FOOTY FAIR

Chaos on the Tracks: Football Specials

2015-03-18T12:00:00.000-04:00

Riding the train to work every day beats driving I've been told, and although the prospect of sitting in bumper to bumper traffic out of Toronto every night doesn't sound too appealing, having a large sweaty man who smells like coffee and mushrooms fall asleep on shoulder is no walk in the park either.

Besides people that want to cuddle perfect strangers, a woman I call the Mole Lady who burrows across two seats and makes angry mole faces at people who look at her, there's also the sub-human scum that put their wet and dirty boots on the seats and give people like me "salt butt". Salt butt, for the uninitiated, is when you hop on the train in a nice pair of dress pants or khaki's for work and then with blissful ignorance you sit down on a seat soaked with slushy salt water. Your pants are then ruined and you spend the day in damp discomfort, while looking like a dirt bag who doesn't wash his clothes.

Often when riding the commuter trains I daydream about football and wish I was on my way to a match somewhere, rather than the office.

In England when fans started travelling more regularly to away matches other than local derbies in the 1960's, they would go by rail to follow their teams in exotic towns like Bristol or Leicester.

Around this time though football hooliganism was also beginning to take hold across the country and instances of fans rampaging on the commuter trains became a common occurrence.

In an early instance of the British government trying to get to grips with hooliganism a plan was put in place to offer trains only for football supporters that would keep them away from other passengers.

The result was a chartered train service called "The Football Special". As well as being an attempt to minimize the risk to the so-called ordinary, and often terrified, general public on the trains, The Football Specials also served the purpose of allowing police to know where away fans were as they were coming into their towns, and preparing appropriately for their arrival.

As much as I gripe about taking the GO Train into Toronto every day, and what I perceive to be the service's shortcomings, the trains I regularly ride are luxurious compared to the old Football Specials.

Made up of British Rail's obsolete and extra carriages, to say these trains were like cattle cars isn't that far fetched.

With barely any of them featuring working toilets, most of them furnished with wrecked seats and the windows covered with bars, the trains in a way symbolized the disdain the establishment had for football fans at that time.

The view very much was that if as a fan you were going to act like a criminal, you were going to be treated as one.

The increase in football related violence in the 1970's and 1980's didn't help that perception and in fact during this period, West Ham's notorious ICF (Inter City Firm) even took their name from the train they typically rode on.

Despite the rough conditions upon some of the shabbiest trains British Rail had to offer some fans that rode the Specials actually have fond memories of away trips they took on a service that went by the wayside with the privatization of British rail, and would certainly laugh if they were faced with the "Quiet Zone" rules that they have on my train.

Greek Football is Suspended Indefinitely

2015-02-27T08:00:00.001-05:00

After yet another violent weekend in Greek football, league organizers have announced that the league will once more be suspended indefinitely. This is the third time the league will halt its schedule this season alone as violent conduct in the domestic league are at an all time high.

This past weekend the always heated affair between Olympiakos and Panathinaikos took place, a match-up which could be considered one of the most violent rivalries in the entire footballing world. Panathinaikos supporters stormed the pitch, clashing with riot police.

According to organizers, the biggest issue the league is facing is the lack of an automated "smart-ticketing" system and a working CCTV or other camera system in and around the stadiums during matches. The deputy minister for Greek sports Stavros Kontonis had previously stated the the league will not commence next season unless all top tier clubs implement those two features, but whether or not the "threat" is serious and will the clubs follow these orders is yet to be seen.

While this suspension is the third of its kind this season, the first one of the year came as a result of tragic news when a fan died after violent clashes between two third tier clubs.

Organizers stated that they would like to resume play "soon" but a firm date has not been set as of yet.

Mothers Against Drunk Hooligans

2015-02-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

In Brazil, Sport Club do Recife has introduced a new security measure to curb supporter’s violence at their games.

Violence between supporters has always been an issue with the north east based club and with escalation of violence over the last couple of matches the club decided to introduce a new measure designed to prevent violence from erupting in the stands. They have decided to recruit mothers to be the new match stewards.

A group of thirty mothers have been assigned to patrol the perimeter fences of the stadium, wearing vest that read “Seguranca Mae” which means “Mom- Security”.

