Weakest link

[sexelk]

from the bbc gossip column:

Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has described former manager Luiz Felipe Scolari as the "weakest link". (Daily Star)

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport...icle2228556.ece

this guy just loves coming up with new reasons for me to hate him

you might turn your board over and it says scolari but mine damn sure says michael ballack

do i think it was right scolari was sacked? yes but one of the main reasons is that he kept picking ballack even though he continuously shows that he cannot handle even the simplest of tasks in midfield

i'm not going to use this post to justify myself in thinking ballack isn't good enough but i'm praying that hiddink will look at the squad and realise that he is the problem

remove ballack and replace with second striker. simples

thank f*ck essien is on his way back cause i'm sick to death of seeing him stroll out at the start of a game

[Virosh]

I've been awake for a couple of hours today and I have already read:

1. JT vaguely confirming that Cech, Ballack and Drogba boycotted (is that the right word ?) Scolari. [as if he would do that publicly and while with England]

2. Hiddink saying he will stay at Chelsea if results are good. [when he has clearly stated he won't]

3. Ballack describing Felipao as the weakest link. [like he would confide to the Sun of all the sh*t-covered papers]

The rags will print anything to sell. I for one don't believe a f**king word of it.

[evissy]

Actually Ballack stated in SkySports interview that the players are to blame not the manager. I think it was yesterday. The 'weakest link' line is just made up. Nice press, really. How do these people live with themselves..

I'm not going to take Ballacks side what comes to his recent performances but I think he is a true gentleman and a nice person so I hate to see this sh*t printed.

Maybe you should leave these Sun articles unposted Sexelk, just a thought.

Maybe the news about us getting Essien back will make Ballack and Deco try harder and truly fight for their place. We need the powerhouse to the midfield ASAP!

[Mr Chelsea]

the press are coming up with a lot of finger pointing and various accusations about various players at the moment

i suppose we'll have to wait till there biography's to come out for the real truth or someone come out publically and say what really went on

until then we can all just read and giggle about the ramblings of certain so called press journalists, and try and decipher what little bit of truth there is in there reports

[yorkleyblue]

.................................. and try and decipher what little bit of truth there is in there reports

That would be NONE then!

[Mr Chelsea]

That would be NONE then!

i always think theres a sprinkling of truth in the reports, or there would be no point in reading them

[yorkleyblue]

Aww BLESS!

I think the critical bit is "no point in reading them "

[sexelk]

don't be so cynical. you can't just dismiss every story you don't like as made up

journalists wouldn't last to long if they made up every story

and besides, i can imagine this is something ballack would say. he is a nob

[Gem]

Wow, I have to say I am impressed with The Daily Star. By far the least known "News"paper in this country and yet it gets Deco and Ballack exclusives within a few days of each other.

[yorkleyblue]

don't be so cynical. you can't just dismiss every story you don't like as made up

journalists wouldn't last to long if they made up every story

and besides, i can imagine this is something ballack would say. he is a nob

I think you might be letting an irrational hatred of Ballack cloud your posting judgement! I don't dismiss "every story you don't like as made up", I dismiss every story as probably made up (apologies to Dorset and potentially to Alan) until one or more of the main people involved confirms it, in explicit terms, directly, not through "sources close to..." or "a friend of..." or because "it is understood that ....."

You are a young man and apparently not very worldly so I will make allowances.

Basically, if you don't see someone, on television, saying something specific, treat it with the utmost caution. All media outlets have an agenda. They all have a set amount of space to fill every day. They all have a desire to "break" a story. If they have to make up, exaggerate or embellish a story to fill their pages or complete a broadcast, they will do that. The vast majority of articles that include indirect quotes that aren't from the main protagonist are actually quoting Dennis from behind the bar at their local pub, or are sub-edited versions of their own idea of what their proprietors would think was a good line to take about any particular "news" item, whether that is Chelsea, or Jade Goody or the Middle East or the exact taste of Smurf Jam

Finally, you need to look beyond the headlines to what is actually quoted. The only bits that the S*n claims are actually said by Ballack are

Every coach has his own training methods and Scolari has been very successful with his way of doing things in the past.

“He has proved he is a great coach but most recently there has been a lack of success at Chelsea.

“When that happens the blame comes down on to the weakest link in the chain - the manager. Ourselves, the players, are also responsible for the fact things have not gone so well.â€

and

I was surprised about Scolari being sacked. I had not expected it and I had a good relationship with him.

“Something like this is always unpleasant. It is a shame as he was not with us for long.

