Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Name to Remember: Charlie Sheringham
Some of you may know that former England striker Teddy Sheringham was released by West Ham United at the end of this past season. The 41-year-old is now a free agent after his contract expired. But how many of you know that Teddy's son, Charlie, is currently Stateside playing for Crystal Palace USA?
Crystal Palace USA, based in Baltimore, plays in the USL. The side is a feeder team for the London side, allowing Crystal Palace to develop players, seek new talent and expand their brand across the United States.
Charlie Sheringham, who is currently under contract at Crystal Palace in London, is hoping to apply his skills in Baltimore to put him in a good position to start on the English side in August when the season resumes. The USL season ends on August 11.
Palace manager Peter Taylor has expressed interest in signing Teddy Sheringham to play for the side in London. It's possible that a father and son team could be in the future for Palace.
Crystal Palace USA, based in Baltimore, plays in the USL. The side is a feeder team for the London side, allowing Crystal Palace to develop players, seek new talent and expand their brand across the United States.
Charlie Sheringham, who is currently under contract at Crystal Palace in London, is hoping to apply his skills in Baltimore to put him in a good position to start on the English side in August when the season resumes. The USL season ends on August 11.
Palace manager Peter Taylor has expressed interest in signing Teddy Sheringham to play for the side in London. It's possible that a father and son team could be in the future for Palace.
More details about Crystal Palace USA can be found here from the excellent article by the Washington Post.
Labels: charlie sheringham, crystal palace, crystal palace usa, teddy sheringham
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Monday, May 28, 2007
Web Entrepreneurs Creating Solutions for Footy Fans
The Internet has transformed the way fans experience football/soccer online, but we're still in the very early stages of the technology. What we need now more than ever are imaginative people who can take the technology and develop new, creative ideas.
Two such people are Chris from footy247.co.uk and Matt from footypod.co.uk.
Two such people are Chris from footy247.co.uk and Matt from footypod.co.uk.
FootyPod is a novel idea. It brings together the best parts of the football phone-in shows from the UK and provides them to you in one place to listen to. Even better, the site offers links to hear football commentary from Five Live (after the fact) for those listeners around the world that are blocked from hearing the live commentary. This is definitely a site to keep a close eye on if you're a huge football fan.
Footy247, meanwhile, is RSS on steroids for football fans. The site does a fantastic job at segmenting the 20 clubs in the Premier League and allowing you to easily subscribe to the RSS feed for the team(s) you follow. Or you can subscribe to the main RSS feed to get news on all of the clubs in the EPL.
Footy247, meanwhile, is RSS on steroids for football fans. The site does a fantastic job at segmenting the 20 clubs in the Premier League and allowing you to easily subscribe to the RSS feed for the team(s) you follow. Or you can subscribe to the main RSS feed to get news on all of the clubs in the EPL.
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
Unlikely Entertainment Network Wins EPL TV Rights
Here in the States, we've gotten accustomed to watching the English Premier League on Fox Soccer Channel and Setanta Sports. For those readers in the UK, it'll be Sky Sports and Setanta starting in August. Elsewhere in the world, ESPN provides many football fans in Asia and Australasia with their Premier League content.
But in the Middle East and North Africa, there's an unlikely network that holds the TV rights for the next three seasons: SHOWTIME. Yes, the movie network that plays those racy videos in the middle of the night and used to be big when The Movie Channel (TMC) was popular.
When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Showtime Arabia (sorry I refuse to continually type their name in all-caps even though that's the way their name is marketed) is offering different packages complete with movies and sports.
Imagine if Showtime or HBO in the States decided to create sports networks!
But in the Middle East and North Africa, there's an unlikely network that holds the TV rights for the next three seasons: SHOWTIME. Yes, the movie network that plays those racy videos in the middle of the night and used to be big when The Movie Channel (TMC) was popular.
When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Showtime Arabia (sorry I refuse to continually type their name in all-caps even though that's the way their name is marketed) is offering different packages complete with movies and sports.
Imagine if Showtime or HBO in the States decided to create sports networks!
Labels: dubai, fox soccer channel, middle east, setanta sports, showtime
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Liverpool's New 07/08 Away Shirts (Black & White)
Out of all of the new shirts coming out this summer for Premiership teams, there's been one club where there has been the most speculation and controversy. That team is Liverpool FC, where we have seen countless images and sketches purporting to be the real thing.
Now, finally, we can reveal the new official Liverpool away shirts for the 2007/2008 seasons. The official announcement will be made later this week.
Thanks to reader Shaun Breen, the image of Gerrard shows the new white away strip (click on the image to be taken to the Adidas web site, where you can verify the link is accurate).
Shaun also provided us with the confirmation that the black strip will be the third kit for Liverpool's 07/08 season. See the image here.
With these images, we finally have verification that these shirts are valid. We've seen so many Photoshop versions and fakes that it's reassuring to have at last seen the real thing.
The question is who will be wearing these shirts next season? Eto'o, Tevez and Villa or someone else?
Now, finally, we can reveal the new official Liverpool away shirts for the 2007/2008 seasons. The official announcement will be made later this week.
Thanks to reader Shaun Breen, the image of Gerrard shows the new white away strip (click on the image to be taken to the Adidas web site, where you can verify the link is accurate).
Shaun also provided us with the confirmation that the black strip will be the third kit for Liverpool's 07/08 season. See the image here.
With these images, we finally have verification that these shirts are valid. We've seen so many Photoshop versions and fakes that it's reassuring to have at last seen the real thing.
The question is who will be wearing these shirts next season? Eto'o, Tevez and Villa or someone else?
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
Memories of West Bromwich Albion & The Hawthorns
Congratulations to Derby County on being promoted to the English Premier League after beating West Bromwich Albion 1-0 today at Wembley. While not a scintillating match, Derby was yet again impressive in the way they defended a lead and prevented West Brom from hitting the back of the net. Their defense should especially be commended.
I have fond memories of West Brom. On the pitch, yes, but also off the pitch. The day was September 5th, 1981. I was eleven years old and a massive supporter of my local team, Swansea City, who had just weeks earlier played their first match in the First Division after shocking everyone (myself included, I was on the terraces) in a 5-1 win against then mighty Leeds United.
I have fond memories of West Brom. On the pitch, yes, but also off the pitch. The day was September 5th, 1981. I was eleven years old and a massive supporter of my local team, Swansea City, who had just weeks earlier played their first match in the First Division after shocking everyone (myself included, I was on the terraces) in a 5-1 win against then mighty Leeds United.
September 5th, 1981 was to be my first ever away match. I talked it over with my teenage friend and his father and agreed to order the tickets for the away match at Birmingham. My friend's father asked me, "and you have your parent's permission?" "Yeah," I nervously answered.
Of course, I hadn't asked my parents and I was caught in a trap where I wanted to go more than anything. I knew that if I asked my parents, there's no way they would have let me go. So, instead, I lied.
The night before the away match, my friend gave me the gameplan. "Okay, we'll pick you up from your house at 4:30 in the morning and we'll then drive to Swansea to catch the supporter's bus."
Stupidly, I went to sleep that night without still having said anything to my parents. I slept through the night and was awoken at 8am by my furious parents who wanted to know why my best friend and his father were knocking on the door of our house waking everyone up (except for me, who was in a deep sleep dreaming about a trip to the Hawthorns probably).
Swansea ended up getting beat 4-1 against West Brom at the Hawthorns.
Of course, I hadn't asked my parents and I was caught in a trap where I wanted to go more than anything. I knew that if I asked my parents, there's no way they would have let me go. So, instead, I lied.
The night before the away match, my friend gave me the gameplan. "Okay, we'll pick you up from your house at 4:30 in the morning and we'll then drive to Swansea to catch the supporter's bus."
Stupidly, I went to sleep that night without still having said anything to my parents. I slept through the night and was awoken at 8am by my furious parents who wanted to know why my best friend and his father were knocking on the door of our house waking everyone up (except for me, who was in a deep sleep dreaming about a trip to the Hawthorns probably).
Swansea ended up getting beat 4-1 against West Brom at the Hawthorns.
Labels: derby county, swansea city, west bromwich albion
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Rodney Marsh Interview
Episode 68 of the EPL Talk Podcast features an exclusive interview with Rodney Marsh, the former England, Tampa Bay Rowdies, QPR, Man City and Fulham wizard (as well as a former pundit for Sky Sports and TalkSport).
Subscribe to the EPL Talk Podcast today via iTunes to make sure you don't miss this episode and all of the ones that are coming up in the next several weeks featuring other celebrities. Or you can visit the EPL Talk Podcast page here to access the Marsh interview (as well as episodes 1 through 67).
Subscribe to the EPL Talk Podcast today via iTunes to make sure you don't miss this episode and all of the ones that are coming up in the next several weeks featuring other celebrities. Or you can visit the EPL Talk Podcast page here to access the Marsh interview (as well as episodes 1 through 67).
During the interview, Marsh answers many challenging questions (including many from you, the listeners). He discusses whether he has any regrets for some of the decisions he's made in his footballing career, his funniest moment at the Rowdies, what he thought of this past Premiership season, what his next gig may be (good news for Americans) and much more.
Enjoy the interview and stay tuned to the EPL Talk Podcast when we release the next interview on Wednesday or Thursday (May 30th or 31st) with Andrew Jennings, the investigative reporter who's on a mission to reveal the corruption within FIFA.
Labels: EPL Talk Podcast, rodney marsh
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Sunday, May 27, 2007
New Liverpool 07/08 Away Shirts
Liverpool and Adidas have craftly come up with a marketing idea that will get many Reds fans anxious about their new kits this year. They've created a countdown clock showing the amount of time until the new 07/08 Liverpool away and third kits are released.
View the countdown clock and glimpses of the shirt here.
The glimpses are very slight. You have to play with the controls to see that the new Liverpool away shirt will be white, while the third shirt is black. It looks like the shirts that EPL Talk revealed back on March 21 could be accurate.
One of the readers, Tom Vu, sent in the image of the away shirt (pictured). According to him, he found it on the BBC site.
Is it an artist's intrepretation or is it the real thing? Whatever it is, we're closer than ever before to determining what Liverpool's third jersey looks like.
View the countdown clock and glimpses of the shirt here.
The glimpses are very slight. You have to play with the controls to see that the new Liverpool away shirt will be white, while the third shirt is black. It looks like the shirts that EPL Talk revealed back on March 21 could be accurate.
One of the readers, Tom Vu, sent in the image of the away shirt (pictured). According to him, he found it on the BBC site.
Is it an artist's intrepretation or is it the real thing? Whatever it is, we're closer than ever before to determining what Liverpool's third jersey looks like.
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
New Birmingham City 07/08 Home Shirt
The seventies are back in style. That's according to Premier League new boys, Birmingham City, who recently unveiled their new home shirt for the 2007/2008 season (pictured). Instead of creating a more modern design (such as Manchester City's new home shirt), they've gone back to the past.
Their new 07/08 shirt is very similar to the ones they wore from 1971 to 1976 (see designs here). The new design is by kit manufacturer Umbro.
Their new 07/08 shirt is very similar to the ones they wore from 1971 to 1976 (see designs here). The new design is by kit manufacturer Umbro.
Personally, I disliked the design of the shirt when I first saw it. But it's growing on me the more I look at it. It is, without a doubt, unique. And for that, it needs to be appreciated. Instead of looking like the blue shirts of Chelsea, Wigan, Everton and Portsmouth, Birmingham City stands out from the crowd. When you flip on a match on TV and see City play, they'll be instantly recognizable.
Labels: birmingham city, Umbro
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Saturday, May 26, 2007
New Sunderland Away Shirt, 2007/2008
Sunderland has unveiled their new away strip for the 07/08 season. Sponsored by Boylesports, an Irish bookmaker, the new shirt follows the Umbro template design and is quite stylish (pictured).
Sunderland fans will be hoping the team can wear the strip for more than one season in the Premiership after their lacklustre performance the last time the Northeast club was in the Premier League.
More details about Sunderland's new away kit can be found here.
Sunderland fans will be hoping the team can wear the strip for more than one season in the Premiership after their lacklustre performance the last time the Northeast club was in the Premier League.
More details about Sunderland's new away kit can be found here.
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Friday, May 25, 2007
West Brom v Derby County: Live and Online
The football season may appear over, but there's still plenty of action within the next two weeks.
First is this Monday (Memorial Day) for the Coca-Cola Championship clash between Derby County and West Bromwich Albion (9am ET, Setanta). The match will decide which will be the third team to be promoted to the Premier League.
If you've never had a chance to watch a Championship match before, this one is a must-see. With so much to play for, you would expect a stalemate. But the match is typically played at such a high tempo that the excitement level continues for most of the 90 minutes.
You can catch the match and chat, hosted by BC John, live on the EPL Talk Chat at http://www.epltalk.com
On Friday June 1st, England plays Brazil in a friendly at Wembley (3pm ET). England plays their next Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia (Wednesday, June 6, 2:30pm ET, Setanta Premium/CCTV).
First is this Monday (Memorial Day) for the Coca-Cola Championship clash between Derby County and West Bromwich Albion (9am ET, Setanta). The match will decide which will be the third team to be promoted to the Premier League.
If you've never had a chance to watch a Championship match before, this one is a must-see. With so much to play for, you would expect a stalemate. But the match is typically played at such a high tempo that the excitement level continues for most of the 90 minutes.
You can catch the match and chat, hosted by BC John, live on the EPL Talk Chat at http://www.epltalk.com
On Friday June 1st, England plays Brazil in a friendly at Wembley (3pm ET). England plays their next Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia (Wednesday, June 6, 2:30pm ET, Setanta Premium/CCTV).
Labels: derby county, west bromwich albion
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The Fear in Football
It's something that most Premier League clubs have and it's ruining the game. It's called The Fear.
I brought up the topic last night when I interviewed Rodney Marsh for this Monday's EPL Talk Podcast episode. Why is four-five-one more prevalent now than ever before? Why has the standard of football, as a whole, dropped? Why do we see far fewer matches with free-flowing football that excites and gets us up off the couch?
It's The Fear.
The fear of losing. The fear of getting the sack. The fear of lost revenue. The fear of the shareholders getting antsy. The fear of the press conference where you take the lumps for an exciting performance but the match ending in a defeat. The fear ofrelegation.
Playing conservatively reduces the above fears, or so managers think. Play it safe and you won't get burned. Don't overextend the team and you won't be caught on a counter-attack. Play a 4-5-1 and hope for a nil-nil away draw rather than lose all three points.
Of course, it doesn't have to be this way. The prime example is Reading Football Club who had no fear. They were one of the few teams this season that didn't fear Chelsea. They drew Man United at Old Trafford and could have easily won. They played passionate attacking football and drove the fear into other teams rather than internalizing it themselves. They showed that positive football can work.
I brought up the topic last night when I interviewed Rodney Marsh for this Monday's EPL Talk Podcast episode. Why is four-five-one more prevalent now than ever before? Why has the standard of football, as a whole, dropped? Why do we see far fewer matches with free-flowing football that excites and gets us up off the couch?
It's The Fear.
The fear of losing. The fear of getting the sack. The fear of lost revenue. The fear of the shareholders getting antsy. The fear of the press conference where you take the lumps for an exciting performance but the match ending in a defeat. The fear of
Playing conservatively reduces the above fears, or so managers think. Play it safe and you won't get burned. Don't overextend the team and you won't be caught on a counter-attack. Play a 4-5-1 and hope for a nil-nil away draw rather than lose all three points.
Of course, it doesn't have to be this way. The prime example is Reading Football Club who had no fear. They were one of the few teams this season that didn't fear Chelsea. They drew Man United at Old Trafford and could have easily won. They played passionate attacking football and drove the fear into other teams rather than internalizing it themselves. They showed that positive football can work.
Will more teams adopt Reading's approach next season or will they play it safe to avoid relegation and to rake in the millions of pounds in cash. The latter is most likely, which is a crying shame.
Labels: reading, rodney marsh
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Thursday, May 24, 2007
Changes Needed for Champions League Tournament
By John Nicholson
The Champions League has produced some classic, top quality games this season, it always does, but like the F.A Cup, it produced a poor final that left me feeling that neither side really deserved to win it and wondering whether it is time for a change to the whole format of the competition.
The Champions League is based on a false premise. It is neither a league nor is it played out exclusively by Champions. Ooops! In recent years, with the encouragement of UEFA, it has become a kind of unofficial European super league, where by and large the same big sides compete each season for the trophy through what at times seems like an endless series of games.
It is often said to be the pinnacle of the European game. But watching this year's final it was hard to believe that either of these sides is anything than above-average league sides that somehow lucked out against better teams to progress. Frankly, it was crap; one side intent of defence and the other lacking penetration without a top rank striker. Yawn. The sheer amount of terrible crosses and wasted set plays was indicative of the low level of quality present.
Because the competition starts with an endless group stage which often leads to a couple of meaningless games after sides have qualified and because there's over a two months break in the winter, it ends up feeling like two separate competitions, which succeeds only in fragmenting the competition.
Add to that the fact that up to four sides from each country enter it, sides which are, in the case of the EPL, between 10 and 30 points apart in class, and you end up with a tournament which just isn't a "Champions" League plain and simple.
It exists in the current form in order to maximise TV revenues for the clubs and to give the TV stations a ton of games to show. And yet, like the UEFA cup, the early stages of the competition often attract less than capacity crowds and are becoming less and less interesting as the same sides usually progress anyway. Yes, there can be good games but they are few and far between.
If the Champions League were more properly called the Champions Cup and was an actual cup competition played out by the winners of each European league, as it used to be, then its credibility would be unimpeachable. As it is, it is falling between two stools. It's not a Euro Super League but it's not a cup competition between champions either. Because of that it feels fake at its core. It is a contrived hybrid designed to be an income generator rather than a great competition.
With crowds falling for early rounds and the eventual winners playing grindcore defensive football, how much longer will the competition be allowed to continue in the existing format? It already looks tired and worn out. A change is needed. And soon.
John Nicholson writes each week for Football 365 and EPL Talk. You can listen to John's wonderful stories on episode 30 and 45 of the EPL Talk Podcast, as well as purchase his excellent Footy Rocks book and order one of his unique rock'n roll T-shirts.
The Champions League has produced some classic, top quality games this season, it always does, but like the F.A Cup, it produced a poor final that left me feeling that neither side really deserved to win it and wondering whether it is time for a change to the whole format of the competition.
The Champions League is based on a false premise. It is neither a league nor is it played out exclusively by Champions. Ooops! In recent years, with the encouragement of UEFA, it has become a kind of unofficial European super league, where by and large the same big sides compete each season for the trophy through what at times seems like an endless series of games.
