VOX POPULI
by
AAM ADMI
Issue No. : N 007
Issue Date: 21 Nov 2022
Contents:
1. The Ronaldo Story
2. Criticising Nehru & Others by Modi & Other BJP Leaders
3. Putin's Misadventure in Ukraine
4. Bringing the T20I World Cup Cricket Trophy Home To London
5. The BJP's Double Engine Government
The Ronaldo Story: 20 Nov 2022
Ronaldo after a long silence and many slights by manager Ten Hag has finally spoken and decided to come clean about his problems with Manchester United. Like they say it is never too late. With Ten Hag not putting Ronaldo in the starting line-up on many occasions during the current EPL season, there was not much choice left for Ronaldo. Overall if you see without Ten Hag football will not be the loser but if you do not have Ronaldo on the field football is the biggest loser and more so to the fans. Ten Hag has recently made a statement that Manchester United can do without Ronaldo. That we have been seeing with the team's up and down performance, more down than up, lately. Also Ten Hag has nothing much to commend himself as a coach but for a truncated stint at Bayern Munich and then a longish term at Ajax. Ajax is not so much a top tier side in European football these days. Thus Ten Hag's credentials are suspect as also his ability to deal with top tier players and teams. He could have handled the whole matter with Ronaldo differently and with more finesse. There was no need to stir up things to a flashpoint. There is a possibility also that Ten Hag may have deliberately ignited this issue to save his skin from getting fired because of the clubs ragged performance after he took over. There were a number of celebrated sackings of coaches in the EPL like Tuchel at Chelsea and also across Europe. So what better than to make out an issue out of Ronaldo who is bound to attract headlines and divert the media and club management attention away from Ten Hag himself. In that he has been very successful one must admit as we see how the issue has shaped up. One must however admit that Ronaldo has also been at fault, first as a senior player he should have respected the team management decisions about his playing times in the matches in the interest of discipline. And secondly, in giving the TV interview, possibly in contravention of his contract which will get him into trouble. It is being reported now that the club has been consulting their lawyers in trying to find a way on how to deal with the problem. When lawyers get into the act it is hard for players to get the upper hand and it will be very unfortunate if Ronaldo has to leave Manchester United. But one must say that Ronaldo has got his timing right, in fact perfect, in precipitating the matter. With the football World Cup commencing on 20th Nov and Ronaldo leading Portugal in the Cup, he will be doing what he likes best, playing football. While Ten Hag and the club management at Manchester United is kept occupied with what to do with Ronaldo when the EPL resumes on Boxing Day. If Ronaldo does well at the World Cup with Portugal, he ups his value. If he realises that then it will be good for the World Cup and we should be able to see great football. If he does not do well at Qatar then with the likelihood of Manchester United closing their doors on him, he may have to consider going out to pasture in the US or elsewhere. Australian football has already said that they would welcome him but the compensation package may not be as good as his present one. Ronaldo one way or the other will have to take a hit at the fag end of his career. This is rather unfortunate and football will be the greatest loser. The best way out of this mess is to have Sir Alex Ferguson step in. He was instrumental in getting Ronaldo to join Manchester United this time. He can prevail on the club management to have Ten Hag leave the club and get some other manager and have Ronaldo continue with Manchester United. That will be the best thing for football and Manchester United, one feels since Ten Hag is disposable while Ronaldo is less so. Whether the Glazers will accept it or not is another story.
