Have united gone quiet in the transfer market?

The RedBrothersUnited collective looks back at Manchester United transfer history books over the years and questions what has changed for them now?

Manchester United, the most romantic club in the history of world football and that will never change. It is more like a perfect marriage between this club and the history they have created for years for millions of fans round the world. United being one of the biggest football club in Europe, their slightest of motion in a transfer window makes rumors like no other.

When echoes of Lucas Moura coming to united developed stronger, a target which united were after for more than two months, PSG managed to pick pocket him from the hands of United in just a matter of two days. Around the same time, United were heavily linked with another long time target Eden hazard, but the same result haunted Old Trafford again. This time Chelsea abducted Hazard from the baggy jaws of United. This is the start of a list without an natural ending.

Over the last few transfer windows, several rumors with baseless origin have been born out of nowhere but one thing has been common in all the times any player is linked with United. United's hesitancy to spend big have cost them all these despairs. A major reason for multiple thoughts before spending is that a major chunk of United’s profit every year goes to the owner Glazer’s to nullify their market debt, instead of that money to be used in buying quality players.

Opposite to United’s current image, traditionally they have been a club which were bold to spend big money and broke all British transfer fee records for decades. All the way back in 1981, the signing of Bryan Robson from the Baggies, for a then record fee transfer of around about 1.5 million pounds made hot news from United. A decade and a half later, United bought Andy Cole again spending big, breaking and making another British fee record. Records books will tell you time and again that it was united who made a British record signing for a defender, Gary Pallister. Years later it then became Rio Ferdinand who even today holds that record to his credit.

So the important question which now comes to embrace the present scenario is this- Have united lost their flair in luring the big names in the market to them or have they gone quiet and become conservative in spending big money in the market?

Valid points can be made for both sides. While united continue to be the most successful club in England, their form in Europe off late has not been that great, actually pathetic by their standards. On a more global scenario they have been not a team which is seen a direct threat by many, they still remain worthy competitors to any club any day.

And to United’s defense, they have always been a club which has continuously invested in youth. Instead of buying superstars, they turn talents to legends. From the early days then famous Busby Babes, to the Class of ’92, United’s youth teams and players are thing it itself.

Being the Champions league for the twentieth time in the most comprehensive way possible, their current team is still nowhere to be seen in comparison with the legendary past teams of United. Far from being a legend team, United’s present is a team in a making.

Manchester United's deadline day signing Marouane Fellaini for which United paid a whooping £27.5 million which is more than his actual buyout clause was seen by some as an attempt to cover up previous tracks.

A new era under David Moyes, the chosen one, has already began at the theatre of dreams. After an unexpectedly disappointing pre-season, they have managed to pick up their first silverware of this season beating Wigan Athletic two nil to win their twentieth community shield.

Manchester United have had a mixed start to their Premier League campaign and have been written off by several pundits to challenge for the title this year. What remains the substantial doubt is, Is this team capable of coming from behind?

RedBrothersUnited are Anand Sindhu, Pawan Sharma and Akshay Agarwal.

Billionaires that shook the balance of world football

The RedBrothersUnited collective are fascinated with the recent shift in football supremacy across Europe and presents a look at billionaires that shook the balance of world football.

Football was always known as a sport which had everything. It still has everything which it owner earlier, only now most of them are in excess. Most watched sport round the globe, it was just a matter of money and time that the equilibrium of stability was shaken apart from its roots.

With great power comes great responsibility, and with big money in football world comes high expectations and a team with superstar names in it. From preposterously rich businessman purchasing clubs to the millions and billions spend each year, here is a list of four billionaires who by their mere presence and stature have shook the dominion of footballing world.

1.      Roman Abramovich, Chelsea: Every team needs a villain, for Chelsea it is this man. Their owner who few month before celebrated a decade at the same club famously known for splashing money like a pack of playing cards every transfer window. His methods, ever since coming to Stanford Bridge in the summer of 2003, have been both highly appreciated and equally criticized by millions worldwide. The relationship between Chelsea manager and roman is not hidden to any and being the Chelsea manager is no short of riding an elephant on a crocked road waiting for a hurricane to save your day.

Having said and done, Chelsea would never have been where they are today without the presence of Roman Abramovich. Since their takeover the club have won eleven major trophies- the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, the Premier League 3 times, the FA Cup 4 times and the League Cup twice.

