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Soccer: Glazer Says the United Fans Accept Us Manchester United director Bryan Glazer has told a Tampa radio station that United's fans like him. Which is news to them.

Manchester United fans have finally accepted the Glazers, according to Bryan Glazer, the club's non-executive director and son of the controversial owner Malcolm. 'I think they have [accepted us]. I think they've seen that we haven't turned the place upside down,' Glazer told Tampa sports radio station WDAE in a rare interview. 'There aren't cheerleaders on the sidelines.'

Glazer was speaking in Orlando as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers began training ahead of the start of the NFL season in September. Bryan Glazer also said that his father was recovering from his stroke. 'He is better every day,' said Bryan. 'I saw him yesterday, I'm going to see him tomorrow. He's got his family around him.'

Bryan is returning to the UK next week for United board meetings. He took an active role in the transformation of the Buccaneers when the family took over the franchise in 1995, as the team changed colours, badge and stadium before winning a Super Bowl in 2002. But he rarely speaks on the record to the media and this was his first appearance on WDAE in several years.

Glazer's passion for football has not been diminished by the controversy surrounding the takeover of United or the punishing transatlantic schedule that being a non-executive director of the club and executive director of the Buccaneers imposes. 'I have two loves,' he told host Steve Duemig. 'American football and European football.'

Alexandre Gaydamak is believed to be in Istanbul, attempting to conclude a deal to bring Nicolas Anelka to Portsmouth from Fenerbahce, writes Jamie Jackson.A club official is said to have let slip the whereabouts of the millionaire club chairman to the local media and reports in France suggest that a deal is likely, though perhaps not until after the start of the Premiership season. Fenerbahce face a Champions League qualifying tie against Dynamo Kiev and the Turkish side are reluctant to lose the sometime France striker before the second leg, which falls in the week after the opening Premiership games.

Redknapp, speaking after his side's 4 - 0 friendly win at Bournemouth, denied knowledge of the chairman's whereabouts, but admitted that Anelka would be a welcome addition to his squad.

Lee Croft has agreed to join Norwich from Manchester City and is expected to complete his move today. The 21-year-old winger has already discussed personal terms and undergone a medical after the clubs settled on a £700,000 transfer fee.

Rudi Skacel has teamed up again with former Hearts manager George Burley, joining him at Southampton after a £1.6million move from the Tynecastle club. The Czech Republic midfielder scored 16 goals in 35 Scottish Premier League games last season, after arriving at Tynecastle on loan from Marseille. His transfer to Hearts was only completed in the close season, apparently with a view to making a profit by selling him on.

Carlos Alberto Parreira has agreed to coach hosts South Africa in the 2010 World Cup. Brazil's 1994 World Cup-winning boss, who resigned from his latest stint in charge of his homeland following a disappointing quarter-final exit in Germany this summer, has signed a four-year deal. Molefi Oliphant, president of the South African FA, said he was 'very excited' by the news.

By Guardian Unlimited © Copyright Guardian Newspapers 2008
Published: 7/29/2006

The Haves And The Havants - Another Day Of FA Cup Magic

There may have been no major surprises on FA Cup 4th Round Saturday 2008 come final whistle time but for 45 minutes at Anfield one small Blue Square South side made up of caretakers, primary school teachers, builders and bin men took on seven times FA Cup winners Liverpool and scared the life right out of them.

I only briefly mentioned Havant & Waterlooville in my last piece on the magic of the F.A. Cup as I praised Chasetown for their run to the Third Round but Havant went one step further and then some more at Anfield. Taking an early lead through school caretaker Richard Pacquette sent the 6,000 travelling Havant & Waterlooville fans into raptures and they managed to hold that dream for nearly twenty minutes before Lucas equalised for Liverpool. Little Havant didn't give up though and only four minutes later took the lead AGAIN through a Martin Skrtel own goal on his debut and quite rightly took the applause of every fan in Anfield, home and away. Read more...

Spain Ready To Call Up Bojan

Spanish national team coach Luis Aragones has admitted that he is considering calling up Barcelona's 17 year old wonderkid Bojan to the full Spain squad in an effort to prevent him being poached by his father's native Serbia.

Spain have a friendly game against France next week and Aragones feels that Bojan, who scored on his Barcelona debut last year, is definitely a big star for the future and doesn't want to run the risk of having the Catalonia born striker's head turned by the Serbs.

Seventeen years old is a very young age to ever fully judge a player's full potential but with over 800 goals at youth team level and a starring role in last year's Under 17 World Cup for Spain's youngsters, Bojan is certainly an exciting young talent and Aragones is completely correct to clear up any future doubts about his chosen nationality by getting him some action in a full Spanish shirt as soon as possible.

