Hypothetical XI #7: Yugoslavia

Posted on April 9, 2013 by The False Nine

In our latest Hypothetical XI, Tom Brooks gives us his Yugoslav XI…

Let’s kick things off with a quick history lesson, shall we? In the early 1990s, the great nation of Yugoslavia was torn apart from within by a series of political upheavals and conflicts and a number of new nations were born. In 1991, Slovenia, Macedonia and Croatia emerged, followed in 1992 by Serbia and Montenegro, and then by Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1998. 2006 saw Montenegro split from Serbia and gain independence and then in 2008, on 17^th February, (also my birthday, please address your cards and gifts to Mr Tom Brooks), Kosovo declared itself independent from Serbia. Continue reading →

The Manchester derby: United’s last chance to land a knock-out blow

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Greg Johnson

Greg Johnson looks at why Manchester United must go for the uppercut against Manchester City in tonight’s Premier League derby or risk damaging their own victory like the faded glory of modern heavyweight boxing.

The causes for heavyweight boxing’s failing fortunes have been blamed and cited far and wide. From the attritional tedium of slow, lumbering fighters to professionalism’s purge on personalities, the sport’s biggest hitters have lost their box office clout.

Yet while boxing worries itself over the quality of its sporting supply, could it be that demand has in fact shifted elsewhere to the realm of goalposts, crossbars and avant garde hair design? Has football become a surrogate home for the drama, structure, celebrity and stories that once elevated heavyweight showdowns to the level of world-stopping spectacle?

Across Europe’s top leagues, title races have become season-long duopolies: intense feuds and brutal duels between two genuine, opposing heavyweights. The appetite for pre-season gossip within each league has birthed functioning pre-fight hype machines while transfer deadline day is now ritualised institution; the new weigh-in. Continue reading →

Hypothetical XI #6: Multinational football

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Greg Johnson

When creating a line-up of the best players world football currently has to offer, international squads and club sides just can’t cut it. Greg Johnson takes a look at the possibility of a multi-national football hypothetical XI…

National squads have always represented a “best of” selection of club football, yet the teams at the top of the game’s elite domestic leagues can also be considered as greatest hits line-ups made up of international stars. Clubs and countries cherry pick players from limited groups, narrowed down either by nationality or availability, contract or price. Continue reading →

Hypothetical XI #5 – The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

Posted on April 5, 2013 by The False Nine

Christopher Lash provides a look at a team composed of members from the old Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth…

I realise that by even starting this piece I have tumbled headlong into the world of football geekdom but I suppose there are worse things to fall into. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was an enormous realm whose star shone brightly from the mid-16th century to the end of the 18th century. Approximately twice the size of modern Spain, the Commonwealth at one point stretched across the territories of eight modern states in Central and Eastern Europe.

It was a state that was characterised by high levels of political participation, the so-called ‘Noble republic’ with an elected monarchy. The Commonwealth was also renowned for its religious tolerance. Here Roman, Armenian and Greek Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Eastern Orthodox believers and Muslims lived side by side, an island of relative harmony at a time when Europe was tearing itself apart in a series of fierce religious wars. Continue reading →

Europa League’s English trio: the West Broms of Europe?

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Simon Smith

Simon Smith looks at the changing English perceptions of the Europa League…

This week the Europa League reaches the crunch stage, the quarter finals. All the teams that get through this will fancy their chances of winning the tournament and there are no sloppy teams let in the running. So why the three English clubs? Traditionally this stage of the competition has eliminated them by now, so are we looking at a newfound interest in the competition by Premier League clubs or are there other reasons for the current success? Take a look at the current teams involved, compare them to recent seasons and the mystery becomes a little clearer…

Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Newcastle are all good teams, but none of them are great teams. There have in the last few seasons been two different classes of English club in Europe’s junior cup and for different reasons neither have had the ability to make significant progress in the tournament: clubs with desire but who lack the quality, and clubs with the quality who lack interest. Continue reading →

Hypothetical XI #4 – Papal States

Posted on April 3, 2013 by The False Nine

Philippa Booth brings the Papal XI…

Pope Francis is a fan of CA San Lorenzo in Buenos Aires, so now he has relocated, it seemed only fair to put together a Hypothetical XI for him. Squad selection and eligibility issues mean that the Vatican City national team isn’t very good, and Francis deserves better.

The Papal States were a band of territories across the middle of what we now know as Italy, under the sovereign rule of the Papacy, and constituting the temporal, rather than spiritual, power of the office. Thank you Wikipedia. Continue reading →

CSKA’s Love Too Much for Alania: Russian Premier League Weekend Wrap

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Andy Shenk

Back to Russia with Love.

The False Nine’s Russian correspondent Andy Shenk rounds up the action from Week 22 of the Russian Premier League…

With eight games to play, CSKA Moscow’s 4-0 drubbing of Alania in Vladikavkaz pulled the Army Men eight points clear of the pack in the race for the 2012/2013 Russian Premier League title. It’s been six and a half years since the club won its last domestic title and just as long of a championship drought for the Russian capital.

On Monday night in North Ossetia, the visitors made short work of Valery Gazzaev’s revamped roster. Alan Dzagoev, who originally hails from the North Caucasus republic, knocked in Vagner Love’s rebound in the 25^th minute to cool off an energetic home side. He completed his brace with another goal in the second half. This was Love’s third match back since rejoining CSKA from Flamengo of Brazil, having previously played for the club between 2004 and 2011. Doumbia rounded out the scoring in extra time after comical defending by Bosnian defender Ogjnen Vranjes. Continue reading →

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Monthly Archives: April 2013