Blogs 7
Foreign players in the Championship 2011/2012
17 May 2012, 8:57 pm
Of the 699 players who appeared for Championship clubs during the 2011/2012 season 387 were English. As you’d expect the other nations from the British Isles also featured heavily with (and no, this isn’t a joke) 52 Scotsmen, 50 Irishmen, 28 Welshmen and 19 Northern Irishmen. The table below shows data on each of the twenty-four [...]...Championship “ever presents” XI 2011/2012
15 May 2012, 10:43 pm
With the regular Championship season now over I thought it would be interesting to take a look at some players who featured heavily for their clubs during the 2011/2012 season. With that in mind I’ve selected eleven players who played more minutes than any other during the Championship season (excluding the playoffs). There were six [...]...Len Cantello’s remarkable testimonial opposition
2 May 2012, 11:36 am
I came across this picture in the A-Z of West Brom that I bought on ebay a few weeks ago. It apparently depicts the opposition to Len Cantello’s Albion XI in his own testimonial. The matchday programme calls it a “Cyril Regis and Lawrie Cunningham XI” but the Albion A-Z just calls it a “Black [...]...Are relegation six-pointers important?
17 April 2012, 7:14 am
A common narrative during the closing stages of football seasons is the importance of matches between the sides at the bottom of the table. I thought I’d take a statistical look at those claims. I’ve done this by taking a look at the record of clubs in the Premier League over the last fifteen years who [...]...Designing a football kit
11 April 2012, 11:03 pm
The guys at Football Attic are running a lovely project at the moment. They’re compiling a subbuteo style e-wallchart for football blogs. All bloggers need to do is to design their own kit and it’ll be immortalised by the wallchart. I quickly set off on my task by printing out the template provided and sourcing [...]...
Which two footballers from the United States have played in the Spanish La Liga?
20 May 2012, 5:01 am
Daily football question May 20th 2012 ...Which three members of Ireland's UEFA Euro 2012 Finals 23-man squad play their club football outside England?
19 May 2012, 4:40 am
Daily football question May 19th 2012 ...Who were the first British club team to lose a penalty shoot-out and what was the competition?
18 May 2012, 8:30 am
Daily football question May 18th 2012 ...Which of the 7 ever-present Scottish Premier League clubs have used the least number of Foreign Players from 1998-2012?
17 May 2012, 6:56 am
Daily football quiestion May 17th 2012 ...Which country had players who participated for the first time in the Premier League during season 2011-12?
16 May 2012, 7:09 am
Daily football quiz May 16th 2012 ...
Veikkausliiga season 2012: HJK will claim title, but a surprise is brewing in the relegation battle
17 May 2012, 3:43 pm
Veikkausliiga already kicked off a few weeks ago so this season guide is way overdue. But let’s not allow that insignificant detail put us off since, despite the first rounds offering some surprises, there are still almost 30 matches to be played, which means that the league’s power balance will even itself out in the [...]...Paatelainen’s Finland revolution – phase one completed, tactical consistency achieved (part 1 of 2)
21 February 2012, 6:47 pm
After half a decade spent going through the motions and hoping for a miracle with quick fix coaching appointments, the Finnish Football Association finally took the inevitable leap of faith in 2011 and set forth on a long-term project with the national team. The first step was taken in March with the appointment of Mixu [...]...HJK in 2011: the double, transfers and near-success in Europe
23 November 2011, 2:24 pm
2011 was a season to remember for HJK. Not only did ‘Klubi’ won their third consecutive title and the Finnish Cup (overall their 24th league championship and 11th cup victory), but they did this in a swashbuckling fashion. The Helsinki team finished the season with a 24-point lead to second-place Inter and scored a whopping 86 goals [...]...How will lively transfer window affect HJK?
15 September 2011, 7:34 pm
It has been a highly eventful start to the autumn for HJK. First, maintaining their devastating form in the league, the Helsinki club all but secured the Veikkausliiga title already in August. Then, ‘Klubi’ gave Schalke a proper run for their money in the Europa League play-offs, beating the Germans 2-0 at home until imploding [...]...HJK-Schalke 2-0: hosts earn hard-fought victory
25 August 2011, 5:16 am
It was a night to remember at the Sonera Stadium last Thursday as HJK recorded a historical victory with a battling performance over the German giants Schalke in the Europa League play-off first leg. Teemu Pukki scored two fantastic goals to cap a magnificent team performance by the home side which put the Finns on [...]...
Five things we really don’t want to hear at Euro 2012
16 May 2012, 11:24 am
1) “England are one of five or six teams with a realistic chance” Ever since I was old enough to comprehend a football commentary, I’ve heard this mantra intoned with a confidence normally reserved for a fundamental law of physics. So immutable is this law, that even when England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 [...]...Time for you to go Roy…
1 May 2012, 1:04 pm
Now that Roy Hodgson has been unveiled as the new England manager the time has surely come for him to resign. Hodgson’s afternoon in charge of English football has been marred by failure. He has failed to bring success to the national team. In fact, he has failed to win a single football match. There [...]...FA given permission to talk to Roy Hodgson
29 April 2012, 6:43 pm
The FA have confirmed that West Brom have given them permission to talk to West Brom manager Roy Hodgson. The FA statement says: Roy is the only manager we have approached and we remain on course to make an appointment within the timescale we set-out soon after Fabio Capello’s departure. “Further conversations will now take [...]...Where next for Pep?
27 April 2012, 2:38 pm
The end of an era has arrived at Barcelona with Pep Guardiola announcing that he will step down as manager at the end of the season. There are many things that we’ll miss about him, his willingness to play possession based passing football that can look like a sophisticated dance routine, the way he rocks [...]...We lost. Again! Now who can I blame…
12 April 2012, 3:36 pm
As we get to the business end of the season, the whinging about referees has started to increase in volume and frequency. One can hear the petulant shriek (it’s just not FAIR!) of managers across the land, be it the whining of those facing relegation such as Mark Hughes, the perennial moaning of the title [...]...
Pitch Invasion Podcast Episode 4 – April 2012
26 April 2012, 6:33 pm
The fourth episode of the monthly Pitch Invasion podcast features interviews with Sporting Kansas City CEO Robb Heineman and Section 8 Chicago ISA Chairman Joel Piktel. The Pitch Invasion podcast is based out of Chicago and Milwaukee, the respective homes for the show’s hosts Tom Dunmore and Peter Wilt, covering the world of soccer from a [...]...Beyond the Blog? The Future of American Soccer Journalism
23 April 2012, 1:13 pm
Yesterday, the ubiquitous (and I mean that in a genuinely nice way) American soccer blogger/podcaster/twitterati Jason Davis tweeted “Randomly came across another old @TIAS post. Are we finally taking steps with @xiquarterly and @whatahowler?” The post in question at This Is American Soccer (TIAS), one of the oldest and most thoughtful American soccer blogs out there, was [...]...XI: A New North American Soccer Magazine
3 April 2012, 1:09 pm
1,774 posts have been published to this blog, Pitch Invasion, since its founding in 2007. In late 2011, I decided to collect the very best of those posts in book form, in the unimaginatively titled The Very Best of Pitch Invasion. 39 essays were selected for it, and 39 very good ones they were, by [...]...Pitch Invasion Podcast Episode 3 – March 2012
29 March 2012, 2:19 pm
The third episode of the monthly Pitch Invasion podcast features interviews with FC United of Manchester General Manager Andy Walsh and MLS agent Patrick McCabe....District Ultras: Small Numbers, Big Support In DC
27 February 2012, 7:10 pm
In the corner of RFK's crumbling edifice, a small but experienced group of fans have in recent times been making significant shows of support for DC United....
New 'World Stadium Index' report exposes the best and the worst
10 May 2012, 6:12 pm
Many of the stadiums constructed or renovated for sport’s major events end up as a great financial......Hollow visions create empty stands
9 May 2012, 11:07 am
COMMENT: International sport and local politicians are responsible for the waste of resources worth......Professor Mark Pieth gives keynote address to EASM 2012
27 April 2012, 6:58 am
EASM 2012 announces Mark Pieth, head of FIFA's Independent Governance Committee, as a keynote......New in Knowledge Bank: Threats to sporting integrity: doping, match-fixing and corruption
23 April 2012, 10:52 am
In a presentation given at the Crime and Sport Research Conference in Canberra, Australia on 23......Soccer meets politics at Doha’s Mohammed Abdul Wahhab Mosque
20 April 2012, 7:02 am
Qatar’s increasing engagement in European soccer and international sport is just one leg in the......
