Fabrice Muamba Interviewed for the First Time

Posted by Jeff in Football, Sports

Fabrice Muamba speaks about his ‘death’ in his first interview since collapsing in a televised football match.

Fabrice Muamba was speaking in an interview with the sun newspaper when he said that he “asked God to protect me, and he didn’t let me down.”

Fabrice Muamba is a soccer star for the English Premier League team Bolton Wanderers and collapsed during an FA cup game with Tottenham Hotspur on 17th March 2012. The match was being shown live on TV and was eventually abandoned.

Fabrice Muamba said that he ‘died’ for 78 minutes during the ordeal and insists he did not feel unwell before his heart stopped beating in the 41st minute of the game.

It took doctors 15 goes to get his heart started again and Fabrice Muamba believes that it was a God given miracle that he not only survived, but survived without any brain damage or other serious effects.

Fabrice Muamba told how he had asked for protection from God before the game, he said “Someone up there was watching over me. On the morning of the game I preyed with my father and asked God to protect me and he didn’t let me down. I am walking proof of the power of prayer.”

Fabrice Muamba Unites Football

Fabrice Muamba tribute picture

The event that day had a profound effect of the football community as supporters from rival teams all over the country, indeed the world, came together to show their support for the footballer and his family.

Tributes were paid, t-shirts were worn by players, his name rang around the grounds of every football stadium in the country and scarves of every football club were placed at Boltons football ground.

Fabrice Muamba himself is overwhelmed by the support he has received and has set a goal for himself to make an appearance at a football match before the end of the season.

Photos: Crystian Cruz & Ronnie Macdonald

Real Madrid Resort Island Coming to Ras Al-Khaimah (RAK)

Posted by Clive in Football, Real Estate

Real Madrid Resort Island is being planned for the Al-Marjan Island in Ras Al-Khaimah (RAK) for 2015.

Al-Marjan Island is a group of man-made islands in the Northern Emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah (RAK), park of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and about 45 mins drive from it’s more famous neighbor, Dubai.

Real Madrid and the RAK authorities are planning to take over one of the islands and turn it into a Real Madrid resort island, hoping it will become a mecca for Real Madrid and fooball fans alike.

Covering about 50 hectares, the Real Madrid Resort Island aims to attract 1 million visitors a year once it is completed at the start of 2015. The final cost is expected to be around $1 billion.

Real Madrid Resort Island Business

No one has ever accused Real Madrids President, Florentino Perez, of lacking ambition and so it is with the Real Madrid Resort Island project. He hopes that it will bring the sporting culture of Real Madrid closer to the now vital Arab and Asian markets.

There is sound business sense behind the Real Madrid Resort Island decision, RAK is located in the sweet spot between the old economic world of Europe, and the new economic powerhouses of Asia. Giving the resort access to a vast number of Real Madrid fans within a short(ish) flight, an estimated 300 million fans with over half located in Asia.

The likelihood too is that a fair chunk of the cost for the project will be picked up by the RAK authorities. They rightly see the PR value of having such a high profile brand lead the way in their drive to become a high profile tourist destination. RAK aims to have 20% of it’s GDP generated by tourist related activities within 10 years.

If the plans come off, sports fans will see an amazing resort come to life. A marina, amusement park, luxury hotels and sporting facilities such as an incredible soccer stadium opening up to the sea will await them.

His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qassimi of RAK said

“This is an exciting project developed with a world leading brand. We are proud for being chosen by Real Madrid. We appreciate their vision and we have a million reasons to be optimistic. I wish to congratulate Florentino Perez for his vision and for where he’s taken this club. This is going to transform the United Arab Emirates. We are ready to embrace progress and the millions of visitors who will come to Real Madrid Resort Island.”

Chelsea FC News: Andre Villas-Boas Sacked

Posted by Jeff in Football, Sports

Chelsea FC news is coming through that manager Andre Villas-Boas has been sacked.

After less than a year in charge at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea FC‘s manager Andre Villas-Boas has been sacked after a run of poor results.

A statement on the Chelsea FC website said,

Andre Villas-Boas has parted company with Chelsea Football Club today.

The board would like to record our gratitude for his work and express our disappointment that the relationship has ended so early.

Unfortunately the results and performances of the team have not been good enough and were showing no signs of improving at a key time in the season.

The club is still competing in the latter stages of the Uefa Champions League and the FA Cup, as well as challenging for a top-four spot in the Premier League, and we aim to remain as competitive as possible on all fronts.

With that in mind we felt our only option was to make a change at this time.

With immediate effect Roberto Di Matteo has been appointed first team coach on an interim basis until the end of the season.

Villas-Boas was recruited in June 2011 by Chelsea FC to bring a more attractive playing style to Standford Bridge but owner Roman Abramovich is not known for his patience.

A run of one win in seven games was not good enough for Abramovich and he has obviously decided to act. Rumor has it that there was also tension between the senior Chelsea players and Villas-Boas.

Player power has always been strong at Chelsea among the senior players and appears to have been the downfall of several managers during the Abramovich era.

