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2010年8月31日火曜日
Beckham Wants To Have His Cake And Eat It
The supporters of LA Galaxy have every right to be thoroughly cheesed off with England midfielder David Beckham. When the supposed star player is receiving the salary that he enjoys they will expect something in return. Instead of improving the team some claim that the side plays better without him.There has always been rumours of dressing room discontent because of the wages Beckham is paid. His determination to go out on loan to AC Milan meant missing the start of the MLS season. This has infuriated the fans who appear to have now turned on golden balls. Of course, he will not be unduly concerned with the dissent shown by sections of the support.Beckham?s obsession with England and the next World Cup means he wants to have his cake and eat it. All the claptrap about putting the MLS on the World football map and improving the profile of the sport in the USA was a smokescreen. It was all about living in LA and rubbing shoulders with the celebrity set.There is nothing wrong with that but if you take the money and then treat your employers with contempt it will end in tears eventually. Shortly after Beckham returned to LA Galaxy he was already stating his intention to once again play for other clubs on loan. He is treating LA Galaxy and their fans with contempt. If Beckham cannot see, why people are angry then he clearly has more money than sense.Where the World Cup 2010 is concerned Beckham is like a dog with a bone and he will not let go. The only reason he is still clinging on to an England squad place is the revenue he brings in and that is a poor reason for inclusion in the national team. Players should be selected only on merit and not due to any commercial aspect.Beckham is a selfish individual at times and we have seen this sort of behaviour before. His insistence on playing for England in major international tournaments whilst injured and not fully fit is the perfect example. Beckham?s needs are the number one priority even if that means his team suffers as a result.The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.
United Sign Striker Bebe
United have agreed a deal for 20 year old Portuguese striker Tiago Manuel Dias Correia (thankfully known as “Bebe”). Although the official United website does not mention a fee, the Guardian are quoting �7.4million. I must admit, I really know nothing about this lad and this transfer has come as something of a shock to [...]
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The transfer dealings at White Hart Lane
The transfer window always reminds me of Christmas. Full of expectation, excitement and then suddenly it becomes something an anti-climax once it is over. Some are happy with their presents, while others are left seething at the lack of effort that was put in. City fans are undoubtedly happy with their lot this summer, although others are bound to be disappointed.
It has been a ...
It has been a ...
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Is Hatem Ben Arfa worth the risk?
David Ginola?s transfer was delayed due to a fashion show commitment, while Laurent Robert was as famous for his free-kicks as he was for his fall-outs with managers during his time in England. Newcastle can?t resist a talented but temperamental winger from across the Channel. Like the girl who maintains that her wayward boyfriend will one day mend his ways no matter what her friends think, Newcastle have taken Marseille?s firebrand wide-man Hatem Ben Arfa on a season-long loan in the hope that they can curb his bad behaviour.
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Could a New Football Helmet Reduce Brain Injuries?
Now that the gridiron game has proven to be rougher on its players’ brains than anyone realized, designers are taking another look at the football helmet and wondering if that’s the problem. An aerospace designer named Michael Princip thinks he might have a solution: a “multi-component anti-shock helmet design” that absorbs the energy of collisions [...]
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Dream Champions League Final
The purists and any neutral football supporters will be eagerly anticipating the final game of the Champions League between Manchester United and Barcelona. European football?s governing body UEFA will also be looking forward to the occasion. There is talk that the official who refereed the Chelsea v Barcelona semi-final match was under orders not to allow an all English final. Tom Henning Ovrebo made numerous ridiculous decisions during the match for both sides. The most controversial incidents involved at least three clear penalties for Chelsea which he turned down. This happens all the time in football but three clear penalties for the same team in one match is highly unusual. This is why there is a growing suspicion that someone got to the referee.It is claimed that Ovrebo was an inexperienced official having only refereed 10 Champions League matches previously. If they have any commonsense UEFA will ensure he does not get a chance to officiate in any more. That is assuming they do not want to reward him for his services.Both semi-finals were shrouded in controversy because of poor refereeing decisions. A strong referee with sufficient experience needs to be appointed for the final. Considering the competition involves the cream of European football the main talking points should be about the game itself rather than the standard of officiating.The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.
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2010年8月30日月曜日
The ?2 accumulator ? week 3
Righto, third time lucky, for sure. If all these results happen I’ll be a mere ?699 better off. Most because [...]
West Bromwich Albion Results West Bromwich Albion Tickets West Ham United Fixtures West Ham United News West Ham United Players
Racing Santander 0-3 Barcelona La Liga Highlights (Video)
Barca easily overcame Racing in this La Liga opener. David Villa scored on his debut and Leo Messi took just three minutes to open his 2011/11 account. Bet on Manchester United to win the Champions League Join Betfair and get �25 free! Join the Free CaughtOffside Fantasy Football League and Win �20k! CaughtOffside Fantasy Football League – [...]
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Time For Man City To Deliver
Mark Hughes has been the envy of just about every football manager in the World over the summer months. Spending the millions was the easy part now he will have to mould his collection of superstars into a team capable of winning the premiership title. The attitude of Robinho might also improve now he has been joined by several big name players.The owners of Man City will want to see a return on their considerable outlay. That does not necessarily mean a trophy is demanded this season. However, they will want to see a marked improvement on the results of last season. When playing at home City was reasonably strong but away from home the return was very poor. That will have to change this year.For all the attacking flair at their disposal the one area where City could still improve is the back four. The manager is well aware of this fact hence the protracted attempts to land both John Terry and Joleon Lescott. If these efforts remain unsuccessful they may turn their attention to an overseas player instead.Even with question marks over the defence City possess enough pace, power and skill going forward to trouble any premiership side. It is only a matter of when and not if they add a defensive kingpin or two to the equation. When that happens they will be a force to be reckoned with.The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.
Liverpool to replace Barca-bound Mascherano with �10.7m Porto star Meireles
With Javier Mascherano finally about to seal his long-awaited move to Barcelona, Liverpool haven?t wasted any time in finding a replacement, as reports say that [...]
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The Inner Life of Brett Favre
All apologies to The Run of Play, of course. Seriously, though, Brett Favre is making me hate the NFL. The more I hear about him, the more I want a full-season lockout in 2011. Just go away, old man.
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2010年8月29日日曜日
Instant Classic: In the Mood for Vuvu
Leave it to Jeff Wortman and Paul Hogan, our old pals from Down Under who gave us this classic moment on Arden Street, to find just the right way to put the vuvuzela in its proper context. Bravo, gents. (Spotted on @Superfooty.)
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Carling Cup derby for Tottenham and Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur will host Arsenal in a mouth-watering Carling Cup third-round encounter.
The north London derby in the week commencing September 20 is the pick of the ties following the draw for the next stage of the competition on Saturday lunchtime.
Elsewhere, holders Manchester United will begin their defence away at Championship side
The north London derby in the week commencing September 20 is the pick of the ties following the draw for the next stage of the competition on Saturday lunchtime.
Elsewhere, holders Manchester United will begin their defence away at Championship side
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Michael Owen Going Back to Liverpool, Sexy WAG Gets a Parking Ticket, Why the Europa League Still Matters, Best Fans in the World?!
We search the web for the best football content not covered on COS so you don’t have to. Including this Adidas Promo with Leo Messi, David Villa and Zinedine ZidaneJoin the Free CaughtOffside Fantasy Football League and Win �20k! CaughtOffside Fantasy Football League – PIN Number 1312 Join the Best Football Manager game now, Its Free! Online Football [...]
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Are we too harsh with misbehaving footballers?
French Football has taken a hammering in the last few months. Thierry Henry embarrassed a nation with his ?Hand of Frog? antics in the World Cup play-off versus Ireland and the national team behaved like spoilt brats in South Africa culminating in a players strike, insipid displays and early elimination at the group stage. No sooner has the dust settled (and a Presidential inquest) and another scandal has dragged the nation further into the mire.
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This time Frank Ribery (Bayern Munich) and Karim Benzama (Real Madrid) have been questioned and subsequently ...
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This time Frank Ribery (Bayern Munich) and Karim Benzama (Real Madrid) have been questioned and subsequently ...
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When fantasy turns into a nightmare
I don't think I am exaggerating when I say that Saturday's Football Focus was saved by the perfect bacon sandwich. It arrived at precisely 0945 BST on the morning of the show.
Up until that point, the day hadn't been a winner. I stayed up far too late the night before watching the second round of golf's USPGA and my two little daughters decided to rise like salmons at 0602 BST the following morning. When I finally left for work at 0730 BST in the rain, I dropped my TV shirt in a vast puddle next to the car.
After arriving at TV Centre, I did a little live interview with presenter Jo Good on 6 Music and then headed to the BBC News studio for an appearance on BBC One's Breakfast programme. Sadly, we were understandably bumped because Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore turned up to talk about the start of the 2010/11 season.
I then went to watch all the various pieces that were going to be screened on Football Focus with the editor and director before heading to the production office, where we "do our stuff" before the show. The bacon sandwich came into the room via the fair hand of production co-ordinator Rachel Paterson.Not only is Rachel key to the programme timings and owner of one the great nicknames of our time - Pato Banton - she also understands the complexity of the perfect bacon "sanger". I'm not picky about how the sandwich turns up but if it comes exactly how I'd make it myself, it is hard not to avoid a little fist pump.
And that's just what happened on Saturday.
Anyway, here are my four steps to making the perfect bacon sandwich:
1. Baguette or, at a push, two slices of white bread (DISCLAIMER if the baguette is crunchy or floury, send it back immediately);
2. Butter;
3. Thick but not too crispy bacon;
4. Just enough ketchup so that when you squeeze the bread it pops out the sides but doesn't drip.
Follow those easy pointers and you are on your way to a culinary masterpiece.
With my spirits lifted, I was back on track for the first Football Focus show to be filmed in the studio this season. There was a miniature panic halfway through the programme when Alan Shearer was nowhere to be seen and we were about to present him with a 40th birthday cake. The crisis was averted when Shearer suddenly appeared, blowing out the candles on the cake, which was presented to him by Alan Hansen.
By the way, if you missed Saturday's show, you can see the online version below.
In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content. var emp = new bbc.Emp(); emp.setWidth("512"); emp.setHeight("323"); emp.setDomId("online_1810"); emp.setPlaylist("http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/emp/8910000/8914800/8914888.xml"); emp.write();
Lots of people have been asking about the opening to the programme, which featured some dudes in football shirts running around a forest. Well, it was the brainchild of Andy Fraser, who organised a combination of actors and BBC employees to meet in Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, although it did not go off exactly as planned.
Despite Fraser warning everyone all to "stay on the path", assistant producer Stu Hutchison (in the Stoke shirt) decided on an elaborate overtaking manoeuvre that ended in a tremendous face-plant. It has now been entered into the 'Top 10 Decks of All Time' between Devon Loch and Mary Decker (see below).
