Football TalksFootball Talks, Question And Answers

Soccer is the world’s most popular game, and consequently there is no shortage of books, videos, and DVD’s that focus on the game. Like fans of most any sports, soccer lovers are likely to want to focus on their game even when they are far away from the field of competition. However, unlike sports like football, basketball, baseball, golf, and many others, there is a shortage of television programming that is dedicated to soccer.

That void is especially noticeable when it comes to television programming that is dedicated toward instruction or fundamentals of the game. However, soccer fans can fill that void by purchasing a soccer DVD to help them pass the time, and elevate their game, during their time at home.

Whether you are an aspiring player, coach, or fan of soccer, there is a soccer DVD that is sure to deliver the information you need in an entertaining format. Any soccer lover is sure to enjoy the action oriented DVD titles that are currently available. From titles like The 2006 FIFA World Cup Film – narrated by Pierce Brosnan – to Champions of Europe, a highlight film covering fifty years of European Cup action; watching soccer played at the highest levels is sure to raise anyone’s appreciation of the game, and it can even help them develop their game by watching the finest players at their finest moments.

And if retrospective video is what you really enjoy, then no soccer DVD collection is complete without the two disk Special Edition of FIFA Fever. FIFA Fever takes you through 100 years of the greatest action and players in soccer history. From Beckham to Pele, Ronaldo to Zidane; you will find all the greatest players and moments on this special set.

While watching a soccer DVD such as FIFA Fever or Champions of Europe is sure to entertain any soccer fan – and you might learn a thing or two as well – if improving your skills or expanding your understanding of the fundamentals is what you seek then there are hundreds of DVD titles that are sure to help you on your way to that goal. A soccer DVD can bring the best coaches and players into your living room where they can pass all their valuable information on to you in a format that allows you to watch it again and again. From tips on coaching premier players from a former elite coach in Europe – such as David Williams in the Coaching the English Premier League series – to tips on coaching young children who are just learning the game, the soccer DVD is the perfect medium for passing along this timeless information.

More advanced players and their coaches are sure to make use of DVD titles that address game situations that better players will encounter, and with proper practice and coaching, exploit. The Tactics and Drills series takes players and coaches through exercises in passing and possession, attacking and goalscoring, and zonal defending, and that series is hardly alone in the marketplace. No matter what your skill level or relationship to the game, there is a soccer DVD that will help you raise your understanding, expertise, and skill.

Soccer is the world’s most popular game for many reasons. Aside from the fun and competition it provides, soccer’s appeal also stems from the fact that only a single piece of equipment is needed in order to play, and that is the soccer ball. However, if you want to be serious about the game, and you want to maximize your potential as well as protect your ever-important feet, then it is imperative that you invest in a pair of quality soccer cleats that will suit your skills and abilities.

In fact, most youth soccer programs and organized leagues require that appropriate soccer cleats be purchased before you will be allowed to compete. In order to purchase the appropriate soccer cleats you must make an assessment of both your needs and means. There are really three variables in play when making a decision on soccer cleats: your skill level, the surface on which you will be playing, and the amount of money you are willing to spend. Those factors will help you narrow the field of choices, allowing you to make a purchase that will suit your needs.

There are four basic types of soccer cleats: molded cleats, detachable cleats, turf shoes, and indoor shoes. Molded cleats are the most basic and inexpensive kind of soccer shoe, so they are an ideal choice for beginning and intermediately skilled players. Molded cleats get their name from the fact that the cleats themselves are part of the sole of the shoe, i.e. they are molded as one piece. The actual cleat is built in a size and shape that will allow it to perform well on nearly any kind of outdoor playing surface. The cleats cannot be removed, and when they wear out the entire shoe must be replaced. However, the low initial cost of molded cleats makes them easy to replace, and also makes them the ideal entry level shoe for most players.

Detachable cleats are the preferred choice of advanced and highly skilled players. The cleats are studs on the bottom of the shoe and they can be unscrewed and removed quite easily. This allows the player to not only replace cleats that have become worn over time, but more importantly, the player can tailor their shoes to perform best on different kinds of playing surfaces and in different conditions. By changing the length and type of cleat they use, a player can use the same shoe to play on firm turf or soft grass, dry and fast or wet and soggy. It is this versatility that makes detachable soccer cleats a must-have shoe for the serious player.

