Source: http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2011/07/02/mick-mccarthy-is-the-continental/
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Diame could bring much needed steel in Arsenal midfield
Diame could bring much needed steel in Arsenal midfield - originally posted on Soccerlens.com
With hours ticking away in the January transfer deadline day Arsenal need to do some quick businesses if they are serious about bolstering their squad in order to stay competitive for the much coveted top-four race. The Gunners have been …
Read More
From Soccerlens.com - Football News
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/soccerlens/~3/rSv54lftNYI/
M*drid ? Bar�a Preview, as a matter of cl�sico
In the tradition of great Dutch masters before him, this not-so-great Dutch not-even-a-master will attempt to draw a journalistic self-portrait, or uhhmmm… an emotional sketch of a cul� the day before, if you will, a Q & A between him and himself. Hi, nice to meet you. You look great today, as always! Yeah, yeah, [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BarcelonaFootballBlog/~3/u40MSxKr0dI/
Rapids Win Weighted Lottery On Forward Charles Eloundou
Posted in Colorado RapidsMLS
The Colorado Rapids have acquired forward Charles Eloundou, an 18-year-old attacking player and member of the Cameroonian National Team, in a special lottery held at Major League Soccer headquarters on Friday morning. Eloundou, currently with Cameroon ahead of their friendly match against Tanzania on February 6, will join the Rapids in the coming weeks. There [...]
The post Rapids Win Weighted Lottery On Forward Charles Eloundou appeared first on WVHooligan.com - MLS Blog.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WVHooligan/~3/mLbFijtNylw/
Spanish Copa del Rey ? Match Predictions ? January 23-24, 2013
The Spanish Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) concludes the quarterfinal round with second leg matches on January 23rd and 24th. Wednesday, January 23, 2013 Sevilla v Real Zaragoza, 1:30 PM EST (beIN Sport, Sky Sports 2, Al Jazeera Sport) Sevilla will win the second leg after getting a draw in the first leg at Zaragoza. [...]
He?s a 500lbs Man Mountain: Bill Gentleman vs Bar�a
Espanyol was a gift that kept on giving. A 2-2 draw in the Bernabeu and then a 4-0 hiding at the Camp Nou? Yes, please. Malaga ran out 3-2 winners against the capitale�os a week after fine performances by Roque Santa Cruz and Willy “Bill Gentleman” Caballero. It’s unlikely they’ll fall apart like the�periquitos, but [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BarcelonaFootballBlog/~3/nxE-V3FNZwQ/
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Is Cristiano Ronaldo on the way out?
Cristiano Ronaldo, once again, caused a stir with recent comments regarding a possible transfer. Ronaldo has been sensational on the field for Real Madrid, scoring an absurd amount of goals during his time at the club and winning La Liga. However, in September, the Portuguese star said he was sad at Real Madrid. ?I?m sad…
The post Is Cristiano Ronaldo on the way out? appeared first on SoccerProse.com.
Source: http://soccerprose.com/la-liga/is-cristiano-ronaldo-on-the-way-out/
Brendan Rodgers upset with Luis Suarez for publicly blabbing about dive
If you're going to blatantly dive during a match, the very least you can do is not admit it to the South American press several months later. That seems to be the message in Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers' decision to reprimand and punish Luis Suarez for telling Fox Sports Argentina that he was guilty of comically "falling" inside the box on purpose to win a penalty in Liverpool's 0-0 draw against Stoke in October (gif here).
Said Suarez (via the BBC):
"I was accused of falling inside the box in a match, and it's true I did it that time, because we were drawing against Stoke at home and we needed anything to win it.
"But after that everybody jumped out to talk - the Stoke coach and the Everton coach [David Moyes] - but the name Suarez sells [papers]."
After the match, Stoke manager Tony Pulis called for The FA to punish Suarez for the flop, while Rodgers claimed he didn't see the incident and labeled Suarez's performance as "terrific."
But now Suarez has broken the first rule of dive club and Rodgers isn't happy.
"I think it's wrong. It's unacceptable. I've spoken to Luis and it will be dealt with internally," he said.
"Diving is not something we advocate. Our ethics are correct.
"He has been totally understanding on where I am coming from as manager of the club. What was said was wrong, he takes that and we move on."
In Rodgers' defense, he has been vocally anti-diving -- even if he has backed Suarez against the many accusations against him -- since taking over at Liverpool, as evidenced by his refrain of "just stay on your feet" to Jonjo Shelvey during a training session in the Being: Liverpool documentary. Of course, Suarez's fish flop against Stoke is just as clear now as it was at the time and the only difference is Suarez blabbing about it to the press like someone bragging about trying to rob a bank because he needed money. So the timing of Rodgers' stand makes it seem like he's more upset about Suarez's admission than the act itself.
