Sports FRIDAY, MAY 23, 2014 Simeone creates winning mentality

BARCELONA: Atletico Madrid have set play and typified the emphasis that fans of Madrid and Barcelona that congratu- told El Pais recently. become the mirror image of Diego Simeone Simeone puts on strategy. late me for what we are doing and that As a coach he was similarly organised, as a well-organised and hard-working team He is constantly looking ahead during makes me proud,” added the 44-year-old. learning the ropes first with clubs in with a fierce commitment and a strong matches, second-guessing the opposition “Fans of all the teams in Spain can identify Argentina and he then spent time studying rebellious streak. and ready to switch personnel or tactics. and feel a small part of this Atletico Madrid. Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola. Prowling the touchline dressed all in Atletico’s team includes many players that “I watched Mourinho training for a week black and with his hair slicked back, had never experienced success until the FAN FAVOURITE and then for another I watched Guardiola. Simeone cultivated a kind of gangster look arrival of Simeone, who instilled his winning Simeone showed the same fighting spirit “Whether you like Mourinho’s style or not is as he sought to unsettle Real Madrid and mentality and a “match by match” philoso- as a player with Atletico, helping them win open to discussion but he has won in differ- Barcelona, the football establishment in phy. He took over at the end of 2011 with the domestic Spanish league and cup dou- ent places and this has a lot of merit. “The Spain. The combative Argentine refused to the team struggling in the league and made ble in 1996. He was a fan favorite for his atti- teams that defend well are as important as accept publicly that Atletico, with far inferior an immediate impact as they marched up tude which he puts down to his upbringing those that attack well. If you don’t concede resources, would be able to compete with the table and finished in fifth place before at home and coming through the youth sys- goals it is much easier to win but it is all the big two over a full season but with effort beating Athletic Bilbao to win the Europa tem at his first club Velez Sarsfield in about having balance.” and a never say die attitude he was ready for League. Simeone was in his element as Argentina. He was born in the Palermo dis- Atletico will now look to stick to their the challenge. Atletico showed by beating Chelsea in the trict of Buenos Aires and began playing game plan when they face Real Madrid in Atletico, by a distance, were the most European Super Cup that they were ready football on the street, but he did not have a the Champions League final on Saturday consistent of the three teams fighting for to challenge the continent’s elite. In a fur- disadvantaged childhood with his mother a and their attitude will play a key part for the La Liga title, basing their play on a rock- ther sign of what was to come, they won the hairdresser and his father a salesman. them. “From when I started to play with a solid defence and wearing down the oppo- King’s Cup after stunning their more afflu- Simeone says it is from his parents that he ball I wanted to win everything,” Simeone sition with their pressing game. ent neighbours Real 2-1 in the final in Real’s learned to work hard and he was also influ- said. “Psychology is important but motiva- Diego Godin’s header against Barcelona own Bernabeu arena. enced by the routine at Sarsfield. “There tion is something that if you don’t have it at the Nou Camp on Saturday, that earned “We are showing that with work you can they taught me values, wash your clothes, inside then you can’t provide it. “My team Atletico the draw they needed to win the compete,” Simeone said in a recent inter- respect, order, everything that helps you in talks are spontaneous, I think it is the best championship, was yet another goal from a view with Spanish radio. “There are a lot of life. From order you start living better,” he way for them to listen.” — Reuters Prankster Toure, the wrong kind of blue

LONDON: Yaya Toure, you prankster. It is just a cheeky joke, right? Surely you and your agent are simply pulling our legs, making pre- World Cup mischief, with all his silly talk of you feeling unloved and blue? Not Manchester City blue. Not even the most naive fan will be buying that threadbare line for much longer. Because the more Dimitry Seluk speaks, the more he makes his player look a fool and a Neil Lennon vulture whose respect for the club that pays his handsome wage only stretches so far. Say it ain’t so, Yaya. “Upset” is the word Seluk used this week to describe the mindset of the best midfielder in the Lennon quits as Celtic . But what has Toure got to be blue about? In a word, nothing. boss for ‘next challenge’ He surely can’t feel that he’s had a poor season. With 20 goals in the Premier League, Toure was magnificent, at times unstoppable GLASGOW: Neil Lennon yesterday quit as manager of Celtic after with his rare combination of Fred Astaire feet, a wrestler’s strength a successful four years in charge of the Glasgow giants, his agent and sprinter’s speed all packed into an imposing 6-foot-2 frame. announced. Martin Reilly, his agent, said: “Four years is a good His strike against Aston Villa on May 7 was truly a thing of wonder. spell to be