One small step forward, two giant leaps back

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“First, the now traditional apologies for this site’s dormancy over the past week. For once, this was down to technical problems. The main Smog PC has fallen ill with viruses, indeed so riddled has it become that I’ve waved a white flag, declared myself to be out of my depth and sent it off to be fixed. Using Mini Smog’s computer as an emergency back-up, it turned out that this too had virus problems, but for some reason they were treatable, though it took a few days and working through various routines to put it back in order. I wish I could blame inappropriate site visiting for these issues to have happened, but in reality I think it had more to do with running computers that hadn’t been using properly maintained checking software for some time.” (Smog Blog)

And Then There Was One

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England against Scotland in 1877
“Let’s talk about Scottish football for a bit. We’ve obviously visited this ground before; back in November, Fuse did an incredibly intricate and in-depth series of posts (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4) looking at the troubles of the Scottish League, In it, he surmised that the easiest way to fix the problem of declining revenues and quality was to consolidate several local clubs into one team; the revenues to keep lower league teams (and, truthfully, some upper league teams) are just not there to support one club per 20,269 citizens.” (Avoiding the Drop)

Video Of The Week 2: The Greatest Goals Of World Cup USA ‘94

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“Something of a Friday time-waster for you here this morning, with ‘The Greatest Goals Of World Cup USA ‘94’. Note the slight change in name from the previous videos in this series. For whatever reason, it was decided that the compilation vdeo for the 1994 World Cup would not include all of the goals scored in the tournament. According to this video, there were 140 goals scored in the 1994 World Cup, but only a paltry 55 make this compilation, which is also notable for some absolutely excrutiating music and a commentary so bland that it slips through the viewer like a dose of figs.” (twohundredpercent)>

Fifa admits World Cup ticket prices too high

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“Acknowledging that Fifa has lost money and that mistakes in the ticketing process and opportunistic pricing by travel operators had deterred many supporters, Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke also promised an overhaul of ticketing before the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Ticket sales for the tournament have been far lower than expected, with just 2.1 million of a total 2.9 million tickets sold. Prohibitive travel, accommodation and ticket packages sold through Fifa’s single licensed agency, Match, have deterred many fans.” (Telegraph)

How Supporters’ Groups Have Won the Ear of the English Media

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“For a long time, the only place you’d hear about supporters’ trusts in the national English media would be in the pages of When Saturday Comes. Yet now, it seems we hear more from spokespersons of supporters’ trusts — democratic non-profit fans’ organisations aiming to influence how their clubs are run — than we do from clubs themselves, at all levels of the game.” (Pitch Invasion)

Ngog nets winner for frustrated Reds

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“Striker David Ngog’s goal nine minutes from time eventually broke the resistance of a determined Unirea Urziceni at Anfield in the Europa League. With the visitors intent on soaking up plenty of pressure Rafael Benitez’s side struggled to find the creativity to get past the massed Romanian ranks. However, the Frenchman’s close-range header meant the Reds have some breathing space as they head to Bucharest for next week’s last-32 second leg.” (ESPN)

Fabio Capello

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“Fabio Capello (born 18 June 1946) is an Italian football manager and former professional player. He is the current manager of the England national team, having started the role in January 2008 after the dismissal of Steve McClaren, who was sacked after England failed to qualify for Euro 2008. He is the second foreigner to have managed the England side, the other being McClaren’s predecessor, the Swede Sven-Göran Eriksson.” Wikipedia, Guardian

Anti-Spaniards for Spain: Irony, Terrorism, and La Roja

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“The whole army of Spanish media outlets has been splashed with this bit of news, regarding the facebook page of suspected ETA members–ETA being, for those unfamiliar with Spain, the Basque separatist-terrorist group responsible for thousands of acts of violence since their establishment during the Franco dictatorship. From sports dailies such as AS to Marca, to dailies such as El Mundo and even regional papers like La Voz de Galicia, most everyone had a shot at this piece.” (Soccer Politics)

The Sweeper: Scotland Loses Champions League Spot, Rangers and Celtic Face Financial Crises

