It was when Zlatan ibrahimovic transferred to Inter Milan in
2006 that he acquired the name “Ibracadabra”.
That Rhymes with what a magician would say when he pulls a
rabbit out of the hat.
But Zlatan doesn’t pull rabbits; he pulls controversy, pulls
criticism, pulls admiration and pulls league title’s…He doesn’t pull the
Champions league though.
Read more after the cut
Let’s indulge in the
life and times of ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC
After the early years in Malmö, The talent of the swede was
so apparent that Mr Arsene “I scout
everybody first but never buy them” Wenger invited Zlatan to Highbury for a
trial.
Unknown to Wenger, Zlatan’s ego had already made manifest.
He told the Frenchman “I don’t do
trials” and as such a transfer was arranged to Ajax in 2001 instead.
As the talent grew, so did the Controversy..Zlatan would produce marvellous moments and some pretty awful ones too like the time when he
Kung fu kicked Egyptian striker Ahmed Mido in the face at halftime for not
passing him the ball.
In his time in Holland, Ibrahimovic won two Eredivise titles,
a KNVB cup and the johan cruyff shield but he also fell out with then Golden
boy Rafael van der vaart after
allegedly ”intentionally” injuring
his then Ajax colleague in an international match between Holland and Sweden..
A sudden sale was arranged to Juventus because quite literally, Van der vaart
was at that point viewed as the future of Holland.. His career could not be
risked.. He would be chosen over Zlatan.
In May 2012, van der Vaart reignited the bitter feud between both
players when he was filmed practicing his golf swing on Ibrahimović's face but
that’s for another day.
At Juventus, Zlatan excelled in his first season under
taskmaster Fabio capello as he competed for striking positions with Mutu,
Delpiero, Uruguayan Marcelo Zalayeta and a half the time injured Trezeguet..Safe to say
Juventus won the referees and the League in that season and Ibrahimovic scored
16goals to mark his emergence in a major league.
The next season was a different salad in many ways as
Capello sought more from David trezeguet and somebody had to be sacrificed.
That was Zlatan..
He showed his frustration that season with woeful
performances in the champion’s league and also when he taught teammate Jonathan
Zebina a thing or two about Taekwondo kicks in a training ground bust up.
After 7goals in the league season from a wide position in a
superior side that had the then Top midfield of Viera, Emerson and Nedved, Juventus
won the league but then got relegated to the second division because of the
calciopoli scandal.
Zlatan’s agent Mino raiola (balotelli’s agent as
well..Similarities anyone?) threatened legal action if his client wasn’t let go
and as such a transfer to Inter in 2006 was arranged.. We have now gone full
circle.
At Inter, Many of Roberto Mancini and Jose mourinho’s team
talks were discarded in favour of a few words, “Get the ball to Zlatan”..He became the life blood of the side as
Obafemi martins was moved on and the then Emperor Adriano suffered with
depression.
As a king for 3years, he won titles. But the lingering
doubts about European performances continued..
Then came the purported solution. Why not join the dominant
force and European champions at the time.
A transfer to Barcelona was concluded..Joining forces with
Messi, Xavi, iniesta and under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola.. Surely this was
the end to Zlatan’s woes??
Things did not start badly, after 7games the goal tally was
seven. The 8th was the winner in the almighty El clasico against
Real Madrid. At that point even Lionel messi when unsure would “Get the ball to Zlatan”..
The trouble then began when the saintly Messi decided he
wanted to play front and centre in Zlatan’s role…Safe to say that was the end
of their relationship as teammates.. After a league title and a champions
league semi-final exit at the hands of Inter Milan which he’d left a year ago, Zlatan
then subsequently fell out with pep Guardiola and the rest as they say is AC
Milan’s history.
At AC Milan Zlatan won the Serie A in his first season in
2010 pretty much on his own, literally sweating blood and carrying the team on
his back. He was therefore on a streak of eight
straight league wins in three different countries and with five different
clubs, including the later stripped wins with Juventus..The first Champions league
experience was ended by Tottenham hotspur at the second round stage and in the next
season, Barcelona would be the Obstacle..
Here
again Zlatan encountered problems. He tested his taekwondo skills against then
Ac Milan Defender Oguchi onyewu at the milanello training ground.. In his
autobiography Zlatan described Onyewu as “a
beast of a man” describing the fight as one which seemed like something out
of a Gladiator movie…In other words, Onyewu was no mido or Zebina.
Financial
problems came calling at Ac Milan and Zlatan transferred to PSG this 2012..and
at the age of 31 when most careers start to wind down, Zlatan says that he feels
as fine as wine.
He assumes
that he gets better every year.. Statistics don’t disagree with this as he has
already bagged 17goals in 15 league appearances.
But
realistically, do PSG have a chance to crown Zlatan with the Uefa Champions
league?
They
have a champion’s league winning coach in Carlo Ancelotti but not much else.
Most players like Javier Pastore, Christophe Jallet, Marco Verratti, Blaise Matuidi
and Clement Chantome are participating in the competition for the first time
even though there’s the experience of Diego Lugano, Thiago silva, Maxwell and
Alex to guide the hands of the unsteady.
Still
it looks like Time is running out for the Zlatan..
He
has intimated he will stay 3years at the Paris based side.. At which time he
will be 34.
Will
PSG have won the Champions league by that time.. I’ll tell you no if I’m asked.
Most
of the arguments about Zlatan contain the word “bully” and the phrase “falls
short at the highest level” Such is the narcissistic plane that is football
that this talent will continue to be judged on what he doesn’t possess rather
than what he does.
This
genius will be long gone before reality comes to bear.
Watching
Zlatan sometimes, I feel like I’m at a circus and the magician who is supposed
to produce a pigeon from his coat sleeve ends up producing a winged lizard. It
takes some getting used to..
Many
haven’t had the Patience.
Such is his Character..
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