Thursday, September 20, 2018
Monday, July 23, 2018
Sunday, July 15, 2018
Saturday, July 14, 2018
Japan 'an example for all teams' for leaving dressing room spotless
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Spot the World Cup Ball
A British car firm We buy any car designed a brainteaser with a soccer ball hidden somewhere in an image of a busy intersection full of heavy traffic and pedestrians. Can you spot it?
Arthur McPherson (1870-1919) :The Father of Russian Football
Arthur Davidovich MacPherson was born in St Petersberg in 1870 but his grandparents came from Perth, Scotland. Murdoch MacPherson was an engineer and part owner of a Clyde shipyard. He emigrated to St Petersburg in the late 1830s after building a yacht for the Russian Imperial Family and in 1856 he founded the world-famous Baltic Shipyard which built some of the Russian Navy’s best-known ships. His grandson Arthur was a sport’s loving fellow, known affectionately as the 'Russian Scotsman,' and became a successful stock exchange dealer and timber merchant. Throughout his life worked tirelessly to promote football in Russia, playing in some of the country’s earliest matches.
The Scottish mill workers in St Petersburg were the sons of Scottish weavers possibly from Strathaven, Condorrat, Bridgeton and the Calton and the St Petersburg’s English weavers came mainly from Lancashire. At first, football was a way for ex-pats to preserve a sense of heritage in their new home and scratch matches were encouraged by Russian mill owners to prevent workers from drinking vodka on weekends. Crews of visiting British ships were eagerly invited to provide opposition teams. Russians began to take an interest in the beautiful game and wanted to participate. St Petersburg Football Club was founded in 1879, and after a Frenchman published the rules of the game in Russian other teams began to form. It took another 20 years before Russian football was established with the first-ever fully organised match in 1897. Until this time sports clubs held friendly matches with many of the teams made up with British players.
br>
The Viktoria Football team was formed in 1894, was made up a mixture of Englishmen, Germans and Russians. The Samson weaving mills located in St Petersburg formed Nevka (1900-1904), which was made up of a team of Scottish players. The Neva Spinning Mill formed Nevsky (1900-1912), a team made up of Englishmen. The St Petersburg Football League was established in 1901 and the core of the new league were made up of industrial factory sides. The newly formed Sport joined them in 1902.
Games took place on snow covered frozen pitches with many of the matches were officiated by Brits. This would later become a bone of contention. Nevka won the first St Petersburg Football Championship. Football games were drawing attendances of up to 12,000 people including many female mill workers. Some unofficial ‘international’ matches also took place between a St Petersburg select team and other nations (Bohemia). The Russian Football Union (VFS) was created in 1912 and in the same year was admitted to FIFA. At the head of the Russia Football Union was Arthur MacPherson who became the first president from 1903 to 1905 and from 1912 through to 1913 played a huge role in its organisation and functioning.
The Union consisted of 52 football organizations across the Russian Empire and was the organizer of the Russian national football team. Their first match in an official international tournament was against Finland at the Olympic Games in Stockholm 1912, and the lost the match 2-1. After Germany defeated Russia, 16-0, Tsar Nicholas IIwas reportedly so upset he refused to pay for the players' return journey home. Almost all of the players in the squad hailed from the St Petersburg sides and its first ever goal scorer Vasily Butusov came from a team located in St Petersburg.
Arthur McPherson also founded the first All Russian Union of Lawn Tennis Clubs the forerunner of today’s Russian Tennis Federation. He became the First Chairman of the All Russia Lawn Tennis Union (1908 -1917) and was instrumental in introducing rowing to Russia. For his services in "planting" sports in Russia, Macpherson was awarded the Order of St. Stanislaus of the third degree by Tsar Nicholas II .
The Russian National Team played 16 internationals between 1910 and 1914, but development of Russian football was temporarily halted by the First World War and many of the early football players were killed on the frontline. After the Russian Revolution, individual pursuits such as tennis and organised football were treated with suspicion by the Bolsheviks who considered them ‘bourgeois sport’. Arthur MacPherson was arrested by the Bolsheviks following the October Revolution in 1917 and imprisoned. Whilst there, he contracted typhoid and died in 1919. There were rumours he had been tortured and executed but these were dismissed when his body was finally discovered, buried beneath 40 others. He was identified when it was discovered he had pasted his name on a piece of paper around his wrist. The leading figure in Russian football history was buried in the Smolensk Lutheran Cemetery in St Petersburg.
In 2012, at the centenary celebration of the Russian Football Union, President Vladimir Putin honoured the Russian Scotsman for his contribution to Russian sport.
