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Same Again In Shanghai
2008-09-13 10:36:00
There was no Shanghai Surprise. The only surprise was that some thought it was going to be any different. It could have been worse though, that was the one consolation for the few South Korea n fans who, late Wednesday evening, had sat through a typically turgid Korean Derby. 1-1 was the score between the near neighbors in their 2010 World Cup qualification match in China.There were less than 1,000 fans present in Shanghai's Hongkou Stadium - a far cry from the 25,000 plus that watched March's match. Apart from the loss of the novelty factor as well as the will to live, the main reason for the difference in the fact that North Korea hiked ticket prices by around 500% for the cheapest tickets -the 'hosts'(the game had been moved from Pyongyang to Shanghai after communist authorities in North Korea refused to fly the southern flag and play the anthem) didn't want their fans to be as heavily outnumbered as before.The tie was the fourth straight stalemate between the two rivals in 2...

Premiership Betting Sept 13 2008
2008-09-13 10:32:00
The English Premiership returns this weekend after an exciting week of World Cup qualifiers.The top two matches on the card this weekend are two games in the North West of England.The EPL's two richest clubs Manchester City and Chelsea meet at the "Middle Eastlands" and a draw looks like a good bet, with Brazilian Robinho making his debut for City and the home players keen to impress the new owners after the recent Sheikh-up in the boardroom.Over at Anfield, Liverpool face Manchester United in the hate-filled "Red Derby." Dimitar Berbatov makes his debut for United and Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are back for Liverpool, but anything other than a draw, possibly scoreless, looks unlikely.In other games, we're tipping Hull to cause an upset and take a point from crisis-club Newcastle at St. James' Park and for Arsenal to end their run of bad results at Ewood Park with an away win against Blackburn, who's coach Paul Ince might be persuaded by the job vacancy in the North East...
More About: English Premier League , Sept , 2008

Shimizu S-Pulse Fans
2008-09-13 09:55:00
Shimizu S-Pulse fans are some of the best in the J-League - friendly, vocal and loyal. They turn up in numbers both home and away.S-Pulse are having a poor season in the league this year and lost this match away to Nagoya Grampus at the Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya.Look out for the woman falling off her seat about 60 seconds in.Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer NewsSoccer betting tipsSoccer Books & DVDsTagsJ-League S-Pulse Grampus
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Report cards are in as the J. League approaches its final term
2008-09-12 08:48:00
With the international break yielding a positive result for Japan and the autumn leaves starting to make their first appearances on the tree-lined avenues surrounding the National Stadium, attention now turns to the business end of the J. League season.Five teams are still in with a genuine chance of lifting the trophy, but northern outfit Consadole Sapporo are certainly not one of them. News that the J. League is considering switching to a European-aligned, winter-based calendar will have gone down like a lead balloon in Sapporo, where Consadole habitually spend their summers in the open-air surrounds of Atsubetsu Stadium. The Hokkaido side have been luckless at their traditional summer home this season, and they currently sit bottom of the table, with last season's J2 champions set to make a swift return to the Second Division.Fellow northern outfit Albirex Niigata have also struggled in 2008. They may be the second-best supported team in the league - only Urawa Reds draw larger ...
More About: Report , J-League , Final , Cards

2010 World Cup Qualifiers - Sept 10
2008-09-11 04:49:00
On an evening of shock results for away teams in the European zone for qualification for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, England, Scotland, Denmark, and yes, Luxembourg all beat tough teams away.England, were a different proposition this time around at the Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb, beating Croatia 4-1, thanks to a Theo Walcott hat-trick and a goal from Wayne Rooney. Scotland won on the road in Iceland 2-1, with goals from Kirk Broadfoot and Barry Robson in Rejkyavik. The biggest shock on a night that saw Denmark beat Portugal 3-2 at the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon was Luxembourg's 2-1 win over Switzerland at the Letzigrund Stadion in Zurich. Joint Euro 2008 hosts Austria also came down to earth after their 3-1 win over France in Vienna, when they lost 2-0 away to Lithuania, who have taken a maximum six points from their first two games.In other results, a Miroslav Klose hat-trick saved Germany from defeat in Finland with the game ending in a 3-3 tie.France beat Serbia 2-1...
More About: Results , Sept

