Daily Archives: September 9, 2011

Remembering Georgi Asparuhov


“When England took on Bulgaria in this month’s European Championship qualifiers the commentators mentioned the name of a little known Bulgarian striker of the 1960’s and remarked, “He was the Dimitar Berbatov of his day.” I can assure you he was far more than that. The name Georgi Asparuhov may not mean a great deal to a large number of people but in his native Bulgaria he was and still is a footballing icon. He was a talent of enviable proportions and a man of grace and humility but his untimely death robbed the world of his skills.” In Bed With Maradona

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Manchester United – Introducing The Brand

“Manchester United’s start to the season has been exemplary. Not only are they top of the league after winning their first three games, but they have also scored an impressive 13 goals in the process. They have already put North London to the sword, brushing aside Spurs 3-0 before spanking Arsenal 8-2 in one of the most extraordinary matches that the Premier League has ever seen.” Swiss Ramble

Serie A transfer window verdict

“Inter Milan. President Massimo Moratti has once again been cautious with the chequebook. Selling Samuel Eto’o makes much sense from a financial standpoint while the arrival of Diego Forlan seems to be more smart business. The same cannot be said for Mauro Zarate and the lack of investment looks risky, although adding talented young midfielder Andrea Poli is an incredibly smart move. Retaining the services of Wesley Sneijder may prove their best piece of business.” ESPN

Joe Cole’s misunderstood career


“As a rule, English players rarely move abroad. These days, it’s arguable they don’t need to — the money is in England, as are many of Europe’s best clubs — but even when Italy and Spain find themselves in similar privileged positions, you see their players venturing to different countries. The English stick to what they know, for various reasons — poor language skills, perhaps, or a reluctance to experience a different culture. The lack of knowledge from overseas is arguably one of the many reasons that has made English football so insular.” ESPN

Spain 2016: Mullets, tattoos and Chris Eubank

“Spain’s unsurprising 6-0 win over Liechtenstein on Tuesday night sealed a wrinkle-free qualification through to the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and the Ukraine. And that got LLL’s noggin a-bogglin’. While the make-up of the Spain squad for that competition and even the World Cup in 2014 could look similar, barring a few Xavi- and Puyol-shaped tweaks, the blog started contemplating how a 4-3-3 Spain in five years’ time may well look for Euro 2016 in France…” FouFourTwo

Confessions of An Armchair Supporter

“Jamie Casey on why his enforced desertion of Armagh City is part of a wider problem affecting football both sides of the Irish border. The last time I went to watch my hometown team, Kevin Pressman was keeping goal for the opposition. It shouldn’t have been that much of a surprise, really, given that the former Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper was 39 years old and carrying even more weight than his usually plump self.” In Bed With Maradona