Snak

FF17:

Jeg tror, vi to er de eneste som kan se et potentiale i Jonas. Tro mig, jeg synes han er vanvittig undervurderet. I Grêmio var han jo en bomber alá Soldado, mens han i Valencia har fået en anden rolle?

Problemet, i øjeblikket, er disse spekulationer nok er skyldt af inkompetente folk uden for klubben. Grêmio har købt Willian José fra Santos. En dygtig 21 årig kniegt fra Alagoas. Derfra er der forsat: Andre Lima, Kleber, Marcelo Moreno, og den unge talent Leandro som er blevet udtaget til u20 landsholdets trup til det sydamerikanske mesterskab.

Jeg ved ikke helt, hvad Luxemburgo har tænkt sig at gøre.. Jeg tror muligvis, at Grêmio handler ind, når gruppespillet Copa Liberadores er sikret. Tror dog ikke Jonas skal pensioneres. Der er stadig nogle gode fodboldår i ham;-).. Tror gerne på at der er flere Brasilianske klubber som godt kunne se ham i klubben.
Starter i Valencia - avs.. han skal nok gøre det rykke rundt med forsvarsspillerene i Brasilien

Seleção boss Scolari: Neymar will equal Messi and Ronaldo

Seleção boss Luiz Felipe Scolari claims that Neymar will be in the top three best players in the world in 2013, matching the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Speaking to Terra, the former Palmeiras boss says there was a dearth of top Brazilian talent for a few years but says that is now over thanks to Neymar.

"I´m 99% sure, next year Neymar will be among the top three. Not just the current season, but also over the past two or three years. Neymar has been excellent in 2011 and 2012, and will probably be even better in 2013.

"In 10 years, we had probably five great players, but in the last two or three years they were not at the top. In 2013, Neymar will be for sure.

"There was a period of time where we did not have a player that had so much attention, and now we have Neymar.

"Lets see how it goes for Lucas Moura in Paris, I see Oscar is playing very well. And now from 2013 and 2014, and also 2015 and 2016, I believe that we will have a name among the three top players."

And so this is Klinsmas

Steven Maloney on 7 January 2013

Jurgen Klinsmann has faced a barrage of criticism in the US for his management of the United States national team. But has he really been that bad ?

Raymond Domenech, providing fodder for critics everywhere, recently added fuel to the fire, having a go at CONCACAF. Saint Raymond opined that Jurgen Klinsmann has an “easy job,” because guiding the USA to the World Cup is guaranteed. According to Monsieur Raymond, the USA has only two meaningful games in qualifying, some trips to Canada, and some vacation time in the Caribbean.

One assumes that when Saint Raymond said, “this is a job I would like to have,” he was being facetious since, in making these comments, there’s zero chance that he will ever be offered the job. Not that there was much chance that the United States would be in the market for a manager with a terrible record in international tournaments, a suspicious record of avoiding immigrant players, and a past team that literally quit during a training during at the World Cup final, and got pasted by Mexico on neutral ground.

Despite these easy complaints, Domenech is only the latest voice to express the view that things come easy for the United States. Qualification is so simple in the eyes of many, that we value the United States, not for qualification, but by the comfort level with which they qualify. American punditry has largely adopted this standard and has used it to shine a somewhat negative light on Jurgen Klinsmann’s tenure as manager. The United States domestic audience has been treated to voices like Alexi Lalas spending half time on ESPN demanding Klinsmann realise he’s wrong about his entire approach to football.

The narrative of easy CONCACAF qualification generates the narrative in the media for Klinsi-skepticism. Klinsmann has been disappointing, according to this narrative, because the USA is supposed to win in CONCACAF (with the exception of Mexico) while looking like they’re playing FIFA 13 on Beginner. Before qualifying started, there was every reason to believe that this expectation was a preposterously simple way of thinking about how football tournaments work in real life. That Raymond Domenech seems to give credence to this expectation (having actually been a manager) does more to explain France’s performance in Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010 than it supports the anti-Klinsmann narrative.

