Maradona keeps himself being a controversy!

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The ex - Boca Juniors soccer player, Diego Armando Maradona declared that if the National Football Team of his native country “Argentina” does not win the next World Cup in Germany, he has the resolution: he will talk with the president of the AFA Julio Grondona, just to see if he has the chance to be the Coach of the soccer team. He also confirmed that he has never been invited to be part of the Technical department; however he wants to take the initiative of suggest it.Maradona is also supported by the current Argentina coach Jose Pekerman, who admitted that he is the fan No 1 and he thinks Maradona must be the Argentina soccer team leader. Maradona was born in Villa Fiorito in the southern of Buenos Aires in 1960. At age of 15 he started to play with the Argentinos Juniors. When he was 16 he debuted with the national football team, and he played his first World Cup in 1982.In 1986 World Cup he helped his National Soccer Argentina team to win with a 3-2 in the final against West Germany. This polemic soccer player is aware that all the candidates for the World Cup that want to win this championship, will have to dispute this title with Brazil, a team that is known as probably the most dangerous opponent of the event.
Article Source: http://www.articlecube.com

History of Soccer

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The score is tied 1-1. It’s you and the goalie with ten seconds left. You dribble left, then right, you shoot . . . GOOOAAALLL!!! "Association Football", "football" or, in this age, "soccer" is considered an international pastime. It is played in more towns, cities, and countries than any other sport in the world. Millions share the love for this sport. Comparable to baseball in the US, or hockey in Canada, soccer enjoys the same reputation in the countries of Europe and South America. The sport’s popularity is swiftly growing in America. So what is it about this sport that attracts more and more participants every year? What is it that invites crowds of a hundred thousand fans and sparks these crazed fans into an uncontrollable rage and a sudden state of chaos? Something that has captivated the rest of the world is beginning to gain a foothold in the US. However, soccer did not enjoy a successful beginning.
It wasn’t until the late 1800’s that a man by the name of William McGregor introduced the FA Cup and international matches, which saved the game from obscurity. The earliest forms of soccer were played three centuries ago and quite rapidly evolved into a game radically different from its origins and thus flowered the irresistible spectacle still recognizable so many years later.

Soccer is the name commonly given in North America to a form of football played with a spherical ball. It is the most widely played team game in the world and the most popular spectator sport, followed avidly by hundreds of millions of fans. Originally called association football (the name soccer is a corruption of the word assoc derived in turn from association), (Funk and Wagnalls New Encyclopedia) soccer is distinguished from American or Canadian football and Rugby in that it is primarily played with the feet. It also differs from these games in that, soccer being speedier, players must improvise their tactics as play proceeds, constantly shifting their positions to receive or intercept passes. Teams of 11 players play on a field no more than 130 yd x 100 yd and not less than 100 yd x 50 yd. The basic objective of the game is for one team to force the ball, by kicking it or using the chest or head, past the goalkeeper and into the goal. The ball is a leather-covered sphere 27 to 28 in. in circumference and weighing 14 to 16 ounces. The game is played in two 45-minute halves. The team scoring the most goals wins the game.

All that is needed to play soccer is a ball, goals, and, for those who want, uniforms consisting of shorts, socks, cleats. It can even be played barefoot. This simplicity and informality is a chief reason for the worldwide popularity of the game. Because tackling is not as violent as in other forms of football and the round ball is more easily controlled than an oval one, soccer is especially suited to younger players.