Without any doubt in mind, Chelsea have the biggest squad quantity wise in Europe with a fancy percentage of players being loaned out to clubs all over Europe. At least $50 million spend every transfer window looks inevitable for Chelsea and that is not looking to slow down any time in near future.

2.       Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Manchester City:  Owner of Abu Dhabi United Group, an investment company that successfully acquired Manchester City football club in ‘08. There is no second thoughts to his incredible wealth providing an unfair advantage to them in the transfer market. While their rival teams are content with window shopping, they believe in having a supermarket of players of their own by buying wholesale.

Quiet is a word which has been missing from their dictionary ever since the very beginning. Since their arrival in September of ’08, spending in excess of a hundred million three years in a row for purchasing players alone is just a brief evidence of the revelation they have succeeded in bringing to the citizens. Fair or unfair, there is no shame in admitting that city is one of the best clubs in England today, at times even the best.

3.       Qatar Investment Authority, Paris saint German: In 2011, the Qatar investment authority became the major shareholder of PSG, and the following year purchased the remaining stakes of the team making them the sole shareholder. This takeover made PSG the richest club in France and one of the richest in the world.

The club’s trophy cabinet welcomed with open arms its first silverware in years after they secured their first league title since 1994 under Carlos Ancelotti. With close to three hundred mil. Euros spend in just two summers the current champions of France, the red and the blues future looks brighter than ever and are one of the serious contenders of the battle for present supremacy of Europe.

4.       Dmitry Rybolovlev, A.S. Monaco: They are the latest additions to the growing list of filthy rich billionaires purchasing football club. Once among the leading clubs in European football and not so long ago playing in Ligue 2, it is no short of a dream turned nightmare again turned dream for this club and their supporters. With Rybolovlev financial backings and support, they have returned to Ligue 1 and already bought some of the best in the market.

                                        

With the likes of Radamel Falcao, João Moutinho, James Rodríguez, Ricardo Carvalho, Éric Abidal and Jérémy Toulalan coming into the team this summer, it is appropriate to say that they are a team under construction and who better than Claudio Ranieri to be the manager, who is accustomed to assemble and fabricate team from ashes. With the qualification in Europe their prime target, they also look to have keen eyes on the Ligue 1 title too, thereby including one more to their existing seven league trophy cabinet.

This is a mere fragment of the bigger picture at hand. Europe has never looked so wide open for dominance and the competition gets even better and better.

RedBrothersUnited are Anand Sindhu, Pawan Sharma and Akshay Agarwal.

An Ode to a shy Legend…

The RedBrothersUnited collective presents a look back at the career of one of the most celebrated player in England and across the Europe.

Paul Scholes, a shy legend, greatly regarded by many of his footballing peers as the best midfield player of his generation. As to every legend, his style of play still remains an institution in itself. His elegant first touch, a genius passing skill and undoubtedly his control and possession over a football and even the bad tackles which in his own words were a way to get back at the players which fouled him earlier, it was all a part and extension of his legend.

Very few people know that Scholes was born in the wrong part of Manchester. Born in Salford and then later moving to Langley, which is just a few miles away from Manchester city, at the mere age of fourteen he met with his dream club and began training with Manchester United. A legend was in the making. The plan was coming to action soon.

Scholes was a significant force in the Class of 92, Manchester united youth team which famously won the FA youth cup that year that included his soon to be teammates, the likes David Bechkam, Ryan Giggs and more. Scholes turned professional in 1993 and a year later the world saw the rise of a legend. The start of a journey. Scholes scored twice in his debut against port vale, which resulted in a 2-1 victory in favor of united. Three days later, his league debut saw him score again, his first premier league goal against Ipswich town, but this time united lost 3–2.

In his first season for united, Scholes scored seven goals, which quickly doubled the very next season.In the 1995/96 season, the departure of Mark Hughes to Stanford Bridge quickly followed by the eight month suspension of Cantona over the famous Kung Fu incident, Scholes steeped in to be Andy Cole’s strike partner for the due course of Cantona’s suspension. He was now wearing number 22 on the back of his jersey, which changed from his previous 24. His new position positively increased his goals tally and medals too.

Two seasons down, and united won the double both times, the league and the FA cup. Silverware came naturally to United with the presence of Paul Scholes. In late 1997, Roy keane suffered a severe knee injury which ruled him out for the rest of the season and saw the true emergence of a future superstar.

