Great free kicks day in Asian Cup

Today, two memorable goals were scored in the Asian Cup 2011. Qatar beat Kuwait with three nice goals. The third goal was a very special free kick


but the best goal came from China vs. Uzbekistan in a 2-2 draw. Uzbek scored a wonderful second goal but the Chinese free kick to make it 2-2 was a great wonderful goal

Tribute to Syria

In the past, I used to dislike seeing an unusual country advance in football. In 1994 I said, I cannot stand seeing the Americans win in football. In 1998, I was shocked when I saw a new team raise the World Cup, France.

Today, I am totally the opposite, I cheer and love when I see a new country develop their football. I start cheering for countries like Japan, Korea and USA in the World Cup. And in the Asian level, I cheer so much for Syria and Jordan that managed to embarrass biggest teams in Asia.

Most likely Syria won't make it to the second round tomorrow after group games. Yet, I tribute these great Syrian goals for their achievement. These are recent goals when Syrian football did big leaps,





a great goal vs. Iraq in 2008



and some goals vs. Kuwait by the star Firas Al-Khateeb


Just as a reminder, Syria was not always a bad team. In 1984 Asian Cup, they beat South Korea 1-0 and lost hardly to Saudi team 0-1. They were about to reach 1986 World Cup. They had to play two legs with Iraq. Tied the first 0-0 but lost 3-1.

They never came into big achievement before, but never as well had big humiliations. They always lost to big teams by a goal difference, and sometimes managed to get a tie.

Finally, this great goal in a friendly vs. South Korea

Big changes in Saudi football

As predicted in yesterday's post, Prince Sultan Bin Fahd, Head of Saudi Football Federation, announced his resignation today. This is the biggest event in the history of Saudi football. Now, everybody is awaiting to know the new members and structure of the Saudi Football Federation.

Crying Saudi fan, a common scene in recent years

There is big hopes that the Saudi team will start to recover from a 17 years of decline, and will start having a big U-Turn. All of this will be clear when we know the structure of the Federation.

Goal of the week

I think it is difficult to pick a goal better than this one for this week
Cani scores a great goal for Villa Real vs. Osasuna

Thierry Henry cool goals with Monaco

I found these interesting videos from 1995 when Thierry Henry was playing with Monaco. Look at his look, lol, very different from the Henry we know of 1998 onwards



And this interesting clip is his touches vs. Newcastle the next year

Two freaking own goals

Little bit of break to some bloopers,

This own goal is so great, that it needs special skills of a striker, it reminds me of Luis Garcia from Mexico great goals :)



And the next one is even more amazing, you must watch the reply, to realize how stupid the keeper is lol

Will the Saudi football take a U-Turn or continue sinking?

I could not find a better picture to represent the conditions of the Saudi football today better than this one

Saudi Arabia officially was the first team to exit Asian Cup 2011 after two defeats from Syria 1-2 and Jordan 0-1. It is not a big issue to lose a game or two, but, the way Saudi lost and the whole set-up of the team and the journey this team has taken since 1994 World Cup till today, is the real issue. 

(the links in this post are full of interesting videos)

Little Bit of History:

Let me go back to the Owairan goal in 1994, and the very good mondial for the Saudi team, it didn't come by a chance or just as an individual effort. It was a result of a lot of progress since 1984 when Saudi won their first Asian Cup.

By 1992, it was apparent that the Saudi team is heading towards something big, especially when you watch such wonderful goals vs. USA and Argentina in the first Confederation Cup. 

After the 1994 WC, Saudi football started to decline slowly. 1994 WC coach Jorge Solari quit the Saudi team. The Saudi federation kicked out the coach that won 1996 Asian Cup (Vengada) and next year the coach that reached 1998 WC (Pfister), only to hire Carlos Alberto Perreira, who himself was kicked out as a Saudi coach after failing to reach 1990 WC. Ironically, Perreira was kicked out during 1998 WC after losing to France 0-4. Saudi Arabia had to play last group games vs. South Africa with the joke local coach Mohammad Al-Kharashi.

All of this worked well, Saudi still had good talents from the past who managed to make the ship kept going, up and down.

Then, comes the worst event of the Saudi football history, the 0-8 defeat vs. Germany in 2002. After that Mondial, the Saudi Football Federation started to talk about big plans to have big change of the Saudi football. A lot of committees, consultants and real plans.

However, things only went worse. 9 coaches were changed, many players were kicked out of the national team, sidelines then returns. The story was almost the same. Yet, Saudi team fans had two things to remember:
- Qualifying to the 2006 WC.
- Playing the Asian Cup final in 2007.
Yet, the coach of both teams were kicked out. I was so sad about Calderon from Argentina, who lead the team to 2006 WC. It was the last time that the Saudi team played a decent good football.

Little Bit of Today:
Saudi football clubs and league started to decline slowly. Talents today are not rich like yesterday. And even the new promising talents, they peak only for 2 to 3 years. They earn millions of dollars which prevent them from being a good target for the small European Clubs that played big role in developing football in African countries.

So, Saudi football lost almost everything possible in recent years:
- AFC Champion League: Last time a Saudi team won was 2005. Before that, it was always a common factor in this league.
- Gulf Cups: Saudi team lost four last cups. Last time won was in 2003.
- Asian Cup 2011: Saudi team entered with already a have campaign against the Coach. Everyone was awaiting what will happen?
- After losing the first game vs. Syria, Saudi Football Federation changed the coach and appointed Nasser Al-Johar. (he is the same one who lead the 0-8 defeat). Changing the coach during the competition is something common, and was done for the fifth time.
- Now Saudi lost the second game on a row, vs. Jordan. Both teams used to be considered among the "piece of kick"  in the past.
- Today there was big announcement that six Saudi players quit international games. Something that was never happened before in Saudi football.

The talk about the Saudi Football Federation is the biggest topic (directly or indirectly) in all football channels in the region, the media, the forums, the cafes and everywhere.

The big question that everyone is awaiting:
- Will the Saudi Football Federation be changed totally? Which will mean the Saudi football might make a big U-Turn and repeat something of the 1994 WC memory?
- Or it will continue, and this means, Saudi Football and Titanic will have similar fates?