Beitar Jerusalem fans arrested for anti-Muslim chants. No one who knows this team was surprised.

Beitar Jerusalem is famous for never signing a Muslim player into their ranks. In fact they are the only club in the Israeli Premier League never to do so. The team's largest supporters group, known as La Familia, has wielded it's power and protested (sometimes violently) any move to sign any Muslim player to the team.  When the team attempted to sign Nigerian, and Muslim, Ibrahim Nadalla in 2005 the fans mobbed the player and forced him to leave the team. 

The team is so notorious that ESPN E:60 did a piece on the team that you can view here.

Now comes the announcement that the team will sign two Chechen players to deals. Can anyone guess how that went?


Via Associated Press-JERUSALEM -- Israeli police have arrested three soccer fans for chanting anti-Muslim slogans at a game while protesting the Beitar Jerusalem team's intention to sign two Muslim players.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says two suspects were fined and banned from the stadium for the rest of the season. The additional suspect was scheduled to appear in court Sunday.

Fans unfurled signs alluding to the team's unofficial tradition of not signing Arab or Muslim players. Beitar fans have been punished in the past for similar behavior.

Parliament speaker Reuven Rivlin, himself a Beitar fan, told Army Radio the slogans were akin to a team in Germany banning Jewish players. He spoke on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Team owner Arkady Gaydamak told Army Radio he was determined to sign two Chechen players.


Photo by Nir Neidar

21 sentenced to death for involvement in Port Said tragedy

In starting this little blog of mine I wanted to have a place where I could post interesting stories from around the world of soccer and hopefuly make people laugh with little one liners and silly jokes I make in commentary about the story.

The problem sometimes is that just because a story is interesting it doesn't mean it's always funny. This story is one of those moments. The Port Said tragedy is just that: tragic. Like Hillsborough, Accra Stadium, Ibrox, and all horrible footy related tragedies before it, the entire soccer world is affected.


Via Associated Press-Cairo-An Egyptian court has handed down death sentences for 21 people accused of taking part in soccer violence last year that killed 74.

In the courtroom, families of the deceased wailed in disbelief and raised their hands in the air shouting ''Allahu Akbar'', Arabic for God is great.

The judge said in his statement read live on state TV that he would announce the verdict for the remaining 52 defendants on March 9.

Among those on trial are nine security officials. The soccer melee on Feb. 1, 2012 between Port Said's Al-Masry fans and Cairo's Al-Ahly fans was the world's deadliest soccer violence in 15 years.

As is customary in Egypt, the death sentences will be sent to a top religious authority, the Grand Mufti, for approval.

Swansea locks up their scoring gold mine for 4 more years

Michu has done nothing but score since his arrival in Wales.

With 16 goals in 28 appearances Michu has arguably been the the best pick up for an EPL team this year save for RVP at Man U.  It was most certainly an amazing find for Swansea. Many, including myself, wondered if Swansea could even stay out of relegation this year after Brendan Rodgers and Gylfi Sigurðsson both left the club after their success last year.

Now Swansea fans have even more to be happy about as the club announced that Michu has signed a four year extension.

Via ESPN FC:

The Spaniard, 26, has been a sensation since signing from Rayo Vallecano in the summer for £2.2 million, scoring 16 goals in 28 appearances and helping Michael Laudrup’s side to ninth in the Premier League.

And his decision to commit his future to the club will be seen as another important stride forward by the club who stand on the brink of reaching a major cup final for the first time in their history on Wednesday night.

“It was an easy decision for me,” Michu told the club’s official website. “I am living a dream here at Swansea."

 Photo Credit: Kevinvegas

We're back with a flying nut kick! You're welcome.

Hey guys!!!! I know it's been awhile since I've updated the site. My sincere apologies. I've been so busy with work and my writing over at bigdsoccer.com that I just haven't been giving SNB it's due attention. 

Well I'm here to say that's going to change. I'm going to make a serious effort to get back to bringing you the hard hitting journalism you've come to expect from The Soccer Nut Blog. OK really it's just re-posts, funny videos, and half naked people but you get what I'm saying.

To get back into the swing of things here's a great video from the Africa Cup of Nations tournament the other day of the Ethiopian 'keeper giving the Zambian player a flying kick to the balls. It's good to be back!