Sport Club de Recife official, Aricio Fortes, said to the media that “At the end of the day, no one wants to fight in front of a mother, especially his own.”

Violence in Brazilian football has been a huge issue, with some cases even resulting in the death of some fans.

Between 1988 and 2013, there were 234 football related deaths in Brazil, with 30 of them happening in 2013.

Sport Club de Recife is hoping this initiative makes their home stadium safer for families and all fans alike. The club is hoping to bring a more cordial atmosphere that will motivate fans to attend games without the fear of violence lurking over their heads.

Throwback Thursday - Togo National Team Bus Shooting

2015-01-08T12:00:00.001-05:00

On this very day in 2010 the Togolese National team bus came under machine-gun fire while driving through Angola where they were to play in the African Cup of Nations.

An ordeal that lasted approximately half an hour, the shooting took place as the two buses (one with players and staff and the other with the team's luggage) have just crossed a border between the Republic of Congo and Angolan province of Cabinda (which is an exclave Angolan territory surrounded entirely by Rep. of Congo land).

Between the two buses which carried among others Aston Villa defender Moustapha Salifou and then Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor 3 deaths and 9 injuries were recorded. The three dead were Angolan bus driver Mário Adjoua, sports commentator Stanislas Ocloo and Togo national team assistant coach Améleté Abalo.

As a result of the attack, the Togolese national team understandably withdrew itself from the African tournament and in a controversial move were suspended by the CAF from football operations. After an appeal however, the team was reinstated later that year.

The attack was said to have been planned out by Cabinda province separatists and the targeted casualties were supposed to be the Angolan security service personnel escorting the Togolese buses.

5 years on and with the African Cup of Nations coming up in less than 10 days, we remember those who were affected by this horrible event.

Football Stampedes That Made Black Friday Shopping Seem Tame

2014-12-01T20:00:00.000-05:00

Black Friday shopping stampedes is a phenomenon I will likely never understand to the fullest. Hundreds, sometimes thousands of people fighting over what may or may not be "great deals" on electronics and other retail products is not something I can see myself participating in at any point in my life. Football however, I can relate to. And perhaps I can even relate to both the good and the bad, so with Black Friday in mind, I list some (not nearly all) of the innocent, bizarre, shocking and tragic stampedes in football.

Editor's note: This is not a list of football's worst tragedies, and I would hate to offend anyone by excluding some of the more heartbreaking and devastating events in football history such as the Ghana disaster at the Accra Sport Stadium, the Guatemala Disaster or the events at Ibrox. This is simply some events that were the first to pop into my head and ones I could find videos for.

Chinese go crazy over Beckham

When David Beckham visited a Chinese University in 2013, over 1000 fans gathered to see the English football icon. But the event was not as choreographed as a Chinese holiday parade routine as the majority of fans rushing to get closer to the star, in turn injuring about 7 people in the stampede.

Chileans in Brazil

Not every Chilean fan turned around and went to watch the Chile vs. Spain match in this summer's World Cup at a local bar after being told the venue has been sold out. Instead. about 100 Chile fans broke through a checkpoint and stormed into the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro creating chaos for the stadium's security team.

Ellis Park - South Africa

Many stadium tragedies have been due to overcrowding. But while in many parts of the world stadiums have never had such experience, for South Africa the Ellis park disaster came 10 years after another unfortunate football incident known as the Orkney disaster which saw 42 people die during a pre-season match. At Ellis park in 2001, it is said that there were 30,000 EXTRA tickets sold to a venue that could hold 60,000. With capacity at 150% the result was devastating as 43 spectators lost their lives due to the stampede.

Port Said, Egypt

Egypt is known around the world for its fierce football rivalries and violent clashes between rival supporters. But in 2012 the ugliest side of Egyptian football violence showed its face after home-side Al Masry fans attacked visiting Al-Ahly fans, player and staff even though Al Masry won the match 3-1. The result of the violent stampede which used knives, bats and other weapons was devastating. Over 1000 injuries and 79 deaths were recorded as a result of these events.

Hillsborough

While not officially the most tragic event in football as far as death toll is concerned, the Hillsborough disaster is perhaps the most storied and the one that is talked about more than any other. On April 15th, 1989 during a match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest 96 fans died after too many supporters were let into the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield for this FA Cup semi-final match-up. The Hillsborough disaster marks to this day one of the saddest, most tragic and most devastating days in English football.

