Nomis sells on the road

Nomis has a novel way of selling their boots by travelling around in mobile units.

Making soccer boots

Socceroos - great start to warm up

Harry Kewell is in superb passing form. Good performances all round against Republic of Ireland.

Nomis Boots: Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

The verdict is out and subscribers to Footy-Boots.com have voted NOMIS as the winner in the prestigious category “Outrageous football boot of the year 2009”. According to the manufacturer the Spark FG NXGEN has proven popular because of a combination of new technologies including one called Dual Control grip enhancing treatment in the tanning process. This allows hi-resolution design to be incorporated onto the NOMIS leather upper. Laboratory tests have shown the Dual Control Technology provides significantly more grip in dry conditions compared to other standard leather boots. The boots’ leather is soft, strong, and breathable, providing excellent sweat resistance and totally colourfast. Again according to the manufacturer this gives better grip gives more control, power, swerve and ultimate performance. Nomis boots also contain sole plates to protect the metatarsals and other key bone structures whilst allowing rotational movement of the foot. Designers have also changed the shape of studs and repositioned them to give greater pressure distribution across the feet without loss to traction and pivot. The boots are made from kangaroo and quality bovine skins and treated to stay the same weight during game play. The outsole is specially treated to reduce the amount of mud, grass, and dirt collected during normal game play. These technologies was been developed over time and with much consultation as well as extensive wear trials to ensure the boots could stand up to demands of competitive football. The Swiss based company NOMIS Sports AG was founded in Australia by Simon Skirrow in 2003. Using patented technologies and quality materials the company focus on delivering the optimum combination of performance, comfort and modern design in a football boot. Nomis boots are available on-line at shopnomis.com

adidas and UEFA: New deal

For the first time, adidas will be supporting all official UEFA club football competitions after the footwear giant and UEFA announced an extension (until 2012) to their partnership for the UEFA Champions League and an agreement for the newly created UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup.

Girls' top boot: adidas Copa Mundial

According to Justsocca their most popular soccer boot worn by women is the Adidas Copa Mundial. Adidas have recently released brought out the model for women and already they are best sellers. Adidas Copa Mundial is made from kangaroo leather.

Stud Release Techonolgy: Johnston calls for more research

Craig Johnston (former Middlesborough and Liverpool) co-inventor of the Predator has joined a growing band of critics to voice concern at the apparent lack of research in stud release technology. Each season more stud related injuries are reported and many involve cleats. Johnston considers a significant number of injuries are caused by poor stud release leaving players feet vulnerable to injury. Johnston claims the new studs are too long for many of the well maintained pitches and because they do not disengage quickly needless injuries result. Ligament tears and stress fractures have noticeably increased with the introduction of boot cleats.

Old Firm fixture downunder

It's the glorious 12th July and as chance would have it Celtic are on a closed season tour of the Big Brown Land. Their fixture today with Brisbane Roar will see captain Craig Moore (ex Glasgow Rangers) matched with Scott “The Poacher” McDonald (Celtic Captain for the game). The rivals are good friends off field and share positions with the Socceroos, however I doubt whether they will allow their friendship ro get in the way of winning the game. Pity Charlie Miller (former Rangers striker) has moved onto Lierse SK. The wee striker would have loved to match himself again against the old enemy the‘Tic.
Brisbane Roar vs. Celtic at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.

Superlite Boot’ Light on your feet

Now back on the shelves Nike’s Mercurial Vapour SuperLite Football Boot was designed for speed. Using a featherlite (210 gm), aerodynamic one piece Carbon Fibre Chassis the boot is both sleek and supports the kinetic foot. Extra protection and comfort is afforded through the graphite heel cradle. The boots have multi-directional traction studs injected onto the Graphite chassis.

New and improved soccer boots?

