31st of March – Stadium expansion in Kiel moving forward
Holstein Kiel in northern Germany has moved towards the top in Bundesliaga 2 recently. This has created demand to upgrade their stadium. It finally looks they have made it, and by end of season they should have a stadium with just above 15000 capacity. This means they will get clearance to be promoted and play in Bundeliga 1. Congratulations!
http://stadiumdb.com/news/2019/03/germany_expansion_in_kiel_moving_towards_finish_line
29th of March – The mood is changing in Sunderland
Nearly one year ago Sunderland were relegated to League One and at rock bottom. What a difference one year makes. Now they are fighting for promotion back to the Championship and will play in front of 80000 spectators for the EFL trophy against Portsmouth Sunday.
The new owners and the manager Jack Ross have turned it upside down.
27th of March – Cincinnati FC – The best fans of the MLS?
I recommend you all to watch the documentary from BBC of the fans Ohio based club Cincinnati FC who are due to enter the MLS in 2019
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/47712560
26th of March – Louis van Gaal on his sacking, his legacy and life in retirement
No doubt Louis van Gaal has been one of the best managers in the world during the last 20-30 years. He has won trophies, created attractive sides and last but not the least, brought through a conveyor belt of young players who went on to be top, top players.
Here is a fascinating interview with a look back on his career, but mostly from his last post as manager of Manchester United.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/47704834
24th of March – Finally opening of Tottenham’s “New White Hart Lane”
After a long wait, Tottenham’s new built ground had its first trial with 28000 people inside and it seemed to go all smooth. Now they will have another test event before they will play their first match there. I have to say it looks very impressive. Here is some links to various sites with more information.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/47687411
23rd of March – Chris Wilder the most successful manager in England?
Since 2014 Chris Wilder is the manager in England with the highest win percentage, believe it or not. Read about his journey from bottom om League 2 Northampton to now fight to be promoted to the Premiership with his home town team Sheffield United.
22nd of March – MLS expansion team Nashville SC presents new stadium
Music city team Nashville SC has just presented their new stadium with a capacity of 30000. This will be the largest purpose built football stadium in Nashville. Expect this team to do well as they have billionaire backing.
Ian Ayre, who managed Liverpool through their expansion of Anfield Road, is the CEO of Nashville SC.
http://stadiumdb.com/news/2019/03/usa_nashville_stadium_update_renders_and_timeline
22nd of March – Inside VfB Stuttgart – a fallen giant in search of fresh-faced identity
A good article about how VfB Stuttgart somehow has got them into the hole, but in the search of a new identity they will try all they can to turn the corner in the future. The man behind: The previous Premier League player Thomas Hitzlsperger.
22nd of March – Sol Campbell on management at Macclesfield
While Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard quite early in their managerial career got quite high profile jobs in Rangers and Derby County respectively, Sol Campbell had to wait 8 years for his chance. His task was nearly impossible, to get the relegation doomed Macclesfield avoid relegation back to the National League.
With 8 matches to go they have narrowed the gap and Sol believes himself it will be decided at the last match of the season.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/sol-campbell-opens-up-tough-14173450
22nd of March – What a race to avoid relegation!
English Football League division 1 is crazy this year. When most of the teams have 8 matches to play, 13 clubs are fighting to avoid relegation. It is actually more than half of the teams in the league.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/47631739
21st of March – Skewed finances between the Premier League and the rest
A fascinating interview with the owner of Accrington Stanley, Andy Holt, and how he predicts finances will kill clubs in the English Football League in the future. A really insightful look on the challenges ahead in football.
20th of March – Back to basics for new Belgian national stadium
After different plans have fallen apart for a new national stadium in Belgium have fallen apart, it might now look like there are opportunities for a new construction where Heyssel Stadium is located today. Let us see what happens!
http://stadiumdb.com/news/2019/03/brussels_back_to_basics_at_boudouin
19th of March – A “new” Germany national team
Meet the “new” German players who will take over the mantle from well known players like Mats Hummels, Thomas Muller and Jerome Boateng. All these veterans were “kicked out” of the national team to build a new one with younger players.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6827079/Who-new-players-making-Germany-squad.html
19th of March – Chattanooga FC: The US club with 2000 owners around the world
Football, or soccer as they say in the USA, is growing in the states. Chattanooga FC raised $500 000 in funds in share issue and 2000 people from all over the world signed up to it.
15th of March – North Ferriby United liquidated over unpaid debts
It is always sad to see a club fold, and this is what happened to North Ferriby United over unpaid debts of only around £7600. It is just a small amount compared to a week’s wages for a Premiership footballer. Again it highlights the gap between top football and lower level football.
https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/north-ferriby-united-liquidated-over-2649409
14th of March – A cracker from Athletico Paranaense
I went to the match in the group stage of Copa Libertadores between Athletico Paranaense (BRA) against Jorge Wilstermann (BOL), and what a match it was. The first half of Athletico is the best I have ever seen them play. They aggressive, they moved the ball around and the only “funny” thing is the only 2 goals they scored in the first half was quite lucky.
