July 2010
118 posts
7 tags
Raúl signs with Schalke and is making Germany go...
With rumours spanning from the Premier League to the Los Angeles Galaxy, Raúl has finalised his transfer to German club Schalke. The Royal Blues are set to officially unveil him at the Veltins Arena on Wednesday, a day earlier than expected. For Raul to get his beloved number 7, former wearer Hao Junmin had to discreetly give it up.
Some 50,000 Schalke shirts with Raul’s name and the number...
3 tags
7 tags
Mario Balotelli and Roberto Mancini: the same side...
Mario Balotelli is Italy’s most talented footballer nowadays. Pick anyone in the streets of the Belpaese and eveybody will agree with that.
Problem is that talent is difficult to manage 90% of the time and even more difficult to manage when it is not assisted by the right attitude you expect from a youngster: the will to improve, the will to learn, the will to work hard.
You may say this is...
7 tags
Més Que Un Debt?
By Eric Beard, writing from Boston
According to the BBC, Barcelona’s debt is 442 million euros (£369.5m) after a loss of more than 77m euros (£64.36m) last season. The club’s costs in the 2009-10 season rose to £400m, with their income at £341.7m.
Operating costs of £400m? To run a football club? As they say, Barcelona is Més Que Un Club, or more than club. But even so, this appears to be...
6 tags
Bolton bags young Galactico Marcos Alonso
Owen Coyle is the happiest man in Bolton tonight as he was able to add to his side’s squad depth by signing 19-year-old Marcos Alonso from Real Madrid. Alonso, who plays left back, realised that he was unlikely to get regular first team football in Madrid, which led him to pursue his options elsewhere. Bolton has signed the talented youngster on a three-year deal.
Read More
4 tags
6 tags
Sol Campbell heading north to Newcastle
No, his career will never be over. In fact, Sol Campbell was quite the hot item this summer, and Newcastle United have made the most attractive offer to the 35-year-old defender, beating out Sunderland and Celtic. So what was the deal? Well, a reported £35,000-a-week. But the big question that remains is whether Sol will be fit come mid-August. Campbell turns 36 in September and has missed much...
7 tags
Puma and Women's Pro Soccer unite against Breast...
By Eric Beard, writing from Boston
PUMA has announced an initiative that links the WPS with support for the fight against breast cancer. The name of the project? Well, Project Pink of course.
Launching July 31 at wps.pumafootball.com/projectpink you can nominate breast cancer charities with nonprofit status and vote for the winner, who will receive a donation consisting of 100% of...
6 tags
If goals were songs: Sergio Canales, Yo Voy!
Spain defeated England 3-1 in the semifinals of the EURO U-19 tournament, and there was nothing better than Sergio Canales’ goal to take the scoreline from 2-1 to 3-1 to cap off yet another great win for La Furia Roja. Just like Canales took Spain into the final with style, finishing off a wonderfully executed set piece, Novalima’s “Yo Voy” has this sequence captured. Listen to it...
4 tags
Philipp Lahm's performance against Ghana was the...
One might think that Andrés Iniesta’s volleying the World Cup-winning goal with his Nike CTR360 boot, David Villa with his Adidas Adizero scoring match-winner after match-winner, or Diego Forlan leading Uruguay to victory after victory might be enough to garner a performance of the tournament award. However, according to the Castrol Index Rating that has been endorsed by FIFA, Philipp Lahm’s...
10 tags
Igor Akinfeev looks to England
CSKA Moscow goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev seems set to move to a top English club after spending seven years in the Russian capital. Since finishing third in Euro 2008, Akinfeev has been at the top of many clubs’ lists across Europe but only after his great performances in last season’s Champion’s League have clubs begun to seriously pursue the 24-year-old. Manchester United, a side looking to line...
