Author Archives: 1960s: Days of Rage

About 1960s: Days of Rage

Bill Davis - 1960s: Days of Rage

Chelsea – Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)

“By the standards of most clubs, Chelsea’s 2013/14 season was pretty good, as they finished 3rd place in the Premier League and were semi-finalists in the Champions League, but it must have felt a little disappointing after capturing silverware in each of the previous two seasons: the Europa League in 2012/13 and, most memorably, the Champions League and FA Cup in 2011/12. However, this did not stop their progress off the pitch, as they reported record revenue of £320 million, up 25% on the prior year, and profit of £19 million (before tax), compared to a loss of £51 million in 2012/13. Equally importantly, given Chelsea’s history of being bankrolled by their owner Roman Abramovich, these results ensured that ‘UEFA’s break-even criteria under the Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations continue to be satisfied.’” The Swiss Ramble

Barça Bluster: How Can a Team With Neymar, Messi, and Suárez Consider Itself in Crisis?

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“What do you call a team that’s one point out of first with 20 games to play? A side that’s conceded six fewer goals than the second-stingiest defense in the country? A club that’s breezed through the early stages of both its domestic cup and Champions League campaigns? A squad that just soundly defeated its second-biggest rival and the defending league champs? Read enough English-language coverage of Spanish soccer, and you’ll be able to convince yourself that the proper answer to all of those questions is a firm ‘in crisis.’ So let’s just get this out of the way right off the bat: Unless your definition of crisis is ‘title-contending team that isn’t quite as good as when it was maybe the best team in the history of the sport,’ Barcelona is not in crisis. Things in the north of Spain certainly are a-changing, though, so let’s take a deeper look at what all the fuss is about.” Grantland

In Defence of FSG’s Transfer Policy

“This article on the This Is Anfield website was brought to my attention (by, amongst other people, its author, Mark Pearson, via Twitter), and I wanted to respond, as I took exception to some of the points raised. I told Mark that I’d respond via an article, and he may respond in turn. (This may lead to an infinite loop, until one of us dies.) My problem with transfer articles like this is that they exist in the vacuum of a Liverpool’s fan’s perspectives on transfers, and come from a position of someone who seems to be a fine writer but who isn’t an expert on the subject of transfers. (See: Dunning-Kruger. Much of the work I do now is based on knowledge that other people don’t have, as they haven’t studied these things. Unless you also study transfers, I find it hard to accept that you’re not just guessing.)” Tomkins Times

Manchester City doesn’t care who you want to win the title

“As recently as a few weeks ago, you could hardly ~~open a newspaper~~ refresh a website without seeing a feature proclaiming Chelsea as champions-in-waiting. There was no shortage of premature comparisons to Arsenal’s Invincibles™ of 2003-2004, casting José Mourinho’s against history instead of the rest of the Premier League. Fast-forward to the start of 2015, and Manchester City have quietly crept up and caught the Blues. Ahead of both teams’ Saturday matches, City and Chelsea are level in ever category. If the season ended today, the two would head for a play-off.” Soccer Gods

The abandoned Stadion Za Luzankami in Brno

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“The Stadion Za Luzankami in Brno, Czech Republic, once held around 50,000 people. Opened in 1953, it was home to FC Zbrojovka Brno until 2001, and hosted the record attendance at a Czech First League match, when 44,120 watched the home team take on Slavia Prague in 1996-97. Brno were forced to move in 2001 as the stadium no longer met FIFA and Czech football association criteria. Plans to renovate or rebuild the stadium were put on hold in June 2012, and it currently stands dilapidated, with trees and weeds growing from the terraces.” WSC

West Ham – Stadium Arcadium

“Although West Ham had some trials and tribulations during the 2013/14 season, they finished up in a comfortable 13th position in the Premier League and also reached the semi-final of the Capital One Cup. In the process, the Hammers reported the highest revenue and profit in the club’s history, leading vice-chairman Karren Brady to comment, ‘2013/14 was a satisfactory year for the club both on and off the pitch.’ To add to the good news, the club also signed an agreement to sell their Boleyn Ground in preparation for the move to the Olympic Stadium for the 2016/17 season.” The Swiss Ramble

Klopp and Dortmund at a Crossroads

“The most charismatic manager in soccer is at a crucial crossroads. Borussia Dortmund’s Jurgen Klopp was once considered the hip, whip-smart up-and-comer, storming onto the European scene. His designer glasses, stylish stubble, enormous wry grin, and animated sideline behavior were all a heavy breath of fresh air in a managerial landscape filled with grey-haired curmudgeons, unsmiling and monotonously professional.” Soccer Pro