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Monday, July 09, 2018
Sunday, July 08, 2018
Thursday, July 05, 2018
John Obi Mikel played on for the fans
Hours before Nigeria were about to play Argentina, Nigeria’s captain John Obi Mikel (Tianjin TEDA F.C.) received a randsom demand to say his father had been kidnapped in south-east Nigeria. The kidnappers wanted 10 million naira (approx. $30,000) for his release. Mikel agreed to pay the ransom but was on his way to the match. Bravely he kept silence and did not tell his team mates nor his coach Gernot Rohr , before he went on to play.
Fortunately, after a gun battle, the Nigerian police were able to secure his release from his week-long ordeal, where he had been tortured. In gratitude the player publically thanked the police authorities on behalf of himself and his family for the safe return of his father. This is the second time Pa Obi has been kidnapped and rescued. The first incident was in 2011 when he was abducted from his home in Jos in Nigeria's central region. He was rescued days after.
Monday, July 02, 2018
FIFA: Political gestures are unsporting behaviour contrary to the principles of fair-play
Using gestures to make political points is outlawed under FIFA’s disciplinary code. The laws of the game state that disciplinary sanctions are the responsibility of the competition organiser and the referee will include details in the match report. In 1996, goal keeper Mark Bosnich (former Aston Villa, and Australia) was seen giving a mock Nazi style salute at White Hart Lane during a 1-0 defeat to Spurs, he was severely repromanded for his puerile action.
Unlike, declared fashist, Paolo Di Canio (Lazio ), who in 2005 used the Roman salute (gesture associated with 20th century Italian fascists) on several occasions toward rival supporters. He received a one-match ban after the second event and was fined €7,000. Controversial, Di Canio's political ideology continued throughout his managerial career.
In 2013, former Greek internationalist, Giorgos Katidis (FK Olympia Prague ) celebrated scoring a goal when he was captain of the under 19 team, by giving the crowd a Nazi salute. For his actions, the Hellenic Football Federation imposed a lifetime ban, barring him from participating in all Greek national teams.
During the Group E tie between Switzerland and Serbia, Swiss internationals Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City) and Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) put their hands together to form what appeared to resemble a two-headed eagle, which features on the Albanian flag. The Swiss captain, Stephan Lichtsteiner (Arsenal), also made the same gesture during the match. The Swiss players have family connections to Kosovo and Serbia does not acknowledge Kosovo as an independent state, with relations between the Balkan nations tense. After due consideration by FIFA and under "unsporting behaviour contrary to the principles of fair-play", ruling all, three payers were warned and fined. Both Xhaka and Shaqiri were each fined Swiss Franks 10,000 (A$14,000); and Lichtsteiner ,a fine of Swiss Franks 5,000 (A$7,000). Under the FIFA disciplinary code “Anyone who provokes the general public during a match will be suspended for two matches,” but FIFA have confirmed they will not be banned for World Cup games over their goal celebrations.
FIFA also punished Slavisa Kokeza, president of the Football Association of Serbia, as well as coach Mladen Krstajic in relation to comments they made on the goal celebrations after the match. Kokeza and Krstajic were sanctioned with fines of Swiss Franks 5,000 (A$7,000) and both men were also warned about their conduct. The Football Association of Serbia was also fined Swiss Franks 54,000 (A$74,000) and given a warning "for the display of discriminatory banners and messages by Serbian supporters as well as for throwing objects during the match".
Sunday, July 01, 2018
Kazan Beach Brides play the beautiful game
Women in Kazan, Russia are playing football on the beaches. Normally considered a man’s game, the popularity the FIFA World Cup TM Russia has brought the girls out in their beach gear but instead dressed in elaborate bridal outfits and running shoes.
The women were playing in teams of five for 15-minute halves on the sand, and good on them, I say. Perhaps we may see them in France at the FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019 TM
Friday, June 29, 2018
World Cup 18 : Prize Money
In 2017, FIFA confirmed a total of $400 million prize monies would be shared between the participants at the 2018 World Cup. The prize money available to participants at the last World Cup in 2014 was $358m. The central FIFA prize fund is awarded to national associations and the associations will often add extra reward to their teams depending on their performance.
As per 2014, each national team to reach the finals receives a minimum of $9.5m ($8m for taking part in the group stage and $1.5m for tournament costs). All prizes are paid out after the completion of the competition.
When a team progresses from the group stage but gets knocked out at the round of 16, they each receive an extra $4m (a total of $12m).
Teams eliminated in the quarter-final stage receive a further $4m ($16m).
The winners of the FIFA World Cup TM receive $US38 million and the runner-up gets $US28 million. Third place receives $US24 million with Fourth getting $US22 million.
