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SidelinE VISTA

Contents
Meet
the
Team

Editors note
Sideline

22 NEWSREEL

Your

Notes

43

38

Blog post of the

14

Month

Luminar y

12
Months

Champ

30 Ones
Lost

n
27

44

Sideline Health

Hero in

Retro

Editors

Meet the team

EDITORIAL

Taiwo Salisu
Editor
Managing contributor and co-creator of content for all topics covered
in this issue.

It's always a big honour

to write you on welcoming notes; your dedicated

followership and loyalty when remembered, always
cause affectionate ripples in the walls of my heart....
To this, I cant adequately thank you enough. Your
reception has been teeming and highly commendable.
In pages to follow lie tasty features dutifully
served by our team for your entertainment.
Keep calm, relax and read....

Kehinde Salisu
Co-Editor
Supplementary contributor, co-creator of content, co-writer and editor of
news material, management of interviews.

CONTENT

Yemisi Falade
Research Manager
Generator of material from factual events, critique of written reports,
management of research information through collection,
cross-referencing, screening, editing and storage.
Yomi Aruleba
Content Manager
Provider of content for medical stories as well as vetting of screened
news material prior to editing and publishing.
Folajimi Onatoye
Research Assistant
Observer and reporter of issue circulation statistics,
reader preference, changes in demand and so on.
Oyindamola Badejo
Research Assistant
undertaker of research activities relevant to topics
as well as compilation of audience metrics;
population size and density, demographics etc.
Tolu Adeleke
Correspondent
Executor of interviews after scheduling,
news material sourcing and organisation
Sorefunmi Olubukola
Journalist
writer of news obtained from correspondents
and researchers in areas relevant to Luminary

Taiwo Salisu
@taiwostow

Chika Dike
Arts & Cartoons
Manager of graphic appearance and interactivity of the magazine,
provider of content for cartoons and featured jokes.

PUBLISHING
High Q

WEB

Teniola Omole
Web Architect
Manager of the magazine's online presence,
web portal and electronic newsfeed.
SIDELINE VISTA is a monthly publication of Jericho Media. This is a pilot issue and some
information displayed do not exactly represent real life events. This issue is limited in supply
and intended only for promotional, registration and regulatory purposes.
Any form of reproduction of this material without the express consent of Jericho Media is a
civil wrong and may attract litigious action against offenders.
Copyright 2013 JERICHO MEDIA info@jmcorp.com

Photoboard

Photoboard

Ad

Ad

Champ

Months

n this serials issue, we recognise and laud the

deftness of our reader Amarachi Eche Okoye
who answered correctly, all five questions asked
in the previous issues Q & A segment.

Light skinned and of average build, Amarachi isnt one who

would naturally elicit a second stare from anyone, except of
course for the semi-permanent scowl on her face. Her thin,
nasal voice laced with an Eastern Nigerian accent is one
which innately endears, taking away every memory of the
scowl you once saw.
Chatty and effervescent if rightfully stirred; Amarachi
stretched a supposed 30-minute interview with SidelineVista to a little over an hour. Please, Please, Please she pled,
every time she was reminded about how little the time she
had left was in answering the interviewer. Amarachi nonetheless, trudged on and on; giving us superfluous details
about how spiritedly she searched for the quizs answers.
I asked my younger brother first, he knew only question 1
and 4 then I sought my husbands counsel and annoyingly,
he knew nothing waving my questions off with disregard
and urging me to find something more interesting to do.
She added, My senior brother finally saved the day when
he offered to check Google for the answers. We sat in front
of his laptop and determinedly searched the answers on the
search engine. Our efforts finally paid off.
I hate appearing a loser; giving up and calling things in. This
feels triumphing and reminds me of what I can achieve in
life by sheer determination. I feel very honoured.
Im really not a lover of the sport of football but looking at
sharing perspectives with one who looks at the sport from
a different angle sure interests me. Seeing blog posts, write
ups and feature stories that shed light on health events
and their consequences on athletes and supporters is very
creative.
She was awash with praises for the tabloid, urging us to ...
keep the light burning. She went on to add how enthusiastically she looks forward to having her photograph spilled
over the leaves of the Months Champ segment in this
issue.
Three entries containing correct answers to the asked questions was received, but Amaras was received the quickest.
Amara is a fashion designer who shuttles between Eastern
Nigeria and Lagos. Shes however domiciled in Lagos cur-

12

rently. She alluded to having an idea about the weekly run show on
radio. Most amusing was her expression when she was told she had
the opportunity of winning super fabulous prizes week in week out
on the program.
She asked if we were the Central Bank and why we had to be giving
so frequently in this
manner.

I hate
appearing
a loser

We must say
loads of fun
with this
eastern
we use this
to speak to
who have
the stereoaccepted
followerastrictly male affair.

we had
chatting
very
lady and
story
ladies
taken
type and
football
ship as

Luminary
L

ittle did he know of his impending thigh strain; all he did was put a decent
right footed strike to push his team a goal ahead of the intense Valencia
side that had for a few minutes, given AC Milans backline a very torrid

time.
Long story short, he is in the dugout and would miss vital fixtures in the weeks
to come.

Luminary
The Situation Room
Receiving a through ball from Andrea Poli, Robson de Souza
(Robinho) darted inwards immediately, giving a powerful
right-footed strike on the edge of the 18-yard box of Valencias goal to send AC Milan a goal up.
This came right after a defensive debacle from Valencias
end, in which a cross was poorly cleared as a swift turnover
and counter-attack was mercilessly launched.
The strike from the forward that put the ball to the far right
of the goalkeeper was one taken with a lot of energy; the
impact being a moderate thigh strain that was latent until
signs of walking difficulty by the player became evident
to his teams medics. He was beckoned to show up on the
sidelines for further assessment before the manager reluctantly took him off and made his first substitution of the
game.
Current reports state that the player was hit with a moderate thigh strain sufficient to keep the forward away from
the action for a few weeks.

Area hit by the thigh strain

The Interview

extend my contract.
I hope this will be Milans year and mine, too. This season
is important for me because there is also the World Cup. I
have already said that Milan is a team I could play 10 years
for,
Any
match
against
Valencia is
difficult
the
stadium
is magnificent,
the fans
are passionate.
It will
be important
to play
well
this evening, There is always the desire to win with the
Milan shirt
and even
if this is a
pre-season tournament,
the aim
remains
the same: to win. The Mestalla is a stadium I have played
in before, and I am delighted to be here again.

Im delighted to
be here again

Fortunately he spurred Milan on to an early lead but

yielded to pains in his thighs after they gave way in such
unspectacular fashion shortly after celebrations.
Robinho joined the Rossoneri from Manchester City on
31st August 2010 for a fee of 15 million pounds. Here, he
has enjoyed numerous team appearances bagging collective honours of the Italian Serie A and Supercoppa Italiana
in 2011. After being mired in huge controversies with the
club concerning salaries and contract expiration, he signed
a new contract that will keep him till 2016.

A few hours before the game, Robinho called a press conference. He emphasized the urgency of winning and the
impetus donning the AC Milan jersey places on him.
He said, I am happy to know that the club wanted me to

14

15

SidelineNewsreel SidelineNewsreel
Rebel Suarez back in training

Recent reports indicate Liverpool striker Luis Suarez

returns to training after the latters infamous decision to
leave the club as declared publicly in the summer. He was
recently seen training with the clubs first-team squad
a pointer to a possible reconciliation with manager
Brendan Rodgers. Rodgers on the other hand has stated
that Suarez would need to apologize to his teammates
and the club before he could return to training after
complaining about the players attitude and pre-season
performances. Pictures Friday in British media showed
Suarez taking part in warm-up routines and laughing
and joking around with teammates at Liverpools Melwood training ground. The club hasnt yet said whether
the player has made an official apology.

De Guzman absent for new season

start

Gibsons start to the new season doubtful

Darren Gibson may be ruled out of opening games for the new
Premier League Season after a knee injury he sustained in Evertons 2-1 friendly defeat of Betis on Sunday. The Irish midfielder
felt a problem during the warm-up but started for Roberto Martinezs team before being replaced by John Heitinga. This event
is possibly a huge loss to Evertons midfield, especially with
uncertainties hovering Marouane Fellainis stay at the club after
being linked with a move to Manchester United.

Balotelli in fitness race for Milan

Mario Balotelli may be absent for Milans crunch UEFA Champions League play-off after an injury sustained in a preseason
friendly against LA Galaxy on Wednesday. Milan medics confirm
he has a muscular problem in his right thigh and will undergo
more tests on the teams return to Italy from the United States.
Balotelli could also be ruled out of Italys friendly at home to Argentina on August 14.

Mauri suspended for six months

Baysse sidelined for six months

St. Etienne defender Paul Baysse will be out of action for at least
six months due to a knee injury. The player who is a summer
signing from Brest, suffered a tear in his anterior cruciate ligament in a friendly against Grenoble last weekend. Bayasse would
require an operation may not see him return to match fitness until 2014. He made 18 top-flight appearances for Brest last season,
scoring twice.

Gundogan out till September

Reyess absence for new seasons

start likely

Sevilla may begin their 2013/14 league campaign

without key player - Jose Antonio Reyes. The 29-yearold Spaniard has been ruled out of action for about two
months after tearing a posterior cruciate ligament in
his left knee. Reyes was knocked out early in the UEFA
Europa League qualifying match against Montenegrin
side Mladost Podgorica last week.