Anyway, if we can just get players to publicly admit when they dive straight away instead of three months later in an interview released on another continent, we might start making some progress here.
Gareth Bale goes in goal during training, makes incredible penalty save
Gareth Bale has been diving for all the right reasons in training this week, as he took a turn playing as goalkeeper.
The 23-year-old Welshman was on the receiving end of a well-struck penalty from youth keeper Jonathan Miles, and as you can see, he pulled off a brilliant save.
Bale tweeted out the video to his followers with the message:
If our goalkeepers get injured, I think I'm ready to step in #moveoverhugo
Somewhere at Spurs' Enfield training ground, Brad Friedel wept, wondering why Bale didn't include a #moveoverbrad hashtag. Nobody heard him though.
Also in Gareth Bale being good at lots of different things: Gareth Bale mimics Tiger Woods? ridiculous golf skills on the driving range
26 MLS-USL Games Revealed
More details from yesterday’s MLS-USL deal are emerging. Below are the 26 fixtures between MLS Reserve League and USL Pro sides during 2013. You can find the�full USL Pro schedule here. April 7, 2013 Portland Timbers Reserves vs. VSI Tampa Bay (JELD-WEN Field) Los Angeles Blues vs. LA Galaxy Reserves (Cal State Fullerton Titan Stadium) [...]
The post 26 MLS-USL Games Revealed appeared first on WVHooligan.com - MLS Blog.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WVHooligan/~3/u2TnqEulqKE/
FSB Retro ? FIFA 96
Long long ago, we decided to move the retro series from being a text based thing to a video based thing, which made them more interesting but also meant that they took a lot longer to put together. So much so that this is the first one since August. If you missed FIFA International Soccer, [...]
The post FSB Retro – FIFA 96 appeared first on FIFA Soccer Blog.
DTotD: Malaga?s Weligton did a dance on Cesc Fabregas? knee
Barcelona fought off a pesky Malaga side in the Copa Del Rey quarterfinals, taking the second leg by a score of 4-2 to win 6-4 on aggregate. The second leg included eight yellow cards, but none of those eight bookings were for the moment in the second half when Malaga defender Weligton did a Riverdance on Cesc Fabregas' knee.
Cesc slipped and fell behind Weligton, who was already on a yellow from the first half, while going after the ball when the Malaga keeper bobbled a shot from Lionel Messi. Weligton then stumbled backwards right onto Fabregas' leg. Though it was likely just an accident, this could have also been some kind of extra cosmic payback for the dive that got Cesc booked for simulation just before halftime.
This has been the Dirty Tackle of the Day: a chronicling of unfortunate events.
Three Goals From This Weekend That I Can?t Stop Watching
Presented without comment, except to say, “Damn.” 1.) Heather O’Reilly, U.S. Women’s National Team v. Colombia. 2.) Darlington Nagbe, Portland Timbers v. Sporting KC. 3.) Steve Johnson, Geelong Cats v. Essendon Bombers.
Nile Ranger spelled his name in money before getting arrested on suspicion of rape
While 21-year-old striker Nile Ranger hasn't been playing much for French Premier League club Newcastle, he has apparently been spending his time quite poorly. Following the Magpies latest home loss to Reading last weekend, Ranger scolded booing fans through his Twitter account.
"Certain fans need to not come and support this team... Coming out to BOOO us.. Stay at home.. Don't need ur BOO's.... SAY NO MORE !!!!" he said. Then added: "Last thing from me... To all the fans. U are not forced to buy season tickets.. Or pay our wages.. Please remember that..." When fans replied to defend their right to boo the underperforming side, Ranger eventually apologized four days later, on Wednesday, saying, "Fans am sorry 4 what I said!was just a bit upset you were booing the lads. But as it says in the bible 'you should forgive thy neighbour'."
On Thursday, Ranger shared a picture through his Instagram account of his own last named spelled out in �20 notes on a floor somewhere. Hours later, Ranger was arrested on suspicion of rape after a woman alleged that she was attacked at a hotel in Newcastle between Wednesday and Thursday. There have no reports as to whether Ranger quoted Bible passages to the police, though.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
As Deportivo collapse, Valer�n gently fades from view
As Deportivo collapse, Valer�n gently fades from view - originally posted on Soccerlens.com
Juan Carlos Valer�n: The career of football's more delicate talents of the last couple of decades is going to end in sadly subdued circumstances.
Read More
From Soccerlens.com - Football News
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/soccerlens/~3/30Oy2t1Q3Sw/
Eden Hazard sent off for trying to kick ball free from time-wasting ball boy
With Swansea up 2-0 on aggregate, Chelsea's Eden Hazard was sent off in the 80th minute of the second leg of their Capital One Cup semifinal for attempting to kick the ball free from underneath a Swansea ball boy who had flopped on top of it in a bid to waste time (gif here).