It is often said to be the pinnacle of the European game. But watching this year's final it was hard to believe that either of these sides is anything than above-average league sides that somehow lucked out against better teams to progress. Frankly, it was crap; one side intent of defence and the other lacking penetration without a top rank striker. Yawn. The sheer amount of terrible crosses and wasted set plays was indicative of the low level of quality present.
Because the competition starts with an endless group stage which often leads to a couple of meaningless games after sides have qualified and because there's over a two months break in the winter, it ends up feeling like two separate competitions, which succeeds only in fragmenting the competition.
Add to that the fact that up to four sides from each country enter it, sides which are, in the case of the EPL, between 10 and 30 points apart in class, and you end up with a tournament which just isn't a "Champions" League plain and simple.
It exists in the current form in order to maximise TV revenues for the clubs and to give the TV stations a ton of games to show. And yet, like the UEFA cup, the early stages of the competition often attract less than capacity crowds and are becoming less and less interesting as the same sides usually progress anyway. Yes, there can be good games but they are few and far between.
If the Champions League were more properly called the Champions Cup and was an actual cup competition played out by the winners of each European league, as it used to be, then its credibility would be unimpeachable. As it is, it is falling between two stools. It's not a Euro Super League but it's not a cup competition between champions either. Because of that it feels fake at its core. It is a contrived hybrid designed to be an income generator rather than a great competition.
With crowds falling for early rounds and the eventual winners playing grindcore defensive football, how much longer will the competition be allowed to continue in the existing format? It already looks tired and worn out. A change is needed. And soon.
John Nicholson writes each week for Football 365 and EPL Talk. You can listen to John's wonderful stories on episode 30 and 45 of the EPL Talk Podcast, as well as purchase his excellent Footy Rocks book and order one of his unique rock'n roll T-shirts.
Labels: Champions League, john nicholson, uefa
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Coming Soon: An Interview with Rodney Marsh
EPL Talk will be interviewing Rodney Marsh this week. If you have any questions you'd like me to ask the NASL and QPR legend, post them here or e-mail them to thegaffer[at]epltalk[dot]com.
Catch the interview with Marsh this Monday on the EPL Talk Podcast.
Catch the interview with Marsh this Monday on the EPL Talk Podcast.
Labels: rodney marsh
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Constructive Criticism of Liverpool in CL Final
Episode two of the EPL Talk Show is now live with guest co-host John Nicholson from Football 365. The show was recorded live just hours after the conclusion of the Champions League Final.
Thanks to everyone who participated in the live show. If you missed it, download the podcast episode here. Or, better yet, subscribe to the podcast here so you don't miss a single episode.
During the show, we offer constructive criticism of Liverpool's performance, while Nicholson tells us what he really thinks of Inzaghi.
We also cover the other big news item from the day: The bid for Newcastle United. Just a few weeks ago, we predicted that Newcastle was the team most likely to purchased by GE (General Electric). Little did we know it would be an English billionaire instead!
Thanks to everyone who participated in the live show. If you missed it, download the podcast episode here. Or, better yet, subscribe to the podcast here so you don't miss a single episode.
During the show, we offer constructive criticism of Liverpool's performance, while Nicholson tells us what he really thinks of Inzaghi.
We also cover the other big news item from the day: The bid for Newcastle United. Just a few weeks ago, we predicted that Newcastle was the team most likely to purchased by GE (General Electric). Little did we know it would be an English billionaire instead!
Labels: ac milan, epl talk show, john nicholson, Liverpool, newcastle united
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Wednesday, May 23, 2007
EPL Talk Show: Champions League Final Special
Don't forget to listen to tonight's live episode of the EPL Talk Show (10pm ET, 7pm PT, 3am GMT) where we'll discuss the Champions League Final and chat with guest co-host John Nicholson from Football 365.
Here's how you can listen in and participate during the live show:
1. Visit talkshoe.com and click on the "Sign Up" button
2. After registering, download the Talkshoe client
3. Login to Talkshoe.com on Wednesday, May 23rd at 9:45pm ET and click on the 'Join In' button next to the EPL Talk Show featured on the homepage.
Here's how you can listen in and participate during the live show:
1. Visit talkshoe.com and click on the "Sign Up" button
2. After registering, download the Talkshoe client
3. Login to Talkshoe.com on Wednesday, May 23rd at 9:45pm ET and click on the 'Join In' button next to the EPL Talk Show featured on the homepage.
And then you're in. You'll then be able to listen to the show live -- which begins at 10pm ET -- and participate in an online chat with the audience.
If you'd like your to phone the studio and ask a question on-air to me (The Gaffer) or John, here are the details you'll need:
Phone Number: (724) 444-7444
Talkcast ID: 21581 and then hit the pound (#) sign
And then enter your PIN number (which they got when you registered at Talkshoe).
If you're unable to make the show, it will be released as a podcast episode on iTunes and via the EPL Talk Podcast page.
Labels: epl talk show, john nicholson
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Aston Villa Restores Holte Hotel to its Former Glory
In the next few weeks, Aston Villa will reopen a part of its history when the Holte Hotel restoration is completed outside Villa Park.
The Victorian building, which dates back to the 19th century, used to feature 10 bedrooms, its own 400 capacity music hall, billiard rooms and two bowling greens. The hotel, essentially a late Victorian pub, was located adjacent to Villa Park, one of the most historic stadiums in England.
The Victorian building, which dates back to the 19th century, used to feature 10 bedrooms, its own 400 capacity music hall, billiard rooms and two bowling greens. The hotel, essentially a late Victorian pub, was located adjacent to Villa Park, one of the most historic stadiums in England.
The name Holte is synonymous with Villa Park's Holte End, which was once the largest Kop in the country. The massive Holte End stand used to hold up to 22,600 supporters.
In December, Aston Villa announced a major restoration plan to stabilize the building and return the exterior of the building being returned to its former glory. The pub will be available for fans on matchdays as well as being made available for business meetings. To me, Villa is to be commended for renovating the building and making it a part of the Villa Park experience once again.
The club has invested $5 million in restoring the hotel. It's scheduled to open within the next few days to weeks. Aston Villa is also seriously considering redeveloping their North Stand and possibly increasing the capacity in the next few years by 10,000.
See more pictures and background about Holte Hotel from Aston Villa's web site here.
Labels: aston villa, holte hotel, randy lerner
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Tuesday, May 22, 2007
How Much Premier League Clubs Earn from Sponsorship Deals
While we all know that Manchester United finished at the top of the Premier League table this season, how do the top 20 teams compare in the financial league table? How much money are the teams pulling in from their kit manufacturer? And who's getting the most money from their main club sponsor?
Here's the league table of how much money the top 20 are getting from their sponsors (thanks to superb research by PurelyManCity):
Here's the league table of how much money the top 20 are getting from their sponsors (thanks to superb research by PurelyManCity):
What's surprising to me in the above chart is the relatively small amount of money, in comparison, the Merseyside clubs are getting. If you think of what their league positions were this season (third for Liverpool, and sixth for Everton) and then look at the above chart, you can see the disparency.
For more excellent research including how much money the clubs are getting from their respective kit manufacturers, read the rest of the story at PurelyManCity.
Breaking news: Liverpool has renewed its sponsorship deal with Carlsberg for three more years.
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Monday, May 21, 2007
Interview with JP Dellacamera
This week's episode of the EPL Talk Podcast features an exclusive interview with legendary U.S. soccer commentator JP Dellacamera.
Dellacamera previews this week's Champions League Final (where he'll be hosting the pre-game show starting at 2pm ET on ESPN2 on Wednesday). During the podcast interview, we take a walk down memory lane and get his thoughts on how big indoor soccer was in America, his most memorable moments as a soccer commentator, what is was like working the 1999 Champions League final when Man United overcame the odds and won it 2-1 at the end, and much more.
Dellacamera previews this week's Champions League Final (where he'll be hosting the pre-game show starting at 2pm ET on ESPN2 on Wednesday). During the podcast interview, we take a walk down memory lane and get his thoughts on how big indoor soccer was in America, his most memorable moments as a soccer commentator, what is was like working the 1999 Champions League final when Man United overcame the odds and won it 2-1 at the end, and much more.
Subscribe to the EPL Talk Podcast via iTunes or listen to the latest episode now.
And here's a video clip of one of JP Dellacamera's most famous calls:
Labels: Champions League, ESPN, jp dellacamera, u.s. soccer history
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
News From Around The World of Football
Here are a few articles from this past weekend that were of interest to me and that you will probably find interesting too:
- An excellent article in The Times from the man who is on top of his game, Gabriele Marcotti. This time Gab talks to Pele at a recent GolTV press conference. Topics include what impact Beckham may have on America and whether soccer fans in the States know their sport or not.
- Bad news for football fans in the United Kingdom. The 2006/2007 season in all four divisions in England resulted in record attendances since 1970. The bad news is that many football chairman will use this statistic to justify higher ticket prices. Lots of interesting stats in this article including the fact that the Coca-Cola Championship gets a higher average attendance than Serie A! Plus how the Premiership has the second highest average attendance in all of Europe.
- Noel Gallagher from rock band Oasis is seen here sporting the new Manchester City home (and more importantly, the away strip, which I haven't seen before). Plus Man City are rolling out a new parka. At least City has class off the pitch. Let's see if they can hire someone with enough vision to get the team playing attractive football once again.
Labels: goltv, manchester city, match tickets, noel gallagher, oasis, pele, ticket prices
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
Premier League Drops 'Premiership' Name in UK
Blink and you may have missed it, but this past weekend the English Premier League announced that it officially changed the name of its league from the Barclays Premiership to Barclays Premier League.
Previously, the official names used was Barclays Premiership (in the UK) and Barclays Premier League (outside the UK). Now, the EPL has decided to adopt one name worldwide, the Barclays Premier League.
Of course, we can all drop the sponsor's name from the title, so the consistent name across the globe will be the Premier League. The move makes sense in my opinion. With the NFL, it's just that. The NFL. There's no variations of what the league is called, so it's easier and more cost-effective to build a brand name.
Of course, old habits die hard so you can expect everyone in the UK (and outside) to continue calling the Premier League the 'Premiership.'
Thanks to reader JeffyHash for bringing the story to my attention.
Previously, the official names used was Barclays Premiership (in the UK) and Barclays Premier League (outside the UK). Now, the EPL has decided to adopt one name worldwide, the Barclays Premier League.
Of course, we can all drop the sponsor's name from the title, so the consistent name across the globe will be the Premier League. The move makes sense in my opinion. With the NFL, it's just that. The NFL. There's no variations of what the league is called, so it's easier and more cost-effective to build a brand name.
Of course, old habits die hard so you can expect everyone in the UK (and outside) to continue calling the Premier League the 'Premiership.'
Thanks to reader JeffyHash for bringing the story to my attention.
Labels: english premier league, premier league, premiership
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
Reviews of Joost, Football Focus & Inside Sport
I had the opportunity today to test out Joost, a new web site that's in beta from the creators of Skype.
Joost is essentially a network of TV channels online. Rather than live programming, the web site offers some of the best recorded shows from MTV, CNN, Comedy Central, Adult Swim and other networks. The interface and quality of streaming content is extremely cutting edge, taking control of your desktop rather than playing through a browser. If Joost can sign deals with more networks that provide entertaining product, then Joost will transform the way we experience TV online.
Interestingly, Joost currently features two soccer channels: U.S. Soccer and, the appropriately named, The Soccer Channel. The amount of programming available on both networks is currently slim. U.S. Soccer has an interview with new U.S. manager Bob Bradley as well as an interview with Kyle Beckerman and a few other clips. The Soccer Channel, meanwhile, offers a handful of goal compilation programs to choose from. Don't get too excited. These aren't that current, but the goals are exciting to watch nonetheless.
In time, let's hope that U.S. Soccer and The Soccer Channel provide more programming. To be fair, Joost is still in beta so both networks can be excused for now.
If you're interested in signing up to check out Joost, the beta site is only open to those with invitation codes. Fortunately I have a bunch of them, so if you're interested in checking Joost out, send an e-mail to thegaffer[at]epltalk[dot]com with the word "Joost" in the subject line.
Speaking of video programming online, have you been watching more and more soccer video podcasts? If you haven't, I highly encourage it. The few that I've been watching are Football Focus, Inside Sport and the one from UEFA.
The production value for the Football Focus and Inside Sport vodcasts are very high as both shows are adapted from full-length TV shows that appear on BBC. Football Focus is well done featuring some analysis by Mark Lawrenson and often another guest such as Lee Dixon or another former player. The show also includes other segments. For example, this past week's episode featured an interview by Adrian Chiles with Lord Foster, the designer of the new Wembley Stadium. Both gents walked around the stadium and gave fans an excellent insight into the benefits of the 90,000 seater.
Inside Sport, meanwhile, is more focused on being flashy than providing quality content. Hosted by Gabby Logan, the show looks and feels more like an episode of Entertainment Tonight for football fans (well, not that bad, but you get the point). Rather than asking hard hitting questions, the interviews focus on getting to know more about the person and making them appear more lifelike than the person we typically see on TV or read in the paper. For example, Inside Sport recently interviewed John Terry and Sepp Blatter.
The Blatter interview, personally, was sickening. First, you get to see the BBC reporter walk around the new FIFA headquarters with Blatter, and the amount of money that has been wasted on this modern office building is horrendous. It looks more like a palace for the rich and wealthy than a functioning office. After all, how important is it to fuel money into a $38 million structure when those dollars could have been spent on strengthening the game at the grassroots level instead?
The BBC reporter should have been crucified for not asking the hard-hitting questions about Blatter's alleged taking of bribes and the other scandals he's been involved in. Instead, the Inside Sport segment shows the camera zooming in on a drawing that one of his young relatives drew for him. Come on!
Both Football Focus and Inside Sport are available for viewing on iTunes.
Labels: FIFA, football focus, inside sport, joost, mark lawrenson, sepp blatter, wembley stadium
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Football Fans Prepare for FA Cup Final in Kenya
While you're watching the FA Cup Final today wherever you are in the world, spare a thought for the thousands of football fans watching the final from Kenya.
The rise of the EPL in that country has created "Premier League Bars," passion that has degenerated into fighting and die-hard fans, including women, who will be wearing the colors of the FA Cup finalists today. Read this fascinating article from Nairobi's Daily Nation newspaper.
Why bar owners just love this game
5/19/2007
It is time for football again and business will be booming this afternoon for bar and restaurant owners.
From the biggest cities and towns to the smallest villages across Kenya, the football craze is today expected to drive fans to entertainment spots where they can watch Manchester United take on their arch-rivals, Chelsea.
The real drama will be unfolding thousands of kilometres away but that will not stop businesses from cashing in on Kenyans’ love for “the beautiful game”.
And to the fans, distance does not matter as they can watch the game live on TV over their favourite beverages. No wonder, English soccer has a magnetic pull that is translating into millions of shillings for entrepreneurs.
Filled to the brim
During today’s clash, bars and restaurants in Nairobi and other towns, and video theatres at various trading centres around the country will be filled to the brim with football fans, many bedecked in their favourite club colours.
By 5 pm, when the FA cup final kicks off, many will already have shouted themselves hoarse, trying to outdo one another in extolling the virtues of their clubs.
And after the final whistle goes, the revelry will go in deep into the night as winners celebrate and losers drown their sorrow.
In Kenya, it does not matter whether one lives in the leafy suburbs or in the slums. From one of Nairobi’s biggest slums, Mathare across to the neighbouring home of Kenya’s who is who, Muthaiga, the excitement will be the same.
Investing in TV sets
Every bar and restaurant worth its name has been devising ways to attract fans and this means investing in TV sets and a link with a satellite broadcaster.
On any given match day, fans always arrive hours before the game kicks off, take up positions and begin to analyse previous matches. What strikes an observer is the immense knowledge that fans have of players in their teams. Arguments sometimes result in fights but more often than not rivals agree to disagree.
Just last year, two Kenyans, one a Manchester United fan and another a Chelsea follower were arrested after they fought over a soccer match. Mr Roy Mungori Kirimi and Mr Kenny Mawira Marango were fined Sh5,000 each or 50 days in jail. “Call Manchester and Chelsea to pay your fines,” the magistrate told them after passing the sentence.
The following day, a local radio station came up with a phone-in “fine-raising” competition”. In less than five minutes, three Man U fans had pledged Sh3,500 to bail out their colleague. The radio presenter promised to top up the difference. By then, no Chelsea fans had made any pledges.
And as fans seek to watch every second of the fast-paced action on the pitch from the comfort of their homes, satellite dishes have sprang up in even the poorest of neighbourhoods. In these settlements, the “beautiful game” provides an escape from grinding poverty.
Entrepreneurs with their eye on the ball have also invested in technology that allows them to broadcast international matches at their pubs and restaurants. In some towns, they charge as little as Sh20 per person per game. Yet each weekend, crowds throng in to watch their teams play.
This fanaticism is threatening to turn courtship on its head. Ms Flora Nyakio, a Chelsea fan, is among a growing number of girls who frequent male-dominated pubs. “I couldn’t stand my guy missing a date when there was a football match so I had to become a fan. It’s all about relationship control as we get to bond more, besides making my guy the envy of other men,” she says.
Making money
She supports Chelsea, which ranks fourth after Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, among local fans. But those enjoying this new wave of soccer craze the most are the businessmen.
They are making money, and not just from selling merchandise such as football jerseys, caps, scarves, banners and flags, but also by opening what are now known as “Premier League Bars.”
Tacos on Kimathi Street is one such bar.
On any given weekend, when there is a major match like today’s, the pub is turned into an in-house stadium by fans donning jerseys of their favourite English clubs. And business has never been better.
“We sell roughly 100 crates of beer when there is no major football match. But this increases to 150 crates during a match like today’s. English football is good for pub business, even when small teams are playing as opposed to two major Spanish sides,” says Mr Geoffrey Karinga, a supervisor at Tacos. The flip side is that they also have to increase the number of bouncers and waiters on such days.
Tacos has 36 television sets and two large screens to ensure that fans watch the action from every conceivable angle.
Fast food restaurants benefiting from the boom though not as much as bars.
“Food sales do not increase during a big premier league match as fans are spread out in other restaurants, but the business effect is felt afterwards because we retain the same customers when there are no matches. It is now almost a must for a restaurant to have television sets,” said Mr Philip Makau of Kenchic Inn, Moi Avenue, Nairobi.
Multi-Choice
And the spill-over effect of the premiership craze has been a blessing to MultiChoice Kenya, the satellite television providers of DSTV which has exclusive rights in Kenya to air the English Premier League and most other major sporting events.