Arkan: From the Marakana to Vukovar

“On a spring afternoon in late March 1992, The Eternal Derby is about to take place between city rivals Partizan and Red Star Belgrade at Red Star’s Marakana stadium. Partizan are seen by their rivals as everything they stand against. They are the club of the Yugoslav state and the army whilst Red Star are the club of Serbia and it is they alone who hold Serb values and will protect Serb identity in the face of increasing self determination from Croatia and Bosnia. It is their fans who were at Maksimir on the day that they fought with Dinamo Zagreb ultras the Bad Blue Boys and it was their fans who followed the call to arms to protect fellow Serbs where they were threatened as war broke out in the rapidly disintegrating Yugoslavia.” The Football Pink

In Search Of Eusebio

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“As one year ends and another begins, the football world looks back on the marvels of Atletico Madrid’s La Liga triumph and Germany’s 7-1 rout of Brazil. Here in southern Africa, the landmark event of 2014 was the death of our region’s greatest-ever player. I did not think about Eusebio when I used to go to Mozambique. In the mid-nineties the country, wearily emerging from years of civil war, seemed far removed from the world of football stars. Skull-and-crossbones signs, tacked to trees, marked the margins of the Beira Corridor, the Tête Corridor, and the spectacularly cratered road from Ressano Garcia to the capital. The signs declared, not a country devoted to Orlando Pirates, but one riddled with landmines. It is a short distance from South Africa to Maputo. Still, having reached the Indian Ocean, it could take a week to clear a load from the Frigo customs yard in the city. While one waited, there were chances for exploring. Much remained from the old LM, the place Eusebio knew in his childhood.” In Bed With Maradona

Here are the clubs that could win Liga MX’s Clausura (and why they won’t)

“Oh, hello there busy executive whose already short attention span has been fried further by the internet. Do you have five minutes? Did you once catch part of a Liga MX game while in a Mexican restaurant that actually served Tex-Mex? Good. Take a break from pounding your fist on mahogany desks and yelling at underlings to visually ingest these 700 or so words on the upcoming Clausura. I promise to be brief, scout’s honor.” Soccer Gods

How the Bottom Half Lives: Five Tales From the Depths of the Premier League Table

“Let us spare a thought for the little guys. These denizens of the bottom half of the Premier League table don’t get much pub. And when they do, it’s always as a foil for one the big boys. Burnley’s back-to-back draws against Manchester City and Newcastle haven’t spawned thousands of words of tactical analysis about their effective, underdog tactics, nor have they resulted in any glowing interviews with Danny Ings or George Boyd and his beautiful hair. No, they’re just the temporarily immovable object against the ultimately unstoppable force. What’s wrong with Manchester City always ends up being more important than what’s right with Burnley. But, well, stuff actually happens at the bottom; it’s a place where some people even carve out a reasonably comfortable existence. So, now that we’re just more than halfway into the season, let’s take a look at how the other half has been living.” Grantland

Plenty of Southampton threats in store for Manchester United on Sunday

“The last time Manchester United faced Southampton at Old Trafford, Adnan Januzaj had one of those days. So impressive in a wide playmaking role, the talented Belgian was instrumental in Robin van Persie’s opener, and the hosts should have been two or three ahead at halftime. The match ended 1-1, though, with Southampton slowly winning the arm-wrestle in central midfield and scoring a very late equaliser.” ESPN

The modern day “sweeper-keeper”

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“Manuel Neuer, the Bayern Munich and Germany international shot-stopper, is currently the world’s best goalkeeper. Forget Spain’s Iker Casillas, Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon, Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois or even USA’s bearded Tim Howard: Neuer, the Germany number one, is in a whole bracket above his closest rivals. In fact, he was recently named on the final, three-man shortlist for the 2015 edition of FIFA’s Ballon D’Or alongside outfield players Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. This is no mean feat, particularly for a goalkeeper. But, you see, Neuer is so much more than just a goalkeeper. He is a footballer, too. Ever since he emerged from the youth setup of his hometown club, Schalke 04, in 2006, Neuer has adopted a unique playing style that has truly captivated fans, managers and pundits around the world.” backpagefootball (Video)

Three 2014 World Cup moments etched in my memory

“With South American football currently slumbering through its high summer siesta, I hope I might be forgiven for glancing backwards at what has just become last year’s World Cup. The tournament was well worth remembering – for the protests it engendered beforehand, for the spectacle it provided us with during and for the memories that linger afterwards. These are some of mine.” The World Game – Tim Vickery