Soccer has been a part of my life since I was five years old. I have been playing now for twelve years. My experiences in soccer have changed from the first games where 11 players ran in a bunch following the ball, to where now we use a complex system of passing using triangles. Some fans have told me that our system seems difficult to learn and play but when broken down, it is very simple. I have learned a lot about the sport. When I started to play higher levels of soccer I had to make a commitment. As a member of this year's varsity soccer team I spend close to 24 hours a week on the soccer field. My coach played semi-pro soccer in Scotland. Nearly every coach in Utah knows him. He trains us harder than any other coach I have ever had. When I played with him several years ago our team went 16-0-1. We were ranked #1 in the state. With commitment and hard work our team hopes to continue our coach's winning tradition.
In 12th century England the most primitive forms of soccer were played on the battlefield. Stories tell of using the enemy's skull as a ball. Another tells of a brave village defeating a Roman team and running them out of town in 217 AD. They took over their whole town including houses, shops, fields and livestock (gives a new meaning to the old saying, "Winner takes all"). Twelfth century soccer was a violent sport with little or no rules. (Origins of the Game)
Native Americans used to play a game called Pasuchuakohowog meaning, "They gather to play ball with the foot." Beaches, a half-mile wide with goals one-mile apart, served as playing fields for as many as 1000 people at a time. Games were often rough, resulting in broken bones. No one could be identified because players disguised themselves with ornaments and warpaint making retaliating close to impossible. It was common for games to be carried over from one day to the next with a feast for all at the conclusion of the match. (Origins of the Game)
It is important to understand that "football" began to be used specifically to describe association football in Europe some time after the Football Association was formed in London in 1863. The Football Association was not set up with the intention of creating a "new" game. The wealthy young Britons who formed the Association had all attended exclusive schools, each fanatically proud of their own traditions and each with their own soccer rules. Now, the Football Association, with their universally acceptable rules for one game only, came into being to provide a game overseen by gentlemen for young gentlemen. It was some years before the world game of today became faintly recognizable. (1000 Years of Football Trivia)
The world's first league was formed in April 1888. The driving force was William McGregor, a Scottish shopkeeper, teetotaler, and deeply religious chairman of the Aston Villa club in Birmingham, which later became the world's first "super club." The league came just in time for soccer, which was struggling to find its true role yet again after the legalization of professional teams in 1885. The forces of amateurism, then represented by the public schools and universities and their powerful position in British society, still saw paid play as an evil. However, strictly organized weekly league competition proved to be the foundation stone of the professional game. The so-called "Baines cards," an amazing series of printed paper cards, were the first brilliant commercial project to spring from popular sports with mass appeal. International matches also helped to revitalize the game. The first international match was played between England and Scotland. A new side of the game was added with these international matches. Players were now playing teams they knew nothing about. They knew nothing about their style of play, their abilities, or their strengths and weaknesses. (1000 Years of Football Trivia)

The evolution of soccer has also meant that rules had to change to keep up with the level of competition. Some of the major alterations over the years include:
1580: A certain Giovanni Bardi published a set of rules of the game of "calcio".1848: The first Cambridge Rules are drawn up.1877: The associations in Great Britain formed to gain a uniform code.1886: June 2, first official meeting of the International Football Association Board.1891: Introduction of the penalty-kick.1913: FIFA becomes a member of the International F.A. Board.1925: Amendment of offside rule from three to two players.1937-38: The present Laws framed in a new system of codification but based on the Laws previously in force.1997: The Laws revised.
(http://www.fifa.com/fifa/)

On May 21, 1904 seven countries formed an organization called Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The countries of France, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland assembled FIFA in order to distinguish it unequivocally from "Union Football", or rugby. The split between the two sports occurred in the central English town of Rugby in 1823, when a player of the home team scored a goal by picking up the ball and running with it. The classic version of the game, association football, adhered to the original round ball, while the derivatives, rugby and American football, chose to introduce an oval ball. (http://www.fifa.com/fifa/)

