Category Archives: Russia

Zenit St. Petersburg: One hell of a season

  By O-Posts Team | June 10, 2013 - 21:21 | , , , ,
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It has been one hell of a season for Zenit Saint Petersburg. From the major coups of world-class stars Hulk and Axel Witsel, to the Igor Denisov fiasco, the 3 time Russian champions have experienced just about every emotion that there is possible this season. And as the saying goes, all’s well that ends well, finishing in a credible 2nd place in the Russian Premier League and getting another shot at the Champions League for next season.

Not retaining their champions title for the third time in a row has cast a dark shadow over the season though, and while there has been plenty of calls for dramatic changes to take place within the club before the start of the new season, it’s practically impossible.

In just 8 weeks, Zenit will begin their 2013/14 Champions League campaign in the qualifying rounds, as well as beginning the new Russian championship, leaving no time for anything meaningful to be changed. If there is actually any need for major changes to occur though in the first place, is a debatable question in itself.

After claiming the Russian title for the second time in a row last year, as well as getting all the way to the last 16 of the Champions League, expectations going into this season were pretty high. And when the record breaking signings of Hulk and Axel Witsel were announced, these expectations only went through the roof. Looking back in hindsight however, it seems these purchases may have inadvertently scuppered all chances of success.

Not that it has got anything to do with how Hulk and Witsel performed on the field themselves, though.

Zenit old boys Igor Denisov and Alexander Kerzhakov felt highly threatened by the fact that these new kids on the block were going to earn just a bit more money than the ‘real’ Zenit icons themselves, something which in the end has gone on to ruin Zenit’s season completely. Denisov was frozen out of the team for a number of weeks, while Kerzhakov came to his senses a bit sooner. But Zenit’s game suffered seriously as a result, performing poorly in the Champions League with only managing to grab third place in their group, and falling off the pace in the domestic league.

The in team fighting didn’t stop there either. Right at the end of the year, in the game away at Milan in the CL, Hulk appeared to gesture that he had had enough at Zenit after being substituted. The situation was eventually resolved in time for 2013, but it’s hard to remember a season where there were so many problems within just one team.

Hulk and Witsel.... big-money duo catalysts for club in-fighting.

Hulk and Witsel…. big-money duo catalysts for club in-fighting and tensions.

 

Just a couple of weeks ago, in a vital Premier League clash against Rostov on the road, both the outspoken Roman Shirokov and normally amicable playmaker Danny made strong gestures against head coach Luciano Spalletti – both refusing to shake his hand after being substituted. Shirokov went one step further in last week’s home game against Volga, being sent off after making an obscene hand signal to the stands after scoring Zenit’s third goal in a 3-1 victory.

Shirokov’s future with the club is now not surprisingly, in major question. One thing you can’t get away from, is that Zenit would seriously miss him. Shirokov possess the unique ability of being able to play football in such an elegant manner, and trying to replace that sort of player will be a very hard challenge indeed. Fans seem pretty divided about the issue too, some would be only pleased to see the back of him, while some are very well aware of the void that he would leave.

In the case that he does decide to end his controversial stay in Saint Petersburg, Zenit just have to look at their own youth system to find a replacement for him. Pavel Mogilevets, a young 20 year old attacking midfielder made his Zenit debut a few weeks ago against Volga, and has already been audaciously dubbed the ‘Russian Messi’ by some.

That is just what the club has to do much more, make use of their own talented products that they are producing themselves, rather than spending ridiculously large amounts of money on foreigners. Hulk at least has at last started to prove his worth at the back end of the season, scoring a stunning hat trick against Alania in a recent 4-0 win, and almost single-handedly taking Zenit within a whisker of winning a third title on the spin.

Second place isn’t quite first, especially for a club that is used to only winning all the time, but claiming silver medals and fighting off new European force Anzhi for them, is a real success in itself. Anzhi will frustratingly have to deal with only the Europa League again with a team that is well equipped for the Champions League, but Zenit have yet another chance in the tournament in which they are yet to really make their name in. A group stage exit and going on to only reach the last 16 in the Europa League isn’t quite what everyone expected going in to this season, but the dramatic victory against Liverpool in the Europa League last 32 is something which will live long in my memory without a doubt.

What has to be done to improve showings in Europe, is a puzzle that since the UEFA Cup and Super Cup triumphs in 2008, no one has been able to work out. And trying to negotiate the notoriously challenging Champions League qualifying rounds in the summer will be no simple task. Spalletti’s future will most probably depend on what results await in the summer, and there is just no time to change things around now. Eradicate the pure self-greed of certain players, and this season let alone next season, could have been a real success.

