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Covid-19 update Tuesday March 17th
Good morning from the UK. Happy St Patricks day. It'll be a woeful one for many Irish people around the world with pubs and bars shut in multiple US states, several European countries, several Asian countries and worst of all, Ireland itself. Here in the UK you can still go to the pub, although as of late yesterday afternoon the UK government advised against it says the BBC. Virus statistics Several comments from redditors in past days complained the WHO stats I C&P'd did not come very close to reflecting stats being quoted by national media wherever they lived. As a result, I'm abandoning the WHO stats and going back to the John Hopkins University tracker stats for all countries. If it's good enough for the likes of Forbes, Business Insider, FT, USA Today to regularly cite it then it's good enough for me:-
Region
Today (John Hopkins Stats at time of writing)
Yesterday (John Hopkins stats not the WHO's)
% daily change
Global
182,424
169,387
+7.7%
China
81,053
81,020
+0.4%
Italy
27,980
24,747
+13.1%
Iran
14,991
13,938
+7.6%
Spain
9,942
7,844
+26.7%
South Korea
8,320
8,162
+1.9%
Germany
7,272
5,813
+25.1%
France
6,655
5,437
+22.4%
USA
4,661
3,774
+23.5%
Switzerland
2,330
2,200
+5.9%
UK
1,553
1,395
+11.3%
Netherlands
1,414
1,136
+24.5%
Norway
1,347
1,256
+7.2%
Sweden
1,121
1,032
+8.6%
Belgium
1,058
886
+19.4%
Austria
1,018
860
18.4%
All other countries with under 1000 identified infections not listed (sorry Denmark), yesterday's threshold was 750. Total countries infected worldwide = 155, an increase from yesterday of 9. Source for all countries (as discussed above): the John Hopkins University dashboard (Link). (Personal note: Western countries infection counts are increasing each day much faster than Asian countries but that may be due to cultural differences or it may be that they're doing my testing, if anyone can shed light on this please do). Reminder, these are identified case counts and medical experts are reporting this virus has a long incubation period with people being infections despite displaying no symptoms; the true infection figures are likely to be much higher. Note that some countries are reporting shortages of test kits which further skews the data available; assume true cases are much higher. Finally, no, I don't believe China's official statistics either. Selected Virus news Warnings of shortages of regeants (ingredients) to make test kits in the US - the Fool (a high quality finance website despite the name) reports that FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn stated last week in testimony before a U.S. House of Representatives appropriations subcommittee that there could be supply chain issues with reagents needed for novel coronavirus diagnostic kits. He noted that the supply issues specifically apply to RNA used in testing for coronavirus disease COVID-19. Shortages in US supermarkets likely to continue until panic buying eases - The LA Times says that shortages will continue until people calm down in their shopping habits. The major chains usually get shipments overnight, or perhaps twice a day, to restock essentials such as paper towels, toilet paper and water, but “manufacturers in some cases are having trouble keeping up, and that’s where the void is, they’re not able to keep up with demand,” said Bob Reeves, vice president for the West at the Shelby Report, a research firm that tracks the grocery industry. “We’re seeing shipments coming into the stores sometimes without any of those products, and it will be like that until people calm down a little bit,” he said. In some cases, chains are sending their delivery trucks directly to manufacturers — bypassing warehouses and distributors — to get the items to the stores faster. (Personal note: the same applies for all supermarket supply chains globally) Pa. hospitals are rationing protective gear as the number of coronavirus cases grows -(Personal note, this is an example, there seems to be a general global shortage of medical PPE (personal protective equipment) - The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that hospitals across Pennsylvania are drastically limiting the use of key protective gear out of fears that a dramatic increase in coronavirus cases could diminish reserves and cause a dangerous shortage. The rationing comes as the state Department of Health maintains that it has personal protective equipment available and is working with health systems to make sure they have what they need. The gear includes eye protection, gowns, and N95 respirators, which are essential in preventing a health care worker from breathing in infectious particles when in close contact with someone who has COVID-19. In Philadelphia, two doctors who work at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania said it’s barring the use of N95 respirators “except in extraordinarily limited situations.” Penn Medicine declined to comment. Another city doctor, Daphne Owen, said in a tweet Thursday her clinic “for uninsured and undocumented patients” was out of masks. Two days later, the clinic, Puentes de Salud, said it was closed due to the pandemic. Other Virus news in brief - The Scottish courts and tribunals announced today that no new criminal jury trials would be commenced or new juries empanelled until further notice. - Iran has temporarily freed a total of 85,000 prisoners, including political prisoners, a spokesman for its judiciary said on Tuesday, adding that the prisons were responding to the threat of a coronavirus epidemic in jails. - Britain had “no time to lose” in changing tactics in order to prevent thousands of deaths and the NHS being overwhelmed, scientists providing guidance to the UK government have said. The Imperial College Covid-19 response team – which is one of several scientific teams advising UK ministers – published a paper (I've put it in the addendum below) showing that 250,000 people could die if efforts were focused only on delaying and slowing down the spread of Covid-19.Separately, England’s deputy chief medical officer, Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, could not rule out the strict measures having to last for a year but predicted they would last at least “several months“. - Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs has advised Australians to return home as soon as possible by commercial means because overseas travel is becoming “more complex and difficult” as countries impose travel restrictions and close their borders. - Leaders of EU states were expected on Tuesday to suspend all travel into the passport-free Schengen zone by non-EU nationals for at least 30 days in a bid to instil uniformity across the bloc after some member states, including Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland, unilaterally began imposing border checks. - China has issued an angry reaction (by diplomatic standards) to the US president Donald Trump’s characterisation of the disease as “the Chinese virus.” (he tweeted late last night "The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!"). China’s foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the US president should take care of his own matters first and not seek to “stigmatise” China. - The postponement of soccer’s Euro 2020 Championship may already have been decided after Uefa last week cancelled its hotel bookings in Copenhagen. - The UK just advised its citizens against all non essential travel worldwide in the past 10 minutes - Mobile phone networks are struggling in some areas of the UK with significantly increased demands according to down detector. For sure a lot of people seem to be home working, my commute in this morning was like it was the middle of August and everyone else was on holiday. - Alitalia, the Italian airline flag carrier is to be renationalised by Italy - Cinema chains are closing in multiple countries due to shutdowns - Kazakhstan is closing down its two largest cities (despite only having 32 cases so far) - A preliminary calculation by a US expert suggests that tens of thousands of premature deaths from air pollution may have been avoided by the cleaner air in China, far higher than the 3,208 coronavirus deaths. - Jordan: the army has said it will deploy at entrances and exits of main cities in the kingdom in a move officials said was ahead of an imminent announcement of a state of emergency to combat the spread of coronavirus. - In a joint statement, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Reddit and YouTube said they would help ensure people could stay connected to each other during isolation as well as fight any misinformation and fraud linked to the outbreak. “We are working closely together on Covid-19 response efforts,” the statement said. “We’re helping millions of people stay connected while also jointly combating fraud and misinformation about the virus, elevating authoritative content on our platforms, and sharing critical updates in co-ordination with government healthcare agencies around the world. - Almost all Germans shops are about to close by government decree; supermarkets, pharmacies will remain open (including on Sundays when they are usually closed). Separately, government press briefings there have gone online only. - Olympic organisers in Japan are asking people not to create crowds along the route of the Olympic torch relay and not to gather near the route if they feel sick. A Boeing aircraft flew to Greece on 15 March to bring the torch to Japan. - France: No movement allowed except for essential work or health reasons. “There can be no more outside meetings, no more seeing family or friends on the street or in the park. We must slow the spread of this virus by limiting the number of people we are in contact with each day to the strict minimum. If we do not, we endanger the lives of those we hold dear.” said the French President Macron. - Israel’s government has approved emergency measures to track people suspected or confirmed to have been infected with the coronavirus by monitoring their mobile phones, immediately raising privacy concerns in the country. The cabinet unanimously approved the use of the technology, developed initially for counter-terrorism purposes, in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel said providing the country’s internal security agency, the Shin Bet, with new secretive powers was a “dangerous precedent and a slippery slope that must be approached and resolved after much debate and not after a brief discussion”. - Indonesian president Joko Widodo said on Saturday that he had withheld some information about cases to prevent the country from panicking, the Jakarta Post reported. He has rejected calls for a lockdown to be imposed on hard hit areas. - Malaysia has announced it's closing its borders prompting neighbouring Singapore's citizens to panic buy (90% of their food is imported from Malaysia). - New Zealand on Tuesday deported its first unruly traveller flouting the country’s mandatory 14-day self-isolation rule for almost all arrivals, the health ministry said. The tourist, who had checked into a backpackers hostel in the city of Christchurch, was removed from the accommodation by the police after officials learned she did not have clear self-isolation plans. Economics Goldman Sachs doesn't think the stock market drops have finished - BusinessInsider says that Goldman Sachs thinks that the S&P 500 might plunge as low as 2,000 before recovering through the rest of the year, the investment bank wrote Friday. The level is the benchmark index's lowest since early 2016 and implies a 20% decline from Monday's open. Such a tumble would also place the index more than 40% below its February 19 peak. The coronavirus outbreak is responsible for "unprecedented financial and societal disruption," the analysts said, and equities have so far served as accurate leading indicators before the release of relevant earnings or macroeconomic data. That said, the analysts pointed out that "The lesson of prior event-driven bear markets is that financial devastation ultimately allows a new bull market to be born,". U.S. factories are likely to close because of the coronavirus’ supply-chain shock - Marketwatch reports (link) that there is a very real chance that companies from auto makers to electronics manufacturers will soon begin to cease or limit production. With a downed China as the headstream of global manufacturing, mercantile America simply can’t function as it’s accustomed to. We’re starting to see this happen in official reports: The New York Fed’s Empire State business conditions index, released Monday, plunged by a record 34.4 points to minus 21.5 in March. And Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Sunday he expects a contraction in GDP in the second quarter. (Personal note: I expect similar problems across all G20 countries). The article goes on to explain that many supply chain directors may understand their first tier suppliers but often do not have full visibility of the status of their 2nd or 3rd tier suppliers Supply impact of