The World Cup is a tournament involving 36 teams. Each team fights for respect, glory, fame, distinction and bragging rights. The atmosphere surrounding this tournament is tremendous. The tournament is held every four years, with the Olympics in between. The first World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930. Thirteen teams competed for the first World Cup victory. In 1958 the sixth World Cup was held, during which the first television transmission of the game was held. The traditional black and white ball was introduced to show up better on the first black and white televisions. In 1994 the United States welcomed the world by staging the World Cup for the first time. Breaking numerous records, World Cup USA, 1994 is heralded as the best World Cup ever. The most successful World Cup team is Brazil. Brazil has won the tournament more times than any other team. Their success has been accredited to Pelé, who led the team to three championships in twelve years.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, or better known as Pelé, is considered the greatest soccer player of his time. He was born in Três Corações, Brazil on October 23, 1940. Pelé was famed for his powerful kicking and brilliant field strategy. He was an amazing soccer player to watch. Anyone who has ever played the game can't help but hold a tremendous amount of respect for his abilities. He scored 1200 goals in 1253 games making him the only player to score 1000 goals during a career. He began playing as an inside left forward for the Santos Football Club in 1956 and six years later the team won it's first world club championship. He also led Brazil to three World Cup championships in 1958, 1962, and 1970. In 1975 the New York Cosmos signed Pelé for 2.8 million dollars, thus making him the highest paid soccer player ever. He retired after leading the Cosmos to the NASL Championship. Pelé was inducted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 1993.
America's role in the development of soccer was minute until the middle part of the 20th century. Our nation was one that long resisted soccer's spread. By 1820, many American colleges played soccer, but there was no intercollegiate competition. The rules were casual and often changed. On November 6, 1869 Princeton University and Rutgers University engaged in the first intercollegiate soccer match in New Brunswick, NJ. The Rutgers team won the match 6-4. Soon immigrants from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales arrived in the US in the metropolitan areas of the East, Midwest and Pacific Coast. Before long, communities with textile mills, shipyards, quarries or mines had a soccer team among its immigrant population. The US Football Association (USFA), now US Soccer Federation, was granted full membership in FIFA in 1914, and in the USA's first international match on August 20 they defeated Sweden 3-0. Despite this first victory the US usually lost to foreign teams. However, on June 29 during the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, a star player named Gaetjen scored the winning goal and the US defeated England 1-0. It was perhaps, the biggest upset ever in international soccer. In 1989 Paul Caligiuri scored the biggest goal in US soccer history since Gaetjens goal against England. On November 19 Caligiuri's 35-yard dipping shot found the net in a 1-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago, in front of 35,000 red-clad Trinidadians, clinching the USA's first appearance in the World Cup in almost 40 years. The US team qualified for the World Cup for the fourth time this year. Their road to the World Cup was not an easy one. They tied a very good Mexico team 1-1. They also had to beat Canada, and El Salvador. The team has very high hopes and a good chance to do well.

History of Soccer

0

The score is tied 1-1. It’s you and the goalie with ten seconds left. You dribble left, then right, you shoot . . . GOOOAAALLL!!! "Association Football", "football" or, in this age, "soccer" is considered an international pastime. It is played in more towns, cities, and countries than any other sport in the world. Millions share the love for this sport. Comparable to baseball in the US, or hockey in Canada, soccer enjoys the same reputation in the countries of Europe and South America. The sport’s popularity is swiftly growing in America. So what is it about this sport that attracts more and more participants every year? What is it that invites crowds of a hundred thousand fans and sparks these crazed fans into an uncontrollable rage and a sudden state of chaos? Something that has captivated the rest of the world is beginning to gain a foothold in the US. However, soccer did not enjoy a successful beginning.
It wasn’t until the late 1800’s that a man by the name of William McGregor introduced the FA Cup and international matches, which saved the game from obscurity. The earliest forms of soccer were played three centuries ago and quite rapidly evolved into a game radically different from its origins and thus flowered the irresistible spectacle still recognizable so many years later.

Soccer is the name commonly given in North America to a form of football played with a spherical ball. It is the most widely played team game in the world and the most popular spectator sport, followed avidly by hundreds of millions of fans. Originally called association football (the name soccer is a corruption of the word assoc derived in turn from association), (Funk and Wagnalls New Encyclopedia) soccer is distinguished from American or Canadian football and Rugby in that it is primarily played with the feet. It also differs from these games in that, soccer being speedier, players must improvise their tactics as play proceeds, constantly shifting their positions to receive or intercept passes. Teams of 11 players play on a field no more than 130 yd x 100 yd and not less than 100 yd x 50 yd. The basic objective of the game is for one team to force the ball, by kicking it or using the chest or head, past the goalkeeper and into the goal. The ball is a leather-covered sphere 27 to 28 in. in circumference and weighing 14 to 16 ounces. The game is played in two 45-minute halves. The team scoring the most goals wins the game.

All that is needed to play soccer is a ball, goals, and, for those who want, uniforms consisting of shorts, socks, cleats. It can even be played barefoot. This simplicity and informality is a chief reason for the worldwide popularity of the game. Because tackling is not as violent as in other forms of football and the round ball is more easily controlled than an oval one, soccer is especially suited to younger players.

