[Florin Caramavrov] Unde se află Dinamo

...

Campionatul trecut, Dinamo a obţinut destul de greu un loc de Cupa UEFA, iar anul acesta… Cu arbitraje corecte sau potrivnice, cu investiţii minime în intersezon, cu un buget modest, de vreo 5 milioane de euro, Dinamo nu pare a avea forţa să se bată cu „mastodonţii” CFR, Steaua şi Rapid, dar porneşte cu şanse reale de evitare a retrogradării.

[Alin Buzărin] Răsculatul de ultimă oră

Într-un timp record, Gheorghe Ştefan a trecut de la funcţia de vizitiu al lui Mircea Sandu la cea de contestatar al lui

Iată că s-a produs a opta minune a lumii: prima divizie a început fără ca grila de start să conţină numele Ceahlăului! După ce de mai multe ori plăieşii au retrogradat fără să pice, de data asta iată-i luînd drumul Golgotei matinale a eşalonului secund. Ce să-i faci, se mai întîmplă, în fotbalul nostru pînă şi cea mai solidă veşnicie poate deveni relativă!

Ştefan, beneficiarul atîtor arbitraje prieteneşti, la care Federaţia mai închidea ochii! Iar acum, Ştefan, răsculatul împotriva unei stăpîniri căreia i-a cîntat în strună şi i-a turnat în pahare, avînd certitudinea că, la adăpostul acestei protecţii, nu i se va clinti un fir de păr.

Cu toate astea, Gheorghe Ştefan are argumente. Măcar în principiu. Probabil de aceea s-a şi răsucit atît de brusc şi de sonor, pentru că se simte nedreptăţit. Ani şi ani, autorităţile fotbalului au licenţiat şi pe cine trebuie, şi pe cine nu. Iar acum, în această vară, deşi au căutat nod în papură mai multor cluburi, n-au găsit pe nimeni apt să ia drumul matineului în locul devotatului amic primar de Piatra.

Cînd alţii cumpărau jucăori papuaşi, uzbeci şi de alte neamuri, Ştefan investea în infrastructură. Stadion, nocturnă, scaune, vestiare. Ce-i drept, nu erau banii lui, ci ai comunităţii, dar el veghea şi aproba lucrările. Cînd alţii falimentau S.R.L.-uri şi inventau S.A.-uri, ca să facă pierdută urma datoriilor, Ceahlăul îşi achita obligaţiile faţă de stat. Şi, bineînţeles, neavînd echipă, pentru care nu mai rămîneau creanţe, cădea în “B”. Poate că asta e ordinea normală, cea a lui Ştefan. Întîi stadionul, apoi dările şi la urmă jucătorii.

Dar dacă e să pici, păi atunci pică! Nu scăpa cu Delta (Tulcea), cu Lambda, cu Epsilon sau cu Omicron. Respectă legea pînă la capăt şi du-ţi crucea fără să încovoi spinarea. De fapt, Gheorghe Ştefan nu e supărat neapărat că a fost retrogradat conform clasamentului, ci e pornit împotriva celor care l-au lăsat din braţe. Asta l-a îndemnat să se răscoale, încetarea prieteşugului, a tratamentului preferenţial şi punerea în rînd cu ceilalţi.

Ca orice fost prieten, Ştefan e un inamic periculos. Chiar mai temut decît ceilalţi, care acum vor să cumpere cu bani bunăvoinţa piţifelnicilor din ligile inferioare. Spre deosebire de nababii electorali ai momentului, Ştefan ştie multe din Casă. Am scris corect cu majusculă, pentru că e vorba chiar de Casa Fotbalului. Unde multe lambriuri, uşi, bucăţi de parchet şi ce-or mai fi poartă autograful său inconfundabil. Erau anii cînd încă pădurile din Moldova nu se tăiaseră în întregime, apa nu năvălea în gospodării, iar echipele din nişte liniştite localităţi de munte îşi trăiau clipa de graţie şi păreau să aibă eternitatea asigurată.

[Alin Buzărin] Calea de urmat

...

