Table of contents for January 2016 in FourFourTwo UK

Why does everyone love Boca? That was the question being thrown around FFT Towers a few months back when we first considered dedicating an entire issue to South American club football. One suggestion was the instantly recognisable blue and gold kit. Another was the matchday imagery – nothing says ‘carnival football’ quite like all that ticker tape and confetti. The fans, particularly fond of climbing the pitch perimeter fence, were mentioned as well. Then, of course, there’s the bouncing stands of La Bombonera, a venue on the bucket list of every ground-hopping supporter the world over. The kit, the ticker tape, the fans, the stadium: Boca has it all. So in an issue focusing on South American club football, it felt natural to go big on…

Pat Nevin is a busy man. Living in Duns on the Scottish Borders, the former Clyde, Chelsea, Everton and Tranmere midfielder spends a typical week on the road, traversing between Glasgow, London and Dublin for his media commitments with Sportscene, Channel Five and BBC Radio. “It’s bonkers and complicated,” he tells FFT, “but I’m not complaining.” Somehow, amid all that commuting, Nevin has forged an unlikely second career – as one of the country’s most sought-after indie DJs. “I was a teenage music nut,” he tells FourFourTwo. “I DJed a bit when I was young, but I was always playing football so I didn’t really have the time. But in 2010 I played at the Bowlie Weekender, a festival curated by Belle and Sebastian. Every band I liked seemed to…

1 Six players have won the Ballon d’Or (below) while at Barcelona. Name them. 2 Velibor Vasovic was the first player to score in European Cup finals for two different teams. Who were they? 3 What has happened only three times in the last six Africa Cup of Nations finals? 4 Which League One club was formed in 1887 by the superbly named clergyman Tiverton Preedy? 5 Which Dutch footballing legend completes this lyric from the Super Furry Animals’ top 20 smash Smokin’: “I’m going to manage my time, like ____ _____”? 6 Which Eredivisie club are nicknamed the Super Farmers? 7 Name one (or, if you’re a show-off, both) of the defeated semi-finalists in last season’s Conference Premier play-offs. 8 Who were the two teams playing when Old Trafford’s…

I’ve worked out a few Spine Lines over the years, but I never get around to actually emailing the answer in. This month, however, is different. The numbers ‘8, 50, 55, 67 + 51, 52, 55, 57, 60’ [FFT 258] are the minutes in which cover star Robert Lewandowski scored four Champions League goals for Borussia Dortmund against Real Madrid, plus the minutes in which he scored his record-breaking five for Bayern Munich against Wolfsburg. Hopefully my newfound efficiency for entering competitions will continue for many years to come! James Packman, via email We’ll see, James. For now, at least, it’s won you some Trusox. Enjoy.…

1981-1982 When Boca Juniors signed Diego Maradona in 1981, they knew they had beaten deadly rivals River Plate to one of Argentina’s best young players. After all, this was a 20-year-old who was not only already an international regular but had been playing in the top flight since 10 days before he’d celebrated his 16th birthday. Even so, they wouldn’t have imagined that the attacking midfielder they had stolen from under the nose of their neighbours would go on to become one of the finest players (if not the finest) to ever grace the game – not to mention an icon recognised the world over. Four times the top scorer in Argentina during his time with Argentinos Juniors, Maradona shone early in his Boca career despite a strained relationship with…

Juventus may have been the first club to put a star on their badge, in 1958 – one for their first 10 league titles – but Boca made that all look rather tame when they put a massive 30 stars on their emblem in 1970. They were the first club in the world to include a star for every single title won, national and international. Their crest now has 52 stars, more than the USA flag. It includes 30 for their Primera Division titles and six for their Copa Libertadores victories, among others. There’s probably one each on there for Hawaii and Alaska, too, although that isn’t confirmed. Boca may not have entirely thought this approach through, however, because they’re now causing themselves problems by continuing to win stuff. A…

The reputation and legacy of Pablo Escobar, the Colombian drug trafficker who became the wealthiest criminal in history, is a messy knot to untangle. As Netflix viewers worldwide gorge on his bloody journey via the superlative Narcos, passing the popcorn as he blows up planes, assassinates ministers and builds his own zoo, the people of Colombia who lived through his very real mayhem remain conflicted. Escobar was many things: a murderer, briber, bomber and racketeer, according to his mile-long rap sheet. But to some, he remains an unlikely saint. A huge Escobar flag still marks the entrance of the barrio he built on the site of a former rubbish dump in order to house the poor. On the roadsides of his home city, Medellin, salesmen hawking car stickers – Jesus,…