Facing elimination and little time left to make up the deficit, Hazard was eager to retrieve the ball quickly from the ball boy and carry on the with the match. But the 17-year-old ball boy had other ideas, and tried to deliberately keep Hazard from getting to it by falling on top of the ball. So, after a bit of a struggle, Hazard tried to kick the ball free, prompting the teenager to finally roll off it.
The ball boy carried on his embellishment, holding his midsection as he was escorted down the tunnel before Hazard was shown a straight red for the kick. The ball boy showed an obvious lack of sportsmanship with his initial flop, but Hazard probably should have pointed it out to the ref instead of opening himself up to being accused of kicking children in cold blood.
The second leg ended in a 0-0 draw, allowing Swansea to advance with their two goals from the first leg. They will play League Two side Bradford City in the final.
UPDATE: If this really is the ball boy's Twitter account, then it would seem he was planning this moment...
The king of all ball boys is back making his final appearance #needed #for #timewasting
? Charlie Morgan? (@CHARLIEM0RGAN) January 23, 2013
UPDATE II: After the match Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez said, "The ballboy has been in the dressing room talking with Hazard. They apologised to each other, they know they were wrong and that's it. He was wasting time, Hazard was frustrated and wanted to get the ball back quickly. They both made a mistake and we cannot say too much. Both were wrong and we cannot change things."
UPDATE III: Hazard has apologized via Chelsea TV. He said:
"The boy put his whole body onto the ball and I was just trying to kick the ball and I think I kicked the ball and not the boy. I apologise.
"The ball boy came in the changing room and we had a quick chat and I apologised and the boy apologised as well, and it is over. Sorry."
Football video from Yahoo! Sports:
Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
? NBA Power Rankings: Who's No. 1?
? How the Harbaugh brothers helped build a college football powerhouse
? David Beckham's son Brooklyn auditions for Chelsea
? 'Rampage' Jackson's UFC swan song begins with sponsorship snafu
African Cup of Nations ? Match Predictions ? January 23, 2013
The CAF African Cup of Nations has two matches in Group A as South Africa plays Angola and Morocco faces Cape Verde Islands. Wednesday, January 23, 2013 South Africa v Angola, 10:00 AM EST (ESPN 3, EuroSport, Al Jazeera Sport) South Africa will rebound from the first match draw with a victory. Prediction – South [...]
Inside the SuperDraft: Part 2
Posted in MLSSuperDraft
Part 2. Enjoy.
The post Inside the SuperDraft: Part 2 appeared first on WVHooligan.com - MLS Blog.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WVHooligan/~3/y4Ic9CLCs54/
Malaga 2, Bar�a 4, aka ?Them little blokes don?t like it innem, eh?? ?No. And ???
Ah, notions. Is the Doom Watch over? Because I’m running out of canned food and bottled water, so I sure hope that it is. Many people were nervous yesterday, some even picked Malaga to advance. “Two away goals! We’re all gon’ die!” As I tracked the match yesterday, I noted something akin to “If the [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BarcelonaFootballBlog/~3/0GVuiRxvkYs/
Bar�a vs. C�rdoba: From Andalucia with Love
Win or lose, C�rdoba CF has counted its blessings that the club drew Bar�a in the Copa del Rey because of the cash windfall received from ticket sales at their Nuevo Arc�ngel Stadium. A full house grossed the club a nice figure of over ?1.2 million which should pay a few bills. Making their Presence [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BarcelonaFootballBlog/~3/I25KCnXKg0A/
DTotD: Ethiopia keeper shown red card while being carried off on stretcher
Ethiopia goalkeeper Jemal Tassew found out just how swift and severe karmic retribution for a nasty challenge can be in his side's Africa Cup of Nations match against defending champions Zambia. In the 35th minute, with the score still 0-0, Tassew came charging out of the box in an attempt to head off a one-v-one chance for Zambia's Chisamba Lungu.
Tassew delivered a vicious high boot to Lungu's midsection, sending both players to ground in pain. At first it seemed clear that Lungu got the worst of the collision, but the slow motion replays show that Tassew's leg bent oddly upon making contact. Chisamba ended up being fine and finished out the match, but Tassew had to be taken off on a stretcher with the leg injury and as he was, the referee showed him a red card he had been patiently holding behind his back for a good three and a half minutes.
Obviously Tassew was not in a position to protest the decision.
This has been the Dirty Tackle of the Day: a chronicling of unfortunate events.
Monday, January 28, 2013
What?s Lacking: San Jose, Seattle and Vancouver Preseason Look
Posted in MLSSan Jose EarthquakesSeattle Sounders FCVancouver Whitecaps
Rounding out the preseason look ins with three clubs instead of the usual two like the rest of the series – blame that on the unbalancedness of MLS. Yesterday in the day I looked at�Chivas USA and the Colorado Rapids�and�FC Dallas and the LA Galaxy. Earlier today I examined the Portland Timbers and Real Salt [...]