In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content. var emp = new bbc.Emp(); emp.setWidth("512"); emp.setHeight("323"); emp.setDomId("tumble_1810"); emp.setPlaylist("http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/emp/8920000/8922300/8922307.xml"); emp.write();
The rest of Saturday was spent watching my Premier League Fantasy Football team crumble before my very eyes. I have made all the textbook errors over the years... picking injured players, not changing the team, chasing goalscorers the week after they bag hat-tricks etc etc. But I was determined it would be different this season.
I sat down last Thursday and carefully picked a majestic side. Didier Drogba was skipper, Florent Malouda was in there, too, as was Marlon Harewood, included as a cheap striker. Joe Hart was in goal and the midfield boasted James Milner and Frank Lampard.
Then I did what you should never do when you come out of an exam at school - I talked to other people! They picked holes in my team and told me about world-beaters who had been banging them in for fun in pre-season. So out went Drogba, Malouda, Harewood, Milner and Lampard and in came Nicolas Anelka, Tim Cahill, Mauro Boselli and Cesc Fabregas. I needed to free up a little cash, so Hart got the boot for Robert Green!
I don't support a Premier League team so my choice of players for my fantasy side colours the way I view the top division. For example, I found myself celebrating a meaningless late headed goal from Ryan Shawcross last season, while Charles N'Zogbia gave me an unhealthy interest in Wigan for a few weeks.
There was a twitter-based discussion on the merits of Fantasy Football this week, with one man highlighting the feeling of being torn when one of your chosen strikers takes a penalty against your goalkeeper. The dream scenario is an initial save from the keeper with the rebound then being tucked away by your lad... points a plenty!
If you've got any Fantasy Football secrets you want to share, it would be great to hear them. I should point out that I have never finished anywhere other than mid-table in our leagues at work. And if you have any suggestions for Focus, let's have them, too.
You can follow the progress of this week's show on twitter at twitter.com/danwalkerbbc
Up until that point, the day hadn't been a winner. I stayed up far too late the night before watching the second round of golf's USPGA and my two little daughters decided to rise like salmons at 0602 BST the following morning. When I finally left for work at 0730 BST in the rain, I dropped my TV shirt in a vast puddle next to the car.
After arriving at TV Centre, I did a little live interview with presenter Jo Good on 6 Music and then headed to the BBC News studio for an appearance on BBC One's Breakfast programme. Sadly, we were understandably bumped because Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore turned up to talk about the start of the 2010/11 season.
I then went to watch all the various pieces that were going to be screened on Football Focus with the editor and director before heading to the production office, where we "do our stuff" before the show. The bacon sandwich came into the room via the fair hand of production co-ordinator Rachel Paterson.Not only is Rachel key to the programme timings and owner of one the great nicknames of our time - Pato Banton - she also understands the complexity of the perfect bacon "sanger". I'm not picky about how the sandwich turns up but if it comes exactly how I'd make it myself, it is hard not to avoid a little fist pump.
And that's just what happened on Saturday.
Anyway, here are my four steps to making the perfect bacon sandwich:
1. Baguette or, at a push, two slices of white bread (DISCLAIMER if the baguette is crunchy or floury, send it back immediately);
2. Butter;
3. Thick but not too crispy bacon;
4. Just enough ketchup so that when you squeeze the bread it pops out the sides but doesn't drip.
Follow those easy pointers and you are on your way to a culinary masterpiece.
With my spirits lifted, I was back on track for the first Football Focus show to be filmed in the studio this season. There was a miniature panic halfway through the programme when Alan Shearer was nowhere to be seen and we were about to present him with a 40th birthday cake. The crisis was averted when Shearer suddenly appeared, blowing out the candles on the cake, which was presented to him by Alan Hansen.
By the way, if you missed Saturday's show, you can see the online version below.
In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content. var emp = new bbc.Emp(); emp.setWidth("512"); emp.setHeight("323"); emp.setDomId("online_1810"); emp.setPlaylist("http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/emp/8910000/8914800/8914888.xml"); emp.write();
Lots of people have been asking about the opening to the programme, which featured some dudes in football shirts running around a forest. Well, it was the brainchild of Andy Fraser, who organised a combination of actors and BBC employees to meet in Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, although it did not go off exactly as planned.
Despite Fraser warning everyone all to "stay on the path", assistant producer Stu Hutchison (in the Stoke shirt) decided on an elaborate overtaking manoeuvre that ended in a tremendous face-plant. It has now been entered into the 'Top 10 Decks of All Time' between Devon Loch and Mary Decker (see below).
In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content. var emp = new bbc.Emp(); emp.setWidth("512"); emp.setHeight("323"); emp.setDomId("tumble_1810"); emp.setPlaylist("http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/emp/8920000/8922300/8922307.xml"); emp.write();
The rest of Saturday was spent watching my Premier League Fantasy Football team crumble before my very eyes. I have made all the textbook errors over the years... picking injured players, not changing the team, chasing goalscorers the week after they bag hat-tricks etc etc. But I was determined it would be different this season.
I sat down last Thursday and carefully picked a majestic side. Didier Drogba was skipper, Florent Malouda was in there, too, as was Marlon Harewood, included as a cheap striker. Joe Hart was in goal and the midfield boasted James Milner and Frank Lampard.
Then I did what you should never do when you come out of an exam at school - I talked to other people! They picked holes in my team and told me about world-beaters who had been banging them in for fun in pre-season. So out went Drogba, Malouda, Harewood, Milner and Lampard and in came Nicolas Anelka, Tim Cahill, Mauro Boselli and Cesc Fabregas. I needed to free up a little cash, so Hart got the boot for Robert Green!
I don't support a Premier League team so my choice of players for my fantasy side colours the way I view the top division. For example, I found myself celebrating a meaningless late headed goal from Ryan Shawcross last season, while Charles N'Zogbia gave me an unhealthy interest in Wigan for a few weeks.
There was a twitter-based discussion on the merits of Fantasy Football this week, with one man highlighting the feeling of being torn when one of your chosen strikers takes a penalty against your goalkeeper. The dream scenario is an initial save from the keeper with the rebound then being tucked away by your lad... points a plenty!
If you've got any Fantasy Football secrets you want to share, it would be great to hear them. I should point out that I have never finished anywhere other than mid-table in our leagues at work. And if you have any suggestions for Focus, let's have them, too.
You can follow the progress of this week's show on twitter at twitter.com/danwalkerbbc
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CFL Receiver Reminds Canada It Hasn?t Been to the FIFA World Cup Since 1986
You have to hand it to Dave Stala of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Most CFL players couldn’t play keepie-uppie with a spherical football, let alone an oblong ball with pointy ends. It’s a fine display of showmanship. I fully expect Chad Ochocinco to steal this touchdown celebration, at least during the preseason. Meanwhile, that play-by-play guy [...]
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2010年8月28日土曜日
How much difference does Fifa visit make to England's 2018 bid?
After suffering a series of setbacks in the nine months before the World Cup in South Africa, England's 2018 bid leaders have restored a semblance of stability to the campaign.
The attack from Fifa vice president Jack Warner, the row over handbags and the embarrassing resignations of Sir David Richards and bid leader Lord David Triesman left England 2018 on the back foot but don't appear to have caused any lasting damage.
And as Fifa's six-man inspection team arrive in London on Monday for the start of a four-day visit, the 2018 team is preparing to press home its key message; that England offers the safest bet for a well delivered, low cost, money-spinning World Cup.
But how important are these visits? And, even more crucially, will the technical side of the bid be enough to bring the World Cup back to England for the first time since 1966?
On Monday the delegation will meet Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg before heading to Wembley to inspect the facilities there and see England coach Fabio Capello.
On Tuesday there will be further venue visits before they travel to the north east, where on Wednesday they will head to Sunderland's Stadium of Light and Newcastle's St James' Park.
And on Thursday they will be in Manchester sampling the City of Manchester Stadium and Old Trafford.The England squad back the 2018 World Cup bid
The Fifa team, headed by the chairman of the Chilean FA Harold Mayne-Nicholls and including South Africa 2010 chief executive Danny Jordaan, are now two thirds of the way through their world tour assessing the nine candidates for 2018 and 2022.
Last week they were in Russia, seen now by many bid experts as England's main rival, and although they were clearly impressed by the commitment of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, there were questions over the amount of work which would be needed if they won.
After England they fly to Spain and Portugal next week before finishing with a week in America and a week in Qatar.
They will then produce an evaluation report on the potential hosts which will be handed to each of the 24 Fifa executive committee members who will make the decision at a vote at Fifa House in Zurich in Switzerland on 2 December.
While Russia must invest huge sums of money - bid leaders there have estimated it may cost more than �115 billion to build the stadiums needed and improve the country's infrastructure - England's team knows it has an advantage with so many modern stadiums already built.
It also knows that after World Cups in South Africa this year and Brazil in 2014, offering Fifa a low risk tournament which would, according to England's bid book, generate more money than any previous edition could be attractive.
That's why England's bid cannot afford any slip-ups this week. The trains will have to run on time, the stadiums the Fifa delegation see will have to be immaculate and the presentations on accommodation, host cities and security faultless.
But even if they get it absolutely right and are rewarded with a glowing technical evaluation by Mayne-Nicholls, it provides no guarantee of success.In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content. var emp = new bbc.Emp(); emp.setWidth("512"); emp.setHeight("323"); emp.setDomId("bond_2510"); emp.setPlaylist("http://playlists.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11056119A/playlist.sxml"); emp.write();
Because this race, as with all races for major sports events, will be decided by football's complex world of geopolitics.
All the candidates for 2018 are now European - except for the United States, who are nevertheless expected to drop out of that race and focus solely on 2022 very soon.
That has made things a little clearer and much may now depend on which deals are done between candidates for 2018 and those bidding for 2022.
But with just over three months to go, many bid experts say this race is impossible to predict.
Russia are now said to be the favourites and are fighting a very tough campaign. They offer Fifa the opportunity to take the World Cup to new territory once again and open up new markets in Eastern Europe.
The Russians also offer Fifa president Sepp Blatter the chance to use football's biggest event to make another grand political gesture - possibly his last before he stands down.
But Spain and Portugal also emerged from the lobbying in the plush hotels of Johannesburg's Sandton district during the World Cup in good shape. All the arguments which make England attractive could just as easily be made for the Iberian campaign.
And so the vote is likely to come down to some political deal which may be done just days or hours before the vote.
With Blatter facing a possible presidential challenger in 2011, will that have an influence on how the election plays out as he looks to shore up his position?
In the race for 2006, South Africa ended up losing when Asia's bloc of votes switched to Germany because of a row with Blatter over the number of places the continent were being given for the next World Cup.
