Friday, April 30, 2021

Focus On : Peter Shilton Born To Save

Peter Shilton could have appeared in the Great Players list for at least half a dozen clubs, such is the longevity of his career and the precocious nature of his early career at Leicester City. Even as a teenager Peter was insisting that he shouldn't be playing second fiddle to the great Gordon Banks. His positional sense and penalty-box awareness served Filbert Street well after Banks had gone to Stoke City.  Later, Peter followed Gordon to the Potteries, but by 1977 still hadn't been rewarded with any major honours. 

Campionato 1985 1986 Roma Lecce & Juventus Milan Decisives Titulo

29 Giornata
20 Aprile 1986


  C'è un filo sottile che unisce Torino e il Salento, terra di uomini orgogliosi e tenaci, da dove, negli anni Sessanta e Settanta, in molti partirono per cercare e trovare fortuna mettendo la loro laboriosità al servizio delle industrie torinesi, in primis la Fiat. E c'è un filo sottile, ma robustissimo, che unisce la Juventus e il Lecce. Non a caso, proprio da Lecce arrivano alcune fra le più importanti icone degli ultimi 40 anni di storia bianconera: dal "Barone" Franco Causio, che col suo estro e il suo temperamento ha fatto grande la Juve e la Nazionale negli anni Settanta, a Sergio Brio, lo stopper corazziere della squadra dei mille trionfi trapattoniani Fino ad Antonio Conte, "Il Capitano", e ora l'allenatore, il cuore di una squadra passata dalle abbuffate di inizio millennio alla lenta rinascita dopo la retrocessione. E poi ci sono gli episodi: quelli brutti, come l'infortunio patito allo stadio di Via del Mare da Ciro Ferrara, che gli tolse la gioia di partecipare al Mondiale 1998, e quelli belli. Su tutti quello del 20 aprile 1986, quando i salentini, già retrocessi, espugnarono incredibilmente l'Olimpico di Roma per 3-2, regalando su un piatto d'argento il 22° scudetto ai bianconeri. 

Friendly 1979 France Bayern München

Mercredi 21 août 1979
Parc des Princes, 
Paris
36 143 spectateurs
Arbitre : M. Rion 

 Prenez garde à la peinture ! Les Verts en Bleus passent les Rouges. Le Bleu des Bleus : un Jaune égaré parmi les Verts. Feu vert pour les Bleus : si Michel Hidalgo se prend un jour pour Picasso, il le devra aux titres colorés qui ont suivi la victoire très nette de son équipe de France (4-1) aux dépens du Bayern de Munich. Réjouissons-nous d'abord d'un résultat sans bavure qui inaugure la saison internationale. 

Focus On : Graham Souness

 Anfield avait et Dalglish et Rush et Alan Hansen et Mark Lawrenson... Ils ont aussi eu le redoutable Souness. Ce milieu de terrain travailleur et teigneux etait sans doute le plus précieux type de footballeur. Comme Emmanuel Petit et Patrick Vieira quelque temps temps plus tard, Souness pouvait à la fois attaquer et défendre.  Tous les joueurs parlent de l'importance d'avoir un relayeur qui peut aussi jouer. La nouveauté de la saison 1978 à Liverpool est la venue de deux Ecossais. Le premier vous le connaissez bien puisqu'il s'agit de Kenny Dalglish. La seconde acquisition de Liverpool fut un peu tardive. Ce n'est qu'en fevrier que Graham (ou Graeme suivant les traditions ecossaises) a debarque sur les bords de la Mersey. Dans le sens inverse deux millions huit cent mille francs etaient places sur le compte en banque de Middlesbrough son club precedent. Ce joueur athletique qui a debute en selection ecossaise en 1975 face a la R.D.A. n'en revient encore pas de son aventure. Ne a Edimbourg c'est a Totteham qu'il a debute avant de rejoindre Middlesbrough apres etre retourne dans son pays. En 1985, son depart pour la Sampdoria de Gênes pour un pont d'or ne fut jamais remplacé jusqu'à Steven Gerrard.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Leeds United The Greatest Ever Team