Stats provided by 6 Assists for ex-BVB colleague Robert Lewandowski, more than for any other player 4 Years as captain of Poland, before being replaced by Lewandowski in 2014 3 Players hit double figures for goals and assists in ’12-13: Muller, Ribery and Kuba 35 Bundesliga assists for Dortmund after joining in 2007, a team high Argentina Cordoba club Talleres were roared on by 60,000 fans as they went for promotion against Union Aconquija – not bad, considering they play in the third division…

Why all the fuss? Kenya’s oldest footballing rivalry extends far beyond Nairobi. The capital clubs are the most decorated in the country and remain neck and neck in terms of honours. Gor Mahia – managed by Scot Frank Nuttall – are edging it with 15 league titles to Leopards’ 13. Reasons for aggro The rivalry is rooted in tribal tensions, with the Gor Mahia fanbase largely from the Luo ethnic group of western Kenya, whereas Leopards supporters are traditionally Luhya.›Derbies between the two are often title deciders, too – an equally crucial ingredient in their ferocity. Maddest moment In 2012, Gor Mahia defender Ali Abondo’s red card sparked a riot. Leopards fans were injured as stones were hurled at them and Gor Mahia were banned from using the stadium for…

INJURIES HAVE A LASTING EFFECT Studies into depression among footballers reveal that those who sustained three or more severe injuries during their professional career are nearly four times more likely to report mental health problems than pros who hadn’t suffered as many, or any at all. LOSING THE HEAD-TO-HEAD Contact with another player was the most common reason for heading-related concussions among boys playing football in a US study, at 78 per cent. The other 22 per cent were caused by collisions with a post. D FOR DEFENCE Footballers given supplements of quercetin and vitamin D are far less susceptible to post-training drops in their immunity and to resultant colds and flu, according to a 12-week study among football players with prior incidents of upper respiratory tract infections. G-WHIZ 3G…

“Football is a physically demanding sport, with professional players covering up to 11km during the course of a 90-minute match. To outrun your opponents you need a multi-energy system, including aerobic fitness – the ability to pump oxygen-rich blood around the body, as long-distance runners do – and anaerobic fitness: the ability to maintain maximum running speed over and over again. On top of that, you also need an efficient creatine phosphate system. In layman’s terms, that is a system that helps power short-term, high-intensity activity for a longer period. The high-intensity stop-start nature of football places a lot of demand on the body. Research has shown that midfielders can experience up to 1,300 changes in exercise intensity during a 90-minute game, and just as many changes in direction. Instead…

We all know top teams use GPS to track players’ pitch movements, but what if your team could do the same? Using PLAYERTEK, a revolutionary GPS tracking system available to players at all levels, FourFourTwo kitted out Surrey semi-pro side Laleham FC for their game against Farnborough North End to see how their players compared to the world’s best – and to find out how professional-grade technology can help raise your game. SLIP ON, PLUG IN, UPLOAD PLAYERTEK is easy to use. Simply slip the Pod into the pocket on the back of the baselayer garment (above) before each session, be it training or a match, and then use the micro USB cable to sync the device with your Apple Mac or Microsoft Windows computer. Once you have uploaded the…

1 COMMUNICATE Get the players onside, says ex-ref Mark Halsey: “When you do the toss, tell the captains: ‘I’m not a qualified referee but I’m doing it so you can have a game, so I won’t tolerate any backchat.’ Be firm.” 2 WATCH THE OFFSIDES If you’re lucky enough to have linesmen, check they know the offside rule – or do it yourself. “Decide whether to try to take up a position where you can see if a player’s offside,” says Halsey, “but it is difficult.” 3 TRUST YOUR INSTINCT “Don’t change your mind,” advises Halsey, who refereed more than 250 Premier League matches. Having self-confidence will assert your authority. “Just give what you see,” Halsey adds, “and enjoy it.”…

FACT FILE Full name Hernan Jorge Crespo Date of birth 05/07/1975 Height 6ft Position Striker Place of birth Florida, Argentina Clubs 1993-96 River Plate 84 games (36 goals); 1996-00 Parma 151 (80); 2000-02 Lazio 73 (48); 2002-03 Inter 30 (16); 2003-04 Chelsea 31 (12); 2004-05 Milan (loan) 40 (18); 2005-06 Chelsea 42 (13); 2006-09 Inter 86 (29); 2009-10 Genoa 21 (7); 2010-12 Parma 50 (14) International 1995-07 Argentina 64 (35) Honours Argentine Primera 1993, 1994; Copa Libertadores 1996; Coppa Italia 1999; UEFA Cup 1999; Supercoppa Italiana 1999, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008; Premier League 2006; Serie A 2007, 2008, 2009 It’s a beautiful November morning in Modena, the northern Italian city of 180,000 people where Luciano Pavarotti was born, lived and died, and where high-end sports cars are made, from Lamborghinis…

