www.Go To The Mountain - Musings of a Potential Guru

The next time I walk past a soccer shop or that King Power shop at Bangkok Airport, I shall walk in and purchase a Leicester City jersey as I said a few weeks into the season, long before they were crowned champions. It was simply because of the way they play so joyfully and fearlessly. I will also do it even if they were not champions as they have given many enough joy! What a befitting ending for the Foxes! Champions of England! They did not have to lift a finger for it to happen but when Tottenham surrendered a 2-0 lead for Chelsea to equalised at 2-2. It was all over. At 5,000 to 1 there is unlikely to be a greater story ever told in soccer folklore and annals. With this betting odds, Leicester's unlikely win is liken to William Hill's odds for (1) Finding Elvis Presley alive! (2) President Obama becoming a baseball pro after leaving the White House! (3) Kim Kardashian being US President in 2020!  Leicester City gave hopes to all teams in particular s...

It is hard to believe to find our very own Hassan Sunny voted in the world's top twenty goalkeepers but I am not surprised that he was voted tops.  What is more, he came in 18th and that is one position than Stoke and England goalie Jack Butland. Butland is the best goalkeeper in the EPL this season based on statistics. I have always said that Hassan Sunny is the better keeper than Izwan Mahmud. He has been in great form playing for his Thai club. Hope to see him playing more for Singapore. Arsenal have an excellent chance this season with City, United and Chelsea all fumbling but they seemed to have failed yet again to capitalise. There is a joke that even if there were only two teams competing Arsenal would still end up fourth. But this is not funny as the Gunners could be caught if they do not start picking up. They are an excellent team playing beautiful soccer but they have become too predictable. Wenger has been too stubborn about not adding a few top players in a few key...

If Liverpool gives you a spine tingling rendition of their Anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone" anywhere especially at Anfield: You'll Never Walk Alone (Gerry And The Pacemakers) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9sFd3Ennhs Here is Gerry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV5_LQArLa0 Then Leicester City should take up this song as their Anthem: If We Hold On Together (Diana Ross) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGVQJKgqgY8 Up to now, to me, the Foxes are already the Champions, they do not even need to win the title. Winning it would be just the icing on the cake. Take manager Claudio Ranieri. He is of international pedigree with a wealth of experience but he was with twelve clubs including Valencia, Athletico Madrid, Chelsea, Juventus and Milan and suffered seven sackings! He has never won any title in the top flight. Look at the Leicester City team which costs only less than 30 million pounds to assemble. Star players Jamie Vardy was a factory worker playing...

With six matches left to play, for ten other teams with seven then Liverpool and Everton left with eight, the decider for the title is now every match. For fans, once again, we are preparing how to counter the withdrawal symptoms. Just keep calm and do not get violent. This weekend, it is business as usual with the Match of the Day at White Hart Lane, where title contender Tottenham host Manchester United. It could make or break for both teams - one for the title and the other for Champions League qualification. The other key game would West Ham v Arsenal.  West Ham v Arsenal - The Hammers need a flawless performance to press on for a place in the Champions League. So too the Gunners who still has slim hopes to win the title. West Ham though undefeated have drawn their last three to Manchester United and Chelsea (both away) which were good results but they have let slipped at home by a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace. Arsenal after consecutive defeats at home to Watford and Barcel...

During the International Week last week, England visited Berlin to play Germany. I was hoping that Roy Hodgson fielded a young team. I mean England is not expected to win the European Championship in France so why not use the occasion to prepare a team for the future? I was shocked when I read that he mentioned Jack Wilshere to be ahead of Eric Dier. How can that be as Wilshere has been out in the cold for so long while Dier to me has been a revelation in that defensive midfield role. For once in quite a long time, England now has three goal-keepers of almost equal standing. Joe Hart is the most experienced and though occasionally prone to error, he is still capable but injured. Jack Butland is currently by statistics the best goalie in the Premier League while Fraser Forster have been as outstanding at Southampton and after a long eight month lay off, came back to keep so many clean sheets as if he was never away. At right-back, Nathaniel Clyne has been very good at Liverpool whi...