As a lead up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa footwear companies will be introducing their new lines of football boots. In a highly competitive industry there are few secrets shared but looking across the current range of available boots remarkably there seems little to separate them other than price. Personally I believe the football shoe has been developed as far as it can with only novelty left to appeal to consumers. Concave, a minnow in the market, are about to introduce a new line which they insist will give players at all levels the ability to increase their ball striking skills. Patented technology on the top of the boot gives players 30% better control and 15% more power, according to an accredited university study. The secret is the upper conforms to the convex shape of the ball which effectively increases the sweat spot by as much as four times compared to traditional football boots. Concave boots have a shank balance stabilizer (SBS) to give support and reinforcement to the mid-foot and help control balance between the rear and fore-front. The presence of the SBS may reduce the risk of stress injuries to the metatarsals. To support the concave upper the shoes and protect the foot there is a flexible MetaGuard layer made of Thermoplastic Polyurethane Elastomers (TPU). This might prevent stomping injury. Concave make most of their soccer boots available in a variety of outsole configurations, including soft ground, firm ground, hard ground with blades, and a traditional rounded mold. Meanwhile over at Nike their keenly anticipated Nike Mercurial Vapor Superfly met with teething problems when reports were received the boots ripped in situ. Nike recalled the boots from general sale and set to finding out how the boot design could be improved. Now a version that is less tight lasted will be available on general sale from 1st August and will retail at a cool £224.99 ( $367 US).

Nike takes the lead over adidas?

Time was adidas had the lion share of soccer sponsorship gloabally and Nike found it difficult to muscle in but now the tide has turned and Nike plus subsiduries seems to be in the lead. Excellent resource for information on football boots can be found at soccerbible.com

New soccer boots

New soccer boots from Pro-Direct

Boots, boots everywhere: Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United) was so proud of his team’s achievement winning the 2006-07 league title he convinced his team mates to donate their football boots to him as a keepsake. The England defender has kept the £3,000 worth of footwear in his mansion but has no idea now what to do with them. He had planned to buy a display cabinet for them and perhaps donate the collection to the club or national football museum.

Under Armour | Football Boots | UA11

Under Armour | Football Boots | UA11

Soccoroos never looked better

Harry Kewell (Galatasaray and Australia ) made no mistake against Uzbekistan's keeper Ignatiy Nesterov last night (1st April 2009)giving Australia a boost for qualification to 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa.

Soccer cleats and the Bootman

An essential part of the soccer boot is the cleat (stud) which attaches to the sole of the shoe and gives greater traction against the ground surface as well as improve stability of the athlete in motion. Soccer cleats prevent players from slipping and assist them in rapid changes of direction. The physical nature of the different football codes have resulted in the development of different cleats. Modern soccer cleats are available in different materials and can be either be fixed to the shoe or are removable. At first cardboard cleats were used but these were replaced by rubber cleats in the early days whereas more recently cleats are made from synthetic polymers which are sometimes combined to give added strength. Aluminum tipped cleats has been introduced and seem to be gaining popularity. In the past every major club had a Bootman whose job it was to ensure all the boots were well maintained. The Bootmans' experience was valued as he would impart his knowledge to the younger players on the type and pattern of studs to wear to suit the weather and ground conditions. Cleat patterns (systems) help distribute pressure across the boot. Soccer cleats are usually worn higher on the heel and lower on the forefoot to give the player grip and different types are matched to ground conditions. To avoid slipping on soft, wet grounds cleats need to be long enough that penetrate the surface but without damaging the turf or synthetic surface. Lower softer cleats are required on firm grounds. Injuries related to wearing the wrong cleats are quite common and can involve the knees and ankles. According to experts the most common knee injuries caused by wrong choice of the cleats are those to the ligaments and ankle injuries are usually due sprains. Misplaced cleats on the sole of the boot may result in painful blisters. In recent years controversy has prevailed on the misuse of cleats in accidentally (or otherwise) wounding other players by cutting their skin.

