March 20, 2008
February 29, 2008
Video: River Plate's win: Ariel Ortega proves evergreen
Ariel Ortega has always been a pesky fellow and he raises hackles wherever he goes or whomever he plays. Just ask Van Der Saar or the coaches for the number of clubs he has interred in. But he is one of the smartest dribblers of the ball and his short tireless frame keeps going. As long as he does that he can keep River going even as the club struggles with its self confidence. They have had a disappointing Clausura so far and their Copa Libertadores outings started shockingly with a loss to newbies Universidad San Martín in Lima.
Today's match against America was huge. Ortega's last gasp goal gave River a 2-1 win after the America defenders made a sloppy mess of a run of the mill clearance. The attacking midfielder says he is coming back to form. River's Fernando Belluschi has left for Olympiakos and in his absence Ortega and ex- Udinese striker Alexis Sanchez have a monumental task ahead of them.
February 28, 2008
Daniel Day Lewis lookalike heads Phila MLS franchise
Jay Sugarman, Daniel Day Lewis lookalike
Don Garber announced a new MLS franchise in Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. The ownership group is headed by iStar's CEO, Jay Sugarman,one of the best compensated CEO's in the US. One of his partners is Nick Sakiewicz, a two-time winner of the MLS Executive of the Year award, and former GM of the Tampa Bay Mutiny and Metrostars (now NY Red Bulls). Its new home will be a 20,000 seater stadium in Chester, minutes away from Phila. The stadium is also part of a $500m downtown revitalization project.
The new name, logo, and colours are to be unveiled. Any ideas as to what its name could be?
Lets hope it is not the Philadelphia iStars or Quakers or Liberty or something as trite as that. Maybe Jay Sugarman can take some inspiration from Daniel Day Lewis and call it Philadelphia Ripe Foot.
Man City will be viable if Shinawatra returns to politics
Thaksin Shinawatra returned to Thailand today and was taken into custody, released on bail, and will stand trial before the country's Supreme Court on March 8th on corruption charges which include tax evasion and nepotism. He returned because the country's political environment changed in his favour.
Some immediate questions. If Thaksin is found guilty, does this mean that Man City will lose out on the some £800m frozen by the military junta? Even if his assets are released, would it benefit the club in time?
An encouraging sign is the agency responsible for freezing his millions is coming under increased scrutiny and it appears that the present government will close it down. That could lead to his assets being released.
Precious money that could keep a club afloat. Thaksin has been a low profile but unmistakable presence at Eastlands since he took up ownership; instrumental in hiring Sven Goran Erickson and getting the players that make a difference. City's chances of achieving an UEFA spot have never been better. In February they beat rivals Man Utd twice for the first time since 1968.
I think the answer becomes more clearcut if he decides to stay on and re-enter politics. He has denied an interest but he and his party, the PPP represent the interests of the millions of working class Thais, in opposition to the military junta and conservative forces which have been in a battle for ascendancy since Shinawatra came to power in 2001. They took advantage of his absence at a UN General Assembly meeting in 2006 to stage a coup.
The PPP came back as the majority partner in the coalition government last December but their fortunes could evaporate because of increasing disarray. The Prime Minister, Samak Sundaravej faces charges for a cover up in the assault of pro-democracy activists in 1976 that led to a number of deaths. Another leader faces charges of electoral fraud which has been upheld by the Election Commission and the election result could hinge on a Supreme Court verdict.
Most importantly, the populist agenda that Thaksin built around his party appears to have come unglued since his absence. His re-entry on the ground should rally his party under his leadership and keep the public pressure focused on dismantling the roadblocks that the military junta installed.
His presence is important because the media which has never been kind to him on his human rights violations will try and sway public opinion currently siding with him. There are a number of court cases including the Supreme Court's corruption and conflict of interest charges against a land deal involving him and his wife. The Attorney General's office has filed another charge of concealment of shares in a real estate holding company. Most previous charges filed by the military junta have proven unfounded.
Thaksin's millions of supporters and his acolytes in the present government are asking him to take up the political reins once more. His comeback will put pressure on the Supreme Court to acquit him, since in the court of public opinion, he has already been exonerated. If successful, it should put the nail in the agency's coffin. The money could be released quickly enough to reassure anxious Man City fans. Their owner will be now free to come and go as he pleases. Which is more than I can say about Tom Hicks who probably requires a security detail to come to Anfield.
February 27, 2008
Danny Vukovic's case to be determined
Jesse Fink argues why Vukovic's case be treated differently. The referee Mark Shields made a hash of the penalty that Coastal clearly had.
Personally, anything more than a 3 game suspension would stink. Referees need to be protected but a blanket ban without any regard to the extenuating circumstances or to a player's career is unjustifiable. The soccer referee is a god compared to the rugby league or NFL officiating crew who regularly consult and do TV reviews to get a decision right.
February 26, 2008
The clumsy tackle meme is catching on
This really looks like a 'clumsy tackle'.
