crinkly_ears | July 12 - 14, 2011 - Fashion Notes, Training Pictures & Agent Drama

July 12 - 14, 2011 - Fashion Notes, Training Pictures, Fashion Disaster Notes & Agent Drama - Mesut At UCLA!

Whoever Chooses the Cover of World Soccer Digest is Plainly A Fan!

It really is a beautiful cover isn't it? I'd buy it if I lived in...what language is that anyway?

July 12, 2011

The adoring fans over at UCLA have kindly been uploading video all over the Internet - the darling things!

So here we have Mesut arriving at the campus with Mourinho and Sergio Ramos!

Viewers will note that the crowd seems to adore him - they chant his name as loudly as Sergio's! That moment was also helpfully captured by the Real Madrid photography people!

Mou wearing two watches? Whatever...Mesut is finally passably dressed again!

At any rate - they were headed off to training. The photographers weren't much use to us once they arrived. We do have some back views however...

...And we can always hope they'll do better next time around!

On The Subject of Mourinho...

The team's father-figure gave an interview to Real Madrid TV which was released yesterday.

He had the following to say -

Q: It’s important to mention how the squad has increased its value since the start of last season thanks to the performances of men like Ozil, Di Maria and Khedira.

A: People may talk about the amount of money spent by Real Madrid in this new era of Florentino Perez, but if they compare the investment made with the value of the squad in the market they will realize it’s been fantastic. How much are Di Maria and Ozil worth today? They didn’t even know what great pressure in football was when they arrived. Think of Cristiano also. If Real Madrid wanted to sell him tomorrow (which I obviously wouldn’t want) they would make a profit. This squad has fantastic global market value and I am very satisfied with it.

Q: This squad is impressive; it is 24.8 years old on average.

A: They make us feel younger. We have to adapt to their level. This is good for all of us. It’s positive for all. We have a team that must grow and may at times feel emotional weaknesses due to lack of experience. We have a squad that is potentially very good. I am delighted to work with them because they are motivated, they want to learn and they want to win. The coaching staff is delighted.

Secret (ex) Agents -

It is being widely reported in the German Sporting Press (take your pick of dozens of sources - Jenny recommends Kicker) that Mesut will now be represented by his father rather than by his agent. Although he hasn't been accredited, parents are permitted to represent their children without accreditation.

Reza Fazeli has been quoted in Kicker that he and Mesut remain good friends.

So good luck to Mesut's father!

A Joyous News PicSpam!

Real Madrid.com are reporting that Sergio Ramos and Pepe both extended their contracts today - and thank goodness!

The idea of them leaving had Mesut stressed out...

We'd have missed them so much if those horrifying rumours about Chelsea had been true, wouldn't we?

Who would be there to pick Mesut up after goals and in practice?

Or sweep him off his feet?

Or have, frankly, rather involved goal celebrations with?

Well - thank goodness!

July 13, 2011

More Training Pictures, Bug-eyed Gorgeousness & Fashion Disaster Notes (With Photographic Evidence)!

Yes, yes - Jenny knows perfectly well that training pictures bore some people - but after being starved of the sight of the lad for two months in anything but very hideous bathing costumes that were probably purchased with Sergio Ramos before the break (swanning around topless, to be sure - but still!) it is so nice to see him dressed well, drenched in sweat, and in action!

New training cleats! Werq it!

Bug-eyed-gorgeousness!

Getting along brilliantly with Sergio, as always!

He's biting his lip again!

Mou's cleats are class, but orange is interesting!

WTF with this watermark!!!???

And incidentally...

...just in case you thought that bit about Sergio Ramos and the bathing costume shopping expedition was a joke, allow Jenny to disillusion you! There is photographic evidence of this heresy!

Blinding yellow (x) + Grey and Red Stripes (y) = Evidence of Shopping Heresy (z)

Now we already knew Mesut considered Sergio some sort of fashion mentor -