Soccer Fan Blog

My last post, sitting there on top of my blog for months, must maintain the impression that I have dived into a depressive, angry place where soccer is torturous and evil.

It’s only very partly true. I haven’t been writing or thinking deeply about soccer, but I remain addicted to the Roar. I just couldn’t bare going to the game last night however, as if Newcastle had won it would have been too upsetting. Anxiously watching the score on the net, when Griffiths scored I simultaneously groaned and thanked God I wasn’t there. Then Mitchel came on, replacing my second-favourite defender – ok I was curious. The same automatic refresh said “Half Time” as first said “1:1″. Shit, I better get to a screen. But I finished my beer first.

Walked up to the mall and caught the last 20 minutes. The same old frustrating story. The Roar executing attack after attack, coming frustratingly close, missing sitters, Moore heads to the goalie, we’ve seen all this before. An excrutiating draw. I can’t fucking bare it!

But it was a happy ending. They actually scored. 2:1. I love them. All of them. And the Roar women won the Premiership with their win and the Roar youth won their game too. I’m happy ok? Back to work.

Tags: blog, blogs, Football, game, google, premiership, score, Soccer
Australian Soccer | Comments Off

A World Cup 2010 draw that places England’s team on the pitch at Loftus Versfeld stadium will get top marks from Pretoria restaurant and bar manager Andre Malan.
“That’s would be our first prize — I think everyone says they would definitely want them at their stadium. They’ve got the largest following of supporters,” the manager of the sport haunt Eastwoods Tavern told AFP.
Malan speaks from experience. His establishment, a stone’s throw from Loftus, fed and watered 6,000 rugby fans on match day when the touring British and Irish Lions tour took on the Springboks in June.
“It’s important to have teams like England and Holland to be part of this spectacular because they’ve the largest following of football supporters in the world. You want the big teams playing,” he said.
England’s walloping of Croatia 5-1 — putting Fabio Capello’s team in the running to relive a sole 1966 championship glory at Africa’s first World Cup — saw immediate media reports of a rush for flights to South Africa.
Failure to qualify would have been a dent to the event, said Mark Williams, South African tourism director for the United Kingdom and United States, whose fans have snapped the most match tickets after local sales.
“When the Lions tour came to South Africa, there were close to 40,000 Brits or English that came out to South Africa and spent a billion rand (135 million dollars, 92 million euros),” he told AFP.
“So from a football perspective, hopefully it will be a bit more and hopefully they will spend a bit more.”
The World Cup is expected to boost the South African economy by 55.7 billion rands, generate 415,400 jobs and draw 19.3 billion rand into the government’s tax coffers, research house Grant Thornton predicts.
And more than 480,000 football tourists are tipped to spend R8.5 billion during the month-long championship in June.
The recession is unlikely to stop fans from making the long-haul flight, Williams said. “I don’t think it will have too much of an impact. The World Cup comes along once in four years and people will follow.”
The English players will also arrive to an adoring audience. The English Premiership is the most-televised foreign league in South Africa with fans lapping up regular visits by top teams, such as Manchester City this year.
“Probably, they will bring more supporters than any other country from abroad. We want them there because they bring the fans,” said former England goalkeeper Gary Bailey.
“Also, a lot of South Africans follow English football and enjoy the English footballers. It has an aura about it. It has just become over a period of time, the most exciting football to watch.”
While England’s fans have a reputation for unruliness, FIFA’s local organising committee has warned that well-known hooligans will be barred with the help of Interpol.
Rowdy fans have also been cautioned. South Africa will have 41,000 police officers dedicated to the 10 World Cup host cities with 700 officers stationed at each stadium.
“We are ready for them — anybody who misbehaves will be locked up,” said spokesman Rich Mkhondo.
Some 80,000 English fans travelled to Germany for the 2006 World Cup, but Mkhondo hopes for more, saying there is enough accommodation available.
“England is a powerhouse. The fact that they are coming makes the World Cup even more attractive,” he said about the team. “We’re looking forward to welcoming them.”
For Malan at his Pretoria pub, which enjoyed brisk Confederations Cup trade in June, the World Cup will be a huge event no matter how the draw places teams. But he hopes that England will play on his doorstep.
“It’s a fantastic atmosphere. These guys when they come out, they come in large numbers,” he told AFP. “Obviously beer is high on the priority list for them. They eat a lot and drink a lot.”