Weekend Recap - Tel Aviv Derby Gets Wild, Referee Abandons Match

2014-11-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Tel Aviv Derby is always a heated affair and creates for both a tense and exciting day in the calendar of the Israeli Premier League. This season's first league meeting between the two on Monday eve at Bloomfield Stadium created a few more sparks than usual, the conclusion of which was the abandonment of the match before the teams even managed to play a full half.

Eran Zahavi (left) was attacked by an Hapoel Tel Aviv supporter

At around the 32nd minute of the first half an Hapoel Tel Aviv supporter ran onto the pitch and attacked Maccabi footballer Eran Zahavi. Zahavi who had previously played for the red outfit of this bitter rivalry scored from the spots moments earlier to draw the match level at 1-1 and seemed to taunt the Hapoel supporters in celebration of his goal. One shirtless fan was not too pleased and decided to show his displeasure by attacking Zahavi, which seemed to be too easy to do as the security did not take him away before he had enough time to attempt two kicks at the Maccabi player.

Hapoel Tel Aviv was Zahavi's first professional club

To the surprise of many, Zahavi was sent off for trying to protect himself and that seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back, as Maccabi Tel Aviv Director of Sports and former Manchester United and Barcelona player Jordi Cruyff seemed to encourage his club to leave the field of play in protest. When Hapoel Manager and former West Ham, Celtic, Manchester City as well as Maccabi Tel Aviv footballer Eyal Berkovic was trying to convince Cruyff to keep his squad on the pitch all hell broke loose.

Supporters from both ends of the rivalry spilled onto the pitch, attacking players and police officers. One officer seemed to have been assaulted by a fan as he fell to the ground. Both teams left the pitch and the match was officially abandoned.

Eran Zahavi spent two seasons with Palermo in Italy before joining Maccabi Tel Aviv to the dismay of Hapoel supporters

Eyal Berkovic was later quoted saying "This was not a game of football, it was war... I'm stunned and ashamed to be involved in football on a day like today. Both clubs and both sets of supporters must be severely punished for what happened here".

It is not yet clear whether either of the clubs will be punished and what will be the faith of this particular match.

5 Manager Altercations

2014-10-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

After news of Frenchmen Robert Pires being 'allegedly' punched by opposition coach Antonio Lopez Habas during half-time of a match in the Indian Super League where Pires now plays, we decided to take a look at 5 of the more interesting manager scuffles in recent memory.

#5 - Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid (2011)

Perhaps one of the funnier ones we've seen, Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho got himself in the middle of a scuffle that took place between Madrid and Barcelona players by pinching the ear of an opposing staff member. What an odd way to get involved.

#4 - Alan Pardew, Newcastle United (2014)

Earlier this year Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew made headlines for a headbutt aimed at Hull City's David Meyler. Pardew must have felt the pressure as his team was unable to win in the new year and were struggling against any club they faced. The Newcastle bench boss was fined £100,000 by The Magpies.

#3 - Delio Rossi, Fiorentina (2012)

Fiorentina's manager Delio Rossi laid into Serbian player Adem Ljajic after the footballer had words for his coach as a result of being substituted. Rossi loss his job as a result of his actions.

#2 - Brian Clough, Nottingham Forest (1989)

After Clough's Nottingham Forest defeated Queens Park Rangers by a score of 5-2, Forest supporters flooded the pitch in celebration. But the winning manager was so disappointed by the fans' actions he decided to show them how he felt by hitting the ones that ran past or beside him.

#1 - Nelson Vivas - Quilmes (2013)

Former Boca Juniors, Arsenal and Argentina international Nelson Vivas came back to his first professional club in manager capacity in 2013. But after poor results and some heckling from a fan in the stands, Vivas took matter into his own hands, running into the fan area and laying punches onto that same fan that was pointing out the team's misfortunes. Vivas was taken away by police and later quit as manager.

Boca Juniors Agustin Orion Hit in the Head with a Rock

2014-09-08T06:00:00.000-04:00

Another player has been hit by an object being thrown from the stands, this time it was Boca Juniors goalkeeper Agustin Orion during a match against Rosario Central.

