FOOTY FAIR

April Fools' – Football Edition

2015-04-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

If you are a football fan today is not an easy day for you.

Most newspaper and websites will find a way to add fake news to their regular lineup with the main objective of making the reader look like a fool.

Sometimes the story is so absurd that you can honestly tell that there is no truth behind it and it is nothing more than an April Fools' joke, but sometimes it is so well done that it would have the most rabid fan looking twice and calling his friends to share what he just read.

Most of them have to do with wild transfers or personal aspects of a player’s life, but some others are so outrages and funny that you can’t avoid the laughter.

Three of my favorite April Fools' gathered a life of their own on the internet, and have always become memorable to me in what the day should be all about.

In 2012 a story started to circulate on the internet that Arsenal was planning to test-tube footballers to outsmart Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United. This was an obvious joke, but it was funny and well done, to a point that you know it is fake but you still wonder if there is any truth to it.

2013 brought us one of the most elaborate and well done April Fool’s joke of all time. Rickie Lambert did a video where he is being interviewed by New Zealand journalist about the fact that he had made himself available to represent New Zealand. The video is very well done and the addition of Lambert makes the story extremely believable, but it was nothing more than a joke. I am sure many New Zealand hearts were broken in the process.

In 2014 and Austin, Texas publication claimed that MLS was coming to Austin and with it the light rail system. Considering the well-known desire from Austin to have an MLS franchise this story gained massive momentum. The light rail part of the story is what made me think twice about believing it.

Had the writer kept the story to the addition of an MLS franchise and that the team would be located in Austin, I believe most of North America would have taken the bate, hook and liner on this one.

Over the last three years those three stories were my favorite, but I am sure this year will bring us more funny stories, looking forward to see what the day brings us.

Can Southampton Finish in the Top Four?

2014-11-10T16:00:00.000-05:00

As Southampton's supporters witnessed the nightmare of their team, which had finished in 8th place in the Premier League in 2013/2014, ripped to shreds in the summer through the sale of several of their best players, you couldn't blame them for being concerned.

By early August, with defender Dejan Lovren, striker Rickie Lambert, and attacking midfielder Adam Lallana sold on to Liverpool, left-back Luke Shaw sold to Manchester United, and right-back Calum Chambers transferring out to Arsenal, the prospect of relegation seemed to loom large for the Saints.

With Argentinian coach Mauricio Pochettino leaving for Spurs, the club appeared to be going through it's most traumatic period since the dark days of League One.

Prior the season starting I tuned into BBC's 606 Phone-In show to hear an interview with Southampton's new Chairman Ralph Krueger. Coming to the club after a long spell in North American and European hockey, the Canadian seemed from the outside to be an odd choice to take up such a post at the football club.

In light of what had occurred that summer, Krueger was predictably skewered by Saints fans and neutrals a-like who called into the show. Some even suggested that it was a "Fire Sale" and that the club didn't care if they got relegated.

Krueger, for his part, displayed a quiet confidence in the face of such a strong backlash and told caller after caller to have faith in new manager Ronald Koeman. He suggested that the club would bring in replacements for the players that had left and he believed that there was talent in the youth ranks that was ready for the step up to the first team.

Despite his positive outlook many, myself included, remained unconvinced. But then something incredible happened.

With the club bolstered by the signings of Dušan Tadić from Twente, Sadio Mané from Red Bull Salzburg, Hull City's Shane Long, Toby Alderweireld on loan from Atletico Madrid, and best of all Graziano Pellè from Feyenoord, the club has roared to their best-ever start to a top flight season.

Southampton haven't been scraping results either, rather they have pulled themselves to within four points of league leaders Chelsea by playing terrific attacking football.

Under Ronald Koeman, they have become one the best sides to watch in the Premier League and many neutrals are now hoping that they can stay in the top four.

In the years since the Champions League was expanded to include four sides from England, the usual suspects for qualification into the biggest competition in club football has been made up of a small number of teams. For years it was Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal that consistently locked down the qualifying spots, with Manchester City's new riches later forcing out Liverpool, and outside of that it was only Tottenham and Everton occasionally threatening to force their way in.

This season though with Manchester United still struggling through their post-Alex Ferguson transition, Liverpool in a mess after the sale of Luis Suarez, Arsenal dropping silly points, and Manchester City nowhere near as good as they were last season, the only one of the big clubs that's assured of finishing in and around the top of the league is Chelsea.

So if Southampton can maintain their current form, even allowing for one rough patch at some point, this season may be the best opportunity for the club to break into the Champions League.

Looking at the Saints schedule after a match with Aston Villa at Villa Park, they then have matches against Manchester City, Manchester United, and Arsenal in consecutive weeks. It's a tough run of matches, but if the club can come through that relatively unscathed they should be in great shape heading into the New Year.

For Southampton to make the top four, after the trauma of last summer and being only a few years removed from League One and Administration, this would certainly rank as one of the greatest single season accomplishments of the Premier League era.

5 Longest Penalty Kick Streaks in Football

2014-08-11T18:00:00.001-04:00

Penalty kicks is an integral part of the game of football. Many times games are decided on penalty kicks, trophies are awarded after a penalty kick shootout, so it is only deserved that we look at the five players that have had the longest streak of scoring penalty kicks.

Where many have failed, these five players have basked in glory.

Davor Suker

During his 19 year long career that ended in 2003, Davor Suker has only missed 2 penalty kicks in his career. One of those misses came for Arsenal in the UEFA Cup final against Galatasaray in 2000. It is never a good time to miss, but in a final is extra painful. I am sure he would love to have that one back.

Cristiano Ronaldo

He scored 24 consecutive penalty kicks before missing on in the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League semi-finals against Bayern Munich. The Real Madrid and Portugal captain has a history of not missing in these key moments, but even the best in the world will have a day off when things don’t go his way. Sadly, it was in a critical game and not in a game that was already won.

Matthew Le Tissier

In 49 penalty kick attempts, Matthew Le Tissier missed only once. The miss was smack down in the middle of the streak, giving him two streaks of 24 penalty kicks converted. His numbers are very impressive and not easily duplicated.

Rickie Lambert

Rickie had a streak of 34 penalty kicks converted, which came to an end this pre-season when he missed a penalty shot against AC Milan. Last time he had missed a penalty was in 2009 when he was with Bristol Rovers. Hopefully the move to Liverpool has not affected his penalty taking ability, in Southampton he was a sure thing from the spot, and I am sure Liverpool would like to see him keep that same form at Anfield Road.

Ledio Pano

The former Albanian midfielder never missed a penalty kick during his 15 year career. He played from 1986 to 2001 in Greece and Albania and even represented Albania for 11 times. He used to practice penalty kicks all the time, and just had the confidence necessary to put the ball in the back of the net when it counted the most. Perhaps the biggest moment of glory in his career is this record.