adidas Men's Switzerland Hooded Track Top

Gear up for the 2008 European Football Championship in Austria with the hosting team's colors on the adidas Switzerland Hooded Track Top. This full-zip hooded top features country-inspired screenprinting and embroidery. 100% cotton. Imported.

I feel compelled to write something regarding a football club which I have supported, albeit mainly from a distance, since I was a boy. The last disgraceful episode in the history of Aston Villa Fc was the 3-0 defeat at Doncaster in the league cup. I can take nothing away from Doncaster, who played like lions on the night. They were full of running and pressurised us from the word go. However the point here is that a team of Aston Villa's obvious size, standing and sometimes glorious past should have been far too much for even the bravest of lower division teams. This was not a one off; sadly it was indicative of the general malaise which seems to have set in at the club over the last two years.

Here is a good example. Our 9million pound club record signing, Juan Pablo Angel strolled round the park (when he did actually move) looking like he did not want to be there. For the most part he loped towards the opposition penalty area when we got forward and then stood around waiting for something to happen. I am no expert in the art of striking, but from many hours watching some of the best strikers in the world even I can tell that a good striker will make something happen, not wait for it to fall into his lap. The fact that he has only managed to score this season against lowly Wickham Wanderers, in an earlier round of the cup, I think says it all.

Liam Ridgewell had a nightmare against Doncaster, giving away a penalty and being lucky not to concede another only a few minutes earlier, however, the fact that he was so noticeably bad at least confirmed some effort on his part. Thomas Sorenson played well throughout and the 3-0 score line will look badly on his record, but was mainly down to shambolic defending. Gareth Barry also had a good game, frequently getting down the left on Doncasters wide pitch. However whenever he did so the moves were broken up by the fact that no one was making the runs into the centre for him and our static strikers were being easily marked by defenders they should have been running rings round.

Perhaps the only other player I cannot fault for effort was Milan Barros, who unfortunately looked like he did not relish the cold and his touch on the ball was often well short of what we know he is capable of. I think the game perhaps turned on the penalty claim which TV replays show was an abject penalty when Milan Barros was chopped down in the box. Villa seemed to give up after the penalty was turned down. That aside Doncaster should have had another one when Liam Ridgewell very deliberately shoulder barged one of their players off the ball.

Considering that the league cup was our only realistic chance of success this season, you would have thought that we could have expected a little bit more from the players. It seems to me that the hunger has gone from the side and we have accepted the mid-table mediocrity that is so often the result of a long hard season. And indeed, the league position suggests that they think that even that will be handed to them on a plate. Quite simply it is not good enough. These players are earning - a very loose definition of the word - thousands of pounds per week, and much of that comes out of the ordinary supporters pockets.

I know for a fact that Aston Villa have some of the most fiercely loyal supporters in the land, which perhaps explains why they continue to spend money on substandard products rather than shop elsewhere. However you cannot help thinking that in years to come, unless things change radically, this will not be the case. In todays society where more and more people are moving away from their towns of birth for employment and social reasons, clubs cannot rely on regional association to maintain their fan base and success, however infrequent, is the only thing which will keep the fans returning.

Aston Villa has always been considered the bigger of the two Birmingham clubs and indeed Birmingham is the second largest city in England. To not have a football team in the top half of the table challenging for honours is unacceptable, or at the very least, surreal.

I have been reading recently that Doug Ellis has finally decided to relinquish control of the club. Doug has done very well for Aston Villa over the years (I am not one of those who blames him for our demise) and has managed to keep the business in a very strong position financially when so many other clubs are in deep financial trouble. Unfortunately the world of football has moved on from when Doug started and it is time for a fresh injection of cash and some new faces to try and revive the club. I sincerely believe it is time for a wholesale change in personnel at the club, players and manager alike.

Irish property developers the Comer Brothers and Michael Neville who are looking to purchase Villa for around 64million will certainly inject some cash to be spent on players, but my cynical side tells me giving it to a manager who fails to inspire his team will merely lead to a squandering of a golden opportunity. Dont get me wrong, I have nothing against David O'Leary as a manager and I think in the right circumstances he is very capable. I am suggesting, however, that he has become associated with the failures of Villa over the past couple of years and retaining him for much longer will keep that link to the bad days, when the club needs much more positive input. Likewise Juan Pablo Angel. He is simply another in the long line of expensive strikers who have moved to Villa and failed to live up to their potential. He is a very talented individual and I think perhaps he would benefit from a change of clubs. It is time to cut our losses.

For the Villa fans, we can only hope that the new year brings a new attitude at the club and that things will improve - lets face it, they cant get much worse after a 3-0 defeat at Doncaster!

John Millwardhttp://www.lazybugger.com

UEFA Euro 2008 Championships

adidas Euro 2008 Replique Soccer Ball

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Despite the addition of a big name like Beckham, the soccer in the USA is still facing the challenges it has been undergoing for years now; namely the MLS's challenges include game attendance, level of players, ratings, expansion, stadiums.

