Devils of Heath

In our professional lives, we have a lot of people who are extremely vocal but don’t offer the best outputs. Therefore, it is always a privilege to come across somebody who represents maximum efficiency and minimum fuss. When you look at Manchester United over the years, Paul Scholes was the epitome of the above mentioned values. David De Gea the man who recently completed a 100 clean sheets, has today taken over that mantel. I used to idolize Scholes growing up, firstly no one ever came close to his abilities on the football pitch and his ability to disconnect off the pitch was something to be admired. Being a Manchester United player was all he cared about and boy, was he a damn fine one at that. De Gea is quite similar in this regard. He is the best on the pitch and arguably in the world at what he does, yet you will never hear much about what he does off the pitch – in this day and age. Someone recently pointed out to me that De Gea is the most boring united player to follo...

“Remember the name – Wayne Rooney………………………………………..” That mercurial talent that shocked Arsenal, rocked Euro 2004, stunned the footballing word on his Manchester United debut….is long gone, but his legacy will forever remain. My most abiding memory of Wayne is that goal against Newcastle, seemingly distracted in arguing with the referee, he took it out on the football arriving his way and battered the ball into the back of the net. That boy was a boxer disguised as a footballer, smashing everything that came in his direction – football, opponent, even referees. The boy grew up to be a talisman. It has been a privilege witnessing Wayne Rooney evolve, from a boy wonder to the man who has lead club and country with remarkable grace. The fact that he is the leading goal scorer for both is indeed impressive for someone who has shown the tactical maturity to play in different positions. He is loved and loathed in equal measure, because conventional has never been his ...

Hard work pays off, dreams come true, bad times don’t last but bad guys do. The Einsteins wanted us to believe that Jose Mourinho was finished as a manager. They were convinced that our spending spree was a sign of nothing more than desperation. They tried to make us think that Jose is a Monster determined to sell players who are fan-favorites. To them I just have one thing to say : “We never believed you, we never even respected you, you lot are an irrelevance to the Manchester United universe.” Jose might be a monster, but he is our monster. He is moulding the club, and getting moulded by the club at the same time. When Jose criticizes his players, the world calls it poor man-management. Guess what, they are delusional. This is Mourinho trying to squeeze his players, putting their mentality to the test, he knows what we all know – Manchester United is no place for the mentally fragile.  When put into context this is a team that was heading nowhere under Van Gaal last...

To quote Rocky Balbao “The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty palace and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it.” There is something about this quote that has stayed with me forever. It is a fact that as we grow up, life gets more complicated professionally and personally. As a Manchester United fan, I am often questioned about my fixation with the club. It has always been hard to define. I doubt too many fellow fans can also describe why every time we watch our beloved club, the heart skips a beat. Why we experience maddening joy with every late winner and why every defeat feels earth shattering. Maybe it is a love affair, or maybe it is something even more. As part of a community outreach program this week, I ran into a child psychologist. She pointed something very simple yet interesting. These kids were involved in a sports based activity and were having a blast. Accord...

The world today is not the easiest of places if you are a nice guy. The common saying is that you need to be a bit ‘nasty’ to get what you deserve. Doing the right thing, rarely leads to the right result. Therefore, I am so glad that the world has people like Juan Mata – a guy who bucks the trend and has yet managed to be a really top football player. Juan is one of those players, fans can easily relate to. He is genuine, doesn’t have a false ego about him and most importantly gives it his all whenever he is on the football pitch. What is also admirable is how genuine his Monday blogs are, they are a true reflection of how most of us have felt about the game. Those of us who watch MUTV are well aware of how willingly he participates in community outreach programs. The number of instances where he has gone out of his way to reach out to fans is a hallmark of his character. You see ex-players going on about having big characters in the dressing room (not...

Dear Busby Babes, Every year on the 6th February I wake up with a sense of sadness. A feeling that something that belonged to me has been cruelly snatched away. I never saw you play, but I still miss you. I wasn't even born when tragedy struck, but I am still overcome by grief whenever I think about it. A movie called 'United' was made in your honour, it leaves even the most cold blooded among us with a heavy heart. Those who survived had lived to tell the tale. Everything we are today as a football club is because of you. We honour your memories with the way the team plays, the way the fans roar, and for what we stand for as a football club. We know you are watching, maybe you are even singing the chants with us. You should be proud that Manchester United is today more than just a football club. It transcends geographical and religious boundaries. You should be proud that the club you gave everything for...today has the capability to unite mankind in such a divid...