Tags: blog, blogs, Football, google, match, match tickets, premiership, World Cup
World Cup | Comments Off

The much anticipated BIG Kickoff to the Brand New Season of the English Premier League 2009 / 2010 will officially get underway this Weekend ! And that means , starting from this Saturday onwards , EPL fans will be treated to nine months of non – stop Drama & excitement as football fans follows their fortunes of their favourite teams in the Premiership Title race !

And EPL soccer fans here in Singapore can , for the very FIRST time in the EPL Season Opener history get to watch the Opening Weekend Matches LIVE & EXCLUSIVE all for FREE on Starhub Preview Channel ( Channel 01 ) on both days – Saturday & Sunday this week ! Though there are six Channels showing LIVE Premiership Matches for this new Season , with the usual three dedicated Channels : Football Channel ( Channel 27 ) , Supersports Channel ( Channel 22 ) & Supersports Plus Channel ( Channel 21 ) , as well as three other Brand new dedicated Channels for this New Season too on : Channel 118 , Channel 119 & Channel 120 , that means to say that EPL fans can now get to enjoy watching a total of six LIVE soccer matches being played stimulanteously on TV on Saturday nights !

But , it is understood that although there are six Channels available , the Starhub Preview Channel ( Channel 01 ) will be carrying the LIVE Programme from Football Channel ( Channel 27 ) itself for both matchdays this weekend , to allow EPL fans here in Singapore to enjoy FREE viewing of the Matches at no extra cost !

And for those who are not a Starhub Subscriber , or are not able to access to the FREE Starhub Preview Channel ( for any reason ) and still would not want to miss out on the LIVE Action , U can head down to these 2 Places to watch the EPL Match LIVE too !

Venue 1 : Ang Mo Kio Blk 163 McDonalds ( beside Keburn Bahru CC )

They have recently installed Starhub Football Channel ( Channel 27 ) at their branch outlet ( and they have been leaving the Channel on during daytime these few days ) & it is expected the Outlet will be broadcasting the LIVE Match there !

Venue 2 : Ang Mo Kio Blk 107 Coffeeshop

There is a TV Set specially dedicated to screening of LIVE Soccer Matches & the coffeeshop has also been leaving the Football Channel ( Channel 27 ) on during the day these few days …

Here Are The TV Schedules For LIVE EPL Matches On Starhub Cable Channels This Weekend :

• Starhub Football Channel ( Channel 27 ) & Starhub Preview Channel ( Channel 01 ) :

Saturday , 15 August 2009

EPL LIVE Match Preview : Chelsea vs Hull City – 7pm to 7.45pm

EPL LIVE Match : Chelsea vs Hull City – 7.45pm to 9.45pm

EPL LIVE Match Preview : Blackburn vs Man City – 9.45pm to 10pm

EPL LIVE Match : Blackburn vs Man City – 10pm to 12am

EPL LIVE Match Preview : Everton vs Arsenal – 12am to 12.15am

EPL LIVE Match : Everton vs Arsenal – 12.15am to 2.30am

Sunday , 16 August 2009

EPL Match Preview : Man United vs Birmingham – 8pm to 8.30pm

EPL LIVE Match : Man United vs Birmingham – 8.30pm to 10.30pm

EPL LIVE Match Preview : Tottenham vs Liverpool – 10.30pm to 11pm

EPL LIVE Match : Tottenham vs Liverpool – 11pm to 1am

• Saturday , 15 August 2009

Wolves vs West Ham

* LIVE & EXCLUSIVE On Supersports Channel 22 at 10pm *

Aston Villa vs Wigan

* LIVE & EXCLUSIVE On Supersports Plus Channel 21 at 10pm . *

So to all EPL Soccer Fans out there in Singapore : HAPPY Watching & Enjoy your Weekend with the Brand New EPL 2009 / 2010 Season !

Tags: blog, blogs, Football, google, match, premiership, Soccer, soccer fan
Soccer | Comments Off

16 July 2009

There are even more reasons to celebrate on Sunday , 9 August 2009 National Day this year , at least for all the EPL Soccer Fans here in Singapore , that is . As Singaporeans busk in the celebration of their country’s 44th Years of Independence , soccer fans here will also be treated to a spectacle of a real exciting BIG Match in store , between Manchester United – last Season’s League Champions and Chelsea – FA Cup Winners of Last Season going head to head in this year’s Community Shield Clash – the tradtional curtain raiser to the EPL New Season . The two sides were ‘ supposed ‘ to face each other in the UEFA Champions League Final last Season , but now the two sides finally have got their wishes ‘ granted ‘ , in particular especially for Chelsea who felt that they were ‘ denied ‘ a place in Rome after a stormy Second Leg Semi Final Clash with eventual Cup Winners Barcelona .