 
   When winger Arthur Graham signed for Leeds United from Aberdeen (or £100,000 in the close season, he became the latest in a long line of Scots to join the ranks of the Northern club, all seeking football fame and glory. Leeds have had a long association with Scottish footballers, stemming from the days when Bobby Collins led them to promotion from the Second Division in 1964. Middlesbrough's Terry Cooper, the former England international whose career with Leeds in an ever changing Tartan athmosphere, has definite view of the key players at Elland Road were — and are - Scottish. He says: "Don Revie had a tremendous scouting system operating in Scotland. He believed there was a wealth of untapped talent North of the border. "And when he bought players, he often went for known Scots. Collins was one of the Scots Ravie bought. He joined the club in March, 1962, from Everton. At the time Collins had won 28 international caps. He added three more to that with Leeds in the twilight of a colourful career.

Champions League 1999 2000 Real Madrid Bayern Semis Finals

First and Second Leg
May 2000

   Madrid n'a d'yeux que pour lui. Fini, la disgrâce et les mises au rancart. Anelka est de retour. Et Anelka ouvre la voie de la qualification pour la finale. Quatrième minute à Santiago Bernabeu. Chacun cherche ses marques. Tandis que le Bayern, comme à son habitude, fait en sorte de mettre en place son système de jeu qui repose en grande partie sur une formidable solidité défensive et une incroyable habileté à déclencher ses contres, le Real, lui, montre très vite qu'il a des fourmis dans les jambes. C'est Raul, le premier, qui va mettre le feu aux poudres. Le voilà dans sa position favorite de relanceur. Il a l'œil à tout, le regard périphérique. Son élégance naturelle et sa technique à la fois fluide et fine le désignent comme l'étincelle qu'il faut éteindre au plus vite. Thorsten Fink n'y parvient pas et Raul peut passer le relai à Nicolas Anelka qui vient de prendre la poudre d'escampette. Il est déjà dans la surface, en position de tir. Jens Jeremies a beau se jeter devant lui dans un geste désespéré, Nicolas a déjà enroulé sa frappe du pied droit ainsi qu'un ruban autour d'une offrande. Oliver Kahn ne peut rien faire. Anelka vient d'offrir le premier but à Madrid. Le Real ne regrette plus son fabuleux investissement et veut croire maintenant que le joueur de Trappes n'est pas qu'un enfant gâté. 

Focus On : Paul Gascoigne : "Waiting For Gascoigne"

 When Rangers signed "Gazza" in the summer of 1995 from Lazio for a fee of £4.3 million, it was probably the biggest coup ever seen in Scottish football. Here was the English hero of Italia 90 and the midfielder acknowledged by English fans as the most talented player of his generation coming to Scotland - and he wasn't even at the veteran stage yet! Rangers knew they were getting a world class performer to join their other one, Laudrup, but manager Smith also knew that the two players were chalk and cheese when it came to their personality. Gascoigne brought genius and madness with him as well as a lot of baggage for the media to latch on to whereas Laudrup was the model professional with the stable and happy homelife.

Focus On : Paul Gascoigne : "Italia 90", Gascoigne Glory"

 A entendre Bobby Robson célébrer les vertus mentales de son équipe, on aurait eu tendance à la prendre pour une gagneuse. Une de ces créatures sans beaucoup de cervelle, qui se déchire les tripes pour gagner sa croûte. Et quand Robson en rajoute en disant que sa troupe est arrivée jusqu'à Turin grâce, surtout, «à son esprit de combat, sa volonté et ses jambes », on se dit que l'Angleterre n'a donc pas eu à jouer au football pour se payer une tranche de demi-finale (ce qu'elle n'avait pas fait depuis 1966). Et c'est vrai que depuis que Robson - non, pas Bobby : l'autre, Brian, le joueur - est absent, l'Angleterre a du mal à ordonner son jeu. Elle a des jambes, c'est sûr, elle a du cœur, elle a du souffle mais elle n'a pas de tête. Alors, forcément, on tremble un peu pour elle face à l'Allemagne et à son empire du milieu. Car, à l'inverse, les Allemands sont des aigles à deux, voire trois têtes. Quand Pierre Littbarski répond « nein » à l'appel du soir, le Kaiser peut se permettre le luxe d'aligner Olaf Thon et Thomas Hassler pour jouer les grosses têtes à côté de la îête pensante de Lothar Matthàus...