Podolski: A bigger problem than

before

Lazio captain Stefano Mauri has been penalised with a sixmonth ban by the Italian soccer federation for his complicity in
a match-fixing scandal. Mauri was accused of rigging the Serie A
games between Lazio-Genoa and Lecce-Lazio in May 2011 and for
failed to report match-fixing. This judgement was levied against
eight others. He was found guilty for his role in the Lecce match.
Mauri says he will appeal the ban.

Fabregas injures ankle in friendly

Dutch midfielder Jonathan de Guzman has been ruled

out of Saturdays Premier League opener against Manchester United after suffering a concussion during training with his national team. The Swansea player currently on loan from Villarreal, was ferried to a nearby
hospital after colliding with teammate Dirk Kuyt before
Wednesdays friendly match between Portugal and the
Netherlands. He will be sidelined for up to 10 days.

18

Ilkay Gundogan will be sidelined for two weeks after disturbing

a back injury while playing for Germany. The Borussia Dortmund
midfielder had to be taken off during Germanys 3-3 draw with
Paraguay on Wednesday due to discomfort in his spinal region.
He will miss his teams Bundesliga home games against Eintracht
Braunschweig on Sunday and against Werder Bremen on August
23.

Spanish and Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas has injured

ankle and could be out of Spains squad for next weeks friendly
against Ecuador. Fabregas was stretchered off eight minutes from
the end of Saturdays 3-1 friendly victory over Malaysia XI.

Arsenal have been dealt another fitness blow as news

just emerging from sources state that Lukas Podolskis hamstring injury is worse than first feared. The
28-year-old was stretchered off during Arsenals 2-0
win over Turkish side Fenerbahce; a result which
sealed their place in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. Arsene Wenger initially told the media
the player would be out for three weeks, now expects
Podolski to be out for up to ten weeks.

19

SidelineNewsreel SidelineNewsreel
Kompany ruled out for a month

Belgian central defender Vincent Kompany could be

out of Manchester Citys derby with United next month.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini stated that the defender
would face a month out of action as he battles with
a groin injury. The Manchester City captain, who got
injured in the 4-0 mauling of Newcastle on Monday, has
gone through relevant tests and scans on which highlighted the severity of the injury.

Thiago Alcantra ruled out for seven

Bayern Munichs Thiago Alcantara would be out of action for

at least seven weeks after an ankle injury sustained in a domestic league match. The Spaniard ruptured a right ankle ligament during his sides 2-0 win over Nurnberg on Saturday. He
will undergo surgery. Thiago, Bayern Munichs summer signing from Barcelona, is expected to miss the future Bundesliga
fixtures against Freiburg, Hannover, Schalke and Wolfsburg, as
well as the start of the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Dutch striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar has been ruled out of action
for several weeks with a knee ligament tear. The 30-year-old
suffered a partial ligament rupture in his right knee during his
sides defeat to Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Huntelaar who has made 60 international appearances for Netherlands, has been a very key to Schalkes campaign since arriving
three years ago, nicking in 80 goals in 121 matches.

Accident earns Higuain ten in his face

Leye shocker for Zulte Waregem

Senegalese player Mbaye Leye may be out for the rest of

the season after twisting his knee in last weekends 1-1
draw at Oostende. Tests showed a torn cruciate ligament
in his right knee and the Zulte Waregem player is expected to be out for seven to nine months.

20

Struggling Hamburger have landed midfielders Dennis Aogo and

Tomas Rincon suspensions from the squad against the Bundesliga match with Hertha Berlin because two practice-free days were
misused by both. Defender Aogo, flew to the Spain to meet his
agent while Venezuelan midfielder Rincon went there for family
reasons after coach Thorsten Fink gave his team two days off
following their heavy loss.

Juventus without Marchisio

Schalke 04 dealt massive Huntelaar blow

Rafael, Nani, Young & Hernandez all

out of Uniteds ensemble

Defending champions Manchester United will be miss

out a number of key players that are still recuperating as
they confront Chelsea on Monday. The players are; Ashley Young, Luis Nani, Rafael Da Silva and Javier Hernandez. They have been out of action with varying degrees
of injury. Manager David Moyes confirmed that Rafael
will be out of action for up to four weeks with the hamstring injury he picked up at the Community Shield.

Hamburg lands cautionary suspension to

two

Gonzalo Higuain Napolis star summer signing has undergone surgery to put ten stitches to his face after a rock climbing accident during tourism in Capri. The 25-year-old Argentine is being treated in a hospital after receiving eight stitches
to his jaw area two to his eyebrow. Higuain, who joined Napoli
from Real Madrid for 37m in the summer, is expected to resume for training later in the week.

Juventus would be without midfielder Claudio Marchisio for the

opening month of the Serie A season because of a knee injury.
The 27-year-old was forced out of the 4-0 victory over Lazio in
the Italian Supercup on Sunday just 21 minutes after a challenge
from defender Stefan Radu. The experience gave the lad a knock.
The player would be absent from upcoming games against Sampdoria, Lazio and Inter Milan as well as their opening UEFA Champions League group match.

Saintfiet accuses Keshi of racism

Malawi coach Tom Saintfiet has alleged Nigerias Stephen Keshi of racism after Keshi described him as a
white dude who should go back to his native Belgium.
Saintfiet said the Football Association of Malawi had
lodged a complaint to FIFA and were awaiting their
response.
The row began when Saintfiet expressed safety concerns over Nigerias southern city of Calabar, the venue
for a decisive World Cup qualifier between the countries next month.
In response, Keshi said: I think the coach of Malawi is
crazy. ... He is not an African person, he is a white dude.
He should go back to Belgium.

Del Piero opts out of Sydney friendly

Malaga unsure for Messi

Alessandro Del Piero has been forced to pull out of

Sydney FCs final friendly against Italian side Reggio-Emilia after failing to pass a fitness test following
an injury knock.
Del Piero took to twitter to apologize to his fans about
why he would not participate in the match. He stated:
Lionel Messi will be out of Barcelonas upcoming league game at
Im sorry, but after my last control I was not given the
Malaga on Sunday while he recovers from a muscle injury in his
ok for the match against Reggina. But I will still be at
left leg. Barcelona told the media on Saturday that even though
the stadium tonight.
Messis progress is satisfactory; Coach Gerard Martino would leave The former Juventus player, who moved to the Australthe Argentine forward out of his squad as a necessary precauian league last season, arrived in Reggio late on Tuestion. Messi bruised a muscle in his left thigh during the first half
day night after being delayed by medical treatment
of Wednesdays 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the
but was met with a tumultuous reception from waiting
Spanish Super Cup.
fans.

21

SidelineNewsreel SidelineNewsreel
Fifa seeks clarity on Russian gay law

Ankle injury keeps Goetze out

Midfielder Mario Goetze faces several weeks on the sidelines

after a right ankle against Chelsea in the UEFA super cup. BayFootballs world governing body FIFA has asked Russia ern said that Goetze was injured in a tackle. Hell have to wear
2018 World Cup hosts, to explain in more detail its new plaster for a week and may not be able to return to full trainlaw that bans homosexual propaganda after it met
ing until about 10 to 14 days later. Fellow team mate Bastian
protests from athletes and activists.
Schweinsteiger earlier Saturday withdrew from those matches
In the context of the adoption of the federal law on
due to an ankle injury. Javi Martinez and Arjen Robben will miss
prohibition of propaganda of non-traditional sexual retraining for several days with less severe knee injuries.
lations in Russia, FIFA has asked the Russian authorities
Muntari says sorry for Lesotho outburst
for clarification and more details on this new law, the
federation said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ratified the new law in
June but this currently casts a shadow over the nations
preparations for the World Athletics Championships and
next years Winter Olympics all being held in Moscow.
FIFA whose request comes right after the International
Olympic Committees (IOC), said its statutes and code of
conduct foresee zero tolerance against discrimination
based, among other things, on sexual orientation.
It added that all guests, irrespective of their sexual leanings are expected in a FIFA World Cup host country to be
comfortable whether they are fans, players, officials.
Russia on the other hand, has committed to provide all
visitors and fans with a warm welcome and ensure their
safety.

Capoue out for four weeks

Tottenham midfielder Etienne Capoue will be sidelined

for four weeks after a scan revealed a sprained an ankle
in Sundays 1-0 defeat at Arsenal. The French, which
joined in the offseason from Toulouse, was taken off on
a stretcher in the 72nd minute at Emirates Stadium.

22

Ghanaian midfielder Sulley Muntari has apologized to team

coach Kwesi Appiah after disputes arose between the two after a World Cup qualifier. The player who plies his trade in AC
Milan had been unhappy at the coachs choice to replace him
for Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu in the qualifier against Lesotho
in Maseru.
The coach was quoted as saying, Apart from what happened
on the pitch, Sulley also said some things to the coach in front
of the other players that would sound very ugly to our listeners if we should repeat the same words. The player nonetheless rendered an apology before the next day. He said in his
statement,I write this letter to render my sincere apologies to
the Management, Technical Team and the entire players of the
Black Stars for my after the Lesotho/Ghana match which was
played in Maseru on Sunday, 17th June 2013.
Muntari will hope to be called by Kwesi Appiah for the Ghanas
big game against Zambia on September 6 after previously being frozen out of the squad.

Weligton to miss two months

Brown Ideye returns to form

Brazilian defender Weligton will be sidelined for two months

after having surgery on a broken collarbone. The 33-year-old
center-back suffered the injury during a recent friendly against
Aston Villa. This is Weligtons sixth season with Malaga. He
helped the club earn promotion in his first season in 2007/08
and reach the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League last
term.

