Random videos — some obscure and some not — culled from the soccerwebs over the last few weeks.
The next time someone asks you what a well struck-PK looks like, show them this Arturo Vidal beauty:
No embed, but a funny story from Northampton’s Adebayo Akinfewa (he of the highest strength rating in FIFA) about some English police grilling him about what type of football he played for a living, American or the proper proper sort: BBC
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Figured it was appropriate to run the above video from a few weeks back based on Di Canio’s harsh words for his Sunderland players after their final match of the season on Sunday, a 1-0 loss at Spurs. Really worth a read if you have a few minutes. It’s pretty rare that to see a manager take his players’ lifestyles to task like that in the modern game.
Brought in as a late-season replacement to keep the club in the prem, Di Canio finished the campaign with eight points from seven matches. Prior to that, Sunderland had managed 31 points from 31 matches under Martin O’Neill, a full 0.14 points per match less than Di Canio.
That’s not me saying that bringing Di Canio on was or wasn’t the right move. I’m just sayin’, is all.
I’ve long wondered what it would look like when a player makes a mistake on whether or not he’s among the subs. Now I know, thanks to Fabio Coentrao’s gaffe before Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Espanyol. Priceless. [Via]
At a Knicks game, no less. And no, Ryan Meara isn’t photo-bombing, people. He’s part of the haps as well.
Also slept a bit on this one, but what a strike by Titi on Wednesday. Unfortunate that more people weren’t there to see it, but the numbers will come as long as goals like this continue to flow.
Should’ve posted this a while ago, but, for me, this VW ad starring the General and Totti! redefines the definition of “classic”. In a weird way, as an American soccer fan, these are the moments you live for.
My favorite bit is the banner that says, “No Totti No Party”. It’s like Totti’s a fake ID or something.
Above moment of brilliance from the weekend’s match against Parma. So good. Tears of appreciation good.
Now it looks like Totti might get called back up to the Italian squad? Thirty-six or not, anyone with this sort of ability deserves some serious consideration.
The ex-Colorado Rapids manager, who led the team to a 2010 MLS Cup title, has been dumped by the League One club after 14 losses in their last 18 matches.
Crave a national side call-up even though you’re pretty terrible at the sport of soccer? No worries, just read the amazing tale of how no-name enthusiast Bobby Shillinde (above, with a “game ball” after a “big win” with AFC Wimbledon) used an intricate social media campaign to nearly make the Botswana national team.
The former Valencia midfielder who played in two Champions League finals has swapped his boots for beats (cleats for crates?) and is now a night-club DJ. Which is a bit different from a producer-DJ, I suppose. Either way, your move, Jan Gunnar Solli.
I suppose starting three goalkeepers is one way to shut down the opposition. [Via @travismclark]
I know I’m a bit behind with this, but check out Mor Diouf’s amazing strike from distance that gave his club, SuperSport United, a 1-0 win over Mamelodi Sundowns in the South African Premier League. For the record, Diouf’s a center-back. [Via @FourFourTom]
YouTube user BigASFCFan has done the world a great service and posted most, if not the entirety of, the “Accrington Stanley, Exactly!” series that aired on ITV back in 2008. The series is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at what truly goes in to running a lower-league football club. Episode 1, Part 1 is above, the rest can be found here.
Above is a photo of Mill Road, which is Arundel FC’s breathtaking grounds in Arundel, England. Coincidentally, I went to Arundel High School in Odenton, Md. and even played for the varsity soccer team, as did MLS star Kyle Beckerman (though some years after me). Oddly enough, our colors were green and white too, same as the ones seen on the roof of the castle stand, or whatever that section’s called. But we certainly didn’t have any true medieval goth casting a shadow from well overhead. Just a smattering of Cure and Smiths fans in the stands. Proper English bands, naturally. [Via]
I won’t bang the drum about soccer players being among the most gifted and versatile athletes on the planet, but did you know that former Turkish World Cup hero Ilhan Mansiz is trying to qualify for the upcoming Winter Olympics at the age of 37? In figure skating? Even though he only took up the sport at the age of 32? No? Well, read more about his amazing journey. Sounds as though he has a decent shot of skating in Sochi. Lace ‘em up, Ilhan.
Russia Today also did a story on him that you can watch below. Dude needs a new hat.
This clip isn’t new, and the quality is less than tremendous, but we had to add this Pepe Reina bicycle to our collection of goalkeeper goals. Pretty much anything makes the cut when it comes to scoring sticksmen.
I love the first comment on the Youtube trailer for the relatively unknown (or maybe I’m the only one who hasn’t heard of it) 1996 soccer movie “When Saturday Comes”. It says: “The one football film you can’t seem to find anywhere.” I don’t know if that’s implying it’s a hidden gem (which, I imagine, would only be due to some level of unintentional hilariousness), or that it’s simply been banished due to a pure lack of quality, but I have to be honest that I would give anything to see this film in its entirety. Do a search for it on Netflix and Kevin James’ impressive comic vehicle “Here Comes the Boom” comes up, which tells you all you need to know about the state of things in general.
It appears as though our very own big-boned, fleet-footed, artistically-inclined blondie, Brek Shea, could make his EPL debut on Saturday when Stoke City visits Craven Cottage.
Potters boss Tony Pulis told Sky Sports that Shea would be in the squad and might even start. From the article:
“The two of them (Shea and Marc Wilson) will be in the squad – whether or not I start with them, we will have to wait and see,” said Pulis.
“I think Brek has been out for three or four months with an injury, so this is almost like a pre-season for him, but he is a fit lad I have to say.
“The work we have done with him has shown that he is very mobile and athletic, and very willing as well. So he is not far away.”
Glowing praise from the best ball-cap in the prem. In fact, were I Shea, I’d get the words “he is a fit lad I have to say” tatted up on my arm somewhere.
The match will be shown in the US on ESPN2 and ESPN3 at 7:30 a.m. ET on Saturday.
(Photo at top is of Shea and teammate Geoff Cameron having dinner in Manchester.)
This vid comes from the fine folks at KickTV, shot at the Football Factory in New York City during Wednesday’s Real Madrid v Man U CL tilt.
Former ‘SMNT defender Jimmy Conrad guests, natch.
This is hot fire. Ouch!