the football side, the state of affairs are getting from bad to worse at my beloved 'reds. i mean a draw away at middlesborough. No disrespect to any Boro fans out there, but my honest opinion is that we should be going there and getting a win if we are genuine title contenders.

"The best we can hope for would be a fourth place finish" - Steven Gerrard

How absolutely true! I mean, just by the looks of it, i would think that we would even struggle to get fourth place this year, let alone be challenging for the title. Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love the club, and if somehow Mr Houllier suddenly does a houdini, turns everything around and come May 2004 we are premiership champions, i would hold up my hands and salute him. I want us to win. But deep down inside, from what i have been seeing so far this year, it just does not look possible.

I've been reading on the net a lot of the views and rumours of the fans. It seems that the Liverpool board are giving Houllier til May to sort it all out and if he doesn't at least get a Champions League spot, he will be "replaced". If that happens, like many other fans like me, i would love for him to be "moved upstairs" to a footballing director-ish sort of role. A role which i think he will excel from, like what he did for France. He is a very methodological man and he's contacts in Europe will prove to be valuable. And with that piece of rumour going around, of course the speculation of who will replace him will surface. It seems that there are already 6-7 ppl shortlisted by the board already. One name which i think would be cast iron on that list would be no other thatn Mr Martin O'neill himself. Rumours about him coming have been about for donkey years already. What i like about him is he is a motivator (very important, as i motivation is what is sorely missing in the squad right now), he has passion (again, sorely missing right now) and also he tends to get the best out of what he has ( i mean, he has been playing mssr Heskey to good effect during his leicester years ). But for me, the jury is still out on whether he can bring us the attractive, attacking, pass and move sort of football i for so long crave from our players. I mean he is a person who plays John Hartson for goodness sakes!! And Chris Sutton!! I mean, those two players are like the epitomy of "hoof it up to the big lad up there" mentality. And did i mention Heskey at Leicester as well? So, Martin O'neill, ain't too convinced.

The next contender would be King Kenny Daglish. What i have read from fans is that they would like to see him back at the helm, with one of John Barnes, Ian Rush, John Aldridge as his second man. I like this, since it would bring back the old boot room mentality. The players have respect for them, and they have a passion for the club. But Kenny Daglish now could turn out to be not as good as the Kenny Daglish of old. Since he left, he has had disastrous outings at two certain clubs by the name of newcastle and blackburn. So, again, Kenny Daglish isn't too convincing as well.

The others that i can see would be Alan Curbishley, currently doing a magnificent job at Charlton, although he has no experience of big team management, which would mean he would be a risk, and maybe Keving Keegan. Keegan i would like too, since he is a Red, has passion for the club, supposedly Mr Motivator, and is definitely a proponent of attractive, flowing, football. But on the downside,defending isn't one of his stronger points, and that could be spelling for a return to the Evans days (which i wouldnt mind, frankly). Also contenders i hear are Sven Goran Eriksson (don't rate him), Vincent del bosque (don't think he'll come) and Fabio Capello (Not too sure about him too). So thats, what i feel, are the 7 contenders for the managers hot seat if indeed Mr houllier moves on at the end of the season. IF.

Personally, i would prefer someone from within to be given the seat. Someone with a history of being involved during the boot room days. So my choice would one of the two kevins. And Martin O'neill as third.

On the playing staff side, what i personally want to see is more of players from the youth ranks being given a chance. Players like Welsh, Patridge (what has happened to him? He couldn't be any worse than El Hadj Diouf) and Otsemobor. Enough of being a breeding ground for young French players. Also i would get rid of these players: Heskey (Yes, he does give 110% effort, but sad to say, he is a striker, and strikers need to score, even after giving 2 years to regain your confidence), Djimi "I make 10 goal creating opportunity to the opposition mistakes" Traore, Bruno "The next Zidane" Cheryou, Vladimir "Inconsistent is my middle name" Smiceer and Salif "I'll chop off your head / Viera Mark II" Diao. And if a decent offer came in, we should cash in on: Danny Murphy (I know, a controversial choice, but as much as i love Super Dan, i see him as someone i would want on the bench and not a first team regular, so if a decent offer comes in, it should be accepted), El Hadj Diouf (A striker who doesnt score or a winger who cant cross to save his life), and probably Riise (He is quality going forward but his defending is very very very suspect).

We should build a team around Dudek and Kirky, defence of Hyppia, Henchoz, Finnan ( which i think is a steal ) and another left back, with Biscan ( he has had a decent year so far as center back ), and Carragher deputizing, and maybe bringing in a young central defender as backup. Rumours say that the names being mentioned are Boumsong and Dawson (Notts Forest), of whom both i havent seen before so i cant comment. In midfield, Hamman, Gerrard, and Kewell, which backups from leTallec (please be the next Zidane and not the next Cheryou), and Welsh (he looks promising as well, from what i hear). Players that i wouldn't mind coming would be Scott Parker, and Micheal Tonge. In a dream world, van der Vaart would be on the way. Up front, Owen (IF he stay. Actually this is another major issue, and i could write forever about him, but to summarize, i love him as well, but if he leaves, i wouldn't blame him, just dont leave on a freaking bosman like Macca), Baros, Ponggole. Cisse it seems is dead on to arrive either in Christmas or end of the season. Personally, i havent seen him play yet, but a LOT of the fans out there are judging him on his performances in the French League. But (no disrespect to the French League..but..) its the freaking French league. The same league which Smicer was hailed as the best midfielder on earth. The same league which Bruno "oh look at my poncy white boots" Chryou excelled!! My god!! If Cisse was hammering them in at the Italian league, like Mutu (class) or Crespo (class as well), then i would be waiting with baited breath. But the french league. Jury is still definitely out for me.

Anyway getting a lil dozy now. Liverpool v Steaua in 1 hours time. Gonna get some shut eye. On a side note, last weekend, i witnessed the most dramatic world cup final that i have ever seen in my life! Ever! If you haven't caught on by now, its the Rugby World Cup final 2003, Australia v ingerlund. The ozzies equalizing in the final minute of normal time to bring it to extra time. England scores a penalty to put them ahead. Australia equalizes with 3 minutes to go. England on the offence in Australia territory with time running down before it goes to sudden death. Around a minute to go. Ruck. Dawson. Passes the ball. Johnny Wilkinson. Best fly half in the world currently. Desperate attempts by Australian players to block. The kick. Drop goal. England win their first major team competition since 1966. That match was a breath taking spectacle. With a minute to go. There is no other player you would want to be in the position Jonny Wilkinson was in, other than Jonny Wilkinson himself. Sheer class. Composure. I couldn't sit down for the whole of the extra time period. Oh well. On to Euro 2004 next year. Lets see whether the football team can match the achievement of their rugby counterparts. Oh well, at least we can dream about it.


Swing Low, sweet chariot, coming to carry me home...
Swing Low, sweet chariot, coming to carry me home...


Laters.