Global Cool » England

SPORT IN PUBLIC: On the bus with vintage Spurs, not-so-vintage Torres and the greatest boxer ever

Global Cool — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:02:32 +0000

Welcome to our weekly round-up of sporting clips. Like Sir Alex Ferguson on a scouting mission, we’ve carefully handpicked these videos to ensure success. Our aim is to get you out of the car and going to sporting events on public transport. All you have to do is leave the car keys at home, fire up your internet enabled devise and kick back on the bus and train while these clips keep you entertained…

It’s hardly been a vintage week for football stories. Even the transfer window is proving something of a damp squib, unless the prospect of Christopher Samba fleeing the sinking ship at Blackburn quicker than the captain of the Costa Concordia, erm, floats your boat. Clearly the sight of last January’s big transfers – Fernando Torres and Andy Carroll – sinking faster than said cruise ship has put many managers off. This is pretty much the level of disdain we’re talking about…

It’s been such a slow footballing week that we were forced to search outside the beautiful game for our sporting entertainment (well, the feature is called SPORT In Public, after all). Boxing legend Muhammad Ali turned 70, so what better excuse to relive some of his greatest moments…

Perhaps Andy Murray can restore some national pride at the Australian Open. To be honest, we’re not massive tennis fans but we do always enjoy watching these crazy tennis shots…

Back in the world of football there is only one question on everyone’s lips. No, it’s not will Anton Ferdinand reprise Wayne Bridge’s handshake diss to John Terry when QPR meet Chelsea in the round of the FA Cup. It’s can Spurs really win the Premier League? (Excuse us a moment while we roll around on the floor urinating in our underpants)…. I mean we all know that Spurs love it when the year ends in 1, right? And as it’s now 2012, they might have to console themselves with a reminder of past glories rather than imminent future ones…

Still, judging by Arsenal’s latest capitulation at the hands of Swansea, at least Spurs are unlikely to be upstaged by their north London rivals…

Here comes the science bit…

Global Cool wants you to lead a green and happy life. This article can help you to be green by:

1. Using public transport rather than the car to get to whatever sporting event you’re attending. You wouldn’t be able to watch all these videos while you drive, now would you? Plan your journey here.
2. Even better… walk or cycle if it’s convenient.
3. Whatever device you’re using to watch those videos, make sure you only leave it plugged in for as long as it takes to charge, not over night.
4. If you’re more of an arm chair fan make sure you turn the TV fully off after the action has finished. Standby is for losers.

Pic: PA Images

SPORT IN PUBLIC: On the buses with some dirty tackle (and we’re not just talking about Wayne Rooney)

steve — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:33:58 +0000

By Stephen Ferdinando

Hurray! England have qualified for Euro 2012 – all they need to do now is make sure they don’t follow in the footsteps of our rugby players. With Wayne Rooney in the squad that shouldn’t be too much of a problem!

We hope you’re looking forward to a full weekend of football – we are – and we hope you’re supporting your local team! What’ll really make us love you though is if you’re Doing It In Public on the way. If so, then you’ve got all these things to treat yourself with, if not, well, you’re kinda missing out…

Clips
We know your mothers shouted at your for sitting too close to the telly, but we urged you to shift just a fraction closer and check out our videos. First up – we know Rooney’s kick was bad, but compared to these…

But for every tackle there’s a dive…

Apps
Time is yours when you’re sat on that bus, and even though Blackberry may be as reliable as a carrier pigeon, we’re sure you’ll find a way to use this app. It’s called My Madrid, and even if you’re not a fan of the Spanish club, that shouldn’t deter you from this glorious app. It’s a fantastic example of how all great football apps should be. Two of its features that spring to mind are online ticket buying and 3D goal animations; come on, don’t pretend you’re not impressed.

Twitter
Whenever we doubt the benefit of this modern age we live in we just need to turn to Twitter to remind us of its majesty. More importantly, if we ever forget why we’re taking the bus to the game on a Saturday morning, scrolling down the Twitter feed irradiates those thoughts. This week we ask you to check out Best Football Goals. These guys are so much more than they appear, posting not only great goals, but a wealth of other great videos too.

Books
Finally this week we bring you a book in which you can bury yourself on the way to a match. Personally, I find there’s nothing better than learning all about the hidden side of football, something you can’t do while driving! Now this fella may have tried to defend Rooney – which perhaps was a bit stupid – but not one can deny the genius of Alex Ferguson. You now have the privilege of reading his official story from his time with Manchester United. Bathe is the highs and lows of one of footballs most successful characters.

