Beckham signs time sharing deal with Milan
March 9, 2009
David Beckham never leaves the spotlight. Recently he has been making football headlines because of the Milan/LA Galaxy debate. He has already openly admitted he would like a move to Milan, but was tied in with LA Galaxy on contract.
A deal has finally been settled however. Beckham will be playing for both teams. That’s right, Beckham has become a timeshare property. David will play for Milan until the end of the current season and jet back to America to play for LA Galaxy between July and October.
Victoria Beckham is going to stay in America so it looks like the couple might be doing more online dating than real life dates with each other. Despite this, Victoria is supposedly happy with the outcome, with a source stating “[she] was over the moon. She knows how important AC Milan is to him and fully supports his decision.”
Simon Fuller, agent to the Beckham’s, suggests that the reason Victoria isn’t following the football star over the ocean is for the children’s sake. He said:
“The children will stay in LA with Victoria so that their schooling is not disrupted.”
Let’s just hope the football star can handle this increased workload, although I’m sure there’s enough cash involved to give him the incentive to pull it off.
Peru banned from playing international football
November 25, 2008
It’s not often that a country is banned from international football, but South American Peru has been banned from football, including the 2010 World Cup. The ban came after a dispute between the Peruvian government and the Peruvian FA.
Further to the ban, Peru has been issued with an ultimatum stating that they have one month to settle the problem. If they fail to do so, they could face a permanent ban from world football.
A statement about the banning read:
The Peruvian Football Federation (FPF) will only return on the basis of negotiations with the president and the board of the FPF.
It probably won’t be an issue in terms of Peru being banned from the 2010 World Cup as they had little chance of reaching it anyway. They’re bottom of their qualifying group with just one win from ten games. The South American group is notoriously hard to qualify from, with both Brazil and Argentina part of it.
The situation will be discussed by FIFA in Tokyo just before Christmas.
Arturo Woodman, from the Peruvian government, stated:
If Burga’s position is going to remain the same as before… this is a dialogue of the deaf.
There is absolutely no intervention by the government. What there is, is respect for Peruvian law.
Steer clear of bland autobiographies!
November 18, 2008
With Christmas well and truly on the way, our thoughts will turn to what presents we can get our nearest and dearest . One popular gift idea is books and the football industry certainly produces enough of these for you to be able to find just the right one for you.
Yet on closer inspection, it would seem that the market is flooded with autobiographies by players who really must be short of time. The way I see it is that if players who have reached the top of the national game feel the need to document their memoirs for public consumption then this is all well and good. In fact I have read some wonderfully poignant and entertaining books by the likes of Booby Charlton, Gordon Banks and Paul Ince over recent weeks.
However, there is a growing trend for players to write the autobiographies whilst they are still playing and in some cases before they really have the substance to make such a project viable. Wayne Rooney produced his autobiography a year or two ago, as has Steven Gerrand and his Liverpool team mate Jamie Carragher his blazing his way through the bestsellers list as we speak.
For a purely trivial insight into these players, these sort of works are pretty good, but for an entertaining read which does not regurgitate the same sort of plot over and over again then you are best to avoid them.
No doubt financial factors are the main reasoning behind the autobiographies of current players, but with the literary restraint which the must show in producing it, the actual quality of the discourse is painfully mundane.
So if you are looking for an entertaining read this Christmas, then I would suggest that you focus on the autobiographies of former players rather than those of today.
Wilkes scores the winner as England beat Rest of the World 4-3
September 7, 2008
England captain Jonathan Wilkes (Robbie Williams’ mate) scored the winner in England’s 4-3 win over a Rest of the World side at Wembley tonight. The game was in aid of the Unicef charity, raising money for impoverished children Worldwide. Soccer Aid, as it has been dubbed, was the idea of Jonathan Wilkes and Robbie Williams, and this year is the second time the game has been played. The last game was won by England 2 years ago when they beat a Gordon Ramsey side that included Diego Maradona.
There was no Maradona this time; instead the Rest of the World players included Brazilian legend Romario, Italian Paulo Di Canio and Luis Figo. The England professionals included Alan Shearer, David Seaman and Teddy Sheringham.
Sadly Robbie Williams missed the game with injury, and the ROTW captain Gordon Ramsay was forced out after just five minutes with a torn hamstring. Alan Shearer, playing for the first time at the new Wembley, scored twice (including a dodgy penalty) and it was his old SAS partner Sheringham who opened the scoring.
Singer Craig David won the man of the match, even out muscling Jaap Stam at one point.
Children’s TV presenter Jamie Theakston pulled off a brilliant save from Romario, who failed to find the net all night.
The winning goal came from a quick free kick from Wilkes, that found Shearer unmarked and six yards from goal. Shearer through his head at the ball, but missed it, and it went in anyway.
Wilkes also scored the winner 2 years ago.
Big sporting questions: Why does Edgar Davids wear tinted glasses?
September 4, 2008
It’s one of the major questions on every football fans lips right now, why does Edgar Davids wear orange tinted glasses while he’s playing football?
OK, so it’s not such a big question anymore, but it did make us wonder a few times. We thought at one stage it was just because he was a bit pretentious and wanted to make himself stand out from other players. It was also suggested that he just wanted a marketing ploy, because let’s face it, he looks quite cool in them and it has helped his off-field career quite a bit with sponsorships and merchandise.
You can even buy replica Edgar Davids glasses on eBay, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Sadly though the truth behind his glasses is far more mundane, he wears them for a medical reason. Edgar Davids suffers from glaucoma, and had eye surgery a few years ago, for which he now has to wear the protective goggles, or glasses, to protect his eyes when he plays.
