Futebol

Even with a year to run on his contract and Guardiola available? Pep wouldn't have had much of a break to be fair.

Essentially I am trying to come up with a counter factual in which Joey Barton doesn't get sent off against Man City on last day of season and Aguero doesn't score winner as they have one extra body in box.

So far for obvious ones.

Mancini sacked summer 2012
Ferguson and Scholes retire
Barton doesn't go to France

Knock on

New Man Utd manager ? is not given money to buy RVP.
New Man City manager Ancelotti is given money for RVP and Hazard.
Having finished season with no assists and no league medal Balotelli asks to leave before Euro 2012, doesn't play in semi-final against Germany.

still working on it.

as usual, the guardian's best goals of the (european) season list turned up some great ones i'd missed..

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2013/jun/03/european-goal-of-season-2012-13

would like to have seen at least one of Juan Arango or Paul Pogba's wonderstikes included. i appreciate the aesthetic beauty of kone's picture-perfect rovesciata but my favorite Serie A goal this season was Di Natale's volley against the flying donkeys (camera angle helps)...




i also dont get them including Saber Khlifa's goal against Nice but not his effort against Valenciennes. I'll take these two exquisite touches over a lob we've seen dozens of times before:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS5Cvs0o4EQ

Japan qualified for the World Cup today.

So AS Monaco...

^loving it

hopefully they play some beautiful football

Just were a cunt like Terry belongs, hope Ligue 1 get them kicked out as it's not a level playing field. Never mind FFP.

Also shit tiny stadium with a car park under it. Wankers.

Ever since I was a little boy I've always dreamed of playing in a car park, in front of 5000 people

If the rest of the teams accept whatever shitty little bribe they are offered they are idiots. I can't see Plattini taking a stand once the whole league is complicit.

That said, could soon all be out of his hands in the current EC tax climate.

I am in agreement with Bruegs and Mitch on AS Monaco. Also, just stumbled on a great read from a surprising source...
http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/9338962/when-beautiful-game-turns-ugly

I'm sure I've mentioned this before but I strongly recommend reading this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2002/mar/10/sportandleisure.features

over a decade on and just in time for their return to the big time

I'll be sure to check that out, thanks.

The question that comes out of Thompson's article is whether the sudden, frenzied rise in racism and neo-fascism that has infiltrated the sport is the last gasp before an inevitable multiculturalism or the birth of something new and frightening. I obviously don't know the answer but it is the ground for an interesting conversation.

assuming you are talking specifically about Italy, this is by no means a sudden development. I think I've made my opinions on that seam of Italian society clear before but it's also worth noting that this is now at least (at last) a public discourse.

not a fan of that article. sloppy marriage of style and substance that seems to be grasping for self aggrandisement over answers.

Bruegel wrote:I'm sure I've mentioned this before but I strongly recommend reading this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2002/mar/10/sportandleisure.features

over a decade on and just in time for their return to the big time

is this like a rewrite of Among the Thugs?

not at all. conventional hooliganism is a very peripheral concern. Parks is infiltrating the Veneto way of life rather than a firm. it's basically an extension of his cultural commentary non-fiction stuff in the form of an extended love letter to football and, more specifically, Hellas Verona.

the gialloblu get a bad name because of a vocal right wing minority (one that thrives politically in that corner of Italy) but they also represent the rich regional tradition of Italian football support. You can't help but fall for the passion of some of the characters Parks meets.

I'd better add that to my YSG summer reading list.

Is anyone watching the Confederations Cup? I'm going to watch the Spain vs Uruguay match later on.I'm not all that invested in this competition.

Nah, I might watch Spain - Tahiti as I enjoy that kind of thing.

just got back home in time to watch the conclusion of the golf (which takes precedence over this)

provided audio description of events for my dad over the phone, which was nice

might watch a match later in the tournament if it doesn't clash with my cricket, afl, mma, nba, nhl etc. viewing

kind of nice to have a month off the footie....we've got to be fresh for next summer

by 'we', I mean YSG soccer bros. im sure england will put in shit performances regardless.

i love the sport and am starting jr up in lil' kickers this weekend but already dread having to deal with overzealous parents.

Got a ticket for the Saturday at Trent Bridge. £80

i hope the weather is kind

Sing when your swinging.

We are actually at a stage-do in Manchester and it's a good excuse to get out of paintball.

ITA v JPN 

Stone

Cold

Classic