FOX Soccer Blog

Manchester City, NY Yankees team up to own New York City FC

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:59:00 -0700

It was announced on Tuesday that Manchester City and the New York Yankees will be owners of the 20th team in MLS: New York City FC.

Baseball and soccer coming together? With their powers combined, NYC FC could become a wildly popular and successful club in the heart of the Big Apple.

We let our imaginations run wild at the thought of these two sports giants teaming up, and conjured up this alternate universe where Yankees captain Derek Jeter and City captain Vincent Kompany swapped lives…

No, that just looks wrong. We like the universe just the way it is.

Wayne Rooney welcomes son Klay

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:46:00 -0700

Image via @WayneRooney

The Rooney family has a new addition.

Klay Anthony Rooney was born in the early hours on Tuesday, the Manchester United striker announced on Twitter.

Big brother Kai looks either terrified, or way too excited about his new baby brother. Maybe a combination of both.

Trecker's Travels, Day Thirteen: Strawberry Propaganda

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:39:00 -0700

Photo: Jamie Trecker / FOX Soccer

By: Jamie Trecker

LONDON, ENGLAND

Weather is a constant, favorite topic here. The word itself is used as noun, a verb, an adjective and an epithet. This will strike Americans as surprising given that the weather rarely changes: it is miserable, and damp.

The English do like to put the best possible spin on things, so the daily weather reports – which, as I mentioned, rarely change – are accompanied by short and uplifting items. Today’s recounting of the miserable cold and the flooding up north was tempered by a flack proclaiming that this year’s English strawberry crop will be a bumper one.

“Everyone will get their English strawberries this year,” the man promised, as if this had been a pre-existing national concern. “They will be juicy and sweet and abundant.”

Disgusted by this pro-strawberry propaganda, I made my way to the British Library, which, as it happens, has a major exhibit on called: “Propaganda.” Americans will be greeted in unsettling fashion, with J.M. Flagg’s Uncle Sam pointing your way in. There is precious little on strawberry flogging, but quite a lot on weather, public health, and insidious politicking through the eight rooms, punctuated by the library’s impressive paper holdings.

Photo: Jamie Trecker / FOX Soccer

Propaganda isn’t all bad, as the library makes clear. The public campaigns that helped eliminate polio and control the spread of AIDS were the subject of stark propaganda campaigns, displayed in full here. But the most stunning wall was taken up by three social media feeds — which the library persuasively argues is a form of propaganda. Highlighting the responses to the Olympic Games’ opening ceremonies and the re-election of President Obama, it is a riveting look at real-time opinion-shaping, and it is a must-see this week in the city.

A hop and a skip away, in Trafalgar Square, is the other must-see exhibit of the week. The National Portrait Gallery has assembled over 150 prints made by the great photographer Man Ray. It is the first major museum retrospective assembled of Man Ray’s work, and it covers the years between his association with the Surrealists in Paris through his death in 1976.

Man Ray (a nom de plume of sorts; he was born Emmanuel Radnitzky in South Philly) was a brilliant portraitist, all hard light and shadows, as well as a technical genius. Most startling is that he considered himself first and foremost a painter, though it is his “rayograms,” assemblages and pictures of the likes of Lee Miller that have made him an enduring giant in the field.

Photo: Jamie Trecker / FOX Soccer

Man Ray also documented the post-war art scene, capturing everyone from Marcel Duchamp to Kiki de Montparnasse. His photos of Miller (his assistant and one-time lover) are hauntingly beautiful; his famous picture of Meret Oppenheimer, nude and ink-streaked is as hostile and challenging now as it was back in 1934.

Man Ray’s influence can be seen one floor down, in a charming and dated exhibition of vintage British film stills. The actors gaze out lifelessly, hoping that you’ll come see them in the latest spectacle. The phrasing of the photos owes a lot to Man Ray’s meticulous staging; the rather desperate feel owes an equal amount to the desire to sell tickets.

Both exhibits are on now, and cost about $20 apiece. The British Library is near St. Pancras; The National Portrait Gallery is at Charing Cross.