By all means hate Ballack. I'm no great fan of his either, but don't trawl the newspapers trying to find articles that you can then distort the meaining of to attack the "Handsome Hun" (copyright The S*n)

Edit I just looked again at the S*n article you quoted and it links directly to this one which says

THE EXACT OPPOSITE

more specifically it contains a direct quote from Ballack that says

Of course there was some criticism and we did not get the results we all would have wanted.

"But that is not the manager's fault but the team's.

If you are going read the S*n, at least accept that any "news" organisation that can have two directly contradictory stories about the same thing on the same day is not worth wiping your arse on, let alone wasting 5 minutes of my time in pointing out just how wrong you are

kev

Edited February 12, 2009 by yorkleyblue

[Barn]

So even in the original article it clearly says "manager's fault"

That'll do for most journalists.

[yorkleyblue]

:D

[yorkleyblue]

:D

[dkw]

I think you might be letting an irrational hatred of Ballack cloud your posting judgement! I don't dismiss "every story you don't like as made up", I dismiss every story as probably made up (apologies to Dorset and potentially to Alan) until one or more of the main people involved confirms it, in explicit terms, directly, not through "sources close to..." or "a friend of..." or because "it is understood that ....."

You are a young man and apparently not very worldly so I will make allowances.

Basically, if you don't see someone, on television, saying something specific, treat it with the utmost caution. All media outlets have an agenda. They all have a set amount of space to fill every day. They all have a desire to "break" a story. If they have to make up, exaggerate or embellish a story to fill their pages or complete a broadcast, they will do that. The vast majority of articles that include indirect quotes that aren't from the main protagonist are actually quoting Dennis from behind the bar at their local pub, or are sub-edited versions of their own idea of what their proprietors would think was a good line to take about any particular "news" item, whether that is Chelsea, or Jade Goody or the Middle East or the exact taste of Smurf Jam

Finally, you need to look beyond the headlines to what is actually quoted. The only bits that the S*n claims are actually said by Ballack are

and

By all means hate Ballack. I'm no great fan of his either, but don't trawl the newspapers trying to find articles that you can then distort the meaining of to attack the "Handsome Hun" (copyright The S*n)

Edit I just looked again at the S*n article you quoted and it links directly to this one which says

THE EXACT OPPOSITE

more specifically it contains a direct quote from Ballack that says

If you are going read the S*n, at least accept that any "news" organisation that can have two directly contradictory stories about the same thing on the same day is not worth wiping your arse on, let alone wasting 5 minutes of my time in pointing out just how wrong you are

kev

superb post mate, and highlights some of the things thats wrong with some football supporters now. they read a headline, believe it then charge straight in without actually reading the article. i was goning to post the same thing you did. well, when i say the same i was going to post "READ THE f**kING ARTICLE" so you probably put it better than me.... :D

[yorkleyblue]

cheers my man

[BLUENUT]

So even in the original article it clearly says "manager's fault"

That'll do for most journalists.

The players ultimately got him sacked, weither directly or indirectly. Regardless of formations or substitutions, if you're picked to play for Chelsea, then the minimum required is play to the best of your ability and TRY YOUR F*CKING HARDEST.

I think there a more than one or 2 players who need to ask themselves if they have been putting in the effort, even player's Scolari brought in, and even the one's he picked every week.

A few weeks ago he gave them the ultimatum before the Southend game, 'if you don't like it you have a month to leave.' Some players clearly stopped trying after that remark, just look at the results in the league!!!!! - I'm not naming names, but if you'd seen our recent performances you'd know exactly who they are!

You can blame the manager for not motivating the team, but if they're generally sulking and going through the motions while wearing OUR clubs shirt and getting humiliated at Old Trafford and Anfield in the process they should be f*cking ashamed of themselves!

[Chippy]

The players ultimately got him sacked, weither directly or indirectly. Regardless of formations or substitutions, if you're picked to play for Chelsea, then the minimum required is play to the best of your ability and TRY YOUR F*CKING HARDEST.

I think there a more than one or 2 players who need to ask themselves if they have been putting in the effort, even player's Scolari brought in, and even the one's he picked every week.

A few weeks ago he gave them the ultimatum before the Southend game, 'if you don't like it you have a month to leave.' Some players clearly stopped trying after that remark, just look at the results in the league!!!!! - I'm not naming names, but if you'd seen our recent performances you'd know exactly who they are!

You can blame the manager for not motivating the team, but if they're generally sulking and going through the motions while wearing OUR clubs shirt and getting humiliated at Old Trafford and Anfield in the process they should be f*cking ashamed of themselves!

Theres been some good posts in this thread, Totally agree with this and Yorkleyblues assesment of the media in general.

[dkw]

The players ultimately got him sacked, weither directly or indirectly. Regardless of formations or substitutions, if you're picked to play for Chelsea, then the minimum required is play to the best of your ability and TRY YOUR F*CKING HARDEST.

