FOOTY FAIR

Is Nike Losing Premier League Presence?

2015-08-09T16:00:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe, but this Premier League season will see top football manufacturer Nike supply the kits of just a single team. That team of course is last year's runner-up Manchester City, the only EPL club wearing the "swoosh" on their uniforms this season.

Nike's iconic logo will not go unnoticed however, and as a matter of fact will be present in every match with their sponsorship of the official match-ball and the referee uniforms. But the truth is that you won't find as many fans excited by the ball or feel the need to purchase the latest Nike ref's outfit. Supporters feel attached to a brand mostly when a company is sponsoring their team, real estate Nike doesn't seem to cover very well this season.

The last time the American kit manufacturer had their symbol on just one team in the league was 16 years ago, when Arsenal was the only club supplied by Nike back in the 1999-2000 season. Since then, two clubs would become the minimum between 2004 and 2007, but three or four would usually be the norm.

In the 16 years Nike supplied the uniforms for sides such as Aston Villa, Fulham, Leeds United, Sunderland, Everton, Manchester United and Everton; all of whom are getting their kits from other companies currently.

Their biggest losses perhaps were those of the Arsenal and Manchester United deals, ones they have had since 1994 and 2002 respectively. With The Gunners, Nike lost out to Puma after manufacturing the kits for the club for 20 years. This year Nike's big loss of the Manchester United manufacturing deal to their biggest rivals Adidas and the relegation of Queen's Park Rangers at the end of last year were the reasons why now Manchester City is the only side to wear the company's brand.

Perhaps it's not a trend that will last for a long time and the football giants won't hurt by this (may it be temporary) demise, but the company surely doesn't like to see its name behind the manufacturing numbers of rival brands such as Adidas who now have 6 clubs wearing their company's uniforms. Moreover, Puma is the kit supplier for 3 EPL clubs this year, while Macron, New Balance and Umbro have their names on 2 clubs each.

For now, Nike will have to make due with sharing a 1 club manufacturing deal with the likes of Under Armour, Errea and JD who also supply for a single club in the league this season.

NBC's List of Top 15 US Cities to Watch Premier League is a Bit Surprising

2015-05-20T12:00:00.001-04:00

American TV network giant NBC has released a list of top 15 markets in the United States to have watched the English Premier League this season and the results were pretty interesting.

First we take a look at the Major League Soccer cities that did not make the top 15.

Not surprising - Houston, Orlando, Portland, Salt Lake, San Jose, Kansas City,
A quick glance at a home outing for Houston Dynamo, Real Salt Lake and the San Jose Earthquake can quickly explain the lack of enthusiasm for soccer in those cities. This is not to say that there aren't any fans that are die-hard supporters in those part of the United States because there are plenty, but overall the majority of sports fans in those cities are usually more vested with the 4 North American sports leagues. But perhaps Portland and Kansas City fall into the more surprising on this list as it seems that their stadiums are pretty well represented by local fans, especially for the Portland Timbers. Nonetheless, both cities despite obvious interest in soccer did not make it to the list.

Quite surprising - Los Angeles and Chicago
Two large US cities and while both have many other sports teams in town I have always been able to watch EPL matches on my travels there with quite the large crowds gathering in local pubs. But perhaps the mediocre attendance in Chicago is a sign of below par interest in the sport, while in LA the time-zone means some matches start as early as 5am. Nonetheless, both cities and maybe Chicago even more so should be able to break the top 15 with large immigrant communities surely interested in the English league.

Now let's take a look at the top 15.

#15 - Sacramento

#14 - Albuquerque

#13 - Seattle

#12 - Dallas

#11 - Providence

Seattle is a no brainer to make the list and is sitting at #13. While attendance in Dallas for MLS matches is not great it's also not too hard to imagine a city such as this being in #12, although MLS neighbors Houston did not make the cut. Sacramento is where it gets interesting because just like Los Angeles which recently had 2 MLS clubs, Sacramento is also 3 hours from the Eastern United States cities and matches start very early in the morning, yet the city of about 500,000 population and a USL club Sacramento Republic FC was able to make it in #15. Albuquerque and Providence is where I start to really question whether there is any sort of common denominator to US's EPL viewing statistics. But after a closer look there is one thing in common between Albaquerque which is home to the Sol FC a small club in the USL and Providence which has no professional soccer club in any league; both cities have a sizeable Hispanic community. In any case for small cities such as this it's a very impressive feat to be on the list at numbers 14 and 11.

#10 - Indianapolis

#9 - Knoxville

#8 - West Palm Beach

#7 - Boston

#6 - Miami

Of course Miami and Boston at number 6 and 7 respectively are no surprise to make this list. The large Irish community in Boston is sure to have the Premier League in the background in most households and pubs, while the Hispanic community in Miami is the likely contributor to the city's 6th place on the list. Indianapolis at #10 is also not too surprising considering the well supported NASL club Indy Eleven and the general sport culture of the city. But Knoxville in 9th and West Palm Beach in 8th are the ones that really shocked me when I first read the list. The NPSL Knoxville Force is nothing to write home about in terms of support and the general idea of a town in the state of Tennessee getting together to watch EPL matches seems somewhat bizarre. As far as a second city in Florida appearing on this list, West Palm Beach is a shocking surprise. With no soccer clubs in the city the only explanation for this must be its proximity to Miami-Dade and the fact that perhaps NBC should have put those two together on their list.

#5 - Philadelphia

#4 - Denver

#3 - Columbus

#2 - New York

#1 - Washington, DC

At least the top 5 on this list are not surprising. I can tell you from personal experience that quickly finding a place to watch some EPL action on a Saturday can be effortlessly achieved in four of the five cities on this list, and the only reason I am naming just four is because I have never been to Denver. Philadelphia and Columbus both have a many soccer fans in the city and it shows, while New York and DC are what I call "everything cities", essentially being metropolitans that have people interested in absolutely all things. According to a few good friends in Denver, the city's love for football (sorry, soccer) has been around for a long time, specifically post 1994 FIFA World Cup and the introduction of Major League Soccer, namely the local club Colorado Rapids in the suburbs of the city.