Rounding out the types in soccer footwear are indoor shoes and turf shoes, however, neither of these shoes are truly cleats in the literal sense. Lacking the peg-like cleats of the molded and detachable models, these soccer shoes are more like sneakers in appearance and are designed for indoor surfaces, or outdoor Astroturf.

When you are ready to purchase your soccer cleats make sure to have your foot properly measured in order to give you the best possible fit. Remember that the materials used to construct the boot portion of the shoe are important and factors greatly into the price. Real leather is expensive and comfortable, but can be easily damaged and becomes heavy when playing in wet conditions. Synthetic leather is less expensive and less durable, but it is the preferred material if you are playing on wet fields. No matter what you choose the important thing is that you are arming yourself with footwear that will allow you to enjoy your time playing soccer to the fullest.

Beyond the borders of the United States soccer is the most popular team sport, and by a wide margin. However, that is not to say that soccer is not immensely popular in the United States as well. Each year millions of Americans play organized soccer on teams across the country, and each of those teams identifies itself while symbolizing their team unity by wearing a soccer uniform. If you are interesting in joining a soccer team, or if you are an adult who is organizing a team, then selecting a soccer uniform is a great place to start. However, you should know that there is more to a soccer uniform than simply picking out a jersey.

There are several components in selecting a soccer uniform. Selecting a jersey, and jersey color, is one of them. Naturally, choosing a color is a subjective exercise, and personal tastes certainly come into play. Other factors might be the team name, or colors that represent the town or school with which your team is affiliated. Soccer jerseys not only come in varied colors, but in different materials and fabrics as well.

All of those factors come into play when deciding what will look best for your team. And remember, it is often customary for teams to wear different primary colors during road games than during home games. If your home colors are red with white trim, then you will probably need road jerseys that are white with red trim, as an example.

Selecting soccer shorts is an equally important part of uniform selection. Aside from picking colors that complement your team’s jersey, be sure to find a style of shorts that is not too baggy. Baggy shorts – despite being in style – tend to get easily bunched up and can encumber the movement of the players.

Remember that your goalie will wear a different soccer uniform than the rest of your team. Because the goalie is the one player allowed to place his hands on the ball, the goalie is usually required to dress in a different color scheme so that the referees can easily distinguish him from the rest of the team. Also, goalie uniforms have both padded shorts and shirts that will help absorb some of the shots that are sure to come his way. Further, goalie shirts are typically long sleeved, unlike the rest of the team who will be wearing short sleeves.

Lastly, remember that you will need to select soccer socks that will complement your team colors. Soccer socks are unlike traditional socks in that they are designed to come up to the knee as well as be flexible enough to house the plastic shin guards that are worn underneath.

If you are unsure where to turn at this point, the Internet is your ally. There are hundreds of suppliers online and you can pick and choose the soccer uniform that most appeals to you. Also, you can seek counsel from other coaches and organizers in your soccer league and they can share with you the suppliers with whom they have had success in the past. With a little research and intuition, you can find a soccer uniform that will make your kids excited to be a part of the team.

Putting together successful soccer practices takes the investment of time, that is, if you have the required knowledge about the game to complete the task. The best coaches have plan for what they want to teach their team, and they have a vast supply of drills to draw from that helps them cover each particular topic. For those stuck without a good practice plan, they stand no chance.

Most youth soccer coaches are both parents first and as we all know supporting a family and balancing work and home life is becoming increasingly difficult. It would follow that most youth soccer coaches could benefit from a resource that would save them time on the soccer field and make coaching easy.

A successful soccer practices should be both fun and informative for players. A good practice maintains a high level of energy for players. If you need informative soccer practices that will progress the play of your semi-competitive or youth soccer team, I have put together a manual titled Soccer Season Outsourced specifically designed to give you everything you will need as it relates to training your team effectively.

The book is designed to do a few different things for any youth soccer team, but most specifically it is designed to make sure that players learn and improve their game, regardless of how much knowledge the coach brings to the table. Each practice will keep your team entertained and focused with exciting small-sided games and stipulated scrimmages, plus skills drills that give your players multiple touches on the ball. Simple put, if you do not have pre-planned soccer practices worked out for team, this book will take care of all of your planning.