the coronavirus outbreak is waning, but demand shock will linger, economist says - CNBC says that in January and February, industrial output fell by 13.5% from the same period a year earlier, the weakest reading since January 1990 — when Reuters' record began. China's industrial production is likely to improve in March over a slump in January and February due to the coronavirus outbreak, but consumer demand will take longer to recover both in the country and globally, an economist said Monday. "We will see some recovery, but this recovery, I think, is being undermined by the global spread as well," said Bo Zhuang, chief China economist at TS Lombard. Meanwhile, retail sales in January and February shrank 20.5% from a year ago, compared with a 8% growth in December as fearful consumers avoided crowded places like malls, restaurants and cinemas. "We were worried about supply-side issues, but now it's becoming a demand shock issue," said Zhuang. Smaller outfits like restaurants and service-oriented businesses have "resumed work but there are no customers," said Zhuang. "I think we are going to see a delayed V-shape (recovery), and this V may be a tilted V or W, or even U. We are not sure," he added. Coronavirus Impacts Every Sector of the Supply Chain - Supply and demand chain executive reports that the global supply chain continues to experience disruption. "We have seen that in the way that it’s spreading across into different hubs where we see alternative routes to be overly burdened, such as the rail system,” says Koray Köse of Gartner. “Now with the crisis and the hubs being closed and product movements are still active to some extent, but not necessarily from those regions, will become crowded and impacted. This means that there’s an additional strain on the overall network to move material.” Some products have experienced significant upticks including Chicken noodle soup (+37%), Hand sanitizer (+65%), Disinfecting Wipes: (+353%) and Cold & Flu medications (+197%) amongst others. Coronavirus pandemic worse than 1997 financial crisis, Malaysian ex-PM Mahathir warns - The Strait times reports on Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the former premier who steered Malaysia's recovery from the 1997 Asian financial crisis, expects the current coronavirus pandemic to hit the global economy even harder. "This is worse than the financial crisis," he said in a Bloomberg Television interview. "This is really a terrible blow to the economies of the whole world." Dr Mahathir joins other world leaders in warning that the virus impact may be worse than past periods of upheaval (Personal note: I pointed out yesterday the NZ PM also saying this). Supply chain news relating to Covid-19 For Global Supply Chains the Worst Is Yet to Come - Supply Chain Management review says (Link) that most industrial companies have 30-60 days of parts and raw materials either on hand, in-transit, or obtainable on short notice. After these supplies run out, we will start to see shortages of finished products as well as parts needed to produce other goods. Shortages will start to become more evident toward the end of March and beginning of April. Production in some non-Chinese factories will have to be put on hold for lack of parts. Partially finished products will remain in suspension until all parts are available to build finished products. Some companies are pressing their engineers to redesign parts that can be sourced in the U.S., or at least outside of China. Other companies are giving 3D printing a serious try for the first time. The article goes on to point out delays in sea freight ex-Asia and extremely high airfreighting costs are exacerbating the situation. U.S. Suspends Truck-Driving Limits to Speed Coronavirus Shipments - The Wall Street Journal reports as of 2 days ago that maximum working hours for truck drivers in the US have been suspended. This applies to truck drivers moving emergency supplies such as medical equipment, hand sanitizer and food in response to the nationwide coronavirus outbreak. It comes as hospitals report shortages of medical masks and as retailers and manufacturers are straining under surging demand for everything from hand sanitizer to staples such as toilet paper and rice. As anxious consumers stockpile goods, grocers have turned to rationing, imposing purchase limits on disinfectant wipes, cleaning supplies and other high-demand products. The move is the first time the FMCSA has issued nationwide-wide relief from hours-of-service regulations, although regional declarations have waived those rules in response to disasters such as hurricanes. Federal regulations limit most commercial truck drivers to 11 hours of driving time in a 14-hour workday, restrictions intended to reduce accidents caused by highway fatigue. For supply chain companies, U.S.-Mexico border closures could be catastrophic - Marketplace points out that Mexico’s deputy health minister says he’s worried about people coming into Mexico from the United States; currently the U.S. has far more cases of COVID-19 than Mexico. The Mexican government even said it might consider restricting access at its northern borders. For businesses that operate on both sides of the border, any shutdown could be catastrophic. The article gives a case study of a manfacturer employing 150 people in Texas. The company president says before anyone considers closing the border, President Donald Trump and Mexico’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, should discuss a coordinated response to the virus. As for now, he says all of his people can work from home, if the situation calls for it. Everyone here has a laptop, he said. But he says the independent truck drivers and contractors who work on the loading docks, they have to be on site to run things. Those people also only get paid if they show up for work. So, for now, they’re glad the COVID-19 hasn’t shut this part of Texas down, yet. It won't be long before Coronavirus shuts down local African supply chains - The major Kenyan newspaper daily nation reports that there are imminent difficulties facing Kenyan pharma firms due to the industry importing 70% of its ingredients from India and China, both of whom have restricted exports. Studies show that the Kenyan pharmaceuticals market is worth Sh100 billion ($965m USD), 80 per cent of which is prescription drugs. Although Kenya exports 50 per cent to the COMESA region and 75 per cent to East African Community, most of these exports are re-exports from India and China. European automotive factories shutting down - Ferrari and Lamborghini have both suspended almost all production (says the Express and Star) whilst Yahoo Finance reports that Fiat Chrysler said in a statement on Monday 16 March that it would halt operations at most of its European plants, from now until 27 March because of an “interruption in market demand.” The Italian-American automotive group said the manufacturing stop includes six factories in Italy, the EU country worst hit by coronavirus. Italy has had over 24,700 infection cases so far, and more than 1,800 people have died from the virus. The PSA group, which includes Peugeot, Citroen, and Opel, said today it will close all its European plants, including in the UK, France and Germany for the remainder of the month too. German car giant Volkswagen is also suspending production at a number of manufacturing bases in Europe, including in Slovakia and Spain. VW-owned Seat has shuttered its main factory near Barcelona for at least the rest of the month. Meanwhile, according to the Financial Times, Volkswagen may also be forced to curtail production at the main factory in its home town of Wolfsburg, because of running low on parts. Useful parcel courier current operational status links for anyone else in eCommerce:Canada Post, DHL Express, DPD, Fedex, Parcelforce, USPS. If anyone has any other major courier links for service status, please let us all know :) Good news section Amazon to hire 100,000 more workers and give raises to current staff to deal with coronavirus demands - CNBC says that Amazon is hiring an additional 100,000 employees in the U.S. to meet the surge in demand from online shopping amid the coronavirus outbreak, the company said Monday. The company is looking to add extra full-time and part-time positions for warehouse and delivery workers. Through the end of April, it will raise pay for these employees by $2 per hour in the U.S., £2 per hour in the UK, and approximately €2 per hour in many EU countries. Amazon currently pays $15 per hour or more in some areas of the U.S. for warehouse and delivery jobs. Amazon encouraged employees in other industries whose jobs were "lost or furloughed" as a result of the coronavirus to apply, including members of the hospitality, restaurant and travel industries. "We want those people to know we welcome them on our teams until things return to normal and their past employer is able to bring them back," the company added. Educating in denial older relatives anecdote Personal story time; my 69 year old Aunt is very grumpy because despite me telling her for well over a month, it is finally dawning on her that her dream guided coach bus tour of the West USA national parks in 10 weeks time is rapidly going up in smoke whilst my 75 year old Dad has realised his third cruise of the year (this time around the med) in 5 weeks time is also about to be toast. My Aunt complained on Facebook yesterday that nobody is mentioning the 46,000 people who have recovered from the illness and that "it's just a bit of flu". It isn't, otherwise governments around the world would not be reacting as they are. If you have an elderly relative like mine who relies far too much on social media anecdotes rather than good quality fact based mainstream media, maybe point them at this businessinsider article here where it points out that 1) flu mortality rates are 0.1% vs. Covid-19 is 3.4% and 2) for 70-79 the mortality rate is 8% and for over 80's it's 14.8%. Hopefully they might just realise the seriousness of the situation; my Aunt dismissed it as "a website I've never heard of and won't believe" despite the article clearly citing CDC figures. ---------------- Donations Several asked if they can send me $/£/€ via Patreon (in some cases because I've saved them time or money, others for no reason at all). I don't need the cash (that's lovely though) but food bank charities are getting really hit hard with all this panic buying. Please consider giving whatever you'd have given me to a foodbank charity instead: UK: https://www.trusselltrust.org/ France: https://www.banquealimentaire.org/ Germany: https://www.tafel.de/ Netherlands: https://www.voedselbankennederland.nl/steun-ons/steun-voedselbank-donatie/ Spain: https://www.fesbal.org/ Australia: https://www.foodbank.org.au/ Canada: https://www.foodbankscanada.ca/ USA: https://www.feedingamerica.org/ Thanks in advance for any donations you give. If there's foodbank charities in your country and it's not listed above, please suggest it and I will include it going forward. EDIT: Missed out virus news in brief, added as of 12:45. EDIT 2: Added in the Dutch foodbank link (hat tip siliconfrontier)
The current ‘successful’ era of Honduras football can be pinpointed to the 2007 Gold Cup. Reinaldo Rueda’s first tournament in charge saw him beat Mexico in the group stage, with THAT famous kiss. While Honduras did not win, there was hope again after a disastrous 2006 World cup qualifying campaign, where Honduras didn’t even make the final Hexagonal. Honduras then qualified, with Rueda in charge, to South Africa 2010 (Thank you Bornstein) for the first time since 1982, and then with another Colombian in Luis Suarez, they made it back again in 2014 to Brazil. Both performances at the actual World Cup left a lot to be desired. While losing to France is expected, the final group stage match in 2014 vs Switzerland left a sour taste. For 2018, after a disastrous Hernan Medford UNCAF tournament stint, Honduras turned to Costa Rica’s 2014 miracle worker, Jose Luis Pinto. Pinto then had disappointing showings in the 2015 Gold Cup and qualified to the Hexagonal under a lot of criticism of the team’s play, particularly the defending of crosses. Once in the Hex, despite USA’s destruction of Honduras in San Jose, and despite one defensive mistake after another in late game situations dealing with crosses, Honduras still found themselves in the playoff vs Australia for the 2018 World Cup final spot, by making a spirited comeback vs Mexico in the final hexagonal game, who up to then had not lost in qualifying. The playoff just set the pain back a month though, as Honduras played two very sad games vs Australia, both at home and away, meaning that Honduras would not be the first Central American team to qualify to three World Cups in a row. Now Honduras looks to another foreigner, Fabian Coito, the Uruguayan who has been a long standing disciple of Oscar Tabarez and manager of the Uruguayan U-20s. With only one friendly under his belt, there is a lot to learn on how his teams will approach this Gold Cup.