Analysis: Intelligent Enzo Perez Impresses on Debut for Valencia

“In amongst a slew of yellow cards and all-action tackles from the likes of Lucas Orban and Nicolas Otamendi, not to mention the rampaging forward runs of wingbacks José Gaya and Antonio Barragan, you could be forgiven for viewing Enzo Perez’s Valencia debut as somewhat underwhelming. Indeed, in his first ever showing for the club, a famous 2-1 win over Real Madrid, the Argentine’s statistical output was decidedly ordinary. Playing at the base of midfield in Valencia’s 3-5-2 formation, Perez delivered only one tackle and one interception on the night, while simultaneously committing four fouls. In attack, too, his return was fairly meagre, and although he completed his passes with a solid 91% accuracy, not too many of them were overly significant.” Licence to Roam

Football fans need to stop expecting the unexpected in the FA Cup

“The FA Cup third round is frequently considered to be all about giant killing, whereas it’s actually all about the possibility of giants losing. It might be a pedantic distinction, but it explains a great deal about the negativity surrounding the competition in recent years. The ideal FA Cup tie is, inevitably, a nonleague side at home against a high-flying Premier League club. The third-round draw didn’t quite provide that this time around, although Yeovil (bottom of League One) and AFC Wimbledon (League Two) were handed ties against Manchester United and Liverpool, while nonleague Dover faced more modest Premier League opposition, in Crystal Palace.” ESPN – Michael Cox

Crisis brewing at Barcelona as club’s foundation is put to the test

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“With each passing day, each passing season, FC Barcelona, perhaps the greatest passing team the world has known, moves further from the glories of the Pep Guardiola days. First there was drift, then there was decline, now a sense of chaos seems to be engulfing the club. These have been a turbulent few days at the club, bringing problems to such a head that there will be an emergency board meeting on Wednesday to discuss the future of coach Luis Enrique, although his position is not thought to be under immediate threat.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

The myth of the Crazy Gang is an entertaining story, but the truth is even better

“The former Manchester United and Aston Villa coach Ron Atkinson had a term for when a player put in a particularly vigorous tackle early in the match – ‘early doors’ as he put it – in order to let his opponent know what awaited him for the remainder of the game: A reducer. Roy Keane was a master of the art this side of the Irish sea, while Graham Kavanagh executed one particularly memorable example on Gilberto Silva in a friendly with Brazil at Lansdowne Road, but the undisputed king of the reducer in the late 80s was Wimbledon’s own Vinnie Jones.” backpagefootball (Video)

Football Manager meets the X-men

“There’s a fine little series of Marvel stories called The New X-men, written by the wonderful Grant Morrison and illustrated, among others but best, by Igor Kordey. In one of the episodes, #120, the X-men’s training school stands threatened by a host of mutant/human hybriuds who want to harvest the genetic material of the X-men and only the irascible, beautiful Jean Grey and a host of trainee, child X-ettes stand in their way. While it is Grey who finally dispatches the thugs, the little ones do a fine job along the way. Why do I mention this? Well, we all know the ‘You’ll Win Nothing With Kids’ saves on Football Manager, the ones where you cannot buy anyone and must make do with your youth system to build a team. It’s an engaging challenge, to be sure, and if you’re Atalanta or Barcelona, well worth doing. But, what if you assembled your own New X-men? Or, in Football Manager terms, bought as many wonderkids and super prospects as possible and then put them all in one team? I know, right?” Put Niels In Goal

A Contentious Source of Income Is Set to Dry Up

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“Soccer’s hot stove league — the winter transfer window — fired up again Thursday, beginning a monthlong frenzy in which some of Europe’s best-known teams will buy and sell the rights to some of the world’s best players. But as teams around the world prepare for the semiannual flurry — there is a longer summer window — everyone involved does so with a new era looming: Third-party ownership, which for years drove the market by allowing outside investors to buy pieces of a player’s future to profit from his eventual sale, will soon be banned. At its core, third-party ownership, or T.P.O., is simple: An investor gives money to a club in exchange for a share of a player’s future transfer fees. Many clubs, particularly in South America and Eastern Europe, build their rosters around T.P.O., either as a hedge against a young player’s development prospects or to raise capital for more immediate needs.” NY Times

The Best of 2014

“Every year since 2011, A Football Report has published an annual Best of Football Writing list. What was once a way for us to simply appreciate the preceding 12 months has grown into a full-fledged community activity, with every corner of the world submitting their favourite articles, photographs, films, and football-inspired designs. This is the world’s game, as celebrated, expressed, and understood by the world. We hope you enjoy The Best of Football Writing list for 2014.” A Football Report