The post What’s Lacking: San Jose, Seattle and Vancouver Preseason Look appeared first on WVHooligan.com - MLS Blog.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WVHooligan/~3/mqNyPGe2rFk/
Three Goals From This Weekend That I Can?t Stop Watching
Presented without comment, except to say, “Damn.” 1.) Heather O’Reilly, U.S. Women’s National Team v. Colombia. 2.) Darlington Nagbe, Portland Timbers v. Sporting KC. 3.) Steve Johnson, Geelong Cats v. Essendon Bombers.
UEFA fine Ajax ?10,000 for inoffensive banner at Manchester City game
UEFA may be utterly feckless when handing out fines for abhorrent racist abuse, but they've certainly shown that they take a hard line against fans who express a calm and rational dislike towards clubs that spend far too much money.
Ajax have been fined ?10,000 for what the governing body of football in Europe deemed a "display of a provocative and inappropriate banner" at Eastlands earlier this season. The Guardian reports:
During their Champions League match at home to Manchester City in October, Ajax fans unveiled a banner with the motto "Against Modern Football", beneath a cartoon of a sheik holding a bag embossed with a dollar sign, the image presented as a stop sign with a red line through it.
The banner contains no swearing or antagonistic content, but was obviously a delicate subject for the kind of oil-rich-free-spending clubs that help fill UEFA's coffers in the Champions League (and help make the game less competitive for the clubs that do not have bottomless pockets).
Angry Ajax ultras ? known as VAK410 because of the section of the Amsterdam Arena they occupy ? also had another banner which read "?80 for the away section is ridiculous," which is exactly the same sentiment conveyed in the banner that Manchester City fans were forced to take down at The Emirates.
This isn't VAK410's first foray into protests "against modern football". During a match against RKC Waalwijk last season, fans put stickers on the match ball and displayed at least one banner that probably deserves a fine...
Leo Messi brought all of his Ballon d?Or awards to Barcelona?s match against Malaga
Lionel Messi brought his entire haul of golden balls onto the pitch before Barcelona's Copa del Rey match against Malaga because what good is it having a record four Ballon d'Or awards if you can't show them off?
Since four of the heavy awards would be quite difficult to fit on a necklace for someone who is only 5'7", Messi's trophies were set up on a couple of pedestals just before kick-off. Messi -- wearing his special edition Ballon d'Or boots -- posed for pictures while everyone in attendance, including his teammates, watched and applauded. And just in case Cristiano Ronaldo's chants of "overrated" could be heard above the cheers, Messi continued his prolific scoring in the 29th minute of the match by embarrassing Malaga's defenders with an equalizer.
Here's video of the goal...
David Beckham?s son Brooklyn has trial at Chelsea
David Beckham's eldest son had a trial at Chelsea's Cobham training ground on Tuesday, playing in an U-14s fixture. Beckham Snr was also confirmed to be in attendance by a photograph of him wearing his Victorian chimney sweep hat with another Chelsea youth player.
The Guardian reports:
[Beckham's] attendance for the Under-14 fixture at the home of the Champions League winners will undoubtedly lead to speculation Brooklyn is in line to follow in his father's footsteps to play football at the highest level.
Brooklyn is already a member of the LA Galaxy U-14 squad (he is a striker, he wears number 23 and he's the only player that does not need a bio) but a trial with European champions Chelsea is an impressive feat, regardless of any nepotism that may be at play.
The next step after this trial would be a place in Chelsea's academy system, then a professional contract. And a fulfilling adult life of permanently being compared to his father.
Since gambling and children go so well together, English bookmaker Ladbrokes has started a #BrooklynSpecials hashtag on Twitter. They are offering odds on 16/1 on the youngster signing a contract with Chelsea before the age of 18 and 66/1 on his captaining England at a senior level.
There are not yet any odds on Brooklyn getting a professional contract before his dad does.
NFL video from Yahoo! Sports:More popular content on Yahoo! Sports
? NFL reaches out to players to head off tragedy
? NFL draft bust JaMarcus Russell is attempting a comeback
? NBA Power Rankings: Who's No. 1?
? Kentucky may not make the NCAA tournament
Italian Serie A ? Recap ? January 26-27, 2013
Napoli closed the gap on Juventus in the title race and AC Milan moved up to fifth place in the Italian Serie A on �January 26th and 27th. Napoli wins, Juve draws Juventus, who looked to be in cruise control at the winter break, were held to a draw on Saturday. Napoli took advantage of [...]