But calling a second placed finish a failure is just a sign of the strength that Zenit possess, you would be hard pushed to find any other club that would turn their noses up at earning medals of some colour, and qualifying for the biggest club competition on Earth at the same time. In my book, that’s no failure whatsoever.

 

Written by Shaun Nicolaides

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Champions League: End of Season Awards

  By O-Posts Team | May 28, 2013 - 00:29 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Surprise package: Galatasaray

Many looked at Galatasaray’s team at the start of the Champions League season thinking they were a team with a few decent players, but nothing that would create any real waves in Europe’s elite club competition.

In reality, they surprised many after a disappointing start where they only had one point after three games. With some excellent performances by Turkish striker Burak Yìlmaz including a hat trick away to Cluj, Galatasaray found a way to get second place in their group.

Many thought this was where the journey would end, but a 3-2 victory away to Schalke after a 1-1 home score put them through, with the added help of champions league winners Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder.

Real Madrid’s 3-0 win over the Turkish champions at the Bernabeù looked to have dumped Galatasaray out, but in the second leg Galatasaray went from 1-0 down to 3-1, needing two goals to go through.

Real Madrid managed to make it 3-2, but the buzz around the Turk Telecom was unforgettable, a bit like Galatasaray’s campaign.

 

Biggest flop: Manchester City

Hopes for Manchester City were high after an incredible league success the season before, but their campaign turned out to be a massive letdown that has now appeared to at least partially cost Roberto Mancini his job.

Despite being in the “group of death” or “group of champions” with Ajax, Real Madrid and finalists Borussia Dortmund, not winning a single game was a colossal failure on the part of a club who’ve spent such huge sums in acquiring their squad. They were unlucky to lose 3-2 to Madrid on match-day one, but they were outclassed both home and away by Borussia Dortmund and were lucky to draw to them at home.

Ajax too beat the Citizens in Amsterdam, and drew 2-2 in Manchester, meaning City finished bottom of the group. A painfully disappointing campaign.

 

Best goal: Luis Alberto (CFR Cluj) vs. Manchester United

Few would have seen Luis Alberto play previously to CFR Cluj’s Champions League adventure this season, but the little known Brazilian produced his own memorable moment in this season’s UEFA Champions League in the game against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

 

Cluj needed to win and hope Galatasaray didn’t in order to go through, and despite being heavily unfancied to win away to the Red Devils they did thanks to Alberto’s goal, but Galatasaray won as well.

Nonetheless, Luis Alberto’s 30-yard strike that sped into the net beyond the outstretched arm of David de Gea will be a goal that will live long in the memory of every CFR Cluj fan.

 

Best Game: Borussia Dortmund 3-2 Málaga

After a somewhat drab and edgy 0-0 draw in Spain in the first leg of this quarter final, most expected Dortmund to comfortably beat their opponents in front of their oh so passionate fans. However, an early goal from the experienced Joaquin gave Málaga a 1-0 lead and a pivotal away goal. Robert Lewandowski then produced a great run and finish to put Dortmund level on the night, but behind on away goals.

And then the controversy began; as Dortmund pushed forward, Málaga broke and Eliseu tapped in from two yards and despite being in a clearly offside position, the goal was given. However Dortmund weren’t going out lying down, they bombarded the Málaga goal, with Reus scoring to make it 2-2, still not enough for victory.

 

With a minute left of stoppage time, Reus shot across goal and after a scramble Felipe Santana tapped in to make it 3-2, yet replays showed he too was offside.

Dortmund didn’t care though as Signal Iduna Park erupted in elation and inspired Dortmund to the final, which they would narrowly lose to fellow Germans, Bayern Munich.

An incredible game in an incredible atmosphere in an incredible season for Bayern Munich.

 
Best XI: Weidenfeller, Lahm, Dante, Varane, Alaba, Gündôgan, Schweinsteiger, Müller, Ronaldo, Yìlmaz, Lewandowski

Honourable menitons: Schweinsteiger, Neuer, Marchisio, Martinez, Robben, Ibrahimovic, Matuidi, Messi, Isco, Pirlo

 

Written by Joshua Sodergren

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Should “Blizzard Soccer” Be Part of the Sport?

  By O-Posts Team | May 18, 2013 - 21:58 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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The World Cup playoff game between the United States and Costa Rica on March 22, 2013 was especially memorable. Played in the middle of a storm in Colorado, the game was the closest thing to blizzard soccer fans had seen in awhile.