Its taken little time but the media seems to be internalizing Martin Taylor's tackle as 'clumsy'. We can debate that. Its better than stupid or dirty. Blame it on a disobedient limb, on a transient mind-body disconnection. Be that as it may, the media circus that followed was clumsy. Richard Scudamore could not even take a break from defending his plan to voice regret.
Usually injuries of such a nature which threaten to end a player's career call for some introspection; to make the game safer, which really should be the issue. The Premiership is a huge draw for the world's best players. But there are other leagues that compete for them too and a player's decision to join hinges around a myriad of factors. One of them is surprise, surprise, the ability to remain healthy. Are we doing enough to protect them? But the singular lack of such debate which instead focuses on Wenger's reaction, Gallas's flare up, or Taylor's character is glaring. I used to think American talking heads were brain dead. Their counterparts across the pond are proving to be equally lobotomized.
There are international repercussions too. The Croatian media has been all over this story. They have pursued Taylor, fans have issued death threats, and to top it all, Slaven Bilic is one unhappy man. His star striker made the English defense look like penguins with two left feet, scored the most goals for their team, and led them to a top spot, after his team administered England's Euro coup de grace is now gone. Less than a year ago, Eduardo's Premiership departure was being hailed in his club as a breakthrough. A recognition of his skills with the possibility of becoming even better.
He is coming back with a crippling career ending injury. Yet, English fans are squabbling over Wenger's hyperbole, Scudamore is busy touting his 39 steps to more greed, and the media is closing ranks around Taylor. Where is the humanity?
There is enough hint of a conspiracy to make one suspect that some Croatian players might be tempted to test the 'clumsy tackle' theory themselves when they meet England next which will be soon. They might hold back for a less consequential meeting but there is every potential that it could happen. There are different types of payback.
The Premiership is on its way to becoming a giant echo chamber. This was an instance for the powers to be to acknowledge that there are countries who define themselves through their national team. But once Scudamore got the memo that Taylor's tackle was just 'clumsy', there was nothing left to say or do. Move on. Greed is indeed clarifying.
February 24, 2008
Sheilas, Wogs, and Poofters: Australia bids for the 2018 World Cup
The key issue is as Michael Gleeson explains the AFL and Rugby League working around the World Cup schedule to free up the stadiums. The question is why would they. Soccer poses a serious and credible threat to their popularity.
Its been a climb since Johnny Warren wrote his memoir documenting the biases of the rabid fan base of Aussie rules. Some of it still persists but Australia is not the isolated outpost of yore. The hinterland might occasionally simmer but there is no escaping a thriving country very much part of the global economy, a huge driver of quality education, with a relatively transparent immigration process that attracts thousands.
From a soccer standpoint, Australia is now part of the Asia zone where millions follow soccer. It is a much tougher group of countries to play against. Most of the nancy boy derision that soccer faced was because of the weak competition in the Oceanic zone where they would run up scores against Western Samoa. Politically too, there is a change. John Howard's us and them fear mongering was fiercely rejected by a majority. The new PM, Kevin Rudd has ushered in a new era of reconciliation with a long due apology for the inequities suffered by the indigenous people of Australia. A mere band aid with much more to do. But it is a start. Soccer is part of Australia's re-evaluation of the past and its ability to move forward.
For what it is worth, Aussies are sports lovers. If a sport has a chance to flourish, introduce it in Australia first. There is nothing that they do not play and they become incredibly good at it. Every sport has a well supported niche and soccer has after a rough start, established itself. There is also no drop off in rugby's popularity in countries that also play soccer. Both sports enjoy separate audiences.
In the end, the AFL and Rugby League stand to look pretty small minded and insecure if they do not work with the World Cup bid committee to sort out this scheduling issue. Their fears are unfounded.
Video: Beckham steers Galaxy to a win
Beckham looks to be in good nick. Galaxy won 2-1 over Sydney FC coming third in the inaugural Pan Pacific championships. You can keep the commentary down if you don't want the usual jingoistic chest beating.
Vukovic could face a life ban
Today's A- League final ended in a controversial win for the Newcastle Jets over Central Coast
Goalie Danny Vukovic was sent off for striking referee Mark Shields after he failed to award a penalty to Central Coast following a handball by Newcastle's James Holland in the goalbox. He was charged with violent misconduct (Video here)
Under the FFA's national disciplinary regulations, such a charge carries a recommended sanction of a one-year ban to life suspension.
Makes you wonder about the slap on the wrist maximum 3 match suspension that Martin Taylor faces while referees seem to get a sliding scale benefit depending on the provocation.
Arsenal need to rally: Gallas needs to calm down
William Gallas should comport himself as Arsenal's leader. He was understandably frustrated with the penalty decision and Eduardo's injury that saw a game slip away. But the occasion demanded that Gallas not take that armband lightly. Instead, he acted out in an unseemly fashion. What sort of example are you setting for players like Eboue and his impulse control problems?
At this stage, more than anything else, Arsenal's young team needs a rallying point in their quest for the league title. I agree with Arseblog that do this for Eduardo would be powerful motivation. The pundits wrote off Arsenal at the beginning of the season and here we are end of Feb at the top of the table. There would be nothing sweeter than seeing Eduardo hoisting that silverware with the rest of his mates in May. We can do this.