Beckham makes an announcement....that Beckham will make an announcement

It's going to be WAGS all day here on SNB.

Yeah the title says it all. No one has anything but conjecture about where Beckham is headed.

Paris Saint-Germain is my guess but you never know with these things.  He's still in great shape and would be a huge help for a lot of teams not to mention the media coverage.  I would be shocked if he went to China as it now seems both Anelka and Drogba want to get the hell out of there. 

Where do you guys think he's headed?

Via Sky Sports-According to a report from England's Press Association, David Beckham will make a decision on his future next week after receiving 12 formal offers from around the globe - but the former England captain is not expected to return to the Premier League.

Beckham has been made offers from Europe, South America, North America, South Africa, Russia, China and the Middle East - though it is understood not from Qatar.

It is expected that Beckham, whose contract with Los Angeles Galaxy ended before Christmas, will sit down with his advisors next week and go through the offers in detail.

The 37-year-old is viewing his next move as potentially his last as a player and those close to Beckham say he is attracted by the prospect of playing at a high level or in an environment where his presence would have a similar impact as when he first moved from Real Madrid to the Galaxy.

For those reasons, the chances of him joining a club involved in a relegation fight or one mired in mid-table appear remote, and would rule him out of joining QPR or West Ham, who have both been linked with the midfielder.

A report on Wednesday said an offer of a two-year deal had been made by Qatari officials, but it is understood that has not been received by Beckham's representatives.

There could be some Qatar involvement via Paris Saint-Germain, however, as the French club are effectively owned by the Qatari government. They are also still in the Champions League, which would be attractive to Beckham.

Another options would be for Beckham to take a big-money move to China or Russia, as Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto'o and Nicolas Anelka have all done in recent months.



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Wesley Sneijder is headed to Turkey...or maybe not

I thought Sneijder's wife Yolanthe Cabau van Kasbergen is a lot nicer to look

than Wesley. You're welcome.

The more I write about the sport of soccer the more I realize that the soccer media make up about 80% of all transfer/exit rumors. What I take by reading this is that Inter have agreed to terms with Galatasaray but Sneijder has not.

With so many big name clubs (with money) "interested" in him why Galatasaray? My guess is one of several things, if not all of the above: a.) Galatasaray was the first to put a decent offer on the table, b.) Galatasaray offered up the most money, or c.) Inter is trying to punish Sneijder for not staying with them by sending him to a less prestigious club.  Don't get me wrong Galatasaray isn't some tiny club but it's certainly NOT Manchester City or Manchester United. This feels to me like a punishment type transfer and I'm not buying the BS reasons Inter gives for not playing Sneijder.

Via Press Association-Wesley Sneijder has been handed a path out of Inter Milan after president Massimo Moratti Wednesday confirmed an offer from Galatasaray has been accepted.

The Turkish side revealed on Tuesday that it had entered in talks for the unsettled midfielder, who has not played for Inter since September amid a public standoff over a proposed pay cut to his contract at San Siro.



In case you didn't get the point earlier.

The rift could now see the Holland international leave for Galatasaray, which has reportedly offered $13.08 million as well as agreeing to meet the player's demands.

"Galatasaray's offer satisfies us. Now it depends on the player," Moratti told Sky Sports. "We would be happy if he decided to stay on our terms."

Sneijder has reportedly been asked to accept a $2.62 million pay cut to his annual salary with the Nerazzurri.

Inter head coach Andrea Stramaccioni has, however, maintained the the 28-year-old's continued absence from his first team is solely a tactical decision.

Sneijder has reportedly attracted the interest of Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham, as well as ambitious Ligue 1 outfit Paris St Germain.

Only earlier Wednesday, Sneijder's agent, Soren Lerby, denied Galatasaray's claims that it had started talks, telling De Telegraaf: "Every day there is a new club linked with Wesley.

"For that reason I have decided not to answer any more questions."

A statement on the Turkish club's official website, galatasaray.org, read: "Galatasaray announces it has begun negotiations with FC Internazionale for the transfer of Wesley Sneijder. The public will be informed of developments."

Sneijder joined Inter in August 2009 after winning the Primera Division with Real Madrid during a two-season stint in Spain, going on to claim the Champions League trophy, Serie A title and Coppa Italia at the first time of asking before reaching the World Cup final with Holland, only to lose out to Spain.



