No Replay Platini

(dailymail.co.uk)




The video review is a part of American football culture that most fans and coaches couldn't live without. I remember watching games with my family growing up on Thanksgiving or Christmas and flipping out at the challenge flag being thrown and flipping out more when a play was overturn. But what would this do for soccer?

According to UEFA President Michael Platini, it will slow the pace of the game down because coaches will be going to it every five seconds. I think some coaches would do this. Rafael Benitiez for one. Platini is supportive of the extra referee's for the eighteen yard box. This is a move that will be tested by FIFA at the club world cup in Japan this year.

One of the main differences between American football and world footie is the pace of the game. Footie moves at a faster pace than American football and if you have to stop every two minutes because of something like an offside, then it will loose that quickness that gets the game over in two hours. I think that Platini is overreacting. If you set up guidelines as to when a coach can challenge and if you enforce it, then you will get matters that can be contested. I agree, however, that there should be an extra referee outside the eighteen yard box. I also think there should be an extra on field referee. This gives you six eyes in each half of the pitch to keep an eye on things. When a call comes under contention, you could have all three refs confer with each other and go from there. Then and only if the on field ref thinks it needs to be reviewed, then you could send it up to the box.

The truth of the matter is that most calls are easily waved off in soccer, because the players are use to playing like that. An offside call might be contested but it is easily waved off and if you quickly hush up the problem players who would complain, then a replay system could work.

THIS IS SCOTLAND!!

(celticattic.com)



It's rainy, cold, and downright perfect football weather here in Erie today and the sight out my bedroom window reminds me of where my ancestors come from, Scotland. Everything seems to be going on with Scotland these days. The Tartan Army is sitting atop of their group in the Euro 08 standings. Then there is Rangers and Celtic who are top of their groups in the Champions League. And you have Aberdeen atop its group in the UEFA cup. I am personally an Aberdeen fan, so that makes me smile.

It seems that the Scottish sides have found their boots in the past year. The Scottish National team are on top, no not number two, in their group. And what's so crackin' about that mate, you might ask? They are leading Italy. Yes, Italy, the team that apparently everyone in America became a fan of after the World Cup. I have never seen more people eating at Olive Garden wearing Italia kits and World Cup shirts. They only lead Italy by a game going into this weekends fixtures, but I think that the Tartan's can really up their tally against the Ukraine at the weekend. Italy has Georgia at the weekend but France has the Faroe Islands, who are in the negative with the goal differential, could end up taking the number two spot. Good job and good luck to the National team.

In the Champions League, you have two of the best Scottish teams at the top of the tables. If I remember correctly, Celtic were in the group stages last year but they went out before the semi-finals. Two great things that have come out of this: Celtic has beat A.C. Milan and Rangers are so close to bumping Barca off for the top spot in their group. Celtic have dodged a bullet better than Neo. UEFA announced that the only penalty against the club that took down the Kings of Europe would be a 25,000 pound fine. It certainly could have been a lot worse than that. Closed stadiums, and points taken off are some things that come to mind. This psychologically helps Celtic. It also will give their fans a nice boost after the "attack" on Dida in last weeks match. Rangers are the other beautiful story in the Champions League/Scottish setting right now. All they have to do is have a decent game that ends in a draw and pray that Barca gets scored on and they will be the top team in their group. Do I think it will work out like that? Not really. The other two teams in their group, Lyon and Stuttgart, are not showing well against the Scots and Spaniards at present. And lastly, you have Aberdeen, a team that is currently eight in the SPL, sitting atop of Group B in the UEFA cup standings. What else could go right for Scotland at the moment?

Here is the problems with it, and there aren't many. Outside fan support is the biggest thing that comes to mind. How many of you know someone that is a Brazil fan or an England fan or an Italian fan? Many of you know tons of these people. Now how many Scottish fans do you know? I have to admit, I am an Argentina fan myself, and it isn't because of Maradonna or Messi. If Scotland advances to the next round of Euro 08 and continues to advance up until the finals, their fan base will probably grow. It's like the Patriots here in America. They won the Superbowl and I'll be damned if everyone didn't become a Patriots fan. People will flock to Scotland to see the team play or if they did a US tour, stadiums would be full, probably because they would play the Galaxy. But, if they turn around and do poorly for the 2010 cup, they could face a blackout of another four years until Euro 12 rolls around. I think this goes for Rangers and Celtic as well. It might improve their face value as a whole globally but it will do so for as long as they win. They can't hold the prestige that a Man U or A.C. Milan hold right now because while some people know these teams, most could care less about them. Except my friend Josh, who is a Celtic supporter.

People are wearing a purple heart for Scotland right now, because they are winning but unless they do this on a consistent basis, I think this will be short lived and that hurts to say. What many don't know is that back when the first internationals were being played, Scotland use to whip England's ass at first, but eventually England got better and they became one of the greatest teams in the world. This left Scotland in the dark, just like they will be left again, I'm afraid.

New Champs Leauge Ads

(adverblog.com)


Very smooth indeed. That's what my first football match was like. But this post isn't about my first football match. Heineken's ads for the Champions League seem to get better and better with the years and this years are shaping up to be quite good as well. The portable keg on the skateboard was by far the best.

