whatever happens tonight...

...stay clean

Daft transfer rumours

'Crouch is eating his...'

Goal.com has an excellent editorial in which in lists the five stupidest transfer rumours of the summer so far. These being:

Ronaldinho to Boca Juniors
Del Piero to Inter
Samuel Eto'o to Marseille
Klaas Jan Huntelaar to Roma
Salvador Cabañas to Manchester United

Though these are undoubtedly stupid, I can't help wanting to add a few more. Crouch to Arsenal, Vieri to Hull and Arsenal for David Villa (sorry dad). Question is, who can name stupider?

Spain - the writing's on the...

Spain 3 Russia 0. Do you think that means they can rub it off now?

The dream is over

Bloody Germans.

For you. In your time of need.

Kazım Kazım: tonight's the night

A Brighton&Hove Albion reject he may be, as someone has pointed out on Dissensus, but how can you not like Colin Kazim Richards? He's done the unthinkable for a British (as in, born in Britain) footballer, by gamely moving to a 'foreign' country where he doesn't speak the language, rather than letting his career dwindle in the Football League - and he is something of a hero (and heartthrob) at Fenerbahce already. Sadly this video won't embed but it's well worth watching:

"They were singing some songs, I don't even know what they were singing, I don't know the words to it, I was just jumping up and down to the rhythm."

And as if that wasn't enough he's a local lad from Leytonstone and a Chelsea-hating Arsenal fan to boot.

Even with so many players out, it still looks like our Kazım is starting on the bench for Turkey tonight, but wouldn't it be wonderful to see a second half substitution when the inevitable comeback struggle begins. Make us proud bruv.

Qazillians break Iraq hearts

From the Guardian (the article is also available in our excellent del.icio.us feed):

Iraq's World Cup ambitions were finally broken on a foreign field. As Qatar's multi-national squad formed a human pyramid of celebrating bodies and their coach prayed on the touchline, the champions of Asia slumped to their knees and cried into the turf at Dubai's Al Rashid stadium, their home for the past 10 months of qualifying. Just one year after stunning the world, and their homeland, by beating Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the Asian Cup final, Iraq's dream was over and with it the chance of perhaps ever seeing the country grace a World Cup finals again.

Still remember the good times.

Turkey 1 Croatia 1 highlights - Türkiye! Türkiye!

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Absolutely astonishing. The fact that Turkey will now have to play a goalkeeper in attack, that Nihat has gone home, that Arda and Volkan are suspended, that there are only 13 available players, that even Tuncay won't be there to complain about, none of this matters. Turkey will now surely win the tournament after coming back from nine nil down in the Semih-final. Tuncay will return in goal for the final, with Rustu and Volkan upfront. The ghost of Attaturk will inhabit the legs of the injured Emre to help him score a double hat-trick on crutches. This little man will be happy.