Photo: Jamie Trecker / FOX Soccer

This piece is part of a series of pieces sponsored by the new Samsung Galaxy S 4 phone. The pictures that accompany this blog post were taken with it. I’m travelling across Europe this month and you should tell me where you’d like me to go and what you’d like to hear about. Tweet @JamieTreckerFOX or use the #heytrecker hashtag @FOXSoccer.

Arsenal target Real's Higuain

Tue, 21 May 2013 02:13:00 -0700

Arsenal are set for a huge summer spending spree, with Gonzalo Higuain top of their wishlist. From today’s newspapers it is understood an offer of around £17 million will tempt Real Madrid to part with their striker. Higuain has scored 17 goals in 44 appearances this season. The money used for Higuain is part of a rumored £70 million transfer kitty.

For this rumor and the rest of today’s paper gossip, click here.

Paolo Di Canio goes into furious rant at his own team

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:42:00 -0700

You’d think that with the season being over, it might be possible for Paolo Di Canio to finally take a nap.

Nope. Not so. Instead, the Sunderland manager launched an angry attack on the discipline of his team after Phil Bardsley was pictured laying on the floor of a casino covered in £50 notes.

Yes, we suggest watching the entire thing.

(H/T kckrs.com)

Ronaldinho really likes to get the most out of his goal...

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:28:42 -0700

Ronaldinho really likes to get the most out of his goal celebrations.

Sir Alex Ferguson's last chewed gum sold for $640,000

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:15:00 -0700

Well come on, who didn’t see this coming?

Someone at The Hawthorns on Sunday supposedly recovered Sir Alex Ferguson’s last ever piece of gum chewed as Manchester United manager. Of course, it quickly found its way onto ebay, where the gum sold overnight for nearly $640,000.

We’re a little disturbed by how many people fought over this piece of dry, yet saliva-infused, memorabilia, nor can we even be sure of its authenticity. But apparently all proceeds go to charity, so that’s nice.

The listing read as follows:

Used chewing gum: RARE. Recovered from The Hawthorns. Clear perspex/wooden case.

Unofficial merchandise, rumoured to belong to Sir Alex.

After 1,500 games of intense chewing as manager of Man Utd, here lies Fegie’s last piece of chewing gum.

All proceeds go to the MU Foundation charity.

Young Josh Turnbull - son of keeper Ross Turnbull - gives the...

Mon, 20 May 2013 04:04:00 -0700

Young Josh Turnbull - son of keeper Ross Turnbull - gives the Chelsea supporters something else to cheer during the club’s end of season celebrations.

The toddler showed off his amazing dribbling skills in front of the Stamford Bridge crowd, giving the potential incoming manager - Jose Mourinho? - even more striking options. How will Fernando Torres react to this display?

Tottenham to move for Moutinho?

Mon, 20 May 2013 02:42:00 -0700

After Sunday’s disappointment - with Tottenham missing out on the last Champions League spot - boss Andre Villas-Boas has been told he will given major backing in the summer transfer window.

Villas-Boas, frustrated on previous occasions to sign Joao Moutinho, will make the Porto star his main target with a host of other names on the manager’s wishlist.

For this rumor and the rest of today’s transfer gossip, click here.

Premier League, Surviving on top: Part Three

Sun, 19 May 2013 17:18:52 -0700

In the final segment of our examination of the history and impact of relegation from the Premier League, we focus on the financial difficulties of relegated clubs.

Along with money lost from television deals, teams also lose significant money from lack of sponsorship income and a historically lowered attendance. To combat this, teams are given parachute payments.

Every year, teams receive payments based on how many years they have been a victim of relegation. The payments gets smaller each year and stay at a fixed level after year 4 of relegation.

In total, teams that have been relegated average a loss of $71,000,000 the year after relegation. Nine clubs have actually gone bankrupt within 5 years of being relegated.

Daddy Messi

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:33:45 -0700

Daddy Messi

No call - “Are you serious?!”

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:48:00 -0700

No call - “Are you serious?!”

Zenit player scores, swears at fans, gets red card

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:30:00 -0700

You stay classy Roman Shirokov.