Transfer window is a merry go-round that no one can get off

“‘People should change their ideas,’ Louis van Gaal warned after Manchester United had kept their sixth clean sheet of the season in drawing at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. United have conceded only five goals in their last nine games and have the fourth best defensive record in the division. ‘It’s not about new players, it’s about organisation.’ No subject has so nettled Van Gaal since his arrival at United as the suggestion that the club’s summer transfer policy left him short of defensive cover and, given how often United have been saved by the excellence of David De Gea this season, it’s hard to believe he really is as satisfied by his defence as he has made out, but the general point was a sound one.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson, Guardian – Transfer window: Premier League club-by-club guide

Manchester City – Roll With It

“Manchester City’s 2013/14 season was described, with some justification, as “another memorable year” by its chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, as City won their second Premier League title in three years. They also added the Capital One Cup, which meant that the club has now won every major domestic competition at least once in the last four seasons. The strategy off the pitch is also delivering, as City’s revenue surged through the £300 million barrier, rising 28% from £271 million to £347 million, while it further reduced losses for the third consecutive year. All three revenue streams contributed to this strong performance with broadcast revenue up 51%, match day revenue up by 20% and commercial revenue up by 16%.” The Swiss Ramble

Tony Pulis Q&A: The Anti-Gravity Man

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“When Eight by Eight’s Jack Williams sat down to chat with Tony Pulis midway through Crystal Palace’s summer tour of the United States, everything looked rosy. Just a few months earlier, the former Stoke boss had steered a troubled club away from the jaws of relegation; the upcoming campaign was now being greeted with a distinct sense of optimism among Eagles fans. But just a few weeks later, in a move that no one saw coming (let alone us), Pulis walked out on what many at the time would have considered one of the most secure jobs in football. It was lucky for us, then, that the topic of discussion that day was less about Palace and more about an art form that Pulis himself has undeniably become a master of during 22 years of management: Houdini-esque escapes. In a record that still stands today, the Welsh-born boss has never been relegated, despite the small scale, low-budget sides he has overseen.” 8by8

How Marcelo Bielsa found method in his madness at Marseille

“He’s came. He’s saw. He’s in prime to position to conquer. The idiosyncratic Argentine Marcelo Bielsa has guided his Marseille side to the top of the tree midway through the Ligue 1 season. And boy has he done it in style. After picking up a solitary point from their opening two league fixtures, fortunes have changed dramatically in the south of France. Marcelo Bielsa has introduced a brand of scintillating attacking football, yet simultaneously maintained a resolute defensive style, catching the eyes of millions around the globe. As it stands, Marseille sit second only to Lyon in goals scored (38) – averaging two goals per-match – and top the table in attempts (308). But how exactly has Bielsa’s methods made the dismal seventh place finish of last season a mere memory?” backpagefootball

With the F.A. Cup, the Dream Endures, Though Reality Intrudes

“They say that the magic of the F.A. Cup is dead and buried beneath the hundreds of millions of dollars that separate the behemoths from the baby clubs in modern English soccer. But nobody told the Blyth Spartans that part-time players cannot have their hour in the limelight of the world’s oldest knockout competition. And nobody told Luís Figo, a winner of all manner of trophies when he played on the wing for Barcelona and Real Madrid, that folklore has lost its appeal. Figo was hooked on the action Saturday, when a local bartender, Robbie Dale, scored twice to put Blyth two goals up at halftime against Birmingham City, a team 120 places above Blyth in the league structures of England.” NY Times

Wir sind zweitklassig – the ethos of St. Pauli

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“For most fans, supporting their club conveys pride and joy, to see the fruits of their youth team set up burgeoning is the greatest feeling on earth. They will follow their team through its highs and its lows. They will travel hundreds of miles to watch them playing, be they opposing Slavia Prague, or Real Madrid’s ‘Galacticos’. Supporting a football club is almost akin to marrying; you know, at the point you start supporting a team, that you will dedicate the rest of your life to watching them play. However, if you happen to be supporting a team going by the name of FC St. Pauli, the fact that you are supporting them at all may have absolutely nothing to do with the fact that you’re passionate about football; supporting St Pauli is about making a statement.” THE FOOTBALL PINK