CAD/CAM Foot Orthoses: CNC technology

Foot orthoses come in different types from simple insoles to biomechanically calculated platforms to help stabilise the foot during phases of walking. In recent years there has been a sizable industry grown around the manufacture and prescription of the latter which is now estimated at $30 million US per anum. Prescribed foot orthoses often referred to as function foot orthoses are used by sports specialists, surgeons, physiotherapists and podiatrists and prices vary from $20 to $300 per pair depending on the type, time spend and materials used. Over the counter foot orthoses are often as effective as bespoke varieties but due to the material combinations may not always last quite so long. Conditions definitely apply. For over a decade the manufacture of foot orthoses has involved Computer Numerical Controlled(CNC) systems where CAD/CAM software programs are used to produce a computer file that is interpreted to extract the commands needed to operate a particular machine, and then loaded into the CNC machines for production which involes a complex series of steps needed to produce in this case a foot orthoses. CAD software produces 3D scanned design data which can be manipulated to add a range of models, add-ons and cut-outs or corrections to the foot mould. Many companies which supply bespoke foot orthoses use the technology to increase their production. The established method of producing bespoke foot orthoses was both time consuming and prone to human error. After physical examination of the leg and foot, technicians took plaster of Paris moulds of the feet set in a reference position. These negative casts are then filled with setting plaster before drying at hot temperatures. When the foot models are completely dried high temperature plastics are melted over the prepared cast before trimming. The process of creating unique prescriptions for patients suffering from various foot and joint ailments will take anything from 3 days to three weeks to complete. A primary advantage of CAD/CAM manufacture is the time reduced in producing quality foot orthoses as providing prescribed quality foot orthoses in a timely fashion translates well to high profits. Turnaround time is extremely important in the bespoke foot orthotic business. Delcam's OrthoModel , is a new software specifically for modelling and machining custom foot orthoses. Once the information is input into the OrthoModel CAD software, the information is transfered to the CAM component OrthoMill and routed to complete the milling process. Top covers and other finishes are added once the foot orthoses have been milled. Delcam Crispin is a UK based company founded in 1965 and their software includes a series of menus which incorporate the biomechanical terminology used by the industry to describe the various features of the foot orthosis.

Shoe banging and soccer pitches in Cuba

Thong throwing has become a sport in some places and maybe the best thong throwers would have landed their target had they been at the Presidential Press Conference where a journalist threw his shoes at President Bush. Of course the point was made despite the clear miss hit (twice) and now everyone is talking about the meaning of the shoe insult. At the end of ‘official’ hostilities images of ceremonial shoe banging of Saddam Hussein and President George Bush were spread worldwide and in Iraq shoe banging is an insult similar to two fingers, elsewhere. The origins of both are quite intriguing. The ‘2-finger salute’, is where the first and second fingers are spread apart and then, with the back of the hand facing the viewer. The hand is then raised towards the sky sometimes fast or slow depending on whether it is done in anger or as a taunt. The ‘Up Yours’ salute is thought to have originated in the 15th century when Welsh archers at the Battle of Agincourt(1415), demonstrated to the French how devastatingly effective they were with their new bow-and-arrow technology. The strong bowmen used the first two fingers to draw the bowstring back before releasing the arrow with pin point accuracy. The French were so intimidated by the power of the Welsh long bow they threatened to amputate string-pulling fingers on any archer caught. In defiance bowmen responded by waving the two fingers in the insulting ‘V salute’ to aggravate their foes. Feet and shoes were imbued with considerable significance in the Middle East and shoe banging holds two meanings depending on whether you are Jewish or Islamic. Traditionally, the Jewish custom, of shoe banging was used to seal a deal like a gable at an auction. In Islamic tradition, culture determines feet occupy the lowest rung in the bodily hierarchy and shoes are considered unclean. Hence it is commonplace to remove shoes before entering a place of worship; the gesture is to maintain the purity of the place of worship. The same custom is extended to entering a private home because the sole of the shoe is considered the most contaminated. To point a shoe at someone or hit them (or their image) demonstrates a deep insult and means to direct impurity and pollution in their direction. The action is not to physically harm the individual but to remind all there is a greater judgment and the object of scorn should suffer the indignity of the most demeaning punishment possible. The shoe as an insult is used in other cultures too for instance in India unpopular politicians are regularly garlanded with shoes and paraded down the streets. The term “Jooté maro!" (hit him with shoes) is common enough phrase.