Well, there you have it. The obvious and the shocking. Do what you will with this list but if I had to guess the 15 before the unveiling I would most definitely not guess more than 8-10 correctly.

Any Given Sunday: EPL Managers vs GOT

2015-03-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

Who doesn’t follow Premier League football? Probably, the same amount of people as the ones not watching Game of Thrones.

Being a huge fan of both it is hard not to look at some managers and associate them with characters in Game of Thrones, either due to physical attributes or personality traits.

I have picked five Premier League managers and have decided to give them a Game of Thrones character, and explain why in my mind they are the equivalent of that character in English football.

Jose Mourinho = Petyr Baelish (Little Finger)

If Mourinho had a devious moustache you could almost say that they had been separated at birth.

Mourinho is the “Little Finger” of English football. Always playing mind games, working behind the scenes and not letting anyone know the cards he holds before the time comes when he has to play them.

Sure he doesn’t own brothels in London, but he does own the media and always seem to be plotting something and using the ones around him for his own gain.

Arsene Wenger = Eddard Stark

A man of convictions that will not waiver in his views even if that means dying by the sword.

Arsene Wenger is the Ned Stark of the Premier League, having said that he has been able to keep his head above his shoulders for all these years even if no major trophies have been won. I guess Arsenal is more forgiving than Joffrey.

Manuel Pellegrini = Tywin Lannister

The Manchester City boss comes across as a very cold and calculative person, and I guess you have to be when you are managing so many egos.

His stature, persona, and demeanor make him the Tywin Lannister of English football.

I don’t believe he will be involved in the overtaking of any throne or sending the league into a war of words any time soon, but his calm and collective appearance, mixed in with his cold persona make him a very dangerous person to deal with.

Much like Tywin Lannister, you never know what card he has hiding under his sleeve and when he will play it.

Brendan Rogers = Tyrion Lannister

He may look like a fool but he is not an idiot. Much like Tyrion, don’t let his appearance fool you.

Brendan Rogers is a very intelligent and astute man, what he has done with Liverpool can only be compared to what Tyrion did in the “Battle of the Blackwater”.

If there is one less you can take from Brendan Rogers and Tyrion Lannister is never to judge a book by its cover.

Louis van Gaal = Joffrey Baratheon

Both have the face of someone you would just love to slap. Both come across as arrogant, pompous and spoiled. Both took over a group a man, but failed to truly lead them. Both will end up sharing also the fact that they weren’t in charge for too long.

When I look at all Premier League managers, nobody is a better villain, and someone you love to hate more than Louis van Gaal.

Joffrey lasted four seasons in power, I don’t think van Gaal will “live” that long in Manchester.

Throwback Thursdays: Alvin Martin’s Incredible Hat Trick

2015-03-19T16:00:00.000-04:00

Scoring a hat trick while a difficult achievement it is very common in football, but very few players can score the hat trick that West Ham’s defender Alvin Martin scored against Newcastle.

In April of 1986, West Ham defeated Newcastle United 8-1 and Alvin Martin scored a hat trick in that match. The peculiar aspect of his hat trick is that all three goals were scored against three different goalkeepers, making him the only player to have scored three goals in one game against three different goalkeepers.

The West Ham defender scored his first goal against Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Thomas, who would end up being replaced by Chris Hedworth due to injury. Martin would then score against Hedworth, who would also be replace by Peter Beardsley near the end of the match, but with still time to play he would score his final goal against Beardsley, thus sealing his hat trick and having his name engraved in Premier League and world football history as the only player to achieve this feat.

He was a Hammer at heart, and to be able to set this remarkable feat wearing the kit of the club he loved must have been an honor for him. He played 20 years with West Ham and his final game was at the age of 37 on May 5th 1996 against Sheffield Wednesday.

5 less Known Facts About Joseph Yobo

2015-03-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

Former Nigerian international and currently looking for a club to represent, Joseph Yobo is a well-known and well-travelled footballer with incredible experience and quality.

A strong centre back, Joseph Yobo has played in some of the best leagues in the world, and it shouldn’t take him long to find a club looking at getting a veteran defender like him.

He is not a popular name in world football but perhaps these five facts about him will help you get to know Joseph Yobo better.

Fact 1

During the 2006-2007 season, Yobo played every minute of every game for Everton. He transferred to Everton in 2003 and quickly earned a place on the team. He would become one of their most consistent defenders and one of only seven players in the league to play every minute of every game during 2006-07 season, along with teammate Joleon Lescott.

Fact 2

He married his wife Adaeze Igwe after knowing eachother for only three months. His wife was a former winner of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant. They met and only three months later they tied the knot.

Fact 3

Yobo has been capped 101 times for the Nigerian national team and has represented his country at three FIFA World Cup’s (2002 to 2014). He became the team captain after the 2010 World Cup following the retirement of Nwankwo Kanu.

Fact 4

Yobo announced his international retirement following a quarter final loss to France at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. France won the game 2-0 and one of the goals was an own goal from Yobo. In an interview with BBC Sport, Yobo said, “This is it. I can look back on my career with great pride. I wanted to leave on a high note for my country. Defeat by France was not the right way to go but I’m happy with all I’ve done for the national team. It’s time to give a chance to other people to come through. Our football has a bright future and I am confident this team can achieve success sooner rather than later.”

Fact 5

Ray Smith, the man who rented a Liverpool flat to Yobo, claims the place was completely trashed and there were burn marks left everywhere. The landlord took pictures and released them to the media but Yobo denied any wrong doing saying that he wasn’t living there at that time. He later offer to pay for all the damaged.