Get in touch and let us know what you’re thinking via twitter or the comments section below…

SPORT IN PUBLIC: On the buses with frankly anything that can help you avoid watching another England match

steve — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:42:00 +0000

By Stephen Ferdinando

It’s been an ugly week in the world of football, with Emmanuel Adebayor on the receiving end of some appalling behaviour from Arsenal fans and Arsene Wenger refusing to shake Spurs’ coach Clive Allen’s hand. Perhaps for the best then that the Premier League is having a rest to let Fabio Capello’s England, er, thrill us yet again against Montenegro.

If you’re off to watch the not-s0-beautiful game elsewhere this weekend you’ll be finding yourselves in a Wenger-style stand off with us if you’re not Doing It In Public on the way . And to make sure we win you over we’ve searched the world wide web to bring you a wealth of treats…

Clips
We figure the best way to kick things off is by easing you in gently with a few vids. There is something about a good football clip that just makes you want to show everyone you meet it. This header from the halfway line is just that.

And this is something we used to be able to do, before the injury…

Twitter
Whilst Twitter can be a tool for unequivocal evil, it is occasionally used for good. After the news about Tom Bender’s injury Twitter saw a tidal wave of get well soon messages pouring into his page. Lovely. If you’re interested in non-evil twitter pages then check out SportInPublic – our very own sports feed. And on top of that, check out The Football Rambler, those guys literally cannot stop updating (but in a good way).With apt discussions and a sharp wit they really are worth their weight in gold.

Apps
We are going crazy for FotMob – it feels like we’ve been waiting our whole lives for it. We know that you guys love your international football as much as you love your British, which is just one of the reasons this little gem is so handy. At the touch of a button you have coverage of MLS, Premier League, Ligue 1 La Liga, Mexican league, 1,2&3 Bundesliga, SPL and most other football leagues! If that isn’t enough – well then you’re just getting greedy.

Books/articles
In keeping with the serious (ish) tone of today’s article, we’re going to encourage you all to read A Life Too Short by Ronald Reng - the biography of the late Robert Enke. But if you’re still hating on Tevez, as most people are, then check of the Tevez A-Z to get you giggling. The money mad among you might also like to check out the Football Rich List, which details how much the 100 richest people in football are worth.

Let us know what you’re thinking via the Twitter page or the comments section below…

SPORT IN PUBLIC: On the buses with Denis Law, Plan B and the worst thing to happen to music since Chris Waddle’s mullet

steve — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 08:27:45 +0000

By Stephen Ferdinando

Well, we may have abandoned Premiership football last weekend, but we’ll let them off considering our 3-0 victory over Bulgaria (except you, Frank Lampard) and another win over Wales. This weekend sees a return to routine that can’t come quick enough (seriously, did you see the Walezzzzz game?). Man City are taking on Wigan, Arsenal battle with Swansea and Spurs play Wolves in a fight for much-needed points.

We know there’s nothing more satisfying than screaming “Ref! You idiot” from the stands, which is why we love encouraging you to go and support your local teams. There’s only one thing we implore – that you Do It In Public on the way. There’s a wealth of things you’ll be missing out on if you’re driving, and here at Global Cool we’ve collected just a few of them…

Clips
Here’s your video starter for 10, including some wonder goals, some more wonder goals (this time from England – yes there have been some!), the worst penalty you’ve ever seen and former Villa and Man United legend Paul McGrath in the worst football/music crossover since Hoddle and Waddle (truly bizarre)…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCbwXqoJGuo

Twitter
If you’re not already, make sure you follow our new Global Cool Sports Twitter SportInPublic. It’s literally the best thing ever. In fact we heard a rumour that they were going to replace Sky Sports News with a screen shot of the feed (but as we started that rumour it may hold little validity). Once you’ve started following (and only once you’ve started) check our Twitter Tip for this week – Waatpies. My God these guys know what they’re talking about; they make Chris Kamara look like Alex Reid.

Books/Articles
Now we know that papercuts can be dangerous, but we’re fairly confident that the roads are riskier. That’s why we have a Read Of The Week, so that you know the best soccer literature to indulge in while Doing It In Public. This week – it’s footballing vetern Denis Law’s autobiography My Life In Football. The ex-Manchester United star and Scottish hero releases his memoirs next month, and there’s guaranteed to be some excellent tales enclosed. If the hard back doesn’t tickle your fancy though, here’s a little collection of The Funniest Sports Signs for you to scroll through.