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Brazilian prostitutes get ready for the World Cup by learning English

And here is the first of the many "Prostitutes are gearing up for the "insert big tournament name here" stories" that will come out from here until the World Cup. I have nothing really to say about this other than good for you ladies. It sounds like a smart investment.

Via Associated Press-SAO PAULO -- Prostitutes in one of Brazil's biggest cities are beginning to sign up for free English classes ahead of this year's Confederations Cup and the 2014 World Cup.

Cida Vieira, president of the Association of Prostitutes in the city of Belo Horizonte, said Tuesday that 20 have already signed up for the courses and she expects at least 300 of the group's 4,000 members to follow suit. The association is organizing the classes and seeking volunteer teachers.

"I don't think we will have problems persuading English teachers to provide services for free," she said. "We already have several volunteer psychologists and doctors helping us."

She said classes are expected to begin in March and last up to eight months.

"It will be important for the girls who will be able to use English to let their clients know what they are charging and learn about what turns them on," Vieira said by telephone.

"And for the same reasons we are also thinking of offering free French and Italian classes," she added.

Prostitution is legal in Brazil.

Belo Horizonte's 62,000-seat Mineirao Stadium will host three matches of the Confederations Cup and six games of the World Cup.

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FIFA gets tough on racism.....kinda

"There is no problem! We've put out a brochure!"

It's about time FIFA got tough on racism.....except they didn't get as tough as they could. I know it's a step in the right direction but how many steps are going to have to be taken to make serious inroads to fixing this problem.  If you want to make a dent in racism then start deducting points. When teams become directly effected in the tables THEN I truly believe that the teams/clubs will start doing something about it. Unfortunately FIFA doesn't seem to have the stomach to lay down the law. 

Via AP-ZURICH -- FIFA fined Bulgaria and Hungary around $40,000 each on Tuesday and ordered them to play a World Cup qualifier in an empty stadium after fans aimed racist and anti-Semitic abuse at opposing teams.

The punishments were announced as players and anti-discrimination groups demand a tougher response to fan actions at stadiums, including in Italy and Serbia.

"FIFA strongly condemns all forms of racism in football, and any form of discrimination will not be tolerated and will receive a strong response by the relevant FIFA authorities," world football's governing body said in a statement. 

FIFA fined Bulgaria $38,000 and Hungary $43,400.

Bulgaria fans made monkey chants at Denmark defender Patrick Mtiliga, who is black, during a World Cup qualifier in Sofia on Oct. 12. Bulgaria, which is in the same group as Italy, will play in an empty stadium on March 22 when it hosts Malta.

Hungary fans directed anti-Semitic slogans and reportedly displayed Iran flags to insult Israel at an Aug. 15 exhibition in Budapest. Hungary's punishment applies when neighboring Romania visits on March 22.

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Espinoza completes move from KC to Wigan

Great move for both Wigan and Espinoza. It's nice to see guys from MLS move to major European leagues and I think Espinoza will flourish in the EPL.  Kansas City has made enough moves that they'll be ok without Espinoza. In fact I really think that KC is a preseason favorite for the 2013 MLS Cup.


Via ESPN-Wigan have completed the signing of Sporting Kansas City midfielder Roger Espinoza after he was handed a visa.

Espinoza, 26, will go straight into Roberto Martinez's squad for the FA Cup tie with Bournemouth after completing his move to the Latics and signing a two-and-a-half-year deal.

"I am just so happy to finally be here," the Honduras midfielder said. "It's taken a while to get all the paperwork done but now I can concentrate on fighting for my place and helping the team."

Espinoza starred alongside another Wigan man, defender Maynor Figueroa, during Honduras' Olympic campaign and Martinez revealed that he has little option other than to hand Espinoza his debut at the DW Stadium on Saturday.

"Usually players would have more time preparing for their debut and getting used to their new team-mates," Martinez said. "But Roger is so desperate to play as soon as he can that we hope to see him on the pitch on Saturday."



