First off; Arsenal FC almost has an exclusive franchise on sleek football in the English Premiership. I don’t think any fan of football will want to argue with that. It is usually a wonderful thing to behold when they are in their element and pass the ball with the grace of a ballet dancer and the precision of a mathematics professor. The question on the lips of the average football ardent particularly followers of the Premiership after Tuesday’s loss to Manchester United and Sunday’s trouncing by London rivals Chelsea is ‘ where will Arsenal go from here?’ again, can they progress with their crop of youngsters? I think not and give three reasons why.

1. Lack of credible role models: Players like Cesc Fabregas matured while playing alongside midfield generals like Patrick Viera. The result is obvious in the quality of his game today. The same can hardly be said for the other youngsters in the squad. There are hardly any world-class players in every position for the players to learn from. Again compare that with Anderson’s maturity playing alongside the likes of Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Owen Hargreaves or even Kiko Macheda alongside Carlos Tevez, Berbatov, Ronaldo and Rooney.

2. Unattractive Pay structure: While it is refreshing to see a club which will not be bullied into breaking the bank just to pay player wages, Arsenal does take the opposite position sometimes. They obviously have the least attractive wages amongst the top four and this will compel the players who have started to mature and gel seek the proverbial greener pastures leaving the manager to start grooming someone new. In other words, back at one.

3. Ambition: It is the desire of every footballer to win trophies and he will gravitate towards the club which will give him that at the least opportunity given the right circumstances. Arsenal for all its sleek and sexy football has had pretty ‘trophyless’ seasons recently. This coupled with their inability or refusal to bring in big name players has cost them players like the talismaniac and iconic Thierry Henry as well as Hleb and Flamini to Barcelona and AC Milan respectively (both very ambitious clubs).

I would love to see this set of Arsenal players gel, get individual and team experience and then stick together for a while. The results will be astounding. The issue is; will they? Time will tell but obviously Arsenal has to become flexible with some of their player policies or risk losing the very best of them. There’s no need to place hope on the young players if the intention is to sell them once they mature.

Olatunji Ladi Adejumo is a professional Public Relations and Management practitioner specializing in e-Public Relations, Brand Management and Communication. An avid follower of various sports, a motivational speaker, writer and coach, he has a relentless passion to assist business owners and professionals get to and remain at the top of their game in life. He has evolved a systematic educational program using sports to connect go- getters with their aspirations.

Author: Olatunji Ladi Adejumo
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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However, the rivalry can be traced to 2003 “the arrival of big money for Chelsea”. So many things have changed since then and again the words of Tim Roll gives us a clear insight: “In the last ten years Chelsea have been far more successful, Liverpool are obsessed with singing about history but I think it is time they move on”… Another cold truth if you ask me.

The first chessman was moved and the game started as far back as May 2003 when these two team clashed in the European cup semi-final. At that time Chelsea were 30pts ahead of the Reds in the premiership, and have beaten Liverpool in both league games. And to further fuel the rivalry there were rumours of Steven Gerard joining the revolution of Jose Mourinho at that time as the arrival of Roman Abramovic meant that money was available to spend for the blues. However the Reds carried the day to reach their first final in 20years and it would be an immortal encounter when Garcia scored what was called the ghost goal to seal the win for Liverpool 1-0. It was on ever since then.

“We were good friend until we started beating them”… Words of Rafael Benitez the Liverpool manager at that time as a “war of word” erupted between him and Jose Mourinho the blues manager at that time further fuelling the rivalry. The following year the miracle at Istanbul happened and we all thought that the Reds were starting to get back into their strides but their achievements in recent years has proved that that was just a once in a lifetime miracle. Tim Rolls again has something to say: “I know Liverpool won four European cups in the 70′s and 80′s but apart from one night in Istanbul they have struggled” the truth can’t be told any better. We all know that the Reds are in the red now in the premier league while Chelsea are in two finals albeit having their worst run in form in about 8 years.

Tonight’s game no matter the outcome would go down in history as the rivalry between these two teams have gotten more intense, not to mention the effect of renegade red striker Fernando Torres; who walked alone across the Stanford bridge to become a blue for life. Although Didier Drogba might start ahead of him, he definitely has something to offer in today’s encounter and we all know what that would do to the game. Furthermore I would leave you with a parting word from Tim Rolls: “there is tension between these two clubs, and air of antagonism”… there is nothing more truthful than this and whoever carries the day would have a temporary smile on his face until these two giants cross swords again.

Author: Lawrence Eagles
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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Real Madrid lost 2-1 at Munich whereas Chelsea defeated Barcelona with a single goal from Drogba.

Madrid’s last clash with Bayern in the Champions league saw them defeated by away goals, 4-4 on aggregate.

They last met in the last 16 of Champions League in 2006-07, where a late away goal from Mark van Bommel in the first leg proved to be crucial for Bayern to progress.

But the situation is different this time. Jose Mourinho will be the man to watch in the second leg as his tactics always makes the difference in these types of situations. He is in the run for his third Champions League title with a third team and will be the first manager to do so if he succeeds.

However, all eyes will be on that man, Cristiano Ronaldo. He has been criticized a lot for failing to spark in big situations and this might be the right time for him to show what he is capable of. A goal with a clean sheet will be enough for Real to progress but with Bayern out of the title race In their domestic league and Real still holding the lead in La Liga, predictions seem to be worthless.

A similar situation is with Barcelona-Chelsea clash. A controversial 1-1 draw at the Stamford Bridge and 0-0 at the Nou Camp saw Barcelona progress to the final of the competition when they last met in the Champions League semifinals in 2009.

There is a turn around this time with Chelsea winning the home clash with 1-0 win. But Barcelona are still supposed to defeat them at home as they have been doing in the past few seasons to their opponents.

It all depends on one man, the little magician Lionel Messi. He is the reason why Barcelona are playing their fifth semifinal in five successive seasons. His sparks on the game is not the question to be raised but will Chelsea be able to stop him from scoring remains to be seen.

While this might be the turning point for the temporary manager Roberto de Matteo, Chelsea’s defensive fragilities need to be analysed as well.

Fans expectations might differ from the team’s this time as we expect an El Classico European final but the Spanish giants would pray for easier opponent in the final or a third possibility is always there, Bayern playing the final at home against Abramovich’s Chelsea. Anything can happen and this is the beauty of the Champions League.

To read more about Champions League, English Premier League football, Euro and many more interesting facts about soccer, check http://normalfootball.blogspot.com

Author: Sarbesh Rijal
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After four years of debate, The Football Association finally legalised professionalism on 20 July 1885. Before that date many clubs made illegal payments to “professional” players to boost the competitiveness of their teams, arousing the contempt of those clubs abiding by the laws of the amateur Football Association code. As more and more clubs became professional the ad-hoc fixture list of FA Cup, inter-county, and ‘friendly’ matches was seen by many as an unreliable stream of revenue, and ways were considered of ensuring a consistent income.

A Scottish draper and director of Aston Villa, William McGregor, was the first to set out to bring some order to a chaotic world where clubs arranged their own fixtures. On 2 March 1888, he wrote to the Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Preston North End, West Bromwich Albion and to the secretary of Aston Villa about the formation of a football league.

The first meeting was held at Anderson’s Hotel in London on 23 March 1888 on the eve of the FA Cup Final with the name of the Football League being settled at a further meeting on 17 April at Manchester’s Royal Hotel. The first season of the Football League began a few months later on 8 September with 12 member clubs.