Soccer has been a part of my life since I was five years old. I have been playing now for twelve years. My experiences in soccer have changed from the first games where 11 players ran in a bunch following the ball, to where now we use a complex system of passing using triangles. Some fans have told me that our system seems difficult to learn and play but when broken down, it is very simple. I have learned a lot about the sport. When I started to play higher levels of soccer I had to make a commitment. As a member of this year's varsity soccer team I spend close to 24 hours a week on the soccer field. My coach played semi-pro soccer in Scotland. Nearly every coach in Utah knows him. He trains us harder than any other coach I have ever had. When I played with him several years ago our team went 16-0-1. We were ranked #1 in the state. With commitment and hard work our team hopes to continue our coach's winning tradition.
In 12th century England the most primitive forms of soccer were played on the battlefield. Stories tell of using the enemy's skull as a ball. Another tells of a brave village defeating a Roman team and running them out of town in 217 AD. They took over their whole town including houses, shops, fields and livestock (gives a new meaning to the old saying, "Winner takes all"). Twelfth century soccer was a violent sport with little or no rules. (Origins of the Game)
Native Americans used to play a game called Pasuchuakohowog meaning, "They gather to play ball with the foot." Beaches, a half-mile wide with goals one-mile apart, served as playing fields for as many as 1000 people at a time. Games were often rough, resulting in broken bones. No one could be identified because players disguised themselves with ornaments and warpaint making retaliating close to impossible. It was common for games to be carried over from one day to the next with a feast for all at the conclusion of the match. (Origins of the Game)
It is important to understand that "football" began to be used specifically to describe association football in Europe some time after the Football Association was formed in London in 1863. The Football Association was not set up with the intention of creating a "new" game. The wealthy young Britons who formed the Association had all attended exclusive schools, each fanatically proud of their own traditions and each with their own soccer rules. Now, the Football Association, with their universally acceptable rules for one game only, came into being to provide a game overseen by gentlemen for young gentlemen. It was some years before the world game of today became faintly recognizable. (1000 Years of Football Trivia)
The world's first league was formed in April 1888. The driving force was William McGregor, a Scottish shopkeeper, teetotaler, and deeply religious chairman of the Aston Villa club in Birmingham, which later became the world's first "super club." The league came just in time for soccer, which was struggling to find its true role yet again after the legalization of professional teams in 1885. The forces of amateurism, then represented by the public schools and universities and their powerful position in British society, still saw paid play as an evil. However, strictly organized weekly league competition proved to be the foundation stone of the professional game. The so-called "Baines cards," an amazing series of printed paper cards, were the first brilliant commercial project to spring from popular sports with mass appeal. International matches also helped to revitalize the game. The first international match was played between England and Scotland. A new side of the game was added with these international matches. Players were now playing teams they knew nothing about. They knew nothing about their style of play, their abilities, or their strengths and weaknesses. (1000 Years of Football Trivia)

The evolution of soccer has also meant that rules had to change to keep up with the level of competition. Some of the major alterations over the years include:
1580: A certain Giovanni Bardi published a set of rules of the game of "calcio".1848: The first Cambridge Rules are drawn up.1877: The associations in Great Britain formed to gain a uniform code.1886: June 2, first official meeting of the International Football Association Board.1891: Introduction of the penalty-kick.1913: FIFA becomes a member of the International F.A. Board.1925: Amendment of offside rule from three to two players.1937-38: The present Laws framed in a new system of codification but based on the Laws previously in force.1997: The Laws revised.
(http://www.fifa.com/fifa/)

On May 21, 1904 seven countries formed an organization called Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The countries of France, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland assembled FIFA in order to distinguish it unequivocally from "Union Football", or rugby. The split between the two sports occurred in the central English town of Rugby in 1823, when a player of the home team scored a goal by picking up the ball and running with it. The classic version of the game, association football, adhered to the original round ball, while the derivatives, rugby and American football, chose to introduce an oval ball. (http://www.fifa.com/fifa/)

