Today the builders of the new Wembley Stadium admitted it was only 70% likely to be ready in time for its first scheduled event, the FA Cup Final in May 2006.
It should be noted forthwith that safety for fans is more important than anything so another delay is far from the end of the world but this is yet another chapter in the troubled tale that has been the replacing of the old national football ground. There were prolonged and bloody political squabbles over whether to include athletics or not, and anger at the exorbitant cost of purchasing the land, demolishing the old ground and constructing a new one and now there are regular concerns being voiced over cost overruns and put back completion times. Nothing strange there you might think, as this is often the case with the birth of grands projets, niggles that are soon forgotten once the Colossus is up there looking out over Rhodes’ harbour.
The English football world is already so jaded by the saga of Wembley’s rebuilding that no one really cares whether the Cup Final will be at Cardiff for another year. In fact, given the positive experiences of fans visiting the Millennium Stadium, an impressive arena located in the heart of a vibrant city a stone’s throw from a mainline railway station, there cannot seriously be many fans dying to return to the grimy industrial estates of the grubby and uninspiring outer suburb of London that is Wembley.
A Cup Final is about having a day out as well as watching the game itself and a trip to the area surrounding Wembley was nothing if not disappointing, particularly given the chronic lack of hostelries within walking distance of the stadium. I traveled to Wembley several times over the past quarter of a century for football matches and not once did I have an experience as magical as the self-styled ‘Venue of Legends’ would have had us believe. The complex itself sat amidst a sea of concrete and was home to overpriced and unpleasant food & merchandise, rude and ignorant stewarding and above all inadequate sightlines, courtesy of a 1920s athletic stadium stands having seats bolted on to them without thought for views of the football field.
My abiding memory of the Wembley experience was of sprinting to the stadium just in time for a delayed kick off for an England v Poland World Cup qualifier in 1988 after Wembley plc had forced everyone to collect their match tickets at Wembley Arena in a barmy and never-repeated experiment in ‘efficiency’. As I ran breathless up the multiple flights of stairs to a seat so high up that the roof only just fell short of covering the field in my sightline, England fans stood urinating against the walls of the stairwells as ‘God Save the Queen’ boomed out over the tannoy.
Even more frustrating than the views and underwhelming experience was the Football Association’s commitment to signing exclusive contracts for England matches with the private company who ran the creaking, smelling dinosaur that was Wembley. While countries like Italy and Germany played their national team games across the country, England, the birthplace of the sport, stayed marooned at what effectively was a neutral ground, which conspicuously failed to replicate the atmosphere English football is famous for.
When the obsolete old place blessedly closed at long last in October 2000 after 78 years of football and two Olympic Games, England took their home games around the country for the first time in living memory. The experience has been positive all round, especially for fans from the football hotbeds of the North for whom a midweek trip to London is out of the question. But it was a time-limited beano, a tantalizing glimpse of what could have been.
Now a new Wembley is almost a reality again, and although the projected sightlines on the official website do not appear that much better than those of the old ground, at least there will be plenty of tickets available, 90,000, for casual fans, (or 70,000 after the corporate parasites have had their fill) and the edifice itself looks more impressive than the old, twin towers and all.
Drive along London’s North Circular Road and the silhouette of a magnificent fortress appears on the horizon ahead, commanding awe from all around and distracting drivers’ attention away from Ikea at Brent Cross. I for one will try to feel hopeful that the 757 million pounds spent on this project will have been worth it and that world-renowned architect Norman Foster has not made another wobbly bridge out of this millennium dream.
It would be churlish not to feel some optimism about a new home for the England team but how telling it is that such an expensive and apparently magnificent creation has failed so singularly to inspire the nation’s fans, whatever the Wembley PR men might tell you.
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Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
Romario on the way to 1000 goals
PSV takes nine goals off Romario!
Brazilian statisticians too "loose" for European taste
PSV zakinuo Romarija za devet golova!?
Romario je pet godina igrao u PSV-u s fantastičnim učinkom od 98 pogodaka u 109 ligaških nastupa.
Unatoč tome što je pomogao klubu u osvajanju triju prvenstava, PSV mu se "odužuje" tako što je proglasio devet njegovih golova - neslužbenim, a onda i nevažećim!
Romario je dan prije 40. rođendana postigao još jedan (službeni) pogodak za Vasco, u porazu od 1:2 protiv Americe u regionalnom prvenstvu Rio de Janeira, što je po brazilskoj statistici njegov ravno 950. gol u karijeri. No, istovremeno je ostao "kratak" za devet pogodaka iz razdoblja 1988.-1993., kad je branio boje "elektroničara" iz Eindhovena.