Shedloads of Money, Shedloads of Problems
23 March 2012, 12:54 pm
So now we know. A player CAN be bigger than the manager in Manchester. Sir Alex Ferguson has spent the best part of a quarter of a century arguing to the contrary, shipping off your David Beckhams, your Jaap Stams and your Roy Keanes at the faintest sign of dissent, but Roberto Mancini, hand forced or not, last night flew in the face of such folly, swapping a principled stand for a pragmatic one. That Carlos Tevez would have a huge hand in the winning goal with a delightful slide rule assist to ...Winning At A Cantera
9 March 2012, 3:47 pm
"We're not bad, us"Athletic Bilbao are a delight. ATHLETIC Bilbao, lest we forget. Seeds sown in the shipyards of Sunderland were reaped in the Basque country; a cantera policy that places the onus squarely on grass roots development within the reinforced framework of local identity. Though darlings of the anti-federalists, Athletic Bilbao were also set apart from their peers due to a proud adherence to la manera Inglesa (the English way), which became a sort of euphemism for a suspicion of flai...Why England’s Brave John Terry Is The Perfect Man For The Chelsea Job Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love SEO
6 March 2012, 3:26 pm
Says it all really doesn't itNot since the abbreviation LOL was created by a tosser have three consecutive letters riled me as much as A, followed by V, ended by B. Towards the end of his reign, more people were actually laughing out loud when saying “AVB” than “LOL”. In fact, Andre Villas-Boas himself was busy LOLing by the end as he sat back, moaned, thought of the severance package he was about to get his hands on, and then moaned some more. With Villas-Boas consigned to the Abramo...Pearce. And Quiet
29 February 2012, 3:34 pm
"How the hell did they find out about 'Bevington's Bollock Cabinet'?"At the moment, the English national football team has no manager, no (full-time) captain and no Wayne Rooney. And the FA, thus far – perhaps wary of capacity issues in the ‘Bevington Bollock Cabinet’, the cupboard in Adrian Bevington’s office where all the previously dropped bollocks have been stored since sweeping them under the carpet got impractical and not a little messy – has offered no resolution. Without the go...Fair Play At A Price
27 February 2012, 4:49 pm
Since time immemorial, Uefa’s financial fair play rules have been skulking around in the shadows of polite chat in football circles. It was Arsenal’s Herbert Chapman who first busied himself snaffling the brightest and best from across the country – Alex James, Cliff Bastin, Eddie Hapgood, Herbie Roberts and David Jack – in the late 1920s in a bid to thwart Michel Platini jr jr jr and the other suits at Europe’s governing body as he pre-empted said regulations*. From Chapman to latter ...
Different kind of season
10 May 2012, 10:50 pm
It is easy to judge the whole season based only on the outcome of the last few weekends. When Legia was on top, they had one hand on the title and tipped to clinch the title rather sooner or later... When Śląsk finally found the glimpses of form they have shown us in 2011... When Ruch Chorzow refused to struggle and kept up with the leaders... When Lech began their magnificent finish...Yes, it is easy. Only because the finish was magnificent, full of emotions - good and, unfortunately, wrong a...Śląsk vs Wisła - the pathology of the 1982
5 May 2012, 12:36 pm
Tomorrow, when Śląsk Wroclaw will play with Wisła in Krakow, the Polish title will be decided. Visitors need only a win that will end their 35-years long championship wait, without looking at what happens in Łódź (Widzew vs Lech), Chorzów (Ruch vs Lechia) or Warsaw (Legia vs Korona). But it is not the first time Śląsk plays with Wisła to clinch the title. Thirty years ago the situation was very similar, yet the end quite different, unwelcomed in Wrocław.Some say it was the most dramat...Matchday 29 - the reaction
4 May 2012, 11:40 am
Despite dramatic finish to the season that still have not settled the championship in the Ekstraklasa, the results forced several nervous reactions mainly in Krakow and Warsaw. The biggest story today in Poland is the fall of Legia - despite press treating it with a dose of unpredictability, Skorża's team wasn't playing well recently, being without a win for a month. As they failed again against ambitious Lechia in Gdansk, the 0-1 defeat was only a part of their miserable day as only later...Smuda's squad is a sign of sacrification
3 May 2012, 1:41 pm
Minutes after Franciszek Smuda called up 26 players of the initial Poland squad for Euro 2012, the critique had begun. It was easy to predict that whatever his choice will be, the praise will unlikely follow decisions of once crowds' favorite. The most important thing for Smuda, though, is not who he went for, who got the chance, but how much the man in charge changed over the time of his tenure. The final squad is, after all, the best example of how many things he had to sacrifice in order to s...Who should make the 32-men squad?
1 May 2012, 12:22 pm
Tomorrow is the day Franciszek Smuda names his wide squad of thirty-two names that will compete to get into the Euro 2012 team – which means nine of them will still be cut off at some point in the following weeks. Among many problems, scandals, matches, Smuda first claimed that his selection will close one year before the tournament but as the deadline he set up himself is nearing, it seems that it was all for nothing and few names will be called that haven’t featured for Poland yet.GOALKEEP...
a game in the fog
20 November 2011, 3:14 pm
...4-3-3
27 October 2011, 1:50 am
...Denmark 1986
8 October 2011, 10:33 pm
another nice kit from the past...a mountain stage
12 July 2011, 11:44 pm
...le tour de france
9 July 2011, 10:24 am
...
A Fond Farewell
25 July 2011, 1:32 pm
“When small men attempt great enterprises, they always end by reducing them to the level of their mediocrity.”- Napoleon Bonaparte (rather fitting).As the title indicates, regrettably, this post marks the end of Polly's Pause for Sport. After a very enjoyable 18 months I feel as though the blog has run its course and, with new posts being almost non-existent of late and as other obligations currently consume much of my time, now seems like a logical time to bring the curtain down on this lit...Paid Mercenaries: Footballers forcing the hand that feeds them
8 June 2011, 10:55 am
I watched Rambo 4, I read the latest words from Carlos Tevez... the reasoning and inspiration behind this blog is not hard to figure out.Sympathy for footballers is something that is often hard to come by. They are getting paid obscenely large wages to do something that many of us would declare to be 'our dream jobs' and thus their moans and groans usually fall on deaf ears, no more so than when it is concerning their private lives. I for one have little interest in the seedy details of what the...My Favourite Premiership XI: Stephen Fallows
5 June 2011, 10:30 am
Apologies for the lack of blogging recently. Works on my documentary about racism in football is consuming much of my time but I intend to begin posting far more regularly upon its completion. In the mean time, Stephen Fallows has kindly contributed the latest piece for the 'My Favourite Premiership XI' series. You can follow Stephen on Twitter or visit his excellent website which showcases his various artistic talents. I have gone for a team that may not statistically be the best in ...VEST-IVAL: A Festival of Football, Music and Comedy
19 May 2011, 12:12 pm
Something slightly different for this latest post. I was informed about an upcoming festival this weekend which will be raising money for charity - including Football Action. So I thought I would do my little bit to help raise some extra awareness and support for this great idea for an excellent cause...Top Radio One DJ Annie Mac and legendary British Band Toploader have confirmed they will be headlining a new ‘VESTIVAL’ of music and football at Jimmy’s Farm (of BBC 2 fame), near Ipswich o...Football Players Who Excel at the Felt
16 May 2011, 9:23 am
Poker has been popular for many decades but it’s grown dramatically in recent years, with its popularity rising in part because of some of the high-profile athletes and celebrities taking to the poker tables, with many sponsored by poker websites. Most stars merely dabble at the poker tables, such as Nelly and Matt Damon playing a few events at the World Series of Poker each year, but others such as Jen Tilly and Shane Warne have made real efforts to improve their poker games. Of all the cross...
Blogs 8
Mario Balotelli: 100-word hero #30
16 May 2012, 8:02 am
No Balotelli, no party. A figure loved and loathed in equal measure, Super Mario is never less than gripping entertainment. His off-the-pitch antics often run the risk of obscuring his talent. But, when it shines, it is truly blinding. Briefly with Lumezzane, he was snapped up by Inter where he showed how inspirational and infuriating he can be. A move to Manchester City provided more of the same but he shared their league glory with a pass to set up Sergio Aguero’s title-winning strike. Why ...How Roberto Mancini proved he could manage in the English Premier League
15 May 2012, 3:52 pm
Roberto Mancini is used to confounding the critics. They said Sampdoria could never win the Scudetto - but he teamed up with Gianluca Vialli to prove them wrong. Then his own Serie A colleagues questioned his coaching credentials - so he delivered silverware with every single team under his control. And now, in the most dramatic fashion, he has silenced those who thought he was not ready to manage in the English Premier League. Read more at Serie A weekly...A farewell to Fiorentina: why the Viola revolution must bring fun back to the Franchi
14 May 2012, 10:15 am
“We need to sign players who see Florence as a starting point. Fans need to be allowed to dream and enjoy themselves again. The ideal thing would be to get a good mix of youngsters and experienced players like we had a few years back.” Thus spoke Fiorentina supremo Andrea Della Valle, and who could argue? A lacklustre draw with Cagliari was a fitting end to a mediocre season for the Viola. The departure lounge at the Stadio Artemio Franchi now has longer queues than Heathrow Airport...Juventus v Atalanta from January 1989. One of the...
10 May 2012, 11:49 am
Juventus v Atalanta from January 1989. One of the Bergamaschi’s rare victories in Turin although they did manage two in that calendar year - the one in October, their last in Serie A away to the Bianconeri. Evair grabbed the winner in this one for Emiliano Mondonico’s side. “The beauty of football is that when David plays Goliath, sometimes David wins,” said the moustachioed coach. Video uploaded by TeleATALANTA...Bruno Conti: 100-word hero #29
9 May 2012, 8:02 am
He could bob and bamboozled like a little Roman elf possessed by the devil of dribbling.After loan spells with Genoa, by the early 1980s he had become the most mesmeric and magical wideman in the Italian game - a giant for the Giallorossi.His zenith came in a spectacular three-year peak any player would envy.His lengthy locks skipped round defenders to win the Mondiale at Spain 1982, a Roma Scudetto 12 months later and lose a European Cup final another year down the line.Still red and yellow to...
Dunga to make a return to the bench?
