What, Me Worry?

The plot thickens as more information trickles out in regards to the supposed West Ham United takeover by the mysterious company MSI (Media Sport Investment), which is itself a "subsidiary of a secretive investment firm registered in the British Virgin Islands" as reported over at The Guardian. As a West Ham fan I'm excited by the two Argentinians, Tevez and Mascherano, being snatched up by the club. But the fine print is so much more worrying and should fill any fan with trepidation about the future of the club and the Premiership as a whole. Or should it? Isn't this the way of the football world now, at least in regards to the top tier teams? If you don't have the cash, you don't win championships. West Ham are now at a position to challenge the top clubs in the Premiership--Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal--and has a good chance to wind up in sixth place by the end of the season come spring . . . or perhaps even higher. The scruffy working class yet oddly sleek and modern East London club is vying for something bigger and greater for their treasure chest and their supporters. But at what cost? Am I being naive about this? Or am I being naive in not being more worried about the whole thing?

You can read more about Tevez, Mascherano, and the West Ham affair here.

And speaking of great Argentinian players, Juan Roman Riquelme--the fabulous, intelligent tactician of the national team this past World Cup--is hanging up his boots on the international front and will now devote his attention to his ailing mother and his day job at Villarreal. I'm absolutely floored and saddened by this announcement and hope that he'll return to the national team sometime down the line. Riquelme's smooth slowing down of a game's tempo and his expertise at delivering the right pass at a crucial moment or delivering a brutal finish when an opponent is vulnerable, is a joy to behold. But if Riquelme is off, not engaged in the creative build-up of a match, the whole thing can come undone resulting in lethargic passing with nowhere to go. Sad, sad news. You can read more about Argentina's Dr. Mabuse here and here.