Derek Rae is the voice of FIFA 22 and a legendary commentator of the beautiful game. He joins Super Kevin Campbell and Sophie Nicolaou to talk about some of the biggest matches he has had the honour to call.
From the Premier League, to Bundesliga, the Champions League, Euros and World Cup, Derek has covered some of the best talent in the history of football. You will not want to miss his epic stories.
Paul Pogba becomes the first 100 million pound Premier League player and the most expensive footballer in the world! Really? More than Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez and Neymar? Do you think Paul Pogba deserves the tag?
Will his return to Manchester United be different this time around? Can he become the next hero at Old Trafford? Will he ignite the Red Devils the same way he did Juventus? So many questions. Why not put your feet up and join the conversation.
We dive into a pool of football happenings In A Conversation With Eoin O’Callaghan.
The former host of Fox Soccer Report discusses attacking, defending, buying and selling in the Premier League. We look at the exciting debut of Eden Hazard for Chelsea and how Sir Alex Ferguson might regret not signing him for Manchester United. Does Nuri Sahin fit best with Liverpool or Arsenal? Is Andre Villas Boas changing too much too soon at Spurs? Can Everton burst into the top tier of the league like Newcastle United did last season? We dissect all of this and much more from an English football perspective.
There’s even a little time to touch on some Italian madness and in particular the Antonio Conte situation at Juventus and the heartbreak of AC Milan fans as Antonio Cassano defects to the enemy Inter Milan. Grab a tipple of your choice and enjoy the conversation.
Talking Italian in A Conversation with Janusz Michallik from ESPN. AC Milan are going through a huge change in personnel having lost some legends together with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva. How will the Rossoneri cope? Is Allegri the manager under the most pressure in Europe before the season starts?
And what of the Old Lady? Can Juventus repeat their magical season? How will they perform in the Champions League? We even dabble in a little Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey and Robin van Persie, plus Janusz shares his thoughts on the players he’s most excited to see as the new season approaches. You won’t want to miss this conversation. Pour a glass of fine Italian wine and enjoy!
Sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom and fighting through adversity in order to rebuild character and achieve greatness.
The Calciopoli match fixing scandal destroyed the hearts and souls of Juventus fans across the universe. It was a dark period for the Bianconeri. They were stripped of their 2005 and 2006 Serie A titles won under Fabio Capello and were sent to Serie B as further punishment for their involvement in Italy’s biggest ever football scandal.
Since that shameful chapter in their history and for all those who remained at the club, the one common goal was to resurrect the good name of Juventus and restore some pride and respect to one of the most famous football teams the world has ever seen.
On Sunday night, after winning their first Serie A title since 2003, Juventus restored more than just pride. They proved the Old Lady lives on. And this time, the Old Lady might just be stronger than ever before.
Following the capture of the Scudetto, Club President Andrea Agnelli perfectly described the emotions of fans as he tweeted “from heaven to hell and back to heaven again.” Despite the despair and pain, Juventus fans always hoped their team would be restored to greatness. Andrea Agnelli finally has them back on the right track, but not without some help from his friends!
For players like Giorgio Chiellini, Claudio Marchisio and legends Gigi Buffon and Alessandro Del Piero, capturing the title is even sweeter as these players remained loyal to the club and stuck with the team when they were relegated to Serie B. And for Del Piero, as he prepares to leave the Old Lady he loves, what a better way to exit than as a champion. It’s only fitting for one of Italy’s finest ever footballers to bow out of the game in this style.
Talking to Sky Sports Italia after the game, Del Piero shared how this could be the most satisfying of all the trophies he has won at Juventus. “This Scudetto has a special taste after some difficult years and I’d go as far as to say that this Scudetto is even better than the one we achieved in Rimini (to win Serie B). I start every season with the hope of winning something, and sometimes it doesn’t happen, but what has happened to me tonight makes up for many years of failing to win a trophy. Tonight we are celebrating a championship that we all deserve and I’m glad to have contributed.”
It’s also an incredible achievement for manager Antonio Conte. From legendary ex-Juventus player to coach of the team now, together with Alessandro Del Piero, he represents everything that is the Bianconeri. He’s experienced the elation. He’s felt the pain. He understands the agony Calciopoli caused. He is family and he was the perfect man to bring Juventus back from the dead. Conte created a dynamic team who have dazzled at times in Serie A and overall, have dominated Italian football without losing a game. The exclamation mark on their season will be if they could win their last game against Atalanta. This would make Juventus unbeaten in all 38 league games and is something that hasn’t been achieved in Italy since Fabio Capello’s AC Milan won the title back in 1992.