On such matters, World Cup votes turn. And no matter how well England performs this week, their real challenge is to get the politics right over the next three months.
The attack from Fifa vice president Jack Warner, the row over handbags and the embarrassing resignations of Sir David Richards and bid leader Lord David Triesman left England 2018 on the back foot but don't appear to have caused any lasting damage.
And as Fifa's six-man inspection team arrive in London on Monday for the start of a four-day visit, the 2018 team is preparing to press home its key message; that England offers the safest bet for a well delivered, low cost, money-spinning World Cup.
But how important are these visits? And, even more crucially, will the technical side of the bid be enough to bring the World Cup back to England for the first time since 1966?
On Monday the delegation will meet Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg before heading to Wembley to inspect the facilities there and see England coach Fabio Capello.
On Tuesday there will be further venue visits before they travel to the north east, where on Wednesday they will head to Sunderland's Stadium of Light and Newcastle's St James' Park.
And on Thursday they will be in Manchester sampling the City of Manchester Stadium and Old Trafford.The England squad back the 2018 World Cup bid
The Fifa team, headed by the chairman of the Chilean FA Harold Mayne-Nicholls and including South Africa 2010 chief executive Danny Jordaan, are now two thirds of the way through their world tour assessing the nine candidates for 2018 and 2022.
Last week they were in Russia, seen now by many bid experts as England's main rival, and although they were clearly impressed by the commitment of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, there were questions over the amount of work which would be needed if they won.
After England they fly to Spain and Portugal next week before finishing with a week in America and a week in Qatar.
They will then produce an evaluation report on the potential hosts which will be handed to each of the 24 Fifa executive committee members who will make the decision at a vote at Fifa House in Zurich in Switzerland on 2 December.
While Russia must invest huge sums of money - bid leaders there have estimated it may cost more than �115 billion to build the stadiums needed and improve the country's infrastructure - England's team knows it has an advantage with so many modern stadiums already built.
It also knows that after World Cups in South Africa this year and Brazil in 2014, offering Fifa a low risk tournament which would, according to England's bid book, generate more money than any previous edition could be attractive.
That's why England's bid cannot afford any slip-ups this week. The trains will have to run on time, the stadiums the Fifa delegation see will have to be immaculate and the presentations on accommodation, host cities and security faultless.
But even if they get it absolutely right and are rewarded with a glowing technical evaluation by Mayne-Nicholls, it provides no guarantee of success.In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content. var emp = new bbc.Emp(); emp.setWidth("512"); emp.setHeight("323"); emp.setDomId("bond_2510"); emp.setPlaylist("http://playlists.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11056119A/playlist.sxml"); emp.write();
Because this race, as with all races for major sports events, will be decided by football's complex world of geopolitics.
All the candidates for 2018 are now European - except for the United States, who are nevertheless expected to drop out of that race and focus solely on 2022 very soon.
That has made things a little clearer and much may now depend on which deals are done between candidates for 2018 and those bidding for 2022.
But with just over three months to go, many bid experts say this race is impossible to predict.
Russia are now said to be the favourites and are fighting a very tough campaign. They offer Fifa the opportunity to take the World Cup to new territory once again and open up new markets in Eastern Europe.
The Russians also offer Fifa president Sepp Blatter the chance to use football's biggest event to make another grand political gesture - possibly his last before he stands down.
But Spain and Portugal also emerged from the lobbying in the plush hotels of Johannesburg's Sandton district during the World Cup in good shape. All the arguments which make England attractive could just as easily be made for the Iberian campaign.
And so the vote is likely to come down to some political deal which may be done just days or hours before the vote.
With Blatter facing a possible presidential challenger in 2011, will that have an influence on how the election plays out as he looks to shore up his position?
In the race for 2006, South Africa ended up losing when Asia's bloc of votes switched to Germany because of a row with Blatter over the number of places the continent were being given for the next World Cup.
On such matters, World Cup votes turn. And no matter how well England performs this week, their real challenge is to get the politics right over the next three months.
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What Price Football: Chris Henry and the Future of the Gridiron Game
Last year, my family got together to celebrate my Uncle Johnny’s 80th birthday. This is a photo of him, on the left, with one of his old high school football teammates: Seeing an old fellow leatherhead led Uncle Johnny to tell us a few gridiron war stories. Most notable among them was one story about [...]
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Internet only England coverage
After the recent backlash from fans that were angry at not being able to watch England on television you would think the FA and the TV companies would have taken the hint. Sadly it appears they did not and if anyone intends watching the game between Ukraine versus England they will have to do it online.The match will be the first England game to be broadcast via the internet instead of television. It should come as no surprise that the vast majority of football supporters are less than impressed by this. If you have not taken out a subscription then it will cost the princely sum of �9.99 to watch the game. There may be unofficial alternatives for those willing to do some research.Scratching around for an internet site to watch a live feed from the game is ridiculous. It highlights just what is wrong with modern day football. Even if you stumble across such a feed the quality is not always the best. It seems the humble supporter does not rank high on the list of priorities. This is international football and all fans regardless of nationality should be able to watch the game on terrestrial television.The BBC pockets a huge amount in TV license fees. This should be going towards securing exactly this kind of sporting event for the nation?s viewing pleasure. The FA should be working alongside the TV companies to ensure all games are available via that old fashioned medium the television set.The online bookmaker Bet365 is allowing member access to the game without charge. There is a small catch however because you need a live account credited with some funds. The complete Football Betting System for use on Betfair.
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The World Cup Reader, June 15: Vuvuzela Edition
Oh, the vuvuzela. Everyone is talking about it. They’ll tell you how annoying that infernal buzzing is. They’ll show you how to cut that noise out. They’ll tell you it should probably be banned from stadiums, just for the sake of world sanity. Not a chance, says Sepp Blatter. The High Lizard King FIFA President [...]
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Chelsea v Manchester United (Community Shield)
As always, the Community Shield will be billed as a “friendly” match but there’s not likely to be very much friendship shown on the pitch this afternoon. These two sides will almost certainly be contesting the title again this season and neither will want the other to get one over on them at any stage [...]
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2010年8月27日金曜日
Transfer Deadline Day News
To say the country is suffering from the effects of the global recession, several clubs still managed to spend a few million on players. The big news was the return to White Hart Lane of former striker Robbie Keane. The talk is Liverpool agreed to take a huge loss on the player by allowing him to move back to Spurs for only �12 million. It is not a good time right now to be writing off �8 million. Keane did not set the world on fire at Anfield but the rotation policy employed by Benitez was probably not the way to get the best out of him.The fact that Spurs have gone for several former players actually makes sound business sense. Transfer fees are paid in instalments so all of these deals will have had a significant amount of money outstanding on them. The only surprise is that more clubs have not followed suit. Harry Redknapp has a much stronger squad at his disposal and any relegation worries should be eased.At Stamford Bridge their old boss Jose Mourinho did Chelsea a favour by allowing Ricardo Quaresma to join them on loan. How times have changed in the last year for the club. It does make you wonder whether they have one eye on a new stadium as an alternative to re-developing the existing one.Arsenal brought their own transfer saga to an end when they eventually managed to sign Andrei Arshavin. They have been desperate for new blood all season and some would argue it is too little too late to have any real impact on their title chances this season. In fact Arsenal will have their work cut out to finish in the top four with the emergence of Aston Villa this season.The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.
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The Only Perfect Record at the World Cup
Any day now, Paul the Octopus will have a one-hour special on ESPN in which he announces that he’s headed to South Beach — just like everyone else who wears that damn swoosh. (Photo spotted by @BinahSophia)
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Hands on: FIFA 11
I like football computer games.� I also like Arsenal.� As a football blogger, you receive many irritating emails from marketing [...]
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The Fall of Spain
Maybe we shouldn’t have been so shocked. Maybe we had become so accustomed to Spain’s recent dominance — it’s EURO2008 title, it’s perfect World Cup qualifying campaign, it’s run of 47 games with only 1 loss (USA! USA!) — that we forgot just how much a well-organized defense could stifle them. Jose Mourinho proved it [...]
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Chelsea v Stoke ? Over 500 billetter fortsatt tilgjengelige
Forrige sesong s� Blues score syv mot Potters. Kan det skje igjen?
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Maybe Fergie?s transfer policy is far more long-term than we think
When Sir Alex Ferguson finally decides that he no longer wants to point at his watch and ignore the calls of the BBC like an old jilted lover, he will leave a chasm at the club that the Premier League has never witnessed. I pity the man who has to fill those shoes (although I probably think it will be ...
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2010年8月26日木曜日
Could a New Football Helmet Reduce Brain Injuries?
Now that the gridiron game has proven to be rougher on its players’ brains than anyone realized, designers are taking another look at the football helmet and wondering if that’s the problem. An aerospace designer named Michael Princip thinks he might have a solution: a “multi-component anti-shock helmet design” that absorbs the energy of collisions [...]
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Loanage: Trio off to Holland, Mancienne back at Wolves
A couple more loan deals were finalized on Tuesday. Two of those departing for a limited time would appear to leave us fairly short in midfield.
Back at Wolverhampton. But not permanently.
Mancienne returns to Molineaux, but only on loan
? And again. There has yet to be any club confirmation on this deal, but the Independent reckons [...]
Back at Wolverhampton. But not permanently.
Mancienne returns to Molineaux, but only on loan
? And again. There has yet to be any club confirmation on this deal, but the Independent reckons [...]
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Taking Stock in the USA?s World Cup Situation
Right. So this happened: (Video courtesy of @WillBrinson) It should have been a goal. It wasn’t. The list of people saying the Americans got jobbed stretches from Grant Wahl to Brian Phillips to Spencer Hall to Ricky Martin. Yes, that Ricky Martin. When Ricky Martin says you’re a bad ref, you are a bad ref. [...]
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The kick-start to Tottenham?s spending spree?
With the tie delicately hanging in the balance, tonight sees Tottenham take on Young Boys for the right to play in this season?s Champions League group stages. A 3-2 defeat in Berne leaves Harry Redknapp?s men with a difficult but ultimately manageable task this evening at
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Liverpool Consider Ambitious �14m Move for Italian International: Hodgson Keen On Sampdora Hitman Pazzini
Sampdoria man on Anfield radar. Bet on Liverpool to win the Europa League and get �25 worth of free bets!> Join the Free CaughtOffside Fantasy Football League and Win �20k! CaughtOffside Fantasy Football League – PIN Number 1312Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is hoping to secure funds to make an ambitious move for Sampdoria striker Giampaolo Pazzini as [...]
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Training ground banter bodes well for Annan
It's been a right good few years since I can remember a team spirit as good as it is at Annan Athletic right now.
The carry on and banter between the lads at training is tremendous and if we continue like this it can only bode well for the rest of the season.
