So it’s “arrivederci” to Mr Capello and with that once again The FA are in search of fresh man with fresh ideas to manage the England football team. The now infamous “impossible job” is waiting ominously to be filled by a brave managerial soul and the national media appear to be in no doubt as to whom that man should be, yes it’s the half human half bloodhound hybrid, Harry Redknapp.

Redknapp, who was on Wednesday cleared of tax evasion at Southwark Crown Court, must have been relishing the thought of a quiet night in away from the intense media scrutiny which had been constant over the previous two weeks. Alas, he was to have no such luck as the media spotlight quickly beamed back on him, albeit for more positive reasons, following the resignation of Fabio Capello.

Seemingly the whole nation was immediately buzzing with talk of what Capello’s departure meant for the national team just four months before Euro 2012. The question constantly nagging me however was why? Why all the hysteria?

International football has become a rather underwhelming and dreary pursuit in the face of ever growing interest in the now epically hyped English Premier League and heavily revered Uefa Champions League.

How depressing the feeling has become when late on a mid-week afternoon as your attention turns towards the weekends domestic action you realise it’s an international break, a feeling only exacerbated further when the break is merely for a friendly.

The international breaks are often uninspiring, dull, an unwelcome distraction. It is becoming ever more commonplace that following a dispiriting international break the nation’s mood is once again lifted by a rip-roaring weekend of domestic football.

Success at International level was once considered the pinnacle of football achievement with the feats of Pele, Maradonna, Beckenbaur serving to immortalise them and the World Cup itself in the annals of football history. The former of these three football greats responded to Lionel Messi‟s third successive Ballon d‟Or by claiming the argentine magician cannot be considered a true great until he has achieved success on the International level.

The Pinnacle

The retort to this is straightforward; Messi has three Champions League winners medals, a competition which has undoubtedly superseded the World Cup as the pinnacle of excellence and achievement in the modern game. This is a fact which can be highlighted simply by identifying the two dominant forces in each spheres of the game. In the domestic game the superior outfit is clearly Barcelona, in international football it is Barcelona Lite, most commonly known as Spain……without Lionel Messi.

This is a major reason why Redknapp should stay put. He is already dining at football’s top table with an almost tangible chance of sitting at the head of it, at least domestically, providing he can find a way past the two Manchester’s and without the added pressure of a nations unrealistic expectations.

This is more than can be said for his chances with England, a team that despite a light sprinkling of exceptional players, still lacks the ball retaining ability, technical prowess and mental strength to compete with the offerings of Spain, Germany and Holland.  At international level Harry’s literally stuck with what he’s got and can no longer rely on his eye for talent and famous wheeler dealing that has helped him further Tottenham’s cause during his tenure.

The question Redknapp must ask himself is “can I actually be successful as England manager?” Obviously that depends on what is considered success but if the past is anything to go by that consideration will be seriously out of kilter with what is actually achievable and we all know how the story goes from there.

Contrastingly, at Tottenham he is potentially on the verge of something really special this season or the next with a couple of astute additions to a squad. A squad which, as Daniel Levy has already proved last summer with his resistance to the sale of Luka Modric, will not be dismantled, especially with Champions League football in the bag.

Impossible Job

Compounding all this is the very reason why we call the national the role the “impossible job,” the tabloid media. The England team has become less a body that regularly occupies football fans minds and more some form of toy for the national newspapers, with the football manager playing the most vulnerable of pawns in their often frenzied game.

Admittedly, Harry has them firmly on his side with pretty much unanimous support across the nations print rooms, but of course how quick this can change; Kevin Keegan anyone?

Following the failures of Steve McLaren the order of the day became experience, tactical knowledge, authoritarianism in order to get the best out of our over indulged “Golden Generation‟ and up until June 2010 Capello delivered this emphatically and was considered a shrewd appointment even at £6 million pounds a year.

Four disappointing games later and all that went out the window. His tactics were a problem, his grasp of English was a problem, his nationality, his wages, his choice of swimwear (who can forget the Speedos) you name it if it involved Capello it was a problem and remained a problem even after another successful qualifying campaign.

Accordingly, despite his managerial achievements still remaining relatively modest and indeed his own reservations regarding lack of daily contact with players, it is now the attributes that Redknapp possess which are in vogue.

But  its depressingly inevitable that the vulnerability of the role will eventually render these attributes unsuitable and ineffective and yet again we will be back where we are now, after all how can one succeed in the impossible job.

Commenting from a significant distant I think he‟d be mad to swap White Hart Lane for Wembley Way but nevertheless, it is highly likely that the lure of leading his nation will be, for Harry, a proud Englishmen, understandably too much to resist. I just hope he fully realises the position and potential he is walking away from and more importantly just exactly what he is walking into.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Following Fabio Capello’s resignation as England manager, Castrol EDGE Performance data shows why Harry Redknapp is firm favourite to take over the reins.  Since the previous European Championships in 2008, Redknapp has secured an impressive win ratio of 49% with Portsmouth and Tottenham, guiding Spurs to their most successful season in the Premier League and securing European football for the past two seasons.

However, although Redknapp’s recent success is superior to English managers such as Roy Hodgson, there are a number of foreign coaches whose statistics warrant consideration. Indeed, Jose Mourinho is reportedly considering a return to England, and since 2008/9 he has an outstanding win ratio of 69%. Moreover, his ability to create well organized, defensive units is demonstrated by the fact that he has lost only 20 out of 174 matches in this time.

Guus Hiddink is also available, and the Dutchman has an experience of international management that neither Redknapp nor Mourinho possess. Chelsea supporters will also recall his remarkable stint as manager in 2009. At Stamford Bridge, Hiddink built an immediate rapport with the players and fans, winning 11 out of 13 matches and guiding The Blues to success in the FA Cup.