73.68% Win ratio as Argentina coach “HUMAN GARBAGE” His 2005 description of US president George W. Bush ¡REVOLUCION! He has a tattoo of Cuban leader Fidel Castro (who is also a friend) on his left leg and one of Che Guevara on his right arm WHO IS TO BLAME FOR THE MEXICO 86 HANDBALL? Maradona 5% Shilton 5% Thatcher 5% The referee 10% God 75% GOD He has a religion named after him in Rosario, Argentina BUTCHER ‘Butcher of Bilbao’ Andoni Goikoetxea keeps the boot that broke Maradona’s ankle in a glass case 16 World Cup finals games he captained Argentina AD #1 He upset fans in 2006 when he starred in a drink commercial wearing a Brazil shirt, saying after the only jersey he’d never wear would be River…

BELLE AND SEBASTIAN BOY WITH THE ARAB STRAP “I almost always play one of their songs as they’re a big favourite of mine. This›is an indie classic.” PULP BABIES “People always ask me whether I preferred Oasis or Blur. I always say Pulp. This goes down a storm.” THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART YOUNG ADULT FRICTION “This is midway between classic Undertones punk and new, fey, fun indie. They’re nice guys, too.” PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING SPITFIRE “This is a perfect DJ song, as oddly enough it fits well with any era of music, especially the older indie.”…

GIOVANI LO CELSO Country Argentina Club Rosario Central Position Midfielder Age 19 Plays like Lionel Messi (except he’s human) The lowdown Born and bred in Rosario, just like you-know-who, Lo Celso’s dribbling in tight spaces is eerily similar to Messi, albeit without the explosiveness. Reportedly wanted by Atletico Madrid. SAUL SALCEDO Country Paraguay Club Olimpia Position Defender Age 18 Plays like Raphael Varane The lowdown Part of Paraguay’s training squad for last summer’s Copa America at just 17, the rangy Salcedo is now first choice for domestic giants Olimpia. Combines excellent positional sense with a great touch. Classy. YEFERSON SOTELDO Country Venezuela Club Zamora Position Winger Age 18 Plays like Pedro The lowdown At just 5ft 3in and weighing 8.5 stone wet through, what the diminutive Soteldo lacks in stature…

SPORTING CHANCE I’ve just come home from a mini-break in Asturias, Spain, and simply had to write in response to Archie Brook’s letter on visiting La Liga’s lesser lights and Espanyol’s Cornella-El Prat stadium [FFT 258]. Inspired, we parked up at Sporting Gijon’s ground, El Molinon (for free) and booked in for the 12pm tour. It’s the best €10 we spent on the entire holiday. It was just the two of us, yet our guide poured her heart and soul into it, making sure every video we saw was shown with English subtitles. One was shown in the home dressing room as I perched happily on No.10’s bench, hearing who chose the pre-match tunes. We took pictures everywhere: the press room, the dugout, the pitch, the home dressing room, the…

THE REAL PLAYERS Brad Wright-Phillips @TheRealBWP OK... so a bear just ran through my garden! #newjerseyiscrazy Mikael Forssell @MikaelForssell Daddy gets excited too @toysrus #loveit #happy #kidinsideme wakes up Owain Tudur Jones @OwainTJones17 2 years ago to the day since cap number 7. The national team haven’t been the same since #Cymru #getridofthedeadwood #FFT100STADIUMS Daniel Smith @dsmith_8 Following @FourFourTwo #FFT100Stadiums & pleased to say I’ve been to quite a lot of them. Seeing a World Cup game in the Maracana a highlight Portland Thorns FC @ThornsFC Proud to call it home. @FourFourTwo has Providence Park among world’s top stadiums. #BAONPDX YOU @FOURFOURTWO Football Nerd @foot_ball_nerd Letter in @FourFourTwo says you’re better off taking Espanyol’s stadium tour than Barça’s one. I plain forgot to do that in Barcelona Bobby Patrick Dooley…

Nikola Kalinic Fiorentina From Blackburn misfit to Serie A star, he joined from Dnipro to score a hat-trick at the San Siro. Mario Balotelli Milan Unwanted at Liverpool, Super Mario announced his return to Milan with a stunning free-kick. Lucas Castro Chievo A protégé of Diego Simeone at Racing, the Argentine bagged a derby leveller against Verona. Daniele Baselli Torino The midfielder scored four goals in his first four games for his new club after arriving from Atalanta. Wojciech Szczesny Roma “He’s a good goalkeeper, there’s no doubt about that,” was how pundit Stefano Tacconi summed up Szczesny’s start in Italy. “But he’s also an uncontrollable lunatic.” Stevan Jovetic Inter Even the Montenegrin was surprised by his early goals on loan from Manchester City. “I wasn’t expecting this,” he admitted.…