Nemanja Matic is the anchor man driving Chelsea to glory this season

“In January 2011, Nemanja Matic was sold to Benfica as part of the deal that took David Luiz to Chelsea. Having signed for the Blues in 2009, the burly Serb failed to make the desired impact and a move away from Stamford Bridge seemed logical. Upon his arrival and after a brief loan spell with Vitesse, Benfica boss Jorge Jesus converted Matic from a playmaker to a defensive midfielder — and it has proven to be a masterstroke. In this position, Matic began to realise his potential. The Serbia international would effectively shield the Benfica defence and his performances saw him awarded the Primera Liga Player of the Year award in his final full season in Portugal.” ESPN

5 Potential Chelsea Weaknesses Premier League Rivals Can Try to Exploit
“Chelsea end the year three points clear at the top of the Premier League, on course for the second-highest points total in history. The arrivals of Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas have given them a potency they lacked at times last season, while Nemanja Matic’s continued integration has provided a mobile base at the back of midfield. They are, clearly, an extremely good side, but are there any potential weaknesses from which their rivals can draw hope?” Bleacher Report

Promotion Tales: The Rise of ‘Unfashionable’ Blackburn Rovers

“A supplementary treat this morning. Regular contributor Phil Lloyd enjoyed our Promotion Tales series so much that he decided to come up with this own version charting Blackburn Rovers’ re-emergence as a force in English football over two decades ago now. Best wishes to all TTU readers for 2015. Once, it seemed that Blackburn Rovers existed mainly to exemplify the word “unfashionable”. As with the TV advert that featured the “Rovers FC” sign above the old Blackburn End turnstiles, it was an icon for a bygone age. By the start of the 1990s, my early recollections of watching football were becoming increasingly hazy, as if nine seasons of Division One football and blue-and-white memories of Bryan Douglas, Ronnie Clayton and Keith Newton were no more than childhood fantasies.” thetwounfortunates

Manchester United – The Magnificent Seventh

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“For Manchester United supporters the 2013/14 season is one best forgotten, as the transition from the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson to David Moyes proved to be every bit as difficult as many of them had feared. The team dropped to a relatively low 7th place in the Premier League, which was not only the first time United had finished outside the top two positions since 2005, but also meant that they failed to qualify for Europe – almost unthinkable for a club of this stature.” The Swiss Ramble

Julio Libonatti: First of the Oriundi

“Like Lionel Messi, Angel di Maria and Cesar Luis Menotti, he was born in Rosario and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to earn his fortune, but Julio Libonatti’s place in football history was assured when he took advantage of his dual nationality to represent both Argentina and Italy. When the lethal Torino marksmen accepted Mussolini’s offer to become a sporting repatriate, he started a lasting trend…” TheInsideLeft (Video)

Everton – Blue Sky Mining

“In his first season as Everton’s manager, Roberto Martinez delivered an excellent performance with his side finishing fifth in 2013/14 and therefore qualifying for the Europa League. The club fared no less well off the pitch, as Everton registered a record profit of £28 million on a record turnover of £121 million, which enabled them to significantly reduce their net debt from £45 million to £28 million.” The Swiss Ramble

the Jedenact

“The future is often hard to predict. Nobody knows what lies around the corner, or what will happen next month let alone tomorrow. The same can be said of football; clubs rise and fall, players performances ebb and flow week-by-week, but that is the beauty of the game. Unpredictability reigns supreme. That is why this list, of eleven talented individuals, should not be taken too seriously. With all that in mind let CZEFootball present you with eleven names. Eleven footballers who are worth keeping an eye on throughout the course of the year. These are the Jedenáct.” CZEFootball

Lionel Messi’s complex legacy stays in crosshairs for everyone but himself

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Roadside graffiti in Rio de Janeiro depicts a disappointed Lionel Messi, one with his head in his hands.
“Time was slipping away, yet Lionel Messi still had plenty. Germany’s Bastian Schweinsteiger, who committed the 120th-minute foul that offered Messi the opportunity for one last look at goal, was receiving treatment a few feet away. The Argentine maestro took advantage of the pause. He stood quietly for a moment then bent over and pressed his fingertips into the ball, testing the air pressure. Messi was calm and deliberate, as if he hoped the measured pace of his movement would help clear his mind and calm any nerves. He was about 25 yards away and to the left of Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Argentina trailed, 1-0, in the dying seconds of the World Cup final at the Estádio do Maracanã and its fading hopes for a third title rested where they always had – at Messi’s feet.” SI

Tactical review of 2014: three at the back is back in fashion

“The reaction to the back three showed how fickle the representation and reception of tactical phenomena can be. At the World Cup, the back three, as used most eye-catchingly by Holland and Chile, but also by Mexico and Costa Rica, was presented as something exciting and new. And in a sense it was, or at least the return of a formation that had largely fallen out of fashion at international level. But really three at the back, in its reincarnated form, was never a single tactical movement in its own right; rather it was the result of other tactical decisions.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Chelsea: Is Jose Mourinho right about a campaign?