6 tags
Laurent Blanc blasts World Cup flops
By Ulysse Pasquier, writing from Montreal
Laurent Blanc and the French Football Federation have announced none of the 23 players that went to South Africa would be part of the squad facing Norway, Blanc’s first friendly in charge of Les Bleus. This rather shocking news could be the first of many sanctions that await the “mutineers of Knysa” who refused to train following the Nicolas...
4 tags
5 tags
Real Madrid Says Good-bye to a Legend
By Elizabeth Hanchett, writing from New York. Elizabeth is an FC Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao and Spain NT supporter from the United States, although she has spent most of her life in Spain. She has been following La Liga off-and-on since 1997 (on since around 2007).
After a press conference held yesterday in Madrid announcing that Real Madrid’s Guti was leaving the team, it was announced...
7 tags
Royston Drenthe announces move to Liverpool via...
Roy Hodgson has really done well since he has taken charge of Liverpool, and he seems to have pulled another coup by signing Real Madrid’s pacy Dutch defender and winger Royston Drenthe. Though Liverpool have not yet announced the terms of the transfer, Drenthe announced “I will soon be joining Liverpool FC. Hope I will have a good season there :)” on his official Facebook page.
Read More
7 tags
Out-of-touch Fernando Torres wants out of Anfield?
It seems absurd to say that it has not been a good year for Fernando Torres, as there is no greater moment in a footballer’s career those hoisting the World Cup. But it really hasn’t. Sure, he had moments of brilliance with Liverpool such as injury time game-winner vs. Aston Villa, but let’s all be honest, the real Fernando Torres has not been with us in months. Maybe it was a nagging injury or...
5 tags
If goals were songs: Ross Turnbull, I'm Not Yours
Chelsea’s back-up goalkeeper Ross Turnbull came no closer to surpassing Hilario for the starting spot for the beginning of the season (seeing as Cech is injured) during yesterday’s friendly with Ajax at the Amsterdam Arena. Mid-way through the first-half, with the scores tied one a piece, the 25-year-old Englishman handed the Dutch the go-ahead goal. Turnbull chased down a long ball from...
4 tags
Manchester City play street football against NYC's...
While Manchester City aren’t the New York Yankees of football, they certainly get paid like the best in the world. Before their preseason friendly against Sporting Lisbon at the Red Bull Arena, the lads living in luxury took a trip down to the lower east side of Manhattan to play with the locals. From Adebayor’s awkwardness to Shaun Wright-Phillips’..um.. smallness, a group of local...
6 tags
Philosofooty is here! Behold the beautiful game's...
Football is more than a game. For some, it’s a lifestyle. And with a lifestyle naturally comes morals, philosophies, and values. We’re here to whole-heartedly embrace that notion with Philosofooty. As usual, we’ll provide you with educated, well-postulated pieces with perspectives from students and scholarly #10s alike.
We’ll be having a poll of the month and we’ll also be open to answer any...
6 tags
7 tags
More Ronaldinho "Speculations"
According to Italian Newspaper “La Gazzetta dello Sport”; with the exception of one player, AC Milan has been running 2 a days for the last two weeks.
That one player not practicing with the team is no one other than Ronaldinho, according to the paper, Ronaldinho has been training by himself on a “personalized schedule” in hopes of catching up to the fitness of the rest of the team.
Okay,...
7 tags
Greek fans go mental after the signing of Riera.
Given that World Cup winner Rivaldo was playing for Olympiacos not that long ago, it was a strange sight to see such celebration over the signing of a player as low-profile as Albert Riera. Imagine what they’d be like if they ever managed to sign Messi.
Read More
7 tags
How much is an idea worth? Fiorentina drop...
By Eric Beard
This isn’t the first time that clubs have chosen to play without a corporate sponsor on the shirt, just look at Barcelona’s kit with UNICEF on the front of their uniforms. But Fiorentina have really taken their kit to the next level because the club is not publicising a product or a charity, rather it is giving a prominent place to an idea. So what idea is worth sparing a...
5 tags
Friday Flashback: When Chelsea won their first...
