iamhannah

What is Next For Yoann Gourcuff?

Tue, 26 May 2009 17:52:14 -0500

One of the big questions of the summer will be concerning Yoann Gourcuff. Will Yoann stay at Bordeaux, will he return to AC Milan or will he be headed elsewhere?

While away on loan this season with Bordeaux we have seen the very best of 22 year old Yoann. If he is performing like this at 22 image what a few more years of top flight play will bring for him. Earlier this month Gourcuff was name Player of the Year in Ligue 1 and his club Bordeaux looks like the favorites to win the league this weekend. While playing in France this year he has been able to break into the starting 11 of the French national team and has just been named again to play in next month’s friendlies for France against Nigeria and Turkey.

While we haven’t always seen the best of Yoann Gourcuff at AC Milan I don’t think he has been given a good enough chance with in the squad. I am curious if Carlo Ancelotti leaves the club this summer does this reopen the door for Gourcuff to return and to start?

Gourcuff has stated his wish to stay at Bordeaux and now it is up to Bordeaux to match the asking price of €13.6 million.

All I want for Christmas is...

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:05:31 -0600

Defenders. I'll also take a midfielder and striker.

Christmas list for Milan:

I will take Groso from Lyon, Santacroce from Napoli and Domenico Criscito from Genoa.

Throw is Babel from Liverpool who is dying to leave them as well as Lukas Podolski from Bayern Munich.

It would be a Happy Holiday season for me then.

Beckham to Milan...No Thank You.

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:38:59 -0500

I like Mr. Beckham I really do. He has been a favorite of mine for a number of years. But honestly what does Milan want or need him for. The only thing I can see him in Milan for is to sell shirts. Not that they aren't selling enough shirts with Ronaldinho there.

Milan are a team that needs no more distractions or old legs. I say this but I can so easily see the red and black Milan kit with Beckhams name on the back. He'd have to choose a different number though since Ambrosini is 23 and Pato is 7. Even when Sheva came back he didn't receive the number 7 again.

The loan or permanint move bothers me on a bunch of different levels. Milan need to be taking steps to make themselves better. To get back into Champions League and to win the Scudetto. Not bringing in a one trick circus. I live in Los Angeles and a circus is just what Milan will be getting with Beckham regardless if he is just there to train. It is a distraction that the team does not need.

I've said my piece about it for the moment but I'm sure I will be back on next weeks episode of Forza Futbol giving it a rant or two.

Interesting Free Kick

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 23:49:52 -0500

My friend Simon sent me this clip of an amateur football team with an interesting free kick. Check it out here.

Football Slavery? I don’t think so.

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:15:16 -0500

‘I think in football there’s too much modern slavery in transferring players or buying players here and there, and putting them somewhere,’ Sepp Blatter.

‘I agree with the comments of the president of FIFA. What he said is right,’ he told Portuguese channel TVI. Cristiano Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo believes he is being treated like a slave? Last time I checked slaves didn’t get paid. I am appalled anyone would make such a statement, not surprising it comes from Blatter. That is utterly ridiculous and extremely offensive. You might want to check yourself Cristiano, you get paid to do a job, no one holds a gun to your head or chains you to a post. Last time I checked you get paid a nice penny for your job and are under contract which apparently means nothing to you, FIFA or UEFA. Yes, Sepp Blatter first made the analogy but I think it is absolutely ridiculous for the statement in the first place and then for the comment by Ronaldo agreeing with him. I’m sick of the run around about is he going is he not. If Manchester United are smart they will sell Ronaldo to Real Madrid and soon. Get as much as they can for him and stop this circus of crap coming out of everyone’s mouth.