Drogba To Boycott Future African Player of the Year Awards

Even while he's still embroiled in a fascinating African Cup of Nations campaign with the Ivory Coast, Chelsea striker Didier Drogba manages to get involved in another controversial off-field incident, this time with the African Player of the Year awards.

After this year's award was given to Sevilla and Mali striker Fredi Kanoute, Drogba issued a statement saying that he was boycotting future African Player of the Year awards after being told he had won this year's award and, after refusing to travel to Togo to receive it, saw it handed instead to Kanoute.

Drogba's insistence that it was ridiculous to expect any player to travel to another country to receive an award two days before a major quarter final in Africa's premier international tournament is spot on and despite the CAF's assertions that Kanoute was always their choice, it's cast a cloud over African football at the worst possible moment.

The world football media's spotlight has been on Ghana for the Cup of Nations and the quality of some of the football has provided a worthy talking point while arguments over African Player of the Year awards and the rights and wrongs of who actually won does nothing but denigrate the reputation of all those involved.

If The English Premier League Play Games Abroad, Football Is Dead

I'm sure most will have read of the proposals made by the English Premier League this week that another round of games should be added to the league season from the 2010-2011 season onwards with the ten games being played outside of England in whichever city pays the most money for the staging rights. In an even better twist, the "top five" clubs will be seeded so as to avoid playing each other again in yet another attempt to maintain the current hierarchy of the haves and the have nots with no disruption to the status quo.

Only one goal from midfielder Mohamed Aboutrika was enough to settle the 2008 African Cup of Nations final in Egypt's favour and earn the Pharaohs a record sixth title in Africa's premier international tournament.

Brazil's Olympic Games 2008 plans seem to have been scuttled by one of their own former World Cup winners as Milan Foundation general secretary Leonardo (a World Cup winner in 1994 with Brazil) says that the Italian club may not agree to release Kaka as one of the three overage players in the Brazilian squad for Beijing.

Leonardo, who himself had a glorious playing career with AC Milan, wouldn't go quite so far as to say that Kaka definitely couldn't go but the strong hints were there in his speech as he pointed out the far greater significance of the UEFA Champion's League preliminary rounds to Milan if they finished third or fourth in this season's Serie A.

The former international left back also pointed out that the Olympic Games football tournament is not directly a FIFA tournament and as such all clubs are not obliged to release their players under FIFA law as is the case for other international tournaments such as the World Cup or Copa America.

I can, of course, understand completely why Dunga and Brazil would want to include Kaka in their squad (who wouldn't want arguably the world's finest player at the peak of his powers?) but I can't see what Kaka gets out of the deal. He already plays for one of the world's biggest clubs and has a UEFA Champion's League winner's medal to show for it. He also plays for the full Brazil squad and has another World Cup to aim for in two years time. Does the Olympic Games really mean that much to a 25 year old Kaka at this stage of his career?

One of world soccer's finest ever exponents, the incomparable Alfredo Di Stefano, received a special president's award from UEFA president Michel Platini this weekend at a heartfelt ceremony of appreciation at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

The 81 year old former Real Madrid great still lives in the Spanish city and was seemingly almost overcome with the emotion of the award from his former employers and the sport's governing bodies but in a characteristic display of dry wit used the power of self deprecating laughter to show his personal appreciation at receiving such lofty accolades from the great and the good of European football

It may be 48 years since Alfredo Di Stefano won the last of his five back to back European Cups with the great Real Madrid side of the 1950s and 1960s but time hasn't dimmed the affection held for the man regarded by many as the greatest all round footballer of all time.

"In the names written in gold in the history of our sport there is a special place for Alfredo Di Stefano," UEFA president Platini said during the award ceremony, "The history of football simply can't be imagined without you. It is the first award I will present as UEFA president and only the greats will receive this honour. A sincere thank you for all you have done for our marvellous sport."

Showing his class even at his advanced age, Di Stefano dedicated the award to his former team-mates and all those who battled to compete in the support because he, in his own words, was always a team player. Well done Alfredo, it's good to see the true greats from football's real golden age not being forgotten by those who are now benefiting from their trailblazing performances and attitudes.

The first major final of the English domestic season 2007/2008 takes place this Sunday with an all-London grudge match between old artisans Tottenham Hotspur and the nouveau rich Chelsea.

I've previewed both sides' league form, their route to the Carling Cup final and had a look at who their respective danger men will be in my English Carling Cup Final 2008 Preview and I'll be commenting (probably in quite some detail) on how the final ends up on Sunday. Kick-off is 3pm local time for those looking to watch the game between these two wary old foes.

Chelsea Rule Out Move For Ronaldinho

m Alan Hylands

World Soccer Connection (WSC) introduces a social community for footballers, coaches, agents and fans.
Worldsoccerconnection.net is a social soccer network offering opportunities to its members to market themselves and gain exposure in the soccer market - one side offfer members the option of joining the community and networking themselves toward their own promotion. The other side is for facilitate the recruitement process, World Soccer Connection offers a free web based profile where the user can put on line video highlights of its skills and resume.