“The English Premier League has made it easier for us to sell the pay television concept which has seen a 40 per cent growth in the last two years, most of them individual subscribers,” says general manager Mr Richard Tembedza.
Then there is betting. “The betting stakes depend on the level of excitement and they range from Sh100, Sh5,000, Sh20,000 to Sh500,000 in the case of a World Cup match. When Italy won the World Cup, we paid punters Sh2 million,” says Mr Husnain Jaffer of Brighton bookmakers on Tom Mboya Street, Nairobi.
On which team will you bet? Between Chelsea and Man U, the latter is the most successful FA Cup final team, having won the finals nine times between 1948 and 1999. Four of those wins came between 1990 and 1999. Chelsea, on the other hand, has won the cup three times.
Editor's note: The original article is available here (registration required), hence the reason I copied and pasted the story above for you to enjoy.
What's interesting to me is that in Kenya, the love of the Premiership is easy to see if you walk through the streets of Mombasa or Nairobi. By the sounds of it, most bars will be showing the matches, so you'd see fans wearing the colors of their favorite teams. In the United States, meanwhile, the FA Cup will be invisible in but a small percentage of bars (even if it was available on regular TV).
The rise of the EPL in that country has created "Premier League Bars," passion that has degenerated into fighting and die-hard fans, including women, who will be wearing the colors of the FA Cup finalists today. Read this fascinating article from Nairobi's Daily Nation newspaper.
Why bar owners just love this game
5/19/2007
It is time for football again and business will be booming this afternoon for bar and restaurant owners.
From the biggest cities and towns to the smallest villages across Kenya, the football craze is today expected to drive fans to entertainment spots where they can watch Manchester United take on their arch-rivals, Chelsea.
The real drama will be unfolding thousands of kilometres away but that will not stop businesses from cashing in on Kenyans’ love for “the beautiful game”.
And to the fans, distance does not matter as they can watch the game live on TV over their favourite beverages. No wonder, English soccer has a magnetic pull that is translating into millions of shillings for entrepreneurs.
Filled to the brim
During today’s clash, bars and restaurants in Nairobi and other towns, and video theatres at various trading centres around the country will be filled to the brim with football fans, many bedecked in their favourite club colours.
By 5 pm, when the FA cup final kicks off, many will already have shouted themselves hoarse, trying to outdo one another in extolling the virtues of their clubs.
And after the final whistle goes, the revelry will go in deep into the night as winners celebrate and losers drown their sorrow.
In Kenya, it does not matter whether one lives in the leafy suburbs or in the slums. From one of Nairobi’s biggest slums, Mathare across to the neighbouring home of Kenya’s who is who, Muthaiga, the excitement will be the same.
Investing in TV sets
Every bar and restaurant worth its name has been devising ways to attract fans and this means investing in TV sets and a link with a satellite broadcaster.
On any given match day, fans always arrive hours before the game kicks off, take up positions and begin to analyse previous matches. What strikes an observer is the immense knowledge that fans have of players in their teams. Arguments sometimes result in fights but more often than not rivals agree to disagree.
Just last year, two Kenyans, one a Manchester United fan and another a Chelsea follower were arrested after they fought over a soccer match. Mr Roy Mungori Kirimi and Mr Kenny Mawira Marango were fined Sh5,000 each or 50 days in jail. “Call Manchester and Chelsea to pay your fines,” the magistrate told them after passing the sentence.
The following day, a local radio station came up with a phone-in “fine-raising” competition”. In less than five minutes, three Man U fans had pledged Sh3,500 to bail out their colleague. The radio presenter promised to top up the difference. By then, no Chelsea fans had made any pledges.
And as fans seek to watch every second of the fast-paced action on the pitch from the comfort of their homes, satellite dishes have sprang up in even the poorest of neighbourhoods. In these settlements, the “beautiful game” provides an escape from grinding poverty.
Entrepreneurs with their eye on the ball have also invested in technology that allows them to broadcast international matches at their pubs and restaurants. In some towns, they charge as little as Sh20 per person per game. Yet each weekend, crowds throng in to watch their teams play.
This fanaticism is threatening to turn courtship on its head. Ms Flora Nyakio, a Chelsea fan, is among a growing number of girls who frequent male-dominated pubs. “I couldn’t stand my guy missing a date when there was a football match so I had to become a fan. It’s all about relationship control as we get to bond more, besides making my guy the envy of other men,” she says.
Making money
She supports Chelsea, which ranks fourth after Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, among local fans. But those enjoying this new wave of soccer craze the most are the businessmen.
They are making money, and not just from selling merchandise such as football jerseys, caps, scarves, banners and flags, but also by opening what are now known as “Premier League Bars.”
Tacos on Kimathi Street is one such bar.
On any given weekend, when there is a major match like today’s, the pub is turned into an in-house stadium by fans donning jerseys of their favourite English clubs. And business has never been better.
“We sell roughly 100 crates of beer when there is no major football match. But this increases to 150 crates during a match like today’s. English football is good for pub business, even when small teams are playing as opposed to two major Spanish sides,” says Mr Geoffrey Karinga, a supervisor at Tacos. The flip side is that they also have to increase the number of bouncers and waiters on such days.
Tacos has 36 television sets and two large screens to ensure that fans watch the action from every conceivable angle.
Fast food restaurants benefiting from the boom though not as much as bars.
“Food sales do not increase during a big premier league match as fans are spread out in other restaurants, but the business effect is felt afterwards because we retain the same customers when there are no matches. It is now almost a must for a restaurant to have television sets,” said Mr Philip Makau of Kenchic Inn, Moi Avenue, Nairobi.
Multi-Choice
And the spill-over effect of the premiership craze has been a blessing to MultiChoice Kenya, the satellite television providers of DSTV which has exclusive rights in Kenya to air the English Premier League and most other major sporting events.
“The English Premier League has made it easier for us to sell the pay television concept which has seen a 40 per cent growth in the last two years, most of them individual subscribers,” says general manager Mr Richard Tembedza.
Then there is betting. “The betting stakes depend on the level of excitement and they range from Sh100, Sh5,000, Sh20,000 to Sh500,000 in the case of a World Cup match. When Italy won the World Cup, we paid punters Sh2 million,” says Mr Husnain Jaffer of Brighton bookmakers on Tom Mboya Street, Nairobi.
On which team will you bet? Between Chelsea and Man U, the latter is the most successful FA Cup final team, having won the finals nine times between 1948 and 1999. Four of those wins came between 1990 and 1999. Chelsea, on the other hand, has won the cup three times.
Editor's note: The original article is available here (registration required), hence the reason I copied and pasted the story above for you to enjoy.
What's interesting to me is that in Kenya, the love of the Premiership is easy to see if you walk through the streets of Mombasa or Nairobi. By the sounds of it, most bars will be showing the matches, so you'd see fans wearing the colors of their favorite teams. In the United States, meanwhile, the FA Cup will be invisible in but a small percentage of bars (even if it was available on regular TV).
Labels: Chelsea, english premier league, FA Cup, manchester united
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
Fox Soccer Channel Rated Best Quality by Fans
Soccer fans have rated Fox Soccer Channel as the number one network for quality soccer programming. That's according to the latest poll by EPL Talk.
Thirty four percent of the fans chose Fox Soccer Channel, while Setanta Sports was close behind with 28% of the vote. ESPN2 and GolTV both receive the same number of votes with 21% of the total. Eleven percent said "Other," which could include Fox Sports Espanol, Sky Sports or other networks depending on where the fans (i.e. TV viewers) were in the world.
You could assume that Fox received more votes because the vast majority of fans watch the network in the United States for coverage of the English Premier League. Setanta Sports, while growing, still has a limited viewership and many fans complain about lack of access to the network. Setanta is primarily available via DirecTV and ITVN.
Thanks everyone who voted. Be sure to take the next poll (located on the left column of the EPL Talk Blog at http://eplleague.blogspot.com).
Thirty four percent of the fans chose Fox Soccer Channel, while Setanta Sports was close behind with 28% of the vote. ESPN2 and GolTV both receive the same number of votes with 21% of the total. Eleven percent said "Other," which could include Fox Sports Espanol, Sky Sports or other networks depending on where the fans (i.e. TV viewers) were in the world.
You could assume that Fox received more votes because the vast majority of fans watch the network in the United States for coverage of the English Premier League. Setanta Sports, while growing, still has a limited viewership and many fans complain about lack of access to the network. Setanta is primarily available via DirecTV and ITVN.
Thanks everyone who voted. Be sure to take the next poll (located on the left column of the EPL Talk Blog at http://eplleague.blogspot.com).
Labels: ESPN2, fox soccer channel, gol tv, goltv, Setanta, setanta sports
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
Episode 2 of the EPL Talk Show This Wednesday
The second episode of the EPL Talk Show has been scheduled and will air live over the Internet on Wednesday, May 23rd (the night of the Champions League Final) at 10pm ET (7pm PT, 3am GMT).
I'll be joined by guest co-host John Nicholson (pictured) from Football 365 fame and author of the book Footy Rocks. Nicholson is on vacation in Las Vegas right now and he's tentatively confirmed that he'll be available for the show, which will run from 10-11pm ET.
We'll discuss the events from the Champions League final, the latest football news and hear from John regarding his observations touring America and how football coverage has changed for the better or worse.
The EPL Talk Show is a live interactive football chat show that's available on the Talkshoe network. It allows you to listen live and call in with questions so you can be on-air. There's also a live chat built in to the site, so you can pose questions or add your thoughts to the live studio audience or hosts/guests.
Episode 1 of the EPL Talk Show is available via iTunes or here or here. Episode 2 is scheduled to begin this Wednesday, May 23rd at 10pm ET, but the "doors will open" at 9:45pm ET here.
If you miss episode 2, it'll be released via podcast the day after. But by attending the live airing of the show, you'll be able to hear the show first and answer questions live. I look forward to seeing you there!
I'll be joined by guest co-host John Nicholson (pictured) from Football 365 fame and author of the book Footy Rocks. Nicholson is on vacation in Las Vegas right now and he's tentatively confirmed that he'll be available for the show, which will run from 10-11pm ET.
We'll discuss the events from the Champions League final, the latest football news and hear from John regarding his observations touring America and how football coverage has changed for the better or worse.
The EPL Talk Show is a live interactive football chat show that's available on the Talkshoe network. It allows you to listen live and call in with questions so you can be on-air. There's also a live chat built in to the site, so you can pose questions or add your thoughts to the live studio audience or hosts/guests.
Episode 1 of the EPL Talk Show is available via iTunes or here or here. Episode 2 is scheduled to begin this Wednesday, May 23rd at 10pm ET, but the "doors will open" at 9:45pm ET here.
If you miss episode 2, it'll be released via podcast the day after. But by attending the live airing of the show, you'll be able to hear the show first and answer questions live. I look forward to seeing you there!
Labels: Champions League, epl talk show, john nicholson, talkshoe
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
Introducing Major League Soccer Talk
With the Premiership season over, many of us (myself included) are craving more soccer/football. The perfect antidote is Spain's La Liga for a few more weeks, but don't overlook Major League Soccer, which has been revitalized this summer with the entry of Toronto FC and their boisterous fans and the pending arrival of David Beckham.
To follow all of the action, reader Kartik Krishnaiyer has launched a new sister site named Major League Soccer Talk, which features a blog and will, in the coming weeks, feature a podcast focused on MLS and US soccer. Be sure to bookmark it at http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com
To follow all of the action, reader Kartik Krishnaiyer has launched a new sister site named Major League Soccer Talk, which features a blog and will, in the coming weeks, feature a podcast focused on MLS and US soccer. Be sure to bookmark it at http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com
Major League Soccer Talk joins the growing number of EPL Talk sister sites which now includes ChampionshipTalk.com, ChampionsLeagueTalk.com and LaLigaTalk.com.
Labels: major league soccer
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
Friday, May 18, 2007
Mailbag: Tim Howard Loan Deal & Euro Leagues
In the past week, I received many excellent e-mails, two of which I thought I'd share with you. The first is a question and the second is a statement. Feel free to respond to these two points by clicking the 'comments' link near the bottom of this article and share your knowledge of the game with the rest of the readers.
Nathan Jacobs:
Financially the Premier League has evolved to a league of tiers, the upper echelon top 4, the second tier and the also rans. I don't know how I would break all of them down, and hopefully the new money coming in will even the playing field a bit.
However, my question relates more to the other leagues around the world (i.e. Italy Spain Germany and France). Is there as great a bifurcation (to divide into two parts) in income levels and as a result an ability for teams to compete as there is in the UK?
Magnar Berset:
The loan deal for Tim Howard at Everton is not permanent until the end of the season. That contract was written in February but does not count until the end of the season. That is why Howard could not play in the game between the two teams. That is perfectly legal. And it is not up to the clubs if a player on loan can play against the former club. It is FA that came with that rule before this season.
Thanks in advance for sharing your feedback.
Nathan Jacobs:
Financially the Premier League has evolved to a league of tiers, the upper echelon top 4, the second tier and the also rans. I don't know how I would break all of them down, and hopefully the new money coming in will even the playing field a bit.
However, my question relates more to the other leagues around the world (i.e. Italy Spain Germany and France). Is there as great a bifurcation (to divide into two parts) in income levels and as a result an ability for teams to compete as there is in the UK?
Magnar Berset:
The loan deal for Tim Howard at Everton is not permanent until the end of the season. That contract was written in February but does not count until the end of the season. That is why Howard could not play in the game between the two teams. That is perfectly legal. And it is not up to the clubs if a player on loan can play against the former club. It is FA that came with that rule before this season.
Thanks in advance for sharing your feedback.
Labels: english premier league, everton, tim howard
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
Best Match of the 2006/2007 Premiership Season
What was your favorite match of the entire 06/07 EPL season? Reader Damir Selimovic submitted this story.
West Ham United 3 v 4 Tottenham Hotspur
Upton Park; March 4, 2007
If you are searching for a game to simplify the EPL, to really understand why it's one of the favorites among all the rest of the leagues in the world, well this game stood out from the rest.
The EPL consists of 20 teams which play 38 games per season, which leaves us with 760 highly entertaining games to enjoy. The reason I chose the West Ham vs. Hotspur game was because of pure drama from the start to the end.
The game started off with Argentine Carlos Tevez scoring his first goal in the 15th minute, and what a wonderful goal it was, among the best for the season; West Ham doubling the score with a first goal by Mark Noble to go into the half 2-0 up.
Not even first-ever Premiership strikes from Mark Noble and Carlos Tevez, plus a late Bobby Zamora header, could give the East Enders the victory they so desperately needed in their Everest-like task to avoid relegation as Jermain Defoe, Teemu Tainio, Dimitar Berbatov and Paul Stalteri cut the safety rope.
But late, late goals by Berbatov and Stalteri almost certainly condemned the hapless Hammers to the drop in this London derby that saw the Hammers surrender valuable leads in each half.
This game had it all: Good goals, two beautiful free kicks by Tevez and Berbatov, a good volley by Noble, an excellent header from Zamora, cool composure by Defoe to score a penalty, great buildup by Spurs to have Tainio put a rocket in the back of the net, and an excellent last second counter-attack by Spurs to put the final touches on a brilliant back and forth game.
Normally a game that consisted of seven yellow cards would overshadow the action but it was completely different in this game. With the season coming to a close, the game West Ham let slip through their hands twice could have came back to haunt them if Manchester United had won.
Labels: manchester united, tottenham hotspur, West Ham United
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Chelsea Adds Third Friendly to U.S. Tour
Chelsea will play Club America at Stanford Stadium on July 14 at 6pm PT. The match will be the first of Chelsea's three friendlies scheduled this summer in the United States. The second is against Suwon Bluewings on July 17, while the third is against the LA Galaxy on July 21.
Stanford Stadium is located in Palo Alta, California. Club America is one of the top teams from Mexico.
Stanford Stadium is located in Palo Alta, California. Club America is one of the top teams from Mexico.
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Toronto Tickets to Aston Villa Friendly Cause a Stir
Reader Neil Russell sent me an irate email this morning about the price that Toronto FC is charging for tickets to the Aston Villa friendly on July 25. I don't blame him.
The cheapest ticket to the match is CA $110, which is $100 US. In comparison, I can buy a ticket to this weekend's Toronto match against DC United for $54 US and that's price level 2 (presumably the cheaper tickets are already sold out).
I tried to log on to see for myself how the ticket buying experience was online at the Toronto web site. No single match tickets were available for the Aston Villa match, but I could buy a "Euro Pack" for $483 US (which is for seven matches including the Villa and Benfica friendlies). That averages out to $69 US per match. But what if I wanted to just go to the Villa match?
I decided to take a look at ticket prices for Chelsea's matches in Los Angeles this summer. The cheapest pack you can buy, for general admission seats, is $145 US. For that price, you get five games over three days (and two of the matches will feature Chelsea). No single match tickets are available for the Chelsea match.
The same applies to the July 28 friendly between Villa and Columbus. The ticket web site shows that you have to buy a ticket pack to several games in order to see Villa as one of them.
The cheapest ticket to the match is CA $110, which is $100 US. In comparison, I can buy a ticket to this weekend's Toronto match against DC United for $54 US and that's price level 2 (presumably the cheaper tickets are already sold out).
I tried to log on to see for myself how the ticket buying experience was online at the Toronto web site. No single match tickets were available for the Aston Villa match, but I could buy a "Euro Pack" for $483 US (which is for seven matches including the Villa and Benfica friendlies). That averages out to $69 US per match. But what if I wanted to just go to the Villa match?
I decided to take a look at ticket prices for Chelsea's matches in Los Angeles this summer. The cheapest pack you can buy, for general admission seats, is $145 US. For that price, you get five games over three days (and two of the matches will feature Chelsea). No single match tickets are available for the Chelsea match.
The same applies to the July 28 friendly between Villa and Columbus. The ticket web site shows that you have to buy a ticket pack to several games in order to see Villa as one of them.
Of course, the Toronto ticket prices are scandalous. At least the Galaxy offers a more reasonable price structure, which averages a very reasonable $29 for the five game pack. All of this reminds me about my experience trying to get a ticket to see Liverpool against PSV Eindhoven in the earlier rounds of the Champions League in late November. You can't simply buy a match ticket. You have to me a Liverpool Fan Card member. Then you had to have purchased tickets for another Liverpool match to get a ticket to the PSV one.
The shame about the Villa match is that one, it's a friendly and two, there's no guarantee Martin O'Neill is even going to play a first team squad. And when you think about it, even his first team squad doesn't feature any world-class players. Without a doubt, Toronto FC is taking advantage of football fans and that isn't fair.