I think there a more than one or 2 players who need to ask themselves if they have been putting in the effort, even player's Scolari brought in, and even the one's he picked every week.

A few weeks ago he gave them the ultimatum before the Southend game, 'if you don't like it you have a month to leave.' Some players clearly stopped trying after that remark, just look at the results in the league!!!!! - I'm not naming names, but if you'd seen our recent performances you'd know exactly who they are!

You can blame the manager for not motivating the team, but if they're generally sulking and going through the motions while wearing OUR clubs shirt and getting humiliated at Old Trafford and Anfield in the process they should be f*cking ashamed of themselves!

absolutely bang on, fully agree with everything you wrote. players can go through bad patches and struggle for form and i dont mind that, its human nature not to be able to perform at your best 100% of the time. but as you said they should at least give everything they have on the pitch. theres nothing worse than seeing a player wandering around looking totally uninterested when you know for a fact theres plenty of players would bust their own balls to be on that pitch. ive always been a rugby leage fan and the contracts used to always be win/loss ones. you would get a contract with a basic wage of very little then get win/loss money. this is what all sports contracts should be based on, you play well you get good money. you play sh*te, you get sh*t.

[Chippy]

absolutely bang on, fully agree with everything you wrote. players can go through bad patches and struggle for form and i dont mind that, its human nature not to be able to perform at your best 100% of the time. but as you said they should at least give everything they have on the pitch. theres nothing worse than seeing a player wandering around looking totally uninterested when you know for a fact theres plenty of players would bust their own balls to be on that pitch. ive always been a rugby leage fan and the contracts used to always be win/loss ones. you would get a contract with a basic wage of very little then get win/loss money. this is what all sports contracts should be based on, you play well you get good money. you play sh*te, you get sh*t.

That would hardly be fair, as the players all picked up their wage packets, poor Malouda would be taking home a sack and a wheelbarrow..

[BLUENUT]

absolutely bang on, fully agree with everything you wrote. players can go through bad patches and struggle for form and i dont mind that, its human nature not to be able to perform at your best 100% of the time. but as you said they should at least give everything they have on the pitch. theres nothing worse than seeing a player wandering around looking totally uninterested when you know for a fact theres plenty of players would bust their own balls to be on that pitch. ive always been a rugby leage fan and the contracts used to always be win/loss ones. you would get a contract with a basic wage of very little then get win/loss money. this is what all sports contracts should be based on, you play well you get good money. you play sh*te, you get sh*t.

I think this maybe the reason so many were calling for the kids to get a game, the lack of effort or lacklustre performances by some regulars has been plain to see.

[BLUENUT]

That would hardly be fair, as the players all picked up their wage packets, poor Malouda would be taking home a sack and a wheelbarrow..

:D :D

[dkw]

That would hardly be fair, as the players all picked up their wage packets, poor Malouda would be taking home a sack and a wheelbarrow..

your wrong, he would have to pay the club.

[Chippy]

:D :D

He'd have been happy enough with the barrowload, it's when he opened the sack and Deco, Drogba and Ballack fell out he'd have complained :D

[TheWestwayWonder]

That is a pathetic attempt at sh*t stirring, especially as Ballack is on camera stating that it is his, and the rest of the team's fault that Scolari is out.

If there is nothing to that, I hope he takes them to court. Stretching the truth beyond reason is one thing, but just making things up, especially when its at the expensive of a man as humble as LFS, should not go unpunished

The players ultimately got him sacked, weither directly or indirectly. Regardless of formations or substitutions, if you're picked to play for Chelsea, then the minimum required is play to the best of your ability and TRY YOUR F*CKING HARDEST.

I think there a more than one or 2 players who need to ask themselves if they have been putting in the effort, even player's Scolari brought in, and even the one's he picked every week.

A few weeks ago he gave them the ultimatum before the Southend game, 'if you don't like it you have a month to leave.' Some players clearly stopped trying after that remark, just look at the results in the league!!!!! - I'm not naming names, but if you'd seen our recent performances you'd know exactly who they are!

You can blame the manager for not motivating the team, but if they're generally sulking and going through the motions while wearing OUR clubs shirt and getting humiliated at Old Trafford and Anfield in the process they should be f*cking ashamed of themselves!

You speaketh the truth, Bluenut, and whatever noises the team make now about how they were behind him, nothing will ever convince me they were playing with the same conviction as at the end of last year.

I hope that the club pluck some of these people, who would sooner see a manager take the sack than reexamin their own bad performances, and make sure they are on their way in the summer. If we are going to rebuild what Jose made, they are the last thing we need.

[BlueBeard]

or the exact taste of Smurf Jam

...mmmm, Smurf Jam :D