The Seoul Train

I get my news news from The Times, I get my football news from The Guardian.

The former has a section called Small Talk, which features interviews with various international football stars.

This time, to my delight, they had featured Samuel Eto'o.

Mr. Eto'o, in my book, is currently the best striker in the world. Nearly hands down. The only other person who has been playing at that level recently (and consistently) would be Thierry Henry (I have included below a picture of the two of the embracing after the conclusion of the Champions league '06 final). This Cameroonian international has been voted African footballer of the year since 2003. He has also helped Barcelona to the 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 Spanish La Liga titles as well as the 2006 UEFA Champions League title. And for those not familiar with the various tournaments and their worth- a Champions League trophy is second only to, if not equal to, a World Cup trophy.
He also won the "pichichi" (top scorer of La Liga) in 2006 and has been the only player in that league to score 50 goals over two consecutive seasons since 1990 (68 goals in 101 games).
Hot damn.
He can play on my side any day.


Anyway, here is the interview followed by some photos:

-----------------------------------------------------
Samuel Eto'o
Cameroon and Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o meets Small Talk and is singularly unimpressed
Paul Doyle
Friday October 13, 2006Guardian Unlimited

Hello Samuel, how are you?

[Curtly] Hello.

[In a bid to thaw his frosty demeanour] Congratulations on your Champions League win last season.

[Takes out his mobile phone and begins writing a text message] Thanks.

Are you the best striker in the world?

[Still texting] I don't know. I just know that I play football and some people think I do it well.

At what age did you realise you were good enough to make a career out of it?

I always knew that.



Samuel Eto'o looks
forward to another
encounter with Small
Talk.


-----------------------------------------------------



Photos:






The cream of the crop. Eto'o and Thierry Henry embracing. This picture was taken at the conclusion of the Barca/Arsenal final of the Champions League 2006. Henry had claimed that if Arsenal had won (which they didn't) that he would have made the move to the Barcelona club.
That would have been amazing but probably unfair for the competition. Eto'o, Henry, Rhonaldino (Footballer of the Year 2006) , and Messi (at 19 years of age, is the best of the younger generation) all playing on the same squad.


And here is a photo of those two. The Argentinean youth phenomenon, Lionel Messi and Eto'o.

Unfortunately, Eto'o is out for the next 4 months due to a injury sustained during one of this year's Champions League matches. He tore and displaced the meniscus of his right knee. He'll be back to form in no time.