The Kama Sutra Positional Awareness Award Gigi Multescu is a veteran at the management game, and he had a plan when he was placed in charge of top-flight strugglers Voluntari. It was his 33rd appointment as a coach, and he knew exactly how he wanted to run things. “I have to control everything at the club,” the 63-year-old explained. “I have told my players what to eat, when to sleep and when and how to have sex. We need their full potency so we can help ourselves.” Unfortunate choice of words. The Marius Sumudica Gamblers Eponymous Award While Astra Giurgiu’s billionaire owner Ioan Niculae likes to unwind with a spot of elephant hunting, manager Marius Sumudica is partial to a bit of a gamble. Sumudica did,…

Mauro Icardi’s missus has never been the shy and retiring type. Model, showgirl, reality TV star, centre of a bitter football love triangle and now a new role: player agent. Abian Moreno had been the agent of Inter Milan captain Icardi for several years, but recently announced that the free-scoring Argentine striker wanted to appoint his wife as his agent instead. So now there’s a new big fish in the agent world – a fish called Wanda Nara. Inter’s hierarchy could have been forgiven for not greeting the news entirely enthusiastically, because things tend to get complicated when Wanda’s around. When she was married to the former Barcelona forward Maxi Lopez, she appeared on Argentina’s version of Strictly Come Dancing and sent a spy to make sure there weren’t any…

“My manager wants to use me as a playmaker behind the striker. I’ve never played in this position. Any advice on creating chances for my team-mates?” Chris Hendrix, via Twitter “Perseverance and consistency are crucial – don’t lose your focus. In this role you need to be switched on at all times, as games can easily pass you by. Work hard every day: training performances often mirror matchday displays. Today, talent alone is not enough to succeed in this role at the highest level. Developing technical skills and learning to read the game is also key. Killer passes are difficult, riskier than a sideways pass. You need conviction and the mental strength to try again until you produce them regularly. In the beginning, practice and concentration were key for me;…

THE STICKLER Overly officious and offensively pedantic (“That throw-in is three yards further back, thank you”), The Stickler is yet to grow meaningful stubble but has read the Laws of the Game 16 times. Still, he turns up on time and actually knows what he is doing, even if he will insist on measuring the height of the corner flag. How to identify him? The two spare whistles are a giveaway. DO encourage him before kick-off to allow a flowing game. DON’T give him a wedgie. THE TRY-HARD Everybody’s mate – or so he thinks. Overly chummy, he’s from the Mark Clattenburg school of refereeing, but without the experience, ability or, vitally, authority: his strictest tone is a pleading “Come on, mate” as an opponent rips off your full-back’s head.…

GK DIDA He is a real character and the perfect example of a professional. Dida is technically excellent and impressively cool in any game situation – have you ever seen this guy look nervous? RB PAULO CESAR We won the 2004 title with Santos. I’ve played with and against several good right-backs, but Paulo Cesar was the best in South American football because of his skill, quick thinking and great feet. CB JUAN He’s a top defender – one of the best I’ve seen. It’s hard to find a centre-back with such vision. He’s got an impressive record, winning 79 caps, and is still going strong at 36 with Internacional. CB ALEX I used to call him a bull when we were together at Santos, and I guess it is…

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away – OK, a few weeks ago in New York – a group of brave rebels decided to take on a mighty empire, by launching the only bit of Star Wars merchandise Disney hasn’t done yet: football shirts. If you’ve ever wanted footy Wookiee-wear or a Jedi jersey, you’ll have a good feeling about this. “There’s something interesting about taking familiar imagery like Star Wars and combining it with soccer,” says Daniel Nyari, the Han Solo of this project, cleverly named SoccerWars (see what they’ve done there?) “It was really just the curiosity of trying to use the soccer jersey as a canvas.” Daniel’s Big Apple company, Supporters.pro, are indeed rebelling against an evil alliance – but…

After reading ‘Are Youth Academies Really Worth It?’ [ FFT 257], I think the more appropriate question would have been: “Who is really benefitting from the Elite Player Performance Plan?” [less catchy, though – Ed.] Smaller clubs receive more money for their youth development, but what good is this when a prospective star they could have sold for a high fee is snapped up for a tenth of that by the richest clubs? The players get their big contract, but how many go on to play in the Premier League? Some, if they’re lucky, will get a runout in the Capital One Cup, then languish in the reserves. It’s the national team that loses out, leading to an ageing England team being consistently knocked out…

