2 Killer Techniques For Dribbling a Soccer Ball

It's just you, the sweeper and the goalie. Your approaching the sweeper thinking of what move you'll use to slip past him and then it happens. You trip and the ball continues to roll heading right for the sweeper like a present on his birthday. How could this have been avoided? By mastering the art of dribbling. Read on to learn 2 techniques that will assure this scenario never happens to you.

We all have seen how great the Brazilians are at ball control. But how do they do it? Rhythm. They are in tune with the ball like a seductive dance. Their upper bodies are relaxed which enables them to adjust their body and the ball to any situation that arises. If your upper body is stiff then so will your dribbling style and it's effectiveness.

The first technique as over viewed above is to keep your upper body loose and flexible. When you dribble you need to keep a low center of gravity, kind of like a running back in pro football. This can be achieved with a loose upper torso allowing the flexibility to propagate throughout your body. To train yourself to have a loose upper body, practice dribbling with your soccer balls having your palms facing forward. It sounds crazy but it works and allows your upper body to be more flexible and mobile.

The second technique involves your legs, more specifically your knees. To obtain optimum ball control keep your knees slightly bent. This, like the first technique will give you a better lower center of gravity. It enables you, the player, the ability to maneuver better with sudden and precise moves leaving your opposition dead in their tracks. A good drill to practice this is to dribble the ball and every 10 seconds or so, if you don't have a coach to blow the whistle, is to stop the ball with one of your knees. This will teach your body to dribble with the knees bent and also forces upper body movement as explained in the first technique.

Be sure to practice these two techniques often. They'll greatly increase your dribbling ability and improve your juking ability. With a lot of practice you won't have to worry about ever tripping over the ball a blowing a perfect opportunity at a goal.

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FA Cup Third Round Betting Review

There were not many surprises in the FA Cup third round, but the shock results in the minority were certainly spectacular ones.

Manchester United remain 9/2 second favourites despite whimpering to a goalless draw against non league Burton Albion. This was the second time in as many seasons the Reds have been held by Conference opposition, although it will mean a lucrative payday for Nigel Clough's side when the two sides replay at Old Trafford.

Middlesbrough were also held to a draw by Conference North side Nuneaton Borough. Former Leicester City apprentice Gez Murphy scored a 90 minute penalty to level matters after Gaizka Mendieta gave Boro the lead after 15 minutes.

Fulham became the first Premiership side to be dumped out of the Cup, going down 2-1 at home to League Two side Leyton Orient on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday proved to be a bad day for Premiership sides with Tottenham Hotspur the next victims. The perennial FA Cup underachievers surrendered a two goal lead at Leicester's Walkers Stadium with the Foxes winning an entertaining match 3-2. Despite the stunning victory, Championship outfit Leicester remain 200/1 underdogs to win the Cup.

Elsewhere it was business as usual for the Premiership sides. Chelsea, favourites at 11/4 needed an 81 minute winner to see off plucky Huddersfield while 11/2 third favourites Arsenal had a late scare against battling Cardiff but clung on for a 2-1 victory.

Liverpool (13/2) were involved in a remarkable match with Luton Town, in which they found themselves 3-1 down after the break, although three goals in 12 minutes restored the Reds lead to 4-3, with Xabi Alonso scoring from inside his own half at the death for Liverpool's fifth, a goal which earned one lucky punter over £25,000 after placing a bet on him achieving such a feat.

Blackburn despatched QPR by a convincing 3-0 as did Bolton away at Watford, while struggling Sunderland managed the same against non league Northwich Victoria.

A host of ties could only muster a single goal in the Premiership sides favour, with 25/1 Newcastle edging past Mansfield, Gareth Barry's goal being enough for Aston Villa (33/1) to see off Hull and 100/1 outsiders Portsmouth to win at Ipswich.

The third round isn't over for Everton who drew 1-1 at Millwall, a scoreline repeated by West Brom against Reading and Wigan Athletic against Leeds. Birmingham City could only muster a goalless draw at League Two side Torquay United.

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John Travolta Filmography - A Star-Studded Selection

The John Travolta filmography projects an awesome effect as it spans across a wide spectrum of period and genre. He first started his professional acting career in the early 1970's and has been actively involved since. His movie portfolio is able to knock many off their seats as he has appeared in a number of significant and memorable roles. His maiden appearance in the entertainment world started off as a cast in some minor television series. Appearing in a few episodes, that is probably the stepping stone onto better things ahead.

John Travolta is probably best known as the actor who danced so well. No one can forget the infamous strut from Saturday Night Fever. Right after making this hit, he moved on to a role as a grease monkey who sang his way into the female lead's heart. Many a heart of the female audience was broken as they swayed in rhythm to his crooners. Since most actors do not want to be associated with just a specific image, the time came to break out of the mold and delve in other sorts of roles. In expanding his prowess, he also took on comedic roles as the father of an infant boy who thought out aloud. With an equally hilarious team who co-starred as family members and pets, two sequels followed suit.

As time progressed, there was a change towards a more serious tone as seen in the John Travolta filmography. He took on the role as a gangster who could also take a spin on the dance floor. He also portrayed numerous action heroes as disgruntled individuals who decided to take for themselves regardless of law and order. Later on, a gender-reversing role as the insecure and rather large mother of a cherubic and equally large daughter propelled him to another level of stardom. As this role, he got an opportunity to show off his first love of song and dance to the newer crowd of movie goers.

In addition to taking on forefront or supporting roles in his professional acting career, he has also been a producer and writer for some. There are also productions whereby he portrayed himself in guest star spots, documentaries, interviews and award ceremonies.

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Does Your Team Play Most Games in an Empty Stadium? Think Loyalty, it is a Gift That Keeps on Giving

We can not understand the role of marketing in football without understanding the concept of loyalty in the game. Football is characterized by assumptions. There is a belief that football fans are very loyal to their clubs, rain or sunshine they will be there for it. This belief is responsible for the low level of activity in marketing football as compared to other forms of business. Research about loyalty in football has been carried out and the assumption of deep loyalty to the game is far from the truth.

Dr Alan Tapp a Senior Lecturer at the Bristol Business School, University of West England carried out a research about fan loyalty vis-à-vis their clubs for a period of five years. The results completely shattered the assumption of fan undying loyalty for their clubs. This research was done in England, a country arguably with the best fan experience in the football loving world.

Dr Tapp discovered that not all supporters have the same level of loyalty. He discovered that the game has fanatics, repertoire football lovers (just love the game) and at the bottom of the rank we have the carefree casuals. The fanatics will go for every game involving their team and know everything about their team. The repertoire fans will go to enjoy football per say, if they can (they see game as another entertainment option) and the casual carefree will support from afar, just waiting for results. Do majority of football fans fall into the last category? This research tells us that football customers (fans) though they can not be categorized in the traditional business sense, because their loyalty does not purely depend on success of their teams, but in the same breath it can not be taken for granted.

What does this research tell us in a nut shell? It tells us that football should take the issue of marketing as serious as other businesses because people do not have similar affinity to the team they favor. There is no undying loyalty across the board among the supporters. People do love football yes, but they can switch to other entertainment if ignored or if their team struggles. The fans do not stop supporting the team, they simply withdraw their custom. Because football is not similar to other businesses this custom is not easily transferable to another team, this means that the industry of football loses in totality. In South Africa for example, football fans seem to have withdrawn their custom and football as a whole is losing.

There is need for football to realize the uniqueness of football fans and remedy the situation. Fans crave contact with the team and this is what football has denied them. To most fans clubs are shrouded in mystery and secrecy. Most fans know the clubs training ground only by name. They can not tell you with certainty, where the clubs next game will be because there is constant walk about. Due to these and many more anomalies fans have easily and often drifted away. This situation can be remedied by clubs becoming more fan centred. Creative marketing similar to what other businesses have done should come into play. This is achievable through a process I have termed as attract, engage and entertain then repeat. In short fan relationship management which is similar to customer relationship management. This is a one on one relationship with fans.

