Mark Ogden's Sunday article at Telegraph.co.uk explores Don Garber's efforts at bringing the 2018 World Cup to America as well as his long-term goal: to make Major League Soccer (MLS) one of the top soccer leagues in the world. Mr. Garber's dream raises lots of questions rather than delivering methods.
Continue reading "Don Garber's Pipe Dream" »
Thierry Henry's arrival in New York City this past week evoked a lot of memories. It also made me think of the state of Major League Soccer, and T. S. Eliot.
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Continue reading "The waste land" »
Nigeria should be the greatest footballing nation on the African continent, but it is not. It boils down to the fact that this nation of 150 million people wastes its resources: natural, financial, and human.
Continue reading "Nigeria's wasted wealth" »
After Wednesday's semi-final match with Spain, Germany's coach Joachim Löw indicated that his team was physically exhausted because they spent 90+ minutes chasing the ball. It made me think of coyotes and the game of squash.
Continue reading "Death by exhaustion" »
A country’s president has dissolved its own football federation come the hell or high water that could be delivered as punishment by FIFA, the world’s governing body of soccer. The next few days, or perhaps even only hours, may determine the short-term and long-term fate of the once-proud Nigerian Super Eagles, one way or another.
Continue reading "Can Jonathan be Nigerian football's goodluck charm?" »
The Coolest Name in Sport
Today it was announced that a player, recently released by Celtic, signed with Hull City of the England Premier League.
But not just any player.
Continue reading "What's in a name?" »
This weekend has been a celebration of the English Premier Leagues's opening fixtures. One reason some of us love this league is how the list of its players span the globe - the world nature of the world's game is well-represented indeed.
Continue reading "The league of nations" »
England loses their second under-age European Championship in 34 days. So is this glass half empty or half full?
Continue reading "Let the self-loathing begin" »
Glasgow Rangers' Boss Walter Smith is in favor of Summer Football in Scotland. Celtic Skipper Tony Mowbray is not. Would it make any difference?
Continue reading "Let’s face it - the Scottish Premier League isn’t good enough" »
The Europa League gets underway next week, but when the competition moves into its Group Stage on Sept17, it will be more than just a new league – it will be the venue for the continuation of an officiating experiment: the use of two additional referee’s assistants.
Continue reading "Is 5 > 3?" »
Toward the end of the 2008-09 European football season, Setanta’s financial situation was quickly deteriorating. Shareholders had failed to raise enough funds to give it a viable future. Setanta reportedly held talks with private equity firms that were thought to have offered an injection of millions, but British Sky Broadcasting rejected a request for a £50m interest free loan on a deal that would have seen Sky wholesale Setanta to its own subscribers.
Continue reading "The demise of Setanta" »
The Associated Press reported today that ESPN, a unit of the Walt Disney Co., will start sharing U.S. television rights to Spain's La Liga with GolTV. ESPN2 will televise about 20 matches per season, and ESPN Deportes two or three per weekend of league play for a total of at least 95. At least 114 matches per season will be available online on ESPN360. ESPN's networks will also share rights to Spain's Copa del Rey. The league's most-watched games, the two El Classico matchups between Barcelona and Real Madrid, likely will be simulcast by GolTV and ESPN.
Continue reading "The European sports programming network?" »