For 90 minutes, players had to contend with an increasingly torrential downpour of wet, white flakes. Afterwards, the severity of the conditions had millions of soccer enthusiasts wondering: should play in such treacherous conditions really be allowed?

 

Why Continue?

World Cup games are obviously the most important in the sport and can be difficult to reschedule. When a team and its fans have already traveled thousands of miles for the game, canceling is something to avoid at all costs. In addition, postponing the game may mean players won’t get enough rest before their next round.

In this particular game, it didn’t look like the weather would cooperate any time soon. If the game hadn’t been played that night, it wouldn’t have been for quite awhile.

 

Is It Safe?

In spite of tight tournament schedules and pending forecasts, the safety of the players should be the number one consideration when choosing to continue a game. Looking back, was it really safe to continue a game in the middle of a blizzard?

In defending their decision to continue play, refs saidthe players hadn’t been sliding on the snow very much. While this may be true, any soccer player will tell you injuries don’t necessarily happen during slides.

These players were cold, wet, and covered in so much snow that they could run it through an EDI water purification system and use it to hydrate themselves. In these conditions, even the slightest misstep can cause an injury. If nothing else, the players’ immune systems were lowered by the weather.

 

Who Should Make the Call?

If the game has already started, refs make the final call as to whether it will continue. However, is this fair? Shouldn’t the league, coaches and players have more of a say in whether conditions are safe?

 

Written by Michael Deaven

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Infographic: The Top Paid Football Players Throughout History

  By O-Posts Team | May 18, 2013 - 21:40 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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The argument over how much footballers are paid in the modern era has been going on for years now and shows no sign of stopping. Some of the world’s biggest names are now playing with wage packets that let them take home more in a week than many of us will make in our lifetimes, and all for kicking a ball around – if they even get on the pitch of course!

It hasn’t always been the case that players earned hundreds of thousands each week, however. In actual fact, some players were earning the equivalent of £228 each week back in the 1900s, the same as what many full-time workers in the “real world” earn today.

This infographic, created by equipment retailer The Soccer Store, shows just how times have changed, from the early days of £4 per week right up to the £200,000-a-week contract signed by Carlos Tevez in 2009.

 

 

 

Written and created by Matt Rawlings

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Russian Football: Corruption still a gloomy hindrance on the sport’s rapid progress

  By O-Posts Team | May 13, 2013 - 21:37 | , , , ,
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It may be the biggest country on Earth, but one of the most, if not the most, controversial. Russia has a long and dark association with corruption, and issue that is not showing any signs of going away.

From Vladimir Putin’s blatant rigging of public elections, to being one of the few capitalist countries with no freedom of speech, the country is never far away from causing heated debate. But in sporting terms, the corruption is becoming ever more and more evident.

This season’s Russian Premier League has been overshadowed by some of the worst refereeing that has been seen for a long time, and even for Russian standards, the referring has been exceptionally poor. And the recent Russian Cup semi final match between Zenit and Anzhi has highlighted all the problems that Russia faces if it is really going to make it as a world footballing superpower.

With the game taking place in Saint Petersburg, Zenit were the clear favourites to advance to the final, where CSKA Moscow laid in wait. Zenit didn’t waste any time in trying to live up to their pre match tags, attacking right from the first whistle.

While the score after the first half was 0-0 nothing looked too suspicious despite Zenit failing to score, but there was already a feeling it just wasn’t going to be their day. Hulk rattled the crossbar with a rasping long range drive, and Vladimir Gabulov was working miracles in the Anzhi goal, fending off numerous shots as Zenit laid siege to the Anzhi goal.

In the second half though, the script was torn up. Samuel Eto’o slotted home a 20 yard drive into the low left hand corner and with that, Anzhi held on and claimed their second place in the Russian Cup final in their relatively short history, and leaving Zenit with the probability of being left without a trophy for the first time since 2009.

Why Anzhi won though, is quite clear to everyone who watched the game with open eyes. For me personally, this match was the most clearly fixed for a very long time. Look a bit more into the politics of the whole situation though, and everything starts to become more clear.

The Cup final this year will take place in Terek’s relatively new arena in Grozny, and with the game taking place in the Chechen capital, it was pretty obvious why it was decided that Anzhi would be in the final before the semi finals took place.