Everyone is involved; apart from Ian Harty because he's got his taxi to drive while the boys are sweating it out down the Everholm. Although I'm led to believe the wee man was in good form while enjoying a few celebratory beers on the journey back from Arbroath on Saturday.
It's just small, silly things we've introduced at training that has brought everyone together.
The players have to be at the club for 6.45pm and be ready to start training at 7.00pm but the carry on was such last Thursday that we were delayed by half an hour. I could see the manager setting out his training exercises and looking at his watch, but he never said anything as he was laughing at us.
We start with a small game of possession and there is a forfeit for the worst partnership, in terms of how many passes are made in the circle before they win the ball. We have obvious rules like the passes are doubled for a nutmeg and if there is anything dubious it goes to a vote - needless to say the two players in the middle never win.
Bryan Gilfillan was taking a bit of stick when he moaned about a decision and we voted him in the middle; he started waving his finger in the air with his hand on his hips like someone off the Jerry Springer Show. I've got every confidence in the lads that one will stick.
We've had various forfeits like star jumps while shouting "I'm a star" and a sprint and back to a certain point (obviously on the way back the rest of the group move back to make the run further). But my personal favourite has been the head first dive in to the long jump pit.
Some of the boys have been a bit cagey with their dive and pulled their heads away at the last minute but not the skipper, Kevin Neilson. He was one of the first to try it, and he's done it a few times since I'll add, and he literally jumped head first in to the pit with his hands behind his back. I don't think he was able to train after that with light concussion.
It may not seem much but these little things have made a difference and if we can get a good team spirit in the dressing room it won't do our chances of success on the pitch any harm at all.
I think it was Richard Gough that said, "The team that drinks together, wins together". Well we haven't done much of that together but we've certainly been having a good time.
We had a reserve game on Monday against Raith Rovers and as we were walking off at half-time Iain Davidson politely told me that we had bust his coupon on Saturday!
Obviously I replied that I was delighted to hear that but I doubted very much if he had been the only one.
There won't have been many people that fancied us to pick up the three points at the weekend but we turned in a really good defensive performance and just as we had done the previous week, we scored two rapid goals that won us the match.
It was refreshing to read Paul Sheerins comments after the game as he was very honest and gracious in defeat. It's not often we get the credit we deserve when we win in this league.
I'll finish this week by trying to do justice to what was possibly the funniest thing I have ever seen happen after the game on Monday night.
I was travelling back in the car with Aaron Muirhead and Lewis Sloan with big Neilson driving. We were turning in to a local hotel to drop Aero and Sloany off so we pulled in to the filter lane and stopped as the traffic was passing.
It was quite heavy rain and the car was pretty steamed up so just as the traffic was passing Nelly put his window down as the car drove through a massive puddle and absolutely drenched him and his car.
I was just about to go a wee bit mental as I was a bit wet myself but I looked across at Nelly as he was trying to spit the dirty water from his mouth and wipe his face. The four of us were in absolute stitches for about five minutes not able to move.
Take that Nelly!
The carry on and banter between the lads at training is tremendous and if we continue like this it can only bode well for the rest of the season.
Everyone is involved; apart from Ian Harty because he's got his taxi to drive while the boys are sweating it out down the Everholm. Although I'm led to believe the wee man was in good form while enjoying a few celebratory beers on the journey back from Arbroath on Saturday.
It's just small, silly things we've introduced at training that has brought everyone together.
The players have to be at the club for 6.45pm and be ready to start training at 7.00pm but the carry on was such last Thursday that we were delayed by half an hour. I could see the manager setting out his training exercises and looking at his watch, but he never said anything as he was laughing at us.
We start with a small game of possession and there is a forfeit for the worst partnership, in terms of how many passes are made in the circle before they win the ball. We have obvious rules like the passes are doubled for a nutmeg and if there is anything dubious it goes to a vote - needless to say the two players in the middle never win.
Bryan Gilfillan was taking a bit of stick when he moaned about a decision and we voted him in the middle; he started waving his finger in the air with his hand on his hips like someone off the Jerry Springer Show. I've got every confidence in the lads that one will stick.
We've had various forfeits like star jumps while shouting "I'm a star" and a sprint and back to a certain point (obviously on the way back the rest of the group move back to make the run further). But my personal favourite has been the head first dive in to the long jump pit.
Some of the boys have been a bit cagey with their dive and pulled their heads away at the last minute but not the skipper, Kevin Neilson. He was one of the first to try it, and he's done it a few times since I'll add, and he literally jumped head first in to the pit with his hands behind his back. I don't think he was able to train after that with light concussion.
It may not seem much but these little things have made a difference and if we can get a good team spirit in the dressing room it won't do our chances of success on the pitch any harm at all.
I think it was Richard Gough that said, "The team that drinks together, wins together". Well we haven't done much of that together but we've certainly been having a good time.
We had a reserve game on Monday against Raith Rovers and as we were walking off at half-time Iain Davidson politely told me that we had bust his coupon on Saturday!
Obviously I replied that I was delighted to hear that but I doubted very much if he had been the only one.
There won't have been many people that fancied us to pick up the three points at the weekend but we turned in a really good defensive performance and just as we had done the previous week, we scored two rapid goals that won us the match.
It was refreshing to read Paul Sheerins comments after the game as he was very honest and gracious in defeat. It's not often we get the credit we deserve when we win in this league.
I'll finish this week by trying to do justice to what was possibly the funniest thing I have ever seen happen after the game on Monday night.
I was travelling back in the car with Aaron Muirhead and Lewis Sloan with big Neilson driving. We were turning in to a local hotel to drop Aero and Sloany off so we pulled in to the filter lane and stopped as the traffic was passing.
It was quite heavy rain and the car was pretty steamed up so just as the traffic was passing Nelly put his window down as the car drove through a massive puddle and absolutely drenched him and his car.
I was just about to go a wee bit mental as I was a bit wet myself but I looked across at Nelly as he was trying to spit the dirty water from his mouth and wipe his face. The four of us were in absolute stitches for about five minutes not able to move.
Take that Nelly!
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2010年8月25日水曜日
Beckham Wants To Have His Cake And Eat It
The supporters of LA Galaxy have every right to be thoroughly cheesed off with England midfielder David Beckham. When the supposed star player is receiving the salary that he enjoys they will expect something in return. Instead of improving the team some claim that the side plays better without him.There has always been rumours of dressing room discontent because of the wages Beckham is paid. His determination to go out on loan to AC Milan meant missing the start of the MLS season. This has infuriated the fans who appear to have now turned on golden balls. Of course, he will not be unduly concerned with the dissent shown by sections of the support.Beckham?s obsession with England and the next World Cup means he wants to have his cake and eat it. All the claptrap about putting the MLS on the World football map and improving the profile of the sport in the USA was a smokescreen. It was all about living in LA and rubbing shoulders with the celebrity set.There is nothing wrong with that but if you take the money and then treat your employers with contempt it will end in tears eventually. Shortly after Beckham returned to LA Galaxy he was already stating his intention to once again play for other clubs on loan. He is treating LA Galaxy and their fans with contempt. If Beckham cannot see, why people are angry then he clearly has more money than sense.Where the World Cup 2010 is concerned Beckham is like a dog with a bone and he will not let go. The only reason he is still clinging on to an England squad place is the revenue he brings in and that is a poor reason for inclusion in the national team. Players should be selected only on merit and not due to any commercial aspect.Beckham is a selfish individual at times and we have seen this sort of behaviour before. His insistence on playing for England in major international tournaments whilst injured and not fully fit is the perfect example. Beckham?s needs are the number one priority even if that means his team suffers as a result.The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.
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West Ham Sell Italian Diamanti for �1.8m One Year After �6m Purchase?
Upton Park conduct odd bit of business. Bet on Liverpool to win the Europa League and get �25 worth of free bets!> Join the Free CaughtOffside Fantasy Football League and Win �20k! CaughtOffside Fantasy Football League – PIN Number 1312West Ham have sold Alessandro Diamanti to Brescia for 2.2m euros (�1.8m). The 27-year-old forward cost the Upton Park [...]
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They?re Baaaaaaack
Need a pick-me-up after suffering through that horrid, horrid France v. Uruguay game yesterday? Perhaps the return of Special 1 TV will do it. Do it! (Spotted on EPL Talk)
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Robinho has the Easiest Job in the World
I went into work today, and my performance wasn’t up to scratch. I was not really working as hard as I could, I wasn’t really interested in impressing anyone, and to be honest, I thought, they aren’t going to sack me, I get my wages anyway, so I’ll just chill out, pick my wages up on Friday, maybe watch the football on Saturday and go out on Saturday night.
Its ok though. I’m getting paid �160,000 a week to do it. My names Robinho.
Surely no other job in the world would ...
Its ok though. I’m getting paid �160,000 a week to do it. My names Robinho.
Surely no other job in the world would ...
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Serial slasher of underpants plagues Cobham
This is just weird.
Apparently a wily old character has been wreaking havoc on the Cobham training facility. His prey? Player underpants. You read that correctly.
The assailant, yet to be identified, has been a regular visitor to the locker rooms at Cobham over the past year. He has been known to strike as many as twice [...]
Apparently a wily old character has been wreaking havoc on the Cobham training facility. His prey? Player underpants. You read that correctly.
The assailant, yet to be identified, has been a regular visitor to the locker rooms at Cobham over the past year. He has been known to strike as many as twice [...]
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Is Newcastle Striker Andy Carroll Really England Material?
The list of Newcastle United forwards that have donned that famous No. 9 shirt down the years is a pretty formidable one.
The exploits of club [...]
The exploits of club [...]
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2010年8月24日火曜日
Rooney?s Biggest Challenge Yet?
It would be unfair to suggest that the path has been cleared of all obstacles for Wayne Rooney ever since he burst into the bigtime as a 16 year old because it has largely been down to his own skill, power, drive and will to succeed that these obstacles have been cleared. Since joining Manchester [...]
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How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Draw
While all of England is railing against Robert Green’s horrible mistake on Saturday and demanding more of Fabio Capello as a manager, many of my American friends are coming to me — because, y’know, I’m the “soccer guy” now — and asking me the same question: Why was this game allowed to end with the [...]
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Who are FC Timisoara?
If Manchester City fans had only one question on their minds after the draw for the Europa League play-offs, it was probably this: Just who are FC Timisoara?
Having pulled the Romanians out of the glass bowl at Uefa HQ in Nyon two weeks ago, City fans will have been flocking to their atlases and busily clicking on web-based encyclopedias to find out more about the team that stands in their way of the group stage of European football's second-tier competition.
But the story of FC Timisoara, as they eventually came to be known, is one with many complications, a point Jonathan Wilson brilliantly explained in his blog on the Guardian website exactly a year ago as the club from the west of Romania prepared to face Stuttgart for a place in the Champions League.
