The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion
The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion |
| A tale of two managers or how to play off the media Posted: 19 Mar 2014 05:05 PM PDT
Terror Tim So, the "poor" treatment of millionaire footballers, in the shape of Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood demonstrating his frustration on the touch line, is inappropriate according to some in the media? I beg to differ. A handful of these millionaire footballers apparently have to be treated with caution, even when they are conning the world by not being able to make a 10-yard pass to a team-mate. Who doesn't want to play for Spurs if that is the case? Sherwood's reactions were one borne of frustration and disbelief; frustration in that his team were consistently carved up whenever Arsenal advanced with the ball (early in the first half), and disbelief at the sheer inadequacy of play at hand. One would be a fool to argue against the fact that Sherwood's sides have always come out far stronger in the second half than the first, and that surely comes down to the manager putting his foot down the throats of a few meandering players. The Tottenham squad are at the crossroads this season. Expensive signings were made and the previous manager attempted (and failed) to sew together a cohesive team with those signings, was subsequently sacked, and now Sherwood is in charge. His philosophy for using youth team products is admirable, though much of what he can do is patchwork. There is no glue that holds this team together, as a mere few seasons ago Spurs could boast of Luka Modric, Rafael Van Der Vaart and Gareth Bale as among the three midfielders in attack. Today? Well, Nabil Bentaleb, Nacer Chadli and Andros Townsend carry that mantle. Yet, still being in with a shout for Champions League qualification next season is a moral victory. But how much value such victories hold in football is up to the directors themselves. Referee Mourinho The decision has been made by the football authorities... Jose Mourinho will pick the referees for future Chelsea games. Here is a man who has tried (and succeeded) to ruin the careers of decent referees and pretty much gotten away with it. In March 2005, accusations of bias spewed from Jose's mouth as he insisted Anders Frisk and then Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard had a meeting at half-time in a UEFA Champions League tie between Chelsea and Barcelona (breaking FIFA rules), though no proof came out of it (a true politician in the making possibly). Nevertheless, Mourinho's loyal brigade of supporters (namely Chelsea hooligans) came out of the woodwork, bombarding Frisk with death threats causing the Swedish referee to retire prematurely shortly after. Mourinho arrived on the big stage of football as an intelligent, tactically astute young man clearly on the verge of making a football transformation. He has more recently reduced himself to an aging individual whose favourite pastime is whinging and being hypocritical. But Shebby, you ask, aren't most managers hypocrites when it comes to decisions made on the field? From Arsene Wenger's "I did not see the incident" to the countless "I'll need to look at the replay, as I did not have a clear view of the incident" excuses being spewed out daily, managers innately feel the need to defend the actions of their players. After all, the manager is essentially all that stands between a poor performance and a royal shellacking in the press. Mourinho has mastered the art of drawing media attention away from his players, and unto himself – forever endearing him to his players (thus his famous man-management skills). He can, and will always, point to the number of trophies he has won (and he has won a few). However, the legacy he has left behind at his previous clubs is non-existent. Inter Milan fell into disrepair as Mourinho conveniently decided against any form of long-term development in favour of a win-now mentality. His Italian exploits decidedly paid off in the