Shoe banging represents violation and demonstratively shows deep insult. A famous shoe banger in the 60s was Nikita Khrushchev from Russia. Khrushchev came from peasant stock; and possessed a peasant's shrewdness and wit. He had a garrulous, storytelling gift, which gained him a reputation for being earthy. He frequently referred to excrement. He was poorly educated and always intimidated by intellectual superiority. This frequently showed in his uncouth animation during debate. The classic example was shoe banging, when in at the UN General Assembly meeting in October of 1960, Nikita Khrushchev banged his shoe against his desk, with indignation. The circumstance, as you will no doubt recall related to photographs implicating Russian “duplicity” in Cuba. A U2 "spy plane" picked up pictures of soccer pitches and at that time soccer was not a game popular with Cubans, which implied the presence of personnel of a soccer loving nation i.e. USSR. Instantly reported across the globe as good copy, Khrushchev shoe-banging episode probably did more to avoid global conflict, than the furious diplomatic arrangements, which were going on as Kennedy and Khrushchev faced off each other. In the West the man became a character. The shoe banging episode did deeply embarrass his Soviet colleagues, which inevitably led to his downfall in 1964. The popularity he had in the west however more than likely saved his life and he spent his remaining years in retirement tending his garden like the Godfather. According to his son, Sergei Khrushchev, his father had small feet (size seven or eight), and when he came from Moscow he was wearing ordinary shoes. New York was hot however so he switched to sandals. He was wearing sandals on the famous shoe banging day but happened to have a spare shoe available to express himself. The shoes in John Hay Library are probably not The Shoes, but a pair that Nikita brought with him to New York but never wore.

Barefoot Players

Mohammed Abdul Salim (1904 - 1980) was the first Indian to play professional football in Europe. He came from Calcutta and played for Glasgow Celtic Reserves. Prior to joining Celtic Football Team, Mohammed Abdul Salim played for Calcutta's Mohammedan Sporting Club and East Bengal Club and won five league titles in a row. The player had no boots and played with bandaged feet which was common place in India but raised a few eyebrows in Glasgow, even in the thirties. Celtic manager, Willie Maley was well impressed with Mohammed when he appeared for a trial. Later Celtic had to seek approval from the Scottish Football Association to allow the player to play with bare feet. Christened the “Indian Juggler” by the press, Salim played two 'A' (reserve) matches against Hamilton Accies (5-1), and Galston (7-1). Despite his success he became homesick but the club realising his talents tried to encourage him to stay. In his honour they they organised a charity match and promised him 5% of the total proceed (£1,800). Salim refused and asked the money be donated to orphans. The player returned to India for the 1937 league season and joined Mohammedan Sporting Club again. Despite not becoming a first team player his legend lived on in the form of a short poem called "Indian Juggler".

(There was) "man from India
Where traditions are steep
Stepped onto Parkhead's hallowed turf
Wearing only bandages on his feet."

The first Scottish player to play in bare feet was an Egyptian called, Tewfik ‘Toothpick’ Abdullah who played for Cowdenbeath in 1920. The player had previously played for Derby County.

Reference
Majumdar B and Bandyopadhyay K 2006 A Social History of Indian Football: Striving to Score London: Routledge

The Nomis Glove FG: designed to prevent injuries

Simon Skirrow is an Australian who claims to have designed a soccer boot called Glove FG that may protect athletes’ feet from those metatarsal injuries. Simon Skirrow previously worked with adidas, but now runs his own company called Nomis which has opened an outlet in Berlin called the Right Boot Store. Nomis according to the company’s website has been endorsed by the Governing body of the Professional Rugby League Players of Australia as their preferred football boots. As part promotion for the new range of kangaroo boots, Nomis has also commissioned an amusing new video called “Damn Boots” which lampoons celebrity endorsements to the apparent exclusion of safety.