Chelsea have emerged as the favourites to win the Premier League once again, and are well on their way to adding to one of the major dynasty’s of modern football. But it hadn’t always been that way. José Mourinho came in for the 2004/5 season and made some major changes to the Premier League outfit. Jose brought in Arjen Robben, Paulo Ferreira, Didier Drogba, Mateja Kezman, and Ricardo...
4 tags
Are Tottenham Premier League title contenders? 69%...
There’s a cheeky little poll being hosted on Yahoo! asking whether Tottenham are actually title contenders this year.
This, of course, is a response to Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp saying, “I feel we could contend for the title. We have got the players here. We have to aim for it. We could win the championship. Last year we went in saying we wanted to finish in the top four and if you don’t...
4 tags
9 tags
Raul Close To LA Move
In the upcoming days Real Madrid’s legendary Raul Gonzalez could become the latest superstar to move to the USA. LA Galaxy are looking to replace Premier League bound Landon Donovan and the world class striker is seen as the perfect replacement who would arrive on a free transfer. Raul is eager to join up with former Real team-mate and good friend David Beckham in Los Angeles.
Read More
8 tags
6 tags
8 tags
Man City or Chelsea For Ramires
Benfica’s midfielder Ramires is wanted by Europe’s top clubs with Chelsea and Manchester City leading the race for his signature. After a strong season for the Portuguese champions and Brazil, his departure is highly likely. However, many clubs aren’t prepared to pay the €30m release for clause. For City, money is not a problem, but Chelsea offer Champions League football which has put them in...
10 tags
Celtic manager Neil Lennon interview after...
By Eric and Jordan Beard, writing from Boston
After the highly anticipated “Football at Fenway” match at the Boston Red Sox’s Fenway Park between Celtic FC and Sporting Clube de Portugal, which Celtic won on penalties after regulation finished 1-1, Celtic manager Neil Lennon talked about the everything from the match to playing in a baseball stadium. We were able to ask him what he...
9 tags
Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos spend their...
While Gerard Pique and Cesc Fabregas are in Ibiza partying on yachts, Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos decided to spend their post-World Cup vacation time a different way. The Argentine and Spaniard are both official UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors, and they travelled to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti and Dakar, Senegal, respectively. Humility is certainly something that is often lacking in world class...
5 tags
Shakhtar sign Arsenal fan favourite Eduardo
FC Shakhtar Donetsk have announced the capture of Brazilian born Croatia striker Eduardo Da Silva. It is reported that Wenger was reluctant to allow him to leave Arsenal, but with Eduardo fearing for his starting position at the club and with the blessing of his international manager, Slaven Bilic he completed the move. The 27 year old striker has signed a four year contract with the ...
11 tags
Football at Fenway: Glasgow Celtic FC and Sporting...
By Eric & Jordan Beard
The day before Celtic is set to take on Sporting Lisbon in the first football match at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts in over 45 years, we were able to take in training sessions and a special presentation from the Red Sox organization involving both storied European clubs. This is undoubtedly a rather historic match for Red Sox fans, but it is worth...
4 tags
5 tags
AFR's 2010/11 Fantasy Premier League!
We’re less than a month away from seeing Rooney, Drogba, Arsene, ‘nando, Deuce, and the rest of the lads of the English Premier League battle it out for glory and money. So here at AFR we’ve decided to announce our official 2010-2011 Fantasy Premier League Challenge. And this year we have prizes, such as an official Premier League jersey, for the winners thanks to the good folks over at...
8 tags
Liverpool pull classy coup by signing Joe Cole
Liverpool have beat out the likes of Tottenham and Arsenal by offering £90,000-a-week wages to former Chelsea man Joe Cole. Cole, who was a free agent after his contract with Chelsea ran out in May, so he was of particular interest to clubs because there was no transfer fee involved. The flamboyant midfielder has a deft touch that is rare to find in an English footballer, and he has something to...
5 tags
Ryan Babel and his ridiculously elaborate Twitter...