10 Great Sir Alex Ferguson Quotes

2015-03-17T20:00:00.000-04:00

The former Manchester United boss was known to use his verbal prowess not only to motivate his players but also to play the famous mind games with his opponents. Perhaps in the Premier League era, Sir Alex Ferguson was one of the best at the now famous mind games.

While no longer coaching, some of the things he said while United bench boss remain classic and truthful to this day, and I am sure will continue to be in years to come.

Here are ten of the greatest quotes from Sir Alex Ferguson.

“If we can play like that every week we'll get some level of consistency.”

“Sometimes in football you have to hold your hand up and say, yeah, they're better than us.”

“I feel sympathy for the working class lad. I've always championed about ticket prices and try to equate that to people's salaries.”

“The culmination of three trophies was the pinnacle of my career and it has been rewarded with a knighthood.”

“Sometimes you're not sure about a player. Sometimes you doubt. Sometimes you have to guess. Sometimes... you just know.”

“In England, it's a rare thing to see a player smoking but, all in all, I prefer that to an alcoholic. The relationship with alcohol is a real problem in English football and, in the short term, it's much more harmful to a sportsman. It weakens the body, which becomes more susceptible to injury.”

"My greatest challenge is not what's happening at the moment, my greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their f****g perch. And you can print that."

“ Inzaghi? That lad must have been born offside."

"They say he's an intelligent man (Wenger), right? Speaks five languages. I've got a 15-year-old boy from the Ivory Coast who speaks five languages!"

"He (Mourinho) was certainly full of it, calling me boss and big man when we had our post-match drink after the first leg. But it would help if his greetings were accompanied by a decent glass of wine. What he gave me was paint-stripper."

Van Gaal: What does Everyone Else Think of Him?

2015-03-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

The current Manchester United boss is known for being very self-confident in his methods of training. The former Netherlands boss has had a vast career as a coach and he has made an impact everywhere he has been.

While the wins on the field have been always a trademark of his work, some players and football personalities have many times disagreed with his methods and with him personally. He is someone that can polarize a room and not many people have a vague idea of where they stand when it comes to liking or disliking Van Gaal.

Here is what some of the people who have worked with him have to say about the current Manchester United bench boss.

Johan Cruyff - "You wonder whether he has one or two screws loose".

Franck Ribery - "I haven't had fun on the pitch once under van Gaal. I had had more than enough of it".

Luca Toni - "Van Gaal simply didn't want to work with me, he treats players like interchangeable objects."

Giovanni - "Van Gaal is the Hitler of the Brazilian players, is arrogant, proud and has a problem. He has no idea of football. His type is sick, he's crazy."

Lucio - "Van Gaal hurt me more than anyone else in football."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic - "Van Gaal is a dictator, with no sense of humour"

As you can see from the comments above, he doesn’t receive many holiday cards during this time of the year. He is probably in most former or current player’s naughty list.

He is the Grinch that stole the fun in football.

FFN: Alan Pardew to Star in British Version of Pretty Woman

2015-03-13T16:00:00.000-04:00

Alan Pardew is making a move to the big screen this year. Everyone recognizes him as one of the faces of the Premier League and one of the most handsome coaches working in England.

He has been casted alongside Rita Ora, famous R&B singer, to play the part of Edward Lewis in a British remake of Pretty Woman.

Pardew has no acting experience so this will be his first major movie role, but his partner, Rita Ora appeared on 50 Shades of Grey, adding some experience to the cast, while it is limited.

The movie will be directed by Plan B, who also directed Ill Manors, in what is expected to be a similar yet different look on the story that was made famous by Richard Gere and Julia Roberts.

The movie will be filmed in London and will use the city as the backdrop to this famous love story. It will not be a musical, but it will use the movie soundtrack as a way to narrate the story and it will feature British R&B singers in original tracks that will be released as part of the movies soundtrack.

Filming will start during the summer, since that is the only time Pardew is available and release date is expected to be late 2016.

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Thank you for reading FootyFair's Friday Fake News. Please note that none of the above is true.

Throwback Thursdays: Arsenal vs Dynamo in The Fog of London

2015-02-19T16:00:00.000-05:00

In 1945, Arsenal played one of the strangest games in their history. It was a friendly match with no real impact in standings or a cup, but it is a match that has gone down in Arsenal history as one of the foggiest affairs.

Arsenal hosted Dynamo Moscow at White Hart Lane in 1945 for a friendly match. Players on the field wanted the game to be suspended due to heavy fog, but the referee decided to allow the game to go forward.

The fog was so thick that turned this game into an absolute farce, on all sorts of levels. Rules were thrown out of the window, and each team did whatever they felt was necessary to play the game and seeing it come to an end.

Dynamo Moscow had a substitution take place without ever removing the substitute player from the field of play. Fans that were at the game believe that the Russian team at one point fielded over 15 players at the same time.

Arsenal wasn’t too far behind when it came to this sort of antics. Arsenal had a player sent off, he would return to the game later on, playing the remainder of the game without the referee noticing that the red carded player was back on the field.

The fog was so dense that their goalkeeper knocks himself out after running into the goalpost, which he couldn’t see due to the heavy fog. Reports claim that a spectator took his place in net for the rest of the match.

The final score was a 4-3 loss for Arsenal in a game in which the result didn’t matter but the story and developments of the game will forever be a part of Arsenal’s folklore.

Football Fanatic: Valentine’s Day Survival Guide

2015-02-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and considering that this year it falls on a Saturday there are certain things that the football fanatic should keep in mind if he doesn’t want to have his better half take a kick at the balls.

Here are some ideas on how to enjoy your Valentine’s Day and not miss any of the action in your favorite league.

PVR

Every guy should own a PVR, if you don’t and you are in a relationship, get one immediately. Watching a match live is better than recording it, but in moments of crisis, it is better to watch it on the PVR than not watch it at all.