R. Castillo M. Chirinos A. López A. Elis L. Garrido B. Acosta E. Izaguirre M. Figueroa (C) H. Figueroa B. Beckeles L. López
Players to Watch
Alberth Elis (RW) The Houston Dynamo winger and forward,has been rumoured with moves to Europe the past couple of years. He is pacy but strong, and is a physical mismatch for many fullbacks. His decision making can be an issue. Very unselfish in the box, often to a fault, he will have to become a more decisive finisher for Honduras to make a leap in this Gold Cup. He will be looking for that move to Europe, and there is no better place than at an international tournament. Michaell Chirinos (LW) The small and skillful winger currently playing in Liga MX for Lobos BUAP (Now Bravos de Ciudad Juarez), on Loan from Olimpia. He has 6 goals and 4 assists for a team that is more likely fighting against relegation than for a trophy. The good production and his incisiveness will provide a different kind of weapon than Elis on the opposite wing. As Chirinos is better at keeping the ball close to his feet, and at combining with teammates, Honduras will look to trust often in counters but also when the smaller sides of this tournament attempt to stifle Honduras’ attack with numbers behind the ball. Henry Figueroa (CB) The center back, who was heavily criticized during the 2018 WC qualifying campaign, will need to step into leadership for Honduras during this Gold Cup. Maynor Figueroa his likely partner at the back is showing his age, and the Motagua youth product will have to take it upon himself to ensure that defense is quick when balls are played behind them, and strong when defending crosses. Currently a starter at Alajuelense of the Costa Rican league, Henry isn’t great on the ball like Maynor is and has been, but he is a good reader of the game, and is absolutely fearless going into tackles. He can exposed against the most skillful players on 1v1 situations, but he has great recovery speed. He will want to maybe make a jump to MLS or Europe, and this could be the platform that propels him that way.
Points of Discussion
Can Coito improve defensive performances?
In the 2018 qualifiers, Honduras let in late goals at Panama (90th minute by Roman Torres), vs USA (85th Minute Bobby Wood), at Costa Rica (90th + 5 minute by Kendall Waston). All those goals came from crosses that were not dealt with or lack of concentration. It turned out to be the achilles heel of the national team. Can Coito ensure better solidity? He might have to make some changes, which leads to…
How long can Maynor Figueroa and Emilio Izaguirre start in defense?
Figueroa, the former Wigan Athletic and Hull City defender now at MLS, is both the captain of the team and was one of the most scrutinized players for not qualifying. His decline in athleticism has exposed his bad positioning issues, and rivals have taken advantage of this. But as the captain and leader of the national team, it will be a tough decision to bench him. Similar with Izaguirre who is one of the emotional leaders of the team, and has so much European experience with Celtic. But at the Glasgow side, Izaguirre has not been chosen often since he returned from his short time in the Saudi league. Leading to the question on whether he is being chosen on what he can do or what he has done for the national team.
Can Honduras finally win a major trophy?
Honduras has only once won the CONCACAF Championship/Gold Cup, and it was at home in a tournament that doubled as World Cup qualifying. Since 1981, Honduras has not lifted any actual hardware. There have been feel good stories, like in 1991 losing out in the final of the first Gold Cup to the USA in penalties, or the 2001 Copa America third place in what was Honduras’ first and only participation in that tournament. Honduras is thirsty for a trophy, and with key absences in the Mexican side, plus a renewed spirit from the new manager, Honduras might have a reason to hope this summer.
Jamaican Football has not been this exciting since the late 90s when current head coach, then top striker, Theodore "Tappa" Whitmore and Co. lead the nation to a first World Cup appearance at France 98'. After various false revivals this crop of Jamaican footballers is arguably the best in two decades. After being outplayed in two Gold Cup finals in a row the Reggae Boyz will be looking to make it third time the charm with another deep run expected by a team full or experience, talent and youth. Beating the USA in a recent friendly on the eve of the tournament (albeit a weaker USA starting 11) will surely give a mental boost to the players and management in their hopes to repeat the exploits of 2015 and 2017. Many key players have been retained in all positions from the previous Gold Cup campaign with a few fresh faces, some long overdue.
D. Mattocks B. Brown P. Vassell L. Bailey M. Hector K. Lambert K. Lawrence S. Francis D. Lowe A. Powell A. Blake (C)
Players to Watch
Andre Blake (GK) Goalkeeper for the current MLS Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia Union has been a key players for club and country for the past seasons. After suffering a heartbreaking injury in last tournament's final (NSFW?), he will be hoping to lead the team to another final as captain and custodian. Peter-Lee Vassell (AM) Recently drafted by Los Angeles FC in the MLS Draft, Vassel is a creative midfielder not often seen among Jamaican youths. Although struggling for game time at high fliers LA FC, when he puts on the national jersey he shows the potential, vision and creativity that convinced LA FC to acquire the service of the young midfielder. He can use this tournament to convince Bob Bradley he deserves a starting spot at Los Angeles. Leon Bailey (RW) The Bayer Leverkusen winger has finally committed to the Reggae Boyz after stand-offs with the Jamaican Football Federation and his management (His Step-father) and himself (situation is too long to explain in this post). His pace and skills on the wing and his eye for goal may be what gives Jamaica an edge in this year's Gold Cup. If he's on his game, he could be a top 5 player in CONCACAF.
Points of Discussion
Third time's the charm?
With the USA seemingly still suffering from demons of that warm night in Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico with a solid but not spectacular team, and Canada and Costa Rice with slightly aging squads, all things are aligning for a first nation to win the Gold Cup since Canada in 2000. Jamaica have their fates in their own hands and should not fear any of the teams in CONCACAF.
Leon Bailey
Leon Patrick Bailey. Where to start. Born in Jamaica, he was taken to Europe by his step-father along with his step-brother with the intent to find European clubs for his then minor children. After arriving in Europe and shocking scouts of various teams (KRC Genk of Belgium a front runner) he and his family had to return to Jamaica but that did not stop the Baileys and after a couple 'not so legal' encounters, a verbal agreement with Ajax FC and a police raid, Leon Bailey eventually signed for AS Trencin as a youth player, eventually moving to KRC Genk as his first professional contract. Bailey won the Belgian Young Player of the Year in his first season at Genk and attracted many clubs, halfway into his second season in Belgium, Bayer Leverkusen came and he signed in Janaury 2017. His time in Germany has had many ups and downs but he has shown his skills and aggressive dribbling in a very up and down Leverkusen team. After failing to be eligible for England and seemingly burying the hatchet after 2 or so years of conflict with the JFF, Bailey is donning the Black, Green and Gold. However, all this turmoil the worst thing that could happen is him not showing up in this tournament, after all this is his performance at the senior international level.
Nickname(s):La Selecta, Los Cuscatlecos, La Azul y Blanco
CONCACAF Gold Cup Appearances: 11 Times
Best Finish: Quarter-finals (2002, 2003, 2011, 2013, 2017)
FIFA Ranking: 71 (9th in CONCACAF)
Introduction
El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America, it was the first country from that region to qualify to a World Cup (Mexico 1970). Twelve years later ‘La Selecta’ would qualify for their second (and last to date) World Cup in Spain 1982 where they scored their first goal in a World Cup ik the first game where they lost to Hungary in a historical game that ended 10-1. The Salvadorian National Team has won the gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean games in two occasions (1954 and 2002). El Salvador had some troubles qualifying to the 2019 edition of the World Cup after a shocking lost against Bermuda but they earned their ticket in their last game of the Concacaf Nations League after beating Jamaica 2-0 at the Estadio Cuscatlan in San Salvador. Soccer is the most popular sport in the country even though the country have not qualified to the World Cup in 37 years. The Cuscatlecos enter this Gold Cup in great form and in a winning streak of 5 games in a row after beating Haiti twice (1-0), Guatemala (3-1), Jamaica (2-0) and Peru (2-0).
N. Bonilla J. Alas M. Monterrosa D. Cerén Ó. Cerén N. Orellana J. Jiménez R. Domínguez I. Mancía B. Tamacas H. Hernández (C)
Players to Watch
Óscar Cerén (RM) The younger of the Ceren brothers, probably the player with most protection in the country at the moment. He was an important part for Alianza in order to reach 6 finals in a row. Rumors had linked him to MLS before so we’ll see if the Gold Cup is the tournament that makes him migrate to another league. Narciso Orellana (DM) The best midfielder in the country at the moment, key player in Alianza too, has the quality to migrate to another league and Alianza had received offer from Europe for him but the money wasn’t right for them. The 24 year old will be essential for the midfield in El Salvador for years to come. Because his dimunitive 5'7" (170 cm) stature, he retains the ball easily and his aggressive style of play is something to look out for. Nelson Bonilla (ST) Currently the most successful Salvadorian playing in a foreign league after scoring 25 goals in 32 games in 2018 for the Sukhothai in Thailand, Bangkok United paid more than 1 million dollars to sign him. Wirh 14 goals in 40 games, a lot of the hope for goals in El Salvador is on Bonilla’s back.
Points of Discussion
Momentum!
For the first time in a long time Salvadorians are expecting and with hope that the team will perform good in the tournament after showing a good style and game the friendlies played, who knows maybe this year will be the first time that ‘La Selecta’ reaches more than Quarter Finals in the Gold Cup.
Lack of goals in the past
El Salvador has struggled finding a reliable goal scorer for the team after the match fixing ban in 2012 that took out of professional soccer 11 players from the national team and gave temporal bans to a couple more including Rodolfo Zelaya who at that moment was the starting forward and the player with most talent in the team. Can Bonilla, Rugamas or Portillo finally fill the shoes of the great Raul Diaz Arce, Ronald Cerritos and Rudis Corrales who were the last great goal scorers in La Selecta.
Can de los Cobos make the match fixing ghost go away?
Even though is being 7 years after the ban most of the fans have not forgotten about it, Carlos de los Cobos was the coach when the Match Fixing happened and no one really know how much he knew about everything or even if he knew anything a all, that was one of the most painful memories in recent time for Salvadorian fans as the team were in a good route to qualify to the 2010 World Cup but made some questionable mistakes in key games that later on were found as fixed. We’ll see if this generation is the one that finally is going to throw away that bad memory for Salvadorian fans.