Shanghai Surprise? Not Likely...
2008-09-08 14:01:00
South Korea restarts its journey on the road to South Africa and the 2010 World Cup tonight in Shanghai . Pyongyang was supposed to be the location but the qualifier against North Korea has been moved to China as the communist authorities in the DPRK capital refused to fly the Taegukki or play the Aegukga. It is the final round of qualification for the quadrennial football-fest. South Korea has participated in the last six tournaments and failure to make it a magnificent seventh doesn?t bear thinking about for footy-lovers in a nation that is currently bananas about baseball. The loss of prestige, sponsorships, experience, money and jobs would hit Korean football hard. Ten Asian nations, in football terms this includes Australia, have been split into two groups of five. The top two in each group automatically book their berths in South Africa. The two third-place teams face each other for the right to take on Oceania?s representative, probably New Zealand, in a winners-takes-all play...
More About: South Korea

World Cup 2010 Qualifiers September 6
2008-09-07 06:42:00
On a busy day of World Cup 2010 qualifiers around the world, there were mixed results for teams from the British Isles. England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland all won, while Scotland and Northern Ireland lost tough matches in the heat of Eastern Europe.England struggled to overcome the minnows of Andora 2-0 in Barcelona, Wales edged 10-man Azerbaijan 1-0 in Cardiff, and Ireland beat war-affected Georgia in neutral Mainz.Germany and Portugal showed England how it's done with the smaller teams by thrashing Liechtenstein 6-0 and Malta 4-0 away respectively and there were hard-fought wins for Italy, Spain and Ukraine in their opening matches.The biggest shocks were losses for France 3-1 away to Austria in Vienna and a 3-0 drubbing for Romania at home to Lithuania.In Asia there were impressive away wins for Japan and North Korea in the Middle East while Saudi Arabia and Iran shared the points in Riyadh with a 1-1 draw.In South America, Argentina drew 1-1 at home to group leaders Par...
More About: World Cup 2010 , September

Let's kick money out of football
2008-09-05 15:54:00
Some nuts think the world will be no more in 2012 (hopefully after the Olympics is over), but for English football?s traditions the end is nigh once more after Tuesday.The shock-horror arrival of Arab billions at Manchester City, followed by their first trophy, Robinho, was mirrored by two old-style English managers, Alan Curbishley and Kevin Keegan, exiting stage left.The Sky-fuelled Premier League has been chipping away at the soul of the game since it started in 1993.Beloved stadium names have been replaced by here-today, gone-tomorrow sponsor labels, ticket prices have shot up astronomically, the title race has shrunken to three teams and the England team?s importance has been pushed to the back of the queue with an invasion of foreign players. Now this week has brought definitive proof that the cult of the manager ? a man imprinting his personality on his team, will soon be gone, too.The ?characters? of the 1970s ? Bill Shankly, Jock Stein, Brian Clough, Don Revie, Tommy Doche...
More About: Money , Football , Soccer , J-League , Kick