Labels: aston villa, Chelsea, LA Galaxy, toronto fc
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Romance of FA Cup Will Officially Die Next Season
While the preparation and hype build for this Saturday's first FA Cup Final at the new Wembley, my message to Chelsea and Manchester United fans is to enjoy it while you can. I don't think either team will put much emphasis on the tournament next year.
We saw this year how competing for four trophies can ruin a team. Chelsea definitely ran out of gas during the past few months which was also hampered by injuries.
We saw this year how competing for four trophies can ruin a team. Chelsea definitely ran out of gas during the past few months which was also hampered by injuries.
Even with larger squads and fewer injuries, the top four Premiership clubs will need to prioritize next year which competitions they want to push for. The Champions League will be on top of Chelsea's list once again as well as getting the Premiership title. The FA Cup and Carling Cup will simply get in their way.
So expect to see a lot of clubs playing reserve players. Arsenal showed this past season how it can be done. While Liverpool, Man United and Chelsea don't have reserve squads with that calibre, the only way to get them to improve and gain confidence is by playing them in important matches in the FA Cup and League Cup.
So expect to see a lot of clubs playing reserve players. Arsenal showed this past season how it can be done. While Liverpool, Man United and Chelsea don't have reserve squads with that calibre, the only way to get them to improve and gain confidence is by playing them in important matches in the FA Cup and League Cup.
Of course, for Arsenal the plan backfired. But that was more the fault of the Gunners' first team who were unable to get past PSV Eindhoven and failed time and time again in the Premier League.
All of these clubs playing reserve players is going to make it harder for Fox Sports International to justify charging customers $25 to watch latter round FA Cup matches at home on TV. Maybe next year we'll see a team emerge victorious that's outside the top four?
Labels: Arsenal, Chelsea, FA Cup, Liverpool, manchester united
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Wednesday, May 16, 2007
New York Times Journey to Emirates Stadium
While the EPL continues to expand its coverage around the world, it's also having a positive impact on the amount of tourists heading to England to watch matches in person.
Take, for example, The New York Times. The newspaper is embracing the latest technology to provide readers with more than just words. For example, Times travel writer Henry Fountain recently took a weekend trip with his son to watch Arsenal v West Ham and a Championship match featuring Southend against Colchester United.
View the audio slide show here and read the article here.
Take, for example, The New York Times. The newspaper is embracing the latest technology to provide readers with more than just words. For example, Times travel writer Henry Fountain recently took a weekend trip with his son to watch Arsenal v West Ham and a Championship match featuring Southend against Colchester United.
View the audio slide show here and read the article here.
Labels: Arsenal, colchester, Emirates Stadium, new york times, southend
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Interview with Peter Brown from Divers & Cheats
The latest episode of the EPL Talk Podcast features an interview with Peter Brown, co-host of the Divers & Cheats Podcast.
Peter discusses a host of topics including:
- Why California seems to be a mecca for soccer coverage in the United States both on TV and radio/internet radio
- Who's the worst diver: Robben or Ronaldo
- The best and worst of football commentators
- The lack of decent movies on the topic of football
- Whether there's room for a football analysis show that goes deeper into topics at Fox Soccer Channel
- And much more.
Labels: champions soccer radio network, Divers and Cheats, peter brown
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General Electric Eyeing English Premier League
If you haven't noticed already, more major U.S. investors are getting giddy over the English Premier League. Dazzled by the opportunity to make enormous fortunes by increasing revenues for a global brand, GE is the latest to have caught the bug. Yes, General Electric.
According to ThisIsMoney.co.uk, GE hopes to make one or two major takeovers in England or on the Continent. However, the Premiership (or a Championship side) is the safer bet. If we had to make an educated guess, here are the clubs that are most likely to entice GE (in order of most to least likely):
According to ThisIsMoney.co.uk, GE hopes to make one or two major takeovers in England or on the Continent. However, the Premiership (or a Championship side) is the safer bet. If we had to make an educated guess, here are the clubs that are most likely to entice GE (in order of most to least likely):
- Newcastle United
- Everton
- Reading
- Bolton Wanderers
- Blackburn Rovers
- Tottenham Hotspur
- Derby County or West Bromwich Albion (depending which club goes up, presuming that West Brom can beat Wolves)
Could GE soon join Malcolm Glazer, Randy Lerner and then George Gillett Jr. and Tom Hicks? I'd be more surprised if something doesn't happen.
If you were GE, which club would you acquire?
If you were GE, which club would you acquire?
Labels: blackburn, bolton, derby county, everton, GE, general electric, newcastle united, reading, west bromwich albion
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Chelsea v Man United, FA Cup Final: Live & Online
If you're searching for a way to experience Saturday's FA Cup Final match between Manchester United and Chelsea online, join the EPL Talk Chat hosted by BC John.
We'll have Chelsea, Manchester United and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the final. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Man Utd v Chelsea radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The match kicks off on Saturday, May 19th at 10am ET/3pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage (near the center of the page).
We'll have Chelsea, Manchester United and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the final. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Man Utd v Chelsea radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The match kicks off on Saturday, May 19th at 10am ET/3pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage (near the center of the page).
Labels: Chelsea, FA Cup, man united, manchester united
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Aston Villa Preseason Tour Given the Green Light
Aston Villa and soccer fans in the States can give a huge sigh of relief knowing that the North American tour will happen now that Villa didn't get selected as the recipient of the Fair Play Award from UEFA, which would have meant their North American pre-season friendlies being postponed or cancelled.
Villa will play Toronto FC on July 25 and Columbus on July 28. Seeing how passionate the Toronto fans are, which is very surprising by Major League Soccer standards, that match should be very watchable indeed.
Villa will play Toronto FC on July 25 and Columbus on July 28. Seeing how passionate the Toronto fans are, which is very surprising by Major League Soccer standards, that match should be very watchable indeed.
Labels: aston villa, columbus crew, toronto fc
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Monday, May 14, 2007
2006/2007 Predictions Revisited
Now that the Premiership season is over, it's time to take a look back to see how my predictions faired and how they compared with the predictions from, you, the readers.
My predictions (final position shown in parenthesis):
1. Arsenal (4th)
2. Chelsea (2nd)
3. Liverpool (3rd)
4. Tottenham Hotspur (5th)
5. Manchester United (1st)
6. Newcastle United (13th)
7. Blackburn Rovers (10th)
8. Wigan Athletic (17th)
9. Bolton Wanderers (7th)
10. Everton (6th)
11. Aston Villa (11th)
12. West Ham United (15th)
13. Watford (20th)
14. Manchester City (14th)
15. Reading (8th)
16. Portsmouth (9th)
17. Middlesbrough (12th)
-----------------------------------
18. Fulham (16th)
19. Sheffield United (18th)
20. Charlton Athletic (19th)
I totally underestimated Man United and Watford. United had only signed Carrick and I, along with many pundits out there, thought that United couldn't compete especially after Ruud van Nistelrooy was let go. Watford would have been far more dangerous this season if it wasn't for the injury to Jamaican striker Marlon King. Meanwhile if Liverpool had beaten Fulham at Craven Cottage, I would have correctly predicted all three relegated clubs.
Here are some of the predictions that you, the readers, submitted:
My predictions (final position shown in parenthesis):
1. Arsenal (4th)
2. Chelsea (2nd)
3. Liverpool (3rd)
4. Tottenham Hotspur (5th)
5. Manchester United (1st)
6. Newcastle United (13th)
7. Blackburn Rovers (10th)
8. Wigan Athletic (17th)
9. Bolton Wanderers (7th)
10. Everton (6th)
11. Aston Villa (11th)
12. West Ham United (15th)
13. Watford (20th)
14. Manchester City (14th)
15. Reading (8th)
16. Portsmouth (9th)
17. Middlesbrough (12th)
-----------------------------------
18. Fulham (16th)
19. Sheffield United (18th)
20. Charlton Athletic (19th)
I totally underestimated Man United and Watford. United had only signed Carrick and I, along with many pundits out there, thought that United couldn't compete especially after Ruud van Nistelrooy was let go. Watford would have been far more dangerous this season if it wasn't for the injury to Jamaican striker Marlon King. Meanwhile if Liverpool had beaten Fulham at Craven Cottage, I would have correctly predicted all three relegated clubs.
Here are some of the predictions that you, the readers, submitted:
- Gratefullawyer: 1. Chelsea, 2. Man Utd, 3. Liverpool, 4. Arsenal, 5. Totenham
- Rhys Davies: 1. Manchester united, 2. Chelsea, 3. Liverpool, 4. Spurs, 5. Arsenal
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Finale to Premiership Season is a Classic to Remember
The final day of the Premier League season can best be summed up by the five minutes of added time at Bramall Lane with Wigan Athletic leading 2-1 against Sheffield United.
For those of us who were on the EPL Talk Chat, we had the pleasure of hearing the passion and excitement from Jeff Stelling on the Gillette Soccer Saturday show from SkySports (thanks to Lemon, an EPL Talk fan). The commentary he provided to the listeners was classic, capturing all of the bravado from the match knowing that just one goal from Sheffield United would have been enough to keep the Blades up and send Wigan down. But it wasn't meant to be. Peep peep peeeeep.
Wigan's spectacular performance against Sheffield United coupled with West Ham's gutsy defensive strategy versus Manchester United paid dividends for both clubs and ensured Premiership survival.
Fox Soccer Channel's selection of Man United against West Ham for their final Premiership broadcast of the season was perfect. The match embodied more of a classic cup final than an EPL game. And what a brilliant piece of display, yet again, by Carlos Tevez as he drove through the Man United defence to score the decisive goal.
Over at Setanta Sports, it was a different story. The dull Portsmouth against Arsenal match was punctuated by a controversial disallowed goal by Pompey. The referee involved was Graham Poll. If the goal had been allowed, Portsmouth would have qualified for UEFA Cup football next season.
Fox Soccer Channel's selection of Man United against West Ham for their final Premiership broadcast of the season was perfect. The match embodied more of a classic cup final than an EPL game. And what a brilliant piece of display, yet again, by Carlos Tevez as he drove through the Man United defence to score the decisive goal.
Over at Setanta Sports, it was a different story. The dull Portsmouth against Arsenal match was punctuated by a controversial disallowed goal by Pompey. The referee involved was Graham Poll. If the goal had been allowed, Portsmouth would have qualified for UEFA Cup football next season.
Here's the kicker, though. The match that the majority of TV viewers wanted to see was only available to the fortunate few. Sheffield United against Wigan was shown on Setanta Xtra, which is only available to DirecTV customers. The rest of us, myself included, had to rely on live text commentary and radio announcements to follow what was happening in this crucial match. Unfortunately, Setanta dropped the ball on this one and should have flipflopped their choices by putting the Wigan game on its regular Setanta channel and the Pompey game on Setanta Xtra.
Maybe next season with the expanded Setanta Broadband, soccer fans stateside will be able to watch the Setanta Xtra feeds online. If so, I expect a huge line of supporters to sign up for the service.
Maybe next season with the expanded Setanta Broadband, soccer fans stateside will be able to watch the Setanta Xtra feeds online. If so, I expect a huge line of supporters to sign up for the service.
Despite a very successful Premiership season with a last gasp relegation battle and a close finish for the top two clubs, significant changes need to happen for next season in the Premiership. The last few weeks have been a PR nightmare for the league due to its poor decisionmaking with the Tevez/Mascherano deals, how it handled the Tim Howard loan fiasco between Everton and Man United, and its lawsuit against YouTube.
The league is moving forward but there are many more aspects to fix. We'll talk about that more in the coming weeks.
The league is moving forward but there are many more aspects to fix. We'll talk about that more in the coming weeks.
Labels: carlos tevez, fox soccer channel, paul jewell, Setanta, setanta broadband, setanta sports, setanta xtra, West Ham United, Wigan Athletic
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Changes at EPL Talk This Summer
It's hard to believe the season is over. Sure, there are the finals of the FA Cup and Champions League to look forward to followed by pre-season friendlies (some of them in the States). But our Saturdays and Sundays won't be the same until August 11th when the Premier League returns.
Yes, we all deserve a break (the players and clubs included) so we can recharge our batteries and not get burned out from soccer 365 days a year. But for those of you, myself included, who can't go cold turkey until August 5th when Chelsea play Man United in the Community Shield at Wembley, the best place to turn to is here (the EPL Talk Blog) and the EPL Talk Community.
During the summer, keep an eye out for:
Yes, we all deserve a break (the players and clubs included) so we can recharge our batteries and not get burned out from soccer 365 days a year. But for those of you, myself included, who can't go cold turkey until August 5th when Chelsea play Man United in the Community Shield at Wembley, the best place to turn to is here (the EPL Talk Blog) and the EPL Talk Community.
During the summer, keep an eye out for:
- The launch of EPL Talk TV. I can't say anything more about it right now, but I'll let you know here as soon as it's ready for launch.
- Championship Talk Podcast launch. Brian Koski has been hard at work planning and brainstorming ideas for the new podcast focused on the Coca-Cola Championship League. If you get a chance, be sure to watch the playoff matches this week on Setanta as Southampton plays Derby and Wolves battle West Bromwich Albion.
- More episodes of the EPL Talk Podcast. While the football podcasts for The Guardian and presumably The Times will be going on hiatus this summer, we won't miss a beat with our weekly interviews. More great guests on the way including JP Dellacamera.
It's going to be another long hot summer. Despite that, there'll be plenty of news in store as the preparations continue for the 07/08 Premier League season. Plus as major soccer networks such as Setanta Sports attempt to increase the number of companies that will carry its network. We'll cover the major stories here.
Labels: championship talk, epl talk tv
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Manchester City Unveils New 07/08 Home Shirt
Manchester City today unveiled its new home shirt for the 2007/2008 Premier League season. Designed by manufacturer Le Coq Sportif, the design represents the most radical departure in a design of a football shirt for a Premiership club so far.
The new shirt designs revealed thus far have been more predictable (Spurs, Everton, Newcastle, Blackburn, Bolton and Man United). But this one, as with the Le Coq Sportif kits that Tottenham Hotspur wore in the early 80s, is quite unique.
What is so different about the shirt is the unusual collar, the size and location of the Man City crest on the shirt, the apparent size of the sponsor's name and the sponsor's logo on the right shoulder.
Just the shirt for cross-town rival's Man United features a sponsors logo that appears too prominent on the shirt, Man City suffers a similar fate. For me, the Man City crest is too close to the Thomas Cook logo. I also feel that the Thomas Cook logo on the right shoulder is unnecessary. If anything, why not put a MCFC emblem there?
The pin-stripes are an interesting touch. When was the last Premier League team that wore those?
Based on the new design of the shirt, it looks too classy for a side managed by Stuart Pearce!
The new shirt designs revealed thus far have been more predictable (Spurs, Everton, Newcastle, Blackburn, Bolton and Man United). But this one, as with the Le Coq Sportif kits that Tottenham Hotspur wore in the early 80s, is quite unique.
What is so different about the shirt is the unusual collar, the size and location of the Man City crest on the shirt, the apparent size of the sponsor's name and the sponsor's logo on the right shoulder.
Just the shirt for cross-town rival's Man United features a sponsors logo that appears too prominent on the shirt, Man City suffers a similar fate. For me, the Man City crest is too close to the Thomas Cook logo. I also feel that the Thomas Cook logo on the right shoulder is unnecessary. If anything, why not put a MCFC emblem there?
The pin-stripes are an interesting touch. When was the last Premier League team that wore those?
Based on the new design of the shirt, it looks too classy for a side managed by Stuart Pearce!
Labels: football shirts, man city, manchester city
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Tokyo Toffeeman Wins EPL Talk Prediction League
In a very tight finish at the top, only ten points seperated first place Tokyo Toffeeman from second place Lech Poznan in the first-ever EPL Talk Predictions League. The final top ten (out of the 19 total contestants) was:
1. Tokyo Toffeeman, 1185 pts
2. Lech Poznan, 1175
3. The Gaffer, 990*
4. Garyi, 945
5. FC Bubd, 765
6. Umersyed, 755
7. iSage, 740
8. Fsquid, 650
9. Jtelli, 615
10. Rockfish DG, 605
* 40 points deducted for playing the first week alone (as a test to make sure everything worked correctly).
Congratulations to Tokyo Toffeeman who will win a selection of prizes from the EPL Talk "treasure chest."
Meanwhile, watch out for the final results of the EPL Talk Champions Fantasy League, which will be published after the competition concludes on May 23.
1. Tokyo Toffeeman, 1185 pts
2. Lech Poznan, 1175
3. The Gaffer, 990*
4. Garyi, 945
5. FC Bubd, 765
6. Umersyed, 755
7. iSage, 740
8. Fsquid, 650
9. Jtelli, 615
10. Rockfish DG, 605
* 40 points deducted for playing the first week alone (as a test to make sure everything worked correctly).
Congratulations to Tokyo Toffeeman who will win a selection of prizes from the EPL Talk "treasure chest."
Meanwhile, watch out for the final results of the EPL Talk Champions Fantasy League, which will be published after the competition concludes on May 23.
Labels: prediction league
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Sunday, May 13, 2007
FC Walker Lifts EPL Talk Fantasy League Trophy
The end of the 2006/2007 Premiership season also concludes the first-ever EPL Talk Fantasy League. Out of the 80 contestants, here's the final top 10:
1. FC Walker, Steve Thielman, 2102 pts
2. Foolish FC, Mark Aegerter, 2061
3. FC Bubd, Jeff Mensch, 2033
4. Mesiniaga FC, Sakaya Mary, 1993
5. Rockfish United. David Griffith, 1980
6. Bloody Yanks, Jeremy Lay, 1926
7. Soccaplaya, Marc Andre Pharand, 1919
8. The Goalfather, Tony Orsini, 1912
9. Moodus Rowdies, Alex Shorthouse, 1905
10. Gratefullawyer, Wayne Novick, 1901
Congratulations to Steve Thielman's FC Walker who wins first place and a box of goodies including a World Soccer Shop T-shirt and much more.
As soon as the league opens up for next season, we'll invite everyone back to see if FC Walker can win the league again or if he'll hit his sophomore jinx.
1. FC Walker, Steve Thielman, 2102 pts
2. Foolish FC, Mark Aegerter, 2061
3. FC Bubd, Jeff Mensch, 2033
4. Mesiniaga FC, Sakaya Mary, 1993
5. Rockfish United. David Griffith, 1980
6. Bloody Yanks, Jeremy Lay, 1926
7. Soccaplaya, Marc Andre Pharand, 1919
8. The Goalfather, Tony Orsini, 1912
9. Moodus Rowdies, Alex Shorthouse, 1905
10. Gratefullawyer, Wayne Novick, 1901
Congratulations to Steve Thielman's FC Walker who wins first place and a box of goodies including a World Soccer Shop T-shirt and much more.
