Sporting Review 2011- Soccer

Gold medals aren't really made of gold. They're made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts- Don Gable


Indeed throughout the world and Ireland a myriad of athletes have put their bodies and souls through the wringer, gone for the six in the morning run on the beach and pushed that one last bench press in the gym at 10 o'clock at night. Blood has been spilled, tears have been shed and every last ounce of energy has been expended. There has been ecstasy and agony, hope and despair. Certainly 2011 has had it all.

Soccer

Time generally catches up with most men but for some reason it doesn't seem to be able to grasp a hold of a few figures thriving in the football world. Indeed many of the men to be discussed would certainly have been integral figures in similar articles over years gone by, and more than likely will be prominent again for years to come.

There is however only one place to start and that is with the mesmeric Barcelona team so expertly formulated by Pep Guardiola. Indeed his creation is akin to the most diverse scientific project perfected without a trace of weakness. For the last number of years they have dazzled us and 2011 was no different. 

The most apt way of describing their achievements is in highlighting their run to Champions League glory. From the quarter finals onwards they faced teams coached by perhaps the most innovative, driven, and successful managers of the modern game, and yet they overpowered Arsenal 4-3 on aggregate, dismantled their great rivals Real Madrid 3-1 on aggregate, and eviscerated Man United ruthlessly 3-1 in the final.

Of course all good things must eventually come to an end and there is no better manager to upset Barcelona's rich applecart than José Mourinho. Inevitably it was his side that halted Barcelona's treble bid but it will still be a long time before Barcelona look upon a barren trophy cabinet.

Over in England meanwhile Man United recorded a 19th league title victory. Undoubtedly this is a testament to the managerial expertise of Sir Alex Ferguson.

It is simply astonishing how many trophies he has garnered over his 25 years whilst it is also a testament to his adaptability and determination that he still knows how to embrace the culture of a modern football team and maintain a winning formula.

He does however, like Barcelona, have noveau riche foes in Manchester City. Admittedly I was sceptical of Roberto Mancini at first, but he continues to make progress with his team.

They are a well oiled machine and with one trophy under his belt I also don't think it will be his last for Man City, but Ferguson has seen off all rivals in the Premier League era, from Ron Atkinson's Aston Villa to José Mourinho's Chelsea.

 There is without doubt one last push in Ferguson, and it would come as no surprise to see him reach 20 titles before he finally decides to call time on his glorious career.

In Ireland proceedings are as smooth as a plane soaring through a blue sky on a summer's day. Giovanni Trapattoni has the Republic of Ireland en route for another exhilarating adventure set for Poland and Ukraine.Indeed it was a great year in an exceptionally odd fashion.

Richard Dunne's towering performance against Russia to gain a 0-0 draw was a momentous result. Yet if it were a boxing match it would have been stopped after five rounds.

Again the other most notable result was a 4-0 annihilation in the playoffs, but that however came against a spirited yet ultimately lowly and inept Estonia. Nevertheless the scenes after that particular match and after the return leg was quite something to behold.

The players are a credit to their country and the stalwarts such as Shay Given, Damien Duff, Robbie Keane as well as Dunne deserve one last appearance on the international stage before they ride off into the sunset that is international retirement.

 The group is certainly a tough one and realistically getting out of it would be bonus territory, but there is cause for optimism. Trapattoni has rarely being humbled in his time as manager whilst Croatia are perhaps not as flowing as they were at the previous European Championships and the Italians culture of football should also suit Ireland. A nation longs to hold its breath once again.

It is however only apt to end this article with one of the fairytale stories of the football season and enormous credit must go to Michael O'Neill and Shamrock Rovers.

They have broken new ground for League of Ireland sides and now many other teams in the division can dare to dream. Indeed it is a shame O'Neill and Rovers are no longer in situ.

Together they created euphoric scenes by going ahead against Tottenham at White Harte Lane. With him they may well have extended their 15 minutes of fame, without him they may well sink back into obscurity. We can only hope their achievements were not for nothing.

Will Barcelona accomplish two Champions League successes in a row? Can Roberto Mancini see off Sir Alex Ferguson? Will Ireland have enough quality to escape their group? Does Spain have the hunger to win 3 major international competitions in a row? Without doubt another exciting year of football awaits, around the world, and indeed right here in Ireland.