The community intended to be used to connect people under the philosophies "be the change" and "global friendship". WSC prides iteself on its high connection with the soccer-community. Soccer throughout the world joins people from different cultures, religions and other potential dividing-factors, and creates a spirit of friendly competition, something this world can highly benefit from. WSC believes people must come together, network and provide opportunities, knowledge, comradery and help each other. A goal of WSC is to have friends, soccer comrades, business associates and more all over the world, all else aside, as part of their symbiotic relationship. The WSC "be the change" movement honors the dedicatation of the beautiful game of soccer that lends a fair and sportsmanlike spirit to the worlds, promoting connection through a shared past-time and creativity through the different perceptions around the world in which soccer is a part of.

In addition to networking with other members, many WSC members use the Web site for promoting a professional online presence for themselves and their business, soccer-abilities, teams, etc. Many of the members' profile pages can appear at the top of search results when someone searches on their name. This can benefit a member as it is a form of a marketing website.

With an ever greater number of people involved, it is important to allow for self organisation. Group are one way in which people can express their particular interest. By creating or joining a group, members can focus on similar interests and enjoy discussions with like-minded people. Some clubs are purely online; others offer face-to-face events, typically on a monthly basis.

About the Author

Web Consultant Love the new impact of the internet and the new way of doing business. Sports fan. You play like you live; Do not be selfish. Soccer is a more than a sport it is a religion a lifestyle...i think. www.worldsoccerconnection.net

Basic Rules Of Soccer Submitted By: Bowe Packer

Soccer is a very popular and competitive sports game. In this game you have two opposed teams trying to score a goal for their squad by striking the ball into the other side’s soccer goal. While this can be a playful and exciting game both to watch and play there are a few basic rules of soccer that need to be followed. These are mainly ways to keep the game from turning roughneck, violent and very dangerous.

In the first part of game you will have two teams who are unforced to play against each other. I know this is common sense, however this is the basic rules of soccer. The very first basic rules of soccer should come into play as soon as both of these teams are on the field. There should be Eleven people on the field at one given time. The rest of the squad should be sitting or waiting on the sidelines waiting to go in and play. They must stay there unless they are required to go on the field.

In the most basic rules of soccer besides having fun you should make sure that you manipulate the ball with the rest of your body. Although this appears to be a simple task, try it, you will soon find out it is challenging. You want to be sure that your hands and arms come absolutely no where near the association football or the other team will get a free turn at performing and your squad will have to begin the defensive attitude soccer ball game.

When you are playing this game you will need to make sure that you don’t take on the goal keeper. He almost is considered to be in sacred ground back there at the goal. Another words, goal keepers are well protected by the rules. Doing a move like this will only gain your team a foul. This is a punishment which will let your opponents have a free turn at trying to score a goal. Of all the basic rules of soccer, that of winning the game by having the most goals scored is the end all be all. You must try to reach this by playing fairly, otherwise your team will suffer useful points.

So, what else can be included in the basic rules of soccer? what can you anticipate? You should try and ward off any dive tackles as this can cause hurt to the person that you are tackling. Now, once you become more experienced there are ways to accomplish the same end result as a diving tackle would. Except without the injuries and penalties. Also, you will want to invest in the right soccer equipment that your soccer team approves of. Now there is only one main rule that you will need to remember. From all of the basic rules of soccer this one counts the most – Have Fun!

Well now that you know a few of the basic rules of soccer you can try this game out for yourself. There are many city and state leagues that one can join to start in there soccer endeavors. There are very few rules for you to truly remember but if you want to know some of the other rules that are around for more of the big boys (big matches) soccer games you can see what the FIFA World Wide Web site has about these soccer rules.

About the Author:

Bowe is the webmaster and content provide for many informational websites. Please visit his Soccer site at: http://soccer.infoforuonline.com

Free Live Soccer Watch the English Premier League
By Steven Francesco Simpson

Free live soccer is something I try to watch every weekend. Watching the games live gives it such a better atmosphere than watching a replay. There is a large demand for this and in most countries live soccer is shown on normal or pay television channels. However for Indian supporters its harder to view it, even though there is a large demand for watching live soccer in that country.

A lot of Indian supporters the English premier league. Yet there is not a television channel that shows matches lives or any replays for that matter. So they are limited to searching on the internet for free live links or signing up with an online service showing the live soccer, which is often expensive.

Soccer is the world game and it should be shown right around the world live on television. Mainly on free to air television. Hopefully this happens in the short term future as it is only fair to soccer fans around the world as there is already a lot of money in the sport which means it can afford to be broadcasted live.

