BIG WHOOP
In idle moments Football Daily occasionally wonders if in idle moments Harry Kane occasionally wonders what might have been if he hadn’t played that Big Cup final on one leg. Does he ponder an alternate universe where he’d selflessly elected to settle for a cameo from the bench, so a fully fit, firing and bang in-form Lucas Moura could take his place against a conspicuously sub-par Liverpool? While he might not feel he’d earned it, he could conceivably have a winner’s medal to his name and his current predicament might not look so frustrating. A predicament that could see him end the season sweeping all before him in the European Golden Boot as part of an all-conquering Bayern Munich team that for the first time in 12 years somehow contrives through the shortcomings of others to conquer nothing.
While writing this season’s obituary would be premature, Bayern have already lost the German Super Cup, been dumped out of Proper Cup by third-tier opposition and trail an unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen, who recently wiped the floor with them, in the Bundesliga. To make matters worse, Bayern lost the first leg of Big Cup’s round of 16 to Lazio on the back of a performance that could scarcely have been more pedestrian if it was walking around Norwich city centre. While their season may be unravelling faster than a snagged cardigan, Bayern could still turn things around but on current form it seems unlikely. While nobody but the most vindictive Gooner wants to see Harry end this season wandering around yet another football field clapping forlornly and looking wistful, such a scenario currently seems all too likely.
“Really tough week,” said Harry, on the back of a performance which earned him back-to-back snake-belly low ratings from the German tabloid Bild. “In the first half, we started well and had clear chances, one for myself. In these games, they’re big moments. The second half was disappointing. We came out with less energy and less confidence. We got punished. We have to find it among ourselves. We’re still in the race for the Bundesliga and still in this tie. We have to keep fighting.”
Meanwhile in Paris, perennial chokers Paris Saint-Germain were doing a more than passable impersonation of Bayern as they stank up the Parc des Princes during the first half of their first leg against Real Sociedad. While it may have been Valentine’s night, it was Parisienne opprobrium rather than love in the air as Kylian Mbappé and chums were out-pressed, out-passed and outfought by comparative paupers. Eventually, Mbappé and young Bradley Barcola scored the goals that will make their second leg capitulation all the more amusing, much to the relief of PSG manager Luis Enrique.
“If someone had told me after the first half we are going to win 2-0, I’m going to dance for two hours,” he said, going so far as to bust out some moves to illustrate his point to TNT’s touchline reporter. “It was like a nightmare; it was very, very difficult. I think in the second half, it was more what we wanted so I am very happy.” In a competition where the defending champions are playing football so sublime it resembles a completely different sport, one suspects Pep Guardiola will be the last manager smiling.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“For various reasons, there was a conclusion that coach [Jürgen] Klinsmann can no longer exercise leadership as the national team’s coach and needs to be replaced,” Hwang Bo-kwan, the South Korea FA technical director, told reporters after an emergency summit to discuss the German manager’s future in the wake of the country’s disappointing defeat to Jordan in the Asian Cup semi-finals. Klinsmann – who repeatedly faced criticism for often working in Los Angeles, where he lives, despite initially saying he would spend much of his time in South Korea for the job – took part in Thursday’s meeting via video call from his US home.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
“It occurs to me that Sonia Bompastor and assistant Camille Abily could ably fulfill the dual mission of taking over Chelsea’s men’s team as well as the women’s. The former play worse than the latter who require less coaching and team selection” – Graham Lees.
“Son freak-knacking himself playing table tennis is one thing [Wednesday’s Football Daily], but no list of the above is complete without Liverpool goalie Michael Stensgaard dislocating his shoulder setting up his ironing board” – Kev McCready.
“Can I be the first of the 1,057 readers to mention Robbie Keane in response to today’s Football Daily email? Robbie managed to hurt himself reaching for the remote control while lying in bed. There was also Dean Windass who hurt his back lifting his bag out of the car, and of course Santiago Cañizares, who missed the 2002 World Cup when he dropped a bottle of aftershave, which shattered and severed a tendon in his foot” – Brendan Mac Carron.
“According to Big Website, ‘Brexit means Brexit’ is apparently what kids now shout in North London when they do a tackle that doesn’t go for the ball and just takes the player out (or ‘Doing a Vinnie Jones‘ in old money). Taking back control and all that” – Noble Francis.
“In relation to Mark Bennett’s letter yesterday, just to note Bayern technically did run up a cricket score against Lazio” – Bryan Paisley.
Send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Brendan Mac Carron.
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