The numbers have been declining for years since the MLS's inception in 1993, and despite a small growth spurt in recent seasons, remains far from reaching the same popularity as the foreign leagues - the support simply isn't there. Support starts at home, and the U.S. has never advocated soccer like it does other sports. Instead, most [northern] Americans forsake this world-wide religion known as football and instead champion "American" football: the collision sport comprising of big jocks tackling each other and running for glory, hearkening the grueling violence and big-attitudes that comes with the game. Contrary to most Americans, I believe that soccer is as equally, if not more, of a grueling, tough sport requiring exceeding amounts of endurance than American football. Take into consideration the sheer amount of non-stop running, the level of skill needed to continue the run while making highly-tedious moves, along with the fact that you can't use your hands in a sport requiring adept depth perception. A soccer-player must play continuously for two 45 minute halves and no "timeouts." Their team does not consist of separate defense or offense groups, they are on the pitch continuously, making intelligent decisions with every single moves: passing, shooting, defending, none of it mindless, all of it inherently crucial. The amount of cardiovascular fitness, upper body, core and lower body strength really amazes me. And yet, soccer in the US simply isn't supported locally the way it is in other countries, most of which consider soccer a religion.

Another recurring problem is with ownership of MLS teams. The MLS governs teams under their single-entity make-up, controlling costs by sharing revenues and negotiating players' contracts. Some say that the MLS is thus biased toward profitable the more factions regarding where players go and how much they get.

Then there are the issues of stadiums. Due to its latent start compared to other sports in the US, many MLS teams were relegated to using stadiums specifically made for football (college or NFL). This was problematic due to the large expense to occupy the space and lack of seats actually occupied at the events. So far, six stadiums have been structured specifically for soccer per MLS, a great choice since it has proven to build up attendance and profits. Still, more soccer-specific stadiums are needed nationwide to build a thorough amount of attendance and fan base.

Which brings me to my next point, media coverage and ratings. Major League Soccer has not yet learned how to market its strengths, by making hard-core fans feel needed and appreciate. By amplifying the religious attitude about soccer supported by the rest of the world. If fan support increases, I believe media attention is bound to as well. The Beckham publicity of 2007 definitely drummed up some interest, albeit fleeting. The key is to make the people crave it, it has to be more than a past-time, more than an optional activity to do on a boring spring day. To keep the ball rolling and interest up, MLS needs to convince the media moguls to treat them with the level of respect and coverage as other professional sports. The coverage need to be interesting, exciting and insightful, something it currently isn't. People want to be a part of something, a movement, a feeling. TO sing with the band, boo the other team, wave their flags and curse while downing a pint of Guinness. They want to be hard-core. MLS needs to find how to make this feeling tangible in the US world of soccer and promote it.

Finally, I believe the key now is to bring the level of playing in the U.S. up a notch or two. To get the fans zealously devoted, they gotta believe what they are seeing is great, herculean even. Bring on some real talent, not just Europe's leftovers and retirees. There is a new generation of American players that are ready to give us this level. Younger stars with moldable talent, ready to do whatever it takes and persevere, fight to the death (figuratively speaking). Let's recruit some young Brazilian players and offer them deals that will make them choose the US over the more acclaimed leagues abroad. Everyone knows the MLS is not up to the same level as those, where soccer players are glorified celebrities. Unfortunately, the MLS doesn't seem to have the money to recruit these quality foreign players (due to their single-entity corporate structure, I don't know?).

Rich Honsolson is a sports consultant at World Soccer Connection, a networking and global spot for the soccer/football lovers. http://www.worldsoccerconnection.net is a football/soccer-oriented social network service and internet community focusing on the love and joy of football (soccer in the U.S.). At WSC, you can find and connect with people, blog, moderate your own profile and so much more. Learn about how to obtain soccer college scholarships and connect with coaches, players, clubs and more. Even explore attaining your own personal or team webpage through WSC's services! Visit http://www.worldsoccerconnection.net to find out more.

UEFA Euro 2008

adidas Euro 2008 Footskill Soccer Ball

#617971 Your Foot Skills are in the bag

You've been at football games most of your life. You have jumped with joy every time your team makes that game winning touchdown. You went home with your head bowed down every time your team lost. Whether they win or lose, you still go to their next game excited and full of adrenaline. You do all this while wearing your favorite authentic NFL jerseys.

But how did football jerseys came to be? Do you have any idea about the history of authentic NFL jerseys?

According to the history of authentic NFL jerseys, the popularity of team uniforms surged sometime in the 1990's. However, reaching the height of what it is at present did not come that easy.

Although the National Football League started to gain ground during 1920, the idea of teams having uniform was not that prevalent then. Most teams not only varied their uniforms from season to season, they usually just bought them. Jerseys around this time was typically made of wool. Another thing that was unique during this period was the fact that football players did not have any helmets on. Why you ask? It is for the simple reason that the football league did not require players to do so at this time.