Record the game or games of your choice, turn off social media for the day and enjoy it with your significant other. After a day of wine and dine and if you are lucky some adult wrestling, you can easily slip away from the comfort of your bed and into the living room to enjoy your games.

Picking the Right Restaurant

If you don’t have a PVR and are deadest on watching the game, then picking the right restaurant is your best alternative.

Find a restaurant that while romantic and overpriced also has a bar area that shows the games on their big screens. When making reservations, and don’t be a fool and make reservations, ask for a both that directly faces the TV’s. When you arrive at the restaurant make sure she sits with her back to the TV’s while you are facing them.

Order appetizers, the key is to ensure there is always something at the table. Every time she is eating you can discreetly watch the game. Every time she starts to talk to you, grab some food and look interested.

Gift

If you do get caught watching the match on TV while having dinner it is important to have a full proof plan B. That plan B is a gift that will make her forget about what a horrible douche bag you are and take her attention away from being mad at you.

Nothing does the trick better than jewelry. It is the show stopper that will turn her frown into a smile that goes ear to ear.

Go All The Way

If you bought tickets for the game, and forgot that it was Valentine’s Day, than you have just hit the mother load of all screw ups. Don’t despair; there is one thing you can do to avoid having your relationship end on that same day. Buy a ring and propose to her at halftime. Let’s face it, you don’t have to get married right away, you can push that engagement for a few years before you run out of time and excuses. The only thing is that the ring won’t be cheap, but more jewelry stores have payment options.

Manchester City Biggest Transfer Flops

2015-02-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

During the last decade Manchester City has been a huge player in the transfer market, looking at no cost to build a team that would give ownership the guarantees that they would compete to win the title.

At some point the spending and signing of players looked more like someone was playing real life FIFA game and less running an actual team. When money is no object and you can spend as much as you want, rich owners with incredible deep pockets seem to lose their mind, and the ones gaining are the agents and players.

City has been able to sign absolute gems, like Kun Aguero, Kompany, Silva and many others, but for every incredible player that they have signed they have also managed to sign some incredible flops.

Here are five of the worst signings by Manchester City over the last decade.

Jô

He was looked at as the next biggest striker to come out of Brazil. He has incredible seasons with Corinthians and CSKA Moscow before joining the Premier League, but he was never able to duplicate his earlier success.

He joined City for 19 million euros, but was never able to reach his potential. He was loaned out to Everton for two consecutive seasons and then off to Galatasaray, and during those loan spells he failed to impress and prove that he was indeed worth the 19 million City paid for him.

Robinho

His talent is undeniable, but his time at City was less than impressive. He was the first big signing after City was bought by Abu Dhabi United Group and they paid 42 million euros for him.

He had one incredible first season, which he finished as the club’s top scorer, but injuries and inconsistency plagued him during the rest of his time in Manchester. Never able to find the form of that first season, City would eventually sell him to AC Milan.

Shawn Wright-Phillips

He was at his peak when he left City for Chelsea. His first season at Chelsea was subpar but he bounced back with two great seasons that saw him make a move back to Manchester City.

His first year was very promising and showed us a Shawn Wright-Phillips that could have a significant impact on the team, but the signing of Adam Johnson pushed Shawn Wright-Phillips to the bench and eventually to the trade market.

He would be sold to Queens Park Rangers, where he failed to regain his form, and has seen very little playing time.

Emmanuel Adebayor

Manchester City signed him from Arsenal for 25 million euros, and he was brought in with the expectations that he would become their main goal man upfront.

His first season proved to be his best, with 14 goals in 24 appearances, but with the arrival of Dzeko, Tevez and Balotelli the following season, his chances of getting more minutes decrease exponential.

He would be loaned out to Real Madrid and Tottenham, and eventually he would make a permanent move to the London club, but since his days at Arsenal, he hasn’t been able to perform at the level City had hoped for when they signed him from the Gunners.

Scott Sinclair

After helping Swansea City reach the Premier League, Sinclair would have a follow up season that would put his name on most team’s wish lists.

Manchester City came knocking and he signed with them, moving from the modest Swansea City to the big lights of Manchester. He was never given the opportunities and when given them he was never able to do much with them. Spending most of his time on the bench and not contributing for the team’s success it was obvious that his time at City would be short lived.

He was loaned out to West Brom the following season, and failed to impress there, playing mostly with the reserve squad.

Since his move to Manchester City, Scott Sinclair has dropped off the footballing map in to obscurity.

Throwback Thursdays: Chris Nicholl’s Unlikely Poker

2015-01-29T16:00:00.000-05:00

Scoring four goals in one game is something not at the reach of everyone. Even some of the world’s greatest strikers have never scored four goals in one game.

Chris Nicholl is in a special category on his own, a defender that scored four goals in one game, with two of them being in his own net.

Aston Villa defender, Chris Nicholl, scored four goals on March 20, 1976 in a match against Leicester City. The issue is that two of them were in his net in a game that finished in a 2-2 draw.

Nicholl gave Leicester City the opening goal, with his first own goal of the game. He would eventually equalize for Aston Villa just before halftime. The second half would start in the same fashion as the first half with him scoring his second own goal giving Leicester a 2-1 lead. Late in the match he would score again for Villa tying the game at two.

Chris Nicholl looks back on that day with a smile and with a very positive outlook. His biggest frustration about that day is that he didn’t get the game ball from the referee at the end of the game.

He has had this to say about his incredible poker against Leicester City:

“The third goal, Leicester's second, was a cracker. Best goal I ever scored. A diving header. No goalkeeper would have saved that. Fortunately my fourth equalized for [Aston] Villa, so that was a relief.

So after scoring those four goals in that 2-2 draw, I asked the referee if I could have the ball. "No," the ref said, "this is my last match and I am keeping the ball". Just my luck, I suppose. My first hat-trick in a Villa shirt and I don't even get the ball...”