COMPETITION BREAKDOWN

Who do you think should take over from Fabio Capello as the next England manager?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

John Terry on his day is one of the best central defenders in the Premier League, and certainly an important player for Chelsea and England.

However, the 31-year-old is in danger of missing out on Euro 2012, after being stripped of his nation’s captaincy due to the ongoing allegations of racism against the Barking-born man. This, for sure, is not the first controversy to blight Terry’s career, as the following rap sheet shows.

• Fined two weeks wages for drunkenly mocking American tourists in Heathrow Airport in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 9/11.
• Charged with assault and affray after a confrontation with a nightclub bouncer in January 2002, Terry was suspended from England duty and subsequently missed out on the 2002 World Cup. He was later cleared of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, unlawful wounding, possessing a bottle as an offensive weapon and affray.
• In February 2002 Terry was caught on CCTV urinating into a beer glass and dropping it on the floor of an Essex nightclub.
• Fined £60 for parking his Bentley in a disabled bay.
• In 2004, Terry was reported to have gambled up to £40,000 a week on horse and dog racing with Wayne Bridge and Scott Parker.
• Sent off against Tottenham in November 2006 at White Hart Lane, and accused of racially abusing Ledley King. Questioned the integrity of referee Graham Poll, and was later fined £10,000 for inappropriate conduct.
• Before marrying Toni Poole in 2007, admitted to cheating on his partner up to eight times. Jenny Barker, 17, claims that Terry cheated on Poole with her in a public car park.
• Investigated by Chelsea and the FA for reportedly accepting a £10,000 bribe to show a reporter around the London club’s training ground without permission in 2009.
• In 2009 the centre back’s father Ted Terry was filmed allegedly selling cocaine to an undercover reporter, months after his mother, Sue, and mother-in-law had been cautioned for shoplifting.
• In January 2010 Terry was alleged to have had a four-month affair with Wayne Bridge’s girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel. Bridge was deemed as one of Terry’s best friends, and Perroncel was the mother of the left back’s child. Fabio Capello stripped Terry of the England captaincy due to the scandal, handing it to Rio Ferdinand.
• Accused of racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand in a 1-0 defeat for Chelsea at Loftus Road in October 2011. Investigated by the FA and police, Terry will stand trial in July 2012. Stripped of his country’s captaincy for the second time.

Terry may well look back at the above list with shame and regret once his playing days are over, as the constant controversies in his life have taken away from his ability on the pitch.

With England producing some exciting young defenders in recent times, Euro 2012 could be Terry’s last swansong at a major international tournament, but his involvement is now not assured due to his July court date.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

John Terry, English FA and why he shouldn’t be anywhere near the England national team until the trial is over.

Episode Four : A New Trial…..

In a time not so long ago, in a world departed from this reality….

A Man divided opinion of what was right and decent

A Man led a country; All its people, All casts,

All its hopes rested on his shoulders

His Name was John Terry…

OH F*#k!! We’re So very Screwed! Cue the music………..

I find myself in exact opposition to a United Legend. A man I believe as surprised a lot of people with his good sense and honesty since taking up with the coin of the Devil which is Sky Sports Inc. He has talked with eloquence and shared an insight into the footballing world that few other ex-pro pundits, such as Jamie [Place ADVERT HERE] Redknapp, Shearer ‘I know nothing….’ et al, have managed with such clarity and legitimacy that others have so lacked. He’s been there, done that and rubbished the T-Shirt…..

But I stand here in exact antipathy. He is wrong on so many levels about this one issue that I feel offended. Wrong because he relates fighting the Rio incident with this same issue. Wrong, because like Liverpool FC and the Suarez case, football has again completely and utterly and absolutely missed the very fundamental premise of this case;

‘John Terry is on trial for making a Racially Aggravated Remark.’

What has gone before us this season, let alone the bad old days of football discrimination, should be enough to ensure everyone’s eyes see the primary truth of this statement.

No-one can rightly accuse John Terry of being ‘A Racist’, as much as we could conclude the same of Luis Suarez. He will not be found innocent or guilty of that. He is not on trial for that. That is in fact not even a crime in British law. There is neither a specific law that transmits exactly as Anti-racial abuse law, but this may fall under the Protection from Harassment Act (1997). This is about whether one man has spoken or done something which in law is deemed offensive in discriminating against another person based on his or her race. Or if that a person’s conduct in question can be considered harassment by a ‘reasonable’ man/woman.

Or it may fall under the Crime and Disorder Act (1998), where the offence committed demonstrates hostility based on the ‘Victim’s’ membership to a racial group or based on hostility towards a group based on their membership to that racial group.

So when he uttered the words he is accused of he may well be considered as acting with hostility towards a player based on the colour of his skin which narrates to the membership to a racial group. This is obviously a very simplified form of what will be a complex and complicated legal fight between the crown prosecution and Mr. Terry’s legal team in his defence.

So if I’m admitting the complexity of it why have I come over all righteous and indignant?

If we look at the reams of media produced by this it’s the simple argument between our Red-Nev and the Times Journalist Matt Dickinson on Twitter. Neville is quoted as saying “To ban without process is to sentence that’s what I fought for back in (2003) and still believe.” He replied to further prompts that the FA should only “ACT if it affects the performance of the team/Individual”. Neville has in one single instance, like many before him, become censure to the decent man’s moral conscience.

Dimitrina Petrova (2000) wrote that the ‘denial of racism is gradually conquering the sphere of manifestations of racism and becoming the most typical and widespread modern form of appearance of racist attitudes, opinions, statements, actions and policies, (European Roma Rights Centre). In categorically denying that the governing body should take action should against John Terry prior to the trial, Gary Neville has placed John Terry’s individual rights above that of football, its patrons the fans and in complete opposition to the implementation of policies to the ‘reasonable’ man. He as inexplicably condoned racism by denial.