Scholes moved to central midfield role for which he was tailor made. It was as if everything which was happening in his life was pre written and he knew each word of it. Another prominent change which happened to him that season was his shirt number, which turned to 18 now, which he had on for the next decade and a half to come.

Paul Scholes had everything fallen in place for him and things were becoming even better. The famous 1998/99 season was now awaiting and Scholes didn't disappoint. He played a pivotal role in this treble winning season for united. He scored eleven times, with the highlight of the year being the goal against Newcastle in the FA cup final which led united to victory.

But Scholes was suspended from the Champion’s league final, because of the yellow cards he picked in the semis. The following few seasons showed the world his true potential as a footballer, him scoring twenty in the 2002/03 season, his career best.

But every story has its downfall too. For Scholes this dark side of this journey started in 2005/06 campaign, when he was ruled out for the second half of the season. The reason was his blurred vision. He did made a comeback much earlier than expected but he played less matches and scored lesser goals. But the decrease in the goals did not made his presence diminish a bit.

Nine years later to United’s treble winning season, Scholes made a past mistake right. United made it to the Champion’s league finals, credits to a visually stunning Scholes twenty five yard goal against Barcelona in the second leg of the semifinals. And this time the ginger prince was a part of the eleven in the final. United ended up winning the final 6-5 on penalties to Chelsea and the redemption was now completed for this ginger prince.

The longevity of his career is a question without a perfect answer. The closest answer one can give is the way his game has changed over the due course of time. Be it any position, Andy Cole’s strike partner in his second season to the withdrawn striker behind Ruud van Nistlerooy years later. His favorite and most celebrated position as a central midfield to the deep lying playmaker in his latter phase of his career. He made every position in a football field his own, as if he has been playing there  all his life.

He announced his first retirement on 31^st May 2011, only to come back six month later. This was just a small yet effective indication of how much his absence was costing united. An injury crisis at the theatre of dreams made him return as a substitute against their noisy neighbor’s city in the FA cup. His second home coming as a player turned to be a success too.

In his last season for united Scholes played his 700^th game for united, making him the third in the list for most capped player for united behind Sir Bobby Charlton and Ryan Giggs. He also has a record of scoring in 19 consecutive Premier League season, second behind Ryan Giggs who has scored in 23.

Very few players get a happy ending in their career. As for this legend, the end was maybe not as romantic as his journey but it was a happy one indeed. United winning the premier league for the twentieth time, him collecting his eleventh league medal and just slipping under the radar with Sir Alex Ferguson’s farewell taking all the limelight. That is all this little lad from Salford ever asked for. Scholes hung up his shoes again and retired for the second time, this time ‘For good’.

So what would we remember Paul Scholes the player for? His simplicity off the pitch and his mastermind brilliance on a football field. Those never misplaced passes, his extraordinary sense of judgement in the goals scored. From the first debut goal back in 1994 to the goal in his 700^th match for the same club. From the famous Class of 92 to the treble winning team in 99. Every minute he played, every goal he scored it is truly justified to say that they all are a happy memory for decades to follow.

Paul Scholes is one of the most decorated English footballer of all time. No quote can describe this person in a correct way. But to borrow the words of one of the greatest footballers of all time,

‘’If he was playing with me, I would have scored so many more’’ – Pele.

RedBrothersUnited are Anand Sindhu, Pawan Sharma and Akshay Agarwal.

Giaccherini Tipped To Shine At Stadium of Light

Emanuele Giaccherini will be looking set to make an impact with his powerful display of movement and vision on the left wing with the Black Cats

The RedBrothersUnited collective are impressed with the new summer signing for the black cats and presents a look at his future at his new club.

Paolo Di Canio's side have paid £6.5m to bring in the talented winger from Juventus on a 4 year contract. Emanuele Giaccherini joined the Turin outfit from Cesena in the summer of 2011 on a co-ownership deal, and went on to win two consecutive Scudetti. After a bright start,his full rights were attained by the Old Lady which would keep him until the summer of 2015 . With a packed midfield that embraces the likes of Andrea Pirlo,Claudio Marchisio, Arturo Vidal and the emergence of Paul Pogba and Kwadwo Asamoah,it became difficult for Giaccherini to cement his place in Antonio Conte's formation.It was also seen of him to move to an Attacking Midfield position on a numerous occasion rather than being deployed on his favored Left Wing. 