The level of soccer around the world continues to improve on previous generations. This has to do with improvements in training facilities and other such factors which make the game more entertaining and popular amongst fans. Soccer is the world game and it continues to grow in countries like Australia, which has seen the rise of a sleeping giant. Soccer is my favourite sport I think you should continue to watch it live.

Visit Free Live Soccer to watch all your favourite games of the English Premier League, Spanish Premiera Division and Italian Serie A, live and absolutely free. Free Live Soccer is a must see for all soccer fans.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Francesco_Simpson

History Of Soccer In The US
Submitted By: Niv Orlian

Although soccer is not THE sport in the US, the history of soccer in US is one of the longest around, right next to that of the English or the Scottish.

After the English set out to form a set of rules for the game of soccer, these were soon taken to the new World, where Americans learned to love this rising sport, right next to another game that grew strong roots in the US back then: baseball. Actually, the American Football Association is the second oldest sports league in America, after the Major League Baseball one.

Obviously, the history of soccer in US didn't start with a professional league though (in terms of what we call professional today). The American Football Association, started out in 1884, was a semi-professional competition involving New England and some Midwest areas and it was a rather chaotic environment to play soccer in, but nevertheless it was there and progressing with each year.

A parallel soccer organization, the American Amateur Football Association was founded around the same time and the two coexisted until 1913, when they merged into the US Football Association, the first fully professional soccer organization throughout the history of soccer in the US.

The US football association (or USFA) was one of the first to join FIFA and as such, the United States team participated in the early World Cups, although the game was beginning to become outshined by baseball or basketball.

With American football also on the rise, the organization adopted a new name to avoid any confusion and called itself the US Soccer Football Association. However, the US soccer history would soon witness a new change in its governing body's name in 1974, when the USSFA dropped "Football" from its tag and instead adopted the title of United States Soccer Federation, which is still used today.

So many will wonder, if the history of soccer in US starts out so early, how come soccer is not the main sport in USA? Well the truth is that the rather modest performances from the men's national side early on in the 20th century, combined with the high rise of baseball, basketball, football and hockey, meant that the nation soon lost interest in soccer and since American kids had so many alternatives, soccer slowly went out of fashion.

However, with the increasingly good performances from the US men's soccer team and the huge success of the women's soccer team (who managed to bring in the first trophies in the history of soccer in US and is still one of the world powers in the game today), soccer is climbing back to its rightful place and with more and more American kids favoring it in school as a start-up sport, things look bright for the future of US soccer.

About the Author:
Niv Orlian is the author and the owner of a Soccer Fans website that provides information on various topics related to soccer such as the history of soccer, rules, famous soccer players ,real time news, statistics, and training guides.

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by: Niv Orlian Article Source: www.iSnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=168047&ca=Sports

Soccer Cleats: Possibly The Most Important Part Of A Soccer Uniform
Submitted By: Dana Bradley

The game of soccer is a team sport, which allows for team conformity and sportsmanship. These characteristics are shown through not only encouragement on the field, but through similarities in soccer gear throughout the team as well. Team uniforms are not only mandatory, but they show a sense of unity in a sport made up of individuals. The soccer cleats that the players wear allow them to continue to be team players through all sorts of weather and terrain, as the game of soccer is played indoors, outdoors, and in rain or shine.

Having a pair of soccer cleats that fit a player well is quite possibly one of the most crucial items one can have when it comes to soccer gear. Not only should the shoe fit well in the length of the size, it should also fit comfortably in width. If the size of the soccer cleat feels comfortable, it’s important to next check whether or not the shoe is flexible. When soccer cleat is on, as well as off the foot, it should bend and move easily and comfortably, allowing for comfortable mobility.

Different brands of soccer manufacturers make different variations of soccer cleats, as well as indoor shoes. The cleats found on the sole of the shoe can vary in size and position, and in some cases can be changed out when they become worn, and to play on different types of turf. Prices of soccer cleats can vary drastically between a cheap pair and an expensive pair, but it’s truly the quality of the shoe and how it fits the player that should determine which pair is the right one for them.

There are three main variations of outdoor soccer cleats. The first one is Firm Ground. The soles of this shoe consist of a wide variety of cleats that are located around the edges of the shoe, as well as some in the middle of the shoe for heightened foot support. The firm ground style of soccer cleats are typically the most common shoe among soccer players, and enable the players to move with ease on most soccer fields.

The second variation of soccer shoe is the Soft Ground shoe, which contains the smallest amount of cleats on the sole of the shoe. This type of soccer shoe is generally worn when the playing conditions are wet and slippery since the absence of cleats allows the grass and mud to slide off the sole of shoe rather than getting caught.