Contraexemplul l-a oferit Iaşiul. În repriza a doua a partidei fără spectatori de pe “Extensiv”, Ionuţ Popa l-a vărsat în teren pe portughezul Nunos Vivieros, venit, de unde altundeva din altă parte?, decît de la Estrela Amadora, acest prolific leagăn al civilizaţiei fotbalistice geto-dace. Lusitanul a călcat temeinic pe minge, ridicînd insistent întrebarea dacă nu cumva s-ar fi găsit şi pe la Leţcani, Podu Iloaiei sau Tîrgu Frumos nişte românaşi care să facă acelaşi lucru. Probabil că da, şi ei măcar erau ai noştri.

[Lucian Lipovan] Culmea exclusivităţii

Ştirea demisiei lui Adrian Ilie de la Steaua a lovit în .ro în jur de opt şi un sfert, miercuri.

Insesizabilă diferenţa între prosport.ro şi gsp.ro în privinţa celui care a dat-o primul. De altfel, ambele au apărut iniţial cu ora 20:13, cu EXCLUSIV-ul aferent. O actualizare de pe prosport.ro a mutat-o însă taman la 20:15. De neacceptat această situaţie! Aşa că o inginerie a adus-o înapoi, cu actualizare cu tot, la 20:13. Lucurile păreau în ordine. Doar că între timp s-a trezit şi fanatik.ro. Sau poate se trezise mai devreme, dar nu-l luase nimeni în seamă. Cert e ca la ei ştirea apăruse cu ora… 20:12! De data asta inginerii lor sunt mai rapizi ca inginerii noştri: gsp.ro mai dă ceasul cu un minut înapoi, iar ştirea ajunge şi la ei la 20:12. Finalul este de poveste: pentru că tot ai noştri sunt cei mai rapizi au mutat exclusivitatea la 20:11! Mai poate cineva să-l constrazică pe Einstein cu a lui teorei a relativităţii?

P.S.: În toată media sportivă din .ro ştirea demisiei a fost EXCLUSIVĂ doar pe site-ul oficial al Stelei nu. Singurul care avea declaraţia lui Ilie

[The Guardian] The longest team name

"Is Verein für Leibesübungen Borussia Mönchengladbach the longest team name in football?"

Far from it chaps. "I'd like to nominate my team, UCD, in the League of Ireland Premier Division," said Kevin Burke. "Under some universities act a few years ago, we officially became University College Dublin, National University of Ireland Dublin, Association Football Club (81 letters). There are some who'll suggest that, with that hideous new crest, it should now (unofficially) be University College Dublin Dublin, National University of Ireland Dublin, Association Football Club (87 letters). This would translate into Irish as Cumann Sacair Ollscoil na hÉireann Baile Átha Cliath Baile Átha Cliath, Ollscoil Náisiúnta na hÉireann Baile Átha Cliath, which is 102 letters and a comma."

Not bad, Kevin, but a rival school of learning trumps it. "I think you'd have to go some to beat the full name in Thai of Bangkok University FC," claimed Liam O'Brien. "This would include the longest place name in the world, using the official Thai name for Bangkok. When translated into English, it would run to 189 characters as follows: Samosorn Maha Vittiyalai Krungthep Mahanakorn Boworn Rattanakosin Mahintara Yutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noparat Rajathani Burirom Udom Rajaniwet Mahasatharn Amorn Phimarn Avatarn Sathit Sakkatattiya Vishnukarm Prasit."

But there's an even longer name in the very same city! That of Thai Pro League side Bangkok Bravo. "Should they ever wish to refer to themselves by their full (English translated) name," noted Dale Farrington, "they would be called: Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit Bravo Association Football Club (196 characters). Try fitting that on a pools coupon!"

[The Guardian] Football all-year round

"The Uruguayan championship 2007-08 started on August 18 2007," Pablo Miguez wrote last week, "and finished last Wednesday with Defensor Sporting crowned champions. Now, a mini-league with the top six teams will be played to see which teams will play the international competitions. It will end on July 20. That means the season will be 11 months and two days long. Which makes me wonder, has there ever been a longer season?"