Italy Coach Cesare Prandelli is a big admirer of the 28-year-old, and handed him his debut in the opening match of the European Championship in 2012 against Spain. Prandelli was clinical in spotting his devastating wing partnership with Candreva and was quick to admit that Giaccherini exploitation on the left wing was a reason of concern for many teams. He played a major part in Italy's Confederations Cup campaign playing every match of the tournament and assisting Balotelli's winning goal in the opening match against Mexico. In the second match against Japan, a low cross by Giaccherini was deflected by Uchida, who scored an own goal. The match ended 4-3 to Italy,leading them to their first ever semifinals. Giaccherini scored Italy’s equalizer against hosts Brazil in the final group match, although they eventually lost the match 4-2.Giaccherini also hit the post in extra time against Spain and produced two golden chances for the Napoli winger Christian Maggio who could’ve easily converted them, had it not been Casillas match winning anticipations.  

With the hype created around so many top talents around the world,the Black Cats have gone onto purchase an excellent buy. Giaccherini fast build up play will be ideal in the hurried pace of English football. Giaccherini might well be Sunderland's bargain and a prolific signing set to showcase his magnificent adaptability on the wings.

The black cats have not been to the greatest of starts this season but with Paolo Di Canio out of the picture and Gus Poyet coming through, it might be a new hope for them. It looks to be the perfect time for the wheel of fortune to turn around at the stadium of light, if they have to escape relegation worries this season.

RedBrothersUnited are Anand Sindhu, Pawan Sharma and Akshay Agarwal.

The age of vincibility: Fight for supremacy in Europe: Part 2- Borussia Dortmund

The RedBrothersUnited collective presents a look at the possible contenders for the fight for supremacy in Europe. This is the second article of the series tracing a look back at the stunning performances and amazing passion for the game shown by Jurgen Klopp men.

Football has never been short of underdog’s stories, yet this one unlike others is a fairy tale journey without a happy ending. From a team battling to stay in Bundesliga, fighting relegation five years ago to last year contesting in Champion’s League final against their local rivals Bayern Munich in a first ever all German final at the new Wembley stadium.

Disaster Averted ‘07

In the 2006-07 season, BVB faced unanticipated relegation worries but somehow managed to scarce off the situation at hand with them finishing 9^th in the table by the end of the same season. The next season didn’t prove any fruitful too. With their worst finish in almost two decades, they were placed 13^th in the Bundesliga table.

Things were soon to change. Manager Thomas Doll resigned and was immediately replaced by Jürgen Klopp.

Manager

Jürgen Klopp, a striker turned defender turned manager was now in the midst of all. The moment Klopp stepped in to Dortmund, his plans were in motion.

The oldest central defensive partnership, Worns & Kovac, was in a matter of days changed to youngest central defensive partnership, Subotic & Hummels, and soon going to be popular in Europe too in time to come. The likes of Łukasz Piszczek, İlkay Gündoğan, Mario Gotze, Sven Bender were all right away given chances to play at the highest possible level at such a young age.

In his first season in charge, Klopp managed to bring in stability and in the process winning DFB-Supercup, defeating then Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. After two mediocre seasons, everything was all in place for the yellow blacks to compete in the race for Bundesliga title for real.

Winning Bundesliga and adding to it the cup double the season next was the perfect result for this ever growing club and its charismatic new manager. These results are a clear indication that Klopp is an ideal fit for Dortmund.

Style of Play and Formation

The Prussians play with a 4-2-3-1 formation with its numerous modifications. The two Centre pivots at the backs along with two full backs who are offensively even better than defending. The midfield consists of a defensive mid, a holding mid and two wide wingers with a central playmaker which makes the play for the lone Centre forward up front.

Klopp introduced to the world a new style of playing which is since its introduction imitated by many. Gegenpressing. His ideals has been credited and applauded by almost everyone round the globe. Gegenpressing simply means playing at full pace for complete 90 minutes and pressing for the ball, defensively and offensively, every second of the game.

Another important aspect of BVB’s gameplay is Verticality. The superiority in numbers of vertical passes than horizontal ones in their game is not hidden to any. This all mixed with frequent attack-defense transitions, direct playing approach and high cross passes all make them attractive to watch.

New Additions

The successful acquirement of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this summer is in every which way a befitting attempt to fill in the empty shoes left within the club.

