Category Archives: Valencia

News and views pertaining to Valencia.

La Liga: 2012-2013 Team of the Season

  By O-Posts Team | May 21, 2013 - 00:28 | , , , , , , ,
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Goalkeeper- Thibaut Courtois (Atletico Madrid)

The 21 year old Belgian still belongs to Chelsea, but he has provided the solid backbone to Atletico’s qualification to Champions League qualification. Superb shot-stopping and solid command of his defence has ensured he has conceded just 30 goals this season, giving Simeone’s men the best defensive record in La Liga.

With 18 clean sheets he has won the league’s “Golden Glove” award in a season where he broke Abel Resino’s club record of games without conceding at home, going 820 minutes without breach at the Vicente Calderon.

 

Right-back- Carlos Martinez (Real Sociedad)

Without Martinez, Sociedad began the season by losing five of their opening eight games. Since returning, the Andalusians have embarked on a run of just 3 defeats in their last 27 as they make a surprise challenge for a Champions League qualification place.

His no-nonsense style makes him effective in defence whilst he also likes to charge forward in Phillipe Montanier’s fluid 4-3-3 system, registering 3 assists with his impressive crossing.

 

Left-back- Damia (Osasuna)

Osasuna sit in 16th place in La Liga but they possess the joint-4th best defensive record with 45 goals conceded. The 31 year old full-back, who can also play on the right, has been central to such solidity under manager Jose Mendilibar, starting 28 matches and contributing with his cautious play and rigid positional sense.

 

Centre-half- Martin Demichelis (Malaga)

The combative Argentinean has been an immense presence at the back for Manuel Pellegrini’s team, defying his 32 years of age to play 37 times, in which his love for a tackle and superb ability in the air has contributed to Malaga’s challenge for a top four spot.

Despite their hopes dying out in recent weeks, Demichelis has reinforced his reputation as a hugely-promising defender as well as being comfortable on the ball.

 

Centre-half- Inigo Martinez (Real Sociedad)

That Barcelona have been intensely linked with the 22 year old to take-over from the ageing Carles Puyol at the Nou Camp is indicative of the standard of season Martinez has had. The Spaniard has made 32 appearances in Sociedad’s superb season, combining a fantastic reading of the game with strength in the tackle.

 

Despite being sub-6ft, he also competes well in the air with an impressive leap and, like all good Spanish defenders, is able to bring the ball out of defence, completing over 1,000 passes over the course of the season.

 

Centre-midfield- Geoffrey Kondogbia (Sevilla)

In his first year in Spain, the 20 year old Frenchman has grown into an excellent force at the heart of Sevilla’s midfield, attracting the likes of Arsenal to his availability. The ex-Lens enforcer patrols the area in front of his back-four with an intelligent positional sense and a dogged nature, winning 61 of his 78 attempted tackles.

As well as being able to win the ball back with impressive strength, he can also move it on effectively too, registering an 87% pass completion rate as he keeps possession ticking in Unai Emery’s midfield.

 

Centre-midfield- Benat Exteberria (Real Betis)

The 26 year old has made 30 appearances for Pepe Mel’s Europa League hunting side, scoring 4 goals and assisting another 8 with his ability to thread a fine pass from deep in midfield. Constantly on the look-out to play the ball around, he averages 53 passes per game, creating 2 chances per match on average too.

 

Benat also likes to get involved in the “ugly” side of the game judging by his 16 bookings, suggesting he is definitely not a tackler, but a gifted passer of the ball blessed with superb vision.

 

Right-midfield- Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad)

The 22 year old graduate of Sociedad’s impressive youth system has chipped in with 8 goals and 3 assists as La Real look on course for a Champions League spot. Able to play right across Phillipe Montanier’s attacking quadrant, he is most at home on the wing, cutting inside of his marker with electric pace and close control.

The French youngster has made 32 appearances this term for Sociedad, impressing with his direct, intelligent displays. He also shows a high-work rate, contributing heavily to the defensive side of Sociedad’s play.

 

Left winger- Pizzi (Deportivo La Coruna)

On loan from Athletico Madrid, 23 year old Luis Miguel Afonso Fernandes, shortened to Pizzi, has shown life is bright on the left side at the Calderon with 8 goals and 6 assists to help Deportivo in their fight against relegation.

Standing at just 5ft 7, his small frame may have seen him get edged out of games, yet his ability has progressed him into a complete winger, able to cut inside, take a man on to cross, get shots away from range or take a dangerous free-kick. His electric pace and fine balance also helps Deportivo on the counter-attack.

The Portuguese has shown enough in his 33 appearances to suggest his will be a bright future.

