Brazil's New Ronaldo ??

After blogging about Jack Wilshere earlier in the week I'm now turning my attention to the Samba star Neymar after he scored a brace against Scotland today.

Not many footballer's can be mentioned in the same breath as the Brazilian Ronaldo but Neymar looks like the real deal for the true entertainers of international football.

In recent years the Brazil side has changed , under Coach Dunga the Brazilian team lacked the flair of older sides gone was the sublime finishing of Ronaldo or the genius of Ronaldinho replaced with a team based on a solid back four which was more work men like.

Neymar looks like he's bringing the flair back to the Brazilian team , he's quick , full of tricks and has a good finish.

However I admit I have only seen glimpses of the young starlet but the Santos striker has been linked to Chelsea for years showing how highly Mr Abramovich's scouts must rate him and it seems he will eventually make the transition to Europe to prove himself on the biggest stage.

Neymar has big boots to fill , Ronaldo is the greatest striker to play the modern game pure class and since that Portuguese fella came along he's been forgotten !!

Anyways Neymar looks the part and I'm looking forward to seeing him in Europe in the near future, hopefully for Man United but most probably at Man City or Chelsea !!

Ronaldo Impressed By Neymar Link here.

Jack Wilshere Is England's Bright Light

A lot of people were talking about Wayne Rooney as England's talisman , a player who could deliver this nation of football fanatics a major trophy however as gifted as Rooney is the burden of expectation proved too much as his form hit new lows in South Africa.

Since the summer to forget the media has been in search of a new bright light for England someone that is truly world class and that man looks like Jack Wilshere.

For a boy of 19 he has shown great maturity and composure this season for Arsenal and was probably the only player to come away from Nou Camp with their head held high.

Fabio Capello has called him the best midfielder he has ever seen for his age, a compliment we should not take lightly and it seems Arsene Wenger shares the same sentiment with Wilshere emerging as a first team regular for Arsenal this season.

What excites me about Wilshere is his passing and technique , England has been blessed with box to box midfielder's in recent years like Gerrard and Lampard but we have lacked a player with an eye for a great pass, someone who can keep the ball and control the game like Paul Scholes did.

Gary Linekar commented on MOTD that he looks 'Spanish' in his style of play and I completely agree.

In Jack Wilshere we have a young enthusiastic midfielder who can take that burden off Rooney and change the way the England team plays it's football.

We should celebrate the fact he is been mentored by Arsene Wenger who will no doubt nurture his craft and skill and turn him into a top footballer for Arsenal and for England.

Firstly though let's hope he can help us beat the Welsh!

is Andy Carroll Really Worth £35 million.

It's transfer deadline day and it seems were in for a few big name moves before the window closes but from what i've been hearing in the last few hours sounds ridiculous.

£35 million for Andy Carroll???? I know Liverpool will be keen to replace Torres who looks on the verge of switching to Chelsea but seriously £35 million.

With that money they could buy good quality left back and still have enough for a good striker. It's madness and we all know who is to blame.

Since the Sheikh strolled into Manchester football has never been the same. £24 million for Joleon Lescott, £32.5 million for Robinho and £12 million for the tug boat that is Gareth Barry.

Inflated prices? in economics this would be called hyper inflation and pure insanity in club's spending has polluted the market, where loan deals are strive and big money signings are on the bench.

Managers and clubs need to look at the spending of a few managers in the league. Harry Redknapp seems to have a good eye for a bargain, Rafael Van Der Vaart for example £8 million fantastic signing.

Fergie also has a genuinely good transfer policy which reflects value for money. Take Javi Hernandez who along with Van Der Vaart is the signing of the season and cost a fraction of Andy Carroll's apparent value.

With Michel Platini about to wave his iron fist on this polluted marketing , City have spent , spent , spent and although I hear they will no tone down their pursuits I doubt they will.

The damage is done, Titus Bramble is probably worth £20 million now.

Related Internet links

• BBC's Transfer Deadline Day Coverage

What's Rollerblading?

My first post on my new blog and I've dedicated it to something that has been a part of my life for ten years now.

A lot of people don't even know what rollerblading is or their perception of the sport is stuck in the 80's/90's.

To some people it is called Aggressive Inline Skating but I always find that term old fashioned and the term aggressive to me does not summarise rollerblading today which is about finesse, balance and skill.

I started when i was 13 grinding curbs learning the basics with my good friend Jamie Kirby and over the years I have gained so many friends through what should be seen as a social sport.

Rollerblading is a great sport to make friends but as an industry it is often cursed. A good example can be seen in my Grandad bless him but after 10 years of me doing this sport he still calls it skateboarding and my parents sometimes do as well and that's where lies the problem.

It seems to me that Rollerblading is an ancient ruin amongst aggressive sports, axed by the X Games , abandoned by main stream culture and place into the hearts of those who truly love it but that's what makes it unique and different.

Rollerbladers professionally, amateur and so forth all love the sport because it's not as if they make a fortune. Most professionals in this sport cannot even afford healthcare and most live what resembles a nomadic lifestyle to stay at the top of their game.

It's sad when you see an episode of cribs with Tony Hawk showing off his lavish mansion, fair enough he deserves it but so do the skills of the top rollerbladers in the world.

When I look at my sport I see people pushing the boundaries of reason, skaters like Chris Farmer, Alex Broskow, Chris Haffey and Jeff Stockwell google their name watch a video of them on youtube.... what they do is remarkable but not appreciated.

One day I hope rollerblading gets the exposure it deserves , when Tony Hawk is a relic and the hype surrounding skateboarding that has lasted since the early Noughties finally dies we may see a resurgence as people will look to something new , something hidden, something different.

.....that could be rollerblading.

Related Internet links

• Scarborough Rollerblading Facebook Group