The USA has had, by my count, two losses during the Klinsmann era to opposition they should have defeated. First, a 1-0 loss to Costa Rica in a friendly. Second, a 2-1 loss in qualifying at Jamaica. While neither country is a giant of the game, both nations have won matches in the World Cup Finals before. In brief, Klinsi-skepticism is not based on results. Klinsi-skpetics hold Klinsmann responsible for trying to improve the nuts and bolts at the cost of their precious little narrative that the United States can make it out of CONCACAF strolling backwards on its head while chewing gum.

A defence of Klinsmann must recognise that the side is improving dramatically at playing out from the back and cycling possession in the midfield and attacking third. Two facts are worth noting: (1) to this point, this cycling of possession has not led to more goals and (2) the United States does not have the ability to sustain its newfound powers for more than 15-20 minutes at a time as of yet. While these two facts explain the somewhat lacklustre displays on the field, neither fact indicates a lack of progress.

If the goal is to be a side that can effectively fight for control of the match by the way that they control the possession and dictate the positional layout of both their own side and their opponents’ through their ball movement, the “next level” from having almost no ability to do this is to have some ability to do this.

There are two matches in the pre-Klinsmann era that highlight the importance of investing in future play. The first match was the Confederations Cup Final (my heart just hurt hyperlinking to this news story) against Brazil in 2009. The United States, having stormed to a 2-0 lead on some fantastic counter-attacking play proceeded to get bombarded for the entire second half before losing the lead and the match. Match number two was the 2011 Gold Cup Final, where the United States inexplicably jumped out to a 2-0 lead against a superior Mexican side before getting absolutely torn to shreds for the rest of the match. In both matches, the ability to hold the ball and cycle possession, even if it had led to no more appreciable scoring chances could have made the difference between two international trophies in three years as opposed to zero.

This is, incidentally, how the United States managed to beat Italy and Mexico in their historic victories under Klinsmann. When you snatch a goal against the run of play, it makes a big difference if you have to fight off the opponents attack for only 60 minutes instead of 90 minutes because you were able to genuinely possess the ball in the opponent’s half for 30 minutes (even if that possession largely goes nowhere).

Some might call this evidence of progressing towards “the next level.” But those people would have to know what to look for before they were talking.

Steven Maloney writes about football and politics. He also holds a PhD in Political Theory from the University of Maryland and is a political science lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. You can follow him on twitter here.

The hairless dogs and the Mexican moment

Club Tijuana have been crowned Apertura champions in the Liga MX in Mexico. What does this say about Mexican football?

On December 2, 2012, Los Angeles were celebrating their second consecutive domestic league championship in MLS and saying goodbye to some as yet unknown portion of the Beckham/Donovan/Keane troika for the last time. 135 miles south from Carson, California, through San Diego and into another California, a champion of far more continental significance was crowned on the same day. Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente of Baja California, Mexico defeated Toluca in the home and away final to win the Apertura in Liga MX.

The Xolos bear the nickname of the Mexican hairless dog – believed to have been indigenous to Mexico for 3,000 years – but the club has only been in existence since 2006. The Xolos’ rise from non-existence to league champions makes TSG Hoffenheim look as if they are dallying. In a league where four clubs from Southern Mexico – Cruz Azul, America, Pumas UNAM, and Chivas Guadalajara – can claim almost the entirety of club support from the entire nation, Tijuana’s upstart club on the northern border of the country in one of the most notorious cities in North America have somehow waltzed away with the first ever league title in the newly christened Liga MX.

Tijuana serves as a decent surrogate for the hopes and fears of the recent restructuring and repackaging of Mexican football. Mexican football, after years of having a largely isolationist global football policy, have performed a complete reversal. The creation of Liga MX this year was designed to create a more fan friendly, corporate friendly Mexican top fight that would make people want to come to matches, spend money, and see many of their favourite stars who had been coaxed back form Europe to participate in the first season. Liga MX was so clearly intended to be a Mexican football version of the film franchise “reboot” that one half expected Christian Bale and/or Daniel Craig to appear.