With Earlier losses of Nuri Sahin and Shinji Kagawa, best players for  Dortmund awarded in consecutive years,they faced another setback when Gotze ecided to part ways.The central playmaker  accounted for as much as 30 goals out of their 90 scored last season in all competitions before switching on to  arch-rivals Bayern Munich .Later it was revealed  top scorer Robert Lewandowski has handed over a transfer request , it was nothing short of a living nightmare for Dortmund. The former has however completed his move across the Bundesliga while the latter is as of yet playing for Dortmund, for now.

The two summer signings have been a good involvement to the team since their arrival to the club. Aubameyang Bundesliga debut in which he scored a hat-trick and a record club signing of Mkhitaryan is the next step forward for them towards European glory.

Key Player

In the start of 2013, speculations started linking Lewandoski to a number of big clubs including Manchester united and City among noteworthy. But it was Bayern Munich who emerged out on top. With Lewandoski refusing to sign a contract extension, it was confirmed that he will leave the club in the summer of 2013.

However Dortmund persuaded to keep him till the end of 13/14 season when and where his contract will be expired for good and Bayern will then acquire his services on a free transfer. It is the biggest gamble that Dortmund has ever undertaken to make sure of their route to European glory is complete, to make that final step which was missing from the last time.

The young polish Centre forward is one of the most known talked about talents in Europe and his performances are a definition of the same. He is seen by many as the complete player who not only scores critical goals but also helps his teammates defensively. His pace, poaching capability and holding of the ball ability in tightest of places are among many qualities to be seen.

New Emergences

Marco Reus is without any doubt a player of many attributes. He has all the natural elements one needs to be a world class winger and can also play as a lone No.9 too, if and when his team needs him to. He is on his path to be the next big thing in the footballing world and might achieve that status in years to come.

Being a Dortmund youth product, it was not a complete surprise to see him not only adapt to but thrive in Klopp’s style of play. His partnership with Gotze accomplished wonders for the team and now that his better half has left, he is left alone. But still, the 24 year old German still has a lot in his bag to offer.However, Mkhitaryan emergence in the yellow outfit will give a huge boost to Dortmund’s plan and in partnering Reus to form a formidable partnership.

Conclusion

A brilliant set of players together with a manager of genius characters. Borussia Dortmund is unlike any other present or playing in Europe. Their style of play is still anew to watch and has been said to have a few loopholes defensively but agreeably very appealing to the eye.

Having said that, games are won or lost with goals scored and conceded and not with the way you score them or concede them. Last season’s end was not in any which way fitting for the class of football they played, but sometimes stories are written without a happy ending.

But this story is far from its end. It is a new start for a club seeking to reclaim its long lost supremacy and in the own words of their manager, ‘’we want to write stories for future’’.Great players, Great manager,Outstanding style of play.With absence of luck all this while,it is the right moment when fortune starts favoring the brave.

RedBrothersUnited are Anand Sindhu, Pawan Sharma and Akshay Agarwal.

Sir Bobby Robson Honoured

RedBrothersUnited take a look back at the glorifying career of one of the most gifted and talked about British player and manager of all time. 

Sir Robert William Robson famously known as ‘Bobby Robson’ is to be commemorated with a National Football Day named in his honor  The event is to be marked  the Football Association's 150th anniversary celebrations and will be held on 10 August to coincide with the start of the 2013-14 season, four days before England play Scotland at the New Wembley.

Also reports suggesting Sir Robson's widow, Elsie with his family are to be around and the FA intend to involve around 150 different clubs at all levels, with the idea being to promote grassroots football.

A young Robson started his senior career at Craven Cottage before taking up his first managerial duty up at the same team.A short spell at Fulham gave him the boost to what he achieved an incredible career as a football manager.  

Robson crafted his spell at Ipswich Town in such a manner that he needed to buy only fourteen players from other clubs in his thirteen remarkable years at helm.He believed in the Ipswich's youth programmes and was known to bring the best out his home grown players through amid tactical genius, with his good interpersonal skills, caring attitude, hard work and enthusiasm helping them to achieve their best.This was also a reason in him being the front runner to take over as the manger of three lions after their dismal performance at the 1982 World Cup. Ron Greenwood  was eventually replaced by Robson and he managed the English side in the next two main event bringing the closest to a penalty shootout semi final loss to West Germany at 1990 World Cup.

Also known to have been influenced the likes of Jose Mourinho and Andre Villa Boas,Robson led to programmes involving degrees in coaching and managing a football team.It was under Robson,that Mourinho realized his abilities to manage a side and a dream to move to England. 

