Life is a roller coaster

The headline is silly, but true. Unfortunately, one person’s mood can be influenced by so many weird factors and sometimes it is pretty difficult to predict what the life brings. Too many things happen and there is not enough time to follow by writing posts. Maybe it is better though, because I would not like emotions overtake the main sense of my thoughts. I should have already written about:

• Tegan and Sara concert (Friday);
• Sunday trip to Wembley (err);
• My disappointment with the Polish government decision over Kosovo;
• How Chelsea fans moan over themselves;
• How interesting was the meeting about the Community Stadium at Falmer.

It will not be easy to write five posts, with two days remained to the Warwick Model United Nations conference.

However, I still believe I will do that!

Lampard, what a player!

Many articles have been already written about Frank Lampard jr, and I don’t want to produce the next one. The truth is, I struggle with writing objectively about football since I left Poland and part-time posts giving me an opportunity to watch games from the press stands. I did really enjoy it, though. Such a pity, it is impossible at the moment here in England, however I’d love to do it again!

Coming back to the main subject of this note; let it be my small piece of the Lamps’ appreciation, his commitment and effort he did put into the Club. Last Saturday, he did a milestone step scoring goals #100 and #101 for Chelsea (literally, see picture). Moreover, the quality of football he played in this game was absolutely outstanding. Without any doubts, he deserves a place in the Chelsea’s hall (or walk) of fame to be immortalized in our memories for good, even if he decides to leave the Club at some point of his further career (in what I obviously doubt).

Although the Chelsea manager decided to leave him and JT on the bench for the Olympiakos game, it is only to frustrate them (with the sport meaning of this expression) before the Carling Cup final on Sunday. I will be there and I do really believe (because it is more than a hope!), I will see the Chelsea players lifting the Cup. I have already seen two defeats in the Community Shield, and as we often say – “third time lucky!”

I simply cannot wait to be there at Wembley singing “Super, Super Frank” and celebrating the win with Chelsea boys over archrivals from North London. For the second successive year we are already the last team in Europe to fight on the four fronts and after Sunday we can make a step closer to come our dreams true.

¡Qué será, será! Whatever will be, will be, we are going to Wembley!

Amy MacDonald, memo from Brighton gig

The true is I had not heard about her before I decided to buy a ticket for the Tegan and Sara's gig in Concorde 2. I Saw her concert info, youtubed it and bought tickets for both gigs in the same time. Simply as that!

Amy MacDonald gave a fantastic show on Monday, 19^th February, but let’s start with complaining. It had taken far too long before she appeared on the scene. There had been two long supporting artists, everything had been fine, but half-an-hour for each is too much, isn’t it? Moreover, a break between the last supportive guest and Amy’s performance was too long, around ten minutes. I believe I am patient person, however Amy and her band decided to test it. I passed it and the concert was worth every minute!

In those days full of WAGs, so-called celebrities and “others” without artistic gifts, Amy is a proof the proper musicians, singers, artists still exist. Proof and hope! Being so popular and having all gigs sold out long before they take place; she is still shy, modest and open to people. Her strong (ok, very strong, maybe even too strong for me!) Scottish accent did not let me hear everything she said, but I am sure she spoke straight from the heart. It may sound pretty silly though!

I had not expected a lot; and was positively surprised! Hopefully, Tegan and Sara will take the challenge of a bar, highly put by Ms MacDonald. Canadian sisters have their concert on Friday, the same venue, the same time, probably similar audience and the same me!

Another Liverpool game

We all know that games against Liverpool are always tough and difficult, but why recently they are so boring and awful too? Today’s nil-nil draw against Scousers left me disappointment and somehow bitter. Away team did not play anything special either, that is why I am surprised to hear: “If we play like we did here then we will win a lot of games between now and the end of the season” from their manager. Whatever.

Fair play, we cannot expect to see games like this and that (I love them: truly, deeply completely!!) too often, although right before the kick-off players had known the result from Old Trafford what should have motivated them enough. I really do not want to negate their ambitions, however commitment and willingness to win they had left in a dressing room.

Will we have any better opportunities to catch title challengers from Manchester? In the last two games they won massive 1 (ONE) point, while we got two, instead of easy six.

Last season we lost “go-4-it” challenge by the beginning of May, even though we had not done any signings in the January transfer window. This time we bought three players (Has anyone already seen Ivanović and di Santo? They cost us about ₤13m), and facing respectively Olympiakos (UEFA Champions’ League), Huddersfield (FA Cup) and Tottenham (Carling Cup), we can lose it all before March come! Sounds bad, doesn’t?