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“Rangers and Celtic’s financial futures look a little bleaker today. Scotland will only have one entrant in the UEFA Champions League for the 2011-12 season, after falling below Belgium in the rankings used to determine each country’s qualifiers. Moreover, their champions will not advance automatically to the group stage, and will instead have to navigate through three qualifying rounds.” (Pitch Invasion)

At 20, a Dane Prepares for Biggest Stage

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Simon Kjaer
“Even attired in the soft pink tones of the Palermo uniform, Simon Kjaer cuts an intimidating figure on a soccer field. The sturdy 6-foot-2 frame of Kjaer, a Danish central defender, doubles as a canvas for a collection of tattoos (one likely to grow, he says) and is topped by a mop of platinum hair, which flops about as he patrols the ground and air around his team’s goal.” (NYT)

Breathe and Stop… Manchester United: ‘An Italian Team from Another Era’

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“… Where else to start but Manchester United’s impressive 3-2 win over AC Milan at the San Siro, which hands them a desirable advantage heading into the 2nd leg of their Champions League round of 16 knockout clash. United have become a truly masterful European outfit over the last three seasons, winning the tournament once and reaching two finals, and on the evidence of Tuesday’s game they look capable of making it all the way to Madrid for round three.” (Just Football)

Football Weekly Extra: Arsenal and Real Madrid on the back foot

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“Kicked out of the near-earth-orbit studio by overrated Indie rockers Vampire Weekend and with a presenter still somewhere in the alpine wilderness, Football Weekly makes do with a broom cupboard and whoever Producer Pete could find five minutes before recording was due to commence. Luckily he found Paul MacInnes, Rob Smyth, Kevin McCarra and Paul Doyle at a loose end and they all agreed to do him a turn. The hastily assembled bunch waste no time getting stuck into the week’s Champions League action, including Lukasz Fabianski’s night to forget, a Rooney-inspired comeback at the San Siro and Bayern Munich’s ludicrously offside goal to beat Fiorintina.” (Guardian – James Richardson)

The Sweeper: How Not to Question the US Soccer Federation About Diversity

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Sunil Gulati
“Our post yesterday on the future of SoccerAmerica sparked an interesting discussion in the comments about the purpose of the magazine in print and online. The magazine still has outstanding access to decision-makers. This week, Paul Gardner has a two-part interview on the SoccerAmerica website with the recently re-elected President of the US Soccer Federation, Sunil Gulati.” (Pitch Invasion)

Match Of The Midweek: Porto 2-1 Arsenal

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“Sometimes, it feels as if Sol Campbell’s entire life might be scripted by someone that was laid off from the Eastenders’ writing team. In recent times, there doesn’t appear to have been very much in his life that hasn’t been accompanied with some sort of melodrama, and this didn’t let up in tonight’s match at the Estádio do Dragão. Moreover, the match raised fresh questions over Arsene Wenger’s goalkeeping policy, as both Porto goals were, ultimately, the fault of the Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski and the match is now balanced on a very delicate line ahead of the return match at The Emirates Stadium.” (twohundredpercent)

Barcelona lead the way at the halfway mark

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“No sooner had Barcelona lost their first-ever competition under Pep Guardiola than they won a seventh title. No sooner had the coach sealed up a virtual contract renewal than he wrapped up a virtual title. Top of the table at the halfway stage of the season, Barca are Spain’s campeon de invierno (winter champions). And while Guardiola said it was “merely anecdotal”, most others insisted it was rather more significant.” (World Soccer)

First XI: World Cup legends

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Pelé
“Very few players become legends of the game without making an impact at the World Cup. Injuries and limited team-mates can be restrictive given the nature of the tournament, with perhaps only George Best and Alfredo Di Stefano considered among the all-time greats despite failing to appear at football’s biggest tournament, so Soccernet takes a look at the top XI players who have made their mark on the biggest stage.” (ESPN)