Curaçao used to play as the Netherlands Antilles up until 2010. The only notable achievements being two 3rd place finishes in 1963 and ’69 in the old CONCACAF championship(1963-1989), which was the predecessor to the Gold Cup. In 2010 that all changed as they gained their constituent country status. The “Curaçao Football Federation” was established in 2011, making it the youngest football federation in the world. In June 2015, Patrick Kluivert, who’s mother is from Curaçao, was brought in to coach the team and he started to raise the bar for the then mostly amateur team. With Kluivert’s pedigree, it was now possible to recruit professional players, playing in the Eredivisie, lower levels of the Dutch footballing pyramid and across other European leagues. The most notable players recruited at that time were Eloy Room(GK) and Leandro Bacuna(MF). In just one year, Kluivert managed to equal the amount of wins(6) the team managed from 2011-2014. With much of the groundwork laid out by Kluivert, his successor, assistant coach Remco Becentini led the team to their first ever title in 2017, beating Jamaica to take the Caribbean Cup. The key player though in the final wasn’t any of the players born in the Netherlands, but it was Willemstad born and raised Elson Hooi, who netted a brace to secure Curaçao’s first triumph in its history as an autonomous nation. To give everyone an idea of the scale of the achievement, Curaçao went from being 183rd (lower than Aruba) in the FIFA rankings to 68th in a period of just 3 years. The Gold Cup in 2017 wasn’t a success, having lost all 3 of their group stage matches to Jamaica, Mexico and El Salvador. However, the experience playing at such a tournament for the first time would prove to be invaluable for a team aspiring to become the smallest nation to reach the FIFA world cup. Recently, the team participated in the CONCACAF nations league qualifiers which also doubled as qualifiers for the Gold Cup. Curaçao showed that they now belong in the upper tiers of CONCACAF, having seemingly outgrown most of the other Caribbean island nations.
J. Arias E. Hooi R. Bonevacia G. Nepomuceno L. Bacuna M. Maria J. Carolina D. Lachman C. Martina (C) J. Gaari E. Room
Players to Watch
Cuco Martina (RB/CB) One of the most experienced players in the squad, having played in the Premier League and Eredivisie, he will be critical for organizing the team in defense and for overall motivation and moral. Together with Room, they have the Captain duties within the squad. While normally a right back, Becentini has used him in central defense as well. Leandro Bacuna (CM) Another experienced player in the Championship and Premier League, his presence and quality on the ball, but also his physicality will be needed in midfield. His skill and ability on the ball is miles ahead of most teams in the Caribbean region. His verstatility will also be of use, capable of playing quite literally anywhere in midfield and fullback if absolutely needed Elson Hooi (LW) Small, quick and versatile at 5'6" (67 cm). Was a key player for them in the Caribbean cup. If Hooi starts firing again, he is an incredible joy to watch and dangerous in attack. And when I say quick, I mean QUICKKKK, can be a bit selfish with the ball at times but can skin defenders. Think of him as a shorter, less bulky Adama Traore
Points of Discussion
"Total Football" principles introduced by Patrick Kluivert
Curaçao plays a possession game, building out from the back with ever present “triangles”. They need to take care of their defense, because it is not the most sound with only Martina having top level experience. Which is why Cuco Martina is selected to play center back at times. What they need to avoid at all cost, is an injury to goalkeeper and captain Eloy Room. The keeper position is the one with the least depth and if Room is out, they are left with one EFL League Two keeper and an amateur keeper from Curaçao’s own Vesta.
To close....
Curaçao went from a mostly amateur side, to almost a full professional side in under a decade. They did this by hiring Kluivert and supporting him in trying to get Dutch born players with roots in Curaçao to choose to play for the national team. Players like Kuwas (who elected to not play this Gold Cup), Bacuna and Room all played for the Dutch youth sides. Looking at the future, there are also plenty of Curaçao born and Dutch born players of Curaçaoan descent currently playing for various youth sides in Europe. With proper coaching and infrastructure and the willingness to improve, I can’t bet against this side advancing passed the group stage of the Gold Cup and I can’t help but imagine if they can make the World Cup given that CONCACAF have two extra spots this time around from 2026 onward.
Tune in tomorrow when sardar_star will be posting Group D!
Don't forget to participate in the Predictions Game in the comments below!
Coronavirus Live Updates: Cases Rise in Italy and Iran, and Spread to Other Countries
The number of new infections outside China has outpaced those inside the country for the first time, according to the World Health Organization. RIGHT NOWThe epidemic has begun in Germany, the health minister said, after new infections apparently were contracted there. —- Coronavirus pushes across Europe and Middle East, while U.S. prepares for outbreak. New cases of the coronavirus popping up across Europe. Dozens of infections in Iran stoking fears about an uncontrolled spread in the Middle East. Global market jitters continuing after a steep slide. American health authorities warning that it was a matter of when, not if, the epidemic would reach the United States. A toxic political climate in Washington complicating the public health challenge. That worrying drumbeat frayed nerves across the world on Wednesday even as the pace of the outbreak seemed to be slowing in China. For the first time, more new cases were reported outside China than inside, according to the World Health Organization. Chinese officials on Tuesday reported 411 new infections; in the rest of the world, the number was 427. The total number of cases globally has now reached 80,980 and nearly 3,000 have died. In the European Union, which prides itself on open borders, new cases were recorded in Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece and Spain. Most were tied to Italy, where the authorities have been struggling to contain an outbreak that has infected at least 325 people, most of them in the north near Milan. Hotels in Austria, France and the Canary Islands of Spain were locked down this week after guests tested positive for the virus or were suspected of having it. The steps to limit contagion differed from place to place, but large group gatherings were often the first things to be canceled where the virus had been detected. In China, the authorities cautioned that the falling infection rate might be only a temporary reprieve, while South Korean officials scrambled to contain the largest outbreak outside China. The U.S. military confirmed that one soldier stationed in South Korea had tested positive. As the American health authorities braced for an outbreak in the United States, the Trump administration came under criticism from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers for contradictory statements on the severity of the crisis, a lack of transparency and seemingly lax preparations. ——— Brazil confirms coronavirus infection, the first in Latin America. Brazil’s health ministry said on Wednesday that a 61-year-old man who recently traveled to São Paulo from Italy had contracted the coronavirus. The first known case in Latin America, it comes as Brazil is in the midst of Carnival, a hugely popular festival that draws large crowds into close quarters for raucous street celebrations. Officials were scrambling to track down other passengers on the flight the man took to Brazil and to find others who had come into contact with him in recent days. The patient, who lives in São Paulo, had recently traveled for work to northern Italy, where an outbreak has infected at least 325 people. He sought medical help after experiencing a fever, cough and sore throat, according to health officials. Brazil’s health minister, Luiz Henrique Mandetta, told the G1 news site that officials were hopeful that the virus would not spread briskly in Brazil, given the warmer time of year. “The virus behaves differently in the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere,” he said. “Brazil is a country of younger people, and we’re in summertime. This is a period that is not conducive for a respiratory virus.” CORONAVIRUS IN BRAZILIn the first case in Latin America, a man in São Paolo tested positive for the virus. Iran downplays outbreak spreading fast there and in neighboring countries. Image Despite an increase in coronavirus cases, Iran has yet to shut down popular pilgrimage sites like the holy city of Qom. Despite an increase in coronavirus cases, Iran has yet to shut down popular pilgrimage sites like the holy city of Qom.Credit...Anadolu Agency, via Getty Images Iran’s leaders continued to downplay the seriousness of the outbreak there on Wednesday, even as the number of cases in Iran or linked to it kept climbing quickly. The health ministry reported 139 cases and 19 deaths, up from 95 and 15 on Tuesday, and the government ordered a weeklong closure of schools and cultural sites in 10 provinces. Experts say Iran’s high apparent death rate suggests that it has far more infections than it has discovered or acknowledged. But President Hassan Rouhani said that the virus was coming under control, and he predicted that things would return to normal by Saturday, Iranian state media reported. He added that Iran’s enemies were using the epidemic to further isolate the country. ——— The Coronavirus Outbreak Answers to your most common questions: Updated Feb. 26, 2020 How worried should I be? New outbreaks in Asia, Europe and the Middle East are renewing fears of a global pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned this week that Americans should brace for the likelihood that the virus will spread to the United States. How do I keep myself and others safe? Washing your hands frequently is the most important thing you can do, along with staying at home when you’re sick. What if I’m traveling? The C.D.C. has warned older and at-risk travelers to avoid Japan, Italy and Iran. The agency also has advised against all non-essential travel to South Korea and China. How can I prepare for a possible outbreak? Keep a 30-day supply of essential medicines. Get a flu shot. Have essential household items on hand. Have a support system in place for eldery family members. What is a Coronavirus? It is a novel virus named for the crown-like spikes that protrude from its surface. The coronavirus can infect both animals and people, and can cause a range of respiratory illnesses from the common cold to more dangerous conditions like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS. Where has the virus spread? The virus, which originated in Wuhan, China, has sickened more than 80,000 people in at least 33 countries, including Italy, Iran and South Korea. How contagious is the virus? According to preliminary research, it seems moderately infectious, similar to SARS, and is probably transmitted through sneezes, coughs and contaminated surfaces. Scientists have estimated that each infected person could spread it to somewhere between 1.5 and 3.5 people without effective containment measures. Who is working to contain the virus? The World Health Organization officials have been working with officials in China, where growth has slowed. But this week, as confirmed cases spiked on two continents, experts warned that the world is not ready for a major outbreak. —— Iran has not closed pilgrimage sites that draw millions of Shiite Mulsims to the city of Qom, the center of the country’s outbreak. On Wednesday, the cleric in charge of one of the most important sites there, the Fatima Masumeh shrine, said people should keep visiting. Bahrain on Wednesday raised its case total to 26, and said all three new patients had just arrived from Iran — as had some of the previous ones. Bahrain is one of several countries reporting infections in people who had recently traveled to Iran. Pakistan’s health minister, Dr. Zafar Mirza, on Wednesday confirmed the first two cases of the coronavirus in that country, and said that one of them was a 22-year-old student who had recently returned from Iran. Pakistan closed its border with Iran on Sunday. ————- As new cases soar in South Korea, a U.S. soldier there tests positive. Image Workers disinfecting a market in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday. The country now has the largest outbreak of the coronavirus outside China. Workers disinfecting a market in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday. The country now has the largest outbreak of the coronavirus outside China.Credit...Jeon Heon-Kyun/EPA, via Shutterstock As the number of new coronavirus infections in South Korea soared on Wednesday, the U.S. military ordered all people who had come into contact with an American soldier who tested positive for the virus to isolate themselves in their homes. The 23-year-old soldier, one of nearly 30,000 U.S. troops based in the country and the first of them to be infected, is stationed at Camp Carrol in Waegwan, 12 miles from Daegu, the city at the center of South Korea’s outbreak. South Korea reported 284 new cases on Wednesday, the largest single-day jump so far, as the authorities complete the testing hundreds of members of a secretive church in Daegu that has been hit hard by the virus. South Korea now has 1,261 cases, the largest outbreak outside China. The government says it is still unsure how the virus got to South Korea, but suspicions have been raised about the Shincheonji church, which has members in Wuhan, China, which has the world’s largest concentration of infections. In response to the growing crisis, the U.S. military in South Korea elevated its risk level to “high” on Monday, advising all troops to “limit non-mission-essential” meetings and “off-installation travel.” At gates of American bases, assessment stations have been set up, with soldiers lining up for temperature checks and screening questionnaires. Col. Edward Ballanco, the Army garrison commander for the affected area, said the military was arranging grocery deliveries to those quarantined. On Tuesday, the United States and South Korea said they would consider scaling back joint military exercises after at least 13 South Korean soldiers were infected. The U.S. military in Japan sent out a notice on Wednesday telling all personnel there to avoid nonessential travel to South Korea. ——— To Fight Stigma, Ukraine’s Health Minister Puts Herself in Quarantine Image The health minister of Ukraine, Zoryana Skaletska, has joined a group of evacuees from China during their two-week quarantine at a clinic in the village of Novi Saranzhy. The health minister of Ukraine, Zoryana Skaletska, has joined a group of evacuees from China during their two-week quarantine at a clinic in the village of Novi Saranzhy.Credit...Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters Ukraine’s minister of health has sequestered herself with a group of evacuees from China, trying to counteract exaggerated fears of people under coronavirus quarantines. She missed her daughter’s birthday party, and she is not working at Ukraine’s Health Ministry at a busy time, as colleagues brace for the possibility of a coronavirus outbreak. The health minister, Zoryana Skaletska, had pledged to join the group that had been in China during their two-week quarantine at a clinic in the countryside. The purpose, she said, is to puncture the stigma and fear of the virus. “If it is safe here, in the same building, it is really safe for the whole population in the nearby cities,” Ms. Skaletska said in a telephone interview. “I hope people will become calm.” Ms. Skaletska has been praised by some for her courageous leadership, but derided by others for what they are calling a reckless publicity stunt. Ukraine, which has not reported a coronavirus case, evacuated 45 Ukrainians and 27 other nationals last week from China to the Poltava region. None has shown signs of illness, but they are in isolation for 14 days as a precaution. On the day of their arrival, a protest broke out in the nearest village, Novi Saranzhy. Demonstrators blocked a road, burned tires and hurled stones at buses carrying the evacuees, breaking windows. Should Ms. Skaletska contract the virus, which she said was unlikely, she said she would trust Ukraine’s doctors to see her through it. “Even if I have a case of coronavirus, I am sure everything will be all right,” she said. ——— President Trump plans to hold a news conference with health officials. Image President Trump has tried to minimize fears about the virus, saying on Monday that it was “very much under control” in the United States. President Trump has tried to minimize fears about the virus, saying on Monday that it was “very much under control” in the United States.Credit...Doug Mills/The New York Times President Trump said he would hold a news conference with officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the White House on Wednesday, a day after conflicting assessments of the epidemic from him and his administration. The news conference, to be held at 6 p.m. Eastern, will also include other officials, he wrote in a Twitter post. The president also attacked the news media for “doing everything possible” to make the situation look dire, “including panicking Mr. Trump has repeatedly tried to minimize fears about the coronavirus, saying on Tuesday that it was “very much under control” in the United States, and his top economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, said, “we have contained this.” But on the same day, C.D.C. officials said U.S. institutions needed to prepare for an outbreak, which they described as inevitable. Alex M. Azar III, the secretary of health and human services, said, “we cannot hermetically seal off the United States to a virus.” Mr. Trump lashed out on Wednesday at what he called “Do Nothing Democrat comrades,” even as his administration has come under fire from both Republicans and Democrats for not doing enough to prepare for the coronavirus in the United States. His administration has asked Congress to allocate $1.25 billion in new emergency funds to bolster its coronavirus response. TRUMP ON THE VIRUSPresident Trump had harsh works for the news media. ———- Germany’s health minister says source of some new infections cannot be traced. Image Medical staff transporting a patient infected with the coronavirus into the University Hospital in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Wednesday. Medical staff transporting a patient infected with the coronavirus into the University Hospital in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Wednesday.Credit...Guido KirchneDPA, via Associated Press A coronavirus epidemic has broken out in Germany, Health Minister Jens Spahn said Wednesday, after new cases were confirmed that cannot be traced to the virus’s original source in China. The disease is moving to a new phase in Germany, Mr. Spahn said at a news conference. “The infection chains are partially no longer trackable,” he said. About 20 cases of the coronavirus have been identified in the country, he said, but until now health officials had been able to trace those who became infected back to the virus’s origins in central China or to hot spots in Italy. Mr. Spahn said people should not panic, because “not every cough is a case of coronavirus.” The authorities in Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia, were trying on Wednesday to retrace the steps of a couple who contracted the coronavirus from a source they could not immediately identify. This raised the troubling prospect that it might have been transmitted within the country itself. The couple had spent the previous two weeks — the estimated incubation period for the virus — “taking part in normal, public life,” said Karl-Josef Laumann, the state health minister. That included attending a large carnival party and taking a brief trip to the Netherlands, he said. Dutch authorities and the hotel where the couple stayed have been informed. The authorities in the southwestern German state of Baden-Württemberg confirmed another new case, a 25-year-old man thought to have contracted the virus during a trip to Milan. On his return, he contacted local health officials and was placed in isolation. ————- As global markets continue to slide, Wall Street shows some signs of recovery. Image A trading room in the stock exchange in Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday. A trading room in the stock exchange in Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday.Credit...Jean Chung for The New York Times Stocks on Wall Street appeared to be rebounding on Wednesday, recovering somewhat from back-to-back losses this week that had wiped more than 6 percent off the S&P 500. The recovery came as major markets in Europe and Asia continued to drift lower, with investors reacting to reports of the coronavirus spreading across the globe. The S&P 500 was up by about 0.5 percent in trading at midday on Wednesday. The benchmark had fallen by 3 percent on Tuesday and experienced its worst one-day slide in two years on Monday. However, European markets fell more than 1 percent on Wednesday as investors weighed the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. Asian markets ended the trading day lower. Investors have been dumping stocks all week, seeking safer investments like government bonds, as the outbreak spreads beyond Asia. In trading on Wednesday, the DAX in Germany fell 2.1 percent, and the FTSE 100 in Britain was 1.1 percent lower. In Asia, the Hang Seng in Hong Kong lost 0.7 percent and the Shanghai Composite Index dropped 0.8 percent. ——- Two European hotels remain locked down as new cases spread across the Continent. Image Looking out from balconies of the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel on the Spanish resort island of Tenerife on Tuesday. Looking out from balconies of the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel on the Spanish resort island of Tenerife on Tuesday.Credit...Associated Press Two European hotels were on lockdown on Wednesday as coronavirus infections spread on the Continent, and a third was quarantined for several hours. The authorities in Innsbruck, an Austrian ski town in the Alps, sealed off the 108-room Grand Hotel after an Italian employee there tested positive for the virus. The cordon was the second at a European hotel in two days, after Spain on Tuesday cordoned off the H10 Costa Adeje Palace on the resort island of Tenerife after a guest, also from Italy, tested positive. Each of the infected Italians had recently visited the Lombardy region of the country. Though the virus originated in China, an outbreak in Italy has given it a foothold in Europe from which it has spread to at least five countries. Spain, Austria, Croatia, Switzerland and France all reported cases linked to Lombardy on Tuesday. In central France, the Ibis Center hotel in Beaune was closed after a client from Hong Kong died during the night. The health authorities ordered that all 30 members of the guest’s group remain in isolation while tests were conducted. But the tests results on Wednesday afternoon did not show coronavirus, and the lockdown was lifted. THE VIRUS IN TENERIFEWhat happens when a vacation turns into a lockdown? ———- Nurses in Wuhan make a bold appeal for international help. Image Treating coronavirus patients at a hospital in Wuhan on Monday. Treating coronavirus patients at a hospital in Wuhan on Monday.Credit...Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Nurses in Wuhan, China, psychologically stressed and physically exhausted, appealed to medical workers around the world to come to the heart of the outbreak and help them treat the thousands of infected people there. The unusually public appeal for help, made in an open letter published Monday in the medical journal The Lancet, underlines how severely overwhelmed and understaffed the hospitals in the city continue to be despite the thousands of volunteers the government has deployed. The government has sought to promote its efforts in the party’s propaganda outlets, hailing the medical workers as patriots while playing down the shortages in hospitals beds, protective gear and medical supplies that have been made worse by a monthlong lockdown. “We are asking nurses and medical staff from countries around the world to come to China now, to help us in this battle,” read the letter, which was signed by nurses working in isolation units at a Wuhan hospital. “In addition to the physical exhaustion, we are also suffering psychologically. While we are professional nurses, we are also human.” Severe shortages of protective equipment and health care professionals in Wuhan were exacerbating the tough conditions in isolation wards, the letter said. Wearing thick layers of protective gear for long stretches means having to “speak very loudly” to communicate, while some nurses developed pressure ulcers on their foreheads and ears from masks and goggles, and blisters around their mouths. Such workers are at particular risk of infection. More than 3,000 medical workers across China have been infected with the virus, according to the Chinese government. Offers of assistance from doctors and nurses around the world as well from the World Health Organization were ignored in the early weeks of the outbreak. “Like everyone else, we feel helplessness, anxiety and fear,” the letter said. NURSES BESIEGEDThe difficult life of nurses on the front line fighting the virus. ————— Some discharged patients test positive again, Chinese health officials say Image A laboratory at a company developing Covid-19 detection kits in Guangzhou, China. A laboratory at a company developing Covid-19 detection kits in Guangzhou, China.Credit...Alex Plavevski/EPA, via Shutterstock Some medical experts point to an alarming finding that calls into question the accuracy of the tests being used to diagnose and release patients: 14 percent of patients discharged from hospitals in China’s populous Guangdong Province have tested positive for the coronavirus during follow-up examinations, according to provincial officials. It is unclear if these patients are contagious, said Song Tie, a Guangdong health official, during a news conference. But he said that in the city of Guangzhou, for instance, 13 patients had tested positive again after being discharged, but none of their 104 close contacts showed signs of infection. Officials in several other regions, including Hainan Province in the south and the city of Chengdu in southwestern China, have said they found patients who tested positive after being discharged. Under China’s latest national treatment plan, patients can be discharged from hospitals only if they have twice tested negative for the virus and have a clear chest scan. Several medical experts have said that patients who were already been infected could not be infected again, because they would have developed immunity. According to Mr. Song, some experts have speculated that patients’ lungs may still be recovering and undergoing “intermittent detoxification,” releasing the virus even after they are discharged. But others were skeptical of that explanation, pointing instead to the diagnostic tests, which have already proven unreliable in some cases. Lu Hongzhou, an expert in Shanghai, told the Beijing News that it was more likely that the tests used to discharge patients had failed to detect the virus. Dr. Jin Dongyan, a virus expert at the University of Hong Kong, was more explicit: He said in an interview that the tests used by many hospitals had likely created false negatives. ———- Japan insists that Summer Olympics plans are unchanged. Image Olympic Rings in Tokyo on Jan. 17. Olympic Rings in Tokyo on Jan. 17.Credit...Issei Kato/Reuters The Japanese government on Wednesday sought to play down concerns that the global spread of the coronavirus would affect the Tokyo Olympics, saying it had no plans to cancel or make other big changes to the Games. At a regular news briefing, the chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said that preparations for the Games, which are scheduled to open in late July, were proceeding “as planned.” Mr. Suga offered his assurances a day after The Associated Press published an interview with Dick Pound, a member of the International Olympic Committee, who said the Games might have to be canceled if they could not be held safely. Mr. Pound said a decision would need to be made no later than May. “In and around that time, I’d say folks are going to have to ask, ‘Is this under sufficient control that we can be confident about going to Tokyo or not?’” he said. In response to a question about the remarks, Mr. Suga said they were “not the official view of the I.O.C.” The virus has already affected preparations for the Olympics, particularly in China, where athletes have had to change their training regimens and forgo qualifying events because of restrictions on their travel. Hoping to curb a gradual increase in reported coronavirus cases in Japan, the authorities on Tuesday called for the cancellation of public gatherings such as sporting events and concerts in the coming weeks. Japan’s professional soccer and rugby leagues have announced that they will cancel or delay events, while some professional baseball games have been closed to spectato Reporting was contributed by Russell Goldman, Choe Sang-Hun, Keith Bradsher, Austin Ramzy, Elaine Yu, Ben Dooley, Alexandra Stevenson, Kevin Granville, Marc Santora, Melissa Eddy, Christopher F. Schuetze and Matina Stevis-Gridneff. NY times update page 2:15pm EST 2/26/2020 LIVE UPDATES Updated Feb. 26, 2020, 2:06 p.m. ET
Hey there, ladies and gents. Merry Late Padoru Padoru Christmas to y’all! Here’s another issue of my rantings and ravings on the dysfunctional funhouse of Korean football horror prospects for the Korean National Team in the 2019 edition of the Asia Cup. As per usual, I will go over a brief history of the country, coupled alongside a synopsis of Korea at the Asia Cup, and end with an analysis of our players and coaching staff. So without futherado, here is my mental vomit about Korean football.