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Ba joins Chelsea

Of course it was an easy decision for Demba Ba to leave Newcastle for Chelsea! Who wouldn't want to get the hell off of a team that may well be in a relegation battle before the season is up, to go to the reigning European Champions? What a great grab for Chelsea! Now having Ba as an option up front may spurn a change in Torres. Maybe some real competition will finally be what Fernando needs to get back to his Liverpool ways. 

I'm really surprised that Arsenal or Liverpool (especially) didn't make a serious bid to snag Ba.  Both clubs are in bad need of another striker and Ba would have fit in with both clubs I think.  Of course it may very well have been a money issue seeing as the terms of Ba's transfer haven't been announced.

Thoughts Chelsea fans?


Via Press Association-Demba Ba said it was an easy decision to sign for the Champions League winners after his move to Chelsea was confirmed by the club on Friday.


The Senegal striker signed a 3 1/2-year contract after his move from Newcastle for an undisclosed fee. The London club had triggered a £7million ($11.3 million) release clause in his Magpies contract. Ba, 27, who will be eligible for selection for Saturday's FA Cup third-round match at Southampton, will wear the No. 29 shirt.


"It feels good to be here, I'm very happy and very proud. When the club who won the Champions League wants you, the decision is very easy. This club is massive and that's something that helped the decision a lot.
It was not a hard one," Ba told Chelsea's official website.

"It was important for me, and for Newcastle, to get my future sorted and now we can move on. Now they have the whole month to buy someone and for me as well, the sooner the better. Now I am here I just need to get settled in."


Ba is joint-third in the Premier League scorers table this season with 13 goals so far. The transfer puts the seal on a stunning rise from the lower reaches of French football to the European champions.


Born in the suburbs of Paris, Ba played for Port Autonome du Havre, Montrouge and third division side Rouen before moving to Mouscron, in the Belgian top flight.


He then moved to Hoffenheim, helping them win promotion to the Bundesliga, and was signed by West Ham two years ago.

US Soccer outlook for 2013

With the new year finally here a lot of important things will be going on in 2013that rides on US soccer hopes.  With this year being such a big year lets get started:

USMNT

This year is big for the USMNT.  They have both World Cup qualifying and the Gold Cup to deal with this year.  Of course the biggest thing this year is to qualify for the World Cup and that's certainly not going to be a cake walk.  They will have to play and visit, Mexico, Honduras, Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Panama. While this will be tough the US doesn't have to finish first, they only have to be in the top three which is something the US shouldn't have a problem doing with the quality players they have.

Those players that were a part of the Olympic U-23 I think will have a chance at redemption in the Gold Cup this summer.  This tournament will be the perfect opportunity for a chance at a little redemption for players like Juan Agudelo, Joe Gyau, Freddy Adu, and Brek Shea AND give Jurgen Klinsmann a closer look at players for the next cycle and mix them in with veterans like Brad Guzan, Eric Lichaj, and possible Stuart Holden.

Major League Soccer

With attention mostly on the USMNT, this will also be a big year for MLS.  This will be the first time the league will be without David Beckham since 2007, who was without question their most recognizable star. The quality of the league has been improving and derby's are starting to take shape.  For US soccer you will now hope a player like Agudelo or Shea really break out this season and become top players.

Now MLS should really focus on the development of young players and the hopes will be that more reserve games will be taking place.  It's hard for young players and draft picks to break into squad's when DP's are stepping in front. They need games to further their development.  If MLS is willing to invest money into a reserve league they would instantly see the quality rise on the top level. 

Women's Soccer

Finally we'll take a look at women's soccer with the new women's league arriving after the success of the USWNT in the Olympics.  This (the new league) is something that US Soccer has to seriously get right.  We are starting to see other national teams catching up to the USWNT because their women have a league to play in when not on national team duty.  We've seen USWNT player Ali Krieger play in Germany and 17 year old stand out Lindsey Horan play in France just to have more opportunities to play. 

The fact is that both the USWNT players and other young women need a league to play in to help hone their skills and to continue to perform on the international stage. Lets hope for these players sake that US Soccer finally get the women's league right and finally provide the opportunity these women deserve.

Thanks you for reading and continue to visit the Soccer Nut Blog and you can find me on Back Of The Net!!!!!!!

Vince Sumbry

You can find vince on Twitter @vsumbry and read more of his stuff over at The Back Of The Net!!!!!!!!!!!!