The Goalkeeper-Legends

There has never been a better goalkeeper in the history of the Premiership than “The Great Dane.” Schmeichel had a pretty good career outside the Premiership, too, but it was his time at Manchester United where he became a legend. Schmeichel went to Old Trafford for the relatively paltry sum of £530,000, a price which Sir Alex Ferguson later teemed “The Bargain of the Century.” During his time in the Premiership, he kept clean sheets in 42% of his starts, the greatest ratio in league history. Schmeichel won 5 Premiership titles, 3 F.A. Cups, 1 League Cup, and, most notably, the 1998-1999 UEFA Champions League, where he served as skipper in place of suspended Roy Keane during the Finals and got to hold the trophy over his head on his last night as a United player. Schmeichel was voted UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year and World Goalkeeper of the Year in 1992 and 1993. He was recently voted “Greatest Goalkeeper of All-Time” in a Reuters poll, defeating the likes of Yashin and Banks.

Peter Schmeichel

DENMARK
1981-2003 Gladsaxe-Hero (1981-1984)
Hvidovre IF (1984-1987)
Brøndby (1987-1991)
Manchester United (1991-1999)
Sporting Portugal (1999-2001)
Aston Villa (2001-2002)
Manchester City (2002-2003)

Schmeichel had a successful international career as well. He remains the most-capped Danish player of all time with 129 appearances to his credit. He helped lead Denmark to the European Championship in 1992, and was the number one keeper for his country in the 1998 World Cup, where they fell to Brazil in the Quarterfinals.

Schmeichel wasn’t the nicest guy on the pitch. Indeed, the fiery keeper was accused of racism by Arsenal’s Ian Wright, and he was known for chewing out his own teammates for mistakes or errors. He was one of the few players to have survived a row with Sir Alex Ferguson, though. Evidently, the gaffer recognized his keeper’s worth and chose not to drive him away like he did with Keane, David Beckham, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Jaap Stam, and others.

In any case, his shadow at Old Trafford remains so large that many quality goalkeepers have tried to replace him, and all have failed to measure up. Even Edwin Van der Sar, who has done well at United and has a chance to surpass the Great Dane in terms of trophies won, is always described as “the best goalkeeper since Schmeichel.” That’s a legend.

Peter Schmeichel VIDEO:

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Cristiano Ronaldo Will Never Be a Manchester United Legend

"You can argue as much a you like Miles but Ronaldo will never ever be a Man Utd legend!"

This was the scathing and agitated response I got from a mate who happens to be a Manchester United fan through and through. As a modest Charlton Athletic supporter it beggared belief that this thought could be the consensus amongst Reds fans, so here beings the investigation.

Firstly I refuse to patronize the footballing masses by trawling through the various achievements, trophies and accolades amassed by Cristiano Ronaldo under Sir Alex Ferguson.

What is fact is that the right winger scored 118 goals in 292 appearances and what is obvious is that he was United's most influential and important player, as well as being certified as officially the best player on the planet at the peak of his United career.

For a midfielder his scoring record was exceptional and his goals per game ratio eclipses that of any other midfielder let alone right winger to have ever played for Manchester Untied. A prolific dead ball specialist, an accomplished dribbler, a deft finisher from range, a predator in the box and in the air he scored all types of goals and in important matches too.

He netted several crucial goals in Premier League matches in three seasons of dominance for the north east team including goals in an FA Cup Final, a League Cup final and a Champions League final to boot. The talisman also topped the assists charts setting up his team mates as often as he found the back of the net himself.

The exclusive group of players that go down in folklore at Manchester United are never disputed and this is probably why Ronaldo rouses so much debate in this field. Many fans feel he treated the club that made him with disrespect by openly pursuing his dream move to Real Madrid in what would turn out to be a world record breaking £80 million fee.

Others point to some of his on field antics as a reason he may not be appreciated as much as he should be. Everyone bar opposing defenders enjoys the silky skills of the Portuguese superstar, playing his game with a cocky arrogance which in fact is an undeterred belief and confidence in himself to be the best he can possibly be.

But when things were not going so well United fans were exposed to a different Ronaldo. Diving to win free kicks or going down too easily, arguing with officials, sulking and moaning, choking when he needed his composure the most.

In the eyes of some United fans that alone restricts him from sitting side by side with the greats to have pulled on the red shirt but to me it washes as a senseless and weak argument typical of the modern football fans selective memory bank.

His ability is unquestionable but it's when you throw the likes of Bobby Chalrton, Mark Hughes, Roy Keane or George Best into the mixer that the debate intensifies. An 11 year old United fan would not try to pretend that Eric Cantona or Denis Law are they're favourite players to have donned their teams colours. So there is a great number that would feel Ronaldo would probably be the best player they have ever seen in United colours.

