The Archive

Right-wing politicians are trying to win votes by demanding the allegiance of non-Jewish players, Shaul Adar writes

With general elections expected next year, the Israeli political system is in turmoil. For members of the Knesset hoping to make their mark before the primaries, this is almost their last chance. Joining the attack on the democratic values of the state seems to be the best way to make an impression. In the last month there has been a deluge of law proposals designed to limit the freedom and integrity of the Supreme Court, press, human rights organisations and top non-Jewish footballers.

Read more…

Nassos Stylianou reports from Cyprus, where teams have been successful in the European competitions this season despite their tiny budgets

“This time, we are not here just to have fun.” So said APOEL Nicosia coach Ivan Jovanovic in August, after his team had booked their place in the Champions League group stages for the second time in three seasons. However, as Jovanovic and his players received a heroes’ welcome as they passed through the airport following the draw with Zenit St Petersburg that saw them qualify to the last 16, they were certainly enjoying themselves.

Read more…

Jon Spurling goes back to Boxing Day 1963, when 66 goals were scored in the First Division

As Christmas 1963 approached, weathermen warned a shivering nation to expect a recurrence of what had happened 12 months previously. The winter of 1962 was the worst since the big freeze of 1946, when the snow began on Boxing Day and wiped out football for virtually the next two and a half months. The occasional game was played here and there, but most were played out in the minds of the newly created Pools Panel, who met each weekend in a secret London location and guessed what each result might have been.

Read more…

Ian Plenderleith asks: How will football in America move forward without the newly crowned MLS Cup-winner David Beckham?

Major League Soccer has learned one major lesson from the big leagues in Europe it aspires to eventually compete with, and that is the ability to blow its own trumpet. Crowds are up! Sponsorship and TV revenues are up! New stadiums are being built! We are expanding the number of teams every season! Big name players are coming from abroad!

Read more…

A series of fortunate events helped Al Sadd secure a highly unlikely victory in the Asian Champions League, as John Duerden reports

The celebrations didn’t rival those from December last year, when Qatar was named host of World Cup 2022, but Al Sadd’s victory in the 2011 Asian Champions League has been painted as a triumph against the odds – inside the tiny peninsula at least. Elsewhere on the continent, however, the surprise was not a welcome one. All agree that the final itself was a thrilling affair. A crowd of 42,000 packed into the Jeonju World Cup stadium in South Korea to see local team Jeonbuk Motors host the west Asians.

Read more…