Help Football
This is part of our efforts to improve football. In this column we discuss the key issues facing football – using more technology, money in the game, diving / simulation, developing young players and football training in general, changes to rules (governing football and clubs) and a lot more.
Why on earth do countries want to host the FIFA World Cup?
It is a common misconception that a country’s economic situation is improved by hosting the FIFA World Cup. Sports economist Dennis Coates presented conclusive evidence in his recent paper “World Cup Economics: What Americans need to know about a World Cup bid” that the US lost $9.6 billion from hosting the World Cup in 1994,…
Why ugly football is worth its weight in gold?
Ugly football or negative football is often derided as being bad for the game, however I believe that ugly, hard working, strong tackling are qualities not only invaluable for a team to succeed but also good for the game as a whole and contrary to popular belief good and exciting to watch. Brad Gilbert the…
Platini Defends International Football Against Club Football
UEFA President Michel Platini has stepped up to defend international football in the face of criticism from European football clubs about crowded fixture lists and ‘meaningless friendlies’. In remarks published on UEFA’s website (www.uefa.com), Platini said: “National teams have always been the supreme expression of national football since 150 years ago when England first played…
Blind fan support means Manchester United owners still won’t listen
The way in which many fans support their clubs is often difficult to watch. No matter the current state of the squad, no matter the fitness of the players, no matter the most recent fixture results, they continue to support the club through thick and thing. This is what real supporters do. They always hope…
Aon, Manchester United and Charity
At half-time at the Manchester United – Liverpool game on Sunday, Aon (United’s new shirt sponsors) will be hosting a charity event on the pitch. Five children from the Manchester United Soccer Schools will each take one shot at a goal from a place on the pitch between the penalty spot and the six-yard box…
Two changes FIFA can make to improve football
FIFA has admitted that it was not happy with some aspects of the recent World Cup and is contemplating some fundamental changes. President Sepp Blatter announced that FIFA will consider getting rid of extra time at World Cups and possibly reviving the ‘golden goal’. Blatter is far from happy with some teams’ priority to secure…
Stoke ‘goal’ a perfect case for not introducing TV replays
Peter Crouch tried his hardest to stop it going in when playing away on Saturday in Stoke. On this occasion he was successful. Not because it didn’t go in. It did (we think). He just didn’t get caught. Tedious innuendo aside though, are we certain it went in? Lots of cameras and lots of angles…
10 Reasons Why Soccer Sucks
For all the talk about soccer being the “world’s game”, not everyone is on board with the no-hands nonsense of kicking and heading. There are nearly 7 billion people walking around this ball of dust we call Earth; simple logic tells us that millions, perhaps billions, of those free-thinking individuals have no interest in the…
Placement Of A Penalty
Much is being made about Manchester United’s missed penalty in the 2-2 draw against Fulham, so where should have Nani placed his kick? This question has very simple, obvious answer – in the back of the net – but if it were only that easy. With the score at 2-1 in United’s favor, the Reds…
Bundesliga increases international TV revenues thanks to International and European success
Big name signings and Germany’s exciting World Cup run will trigger a more than 10 percent jump in Bundesliga international broadcasting rights revenues this season, the country’s football league chief said on Thursday. “Internationally we have boosted our activities,” German football league (DFL) CEO Christian Seifert told Reuters in an interview the day before the…
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