One That Got Away

Indonesia have been busy tracking down anyone who may qualify for citizenship in a bid to bolster a national team that has seriously underperformed for several years...one might argue they should try and find some of the diaspora to come back and run the game, with players like Sergio van Dijk and Diego Michiels targetted.

There is one player though that got away. Radja Nainggolan screams out from the type face as an Indonesian name but 21 year old midfielder who plays for Cagliari in Italy already has an international cap, with Belgium.

He was born in Antwerp with an Indonesian father and started his career with Germinal Beerschot before moving to Italy while still a teenager. He made his debut for Piacenza while 19 years old and moved to Cagliari just last year.

Anyway, now comes talk clubs like Manchester City, AC Milan and Real Madrid are interested in his talents.

I dunno, I think he should have stayed in Indonesia. Just think, he could have been stuck on the bench at some pissy mid table club the last three years, brought in for extra stamina work and physical training by some knucklehead manager whose knowledge of football wouldn't fill a postage stamp and have his innate ability suffocated by a system filled with greed and petty jealousies.

He may not have played so much football but at least his autobiography would be worth a read!