To try to tell it briefly, the city of Timisoara has endured a strange time with its football clubs recently. In 2000, the city's original club, Politehnica 1921 Stiinta Timisoara, were moved 347 miles by Italian owner Claudio Zambon to Bucharest (where they now play in the fourth division of Romanian football) in order to bolster their fanbase, a switch that spectacularly backfired. It was a relocation that makes Wimbledon's controversial move to Milton Keynes seem like a walk across the park.
With a sporting vacuum needing to be filled in Timisoara, AEK Bucharest moved west two years later before AEK's then owner, Anton Dobos, changed their name to Politehnica AEK Timisoara. They were adopted by the city as their own, playing in the same ground with the same kit as the old Politehnica, before Zambon sued the club and won, meaning Timisoara had to give up their claims to the history of Politehnica Timisoara and change both their club badge and the colour of their shirts.
In truth, the history of these football clubs lends itself more to a book than a blog. From scouring the internet and a chat with the club's press officer, the helpful Levente Balint, it quickly becomes apparent that the Timisoara situation is something of a minefield, with legal issues and court cases aplenty.
But hopefully for the people of the city and the players, FC Timisoara are here to stay. Dobos's replacement Marian Iancu, who is also president of the UK-based oil company Balkan Petroleum (BKP), certainly has the confidence to mix with the big-hitters of European football as they aim for a place in the group stages at City's expense.
Can Mancini and Tevez survive a shock at Petrovic and Contra's Timisoara?
"We are over-motivated to go to the group stages," Iancu, who has invested more than �33m in the club, told BBC Sport. "We will eliminate Manchester City, as we did last season against Shakhtar Donetsk [in the Champions League qualifying competition, before they lost to Stuttgart in the next round].
"I have great confidence in my team - this will not just be another show, it will be our triumph. Our players have a financial bonus for these two games, some of them can earn about �80,000 each if we knock City out.
"We are a mature team, we have huge experience already and we can pull off this surprise. We will win in Timisoara and make life hard for them away. We just need some courage, to bring the people to the stadium and make them believe in our strength."
So, next question: who are the players Iancu is banking on to cause what would be a seismic shock in the capital of Timis County?
Well, according to the usually reliable transfermarkt website, the squad's value is about �21.5m, less than the individual transfer fees of eight City players - Robinho, Emmanuel Adebayor, Carlos Tevez, Joleon Lescott, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Mario Balotelli and James Milner.
Winger Alexandru Curtean, left-back Laszlo Sepsi, midfielder Lukas Magera and striker Dorin Goga all cost the club more than one million euros (�826,000), while the most notable name on the teamsheet will be familiar to many football fans, as Balint explained to me.
"Cosmin Contra is the most famous player we have," he said. "Now he is 34 years old and he has come back to his native town after a glorious career which took him to Spain with Alaves, Atletico Madrid and Getafe, Italy with AC Milan and England with West Brom. He played 72 times for Romania, making him the most-capped Timisoaran player of all time."
Though president Iancu's confidence in his players is commendable, it isn't exactly backed up by a flying start to the season, with Timisoara winning only one of their first four games and sitting sixth in the table after a 1-1 draw at lowly Universitatea Craiova on Sunday.
Manager Vladimir Petrovic, at least, is aware of the task facing the Timisorenii. "I think it's normal that the owner says we will qualify, surely he wants to give an impulse to the team," said the 55-year-old, who played 34 times for Yugoslavia and is a Red Star Belgrade legend. "We respect each team and we respect Manchester City, but we are not afraid of them."
Petrovic should know a thing or two about English football too, after a 22-game spell playing for Arsenal during the 1982-83 season the Gunners' first foreign signing (at �500,000 an expensive one, too) scored three times.
A continent will be keeping a close eye on an upset on Thursday, but Timisoara is a city well used to people looking in on it from the outside. This, after all, was the place where the Romanian Revolution began in 1989, a bloody conflict in which communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu was overthrown and executed by firing squad.
This time, however, Timisoara will be the setting for a football match that might just turn into a carnival, according to club captain Dan Alexa. "For the city of Timisoara, playing against one of the best teams in the world is a real reason for celebration."
Tickets for the contest at the Dan Paltinisanu stadium can be bought for as little as �5, Balint tells me. It seems a small price to pay to see one of European football's most intriguing early-season ties, as Roberto Mancini and his Manchester City superstars aim to avoid an embarrassing upset.
Having pulled the Romanians out of the glass bowl at Uefa HQ in Nyon two weeks ago, City fans will have been flocking to their atlases and busily clicking on web-based encyclopedias to find out more about the team that stands in their way of the group stage of European football's second-tier competition.
But the story of FC Timisoara, as they eventually came to be known, is one with many complications, a point Jonathan Wilson brilliantly explained in his blog on the Guardian website exactly a year ago as the club from the west of Romania prepared to face Stuttgart for a place in the Champions League.
To try to tell it briefly, the city of Timisoara has endured a strange time with its football clubs recently. In 2000, the city's original club, Politehnica 1921 Stiinta Timisoara, were moved 347 miles by Italian owner Claudio Zambon to Bucharest (where they now play in the fourth division of Romanian football) in order to bolster their fanbase, a switch that spectacularly backfired. It was a relocation that makes Wimbledon's controversial move to Milton Keynes seem like a walk across the park.
With a sporting vacuum needing to be filled in Timisoara, AEK Bucharest moved west two years later before AEK's then owner, Anton Dobos, changed their name to Politehnica AEK Timisoara. They were adopted by the city as their own, playing in the same ground with the same kit as the old Politehnica, before Zambon sued the club and won, meaning Timisoara had to give up their claims to the history of Politehnica Timisoara and change both their club badge and the colour of their shirts.
In truth, the history of these football clubs lends itself more to a book than a blog. From scouring the internet and a chat with the club's press officer, the helpful Levente Balint, it quickly becomes apparent that the Timisoara situation is something of a minefield, with legal issues and court cases aplenty.
But hopefully for the people of the city and the players, FC Timisoara are here to stay. Dobos's replacement Marian Iancu, who is also president of the UK-based oil company Balkan Petroleum (BKP), certainly has the confidence to mix with the big-hitters of European football as they aim for a place in the group stages at City's expense.
Can Mancini and Tevez survive a shock at Petrovic and Contra's Timisoara?
"We are over-motivated to go to the group stages," Iancu, who has invested more than �33m in the club, told BBC Sport. "We will eliminate Manchester City, as we did last season against Shakhtar Donetsk [in the Champions League qualifying competition, before they lost to Stuttgart in the next round].
"I have great confidence in my team - this will not just be another show, it will be our triumph. Our players have a financial bonus for these two games, some of them can earn about �80,000 each if we knock City out.
"We are a mature team, we have huge experience already and we can pull off this surprise. We will win in Timisoara and make life hard for them away. We just need some courage, to bring the people to the stadium and make them believe in our strength."
So, next question: who are the players Iancu is banking on to cause what would be a seismic shock in the capital of Timis County?
Well, according to the usually reliable transfermarkt website, the squad's value is about �21.5m, less than the individual transfer fees of eight City players - Robinho, Emmanuel Adebayor, Carlos Tevez, Joleon Lescott, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Mario Balotelli and James Milner.
Winger Alexandru Curtean, left-back Laszlo Sepsi, midfielder Lukas Magera and striker Dorin Goga all cost the club more than one million euros (�826,000), while the most notable name on the teamsheet will be familiar to many football fans, as Balint explained to me.
"Cosmin Contra is the most famous player we have," he said. "Now he is 34 years old and he has come back to his native town after a glorious career which took him to Spain with Alaves, Atletico Madrid and Getafe, Italy with AC Milan and England with West Brom. He played 72 times for Romania, making him the most-capped Timisoaran player of all time."
Though president Iancu's confidence in his players is commendable, it isn't exactly backed up by a flying start to the season, with Timisoara winning only one of their first four games and sitting sixth in the table after a 1-1 draw at lowly Universitatea Craiova on Sunday.
Manager Vladimir Petrovic, at least, is aware of the task facing the Timisorenii. "I think it's normal that the owner says we will qualify, surely he wants to give an impulse to the team," said the 55-year-old, who played 34 times for Yugoslavia and is a Red Star Belgrade legend. "We respect each team and we respect Manchester City, but we are not afraid of them."
Petrovic should know a thing or two about English football too, after a 22-game spell playing for Arsenal during the 1982-83 season the Gunners' first foreign signing (at �500,000 an expensive one, too) scored three times.
A continent will be keeping a close eye on an upset on Thursday, but Timisoara is a city well used to people looking in on it from the outside. This, after all, was the place where the Romanian Revolution began in 1989, a bloody conflict in which communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu was overthrown and executed by firing squad.
This time, however, Timisoara will be the setting for a football match that might just turn into a carnival, according to club captain Dan Alexa. "For the city of Timisoara, playing against one of the best teams in the world is a real reason for celebration."
Tickets for the contest at the Dan Paltinisanu stadium can be bought for as little as �5, Balint tells me. It seems a small price to pay to see one of European football's most intriguing early-season ties, as Roberto Mancini and his Manchester City superstars aim to avoid an embarrassing upset.
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Referees Rants:Introduction
From 15th August I will be introducing a new feature to the FootballBlog.co.uk called Referees Rants. As some of you may not know I am a level 8 FA Referee and in this new feature I will be writing about several different refereeing subjects in addition to a weekly analysis of a referee.
My first post will be a Referee Profile for Mark Halsey.
My first Referee analysis will be of Chris Foy in the meeting of Newcastle and Manchester United at Old Trafford but first my analysis of French referee Stephane ...
My first post will be a Referee Profile for Mark Halsey.
My first Referee analysis will be of Chris Foy in the meeting of Newcastle and Manchester United at Old Trafford but first my analysis of French referee Stephane ...
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Confirmed (pretty much): Neymar to remain at Santos
“End of the novel: Neymar postpones European dream”
-Globoesporte
And that, as they say, is that.
Chelsea? Not this year.
Follow-up piece coming soon.
-Globoesporte
And that, as they say, is that.
Chelsea? Not this year.
Follow-up piece coming soon.
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CFC stock watch: Rising
The close season has come and gone. Many a player has attempted to establish himself at Chelsea Football Club. Some are as advertised. Some, meanwhile, have failed.
Many, however, have excelled. Part II of this two-part series – Part I is here – takes a look at those who received a boost on the reputation front [...]
Many, however, have excelled. Part II of this two-part series – Part I is here – takes a look at those who received a boost on the reputation front [...]
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2010年8月23日月曜日
How serious was Huang about buying Liverpool?
Just three weeks after he emerged as the latest Liverpool saviour, Kenny Huang vanished from the scene on Friday night.
During that time we never heard from him in person, saw him at a game at Anfield or got any real sense of who might be backing him.