Hijinks and Low Comedy in Champions League

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“The coincidences during Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League games were simply too delicious to go without notice. At Porto’s Dragão Stadium in Portugal, the referee from the game that featured Thierry Henry’s infamous Hand of Gaul goal, Martin Hansson, was excoriated by Arsenal Manager Arsène Wenger for a call that led directly to Porto’s game-winning goal. Henry, of course, is a former star at Arsenal. Hansson’s vapor lock during France’s playoff victory over Ireland last year sent the French to South Africa and the Irish into conniptions.” (NYT)

‘Real’ Rooney offers antidote to football glamour

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“A streetfighter, a product of the terraces, the antithesis of David Beckham, earthy, real, unmanufactured: branding Wayne Rooney has been profitable business. Just how lucrative is up for debate, as the agency Proactive – who produced that description of the Manchester United striker – is claiming he owes them £4.3 million. An alternative viewpoint is to wonder about the necessity of spin to deliver an accurate image of Rooney.” (ESPN)

United in Italy; Real in Trouble

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“Few people would confuse Wayne Rooney with a rocket scientist, but the increasingly deadly and dangerous Manchester United striker used his head not once, but twice, as the Red Devils nearly crushed A.C. Milan’s hopes of advancing in the UEFA Champions League with a 3-2 win in the first leg of their home-and-home, total-goals series at the San Siro on Tuesday.” (NYT)

AC Milan 2-3 Manchester United: 8 Key Observations
“Classic European nights. When we complain about the stifling dominance of the Big Four; when we curse every transfer that sends a promising young player from a lesser club to the Big Four; when we ponder proposals such as debt-to-revenue restrictions, foreign player quotas, and playoffs for European places; when we talk about all these things, we are talking about the promise of classic European nights like Tuesday night at a raucous and roaring San Siro. Some observations…” (EPL Talk)

Why I’ll Be Cheering For Man United, Arsenal and Liverpool This Week

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“Watching European football has always had an exotic element for us in Britain. In the 60s and 70s, abroad was a long way away. The world seemed much bigger and the visit of a team from Italy, Germany or Albania was like a visit from another football planet. We hadn’t heard of most of the players, we didn’t know much about the teams. How could we? They were not on TV and rarely covered in the press. Our only exposure to non-British players was at World Cups and on European nights. Hardly any played in the UK.” (EPL Talk)

A Different Way

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“After the success of his first post, we’ve welcomed back Scarf with open arms. Here, he considers Swansea City and the factors that have led to them holding such an enviable position today. On Monday 21 April 2003, Swansea City hosted Exeter at the Vetch Field. Sitting 90th of the 92 teams in the Football League, they lost 1-0 to the team directly below, putting them in grave danger of relegation. Both clubs were in a horrible mess; deeply in debt, neither owned their grounds and both were experiencing serious off-the-field disruption.” (thetwounfortunates)

Barcelona’s supermen find no answer to Atlético Madrid’s Kryptonite

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“Pep Guardiola said it, Joan Laporta said it, and Carles Puyol said it. Cristiano Ronaldo said it, Kaká said it, and Karim Benzema said it. The Madrid press said it. Over and over and over again. Everybody said it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but sooner or later FC Barcelona will lose in La Liga. The occasional lone voice dared whisper the words ‘whole’, ‘season’ and ‘unbeaten’ in the same sentence but most didn’t. Most wouldn’t. Everyone knew the day would come; many even knew when it would come. In Madrid they were counting on it. The maths had been done: -5+3+3=1, Real Madrid = champions. Twenty-one matches and almost six months later, the day had come.” (Guardian)

Is English football rotten?

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“The John Terry scandal has engendered a flood of obloquy on English football. Columnists of many kinds have fervently joined in the abuse, some with a knowledge of the realities of the game, however bleak, some, like the right wing political columnist Simon Geffer, who “hate soccer” with almost comical outrage. He seems for example to believe that today’s wealthy footballers — the average annual wage in the Premier League is a massive £1.2 mill ion — swan around in Rolls Royces, when the young plutocrats would favour nothing so square. For them, the costliest Ferraris and their luxurious like.” (TSS On Net – BRAIN GLANVILLE)

Play-Offs For A Champions League Place: Game 39 Revisited?