If Zenit had progressed to the final, not too many fans would have been able to make the trip to Grozny from Saint Petersburg, and a final that involved CSKA and Zenit wouldn’t had of attracted too many football fans in Grozny to buy a ticket either. But with Anzhi in the final, it’s a totally different story. Dagestan and Chechnya are two of the most troubled places in the world let alone in Russia, but they support each other.

At games of Anzhi or Terek, you can always spot a banner in support of the other teams in these southern Russian regions, and with Anzhi competing in this final, the stadium is sure to be pretty full. Anzhi fans can make the short trip over to Chechnya without many problems, and Terek fans will be out in force.

And of course, how great this will look for the Russian football union! A packed out stadium for the Cup final, it’s the image they really want to project out to the rest of the footballing world! Can you imagine what sort of terrible image would had been portrayed of football in Russia if the stadium would have been half empty with only CSKA and Zenit competing!

Sergey Karasev, the referee for the day, didn’t do a good job of hiding all this however. For Anzhi’s winning goal, no less than two clear fouls were committed leading up to the goal, which included Samuel Eto’o taking out Zenit defender Nicolas Lombaerts before unleashing his shot.

It didn’t stop there, as throughout the game clear fouls against Zenit players were just not given, leaving everyone in a state of disbelief, and Saint Petersburg’s new star man Hulk couldn’t hide his feelings against Karasev after the game, allegedly smashing down the door to the referee’s changing rooms.

Although with Hulk, his reputation does go somewhat before him. Needing just the smallest of contact to throw himself to the floor, he himself has been the centre of many controversial decisions which unlike this match, have gone Zenit’s way.

Corruption is Russia’s middle name, and you start to understand more and more just why many top footballers are seriously reluctant about making the move east. Hulk himself has been the subject of rumours for the upcoming summer transfer window, and if I was Hulk myself, I would be making a quick exit. The worst thing about the whole thing though, is that the Russian football union don’t realise how they are restricting themselves.

Russia is now one of the most powerful footballing countries in the world, and it isn’t just because of the money. The country continues to produce talent of the highest calibre, potential that is being wasted and overshadowed by the selfishness and just plain cheating by Muscovites in particular. Moscow is the corruption capital of the world, and not just in political terms. The Russian football union is controlled by corrupt Muscovites, and it is only becoming even worse and worse.

The only hope is that finally, someone from somewhere, will highlight these problems and at least start to eradicate them. Russia possesses more potential than most countries, but the people with the power seem determined in ruining their own country in turn for their own selfish greed.

And for football fans, it’s not the nicest of situations when you full well know, that you’re watching a game that has had its result predetermined in an office with dodgy crooks well before the game took place.

But to be left with your pride, is more important than anything.

 

Written by Shaun Nicolaides

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The Upcoming Football Video Game That Plunges you Into the Seedy World of Match Fixing

  By O-Posts Team | April 26, 2013 - 19:33 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Video games and football have gone hand in hand for decades, with games like FIFA 13, Pro Evolution Soccer and Football Manager hitting the bestseller lists year on year, giving players the chance to play at managing or playing as their favourite teams.

A new game that is currently under development aims to turn the football management game on its head, taking players deep into the sinister underworld of football corruption and allowing them to play as a shady match fixer.

Game Changer – The Football Match Fixing Game is being made for iOS and Android mobile and tablet devices, and will be made available in early 2014 if the developers successfully gain funding with their upcoming campaign on popular crowdfunding site Kickstarter.

In Game Changer, you can bribe players, pay off police and officials, blackmail referees and do all kinds of other interesting and immoral things to try and ensure the results you want, and then make a fortune by betting on your fixed outcomes.

As you grow in influence in the criminal underworld, you can fix games in bigger and more prestigious leagues around the world to gain higher profits, as well as being able to team up with crime boss characters and even your real life friends (thanks to social media integration) to get better results.

The game promises to blend elements of conventional football games and sims with the kind of stories and gameplay you normally see in crime games and RPGs, as well as featuring a sophisticated gambling system that allows you to implement all kinds of interesting strategies to make your fortune.

The developers, Game Changer Games, are also keen to make sure the game contains plenty of dark humour, because match fixing is, after all, a pretty horrible thing.

If you are interested in finding out more about the plans for Game Changer and the Kickstarter campaign that will hopefully make the game possible, you can check out the official website at www.gamechangergame.com or follow the developers’ official Twitter account @gamechangergame.

