Sunday, May 30, 2010

Hans-Gunter Bruns and the Greatest Goal Never Scored



Never heard of Hans-Gunter Bruns? Unless you were a fan of Borussia Moenchengladbach in the '80s, chances are you haven't. However, if it weren't for a twist of fate you would be recalling his name for when it comes to the greatest goal ever scored and not Diego Maradona.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Jose Mourinho's Move To Real Madrid Analyzed



With Manuel Pellegrini's sacking Real Madrid have, as expected, moved to appoint, double Champions League winning manager, Jose Mourinho as manager.
In a press conference on Wednesday night, Florentino Perez announced that Madrid had decided to terminate their working relationship with Pellegrini, but fell short of the much-anticipated unveiling of Mourinho as Los Blancos' newest manager.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

2010 World Cup: Ireland 2-1 Paraguay Back to the Drawing Board For La Albirroja



Paraguay's World Cup plans took a severe knock after the South American side were easily beaten 2-1 by Ireland in Dublin.
Giovani Trappatoni's side tore into the World Cup Group F team right from the start, pressurising them as high up the pitch as possible. This simple tactic created havoc in the Paraguayan defence as their players panicked at every opportunity.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Everton's Shane Duffy Almost Dies After a Freak Accident on Ireland Duty



18-year-old Everton defender Shane Duffy almost died in an Ireland developmental squad practice match on Friday night after his liver was lacerated following an innocuous clash with goalkeeper Adrian Walsh.
The friendly was put together to allow Giovani Trappatoni time to assess his newest members of the squad before Ireland take on Algeria and Paraguay next week.
What makes the accident even harder to bear is that Duffy has yet to receive his papers which would allow the Everton youngster to play for Ireland following a massive diplomatic row between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Inter Milan 2-0 Bayern Munich: The Depressing Champions League Final Analyzed



With both Inter Milan and Bayern Munich going for trebles, one might have hoped for a classic finale to the greatest football club competition on Earth. Instead we were subjected to an ordinary match between two ordinary teams with decidedly ordinary tactics.
Make no mistake about it, coaches all over the world will wake this morning with the Champions League Final firmly in their mind and not one will be thinking about the lack of ideas on Bayern Munich's part. No, they will be looking to emulate the suffocating display deployed by Jose Mourinho's men on the night.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Can Bayern Munich Emulate Celtic In '67 To Beat Jose Mourinho and Inter Milan?



Bayern Munich take on Inter Milan in the 2010 UEFA Champions League Final on Saturday as complete outsiders to win the much coveted trophy.
However, one match will have been playing on Louis van Gaal's mind all week as he prepares his troops for battle: the European Cup Final in 1967, when rank outsiders Celtic beat Inter Milan 2-1 in the Stadium of Light in Lisbon.
There are many parallels between the Le Grande Inter of the '60s managed by Helenio Herrara with that of the Inter Milan of today under the stewardship of Jose Mourinho.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

History Of The World Cup Football 1930 to 2010



Football has changed greatly from the first World Cup in 1930. Players are fitter than ever before, football gear has changed from baggy shorts to tight fitting jerseys,  rules have changed to suit the attacking team, and believe it or not the roundness of the simple football has become something of a science all in itself.
The balls that were used in the 1930s are very much different from what we are used to now, literally made from a pig's bladder, they are now put together with the science and preciseness of space age technology.
Here is a brief history of the development of the one device that the game cannot exist without.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Barcelona Move For Cesc Fabregas and David Villa Leaving The Door Open For Arsenal To Move For Ibrahimovic or Toure



Barcelona are on the verge of a sensational double signing after the Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas told Arsene Wenger that he wanted to return to his spiritual home. The Catalan side have now opened talks with the adviser's of Fabregas and David Villa over proposed moves to the Nou Camp, while Barca also made it known that Zlatan Ibrahimovic has an escape clause in his contract if an English Premier League team places a bid for him...

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Saturday, May 8, 2010

KPMG; Liverpool FC On The Verge Of Administration After Massive Rise In Debt


The season that just keeps kicking gave Liverpool and it's many fans the worst news imaginable after it emerged that the club have sunk deeper into debt . Yesterday's financial report from Kop Holdings revealed a record loss of £54.9 million over the course of the last season meaning that the clubs total debt now stands at £472.5 million.

Accounts for the club's holding company for the year ending in July 2009 show spiralling interest payments of £40m, wages breaking the £100m-a-season barrier, a record loss of £54.9m and an increase in the club's debt of £51.5m.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Manchester City 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur: Spurs Qualify for the Champions League


Tottenham Hotspur will head into Europe's Premier Cup competition for the first time since 1962 after they beat high spending Manchester City 1-0 at the Eastlands. The match was essentially a playoff for the final English placing in the Champions League next season.

Peter Crouch scored the only goal of the game as the man-of-the-match latched onto Martin Fulop's messy clearance to head the ball home with just eight minutes remaining.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur: Bigger Than the Champions League Final



Spurs travel to the Eastlands tomorrow to take on the financial might of Manchester City in a match that promises to be one of the highlights of the season, and is almost certainly more important than the Champions League Final for a number of reasons.

When the two teams met last December it was Spurs who triumphed after a brace from Niko Krancjar and a neat finish from Jermaine Defoe gave the White Hart Lane outfit full points. The 3-0 defeat signalled the end of Mark Hughes' time in charge at City, and he was soon replaced by Italian schemer and fashionable scarf wearer Roberto Mancini.

The former Inter Milan boss has continued the early good work set in motion by Hughes and, now, as expected, City stand on the brink of Champions League qualification.

Only Harry Redknapp's over achieving Tottenham team stand in their way of a potential £60 million, European and Premier League domination.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

NICK, NAC, NEC; Steve McClaren's FC Twente Nick The Dutch Title With Win Over NAC As Ajax Beat NEC

Former England manager Steve McClaren has guided FC Twente to their first Eredivisie Dutch Title in their history with a last day win away to NAC Breda. Twente win the league by one point from Martin Jol's Ajax Amsterdam who also won on the final day at home to NEC .

Chelsea All But Win The EPL Title at Liverpool, Where To Now For Rafael Benitez?

After beating Stoke City 7-0 last week, Chelsea strolled to an even easier win today by triumphing 2-0 over a sterile Liverpool side at Anfield. In the run up to the game many pundits had questioned if the Reds would roll over and have their bellies tickled, well they did that, and more.

South Africa 2010 World Cup Fixture List

Chronological World Cup fixtures