Liga MX represents awareness of an opportunity to bring in more fans to the game, increase revenues for clubs, and raise the global profile of Mexican football. The Mexican moment has been evident on the field. Club teams have become more serious about international club competition success in both North and South America (after years of largely sleepwalking through both competitions on both continents). The National team has seen renewed investment as well, with a demolition job of the United States in the last CONCACAF Gold Cup and Olympic Gold in London.

The meteoric rise of Tijuana fits the pattern of this larger sea change in Mexican football. The Xolos’ success promises not only the potential for expansion of the game in the Northwest region of Mexico, but Tijuana is also quite famously (notoriously, some may say) a stones’ throw from the United States. The USA’s rapidly awakening soccer market and large émigré community opens up a whole new set of economic possibilities for Mexican football. These possibilities appear to be real enough that Univision simulcast the Liga MX Apertura final in English for American audiences. What’s more, USA international Edgardo Castillo and US Olympic qualifying star Joe Corona happen to play professionally for Tijuana. Club America of Mexico City is one of Mexico’s most popular teams, but Club Tijuana plans to sustain its growth by becoming America’s Mexican club team.

The problem with this vision, as with all of the promise one can find across Mexico’s economic, political, and social life, is that “ifs” always remains so tantalisingly elusive south of the border. The richness of Mexico’s culture and people always offer so much promise, but the stilting social and economic problems of the country are such that Mexico can never seem to shake them off. Here too, Club Tijuana represents Mexican football in miniature.

While the Xolos’ story has been a chance for citizens of Tijuana to highlight the artistic and cultural elements of the city, Tijuana remains a place largely under the firm grip of Pacific Coast drug cartels, with violence receding only when everyone knows which organised criminals are truly the ones in charge. Human and drug trafficking remain major sources of income in the city. Even while Mexico tries to move into the future as a modern, model 21st century global citizen in the community of nations, Mexican households still pay in excess of two billion dollars in bribes in order to receive basic government services.

Tijuana’s story serves as a reminder that Mexico has a singular history, and that the power of the modernisation of Mexico lies in the potential combination of what is uniquely Mexican with what is comfortably modern. The Xolos’ Apertura campaign represents this image that Mexico can be better-organised, foster civic pride, compete, and display Mexican style to the biggest stages. But Tijuana is still Tijuana – good and bad – as Mexico is still Mexico. The seasons of Mexico’s economic and cultural future, like the seasons for Tijuana in Liga MX, promise never to be a completely finished story, for the next season might always bring new possibilities…or new disappointments.

Steven Maloney writes about football and politics. He also holds a PhD in Political Theory from the University of Maryland and is a political science lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. You can follow him on twitter here.

jejejeje

Brazil boss Scolari backs Ronaldo for Ballon D´Or


Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari has revealed that he would vote for Real Madrid´s Cristiano Ronaldo in the prestigious Ballon D´Or.

Scolari also claimed he would vote for Ronaldo´s compatriot at Real, Jose Mourinho for the Coach of the Year award.

"Cristiano I would vote for, I worked with him and I know all about him and how he has evolved. I don´t know much about Messi, though watching the game, his style favours the awards."

"Mourinho, yes, because he is a coach who does very good work consecutive. If I were voting, I would vote that way. He stands for the future of coaching."

Scolari will deliver the award for Coach of the Year for both the male and female categories.

Atlético Mineiro, Vitória og Corinthians kom lidt skidt fra start i U/20-turneringen Copa São Paulo, da ingen af favoritterne formåede at hente en sejr. Galo var oppe mod Noroeste og kom som ventet foran på bomberen Carlos, men Nilo fik udlignet på et langskud, som fuldstændigt tog fusen på keeperen César.
https://www.youtube.com/…8Yzyo30pE3Q
Her er lidt udvalgte resultater af søndagens kampe:
Atlético Mineiro - Noroeste 1-1
Corinthians - XV de Piracicaba 2-2
Internacional - Paulista 4-1
Grêmio - Aquidauanense 2-0
Atlético-PR - Barras 4-0
Vitória - Mogi Mirim 2-2
Fluminense - Atlético-AC 2-0
Der er 100 hold med fordelt på 25 grupper. Etterne og de 7 bedste 2´er går videre til 1/16-finalen

@ Samba....noget ny om Dedé situationen ??? og hvem tager over i buret efter fernando prass ? og hvorfor lod de egentligt senhor b~uttenbender smutte til palmeiras.....?








