Do samba stars orbiting home know the risks?

Pato, 23, poses for the media upon his return home.

As we all know, next year the biggest event in the world football calendar is taking place in Brazil. As hosts and arguably the most successful international outfit of all time, the nation of Brazil are expecting huge things from their talented side. Fans will be anticipating dazzling football full of flair and excitement, recalling memories of Pele and co of 1970, and their sixth trophy to go with it.

Neymar struggles against tough, physical and tactical opposition.

However, the fast-growing number of decorated Brazilian internationals returning to the Brasileiro Serie A heeds plenty of warning signs along the way. Celebrated Brazilian internationals returning home has been commonplace since samba stars started to move to the more competitive European leagues in the late 1980s, but that was in the twilight of their careers, somewhere to wind down when the legs are feeling the strain.

But in the past two transfer windows, we’ve seen respected Brazilian internationals in the prime of their careers orbiting back home. This has a strong correlation with the fact Brazil’s economy is undergoing a ‘boom’ and in turn Brazilian football clubs can afford to pay the homesick stars their sizeable wages, not particularly related to any increase in standard of play in the country’s top division.

Furthermore, young ‘wonderkids’ that used to depart for European giants as early as 16 or 17 years old are staying in their homeland for longer. Some argue this stunts their potential by not going to Europe to develop their game tactically. It is an interesting debate, especially when Brazil’s beacon of hope for the future is 21-year-old forward Neymar. Having come of age after amassing well over 100 appearances and 50 goals for Santos, perhaps now is the time for his move to a giant in the European game to play in the coveted UEFA Champions League, like all the Brazilian greats before him. Moreover, with emerging talents like strapping centre-half Dede and box-to-box playmaker Paulinho, both 24, still not making the leap across continents there is certainly a pattern forming.

So now we see the potential negatives of this sudden regrouping of Brazil’s best talent. The surprise sacking of former Selecao boss Mano Menezes has been the first casualty, with the federation going towards the tried and tested with the re-appointment of 2002 winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. Recently we’ve seen samba stars like Ronaldinho, Luis Fabiano, Adriano, Alexandre Pato and many more sign for their favourite Brazilian sides in the so-called prime of their careers. Will this have an adverse affect on their sharpness, match fitness and tactical quality when the big guns arrive in June 2014?

The patriots and those who cling on to the era of the Brazilian domestic league being host to the best of Pele, Zico and Garrincha will say that the Brazilian league is looking to make a ‘comeback’ on the global stage. But with Carlos Tevez and David Beckham being two of a number of non-Brazilian players to turn down the offer of playing there on a good wage, the signs aren’t good.

But times have changed and still are changing very much in Brazilian football, and who knows, we might even see a performance reminiscent of the samba stars of 1970 when the calendar strikes June 12 2014.

The dark side of American youth makes for good viewing only now.

Usually so stereotypically portrayed through film as happy-go-lucky party addicts or perhaps even the classic ‘geek’ or ‘dork’; a series of brave films by relatively low-profile American directors helped open people’s eyes to the reality of the modern American youth.

What is most harrowing about these films is that a number of them are based on real-life events. Controversial director Larry Clarke set the ball rolling. He himself grew up in 60’s America taking drugs and living a bohemian lifestyle, constantly taking pictures along the way – pictures which have received acclaim from observers for they’re uncensored nature of drug abuse in the US. Beside from his amateur photography, Clarke directed the gritty teenage drama Kids in 1995.

Clarke stated that he wanted to create the ‘Great American Teenage Movie’ to go alongside the ‘Great American Novel’. He cast ordinary New York ‘street kids’ who had never acted before in their lives, he wanted the ultimate reality of the era. Kids was released to significant negativity among critics who questioned it’s artistic value, with it’s consistent showing of underage sex and drug-abuse.

Perhaps America didn’t like this side of it’s youth, either they didn’t believe it existed or they simply didn’t want to see it in film; either way the film wasn’t appreciated until much later when reality had settled. It was an era of HIV, drug-addiction and gangland killings, and this film was too much too soon.

Clark followed this up with the 2001 independent drama Bully, based on the real-life killing of teenager Bobby Kent in 1993. More underage sex and drug-abuse, only this time murder and to top it off, it all actually happened.

Reality had struck by the time Alpha Dog was released in 2007, another film based on actual events, attracting bigger names like Justin Timberlake and Bruce Willis. It involved the killing of another relatively innocent teenager, another victim of this seemingly elusive subculture in social American history.

Nicholson: The virtuoso who made film better than book.

