EPL Talk » Argentina

It’s Arrogant to Call Internationals Boring

Richard Whittall — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 02:00:40 +0000

Gentleman, let us put away childish things.

Yes, international breaks can provide some godawful football. Yes, it doesn’t seem fair for a player to risk injury for a team he plays with only five times a year and miss games for the club that employs him on a weekly basis. Yes, nations like Lichtenstein don’t give much bang for your underdog dollar when facing Germany.

But to call international football boring, to curse the name of the foreign sounding manager who would dare call up your club star to represent the nation that raised him, to rant on whatever message board or blog that will let you about the inanity of Wales versus Finland, France versus Lithuania, is arrogant in the extreme.

Hatred for the international break comes from the same school of thought that calls for the abolishment of the Carling Cup, the FA Cup, and the speedy introduction of the European Super League. If the same nations always seem to advance in international tournaments, the absurd logic goes, why not give them an automatic berth and have everyone else duke it out over the summer?

Well, for one, things change in international football, if maybe not fast enough for the club supporter who mentally erases the club season just as soon as it’s over. Hungary were considered a global footballing power in the 1950s, along with Austria in the 1920s. Yugoslavia, Denmark and Greece have more European Championships than England. Hell, Uruguay twice as many World Cups as England. Brazil was once considered small potatoes in South America, and Argentina didn’t participate in international tournaments for two decades out of fear of embarrassment. Who’s to say Ivory Coast, South Korea, or even the United States won’t one day win a World Cup?

Sure, these are established footballing countries with ambitious national programs, but what about San Marino and the Faroe Islands? These tiny nations are unlikely to take a national tournament by storm, but is it fair to take away the right of nations to compete in the most popular game on the planet just because you get a bit bored one Saturday or Wednesday out the season? If you ask any professional footballer, they will often point to international caps as the highlight of their career. It could be something curmudgeonly club-shirted punters, Best-Of DVDs in hand, might never understand.

Diego Maradona Returns to the International Football Scene

James Harris — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 02:00:04 +0000

As Diego Maradona prepares to return to the forefront of international football it is quite fitting that he will make his managerial debut of the Argentine national squad in the cauldron of all English hatred, Hampden Park. Anyone that can somehow contribute to the demise of the England national football team is embraced with great affection north of the border, and it is no surprise that Maradona has been afforded cult hero status once again as he prepares his side to face Scotland in a friendly on Wednesday.

Before we get going let me preclude this by stating that in his prime Maradona was one of the best players to have ever played the game. His talents and skills driving the midfield of a powerful Argentina team made them a fearsome force in the sport. In terms of technical skills, he was one of the best. Note, I say one of the best. Many, consider him to be the greatest player to have ever played, and if you consider his own self-proclamations of footballing genius, maybe that is not surprising.

However, let us get something straight up front. Pele is bar none, the best player to have graced the world’s most popular sport. Pele, not only led his team to an unprecedented three World Cup championships in four tournaments, but off the field, he is a class act, a diplomat for the game, for his country, a true legend. To even try to put the subject of this article on a par with Pele is beyond laughable. Unless that is, you are able to make a case for Pele being an arrogant, cheating, drug-addicted egomaniac oblivious to anything outside of his own pathetic life. I seriously doubt that you can. Wait, did I say that out loud? Guess I’m not caught up in the latest edition of Maradona mania.

Argentina are a perennial world power of football that boast a wealth of talent in the likes of Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano, Sergio Aguero, Lucho Gonzalez, and Maxi Rodriguez to name but a few. The rivalry, bordering on hatred between England and Argentina is well documented but in terms of footballing talent I give credit where it’s due. Don’t get me wrong; when our nations match up, I am as fanatical as any red-blooded Englishman vying for the Lions to bury the despised men in blue and white stripes. I still have the shirt depicting Beckham’s glory after scoring the penalty to beat the enemy at the 2002 World Cup finals – dubbed by some as the “Foot of God.”

The notorious, “Hand of God” incident in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal match between England and Argentina ignited the fuel of hatred towards Maradona and left a foul taste after an otherwise enthralling battle between two very good teams. Before that incident, I felt he was a dangerous player that could derail our dreams of a world title. His second goal in that infamous match was truly an amazing feat as he dribbled over half the length of the field leaving five English players in his tracks, confirmed that fear. Sickening but amazing, and later described by England manager Bobby Robson as “a miracle.”

Being defeated on the field is acceptable, it’s hard to take, but when the game is over, if you come out on the losing end, even the most fervent and bias fan has to accept that their team ultimately lost to a better opponent. What true fans cannot accept is getting so close only to have their dreams shattered by such blatant cheating and then having that same player declare his act as the work of God. So God’s a football fan and he (or she) apparently has it in for England. Come to think of it though with the amount of tournaments that we’ve lost on penalty shoot-outs, maybe the little twit was onto something.

Back to Diego and he returned to the World Cup 4 years later as Argentina won through a series of penalty shoot-outs to advance to the final before losing to West Germany 1-0, on a penalty, in one of the dullest World Cup finals in history. USA ’94 ended Maradona’s international career when he was kicked out of the tournament for failing a drug test.

Maradona enjoyed incredible success at the club level reaching the peak of his playing career with Italian Serie A side Napoli. He played a major role in the team winning 2 Italian Championships and the UEFA Cup, amongst others during his time in Naples, and was the Italian Serie A top scorer in 1987. His drug addiction and a host of other personal problems ultimately led to his demise and he left Napoli in disgrace after serving a 15 month ban for testing positive for cocaine.