Each club played the other twice, once at home and once away, and two points were awarded for a win and one for a draw. This points system was not agreed upon until after the season had started; the alternative proposal was one point for a win only. Preston won the first league title without losing a game, and completed the first league-cup double by also taking the FA Cup.

Every original Football League club has at least one relegation in their history, unlike some European leagues such as Spain, Scotland or Republic of Ireland.

Author: Paul Yarden
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Back in the 1863 when the FA was established, players didn’t wear uniforms. Teams were identified simply by wearing distinctive coloured hats and scarves. Uniform kits first appeared in the 1870s and the colours adopted were often those of the university, school or sports club associated with the team. For example, Blackburn Rovers first wore the Cambridge University colours (blue and white) because several of the club’s founders were educated there. So very early on in the history of association football, team colours became more than just a practical way of distinguishing players of one team from players of another – the colour of a team’s football kit took on an emotional meaning.

Studies show that their appearance in their football kit affects player confidence and thus impacts on the performance of a team. Colour is likely to be an important factor in this. Different colours are linked with various psychological attributes. The colour red, for example, is often associated with strength and courage. Manchester United adopted red and white as their team colours in 1902 and is one of the most successful teams in English football history. Perhaps their football kit has been a real factor in their success? It might sound a bit wacky – but remember the infamous grey away strip Manchester United wore in 1995-1996? It was soon abandoned after the team failed to win a single match. Players struggled to pass to each other wearing the all grey strip and claimed that the kit wasn’t visible on the pitch.

Many professional football players confess to having a “comprehensive” pre-match ritual governed by various personal superstitions. These range from always eating the same thing for dinner the night before a match, to listening to the right music in the shower on the day of the match and being the last player on the pitch. A number of superstitions centre around football kit and clothing on the pitch. Former England captain Bobby Moore insisted on being the last to put on his football shorts before kick off. Kevin Pilkington used to always wear the same pants and football socks for a game and would put the left sock on before the right sock.

Uniforms give a sense of identity and unity. The colour of your football kit is likely to be its most instantly striking feature and will affect both team members and opponents as well as supporters and observers. This is as important for a grass roots football team as for professional teams so choosing kit for your team is an important decision.

Soccerkits.com supply team wear to pub, youth and kids football teams in a wide range of colours and provide a full customisation service. Visit Soccerkits.com to choose the right football kit for your team.

Soccerkits.com specialises in football team kit for Adult and Junior Football Kit.

Author: SK Turner
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The football jersey is a piece of clothing that is originally made to provide comfort and protection to the player; it has become though the cornerstone of every sophisticated and serious collection. It is something like a piece of art, decorating walls and offices in a true fan’s home. Some of them create large displays with several authentic jerseys, signed by their favourite players.

If you go online, you will find thousands of jerseys for sale; at eBay or Amazon, you can find some authentic shirts in high prices. Some of the fans sell jerseys signed by the football players, increasing the price dramatically. You can find a football jersey at 350$ or even more, as many fans invest in football apparel and create some sort of small business online, trading and selling jerseys or full kits. If you are among those football fans that want to have authentic and rare jerseys, you definitely need to check online. There are numerous rare items out there for sale, at different prices, for every budget and pocket.

Some of the very first jerseys used in football matches are quite pricey; a known collector bought recently a football jersey from the 70s, belonging to a player of the national team of Brazil; he spent more than 20000$ for that, but it is a unique item and belongs to the player that scored the winning goal at the final match of World Championship. If you can find a rare jersey signed by a player you can consider it to be an investment; you cannot know the exact value of this jersey twenty – or more – years from now.

If you are not up to this task, but you are mostly looking for something comfortable and easy to wear, then you should definitely consider checking the simple jerseys that have hit the shelves; you can find a football jersey that belongs to European team, such as Manchester United or Barcelona, or an American or South American team. The dot com boom made the purchase of jerseys and apparel really easy. You can find the jerseys that bear the name of a player such as Beckham, for instance, in good prices. If you don’t want to spend huge money, you can always opt for a replica. IT might not be top quality, but it will last for a while and is easily replaceable. Some fans tend to collect jerseys of their favourite players, buying a football jersey from every team they play for; in the case of Beckham you can find one from M.United, Real Madrid and now Milan.

Whether you are a big fan or a simple collector, buying jerseys is a great way to keep the memorable moments of your team always alive and vivid. It’s also a nice way to connect with the club and show that you belong to the group of fans that support a team religiously.

If you want to find out more about Football Shirt, please visit Football Shirts. Website for more information

Author: Soophott Lert
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Even at the top of the table, we had the likes of Hull (in their first ever season in the premiership) in fourth place and the best team in the world, Man Utd in the bottom half. It was truly bizarre.

It wasn’t really until December that things began settling down and we started to get an idea of how the top section of the table would pan out. Aston Villa were doing brilliantly, even having a great slice of luck. Liverpool were challenging for the title along with Chelsea and Manchester Utd finally had a great run of form and joined them. Everton began a great run that saw them rocket up the table to sixth, but the rest of the league continued taking points off each other, meaning relegation was a threat up to seventh place! Unheard of.

So, over the Christmas period and into the New Year, the top six of Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Villa and Everton began moving away from the rest. The bottom three continually changed, until West Brom decided they would like to stay at the bottom. Villa looked strong in fourth as Arsenal had a major injury crisis. Everton had their own injury crisis, playing several games without a recognised striker. It didn’t hamper them as they remained unbeaten in 18 games, losing once only to a penalty to new world club champions, Man Utd.

In that period, it looked like Liverpool had lost their chance to take hold of the division as too many draws were costing them. Utd looked supreme, being several points ahead with games in hand over their nearest rivals.

However, all that was to change as a humiliating 4-1 defeat to second placed Liverpool at Old Trafford was followed by a 2-0 loss against Fulham. Liverpool then snuck a win in the last minute against Fulham themselves and they were two points clear at the top, although Utd had two games in hand. But it still looked like Liverpool would hold onto top place as the next day in Utd’s game against Villa, they were losing 2-1 at home with just eleven minutes left. But Utd’s class managed to overhaul that and win 3-2 thanks to a last minute goal by a seventeen year old Italian, to return to the top. Exciting stuff.

As the season approaches its climax, we are finally getting an idea of where many teams will finish. The current top four of Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal will likely remain that way. Neither Villa (5th) nor Everton (6th) have the resources to mount a serious challenge to break that elite group, although both will of course try. The battle for fifth will go to the wire, and I think Villa might just sneak it. The game at Villa Park in mid April maybe the decider for that.

Relegation wise, West Brom looked doomed. The other two clubs currently in the bottom three, Newcastle and Middlesboro, look like they have the strength to stay up, but of course there are still many over clubs that could yet get sucked in. Even though Newcastle legend Alan Shearer has taken the reigns at St James’ Park as manager, I don’t think this latest Messiah has what it takes to rescue this poor Newcastle team.

Mid table will be dominated by underachievers such as Spurs and Man City. Both have spent heavily, but neither have a strong team spirit. You only have to look at the likes of Jo to realise this. Bought by Man City for a cool £19 million last summer, he has struggled and so went out on loan to Everton for the remainder of the season. He wants now wants to stay at Everton rather than return to the cold team spirit of Man City. Whether Everton will be able to afford him is another matter. But it just goes to show, money cannot buy everything.

Of course, over achievers with the likes of Wigan and West Ham look set to finish strongly, but even they have to be careful to be pulled back into the relegation battle. A couple of losses there could see them in dangerous territory.