Remember Him? The reasonable, Man? He’s not the one earning hundreds of thousands of pounds doing something we have such love and passion for and commands such adoration and hate. Football is tribal. The Vile bilious hatred that drips from the terraces against rivals is an ugly reminder of our darker sides. The respect of others is an argument for another day. But with the tribalism that tears at the very heart of integrity we must rise and say ‘NO’.

Our football club have witnessed firsthand how allowing the rights of an individual, not enjoyed by the rest of society, can poison further British football’s impressive stance and rally against racism. Abuse directed to an Oldham player and our own Patrice Evra under the banner of tribalism and banter as left me sickened. The fact that a respected club like Liverpool FC have effectively propagated Neville’s premise lies in the reactionary argument that other pundits and commentators hold, in that acting suggests judgment and prejudices the verdict and his treatment. It’s flawed and an argument not allowed to the rest of the nation’s workforce.

Footballers already seem to have the idea that ordinary rules of society somehow don’t apply to their world. Why shouldn’t they, they’re treated in equal amounts of loathing and reverence. They’re surrounded by people that tell them they ARE special, why shouldn’t they believe it. Why should they be judged by the same rules as us ordinary folk—– But footballers’ are human and are affected by the same emotions and should be judged and ruled by the same laws and ethics as the reasonable man.

I work for a large organisation. If I was reported as expressing the comments credited to John Terry my work would rightly take it seriously and investigate the matter. Due to the seriousness of this I would be suspended. There’s no doubt about that. That would be on full pay and would have no bearing on the appearance of guilt or innocence.

It’s part of the process. It removes me from being effected or being able to influence the investigation. I cannot influence the statements or attitudes of any witnesses or any potential victim/s. I cannot bring pressure to bear. I would be isolated from work colleagues whilst the investigation is concluded. After that I would be restored to my position or punished as per policy. In this case I would be in all likelihood looking at the sack, even deregistration and the end of my career.

This is another concept alien to footballers who due to their unique standing as ‘Assets’ are precluded from this devastating employment discarding. This I accept, but why Should John Terry be treated any different to me or ANY of the peoples of this great land!??? I am still waiting for a reasonable answer to tell this reasonable man why????

Surely the captains standing, within this insular and protective world that constitutes a footballer’s dressing room, is at the apex of this environment with the influence, power and dominance that role provides. It’s perverse to think that John Terry is still allowed to hold that sway within the international and his club’s dressing rooms. Worse still is that John Terry, as captain of England is our leader on the field.

An emblem of national pride, the badge on his chest and the statements of national fervour only further sully and defile sensibility. Britain has confronted and attempted to address the nature, the history and effects of racism in this country. It is not perfect. But if you compare us to other nations in Europe and around the world it’s a good start. John Terry as England captain carrying the mantle of England onto the field of play who symbolizes a nation is a charade.

Our national game is football, and embodies all its peoples no matter what race, sexual orientation or even tribal group (gulp! yes even the Bitters!!). A man stood accused of the inexcusable utterance of a racial jibe at a fellow professional should not be allowed to continue as a representative of this country. A country whose black men and women serve with distinction in its armed forces and local emergency services or even just scrape a living like the rest of us. How can he represent these people or even any of as a multicultural nation?

Why is there no realisation in football that this is utterly wrong on every level?

Why are we still being stained and ruined by distracters that fail to be guided by conscience who belong to the “if’s” and “Buts” brigade that defend people like Terry and Suarez?

John Terry seems a very unlikable and vile human being. There I’ve said it; this is my personal opinion of the man. He has a highly punch-able face and persona.

I really REALLY do not like Him. Viva John Terry is my ironic roar…..

But my personal feelings do not come into it. If he or football authorities had a shred of decency or principles he would not be representing me or my nation, he would be nowhere near a team that can only be influenced and torn apart by his actions. Like football, he is amoral as there is no glory or money in that direction……………….. Just decency and honour and integrity………….

Why am, I not surprised that these are traits it appears John Terry does not possess?? More surprising is that John Terry remains captain and now is defended by our own Red-Nev. We really are f#*ked!!!

Written by Jony Ball, who contributes on the Manchester United blog RedRants.com, and can also be followed on Twitter.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The extraordinary delays in a resolution to the Terry-Ferdinand affair have already resulted in the wholly unnecessary cop-out by the FA and the Premier League in asking Chelsea and QPR to forego handshakes in their recent league clash. The pointlessness of team handshakes apart, the worst that could have happened would have been the whole of the QPR contingent refusing to shake John Terry’s hand.

Now you might refuse to shake Terry’s hand on principle in any case, but the more likely explanation was that the football authorities wanted to avoid the sort of press fiasco that followed Wayne Bridge’s refusal to shake John Terry’s hand and therefore deny tabloids extra ammunition to throw at Terry / the FA / English football in general.

Fair enough – but surely this could have been resolved a lot quicker through an expedited judicial process where the relevant witnesses and parties involved would have been due in court regardless of their ‘footballing’ commitments? Unless the reasons for the delay have nothing to do with time and everything to do with Chelsea and the English FA.

John Terry’s history with racism

A lot of people forget that John Terry has priors when it comes to racist comments – a few years ago he was thought to have racially abused Ledley King during a Chelsea-Tottenham game. Terry was already getting sent off for an incident that happened in actual play, but the reaction of players on both sides was damning. King, Zokora and Chimbonda all squared up to Terry, with Essien and Makelele from Chelsea’s side running up to Terry and asking him to repeat what he’d said.

That incident is long gone from the memories of the tabloid press but it’s just one of many indiscretions by Terry (and his family) – and there’s sufficient evidence (even if the press isn’t using all of it) to suggest that if there are any moral standards to being a captain of Chelsea and England, John Terry shouldn’t be it.