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“Small wonder that Ian Watmore’s brain-child of ‘reforming’ the FA Cup senseless was leaked to the press at the weekend. No more than forty-eight hours after the story broke in the press (with more or less no fanfare anywhere other than in The Times, which broke the story), the Premier League comes up with its proposal to jazz up the end of the season. Their answer, a play-off for the fourth Champions League place, is an act of evil genius so simple that one is almost tempted to stand and give grudging applause. And let’s make this absolutely clear, this idea has nothing to do with evening things out or redistribution of money. It’s about the Premier League snatching the end of the season away from everybody else.” (twohundredpercent)

It’s More than a Ball Game: Scottish Football and Culture

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“The state and importance of Scottish football both fascinates and repels large parts of Scotland – but there can be little doubt that the condition of the game and how we see it throws light on Scottish culture and society. In the last week, I have watched Motherwell v Rangers and Aberdeen v Celtic live on TV, and went to the St. Johnstone v Dundee United cup tie. Taking all three of these together gives a number of pointers about the health of the game.” (Gerry Hassan)

A Brazil legend’s lasting legacy

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“Brazilian football lost one of its all-time greats last week when Orlando Peçanha died at the age of 74. If he had to go, then maybe the forces of destiny and the gods of soccer thought it appropriate to take him on the eve of Carnaval. Perhaps they were trying to make a point, juxtaposing his loss with the start of the country’s great party. Because as revelers fill the streets from Rio to Recife, there are many who like to see Brazilian soccer as one giant Carnaval, everyone more concerned with having fun than with the result, in a fabulous land full of skilled strikers and inept defenders.” (SI – Tim Vickery)

European heavyweights meet again

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“While the Champions League takes centre stage this week with the ever enticing first knockout round, arguably the biggest fixture of all is scheduled in the backwaters of Thursday night’s Europa League. Ajax vs. Juventus has been played out as a European Cup final as well as a Champions League final, and the sound of the fixture may well have the same effect on the ears of lovers of football history as the Madeleine cake in the mouth of Marcel Proust.” (ESPN)

World Cup Legends: Teófilo Cubillas (Peru)

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“You may not have heard of Teófilo Cubillas, also known as ‘El Nene’ or ‘The Kid’. I was only vaguely aware of him until reading up a little (and watching a lot of YouTube) this weekend. But Teófilo Cubillas is arguably the greatest player in Peru’s history, and a player who more than made his mark at two World Cups – Mexico 1970, and Argentina 1978 – with a mix of dribbling, playmaking and long range shooting.” (World Cup Blog)

‘Feet of the Chameleon’ and Stories of African Football

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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)

Video Of The Week – Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait

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“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)

Mouscron have paid a heavy price for financial mismanagement

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“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)

Championship Letters 5: Neil Warnock as the Cyclops

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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)

Manchester United fans ready to make club ownership key issue of General Election

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“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)

Sunshine and shadow

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“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)

Uli Hoeness speaks his mind

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“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)

Dear Rafa Benitez – Beforeza #2

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“Note : This post was written after the defeat to Fiorentina in the Champions league. With me still lost for words over the loss at Emirates, I’d like to make a re-visit to continue my support for the man who cares for the club the most. So some of the readers who are new to this blog kindly have a look. (For the old ones, yeah the ‘Psycho’ part was re-edited for obvious reasons.” (All Four One..)

Van Nistelrooy Gives Hamburg Spark

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“Twenty minutes into the second half of Hamburg’s match at Stuttgart on Saturday in the German Bundesliga and the score deadlocked at 1-1, visiting coach Bruno Labbadia called in the cavalry. The lanky figure of Ruud Van Nistelrooy trotted on to the pitch for what was only his sixth appearance in the last 15 months. Within twelve minutes, he had turned the game, striking twice from close range, first with a left-footed pounce and then with a cool right-footed diagonal finish. Hamburg went on to win 3-1, rising to fourth in the league standings and keeping its hopes of a Champions’ League spot next season intact.” (WSJ)

Beckham comes face to face with his spiritual descendents

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“The last time José Mourinho went to watch Chelsea, he noticed something curious. Though he had been sacked as coach in 2007, hardly anything had changed in his absence. ‘Even the warm-up is the warm-up they did in our time,’ he remarked. He still knew almost all the players. This was still his Chelsea. The Champions League this month will provide us with two reunions: Mourinho and his new club Inter Milan will meet Chelsea, while David Beckham and AC Milan play Beckham’s old team Manchester United.” (FI – Simon Kuper)

To the Playoffs via the Posh?