February 23, 2008
More lip flapping by Sir Alex
The reports are that Sir Alex is drooling over Karem Benzema and has made signing him a priority this summer. He saw an electrifying Benzema stick it to Man U before Tevez bailed them out again.
Jean Michel Aulas, Lyons owner and one of the shrewdest deal makers, says bring it on. He is used to smelling desperation in the morning. After all he made Roman Abramovich sweat bullets over the Michael Essien deal. Expect the same for Benzema.
But Aulas is being himself. What really gets your goat is Sir Alex prostrating himself to get Benzema. It was not so long ago when Gallas' equalizer got his lips flapping over the demise of the English game, blaming it on Wenger and his damn foreigners. He led a chorus of managers who said the same. A nice photo op with Sepp Blatter establishing quotas followed. It made you think the saviour of the English game was going to go to Shropshire to sign the first person with boots on. Yeah, right.
Can we kill this meme. Sir Alex is as interested in saving English soccer as Dylan Thomas was in keeping a story straight.
February 22, 2008
Dispiriting news: Usmanov becomes Arsenal's largest shareholder
You can put lipstick on a pig......
Corpulent shareholder Alisher Usmanov has become Arsenal's largest shareholder, moving past Danny Fizsman, positioning himself for a club takeover. His takeover will pave the way for David Dein.
Remember how Dein had used the Henry transfer to justify that the wheels were falling off, surreptitiously maneuvering a takeover, first with Kroenke and now with Usmanov.
Usmanov's potential buyout benefits no one, least of all the club, as it has gained financial strength (Arsenal climbed to 5th in the world's richest clubs) without a takeover. Furthermore, Arsenal is in a good position to win silverware this year without adding any costly transfers to the squad. The financial future of the club remains strong.
We should remember that Arsenal has managed very well without these so called well wishers. The club should not be used by those who want to whitewash their baggage.
February 20, 2008
Arsenal take on Milan: Test that goalkeeper
CL first leg. Arsenal vs AC Milan at the Emirates. 7:15 GMT.
Arsenal should take full advantage of the goalkeeping situation in Milan. Dida, the first choice is out with a back injury. Zeljko Kalac, Milan's back up has a dislocated finger and is questionable. Valerio Fiori, the third stringer has not played a competitive game in five years.
Kalac is a bit like Lehmann. He makes great saves but gives away the occasional goal through boneheaded moves. He will start if Ancelotti decides he is match fit but Arsenal should test that theory.
So if I were Arsenal some unexpected hefty swipes at goal amidst all that fine passing would be in order. Arsenal has also successfully surprised opponents by mixing up the long ball using Eduardo's speed up to threaten the goalkeeper. They should do the same through Clichy and Sagna to catch the slower, older Milan defense out of position. Marek Jankulovski has been vulnerable in the past as he has been slower to track back and an adventurous Sagna should be able to exploit that. Oddo does a lot of running up the right flank but fades away as the game goes on. The center of the defense with Nesta and Kaladzhe is Milan's strength and that might prove harder to breakdown especially if Arsenal go down the center. Ancelotti has rotated a lot of his peripheral defenders with Bonera and Favalli also receiving substantial minutes.
Milan's goalstrike might have been more dire if it was not for the late surge by Alexandre Pato scoring 4 goals in his last five apperances and Alberto Paloschi's stunning Serie debut against Siena. Ancelotti's attack has been quite conventional and Milan's 34 goals have forced a number of draws and low scoring wins.
For history buffs, Goal.com has a fascinating account of the last time these two played each other. Actually, the only time they faced each other was in the 1995 European Super Cup final which Arsenal lost 0-2 on aggregate. Milan's coach was Fabio Capello. It was Beauty vs Beast (Sorry, no You Tube highlights available, I'm afraid).
Arsenal had little regard outside of England. Its strength was its tough workman like defence coached by George Graham and led by Tony Adams, Nigel Winterburn, Lee Dixon, and goalie David Seaman. Dull but effective soccer. AC Milan, European powerhouses, one of the most decorated names in the world, boasted artists like Donadoni, Desailly, Savicevic, Baresi, Maldini, Costacurta, Massaro, and Boban. A different time, different coaches, and different approaches.
Today, we have two teams reknowned throughout the world for their artistry. This should be a great game.
As usual you can pretend to work while enjoying all the action at
www.livefooty.com
February 19, 2008
Give it a break on Nani
Did Nani showboat or showoff? Video here
Soccer players are entertainers. Brazil used to do that regularly before Dunga came along and our avenues to see this sort of stuff remains pretty limited. More power to Nani that he chose to do what he did. It looked good and it was effective. Sir Alex and Wenger need to lay off the sauce. Let me also say that Arsenal played like a bunch of hacks. Gallas should have gone and Eboue should seriously seek counseling.
Sports injuries: On the issue of children with ACL tears
THe NYT has an article highlighting the flood of kids with ACL injuries requiring surgery or bracing to restore knee stability. Conventional wisdom is that children break bones more easily than incur ligament damage. At stake is the mythic strength of children's ligaments. The article opens up many more questions.