The Zenit midfielder was subbed on in the 59th minute of a match against Volga, and he certainly made an impression. In stoppage time, Shirokov scored Zenit’s third goal, securing a 3-1 victory.

But then he carried out a bizarre celebration.

After the goal, Shirokov proceeded to flip off the home crowd. The referee wasted no time, and sent him off with a straight red card.

Apparently the fans were booing as he was subbed on because he tweeted “CSKA deserved the championship” after CSKA Moscow won the league, which assured a second place finish for Zenit. This appeared to be his way of repaying them.

H/T 101GG

Premier League All-Time Best XI

Sun, 19 May 2013 11:31:00 -0700

We’ve revealed our picks for the best Premier League starting XI of all time. From the brick wall known as Peter Schmeichel, to the goalscoring assassin Alan Shearer, these are some of the best players to ever grace the Premier League.

Click through the gallery to see a recap and career highlights from our starting XI.

Champions League + Europa League spots sealed

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:54:06 -0700

The Barclays Premier League has come to an end and the Champions League positions are set. The Premier League will be sending the same representatives as last year but will be hoping for a much better result as none of them made it through to the Quarterfinals in this year’s competition.

There will be a different look for the Europa League representatives this season.

Tottenham will be returning to the Europa League for the second consecutive season and will be joined by Swansea and a relegated Wigan club.

Swansea has secured their birth thanks to a 5-0 victory over Bradford in the League Cup final. Despite the impending relegation, Wigan will be heading to the Europa League group stage courtesy of a 1-0 defeat of Manchester City in the FA Cup Final.

Thank you fans!

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:35:00 -0700

It’s not a good-bye.

Thank you all for watching and for supporting the Premier League all these years on FOX Soccer. It’s been a blast and our pleasure bringing it to you, the fans.

As a reminder, FOX Sports 1, America’s new sports network, will be our new home for soccer starting August 17. Until then, FOX Soccer has next weekend’s Champions League final on tap, as well as this summer’s Gold Cup and plenty more.

Man City favorites to swoop for Falcao

Sun, 19 May 2013 09:27:00 -0700

Seemingly one of the most talked-about stories in football at the moment is Radamel Falcao’s next destination. Newly-promoted Monaco looked set to have won the race for the Colombian’s signature, but it has emerged that Manchester City is close to snapping up the Atletico Madrid star.

Also Chelsea looks set to have a busy transfer window, with Fernando Torres looking likely to leave Stamford Bridge in the summer.

For this rumor and the rest of today’s transfer gossip, click here.

Newcastle vs Arsenal

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:35:00 -0700

Newcastle vs Arsenal

With the 2012-13 Premier League season coming to a close, we...

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:34:00 -0700

With the 2012-13 Premier League season coming to a close, we review the top ten goals that made our heads swirl through the season.

In reality, there were too many to count this past season. Though we had to leave some out the list, strikes like Robin van Persie’s beauty to seal Manchester United’s Premier League title against Aston Villa or Gareth Bale’s magical strike versus West Ham come to mind.

OK, so we’ll stop and let you relive the best goals for yourself.

Premier League, Surviving on Top: Part two

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:58:00 -0700

In part two of our examination of the history and impact of relegation from the Premier League, we take a look at the statistical odds and financial impact for each club.

There is still hope for recently-relegated Wigan, Reading, and QPR. Clubs that are relegated to the Championship have a 60% chance of returning to the Premier League the following season — though none that were relegated last year made their way back.

For clubs that are promoted to the Premier League, there is an 82% chance that they will be relegated the following year, evidenced by Reading this year. Newly promoted Cardiff City hopes to channel the momentum to make sure that doesn’t happen next year:

The financial implications of relegation cannot be overstated. Next season, Premier League clubs will receive 30 times more yearly revenue from TV rights than teams in the Championship. Just one year of relegation can cripple a team’s finances.

Tomorrow, we look at the relegation hardships that teams endure, as well as the compensation received to help soften the financial blow. All of this is leading up to FOX Soccer’s coverage of the final Premier League matchday with nine games live on broadcast across the FOX family of networks.