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BTL’s Championship Team of the Decade
GK: Kasper Schmeichel Kasper Schmeichel is undoubtedly one of the best Championship goalkeepers of the past decade. His career got off to a slow start as he struggled for game time at Manchester City and had to move to Notts County, in League Two, to play regularly. Schmeichel did well at Notts and earned…
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Austria’s 1978 Odyssey: Chapter 3 – The Miracle of Córdoba
The second group stage ratcheted the step up in opponents for Austria. Group A was an all European affair, as the Austrians faced Italy, the Netherlands and West Germany. Only the winners of the group would progress to the World Cup final and finishing second meant a trip to the 3rd place playoff. There was…
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Austria’s 1978 Odyssey: Chapter 2 – Delightful Shocks
It took just nine minutes for the deadlock to be broken in Austria’s opening World Cup fixture against Spain in Buenos Aires. Centre back Bruno Pezzey’s anticipation helped quickly snuff out a pass that was intended for Spain’s full back Antonio De La Cruz. Pezzey then sprayed the ball to Walter Schachner near the touchline…
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Austria’s 1978 Odyssey: Chapter 1 – Road to Argentina
Austrian football has a rich history that goes back decades – from the Wunderteam of the 1930s to finishing third at the 1954 World Cup. Yet the 1978 World Cup in Argentina is fondly etched into the hearts of Austrian fans – a last hurrah where they made their mark on the world stage. Their…
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When Batistuta and Hagi played in Serie B
Going into the new season of European football in 1992-1993, the Serie A was undoubtedly the strongest league in the world. Full stadiums, fantastic math-ups, clubs dominating their rivals on the continent and squads full of most of the best players in the world. It was not just the traditional “Big 3” of Inter, Juve & Milan that…
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The Story of Birmingham City’s Decade
It seems like every region in the U.K. has their own soap opera. London has Eastenders, Manchester has Coronation Street, Yorkshire has Emmerdale and Birmingham has Birmingham City Football Club. In the past 10 years, there has been more drama, shocks and surprises at the club than any TV producer could have wished for. From…
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Why this month’s Clásico is in jeopardy
With just over a week remaining until one of the biggest match-ups in world football, it has become uncertain if the clash will forgo as planned due to political reasons. The lowdown The Barcelona-Real Madrid game was set to take place on Saturday 26th at 1pm Spanish time, but serious questions have been raised due to the possible altercations…
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Heartbreak And Joy – The Knockout Stages: Chile’s 1962 World Cup: Part 3
When hosts Chile were drawn against the Soviet Union, their quarter final opponents were seen as the favourites. They had several star players, starting with the legendary Lev Yashin in goal. Nicknamed the Black Spider for wearing black in matches, Yashin was a player with an excellent reputation, helping the Soviets win the 1960 European…
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From Cruyff to Ten Hag: Ajax’s rich coaching history
As Ajax players and fans were celebrating the double on 16th of May, they were also thinking about the same thing. “We could be in the Champions League final.” Ajax were counting down the seconds for the final whistle on 8th May but Lucas Moura’s last minute goal changed the buyer of the Champions League…
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Blood and Thunder: Chile’s 1962 World Cup: Part 2
There was a sense of hope rather than expectation among Chileans when it came to the national team’s chances in the 1962 World Cup. La Roja had been managed by Fernando Riera since 1958 and the 42 year old was relatively new to management. He had been appointed manager of Portuguese club Belenenses shortly after…