An obvious question is how far have imaging studies contributed to a correct diagnosis? What used to be called a 'trick' knee is now correctly an ACL injury, which means that this increase in incidence could potentially be a false positive.
Is the popularity of soccer taking its toll on children's health? In other words, the rise of soccer could have a less salubrious effect too. The article does not breakdown the sports which cause these injuries. It would be helpful to establish a comprehensive database.
Interestingly, the majority of these injuries is non-contact, i.e., they occur off the field and involve twisting of the knees. Have potholes become more numerous or attention spans decreased?
Actually, one could argue that these ligament tears are possibly an accumulation of a series of microtears incurred on the field which compromise ligament integrity. Twisting your knee falling into a pothole is the last straw. One should try and correlate these non-contact injuries with the frequency and intensity of sports played to get a clearer understanding of whether and if ligament injuries are really on the rise.
This much is clear, ligament transplant surgery involving children's growth plates can potentially throw the leg out of alignment leading to shortening. Alternative methods are more cumbersome and the long term efficacy of these procedures are not known. Bracing runs into compliance issues and children are notoriously brace aversive. So methods of restoring knee stability in children have systemic problems.
However, this highlights the prevention is better approach. Most children are sent to the field without proper muscle conditioning. Muscles serve a protective function when it comes to prevention of injuries in unguarded moments. A half hour of plyometrics, e.g., jumping on a trampoline, on and off wooden blocks of different heights, with and without weights, with different knee and body angles, in a fun and festive atmosphere would be better than just lifting weights. Lower muscle tone might be one of the reasons girls seem to be more prone to knee injuries than boys.
And parents. Living life out vicariously or padding a child's resume becomes a bit less palatable when confronted with these injuries and their long term damage. So stop pushing them onto the field when the child complains of knee pain or swelling. It might be serious.
February 17, 2008
Welcome Kosovo!
PRISTINA, Kosovo, Feb. 17
Kosovo declared its independence today from Serbia.
And that my friends should be another welcome addition to the soccer world.
Kosovo follows in the footsteps of Montenegro which broke off from Serbia weeks before the 2006 World Cup although the soccer team played under the unified banner of Serbia- Montenegro.
Kosovo will be FIFA's 209th member. They have a long standing team as yet unrecognized by FIFA and UEFA because Kosovo was occupied initially by Yugoslavia before NATO forces intervened in the Balkan crisis in 1999 and handed its administration to the UN. The most visible way to announce to the world that Kosovo is a independent entity is to get ratification from UEFA and FIFA and become eligible for the Euro and the World Cup.
Thus begins a dilemma for many Albania squad players born in Kosovo who might be eligible for the new Kosovo national team. This includes Lorik Cana, the captain of Olympique Marseille and Besart Berisha who recently transfered to Burnley FC from Hamburger SV, and Samir Ujkani, the U-21 goalie who plays for Palermo.
There are also a number of Kosovar Albanian players scattered throughout Europe in Switzerland, Sweden, Norway and Germany who may be tempted to become part of the Kosovo national team. Players such as Valon Behrami of Lazio who has already played for the Switzerland national squad, Liverpool's hottest youth prospect, Astrit Ajdarevic, a Swedish U21 international, and Faton Toski, of Eintracht Frankfurt, a member of Germany's U-19 squad.
For those history buffs the provisional Kosovo national team played its first game against Albania losing, 0-3 on Feb 14, 1993.
Finnish international and human bulldozer, Shefki Kuqi at present on loan to Fulham is Kosovar Albanian in origin. But he may not switch his allegiance from the land of Koskenkorva and Sillanpaa.
Ronaldo: What now?
Globoesporte's: What now?
Ronaldo is down and out with a torn knee ligament for the thousandth time. Globoesporte would like its readers to opine. What now?
Option C:Hang up your boots and enjoy your millions.
Option D:Maybe Ronaldo can call up Adriano and see if there is a spot available in the rehab clinic.
If I was Ronaldo, Option C would be a no-brainer. But there is always the MLS. They love over the hill stars and their injured knees and ankles. So don't give up hope yet, Ronaldo! Let your people call up Alexi Lalas.
Marcelinho will celebrate Corinthians 5000th game
Corinthians greatest striker will be part of the celebrations
Corinthians, relegated to Division B, play their 5000th game against Braga at the Morumbi today. The club was founded in 1910.
In a special celebration the club will honour its stars. Biro-Biro, Neto, Sócrates, Zé Maria, Tião, Marcelinho Carioca, Geraldão, Basílio, Mauro, Vaguinho, Wilson Mano, Ronaldo, Zenon and Wladimir. Corinthians has the largest following of supporters in Brazil with an estimated 35m fanbase.
Soccerblog writes how Corinthians, the people's club, was the revolutionary vanguard leading the charge against the corruptive influence of the cartelos in Brazilian soccer finally succumbing to the very culture that it previously fought against.
Glenn Hoddle discovers his third or fourth calling
Give me your Hoddled masses.
