There are some things money can't buy.

I started blogging with my first post on Real Madrid. Just continuing it today.

More than 250million euros being spent on new talent last summer, Madrid is dumped out of round of 16 in champions league. This is the 6th time they are dumped out in the round of 16. And this has happened in the last 6 years.

Players like KAKA has come out in media and asked fans for forgiveness after the team was dumped out of the Champions League.

Terms such as "failure", "catastrophe" and "nightmare" filled the Spanish press after there exit. Maybe manager Manuel Pellegrini can be sacked. That's the only thing rich clubs know now. Same done to Mark Hughes by Manchester City.

Ronaldo left ManU for 80 million, people said loss is of ManU. But look at there position now. They invested that money on their debts and team.

Please explain this to these teams, there are some things money cant buy. May be Madrid will be looking to sign Rooney this summer. Maybe 80 million tag will be crossed for a new superstar.

World Champions suffer Humilating Defeat without even Playing

Who said IPL is a game of cricket?? Money, Media, Publicity, Glamor and now Politics. Tuesday, 19th of Jan, Auction for IPL 3rd season. Shahid Afridi is the first name in Round One with a base price of USD 250,000. And surprise, Afridi is not picked up. Same is the fate of other Pakistani players. World champions 2009, having one of the most talented pool of players for Twenty20, but still not a single player selected by any franchise.

Reason given for this by franchises - Strategy!!

World champions humiliated by the politics going on between the nations and the ongoing saga on the visas for these players.

What has cricket has to do between all this. If this is the attitude of people who are running cricket in this country, then only money will be made by this process. Its like playing a game of gambling where you have nothing to lose but only make money.

Also if this situation continues, India should not allow Pakistan to participate in 2011 world cup.

This will be death of cricket. I hope ICC takes some action on this.

“IPL is an event to bring people close to each other, real close, like Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty. It is unfortunate that politics is being mixed with sports."

Football vs Cricket

Airtel Champions League, a big success as a concept which came last year in India. Top teams from different countries came together for a unique tournament which was introduced first time in world cricket.

One of the Australian team won the tournament again proving the world how strong their system is. But this time I wont be writing to praise Australia or their team.

From past few months have been thinking about the effect football has on cricket. All the new concepts which you are introduced in cricket are somehow taken from football.

There are different leagues in different countries. The most famous and the most viewed league being the English Premier League. Footballers die to play in this league because of the level of football and also the money involved in the game.

Same format was taken by Mr. Lalit Modi for IPL. Players came through a transfer window, contracts were done and they started playing the game of money. From IPL, they shifted on Airtel Champions League, adopted from UEFA Champions League or AFC. Top teams from the respective leagues of different companies coming together in a tournament to prove there supremacy in the game. Mr. Lalit Modi again took the idea from football to make it a success story. Football has taken over cricket now.

Country League - IPL

UEFA Champions League - Airtel Champions League

Foul in football a Free Kick - Foul in cricket(No Ball) a free hit

Owners of Clubs - Franchise in Cricket

Who knows in the coming decade, concept of yellow cards and red cards also appear on cricket scene.

But the matter of fact remains that Football is still the most popular sport in this world and will be in the future also.

Aussies Underdogs?????Are you kidding me.

Champions Trophy 2009 is over. Aussies beat the kiwis by 6 wickets to defend their trophy.

Before the tournament can start, media, ex-cricketers and guest columnist announced that INDIA, SRILANKA, SOUTHAFRICA are the clear faviorates. Australia and to some extent Pakistan were given the underdog tag.

Australia underdogs? After having watched them winning the series in such combative and crusading manner, one has to think twice before calling them so. On the contrary, the fans faviorate team India was 'again' chucked out in the first round.

The Hype which is always around the Indian Cricket Team is some how irritating me every time. They walk into a big tournament as champions(although they have not won anything of such sorts in a decade) and they walk out as pure losers.

Australia have lost their key players in some key positions. Mcgrath, Warne, Gilli, Hayden, Martyn(Symond not picked, Clarke & Bracken injured, Lee coming from a injury break) and some individuals in test squad. If you see there was a time all the above consisted of the first 11 of Australia. In a way, Aussies were playing with a completely new team. Just imagine India playing without Sachin, Dravid, Sehwag, Zaheer(who already are in their 30's) and some other key players like Yuvraj, Harbhajan etc. Do they have a back up to atleast have a underdog tag??

Actually it wont matter much. Because anyways these players are not performing according to their hype. Sachin wants to play 2011 world cup also. I dont know what he wants to prove. He has all the records in his bag. But if i ask him how many world cups or how many test series against Australia or South Africa you have won in their backyard, then what you think his answer will be?????

The GREAT Indian Cricketer, Mr. Sunil Gavaskar has started thinking as he is the God of cricket. He once commented that Aussies don't play with the spirit required for the gentleman game. If getting aggressive and playing with killing stint is against the spirit of the game then i also agree they are not playing with high spirit. But Mr. Gavaskar, from the time I am following the Aussies and their dominance of International Cricket, I have only seen you criticizing them on and off the field. I will like to suggest you that please concentrate that time in helping the Indian Cricket Team to improve their state of mind and firing those harsh words on them.

