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" Unrealistic expectation from a REAL HERO: Maradona"
Normally fans would not like to get into an argument over futile allegations and
senseless media but this is perhaps a mistake every person who faced criticism,
dose; never clarifying their position or justifying their decisions. However,
football Fan Samira Sultana of Hyderabad ,expresses her exclusive views
regarding ongoing criticism of the legend in various Medias, through our Fans
Speak column - ----
A child's accomplishments can only be truly appreciated by his/her parent as they understand the strength and commitment given to achieve it. Thus is the appreciation of a legend. The title Legend seems to be given very easily to every Tom, Dick and Harry and sadly seems to have lost its glamour. Synonyms of a legend are heroic, supernatural, strange and superhuman.
What is really depressing about slamming "a legend" Diego Armando Maradona's image as a coach and player is the lack of research and justice.
Lets talk about the legend.It takes little google skills to learn about Maradona and his accomplishments. One I dont need, as I have grown up admiring and enjoying every moment he played on the field.
He was appointed as the Coach of Argentina for his charismatic factor. It was understood and given that none, I repeat, NONE could draw the Argentinian fans out of their homes like Maradona did. He was what needed to boost the fans to take notice of a depleting national team with terrific players being lost to European Leagues.
He was appointed Coach in November sometime last year and anyone who understands the time and practice needed to play football at FIFA level will know how much can be accomplished in that much time with everything going right.
It is true Maradona does not understand the nuances of being a coach or should we say the politics. The only thing he really does know is to get on the field and win and the ingredients needed to make the winning goal.
He did not justify his action or inactions to the media as he has never been the kind to get into media slander.However, he does clarify the reasons for Argentina not playing upto the fans expectations.
"There was a time when (Ottavio) Bianchi was the coach but from his second season the players didn't talk to Bianchi, Maradona was the true coach," said Ferlaino.
Here's arguably the most important thing: the Argentinean players love Diego
Maradona. He's done the one thing they all dream of doing: winning the World
Cup for the albiceleste. So whatever else Maradona's done (chemical or otherwise) the likes of Leo Messi and Sergio Aguero revere him. They could also be inspired by him.
Lets not forget that he is the ONLY person who got the world Cup home for Argentina.
I hope this brings back some sense of reponsibility and respect towards a lifetime devoted to contribute to football for generations to come.
'Hand of God' & 'Hand of Man'
When it comes to denoting cheating in the beautiful game, Diego Maradona's 'Hand
of God' goal in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final against England at the Azteca
Stadium is invariably raked up as the most ugly example. It often overshadows the
football demi-god's 'FIFA goal of the century' which he conjured four minutes
later after a mesmerising run which resulted in a 2-1 heatbreak for the
shell-shocked losers.
There is an abiding sense of hurt among the English that they were cheated out
of the World Cup by Maradona's cheeky 'sleight of hand', thus condemning
Argentine football thereafter to the dubious netherworld in English media reportage.
Which hardly exemplifies the love-hate relationship between the two cultures as
Argentine footballers from Osvaldo Ardilles to Carlos Tevez have been popular
figures in the Premiership. But is fairplay the monopoly of English football which
was reared on the traditions of sportsmanship preached by its public schools?
Not quite, claims Argentine journalist Ezequiel Fernández Moores, who has
researched the phenomenon and made a volatile presentation at the Play the
Game conference in Coventry, England, a couple of months ago. No nation has
a monopoly on cheating at football or anything else and the England football
community should be the last guys to cast the first stones at anybody, given
that their own record on this score is pretty decent.
"I really think the English media, like the media in general, is too simplistic, and if
we (Argentines) did not play fair once - especially in a World Cup - so all of us are
cheats, and forever," Moores told All Sports Magazine. "Of course, football is
special; trickery is an important element in football, you are trying to feign all
the time and the border with cheating is nearer that in other sports, especially
because FIFA does not allow decisions to be reviewed on the TV."
Stunned silence greeted Moores after he finished his presentation, backed by
video footage, considering that most of his audience was predominantly local.
"Not just because of my words, but because the images were very strong," he
said. "The funny thing was that the Scots and the Irish told me that I was very
generous with the English," he stated ..... CLICK HERE
Courtesy: www.allsportsmag.in
World Cup-2010 - The Second Favourites
And when any of these championships come around especially the world cup, unsurprisingly, the favorites usually stand out to be Brazil, Argentina, Germany, England, Italy, Spain, Holland, France etc. It has pretty much been a fact that of these teams generally makes it to the last four and in the end goes on to become champions and you have the stats to prove that too. There have been some exceptions though like Denmark in Euro 1992 or Greece at Euro 2004 but after all what is the world like without surprises.
Talking of surprises, just as mentioned, many teams who qualify to play in these tournaments along with the giants may miss out on the limelight at the beginning but yet so often they play the party poopers for the favorites and on occasions, go on to create history by winning the championships. Now tradition and history plays a big part in determining which teams stand as the all time favorites but what many people don’t see is that history also presents instances where some teams have time and time again posed a serious challenge to the favorites but have failed to capture the gold in the end. They are the second favorites.
Now when I talk about the second favorites, I don’t mean to imply to the giant killers or the small teams that have caused upsets. The second favorites are those who always qualify in the big tournaments in style and very often give the big teams a run for their money but eventually fail to take the final stride in winning it. The teams like Russia, Croatia, Mexico, Chile, Denmark, Sweden, Czech republic, Romania, Cameroon, Colombia and Portugal fall in that category. I include Portugal in this list because, although the country has produced the Eusebios and the Figos and the Ronaldos, at the end of the day they have failed to win anything.