Glenn Hoddle, midfield general, phlegmatic former England manager, born again Christian; talks to Simon Kuper about creating a youth academy for teenage players, club rejects, who desire a second chance.
Seems like a 180 turn from his insensitive comments on disabled people for which he was sacked as England manager.
Keta Sandlanders: A virtual model for smaller clubs
The FT highlights the rise of Keta Sandlanders, a small Ghanian club which has seen its fortunes rise thanks to the worldwide reach of the internet and offers a model of success for small clubs who are part of the local community but are struggling to survive.
The club shut down a decade ago as coastal erosion ate up the town of Keta but is up and running thanks to an online initiative which is attracting a membership base around the world.
Barcelona's co-operative system has been the inspiration behind such ventures. The spate of foreign owned soccer owners in the English league and elsewhere had created a backlash as fans desire a greater degree of control in their hands and to invest in a club that is part of the local community.
The internet has given a renewed impetus to such initiatives. We now have the Share Liverpool FC plan modeled after Barca which is utilizing Liverpool's global reach to end foreign ownership. Their goal is to raise £500m. Ebbsfleet United, the largest such online venture, is supported by more than 50,000 members who pay £35 for the right to vote on any matter related to the club, including transfers and team selection. Hapoel Kiryat Shalom, an Israeli sixth division club goes one better. The coach is advised tactical changes as the games are streamed live, by an online viewership of 10,000 members.
Arsenal's favourite oligarch increases his stake
Alisher Usmanov sighting. He has become Arsenal's second biggest stakeholder behind Danny Fiszman. A difference of a few shares. Usmanov is positioning himself as the biggest stakeholder before the lockdown agreement expires in April 2009. He will be in pole position to increase his exposure to 30% triggering an automatic takeover bid. He can buyout Stan Kroenke's stake or team up with him to get to that level.
We can then look forward to Arsenal playing friendlies with the Karimov XI in Uzbekistan.
February 16, 2008
Can soccer blogs become agents of change?
The aftermath of the bitter and divisive 2000 US presidential elections spawned a myriad of political blogs disillusioned with the bias of the mainstream media (MSM) narrative. On either side of the divide, blogs became agents of change challenging the MSM and supporting candidates who hew more closely to their vision. Blogs have become a potent counterpoint to the Washington echo chamber, a tight knit cabal of talking heads who push narratives like McCain is a maverick and tensions between Hispanic and African Americans voters will determine Barack Obama's candidacy. An establishment that now appears to be on the defensive as millions turn to blogs who espouse a more unfiltered point of view, frequently are quicker on their feet, and do the legwork to expose fallacies and inconsistencies. Blogs have become so influential that candidates solicit their financial support, post up their opinions, and participate in their yearly conventions. The 2006 mid term elections that saw Democrats capture the House and Senate was engineered by the election of many candidates supported by progressive blogs. Many MSM outlets now have their own talking heads who write blogs or invite prominent bloggers to guest column. Blogs are now an accepted part of the political environment with a proven track record of influencing election outcomes.
By the same token, we do not have a similar seminal point in sports blogging. Deadspin, an anti-corporatist website that rails against ESPN, Fox Sports, and other mainstream sports media (MSSM) outlets has been chiefly set up to knock down sports as nothing more than providing entertainment. It is thus irreverent and tongue in cheek, mocking self important talking heads. Deadspin would be required reading for those sickened by Bob Costas and his saccharine sweet jingoism which grates every Olympics, ane event coming up soon. However for all its popularity, Deadspin has not forced a change in the narrative of the MSSM which is driven by above said Bob Costas and Bryant Gumbel who eulogize athletes with crushed ribs and bad parenting.
Deadspin is a US based blog and as such it is targeted primarily towards American sports. Fortunately, the winds are changing, more specifically towards a soccer based activism. Blogs that follow EPL clubs lead the way which makes sense as it is the most widely followed league in the world with more than 200m followers. The enormous bile towards the Premiership proposal of expanding its matches to overseas markets is forcing Richard Scudamore to rethink his proposal. Managers, sports pundits, and administrators have come out against the proposal. The FA hardly an activist organization is dead against the soccer expansion. But it is blogs who have coalesced fan anger, accusing the EPL of being anti-player in its mercenary pursuit of exploiting new markets for merchandising.
The process of forcing change has long been hampered by the fact that fans rarely have a say in the economic matters of the club or its club ownership. But last summer proved to be a milestone as blogs exposed the shady past of Alisher Usmanov as he tried engineering an Arsenal takeover. These Arsenal friendly blogs helped disseminate an unflattering article written by a Craig Murray, a former British ambassador to Uzbekistan even as Usmanov's lawyers sought to muzzle them in a cease and desist motion. The club's governing board was forced to action and installed a lock down agreement that would prevent a hostile takeover. In contrast, Liverpool's takeover proceeded with little opposition. However, later on, the US co-owners dubious solvency and irresolute behavior gave anxious Liverpool fans enough reason to believe that their club would once again be on the market. Blogs channeled this widespread discontent which led to a proposal by a group of committed Liverpool fans to buy out the club and run it as a co-operative. The proposal was passed onto blogs and their readers who crashed the group's website.