Alonso breaks foot in training

Midfielder Xabi Alonso will be out of action for up to three

months after fracturing a metatarsal in training. Another Real
Madrid player, Brazils Marcelo, was operated for the same
fracture in October 2012 which forced him to miss a total of 19
matches last season. Alonso, 31, also underwent surgery in the
offseason on his back and missed Real Madrids preseason and
their Spanish league opener last weekend.

Nigerian striker, Brown Ideye is back to goalscoring

form after hitting in a stunner during club duties at Dynamo Kyiv.The player got on the score sheet in the 52nd
minute of Dynamo Kyivs 3-2 first leg playoff victory
against Kazakhstani club, Aktobe at the Ortaliq Stadion. Ideye reacted in lightening fashion after receiving a
brilliant defence-splitting pass from teammate, Lukman
Haruna from the edge of the box. Keeping his composure
and rounding the Aktobe keeper, he slammed it home
into an unguarded net. Five minutes later, the 24-yearold Nigerian showed he was in supreme form when his
sublime pass found teammate, Younes Belhanda who
promptly fired in Dynamo Kyivs third goal on the night.

Bocchetti sidelined for six months

Afellay ruled out for 4 months

Barcelona midfielder Ibrahim Afellay will be out of action for

four months after undergoing extensive surgery on his right leg.
The clubs official statement says Afellay had surgery on Thursday to treat a chronic injury related to the muscle and tendon
in his right thigh. The 27-year-old has suffered a myriad of knee
injuries since joining the squad in 2010. He underwent surgery
to repair a torn ligament in his left knee in October 2011. Afellay
was on a brief loan to Schalke last season and was injured at the
German team as well. He has returned to Barcelona but has not
featured regularly.

Spartak Moscow have been dealt an injury blow with

the news that Italian defender Salvatore Bocchetti faces
around six months out as he requires knee surgery.
The 26-year-old sustained the injury in last weekends
goalless draw with Rubin Kazan and tests revealed
a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and a strained
fibular collateral ligament. Spartak also announced that
Brazilian striker Ari has completed his move to league
rivals Krasnodar after putting pen to paper on a threeyear deal.

23

Ad

HeroinRetro
N

ot many would reckon with him as legendary but

truly, he was. Reputed for springing off benches to
appear on score sheets and skew the final result
of the match; many today dont dare that close. Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer holds stories in Old Traffords folklore. We serve
you an ear-full

HeroinRetro
O

le Gunnar Solskjr otherwise known as baby

faced assassin is a retired Norwegian footballer,
who was associated almost entirely with Manchester United in his professional days. He commanded renown as a potent striker and less as a winger.
He is most famously known for the winning goal he scored
for Manchester United against Bayern Munich in the 1999
UEFA Champions League Final, earning the moniker, super
sub. is now a football manager, currently in charge of
Molde.
Born 26th February, 1973 in Kristiansund, Mre og Romsdal, Norway. Solskjr served with the Norwegian Army for
a year before proceeding to third division side Clausenengen. He commanded admiration for his impressive stats
of seventeen goals in six matches as a seventeen-year-old.
He proceeded five more seasons with this side averaging
more than a goal each game within this period.
So impressive and influential was his stay that about 70%
of the total goals scored by his side in the league were
scored by him. This was in 1994.
His feats earned him a transfer to top-flight side FK Molde
where he scored 20 goals in the league that year. The next
season saw him take this a notch higher, bringing a goal
tally to a smashing 31 in 38 games, sparking interests naturally from Hamburg and Cagliari who were turned down.
He eventually signed for Manchester United in the summer of 1996 where he was expected to be reserves cover
for current strikers Eric Cantona and Andy Cole.
Flying off to dazzling starts in his first season, he ended
with a handy 18 goals, overturning existing premier league
fortunes and securing the title for the Old Trafford side
during the final weeks of the season. He was tagged The
Baby faced Assassin by contemporary British media for his
youthful looks and lethal finishing on the ball.
He commanded repute as one player who changes the
outcome of the game when coming from the bench. He
was described by then manager Alex Ferguson as, one
who has a knack for sitting on the bench and never taking
his eye off the ball; hence the moniker super-sub.
Another crest in his career was his self-sacrifice of obtaining a red card for a foul committed on goal bound Newcastle player Robert Lee. This event saw the match tied
at 1-1 a result that sustained Manchester Uniteds title
ambitions. This etched the Norwegian players name on
the slabs of Manchester United folklore and the hearts of
faithfuls.

26

His influence lingered on modestly as seasons unfurled.

Playing time was however significantly reduced since
the
signing of Dutch striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
Determinedly, he paired up with the Dutch player on
few opportunities he was privileged to start in, forcing
strikers Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole to the bench and
ultimately out of Old Trafford. This didnt go on for long
nonetheless.
He began his first ordeal with dwindling physical form
and injuries in the fall of 2003. Here, he battled with
knee problems but
nonetheless, bounced
back to top-flight
action in spring of the
next year. He nicked
the man-of-thematch award in an FA
Cup semi-final game
against Arsenal within
that period. In the
fall of that same year,
he underwent a knee
injury that kept him
out of action for the
entire period of the
succeeding season.
United supporters
nonetheless flooded games with chants in his honour.
In winter of 2005, he made a surprise comeback to the
reserve team games with many turning out to watch the
player.
His pre-season tour success with Manchester United in
2006 set the chimes in his favour as he began the glimmering season with a flying start, scoring virtually in
every game.
Internationally, his pair-up with Tore Andre Flo in the national team was seen as one of the greatest ever striker
partnerships. He featured prominently in the !998 World
Cup and Euro 2008.
This wasnt unhindered as he had to exit several times
to have a troubling knee injury operated upon that same
year. Undergoing a minor one a year later which was
a success, Solskjr unfortunately failed to recover and
announced his exit from on the 27th of August 2007.

27

Ad

HeroinRetro
Seven days later, a testimonial match in his honour was
held. He, at his exit time held the record of the highest
number of goals (28) scored as a substitute in Uniteds
history.
Today, hes
taken on a new
football role
a managerial
one. Developing his acumen
as a reserves
team manager
with Manchester United
where he won
the Lancashire
and Manchester Senior Cup,
he went on to
manage FK Molde (his former Norwegian club before his
transfer to Manchester United) where hes enjoyed winning
the domestic league title in his first season. Hes currently
their manager.
Ole is also a football ambassador. He was knighted by the
Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav by King Harald V of Norway.
The award was
given to him in a
ceremony on 25
October 2008 in
his hometown
of Kristiansund
making him the
youngest ever
recipient of the
knighthood,
usually bestowed
upon notable
members of society in their later
years.
While at Manchester, hes played as an ambassador, playing with students at the Manchester United Soccer School
in Hong Kong during a 2006 pre-season tour. In 2009, the
Norwegian parliament awarded Solskjr its annual Peer Gynt Prize for his work as worthy ambassador of
sport and for his great social commitment in a ceremony
at Vinstra Hall.

28

LostOnes

LostOnes
E

asy going Antonio never had life going on

this smoothly. Earning a decent wage with a
reputable Spanish club, earning five trophies
in fifteen months with his clubs near legendary state, nursing both a football career
pointing skywards and a woman laden with his child;
life seemed indeed every second worth living for.
Beginning his lifes sojourn in Spains most populous
community Andalusia and child to modest indigenous
parents, Antonio was almost entirely associated with
football from a very tender age. Seeking to establish
himself as a gifted kid, he landed himself a learning
opportunity with Sevilla football clubs youth training
system where he would spend fourteen years of his life.
Antonio established himself as a gifted left-footed player who operated best from the flanks as a defender or
midfielder. Forming strong alliances with Jesus Navas,
Jose Antonio Reyes and Kepa Blanco, he shot up to first
team relevance in record time, attracting attention from
the bigwigs.
In the coming season, Antonio seemed as incendiary as
a two-ton nuclear bomb; waiting to burst out in fits of
class, fine form and talent. He marched gallantly with
his team to all relevant competitions they were playing
for most memorably the UEFA Cup in which they won.
He played a crucial part in this success, converting a
penalty kick that buoyed the side and spurred them on
to wrest the title.

The manager, leaving no other option accessible, raises

another in his stead; all things being ok, Antonio attempts
to get up to his feet. He does a decent job at this, coming
off the pitch as his manager calls for substitution, walking
all the way to the dressing room
by himself.
Here, he suddenly passes out making this the second
time within the hour.
Spirited efforts from a surge of health professionals revived
the ailed player, jumpstarting him to life and sustaining his
health with a procedure known as cardiopulmonary resuscitation colloquially referred to as CPR.
Three days later, he departed the land of the living.
Quakes across the entire crust of the world football at
the receipt of this tragedy; Puerta in death seemed more
powerful. Mourners, sympathisers, comrades, kinsmen,
commentators and spectators were brimming with odes.
Heart wrenching images of the player tore through the

This time, talent scouts were already enthralled.

oung,
ambitious,
promising and modest,
Antonio Puerta was
the name he popularly went by. as with
stories of the dearly
departed, he seems
powerful now more
than he ever was.
exisiting today as a
palpable energy in
the reclusive province of Seville. We
project a vista of his
life and times in the
succeeding leaves...