Source: http://www.the90thminute.com/soccer/2013/01/italian-serie-a-recap-january-26-27-2013/
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Future News: Lionel Messi revealed to be hoax perpetrated by Barcelona
The existence of Lionel Messi, widely hailed as the greatest footballer on the planet, has been confirmed to be a hoax engineered by Barcelona over the last nine years. The shocking confession was made by several high-ranking sources within the club after news broke of American college football player Manti Te'o's dead girlfriend being a fabrication on Wednesday.
"The myth of Leo Messi has gone on far too long," said one executive-level source on the condition of anonymity just a week after Messi was awarded his record fourth consecutive Ballon d'Or at UEFA's gala event. "It has always been a matter of time before it all unraveled, but now is the time for the truth to be told."
"It began in 2004," another source told us. "Barca had not won a title in years and strong forces from within decided that a new icon was needed to boost morale among the team and its supporters and to achieve unparalleled levels of success. So Messi was created. A backstory was dreamed up in which he was plucked from Argentina as a young boy and that the club generously paid to treat his growth hormone deficiency. He would be a modern David playing in a Goliath of a club."
Messi's name was included in several match reports published by the club's official website that season and he was even credited with a goal as Barcelona went on to win their first league title in six years. When fans and journalists began to latch on to stories of the teenager's great potential, the club supported his growing popularity with doctored highlights uploaded to the newly created video site YouTube in 2005. Since the picture resolution in YouTube clips wasn't very high at the time, it was relatively easy for Barcelona to create passable computer animations of the Messi character demonstrating remarkable skill that would be seen and shared by football fans around the world.
"No one has questioned why Messi is never caught putting a foot wrong off the pitch or making nasty headlines in the tabloids," our source continued. "Every person -- especially every young person in the spotlight -- makes a mistake sometime, but it was decided that Messi would not. He was made to be an impossibly shy and wholesome boy who does not fight in nightclubs or date a different nude model each week. This shyness would also explain his reluctance to talk to the press and it has only made the public love him more."
As more and more attention was given to Messi, Barcelona found it increasingly difficult to continue his existence entirely on the Internet without being found out. So in the 2005/06 season, a new hologram technology was tested, allowing them to cast his image on the pitch for live television broadcasts of matches. The hologram system was rolled out in full the following season, allowing them to portray Messi's unbelievable talent and astonishing tricks before everyone's eyes right in the middle of actual matches. He would weave through befuddled opponents unable to touch the apparition being credited with goal after goal and delighting crowds on the way to his first Ballon d'Or award in 2009.
"This is why Messi could not produce the fine form he displayed for Barcelona with the Argentine national team," said a source within Argentina's football association. "They would not give us their technology. We tried to produce our own, but we simply have not been able to match theirs."
Though this created doubts from the public in Messi's alleged homeland, the rest of the world did not share them. Legendary players like Maradona sang his praises while Pele argued that Messi was not yet all that great. A rivalry with Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, seen as the closest match to Messi's talent and his antithesis as a personality, was independently invented by the press, driving interest further.
"It was remarkably sustainable," said our Barca source. "Everyone wants to believe that such a wonderful talent contained in such a likable and joyful little person exists, so as we do when watching a spectacular film, disbelief was suspended. Even by opponents."
When Barcelona's newly appointed manager Pep Guardiola produced trophy after trophy and Messi's scoring became more and more prolific, the lies were pushed to extremes. An actor was hired to handle public appearances and the many commercial opportunities.
"When [current Barcelona president Sandro] Rosell took control, he had grand ideas for Messi that went too far," one source added. "This is what forced Pep to leave after just three years. He was disillusioned by all of it and went off to New York."
Under Rosell, and with Guardiola's former assistant, Tito Vilanova, now in place as manager, a girlfriend and newborn baby were created for Messi. On the pitch, the updated hologram system was credited with 91 goals over the 2012 calendar year, surpassing Gerd Muller's record of 85 set in 1972 and setting Messi up for that fourth consecutive Ballon d'Or. The award was accepted by a stand-in wearing a garish dotted tuxedo to distract from the slight difference in physical appearance from the usual actor, who was on strike as he negotiated a new contract.
When asked why they chose this moment to reveal what will go down as one of the greatest hoaxes not only in sports history, but perhaps all of human history, our sources explained: "Because in a world with so many lies we began to feel guilty. The reality should be known. But we are also sure that no one will want to believe this, so our confession won't really make much difference."
Zidane is trying to sue a magazine writer who called him an advertising ?whore?
Call Zidane's sister a whore and he'll headbutt you during the World Cup final, call him a whore and he'll take you to court.
In 2011, French humorist Christophe Aleveque wrote in SportMag of Zidane: ?This guy is a advertising board with three braincells who cashes in on his image to an excessive degree. It is a form of prostitution. This guy is a whore.? Aleveque also added that Zidane is "as thick as a d**k." Zidane's first attempt at a defamation lawsuit was dismissed, but he's appealing, this time seeking just one euro in damages.
