Unusual/Notable stuff from around the football world.

[tetsujin1979]

Surely the obvious choice is to give it to a South American bid, given it'll be the 100th anniversary of the first tournament in Uruguay?

[NeverFeltBetter]

Spanish fan attempting to walk to Qatar goes missing in Iran, presumably arrested: https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/spanish-soccer-fan-walking-qatar-world-cup-missing-iran-2022-10-26/

Not the best time to go marching through Iran you have to say. Some people are a bit strange.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Spotted two interesting headlines on the Guardian this morning.

First, the story some may have read today about Gregg Berhalter kicking his then girlfriend/future wife 30 years ago came from Claudio Reyna and Danielle Reyna, and seems to have been "revealed" 30 years after the fact because Berhalter wasn't playing their son Gio in the national team: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jan/05/soccer-parents-gregg-berhalter-gio-reyna-family-feud

And Crawley Town, owned by a crypto guy who randomly took up a spot in the dug-out for a recent loss, have one player who gets bonuses for winning the ball back in the opposition half, and offered a potential centre-back a bonus for every header of the ball: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jan/05/crypto-chaos-how-crawley-crumbled-under-owners-reckless-leadership

[pineapple stu]

Two interesting Cup ties tonight, both featuring top-flight sides against sixth tier sides.

In France, PSG were away to US Pays de Cassel, a side so obscure they didn't have a wikipedia article until last week. Sixth tier in France is lower than it sounds as the fourth tier has 4 sections, the fifth tier has 12 groups, and then the sixth tier has 13 sections - so in terms of number of clubs ahead of them in the leagues, you're probably looking at eighth tier in England. I have to assume that's about LoI First Division standard, if not LSL - and PSG rocked up with Keylor Navas, Neymar, Mbappé, Sergio Ramos, Renato Sanches et al (though no Messi). It was still scoreless after half an hour, but it was 4-0 at the break and 7-0 in the end - Mbappé with five. If Wexford or Crumlin United held PSG to 7-0, they'd be thrilled.

And in Scotland, Aberdeen were away to Darvel of the West of Scotland league, the level below the Lowland League. Darvel's ground has 60 seats, so again you're probably looking LSL level. But Darvel won 1-0, and it's being described as the greatest upset ever seen in the Scottish Cup. Former Irish international Jim Goodwin is the Aberdeen manager, though probably not for much longer.

[OwlsFan]

Have to say that even for Sky they went over the top in their reporter interviewing the owners of Everton in the car park after the recent loss. He used words like "surely you're going to sack Lampard now". Thought it was disgraceful for a reporter to tout the sacking of a manager like that but hey, that's the way of the world I suppose.

[osarusan]

Aaaand it's over.

At the mere age of 54 (almost 55), Kazuyoshi Miura has called it a day at top level football.

He is leaving Yokohama FC to sign for a Japan Football League team (which is the 4th tier, below J3), based in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, with the incredibly cringeworthy name of Suzuka Point Getters.

So long, King Kazu. We shall not see his like again.

Aaaand, incredibly, he is back in senior football. At the tender age of 55, he has just signed/will soon sign on loan with Portuguese Division 2 side UD Olivairense.

[NeverFeltBetter]

I was listening to the the Formula E focused podcast for The Race today, recapping the recent event held in Diryadh, Saudi Arabia. The presented ended the show by mentioning that he had taken the opportunity of going to see Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr playing a Saudi Super Cup game.

"Did he score, like, 23 goals?"
"None, they lost...I was in the away end and every time he missed or did a terrible cross, which was actually quite often, we all started bowing down and chanting 'Messi'. It was quite amusing".

[OwlsFan]

The longest unbeaten run in league football in Europe went last night. Luca Connell isn't a bad player.

[NeverFeltBetter]

A reduction in football-related violence in Sao Paulo might be due to criminal gangs ordering it to stop: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/apr/19/football-fans-warring-sao-paulo-truce-criminal-gang

[OwlsFan]

Klopp pulls a hamstring while running towards the 4th official. Eejit.

[tetsujin1979]

Interview with the current ceo of Sports Interactive, the publishers of Football Manager
O-_emgAcINk

[NeverFeltBetter]

A bunch of supporter drama-related stuff last weekend.

-Groningen/Ajax game abandoned when fan protests take the form of smoke bombs and pitch invasions: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65591769
-AC Milan players gather at the away end to take abuse/a lecture/encouragement from their own ultras after losing: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/ac-milan-ultras-inter-spezia-29975828
-Barca chased off the field of city rivals Espanyol after celebrating winning La Liga: https://extra.ie/2023/05/16/sport/soccernews/barcelona-espanyol-invade-pitch
-And Eddie Howe attacked by a Leeds supporter mid-match: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/may/13/eddie-howe-calls-for-security-to-be-stepped-up-after-attack-by-leeds-fan

[OwlsFan]

Trailing 0-4 from the first leg in the Division One play offs, Sheffield Wednesday stage the biggest come back in English play off history and win 5-1 against Peterborough. They then go through 5-3 on penalties. The great irony is that they score the 4th goal in the 98th minute of injury time when the ref had only signalled for 6. Manager Darren Ferguson queried where the extra two minutes came from. Obviously not genetic as his dad was famous for conjuring up "Fergie time". Unbelievable Jeff.