30

Attracting attention and fuelling speculations of an

impending move Real Madrid, Manchester United or
Arsenal, Sevilla decisively rejected every offered bid
from these sides. The club was satisfied.
Seeing the season end on a tepid note, Antonio was
determined to make the next count even more. Shortly
after his renewed zeal, life begins to the deal the first of
its ominous blows.
In their opening game of the season at home, Puerta
struggles with an ailing system that eventually yields
and causes a collapse not once but several. He comes
down in his teams penalty area, clutching his chest
tightly and collapsing every time he tried to get up. The
onslaught continues thirty-five minutes later, requiring
the active help of two other team mates who beckoned
on the medics to come after it is evident hes unresponsive.

sky and spectator stands a young man kissing his fingers.

Puerta had indeed departed.
His funeral seemed mimicking of a state one. Football players from all teams, kinsmen, relatives and commentators
were in attendance performing traditional rites in the wake
of his transition; but these didnt end here.

31

LostOnes
European football governing body, UEFA, postponed an upcoming match of Sevilla two weeks further. A fixture with
AC Milan in the super cup final featured all 22 players on
the pitch with jerseys inscribed with the letters PUERTA.
They also wore black armbands for mourning reasons.
Sevilla consequently retired the number 16 jersey the
deceased once wore and conditioned its removal from re-

They also declared a one-minute silence held in honour of

him before every league of the season he died.
Fellow team mates Sergio Ramos who wore a shirt in his
honour at Euro 2008 finals, and Jesus Navas wore shirts
with inscriptions in his honour on Spains 2010 FIFA World
Cup victory. The inscriptions translated in English, always
with us.
Antonio Puerta Perez was aged 22 years at the time of his
death. He passed on at exactly 2.30pm in the afternoon of
28th August 2007. His doctor reported the cause of death
to be a condition known as asarrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia an incurable hereditary condition that
afflicts the heart. His premature demise as well as its cause
puts his at par with likes of Marc Vivien Foe, Renato Curi
and Serginho. He said he died from multiple cardiac arrests
that caused irreversible brain damage.
He has today, joined the annals of global footballs growing
list of dearly departed.
He is fondly remembered as one who still lives in our
hearts and minds.
His wife eventually delivered a son.

tirement on the occasion that Puertas unborn child would

one day play for the club (there was already an expectation
of a son). This gallantry was reversed as the Royal Spanish
Football Federation permitted players top wear only jerseys numbered from 1-25 with no room for manoeuvre. A
friend of his while at the club wore this in his honour. Not
deterred, they erected a monument in his honour before
their stadiums entrance to honour his sole effort at shipping the team to its first ever European Cup victory.

32

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Featured
The Current European football transfer market:
Global Footballs undoing?
Environmentalists took to the Copenhagen Summit when the global climate seemed transitioing,
Conservatives picketed the Wall Street in response to income inequality in the United States...
Soaring transfer market figures, debt-ridden clubs...yet no voice?

Featured
today cannot sell players without raising eyebrows.
Im certainly not advocating undervaluing talent.
You see, when a buying club is made to table astronomical bids for a player whose quality isnt fully determined,
two things are bound to happen. First, he becomes very

YEMI BADEJO
Ta-ta-tam! My rooms door voiced as my frantic brother
tapped it repeatedly and darted in, jolting me from my
reverie.
Yemi! Football has gone haywire ooo!!! Real Madrid has
signed Bale for that craaaazy amount!

monplace today.
Now to the matter; we well know that every professional
footballer in club football carries a market value. This is
the fair value below which a club cannot sell otherwise it

I asked him to go over what he had just said slowly and restate this gist- my mind all this while having clearly understood what he just said, was in a severe unbelief because
as far as I knew it, this couldnt be true.
What are you waiting for? Come and see the clubs unveiling on TV right now.
I scurried over a few books and clothes on the floor and
raced to the living room.
Staring hard at the two suited men on TV, each tugging the
ends of a white shirt with the inscription bale 11 on it, an
avalanche of thoughts stampeded the gates of my mind and
offhandedly I muttered, this is unbelievable...
Europe has always been El Dorado to world football. Titans, Olympians, minions were famed for majestic reigns in
history on the greens of the continents football stadiums
before the eyes of great multitudes amidst tumults. But
whats most spectacular isnt its presence of bigwigs and
grand media buzz, its the cult following every football team
here enjoys. So profound is this culture that new and extant
human relationships are benchmarked by team support and
common football interests.

would
make
a loss.
It is
actually a
compensation
the
club is
willing
to
receive
for the termination and transfer of a players contract to
another club. This amount is usually moderate.

These are no happenstances.

Looking back a few years, top-tier clubs were willing to

accept 500,000 to 10 million pounds as bids for players
whose pedigrees had been established. Thus, there were
no uncertainties about under-performances and ineffectiveness when these players eventually moved. Today we
can all agree the story isnt very much the same again.
While increased sponsorships and television rights have
made minefields out of domestic leagues, it has also left
an offensive tinge of inflation and greed in the air. Clubs

Beginning exactly 128 years ago within England and its local
football authority the FA, the concept was generally to
keep players registered to their teams before the start of
new seasons. This morphed into systems where bargains
could then be made to exchange registered players between two teams. Long story short, many other European
countries adopted this practice and it has become com-

34

Clubs today cannot

sell players without
raising eyebrows

popular and hyped. Sometimes this pays off as it serves a

stimulus to perform better. Second, the bidding club earns
a reputation as a big spender and would almost never get
a fair deal for any other player in the transfer market again
as selling clubs would start overvaluing their players. These
repercussions could turn either way.
Zinedine Zidane who was sold for 46 million pounds in
2001 went on to become the worlds best player two years
later. Fee is justified.
Cristiano Ronaldo was sold in 2009 for 80 million pounds
right after he had become the worlds best player. Fair deal.
Edinson Cavani was tagged and bagged for 55 million
pounds this year right after he nicked in barely 3 goals in
about 7 games for Uruguay at the FIFA Confederations
Cup. Fee is outrageous.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was bought four years ago for 59 million pounds after he was declared the local leagues best
foreign player. This is a huge rip-off. Bad deal.

A litany of similar stories could be told over and over

again that point to this binge but Id leave it here.
Teams outside Europe unfortunately have caught-on,
bringing to the fore unethical overvaluations of budding
players and stringent transfer policies that harshen conditions for these athletes and make it almost impossible
for these players to depart to their desired clubs.
While I agree that inflation has played a major role in
todays price differential between what we have and
what we used to have, theres no shadow of doubt that
clubs today are motivated by sheer greed. Theres a reason for this. Club ownership interests today have shifted
from groups of shareholders to powerful individuals
who plough in
their personal
finances to help
their newly acquired business
compete and
become relevant
in the market.
Manchester
City, Monaco,
Chelsea and
Liverpool are
classic examples. Rich men take over struggling club entities for a few billion pounds, put in their personal funds
to increase the funds availability for player trading and
pen down a few star players for amounts you are sure
only the government has.
This has gone on for a few years now; governing football
bodies are aloof, tax authorities are jubilant, public analysts are irate and supporters are mesmerized.
What this bodes is a huge credit based system with clubs
piling up huge amounts of debt; many of whom may not
be able to pay up. Portsmouth FC of England ran into
a problem of this sort a few years ago when it seemed
unlikely they would pay Arsenal and Chelsea for players they purchased on credit. They were consequently
banned from the market till this was sorted.
When a club starts owing, the first to suffer are the
shareholders whose share values start dipping, then the
players whose wages default, then the sponsors whose
reputations start tinkering, and then the supporters
whose followership prestige starts becoming a thing of
embarrassm
ent, after all, no one wants to have a debtor as a friend.
These things operate in a vicious cycle.

35

Featured
Chelsea declared a profit of only 1.4 million pounds last
year for the first time in the history of the newly taken
over entity of 10 years. When compared to how much was
spent on player transfers during this period (700 million
pounds), your mouth would certainly gape open. Good
thing here was that Chelsea had since been delist
ed from the London Stock Exchange (a decision made by
the new management at the time of acquisition) and is no
longer a publicly trading company.
This malignant trend unfortunately has already begun its
course in the annals of these clubs financial records today,
albeit latently.
Governing bodies ought to be more far-seeing than they
are now by pre-empting and forestalling future disasters
through meticulous inquiries and investigations launched
into these incredulous transactions.
Bearing all these in mind, it becomes necessary that we
who still behold our beloved sport football on such high
grounds in our hearts must run each other over to desperately redeem our pride from the hands of avaricious shenanigans (oops!) perpetrated by todays
clubs administrative villains who have debased our fiery
passion for this God-given sport to a charade and public
ridicule of reckless spending.
Well, Gareth Bale only 48 hours ago, moved to Real Madrid
from Tottenham Hotspur for a world record fee of 84.7
million pounds and believe it or not, hes that Welsh kid you
saw in Southampton six years ago.
After watching him delightedly bare his teeth and shirt
number to flashing lights and cameras, I wandered off to
my room and purposed in my heart now more than ever
before to write this piece

36

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Notes

Sideline

Notes

Sideline

...and once again, our blog post for the

month that ranks an all star mark on our
grade sheets...

http://sidelinenote.blogspot.com/2013/01/not-of-glass-or-brass-but-of-classreal.html

Today, We speak of an attacker who redefines convention and changes what we know football to be. Lionel Messi. A trail blazer whose blaze eclipses what we once had of football in
such conspicuous fashion. Diego Maradona, Pele, Johan Cruyff, Marco Van Basten, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho Gaucho can all rest as luminaries of a ancient era, Messi today defines what the new is.
From the Sidelines examines highlights of his career.
Not goals, records, wages
and followership but something seemingly insignificant
and almost unnoticeable
about this prodigy. His professional health & fitness.
2005/2006 Season
Messi sustains a muscle
tear in his right thigh on 7th
March 2006 in the 23rd
minute of the 2nd leg second
round UEFA Champions
League game against Chelsea in which Barcelona drew 1-1 to qualify on a 3-2 aggregate to
qualify for the next round.
Messi sustains a broken metatarsal on 12th November 2006 against Real Zaragoza. He was
sidelined for 3 months but returned on 10th March to nail a hat-trick against Real Madrid in
the traditional El-Classico league match.

