General Football Thread

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Only a friendly but Kagawa was fantastic, he's going to be immense for us.

They were unlucky not to win it in fairness. Super Bebe popped up right near the end with a flick up volley

[Lineker]

Dider Drogba comes off the bench and scores on his Shanghai Shenhua league debut to rescue his new side a point!

[Lineker]

Move over Ali Dia!!

Adelaide United have been left red-faced, with the club admitting they offered a trial to a player who does not exist.

The Reds announced on Wednesday two overseas players had been offered a trial following an extensive search to locate new recruits, one of which was supposed to be former United States youth international Dexter Rosales.

Portuguese striker Fabio Ferreira, formerly of Chelsea, was the other player in question.

"Their pedigree is good and we've got to cast the net far and wide, so they'll come here on trial and we'll have a look at them," Adelaide United coach John Kosmina said in a statement.

Reds football director Michael Petrillo confirmed Rosales was pencilled in to train with the A-League club: "Rosales has been recommended to us. He's paying his own way here."

However, Adelaide acknowledged on Monday that Rosales had not arrived and the club had been fooled by an elaborate hoax.

"It has been a strange few days with all the speculation around this mystery man - it doesn't look great from our end," a Reds media spokesman told Sportal.

"We're not the first club to be given a false lead with a supposed trialist, but other clubs probably just don't promote it to the world like we did."

With Adelaide seemingly one of several clubs to fall victim to the non-existent Rosales, credit must be given to the perpetrators of the elaborate hoax.

'Rosales' caught the eye of Adelaide's scouts with an impressive resume, which listed Dutch champions Ajax and Spanish heavyweights Valencia as former clubs.

The 25-year-old supposedly enjoyed stints with Argentine giants River Plate and Colombian side Club Atletico Junior at youth level, while representing the United States at Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 level.

However, Rosales' high-profile credentials have no credible sources to verify their legitimacy.

A quick glance at a since-deleted Wikipedia page on Rosales revealed several flaws.

The website stated Rosales was born on July 19, 1987, yet according to several other sources the Miami-born forward also enjoys a birthday on July 7 and July 9.

Image searches of Rosales caused further confusion, with former Ajax and Argentina international Mauro Rosales appearing under the phantom player's name.

Ajax's media department added to the doubts over Rosales' career on Friday by confirming he never played for nor was registered with the Eredivisie side.

"Dexter Rosales was never a contracted player here at Ajax and never was on trial," an Ajax media official said.

"I checked Google and saw that there was a [picture] card with the name Dexter Rosales, but that picture of the player in the Ajax kit was Mauro Rosales.

"Mauro was a player from Argentina who was at the club until 2006, but the card and text is not 'Ajax official'.

"We do not know if Dexter Rosales does or does not exist, but we can confirm that he never was at Ajax."

Valencia also denied the player ever graced the Estadio Mestalla pitch.

"He was not a player of Valencia CF," a press official said.

And River Plate added confirmation to the rapid unraveling of Rosales' non-existent career.

"River Plate does not have any registration that says Mr Rosales was a former player," a media officer said.

Club Atletico, along with US Soccer's governing body and Rosales' supposed high school, did not respond to emails sent last week, while his 'agent' Dimitri Kascovic could not be reached for comment.

[EddieG]

Move over Ali Dia!!

Adelaide United have been left red-faced, with the club admitting they offered a trial to a player who does not exist.

The Reds announced on Wednesday two overseas players had been offered a trial following an extensive search to locate new recruits, one of which was supposed to be former United States youth international Dexter Rosales.

Portuguese striker Fabio Ferreira, formerly of Chelsea, was the other player in question.

"Their pedigree is good and we've got to cast the net far and wide, so they'll come here on trial and we'll have a look at them," Adelaide United coach John Kosmina said in a statement.

Reds football director Michael Petrillo confirmed Rosales was pencilled in to train with the A-League club: "Rosales has been recommended to us. He's paying his own way here."

However, Adelaide acknowledged on Monday that Rosales had not arrived and the club had been fooled by an elaborate hoax.

"It has been a strange few days with all the speculation around this mystery man - it doesn't look great from our end," a Reds media spokesman told Sportal.

"We're not the first club to be given a false lead with a supposed trialist, but other clubs probably just don't promote it to the world like we did."

With Adelaide seemingly one of several clubs to fall victim to the non-existent Rosales, credit must be given to the perpetrators of the elaborate hoax.

'Rosales' caught the eye of Adelaide's scouts with an impressive resume, which listed Dutch champions Ajax and Spanish heavyweights Valencia as former clubs.