Attraction:

This process involves the team putting into place activities and actions that will bring your club closer to its supporters. It starts by the club defining its base community. This is very critical because every club must have a founding community and build from there. Manchester United started in Manchester and went global, Liverpool and Everton around Liverpool. In London we have the likes of Chelsea, Fullham and Arsenal. This source community makes the nucleus of your marketing projects. Their close proximity to your team makes it affordable to reach them and easy to attract for matches. If you ignore your community, you are like the opposing team. You are both strangers.

On defining your source area you then introduce community projects that ensure that the club is visible in the community every day. Every day is exactly what I mean. Derby County Football Club (in the UK) in its 2005/06 customer charter planned to have 40,000 impacts in its community - Derbyshire. This was done through a multiplicity of school, and community activities.

The list of projects that the club can introduce in the community and spearhead is endless; it would only be limited by the creativity of the staff concerned. The trick is that every working day the club's "community team" must be out there reaching out to community. This visibility of the team's community staff in the target community will increase the team's loyalty a few notches. Your fans get very close to your club and easily relate to your cause. Closeness builds fondness of the club amongst the community. It makes the fan believe that you are in it together. They respond by filling the stadium.

Engage:

Your staff should keep a register of all prospects and fans they come across. This is what is called creating a database. Use this database to engage your fans. Send them information, questionnaires, results, anything to keep a conversation going. This is the attention they crave from your team and it is what they are not getting. This is what deepens loyalty further. In their minds you are a team to die for.

There is technology to keep this process extremely easy for you.

Entertain:

Having been close to your community, armed with your database and having created a relationship with your fans, it is now easy invite them for matches when the chips are down. They will respond because they know you are in it together.

When your fans show up at the stadium entertain them to the highest degree possible. And you do not real need to do much here. All you have to do is to make sure that the fans know the club songs. Have song initiators and let every one sing. The atmosphere is what fans are looking for and this is what pulls in more fans.

The process of attracting, engaging and entertaining constantly will quickly fill your stadium. This is what teams like Liverpool in England mastered and it is what Bloemfontein Celtics in South Africa is trying to do.

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Soccer Team Tour to Italy - A "Player Experience"

When the members of the '94 Wilmington N.C Cape Fear Beakers Boys Soccer Club departed for Perugia, Italy, they did not know what to expect. They did know, however, that they would be training and participating in an international tournament that included players from several European countries as well as the United States and Canada. Their coach, Antonio Saviano, tried to get them to understand that many of their opponents would be bigger, stronger, faster and better skilled than the players they were used to facing. There would also be the issue of playing on a larger field with Eleven players a side, instead of the usual eight vs. eight they were used to.

When they got to Italy, their week was laid out for them. There would be two training sessions, morning and afternoon, for Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday would be a sightseeing day and a chance to rest. Thursday through Saturday they would compete I an eleven-team tournament with at least two games a day. The championship finale would take place on Saturday afternoon.

At 9:30 Monday morning they all boarded the bus buzzing with excitement as they headed off to their first session. Although jet-lagged from arriving the prior day, their enthusiasm overcame sleep deprivation. The parents spent the late morning relaxing in town, sightseeing, shopping and sipping cappuccinos. When the team bus returned for lunch, however, the lack of sleep and demanding training session had obviously taken its toll. They boys were exhausted and were told to eat lunch and go to their rooms to rest and recover before their afternoon session. Eleven year old Jack Sordellini was among more than a few players who wondered "what did I get myself into?" He rallied, however, for next session, as well as the two on Tuesday, but was always happy to return to the hotel to eat, swim with his teammates at the pool and just relax. Wednesday was a welcome day off, and many members of the team toured Rome and other parts of this beautiful country.

On Thursday the games finally began. Jack could not wait and it did not take long for him to get what he came for. Playing at the right wing, it seemed that every ball in the first 10 minutes of the match were played to his part of the field and he was forced to make several long runs. The size and speed of his opponents was as advertised and the larger field along with the pace of the game tested his stamina. Once again he wondered if he was in over his head. The game finally settled into a less frenetic pace and the boys from Wilmington realized that they could compete with their stronger opponents. This first game ended scoreless in regulation time and Wilmington won on penalty kicks. They played the balance of the schedule in a similar fashion, and although they did not make the tourney finals, they clearly earned respect. Their confidence grew with each match, both on and off the field.

Alex Gianoplus, 12, heard people in the crowd chanting his name, but who were they and how did they know his name? Were they cheering for him or against? Invited to be a guest goalie playing for an Italian team, he did not understand the words that his teammates were saying to him, but he got the general idea: keep the ball out of the net.

Even though the weather was hot, over 90 degrees, Alex was outfitted with a long sleeve jersey and his socks were pulled up over his knees. The artificial turf, which was 10+degrees hotter than the air temperature, had given both of his knees and his elbows a nice layer of raw skin. That was the price he paid as he had spent the week during practice and games hurling his body in every direction making acrobatic saves.

But now he was playing in the semi-finals as a guest goalie for Italy and he could hear his name being called from the stands. As the opposition skillfully advanced the ball toward him on the attack, he was amazed at the accuracy of their passes. As he followed the play to the left he sensed that the ball would be crossed to the other side. In a split second the ball was redirected to his right and out of nowhere one of the attackers rushed the goal in perfect time to deflect it with his head toward the net. Alex instinctively lunged to his right and extended both arms. The ball seemed to be already in the net when Alex's out stretched arms punched it to the corner of the field, where one of his defenders cleared it down field. As he landed on his tender elbows he heard the rhythmic chant from the crowd: ALEX! ALEX! ALEX! "Hmm. I guess they are rooting for me" he thought.

When the game ended Alex came up to the stands to watch the next game. He learned that his new fan club was a group of players who had a vested interest in a victory for Alex's team. Alex sat among his new friends getting acquainted, joking ,watching the game and exchanging sweaty jerseys as souvenirs. Although there was a language barrier, they clearly knew they had a common bond.

Later, after the top two teams played for the championship, all of the teams and their parents went down to the field for an awards ceremony. The host of the tournament stood before a table of magnificent trophies for the winning teams. He thanked all of the participants and then gave out the awards. The first one, he announced, was for the 'giocatore piu giovane". Jack Sordellini did not know what was being said, but he understood his own name and went up to accept his trophy for being the tournament's "youngest player".

The tournament director continued and then held up the next large cup which was inscribed 'miglior portiere". Alex Gianoplus heard his name called and found out that he was named the tournaments "best goalie".

The next day Jack and Alex waited patiently at the airport to leave for home. They had checked all their baggage with the exception of a small carry-on and, of course, two huge trophies. As they waited for their flight, they sat and talked about their week that seemed to start so long ago.

Somehow their recollection of the week changed a little bit. The Monday and Tuesday practice sessions did not seems so grueling in retrospect. In their minds the opponents were not as large as they once seemed. The field shrunk a bit and any cramps from sprinting in the blistering hot sun could not even be recalled. Turf-burned knees and elbows were little more than a faded memory...

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International Friendlies

This gave those teams heading for the World Cup Finals in South Africa later this year the chance to do a little experimentation with formations and tactics before the big event. It also gave the players a chance to stake their claims for positions on the plane to South Africa.

England vs Egypt

England faced a tough test against the Egyptians ranked once place below them as the 10th best team in the world. Having been beaten to World Cup qualification by Algeria, the Egyptians recently won their third African Nations Cup and took shoed their class from the outset dominating England early on before taking a deserved lead through Zidan in the twenty-third minute. Fabio Capello made a few changes at the break, most notably bringing Peter Crouch on for the lackluster Jermaine Defoe. It proved an inspired substitution as Crouch scored twice, one either side of a goal by Shaun Wright-Phillips to ease England to what was eventually a comfortable victory.

