By Paul Gardner Tab Ramos has been talking in glowingterms of his team and its adventures at the Under-20 World Cup in the Republic of Korea. Certainly, there is plenty that looks good. Winning its group, getting to the quarterfinal. Listen up:“We built a team with confident players who were there to win the tournament […]
SoccerTalk with Paul Gardner
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
What's this? A goalkeeper penalized for rough play?
By Paul Gardner Meet Sorin Stoica. Maybe you’ve seen him in action during MLS games. Not a highly paid or widely acclaimed player, though. A referee. A rather unusualreferee, it seems. On May 28, right at the end of the game between Vancouver and D.C. United, Stoica did what referees can hardly ever bring themselves […]
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Scots wha hae! Thoughts on the sad and ominous decline of Scottish soccer
By Paul Gardner I note, with considerable exasperation tempered by sadness, that Scottish soccer is experimenting with a marvelous new scheme for eliminating diving from theirgame. That Scottish soccer vitally needs something to save it from obscurity, something to save its very soul … which, let it be remembered was once a guiding light for […]
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Celebrity coaches — who needs them?
By Paul Gardner I am still finding it difficult to come to terms with the extraordinary way in which coaches have come to dominate our game. Have hijacked it, in fact. Going back many eons, to my dim and distant high school days, of course we boys all had our favorite teams, and of course […]
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Wenger must stay — even the stats agree
By Paul Gardner Arsene Wenger should stay. That’s what I think. And I think that way because I respect his unflinching devotion to skillful and entertaining soccer. Of course, even suggesting that soccer should be entertaining is a risky business these days, likely to provoke scorn and contempt and accusations of ignorance about the real […]
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Violent Goalkeeping (Part 2): FIFA must radically rethink the goalkeeper's role
By Paul Gardner Last time, I asked: “What action has soccer taken to at least reduce the incidence of head injuries in the sport?” Well, FIFA — which shouldbe the body making the moves — has done nothing. Incredibly, nothing. Evidence has been mounting that even apparently slight concussions can have serious long-term effects. This […]
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Violent Goalkeeping (Part 1): Players at risk as soccer ignores its own rules
By Paul Gardner Goalkeepers, we are told, need protection. No doubt we all agree. Up to a point. But this “point” — always difficult to define precisely — is alimitation that no longer has much meaning. How can it mean anything when the “protection” now allows goalkeepers to go unpunished when they commit flagrant and […]
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
The triumphant return of Bruce Arena
By Paul Gardner Well, take that Jurgen Klinsmann. Never at any time during his five years in charge of the USA did any of Klinsmann’s teams put on a show like the6-0 destruction of Honduras that marked the return of Bruce Arena. Admittedly, I gave up watching Klinsmann’s teams after about three years, mostly because […]
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
MLS games compare well with EPL but referees in both leagues reluctant to call PKs
By Paul Gardner During this past weekend, I watched — on television, of course — 15 games. Well, not really. I watched parts of 15 games. That’s television for you, a magiccarpet that started in Middlesbrough, England at 8 a.m. on Saturday and ended around 9 p.m. on Sunday in Seattle. English Premier League and […]
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Of tattoos and voodoo and science … and soccer
By Paul Gardner My calendar says March 1. But, quite possibly, global warming has advanced things. The weather is spring-like and there is a hint of April 1 in the air. Or so itseems to me. What am I to make of this? The Philadelphia Union has sent me a press release announcing the appointment […]