The 25-year-old supposedly enjoyed stints with Argentine giants River Plate and Colombian side Club Atletico Junior at youth level, while representing the United States at Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 level.

However, Rosales' high-profile credentials have no credible sources to verify their legitimacy.

A quick glance at a since-deleted Wikipedia page on Rosales revealed several flaws.

The website stated Rosales was born on July 19, 1987, yet according to several other sources the Miami-born forward also enjoys a birthday on July 7 and July 9.

Image searches of Rosales caused further confusion, with former Ajax and Argentina international Mauro Rosales appearing under the phantom player's name.

Ajax's media department added to the doubts over Rosales' career on Friday by confirming he never played for nor was registered with the Eredivisie side.

"Dexter Rosales was never a contracted player here at Ajax and never was on trial," an Ajax media official said.

"I checked Google and saw that there was a [picture] card with the name Dexter Rosales, but that picture of the player in the Ajax kit was Mauro Rosales.

"Mauro was a player from Argentina who was at the club until 2006, but the card and text is not 'Ajax official'.

"We do not know if Dexter Rosales does or does not exist, but we can confirm that he never was at Ajax."

Valencia also denied the player ever graced the Estadio Mestalla pitch.

"He was not a player of Valencia CF," a press official said.

And River Plate added confirmation to the rapid unraveling of Rosales' non-existent career.

"River Plate does not have any registration that says Mr Rosales was a former player," a media officer said.

Club Atletico, along with US Soccer's governing body and Rosales' supposed high school, did not respond to emails sent last week, while his 'agent' Dimitri Kascovic could not be reached for comment.

Got a link for that I could share? :lmao:

[Lineker]

Not at the moment - it's somewhere on goal.com

[IAceI]

Sam:

"Anyone fancy a game of footie in Barcelona tmoro 7v7 at the velodromo? Send u email address to @GuillemBalague within next couple hours pls"

Go.

[TCO]

Just noticed on Robbie Keane's Wiki, it has the line "Keane was delighted at joining the club he supported as a boy." in every one of his permanent moves that didn't already have a quote of him saying it.

Coventry City

Just weeks into the 1999–2000 season, he was sold to Premier League club Coventry City for £6 million, then a British record for a teenager.[10] Keane was delighted at joining the club he supported as a boy. Keane got off to a great start, scoring two goals in his debut. During a successful season at Coventry, he played a major role in a stylish attacking side boasting the likes of Gary McAllister, Mustapha Hadji and Youssef Chippo. He scored 12 goals in 34 games, many of them showpiece finishes, and came to both national and international prominence.his partnership in the front of the squad with Cedric Roussel was one of the impressive in the Premier League history during these years.

Internazionale

Marcello Lippi signed Keane for a fee of £13 million.[11] Lippi later said "At that time at Inter, they had a policy of going for young players and Robbie Keane was the best one that I saw."[12] Keane was delighted at joining the club he supported as a boy. However, Keane's dream move to Italy soon soured when Lippi was sacked. Lippi's successor, Marco Tardelli, deemed Keane to be surplus to requirements. Keane's ambition refused to let him stagnate in Italy and in December 2000, he was loaned out to Leeds United,[13] after only 14 appearances and three goals for Internazionale in all competitions, his most memorable coming in the Italian Supercup against Lazio, after two minutes into the match. He also scored against Ruch Chorzów in the UEFA Cup[14] and U.S. Lecce in the Coppa Italia.[15]

Leeds United

His Leeds career got off to an impressive start, scoring 9 goals in 14 starts before the Leeds manager, David O'Leary, made his loan deal permanent in May 2001 at an original cost of £12 million.[16] Keane was delighted at joining the club he supported as a boy. The following season was not so bright, and he found himself dropping down the pecking order. His form suffered and he only managed 10 goals in 33 appearances, although he did manage a hat-trick in a 6–0 Football League Cup win at Leicester City on 9 October 2001.[17]

Meanwhile, Leeds sunk deeper into debt and were forced to sell many players and Keane joined the exodus when he was sold to Tottenham Hotspur just before the 2002–03 transfer deadline for a fee of £7 million.[18]

LA Galaxy

After playing one match for the newly reformed New York Cosmos in Paul Scholes's testimonal match[87] Keane joined American club Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer,[88] becoming one of the club's three allowed designated players, alongside David Beckham and Landon Donovan. Keane was delighted at joining the club he supported as a boy. Galaxy traded their previous third Designated Player, Juan Pablo Angel, to Los Angeles rivals CD Chivas USA in order to make room for Keane.[89] He made his debut on 20 August 2011, in a game against the San Jose Earthquakes, and scored his first goal for his new team in the 21st minute.[90] His first CONCACAF Champions League goal was scored in September 2011 against Monarcas Morelia of Mexico.[91] Keane assisted the winning goal for Landon Donovan in the 72nd minute of the 2011 MLS Cup Final on 20 November as the Galaxy defeated the Houston Dynamo by a 1–0 score.