Club Spotlight : Fiorentina La Storia Viola

 Rarement un joueur a été autant en harmonie avec la ville où il évoluait. Giancarlo Antognoni, surnommé « l'archange aux pieds de velours », a illuminé le jeu de la Fiorentina dans les années 1970-1980. Un expert du football mondial, Jacques Thibert, a même affirmé un jour : « Si Antognoni avait vécu au XVIe siècle, nul doute qu'il aurait été le modèle de Michel-Ange. » « L'archange » ne pouvait distiller un tel art du jeu, une telle aisance dans l'espace et sur le sol qu'à Florence, ville de la Renaissance aux riches musées, tels ceux des Offices, du Bargello, du palais Pitti ou de la galerie de l'Académie. Capitale de la Toscane avec ses 450 000 habitants, arrosée par l'Arno, fleuve de magie et de légendes, cette cité active devenue grand centre touristique ne peut accepter n'importe quel football. Là, comme nulle part ailleurs, le jeu du ballon rond doit correspondre à un certain art de vivre. Ce que comprend bien Luigi Ridolfi, aristocrate local issu d'une grande famille toscane et amoureux du football, qu'il a découvert lors de ses voyages sur le continent et en Grande-Bretagne. De retour au pays à trente et un ans, il convainc les deux clubs locaux, Palestra Ginnastica Libertas et Club Sportivo Firenze, de fusionner. Le 26 septembre 1926 naît donc l'AC Fiorentina Firenze - fiorentina, mot à double sens signifiant à la fois « florentine » et « en fleur ».

Friendly 1981 Brasil Irleland

23 September 1981
Estádio Estádio Rei Pelé, Maceió
Referee Oscar Scolfaro

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

100 Years of the Football League 1888 1988

   Eighteen-eighty-eight: Queen Victoria was Queen of Great Britain and Empress of an India on which the sun was still rising. It was a year, too, in which W.G. Grace captained England's cricketers for the first time at the age of 40, John L. Sullivan was the last bareknuckle heavyweight champion of the world and Winston Churchill was an unhappy schoolboy at Harrow. Vincent Van Gogh was still painting, Wyatt Earp still shooting and Florence Nightingale still caring. The pneumatic tyre was invented and, more prettily, less usefully, the first beauty contest was held. It was also the year in which the Football League was founded, the first competition of its kind, a prototype for the mushrooming world of football. The idea was simple and revolutionary, and its champion was a Scot who ran a drapery shop in Birmingham and who later confessed: 'I've never taken part in active football. I tried it once when I was very young and had to take to bed for a week. William McGregor - the father of League football - was a portly, full-bearded Perthshire man of Stirling principles, undeniable optimism and gentle humour. He moved to Birmingham to improve his lot and it was football's luck that the shop he bought was near Villa Park. McGregor joined Aston Villa -and the shape of football began to change.

English Leagues the 70s: Derby County Leeds United Division One 1975 1976

1rst November 1975
Baseball Ground,
Derby

 After the upheaval at Elland Road, a man with ability to soothe a troubled club was needed for the hottest of managerial jobs. Despite the Clough affair, the club's stature ensured plenty of candidates and in Jimmy Armfield, United acquired a man with an excellent footballing brain and a calming influence. Quiet and unassuming, the pipe-smoking Armfield, aged 38, was relatively inexperienced on the managerial front, but had a long and distinguished playing career behind him. Born in Blackpool in September 1935, he played a record 568 League games for the Bloomfield Road club, was capped 43 times by England at right-back and skippered his country. His immaculate temperament earned him the nickname of 'Gentleman Jim' and in his first managerial post, at Bolton, he gained the Trotters the Third Division title in 1972-3. The Leeds board deliberated at length before announcing Armfield's appointment and he proved a steadying hand on the tiller as he guided Leeds through troubled waters.

