Dave Thompson/Pa Archive
They pull on that international jersey and they are free. Free from the shackles and plague of domestic football, where they have failed time and time again to establish themselves at Anfield. It goes without saying that Liverpool supporters have seen a plethora of underwhelming players come and go, from star signings who under-performed to nobodies plucked from the unknown.
However, when these players don the jersey of their nation, a different beast is awoken. They become at one with their kin’s people, embracing the superstardom and sense of responsibility that accompanies the honour of representing their nation.
Take for example Milan Baros – for three seasons he floundered in front of goal, missing guilt-edged opportunity after guilt-edged opportunity. As soon as the Czech manager tossed him a jersey, however, he subsequently banged them in as if goals were going out of fashion, picking up the...
They pull on that international jersey and they are free. Free from the shackles and plague of domestic football, where they have failed time and time again to establish themselves at Anfield. It goes without saying that Liverpool supporters have seen a plethora of underwhelming players come and go, from star signings who under-performed to nobodies plucked from the unknown.
However, when these players don the jersey of their nation, a different beast is awoken. They become at one with their kin’s people, embracing the superstardom and sense of responsibility that accompanies the honour of representing their nation.
Take for example Milan Baros – for three seasons he floundered in front of goal, missing guilt-edged opportunity after guilt-edged opportunity. As soon as the Czech manager tossed him a jersey, however, he subsequently banged them in as if goals were going out of fashion, picking up the...
- 11/14/2014
- by Michael Ramsay
- Obsessed with Film
The Sunday Express has confirmed what we wrote last week that Newcastle United striker has opened talks with Turkish giants Galatasaray and Fenerbache after both clubs matched the Senegalese international’s transfer release clause.
The clause, believed to be between £7 million to £9 million (of which Ba pockets £2 million himself from the move) is only available to be activated up until July 31st and so far only the two Turkish sides are believed to have activated it. We believe that talks between Ba and the two Turkish clubs took place around 10 days ago and Ba has been mulling over the contract offers but his wage demands may have already put off Galatasaray.
The club’s President Unal Aysal said on June 16th;
“Ba’s name was suggested to us by a committee member and we opened negotiations after approval from manager Fatih Terim.”
“However, negotiations have stopped. We already have Johan...
The clause, believed to be between £7 million to £9 million (of which Ba pockets £2 million himself from the move) is only available to be activated up until July 31st and so far only the two Turkish sides are believed to have activated it. We believe that talks between Ba and the two Turkish clubs took place around 10 days ago and Ba has been mulling over the contract offers but his wage demands may have already put off Galatasaray.
The club’s President Unal Aysal said on June 16th;
“Ba’s name was suggested to us by a committee member and we opened negotiations after approval from manager Fatih Terim.”
“However, negotiations have stopped. We already have Johan...
- 6/24/2012
- by Matt Holmes
- Obsessed with Film
Portugal have beaten the Czech Republic 1-0 in Warsaw to progress to the Semi-Finals of Euro 2012. Cristiano Ronaldo provided the only goal of the game with a header on 78 minutes to put Portugal deservedly in the lead.
Czech manager Michal Bílek vowed before the match to be defensive to avoid a repeat of the 4-1 mauling they received from Russia in the opening game of the tournament, and he certainly remained true to his word with the Czechs figuratively ‘parking the bus’ against Portugal.
The Czech Republic set out for the game to defend and try to hit Portugal on the counter-attack; a tactic which almost came off, but ultimately it was Ronaldo’s quality which proved the difference. The Czech team didn’t have the quality up front to pose a real threat on the break, with Milan Baros looking a shadow of his former self.
The two wingmen...
Czech manager Michal Bílek vowed before the match to be defensive to avoid a repeat of the 4-1 mauling they received from Russia in the opening game of the tournament, and he certainly remained true to his word with the Czechs figuratively ‘parking the bus’ against Portugal.
The Czech Republic set out for the game to defend and try to hit Portugal on the counter-attack; a tactic which almost came off, but ultimately it was Ronaldo’s quality which proved the difference. The Czech team didn’t have the quality up front to pose a real threat on the break, with Milan Baros looking a shadow of his former self.
The two wingmen...
- 6/22/2012
- by Omar A. Mohamed
- Obsessed with Film
Group A of Euro 2012 came to a thrilling close last night as the Czech Republic and Greece clinched qualification to the knockout stages in dramatic fashion.
Group favourites Russia were stunned by the Greeks who hit them on the counter-attack and exploited a defensive error to pull ahead in the dying minutes of the first half. The Greeks then showed resilience in the second half to hold on to their lead and were desperately unlucky not to get a penalty when captain Giorgios Karagounis was blatantly fouled inside the penalty area. The efforts of promising youngster Alan Dzagoev were not enough to salvage the point needed for his country to stay in the tournament; he watched his 83rd minute header sail just wide of the Greek goal. The full time whistle was greeted with scenes of jubilation by the Greek players and supporters, both overjoyed and surprised by this unlikeliest of victories.
