November 14th, 2008
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Why in the name of Tony Meola are the NEW YORK Red Bulls playing in SALT LAKE CITY tomorrow night for the WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP??!?!?
Shoot the hostage, Keanu, I can’t take it anymore! Seriously, we here at UF do our best to boost MLS. We’re no pimps– in the footy sense– but everyone here wants the league to do well.
Give us the chance, we’ll be out there singing. “Hey Hey, J! P! A! How many goals didja score today!?” But over and over, the league pushes sitters over the bar. And never in such glaring fashion as today.
Let me explain.
OK. This is how MLS Cup playoff qualification works. (Thanks, wiki!)
Eight teams will make the playoffs - the top three teams in each conference plus the remaining two teams, regardless of conference, that have the most points in the standings upon the completion of the 30-game regular season.
The seeding is as follows[1]:
* The top three teams in each conference qualify and are seeded 1, 2 & 3 in their respective four-team playoff conference brackets.
* The two MLS teams with the next most points, regardless of conference, receive “wildcard” berths.
- The two wild card teams will be seeded according to conference first.
- If more than four teams qualify from one conference, the team finishing lower than fourth in its conference will shift over to the other conference bracket.
- A team switching conference brackets will be seeded below all other teams in its new conference playoff bracket.
Please consult with a quantum physician if you couldn’t follow the above explanation. It’s the simplest I could find.
So having played out this counterintuitive mess, the Red Bulls qualified for the playoffs despite finishing 5th in the Eastern Conference. They were shuttled into the Western bracket for what was sure to be a fierce mollywhoping at the feet of the two-time defending champion Houston Dynamo.
But then something funky happened. The Red Bulls started kicking ass. They should have beat Houston in the first leg of their q-final home & home, instead settling for a 1-1 draw. In the second leg, in front of a record crowd in Houston, they won. I mean they really stomped the fuckers– 3-0 and it wasn’t that close.
New Yorkers poured into the streets! People were climbing lampposts, hugging and kissing strangers, screaming the name of hat trick hero Barack Obama!!
So, after this epic victory, what next? The lads return home? We wait for them on the tarmac? Flood to MLS.com for tickets to the semi-final?
Nice to think so.
The fact of the matter is that there will be no return trip home. The Red Bulls go directly to Salt Lake City for a one-off conference title game tomorrow night. If they win again– which could, like, totally happen– they’d be crowned what? I’ll tell you what: Western Conference Champions. (the upside: Bulls win and kids all over the third world get new t-shirts! Yele Haiti!)
In the end, this convoluted set-up would have the underdog Bulls traveling to Carson, Calif., for a potential Cup final. The lone New York franchise in America’s premier (chuckles…) soccer league could win a championship… and give the fan pool ZERO chance to jump on the bandwagon. It’s one thing for the Giants to win three on the road then head off to the Super Bowl. They have a 20-year waitlist for season tickets. The Red Bulls average… what?… 12,000 a game? What a waste. GRRRRR!!!
Written by Darkvader on November 14th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Red Bull New York and Stupid MLS Wankers and i love MLS but they hurt me so.
Some people have referred to footy legend George Best as a God but controversial artist Michael Browne has taken that literally. The above painting of the ‘Belfast boy’ as Jesus is causing a stir with holy rollers across the pond.
It’s not the first time that Mr Browne has used footballers in his work. Previous efforts have featured Eric ‘the King’ Cantona as Christ (see below) and more recently he depicted Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand flanking Winston Churchill.
His latest painting, featuring Best, has drawn fire from local clergy including the Bishop of Bolton. Maybe he is just pissed that Browne didn’t feature current Trotters keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen, after all he does save!
While many worship George Best on the field, I feel that many people, not just Christians, may find this painting inappropriate. Artists have often tried to portray the life of the Son of God. For those who want to see a genuine attempt at this, I suggest they see the current Holman Hunt exhibition at the Manchester City Art Gallery.” - Bishop of Bolton, Chris Edmundson.
Browne reckons the piece makes a ’serious point’ about the way Best was perceived. Perhaps that’s why he got Page 3 bird Sam Cooke (don’t click at work, you’ve been warned) to pose as one of the women at Christ’s, I mean Best’s feet.