Speaking of Champions league, and I know my last post was about the Champs but this is a different subject. Liverpool lost to Marseille. And if Niang could have slowed himself up a few times, it would have been more than a 1-0 loss for the Anfield boys. Gerrard and Riise must have escorted the boys out to the pub on the evening before the match. I have seen MLS teams that play with more fire than the team from the north and it will be interesting to see if they make it out of the group stages. I am sitting here listening to the podcast of World Soccer Daily(I highly recommend that if you have an ipod or itunes that you check out World Soccer Daily, or stream the show live) and they are discussing the possible situation of both the winner and runner up of last years competition both going out in the group stages. This would make for an interesting round of 16.

I don't know what's going on with Milan, except that their goalkeeper should have been on the Brazil National Diving team. Liverpool though, the problem rests with the gaffer. Benitez switches his lineup more time than George Best changed women. There is no cohesion within the ranks of one of the top clubs in Europe. I disagree with the boys at WSD. I think Liverpool will leave the group stages but I doubt they will end up having tea with Putin in Moscow come May.

I love people who say "soccer is such a pansy sport"

(bbc)


These people weren't tuned into the Celtic/A.C. Milan match on the evening. Celtic has one of the liveliest stadiums in the whole of Europe. And last evenings match against the current club champions of Europe, A.C. Milan, was no different. Well.. there was a difference. The violence that happens at the park is usually limited to Celtic/Rangers matches. This was a bit different. Celtic scored the go-ahead goal with little time remaining in the match and a Celtic fan ran from the bleachers and whacked the Brazilian International keeper for Milan, Dida, in the back of the head.

Personally, I think it's quite amusing. Dida chased after the guy and then fell down and had to be carried off on a stretcher. I wish I would have been there. Now don't get me wrong, I love Milan and Dida is a great keeper. But chasing after the guy? Let the cops do it. That's why they are there.

Apart from it being a stunning ending to a great game for the Glasgow boys, this could spell disaster for them. They are currently ahead of A.C. by goal differential in their group. However, UEFA is in the process of investigating the incident and they will make their decision when the match report from the referee is handed in.

How can this spell disaster for the parties involved? Parties, you ask. Yes, I mean parties. Dida will be reviewed as well. If it is found that he faked his injury, he could face fines and possibly a suspension from the remainder of the group stages. I must add that I am strictly speculating on the actions against Dida. What I am not speculating on is the actions that can be taken against Celtic. They could have the three points that they earned honestly, revoked if disciplinary board sees fit.

That's simply not far to the team. Celtic played a hard game and won against the European Champions fairly. The supporter who charged the pitch, a 27 year old male, has been banned from both domestic and international fixtures that Celtic may play. Even the coaching staff at Milan are going easy about it. They have went on record as saying that they don't see a need for a change to the result.

Hooiganism happens in football, all of us fans know that. UEFA really can't impose sanctions on a club because a fan got past Glasgow cops. And if Milan are fine with it, then it shouldn't even be handed over to a prosecutor for the organization. If anyone should press charges, it should be Dida, assuming he is out of the hospital before the statute of limitations is up. Don't punish the club because someone can't grow up. That goes for both the fan and you too, Mr. Dida.

Will Russia Control the Guns

(news.bbc.co.uk)


Ah such a beautiful site. The new Arsenal stadium that the Gunners now call home has helped the North London team in its finacial short falls. This is interesting to note because of the recent moves of the Russian metal magnate Alisher Usmanov.

Usmanov, who bought into the club ownership back in August, had said that he was not interested into actually buying the club, seems to have changed his tune in the past few weeks. He originally bought into the club at a 14% stake but his ownership has jumped to 23% and he is intent on buying more into the club.

The rest of the board is not so keen on this though. Danny Fizman, who owns the second largest stake at 24%, has formed a bit of a pact with the other members of the board. Together they comprise more than 50% of the ownership. This knocks out Usmanov from owning the club at present.

That's what's going on. So what? Well, the thing is that Arsenal would add to the growing number of foreign owners of English teams. Chelsea, for example, is owned by a Russian, Manchester United is owned by an American, and Liverpool is owned by a pair of Americans.

How does this effect English football? English football is a complex system that many people outside the UK can barely understand. We don't have four different competitions a year for all the teams in the NFL. It would be too brutal. I haven't examined the Thai football world or the Russian football world but I doubt they have anything as extensive as the English system. I think it would be hard for managers from outside of the British Isles to manage a team effectively.

We have already seen an example of this with Chelsea. Roman Abromavich, the owner of Chelsea, continueosly fought with recently departed manager, Jose Mourinho, over his inability to win the coveted Champions League. This could be a reoccuring theme in the coming years, especially if Arsenal continue to do well. If Usmanov buys the Gunners outright in 2008, when is reportedly the earliest that he could buy all the shares in the club, how will he react if they only win one cup a year? That is the big issue with foreign owners of clubs that will unfold more as this matter progresses.