The Beautiful Game

Every four years the football world goes a little nuts. No, I’m not talking about the world cup and I’m not talking about the Euro. I’m talking of course, about the Olympics. Unlike other major football tournaments tactics and egos don’t dominate discussions instead the validity of the tournament provides ample talking points. This got me thinking, why do we play football in the Olympics? Not only is the tournament not backed by FIFA but there are a number of differences that work against traditional football norms. For example England does not compete as a separate nation opting instead to share their chance at glory with the other nations of the British Isles under the banner of Great Brittan. To add to the mayhem countries cannot select their strongest squads, instead National teams comprise of under-23 players and are only allowed to field a limited number of over age players. At first glance Olympic football appears as though it is merely a second r...

The 4 groups for the Euro 2012 were drawn last night, and another 'group of death' has emerged, in the form of Group B. This group is not short of excitement, featuring old foes Germnay and Netherlands, and also Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal. Denmark is the other team in the group, an outsider to progress, ranked 11th in the world. These games should be crackers featuring some of the world's best players. The group that is seen to be the easiest, and one that the other nations would envy to be in, is Group A. It contains co-hosts Poland, who kick-off the tournament against Euro 2004 champions Greece on June 9, 2018 World Cup hosts Russia, and Petr Cech's Czech Republic. Greece and Russia are tipped to progress, whilst the Czech Republic and Poland are outside chances. This is an interesting group, as any one of the sides can beat the other if in good form. Group C is another tough group, and one must feel for Ireland, their first major tournament since 1988, and ...

Enough is enough. After years of instability, poor management and most worryingly of all poor football it is time the football community asks itself what to do with the troubled Oceania Football Confederation. With a mere 14 member nations (most of which ranked outside the top 100) and .5 world cup spots the Oceania Football Confederation has little influence in the world of football and apparently in its own region. Australia were quick to jump the sinking Oceanic ship, ditching the confederation as part of a total revamp of football in the country leaving New-Zealand as the only 'major' footballing nation to properly represent the confederation internationally. A merger with the AFC could give OFC members a much needed  boost The sad truth is Oceania is holding its members back. With little financial power (relative to other governing bodies) and little talent coming out of the region one must wonder what the point is in isolating a handful ...