footballcircus: The Underbelly

As the January transfer window draws to a close in a Countdown Conundrum-esque fashion (that's how we like to imagine it at least), Football Circus refrains from getting into a tizzy. Instead, we will this week calmly report on the underbelly of the football industry: Fame-hungry players and appalling on-field discipline. We also feature a story of a young footballer displaying rather high levels of sense and decorum. But we mainly focus on the underbelly...

Footballer in Maintaining Dignity Shocker

It's something which shouldn't really be newsworthy, but when an eighteen year old footballer goes on a date, doesn't come across as a flash Harry and acts as laid back as your average eighteen year old, its almost more surprising than, well...how 99% of other footballers may behave under the same circumstances.

To elaborate, Manchester United's young winger Adnan Januzaj has this week been subject to a kiss and tell of sorts. 25 year old student, Melissa MacKenzie went crying to the Sun to outline how Januzaj, dressed in tracksuit bottoms, didn't pick her up for their date, took her to Nando's and went back to her hotel room only to watch X-Factor and ask to be driven home at 9pm.

The young lady informed the Sun:

"I’ve never met anyone so stingy in my life. I was so excited for the first date. We met on a social network site and I got all dressed up and even got my make-up done – costing me £30.

"I expected him to come to me in a flashy car, but I ended up driving him about in my old blue Fiesta and I was left to pay and display. Then he said he was taking me to Nando’s – my face fell.

"I usually go there for a quick bite to eat with my mates. I didn't expect to be going there on a date with a Man United footballer, especially in my dress and heels".

The young United star has been commended for his conduct by his fellow pros on social media sites such as Twitter and Instagram, with Andros Townsend, Raheem Sterling and Rio Ferdinand all pitching in to let him know their thoughts on the matter.

Ronaldinho Takes to Music

The last time Ronaldinho featured on Football Circus, he was in the midst of promoting his own brand of condom. Well you just can't keep a good man down it would seem. Not content with just football AND contraception, the Brazilian legend is now embarking in a music career.

Together with a fellow Brazilian, rapper Edcity, Ronnie has released the song "Vai na fe" (which translates as "Go in Faith"). The video has already racked up nearly 100,000 Youtube hits. The forward is still hopeful of a place in Brazil's World Cup squad, but should he fail on that front, he is optimistic that he will have a hit that plays throughout Brazil during the tournament. Football, condoms and now music. Fingers in pies that man.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK1T4Z9c17M#t=69

Zlat Drives Volvo's New Ad Campaign

Jean Claude Van Damme starred in a globally renowned Volvo advertisement last year (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7FIvfx5J10). Not to be outdone by JCVD, PSG's Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the arrogant / confident / egmaniac (choose whichever you deem appropriate) individual that he is, has taken to the screens of his native Sweden to star in a Volvo ad of his own.

The ad depicts Zlatan as the manliest of menly men. The Swedish striker is shown trekking a snowy mountain, sitting at a campfire, spending quality time with his family, hunting an elk, driving a Volvo and rather inexplicably, stripping down to his undergarments and diving into freezing water. As Sweden won't be present at this summer's World Cup in Brazil, Ibra may want to look into to taking up some less wintery pasttimes ASAP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbvdzQ7uVPc#t=60

Ref Gives Up Yellow Card during Match

South American football is hardly renowned for its discipline. On a weekly basis Football Circus churns out story after story about a bust up, brawl or even riot from South America. And it would seem that one particular Argentine ref has just about had enough.

Carlos Maglio officiated the Estudiantes-Gimnasia friendly at the weekend, a game which would see two fierce rivals go head to head. Somewhat expectedly, the match became heated very quickly. Sometime into the second half, Maglio realised he had already booked a total of eight players and could not see things calming down unless drastic action was taken. So he took the unprecedented step of handing over his yellow card to his assistant referee; thus sending out a message that he would not tolerate any further ill-discipline and the next misdemeanor would be met with a straight red.

Sure enough, in the 84th minute, a foul by Estudiantes midfielder Israel Damonte saw Maglio produce the red card and Damonte was sent for an early bath.

