Cultured Football #83
Graeme Souness Making Enemies. Next Generation. Underdogs. And More
Some things in life never change. And some things are constantly changing. Rarely, however, it is both. With the exception of Watford and their managers. Rob Edwards was sacked this week after just ten games in charge with Slaven Bilic taking his place. Watford'a record was best summed up by Richard Jolly who tweeted “as many people have managed Watford since 2012 as have been monarch of England since 1650”.
Graeme Souness: A masterclass in making foes
By Robin Mumford for Football Bloody Hell // 2,634 words
It often gets forgotten who good of a player Graeme Souness was, with the focus often being on his uncompromising tackling. He wasn’t nearly as good as a manager, but his (metaphorical) tackles were just as uncompromising.
Slaves To The Algorithm
By Neil Fredrik Jensen for Game of the People // 562 words
Are there problems on the horizons for football, as a new generation of fans with unique interests starts to mature? A thought provoking article.
Next Generation 2022: 60 of the best young talents in world football
Various for The Guardian
If you want to impress your mates with your knowledge of the most promising players from all over the world, or simply want to know who to look out for, then the 2022 edition of the Guardian’s Next Generation is a must.
Next Generation 2022: 20 of the best talents at Premier League clubs
By Various for The Guardian
And here’s something similar but looking at the brightest prospect from each Premier League club.
The Underdog
By Ceylon Andi Hickman for Football Beyond Borders // 3,543 words
“I first realised I was an underdog when I was six years old. I went flying into a tackle as a short, blonde-haired boy was running towards the goal I was so desperate to protect. I emerged victorious with the ball at my feet and went to play a pass to my teammate. But instead of the raucous applause I was expecting after a tackle of such quality, I heard laughter.” How can you not read the rest?
Something Else We Loved This Week
Michael Sheen. The TRUE Prince of Wales.
Last Week’s Most Read: Every Club’s Youngest Premier League Debutant And What Happened To Them
By Ian Watson for Football365 // 1,094 words
When Ethan Nwaneri came on as a substitute in a 3-0 win over Brentford, he became Arsenal’s youngest ever Premier League debutant and also the focus of a lot of media attention. For all they hype - and I sincerely hope that he fulfills his potential - a debut at such a young age does not guarantee success, as some names on the list of youngest ever debutants for each Premier League club prove.