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“Hello all, and my apologies for a quiet week. Work commitments took over in the last few days before half-term, unfortunately, leaving your writer a broken husk, a shadow of his former self as he staggered home to Smog Towers each evening. Not that I failed to celebrate our win over Barnsley in midweek. Hardly a classic, but the first half really was excellent, appearing to enforce all the hard working ethic and pressing play that Gordon is trying to instil. A goal from Chris Killen too!” (Smog Blog)

England manager Fabio Capello worries over Wayne Rooney’s huge burden

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“The subject was Wayne Rooney. ‘Please, rest him sometimes,’ the England manager said to his Manchester United counterpart. ‘He plays every game. I need him more fresh to play in the World Cup.’ Capello’s request carried heightened poignancy after the depressing bulletin from Chelsea earlier on Thursday about Ashley Cole’s injury.” (Telegraph – Henry Winter)

AC Milan 3-2 Udinese – Recap and Video Highlights – Italian Serie A – Friday, February 12, 2010

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“AC Milan hosted Udinese on Friday, February 12, 2010 in the Italian Serie A with a chance to close the gap on leaders Inter Milan (Internazionale). Inter Milan led by eight points before the match but a win from AC Milan would move that down to five. Udinese is just above the relegation zone and in need of points to ensure they stay up in the Serie A. AC Milan 3-2 Udinese – Video Highlights” (The 90th Minute)

2010 World Cup mock U.S. roster

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“With World Cup qualification confirmed, U.S. coach Bob Bradley continues to evaluate players. ESPNsoccernet projects whom we think Bradley will choose as his 23-man U.S. roster for the 2010 World Cup. Players are ranked from top to bottom in terms of how certain a lock they appear to be for the roster and their current perceived pecking order. As befitting standard squad composition, we’ve chosen three goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders and four forwards.” (ESPN)

Safari: Are too many tourists killing Africa’s wildlife?

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“I have barely been in Zarafa, Botswana’s newest exclusive safari camp, five minutes when I have my first encounter with a wild animal. I am halfway along the pathway that leads to my tented room when a bull elephant emerges out of the bush and stands, stock still, just 20 yards up the path, directly in front of me. I hold my ground, as the guides instruct you to do, but I can hear my heart beating, partly out of excitement and partly out of fear. For a moment there is complete stillness as two tons of bull elephant stares down on 190 pounds of puny homo sapiens.” (Telegraph)

The Joy of Six: Long-range screamers

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“Long-distance goals should intrinsically have a reduced element of surprise, but tell that to Ronaldinho. Just because you are outside the box doesn’t mean you can’t think outside the box in the way that you shoot for goal. Ronaldinho’s incomparable imagination manifested itself in under-the-wall free-kicks and strikes with scarcely any backlift.” (Guardian)

Richard Scudamore contemplates business end of a thrilling Premier League season

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“Yet the backdrop to the Premier League’s breathless, wildly popular game of snakes and ladders is one of seething supporters, controversial owners and angry tax men as well as bewitched viewers. The Premier League is a story of two halves, of rich entertainment and unbridled debt, of clubs reaching for the stars and risking overreaching themselves. So is the sport heading towards Shangri La or Armageddon?” (Telegraph – Henry Winter)

Football accused in homophobia row

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“Professional footballers have refused to appear in a campaign video against homophobia because they fear being ridiculed for taking a stand against one of the sport’s most stubborn taboos, The Independent has learnt. Both players and agents declined a request by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) to take part in a video which was to use high- profile players as figureheads in the association’s drive against anti-gay prejudice.” (Independent)

