Thursday, November 5, 2009

INFORMATION ON NIKE WARMUPS

INFORMATION ON NIKE WARM UPS

Total 90 Nike warmups are the best training suits made by Nike. If you select the correct size then it will be a very nice and snug fit of both the jacket and pants.


There is no collar to deal with on the soccer warmups and the shoulder and arm lengths feel just right.


This warmup is made with the light weight polyester that most all soccer warm ups are now made with.

The pants, which comes in black only, like so many classic nike warmups, is tapered down to the zippered ankles.


The Nike Total 90 warmups comes in the standard five colors of; red, royal, navy, forest, and black.


My recommendation for the best Nike warmups is the Nike Total 90 Team soccer warmups.


One of the best places to check for availability and sizing on Nike warmups is at...


If you prefer to have a collar on your Nike warmups, then your best choice will be the Nike Knit Jacket & Pants.


This is soccer warmup is much heavier than the standard soccer warm ups found in soccer retail because of the amount of cotton knitted in.


The Nike Knit warmups are a little bit larger in size than the Total 90 warmups with extra room in the shoulders and arms.


The collar on the Nike Knit jacket is a little flimsy and doesn't hold up very well if you zip it all the way up in cold and windy weather. The ribbed collar will stretch out easily. It does however lay down flat very nicely if the zip is down to where it's shown in the picture above.


The Nike knit pants are a good selection and comes in the same colors thats available in the jacket; black, forest, maroon, navy, purple, red, and royal. This will make this Nike warmup a popular training suit for teams.

nike warmups

The Nike Womens Unified Knit Jacket and Pant is of a similar quality to the Nike Knit warmups.


The arm length is a little long but the rest of the measurements are fitted for women.


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INFORMATION ON PUMA WARMUPS

INFORMATION ON PUMA WARMUPS

The most popular training suits on the market are the Puma warmups.

The Puma Catspeed Warmups are one of the most sought after of Puma soccer warmups. See the red warm ups to the left.


Since 2004, Puma has had a resurgence in the soccer apparel market and their uniforms and warm ups are creating new trends in the way people look at training suits.

puma warmups

Puma Frankfurt Jacket -
100% Polyester. Contrast panels on the front and back. Full Zippered jacket with on seam pockets. The Puma Frankfurt pant is sold separately for your sizing convenience. Imported. Fit: True to size.

The Puma warmups that Soccer-game-information.com recommends is the Puma Frankfurt jacket and pant. They are soft and very comfortable. The price is much lower than the tradional soccer warmups.

puma warmups

Puma Frankfurt Pant -
100% Polyester. Zippered at the bottom of the leg. Imported. Fit: True to size.

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Soccer in a nutshell

Soccer in a nutshell

Soccer. It is a beautiful game. Fans love it without breaking a sweat. Because watching soccer is almost as good as playing soccer. Fans get involved in the passion of the game, exulting triumph in a victorious game and crying if the supported club lost. No other sports have that kind of passion in an arena.

An Introduction to Soccer

Soccer can be played in the streets as a simple recreation. In fact, the world’s greatest talents of soccer came from the streets. It is played with a ball, and uses the feet for control. Hands cannot be used during the game (except for goalkeepers) but the rest of the body can be.

Though it can be played on the streets for recreation, the ultimate spirit of soccer lies within the 100 plus meters tall football stadiums. It is where the passion of the game is mostly felt. The cacophony of cheering, shouts, cries, and pans, tubs, bottles and everything else being banged on metal railings are there to entice the players to perform well.

The Legends of Soccer

The game of soccer has its own renowned masters since the conception of the game. Of them all, Pelé is considered the best, or Maradona as some would claim. Whoever is the best among them, the line dividing the other’s greatness is so slim that even after a decade (or decades in Pelé’s case) people are still unsure who deserves the title as the “Greatest Footballer of All Time”. Ultimately the title was formally shared between the two greats, but for most soccer fans only the name of Pelé was added with the title.

Pelé was Brazilian and Maradona was an Argentine. Both are equally skilled, Pelé with finesse and Maradona is with raw skill and strength. Both had an equal charisma to lead an entire team and both had the presence that dominated entire matches.

Of all the players actively playing today, Ronaldo is the primary candidate for the title of the best. Equally skilled like the former legends, Ronaldo possesses the raw power, strength, stamina and the innate ability to score. Just how he does it is simply amazing. That’s why he is called the ‘Phenomenon’. Like Pelé, Ronaldo is Brazilian.

The World Cup

The World Cup is the organized play of soccer, and the governing body is FIFA (hence it is called FIFA World Cup). The World Cup is a world soccer championship of all the teams in the world. This championship takes place in a 4-year cycle and the winner is awarded the FIFA World Cup Title. The host country for FIFA World Cup 2006 is Germany who won the right to host the event last June 10, 2000. This is an important world sports event, aside from hosting the best tournament for the best sport, it also attracts tourist, encourages business deals and promotes prestige

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LATEST SOCCER LINKS

Latest Links

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Wednesday, October 21, 2009

INFORMATION ON SOCCER SHOES

INFORMATION ON SOCCER SHOES


Soccer shoes come with varying sizes of cleats on the bottom of the shoe for different playing conditions. These variations allow players to get better traction on the playing surface.

There are 3 main types of outdoor soccer shoes.