manager of a club like Celtic but now Neil wants to In the 93rd minute, when players without his power and stamina are look ahead to the next chapter of his career.” on their last legs, Toure careened bull-like across half the pitch, with Under Lennon Celtic have won the Scottish title for the past four Villa hangers-on in his wake, to score one of the best goals any- three years. The 42-year-old former Northern Ireland internation- where in Europe. So nothing to make him miserable there. Neither al was Celtic captain under Gordan Strachan, taking over from can Toure be feeling sad about winning the Premier League again as boss of the Hoops’ in March 2010. with City, for the second time in just three years. Winning trophies, making history, turning City into the new force of English football. Bookmakers make former Celtic hero Henrik Larsson — cur- Isn’t that the sort of glory young boys with heads full of football rently in charge of Swedish outfit Falkenbergs — as odds on dream of when they look up at posters of Toure on their bedroom favorite to replace Lennon as Hoops boss. walls? BBC Scotland quoted Lennon as saying: “I have parted compa- Well, that and Toure’s money, of course. Leaving Barcelona in ny with Celtic. I can’t thank Peter Lawwell and the board enough 2010 to play for Abu Dhabi owners willing to pay whatever it takes to for their backing and support. “The club are in a very strong posi- make City the next master of the universe was the smart business tion and I wish the fans and the club all the very best for the move. Forbes magazine ranks Toure among the world’s 100 best-paid future.” As well as success in the league Lennon has also helped athletes, with his current four-year deal worth up to $20 million annu- Celtic claim two wins and masterminded their run to ally in salary and performance bonuses. In short, a bulging wallet is the last 16 of last season’s Champions League. no reason for Toure to feel sorry for himself, either. That European campaign also included the famous Parkhead And yet, on British radio and television, Seluk has been spouting Yaya Toure win over Barcelona and former Leicester midfielder Lennon is all sorts of nonsense. Stuff about how City supposedly neglected to now expected to continue his career in England. congratulate Toure and no one from the club shook his hand when ego really is so easily bruised or, worse, that he is this spoiled and But despite being linked with the vacant managerial positions he turned 31 last week. “Yaya (is) upset about this. This is not normal,” manipulative - would simply be sad. at Norwich and West Brom, Reilly insists his client has not agreed Seluk told TV broadcaster Sky. How sad it would be if Toure is simply another millionaire football to any job offer yet. He added: “He has nothing lined up. He just Surely that can’t be right? The club did tweet birthday wishes to brat with a super-sensitive ego. How sad it would be if a player so bril- liant on the pitch turns out to be so shallow off it. feels now is the time to move on to the next challenge.” Lennon Toure on May 13 and the BBC showed footage from the club of Toure getting a cake decorated with the City crest and being serenaded. How sad it would be if a player with the talent to be a standout was originally signed by then Parkhead boss Martin O’Neill as a star in Brazil next month is distracted by such absurdities. How sad it player in 2000, going on to win five titles in seven seasons and But this isn’t about cake, it’s about respect, Seluk insisted. Toure apparently feels he isn’t getting enough of it. Other clubs send play- would be if Toure is allowing his representative to trot out paper-thin helping the club reach the 2003 UEFA Cup Final. ers’ families flowers on their birthday, he griped. Russian club Anzhi gripes simply to pressure City into giving him yet more money or to He left in 2007 to join Nottingham Forest but was tempted Makhachkala even gave Brazilian star Roberto Carlos a sports car, he get him out of his contract so he can move elsewhere. Seluk claimed back a year later when Strachan offered him a role on his coach- said. “For Yaya, it’s not necessary a car. For Yaya, not necessary mon- there’s a “50-50” chance Toure will go to another club, although City ing staff. He was offered the top job after Mowbray’s disastrous ey. Only attention. This (is) the main thing,” said Seluk. In another must have other ideas and would have the final word. reign ended following a 4-0 humiliation away to St Mirren. He interview, Seluk said Toure has fought for the club, but “Manchester The latest message on Toure’s verified Twitter account simply suffered an embarrassing Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Ross City forget about him.” Cake? Cars? Attention? Is Seluk talking about a says: “Everything dimitry said is true. He speaks for me. I will give an County just three games into his stint in charge and was pipped hormonal 15-year-old or a man-mountain who’ll soon carry the Ivory interview after world cup to explain.” That, one can only hope, will be to the Scottish title by Rangers a year later after his first full sea- Coast team at the World Cup? where Toure says: “Ho, ho. Did you like our joke?” No, not really. But son in charge. —AFP This must be a practical joke because the alternative - that Toure’s the alternative would be even less funny. — AP