 

Attacking midfielder- Isco (Malaga)

The 21 year old is set to follow his manager Manuel Pellegrini to Manchester City and this year’s La Liga campaign has suggested he has everything it takes to succeed in the Premier League. Blessed with fine skill and control, he is able to weave his creative magic between the lines, producing a total of 42 chances for his side this term.

He has made 43 appearances for Malaga so far this season as they narrowly missed out on the semi-finals of the Champions League and sit 6th in La Liga.

Isco’s 8 goals has contributed to that, as well as his comfort on the ball when closely marked, averaging an 84% pass completion rate in the final third, helped by his fine balance and vision.

 

Centre-Forward- Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

It hasn’t been the most successful of seasons when you consider the Argentinean’s own frighteningly high-standards, but the stats speak for themselves. 54 goals from 43 games as Barcelona romped home to the league title, on top of 14 assists.

 

Dribbling like the ball is tied to his feet, playing like his on his own untouchable plateau, Messi was threatening to beat last season’s outrageous record-breaking goal-tally before a hamstring injury took its toll towards the end of the year, his struggle for fitness clearly felt as Bayern Munich demolished the Catalans in the Champions League.

Despite his troubles, he remains the best player in the world.

 

Manager- Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid)

Tito Vilanova deserves a big mention for guiding Barcelona to the La Liga title despite his cancer diagnosis, whilst Phillipe Montanier has done a remarkable job in guiding Real Sociedad to the edge of the Champions League on a limited budget.

But Simeone has built on winning the Europa League last season with a superb campaign, leading Atletico to third place, their best finish since 1996, and winning the Copa Del Rey.

 

The 28 goals of Radamel Falcao has been platformed by the consistent quality of Diego Costa behind him, whilst Diego Godin, Miranda, Mario Suarez and Gabi have embodied Simeone’s fierce nature in the spine of the team, providing a rock solid shield to Thibaut Courtois’s goal.

 

Written by Adam Gray

Follow Adam on Twitter @AdamGray1250

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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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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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La Liga: A Lowdown on the League’s best rising talents

  By O-Posts Team | April 6, 2013 - 19:05 | , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Every season in a league there is a number of breakthrough talents, and arguably the league that produces the most talent is La Liga. In this era of Spanish dominance in international football the conveyor belt of young stars seems endless. Last season there was plenty of young players making a name for themselves.

The likes of Isco, Griezmann and Tello all made their breakthrough last season and this season the amount of young stars coning through is no different.

Here is a lowdown on the best rising talents in La Liga -

 

Raphael Varane

The ex-Lens defender has been nothing short of a revelation this season. He was recommended to Real Madrid by Zidane and the money they paid for him was hefty for a teenager but boy has it paid off.

Jose Mourinho put his faith in him by playing him in both legs of the Copa Del Rey against Barcelona and he proved Mourinho right by putting in fantastic performances in both legs, as well as scoring in both matches.

It’s hard to believe Varane is still only 19 when you see him shutting out likes of Messi, Drogba and Van Persie. It really is scary how good this Frenchman could become.

 

Koke

In what has been such a successful season for his club, Atletico Madrid, Koke has been magnificent. The Spanish midfielder has largely been utilised at right midfield for Atletico and is not only a threat going forward, but works very hard and helps out his full-back constantly which shows his maturity.

The main strength in his game is his creativity and this is proved by the fact he has the most La Liga assists in the Atletico squad. He isn’t blessed with amazing pace like the most conventional winger but he makes up for this with clever passing and intelligent play.

Under Diego Simeone’s guidance, Koke will only get better and who knows, maybe a Spain call up could be on the way if he can keep up these performances.

 

Leo Baptistao

In his first season for Rayo Vallecano’s senior team Leo has stepped up for Rayo after the loss of Michu. There are rumours that his representative has already agreed a deal with Atletico Madrid to replace Falcao in the summer. Those are big boots to fill but Baptistao’s performances this season have been very good for a 20 year-old.

His goal tally of 7 this season isn’t anything to shout about but the fact he has 6 assists shows he is a well-rounded player. He can drop deep, get involved in the play and create chances for his team mates as well as hold the ball up and run in behind the opposition defence.

If the rumours are true, I’m sure it will prove to be a superb move for him to continue his development and play in the Champions League as well as a clever acquisition for Atletico.

 

Geoffrey Kondogbia

In what has been a tough season for Sevilla, Kondogbia has been a shining light. His tackling rate of 2.6 per game is impressive for a 20 year-old but he also reads the game well and has made 1.4 interceptions per game this season.

Furthermore, his height and strength allow him to drive through midfield and boss a match unlike most players his age.