  • FG (firm gound) style contains a good array of cleats around the edges of the footwear and a few in the middle area for good foot support. These type of soccer shoes are the most commonly worn and they work well for most field surfaces.

You can't go wrong with a pair of firm ground soccer shoes.

  • SG (soft ground) style has the least amount of cleats on the bottom of the footwear and only a bare minimum in the middle for foot support. The general purpose of these soccer shoes are for playing on slick surfaces (i.e. mud, rain)

The reason there are so few cleats/studs is so that mud and grass won't get trapped on the bottom of the footwear and make the soccer shoes become heavy.

  • HG (hard ground) style contains the most cleats of soccer footwear. These soccer cleats are shorter and give the best foot support of the three outdoor soccer shoes. They are often called turfs and are primarily used for some artificial playing surfaces.

Many referees prefer to use the HG style of soccer shoes.

A good majority of youth soccer players own two pairs of soccer shoes. One pair is the indoor and the other is usually a firm ground shoe. The reason for the FG style is because it gives the best overall rating for traction and foot support.


10 SOCCER SHOE TIPS

1. If you are just looking for a single pair of soccer shoes, then look at getting FG style of footwear or soccer cleats.

2. Cleats should have a firm fit, with less than a finger's width of space between the toes and the tip of the soccer shoes. Older and more serious players want the closest fitting shoes to their foot size for better control and touch on the ball.

3. If you purchase a soccer shoe with quality kangaroo leather, remember that it will stretch after it is worn and will mold to the shape of the feet.

4. Don't purchase larger soccer cleats thinking they will last for years for youth soccer players. The extra room in the tips of the shoes will probably cause blisters.

5. Look to purchase your soccer shoes well in advance of the season. Give them time to be worked into the shape of your foot.

6. Soccer specialty stores are usually well stocked before the season starts. Look at catalog and online retailers for specials before settling on the local sporting good store.

7. Most catalog and online retailers carry the best quality soccer shoes available.

8. Soccer cleats for both boys and girls are labeled as Youth size. Teenage girls should look at the female versions (Womens sized) before selecting a Men's sized shoe even though they carry the widest range of selections.

9. If your purchasing for kids that only play in recreational leagues and might only participate in one tournament a year, then save your money and buy a synthetic upper soccer shoe. These cleats are usually less expensive and are perfect for young children.

10. Take care of your soccer footwear. To keep the quality kangaroo leathered soccer shoes soft and long-lasting, stuff when not using to help them maintain their shape. Let shoes dry naturally and do not use artificial heat.

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Tuesday, October 13, 2009

SOCCER FIELD SIZE

SOCCER FIELD SIZE

  • FIFA's "Laws of the Game" are published annually and are the official rules. For current rules and field sizes, go to "Laws of the Game" at www.fifa.com or check with your soccer association. The official field size can range from 50 to 100 yards wide by 100 to 130 yards long. However, the rules allow field sizes to be reduced for women, players with disabilities and for players under 16 and over 35 years of age. Field sizes used by youth leagues vary greatly.

  • Recreational Players Will Have More Fun & Learn More on a Smaller Field.One of the worst mistakes a recreational league can make is to have teams playing on oversized fields. The reason is simple: on a smaller field the players will have more touches & more fun. The field size should be proportionate to the player size, and recreational teams should play on smaller fields than select teams. If a field is too large, recreational players will spend most of their time running & will be worn out by half-time. When players are tired & playing on an overly large field, it is easy for the game to degenerate to "Boom-ball". It is also more difficult to teach tactics & team play, such as support, on an overly large field. Smaller fields are much better suited to players who are average athletes, are slower, or lacking stamina, as are 50% to 75% of all recreational players. How large should the field be? If an adult over-30 novice recreational team plays on a 60-yard x 100-yard field (most play on this size or smaller because it is more fun), then youth recreational teams should play on proportionately sized fields. The size of youth fields should be based on the size of the step and the length of the kick of each age group relative to adults. For example, if a 12-year old's step is about 80% that of an adult, then the field size should be 80% of the adult size, or about 50-yards x 80-yards. Dimensions for recreational teams might be as below:
Age (% Adult Size)
U-14 (100%)
U-12 (80%)
U-10 (70%)
U-8 (50%)
U-6 (25%)
Field Size (in yards)
60 x 100
50 x 80
40 x 70*
25 x 50*
15 x 30


If you can't properly size the fields, err on the side of fields that are undersized, not oversized. It will be more fun, the players will learn more about soccer, & fewer will drop out at age 11 or 12.

* Note: If your league plays "small sided", these dimensions may be even smaller. "Small sided" is highly recommended until U-12. My U-12 team, for example, had great fun and improved a great deal when scrimmaging 3 or 4 per side on a 15 x 25 field. The action is non-stop, everyone gets a lot of touches on the ball, quick, short passes are encouraged & there are many transitions from offense to defense. See "Small Sided" in the Dictionary. Click this link to access a field diagram.

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Wednesday, October 7, 2009

SOCCER FIELD DIAGRAM

SOCCER FIELD DIAGRAM!



NOTES :

  1. The Penalty Box includes the Goal Box

  2. Areas include the lines that define them (e.g., the ball is not out of bounds until it totally crosses the line; and the ball must totally cross the line between the goal posts to score).