From SAPA-AFP:
Zidane, 40, told the appeal hearing the comments were ?gratuitous and hurtful? to himself, his wife, children and parents.
?It is just not possible,? he told the court in a barely audible voice. [...]
Zidane is seeking a symbolic euro in damages, having dropped his initial demand for 75 000 euros ($100 000) damages to be paid to a charity of his choice.
The judge for this case: Marco Materazzi.
Brazil Releases World Cup 2014 Mascot
And it’s stalking Ronaldo. (No, it’s not Ronaldo.) It’s an armadillo: FIFA said the mascot, unveiled by former Brazil striker Ronaldo during a television programme late on Sunday, represented the three-banded armadillo, an endangered species indigenous to Brazil.
No need for commentary on FIFA choosing an armored animal as mascot. Nope.
No need for commentary on FIFA choosing an armored animal as mascot. Nope.
Source: http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-football/brazil-releases-world-cup-2014-mascot.html
Were the 100K rare player packs worth it?
As part of their FUTMas promotion, EA today released what’s surely the most expensive pack in FUT history. For 100k or 2000 FIFA Points you can buy (until midnight GMT on the 1st) the Jumbo Rare Player Pack. “24 Players, All Gold, All Rare”. We were intrigued, 100k is a lot of wedge, so would [...]
The post Were the 100K rare player packs worth it? appeared first on FIFA Soccer Blog.
Source: http://fifasoccerblog.com/blog/were-the-100k-rare-player-packs-worth-it/
Spanish Primera Division ? Recap ? January 18-21, 2013
FC Barcelona were upset by Real Sociedad, Real Madrid crushed Valencia, and Atletico Madrid won again in the Spanish Primera Division on January 18th-21st. Barca lose at Sociedad There’s no need to panic but Barcelona were a bit flat Saturday at Sociedad. Barcelona did have an early 2-0 lead but Sociedad stormed back with two [...]
Source: http://www.the90thminute.com/soccer/2013/01/spanish-primera-division-recap-january-18-21-2013/
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Aquilani to Stay?For Now?and Other Midweek Notes
After twelve straight days of football, a break between the group stages and knockout rounds at Euro 2012 comes as something of a shock to the system?at least if you’re not a fan of the Finnish Veikkausliiga and getting set to watch FC Lahti take on Haka Valkeakoski. I does, however, mean that with attention [...]
NFL Owners, Players Sort It Out
NFL football is back. Technically, of course, NFL football never left, as this all happened from March to July, but even that thought didn’t piss on the parades of gridiron fans today as NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Players Association boss DeMaurice Smith stood in front of reporters and announced that both sides agreed to [...]
Source: http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2011/07/25/nfl-owners-players-sort-it-out/
Italian Serie A ? Recap ? January 19-20, 2013
Juventus extended at the top of the table, AC Milan improved moved up to sixth, and Siena earned a crucial victory at home in the Italian Serie A on January 19th and 20th. Juve crushes Udinese Leaders Juventus pushed their lead back up to five points with a dominating victory over Udinese on Saturday. It’s [...]
Source: http://www.the90thminute.com/soccer/2013/01/italian-serie-a-recap-january-19-20-2013/
Want to Watch the Rugby World Cup in America? Pay Up or Find a Pub
If you need any further proof that the 2011 Rugby World Cup lacks any pull in the USA, just examine the television coverage. Universal Sports, the barely-known over-the-air digital channel that accompanies�most NBC broadcast�signals, published this grid showing what games will be shown where. Clearly, the boys at Universal want people to pay up for [...]
Source: http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2011/09/07/how-to-watch-the-rugby-world-cup-in-america/
Malaga v Bar�a, aka ?The preview that really isn?t?
Ha! You all are probably wondering why I don’t write more previews. It’s simple. I’m not very good at them. And yet, this match is worth saying something about, for a great many reasons. So rather than getting all prose-y and whatnot, in bullet points, here’s my half-assed preview. Adversity?: To think that this is [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BarcelonaFootballBlog/~3/5eEY0whuvUA/
The complete list of places linked to Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola has been living a quiet life with his family in New York City since beginning his self-imposed exile from football at the end of last season. Though the sport has continued on without him, Guardiola remains the most wanted man in the game as he looks to take a new job next season. In the newly released video above, he says he would like to work in England, but this comes a day after he reportedly reached a deal with Bayern Munich (that has since been denied). So where is the Golden Pep going? The following is a complete list of every destination to which Guardiola has been linked over the last few months.
-Manchester United
-Manchester City
-Chelsea
-Arsenal
-Bayern Munich
-Milan
-Inter
-Roma
-Harchester United
-PSG
-Melchester Rovers
-Barcelona
-Boston Red Sox
-Brazil
-Surrey Storm
-Sporting PleaseMakeItStop
-JustPickATeam FC
-AndSaveUsFromTheIncessantSpeculation United
-Real YouCruelCruelMan
-FK ItsMakingTheChildrenCry
We can only hope that Guardiola settles on a decision soon so we can move on to new and exciting things. Like where Jose Mourinho will go next.
