| January 2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Has anybody been following the African Nations Cup? Well apart from having a
right good giggle at Nigeria losing their opening match (despite being tipped
by Uncle Tom and all, to win every game 14 - 0) you can't fail to have
noticed that Cameroon and kit manufacturer Puma have teamed up to create an
'all-in-one' football strip. That is a figure hugging Lycra style material body
suit with shorts attached as a one-piece garment. It looks very nice and it's
all made from high tech micro fibre, but it's caused quite a stir. Apparently FIFA are moaning that they haven't passed it as regards it being acceptable for use. Cameroon and Puma have hit back by saying that CAF (Confederation of African Football) are the governing body for the African Nations Cup and they have given their permission for the strip to be worn. In the Regulations for the African Cup of Nations, article 31 and 32 deals with the strip worn by the players, and it doesn't state that the strip has to be two-piece, or one-piece. In Article 53 it states: "Matters not provided for under the present regulations shall be decided by the Organising Committee." So it's quite clear then that Cameroon and Puma are playing by the rules. So that leaves FIFA sticking it's oar in trying to suck up more publicity. Well, when I say FIFA we all know that means Sepp Blatter, the man who thinks he owns football. Apparently Blatter, not content with interfering with domestic FA drugs allegation investigations, saw the Cameroon strip on TV coverage and got all upset. Is this man the most power hungry control freak this game has ever seen? Just exactly what was he upset about? This is the man that publicly stated last month he would like to see Professional Women's Footballers wear tighter tops and more revealing shorts. Probably the most backward, sexist and idiotic statement ever to come out of the FIFA media machine (see below for that full story.) Well there you go Sepp, a nice tight body hugging 'all-in-one', exactly what you asked for, only worn by the male players. Typical double standards from the hierarchy of our beautiful game that change their opinions based on the highest bidders. I personally have no problem with this 'all-in-one', though obviously I could never wear one myself. It's bad enough with many replica shirts already being the new style tight Lycra. As long as it doesn't get covered in sponsors it's OK by me. In fact it's quite sensible when you think about it. Shirt tugging could become a thing of the past. Plus it adheres to the FIFA directive that all players must keep their shirts tucked into their shorts. (Another example of Blatter's pettiness) With thigh supports being in built to the garment, if required, this would also negate the problem of correct coloured supports beneath the shorts. It's another step forward in the development of the technical aspect of our game, which shouldn't be held back by the Officialdom of FIFA. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| January Results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oh jebus let's just forget about this month altogether. Every team has to have a bad spell, let's hope this is ours, and that it is only a spell. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In out, Shake it all about | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chris Taylor our on/off goalkeeping cover returned to the club for the second time this season. Having gone to Worcester City in the same capacity of injury cover, he came back after another leg injury to Tommy Whittle. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World of Football Stuff | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Women football players blasted FIFA President (and fat, talentless 'no mark',
attention seeking, money grabbing, quango riding control freak) Sepp Blatter
(who needs a good blaterring) after he suggested they wear tighter
clothing. Blatter said: "Let the women play in more feminine clothes, like they
do in volleyball. They could for example have tighter shorts." Marieanne Spacey
with 91 caps for England stormed: "It's a crazy and ill informed comment, typical
of a bloke." Blatter then made a complete twatter of himself by complaining that
Cameroon men's national strip was too tight! A Liverpool fan saved money by flying to Belgium from London, then from Belgium to Liverpool, rather than pay double for the same journey by good old fashioned British locomotive train. Virgin Trains wanted to charge him �102 for the train journey, but he scoured the Internet and found Ryanair were offering flights to Belgium for an incredible �1.96. Yes one pound ninety-six pence. Even with the flight from Belgium to Liverpool it was still half the price at �50, and that's a return ticket as well! Him and his mate set out from Stanstead Airport at 7.30am and landed in Brussels at 8.30am. After an hours wait for the connecting flight, they arrived in Liverpool at 11.45am, perfect for a drink and munchies before the game. Perhaps someone should point this out to our own Inter-City Supporter, Mark Connor. He travels from Hemel Hempstead by train for many of our games. Though the only way to get a flight from Luton to Leicester Airport would be to travel in a crate. This way up Mark? A couple shamed their local health authority by having a banner at a Premiership match protesting about delays in IVF treatment. The authority was so embarrassed they offered alternative treatment and 11 months later this couple now have a child. The protest was at Sunderland's Stadium of |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coming next Month: away matches to start and finish the month, with four home games in 2 weeks in the middle. All the games against bottom half clubs so our current bad form is bound to continue... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| return to top | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||