Without much fanfare, it has been a week of change for football. They’re small changes, changes that may have slipped under the radar for most, but changes none the less. And not just change for change sake, change for the better. A better word could be progress.
It’s been a big week of Champions League football. Well, aren’t they all big weeks? We now have an all Madrid final to look forward to while Chelsea and Bayern Munich will be left licking their wounds. Here’s just some of what we’ve seen/learned/experienced.
To many, the appointment of David Moyes at Manchester United signified them finally dropping off of their pedestal once and for all. Those people will certainly feel vindicated now. But, in truth, it’s Moyes’ sacking that has shown United’s biggest fall from grace. Because it’s his sacking that has truly made United just like every other club.
If there is one thing the football media loves it’s lambasting a player who has just embarrassed himself with a theatrical dive. Old football stalwarts like Graeme Souness or Alan Hansen, who played in an era where men were men and toughness was paramount, verbally bashing players for being divers. It shows you up as less than a man, it’s not in keeping with the spirit of the game and it’s downright cheating. But this Monday night saw a shift in strategy and a point awarded for the diving team.
Ah the Champions League, or for those of us who dislike change, the European Cup. There's little doubt that this is the premier club competition of world football. And just like some great footballers never graced an international tournament, there are plenty of big clubs that have never won a Champions League. Then again, some past winners must look at the current era and be thankful that they already have a European triumph on their honours board.