2007/2008 Season
Messi sustains a muscle tear in his left thigh on 4th March, 2008 against Celtic in a
Champions League game. He was sidelined for six weeks. This injury made it the
fourth of its kind occuring in three seasons for the footballer.
2008/2009 Season
Messi as once before enjoys a virtually injury free season.
2009/2010 Season
Messi enjoys a second consecutive injury free season.
2010/2011 Season
Messi sustains a sprain in the internal and external ligaments of his ankle on 19th September, 2010 courtesy a reckless tackle by Atletico Madrid defender - Tomas Ujfalusi. At first glance, commentators opined that a broken ankle had occurred and the
forward might be out for 6 moths with a broken ankle. He returned two months later on
20th November, 2010.
2011/2012 Season
Messi once again enjoys a virtually injury free season.
Looking at this you are compelled to admire the chaps fitness and minimal proneness
to injury. Agile, fast, dexterous and influential. Amidst these accolades and sterling
performances, here, you have your typical legend.
From the Sidelines seconds any motion directed at erecting a huge golden effigy of
Lionel Messi at the front of the Nou Camp stadium. Hail the Maestro!

2006/2007 Season
Messi enjoys a virtually injury free season with no major health event to worry about.

38

39

Ad

I worry greatly for the future of club football. Talent is

unsustainable; money is preponderant; rising charlatans.

Moyes still cant get his hands on blue-chip

players in this transfer.

Tuvi Imeh, Jos, Nigeria.

Ndyaku Christian, Gulu, Uganda.

Last time we saw a super cup final that intense
was a long time ago. #BringBackOldTimes
Roland Zaleya, Cape Coast, Ghana.

Kano Pillars in automobile crash that

wounds almost the entire team. We
need to really start looking after our
own. Accidents this frequently? Why?
Dikko Akhumzi, Epworth, Zimbabwe.

England is definitely going to win the world cup

now
Joe Greene, Freetown, Liberia.
David Moyes, I will personally imprison you if you
dont meet up Ol fergies expectations.

Sad to have such a youngster pass

away again. Heart problems are
a leading cause of football player
deaths. FIFAs gotta look deeper
into this and initiate more elabohana.
G
,
a
n
i
rate protocols for detecting this
lm
eshar, E
K
m
a
d
early in susceptible athletes. Span

Theo Barakatu, Kaduna, Nigeria.

Remi Adelakun, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Keshi get us the desired results and stop trading
words with Malawis head coach
Nick Koruna, Abia, Nigeria.

42

Tola Adeoye, Lagos, Nigeria.

Spain no longer worlds best. Brazil has

indeed come to stay; nice bravery boys.

Neymar cutting in from the left, Messi from the right;

now all they need is Guardiola back and you have a lifetime legend Barcelona.
Lagat Onyango, Nairobi, Kenya.

Even Segun Odegbami is

enthusiastically rubbing his
palms to watch Chelsea this
season*shrug* talk of class.

Yeah Anichebe, been long

since I heard about you. Great
luck on your transfer to West
Brom, you should thrive.
Kojo Reuters, Cape Coast,
Ghana.

43

Health

Sideline

Doping on the rise again?

Samplers axe; athletes haven...never ending paradox...

ecent reports making the rounds have raised

dust about this phenomenon we once thought
was defeated in football.
New stories indicting players for drug use are
rife.
Last month, two cases of doping were discovered separately in the Jamaican and Tahitian international football
teams but neither specifically named any player. Doping
possibilities are rumoured to exist behind years of German
football success investigations reveal. A Zimbabwean player
was suspended after being found positive to doping tests.
A Moroccan player has been provisionally suspended for 30
days after failing a doping test. Australian club Essendon has
been slapped with a world record fine of 1.2 million pounds
and a ban of 6 months after being found guilty of trying
experimental supplements on players.
These items portend a disturbing streak.
Football unlike many other sports enjoys a low incidence
of drug abuse or performance enhancing medications but
suffering more from recreational drug abuse. Testing is not
scheduled and frequent in this sport because being a team
sport, enhanced individual performance isnt a determinant
of overall success. Testing protocols have not been adopted
by many countries football governing body (Albania, Argentina, Australia, England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain
being the most famous adherents) largely due to a lack of
enforcement by the overall football governing body (FIFA)
which has conservatively released a banned substance list
that is reviewed annually. Though since 2006, they ratified
the World Anti-Doping Agencys (WADA) protocol.

The cumulative adverse effects of these substances however, build up and pre-dispose these players (often after many
years of retirement) to systemic anomalies and chronic
diseases. A phenomenon of this sort is happened in Italy
after investigations revealed the mysterious deaths of about
4 retired footballers in the past 19 years.
On recreational drug use, its more of professional negligence, low ethics and moral standards. Diego Maradona so
far has been the most famed in this area. Former Chelsea
player Adrian Mutu follows closely after. When recreational
drugs are used, they often bear no advantage to the athletes performance. Rather,
they portend
the greater risk
of unstable
mental behaviour in users
and a potential
hazard to fellow
team-mates.
These cases
often entail
substances (Cocaine, Opium, Morphine, Heroin etc.) that are regulated and
prohibited by most countries Drug Laws.

Health

Sideline

mance enhancing drug but for legitimate therapeutic purposes as prescribed by his doctor.

in September 2003.
In the 2002-03 season, Rushden & Diamonds goalkeeper Billy Turley was let off with a mere warning
after being found to have taken the anabolic steroid
nandrolone.[15] He was later banned for six months
for testing positive for cocaine, which is deemed to
be a recreational drug, becoming the only player so
far to be banned after a domestic league match.
Middlesbroughs Abel Xavier was banned in November 2005 from football for 18 months by UEFA
for taking anabolic steroids after testing positive for
dianabol after a UEFA Cup match on 29 September
2005. He is the first player in Premiership history to
be banned for using performance-enhancing substances, as opposed to recreational drugs.
In January 2007, Stan Lazaridis, playing for Perth
Glory, returned a positive drug test for prescription
alopecia medication, which is banned due to its potential as a masking agent for other perforomance
enhancing substances. He was found guilty by Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority and was given
a 12-month suspension from football. He had not
taken the prohibited substance to mask a perfor

The tribunal, however, held that an anti-doping violation

had occurred and ordered the player ineligible to play for
12 months, backdated to the date of his
positive test.
KS Besa defender Alban Dragusha was suspended for 24
months by UEFA after testing positive on 19 July 2007 for a
high concentration of nandrolone metabolites after a UEFA
Cup match in Belgrade.

DID YOU KNOW?

On 29th October 2004, English club Chelsea
FC sacked striker Adrian Mutu after testing
positive for cocaine. The player admitted
the use of the substance was to enhance his
sexual performance. Chelsea demanded a
damages fee of 13.8 million pounds being a
fraction of what was paid to buy him from
Parma his former club.

Graph showing substance use relative to total samples taken

Maradona and Mutus cases involved use of Cocaine.

On banned substance use, the first reports given above
clearly typify this. A number of cases through history show
a recurring decimal of violation amongst footballers. Two
years ago, Ivorian defender Kolo Toure was banned for six
Substances consumed by athletes aimed at boosting physimonths after testing positive for Ephedrine a stimulant.
cal and mental performance is used to gain unfair advantage Unfortunately, the account given by the player points to use
in competitions. These unfair advantages include; quick
of his wifes pill to control his weight; he earned a suspenreaction time, low fatigue rate, increased muscle strength
sion of 6 months.
and so on. Footballers are not exempted from these practices. Many of them settle for highly sophisticated substances
Football Clubs who usually are protective of their image,
that leave trace amounts too little to be detected by most
pre-empt investigators from testing institutes by putting
conventional testing methods; encouraging long term use of away players they suspect a statement of UK Independent
these substances. More dexterously, two or more other sub- Sampling Officers (ISO) read.
stances are employed to mask the use of such performance
enhancers so that urine tests reveal only these masks that Cases
aim to increase the absorption and digestion of the enhanc- In Serie A, Inter Milans Mohamed Kallon and Parmas Maer.
nuele Blasi were banned after testing positive for nanrolone

44

45

Please send your correct answers to

contact@thesidelinereel.com
Our Q & A Booty is a brand new Samsung s4 galaxy phone

1. Which of the following players has been indicted with prohibited

substance use?
a. Marc Vivien Foe b. Nicolas Anelka c. Mohammed Kallon d. Ivan Campo

4. Which would be fall under recreational drug use?

a. Nandrolone b. Betamethasone c. Ephedrine d. Heroin
2. In which year did FIFA adopt the World Anti-doping Agencys protocol
for player testing?
a. 1995 b. 2006 c. 1987 d. 2001

5. Lionel Messi has won the Ballon dOr award how many times?
a. 2 b. 4 c. 6 d. 3
3. Outside exhibition matches, the maximum number of substitutions a
coach can make is
a. 3 b. 7 c. 5 d. 4

48

49

Giggles

Giggles

Ad

So, this month we ask...

vs

Last month, we had an avalanche of responses with stands that vacillated

between the intelligent, amusing and out rightly derisive. We bring you a
snapshot of some of these reviews and the state of play in our chat rooms
with the screaming stats

on
t
r
ve
E
,
A

AH
S
s
ui

Lo

Mi

cha

el O
WE

N,

Liv
erp

oo

50%

50%

Pep Guardiola talks less and thinks more. Joses

the converse.
T.O. AC Milan loyalist

Bright starts never substitute for experience.