A few weeks ago a Cameroonian player, Albert Ebossé, was killed during a match when an object thrown from the stands hit him in the head. The 24 year old player was playing for JS Kabylie against USM Alger in the Algerian league when the incident happened. You almost hoped while unfortunate that this would be an isolated incident and those fans attending games had more respect for the players on the field. Some perhaps brushed it off as something that only happens in under developed countries and not in well-known leagues or in matches between well-known teams.

Well, it has happened again and this time in Argentina, and between two of Argentina’s most well-known clubs. In a game between Boca Juniors and Rosario Central, goalkeeper Agustin Orion was hit in the head by a rock thrown by fans of Rosario Central. The goalkeeper would need medical attention on the field to stop the bleeding from his head but was able to continue the match.

The damage caused by the rock was not severe but could have been, and until local authorities and match officials take a heavy stand against this sort of behavior we will continue to see incidents like these happen and sometimes with more serious consequences. If clubs can’t control their fans and educate them on what behavior are expected from them, then leagues and officials should punish the clubs severely when these incidents take place. Instead there is a sense of brushing it off as just an incident caused by a drunken fan, no big deal; well it is a big deal. A player died in Algeria, how many more will have to die before this is looked at as a serious problem?

So far there has been only silence from Argentinian officials as far as any sort of punishment or consequences for Rosario Central for the behavior of their fans. I would be surprised if anything of note actually takes place. Some players are taking their lives in their own hands when they walk on the football field, it is the wild west out there.

The Eternal Seat Project - Fighting With Football Violence in Ecuador

2014-08-16T15:00:00.000-04:00

Football violence has been a part of the game for almost as long as the game itself exists. In South America, violence between different supporter groups and with police is as bad as the worst nations in Europe and other continents. And while every country has its own ways of coping or fighting with this dark-side of the game, a group of designers, art directors and copywriters in Ecuador have come up with an absolutely inspiring, intriguing and unique idea to do just that.

Instead of using force, which is what most nations do when trying to eliminate violence, these Ecuadorian creatives propose a different method. One that surely has not been tried-out so far anywhere else. Their idea is to immortalize the fans that meet their life's end as a result of football violence by placing a special seat inside the stadiums, reminding supporters in attendance the consequences of their violent actions; hitting an emotional spot by displaying the name of their own clubs' supporters that are no longer with them.

Here is their presentation of this concept:

Mid-Week Rants: Eliminating Ultras Culture, Eliminating Football’s Identity

2014-07-23T15:00:00.000-04:00

Football fanatics are first and foremost associated by many with violence, illegal pyro displays and profane chants directed at the opposition. A “nuisance” to club owners and families attending matches. But what many seem to ignore, is that these groups which are rapidly being exiled from stadiums worldwide, are pretty much the only individuals still fighting to preserve the identity and individuality of their clubs.

When I fell in love with football it wasn't just for the play on the pitch. It was for the history, the colors and the pride that is associated with supporting your club. The passion that drives the true supporter to put one’s team ahead of any opposition is what makes the game unique and unlike any other around the globe. While in many countries these individualities still exist, in many others they are becoming null and unimportant. Focus is quickly shifting to the financial gain of the owners and providing a generic experience for people who want nothing more than to simply tell somebody they were at the match.

Football stadiums around the world are slowly turning into theatre-like venues. With “fans” planted in their seats, taking “selfies” with their mobile phones, the home-field advantage for the local club is becoming nothing more than the convenience of sleeping in their own bed after the match is done. Aside from the architectural design, venues are becoming more and more similar to one another with atmospheres comparable to those of a Cirque du Soleil show or a Broadway musical.

Of course there are passionate fans around the world who follow their club with pride, sing the songs and during losses endure the indescribable pain that can only be experienced by true love and obsession for one’s beloved club; fans that don’t fall into the category of an “ultra”. But do these individuals have the capacity to halt the ever fading individuality of their team?

While most football clubs around the world belong to one of the extremes, either allowing fanaticism to its highest extent or not even allowing beer in its stadium seats; some organizations around the world managed to preserve their supporters’ passion while still being able to avoid major altercations and create a great stadium environment for their “cash-cow” family oriented ticket holders. Borussia Dortmund of the German Bundesliga for instance have a great understanding between their front office and their passionate supporters groups, keeping both the identity of its club and stadium on display while allowing a white-collar fan to attend the match without having to worry about losing a cufflink during a scuffle.

