The Perfect Group of Promotion Clubs

Leeds, Forest, and Derby. They are three of the biggest clubs in the history of English football, but there is a small problem they are all in the Championship and not the Premier League. The three historic clubs seem to have thing going well, going through a Championship Revival. I would love to see the three clubs back in the big time. It would make the Premier League a better place.

The power of TV

There used to a time when I would have to watch the Premier League on an illegal box at my then girlfriend's, current wife, parents house. Fast forward 15 years and you can watch a variety of different leagues on your tv. This week that is what I did.

Friday:
French League: Stade Rennais vs. AS Saint Etienne

Saturday:
FA Cup: Wigan vs. Everton
Premier League: Aston Villas vs. Reading
League Championship: Crystal Palace vs. Leeds United
MLS: New England at Chicago
Spain: Barcelona vs. Deportivo La Coruna
Mexican League: Cruz Azul vs. Jaguares

Sunday
FA Cup: Millwall vs. Blackburn
FA Cup: Manchester United vs Chelsea
Premier League: Spurs vs. Liverpool

Now I'm not saying I watched all of these games in their entirety, but I did flip between all of them. It's amazing to know that soccer fans in this country have more options than people in Europe or even South American. Isn't cable great.

President Cantona has a nice ring to it

Wow this could be epic. Eric Cantona wants to be French president. Could you imagine him meeting with Obama, we need this to happen.

News of the World says Good Bye

The News of the World is set to close its doors and here are some of the back pages of sports coverage over the years. There are some great headlines and telling stories that mostly ended up being true, including Manchester United selling Ronnie.

Maybe its time

With Rangers getting closer and closer to almost becoming Leeds United, maybe its time for both Celtic and Rangers to run away from the Scottish Premier League and head for greener pastures. Rangers 's club's bankers Lloyds are owed £30million by the end of the campaign. With a TV contract that is nothing to celebrate the only way that they maybe be able to meet the payment is to sell half of the first team. Maybe its time that both clubs look for a new idea to generate revenue, something like the North Atlantic Soccer League.

The league, which has been rumored for sometimes, would include top teams from the Netherlands, Belgium, Scotland, Portugal and Scandinavia. The league would almost be like a smaller version of the Champions League.

The league would create some interest all of Europe. Traditional powers like Porto, Celtic, Rangers, Ajax, PSV would bring large fan bases and large of amounts of money to a league that would be interesting to watch. Under my proposal the 20 team league would consist of Rangers, Celtic, Sporting Lisbon, Porto, Benfica, Ajax, PSV, Feyenoord, Standard Liege, Anderlecht, Malmo, Gotenberg, Brondby, HJK, and eight other teams to developed from a playoff.

Some think the creation of the league would kill the leagues in Portugal, Scotland, and Belgium, but that does not have to happen, if UEFA decides to give out spots in the Champions League to the winners of the leagues that are left behind and give a spot to the winner of the proposed North Atlantic League, it might all workout in the end.

Sure it might not be the best idea to soccer purist but its only a matter of time before something like this happens and before we turn our backs on the idea we have to look at what the impact will be and if UEFA handle it correctly it could be a win win for everyone involved.

The Trap Door

Leeds, Charlton, Southampton, and Norwich have something in common. During the last decade all four of they have been in the greatest league in the world, the Barclays Premier League. Next year they might have something else in common, playing in League One, the third division of English football.

The lure of the Premier League is great but dropping out of the League can almost drive a team off a cliff. When teams go down they are saddled with large wage bills and have to do their best to trip them without the killing the product on the field and usually that is a dangerous balancing act.

Just take Charlton for example. A couple of years ago they were the model premier league team finishing safely out of the relegation zone, then something happened the fans at The Valley wanted more and that is when the slide started. First they parted ways with long time manager Alan Curbishley and then they tanked with the end of the season two years ago seeing them relegated to the Championship. Large wage bills and bad decisions saw them end this season relegated to League One.

At this rate Newcastle should watch out, going down could lead to the same slippery slope.

Mini Cantona

The normal size was classic, but a smaller Cantona is also classic. I wish I had this sitting on my desk at work, right now.

Welcome to Hell

If you thought the rivalry between the Cowboys and Eagles was bad just check out the biggest Derby in Turkey: Galatasary v. Fenerbahce. A couple of years ago the English Television show the International Football Factories takes you inside the war between the two sets of firms.

Part I

Part II


Part III


Part IV


Part V


Take that Souness, Rambo


The Stadium is burning

Leeds played a huge role in the Carling Cup Final.

Some where the Ellen Road faithful must have been sick on Sunday afternoon. A look at Tottenham's key players in the Carling Cup Final against Chelski shows one thing: the spine of the team was connected to last great period in Leeds United History.

Robbie Keane called the Ellen Road home from 2000 to 2003 and scored 13 goals for the club. Jonathan Woodgate played a104 games for Leeds scoring five goals. Woodgate scored the winning goal for Spurs in extra time giving him his first major honor.

Every time you turned around Aaron Lennon was creating trouble for the Chelski defenders. Just think he was sold to Leeds for a million pounds, when Leeds first started to need money.

Just think if Peter Ridsdale had not sold his soul for playing in the Champions League, that might haven been Leeds walking up the steps to the get the Carling Cup, hey they did have enough former players play a key roll in the game.

It's only a matter of time before the Whites are back

For the last couple of years there has been one team that has been missing from the Barclay's Premier League, Leeds United. While the league continues to make money hand over foot, the league lacks Leeds United and their passionate fans.


Over the course off the last couple of years financial issues have forced the destruction of a side that made the 2001 semi-finals of the Champions League and now they find themselves in League One playing the likes of Carlisle United, Port Vale, and Yeovil Town. The financial issues lead to Leeds starting the season with a 15 point penalty, but so far they are the only undefeated team in League One. At this rate they should make the playoffs and hopefully return to the Coca-Cola Championship next year and then move quickly to return the top flight of English Football.


The ""Whites'' have won three league titles during their history and have had a roster that features some of the best players in England:

• Rio Ferdinand
• Gordon Strachan
• Lee Bowyer
• Eric Cantona (pictured right)
• Scott Carson
• Robbie Fowler
• Robbie Keane
• Aaron Lennon
• James Milner
• Jermaine Pennant
• Paul Robinson
• Alan Smith
• Mark Viduka
• Jonathan Woodgate
• Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
• Jack Charlton

With the list of former players that they have, its a ashamed that people like Peter Ridsdale and Ken Bates have destroyed one of the great clubs in English soccer.