Arsenal: Kardboard Kutouts come out to play against Man U
Wenger defends his use of cardboard cutouts to play Man U in the FA Cup fifth round. Arsenal lost 0-4.
"Its the economy, stupid. "
"Newcastle looks good except for the scoreline."
"They can't do sliding tackles but otherwise they are alright."
"Cardboard cutouts are a natural progression from underage players."
"Not all of them are cut out for the big matches but you would never know until you try them."
"Rio called me up and said he had wood."
"The cardboard cutout who was in Dances with Wolves, he was nominated for the Oscar."
"I was preparing them for the 39th game."
"Yeah, it would be easier knocking down a strawman."
"I am the decider."
Anyways, all this does not take away from a superior Man U display. But Arsenal were abject and deserving of all scorn.
Southwest Airlines to Arsenal's defence: You are free to move
Arsenal takes the afternoon off
FA Cup: Man U up 2-0 within 20 minutes as the Arsenal defence seems like its waiting to be airlifted to another time zone. Another one of those classic Arsenal meltdowns. Hoyte and Gallas have been awful. Its been Rooney, Nani and Fletcher. Yes, Fletcher. Its that kind of a day for Arsenal.
Huddersfield just scored against Chelsea. Its 1-1 all and this could turn out to be another historic match a la Barnsley.
Update: Man U, 3-0 up as Nani scores. Arsenal's defence does a re-enactment of the Keystone Kops.
Brian Howard nails Liverpool as plucky Barnsley seal historic win
Liverpool's season just took another body blow as Barnsley created history ousting the Reds in the FA Cup fifth round. The heroes for Barnsley were many.
Martin Devaney's spectacular cross set up Steven Foster's equalizer, Robert Kozluk's scrambling legs kept a sure Dirk Kuyt goal out after the Barnsley defense was caught out of position, Luke Steele's heroics in goal stopped Yossi Benayoun and Harry Kewell, and Brian Howard nailed the door shut with 30 seconds left as his 25 yard left footer beat Charles Itandje The match ended with Anfield engulfed by boos from LFC supporters.
Rafa Benitez's comfort zone just got a lot smaller. For FA Cup junkies, another reminder that the tournament keeps throwing up some of the most memorable and entertaining matches.
An Arsenal win enhances its Premiership and CL chances
FA Cup fixtures usually fall victim to CL and Premiership aspirations. However, today's encounter with Man U may not be as insignificant as guano in the Galapagos because of its Premiership and CL implications. In the Premiership we have witnessed a very tight race between the teams before a suddenly vulnerable Man U team ceded five points to create some daylight. The psychological boost provided by an Arsenal win today would be tremendous ahead of its April return to Old Trafford.
This match is important too for Arsenal's overseas challenge. They meet Milan midweek for the start of the CL knockout phase. Milan, the present CL champion beat out Man U last year in a memorable semi-final, after falling back in the first leg. Milan has revived its Serie season with Ancelotti's new signings providing a shot in the arm. And of course the triple threat posed by Kaka, Seedorf, and Pirlo remain intact. Last season Arsenal's chances ended prematurely against PSV. A win over Man U would be a nice confidence booster in its CL match up with Europe's best.
Deloitte-ful news for the Bundesliga: The World Cup proves beneficial
Deloitte's 2008 Football Money League report puts three Premiership clubs in the top five richest spots for the first time. Real continues its most moneyed status followed by Man U, Barca, Chelsea, and Arsenal. The Gunners made a huge move from ninth to fifth. The catalyst was the tremendous growth in gate receipts due to the increased Emirates capacity.
There are six Premiership clubs in the list which also includes Liverpool, Tottenham, and Newcastle. It is estimated that the Premiership will provide half the top twenty clubs in the next couple of years.
The Serie continues it slow slide. Milan fell out of the top five as the San Siro suffered a significant decline in attendance. It was partially offset by its strength in broadcasting revenues. Inter's story is similar following a drop off in season and match day ticketholders. Last year's third position holder Juventus fell out of the top ten following Calciopoli. AS Roma was the only only club that improved but that was because of its strong CL performance. The Serie's strength comes from its broadcasting revenues.
But the big story is that the Bundesliga continues to benefit from the World Cup as Werder Bremen joins SV Hamburger, Schalke, and Bayern in the top twenty. The World Cup expanded Europe's largest economy with new and improved sponsorships fueling the clubs growth as commercial revenue increased. This despite the Bundesliga having the smallest broadcasting market. Bayern benefits from Adidas stake in the club and a huge sponsorship deal with Deutsche Telekom.
More on the Deloitte football money league with club highlights >>
February 12, 2008
King Kev makes Big Sam look good
The Newcastle fans had their say. Owner Mike Ashley brought in the man and his inspirational leadership. But has it paid off?
Keegan's first four matches: 2 losses, 2 draws.
Allardyce's first four matches: 2 wins, 2 draws.