One thing is for sure though, whoever becomes the next Chelsea FC manager will be a brave man.

Photo: sekimura

Socrates the Brazilian Soccer Legend Dies Aged 57

Posted by James in Football, Sports

Socrates, the former Brazilian soccer captain has died in Sao Paulo aged 57.

Socrates had been admitted to intensive care on Friday suffering from an infection of the intestines and passed away over the weekend.

He had already been taken to hospital twice in the last 6 months with internal bleeding and had admitted that he had problems in the past with alcohol abuse and smoking.

Socrates was widely considered to be one of the best midfielders to ever play the game of soccer. He won 60 caps for Brazil between 1979 and 1986 and played in 2 world cups.

Socrates was a tall player even for a sportsman at 6’4″ and possessed the physical strength to match his two footed technical skills.

He was also able to read the game and was blessed with vision to pick a pass and see the bigger picture of what was happening in a game. He could do the hard work as well as show the silky skills.

Personally I remember the 1982 World Cup very well and a particular goal that Socrates scored in that world cup.

He ghosted past the first tackle, dummied to shoot flooring another player and then unleashed a right foot shot from well outside the penalty area that fizzed into the top corner.

Socrates & the Brazilian World Cup 1982

Beckham Celebrates LA Galaxy MLS Cup Win

Posted by Jeff in Football, Sports

Beckham celebrates LA Galaxy’s win over the Houston Dynamo for the MLS Cup in what could have been his last game in the MLS.

In damp conditions on a soggy pitch that must have reminded David Beckham of his days playing for Manchester United, Landon Donovan chipped the ball into the net to seal a deserved win for LA Galaxy in the MLS Cup.

The goal came late on in the match during the 71st minute. David Beckhams header was flicked on by that other LA big name, Robbie Keane, to the 3rd big name Landon Donovan. He deftly chipped the ball into the corner of the net.

La Galaxy had dominated for most of the game with Houston offering little in the way of attack and goal attempts.

The absence of their playmaker Brad Davis was evident from the start and was a major problem for them. No one was able to step up and fill his shoes.

LA Galaxy also had the advantage of playing at home and the 1-0 win means that they were unbeaten at home all season.

The title is the 3rd in LA Galaxy history after they won in 2002 and 2005. They have also lost in the title decider 4 times including 2009.

Talking Soccer: Donovan Scores for MLS Cup

The win means alot to David Beckham who has had some serious flak directed his way during his 5 year spell at LA Galaxy. Questions over his commitment have especially hurt the player.

Now with an MLS Cup gained in his last season under his current contract he must feel that he has achieved on the field what he came here todo.

Talking afterwards he mentioned his doubters, that it is always nice to prove them wrong.

Talking Soccer: Beckham Interviewed Post Game

Talking Soccer: What Did Beckham Achieve for MLS Soccer?

With many people questioning the David Beckham experiment and whether it was worth his large salary, it is interesting to see if he has done what he set out todo and change the way the MLS is perceived.

As a brand builder there is no one better than David Beckham. He is known in every corner of the world and even has a statue in a Buddhist monastery.

It would be fair to say that pre-Beckham, hardly anyone even knew the MLS even existed outside the US, and plenty who didn’t inside the US too.

Now, 5 years later, the LA Galaxy are known worldwide and can be seen as a small but global player.

Although Beckham is at the end of his contract he will still take part in the Galaxy PR tour that is now a feature of every major world club to bolster support across lucrative markets.

Media coverage has also changed, MLS now commands attention across the sports channels rather than being ignored. And next season there is the big one, a $55 million deal with Time Warner to broadcast matches on their cable network.

There are also 23 other designated players who followed Beckham into the MLS, including his team mate Robbie Keane. Would they have come if Beckham hadn’t first blazed the trail?

I don’t think Beckham knows himself where he will be next season, his family are settled and he loves the LA lifestyle…

But he has offers from other clubs, he is determined to play in the British Olympic team, would love to make his last move a big one back to a big European league and he has now done what he set out todo, win an MLS title.

So the odds are looking stacked against a longer stay in LA.

Let us know your views in the comments below. What do you think of David Beckhams time in the MLS?

Photo: NathanF

Arsenal Latest News: Samir Nasri Transfers to Manchester City FC

Posted by James in Football, Sports

Arsenal latest news just coming in is that the transfer of Samir Nasri from Arsenal to Manchester City is complete, pending a medical.

Arsenal agreed to the transfer when it became clear that Nasri wanted to move away and they knew that he would not sign an extension to his contract.

With only a year left on his current contract they really had no choice but to let him go if they wanted to earn a transfer fee.

Ironically, Nasri has been Arsenal’s best player since the 2011 Premier League kicked off earlier this month.

Having lost Fabregas to Barcelona before the season started, and now without Nasri, Arsenal were in a difficult position before they even started.

The whole transfer saga around the two players has also been difficult for Arsenal FC to deal with, Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, admitted that the transfer negotiations had been draining.

