“This is what we know. The New York Cosmos are back with intentions on being the 20th MLS franchise in 2013. It’s run by famous industry names like Paul Kemsley, Terry Byrne, and famed advertising executive Carl Johnson, as well as more locally entrenched talent like Giovanni Savarese and Joe Fraga. They got Pele as the honorary president. They purchased Copa NYC (soon to be called Cosmos Copa), a citywide amateur World Cup of sorts.” (this is american soccer – pt. 1), (this is american soccer – pt. 2)

“There’s always a clash of cultures in my household. Having a half-Austrian wife and being of Greek descent myself, often throws up half-jovial debates as to which country has given the world more in an artistic and philosophical sense. For every Greek philosopher, she counters with Freud. For every Mozart and Strauss, she gets a Homer or Sophocles in response. And for a Telly Savalas, she can always trump me with an Arnie. But its within the realm of football, that I’ve had the upper hand since Greece’s triumph at Euro 2004. That is until a recent visit to Vienna opened my eyes to a modestly lauded footballing history that makes the Austrian national side’s current stagnation, all the more saddening.” (In Bed With Maradona)

“With the benefit of hindsight the 1984/85 season and its hideous denouement had been coming, but it wasn’t any less of a surprise when it played out before our very eyes. The safety of football grounds had not been properly addressed in decades and clubs themselves didn’t have either the inclination or the resources to do very much about spectators that they didn’t seem to consider to be much above vermin in the food chain. Meanwhile, crowds had long before started to plummet and trouble at matches had become part of the match day routine for many thousands, whether they wanted to be or not.” (twohundredpercent)

“With Frank Rijkaard linked to the Liverpool job, it’s worth noting that he really pulled up no trees with Galatasaray. The Dutchmans replacement at Istanbul, is former coach Gheorghe Hagi. IBWM’s Romanian correspondent Radu Baicu feels this could go well.” (In Bed With Maradona)

“Two members of the Santos, Brazil soccer team passed the ball forward along the sideline, then shot it toward the small man called Pel�, who was waiting in front of the goal. Pel� lifted his right leg in a short, quick motion and looped the ball over one defender’s head. He dodged past that man and lifted the ball again as two more defenders approached. The ball seemed to hang in midfiight as Pel� feinted to his left; then he ducked his shoulders and lunged between his opponents. Before a shocked goaltender could react, Pel� drove the shot into the net with his head.” (SI)

“It’s a couple of days later than usual, but this week’s Video Of The Week returns to the BBC’s ‘Match Of The Eighties’ series and on to the 1983/84 season. Liverpool had run away with the 1982/83 league title and they were to repeat this by finishing three points clear of Southampton, with Nottingham Forest in third place. How times have changed. Meanwhile, it wasn’t a terribly good year for most clubs in the Midlands – West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City, Coventry City, Birmingham City and Wolverhampton Wanderers took up the bottom six places in the First Division.” (twohundredpercent)