Jack Nicholson is by far and away my favourite actor. His ability to create a consistent, recurrent theme of gentle insanity throughout his work while maintaining necessary personal and emotive aspects is, to me, incredibly talented. 

But my favourite performance of his has to be in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. It is mainly credit to Nicholson that this adaptation of Ken Kesey’s original 1962 novel has a lighter, more comically entertaining outlook on institutional asylums in America at that time. 

Not that there is anything wrong with Kesey’s book. It carries intensity throughout and still has elements of humour and wit engraved as an undercurrent to the bleak reality of poor humanistic principles towards behaviourism. I just think that Nicholson’s timeless performance in the film adaptation makes the experience a lot more entertaining, solely due to his zaney on-screen personality, which gives the film version it’s purpose alongside the original novel. Maybe this takes away a fraction of the hard-hitting, thought-provoking aspects which the novel so successfully put across. But, nevertheless, I think a film’s main responsibility is to primarily entertain and then after that; inform and enlighten.

So there are my reasons why,surprisingly, I think a film adaptation is better than the original book. Despite the book’s typical further detail and depth of storyline, it can’t match up Nicholson’s virtuoso showing in the 1975 classic.

George Orwell’s 1984, more than just a book.

This book is one of the most influential and iconic pieces of literature the world has had the delight of reading. The author, George Orwell (born Eric Blair), was one of the most cunning and perceptive writers of his time and his legacy still holds a strong prominence today when the subjects of society and government arise.

Nineteen Eighty-Four was published in 1949 as a vision into the future (1984) and the way Orwell saw the world ending up to be if the government were to carry on in their seek for a ‘perfect society’. The main character, Winston Smith, is a disillusioned man caught in the middle of this new, dystopian world. He observes the world around him with heavy cynicism and anguish, which I suppose explains the original title Orwell had for the book; ‘The Last Man in Europe’. The society are completely and utterly controlled by the government, using cameras inside people’s homes and raising people’s children against them through brainwashing tactics.

But this book is far more than just an interesting story written by a dying man, it has become a tool; a weapon used as a warning shot against governments who threaten to send society in that direction. Furthermore, phrases from the book like ‘newspeak’ and ‘doublethink’ are known throughout society today as it leaves such a strong impression on people who have read it and related to it. Even as I write, the word ‘doublethink’ isn’t spell-checked. But perhaps more significantly, it highlights the simple pleasures and wonders humans enjoy under a democracy. Orwell’s government, Ingsoc, rid humans of all every-day pleasures like good literature or radio and even tried to crush the human’s sexual instinct entirely.

So, whether this book is used as a warning shot to the government of the day or simply as a reminder of the democratic delights free humans enjoy day in and day out, it is a massive milestone in human culture.

Holden Caulfield, a man before his time.

In case you’re wondering, Mr Holden Caulfield is the main character in J.D Salinger’s classic novel A Catcher in the Rye, first published in 1951. Arguably one of the most influential and successful pieces of fictional literature ever produced, it still sells 250,000 copies a year totalling a huge 65million copies sold since 1951.

But that’s enough facts and figures, the reason it is so iconic and reputable is because the main character is so accurately formed and portrayed. Holden is a case of a confused, alienated and rebellious teenager who is so full of angst and frustration his mind barely controls his actions. Salinger sends him and his unique vocabulary on a destructive journey of self-discovery which involves under-age drinking, confrontations with prostitutes and petty violence.

It begins set in 1949 with Caulfield at a strict prep school, often compared to a military organisation. He drops out, accusing almost everyone there of being fake, or as he calls ‘phoneys’. From there on its a downward spiral of drinking and depression as he tries desperately to figure life and what he is going to do with his. It’s this confusion and lack of direction in which adolescents and young adults relate to so well.

But more importantly, it reflected the way the world’s society was heading. In the time and era the book was written, men and women were expected to marry before the age of 21, and if they didn’t serious concern and accusation were harboured against them. So, in this more conventional society, people would find a member of the opposite sex and settle down as quickly and smoothly as possible.

However, Holden was different, a maverick of 21st century thinking stuck in the mid 20th century. He didn’t want to conform and find a girl, find a career and have children all before he’d even reached his mid-twenties. He alienated himself from the norms of society, and for that he’s a martyr.

One of many artistic impressions of Holden.

And for this, I think at least, he must be considered as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. Salinger created a symbol of change and a metaphor of youthful acceptance which, as his masterpiece gathered momentum, paved the way for new and modern thinking when it came to the real problems young people face.