 

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Fan Culture: England vs Eastern Europe

  By O-Posts Team | April 21, 2013 - 16:49 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Football hooliganism is something which plagues the sport all around the world, but in England, it is something which is hoped to be just about extinguished. Long gone are the terraces which were last seen years ago with the Hillsborough disaster being the trigger for the reform in the English footballing culture , and in their place, are only all seater safe looking stadiums. But the events last Sunday, proved that football hooliganism is long from being diminished.

The Newcastle-Sunderland derby is always a passionate and highly charged affair, as shown by Paolo Di Canio’s vibrant celebrations on the touchline on Sunday, but the behaviour of the Newcastle fans was something which hasn’t been seen in England for sometime. Whether it be throwing bottles at police, or trying in vain to pick fights with rival Sunderland supporters, they have shown that the thug culture in English football is still very much present.

In other countries though, such events wouldn’t even make local news let alone national news. Eastern European football is synonymous with right wing fan groups making trouble, but if it will ever be stamped out, is a question that is surrounded by serious doubt.

An even bigger question though, is what football would be like, without so called ‘ultras’. From their spectacular pre match shows on the stands, which include banners of a high artistic quality, aided with the typically controversial fire crackers, they certainly do add atmosphere. But it isn’t just Eastern Europe that possesses such die hard fans. Well developed footballing countries with rich histories, such as Germany and Italy, haven’t seen their footballing cultures disappear with the success and money that have came their way.

In England though, it’s somewhat a different story. The country may lay claim to having the most popular league in the world, with clubs that consistently perform excellently on the European stage, but it is the only country in Europe, where no fan culture is in existence anywhere. Ever since the Hillsborough incident in 1989, in which 96 fans tragically lost their lives following a crush in the stadium after too many fans were let into the stadium, signalled the end of the English fan movement. Liverpool for example may still have their Kop, but you would be hard-pressed to find any other English club which has anything similar to hardcore fans.

For some though, it’s only a good thing. To be able to go to the stadium with your family to watch a game, and being able to enjoy a family day out while feeling completely safe, is something which you couldn’t do in a country like Russia for example. When I went to an ice hockey in Moscow, a game that was even relatively low key, you couldn’t help by feel intimidated by the police on horses which greeted you around the stadium. It isn’t something that I wouldn’t recommend to parents wishing to take a young child to, but the opposing argument is just as strong.

So called ultras, the right wing hardcore fans, create a fantastic atmosphere at every game, an atmosphere that can seriously intimidate opponents and affect the end result of the game in a serious way. They are just completely non existent in England though, and the closest you will get to an ultra here, is a fan that quite happily join in with the somewhat monotonous and if I’m honest boring chanting, only after their team has scored. If the result isn’t quite going their way though, you shouldn’t be surprised to see the stadium already half empty with 10 minutes still to be played.

It is a problem that is shown up horribly, every time visiting European fans are visiting. Throughout the recent Tottenham-Basel Europa League game in London, you would be hard-pressed to hear any sort of noise that sounded like British and not Swiss voices. It’s hard to know who to point the blame at though, the fans themselves, or the English footballing system which you may say, is preventing any hardcore fans, from making any sort of impact whatsoever.

For me the answer is simple, English fans are too damn lazy to get off their backsides and make an effort, something which is just part of the English culture as whole. While fans in countries such as Russia – and in poorer Eastern bloc countries such as Bosnia and Serbia may be labelled as living in a timewarp with some of their beliefs and actions – no one can doubt, the amount of effort, that they put in to their team week in week out. Something which gives their club – and country as a whole – a real strong identity, an identity that England just doesn’t possess as a result of their own laziness. Any old so called fan can buy a season ticket and sit down at the stadium, but a real fan does more than the bare minimum.

Everything has its positives though, and one of the stand out positives, is that football is a real family game in Britain. Trouble is virtually never seen in the stadium or around it, excluding the odd drunkard that has a few too many. Events on Sunday have shocked everyone somewhat however. Newcastle and Sunderland may be major rivals, but no one predicted, that such behaviour from the Newcastle supporters would have been witnessed. But if you take into account how much alcohol they would have consumed preceding the incident though, and everything starts to appear more and more understandable.

While any behaviour that endangers the safety of other should always be condemned, passion is something that should only be praised. But if anyone calls what was seen on Sunday as footballing passion, then they are just a bit deluded. Young teenagers, who joined in with the incident for the fun of it, don’t deserve the right of being called football supporters.

A more appropriate title, is thugs. Some may argue it was a show of real passion for their club for the Newcastle supporters, but it’s just a shame, that English football passion is more akin to the state of being drunk, than actually being bothered to making an effort.

