Barcelona have been forced to seek €150m (£125m) in bank finance to cover unpaid wages for players and coaching staff, with the club's new president, Sandro Rosell, talking of "cash-flow tensions".
SSN is a digest of the day's soccer/football/futbol articles with a focus on the top European leagues and the United States National Team. Below, you’ll find links to articles and video, as well as additional features and commentary. We locate the top news of the day so you can stay updated with ease.
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Barcelona seek €150m from bank to cover player wages
Barcelona have been forced to seek €150m (£125m) in bank finance to cover unpaid wages for players and coaching staff, with the club's new president, Sandro Rosell, talking of "cash-flow tensions".
Gosling walks out on Everton
Everton have lost out on up to £4 million for England U21 star Dan Gosling after an administrative error allowed the midfielder to walk away for nothing.
Joachim Low plays down captaincy controversy
Ballack, who has missed the tournament due to an ankle injury, flew out to be with the team ahead of the quarter-final with Argentina but returned to Europe on Monday prompting speculation he may have been upset with Lahm's comments.
Two Italian Football Fans Murdered In Germany, Suspect Surrenders
Two Italian football fans have been shot dead in a German bar after a heated argument about the World Cup history of the two nations.
A German man suspected of shooting two Italians in a pub in Hannover after a row about the World Cup has surrendered to authorities on the Spanish island of Majorca, police said Wednesday.
Nigeria's strangled football industry
"The actual banning and un-banning of the team is irrelevant," says Churchill Olise, owner of elite football academy Ebede FC in Shagamu.
"What matters is that at last the powerful have realised the seriousness of our problem.
"Sport is the one area where we can compete internationally - and win. We simply cannot continue to waste our young talent."
10 things you didn't know about Paul the psychic octopus
He has become one of the stars of the tournament and put the TV pundits to shame, thanks to an amazing run of correct World Cup predictions. Here's 10 things you didn't know about the tentacled tipster.
Dutch celebrate football World Cup semi-final success
For Dutch fans not lucky enough to be in Cape Town, Museum Square in central Amsterdam was the place to be.
They came in their thousands to watch the match on what local authorities described as "the biggest television screen in Europe".
Uruguay left with bittersweet taste after football defeat
Uruguayans are feeling disappointed but satisfied after their team lost a World Cup semi-final against the Netherlands.
Before the tournament started, they would have never dreamed of getting so close to the golden trophy.
Why LeBron wouldn't save U.S. soccer
It happens every four years, as inevitable as presidential elections and surging public interest in short-track speedskating. The big, bad, rich n' populous United States falters at the World Cup. Meanwhile, skillful foreign mighty-mites from futbol-mad nations the size of Oregon shine.
Sitting at home, adjusting their pre-preseason fantasy football lineups, American sports fans pause to wonder: What if we had LeBron James at striker?
Or Patrick Willis enforcing the back line?
Or Dwight Howard in goal?
What if America cared about the beautiful game as much as every other country on the planet?
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
2010 FIFA World Cup: Final Thoughts
There's an episode of the seminal TV show ALF in which a relation of Alf's earth family, I think an uncle, comes to stay. Unfortunately, while the family are out, the uncle discovers Alf and drops dead of fright. When the family return home they're greeted by balloons and party gear. Everyone at Melmac dies at the same age, so they're sent off with a big party. That's how Alf taught us that things are just done differently in different places. So, while one part of the world thinks Luis Suárez is a cheating little fucker for using his hands, another thinks he's a genius. Suarez certainly considers himself a genius, while the coach is using the very original tactic of getting angry with the British press. Fifa also don't seem too bothered by Suarez's actions, deciding not to increase his one match ban. They're were probably too busy reading their betamax instruction manuals and missed the two huge yellow 'Fair Play' flags that have been displayed before every semi-important soccer game for the past 10 years.
The World Cup is slowly winding down - the BBC are running out of Fela Kuti tunes to use as background music and across Europe rubbish men are collecting millions of unwanted car flags. So, which two teams would produce a good final? Well, not Uruguay. Yeah, it's charming that a smaller nation has made it to the semis, but the final needs two big teams. So hopefully Holland will win the first semi - though Robben's diving is getting more annoying by the round. Most purists would surely like to see Spain as Holland's opponent. It'd be the Laura Ashley of Cup Finals, with pretty patterns all over the place. But there's just something a bit annoying about the Spanish team. Like Barcelona, they're just a bit too nice, a bit twee. It was no surprise to hear Gerard Piqué say they'd taken up Barça's habit of listening to Coldplay before every game. What's more the Spanish seem to be getting a touch desperate [or maybe not].