Maybe it’s time for ‘catcher in the rye’ to become a real profession, saving innocent-minded youths from the evils of adulthood.

Was the elusive ‘Warrior’ Hardy’s best performance so far?

Tom Hardy has to be my favourite British actor. You can forget the corny Connery and the surly Statham, Hardy produces convincing performances again and again in roles that vary in complexity and character, and the best thing is that he can only get better. At the age of 34 and with the ability he possesses, he could have a career bearing the longevity similar to that of the Nicholsons and De Niros of this world. Also, taking into account the roles he has acquired recently, like the famous villain Bane in the Batman series and the skilful forger Eames in the hugely successful thriller, Inception – his reputation in Hollywood is growing by the minute.

However, I was taken aback by the performance he pulled out of the bag for the comparatively low-budget film – Warrior. The film depicts two cage-fighting brothers who’s poor relationship with each other is only surpassed by the worse relationship they have with their father (Nick Nolte). Hardy plays one of the brothers, Tommy, in an extremely convincing manner – which is helped by his very impressive New Jersey accent. Hardy is ruthless in some of the scenes with Nolte, showing that he isn’t scared to share the lens with some of Hollywood’s legends and even steal the show whilst he’s there.

Despite the claims that Hardy merely ‘used’ this film to get the required stature and physique for his upcoming Batman adventure, I think Hardy took this film very seriously and this is evidently reflected in the overall quality of his performance. The scenes shared with the vastly talented and experienced Nolte are really something to see, where Tommy strips down his hard shell to reveal the soft, caring side that ultimately saves his father from further and possibly fatal alcoholism. Add to this the emotional scenes towards the end of the film with his brother Brendan and together with the violence and macho aspects to Hardy’s character I’d say you have a complete role.

So, Warrior was a hit for both Hardy and Hollywood, and it’s these kind of ‘under-the-radar’ performances from roles that really galvanize a great actor’s career and reputation.

A lovely little town called Ellesmere Port.

Ellesmere Port, for the best part of 18 years I considered my home-town a barren wasteland stuck between Chester and Liverpool, and knowing which one it wanted to be closer too. I spent my youth and early manhood spending as much time in Chester as humanly possible, at my Chester-based high school or with friends from that school, as I made the transition from a slightly crazy ‘Port’ primary school to an almost pleasant secondary school in the affluent reaches of Chester.

However, in a major turn of opinion, I find myself feeling a great sense of pride for the area of my birth. Although, this didn’t just happen overnight. It all started when boredom got the better of me during my second year of A-levels and the following summer waiting to attend university in far-away Leicester. I found myself down the local pub, ‘The Woodies’, with people I hadn’t seen since my primary school days and moving on to the one night-club of Ellesmere Port in their tow. Even though in-between these events I would have to listen to endless egotistical anecdotes of fighting and fornicating in all it’s splendour, I have to admit I enjoyed the banter and the company I was in. It was almost a feeling of coming home after years away with the much-hated people of Chester, but really I suppose then I was just glad to be out of the house, and still preferred time spent in Chester to be frank.

But, when I arrived in Leicester for higher education, I was soon set an assignment on my local paper in relation to my local area, and I found very interesting results in my results. I had always knew John Prescott had completed a college course in the town, but that’s hardly ‘born and bred’. I also knew of the infamous Charles Bronson’s presence in the area for a significant period of time, and even that my very own Grandfather used to drink with him, but again he wasn’t ‘born and bred’. So this led me to research famous people, if any at all, that originated from ‘The Port’. After finding one Steps member, which is quite impressive i suppose, and the world female darts champion – I stumbled upon a few gems.

Before I commence in this glorified name-dropping session, i must warn readers that all the names about to be mentioned are football-related – but anyone who’s read my blog before will understand the hype created.

Anyway, first up is Dave Hickson, a prominent striker for both Everton AND Liverpool in the 1950’s. He started his career with amateur club Ellesmere Port Town before being spotted by Everton. He also earned the nickname ‘Cannonball Kid’ for his fearsome right foot, and after almost 200 goals for both the Merseyside clubs combined, he went on to stay a important figure for his beloved Everton.

Secondly, Stan Cullis. I’m sure any Wolves fan out there would know this name, as he was the guy who not only went into double figures in England caps, but also managed Wolves to the FA Cup (becoming the youngest manager to do so) in 1948 and then five years later got them their first ever league title followed by two more. To add to this, he was only 31 when he took over, and had already played nearly 300 games for Wolves before a career-ending injury. He retired from the game in 1970 and despite an offer from Juventus, he resisted the urge to manage again. Impressive for a guy from ‘The Port’.