  3. See "Center Circle" and "Field Size" definition in the Dictionary



"SPREAD THE FIELD" GOAL KICK SET UP
(Showing Kicker's 1st, 2nd & 3rd Choices)

  1. Diagram is one-half of a 50' x 100' field

  2. The Goalkeeper is shown taking the kick

  3. "X" is the player's position (If the kicker can kick farther, move the MF's & F's back)


  1. Start with ball in middle of Goal Box line so the other team must defend both sides
  2. Ideally, use the Goalkeeper to kick or a kicker who can pass with his right or left foot
  3. Sweeper (SW) always follows the kick (i.e., follows the ball)
  4. The receiver should let the ball clear the Penalty Box before touching it. If he doesn't, the referee is supposed to require the kick be taken over, but there is no penalty unless the receiver repeatedly breaks the rule. (Defenders must stay out of the Penalty Box until the ball clears the Penalty Box).
  5. If the kick is to the left (or right), everyone shifts that way & the FB & MF farthest from the ball shift to the front of the goal to protect in case the ball is lost
  6. 1st preference is a pass to the sideto LFB or RFB (left fullback or right fullback)
  7. 2nd preference is a pass to the RMF or LMF
  8. 3rd preference is a long kick over the CMF or to open space toward the side line
  9. If the pass isor, then take the ball out to the side line & pass it down the side line to the next player. Try to keep it out of the center on your end of the field.
  10. If the pass is to the CFB or CMF, they should quickly send a long ball out to the RF or LF (do not dribble in the center close to our goal)
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SOCCER CARDS

SOCCER CARDS INFORMATION!




There are 2 colors of "cards" which the referee will hold up to indicate serious fouls or behavior which won't be tolerated. He carries these cards in his shirt pocket, so if he reaches for his pocket it's a bad sign for the player who committed the foul. These cards are about the size of a playing card and one is yellow and the other is red. When a card is to be given (it isn't actually given to the offending player, it is actually just shown to him and to everyone else) the referee will stop the game, call the player over, hold up the card and write the player's name in his notebook. This is called "booking" the player and when it happens the player has been "booked", (e.g., "she was booked"). Any time a Yellow or Red Card is shown, a "direct" or "indirect kick" will also be awarded.

  • Yellow Card - Indicates a formal "caution" for any of the following 7 offenses:
    "unsporting behavior" - this includes hard fouls; holding an opponent or deliberately handling the ball for the purpose of preventing an opponent from gaining possession of the ball; faking an injury; saying things that are designed to confuse or distract an opponent; harassment (such as jumping around, shouting or making gestures to intentionally distract an opponent; jumping in front of a corner kick, free kick or throw-in; worrying the goalkeeper or trying to prevent him from putting the ball into play; & adopting a threatening posture), gaining an unfair advantage by leaning on, climbing on the back of, or holding a teammate or the goal; blatant cases of holding and pulling an opposing player or his uniform; any action designed to deceive the Referee; and behavior which in the Referee's judgment is unsporting or causes an unfair advantage,

    dissent by word or actions,

    persistently breaking the rules,

    delaying the restart of play,

    defenders failing to stay the proper distance away from the kicker on a corner kick, free kick or throw-in (see "Corner Kick" & "Free Kick"),

    entering or re-entering the field without the referee's permission

    deliberately leaving the field without the referees permission

  • Red Card - A player must be shown a Red Card and "sent off" (i.e., made to leave the field) for the 7 offenses listed below.

A player shown a "Red Card" & sent off may not be replaced during that game (i.e., his team must play a player "short" for the rest of the game; however, in some leagues a player may be replaced if he is ejected for receiving a second Yellow Card). The 7 offenses for which a player must be shown a Red Card and sent off are:
serious foul play (includes any use of excessive force or brutality against an opponent when challenging for the ball. Examples include a dangerous slide tackle from behind, or an "over the top tackle" in which a player raises his foot so the cleats could hit a player, or a two footed tackle that takes down the opponent. FIFA has broadened this definition by saying that "Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force and endangering the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play. For current rules visit www.fifa.com, Laws of the Game. The above quote is from Questions and Answers, Additional Instructions for Referees). The rules now include "Decision 4", which says: "A tackle, which endangers the safety of an opponent, must be sanctioned as serious foul play".

violent conduct,

spitting at anyone,

deliberately touching the ball with a hand in order to prevent a goal or to deny an obvious goal scoring opportunity (such as to prevent a "Breakaway".... this does not apply to the goalkeeper within his own Penalty Box)

fouling an opponent to prevent an obvious goal scoring opportunity (e.g., holding to stop a breakaway),

using offensive, insulting or threatening language and/or gestures,

or receiving a second yellow card in one game.