Boca may have been built by Italians, but their colours were determined by the good people of Nottingham and Sweden. Boca originally wore a Juventus-style black and white striped affair, before switching to light blue, sporting a similar shirt to their brilliantly-named Buenos Aires neighbours Nottingham de Almagro. In 1906 the two clubs played off for the right to retain the colours. Boca lost. The solution? Head to the docks and look out for the national flag of the next ship to come into port, of course. Winner of this bizarre race was 4,146-tonne freighter The Drottning Sophia from Sweden – meaning Boca adopted yellow and blue as their new club colours. At first they went down the River Plate sash route, opting for a predominantly blue shirt with a…

THE RIVALRY OF THE BURNING TEAM BUS Caracas vs Deportivo Tachira Venezuela Aggro rating Who are they? Venezuela’s two biggest clubs, even though both have been in existence for less than 50 years. Caracas have 11 titles, all won since 1991-92, having previously been known as Yamaha FC. Tachira were formed by members of Juventus (an amateur club set up by Italian immigrants) and have eight titles. Where are they? Caracas are based in the Venezuelan capital. Deportivo Tachira take their name from the state in which they are based and play in the city of San Cristobal, 400 miles from Caracas. The flashpoint It all kicked off in the second leg of the Copa Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela final in 2000. Caracas came from 2-0 down to level in…

Since moving to Italy in August you have been named the best summer transfer in Serie A by respected newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. How pleased have you been with your time at Fiorentina? So far I am very happy with my decision to come here. It’s important that I can play every three or four days. In my last season in Dortmund that wasn’t always the case – I was dealing with injuries and could never find a rhythm. I’m not going to lie: leaving Borussia was very difficult for me. I have the club in my heart. I’ve left many great friends there, who were with me in both good and bad times. I still talk to them a lot. From a football standpoint, though, I had to…

BRUNO VS REFEREES The bout: It’s not the norm for a club president to be sent off, but Bruno de Carvalho isn’t your normal president. A man with a penchant for sitting on the bench during matches, even helping to treat the injured Alberto Aquilani in one fixture, Bruno marched onto the pitch after a match against Boavista to register his disgust at the match officials, before telling the press that all referees have “egos the size of the world”. The verdict: Bruno was never going to win this one and loses by disqualification, earning himself a 20-day touchline ban. BRUNO VS BENFICA The bout: De Carvalho isn’t afraid to stoke things up with Sporting’s biggest rivals. Poaching serial trophy-winning manager Jorge Jesus from the Estadio da Luz made things…

MASTERCLASS Ivan Rakitic Barcelona’s latest pass master The Croatian crux of Barça’s midfield gives a six-step guide to controlling the game without breaking sweat. FITNESS Glen Thurgood Fitness guru and SAQ expert Prepare for 90 minutes of box-to-box action with help from the leading Speed, Agility and Quickness coach. PRO TIPS Javier Pastore Playmaker for PSG and Argentina The Ligue 1 champions’ chief assist-maker helps an FFT reader learn the art of a midfield creator. TRAINING Mick Rathbone Former Premier League physio Unearth classic training exercises of yore with invaluable insight from the ex-Everton head of sports medicine.…

1 Prepare and be positive Get in gear to build unstoppable momentum “If we’re playing in the evening, I make sure I eat right during the day and rest with a siesta. Then I will have a shower, either at the hotel or at my house. Sometimes I’ll listen to music with the other players, but I don’t put headphones on. I do also like to have some time alone, though, so I can really focus. Doing all these things helps me build momentum and feel positive. It fills me with energy before a game.” 2 Pass with confidence Practise playing the ball with conviction “To play the right passes, either difficult or simple, you must have confidence in your ability. There are a lot of tricky ones you have…

Meal suggestion Curried oats “You’d have porridge before a morning kick-off; why not a savoury alternative for lunch before a later game?” asks sports nutritionist Gavin Allinson. “This is like a dal, swapping lentils for oats. Cook onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger and just a few spices, and add water until the oats are soft. Stir in some spinach, to slow the release of glucose into the blood, and add Greek yoghurt for a protein hit.” Oats We all know about the slow-release carbs in oats, but they don’t have to be eaten as breakfast or in a flapjack. Meal suggestion Pea and feta risotto “Try this the night before a game,” says Allinson. “Cook onions, garlic and pancetta for extra protein, then add the barley and chicken stock to boost…