Finally, Joe Mercer, again football related, and this guy is perhaps the most significant. After a distinguished career as a professional, carving out over 400 league appearances for Everton and Arsenal respectively, he turned to management. It was here that he led Manchester City their first and only First Division titles along with an FA Cup, a League Cup and a Cup Winner’s Cup. After this huge success he even went on to manage England and become the first football figure to appear on This Is Your Life.

So, after this very patriotic and slightly tangent-filled background of my fascinating home-town… I dunno, go visit?

The issue of Norn Iron – Is Nigel really Worth it?

I’ve always had a soft spot for Irish international football teams, partly due to my own Irish ancestry and the sometimes unfair, domineering influence of Scottish players, pundits and managers in the game. Be it Northern Ireland or the Republic, I’ll always cheer them on, sometimes even against my home nation of England.

As things look relatively rosy for the Republic with the talented, successful and vastly experienced Giovanni Trapattoni at the helm, the outlook for their northern neighbours looks a little bleaker to say the least.

Nigel Worthington, Northern Ireland’s current manager, has a few positive factors in his favour which may explain his appointment. Firstly, he is himself from Northern Ireland, and therefore so holds that undeniably attractive feature of a home-grown international manager. As a player, he had a certain reputation as a Northern Irish player in England, playing in almost 500 English league games with the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Blackpool, Leeds and Stoke. As a manager, success has been less consistent, but success there has been. This success came mostly with his 5-year spell in charge of Norwich, where he successfully avoided relegation and took them into the Premier League in two successive seasons.

Suitable credentials for the Northern Ireland job then, you would think. But, the story has been different since he has taken the reins. When Worthington took the job in 2007 on a short-term contract, the Green and White Army were top of their Euro 2008 qualifying group, and after he’d seen them to the end of qualification, they were 3rd and missed out on the tournament. However, the IFA saw this worthy of a new two-year contract to 2010, only to see the same outcome in the 2010 World Cup Qualifiers.

Currently, Northern Ireland look out of the running for Euro 2012 too, thanks to a poor result at home to Serbia last week, losing 1-0, and a shocking 4-1 away loss to Estonia soon after. They now lie second from bottom in their group with two games, one being against Italy, left to play.

Worthington’s contract is due to expire at the conclusion of these qualifiers on what now looks to be the 11th of October, when Northern Ireland play their final game against Italy in Euro 2012 qualifying group C. If Nigel were to retain his job beyond this date, I will be very surprised, and disappointed in the IFA for their lack of ambition.

It may be argued that a nation of under two million people would be over-achieving if they were to qualify for every major tournament, but if you look at this country’s history and heritage in the game, it tells a different story. Northern Ireland have previously qualified for the 1958, 1982 and 1986 FIFA World Cups, becoming the smallest nation to qualify for more than one of these tournaments. In 1982, Norn Iron beat tournament hosts and current world champions Spain 1-0 to top their group and reach the quarter-finals. Even aside from this, their World Cup tournament record is impressive, having reached the quarter-finals in 1958 too, beating the mighty Czechoslovakia en route. All this together gives Northern Ireland the distinction of being the smallest country to win a World Cup finals match, the smallest country to have scored at a World Cup finals, and the smallest country to have reached the World Cup quarter-finals.

Furthermore, having produced such legends of the game as George Best, Norman Whiteside, Pat Jennings, Martin O’Neill, Sammy McIlroy, Mal Donaghy and Neil Lennon to name but a few, Northern Ireland certainly have pedigree in international football. In the current generation, the generation being mislead at the moment by Worthington, there are Premier League stars such as Aaron Hughes, Chris Baird, Jonny Evans and Chris Brunt – all thoroughly decent players playing week in week out at the highest level. Moreover, promising young talents like Johnny Gorman, Niall McGinn, Josh Carson, Liam Boyce and Ryan McGivern amongst others coming through – the future doesn’t too bleak in terms of playing staff at least.

The problem is can Worthington shepherd these talents towards qualifying for the 2014 and 2018 World Cups? I think not, as his tactics are stale and outdated, unsuited to international football. But, most of all, his team look completely lost on a cold, wet and windy night in eastern Europe – and even sometimes at the fortress that was once Windsor Park. This leads to me questioning his authority and charisma as a leader of his players and how much belief those players have in him, whether they are willing to run through brick walls for the cause. For these reasons alone, I would take a leaf out of the Republic’s book and look to recruit a talented, experienced and tactically astute manager from overseas.