Previously -- Future News: Pep Guardiola named manager of every club in Europe
UPDATE: And just like that, Pep is officially going to Bayern after all. Now click on all of those clicks and revel in all of that wrong speculation.
Must-Read of the Day: Hacking the NFL
Spencer Hall of SB Nation has decided to reinvent the gridiron game to make it more interesting. Part of the NFL’s wretched conservatism comes from the luxury of having four downs, the first two of which are usually spent throwing short routes or just pounding meaninglessly into the line because “you have to establish the [...]
Source: http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2011/02/16/must-read-of-the-day-hacking-the-nfl/
Friday, January 25, 2013
Angel Di Maria has a roundabout way of saying referees have it out for Real Madrid
In the lastest of his sporadic appearances for Real Madrid, Kaka was booked twice and sent off just 18 minutes after coming on in the second half of Saturday's 0-0 draw against last-place Osasuna. He was first booked for an elbow and his second was for impeding Osasuna's attempt at a quick free kick in the 75th minute. This�occurred�three days after Sergio Ramos was sent off and given a five-match ban for insulting the referee in Real Madrid's Copa del Rey match against Celta Vigo. So now Angel Di Maria is trying to say that referees are out to get the club in an obtuse sort of way.
From RealMadrid.com:
"You all know more than anyone that lately, with Real Madrid, referees are getting confused and are making bad decisions. There have been sending-offs, yellow cards and things that opponents could have got sent off for but didn?t and then they send one of us off for the slightest thing. These things happen but I think that sometimes they are mistakes that are not made by mistake".
Mistakes that are not made by mistake? So...mistakes done on purpose then?�This sounds more than a bit like something Jose Mourinho would say. Of course, Mourinho would've presented a more fleshed out conspiracy theory involving Barcelona, UEFA and whoever makes those tiny olives that go in martinis, but Di Maria is still young and has more to learn.
Malaga 2, Bar�a 4, aka ?Them little blokes don?t like it innem, eh?? ?No. And ???
Ah, notions. Is the Doom Watch over? Because I’m running out of canned food and bottled water, so I sure hope that it is. Many people were nervous yesterday, some even picked Malaga to advance. “Two away goals! We’re all gon’ die!” As I tracked the match yesterday, I noted something akin to “If the [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BarcelonaFootballBlog/~3/0GVuiRxvkYs/
Congo goalkeeper does trademark butt shuffle celebration at Africa Cup of Nations
The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations got underway on Saturday, and it took 210 minutes and two days of football before the first goal of the tournament was scored in the match between hotly tipped Ghana and DR Congo.
The Leopards earned a surprise 2-2 draw against the Black Stars in Port Elizabeth, thanks to a 68th-minute penalty from Anderlecht striker Dieumerci Mbokani.
The Congo players performed an impressive synched goal celebration, but the star of the show was goalkeeper Robert Kidiaba, who did his trademark ecstatic butt shuffle. Yes, this man regularly impersonates a dog with worms.
It's time to hang up the shoe phone and get back to the goal celebration drawing board, Carlo Costly.
Video: 101GG; H/T: @mmilberger
Brazil Releases World Cup 2014 Mascot
And it’s stalking Ronaldo. (No, it’s not Ronaldo.) It’s an armadillo: FIFA said the mascot, unveiled by former Brazil striker Ronaldo during a television programme late on Sunday, represented the three-banded armadillo, an endangered species indigenous to Brazil.
No need for commentary on FIFA choosing an armored animal as mascot. Nope.
No need for commentary on FIFA choosing an armored animal as mascot. Nope.
Source: http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-football/brazil-releases-world-cup-2014-mascot.html
U.S. aims to close gap on Mexico, the world
MEXICO CITY -- The United States hopes its historic victory at Estadio Azteca is a precursor of sorts, but nobody is mistaking it as a shift in the balance within the region's primary rivalry. The gap separating the Americans from Mexico remains intact, and the only questions concern how great is the chasm and what must be done to bridge it.
Mexico's focus on youth development has created a golden generation of players and could signal El Tri's arrival among the truly elite in international soccer.Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/soccer/post/_/id/17738/u-s-aims-to-close-gap-on-mexico-the-world
Young a big miss for Villa
Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph has conceded that the club will find it very difficult to find an adequate replacement for Ashley Young. The winger moved to Premier League champions Manchester United earlier this week in a deal believed to be worth around �20 million after joining the Villains in January 2007. Most people with [...]
