Footie Moments of 2007

It’s time again to reflect on memories of the year that’s just passed. Last year, in this space, I claimed to be an inveterate optimist. That optimism has both been rewarded and punished. So, yes, as in every year there have been ups and downs. Here are some of the most memorable:

Game of the Year – The Copa America Final, in which Brazil’s Baptista and Alves dismantled Argentina – the best side in international football.

Goal of the Year – Taylor “Double T” Twellman’s bicycle kick goal in the Eastern Conference Final against Chicago. Shame about the Final.

Player of the Year – Carlos Tevez. The Hulk single-handedly saved the Hammers’ bacon last season. This season he’s made a seamless transition to leading the line for ManYoo with Wayne Rooney.

Team of the Year – Inter Milan. Take a look at the recent derby with AC Milan – no mugs, those lot. With Toldo, Matterazzi, Zanetti, Solari, Figo, Suazo, Cruz and Ibrahimovic, they can afford to leave the likes of Patrick Vieira and Hernan Crespo cooling their bums on the bench. They’re frightening.

Soft Spot – Sven’s new-look Citeh. Arsenal and ManYoo aside, they’re playing some of the best stuff in the Premiership this season. With the silky smoothness of Elano and Petrov you can almost forgive the presence of the lumbering Richard Dunne on the backline. And their new 19 year old find Kelvin Etuhu appears to be English. Pinch me – I’m dreaming!

Best Moment – A shrimp boil meal with the Gooner and family and then celebrating the
ultimate of improbabilities in the footie world – the U.S. taking the lead against mighty Argentina in the Copa. For a moment, anything looked possible…then the Argentinians destroyed us, and we could only sit and admire the art and beauty of their football.

Worst Moment – A tie between Leeds’ tragic and historic drop to the third tier of English league football and England’s disastrous collapse in the Euro 2008 campaign. I still rue not following the Croatia game live, thinking that it was all in the bag only to return at half time to a 0-2 deficit.

Funniest Moment – GOL TV’s Geordie madman Ray Hudson’s Copa America
commentary. My favorite Hudsonism – “I’d pay good money to see Juan Roman (Riquelme) hang up his washing on the line.” Click on the YouTube clip above for more moments of Hudson magic.

Hope for 2008 – Fairly obvious again; promotion back to the Championship for
the Whites. Wisey seems to have righted the ship; if it weren’t for the ludicrous fifteen-point deduction, we’d be ten points up on league leaders Swansea. Oh, and perhaps Don Fabio can make something of England? There’s always hope for the next campaign, eh?

And thanks to the LOB contributors for brightening the footie this past year.