Is Takeshi Okada the man for the job?
2008-09-04 05:31:00
Takeshi Okada is a man under pressure. A poor showing in a recent friendly defeat to Uruguay and some unconvincing performances in the first round of World Cup qualifying has left many wondering whether the former international is the right man to guide Japan to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.Okada took over as Japan coach after Bosnian Ivica Osim suffered a tenure-ending stroke in November 2007. It's not the first time that the former Consadole Sapporo and Yokohama F. Marinos tactician has stepped in mid-campaign. With Japan in danger of missing out on qualification for the 1998 World Cup, Okada took over from the sacked Shu Kamo and guided the Blue Samurai to the finals in France. Three straight losses resulted in the sack, but a successful club career that saw him guide Marinos to back-to-back championships ultimately earned Okada a recall to the national team set-up.His second spell in charge got off to an inauspicious start in a dreary 0-0 draw with Chile in a friendly in Tokyo, and ...
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Park Makes Monaco Move
2008-09-02 01:32:00
The week before the transfer window closes is always a busy one. This year it slammed shut on the evening of September 1. Clubs had to buy players before then or they are doomed to wait until January before they can add to their rosters. It can be frantic.That wasn?t the case for South Korean players until last week ? it had been quiet, too quiet. Sure enough, that changed in dramatic fashion. It started with reports that Park Chu-young, one of the biggest stars in Korean football, was on his way to England?s Premier League with Wigan Athletic and ended with him jetting off to the Mediterranean on Sunday morning to join seven-time French champion AS Monaco . In the meantime, Lee Young-pyo left Tottenham for Borussia Dortmund.Park Chu-young?s move was more of a saga than Lee?s smooth transfer across the North Sea. The 2004 Young Asian Player of the Year looked set to stay with FC Seoul until next season at least. That became less likely when on August 24 after watching his Wigan team ...
More About: Move , K-League

Come on Britain, it's only the Olympics
2008-09-01 03:08:00
'If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well, It were done quickly' - Macbeth (Scotsman), William Shakespeare (Englishman)Team GB is getting ridiculous. The prospect of Britain fielding a football team at the 2012 Olympics should have been something to celebrate after years of absence. Instead it is fast becoming an almighty calamity.For years, I watched in envy as other nations played soccer in the Olympics, but it was never a huge loss for us to be left out. Now we have finally been invited to (our own) party, we are umming and erring so much we might not even end up going.There are two immovable obstacles at the heart of the current furor, which shows no signs of abating.One is that the UK is four nations in one and those four nations are the oldest football associations in the world, with privileged seats on FIFA?s International Board but in danger of disappearing if enough FIFA nations choose to dissolve them into a UK team. And second is that the UK has no choice but ...
More About: Conor , K-League

Lee's Dortmund Decision Is Sound
2008-08-30 11:54:00
Lee Young-pyo is one of football?s true gentlemen. The versatile defender is leaving Tottenham Hotspur for Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund after three good years at White Hart Lane and all who knew him, as well as those who benefitted from some of his unreported good deeds he did off the pitch in London, will wish him well at the former European champions.He wasn?t bad on the pitch too, making 93 appearances for Spurs since his move to the Lane from PSV Eindhoven in August 2005. Then, Martin Jol called him ?the best left-back in Holland, and one of the best left-backs in Europe.? Lee didn?t quite prove to be that but his hard-working performances on an undermanned left side for Tottenham should be remembered fondly by fans at the Lane. Unlike Park Ji-sung, Lee actually started out in the K-League with the now-defunct Anyang Cheetahs. The Gyeonggi team lifted the 2000 Korean championship but Lee, who can play on either side of defence or midfield, had already made his first appea...
More About: Football , Sound , J-League , Decision