To be such a complete player at 20 is great and no wonder Man City and Arsenal are interested in signing him this summer. Due to Sevilla having financial trouble and with Kondogbia’s performances being consistently superb, a move to a bigger club is certainly on the cards.

 

Written by Charlie Smith

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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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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.

Check out www.bet365.com for the latest lines on world football.

 

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Special Feature: The 5 Most Shocking Football Disasters Ever

  By O-Posts Team | March 14, 2013 - 18:18 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Live football is enjoyed all around the world, and as much is done as possible to keep these events safe. Unfortunately, disaster can strike, and over the years there have been a few tragic disasters that have led to fans being seriously injured or even killed.

These events and the people lost are still strongly remembered by everyone in the football world. In no particular order, here is a countdown of 5 of the most shocking disasters to have struck.

 

1.            Hillsborough, Sheffield, 1989

Memorial

The match was a semi final cup tie against Nottingham Forest. Perhaps the most high profile disaster, this saw 96 Liverpool fans die in a horrific crush at the start of the game. This notorious disaster is thought to have occurred due to poor crowd management with too many fans entering in the same pens.

 

2.            Burnden Park, Bolton, 1946

After a football game

This disaster is another crowd management issue which saw roughly 85,000 fans try to get into the stadium to see Bolton v Stoke in the FA Cup. This was over capacity and the resulting crush caused two metal barriers to break, subsequently killing 33 fans and injuring a further 400 people.

 

3.            Valley Parade, Bradford, 1985

Flag in a stadium

A wooden stand structure in the Bradford Stadium was set alight when a fan supposedly dropped a match or lit cigarette. A fire started below the stand when the rubbish beneath caught fire. Extinguishers could not be found and the fire brigade was called but, terribly, 56 fans were killed and a further 265 suffered wounds.

 

4.            Estadio Nacional, Lima, 1964


After a football game

This may be the worst recorded stadium disaster in history. A disallowed goal saw an angered fan chase the referee and take him down, which is said to have upset other supporters that then retaliated. It caused 300 people to die amongst stampedes, crushes and an ensuing battle between police and football supporters.

 

5.            Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, 1971

Black and white photo

When a fan tried to leave towards the end of an Old Firm match and accidentally fell down a stand, there was a domino effect. This caused multiple fans to fall as a result, causing a crush and build up of bodies. 66 people were killed and 200 more were injured.

These tragic events are still remembered strongly by everyone in the football community as well as in history. Now as much is done as possible to ensure that similar tragedies do not happen again and full support is given to those left behind.

 

Featured images:

 

John Greenberg has been writing about sport since his interest started when he was 15 years old. He likes to write about current affairs but also like to go back to the past and write about various things, including the safety of the football crowds.

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Special Feature: The World’s Greatest Sports Stadiums

  By O-Posts Team | March 9, 2013 - 19:16 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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The World’s Greatest Sports Stadiums

Sports fans are a mad bunch, some spend hundreds of thousands a year following their team all over the world. From football teams on a tour to the Far East, to American franchises flying from coast to coast, sport is booming business across the globe.

As a result we’ve put together a list of some the best sports stadiums in the world, be sure to experience the atmosphere of at least one of these incredible venues on your travels.

 

Yankee Stadium – The Bronx – New York

Steeped in history and with some of the most passionate fans in Baseball the New York Yankees are icons of the sport and it’s only right they have a stadium to match.

The New Yankee stadium first opened in 2009, replacing its predecessor which had stood tall since 1923. With a capacity of over 52,000 and at a construction cost of $1.6bn the stadium is testament to The New York Yankees standing as giants of the game.

To really make the most of your visit stay in The Crowne Plaza, Times Square Not only is it a short hop to the stadium but you’ll also be perfectly positioned in the heart of New York.

Yankees

 

Soccer City – Johannesburg – South Africa

Having undergone a major redevelopment programme for the 2010 Soccer World Cup Soccer City is an easy addition to our list.

Tasked with hosting the both the opening ceremony and the first match of the World Cup the stadium shone in the spotlight of one of the most successful Soccer tournaments of all time.

With a capacity of 95,000 the stadium cost $440 million and today hosts South African league soccer, rugby and music concerts.

A visit to Soccer City is not to be missed, stay at the Holiday Inn Sandton and enjoy enviable views from the 9th floor Skye bar or simply relax in the cigar lounge with one of Cuba’s finest.

Soccer City

 

Madison Square Garden – New York

Home of Basketball, Ice Hockey, Tennis, and even WWE Wrestling Madison square garden is a multi purpose venue situated in Midtown Manhattan.