21 May 2011, 1:21 am
During the 2010 World Cup, I was among several voices to suggest that, whether Brazil went on to glory or fall at an earlier hurdle, and regardless of aesthetic considerations, this was a team that played with the cohesiveness of club side. More to the point, I reckoned that Dunga appeared every inch a club coach, having managed to instill a mechanical quality in his team's play.Granted, international football provides less of an opportunity for coaches to impose their model on a squad than is t...Two cents on England's midfield versus Denmark
25 February 2011, 12:48 am
Here is a maelstrom of thoughts on the tactical component of England's midfield set-up versus Denmark in Copenhagen.Leading up to the game there was much discussion surrounding 19-year old Jack Wilshere and specifically Fabio Capello's pronouncements on the Arsenal man playing a deep-lying role. Perhaps the waters were muddied by Capello's allusions to Claude Makélélé and his eponymous role. The Guardian's Paul Hawyard, for instance, prompted an intriguing debate by questioning whether a hold...Inter vs Inter: Club World Cup preview
9 December 2010, 1:29 am
No, this is not some concocted spin on in-fighting among the nerazzuri.Internazionale's problems have been well documented of late, the only contention being whether this is due to Rafael Benitez's tactical obduracy and fitness regime, sheer bad luck with injuries or a perfect storm of all of the above.But what about their Brazilian namesake, SC Internacional of Porto Alegre?It's no secret that for any South American club side, the intercontinental gong is seen as the pinnacle of club competitio...Tactical Variations for the Clásico.
29 November 2010, 6:27 pm
Will Mourinho try a tactical variation in the Clásico at the Camp Nou? His stated favourite platforms of play are the 4-3-3 and the 4-diamond-2, though he does tend to tweak both formats to accomodate whatever players he finds at his disposal. There has been talk of Zé Mário jettisoning the improvising presence of a mediapunta in order to beef-up the central midfield. And yet, it's hard to imagine José Mourinho dispensing of the creativity of Mesut Oezil, even if the benefit of a mi...Villarreal's South American-European fusion:
18 October 2010, 8:02 pm
Villarreal prove that it is possible to play 4-4-2 across four linesAbove figure 1: Villarreal's 4-4-2/4-2-2-2 shape.If Jonathan Wilson's explanation as to raison d'être of the 4-2-3-1 formation is true (affording licence to playmakers and dribblers in an age of increased physicality), then little wonder it first became popularised in Spain, that country that produces a phalanx of ball-players; players who would be miscast if they were to operate as traditional box-to-box dynamos in a 4-4-2. W...
Remember that time John Terry insisted on lifting the Champions...
19 May 2012, 10:27 pm
Remember that time John Terry insisted on lifting the Champions League trophy and also wore a Chelsea kit when he didn’t play in the final? Wearing kit so that when people look back on this it’ll be as if he played. The man is insane. At home, John Terry will photoshop a photo of Didier Drogba’s goal to make it look like he scored....intermission
19 May 2012, 9:38 am
Euro 2012 Betting...Photo
17 May 2012, 6:26 pm
...aficionadalove
17 May 2012, 5:38 pm
aficionadalove...espncommentary: Richard Swarbrick’s illustration of Pablo...
17 May 2012, 5:15 pm
espncommentary: Richard Swarbrick’s illustration of Pablo Zabaleta’s goal via ESPN Playbook ...
Scheidt’s Footballing Miscellany – Gone To Meet Its Maker
14 November 2011, 5:08 pm
Hello, folks. Over the last few weeks, we’ve had to take some really difficult decisions here at Scheidt’s HQ, none more so than the decision on our direction for the future. We tried a few different ideas, considered some things … Continue reading →...Teddy’s Football Focus: Poppycock, The Sports Direct Thunderdome & Something About Joey Barton’s Love of Essex
11 November 2011, 12:00 pm
The story dominating the headlines this week has been FIFA’s refusal to allow the home nations to wear poppies on their shirts during this weekend’s international matches. The game’s governing body has now agreed that poppies can be displayed on … Continue reading →...Teddy’s Football Focus: Nile Ranger’s Rap Sheet, El-Hadji Diouf’s Threat & Something About Rio Ferdinand’s Drug Test
4 November 2011, 12:00 pm
Nile Ranger’s been arrested, Hearts players haven’t been paid, and Rangers are being taken to court by a company pursuing an allegedly unpaid bill. 2011 will go down as the year in which it was almost impossible to tell the … Continue reading →...It’s Time To Lay The Roy Hodgson Myth To Rest
1 November 2011, 12:03 pm
The current West Brom manager is to many a well spoken manager who took risks in order to ensure his career was well rounded unlike his contemporaries who remained on the British Isles. Roy Hodgson, whose experience spreads across Europe … Continue reading →...Teddy’s Football Focus: Let Him Fill The Hole While You Ignore The Lunchtime News
29 October 2011, 10:55 am
Normally when a Premier League footballer is accused of being something beginning with “Ra” and ending in “ist”, a flurry of similar allegations are made against other top players. In the last few days we’ve discovered that this doesn’t just … Continue reading →...
The Hiatus Explained
22 March 2011, 10:15 pm
This is not a article on how Tesla’s work on electromagnetism is subsumed within the football of Eastern Europe in the late 1970s. I wish it was, but it isn’t. No, it’s a post explaining the scarcity in posts recently. Truth is, I’m engaged in work that has had me away from football since the [...]...“Bavarians? Conservative? Never!” The 1987 European Cup Final
9 February 2011, 7:25 am
For all Bayern München’s dominance in Germany in the 1980s, they made a pigs-ear out of things in Europe. It was a common sight to see the Barvarian side being disposed of by British clubs throughout the decade. In 1981, Liverpool beat Pál Csernai’s Munich side on away goals in the semi-final. Throughout that decade, [...]...The McDonaldization of English Football
20 January 2011, 5:20 pm
I’ve unfortunately been a bit busy recently, rendering me incapable of finding the time to get my teeth into various teams or games that might provide some entertainment. However, I managed to produce a lengthy piece for the always interesting ‘In Bed With Maradona’ about the modernisation of the English game. You can find it [...]...Opponents of FC Barcelona, here is your New Year’s Resolution
4 January 2011, 7:00 am
Barcelona have shuffled their pack in 2010, starting to prefer to Messi to play centrally rather than in the inside right role. Not formed in the archetypal central forward role, his pee-wee frame would perhaps lead some central defenders preferring to battle against the Lilliputian Argentinian. Defenders may not be straining their Achilles whilst leaping [...]...A Brief Introduction to FC. København
22 December 2010, 2:55 pm
Who would have thought it? A one-time player for Wimbledon goes to show tactical discernment and shrewdness. To give Ståle Solbakken his dues, he did fallout with the mullet-wielded Joe Kinnear, so he has got to have something about him, hasn’t he? Successfully detaching the ‘hoof’ tag from his name has manifested itself in several [...]...
Belgian Football Weekends – Waasland-Beveren vs Mons
23 May 2011, 5:09 pm
Lee Hurrell decided to avoid ‘Survival Sunday’ and opted for a crucial game in Belgium’s 2nd tier playoffs. He reports on the history of Waasland-Beveren and the thrilling game itself On Sunday 22nd May, I found myself at a Belgian 2nd Division game. After seeing a tweet from John Chapman, aka @BelgoFoot, about a good result for [...]...KRC Genk – Champions of Belgium
18 May 2011, 1:33 pm
After 40 games of typically mad Belgian football, KRC Genk won the ‘winner take all’ tie against Standard Liege last night to claim their 3rd Pro League title in their history and their first since 2002. The playoffs, as controversial as they are, did manage to throw up a perfect finale to a gruellingly long [...]...Sporting Charleroi: A season of turmoil
24 April 2011, 2:02 pm
Yesterday, after the long and protracted relegation saga, Charleroi were relegated to the 2nd tier of Belgian football after 26 years amongst the elite clubs. It was a bleak day in the history of the club. Several top Belgian players have plied their trade at Charleroi, notably Enzo Scifo, Philippe Albert whilst Daniel Van Buyten [...]...The Next Golden Generation?
30 March 2011, 7:16 pm
The future is bright, the future is Belgium. Apparently. To start off – I hate using that phrase. Golden Generation. Synonymous with English national failure with the FA/English media using it to describe the crop of the last decade when they clearly achieved nothing other than mediocrity. The only real country that deserve to be described as truly [...]...Stijn Stijnen – the man behind the posts?
20 February 2011, 5:41 pm
The social networking phenomenon amongst footballers has divided many. Some see it as a chance to talk to their heroes, some prefer to ignore the banal ‘banter’ between the so-called professionals (I’m looking at you, Messrs Ferdinand and Savage). But Rule No.1 of using a social networking platform is not to bring the game into [...]...