I doubt we will ever see this happen again at any match at any level, more so with a defender being the one scoring all the goals.

Throwback Thursdays: Charlton Athletic 1957 Christmas Miracle

2015-01-22T16:00:00.000-05:00

In December 1957, Charlton Athletic played one of the most epic matches in English football history against Huddersfield Town. At that time both teams were playing in the Football League Second Division.

Charlton Athletic was reduced to 10 men after only 27 minutes of playing time, after their captain, Derek Ulton had to be taken to hospital due to a dislocated shoulder. At that point in time there were no substitutions allowed, so Charlton Athletic would have to continue the game with only 10 men.

Not long after that Huddersfield took a 1-0 lead with a goal by Les Massie, but they were not done yet. They continued to pile on and added to the scoreline, in which looked to be one of the biggest routs in their club history. They lead 5-1 over the home team, Charlton Athletic, with 27 minutes to go in the match, but that is when the match took an epic turn of events.

Johnny Summers and Johnny Ryan scored a goal each for Charlton in a span of two minutes to reduce their team’s deficit and into a more respectable 5-3. They weren’t done yet; Summers would then score in the 73rd and 78th minute tying the game at five goals with 12 minutes to go.

Fans were witnessing one of their team’s greatest comebacks in history, and perhaps the greatest comeback in English football. If the game ended with a 5-5 scoreline, Summers would be the hero of the day, but to make sure his title and this day would be truly memorable, he would go on to score his fifth goal of the day and give his team a 6-5 lead with 9 minutes left, while playing since the 27th minute with only 10 players.

The stadium stands were nearly empty at this point; most fans left when their side was down 5-1, so the ones that stayed were treated to an incredible comeback and day of history.

The dramatic game was not over yet. Huddersfield tied the game at 6 with five minutes left on the clock, but Ryan would score the eventual winner in the final seconds of the match, giving Charlton Athletic the 7-6 win.

To go from being down 5-1 with only 10 men, to winning the game 7-6, Charlton Athletic’s comeback will go down as one of the greatest ones in the history of the game of football.

Chelsea’s 5 Worst Signings of The Abramovich Era

2015-01-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

Since Roman Abramovich has bought Chelsea he has purchased a large amount of players. Some of them have been of unquestionable quality and while on paper all had a great amount of potential and came with great pedigree not all of them ended up being successful at the London club.

I guess it is only fair to point out the fact that when you buy players in large quantities not every purchase will be a successful one. I am not debating the merits of leadership or his scouting department; I am just looking at what I believe are the 5 worst players bought since he purchased the club.

Shaun Wright-Phillips

Chelsea spent 21 million pounds on the Manchester City midfielder that came in with huge hopes and expectations to be an integral part of Chelsea’s squad. In his first season he started only in 15 league games and was never able to perform at the level he had in the past.

The signing of Wright-Phillips proved to be a very costly flop and in 2008 the club sold him back to Manchester City after making only 81 league appearances in three seasons in London.

Yossi Benayoun

He flourished with Liverpool and Chelsea was impressed enough that they paid 5.5 million pounds for the Israeli midfielder. He was never able to produce for Chelsea as he had for Liverpool.

He only played 14 league games for Chelsea and was quickly loaned out to Arsenal and West Ham, but in either of the loan spells the midfielder was unable to reach the heights of his time at Liverpool. Chelsea released him during the summer of 2013.

Juan Sebastian Veron

Veron is one of the most recognizable names in world football. The Argentinian midfielder had a very unimpressive time with Manchester United, but Chelsea believed that things could be different in London.

Chelsea signed him for 15 million pounds hoping that he would turn things around and bring back the form of old. It wasn’t meant to be, the EPL proved to be the wrong place for Veron, who would only play 15 games for Chelsea.

Fernando Torres

Perhaps the biggest flop in Chelsea history, the signing of Fernando Torres from Liverpool for 50 million pounds makes him the most expensive player bought by Chelsea during the Abramovich era.

Never found his form that made him so popular and lethal at Liverpool and the weight of the transfer fee perhaps did very little to help Torres become the striker that Chelsea hoped they were getting when they signed him.

Since joining Chelsea, Torres scored only 20 league goals in 110 league games, so it was no surprise that Chelsea loaned him out to AC Milan this summer and brought an aging Drogba back.

Mateja Kezman

Arriving during Mourinho’s first season in charge, Kezman took ownership of the much wanted number 9 shirt. After a torrid spell with PSV Eindhoven in Holland that saw the Serbian striker score 105 goals in 122 appearances, he was a transfer target that during the summer of 2004 Chelsea wasn’t going to let escape.

Signed for a bargain price of 5.3 million pounds much was expected of him, but little was gained. He never settled in London or to the way of playing in the Premier League and would go on to score only 4 goals in 25 appearances for the club.

A year after arriving he was sold to Atletico Madrid for the same amount Chelsea had bought him.

He was a flop for Chelsea but at least not one that broke the bank.

4 Possible EPL Targets during Transfer Window

2015-01-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

The transfer market reopens for about a month to allow clubs in January the opportunity to reload for what remains of the season.

While not as crazy or lucrative as the summer transfer window, the January or winter transfer market sometimes brings some surprises and some quality signings. Last year Chelsea signed Matic from Benfica during the winter transfer market, and he has proved to have been a quality signing for Mourinho and the Blues.

So, who will be available this winter? Who will clubs be looking for in order to attack the second half of their seasons? I will put forward four players that I believe have a very high probability of becoming the latest ones to be added to the list of stars currently playing in the Premier League.

William Carvalho – Sporting CP

I think it is only a matter of time before the young Portuguese international leaves Sporting CP for greener pastures. It is also no secret that both Manchester United and Arsenal are interested in signing the promising young defensive midfielder.

The issue with the signing is not only the price tag, which is expected to be in the upwards of $37 million but also the fact that he will not be able to play in Champions League. This last issue would not affect Manchester United, and I am not sure Arsenal would pass on this player even if it meant that they would not be able to use him in the Champions League.