I have just realised the African Cup of Nations is over. At last, good! By the way, does anyone know who won it?

XLII Super Bowl memo

Although I do not have favourite team in the NFL, I feel sympathy to New England Patriots. It is not because they won every single game before the Super Bowl (in fact, they did it), I was at the Gillette Stadium two years from now; Massachusetts is a lovely state and Boston in particular as a city.

“This is the death of the dynasty”, said Giants’ linebacker Antonio Pierce after the Super Bowl. I do not believe he is right, however I am not gathered either with the Patriots defeat and not completing “a perfect season”. It happens and the final game of the year was astonishing, worth to be the most important. The Giants’ touchdown and whole play before it in the last minute of the game will be remembered for years, it was so fascinating and quite unbelievable. Eli Manning showed to all football fans what commitment and “never-say-never” attitude means. Really great MVP and hero of the night, but the were more winners (and losers) in Phoenix.

Giants started their way for the Super bowl in London, at the Wembley Stadium and quickly I realised how many people here in Europe started watching the NFL games. It was excellent decision and raised (again!) question about the expansion of American leagues into Europe and (maybe) other continents. Czech or German hockey in the NHL? Spanish or Italian basketball clubs in the NBA? NFL for England? It all sounds possible!

Such a pity the NFL season is so short, and it is over now, we have to wait until autumn. By this time I need to understand all American football rules and get to know its history, so far I thank Pete for all his patience to explain me what it is about! I will keep fingers crossed for his Washington Redskins team next season!

New Chelsea blog founded

To say "I am busy" is far not enough.

However, there is no excuse to stop me from fulfilling the promise I gave to lads responsible for new Chelsea Poland blog! My Polish "My blue point of view" paragraphs are being published over there from now on, no longer at chelsea.pl, what has been decided with mutual consent.

I have just written notes about the Fabio Capello's false start as the England manager; and a memo from Reading and Portsmouth games. Hope people will enjoy it.

The reason why we have started new blog under the Association is quite hilarious, to be honest. The previous Chelsea blog had been attacked by other teams' fans who had been suggesting they would sue it to the court or something like that because of... Well, I still do not understand it. Ridiculous.

That previous blog had not had enough support so we founded it again under Chelsea Poland and we believe having the legislation and professional support, no-one will try to frighten any Chelsea supporters any more. This is the most important for us, freedom in speech, especially related to Chelsea FC issues.

Hope you will be checking new posts over there too!

Polish football poker

At the very beginning, here we have some rules, how to play it with visual presentation. And now, about the case related so close to my heart.

The idea, to write a note about the relegation of Widzew Lodz from the Polish top-flight division due to corruption, had been in my mind long before it was happened. I am not an idiot, I was to some of those games, I saw it and I was aware by myself it can happen, it should and it will. "Crime and punishment", simple as that and the title of one of my favourite books.

It has been over two weeks now since it was announced and someone may say I should have written about it earlier, but I simply wanted to chill down, not to express silly emotions here. I am absolutely against corruption, in sports particular, however the Widzew case is a complex one. A one member of board paid referees, but:

• Some of those games players won anyway, without anyone’s help;
• “You’ll pay or you’ll lose” – this is what that member heard and it’s paying a tribute, not corruption;
• Club didn’t win promotion to the upper league when bought games.

There should be no “buts”, however there are significant ones, like those listed above. Moreover, the punishment is not equally the same comparing with other punished clubs. Only those ones faced relegation that had bought the promotion. Apparently, Widzew did not.

Person blamed for corruption is in prison now, the Club has taken further steps against it and was really willing to co-operate with the Polish Football Association. The true is, the PFA wasn’t indeed, even though the Lodz team was the only one honest from the beginning, not trying to negate its fault.

Instead, they arranged press conferences to find guilty long before the trial started. It was hilarious too. Files were given to the Widzew delegation two hours before the trial; so-called judge had controversial views and very subjective opinions (basically I am not surprise, he is a supporter of other team and he’s proud of that). All of those things left me with very bad taste about the situation in Polish football, although they try to show how objective, reliable and clean they are.

I watch this case properly, hopefully everything will be sorted by the end of the season and future of Widzew Lodz will be decided on the pitch, not over the table.

Recent Club statement to the chairman of the PFA: here