Leahy Institute

Tag: world cup 2010

  • Will Messi Lead Argentina to World Cup?

    – John Leahy

    Lionel Messi has been in superb form for his club Barcelona this year. He has scored 31 goals in all competitions for Barca so far, just behind Wayne Rooney of Manchester United with 32. Barca is poised to possibly win both Champions League and La Liga again. Messi’s national team Argentina, on the other hand, qualified with difficulty for World Cup 2010. With Messi voted Footballer of the Year in 2009 and on track to be chosen again in 2010, is he capable of leading the talented but erratic Argentina national team to the ultimate glory?

    Spain and Brazil have both impressed during the qualifiers and are the favorites coming into the tournament. The Netherlands, Germany, Italy and England all performed well in qualifying, but the competition level in South Africa will be sturdier than most of what they had to face in the preliminary rounds.

    Diego Maradona has not convinced the world about his coaching acumen yet, having qualified by a disturbingly slim margin. He does have a talented team with a good mix of experience and youth and a tradition of being among the elite of the world. The question remains if Maradona can get Argentina on track through the short tournament to live up to their tremendous potential and battle it out with more consistent performers like Spain and Brazil.  With a gem like Messi on the squad, I would say Argentina has the potential to go all the way.

  • Leave John Terry Alone

    – John Leahy

    Enough tabloid scandal already! Another human being acted like a human being and got caught. If you had the chance to touch Vanessa Perroncel you would do it and then lie about it or put on a phony public mask about how moral you are. Let’s not worry so much about other people’s sex lives. It is a personal matter and this constant fascination with other people’s bedroom activities is pathetic. Let’s let John Terry deal with his own personal affairs and go to South Africa with the English National team to World Cup 2010 and wish him good luck.

  • Landon Donovan Making It In English Premier League

    – John Leahy

    I have never been a big fan of Landon Donovan, but I have to admit he has finally shown he has enough character to be successful on a larger stage than the MLS since his transfer to Everton in the English Premier League. By success, I don’t mean to imply that Donovan dominating or starring in England, but simply that he is demonstrating that he fits in and belongs at that level. That in itself is a success for American soccer players struggling to attain respect in world soccer. Hitherto, Donovan’s career has been marred by several attempts to crack into the starting formations at two big clubs in the German Bundesliga, Bayerleverkusen and Bayern Munich. His failures and subsequent returns to star in the MLS made him look like a big frog in a small pond. At least now he is demonstrating that he is good enough and mature enough to be where he is and play for a good team in one of the top leagues in the world. This is a positive step for the US National Team as it prepares for World Cup 2010.