At least it looks like it is now over and done with, even though they have lost 2 star players, having 2 unhappy star players at a club is probably worse.

Arsenal have started the league poorly, grabbing just a point from their opening games and facing a difficult Champions League game against Udinese this week.

Arsenal Latest News: Transfer Rumours

They can also concentrate on bringing in some new players, Arsenal latest news indicates that they may be making a move for the Lille midfielder Eden Hazard.

The Belgium midfielder is considered to be worth over 30 million Euros and is the kind of playmaker that Arsenal need and like to have in midfield. However, Lille are unlikely to want to let him leave.

With cash from the sale of Nasri and Fabregas thought to be around £50 million, it is likely most of it will go into the transfer kitty for Arsene Wenger to strengthen his midfield.

Photo: Ronnie Macdonald

La Liga Football Players Go On Strike in Spain

Posted by James in Football, Sports

La Liga football players are getting ready to strike at the start of the new Spanish football season.

Spanish players in the top two leagues of La Liga, who belong to the AFE (Association of Spanish Footballers), are going on strike after talks collapsed over the guaranteeing of wages.

The AFE want players to be able to break their contracts with clubs if they haven’t received any wages for 3 months in a row, and they want a guaranteed wage fund so that even if their club becomes insolvent they will still be paid.

Like many leagues, the Spanish league is littered with clubs who are not financially stable and, at the last count, 6 are under Spanish bankruptcy protection laws.

Millions of Euros are currently owed to around 200 players by clubs struggling to pay their high wage bills, a story echoing around much of Europe as football wages skyrocket year on year.

The row has been rumbling on for some time now. Players had initially threatened a strike last season over the distribution of TV money amongst other things, but talks then headed off the threat.

Wary of perceived broken promises, the AFE are unlikely to be dissuaded from carrying out strike action in last minute talks between the two sides.

The Spanish La Liga campaign was meant to kick off with Barcelona entertaining Malaga and Real Madrid facing Athletic Bilbao this week. Next weeks games are also under threat.

Photo: Jan S0l0

Cesc Fabregas Makes Debut for Barcelona in Super Cup Win

Posted by James in Football, Sports

Cesc Fabregas makes his début for Barcelona in a 3-2 win over Real Madrid in a confrontational Spanish Super Cup win.

Cesc Fabregas has his hands on his first trophy for 5 years after being at Barcelona for less than a week.

Barcelona beat their arch-rivals Real Madrid 3-2 (5-4 on aggregate) in the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup.

The match was a confrontational, not to mention occasionally violent one, involving one mass brawl, a finger in the eye, three red cards and goals for both Messi and Ronanldo.

The mass brawl erupted after Fabregas came on as a substitute and was given a ‘welcome to Spain’ scissor type tackle from Brazilian Marcelo.

Marcelo was sent off by the referee but not before every player and most of the coaches got out their handbags and started pushing each other around. Barcelona’s David Villa and Real Madrid’s Mesut Ozil were both shown red cards by the referee after the scuffle.

The TV camera’s then caught Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho giving Barcelona’s assistant coach, Tito Valanova, a cheeky poke in the eye with his finger.

It’s unlikely that La Liga will take any action because it was not seen by the referee at the time, but Real Madrid are coming under more pressure to-do something about their wayward manager. It’s not the first time he has caused a loss of face for the club.

Perhaps a move back to the Premier League may be closer than we thought, although I suspect the only job Jose wants is to be at the helm of Man Utd.

In the match itself, Andres Iniesta put Barcelona ahead early with an assist from Messi. Christiano Ronaldo then equalised before Lionel Messi restored Barcelona’s lead just before half time.

Benzema levelled the score again after the break but Messi struck again just a few minutes before the final whistle blew giving Barcelona yet another trophy for their display cabinet.

Photo: LaLigaBBVA

Matsuda the Japanese Football Star Dies After Training

Posted by James in Football, Sports

Matsuda, one of Japan’s most famous footballers has died after suffering a heart attack in training.

Naoki Matsuda was only 34 and collapsed at the training centre of his football club, Matsumoto Yamaga, with a suspected heart attack.

The incident happened on Tuesday and he was rushed to hospital in an unconscious state and he never regained conciousness. His club confirmed that he had finally passed away on Thursday just after 13:00.

Matsuda was one of the stars of the Japanese 2002 World Cup team when Japan co-hosted the event. He won 40 caps for his country and he won Japanese league titles with Yokohama F-Marinos. He playing in defence for them in nearly 400 games during 15 years there.

Although Matsuda was in the twilight of his career he thoroughly enjoyed playing the game he loved and intended to go on as long as he could. He was unusually tall for a Japanese player, standing 6′ in height, giving him an edge in the penalty box.

Matsuda Tribute

Former teamate Shunsuke Nakamura told AFP that he couldn’t believe it.

“He was dynamic in every aspect and he was a kind of big brother for everyone in a positive sense.”

The death of one of their most famous players comes on the back of the Japanese women’s team winning the Women’s World Cup last month.

Photo: taishi