Blethering about football, from Scotland and across the world
Much has been made recently, or over the last 6 months or so, of the financial issues at many of Europe's top clubs. Notwithstanding the facts that every club in every country in the world has been impacted by Covid 19, the economic issues at many of the top table clubs have been set out... Continue Reading →
While watching more football on TV than ever before amid the Covid pandemic and in turn both experiencing the clean, crisp and well enunciated commentary on offer as well as missing out on the more industrial and colloquial language of the terraces, the mind does wander towards very specific football lexicon. Here we look at... Continue Reading →
At the same time as the world was going absolutely bananas at the prospect of the European "Super League" where a select group of clubs play amongst themselves and hand pick or select a small number of other clubs to join them each year, while also ensuring that none of the old boys ever drop... Continue Reading →
Juventus, the Old Lady of Turin, Italy's team. Hated and loved throughout Italy, the epicentre of scandal, corruption and indeed the source of much of Italian football's glory at home and abroad. A club who are often relentless in periods of success, whether that may be the 5 consecutive titles in the 1930's; dominance through... Continue Reading →
Recent proposals to introduce Celtic and Rangers B Teams into the Scottish League system (alongside added teams from Highland and Lowland divisions) have sparked a flurry of discussion for and against the proposal. Here we take a look at the main considerations and speculate over the good, bad and the ugly impacts of such a... Continue Reading →
In a previous thefootballblether.com article the question of Aberdeen's form and the ultimate sell by date of Derek McInnes was discussed (Mini Blether – Northern Lights, a bulb change needed?). This was written over a year before the ultimate March 2021 parting of way between Aberdeen and their long serving manager. Many of the issues raised... Continue Reading →
From Brian Laudrup, through Ebbe Skovdahl to Tommy Gravesen, Scottish football has been graced by many Great Danes over the last 20 or so years. In this time, Scotland have failed (until recently) to qualify for any international tournaments or make any real impact upon the international football stage. Our Viking cousins however, since 1998... Continue Reading →
Ebbe Skovdahl, the late Danish manager, arrived into Aberdeen with a strong managerial pedigree in 1999 and the aim of restoring some pride and glory saddly missing in the Granite City since the halcyon days of the 1980's, notwithstanding admirable 2nd place finishes in the early 90's and a Coca Cola Cup win late in... Continue Reading →
As the relentlessness of Covid and the various lockdowns and restrictions continue, one is often reminded or left dreaming of the simple pleasures of attending a football match. The clack of the turnstyles, aroma of Bovril, tongue scalding meatyness of a pie - Ah the joys. However we are left with the slightly less sensual... Continue Reading →
As the months go by and the prospects of returning to football stadia anytime soon diminish, we get to thinking about what things will look like once this is all over. And by “all over”, I don’t mean any form of socially-distanced matchday experience: I’m referring to thousands (or even just hundreds) of human souls... Continue Reading →
The impacts of the covid19 pandemic on Scottish football are coming in to sharp focus. After the pantemine of the voting and subsequent agreement to effectively call the season, we now move into forward planing for the forthcoming footballing schedule. Ideas have been outlined from a condensed 18 game Championship season, to a Scottish Cup... Continue Reading →
Aberdeen are a funny old club. From the heady heights of European success in the 1980's to the stagnation and fall from grace in the 1990's and 2000's. Still a huge club in Scottish terms, not just in a one club city but a one club region in top level terms. Recent results however have... Continue Reading →
During a recent Footballblether trip, sitting over a few birre in a Milanese bar, we discussed our current "Fantasy XI" based on the players who we feel would or could make up the best team in current world football. This discussion got me thinking about the best players I have ever seen (in the flesh)... Continue Reading →
Following my adventures in Italy with my fellow Football Blether writers, it was back to the Scottish Juniors with an intriguing East of Scotland Conference League Match between Linlithgow Rose and Jeanfield Swifts at Prestonfield. The novelty of an 8pm kickoff on a Saturday night added to the mystique. Despite being a Hibs fan and... Continue Reading →
We embarked on something of a pilgrimage to the city of Parma on Saturday 9 March 2019. Parma is a city famous for food and of course, 1990's football with legendary players like Asprilla, Crespo and Thuram to name but a few who graced the Stadio Ennio Tardini during the peak glory years of this... Continue Reading →
A common theme in recent times has been for commentators, players and football fans to look back with nostalgia, through rose tinted glasses, to the days when we were all young, playing football with our friends on the street, round the park or on a proper football pitch - both informally and formally. Many lament... Continue Reading →