Eastern Europe may be a few steps behind in terms of infrastructure and commercialism, but are streets ahead with their fans – fans who may be old fashioned – would do anything for their beloved club, something which only deserves to be admired.

 

Written by Shaun Nicolaides

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Top 10 Most Poker-Passionate Football Players

  By O-Posts Team | March 31, 2013 - 17:31 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Anyone who plays some kind of sport knows that to succeed takes burning passion and enthusiasm. Applying these elements into a game, and also having the mental determination to succeed is a vital factor in coming out top.

Poker can also be seen as somewhat of a sport so it’s not surprising that many football players are regular visitors of well-known poker rooms like Fulltiltpoker. Let’s take a look at the top football players who have decided to inject some of that passion into becoming credible and successful names and faces in the world that is Poker.

 

1. Teddy Sheringham

Teddy Sheringham, a former England, Tottenham and West Ham player decided to take his hand a poker a few years before ending his 25 years career as a well-respected player. However, Unlike many football players who take interest in a managing or training position in the football world, Teddy decided to take a different route.

He has made a name for himself in the poker world and has played in various tournaments around the world including one of the biggest, the World Series Of Poker Main Event where he managed to finish 14th out of around 3000.

Teddy’s winnings over the past years have amounted to around $298,000.

 

2. Jan Van Soresen

One of the most successful football players to have made an impact in the Poker world is Scandinavian player Jan Van Soresen, who has won a range of tournaments including the WSOP (twice) and the Masters Classics of Poker tournament in 2008.

He is expected to have won himself around $2 million, making him one of the most successful football players to have come out of Poker.

 

3. Tony Cascarino

Former international football star Tony Cascarino who spent a large amount of his career with the Republic of Ireland, has always had a gambling passion and put his eagerness and passion into place when he first started playing in around 2006.

Tony went on to win his first major tournament 3 years later in the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour, scooping himself a nice $283,000. Overall within his six years of playing in tournaments, Cascarino has expected to have won around $589,000.

 

4. Christian Vieri

Christan Vieri is a former Inter Milan forward who has never hidden his passion for card games especially Texa’s Hold’Em. In 2009 and without a club after quitting with Atalanta, Vieri went on to play in two tournaments in LA.

Whilst Vieri is not set to leave his football career just yet, he has hinted that he could be looking at a profession poker career after his retirement.

 

5. Tomas Brolin

Former Swedish football player and manager Brolin is another example of how passion can weave its way through football and poker. Brolin decided to first try his luck at Poker in 2006 and has made himself credible at many various poker tables.

In 2006 he fluttered in the Football and Poker Legends club which was organised by the well know and very popular site Party Poker.

In 2007 he then went on to play at the World Series of Poker, whilst not having won 1st place in the tournaments, he has however scooped a nice slice of the pot.

 

6. Gianluigi Buffon

Whilst if not being the greatest goalkeeper to have come out of football, it also seems that Buffon is adding a touch of his football passion into his Poker passion. Buffon learned of his passion whilst playing for a charity event a good few years back and is said to have completely fell in love with the game.

From then, Buffon continued to enhance his skills and played in numerous online tournaments, finally being noticed by online giant Poker Stars after successfully scooping the pot numerous times.

He went on to act as an ambassador for the site and hopes that one day, when his football career ends, he can work on becoming a professional player.

 

7. Poli Rincon

Spanish player Poli Rincon is well loved amongst the Spanish, with a successful career in football including stints with Real Madrid and Real Betis, he went on to win the Spanish league and cup in the 70’s and 80’s.

Rincon also has a burning passion for poker and is also said to regularly play with online giant Poker Stars favouring tournaments such as Poker Stars Caribbean Adventure and others such as Estrellas Poker Tour.

 

8. Vikash Dhorasoo

French player Vikash Dhorasoo is again another example of a budding Poker star. In 2007, Dhorasoo found his path and began playing in major poker tournaments, mainly in France. One of his most successful stories is taking the pot at the No Limit Hold’em $2.200 Barrier Poker Tour in 2010 scooping the main prize of $187,887.

This however is not his only cash in. He has also managed to come out top in two European Poker tournament events and also fluttered in several other tournaments.

 

9. Francesco Totti

Italian football star Francesco Totti who has spent his career dedicated to the Series A club Roma, is a top goal scorer and most capped player in the clubs history. Francesco has maintained a steady career with the club for the past 20 years, however football is not the only game he is passionate about.