France vs Spain

Spain underlined their tag as World Cup favorites with a comfortable 2-0 victory of France in Paris. This was their 22nd win in 23 games since they won the European Championships and their first victory over the French in France since? Goals from Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos and Valencia's David Villa sealed the win. The tough French team turned against their own side with Thierry Henry booed and whistled at throughout following his controversial deliberate handball against the Republic of Ireland to seal qualification for the World Cup Finals. Coach Raymond Domenech wasn't spared either as once again he failed to spark a disjointed French team who were outplayed by the classy Spaniards throughout.
Germany vs Argentina

Argentina put their shaky World Cup qualifying campaign behind them with a strong performance against Germany in Munich, taking victory through a classy goal from Real Madrid's Gonzalo Higuain on the stroke of half-time. Argentina legend and coach Diego Maradona was in a confident mood after the match.

"This game had the character of a World Cup quarter-final and this is the level we were looking for," he said. "Maybe the press in Argentina won't like it, but we are going to play a very good World Cup in South Africa. What we showed is that we have a team who can become world champions for the first time after 24 years," Maradona said.

"But now I have got to reduce my squad from 30 players to 23. That is not going to be easy.

"We showed a lot of courage and the whole of Argentina was looking forward to this game. Germany has great potential and Argentina showed that they are on a par with them."

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The Rivalry Between Liverpool and Manchester United

One of the fiercest rivalries in English football, and even in World football, is the rivalry between Liverpool football club and Manchester United football club.

There is no love lost between the fans, players or managers of the two giants of club football.

A Tale of Two Cities
The origins of this rivalry point towards the rivalries of the two cities since industrial times. Liverpool and Manchester were challenging for supremacy of the north west of England. Manchester was renowned for it's excellent manufacturing capabilities, whilst Liverpool had long been a major city due to it's port.

However, once the Manchester Ship Canal was built, ships were able to bypass Liverpool to carry goods directly to Manchester. The loss in jobs in Liverpool no doubt strengthened the hostilities between the two cities.

On the Pitch
The first match between the clubs was on 12 October 1895 which Liverpool won 7-1. There have been 152 league matches. Manchester United have won 58, Liverpool 51 and there have been 43 draws.

If anything the off field rivalries between the cities have been deepened by the great successes of the two clubs. Both clubs have had periods of dominance of English soccer and each of these periods has increased the rivalry between the clubs.

During the 1970's and 80's, Liverpool dominated English Football and to some extent European Football, winning 11 league titles and 4 European Cups.

The 1990's onwards have belonged to Manchester United who also won 11 league titles as well as 2 European Cups.

Significantly in 2009, Manchester United equalled Liverpool's long standing record of having won 18 League titles overall. The team that came second was...Liverpool. The competition between the two teams reached fever pitch during this season. No more proof of this was required than the 'War of Words' between the two club managers, Sir Alex Ferguson and Rafa Benitez. The pair traded verbal blows as the season was heading to a thrilling climax.

Is this rivalry good or bad?
Well, in one sense the intensity of the rivalry spills over into deep hatred and irrational loathing not only from the fans, but from the players and managers too. Sometimes the personal insults that are thrown at each other seem to be going too far.

In another sense, however, you get the sense that it is this rivalry that really creates the massive amount of motivation to succeed. Both clubs are determined to be more successful than the other and this seeps through from the fans to the players to the manager to every person connected with the clubs. It could be argued that neither club would have been as successful as they have been without this fierce rivalry.

What of the future?
With both clubs on 18 league titles, the 2009/10 league season promises to be the most bitterly contested ever as neither team will want to live with the stigma of falling behind in the reckoning.

You can have your say on who is the greatest and also see what others think at the Football Duel.

As another season beckons, hold on to your seats and watch the next chapter of this fascinating rivalry unfold!

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Who Should Liverpool FC Buy in the January Transfer Window?

Note that this article is about who we can realistically buy, not who I want us to buy in fantasy land. Liverpool Football Club have been strongly linked with Turkish whiz-kid Arda Turan recently, and I see this as an ideal move. Reportedly Arda (Turkish players are commonly known by their first name rather than their surname) would be available for around £10m, and we could easily raise that amount of cash with the sale of Andriy Voronin, Ryan Babel and Andrea Dossena. The Turk often plays on the right wing but has been known to play in central midfield before, making him a highly versatile player (the kind that Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez likes).

The second player that could really benefit our team is veteran Dutch striker Ruud Van Nistlerooy, who, at his peak was one of the top marksmen in the world, but sadly now can't get a game for Real Madrid (his current club) due to their heavy squad redevelopment in the summer (where they spent over £200m on new players).

Another player that could be quite handy is Simon Kjaer. The Danish defender is one of Europe's hottest defensive talents, and the 20 year old who currently plays at Palermo would be a great addition to our squad and would certainly help to sure up our uncharacteristically leaky defence. Despite this, I think buying Kjaer might be a step too far for us, as we probably don't have the funds and our money would be better spent on quality attacking players.

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Premiership Manager of the Year 2009

The football season is nearly over and already clubs are beginning to cement their final league positions. Chelsea and Arsenal will finish in 3rd and 4th place respectively, while Aston Villa and Everton will finish 5th or 6th accordingly. The Premiership title is still unsettled though, with Liverpool pushing Manchester Utd all the way. The battle for the final European spot is still wide open though, and any three from five clubs could be relegated. But now is the time where managers are judged, and only one can be the Premiership Manager of the Year.

Although it can be argued, the top 10 teams managers could be considered candidates for various reasons, for me, it is a choice between just two managers, both Scots, Sir Alex Ferguson of Manchester Utd and David Moyes of Everton.

Both clubs are massive. Manchester Utd need little introduction, being a massive worldwide brand and the Premierships most successful club. Everton are one of the original twelve clubs that formed the first football league over 100 years ago and are the fourth most successful club in England. But both clubs have had varying fortunes over the past 20 years, with Utd becoming one of the richest in the world and Everton, thanks to poor management in the 90's, losing their tag of the "Mersey Millionaires".

So, the reasoning behind these two being the main candidates is easy. Manchester Utd have this season already won the World Club Competition and the League Cup. They are currently on the brink of retaining their Premier League title and are also in the Champions League final, again in an attempt to retain that title too. Sir Alex Ferguson has done a stirling job in bringing together his team, after a very indifferent start to the season, despite spending millions last summer. But he is now reaping the rewards.

In contrast, David Moyes has had next to nothing to spend. He did break Everton's transfer record with the signing of Maurone Fellaini for 15 million pounds on the last day of the transfer window, but due to the clubs finances, that fee will be paid in 3 million pound installments over the next 5 years. His squad is one of the smallest in the league, and he has had by far the biggest injury list, losing key players for large amounts of time over the season.

In spite of this, and a very poor start to the season which saw them win only once at home in the first 3 months, David Moyes has led his team to 6th place in the league, with an excellent chance of finishing 5th. He has also led Everton to their first FA Cup final in 14 years, after negotiating possibly the toughest route to the final in the history of the competition. Everton have had to beat four of the top five clubs in the Premiership in order to get to the final. And now they face Chelsea on 30th May. So things have not been easy for David Moyes, and it is because of this he must be considered as Manager of the Year. 

Both are great managers. Ferguson has proved himself time and time again, but he has had large financial backing to do this. Moyes is proving to be a great manager, but has yet to win anything. Both managers this season, have had their managerial abilities tested to the limit and it will be interesting to see who officially comes out as the winner.

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10 Tips For a Successful Football Coaching Session

Football Coaching should be fun for all involved, and will be more efficient if you follow some basic guidelines.  No matter whether you are a football coach or a football player you'll get more out of each football coaching session by following these guidelines.

1. Coaches should insist that players turn up in plenty of time and get ready. If the training session starts at 7pm, players should be ready to play at 7pm, this means that there is no waiting for people who turn up late, or who take ages to get ready.