The SKP Brasileirão 2012 Preview
18 May 2012, 9:09 pm
It's that time of year again, folks. There's blossom on the trees, birds are beginning to sing, and managers are already filling in their P45s ahead of the new Brasileirão season. This weekend marks the advent of the latest edition of a championship that provides thrills, spills and drama to rival any telenovela. The league is a uniquely competitive one: six or seven clubs will begin the season with aspirations of adding a star to their badge in 2012. They will be tested not just by the r...Menezes Names Squad for Brazil Friendlies
11 May 2012, 7:46 pm
Mano Menezes has named his squad for Brazil's upcoming series of friendly matches, which will see the seleção face Denmark (26 May), the USA (30 May), Mexico (3 June) and Argentina (9 June). With the Olympic tournament on the horizon, Menezes has picked 17 players under the age of 23, presumably to help prepare his squad for London 2012.Wellington Nem is the biggest surprise on Mano's list.The full squad is as follows:Jefferson (Botafogo)Neto (Fiorentina)Rafael (Santos)Daniel Alves (Barcelona)...Art Deco: Fluminense's Muted Genius Enjoying an Indian Summer in Brazil
10 May 2012, 7:54 pm
"An incredible talent", exclaimed O Dia. "Impossible to mark", added Marca. Lance! highlighted his "perfect distribution", whilst SporTV commentator Lédio Carmona also heaped praise onto a "spectacular and intelligent player".Yeah, yeah, I hear you protest. We know about Neymar by now. But this was not Neymar. This was a 34-year-old veteran. This was Deco.On the face of it, a number of players could have hogged the headlines in the wake of the first leg of the Campeonato Carioca ...Boom and Bust: Carlos Alberto Looks to Get Career Back on Track at Vasco
18 April 2012, 1:43 pm
Having won the Champions League with Porto at the tender age of 19, Carlos Alberto would have been forgiven for expecting his career to blossom in Europe. A tenacious, dynamic attacking midfielder, his displays caught the eyes of many in the old continent in that 2003-2004 season.Things didn't quite work out for the Rio native, however. A series of missteps and disciplinary problems saw his star plummet, to the extent that, in 2011, he was struggling to break into the Bahia side that had offered...Animal Magic: Vasco bid farewell to unpredictable idol
4 April 2012, 10:07 pm
His fame in Europe stems from two main instance. The first, a stunning goal against Manchester United in the 2000 Club World Cup, speaks of his on-pitch ability, of instinctive talent beyond the dreams of most footballers. The second is rather less praiseworthy: an infamous photo shows him plying a circus chimpanzee with (what appears to be) beer. (No, seriously.)Yet the career of Edmundo, which was celebrated with a testimonial game last week, deserves a more nuanced appraisal. Capable of acts ...
Talking Points - June 2011
24 June 2011, 1:10 pm
What was on the lads' minds during the close season month of June:The History Book: ReviewHow successful was Nobes' attempts to use history and trends to try and predict the 2010/11 season's outcomes.Managerial Sackings ReviewNobes assesses every managerial sacking in the Football League during the past campaign - and gives his verdict on their respective wisdom.Come In Out Of The RainWith ex-England boss Steve McClaren returning to the domestic game at Nottingham Forest, Nobes reflects upon his...Flavour Of The Month
24 June 2011, 7:45 am
Torquay's appointment of Martin Ling as their new boss has Nobes talking about how quickly a manager's stock can change.Martin Ling is back in League Two via League One and a spell in the ConferenceIn a rare expression of humility, new Torquay boss Martin Ling admitted that he still has things to prove to people in the game.For a man entering a division he's already won promotion out of before, it was a refreshingly honest expression of his own disappointment with an 18 month spell at Conference...Crossing Enemy Lines
22 June 2011, 1:54 pm
With Sheffield United's appointment as manager of former Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Wilson, Nobes looks at others who've tried to cross similar divides.Sheffield United's appointment of Danny Wilson is a controversial choiceA manager whose teams have a reputation for playing good football and with experience of getting sides to challenge at the top end of League One.It's a fair to suggest that it was the kind of boss Sheffield United, having been relegated from the Championship and then deci...It Takes An Einstein
20 June 2011, 12:56 pm
With Keith Hill taking the reins at Championship side Barnsley, Nobes looks at the prospects for the Yorkshire club and their new boss.Keith Hill left Rochdale to succeed Mark Robins as manager at OakwellThe departure of Mark Robins from his post at Barnsley has been one of the more surprising managerial changes of the close season.After all, the 41-year-old had just guided the Reds to 17th in the Championship standings - their highest position in five years since their return to the second tier...A Beautiful New Day
18 June 2011, 1:53 pm
After Alex McLeish leaves relegated Birmingham and crosses the second city to Aston Villa, Nobes suggests that his old club could be better off without him. Alex McLeish brought success but no style during his time at St. Andrew'sLife is never dull supporting Birmingham City. True, the Blues have been shorn of silverware in their 136 year history and are seemingly destined to play second fiddle in the second city to rivals Aston Villa.However, over the past decade the St. Andrew's faithful have...
Europe: 2012 Champions League final preview
19 May 2012, 9:19 am
It may not be the “dream final” that the majority of the world’s football fans had craved but for tonight’s UEFA Champions League final opponents, FC Bayern München and Chelsea FC, the culmination of their own dream is so near. FC Bayern, playing in their home stadium tonight, can join the European elite by winning [...]...Brazil: Big kick-off awaits new Brasileiro season
18 May 2012, 4:43 pm
No sooner have Brazil’s vast array of localized state championships reached their conclusion does the time come for the national championship to commence. The “Brasileiro” is now in its 41st year and the quality of the competition has increased in recent years thanks to the adoption of a standard round robin league format, as used [...]...Asia: Tough challenges ahead for Asian football’s finest
17 May 2012, 5:06 pm
Asian football’s two major continental tournaments have reached the knockout stages following the conclusion of the group stages this week. The AFC Champions League is usually dominated by South Korean clubs but only two of this year’s four representatives have made it through the group stage. The two successful clubs are Ulsan Hyundai and Seongnam [...]...China: Lippi takes over Ghangzhou Evergrande
17 May 2012, 3:56 pm
Chinese club Ghangzhou Evergrande have made a statement of intent for the year ahead by appointing former FIFA World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippi to take charge of the team. Lippi takes over a club who are in fine health having won their maiden Chinese Super League last season and leading ten games into the [...]...England: Kenny Dalglish sacked by Liverpool
16 May 2012, 4:51 pm
It has been announced in the last hour that Kenny Dalglish has been sacked as Liverpool FC manager after just 18 months in charge. After taking over from Roy Hodgson in January 2011, Dalglish initially steadied the ship at Anfield towards the end of the 2010-11 season but has found it much more difficult in [...]...
An update!
24 April 2012, 2:17 pm
I definitely picked the wrong season to take a break! But have been working on something cool for the future of Studs Up and hoping I can share some big news pretty soon. Thanks for hanging in there and all the emails and tweets/FB messages of support!...Big changes are a-coming.
24 January 2012, 8:50 pm
Studs Up’s posting schedule has gone to hell the last couple months, this is no secret and I apologise to all you guys. Real life and other work just piled up and took me away from my passion, as often is the case. It can’t continue like this, with you guys on semi-alert for a [...]...Happy new year
8 January 2012, 12:37 pm
Happy new year guys, hope the break was good for everyone. After a two week jaunt to China I’m feeling rather delirious and between timezones, but new comic on Monday and back in the swing of things....See you guys after the holidays!
22 December 2011, 3:23 pm
I’ve been traveling the last week and will be zipping around until Jan 5th, when comics will resume. As you guys have noticed the past couple months the comic schedule has been out of whack as I’ve gotten busier and busier with other projects and work (in a good way). I love doing Studs Up, [...]...RIP Gary Speed
28 November 2011, 10:16 pm
One of the best players and players I remember most from my childhood supporting football....
Blogs 9
The Premier League African team of the season
19 May 2012, 11:20 am
There were 37 African players when this season started in August. Some finished the race, others were loaned out and others just could not make the grade. Through it all, there were outstanding performers in all positions. From Algeria’s Adlène Guedioura to Togo’s Emmanuel Adebayor, here’s the EPL African Team of the Season. There’s no goalkeeper in this year’s list. Last season, Blackpool’s Richard Kingson was in there, by default, because he was the only African goalkeeper in ...Montpellier on the brink of history
18 May 2012, 8:16 am
Much has been made of the various ‘Money vs Teamwork’ title battles that have been taking place across Europe’s football leagues at the end of this 2011-12 season. Manchester City’s riches have overcome the team spirit and work rate of Sir Alex’s less-than-vintage United side in England, while Real’s expensively-assembled squad overcame Barcelona’s collective brilliance in Spain. The opposite is true in Germany, where Jürgen Klopp’s talented young...The Celts offer UEFA a safe pair of hands
17 May 2012, 10:53 am
While the FA and its new recruit Roy Hodgson have spent the last two weeks preparing furiously for Euro 2012, the associations of Scotland, Wales and Ireland have been making plans of their own for a different edition of the competition. Hours before the deadline of midnight on Wednesday, and with Turkey the only country to have come forward, the Celtic nations submitted to UEFA an ‘expression of interest’ in jointly hosting the 2020 tournament. At the last minute, Georgia did the s...Has Northern Ireland forgotten about its domestic game?
17 May 2012, 7:47 am
There was only one thing people were talking about on Monday morning. The picture of Vincent Kompany holding the Premier League trophy aloft was plastered over the front pages of the local newspapers, radio phone-ins discussed the incredible final day at length and Manchester United fans had to contend with a torrent of terrible office jokes. But this wasn’t Manchester, it was Belfast – a city which, for better or worse, is completely obsessed with the Premier League. This phenomenon i...Bilic takes a detour on his way to the Premier League
16 May 2012, 12:29 pm
Slaven Bilić decided that he’d had enough of silence and speculation. He encountered the media in his hometown of Split and confirmed that he placed his signature to three year contract with Lokomotiv Moscow. “I’m happy and proud, I’m moving to big club, big city and extremely strong league”, said Bilić: “And that’s it”. After he spent six years at the head of the national team, Bilić picked a Moscow-side that hasn’t won anything since 2007,...