But for a 60 year old veteran supporter, opinion would surely differ. But that insight into the understanding of the clubs history should not distort the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo is amongst some of the best players to have played for that club in decades.

Article Source : bleacherreport.com

Football legends pay tribute to Sir Bobby

Some of the biggest names in football have come together to give thanks for the life of Sir Bobby Robson.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, England coach Fabio Capello and Sir Bobby Charlton were among the 1,000 guests who filled Durham Cathedral to pay tribute.

Former England players including Gary Lineker, Paul Gascoigne, Alan Shearer and Stuart Pearce also attended the memorial service, held seven weeks after Sir Bobby died aged 76 at home in nearby Langley Park.

Lineker, who played in Sir Bobby's Italia 90 England World Cup side, praised his "hugely supportive and fiercely loyal" former coach, telling the congregation: "Sir Bobby Robson, we will miss you but we will never, ever forget you." Everton manager David Moyes said: "All the Premier League managers look up to Sir Bobby."

Sir Bobby fought cancer five times and devoted his final years to helping others with the disease.

8 International Football Legends

Many have been called ‘great’; however, there are a few who can be called ‘legendary’. We have tried to compile such a list of football players. These men have astounded us; they captured our imagination and became the best at what they do. Most of them have of course gone beyond playing football: they elevated the sport.

Here is our list of 8 men who became legends:

Edison (Edson) Arantes do Nascimento aka Pelé

Pelé is one of the most well-known football stars and even those who do not know much about this sport, recognize his name. He once compared himself to Beethoven and the International Olympic Committee named him the Athlete of the Century in 1998. He became famous as 17 and led the Brazilians to victory in 1958, 1962 and 1970.

Diego Armando Maradona aka Maradona

Maradona and Pelé are the two greatest FIFA soccer players of the 20th century. Maradona was the South American Footballer of the Year in 1979 and 1980. He is a controversial figure in international football and has managed to capture the entire world’s attention. He played in 4 World Cups and is known for his Hand of God and Goal of the century.

Cristiano Ronaldo

He is still young but has captured international attention, especially when FIFPro named him their World Player of the Year 2008. He is the first United player to win the Golden Ball that the European Footballer of the Year receives since George Best in 1968.

Thierry Henry

Thierry Henry received the Légion d’Honneur, which is the highest decoration in France, for his role in the 1998 World Cup. He won the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year in 2003, 2004 and 2006, which is unrivalled. Arsenal fans call him their greatest player and Henry managed to popularise ‘Va va voom’ so much that it got included in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

Roberto Baggio

Baggio, or Il Divin Codino, scored 9 goals in 3 World Cup Finals and is one of the FIFA 100. Baggio was FIFA Player of the Year in 1993 but his fame could be mostly because he ‘lost’ Italy the 1994 World Cup. He made up for it with a penalty shot in 1998, though. A 2001 internet poll named him the Most Loved Player.

Paulo Roberto Falcão

Falcão, a FIFA 100 member, is one of the most talented midfielders ever. He played midfield for Brazil in the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. He won 3 Brazilian National Championships — 1975, 1976, and 1979 – and people called him ‘8th king of Rome’.

David Beckham

Beckham is one of ‘Britain’s Greatest Ambassadors’ and only the 21st player to score in 3 World Cups. He received entry into The English Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and is one of the most recognisable football stars. He and his wife have become somewhat of an industry.

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite aka Kaká

This young football star is better known as Kaká and was FIFA World Player of the Year and European footballer of the year in 2007. He is the midfielder of AC Milan and also plays for the Brazilian national team.

Article Source : http://www.borntoredefine.com/8-international-football-legends/

Amri hailed alongside local football legends

PETALING JAYA: Mohd Amri Yahyah will become a legend and a folk hero of Malaysian football.

The 28-year-old from Tanjong Karang will be hailed alongside some of the former greats, among them the late Mokhtar Dahari and R. Arumugam, “Raja Bola” Datuk Abdul Ghani Minhat and Matlan Marjan, who scored two goals against the visiting England team in the 1980s.

Amri will be a household name and remembered for his double strike in the national team’s spirited showing against English Premier League giants Manchester United in the first match of the Red Devils’ pre-season Asian Tour, which Malaysia lost 2-3 in Kuala Lumpur on July 18.

More so, the classic volley when he surprised United No. 1 goalkeeper Edwin van dar Sar from 40 metres out. He also rounded United’s former England goalkeeper Ben Foster to put Malaysia on level terms.