2. Players should inform the coach if they are going to be late, or can't make the training session. Not only is it good manners, it makes organising the rest of the training session must easier.

3. Coaches and player should make sure that they have all necessary equipment in advance.  You shouldn't be looking for cones, or a wayward shin pad, when you should be training.

4. Coaches should warm up the team with some gentle jogging, followed by some stretches.  This will help to stretch the muscles and reduce the risk of injury.  Gentle jogging and more stretching should be done at the end of the session too, to help to lessen the likelihood of aches and pains.

5. A substantial amount of time should be spent running and doing other exercises to build up leg strength and endurance.  There's little hope for a player who can't last 90 minutes.

6. Doing some soccer drills will help to install the best ways of doing things, so that they become second nature, and in a match situation, the player won't have to think about what to do next. Remember, practice makes perfect.

7. Put the skills learnt, and endurance to the test with some games, such as 5 a side, or defenders against attackers.

8. Don't leave talking tactics for the next game until just before the game.  By practicing different formations and game plans in advance, there is more chance they will work.  If you know that the opposition has a good striker, or a speedy winger, how will you counteract this?  Where are your goals going to come from if your star striker's injury means he can't play?

9. The importance of diet, rest, and training cannot be ignored.  Many players will be eager to train more, some won't get as much rest as they need, and others won't eat healthily. Make sure that players know what is expected of them.

10. Most importantly, enjoy it! Coaches and players should enjoy every training session, no matter how hard, or seemingly pointless it is. 

Football should be fun and productive.  Make sure you get the most out of every training session.

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Brazil Falls Apart As Dutch Win 2-1

Brazil is always who they are in football, strong and to be feared yet this Brazilian team is far from being one of the best in their history and if anything seemed to be living on the laurels of those great teams from their past. Those teams which include Zico, Pele, Garrincha, Romario and so many others who made Brazilian football one of the greatest in the world yet this Brazilian team was but a shadow of those who seemed to be using the name to intimidate their opponents.

As for the game, it started well for Brazil as they scored their first goal just 10 minutes in to the match when Robinho received a pass down the middle and had no problem putting it past Dutch goalkeeper, Maarten Stekelenburg to give his team a 1-0 lead. Robinho two minutes earlier had in fact put the ball in the net but had been found to be on offside. Brazil for its part was not dominating but was on top while the Netherlands attacked yet seemed lost and without ideas when in the Brazilian penalty box. The half would end 1-0 in Brazil's favor though in all truth the Dutch would have been tied or perhaps even ahead if on a few occasions they had been able to be more decisive in the penalty box.

The second half started as the Dutch with little in the way of options went forward with more conviction and a greater sense of purpose than the first half while Brazil seemed to believe their one goal lead from the first half would be more than enough to get them in to the semifinals. Attack after attack came with Kaka getting less involved in the game as it went on. It being as if the Dutch had taken him out of the game though the truth being that he like Portugal's Ronaldo had not shown that quality so many claimed him to have.

The Netherlands would get their first goal of the game when a free kick was taken by Sneijder and though at first it would appear his kick went straight in, the replay would show that in fact the ball was headed in by Melo; who beat Julio Cesar to tie up the match at one a piece. Melo, as a footnote was the first Brazilian player ever to score an own goal in a world cup match. Brazil then was no longer in the lead but worse yet had lost complete control of the game. It being almost as if they had suffered a total collapse which was to a large extent incomprehensible yet the Netherlands sensed this weakness and went forward.

A second Dutch goal would come when Sneijder found the net off a header from a header by Kuyt which came off a corner kick. The Dutch at that moment were not only up but clearly in command with more creativity and determination. Brazil seemed to have been deflated almost completely after that goal. As if they no longer believed they could win.

Brazil's problems however would be augmented when Melo's situation went from bad to worse as he was shown the red card for a brutal foul on Robben which left his team down to ten men. It was at this point that the game would turn in to one of Brazil attacking though more due to Holland's retreating than superior skill or will on their part. At that moment the game turning in to Brazil going forward without any real power or creativity while the Dutch sat back and could have easily taken a larger lead if they had just applied themselves a little more. It seeming as if Brazil, who wanted to score could not and the Netherlands who could score did not want to; almost as if they were unwilling to put the game away. This being what a third goal would have done.

Brazil would attack yet create little if any danger while Van Persie wasted for the Netherlands the chances their opponents could not even create. The game would end 2-1 in the Holland's favor and with their first passage in to the semifinal since 1998 while Brazil is now left to prepare for the world cup they will host in 2014. The Netherlands for their part did win and did so well yet in my opinion could have and should have put away the game earlier with at least a two goal win. This perhaps being something to think about before the next match against either Uruguay or Ghana.

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Chelsea's Joe Cole Signs For Liverpool

Chelsea's attacking midfielder Joe Cole has finally joined Liverpool FC and would begin to ply his trade at Anfield and would no longer be seen at Stamford Bridge from August 2010 when the 2010/2011 season commences.

The fast paced, skillful midfielder could not produce the scintillating display he is known for, for the great part of last season following series of injuries. But on the few occasions he donned the blue jersey, he gave a good account of himself. One of his great moments last season was when he scored that beautiful goal against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

With Michael Ballack already gone back to the German Bundesliga and now Joe Cole's signing for Liverpool FC, Chelsea is beginning to lose some of her prized jewels. Didier Drogba is said to be courted by Manchester City and may leave if they present him with an irresistible offer.

Michael Essien has not still completely recovered from his long-standing injury. This leaves only John Obi Mikel who is also nursing an injury to handle the position of a defensive midfielder for the Blues. The new season is fast approaching and Chelsea needs to defend her premiership title and also go for the Champions' league title.

They therefore need midfielders and youthful attackers to beef up the team if they are to realize their dream of winning the UEFA Champions' league. There are players that performed relatively well during the 2010 world cup in South Africa that could be contracted to strengthen the team. Some of them include Mexico's Don Santos, Germany's Thomas Muller, Sweinsteigger and Podolski; The Netherlands' Van Bronckhorst and Wesley Sneijder; Slovakia's Robert Vittek, etc

We should also not forget that our captain John Terry is aging and would need a back up. Getting a reliable defender and strengthening the midfield and the attack are panacea for our long elusive Champions' league title. The club must also spend its money wisely this time by making sure they get value for their money. They should avoid going for players that would not last for more than two seasons; they should rather get players that should stay in Stamford Bridge for at least three years, and have enough time to completely blend with the old ones and make an impact before retiring.

It is only when we invest in the right players that we would not feel the impact created by the exit of some of our very good hands who have contributed immensely to the success story of our team. We also need a good goal keeper like Nigeria's Vincent Enyeama, Barcelona' Iker Casillas, etc to help Petr Cechs.

The sky would be our limit if we get things right especially at the beginning of the new season. We would be sure to successfully defend our premiership title, win the UEFA Champions' league and possibly the Club World Cup. When we get the right instruments, our able coach, Carlo Ancelotti would know how to use them to achieve the desired result.

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English Football - No Player is Bigger Than the Club Itself

In modern day football, many of the sports star players are paid massive salaries. Some players are more like Hollywood film stars rather than professional sportsmen. That is when the fame and fortune goes to the footballers head. There have been many instances of players becoming very popular and courted by other clubs. This can make some individuals think they are more important than their employers.

It might be different in some countries but in English football no player is bigger than the club itself. Players come and go regardless of how good they might be but football clubs have existed for as long as the sport itself. The two go hand in hand and that will never change. For this reason alone clubs are far more important than individual players. When a player believes he is bigger and more powerful than the club it is a slap in the face to everyone.
 
Players would do well to remember the time, effort and hard work that managers and coaching staff devote to their development. These people are unsung heroes and rarely get any credit for their endeavours. Sadly this is all too often forgotten as the star player is usually more concerned with his own publicity and celebrity status.
 