Manchester United Q3 2012 results: getting hard to square the circle
18 May 2012, 3:31 pm
Since United had its bond issue in early 2010, the club has reported increased year-on-year revenues every single quarter. This revenue growth has more than offset rampant wage inflation. Meanwhile of course the club has clocked up Champions League finals and Championships. This season the performance on and off the pitch has stalled somewhat. The numbers for the next quarter (which runs from April to June) will be worse again.For the Glazers, the clever trick of football success on a limited bu...The scale of Fenway's challenge at Liverpool becomes clear
4 May 2012, 2:01 pm
Normal health warning: if you don't think a United supporter can impartially analyse Liverpool Football Club's finances don't read on.Liverpool are a club in transition on and off the pitch. The financial results published overnight show just how great is the challenge facing Fenway Sports Group ("FSG"). We can now see that the American owners spent £261m acquiring and refinancing Liverpool. Of this figure only £30m has actually flowed into the club, the rest was spent on the purchase itself.I...The issues the football authorities won't address
9 March 2012, 4:08 pm
So finally, we now get to see "football's response" to the government's call for the game to reform itself.What a damp squib.You can see the "response" here, page after page of moving blazers around committees and no action. It's a depressing document more concerned with preserving the status quo than looking at the real issues; debt and financial mismanagement, ownership, ticket prices etc.Debt, the cancer that kills clubs and costs fans gets one mention. Actually it doesn't, the word "debt" ap...An open reply to steve_mcfc's questions to me on 13th January 2012
23 February 2012, 2:00 pm
This is an open reply to steve_mcfc, the Manchester City supporting Twitter sensation. I blocked Steve on Twitter months ago but in a rush of blood to the head I unblocked him yesterday.... Steve proceeded to tweet me around 30 times starting at 7.48pm yesterday. The Tweets were a combination of insults and questions and are reproduced in full below (in bold). You can check they are exactly as Steve tweeted on his timeline. I was out at the time.Given that it is hard to reply to 30 tweets I thou...Manchester United Q2 2011/12 results - the amazing, expanding wage bill
22 February 2012, 10:41 am
The second quarter of Red Football's financial year (September to December) is the least exciting. The transfer window is firmly shut, the season ticket selling season is over, it's the dull group stage of the Champions League. Nothing is won before Christmas and from a financial point of view, not much happens...That is largely the case with these figures for the three months to 31st December 2011 (and therefore the first half of 2011/12 too). Having said that, there are some surprises.RevenueT...
VIDEO - Chicago Fire's Dominic Orduro is Fast, Freaky Fast
13 April 2012, 1:01 am
What happens when Dominic Oduro puts his salary on the line to prove how fast he is?Well.... that's a lot to fight for. And you can only imagine how fast one of the fastest players in the league is going to run to protect his earnings."@FreakyFast8" on Twitter easily claims his end of the bet, a jelly donut from "Touchline TV" host Brendan Hannan.Next up? Usain Bolt?Get the NEW Free Beer Movement "Pint Glass" shirt! Only from Objectivo.com...Announcing "The Austin Aztex Project" Documenting the Building of American Soccer
11 April 2012, 12:07 pm
Last September the Austin Aztex, under new ownership, announced their return to the American soccer fold. Almost a year earlier the first incarnation of the Aztex had packed up for greener pastures in Orlando, leaving supporters in the lurch and a bad taste in the mouth of the local soccer community.Austin is a city with seemingly perfect demographics for success: a booming population full of young professionals with disposable incomes, a great place for raising a family, and a strong Latino com...D.C. United Players Just Want to Bang on the Drum All Day
10 April 2012, 3:51 pm
Photo Credit: D.C. UnitedWhen most professional athletes (and European soccer players) can't suit up for a game they're usually seen living the good life up in a luxury suite with the owner and/or their wife/girlfriend, but not Major League Soccer players.Photo Credit: D.C. UnitedIf you want more evidence of why American soccer is so great look no further than scenes from last Saturday's D.C. United home match against the Seattle Sounders. Despite the 0-0 scoreline defender Brandon McDonald, who...VIDEO - All Your Base Belongs to MLS and adidas
10 April 2012, 2:23 pm
Many Americans continue to wonder about Snooki's weight (98 pounds!) who's going to be eliminated next from "The Voice" or what twists and turns will happen next in "Game of Throne"/"Madmen".The computers, well, are preparing to take over the world. The upcoming Major League Soccer All-Star Game on July 25th in Philadelphia will feature the first world's first "smart soccer match" where all the players on the field will be tracked by adidas' miCoach system and the data will be available instantl...The Tuesday XI: Piano Man Edition
10 April 2012, 11:00 am
By "The Other 87 Minutes" / Senior Unemployed English Major Correspondents We're stepping back into the music world this week in honor of last week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions (We're pro-Beastie Boy.). Except instead of putting together an team of musicians, we're lining up songs, specifically famous title characters from songs, into a harmonious XI.I don't think that's the right one.GK – Macho Man – Uses his inflated ego, and pectoral muscles, to d...
Football made in Nigeria | A short story by Uzor Maxim Uzoatu
22 September 2010, 11:59 pm
Wearing boots and driven by the stern Coach Clemence, a Nigerian side discovers that it cannot play this imported game. “I can’t afford to spend all my life chasing the wind,” says Brother Okoro....‘Before funny things started’ | A World Cup monologue by Tapuwa Moore
30 July 2010, 3:44 pm
Football coach, actress and polyglot rapper, Tapuwa Moore offers Soweto-tinged reflections on how Pulpo Paul, vuvuzela hymns and "vagina-bodied people" helped her survive FIFA's World Cup....Taking a turn ‘in the woods,’ confronting the goalkeeper’s choice
11 July 2010, 11:51 pm
Goalkeepers—as 20th-century existentialists knew—provide football's paradigm for action in the face of uncertainty....Koman Coulibaly, refereeing and the electronic scrum over ‘truth’
19 June 2010, 5:17 pm
Malian referee Koman Coulibaly is scapegoated in the U.S. draw with Slovenia Jun 18, launching a vicious Wikipedia war that sacrifices his humanity and ours....Excavating American soccer fields, uncovering buried layers of sport
16 June 2010, 12:48 am
Martha Saavedra conducts a virtual excavation of youth soccer fields, showing that all sporting terrain leaves a legacy in sediment and memory....
The Future of Non League Football – Plastic Fantastic
19 May 2012, 11:02 am
In fairness, the FA have taken some tentative steps in the right direction by allowing the use of One Star FIFA sanctioned pitches in some tournaments. However, for some unfathomable reason they refuse to allow the FA Cup and FA Youth Cup to be played on plastic pitches. So, if, as a club, you see FA Youth competition as a valuable learning asset, you can’t install a synthetic pitch because you will have to retain or borrow a grass one to enter. The FA Cup is a potentially lucrative competitio...The Future of Non League Football – Ask and ye shall receive
16 May 2012, 8:12 am
The old cliche of fans ganging together to pay the wages, or paint a fence, is one which we are all far too familiar with. On the one hand you would hope that clubs learn from the errors of those who went before them. But equally there is something "blitz spirit" about everyone rocking up to the ground in mid June to spruce up the changing rooms. And we do it because we want to help, to be part of the club in any small way we can. Non league football is run by volunteers, after all (at least, th...The Darts hit the bullseye of promotion after 26 years of hurt
14 May 2012, 12:38 pm
I am always confused as to in which games it is the performance or the result are more important. This was certainly one game where it was all about the result, which was quite fortunate because as a spectacle it failed to live up to the pre-game hype and the explosive start that Dartford made. Continue reading →...Gone and forgotten – part 1 – Manchester Central FC
11 May 2012, 10:41 am
In the same year that the Argonauts were making their audacious bid, a new team was being formed in Manchester. Manchester Central were formed by Man City director John Ayrton (at the time there were no rules about having a stake in more than one club) who saw an opportunity to utilise the Belle Vue Stadium he owned in the east part of the city for more than just a weekly speedway meeting. In their first season they joined the Lancashire Combination League, finishing a disappointing seventh. ...The Future of Non League Football – Time to rethink the FA Vase?
11 May 2012, 7:33 am
Is there any real need to expect the fans to make the 600 mile round trip for this game? Couldn’t some sensibility be used here? Surely if the FA deemed the final should be at Wembley then play it on the Saturday as part of a double header with York City and Newport County, who will be competing for the FA Trophy in front of around 25,000. Alternatively, why not play the game at St James’ Park or the Stadium of Light which would undoubtably provoke more local interest and a significantly big...
Good Form - What It Is And How To Stay In It
15 May 2012, 4:26 pm
...Cech's Save - What You Can Learn From It
7 May 2012, 1:03 am
...Psychological Warfare and Penalties
26 March 2012, 2:23 pm
...Boot Review - adidas AdiPower Predator TRX-FG
27 February 2012, 10:21 pm
...Book Review: "Graduation" by Richard Lee
3 February 2012, 12:44 am
...