Under Keegan, the Magpies have given up 8 goals and scored two. Under Allardyce, they scored 6 goals and gave up three. Since taking over from Allardyce, Newcastle has trended downwards slipping from 11th to the 13th spot and are just six points from relegation. Out of the remaining 12 matches left, only four are to lower placed teams. Less than a month ago, Keegan was aspiring for a UEFA spot. Unreal, no?
On the other hand, Roy Keane realized that it was not just inspirational leadership that was going to get Sunderland out of the woods, it was going to be his players. Kieran Richardson's January return has kickstarted their climb up from relegation and they are trending up from 18th to the 14th position, just below Newcastle. They too have some tough matches ahead and it will be interesting to see where these clubs end up at the end of the season.
Scudamore's problem: EPL popularity is not monolithic
Richard Scudamore's plan has a caveat. Asia's millions know Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, and possibly Man City. The EPL is a global brand because of these clubs. If you really want to humiliate clubs like Reading or Wigan, send them out to these countries and watch them disprove the popularity of the EPL brand. No offense meant to either club but they have problems attracting an audience at home. How about we start here?
February 11, 2008
Arsenal go five up on Man Utd!
Arsenal polished off Blackburn with goals from Senderos and Adebayor.
It increases the gap between Man U and Chelsea as the season heads to its fatiguing climax of FA, CL, and league fixtures. Great win!
Egypt's ACN success emphasizes its strongly nationalistic legacy
Egypt's sixth ACN title cementing its position as the dominant African soccer power underscores the success of its vibrant and fiercely competitive domestic league. While successful Western African talent is leaving flooding the higher profile and more lucrative European leagues, diluting the domestic game. In comparison, the Egyptian players stand out for their seeming reluctance to abandon their domestic league, even as many are offered attractive deals to do exactly that by well to do foreign clubs.
Mohammad Aboutreika might be the most courted African player not to leave his club, Al Ahly, as he continues to set an example with his commitment to his club and country. On the strength of his incandescent play, the Cairo club came third in the Club World Championships two years ago, the first African club to progress so deep. He also led Al Ahly to its fifth CAF title, another record. Soon after that he was nominated for the African player of the year award competing with six others including Samuel Eto'o, Barca's talisman and Didier Drogba, Chelsea's standout who led their scoring in their successful title repeat. He was rejected in the final balloting setting off a firestorm in Egypt. Eto'o who had not played any meaningful minutes with his frequent injuries sailed through to the final stage before Drogba was eventually declared the winner.
Critics saw this as a sellout undermining a true hero whose accomplishments shone a light on a successful and relatively unknown African league as opposed to candidates playing for European brands which already enjoy global recognition. In essence, Aboutreika was the sort of player the CAF should be championing, given its African pan nationalist origins and its founding mission of unifying African soccer.
The fierce reaction to Aboutreika's rejection echoes Egypt's unique place in Africa and its abbreviated colonial history as compared to generations of rule in other African countries by Western European powers. These colonial associations are being turned to an advantage by clubs like ASEC Mimosas which feeds the exodus of Eboue, Toure, Zokora, Kalou and other players from its from youth academy to the European leagues.
Egypt has not benefited from these colonial associations, in fact, actively spurning them through a mix of nationalistic ambition and suspicion of Western motives. Britian's brief interlude in Egypt collapsed as its army met a series of sustained and fierce resistance from the citizenry. In 1952, Farouk I, a pro- British monarch was removed in a coup led by Gamel Abdel Nasser who went onto become Egypt's Prime Minister. And Britain's bluff was called when Nasser sought to successfully nationalize the Suez Canal. Nasser's forceful articulation of pan-Arabism drew them inexorably closer to the political and ideological center of the Arab world after years of uneasy co-existence. His feat wresting the Suez from the hands of Britain, England, and Israel made him a hero from Amman to Baghdad.
While most African countries were still struggling with the effects of colonialism, Egypt was sharpening its nationalistic credentials, becoming the leader of the Arab League, seeking common ground with countries like India and Yugoslavia during the Cold War, creating an independence from NATO and the Warsaw Pact countries, even at it moved towards Soviet style heavy industrialization, educational, and agrarian reforms. Egypt has benefited from relative stability, a largely self sufficient economy, and making peace with Israel. West Africa has seen its share of countries torn apart by harsh ethnic strife, warring neighbours, and burdened by crippling debt.
Such strong national ideals which informed Egypt's place in the post colonial world were also at work in the formation of Al Ahly in 1907, a student soccer club, whose membership led an active resistance to the occupation. It was the first club for Egyptians under British rule. Zamalek's original character as a club for expatriates changed under the tide of nationalism. By 1930 it had expelled its European membership.
The success of the Egyptian league clubs in the CAF competitions winning 11 titles with Al Ahly and Zamalek leading with five each underscores its strength compared to other African leagues as it continues to retain its talent. This despite the fact that its players are not well paid and the Egyptian league continues to be plagued with old stadiums and indifferent organizations. Its viability depends on a combination of government subsidies and private entrepreneurship.
In the end Hassan Shehata did not need EPL stars like Mido or Ghaly to win the ACN. Mohammad Zidan, the Hamburger SV striker was an exception but got no favours for returning as a star. He had to prove that he was part of the national team just like the rest of the players.
