About the Author
Bobby McMahon
You can see me on the Fox Soccer News broadcast in the US on the Fox Soccer, in other parts of the world on FSI and in Canada on Soccer Central on Sportsnet. I also contribute to "TSN 1290 radio," as well as other radio stations across the continent and I write a regular column for Forbes.com.
TANGENTS
Raves and Rants – Revolting Players, Owners And Is AVB A Prince?
Written by Bobby McMahon on February 29, 2012 | 11 Comments »
Posted in General
Some of the best of the soccer web with an atrocious piece thrown in now and again. This edition only comes around once every four years.
Uli Hesse on the shock return to club coaching of Otto Rehhagel. It has been a dozen years since he was last in charge of a Bundesliga side and he has a very big task if he is to save Hertha Berlin from relegation. Hertha have lost their last six league games. Have not won since the end of October and have not scored a goal in their last four matches. Next up is a home match against Werder Bremen on Saturday.
Natural Police makes the case for Andres Iniesta as the greatest attacking midfielder of today.
Football365 asks a very pertinent question. Given the reality of transfer windows do we really still need the rule that disqualifies players from playing for two different teams in cup competitions?
Lasana Liburd believes that Jack Warner has some air left in his sails yet.
Zach Slaton on some of the limitations of “Moneyball” and analytics as applied to sport.
Sid Lowe regales us with some weird and not so wonderful injuries from Spanish football.
Giles Oakley wades into whether “Man U” is ok or not. A ton of research has gone into this article but I squirm when I hear such a reference.
Rob Marrs thinks that the writings of Nicolo Machiavelli (a first-rate man-to-man marker in his time) offer insight into the managerial predicament of Andre Villas-Boas.
“Whoscored.com” has an interesting analysis of top full backs and rates them.
Iain Macintosh looks back on times when the players have been revolting rather than the peasants.
Michael Grant on Rangers “owner” Craig Whyte who is now in full-blown retreat. Whyte – the man who makes Hicks and Gillett look like shrinking violets.
Lee Roden has an interesting article on the role played by Scots during the early days of FC Barcelona.
Igor Mladenovic writing for The Slavic Football Union looks at some of the younger players available to Serbia as they look to retool after failing to make the European Championship Finals.
The Swiss Ramble takes his usual detailed look at the latest financial numbers from one of the top clubs. This time it is the interim accounts for Arsenal and the profit number hides some more systemic problems.
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11 Responses to “Raves and Rants – Revolting Players, Owners And Is AVB A Prince?”
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That “Man U” article is great. Not for its content but I think it just proves how overly sensitive some Brits are towards their team and how it just makes situations(like a recent one that will remain unnamed) a million times worse.
Most hilarious part of that article was that the guy said no one would say Man U in the sixties during dialogue. How the heck would he remember that? Was he thinking back then that he was going to write an article on the internet(didn’t exist) about a term(that wasn’t offensive yet) about that infamous disaster?
Not surprising that United supporters in the comments section(for the most part) were saying that overseas supporters were ok to say it as long as they understood why UK United supporters didn’t like it. Good thing they gave that permission. Now only if Suarez can get permission from the PC police to not shake hands with everyone….
Any truth to the rumor there is a rift between Lando & Klinsi?
SL-You think Klinsmann can manage now?
@ROB – Why would I think that when we have yet to qualify for the WC and compete in any tournament under Klinsmann?
Are you one of those who thought USA are on the verge of becoming a top 5 side and should play more attacking football after we defeated Spain at the Confederations Cup?
SL-I am disturbance on Sofaball, you know my thoughts.
See you are still as stubborn as ever. Btw, Klinsmann seems to be managing on his own without Lowe.
I read the following articles that I tought were not only funny, but also interesting.
Bobby, I have no affiliation with the website, but if you think there’s a problem with the articles/links, please go ahead and delete post.
About Napoli:
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7611693/brian-phillips-why-napoli-your-new-favorite-european-soccer-club
About Liverpool’s Carling Cup and Arsenal’s, huh, revival:
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7623834/week-26-ghosts-carling-cup
I too enjoyed the Man United article. I do admit in always writting Man United. It’s just the way it is.
I loved the Spanish injury list. Always good reading.
The best thing that could happen to AVB is to get fired. If he’s let go he won’t be blamed by other owners so he’ll be able to go somewhere else with a pocket full of cash and continue to cash in. If he stays and fails, all he’ll have is his current pocket of cash.
ROB/DIST or whatever you call yourself these days-
So now your are calling me names because I disagree with you on Klinsmann and am currently hesitant to back someone after loses at home to the likes of Costa Rica and Ecuador and him yet to deploy tactics/strategy in any matches or tournies that actually matter?
I love how folks like you and AG stay silent when results contradict your posts yet crawl out on any news which allows you to gloat… pure class!
I enjoyed the article on Iniesta. The man is sheer class and pure poetry in motion on a football pitch. The scorer of big goals, smooth as silk, and a football IQ second to none. Once he hangs them up I believe he’ll be acknowledged as the greatest midfielder ever to play the game.
Banega’s not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer now is he? Trying to stop a moving car with your foot? He deserves a broken ankle/fibula. What a tool.
SL-What are you talking about? These posts are time-stamped. I asked you about Klinsmann before the first half was even over. Plus I called you stubborn, not a name.
In any case, you were wrong about Klinsmann. As you are about Wenger. Its ok to be wrong. I’m wrong from time to time too.
____
And just as I posted about the over-sensitivity, we get this gem about Reina and the “homophobic and racist” ad. Proof that nothing good has come from this whole Suarez/Evra thing other than people making a mountian out of an anthill.
I swear, I think people just need a little culture…
I know that it’s worlds away, but the mess at Ajax is fascinating. The board and Van Gaal vs Cruyff and his people battle is great. It’s basically a pissing contest. What I find amazing is that Cruyff whines and complains yet he doesn’t even live in the Netherlands and has been far from the situation. To me it looks like a guy who was upset about not being thought of or consulted in so now he’s fighting for something that in teh long run he doesn’t even want.
Van Gaal’s nomination apparently is being held up. An angry Van Gaal has gone after Cruyff which will only make things more interesting. Cruyff isn’t the quite type. LOL.
On the racism front (surprised nobody has a blog named that);
Today a talk show host was ripped for calling the UCLA basketball program filled with thugs. Some people were calling him a racist. Thankfully instead of backing down, he educated the idiots that thugs has no nationality or racial bias. There’s plenty of white thugs playing pro and amature sports.
I have railed against much of this PC world. That doesn’t mean I go around spewing the “N” word, or making ridiculous statements. I just like to take a look at the situation and what transpired in any altercation.
Let me add that with today’s technology and social media, plenty gets lost in translation. This site and its posts just might be a perfect example as well. On another site, I made a couple of comments in regards to one of Benfica’s opponent (Porto) and some people thought I was being angry. I actually felt it was necessary to xplain that I was praising them and being facetious or angry.