He will end up in the Premier League, my feeling is that Arsenal will be his destination, and a move in January may be what the doctor ordered for both clubs involved and player.

Since this move didn’t happen during the summer his impact has decline, and with it could also the price in a future transfer. Perhaps now is the right time.

Xherdan Shaqiri – Bayern Munich

Liverpool and Manchester United seem to be the front runners for his signature. The creative attacking midfielder has not seen the desired time on the field with Bayern Munich. He wants to play and the money that could be thrown his way could be the nail in the coffin when it comes to a move to the Premier League.

Both Liverpool and United could use a player of his quality and caliber, the question is who has more to offer not only from a financial perspective but also from a sporting perspective.

I believe he will end up at Manchester United. Van Gaal needs to turn this team around and replace some players that are just not good enough to be on this team. Shaqiri would be a huge boost to this team, but it would not be their only move if the intent is to improve in the short term.

Nico Gaitan – SL Benfica

Benfica is out of European football when they finished dead last in the group stage of the Champions League. With that in mind it is perhaps obvious that they will need to sell one or two players during this winter’s transfer window, without putting in jeopardy their run for the domestic title.

It is not new or news that Nico Gaitan has been a target of Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and even Manchester City for some time now, the question is who will end up taking the creative Argentinian midfielder away from the Lisbon giants.

I think Liverpool look at Shaquiri as does Manchester United as their first option, if it fails I think their attention will turn to Nico Gaitan who can play on the left side of midfield as well as a creative number 10 behind the striker. Both teams could use a player of his quality but I think he would be a better fit with Liverpool and he would also get more playing time there than anywhere else he could end up moving to.

Martin Odegaard – Stromsgodset

The 15 year old Norwegian star has been a target of several European giants, but during the month of December he joined Liverpool for some training sessions perhaps paving the way for a future transfer.

In October of 2014 the 15 year old represented his senior national team against Bulgaria, and become a household name in football circles.

The talented midfielder is set for a big move to a big club, and the only way Liverpool will land him is if they beat their competition to his signature and do it quickly. The longer he continues to play for his club and country the more valuable he will become, and if the interest of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich is to be taken serious, the window of opportunity is diminishing.

Throwback Thursdays: EPL Boxing Day Classics

2014-12-25T12:00:00.000-05:00

The holiday season is always an incredible time of the year for the Premier League fans, with plenty of fixtures to watch, emotion and drama is never too far behind.

There have been many classic matches during the holiday season in the Premier League, but I have put together what I consider the best five matches of the Premier League during Boxing Day. So, set the plates a food aside, forget about facing long lineups at the mall, sit back and enjoy looking back at these five classic matches.

Chelsea 4-4 Aston Villa (2007)

Chelsea was hosting Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge and looking for the three points, but the Villains had other plans. Shaun Maloney volleyed home a close range shot and then followed that up with a shot from outside the box that made it pass Petr Cech’s arm for a 2-0 lead. Shevchenko got Chelsea back in the game with 2 goals, the first from the penalty spot and the second from mid-range. Chelsea’s defender, Alex, gave the Blues a 3-2 lead, but Villa responded back through Martin Laursen. Ballack scored the go ahead goal for Chelsea with 2 minutes left on the clock, but it wasn’t meant to be, Gareth Barry with a great free kick ended up tying the game at 4’s.

Aston Villa 2-2 Arsenal (2008)

Aston Villa seems to have a special relationship with Boxing Day matches and incredible comebacks. A year after their match with Chelsea, they were involved in another epic holiday battle, but this time with a different London side, Arsenal. Arsenal went ahead first with a Denilson goal in the 40th minute. Only four minutes after the restart, Abou Diaby put his team ahead by two goals and it looked like Arsenal would be cruising to victory. Villa had other ideas, and just like they had done the year before, Aston Villa would not give up on the game. Villa reduced in the 65th minute by Gareth Barry from the penalty spot. Zat Knight became the unlikely hero when he tied the game deep into injury time, for another wild Boxing Day comeback victory.

Manchester United 3-2 Everton (2003)

This was another thrilling Boxing Day match. Nicky Butt handed United an early lead but United defender, Gary Neville, gave that goal back to Everton by scoring an own goal. Kleberson scored the go ahead goal shortly after the start of the second half and David Bellion added to that lead with a goal of his own. Duncan Ferguson got one back for Everton but it wasn’t enough to snag the victory away from United.

Manchester United 4-3 Newcastle United (2012)

No other team has had more classic Boxing Day matches than United. Boxing Day 2012 their opponents were Newcastle United in a seven goal affair. James Perch scored first for Newcastle only four minutes after the start of the game, but 21 minutes later Evans scored the equalizer. Evans wasn’t done scoring, he would put one on the back of his own net giving the lead right back to Newcastle. Patrice Evra scored a low shot past Tim Krul to level the game once again. Newcastle was not willing to give this one up easily, and Papiss Cisse scored a well-placed left foot shot past David De Gea to give Newscatle the lead for the third time in the game. Van Persie found the net and scored the equalizer with 20 minutes before the end of the game, but United wasn’t done and Javier Hernandez scored the winner sending Old Trafford into jubilation.

Sheffield Wednesday 3-3 Manchester United (1992)

David Hirst, Mark Bright and John Sheridan scored a goal each to give Sheffield a 3-0 lead in this Boxing Day classic. United didn’t gave up on this match that seemed all but lost, and pulled back with a second half performance that makes this game an instant classic. Eric Cantona scored the tying goal in this game, in route to another title win.

Doneil Henry Wanted in Europe

2014-12-22T20:00:00.000-05:00

Toronto FC’s young defender Doneil Henry has been linked with a move to Portuguese giants FC Porto. It appears that FC Porto is not alone in the race to sign the central defender; West Ham from the Premier League is also interested in signing the young Canadian defender.