It certainly hasn’t hindered his game in any way, though it does make him easy to spot and pick up on the pitch for anyone marking him.
Sir Alex to lead Team GB at 2012?
August 25, 2008
As the 2008 Olympics draw to a close, attention turns to London and 2012. Can Great Britain field a team in the football, combining the English, Welsh, Northern Irish and Scottish FAs?
It’s London, and the hosts really should have a representative in the football, since after all it is the hosts that invented the game. However politics rears its ugly head and the thought of national identity being compromised for the English, Welsh, Irish and Scottish in order to field one team has become something of a talking point.
If they can put aside their differences and agree to field a united team, who better to lead the team than the country’s (by that, we mean GB) most successful manager, Sir Alex Ferguson? Fergie should have retired from United by then, if he keeps his word this time, so would be in a position to lead the team without distractions.
According to the minister for sport, Gerry Sutcliffe, Ferguson is the ideal candidate. That must be the first time that a minister has got something right about sport!
Previously Fergie has stated that he didn’t want to commit to the Games, but yesterday Prime Minister Gordon Brown put his sizable weight behind the campaign to get Sir Alex involved, and even stated that Fergie had been approached by Lord Seb Coe about leading Team GB.
Britain didn’t enter a team at this year’s Olympics in Beijing, making it 48 years since Team GB has competed in the football at a Games.
Fergie, speaking about the possibility of him leading the nation, stated:
I will be 70 in 2012. I’ve not made any commitment to anything like that.
I would not, in any way, shape or form, try and commit myself to something that is four years ahead.
Britain has to have a team in the London Games, it can’t fail to enter. It would be disastrous for the nation.
USA v Brazil: Women’s Olympic Final
August 21, 2008
The reigning Olympic champions in the women’s football, USA, played Brazil today for the Gold medal. The United States’ tall, blonde goalkeeper Hope Solo played spectacularly well and looked great stood in the goal. She’s a great looking girl and has model looks, gorgeous eyes and a statuesque physique.
Most of the US team looked great in fact, but Hope stood out like an Amazonian woman, dressed in green and throwing herself around, bouncing up and down and getting sweaty and muddy.
The Brazil team looked good too, with some sultry dark skinned women looking athletic and beautiful in their gold tops and blue shorts.
The weather added to a great spectacle with a slight drizzle causing some wet shirts clinging to their bodies, and some skin tight, damp shorts.
Hope Solo was the star of the show though and fully deserves to be the woman of the match. She looked stunning between the sticks and would be a worthy addition to any team photo.
Who cares who won? The real winner was football.
Ruud Gullit leaves LA Galaxy
August 11, 2008
It has to happen, no wins in seven games for Gullit as the boss of US major league soccer team LA Galaxy and he’s been shown the door. After the team spent countless millions on players, including the then England captain David Beckham, they’d expected success. It wasn’t forthcoming though, and as the Dutchman was one of the highest paid managers in the league he paid the price.
Both Gullit and former USA international Alexi Lalas, the general manager of LA Galaxy, have been shown the door.
Gullit is trying to put a brave face on things, citing ‘personal reasons’ for his leaving. The fact the team hasn’t managed a win in seven games is more likely the reason.
Beckham joined LA Galaxy last summer in a five-year deal that is reported to be worth more than £130 million. With that sort of cash flying round you’re expected to get results and Galaxy have failed to do that so far this season.
Another former US international, Cobi Jones, will be Gullit’s temporary replacement.
Robbie Williams to miss Unicef game
July 23, 2008
Stoke’s finest, and ardent Port Vale fan, Robbie Williams has picked up a knee injury that will keep him out of a Unicef charity game rematch against chef Gordon Ramsey’s ‘Rest of the World’ side.
The original game took place in 2006 where Robbie’s England IX defeated Ramsay’s rest of the World, despite Ramsay having Diego Maradonna in their line up.
The rematch is scheduled for September 7th and will be held at Wembley, screened on ITV and hosted by Ant and Dec. Both sides will feature 11 celebs, and 5 former professional footballers. The idea for the game was thought up by Robbie Williams and his friend Jonathan Wilkes.
Robbie spoke of his disappointment at missing the game:
Being able to help so many people through Soccer Aid was one of the true highlights of my life.
I’m gutted that this time around my knee isn’t up to it so, unfortunately, I’m out of the game.
Robbie’s replacement hasn’t been chosen yet, but his are a sizable pair of boots to fill. Whoever it is will have to captain a side featuring Alan Shearer, Jamie Redknap and Gareth Gates???
Ramsay’s team features former United legend Peter Schmeichel. The first game was won by Robbie’s team 2-1, despite Maradonna scoring a penalty, and raised a staggering £2.6 million for charity.
Fergie to lead team GB?
July 21, 2008
Lord Sebastian Coe has stated that he would like Sir Alex Ferguson to lead the Great Britain football team in the 2012 Olympics, to be held in London. Lord Coe says he has already spoken to Ferguson about the idea, saying he’s by far the best man for the job.
I would love to have him there because he is a phenomenal coach and a great man manager.
Who else would you want to have that mentoring role with under 23 players for a build-up to the games?
We have had a few conversations, but I stress that it is for the British Olympic Association and the Football Association to make that judgement and I leave it with them.
The idea of having a Great Britain team has been very controversial, as it means players from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland would have to play together, and the football associations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland fear that having a joint GB team could compromise their status.
Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA, has already gone down on record as stating that a GB team would be better if it just included players from England.