The third most common variation of soccer shoe is the Hard Ground shoe. This type of shoe contains the most amounts of cleats on the sole of the shoe out of any other soccer shoe made. This style of soccer shoe is the lowest fitting and gives the most support to the foot out of the three most common types of soccer shoes. The Hard Ground shoe is often used for playing on artificial turf, and many of the soccer referees wear this type of shoe.

About the Author:
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by: Dana Bradley Article Source: www.iSnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=102777&ca=Sports

SOCCER: Liverpool does league double over United
The early afternoon in England was the scene of one of history’s most famous battles…Liverpool and Manchester United. In one of the worlds biggest football rivalries, it was the home team who would look the brightest.

Anfield yesterday was not a place of peace. The early afternoon in England was the scene of one of history’s most famous battles…Liverpool and Manchester United.

The same ground which last week hosted a memorable international match and featured seven of the combined players from both teams, was now to see yet another thriller.

Liverpool dominated from the outset and created more than fifteen excellent scoring chances. In attack, the Reds played strong, holding the ball to wait for support when required, and running at the luckless United defense time and again.

The game ended at 2 nil but it could have easily have been five, as the Merseysiders spurned some real chances. Fabian Barthez in the United goals played well and saved the Premiership holders from an embarrassing scoreline.

Steven Gerrard, who at 20 is playing with a mature head on his shoulders scored the first goal in the 18th minute from all of 32 yards, with a thunderous shot to the top left corner. Anfield favorite, Robbie Fowler made it two with a marvelous turn and strike in the wet conditions just before half time.

The second half saw the Reds shut out Manchester United with a stern defense, and quick and sharp counter attacks. Liverpool midfielder saw the red card in the 68th minute, after receiving his second yellow for a reckless challenge on Dennis Irwin, but despite this United could not consolidate, and it was Liverpool still creating the better chances.

England hero Michael Owen came on late for Liverpool to top off the day, and when the full time whistle sound, the Reds had completed their first league double over their fierce rivals for the first time since 1979.

The Jubilant Liverpool supporters had witnessed an emphatic win, which showed character and that Gerard Houllier’s boys are well and truly reviving the glory days of Liverpool past.

By Ilias Hatzidavid
Published: 4/2/2001

Soccer - The World's Most Popular Sport by: Peter Valentine

Soccer is perhaps the world's favorite spectator sport, popularly known as "Football" in Britain and other European countries. This game can be as frustrating as golf, as physical as football and hockey, as erratic as baseball, and as exciting as basketball. No simple word can describe the popularity of the game, with a global television audience of 49 billion people for the 2002 World Cup alone. The game is exciting and highly addictive to watch and play.

Professional game rules require 11 players per team, 10 playing the field and one goalkeeper. With the use of a round ball, the matched is player with the two teams wearing shirts of different colors with distinctive soccer patches. The game is divided into two sets, each for 45 minutes long with the referee adding "extra time" based on time being wasted or play being stopped during the original 45 minutes. Usually, the extra time will be about one-to-three minutes.

A maximum of three substitutes may be used in any match played in an official competition organized under the auspices of the World Governing body Federation International Football Association (FIFA), the confederations or the national associations. However, in other competitions the rules must state how many substitutes may be nominated, from three up to a maximum of seven.

The decision regarding a match ending with a tie score usually depends on the actual type of game being player. There are times when the just simply ends in a tie score after the regular 90 minutes game plus any added time. On the other hand, a game ending with a tie score may lead into an overtime with an allotted time of extra play leading to penalty kicks, this usually occurs during a deciding game of a tournament. Each team is given five attempts to score on the opposing goalkeeper, the team with the highest score wins the game.

During a game, players are only allowed to wear soccer equipment and are prohibited to wear anything that may harm him as well as the other. This includes any kind of jewelry and other accessories. The basic soccer equipment of a player include a jersey or shirt with their distinctive soccer patches; shorts, if thermal under shorts are worn, it has to be the same main color as the shorts; stockings; and footwear, soccer shoes, boots, cleats.

There are instances that players may use extra equipments such as shin guards and headgears. The shin guards protect the leg below the knee and are completely covered by the stockings. These are either made of rubber, plastic, or similar substances. While the head gear are available to protect younger players when heading the ball.

For goalkeepers, they must wear a color that separates him from the other goalkeeper, players, the referee and the assistant referees.

There are four important details that one should know about the game before he is ready to play soccer. The first is that only the goalkeeper is allowed to use his hands, and this is only within the confines of the marked-off area surrounding the goal. When a player uses their hands on a ball, the opposing team gets a free kick from the spot of the violation.

The second vital information that you should remember about the game is that players are generally penalized for rough or unfair play with the use of cards. A yellow card is considered a stern warning, while a red card signifies a serious violation. Once a player receives a red card it means that he had been ejected from the game and cannot be replaced and that leaves the player's team with less players. Meanwhile receiving two yellow cards will equal to a red card, meaning the player will receive the same penalty.