It was the first time I remember that the top four teams played on the same weekend. I predicted 2-2 draw for both matches and it was close so it could have been. Not one experts from the press gave Sunderland any hope against Manchester United - one predicted a 2-1 win and three others said 2-0. I felt bad for the Red Devils and predicted a 1-1 draw but Sunderland went one better to win 2-1.  At the beginning of the season, I have said finally Arsenal could have a say as they have the most settled side and they have narrowed the gap to two points by beating Leicester, so too Tottenham who won at Manchester City too.  I find things rather strange and disrespectful when Manchester City or Pep Guardiola announced about his appointment after Pelligrini. Technically City are still in the hunt in all four competition. Under Pep in future, Yaya Toure may be affected in his performance now as he left Barcelona when Pep was there. So too, Juan Mata at Manchester United if Jose Mo...

The Foxes are not just everybody's second favourite team. They are entertaining, enterprising, they fight in every inch of turf, they are confident, they have belief, they are fearless and run themselves to the ground. They are supreme underdogs made into a supreme team.  There must be method in the madness. First of all, they have the right management team in place. Their Thai owners must have known how to connect with their history, tradition and know how to pick the right manager and trainers and from there on found the right players, on the cheap at that and transformed them into ''a team'' who fought for one another. It begins at the top.  Who would not love an underdog. That is what life is about too. Money can't buy you success. The old tradition of hard work in itself is humility. Not a get rich quick scheme. Not about one famous manager nor a few famous players. Leicester City have given hope to all that we can dream and despite the unfair advantag...

Norwich 4 Liverpool 5, what an incredible game! Bu for Liverpool to have conceded four goals to Norwich who hardly scored meant there is a porous back-line and that Norwich is even worse. Leicester City were back at their best and deservedly topped the table again. I mean who could beat Stoke City 3-0 these days? You could see the Foxes were confident, never stopped running and were hungry with Mahrez threatening and Vary scoring again. You stare into Vardy's eyes and you could sense the hunger. They were not only hungry but thirsty. After all, they have a player called Danny Drinkwater.  Meanwhile Tottenham back their title credentials with an emphatic away 3-1 win over Palace and you should have watched how 19 year-old Dele Alli scored a world-class goal which to me was reminiscent of goals that could only be scored by Glen Hoddle or Paul Gascoigne. Surely England have a mouth-watering player at their disposal. Alli took the ball harmlessly with almost his back to goal, flic...

Without doubt, the best EPL season ever! England has also benefited greatly this season as the forays of young English players gave a glimpse into the future of the England national team. Arsenal offers Kieran Gibbs (26), Calum Chambers (21), Oxlade-Chamberlian (22), Jack Wilshere (24-injured), Theo Walcott (26), Danny Welbeck (25-injured). Leicester have Benjamin Chilwell (21), Jamie Vardy (29). Manchester City have Joe Hart (28), Raheem Sterling (21), Febian Delph (26). Tottenham and manager Pochettino may probably contribute the most - Eric Dier (22), Danny Rose (25), Kyle Walker (25), Dele Alli (19), Andy Townsend (24), Ryan Mason (24), Harry Kane (22). Manchester United offers Phil Jones (23), Luke Shaw (20-injured), Chris Smalling (26), Jesse Lingard (23), Wayne Rooney (30). Stoke offers one very promising goalkeeper - Jack Butland (22). Liverpool - Jon Flanagan (23-injured), Joe Gomez (18-injured), Nathaniel Clyne (24), Adam Lallana (27), Jordan Henderson (25), Danny Ings (23-i...

Arsenal are in pole position albeit by goal difference. It is their title to lose. We are at the toughest period of the league from Christmas through the New Year. There are clearer signs of who could be champions, the top four and the relegation candidates. The January transfer window opens. How will teams do business for a game changer?  Meanwhile, Lionel Messi has just won the Ballon d'Or for a record fifth time. There has never been a more dominant player ever! Messi voted for team mate Luis Suarez who was to my surprise not even in the top three while Cristiano Ronaldo voted for team mate Karim Benzema. That made him the best of all time as nobody has won four let alone five and he is only just 28! He has beaten all records and he made it look so easy yet remain humble and for the love of the game.  (EPL Best Goals!): https://www.facebook.com/premierleague/videos/1251003694924043/?pnref=story  Tottenham v Sunderland - Tottenham are fourth and impressive. Wh...