Firstly, Ian Williams writes to explain the remarkable 1997-98 season in South Africa. "Back in 1997-98, the South African League season kicked off on August 1, running through until May, with the cup final taking place on May 17. Unfortunately, the rules were such that, when the final finished in a draw, even after extra-time, a replay was the only way by which the contest could be resolved. However, due to preparations for the 1998 World Cup, a national training camp was scheduled for May 19. As the two finalists, Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, had players with the national team, the replay could only take place on July 26."

But, Jostein Nygard can beat that. The Norwegian FA found itself in a mess when it tried to bring in a revised league system. "Before the Norwegian FA introduced a nationwide first division playing from spring to autumn in 1963, they had to finish off the old two-group 'Main League' which ran from summer to summer," says Jostein. "What they did in the last season of the 'Main League' was to combine the two eight team groups into one 16 team league, starting on July 30 1961, and ending on 21 October 1962. This works out at 14 months, 21 days."

[The Guardian] The most prolific scoring streaks ever

George Camsell went on an amazing scoring run for Middlesbrough in the old Second Division in 1926-27. In 12 consecutive league games, starting on October 16 and finishing on New Year's Day 1927, Camsell scoring run went: 1, 1, 1, 4, 1, 4, 1, 2, 4, 5, 2, 3 - a total of 29 goals. In fact, during that season Camsell scored 59 goals in 37 league games to set a new Football League record.

1) Masashi Nakayama (Jubilo Iwata, Apr 15-Apr 29 1998, 16 goals in four games)
Owen Goodyear and Stephen Whitehurst write in to offer Japanese poacher Nakayama's short and sweet streak back in 1998. "As my Japanese ex-girlfriend reminded me on an almost hourly basis, he scored hat-tricks in four consecutive J-League games - 16 goals in all," writes Owen. "Oh, and he has the fastest ever international hat-trick for good measure, three minutes and three seconds against Brunei in 2000."
His streak: 5, 4, 4, 3.

2) Coen Dillen (PSV Eindhoven, Jan 27-Mar 31 1957, 20 goals in nine games)
"He doesn't beat George Camsell, but Coen Dillen deserves a mention," writes Martijn ter Haar. Dillen, nicknamed "Her Kanon", banged in 43 goals in the 1956-57 season, an Eredivisie record.
His streak: 3, 4, 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 1, 3.

3) Gerd Müller (Bayern Munich, Sep 27 1969-Mar 3 1970, 23 goals in 16 games)
Der Bomber's stunning scoring streak certainly beats Camsell for longevity. Oliver Alexander wrote in to suggest this six-month spell as the swinging 60s gave way to the savage 70s. "Note that the actual sequence of matchdays was quite a bit shuffled due to inclement wintery conditions," writes Oliver. "Also, Müller missed one match due to injury." The story of that season, with Bayern missing out to a Berti Vogts-inspired Borussia Monchengladbach, is here.
His streak: 1, 4, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 3, 2, 1, 1, 1

4) Owen Coyle (Airdrie, Sept 15-Sept29 1990, 12 goals in four games)
Not a name you'd expect to see on this list, it's fair to say, but Coyle had a remarkable fortnight early in the 1990-91 season. "He went supernova scoring 17 goals in Airdieonians' first seven games," writes Steve Guy, "and only scored three more in the league for the rest of the season." His best uninterrupted run came after a hat-trick against Forfar.
His streak: 3, 2, 3, 4

5) Steve Bloomer (England, Mar 9 1895-Mar 20 1899, 19 goals in 10 games)
"As a Derby County fan it's always useful to look up Steve Bloomer's record in these cases," writes David Hopkins. "Bloomer scored in each of his first 10 England games - 19 goals in total." And that's as good an international spell as we can find.
His streak: 2, 1, 1, 5, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2

6) Refik Resmja (Partizan Tirana, Feb 18-Mar 4 1951, 24 goals in four games and May 5-Jun 10 1951, 18 goals in six games)
Probably our favourite name on this list, if only because of the improbable 14-year-old-playing-in-the-Under-9s scoring figures. The opponents weren't of a particularly high standard (Puna Gjirokaster, Spartaku Qyteti Stalin and so forth), but his flurry of goals has no equal in top-flight world football. Even then, his tally of 59 goals in 23 games in a team total of 136 in 26, weren't enough to bring Partizan the title. They finished two points behind city rivals Dinamo.
His streaks: 6, 7, 7, 4 and 3, 4, 1, 4, 5, 1.