And yet ask any football follower who Huang is and they would probably be able to tell you - such is the publicity he has received.
Two weeks ago I went to Anfield to cover the story and was amazed to find a fan had already gone out and adapted his club shirt to reflect the possible arrival of Huang. The story had only broken two days earlier.Many are questioning whether Huang actually had the money to buy Liverpool. Photo: Getty Images
That supporter was no doubt seeking publicity on television for his efforts, something we duly gave him. But there are plenty of people who are wondering whether Huang was any different, just chasing his moment in the spotlight or using the media to encourage people with money to get behind him and back his idea.
It wouldn't be the first time. The Premier League is now so high profile and a club like Liverpool so famous, that linking your name to a possible takeover is a sure-fire way of seeing it in headlines around the world.
Liverpool were initially put up for sale by their American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks in April with debts of �351.4m.
Their largest creditor, the Royal Bank of Scotland, are thought to be owed in the region of �237m and will invoke a �60m penalty fee is it is not repaid, or renegotiated, by 6 October.
Now I am not saying Huang was not a credible bidder for Liverpool. Barclays Capital and Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton, who are handling the protracted sale of the club, said they were treating him as one.
He may have had the Chinese government's China Investment Corporation behind him, but we are all still waiting for confirmation one way or another and, in such a hazy environment of claim and counter-claim, it is virtually impossible to know the truth of that one.
He may have had the backing of a gentleman called Guang Yuang of United States finance house Franklin Templeton Investments, although a spokeswoman for Franklin Templeton was very quick to go on the record and dismiss the suggestion.
He may also have had the help of former Chelsea and Manchester United chief executive Peter Kenyon. It is certainly true Huang and Kenyon know each other but the idea that a man who ran Old Trafford was now involved with a bid to rescue Liverpool may not have gone down well among those fans on the Kop Huang was trying to woo.
There is, of course, the possibility that all this is just a scare tactic, and that when Huang says in his statement, "I am now considering my future options", he is fully expecting Broughton to come rushing to find him clutching a sale contract.
But if he was the only real bidder, why take that chance? Why not sit tight and complete the deal?
The first we all knew about the Roman Abramovich and Abu Dhabi takeovers of Chelsea and Manchester City was when the deals were done. Abramovich didn't threaten Ken Bates across the back pages before closing his deal to buy Stamford Bridge. It just happened and any bid which makes as much noise as Huang's without anything apparently behind it has to be treated with a serious measure of suspicion.
There are plenty of people who may now wonder whether all the talk of frustration at delays is a smoke screen to disguise the fact that he simply didn't have the money. His advisers claim otherwise, saying he had provided proof of funds and every piece of paper required by Barclays Capital.
The club don't deny this, but they insist that just because he may have submitted a bid, they still have a duty to explore all the other offers on the table and that if Huang can't bide his time, then so be it.
So what happens now?
Broughton and Barclays Capital will continue to talk to those bidders still in the auction. There were said to be five last Friday so one assumes there are now four. But there are question marks over how serious they are.
The Syrian-born Canadian businessman Yahya Kirdi, the Rhone Group from New York and the Al Kharafi family of Kuwait are all said to be interested but so far we have seen no evidence of any progress with their bids.
It is known Broughton wanted to choose a preferred bidder last Friday but Liverpool were only able to issue a holding statement saying they were continuing the process and that a sale would be completed soon.
Christian Purslow, the club's managing director, went on Sportsweek last Sunday to say a deal was not close and the briefing from the club's advisers is 'don't expect anything any time soon'. Does that mean that no one wants to buy the club or is the problem that the American owners won't budge unless they get a profit from their three years in charge?
However, the clock is ticking. Hicks and Gillett have six weeks to repay or refinance their hefty loan with RBS. They are incurring hefty penalties as each month passes and they fail to agree a sale.
RBS are desperate for them to find a buyer to take on or pay off the debt while Liverpool know they risk falling further behind if this uncertainty continues.
But Broughton and Barclays won't be rushed and have repeatedly insisted they not only want to find a buyer but the right owner too.
It could be some time until that fan at Anfield has a new name to put on his shirt.
During that time we never heard from him in person, saw him at a game at Anfield or got any real sense of who might be backing him.
And yet ask any football follower who Huang is and they would probably be able to tell you - such is the publicity he has received.
Two weeks ago I went to Anfield to cover the story and was amazed to find a fan had already gone out and adapted his club shirt to reflect the possible arrival of Huang. The story had only broken two days earlier.Many are questioning whether Huang actually had the money to buy Liverpool. Photo: Getty Images
That supporter was no doubt seeking publicity on television for his efforts, something we duly gave him. But there are plenty of people who are wondering whether Huang was any different, just chasing his moment in the spotlight or using the media to encourage people with money to get behind him and back his idea.
It wouldn't be the first time. The Premier League is now so high profile and a club like Liverpool so famous, that linking your name to a possible takeover is a sure-fire way of seeing it in headlines around the world.
Liverpool were initially put up for sale by their American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks in April with debts of �351.4m.
Their largest creditor, the Royal Bank of Scotland, are thought to be owed in the region of �237m and will invoke a �60m penalty fee is it is not repaid, or renegotiated, by 6 October.
Now I am not saying Huang was not a credible bidder for Liverpool. Barclays Capital and Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton, who are handling the protracted sale of the club, said they were treating him as one.
He may have had the Chinese government's China Investment Corporation behind him, but we are all still waiting for confirmation one way or another and, in such a hazy environment of claim and counter-claim, it is virtually impossible to know the truth of that one.
He may have had the backing of a gentleman called Guang Yuang of United States finance house Franklin Templeton Investments, although a spokeswoman for Franklin Templeton was very quick to go on the record and dismiss the suggestion.
He may also have had the help of former Chelsea and Manchester United chief executive Peter Kenyon. It is certainly true Huang and Kenyon know each other but the idea that a man who ran Old Trafford was now involved with a bid to rescue Liverpool may not have gone down well among those fans on the Kop Huang was trying to woo.
There is, of course, the possibility that all this is just a scare tactic, and that when Huang says in his statement, "I am now considering my future options", he is fully expecting Broughton to come rushing to find him clutching a sale contract.
But if he was the only real bidder, why take that chance? Why not sit tight and complete the deal?
The first we all knew about the Roman Abramovich and Abu Dhabi takeovers of Chelsea and Manchester City was when the deals were done. Abramovich didn't threaten Ken Bates across the back pages before closing his deal to buy Stamford Bridge. It just happened and any bid which makes as much noise as Huang's without anything apparently behind it has to be treated with a serious measure of suspicion.
There are plenty of people who may now wonder whether all the talk of frustration at delays is a smoke screen to disguise the fact that he simply didn't have the money. His advisers claim otherwise, saying he had provided proof of funds and every piece of paper required by Barclays Capital.
The club don't deny this, but they insist that just because he may have submitted a bid, they still have a duty to explore all the other offers on the table and that if Huang can't bide his time, then so be it.
So what happens now?
Broughton and Barclays Capital will continue to talk to those bidders still in the auction. There were said to be five last Friday so one assumes there are now four. But there are question marks over how serious they are.
The Syrian-born Canadian businessman Yahya Kirdi, the Rhone Group from New York and the Al Kharafi family of Kuwait are all said to be interested but so far we have seen no evidence of any progress with their bids.
It is known Broughton wanted to choose a preferred bidder last Friday but Liverpool were only able to issue a holding statement saying they were continuing the process and that a sale would be completed soon.
Christian Purslow, the club's managing director, went on Sportsweek last Sunday to say a deal was not close and the briefing from the club's advisers is 'don't expect anything any time soon'. Does that mean that no one wants to buy the club or is the problem that the American owners won't budge unless they get a profit from their three years in charge?
However, the clock is ticking. Hicks and Gillett have six weeks to repay or refinance their hefty loan with RBS. They are incurring hefty penalties as each month passes and they fail to agree a sale.
RBS are desperate for them to find a buyer to take on or pay off the debt while Liverpool know they risk falling further behind if this uncertainty continues.
But Broughton and Barclays won't be rushed and have repeatedly insisted they not only want to find a buyer but the right owner too.
It could be some time until that fan at Anfield has a new name to put on his shirt.
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Joey Barton?s moustache will get Newcastle relegated
Every week Lawrence Gray-Hodson, a man who made his name in the upper reaches of Division 2 in the 1970s [...]
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Goal Celebration of the Year
No words. Should have sent a poet. (Spotted on 101 Great Goals.)
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USA?s Bob Bradley reveals Aston Villa interest
USA head coach Bob Bradley has admitted that he is interested in the managerial vacancy at Aston Villa.
The 52-year-old has been in charge of his country's national team for the last four years and led the US to the last 16 at the World Cup finals in South Africa earlier this summer.
Bradley told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme:"Of course ...
The 52-year-old has been in charge of his country's national team for the last four years and led the US to the last 16 at the World Cup finals in South Africa earlier this summer.
Bradley told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme:"Of course ...
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Chris Foy Analysis: Man Utd Vs Newcastle United
Referee Analysis: Chris Foy
Man Utd Vs Newcastle
As part of my referee feature ?Referees Rants? I will be analysing referees performances in various different games and my first is Chris Foy in his first game of the season Manchester United Vs Newcastle United.
Overall I felt Foy had a good game and kept control well with minimal errors in all but I felt there is still room for improvement. The first of which is bookings. I thought that Foy was good to book players in the manor he did but his ...
Man Utd Vs Newcastle
As part of my referee feature ?Referees Rants? I will be analysing referees performances in various different games and my first is Chris Foy in his first game of the season Manchester United Vs Newcastle United.
Overall I felt Foy had a good game and kept control well with minimal errors in all but I felt there is still room for improvement. The first of which is bookings. I thought that Foy was good to book players in the manor he did but his ...
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They?re Baaaaaaack
Need a pick-me-up after suffering through that horrid, horrid France v. Uruguay game yesterday? Perhaps the return of Special 1 TV will do it. Do it! (Spotted on EPL Talk)
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2010年8月22日日曜日
Chris Foy Analysis: Man Utd Vs Newcastle United
Referee Analysis: Chris Foy
Man Utd Vs Newcastle
As part of my referee feature ?Referees Rants? I will be analysing referees performances in various different games and my first is Chris Foy in his first game of the season Manchester United Vs Newcastle United.
Overall I felt Foy had a good game and kept control well with minimal errors in all but I felt there is still room for improvement. The first of which is bookings. I thought that Foy was good to book players in the manor he did but his ...
Man Utd Vs Newcastle
As part of my referee feature ?Referees Rants? I will be analysing referees performances in various different games and my first is Chris Foy in his first game of the season Manchester United Vs Newcastle United.
Overall I felt Foy had a good game and kept control well with minimal errors in all but I felt there is still room for improvement. The first of which is bookings. I thought that Foy was good to book players in the manor he did but his ...