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Tuesday, October 6, 2009

SOCCER FOULS

SOCCER FOULS

  • There are 2 kinds of fouls, Direct Kick Fouls & Indirect Kick Fouls. (Rules are called "Laws Of The Game" and are changed each year.
  • Direct Kick Fouls - For which the other team receives a "direct free kick" (meaning a goal can be scored by kicking the ball straight into the goal) or a "penalty kick" ("PK") if the foul occurs within the Penalty Box (Note: It doesn't matter whether the ball was in the Penalty Box or not; what matters is where the foul was committed). There are 10 direct kick fouls. The rules say that the referee should call a foul for numbers 1 thru 6 if he believes they are committed in a manner he considers "careless, reckless or using excessive force":
  • kicking or attempting to kick an opponent. Accidentally kicking an opponent while tackling the ball is not a foul unless it was careless, reckless, or there was excessive force. If a player slide tackles from the front, it will be considered at least "dangerous play" (which is an indirect kick foul), or kicking, or tripping, or "unsporting behavior", even if the ball is contacted, since it would at the least be reckless or dangerous. (See "Cards, Red Card, Serious Foul Play")
  • tripping or attempting to trip an opponent (if careless, reckless or using excessive force)
  • charging into an opponent (the goalkeeper can also be called for this if his action is careless, reckless or uses excessive force),
  • striking or attempting to strike an opponent (if careless, reckless or using excessive force),
  • pushing an opponent, including the goalkeeper (if careless, reckless or using excessive force),
  • jumping at an opponent in a careless or reckless manner or using excessive force (this includes jumping for a header if an opponent is carelessly or recklessly bumped, and jumping at the goalkeeper),
  • blatant holding or pulling (including holding clothing, using any part of the body to hold an opponent & "Sandwiching"),
  • spitting at an opponent, even if it doesn't hit the opponent (this is grounds for a Red Card),
  • making contact with an opponent before touching the ball when tackling an opponent to gain possession of the ball (Note: it is always a foul if the tackler contacts the ballhandler before touching the ball. However, it can still be a direct kick foul if the ball is touched first but the tackler was "careless, reckless, or used excessive force" and was judged to have kicked, tripped, charged or jumped at the ballhandler. Or, if the Referee believes the tackler played in a "dangerous manner", an indirect kick can be awarded),
  • deliberately handling the ball (a "hand ball" should not be called if a player is instinctively trying to protect himself from injury or if the ball hits the hand while it is in a
  • natural position near the players side and has not been moved toward the ball. See "Hand Ball" for more details; this does not apply to the goalkeeper inside his own penalty area.),
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SOCCER RULES

SOCCER RULES

Soccer rules (rules of soccer), rules for soccer, soccer rules and regulations, the rules of soccer and soccer rules for kids.

Rules of soccer, rules for soccer, youth soccer rules, the soccer offside rule and soccer age rules are explained.

The official soccer rules are often difficult to understand. Following are simplified soccer rules and links to the complete soccer rules. The official soccer rules are often modified for recreational, youth and indoor soccer leagues. SoccerHelp has helped make these rules easier to understand.

Who makes the rules?

The official soccer rules are called the "Laws of the Game" and are revised annually (usually in July) by FIFA (pronounced "FEE' fuh"), the world soccer governing body, but youth organizations usually adjust the rules to fit children. Typical adjustments are field sizes, game lengths, number of players per team, the number and frequency of substitutions, "offside" is sometimes not called, and slide tackling is sometimes not allowed. Field sizes, ball sizes, length of games & rules vary by age group. The FIFA rules do not require separate teams for girls and boys, but many soccer clubs and associations have separate leagues for boys and girls. Discuss the rule variations with an official of your league. You can find the "Laws of the Game" at www.fifa.com (on the FIFA Home Page enter "Laws" in the search feature).



Why is it necessary to simplify and interpret the rules?

In brief, the "Laws of the Game" are not simple and can be difficult to understand. The official FIFA rules have 17 sections and the rule book is about 70 pages long. There are also an additional 44 pages titled "Questions and Answers". In addition, how to interpret the rules is discussed in referee clinics, special memos, videos for referees, and a guidebook for soccer officials that is over 300 pages long. There is also the problem that the rules use many soccer terms that are not defined in the rules (we try to define all of these terms in the SoccerHelp Dictionary) and there are quirks, such as the fact that terms which are commonly used such as "Hand Ball", "obstruction", and "Linesmen" are not defined in the official rules. Another confusing aspect of the rules is the way "Fouls" are defined; basically, they are defined not only as "Fouls" but also in the rules regarding "Cards". For this reason, to understand "Fouls" you must also read "Cards". One of the biggest problems is that the official rules don't have a good index and there aren't good cross-links to related topics. At SoccerHelp we have tried to solve these problems by simplifying the rules and providing easy to use the links so you can go from one topic to another. In some cases, such as for "offside", we have even provided a simplified explanation and a more detailed definition.

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Thursday, October 1, 2009

SOCCER NEWS

SOCCER NEWS
  • Great footballers don’t always make great managers September 30th, 2009