Criticising Nehru & Others by Modi & Other BJP Leaders: 18 Nov 2022
The tendency of the BJP leaders with Narendra Modi in the lead of slandering our past leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and others is shameful. The latest to make a statement against Nehru is Central Minister Rijiju who one wonders whether he was even born when Nehru was alive. These people are aping Modi in criticising our past leaders with the intention probably of pleasing him, in the manner of - Follow The Leader. The present crop of leaders that the BJP has are no comparison to our past leaders and do not have even a fraction of the personality that the earlier leaders possessed, let alone try to compare themselves and their present achievements and contributions to the nation, with those of the past leaders. The present lot also fail to realise it is easy to now sit and criticise these past leaders since we are not fully aware of the situation and circumstances that prevailed when they took whatever decisions. Instead of delving into the past our current leaders of the BJP and other parties should concentrate on the present and tackle the prevailing problems that are on their plate. A self-review of their actions and activities will show on their part complete ennui and mishandling in dealing with matters presently in front of society and the State. This is precisely the reason why the country is hurtling down the slippery slope of performance in all spheres of activity be it economic or otherwise. The present critique brigade of our past leaders should think of how history would judge them and their performance maybe 50 years hence. Or maybe they will be completely ignored for not having done anything meaningful in public life.
Putin's Misadventure in Ukraine: 17 Nov 2022
Putin in the Ukraine war has unintentionally one would assume exposed the vulnerabilities of the Russian military apparatus. The latest withdrawal from the Kherson area emphasises this. It is not only just that but there have been reports that the Russian army has been running out of ammunition and supplies have been coming in from even North Korea via the Gulf. The continuing war will thus end up not serving Russia's interests and in the event of a military confrontation with the West in the future it will have to deal with a more aggressive NATO and the US. The West have in the battlegrounds around the world in modern times like in Afghanistan and Iraq have used these conflicts to test their latest armaments and weapons and thus improve their military capabilities. In contrast Putin in Ukraine has exposed to his enemies the flaws that are existing in the supposed might of an armed Russia. Thus it would leave Russia as a doddering old man wagging its atomic weapons as a last resort. In Putin's misadventure in Ukraine has been laid the ground of Russia's demise as an influential member of the world polity.
Bringing the T20I World Cup Cricket Trophy Home To London: 15 Nov 2022
In the T20I World Cup cricket final England at Melbourne y/day, 13th, again showed consistency in disposing off their opponents, Pakistan who were a pale shadow of the team that beat the Kiwis in the semi-finals. England after some reversals in the league games peaked at the right moment. Buttler's understated captaincy, Curran and Rashid's ability to lock down the opposing batsmen and Stokes' 'Rock of Gibraltar' act brought the T20 trophy home. What a cricketer, this Stokes is, a Mr Cool like no other. One still remembers his innings against Australia in England at Headingley in 2019 where he stood like a wall against the pace trio of Cummins, Hazlewood and Pattinson with the help of the tail and took England to victory with an unbeaten 135. As Buttler commented earlier with Stokes in the team and at the crease at crunch time, he has less of worries. Stokes proved this and more during the finals on Sunday. Congratulations to England for adding the T20I World Cup trophy to the ODI trophy already with them. Way to go Buttler, Stokes and the rest of the English team.
The BJP's Double Engine Government: 14 Nov 2022
The BJP has for long been touting the Double Engine model of having the same party in power in the States as that at the Centre. There is undoubtedly some merit in that argument and where it happens in the normal course it is alright. But we have seen since 2014, what happens if this does not work out through the ballot the BJP goes all out to engineer it through Operation Lotus of toppling governments. The process involves the buying out of the other party legislators through the massive war chest of funds that the BJP now commands. When even this does not work the BJP then uses the Governor Torpedo to create nuisance for legally elected governments in its attempt to de-stabilise them. Every single non-BJP government in the States has had and is having varying degrees of interference by their Governors, notorious among which was Vice-President Dhankar who was elevated to his present position as a reward, one would assume, because of the constant pestering he was indulging in against Mamata Banerjee's TMC government in Bengal. This will undoubtedly encourage other incumbent Governors to intensify their nuisance in hopes of better loaves of office. Thus the BJP's motto seems to be Double Engine government at any cost. Come Hell or High Water!
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If you have any issues with the contents of this blog, you can respond to:
S Kamat
Mob: 0 7218698906
Email: kamatsrinivas@hotmail.com
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