“Is Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho right when he says there is a campaign to influence referees’ decisions against his side? Following his team’s 1-1 draw at Southampton on Sunday, Mourinho said: ‘The media, commentators, other managers are all doing it [putting pressure on referees].’ BBC Sport looks at games in which the Portuguese has complained about refereeing decisions but also at matches where opposition managers have criticised those that have gone in Chelsea’s favour.” BBC (Video)

Analysis: Which academies and clubs develop the best players?

“Often the players playing for the biggest clubs in the world, are the ones that are ‘officially’ recognised as the best individuals in the sport. It might seem like a lazy bit of accreditation but it’s actually a fair assessment of the beautiful game. The best, play for the best. And while a lot of their development, and ability is honed at these clubs – given the top quality facilities and resources, it isn’t where their core football skills are established. Consult any coach or professional and they’ll explain how a footballers’ initial years can determine his future career path. Academies start it off, while the initial professional senior football years engrave skills and set the tone for the next decade or so.” Outside of the Boot

100 Best Young Players to Watch in 2015 | Forwards 10 – 1

“It’s hard to accurately predict future Ballon D’Or nominees based on a players current exploits in the early part of his career. But given the propensity of usual Ballon D’Or nominees bearing rather conspicuous goal-scoring traits, you wouldn’t go too wrong in betting Memphis Depay as a potential future nominee.” Outside of the Boot

Premier League Winners and Losers: Special Boxing Day Edition!

“It’s been a busy few days in the English Premier League, with every side — except for Liverpool and Swansea City, who face off later today — playing two matches since Christmas. Here’s a roundup of everything good, bad, and Ashley Young about the three-day weekend that was.” Grantland (Video)

Crystal Palace doesn’t have to recycle old blood after firing Neil Warnock

“It was the longest a Premier League season had gone w ithout its first firing in 19 years, but that’s now done. Neil Warnock, the man whose return to Selhurst Park provided a small (for some, invisible) silver lining to Tony Pulis’s untimely departure, just experienced an early exit of his own. Two days after Christmas, the 66-year-old’s second tour in Croydon is done.” Soccer Gods

New Territory for Global Game

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Marlon Peres Capotes, 11, takes a shot at a goal made of two rocks during a pick-up soccer game in the Zimba La Lisa neighborhood of Havana.
“Ronald Hernandez Vega did not come to see a game played with the hands. There was baseball Monday morning, one and a half innings to complete a rainout in Cuba’s national league. Hernandez Vega did not care. He sat outside the provincial stadium in languid daylight, wearing the jersey not of Yasiel Puig but of Lionel Messi. Baseball is the sport of Cuba’s revolution, but soccer is the sport of the arriving world. … Soccer is nonstop, frenetically creative, its passion building from its penury, the rarity of a goal bringing theatrical release to its players and screaming ecstasy to its announcers. Soccer now rivals baseball as the favorite sport of many young Cubans. They play on lumpy fields and streets dotted with potholes, rushing to fill empty spaces like water, improvising with goals made of fishing nets, bed frames and school desks.” NY Times

100 Best Young Players to Watch in 2015 | Midfielders 10 – 1

“Hakan Calhanoglu grew up in Mannheim of Germany, before moving on to Karlsruhe, Hamburg and Leverkusen while getting called up to the Turkish National team in 2013. An attacking midfielder by trade, Hakan’s style and elegance on the ball has seen him sought out by some of the world’s best. Mini-Analysis: Operating behind the striker or across the midfield, Calhanoglu’s style of play is easy on the eye. A mainstay in the Hamburg team that narrowly escaped relegation last season saw him bag 11 goals and assist 4 in 32 games.” Outside of the Boot

BBC Sport Scotland’s Scottish football review 2014

“The year in Scottish football saw corporate as well as competitive drama and upheaval, certainly, but also the usual doses of joy and sorrow. Individual stories abound, but there were prominent themes, too, not least some clubs shedding debt and others finding youth development and prudence to be worthwhile pursuits. Subjectivity applies to any review, but events can be judged on their own merits. Every club will, for instance, have seen significant moments, but those that linger tend to have generated a wider impact. There were familiar travails at Ibrox, both on and off the field, but also the growing success of the women’s game, as reflected in the progress of the Scottish national team and Glasgow City’s European exploits.” BBC