These teams have produced great players in the past and still continue to but they don’t always get the job done. The Laudrup brothers along with Peter Schmeichel of Denmark brought about a Scandinavian revolution but the maximum they could do was reach the quarter finals at the 1998 world cup. Their victory in Euro 92 had a lot to be attributed to lady luck with Yugoslavia pulling out of the tournament and the Danes filling in as their replacement. Mexico too have produced excellent display of football and big stars like the inspirational Hugo Sanchez or the outrageous Cuahatemoc Blanco leading the way. The Romanians had the great Gheorge Hagi and Demitrescu, the Chileans gave us Marcelo Salas and Ivan Zamorano, Russia had the legendary Lev Yashin, Oleg Salenko and now Andrey Arshavin, the Swedish having Henrik Larsson or Ravielli while the Czechs having Pavel Nedved.
This World cup will surely see some of these nations and the probable teams at this stage look to be Chile, Russia, Cameroon, Denmark and Mexico. Chile surely looks set to spewing up a surprise or two as they really had a great qualifying campaign so far. They have a fantastic side in terms of their style of play possessing a fearless attitude with which they approach a match. They are an attractive side and the most outstanding aspect about their game that sets them apart from others has been the fact that regardless of what the circumstances are, they always attack. They always play to win and that is probably the reason why they have the least number of draws in the qualifying campaign.
This attitude and style might be entertaining for the football lovers but might not be good enough to win them the world cup nevertheless they will be a team to look out for. Their attack consists of players like Alexis Sanchez, Carlos Villaneuva, Mark Gonzalez, Mauricio Isla and the best player in the side, Matias Fernandez. Russia under Guus Hiddink looks more balanced in attack and defence. With the likes of Pavlyuchenko, Pogrebnyak and Kerzhakov upfront supported by Torbinski, Zyryanov and semshov in the centre with the master playmaker Arshavin playing the liaison in between. The brilliant Zhirkov from the left and Bilyaletdinov on the right and Kolorov as the wall at the back, the side looks complete.
It would be mouth watering to see them pitted against a side like Brazil, England or Argentina in the group stages as it is bound to produce fireworks. With a manager like Hiddink, Russia can go a long way. Denmark off late have really turned it on against tougher opponents like Portugal and Sweden. They also have a balance in their style. They can defend and attack equally well with players like Bendtner, Poulsen, Jorgensen, Rommedahl, Gronkjaer and the inspirational John dahl Tomasson. Mexicans also have a young unit that might not be enough to fight past the big teams but players like Carlos Vela, Giovani dos santos, Guardado, Zinha and Borgetti they should make it to the knockouts.
Its too early to analyze all of them but surely one just can’t wait to describe these exciting teams to all as we all just can’t wait anymore for the qualifying campaign to finish and have the final 32. Regardless of what happens in the finals, I surely hope that one of these teams dubbed as the second favorites so far goes on to win the cup in future and establish a new world order for their likes
In any major footballing championship, be it the UEFA Champions League, the Euro Cup, the COPA AMERICA or the World Cup, the general discussion, almost always revolves around the cup favourites. Who will be the champions? Which team looks the most balanced on paper? Be it the pre-tournament debate as who are the top contenders or the post-tournament analysis on how the teams fared, the heavyweights in the business are always subject to the discussions.
Talent, Talent everywhere, not one to be seen
The great Diego Armando Maradona seems to have taken it for granted that his presence in the sidelines along with the euphoria created by his love affair with the cup competition will be enough to fetch him the gold that all the argentines have been craving for years since his international retirement. Unfortunately he is living in a world of his own and with his unjustified and inexplicable decision making in team selection and strategy implementation during matches, he has created a total mess of a team which oozes with talent in every aspect of the game. Diego seems to be quite unaware of the fact that managerial decision-making is quite a different ball game than to passing a ball or dribbling past an opponent player on the field. He doesn’t seem to possess the tactical acumen in bringing the best out of the players, forget the system.
Argentina is a side, which has talent in abundance and at its disposal. Alongside Brazil, they play an unmatched and the most beautiful style or brand of football that the world has ever seen. The deft touches, the quick short passing football, the display of unique and never seen before skills and the brilliant dribbles past the opponents have all quite been the significant characteristics of their gameplay but at this moment they all seem to have vanished. For the past 6 months we have not even seen the shadow of the side that displayed the most dazzling and literally out-of-the-world football against the then Serbia & Montenegro, whipping them 6-0 at last World Cup. What has gone wrong? Where is that football? Well lets get this straight. These dribbles and passes don’t just come out of the thin air. They are made to happen by some special players and at this point, those special ones are not there. So lets break it down step by step.
From Left : Jose Ernesto Sosa, Mauro Zarate, Lucas Rodrigo Biglia
Andres D'alessandro, Pablo Aimar, Esteban Cambiasso, Juan Roman RIquelme, Walter Samuel, Lucho Gonzalez are all familiar names to all argentine supporters, aren’t they? Well it seems Maradona is more concerned about his own relationships with the players rather than the inter-player relationships on the field. Well lets take Riquelme out of the equation considering he has retired. Even then, what about the others as mentioned. Let us even go further and say that all these players are worn out and have been tried and tested but have failed.