Fathers over sons.
H.L. Ex-White Hart Lane sage

Cmon! You hardly managers with

experiences from varied football cultures
turning out commercial successes consistently.
Mourinhos veteran, Peps lucky.
B.B. Made of Manchester

When possession styled play fails, any more

ideas? Better to pull out old tricks and save the
new ones for later. Efficiency over
entertainment. Way to go Jose!
G.A. Arsenals truly

Two handsome men that dont deliver the same

charm to their football; Guardiolas certainly
more attractive.
Z.D. Arsenals only

First, Im not sure hes as multilingual as Jose.

Second, I dont think he is as
intelligent.
N.M. Red Devil

Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Madriddrab playing

styles, silverware nonetheless.
M.N. Rabidly Anfields

Truly, theres no basis for comparison; Science

is applicable, art is aesthetic. Jose is greater.
Y.U. AC Milan from antiquity

Jose delivers sparks, glimmers and raises hopes;

Guardiola conceives reigns and founds dynasties.
J.K. Unattached

Young and promising, the others old and beaten.

After taking the sky in record time, the galaxy
as the next only seems natural. True Catalan.
H.K. German football enthusiast

54

who would you rather

field more often?
Please send your verdicts to the underlisted addresses

fromthesidelinesradio
frmthesidelines
55

Opinion
Super Falcons: Giants locally, Neonates
globally
OBIORA NJOKU
and its a goaaaal. Goaaaal! croaked the commentator
above the stadiums public address system as Mercy Akide
Nigerias towering striker, had just nicked in a goal to
bring the humiliating score line to 8-0 against the female
Moroccan football team in the Womens African nations
Cup.

Being human, what I find most amazing about our stock is that
though we display high levels on intelligence in life subsistence, we
exude very remarkable qualities of forgetfulness and short-term
memories. We can be very very forgetful.
Spectators at home began jibes and banters about how weak and
amateurish our Falcons were.

The year was 1998 and Nigeria from the outset of this
game, incised and shredded whatever resembled a Moroccan defence. It was a horrendous whitewash indeed.

Opinion
can Nations Cup for the third time in a row but the World
Cup of the
following year; we were chased out of the competition in
the quarter finals.
Football evokes intense feelings that vacillate between negative and positive extremes. A sterling display from your
favourite team can endear you so romantically to the sport,
a lacklustre feat and your ire erupts.
This yo-yo streak has pre-dominated the followership of
the Nigerian Falcons. We see behemoths today, charlatans
tomorrow. A number of reasons come to the fore upon
close scrutiny.
The Nigerian Falcons draw heavily on individual playing
styles coupled with team co-ordination. Each player advances the ball as far her abilities take her, waiting team
mates in position are eager to

The onslaught didnt end here.

we win locally, we invariably enjoyed all the ball possession.

More organized and tactically astute teams always expose
these tactical problems. Our coaching crew who may have
a smattering knowledge of things like this in theory cannot
translate these to realities because they require the whole
team to understand; not a few experienced foreign trained
players.
Until this is dealt with, we would keep enduring peaks and
troughs in our blood pressures as spectators.
Recent tournaments in Africa have seen us gradually lose
our indomitable ground as multiple successive title holders; 2008 and 2012 being stark pointers.
I love our Falcons with all of my heart, but oh boy! It can be
a tall order sometimes cheering a sitting duck.
Local invincibility; global vulnerability.
Girls! Wake up please.

receive the sent pass and further advance the ball. This
leaves voids that are not efficiently covered in the event
of a turnover. This flaw is evident when our girls attack.
When defending, each player closest to the ball attempts a
tackle and is drawn out of position. This leaves canyons in

Nigeria rampaged through the entire tournament leaving

many teams giddy in their wake and scoring a total of 28
goals, conceding none. You begin to wonder if the backline
was rendered in bronze and steel.
This luminous feat qualified the Super Falcons for the FIFA
Womens World Cup the next year and Nigerians were by
every means keen. Ceremonial honours and fanfare greeted the teams departure to the United States of America
the host nation of the tournament.
Nigeria trudged out gallantly against the North Korean
team in the twos opening group stage game. Nigeria
emerged victorious with a single goal margin win. The
final score was 2-1. We were not surprised. We colourfully
spurred them on from home.
Our next fixture was reputed to be apocalyptic as we were
billed to face the host country USA who was famed for a
relentlessly raging attack. We nonetheless saw ourselves
equal to the task in every way.
The game eventually flagged off before a teeming multitude of 65,000 in the Chicago climate. Seconds, minutes,
several minutes, Nigeria seemed in straits. We were denied
possession in every square metre of the pitch. The Americans had a real go at us. By the final scream of the referees
whistle we were submerged in our own dung. We were
behind, way behind. The final score was a 7-1 defeat.

56

At times like this, every man touts to have a divine knowledge of

football. They begin to analyse match scenarios in hindsight and
proffer what should have been done. Utterly sad indeed!
Three days later, our girls saved our faces and humbled Nordics the
Danish team. We went on nick a total of six points that qualified us
as the groups second placed team. We were billed to meet Brazil in
the knockout phase of the tournament.
In an encounter replete with goals from either side, Nigeria eventually bowed out with a 4-3 loss.
Our girls returned coyly. We embraced them nonetheless (we are
appreciative people when it comes our very own). Setting our gaze
on future competitions, we were optimistic.
Nigeria won the local continental tournament again the following
year but bowed out embarrassingly in the Olympic games of the
same year. Two years later, a sterling display saw us clinch the Afri

defence which swiftly attacking oppositions effectively capitalise on. Most African teams who we usually confront in
local tournaments lack effective co-ordination to swoop in
on this debacle, so it always turns out that in every match

57

Opinion
Danny Welbeck: Ripe for Oscar Awards?
BOYO WHITLER

h! You certainly know him; Nigerian looking,

towering, punk styled and lanky. A blossoming acting career seems brewing in the offing
for the 22-year-old Longshire-born English
forward; one in professional stuntsmanship
bearing in mind recent displays in the Premier league.

Ledesma.
Here, weve got a footballer with British efficiency and Spanish
cunning a quality shared with fellow team mate Ashley Young.
Tough match, high pitch tension, threatening score line and expectant fans jitter the English forward and pronto, hes on the floor
feigning a fall from a non-existent and fictitious tackle made by the
opposition player. Mixed reactions erupt from the stands as his

Swift, efficient and tactically apt, Danny emerges every

managers choice when strict compliance to tactical regimen is desired. Balancing team midfield and attack with his
individual attributes, he easily ousts more popular Wayne
Rooney in crunch fixtures for playing time.
British players have always been reputed to possess a
methodical approach
to kicking the
ball. Positioning,
mentality, co-ordination
and
strategy
tenets
gleaned
from blue chip corporate English bureaus at the wake of
the Industrial Revolution; Danny is not left out here. This
contrasts what obtains in heathen cultures where kicking
the ball is made to appear more of an art. Such cultures
refer particularly to the Iberian and Portuguese ones.
Rabona, Trivela, Nutmeg Elastico (which Ronaldinho is
most famed for) describe a few of native theatrics. The style
difference between both cultures often turns out responsible most times for the loss of adaptation newbies face
after having crossed the Iron Curtain to either side during
transfers.
Football theatrics encompass on and off the ball situations;
many of which demand dramatic art ability. On the ball,
Brazilians would almost be universally tipped as ancestors;
Pele, Ronaldinho, Denilson, Ronaldo de Lima. Off the ball
in the way of dives and deception, the scale would favour
Spaniards more most notably Barcelonas Pedro Rodriguez

58

teams manager and coaching crew cry foul from their docks pushing evidently for a favourable referee call for a challenge that never
occurred on the player. The referee makes a call and blows for a
spot kick booking the unfortunately framed player. United earn a
penalty and convert the opportunity. Replays are all over the mega
screens demonstrating such acting ability from Danny and the
wrongness of the referees call. The crowd jeers.
Post-match interviews with the player have him speaking repeatedly of how United deserved the game and how hard he worked.
(Huh?) He signs off lauding the credibility of the referees call and
the tenacity of the opposition. Great work of art indeed!
Hollywood thespians ceremoniously gather annually at an event at
the beginning of each year, to celebrate, monumentalize and critique outstanding works of art. This event, The Oscars: The American Academy Awards features celebrities from every life walk.
Reports have it that submission of art works for review and nomination into award categories have begun already in anticipation of
next years. Is Manchester United submitting video reels of Dannys
stuntmanship art for review? I think they should.

