Um, you should probably read this, especially if you have any interest in US Soccer or Major League Soccer. Basically, former USMNT player and Fox Soccer analyst Eric Wynalda gets all out of character and speaks his mind and pulls his punches at the recent NSCAA Convention in a lecture cleverly titled “Why Not US.” Go ahead. Don’t be embarrassed. As you’ll soon see, he isn’t.
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.
Sometimes the folks in charge don’t tell you the entire story.
If you always listened to authorities, you might have once thought that smoking is good for your health. Or perhaps that racism isn’t a problem in certain places.
Imagine a stadium full of spectators cheering on their team. Imagine you are in the crowd and unfortunate enough to witness sections waving banners and chanting, making it painfully clear that people like you are not welcome. Imagine listening to derogatory chants every time a player who looks like you touches the ball, degrading your existence as if you were, well, an animal. Continue Reading »
More: Discrimination | Outside the Lines
“Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome to the stage, the candidates, Bob Bradley and Coachy McCoacherson.”
(Applause.)
Imagine a coaching selection process where prospective coaches are required to engage in a public debate over their ideas. Imagine coaches having to publicly assess the state of the union and submit a vision for moving forward. Not only would it be great theater, said move would set off a flurry of intelligent, and much needed, debate based on concrete ideas. Continue Reading »
More: The Future | The Game
Perhaps next time Harry Rednapp decides to mouth-off before a big game, he will think twice. Prior to the Arsenal v. Tottenham Carling Cup tie, Redknapp had a go at his Arsenal counterpart by saying that he wouldn’t follow Arsene Wenger’s example of relying on reserve team players in the competition. Continue Reading »
A funny thing happens during international friendlies, particualrly when a team loses.
Invariably, cries that “this game doesn’t matter” eminate from supporters, conveying a fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose of international friendlies. In many ways, it’s self-delusion at its finest. It’s like a jaded boyfriend saying, “I didn’t like her anyway,” after a girlfriend breaks up with him. These are defense mechanisms signifying denial and/or hurt, which is why you rarely hear this refrain after an emphatic victory.
I won’t mince words. Friendlies matter. Sure, the final result is not the penultimate measure of mattering. However, player performances and how players combine certainly matter given the limited assessment opportunities on the international calender prior to the games that really count. Continue Reading »
The game of soccer is increasingly global. Many of game’s biggest stars are African. Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and Samuel Eto’o are a few of the continent’s best home grown talents that ply their trade in some of Europe’s most prestigious clubs. While much is known about these African superstars, not much is known about the countless others that don’t make it to the game’s biggest stage. The documentary ‘Soccer Slaves’ covers the travails of these young, desperate soccer hopefuls. From the fields of hope in Africa to the black market games in Europe, the exploitation of the Lost Boys of Soccer is vast and shameful. Continue Reading »
More: Corruption | Outside the Lines
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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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