Well then what about the other European prodigies and sensational youngsters who have been eye-catching in their respective clubs in Europe. Jose Ernesto Sosa, the young Bayern playmaker cum right midfielder, whose long ball passing and freekicks have been compared to none other than David Beckham. Lucas Rodrigo Biglia, whose playmaking skills have earned him the nickname of the next Andrea Pirlo. Mauro Zarate, a player who is rated by his colleagues and experts as an equivalent of Leo Messi. Gonzalo Higuain, the Real Madrid goal scoring machine who has been dubbed as the contemporary Batistuta. Then there are others as the sensational Ezequiel Garay (center back from Real madrid), Matias De Federico “The Argentine Garrincha”, Angel Di Maria, the Benfica wing wizard and Ezequiel Lavezzi, another versatile goal poacher. Where are they?
Diego’s selected bunches of individuals, are as it is, proving to be ineffective. It is so funny that in both ways, by either neglecting and overlooking the best players in crisis situations or failing to produce the right results despite having such talents in his repertoire, he is making a fool of himself and proving that he is not suited to be a manager. Has Diego gone blindfolded with his ego or is he trying to add a new dimension to modern day football management or is he only interested in selecting players who give a nod to his own management system. He seems to be an imposer not a sorter. His ego seems to have grown with his age and has engulfed his ability to use some common sense.
It has been almost 24 years since Argentina last held the world's most coveted and precious gold in their hands under the leadership of Diego Maradona. But interestingly and more importantly, the statements now doing the rounds have been the fact that it has been almost 30 years since the blue and whites last failed to qualify for the World Cup in 1970 and it has also been almost 16 years since the Albicelestes qualified for the World Cup finals via play offs. So why are these sickening buzzes doing the rounds in the footballing world now. Well the picture seems to be quite clear, 2 victories in two matches for the Albicelestes, else we might very well see an incomplete World Cup 2010 at South Africa.
Football has changed like anything but according to him, football has not changed which, honestly is a very silly statement as even a layman knows how contrasting modern day football has become compared to the early and late eighties. If that is his conception then I wonder what drove Grondona in making him the national team manager. He seems so adamant in playing the football in his own way that he can go on to eliminate the best players from the side regardless of what the need of the hour is. The style of football that he wants to bring on is the one in which he used to be a part of during his hay days at Napoli, the slow, steady, one-dimensional build up play. The modern day game demands fast, pacy, relentless attacking play from the wings and centre. Diego thrives on the Schiavis and Branas who are winning their first cap for their national side in their late thirties. Does this not get into his head as to why they have been neglected for national team duties for so long? As he says that the Europe based players lack commitment, does this not cross his head that the players who are playing in Europe must have been selected by the big clubs because of some reason which basically is their unique and special talent.
There is the need for more mobile and cross movements amongst the players. Flexibility within the squad is the order of the day. The defenders should have the ability to attack while the forwards should come back and help the defenders in shielding the goal. The midfielders are workhorses who will not only have playmaking responsibilities but also snatch and win balls from opponents, trade positions, attack and defend whenever needed, Take the Barclays Premeir league for example. Look at Steven Gerrard or Frank Lampard for their respective clubs and England. They are playmakers who can play as shadow strikers, defensive midfielders, wingers and what not.
Wayne Rooney for Manchester United, who at this point undoubtedly stands as the best player in the world no matter what and how much the world talks about Messi, Kaka and Ronaldo. Rooney seems to have become a master in his gameplay already as he is simply just unputdownable and a matchwinner in every literal sense, a player who can play in almost every position and a true fighter. No wonder England have already qualified with Brazil, Spain and Holland. If Diego continues to hold on to that managerial position he needs to take a look around a little more to see what he is missing and what he is doing.
Manchester United after the departure of Ronaldo and Tevez
The exit of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez from Manchester United has left a
void in the striking positions of Man U.
This was amply evident in the Community Shield match against the Londoners,
Chelsea FC. Chelsea won the match via the tie-break but did raise a lot of
questions about the prospects and fate in the season ahead for Man United.
Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Real Madrid has undoubtedly dealt a massive blow
to Manchester United's hopes of retaining the Premier League for the fourth
consecutive season. Adding salt to the wound, Tevez chose to walkout and
join Manchester City.
From United's point of view, indeed, Ronaldo was a huge asset who played a pivotal role in their pursuit of the Premier League and the Champions League but they cannot afford to moan over this loss. They have recruited the 23 years old Ecuadorian winger, Luis Valencia from Wigan Athletics as a possible replacement for Ronaldo and now they need to look for a replacement for Tevez too.
Various players have been speculated as a possible replacement for Tevez to help them to domestic glory and continental supremacy.
Here's a look at a host of possible replacements.
1. Ashley Young (Aston Villa) - Rumours suggest that the Red Devils have joined
Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea in the race to land Ashley Young. This former
England U-21 star is one the Premier League's 'hottest properties'. Young has the
pace to fuel United's attack on the flanks, he's a decent finisher and can take
free-kicks, in short, his services are quite similar to Ronaldo himself. Young's
expected transfer cost is believed to be around Pound 24 million.
2. Franc Ribery (Bayern Munich) - Ribery is likely to be United's first-choice as a
replacement for Ronaldo or Tevez but with financial powerhouses like Chelsea and
Real Madrid also looking to land the French winger, it is highly unlikely, that United
will come out on top. Ribery's expected transfer cost is expected to be a
whopping Pound 68 million.
4. Ricardo Quaresma (Inter Milan) - He was a flop at Inter Milan and failed to make
an impression with his loan stint at Chelsea, which would make signing Quaresma
a real gamble but the former FC Porto winger is top quality player and his playing
style is quite similar to his compatriot, Cristiano Ronaldo. Quaresma's expected
transfer cost is believed to be Pound 19 million.