The best of John Terry

There’s sufficient evidence to suggest that Terry plays at his best when he’s dogged by controversies (on or off the field). His performance against QPR is just one of many telling contributions he’s made in a Chelsea shirt, and after every controversy there seems to follow a hallmark John Terry performance on the pitch as if to underscore the point that regardless of what you may think of him as a person, as a footballer he must be respected.

Despite the negative headlines, Chelsea are likely to benefit from an under-siege John Terry, and England will also benefit from a charged up captain determined to prove that he’s still the best. So regardless of the questions made over his footballing ability, the fact is that if Terry is picked for the Euros, the press uproar will be good enough for him to raise his game to a sufficiently high level.

So now it comes to what impact his presence would have on the rest of the England squad. Before I answer that, consider the key influences in the England squad – Terry, Ashley Cole, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Gareth Barry, and recently Joe Hart (you can include Lampard and Gerrard in that list too). Rio’s injuries mean that he’s no longer first-choice for England, and all of the other players in the above list are generally close pals of John Terry.

You only have to look at Capello’s reinstatement of John Terry as captain to understand the support he has inside the team – with Rio’s injuries making him unavailable (ditto with Gerrard), the first choice for captain was Terry. With Rooney biding his time until the seniors retire, there are hardly any players in the England squad who would be both central to England’s chances in the Euros and would be opposed to John Terry being in the England squad.

So at the end of the day, Capello and the FA have a simple choice – they can take the moral ground, or they can put the squad first and value performances over everything else. We keep lambasting the FA for bowing down to the press and not making the right choice. This is the rare moment when (so far) they’ve stood firm against public outcry. It might not be the right thing to do, but it may actually help England’s performances at the Euros.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Castrol EDGE performance analysis shows that Manchester City’s muscular full-back, Micah Richards, has rediscovered his best form this season, providing his star-studded City side with a potent and creative attacking threat.

In the clash with Tottenham, Richards will go head to head with Kyle Walker, who is currently ahead of the City man in the pecking order for the Three Lions’ right-back berth. However, in comparing their Premier League stats this season, the City man comes out on top in the attacking side of his play.

While both players have registered the same amount of goals and shots, Richards has already provided five assists (compared to Walker’s one), a figure only nine players overall in the Premier League can better so far. Richards has also been impressive with his delivery from wide areas, with 24% of his crosses finding a team-mate, compared to Walker’s 18% crossing accuracy figure.

However, in terms of basic defending, Walker has outshone Richards, winning a higher proportion of his tackles and making more interceptions.

Both players deserve their place in Fabio Capello’s next England squad, but Richards’ current form in the opposing half of the pitch offers the Three Lions a particularly valuable option from the right flank.

Premier League 2011/12 – Richards v Walker

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

In the past and the present, football players have enjoyed a special place in a football fan’s life. People from all over the world take time out of their busy lives to watch them play or get a glimpse of them in training.

Reasons could vary from personal to strictly football. For the vast variety of football fans, Soccerlens has hand-picked personally signed items from Icons. You can use them to satisfy your personal hunger or add to your collection of memorabilia.

Signed Robin van Persie Arsenal Shirt

Robin van Persie is as lethal a striker as you could want for your team. And he is surely proving his mettle at Arsenal as he lights up the Emirates with his extravagant displays.

This shirt is personally signed by the Holland striker in an exclusive signing session organised by Icons in November 2011. It is the official Nike shirt with the Arsenal logo on the front. It comes in presentation packaging and an image of van Persie signing the shirts.

This is a perfect Christmas 2011 gift for any Gunners fan, specially since Persie is leading Arsenal’s resurrection, order the signed Robin van Persie shirt online.

Signed Lio Messi 2010-11 Champions League Final Shirt

Lionel Messi is a nightmare for the toughest defenses around the world. He is definitely a class above the rest and he has proven it time and time again. Those who think differently are just in denial.

Commemorating Barcelona’s victory over Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League final in Wembley in May 2011, this unique printed shirt was personally signed by Messi in August 2011. The Barcelona 2010/11 shirts are specifically printed with the details of the Wembley final and are not available for retail anywhere else.

For your loved ones who are Barcelona or Lio Messi fans, this framed and signed shirt will prove a great present this Christmas. It will also make them feel better as their fierce rivals Real Madrid are three points ahead with a game in hand. Order the signed Messi 2010-11 CL final shirt online.

Paul Scholes signed Man Utd Shirt

The legendary Manchester United midfielder, Paul Scholes has won nine English Premier League titles, three FA Cup and two Champions League medals in the course of a hard-fought 16-year career with his only club.

This United shirt was signed by Scholes at a private signing session in Manchester on October 5, 2010. The shirt comes with a numbered hologram and an identical hologram is fixed to the certificate of authenticity, which features an image of the England international signing a shirt.

If your loved one is a Man United fan then I can assure you that he is still hurting from the 6-1 thrashing by local rivals Manchester City – on top of that, the penalty against Newcastle United and a shock loss to Crystal Palace only made it worse. As a heart-warming Christmas gift, remind him of the elegant passes of good ol’ Scholes by ordering a signed Paul Scholes Man Utd shirt online.

Signed Pele Photo: Embrace with Bobby Moore

Brazil defeated England 1-0 in the quarterfinal of the 1970 FIFA World Cup. Jairzinho scored the only goal of the game but it was the duel between Bobby Moore and Pele. The two embraced after the game and Pele went on to say that Bobby Moore was the best defender he played against.

Pele and Moore were exchanging shirt after the game when this photo was taken. It was signed in London on September 19, 2006 by Pele in an exclusive signing session.