The painting is on display at the Salford Art Gallery in Manchester. Personally I find the whole thing rather disturbing, I’m off to lie down.
-Bigus
Written by Darkvader on November 14th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Bigus Dickus and George Best and Modern Art. Jesus.
Burnley win 5-4 on penalties
Championship side Burnley stunned Premier League leaders Chelsea after a dramatic penalty shoot-out at Stamford Bridge in the Carling Cup fourth round.
Burnley keeper Brian Jensen was the hero after he dived full-stretch to divert Jon Mikel Obi’s decisive penalty to safety.
Didier Drogba had given Chelsea a first-half lead with a sumptuous finish from a Frank Lampard pass.
But a spirited second-half from Burnley saw Ade Akinbiyi sweep in an equaliser.
Chelsea made six changes to the side that defeated Blackburn 2-0 at the weekend, with striker Drogba recalled to the starting line-up after overcoming his recent injury problems.
But it was Burnley who started brightly, and forced Chelsea onto the counter-attack in the early stages, with Chris Eagles and Joey Gudjonsson looking the most likely to break the Blues’ rearguard.
The home side soon managed to exert their influence on the game and a foul on Drogba gave Alex the chance to unleash a piledriver 25 yards out from goal.
The Brazilian defender scuffed his shot but Wayne Bridge came close with the follow-up, sending the ball just wide of goalkeeper Jensen’s post.
Burnley were lucky to get away with a handball by the Danish keeper who appeared to use his gloves just outside the area while trying to prevent a Drogba shot.
Defender Juliano Belletti was substituted for Frank Lampard after picking up a knock, and the England midfielder’s immediate impact was emphatic, as he played in Drogba with an exquisite pass.
The former Marseille striker left two defenders in his wake before an accomplished finish gave his side the lead and left Jensen with no chance.
It was Drogba’s first goal for Chelsea since the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool in April, and the first goal Burnley have conceded in this season’s competition.
Malouda nearly doubled Chelsea’s advantage after being played in by Kalou, but his shot was pushed away by Jensen.
The French winger then set up Branislav Ivanovic from a free-kick, but the Serbia international’s header hit the crossbar and was cleared.
The 6,000 travelling fans were making a lot of noise at Stamford Bridge and were bouyed in the second-half when a nervous-looking Carlo Cudicini struggled to claim a corner, but the danger was cleared.
The Premier League leaders were struggling to exert their dominance on the game amid a spirited Burnley fightback, and appeared happy to slow the game down whenever they reclaimed possession.
Brian Jensen
Jensen was Burnley’s match-winner on a dramatic evening
Burnley’s impressive second-half performance then got the equaliser it merited. Winger Chris Eagles was put through on goal and when Cudicini blocked the loose ball, Akinbiyi swept up to equalise and send the Burnley fans wild.
Both teams were smelling victory and the game became stretched as the two sets of players searched for a late winner.
Young Argentinian striker Franco Di Santo almost claimed it in the closing stages of normal time but could only direct his shot narrowly wide of Jensen’s post.
Lampard did have the ball in the back of the net in the first period of extra-time after Kalou put him through, but the England man was adjudged to be offside.
A foul on Malouda late-on saw Burnley captain Steven Caldwell receive his second booking, while both Alex and Kalou missed gilt-edged chances to win the game in the closing stages.
The sudden-death defeat means that the Blues have now lost their last five penalty shoot-outs.
Chelsea: Cudicini, Ivanovic, Alex, Belletti (Lampard 25), Bridge, Ferreira, Deco (Mikel 46), Mineiro, Malouda, Drogba (Di Santo 68), Kalou.
Subs: Hilario, Sinclair, Terry, Woods.
Goals: Drogba 27
Burnley: Jensen, Alexander, Duff, Caldwell, Jordan, Eagles, Gudjonsson (MacDonald 97), McCann, Elliott, Blake (Mahon 76) , Paterson (Akinbiyi 60).
Subs: Penny, McDonald, Rodriguez, Kay
Booked: Akinbiyi, Eagles
Sent off: Caldwell
Goals: Akinbiyi 69
Att: 41,369.
Ref: Keith Stroud (Hampshire)
Written by Darkvader on November 14th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Carling Cup 08-09.
