Panini stickers of the ill-fated 1974 Zaire squad (from the blog ‘Zaire 1974′)
“‘Feet of the Chameleon’, the title phrase of Ian Hawkey’s excellent recent book on African football, comes from a coinage of South African commentator Zama Masondo—who was trying to familiarize and localize slow motion television replays for Zulu-speaking rural audiences. For members of that audience who were new to television of any sort, the replays were confusing. They thought ‘something had gone wrong with their TV sets at first.’ So, Masondo explained to Hawkey, rather than just saying ‘Now for the replay’ the commentator used the phrase ‘Ngonyawo lo nwabu’ which means ‘Now let’s see it again with the feet of the chameleon.’” (Pitch Invasion)
‘Feet of the Chameleon’ and Stories of African Football
February 15, 2010
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Video Of The Week – Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait
February 15, 2010“This week’s Video Of The Week is ‘Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait’, a 2006 film that was featured at that year’s Edinburgh Festival. The film follows a simple concept: follow Zinedine Zidane with a bank of cameras (seventeen, to be precise) during a Liga match between Real Madrid and Villareal. The film drew comparison with the 1970 film “Football As Never Before”, during which a camera followed George Best for the duration of a match between Manchester United and Coventry City. With a soundtrack provided by the Scottish band, Mogwai, this is a hypnotic piece of filmwork.” (twohundredpercent)
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Mouscron have paid a heavy price for financial mismanagement
February 15, 2010“Hardly a season goes by in Belgium without one club or another encountering a severe financial crisis and plunging down the divisions as a harsh consequence. Will they never learn? This time it was the turn of little Excelsior Mouscron – a club that had punched above its weight for years – to follow the likes of Aalst, Lommel and La Louviere in suffering the punishment of failing to pay the tax authorities.” (World Soccer)
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Championship Letters 5: Neil Warnock as the Cyclops
February 15, 2010
La Délivrance d’Andromède, Pierre Mignard
“Rafa Benitez’s unlikely recent defence of the one eyed tendency among managers has only served to remind us of the prevailing habit among Premier League bosses to see things only from their own point of view. The humble Championship, by contrast, is mercifully bereft of this selfism.” (thetwounfortunates)
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Manchester United fans ready to make club ownership key issue of General Election
February 15, 2010“They are also intensifying discussions with the Red Knights, businessmen considering forming a consortium to buy out the Glazers. United fans are even joining forces with their ancient rivals, Liverpool, to make club ownership a topic of debate on the campaign trail along with more usual Newsnight subjects like the economy, the environment and the war in Afghanistan. Football’s hitting the hustings. Lobbying is already under way.” (Telegraph – Henry Winter)
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Sunshine and shadow
February 15, 2010“The news of the week was the death of Luis Molowny, not exactly the last of his breed, but certainly a significant figure in its diminishing ranks. Signed by Real Madrid back in 1946, the midfielder went on to play for 11 seasons, was a major spoke in the wheel of the great European side that went on to dominate Europe so imperiously after his retirement (1958), and then managed the team on four separate occasions between 1974 and 1986 winning three leagues, two King’s Cups and two UEFA Cup titles. He finished his time with the club as Director of Football in the late 1980s, finally retiring and returning to live in Las Palmas. He was originally from Tenerife.” (ESPN)
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Uli Hoeness speaks his mind
February 15, 2010
“Recently in the news again for criticising FIFA’s decision to stage the forthcoming World Cup finals in South Africa, Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has acquired a reputation for making outspoken comments. Viewed by some as a loud-mouthed oaf, the former West Germany and Bayern midfielder is extolled by others for his championing of football’s traditional values and his distaste for some of the game’s biggest egos. Here are some of his most quotable observations…” (WSC)
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