The most enduring image of sportsmanship at the highest level. If you don’t know much about football but your significant other loves it, this is like the most basic of football presents. He might not love it but he won’t throw it away either. Guaranteed! Order signed and framed Pele photo with Bobby Moore online. This is a limited edition product

Maradona And Messi Signed Number 10 Shirt

Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi are two of the most iconic footballers of their times. Both originated from Argentina and both wear the coveted number 10 jersey. Icons decided to put both of their signatures down on one Argentina number 10 shirt.

This is probably the most iconic shirt. It’s an authentic 1986 Argentina shirt originally signed by Maradona in 2010. In the spring of 2011, Messi added his signature to the shirt. The two greatest Argentinean players ever are now on one shirt!

This is an unforgettable piece of signed merchandise and any football fan that gets his hands on one of these will cherish it for years to come as Messi and Maradona are two names that won’t be forgotten easily. With the holiday season just around the corner, order the Maradona and Messi signed number 10 shirt online ASAP.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The best part about holiday shopping is the amount of discounts you can find. It is very important to go around the market before buying something because you never know, you might find it for cheaper elsewhere.

Keeping that in mind, I looked around for quality presents with good discounts and picked, what I thought, were really good bargains.

Real Madrid 2011-12 Third kit

adidas have made a red third kit for Real Madrid’s 2011-12 UEFA Champions League campaign. The red shirt has white adidas stripes on the shoulder.

The original price of this red Galacticos shirt is £41.24 but you can buy the 11-12 Real Madrid Champions League third shirt for £35.05.

Nike Total90 Strike IV

The Strike IV by Nike is the ideal football boot for powerful shooting and accuracy. Strike IV is designed to provide you assistance in touch, control, optimal precision and uniform striking surface.

The T90 Strike IV is available for £58.66 and that’s after a 26% discount – from the actual price of £79.99.

V. Persie 9 – Holland 2010 World Cup Home Shirt

Nike manufactures the sports goods for the Holland national team and the number 9 orange home shirt of the sensational Arsenal skipper, Robin van Persie, is available on the Soccerlens Store.

The original price of this shirt was £59.99 and it is on a 5% discount. You can buy the 10-11 Holland home shirt for £56.99.

Zidane 10 – France 2010 World Cup Home Shirt

It was a disappointing trip to South Africa for the 1998 champions. Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema were already trapped in a lot of controversy and to add to the tension, there were disagreements in the dressing room. It was clearly a different France than we last saw in 2006 under the captaincy of the great Zinedine Zidane.

The original price of this adidas manufactured shirt was £54.99 but with a 45% discount, you can buy the 10-11 France home shirt for £30.

Drogba 11 – Ivory Coast 2010 World Home Shirt

Didier Drogba’s injury to the forearm kept him from performing a hundred percent. On top of that, it would have been quite a task to beat Brazil and Portugal. North Korea was the fourth team in their group. They still managed a goalless draw with Portugal and a three goal win over Korea but Brazil was just too strong for them.

That was probably Drogba’s last World Cup as a top class striker. The Chelsea ace wore the number 11 for his national team.

The original price of the shirt was £59.99 but we’re offering a 42% discount. You can now buy the 10-11 Ivory Coast home shirt for £35.

Beckham 7 – England Euro 2012 Home Shirt

David Beckham was the most influential footballer in recent times and his experience and skills were unmatched across England. His presence will be missed but there is a lot of promising young blood coming through.

The original price of the Euro 2012 home shirt was £59.99. After a massive 42% discount, you can buy the 11-12 England home shirt for £35.

Eto’o 9 – Cameroon 2010 World cup Away Shirt

Samuel Eto’o is as clinical as a striker can get. If his successful spells at Barcelona and Inter Milan don’t convince you enough, his larger than life pay-check with Russian Premier League club Anzhi Makhachkala should leave you dumbfounded.

The original price of this shirt was £59.99 but after a 42% discount, you can buy the 10-11 Cameroon away shirt for £35.

adidas adiPower Predator

The adidas Predator was formerly worn by players like Xavi, Lionel Messi and many others in top competitions around the world. It’s built for speed, power and swerve.

The original price of the boot was £154.99. Kitbag is offering a 29% discount and you can buy the adidas Predator for £109.99.

Robbie Fowler Signed Liverpool Shirt

The Liverpool born striker came through the youth ranks of the Reds and played through his prime at Liverpool. He left his childhood club and moved the Leeds United and went on to impress fans across England. He also made appearances for Manchester City and had another stint at Liverpool.

To honor the Reds legend, here’s a personally signed Liverpool numbed 9 shirt of Robbie Fowler:

The original price of this framed shirt was £366.67. Kitbag is offering a 15% discount and you can buy the Fowler signed Liverpool home shirt for £311.67.

This magnificent collector’s item was originally priced at £916.67. Kitbag if offering a 15% discount and the Pele and Maradona dual framed and signed shirts for £779.17.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The 14th European Championship for teams sanctioned by the UEFA is scheduled to be played between 8th June and 1st July 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.

Spain are the current holders of the cup – they defeated Germany in the final in Austria / Switzerland version of the tournament in 2008.

The groups and the schedule of the Euro 2012 have been announced and the groups are as follows:

Group A: Poland, Greece, Russia, Czech Republic
Group B: Holland, Denmark, Germany, Portugal
Group C: Spain, Italy, Republic of Ireland, Croatia
Group D: Ukraine, Sweden, France, England

You can see the team by team preview of Euro 2012 from a couple of weeks ago and here we’re covering the football gear to be used by the national teams in the tournament.

Before we look at what kits the players will be donning for the competition, lets look at the official Euro 2012 match ball:

adidas Tango 12

The official match ball that will be used for the duration of the tournament in Poland and Ukraine in the coming summers is the adidas Tango 12. It is a brand new ball inspired by the famous line of adidas Tango balls.

Here’s a picture of the ball. As soon as it is made available, we will have it up for grabs in the Soccerlens Store.