EPL: Highest Club League Positions - 1992-2012
16 May 2012, 1:18 pm
The best league position achieved by every EPL club that has finished in the top 10 in the Premier League era. 1992-2012. 1 - Arsenal 1 - Blackburn Rovers 1 - Chelsea 1 - Manchester City 1 - Manchester United 2 - Aston Villa 2 - Liverpool 2 - Newcastle United 3 - Leeds United 3 - Norwich City 3 - Nottingham Forest 4 - Everton 4 - Tottenham Hotspur 5 - Ipswich Town 5 - Queens Park Rangers 5 - West Ham United 6 - Bolton Wanderers 6 - Wimbledon 7 - Fulham 7 - Middlesbrough 7 - Sheffield We...England 9th Division Club Logos
15 May 2012, 1:08 pm
Club logos from 9th division teams in the English Football League system. AFC Blackpool - Blackpool, North West Counties League AFC Liverpool - Liverpool, North West Counties League Ascot United - Ascot, Hellenic Football League Bedlington Terriers - Bedlington, Northern League Biggleswade United - Biggleswade, Spartan South Midlands Coventry Sphinx - Coventry, Midland Football Alliance Diss Town FC - Diss, Eastern Counties League Ely City FC - Ely, Eastern Countie...FIFA, ELO, and SPI World Rankings - May 2012
14 May 2012, 12:35 pm
The top 20 nations in the FIFA, ELO, and SPI (ESPN) world rankings. FIFA 1 - Spain 2 - Germany 3 - Uruguay 4 - Netherlands 5 - Portugal 6 - Brazil 7 - England 8 - Croatia 9 - Argentina 10 - Denmark 11 - Russia 12 - Italy 13 - Chile 14 - Greece 15 - Ivory Coast 16 - France 17 - Sweden 18 - Ireland 18 - Switzerland 20 - Mexico 29 - United States ELO 1 - Spain 2 - Netherlands 3 - Brazil 4 - Germany 5 - Uruguay 6 - England 7 - Argentina 8 - Portugal 9 - Chile 10 - Sweden 11 - Croatia 11 - Italy 1...20+ League Goals in Europe - 2011/2012
10 May 2012, 12:57 pm
Players that have scored 20+ league goals in top division European leagues in 2011/2012. 50 - Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 44 - Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 32 - Bas Dost (SC Heerenveen) 32 - Burak Yilmaz (Trabzonspor) 30 - Robin Van Persie (Arsenal) 29 - Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04) 28 - Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) 26 - Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) 26 - Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) 25 - Luuk De Jong (FC Twente) 25 - Sanharib Malki (Roda JC) 25 - David Lafata (Jablonec [Czech Repub...Map: Nations Represented in MLS 2012
8 May 2012, 12:31 pm
Birth nations of MLS players - 2012. Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria Bermuda, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba Denmark, DR Congo Ecuador, El Salvador, England, Estonia Finland, France Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala Haiti, Honduras Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy Jamaica, Japan Kenya Liberia Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Norway Panama, Peru, Poland Scotl...
World Poetry Day
21 March 2011, 6:56 pm
I offered them to ITV.com but they weren't interested. I called up Sepp Blatter to see if he fancied using them on his FIFA election campaign literature - to no avail. Here are three football-themed haikus to mark 21 March. No doubt these will come back to haunt me in later life.Upton Park, 3.42pmParker, still Parker. Brilliant play. He looks forCarlton Cole...offside.An ESPN commentator's nightmareKrylya Sovetov,Anzhi, Luch-Energiya:Unpronounceable. RomeluIt's rather a coupTo write a rhyming ha...Photoblog: Giants vs Eagles, New Meadowlands
8 January 2011, 10:25 pm
Back in September, knowing I was visiting New York over Christmas, I decided to investigate whether there would be any sport worth watching while I was there. It turned out that NFL side the New York Giants would be playing the Philadelphia Eagles at New Meadowlands Stadium, New Jersey, about half an hour away from Manhattan.I'd heard this game was something of a local derby, Meadowlands being about 100 miles or so from Philadelphia - which by American standards is a stone's throw. At the time, ...A Russian World Cup in 2018: Some premature Q&As
2 December 2010, 8:51 pm
Much as it seems as though the ink has only just dried on the FIFA ExCom ballot papers, and the tears have dried on the faces of many England fans (okay, sorry for the melodrama), it's time to come to terms with the fact that in less than eight years many football fans will be heading to Russia to watch World Cup 2018.So what should we expect from a World Cup in Russia? Eight years is a long time in Russia - a place that barely 20 years ago was operating a state economic monopoly and where chewi...We're not singing any more
29 November 2010, 2:05 pm
Last week I penned some thoughts on the decline of English terrace culture for the superb whoateallthepies.tv. Here it is in full:“You’re not singing any more.” It’s the classic football catcall, the terrace version of cuckolding. The message, effectively, is as follows: We’ve silenced you, and as a result you are collectively shamed. Your silence suggests you are weak. You are impotent. Your wife is almost certainly cheating on you. When you boil it down, so much about English fan...A small appeal
19 November 2010, 4:27 pm
Some readers may know that I'm a fairly regular guest on the twofootedtackle podcast. In fact, can I urge you to listen to this week's podcast, featuring myself and French football connoisseur Chris Oakley - which includes subjects as disparate as the problem(s) with English football, Jay DeMerit's next destination and cake. Lots of cake. Anyway, in the run-up to Christmas, twofootedtackle.com editor Chris and podcast host Gary are championing a very good cause which I want to lend my weigh...
Lega Pro Special – Play Off Preview
19 May 2012, 8:45 am
After nine months of intrigue, accusations and points deductions the end of season Lega Pro play-offs have arrived. Over the next few weeks nerves will be shredded, tears will be shed and, for the lucky few, glory will be tasted. We start in C1A were the four teams involved in the end of term lottery [...]A post from The Football Express....Lega Pro Special – End Of Season Review
10 May 2012, 8:12 am
The regular season in Italy’s third and fourth tiers came to an exciting climax last weekend and while some players can pack their Louis Vuitton wash bags and head to the beach, others are left to sweat it out in the end of season play-offs and play-outs – where survival could mean the difference between [...]A post from The Football Express....Scotland 1-4 Italy U21s – Azzurrini cause Scotland to scream blue murder
26 April 2012, 9:51 pm
Edinburgh 25 April 2012 Ciro Ferrara brought his young squad to a very cold Easter Road for a last friendly before they resume their qualifiers next month against Ireland. There were a number of noticeable absentees due to the rescheduling of Serie A fixtures following the tragic death of Piermario Morosini, such as Stephane El [...]A post from The Football Express....Lega Pro Special – Tension Rising In Season’s Final Stages
12 April 2012, 9:15 am
A fabulously entertaining season in Italy’s third and fourth tiers enters its final few weeks of competition and for many clubs there is still everything to play for. In C1 division A, Ternana’s once seemingly unassailable lead is diminishing by the week as Mimmo Toscano’s side get stage fright at just the wrong time of [...]A post from The Football Express....Cesena suffer a difficult second Serie A season
6 April 2012, 8:17 am
Cesena were one of last season’s most loved upstarts, but after a catastrophic second season in the top flight look almost certain to remain rooted to the bottom of the table and return to the purgatory of Serie B. The club had not featured in the top flight since the early 90s when they were [...]A post from The Football Express....
Blogs 10
UEFA Champion’s League Final: Bayern vs. Chelsea Live
19 May 2012, 3:14 pm
In the battle of Bayern vs. Chelsea…Ribery vs. Drogba–TSG’s two pivotal players, TSG roots for…. Michael Essien. Knee surgeries have robbed the global soccer world of Essien’s excellence. May he shine today for the Blues. The hopeful scoreline? Bayern 0, Chelsea 0…..Essien 3....MLS Predictions: Cascadia…Take Me Away & SuperClasico
19 May 2012, 6:10 am
… and so it begins, rivalries in full flow, television screen packed with pomp and circumstance as the familiar elevens gather to do battle on the grassy field. This week we explore some rivalries, talk about Cascadia and the battle for Los Angeles, and discuss trades that were. Lets get down to business. The Record!! [...]...MLS Blockbusting: Pearce Gotham Bound; Juan Agudelo To Chivas USA, More
17 May 2012, 5:21 pm
Well, it looks like the band is getting back together. FC Dallas ’09 is now coalescing around the New York Tri-State area. In a move that probably began this week with Peter Nowak wanting Danny Califf away from Philadelphia, Chivas USA has sent former US national teamer and odd player movement expert heath Pearce and allocation [...]...This Ain’t Disney World: USMNT Camp Starts Rolling
17 May 2012, 3:27 pm
...MLS Travel Series: Montreal Exposed
17 May 2012, 7:53 am
The MLS Travel Series, Entry #2 James Grossi can’t get any love from the Toronto FO on covering his home side…so he takes to Montreal. Salut mes amis et bienvenue à Montréal, As a Torontonian, obvious barbs aside, I could not be more chuffed to have Montreal be the nineteenth club in MLS and its third Canadian side. [...]...
Leeds United - Marching On Together?
18 May 2012, 6:57 am
...Liverpool - Keep The Car Running
4 May 2012, 1:17 am
...The Truth About Debt At Barcelona And Real Madrid
30 April 2012, 7:04 am
...Champions League Revenue - The Final Countdown
25 April 2012, 12:11 pm
...Queens Park Rangers - Hoop Dreams
17 April 2012, 7:20 am
...
