Recent Offside Calls
Nov 21, 2009

Sir Alex Picks Brazil For World Cup 2010

By: Dave Martinez | Comments 6 comments

aaaaaabDidn't Sir Alex just finish lecturing the FA on their media overexposure of Wayne Rooney? Apparently, shedding a little bit of limelight his way isn't much of an issue at all. The Scot didn't mince words when picking his favorite to win the 2010 World Cup.

"I can't see past Brazil, actually," Ferguson was quoted in the Daily Mail. "They are going to be the ones in South Africa."

And the opinions are well founded in his belief that the Premiership is becoming less and less about developing English players, and more about contracting outsiders to become champions. Add on to that the continual pipeline of great Brazilian players being exported into foreign systems, and even this Argie would have a hard time denying his logic.

"Last season, there were 103 Brazilians in the Champions League and only 15 Englishmen. More Scots played in the Champions League last season than English players. I thought the 11/10 on Brazil to beat England was the bet of the century."

Ouch. But Fergie has never been one to mince words.

What are your thoughts on Sir Alex's early prediction?

Read the rest of this entry »



November 21st, 2009

When Roy Keane Attacks: Five Survival Strategies

By: Laurie | Comments 4 Comments

First, a confession: I kind of love Ipswich Town manager and former Ireland captain Roy Keane. (Even though he terrifies me.) But I was glad it wasn’t my cell phone going off in the middle of a press conference this week. Because let’s face it: the man is a bit…oh, how shall we put this delicately…

I believe “borderline psychopath” about covers it.

Remember, this is a man who responded to texted good wishes after his Sunderland departure with a terse, “Go f*** yourself.” And in his autobiography he once described his knee-high horror tackle on Alf-Inge Håland like this:

I’d waited long enough. I f***ing hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that you c***. And don’t ever stand over me sneering about fake injuries. [...]“My attitude was, f*** him. What goes around comes around. He got his just rewards. He f***ed me over and my attitude is an eye for an eye.

This is the tackle. Not for the squeamish.
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Category Category: World Football
November 21st, 2009

How to Get Footy Fans to Stop Smoking: The Prizes Britain SHOULD be Offering

By: Laurie | Comments 3 Comments

butt Best quote from this article on the National Health Service’s plan to use footy fans’ love of their sport to get them to quit smoking:

[M]ore than half of Liverpool fans say they would give up smoking if their team won the League and FA Cup double – more than for any other team.

I’m guessing that this season they’d also volunteer to jog to London and back naked across glass while carrying a goat under each arm.

Alas, last time I checked there was no actual way for fans to affect their beloved teams’ results through changing their own behavior. (Although Paris Hilton might beg to differ.) So Britain’s NHS is offering up the next best thing: A stop-smoking competition between fans of rival teams.
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November 20th, 2009

Offside Rewind: All Apologies

By: Daryl | Comments Add Comments

im sorry


Seven non-Titi related posts you may have missed during the last seven days…

That’s me done for the week. Thanks to all who’ve read, commented and blogged. And handballed. Our intrepid weekend team will be blogging Saturday and Sunday and keeping us up to date.

Last and probably least, a reminder to show The Offside and WCB some love and fan us on Facebook.


Category Category: World Football
November 20th, 2009

Daily Dose: November 20th, 2009

By: Daryl | Comments Add Comments

Something to read while you watch the madness at the Maracana…

  • Israel halts construction of Palestinian stadium (BBC.co.uk)

  • This FIFA conspiracy goes deeper than we though (Studs Up)
  • Five football injustices (Shortlist)
  • What happens when you fart in a referee’s face? (Sports Rubbish)
  • A lot of Top 10s for 2010 (Pies)
  • Goal-line referees for World Cup 2010?* (Guardian)
  • Get your C-Ron Caganer (The Spoiler)
  • Top 5 teams I’m looking forward to seeing at World Cup 2010 (Podcast Offside)

*I can’t possibly imagine what has prompted this.


Category Category: Daily Dose
Nov 20, 2009

Angola 2010: Africa Cup of Nations Groups and Schedule

By: Daryl | Comments 6 comments

can2010The groups for the Africa Cup of Nations 2010 were drawn today, which should go at least some way to cheering up teams like Egypt and Tunisia who very narrowly missed the World Cup 2010 boat.

The tournament takes place in Angola from January 10th to January 31st, 2010. We've got blogs and bloggers for 12 of the 16 teams involved in the tournament. If you'd like to blog for one of the bloggerless teams then see the bottom of this post for details.

The Angola 2010 groups and match schedule are after the jump.

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Nov 20, 2009

How Long Until We Forgive Thierry Henry?

By: Daryl | Comments 42 comments

henry sorry


Latest development in the already long running Thierry Henry handball incident (or "la main de dieu" as it's being called by some) is that Henry himself thinks a replay is a good idea:

"The fairest solution would be to replay the game but it is not in my control," said the Barcelona striker.
"Naturally I feel embarrassed at the way that we won and feel extremely sorry for the Irish who definitely deserve to be in South Africa," Henry added.
"I have said at the time and I will say again that 'yes' I handled the ball. I am not a cheat and never have been. It was an instinctive reaction to a ball that was coming extremely fast in a crowded penalty area."

Very nice of Titi, although very convenient that he's saying this after FIFA ruled out any possibility of a replay:

"The result of the match cannot be changed and the match cannot be replayed," FIFA said in a statement. "As is clearly mentioned in the Laws of the Game, during matches, decisions are taken by the referee and these decisions are final."

But a good public relations move from Henry anyway. Yes, calling for a replay he knows to be impossible is a little transparent, but at least he's owned up to handballing (if not premeditatedly cheating) and shown some remorse.

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Category Category: World Cup 2010
November 20th, 2009

Just How Corrupt is European Football?

By: Daryl | Comments 6 Comments

euro corruptionIt’s difficult to answer that question with any precision. But seems the answer is “a lot more corrupt than we realized”. Because German prosecutors think it’s corrupt enough that 200 games of European football need to be investigating. Including 12 in the Europa League and at least three in the Champions League. Yes, that Champions League. The one with the fancy music.

According to the BBC:

On Thursday police carried out about 50 raids in Germany, the UK, Switzerland and Austria, making 17 arrests and seizing cash and property.

Fifteen of those arrested were in Germany and the other two in Switzerland.

Matches under investigation were played in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Hungary, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Austria.

Officials said the games included the 40 which Uefa revealed in September were under investigation.

Prosecutors believe a 200-strong criminal gang has bribed players, coaches, referees and officials to fix games and then made money by betting on the results.

The investigation is being carried out by German authorities and supported by Uefa, the European football body.

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Category Category: World Football
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