A Very Quick and Unsatisfying Sparknotes of Our National History:
As with before, the history of Korea allegedly begins with Gojoseon (although this is very much based in partial mythological roots) and a She-Bear called Ungnyeo. Where we start to see our first real bit of history is in the period of the Korean Three Kingdoms (not to be confused with the Koei games since that’s the Chinese Three Kingdoms at the end of the Han Dynasty, although I’d give up my arm off to get a game of that). These three kingdoms were Shilla, Baekje, and Goguryeo who went through periods of war and peace lasting from 57 BC to 668 AD. With the help of the Tang Dynasty, Silla ended up unifying the kingdoms and creating the Korean nation, albeit they would later declare war of Tang over issues of military-governorship by the Tang over portions of Korea. Silla would rule for nearly 1000 years until it was overthrown by Goryeo/Koryo from whom we get our modern name of Korea. Goryo would lose much of its power shortly after its conquest by the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty, eventually being replaced by the final dynasty called Joseon. The most notable event during this time period was the Imjin War of 1592 where Japan led by Toyotomi Hideyoshi attempted to invade Korea. He was repelled by Yi Soon-Shin, who was tragically killed in the final battle after telling his men not to report his death and to keep beating the battle drums. Admiral Yi remains one of Korea’s most well-known, if not most popular and universally beloved, hero. Joseon would go on to last for a couple centuries more afterwards, going through relatively long periods of stability with a few hiccups here and there via the invasions by the Manchu/Qing. This dynasty lasted a little over 500 years before eventually being overthrown by the Japanese shortly after our annexation in 1910. Much of our modern history revolves around three things: our time as a colony of Japan, the Korean War, and the dictatorship of Park Chung-Hee. To briefly go over each event, these time periods have some pretty serious modern implications in that they very much play into modern perceptions of certain countries. For instance, our colonization by Japan contributes to the anti-Japanese sentiment that arises whenever issues regarding the comfort women, Yasakuni Shrine, or the Dokdo/Takeshima Islands comes up. On that note, the Korean War and China’s support and intervention regarding North Korea similarly plays a role in anti-Chinese sentiment in Korea, in addition to certain issues such as our alliance with the United States and the THAAD missile systems. These nationalistic sentiments have been thankfully waning in recent years due to cultural exchange and mass tourism. Personally, I do not associate with nationalism to an extent outside of rooting for my country at sporting events, but it is important to understand where certain animosities and hostilities behind certain games comes from. The last event, the dictatorship of Park Chung-Hee, is a rather controversial topic as while many attribute Korea’s modern industrial miracle to him, he did so via the suppression of human rights and expression during his reign up until his assassination by his own Korean Central Intelligence Agency Director. Regardless, there are people on both sides who either revere him as the father of modern Korea or as a tyrannical despot who suppressed human rights. Thus, you have your very rough and quick summary of Korean history. Congratulations! You are now eligible to make a clickbait Youtube video called, “Ten Facts YOU WON’T BELIEVE about Korea!”
An Even More Depressing Overview of Our Asia Cup Performance
So before we begin, it’s worth giving a brief overview of how the Asia Cup works since this has confused the living hell out of my on how many times it’s been overhauled. Since it’s found in 1956, the Asia Cup has more or less included a small number of teams (most recently featuring 16 teams), though this upcoming edition of the 2019 Asia Cup will feature 24 teams. There are six groups with four teams each. In addition, qualification for the Asia Cup also plays into qualification of the World Cup. The reward for winning the Asia Cup is a spot in the FIFA Confederations Cup. In general, the elite teams in the Asia Cup have been South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. Australia are the current champions and one of the most recent additions to the AFC. Depending on who you ask, our performance at the Asia Cup has been either very successful or absolutely shambolic. Many Koreans tend to lean towards the latter as our status as one of the most elite teams in Asia would otherwise imply that we have won this tournament countless times. The stark reality is that we last won in 1956 and 1960. Yup, over 50 years ago, immediately after the Korean War practically wrecked everything in our country and split it in half. Let that sink in. Now, I’m not a particularly pessimistic person as watching Incheon United continually shit the bed for over 15 years does things to a person’s expectations. But Korea’s performance at the Asia Cup and last winning literally only after the Korean War is a disaster on par with the Korean Overwatch team ever losing the World Cup disappointing, to say the least. This will be Paulo Bento’s first real test as a coach, and there is a mixture of optimism and pessimism regarding as our coach for the 2015 Asia Cup, Uli “Shitlieke” Stielke made it to the finals and lost to Australia before hiring a masseuse as a coach on our team, which is to say that the Asia Cup isn’t necessarily a reflection on how a coach will perform in the long term. Regardless, Bento’s first few matches have shown promise and he has been willing to shed some of our liabilities over the past few months. For the first time in a while, I feel like I’m actually watching some coherent and watchable football. Not supermodel hot, but it’s more like a “girl next door” cute type of football.
Manager and Squad
Manager: Paulo Bento (Portugal) Goalkeepers: Kim Seung-gyu (Vissel Kobe) , Kim Jin-hyeon (Cerezo Osaka) , Jo Hyeon-woo (Daegu FC) Defenders: Kim Young-gwon (Guanzhou Evergrande) , Jung Seung-hyun (Kashima Antlers) , Kwon Kyung-won (Tianjin Quanjian) , Kim Min-jae (Jeonbuk) , Lee Yong (Jeonbuk) , Kim Moon-hwan (Busan IPark) , Hong Chul (Suwon Samsung Bluewings) , Kim Jin-su (Jeonbuk) Midfielders: Ki Sung-yueng (Newcastle) , Jung Woo-young (Al-Sadd) , Koo Ja-cheol (FC Augsburg) , Hwang In-beom (Daejeon Citizen) , Ju Se-jong (Asan Mugunghwa) , Lee Jae-sung (Holstein Kiel) , Hwang Hee-chan (Hamburg SV) , Na Sang-ho (Gwangju FC) , Lee Chung-yong (VFL Bochum) , Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur) Forwards: Hwang Ui-jo (Gamba Osaka) , Ji Dong-won (FC Augsburg)
Son Heung-Min: Not much else needs to be said about this man, practically already considered one of the greatest Korean and Asian footballers to play. His finishing and precision at Tottenham have proven him to rank amongst the upper echelons of football players in Europe. Of minor concern is whether or not this transitions over to the national team level as many notable Korean footballers have had issues with this. The major issues lies in how much we rely on our European players to pick up the slack of other players. This issue is further amplified by how our finishing and positioning on the offense end has been traditionally ineffective in comparison to how the rest of our team tends to function. Of course, Son has a large supporting cast at Tottenham to take off a lot of heat, but the hope is that Korean can also provide a bit of relief from the inevitable amount of manmarking and pressure he will be receiving not only on the pitch but from bearing the expectations of an entire country on his back. The good thing at this point is that Son has little to worry about in terms of military service as he has already won the gold medal at the Asian Games. However, winning this tournament would do wonders for the legacy of the man who revitalized Korean football after Park Ji-Sung left. While I would not yet put him in the tier of Cha Beum-Kun, Son is certainly capable of reaching that mark in the coming years if he continues on his current pace of progression. Kim Min-Jae: A young and promising player who has come up and revived a faltering Korean defense (no thanks to Jang Hyun-Soo). He currently plays for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, which has been one of the better teams in the K-League for the past few years. He would have been at the World Cup had it not been for an injury that sidelined him before he could participate. His last game against Australia cemented his place in the starting line-up as he proved that he has the speed and finesse that is required for a centreback. Add the fact that he is 190 cm, and you have one tall and strong player who can head away balls and create an imposing presence for corners. Unfortunately, the current Wikipedia description of Kim Min-Jae’s international career is an unnecessarily long and in-depth storytelling of his own goal against Northern Ireland. The hope is that this Asia Cup turns some eyes towards his way so that he can secure a move to Europe and develop even further. Hwang Ui-Jo: (Right) Hwang Ui-Jo isn’t necessarily young in footballing terms as he is currently 26. His career has been somewhat of a rollercoaster here and there as he occasionally has shown flashes of being a great striker and then reverts to a normal level. However, the past Asian Games saw Hwang literally turn into a gatling gun of goals where he was scoring left and right. Given, the Asian Games is a U-23 tournament, but the fact remains that Hwang has somehow rebooted his career and become a serviceable striker once more. In addition, he has shown the same level of consistency over at Gamba Osaka in Japan. The only question that remains is whether or not he can maintain this form not only during the Asia Cup but for the years to come to help Son with our often sputtering offensive woes.