Two's company for Verbeek
2008-08-29 00:39:00
The entire A-League has been handed a weekend's recess to allow the national team to concentrate on their World Cup qualifying visit to Uzbekistan on September 10, but it turns out only one side will actually be affected by national team coach Pim Verbeek's call-ups.After finally being convinced to elongate the regular season to allow byes over FIFA-recognised match dates, Australia n football authorities must now wonder why they bothered.Indeed Gary van Egmond of the Newcastle Jets, the reigning A-League champions, will be the only coach pleased with how the build-up to the Socceroos' qualifier in Tashkent has played out.In goalkeeper Ante Covic and defender Jade North, Newcastle provided the only two local league representatives in Verbeek's extended 27-man squad. The seven remaining sides were unaffected.North, Newcastle's championship-winning captain, missed the recent friendly against South Africa in London because he was on duty as one of Graham Arnold's three overage pla...
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New Chance For Lee The Phantom Menace
2008-08-23 10:46:00
Film fans of a certain age will always see the three Star Wars movies made in the seventies and eighties as the definitive trilogy and not the one which kicked off in 1999 with ?The Phantom Menace.? There can be little debate about that.Not so about South Korean star Lee Chun-soo who has been more of a phantom than a menace over the past year. No other player that originates from the Land of the Morning Calm provokes such debate and divides opinions.Over the past few years his career recalls the words of a certain Jedi Master Yoda who said upon meeting Luke Skywalker: "This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away... to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. What he was doing.?Lee always seems to know where he would like to play in the future but is often less sure about the place where he plies his trade at any given moment. Around 18 months ago, the 2002 and 2006 World Cup star told his K-League club Ulsan Hyundai Horang-I that unless th...
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As you were in the J. League as Kashima maintain lead
2008-08-18 04:18:00
Kashima Antlers remain top of the J. League after thrashing Tokyo Verdy 4-1 in front of 21,437 fans at Kashima Stadium.Shinzo Koroki kicked off a routine victory for the defending champions, before Daiki Iwamasa powered home a header just before the break to hand the Antlers a commanding two-goal lead. Second half strikes from Marquinhos and substitute Takuya Nozawa completed the rout, although Verdy's Diego did manage to conjure a late consolation strike for the capital outfit.A bumper crowd of 37,154 turned out at Ajinomoto Stadium, however the home fans went home disappointed as Urawa Reds stole the points from hosts FC Tokyo. After Naohiro Takahara - twice - and Tatsuya Tanaka had hit the woodwork, midfielder Takahito Soma showed his strikers how it's done, beating the offside trap before volleying home in front of the travelling Reds army.High flying Oita Trinita continued their excellent run of form, as new signing Yasuhito Morishima scored his first goal for the club courte...
More About: J-League , Beijing Olympics , Lead , K-League

Andy Greeves' 08/09 Premiership Predictions
2008-08-12 10:51:00
1- ChelseaHaving lost the Champions League Final on penalties and been pipped to the Premiership title by just two points, Chelsea were the ultimate bridesmaid last season.After a summer to lick their wounds, the Blues will come back stronger in 08/09.With Luiz Felipe Scolari now at the helm and having captured Deco and Jose Bosingwa this summer, Chelsea have what it takes to beat United to the league title this time around.The Stamford Bridge club have achieved a massive victory in maintaining Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, even if its only for another year. Time in which to win a league title.2 -Manchester UnitedUnited are likely to be without Ronaldo for August and September, meaning their star winger will miss trips to Liverpool (13 Sept) and Chelsea (21 Sept). Two games that could well be make or break to United?s season.Even when he?s not playing, the Portuguese star is bound to be the key topic of conversation. Can he possibly deliver as greatly as he did last campaign? Wil...
More About: Andy , Predictions , English Premier League , Premier league

Italy Outclass Korea In China
2008-08-11 14:49:00
Park Tae-hwan thrilled South Korea on Sunday with his swimming heroics in Beijing but later the same day, Park Sung-hwa was looking less happy than the teenage sensation. For the coach of the Olympic soccer team there is not much consolation to be had after a 3-0 defeat against Italy but at least South Korea is faring no worse than hosts China and better than the already-eliminated Japan at the 2008 Beijing Olympics soccer tournament. After a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Cameroon in the opening match of the group, Korea was hoping for a similar result against the highly-fancied Italians ? one which would had left the Taeguk Warriors just needing to defeat outsiders Honduras in the final match to progress to the last eight. Talk in Seoul may have been of the chances of a securing a tie but chat in Rome was of revenge; payback for what happened in the 2002 World Cup when Korea sent the Azzuri home. A group game at the 2008 Beijing Olympics may not have anything like the same glamor a...
More About: Football , J-League