There is something called as a bench in sports. I would like to see the strength of Indian cricket's bench. The players who were on bench for Aussies have delivered Champions Trophy. But if the strength is good of Indians then also it wont matter because they have to continue the legacy of Indian cricketers who only believe in making money and not playing for pride.

Mr. Gavaskar should take some time from his English language talks about the Aussies. Again and again Aussies are proving the world wrong. Their team is in a rehabilitation stage, People may say their dominance is over. but beware guys, they will hit you

back with more power then before.

As far as Indian Cricket is concern, I think I should stop commenting on them. Its like wasting your

time on a can full of garbage.

And for Mr. Gavaskar, I hope your son Rohan who was one of the finds and future for Indian Cricket is doing well.

REAL facts about Real Madrid

This is my first blog. And people who know me can tell this easily that I can only write on sports. The day I came to know the meaning of love, passion, I have been doing a free publicity of this sport. Its my first love ------- Footballl

I know blogging is all about sharing your own view. And it is some how tough. Well while surfing i came across this lovely and exciting post. It all deals with the record signings of Real Madrid in Spanish la liga. Wanted to share this amazing piece of research with everyone. Go through this and you will be amazed.

El Presidente Florentino Perez has bought Kaka and Ronaldo at a sum of £150 million.

£150 million is honestly, really more than the annual GDP of twelve countries. If Ronaldo and Kaka combined were a country, they would be have larger economies than Sao Tome and Principe, or the Falkland Islands. For that much money, Perez could have bought every player in the entire Spanish Second Division. Or an entire host of youth academies. Or a fleet of Airbuses for the club. Or a new stadium. Or, if he was really bored and wanted more realistic fantasy football, he could even have bought up Newcastle United.

However, Perez does not seem to have learnt from his mistakes. When he spent huge sums of money on Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and Ronaldo (the old, bald, chubby one), Real won just two league titles and one Champions League in five seasons. But instead of spending his money on rebuilding a squad sensibly, he again splashes it all out on two players, and then attempts to sell the majority of his current squad in a plan to buy other Galacticos.

Wasn't it great thinking and analysing. Well some of my friends who I interact on a global site of sports, they said that it was amazing to see beckham, zidane, ronaldo to play together. But they also commented that real madrid are not doing good with the players who won them the league title and all the glory in the past few years.

Real coach Manuel Pellegrini started selling those players who played a huge part in their la liga title in 07-08 season. Robben, Sneijder, Heinze, Cannavaro(& the list goes on) all were sold out to make the club even on money. It clearly shows they are not loyal to their players. Players like Robben, Saviola etc wanted to stay with Real. But they have to move because Real wanted to make some money.

The question arises, Real Madrid is not loyal to their players and will players understand this and not join Real in the coming years.

Well for all the fans of new 'Galacticos' its a harsh question. Who doesn't want Ronaldo, Kaka, Benzema(maybe Ribery next year or may be messi also) to play alongside each other. But now madrid's own fans are raising this question of royalty.

Everyone knows that all these leagues are called professional leagues and there players are called professionals. They sign an agreement and they play to earn. In a professional world like this, it is harsh to blame a club like Real Madrid for not to be loyal with their players.

Just think why players like Ronaldo, Kaka or maybe benzema left their clubs where they were well established and were fan favourites. They left their clubs where they got their name and made themselves a brand only for money. They were sold for money(maybe). They were not loyal to their club who have given them an identity,

Kaka had offers from Chelsea, Manchester City, Benzema had offers from Manchester United, Arsenal but they still went to Real Madrid. They will always say there is a new challenge. But somewhere in their mind, the money factor is there. If the players are behaving like true professionals and changing clubs for money, why not a club do it. In this football world, still REAL MADRID is a bigger brand then CR9 or Kaka.

Real Madrid is redefining the meaning of a professional club and professional football. They are doing pure business. Investing in new assets selling liabilities(who they think). The players who have to leave Real should not feel bad either. Because in past they left their loyal club and joined real for money. They also did business. So i think this is mutual. You never know, Real may sell Cristiano ronaldo or Kaka for 50million next year itself to buy messi or another star who can come up this season.

I am following this game from past 9 years now and have never seen such an active transfer market. It will be getting competitive every year. I am writing this blog on the day the transfer market closes. Its still 9 hrs to go for the deadline. I will not be surprised to know some more players swapped or sold. Professionalism at its best.

And my penultimate comment to the corporate. You can easily relate attrition in companies with the world of football.

And my last and final comment on parents. Who says you cant learn anything from Football. You can be a professional footballers at 16 yrs of age. And that professionalism you will learn after studying and joining a corporate in 23-24yrs of your age.

If you want to learn the art of Management, just analyse and study football. You will love it.