Geographies of Football: Men of Kent
18 May 2012, 12:00 pm
Our recent Geographies of Football series piqued interest to such a degree that we received a message from David Field wondering if we would be interested in an application of the methodology we applied to Cornwall and Worcestershire to England's southeasternmost shire. Here are the thought provoking results and we hope to revive the series on an occasional basis. What county is the biggest one club county; Norfolk? Suffolk? Berkshire? What about Sussex before Crawley’s elevation to the Footb...Great Football League teams 34: Derby County 1986-7
17 May 2012, 12:00 pm
Part 34 of our Great Teams series sees us welcome Jonathan Rodgers, a long time fan of Derby County. Here, he recalls one of the great Baseball Ground campaigns - always a fiendishly difficult place to visit as an away fan and a place that simply oozed character, history and tradition. Jonathan can be followed on Twitter at @popsider It's started already. Ten months of undoubted, solid progress for Derby County has only recently finished (12th place and a number of talented Academy youngsters ...No Oblivion for Wolves
14 May 2012, 8:49 pm
We are delighted today to welcome back Ben Piggott, illustrator of the very fine images that adorn this site and a supporter of a club newly arrived in our midst, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Here, Ben conveys his mood as the Old Gold settle back among us. Ben previously authored an astute analysis of the Championship players who featured in last year's UEFA European under-21 Championship for us and can be followed on Twitter at @Apt_Pseudonym. Now, this’ll sound like I’m only saying it to su...The Monday Profile: Uwe Rösler
14 May 2012, 5:59 am
With Norwegian Ståle Solbakken having recently joined the managerial ranks of English football having cut his teeth in Germany; the similarly coiffeured Uwe Rösler has taken the opposite track as a German who conducted his training in Norway. Like Solbakken, Rösler spent some of his playing career in England although his spell on these shores was a much lengthier and more storied one. Manchester City fans still idolise him as the scorer of a half century of goals for the club and his barnst...Geographies of Football: Economic Potential
12 May 2012, 2:56 pm
Our series of posts this week has analysed the various impacts geography can have on the fortunes of soccer clubs. To round things off, we thought we would examine a cross section of eight cities, towns and city regions which can be said to be under performing in football terms and which may or may not have the potential to rise to Championship status or above. Back in 2010, we picked out Peterborough United, Swansea and Cardiff Cities, Notts County and Doncaster as having Premier League potenti...
Bring Me The Head Of Diego Garcia
8 May 2012, 7:09 pm
While the air of novelty hung heavy over this fixture, there was something about it that struck a chord with therealfacup. In an era of football when money is king and fans and players alike think they deserve to win, both the Chagos Islands and Sealand have a reason not only to just play football but to simply be recognised by the World...AFC Wimbledon: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
21 April 2012, 10:04 am
Unpalatable as the thought may be, are AFC Wimbledon turning into the beast that nearly killed them? Kingstonian fan Jamie Cutteridge stares the beast in the eye....Player Of The Season
14 April 2012, 10:19 am
The Real FA Cup's Player Of The Season Award. For the finest single performance by a non-league player in this season's FA Cup. There's one goal scorer, one engine room and one net minder. You decided. Vote!...When Nil Becomes One
30 January 2012, 2:11 pm
Armed with a brand new camera, I was sure that Dulwich Hamlet would provide me with what I needed....Wrexham Effect – Rump Shaker
8 January 2012, 11:12 pm
Wrexham rocked up to the Amex, shook their booty, ruffled some feathers, sang a song or two and then rifled back off to Wales to plot the final act. Wreckx!...
20 May 1966 - Three Out Of Four's Not Bad
20 May 2012, 4:01 am
On 20 May 1966, Peñarol won their third Copa Libertadores, beating River Plate with two extra-time goals in a playoff. The Uruguayans were the most experienced side in the tournament's history up to that point, having appeared in three previous finals (as winners in 1960 and 1961 and as runners-up in 1963), while River Plate were playing in their first one. But the Argentine side reached it by beating the 1965 champions, Independiente, in the semifinal group stage. The final was ...19 May 1968 - It Was Just A Formality, Really
19 May 2012, 4:01 am
On 19 May 1968, Iran won their first Asian Cup, beating defending champions Israel 2-1 in Tehran. In addition to being their first Asian Cup title, it was Iran's first time in the competition. They did not enter in 1956, they did not qualify in 1960, and they withdrew from the 1964 tournament, which was hosted and won by Israel. As hosts of the 1968 edition, Iran qualified automatically, but they quickly demonstrated their ability once the tournament began, winning their first three matches ...18 May 2011 - Porto Closes The Door On An Amazing Season
18 May 2012, 4:01 am
On 18 May 2011, Porto won their third trophy of the season under new manager André Villas-Boas, beating their Portuguese league rivals Braga in the Europa League Final. Villas-Boas had taken charge of Porto at the start of the season, having previously served as manager for the British Virgin Islands (1998-99) and Portuguese top flight team Académica de Coimbra (2009-10). In between, he served as an assistant for José Mourinho at Porto, Chelsea, and Inter. Returning to Porto as manag...17 May 1974 - Bayern Delivers A Beating
17 May 2012, 4:01 am
On 17 May 1974, Bayern Munich won the first of three consecutive European Cups, beating Atlético Madrid 4-0 in a replay. It was the first time in the final for both teams, who played to a 1-1 draw two days earlier, with both goals coming late in extra time to force a replay. They returned to the Heysel Stadium in Brussels on 17 May and did not have to wait long for Bayern to stake their claim to the trophy. In the 28th minute, forward Uli Hoeness (pictured) outraced the Atlético defen...16 May 1968 - Estudiantes Were Quick Learners
16 May 2012, 4:01 am
On 16 May 1968, Estudiantes beat Palmeiras in a playoff to win the first of three consecutive Copa Libertadores trophies. They qualified for the tournament--their first--by finishing as runners-up in the Argentina Primera División behind Independiente. But they beat their league rivals twice in the cup's first round and twice more in the second on their way to the final. There, they met Palmeiras in what was scheduled as a two-legged tie, home and away. Estudiantes won the first match, play...
Bayern Munich 1 (3)-(4) 1 Chelsea: Chelsea win Champions League
19 May 2012, 11:07 pm
Game in a sentence Didier Drogba scored an 89th minute equaliser, conceded an extra time penalty and converted the winning spot kick as Chelsea came from behind to win its first Champions League title—overcoming a Bayern Munich side that, despite an overwhelming share of the possession through 90 minutes, tired in the extra periods and [...]...The ongoing rehabilitation of Jack Wilshere
18 May 2012, 8:00 pm
Arsene Wenger has long detested the use of his players in meaningless international friendlies. The most recent target of the Frenchman’s ire was Belgium’s decision to play Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen – who was dealing with an ankle injury – for 90 minutes in a friendly against Greece in late February. It’s possible Wenger recalled [...]...Dean-Richards: Visualization will destroy football
18 May 2012, 7:00 pm
Wayne Rooney took the time this week to talk about the power of visualisation. Needless to say, given that it was Wayne stepping outside of his usual brief of talking about how he done the goal, it was not particularly convincing. The Roonster (TM) described how he “lie[s] in bed the night before [a] game [...]...The Story of Grant Holt
18 May 2012, 6:18 pm
Grant Holt was a footballer for Norwich City FC. One season, he decided to score seventeen for his goals in the hopes of playing for England. When mean old manager Roy Hodgson refused to take him along for the team’s adventure in Poland/Ukraine, Holt decided to hand in his transfer request to the club. The [...]...Corrigan: Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque spoiled for choice as Euro 2012 nears
18 May 2012, 5:08 pm
By Dermot Corrigan Spanish coach Vicente del Bosque has a lot of thinking to do, in less than ideal conditions, before he submits the final 23 man Euro 2012 squad on May 27th. On Tuesday Del Bosque announced the panel for La Roja’s first two Euro 2012 warm-up friendlies (Serbia on May 26th and South [...]...
Happy Birthday Trans World Sport – Peruvian football in the Andes
11 May 2012, 12:32 pm
To celebrate 25 years of the best sports magazine show on TV this month, here’s a feature on women’s football high in the Peruvian Andes. Naturally. Today, it’s red cardigans vs. blue cardigans. </iframe...Latin Wonderkids: Part Four of David N’s peak into South America’s football future
10 May 2012, 11:27 am
Following on from David N’s preview of South America’s rising stars last week, here’s the conclusion of his look at players lighting up the continent this season and potentially Europe in seasons to come. LUCAS OCAMPOS of River Plate Relentlessly compared with Cristiano Ronaldo since his debut for River Plate’s first-team, Ocampos (top) has emerged as the leading young talent in Argentina over the last six months or so. At 17, those Ronaldo comparisons make sense; Ocampos is tall...Guess the UEFA Cup or Europa League finalist from their classic football shirt [152]
7 May 2012, 9:01 am
Since its introduction in 1971, the UEFA Cup – or Europa League as it’s now known – has been shared between 26 different clubs from 11 countries. This season’s trophy will be returning to Spain, but in the competitions 41 year history the final has been graced by teams from across Europe of varying stature and an occasional willingness to bribe the referee to help them get there. Some of these shirts will bring back fond memories and some will need some research, but all are a...The video age of football
4 May 2012, 11:13 am
Seldom has a new technology flared so brightly and died so quickly as video. The race to develop a consumer-level video system was run in 1970s Japan, with JVC and their VHS eventually managing to overshadow Sony’s Betamax system, and by 1978 the first video players were available in the UK. Available, but far from affordable for all but the spoilt kids. We finally got one for Christmas in 1986. I know that because I still have the Kodak E-180 tape that we first used. The first thing I eve...Latin Wonderkids: Part Three of David N’s peak into South America’s football future
2 May 2012, 11:57 am
In what has become something of an annual post, here I’ll take a look at some of the youngsters lighting up South American football at the moment and probably destined for a future in the Champions League. Last year’s selection included Erik Lamela (now of Roma), Diego Rubio (now at Sporting Lisbon) and Juan Manuel Iturbe (now Porto) and I have a feeling most of this crop will be at big European clubs by this time next year: PAULO DYBALA of Instituto de Cordoba It’s instruct...