Apps/Games
Our App this week is so good there’s a chance you’ll get so engrossed to whiz straight past your stop! When stuck with the gruelling decision between whether we want to post an app or a game the Global Cool office normally ends in a violent brawl, so to avoid any drama we’ve gone with a fusion of the two. Football Manager 2011 is probably the most addictive thing since Snake first appeared on those Nokias many moons ago. Plan B recently revealed a secret addiction to Championship manager, and considering this is made by the same team I think we’re onto a winner.

Let us know what you think on twitter @SportInPublic or via the comment box below…

SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND: On the buses with some vintage Sven and a 31-goal thriller!

steve — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 08:18:40 +0000

By Stephen Ferdinando

Well, there’s no time more exciting than the last week of the transfer market. We don’t know about you, but we’re still catching our breath! Is your team doomed to stagnate or have they been injected with a new lease of life? Only time will tell. And time is what you’ve got (when you’re Doing It In Public)!

We’re so proud of what we’ve got for you this week we almost want to keep it all for ourselves. But damn it, at Global Cool we’re here to serve you, and that’s why you’re the luckiest readers in the world. There are no Premier League or Championship matches this weekend because of the international games but, hey why not use that as an opportunity to get out and support a lower league team? Here’s a whole Arsenal – whey! – of things for you to do while you get to the game on the train or bus…

Apps
The transfer window may have slammed shut now, but let’s face it, it won’t be long before the rumours about who’ll be on the move in January get going. If you can’t wait that long and are already having withdrawal symptoms, get your hands (or thumbs) on Football Rumours & Transfers by BrightAl. Get breaking transfer news for all the European clubs as and when it happens and you can even chat to other fans. Using this will be a lot easier than shouting to fans from your car window, which is what you’ll be doing if you’re not on public transport.

Books & Articles
With the transfer window closed, there’s no better time to indulge in Sky Sports‘ Football Yearbook 2011-2012 – or the bible as we like to call it. It’s out now in its 42nd Edition and there’s nothing more apt to read on the way to the game. But as if that wasn’t enough, you can also check out the Independent’s List of the Worst Excuses In Sport. Arsene Wenger is pretty renowned for defending his team to the bitter end, but some of these sporting excuses really take the biscuit.

Twitter
There’s no better source than Twitter to find out what you’re favourite footballer is having for breakfast, but it’s also a pretty good resource for all the latest transfer rumours and the hottest gossip. And who’s more in the know than the agents, eh? Well, Peter Morrison is our tweeting tip this week as his Twitter page is a footballing gold mine! You can find him @FootballAgentPM. Also check out @FootballAgent46 – another fountain of knowledge. You’re spotlit for choice, but remember you can only follow if your eyes are glued to your phones, and not the road.

Clips
To celebrate (sorry Arsenal and Tottenham fans) last weekend’s goal-fest here are some other very one-sided games for you to enjoy on the train/bus, including a classic England from the Sven Goran Eriksson game that celebrated its 10th anniversary this week. Let’s hope Fabio Capello’s England can do something similar against Bulgaria…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8ylCyMaajc

Thoughts? Tell us in the comments box below…

SPORT IN PUBLIC: On the bus with Gary Neville, Arsene Wenger and a mad man on a scooter

steve — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 09:03:39 +0000

By Stephen Ferdinando

Where does the time go? It’s already week three of the Premier League season and we’ve had enough drama to fill an entire season! Arsene Wenger has taken centre pitch this week with half his squad deserting him and a morale-shattering defeat to Liverpool. You’re probably asking the same question as us – will Wenger ever buy anymore players?

Well, you’re not going to find the answer sat at home! (unless you’re glued to your armchair watching Soccer Saturday, in which case make sure you check out our tips for a couch potato football fan). There’s only one thing better than tucking into a piping hot meat and potato pie whilst cheering your local team on from the stands - and that’s by Doing It In Public on the way, so here’s our pick of stuff from the world of sport to keep you entertained on the bus/train this weekend…

Twitter
Mick McCarthy may hate it but, by Jove, we love it – and we know you do too! This week, as always, Twitter has provided us with a plethora of rumours and gossip. There’s no better source than Spanish football expert Guillem Balague – who regularly tweets his transfer market predictions. If you’re a tweeter yourself and tear your hair out over the fact that nobody shares your views, stress no more! Just Tweet It lets you search for people with the same preferences as you. Of course, you’ll be missing out on all this if you’re sitting in traffic on your way to the game.