As soon as the league opens up for next season, we'll invite everyone back to see if FC Walker can win the league again or if he'll hit his sophomore jinx.
Labels: fantasy league
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Saturday, May 12, 2007
Remarkable Web sites for Soccer Fans
On today's EPL Talk Show, we're discussing several remarkable football web sites for you to seek out. Here are links to many of them plus some bonus ones thrown in.
- The Global Game
- Roberto Carlos
- Euro 2004 Tactical Briefing
- The Political Economy of Football
- Footy Flash
Feel free to suggest your favorite football web sites that you feel are unique. Just click the 'comments' link below or email them to me, thegaffer[at]epltalk[dot]com
Labels: epl talk show
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Tell Us What You Thought of the EPL Talk Show
If you attended the EPL Talk Show or listened to it via the podcast episode, please take a couple of minutes and answer a brief nine question survey so we can learn what you thought about the show and how it can be improved in the future.
Labels: epl talk show
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Friday, May 11, 2007
Spurs Unveil Four New 07/08 Shirts
Tottenham Hotspur has unveiled their new shirts for the 07/08 season. But in a move that's bound to irate many Spurs fans, the club has released four different jerseys, one of which is a special 125th anniversary shirt (click for larger image).
Designed by Puma, the new shirts are white (home), yellow (away), dark blue/grey (third) and half white/half light blue (anniversary shirt).
The 07/08 Spurs shirts will be officially unveiled on the Tottenham Hotspur web site tomorrow (Saturday, May 12th).
While the design of the shirts are very aesthetically pleasing, some Spurs fans may feel they're being taken advantage of. The club just launched their new kits (remember the chocolate color shirt, which has now disappeared) and now they release four more.
If you're a die-hard Spurs fan, listen to the EPL Talk Podcast interview with Alan Mullery, our trip to White Hart Lane and view photographs from outside Tottenham's ground.
Designed by Puma, the new shirts are white (home), yellow (away), dark blue/grey (third) and half white/half light blue (anniversary shirt).
The 07/08 Spurs shirts will be officially unveiled on the Tottenham Hotspur web site tomorrow (Saturday, May 12th).
While the design of the shirts are very aesthetically pleasing, some Spurs fans may feel they're being taken advantage of. The club just launched their new kits (remember the chocolate color shirt, which has now disappeared) and now they release four more.
If you're a die-hard Spurs fan, listen to the EPL Talk Podcast interview with Alan Mullery, our trip to White Hart Lane and view photographs from outside Tottenham's ground.
Labels: puma, spurs, tottenham hotspur
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Middlesbrough Unveils New Crest
Last week it was Aston Villa updating its crest. This week it's Middlesbrough. The northeast club has decided to follow a similar tactic to Villa by unveiling a radically different logo that plays up the team's proud history.
While I liked Aston Villa's new crest, I'm not won over by Boro's new one. To me, the new Boro crest looks more like a crest you'd see on a blazer of a public school in England than a football shirt. Sure, it's an improvement over the old Boro logo (pictured below) but it could have been more aesthetically pleasing than this version.
I like that the medieval lion now has more white space around it so it's more prominent and the crest is less cluttered. But I'm not a fan of the shield.
Obviously, Boro is trying to cash in on being a club with a long history and they're hoping that the new crest will sell more shirts and clothing merchandise.
If I was a Boro supporter, I'd be more likely to wear a shirt with the new crest rather than the previous one. But it's on the pitch where it really matters. Or is it?
While I liked Aston Villa's new crest, I'm not won over by Boro's new one. To me, the new Boro crest looks more like a crest you'd see on a blazer of a public school in England than a football shirt. Sure, it's an improvement over the old Boro logo (pictured below) but it could have been more aesthetically pleasing than this version.
I like that the medieval lion now has more white space around it so it's more prominent and the crest is less cluttered. But I'm not a fan of the shield.Obviously, Boro is trying to cash in on being a club with a long history and they're hoping that the new crest will sell more shirts and clothing merchandise.
If I was a Boro supporter, I'd be more likely to wear a shirt with the new crest rather than the previous one. But it's on the pitch where it really matters. Or is it?
Labels: aston villa, middlesbrough
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Aston Villa's North American Tour On Hold
Plans for Aston Villa's North American tour this July may be rescheduled or postponed depending on whether UEFA awards Villa the Fair Play Award and thus entry into next season's UEFA Cup.
The Fair Play Award is given to teams who display positive play, crowd behaviour and respect for referees. If awarded to Aston Villa, Martin O'Neill's side will play their UEFA Cup first round qualifying matches on July 19 and July 24 or 25, while the second round qualifying matches would be on July 31 or August 1 and August 7 or August 8.
Aston Villa is currently scheduled to play Toronto FC on July 25 and Columbus Crew on July 28. The decision by UEFA whether to grant Villa the Fair Play Award will be made on Tuesday.
According to O'Neill as quoted in the Birmingham Mail newspaper, "Qualifying for the UEFA Cup would change all our pre-season plans."
If Aston Villa does play its preseason friendlies in the States, it looks very likely that the club will sport its new Nike kit as well as spend time at the Cleveland Browns training facility. O'Neill has visited the facility before with Celtic and has been very impressed.
The Fair Play Award is given to teams who display positive play, crowd behaviour and respect for referees. If awarded to Aston Villa, Martin O'Neill's side will play their UEFA Cup first round qualifying matches on July 19 and July 24 or 25, while the second round qualifying matches would be on July 31 or August 1 and August 7 or August 8.
Aston Villa is currently scheduled to play Toronto FC on July 25 and Columbus Crew on July 28. The decision by UEFA whether to grant Villa the Fair Play Award will be made on Tuesday.
According to O'Neill as quoted in the Birmingham Mail newspaper, "Qualifying for the UEFA Cup would change all our pre-season plans."
If Aston Villa does play its preseason friendlies in the States, it looks very likely that the club will sport its new Nike kit as well as spend time at the Cleveland Browns training facility. O'Neill has visited the facility before with Celtic and has been very impressed.
Labels: aston villa, columbus crew, martin o'neill, toronto fc
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EPL Talk Show: Everything You Need to Know
Tomorrow sees the debut of the EPL Talk Show, an interactive football talk-show available live via the Internet. It'll begin precisely at Noon ET (9am PT, 5pm UK time), so be sure to log on when the "doors open" at 11:45am ET on May 12. More details about how to register and the steps you need to take can be found here.
Some of the topics we'll discuss on the show include:
Some of the topics we'll discuss on the show include:
- Has the English Premier League reached its peak in the US? And if not, why?
- If West Ham could be sued over Tevez, could Man United be sued over Howard?
- Which Premiership clubs would you like to see on tour in America this summer?
- Our thoughts on the new football kits that have been unveiled thus far
- We take a look at the Championship Playoffs and the enticing Memorial Day final
- Ten of the most remarkable football Web sites you've never seen
- And much more.
The special guests on the show are Steven Cohen (World Soccer Daily), John Nicholson (Football 365), Phil McThomas (Soccer Shout) and Brian Koski (Championship Talk).
Plus one lucky listener will receive a copy of Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 just for showing up and correctly answering a trivia question during the show.
If you have any questions about the EPL Talk Show, please email me at thegaffer[at]epltalk[dot]com. If you miss the show, it'll be available as a podcast on Saturday evening (but you'll miss the chance to win the ProEvo game).
Labels: brian koski, championship talk, john nicholson, phil mcthomas, Soccer Shout, steven cohen, world soccer daily
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
Is Alex Ferguson A Nut?
One of the EPL Talk visitors, Charles Kerr, has emailed an excellent question about English Premier League managers. Rather than answer the question myself, I thought I'd let you, the reader, review it and offer your own expertise by answering the question (just click on the 'comments' link below).
Here's the email and the question:
I'm a new, but passionately rabid, fan of the EPL and Championship League and as I become immersed in the sport I have question that seem difficult to google answers for. Your podcast interview with Oliver Tse answered many of my questions related to EPL TV coverage in the US (sorry to see him phasing out football for poker...) and based on that interview and your various EPL sites, I figure you must know everything about the sport.
Anyway, here's the question I posted to some soccer buddies:
The day after Manchester United dusted Roma 7-1 at home in their Championship League quarter-final match, I saw Manchester's coach, Sir Alex Ferguson, in the stands watching the game between their next opponents, AC Milan and Bayern Munich. The game was played in Munich (a bit closer than Milan) and I assume Manchester United has a private plane, but still, Ferguson's 65 years old and with travel time, traffic, etc. etc. I would think watching this game live must have taken 8-10 hours of his time. Personally, if I were Ferguson, I'd take a nap instead and watch it on tape....I can't imagine a professional American basketball, football, baseball coach doing something similar. So my question is, is this unusual? Or is soccer such a full field game that Ferguson really gets significantly more out of scouting a team live instead of on tape?Or, is the question the one of filming / video rights? Do European teams share footage with other teams like they do in US professional and college sports? If Manchester had a cameraman up in the top seats (or I suppose, a blimp) filming the game would they get in trouble? Has a team ever been penalized for illegally filming a game?
So is Ferguson a nut, or is this typical of high level EPL and European football coaches? Is it a rights issue?
Thanks for any help or light you can shed on the issue....
We look forward to reading your responses.
Here's the email and the question:
I'm a new, but passionately rabid, fan of the EPL and Championship League and as I become immersed in the sport I have question that seem difficult to google answers for. Your podcast interview with Oliver Tse answered many of my questions related to EPL TV coverage in the US (sorry to see him phasing out football for poker...) and based on that interview and your various EPL sites, I figure you must know everything about the sport.
Anyway, here's the question I posted to some soccer buddies:
The day after Manchester United dusted Roma 7-1 at home in their Championship League quarter-final match, I saw Manchester's coach, Sir Alex Ferguson, in the stands watching the game between their next opponents, AC Milan and Bayern Munich. The game was played in Munich (a bit closer than Milan) and I assume Manchester United has a private plane, but still, Ferguson's 65 years old and with travel time, traffic, etc. etc. I would think watching this game live must have taken 8-10 hours of his time. Personally, if I were Ferguson, I'd take a nap instead and watch it on tape....I can't imagine a professional American basketball, football, baseball coach doing something similar. So my question is, is this unusual? Or is soccer such a full field game that Ferguson really gets significantly more out of scouting a team live instead of on tape?Or, is the question the one of filming / video rights? Do European teams share footage with other teams like they do in US professional and college sports? If Manchester had a cameraman up in the top seats (or I suppose, a blimp) filming the game would they get in trouble? Has a team ever been penalized for illegally filming a game?
So is Ferguson a nut, or is this typical of high level EPL and European football coaches? Is it a rights issue?
Thanks for any help or light you can shed on the issue....
We look forward to reading your responses.
Labels: alex ferguson, man united, manchester united
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
Preseason Friendlies for Premiership Clubs
It's the time of the year when the Premiership clubs begin announcing dates for their preseason friendlies. In the United States, of course, we're keeping our eyes out for matches involving English teams coming here. But, so far, the majority of teams are focusing their efforts on the Far East in lieu of the States.
Previously, EPL Talk revealed that it's very unlikely that Man United will tour America this summer. United has scheduled friendlies throughout the Far East between July 17 and July 27, although their match against a Malaysian XI on July 27 is in jeopardy.
Liverpool, Portsmouth and Fulham, meanwhile, have announced their they'll be competing in the Hong Kong FA Cup tournament between July 24-27 in Hong Kong. Liverpool will play the winner of the Hong Kong FA Cup on July 24, while Fulham is scheduled to play against Portsmouth that same day. The winners of those matches will then play in the final on July 27.
All matches will be screened by Sky, which means that Setanta, Fox Soccer Channel or GolTV may be interested in purchasing the TV rights to these friendlies.
Another Premiership club will be playing in the Far East. This time it's Reading, who is scheduled to play in the Peace Cup in South Korea between July 12 and July 21. In 2005, Tottenham Hotspur won the annual tournament.
Why the Far East, you may ask? The market potential for Premiership clubs in Asia is massive. The English clubs are attracted to the large population and will be hoping that the tour will attract new fans and sponsors, thus guaranteeing the clubs more revenue.
Previously, EPL Talk revealed that it's very unlikely that Man United will tour America this summer. United has scheduled friendlies throughout the Far East between July 17 and July 27, although their match against a Malaysian XI on July 27 is in jeopardy.
Liverpool, Portsmouth and Fulham, meanwhile, have announced their they'll be competing in the Hong Kong FA Cup tournament between July 24-27 in Hong Kong. Liverpool will play the winner of the Hong Kong FA Cup on July 24, while Fulham is scheduled to play against Portsmouth that same day. The winners of those matches will then play in the final on July 27.
All matches will be screened by Sky, which means that Setanta, Fox Soccer Channel or GolTV may be interested in purchasing the TV rights to these friendlies.
Another Premiership club will be playing in the Far East. This time it's Reading, who is scheduled to play in the Peace Cup in South Korea between July 12 and July 21. In 2005, Tottenham Hotspur won the annual tournament.
Why the Far East, you may ask? The market potential for Premiership clubs in Asia is massive. The English clubs are attracted to the large population and will be hoping that the tour will attract new fans and sponsors, thus guaranteeing the clubs more revenue.
Labels: fulham, Liverpool, manchester united, portsmouth, reading
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Aston Villa Extends North American Tour to Columbus
Aston Villa has announced the second match of its North American tour. Villa is scheduled to play against Columbus Crew in a friendly on Saturday, July 28 at the Columbus Crew stadium. Since the match will be on a Saturday night, it's likely that it may be televised.
The match may be the closest that Aston Villa will get to a friendly near Randy Lerner's Cleveland Browns stadium. It's 143 miles from Columbus to Cleveland.
In previous seasons, Columbus has played Fulham and Everton in friendlies.
Earlier this week, Martin O'Neill's side announced a friendly against Toronto FC scheduled for Wednesday, July 25 at the BMO Field.
If you're planning on going to either the Columbus or Toronto match against Aston Villa and you're interested in writing about the game(s) and taking pictures, please e-mail me at thegaffer[at]epltalk[dot]com
The match may be the closest that Aston Villa will get to a friendly near Randy Lerner's Cleveland Browns stadium. It's 143 miles from Columbus to Cleveland.
In previous seasons, Columbus has played Fulham and Everton in friendlies.
Earlier this week, Martin O'Neill's side announced a friendly against Toronto FC scheduled for Wednesday, July 25 at the BMO Field.
If you're planning on going to either the Columbus or Toronto match against Aston Villa and you're interested in writing about the game(s) and taking pictures, please e-mail me at thegaffer[at]epltalk[dot]com
So far, the Aston Villa v Columbus match is the fourth friendly involving a Premiership club to be announced in North America. In the other two matches, Chelsea will play Suwon Bluewings on July 17 and LA Galaxy on July 21 in Los Angeles.
Labels: aston villa, Chelsea, columbus crew, everton, fulham, toronto fc
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Thursday, May 10, 2007
Man United v West Ham: Live and Online
If you're searching for a way to experience Sunday's Premiership match between Manchester United and West Ham online, join the EPL Talk Chat hosted by bcjohn.
We'll have Man Utd, Hammers and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the final match of the season. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Man United v West Ham United radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The match kicks off on Sunday, May 13th at 10am ET/3pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage (near the center of the page).
Plus we'll be giving away a free pizza just for answering a question. Log on to the chat at the above time to find out how you can win.
We'll have Man Utd, Hammers and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the final match of the season. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Man United v West Ham United radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The match kicks off on Sunday, May 13th at 10am ET/3pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage (near the center of the page).
Plus we'll be giving away a free pizza just for answering a question. Log on to the chat at the above time to find out how you can win.
Labels: man united, manchester united, West Ham United
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
John Nicholson: Wide Awake In America
By John Nicholson
Palm Springs, for a pallid white kid from the industrial wastelands of the north east of England is about as close to Eden as I'm likely to get. As I write its 90 degrees in the shade, the pool at the villas I'm staying at is blue and inviting and the beers are colder than a witch's tit. I could get used to this way of life, especially with $2 to the £1 making me feel unreasonably rich.
However, I've got to say the only downside is the fact that despite the best efforts of FSC, the internet and all the other football media, it's easy to lose touch with the whole culture of British football. I have FSC but not Setanta and I get to see all the games that are on but somehow the experience to me is one of being an observer rather than as a fan the day to day flow, the drip feed of football news and opinion is just harder to come by and so you end up not bothering. Or I do anyway.
I have to say though that when I meet or hear from American football fans, they are incredibly well informed, far more informed than a typical English fan. I suspect this is because you get an overview of all European football here and so are as likely to be exposed to German, Spanish or Italian football as the EPL. It also seems that because the sport itself is a minority interest, those who decide to take the plunge and get into football tend to be more committed per se. They also seem less parochial. All this seems to go together to make well educated fans with a broad and detailed grasp of teams, players and tactics. This is in direct contrast to the commonly held view of American football fans outside of the country which likes to be snooty about them.
It's an interesting phenomenon to me because on this trip I've realised, as football gets more popular over here, that one of the reasons American fans tend to be well educated about the game is because so many fans in England are very focused on their club and find it difficult to take an objective look or even an interest in any other clubs or countries. Perhaps when your allegiances are less visceral or locally held it makes it easier to get a bigger, broader picture.
The other aspect of football life here that I'm enjoying is that every single cab driver supports a Premiership side and a side from their home country. It goes without saying that not a single cab driver I've had from San Francisco to Palm Springs was born here. In over 15 years of coming to American I have had just one American by birth taxi driver!
On this trip I've had an Armenian who supported Chelsea and Spartak Moscow, an Iranian who was a Liverpool fan, a Swedish guy who supported Gothenburg and Leeds, even a Mexican who followed Everton! It's mad but very enjoyable. Proof once again that football is a universal community and language that unites the world like no other sport, contrary to popular European opinion, even in America.
Palm Springs, for a pallid white kid from the industrial wastelands of the north east of England is about as close to Eden as I'm likely to get. As I write its 90 degrees in the shade, the pool at the villas I'm staying at is blue and inviting and the beers are colder than a witch's tit. I could get used to this way of life, especially with $2 to the £1 making me feel unreasonably rich.
However, I've got to say the only downside is the fact that despite the best efforts of FSC, the internet and all the other football media, it's easy to lose touch with the whole culture of British football. I have FSC but not Setanta and I get to see all the games that are on but somehow the experience to me is one of being an observer rather than as a fan the day to day flow, the drip feed of football news and opinion is just harder to come by and so you end up not bothering. Or I do anyway.
