Considered by many to be the greatest footballing player of all time, Pele is credited with scoring a world record 1,281 goals in 1,363 career appearances. He is the only man to have won the World Cup three times – in 1958, 1962 and 1970. Obviously, many of us would be biased towards George Best being considered the greatest footballer and there was mutual respect between the two of them. Pele has always said that George Best was the greatest …
You wait years for a world cup and four come along at once. In recent weeks we’ve had world cups in women’s rugby union, men’s rugby league, T20 cricket – and now we’ve got the big one coming up – the long awaited 2022 FIFA World Cup in soccer, possibly the most controversial tournament ever and dubbed by Amnesty International as the “world cup of shame” It will be the first world cup to be held in the Middle East, …
It’s okay folks. Those bastions of the people, Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea and Abu Dhabi’s Manchester City have interceded to save the day on behalf of Joe Football Supporting Public. They pulled out of the tri-nation Super League, followed semi-swiftly by the other four English clubs. ‘Pres Perez’ called a Zoom meeting but couldn’t keep the band together. So much for the Little Power-Grab That Could. Sorry if you were one of the not-so-vocal few who thought that watching Cristiano Ronaldo …
Football has always been political. Its widespread global following and the deep dedication of fans make it a platform through which socio-political issues play out. As philosopher – and avid football fan – Jacques Derrida once claimed: “Beyond the touchline, there is nothing.” In other words, the social, economic, political and cultural events of the wider world manifest in the stadium and through the game, its players and fans. Recent times have seen high profile examples of this, including Marcus …
Recently we had the disgraceful but in some ways predictable behaviour of some fans (but at least it was a minority) at the Northern Ireland versus Republic of Ireland match during the playing of the National Anthems. I was always taught that no matter how you feel about a country, or its government’s policies, you should always respect the national anthem. However, at the same time – why do the Irish Football Association still continue to use God Save the …
It was a big week in Europe in more ways than one. Wales is left as the standard bearer of the home nations in the Euros. Northern Ireland and the Republic get honourable mentions in the reputation stakes not only on the field but on the terraces and the pubs. The Somme commemorations recall Britain’s very literal continuing place in Europe (There is a corner of a foreign field etc.”) Modern Ireland is recovering its own memory. In the horrible …
“Don’t let yourself down” is usually the war cry of every Irish Mammy bidding farewell to her off spring as they head away to do something fun and away from the gaze of her watchful eye. What the Irish Mammy means is, don’t let the family down because you are typifying them and word will get back to her if you’ve misbehaved. Then you’re in trouble. pic.twitter.com/J5DsJXpDAf — Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) June 25, 2016 Since the Euro’s started; tens …
In restaurants, on the Metro, in the stands, the (Northern) Irish were unbeatable. They sang everywhere, all the time. A mix of contagious high spirits, irony and most of all lots of self-effacement they lit up the Parc Olympique Lyonnais on Thursday after having already given it all in the streets of the city. If you can sing, “Nous ne sommes pas le Brésil, nous sommes l’Irlande du nord, mais c’est pareil pour moi” that gives you the tone of …
TWO HALVES: A report from Ulster University reveals some unexpectedly positive attitudes towards promoting inclusion in soccer in Ireland. It may be that sport engenders a positive, ‘what can we do to make things better’ attitude, whereas politicians are more likely to ask of any proposed changes: ‘what’s in it for us’?
The Republic of Ireland beat the creditor state 1-0. Northern Ireland beat the debtor state 3-1. For a short moment Germany and Greece are both losers. Brian SpencerBrian is a writer, artist, political cartoonist and legal blogger. Actively tweeting from @brianjohnspencr. More information here: http://www.brianjohnspencer.com/ www.brianjohnspencer.com/
The matter of the eligibility of northern-born Irish nationals to play for the Football Association of Ireland was raised again recently at a panel discussion on sport and reconciliation during the 50th plenary session of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA). It was co-chaired by Frank Feighan of Fine Gael, who told us that the “trend… deserves careful consideration”. This dispute has long been resolved, however, with football’s governing body, FIFA, providing ample clarification as to the correct application of their …
According to the BBC’s Mark Simpson, former Provisional IRA OC in the Maze Prison, now Sinn Féin leader in Belfast City Council, Cllr Jim McVeigh, objected tonight when DUP Cllr Ruth Patterson put on a Linfield football scarf while speaking on a motion calling on the council to honour out-going Linfield manager David Jeffrey. From the BBC report The monthly meeting of the council on Monday was held up for more than 10 minutes as a result of complaints from Mr McVeigh. …
Well, as it was put on Morning Ireland this morning the Republic sang whilst Spain played football. The singing, whilst impressive, only annoyed Roy Keane the more. The Corkman was blunt: “We’re a small country, we’re up against it, but let’s not just go along for the sing-song every now and again.” Translated, this roughly means: “this is sport, not entertainment”. I’m sure my old Da, who never even saw Keane the elder play but who loved seriously competitive players …
Well, they did it. I was in P4 when the team I (“Foolishly?” – Ed) chose to support in Primary School last won the championship of English football. Yesterday I watched them win again just round the corner from where I saw them gain promotion against Gillingham in 1999, when “typical City” similarly left their own salvation to the very last minute. And it was a good feeling. And better for the longer wait and the tougher win. The sentiment …
As the BBC reports, Belfast-based freelance journalist Michael Fisher has taken exception to the terms and conditions of an Iarnród Éireann competition “to win an amazing trip for two with a difference to see Ireland’s three group games in Euro 2012 this June”. Well, one condition in particular – “Applicants must be 18 years of age or over, and must be resident in the Republic of Ireland” [added emphasis]. From Michael Fisher’s Border Rambler blog This is a clear case of discrimination, where marketing …
Is Scotland’s football team good enough for independence? Let’s look at the facts by comparing electoral support for independence, in so far as that can be measured as support for the SNP, with the performance of the Scottish football team. A number of points are worthing noting here: Qualifying for the finals of tournaments in the 1950s didn’t coincide with any major electoral success on the part of the SNP as, coincidentally, it wasn’t until the late 1960s that there …
..or how Fermanagh learned to stop harrrying and started to bomb
Steve Bruce with a well researched broadside on the dodgy accusation that Scotland is awash with sectarian, football related violence: Scotland never divided in the way Ireland did. It did not divide politically: the native Scots who worked with the Irish settlers and their children in the labour movement and in the Labour party always vastly outnumbered those who supported tiny and short-lived anti-Catholic parties. Scotland never divided residentially: nowhere in Scotland displayed Belfast’s pattern of residential segregation. And despite …
Lets get parochial. It seems only a few weeks ago Cork took Sam back to the Rebel County – maybe because it was just a few weeks ago? However, from now on down Down fans (mourning Mournemen?) and the rest of us get to forget the defeats and look forward to next year. Provincial football draws were made tonight! As Slugger is clearly an Ulster blog, I’ll only note the fixtures for the Anglo-Celt cup: Preliminary: Donegal v Antrim 1st …
One thing Slugger loves is a blog on football allegiances, so here you go… Today English teenager Adam Barton withdrew from the northern ireland football squad facing Italy and the Faroe Islands in the European qualifiers. Yesterday the north’s manager had declared: If players don’t want to represent Northern Ireland, it doesn’t matter how good or how bad they are, that’s up to them and good luck to them. It’s not a problem for Northern Ireland. “I focus on the …