Professional football is a very lucrative career these days. Because the wages have risen so much some players have started behaving like spoilt children. These footballers are a selfish bunch and are only interested in one thing. They ought to remember just who is paying their wages. Football supporters ultimately fund the player wages and deserve to be given some respect in return.
 
The vast majority of English football supporters would agree that no player is bigger than the club itself. Some football players have been guilty of biting the hand that feeds them. This does not go down well with the average fan that will spend a considerable sum of money supporting their favourite team. No matter how famous or wealthy a player becomes they should respect the club and what it has done for their career.

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Soccer The War Game! -Looking Back To Its Origin

Believe it or not, but the modern day soccer owes its origin to the barbarous war mongering nature of human beings.

There is no proper documentation that can state the date and place of origination of the most popular modern day sport--Soccer. However, depending on the socio-historical facts and data we can assume that some type of a ball game was played somewhere in this planet for at least over 3000years now.

The earliest evidence of soccer was found in Kyoto, Japan where a field marked to play a ball-kicking game was found.

There is also proper documentation that supports the fact that the Chinese military forces around 2nd and 3rd century BC (Han Dynasty) played a game that involved kicking a ball into a small net. This was then an essential skill building exercise for the armed forces.

Historical evidence also shows that some form of Soccer was played also by the Greeks and the Romans, however, the primitive form involved a larger team on each side. At times the team strength would go up even to around 27 people on each side. The Greeks were playing four different forms of the ball game, namely "Episkyros", "Ourania", "Pheninda" and "Keritizein". Episkyros was the closest to football. In this 2 equally numbered teams, would try to throw the ball over the heads of the other team. There was a white line between the teams and another white line behind each team. Teams would change the ball often until one of the team is forced behind the line at their end.

Now, how many of you would believe that the modern day soccer actually originated as a war game?

Unbelievable, but true! The first Football (as Soccer is called in Britain) game was played by the locals of east of England, where they started a game, kicking around the severed head of a Danish prince whom they have defeated in a war. That marked the origination of Football as a war game.

After this, for a long time, football was played by rival towns and villages where the objective was to move the ball to a predetermined spot. Hundreds of people would take part in these games and a single game could last a whole day. Punching, kicking, biting , everything was allowed.

The savage nature of this form of football was not much appreciated by the rulers and the Royalty took all possible steps to stop these games. King Edward III of England, passed laws in 1331 to stop the game, he was followed by King James I of Scotland in 1424. The Queens were not far behind, rather, had a more strict approach. Queen Elizabeth I of England, enacted laws that could sentence a football player to jail for a week followed by penancing in a church.

However, in spite of all their best efforts and intentions they could not stop the game. It was too popular among the masses and they loved the game.

The first approach to regularize and give a civilized form to this game was taken by the famous Eton College of England in 1815 when they established a set of rules for the games. These rules were accepted by the other schools, colleges and universities. Later, in 1848, these rules were further standardized and a new version was adopted by all the schools, college and universities. This new set of rules was known as the Cambridge Rules.

At this stage, there were actually two set of rules that were being followed in this game. Some organizations preferred to follow the rules of the Rugby School, that allowed tripping, kicking and carrying the ball, whereas the Cambridge rules prohibited all this methods.

In October, 1863, The Football Association was formed, when eleven London schools and clubs came together to establish a single set of rules to administer any football match that were to be played among them. On 8 December 1863, Association Football and Rugby Football finally split onto two different organizations.

In 1869, these rules were further amended to exclude any handling of the ball beyond the scope of acceptability and that created the foundation for the modern day sports mania--SOCCER !

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Great Liverpool FC Matches - Champions League Final 2005 V AC Milan

On a warm summer night in 2005, the red half of Merseyside were celebrating Liverpool's first European Cup Final for many years, hopes were sky high. They had brushed aside tough opposition to make it this far.

It didn't take Milan long to crush the red's hopes, Paulo Maldini scored in the first minute and Liverpool looked shell shocked. Milan dominated the first half and in the 39th minute Herman Crespo made it 2-0. Liverpool had left gaping holes in their defense and a minute before half time, Crespo made it 3-0. It seemed on Merseyside that all was lost.

In the second half Liverpool came out looking like a completely different team and between the 56th and 59th minutes of the game, Gerrard, Smicer and Alonso all scored for the reds, bringing the game level. The Liverpool fans in the crowd, so quiet at half time, were by now in full voice, contemplating a victory that had seemed impossible only minutes before.

Liverpool continued to press but at full time the game was all square. During extra time Milan began to dominate and were it not for an incredible double save from Polish goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, the Italian side would have won the game.

As it was, extra time finished with no more goals and so it was decided on penalties. Milan missed their first two while Liverpool were on target. Milan got one back while Liverpool missed one. Both teams scored the next so it was up to Shevchenko to even it up for Milan - Once again Dudek saved which sparked the wild celebrations on and off the pitch. It was the greatest Liverpool comeback of all time and the trophy belonged to Liverpool.

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Sports Memorabilia - Collecting Football Programmes

Football supporters who follow their favourite team for any length of time will build up a sizable collection of match day programmes. It is traditional among football fans of all ages, to buy a programme before they enter the ground. As a result, the loyal supporter will quickly find their programmes increasing in number. As with any kind of football related merchandise match day programmes tend to be more valuable as they age.

There is a constant demand for quality sports memorabilia and if you enjoy collecting football programmes you can make money by selling some of your items. This is sometimes done by putting samples of a collection up for sale at specialist auctions. These programme auctions are held all over the world and are frequented by serious collectors of sporting memorabilia. Sometimes enthusiasts will compare collections and exchange certain items.

A football programme can become valuable for a variety of reasons. The obvious one is age because generally the older football programmes are then the more money they are worth. Some items are valuable because of other factors such as a commemorative programme to mark a club anniversary. A buyer will often look for items relating to a particular club or a certain match. Prestigious one-off games such as cup finals also produce a publication that is sought after. These are highly collectible among enthusiasts keen to add them to their collections.

Autographs can have a big impact on the prices of sports memorabilia. If a programme has been autographed by a player this can increase its value. This is especially true if the signature concerned is that of a high profile player. Although it can be advantageous not everyone approves of autographs on football programmes. Some people prefer to keep them in their original state with no marks or damage.

Many collectors pay particular attention to the condition of sports memorabilia. Where football programmes are concerned the item will fetch the best possible price when considered to be in immaculate condition. This is worth bearing in mind if you are hoping to make some money from this hobby. Collecting match day programmes can be very rewarding if you have the patience to dedicate to it.

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5 Key Ideas to Entertain Clients in London

You've finally secured new office space in London so you've made it right? Wrong! While having a base in London is undoubtedly a sign of success, it takes a lot more than a swanky office to secure and entertain key clients. Clients need to be looked after and given a bit of TLC if you hope to keep them or even secure them for the first time.

If you do have an office in London then it's a good start. The capital is easily one of the best cities to entertain clients but where do you start? It's important to remember that not every client is the same. While one venue might have gone down amazingly with one client, it might not cut the mustard with another. Here are my top 5 ideas for entertaining clients right across London.

1. The Theatre: OK, this might seem like a fairly obvious one but London's West End has some of the best theatres in the world, which really shouldn't be ignored. Many celebrities have trod the boards at these theatres, which only employ the best of the best. All tastes can be met by the wide range of shows which are on nearly every day. From melodramas to comedies and from musicals to tragedies; London's West End really does have versatile performances to suit all clients.

2. Landmarks: If your clients are foreign or live away from the city they might enjoy a bit of culture. Taking a tour of London's landmarks is a great way of introducing clients to your city and can help to make them feel more welcome in an unfamiliar city. Bus tours are great if you want to tour the whole city, while the Underground makes it easy to get around on foot.

3. Nice restaurant: London has some of the best restaurants in the world and is home to a number of high profile eateries such as Claridge's, the Ivy, the Fat Duck Restaurant and Fifteen. Taking clients out for dinner is a great way to get to know each other and can even encourage bonding.