short-term - Inter turning from Champions League winners to no European football in less than five years. Then, after Mourinho took over Real Madrid, the Spanish giants garnered a new reputation for kicking any Barcelona player that moves, with the Portuguese doing his part off-field too, infamously poking then backroom staff Tito Villanova in the eye. I feel a tinge of disappointment, however, as it seems more and more that Mourinho is comfortable with coaching just enough to ensure victory, and would rather spend far more time playing the media game. Case in point, Didier Drogba. The love-in between the two when Chelsea met Galatasaray for their Champions League clashes verged on erotic; waxing lyrical about management skills (Drogba to Mourinho) and striker's instinct (Mourinho to Drogba). It would certainly seem like all that emotion had psyched poor Drogba out – he was non-existent over three hours of play. Alas, life goes on and Mourinho will gladly talk up the next former player he has coached if it ensures their complete anonymity over the course of a game. Chelsea secure progress against the Turkish side which, despite knocking out a shellshocked Juventus side in the group stages, always looked like walkovers for any team lucky enough to face them. Will the Blues enjoy such comfort in the Champions League quarterfinals? Well, even if they don't, they can always blame UEFA and the way the draw is made. If that doesn't stand, I'm sure Mourinho will still find a way to blame someone. – March 20, 2014. * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider. | |
| Kekuatan peribadi Wan Azizah taruhan di Kajang Posted: 19 Mar 2014 04:27 PM PDT Shukur mempunyai lebih 30 tahun pengalaman sebagai wartawan dan bekerja dengan pelbagai media. Beliau kini pencen tetapi menjadi pemerhati politik yang tegar. Hari mengundi Pilihan Raya Kecil Kajang 23 Mac ini dijangka akan menentukan berapa besar majoriti kemenangan calon PRK/Pakatan Rakyat, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail yang akan menghantar indikasi sokongan pengundi kepada Pakatan Rakyat. Maka itu PRK Kajang secara tidak lansung akan menjadi referendum rakyat, menentukan pemilihan rakyat dan sebesar mana sokongan mereka kepada Pakatan. Tidak mustahil pengundi akan memberikan undi simpati yang besar kepada Dr Wan Azizah di samping undi berasaskan kekuatan peribadi calon PKR/Pakatan itu sendiri. Calon Barisan Nasional dari Wanita MCA ialah Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun juga menarik perhatian. Kira-kira 50% daripada kira-kira 39,000 pengundi DUN Kajang adalah wanita. Tentunya ini menarik perhatian ramai memandangkan dengan berlakunya pertarungan dua wanita ini. Menurut suatu tinjauan, Dr Wan Azizah dilihat akan mendapat sokongan kuat dari pengunci Cina di Kajang ini, walaupun calon BN adalah dari MCA. Sementara pengundi Melayu di beberapa kampung tradisi di kawasan ini, menurut pemerhati, dilihat sudah wujud perubahan dan dijangka mereka akan memberikan undi simpati kepada Dr Wan Azizah. Memang tidak dapat dinafikan bahawa Dr Wan Azizah adalah bayangan suaminya, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim – matlamat perjuangannya, cita-cita dan harapannya, ketabahan dan kesabarannya. Saya mengenal wanita solehah ini, hampir 30 tahun lalu, ketika mengunjungi Anwar di pejabat Abim di Pantai Baru berhampiran Universiti Malaya dan makan di Restoran Amjal dengan orang Abim dengan bayaran "harga special". Kerana itu, setiap kali saya lalu di situ, teringat Pejabat Abim dan Restoran Amjal di mana Anwar menjadi "pelanggan tetap" di restoran tersebut. Ketika Anwar menyewa rumah dekat surau Subang Jaya, beberapa tahun sebelum Masjid Darul Ehsan Subang Jaya dibina diawal tahun 80-an, sebanyak sedikit atas bantuan Anwar juga, saya beberapa kali berkunjung kerumahnya dan Dr Wan Azizah sering memimpin Nurul Izzah yang ketika itu berumur 4 tahun. Beberapa ketika kemudian, Anwar menyertai Umno. Di sini, saya tidak hendak melanjutkan cerita ini kerana saya menganggap ini adalah episode kelabu, tetapi saya