
“‘If the protests happen again,’ said FIFA president Sepp Blatter, ‘we will have to ask ourselves if we took the wrong decision in giving Brazil the right to stage the World Cup. His words would not appear to contain any threat, implied or otherwise, that the venue for the 2014 World Cup might suffer a late alteration. Rather, this would seem to be a public relations exercise, and an attempt to separate two distinct areas of protest. The mass demonstrations that rocked Brazil last month began relatively small and specific – on the issue of public transport in Sao Paulo.” ESPN – Tim Vickery (Video)
Daily Archives: July 20, 2013
Has the Continental shift of Footballing power finally happened?
“The 23rd of April 2013. One date all Catalan’s will almost certainly want to forget. The Tiki-taka system was overran, collapsed and went into self-destruct mode, their biggest European defeat since losing 4-0 against Dynamo Kiev in 1997. Without their Messiah, Lionel Messi fully fit; Barcelona looked a shadow of their normal selves on that night in Munich. A further defeat to the Bavarian’s at the Camp Nou showed Barca at their most vulnerable state, the German club showed the World that playing a severe pressing game in midfield and not letting them build play from the back is possibly one of the ways that Barcelona can be cut down in their stride. A 7-0 aggregate score was the real alarming evidence for Tito Vilanova and his coaching staff to take notice of, again more proof that they finally need a Plan B when it comes down to playing the European Giants at least.” Outside of the Boot
Are we witnessing an Italian footballing renaissance?
“… There’s a land far, far away – a mystical place filled with romantic and footballing sensibilities. Actually, it’s called Italy. Home to some of the greatest players, birth place of the most revolutionary tactical innovations. Seen as a place of fraud and feuds to those unwilling to look beyond the distinctive ‘defensive’ approach. The Italians have ruled and been ruled. The tides are turning; tumultuous Turin and melodramatic Milan are gathering an army and they’re planning a renaissance.” Think Football
Radnicki and Ideology
“The south of Serbia, with its rich and complicated past, is something of a historical and political melting pot. Niš, the region’s most populous city, is no different. Over the years, the city bore witness to the coming and going of a multitude of would-be conquerors, each of whom recognised the city’s importance as a gateway between East and West, a metaphorical confluence of cultures, ideologies, and nations. Consequently, Niš has long been possessed of a certain flexibility of nature, an ability to seamlessly adjust to the incursion of a previously unfamiliar authority. This year, the city’s illustrious football club, Radnički, has been obliged to exhibit a similarly acquiescent character.” In Bed With Maradina
With bids and bluffs, the EPL transfer season is in full swing
“There is something about the transfer window that is like reading a complex spy thriller. Everywhere there is information and misinformation, unlikely alliances are formed and you never quite know who’s trying to bluff whom. Agents insist their clients are attracting interest from bigger sides to encourage buying clubs to act and to drive up wages. Selling clubs insist other clubs are interested to push up prices and to try to encourage a swift deal. But what’s really interesting is when buying clubs feign an interest in players they have no intention of signing.” SI – Jonathan Wilson
Bosman, Lewandowski and the surge of Player Power
“Jean-Marc Bosman is one of those rare footballers whose name will continue to live on in the world of football. However, unlike most such footballers it was his contribution to football off the pitch that makes him stand out and ensures that generations of footballers and fans alike will knowingly or unknowingly pay tribute to the Belgian. Few changes have made more impact on club football as much as the Bosman Ruling, no mean feat considering how football has evolved since its inception.” Outside of the Boot