Many Premiership marketers claim that the Premiership is the best league in the world. Based on this season, they may be right, but in my opinion, there are only seven or eight good teams in it, the rest being a much of a muchness. The rest of the season will be interesting to watch, and finally we may see a great finish to a season.

Richard Hull is the site owner of Blargins’ Injury Time [http://www.blargins.com] a light hearted look at Everton FC and general football.

Author: Richard Hull
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Most parents don’t complain, and are more likely to leave the team if they are unhappy with how things are handled. So, it is good to have parents who will bother to give you feedback (even if it can be painful to hear).

Most of the time, this feedback is well-intentioned – and the parent simply wants an explanation for what has happened or wants to offer some suggestions about alternative ways to do things. Most of the time, this advice is well-intentioned (and the parent had no desire whatsoever to take over the team – or to try to order you around).

What parents want

Most parents have two objectives when they sign the child up: for the child to succeed and for the child to be happy. If you praise the child in front of the parent, you can rest assured that the child will give you a big grin – and you earn points in both columns. Do this as often as you can – and you will keep gripes to a minimum.

Any time that you start resenting the time that it takes to give this positive feedback, tell yourself that you could easily be spending double this time – and a lot less happily – talking to just one upset parent! In short, a good soccer coach makes the parents believe that they have wonderful, successful and happy offspring – which causes the parents to believe that the coach must be an absolutely brilliant judge of children.

Time to discuss problems

But, of course, you cannot please all of the people all of the time – and you may end up with a complainer or advice-giver despite your best efforts. If this happens, listen briefly to find out what the problem is, then schedule a time to talk about it. NEVER discuss any serious problem right before a drill session (or before a game). You have work to do, and don’t need the distractions (and certainly don’t need to be upset yourself if any harsh things are said).

Furthermore, if the parent is really upset, you don’t want any confrontation to occur in front of your players or other parents. So, set the discussion for the end of drill practice – or schedule a time to call the parent later (if this is something where the child does not need to hear the conversation).

NEVER discuss any problems or complaints right after a game. If a parent comes to you with a complaint right after a game, make up any excuse that you can and get out of there. Usually, these complaints come after a hard game and a hard loss, when everyone is upset. Give everyone time to cool off – so that things are not said which are regretted later.

Soccer coaching communication skills

When you do talk to the parent, listen carefully to the parent’s problem. Be calm. Try to get them to see things from your point of view. If at all possible, lavish some praise on the child during the meeting (remember parental objectives). Try to verify their reports that the child is unhappy (for instance, some parents want their child to be the goal-scoring star, while the child truly is happiest as a keeper or sweeper).

Volunteer to have a meeting with the parent and the child to talk about the situation. If the child truly is upset (for instance, he wants to be a forward, while you have rotated him to the back because he sorely needs to develop some defensive skills), talk about why you think that this is best. Usually you will be able to resolve complaints by open communication, and a calm approach to the problem.

Involve the club

However, some parents simply will not be satisfied, no matter what you do. This happens quite commonly with parents who were athletes, and ended up with non-athletic children, where it is easier to cast blame than to face reality about the child’s lack of skill and talent. If it is clear that you are not getting anywhere, suggest that you set up a joint meeting with club officials to talk about the problem. In the meantime, call the club to give them a “heads-up” that they might hear from this parent, if it appears that the parent is truly irate.

If worse comes to worse, take heart that “parents-from-hell” tend to stick around for only a short time. Usually, you will find that they have been very unhappy with every coach whom their child has ever had – so they go back in the pool every season. In fact, don’t be surprised if, when you call the club, you hear a large sigh come out of the phone – along with a comment of “Oh, no. Not them again.”

Author: Stewart Coggin
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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The Arsenal tickets that you find online might be appealing to your choice of games, but you will need to take care that you choose the games that you attend wisely. High profile games will be more expensive and tickets will be sparser, while lower profile games might be more affordable and easier to get tickets for. Arsenal Gunners are one of the Premier League’s finest teams, playing in their brand new stadium, known as the Emirates. The team is one of the most popular in the league and is one of London’s finest, which says quite a bit considering the number of teams that London has to choose from. The English fans take their football very seriously, and you need to make sure that you get your tickets early and purchase them from the team you intend to support.

Arsenal FC Tickets – It’s Not Difficult To Get Your Hands On A Pair!

Arsenal tickets are still available, and can be purchased for all of their games for the season. They have many different rivalries coming up, and if you wait you might miss out. You should make sure that you are able to qualify to buy tickets, because there are some instances where the teams actually require you to meet certain criteria before you can buy them. It’s not difficult to get your hands on a pair of Arsenal tickets, but you just need to know how to buy tickets to football matches in the UK, because it’s not like other sporting events.

Arsenal Football Tickets – Watch & Enjoy!

The Arsenal tickets that you find will vary in price and location, depending on how much you have to spend. If you’re looking for a once in a lifetime experience, you’ll want to spend more on your tickets so that you can get the best seats in the house. However, if you’re looking to just get to a game and are on a budget, you can also find many affordable seats to choose from. Going to a football match for your favourite team can be an exciting experience. Whether you live down the road or across the pond, you will need to arrange the proper transportation as well. Fortunately, there are many taxis to transport people to the games, along with hotels situated close to the stadiums in London so that everyone can get to the game with ease. Once you have decided which match you would like to attend, visit an online broker who will be able to assist you with your search for Arsenal tickets.

If you want to find out more about Arsenal tickets [http://www.secureyourseat.com/arsenal-tickets-c-627.html] or any other football tickets [http://www.secureyourseat.com] you can secure your seat at the football match of your choice by visiting SecureYourSeat.com today.

Author: Daniel Lacey
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The Mundialito or Copa D’Oro was the forerunner to the Confederations Cup. The Artemio Franchi Trophy, contested between 1985 and 1993 between the winners of the European Football Championships and the Copa America is thought of as a precursor to the Confederations Cup and was effectively replaced by the tournament in the same way that the Intercontinental Cup club tournament preceded the FIFA Club World Cup.

If the World Champion is also the winner of its confederation championship, then the World Cup runner-up also plays in the Confederations Cup, making up the eight teams. To illustrate, Brazil, the World Champion in 1995, with World Cup runner-up, Germany had qualified. Brazil then won the Copa America and vacant eighth spot was given to Argentina, runner-up in the Copa America.

On three occasions teams have declined to participate in the tournament. UEFA Euro 1996 winner, Germany, did not play in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup and was replaced by the Czech Republic, the runner up in that tournament. France, 1998 FIFA World Cup winner, declined to participate in the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup and was replaced by Brazil, the 1998 World Cup runner-up and 1997 Cop America champion. Germany, the FIFA 2002 World Cup runner-up, declined to take part in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup and was replaced by Turkey, who won third place in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

The tournament was originally called the Intercontinental Championship or King Fahd Cup and was held in Saudi Arabia. It was played in 1992 and 1995 between the Saudi national team and certain continental champions. In 1997 FIFA became the organisers of the renamed FIFA Confederations Sup, which took place every two years. After 2005 the Confederations Cup will be held every four years, one year prior to the FIFA World Cup in the host country of the forthcoming World Cup. It is seen as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup and makes use of about half of the stadia which will be used in the following year.

This year’s Confederation Cup will give host country, South Africa, a vital taste of international competitive football which takes place during the friendly matches before the actual Cup.