West Ham seems to be in the lead, but FC Porto is keeping a close eye on this situation. West Ham is waiting for clearance from the FA to sign the young Canadian international, since he will require a work visa in order to play in the Premier League. If the work visa fails, West Ham won’t be able to sign him, leaving the door open for FC Porto.

Henry has trained with West Ham under Sam Allardyce prior to the start of the MLS season, and all reports point towards a very positive show by the young defender, enough to impress West Ham, and make him a desirable transfer target for the London club.

This past summer there was a strange transfer deal involving Doneil Henry. Toronto FC sold him to Apollon Limassol of Cyprus, who immediately loaned him back to Toronto FC. His market value is believed to be 200 thousand euros.

FFN: Louis van Gaal Diagnosed with Mumps

2014-12-19T16:00:00.001-05:00

The mumps are not only spreading through the NHL, the first reported case of the mumps in football is now official. Louis van Gaal has been diagnosed and is currently receiving treatment for the mumps.

Dutch news media outlets are reporting that the Manchester United coach currently in England preparing for the holiday stretch has been treated for the mumps. He apparently contracted the disease during a trip to the United States last month but it is not clear with whom he came in contact with or if he even visited Pittsburgh. All that is known at this time is that he has been receiving treatment, and the illness has been contained.

Reports also suggest that Di Maria, Falcao and Blind all have contracted the illness, but to avoid public hysteria and possible drop in attendance at home games, the illness has been kept a secret from the public and media. The public relations at United decided to create “injury” reports to explain those players absences instead of letting everyone know that they were being treated for the mumps.

The mumps are also being blamed for United’s early troubles in the league, according to sources near Louis van Gaal, he wasn’t himself during the first half of the season. He wasn’t able to spend as much time as he wanted with players and his health didn’t allow him to put in play his tactics, which force him to depend more on Ryan Giggs who he doesn’t believe has the necessary quality to lead United.

Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho was asked about this story during the week, and he seemed surprise with the allegations of Louis van Gaal being ill and the wide spread of the illness at United. “Louis looked fine to me, the last time I saw him” he had this to say when asked by media

If reports are confirmed to be true this could be one of the biggest cover ups in modern football. Covering up a highly contagious illness from players and public putting at risk hundreds of people is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly and United should be fined if allegations are indeed true.

Louis van Gaal has not commented on this report, and neither have the three players that have apparently also contracted the illness. Everyone at United is keeping a close eye on this developing story and more is sure to surface in the coming days.

Premier League officials have also denied to comment but FIFA officials speaking off the record have suggested that some of their members were infected with the mumps during the vote that awarded the World Cup to Qatar.

One thing is certain, Louis van Gaal with be on the bench this weekend, and it is believed he won’t be answering any questions in regards to the illness that has crippled United.

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Thank you for reading FootyFair's Friday Fake News. Please note that none of the above is true.

5 Interesting Manager Facts - Steve Bruce

2014-12-06T16:00:00.000-05:00

Steve Bruce is quite an icon in English football and although he has never been in charge of a "big" club, the man is known to do well with the smaller-budget outfits by gaining several promotions with his clubs. Here are 5 interesting facts about the current Hull City bench-boss.

First Club as a Player

Steve Bruce began his professional playing career with Gillingham Football Club. He spent the first two years at the club playing for the reserve squad, and eventually appeared in over 200 matches for the senior team before signing with Norwich City.

Goal Record

Steve Bruce has one of the most impressive goal statistics for a footballer who played out of the center back position. Over his career Bruce scored 113 goals, mostly due to his great heading ability and penalty-kick taking. During the 1990-91 season Steve Bruce score 19 goals in all competition and 13 in league action while with Manchester United. To put things in perspective, that season's league leader waas Arsenal striker Alan Smith with 22 goals. Also, while playing for the Gillingham reserves during the 1978-79 season Bruce finished the season as goal scoring leader with 18.

Even Stephen

Stephen Roger Bruce as he was named by his parents managed to attain a pretty unlikely win to loss ratio while manager of Birmingham City, a club he managed for a longer period than any other. In his 6 years at St. Andrew's Bruce was the club's bench-boss through 270 matches. 70 of those matches ended in a draw, while the other 200 were split right in half with 100 wins and 100 losses.

Only Title as Manager

While Bruce managed to gain promotion to the Premier League with Birmingham in 2007 and again with Hull City in 2013, both promotions were due to his clubs' runner-up status at the end of the year. But in 2002 Bruce won his first and so far only actual trophy as a manager when his Birmingham City side won the Football League First Division play-off final for their first promotion under Bruce.

A Writer in Disguise

Steve Bruce is in fact a published author. But while his autobiography titled Heading for Victory is a well known project, Steve Bruce had also released a trilogy of novels titled Sweeper!, Defender! and Striker!. The novels are set around a fictional football manager who's name is Steve Barnes.

Any Given Sunday: Big Coach for the Small Time

2014-11-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

There are some great coaches with impressive credentials looking for a coaching job, but no name has received more media coverage than David Moyes. The former Everton and Manchester United coach has been unemployed for 10 months since being sacked at United after what can only be considered a disastrous campaign.

During his 10 month absence he had been very quiet about any future jobs and opportunities but recently he made it clear to the media that he feels ready to return to action. While the return may happen very soon, it won’t be a return to a league that he is very familiar with. It looks like the front running team in the race to land David Moyes is indeed Real Sociedad.

This week the president of the club confirmed to Spanish media outlets that the Scot is one of four names that are possible candidates for the coaching position at Real Sociedad.

David Moyes is a good manager, the spell at United proved perhaps one thing, that he is a good manager of small teams, and right now in Spanish football, not many teams are any smaller than Real Sociedad. They are sitting second from the bottom and in a fight to stay in the first level of Spanish football. Under normal circumstances I would believe that this fit could have very positive results for both club and manager, but considering the current position in the standing of the club and the failure that was Moyes experience with United, this is a recipe that is bound to fail.

