Category Archives: European Football Leagues

Gabriel Maletta Final Paper

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European Integration and Racial Controversy at Euro 2012

Soccer is often described as the “beautiful game,” captivating people around the world with its simplicity and ability to bring people together. This can be seen from the lowliest back alley pick up game to the worldwide tournaments that attract millions. In many instances however, major soccer events are sought after for reasons beyond an appreciation of the sport.  Hosting a major tournament has become a way for countries to show their best side to the world and to secure political and economic benefits that last after the final game is done.  But soccer has a dark side as well, a history of racial and ethnic intolerance and violence that can show a nation at its worst.  In 2012, Poland and the Ukraine defied expectations and demonstrated that a concerted effort by all participants keeps racism in the shadows. Continue reading →

PCQ 7 Gabriel Maletta

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Rowe’s article ‘Stages of the global’ shows both the positive and negative effects that media has upon football. On one side the media is capable of broadcasting football to the world. Just as our classroom shows, people from across the world cheer for teams thousands of miles away. Cable television and the internet have allowed fans unprecedented access to their teams and even spread the fan bases. Media forms take a large portion of the credit in making soccer the world beloved sport that it is today. Continue reading →

Cole TIFO 1/16/2014 Addition to Yesterday’s TIFO

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Continuation of Yesterday’s TIFO

I found this article today and lists some more great examples of how Bayern Munich is using the player transfer market to dominate not just the German league, but all of Europe.  By signing on any player from any other team in Europe, Bayern has effectively consolidated many of the best players in the game into their team.  While this is a key element of Bayern’s success, other teams are left picking of the pieces after losing some of their best players year after year.

Cole PCQ 1/15/2014 European Nationalism and Football since the 1970s

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European Nationalism and Football since the 1970s

The rebirth that the Dutch football team went through for the 2006 World Cup is interesting because instead of looking to the outside to help fix the team, the Dutch federation selected in-house talent.  They decided that their team was going to become the best by being entirely Dutch instead of the now traditional model of having players and coaches from different countries form a national team.  The joint commitment the team expressed about their “way of playing is more important than the result is” is an interesting philosophy in sports, especially for a team who was trying to return to their global dominance in the World Cup.  The Netherlands wanted to be able to have a sense of nationalism and feeling of true Dutch unity.  By using only in-house players and coaching, they sought to bring back a Dutch identity and answer the “who are we?” question.

After their loss in the finals of the 1974 World Cup to Germany, the Dutch team did not return home as losers but were welcomed home as champions.  By defeating traditional powerhouse teams like Argentina and Brazil and making it to the finals with Germany showed the people of the Netherlands that their tiny country could compete on the world stage with the best of them.  The 1974 team became a symbol of what the Netherlands could really do.   Continue reading →

Cole TIFO 1/15/2014 A Consolidation of Power

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This article demonstrates how the German Football League, the Bundesliga, is experiencing a similar problem to the Italian league’s beginning of a small number of teams holding all the best players.  Right now, Bayern Munich is in that position of power and their rivals, Borussia Dortmund, who were right behind them last year have fallen to fourth place.  A lot of Dortmund’s woes this year stem from injuries, but because they do not have the depth of highly skilled players like Bayern Munich, they are having a hard time staying on top.

Cole TIFO 1/14/2014

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A Team Attitude

Franck Ribery’s third place finish in the competition for the 2014 Ballon d’Or is nothing to be taken lightly considering the first and second place finishers of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.  From the start of him finding out he was one of the three being considered for the trophy, he remained humble and expressed that he finds just being in the top three of the world is an honor enough.  Ribery also remarks that he “would rather win it all again with Bayern Munich and win the world title. That is what really matters. Of course, I would have liked to win the award, but what else could I have done than winning all trophies with Bayern?”  This team attitude is part of what makes Bayern Munich’s success so stable.

An Italian Football Renaissance Under Fascism? Cole Sylvester PCQ 1/9/2014

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Italian Football Renaissance

Italian football in its infancy was riddled with arguments and fighting due to the smaller clubs holding a majority over the larger clubs in the FIGC.  This struggle is very similar to the way the smaller states did not want to have the larger states always holding the power of decisions in the creation of the United States Congress.  But the way the FIGC handled the situation led to a split in Italian club football, where the smaller teams were left to fend for themselves while the larger teams made all the money and got the best players.  To add to these issues was the inability of the referees to keep control of the game and enforce the rules.

Although widely considered to have been the best referee in Italy at the time, Mauro was far away from the incident in question, which intensified the Bologna fans’ conviction that the ball had crossed the line for a goal. Among those supporters was the leader of the Bolognese Fascist Federation and future mayor, Leandro Arpinati, who, apparently, led a pitch invasion with his squadristi that culminated in shouting, pushing, threats and some skirmishes. 13 Choosing personal safety over conscience, Mauro reversed his decision and awarded a goal. (Martin, 54) Continue reading →

Is the Best Still to Come? TIFO 1/9/2014

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Is the Best Still to Come?

In this article, the author makes many good points about how once a team has reached the pinnacle of club football, it is only a matter of time until they fall.  Bayern Munich’s success is akin to that of Barcelona’s in the early 2000’s when, even if they did not hold the Champions League trophy, they were the team to beat.  But right now, it seems that Bayern is holding onto this spot for the long run by signing “one of the best and most coveted strikers on the planet” and having Pep Guardiola (Barcelona’s old coach) to keep the winning momentum going.

TIFO: “Bradley on Verge of Leaving Roma for Toronto FC” – by Mac Daly

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My TIFO discusses the possible transfer of a top young American player who could potentially transfer from AS Roma to Toronto FC. This would be absurd 3-4 years ago, now after Clint Dempsey transferred to MLS last year for $36 Million it seems the next step of MLS making money by brining in young and American talent.

TIFO: “A Century of Soccer Migration” – by Eamon Boussa

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This short article and video shows how players were traded between countries between 1900 and 2013.  The video shows little to no trading from 1900 to around 1950 where trades begin to increase substantially.

There is a further increase in the 1970s and a massive number of transfers in the past two decades.  Throughout the video it is clear the majority of player transfers involve Europe.