Soccer Analysis

BOCHUM, Germany — European law-enforcement officials said Friday that they had arrested the leaders of a far-reaching gambling cartel that is thought to have conspired to influence the outcome of 200 soccer games in nine countries across the continent. Read more here

Kwa muda mrefu sasa tumekuwa tukisikia malalamiko juu ya Kocha Marcio Maximo wa Taifa Stars, malalamiko haya yamekuwa yakiongezeka kutokana na baadhi ya makocha maarufu wa kitanzania nao kuchochea kelele hizi. Maximo amekuwa akilalamikiwa sana kwa mambo makuu mawili kwa sasa; 1. Kumuacha Golikipa Juma Kaseja Juma 2. Kuwaacha Athman Idd na Haruna Moshi Limeongezeka jingine la kuwa kamuita kipa namba mbili wa stars katika kikosi cha Taifa. Naomba kwa upeo wangu mdogo niyaongelee haya matatu. 1. Sidhani kama tiba ya Stars ni Juma Kaseja golini; Juma Kaseja sio Kipa mzuri kiasi hicho inavyodhaniwa. Ninachoweza kusema kwa sasa ni kuwa nyota ya Juma Kaseja inang'aa machoni kwa watanzania na si kwamba ana kiwango kikubwa sana golini. Wanasimba wanasahau kama kuna kipindi walikuwa hamtaki kipa huyu kwa sababu ya kufungwa na huku wakisema yeye ndio chanzo. Simba wanasahau jinsi alivyokuwa akifungwa katika mashindano ya Tusker mwaka ule Kagera sugar ilipoivua Simba ubingwa huo. Juma Kaseja a...

If young children are put onto a field with a soccer ball, divided into teams, and just told to use their feet to kick the ball into the goal of the opponent, they will instinctively play "swarm ball" (or "magnet ball" or take the "beehive" approach to the game. Why? Because they all like to be where the action is which, oddly enough, is where the ball is. As a result, they instinctively are applying a defensive style which is known as "high-pressure defense", in which several players try to surround the opponent and keep him from going forward. Is the swarm a "bad" thing? Not necessarily so, at least from a defensive standpoint, as long as any attackers that choose to stay out of the swarm are accounted for. The swarm actually tends to be very effective at shutting down attacks by an opponent until the opposition learns to spread out on its attacks and develops the skill to accurately pass the ball to open players. Moreover, kids tend ...

England captain John Terry has emerged as a doubt for the friendly international against Brazil in Doha because of an ankle injury after he failed to appear for a scheduled press conference though England manager Fabio Capello remains confident he will play. Read More http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/worldcup/6560492/England-v-Brazil-John-Terry-a-doubt-for-Doha-friendly-through-injury.html

A Nigerian football star sentenced to 40 lashes in Sudan for driving under the influence of alcohol insisted on Thursday on his innocence and said he could not imagine himself being flogged. Stephen Worgu "I am not guilty of this crime ... and I cannot even imagine myself being flogged so I don't put my mind there," said Stephen Worgu, 20, who plays for Sudanese first division outfit al-Merreikh of Omdurman, Khartoum's twin city. Read more: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/sports/159902/nigerian-footballer-facing-lashes-in-sudan-pleads-innocence

Developing Thinking Players By Rene Maulensteen What should be the coaches aims for the session? -Create drills/games which revolve around technical challenges -Cover all learning methods during the session -The final aim of the session should be shaped and achieved by the technical challenges-Structure the drills as much as possible but remove the structured coaching -Avoid complexity -Each challenges should be built on as templete for the full game scenario -Perform the same skill on both feet -The aim is mastery of technique in a problem solving setting - the more techniques a player is able to do and the more intelligently they can be applied the more effective they will be during performance -Give the players time with the ball when ever possibleDeliberate practice within the context of the game 1 -Deliberate practice should not be focused on just one movement but should make use of variable pracitce to maximise results -Drills/games should flow easily to keep high interest -Use ...