Chelsea close in on Metalist´s Taison


Chelsea are close to securing a move for Metalist Kharkiv midfielder Taison according to reports in England.

Sky Sports are reporting that the Brazilian is set for a move to Stamford Bridge but say that another Premier League club could be set to hijack the deal.

The two clubs are believed to have agreed a fee for the player who has already agreed personal terms.

Taison revealed recently that he was in talks with Chelsea over a possible move and the Blues remain favourites to land the Brazilian.

The midfielder joined Metalist from Internacional in 2010 and could rejoin former teammate Oscar at the club.

Taison shot to Youtube fame with a stunning strike reminiscent of Marco van Basten´s famous striker against the USSR in 1988 which can be seen via the link below.

@FAS
Jeg tror, at Dedé bliver indtil videre. Vasco skal spille den 13. januar mod Ajax, så der får vi et billede af holdet. Det er noget af en åreladning med Juninho Pernambucano, Felipe, Fernando Prass, Nilton, Alecsandro mv. Vi må forvente et svækket Vasco i 2013. Nye spillere: Leonardo, Sandro Silva, Pedro Ken, Elsinho, Filippe Souto, Michel Alves. Afløserne har ikke samme klasse, omend forwarden Leonardo gjorde det godt i Atlético Mineiro som afløser for Jô. Den nye keeper Michel Alves fra Criciúma blev verdensberømt i 2012 for denne aktion:
https://www.youtube.com/…66xteQ3Yp4A
Vasco har en stopper Luan, som er anfører på U/20-landsholdet. Glæder mig til at se ham i aktion, når Brasilien på onsdag tager hul på de sydamerikanske mesterskabskampe mod Ecuador.

@Samba....

Michel Alves....hvad skal man sige ??? Ser også frem til U-20 turneringen, den sydamerikanske plejer at være ganske høj kvalitet. Glæder mig til at se Flamengo-spilllerne, der er et par stykker i truppen også.

Jeg tror desværre at det bliver Paulista dominans i 2013, Santos, Corinthians og São Paulo ser stærke ud, Atletico Mineiro og Gremio kommer sikkert også til at klare sig godt, Flamengo og Vasco er svækket, Botafogo status quo....så skal man hænge hatten på Fluminense ....hvilket jeg har det lidt svært med .....

Lovede iøvrigt FF17, at tjekke lidt på U-20 turneringen, hvem viser den på dansk kabel TV - er det Eurosport hvis nogen ?

Npato
Ja, og så Jonas selv hehe:
http://www.superdeporte.…169896.html

Men han er da undervurderet - ikke mindst pga. alderen og købsprisen - fordi jeg erkender gerne som den første, at jeg aldrig havde hørt noget særligt om manden inden. Efter et par Youtube-videoer stod det dog klart, at vi har at gøre med en ganske komplet spiller med et helt usædvanligt fodskifte og målinstinkt.
- Selvom han som du siger har fået ny position som hængende angriber, er han jo stadig ChL-topscorer. Lidt skuffende i denne sæsons La Liga, hvilket nok har startet rygterne, men han er stadig klart at foretrække. Nu kommer sommerens rekordindkøb, Canales, så tilbage fra en lang skade - og det er her, jeg ser Gremios muligheder.

Jonas er og bliver min yndling, skulle han fortsætte over sommeren, fordi der er rigtigt nok flere gode år i ham. Han startede jo alt for sent med at velsigne Europa. :-)


FAS
Det lyder godt. Kommer ikke selv til at følge for meget med i U20, selvom det lyder som en aldeles glimrende overspringshandling!