Lately AFC Bournemouth have continued to impress in the English second tier The Championship, with five straight victories. They will celebrate the new year as league leaders. In the German Bundesliga FC Augsburg are upsetting the top teams, now in sixth place. I love to see new clubs breaking ground. But hey, are these REALLY new clubs in top football?
For most of us our childhood experiences defines normality, whether it concerns sports, politics or technical gadgets. I still think it's a bit odd that the Swedish parliament consists of eight parties and not five. After 25 years, a united Germany is still kind of a new concept to me, since the wall stood my whole childhood. Streaming services aside, I'm amazed by the more than 13 or 57 channels to choose from on television.
When IFK Göteborg were promoted to the Swedish top tier in 1976, I saw them as a new team that probably wouldn't challenge the likes of AIK and Malmö FF. I later realised that this was one of the big clubs with seven championships, and that they only quite recently had been relegated. Of course they stayed up and later won the UEFA cup twice.
Many youngsters today probably look at my favourite English team in the same way. It was only a few years ago that Stoke City reached the Premier League. However, if you read your football history you'll learn that the club was founded back in 1863, and was one of the original league clubs (I'm sorry to say that great victories are scarce, to say the least...).
We need to make our young ones realise that by learning about history, you understand more about the present. As a Stoke fan I can read about the decline of the pottery and mining industry, partly coninciding with the club's years in the third division. Then I can reflect on the success of gambling giant Bet365, coinciding with the re-establishment of The Potters as a PL club.
If you read about Spanish history (e.g. in Jimmy Burns' excellent "Barça - a People´s Passion") you get a better understanding of why FC Barcelona is so much "more than a club". You can read about the shipping trade to get clues on the origins of many of the great European football clubs.
What about Bournemouth and Augsburg, then? Well, Bournemouth would actually be a new club in the top tier if promoted. Augsburg currently play their fourth season in the Bundesliga, so they have to be considered a new challenger. I will welcome Bournemouth to the Premier League and will be happy to analyse the importance of the fact that their hometown´s population has grown by 15% percent since the birth of the Premier League, and that their stadium is sponsored by a "lifestyle concierge services" company.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Congrats Føroyar!
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
The day the result really, really, really didn´t matter
For totally different reasons the friendly between Sweden and Germany in Örebro this evening became a game where the result mattered next to nothing, at least for most Swedish football fans.
This morning, one of the country´s rare World Cup medalists, Klas Ingesson, passed away after a few years' illness. He was an admired teammate, as a player, coach and manager. It´s just over two weeks since the death of Brommapojkarna´s captain Pontus Segerström (see "A Day of Sorrow"), and just a few days since the events in South Africa. October is very dark this year.
Read more about Ingesson here (The Guardian).
Immensely more uplifting is what happened on the pitch. Two great Swedish records were set. Lotta Schelin of Olympique Lyonnais became the national team´s best goal-scorer in history with her 73rd goal, surpassing Hanna Ljungberg. Therese Sjögran of FC Rosengård made her 200th appearance in the national jersey. This is more than any man, and puts her in top 15-20 or so among women.
This post will not contain any opinion or arguments.
Tonight it suffices to say:
Congratulations Lotta and Therese!
Rest in peace Klabbe!
This morning, one of the country´s rare World Cup medalists, Klas Ingesson, passed away after a few years' illness. He was an admired teammate, as a player, coach and manager. It´s just over two weeks since the death of Brommapojkarna´s captain Pontus Segerström (see "A Day of Sorrow"), and just a few days since the events in South Africa. October is very dark this year.
Read more about Ingesson here (The Guardian).
Immensely more uplifting is what happened on the pitch. Two great Swedish records were set. Lotta Schelin of Olympique Lyonnais became the national team´s best goal-scorer in history with her 73rd goal, surpassing Hanna Ljungberg. Therese Sjögran of FC Rosengård made her 200th appearance in the national jersey. This is more than any man, and puts her in top 15-20 or so among women.
This post will not contain any opinion or arguments.
Tonight it suffices to say:
Congratulations Lotta and Therese!
Rest in peace Klabbe!
Sunday, October 26, 2014
New icons in Central America
We are used to see The United States qualifying, but today I want to bring some attention to Las Ticas. They have copied the achievement of their compatriots La Sele or Los Ticos. If you still need some clues on what I´m going on about, I give you the heroes from Fortaleza and Recife: Keylor Navas, Cristian Bolaños and Celso Borges.
On Friday night Costa Rica perhaps got some new icons when their women´s national team qualified for the World Cup for the first time ever. After a 1-1 draw against Trinidad & Tobago the match went to a penalty shoot-out. Katherine Alvarado, Carol Sánchez and Wendy Acosta all scored while the goalkeeper Dinnia Diaz, amazingly enough, saved three penalties in a row, securing the historic victory.
The come-back from a knee injury that almost made her quit football and the saving of three penalties (quite week ones, but still) in a decisive WC qualifier is more than enough to make Diaz a proper "Heroina".