Enjoy the highlights here:
12th of March – Cristiano Ronaldo does it again!
Juventus were 2-0 down against Atletico Madrid after the first leg in this round of 16 match in the Champions League. One would think that maybe the best defensive team in the world at the moment Atletico Madrid would progress to the quarter finals, but Cristiano Ronaldo turned on the form and a hat-trick from him made it 3-0 on the night, and Juve through 3-2 on aggregate.
12th of March – How people ‘had to’ do football before the web
People growing up today have no much clue how we followed football before the internet. At the same time, we could not imagine follow football now without the internet. The times they are a changin’ as Bob Dylan sings.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/8520b9b3-5389-4f13-b947-96f805d2cfd3
12th of March – How Schalke’s “melting pot” academy produced a string of young players
Fascinating story of how the “ruhr-pott” team of Schalke 04 has produced top class players like Manuel Neuer, Leroy Sane, Ilkay Gundogan and Mesut Osil among others.
11th of March – Louis van Gaal announces retirement
The legendary Dutch manager Louis van Gaal announced his retirement from football at the age of 67. He really has managed great clubs with great success and always brought through young players.
BBC has made a compilation of some of his funny press conferences while he was manager in Manchester United. It is funny!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/35145613
10th of March – Snow stops a goal in Hannover!
Crazy scenes during the Bundesliga match between Hannover 98 and Bayer Leverkusen. It started to snow heavily and when everyone were certain Hannover would score the ball stopped due to snow just before it was to cross the line!
10th of March – Qatar bribed FIFA with secret payments for the World Cup
Is this the best hidden conspiracy theory within the sports world? “Everyone” knew something must have been up with money when Qatar was awarded the World Cup of 2022. Now more and more information gets out, and it looks like the conspiratists have been correct all way long.
9th of March – A fan turned his back on English football for the Italian ultras
A short documentary from BBC about how a West Ham supporter turned his back on them when they moved to the Olympic Stadium leaving the old Upton Park. Instead he has found his home in Arezzo in Italian 3rd division. A documentary I really recommend to watch. Do not forget where football came from!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/clip/f41124ba-6b55-401d-a976-be92114e6cdd
7th of March – Interesting comparison between Celtic and Ajax
After Ajax sensationally knocked out Real Madrid in round of 16 in the Champions League they have been in the football news all over. How do they do it with limited funds compared to the big guns?
Here is a very interesting take comparing to Celtic in Scotland who did not make it to the CL group stages this season.
https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/3962897/celtic-ajax-business-models-wages-revenue/
6th of March – Blackpool FC is back after being in shambles
Just read this article about how the owners of Blackpool left the club in a shambles after they were ousted, and a full house is expected for their home match against Southend coming Saturday
6th of March – Man United heroics in Paris (with a bit of luck)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, or “Ole at the wheel” as the United supporters sing, has transformed Man United since taking over as caretaker manager after Jose Mourinho was sacked just before Christmas.
After losing 2-0 at home to Paris Saint Germain in the first leg of round of 16 in the Champions League we all thought it was all over. Amazingly United went on to win 3-1 away. Martin Samuel did a very good story on this after the match well worth reading.
5th of March – What a goal from Mason Bennett, Derby County
Just watch this cracking goal. It is all I need to say now…
(you need to click the link pic.twitter.com/k9elv1aCKd to see it. Don’t know why video was not properly embedded)
Can’t. Stop. Watching. 🤩
Every angle of *THAT* finish from @MasonBennett20 last night… 👌
Incredible. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/k9elv1aCKd
— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) March 6, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
5th of March – AFC Wimbledon now owns the land to start construction of new stadium
Now it finally is just formalities until AFC Wimbledon can start to construct their new stadium. The land is acquired and now it is to finalise details with contractors for construction to start April or May this year. They aim to have the stadium ready for 2020-21 season!
1st of March – Oyston free Blackpool expects a bumper crowd
The controversial over Owen Oyston was ousted and a new optimism has come back to the Tangerines. They are expecting a bumper crowd for their first home match after Oyston was ousted. A lot of fans boycotted matches under his leadership.
1st of March – Newcastle’s Sean Longstaff: the new Carrick with added ice in his veins
From what I can remember it is a long time since Newcastle has brought through a real class player from their own ranks. Now they might have struck it with Sean Longstaff. Since coming on as a substitute on Boxing Day 2018 against Liverpool in a 4-0 mauling he has gone from strength to strength.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/feb/28/newcastle-sean-longstaff-rafael-benitez-midfielder
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