Source: http://www.footballnewsblog.co.uk/premiership/young-a-big-miss-for-villa/
Football Money League: 7 Premier League clubs in Top 20
Football Money League: 7 Premier League clubs in Top 20 - originally posted on Soccerlens.com
While Madrid and Barcelona enjoy nearly a billion Euros of revenue between them, the 2013 Football Money League features 7 clubs from the Premier League.
Read More
From Soccerlens.com - Football News
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/soccerlens/~3/RqRIfbBOmx4/
Join the Dave?s Football Blog Fantasy Champions League, Sponsored by SoccerPro.com
Right. I promised you a Fantasy Champions League competition this year, and that’s exactly what I’m going to give you. Dave?s Football Blog is officially opening its 2011-12 Fantasy Champions League Contest today. The winner of this contest will receive a $100 gift certificate from the good folks at SoccerPro.com. Last year, I was the [...]
Mick McCarthy Is? The Continental
Hello, ladies. (Courtesy of XmasApe and Unsilent.)
Source: http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2011/07/02/mick-mccarthy-is-the-continental/
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Inside the SuperDraft: Part 1
Posted in MLSSuperDraft
I always love this series that MLS does. I’ll try to post each part here for you all as well.
The post Inside the SuperDraft: Part 1 appeared first on WVHooligan.com - MLS Blog.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WVHooligan/~3/ID84FsWWiyc/
African Cup of Nations ? Match Predictions ? January 23, 2013
The CAF African Cup of Nations has two matches in Group A as South Africa plays Angola and Morocco faces Cape Verde Islands. Wednesday, January 23, 2013 South Africa v Angola, 10:00 AM EST (ESPN 3, EuroSport, Al Jazeera Sport) South Africa will rebound from the first match draw with a victory. Prediction – South [...]
NFL Owners? Con Game Hits a Snag
You’ve probably heard by now about Judge David Doty’s ruling that the NFL negotiated its TV contracts in bad faith, in violation of the league’s collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association. The ruling basically takes away all the leverage the owners had in locking out players and canceling the 2011 NFL season. For [...]
Source: http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2011/03/02/nfl-owners-con-game-hits-a-snag/
Welcome to Our National Holiday
So, are you ready for one last NFL game before 2012? I know, I know, it’s not the day to think about such things. It is indeed America’s sporting national holiday, Super Bowl Sunday, and as you might expect, I have�absolutely no hope of being objective today. My team gets to play in the big [...]
Source: http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2011/02/06/welcome-to-our-national-holiday/
David Villa wants out ? Arsenal?s hopes boosted
David Villa wants out – Arsenal’s hopes boosted - originally posted on Soccerlens.com
David Villa wants to quit Barcelona after getting frustrated with lack of first team opportunities at the Catalan club, boosting Arsenal's hope of luring him.
Read More
From Soccerlens.com - Football News
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/soccerlens/~3/p8G1948hL1w/
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
8-year-old applies for vacant Doncaster manager?s job, gets called in by chairman
With Dean Saunders leaving his post as manager of second-place League One side Doncaster Rovers to take over at Wolverhampton mid-season, the search is on for his replacement. Enter brash 8-year-old fan Mac Wilson.
[Also: New York youth soccer club bans high fives and handshakes]
Perhaps emboldened by the youngest manager in the Premier League, 35-year-old Andre Villas-Boas, recently winning the manager of the month award, Wilson emailed an application for the Doncaster job. And to set himself apart from the other, less confident applicants, he included the gutsy promise to get the club promoted up to the Premier League in just three years time. This caught club chairman John Ryan's eye, so now young Mac will be a guest of honor for this weekend's match against Leyton Orient.
From the Doncaster Free Press:
The Saltersgate Junior pupil was left ?gobsmacked? when Mr Ryan responded to his application letter - and will meet up with players ahead of this Saturday?s clash before being ?interviewed? for Rovers? top job.
Dad Adi said: ?When the phone rang, I answered it and couldn?t believe it when John said he was getting in touch with Mac about the manager?s job.
?I put Mac on and he thought it was a wind-up, convinced his older brother was playing a trick on him. He went a bit shy but Mr Ryan was obviously very impressed and said he wanted him to come in for interview.?
Said Mr Ryan: ?One of the nicer sides of being the chairman of a football club is that sometimes you can make someone?s day.
?My daughter Claire was with me at the time that I got Mac?s letter and my first thought was to give him a ring,? he said.
While this is all incredibly cool of John Ryan, now that Pep Guardiola is no longer available, Roman Abramovich would like to seriously talk to Mac about taking over at Chelsea.
H/T: James Dart
More sports news from the Yahoo! Sports Minute:
Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
? Sporting KC partnership with Livestrong comes to bitter end
? Bernard Hopkins to challenge for world title at 48
? Golfer Rory McIlroy can become world's highest-paid athlete
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)