Three famous football names have came under intense speculation in the last few weeks and months. Ipswich boss Roy Keane, Argentina coach Diego Maradona and Tranmere boss John Barnes were all undoubtedly great footballers but all three are struggling with very different managerial challenges.
Different challenges but same struggle
They may be worlds apart in their current positions but in the 1980’s John Barnes and Diego Maradona were footballing superstars. Maradona is also considered as one of the greatest footballers to have ever graced a football field. Barnes was considered one of best footballers of his generation, despite his form for England not being as consistent as his form for Liverpool. Roy Keane was key to Manchester United’s rise to the top English football in the nineties. Yet despite these achievements the three former greats find themselves in exactly the same position. That position is struggling to do their respective jobs.
Barnes struggles after summer of mass exodus
John Barnes has the most difficult job out of the three working on a shoestring budget. His cause wasn’t helped by the fact that he lost lots of key players during the summer. Those players leaving included veteran goalkeeper Danny Coyne who had previously assured the former England boss that he would sign a new contract. Instead he joined Championship side Middlesbrough on a free transfer at the end of his contract.
Things have improved for the enigmatic former Liverpool star in the last two games with his side claiming a 0-0 draw at the weekend and beating fellow strugglers Wycombe 1-0 last night. Even with these results Barnes is still under pressure.
He will have to prove to the fans that he has got what it takes to turned things around. However most Tranmere fans are still sceptical about his ability to manage a football club. There is also the opinion that he only got the job because he is a big name and his presence at the club will attract fans. Unfortunately for the Whites its did the opposite as the team have struggled all season.
Lots of ambition but no substance so far at Ipswich
Roy Keane was Alex Ferguson’s midfield general at Manchester United. The driving force behind some of United’s greatest triumphs during the nineties. It always looked likely that with his superb leadership skills and will to win that he would be a manager after he retired from playing. He did a good job in his first job as a boss with Sunderland, well for the first season anyway. He took the Mackems from the bottom end of the Championship to promotion to the Premier League.
The following season he spent a large amount of money to try and compete in the top flight. By early December his side were 18th in the Premier League and he was heavily criticised. He decided he had enough and resigned on the 4th December. It was reported that his decision was made because of differences with club chairman Niall Quinn and shareholder Ellis Short.
Keane wasn’t out of football for long though as he took over at Ipswich Town on 23rd April 2009. The season was nearly over and Keane started to get to know his players. He hasn’t got the same resources that he had at Sunderland but he is still expected to lead the club to promotion.
He shown great ambition by saying he wants his side to challenge for promotion this season. Unfortunately for the Tractor Boys they are currently bottom of the table and Keane has received the dreaded vote of confidence from Ipswich chief executive Simon Clegg.
The board are completely behind the former United ace but for how long for if they continue to struggle at the bottom end of the league. In my humble opinion Keane will make a good manager in the future and all these situations can only make him stronger as a manager.
The legend who can’t be criticised
Diego Armando Maradona is an Argentinian football legend. In some places he is almost a god to his people. Criticising the former Napoli hero is almost blasphemy in his home country and in Naples. However since taking over as Argentina head coach there has been murmurings of discontent over his performance and ability to manage one of the worlds best footballing nations.
He may have a passion for his country that is hard to match but it seems he lacks the necessary motivational skills to manage his country. His country are struggling in their World Cup qualifying group and could miss the finals next June. He has however reminded journalists that in 1985 they nearly failed to make the tournament and a year later in Mexico they became World Champions. For Argentina and their fans its a difficult situation as the Argentinian FA are unlikely to sack the legend and his pride will not allow him to quit.
If Argentina do qualify and make a big impact at South Africa 2010 then Maradona will be a even bigger figure back in his homeland, if that’s possible of course. If the unlikely happens and they don’t qualify for the World Cup next season then Diego could very well be edged towards the exit door.
These three are cautionary tales that big name players cant just be thrown in to a job just because of their reputations or who they are. In the case of Maradona its a matter of heart ruling the head at the Argentina FA and maybe now some of those officials may regret appointing the little man.



  • FIFA have gone totally mad

September 30th, 2009


It is officially true, FIFA have gone totally mad. The FIFA medical chief, Michael D’Hooghe, has said Referees should show more red cards to help curb violent play.
Riches
He also went on to make a link between violent play and the financial riches on offer to players. He produced a DVD of some of football’s worst tackles in recent years to show the delegates at the FIFA medical congress.
“We see more violent fouls over the whole world, as games gain in financial importance. Some of the fouls send shivers down your spine. We see more violent fouls over the whole world. The referees have the key. They are the only ones who can impose an immediate sanction. They do not do it often enough and there is a lack of uniformity.”
He also criticised the actions of managers and coaches, who he believes may be ’hyping’ the players up too much.
“The stakes are so high I question the role of some coaches. In what frame of mind do they send out their players?”
The type of cases that D’Hooghe is talking about are thankfully fairly rare. In the 2002 World Cup twelve players received facial injuries as a result of use of the elbow. FIFA instructed referees to clamp down on it and they did. If a player deliberately uses his elbow, he is sent-off.
Injuries
It is within the domestic leagues that the most high-profile injuries occur due to foul play. In August, Standard Liege’s Axel Witsel broke both bones in the right leg of Polish international defender Marcin Wasilewski in a match against Anderlecht in Belgium.
Wasilewski has begun legal proceedings for damages, while Witsel was banned until late November.
If you have seen that tackle, you will know what an absolute horror show it was. However, the player had been banned for a lengthy spell and legal proceedings are going on, so the matter has been dealt with.
Notorious
In England, the most notorious case was in February 2008, when Birmingham’s Martin Taylor fouled Arsenal’s Eduardo causing a broken leg and ankle dislocation. Taylor was red carded and banned for three games. The matter was dealt with.
D’Hooghe has written to Fifa’s referees committee chief, Angel Villar, to express his concerns.
Of course D’Hooghe is right to condemn violent play but he is surely over-reacting to what is anly a minor problem. Anyone who is old enough to remember football from the 1970s will know that the game is a million times less violent now than it was then. There is simply no comparison.
Tackles
In those days there were fist fights on and off the ball, head butts, and some truly dreadful career threatening tackles, particularly from behind. All of those things were rarely punished by more than a telling off from the referee. It was a different game and to suggest that the modern day game is too violent is to ignore the history of the game and the excellent progress that has been made.
As long as referees continue to award red cards for violent play and the authorities back the referee with appropriate bans, then I see absolutely no problem within our game.
Thank you for your observations Mr D’Hooghe but you have exaggerated a problem that largely doesn’t exist. Not very helpful.