At least if Germany meet Holland they'll be plenty of bad blood. It's not as if the two countries exactly love each other. Tell a Dutchman you've lived in Germany and you're met with a mixture of confusion and deep pity. Tell a German you've just been to Holland and he'll look at you with an expression of pure disgust. Mind you, you could compliment the average German on the beauty of his his new-born child and you'll be met with a similar look. But Van Bommel [who must have made some kind of Faustian pact involving the soul of his child in order to not get a yellow card against Brazil] go up against his Bayern teammate Bastian Schweinsteiger [the most German sounding German of all time], would be a great match-up.
Hopefully it'll be a high-scoring, exciting match between two teams playing well. The tournament needs it. It's been nice to see teamwork prosper, and watching stars' reputations being shredded round by round has been fun. But while the quarterfinals brought some much needed excitement, there have not been enough top quality encounters. Perhaps the next three games can rectify that.
The World Cup: Top 10 Shameful Moments
Luis Suarez's handball which cruelly denied Ghana a place in the semi-finals takes its place among the World Cup’s most infamous moments. Here are ten other occasions when football has been shamed on the world's biggest stage.
Tim Vickery: Emotion no substitute for clear thinking
The pressure of the World Cup quarter-finals exposed the inexperience - and the lack of emotional control - of Maradona and Brazil coach Dunga.
Monday MLS Breakdown: Choices Await Donovan Upon MLS Return
Landon Donovan enjoyed a taste of his new life last week.
A country with his name entrenched in its consciousness after a series of impressive performances in South Africa. A whirlwind media tour designed to increase his star power and promote his sport. A rumor or two discussing the possibility of displaying his dancing skills on national television. A series of standing ovations at the Home Depot Center to thank him for his international success.
World Cup heroics hypnotise Uruguayans
On 1 March, during the course of a holiday, I happened to find myself in the middle of joyous Uruguayan festivities. People were pouring on to the streets of the capital Montevideo to celebrate the night away, singing patriotic songs and dancing until the early hours of the morning.
Phil Minshull: Europe's best shine in South Africa
How things have changed in barely a week.
As the 16 teams lined up for the second round in South Africa, the debate was about why the European nations were struggling.
Now, with three teams from Europe in the semi-finals and the distinct possibility of an all-European final, the question appears to be: why are the top European teams doing so well?
Brazil Sack Dunga
The coach and his staff were fired Sunday, two days after Brazil was beaten by the Netherlands in the World Cup quarterfinals.
2010 FIFA World Cup: The Quarterfinals
Netherlands 2 - 1 BrazilRichard Williams at the Nelson Mandela Stadium
Chris Bevan at the Nelson Mandela Stadium
Amy Lawrence: Dunga with little defense after defeat
Mick McCarthy: Brazil myth unravels
Player Ratings
Uruguay 1 - 1 Ghana (4-2)
Paul Wilson at Soccer City
Paul Fletcher at Soccer City
Luis Suárez new World Cup villian
Player Ratings
Argentina 0 - 4 Germany
Dominic Fifield at Green Point Stadium
Chris Bevan at Green Point Stadium
Kevin McCarra: Low sends Messi to superstar scrapheap
Defensive frailties finally exposed
Player Ratings
Spain 1 - 0 Paraguay
Paul Wilson at Ellis Park
Paul Fletcher at Ellis Park
Player Ratings
Friday, July 02, 2010
Richard Williams: The method in Diego Maradona's madness
Diego Maradona was close to dying in 2004 but now his clever man-management can lead Argentina to a third World Cup.
The Joy of Six: World Cup Refereeing Controversies
Crowds regularly question referees' parentage – here are six World Cup occasions when they may have had a point.
Manchester City sign Yaya Toure from Barcelona
The 28-year-old finalised his move to Eastlands this week following the end of his country's involvement in the World Cup.
The signing is City's second of the week following the capture of David Silva from Valencia and unites Toure with his brother Kolo, the club's captain.
2010 FIFA World Cup: Quarterfinal Previews
Friday
Netherlands vs. Brazil (10am EDT)
Preview I
Preview II
Preview III
Team News
Hirshey: It's worthy of a final
Ghana vs. Uruguay (2:30pm EDT)
Preview I
Preview II
Edwards: Black Stars' potential moment of history
Unfancied Uruguay eye history
Saturday
Germany vs. Argentina (10am EDT)
Preview I
Preview II
Messi vows to win for Oasis
Paraguay vs. Spain (2:30pm EDT)
Preview I
Preview II
Thursday, July 01, 2010
SSN Official Prediction: Argentina vs. Germany
Maradona takes a swing at Desmond Tutu, Oliver Kahn and Jens Lehmann land on the pitch via helicopter, jump out and start tazering Argentine players, Tevez whips out an M-16 A1 with a M-203 grenade launcher a la Tony Montana and fires indiscriminately around the stadium, Heinze and Schweinsteiger endlessly poke each other in the chest saying, "no, YOU started it," Lahm and Agüero try to prove that dwarfs can fight too, Jonás Gutiérrez and Demichelis try to enter the fray but get wrapped up in each others hair, Beckenbauer is roundly ignored while standing at the center circle yelling, "Stop! Stop I say! I am Der Kaiser!", David Hasselhoff staggers in shitfaced and demands to see a menu, and Joachim Löw and Lionel Messi sneak away for a tender moment together amidst the mayhem...