Cellar dwellers JEF United stun league leaders Kashima Antlers as J. League
2008-08-10 04:50:00
Bottom club JEF United stunned table topping Kashima Antlers as the J. League resumed following the week-long All-Star break, winning 3-1 at a packed Fukuda Denshi Arena in Chiba.Australian defender Eddy Bosnar opened the scoring for United with a thunderbolt free-kick just before half-time, but it was talismanic striker Seiichiro Maki who stole the show, steering home two superb headers after the interval. His goals made Masashi Motoyama's well-taken header redundant, as the Antlers paid the price for fielding an under-strength starting eleven.The win delighted United's Glaswegian coach Alex Miller, who paid tribute to his side's determination following a win that draws United level on points with second-from-bottom Consadole Sapporo.Elsewhere Urawa Reds were held to a 2-2 draw by Kashiwa Reysol in front of 46,981 fans at Saitama Stadium, with both teams scoring in the final minute of the game.Winger Minoru Suganuma opened the scoring for Reysol, however the Sun Kings were pegge...
More About: J-League , Leaders

The use of captains in football
2008-08-04 23:56:00
After a couple of days dominated by the departure of England cricket captain Michael Vaughan and the appointment of Kevin Pietersen it got me to thinking how important is the captain of a football side? In cricket the captain is vital to the success of the team, he picks the 11 players that go out to play and decides the tactics that side will use. A lot of responsibility rests on the shoulders of a cricket captain, but how much rests on those of a football player? When I was a kid growing up being picked as captain for your Sunday league side was an honour but you never really had to do anything. Once in a while you shouted at your team to sort itself out or mark up but apart from that nothing. Now I understand that in professional football a captain is supposed to set an example to his team on and off the field but how many captains can you say actually do that? In terms of performances the likes of Steven Gerrard at Liverpool and Ryan Nelsen at Blackburn can inspire with thei...
More About: Football , Soccer , J-League , K-League

Marquee fixtures aplenty as the J. League heats up
2008-07-23 07:26:00
Round 19 in the J. League could prove a turning point for several clubs with a number of marquee fixtures set down for the weekend of July 26/27.The pick of the Saturday fixtures see FC Tokyo host Yokohama F. Marinos at Ajinomoto Stadium, as teams from Japan's two largest cities get ready to rumble in the capital.After making an excellent start to the season FC Tokyo have fallen away of late, and substitute Shingo Akamine's last minute equaliser in their most recent 1-1 draw away at Kyoto Sanga FC followed heavy losses to both Urawa Reds and Kashima Antlers.Yokohama F. Marinos are worse off having recorded six straight losses, including two under new coach Kokichi Kimura, whose tactics and team selections appear to have baffled both Marinos players and fans alike.At Todoroki Stadium sixth placed Kawasaki Frontale host third placed Nagoya Grampus, with both teams coming off last start wins. Kawasaki came from behind to beat Urawa Reds 3-1 in front of more than 50,000 fans at Saitam...
More About: Olympics , J-League , Lionel Messi , Fixtures

Busy Korean Summer Ahead For Some
2008-07-22 11:53:00
With the temperatures and humidity levels rising all over the Korean peninsula, the nation?s players will be happy that the K-league is taking a five-week break. Recent games have seen most of the 22 on the pitch collapse on the turf in exhaustion as the referee blows his whistle to signal the end.Not all players will be resting, 18 of them will be heading to China to play in the Beijing Olympics- more about that next week. For those left behind, and especially the coaches, there will be a lot of thinking going on over the next month. Suwon, Seongnam and Seoul may be lording it at the top of the pile but there are plenty of others not so well off.The one with the most to consider is Hwang Sun-hong. The hero of the 2002 World Cup is one of South Korea?s best ever strikers but his first coaching job is not going so well. Busan I?Park started the season with a win on the opening day against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. 14 games later and Hwang is still looking for victory number two followi...
More About: Summer , Busy , Ahead