“It feels like being in a different world now,” said Amri yesterday.

“Whoever I meet, they talk of the two goals and congratulate me. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I am happy to have left behind something for the fans to remember.

“In fact, I need to thank national coach K. Rajagopal for giving me the break to don national colours after a three-year break.”

The Selangor skipper has been going great guns and has been playing consistently well for the Red Giants this season.

Selangor have won the Charity Shield (defeating Kedah 4-1) and the FA Cup (defeating Kelantan 4-1 on penalties).

Last night, Selangor clinched the Super League title when they thrashed Police 6-1 at the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium.

Rajagopal should also be credited for taking a bold step in naming only four seniors in the national team, comprising Under-23 players preparing for the Laos SEA Games in December. Besides Amri, the other seniors in the team were Indra Putra Mahayuddin, skipper Norhafli Zamani Misbah and V. Thirumurugan.

“This is the team for the future and there is a lot of work to be done. These players need matches and having played against United would surely motivate them to raise their playing level,” said Rajagopal.

Although Malaysia went down 0-2 to United in the rematch on Monday, it was still a good effort by the team, who were assembled for barely 10 days.

Rookie goalkeeper Mohd Farizal Marlias from Perlis was also outstanding, pulling off several daring saves in the two matches.

Skipper Norhafiz again proved that he could still be counted on to hold the Malaysian fort.

Rajagopal has got to get cracking on the team for the SEA Games and work on the flaws, especially the finishing.

The national Under-23 strikers Mohd Zaquan Abdul Razak, Norsharul Idlan Talaha, Mohd Farderin Kadir, Stanley Bernard Samuel and S. Kunalan certainly need to sharpen up.

These Four (4) Exercises Will Increase Any Soccer Player's Speed

In order for a soccer player to increase their speed, there are several factors which will contribute to their speed increasing on the soccer field. Proper running mechanics is certainly one factor which will help increase speed, while another is lower body strength training. Learn four of the best lower body strength exercises a soccer can player can do to increase their speed.

Specifically, a soccer player will want to get their posterior chain of muscles stronger. The posterior chain of muscles are many of the muscles you can't see when you look at yourself in the mirror. Those muscles include the back, the glutes, the hamstrings and the calf. Getting the posterior chain of muscles stronger will absolutely get a soccer player faster and increase their speed.

Here are Four (4) excellent exercises for a soccer player to do to isolate these muscles and allow for their speed to be released:
# Tire Flip or Log Flip
# : Take an old tractor tire (or wooden log) and bend down into a squat with both hands cupped underneath the tire. In a powerful movement, lift the side of the tire where your hands are off the ground and then push the tire forward with both hands so that it now falls forward and is laying on the ground again. Quickly repeat this process for up to 10 flips. This movement is great for developing explosive power in the posterior chain of muscles.Sled Drags:
# Take a weighted sled and attach two "D-handle" cords to it. Place some weight on it and then grab the handles in such a way that you are facing forward and the sled is behind you. Keep your arms relatively straight and walk forward so that your cords or rope are tight through this resistance. Then march forward using a simple high knee, linear lunge walk. Work up to 20 -30 yards of dragging the sled in this manner. This exercise is a great way to get the lower body stronger explosively allowing the soccer player to gain valuable speed.Forward Broad Jumps:
# With both feet about shoulder width apart, jump out forward as high and as far as you can. Upon landing, bend the knees and drop your hips...in other words cushioning the jump. Have the soccer player gather themselves and repeat that jump. Continue repeating for up to 5 jumps in a row. Work up to 3-5 sets of 5 jumps. This exercise is a wonderful way to create loads of explosive, quick movements for the soccer player.Let Go's:
Let go's are simply resisted sprints. Have two players work together. One lines up behind the other player and grabs their waist with both hands. The player in the front gets into a good acceleration position and starts to run forward. The player in the back holds on and resists the player in the front from moving too quickly forward event though they are trying to do so. After about 5 yards of this resistance, the person in the back releases the person in the front. This person will feel like they have been shot out of a cannon. Remind the person in the front about that so that they are ready for that quick burst being released and they do not stumble and fall. This is a great exercise to add speed to any soccer player.

These four exercises will without a doubt add strength to the lower body of any soccer player which in turn will increase their speed.

