Rambo to join Gunners

A week ago, representatives of the junta hidden up north in a secret lair built with slave labour bleated to their state mouthpiece, the New Light of Old Trafford: “Manchester United is delighted to announce it has agreed terms with Cardiff City for the transfer of Aaron Ramsey subject to terms being agreed and the player passing a medical.” But like the statements of Burmese generals, the reverse is true. For Rambo, as this mysterious young Welsh warrior monk is known among his fellow disciples, is Islington-bound. A meeting with the Dalai Wenger in Switzerland offered the former United supporter much needed Enlightenment and now he seems itching to don the red-white robes and hone those snake-lashing, bunker-incinerating skills on the Arsenal wing. With the aid of another newboy, Carlos Vela, Rambo hopes in time to channel enough applied righteousness to blow the slimy toads away. Failing that, Alex Song will come along and kick ‘em in the shins.

Iraq 1 Australia 0

Anyone who has paid even the slightest attention to this blog will know that we have one or two biases. Favourite teams who get disproportionate attention. There are also a few we don't like. So when one beats the other, well...

Iraq are back and better than ever. Bring on World Cup 2010. Meanwhile Australia seem to be missing Fiji and the Solomon Islands.

Euro 2008: Turkey 0 Portugal 2 - Among the Turk

Humble football kicked off it's Euro 2008 coverage in style last night, venturing forth to Fenerbache social club in Dalston, North London. We watched in horror as the assembled might of Chelsea, Man Utd and Real Madrid beat back the Turk. Besides a lone representative of West-West-West Kurdistan who celebrated with his Portugese brothers, the club was misery and smoke. Become a fan of Humble football to see a photo-essay of our exploits. Next stop: Lubuskie, South London for Poland vs Germany.

»The little things make all the difference«, 2004 by Jonathan Monk. (via VVORK)

"Red army!" in Tehran

Chants of "red army" may have quieted around Ashburton Grove for the summer, but they're still rocking the streets of Tehran. The capital's giants Persepolis FC overcame a seven-point deficit to pip Isfahan's Sepahan for the title on the last day of the season, with over 100,000 fans of the "Reds" in attendance at the Azadi Stadium. Thrilling stuff indeed. Check out the awkward action video below.

Armenia vs Turkey - it really happened

Great news from Armenian blogger artmika who reports on the first ever (footballing) clash between Turkey and Armenia, in the European Under-19 Championships. That the match was played without significant incident - a single yellow card and Armenian fans whistling the throughout the Turkish national anthem hardly counts as trouble - is great news. Perhaps football diplomacy will help two countries with no official relations.

Next stop World Cup 2010 qualifying, where the two nations will play each other at senior level - I don't necessarily fancy being in the Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadı for that one though.

Pale blue fire in a forest of football

In our absence much has happened. Trolls control the world. Frightening scum have vomitted themselves into a state of disarray. INRI has risen. All may be signs of a coming apocalypse. In the face of this it is heartening to hear of Chernobyl and the number of the beast.

(From The Global Game): 'By sunset on 27 Apr 1986, as Chernobyl reactor no. 4 burned, in one soldier’s recollection, like a “beautiful blue fire,” the town was empty.

Left behind in the silence: a newly built football stadium sitting just to the north of a bright yellow Ferris wheel, a gift from Soviet authorities in commemoration of the upcoming May Day holiday.

Read more here.