Cultured Football #25

Jul 03, 2021

This is the twenty-fifth edition of Cultured Football which means that it has been around six months since I set it up. And also that I’ve share around 135 articles during that time. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it and hope that you have too.

Next week I will be taking a bit of a break but, don’t worry, Cultured Football will return the following week. In the meantime, I would love to hear what you think of Cultured Football. And if you could recommend a friend or two to sign up, then that would be extremely welcome as well.

One of the pleasures of a continental competition like the European championship is that of spotting players you feel are going to be the ‘next big thing’. I, for one, jumped on the Jeremy Doku bandwagon following his impressive display in the defeat against Italy. This article goes beyond that, looking at data to identify possible bargain buys from the teams that were knocked out at group stage.

A Scottish-American team helped build football in the US. Now they’re going pro

Since 1895, Kearny Scots has been based in a New Jersey town that has bred some of the finest players in US history. Throughout their history they’ve always been amateur but feel that this is the right time to make a change. This is their story.

Tackling the Traffickers

The issue of fake agents who exploit the dreams and hopes of young footballers to make money off them – and often put them in a dangerous position – is one that deserves to be highlighted. As with many other problems, awareness and education are key factors in helping solve it.

Rafael Benítez is a gamble that could expose Everton’s wider fragility

If there ever was any doubt that Rafa Benitez likes a challenge, then his accepting to take over at Everton certainly dispelled it. Not only is he risking to sully his reputation among Liverpool fans but he’s moving to a club where a sizeable portion of the fan base don’t really like him (to put it mildly). It is a gamble both on his part and on that of the club, one that could backfire spectacularly.

From sleeping in a shed to Liverpool icon

“You are the worst player I’ve ever seen in my whole life. Now f*** off.” For a 15 year-old whose family had just sold their house to fund his trip to attend a football trial on the other side of the world, it was a devastating verdict. Most people would have crumbled but not Craig Johnston who instead devised ways to improve himself enough to win a move to one of the finest teams in English history. His story is an incredible one, an ultimate lesson on the power of hard work but also the ability to listen and desire to learn.

Last week’s most read

It seems that you all like the Guardian’s interactive transfer tracker as much as I do, seeing that many opted to check it out. Having just given it a quick look I found out that Atalanta have signed Argentine goalkeeper Juan Musso. Another good, intelligent move for them.