South Africa national team coach Joel Santana says his side is almost to the point where they’ll do reasonably well in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Santana’s been the focal point of criticism the past few months as Bafana Bafana have struggled, failing to qualify for the 2010 African Cup of Nations.
But the team’s been playing better of late and the Brazilian coach is encouraged by what he’s seen.
“At this stage we are staying calm. We have the definition of what we want for 2010; we are actually halfway to what we want,” said Santana.
The Brazilian coach aired his sentiments after the announcement of the team to play against Cameroon in the Mandela Challenge next week in Rustenburg, South Africa.
“I now know the players that are playing for me and I know how to make them approach the game. This is why we have tried to preserve the team from the past three games and have gone for the in-form players.
“Other players have been left out of the team because they are injured, like Bryce Moon, while others have to stay on with their teams,” says Santana.
“This job is just like life; is all about learning. We heard and we have seen things during this period since I arrived here and what I say is that I feel very secure.
“This job always has its ups and downs, but you have to live by the results that you get. Though we understand that people have this anxiety of wanting to have a great national team that wins all the games, you have to be patient. But we just need to be united going into the New Year.
“You should know that this is not just a coach’s job, but involves all of us from the media which I now know how it operates and sees things at times, the fans and the players.
“I don’t have regrets about what has happened in the past since I arrived here and took over from Carlos Parreira. I am satisfied and happy to be here. The Confederations Cup is a big challenge for us, but the World Cup is the main goal that we are prioritising and working towards.
“We hope to close the year with one more win ahead of the Confederations Cup next year. Each game is important for us and this match in particular is crucial in that we are honoring a great man and it will be a nice birthday gift for me if we win as I want to celebrate my birthday on December 25 with a smile,” he says.
The Brazilian says he is aware of the players that the West Africans will bring for next week’s match.
“We know the players just like you do, and they are quality players who play in European leagues. But we need this kind of test and we have watched their recent games.”
Santana says his wish is to make it four wins in a row when he faces Cameroon
“This is an important tournament in the history of this country, honoring one of the biggest legends of our time,” says Santana.
“The best way to honor Nelson Mandela would be to win this game. We will be playing at home and we will be expecting a lift from our supporters. Our ambition is to make it four wins in a row.”
MY POV: Santana’s challenges have only just begun. The team’s playing better, though. Let’s wish him luck in the Mandela Challenge and take it from there …
Written by Darkvader on November 14th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on 2010 African Cup of Nations and 2010 World Cup and South Africa.
The eyes of the football world turn to Cameroon this weekend and Sunday’s second leg of the African Champions League final between Egypt’s Al Ahly and Cameroon’s Coton Sport.
Ahly, five-time African champions, won the first leg in 2-0 in Egypt.
Now, Coton Sport will look to contain the Egyptian juggernaut at home.
Coton captain Ahmadou Ngomna wishes his side hadn’t come into the first leg scared of their opposition.
The Cameroon side’s defense let in two early goals (3rd and 15th minute), but managed to hold off the Red Devils for the remainder of the match and still have a shot of claiming their first continental title.
“I think we gave Ahly too much respect, and it affected our start,” Ngomna told Camfoot.com.
“After the first 30 minutes we started regaining our confidence and Ahly suffered enormously when we did.”
Ngomna will not play in the second leg in Garoua on November 16 after picking up a yellow card and an automatic one-game suspension.
“I’m really gutted that I won’t be available for the home game as it was a very harsh yellow card to receive.
“However, I’m sure we can still overcome the two-goal deficit in Garoua where the team will be playing at home and without too much pressure.”
Meanwhile, Coton Sport coach Alain Ouombleon expects his side to perform a whole lot better in the home leg.
“The result is not acceptable, but we will avenge our loss in the return leg,” he said.
“Ahly are dangerous at set-pieces, but we didn’t show caution and conceded two goals as a result.”
Meanwhile, Ahly know they’re stepping into a cauldron come Sunday.
Coton have not been beaten in African competition at home since 2002 and have not conceded a goal at their own stadium during this campaign.
“We all know that a tough mission is awaiting us,” assistant manager Hossam Al-Badri told Ahly’s official site.