Arsenal 1 – 0 Liverpool

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The tribute money: Peter finding the silver coin in the mouth of the fish, Jacobs Jordaens
“Arsenal breathed new life into their diminishing Premier League title hopes with a narrow win over Liverpool at Emirates Stadium. Abou Diaby finally got the breakthrough on 72 minutes, when he headed in Tomas Rosicky’s cross as the Gunners bounced back from successive defeats to Manchester United and Chelsea. Liverpool, who are just ahead of Manchester City in fourth place, almost grabbed a late equaliser when substitute Ryan Babel saw his shot tipped onto the bar.” (ESPN)

Steven Gerrard criticises ‘crazy’ Howard Webb for not giving Liverpool penalty
“Steven Gerrard has described referee Howard Webb’s decision not to award Liverpool a penalty during their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal last night as ‘crazy’. Arsenal captain Cesc Fábregas admitted after the match that he handled Gerrard’s stoppage-time free-kick and although television replays suggested the incident was outside the area, Gerrard was left fuming at missing out on a chance to salvage a point and maintain the club’s unbeaten run.” (Guardian)

Arsenal 1-0 Liverpool – Recap and Video Highlights – English Premier League – Wednesday, February 10, 2010
“Arsenal hosted Liverpool on Wednesday, February 10, 2010 in the English Premier League needing a win to keep their title hopes alive. Liverpool were looking to close the gap between the two sides and move remain in 4th place in the league table. A win for Arsenal would keep their chances still alive with Man U and Chelsea having tough matches on the same day. Arsenal 1-0 Liverpool – Video Highlights” (The 90th Minute)

Football Weekly Extra: Super Saha stars as Everton stun Chelsea

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“James is back with another top-banana podcast featuring John Ashdown, Barry Glendenning and Paul Doyle. Midweek Premier League matches mean plenty of talking points: including Louis Saha increasing John Terry’s woe, Arsenal back to winning ways, and Aston Villa’s limited ambition against Manchester United. Sid Lowe is on the phone from Madrid with the truth about those Cesc Fábregas to Barcelona rumours, while James’s Italian round-up includes news of Ultras storming Lazio’s training ground.” (Guardian – James Richardson)

2010 Copa Libertadores preview

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“If one game on Tuesday night is any indication, the 51st edition of the Copa Libertadores — South America’s Champions League — will continue to provide drama and excitement fitting of a premier continental tournament. In one of the most dramatic matchups in recent memory, Universidad Católica ensured its place in the group stage of the competition after a penalty-shootout victory over Colón de Santa Fe in Santiago, Chile.” (SI)

Why Manchester City Get Social Media

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“Unlike their neighbours in Manchester, who seem to think social media is the work of Satan himself, Manchester City have made an extremely impressive marketing push via their official accounts on Twitter and Facebook — at least by Premier League standards. They have 11,758 in the former and 78,549 fans on the latter.” (Pitch Invasion)

Analysing Africa’s World Cup contenders

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“Egypt coach Hassan Shehata may find he’s exceptionally popular over the next few months – not so much because he’ll be permanently swimming in a sea of congratulations, more because the world’s leading coaches may want to pick his brain. For the wily 60-year-old beat no less than four – Nigeria, Cameroon, Algeria and Ghana – of Africa’s six World Cup finalists en route to winning January’s Nations Cup in Angola. And Nigeria, who have since sacked coach Shaibu Amodu, are pursuing the ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ route, with Shehata now wanted for one of football’s hottest jobs. Though it does appear that approach has been blocked by the Egypt Football Association.” (BBC – Piers Edwards)

Bundesliga Keeps Financial House in Order

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“The German Bundesliga wants the world to know that even in these trying economic times, it is solvent and competitive — a soccer island in Central Europe that exudes diligence, steady growth and smart management.” (NYT)

The Sweeper: The Bundesliga Model
“The Bundesliga is really getting some attention this week in the English-language press. Yesterday, as we mentioned, it was Patrick Barclay in London’s Daily Telegraph commenting on the German league’s financially sane model, with clubs less in debt and ticket prices affordable. Old news, but in these turbulent times in England, finally making some waves.” (Pitch Invasion)