Official UEFA Euro 2012 Match Ball: adidas Tango 12
(Click to enlarge image)

All the football gear and kit manufacturers have lined up for the biggest tournament in Europe and they present to you the Euro 2012 shirts:

Croatia

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Czech Republic

Chelsea stopper Petr Cech, Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky and Galatasaray forward Milan Baros will probably be featuring for the last time in a major tournament and surely, they will all want to end their careers on a high.

Czech Republic will wear a Puma manufactured red shirt with white and blue details. They will be playing in Group A.

Czech Rep. Home Shirt

Click here to buy Czech Republic Euro 2012 home shirt.

Denmark

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

England

England captain John Terry came under much scrutiny before the start of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but this time around, things seems to be relatively smoother. Fabio Capello will be looking to exit the job with grace.

England are placed in Group D and will play their opening fixture against the French national team. The Three Lions will wear a plain white shirt, manufactured by Umbro.

England Home Shirt

Click here to buy England Euro 2012 home shirt.

They will wear navy blue away shirts with light blue collars.

England Away Shirt

Click here to buy England Euro 2012 away shirt.

France

France are also placed in Group D and they will play their opening fixture against England. The French squad is relatively younger blood from last time around. Karim Benzema is set to lead the attack as Franck Ribery will takeover the creative part.

Les Bleus will wear a Nike manufactured navy blue shirt. The only details on the shirt are the Nike swoosh and the team emblem.

France Home Shirt

Click here to buy France Euro 2012 home shirt.

The Frenchmen will wear a white away shirt with black horizontal stripes – kind of like the prisoners.

France Away Shirt

Click here to buy France Euro 2012 away shirt.

Germany

Euro 2008 finalists, Germany are seeded in Group B and it is the toughest group in this tournament. Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski will be looking to steal the show with sound backing from the rest of the squad. Joachim Low will be looking to leave previous disappointments behind.

Germans will wear a very attractive white shirt with diagonal black, red and yellow lines on the front and black adidas pin-stripes on the shoulder.

Germany Home Shirt

Click here to buy Germany Euro 2012 home shirt.

Greece

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Holland

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Italy

Participating in Group C, Italy will open the tournament with a match against the world champions. Juventus’ fantastic shot-stopper Gianluigi Buffon will look to play this tournament through as Daniele De Rossi and his midfield will have to take the pressure off of defence and supply Mario Balotelli up front.

Italy will wear the Puma manufactured blue shirt with a white collar containing details in the colours of the Italian flag.

Italy Home Shirt

Click here to buy Italy Euro 2012 home shirt.

Poland

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Portugal

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Republic of Ireland

LA Galaxy striker and national team captain Robbie Keane will look to lead Ireland to at least give a tough time to the giants of Group C. He will need all the expertise Shay Given, John O’Shea and Darron Gibson have to offer.

Ireland will wear a white away shirt with green details. The kits are manufactured by Umbro.

Rep. of Ireland Away Shirt

Click here to buy Republic of Ireland Euro 2012 away shirt.

Russia

Arsenal striker Andrie Arshavin will captain a Russia side out of which only four players ply their trade outside of the country. Tottenham forward Roman Pavlyuchenko, Vfb Stuttgart forward Pavel Pogrebnyak and Everton midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov are the three other players who play outside of Russian Premier League. Yuri Zhirkov’s services will also be available.

Russia will wear an adidas manufactured red shirt with a blue and white diagonal stripe going down the front.

Russia Home Shirt

Click here to buy Russia Euro 2012 home shirt.

Spain

Reigning world and European champions, Spain will play Euro 2012 in Group C. Since the triumph in the World Cup, the Spaniards haven’t been in top form but they should never be underestimated with the quality of the squad they possess.

Head coach Vicente del Bosque will be looking for a repeat performace from his team which features five Real Madrid players and eight Barcelona players. Another three Barca players have been called-up for the squad recently (Martin Montoya, Thiago Alcantara and Pedro).

Spain will wear a red jersey proudly featuring a single golden star above their team emblem. The kit is manufactured by adidas.

Spain Home Shirt

Click here to buy Spain Euro 2012 home shirt.

Sweden

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Ukraine

Andriy Shevchenko captains the Ukraine side and the former AC Milan and Chelsea striker will look to impress in front of his home crowd. Ukraine are in Group D and will face tough competition from Sweden, France and England.

They will wear an adidas manufactured yellow shirt with blue details.

Ukraine Home Shirt

Click here to buy Ukraine Euro 2012 home shirt.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Update: Groups Draw details and the official match ball of Euro 2012 added. Scroll down to view.

With the 16 teams competing in Euro 2012 now selected and the qualifying process complete, all eyes look to Poland and Ukraine as time ticks down. The seeding for the selection of the group stages has been completed also, with the draw for the pool stages happening in Kiev on December 3rd. English and Irish fans will look for a favourable draw, but both nations will know that the competition is packed with top teams.

Pot 1 consists of co-host Poland and Ukraine, world champions Spain and a technically gifted Netherlands side; most participants will be keen to draw the hosts rather than the other two powerhouses.

SPAIN

Spain’s mantle as the top team in the world has been slightly diminished of late, as poor results in friendlies against Spain and Costa Rica have tarnished the end of 2011 for La Roja. Vicente Del Bosque has a plethora of players to choose from however, with a strong base from Barcelona and Real Madrid making up the majority of the team.

The Spaniards midfield is still as menacing as ever, with Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas and Xabi Alonso world class players that opponents will struggle to compete against; however Xavi is still Spain’s main man and will orchestrate long periods of possession for the world champions.

NETHERLANDS

Holland impressed during the qualifying rounds, and again must go into the tournament as one of the favourites. Bert van Marwijk’s men, similar to Spain, have had an under-par end to the year however, as the Oranje lost their last qualifying game to Sweden and were put to the sword by Germany in a recent friendly, losing 3-0.