“We will have a difficult 72-hour journey, the atmosphere will be tense and our stay will hardly be comfortable. Nonetheless, we are determined to win the title.
“There is a state of optimism among the players and the technical staff, we know our fans are eager for the trophy, and so we want to make them happy.
“Coton are a very ambitious side playing at home, but our players have experience and they are capable of facing the difficult circumstances.
“They just have to be focused on their mission without paying attention to the surrounding atmosphere.”
Ahly will claim a record sixth African championship should they hold out for the aggregate win, while Coton Sport want their first.
Coton’s story has certainly garnered it’s fair share of attention.
Today’s BBC has a wonderful interview with Pierre Kaptene, former club president.
Kaptene saw the club rise from a social club to African finalists, so his view of the situation is enlightening.
“It’s a dream [getting to the final] but we don’t want people to think that if we lose we are not happy - for us being in the final is a fiesta,” Kaptene said.
“If we can win it will be the cherry on the cake. I didn’t think we could get this far so quickly because when you see the best teams in African football they have been around for 40 or 50 years or more.
“We are very young, so it’s like a fairy story that we are in the final. But we won’t stop here - better things are to come.”
Take a look at the story here. It’s a sweet read.
Also, journalist Richard Ferris of football365 from South Africa wonders why people have written off Coton’s chances in the 2nd leg.
Although Coton have as much continental pedigree as Mohamed Aboutraika’s big toe, the champions of Cameroon have proved that they can compete with Africa’s best. That is not to mention that Manuel Jose’s team are far from infallible.
A quick perusal of Coton’s scalps through the current Champions League campaign is telling. Alain Ouombleon Guedou’s side ended two-time African champions JS Kabylie’s hopes of progressing into the group phase of the competition before beating Nigerian giants Enyimba and last year’s semi-finalists Al Hilal.
The Garoua-based outfit then brought to an end Dyanamos’ fantastic run in the tournament - and lest we forget the Zimbabweans beat defending champions Etoile Sahel. …
African football journalists also appear to have very short memories. Surprisingly few hacks remember Ahly’s absymal performance in last season’s Champions League final which saw the Cairo giants surrender meekly to Etoile.
A good read and well worth the time …
Written by Darkvader on November 14th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on African Champions League and Al Ahly and Coton Sport.
You remember Ebbsfleet United, don’t you? It’s the Blue Square Premier (Conference National) club that some of us here at UF own. Since November 2007, Ebbsfleet (formerly known as Gravesend and Northfleet) has been owned by its fans through MyFootballClub (similar to the way those crazies in Wisconsin own the Green Bay Packers). When last we spoke of them, our boys had just beaten Torquay United 1-0 to take home the FA Trophy at Wembley.
What has been going on with the ‘Fleet since then?
The NY Times recently explored the fate of the ‘Fleet, and writer Kabir Chibber (who is an Ebbsfleet owner)was a little pessimistic. Regarding the rematch against Torquay that occurred in the league this season, he noted:
Torquay ended the game atoning for its loss at Wembley with a 2-0 victory. It was Ebbsfleet’s fourth defeat in a row, its worst streak in three and a half years. The club sits in 17th place in the 24-team league.
17th place after 17 games on 20 points, a full 14 points out of first (Southern League, here we come?) while Torquay sit in 3rd. In addition, the club was knocked out of the FA Cup earlier this month in a 1-0 loss to Crewe Alexandra, although they did win the Setanta Shield with a 3-1 victory over Eastbourne Borough.
So, things have been a little less pleasant during this second season of the ‘Fleet experiment. Perhaps more importantly:
Ebbsfleet also faces the prospect of 26,000 memberships coming up for renewal at the same time in February. If MyFootballClub can’t persuade enough people to sign in a tough worldwide economic climate, the experiment in fan ownership will end.
I certainly don’t foresee any dictators, oligarchs, or royal families stepping in to save Ebbsfleet United, but it seems that those already involved with the club are in it for the enjoyment (there are no profits derived or dividends distributed) and will likely stick it out at least a little while longer. Heck, I even bought the home kit!
Written by Darkvader on November 14th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Ebbsfleet United and Owning a club and The NY Kid.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has won the Premier League’s manager of the month award for October, while Chelsea’s Frank Lampard is player of the month.
