Where is the love for Wayne Rooney? - FIFA photo   Manchester United manager David Moyes' problems with Wayne Rooney go back to their days at Everton - NR (National Radio.com) photo   Where did it all go wrong between Christiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho? - (Steindy photo)   Where did it all go wrong with Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and former manager Jose Mourinho? - (Dagmara Gurdziel / RealMadrid- photo)

SPORTS NOTES - FOOTBALLS ESTRANGED BED FELLOWS

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

Football controversies reign this season as disgruntled English Premiere League players wanting to move on to bigger and better clubs. With the transfer window winding down will changes be made? More importantly what is the driving force that has caused friction between managers and players? We take a look at those developments and perhaps the reasons why

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

WHERE IS THE LOVE?

Back in the day an employee would labor his entire life working for one company and in the end receive a gold watch for his loyalty. Today it's about getting as much as you can as fast as you can without any loyalty at all. Before the advent of unions the employer had the advantage. Now with unions and an employee attitude change it's every man for himself.

That scenario is currently being played out in the world of football with disgruntled players wanting to leave their teams where they thrived and were massive contributors to seek out greener pastures and joining a bigger club. In some cases the change is prompted by personality problems between player and manager. Conversely it's about M-O-N-E-Y.

One of the major questions is what is the underlying problem between Wayne Rooney and Manchester United manager David Moyes? It's a saga that has gone on and on along with other football controversies involving when and if Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale will be moving on to other cubs before the transfer deadline expires. Sparks have been flying between the Special One Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo and what it's about is unclear. As the Black Eyed Peas sang... the question is... WHERE IS THE LOVE?

We accidentally came across a previous column of ours in which following his departure from Everton Rooney claimed that he would never play for Moyes again. The reason why has yet to be disclosed but Rooney seems to be a man of his word as he has made it clear that he wants out of United and in at Chelsea to join the special one. The question then is why would Moyes keep a player that doesn't want to play for him or be second fiddle to the clubs top scorer last season Robin Van Persie.

On 5 July 2013, Moyes announced that Rooney was not for sale, after speculation that clubs Chelsea, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain were looking to sign him. On 17 July 2013, Chelsea confirmed that they had made a bid for Rooney the previous day, thought to be in the region of £20m, however it had been rejected by Manchester United.

Several players on the United squad are reportedly unhappy with Rooney, who has ignored their appeals to extend his nine-year stay with the Premier League champions, and their relationship has not improved with the attacker increasingly confident he will go.

Last season it became clear that his talents weren't appreciated at United despite his team leading 34 goal contribution the previous campaign 2011–12. The arrival of Van Persie cluttered up the pitch in which Rooney wasn't the featured striker. Van Persie scored 26 league goals to Rooney's 12 and bested Rooney 30 to 16 in overall competitions. Moyes added salt to the wounds by stating in preseason that Van Persie would be his number one striker. Mourinho says his arms are open wide to receive Rooney and will pursue him in the next transfer window.

Mourinho appears to have left his problems behind when he departed Real Madrid to put his head on the chopping block of Roman Abramovich at Chelsea. This is a weird set of circumstances why these two have decided to kiss and make up. Abramovich has the upper hand as by his actions he has a sadist mentality and being the boss is in control. His main reason for previously being annoyed with Mourinho was he couldn't win the Champions League. When Chelsea won the title with Roberto DiMatteo he sacked him. Again.... WHERE IS THE LOVE?

The last but not least controversy is what is up with Mourinho and Ronaldo? Mourinho has said the Brazilian Ronaldo as being the "real" version.... (OUCH!). A video has aired on numerous occasions showing the two waiting in the tunnel to come out to enter the pitch. Ronaldo was motioning to Mourinho, who was standing on the steps a good distance behind him, to persuade the Special One to come on and join him. He was ignored.

Mourinho is loved and respected by Chelsea players but there is a cloud hanging over him regarding his relationships with the Real Madrid side. Reports in the Spanish media said that Xabi Alonso and Fabio Coentrao were the only Madrid players to approach their former boss to talk after the two teams met this year -- something taken as a sign of a fall-out during Mourinho's stormy final season at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. There is a sour relationship with the clubs star goalie Iker Casillas that has yet to be explained.

The only reaction from Mourinho regarding the friction between he and Ronaldo is he claims that Ronadlo thinks he can't learn anything. Hmmm...

As TV detective Kojac often said...WHO LOVES YA BABY? Are these examples to justify... WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?

The debate goes on who are the best NBA players of all time. We have observed pundits selecting their choice but the problem is they have a limited life span and haven't seen players that have played in the league prior to the pundits being born. The documentation is limited to none due to the lack of technology and general interest in the NBA as football and baseball were the priority for American sports fans.

We have the experience and knowledge on a having been there done that basis. In our next column we will reveal our selections.

Next - The BEST NBA ALL-TIME 1st team

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