After handing league and cup success at PSV Eindhoven,Porto and Barcalona,Robson moved back to England with Newcastle United before hanging up his boots in august 2004.His services were honored at St James’ Park and Portman Road by putting up his statue,a memory in the name of his footballing achievements and  goodwill towards the game.

RedBrothersUnited are Anand Sindhu, Pawan Sharma and Akshay Agarwal.

Where do the pieces in the Bayern Munich midfield puzzle fit?

RedBrothersUnited are intrigued by Pep Guardiola’s options in Bayern Munich’s midfield, but is it dangerous to break up a Champions League winning partnership?

Last season Bayern Munich joined the elite group of teams to have won the Treble. There has been no mystery to their achievement, as they possess the most dynamic team in the game. Heynckes’ short tenure with the German champions proved to be one fairy tale. His last assignment bringing him success with total appreciation. A lot of credit goes to him for bringing in the best possible system of football to the Germans by playing a 4-2-3-1 formation. Shutting Barcelona down doesn’t just bring the world to a jaw dropping shock but also highlights the weakness of possession play when the opponents are able to man mark and press. An admirer of ‘Total Football’ and a pupil of Johan Cryuff , Pep Guardiola takes over as the new manager of Bayern Munich. He comes as a proud player at Barca and a manager who made sure the Catalan club enters the critics war on the best team ever. On this principle, he came up with a 4-3-3 regime with a Centre Forward playing as a ‘False 9’ whereby he had the ultimate genius in the form of Leo Messi.

Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez, the midfield duo have created a partnership of uniformity and stability. Their game plans have been so straight in how to anchor the team while attacking, and equally good, perhaps better, when the tables are turned. Bayern’s success include a lot of names, but without the combination of these two players the team stats looking empty and lacks the tactics that has been inducted by Heynckes.

Guardiola has always been keen to play with one defensive midfielder. As seen at Barca, Busquets filled in that role. The interesting question lies as to how Guardiola can make a team better which is already winning everything. The challenge that lies ahead of him is whether he sticks to the system adopted by Heynckes or switch to his preferred gameplan. To shake up the formation to his suited 4-1-4-1, Guardiola is dangerously reverting back to his one defensive midfield strategy. With the likes of Gotze and Alcantra joining the ranks of this loaded team, it seems that it could be Bastian Schweinsteiger of all people, facing the axe.

Guardiola once begged his former club to sign Martinez from Bilbao, to which Bayern acted sooner and broke Martinez’ buyout clause. Martinez, a versatile player who can also play as a fully fledged centre back is also tipped to be the next Pep Guardiola as a player. As was Busquets, but Martinez is credited even better for his distributing abilities when his team is in charge. Guardiola, with one defensive midfielder can only push Martinez back, as he always liked a ball-playing centre back, Pique-esque.

It can be observed that Pep has been trying to mix the systems of his former club and the already crafted genre of football played by Heynckes. In his first competitive game in charge against their mighty rivals Dortmund, Pep had a bitter taste of his own medicine when his very own one defensive midfield set up was exploited by the verticality of BVB. Team selection remains the major dilemma that Pep faces. With quality in midfield in all areas, his line-up is what everyone is looking forward to. The positives though, with Schweini & Martinez in the defensive midfield area are that he can use Gotze in his ‘False 9’ position and Alcantara floating around him. Robben, despite being a sensation off late, is probably the only player who lacks the passing ability that Pep demands.

A last moment snub by Thiago to Manchester United and a much debated transfer of Mario Gotze has now put the focus on the future of Bastian Schweinsteiger. With Martinez already vital to Guardiola’s plans, a move away from Bayern, unless given sufficient playing time may well be on the cards for Schweini. Another player whose stint at Bayern is likely to fade soon is Arjen Robben who is seen to be replaced by the ever improving Thomas Muller.

Guardiola’s time at Barcelona can also be remembered when he let go the likes of Deco, Ronaldinho and Yaya Toure whose absence was not much felt as their shoes had been filled by their La Masia products Messi, Iniesta and Busquets. This could well be a blessing in disguise for the club in the case of Schweinsteiger & Robben. If they do decide to part ways with the club in the near future or can well be a nail in the coffin to his established heroes. What remains to see now is what Pep has in store. With the history that he boasts, he has ample time to throw in all his dice and adapt a tactical framework that betters the benchmark set by the Treble winners of Germany and his own exploits at Barcelona.

RedBrothersUnited are Anand Sindhu, Pawan Sharma and Akshay Agarwal.