Many “fanatic” supporter groups around the world are very organized. They have goals, and no matter how big or small their football club may be, their beliefs lie with their club’s success and preservation of its origin, history, colors, individuality and pride. They are the groups that while being “chased off” by many club head offices around the world, are the ones that create a unique atmosphere inside the stadium. They are the groups that stand between football’s individuality’s disappearance and the continuance of such aspects of the game that most passionate fans have come to love at a very young age.

Violence of course, has no place inside a stadium. Racism as well has been a dark spot on many clubs’ supporters. But if we come to understand that this behavior is rarely of the mass, but rather of a confused individual, and clubs agree to listen and organize with their true supporters, football clubs everywhere can regain (or keep) their traditions and unique characteristics.

What happens when kids are not exposed to true football support

The Uncertain Future of Ukrainian Football

2014-07-21T18:00:00.000-04:00

Since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and its national team's recognition by football's governing body FIFA in 1994, Ukraine has been steadily building a national football program that has been growing impressively at all levels. With its league squads performing admirably in European club competitions and the national team producing some world-class footballers, the future was looking bright for the Eastern European nation who had to start from “scratch” after the division of the Soviet national squad. With numerous Ukrainian nationals choosing to represent Russia in international football after the Soviet split, the Football Federation of Ukraine had its hands full, trying to develop a national squad without some of its biggest stars.

Fast-forward 20 years, and football in Ukraine seems to be on a very bright path. International stars such as Andriy Voronin, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk and Andriy Shevchenko have been hailed heroes both in their native Ukraine and in their clubs outside of their country of birth. New generation footballers the likes of Andriy Yarmolenko and Yevhen Konoplyanka are being scouted and courted by various "giant" clubs around Europe. The Ukrainian national team surprised many with their run to the quarter-finals in Germany during the 2006 World Cup, losing out to the eventual champions Italy. The Ukrainian national youth level squads also performed impressively, winning the U19 European championship in 2009. Co-hosting the 2012 Euros with Poland, put the “yellow-blue” on an even higher scale of international football. Ukrainian clubs have enjoyed some international success also, with Dynamo Kyiv taking the Champions League by storm, qualifying to the later stages in the late 1990’s. And of course the emergence of nine time Ukrainian champions (since 2002) Shakhtar Donetsk, capped by their incredible UEFA Cup title in 2009.

Ukraine's U19 national team celebrate their European title in 2009

But since November of 2013, Ukraine has been in turmoil. What started with demonstrations against the Ukrainian government’s decision to side with Russia instead of the European Union, turned into a full blown civil catastrophe, a war with Russian separatists and a disaster of global proportions.

With the uncertainty of the country’s future, its football is starting to feel the effects as well. Amidst growing tensions between the Ukrainian government and the Russian separatists, the fighting in Donetsk and the Malaysian airline disaster over Ukrainian skies, football may seem irrelevant and not important. But as world history is written, so are the moments that shape and change the wonderful game of football; the protests of “Euromaidan” on the 21st of November 2013, may very well write a new chapter in its footballing history as well.

Police clashes with civilians in capital Kiev

This past Friday, UEFA’s Emergency Panel has decided to keep Ukrainian and Russian clubs apart in this year’s European club competitions. And earlier today it was reported that numerous non-Ukrainian footballers playing in the Ukrainian league for Shakhtar Donetsk and Metalist Kharkiv refused to report to their clubs, and travel to Ukraine altogether as a result of fear for their safety and well-being. These two events may seem miniscule compared to the devastation experienced in the football league of former Yugoslavia for instance. But what does the future hold? And what would happen to football in Ukraine if this civil unrest progresses?

The Ukrainian national team is set to begin their qualifying campaign for the 2016 Euros in September. If fighting continues within its borders it is likely that UEFA will decide to have all or some of Ukraine’s matches played in neutral venues. Cyprus seems to be a preferred European destination for most troubled UEFA nations, but while it’s a beautiful getaway, the small Mediterranean island offers very little in terms of home atmosphere and support, something that is very present for Ukraine’s home matches in cities like Kiev, Donetsk and Lviv.