The Reds won all four of their league matches, in the process ending Chelsea’s 86-game unbeaten home record, scoring eight goals and conceding six.
Lampard scored two goals in four league games, including a superb angled chip in his side’s 3-0 win over Hull City.
It is the first time in three years the midfielder has won the monthly award.
Lampard is the second Chelsea player to win the award this season, after Deco won August’s prize.
The 30-year-old Lampard has now won the award three times, one behind the record for the most monthly player accolades.
Six players have won the award on four occasions, including Lampard’s England colleagues Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney.
Benitez picks up his award having guided Liverpool to victories over Manchester City, Wigan Athletic, Chelsea and Portsmouth.
The Reds twice came from behind, against City and Wigan, then inflicted Chelsea’s first home defeat in four years.
Liverpool ended the month with another win, as a late Steven Gerrard penalty proved enough to see off Portsmouth at Anfield.
Benitez has been named manager of the month four times, but has a long way to go to catch all-time record holder Sir Alex Ferguson, who has won the award 21 times in his career
Maldini Donate Half Of His Wages To Charity
Milan legend Paolo Maldini signed on to play another year in order to give half of his wages to charity, according to Tuttosport.
The Italian left-back has been an example and role model to every player in the game, from grass roots learners to some of the world’s greats.
He was close to hanging up his boots in the summer but he decided to beat the pain barrier and play on for another season.
Why? To help those who have much less than he has.
Tuttosport claims Il Capitano is giving away 50 percent of his wages to the charity of his choice, and this was the major reason as to why he decided to play another year.
Milan had offered Maldini €1.5 million for the season but the stopper pushed for €3m.
The Rossoneri gave him what he wanted and half of that amount will go towards helping those who need it most.
Over the years the player has donated plenty to good causes and his latest gesture shows just why he has become one of the most admired figures in the game, not just for his football on the pitch, but as a person too.
Written by Jackson Ng Ghim Pheng True Blue Chelsea Fan on November 14th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Football-Player.
Premise 1: People in Argentina love soccer.
Premise 2: Many people in Argentina are dependent on public transportation.
Connclusion: It’s perfectly okay for Argentines to hijack a bus to make it to a soccer game.
See, when you lay it out like that, it makes total sense.
Anyway, fans of Argentina second-division side Chacarita Juniors hijacked two public buses on Thursday and forced the drivers to take them to the team’s game. Oh Chacarita Juniors why can’t you be less impulsive and more responsible like the elder Chacarita Seniors?
Police official Carlos Durante said that in two separate incidents in Buenos Aires on Thursday night, Chacarita Juniors supporters forced passengers to get off the vehicles and told the drivers to take them to the stadium where their side were playing Talleres.
Whoa, whoa… Slow down there, Tex. Two separate incidents? Really? Okay, I was totally willing to give a pass—I mean look, if this were Manchester and supporters were having problems getting to, say, the United v. Citeh derby, nobody would think this wasn’t a completely practical solution—but two totally different groups of supporters? I have no response other than to tip my hat and say, “Well played.”
Apparently sociopathic minds also think alike. If I ever find myself in your fine country, I’ll make sure I keep a plan B for transport at all times, just in case there is, you know, a lower-division soccer game being played somewhere.
Anyway, seventy people were detained and at least two were still in custody on Friday. They missed seeing Chacarita pull out a 3-2 win against Talleres.
Written by Darkvader on November 14th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Completely Reasonable Things To Do and Hijackings and argentina.
Well if you are, then you’re in for a treat!
The Red Cauldron is happy to link up once again with the brilliant SoccerPro.com with the Soccer Trivia Contest. They are giving out FREE REPLICA JERSEYS EVERYDAY till the 16th (sorry I’m late to inform you BUT there’s still time!) and all you need to do is…
1) Visit the website
2) Key in all the vital information and then
3) Squeeze out every ounce of your brain juice and put in as many trivia of as possible
So there you go. A free treat for all of you and all the best!
Written by DROGBALLS on November 14th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Contest and Soccer Pro and Soccer Trivia and The Red Cauldron.
Plenty of reading below to keep you updated on the latests. Peace!
Written by STRIKER on November 14th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Football-Player.
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