Opinion by Robert Wilson

CEO, Magic Marketing.co.za & Travel in South Africa.net

Specialist Tour and Transport Operators, Johannesburg, South Africa

Robert has been in the Advertising and Marketing industry since 1882. He owned an advertising agency and then, for a new challenge, began a bus company in Johannesburg.
He now consults and promotes tourism to South Africa.
Robert has an MBA in Marketing from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Author: Robert John Wilson
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One winner of the transfer window that we recognized was Aston Villa. They did not make many signings but the one they did make was signing Emile Heskey from Wigan Athletic for only £3.5million. While Heskey was in the last year of his contract and Wigan Athletic were looking to cash in on him, one still cannot deny the fact that bringing in a veteran, experienced striker like Emile Heskey for that price is a steal. Another move that we felt was important and beneficial was one that they did not make. Real Madrid expressed great interested in winger Ashley Young. However Aston Villa refused to give up their 23-year-old player unless they received an astronomical amount, which they knew Real Madrid wouldn’t pay.

One of the losers that we recognized was Wigan Athletic. While they did bring in talented players like Hugo Rodallega and Charles N’Zogbia, they sold two important players in Emile Heskey and Wilson Palacios. Although they knew they weren’t going to re-sign Heskey to a new contract, you might as well hold onto him and see how high up you can go in the table (Currently 7th) rather than cashing in on him for £3.5 million. The biggest reason however we considered them losers was because of the sale of Wilson Palacios. The 24-year-old midfielder is incredibly talented and could’ve really helped out Wigan down the stretch. One of the bright few bright spots for Wigan Athletic in January was holding onto their other young star, 23-year-old Luis Antonio Valencia.

Although we saw top of the line players like Andrei Arshavin and Robbie Keane move onto different teams, the best acquisition we recognized was the signing of Shay Given by Manchester City. Shay Given is one of the top goalkeepers in the Premiership and Manchester City got him for what is believed to be around £6-8 million, a huge steal. Yes Manchester City will be paying Given huge amounts in wages but it is still better than paying an insane amount for guys like Iker Casillas or Gianluigi Buffon. If it wasn’t for the signing of Craig Bellamy for over £10 million, we would’ve considered Manchester City a transfer winner.

We are sure many people have different ideas or viewpoints on who should be the winner, loser, or best acquisition in the January transfer window, and we would gladly like to hear them. Visit our website and be sure to express your viewpoints. Thanks for reading.

Christopher Miller

[http://www.EPLTransferRumors.com]

Find out all the latest transfer rumors involving your favorite English Premier League teams

Author: Christopher James Miller
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The Liverpool playing ‘thug’ was due to face court just a few days ago, where the Southport court magistrates’ heard him plead guilty to several charges of assault and affray. Steven Gerrard was not alone though, he was accompanied by his two associates, Ian Smith and John Doran, who both participated in the so called ‘assault’.

The three were allegedly involved in a major night club brawl near to the end of December, in Steven Gerrard’s local area, Huyton, Southampton. The event that took place involved six men including the Liverpool player, and the consequence was one man needing hospital care to recover from his injuries.

It is definitely not over for the Liverpool star yet though, as Steven Gerrard and his two companions will be facing trial again on March 20, for their final hearing.

At 28, Steven Gerrard is currently at his prime, playing better than ever before, but the exposure throughout the nationwide press is only like to demolish his public perception. Up until recent events Steven Gerrard has been labeled a rock within a team and an asset to any football club, and now he is labeled as irresponsible and a common thug.

It definitely put a downer on Steven Gerrard’s awesome week, which saw him score two out of five goals in the Newcastle battle, which saw Liverpool beat the team 5-1.

It will be interesting to see how the perception of him as a player and star will pan out depending on the verdict at his trial. A guilty verdict could see him disappearing into obscurity. Or will his reputation see him hanging on until the public’s view of the current events disappear into history, as has happened to so many other celebrities that have fallen foul of the law?

Keep up to date with the latest news and information as it is reported on the Steven Gerrard website.

Author: Guy Draper
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On the other hand, Giggs has expressed that he enjoys his new role in the team as a winger and he feels great with his team right now. Nobody knows yet what will be Gigs decision at the end of the season, but everybody hopes he will take the best one for him.

For the moment, the veteran player is focused on helping and leading the team to stay in the top of the standings. For the following game against West Brom, which is currently at the bottom of the table and is looking to survive in the top flight, Giggs stated that his team United has to see its contender as a difficult and strong one even though it is not at the top, because he affirms that at the end of the season every team is fighting for something, whether it is the championship title, not getting relegated or for a place in the UEFA Cup; whatever the reason is, each game counts for everyone.

For Giggs, West Brom is a good squad that can complicate things to United. During the last game against West Brom, even though United ended with a 4-0 victory, the result obtained does not mean that it was an easy game, by the contrary; they had to fight hard to achieve it.

“They outplayed us at times in the first half with their passing and movement and kept it at 0-0 until half-time. They’re on a good run at the moment, especially at home, and they’re a team that likes to play football. So it’ll be a tough game. We’re just focused on getting the three points and staying top. Once you hit the front you want to stay there and that’s definitely our aim,” stated the experienced footballer.

This game will be held on Tuesday February 27th at Hawthorns Stadium. We wish the best for Manchester United and their veteran player, who has gained a respectful image on the club and has become one of the best players in the history of English Football. Under his belt, Giggs has attained plenty of honours, such as 10 Premier League Championships, four FA Cups, two UEFA Champions League titles and two League Cups since he started his professional career at United. Giggs owns also the record of the most appearances with the Manchester United, with a total of 759.

Ally White is a top senior copy writer for the English Premier League games as well as the sports industry. Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.

Author: Ally White
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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“So far we have done things well, but looking into future, this is useless. Since the begging of football, no team became champion in the month of January, so much remains to be done,” he said.

While ten points ahead of Sevilla, and twelve in front of Real Madrid, Guardiola confessed that Barca have been lucky in some games but overall it was the hard work of entire team that lead to such a remarkable success. The coach continued with remark that the lead itself only serves as a statistical number and “it`s something for the press to write about” and pointed out to months of February, March and April as the crucial ones.

Guardiola also called for respect for all future FC Barcelona opposition as any team in Spanish Primera is capable of creating an upset. And Barca had their fair share of upsets in last two season.

The manager also reflected at victory of his team over Villarreal (1-2). He concluded that his team was too bold by launching the attacks in the final minutes and with a player less in field.

Guardiola also celebrated the return of Andres Iniesta to his team. A player who already recovered from his injury, but was left aside for the last match just to be safe. Pep Guardiola also commented that Albert Jorquera, FC Barcelona third choice goalkeeper, will not leave the club. “As of today, he`s still with us,” he said.

If you are interested in rest of the news you can visit FC Barcelona forum for more detailed information about the players and the staff.

Goran Maric

http://www.barcaforum.com/

Author: Goran Maric
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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Sam Alladyce sees the Trotters visit for his first game at Ewood Park. Having just sacked Paul Ince this week after losing 6 games on the spin, Blackburn will be looking to kick start the relegation battle with a win.

Stoke having not got a win in the last 6 away games will be in a scrap for sure with Blackburn. I see this as a must win home game for Blackburn and with the new manager in charge, his player will be looking to impress. Looks like that Blackburn will go back to the old hard to beat style under Mark Hughes.