I don’t see any upside in Moyes taking the job. If he is successful and is able to keep them in the first division of Spanish football, it will prove some pundits that he is the perfect man, for a small team looking at achieving maintenance in a very competitive league. If he fails, he will start to be looked at as damaged goods, and the ability of landing a better job with a more prominent club will become almost a pipe dream.

I understand both sides. From a club perspective, Moyes does have experience and the ability to get the most out of average players that are playing for an average club. His personality and name alone will bring some fans in, and perhaps reinvigorate the troops. From his perspective he is probably looking for a coaching job outside of the Premier League to get his feet wet again without having to deal with the day to day scrutiny that he would if he was to coach in England right now. These are the positives and pros; I just don’t see the benefits outweighing the negatives.

Moyes should perhaps wait until Christmas, by then someone will end up being sacked in the Premier League, opening the door for a return to a more familiar place and a chance to perhaps show that he is indeed a good general, as long as the army is small and fighting small battles.

When Teammates Turn Enemies

2014-10-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

During the heat of battle it is very common to see players on the field going beyond the limits of what is allowed by the game. What is not very common is for their passion to boil over and turn see teammates turn on each other.

Those are rare moments, and that is what makes them very special. Seeing teammates lose their control to the point where they are willing to fight each other instead of concentrating on their opponent.

Here are some examples of when teammates turn enemies.

Mario Balotelli vs Aleksandar Kolarov (Manchester City)

It would be almost impossible to put one of these lists together and not have a Balotelli moment. Manchester City was losing 3-1 at home against Sunderland when Balotelli and Kolarov had an argument over who should take the freekick. It took Kompany to intervene to put a stop to what could have ended up being an ugly scene.

Steve Mcmanaman vs Bruce Grobbelaar (Liverpool)

Maybe during a derby match, tensions run even higher, at least that is the logic explanation for Grobbelaar losing his mind and grabbing a 19 year old Mcmanaman by his neck after a bad clearance leads to an Everton goal, which gave them the 1-0 lead at Anfield.

Benoit Assou-Ekkoto vs Benjamin Moukandjo (Cameroon)

During the 2014 World Cup, Cameroon players Benoit Assou-Ekkoto and Benjamin Moukandjo lost control and instead of concentrating on defeating Croatia they turned on each other. Sure the match was probably already lost, with Croatia leading 4-0 at the time, but Assou-Ekkoto completely lost his mind when he tried to head-butt his teammate.

Lee Bowyer vs Kieron Dyer (Newcastle United)

This is by far the worst teammate fight I have ever seen. It was well known that the two of them didn’t see eye to eye, so it wasn’t a surprise that these two would end up going at each other on the field during a game, but when it happened it was still shocking and entertaining. The game was lost, so the weight of defeat must have played a role in their brawl, whatever it was the reasons and causes, the incident was a real embarrassment to the players and the team.

Arsenal Players Poster Collection by Jon Rodgers (Gallery)

2014-10-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

Jon Rodgers a graphic artist from Vancouver, Canada and he has created a collection of posters of some of the most famous and current Arsenal players.

This collection includes most of the current players and what you would consider the most used players by Wenger during this season. For more of his work you can check him out at http://jrhomework.squarespace.com/

5 Less Known Facts About Cheick Tioté

2014-10-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

Ivorian footballer and Newcastle United midfielder, Cheick Tioté, is a name well known to football fans.

He represented Ivory Coast in this past summer 2014 World Cup and has played with Newcastle United since 2010, after making a move from Twente in Holland. Most Newcastle fans know the man on the field but perhaps know very little about the man off the field.

Here are five less known facts about Cheick Tioté.

Fact 1

Cheick Tioté didn’t own a pair of football boots until the age of 15. Born and raised in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast, Tioté played football barefoot in the streets of his hometown until the age of 10. At the age of 15 he started to play competitively for his high school and it wasn’t until then that he was able to own his first pair of football boots.

Fact 2

In 2011, during a period of civil unrest in the Ivory Coast, Tioté paid for his five brothers and two sisters to fly out of his native country to somewhere safe, until the problems in his country were resolved. His family has since returned back home, but he continues to help them by sending money to them every month.

Fact 3

Tioté received 25 yellow cards in his first two seasons at Newcastle United. Known for his aggressive play, it doesn’t come as a surprise that he collected 25 yellow cards during 50 league games in a span of two seasons at Newcastle. Since then he has averaged one yellow card for every two games, a slight improvement.

Fact 4

Tioté moved to Newcastle United due to a suggestion by fellow Ivorian teammate, Didier Drogba. During an interview, Tioté told the journalist that Didier Drogba told him that he should move to the Premier League and that Newcastle would be a good fit for him. He was playing in Holland at the time and Drogba was able to convince him that a move to England would be the best for his career.

Fact 5

Tioté didn’t speak a word of English before joining Newcastle United. He had played in Belgium with Anderlecht and in Holland with FC Twente for several years before making a move to the Premier League. In 2010 when he joined Newcastle United he also started to learn English to help him in his transition. While his English has improved drastically he still relies on a translator and continues to give interviews in French, since that is his native language.

EPL Stars 2014-15 by Lucas Alves (Gallery)

2014-10-10T09:00:00.001-04:00

Lucas Alves from Rio de Janeiro has created graphic posters of some of EPL biggest stars for the 2014-15 season.

Enjoy his work and this wonderful collection of posters.

Premier League Kits by Nerea Palacios (Gallery)

2014-10-05T15:00:00.000-04:00

The incredible Spanish graphic designer and huge fan of Nike has created a new concept gallery of Nike inspired Premier League kits.

She continues to amaze with her incredible work. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/IwtwfNike