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Football Blogger Plays Rugby, Hilarity Ensues
Spencer Hall, the lunatic genius behind the mighty infamous college football blog Every Day Should Be Saturday, has this ongoing series called The Amateur, where he puts his less-than-athletic self through the rigors of different athletic contests. He’s given Parkour and MMA a go. He tried curling during the Winter Olympics. He grew a porn [...]
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Required Reading: The Metaphor of the World Cup
From Sport Is a TV Show: If a football match is, in part, a metaphor for a battle, then defeat is a metaphor for dying, and victory is a metaphor for …�not dying. I trust that at some stage of your existence hitherto, you have discovered that you are one day going to join the [...]
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Barcelona 4-0 Sevilla Spanish Super Cup 2010 Highlights (Video)
Leo Messi scored a superb hat-trick to help Barcelona back from 3-1 down in the first leg to win the 2010 Spanish Super Cup. Bet �10 on Spurs to win the FA Cup with PaddyPower and get �20 free! Join the Free CaughtOffside Fantasy Football League and Win �20k! CaughtOffside Fantasy Football League – PIN Number 1312Barcelona [...]
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Why Everton Are The Fourth Best Team in The Premier League
The battle for the fourth and final Champions League place is becoming as intriguing as the race for the Premier League itself. Assuming the status quo at the top of the table remains, and I believe Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal will all finish in the top three again, there are likely to be five teams competing for the coveted fourth spot.
Tottenham Hotspur won the race last time around and will be looking to cement their status as a Champions League side with back to back top four finishes. Manchester ...
Tottenham Hotspur won the race last time around and will be looking to cement their status as a Champions League side with back to back top four finishes. Manchester ...
Theatrics of the modern footballers
Most of the players that hit the deck claiming injury are usually back on their feet and fit enough to complete the match within seconds. [...]
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2010年8月21日土曜日
England - World Class Chokers
The overpaid Premiership stars in the England football team have now been exposed. Before the World Cup 2010, we kept hearing about how our team of World class players were capable of beating anyone and winning the tournament. How wrong the media were. The players are a mixture of World class chokers and average Premiership players.Rooney, Terry and the rest of them look World class when they are playing alongside their domestic clubs?s foreign contingents. Take the foreign stars out of those teams and the English players would be shown up for what they are, i.e., not as good as we are led to believe. It is not Gerrard, Lampard and co that makes the Premiership the best league in the World.Fabio Capello is not a bad football manager. However, he has got most things wrong where the World Cup is concerned. Firstly, he made errors in selecting the final squad. Leaving out Theo Walcott was a terrible decision. Defenders do not like pace and Walcott has it in abundance. He would have been the perfect alternative to ineffective displays by Rooney, Lennon and Wright-Phillips.There were far too many average players in the squad masquerading as international footballers. Jamie Carragher was never deemed good enough by previous managers with very good reason. As for Glen Johnson, here we have a right-back whose weakness is defending! If he is the best right-back in the country then we have got serious problems. Then we come to Gareth Barry who has rose to prominence due to Owen Hargreaves injury.The excuses have started already. Apparently the players were tired. One minute they are complaining of boredom, then after being humiliated by Germany, it is because they were tired. Whatever the reasons behind the poor performances, Capello is paid a huge salary and has failed spectacularly. The fact he still needs an interpreter to speak English is worrying to say the least. Make money from sport with an effective football bet system for use on Betfair.
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The Fall of Spain
Maybe we shouldn’t have been so shocked. Maybe we had become so accustomed to Spain’s recent dominance — it’s EURO2008 title, it’s perfect World Cup qualifying campaign, it’s run of 47 games with only 1 loss (USA! USA!) — that we forgot just how much a well-organized defense could stifle them. Jose Mourinho proved it [...]
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And Now, A Moment of Naked Patriotism
There are a ton of links I could throw at you today — starting with this epic collection of Landon Donovan goal celebration videos, or Brian Phillips’ Homeric attempt to describe all those videos put together in words (“It?s scary to think how things might have looked if anyone here cared about soccer.”) Really, though, [...]
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The World Cup Reader, June 15: Vuvuzela Edition
Oh, the vuvuzela. Everyone is talking about it. They’ll tell you how annoying that infernal buzzing is. They’ll show you how to cut that noise out. They’ll tell you it should probably be banned from stadiums, just for the sake of world sanity. Not a chance, says Sepp Blatter. The High Lizard King FIFA President [...]
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Loans, Loans, Loans
Following the showings of several of the youngsters during the USA Tour, several are now being linked with loans away from Manchester United. The ones who seem likely to fall into this category include Diouf, Welbeck and Cleverley. As regular readers will know, I have been largely impressed with Diouf since he came to us [...]
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Can Blackburn challenge United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea and City?
The big question for Blackburn fans ahead of their impending takeover is whether they really want to take the path adopted by Chelsea and Manchester [...]
2010年8月20日金曜日
Paul the Octopus Backs 2018 England World Cup Bid (Video and Analysis)
The tentacled freak has spoken…well sort of. Bet on Man Utd to win the Premier League with 888Sport and get upto �20 refund on your first bet! Join the Free CaughtOffside Fantasy Football League and Win �20k! CaughtOffside Fantasy Football League – PIN Number 1312The mystic mollusc, who became famous worldwide after correctly predicting the results of [...]
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The Hiddink Effect
Guus Hiddink has had an instant impact on the Chelsea squad after winning his first five games in charge. The appointment has probably come too late in the season to enable the blues to mount a serious premiership title challenge but it bodes well for next season if the Dutchman is still in charge.There was talk of Frank Rijkaard being brought in as manager at the end of the season but surely the job will now be offered to Hiddink on a long term basis. Hiddink is exactly the kind of high profile and experienced manager to finally lay the ghost of Mourinho. He also possesses enough quality to battle it out with Sir Alex Ferguson at Man United.Phil Scolari was surprisingly ineffective when it came to the tactical side of the game and this was particularly exposed during the matches against the big three teams. Hiddink instantly recognized the importance of getting the best out of Didier Drogba which is something Scolari failed to do. He has also not been afraid to play with two up front and the partnership of Anelka and Drogba rivals any in the premiership.Chelsea resembles a team once again and appears to be back to their best with both John Terry and Frank Lampard looking re-invigorated. The premiership title may no longer be a realistic target but not many will bet against them going all the way to the Champions League final once more.The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.
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Good Riddance To The Winker
It was always a possibility that Cristiano Ronaldo would eventually get his way and move to Real Madrid. He is one of the best players in the World but his behaviour does not always match his skills. This goes back to the World Cup when he played a part in getting his club team mate Wayne Rooney sent off. That game between England and Portugal showed the global television audience exactly what Ronaldo is like. Many felt that Sir Alex Ferguson should have washed his hands of him back then. However, he did nothing of the sort and instead he remained loyal to Ronaldo. He has developed into quite a player although it could be said that is not necessarily a good thing. He has behaved like a spoilt child at times in the last year throwing his toys out of the pram when he did not get his move to Madrid. Although he pledged loyalty to United, it was not convincing. It was more a case of delaying the inevitable.This year he has looked disinterested and brilliant often in the same game. In the Premiership, he has thrown tantrums when being substituted. After the Champions League final, his criticism of Fergie?s tactics was very disrespectful. The time was right for Manchester United to get rid and get the best possible price for him. The �80 million transfer is a World record and allows replacements to be brought in.Ronaldo is the latest in a long line of great players that have left the club. The manager is an expert at rebuilding teams when key players depart. When next season gets underway Manchester United will still be a good bet for the title even without the winker.The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.
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CFC stock watch: Rising
The close season has come and gone. Many a player has attempted to establish himself at Chelsea Football Club. Some are as advertised. Some, meanwhile, have failed.
Many, however, have excelled. Part II of this two-part series – Part I is here – takes a look at those who received a boost on the reputation front [...]
Many, however, have excelled. Part II of this two-part series – Part I is here – takes a look at those who received a boost on the reputation front [...]
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What Price Football: Chris Henry and the Future of the Gridiron Game
Last year, my family got together to celebrate my Uncle Johnny’s 80th birthday. This is a photo of him, on the left, with one of his old high school football teammates: Seeing an old fellow leatherhead led Uncle Johnny to tell us a few gridiron war stories. Most notable among them was one story about [...]
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English Premier League: Team of the Week 1
As everyone knows, the Premier League campaign finally kicked off on Saturday 14th,�10 fixtures, 26 goals, 9 clean sheets and the occasional shock result thrown [...]
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2010年8月19日木曜日
And Now, A Moment of Naked Patriotism
There are a ton of links I could throw at you today — starting with this epic collection of Landon Donovan goal celebration videos, or Brian Phillips’ Homeric attempt to describe all those videos put together in words (“It?s scary to think how things might have looked if anyone here cared about soccer.”) Really, though, [...]
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New 10-11 Premier League Home Kits Overview (M-W)
We wrote about the first half of the new 10-11 Premier League Shirts (A-L) in�alphabetical�order, and now it’s time to give the overview of the [...]
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Saint Gerrard Can Do No Wrong
Arsenal striker Eduardo has been rightly charged with diving by UEFA for his theatrical effort against Celtic. However, this raises questions about whether or not this will be an isolated punishment. Diving is widespread throughout World football and should be eradicated. Highlighting the behaviour of one player will not stamp it out. This should be a regular occurrence and offenders should be hit with an automatic suspension.There are numerous other players who have a reputation for diving. Liverpool?s Steven Gerrard is a perfect example. Gerrard has become an expert at going down like he has been pole axed. It is highly unlikely FIFA or UEFA would charge a high profile player. There have been some classics by Gerrard over the years such as the penalty he was given against Sheffield United when he tripped over thin air.In his recent court case he was charged with assault, it appeared to most right thinking people that Gerrard was indeed guilty of the charge. The CCTV footage clearly showed a drunken Gerrard and his friends surrounding one member of staff. However, his legal team managed to successfully argue that he acted in self defence. Not because he had been assaulted but because he feared an attack was imminent.If that had been Joe Bloggs caught on camera committing assault things would have been different. The accused escaped punishment simply because of who he is and the majority of personnel inside the Court were positively star struck. The outcome was a good one for Gerrard but made a mockery of the justice system. It also gave more weight to the argument that some highly paid footballers believe they are immune to the law. Alas, no doubt plenty of people at court managed to obtain an autograph from their hero.The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.
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Robinho in urgent need of fresh start
Robinho is in footballing limbo. He sat out Manchester City's opening game of the Premier League campaign and although he might be in action in midweek in the Europa League, or possibly playing his football somewhere else before the end of the month, he needs to sort things out fast because this is a huge season for him.