[SkStu]

You should check out the tributes to you in the Jack Taylor thread :D

[tetsujin1979]

Whatever happened to Hakan Sukur?
dh2j_c6QPbE

[NeverFeltBetter]

Jose Mourinho filmed screaming abuse at Europa Final ref in car park outside the stadium (https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jun/01/jose-mourinho-swears-at-referee-anthony-taylor-disgrace-car-park-roma-europa-league-final), shortly after speaking on the importance of not losing dignity in defeat.

I feel like we're rapidly reaching a tipping point with referees, and not just in football. Some manner of strike is going to happen at some point if firmer action isn't taken against abuse.

[sidewayspasser]

South Korea's manager includes detained player in squad. (https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/klinsmann-includes-detained-midfielder-son-south-korea-squad-2023-06-05/) Apparently, the player was arrested in China a couple of weeks ago on charges of suspected bribery.

[CraftyToePoke]

Forest Green appoint the first female boss of a pro mens side. There are a couple of caveats, its pre season and an interim appointment but she's there.

It also makes me wonder what Duncan bigdunc Ferguson did to get sacked at this juncture having delivered relegation last season and been allowed to make signings for the upcoming L2 one.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66105649

[NeverFeltBetter]

A third tier Swedish club claims to have a found a loophole in the offside rule, makes a low-budget comedy skit to explain it, IFAB seems to disagree: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/04/swedish-club-contact-ifab-after-finding-loophole-in-offside-law

Interesting idea all the same.

[NeverFeltBetter]

2nd August 2023: Jermaine Jenas takes part in an English FA initiative to call for less abuse of referees: https://www.premierleague.com/video/single/3611684
26 September 2023: Jermaine Jenas apologises after abusing a referee on social media: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66914216

[seanfhear]

2nd August 2023: Jermaine Jenas takes part in an English FA initiative to call for less abuse of referees: https://www.premierleague.com/video/single/3611684
26 September 2023: Jermaine Jenas apologises after abusing a referee on social media: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66914216
LOL ~ Jenas ain't the brightest bulb.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Noted in the Ireland/Netherlands thread by Stu, France beat Gibraltar 14-0 last night, breaking the scoreline record for EURO qualifying: https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/1118/1417274-france-demolish-10-man-gibraltar-14-0-in-record-win/

Gibraltar haven't scored a goal in this campaign, and finish up against the Dutch next week. They would be the 6th team in EURO qualifying history to fail to score since group qualifying was introduced in 1968. I'd forgotten the North was one of the others, back in 2004. 2012's San Marino with a claim to being the worst team ever in the competition, ending with a GD of -53 for that qualification, in the midst of a five year goal drought.

[SkStu]

Throwing this in here. About as bad of a miss as I’ve ever seen!

1734309651959709845

[NeverFeltBetter]

I suppose this belongs here: Alistair Campbell once suggested a Celtic/Rangers match be held in Belfast to publicise the referendum on the Good Friday Agreement. (https://www.rte.ie/news/2022/0719/1310875-state-papers-campbell/)



Campbell tweeted today that it was "not the best idea I ever had". It reads like something that someone with no real knowledge of football would suggest, but Campbell is a big Burnley FC fan according to Wiki.

Something of a sequel to this with state paper releases, on a madcap scheme to promote cross-community harmony in Belfast by moving Wimbledon there: https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/1228/1423949-blair-wanted-wimbledon-to-become-belfast-united/

[pineapple stu]

The Turkish Super Cup between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce - the latest game to be needlessly moved to Saudi Arabia - was abandoned today after both sides refused to play just hours before kickoff (https://www.msn.com/en-ie/sports/football/galatasaray-vs-fenerbahce-cancelled-before-kick-off-in-saudi-arabia-as-teams-refuse-to-play/ar-AA1md48Z?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ASTS&cvid=2b6181cb3e5d456ca000666c3fe9ec84&ei=11). Both sides intended wearing tshirts in the warm-up honouring Mustafa Ataturk, the founder of (secular) Turkey in 1923, but the Saudis blocked that, so the teams refused to play.

It's not clear why permission was refused, although if Ataturk's face was on the tshirt, then probably the Saudis wouldn't like that, as depictions of people are banned under Islam. Both clubs had also objected to the game moving out of Turkey last month.

"We did what was necessary. We are returning to our country. No one can ignore our values", the Galatasaray Vice-President is quoted as saying. Fair dues to him. Far too many clubs happy to put money ahead of anything else.

[tetsujin1979]

Argentinian side Guillermo Brown de Puerto Madryn have released their new jersey, paying tribute to Mayo-born Admiral of the Argentine Navy, William Brown
1753834861486321735

[John83]

That looks a really nice jersey, and I don't say that often.

