After 5 years at Sankt Pauli, Jackson Irvine will sign for Cerezo Osaka in Japan. #Socceroos #FCSP

FIFA’s structure problem: - 1 country 1 vote doesn’t work in a parliamentary system (my home city of Aberdeen doesn’t have the same number of MPs as London & no one would argue it should) - On top, there’s an omnipotent president who can control this already flawed parliament.

A few Rangers fans asked about Daisuke Yokota who I commentated on last season. - 26 yo small tempo dribbling inverted right wing (left footed) not physical - More good than bad at H96. 5 goals & even mix of starts & sub apps - counter threat/counter pressing in his game 1/2

Citing the NY Post, Bild runs the following headline: “Infantino begs at the White House.”

👌

Günter Klein@guenterklein.bsky.social · 3d ago

Warum der Fußball Infantino nicht braucht.

Just my view but irrespective of how FIFA restructures itself going fwd, there must not be a repeat of the out of control ticket prices at future World Cups. If UEFA can set them at a rate within the reach of the average fan at the Euros, FIFA can too.

Kicker Monday goes with “Heaven and Hell” “The 2. Liga gets going: Wolfsburg is the favourite but the lower house remains unpredictable - and a magnet.”

NEW: Recent Sports Media Podcasts topics/guests: • CBS Sports puts Tony Romo on leave. • Linda Cohn and Neil Everett. • The ESPN layoffs. • Derek Rae. • Geno Auriemma. • The Caitlin Clark discourse. • Stan Van Gundy. TO SUBSCRIBE/LISTEN: swap.fm/l/4apy5A6Fma...

Actually think it was clever of the SPFL & Sky to flood the opening Premiership weekend with games that can be viewed one after another at a time when not much other ⚽️ is going on. Enjoying it from far away.

Have to say genuinely jumped out of my chair more than once near the end of Aberdeen-Hearts yesterday. The game was apparently fading out until the fireworks from the Dons in stoppage time. Hearts fans will rightly wonder how they lost it.

There can be no let-up now. Infantino must stand down or be removed: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

There can be no letup. Humiliated Infantino must stand down at Fifa or be removed | Nick Ames

Uefa’s decisive call for a boycott and declaration of no confidence must be the opening salvos in a concerted push to dethrone the game’s global leader

theguardian.com

Norway’s Lise Klaveness says it clearly. FIFA as a whole must change & the moment must be used to change it. Certainly the incumbent president is not fit for office but if removing him is the only thing that happens, we‘ll be back here again in a few years saying the same things.

l'Équipe - Flux d’actualité@lequipe-actu.bsky.social · 4d ago

La Fédération norvégienne « a perdu confiance en Infantino »

Not sure how to achieve it but as I heard former UEFA general secretary Lars Christer Olsson say, FIFA would be better served devolving the role of president. Make it a rotating presidency amongst all 6 confederations. Otherwise danger from the next monster looms.

If you think old fashioned good journalism is unimportant in holding the powerful to account, just consider @martynziegler.bsky.social‘s hefty role in the events of the last couple of days. 👏

Returning to 🇩🇪 soon for the start of another season is heartwarming right now. Taking the first week of the 2. Bundesliga off as part of post World Cup break. But then back into it on the 15th & we have the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup, BVB-Bayern the following week.

Here is the Kicker front cover. “The Treble Dream.” “Kompany & his Bayern team properly get cracking. In the end it should be 3 titles.”

Bayern sporting CEO Max Eberl on the Infantino proposal (in multiple parts) “I find it shameful & I’m ashamed we‘re discussing such thoughts. Football doesn’t belong to us - it’s a game. FIFA is there to accompany this game, to regulate it, to organise world championships.“

Enough statements, enough words, enough "careful consideration", enough private disgust. It's time for UEFA and Europe to take action against what FIFA and Infantino are doing to football: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Uefa has to show backbone: concrete action can make Fifa’s World Cup plans untenable | Nick Ames

European football has shown an increased willingness to talk tough with Fifa but words can only be wielded so many times

theguardian.com

Often get accused - along with others who work predominantly in Germany - of being overly defensive of the tenets of German ⚽️ that make it what it is, wider extension of community. But we can never take it for granted when bad actors acting in pure self interest abound.

The Guardian@theguardian.com · last wk.

Fifa accused of ‘selling the soul of football’ over $20bn plan to sell World Cup commercial rights

The Monday edition of Kicker goes with „Schwarz, Rot, Klopp“ (instead of Schwarz, Rot, Gold - black, red & gold - the national team colours.) “All in - and with immense authority. The new Bundestrainer is to give back to an entire country the joy in its national team.“

Today‘s Kicker has “The Mammoth Project.” “On the look out for key players. This is how HSV is rebuilding. Why Polzin’s new contract is so important before it all starts.”

With all the World Cup commitments haven‘t had a chance to mention my home city club Aberdeen who’ve been busy in the window. Particularly like Marius Müller who’s a leader in addition to being an ideal modern keeper. And Alexander Briedl, a natural re pressing/counter pressing.

Spontaneously decided to go & watch the Boston Red Sox tomorrow afternoon after their game tonight was rained off. Have to enjoy holiday time in Massachusetts when we can before the new Bundesliga season in Germany begins again.

Additional Mika Baur thoughts. Covering Paderborn last season it was clear Baur was among their best players & their playoff win vs. Wolfsburg doubtless increased his value. Step up in expectations from a provincial club but this is a market Celtic should shop in.

Mika Baur: - key figure in Paderborn promotion - central midfielder & strong with both feet, works socks off too - can play deep or higher. Vision & good knowledge of pressing moments - set piece deliveries - first taste of Ger U21s last Nov.

coupe des clubs champions europeens ⭐67🍀@henkesdreadlocks.bsky.social · 2w ago

@raecomm.bsky.social Hi Derek, can you shed some light on Mika Baur? Much appreciated.

I will never understand why anyone would have so much hatred in their soul to take to social media to express annoyance that Scots were so popular during the World Cup. Isn’t life meant to be about moments of joy, making friends? Makes the world go round far more than who wins or loses a ⚽️ match.

In the final analysis the soft power winners of the World Cup were…..my country, Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Everything to do with the Tartan Army & the perfect match with Boston/Providence/New England. Authentic ties for the future that politicians could never forge.

RIP to one of football’s greats. Fondly remembered at all his former stops including of course Hamburg. #HSV An immensely pleasant man to work with too. There’s only one Kevin Keegan. 🙏

Scotland hold the unwanted record for World Cup appearances without reaching the knockout stages. 9 different managers, all Scots, have failed. Time for an international ⚽️ tournament specialist who by definition would not be the next former Scotland intl waiting for his turn.

Lucky enough to have worked at every World Cup since 1990 & watched every one since 1974. After all of them, I’ve heard that the tournament just finished is the best ever (or conversely the worst ever!) Generally a good idea to wait a bit before judging.