ontd_football | news and gossip (tit bits really) (Reply)

Sepp Blatter and the Qatar 2022 World Cup: too little, too late

In repeating his promise to Qatar that the World Cup was going nowhere, Blatter also made a mockery of a warning earlier in the week from the German Fifa executive Theo Zwanziger, who heads a taskforce on the issue, that it could yet be taken from them if workers rights did not improve.

To the frustration of human rights groups and those who have campaigned for better protection and conditions, the momentum for fundamental reform of the kafala system that ties workers to their employers seems to be petering out. a farce I tell you

How Soccer Is Reshaping the NFL

Beckham doing a Neymar
Like most athletes growing up, Ndamukong Suh studied his heroes.

He learned footwork from one of his idols. What Suh gleaned were subtle but brilliant moves—like how to use your feet to fake twice, in quick succession, like you‘re headed one way, before going the other.

“It helped me so much,” the star Detroit Lions pass rusher said.

But it wasn’t an American football player Suh was watching. It was Thierry Henry , who starred for European soccer giants Arsenal and Barcelona.

If you ask NFL scouts and decision makers what’s changing among the league’s younger standouts, it’s a different type of athleticism. That can be attributed, in part, to soccer. Those inside the game say that a young core of stars, all rooted in the beautiful game, have brought a new dimension to the NFL. the players have even started swapping jerseys after the games, and no football isn't communist, plz don't read the comments.

Chatter from the sidelines

Death toll among Qatar’s 2022 World Cup workers revealed one Nepalese worker dies a day. They don't name workers from the other countries, because they fear it might be five workers a day

Sepp Blatter Hints at Contesting FIFA Elections OMG, why? Haven't you done enough?

England women arrange World Cup warm-ups with USA and France read more

Fabregas made more assists in his first season for Chelsea than Jack Wilshere has for his entire career at Arsenal welp

I'm just putting this picture here

Bayern Munich's Domination Sparks 'Boring Bundesliga' Debate compared to the SPL. Damn, that's harsh

Southampton signs Eljero Elia. he's here on loan and his wiki is already updated

Suárez donated 500 baskets to hospital in his native Uruguay link in spanish

Manchester United has offered €150 million for Bale, Real Madrid will sell if player wants to leave that will be a no, then, although the Madridistas seem to have gone off on him (in the forums I've read Isco has been a pleasant surprise) link in Spanish

Dunga: "We choose Neymar captain cause Brazil's main problem in WC was the mentality. We put a captain who knows how to deal with pressure."Oh, man. *buries face in hands* You don't say that!

It's Christmas, and a PL manager hasn't been fired. So of course, now's the time to get to Ladbrokes and put a flutter

Three years ago to the day, El Cholo became the coach of Atletico Madrid all hail El Cholo!

Florentino Pérez: "Everybody is now talking about 'La Undécima'" como no te voy something something something

Xavi: "Ronaldo didn't do much in the World Cup" glass house, Xavi, glasshouse. Let me send a glazier over

Pictures
OP: not much because it's training days and Christmas over here. No matches will be played until Boxing day, so forgive the dearth of pictures

Alexis Sanchez plays the piano? Someone link me with a vid, stat

Over the holidays, they're doing a documentary on Sir Alex Ferguson. Jose Mourinho reveals that their rivalry (when he first came to the EPL) soon became a love in, as they shared wine after matches, and Ferguson thought that he was indeed the special one. Handsome with swarthy good looks, knew his onions, spoke five languages. Mourinho, Fergie said, was unfair.