Ball, Ball, Ball, Footie, Footie, Footie

[Jon AS]

So football is back on in Germany and Werder promptly crashed out of the cup against Dortmund. Crap. Bremen dominated the game to a ridiculous degree, then Dortmund scored from the one good move they had in the entire first half. After that it went back to Werder laying siege to Dortmund's goal, but without creating really good scoring opportunities. Then Dortmund scored a second goal, then Bremen got a penalty, which Diego converted, and then a second one, which he missed. Should have stuck with his usual corner, thinking too hard about where to put the ball is never a good idea. Oh well, that's that, though I am pretty sure that Dortmund's goalkeeper should have been send off for the foul that led to the second penalty. But the Bundesliga is more important anyway, and there is still the UEFA Cup.

[Horus Ex Machina]

And Nigeria make it to the next round thanks to a very strong Côte d'Ivoire. Looks like Drogba and friends are the best bet to win this tournament, not spectacular but very effective against a strong Mali side and this even though they rested several players.

I have had a good day today. Côte d'Ivoire and Didier Drogba came though for me in a big way and beat Mali 3-0 and John Mikel Obi scored the first goal and set up Yokubu for a second as Nigeria beat Benin 2-0. So we're through! We're through! We're through! We're through! We're through!

Finally able to watch the game. I've been avoiding finding the results all day at work but now that Nigeria is through, a big weight is lifted from my shoulders. On to play the host Ghana, but that's alright. It will be tough but nothing is tougher than getting that first goal of the cup. Getting through the group stage will take alot of pressure off too. No Nigerian team has failed to go through since '82 so that was a big gorilla on our backs. Obi Mikel finally proved that he can be a playmaker by scoring the first goal and setting up the other. Now we're legitimate contenders.

[Mathis]

Ivory Coast look the team to beat, even with Ghana as hosts. Drogba is a beast.

[The Inquisitor]

Well, this just made my day.

Apparently, Zidane wants to return to Real Madrid.

Of course, this story is mostly ran by "AS" ( so zero credibility), but it would be a dream come true to have Zidane training our junior squads, and looking after our "cantera". Even better would be to have him back in the number 5 all white jersey, but that's science fiction.

He still lives in Madrid, and his children go to school and play in the "cantera" (junior teams and home grown players). The other day I saw some photos of his eldest son Enzo (named after the great "El Principe": Enzo Francescoli) playing with the number 10 jersey... he had the same technical gestures and gait as his father. Again another dream, but it would be phenomenal if his sons turned good football players and gave Real Madrid years of success. (better still if they played for Spain and gave us the WC!!)

Anyway, this prospect of having Zizou back managing the cantera is a bliss.

[Horus Ex Machina]

Côte d'Ivoire look the team to beat, even with Ghana as hosts. Drogba is a beast.

fixed

One thing that Drogba does so well that I never really payed attention to before is his midfield play. He plays so well in support of his midfielders. He's not afraid to drop back into defense if that will help his team. He earns his armband on this team.

This is one of the greatest stories in the evolution of African football. Not even 10 years ago the story would have been completely reversed. It was unheard of for an African NT to feature strikers who were willing to drop back to even support the midfield, let alone defense. Yet time and again it wasn't unusual, unfortunately, for defenders on say Nigeria like Celestine Babayaro or Taribo West to be caught out of position and up with the strikers and give up ridiculous counterattack goals that could and should have been easily avoided had they actually stayed on defense (here's an ).

This Côte d'Ivoire team is a perfect example of the evolution of African sides who play the right way. Even my Nigerian team who I have berated constantly throughout this tournament because of their lack of scoring. But the one thing that's often easy to overlook is how disciplined they've been defensively. The reason that they're through: they've only given up one goal; and that was to a CIV team that racked up 7 goals against their other two opponents. Without Salomon Kalou's stunning run into the heart of the Nigerian defenders, that game might have ended 0-0. Nigeria's defense is the one story which has never been a story in the history of Nigerian football.

I (very) grudgingly must give kudos to Berti Vogts for this. He said that he wanted to play counterattacking football and build the team from the back line going forward. One thing that Nigeria did that shows their growing level of maturity as an FA, (despite my previous complaints about Vogts after the Mali game) is in giving Vogts a vote of confidence before the Benin game. It took the pressure off of the team and the coach and that is something that I've never seen out of this FA that moves me. Although there was a bit more longball played in the Mali game than I would have liked, midfield play made a great return to Nigeria's game in the Benin game and Chelsea's John Mikel Obi was the prime beneficiary.

Welcome to the African Cup of Nations Obi Mikel! It only took you three games to get here. Your teammates Drogba and Essien arrived about a week ago. Where have you been?

