SIKANKU: Does Chelsea really need Kaka?

Chelsea needs to finish off all the foreplay by poaching players with proven penetrative abilities.

By Etse Sikanku

This morning, I woke up to news that Chelsea is planning a swoop for Madrid and Brazilian midfield star, Kaka. Not that my opinion matters at Stamford Bridge. After all, they’ve just made history by winning a cup double. Ancelotti has done what almighty Jose Mourinho, the demigod of the blues, couldn’t do. And for the Italian to have done this only in his first year on the job is truly remarkable.

But Chelsea does not need another Michael Ballack. Ballack, for all his reputation typifies the ageing (think Drogba, Anelka, Deco,) and blunted (think Kalou, Obi, Sturridge) group of Chelsea players who need to be cleared out if the club is to make any headway in the Champions league next season.

Terry and Lampard can make all the noise about a historical domestic double but in between those lines we all know they’d readily switch both cups for a Champions league medal. In fact, it’s no secret that these domestic trophies became only a consolation target after missing out on Europe’s biggest prize.

So it’s understandable that Kaka—a champions league winner in 2007—has become a major target. But after a disappointing season at Madrid, this fellow is way past his time. Greeted with pomp and pageantry (and of course the cash) on his arrival at Madrid, Kaka has failed to meet expectations at the El Bernabéu.

You’d think that after Shevchenko’s (another Milan alumni) disappointing gig at the bridge, Chelsea will be wiser. Should the move materialize, this will be no different from Ronaldinho’s move to Milan, Henry’s to Barca or Berbatov’s switch to United last season. If football is romantic—as Barcelona and Arsenal have often shown—then why seek intercourse when a player is all but de- flowering.

I mean, all things being equal, don’t we all like our girls fresh, ripe and at their prime? What Chelsea needs are players at their peak; virgin players who haven’t been overused or mutilated. Or at worst flowering players with sweet attractive footballing nectar. The likes of Villa, Silva and Torres who will massage balls, wow opponents and mesmerize their supporters to full climax. Truth be told: Abramovich wants that European trophy as badly as any team in Europe. And to capture it, Chelsea needs to finish off all the foreplay with excellent penetration next season.

After coaching him in Milan, does Ancelotti know a thing or two about Kaka that we don’t know? Or is this just about a sentimental re-union? Don’t forget that the Chelsea coach also wants AC Milan pair Alexandre Pato and Thiego Silva at the Bridge. Is Ancelotti simply trying to save the careers of his former players, create another Milan in England or does he really think these are players Chelsea needs? Simply, is Kaka a good buy for Chelsea? Should he be their prime target or should they focus on other better players?

WoOp: Inter Milan draw first blood as Roma crushes in Coppa Italia final

Etse Sikanku,WoO

Inter Milan have just claimed the first of a possible treble by racing past title rivals Roma in the Italian Super Cup Final. Amidst claims and counter claims regarding Lazio’s luckstre performance last weekend, there was no love lost between both clubs in a high tension game at the Stadio Olimpico stadium.

However Inter will be worried after play maker Wesley Sneijder came off as early as the first minute after injuring his thigh. Undoubtedly the Dutch midfielder has been at the heart of Inter’s fairytale season and Inter fans will be hoping his injury isn’t a major one.

The victory will no doubt intensify morale for an already highly motivated team which is still riding on the huge reputation of crushing almighty Barcelona—Spain’s supposedly unconquerable soccer citadel—out the Champions League. With two points at the summit of the Italian League, Jose Mourinho’s team is on course to make history as the first in Italy to win a treble.

For now, Congrats to Inter for another labored but accomplished performance. This was pure Mourinho: forget style, get the early goal, and shut the enemy. And it was a task the black and blue warriors were all too eager to accomplish after perfecting the act all season.

In the mean time did anyone see how Balotelli was wickedly kicked by Totti towards the end of the game for absolutely no reason at all? It makes me wonder whether Roma are just sore losers or pure racist. There was totally no reason for it. Also does anyone know how serious Sneijder’s injury is? Congrats to Inter for a well deserved victory. Now go ye therefore and conquer Italy and Europe. Adios!

SIKANKU: Re-branding Ghana’s World Cup jersey: Kente or kokonte ne nkatenkwan?

This summer, Ghana will make her second appearance at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. While most discussions will be about soccer skills, and understandably so, this event presents a rare branding opportunity for the country. The jury is still out on whether or not we’re likely to win the coveted cup but lately I’ve been thinking about other ways Ghana can make the most of this golden opportunity.

Why has a country with such a rich cultural tradition been so mediocre when it comes to our national jerseys?

Year after year we experiment and toss out an array of kits which are hardly unique. The all- white jersey is just too common at both club and national levels-so much so that it smacks of a lack of imagination by the GFA. The all-gold jersey had a tinge of identity but there was always something colonial about it. It reminds me of our colonial name, the Gold Coast. Then, there’s the recently adopted all-red which is simply unbearable to watch. There’s just nothing Ghanaian about it.

At the risk of belaboring the point, soccer is more than just a game. Those who know more about branding than I do say sporting events have always been a gold mine for image building. And, national jerseys have always evoked some level of passion among supporters.

If so, why have we been reluctant to adopt the Kente design as our preferred brand for the national kit? I’m sure this argument has been made somewhere before, but I’m not sure where and what became of it.

Admittedly, Kente is Ghana’s de facto national cloth. Presidents wear it during important events such as inauguration day. For Ghanaians abroad, one of the highlights of their sojourn is the day they’re able to wear any Ghanaian clothing, particularly the Kente to (say) an African Association night or a Ghanaian association event. In short, there’s not a more authoritatively Ghanaian clothing brand than the rich Kente fabric.

However, if Kente is deemed to be ethnically restrictive and not nationally representative, there’s my personal favorite: the light brown top and deep brown shorts from our primary school days. I’m talking about the famous and affectionately christened kokonte ne abenkwan. Label me a sentimental wreck, but whenever I see that uniform I get goose bumps. I really don’t know why, but there’s some spirit and great nostalgia to that attire. Exactly what we need in a national jersey: emotion, subtlety and passion.

Let no one be mistaken about the domino effects from both designs. Kente is culturally rich and will spark of a snow-ball effect in terms of tourism and merchandising. Those talented folks at Bonwire have perfected a skill that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world.

The kokonte ne nkatekwan has so much history and memory that it will fuel a mixed sense of urgency, ambition and sacrifice among both players and supporters; just like it did in the primary school days of yesteryear.

Ghana may not win the World Cup but with some creativity we can still score big.