Whether you supported them or not, these teams have shaped the way our beautiful game has developed!
It’s always nice to see a prodigal son ‘return home’ … and even more so when they do well! And thus, we arrive at the story of Dirk Kuyt and his renaissance at Feyenoord! Dirk Kuyt is an icon, on Merseyside. He drove Liverpool’s forward line… Read More »Dirk Kuyt’s Fabulous Final Flurry at Feyenoord (2015-2017)
Today, we speak about the wonderful goalkeeping talent of Jussi Jääskeläinen: a Finnish legend whose impact on Bolton’s long-gone glory days were as pivotal as anybody’s! During his generation, Jens Lehmann was reinforcing the ‘all goalkeepers are nutters’ stereotype at Arsenal, Cech and Van Der… Read More »Jussi Jääskeläinen: Big Sam’s Big Man (1997-2012)
It doesn’t help that there’s more than one ‘Juninho’ in the world … or that their second name begins with a ‘P’! Very confusing … Unfortunately for some I will not be chatting about the magical maestro who played for Middlesbrough during the mid-to-late nineties.… Read More »Juninho Pernambucano: Free-Kicks Personified!
Uefa Cup finalists. League Cup winners. FA Cup Semi-finalists. A seventh-placed Premier League finish… The mid-noughties were undoubtedly Middlesbrough’s finest years. But who was responsible for this success? England fans beware, Steve McClaren may receive praise in this article … that’s right, ‘The wally with… Read More »Middlesbrough’s European Dreamers (2004-06)
Sometimes you don’t have to spray the ball about or kick balls in nets to be valued on the pitch. I mean, just look at David Batty in his ‘give-it-and-go’ role! We all know ‘The Makelele Role’ and it’s one that many holding midfielders have… Read More »David Batty: An O-G Premier League ‘Holding Man’
Before Pavel Nedved’s more noticeable stint at ‘The Old Lady’ in Serie A, he was adored by a simpler and wholesome Lazio fan-base. La Furia Ceca (‘The Czech Fury’) had an illustrious time in Rome; achieving the domestic double in the 1999-00 campaign along with other… Read More »When Pavel Nedved Almost Came to England in 2000
There are unique cities, unique fans, and unique clubs. Then there is Napoli, a club unlike any other in Italian football. ‘Napoli non é Italia’ Diego Maradona once said: ‘Naples is not Italy‘. And if you spend more than 5 minutes in the city, you… Read More »Napoli: A Club of Cult Heroes
People will have their own theories, but it’s generally accepted that this is what got George Graham sacked from the Arsenal job before Rioch and Wenger came in. Right, so before we get into this ‘oh how awful was George Graham for doing this‘, we… Read More »The Transfers That Got George Graham Fired in 1995!
It’s rare that fans of Blackburn, Spurs and Villa can like the same player equally. But Brad Friedel is a rare form of goalkeeper! You know, I don’t half detest some of today’s journalistic tendencies, and as myself and our contributors do their best to… Read More »Brad Friedel: The Definition of Consistency (2000-15)
Cesare, Paolo & Daniel – 66 years, 1,321 appearances & 31 trophies: A tally which speaks for itself and shows no sign of stopping! The Era of Cesare Maldini The imperious dynasty began back in 1954, when Cesare Maldini made his debut as centre half… Read More »The Legendary Maldini Dynasty at A.C. Milan (1954-)