Oh, For Frank’s Sake

First of all, credit where credit is due: England were outclassed by Germany, and no amount of finger-pointing over Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal will change that. The more deserving side won the day. Now, having gotten that off my chest: Would somebody please tell me how exactly this wasn’t a goal? The refereeing at this [...]

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Going Green

Robert Green, that is. Few English soccer fans will ever forget the unfortunate goal let in by England’s goalkeeper against the United States on Saturday, and it may prove to be a defining moment in Robert Green’s career. The other players on the England team – and indeed US goalie Tim Howard – offered words [...]

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World Cup 2010

The opening of the quadrennial World Cup soccer tournament is two weeks away. Many of my American readers probably don’t care all that much, and as such I would like to talk to you about why you should. Imagine, if you will, a glorious sporting spectacle in which a man can run five miles regardless [...]

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Nice going, USA!

In the furore over Sanford, I had forgotten to mention something rather amazing. Yesterday the US men’s soccer team defeated the world’s #1-ranked team – Spain – to reach the final of the Confederations Cup. Spain were undefeated in the last 35 games (a joint world record), and are the reigning European champions. Congrats to [...]

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So much for soccer.

It seems I am destined for another season of soccer-related disillusionment. My beloved Spurs, for all that the squad looks good on paper, do not play on paper, and are thus languishing at the bottom of the league with zero wins and two ties after eight games. My predictions for the Premiership this season have [...]

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In appreciation of Argentinean soccer

I may be the first and only Englishman ever to write these words; indeed, even to think them might be called heretical if not downright treasonous. That said, England haven’t given me much to shout from the rooftops about, unless I wish to spend a great deal of time shouting ‘fuck’. Besides, I tend to [...]

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Season Preview 2008-09

As the curtain begins to rise on another season of English soccer, pundits are racing to make their predictions; not only is the Premiership title in question, but the debate is going thick and fast over who will reach the coveted – and lucrative – Champions League places, and who will be mired in the [...]

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Well done, Iraq

This weekend, Iraq’s national soccer team won the Asian Cup, largely due to the efforts of their three-man strike team of one Sunni, one Shiite and one Kurd. People of all three sects set aside their conflict and celebrated together as brothers, if only for a short time. The next time I’m obsessing about soccer [...]

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