Points of Discussion
Positive and Negative Points (Or How I Learned to Force Zombieland Saga Into Everything)
POSITIVE:
Coaching I’m aware of the irony that Korea knocked out Paulo Bento’s Portugal in 2002 via Park Ji-Sung’s beautiful goal. Bento wasn’t Korea’s first choice, but anyone would’ve been better than the human embodiment of a horse’s gonorrhea-infested swollen anus in the form of Uli Stielke. Bento has made strides by not selecting old and fairly ineffective players who are no longer in form such as Kim Shin-Wook (no more random crosses into the box) or Jang Hyun-Soo (although that was a weird situation as shown below). In general, Bento has shown that he is knowing what he is doing, and he has selected a fair number of young players who show promise. This is definitely a transitional and developmental period of the Korean national team, so I’m looking forward to riding this ship with our Portuguese captain. The Bento Train is coming for that ass No More Jang Hyun-Soo For people unfamiliar with the tale of this utter moron, let me tell you. Jang Hyun-Soo was a defender who, for some unfathomable reason, kept starting for our national team and was one of the central (if not the main reason) why we conceded easy goals in Russia. Whether or not he had some secret nudes of the coaches or something is beyond me. Now, if that was the extent of his incompetence, that would be fine and I would generally refrain from attaching any inference on his character. But then he decided to break the number one taboo in Korean society: skipping on military service. Jang Hyun-Soo won exemption by winning gold at the 2014 Asian Games. From that point, he just had to do about 500 hours of community service over 3 years and do four weeks of basic training, a lot better than the forced two years of mandatory service while basically committing career suicide. This is the sort of stuff that Son Heung-Min almost lost his career over and fought hard to win. Jang proceeded to mindboggingly falsify his records by allegedly doctoring a photo or forging document. This subsequently got him banned for life from the Korean national team. The upside to this is that we opened up room for far better younger players, which I am looking forward to seeing during the Asia Cup. Remember kids, don’t forge government documents or you’ll have a bad time Easy Group I just know this is going to bite me in the ass, but our group is fairly easy to go through (no offense to the other teams). The hardest team in our group is China, who has been a rising power in terms of effectively shutting down our offense. Add the fact that the Big Mac Daddy Guus Hiddink is coaching in China for the U-21 team, and you have a recipe for a potential upset if Hiddink has been advising China. For those familiar with Asian football, China has been more or less causing us issues when we face them, most notably (and still seared into my memory), our 3-0 defeat where we had Kalbi AKA and old and overweight legendary Korean goalkeeper Lee Woon-Jae in goal. I can’t speak much for Kyrgyzstan or the Philippines aside from saying that I am a bit concerned about the Filipino goalkeeper, Neil Etheridge, who is very clearly one of the best in Asia. That being said, he’s only playing one match which is a bit disappointing but understandable. That being said, I’m looking forward to Korea testing their skills against Asia’s best teams. Woohoo for high expectations!
NEGATIVE:
Coaching This is also a negative because, in short, Bento is a new raw coach in terms of the national team setup for Asia. If he can bring the same sort of initial success that he did with Portugal before he was dismissed, I think he’ll be able to survive and succeed in Asia. Ultimately, the World Cup is the biggest metric for a coach’s performance in Asia, but the Asia Cup is a pretty good starting spot. However, as I stated before, it’s not an absolutely certain measure. Inability to perform at the Asia Cup Really just a repeat of my above points, but to recap, our performance at the Asia Cup has been historically shambolic in recent years. I would say winning this tournament would easily be one of the great achievements in terms of our status in Asian football, next to beating Germany in 2018. If we can shake this off of our backs, we can perhaps try to reclaim the crown as the Kings of Asia rather than just shaking our canes and talking about the good old days when Korea didn’t play 뻥축구.
Random Facts:
In spite of our major differences, the common cultural influences amongst Korea, China, and Japan is pretty evident. All three countries utilize Chinese characters to an extent with different interpretations. In addition, we tend to circulate the same myths, most notably the Legend of the Monkey King (called Sonohgong by Koreans) where the most famous figures the hero Sonohgong/Wukong/Goku (Korean/Chinese/Japanese names, respectively) and Samjang/Xuanzang/Sanzang (once again, Korean/Chinese/Japanese) who is better well known today in games as the Titty Monk in Fate Grand Order. There are many large overseas Korean communities around the world, ranging from those in China called Chosonjok (조선족), Japan called Zainichi Kangokujin (在日韓国人), America simply called Korean-Americans (한국계 미국인), and Central Asia called Koryo Saram (Корё сарам). For Japan, many of the Koreans were sent to Japan during the period of colonization. The ones living in China are mostly a byproduct of our borders. The Korean-Americans are mostly from late 19th to mostly 20th century immigration. Koreans in Central Asia are a bit of a sadder but interesting story where many were forcibly sent to Central Asia by the Soviet Union. In all, the Korean community is fairly strong across the world. We have some pretty baller ass flags. I would fully endorse having a unified Korea have one of these flags ranging from Goryeo , Joseon, or the Empire of Korea. So, with that preview, here’s to hoping Korea does well and finally shakes off the boogieman this Asia Cup! Let’s go, 화이팅! Korea is coming for that Asia Cup booty
China is the world's largest nation population wise with an estimated 1.4 billion people in 2016. However they’ve had trouble turning that into success in soccer as their population seems to focus primarily on either academic success or a more individual sports like at the olympics. An average of 1 field for every 260,000 people does not help either, although their current president Xi Jinping is trying to change that by encouraging investment in the sport. ~ via u/CrebTheBerc Having in 11 Asian Cups since first qualified in 1976, Team China have never lifted the trophy once — even when they played at home in 2004 where they lost 1-3 to Japan. At their 12th attempt, the Dragons aim to lift the trophy with Marcello Lippi as their manager. After the failure to qualify for WC 2018, China would need to bounce back from the recent form to advance in the Asian Cup. Being placed in the same group with South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, and Philippines, China are expected at a minimum to advance to the knockouts, but only if they play to their full potential and show some consistency. ~ via u/75r6q3
Manager and Squad
Manager: Marcello Lippi (Italy) Goalkeepers:Yan Junling (Shanghai SIPG) , Wang Dalei (Shandong Luneng) , Zhang Lu (Tianjin Quanjian) Defenders: Feng Xiaoting (Guangzhou Evergrande) , Zhang Linpeng (Guangzhou Evergrande), Liu Yang (Shandong Luneng) , Shi Ke (Shanghai SIPG) , Yu Yang (Beijing Guoan) , Liu Yiming (Tianjin Quanjian) *Midfielders: Zheng Zhi (Guangzhou Evergrande) , Wu Xi (Jiangsu Suning) , Hao Junmin (Shandong Luneng) , Chi Zhongguo (Beijing Guoan) , Yu Hanchao (Guangzhou Evergrande) , Jin Jingdao (Shandong Luneng) , Zhao Xuri (Tianjin Quanjian) , Zhang Chengdong (Hebei China Fortune) , Piao Cheng (Beijing Guoan) Forwards: Wu Lei (Shanghai SIPG), Gao Lin (Guangzhou Evergrande), Yu Dabao (Beijing Guoan), Xiao Zhi (Guangzhou R&F), Wei Shihao (Beijing Guoan)
Wu Lei: The 27-year-old forward is in terrific form this season and is defiantly the most anticipated Chinese player for the tournament. Crowned champion with Shanghai SIPG in the league, Wu Lei displayed his excellent eye for goal with 27 goals and 8 assists in 29 matches. Pace, clever runs, and creativity, he is definitely THE player to watch. However, his performances in international matches have always been criticised for his finishing touch in one-on-ones. Would he recover his form and be able to win some silverware for his country? ~ via u/75r6q3 Zheng Zhi: The 38-year-old veteran is still the backbone of the squad, and will be the oldest player at the tournament. The captain has made 102 appearances for China since 2002. He is probably most remembered by European fans for his spell at Charlton and Celtic from 2007 to 2010. Zheng Zhi still has incredible stamina for games and certainly still is the engine for the Chinese midfield with his defensive and attacking abilities. Though not being a guaranteed starter in club games last season, he still played 17 games and started them all, playing 1348 minutes in total with a pass success rate at 84%. His farewell to WC wasn’t the most glorious with a last-minute red card in the last game for qualification to stop a goal scoring chance, but he still has the Asian Cup to mark his career. This sure would be his last major tournament, and 1.3 billion people would wish him good luck. ~ via u/75r6q3 Yu Hanchao: The 31-year-old winger doesn’t have the most amazing stats, but definitely is one of the most creative players on the pitch. A quick and skillful dribbler, Yu Hanchao is a workhorse on the left wing. He made 10 assists from his 47 key passes in his 26 league games last season. He sure would be the key player to break the deadlock in games with his quick feet and pinpoint crossing abilities. ~ via u/75r6q3
Points of Discussion
Lippi's Swansong This is the last tournament that Chinese fans would enjoy Marcello Lippi as the manager as he stated that he would leave after his contract expires. But to be honest, some aren’t really satisfied with his performances. After regularly calling up young talents to friendly games, no solid system hasn’t been formed in the plays. Recent friendlies with India and Qatar are actually embarrassing to watch. Some fans are starting to question Lippi’s tactics. But we can only watch and hope they perform their best. With many young talents (Jin Jingdao, Wei Shihao, Shi Ke, etc.) being discovered recently, fans are most excited to see them perform well alongside the veterans. The more experienced players are mostly in their late 20s or early 30s, which would be an ideal age to face such a tournament. Fans certainly wish this tournament could also leave some great legacy for Chinese football. ~ via u/75r6q3
Formation/Setup: Lippi has mixed up formations a bit since earlier in the year. He’s implemented a 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2 with decent success, but seems to have also found a bit of success with a 3-4-3 in recent friendlies. ~ via u/CrebTheBerc
** Questionable Defense**: Based off of recent matches China’s defense does not look all that confident. They should be ok against some of the smaller teams, but against teams like South Korea they are really going to be tested. ~ via u/CrebTheBerc
The Kyrgyz Republic, a.k.a Kyrgyzstan, qualified for their first ever AFC Asian Cup in emphatic style, finishing with 14 points and coming second in a group containing India, Myanmar, and Macau. Kyrgyz football has been on the uptick since the start of the decade. The evolution in the country's football began with the appointment of Russian Sergey Dvoryankov as manager in 2012. Under Dvoryankov, Kyrgyzstan began naturalizing foreign footballers such as Daniel Tagoe of Ghana, and[Edgar Bernhardt and Vitalij Lux of Germany. Along with getting more Kyrgyz-born Russians into the squad, Kyrgyzstan experienced relative success in the past years, including their best ever World Cup Qualifying campaign this past cycle, where they notched 14 points and only two points behind second place Jordan in the second round of qualifying. They even gave AFC giants Australia a run for their money in Bishkek where they only lost 2-1, and arguably should have came away with at least a point despite them being ranked 177th in the world at the time. With only losing 5 of their last 16 matches, including wins over Syria and India, can the Kyrgyzs produce a fairytale run in one of the more difficult groups in the tournament?