I hoped you enjoyed reading about these four excellent exercises for enhancing speed on the soccer field.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Christopher

Maradona to Coach Argentina For 2010

Now, 48 years of age, Maradona is a seasoned man with a look of having been through it all and survived it. Beset by addiction problems, he seems to have fought his demons hard and won over them. He's even cheated death on occasion! As Maradona himself admits, the worst has already happened... His daughter actually pulled him out from the bottom of the sea... His fans and countrymen have every reason to rejoice as he takes the field again to teach the younger lot. After all, who can forget this legend's on pitch skills?

Maradona enjoyed the years when he was playing for Argentine the most, but now duty calls, duty to his country, to his team and to himself. A confident Maradona is sure that Argentina will sail through the 2010 World Cup qualifications. He considers coaching his country a dream come true, though explains that he's only had the boys together for about 40 days since he joined. But Maradona being who he is, he plans to make the most of it. He should have all his players together for 20 days before the World Cup and that's when he plans to lay the foundation and work towards becoming world champions. So, if you're an Argentinean fan, get your world cup soccer jerseys ready for the big event in South Africa!

Coach Maradona's strategy for the team is to vigorously press up front, thereby decreasing the space between attack, midfield and defense. And he's quick to point out that when his team loses the ball, it should be on top of the other team right away without losing precious time. Considering Argentina has an enviable possession rate, it needs to make the most of it.

This soccer uniform number 10 is driven by a dream to win the World Cup once again and to meet Nelson Mandela while in South Africa! He fondly remembers the first time he held the World Cup Trophy... He touched it kissed it and wouldn't let go! That according to Maradona is the 'most beautiful thing'. And that's what he's been telling his players - 30 days of sacrifice to win the World Cup are nothing in a man's life... kissing that trophy is like touching the sky...

Which brings us to something else in Maradona's life that makes him feel like he's touching the sky - his grandson. Yes, this legend is a grandfather! And for him, nothing compares to watching his grandchild... Maybe, it's Maradona's turn to live a calm and smooth life after much struggle and adversity. We are with him... Go Diego!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brono_Pisino

Premier League 2009 and 10 Season Preview

The new English Premier League season is nearly upon us. Football fans have been waiting all summer long for the season to start, not just in England, but worldwide; with the English Premier League being the most popular and viewed football league in the world.

Manchester City have been the big spenders this summer, already bolstering their attack with the signings of Roque Santa Cruz, Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor. Desperate to make an impact this season after failing to make much of an impression last season despite the big money signings that included Robinho and Shaun Wright-Phillips. Mark Hughes is facing pressure as he knows his team must perform this season otherwise he could be out of work by the end of the season.

Rivals Manchester United have seen their squad weakened by the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo for a world record fee to Real Madrid. Arguably the best player in the world, he seems irreplaceable and United fans will be wondering how much of an effect this will have on their team this season. Their new winger is Antonio Valencia from Wigan Athletic, a proven player in the Premier League who has impressed during his time at a smaller Premier League side. Can he handle the pressure of a top 4 side? While he doesn't have a very good goalscoring record, certainly not near Ronaldo's, Manchester United have brought in Michael Owen on a free transfer to replace Carlos Tevez who they were unable to sign when his loan expired. The England international has a proven record despite struggling over recent years with injury problems. If he can shake them off, expect him to make an impact in Manchester this season.

Down in London, Arsenal and Chelsea have been reluctant to sign many new players, with the Gunners biggest signing being Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax for a fee in the region of £10,000,000. They have however sold Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure for a combined price of over £40,000,000 that should leave manager Arsene Wenger with some cash to spend. Chelsea's biggest name signing under new manager Carlo Ancelotti has been Yuri Zhirkov for CSKA Moscow, while the Italian has also brought in two young Englishmen; Ross Turnbull and Daniel Sturridge.

Last season's runners up, Liverpool have brought in Glen Johnson for what many feel to be overpriced at £17,500,000. Alvaro Arbeloa has headed off to Real Madrid, and Sami Hyypia left for Bayer Leverkusen when his contract expired.

It seems once again it could be the same top 4 teams qualifying for Champions League next season, unless Manchester City transform into competitors after their summer spending spree. We'll have to wait and see how they get on, whilst Aston Villa and Everton may miss out again without strengthening their squads dramatically this summer.

The Premier League welcomes Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City and Burnley this season following their promotion from the Championship last season. All eyes will be on those and others down the bottom as they fear the drop and the big loss of earnings that relegation brings upon three unfortunate teams.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barrie_Smith

John Barnes - the palyer who stunt Brazil

Former England International John Barnes looks back on his wonder goal against Brazil in 1984 ...

It was at 10 June 1984 when Barnes scored one of the most breathtaking individual goals ever seen, when he outpaced and out-thought several Brazilian defenders before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting the ball into an empty net.

The goal brought him worldwide fame .