Game Prediction: Blackburn Win 2:1

Bolton Vs Portsmouth

The game at the Reebok sees Portsmouth on their travels up north. They will be looking to bounce back from their heavy defeat to Newcastle. Having just accepted a £24 million midfielder from Real Madrid, Diarra will be most likely rested as they wouldn’t want their prized asset injured.

With Bolton having lost their last 2 home games, Gary Megson will be looking for some spirit in his team against a Pompy team low on confidence after their defeat.

I see Bolton winning this match and increasing even more pressure on the newly appointed Pompy Manager.

Game Prediction: Bolton win 2:0

Fulham Vs Middlesborough

With 4 draws in the last 4 games Fulham will be looking for 3 points. Under Roy Hodgson, Fulham have slowly improved to get to a mid table position this season.

And Middlesborough having not got a win in the last 5 matches will be eager to for a win on their travels in London.

Game Prediction: Draw 0:0

Hull City Vs Sunderland

With Hull City getting a valuable point at Anfield last weekend, they will be looking for a better return at home against Sunderland. Hull looking like a true expansive premiership footballing side, with intricate passing moves played outstandingly well against table topers Liverpool. And then played doggedly, with a backs to the wall job, in the second half to get the richly deserved point
Sunderland scoring 4 goals past a hapless west Brom will be also be keen to get something from this game. They will be looking to impress their temporary boss, and maintain their form in to this game.

Game Prediction: Hull Win 2:0

Make cheap calls to France, Australia, China, India, USA 07744

Author: Ryan Sharp
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I just want to put it this way that not all internet business that bring in money into your pocket but I’ve found out that there are still hundred of websites on the internet where you can make more money with peace of mind.

I decided to share this information with you and I know you will love me for doing this.

First and foremost, I know that many people will never believe that it is possible to make money online with no risk involve, but in a few minutes from now you too will be among those that are making online risk-free money for real!

I’m not a guru but ordinary guy like, just making a little buck here and there and at the end of each month when I put everything together, it become a substantial income.

How much money would you invest into something if you knew that there was absolutely no risk and you were guaranteed to make a profit? OK, you probably think that such a thing does not exist, but it does!

Enough of talk, let go into money making secret, that I’ve discovered and want to share it with you and others.

1) Your ability to spot “odds” for football trading:

1 X 2

2.55 3.25 2.65
2.50 3.18 2.50
2.75 3.45 2.60
2.60 3.5 2.55
2.70 3.20 2.70

2) Your ability to use the Automated Spreadsheet.

The automated spreadsheet do all the manual hard work of calculating how much to place for your 3 possible bets (Bet 1, Bet X, Bet 2) and also tells you how much profit you have made.

3) Your ability to rightly place your trade

Most people wondered and never believe it’s possible to place 3 bets for a single football match using one reputable sportsbook (bookmaker) and still be able to make a nice profit every month. I never blame them for there unbelief because this’s a secret known to few.

Let’s see an example:

Bet on home team to win
Bet on draw
Bet on away team to win
And no matter the outcome you still make profit.

You can still make profit whichever way you place your bet. Lets take for example a trade
on a match that has this kind of odds…..

2.55 3.25 2.65

If i should place like $50 on it…..you profit no matter the outcome

Note that football trading is not for the slothful because you must be online to trade everyday…. Thanks!

Harry Okoyibo

Stop this madness of buying every kind of e-books, reports, materials that comes your ways, when you can get it for free [http://fantasyfootballtrading.com]

Author: Harry Okoyibo
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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The current financial meltdown on a worldwide scale has pushed the Royal Bank of Scotland to start pressuring the two owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, to repay their initial loan of £350m, which was used to purchase the club a while back.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum the rulers in Dubai have had a keen interest in Liverpool Football Club for the past couple of years, which eventually led to them placing an offer of £500m not so long ago, which was of course, denied. Maybe the two owners are wishing they had accepted the offer!

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum have now expressed that they are not in a position or interested in buying the club anymore, although the offer of £350m may tempt them back into the bidding race, a full £150m below what they previously offered.
The uncertainty behind the Liverpool team could have devastating effects and could see them in financial ruin in the long term.

The current owners have decided not to release details on their current financial situation or future plans of the Club. This being said, investment analysts are in a strong position to suggest that the club will be sold off, and they’ll be no problem finding a buyer, its just a case of at what price!

http://www.stevengerrard.info and http://www.diegomaradona.info

The best resources for information on the latest and upcoming news releases relating to football

Author: Grant Alexander Draper
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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Bayern Munich, unfortunately, defeated Hoffenheim on Friday 2-1, even after Hoffenheim netted the first goal via Ibisevic in the 49th minute. Bayern responded in the 60th and then in extra time to secure three points and a heart-breaking defeat for the newly promoted side. Despite the loss, Hoffenheim proved their legitimacy, perhaps not for the title per se, but at least it conveys that they can compete with the league’s strongest opponents.

Ultimately, though, who knows what exactly will happen concerning Hoffenheim. Will they maintain their blistering form? Can they? Generally, these fairytale beginnings are only transient, at best, and the lack of depth within the squad becomes evident in the upcoming winter months. Wigan, in their first year in the EPL, conformed to this scenario and eventually finished mid-table. But, once again, the future is uncertain for Hoffenheim and if they can keep healthy and proficient in front of the net, then maybe, they can contend for Europe and thus, achieve a remarkable feat in contemporary football.

By Alex Baker at [http://footyrumors.com]

Author: Alex Baker
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The ground’s nickname is the Theatre Of Dreams.

Old Trafford has been Manchester United’s home since 1910, with the exception of an eight-year period from 1941 to 1949, when it was bombed in the second world war. During that period United played their ‘home’ games at the ground of their rivals, Manchester City – at a financial cost of course. They had to pay City for the privilege consisting of a flat fee, and a gate percentage.

Old Trafford’s current capacity is over 76,000. It’s hoped that in time it will expand even further to 90,000 with greater capacity in the South Stand.

The ground has frequently hosted FA Cup semi-final matches as a neutral venue and several England international fixtures while the new Wembley Stadium was under construction. Before Wembley Stadium was built in 1923 the FA Cup Finals were played around the country, with Old Trafford hosting several of these.

Manchester United were formerly called Newton Heath, but it was decided in 1909 to build a new stadium. Designed by Scottish architect Archibald Leitch, the ground featured seating in the south stand under cover, while the remaining three stands were uncovered terraces.

In 1965 the old roof pillars were replaced with modern-style cantilevering on top of the roof, allowing all spectators a completely unobstructed view. This was an important step, as the World Cup was to be staged in the UK in the following year, 1966. Old Trafford was one of the venues used for the tournament.

By the 1980′s the capacity had dropped to around 60,000 due to all the improvements in the ground. The capacity dropped still further in 1990, when the Taylor Report recommended, for safety reasons, and with the Government’s agreement, that all stadia be converted to all-seaters.

Old Trafford’s most recent expansion, which took place between July 2005 and May 2006, saw an increase of around 8,000 seats with the addition of second tiers to both the north-west and north-east sections of the ground.

Further redevelopments saw United buy up additional land round about.

The Old Trafford pitch is now surrounded by four covered all-seater stands, officially known as the North, East, South and West Stands. The West End is the ‘Stretford End’ where the diehard, most vocal, United fans sit.

On 29 May 2008, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Manchester United’s first European Cup title, a statue of the club’s old stars of George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton, entitled “The United Trinity”, was unveiled across Sir Matt Busby Way from the East Stand.