Blatter quote taken from Soccernet

Ronaldo quote taken from Soccernet

Soccer and How I See My Years Go By

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:03:14 -0500

It is getting to be mid June and this weekend I have a ticket to go to San Jose to watch the LA Galaxy take on the San Jose Earthquakes. I’m a Galaxy season ticket holder and myself along with 200 other Galaxy fans are making the trip to San Jose for the match. I belong to my local supporters group the Angel City Brigade. We stand and cheer together every other weekend. We’ve become friends and the best kind, soccer fans whom have become friends.

My year revolves around the sport I love. My year begins in August/September when Italy, Spain, England and Germany kick off. My year ends at the end of July during the middle of the MLS season here in America. No matter the time of year living here in Los Angeles, I am able to watch a match be it MLS, Serie A, La Liga, Argentine Primera División or the Primera División de México. The list can go on to the games I can watch from my couch.

Many people try to compare MLS to other league but you cannot. Every league be it the English Premier League, the German Bundesliga or the Korean K-League all have something different to offer its fans. The skill level may be different but there is a constant, the supporters. People who get up early on the West Coast of America to watch a 4:30 A.M. kick off of Liverpool – Manchester United or the Family in Australia who stay awake to watch Chelsea – Arsenal. We all have one thing in common and that is soccer. There are leagues everywhere with supporters of all kinds wearing different colors and silly hats. But we call come together over one game, one sport and that is soccer.

Getting to watch every game of Euro 2008 and Champions League action is a perk and I am glad to have the opportunity. Looking at the fans in the stands wearing their countries colors watching history in the making that is the pure joy of this sport and why it is loved all over the world. Every time a big tournament such as the Euros, Copa America, World Cup or Asian Cup come along it reminds me how the same everyone is when they are watching a game they love and are constantly awed by.

As for this weekend, I’m going to miss a few games but that is why the soccer g-d’s created TIVO. And while I am sitting on the bus up to San Jose I won’t be far from the action since my iPhone can supply me with all the scores. Wow, I really do live in a world where it would be hard not to get the scores, results and news. And for that I think we have come a really long way. Fifth teen years ago when I used to open the Sunday Times and hope the sports section had their little blurb on world soccer and the scores from the week before game I never would have imagined I would be able to get a soccer package from my cable or satellite supplier. I’m just happy we have all of this and I think some of us need to be reminded about that every once and a while to take a look and see what we have in our own back yard and where we are now and how far we have come.

-Hannah

FIFA 08 or Pre Evo 08

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:55:23 -0500

Does anyone have a XBOX360 or a PS3 with FIFA 08 or Pro Evolution Soccer 08 who would be interested in getting a game going on this weekend? Let me know my gamertag for both systems is iamhannah. Also if we can get six to eight people with an XBOX360 that would be interested in playing in a League or have tournament set up on XBOX Live let me know.

New interview and new shows

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 17:09:52 -0600

Hey guys, both podcasts on rounds 10 and 11 are ready for your listening pleasure. Listen on our myspace page, or go to serieatalk.com and laligatalk.com.

We have an interview with John Foot, author of Calcio: A History of Italian Football, published in the United States as Winning at All Costs, it is a comprehensive history of Italian football from its origins as an English import, the re-branding of it to create an imagined connection with Calcio Fiorentino (an ancient Italian foot game), and up to the minute that Calciopoli hit. Enjoy, 'cause this one's a long one.

Get the interview at serieatalk.libsyn.com

Two New Shows

Wed, 8 Aug 2007 11:02:00 -0500

Two new shows are have now started. La Liga Talk (Spanish Futbol) and Serie A Talk (Calcio Italia). Please check both shows out and let us know what you think. Look out for a new episode of Forza Futbol next week, along with new episodes of La Liga Talk and Serie A Talk.

Coming up on Serie A Talk we are going to have an interview with Bobby McMahon of Fox Soccer Channel. On La Liga Talk were talking with Phil Schoen from GolTV.

My Saturday Night

Sun, 22 Jul 2007 11:48:45 -0500

I was at the Home Depot Center to witness David Beckham's first appearance for the LA Galaxy!

More pictures tomorrow.