Cultured Football #103

Failed wonderkids. And more.

Mar 18, 2023

By Ed Aarons for The Guardian

Although the FA and the PFA have introduced initiatives to increase diversity in top-level football only 4.4% of management-related positions in English football are held by black employees. In fact, there has been “no real change” in the number of black employees in management-related positions in English football.

Football on a mission: the friendly league that offers a safe place and feeds the needy

By Aneesa Ahmed for The Observer

Football for Foodbanks is an inclusive and accessible league that welcomes men, women, and gender non-conforming people. The league was founded to provide a platform for those who are excluded from football in the UK. This is the kind of football worth caring for, not FIFA's greedy attempt at creating ever bigger competitions or UEFA's capitulation in the face of multi-club ownership.

NXGN: Bukayo Saka, Rodrygo and where 2020's best wonderkids are now

By Tom Maston for Goal

Three years ago, Goal selected fifty young players on the brink of greatness. Now they take a look back to see how those wonderkids have done since then. It is an exercise in how tough it is to make it to at the highest level even for those who are supremely talented.

Hi, this is Paul Grech, editor of Cultured Football. Every week, I sift through numerous football articles to carefully select the cream of the crop that I'm confident you'll enjoy. If you're finding any pleasure in reading this newsletter, I would be very grateful if you could spread the word to your fellow football enthusiasts.

By Ryan O'Hanlon for ESPN

Speaking of predicting the future, this is an interesting read at how Barcelona and Real Madrid have changed over the past five years whilst looking at what they could look like in five years’ time. A lot, I imagine, depends on how Barca manage to wiggle out of facing both financial issues and corruption charges.

When ordering a football shirt becomes a quest

By Stunner

I was originally going to share Nestor Watach’s piece on Stunner, the store selling vintage football kits set up in Ukraine and which has kept on going even after Russia’s invasion last year (and, please, do read that). But then I went on their website and read their blog on the ease of buying kits of Ukraine’s Premier League sides and was transfixed. Somehow, I have to find a way to get myself an FC Lviv shirt…

Last Week’s Most Read: Revisiting Feyenoord: A Lesson In How To Rebuild

By Alex Donaldson for Cynical Foul // 1,910 words

Feyenoord have successfully rebuilt their squad after losing many of their key players during last summer. The majority of the new players were tailor-made acquisitions for coach Arne Slot’s system. They have trusted their scouting team to identify compatible prospects undervalued by their league or the situation at their club. It seems to have worked: they currently top the Eredivisie.