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16.2.2005
AJ for England

Andrew Johnsson? Let me tell you something about AJ. I think he is going to score the winning goal for England in the European Championship final at 2008. It will also be the beginning of an era of British domination in the world of football.

This is my prophecy. I’m not considered a prophet though, even in my own land. I’m not fortune teller either and don’t believe in astronomy. Tarot cards are all Greek to me. So how can I, a blond from a country that has never entered a major tournament, give such a statement? Because I want to see through all that moaning about Mr Eriksson. The state of the national team must be good if the country’s biggest concern of personnel is about the manager. I believe English football has something special going on. The game against Holland can’t be described as special, it was toothless. Maybe so. Teeth problems are normal though when you are young. Disgraceful English dentistry won’t help but even that can’t spoil the rise of upcoming young stars of England.

Wright-Philips, Rooney, Johnsson, Downing, Defoe… the list of emerging young world class players is impressive, at the moment better than most leading football nations has to offer. And they will become even better having the great league, players and football culture to support them. The new generation that has grown up with the success story of the Premiership are the most competitive, international and high quality that England has seen for ages. They can fulfil the wet dreams of English football.

The future of the national team lies in the direction of the Premiership that has become the most competitive and most exciting league in the world. It requires similar players. The rise of the Premiership from the ghetto of the great football culture has created an edge to English football to attract best players in the world. Any prophet would have called this insane utopia still five years ago. Now English players live in an era where they are already at young age put against the very best in the world. The influences have worked well both ways. The exotic spices on top of the English core have made football better and richer for both players and supporters. This has been something that young English player can grow up with and learn from.

Andrew Johnsson is a good example of this. Everyone is asking about AJ these days. So much that Armani Jeans is actually only the second biggest high quality brand of those two letters anymore. When AJ arrived to Palace three years ago he had had lot of injuries and uneven seasons. He was still raw but everyone has always been able to see there is something special about AJ. Not just that he was talented and dedicated team player but he also had that very English passion to football and scoring goals. He is always looking to improve and learn from anything at any time. His progress in three years has been astonishing from a quick striker to a prolific goal machine. From what I have seen in my time in football he is the player who more than deserved his England cap. And I’m sure it will be only first of the many to come. Playing for current England team means also he is one of the best in the business. With AJ and other rising young English strikers like Defoe and Rooney, England’s goal scoring is in good hands for many years to come.

You can argue though that the flow of foreign players and managers have destroyed the traditional English game and gives less room for the home grown players like AJ to come through. I agree the overflow of us asylum seekers has made the competition harder. On the other hand nobody can deny that the current English players and clubs are the most competitive for the last few decades. If the Premiership was couple of years ago in danger to turn into all French now we are passed that horror picture. At the moment the main language of the very best in the Premiership has become English, and these players are the essential core for the national team that is hopefully going to fulfil my prophecy. Terry, Lampard, Gerrard and Ferdinand are still young enough to play easily couple of more major tournaments. In them lies a world class base to build a great future for England. National team’s age structure will guarantee for many years a good combination of internationally established young and experienced players.

If the progress of young English players and the Premiership stays as it is, I can see England going towards its strongest years in modern football. So at 2008 European Championships, the national team and AJ will be at their peak. My prophecy is that England has a great chance to win that major tournament. England even possesses all the cards to create a team that could be labelled as immortals one day. The long waited trophies are already now realistic and coming more likely every year. My prophecy is that AJ will be there to lift them.



This time i recommend:

1. James Redfield: Celestine Prophecy -book
- Doesn't include AJ, but still better prophecy than mine, truly a mind blowing book


I don't recommend:

1. Tarot cards
- seriously, play poker instead




" The truth is out there "



Aki


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