So what’s the lesson boys and girls? That’s right, you can’t buy success. Although money certainly helps, it doesn’t help to have crazy people running your club. There’s something heartwarming about Real Madrid, a team that went out and bought the two best players in world, losing to a Lyon side who sold Madrid their best player as well. That’s the football gods for you.
The pitch during the CONCACAF Champions League match last night between the Columbus Crew and Mexican club Toluca was comical. It’s been said before, but I’ll say it again. How about some pitch consistency? MLS plays on everything from wonderful grass to American football fields with lines, to last night’s cow grazing pasture (post-graze). Is groundskeeper one of the positions that have been eliminated to cut costs?
Well? It’s free association. So I can’t say anymore. I’ll just say that if you approve, you can pick it up here. If not, feel free to comment.
Adriano’s got issues again. No one has ever questioned Adriano’s talent. But his off the field issues have been following him for years now. Adriano left Inter Milan to relieve his depression by moving back to Brazil to be closer to his friends. Robinho recently left Manchester City under similar circumstances. It makes you wonder whether the players were running from disciplinarians (more…)
For those of you going to South Africa for the World Cup, you’ll have some choices to make. You can spend the entire time hanging out at spots listening to U2 and drum and bass and feel as if you’ve never left home, or you can seek out some spots that will play some kwaito, which shouldn’t be hard to find.
Kwaito is a style of South African music that emerged in the early 1990s that sounds like someone threw some hip-hop, house, and and a touch of South African seasoning into a blender. (more…)
Colombianitos is a Colombian non-profit created to help child victims of armed conflict in Colombia. Founded in Atlanta by a group of Colombian professionals in 2002, Colombianitos started in one of the poorest parts of Bogota, and has since expanded into four other Colombian cities, Cartegena, Puerto Tejada, Barbosa, Sincelejo, and Medellín.
Through the Colombianitos Football School, the organization uses football to tempt children away from drugs and crime that plague their communities. (more…)
Organizations » Social Change
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So it appears that Sven is in talks to take on the Ivory Coast job. You know how I feel about that already. But this is really getting out of control. I can sympathize with a guy trying desperately to get a job. We all know that it’s hard out there these days for international managers. But seriously, Sven will take anything right now. Ivory Coast, have some self-respect. (more…)
Robinho looked happy again yesterday on his return to England. Clearly, unhappy players don’t play well. But what is it exactly that makes Robinho happy? Several things come to mind, but one thing stands out. Robinho seems happiest when he is playing regularly and is an automatic selection. Will that make his return to Europe more difficult if he wants to return to a top side? Are there top sides willing to risk signing a temperamental Robinho?
Nigeria has appointed Swede Lars Lagerback as their new national team coach on a five-month contract. I’m still trying to figure out why. I wrote an earlier piece about African nations’ perpetual need to hire foreigners to lead African teams. With the firing of Nigerian Shaibu Amodu, there’s only one remaining African coach poised to lead a side at Africa’s first World Cup, Algeria’s Rabah Saadane.
This isn’t about xenophobia. It is about understanding why African FAs always end up paying so much money to foreigners who, more often than not, end up turning in the same results as local coaches.
Over the past few decades, the Nigerian coaching job has been just about as stable as the Nigerian Presidency. (more…)
We’ll have a piece on this later in the week, but thought we’d throw this out now. Nigeria just appointed Swede Lars Lagerback to coach the national team on a five month contract, which obviously runs through the World Cup. Why do coaches with no experience in Africa keep getting appointed to lead African sides? Foreign coaches haven’t exactly had mind blowing results leading African sides, but they sure get paid a lot, and ultimately fired like everyone else.
If you love perms or Didier Drogba, you’ll love the Les Éléphants shirt …
Spain is trying to conquer the world again. This time, they might succeed.
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Football for Change is a feature in which Nutmeg Radio highlights work being done by organizations across the globe using soccer to promote development.
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