Performance-based bonus payments are shared between squads who take part in the tournament and, vary depending on how well a team does. These bonus payments are at the discretion of each association and are often negotiated with representatives for the players. England have guaranteed themselves a share of £1 million (£43,478 each) for reaching the last 16. They would have received nothing had they failed to get out of Group G. The Football Association refuse to release details of the bonus scheme, but it is believed they would share a £5 million pot for lifting the trophy (around £215k per player). England manager, Gareth Southgate would receive a bonus of £1.5 million, and each player would pocket around £217,000 each.
Belgium’s players were guaranteed a share of £850,000 for playing in the tournament, and this sum hasincreased to £1.61 million (£70,000 each) for qualifying for the last 16. Should Belgium win the World Cup, the squad would earn a £9.2 million bonus or £400,000 each.
The Brazil squad stand to earn £750,000 a man for winning the World Cup.
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Clean sweep fans Japan and Senegal
Japanese fans have a reputation for tidiness having previously stayed behind at the Mordovia Arena, to clean up after themselves after a 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. After seeing off Colombia, they were at it again draped in Japanese flags and scarves, the Japanese fans again had the good manners to clean up rubbish discarded on the floor of the stadium. If there was a medal for best behaved fans then Japan would be winners for their impeccable behaviour at the tournament.
Tidyness is important to the Japanese and children are taught to leave their school classrooms and hallways, tidy. In many public schools, children do much of the cleaning at the end of each day, a 20-minute routine known as o-soji.
Seems the habit is catching because Senegal fans were also applauded for following the example set by Japan’s fans by cleaning up after their side’s 2-1 victory over Poland.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Cristiano Ronaldo in new boots for round 16
Cristiano Ronaldo will be wearing a new pair his signature boots when Portugal play Uruguay. Ace goal scorer will hope his new boots help him against an unbeaten Uruguay and secure the golden boot award.
The new Telstar Mechta 18
adidas have announced a new World Cup match ball will be used for the knockout stage of the competition. All matches from the last-16 phase onward will be contested using the new Telstar Mechta 18. The new ball has a brand new panel design of red as well as all the other bells and whistles of the Telstra 18. It is still unclear whether adidaswill introduce a further official match ball for the final in Moscow on July 15, but it is likely.
Monday, June 25, 2018
Guerrilla marketing and political gestures
Sometimes players cheekily slip in a promotion for their personal sponsor. This is called ‘guerrilla marketing,’ and whilst not against the FIFA rules, it has become a concern to the regulators of the game. Tim Cahill (Australia) likes to use his box-the-corner-flag celebration to engaging the camera with gestures which could be construed as reference to his commercial interests. After scoring the winning goal in extra time against Syria in the Socceroos’ World Cup qualifying win at ANZ Stadium, Cahill outstretched like an aeroplane, then made a ‘T’ sign with his hands. On social media, a Byron Bay-based travel company asked followers soon after full-time if they had seen Cahill, their new brand ambassador, “doing the ... ‘T’. Cahill quickly responded to the post with eight emojis, including a football and an aeroplane. Previously, in 2015 the same player pretended to turn over the pages of a book before delivering his trademark boxing routine by the corner flag. He had just released a children’s book and an autobiography.
FIFA Law 4 on players’ equipment states a player will be sanctioned if they remove their jersey to reveal slogans or advertising. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal), flaunted the rules when he played for Borussia Dortmund by dying his hair with a red Nike swoosh. Dortmund are sponsored by Puma, a shareholder in the club who also provide the team's kits. He was also back at ‘guerrilla marketing,’ when celebrating his opener for Borussia Dortmund against Schalke, as he wheeled away to celebrate he grabbed a superhero mask and pulled it over his head. Transpired the rouse was part of a promotional campaign for the Nike Hypervenom. Aubameyang earns a reported 2 million euros a year from Nike for promoting the company as well as receiving extra payments when he mentions the company on social media.
In 2012, Denmark internationalist, Nicklas Bendtner (Rosenborg) fell foul of the Law 4 when he lowered his shorts to show the name of his sponsor on his underpants. He was fined €100,000 for promoting a betting company on his underpants.
Sunday, June 24, 2018
Jérôme Boateng : Sneaker Freaker
Bad boy, defender, Jérôme Boateng (Bayern Munich, and Germany) may have been given an early bath for a second yellow card in the game against Sweden but it seems he can console himself with his 650 pairs of shoes in his personal collection.
Saturday, June 23, 2018
Lionel Messi : Bitter sweet ... happy birthday
Lionel Messi (Argentina) may not have had the best World Cup of his career but he will still get the chance to celebrate his birthday in style. A team of five workers at Moscow's Altufyevo Confectionery worked for nearly a week to carve the sculpture in 60kg of chocolate to mark his 31st birthday. The sculpture has been on display in Bronnitsy, where the team have been based during the month-long tournament.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)