Books/Articles
Recent Manchester United retiree (and friend of Global Cool) Gary Neville will release Red: My Autobiography on September 1. Neville has been at the heart of United’s glory years, as well as serving under seven – seven! - England managers. You know it’s going to be brutal, honest, and full of moaning, and we wouldn’t want it any other way. But if you find Mr Neville more irritating than inspirational then load up those iPhones and Blackberrys and check out The Independent’s list of the best (and worst) nicknames in the beautiful game.

Apps/Games
This week it’s Football Kicks that’s our favourite. If you ever find yourself screaming “how did you miss that?! I could’ve scored it with my eyes shut!” then it’s time to put your money (all 59p of it) where your mouth is. Football Kicks lets you perfect your shots at goal – the perfect pass-time for when you’re travelling to the match.

Clips
If you’ve Red (see what we did there) Gary’s book, mastered Football Kicks, and scoured the tweets of every footballer this side of the Atlantic, then don’t despair. Check out these clips to get you in the footballing mood – trust us, watching these is much better than watching the road! Firstly, whilst Wenger may be getting stick at the moment, he’s done pretty well so far, so here’s a little video to remember the good times…

And if you only ever thought that beach football was to be played with your siblings while holidaying in Cornwall, think again, as these experts show us their skills in the sand…

And finally, here’s the man you need on your team when the ref has a stinker…

Love football? Love Doing It In Public? Let us know in the comment box below…

How to share a bus ride with Joey Barton, Michael Owen and Mario Balotelli

Global Cool — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 09:04:38 +0000

So, after weeks of having to endure Saturdays filled with nothing but walks in the park and shopping trips with the other half, the Premier League football season has finally returned.

If your football viewing could be sponsored by DFS due to the amount of time you spend watching it from the armchair then you might want to check out some of our tips for watching sport the green way. But for the proper football fans amongst you, ie the ones who actually get off their arse and support their teams in the flesh whatever the weather, we reckon you’ll have a much better time getting to games via public transport rather than having to concentrate on the road by driving, when all you really want to do is escape from the woes of yet another defeat, or have a few beers to celebrate a win.

Public transport will also give you loads of time to catch up on your football geekery. With this in mind, here are some tips to help you Do It In Public for the kick-off of the Premier League season this weekend…

Twitter
It seems that this was the summer footballers caught the Twitter bug, with Rio Ferdinand leading the charge. Our favourite tweeters, though, have to be Michael Owen, who is so mundane it’s actually amusing to read, and Joey Barton, whose tweets are so schizophrenic – quoting Nietzsche one minute and kicking off with journalists and his own club the next – that he makes Gazza look like the kind of bloke you’d want to babysit your kids on a Saturday night. It’s must read stuff on the way to the match, and you can’t do that while you’re holding a steering wheel.

Books
For those who prefer their matchday entertainment a little more traditional we’d thoroughly recommend I’m Not Really Here, the harrowing tale of former Manchester City captain Paul Lake, whose promising career – he was earmarked as a future England captain – was cruelly ended at the age of just 27 after a succession of injuries. One to get well and truly lost in on the train/bus as you get over another disappointing start to the season (not that we’re wishing that on you but, you know, we’ve all been there).

Magazines/Apps
Those travelling to games will no longer be able to read the News of the World but that’s no great loss, right? Who reads dead trees now anyway?! If you’ve got an iPad why not check out Four Four Two’s new digital edition? As well having loads of news and features on it, it’s also got a photo of Dennis Bergkamp doing what looks like his filing to entice you in.

Videos
If watching your team is about as far from watching Brazil as it’s possible to get, here are some better examples of the beautiful game (oh, and Mario Balotelli) to keep you entertained on the train and bus…

Mario Balotelli makes a plonker of himself in pre-season:

Sergio Aguero shows what Manchester City fans can look forward to this season:

And something for Chelsea fans to look forward to, assuming Romelu Lukaku eventually puts ink on paper:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlXMxtMiqIM

Have a great weekend of sport and tell us your views in the comments below…

TV Turn-Off Of The Week: The ugly side of football (and it has nothing to do with Wayne Rooney’s penchant for ladies of the night)

Global Cool — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:46:54 +0000

Turning your TV completely off rather than leaving it on standby might be a pain in the arse (given that you have to actually get up out of your chair to do it), but it will save you loads of cash and help preserve your TV for longer. As a gentle reminder not to leave your TV on stand by we bring you TV turn-off of the week: A TV lowlight that proves that sometimes the only way is not Essex… it’s the OFF button…

Now, we’re looking forward to the new football season (riots permitting) as much as the next man, woman or child, but last weekend’s Community Shield game between Manchester United and Manchester City at Wembley provided an unwelcome reminder of the uglier side of the game.