Bill Simmons: Soccer is ready to capture our attention
Am I really posting a 4,500-word soccer column on the same day all hell is breaking loose for the biggest NBA summer ever? You're damn right I am! I'm tired of wondering where LeBron, Wade, Nowitzki and everyone else will land. I'm even more tired of people reporting about things that might happen, could happen or seem likely to happen. Just tell me when they happen. Thanks. In the meantime, let's play 20 Questions with the 2010 World Cup.
Diego Maradona Mocks Bastian Schweinsteiger In A German Accent
'El Pelusa' then faced directly into the camera and in his best imitation of a Teutonic accent posed the question to the German: "What's the matter Schweinsteiger? Are you nervoushh?"
Arsenal unveil environmentally-friendly retro new home kit
Arsene Wenger's side will return to the familiar and popular block red body with a white round neck collar and white sleeves, and every shirt is made entirely from recycled polyester crafted from up to eight plastic water bottles as part of Nike's 'Considered Design' programme.
Jeff Bradley: Previewing the Quarterfinals
We're getting down to the business end of the tournament, with the quarterfinals set to kick off on Friday. Here's everything you need to know about each match.
ERIC CANTONA TO JOIN DOCTOR WHO AS AN EVIL ALIEN
The former Manchester United star is being lined up for a role as an evil alien alongside Time Lord Matt Smith.
Tim Vickery: When the Dutch led the way
But the really important contest - the one whose repercussions continue to ripple through the game - was the meeting in West Germany in 1974. In what was effectively a semi-final, the Netherlands won 2-0 while a frustrated Brazil, the reigning world champions, resorted to a full repertoire of rugby tackles and body checks.
Sean Ingle: South America boosted by travel, hard work … and luck
South American teams have players based in Europe and a tough qualifying competition but an easy draw never hurts.
Paul Hayward: Ghana primed for one giant leap into World Cup aristocracy
The Black Stars carry Africa's hopes as the World Cup's powerhouses gather their stride towards the final.
Kevin McCarra: Dunga may soon be on a footing with Franz Beckenbauer
Brazil's much-maligned manager has packed a lot into his four years and may be about to graduate with honour.
England's fear of crossing borders
Most, if not all, of the England squad will eventually return home to once again prepare for another season of toil in the familiar surroundings of the Premier League.
Rooney will head to Manchester United's Carrington training ground, a mere 30-odd miles from his hometown of Liverpool, while John Terry will don Chelsea's colours, the club whose youth team he joined from West Ham in 1995.
And therein lies the national team's problem, according to Chris Waddle.
Roy Hodgson leaves Fulham to become Liverpool manager
Roy Hodgson has been named Liverpool's new manager after signing a three-year contract with the Anfield club.
"This is the biggest job in club football and I'm honoured to be taking on Britain's most successful football club," Hodgson told the club's website.
Back in his Inter days with Paul Ince...
Tyler staying with ESPN for 2014
"I'm not an evangelist. I believe in the game. It's not for me to tell people who don't believe. I'm not trying to change nonbelievers," he said. "I do think there is a fear of football, which is ridiculous. In a country as vast and as wonderful as yours, there is room for so much more sports than you have. ... We think we have over 100 full-time football teams in our country, on our little island, and because you don't have any relegation, you don't have the wherewithal for small towns to come in and become big towns."
Javier Aguirre Resigns As Mexico Coach
After three days of uncertainty since his side’s exit, Aguirre has confirmed at a press conference in Mexico City on Wednesday that he will be stepping down from his post, meaning the talented Mexican squad will now have its fifth coach in as many years.
Nigerian team suspended for poor play
The president of Nigeria has suspended the national soccer team from international competition for two years after a poor showing at the World Cup.
The Super Eagles haven't won a World Cup match since 1998, going out with two losses and a draw in 2002 and failing to qualify for Germany 2006.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan...
Nigerian Football Hits New Low
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan must be a brave man. I've travelled to 80-odd countries and nowhere have I ever found such seething energy as in Nigeria - an electricity which translates into both rampant passion and expectation when applied to football.While covering the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations, I'll never forget the outrage of Nigerian fans who - infuriated by the hosts' failure to beat group rivals Congo - smashed the team bus and were only prevented from accessing the dressing rooms by volleys of tear gas.
Germans: Argentina shows no respect
Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger accuses World Cup quarterfinals rival Argentina of showing no respect for opponents and referees, and urges his teammates not to be provoked.
Schweinsteiger also accused Argentine fans of taking the places of others in the stadiums and refusing to move. It was not clear where he got his evidence from.
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