Club Spotlight : Derby County Story

    In 1884, association football, the me which had developed in the iglish public schools when those establishments took up the old mob game and evolved an organized, disciplined football, was gaining rapidly in popularity. The previous year Black-bum Olympic, a team of working-class lads from Lancashire, had won the FA Cup and broken the stranglehold of the public school and services teams. In 1884, Blackburn Rovers followed the example of their neighbours and won the Cup, and the face of football was changed forever. In Derby, local soccer was already well established. The Derbyshire Football Association had been formed in 1883 and Derby Midland was the leading local club. Midland, the works team of the local railway company, reached the third round of the FA Cup in 1883-4 and another Derbyshire learn, Staveley, went one stage further before bowing out to Blackburn Rovers, the eventual winners. It was against this background that Derby County Football Club was formed in 1884. The club was an offshoot of Derbyshire County Cricket Club and during the spring of that year, William Morley, a clerk at the Midland Railway, discussed with other enthusiasts the possibility of forming a senior football team for the town. His father, William senior, was a cricket club committee member and he put the idea forward officially. Derbyshire CCC was in a trough — the side were to lose all ten games in 1884 — and as the first Derbyshire Cup Final, between Midland and Staveley in March 1884, had attracted a crowd of some 7,000 10 (he County Ground — 'the largest attendance ever seen at a football contest in Derby' — so the cricket club probably felt that a football section could aid its precarious finances.

Leeds United Season Review 2000 2001

It must rank as the greatest season in Leeds United's modern history as Rio Ferdinand, Alan Smith, Mark Viduka and company took Europe fly storm. Nobody will forget those spectacular away wins over Lazio and Anderlecht that made Leeds the stars of the Champions League. There were also unforgettable games against European giants AC Milan, Real Madrid and Barcelona. And while David OLearys boys blazed a trail across Europe they also produced a stunning Premier League revival that ensured United clinched a qualifying berth for the UEFA Cup. En route Leeds paid a record £ 18 million tee for Rio Ferdinand who is emerging as one of the world's finest defenders. 2000-01 was a momentous season... and here's the proof. Manchester United, Arsenal and Leeds carried the torch for English football in the Champions' League - and all three enjoyed memorable campaigns, though il was Leeds who came closest to a remarkable place in the Champions' League final. They had to qualify for the right to participate but overcame Tsv Munich, winning 2-1 at home - despite having Olivier Dacourt and Eirik Bakke sent off - and 1-0 away. That look Leeds into the first group - and a 4-0 thrashing by Barcelona. Yet a Lee Bowyer goal earned Leeds a memorable win over AC Milan and, following a 6-0 home win and 0-0 away draw with Besiktas, they held Barcelona 1-1 at Elland Hoad, where only an equaliser in the fourth minute of added time from Rivaldo denied Leeds a famous win. 

Leeds United Season Review 2001 2002

  It was a season so keenly anticipated by all Leeds United fans. It was a season they will never forget. Life on the Leeds roller coaster was littered with gr goals and unforgettable moments of joy and despair. The high profile trials of Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer came to an end just as the club was attempting to win its first trophy since 1992. David O'Leary admitted it was the most demanding  J period of his managerial life. He remains com that he and everybody else at Elland Road will be better for the experience. Off the field, the club's supporters voting almost unanimously for a move to a new ground. New signings Robbie Fowler and Seth Johnson were brought in to strengthen the squad, Fov. 2001-02 as top scorer with twelve Premiersh for the club in just over half a season. There was much to celebrate at Elland Road thanks, finally, to a spirited end of season run-in that saw the club grab fifth position in the Premiership, focusing trie fans' belief  j that their Leeds team would soon be back in the Champions   1 League, ready to return to the glory of their former days and cut a new story of footballing achievements in the twenty-first century.

Focus On : Nedved la Furia Ceca " I Nostro Campioni"