I hope Costa Rica and its football federation will support the ladies on their road to Canada to give them a chance to upset the big countries like the men did last summer. The game gains from old champions being challenged, and young girls in any country can get strength from the success of female athletes in male-dominated sports.
Viva Las Ticas!
Diaz´s saves (video)
On Friday night Costa Rica perhaps got some new icons when their women´s national team qualified for the World Cup for the first time ever. After a 1-1 draw against Trinidad & Tobago the match went to a penalty shoot-out. Katherine Alvarado, Carol Sánchez and Wendy Acosta all scored while the goalkeeper Dinnia Diaz, amazingly enough, saved three penalties in a row, securing the historic victory.
The come-back from a knee injury that almost made her quit football and the saving of three penalties (quite week ones, but still) in a decisive WC qualifier is more than enough to make Diaz a proper "Heroina".
I hope Costa Rica and its football federation will support the ladies on their road to Canada to give them a chance to upset the big countries like the men did last summer. The game gains from old champions being challenged, and young girls in any country can get strength from the success of female athletes in male-dominated sports.
Viva Las Ticas!
Diaz´s saves (video)
Monday, October 13, 2014
A day of sorrow
This post will be a little more personal than usual.
After several weeks of inactivity I had planned to write something about the ongoing Euro qualifiers. It could have been some words on the soon-to-be record holder Wayne Rooney or the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Perhaps more in the style of this blog, it could have been about Ebba Wieder, Camille Surdez and the other young women struggling to qualify for the U17 Championship.
However, this day became a sad day in Swedish football. The Stockholm club IF Brommapojkarna, my club, announced that the captain of the top tier men´s team, Pontus Segerström had passed away during the night, 33 years old. It was just this August the brain tumour that ultimately ended his short life was discovered. He leaves behind a wife and two kids.
He also leaves behind a club in deep sorrow. Pontus Segerström was not just an ordinary player or even an ordinary captain. He was one of few "old" players in a club mostly consisting of youngsters between 18 and 24. Several referred to him as something of a father rather than a brother.
It has since long been clear that Brommapojkarna will be relegated this year. As always when tragedy strikes, the outcome of matches and series lose in importance. It sometimes even feels meaningless to play at all.
Still, we know that the remaining players WILL play again. Pontus´ teammates will face AIK on Sunday. The same day I will myself coach my 10 years old "Boys from Bromma" in this year´s last competition. We will play, because Pontus would never had wanted anyone in his club to refrain from playing the game he loved for his sake, and we will dedicate our efforts to him.
Later we will keep on playing week after week, year after year. Most of the time, we will struggle, win and lose without giving him a thought. Now and then, though, when the sun shines on the football fields in the western suburbs of Stockholm, his spirit will strengthen us and lead us to new victories.
IF Brommapojkarna (official website)
After several weeks of inactivity I had planned to write something about the ongoing Euro qualifiers. It could have been some words on the soon-to-be record holder Wayne Rooney or the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Perhaps more in the style of this blog, it could have been about Ebba Wieder, Camille Surdez and the other young women struggling to qualify for the U17 Championship.
However, this day became a sad day in Swedish football. The Stockholm club IF Brommapojkarna, my club, announced that the captain of the top tier men´s team, Pontus Segerström had passed away during the night, 33 years old. It was just this August the brain tumour that ultimately ended his short life was discovered. He leaves behind a wife and two kids.
He also leaves behind a club in deep sorrow. Pontus Segerström was not just an ordinary player or even an ordinary captain. He was one of few "old" players in a club mostly consisting of youngsters between 18 and 24. Several referred to him as something of a father rather than a brother.
It has since long been clear that Brommapojkarna will be relegated this year. As always when tragedy strikes, the outcome of matches and series lose in importance. It sometimes even feels meaningless to play at all.
Still, we know that the remaining players WILL play again. Pontus´ teammates will face AIK on Sunday. The same day I will myself coach my 10 years old "Boys from Bromma" in this year´s last competition. We will play, because Pontus would never had wanted anyone in his club to refrain from playing the game he loved for his sake, and we will dedicate our efforts to him.
Later we will keep on playing week after week, year after year. Most of the time, we will struggle, win and lose without giving him a thought. Now and then, though, when the sun shines on the football fields in the western suburbs of Stockholm, his spirit will strengthen us and lead us to new victories.
IF Brommapojkarna (official website)
Saturday, September 06, 2014
"It has to be Gordon Banks!" - or has it?
"It has to be Gordon Banks!"
That was my answer when asked by PottersForum on Twitter who's the best player I´ve seen play for my favourite English club Stoke City. It felt natural, and it wasn´t until next day I reconsidered. I didn't replace Banksey with Peter Shilton, Mark Chamberlain or Peter Crouch, however good they may have played. Rather, I reconsidered the whole question. Is it really possible to pick one top player?
Who is the greatest swimmer of all times? It´s not that easy to choose from Mark Spitz, Michael Phelps or Dawn Fraser. They all won great success, but in different eras in different circumstances.
Most people would probably rank Muhammad Ali as the greatest boxer. ESPN doesn´t. (link here)
Was Eduardo Mangiarotti a better fencer than Aladár Gerevich?