But, now after being through several rehabilitation programs, gastric surgery, a close brush with death, and spending some quality time with a few of his mates and idols in Cuba and Venezuela, he is ready to be born again and lead his beloved Argentina back to world glory on the football field. This latest venture begins Wednesday at the site where he scored his first international goal in 1979, and Hampden Park is the perfect venue to host the return of one of Scotland’s modern day patron saints. Trust me Mel Gibson has nothing on Diego and his hand puppets.

Ironically, Scotland’s assistant coach, Terry Butcher was on the field at the Azteca in 1986. I doubt that big-Tel will greet Maradona in the way that he really thinks befits this “legend” but, like any other England fan that remembers Mexico in ‘86, I also don’t think he will get carried away by the politically correct swath of adoration that has taken over the British media in the build up to the match.

If nothing else, it will be interesting to see how this latest chapter develops. In terms of justice, there will probably be none for the English fan unless, of course, our respective teams make it all the way to the 2010 final in South Africa, and God chooses to give England a hand, if he or she is really watching.

Top 10 Soccer Gifts To Add To Your Holiday Wish List

The Gaffer — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:00:16 +0000

Depending where you live in this crazy world, it might be almost impossible to find soccer-related gifts in your local stores whether it’s for you or your loved ones. But the Internet is a great aggregator, bringing you a treasure trove of choices. Here are ten recommended soccer items to add to your wish list whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or any other holiday:

Inverting The Pyramid: The History Of Football Tactics. The first-ever comprehensive history of football tactics has already been critically acclaimed after being named to the short list for Sports Book Of The Year Award in England. Written by Guardian journalist Jonathan Wilson, the book is a must-read for fans interested in tactics. Order it today.
Boot slippers. Yes, slippers that look like football boots in the colors of Liverpool, Manchester United and other clubs and even countries like Argentina. They’re the perfect accompaniment for those early Saturday mornings when you watch the Premier League with coffee in hand.
England home shirt. With Fabio Capello having kicked England up the backside, now’s the time to fit yourself into a stylish England home shirt with being snickered at by those football fans who support Brazil, Italy or Argentina.
Bloody Confused. The book by Chuck Culpepper is fast becoming a must-have in the collections of soccer fans who follow the Premier League. Bloody Confused tells the true story of how an American sports journalist moves to England and falls in love with the fascinating game as well as an unlikely club. Order the book today. Or listen to my interview with Culpepper.
Fulhamerica T-shirt. With Clint Dempsey leading the charge, the number of Americans at Craven Cottage are dwindling but the American love affair with Fulham is still alive and well. Support Dempsey and the memories of Americans McBride, Bocanegra and Johnson with the Fulhamerica T-shirt.
Real soccer scarf. There’s something about football scarves that has more of an appeal than replica football shirts. Maybe it’s the tradition. Or perhaps it’s the pleasure of wearing something so comfortable wrapped around your neck or face in your club colors? Whatever the psychological reason, a scarf is a wonderful gift — especially those from Ruffneckwear that are high quality, made from the best materials and delivered with great customer service.
Worldwide Soccer Manager. Everton announced last week that they signed a deal to use Football Manager (aka Worldwide Soccer Manager in the States) to scout players, such is the value and authenticity placed on this game. Go one up on real football managers by ordering the game yourself.
Show your true colors. Every follower of the Premier League needs to have a replica jersey of a favorite team or a club you admire. Instead of searching around the Internet from store to store, the EPL Talk Shop offers the widest selection of Premier League shirts for all 20 EPL clubs. Visit the shop to browse the selection of shirts.
Slingbox. It’s incredible that I don’t hear Slingbox mentioned that many times in soccer circles. It should be on the tis of the tongues of most soccer fans. Simply, it allows you to watch your TV set from anywhere around the world. So if you’re on the road, at work, on vacation or in a different room in your house and you have access to your computer or Blackberry, you can log into your TV and watch live games as if you’re there — or watch games you’ve taped on DVR. The possibilities are mindblowing. Read my review of it from Euro 2008, or go ahead and learn more details about buying it.
EPL Talk T-Shirt. If you’ve enjoyed reading EPL Talk during the past year and you want to show your support, please order an official EPL Talk T-shirt. The shirt reads “For Hardcore Soccer Nuts Only: EPL Talk” and features an image of several players in a defensive wall covering their crown jewels. The shirt is 100% cotton, made by Hanes (excellent quality) and will soon be a collector’s item (only a few shirts remain before they’re all gone forever). Size L. Order today for $15.99 delivered to your door (in the United States).

Visit more holiday and Christmas gift ideas for soccer fans including stocking stuffers, gift certificates and soccer gear for you and your loved ones.

Another Reason To Hate NBC’s Olympic Soccer Coverage

The Gaffer — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:35:28 +0000

Watching Brazil against Argentina in the semi-final of the Olympic games this morning, I felt like I was in a timewarp back to the late 1980’s. That’s because NBC, in their infinite stupidity, are breaking for TV commercials in the middle of the game.

And just as it routinely happened in the late 1980’s (including the 1986 World Cup when televised by U.S. TV), the broadcast of the game came back to show that a goal had been scored during a commercial.

Wake up NBC. It’s 2008. Let’s come up with a better solution for televising soccer matches that doesn’t include breaking for commercials.

Javier Mascherano And The Seven Nation Army

The Gaffer — Tue, 27 May 2008 08:00:09 +0000

When Jack White and Meg White of The White Stripes wrote the song Seven Nation Army, which was released in 2003, little did they know it’d be adopted and twisted and turned into a chant by Liverpool fans in support of their masterful midfielder Javier Mascherano.

If you’re not familiar with the version chanted by the Kop, watch the video below from a recent match against Arsenal. It’s also interesting to watch to get a perspective of how a match looks from the upper tiers of the Kop at Anfield.

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What are some of your favorite football chants or songs? Click the comments link and let us know.