Youth soccer leagues always need more volunteers to coach. If you are a soccer parent who has never coached, I am confident that my soccer practice plans can transform your players and take your team to the next level, and help you achieve soccer coaching success.

Mexico hasn’t been very successful at national team level, since they only managed to reach the World Cup quarter finals on two occasions (both in World Cups held in Mexico). However, soccer teams in Mexico gradually became more powerful and today they are considered a force to be reckoned with in American soil as well as on an international club level.

I was planning to make a top 5 of the Mexico soccer teams, but I decided against ranking them, because that might stir some trouble with the fans, such as a fan asking why is team over team in the ranking, since won more championships and so forth. Here are what I believe to be the most important soccer teams in Mexico, ranked by alphabet only .

> Mexico Soccer Teams – Club America

Club America was founded in 1916, being one of the oldest professional clubs in Mexico, although the first league title was not to be won until 1956-1966. They’re currently the owners of 10 national championships, being only second to Chivas de Guadalajara, who have won 11 titles in their history. The two are the most successful soccer teams in Mexico from a silverware point of view and Chivas is the historical nemesis of America, so a match between the two is a derby that the entire country awaits.

Club America gets credit for discovering or highlighting players such as Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Enrique Borja, Carlos Hermosillo, Pavel Pardo, Zizinho, Claudio Lopez, Ivan Zamorano or Ilie Dumitrescu.

> Mexico Soccer Teams – Chivas de Guadalajara

The club’s official name is Club Deportivo Guadalajara, but every soccer fan in Mexico knows them as Chivas (the goats). Their tally of 11 league titles makes Chivas the most successful of all soccer teams in Mexico, trailing arch-nemesis America by one title. They’re also very loved for their Mexican-only policy, in that they never use foreigners and focus only on local Mexican players.

Their popularity reaches far beyond the borders of Mexico and into the United States, where a team called Chivas USA was formed. The Mexican Chivas have credit for launching players such as Salvador Reyes, Omar Bravo, Claudio Suarez, Juan Palencia, Gonzalo Pineda, Luis Garcia or Carlos Hermosillo.

> Mexico Soccer Teams – Pachuca

Despite being the oldest club in Mexican soccer history, being founded in 1901, Pachuca has only become truly competitive in the past few decades. Winning the Primera Division 5 times in the last 8 years and the CONCACAF Champions Cup twice, in 2002 and 2007, Pachuca rose to become a force amongst the soccer teams in Mexico.

The most notable players that got to play for Pachuca include: Jared Borgetti, Jaime Correa, Fausto Pinto, Damian Alvarez, Mosquera, Ivan Hurtado and Juan Arango.

> Mexico Soccer Teams – Pumas

Because of the team’s close relation to UNAM, the largest university in Mexico, the club became known as UNAM Pumas, although their official name is Club Universidad Nacional A.C. Although the Pumas don’t have the same history as some of the other top soccer clubs in Mexico, having been founded in 1954, they definitely made their years of existence count, winning 5 league champs, 3 CONCACAF Cups, 1 Interamerican Cup as well as several smaller silverware.

Amongst the players that wore the Pumas logo on their shirt in the club’s fifty-year existence, the most important are: Enrique Borja, Hugo Sanchez, Jorge Campos, Alberto Aspe, Luis Garcia, Esteban Solari, Emerson, Ailton da Silva or Dario Veron.

> Mexico Soccer Teams – Toluca

Toluca was a force amongst the soccer teams in Mexico ever since the 1960s, having won 8 championship titles since then. Ever since Toluca’s founding in 1917, they have been known as an offensive team who throws their dice on the attackers, somewhat neglecting the defensive part of the game. This philosophy was a double edged sword, as Toluca varied between relegation places and titles in the 60s and 70s.

Obviously, today this attacking mentality is a lot less noticeable and Toluca’s game has become more tactical. Some of the notable players that wore Toluca’s red and white shirt include: Enrique Alfaro, Zinha, Pedro Romero, Enzo Trossero, Dario Rodriguez, Jose Cardozo, Fabian Estay, Darko Vukic and Juan Antonio Pizzi.