Shakhtar Donetsk's Brazilian midfielder has yet to report to his club

In four years the FIFA World Cup will be hosted in Russia. It is not unlikely that the Ukrainian national team could decide not to take part in the qualifying stages for that particular competition. Sports’ history is filled with nations refusing to travel to certain destinations due to political tension and clashing religious belief, and the current state between the formerly joint nations could present an identical outcome. With the lack of international participation, the development of Ukrainian’s national football program will suffer.

As unjust as it is, football and politics go hand-in-hand and the current state of the Ukrainian people is starting to place its mark on its previously impressively developing game. And while nobody knows exactly what the future holds for the Eastern European region, it is quite clear that the Ukrainian national team that achieved FIFA ranking as high as 11th in 2007 is going to feel the negative effect of its country’s political misfortunes. Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia were also once impressive footballing nations, with their progress halted by war and regional splits. Ukraine’s current state is no different, with clashing ideologies threatening to cut the nation and its football in half.

Wreckage of Malaysian airline flight MH17 that was shot down while flying in Ukrainian air space

Mid-Week Rants: Brazil, Your Arguments Are Invalid

2014-07-09T14:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, the world of football has experienced something that will forever be ingrained in the memories of many, not just the distraught Brazilians. I will not sit here and lie about the fact that I did not feel total euphoria, because I did! For someone who religiously follows football their entire life, yesterday was a day of epic historical proportions.

But what ensued the 7-1 Brazilian thrashing at the hands (or feet perhaps) of the German national team, was a barrage of coaches, fans, players and media personnel trying to come up with an answer to what had just happened. Perhaps it's natural to try and analyze the insane outcome, but some of the things I had heard or saw in the past 14 hours or so (at least 5 of which I spent sleeping) are absolutely outrages.

Street riots

Let's start with the really disturbing stuff, violence. Your team had just suffered a historic loss. What do you do? Light a bus on fire according to the locals in Brazil. Seriously? What exactly have you achieved by doing so? What will change about the Brazilian national squad as a result of this? I understand and respect people who revolt when change is needed and I can even understand opposite fans fighting, but shooting up innocent bystanders at the Copacabana in Rio is an absolute disgrace. There were even instances reported where Brazilian fans were fighting with other Brazilian fans, which is shameful and absurd. There were Brazilians burning their own national flag, a disrespectful gesture that in modern times seen mostly with religious extremists doing the same to the flags of their "enemies".

"We didn't have Neymar"

On a number of occasions I have heard this exact argument for Brazil's awful performance. Neymar's absence from this match had very little to do with the loss. His inclusion would not have changed the result one bit, because Neymar would have been able to do absolutely nothing when the Germans attacked the Brazilian box. In fact, Neymar was a "game-changer" on just two occasions in this year's World Cup, and that was in the group stages against a worse than usual Croatia side and the horrible Cameroonians. So to say that he would have made the difference in a 7-1 loss is possibly the most uneducated football argument I have personally heard in many years.

Luiz Felipe Scolari

There were a number of things that Scolari said or did that just pissed me right off as well. Like hiding in the dugout after Germany's second goal. Or trying to get Hulk's attention after the fourth, but giving up after the second attempt. When asked whether Brazil's dreadful performance was due to the squad playing on emotions of Neymar's absence Scolari's denied the possibility. Well guess what, the media had every right to ask that question, because instead of concentrating on the task ahead the players were holding Neymar's jersey during the anthems. Sure it was a nice gesture, but when you are facing an opposition the likes of Germany in an all important semi-final match, dwelling on a young player who will most likely play another two (if not three) World Cup tournaments, is a distracting and an unnecessary thing to do.

"It should not have ended like this"

The only argument many fans could even muster after the humiliating loss yesterday was "this shouldn't have happened", "or it shouldn't have ended like this". Guess what, it should have. The Brazilian squad was sub-par all throughout the tournament and did not impress in any of their matches. Statistically, they were also the roughest and in general were playing a brand of football never seen before from the boys in the canary-yellow shirts. Aside from some moments in their match against Colombia, Brazil looked slow and their creativity level was at an all-time low, playing more of a Swiss style of football rather than the one fans around the world are used to from the "Selecao". So when you achieve a semi-final spot in this fashion and are facing by far the toughest opposition you have faced for a long time, the result should be just like the one we all saw on Tuesday.

