by Brian Hall on September 2, 2010
Several EPL coaches, officials, and footballers have recently praised the new homegrown rule that forces EPL clubs to only name 25 active footballers on their roster for the duration of the season with 8 being considered homegrown, but many fans and footballers alike have pointed out the obvious fact that the rule can be easily manipulated and that young English players are not always guaranteed a spot on the roster even with the new rule.
Take Arsenal’s recent roster announcement as proof. The Gunners have zero English players listed on their current 20 man roster including their 7 homegrown spots due to the teenage acquisition of footballers like Spanish-born Cesc Fabregas. But Blackpool, on the other hand, does have 15 homegrown players currently on their roster with 12 of the 15 being eligible for the England national team. Read more... (386 words, 2 images, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)
by David Wilson on September 2, 2010
The ongoing anti-Glazer protests by a vocal minority of Manchester United fans seems to be having an effect as Manchester United have announced that they have failed to reach their target of season ticket sales this summer,
On not reaching their goal, Man United’s chief executive David Gill tried to spin it like this: Read more... (241 words, 1 image, estimated 58 secs reading time)
by Brian Hall on September 2, 2010
Manchester United chief executive David Gill recently admitted that the club failed to reach their targeted season ticket number of 54,000 by only a few thousand this season. And of course the Green and Gold protest against the Glazer’s ownership of the franchise is likely the result of why the club could not reach the reasonable goal. Read more... (452 words, 1 image, estimated 1:48 mins reading time)
by David Wilson on September 1, 2010
For the first time Premier League teams had to name a 25-man squad for the first half of the EPL season and there was a couple of surprises.
All 20 clubs had to submit a squad of up to 25 players containing no more than 17 players who do not qualify as homegrown. Homegrown players are classed as players who “irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday”. Read more... (1279 words, 1 image, estimated 5:07 mins reading time)
by Brian Hall on August 31, 2010
Usain Bolt has accomplished much more then your average twenty four year old. The record breaking Jamaican sprinter is not only an Olympic gold medalists, but by many sports critics accounts he is the best athlete in the entire world.
And the physical specimen recently admitted that he would love to tryout for another sport other then track and field. And sports franchise owners all around the world are all licking their chops at the thought of landing the 6″5 burner.
Imagine if Bolt played wide receiver in the NFL. Who could cover the fastest man alive? And if Bolt learned to dribble a basketball would he not make an unstoppable point guard? And in baseball put Bolt in center field and see if anything drops in. Read more... (408 words, 1 image, estimated 1:38 mins reading time)
by Damian Cooper on August 31, 2010
So as the dust settles until January, three of the seven transfers that were being rumoured as the day began actually happened. Gyan, Di Santos and Hleb all making the moves they were expected to make as the day started. Once again though as predicted, the 24 hour rolling news channels were making up their own stories. If Scott Parker had left West Ham in this transfer window then the Chariman would have had to leave West Ham as well. He came out weeks ago with a statement that would have made his position unteneable if Parker had gone. Yet the television got a lot of coverage out of the nothing story that he was on his way to Spurs. Read more... (329 words, 1 image, estimated 1:19 mins reading time)
by Brian Hall on August 31, 2010
It took 1,114 minutes for it to happen, but Wayne Rooney has scored yet again.
And I must pat myself on the back considering I predicted it to happen last weekend, but then again I also predicted Wayne Rooney to have a fantastic World Cup and we all know how that ended.
And perhaps scoring a goal via the penalty kick against lowly West Ham United is hardly a newsworthy story or celebratory occasion, but in the case of a horrific cold streak for arguably the league’s best player; I’m sure the popular Englishman will gladly take what he can at the moment. Read more... (396 words, 2 images, estimated 1:35 mins reading time)
by John Brandon on August 31, 2010
Rewind to July 2 and Asamoah Gyan scored three goals in four games in the World Cup. Winning a standing ovation in his sides match against Serbia. In the quarter final against Uruguay he then stepped up and fluffed a chance to write himself and Ghana in to record books as the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi final.
Many men would have hidden, simply sulked, felt sorry for themselves and seeked refuge in the warmth and comfort of his sides dressing room. Not Gyan he continued to battle on and took his sides first penalty in the shoot out and cooly slotted home in to the top corner to put his country a step closer to history. Obviously it didn’t happen but Gyan was making people stand up and take notice of his undoubted potential. Read more... (302 words, 1 image, estimated 1:12 mins reading time)
by Damian Cooper on August 31, 2010
Today is transfer deadline day in the EPL meaning that Premier League clubs have until 6pm London time to sign players before the window closes. The day is always rife with Speculation and the advent of 24 hour rolling sports news has fuelled that speculation further in recent years.
Avram Grant is on his phone down at the Boleyn Ground with rumours abound of Jamie O’Hara and Robbie Keane coming in. Scott Parker is sought after once again, and Hammers fans will be hoping that the Board do what they say and keep hold of Parker. Chairman David Sullivan issued a hands off warning a few weeks ago and said Parker was categorically going nowhere. That hasn’t stopped the rumours though. Read more... (374 words, 1 image, estimated 1:30 mins reading time)
by Brian Hall on August 30, 2010
Roberto Mancini has one of the best worst jobs in professional sports. Being the manager of a team as ambitious as Manchester City is right up there with being the head honcho of Notre Dame’s college football team or MLB’s the Chicago Cubs. In other words Mancini has been given a good product to put out on the field and the expectations are sky high this season for his Blues squad. The organization has spent the money and brought in the coveted players, so now is the time to win games for the top four hopefuls. Read more... (330 words, 1 image, estimated 1:19 mins reading time)