I have to say though that when I meet or hear from American football fans, they are incredibly well informed, far more informed than a typical English fan. I suspect this is because you get an overview of all European football here and so are as likely to be exposed to German, Spanish or Italian football as the EPL. It also seems that because the sport itself is a minority interest, those who decide to take the plunge and get into football tend to be more committed per se. They also seem less parochial. All this seems to go together to make well educated fans with a broad and detailed grasp of teams, players and tactics. This is in direct contrast to the commonly held view of American football fans outside of the country which likes to be snooty about them.
It's an interesting phenomenon to me because on this trip I've realised, as football gets more popular over here, that one of the reasons American fans tend to be well educated about the game is because so many fans in England are very focused on their club and find it difficult to take an objective look or even an interest in any other clubs or countries. Perhaps when your allegiances are less visceral or locally held it makes it easier to get a bigger, broader picture.
The other aspect of football life here that I'm enjoying is that every single cab driver supports a Premiership side and a side from their home country. It goes without saying that not a single cab driver I've had from San Francisco to Palm Springs was born here. In over 15 years of coming to American I have had just one American by birth taxi driver!
On this trip I've had an Armenian who supported Chelsea and Spartak Moscow, an Iranian who was a Liverpool fan, a Swedish guy who supported Gothenburg and Leeds, even a Mexican who followed Everton! It's mad but very enjoyable. Proof once again that football is a universal community and language that unites the world like no other sport, contrary to popular European opinion, even in America.
John Nicholson is currently touring California, so be on the lookout for a Northern Man with a penchant for debauchery, football and music. John Nicholson writes each week for Football 365 and EPL Talk. You can listen to John's wonderful stories on episode 30 and 45 of the EPL Talk Podcast, as well as purchase his excellent Footy Rocks book and order one of his unique rock'n roll T-shirts.
Labels: Chelsea, everton, fox soccer channel, john nicholson, livepool
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Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Man United v Chelsea: A Visit to Old Trafford
Today is a convenient time to wrap up my articles about the EPL Talk Tour that I took in November. The tour took me to England for five matches in 10 days, where I reported my experiences via the blog, podcast and Flickr account.
The last day of my journey was to Old Trafford to see Manchester United against Chelsea.
It's incredible to think how much has happened since that 1-1 match and today. It was my first visit inside Old Trafford. In 1995, I visited the stadium during the offseason but found the stadium tour sold out, so I went into the megastore and museum instead.
In fact, that was the first thing I noticed. How much the outside of Old Trafford had changed in just over 10 years. The megastore had moved from outside the ground to inside the stadium.
Arriving at Old Trafford this time approximately four hours before the match, I strolled around the outside of the ground taking in the sights and looking for unsuspecting fans to interview for the EPL Talk Podcast. There were plenty of people to choose from as hundreds of fans were already there.
While Stamford Bridge is crammed inside an expensive part of west London without much additional space (other than the Chelsea hotel), Old Trafford and the surrounding space (including parking lots) is absolutely massive. It's incredible to think how this ground has been transformed over the decades without losing any of its character.
Fast forwarding to the match, I entered Old Trafford with one of my best friends from Wales (who drove up for the match) about 30 minutes before kickoff. Walking up the steps and into the theatre of dreams was a beautiful sight to see. A sea of red seats, a bright green pitch and a massive stadium that wrapped around me.
The match itself wasn't a classic. Both teams cancelled each other out with United controlling the first half and the Blues controlling the second. What surprised me the most, despite the 76,000+ fans, was the lack of noise. There were many spells during this game when the sound disappeared and all that could be heard were murmurs. If the fans can't get excited about a game of this magnitude, it's a sorry state indeed.
The Chelsea fans in the away end created an impressive sound. Throughout my EPL Talk tour, I was impressed by all of the away supporters I saw at matches (Bolton, Spurs, Hamburg, Reading and now Chelsea). It's more expensive due to travel and other expenses, but if I was living in the UK again, I'd rather be an away supporter travelling with the die-hard fans than be at home to hear the relative silence.
Still, Old Trafford was an impressive experience overall. The history was there (the clock displayed on the outside of the stadium in memory of the Munich Air Disaster). The stadium facilities were excellent. Overall, the entire experience of visiting Old Trafford was a pleasure.
Here's a map of the stadiums that EPL Talk visited during the tour (see below). Click on the map to zoom in for close-ups of the stadiums, etc.
The last day of my journey was to Old Trafford to see Manchester United against Chelsea.
It's incredible to think how much has happened since that 1-1 match and today. It was my first visit inside Old Trafford. In 1995, I visited the stadium during the offseason but found the stadium tour sold out, so I went into the megastore and museum instead.
In fact, that was the first thing I noticed. How much the outside of Old Trafford had changed in just over 10 years. The megastore had moved from outside the ground to inside the stadium.
Arriving at Old Trafford this time approximately four hours before the match, I strolled around the outside of the ground taking in the sights and looking for unsuspecting fans to interview for the EPL Talk Podcast. There were plenty of people to choose from as hundreds of fans were already there.
While Stamford Bridge is crammed inside an expensive part of west London without much additional space (other than the Chelsea hotel), Old Trafford and the surrounding space (including parking lots) is absolutely massive. It's incredible to think how this ground has been transformed over the decades without losing any of its character.
Fast forwarding to the match, I entered Old Trafford with one of my best friends from Wales (who drove up for the match) about 30 minutes before kickoff. Walking up the steps and into the theatre of dreams was a beautiful sight to see. A sea of red seats, a bright green pitch and a massive stadium that wrapped around me.
The match itself wasn't a classic. Both teams cancelled each other out with United controlling the first half and the Blues controlling the second. What surprised me the most, despite the 76,000+ fans, was the lack of noise. There were many spells during this game when the sound disappeared and all that could be heard were murmurs. If the fans can't get excited about a game of this magnitude, it's a sorry state indeed.
The Chelsea fans in the away end created an impressive sound. Throughout my EPL Talk tour, I was impressed by all of the away supporters I saw at matches (Bolton, Spurs, Hamburg, Reading and now Chelsea). It's more expensive due to travel and other expenses, but if I was living in the UK again, I'd rather be an away supporter travelling with the die-hard fans than be at home to hear the relative silence.
Still, Old Trafford was an impressive experience overall. The history was there (the clock displayed on the outside of the stadium in memory of the Munich Air Disaster). The stadium facilities were excellent. Overall, the entire experience of visiting Old Trafford was a pleasure.
Here's a map of the stadiums that EPL Talk visited during the tour (see below). Click on the map to zoom in for close-ups of the stadiums, etc.
Labels: Chelsea, manchester united, old trafford
The EPL Talk Blog has moved. Be sure to visit epltalk.com and update your bookmarks!
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Interview with MyFootballClub.co.uk
The May 7th episode of the EPL Talk Podcast features an exclusive interview with Tim Glynne-Jones of MyFootballClub.co.uk.
What is My Football Club, you may ask? And why should you care? I've come across several hundred soccer web sites in the past 12 months and MyFootballClub is honestly the most original and revolutionary site I've seen.
The concept is simple. Get 50,000 fans from around the world to chip in $70 each and then take that pooled money, buy a Football League club and allow the 50,000 members to vote on all of the major decisions such as what players should be on the pitch and who they should buy.
If football fans think they can do better than a Glenn Roeder, Sven-Goran Eriksson or Alan Pardew, here's your chance to put your money where your mouth is.
To learn more about how MyFootballClub.co.uk works, be sure to listen to the interview, and - if you haven't done so already - be sure to subscribe to the EPL Talk Podcast via iTunes so you don't miss this or any future episodes. Enjoy.
The concept is simple. Get 50,000 fans from around the world to chip in $70 each and then take that pooled money, buy a Football League club and allow the 50,000 members to vote on all of the major decisions such as what players should be on the pitch and who they should buy.
If football fans think they can do better than a Glenn Roeder, Sven-Goran Eriksson or Alan Pardew, here's your chance to put your money where your mouth is.
To learn more about how MyFootballClub.co.uk works, be sure to listen to the interview, and - if you haven't done so already - be sure to subscribe to the EPL Talk Podcast via iTunes so you don't miss this or any future episodes. Enjoy.
Labels: EPL Talk Podcast, myfootballclub, myfootballclub.co.uk, tim glynne-jones
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Aston Villa to Play Toronto FC in Preseason Friendly
Toronto FC announced today that the club will play Aston Villa in a preseason friendly on Wednesday, July 25 at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada.
Villa is expected to announce more preseason friendlies in the coming weeks, which will be played in the United States.
If you're planning on going to the Villa friendly, please contact me at thegaffer[at]epltalk[dot]com. I'm interested in having football fans write about their experience at the game and take pictures, if possible.
Details about tickets can be found here.
The only other Premiership team to announce preseason matches in America so far is Chelsea who will play the LA Galaxy on July 21 at the Home Depot Center. Chelsea also plays Suwon Bluewings at the same stadium on July 17.
Villa is expected to announce more preseason friendlies in the coming weeks, which will be played in the United States.
If you're planning on going to the Villa friendly, please contact me at thegaffer[at]epltalk[dot]com. I'm interested in having football fans write about their experience at the game and take pictures, if possible.
Details about tickets can be found here.
The only other Premiership team to announce preseason matches in America so far is Chelsea who will play the LA Galaxy on July 21 at the Home Depot Center. Chelsea also plays Suwon Bluewings at the same stadium on July 17.
Labels: aston villa, Chelsea, LA Galaxy, Suwon Bluewings, toronto fc
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Monday, May 07, 2007
TV Schedule Announced for Final EPL Sunday
The TV schedule has been announced for the final matches of the Premiership season. Fox Soccer Channel will show the Manchester United against West Ham United match, while Setanta Sports will show Portsmouth v Arsenal.
The schedule is as follows:
The schedule is as follows:
- Sheffield United v Wigan Athletic (Setanta Xtra, 10am ET)
- Portsmouth v Arsenal (Setanta Sports, 10am ET)
- Manchester United v West Ham United (Fox Soccer Channel, 10am ET)
- Blackburn Rovers v Reading (Fox Soccer Channel, 12:30pm ET)
- Chelsea v Everton (Fox Soccer Channel, 2:30pm ET)
After the Manchester United against West Ham United, the Red Devils will be presented with the Premier League trophy. Expect Fox Soccer Channel to show the presentation.
Setanta will also be showing matches on tape delay at Noon, 2pm and 3:45pm ET.
Labels: Arsenal, blackburn rovers, Chelsea, everton, fox soccer channel, manchester united, portsmouth, reading, Setanta, sheffield united, West Ham United, Wigan Athletic
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Get Ready for a New Soccer Show
This Saturday, the first interactive soccer radio show of its kind will debut with star guests, prizes and unique football topics. It's the inaugural episode of the EPL Talk Show, which you can participate in live wherever you live in the world beginning at Noon ET.
Here's how you can listen in and participate during the live show:
If you'd like your to phone the studio and ask a question on-air to me (The Gaffer) or any of our guests, here are the details you'll need:
Phone Number: (724) 444-7444
Talkcast ID: 21581 and then hit the pound (#) sign
And then enter your PIN number (which they got when you registered at Talkshoe).
Why should you bother visiting and participating in the live show? Here are four reasons:
Here's how you can listen in and participate during the live show:
- Visit talkshoe.com and click on the "Sign Up" button
- After registering, download the Talkshoe client
- Login to Talkshoe.com on Saturday, May 12th at 11:45am ET and click on the 'Join In' button next to the EPL Talk Show featured on the homepage.And then you're in.
If you'd like your to phone the studio and ask a question on-air to me (The Gaffer) or any of our guests, here are the details you'll need:
Phone Number: (724) 444-7444
Talkcast ID: 21581 and then hit the pound (#) sign
And then enter your PIN number (which they got when you registered at Talkshoe).
Why should you bother visiting and participating in the live show? Here are four reasons:
- The following panel members will discuss the hottest football topics. Panel guests will be John Nicholson (Football 365), Steven Cohen (World Soccer Daily), Chris Slegg (The Beautiful Game Podcast), Phil McThomas (Soccer Shout Podcast) and myself.
- It'll be unlike any other soccer show you've experienced. You'll be able to listen to the live show and chat with the audience members, co-host BCjohn and me at the same time.
- We'll be giving away a copy of Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 for the PS2 to one lucky person during the show.
- BCjohn and I will discuss a whole host of other Premiership-related topics during the show. Plus you'll have a chance to call in, go on-air and ask your own questions or debate a topic.
If you're unable to make the show, it will be released as a podcast episode on iTunes and via the EPL Talk Podcast page.
If you're planning on being there, please be sure to register and download the client from Talkshoe before Saturday (steps 1-3 at the top of this blog post). This way, you'll have plenty of time to log on and experience the show without worrying about anything else.
I look forward to seeing you there!
Labels: epl talk show
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Sunday, May 06, 2007
Still Lots to Play For in the English Premier League
We're now into the final week of a long but memorable Premier League season. While we know Manchester United is champions, there's still much to play for this week. And it's no surprise that the Premiership revolution will be televised. Here's the rundown from EPL Talk:
Monday: Charlton versus Spurs (Fox Soccer Channel, 3pm ET)
If Alan Pardew's Charlton side loses this pivotal match, the club south of London's Thames River will be relegated to the Championship. A win will keep their survival hopes alive until Sunday. Spurs still has a UEFA Cup spot to fight for.
Wednesday: Chelsea versus Manchester United (Setanta Sports, 3pm ET)
Several weeks ago, we thought this was going to be the match to decide the title. Instead, pride is all that's at stake and Chelsea's unbeaten home record. Can United get the three points at Stamford Bridge, or will Ferguson decide to rest his stars and get his reserves much needed playing time? Chelsea, meanwhile, will line up on the pitch across from one another to welcome the Premiership champions on to the pitch at Stamford Bridge in a show of sportsmanship.
Monday: Charlton versus Spurs (Fox Soccer Channel, 3pm ET)
If Alan Pardew's Charlton side loses this pivotal match, the club south of London's Thames River will be relegated to the Championship. A win will keep their survival hopes alive until Sunday. Spurs still has a UEFA Cup spot to fight for.
Wednesday: Chelsea versus Manchester United (Setanta Sports, 3pm ET)
Several weeks ago, we thought this was going to be the match to decide the title. Instead, pride is all that's at stake and Chelsea's unbeaten home record. Can United get the three points at Stamford Bridge, or will Ferguson decide to rest his stars and get his reserves much needed playing time? Chelsea, meanwhile, will line up on the pitch across from one another to welcome the Premiership champions on to the pitch at Stamford Bridge in a show of sportsmanship.
Thursday: Tottenham Hotspur v Blackburn Rovers (Setanta Sports, 3pm ET)
Mark Hughes's Blackburn side is still within a shot of qualifying for next season's UEFA Cup, but the Lancashire side will need to win this match and their last game of the season. However, Spurs will be fighting for a UEFA Cup spot too. The battle between Spurs and Blackburn should be good to watch. Back in November, the two teams drew 1-1 in a very controversial match after Phil Dowd sent off two players.
Sunday: Too many to mention (Setanta Sports & Fox Soccer Channel, 10am ET)
The relegation battle will be the main focus of attention with five teams in the race to avoid the drop (four, if Charlton loses on Monday). Fulham is not safe yet, although a point will guarantee them safety. The big matches of the last day will be Sheffield United against Wigan, and Man United v West Ham (could United give the Hammers a lifeline if Fergie rests most of his first team players?) Other matches of note are eight of the remaining nine fixtures: Spurs v Man City, Chelsea v Everton, Liverpool v Charlton, Middlesbrough v Fulham, Bolton v Aston Villa, Blackburn v Reading and Portsmouth v Arsenal.
The relegation battle will be the main focus of attention with five teams in the race to avoid the drop (four, if Charlton loses on Monday). Fulham is not safe yet, although a point will guarantee them safety. The big matches of the last day will be Sheffield United against Wigan, and Man United v West Ham (could United give the Hammers a lifeline if Fergie rests most of his first team players?) Other matches of note are eight of the remaining nine fixtures: Spurs v Man City, Chelsea v Everton, Liverpool v Charlton, Middlesbrough v Fulham, Bolton v Aston Villa, Blackburn v Reading and Portsmouth v Arsenal.
Here's hoping that Charlton can overcome Spurs on Monday night, which will make it even more pulsating end to the season. If Charlton does beat Spurs, be sure to get your calculators ready for Sunday's matches to determine who's going down as each goal goes in. It could come down to goal difference.
Labels: charlton, Chelsea, english premier league, sheffield united, spurs, tottenham hotspur, Wigan Athletic
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Manchester United: Champions of England
Chelsea Football Club and its race to catch up with Manchester United throughout the entire Premiership season paid its toll this evening by tieing Arsenal 1-1 and thus handing the title to Sir Alex Ferguson's side.
Yet again, Chelsea's performance was below average in what must be one of the worst weeks in recent memory for Chelsea fans (gifting the trophy to United after drawing 2-2 against Bolton, losing to Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final again, and drawing Arsenal today).
My question is this: If Jose Mourinho is unable to motivate his Chelsea team to win the Premiership title and qualify for the Champions League final, what good is he? Sure, the Chelsea team is exhausted and demoralized, but it's the sign of a quality manager who can lift his side and spur them on to victory.
Chelsea, again, didn't looked like achieving that. In fact, the last time they put in an impressive display was April 25 when they beat Liverpool 1-0 in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final. Their first half performance in that match was outstanding. Today against Arsenal, they looked flat once again.
See Ferguson's reaction here:
Fergie was a bit of a cheeky buggar to be drinking champagne during the interview (he seemed a bit drunk to me, by the way)! But it's well deserved. While Mourinho has acted like a spoiled child at times who is out of touch with reality, Ferguson has been the model of professionalism. Sure, he isn't perfect, but he put together a team this year that is worthy of being champions. And against all of the odds. Very few critics last summer predicted the type of success that United has achieved.
Congratulations Manchester United, 2006/2007 Premiership champions.
Yet again, Chelsea's performance was below average in what must be one of the worst weeks in recent memory for Chelsea fans (gifting the trophy to United after drawing 2-2 against Bolton, losing to Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final again, and drawing Arsenal today).
My question is this: If Jose Mourinho is unable to motivate his Chelsea team to win the Premiership title and qualify for the Champions League final, what good is he? Sure, the Chelsea team is exhausted and demoralized, but it's the sign of a quality manager who can lift his side and spur them on to victory.