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Moments

Sideline

Spectacles&Aces

10

eaching this stage with us is indeed noteworthy, we must thus congratulate you on your progress so far.
As you may well know, football has had its very generous share of peaks and valleys that interplay in
varyiing trends throughout the space of 90 minutes. Weve explored a notable few, bringing to the fore
handfuls of such evocative events and reeling their magic, real time effects and untold dimensions to the larger
community.
We have colloquially dubbed these Sideline Moments - an expression that conveys our most unique presentation in this issue. Sit tight, relax and enjoy the engaging graphic action whose curtains are now being unfurled
for your viewing pleasure.
They are in counts of ten with the least scintillating starting from the tenth all the way to the first - which is the
most.

60

Jerzy Dudeks save of Andriy Shevchenkos

penalty kick

Story: The penalty shootout was next after Liverpool showed incredible resilience
levelling the game 3-3 after being three goals down at the end of first half. Liverpool
manager Rafael Benitez had told his wife before the game that he was going to win
the champions league before he turned 45. Tension was high, very high indeed.
Period in history: Summer of 2005

Spectacle: Seeing Jerzy Dudek do the spaghetti legs in an attempt to distract penalty takers. It worked; the first penalty flew over the bar, the second was struck out by
him.

Ace: Saving the last AC Milan penalty after Liverpool had just wasted two.

61

Spectacles&Aces

Spectacles&Aces

Luis Nanis high foot

Lionel Messis dubious goal

Story: Manchester United had already secured a convenient draw away and were
hoping to win at home to scale past Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions Leagues second round knockout games. All seemed well with United dominating the game before
an aerial ball saw Nani jump with his leg outstretched, attempting to kick the ball beside Higuains chest. Replays almost insinuated Nani intended to kick the player. The
referee sternly sent him off. This drew the ire of Manchester United fans who already
thought they had won this game.

Story: Argentine forward Lionel Messi replicated Diego Maradonas hand of God goal
of 1986 in a league match against Espanyol when he attempted heading in a corner
but craftily used his palms instead. Mainstream media were full of accolades; opposing fans, scorns, when many believed a year before that he dived to get Asier Del Horno sent off and give Barcelona the edge in knockout stages of the Champions League.

Period in history: April 2013

Spectacle: Images in the media that compared both his goal and Maradonas

Spectacle: Aerial ball trap looking like a flying kick at Alvaro Arbeloas chest.

Ace: The goal put Barcelona ahead and went on to show Messi really personifies the

Ace: Real Madrid capitalised on the one-man deficit to overturn the game in the next

Period in history: June 2007

legend especially since this was the second time he successfully did this.

fifteen minutes.

62

63

Spectacles&Aces

Spectacles&Aces

Joe Hart protects Rio Ferdinand

Story: The Manchester derby had seen a show of goals flying in. United had gone two goals up
but was neutralised from the resilient Manchester City side. The winning goal came from a long
range set piece from Robin Van Persie who was profusely congratulated by team mates. Rio
Ferdinand chants victoriously before fans of the home team Manchester city and was stoned
above his left eye which bled conspicuously. A perturbed fan rushed at Rio Ferdinand but was
treated as an intruder and warded off by Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart who should have
been depressed about the score line. This went down well with a few spectators and earned
their respect on social media platforms after the match.

Pierre Womes golden penalty kick

Story: Cameroun had trudged against all odds into the mens football finals of the 2000
summer Olympics in Sydney. They faced a buoyant Spanish side that were tipped to
be the tournaments favourite. The game ended 2-2 after extra time and crept to the
shootout. Cameroun nicked in all four attempts before Pierres while Spain had nicked in
just 3 and wasted one. The left back confidently approached the penalty spot knowing
fully well that scoring this would earn Cameroun their first ever Olympic football gold
medal. He struck the ball well, sending the keeper to the wrong direction but seemed a
little in shock until he was mobbed by jubilant team mates who already had their shirts
off in triumph.

Period in history: December 2012

Period in history: 2000 Summer Olympics

Spectacle: Racing man in mufti causing a stir

Ace: The protective instinct of the young English goalie towards his national team captain
64

Spectacle: His seeming unawareness at his teams joy

Ace: Earning Cameroun their first ever Olympic gold medal in this sport
65

Spectacles&Aces

Spectacles&Aces

Mourinhos rage at Chelseas disqualified goal

Story: Blackburn had put up a very decent defensive peformance against Chelseas repeated
attack. It finally gave way when a through ball found right back Juliano Beletti in position to nick
the ball in. Chelsea went agog in celebration of the goal hoping they would come out strong
enough to oust table leaders Manchester United but were horrified when the linesmans flag
stayed up, disqualifying the goal. Replays stated otherwise and drew additional ire from the
already fuming Chelsea head coach Jose Mourinho. He relentlessly protested before four match
officials who eventually warned him off. Chelsea drew the game 0-0.
Period in history: 2007 Summer Premier League games

Spectacle:

Mourinhos unending rage at the match officials. He pointed a replay screen to

them and told them to have a look

Ace: Blackburn came all the way to Stamford Bridge to ensure they were not humiliated. They

Mirko Vucinics popular strip

Story: Juventus struggled hard to find the back of the net but seemed futile in every
attempt. The game went on to the final 20 minutes when it appeared fortune smiled
on them. They scored two goals to nick a win against resistant side Pescara. The towering forward being a part in the triumph celebrated one of his goals with a strip off
of his shorts, revealing white underwear. FIFA who has penalised celebrating shirt removals with referee bookings has no current provision for short removals; the referee
nonetheless booked the Serbian.
Period in history: April 2013 Serie A League match

Spectacle: The strip-off most definitely

Ace: Juventus earned a highly valued three points so in a way, we can understand his
excitement.

succeeded.

66

67

Spectacles&Aces

Spectacles&Aces

John Terrys head cleared with the ball

Story: Chelsea fights head-on in a Carling Cup final with bitter rivals Arsenal. The score 1-1 and
the game approaches its end. A corner kick is sent into Arsenals 18-yard but is quickly defended, John Terry attempts heading the rebound as Abu Diaby clears the ball with his foot; clearing
his head with it. John Terry is knocked unconscious and immobile for several minutes. Some
think hes dead.

Nigerias U-17s are world champions

Story: Coach Yemi Tella guided a group of underrated boys to the world cup finals in a
fashion reminiscent of epic sports movies. The team sailed through every stage of the
competition easily, delivering results that were redolent of class. This seemed great
for the Nigerian spectators as they bore memories of the Nigerian squad that made it
to the FIFA World Youth Championship final but were unfortunately short changed by
winners Argentina.

Period in history: February 2007 Carling Cup final

Period in history: September 2007 U-17 World Cup finals

Spectacle: The visible shock of nearby Arsenal and Chelsea players. A stretcher is vehemently
beckoned.

Spectacle: Seeing Spain goof all their three penalty attempts

Ace: John Terry was successfully revived and returned before the game ended but had no

Ace: Nigeria was bestowed a consolation for the near miss of two years back. It was

memory of the incident.

also a relief from what was being obtained at the senior team level.

68

69

Spectacles&Aces

When Fabrice Muamba died for 78 minutes

Story: Bolton Wanderers were visitors to Tottenham Hotspur in a quarter final match
of the FA Cup. Everyones attention was on Gareth Bales dart along the left wing and
a swinging cross he attempted delivering but went out of play. When the Bolton keeper steps in to make a goal kick punt, the game is momentarily halted as the referees
attention turns to the Congolese midfielder who lies face down on the floor clutching
his chest and breathing laboriously. Things dont seem to get better as this is initially
thought to be a slight problem. This goes on for several minutes.
Period in history: March 2012 FA Cup match

Spectacle: When a Tottenham fan runs into the pitch to give a helping hand to the
developing emergency.

Ace: when it turns out the running Tottenham fan is a consultant cardiologist and

Ad

offered vital life support to Fabrice and prevented a death. The British FA decided to
review and amend their rules that formerly prevented fans from entering the pitch
during match time.

71

Ad

YourLetters
Hulo SV! Its great to have you here again. I
want to just encourage you people. Its a
great job you are all doing. Kudos!
S.V: We appreciate your support, thanks a lot
sir.
Sideline Vista, I still find getting current
monthly issues a very big problem over here.
Your response of last month stated this problem would be solved, still nothing has been
done. Not good at all!

S.V: Thanks a lot for your feedback. We anticipated challenges like this thats why we have emphasized a strong online presence where you can have
unrestricted access anywhere in the world. We are
however planting a strong local presence so yes;
we are coming on your airwaves soon. Watch this
space!

Good day sir, Im French but understand a little

English. Can you have these materials in other
languages like French so that we can be carried
along too?

S.V: Oh yes we do sir. Check out our opinion

chapters. If you are intending to do so, send
your dissertation to contact@thesidelinereel.
com

S.V: Bonjour monsieur. We would have these in

French soon. Watch out!

Is this magazine available in formats readable

by mobile phones and other hand held digital
devices?

Please whats the name of the producing company

of Sideline Vista, I intend to bring a business proposition to them, Im in a related field and I believe
this partnership would bear fruit.

The last set of letters you published featured

only Nigerians responses. Are you cutting us
out?

S.V: We have done a lot on that area. If you are

still experiencing difficulties, please send us a
personal mail stating your location and exact
physical address; wed make provisions for special delivery.

S.V: Thank you sir.

I took a look at your website and figured out

many holes were unfilled, made me doubt your
authenticity.