5. Arjen Robben (Real Madrid) - Adding the likes of Kaka, Ronaldo and possibly
even Ribery, Madrid can now afford to part with the likes of Robben. The Dutch
winger will struggle to find a plac and could be off-loaded by Madrid, on the
cheap, for as low as Pound 14 million. United might be ready to pounce on the ex-
Chelsea star.
6. Luis Fabiano (Seville) - Manchester United are poised to make a Pound
16million
swoop for the Brazilian striker Luis Fabiano after missing out on Karim Benzema.
Benzema's Pound 32 millions move to Real Madrid meant United boss Sir Alex Ferguson had to
rethink his targets to replace outgoing Carlos Tevez. Sevilla hitman Fabiano, top
scorer with five goals in Brazil's Confederations Cup triumph last month, is the
new name in the frame – although United will have to see off AC Milan to land
him.
The San Siro side have made an opening Pound 13m bid even though his release
clause
values the 28-year-old at Pound 55 million. Milan believe Fabiano, who has scored 47 goals
in 105 games for Sevilla since joining them from Porto in 2005, is ready to leave
Spain for a new challenge. But United, with Pound 64 million still in the bank after
recruiting Wigan's Antonio Valencia to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, have the financial
firepower to outbid the Italian giants.
David Bentley, James Milner, Aaron Lennon, David Silva, Hatem Ben Arfa, Santi
Cazorla and Maxi Rodriguez are the others being linked with a move to Old
Trafford.
Successful football leagues and quality players go hand in hand. This rule is universal throughout the world. If a national league is successful, it will, in turn produce quality players. On the other hand, if there are quite a number of quality players in a league, the standard of the games should consequently improve.
The above statement logically brings up the question whether bringing in international players or creating quality in domestic players? To bring in players of reasonable good quality at the start is not that difficult if the Clubs have plenty of money to spare. This sadly is not the case in the context of the Indian scenario. International players help in improving the standard of the league as homegrown players get to play with tougher opponents and different styles of football on a regular basis. This helps them to improve their game and better preparing them for bigger games. But as a matter of fact, the exposures to playing with and against quality international players do not always work out to one’s benefit, as the exposure is limited to players who are already playing in the I-league. This does not help in grooming up the youth, which is the real future of India.
So how do we develop quality in Indian players? Talent is something that is God gifted whereas skill is something that has to be groomed. Gifted players are plenty in India but this raw talent fades out with time and eventually goes unnoticed either because these players themselves did not realize their potential or there were none to spot their talent. Such players are there all around India - some of them already having the quality in them where as some others could possibly be the raw material that any coach would love to have. So the real task here is to tap the potential.
Therefore, how does one get the quality players or the raw materials? This according to the soccer pundits is what really needs to evolve in India. There should be more number of football academies and regular scouting campaigns. Unfortunately and more often than not, the job of scouting or selection is done by the State Football Associations, which woefully lack honest and sincere spotters. What actually happens now is that, these spotting campaigns are done in selective town and often go unheralded. No soul in a state comes to know as there is no publicity made about these events. Talent scouting has to be more widespread and need to done religiously. Every aspiring kid in a state should be made aware of these camps and this will help in multiple ways. First of all, it will increase the popularity of the game among children. Secondly, for a change it will start sending a positive message to the youth that the Academy is making space for real talent and not for friends, relatives and the children of the rich and famous. Having seen the game played in Bengal, I have realized that the best of the football talents do not study in big schools nor do their parents work in big corporate houses. The talent is usually nested in some small village or town and remain untapped as none of the scouts ever saw them playing.
The above scenario I believe is prevalent throughout the country. There is no shortage of talented footballers in this country. Some of the fortunate ones go to school as every kid aspires to become a doctor or engineer or at least get into a 10 to 5 job. The others who are the less fortunate ones direct their future towards manual labour to meet their livelihood. If we can tap this talent, which is out there, that will the first major step in the right direction of improving Indian Soccer.
But then how do we motivate these children to take it as a serious profession? Well, there should be football academies set up of a different kind. Not the ones where only football is the focus. Indian parents are so particular about their child’s education that it will be a non-starter even for a child who shows an inclination towards an academy, which concentrates only on Football. It is a fact that we cannot convince or change their perspective in a day. The academy should be setup in such a way that not only football is focused but equal importance is given to the child’s education as well. This way, the parents will no longer hesitate in sending their children to these academies once they realize that the education of their children are not affected and that their children have been scouted for their potential as someone sees promise in them.
How and who can set up these football academies? My feeling is that any one or a group of individuals with the right combination of Passion, Money, Knowledge and Vision, can set up an academy. There are lot of people in India who have the knowledge and passion for the game of football. The missing part is the Vision (which a handful might still possibly have but again it dies within them as they do not know how to make their plans materialize). Money is no more a constraint, as there are so many corporate houses in India plush with funds. It is just a matter of convincing them to route their money into this beautiful game of football. The Government, both at the Center and at the States must have a proper sports policy in place for the above to effectively take shape. Tax relief for expenses incurred for running these academies could be a starting allurement for things to take shape.
What India really needs to learn from its past is that one or two popular soccer faces will not help turn the future of Indian soccer. What the country’s football scenario now needs is a generation of soccer stars. We do have a Bhaichung Bhutia at this point but the sad part is that it has been only him for the last decade or so. The golden generation of Indian soccer still remains when the likes of Chuni Goswami, P. K. Bannerjee, Peter Thangaraj, Jarnail Singh, Yusuf Khan, Inder Singh, just to name a few were there to play but ever since then the flow has dried up. This has to change and we need to plan for a continuous supply of talented greats. For this to happen, proper emphasis needs to be given towards age group coaching and tournament play.