  • Ronaldo says will be ready for Portuguese call

October 5th, 2009

Cristiano Ronaldo said Monday he was ready to answer the call for Portugal in Saturday’s crucial World Cup qualifier at home to Hungary after missing Real Madrid’s first Liga loss of the season at Seville with an ankle injury.

“I have recovered well. We’ll see how things go but I think I’ll be fine come Saturday,” Ronaldo said on arriving at Obidos, where the squad are preparing for a match which will go some way to deciding if they can snatch a playoff place after a poor showing in Group One.

The Portuguese currently stand third – five points behind leaders Denmark and two adrift of Sweden, while Hungary are level on points with Carlos Queiroz’s side, rendering a win imperative ahead of an expected three easy points in their final game against Malta.

The Swedes have a tough encounter away to the Danes on Saturday.

“These are decisive matches which we must win,” observed Ronaldo, who said that team spirit was “fantastic” despite his country’s irregular showing to date.

But he warned: “If we don’t believe we can do it (qualify) then it’s not worth showing up for the national side.”

Ronaldo insisted that the Hungarians were there for the taking.

“They are a physically strong team, but if Portugal play normally they will – and must – win.”


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Thursday, August 13, 2009

SOCCER PICTURES




















































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5 Ways to Improve Your Soccer Skills

5 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR SOCCER SKILLS!





1 TOUCH. Juggle with the ball. Aim for 1000 touches on the ball each day. You learn to juggle in 3 stages, 1-3 juggles, 3-10 juggles, 10+ juggles. To help you get started, you can use your hands and you can let the ball bounce as well, all you are aiming for is lots of touches on the ball. The hardest stage is 3-10 touches, this seems to cause beginners the most frustration, but stick with it. Once you can consistently juggle the ball 10 times, you are off to the races and 10-20 gets easier, the 50, then 100 and beyond.

2. PASS and/or SHOOT against a WALL. Find a wall and pass and shoot against it and control the rebound. This may sound simple and basic, but it is no different to going to the driving range to practice your golf shot or using one of those machines at tennis that serve balls to you. You can work on passing, shooting and controlling the ball and start with controlling the ball first and then passing or shooting and then build up to first time passes and shots.

3. TURNS. Practice all six turns, INSIDE HOOK, OUTSIDE HOOK, DRAG BACK, STEPOVER, CRUYFF and STOP TURN. Master each turn at game like speed and then do combinations of turns e.g. inside hook, take a touch into space and then do a stop turn. Keep working on this until you can do routines involving all 6 turns one after another

4. MOVES/DRIBBLES. There are so many fancy moves, some named after stars e.g. Stanley Matthews, Maradona, Scissors, Touch Touch etc. You don't need to know how to do all of them. Just perfect two moves that you can do with both feet and that you can both take on the defender on their inside and outside. When I say perfect them, you need to be able to do these at game like speed without looking at the ball and be able to produce an end product, either a shot or a pass.

5. CONTROL. Find some open space and kick the ball up in the air. As it comes down work on controlling it with your feet, thighs, chest and head. Once you get the hang of controlling the ball, then add a turn or a move or a shot or pass against the wall.
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Half ATW

HALF ATW(AROUND THE WORLD)!



The half-ATW is the half version of the ATW ( Around the World). But what's the difference between half-ATW and full ATW? To put it simply, the full ATW can be done using one foot whereas the half ATW is done by using two feet. Confused ? Basically you're doing the same technique but just that after completing rotation with the ball, you kick it up with another. Here are some steps to get you started:

Step One
The simplest way to begin by balancing the ball on your foot ( foot stall )

Step Two
Lift it slightly and rotate it, as you rotate make sure the other foot is ready to receive the ball.

Step Three
Complete the rotation with one foot and kick or plant with the other.

Tip: Lift the ball slightly higher so that you have time for your other foot to kick the ball

It's a hard soccer trick at first because you're using both feet. But as you practice, it becomes easier. Happy freestyling!
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The Toe Flick-up (a.k.a Ronaldinho Flick)

THE TOE FLICK-UP(A.K.A rONALDINHO FLICK)




This is a pretty neat trick made popular by Ronaldinho a couple of years back, especially in the nike joga bonito ad series. Basically it is one that can be used to get the ball off the ground in a more creative manner rather than the old 'pull-back and flick-up'. This trick can be done by most beginners with some practice.

Here's a step by step guide on how to perform the toe flick followed by a short video:

step 1: For starters, place the ball between both feet, slightly to the front of of the foot.

step 2: Move the ball swiftly with the front sole (bottom of your foot) towards the standing foot.

step 3: As the ball makes contact with your standing foot, flick the ball up with the standing foot using a tiny amount of movement ( this takes practice to perfect).

step 4: Practice as much as you can, soon it'll be pretty easy and once you can flick it up as high as your waist, then perhaps, you can add on a juggling trick.

