Money over Tradition?

This past weekend, the second best league in the world was back. And how?

Real Madrid played Deportivo in the opening fixture of this season's La Liga. The galacticos had a chance to show what fans can expect for the rest of the season.

But, my attention was drawn not to the result and the performance, but to the goalscorers. One goalscorer in particular. Christiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo scored his first competitive goal for Madrid - from the penalty spot. Now, what bothers me is, why/how did Ronaldo get the nod to take the penalty over Raul who was the regular penalty taker for so many years? Raul is such an icon at Madrid that, even when Raul was not performing, he was not even considered for a transfer.

Has Ronaldo edged ahead of Raul as the first choice for taking penalties? Is this a marketing strategy for Madrid? Is there a clause in his contract regarding this? Who knows?

Alonso/Ribery another Ronaldo?

Disclaimer : I am not comparing the players.

All I am doing is trying to make sense of what is happening in the transfer market. Specifically, with respect to Real Madrid.

Madrid have been very open about their interests in Alonso and Ribery but neither Bayern nor Liverpool are refusing to budge. In both cases, it looks like the player wants to leave, but the manager/club do not want to sell.

Any dejavus?

Any ESP's on whats going to happen next season with Ribery/Alonso? (i.e. if it does not happen this season)

Now, besides the "Will he, wont he" sagas, I would like someone to define the term "tapping up". And can someone please tell me if it is legal? Or is it "officially" illegal? I, for one, am getting sick of it. Anyone care to join me?

The Dummy

What is his role? Is he just a stop-gap or is he one for the future? Even if he's one for the future, will he actually be the "manager"?

Such are the questions asked when a new manager joins a high profile club. Instead of the team and the future of the team, its the "Who's in charge" which takes the priority. Just look at Real Madrid, Newcastle and Chelsea and you'll wonder why you bothered to come up with these questions.

When Ramos was appointed the "boss" of Real Madrid a week before the "El Classico", my mouth was open. When I found out that he's on a 6 month contract, I went into a coma. For a club like Real Madrid to have a stability like that is something astounding. And it all started when Del Bosque(the boss) and Hierro(the captain) were sacked on the same day-the day after they won the La Liga. Even the "Great Don Fab" was sacked after they won the La Liga simply because they did not play football which was easy on the eye.

Mourinho, in my opinion was one of the most "no nonsense" managers the EPL has ever had. Unfortunately, he proved to be a nuisance for Roman. Roman wanted someone to be his dummy. Enter Avram Grant. But everyone knew he was just a stop-gap and by the time the season ended, Roman was hit by the credit crunch and he knew he could not get a dummy.

These managers didn't even get their way in the players they wanted or did not want(depends on how you see it). Mourinho did not want Shevchenko, Grant did not want Anelka, but there they were; simply because Roman wanted them. Raul, a couple of years back, could not buy a goal. But Calderon didn't even consider the option of selling him because he was the image of the club. Keegan and Curbishley quit because they didn't have their say in the transfer window. Players came in and went out according the chairman's choice. Why wasn't the chairman coaching the players and teaching them how to play?

Everyone knows this is going to be the situation of every manager in these sort of clubs. The question is why would these managers go to such clubs in the first place? I'm not blaming Mourinho, Keegan and Curbishley. They simply didn't know what they were getting into. But what about Fabio, Carlos Queiroz, Grant, Scolari and Ramos? Is it because they think they can change something which their predecessors couldn't? Or is it just to have a "Managed [Enter Club] for [Enter duration] " on their CV?