No, we’re not talking about randy players, petty on-field behaviour or hooliganism in the stands. We’re talking about ITV’s football coverage. Those fans who are rich enough to afford to put satellite dishes on the sides of their houses will have watched the game live on Sky, but us paupers (and the Rupert Murdoch haters) had to endure ITV’s highlights, which, as per usual, was about as world class as Wayne Rooney’s taste in ladies of the night.

From the geniuses who brought you a car advert during England’s first goal of the 2010 World Cup (and let’s face it, there weren’t many to enjoy) came the usual procession of lightweight pundits (Jim Beglin), sycophantic commentators (Peter Drury) and no-mark presenters (Angus Scott – seriously, is Adrian Chiles still rubbing in the factor 50?).

Another great reason to turn your TV completely off!

What do you think about ITV’s football coverage? Tell us you love Peter Drury in the comments below and we’ll tell you that you’re wrong…

Help make England the greatest nation on earth (now there’s a headline you didn’t think you’d read this week)

emily — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 16:34:35 +0000

In a week when the nation’s morons have decided to host their own twisted version of a jamboree it seems a little strange to be anticipating a potential outbreak of national pride. Indeed, it’s not often our sportsmen give us reasons to celebrate being English (sorry Scottish readers, you’ll have to bear with us for a jingoistic moment) but England’s cricketers are about to buck that trend by becoming the top ranked team in the world if they beat India in the Test match that started at Edgbaston today. And they’ve already got the upper hand…

So, sports fans, what better time for us to give you some green tips for watching sport? We reckon you’ll be, er, bowled over (seriously, how the hell we’ve made it this far in this article without resorting to “hit for six” or “stumped” or any other cricketing cliches, we’ll never know!)…

Pick up a Sony Bravia Eco TV to really green up your cricket viewing. Compared to previous LCD TV models from Sony, this TV uses 50% less power- saving energy and (more importantly) your hard-earned cash. It’s a Full HD 1080p LCD TV with four HDMI sockets, 100Hz processing and the ability to dim its backlight. The picture is just as good, if not better than it’s non-eco competitors.

We all know that sport on TV is an excuse to grab a pint and sit around all day. Get yourself a couple of chilled bottles of Adnams East Green beer. Brewed in Suffolk,this beer is crisp and inescapably refreshing. It is light golden with subtle citrus a little kick of bitterness. It is also brewed with locally sourced barley.

No TV sit in would be complete without some snacks. Suma’s organic popcorn is available from Ethical Superstore for only £1.89 (500g). If you’re making homemade popcorn you could use organic butter or oil too.

If you’re going to Edgbaston to cheer Andrew Strauss’ boys on, make sure you Do It in Public on the train with some fares as cheap as £15. The nearest station is Birmingham New Street. You can find all the times and prices here and we’ve got loads of stuff to keep you entertained too.

Tried any of these? Let us know in the comments…

Tattoo are ya? I’m a wannabe Premier League footballer…

emily — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 10:18:50 +0000

By Emily Rycroft

Think ‘Premier League footballer’ these days and the first thing that comes to mind is… well, swearing down TV cameras and sleeping with elderly hookers probably. But after that, tattoos have become the must-have accessory for our soccer heroes.

Aston Villa and England star Darren Bent is another footballer/celebrity to jump on the tattoo bandwagon, as he recently told Loaded magazine: ”When I got the first one done, it was very painful, and then as soon as I was out of the shop I’d be like ‘I want another one now.’ So I don’t know if it’s addictive or what but I just seem to always want more.”

We love a bit of adornment, but the inks used for tattooing are not only bad for the earth, they can also be harmful to you too. Red is the most likely colour to cause an allergic reaction, but luckily blues, purples, greens and blacks are relatively safe. Aftercare is one of the most important parts of the tattooing process and thanks to Dr Bronner, there are organic alternatives to the healing balms.

Bent also told FourFourTwo about the worst tattoos he has seen: “So many players have them now, there are a lot of bad ones pick to from. But the worst one I’ve seen was on a friend of mine. He’s got a big crown tattooed on his neck. I was there when he was getting it done and I just remember thinking ‘why are you getting it done?!’ He’s also got one of a guy pointing a gun on his arm. They’re the worst ones I’ve seen.”

Our response? Why run the risk of ending up with something terrible and permanent. One of the safest (and greenest) tattooing methods is henna. It’s made from plant leaves and lemon juice and can easily be removed just in case that ‘Mrs. C’ tattoo no longer applies…

Do you have a green tattoo story? Tell us about it in the comments box below or on Twitter @global_cool…