Chelsea, again, didn't looked like achieving that. In fact, the last time they put in an impressive display was April 25 when they beat Liverpool 1-0 in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final. Their first half performance in that match was outstanding. Today against Arsenal, they looked flat once again.
See Ferguson's reaction here:
Fergie was a bit of a cheeky buggar to be drinking champagne during the interview (he seemed a bit drunk to me, by the way)! But it's well deserved. While Mourinho has acted like a spoiled child at times who is out of touch with reality, Ferguson has been the model of professionalism. Sure, he isn't perfect, but he put together a team this year that is worthy of being champions. And against all of the odds. Very few critics last summer predicted the type of success that United has achieved.
Congratulations Manchester United, 2006/2007 Premiership champions.
Labels: english premier league, man united, manchester united
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Retro Football Shirts
I came across a new site recently called RetroFootballTshirts.com that you may want to check out. The site features irreverant shirt designs for many famous football clubs and legends (such as Peter Osgood and Bill Shankly).
No shipping is available to the United States right now, but if you're in Europe, the company ships to a long list of countries (detailed on homepage, right column).
Check the site out when you get a chance.
Thanks to 101greatgoals for the tip regarding this new site.
No shipping is available to the United States right now, but if you're in Europe, the company ships to a long list of countries (detailed on homepage, right column).
Check the site out when you get a chance.
Thanks to 101greatgoals for the tip regarding this new site.
Labels: retro football shirts
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Saturday, May 05, 2007
Around the World of Football
- Boy, did Manchester United look tired today? Despite their lack of energy and Manchester City's thug tactics, their one-nil one piles the pressure on Chelsea tomorrow at the Emirates. A draw or a win by Arsenal and the Premiership title will be handed to Man United at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
- Here's an interesting look at Stan Kroenke, the Arsenal investor, at this San Diego newspaper site.
- Some of you who may know me pretty well probably realize I'm a big fan of Subbuteo. Here's an article on the famous table football game from Four Four Two Magazine.
- This week's EPL Talk Podcast will be delayed. Instead of being published on Sunday night as it usually is, it'll be released on Monday night. Reason being is that there's so much importance riding on Charlton's match against Spurs on Monday that I want to give everyone a better idea of how the final day of the season will play out. If Charlton loses on Monday, they're relegated. How about that for pressure?
Labels: Arsenal, Chelsea, EPL Talk Podcast, manchester city, manchester united, Stan Kroenke, Subbuteo
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Live Commentary of Aston Villa v Sheffield United
This week has been the busiest ever for the EPL Talk Blog based on the number of visitors to just this one section of EPL Talk. This past Wednesday, we had more than 17,000 unique visitors. Thursday was more than 12,000 and so on.
Of course, the blog is just one part of the whole EPL Talk experience. One area that's gaining much popularity is the EPL Talk Chat, hosted by the gracious BCjohn each weekend. He's going to be on the chat for all of the weekend matches, and it's definitely something you'll want to experience if you haven't done so already.
Visit it during the live matches this weekend from the homepage of http://www.epltalk.com
In fact, for today's match between Aston Villa and Sheffield United, BCjohn will be commentating alongside his partner in crime Jason Freeman. Be sure to listen to their commentary starting at 12:15pm ET today.
Of course, the blog is just one part of the whole EPL Talk experience. One area that's gaining much popularity is the EPL Talk Chat, hosted by the gracious BCjohn each weekend. He's going to be on the chat for all of the weekend matches, and it's definitely something you'll want to experience if you haven't done so already.
Visit it during the live matches this weekend from the homepage of http://www.epltalk.com
In fact, for today's match between Aston Villa and Sheffield United, BCjohn will be commentating alongside his partner in crime Jason Freeman. Be sure to listen to their commentary starting at 12:15pm ET today.
Labels: aston villa, epl talk chat, sheffield united
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Interview with Reading's Bobby Convey
BBC Radio Berkshire featured an interview with U.S. left winger Bobby Convey last night. Convey, who has been injured most of the season for Reading,
Listen to the interview here.
Thanks to Tokyo Toffeeman for the link.
Listen to the interview here.
Thanks to Tokyo Toffeeman for the link.
Labels: bbc radio berkshire, bobby convey, reading
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Friday, May 04, 2007
Breaking News: Premier League Sues YouTube
This Premier League filed a lawsuit this afternoon against YouTube in a New York court alleging that "[YouTube] encourages massive copyright infringment on its Web site to generate public attention and boost traffic. This has resulted in the loss of valuable content."
The lawsuit goes on to say that the "Defendants, which own and operate the Web site YouTube.com, have knowingly misappropriated and exploited this valuable property for their own gain without payment or license to the owners of the intellectual property."
Of course, this is all about money. The Premier League feels it needs to protect its rights and keep its current rights holders content. Having highlights of Premiership football matches on YouTube is illegal, and the Premier League wants to do everything it can to control the content so it can make huge amounts of additional revenue in the future.
However, there are two schools of thought regarding videos on YouTube. Do you protect your rights and sue as Viacom also did? Or do you promote the distribution of the content on YouTube thinking that it does more good than harm?
Of course, this is all about money. The Premier League feels it needs to protect its rights and keep its current rights holders content. Having highlights of Premiership football matches on YouTube is illegal, and the Premier League wants to do everything it can to control the content so it can make huge amounts of additional revenue in the future.
However, there are two schools of thought regarding videos on YouTube. Do you protect your rights and sue as Viacom also did? Or do you promote the distribution of the content on YouTube thinking that it does more good than harm?
The Premier League's track record thus far is to sue.
You may remember that in October, a company named NetResult (who was hired by the Premier League) sent a letter (essentially a cease and desist notice) to popular web site 101greatgoals.com demanding that they remove the video footage clips. However, 101greatgoals.com wasn't hosting the videos. It was, and continues to do so, just linking to clips at YouTube. The Premier League finally wised up, as witnessed today, that it needs to stop the problem at its source, which is YouTube and its owners, Google.
The decision taken by the Premier League today is shortsighted and reflective of how clueless they are about the Internet. If YouTube decides to stop showing video highlights of Premiership matches, there are tens if not hundreds of other sites that the Premier League will need to sue also. The whole viral nature of the Internet is practically impossible to govern, so instead of sueing companies, the Premier League should be embracing it. Sure, lose money in the short-term on the video highlights. But in the long term the FA Premier League could gain more revenue and a greater worldwide appeal by allowing new fans to watch the videos thereby attracing new legions of fans (and revenue).
In contrast, instead of suing YouTube, many leagues such as the National Hockey League, National Basketball Association and teams such as the Premier League's own Chelsea, have embraced YouTube and created their own channels on the web site.
On the pitch, the Premier League is ahead of the other leagues, but off the pitch and in the world of the Internet, the league is clueless.
The lawsuit is part of a class action suit filed by the Premier League and an indie music label. Their press release can be read here, and the entire class action suit document can be found here.
In contrast, instead of suing YouTube, many leagues such as the National Hockey League, National Basketball Association and teams such as the Premier League's own Chelsea, have embraced YouTube and created their own channels on the web site.
On the pitch, the Premier League is ahead of the other leagues, but off the pitch and in the world of the Internet, the league is clueless.
The lawsuit is part of a class action suit filed by the Premier League and an indie music label. Their press release can be read here, and the entire class action suit document can be found here.
Labels: 101greatgoals, 101greatgoals.com, premier league, youtube, youtube.com
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New Lettering and Numbering Style for EPL Shirts
An image of the new lettering and numbering style for the 07/08 Premiership shirts has surfaced.
The shirt on the right (click to see a larger version) incorporates the new EPL logo and new numbering/lettering font that's supposed to be easier to read than the current one. More detail about the new style can be found here.
What do you think of it? Like it or not, and why?
Thanks to Charles Hurley for the link. The image shows the new Newcastle United shirt with the name and number of Obafemi Martins.
The shirt on the right (click to see a larger version) incorporates the new EPL logo and new numbering/lettering font that's supposed to be easier to read than the current one. More detail about the new style can be found here.
What do you think of it? Like it or not, and why?
Thanks to Charles Hurley for the link. The image shows the new Newcastle United shirt with the name and number of Obafemi Martins.
Labels: 2007-2008 kits, 2007-2008 season, football kits, newcastle united, premier league shirt lettering
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Steve McManaman And Angus Scott Join Setanta
Setanta's team of broadcasters for next season's Premiership coverage is starting to come together nicely. Setanta will feature:
- Angus Scott. Former ITV Sport presenter.
- Steve McManaman: The former Liverpool and Real Madrid player has worked with ITV and ESPN Star as a match analyst.
- Steve Bower: Former MUTV commentator, reporter and presenter.
More details about the acquisition of Scott and McManaman can be found here. Interestingly, Setanta has decided to commentate on the matches from the grounds itself rather than studios (as TWI does for most of the Premiership games). This decision is to be applauded.
Scott and McManaman will front the Saturday 12:15pm ET and Monday 3pm ET matches. Hopefully we here in the States will be able to watch the duo on Setanta Sports.
Labels: angus scott, Setanta, setanta sports, steve mcmanaman
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Latest Standings in EPL Talk Fantasy Leagues
The race for the Premiership title and Champions League trophy is nearing its end, but many EPL Talk readers are also keeping a close eye on the races in the EPL Talk fantasy leagues.
The winner of each league will receive a prize (to be determined) from EPL Talk.
Here are the current top 10 standings as of today:
Premier League Fantasy League
1. FC Walker, Steve Thielman, 1961 pts
2. FC Bubd, Jeff Mensch, 1926
3. Mesiniaga FC, Sakaya Mary, 1919
4. Foolish FC, Mark Aegerter, 1908
5. Rockfish United, David Griffith, 1890
6. ManUtd06, Justin Franklin, 1811
7. Bloody Yanks, Jeremy Lay, 1809
8. Soccaplaya, Marc Andre Pharand, 1803
9. Moodus Rowdies, Alex Shorthouse, 1799
10. The GoalFather, Tony Orsini, 1786
I Know The Score Prediction League
1. Tokyo Toffeeman, 1135 pts
2. Lech Poznan, 1040
3. Garyi, 920
4. The Gaffer, 905
5. Umersyed, 765
6. FC Bubd, 755
7. Jtelli, 705
8. Fsquid, 680
9. Isage, 675
10. Rockfishdg, 625
Champions League Fantasy League
1. Foolish FC, Mark Aegerter, 664 pts
2. Inter Rockfish, David Griffiths, 576 pts
3. Der Auslander, Christopher Reid, 549 pts
4. FC Epikoinos, Eric Anderson, 548
5. Bloody Yanks, Jeremy Lay, 536
6. The Gaffer, Christopher Harris, 530
7. RedBullNJ, Ryan Coutant, 530
8. Sidekicks, Michael Trubey, 508
9. The Scouts, Lonnie Smetana, 500
10. Edem FC, Eric Edem, 491
May the best fantasy league players and predictors win!
The winner of each league will receive a prize (to be determined) from EPL Talk.
Here are the current top 10 standings as of today:
Premier League Fantasy League
1. FC Walker, Steve Thielman, 1961 pts
2. FC Bubd, Jeff Mensch, 1926
3. Mesiniaga FC, Sakaya Mary, 1919
4. Foolish FC, Mark Aegerter, 1908
5. Rockfish United, David Griffith, 1890
6. ManUtd06, Justin Franklin, 1811
7. Bloody Yanks, Jeremy Lay, 1809
8. Soccaplaya, Marc Andre Pharand, 1803
9. Moodus Rowdies, Alex Shorthouse, 1799
10. The GoalFather, Tony Orsini, 1786
I Know The Score Prediction League
1. Tokyo Toffeeman, 1135 pts
2. Lech Poznan, 1040
3. Garyi, 920
4. The Gaffer, 905
5. Umersyed, 765
6. FC Bubd, 755
7. Jtelli, 705
8. Fsquid, 680
9. Isage, 675
10. Rockfishdg, 625
Champions League Fantasy League
1. Foolish FC, Mark Aegerter, 664 pts
2. Inter Rockfish, David Griffiths, 576 pts
3. Der Auslander, Christopher Reid, 549 pts
4. FC Epikoinos, Eric Anderson, 548
5. Bloody Yanks, Jeremy Lay, 536
6. The Gaffer, Christopher Harris, 530
7. RedBullNJ, Ryan Coutant, 530
8. Sidekicks, Michael Trubey, 508
9. The Scouts, Lonnie Smetana, 500
10. Edem FC, Eric Edem, 491
May the best fantasy league players and predictors win!
Labels: fantasy league
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Aston Villa Unveils New Crest
Aston Villa, owned by American businessman Randy Lerner, has unveiled a new logo for its football club (pictured right).
The new crest is quite a dramatic change for Villa. The club has adopted a retro feel to the design, which harkens back to more nostalgic period in the club's history.
Regarding the design, the star signifies the one European Cup that Villa won. 'Prepared' is the club's motto. The use of 'AVFC' to signify Aston Villa Football Club also is very retro as more and more clubs these days avoid putting the words 'FC' into their crest (the best example is Manchester United).
An interactive guide to the new crest explaining every feature is available on the Aston Villa web site here. Free registration may be required.
Personally, I love the new design. It makes Villa look historic but bold, and makes me feel like Villa has a lot to look forward to in the future. It'll be interesting to see how the new crest looks on the new shirts from Aston Villa this summer, manufactured by Nike.
This Saturday before Villa's home match against Sheffield United, the club will be celebrating the 25 year anniversary of when Aston Villa won the European Cup in 1982 after defeating Bayern Munich. The European Cup was the predecessor to the Champions League.
Labels: aston villa, randy lerner
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New Liverpool 07/08 Home & Away Shirts
We have no way of knowing whether this is valid or fake, but one of the EPL Talk readers has sent us the following image of the supposed Liverpool shirts for next season (pictured right).
The picture features an away jersey for Liverpool's 07/08 season and an international home shirt to be played on nights when Champions League matches would be played. To me, the Champions League reminds me more of Spain than Liverpool with the yellow trim. Or perhaps it's supposed to be gold but the color doesn't translate well on the computer screen?
The Champions League shirts would feature an '08 sponsorship to promote across Europe the fact that Liverpool has been selected as the European Capital of Culture for 2008. During '08, hundreds of cultural events will be taking place around Liverpool to celebrate the honor.
The Champions League shirts would feature an '08 sponsorship to promote across Europe the fact that Liverpool has been selected as the European Capital of Culture for 2008. During '08, hundreds of cultural events will be taking place around Liverpool to celebrate the honor.
Fake or not? You decide.
In the meantime, if you're a Liverpool fan, be sure to listen to the EPL Talk interview with Liverpool legend Ronnie Whelan, or view my photo collection of my recent trip to Anfield.
In the meantime, if you're a Liverpool fan, be sure to listen to the EPL Talk interview with Liverpool legend Ronnie Whelan, or view my photo collection of my recent trip to Anfield.
Labels: adidas, anfield, Liverpool
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Arsenal v Chelsea: Live & Online
If you're searching for a way to experience Saturday's Premiership match between Arsenal v Chelsea online, join the EPL Talk Chat hosted by bcjohn.
We'll have Gunners, Blues and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the huge London derby. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Arsenal and Chelsea radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The coverage kicks off on Sunday, May 6th at 11amET/4pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage (near the center of the page).
We'll have Gunners, Blues and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the huge London derby. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Arsenal and Chelsea radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The coverage kicks off on Sunday, May 6th at 11amET/4pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage (near the center of the page).
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Aston Villa v Sheffield United: Live & Online
If you're searching for a way to experience Saturday's Premiership match between Villa and Sheff United online, join the EPL Talk Chat hosted by bcjohn.
We'll have Villa, Blades and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the huge relegation dogfight match for Sheffield. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Villa v Sheff Utd radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The coverage kicks off on Saturday, May 5th at 12:15pm ET/5:15pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage (near the center of the page).
We'll have Villa, Blades and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the huge relegation dogfight match for Sheffield. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Villa v Sheff Utd radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The coverage kicks off on Saturday, May 5th at 12:15pm ET/5:15pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage (near the center of the page).
Labels: aston villa, sheffield united
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West Ham v Bolton: Live & Online
If you're searching for a way to experience Saturday's Premiership match between West Ham United and Bolton Wanderers online, join the EPL Talk Chat hosted by bcjohn.
We'll have West Ham, Bolton and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the huge relegation dogfight for the Hammers. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding West Ham v Bolton radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The coverage kicks off on Saturday, May 5th at 10amET/3pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage (near the center of the page).
We'll have West Ham, Bolton and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the huge relegation dogfight for the Hammers. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding West Ham v Bolton radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The coverage kicks off on Saturday, May 5th at 10amET/3pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage (near the center of the page).
Labels: bolton, bolton wanderers, West Ham United
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Fulham v Liverpool: Live & Online
If you're searching for a way to experience Saturday's Premiership match between Fulham v Liverpool online, join the EPL Talk Chat hosted by bcjohn.
We'll have Fulham, Liverpool and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the penultimate Premiership match. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Fulham v Liverpool radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The coverage kicks off on Saturday, May 5th at 10amET/3pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage (near the center of the page).
We'll have Fulham, Liverpool and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the penultimate Premiership match. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Fulham v Liverpool radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The coverage kicks off on Saturday, May 5th at 10amET/3pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage (near the center of the page).
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Thursday, May 03, 2007
Man City v Man United: Live & Online
If you're searching for a way to experience Saturday's Premiership match between Manchester City and Manchester United online, join the EPL Talk Chat hosted by bcjohn.
We'll have City, United and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the huge Manchester derby. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Man City and Man Utd radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The coverage kicks off on Saturday, May 5th at 7:45amET/12:45pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage (near the center of the page).
We'll have City, United and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the huge Manchester derby. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Man City and Man Utd radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The coverage kicks off on Saturday, May 5th at 7:45amET/12:45pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage (near the center of the page).
Labels: manchester city, manchester united
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New Everton 07/08 Home Shirt Revealed
Everton Football Club today unveiled its new home jersey for the 2007/2008 Premiership season from Umbro, the kit manufacturer.
The shirt will be first worn in this Saturday's home match against Portsmouth.
The design features yellow touches near the color and neck. Overall, I think the design is well done. It's aesthetically pleasing without going over the top.
The only part I'm not sure about is the design on the side of the jersey which looks distracting.
If you're a Toffees fan, be sure to listen to the EPL Talk Podcast episode where we went to Goodison Park and interviewed Everton fans and watched the match against Bolton in November where Arteta scored one of the goals of the season.