  Il a bien failli ne pas être là lors de la Coupe du monde. Après une élimination surprise en 1/2 finale de l'Euro 2004 contre la Grèce, Pavel Nedved annonce en effet sa retraite de l'Equipe tchèque. Un gros coup de massue pour tous les supporters de ce magnifique joueur. Dès ses débuts pros avec le Dukla Prague en 1991, celui que l'on va appeler plus tard "l'Ange Blond" ou la "Furie tchèque" fait parler ses qualités. A savoir principalement l'altruisme. Pavel Nedved a 3 poumons et il s'en sert à merveille pour servir des deux pieds ses partenaires. Sa clairvoyance et son habileté lui permettent de donner le tempo à son équipe.
Après une 1re saison très honorable, il part donc dans le grand club du pays, le Sparta Prague. Sous la houlette des Chomarec et Nehoda, qui deviendra par la suite son agent, il va être un cadre indispensable de l'équipe. Au total, il remportera 3 titres de Champion et une Coupe de République Tchèque. Sa frappe de balle légendaire fait frémir les gardiens adverses. Durant ces belles années praguoises, il intègre l'équipe nationale en juin 1994, contre l'Eire. Mais sa véritable révélation date en fait du fabuleux parcours de la République Tchèque à l'Euro 1996. Avec une finale perdue contre l'Allemagne, après avoir éliminé la France en 1/2 finale. Après ce fabuleux épisode, il est temps pour Pavel de partir. C'est l'Italie et la Lazio Rome qui lui ouvrent les portes de la gloire. Aux côtés des Vieri, Salas ou Veron, il va faire les beaux jours du club "huppé" de la capitale italienne. En 1998, il remporte la Coupe d'Italie puis la finale de la Coupe des Coupe contre Majorque, où il inscrit un but. Puis en 2000 il gagne son premier Scudetto. Pavel Nedved, adoré par ses supporters, est alors au top.

Coupe de France 1983 1984 Metz Monaco Finale

11 May 1984
Parc des Princes,
Paris

Attendance 45 384
Referee : M. Vautrot
  L'équipe messine est assurément, en ce mois de mai 1984, en total état de grâce. L'opinion publique la situe mal pourtant et la croit offerte en martyre du cirque au féroce appétit de l'A.S. Monaco. Tout ou presque plaide en fadeur de cette analyse, l'équipe monégasque ayant réussi une dizaine de matches de valeur internationale cette saison et l'équipe lorraine ayant été plus souvent à la peine qu'en réussite ; le potentiel technique de l'une n'ayant rien de comparable avec le niveau de l'autre ; neuf internationaux occupant le camp monégasque pour un seul dans le camp messin. Bref, le déséquilibre complet dans tous les domaines, celui de l'argent et de la prime de victoire n'étant évoqué que pour mémoire. Mais, de tout temps, la finale de la Coupe a pris en compte d'autres valeurs que celles du jeu proprement dit et répercuté, exacerbé, rédivers comme l'identité à une région plus ou moins traumatisée, la communion avec une petite collectivité de quinze hommes, la volonté d'aller au bout de soi-même, l'ambition, le défi, la fierté. Et tout ce que l'on ne devine pas qui peut habiter un sportif dans ses ressorts intimes.

Scottish League 1985 1986 "The Old Firm" Rangers Celtic

22 March 1986
Ibrox Park,
Glasgow

Attendance 44000


  On the morning of the final Old Firm derby of the 1985-86 season, the Daily Mirror ran a transfer exclusive ahead of the looming deadline. "Terry Butcher will be on the move from Ipswich before next Thursday's transfer deadline – and Manchester United are favourites to sign him. United boss Ron Atkinson will make a £650,000 bid ... Tottenham and Arsenal are also keen to snap up Butcher, but Spurs are struggling to raise money and the uncertainty over the manager's position at Arsenal makes it unlikely that they will move in. That leaves the field for United." Anyway, up in Glasgow, what a match. In tempest at Ibrox, and with Davie Cooper dropped to the bench by Jock Wallace in favour of Ally McCoist, the two rivals served up a classic. Mo Johnston turned in the opener for Celtic. Brian McClair quickly prodded home a second. Celtic's Willie McStay was then sent off after half an hour for two bookings, having managed to clatter Ted McMinn four times in the opening changes. With 10 minutes of the half remaining, Ian Durrant and Ally McCoist set up Cammy Fraser to head Rangers back into the game.

Coupe de France 1982 1983 Paris Sg Nantes finale

 Finale
11 Juin 1983
Parc des Princes
Arbitre Mr Vautrot 46000 Spectateurs

PSG - Baratelli - Lemoult, Pilorget, Bathenay puis Dahleb (50eme), Tanasi - Fernandez, Zaremba, Susic - Toko, Rocheteau, N'Gom (84eme)
Nantes - Bertrand-Demanes - Bibard, Rio, Bossis, Ayache - , Touré, Adonkor, Tusseau puis Muller (73eme) - Baronchelli, Halilhodzic, Amisse