On the whole, a start is needed right at the grass root level. A new generation of U-12, U-15 and U-19 footballers needs to be spotted. The process of scouting entrusted with the knowledgeable and academies set up with good coaches to impart scientific and state-of-the-art training to these boys. In India, we do have Sports schools, but usually those who enroll are usually from the low-income background. This has to change drastically. There is talent in the middle-income and high-income categories. If we have to see India improve its FIFA ranking in the next decade or so, we should start right away and tap talent from all levels and impart quality coaching in these academies.
Football should no longer be considered as one of those exercises during the recess periods in school, but as a sport in which the country once excelled and which could and should be revived to its pristine glory.
The point is, if you train long distances your fitness will be
covered up to jogging. Not only would you be completely unprepared
for sprinting, but that kind of long distance training reduces your
sprinting fitness.
Arthur De Vany even wrote an article on how bad marathons are for
you. Among the reasons are various heart, liver, kidney, brain and
muscle damage. Not sure why anyone would want that. Soccer players
can't afford that kind of health liability.
Instead, you should do interval training. That's high intensity
bursts followed by periods of rest. Try running hills, fartleks or
sprints. Even circuit training routines help if the weather is too
bad to get outside. The rest of your jogging endurance requirements
will fill out fine during practice.
An additional clue should be the physical difference between elite
sprinters and marathon runners. Clearly sprinters look more like pro
soccer players. If you're always the last one to get to the play,
being able to run forever doesn't do you any good in soccer.
Should you run distance at all? You can. I wouldn't make it a
practice of running more than 3 miles at a time. Even then, you'd be
better served to skip the distance and run some more sprints,
polymetrics, or kettlebells.
Article Source:
www.article-idea.com
Although soccer began being played professionally in the United
Kingdom in the late 18th century, the team uniforms was not a main
concern. Around 1870s, players used a different cap or scarf to
differentiate teams. And by the early 1900s, they began to consider
matching shorts and socks. The players used long trousers or
pantaloons.
However, as soon as the traditional top, shorts and socks uniform was
established, its popularity spread like wildfire and soccer teams
around the world were noted by their particular uniform. As soccer
spread around the world with travellers and former UK citizens
introducing the game to new countries, a similarity in kits grew.
This has led to the familiarity between strips of teams around the
world. One example would be Juventus from Italy wearing the same
strip as Notts County, black and white stripes. As time has moved on,
Juventus have become far more famous around the world but at the
start of the 20th century, Notts County were one of the biggest clubs
in English soccer and therefore the world of soccer at the time.
With two world wars spanning the next few decades, any developments
in soccer fashion was mainly cosmetic with the few changes focusing
on moving away from a proper shirt to the style of top that is more
commonly associated with the modern era of the game.
With the popularity of the European Cup, and television, soccer fans
were able to see how other teams dressed. Specially influencing was
Real Madrid, which in the '60s won the first five editions. In those
years, not only music revolutionized the world, but the soccer
uniforms, were too, as button collars and long shorts were replaced
with circle and v-neck collars with smaller shorts.
In the '70s there were more changes, but the next revolution in
soccer equipment came with selling replica jerseys and having the
logos of the sponsors in it. Soccer teams saw the profits they could
obtain by it, and as televised soccer was extremely popular, these
sponsors were eager to have their name imprinted on the uniform.
Although the 1980s were memorable as the era when soccer shorts were
at their smallest and tightest, the most important changes in soccer
uniforms since then have revolved around the technology. Sportswear
technology has allowed kit manufacturers to make uniforms that are
lighter, cooler and draw sweat away from players bodies. All of these
innovations are designed to give an edge to the top players in a
sport where the slightest advantage can make all the difference.
The fashion styles changes all the time, but the demand for soccer
uniforms has never been as high as it is today. The new technologies
making the kit even more light and effective to the quickening pace
of the game, will keep bringing improvements.
About the Author
Custom Soccer Uniforms has the largest selection of soccer equipment
and team uniforms. And for a limited time, you can receive a free DVD
with the most amazing soccer tricks, by visiting the online catalog.
Article Source:
www.article-idea.com/profile/giorgiopirelli-18595.html
A recent thought-process by the AIFF think tanks to suitably provide insurance cover to all the players doing national duty is a welcome change that may happen to Indian football.
Kolkata’s two big Clubs, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal have in the past, been crying hoarse as a major chunk of players have been drawn from these two Clubs. Very recently, Mohun Bagan had been the more vociferous of the two and had even threatened to stop the selected players from attending the national camp. The Club had every reason for being aggrieved, as their star defender, Dipak Mondal had to spend an entire year (2007-08) in the bench after being injured in a 2007 Nehru Cup match and consequently could not play for them.
Players lost to national duty can be a headache for clubs. It is a fact that the clubs, and not the federation, who pay the players. When a player is injured while on international duty, the national team can simply replace him, sooner or later, by selecting another, while the club sees it’s asset (players) - fall in value, and pay his wages while injured not working for the company (Club) that pays him. In any other profession a situation like this would be absurd that it would only cause laughter.
So, was the AIFF like the other Federations, abusing its position, so long? National team selectors must accept that the club pays players’ wages. Furthermore, players will only shine under the right circumstances with the clubs concerned - coaching and training regimes, etc. Clubs incur enormous expense in attracting and developing the players who become national stars. Surely it is not unreasonable that club officials will try to protect these players who are effectively club assets. Perhaps clubs will be more willing to release players for national duty under a system of contractual compensation. That way, clubs would receive some form of compensation from its federation, for the loss of a player's services from a club match in any recognised competition.