Team GB? More like Team England with a Scottish manager.
2008-07-20 18:39:00
One of the most interesting headlines to come out of today?s newspapers was the story that head of the London 2012 committee Sebastian Coe has offered the job Team Great Britain?s football coach to Sir Alex Ferguson. Now the idea of having a Great British football team has long been suggested but the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish Football Associations feel the idea would threaten their independence within Fifa. I think what they are really afraid is having none of their players chosen for the squad. As you may know the tournament is for mainly U23 players but each side can include three senior players of their choosing. Now in my eyes I couldn?t think of any U23 Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish that would do better than the English players you can get. As for the senior players well in the past many would have said Ryan Giggs but now he has retired from international football you can discount the Welsh Wizard. Now I know that in four years time things could be very differen...
More About: England , Soccer , Manager , J-League

Mixed Summer Weather For Korea's Overseas Stars
2008-07-17 06:10:00
Football is non-stop these days. No sooner did the European club season finish then the European championships started for 16 nations. Now just days after Spain lifted the continental trophy most clubs have started pre-season training and talk in the big leagues is who will go where before the new season gets underway. What about South Korea?s overseas contingent? Well, it is a summer of uncertainty for many though that certainly can?t be said for perennial golden boy Park Ji-sung. Slight knee troubles apart, the 27 year-old is set for a good season in Manchester. It is only two months since the attacker collected a second English Premier League medal and less than that since the club lifted the European Champions League trophy.It was a successful season for Park and next season, providing he steers clear of injury could be even better. This time last year he was recovering from major knee surgery and still five months away from a return to action and the fact that United coach Sir ...
More About: Stars , Weather , Summer , Mixed , Overseas

Kashima in the driving seat as J. League nears halfway mark
2008-07-15 05:57:00
Kashima Antlers lead the way as the J. League nears its halfway point, with the defending champions in a familiar position atop the league standings.Kashima are the most successful club in Japan, and the Ibaraki giants have fired a resounding warning to the rest of the league by embarking on an ominous four-match winning streak. That run includes a 4-0 thrashing away at high-flying Nagoya Grampus and a similarly emphatic 4-1 win over FC Tokyo in Kashima's most recent clash.Urawa Reds are just two points behind their bitter rivals, however the Saitama side slumped to a 2-0 defeat away at Oita Trinita in their last match, going down courtesy of goals from Shunsuke Maeda and Ueslei.Third-placed Nagoya Grampus beat ambitious Kashiwa Reysol 1-0 courtesy of a clinical Frode Johnsen strike at Mizuho Athletics Stadium on July 12, while Gamba Osaka have roared back into contention after beating Kawasaki Frontale 2-1 in a hard-fought clash at Expo '70 Stadium, with Brazilian duo Lucas Sever...
More About: Driving , Seat , J-League , Mark

Drunk Referee in Belorussia
2008-07-12 10:58:00
The drunk referee in Belorussia is becoming something of a YouTube classic.Referee Sergei Shmolik was lead from the field and later suspensed by the Belorussian FA.Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer NewsSoccer betting tipsSoccer Books & DVDsTagsBelorussia soccer football referee
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Suwon Look Complete At Halfway Stage
2008-07-10 14:57:00
As the K-League reaches the halfway stage, there is one team that looks like 100% champions, one that is setting the bar higher every week. It is a statistic that improves by the week but has become so familiar that it almost ceases to impress. Suwon Samsung Bluewings have won the last eleven league matches. It is a new record and at the moment, it is hard to see when it is going to end.?The Blue winning machine?? it has been called by some writers who find that match reports when watching Suwon almost write themselves. March 16 was the last and only time in 2008 when the Bluewings didn?t taste victory - a 2-2 draw at perennial title rivals Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma. Seongnam is still in second but lagging a massive nine points behind. FC Seoul is in third.But at the moment, it is all about the boys from the Big Bird Stadium just to the south of Seoul. Suwon is unstoppable. The latest win was a 2-0 triumph at home to Incheon United. ?It was a tough match for us,? said coach Cha Bum-keun...
More About: Stage , Complete