Despite this the squad is full of talent and a number of young players are battling the established names for a place in the starting XI. Although their defence at times can be questioned, their attack cannot.

Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder will look to provide chances for red hot striker Robin van Persie. The Arsenal man is proving himself to be one of the top hitmen in Europe, and will look to fire his nation to glory.

POLAND

On of the downfalls of hosting a major tournament is the fact that you do not get to take part in qualification, and Polish fans will hope that Franciszek Smuda’s men do not suffer due to a lack of competitive fixtures. Solid performances in friendlies over the last 12 months have seen the host draw with Germany and beat the likes of Belarus and Hungary; the home crowd will also play a key part in their chances.

Borussia Dortmund attacker Robert Lewandowski was a key figure in the German club’s Bundesliga success last season, and will be counted on to get goals for the Eastern European side.

Poland are co-hosts.

UKRAINE

Ukraine have had inconsistent form over the last year, and with the glory days of Sergei Rebrov and Andriy Shevchenko over, Oleg Blokhin has had to look to the youth in his side.

Dynamo Kiev forward Andriy Yarmolenko holds the weight of expectation on his shoulders, as the 22-year-old has shown the necessary promise to fill the boots of the generation before him.

Ukraine are co-hosts.

England find themselves in the second tier of the seeding, alongside old enemy and highly-fancied Germany; 2006 World Cup winners Italy and an unpredictable Russia team make up this quartet.

ENGLAND

England have been inconsistent over the qualifying rounds, and despite showing their quality at times can also lack creativity and the ability to break teams down. Fabio Capello will be buoyed on by an unbeaten qualifying campaign and friendly victories over Spain and Sweden, but will look for more from his team if they are to pose as realistic challengers.

Wayne Rooney’s absence in the pool stages will be a real blow for The Three Lions, and the Italian coach will be under pressure to find a replacement that can fire the side into the knockout rounds. Scott Parker has really matured over the last 12-18 months, and the Tottenham man could showcase the determination and will to win to inspire his team-mates; a North London central midfield partnership alongside Jack Wilshere could just prove the balance England needs.

GERMANY

Germany, as always when a major tournament rolls round, must be considered as serious contenders.

Joachim Low has comprised a squad with an enviable mix of experience and youth, and a flawless qualifying campaign proves testament to the side’s motivation to succeed.

The German side is packed full of quality, but playmakers Mesut Ozil and Mario Gotze in particular have vital attributes in creating chances for sharpshooter Mario Gomez.

ITALY

Italy traditionally have blown hot and cold when it comes to international tournaments, and the Azzurri this time round have shown inconsistency and a lack of a real killer instinct in the qualifying rounds.

Cesare Prandelli has a football mad nation keen to recapture the glory days, and a wide ranging player base to choose from – however the side in blue will most likely adopt cautious tactics and look to win fixtures by the odd goal.

Mario Balotelli looks to have been given a real chance to start up front in the absence of Giuseppe Rossi and Antonio Cassano, and may lead the line alongside Juventus’ Alessandro Matri.

However the key man for Italy will be at the back, where Giorgio Chiellini will look to emulate great Italian central defenders of the past, and organise a stubborn rearguard upon which the midfield and attack can build upon.

RUSSIA

Dick Advocaat’s Russian side will fancy their chances of upsetting some of the bigger names, as the proximity of the tournament favours the Eastern European side. A solitary defeat in qualification has shown that Russia are an emerging superpower in the game, and they undoubtedly harbour a number of excellent players.

Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko are struggling currently at their North London clubs; the experienced duo will need to find their form to inspire a talented but not yet proven team.

The third pot is made up of four seasoned and competitive nations, as Portugal, Sweden, Croatia and Greece lie in wait. The likes of Zlatan Ibrahmovic and Cristiano Ronaldo are first rate players in supposed third rate teams, but none of the participants in this pot will be pushovers.

PORTUGAL

Portugal were beaten to the top of Group H by Denmark, but the Iberian nation powered past Bosnia and Herzegovina in the playoffs to book their place at Europe’s top table. Coach Paulo Bento has ruffled some feathers since taking charge of the team, with veteran duo Ricardo Carvalho and Jose Bosingwa retiring from international football after falling out with the former midfielder.

Despite the absence of the experienced pair, Portugal still have an abundance of quality, with the likes of Nani and Joao Moutinho sure to terrorise opposition defences. Their key man is obviously Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, and if the 26-year-old  can replicate the form and goalscoring ability he shows for his club on the international stage, Portugal will take some beating.

SWEDEN

The Swedes have a technically gifted and balanced side, made from a mix of players playing in their homeland and the top European leagues. Erik Hamren’s side qualified as a top runner up in qualification, and had they not had Netherlands in their group may well have topped a pool.

Temperamental but clearly gifted Zlatan Ibrahimovic hold the nation’s destiny in his hands.

Although Ibra was ineffective in the recent game against England at Wembley, his club record tells a completely different story. It will be a long-shot, still, to believe that he can single-handedly take his nation all the way through the competition.

GREECE

The Euro 2004 champions look to have recovered form and showcased some excellent football in an unbeaten qualification process.

Fernando Santos’ squad still has some remnants from the triumphant side from seven years ago, which is complemented by exuberant youngsters breaking into the international fray.

PAOK striker Dimitris Salpingidis has learnt from some of the senior goal-getters in recent Greek history, and has the ability to cause opposition defences a headache.

CROATIA

Slaven Bilic’s men made the finals by comprehensively beating Turkey 3-0 in the playoffs, and should not be written off. The Croats follow Luka Modric’s direction, and the Tottenham playmaker has the ability to hurt any side in the world, whilst Bayern Munich attacker Ivica Olic will be keen to add to his tally of 15 international goals.