Many say Pep Guardiola changed football during his managerial spell at Barcelona. On World Football Daily, I’ve suggested many times that Juventus could be the new Barcelona. Granted they do not play Barcelona’s tiki-taka style of football, but what Juventus do have is a legendary ex-player as coach who is beloved by their fans. They have a special player in Marchisio who has been compared to Tardelli by the Italian media. They have solid ownership in the Agnelli family. They have a brand new stadium that is beautifully set for future years of glory and they have money to spend so they can build on the success they have achieved this year. Some might think the Barcelona comparisons are over-the-top. Even Pep had to start somewhere with the Catalan giants. If Andrea Agnelli keeps faith with the 42-year old Conte, there’s no reason why he can’t duplicate the same type of success Pep had at Barcelona.
Winning a league title in any country is difficult. It is especially difficult in Europe’s most competitive leagues. People will discuss, debate and argue over whether or not this is Juventus 28th or 30th title. Regardless of the Calciopoli scandal, there is so much to be excited about if you are a Juventus fan. When asked by the Italian media about the subject of titles won, Antonio Conte clearly wanted to look towards the present and the future and not the past. “It’s the first for me. It’s the first that I’ve won as a coach.” A classy answer that illustrates the man in charge of the team is clearly focused on the years ahead.
Antonio Conte and Juventus also have the Coppa Italia Final against Napoli to come. They could achieve the double in his first season as coach and they could also go unbeaten in the league. Is anyone still asking if The Old Lady is back?
So Xabi Alonso finally joined Real Madrid for a reported 30 million pounds. The midfield maestro leaves Liverpool after 5 years of quality service. I’m sure the fans are sad today as they loved watching Alonso play alongside Gerrard, Mascherano and his fellow countrymen, Torres. And if the fans are looking for someone to blame for Alonso leaving, they should look no further than their coach Rafa Benitez. After the debacle that was trying to sign Gareth Barry last season, Alonso felt a little insulted and wanted out of Liverpool from then. Well done Rafa!
The Liverpool coach is however hoping to ease the fans pain with the signing of Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani who joins Liverpool from Roma as a replacement for Alonso. Aquilani cost the reds 18 million pounds and is an exciting prospect who has shined for Roma in Serie A and the Champions League. He does have some question marks with regards to injuries, but it seems the Anfield medical crew are happy with his status following the ankle surgery he had in May.
Will Liverpool be as strong in midfield without Alonso? Will this effect Gerrard’s play in any way? What do you think of Aquilani as a replacement? Now Benitez is in charge of transfers, do you think he’s doing a good job with it all so far?
And what about Real Madrid? They have signed Ronaldo, Benzema, Kaka, Alonso and let’s not forget Arbeloa who is also a quality player. If the coach can super glue this talent together, we could see one of the most exciting elite European teams in years. I for one will be watching to see how the new Glacticos fair against the current princes of Spanish football, Barcelona. Can Real Madrid knock the Catalans out of their treble-winning tree?
Alonso has moved on from the Premier League and the Gareth Barry saga to fulfill a childhood dream. Like so many other players, he has always wanted to play for Real Madrid. And for the Spanish international, he certainly feels like he’s back home in the place where he belongs…
Not that I want this to become a Chelsea blog…but news is news people! Carlo Ancelotti was today named as the successor to Guus Hiddink. Do you think Chelsea hired Ancelotti because he looks a little like Guus? Check out the picture of Guus with the F.A. Cup below and judge for yourselves. Perhaps the owner and executive team hired the Italian master so the players can feel “comfortable” with a familiar face in the dressing room!
Chelsea have hired someone with real pedigree in Carlo Ancelotti. He has been hugely successful in his career as a player and a coach. Ancelotti arrives at Stamford Bridge following a mediocre season at AC Milan, but don’t be fooled…this man has won it all! The Italian Cup, the Super Cup, the World Club Championship, the UEFA Cup and Serie A. He is also part of an elite footballing group being one of only 6 players who have won the Champions League as a player and a coach. The most recent coach to do that was Pep Guardiola this year with Barcelona.
Ancelotti is an interesting character too. I think he’ll live upto that character a lot more than Phil Scolari did. Some people say he’s as fascinating as Jose Mourinho. In order to manage a club like Chelsea or the “big four” in general, you have to have that something special. Hiddink had it, plus he also started to help erase the memory of Mourinho during his time with the Blues. If you look at Ancelotti’s successes as a player and coach, it appears he might be able to erase the memory of Mourinho completely in his first season. Unless he smokes during training of course and gives his players unnecessary respiratory problems to the point where they are unable to compete and have to forfeit their season.