However, as the history of authentic NFL jerseys tells us, sometime in the period of 1930 to 1940, the league required players to wear helmets. One reason could be to protect the players from possible head injuries. The Chicago Bears' Dick Plasman was the last football player said to play without having a helmet on. Another development during this period was that teams were now placing numbers on the jerseys in order for the players to be easily identified.

Although the wearing of helmets was made compulsory during the 1930's, it was only during the period of 1940 to 1905 that football helmets had its special design. It is often said according to the history of authentic NFL jerseys, that a player belonging to the Los Angeles Rams for example, in the 1948 season, had the horns of a ram decorated into his headgear. During this period, teams also started experimenting with colors looking for the right combination.

History also tells us that during 1950, the National Football League experience a lot of changes. Teams were starting to realize that uniforms did not need to be so boring, so to speak. Most team opted for the plastic helmets replacing the leather helmets worn by the players.

When the American Football League was formed sometime in the period of 1960 to 1970, the increase in the number of teams paved the way for some remarkable uniform designs. Facemasks, which started sometime during the 50's, became the standard by the end of 1970. It was not until the 80's when the design used on uniforms were given a finality. One reason for this was likely due to the fact that there were no new teams during the 1980's.

As mentioned earlier, it was during the 90's that the popularity of jerseys experienced a surged. The sale of football jerseys was now one of the best merchandise. This period, the history of authentic NFL jerseys tells us, also experienced some changes in the design of team's uniforms largely because of some teams moving. The Rams for example, was now that St. Louis Rams. Some news teams were also introduced like the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Presently, the league now has a rule that allows a team to wear an alternate uniform for a maximum of three times per year.

So that's about it. So did you learn anything from the simple history of authentic NFL jerseys? Now you can go to games and wear you authentic football jerseys with more pride and more knowledge.

Article Authentic NFL Jerseys is written by Cassaundra Flores, owner of skyfireproducts.com

2008 Uefa European Football Championship

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Let's face it, even if you're not much of a soccer player, knowing how to handle a few soccer tricks can mean a world of difference in your friends circle. Improving on your soccer tricks and skills isn't just for impressing your friends and the ladies though. They can also get your match performance to a higher level, because they're surprising and effective.

I can give you a lot of examples on that part: remember when Ronaldinho first started to perform his famous Elastico move? (flicking the ball with his outside of the foot to the left, then quickly cutting it with his inside) Nowadays, a defender that's facing Ronaldinho in a one versus one duel will surely be careful against this move, but when the Brazilian had just invented it, it was extremely surprising and he managed to create havoc whenever his Elastico would work.

I'm not saying you'll be able to perform as well as Ronaldinho after you learn soccer tricks like that, but it can definitely give you a surprising edge in a match situation.

Another great example of soccer tricks and skills that can make a difference is Zidane's 360 spin. Although it's a very effective and simple move, it wasn't until Zizou popularized it that players all over the World actually used it in matches.

So, if you learn soccer tricks, you'll be able to gain an edge on your opponent, but that probably wasn't that hard to figure out anyway. The real question is HOW to do soccer tricks and how to learn them correctly. Here's what I would suggest.

Try to have a step-by-step approach when you learn soccer tricks, categorizing them on difficulty levels. Start with the basic ones, move on to advanced moves and once you get both these categories well under your boot, try out those special few that are extremely hard to master.

Obviously, if you're practicing these moves by yourself, or with the help of a friend, you'll be able to perform them with no or little resistance, which is rarely the case in a real match (and if there's no resistance, why would you perform them in a match anyway?). So besides practicing the actual move, you'll also have to work on the timing of your soccer tricks and skills.

A couple of basic moves could include: the Zidane 360 spin, the stop and go, the Puskas V-move or the fake shot dribble.

Under the advanced category, you could try the Cruyff move, the stepover and double stepover or the Scotch.

Moves that are quite difficult to master and are better off left for last, include: Ronaldinho's Elastico move, the "Brazilian" rainbow move or the Van Persie sweep.

Start off with the basic ones and practice them thoroughly, until you feel you've mastered these soccer tricks. Of course, when you move on to the advanced moves, these will take a lot longer to get a solid grip over, but you will have had already built some basic ball control skills from the basic dribble.

More difficult dribbles like the Elastico, or the rainbow kick will take a while to get a grip on, but don't get discouraged if you keep failing on executing them! With enough practice, there's no trick that you won't be able to handle. The only thing that kills learning a specific trick is saying "I can't do this" and cutting it off your list.

Niv Orlian is the author and the owner of a Soccer Fans website that provides information on various topics related to soccer.

Wants to master all the above soccer tricks? For more info on how to play soccer like the pros click here

UEFA Euro 2008 Championships