Labels: everton, goodison park, Umbro
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Wednesday, May 02, 2007
AC Milan v Man United: Live and Online
Listen to live audio from the AC Milan against Manchester United semi-final right now for free at http://mu.tv.manutd.com/
The registration is free and takes just a minute or two before you can hear the audio.
The registration is free and takes just a minute or two before you can hear the audio.
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New Liverpool 07/08 Away Shirt Revealed
We've located a picture of Liverpool's new away shirt for the 2007/2008 season.
Whether the shirt is the new away one, or Liverpool's third shirt, we don't know yet. A preview of the shirts was posted here on March 21.
In that article, it shows an image of a black away jersey, too (which again could be the away one or the third/Champions League one).
Nevertheless, the design looks very aesthetically pleasing and is sure to be a big seller (especially after Liverpool reached the final of the Champions League).
What do you think of the new design? Let us know by posting your comment(s) below.
Whether the shirt is the new away one, or Liverpool's third shirt, we don't know yet. A preview of the shirts was posted here on March 21.
In that article, it shows an image of a black away jersey, too (which again could be the away one or the third/Champions League one).
Nevertheless, the design looks very aesthetically pleasing and is sure to be a big seller (especially after Liverpool reached the final of the Champions League).
What do you think of the new design? Let us know by posting your comment(s) below.
Editor's Note: This is definitely the wrong shirt. The correct Liverpool shirts can be found here.
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New Blackburn Rovers 07/08 Home Shirt
It's that time of the season when football clubs start pushing the new shirts for football supporters to buy. Next in the list is Blackburn Rovers, who will be staying with their manufacturer Lonsdale but will be releasing a new home and away shirt for the 07/08 season (pictured right).
The new jerseys were supposedly voted on by the Blackburn Rovers fans.
The design is definitely very trendy and mirrors, to a degree, the new template design from Adidas wih the curved lines designed into the shirt.
No news on when the new shirts will be available for sale, as of yet.
Labels: blackburn rovers, lonsdale
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New Bolton Wanderers 07/08 Home Shirt
Bolton Wanderers recently unveiled their new home shirt for the 07/08 season.
The shirt will be manufactured by Reebok once again, and features an improved design over the current shirt, I believe.
The shirt is scheduled to be available as of May 7th. Bolton's new away shirt, meanwhile, is scheduled to be released on June 7th.
The shirt will be manufactured by Reebok once again, and features an improved design over the current shirt, I believe.
The shirt is scheduled to be available as of May 7th. Bolton's new away shirt, meanwhile, is scheduled to be released on June 7th.
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Everton's New 07/08 Home Shirt Revealed
Everton will be officially unveiling their new home shirt on their web site May 3rd, but here's a sneak preview of it.
According to the Everton web site, the shirt will be worn for the first time this Saturday when the Toffees play Portsmouth at home, the last match of the season at Goodison Park.
The shirt will officially be available on June 1st.
In the United Kingdom, Umbro is enjoying a slight resurgence. Starting next season, West Ham United, Wigan Athletic and Sunderland will be wearing Umbro. And several clubs throughout the lower leagues have announced their switch to Umbro.
The shirt will officially be available on June 1st.
In the United Kingdom, Umbro is enjoying a slight resurgence. Starting next season, West Ham United, Wigan Athletic and Sunderland will be wearing Umbro. And several clubs throughout the lower leagues have announced their switch to Umbro.
The new design of the Everton shirt, meanwhile, looks very similar to the recently unveiled shirt from Rangers.
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Arsenal's Away Shirt for the 07/08 Season
The rumors that Arsenal will be adopting a white shirt as their away kit for the 07/08 season have been circulating for weeks now. Rough designs had been posted, but it was unclear whether it was authentic or not.
Now a new image of the alleged shirt has appeared across the Internet. But is this one real or fake? You decide.The new Arsenal away shirt is scheduled to be available on August 7th. while the new home jersey from Arsenal is scheduled to be available on July 7. More details here.
Starting on May 15th, the Premiership jerseys will feature a new numbering and lettering system that replaces the current look-and-feel on the front and back of the kits. See a preview here as well as more information.
Labels: Arsenal, nike, premier league shirt lettering
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New Tottenham Hotspur 07/08 Shirt from Puma
On May 12th, Tottenham Hotspur will unveil the new designs for their 2007/2008 shirts including a special design in honor of their 125th anniversary next year.
However, one of the shirt designs has been leaked to the Internet. The shirt design (see right) is either the new home shirt or the 125th anniversary shirt. I reckon it's the latter.
On May 12th, the club will also announce when the shirts will go on sale. As EPL Talk revealed on April 17th, the away shirt should be available on July 7 while the home shirt was scheduled to be available on May 7, but the revised date should be May 15th when the new lettering and numbering for Premiership jerseys will be featured.
Labels: puma, spurs, tottenham hotspur
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Steve Coppell to Field Reserves in UEFA Cup
Here are just a couple of the interesting stories that caught my eye in the past 24 hours:
- If Reading qualifies for the UEFA Cup, Steve Coppell will play reserves in the tournament. And he isn't joking. Coppell knows where his bread is buttered and the lure of the money that can be made in the Premiership far outweighs the TV rights from the UEFA Cup and the thought of travelling across Eastern Europe on a cold Thursday night to play football.
This raises an interesting point, though. With the massive increase in money that Premiership clubs will earn next season, that'll mean that the FA Cup and Carling Cup will be even less important for many clubs compared to now. The higher a team finishes in the Premier League, the more money the club will receive and the more likely their matches will be televised on TV (thus ensuring even more revenue generated). - Sports Illustrated, the publication that wrote so many articles showing their hatred of the sport in the eighties, has an interesting article online about the Premiership written by David Conn of The Guardian.
Labels: david conn, reading, steve coppell
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The Rise of the English Premier League
The domination by English football in Europe and around the world in the form of TV viewing is immense. If Manchester United overcome AC Milan tonight, expect more and more newcomers to football around the world becoming fans of one of the two Premiership clubs.
But it always wasn't like that, of course. To get a better understanding of how English football used to be, you have an assignment. Required reading, and required listening.
First, listen to this week's episode of World Football from BBC World Service. Alan Green talks with his guests, including Simon Inglis, about the English Premier League and what advancements have occurred in the past two decades. It's an excellent documentary. Listen now before part II of the episode becomes available later this week.
Second, Time Magazine (the staple of American mainstream) has a very well-written and interesting article this week about the English Premier League and its financial success. It's a must-read from the excellent 101greatgoals.com
On the message boards in the EPL Talk Community, some readers said that they feel the Premiership has reached its peak in America. I wholeheartedly disagree. There is so much opportunity for the league to grow by leaps and bounds in the States. While you and I devour the league each week, there are millions of soccer fans that haven't caught the fever yet. An English Champions League final, although a disagreeable thought to many, would expand the appeal of the English Premier League worldwide.
But it always wasn't like that, of course. To get a better understanding of how English football used to be, you have an assignment. Required reading, and required listening.
First, listen to this week's episode of World Football from BBC World Service. Alan Green talks with his guests, including Simon Inglis, about the English Premier League and what advancements have occurred in the past two decades. It's an excellent documentary. Listen now before part II of the episode becomes available later this week.
Second, Time Magazine (the staple of American mainstream) has a very well-written and interesting article this week about the English Premier League and its financial success. It's a must-read from the excellent 101greatgoals.com
On the message boards in the EPL Talk Community, some readers said that they feel the Premiership has reached its peak in America. I wholeheartedly disagree. There is so much opportunity for the league to grow by leaps and bounds in the States. While you and I devour the league each week, there are millions of soccer fans that haven't caught the fever yet. An English Champions League final, although a disagreeable thought to many, would expand the appeal of the English Premier League worldwide.
Labels: time magazine, world football
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Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Chelsea Returns to the Days of Claudio Ranieri
Chelsea's defeat last night in the Champions League semi-final may feel like deja vu for many Blues supporters. But not for the reasons that many of you may imagine.
Incredibly, Chelsea's fortunes have gone full circle. At the tail end of the 2004 season, Claudio Ranieri's Chelsea side lost in the semi-final of the Champions League and finished the season in second place. Sound familiar?
Between 2004 and now, Chelsea has of course flourished under Mourinho by winning the Premiership title two seasons in a row. What must be most frustrating, though, is that Man United opened the door two weekends ago for Chelsea to win the title. But Chelsea was terrible against Newcastle succumbing to a passionless nil-nil draw. Even this past Saturday against Bolton, Chelsea was unable to outwit Sam Allardyce's side.
Instead, Mourinho made six changes to his side against Bolton and sat Lampard and Cole. They used to call Ranieri The Tinkerman, but Mourinho did the same thing this past Saturday. A win against Bolton would have made the May 9th clash between Chelsea and Man United mean something. Now all that's at stake is pride and the determination to ensure that United doesn't lift the trophy on Chelsea's patch.
Sure Mourinho has achieved so much more than Ranieri, but at the end of the season all that matters is the number of new trophies in your cabinet, and Mourinho has one and may end up with two by May 19. But there's no guarantee that Chelsea will even win the FA Cup.
Sure, Chelsea has had a very difficult and trying season that was hampered by injuries. In a different scenario (one without those key injuries), things may have been different.
However, there's no hiding from a passion to win. Even last night against Liverpool, it looked like Chelsea lacked the desire. The team was a ghost of its former past. The Blues looked dangerous on corner kicks and often booted the ball up field in hopes that Drogba could latch on to it for a fortunate strike.
For Chelsea not to score at Anfield was a travesty. One goal was all the club needed to put them into the Athens final, and they couldn't even muster that.
Sure, Liverpool was formidable but the Reds blew their chances to make it 2-0. And Petr Cech definitely kept the Blues in the game several times with some aerobatic saves.
Incredibly, Chelsea's fortunes have gone full circle. At the tail end of the 2004 season, Claudio Ranieri's Chelsea side lost in the semi-final of the Champions League and finished the season in second place. Sound familiar?
Between 2004 and now, Chelsea has of course flourished under Mourinho by winning the Premiership title two seasons in a row. What must be most frustrating, though, is that Man United opened the door two weekends ago for Chelsea to win the title. But Chelsea was terrible against Newcastle succumbing to a passionless nil-nil draw. Even this past Saturday against Bolton, Chelsea was unable to outwit Sam Allardyce's side.
Instead, Mourinho made six changes to his side against Bolton and sat Lampard and Cole. They used to call Ranieri The Tinkerman, but Mourinho did the same thing this past Saturday. A win against Bolton would have made the May 9th clash between Chelsea and Man United mean something. Now all that's at stake is pride and the determination to ensure that United doesn't lift the trophy on Chelsea's patch.
Sure Mourinho has achieved so much more than Ranieri, but at the end of the season all that matters is the number of new trophies in your cabinet, and Mourinho has one and may end up with two by May 19. But there's no guarantee that Chelsea will even win the FA Cup.
Sure, Chelsea has had a very difficult and trying season that was hampered by injuries. In a different scenario (one without those key injuries), things may have been different.
However, there's no hiding from a passion to win. Even last night against Liverpool, it looked like Chelsea lacked the desire. The team was a ghost of its former past. The Blues looked dangerous on corner kicks and often booted the ball up field in hopes that Drogba could latch on to it for a fortunate strike.
For Chelsea not to score at Anfield was a travesty. One goal was all the club needed to put them into the Athens final, and they couldn't even muster that.
Sure, Liverpool was formidable but the Reds blew their chances to make it 2-0. And Petr Cech definitely kept the Blues in the game several times with some aerobatic saves.
For the neutral fan, last night's win by Liverpool over Chelsea wasn't pretty. In fact, the game was dire at times. No surprise, really, after the previous encounters between the Reds and Blues. Liverpool fans won't mind, though.
Liverpool's win tonight was monumental for many reasons. One, it ends Chelsea's chances of the Blues winning the biggest prize in European football this season. It's the one piece of silverware that Chelsea (especially Abramovich) wanted more than anything. Two, an argument could be made now that money doesn't guarantee success in football. Three, Chelsea are the new galacticos. Four, I believe we've seen Chelsea reach their peak last year and although they've won the Carling Cup and will refocus their energy on winning the FA Cup, I believe that last night's defeat signals the pending departure of Jose Mourinho.
Liverpool's win tonight was monumental for many reasons. One, it ends Chelsea's chances of the Blues winning the biggest prize in European football this season. It's the one piece of silverware that Chelsea (especially Abramovich) wanted more than anything. Two, an argument could be made now that money doesn't guarantee success in football. Three, Chelsea are the new galacticos. Four, I believe we've seen Chelsea reach their peak last year and although they've won the Carling Cup and will refocus their energy on winning the FA Cup, I believe that last night's defeat signals the pending departure of Jose Mourinho.
While Leeds United fans were a disgrace this past Saturday, the Liverpool spectators last night created an awesome atmosphere at Anfield. Tom Hicks and George Gillett were in the crowd. Incredibly, commentator Derek Rae mentioned that one of the Americans wanted to sit in the Kop but was told no due to security reasons.
The mass of people, red shirts, scarves and flags, and the fans in the entire stadium standing up made the Anfield crowd look like terraces last night to see another historic match in the club's history. Now let's see whether Liverpool will face Man United or AC Milan, and that the game is hopefully more entertaining than last night's affair.
The mass of people, red shirts, scarves and flags, and the fans in the entire stadium standing up made the Anfield crowd look like terraces last night to see another historic match in the club's history. Now let's see whether Liverpool will face Man United or AC Milan, and that the game is hopefully more entertaining than last night's affair.
Labels: anfield, Chelsea, claudio ranieri, jose mourinho, livepool
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Joey Barton's Man City Career Near Its End
It appears that Joey Barton may have played his last match for Manchester City this past Saturday. The fiery midfielder reportedly punched City teammate Dabo in the mouth during today's training session, and Man City has suspended Barton til the end of the season.
Barton, who missed a penalty against Aston Villa on Saturday, spoke out recently about Manchester City's season and said he wouldn't pay to watch the club play. Today's action by Barton is further evidence that Barton doesn't want to be at City and, I won't be surprised if City no longer wants Barton to be at their club.
The timing by Barton is awful. Manchester City play at home against United in the derby on Saturday (7:45am ET, Setanta).
More details about the breaking story can be found here.
Barton, who missed a penalty against Aston Villa on Saturday, spoke out recently about Manchester City's season and said he wouldn't pay to watch the club play. Today's action by Barton is further evidence that Barton doesn't want to be at City and, I won't be surprised if City no longer wants Barton to be at their club.
The timing by Barton is awful. Manchester City play at home against United in the derby on Saturday (7:45am ET, Setanta).
More details about the breaking story can be found here.
Labels: joey barton, man city, manchester city
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Chelsea On a Razor's Edge for Tonight's CL Semi
The future of Jose Mourinho's position at Chelsea hangs in the balance today dependent on whether the Blues can overcome their 1-0 aggregate at Anfield. Win on aggregate and Jose is a hero. Lose on aggregate and don't be surprised if Abramovich and Kenyon again start looking for a replacement.
One of the main factors is Jose Mourinho's decision to drop Andrei Shevchenko. It appears it wasn't a groin injury after all.
Mourinho, though, has every right to drop Shevchenko if his form has been poor. Kalou is a worthy replacement. But if Chelsea doesn't overcome Liverpool tonight, you can almost guarantee that Mourinho will become the scapegoat and Abramovich, at least privately, will probably blame it on Mourinho's decision to exclude Shevchenko.
One of the main factors is Jose Mourinho's decision to drop Andrei Shevchenko. It appears it wasn't a groin injury after all.
Mourinho, though, has every right to drop Shevchenko if his form has been poor. Kalou is a worthy replacement. But if Chelsea doesn't overcome Liverpool tonight, you can almost guarantee that Mourinho will become the scapegoat and Abramovich, at least privately, will probably blame it on Mourinho's decision to exclude Shevchenko.
The web site Russian Spy, meanwhile, is reporting that Shevchenko's career at Chelsea may be over with the striker saying he doesn't fit in. Shevchenko's reaction to being dropped for the Liverpool match could be the last straw for Mourinho, and it'll be interesting to see if Shevchenko dons a Chelsea shirt again.
No matter what happens, let's hope the match is entertaining. For Liverpool, they have a huge chance to overcome the 0-1 deficit. The key is to stop Chelsea from scoring otherwise Liverpool will have to score three to go through. However, I don't see Chelsea being unable to score, which puts the advantage definitely in Chelsea's court.
Expect to hear a raucous Anfield crowd on your television sets today wherever you are in the world. I can't wait.
Expect to hear a raucous Anfield crowd on your television sets today wherever you are in the world. I can't wait.
Labels: andrei shevchenko, Champions League, Chelsea, Liverpool
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EPL Talk In The News
If you get a chance, listen to today's episode of the Soccer Shout podcast where I was the guest co-host. Phil and I discussed the past weekend's Premiership action and got into a long discussion about whether West Ham should have been deducted three points or not.
Also, EPL Talk was in the news this past Sunday when the South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper reporter Jeff Rusnak wrote about the inaugural EPL Talk Video Podcast.
You can read that article and all of the press coverage EPL Talk has received here.
Also, EPL Talk was in the news this past Sunday when the South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper reporter Jeff Rusnak wrote about the inaugural EPL Talk Video Podcast.
You can read that article and all of the press coverage EPL Talk has received here.
Labels: epl talk video podcast, Soccer Shout
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ITV's Redesigned Web site Gets a Thumbs Down
ITV has launched a completely redesigned version of their website at itv.com
The British broadcaster, who owns the TV rights to show the Champions League on UK television, is supposed to have integrated a Player on the site to rival BBC's popular Player that displays some of the best audio and video. However, despite the colorful redesign of ITV's site, it's not easy to find the Player link. If it's not intuitive how to find it, that's a huge error.
And even when you try to play video (check out ITV's Champions League page here), you quickly find out that it's only compatible on browsers using Internet Explorer 6 or above. I can't believe that ITV didn't design it to work on the Firefox browser!
Looks like the video isn't available for visitors outside the UK unfortunately.
The British broadcaster, who owns the TV rights to show the Champions League on UK television, is supposed to have integrated a Player on the site to rival BBC's popular Player that displays some of the best audio and video. However, despite the colorful redesign of ITV's site, it's not easy to find the Player link. If it's not intuitive how to find it, that's a huge error.
And even when you try to play video (check out ITV's Champions League page here), you quickly find out that it's only compatible on browsers using Internet Explorer 6 or above. I can't believe that ITV didn't design it to work on the Firefox browser!
Looks like the video isn't available for visitors outside the UK unfortunately.
Labels: Champions League, ITV
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