The World Cup is a tournament involving 36 teams. Each team fights for respect, glory, fame, distinction and bragging rights. The atmosphere surrounding this tournament is tremendous. The tournament is held every four years, with the Olympics in between. The first World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930. Thirteen teams competed for the first World Cup victory. In 1958 the sixth World Cup was held, during which the first television transmission of the game was held. The traditional black and white ball was introduced to show up better on the first black and white televisions. In 1994 the United States welcomed the world by staging the World Cup for the first time. Breaking numerous records, World Cup USA, 1994 is heralded as the best World Cup ever. The most successful World Cup team is Brazil. Brazil has won the tournament more times than any other team. Their success has been accredited to Pelé, who led the team to three championships in twelve years.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, or better known as Pelé, is considered the greatest soccer player of his time. He was born in Três Corações, Brazil on October 23, 1940. Pelé was famed for his powerful kicking and brilliant field strategy. He was an amazing soccer player to watch. Anyone who has ever played the game can't help but hold a tremendous amount of respect for his abilities. He scored 1200 goals in 1253 games making him the only player to score 1000 goals during a career. He began playing as an inside left forward for the Santos Football Club in 1956 and six years later the team won it's first world club championship. He also led Brazil to three World Cup championships in 1958, 1962, and 1970. In 1975 the New York Cosmos signed Pelé for 2.8 million dollars, thus making him the highest paid soccer player ever. He retired after leading the Cosmos to the NASL Championship. Pelé was inducted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 1993.
America's role in the development of soccer was minute until the middle part of the 20th century. Our nation was one that long resisted soccer's spread. By 1820, many American colleges played soccer, but there was no intercollegiate competition. The rules were casual and often changed. On November 6, 1869 Princeton University and Rutgers University engaged in the first intercollegiate soccer match in New Brunswick, NJ. The Rutgers team won the match 6-4. Soon immigrants from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales arrived in the US in the metropolitan areas of the East, Midwest and Pacific Coast. Before long, communities with textile mills, shipyards, quarries or mines had a soccer team among its immigrant population. The US Football Association (USFA), now US Soccer Federation, was granted full membership in FIFA in 1914, and in the USA's first international match on August 20 they defeated Sweden 3-0. Despite this first victory the US usually lost to foreign teams. However, on June 29 during the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, a star player named Gaetjen scored the winning goal and the US defeated England 1-0. It was perhaps, the biggest upset ever in international soccer. In 1989 Paul Caligiuri scored the biggest goal in US soccer history since Gaetjens goal against England. On November 19 Caligiuri's 35-yard dipping shot found the net in a 1-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago, in front of 35,000 red-clad Trinidadians, clinching the USA's first appearance in the World Cup in almost 40 years. The US team qualified for the World Cup for the fourth time this year. Their road to the World Cup was not an easy one. They tied a very good Mexico team 1-1. They also had to beat Canada, and El Salvador. The team has very high hopes and a good chance to do well.

Brazil Not Dominant, Ronaldo Out of Shape and Tough on the Eyes

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Brazil defeated Croatia on June 13, but the fireworks that most people expected from the world’s most talented team did not materialize. Featuring Ronaldinho, who many consider the best player in the world, the Brazilians were only able to muster a 1-0 victory. Ronaldo, who with 12 career World Cup goals is eyeing Gerd Mueller’s record of 14, has been accused of being, well, fat. Hopefully that was blunt enough for you. In the match, Ronaldo was slow and ineffective. He was replaced by Robinho in the 68th minute. And is it just me, or is Ronaldo one ugly man? Kaká scored the game’s lone goal in the 44th minute. There were chances by both teams to add to the scoring column, but none of the opportunities were capitalized upon.
The highlight of the second half came when a crazed Croatian fan ran onto the field in the 85th minute. Boy, was German security terrible. It took a good two to three minutes before the fan was taken off the field. And when he was taken off, he wasn’t carried off or carted off in handcuffs. He was gently escorted off the field like a lost child at an amusement park. Unbelievable. Back in the states, the players would have already decked the fan, and security would have had to keep the players from further injuring the lunatic.
Brazil will look to put more goals on the board when they play Australia on June 18. The Croatian team, whose fans were thrilled with their strong showing against Brazil match, will also play their next game on June 18 versus Japan.
Chris McGovern is the editor of The Sports Hookup at thesportshookup.blogspot.com.