Prije nekoliko dana, PSV je objavio da Romariju priznaje samo 165, a ne 174 gola, koliko on smatra da je postigao. Nizozemci su objasnili da je devet od tih golova postignuto u neslužbenim prijateljskim utakmicama, koje ni klub ni Nizozemski savez ne vode u svojoj evidenciji.
No, budući da Brazilci uvažavaju "sve žive" utakmice, uključujući i malo ozbiljnije treninge, razumljivo je da se Romario pobunio protiv stava svog bivšeg kluba.
Ipak, s obzirom da je Romario Brazilac, nema dvojbe da će njegovi sunarodnjaci i dalje voditi i tih devet golova kao službene. Naime, u spomenutih 950 golova ubrojeni su i mnogi Romariovi golovi iz prijateljskih utakmica u Brazilu, koje Europljani također ne bi priznali kao službene.
Romario, koji je sam sebe proglasio najboljim igračem u povijesti iza Pelea i Maradone, primio je posebne počasti od prijatelja i rođaka prilikom izlaska na teren protiv Americe, drugoligaškog kluba za koji strastveno navija njegov tata Edevair. Iako je priznao razočaranje porazom u utakmici regionalnog prvenstva, koji mu je pokvario rođendansku proslavu, najavio je da će nastaviti igrati barem toliko dugo koliko mu bude potrebno doseći brojku od 1000 golova. Pitanje je samo - po čijoj računici!
Opravdani su prosvjedi europskih nogometnih povjesničara, koji ispravno primjećuju da su i Pele i Romario većinu golova postigli protiv osrednjih ili slabih momčadi, za razliku od europskih strijelaca, koji tijekom godine imaju mnogo nepovoljniji omjer jakih i slabih protivnika.
HNL: Naslovi se osvajaju u gostima
Dinamo ?eli rekordnu seriju
HNL - Usporedba s pro?lom sezonom
Dobro je zvati se Dinamo
Neka ?vedska strahuje
Najbolje gol razlike u europskim ligama
Usporedna ljestvica
Argentina ili Hrvatska, pitanje je sad
Brazilian statisticians too "loose" for European taste
PSV zakinuo Romarija za devet golova!?
Romario je pet godina igrao u PSV-u s fantastičnim učinkom od 98 pogodaka u 109 ligaških nastupa.
Unatoč tome što je pomogao klubu u osvajanju triju prvenstava, PSV mu se "odužuje" tako što je proglasio devet njegovih golova - neslužbenim, a onda i nevažećim!
Romario je dan prije 40. rođendana postigao još jedan (službeni) pogodak za Vasco, u porazu od 1:2 protiv Americe u regionalnom prvenstvu Rio de Janeira, što je po brazilskoj statistici njegov ravno 950. gol u karijeri. No, istovremeno je ostao "kratak" za devet pogodaka iz razdoblja 1988.-1993., kad je branio boje "elektroničara" iz Eindhovena.
Prije nekoliko dana, PSV je objavio da Romariju priznaje samo 165, a ne 174 gola, koliko on smatra da je postigao. Nizozemci su objasnili da je devet od tih golova postignuto u neslužbenim prijateljskim utakmicama, koje ni klub ni Nizozemski savez ne vode u svojoj evidenciji.
No, budući da Brazilci uvažavaju "sve žive" utakmice, uključujući i malo ozbiljnije treninge, razumljivo je da se Romario pobunio protiv stava svog bivšeg kluba.
Ipak, s obzirom da je Romario Brazilac, nema dvojbe da će njegovi sunarodnjaci i dalje voditi i tih devet golova kao službene. Naime, u spomenutih 950 golova ubrojeni su i mnogi Romariovi golovi iz prijateljskih utakmica u Brazilu, koje Europljani također ne bi priznali kao službene.
Romario, koji je sam sebe proglasio najboljim igračem u povijesti iza Pelea i Maradone, primio je posebne počasti od prijatelja i rođaka prilikom izlaska na teren protiv Americe, drugoligaškog kluba za koji strastveno navija njegov tata Edevair. Iako je priznao razočaranje porazom u utakmici regionalnog prvenstva, koji mu je pokvario rođendansku proslavu, najavio je da će nastaviti igrati barem toliko dugo koliko mu bude potrebno doseći brojku od 1000 golova. Pitanje je samo - po čijoj računici!
Opravdani su prosvjedi europskih nogometnih povjesničara, koji ispravno primjećuju da su i Pele i Romario većinu golova postigli protiv osrednjih ili slabih momčadi, za razliku od europskih strijelaca, koji tijekom godine imaju mnogo nepovoljniji omjer jakih i slabih protivnika.