www.upper90magazine.com
11 February 2011, 5:41 pm
upper90magazine has moved to www.upper90magazine.com Come and have a look at our newer more interactive site and get involved with the latest topics!!! Filed under: Uncategorized...Relocation, Relocation
3 February 2011, 7:42 pm
So closure comes, after much speculation and some huge moves, the transfer window has closed with an unbelievable final day. Just two weeks ago Darren Bent moved from Sunderland to Aston Villa, a move at the time which many were questioning. He cost £18m plus and many thought this was a huge sum for someone [...]...Aim for the Sky: Why the loss of Richard Keys and Andy Gray will improve coverage
1 February 2011, 7:57 pm
The most shocking thing about the sexism in football debate was the fact that people were surprised that Richard Keys and Andy gray said something stupid. Dated, simplistic, simple-minded views are what the pair have been pedalling on Sky Sports for a long time now, and truth be told the pair have been a disaster [...]...Ibracadabra
31 January 2011, 9:29 pm
2004. There is a party atmosphere in the Amsterdam Arena as Ajax are cruising to a victory over NAC Breda. The ball is played into their gangly young striker with his back to goal, surrounded by defenders. His first touch is poor, taking it towards an onrushing defender. However he manages to outmuscle the defender [...]...Homophobia in Football
29 January 2011, 7:17 pm
If the average football fan was asked to name an openly gay player their answer would more than likely be based on speculation rather than fact. This is because in the modern game only one man has openly declared his sexuality, Justin Fashanu, and he sadly took his own life in 1998. Homophobia is an [...]...
Champions League: The result
19 May 2012, 9:06 am
What snivelling wretches we have running football. Michel Platini and his Eurocrat acolytes make our own dear Neil Doncaster look heroic. When it's clear that the eyes of global football should be focused on El Broon Sauce Clásico at Hampden, they attempt to divert football lovers the world over with a sideshow in Munich. The Champions League final. Pfft. A mere sapling of a game compared to the stately oak of a match taking place in Glasgow. Who exactly are Bayern Munich and Chelsea when H...Scottish Cup: Hibs for the cup?
19 May 2012, 1:09 am
Time, I think, to take Rudyard Kipling's advice about triumph and disaster and fling it in the Water of Leith. Those two impostors are the only things up for grabs at Hampden tomorrow. The ultimate triumph. The ultimate disaster. An all Edinburgh Scottish Cup final. The first for 116 years. Games don't come bigger for these two clubs. They might never have a bigger game. Good luck to any fan of either team who manages to greet victory or defeat just the same. Less than 24 hours to go now. ...Scottish Cup: Hearts and soul
17 May 2012, 9:44 am
The end of a 116 year wait draws ever closer. Hearts, Hibs and the Scottish Cup final. Excitement is growing, nerves are jangling. I'm delighted to welcome Laurie Dunsire back to the blog to give a Hearts fan's view of why the stakes are so high and why this is a game that will mean so much to families across Edinburgh and beyond. Nothing is preordained. So who will have the last laugh? If the climactic closing weekend of the English Premier League taught us anything, it's that football can ...Rangers: Transfer embargo stands
17 May 2012, 7:14 am
Another day and another twist in the ongoing Rangers saga. Or perhaps not a twist, more a rare outbreak of consistency in an unwieldy drama. The SFA's appellate tribunal has dismissed Rangers' appeal against the year long transfer embargo imposed by the original judicial panel. In short, Rangers will not be allowed to sign players over the course of the next two transfer windows. Surprise? Perhaps. There was a lingering suggestion that the SFA might feel a certain pressure to reduce the pun...Scottish Cup: Talking about waiting
15 May 2012, 8:42 pm
Like children before Christmas we wait with increasing excitement for the all-Edinburgh Scottish Cup final. For those of us with an emotional attachment, of course, this Santa delivers either the greatest gift of all or a ginormous slap in the face. High stakes. Given I can think of little else it was a pleasure to join The SPL Podcast for a cup final preview show. We also took a look at the SPL season that was with Celtic flying high and Dunfermline plumbing the depths. Thanks to Robert (@...
Football is being ruined
16 April 2012, 7:36 pm
I am sick and tired of habitual divers and inept, incompetent referee's continually disgracing the game of football.The pathetic (rancid) examples witnessed during Manchester United v Aston Villa and the FA Cup Semi Final between Spurs and Chelsea emphasise how far todays (sordid) game has slid down the toilet.No wonder people don't go anymore, a lot don't even watch it on TV. One has to question whether it is time to find something more honest and morally appropriate to enjoy than the...Bacup Borough 0 Ramsbottom United 1
10 April 2012, 3:22 pm
Easter Monday 9th April 2012North West Counties League Premier DivisionBACUP BOROUGH 0 RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 1Attendance: 167Admission: £6Tea Hut stuff: Soup 80pWeather: Continuous non stop rain, grey, dull, very wetParking: Just off Cowtoot Lane a few minutes from the groundI've had a love-hate relationship with Bacup Borough over recent seasons. They have a charismatic ultra rustic ground on top of the hills above Bacup and when the sun is out there are some stunning views to enjoy, a great place...A very wet Bacup Borough
9 April 2012, 7:52 pm
Back from intense sealed-wallet surgery, Frugal Glenn joined the Tea Hut squad for a traditional Easter Monday up above Bacup Borough's ground high on the Pennine hills, the welcoming holiday weather didn't let anybody down either.... it pissed it down! Visitors don't come much more hyped than the North West Counties Premier League leaders Ramsbottom United and what a battling performance they provided against some pretty stern defending from the locals. It was all splish, sp...Nelson 0 Rochdale Town 3
8 April 2012, 7:38 pm
Saturday 7th AprilNorth West Counties League Division 1NELSON 0 ROCHDALE TOWN 3Admission: £4Attendance: 45Tea Hut Stuff: Cheese and Onion Pie £1.50Weather: Dull grey sky and a bit chillyParking: On the road outside the ground It looks better once you get insideWhat should have been a simple enough trip for the Match Shed went a bit pear-shaped in the centre of Brierfield (which was the planned route). With only a few miles to travel before reaching Nelson FC a car was lying on its r...Return of the Tea Hut!
7 April 2012, 6:53 pm
Nelson 0 Rochdale Town 3The Tea Hut is back in business and it was North West Counties Division 1 stuff leading the way. A jaunt over to Nelson Football Club to be exact. A visit report will be on here sometime Sunday evening....
The Championship Play-off Final: What, when, where, why and who?
20 May 2012, 12:53 pm
As the Championship comes to a close with a gripping play-off final between West Ham United and Blackpool, Joe Harrison explains all the action from Wembley Stadium. What? 1. West Ham won the Final 2-1 gaining the third promotion place from the Championship, meaning that they will play in the Premier League next season. 2.… More »...Third and fourth tiers provide play-off finals to savour
18 May 2012, 7:00 am
A quick straw poll on Twitter this evening suggested that Huddersfield Town and Sheffield United’s all-Yorkshire clash at Wembley next Saturday is the play-off final that neutrals are most keenly anticipating by some distance. While the sample size was fairly small, it was an expected result. The League One play-off final is a mouthwatering prospect,… More »...What can Wolverhampton Wanderers fans expect from Ståle Solbakken?
17 May 2012, 6:53 am
One of the Football League’s fresh intake for 2012/13 has already made a surprising managerial appointment as it prepares for life back in the second tier. But what can Wolverhampton Wanderers fans expect from the new man in charge? Charlie Anderson, editor of the Nordic football blog Stone by Stone, shares his insight. A new… More »...Jordan Rhodes and Nick Powell: A glimpse of future Premier League players
12 May 2012, 8:07 pm
When Jordan Rhodes netted Huddersfield Town’s first goal at the Stadium: MK on Saturday, Sky commentator Alan Parry called him “the hottest property in the Football League”. Among 72 clubs, it would be a bold move to single out any one player above his peers. But when you go one step further and put a… More »...How Blackpool beat Birmingham City to return to Wembley
9 May 2012, 8:45 pm
For the third year in a row, Stephen Dobbie – long of either Swansea and Blackpool – scored to help one of his two teams to Wembley. But this was no walk in the park. Birmingham City gave it everything and made the Tangerines work hard for their 3-2 aggregate victory. Curtis Davies equalised on… More »...
Destined to crash out in the group stages? Analysing Roy Hodgson's England Squad
17 May 2012, 10:57 am
...King Kenny: Forced to Abdicate
16 May 2012, 5:45 pm
...Joey Barton: Again
14 May 2012, 8:41 pm
...Top 5: Managers of the Premier League 2011/2012
10 May 2012, 11:26 pm
...Newcastle United Champions League Contenders or Pretenders?
8 May 2012, 12:29 am
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