I really hope that never get changed.

[Lineker]

Fabrice Muamba has revealed he played football again just two months after collapsing on the pitch.

The Bolton Wanderers player collapsed with a heart attack during an FA cup match in March against Tottenham.

Now he's revealed that he played football when he went on holiday to Dubai in May.

He said, "I was on holiday and I was staying in a hotel and there were quite a few footballers in the hotel as well.

"The staff usually play against the visitors so I was by the pool and I heard they were playing football.

"Then I went across and saw other footballers playing and I told my friends and Shauna - I told her 'I am sorry but I am going to play football.

"She goes 'are you sure?' and I say 'yes' and I just went in there.

"I just went in through the groove and played for about 20-25 minutes. It was just playing like normal, it was just playing like I was training. It was great, I enjoyed it."

[Rafael]

Clarence Seedorf scores his first goal for Botafogo with a lovely free-kick just outside the box.

[If_You_Wanna_Be_The_Man]

That story about the fake player reminds me of when the papers reported a transfer to Harchester United, the fictional team from Sky one's 'Dream Team'

[Lineker]

Non-league Stamford are claiming be the first English club to display their Twitter handle on their strip this season. The Evo-Stik First Division South side say their new first-team shirts will feature club’s Twitter handle –making them the first English football team to advertise a social network identity on their shirt.

The club will include @StamfordAFC1896 on the back of their new Errea home shirts and will wear them for the first time on Tuesday night in their final pre-season home friendly against Rotherham United.

The home shirt will also feature a QR code which instantly link users to the club’s new official twitter feed. This is an element we’re less sure about as we know that they impossible to use if the are moving about. If they are on the available kit to buy then it may have a small amount of value.

Director Chris Rivett said: “We believe we’re the first football club to display our club Twitter name and a QR code on the back of our kit, possibly even the first sports club in the world.

“As a club we are keen to embrace the digital age and the opportunities it brings. Our communications strategy is centred around interacting with supporters through a variety of media, and on their terms.

“The platform social networks provide will be key to allowing us to do that effectively, so this form of promotion was an obvious means of maximizing exposure to everything we are doing as a football club.”

Last season Mexican side Jaguares were the first team to allow players to display their own personal twitter handles on the back of their shirts, instead of their surnames. Other sports have followed suit with Rugby League side Leeds Rhinos, The LPGA and the FA Womens Football Super League in recent times looking to highlight their digital efforts via their kit.

Rivett added: “As the relationship between technology and sport evolves I expect this will become a common practice; sports clubs, and perhaps more significantly players and brands, will look to interact with supporters in this manner.

“Just down the road from us, Kettering Town are widely recognised as being the first team in Britain to have a shirt sponsor. If the opportunity is adopted on a global scale, it will nice to see Stamford acknowledged as one of pioneers of this approach.”

[If_You_Wanna_Be_The_Man]

Hope that isn't the start of a trend.

[Hobo]

A QR Code on a football jersey seems a bit silly.

[Guest mr. potato head]

QR codes in general seem a bit silly.

[Dynamite]

Anyone who lives in Manchester, or is ever coming up here, should check out the National Football Museum. I only had enough time to check out the first floor but it is an amazing collection of memorabilia, stories, and just history of the game. It really is incredible to see how the game has changed from the footballs and shirts they used 100 years ago to what we have now. I'm looking forward to whenever I get a day off next to go and have a look at the rest of the museum. Plus it's free so there's no reason not to go really if you have the chance.

[If_You_Wanna_Be_The_Man]

Sounds good, may have to pay it a visit next time I brave the M6

[Starvinho]

Shay Given has retired from international football according to Sky Sports twitter.

[Lineker]

Yep, FAI just tweeted it.

[Monkey D. Lars]

There are stories going around in Holland about Ajax having a lot of money troubles, don't know if they are true. Hope we find out any soon, because here in Holland you can not have any debt.

[The Quasi Juice]

It's bullshit, media thinks so because they aren't willing to buy mediocre players for millions of euros any more, and aren't willing to pay insane salaries. They won the title 2 years in a row, played CL last year and this year too, and offloaded loads of players, and sold Vertonghen. That's money right there.

Edited August 14, 2012 by The Quasi Juice