About The Author
Peter Valentines's article on soccer is one of a collection of topics and interests that she explores and researches carefully. For more home improvement information visit http://www.zhsoccer.com.

A Ball, Some Friends, and a Soccer Goal by: Nick Smith

If Pele, Maridona, and Beckham don't sound at all familiar to you, or if you think Freddy Adou is a guy you may have gone to high school with, keep reading... please. This article covers all the equipment and skills you'll need to join the rest of the world in playing the wonderful game of soccer.

Actually, the rest of the world plays football - they call the sport that Steve Young used to play American football. The term 'soccer' came into being in the later part of the 19th century when people began abbreviating the French variation of 'association football' to soccer. Whatever name you use (I'll call it soccer for the purposes of this article), it refers to the fast-paced, exciting game that has captured the interest of more and more Americans in recent years. If you've found that you've been left behind when it comes to the sport, here's a few equipment tips and skills you'll need to have to start playing.

As the name 'football' suggests, you'll need a ball. Soccer balls come in many different sizes, materials, and styles; and league specifications vary depending on the age and level of the players. If you just want to buy a 'normal' ball, double check with the store clerks to make sure you've chosen the right one; or if you're buying online, you can check the ball size against the standards found at www.fifa.com. The best material for your ball depends on the type of surface you're going to play on. If you'll spend any time at all kicking the ball around on the street or playground, I would shy away from buying a nice leather ball - the asphalt will tear it up. Synthetic materials will usually hold up better on those surfaces, and typically cost less.

Once you've got your ball, you're going to need at least one pair of feet; however, if you want to do more than just kick the ball against your garage you're going to need at least two sets. There are a number of different techniques when it comes to kicking the soccer ball - I'll just summarize them all by saying that the goal of kicking the ball is to hit it with some part of you're foot and make it go in the direction you want it to. In fact, in soccer matches you may use any part of you're body to move the ball except your hands and arms. If you grew up playing catch in the back yard, the first couple of times you try to kick the ball you'll probably look even more awkward than you feel, and it's very likely your kids are going to laugh at you. Practice makes near perfect, and you'll get better over time. Kicking the ball back and forth between two or more people helps. Once you feel like you might be able to kick the ball and jog/run at the same time, you're ready to graduate to playing a game.

Goals (pronounced 'gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooal!!!' in actual soccer matches) in soccer are scored by kicking the ball through a rectangle shape appropriately called the goal. Though the rectangle is standard, goals can be made by placing any two objects a few steps apart. I have personally played in neighborhood games where the goal posts were chairs, barrels, younger siblings, and shoes (if you're playing barefoot, make sure no one is wearing cleats). Kicking the ball below head height and more or less between the makeshift goal posts constitutes a goal, though you will find each goal will be heavily debated.

Competitive leagues almost always require shin guards, and you can usually pick up a decent pair for pretty cheap. Even in a friendly park setting, players can get pretty passionate, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to wear them during the game.

The rules are simple and easy to learn. The basics you need to know are that you should try to avoid kicking people, you can't tackle people like in American football, and you can't use your hands. In that sense, except for the hands restriction, soccer is a lot like life. Other rules apply more in competition, but it wouldn't hurt to read up on them at www.fifa.com.

As with any sport, the most important thing is to look good, so go out and buy yourself some silky soccer shorts and jerseys. Long hair and an Italian accent certainly won't hurt your chances of going pro - but if neither of those is an option for you, just remember to have fun and play fair.

About The Author
Nick Smith is a soccer fan and client account specialist with www.10xMarketing.com - More Visitors. More Buyers. More Revenue. For great soccer goals at affordable prices, check out http://www.bargaintable.com/soccer-goal.htm
nick10x@yahoo.com

South American soccer - Alive and kicking
A recap of the past month in South American futbol.

So what's been going on for the last month in South American style? Here's a short recap.

Team of the Month: River Plate (Argentina)

Following a few years of mediocrity, Los Millonarios have strung together a good run of results to start off the Argentinean Winter Tournament. Collecting 17 points from seven games, River Plate have managed to preserve a slight advantage over arch-rivals and defending World Club Champions, Boca Juniors, while maintaining an unbeaten record. It is still too early to see if this River Plate team will be able to emulate Boca Juniors' successes from the past few years, but leading the tough Argentinean league is enough reason to award this squad Team of the Month honors.

