Watching football in the house of Cholo.
Following the dismissal of Jose Mourinho from the hot seat at Chelsea, one of the names mentioned as a the long-term replacement is Diego Simeone, currently managing Atletico Madrid in La Liga. There’s a relationship already in place between the two clubs with players moving between them. Could El Cholo be the next one to move from the Vicente Calderon to Stamford Bridge? If the Bookies are right it could well be the case. There is however, something special in the fit between the Simeone and Atleti. It’s something that just works; something that may not be transferable. It’s something I experienced earlier this year. Continue reading →
Of Galician dreams and a man with a suitcase.
In England there was the time when Michael Thomas made sure ‘it was for grabs’ as Arsenal snaffled the title away from Liverpool with a late smash and grab raid at Anfield. Then, back in 2012, we had Martin Tyler’s famous ‘Agueroooooo’ moment. Needing a victory to secure their first league title in over forty years, Manchester City entered injury time trailing 2-1 at home to QPR. For the first, and so far only, time in Premier League history however, a team performed the oracle of turning a deficit into victory during the brief time added on by the referee, and City lifted the trophy. For the sky blue-decked City fans, the word ‘tense’ didn’t even come close, but at least they had that glorious release of victory at the final denouement. In the Estadio Riazor in 1994, fans of Galician club Deportivo de La Coruña had waited much longer and were not so fortunate. Had a key man played his part in the outcome of the game a week or so before though? Continue reading →
Jock and the Giantkillers.
Wallace catches a cross in the game that defined the term ‘shock result’ in Scottish football history.
This is a story that’s been flitting in and out of my consciousness for some time now, apparently just waiting for me to write it; in fact it’s been prodding me along for knocking on half a century or so. Not that I would even have contemplated such a thing as a callow youth, all those years ago. Sometimes, though fate prods you enough times and you get the message. Continue reading →
In praise of the left (foot, that is!)
Football has often been described as the people’s game. Rich or poor, all can indulge in the enjoyment of kicking a ball around, simply because that’s all you need. The ‘beautiful game’ has no need for expensive accessories such as special clothing or particular equipment. If you’ve got a ball, you’ve got a game. To steal the old hackneyed phrase, throw in some ‘jumpers for goal-posts’ and you’ve even got a match.
Some sports however are less egalitarian, making it difficult for one particular segment of societies around the world to compete. I’m talking about the left-handed and left-footed. You simply aren’t allowed to play polo left-handed and if inclined to do so in hockey it can only be achieved with a ‘reversed stick.’ Whilst some other sports don’t deny the ‘right to be left’ it does make it more difficult to be naturally involved. Left-handed golf clubs are a rarity and for some reason more expensive than right-handed ones. The same applies to left-handed cricket bats – yes, there are such things. Continue reading →
The man who made Benfica Champions of Europe – and then cursed them for 100 years.
The manager who won two European Cups for Benfica, and later ‘cursed’ them not to win another for 100 years.
In sport, especially within the often wildly unpredictable world of football, there is rarely anything like a guaranteed winning bet. The Europa League Final on 14th May 2014 was however, probably as close to being a ‘dead cert’ as almost anything ever is when the ‘beautiful game’ is involved. Bet on Sevilla to beat Benfica and lift the trophy, was the call. It’s as close to being brass in the bank as any bet can ever be. Honestly! Would I lie to you? On paper it appeared to be a close contest. Both clubs had enjoyed a reasonably successful season, and had deservedly reached the showpiece final in Turin. That was as may be, but it didn’t mean backing Sevilla wasn’t a good money shot. Continue reading →
Franco Baresi – “That’s exactly it. He was special.”
Franco Baresi – Hero of the Milam tifosi and perhaps the best defender ever to grace the beautiful game.
Describing the defender that he had played alongside for so many glorious years in the Rossoneri, backline, Paolo Maldini, in an interview with Jamie Carragher said: “That’s exactly it. He was special.” In that simple phrase, he encapsulated the aura and majesty of a player who graced the famous red and black as a ‘one club’ player. A hero of the tifosi on the Curva Sud at the Stadio Guiseppe Meazza San Siro in the Lombardian city of Milan and the man for whom AC Milan retired the number six shirt; the incomparable Franco Baresi. Continue reading →
Dead Poets Société.
The 1982 World Cup semi-final between France and West Germany was one of the most talked about games of all time.
Sometimes football is bigger than a single match. ‘The Game’ is bigger than the game. No matter that a particular match may carry great significance in its own right, sometimes what it represents, what it portrays, what it speaks of to the watching world is much more important. Even if the match is a World Cup semi-final, a mere single step down from the most important match in world football. Even if there’s historical antagonism of armed conflicts between the protagonists. Even then. The significance of it to football as a whole and how it should be perceived can even be bigger than that.
It’s eighth July 1982. The venue is the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, in Seville, Spain. It’s the semi-final of the World Cup between West Germany and France. A game that Michel Platini, captain of France and the leader of a French team full of flowering romanticism, suggesting an apparent ennui at the fatalism of life expressed by football, later described as something that, “No film or play could ever recapture so many contradictions and emotions. It was complete. So strong. It was fabulous.” His summary neatly fits with the image of the French team as poets eschewing concern of any future consequences, merely lost in the moment. Extravagant and grand gestures dominating the imagery, and ignoring tomorrow. It was however not fabulous in the way it spoke to the world as to how the game should be played. How it should be loved and cherished. Simply put, the result was wrong. Continue reading →
The political football – British Prime Ministers and the beautiful game
Home of the person who plays the number ten role..
Back in 1966, with the country basking in the glory of being World Champions, Prime Minister Harold Wilson took the opportunity to fold his political party into the celebrations by declaring that England only win the World Cup, when Labour are in power. Four years later, England were knocked out by West Germany at the quarter-final stage in Mexico. A few short days later, as the country voted Wilson out of office, he was at great pains to say that ‘the result of a football match does not affect the governance of the country.’ Whether that’s true or not, there’s a bit of a history over the past 50 years between those in residence at 10 Downing Street and the beautiful game. Continue reading →
Chelsea flop Jokanovic leads the Glory Hornet Boys back to the Premier League.
When Slavisa Jokanovic was appointed manager of Watford, few within the English game knew anything of him. Chelsea fans did, but their memories would not have stirred any great optimism for success.
Until October last year, mention the name of Slavisa Jokanovic to any English football fan, and you’ll probably have received a fairly blank expression in return. Mention it to a Chelsea fan of any vintage at all, and you’ll probably get a wry smile, and a nod of fairly unqualified contempt. Continue reading →
Pak Doo-Ik: North Korea’s 1966 exploits and the fame, shame and rehabilitation of Middlesbrough’s favourite ‘Chollima.’
The goal that launched North Korea into World Cup folklore. Pak Doo-Ik guides the ball past Albertossi in the Italian goal to give the North Koreans a 1-0 victory over the Azzurri.
Sometimes, you hear a fact, notice a name or log a date in your memory in the obscure hope that someday, you’ll be in a pub quiz team, or watching a television programme where someone will say something like, ‘Can anyone remember the name of the goal-scorer when North Korea beat Italy in the 1966 World Cup. And up you’ll jump, full of a confidence bordering on arrogance and say, “Yes, I do. Yes, I do!” Continue reading →
Gary Thacker 