A recent renovation costing $1.16 billion has ensured The Garden keeps its crown as one of the worlds most famous and frequently visited venues.

However with a maximum capacity of only 22,000 people seats for events are scarce and frequently reach into the thousands of dollars for the most popular shows, testament to the allure of this incredible venue.

Stay at The Marmara Manhattan and enjoy apartment facilities with the luxuries of a hotel suite.

Yankee Stadium

 

Sports City – Dubai

Currently under construction Dubai’s sports city is a behemoth, boasting four stadiums the centre piece of which is a 60,000 seater multi purpose venue capable of hosting Soccer, Cricket, Rugby, Athletics and music festivals.

Costing an estimated $4 billion and covering a total of 4,600,000m2 Sports City promises to be at the heart of Dubai’s sporting future.

Once the venue opens I recommend you stay at the Burj Al Arab. The grandest hotel in the world offers the ultimate in luxury including a private beach, chauffer driven Rolls Royce and the very best in gourmet dining.

Sports City

 

The Staples Centre – Los Angeles – California

Home to no less than four professional sports teams The Staples Centre in downtown Los Angeles is a haven for fans of Hockey and Basketball alike with the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers as well as WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks and the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings all calling the centre home.

With a maximum capacity of 21,000 and at a construction cost of $523 million, The Staples Centre is one of the most popular sports and music venues within the United States.

Stay at the Beverly Wilshire, a decadent Five Star hotel designed to make the most of your Los Angeles Holiday. Enjoy fine dining, a luxury spa or just relax in the comfort of your extravagant room.

Staples Centre

 

Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex – Oman

Situated in the Ghala district of Oman the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex makes the list due to its impressive list of facilities.

Renovated for the 2009 African Cup of Nations the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex has a capacity of 39,000 and is equipped with a Football pitch, Athletics Facilities, an Olympic sized swimming pool, Tennis Courts and Gymnasium.

For your holiday in Oman I recommend staying at Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort. This five star resort offers a private beach, infinity pool, luxury spa and lavishly appointed rooms.

 

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Matt Coe is a sports travel enthusiast and head of marketing for Wanderforth, a tour operator specialising in luxury worldwide holidays.

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The Football Betting Guide

  By O-Posts Team | March 5, 2013 - 20:46 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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There’s nothing quite like the excitement of laying a bet on the football on a Saturday afternoon to really get your adrenaline pumping.

A few small bets here and there can turn a game you may have had little interest in into one of the games of the season but where to start? Football is a notoriously unpredictable game with surprise results coming every week. Here’s our guide to the fundamentals, to get you started:

 

Do your homework

Picking out a team from the match day schedule can be a tricky business. All you have, until you do your homework, is a name. What do we mean by ‘homework’? Well, a team’s form is crucial in making your betting decision, so you should be asking yourself questions like; ‘what was their last game like? Did they win?’; ‘who scored and how many?’

By asking yourself questions like this, you’ll be able to work out the ‘in-form’ teams of the moment. Conversely, you’ll be able to work out the weakest selections in the league and bet against them.

 

What bet works best for you?

Defining what you want out of your bet is a good place to start. The most obvious factors are how much you’re willing to stake as well as how much you’d like to win- after all, putting ten pounds on a thousand to one bet may sound tempting but you’re more likely to lose that ten pounds than make ten thousand.

Online gaming websites often have an instant bet calculator which shows you exactly how much you’re likely to win from your proposed bets and here are two types of bet to consider laying:

 

Accumulator

Instead of betting a large amount on one fixture, betting on an accumulator is a great way to increase your odds at the same time as decreasing your stake. On any given day there are likely to be large favourites to win, so by putting a bet on more than one result you can massively increase your potential pay out.

Look for teams called ‘bankers’, these usually consist of three or four favourites which are there to ‘bulk out’ your accumulator- adding riskier teams at the end will increase your potential pay out further.

Of course, if you’re looking for something a little more skilful that doesn’t rely completely on others’ luck then try a few hands of poker but remembering first to read a decent poker blog.

 

Scorecast

Perhaps one of the more challenging bets to lay, the scorecast can simply be described as picking the correct final score. If you’ve done your homework as described above, you’ll quickly see how many goals a team is likely to score in a given match and how many another are likely to let in.

Of course, this is sometimes a lot easier said than done as football results vary massively- so you may not be correct in your prediction but you may have the comfort of an excellent afternoon’s football.

Adding the first or last goalscorer to your scorecast is a sure-fire way of massively increasing your odds- and if your team tends to rely on a single striker for their goals, it may not be a bad addition to your bet.

 

Jack Linsel is a freelance copy writer in London. He enjoys writing about football, sports and exercise.

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