Perhaps Nigel Worthington could kick Alan Hansen off the Match of the Day sofa? Who knows.

Charles Bukowski’s ‘Factotum’ – a worthwhile read?

At a mere 194 pages long, with generous text spacing and chapters consisting of as little as half a page, it has to be one of the most lightweight ‘bestsellers’ around. But is this gritty American tale of a drunken low-life really worth the pages it’s written on?

The book does have positive aspects. Set in wartime America, main character Henry Chinaski is depicted as a depressed, down-and-out drunk with nothing to lose very accurately by Bukowski. Chinaski has the ‘hard candy with a soft centre’ appeal, the child-like vulnerability to accompany his tough, weathered exterior, making his character’s mentality feasible, even believable. He wants to be loved but knows that the women he finds aren’t worthy or even capable of it, so he gets what he can out of his life, albeit mostly drink and sex. Bukowski hides this vulnerability well, with the dialogue and plot dominated by Chinaski’s masculine activities, but it is always there in some form to remind the reader that there is more to Henry Chinaski than meets the eye. A good example of this would be Henry’s on-and-off relationship with the seemingly typical barfly Jan. He exhausts the sexual aspect of their relationship which left them with their only common interest – alcohol. However, as the relationship develops we see Chinaski become dependent of Jan despite him never confessing any sort of feelings for her, and when they split, Henry does his best to get her back. This shows Chinaski’s desire for love and happiness, in spite of all his careless antics suggesting he couldn’t care less about life, he is secretly trying hard to achieve contentedness. It’s this secret side to Chinaski that holds this book together, and if you like to read about complex characters from their own perspective, I would personally recommend this book.

However, in another light, it is essentially just 194 pages of Mr Chinaski getting drunk, getting women, getting fired and getting a job. It becomes a never-ending cycle of little lows followed by little highs with the undercurrent of severe depression, definitely no ‘feel-good’ read. In that respect the book could be described as a little ‘samey’ and repetitive. Possibly understandable in respect to its ‘middle’ position in the famous Bukowski trilogy. However, this cycle continues to the very end of the book, where as the reader you might expect some sort of ‘finale’ – whether it be a spectacular event or a harrowing moral message – but ultimately get nothing. If I was forced to extract some sort of concealed signals of wisdom or morality from the book, it would be the failure and combustion of one man’s dreams and ambitions through his lifestyle and mindset. This would be in relation to Chinaski’s love and passion for writing, despite not finishing his prestigious college course in journalism, and his constant fantasy of one day becoming a professional writer. In reality these dreams are a long way off, mostly due to his indesirable lifestyle choices, and his inability to change them.

Factotum is sometimes frustrating, possibly far-fetched but ultimately fascinating, and for that reason I’d say it’s definitely worth the 194 pieces of paper it was written on.

Will ‘The Hobbit’ movie live up to Lord of the Rings?

I would think the immediate answer would be no, especially as I am an unbridled LotR ‘superfan’ and simply think no other book or film series will ever come near to surpassing it.

However, The Hobbit is still Tolkien’s work and having read almost all of J.R.R’s masterpieces of middle-earth, I don’t think the answer is as straightforward as it may seem.

Firstly, you must look at the differences between the Lord of the Rings trilogy and its predecessor. For example The Hobbit has a lot more prominent characters, with thirteen dwarves among many others. This could lead to more complex and more intense battle scenes along with superior scope and depth in the interluding scenes. Furthermore, there is more scope of middle-earth races, with thirteen dwarves having prominent roles compared to just one – Gimli – in LotR. Add onto this the presence of a Dragon and an up-close Goblin leader, you are introduced to a whole new side of middle-earth on the big screen.

Interestingly, the upcoming 2012 epic has already lead a turbulent life, with a change of director midway through preparation paired with casting trouble. Guillermo ‘Hellboy’ del Toro was originally in line to direct the film, much to the dislike of the fans (due to his intention to change many aspects from its LotR sequel), but amazingly he dropped out only to be replaced by the exact man the fans wanted in the first place, LotR director Peter Jackson. This in turn led to more positive changes, like the reprisal of many of the LotR actors roles, albeit in lesser prominence. So with Jackson back along with LotR favourites Viggo Mortensen and Orlando Bloom amongst many others, fans really started to look forward to its release.

Couple all these changes with the fact the film has now been split into two parts, ‘The Hobbit’ movie has genuine credentials to compete with its big brother.

Maybe it is time my unbridled passion for Lord of the Rings was evenly shared.