4. Football match: Football is huge in England and is a great way of introducing clients to local culture. During the football season they'll always be a number of matches each weekend, which are perfect for entertaining. Key teams in and around London include Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

5. Zoo: London Zoo is a major tourist attraction and is a great alternative activity for entertaining clients.

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When Would I Buy a House With an Instalment Contract Instead of an Option Agreement?

With a complete new set of property investment strategies being available for the British property investor, the question now arises is which one to use and when? Not so long ago it was just a case of getting another Buy-to-Let mortgage and buying property in your own name. However, in recent times the question has become, "Why get a mortgage when I can simply control property with an option agreement or an instalment contract?" Let's examine when you may choose an instalment contract to purchase over an option agreement.

In respect of pecking order when it comes to security the general rule of thumb is "the greater the level of security the more expensive it is." If you are looking for an iron-clad binding agreement you may wish to purchase outright to get legal title and therefore pay the highest costs, especially with the large deposits being asked for by lenders today.

When it comes to lending you only have to ask yourself, "Who has the higher degree of security, you the legal owner or the bank?" Should you stop paying your mortgage you will discover in a hurry that it's the bank and not you! They have the ultimate control by way of that first charge they put in place over the home you think you own. What the banks do is control property to get the benefits of ongoing monthly cash flow from THEIR asset, namely you!

Now whether you decide to use an instalment contract where you agree to purchase at a later date after exchanging contract of sale, or to have an option to purchase, really depends upon your exit strategy.

For example, if your intention is to quickly refurbish a property and put it back on the open market for resale, you would be less likely to want to incur all the overheads that come with purchase and selling. An option agreement will simply allow you to control the property without mortgage costs or redemption penalties, stamp duty, building surveys, etc. This can be a highly effective way for builders to undertake work without paying all the financing costs up front.

There are other times when the security you are looking for will outweigh the costs you are going to incur. This will be especially the case where 1) your financial commitment is substantial, and, 2) the length of the agreement is expected to last several years. You could find that where the asset you control (but not the legal owner) appreciates greatly in value with the passing of time, it is possible that the owner may wish to contest the agreement at a later date. That is not to say that any claims are guaranteed to succeed, given that they should have received independent legal advice, but it is still possible.

This would present a valid reason for using an instalment contract, as undoing such an agreement would set a precedent to overturn every contract of sale that has ever been written up of the last few hundred years. It's just not going to happen.

Additionally, where you are acquiring an expensive property that is prone to volatile price fluctuations during the peaks and troughs of the market cycles, you may then want keep your position as secure as possible. In such instances paying tens of thousands of pounds to get into that dream home in say, Knightsbridge or Chelsea, will have you sleeping better at night if you are secured with an instalment contract instead.

Because this is all new to the United Kingdom, it is important that you have a solicitor that fully understands how these documents work. Not only that, it is of even more importance that the legal owner also is not represented by a novice solicitor when it comes to this specialised paperwork. You can almost guarantee that their friendly-neighbourhood solicitor that's a friend of the family will never have come across this before and will be totally ignorant to even admit it. That will quickly prompt the standard response, "You can't do that. It's illegal."

You as the purchaser should therefore have an understanding of the pros and cons of each document type, and suggest to your legal representative the business reasons why you prefer one over the other. Your solicitor will see aspects of the transaction that may help you arrive at a better decision. This will help you decide when to use an instalment contract, an option agreement, or perhaps something else again.

What you now have is far more choice than you ever did in the past when the first and almost only course of action was to purchase outright, either with cash in full or by way of a mortgage. As a property investor your level of sophistication will need to be much greater as a booming market was much more forgiving due to any lack of experience. Today's market climate will not be so kind if you don't know what you are doing.

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Honored - 4 Best Midfielders

Football game is a little entropy, so it's unpredictable; one in two countries strength be scheduled to win as long as the match is still in play, it has 50-50 chance for win. Football has part of confusion that increases with time as large number of variations presented by players from different countries; as they have good midfielders turns game in moment.

To win, it takes the complete effort of all eleven players. Every player has a different role, and has variable ideas to get the game twisted, such as midfielders who are playmakers. 4 best midfielders are Nedved, Kaka, Gerrard, and Robben, well known for their skills to touch, talent to shoot larger, and passing proficiency. Midfielders are to uphold control over the ball, taking the ball from defenders and passing it to the strikers, on top of deceiving opposing players.

These 4 Best midfielders are professionally trained performers and they can play as centre, defensive, attacking, and wide midfielder. Midfielders are not much concerned with the goal; they create goal scoring opportunities and strictly focus for getting the ball from the opposing player. Midfielders are more concerned about possessing the ball.

Apart from these 4 best midfielders, Ronaldinho, Gerrard, Kaka, Xevi, and many others are players who are honored for their performance. Serving as a midfielder, he helps creating good focus over the game. Look online to get more info about the legends of football teams, watch their matches for their moves. Ronaldino is the player I like most; he serves both as offensive and defensive.

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Watch Live Football

Seeing is believing. It's always better to see the game than hear or read it about. Can anyone argue with that?

Where and how can you watch live football? Well, the best ever choice is to watch the live game on the stadium, to cheer up your team in flesh so to say. And again, I'm asking you, who's gonna argue that watching game on the field is the best what you can get in the terms of 'watch live football', Sure, you can also watch the game on TV, but how can that be compared?

By the way, you are not always able to watch the game of your football club on TV. Want to know why? It depends. The most frequent reason is that only several TV channels have the rights to broadcast the particular game. And you very often don't have that particular channel at home. So what, do you have to pay extra money for extra channels which you might use only once or twice in a year? Pay for more cables, hardware, satellite dish?

Well, not really. You might watch live football online! But how? Dozens of websites such are out there waiting to provide you with links to watch live football. You won't need any additional hardware - no cables, switches, dishes. All the software required for watching live footy online is available for free on the internet. All you need to start watching is:

Internet connection

Links to football streams

It's the links what the sites provide you with. Is it legal, you might ask, because I told you that only several TV companies have the rights to broadcast specific football games? Is publishing TV guides illegal? No, publishing a list of programmes, schedule and names of channels is legal. Now that's the same with the live football sites - publish the schedule with the links to online channels broadcasting the football events. Not more than that.

If you ask me what my choice is for watching football, my answer is - watch live football online.

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Inter Milan Wins UEFA Champions' League - Thumps Bayern Munich 2-0

Internazinale Milan of Italy this evening thumped Bayern Munich of Germany 2-0 to win this year's UEFA Champions' league at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, thereby ending their 45 years drought in the much lucrative and prestigious tournament.

This record has once again proven Coach Jose Maurinho to be 'The special one'. He went to Chelsea FC of England and ended their 50 years unsuccessful runs in the premiership; and now he has done it again for Inter Milan, making it treble this season having won the Scudetto earlier.

Today's match saw Bayern Munich playing against a very balanced, tactical and disciplined opposition. Bayern did the playing while Inter kept doing the scoring. At first half ball possession was 63%: 35% in favour of Bayern and at the end of the game it stood at 65%: 35% on the average, yet they lost the match to a more focused Inter Milan. The German boys wasted most of their chances, but it was Diego Milito who scored a brace to single-handedly hand the trophy to the Italians. His first goal came in the 35th minute courtesy of a pass he received from Wesley Sneijder. His second goal in the 70th minute sank the boat for the Munich players and finally ended their title ambition for this season.

Internazionale played as a team, doing more of mass defense and periodic counter offensive. Their defense was able to absorb all the pressure piled on them by the Germans. Arjen Robben was particularly outstanding on the Bayern side but most of his crosses were begging for someone to convert them. However, it was a night Diego Milito shone like a million stars as his superb finishing delivered the prestigious trophy into the laps of Inter. Inter Milan has by this feat silenced critics who thought their victories over championship favorites Chelsea and Barcelona were a fluke.

Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder at different times shot unto the body of Julio Caesar. Robben's shot was also parried by the goal keeper for a corner kick in the 65th minute. Julio Caesar and his defenders frustrated the Munich attack and made sure they kept a clean slate in the match. At the end of the match, one player was particularly overjoyed and that player is Samuel Eto'o who won the Champions' league back to back, after he had won the last edition with FC Barcelona. To get to this stage Inter Milan scored 15 goals and conceded 9.

Frank Ribery was conspicuously missing on the Munich side due to suspension; perhaps his presence would have made the difference for his side. This time around their goals' talisman Ivica Olic failed to shine. The Milan side made history as Samuel Eto'o became the only player to have won the league back to back in recent time. Javier Zanetti made his 700th appearance for Inter.

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Steven Gerrard - The Working Class Hero

Born and brought up in a middle class family in the Whiston area of Merseyside, Steven Gerrard has gone on to become one of England's finest football players. When Gerrard was nine, he lost his cousin Jon-Paul Gilhooley in the Hillsborough disaster. This loss of a "family member" spurred Gerrard to tackle football in a very sentimental sense and become the footballer he is today. Gerrard ends his autobiography with the words - "I play for Jon-Paul."

While playing for Whiston Juniors, he caught the eye of the Liverpool scouts. He was drafted into the Liverpool youth setup. He made his Liverpool debut on 29 November 1998 when he came on as a last minute substitute for Vegard Heggem. He has not looked back since. Over the next decade, he has played 355 games for Liverpool scoring 76 times. He has won two FA Cups, two League Cups, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup with Liverpool. The only medal that has eluded him is the Barclays Premier League Winners' medal.

Gerrard made his international debut against Ukraine on 31 May 2000. After that, he has gone on to represent England on 77 occasions scoring 16 times. He made a solitary substitute appearance at Euro 2000. He scored his first goal in the famous 5-1 rout of Germany in the 2002 World Cup Qualifying rounds. He went on to captain England during Steve Mclaren's reign as manager. But England suffered back to back losses against Croatia and Russia under his leadership and hence did not make it to Euro 2008. Capello also gave Gerrard a run of games as captain of England, but later settled on John Terry.

At 30, the World Cup in South Africa in six months' time will be Gerrard's final chance to win the sport's biggest trophy. And if he is able to do the same, his name will be etched forever in the annals of English football.

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Arsenal Football Team

Arsenal - professional football club, also known as "The Gunners". Based in North London, this successful English football team is known as one of the leading clubs in England. Arsenal was founded in 1886 by the group of workers at the Woolwich Arsenal Armament Factory. In 1891 the Club turned professional and changed its name to Woolwich Arsenal; the club joined the Football League in 1893. They won their first major trophies thirty years later, which included five League Championship titles and two FA Cups. Arsenal set a UEFA Champions League record by going ten matches without conceding a goal in the season of 2005-2006.

The team was initially based in Woolwich, but in 1913 moved to Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, and then to their current location, the Emirates stadium, which contains sixty thousand, four hundred and thirty two people. Their club colors are red and white, their symbol depicting a canon, as a symbol of Armament factory. Arsenal's home colors have been the inspiration for at least three other clubs.

Arsenal keeps an on-going rivalry with Tottenham Hotspur and with several other football teams, with whom they compete. Arsenal often appears in the media, in sports news and on the Television. Their games on-line attracts millions of viewers the enjoy watching Arsenal clips presenting the moments of victory. The club includes top players from different countries, such as Spain, Netherlands, France and Switzerland. Fans collect pictures of the group and watch their videos on-line; this leading football club enjoys public's attention all over the world.

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English Soccer and Its Top Clubs

One of the most overlooked but important things in the world is light. Without lights there are many things that are currently taken for granted that would not happen. Whether it is a lamp in the living room of a house that people can read and do other things by or a battery picture light or battery picture lights, it is clear that light is an important visual aid. Lights are especially important in sports. If arenas across the world did not have such strong lighting it would be nearly impossible for games to be staged at night outdoors in sports such as the world's most popular game, soccer. Soccer is without doubt the world's favorite sport overall and was originated in England. As is the case with the founding countries of most sports, to this day some of the strongest teams in the world are found in England.

One of the best soccer, or football as it is known most places, clubs in the world is Arsenal. Arsenal was formed in 1886 in North London and acquired their name from the fact that most of their original players were amateurs, as all were at the time, who worked at the local munitions factory making weapons for the royal arsenal. From the start the club was breaking records and in the late 1800s they became the first team from the south of England to join the recently formed league. Arsenal have also been amazingly successful as a team, winning thirteen league titles, third most of any team in the country, and ten FA Cups, a March Madness style tournament that takes place over the course of a season. Also, Arsenal are the only team to ever go through a Premier League season with no losses and hold the record for the longest unbeaten streak ever, winning or drawing forty nine consecutive matches.

Another important club in English football is Liverpool. Obviously based out of the northern city of Liverpool, they are traditionally the most successful team in the country. With eighteen domestic league titles and seven FA Cups to go along with five European Cups, a tournament between the best teams from the continent, Liverpool can lay claim to being the most trophy laden club in the country. What really sets Liverpool apart though from other teams is their rabid fan base. Liverpool's citizens are often called "scousers" a term defining their regional accent, and Liverpool fans often times create one of the most intense and amazing atmospheres at a sporting event with their constant singing and love for their team.

Lastly, the newest team to join the elite of England is a club called Chelsea. Chelsea are from the west side of London and until very recently were more known for their far right wing hooligans rather than for their play on the field. The most important event in Chelsea's history was the purchase of the club by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, which immediately allowed them to buy some of the best players in the world and win multiple league championships.

Soccer is the most well followed sport in the world and the three clubs mentioned above in particular have done an excellent job of expanding their profiles globally and creating brands out of themselves to broadcast to new markets and expand their fan base.

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Celebrities Have Asthma Too

Asthma need not be a life limiting condition, neither in terms of longevity nor in terms of involvement. In the past, it was often the case that asthmatic children were labeled 'sickly' and did not participate in exercise. Now, however, exercise is thought to be one of the best ways of controlling asthma long-term. Many celebrities have been very open about their asthma, and others are coming forward all the time to help de-mystify it and to help others.

The fact that Theodore Roosevelt had asthma did not stop him becoming president of the USA. It is said that he recovered from asthma through exercise. John F Kennedy was also an asthma sufferer, with his worst trigger being animals.

There have been a number of famous writers, musicians and dancers who have had asthma. Leonard Bernstein was a sufferer and his asthma was so bad that sometimes people could hear him wheezing as he was conducting. Joseph Pulitzer was another sufferer, as was the dancer Robert Joffrey who kept his asthma at bay with a combination of medications, acupuncture and herbs.

There is no lack of famous sports people who have coped with asthma and even improved their condition through their sport. The swimmer Amy Van Dyken was the first American female to win 4 gold medals in a single Olympic games. She took up the sport on the advice of doctors who suggested she try swimming as a way to control her asthma attacks. Tom Dolan, another American swimmer, also suffers from asthma and had problems competing due to restrictions on medications he could use whilst swimming competitively. He went on to win gold medals in two Olympic games.

Whilst swimming is one of the best forms of exercise for asthmatics, other athletes have also reached the top of their sport despite having to cope with asthma. Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who was a top heptathlete and long-jumper, and Paula Radcliffe, a British marathon runner, both have asthma.

Team sports are good for asthmatics because the exercise is not always constant. The NFL player Jerome Bettis, Rugby player Austin Healey and a number of soccer players also have asthma. Paul Scholes from Manchester United and Frank Lampard from Chelsea Football Club are two of the most prominent asthmatics in the sport but many people were surprised recently to see pictures of David Beckham using an inhaler. He has since said that he was happy to know that the knowledge he had asthma was helping to inspire other people with the condition to take up a sport.

The success of these people shows that asthma does not have to limit your achievements if you have the condition.

