Game of Thrones vs The English Premier League - Part Two

George R.R. Martin has taken the world of fiction by storm with his epic saga of a Song of Ice and Fire. Not only do his books guarantee page-turner-all-nighter reads, they also quietly find their way to classic television shows. Having watched the first two seasons on the telly, I recently started the uphill struggle of reading the massive episodes. Right in the middle of the third installment, I figured the unearthly world of the author could easily be compared to the footballing world. And that, even when restricted to the English Premier League, suffices to draw enough comparison to be sold to you. For those who have missed the previous installment click here. And here are the next three.

P.S. – The comparisons are essentially my opinion of the characters and the players, and don’t intend to offend.

1. The Hound/Sandor Clegane/ Branislav Ivanovic

The Hound is a brute in the crudest form. The younger brother of Gregory, he was burnt as a result of a spat with his sibling. Ever since, he has held on to the anger that makes him a force to be reckoned with, on and off the battlefield. Ivanovic may not be the result of such a horrible past, but he is just as strong as the Hound and doesn’t think too much before launching in to a studs up tackle. Even during the Community Shield, he left his team one man short after he decided that a City player had gone too far in to the blue half. His time with Chelsea has seen him turn in to a dependable defender who can use his physical strength to derail a rampant opposition, obviously with the exception of the times when he sees red.

2. Cersei Lannister / Victoria Beckham

Cersei has proven herself to be more than the puppeteer of the show. She may have caused more harm than good, but she is the only character that causes you to sit up and rethink your stereotypes of lady villains. Cersei uses the power at her disposal as queen of the Seven Kingdoms and convinces the reader that the corrupt deserve a chance too. Victoria Beckham, while certainly not the negative character, is the first lady of football. David Beckham’s better half was arguably the first WAG and leads the pack to much of the modern era. Her emergence as a pop star and her nickname ‘posh’ are all part and parcel of her presence. She is a powerhouse in terms of fashion and style and even though her husband is now finally losing his footing in the footballing arena, she has shown no signs of slowing down.

3. Robert Baratheon / Paul Gascoigne

The King of the Seven Kingdoms had once fought his way to the throne, and had left no stone unturned on his journey there. He was known to be a fierce warrior and claimed the top spot to silence the world. He then dissolved his claim with his thirst for women and liquor. He left his old self behind to slowly deteriorate in to a king that could only strike fear in to the hearts of kitchen wenches. Paul Gascoigne too laid out a path for himself when he found glory with Newcastle. Alex Ferguson once famously missed out on his signature when he switched to Tottenham Hotspurs from St. James’ Park. But he took the tumble too when his alcoholism forced him to take a break to introspect and retrospect. Both felt the need to get back on their feet, only one has done actually managed to do that.