Foul simulation says a lot about a player or team. It is a good indicator that they have “street smarts” on the field. Whether it is an attempt to give your team a free kick, waste time, or persuade the ref into giving an opponent a yellow card, the idea is to give your team […]
“Brazil take Super-Clasico”
Brazil proved to be too “EFFICIENT” for Argentina in the latest version of the superclasico clash of the titans in stealing a 3-1 victory in Rosario, Argentina. Argentina officials and players had hoped moving the game to the fortress in Rosario Central’s stadium would give a slight edge to them and heap more pressure on Brazil. Turns […]
Top Freshman to Watch in College Soccer
So many entities around the net publish their yearly list of “top 100 freshman” to watch during the college season. It’s really just a list of those players with impressive “pedigree”. Have you been in ODP or National player pools? Have you been on a high profile club or team that’s won big titles? Have […]
Argentina vs Brazil Preview
The two soccer powerhouses managed by two former World Cup winning players and captains are set to meet this Saturday, September 5th in a World Cup qualifier to be played in Rosario, Argentina at 5:30pm PST. When these teams meet, all bets are off! Current form usually means nothing. This clash promises to be as […]
Stop Making Excuses!
You know, this is one of our soccer problems in this country… EXCUSES! These things we use so often are arguably an instinctive property of humans. We think that by using them we protect our egos, self esteem, self worth. In the short term, it might work. We go on living our seemingly flawless lives, […]
The New Galactico Era Begins
Lights, Camera, Action!!! With the return of Florentino Perez to the presidency of Real Madrid came “the show” and spectacle he likes to offer the soccer world. With Florentino, every move he makes at Madrid needs to draw cameras and a big crowd. The presentation at the Santiago Bernabeu of new signings Kaka (over 50,000 […]
College Soccer Analysis
The college season is now upon us. Teams are wrapping up their preseason games and begin their quest to enter the post-season. I want to start off by telling you what college soccer means to me. To put it in a nutshell, the vast majority of the time these games make my blood boil! It’s […]
UEFA Champions League Groups are Set!
This is the greatest club football competition in the world! The group stage draw is now set, and as usual there are some juicy match-ups. This year’s draw holds two very anticipated ones. Inter Milan and defending champion FC Barcelona will clash in a battle of top teams who traded star forwards this summer as […]
Physically Maturing Early: A Double-Edged Sword
Beginning puberty early has interesting consequences as far as a player’s soccer development. The immediate thought that comes to mind is a positive one. These players will have a physical advantage, and if they have at least average skill, they become dominant in their age group. There’s a lot of good things that come along […]
What’s an Elite Player?
This term “elite” is abused. In conversations with players, fans, media, coaches – the soccer community in general – I have heard many label this or that player elite. And sometimes it’s actually a decent player. But elite they are not. Also, it’s remarkable how many times the player that was referenced is really just […]