Group favourites Russia were stunned by the Greeks who hit them on the counter-attack and exploited a defensive error to pull ahead in the dying minutes of the first half. The Greeks then showed resilience in the second half to hold on to their lead and were desperately unlucky not to get a penalty when captain Giorgios Karagounis was blatantly fouled inside the penalty area. The efforts of promising youngster Alan Dzagoev were not enough to salvage the point needed for his country to stay in the tournament; he watched his 83rd minute header sail just wide of the Greek goal. The full time whistle was greeted with scenes of jubilation by the Greek players and supporters, both overjoyed and surprised by this unlikeliest of victories.
- 6/17/2012
- by Omar A. Mohamed
- Obsessed with Film
2 games, 7 goals, 2 red cards, comedy defending only overshadowed by comedy goalkeeping and one decidedly shaky referee.
Who saw that coming?
We expect opening games of major tournaments to be cagey affairs as teams look to build a foothold in the competition but that thinking was blown out of the water last night. Poland and Greece got us under way with an utterly shambolic match that we dare not take our eyes off lest we miss the next crazy moment.
It veered wildly from idiotic to irrepressible to sublime. From Greek goalkeeper Chalkias going walkabout to allow Manchester United bound, according to his national manager, Robert Lewandowski to send the Polish crowd into raptures to referee Carlos Velasco Carballo’s ridiculous decision to send off Sokratis Papastathopoulos; from Wojciech Szczesny’s impression of what he thinks an Arsenal goalkeeper should look like, first flapping at a cross like he was trying...
Who saw that coming?
We expect opening games of major tournaments to be cagey affairs as teams look to build a foothold in the competition but that thinking was blown out of the water last night. Poland and Greece got us under way with an utterly shambolic match that we dare not take our eyes off lest we miss the next crazy moment.
It veered wildly from idiotic to irrepressible to sublime. From Greek goalkeeper Chalkias going walkabout to allow Manchester United bound, according to his national manager, Robert Lewandowski to send the Polish crowd into raptures to referee Carlos Velasco Carballo’s ridiculous decision to send off Sokratis Papastathopoulos; from Wojciech Szczesny’s impression of what he thinks an Arsenal goalkeeper should look like, first flapping at a cross like he was trying...
- 6/9/2012
- by Robert MacDonald
- Obsessed with Film
The last time Eastern Europe staged a European Championship saw a team from there crowned champions.
Czechoslovakia won the competition in Yugoslavia in 1976. Before that, the only other East European side to win was the Ussr – who won the inaugural competition in 1960.
Neither Czechoslovakia nor the Ussr exist today; but it is of great significance that the reincarnations of these past winners clash on the opening day of the first finals to be held in Eastern Europe for nearly four decades.
Russia dominated the former Ussr; while the Czechs have traditionally been stronger than the Slovak Republic – who formed Czechoslovakia with them. They have been placed in Group A with another Eastern European side – hosts Poland – who take on Greece in the tournament opener.
Russia, ranked 11 in the world, are favourites to top the group and go into today’s game following an impressive 3-0 friendly win over Italy last week.
Czechoslovakia won the competition in Yugoslavia in 1976. Before that, the only other East European side to win was the Ussr – who won the inaugural competition in 1960.
Neither Czechoslovakia nor the Ussr exist today; but it is of great significance that the reincarnations of these past winners clash on the opening day of the first finals to be held in Eastern Europe for nearly four decades.
Russia dominated the former Ussr; while the Czechs have traditionally been stronger than the Slovak Republic – who formed Czechoslovakia with them. They have been placed in Group A with another Eastern European side – hosts Poland – who take on Greece in the tournament opener.
Russia, ranked 11 in the world, are favourites to top the group and go into today’s game following an impressive 3-0 friendly win over Italy last week.
- 6/8/2012
- by Sohail Malik
- Obsessed with Film
Artwork courtesy of Espn and the Am I Collective. When Czechoslovakia split into two separate countries (Czech Republic and Slovakia) in 1993, a soccer sibling rivalry was born. Of course, for many years the Czech Republic—with international stars like Pavel Nedved and Milan Baros—was the glamorous one, playing fun, frenetic, audacious soccer, especially at Euro 2004. Slovakia, in comparison, was the dull, plodding, ugly-duckling sibling. Well, the balance has shifted, and dramatically—Slovakia qualified for this year’s World Cup, its first, by beating not only the Czech Republic but also Northern Ireland and perennial powerhouse Poland. (Admittedly, they needed a Polish own goal on a snow-enshrouded field to do it, but that just added to the drama). “Qualifying for the World Cup is important for the identity of our young nation,” said all-time Slovak caps leader Miroslav Karhan, “but we know it’s going to very hard work to perform well at the finals.
- 5/20/2010
- Vanity Fair
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