The two sides will face off in the traditional curtain raiser , exactly one week before the New Season of the English Premier League 2009 / 2010 Season begins on Saturday , 15 August 2009 and Soccer fans can look forward to watching this exciting and highly anticipated Community Shield Clash LIVE later in the night , right after enjoying the NDP Parade .

The last time these two sides met in the Community Shield was two Years ago in 2007 where the Match ended 1-1 in 90 mins with the Red Devils eventually winning the Match 3 – 0 on penalities . Man United also successfully defended the Community Shield last year after defeating Portsmouth on penalties after a goalless 90 mins Match in normal time .

Can Alex Ferguson’s men make it three in a row by successfully defending the Title once again this year against Carlo Ancelotti’s first Official Match in charge of the Blues , just one week before the Official Kickoff to the New EPL Season ? Or can the new manager – former coach of AC Milan , Carlos Ancelotti successfully lead his Chelsea side to their first silverware of the New Season ?

* Catch Manchester United vs Chelsea in Community Shield on 9 August 2009 , National Day LIVE & EXCLUSIVE from Wembley Stadium at 10pm ( Singapore Time ) . Don’t miss it ! *

Tags: barcelona, blog, blogs, google, match, premiership, Soccer, soccer fan, spectacle
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15 July 2009

Tottenham Hotspurs will face two of the Europe Leagues Champions Top Clubs in their EPL Pre – Season 2009 / 2010 Friendly next week , determined to improve on their eighth place finish in the English Premier League last Season . They will face last Season’s treble League and Cup Champions Barcelona on Thursday , 24 July 2009 and against Scottish League Champions Celtic two days later .

After which they will be involved in the Asia Premier League Trophy Tournament , where they will lock horns with fellow Premiership side West Ham United at the end of this Month on 29 July 2009 . And depending on the outcome of the Match , they may face another Premier League side Hull City later in the Tournament two days later .

Another London club Chelsea will get the chance to lock horns with their ex – Chelsea Manager , Jose Mourinho for the very first time since the Portugese left Stamford Bridge to be coach of Italian League Champion side Inter Milan whom the Blues will face in their Pre – Season Friendly Match . The Blues will then face off against Carlo Ancelotti’s former club AC Milan in their next Friendly Match , both of which will be played in USA , America .

Carlo Ancelotti , now manager of Chelsea taking over from temporary coach Guus Hiddink at the end of last Season’s English Premier League , will face off against his former club in only his third Match in charge of the Blues . The two Matches against the two Milan sides – one against their former boss Jose Mourinho , who guided his current side Inter Milan to the Serie A Title last Season and against new manager Carlo’s Ancelotti’s Former club – AC Milan will surely be watched on very closely by the managers of both sides , as well as their Fans , although it is just a Pre – Season Friendly Fixture .

This will surely add much more Drama and Excitement and this would surely mean more than just an ordinary Pre – Season Friendly Match for both Chelsea Fans and the team . Chelsea will end their Pre – Season Friendly Fixture with a trip to the Madejski Stadium to play former Premiership side Reading .

* Important Dates To Look Out For :

Wednesday , 22 July 2009

Chelsea vs Inter Milan

* LIVE & EXCLUSIVE On Indonesia’s TV One Channel at 11am *

Saturday , 25 July 2009

Tottenham vs Barcelona

* LIVE & EXCLUSIVE On Starhub Football Channel at 3am . *

Saturday , 25 July 2009

Chelsea vs AC Milan

LIVE & EXCLUSIVE On Indonesia’s TV One Channel at 8am .

Sunday , 26 July 2009

Tottenham Hotspurs vs Celtic

* LIVE & EXCLUSIVE On Starhub Football Channel ( Channel 27 at 11pm ) *

* Note : All Telecast Times & Kick Off Times refers to Singapore Time . All information are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change . *

Tags: barcelona, blog, blogs, Football, google, match, premiership, Soccer, Tournament, USA
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