Do you think Chelsea have made the right choice? Can you see them winning the title with Ancelotti next season? Do you think the Italian master will bring any of his ex-players with him from AC Milan? And will he be able to square-up to Rafa Benitez, Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger?
Grab your passports and shades. The timeshare is back people. I mean if fashion and style guru David Beckham
is doing it, surely it’s cool right? Um…actually, unless it’s a
Marriott type of deal, you really don’t want to be in the timeshare
business at all.
Think about it though. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all do that with our jobs? How do you guys think that conversation would go exactly…”Er hello boss. Listen I know I signed a contract to head-up your marketing department for a couple of years, but this other company that thinks I’m hot shit too would also like to employ me and I think it would help my career if I worked for you both. I won’t be long…just 6 months and then I’ll be back here knocking it out of the park again. Sound good? Hello..hello…hello..”
Well unless you are David Beckham, the likely hood of that little fantasy playing out is well below zero! I guess the only thing we have to be thankful for is that this back-and-forth is over…for now. Do we really think Becks will be back in Los Angeles in June to play for the Galaxy? Something tells me the only way we’ll see his behind this summer is if he’s vacationing and watching the Lakers go far into the NBA play-offs.
After playing in football wilderness with the LA Galaxy for 18 months, David Beckham is about to make an incredible comeback to the big leagues. His determination to keep his England career alive and his desire to become the most capped English player are the main ingredients that could trigger a crazy transfer for the never-say-die superstar. Why is anyone shocked? He’s made it clear he wants to continue playing for his country for as long as he’s asked. The quality of football in the MLS is not comparable to Serie A in Italy. And didn’t you all think the motive to go to Milan in the first place was to somehow wangle a permanent move to fulfill his final ambitions in the twilight of his career? The fact the LA Galaxy let this happen in the first place is shocking. Surely they knew this was coming.
When he landed in the States, LAX came to a standstill as fans and the world’s media greeted him and his wife Victoria. He did the ESPN documentary while Posh Spice appeared in a one-off reality show on network television. He became one of the many celebrity faces sitting court side cheering on the Los Angeles Lakers. Hollywood’s elite – Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Will sSmith and Jada Pinkett Smith – rolled out the red carpet and hosted an extravagant welcome party for Lord and Lady Becks. But the truth is, as much as he loves all the attention and trimmings of fame, this Essex boy has only ever wanted to play football. He loves the game and now he believes he can play at the highest level again.
Ultimately, the people who will miss out are the LA Galaxy and MLS fans in general. It will hurt more though for those Galaxy fans. They have had to pay increased prices for tickets and merchandise in order to subsidize the wages of Mr.Beckham. They totally bought into the idea of #23 and were desperate for him to succeed by bringing the MLS Cup home. The hopes and dreams of the Galaxy fans could be dead. Meanwhile, for Becks, his dreams are very much alive…
I am a Brit living in the United States. I grew up in London watching the beautiful game. Arsenal is my team. I had the privilege to watch them play at Highbury for many years. Then I moved to the States. Luckily, Fox Soccer Channel and Setanta Sports have given me my weekly Premiership fix. My fix also requires the images and sounds of La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Eredivisie and the Bundesliga. ESPN came to the rescue too when they started broadcasting the Champions League in High-Definition. Life got better that day. I am also a huge fan of international soccer, especially European and the flare of those exquisite South American teams. Brazil and Argentina have been an art form for decades.
So living in the States has not affected my football. The sport will never be as big as the NFL, NBA and MLB. It might get close to the NHL! Soccer can have a place though. It just needs to realize where it sits in the pecking order of US sports. Let’s not get greedy too fast. David Beckham is only one piece of the jigsaw puzzle that has been building for a few years now.
It is on these pages where we will discuss the world’s most popular sport. It has its beauty and yes, it can be ugly too. The passion and love for the game is often misunderstood. Some of my best life experiences have been associated with football. Don’t give the red card until you’ve truly exhausted all avenues in your pursuit to like this game. And if you are already a believer, we have much to debate and discuss.
This is the freedom of football speech blog. Our soccer sovereignty is governed by you the people. The only twist is that I have a woman’s perspective on the game. A different insight with all the qualities and qualifications of a seasoned soccer lover. So call it what you want. Football. Soccer. Pick your poison. I’m still weighing up my own options. All that matters is opinion.