World Soccer News
2008-07-08 07:01:00
World Soccer News for the week of July 7thSensational LDU Quito Latin America championsAbsence of the away-goals rule in the Copa Libertadores finals cost Fluminense of Rio dearly, the ruling helped LDU of Quito to become the first Ecuadorian team to become the winners of the Latin America's premier club competition.The away game in Quito ended 4-2 to LDU and the return leg 3-1 to Fluminense, which would have guaranteed the title to the Brazilians according to the UEFA's rules...and indeed according to the rules applied in Copa Libertadores in all stages EXCEPT in the finals.However, the return game went to extra time and then to penalties, where LDU had more composure, winning 1-3.It was a dramatic match in front of an 85,000 crowd at the Maracana stadium, LDU going ahead in the 6th minute and Fluminense coming back with a hat trick from Thiago Neves. Ironically, it was Neves who missed a penalty together with Washington and Conca, helping LDU take the trophy to Quito.Ironically,...
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The most boring time of the year
2008-07-05 16:38:00
As we lounge around hoping that the sun will poke its head through the clouds I can?t help but feel fed up with waiting for something to happen in football again. This is by far the most boring time of the year because apart from ridiculous transfer rumours to discuss not a lot is happening at the minute. There is only so much I can stand of the Cristiano Ronaldo or Gareth Barry transfer sagas. We were all informed that after Euro 2008 the transfer market would pick-up and things would be more exciting and to a point things have improved in that we have actually had some transfers. Just this morning we have seen Turkish side Galatasaray take a gamble and sign Harry Kewell. This is probably the most interesting completed transfer of the summer because I always believed that Kewell would want to stay in the Premier League or at least in England. However you know it?s a slow news days when top of the BBC Gossip Column is a transfer rumour about Rangers wanting to sign Danny Shittu. If ...
More About: Football , Soccer , Time , J-League , Boring

EURO 2008 - Goodnight Vienna
2008-07-05 01:54:00
With the final game of EURO 2008 now over, it is time to breathe in the Alpine air and take stock. Overall, it has been one of the better tournaments of recent years. The football has for the most part been attacking and open, an improvement on Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup and broadly as exciting as Euro 2000, although the final's denouement will colour the final analysis. I found only France v Romania a turn-off, although Croatia v Turkey would have had me switching channels if I had not been there in person. Euro 2008 has certainly been a huge improvement on the last European Championships I experienced in person, the 1996 edition in England, which was memorable for too many defensive games and swathes of empty seats in the stadia. Austria and Switzerland were good, if not perfect hosts. Their transportation was excellent and the fan information next to faultless. As far as I know, no left luggage facilities closed early like Kaiserslautern's at the last World Cup. The accom...
More About: Soccer , Vienna

Euro 2008 was a tournament to savour
2008-07-04 22:20:00
Back in England a week on from the end of Euro 2008 , the tournament still looks as impressive as it did in the Alps. I am not relishing another stolid European club season, dominated by the tawdry money of the big teams, so for the last time, I am looking back on what was a refreshing festival of football, the sort of which comes around only every few years: How was the play?Very good, on the whole, refreshingly adventurous and attacking. Only France v Romania seemed to have come from planet boredom. The French appeared to have a cloud over them all tournament, while Romania strangely failed to turn the screw when they needed to in their final group game, so deserved to leave early, too.Croatia v Turkey was not easy to sit through for two hours, but that was rather down to one team buttoning down the hatches and trying to frustrate another which was playing with winning ambition.The Dutch were irresistible for two games, while Spain danced their way to the trophy delightfully throug...
More About: Germany , Italy