As we move into February, the 2018/19 Serie A season and league table is beginning to take shape. As always, there are a few surprises, a few big sides underperforming, smaller sides impressing and as has usually been the case in recent years, the Bianconeri leading the way. Speaking of Juve, back in the summer they... Continue Reading →
The Scottish Cup 4th Round, a date in the calendar which signifies both the return from the winter break for the top sides, as well as their introduction into the fabled old cup competition - the oldest running such competition in the world. The draw on this occasion had matched League One's bottom side Stenhousemuir... Continue Reading →
A late Sunday morning in mid-February 2008. I’d just arrived at Genoa Brignola station, where I‘d agreed to meet up with some bloke I’d met on the internet for the handover of the match briefs. After six months in Italy in possession of a Sky Calcio package for me and my flatmates to while our... Continue Reading →
Many domestic cup competitions have lost their appeal over the years, with most big clubs only really becoming interested if or when they find themselves in the latter stages of the competition. The same can be said of the Scottish Cup. Top sides will play, try to win, but if knocked out will spin out... Continue Reading →
As the clocks ticked over to 2019, alongside all of the new resolutions to lose weight, exercise more, cut down on the drink and pizza, there must also be a sense of excitement about what the new year will bring in terms of football experiences. The team here at thefootballblether already have some exciting expeditions... Continue Reading →
If you look up "Luca Toni, Numero Uno" on YouTube one of the first things that pops up is a brilliantly catchy pop song which sings about Italy's former striker. In hearing this tune and subsequently humming it throughout the following days, I thought it appropriate to pay homage to one of Italy's best goalscorers... Continue Reading →
Following Scotland's victory over Israel in the Nations League, subsequently winning the group and qualifying for Euro 2020 playoffs, there seems to be a nationwide sense of optimism and a shared basking in the glory of the win - even if that basking is being done amid drizzly November rain and dropping winter temperatures. It's... Continue Reading →
With Scotland preparing for a crunch tie qualification with Albania in the Nations League - a phrase that coveys senses of both hope in that Scotland can still achieve something, but also dismay that this achievement would be in the third rung of European football – the squad has been decimated by a large number... Continue Reading →
Saturday 10th November and we embarked on a trip to the seaside town of Arbroath on Scotland's North Sea coast for a match up between the home side, unbeaten this season, and their local rivals Montrose in a tasty Angus derby. Arbroath is located north of Dundee travelling up the east coast, it is well... Continue Reading →
Saturday 20 October 2018 saw Malmo FF host Hammarby at the Swedbank Stadion in Malmo, located in the south west of Sweden. A match up of 2 of the top 4 teams in the Allsvenskan, with Hammarby sitting just above Malmo in the table at kick off. We had travelled across to Malmo from Copenhagen,... Continue Reading →
Scotland whimpered to a 2-1 defeat away to Israel. A disappointing performance on a number of levels. There's the disappointment in losing of course, within the Nations League set up and after a positive win over Albania, progress in the competition suddenly looks more challenging while the threat of relegation also now appears an option... Continue Reading →
There's something really warm and comforting about sitting in on a rainy Sunday afternoon, watching some top quality Calcio play out at the San Siro. Much publicised is the fondness many have for the good old days of the 1990's where Channel 4 provided us mere mortals, without the sufficient luxury of satellite or cable,... Continue Reading →
A number 9. If nothing else, that otherwise simple number is personified by generations of goalscorers, strikers, poachers. There have been quite a few articles, recent discussions and opinions offered concerning the modern day absence of this type of player within top level football. There are examples around, Lewandowski of Bayern and Poland for example or... Continue Reading →
Located approximately 40 miles north east of the city of Aberdeen, just off the A96 road linking Aberdeen to Inverness is the town of Huntly. Tucked into a picture postcard landscape characterised by rolling uplands and hills with farmsteads and wind farms pepper potted around the surroundings. Christie Park is home to Huntly FC, who were at home... Continue Reading →
A return to Berlin for a long weekend to participate in one of the marathon majors presented an excellent opportunity to take in some 2. Bundasliga action between Union Berlin and MSV Duisburg. In the last couple of years I have enjoyed attending junior and lower league games in Scotland so I was keen to... Continue Reading →
On August 30th 2018 the Champions League group stage draw took place. This followed a seemingly lengthy playoff and qualification period which began way back in July. This year, the qualification stages involved even more teams than usual who had actually qualified as champions of their own domestic leagues - albeit domestic leagues without a... Continue Reading →