[koudoulis]

seriously now, what exactly does ronaldo think he is doing? two goals and still on the 13th minute. why are the rest of the players paid for? and that free kick.. i d like someone to explain me the ball's trajectory.. or explain to the goalkeeper at least

[DJDonegal]

Ronaldo clearly read the story of Ferguson "promising" him a pay rise if he reaches 30 league goals this season - and he's now on 19 with 14 games to go. For a player of Ronaldo's quality, and on the form he's on - it's a very achievable target.

Which is astonishing considering that he's a midfielder, only 22 (I say only - the man's practically a veteran of Premiership football) and nobody has scored 30+ league goals in a season Thierry Henry in 03-04. And to be as prolific as Henry is something special.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. He's still on 19 - which is already 2 higher than he scored last season with 14 games to go. Scary stuff.

[Isis]

And I was going to say that the draws are killing me. Ha ha ha ha hah ah ah ah ah ah ah

:|

:cry:

[Lord Baelish]

I don't know who can stop United this season (in the Prem at least - they have a tendency to choke away from home in Europe). Arsenal are still level on points, which is a hell of an achievement considering United have won something like 19 of their last 22 league games. But I don't think Arsenal can maintain a challenge unless United begin to slip up. Chelsea are close still, grinding out results. I think their success or failure will depend on how they perform at home to United, Arsenal and Liverpool. They haven't beaten any of them this season, so they could well slip up.

As for Liverpool ... another slip-up against West Ham. 17 points behind Arsenal and Man Utd in a season where their fans were confident of getting the title. Now they'll struggle to qualify for the Champions League unless they win it and UEFA let them back in again. I'm really hopeful that either Aston Villa or Everton will take that 4th spot. It will be nice to have someone else up there.

And yes, Ronaldo is scarily good. I still don't like him much (spends too much time falling over and crying), but he is the best player in the world at the moment. I don't know how he failed to win Player of the Year last year. Arsenal and Chelsea just have to hope he picks up an injury, as United won't be the same without him.

[cteresa]

My baby *sniff* is becoming something scary... btw he is almost almost 23, I think his birthday is when we play Italy next week. Last year we played Brazil arund his birthday, becoming sort of a tradition, then he got the captain´s armband as a one-off for the first time. Except with injuries and lack of form, he got it already a few more times due to seniority this past year. The scary thing now is only Ricardo (does not count as captain) and Nuno Gomes (injured often lately) got more caps than him. Simão as well, but he does not always start and has been injured, so yeah, our current captain is sort of 22. we are in transition guys, no kidding. Oh, Scolari cracked the whip harder now, Miguel was not called, Miguel Veloso and Manuel Fernandes are out of favour and presumably with the under-21s till they get their nightlife under control ( I wonder who had the fat ass Scolari talked about. MV probably).

And I so wanted to have seen the Juve-Inter! I am reading about it, and zomg that sounds amazing! and Balotelli, wow, he has got to be due more serie A starts, two goals against Juve, wow. Looking promissing to Italy when he finally becomes an Italian citizen. we were talking of african players and european, and Balotelli seems a strange example. Technically he is a citizen of Ghana, except he probably never was there in his life, he was born in Italy and adopted by italian parents, except can only get citizenship after his 18th birthday - to me, he is italian, and Italy got far more rights to claim him than Ghana.

[Korax]

The Andy Webster tribunal decision could have some interesting effects. He used the new FIFA rules that allow players to walk away from their contracts (after 3 years if they're under 28, 2 years if older); Hearts sued him and Wigan for £4.5 million, it went to a tribunal and now they've said that all Hearts are owed is £330k, the equivalent of Webster's wages for the remainder of his contract. Hard to tell what the impact will be, though I'd imagine there'll be a noticeable reduction in transfer fees, certainly for anyone over 26.

[koudoulis]

The Andy Webster tribunal decision could have some interesting effects. He used the new FIFA rules that allow players to walk away from their contracts (after 3 years if they're under 28, 2 years if older); Hearts sued him and Wigan for £4.5 million, it went to a tribunal and now they've said that all Hearts are owed is £330k, the equivalent of Webster's wages for the remainder of his contract. Hard to tell what the impact will be, though I'd imagine there'll be a noticeable reduction in transfer fees, certainly for anyone over 26.

seriously man, this happens all the time. why do you think big players sign new contracts every two years.

[Paddy]

So Beckham's been left out of the England squad. Seems like his chances of getting cap #100 are rather slim now.

Unless Capello is willing to relent in a few months time or so and is just sending a message for his first game in charge. Though it probably is a message anyway.

And Jermaine Defoe's gone to Portsmouth. Can't say I'm terribly surprised. I hope he has a better time of it there.

[The Inquisitor]

So Beckham's been left out of the England squad. Seems like his chances of getting cap #100 are rather slim now.

Unless Capello is willing to relent in a few months time or so and is just sending a message for his first game in charge. Though it probably is a message anyway.

Come on Fabio, give Becks his 100th cap!

He deserves at least that... and with a whole year ahead without an official match for the pross, it hardly matters at all.

