Now that the World Cup is over and done with I can concentrate on my real love, the domestic game! In particular, Sheffield United in the newly named nPower Championship.
There's less than 2 weeks to go before The Championship kicks off and The Blades, as Sheffield United are known, start at Cardiff, a day late on August 8th, due to the game being screened live on SKY TV, as I mentioned in my last post.
Before the big kick-off, United have an open day at their Bramall Lane home, which is climaxed with a friendly against Copa Libertadores champions, Estudiantes de la Plata of Argentina, who have ex-Blade Alejandro "Alex" Sabella as their coach, and boast World Cup star Juan Sebastian Veron amongst their number. I hope they don't try too hard, otherwise it could be quite embarrassing!
One interesting fact is that Sabella was United's second choice when attempting to make a signing from Argentina. They had their bid of £180,000 for a little-known teenage midfielder turned down. The name of that midfielder? Diego Armando Maradona, of course! You win some, you lose some!
Keith
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Saturday, 17 July 2010
All Over Now
The World Cup is now a dim and distant memory....I mean, it finished almost a week ago with Spain winning a final in which Holland's tactics resembled scenes from a martial arts film rather than a football match! Whatever happened to total football???
Its no exaggeration to say that, if Holland had finished the first half with 9 players on the pitch, no-one would have been surprised! De Jong and Van Bommel should both have seen a red card. De Jong's challenge or, more accurately, assault was the worst foul of the tournement, but received only a yellow card!
In the aftermath, the Dutch had the temerity to complain about the referee! When, if he hadn't been so lenient, it would have been 8 or 9 against 11 and a real thrashing for the men in orange.
Now my attention will switch to the domestic game in the UK. The Championship season is just 3 weeks away now and Sheffield United's first game against Cardiff is live on SKY and no doubt other satellite broadcasters around the world, providing of coursethat United have signed enough players to raise a team by then and that Cardiff City F.C. still exists!
That's enough for now I think. Until next time.
Keith.
Its no exaggeration to say that, if Holland had finished the first half with 9 players on the pitch, no-one would have been surprised! De Jong and Van Bommel should both have seen a red card. De Jong's challenge or, more accurately, assault was the worst foul of the tournement, but received only a yellow card!
In the aftermath, the Dutch had the temerity to complain about the referee! When, if he hadn't been so lenient, it would have been 8 or 9 against 11 and a real thrashing for the men in orange.
Now my attention will switch to the domestic game in the UK. The Championship season is just 3 weeks away now and Sheffield United's first game against Cardiff is live on SKY and no doubt other satellite broadcasters around the world, providing of coursethat United have signed enough players to raise a team by then and that Cardiff City F.C. still exists!
That's enough for now I think. Until next time.
Keith.
Saturday, 10 July 2010
So much for my predictions!
It seems that I couldn't have got it more wrong with my predictions for the World Cup Final! Argentina suffered an even worse fate at the hands of the Germans than England did! Brazil were beaten by the well organized Netherlands team....and get my vote for the "foul of the tournement", which led to a straight red card!
Talking of predictions, a certain octopus named Paul, who resides in a German zoo, seems to have it down to a T! He managed to predict all of Germany's results...if only I was a betting man!
So who will win the World Cup Final? Don't ask me! Ask Paul the german octopus! If I had to put money on it I would go for Spain, but only very narrowly. This one really is too close to call, unless you're Paul the octopus of course!
http://www.bigextracash.com/aft/2164b324.html
Talking of predictions, a certain octopus named Paul, who resides in a German zoo, seems to have it down to a T! He managed to predict all of Germany's results...if only I was a betting man!
So who will win the World Cup Final? Don't ask me! Ask Paul the german octopus! If I had to put money on it I would go for Spain, but only very narrowly. This one really is too close to call, unless you're Paul the octopus of course!
http://www.bigextracash.com/aft/2164b324.html
Friday, 2 July 2010
World Cup Cold Turkey!
The break between round 2 and the quareter finals has only been two days but it seems like an age since I saw a game on TV!
I'm so glad that Spain beat Portugal. What were Portugal actually trying to do? It looked like they had settled for penalties from the start and "poor" Ronaldo never had a kick, apart from all the free-kicks from which he selfishly took a shot at goal, however ridiculous the distance!
I would like to see Argentina win the competition, beating Brazil in the final. It would prove that you don't need a great coach to win, just a bunch of super-talented attacking players and a great team spirit!
I'm so glad that Spain beat Portugal. What were Portugal actually trying to do? It looked like they had settled for penalties from the start and "poor" Ronaldo never had a kick, apart from all the free-kicks from which he selfishly took a shot at goal, however ridiculous the distance!