Tip: Move your standing foot in a manner that would be 'just enough' for the ball to 'jump' off it. Try to keep your balance, and continue juggling with your kicking foot once the ball is up.

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How to trap a soccer ball

HOW TO TRAP A SOCCER BAll!



It is important for young players to learn how to trap a soccer ball. Trapping a soccer ball means stopping the ball so one is able to control it. Trapping of the soccer ball is basic, but one of the most important soccer skills to teach soccer players. Many high school soccer players could easily improve their soccer game by improving their trapping of the soccer ball.

Trapping the soccer ball – how to trap the soccer ball.
We suggest watching the trapping soccer video to see the four basic soccer trap drills in action.

The four main soccer trap skills taught are:

1) Roof Trap – stepping on a soccer ball that is low in the air
2) Inside Foot Trap – the side of the foot is used to trap the rolling soccer ball
3) Chest Trap – the chest is used to stop the soccer ball that is higher in the air
4) Thigh Trap – stopping the knee-to-waist high soccer ball with the thigh

How to trap a rolling ball:
Simply step on top of it or use the side of the foot to trap it.

How to trap a bouncing ball:
Estimate where the ball will hit the ground, move to that spot turning your foot sideways and off the ground. Trap the soccer ball with your instep as the ball hits the ground, allowing the backspin of the ball to bring it to you.

More Soccer Ball Trap Tips:
A soccer player can practice trapping the ball by kicking it up against a wall. Be sure to practice
trapping rolling balls, bouncing balls and balls that come back to you in the air. The goal of a
trapped soccer ball is to gain control of it first, so that a good pass or shot can be executed.
Learning to judge the ball correctly takes time and practice, but the benefits will show up in your soccer game almost immediately. When the ball comes back to you to trap it on the ground, allow the ball to knock your foot back a bit, so as to absorb the shock. This is known as “relaxing the
foot.” This will deaden the ball and stop it at your feet almost instantly, if the foot moves slight back, is relaxed and allowed to absorb ball shock.
If the soccer ball has a lot of spin on it while in the air, the soccer player must learn how to counter the spin of the ball. A ball that is spinning forward and toward you should be trapped by moving the foot gently back; backward spins should be trapped utilizing the upper foot if possible. Side spinning soccer balls can sometimes be trapped between the foot and the ground, or simply toe- kicked straight up and in front of the soccer player to the thigh or chest, and then settled.

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Soccer Warm up

SOCCER WARM UP!




The true soccer athlete will prepare the body before a game with a good warm-up.

A warm-up should begin about 30 minutes before competition, with muscle massage in cold
weather, then light jogging to slowly increase cardiovascular activity. It is not a bad idea to
then begin ballistic stretching of muscles in your warm-up, and then move to skill practice
with the soccer ball; then to soccer drills with the entire dream. A soccer warm-up is
important to physically and mentally become “match ready.”

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Strengthening Muscles for Soccer

STRENGTHENING MUSCLES FOR SOCCER!


Soccer players should also work at strengthening muscles through a weight training
regimen, using a coach (and spotter if using free weights). 2-3 days per week on the
weight machine (or with free weights) should do the trick.

Even though soccer is played with the legs, players can benefit from also strengthening
muscles of the entire body. The upper body is used frequently to shield and block
opponents from the ball, so the muscle conditioned soccer player will not easily be pushed
off the ball. Do not forget to work the legs (calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, buttocks, etc),
as well as the arms (biceps, triceps), chest (pectoralis majors), abdomen and back (laterals)
muscles.

Strengthening muscles says it all; look for muscle strength not size and bulkiness. That way
agility will not be lost, but enhanced. The best soccer players use strengthening of their
muscles as part of their conditioning program.
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Soccer Diet & Nutrition

SOCCER DIET & NUTRITION!



Soccer Diet & Nutrition: Water
It is important to stay well hydrated when practicing and playing the game of soccer. Water
and sports drinks without sugars are the best liquids to do just that. Juices and soda pops
are not good for the athlete, nor is caffeine. Caffeine can actually dehydrate the body.
Good sports drinks will provide some carbohydrates and electrolytes to help increase the
rate of fluid absorption. Thus a good sport drink is slightly better than just plain water,
therefore many athletes enjoy the flavors and advantages they bring over H2O. Many
soccer players drink small amounts of water, but frequently. The small amounts allow time
for absorption, and do not upset the stomach.

Soccer Diet & Nutrition: Fat
Consuming fat calories, for the soccer player, is pretty much meaningless and should be
avoided (or at least minimized), as fat does not provide a great deal of energy.
Carbohydrates and proteins are thus the best diet to provide energy and build muscle.

Soccer Diet & Nutrition: Protein
Eating meats, nuts and eggs will provide a great source of protein for the soccer player’s
diet. However, proteins should only make up a small part of the diet, as carbohydrates will
be the main source of the soccer player’s energy. Proteins are good for nutrition, because
they replenish cells and muscle, but they should be eaten sparingly before a soccer game.

Soccer Diet & Nutrition: Carbs
Carbohydrates, such as potatoes (starches), bread, cereals, pastas (flours), and low-fat
dairy products, provide great energy for long, endurance-needed sports, such as soccer.
To prepare for a soccer game, the intake of carbs should be increased, while the intake of
proteins decreased.