HNL: Naslovi se osvajaju u gostima
Dinamo ?eli rekordnu seriju
HNL - Usporedba s pro?lom sezonom
Dobro je zvati se Dinamo
Neka ?vedska strahuje
Najbolje gol razlike u europskim ligama
Usporedna ljestvica
Argentina ili Hrvatska, pitanje je sad
AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS - The five pillars v Two jumpers and a goalpost
Woken this morning by the call of the muezzin, blaring out "Allahu akbar" on a microphone at 5.30a.m. This got me thinking further about the similarity between Islam and football. The muezzin will call people to prayers five times a day every day, at sunrise, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and night. The timetable for these calls can be found in the daily papers. A more flexible timetable is adopted for football but details can also be found in the paper, for many everyday people participate in this form of religion through the television. Our TV listings page will show, Soccer AM, Football Focus, Match of the Day any live games and late night football from overseas. Other more devout followers, will also turn to the fixtures section and answer the call, sometimes by travelling vast distances.
Islam means 'submission' and the people are expected to observe the five pillars which form the basis of the religion. The first pillar is to publicly declare 'there is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his Prophet'. In football we will tell anyone that our team is better than anyone else's, no matter what our current league position is.
The second pillar, is to answer the call of the muezzin, and pray five times a day. (I answered this mornings call by asking him to be quiet). In football it is important to get your daily fix and an innovation of recent times has been the great ball in the sky - the satellite which provides non stop information.
The third pillar is to give alms for the propogation of Islam and to help the needy. In football this can be done by paying exorbitant amounts of money in the form of either match day admission fees or satellite subscription fees.
The fourth, states that Muslims must fast during daylight hours during the month of Ramadan. We must attempt, during the season which can run all year round, to watch every game we can live, if not then on TV and also read all about it in the various forms of media available. It is also important to ensure any conversation we have in the pub is based around our religion.
The fifth and final pillar is the haj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. In football we all, wherever we are have a dream that one day we will be able to stand on the terraces and see our team in the final of our country's premier competition. With Islam there is a specific name given to those that have made such a journey, in football those people who attend such an event are known as 'lucky' by those who didn't get a ticket.
On a recent free morning, (my first and only to date) I took a walk down to the Citadel, built by Saladin in the 12th century. There you can find the mosque of Muhammad Ali, (I was attracted by the name as I am sure I have heard it somewhere before). The police presence outside was strong and inside police with guns were highly visible. The mosque itself was rather bland from the outside but inside its domes are decorated like a faberge egg. Outside in the courtyard you can see ( when it is not covered in scaffolding an ornate clock which was given by King Louis-Phillipe of France in exchange for the obelisk that stands in the Place de la Concorde. The clock was damaged upon delivery and has yet to be repaired!
The mosque dominates Cairo's skyline, but an even better view was had from the Muqattam hills which look back over the citadel. In the distance through the haze I had my first sight of two toblerones in the distance.
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Islam means 'submission' and the people are expected to observe the five pillars which form the basis of the religion. The first pillar is to publicly declare 'there is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his Prophet'. In football we will tell anyone that our team is better than anyone else's, no matter what our current league position is.
The second pillar, is to answer the call of the muezzin, and pray five times a day. (I answered this mornings call by asking him to be quiet). In football it is important to get your daily fix and an innovation of recent times has been the great ball in the sky - the satellite which provides non stop information.
The third pillar is to give alms for the propogation of Islam and to help the needy. In football this can be done by paying exorbitant amounts of money in the form of either match day admission fees or satellite subscription fees.
The fourth, states that Muslims must fast during daylight hours during the month of Ramadan. We must attempt, during the season which can run all year round, to watch every game we can live, if not then on TV and also read all about it in the various forms of media available. It is also important to ensure any conversation we have in the pub is based around our religion.
The fifth and final pillar is the haj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. In football we all, wherever we are have a dream that one day we will be able to stand on the terraces and see our team in the final of our country's premier competition. With Islam there is a specific name given to those that have made such a journey, in football those people who attend such an event are known as 'lucky' by those who didn't get a ticket.
On a recent free morning, (my first and only to date) I took a walk down to the Citadel, built by Saladin in the 12th century. There you can find the mosque of Muhammad Ali, (I was attracted by the name as I am sure I have heard it somewhere before). The police presence outside was strong and inside police with guns were highly visible. The mosque itself was rather bland from the outside but inside its domes are decorated like a faberge egg. Outside in the courtyard you can see ( when it is not covered in scaffolding an ornate clock which was given by King Louis-Phillipe of France in exchange for the obelisk that stands in the Place de la Concorde. The clock was damaged upon delivery and has yet to be repaired!
The mosque dominates Cairo's skyline, but an even better view was had from the Muqattam hills which look back over the citadel. In the distance through the haze I had my first sight of two toblerones in the distance.
Bet with Bet 365
World Soccer News
Soccer betting tips
Soccer Books & DVDs
Tags
Soccer News
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