The ground continues to break attendance records. The newer Emirates Stadium, home of Arsenal FC, has a lower capacity, just over 60,000. Only one football ground has a higher capacity than the Theatre of Dreams, and that’s at the new Wembley Stadium in London.

Manchester United supporters have an insatiable appetite for watching their team play. It seems that however big the ground gets, the seats will almost always be filled. That’s what success on the pitch does for this wonderful game, and this glorious team that is Manchester United.

Geoff Cummings maintains a blog at http://manunitedis1.blogspot.com – where updates on Manchester United`s fortunes are provided. Geoff also owns the site at http://www.ourhometools.com

Author: Geoff Cummings
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Therefore, what makes a good kit for football? There are some pointers to take note of when picking out your team’s kit. They are durability, performance, and the looks. These are the principal considerations to take note of as you select one which would distinguish your team from the crowd. Read on and be enlightened regarding these three important factors.

The kit’s durability. The football game lasts for a season and it is basically a long duration of time. Therefore, it would be useless to buy your kit and accessories which are crafted out of the fabric or material that is so dull and that which would easily wear and tear. The more modern ones are made of the fabric that capably stretches out instead of getting the tears right on the seams, the ones that bear more than enough sheen, and the ones that are stronger so that they don’t shrink when washed in the washing machine. You need to wash and wear it at times. You see, you get to play every week and a kit that can’t support the rigorous activity that you do would not be worth your money.

The kit’s performance quality. When it comes to performance, the brand name is important. There are numerous names that are popularly known worldwide. Many of them are official manufacturers of the football kits. The fabric that they use for the shirts are able to perform under various weather conditions. Even during frequent washing, the fabrics could get back to the normal size and take time to wear and tear. It is indeed necessary to choose the material of the kit especially that it gets in contact with the skin. Abrasions and other skin allergies may develop if the material is not of a topnotch caliber.

The kit’s looks. Those who know little about the kits for football would rather be taken by the good looks. However, someone who particularly has a good knowledge about them would surely realize that the looks should be the last priority. Yes, it could be really appealing especially to the crowd of cheerers but there are other more important factors to consider before this. Needless to say, studies show that the looks of the kit such as the shirt, boots, and the likes have an impact on the performance of the players. If they are confident and comfortable that they look pleasing with their kits, then they can do their share for fair play.

Thus, whether you play for a regional, national, or local football match, the choice of the football kit has an effective role to pursue for the victory and quality of play that each and everyone in the team can portray.

If you want to find out more about Football Kits, please visit Football Shirts Website for more information

Author: Soophott Lert
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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The football kit shops are all around and you can easily get the access to them. It would be best to pay these shops a visit so you can ask for the trusted recommendations of the salespeople.

Likewise, you have to take note of the very important pointers when choosing the material for your team’s uniform. Remember that the modern football uniforms have evolved and they are no longer the same as those which have existed five years ago. A couple of years ago, the uniforms were typically the plain looking blue jerseys with the white colored numbers matched with the simple white pants. However, times have changed and they have advanced into something cooler and newer.

Here are a few ideas to help you out in choosing your own football paraphernalia.

1. The fabric must be softer, more comfortable, and more functional.
2. Choose jerseys with longer lengths which can be tucked into the pants.
3. Get uniforms with more tapered and more contoured patterns.
4. Prefer the so-called “Lineman’s Cut” type of jerseys which hug the arms and the body.
5. Take a look at the contrasting inserts for the side or shoulder of the shirt.
6. Consider using the matching inserts to be placed on the pants.
7. Make use of multi-colored numbers, graphics, and some neck plackets.
8. Adopt the sleeve length that could either be equipped with or without the rib cuffs.

Basically, you could take a pick from an array of choices. You can express yourselves with the colors of your choice. More so, if you want to be truly unique, you might as well have your football uniforms and kits customized. You may opt for a more heavyweight and durable fabric, the use of the Lycra side inserts to make it more fitted to the body, and the pants that match the upper shirt with Lycra side inserts and other special effects. Overall, the football kit manufacturers have the technology to produce the orders according to the customers’ specifications while paying careful attention to the color, fabric, and other options.

In summary, the options are all available for you when it comes to deciding how your uniform and other kits would look like. The football kit shops make it possible for you to enjoy the game while showing off your jerseys and pants and other football accessories with pride. The salespeople in the shops are going to be of assistance to you so no need to worry!

If you want to find out more about football kits, please visit football shirts Website for more information.

Author: Soophott Lert
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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The spectacular stadium is the third largest in the country and it holds in the region of 45,000 spectators and was a staple venue for the 1998 World Cup when it was hosted by France.

About the club

The current Paris Saint Germain club has been around since 1970, although it was foundered (as Stade Saint Germain) way back in 1904. However, after a merger between FC Paris and Stade Saint Germain, the present day club was formed and its fortunes changed that same year when it went on to win the French second division title and gain promotion.

From that time to this it has remained in the premier French division and it has been one of the dominant forces in French football. To date, the nineteen nineties decade has seen the greatest period of prolonged success for Paris Saint Germain FC.

The first taste of success

Paris Saint Germain FC’s first prolific period of achievement covered the years from 1982 to 1986 during which time they achieved huge domestic success. They were Cup champions in both the 1982 and 1983 seasons and went on to be the League Champions for the 1985 to 1986 season.

This era saw the club chaired by Francis Borelli who took over the reigns in 1978 and retained them for thirteen seasons, finally departing in 1991. This era also saw some of the clubs greatest players, many of them household names in France, and they included the likes of Dominique Baratelli, Carlos Bianchi, Dominique Bathenay and Luis Fernandez.

Continued domestic success

The mid to late nineteen nineties probably proved the most successful and fruit full period in the clubs history and it saw the repeated filling of Paris Saint Germain FC’s trophy cabinet – at least on a domestic level.

This decade started off well with the club winning the French Cup in 1993 and in 1995 they achieved the double by claiming both the French Cup and the League Cup, a rare achievement.

Amazingly, a further double followed just three years later as 1998 saw them yet again take both the French Cup and League Cup titles and secure their dominance as France’s premier football team. During this mid to late nineteen nineties period the team boasted the names of Alain Roche, Ricardo Gomes, David Ginola and Bernard Lama to name but a few. The team also offered great pickings for the French National team in which many of Paris Saint Germain FC’s players were also stars.

International achievements,

The years of 1996 and 1997 saw Paris Saint Germain FC enjoying international success as they first won the European Cup Winners Cup In 1996 and then narrowly lost in the final the following year.

In 1996 they overcame Rapid Vienna 1-0, but the score line was reversed the following year in a close tussle against Spain’s FC Barcelona.

A new millennium for Paris Saint Germain FC

The start of the new millennium saw something of a slump, at least by the high standards of Paris Saint Germain FC, as titles initially eluded them.

Part of the reason for this was no doubt the aging and departure of many of their nineteen nineties stars and the building of a new and youthful team. The club had witnessed the most prolific trophy winning period of its history, but it was time for faces and feet to change and the transition saw a temporary lapse in the clubs trophy collecting ability.

You can read more about the Paris Saint Germain FC club at http://www.parisweekendbreak.net However, by 2006 the French cup was again in the trophy cabinet and the League Cup was to follow just two years later in 2008, seeing Paris Saint Germain FC regain their claim to be France’s top football team.