National team selectors and coaches need to take a close look at themselves - it seems to be a one way road of take, take, take. What is being offered to the clubs that have spent the time, effort and money to realise each player's potential so that the country selectors notice them?
The AIFF however, has not spelled out any plans to compensate the Clubs for the duration the players absent themselves from Club duties while being engaged in national camps.
Gone are the days when it used to be that selection to play for the country was the highest accolade, something players would go to any extent to. That was during the period when the game was played by individuals who played, because they loved the game. Chuni Goswami, P. K. Banerjee, Peter Thangaraj, Ram Bahadur, just to name a few who perhaps belonged to that breed. Times have changed, unfortunately. Therefore, it is also time for the Federation to act. To pave the way for players to represent their club and country without prejudice. It's not about money. No soccer player has gotten rich off the money paid by national federations. ...
It's for the honor of playing for national teams -- players who decline national team selection at any point (for exhibitions or vital qualifiers) run the risk of being exiled from the team in the future. Players who want to pick and choose the squads they want to be a part of do run the risk of not being in the fold when it counts for major qualifiers and the tournament itself. It's just another case of star players being caught between a rock and a hard place in the club versus country fiasco. It's a very difficult situation for all concerned. One can understand the frustration of the club officials just as one can sympathise with the national coach wanting every chance to mould his squad into a team that can climb to greater heights. It's a no win situation all round.
With a majority of the renowned clubs threatening to sue the respective organizing bodies, and clubs in several countries demanding compensation for players severely injured while on international duty, sooner or later steps needed to be taken, either jointly or unilaterally to resolve this once and for all. At the international level, leading football clubs the world over have been up in arms against UEFA and FIFA on the issue of players’ compensation. Very recently, Arsenal received the largest payment in the Premier League under new UEFA rules on compensation paid to clubs who provide players for international tournaments in relation to last summer’s European championships. The clock started running on each player two weeks before his country’s first match, and stopped the day after his team was knocked out.
Payouts are shared between all the clubs a player was contracted to in the previous two seasons. Consequent to this, clubs dropped legal actions to win damages for players being injured on international duty in exchange for the compensation plan and recognition for the new European Club Association umbrella group. It served as a testament to the new harmony in European football, and the willingness of associations and clubs to co-operate for the good of the game.
Sl. Population No. of registered FIFA
Senegal also is a very small country in the African continent It does not have any professional football league, the
economy is not strong enough to support it. It has a total of only 82 registered football clubs and still it has
played in the 17th edition of the World Cup extravaganza. Currently it is ranked at 81. Readers will be surprised to
note that Senegal got FIFA affiliation only in 1962, just two years after its football association was formed. The
national football team of Senegal, also known as the “Lions of Teranga” have excelled against all odds because out
of their 23 World Cuppers 21 of them are associated with football clubs in the French League.
Angola, Cameroon, Senegal and Nigeria are some of the other African nations whose footballers have had the
opportunities to rub shoulders with likes of Brazil, Argentina, Italy, England, Germany etc.
Senegal and Cameroon, are the only two African nation to have reached the quarter-finals, of the FIFA World Cup.
Senegal has just 82 registered clubs and its economy is not strong enough to support an active professional league.
Kolkata has more registered clubs than the whole of Senegal.
Nigeria, which played in its third successive World Cup, is also a team of late developers. Its National Football
Association was formed in 1945 and it got FIFA affiliation in 1959. Despite its social and economic problems,
Nigeria has 1,400 registered professional players, who are playing all over the world, including India.
In contrast, organised football has existed for over a century in India. The Durand Cup football tournament, which
is India's oldest football tournament started off in 1888, the IFA Shield in Calcutta in 1891 and the Rovers Cup in
Mumbai in 1893. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) was formed in 1937 and got FIFA affiliation in 1939. Yet,
in the FIFA rankings as of date, Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal and Angola are ranked much above India.
Senegal owes its success in the World Cup to its French coach Bruno Metsu, who has got so integrated with that
country that he has even married a Senegalese woman. Many football pundits believe that bringing in foreign coaches
can alleviate India’s football woes. However, there are no easy solutions. From 1982 (when the Asian Games were held
in Delhi) to 1996 India experimented with five different East European coaches - Dietmar Pfiefer from the erstwhile
German Democratic Republic; the late Milovan Ciric of Yugoslavia, the ex-Red Star Belgrade coach; Josef Gelei,
Hungary's goalkeeper in the 1966 World Cup; Jiri Pesek of the Czech Republic; Rustam Akhramov of Uzbekistan, Stephen
Constantine from England and now Bob Houghton also from England - but have achieved little success.
Inadequate foreign exposure, limited opportunities with the national team and interference in team selection have
dampened the enthusiasm of the foreign coaches. They were shuttled between the senior team and the age-group teams
and did not devote adequate time with either team. This is in direct contrast to the impact that Dutch coach Guus
Hiddink, has had on the South Korean team. Hiddink put a lot of emphasis on power training, physical fitness and
speed work. In fact, Rustam Akhramov and coach Syed Nayeemuddin had attempted such drills with the national team but
they did not get enough time with it to bring about a substantial change and there was no encouragement from the
AIFF.
Hiddink also played on the psyche of the Korean players, bringing in subtle changes. In Korea, with its Confucian
influence, hierarchy is all-important, and junior players were scared of the seniors in the national team. He broke
this rigidity in relationships and the players learnt to communicate better. Hiddink achieved all this and made the
Korean team one of the fittest in the world because the Korean Football Association gave him time and a free hand in
the selection of the World Cup squad.