Twitter is a place that connects us to the world’s biggest celebrities, which is nice and all, but there are certain moments that just turn out to be priceless. Ryan Babel decided to share a story with his 46,000+ followers about his little adventure to find a pair of swimming trunks. However, this wasn’t just any story. It was a story that consisted of over 50 tweets that lasted over an hour...
5 tags
9 tags
João Moutinho Makes Shock Move To Rivals Porto
João Moutinho’s transfer from Sporting to FC Porto was completed 3 weeks ago and the move will never be forgotten in Portuguese football. It is extremely rare that a player moves from Sporting to Porto or vice versa, especially the team’s captain! Moutinho wanted to leave Sporting who he had represented since the age of 14 and Porto offered the best deal. Everton had been tracking the midfielder...
6 tags
The Best Assists of the 2010 World Cup
You’ve already seen the video of all the red cards in the 2010 World Cup but now it’s time for something of another variety. Here are fifteen of the best assists from last month’s tournament. From Rafael van der Vaart to Robinho, check out the finest flicks, crosses and through-balls. My favourites are Felipe Melo’s, Bastian Schweinsteiger’s and Robinho’s. Which are your top assists from...
9 tags
Football is more than the World Cup. Which is why...
We have four years until the next World Cup, and while we certainly plan on covering Brasil 2014, there’s too much football up until that point to ignore. So, instead, we shall embrace. All of it. That’s why we’re so proud to announce Cheeky Chip, a site that will be the epicenter of culture, style, music, humour, good causes, and class that pertains to the beautiful game. And we’ll have a...
6 tags
A Deal With The Devil- Nery Castillo and MLS
I admit, I am extremely excited about watching Nery Castillo playing in MLS, and as excited as I am, I am also very afraid that this kid will disappoint greatly. I do not doubt that he has the talent and skill to really put his stamp on this league, but at the same time, he also has shown in the past that he could really screw up a good thing.
3 years ago this kid was killing it on the world ...
6 tags
Total Football coming to Craven Cottage?
Former Tottenham and Hamburg manager Martin Jol has reportedly agreed to terms with Fulham to become the new manager of the Premier League club. Fulham’s former manager Roy Hodgson went to Liverpool this summer, leaving a huge hole in the organisation at Craven Cottage, however, Martin Jol may just be the right man for the job. Jol will be leaving his post at Ajax, and the Dutchman has agreed to...
4 tags
6 tags
Goal of the Day: Michael Essien's left-footed...
After missing the end of Chelsea’s season and the World Cup with Ghana due to injury, the man, the legend, the Michael Essien is back. He’s the best defensive midfielder in the world in my opinion, and if he’s healthy then he’s untouchable. Against Crystal Palace today in a friendly match Essien opened the scoring with a great left-footed strike from just inside the area. Jack Rodwell, on...
3 tags
Causes: Remember your country's 2010 World Cup run...
While some nations may want to forget their performances down in South Africa, if you’re proud of what your country accomplished at this summer’s World Cup then why not recognise it? Soccer Aid is raising money for UNICEF by selling posters that showcase the scores of all 64 matches, with the results of your particular team highlighted. David of TrebleSeven.com is behind these beautiful designs....
7 tags
Convincing Cavani Set For Napoli
For weeks speculation has been growing surrounding the future of Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani. Since the end of the World Cup, Napoli have emerged ahead of several Premier League suitors as the front-runner in the race to snap up the 23-year-old. Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis recently announced that his side have finally secured Cavani’s services. De Laurentiis told Radio Marte, “We...
4 tags
9 tags
Balotelli's future is in between Italy and England
Mario Balotelli is a talented player. Maybe the most talented one Italian football has produced since Totti, or Cassano. The truth is that it seems there is no more room for him in Serie A. The young Inter striker is now facing a crucial point of his career. At the age of 19, he already won 3 Italian titles, 1 Italian Supercup, 1 Italian Cup, and, last but not least, 1 Champions League....