One thing it's difficult to complain about at the moment in La Liga is the sheer amount of footy on the telly. There was a midweek league programme to make up for the weekend lost to internationals, and I managed to take in Barça v Betis and Sevilla v Espanyol, with the occasional trip to the kitchen to make a cuppa. Click to continue reading...

"Calcio-Champagne": noun Composite word formed by "calcio" and "champagne". Typically utilized by the Italian press to describe a free-flowing, short-passing, very technical and spectacular kind of footy. In other words, pretty far from the spectacle Cagliari and Juventus gave us Sant'Elia today. I wouldn't go as far as to call it a snooze-fest, but damn was it scrappy. Click to continue reading...

Hola! I'm Dancy, the new co-blogger for Spain, and a huge fan of their footy. I noticed this space wasn't getting much action lately – and that totally needs to change! I mean, we're falling behind in numbers of posts to Holland (1400+!), France, England, and Germany? That can't happen! After the Euros – c'mon, this team needs to be worshipped.

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At various times throughout his career Fabio Capello has been called the best manager in the world. Frankly, with a record such as his, it is very difficult to argue against. Just to refresh your memories, at his first club, AC Milan, he had the difficult, some said impossible, task of taking over from the great Sacci. Click to continue reading...

Right it now seems that Kevin Keegan HAS gone...it's just whether he was sacked, walked out or was forced out.

Crazy times up there.

When Keegan came back it delighted the Newcastle fans and bemused the rest of us but this time I think we can all agree that Mike Ashley is pretty much public enemy number one. Click to continue reading...

Now before I get into Azzurri news (and we got quite a bit of stuff to cover- mostly a preview for the upcoming qualifier against Cyprus on Saturday), there's other stuff going on in the wider footy world that I'd love to talk about.

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Google is about to launch it's own web browser, Chrome. Should we be excited? Yeah why not...just jump head first into the raging hype torrent. It looks like they've took a leaf out of Cuil's book. Just announce yourself loudly and let the image fly over the content.

If Google do it then let's face it it's bound to be good but why not just release it instead of keeping us waiting? Click to continue reading...

Liverpool vs Middlesbrough: Rafa seeking to maintain a good start

Liverpool vs Middlesbrough is a tricky one for Rafa, particularly in the white hot pressure of the Premier League. The expectations on Liverpool are such that Rafa Benitez is one bad result from a wave of pressure, particularly at the start of the season. Click to continue reading...

I sat through the Barnet game on TV on Saturday. It was utterly pointless for the most part, but it was good to see some footy for a change rather than reading crap in the papers about players. First impression is the new strip. Its not terrible, but the absence of white on the sleeves is very noticeable from the back. Click to continue reading...

The Olympic football competition runs from August 6th to 23rd and the Premiership season kicks off on the 16th. It is essentially an Under 23 event but each country can name up to 3 over-age players.

Coaches must released Under 23 yr players when requested to play for their national side, but since this is a non-Fifa tournament, team coaches can refuse to release players over 23. Click to continue reading...

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From the Footy Latest website citing the Mirror -
[Although I haven't seen it on the Mirror online - Nor of course, on either clubs' official sites.]

Footy Latest - Kaspars Gorkss signs for QPR
Monday 07 July 2008 -
Blackpool are fuming over QPR's approaches to their Latvian defender Kaspar Gorkss, but today it has been announced in the Daily Mirror that he has signed with the R's, having invoked a £250,000 escape clause in his contract. Click to continue reading...

It's a bit boring in the world of footy at the moment to be honest isn't?

I mean I know there is all the transfer stuff and other shenanigans, but it's not the same as when the season is underway and you are engaged in the emotion of the fate of your team.

What is a girl to do to keep her spirits up? Click to continue reading...

What to be done about a slightly ignorant view of American Soccer.  Fight it with fact is what I say.  Soccerlens, a great footy site had an article written this morning listing the reasons Americans "suck" at soccer.  So if we do plan to combat this ignorance on the part of most of the world, [.. Click to continue reading...

Two sides both with global brand aspirations. Both with a lot to prove.

One is a club playing in the 2nd tier of American footy and soon to be "promoted" to MLS next year backed by one of the richest men on the planet. None other than Microsoft's Paul Allen. A win would be expected. A loss would be the ultimate embarrassment. Click to continue reading...

Group A was decided today with some incredible footy action.

Switzerland beat an under strength Portugal team 2-0. That wasn't the incredible action (though the Swiss fans enjoyed it.)

The incredible action was Turkey coming from two down to beat the Czech Republic 3-2 and clinch a quarterfinal spot.

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Now could anything ever be more popular in Melbourne than AFL,surely not Football. The Herald Sun's Alison Coster reports.

THE round-ball game continues to drive into Melbourne footy heartland.
In certain metropolitan pockets of Melbourne, junior AFL clubs are being outnumbered by soccer teams
In the Greater Dandenong area, there are only 16 Dandenong and Springvale teams in the Dandenong and District Junior AFL, down from 32 in 2003.

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(even though he's an Aston Villa fan)

:P

My mate Nigel Boyle is currently on telly having a doomed relationship with a football!!!! (It's okay though, he's the face of the ITV Euro 2008 football adverts)

Watch ITV's Euro 2008 football ad here

Well done Nige Click to continue reading...

It's where football is the most unpopular. Two of the most populated countries in the world China and the US as far as all players according to Fifa's Big Count have the most participation in the sport. So, why are the countries not better represented on the global stage?

You think it might have anything to do with the bureaucracy of the countries governing bodies?

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Chris Campasano and I were chatting a few days ago and he pointed me to this article All in the Hips by Jim Kielbaso, author of Speed & Agility Revolution and the Director of the Total Performance Training Center in Wixom, Mich.

It's a very good but technical read if your not in his field but, I certainly recommend reading it if you're interested in getting some interesting and helpful hip exercises.

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