There have been foreign coaches for the age-group level national teams also. Ivosajih of Slovenia was coach of the
India under-21 team at the third Rajiv Gandhi international tournament (under-21 years) held in Goa from May 5 to
12, 1998, but heavy losses to Iraq (1-5) and Uzbekistan (1-5) saw his contract being terminated. Islam Akhmedov of
Uzbekistan was appointed coach for the India sub-junior (under-16 years) team in April 2000. However, he was unable
to guide India to the final rounds of the Asian championships and had to leave.
In 1997, India's most successful club coach of the 1990s, Syed Nayeemuddin, was appointed national coach until the
conclusion of the 1998 Bangkok Asiad. Nayeem, a disciplinarian, developed a physically fit, tactically alert and
confident national team, which has dominated regional competitions. India beat the Maldives 5-1 in the 1997 SAFF
Championship final and won $50,000, the highest-ever prize money it has won so far. In the same year, India, coached
by Nayeem, reached the semi-finals of the Nehru Cup international tournament for the first time. Yet, the AIFF
treated Nayeem shabbily and ignored all his pleas for foreign exposure ahead of the 1998 Bangkok Asiad.
Since taking over in January 2001, until the start of the 2002 World Cup on May 31, Hiddink's South Korea played 26
internationals either in friendly matches or in tournaments abroad. Contrast this with India's preparation under
Syed Nayeemuddin for the 1998 Asian games. Prior to the Games, which were held in 1998, India did not play a single
practice match from September 1997 to November 1998. A fortnight before the start of the Games, India played two
friendly matches against Uzbekistan in Delhi and Calcutta. During his tenure Nayeem, at Rs.50,000 a month, remained
the highest paid unutilised person in the country. A waste of money and talent, and a clear indication why India
does not succeed in international football.
Sukhwinder Singh, who succeeded Nayeem as national coach in 1999, also received little help in terms of exposure
from the AIFF. For the 1999 Asia Cup qualifying round matches in Abu Dhabi, the national team departed without a
practice match even against a local club team. His team selection for the 2002 World Cup qualifiers was hampered by
an AIFF directive that only three players can be selected from a club. This was apparently done to ensure the
completion of the Fifth National Football league, which had been stopped for a month in January 2001 so that the
Sahara Millennium Cup international football tournament could be held.
India played no friendly matches before the World Cup qualifiers. Still the Indian team did quite well and upset the
64-ranked United Arab Emirates 1-0 in the home leg in Bangalore. For the World Cup qualifiers, AIFF secretary
Alberto Colaco introduced incentive payments and proper remuneration for the first time; each player in the squad
got a lump sum payment of Rs.25,000. For the win against the UAE, all the 18 players got Rs.15,000 each as bonus.
Sukhwinder Singh got Rs.1 lakh, assistant coach Krishnaji Rao Rs.60,000 and the goalkeepers' coach, Brahmanand,
Rs.50,000. This was a creditable move and inspired the players, who were previously getting a measly $10 a day on
trips abroad. Sukhwinder was coach for three years and during this period India played just 31 internationals
including seven matches against first and second division English clubs during the tours to that country in 2000 and
2001.
India was a force in Asia till 1970. We won the 1951 and 1962 Asian Games gold medals in football and won other
major tournaments of Asia during the same period. In the year 1956 India finished fourth in the Melbourne Olympics.
After the above achievements India hardly achieved anything substantial in Asia and only maintains its superiority
in the South Asian region where competition is far below Asia as a whole.
For football to improve in India, AIFF and the various State Associations must first be gotten rid of politicians
and replaced with sincere football loving administrators. These officials must then sit together and formulate a
“road-map” which will spell out their objectives and steps to be taken for improvement of the game. Thereafter, the
top business houses need to be approached for patronage and sponsorship. Focus should be more on improving and
strengthening the age-group football camps and tournaments in the districts of as many football-playing states as
possible. The time has come for the AIFF, through its affiliated State Associations to appoint qualified “spotters”
at the block level who will spot the latent talents and encourage them to participate in the various coaching camps
to be run by the affiliated State Associations from time to time. Also the premier Clubs of India must be directed
to groom their junior tem comprising of U-19 footballers, and make them play various tournaments across the country.
There is immense football talent hidden in this vast country waiting to be tapped. The problem is that the ministers
and officials so far have not done much to improve sports, including football. Whatever success and accolade a
sports person has earned at the international level has been through his or her individual talent and perseverance.
The ministers and officials have only attended the post-success photo sessions and felicitations.
All good things must come to an end and as the curtain fell on an outstanding two weeks of Confederations Cup 2009 action on Sunday, South Africa will be hoping for a repeat performance when it hosts the continent's first World Cup in 12 month's time.
Brazil's stirring comeback to snatch a 3-2 victory over the United States in the final was a fitting conclusion to a positive tournament played out before a passionate public, where 44 goals were scored in 16 matches that were played.
The competition saw the gap closing down between the “developed” and the “developing” football nations. The United States' stunning 2-0 win over the European champions Spain in the semi-finals, a feat the Americans almost surpassed when they led Brazil by the same score at halftime in the final.
However, Brazil showed just why they are Brazil, with three goals in the second half to retain the trophy and install themselves as early favourites to lift a sixth World Cup next year, a clear message was sent out to the other title contenders.
Luis Fabiano's brace and a thundering header from skipper Lucio completed Brazil's tally of 14 goals in five matches after Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan had threatened to give the U.S. a stunning victory in their first global tournament final.