Mad for It! - Football's Lunatics, Bad Boys and Villains

2014-05-14T09:00:00.000-04:00

"What the hell is Barton doing?", I stammered as the QPR midfielder tried to pick a fight with several Manchester City players before being shown a red. In a match of equal importance for both sides, with City attempting to win the league title and QPR just trying to stay in the EPL, Barton ended his 2011/2012 season in style. You can always count on Joey to make a splash and in raising the ire of both QPR, and watching Manchester United fans with his moment of madness, this was the Huyton's man's on field opus. The fact that results elsewhere kept QPR in the Premiership probably saved Barton from being declared public enemy number one by the fans of the West London club.

Throughout the history of Association Football there have always been wild men who have caused mayhem both on and off the pitch. Infuriating, embarrassing and yet often entertaining, here are a few of football's loose cannons:

Joey Barton

Before he became football’s self-styled “Philosopher King of Twitter”, Joey Barton was just a simple yob who couldn’t control his temper. From putting out a lit cigar in a youth team player’s eye, to breaking a pedestrian’s leg while driving through Liverpool at 2am, taking time out on pre-season training to assault a 15 year old Everton fan, and for being arrested on suspicion of assaulting a taxi driver, Barton certainly showed off his sensitive side in the early part of his career.

But the worst was yet to come as he assaulted teammate Ousmane Dabo in training in 2007, sending him to the hospital with head injuries, including a suspected detached retina. Then in May 2008 Barton pled guilty to assault, after punching a man in the face twenty times in Liverpool City Centre. During that incident, Barton showed he doesn't discriminate by age by also attacking a teenager again and breaking the kids teeth. His conduct on the pitch has hardly been better with a trail of chaos and cards everywhere he’s played.

He can copy and paste Nietzsche quotes into his Tweets as much as he wants, but it doesn’t change the fact that Barton is a thug of the highest order.

Diego Maradona

Despite being one of the greatest players of all time, “El Diez” has certainly had his share of highlights off the pitch as well. With a much publicized 20 year addiction to cocaine and an incident where he playfully shot at members of the Argentinian press with an air rifle and then attempted to hit them with his car, Maradona is no stranger to controversy.

Maradona was famously sent home from the 1994 World Cup after testing positive for Ephedrine. His wild celebration into the camera after scoring against Greece in Argentina's opening match may have been used as evidence against him.

Even in his old age, Diego hasn’t mellowed out that much. After coming under intense pressure from the media as Argentina struggled to qualify for World Cup 2010 under his management, he told the press to “suck it, and keep sucking it” after they eventually booked their place in South Africa.

Rene Higuita

The scorpion kicking goal keeper with the wild hair surely makes most lists of craziest players ever. Known for his badly judged attempt to dribble out of defence against Cameroon at Italia '90, costing Columbia a place in the Quarter Finals, and his scorpion kick in a friendly against England, Higuita also famously ran into some off the pitch problems.

"El Lobo", ran afoul of Columbian authorities in 1993 when he acted as a go between for the notorious late drug baron Carlos Escobar, and Carlos Molina. He delivered the ransom money to secure Molina's daughter's release from her kidnappers, which broke Columbian laws on handling money involved in kidnappings. Higuita served seven months in prison for this little caper.

He also tested positive for cocaine in 2004 while playing in Ecuador.

El Hadji Diouf

After being a major part of the surprising Senegal side at the 2002 World Cup, Diouf's signing for Liverpool seemed, at the time, to be a major coup. He turned out to be more of a major headache.

Besides several motoring offences, including driving without a license, Diouf developed the nasty of spitting at people while playing for the Merseyside club and then later for Bolton. Among the targets for his spittle were Celtic fans during a UEFA Cup tie, an 11 year old Middlesborough supporter and Portsmouth defender Arjan de Zeeuw, who he gobbed into the face of.

When he wasn't spitting on or at people, Diouf was getting into a brawl in a Manchester night club and getting into a touch line altercation with Celtic manager Neil Lennon while playing for Rangers.