Ideas for Football

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The 2006 FIFA World Cup is upon us; it's all over the radio, the television, and the newspapers. Everywhere you go, everyone seems to have a soccer t-shirt - some even have the matching shorts! Now soccer is an actual sport; there are two teams, a ball, two nets, and involves dribbling, passing, shooting and some pretty neat tricks (just like basketball). One of the best qualities of soccer, which isn't always present, is the sportsmanship displayed between the two teams. They help each other up, chat it up, and really remind viewers that in the end, it is just a game.
Despite being around for ages, soccer is still behind in development and isn't adapting quickly enough to the changing times. Here are a few suggestions to improve the game.
Time accurately: Technology today has given us the amazing power to accurately time. So when the game isn't actually being played - stop the damn game clock. This way you won't have to estimate how much time was lost while the referee was scribbling down penalties, substitutions were made, injured players were rolling in the grass or being taken off the field. By stopping and starting the game clock, everyone (players, coaches, referees, spectators) can know how much time is actually left in a half, instead of trying to guess how much time will be added.
Count down: People are actually interested in how much time is LEFT in a half, or in a game. The main reason anyone would want to know how much time has passed, is to figure out how much time is left!
Quarters, not halves: Break the game up into quarters instead of halves - even if it's a little 2 minute break in between 1st and 2nd, and 3rd and 4th quarters. This would create a large amount of advertising revenue for the game, as well as greatly promote it. More importantly though, people don't want to wait 45 minutes to get a drink or some food, nor would they want to hold it in for that long ;).

Is Football Really The 'Beautiful Game' Anymore? Rules, Cheats And Money

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Football is the game that we play on the fields and playgrounds at school, between the alleys and at the end of every street. It's the game that gets more emotion out of the common man than almost any other subject I can think of. But the sport we see on our TV screens is becoming more and more removed from this as every day goes by.

With the World Cup finals now in full swing we've switched from the conversations about who's in or out, who's fit or fat and who'll win or won't to the hidden problems of the game we love so much. The problems with rules is that someone will always cheat to break them.

Rules

The referee (who ever he may be) will ultimately be the most hated man at each and every match. But is it really his fault? Not in my opinion!

    FIFA are continually changing the rules of the game, the same rules which served football so well for over one hundred years. To make my point - can anyone tell me what the current offside rule is? No, I didn't think so! And what about the discrepancies between the use of the yellow and red cards in the modern game, the dubious goals panel, video evidence. Celebrating a goal is now a bookable offence if you do it for too long, take off your shirt or go within 10 yards of a supporter. Are these really the type of rules we want to see in the game? (answers on a postcard to FIFA HQ please)

Cheats

Cheating has always been a part of sport. If there was no sport we wouldn't need to cheat after all, but it seems to be getting out of control - and it's ruining the greatest game on earth.
    It will no doubt be another of the biggest talking points at this World Cup, that of the cheating. A never ending cry for penalties, half a dozen barrel rolls every time someone gets tackled and the cardinal sin - the handball.

    Some of the most naturally gifted players in the world are also some of the biggest cheats. Arjen Robben would have to be my pick of the bunch - a man gifted with cheetah like speed and superb control, exceptional vision and Duracell like stamina, but dives like a kingfisher!

    Pretending to be injured to force the ball out of play is positively cowardly, whilst the dropping to the floor holding your face every time someone looks at you is just... well it's even more cowardly!

    Do you remember Diego Maradona as the greatest player of the 80's or the 'Hand of God' cheat? I'm a little biased being English but lets just say I remember Mexico 86.

Money

It's only natural that the better performing clubs end up with more money at the end of the day. But there is now such a gulf between the top clubs and the lower league teams, there will soon be only one league left in each country with a hand-full of super-rich teams in it.The biggest worry is that which we have seen here in Englands Premier League. Chelsea got brought by a billionaire oil baron, next thing we know they've won two championships on the trot! OK so they haven't done all that well in the Champions League (Europes premier competition) but the recent signings of Ballack, Shevchenko and soon Roberto Carlos mean that it won't be long before they win that too. Are they getting these players because London is such a nice place to live? No, but because they are paying £100,000 plus per week for their services.

Once Mr. Abramovich gets bored and takes his cash off to basketball or something, we'll be left to look back on an era where money brought the English title. In the mean time my local side (Crawley Town) join the hundreds of other lower league clubs going into administration. It's just not football!

Duncan Rice is the webmaster of latest football scores, a live results website and also the web design and hosting service offered by pagesurfer.co.uk. A football fan, but with a slightly different view to most!