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France, Winning the 2010 World Cup?

June 11, 2010, will mark a very illustrious day in the history of soccer. 32 countries from all over the world will come together in South Africa for the 19th installment of the biggest stage in soccer, The FIFA World Cup. Similar to the Olympics, The World Cup is held every four years, making this event even more prominent. All 32 teams have traveled to "The Rainbow Nation" with hopes and dreams of victory but only one team will arise to grip "The Jules Rimet Trophy" and endure the glory of becoming the soccer champions of the world.

Of these 32 countries competing in South Africa, there are a few countries that have emerged as favorites to become eventual World Cup Champions. The number one favorite to take "The Cup" home are the notorious Brazil, who already have five World Cup titles under their belt and Spain, who had a tremendous showing in the Euro 2008. Other teams in the mix are Argentina, who has an outstanding offensive weapon in Lionel Messi and Italy, who were the champions of the 2006 World Cup.

Looking over The FIFA World Rankings, I was surprised by how low the finalists of the 06' World Cup were. France, led by Thierry Henry and Franck Ribery are the number 10 ranked team, according to FIFA. To me, Les Bleus shouldn't just have a higher ranking; they should also be seen as genuine title contenders. The Blues have a very strong squad going into this year's World Cup, despite suffering disheartening losses to Spain and China in their International Friendly Matches. With all that being said, it is still difficult to overlook this star studded French team. With emerging young talents like Gael Clichy and Mathieu Valbuena, along with a whole flock of experienced veterans like accomplished midfielder, Florent Malouda, rejuvenated striker, Nicolas Anelka, and the quick magician, Franck Ribery, France is a force to be reckoned with.

One thing The Blues can look forward to after their lackluster performance in their International Friendlies is a clean injury list. Many countries have suffered a devastating injury to at least one of their players. Some of the most heartbreaking injuries have come to Ivory Coast's striker Didier Drogba and Germany's Michael Ballack, both captains of their international squads. The injury to Drogba has probably been the most agonizing injury due to his significance to the Ivory Coast team. Drogba is considered one of the best strikers in the world, playing for the British club team, Chelsea, and scoring 29 goals to lead Chelsea to a Premier League title. No offense to the proficient Michael Ballack, but Drogba is much more critical to his team. It has been well-documented that the Germans have a much deeper roster than the Ivory Coast. Germany can still make a run at The World Cup with talented strikers like Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose, and can still control the middle of the pitch with Bastian Shweinsteiger but The Ivory Coast, without their best player, find themselves struggling to find a leader. The Ivory Coast losing Drogba would be like if the Indianapolis Colts American Football team lost their star and leader, Peyton Manning. When an impact player of that caliber suddenly gets injured at the blink of an eye, it could leave a team in shatters. Hopefully, the players can pick up the pieces and come together to play their hearts out, regardless of the massive hit they took.

With France having the luxury of an untarnished injury list, Coach Raymond Domenech and the players can focus on their first match against Uruguay with no distractions. France is in Group A with Mexico, Uruguay, and the host nation, South Africa. While on paper, it looks like France will move on through the group stage effortlessly, but let's not forget about France's early departure from the group stage in the 2002 World Cup. With a talented Uruguay team, motivated Mexican squad, and a galvanized South African team playing on home soil, France cannot play as mediocre as they did in their Friendly matches or else they can expect to be watching the knockout stages of the World Cup back at home.

With the motivation to prove critics wrong, France should move through the group stage suffering at most, one loss to either Uruguay or Mexico. With that being said, France's opening match is against Uruguay and that could set the stage for what will happen throughout Group A. Everyone has learned from the 2006 World Cup that once France gets on a roll, they are almost unbeatable but if France endures an early loss, it could mean disaster, as was seen in the 2002 World Cup when they lost their opening round match to Senegal and didn't even qualify for the knockout rounds.

The Blues are able to match up well with any team and while they faced much frustration in Euro 2008 and the Pre-Cup Friendlies, I believe that they have come to South Africa with something to prove. While France lacks big-name stars like Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina's Lionel Messi, France is successful because of their discipline and teamwork.

There is no doubt that France has the talent and soccer IQ to bring home their second World Cup, they just have to become more efficient because once the World Cup has started, everyone is striving for the same goal and the teams that get flustered is very unlikely to receive a second chance. Do not overlook The Blues, this is a very solid squad that is filled with vengeance. To come so close to a World Cup and lose to rival Italy in penalty kicks will leave an extremely sour taste in your mouth. France has been pondering their heartbreaking loss for four years and the moment they have been waiting for has finally arrived!

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Dalymount Park: Home of Irish Soccer

Dalymount Park, situated in Phisboro just west of Dublin City Center, is home to Bohemians FC today with a capacity of just over 12,000 people. The stadium was built in 1901 and the first game ever held there took place in September 1901 between Bohemians and Shelbourne. Known affectionately by the Irish soccer fans as simply Dalyer, the days are now numbered for this
historic stadium.

Today the stadium is still being used on a regular basis as the home of Bohemians. Historically Dalymount Park was the home of Irish Soccer with major home international matches being played there until the 1984 when Ireland played Italy. An amazing 40,000 people turned up to see the game. Only 20,000 people were allowed in that night to see the game. The last time Dalymount was used for a senior international match of any description was in 1990 when Ireland played Morocco.

Unfortunately from the 1940s until recent times, no development had taken place at the stadium and the stadium with its old wooden stands fell into dilapidation. In more recent times, the main stand has been replaced with a modern stand, but the rest of the stadium is a throw back to history.

In recent times it has become inevitable that Bohemians were going to leave Dalymount as the price or land in Dublin shot up. A recent development has been the sale of the old stadium for e50m which will also include the building of a 10,000 all seated stadium in the Castleknock area of Dublin. 105 years of sporting history comes to an end.

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Will France Win the 2010 World Cup?

France are another country that have a strong chance of winning the World Cup. They have won it previously, in 1998, when they hosted the competition.

Here's why they might win it again.

1. There are a whole host of French players in the Premier League, who also have European club competition experience.

2. Defenders Patrice Evra, of Manchester United, and Arsenal's Bacary Sagna will have a lot to do defensively as they need to ensure that they get out of their group that also contains, Mexico, Uruguay and the hosts, South Africa.

3. The veteran midfielder, Patrick Viera, who is currently at Manchester City, is in with a chance of representing his country in South Africa this year. Another likely player is Chelsea's Florent Malouda who is a competent left winger who can also score goals as well as set them up.

4. Nicolas Anelka, or Le Sulk, as he's known by some people, is a striker with a lot of experience at the highest level. Currently at Chelsea, he's playing well, and will want to score at this tournament.

5. Louis Saha is another forward who is having a resurgence. After leaving Manchester United for Everton, he's in a rich vein of form, and can be relied on to score goals when it matters.

6. Barcelona's Thierry Henry is still held in the highest regard not just by Arsenal fans, but by fans of all teams. His sublime skills, speed and accuracy in front of goal makes him a pleasure to watch, and gives France a real chance of doing well at the 2010 World Cup.

7. Franck Ribery is a player who has been linked with many clubs this season. Whether he stays at Bayern Munich, or moves to a different club, might depend on his performance in South Africa. With his pace, and accuracy on the left wing, it's not surprising he's such a valuable player for France.

8. Other important French players include defenders Rod Fanni and Julien Escude, midfielders Lassana Diara, Moussa Sissoko, and forwards, Sidney Govou and Karim Benzema. If these players are all on form, then France really do have a fantastic chance of adding another World Cup to their collection.

9. Manager Raymond Domenech isn't well liked by all, and has left out some key players in his time, but hopefully, he and the team, will get everything right when it matters.

10. France are a really exciting team to watch, and their pace and precision means that they are capable of scoring goals, and also defending well. With many players of turning a game, they must be one of the favourites to win the World Cup.

Now you know more about their team, and their chances, do you think France will win the 2010 World Cup?

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