I would like to see Argentina win the competition, beating Brazil in the final. It would prove that you don't need a great coach to win, just a bunch of super-talented attacking players and a great team spirit!
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
Where have all the flags gone?
As I was driving today something suddenly struck me, not literally I might add! Something was missing from all the cars and vans, all those die hard patriots from last week had suddenly disappeared. Not a flag in sight!
It must be catching. It appears to have started on Sunday when two World Cup linesmen decided not to use their flags! If you have been on another planet since last week, what I'm talking about is the England goal that wasn't and should have been and the Argentina goal that was and shouldn't have been! Both were cleared up in a matter of seconds by TV pictures but neither decision could be changed!
Today FIFA's president apologized and stated that the case for technology would be re-opened. About time in my opinion. Every other major sport in the world uses it so why shouldn't the world's biggest sport? The thing they are bothered about is the flow of the game, but this wouldn't be affected if the fourth official had access to a monitor. Then the game would only be stopped when a mistake had been made. This is no different to the advantage rule where the referee can play on to see if an advantage can be gained after a foul and play brought back if no advantage materalises.
Hopefully sense will prevail and FIFA will be dragged kicking and screaming, like Ronaldo after another unsuccessful dive, into the 21st century! I'm not holding my breath on this one though!
It must be catching. It appears to have started on Sunday when two World Cup linesmen decided not to use their flags! If you have been on another planet since last week, what I'm talking about is the England goal that wasn't and should have been and the Argentina goal that was and shouldn't have been! Both were cleared up in a matter of seconds by TV pictures but neither decision could be changed!
Today FIFA's president apologized and stated that the case for technology would be re-opened. About time in my opinion. Every other major sport in the world uses it so why shouldn't the world's biggest sport? The thing they are bothered about is the flow of the game, but this wouldn't be affected if the fourth official had access to a monitor. Then the game would only be stopped when a mistake had been made. This is no different to the advantage rule where the referee can play on to see if an advantage can be gained after a foul and play brought back if no advantage materalises.
Hopefully sense will prevail and FIFA will be dragged kicking and screaming, like Ronaldo after another unsuccessful dive, into the 21st century! I'm not holding my breath on this one though!
Saturday, 26 June 2010
Penalties Again?
What are the odds on the England v.Germany 2nd round clash going to penalties? I'm sure one of the links at the bottom of the page would tell you! Personally, I think the odds would be quite short. The teams are well matched and I wouldn't like to call it either way.
Capello has already named his penalty takers in case it does go all the way. They are the obvious ones, namely Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney, Milner and Barry, who have all been their club's regular penalty taker at one time or another. But what order should they take them in? Does your best penalty taker go first or last? Where is the pressure greater? If you leave your best spot kicker until last the shoot out might not get that far!
As they are all experts, I'd leave the best until last. The Germans have never lost a shoot-out and, according to one of their psychologists, this is the method they use.
Let's hope it doesn't go that far and that we can have a repeat of the 5-1 hammering we gave them a few years ago! Then all we have to do is beat Argentina, Spain and Brazil to become World Champions! No point doing it the easy way!
Capello has already named his penalty takers in case it does go all the way. They are the obvious ones, namely Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney, Milner and Barry, who have all been their club's regular penalty taker at one time or another. But what order should they take them in? Does your best penalty taker go first or last? Where is the pressure greater? If you leave your best spot kicker until last the shoot out might not get that far!
As they are all experts, I'd leave the best until last. The Germans have never lost a shoot-out and, according to one of their psychologists, this is the method they use.
Let's hope it doesn't go that far and that we can have a repeat of the 5-1 hammering we gave them a few years ago! Then all we have to do is beat Argentina, Spain and Brazil to become World Champions! No point doing it the easy way!
Tuesday, 22 June 2010
So sorry to see The French go out........NOT!
The outcome of the latest "French Revolution" is their exit from the 2010 FIFA World Cup! It has to be said, what goes around comes around,and I'm sure no-one in the Republic of Ireland will be shedding any tears, quite the opposite I would imagine after the handy way the French found to qualify in the first place!
Tomorrow is England's make or break game against Slovenia and, if the rumours are true, still no change of team formation and still no Joe Cole! Why on earth did Capello even pick the player for the squad if he had no intention of playing him? Then again, I don't suppose John Terry's little outburst did him any favours.
I still think England will win the game and qualify for the next round, but I won't be putting any money on it!
Tomorrow is England's make or break game against Slovenia and, if the rumours are true, still no change of team formation and still no Joe Cole! Why on earth did Capello even pick the player for the squad if he had no intention of playing him? Then again, I don't suppose John Terry's little outburst did him any favours.
I still think England will win the game and qualify for the next round, but I won't be putting any money on it!
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