Author: Martin Lambert
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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Comfort should be considered in purchasing any kits associated with football. The size of the football shirts and jerseys are important because no one wants to feel uncomfortable with skin tight or very loose ones. Appropriate size will just make anyone so cool.

Choosing the right kit is a must in purchasing football gears. It is not that hard because of the many football shops that are available today. These shops provide a wide range of stuffs to choose from. Thus, everyone has so many options in choosing the best if not, the appropriate kit for them.

Budget should also be considered in purchasing football gears. It is unquestionable that some of the items associated with football are somehow expensive. But there are still some which are very affordable. So, just stick to what a certain budget can afford. After all, acquiring football gears are not the basic and necessary needs in life. Anyone can still breathe even without those gears.

It is undeniable that any football kit like a jersey can be personalized. Anyone can put his or her name on the football shirt. So, before purchasing, one should be decided already if what name to put on the kit. After selecting the preferred name, design and color, it would be much better to double check the selected item. Another thing to bear in mind is whether to have a long or short sleeve for the jerseys. Indeed, anyone can decide if what could be the design of his or her football kit.

And lastly, always put in mind that a purchased football kit should reflect the personality of the owner. Acquiring kits is a good way to express oneself. Thus, anyone can express their love and support to their favorite teams as well as football stars. After all, that is one of the very cores of football gears and equipment. One good tip in using the purchased kit is to use it with head up high. Always be proud of what kit you are wearing or using. There is no reason to be shy while wearing a kit associated with the most popular sport in the whole world. In fact, being a fan of football is already one thing anyone should be proud of.

Therefore, considerations must be taken wisely in purchasing excellent and high-quality football kits. It is because buying certain kits should not be done abruptly in order to acquire the best if not a well fabricated and designed kit. After all, there is no such thing as an easily purchased kit without thinking intelligently.

If you want to find out more about Football Kits , please visit Football Shirts Website for more information

Author: Soophott Lert
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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This article was written by an author at [http://www.footballnewsblog.co.uk], a leading source of football news, transfer rumours, match reports and general football information. If you are interested in football journalism, you are more than welcome to apply to join our writing team. You can apply via our website if you are interested in gaining some experience to start your journalism career, or even if you just love writing about football!

Author: Simon Pretswell
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Mainly Attacking

These days this is rare as most wingers have defensive duties. One example is Cristiano Ronaldo. He plays almost exclusively in attack. In fact, he often leaves holes in the Manchester United defence and is slow (perhaps lazy) to retreat.

This is one reason why he is often not deployed on the wing at all and due to his versatility he can still attack from elsewhere on the pitch.

Keep The Other Winger Outside

In some teams, the manager prefers that when the winger tracks back, to ensure that the opposing winger cannot cut inside and feed the midfield.

This does leave you vulnerable to crosses so your full backs must be very good at blocking such attacks.

Keep The Other Winger Inside

In some teams, it is quite the opposite. The focus is on keeping the wingers inside, especially if their main assets are speed and crossing but their midfield skills are sub-par.

Left Sided Player On The Left And Vice Versa

Most teams play in this manner. This allows for good crossing.

Left Sided Player On The Right And Vice Versa

Some teams play this way – often because they are forced to do so. One example is Joe Cole who played in the English left wing position – a position that England have long been looking for a naturally left footed player.

He scored a number of goals and made a big impact because his footwork is excellent and he regularly cut back into midfield and onto his favoured foot to cause trouble for opposing teams.

Ever thought about becoming a football manager yourself? Why not? Your only limit is your ambition. Discover how you can become a football manager at http://www.EliteSoccerCoach.com

Author: C Turner
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It is called “Derby della Madonnina” in honour of one of the main sights of the city of Milan, the statue of the virgin Mary – which is usually called “Madonnina.”

History and Rivalry

Milan were established in December 16, 1899 by former British vice-consul Alfred Edwards and were absorbed in nationalistic ideals which they wouldn’t allow any foreign player to become part of them.

In 1908, issues over the signing of foreign players kindled a rift inside the club and led to a split and the foundation of F.C. Internazionale Milano, which caused a historical rivalry between both clubs.

In the past, AC Milan was the working-class team and was supported mainly by workers and migrants from Southern Italy. Meanwhile, Inter was seen as the club of the Milan bourgeoisie, being of the property-owning class and exploitive of the working class.

However in the recent years this difference has broken down, since Milan is now owned by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Inter is owned by oil tycoon Massimo Moratti.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Milan derby saw the Dutch trio of Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard and Ruud Gullit played for AC Milan, while the German trio of Andreas Brehme, Jürgen Klinsmann and Lothar Matthäus wore the Inter colors.

This rivalry is mainly remembered for a famous 1990 World Cup incident, when Netherlands confronted Germany at the San Siro, home ground of Inter and Milan. The match ended in defeat for the Dutch as Rijkaard was saw red after spitting on German forward Rudi Völler. The Germans won 2-1 with two of the Inter players Klinsmann and Brehme scoring, a moral victory for Inter fans.

AC Milan, however, was the more dominant team both locally and internationally. They built a squad under Fabio Capello’s lead, later nicknamed as the invincibles, and reached the Champions League final three times in a row

On the other hand, Inter’s drought for a major title – their last major title was 1989 scudetto – ended in 2006 when the Calciopoli scandal stripped Juventus of the 2005-06 scudetto and handed it to the Nerazzurri. They has since clinched the 2007 Serie A title as well, with a record-breaking run of 17 consecutive victories.

The Most Infamous Match

It must be the second leg of the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League semifinal on April 12, 2005.

Milan were leading 1-0 (and 3-0 on aggregate) when Inter’s supporters became infuriated after a second-half Esteban Cambiasso leveler was controversially denied by referee Markus Merk.

Bottles and coins were thrown onto the pitch, but soon increased to lit flares and Milan keeper Dida, who was clearing bottles in order to take a goal kick, was hit by a flare on the back of his right shoulder.

The match was halted at the 74th minute and restarted after a thirty-minute delay. However, Dida was unable to continue, suffered bruising and first-degree burns to his shoulder, and was substituted by Christian Abbiati.

But the match was finally abandoned in less than a minute after more flares and debris rained down. AC Milan was awarded a 3-0 victory, totaling a 5-0 aggregate and moved to the final.

Meanwhile, Inter were fined ¬200,000 – the largest fine ever handed down by UEFA – and were ordered to play their first four Champions League matches behind closed doors in the 2005-06 season as punishment.

The Crossovers

Even though Derby della Madonnina is one of the most raging derby in Italy, but surprisingly both clubs do not forbid players exchange between them.

AC Milan players such as Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, Dario Simic and Giuseppe Favalli, all were played for Inter.

While Hernan Crespo is a former Rossoneri player in 2004/05 season. Patrick Vieira is also had a brief spell in 1995-96 with AC Milan, which he made only two Serie A appearances before moving to Arsenal.