Whether it was the incessant sound of the vuvuzela creating a surreal atmosphere in the stadiums or the fact that playing in South Africa took away home advantage for the "bigger" teams, most matches showcased keenly contested, open and end-to-end play.
After making a slow start to the competition, the U.S. played without fear against Spain or Brazil, indicating the World Cup could produce even more surprises next year.
SPAIN STUNNED
During the tournament, Spain registered a world-record equalling run of 35 matches without defeat and were favourites to reach the final, but their loss to the U.S. showed nothing can be taken for granted in their quest for a first World Cup triumph.
Fernando Torres' 11-minute hat-trick in their opening 5-0 defeat of New Zealand was among the competition's highlights, as was Egypt's astonishing fightback in their 4-3 loss to Brazil.
Egypt went one better in their next match and the 1-0 victory over world champions Italy was not only the first win for an African side against the Azzurri but also served as a warning to Marcello Lippi over the strength and age of his current squad.
The Italian coach will be more concerned about the aging side's inability to defend their title when they were humiliated days later by a rampant Brazil, who tore them apart with a three-goal burst in eight minutes either side of halftime.
The Italian manager needs to develop younger players before the finals, although 35-year-old skipper Fabio Cannavaro looks set to add to his record-equalling 126 caps for his country.
Although the opening match between hosts South Africa and Iraq got the tournament off to a slow start with a 0-0 draw, the hosts did enough to impress the likes of Franz Beckenbauer that if they found a decent striker they could do well in next year's WC.
Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup with West Germany as a player in 1974 and coach in 1990, said they could be among the favourites after playing well to hold Brazil for 88 minutes in the semi-final before eventually losing 1-0.
CONTROVERSIES
Off the pitch, the major controversy was trumpeted in by the vuvuzela, the horn blown incessantly by fans throughout matches in South Africa. International broadcasters outside South Africa have complained that it was interfering with commentaries and viewers moaned about its unremitting din, but the FIFA president said there were no plans to ban it next year.
The South African Football Federation conducted the entire tournament in a very professional manner, raising hopes that the next year’s World Cup competition promises a feast for the eyes of football connoisseurs.
Development of Football in India
Outdoor Sports : Consumer Appeal
The use of the phrase "Consumer Appeal" as a part of the subject headline may raise a few eyebrows but then sports, be it
football, cricket or tennis is no more confined to mere participation and enjoyment
of the particular sports discipline by the players and spectators. It is now big
business involving huge money supply pumped in by big corporate houses.
When the world is increasingly being sucked into the game of soccer, the sub-
continent and more particularly India is finding itself losing interest to develop this
wonderful game more and more within and getting involved in to a lazy non-contact outdoor sport.
As a spectator sport, no other outdoor game matches up to football. The game is
controlled by the more professionally managed Federation Internationale de
Football Association (FIFA) founded in 1904 and currently has 208 member
countries, 16 more than the United Nations and 3 more than the International
Olympic Committee (IOC). The format of the game has seen very minimal change
since competitive football started. The few notable changes that came about
were, increase of match duration from 70 to 90 minutes, numbering of the players
shirts, the offside rule and the back-pass to the goal-keeper rule.
Football stands a better chance of acceptance amongst fans as compared to any
other game. The major reasons that offhand come to mind are –
1. When two teams play it is like a battle with neither side willing to consciously sacrifice the initiative even for a second.
2. Watching or playing football is not for the weak-hearted. The adrenaline is constantly running and reaches its crescendo as the match progresses;
3. The game is played by players who have to be physically at their best unlike some other sports where pot-bellied individuals can also find a place;
4. The impartiality of the rules where neither side is favoured by the toss of a coin:
5. Out-of-the-world technique, i.e., a swerving freekick or a bicycle kick or even a pile-driver of a shot from top of the box is more pleasing to the eyes of the spectator;
6. Matches do not get stopped because of even a slight drizzle;
7. Decision making by the arbitrator (referee) is fast and matches are not held up for frequent referrals to the TV umpire;
8. Cheerleaders are not required to allure spectators into the football ground; and finally,
9. Everything is over within a span of two hours and the fate decided in favour of either side;
10. Countries gain recognition in the sports fraternity if they perform better on the soccer field. Ivory Coast and Nigeria are renowned for their football prowess although their economy is in shambles;
11. International football matches, (Club or Country) have more TV viewer ship than any other sport involving two nations.
Therefore, for a country like ours with a teeming population it is essential that we
focus more on football rather than waste our money and energy on a game which
has become the current obsession.
Soccer Players: Don't Run So Much
I've often heard soccer players talking about how we have to run 7
miles per game. Some players even run marathons to cross train.
Let me be blunt: training long distances is bad for soccer fitness.
Here's why and what to do instead:
In an average game, a soccer player will:
I'm not sure who figured that out but I've seen those stats a few
times.
www.article-idea.com/sports/soccer/soccer-players-don-t-run-so-much
The history of the soccer uniform
www.article-idea.com/sports/soccer/the-history-of-the-soccer-uniform
AIFF mulls Insurance Cover for National Players
No. Country (in lacs) Top clubs Last Ranking
1. Gabon 14.50 (1991) 10 30
2. Burkina Faso 132.28 (2003) 13 51
3. Mali 123.24 (2000) 14 59
4. Togo 49.09 (2003) 18 71
5. Uganda 258.27 (2003) 18 75
6. India 10270.15 (2001) >330 147
Confed Cup : Fight between Developed and Developing Nations
ARTICLE WRITER :: RANA BOSE, KOLKATA