Scotland 0-4 Belgium. A bit of a doing for our boys in blue. There will be much written about Scotland's heaviest home defeat since the 1970's. Some will label and describe an "embarrassing" or "shambolic" performance where an incoherent Scotland side gave away possession and goals needlessly and were rightly punished by a top ranked... Continue Reading →
As is traditional, Serie B kicks off this weekend amidst a cloud of controversy and uncertainty this weekend. Avellino, Bari and Cesena have been forced to re-start from Serie D following a series of financial troubles and irregularities and the league management has chosen not to fill the void left by their departure. The uncertainty... Continue Reading →
There have been a number of articles and publications over the past few years outlining the success and progression of British football coaches working in far flung corners of the globe, out of the spotlight of the UK Media but still managing to make some progression in the coaching world. Higher profile cases include Graham... Continue Reading →
When one thinks of the Scottish Highland League, images of big, robust footballers come to mind. Rough and ready, "agricultural" style football. I travelled to watch Cove Rangers play Buckie Thistle in Cove's new Balmoral Stadium on the edge of Aberdeen to find out how accurate the above stereotypes are. The Scottish Highland League is... Continue Reading →
As John McGinn completed his move from Hibs to Aston Villa towards the end of the summer 2018 transfer window, fans and media alike were full of praise for a player who had quickly become a favourite and one of the top Scottish Premiership performers and indeed an emerging important presence in the National Team.... Continue Reading →
With the dust from the football fest that was the 2018 World Cup just settling, after France were crowned champions for the second time, we are moving full steam ahead into the new season - the fun doesn't stop. Now, admittedly a lot of the big boy leagues are not yet due to start -... Continue Reading →
New podcast, covering week 1 at the World Cup 2018. Talking results, VAR, culture and expectations. Enjoy!!! Listen to the newest podcast, Thefootballblether: World Cup Week 1 pod https://anchor.fm/thefootballblether/episodes/World-Cup-Week-1-pod-e1me8a
With the opening game of the World Cup in Russia, which features the hosts take on Saudi Arabia, less than a few hours away, it will also mark an unwanted anniversary for Scotland fans; it will have been twenty years since Scotland last qualified for a major tournament. It seems like a long time ago... Continue Reading →
With World Cup fever firmly gripping all football fans, alongside the plethora of football stats, predictions, squad updates, opinions and the like being on hand 24/7, I felt it appropriate to offer some light relief in the form of some good old Footballblether.com nostalgia. France 1998 The first World Cup which I really remember was... Continue Reading →
While Scotland may not be heading to the World Cup in Russia this summer, they are playing their part in the preparations of both Peru and Mexico with a post season jaunt over to play in a couple of warm up games for both these successful qualifiers. In the early hours (GMT) of Wednesday morning... Continue Reading →
Friday, 18 May 2018 was the date when Parma Calcio 1913 sealed their return to the top level of Italian Football, Serie A. After some turbulent and troubled times, Parma have built back up from the ashes and secured 3 promotions in 3 years as they climb back up from the abyss, from a time... Continue Reading →
Brand new podcast, looking at the title race and fight to avoid the drop from the Czech First League. Enjoy Listen to this episode of my podcast, Thefootballblether, Czech Football Podcast 17 May 2018 https://anchor.fm/thefootballblether/episodes/Czech-Football-Podcast-17-May-2018-e1g3np
As regular readers will appreciate, trips away to watch football are a real passion. In no particular order, I've watched club and international football in Scotland, England, Wales, France, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Italy, Iceland and Norway. Games in these countries have been viewed in a whole spectrum of venues from... Continue Reading →
Back with another podcast. Czech roundup, Scottish roundup and an added bonus of a match summary. Thefootballblether Podcast Episode 2: https://anchor.fm/thefootballblether/episodes/Thefootballblether-Podcast-Episode-2-e1de03
One man podcast this time, so no in depth debate. But review and analysis of Scottish, Czech and European football over the last week and looking forward. "Thefootballblether pod - Episode 1; 24.4.18" from Thefootballblether on Anchor: https://anchor.fm/thefootballblether/episodes/Thefootballblether-pod---Episode-1-24-4-18-e1ce3j
As the Scottish 2017/18 season draws to a crescendo, with Celtic looking for a second consecutive treble winning season, most fans with no allegiance to the Champions are beginning to focus on the race for second, European spots or to avoid relegation. Both "alternative" aspects are tightly contested, with at least 2, if not 3... Continue Reading →
Football trips and expeditions are immensely enjoyable - new cultures, different football styles, different atmospheres and a chance to appreciate football from a broader context, what's not to love? I've written before on expeditions to Prague, Berlin and Warsaw and the experiences enjoyed, the different elements of the football world experienced - be that great... Continue Reading →
Check out our intro podcast, Thefootballblether, on Anchor: https://anchor.fm/thefootballblether
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