AC Milan – Inter Milan players exchange during last decade:

2007/08: -

2006/07: Giuseppe Favalli Inter –> Milan

2005/06: Christian Vieri Inter –> Milan

2004/05: Paolo Sammarco Inter –> Milan

2003/04: Andres Guglielminpietro Milan –> Inter

2002/03: Thomas Helveg Milan –> Inter
Francesco Coco Milan –> Inter
Umit Davala Milan –> Inter
Clarence Seedorf Inter –> Milan
Dario Simic Inter –> Milan

2001/02: Andrea Pirlo Inter –> Milan
Cristian Brocchi Inter –> Milan

2000/01: -

1999/00: Giorgio Frezzolini Milan –> Inter
Taribo West Inter –> Milan

1998/99: Maurizio Ganz Inter –> Milan

Get more of your football news, reviews, articles and videos at FOOTBALL – Just Love The Game

Author: Mario Octavianus
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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Being initially called the Newton Health Y&R, it was said to be sponsored by a health club. Five European trophies have been credited to them ever since the club came into existence. This included one international cup, one European super cup, two European champion’s cup, one cup winner cup. They were bestowed with 12 domestic cups and 16 premier league cups too. They were also relevant in finding and establishing Europe’s G-14 football club. Malcolm Glazer who was an American businessman had invested on Manchester United in 2005. He had paid a staggering $1.47 billion just for a 28.7% share on the team. It was after a year long battle in the courts that he could ultimately get his hands on the team.

He had faced difficulties in claiming the club, due to the facts the takeover had made the club poorer by $850 million. Also he being a businessman, fans did not like the idea of a business man holding the reins of one of the most successful football clubs of the world. They had hoped for someone who had adequate knowledge about the sport to invest on the club. Escalating prices of the tickets also angered the fans as the club often received hefty sums from advertisements and sponsorship dealings. A vast majority of the fans even went to the extent of not renewing their season tickets for the forth coming matches of the Manchester United. Songs disrespecting Glazer and his sons can still be heard on many matches played by Manchester United.

Fans worldwide have been largely discontent by the takeover of the club by Malcolm Glazer. He had played significantly no role in the upcoming of the football club. His children were the ones who enjoyed director posts of the club for sometime. Despite these shortcomings, the club has surged forward under his guidance. He had spent quite large sums of money on the club and even more in roping the world’s best football players into the club. The club had won two major cups in 2008 itself, the English Premier League and UEFA Champions League. It is to be noted that the Glazer group does not interfere with the daily business dealings of Manchester united and have left such activities to David Gill, the chief executive of Manchester united. Steep increase in the prices of the tickets had prompted many faithful followers to stay away from the club matches.

Majid Al Ahmedi is an experienced football writer and webmaster. You can visit his Man United fan site for more news and discussion about Manchester United and English football.

Author: Majid Al Ahmedi
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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However, mistrust started unnerving in September 2006, with Brazil’s president admitting the country did not have the stadiums to host the event.

Brazil was the only country on the continent which said it wanted to hold the event and why not? They have plenty of space, many live out of football and a possibility of many investors.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said his country will need to build at least 12 FIFA approved new stadiums if it plans on hosting the 2014 World Cup. “We don’t have any stadium which is in a condition to host World Cup games,” Lula said during a speech. “We’re going to have to build at least 12 new stadiums in this country.”

Far be it from us to question a president, but surely a couple of Brazil’s existing stadiums could be renovated sometime during the next six years. We also wonder how he came up with the number 12? While Germany had 12 stadiums in 2006, South Africa will have 10 venues in 2010.

The stadiums are only a part of the equation. Anyone who has lived through a World Cup can tell you that the investment in infrastructure to support the visitors is tremendous. They will plough money into infrastructure, accommodation, travel, tourism and facilities to cater for this.

Flights and accommodation will have to be increased dramatically, as well to supply for the influx of people that will be coming from all over the world!!! We are surely looking at a few hundred thousand alone each week? Also, this will draw in a lot of overseas investors and companies into Brazil, as well as real estate investors who ride on the backs of big worldwide events like this!!!

Now, we believe it is possible for this Billion dollar investment to take place, their economy has been
pretty steady the past years, but top official says Brazil is more than a year behind schedule in its construction projects for the 2014 football World Cup.

The president of SINAENCO, a Brazilian architectural and engineering association, says the government must improve its efforts or risk losing investment and the chance at hosting future events.

“Brazil is more than a year behind,” Jose Roberto Bernasconi said recently at SINAENCO’s annual meeting. “The authorities have to get involved.” Bernasconi says the World Cup will “promote Brazil and attract more investment in the future.” But all that is at risk if construction deadlines are not met.

Brazil hosted the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro last year without major glitches. Brazil is bidding for the 2016 Olympics, which also would take place in Rio, therefore they are looking forward in getting back full or even investment at long term. Looks pretty simple on paper, yet better tangible.

Chuck Berkley is a true fan and sports writer UEFA Champions League reviews and Sports Betting. Feel free to reprint this article in its whole on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.

Author: Chuck Berkley
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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From the immediate rebound performance of Arsenal, I am very positive that the young players are surely the hot contender for the English Premier Title this season. The young age and energy are the strength of this young team. They can beat any team in the league at their good form. However, they have to be focus which is their weakest link. Most of the players have played together for quite sometime and can gel well. After the loss to Fullham last week, they have learned the lesson well and beaten Twente in Champion League Group match during the mid week followed by a emphatic win over New Castle 3 – 0 this weekend.

Chelsea, on the other hand, has shown sign of fatigue after three matches. The first match was a fantastic one with 4 -0 win over Portsmouth, followed by another win 1 – 0 at Wigan but they only managed to draw with Tottenham 1 -1 at home this weekend. Well, thing will not look good for them if they continue to lose point like that at home…..

Manchester United has to decide their emphasis on which title they want….The mid week result did not go well for them when they lost to St. Petersburg 1 -2 in their Champion League Group match. It is not going to be easy to get the double titles again in this season.

At this early stage, it is still too early to predict which team will be the winner for EPL this season. However, if I have to pick one team it has to be Arsenal to win this season!

Be my guest and place your prediction. Visit my blog at the link below.

You are welcome to post your comments, views, predictions, etc… at my blog. http://footballclub-liverpool.blogspot.com/

Author: Andrew B K Tan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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Since it’s conception in 1998 a total of seventeen football clubs have competed in the Scottish Premier League, but only two of them have won the championship title, these are Celtic – six times, and Rangers – four times.

The Scottish League system is devised of four leagues, The Scottish Premier League, First Division, Second Division and Third Division. The inception of the Scottish Premier League came about following an earlier example in England where they had created a similar Premier League, the decision to follow suit was fuelled by a desire among the top level clubs to retain more of the revenue generated by the game. Before the creation of the Scottish Premier League, sponsorship money was divided proportionally between clubs in all the divisions of league football, once the Premier League was formed this was no longer the case and they now receive a larger proportion of revenue due in part to better television broadcast deals.

There are twelve teams in the Scottish Premier League, and they play in a ‘split league format’ through the season. What this means is that each team plays every other team 3 times – either two home games and one away game, or one home game and two away games bringing it to a total of thirty three games per team. Then the division is split with the top six teams and the bottom six teams going on to play a further five matches against other teams in their half of the league, taking the total games played by each team to 38 matches. What this means is that because the top teams matches are often harder to win, the seventh team in the league (the team at the top of the second half of the league), often has more points than the teams who place fifth and sixth because of their final five games being easier.

Points are scored through the season on a win/draw/lose basis with three points being awarded for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a lost game. It is these points which determine the position in the league for the first part of the season, and then within each half for the second part of the season. The team at the top of the league table at the end of the season win the championship. The team at the bottom of the table are relegated to the Scottish First Division, and the top team from the Scottish First Division are promoted into the Premier League in their place. Occasionally the team at the top of the Scottish First Division don’t meet the criteria regarding their stadium, in which case, no relegation or promotion occurs that year.

For details on the Scottish Premier League and other football news please visit our community.

Author: Amber Mike Hall
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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