Game of the Month: Vasco da Gama vs. Palmeiras (Brazilian First Division)

In the spirit of the traditional "jogo bonito," two of Brazil's powerhouses squared off in a much anticipated match up. The fireworks began 10 minutes into the first half with a wonderful strike from Palmeiras' Lucio that would set the tone for the remainder of the game. The goals came early and often as six more were scored before the game came to an end. Palmeiras would see Elson, Pedrinho and Osmar (on two occasions) add to Lucio's tally while Vasco replied with goals from Andre Lima and Petkovic. The game also had its heated encounters as three yellow cards were handed out and a red to Vasco's Henrique just before the full time whistle. The match would end 5-2 in favor of Palmeiras. This game was the perfect tonic for those detractors of football who say that it's a boring game with no scoring and no contact, it was definitely worthy of being recognized as the game of the month.

Player of the Month: Evelio Ordonez, El Nacional (Ecuador)

Ordonez has been tearing up the difficult Ecuadorian First Division with his stunning and well-timed strikes. While his team holds down the fourth spot, six points behind leaders Barcelona de Guayaquil, Ordonez sits first in scoring with 20 goals from 17 matches. Ordonez has come out of nowhere, puncturing the mesh and keeping his side in the championship hunt. Ordonez is our pick for the CONMEBOL player of the month.
By Gabriel Mederos

Sports Recreation: Relieve Stress And Have Fun

The world we live in is growing increasingly fast-paced, stressful, and filled with responsibility. Because of this, everyone needs some time to relax and have some recreation. Our modern way of life also tends to be sedentary, and the meals we eat are often not very healthy. Exercise is a very important component in renewing us. For these reasons, sports recreation activities are some of the best recreation we can choose. There are many options for hobbies to provide sports recreation. You may even want to learn some new recreational sports skills.Courses to learn new sports recreation skills can be found online and in larger cities. You can learn and participate in team sports through the local Y and other organizations. Team sports recreation activities you might like to participate in include softball, baseball, basketball, and sometimes soccer for younger people. Another team sport you might enjoy is bowling. Regardless of your skill level you can find a bowling team to have fun with.Individual sports recreation activities you can learn and participate in include golf, tennis, running, aerobic dance, gymnastics, and horseback riding. Don't overlook bicycling and weight training too. Many of these sports can be learned at the local Y as well. For some of these, you'll want to have a friend to play against or share the exerience with. Many runners, for instance, like to run with a friend. And games like tennis and handball really need cooperation for best results.If you'd rather, you can learn about sports recreation skills online. You can find courses to teach almost any sport or activity you can think of including underwater hockey, fly-fishing, and para-gliding in the Alps! Of course, unless you can get some hands-on experience you'll only have the theories of the sport. Still, online courses are a good way to get a taste of different sports and recreational activities you might someday want to try out.A really fun sports recreation game you might get a chance to play is ping pong. Ping pong, or table tennis as it is sometimes called, is played on a table with rubber coated paddles and extremely lightweight plastic balls. You must hit the ball with your paddle so that it strikes the table and clears the net before your opponent strikes it and bounces it back to you. One way to become more adept at ping pong and increase your chance of winning is to sometimes hit the ball harder than at other times. This keeps your opponent guessing what you will do next.Sports recreation activities are a great way to get exercise and relieve stress. They are also a lot of fun. Whether with friends or alone, everyone needs a favorite sports recreation to take part in.
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A Soccer Dvd Can Help Take Your Game To New Heights
by: Samantha Davis

Soccer is the world's most popular game, and consequently there is no shortage of books, videos, and DVD's that focus on the game. Like fans of most any sports, soccer lovers are likely to want to focus on their game even when they are far away from the field of competition. However, unlike sports like football, basketball, baseball, golf, and many others, there is a shortage of television programming that is dedicated to soccer. That void is especially noticeable when it comes to television programming that is dedicated toward instruction or fundamentals of the game. However, soccer fans can fill that void by purchasing a soccer DVD to help them pass the time, and elevate their game, during their time at home. Whether you are an aspiring player, coach, or fan of soccer, there is a soccer DVD that is sure to deliver the information you need in an entertaining format. Any soccer lover is sure to enjoy the action oriented DVD titles that are currently available. From titles like The 2006 FIFA World Cup Film – narrated by Pierce Brosnan – to Champions of Europe, a highlight film covering fifty years of European Cup action; watching soccer played at the highest levels is sure to raise anyone’s appreciation of the game, and it can even help them develop their game by watching the finest players at their finest moments. And if retrospective video is what you really enjoy, then no soccer DVD collection is complete without the two disk Special Edition of FIFA Fever. FIFA Fever takes you through 100 years of the greatest action and players in soccer history. From Beckham to Pele, Ronaldo to Zidane; you will find all the greatest players and moments on this special set. While watching a soccer DVD such as FIFA Fever or Champions of Europe is sure to entertain any soccer fan – and you might learn a thing or two as well – if improving your skills or expanding your understanding of the fundamentals is what you seek then there are hundreds of DVD titles that are sure to help you on your way to that goal. A soccer DVD can bring the best coaches and players into your living room where they can pass all their valuable information on to you in a format that allows you to watch it again and again. From tips on coaching premier players from a former elite coach in Europe – such as David Williams in the Coaching the English Premier League series – to tips on coaching young children who are just learning the game, the soccer DVD is the perfect medium for passing along this timeless information. More advanced players and their coaches are sure to make use of DVD titles that address game situations that better players will encounter, and with proper practice and coaching, exploit. The Tactics and Drills series takes players and coaches through exercises in passing and possession, attacking and goalscoring, and zonal defending, and that series is hardly alone in the marketplace. No matter what your skill level or relationship to the game, there is a soccer DVD that will help you raise your understanding, expertise, and skill.
About The Author
Get all the latest in Soccer know how from the one and only true source at http://www.SoccerDetails.com. Be sure to check our soccer DVD page.