Totti has recently been knighted as Poker Ambassador for Party Poker. Francesco Totti states that he has a real passion for poker and being a successful player requires the same abilities of that of playing football.

 

10. David Levi

Last, but by no means least, David Levi has had a major impact in the Poker world. Not only has his passion for football seen him excel in his years but when after a crippling knee injury Levi decided to take his chances by dabbling in Poker and he certainly knows how to play a hand.

He has said to have one over a huge total of $2,600,000 as of 2009. One of his favourite and most successful events has seen him scoop $360,229 from the WOSP tournaments.

 

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Russian Premier League: The Second Half Commences

  By O-Posts Team | March 22, 2013 - 16:49 | , , , ,
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Following on from what actually felt like quite a short winter break, the Russian Premier League has returned. And with now another 9 rounds to go, the table is now just starting to sort itself out once and for all.

Atop the pile sit CSKA Moscow, who hold a solid seven point lead over second placed Anzhi, while reigning champions Zenit sit 8 points adrift in 3rd. Right at the other end of the table, Alania and Mordovia, both stuck on just 12 points each, are just starting to be cut adrift.

But the first two rounds of the championship played this year have been nothing less than engrossing. Mordovia themselves managed to provide the biggest sensation of the season so far, beating high flying Anzhi 2-0 in Saransk in a result that shocked Europe let alone Russia.

CSKA are extending their lead at the top with every passing week, but Anzhi and Zenit aren’t done yet. With Russian clubs struggling in Europe as whole this season, you could be forgiven for assuming the level of football in Russia has taken a dip, but the football in the first two rounds this year in the Premier League have proven otherwise, in what is shaping up to be a climax to the season that is going to be thoroughly intriguing.

Talk that CSKA can already call themselves champions however, may yet be a bit early. After what has so far been almost a perfect season, the Muscovites find themselves closing in on a first league title since way back in 2006. Despite being without star striker Seydou Doumbia for most of the campaign, the Army men have powered their way into first place and show no sign of letting their grasp on the title slip.

Already having won an impressive 77% of their matches, they win just about every week without fail, and have started this year off in good fashion, finishing up on the winning side against both Krylya Sovetov and Krasnodar. One of their main men so far this season has been Swedish midfielder Rasmus Elm.

The 25 year old made his name with Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar before making the move to Moscow, and in his debut season, his passing in midfield has made CSKA more coherent in the attacking third. He has also weighed in with a few goals also, with 5 to his name, which included a crucial equalising goal away to Zenit at the end of last year.

Elm.... impressive for the league leaders.

Elm…. impressive for the league leaders.

At the other end of the field they are proving themselves to be a force as well, conceding just 17 goals so far, the best record in the league, and to many it’s come as a bit of a surprise. A defence which consists of the Berezutskiy brothers, Alexey and Vasiliy, and Sergey Ignashevich hasn’t always had the best of reputations, but this term they have most certainly proven their worth, and Swedish full back Pontus Wernbloom has added muscle and strength into the back line.

The reasons for CSKA’s success so far in this season though could be quite simple, and it could have nothing to do with just how good the Muscovites are. Since August, when AIK Solna from Sweden somehow managed to knock out the Russian giants from European football until the next season, CSKA have been able to focus all their attention on to just domestic matters.

The same can’t be said for closest challengers Anzhi and Zenit though, who have both had to juggle their eggs between two baskets up until last week, when they both got beaten in the last 16 round of the Europa League. Anzhi have been in European action incredibly since last July, and recently, it’s been looking like it has finally taken its toil on their weary players.

Positioning themselves in second place and ready to pounce on any mistake that CSKA would make, and qualifying for the knockout stages of the Europa League, Anzhi made 2012 a year to remember. But they have started this year just how they wouldn’t have wanted. Tumbling out of Europe to a last minute goal against Newcastle in the last 16 stage was bad enough, but losing to minnows Mordovia and only getting a 1-1 draw at home to Krylya Sovetov in domestic affairs has already almost ruled out any change of silverware this season.

It’s not only Anzhi who have had a rough start to 2013. Current Russian champions Zenit Saint Petersburg haven’t quite had the start to the year that everyone dreamed of, just like Anzhi their European adventure has already come to an end at the last 16 stage. The defeat to Rubin in the first game in Russia this year has prompted many to already fully rule out Zenit from the title race, but a vital 1-0 home win against Mordovia last weekend has kept hope alive among the Saint Petersburg faithful at least.