7) José Saturnino Cardozo (CD Toluca (Mex) Sep 21-Nov 24 2002, 19 goals in 11 games)
Cardozo began his streak on September 21 with a solitary goal against Queretaro and ended it on November 24 with a goal against Santos in the final game of the regular season. In between, the Paraguayan banged in 17 goals in nine games. He also scored six goals in five post-season games to help his side to the title.
His streak: 1, 3, 1, 3, 1, 2, 1, 4, 1, 1, 1

8) Dave Mooney (Cork City, Jun 1-present, 11 goals in six games)
Mooney makes this list by virtue of potential. The Cork City striker, writes Lorcan Connolly, has scored five braces in his last six games and once in the other. "With City's next two games being against whipping boys Cobh and Finn Harps, there's every reason to believe his remarkable run will continue," writes Lorcan. Mooney didn't play in Monday's 1-0 win over Cobh, so his run his still alive.
His streak: 2, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2 ...

9) Rodion Camataru (Dinamo Bucharest, May 17-Jun 25 1987, 21 goals in seven games)
One of the greatest Romanian forwards of all time, Camataru hit a purple patch in a prolific season at the end of 1986-87. The striker scored a remarkable 21 goals in the final seven games of the season, finishing the campaign with 44, exactly double the number of his nearest rival, the current Romania manager and then Steaua Bucharest forward Victor Piturca.
His streak: 1, 3, 3, 2, 4, 5, 3

10) Mario Jardel (FC Porto, Oct 29 1999-Jan 15 2000, 18 goals in nine games)
It's sometimes easy to forget that the portly figure who warmed the Bolton Wanderers bench in 2003 and 2004 was once the most lethal striker on the planet. At the beginning of the new millennium, the Brazillian was in the middle of a nine-game scoring spree that included three hat-tricks in four games leading up to Christmas.
His streak: 2, 1, 1, 3, 1, 3, 3, 2, 2

[The Guardian] Funny footballer names

"Zambian Laughter Chilembe has played in Zimbabwe for Caps United FC, while I also know about Suprise Moriri from Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa. But my favourite is one called Have-A-Look Dube playing for Njube Sundowns here in Zimbabwe! Any more strange/funny/good/ridiculous football names anyone can dredge up?"

"A quick look reveals some other odd-named players plying their trade in Zimbabwean football for Caps United," begins Mark Baker. "Givemore Manuella, Gift Makolonio and Method Mwanyazi are great names, but they pale into comparison beside Limited Chicafa and the outstandingly-named Danger Fourpence." Staying in Africa, there's also Stephen Sunny Sunday, who plays for Polideportivo Ejido, and South Africa's Naughty Mokoena and Tonic Chabalala. "Surely there can't be any stranger than Austrian side SC Schwanenstadt's marauding midfielder Osa Guobadia?" offers Andy Ferguson, who'll have to do better than that. "He has the name Ice Cream on the back of his shirt." More like it.

A very popular suggestion was Brazilian forward Creedence Clearwater Couto, whose parents were - fortunately - big fans of the American songsters, while there were also calls for former England internationals Harry Daft and Segar Bastard (who, incidentally, refereed an FA Cup final, played cricket for Essex and owned a racehorse).

However, it would be remiss of us to ignore Anthony Philip David Terry Frank Donald Stanley Gerry Gordon Stephen James Oatway - Charlie to his friends ("I'm named after the QPR 1972-73 promotion-winning team for those of you that have been on the moon all the time I've been at [Brighton]") - or three of our favourites: Australian keeper Norman Conquest, Seychelles star Johnny Moustache, and Congolese striker Bongo Christ.

[The Guardian] Most capped captains

Last week we suggested Gheorghe Hagi and Paolo Maldini as most capped opposing captains with a combined total of 234 in the Euro 2000 quarter-final between Romania and Italy.

But that mark was broken at this summer's tournament when Holland trounced the French in their Group C encounter a fortnight ago. Step forward skippers Lilian Thuram (winning his 141st, and penultimate, cap) and Edwin van der Sar (picking up his 127th), who therefore managed 268 caps between them.