Top Basic Nutritional Tips For Soccer Players

History Of Soccer In The US
by: Niv Orlian

Although soccer is not THE sport in the US, the history of soccer in US is one of the longest around, right next to that of the English or the Scottish. After the English set out to form a set of rules for the game of soccer, these were soon taken to the new World, where Americans learned to love this rising sport, right next to another game that grew strong roots in the US back then: baseball. Actually, the American Football Association is the second oldest sports league in America, after the Major League Baseball one. Obviously, the history of soccer in US didn't start with a professional league though (in terms of what we call professional today). The American Football Association, started out in 1884, was a semi-professional competition involving New England and some Midwest areas and it was a rather chaotic environment to play soccer in, but nevertheless it was there and progressing with each year. A parallel soccer organization, the American Amateur Football Association was founded around the same time and the two coexisted until 1913, when they merged into the US Football Association, the first fully professional soccer organization throughout the history of soccer in the US. The US football association (or USFA) was one of the first to join FIFA and as such, the United States team participated in the early World Cups, although the game was beginning to become outshined by baseball or basketball. With American football also on the rise, the organization adopted a new name to avoid any confusion and called itself the US Soccer Football Association. However, the US soccer history would soon witness a new change in its governing body's name in 1974, when the USSFA dropped "Football" from its tag and instead adopted the title of United States Soccer Federation, which is still used today. So many will wonder, if the history of soccer in US starts out so early, how come soccer is not the main sport in USA? Well the truth is that the rather modest performances from the men's national side early on in the 20th century, combined with the high rise of baseball, basketball, football and hockey, meant that the nation soon lost interest in soccer and since American kids had so many alternatives, soccer slowly went out of fashion. However, with the increasingly good performances from the US men's soccer team and the huge success of the women's soccer team (who managed to bring in the first trophies in the history of soccer in US and is still one of the world powers in the game today), soccer is climbing back to its rightful place and with more and more American kids favoring it in school as a start-up sport, things look bright for the future of US soccer.
About The Author
Niv Orlian is the author and the owner of http://www.soccer-fans-info.com a website that provides information on various topics related to soccer. Find out more info on the history of soccer at http://www.soccer-fans-info.com/history-of-soccer.html

Soccer Positions
by: Gavin Sanderson

As with basketball, soccer is a game with players who perform a specific role. A team is comprised of eleven positions. There is one goalkeeper or goalie, and ten others who have to defend attack or take up midfield positions. Each role has a specific set of skills and a specific area to deal with. Goalie or Goalkeeper It is the goalie’s who has to prevent the opponents from scoring a goal. This person is the only one who can touch the ball with their hands and they can only move within a certain area of the field. Defenders or Defensive Positions These positions help the goalie prevent opponents from scoring a goal. Like the goalie, they are restricted to a certain area of the field. *Centerback-the centerbacks try to stop the opponents particularly the strikers of the opposing team from scoring. They try to keep to ball out of the penalty areas. *Sweepers- sweepers go after anyone from the opposing team who breaks through the defense line. A sweeper should be able to control the ball and pass it well and counter any moves that the attacking team brings. *Fullback- These players try to prevent the ball from entering the penalty areas Midfielders These players are located between the strikers and the defenders. They try to get the ball from the defenders on the opposing team and pass it to their strikers. This is a position that requires a lot of energy because they have to keep an eye on many things at once. They can be switched from a defensive stance to attacking pose at any time during the game. *Defensive midfield- the purpose of this role is to get the ball from the attackers on the opposing team *Attack midfield- these players must try to open avenues for their team to score goals Strikers or Attackers or Forward These team members are located close to the opposing team’s goal. They are the ones who score goals. Another role they play is to try and help others on their team score a goal. Most familiar soccer players are found in this position because they score the most goals.
About The Author
Gavin Sanderson provides articles on http://www.online-atv.com. Visit " target=new>http://www.soccer-kick.com/a> to find more of his work.