February 10, 2008
Brazil beats Ireland in Olympic prep
Brazil emerged victorious after an exhibition that marked the beginning of the South Americans’ preparation for the Beijing Olympics. Robinho scored the deciding goal in the 66th minute when he sidefooted a ball through the legs of Lee Carsley and past diving Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given. No signs of Pato anywhere...
Roundup:
International Herald Tribune Brazil beats Ireland 1-0 in exhibition game
SI.com Dunga calls Pato, nine other U23s for Brazil-Ireland friendly in Dublin
Sporting Life UK Republic of Ireland 0 Brazil 1
Update: Egypt win the ACN title through Aboutrieka's strike
Congratulations to Hassan Shehata and the Pharoahs as they overcame the Lions and Samuel Eto'o.
Zidan came on the 60th minute for Emad Moteab and the move paid off twenty minutes later as he dispossessed Rigobert Song, squaring the ball to Mohammad Aboutrieka, the hero of Egypt and Al Ahly who made no mistake.
The goal was just enough to snuff out the battling Lions.
Cantonaphiles: Listen up! He is in a new movie
Egypt vs Cameroun: The ACN final
The match has started and it promises to be a fitting finale to one of the freest flowing and attacking expositions of soccer of all times. Egypt met Cameroun in its Group C encounter and won, 4-2. Samuel Eto'o scored both goals but he was overshadowed by the sensational Mohamad Zidan and Hosni Abd Rabou.
Egypt and Cameroun have defied all odds and expectations to reach the finals as Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Nigeria have fallen. Two coaches with very different trajectories, Hassan Shehata, the long time Zamalek player, for the last three years coaching the only national team in his career goes head to head with the most itinerant coach on the planet, Germany's Otto Pfister, last seen as Togo's national coach in he 2006 World Cup. Cameroun is Pfister's 17th coaching job. He was also Zamalek's coach from 1999- 2002 and led them to the CAF title as well as a league championship. So there is a bit of history interconnecting the two teams.
Arsenal's Alexander Song who has had a fantastic competition will hold the back four as Cameroun look to absorb Egypt's potent attack led by in form Mohammad Aboutreika, Ahmed Fatih, Amr Zaky, and Hosni Abd Rabou. Their best chance lie in counterattacks with Samuel Eto'o, their talismanic sharpshooter providing the exclamation point.
Cameroun: 1-Idriss Carlos Kameni; 3-Bill Tchato, 8-Geremi, 4-Rigobert Song, 5-Timothee Atouba; 10-Achille Emana, 15-Alexandre Song, 19-Stephane Mbia, 14-Joel Epalle; 12-Alain Nkong, 9-Samuel Eto'o
Egypt: 1-Essam Al Hadari; 5-Shady Mohamed, 6-Hani Said, 20-Wael Gomaa, 14-Sayed Moawad; 8-Hosni Abd Rabou, 7-Ahmed Fathi, 17-Ahmed Hassan, 22-Mohamed Aboutrika; 10-Emad Moteab, 19-Amr Zaki
The Munich air disaster: Frank Swift, Man City's connection
A minute silence was observed by 76,000 fans at Old Trafford before the start of the Manchester derby to honour those killed on Flight 609. It went of without incident, as traveling City fans once feared as spoilers, paid their respects without fuss. They had come to pay homage to one of their own heroes.
Frank Swift, a News of the World reporter was also Man City's goalkeeper from 1933 to 1949 making 376 appearances, winning a FA Cup title in 1934 and a league championship in 1937. He is considered as one of England's finest goalkeepers alongside legends Gordon Banks, Peter Shilton, and David Seaman. He made 19 appearances for England, twice as captain and was the sentinel in a great pre-war team that boasted luminaries like Stanley Matthews, Joe Mercer, Tommy Lawton, Raich Carter, and Jimmy Hagan. His exploits in goal earned him a spot in the 100 League Legends list along with fellow City players Bert Trautmann, Billy Meredith, and Colin Bell.
James Mossop in his tribute to Frank Swift writes:
"Frank Swift was a huge, athletic goalkeeper with a dry, clown's outlook on life, gloveless hands that spread as wide as a tennis racket and who, history tells us, was the best in the world at his job. The huge mitts became custodians of a deft pen as he turned to journalism before dying with seven other writers who had become friends and rivals."
The gentle giant stood 6' tall, weighing 200 lbs, and with a 12'' handspan he easily enveloped the ball with one hand. His looming presence and quick reflexes made life difficult for opposing strikers to score goals.
It was Swift who became the innovator of the long throw out to start an attack rather than the more conventional hoof up the pitch that most keepers of the day used. A technique that dramatically improved possession and jump started quick counter attacks. We now see goalies use it all the time but it was first put to use more than 60 years ago by a Man City legend.
Update: Man Utd lost to City, 1-2.
Well done City fans! They did the right thing by holding their peace and honouring the twenty three, including one of their legends. Maybe Joe Hart imbibed Swift's spirit because he made some great saves. City walked off deserving victors as an enervated and dispirited Utd team left their charge a bit too late, 1-2.