masih menyimpan keyakinan bahawa Anwar tidak merobah prinsip perjuangannya. Kini Dr Wan Azizah menjadi calon PKR/Pakatan dalam PRK Kajang dan saya yakin beliau yang akan dibantu oleh suaminya akan meneruskan cita-cita DS Anwar walau apapun yang terjadi nanti. Ketabahan, kesabaran dan kecekalan Dr Wan Azizah serta keluarganya menghadapi ujian getir selama 15 tahun ketika Anwar ditahan, dipukul, dihina dan disumbat ke dalam Penjara Sungai Buluh menjadikan wanita solehah ini wanita luar biasa kerana telah berjaya berdepan dengan ujian berat seumpama ini. Ketika saya bertemu dengannya di malam kempen di Taman Mesra minggu lalu, saya melihat Dr Wan Azizah masih berdiri sebagai wanita yang sangat tabah, berucap dengan suara lembut dan penuh tabah, menerangkan misi perjuangannya di masa depan bersama PKR/Pakatan Rakyat sama ada Anwar masih di luar atau sudah di dalam. Anwar dan Dr Wan Azizah dan anak-anaknya adalah keluarga perjuangan, bukan keluarga biasa yang hanya memikirkan keselesaan malah kekayaan keluarga semata-mata. Maka itu, misi calon PKR/Pakatan Rakyat ini yang hendak memperjuangkan hak rakyat dalam seluruh kempennya adalah datang dari lubuk hatinya, bukan semata-mata berupa janji politik. Sebab itu, pengundi di PRK Kajang pada 23 Mac ini, saya yakin akan memberikan kemenangan kepada Dr Wan Azizah. Maka pada pendapat saya, kemenangan itu, Insya-Allah, adalah kemenangan rakyat, bukan saja rakyat di Kajang, tetapi juga rakyat Malaysia seluruhnya. Mengapa saya menyatakan demikian? Menurut analisis, DUN Kajang adalah sebuah kawasan urban (bandar) maka lazimnya pengundi tidak memerlukan seorang "pegawai kebajikan masyarakat" sebagai wakil mereka. Pengundi dalam bandar dan kawasan semi-urban mengikut sejarah inginkan "jurucakap" di DUN Selangor yang credible dan berpengaruh; seorang yang berpotensi memimpin negeri atau duduk dalam Kabinet Negeri Selangor (Exco). Bagi pendapat mereka yang pro-Pakatan, jika Dr Wan Azizah menang, maka ia adalah isyarat bahawa rakyat menolak BN kerana kesilapan mereka dalam usaha menjaga hak rakyat. Kemenangan ini jika berlaku, maka ia dianggap sebagai kesediaan untuk memenangi Putrajaya pada pilihanraya umum akan datang. Dr Wan Azizah dilahirkan pada 3 Disember 1952 di Hospital Kandang Kerbau, Singapura, ketika itu Singapura masih sebahagian Tanah Melayu. Dr Wan Azizah mendapat pendidikan awal di Sekolah Konvent St Nicholas, Alor Star. Beliau kemudiannya meneruskan pengajian ke Kolej Tunku Kurshiah di Seremban. Seterusnya beliau melanjutkan pelajaran ke Dublin, Ireland (1973), di mana beliau mendapat ijazah dalam idang obstetrik dan ginekologi. Di university itu, beliau dianugerah pingat emas "MacNoughton-Jones Gold Medal". Sekembalinya ke Malaysia, beliau menjadi seorang doktor pakar oftalmologi di Hospital Besar Kuala Lumpur dan di Hospital Universiti, Universiti Malaya. Dr Wan Azizah telah berhenti daripada kerjayanya dalam tahun 1993 apabila suaminya dilantik menjadi timbalan perdana menteri. Beliau adalah pengasas Parti Keadilan Nasional 1999 selepas suaminya dipenjarakan atas kes liwat. Beliau kini berumur 62 tahun dan menjadi presiden PKR sejak 2003 dan menenangi pilihan raya parlimen Permatang Pauh pada 1999 dan menduduki kerusi itu hingga PRU 2008 di mana kemudiannya Anwar bertanding di kawasan itu pada tahun tersebut dan menang. Kini pengundi Kajang mendapati kedudukannya sangat luar biasa, menjadi perhatian pelbagai pihak – dalam dan luar negeri. Apabila orang mengingat dan bercakap mengenai kezaliman terhadap Anwar selama 15 tahun, orang akan mengingat isterinya, Dr Wan Azizah, wanita solehah yang "mewakili" suaminya dalam PRK Kajang nanti. Saya yakin, jika menang nanti, Dr Wan Azizah akan berperanan untuk sama-sama memperkukuh lagi Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat Negeri Selangor. Bahkan lebih dari itu akan mengambil peranan penting membina lebuh raya ke koridor kuasa Puterajaya. Ini tidak mustahil akan berlaku. Para pengundi Kajang, terimalah Dr Wan Azizah! – 20 Mac, 2014. |
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