A "swell guy", whose blonde streak of hair should have made it into our Worst Haircuts in Football post.

Mario Balotelli

The talented, but zany Italian striker marked his time at Manchester City by crashing his car in the city centre, throwing darts at youth team players and trespassing in a women's prison.

Described as "unmanageable" by Jose Mourinho, Super Mario once set fire to his bathroom by making the unwise decision to set off fireworks indoors a few days before the Manchester Derby. Showing he's not lacking in the humour department, Balo famously revealed a "Why Always Me?" shirt after scoring against United.

Getting himself in trouble for breaking a club curfew, Mario spent an evening in a Curry House signing autographs, posing for pictures and getting into a mock fight with people with rolling pins.

Balotelli is much missed amongst City fans after his departure to AC Milan last summer.

Weekend Recap - Top 5 Matches

2014-05-13T12:36:00.001-04:00

#5 - Sparta Prague vs. Sigma Olomouc 5-0

With one win away from guaranteeing their first league title in 4 years, Sparta Prague was out to show why they had only 1 league loss all year. With 2 goals in the first half and another 3 in the second, the club from Prague got to lift the trophy in front of their home supporters.

#4 - Fluminense vs. Flamengo (Fla-Flu Derby)

When these two Rio de Janeiro rivals meet, it makes no difference whether it is only 4 games or 24 games into the season. Bragging rights are on the line and the clubs would do anything to win this derby every time. Fluminense were the victors in this one with goals from former Olympic Lyon striker Fred and one late in the match from youngster Chiquinho who ran straight to the supporters knowing how important this victory is to the home crowd.

#3 - Real Betis vs. Valladolid 4-3

19th place La Liga clubValladolid traveled to the Benito Villamarín stadium in Seville with high hopes of an easy win that would most likely get them out of a relegation spot against a Real Betis squad that has already confirmed relegation after an awful season in the Spanish first tier. Valladolid went on top in just the 1st minute and their future looked pretty secure, but the goals wouldn't stop there. 5 minutes after the Valladolid goal, Betis put the game back at level terms and the score at the half was 1-1. In the second half both teams exchanged goals with Valladolid going on top twice just to see Real Betis bounce back and tie it up at 2-2 and then 3-3. In the 91st minute, Real Betis' Juanfran scored the winning goal for Betis, a goal that makes the 6 minute highlight video below totally worth watching.

#2 - Zenit St. Petersburg vs. Dinamo Moscow 2-4 (Abandoned due to fan violence)

Up to the 87th minute, this was a brilliant spectacle of two very good football rivals in the Russian Premier League. Zenit, sitting top of the table 2 points ahead of another rival CSKA Moscow with just 2 games remaining in the season, was looking to take a step closer to a fourth title in seven years. It all started great for the home team when Portuguese national Danny gave the hosts a 1-0 lead in just the 6th minute. But 4 unanswered goals by Dinamo angered the home crowd, and even though Zenit player Alexandr Kerzhakov scored another for the hosts in the 84th to bring the damage down to 2-4, the always controversial Zenit supporters flooded the pitch and began to assault Dinamo players, at which point the officials had no choice but to abandon the match.

#1 - QPR vs. Wigan Athletic 2-1 (Promotion Playoffs Semi-Final - 2nd Leg)

With the promotion playoff finals on the line, QPR and Wigan went head-to-head in the second leg, after a cautious first match at the DW Stadium which ended in a 0-0 draw. All was to play for, and Wigan didn't wait long to take the advantage with James Perch giving the visitors a 1-0 lead in the 9th minute. Well into the second half Wigan's lead was still intact, but a after a couple of nice moves outside the box the ball found the feet of Canadian QPR winger Junior Hoilett who was taken down just inside the box, and gave the home club a chance to tie the game up. QPR stiker Charlie Austin stepped up to the spot and did not disappoint the home crowd, a calm finish with Wigan keeper Carson guessing the other way. The final score after 90 minutes read 1-1 and with the absence of the away-goal rule in League Football playoffs, the game entered the extra-time segment. Just 7 minutes into the extra frame it was QPR hero Austin yet again, slotting a high ball into the back of the net, sending the Rangers to the Promotion Playoff finals and Wigan to yet another season in the 2nd tier.