Zenit still have to sort out internal affairs though if they want to have a realistic shot at defending their crown. Roman Shirokov publically criticised much maligned team mate Hulk after Shirokov himself missed a crucial penalty in the match against Basel, and such problems have been present in the team ever since Hulk and talented Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel joined in big money signings last summer, two transfers which were meant to enforce Zenit’s chances of glory even more, but have proven to do quite the opposite.

Anzhi and Zenit have to be looking over the shoulders as well though. The chasing pack which consists of Spartak, Kuban, Rubin and Dynamo are just starting to close in, in a race for the European places that looks set to go all the way down to the wire. Rubin are in particular looking in good shape.

A European quarter final against Chelsea in the Europa League is looming on the horizon, and it isn’t just in Europe that they have made a good start in this year. A 1-0 victory against Zenit and then a goalless draw against Terek in Grozny have helped bring Rubin within striking distance of the Saint Petersburg club and on the verge of clinching a definite European slot.

Rubin..... definite European place looks set and locked in.

Rubin….. definite European place looks set and locked in.

Looking downwards, and the action doesn’t get any more dire.  Mordovia and Alania are stuck down at the bottom and are looking more and more certain to go down, despite Alania’s headline winter acquisitions of ex Real Madrid man Royston Drenthe and BATE Borisov star Renan Bressan.

Above them though is the battle to avoid the relegation playoffs, which will be played against the 3rd and 4th placed team from the First Division, and the battle is heating up. Any two of four teams could be sucked into fighting for their Premier League lives in a playoff later on this season, with Volga and Krylya Sovetov currently occupying these unwanted slots but Amkar and Rostov have no reason to sit comfortably, with just 5 points separating 14th placed Krylya with Amkar.

A thrilling last couple of months are upon us, and make any firm predictions at your peril. CSKA may be sitting pretty but chances for Zenit and Anzhi will come, especially when the Army club have 3 challenging games in a row, against Dynamo, Spartak and Rubin. A series of games in which it is almost certain they will drop valuable points.

The Muscovites may have it all in their own hands, but that is just when life starts to become more dangerous.

 

Written by Shaun Nicolaides

Follow Shaun on Twitter @zenitfan93

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Rising Greek Star Banned For Life For Nazi Salute

  By O-Posts Team | March 18, 2013 - 20:08 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Professional football players celebrate their goals in a lot of unusual and sometimes distasteful ways. For Giorgos Katidis, who plays with the Greek club AEK Athens, his celebration included a Nazi salute.

This proved to be so distasteful for those who witnessed it that the midfielder was immediately banned for life from playing for the national team. Katidis made the salute after scoring the game-winning goal for AEK against Veria on March 16.

The incident took place in a Super League game at the famous Olympic Stadium in Athens and a video of it quickly went viral and spread around the world. While Katidis is just 20 years old, he’s a star with the national junior team and was expected to break into the senior national side in the near future. In his defense, Katidis said he didn’t know what the gesture meant and it was just done at the spur of the moment in celebration of his goal.

Katidis claimed that he hates fascism and didn’t realize what the salute meant and what he was doing. The football federation in Greece said that the player’s actions deeply insulted the millions of people who were affected by the brutality of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime in the 20th Century.

Ironically the day that Katidis made the unfortunate gesture was the very same day that Greece was marking the 70th anniversary of the start of deportation of Greek Jews to extermination camps which were operated by the Nazis during the Second World War.

Katidis changed his story slightly, or simply forget to mention it, but later on he said he made the salute because he was actually pointing to one of his injured AEK teammates who was sitting in the stadium’s stands. He claimed that he’s certainly not a racist and doesn’t have any strong political views.

He said if he knew the salute had any deep historical meaning that he never would have done it in a million years. Ewald Lienen, the manager of AEK Athens, stuck up for his players by saying that the youngster is guilty of being ignorant of the past and nothing more.

Lienen, who hails from Germany, said Katidis is just a young man who is out of his teenage years and doesn’t have any political ties or beliefs. He added that the player probably saw a Nazi salute on television or the internet and didn’t know that it symbolized hatred or anything else.

However, fans of the soccer club don’t necessarily the manager’s views and many of them are insisting that AEK gets rid of Katidis from the roster. It’s expected that officials of the club will get together in the next few days to decide what to do with Katidis.

Due to his age, it’s certainly possible that Katidis didn’t have a clue what the salute meant. The Nazi regime was decades ago now. If youngsters don’t learn about such things in school it’s entirely possible they could live their lives without knowing the historical meaning of certain things.

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