These are examples from sports measuring individual efforts. In football, the success of one player is always depending on the teammates.
Fans and journalists all over the world are counting and compiling statistics on goalscorers, completed passes, penalty saves et cetera, which is marvellous and fun. These achievements do of course influence the results, but at the end of the 90 minutes (and then some) it is the team that wins the match, through the sum of all individual efforts.
I reluctantly accept that great players like Neymar, Zlatan and Messi become icons for youngsters all over the world, and perhaps the game needs them to keep up the interest (and to sell zillions worth of of merchandise). However, the sometimes obsessive need to pick The Top Player of the year or the tournament or in all history, just shows an unprofessional lack of understanding of the mechanisms of the game. For one thing, how do we explain that only three defenders have been awarded the Ballon d'Or in nearly sixty years?
To say that Lionel Messi has to win the World Cup to be considered as the best player ever is not only insulting to him. It also belittles the efforts of Vavá, Rivellino, Burruchaga and Passarella. You know, Pelé and Maradona didn´t win their World Cups by themselves.
I want young players to recognise the strength of the team effort, and the fact that no one can win great football success without good teammates. Athletes, parents and leaders hungry for individual glory should try other sports.
Post Scriptum:
A clear candidate for the "Perhaps Best Stoke Player Ever If One Could Choose Just One" award would of course be one I'm too young to have had the pleasure of watching play, and who actually won the very first Ballon d'Or in 1956: Sir Stanley Matthews.
That was my answer when asked by PottersForum on Twitter who's the best player I´ve seen play for my favourite English club Stoke City. It felt natural, and it wasn´t until next day I reconsidered. I didn't replace Banksey with Peter Shilton, Mark Chamberlain or Peter Crouch, however good they may have played. Rather, I reconsidered the whole question. Is it really possible to pick one top player?
Who is the greatest swimmer of all times? It´s not that easy to choose from Mark Spitz, Michael Phelps or Dawn Fraser. They all won great success, but in different eras in different circumstances.
Most people would probably rank Muhammad Ali as the greatest boxer. ESPN doesn´t. (link here)
Was Eduardo Mangiarotti a better fencer than Aladár Gerevich?
These are examples from sports measuring individual efforts. In football, the success of one player is always depending on the teammates.
Fans and journalists all over the world are counting and compiling statistics on goalscorers, completed passes, penalty saves et cetera, which is marvellous and fun. These achievements do of course influence the results, but at the end of the 90 minutes (and then some) it is the team that wins the match, through the sum of all individual efforts.
I reluctantly accept that great players like Neymar, Zlatan and Messi become icons for youngsters all over the world, and perhaps the game needs them to keep up the interest (and to sell zillions worth of of merchandise). However, the sometimes obsessive need to pick The Top Player of the year or the tournament or in all history, just shows an unprofessional lack of understanding of the mechanisms of the game. For one thing, how do we explain that only three defenders have been awarded the Ballon d'Or in nearly sixty years?
To say that Lionel Messi has to win the World Cup to be considered as the best player ever is not only insulting to him. It also belittles the efforts of Vavá, Rivellino, Burruchaga and Passarella. You know, Pelé and Maradona didn´t win their World Cups by themselves.
I want young players to recognise the strength of the team effort, and the fact that no one can win great football success without good teammates. Athletes, parents and leaders hungry for individual glory should try other sports.
Post Scriptum:
A clear candidate for the "Perhaps Best Stoke Player Ever If One Could Choose Just One" award would of course be one I'm too young to have had the pleasure of watching play, and who actually won the very first Ballon d'Or in 1956: Sir Stanley Matthews.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
How much can my love withstand?
The plan was to write something joyful about my twelve-year-old daughter´s first participation in a tournament abroad. I also wanted to share a little of the good feeling coming from my own first post-WorldCup/EuropaLeague-summer match as a coach for my son´s team.
However, my mood was darkened early this morning by the news that Cameroonian striker Albert Ebossé had been killed in Algeria. Killed just after a match by someone calling himself (probably not a woman, I reckon) a football supporter. I can´t write with joy.
My daughter has returned home. My son scored twice.
I´m still in a dark mood.
How much can my love for football withstand? How much violence will it take before I tell my kids to quit playing the game they love?
There are, of course, no straight answers. Today, I just hope Algerian supporters from all teams can refrain themselves from vengeful rage, stop the madness of stone-throwing, and instead stand up for less violence in and around the football arenas.
However, my mood was darkened early this morning by the news that Cameroonian striker Albert Ebossé had been killed in Algeria. Killed just after a match by someone calling himself (probably not a woman, I reckon) a football supporter. I can´t write with joy.
My daughter has returned home. My son scored twice.
I´m still in a dark mood.
How much can my love for football withstand? How much violence will it take before I tell my kids to quit playing the game they love?
There are, of course, no straight answers. Today, I just hope Algerian supporters from all teams can refrain themselves from vengeful rage, stop the madness of stone-throwing, and instead stand up for less violence in and around the football arenas.
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