S.V: Please direct your business to adverts@thesidelinereel.com

S.V: Sir, while we appreciate your checking us

out, wed like to add that our service meets
the demands of over a million followers across
the continent of Africa. This is done publicly
and out in the open for you to see. You may
read up further on us on www.thesidelinereel.
com/about
Hi Sideline Vista, I would like to know if you
guys are need of columnists and assistant editors. I have a competence in these areas.
S.V: Thanks for your interest sir. Itd be great
to have you join the team. Please send a few of
your dissertations to contact@thesidelinereel.
com and wed be glad to be in touch.
Hello there, the face of this magazines editor looks eerily familiar. I think Ive met him
somewhere. Dont know really.
S.V: Thanks a lot for your contribution
Hello guys, in Malawi, we get very limited access to your stuffs. Magazines et al. even learnt
there are plans to air your shows here, that
would be really great but please be more available.

74

YourLetters

Hi there, Im a young entrepreneur seeking to market a few of my products on your media platform. Im wondering how to go about that.

I didnt quite get the last discussed topic on the

Sideline Health chapter of the previous months
issue. I seek clarification.
S.V: We have an understanding of you not quite
getting the discussed topic but we dont know
where. Please elaborate sir.
Sideline Vista, I think your responses are often
brusque; you should be more customer friendly,
this attitude wouldnt help you.

S.V: Definitely not. Space constraints limited

our full expression of your letters so we published only a first few.
Please bring us something a little more gossipy. Things like that are very hot commodities today, dont be left out!

S.V: Tablets yes, mobiles, no.

Your radio programme over here is unbelievably
engaging locals in frenzied discussions. This is
interesting.
S.V: Wow! Glad to know that. Please be our
eyes and keep frayed nerves (if any) down and
spread the word. Thanks a lot for your input.

S.V: We appreciate the titbit

Do you allow adverts from religious organisations?

The content of this magazine limits female

participation as football followership is predominantly male occupied. Dont you have
anything for us?

S.V: All adverts inquiries should refer to adverts@thesidelinereel.com (all adverts queries/
enquiries are confidential and would not be
published)

S.V: Oh yes! a whole lot. But a number of features in this magazine have universal relevance
irrespective of your orientation, flip the pages.

I like the colour splash on the pages of this tabloid. Really eye-catching; Nice one!

What clubs do you support you these journalists?

Is From the Sidelines the radio program related

to Sideline Vista another magazine I saw in the
stands today?

S.V: We appreciate your interest and try as much as

possible to have your queries replied to as clearly
to you as possible. If these appear rude, thats never
intended.

S.V: Every supportable club sir. We are behind

every real fan here, be they premiership, Serie A
or any other league.

Hello guys, I think you should learn from clear industry leaders like goal.com where theres a blog
for users to write, critique, review and discuss
trending topic. Aint seen anything like that here.

You are a Nigerian company so it would be

completely futile ask you to give a honest
view of Stephen Keshis conduct with the Malawian coach

S.V: Sideline Notes is our blog where articles are

written for your open comments and reviews. On
our website, preparations are underway to start a
chat room where everyone could have focused discussions. Our twitter platform @frmthesidelines
currently performs this very well.

S.V: An opinion isnt fact so you dont have to

necessarily see it the same way. On views, objectivity is a closely held value.

S.V: Your compliments are wholly appreciated

S.V: Yes they are sir. They are sister products to

each other, all with the same thrust
Good day sir. Please I want to make enquiries
about whether you lend support to social organizations in tertiary institutions. I am a social secretary of such organisations and would
like to solicit your support in an upcoming
event in Lagos
S.V: Please direct your enquiries to contact@
thesidelinereel.com, we would be in touch

Do have features that publish write-ups from

readers about a related topic or event?

75

Credits

...the following are Picture links used throughout this entire issue, we profoundly appreciate
these sources...
Robinho
http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Robinho+AC+Milan+v+Brescia+Calcio+Serie+3F2KO6Kb8rTl.jpg
http://d.yimg.com/i/ng/sp/empics/20110216/15/3185822613-16022011154233.jpg
http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Robinho+AC+Milan+v+Genoa+CFC+Serie+prhpbJGxROel.jpg
Luis Suarez
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Pix/pictures/2013/5/31/1370020804357/-Luis-Suarez-008.jpg
Jonathan de Guzman
http://thepremierleagueowl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/jonathan-de-guzman-swansea-620.jpg
Darren Gibson
http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2009/12/02/1225806/022624-dtstory-darren-gibson.jpg
Paul Baysse
http://dailyfootballclub.fr/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/
Baysse.jpg

tions/DomesticLeague/01/94/66/07/1946607_w2.jpg
Thiago Alcantra
http://i.eurosport.com/2013/06/21/1031224-16614872-640-360.
jpg
Klaas Jan Huntelaar
http://answers.bettor.com/images/Articles/thumbs/extralarge/
Schalke-insist-Klaas-Jan-Huntelaar-will-stay-at-the-club-and-honour-his-contract-Bundesliga-news-90225.jpg
SV Hamburg
http://uefaclubs.com/images/Hamburger-SV@2.-other-logo.png
Higuain
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1270941/thumbs/o-HIGUAIN-570.jpg?1
Claudio Marchisio
http://www.ilblogdialessandromagno.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Claudio-Marchisio.jpg

Ilkay Gundogan
http://sabotagetimes.com/wp-content/uploads/Ilkay-Gundogan-1.jpeg

Lionel Messi
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Pix/pictures/2008/04/23/MessiMichaelReganAction460.jpg
http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/001/535/259/137126574_crop_north.jpg?w=340&h=234&q=75

Mario Balotelli
http://www.firstpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/
Balotelli-AC-Getty.jpg

Tom Saintfied
http://www.channelstv.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/
nffnewdirector.jpg

Cesc Fabregas
http://www2.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Cesc+Fabregas+New+Zealand+v+Spain+FIFA+Confederations+GTldmi_BzYSl.jpg

FIFA Logo
http://news.shaftfmonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/
FIFA_logo.jpg

Lukas Podolski
http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article8340990.
ece/ALTERNATES/w460/v2-web-arsenal-getty.jpg

Mario Gotze
http://media.bundesliga.com/media/images/12_bl_com/628x353/
diagola_goetze_628+.jpg

Xabi Alonso
Vincent Kompany
http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx268/unamadridista/unhttp://images.footballfancast.com/players/300px/man-city/ amadridista9/2013-01-15cinco.jpg
Vincent-Kompany.jpg
Sulley Muntari
Man utd logo
http://todaygh.com/files/2012/05/Sulley_Muntari.jpg
http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/EXID42482/images/ManU_Logo_JpegSmall.jpg
Salvatore Bocchetti
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/
Mba Leye
Salvatore_Bocchetti_2013.jpg/240px-Salvatore_Bocchetti_2013.
http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Photo/competi
jpg

76

Credits

Brown Ideye
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/
Brown_Ideye.jpg

Louis Saha
du8znpjowa92.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/louis-saha-everton.jpg

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

http://www.icons.com/blog/image.axd?picture=2011%2F10%2Fsolskjaer+resized.jpg
http://thomspor85.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/solskjaer-red-card.jpg
http://static.sportskeeda.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Solksjaer-948453.jpg
http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/958/375/1210800_display_image.jpg?1306182890

Michael Owen
http://www.theoffside.com/files/2010/09/michael-owen-liverpool.jpg

Andriy Shevchenko
http://www.theasiankop.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/dudek-1.jpg
Antonio Puerta
http://swotti.starmedia.com/tmp/swotti/cacheYW50B25PBYBWDWVYDGE=UGVVCGXLLVBLB3BSZQ==/imgAntonio%20Puerta2.jpg
http://www.football-cover.com/football_wallpaper/antonio_puerta.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-2js7IOQIpAY/ScJ9jY5h1VI/AAAAAAAAAO0/3FwELpcqZxk/antonio%252520puerta.
jpg
http://u.goal.com/228300/228379.jpg
Puertas wife
http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/21300000/Aitor-Antonio-Puerta-wags-21352253-340-499.jpg
Edinson Cavani
http://www.franskfotball.com/franskfotball/wp-content/
uploads/2013/07/Edinson-Cavani_2732857.jpg
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
http://english.cri.cn/mmsource/images/2010/08/30/
c65f4fe65d7948c6b8c23bbf6fd399fb.jpg
Adrian Mutu
https://static-secure.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/
Clubs/Club_Home/2009/8/3/1249334850481/Adrian-Mutu-001.jpg

Danny Welbeck
http://talksport.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/
tscouk_old_image/Danny_Welbeck_2.jpg?itok=piyWuPwS
http://cdn2.sbnation.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/18831923/179190874.0_standard_352.0.jpg
Andriy Shevchenko
http://www.theasiankop.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/dudek-1.jpg
John Terry
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/04_02/082terryDM_468x331.jpg
Luis Nani
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/03/06/article-0187653B8000005DC-926_634x496.jpg
Joe Hart/Ferdinand
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/multimedia/archive/00363/118157366_football_363997c.jpg
Pierre Wome
http://www.arhiva.serbia.gov.rs/g3/images/football3009.
jpg
Jose Mourinho
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dorothy201305/8933621616/sizes/z/in/photostream/
Marko Vucinic
http://in2eastafrica.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/
Juventus-striker-Mirko-Vucinic-waves-his-shorts-as-he-celebrates-after-scoring-against-Pescara.jpg
Nigeria U-17
http://mediablackberry.com/temp/27327.jpg

Mohammed Kallon
http://www.sierraconnection.com/kallon.jpg
Substitution image
http://www.soccerclassroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/soccer-substitution-rule.jpg

77

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