Zawisza Bydgoszcz, Radoslaw Osuch and the Rejection Of Success

“When the 2014/15 Europa League kicked off its preliminary stages back in June, 195 teams began a journey which comes to an end in May at Warsaw’s impressive Stadion Narodowy. Whoever emerges victorious will become only the third team to lift a trophy inside Poland’s centrepiece stadium, with this season’s Polish Cup winners being the second. The first – reigning holders of said competition, Zawisza Bydgoszcz – were in amongst those 195 original Europa League teams, beginning their first ever foray into continental competition with a trip to Belgian side Zulte Waregem. The Second Qualifying Round tie may have ultimately ended in defeat for Zawisza, however it had come on the back of the most successful twelve months in the club’s near-70-year history.” In Bed With Maradona

Diego Simeone gets his wish: a chance to resurrect Torres at Atlético

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“Blame Diego Simeone the player for our one-track minds, but it’s hard to see el Cholo the coach as anything but an extension of the man on the field. As head coach with Atlético, he’s been an obstinate disbeliever — a person whose combination of dedication, optimism and talent leave him unconvinced that Spain’s established pecking order applies to his club. That same mentality that lead to 106 caps for Argentina is upending the duopoly in La Liga.” Soccer Gods

Stocking up for the festive football season

“By now, Santa has already returned to the darkest depths of Lapland, so it’s a bit late for last-minute requests, but there are a few stocking fillers that would have been very much appreciated in the world of football. Chelsea – at the top of the table – appear to need nothing more than they have already. A couple of alarm clocks wouldn’t go amiss though in Manchester, in time for next season, because both City and United woke up late this season. City at least hold some chance of catching up. United, who probably have more than enough in their cabinet already, will just have to run down the clock, comfortably in the Champions League positions, and wait for next time around.” Football Pink

Twelve glimpses of soccer Christmas

“DEC25. CR7. Wake; put on my own-brand underwear and my own-brand t-shirt. Listen to commentary of the 61 goals I scored in 2014 on my own-brand headphones. Doubt: is my statue too small? Does Messi have a bigger one? Think about going to my museum to check, but I remember: It’s Christmas. It’s shut. But frustration passes. My online store is always open.” Soccer Gods

100 Best Young Players to Watch in 2015 | Defenders 10 – 1

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“Following the huge success of our 2014 list, we have compiled a list of the 100 Best Young Players to Watch in 2015 under our Talent Radar feature after careful evaluation and consultation. For more details on how we went about this and any other questions you may have, read these FAQs.” Outside of the Boot

Real Madrid’s tactical flexibility allows for success in multiple ways

“Real Madrid’s recent dominance culminates in the club’s first chance to win the FIFA Club World Cup on Saturday. In brushing off Cruz Azul, 4-0, in the semifinals, Real again showed its versatility as likely the most complete team in the world. Club president Florentino Pérez and his philosophy of buying the best talent available fits with manager Carlo Ancelotti’s tactical flexibility. Ancelotti has a swath of individual talent at his disposal that ensures minimal need for overarching structure in attack. Of course, as a disciple of famous AC Milan tactician Arrigo Sacchi, Ancelotti would never be able to eschew defensive discipline. A staunch 4-4-2 in defense gives way to a 4-3-3 hybrid in possession that allows free rein for devastating combinations and individual play in the final third.” SI

FIFA Agrees to Release Redacted Ethics Report

“FIFA said on Friday that it would release a redacted version of the 430-page report compiled by Michael J. Garcia, the former chief investigator for the governing body of soccer’s ethics committee, who spent more than a year digging into allegations of corruption in the World Cup bidding process. Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA, announced the decision at a news conference in Morocco, at which he also said that the 2018 World Cup would take place in Russia as planned and that the 2022 event would remain in Qatar because there were no legal grounds for a revote.” NY Times

Martin Odegaard tries Bayern Munich but is it a case of too much, too young?

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“In November 2003, Lionel Messi made his debut for Barcelona in a friendly to inaugurate Porto’s new stadium. He was 16 years and 145 days old, and the third youngest player to play for the club. The youngest had been Paulino Alcántara in 1912, the second-youngest Haruna Babangida in 1998. The contrasting fortunes of the three say much about the difficulties of predicting which players will make it. Messi has gone on to be one of the greatest payers in the history of the game. Alcántara was – until Messi came along – Barcelona’s record goalscorer (and he gave up the game at 31 to become a doctor). Babangida never played a competitive game for Barcelona, won only one cap for Nigeria and ended up drifting through Metalurh Donetsk, Olympiakos, Apollon Limassol, Kuban Krasnodar, Mainz, Vitesse and the Austrian second-tier side Kapfenberger before retiring in 2012.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Multi-club Ownerships: The Future of Football?