[The Man Who]

I think Beckham still has a chance of getting his hundredth cap, but also possibly more, whereas if he had been called up to get 100 now it would be a token gesture of saying goodbye.

Capello didn't pick him because he hasn't been playing but I'm sure he will be considered once Capello considers him match fit and match ready.

[Paddy]

I know I'm late on this one, but I just read that Spurs paid £8million on Jonathon Woodgate??

He's alright, but surely he's not £8m. I recall him being roasted multiple times by Cristiano Ronaldo last season.

[mormont]

seriously man, this happens all the time. why do you think big players sign new contracts every two years.

The implications are rather more far-reaching than you seem to suppose... basically, any contract longer than two years is now virtually worthless - unless it includes a buyout clause. (And if it does, the club has to pay the player that money if they want to break it.) Buying clubs will know exactly how much they have to pay to acquire a player after two years on a contract, down to the penny, and it will be a fraction of their current market worth.

More to the point, even in the first two years this disrupts things hugely. The current situation where players can sit out the last 6 months of their contract just got moved up: after the first year of your contract is up, you know - and the club knows - you have only one year to wait to be effectively in control of your own destiny. Remember, this ruling says that the willingness of the player's current club to sell is irrelevant. The player can simply walk away from the contract (on payment of the compensation) and play for whoever he likes. So you now have every player effectively in a pre-Bosman situation 18 months into his deal. Clubs will have to renegotiate annually to hold onto players.

You might think this is a good thing, but the effect on players below the elite will be devastating. Job security for these players will be a thing of the past (where it isn't already). A two-year deal will be as good as it gets. On the other hand, for a small group of elite players who already earn obscene amounts of money, the clubs will have an incentive to pay them as much as possible to inflate the value of their contracts.

The effect on transfer fees and youth development are also notable. Big clubs become even more powerful in the market and can poach promising young players even more easily and cheaply.

In other words, this takes all the problems with Bosman and inflates them even further.

A good example is Dimitar Berbatov. He can walk away from his current deal next summer for £1.3m. Tottenham have no hope of holding onto him. They can offer to renegotiate his current deal - but why would he accept? Even if the money was double his current wage, he knows he can earn more in the long run by refusing to extend.

I know I'm late on this one, but I just read that Spurs paid £8million on Jonathon Woodgate??

He's alright, but surely he's not £8m. I recall him being roasted multiple times by Cristiano Ronaldo last season.

Spurs' transfer fees are insane.

[koudoulis]

yeah thats how things are , all i said that this "rule" stands for a three four years now.

its not something new

You might think this is a good thing, but the effect on players below the elite will be devastating. Job security for these players will be a thing of the past (where it isn't already). A two-year deal will be as good as it gets. On the other hand, for a small group of elite players who already earn obscene amounts of money, the clubs will have an incentive to pay them as much as possible to inflate the value of their contracts.

i am not so sure that it will be that it is so devastating to below the elite players. It seems that most clubs still sign 3 and 4 years contract. at least thats how things run here. usually when a player gets noticed they offer him a new deal and then they sell him. usually players agree cause of good will towards the club i suppose. i see how how that can change in the future though.

[cteresa]

The Andy Webster tribunal decision could have some interesting effects. He used the new FIFA rules that allow players to walk away from their contracts (after 3 years if they're under 28, 2 years if older); Hearts sued him and Wigan for £4.5 million, it went to a tribunal and now they've said that all Hearts are owed is £330k, the equivalent of Webster's wages for the remainder of his contract. Hard to tell what the impact will be, though I'd imagine there'll be a noticeable reduction in transfer fees, certainly for anyone over 26.

The law in Portugal, players can buy their contracts by paying more or less the value of their salaries till the end of the contract. I remember some foreign press drooling about how some players could be gotten very cheaply ( Moutinho? Veloso? can not recall) except they missed the crucial point, this is valid only in the portuguese league for portuguese clubs, international transfers, it´s FIFA rules - and there are a lot of joint ownerships making a lot of deals international. Also the three big clubs signed some sort of non-agression pact to not invoke that law against each other, and all stays the same.

BTW that law, wasn´t it a part of the Bosman rulings? For age 30, now moved to age 26? Meaning contracts will just have to be renewed more often, and for longer, and salaries might rise. In a way it´s a bit strange such huge transfer fees compared to actual salaries - footballers earn obscene ammounts, but in a few other sports they earn even more.

[mormont]

yeah thats how things are , all i said that this "rule" stands for a three four years now.

its not something new

In a sense, no, it isn't: the rule has been there for a while. But other than Andy Webster, no player has tried to use it. This is the first time it has been enforced. And the key part, the level of compensation payable, has not been decided until this case. So this is something new, in effect.

i am not so sure that it will be that it is so devastating to below the elite players. It seems that most clubs still sign 3 and 4 years contract.

But the implication of this ruling is that this will not continue to be the case. There's no point in a club offering a deal longer than a player can actually be held to.