I well recall his debut in the Brazilian Championship for an astonishingly young Santos side that went on to lift the title. That was eight years ago. Eight years from now, Robinho will be 34 going on 35, so his time at the top has probably already passed the halfway mark and yet a huge question mark still hangs over him.
There is no escaping the fact that so far he has been a big disappointment in European club football and it would be unfair to pin all the blame for this on the clubs he has played for - because even after playing some 80 times for Brazil, the same doubts surround him at international level.. Robinho captained Brazil and starred in their 2-0 win over the United States. Photograph: Getty
In World Soccer magazine's South Africa 2010 preview, I wrote that Robinho was looking "to dismiss the claims that he is physically and mentally lightweight on the big occasion." He did not do so.
But in all those 80 games for Brazil, few of his performances - if any - were better than the one he gave last week in the 2-0 win away to the United States. Given the responsibility of captaining Brazil's young side, he was the star attraction on a night for the purist.
Abandoning the counter-attacking strategy they had embraced for so long, Brazil's game, under new coach Mano Menezes, was based on possession of the ball. Their fluid and imaginative display was aided by having the extra man in midfield - their 4-2-3-1 against the 4-4-2 of the US - but it was Robinho who ensured they got full value from the advantage.
He floated in from the right to make the extra man, orchestrating the swift passing movements, starting fires the US defence were unable to put out. There have been games where Robinho has tried many more stepovers - but few matches where he has made himself so important to the team, where his extraordinary individual talent was placed at the service of the collective.
Of course, it is extremely unwise to attach too much importance to international friendlies, especially in August. But if this talent is there, and if this willingness to work for the team exists, why is he unable to show it week in week out?
Perhaps his coaches have not worked hard enough to understand him. More to the point, perhaps he has not worked hard enough to understand himself and the situation in which he finds himself.
Like a fair proportion of South American players, Robinho appears to thrive on affection, on being made to feel important. Being given the captain's armband, for example, appeared to do him a power of good for Brazil last week. It was like having favoured son status.
Paternalistic relations are part of Brazilian society and football. After losing his managerial post at Chelsea, Luiz Felipe Scolari complained that his relationship with many of his squad had been "only" professional - as if something had been missing. His Brazil squad in 2002 were known as 'the Scolari family' but he was unable to recreate the same ties and hierarchies with a multi-national squad in a northern European country.
Robinho has never been part of a 'Scolari family', though, of course, his intention when he cried his way out of Real Madrid was to link up with Big Phil at Chelsea, only to find his way to Manchester City instead. But he seems to have struggled with the same problem, an inability to adapt to different cultural values.
Robinho joined Santos on loan last season and won the State Championship. Photograph: Reuters
There are also technical reasons for Robinho's problems in Europe. He is a player who thrives on confidence, and it is much easier for him to take on his markers in domestic Brazilian football where the balance is tipped in his favour by the knowledge that if he can't get past his man, he is likely to be given a free-kick for the slightest physical contact. Put him in a more rigorous environment and he seems diminished.
At heart, though, the cultural and the technical differences come down to the same thing, a desire for protection. Like a spoilt son, he appears to want a guaranteed first team place because of who he is, but in Europe he is going to be judged on what he does. Merit is the criteria.
In the deep squads of a big European club there is no such thing as a guaranteed first team place, he has to earn it.
Sulking when he is substituted or left out is no solution. The answer lies in working to show his coach and his colleagues that his ability is useful to the team - just as he did for Brazil last Tuesday against the US.
"Football in Europe is hard," Robinho said earlier this year when he was loaned back to Santos. "The coach doesn't always pick you." Admittedly, the move back was largely motivated by a desire to stay in shape for the World Cup, but it also came across as the option of a little kid wanting to return to the womb to escape his problems.
The time to grow up has arrived. Approaching 27, with two World Cups behind him, in football terms Robinho is a veteran - with limited time to fulfil his potential. Here's hoping he can sort himself out, whether at Manchester City or elsewhere. The player who captained Brazil last week is worth saving.
Comments on the piece in the space provided. Questions on South American football to vickerycolumn@hotmail.com, and I'll pick out a couple for next week.
From last week's postbag:
Q) Could you tell me anything about Javier Pastore and Mathias De Federico, who were in the same Huracan team a couple of years back? Where are they now, and are they the future of Argentine football or just two in a long line of 'the next Maradonas who ultimately collapse under the pressure?
Harvey Burgess
A) They complemented each other so well in that attractive Huracan side, Pastore the languid playmaker and De Federico the little gnat-like support striker. It's a shame they were separated.
Their fates have been very different. Pastore went to Palermo and adapted better and more quickly to Italian football than even his admirers thought he would. He was in the World Cup squad, made a few substitute appearances and looks like being an important player for the future. De Federico, meanwhile, went to Corinthians in Brazil and has struggled to make much of an impression.
Q) I really need to know something, why do Mexican teams play in both South America's Copa Libertadores and the Concacaf Champions league?
Luke Vooght
A) Because money makes a very persuasive argument. Mexico is in Concacaf, so that one is easily explained. And the Mexicans are invited into the Libertadores for financial reasons - it means access to a market of over 100 million for the tournament sponsors.
Last week's column dealt with this - and the fact that, if a Mexican club wins the competition then it is not allowed to represent South America in the World Club Cup. This year, for the second time, there is a Mexican club in the final - but 2-1 down from the home leg against Internacional of Brazil, it seems unlikely that Chivas Guadalajara will be lifting the trophy after Wednesday's return match.
I well recall his debut in the Brazilian Championship for an astonishingly young Santos side that went on to lift the title. That was eight years ago. Eight years from now, Robinho will be 34 going on 35, so his time at the top has probably already passed the halfway mark and yet a huge question mark still hangs over him.
There is no escaping the fact that so far he has been a big disappointment in European club football and it would be unfair to pin all the blame for this on the clubs he has played for - because even after playing some 80 times for Brazil, the same doubts surround him at international level.. Robinho captained Brazil and starred in their 2-0 win over the United States. Photograph: Getty
In World Soccer magazine's South Africa 2010 preview, I wrote that Robinho was looking "to dismiss the claims that he is physically and mentally lightweight on the big occasion." He did not do so.
But in all those 80 games for Brazil, few of his performances - if any - were better than the one he gave last week in the 2-0 win away to the United States. Given the responsibility of captaining Brazil's young side, he was the star attraction on a night for the purist.
Abandoning the counter-attacking strategy they had embraced for so long, Brazil's game, under new coach Mano Menezes, was based on possession of the ball. Their fluid and imaginative display was aided by having the extra man in midfield - their 4-2-3-1 against the 4-4-2 of the US - but it was Robinho who ensured they got full value from the advantage.
He floated in from the right to make the extra man, orchestrating the swift passing movements, starting fires the US defence were unable to put out. There have been games where Robinho has tried many more stepovers - but few matches where he has made himself so important to the team, where his extraordinary individual talent was placed at the service of the collective.
Of course, it is extremely unwise to attach too much importance to international friendlies, especially in August. But if this talent is there, and if this willingness to work for the team exists, why is he unable to show it week in week out?
Perhaps his coaches have not worked hard enough to understand him. More to the point, perhaps he has not worked hard enough to understand himself and the situation in which he finds himself.
Like a fair proportion of South American players, Robinho appears to thrive on affection, on being made to feel important. Being given the captain's armband, for example, appeared to do him a power of good for Brazil last week. It was like having favoured son status.
Paternalistic relations are part of Brazilian society and football. After losing his managerial post at Chelsea, Luiz Felipe Scolari complained that his relationship with many of his squad had been "only" professional - as if something had been missing. His Brazil squad in 2002 were known as 'the Scolari family' but he was unable to recreate the same ties and hierarchies with a multi-national squad in a northern European country.
Robinho has never been part of a 'Scolari family', though, of course, his intention when he cried his way out of Real Madrid was to link up with Big Phil at Chelsea, only to find his way to Manchester City instead. But he seems to have struggled with the same problem, an inability to adapt to different cultural values.
Robinho joined Santos on loan last season and won the State Championship. Photograph: Reuters
There are also technical reasons for Robinho's problems in Europe. He is a player who thrives on confidence, and it is much easier for him to take on his markers in domestic Brazilian football where the balance is tipped in his favour by the knowledge that if he can't get past his man, he is likely to be given a free-kick for the slightest physical contact. Put him in a more rigorous environment and he seems diminished.
At heart, though, the cultural and the technical differences come down to the same thing, a desire for protection. Like a spoilt son, he appears to want a guaranteed first team place because of who he is, but in Europe he is going to be judged on what he does. Merit is the criteria.
In the deep squads of a big European club there is no such thing as a guaranteed first team place, he has to earn it.
Sulking when he is substituted or left out is no solution. The answer lies in working to show his coach and his colleagues that his ability is useful to the team - just as he did for Brazil last Tuesday against the US.
"Football in Europe is hard," Robinho said earlier this year when he was loaned back to Santos. "The coach doesn't always pick you." Admittedly, the move back was largely motivated by a desire to stay in shape for the World Cup, but it also came across as the option of a little kid wanting to return to the womb to escape his problems.
The time to grow up has arrived. Approaching 27, with two World Cups behind him, in football terms Robinho is a veteran - with limited time to fulfil his potential. Here's hoping he can sort himself out, whether at Manchester City or elsewhere. The player who captained Brazil last week is worth saving.
Comments on the piece in the space provided. Questions on South American football to vickerycolumn@hotmail.com, and I'll pick out a couple for next week.
From last week's postbag:
Q) Could you tell me anything about Javier Pastore and Mathias De Federico, who were in the same Huracan team a couple of years back? Where are they now, and are they the future of Argentine football or just two in a long line of 'the next Maradonas who ultimately collapse under the pressure?
Harvey Burgess
A) They complemented each other so well in that attractive Huracan side, Pastore the languid playmaker and De Federico the little gnat-like support striker. It's a shame they were separated.
Their fates have been very different. Pastore went to Palermo and adapted better and more quickly to Italian football than even his admirers thought he would. He was in the World Cup squad, made a few substitute appearances and looks like being an important player for the future. De Federico, meanwhile, went to Corinthians in Brazil and has struggled to make much of an impression.
Q) I really need to know something, why do Mexican teams play in both South America's Copa Libertadores and the Concacaf Champions league?
Luke Vooght
A) Because money makes a very persuasive argument. Mexico is in Concacaf, so that one is easily explained. And the Mexicans are invited into the Libertadores for financial reasons - it means access to a market of over 100 million for the tournament sponsors.
Last week's column dealt with this - and the fact that, if a Mexican club wins the competition then it is not allowed to represent South America in the World Club Cup. This year, for the second time, there is a Mexican club in the final - but 2-1 down from the home leg against Internacional of Brazil, it seems unlikely that Chivas Guadalajara will be lifting the trophy after Wednesday's return match.
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