“With a new wave of businessmen looking to exploit football, the young talent in involved and the monetary benefit all within the rules of the game, we are witness to rising multi-club ownerships. Stuart Reid throws light in this comprehensive article on what he believes is the future of football. A multi-club ownership (or MCO for short) is when an individual, or a group of individuals working as a collaboration, own more than one club. The reasons behind owning more than one club vary chairman to chairman, but it ultimately all boils down to one thing – money.” Outside of the Boot

Who’s Going to Win the Club World Cup? Related: Who Cares?

“FIFA maintains a common design across all of its trophies: A globe in the style of a soccer ball is the dominant centerpiece. Its depiction illustrates — however ham-handedly — the universal resonance of soccer, and perhaps only the iconic World Cup trophy is as impressive as the prize handed to the winners of the Club World Cup. But despite all of that shimmering symbolism, club soccer’s world championship can’t escape irrelevance.” Grantland

Liverpool signings by Brendan Rodgers – hits or misses?

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“I am a fan of Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers and rate him highly as a coach, but he has spent £206.5m since taking over at Anfield and does not have much to show for it. Rodgers signs a lot of young players and keeps talking about improving them for the future. He has done that since he took charge in 2012 and he deserves credit for having that approach. Unfortunately for him, with Liverpool struggling for form, the bottom line is that he needs players for today, not tomorrow.” BBC

Why are the once invincible Arsenal now big-game chokers?

“Sometimes it truly is difficult to understand why those in charge are the ones that are standing on the bridge of the ship when it goes down under the same circumstances time and time again. It will never be up for debate if Arsene Wenger is one of the greatest managers in the history of English football, and despite the last eight or nine years of him masochistically shooting himself in his own foot, his place in the annals of the English game are all but assured. The question that so many continue to debate, right up to the current season no less, is why Arsenal are incapable of getting one over on their title rivals.” Outside of the Boot

Analysis: Emiliano Velazquez’s Exceptional Start to life in La Liga with Getafe

“Emiliano Velazquez continued his impressive form in La Liga this term by putting in another solid defensive showing against the inordinate talents of Barcelona’s frontline. In the driving rain, Velazquez and his side did an outstanding job keeping the score to 0-0. After the match, Velazquez spoke of his side’s terrific effort and how it was great to keep his compatriot Luis Suarez goalless.” Licence to Roam

Club World Cup: Real Madrid ahead for San Lorenzo

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“Squeezed around domestic commitments, European champions Real Madrid arrived in Morocco this week for the Fifa Club World Cup – but their South American counterparts, San Lorenzo of Argentina, have been there in spirit for months. Ever since an emotional night in August when they won the Copa Libertadores, South America’s equivalent of the Champions League, San Lorenzo have found it impossible to forget about the Club World Cup.” BBC – Tim Vickery

The Search for Space

“New Labour had a difficult, unstable relationship with football. In the early days, there was a clear attempt to embrace the game. One of Tony Blair’s most memorable media moments in opposition was a bizarre photo-shoot with the then-Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan. For Blair, not a football fan by any means (despite occasional attempts to suggest otherwise) 27 consecutive headers between the two was rather impressive. Labour swept to power on the coattails of the Cool Britannia mood of the mid 1990s, perhaps best epitomised culturally by Euro 96.” Blizzard

Tim Howard is taking Brad Friedel at his word, now

“When it came time to talk about Tim Howard’s recent book, The Keeper, focus quickly turned to one of the book’s subplots, a conflict between the Everton goalkeeper and one of his former international teammates, Brad Friedel. According to the book, Friedel opposed Howard’s move from Major League Socer to Manchester United in 2003, declining to sign a recommendation as well as petitioning the Professional Footballer’s Association to deny Howard’s work permit appeal.” Soccer Gods

The Velvet Revolution

“‘This isn’t Ajax anymore,’ Johan Cruyff wrote in his De Telegraaf column in September 2010, venting his frustration after Ajax’s Champions League performance against Real Madrid – a desperate 2-0 defeat at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. ‘Let me get to the point: this Ajax is even worse than the team from before Rinus Michels’s arrival in 1965.’” Blizzard