Modric’s club teammate Niko Kranjcar and Bolton Wanderers’ Ivan Klasnic will also be available for selection. Both of them last played for the national team in October against Latvia.

Finally, Republic of Ireland find themselves in the lowest tier of seeding for the tournament, but will have expected this. Giovanni Trapattoni’s men are bunched alongside an under-performing France, dark horses Czech Republic and Denmark.

FRANCE

France have not shown enough quality to make it into the top pots, and the French public will not be happy as being deemed as a fourth-tier side. A late goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina ensured Les Bleus automatic progression to the tournament, but their form in qualification was nothing to write home about.

Laurent Blanc is widely seen as the man to spark a renaissance, and the coach undoubtedly has talented players to call upon. Experienced international heads such as Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema will harbour most of the responsibility for leading their nation’s dreams – but look out for Sochaux playmaker Marvin Martin.

The starlet has rose to fame over the last 12 months, and his craft and guile has prompted many in the game to compare him to Zinedine Zidane; it could be Martin’s time to announce himself to the world game.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

The Emerald Isle will be competing in the European championships for the first time since 1988, and a wave of expectancy has washed over the country since a 5-1 aggregate victory over Estonia ensured Ireland’s place at the finals.

Giovanni Trapattoni still relies on old heads Richard Dunne, Shay Given and Robbie Keane, but faith should be put in some of the younger players such as Aidan McGeady to compete at the highest level.

DENMARK

The Danes qualified for the tournament by topping Group H ahead of Portugal, and Morten Olsen’s men will go into the competition full of confidence.

If the Scandinavians can get off to a good start they will be a match for most, and in Christian Eriksen they have one of the brightest prospects in the world game. The Ajax midfielder will look to impress to force a transfer to one of Europe’s biggest clubs, and has the energy and guile to win a game for Denmark.

CZECH REPUBLIC

It is fair to say that the Czech Republic are not the force that once saw them challenge for international tournaments in the 2000′s, but Michael Bilek’s men will still provide a tricky test to their opponents next year.

Arsenal’s Tomas Rosicky captains the side and is a talisman for the nation, but the Czechs are going through a transitional period as a number of the under-21 players make the step up to the seniors.

However, still the elders of the team, like Milan Baros, carry the hopes of their nation.

So there you have it; although there is a lot of football to be played before Euro 2012 starts in earnest, most of the major players in the continent will have one eye on the finals. With the groups being drawn in the forthcoming weeks excitement over the tournament should build, as there are many nations that could realistically experience glory next year.

Groups

Group A: Poland, Greece, Russia, Czech Republic.
Group B: Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Portugal.
Group C: Spain, Italy, Ireland, Croatia.
Group D: Ukraine, Sweden, France, England.

Euro 2012 Schedule

Match schedule
All kick-offs CET, Ukrainian time is one hour ahead

Friday 8 June 2012
#1: POL v GRE, 18.00CET, Warsaw
#2: RUS v CZE, 20.45CET, Wroclaw

Saturday 9 June 2012
#3: NED v DEN, 18.00CET, Kharkiv
#4: GER v POR, 20.45CET, Lviv

Sunday 10 June 2012
#5: ESP v ITA, 18.00CET, Gdansk
#6: IRL v CRO, 20.45CET, Poznan

Monday 11 June 2012
#7: FRA v ENG, 18.00CET, Donetsk
#8: UKR v SWE, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Tuesday 12 June 2012
#9: GRE v CZE, 18.00CET, Wroclaw
#10: POL v RUS, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Wednesday 13 June 2012
#11: DEN v POR, 18.00CET, Lviv
#12: NED v GER, 20.45CET, Kharkiv

Thursday 14 June 2012
#13: ITA v CRO, 18.00CET, Poznan
#14: ESP v IRL, 20.45CET, Gdansk

Friday 15 June 2012
#15: SWE v ENG, 20.45CET, Kyiv
#16: UKR v FRA, 18.00CET, Donetsk

Saturday 16 June 2012
#17: CZE v POL, 20.45CET, Wroclaw
#18: GRE v RUS, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Sunday 17 June 2012
#19: POR v NED, 20.45CET, Kharkiv
#20: DEN v GER, 20.45CET, Lviv

Monday 18 June 2012
#21: CRO v ESP, 20.45CET, Gdansk
#22: ITA v IRL, 20.45CET, Poznan

Tuesday 19 June 2012
#23: ENG v UKR, 20.45CET, Donetsk
#24: SWE v FRA, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Wednesday 20 June 2012
No matches

Thursday 21 June 2012
#25: 1A v 2B, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Friday 22 June 2012
#26: 1B v 2A, 20.45CET, Gdansk

Saturday 23 June 2012
#27: 1C v 2D, 20.45CET, Donetsk

Sunday 24 June 2012
#28: 1D v 2C, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Monday 25 June 2012
No matches

Tuesday 26 June 2012
No matches

Wednesday 27 June 2012
#29: W#25 v W#27, 20.45CET, Donetsk

Thursday 28 June 2012
#30: W#26 v W#28, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Friday 29 June 2012
No matches

Saturday 30 June 2012
No matches

Sunday 1 July 2012
#31: W#29 v W#30, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Official Match Ball

In 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the adidas Jabulani caused a few problems for goalkeepers and out-field players because of its unique flight and all the new technical advancements. Adidas have now revealed the official Euro 2012 match ball and called it the adidas Tango 12.

Hoping that it will be more human than it’s predecessor, Tango 12 has been inspired by the famous line of adidas Tango balls. Here’s what the ball will look like:

Also see: Euro 2012 News | Euro 2012 Statistics | Euro 2012 Fixtures | Euro 2012 Football Gear.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News