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Soccer Aerobic Drills

SOCCER AEROBIC DRILLS!



Aerobic soccer drills are really not so much drills as they are finding a way to run distances
(jog) to simulate the duration of soccer game play. Soccer players who play almost an
entire game with little substitution can possibly run 5 miles or more per game. Are you
ready to run the 90 minutes that soccer may demand? This is why some high school
coaches have their players begin summer practice running 5-8 miles to begin their aerobic
conditioning. Aerobic soccer drills build stamina. To do this, the soccer player must do
aerobic soccer drills for a continuous 20 minutes or more, and thus strengthen the body’s
cardiovascular system. Cardio workouts are key in any sport and in good health.

There is no easy way to do aerobic drills, as they simply equate to time and jogging. We
would recommend that during jogging drills that the head be up and not swinging from side
to side or up and down. Good arm swing is also important for your aerobic soccer drills, as
well as landing on the central foot, shifting weight from the back to the front. As with all
drills, take frequent water breaks between.

Aerobic Drills: Dribbling
Have soccer players dribble around the soccer field (some soccer coaches have their
players dribble all over within the soccer field) with the soccer ball at a slow jog (no walking)
for 20-30 minutes. This aerobic drill will make the soccer conditioning workout a bit more
fun, while improving ball handling skills.

Aerobic Drills: Long Jog
Have soccer players jog 2-3 miles at a slower pace. As their conditioning level grows, the
miles can be increased to 4 or more. This aerobic drill should increase cardiovascular
endurance.

Aerobic Drills: Short Jog
Have soccer players jog a quick 1-1.5 mile run once every 2-3 days. This aerobic drill
should increase muscle endurance.


Note on Aerobic: Soccer players should try and run some on their own time, say before
school (or work), or on the weekend. The better the aerobic conditioning, the better the
play on the field. Can you imagine not being affected by the duration of the contest?

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Soccer Anaerobic Drills

SOCCER ANAEROBIC DRILLS!




Anaerobic Soccer Drills for Conditioning

Anaerobic soccer drills should have intervals of intense physical activity and rest. This best
mimics the game of soccer. Anaerobic drills for soccer will reduce body fat, as well as burn
a tremendous amount of calories. Any anaerobic soccer drills that may be used by soccer
players should always be more intense than jogging for conditioning, but also should be
shorter in duration. Thus, anaerobic soccer conditioning should make the soccer player
able to withstand the demands of the game’s intense activity, while being able to recover
more quickly. A soccer match will have non-stop sprinting and jogging that will be required
out of everyone, especially mid-fielders and forwards. The following are just two drills to use:

Anaerobic Drills: Sideline to Sideline
Run from one sideline to the other, but alternate by doing a sprint, then jog back; sprint
then jog back. Repeat 5-8 times.

Anaerobic Drills: Fartlek
Another sprint and rest technique that many soccer players use is called a Fartlek. The
idea is to sprint a short distance and rest 5 seconds; sprint a little bit longer distance and
rest 4 seconds; sprint an even farther distance and rest three seconds and so forth.
Repeat drill 5-8 times.

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Soccer Agility Drills

SOCCER AGILITY DRILLS!



Agility Drills: Left vs Right
Have soccer players stand at the middle line(of three lines marked out by cones if need be)
for this agility drill. Have players sprint to the left line and touch it with their left hand; then
sprint to the right line and touch it with their right hand. Make sure players are touching
the lines with the correct hand. Outside lines are spaced about 10 yards apart. Have
players repeat this agility drill 5-10 times depending on their conditioning. Players end at
the center line.

Another variation of this agility drill is to only have two lines (a starting line and a touching
line) and have them end on the same line as they started, but through the drill, players still
touch the lines with the corresponding hand.

Agility Drills: Ladder Drill:
Set cones out to represent a line from the starting line every five yards. Have players sprint
out to each line and touch it, come back and proceed to the next further line, touch it and
come back, etc. Repeat drill 5-10 times depending on conditioning.

Another variation of this agility drill is to have soccer players shuffle sideways to each line
and sprint back to the starting line. Coaches may also like to have soccer players run
backwards to each line, then sprint back.

Agility Drills: Soccer Ladder
With soccer ladder drills, soccer players should try and keep back straight and square with
the hips. As agility increases, so should the speed at which they can perform each drill.
Repeat each agility drill 5-10 times depending on conditioning.

Agility Drills L1: Using a soccer rope ladder, have players run through the ladder touching
each foot in each square. Players should pump the arms and keep knees high.

Agility Drills L2: Using a soccer ladder, have players go through the ladder sideways,
touching each foot in each square. Have them go through leading with the left foot, then
return leading with the right foot.

Agility Drills L3: Using a soccer ladder, have players go through the ladder sideways, but
having each foot touch twice in each square. Have them go through, leading with the left
foot, then return leading with the right foot.

Agility Drills L4: Using a soccer ladder (and having the players standing at the beginning,
but to the left of it), have players move their right foot into the first square, then bring the
left foot into the square, next to the right foot. Then bring the right foot and plant it outside
of the right side of the ladder. Repeat this sequence, beginning with left foot into the
second square, and so forth.


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