[tetsujin1979]

Good read about measures to combat online abuse
Made me think that the Premier League had the resources to create this sort of service for its clubs and players, but smaller leagues wouldn't, and their players are still subject to the same threats
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-68293359

[NeverFeltBetter]

The Turkish Super Cup between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce - the latest game to be needlessly moved to Saudi Arabia - was abandoned today after both sides refused to play just hours before kickoff (https://www.msn.com/en-ie/sports/football/galatasaray-vs-fenerbahce-cancelled-before-kick-off-in-saudi-arabia-as-teams-refuse-to-play/ar-AA1md48Z?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ASTS&cvid=2b6181cb3e5d456ca000666c3fe9ec84&ei=11). Both sides intended wearing tshirts in the warm-up honouring Mustafa Ataturk, the founder of (secular) Turkey in 1923, but the Saudis blocked that, so the teams refused to play.

It's not clear why permission was refused, although if Ataturk's face was on the tshirt, then probably the Saudis wouldn't like that, as depictions of people are banned under Islam. Both clubs had also objected to the game moving out of Turkey last month.

"We did what was necessary. We are returning to our country. No one can ignore our values", the Galatasaray Vice-President is quoted as saying. Fair dues to him. Far too many clubs happy to put money ahead of anything else.

Fenerbahce fielded an academy team in the re-scheduled game, who walked off after two minutes, in response the above and other issues with the Turkish FA: https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2024/0407/1442226-fenerbahce-forfeit-final-in-protest-against-turkish-fa/

[OwlsFan]

Sheffield Wednesday avoided relegation from the Championship despite being in the bottom 3 for all but the penultimate and final games of the season, having picked up 3 points in the first 13 games. Sometimes a change of manager works unlike Birmingham who were relegated. They sacked their manager when 6th to appoint Wayne Rooney who won 2 of his 15 games in charge. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[NeverFeltBetter]

The end of Argentina/Morocco yesterday, essentially the start of the Olympics, certainly belongs here: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/jul/24/argentina-salvage-last-gasp-draw-against-morocco-as-fans-invade-pitch

[pineapple stu]

San Marino have doubled the number of wins they have recorded in their senior history tonight - beating Liechtenstein 1-0 in the Nations League, the exact same score against the exact same opposition as their only other win back in 2004.

That was a friendly though; this one is the Nations League and is their first ever competitive win. The San Marino fan Twitter account (https://twitter.com/SanMarino_FA) is going mental.

[tetsujin1979]

The celebrations!
1831795156288466981

[John83]

There'll be sore heads in the morning!

It must fairly suck for Liechtenstein though. The one highlight of their season, ruined.

[pineapple stu]

What a headline this is...

Romanian third-tier side punished for fielding ineligible player who 'they claimed couldn't identify himself because he was deaf mute and illiterate' - as they are forced to forfeit match and given six-point deduction (https://www.msn.com/en-ie/sports/football/romanian-third-tier-side-punished-for-fielding-ineligible-player-who-they-claimed-couldn-t-identify-himself-because-he-was-deaf-mute-and-illiterate-as-they-are-forced-to-forfeit-match-and-given-six-point-deduction/ar-AA1rhwYB?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=ASTS&cvid=8e7d0729bfd740d99ef51c67b4733b86&ei=13)

[pineapple stu]

Sunderland West End v Yarm & Eaglescliffe in the Northern League Division Two at the weekend.

Sunderland West End 5-2 up into injury time.

Yarm & Eaglescliffe ended up winning 6-5 (https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/nov/11/non-league-team-score-four-in-added-time-comeback-yarm-and-eaglescliffe).

[Eminence Grise]

Certainly up there with the more unusual antics of mascots...

Lazio fire far-right eagle mascot handler over his social media penis posts (https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jan/14/lazio-fire-far-right-eagle-mascot-handler-over-his-social-media-penis-posts)

Fair to say he's known for being on the, eh, hard right...

[SkStu]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/clydxyv94k8o


A Bulgarian top-flight team has apologised for holding a minute's silence for a former player, only to discover he is still alive...

I dont know why but this made me laugh a lot.

[Eminence Grise]

'The situation was not pleasant, but in the end we have to be positive.' (https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cx2e1pkp114o)

Poured himself a brandy and seems happy to be facing into extra time!

[pineapple stu]

Surprisingly not a unique issue - Ndaye Mulamba, one of Zaire's 1974 World Cup squad, had a minute's silence held for him at the 1998 African Cup of Nations (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ndaye_Mulamba), after he had apparently and very specifically died in a diamond mining accident in Angola. He lived another 20 years and used the occasion to try raise awareness of the way the World Cup squad in general had been mistreated in the meantime. Probably other examples too.

I don't know if they're less likely to happen now (because there's so much quick information) or more likely to happen now (because there's so much quick disinformation...)