Speaking of his unusual approach to the fiery-tempered game, Maglio told the ironically named 'La Red' radio station:

"Retiring the yellow was a spur of the moment decision. I had already booked eight players and I didn't want them to keep on hitting each other.

"The fourth official asked me to give it to him so that everyone should see. That way it was clear to everyone that the yellow was no longer in play.

"Even if I'd had the yellow card he (Damonte) would still have gone off. It was a red offence".

Vlad the Inebriated

Tottenham defender Vlad Chiriches was part of their backline which conceded five goals against Man City this week. Before his woeful run out, a video leaked online which showed the big man falling around in Bucharest at the weekend. Granted, snow can clearly be seen in the video, but many believe that the snow was not the only reason Chiriches struggled to keep his footing and have suggested that the big man was under the influence.

Perhaps tongue-in-cheek, Spurs manager Tim Sherwood had the following comments to make BEFORE his side took on City:

"I did see that, yes. I've fallen over in the snow before and all.

"He's had a weekend off and he's got to play well on Wednesday.

"He was unsteady on his legs by the looks of it; it must have been windy over there".

Whether Chiriches was drunk or not, Sherwood may now be regretting his decision to include him in his lineup for the 5-1 thrashing by City.

What's Mad Mario Upto This Week

Balo's back on the scoresheet again this week and flirting with Chelsea. The mercurial striker scored for Milan in their game with Udinese last Wednesday, but it was not enough to stop them from losing 2-1 at the San Siro. Milan are now out of the Coppa Italia and struggling in the league. With his goals seemingly the only ray of light in Milan's season, anyone would think that Mario would want out. Oh wait. He does. Or so the newspapers would have us believe...

A Balotelli move to London and more specifically, Chelsea (to be reunited with former manager Jose Mourinho), has been mooted in the English media this week. Speaking to the Mirror, Balo has noted:

"Of course I would like to play under Jose again. In my first days at Inter we had some problems, but then it turned into a mutual respect, and now we have a real friendship.

"It is never boring playing under Jose. When you are in Mourinho's team it is a family and he coaches on the principal that if all is well with the family it doesn't matter what is going on outside the team".

At the weekend however, Balo was back scoring again, helping Milan to a 2-1 victory over Cagliari. The win helped Milan get back into the top half of the table, albeit on goal difference. It may take quite a few more such victories if Balotelli is to be convinced to stay.

Italian Football Story of the Week

- Thohir Under Fire from Guarin

Last week saw the cancellation of the proposed player-swap deal involving Fredy Guarin and Mirko Vucinic between Inter Milan and Juventus. The man responsible for the cancellation, Inter president Erick Thohir, has this week been the subject of severe criticism from Guarin's agent Marcelo Ferreyra.

For those of you who missed it, Inter and Juventus had agreed to the aforementioned player-swap deal. A transfer deal a little on the unconventional side, but nothing extraordinary given that this is Italian football. Vucinic was reported to have cleared out his locker at Juventus and all systems were very much 'go'. That was until the Inter fans protested against the move, at which point Thohir, not long in his role as Inter president, subsequently pulled the plug on the deal.

Aghast, Juve called a press conference wherein their general manager Giuseppe Marotta declared:

"It's the first time in over thirty years of dealing with players' transfers that I have been part of an unfortunate situation such as the one which has been created here".

Perhaps still a little wet behind the ears, Thohir clearly thought appeasing the Inter fans was in his best interests. But the saga has not ended there. Marcelo Ferreyra (agent of Guarin), in an interview with Sky Italia, has now chimed in:

"This situation has never happened at any club.

"I ask President Thohir to think for one minute of the player and his family.

"We will talk to Thohir about this situation, which has never happened at any club in the world. For a week no Inter director has spoken to me or to Fredy, so now we want a private meeting with Thohir.

“The situation is simply not clear and we demand an urgent meeting. Guarin is really suffering and his family flew in from Colombia to help.

"Have we had further contact with Juve? I don’t want to talk about any other club, we just want to talk to Thohir".

Artist's Impression of the Week

- Chiriches Falls in the Snow