Anton Zemlyanukhin: The country's top goal scorer with 12 goals, he can play on either wing or through the middle as a creative midfielder. Expect him to all over the place in the final third when Kyrgyz have the ball as he has freedom to roam wherever he wants. He's also on set pieces and penalties. Daniel Tagoe : The naturalised Kyrgyz, the Ghanaian will anchor the back line attempting to limit the likes of Hwang Hee-Chan, Wu Lei, and Phil Younghusband. It's likely that the Kyrgyz's could line up with 4 CB's across the back four, looking at set pieces as an opportunity to score. So look for Tagoe to be the primary target and chip in with some dangerous headers towards goal as well as shifting in and out between midfield and centre-half. Milan Murzaev: An experienced player in the lower divisions of Turkey, Murzaev is a striker but will most likely be deployed on the wing for Kyrgyzstan. His ability to drift inside and help Lux out in the attack will critical to whether they can get some goals on the board.
Points of Discussion
Switch to a Defensive Approach? In one of the tougher groups in the competition , expect Kyrgyzstan to be defending in their own half quite a bit. As previously stated , it's possible that Krestinin could go for the Pulis approach and stick two centre halves at fullback. Essentially playing with a flat back 4. Though recently in a 4-0 friendly loss against Japan , they went with a 5-4-1 formation , with Tagoe acting as one of the centre-backs and using two taller, but natural fullbacks in Yusupov and Shakirov. So if they go with 4 at the back, Tagoe and Duishobekov can easily slot in an out between the centre-halves or back into midfield, and making the odd run into midfield and picking out a pass. When not defending in their final third , they maintained their block of 5 and 4 very well, with the lone striker trying his best to press the back line. It's when Japan started to near the final third that things got dicey, with the plan usually being that one centre back stepping to the ball really aggressively while two others try and cover behind him if the step doesn't work out. If they opt to go defensively , they will need to be able to accept the lack of attacking opportunities that they will have as well. In the Japan match they registered only 26% of the ball and only 2 shots in 90 minutes , and neither of them were on target. So if they're committed to defending for large chunks of match , they need to be prepared to look for an outlet on the wings. The thing is though, they do have a gameplan, as Krestinin is a man for details. Meanwhile, for example China, don't appear to have a real gameplan in their matches, they kind of just rely on their talented players to pull something out of the bag.
The Unexpected Obviously this is Kyrgyzstan's first major international tournament, and all three matches will be a special occasion , they got to the finals for a reason, and now it's a matter of showing some bottle and putting on a good first showing. Will they rise up and go toe-to-toe and leave everything out on the pitch? Or will they just go out there to "make up the numbers" and be happy they just qualified , getting trounced by several goals every match? They have the potential to go for a little cinderella run , but the White Falcons need to show that they are up for it on Asia's biggest stage.
Nationalised Recruits Reaching from former USSR nations , to African born players who play in the Kyrgyz League, or other European nations, the technical standard has been upgraded significantly with the nationalised players. As previously mentioned there’s Ghanaian centre back/midfielder Daniel Tagoe (now married to a Kyrgyzstani), Edgar Bernhardt who grew up in Germany, who captains the national team, while striker Vitalij Lux returned to bolster the attack of the country he left as a 6-year-old. It’s been a tough pursuit, that has cost the the Kyrgyz FA plenty of time, negotiation, scouting, research etc., put it seems all of that is paying its dividends now.
The Azkals enter the 2019 AFC Asian Cup as one of the three tournament debutants, alongside Yemen and fellow Group C mate the Kyrgyz Republic. Drawn into a final qualifying group consisting of Yemen, Tajikistan, and Nepal, there was a great sense of belief that the country could qualify for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. And so they did, with an undefeated record at that. For time, the Philippines were one of the laughingstocks of not just Asian football, but world football, at one point even being ranked as low as 195th in the world. With the introduction of foreign based players with Filipino ancestry such as the Younghusband brothers along with some success in regional competitions, football has grown tremendously in a country where basketball is the overwhelmingly more popular sport. After a semifinal exit in the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup, the Philippines while hope they can continue their momentum into the UAE
Manager and Squad
Manager: Sven-Göran Eriksson (Sweden) Goalkeepers: Nathanael Villanueva (Kaya FC-Iloilo) , Michael Falkesgaard (Bangkok United) , Kevin Ray Hansen (Horsens) Defenders: Álvaro Silva (Kedah) , Carli de Murga (Ceres-Negros) , Daisuke Sato (Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe) , Stephan Palla (Buriram United) Midfielders: John-Patrick Strauß (Erzgebirge Aue) , Luke Woodland (Suphanburi) , Iain Ramsay (Sukhothai) , Manuel Ott (Ceres-Negros) , Adam Tull (Davao Aguilas) , Kevin Ingreso (Ceres–Negros) , Stephan Schröck (Ceres–Negros) , Miguel Tanton (Ceres–Negros) , Paul Mulders (Ceres–Negros) , James Younghusband (Davao Aguilas) Forwards: Mike Ott (Ceres–Negros) , Jovin Bedic (Kaya FC-Iloilo) , Phil Younghusband (Davao Aguilas) , Patrick Reichelt (Ceres–Negros) , Curt Dizon (Ceres–Negros) , Javier Patiño (Buriram United)
John-Patrick Strauß: A recent foreign recruit for the Azkals, Strauß elected to play for his mother's country. the German born central midfielder has already proven himself a key man in Eriksson’s line-up, in which he started every match (which he was available for) for at the recent Suzuki Cup. Alongside Schrock, Ingresso and the Ott brothers, Strauß might feature in all German-born midfield. Phil AND James Younghusband: The two brothers who began the integration of foreign players with Filipino ancestry into the national team, alegedly after someone who was playing Football Manager discovered and notified that the Younghusband's were eligible for the Philippines. Born in Ashford, England, the Younghusband brothers are considered both greats of the national team, going through the highs and lows of Filipino football since they're commitment to the Azkals in 2005. Phil (left) is the country's most capped player (105 caps) and top scorer of all time (52 goals). With Chelsea for 11 years until 2008, Younghusband plays as a striker and is the national teams captain has a fantastic goalscoring record in the Filipino league, with a >1 goal/game ratio. James (right) is more of a wide midfielder, flirting in the lower divisions of the English game until 2010 when he then went to the Filipino League. Now with 100 caps to his name, he and his brother will shoulder the goalscoring responsibility for the Philippines.
Points of Discussion
(Initially) Unusual Neil Etheridge Exclusion Neil Etheridge , who arguably has the broadest set of shoulders in football (alongside Moussa Marega), was born in Enfield, and is the only ASEAN international currently playing in one of Europe's top 5 leagues, doing it with recently promoted Cardiff City in the Premier League. With an already a staggering 62 appearances for the Azkals, Etheridge is an experienced goalkeeper who provides a much needed security blanket for a defense that can be leaky and unorganized at times. A part of both Chelsea and Fulham's academy at one point, Etheridge bounced around the EFL looking for a team to give him a real opportunity. In 2015 he got his breakthrough with Walsall in League One, until two years later Warnock signed him for the Bluebirds on a free after he rejected an extension at Walsall. So WHY is he excluded from the AFC Asian Cup you may ask? The reasons were unknown initially. It has nothing to do with Etheridge's desire, since he's already played plenty for the national team and expressed his interest. Though in a recent presser by Warnock, it was stated that Etheridge didn’t want to lose his starting place at Cardiff, and that electing not to go to the Asian Cup was a big decision for him. And so far it’s worked! Keeping two consecutive clean sheets against Crystal Palace and Leicester City.
HEAVY integration of Foreign based players with Filipino ancestry: As previously stated, the Philippines have a heavy emphasis on recruiting players from all over the world with Filipino eligibility/ancestry to play for the national team. Overall, these additions have heavily improved the quality and progress of the Azkals on the Asian scene. Only FOUR of the 23 players in the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup squad were born in the Philippines.
Phil and James Younghusband: Born in England
Curt Dizon (FW): Born in England
Adam Reed (MF): Born in the England
Stephan Palla (DF): Born in Austria
Iain Ramsay (MF): Born in Australia
Álvaro Silva (DF): Born in Spain
Carli de Murga (DF): Born in Spain
Manuel Ott (MF): Born in Germany
Kevin Ingreso (MF): Born in Germany
John-Patrick Strauß (MF): Born in Germany
Stephan Schröck (MF): Born in Germany
Mike Ott (FW): Born in Germany
Patrick Reichelt (FW): Born in Germany
Michael Falkesgaard (GK): Born in Denmark
Martin Steuble (DF): Born in Switzerland
Paul Mulders (MF): Born in the Netherlands
Luke Woodland (MF): Born in UAE to English father + Filipino mother
Also also Many others from Canada, Belgium, Sweden, the USA, Italy, and Japan
Have a great New Year's eve and day, and tune in on Wednesday when u/FlyingArab will be posting Group D! Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, and Yemen
Don't forget to participate in the Predictions Game in the comments below!
After nearly 7 weeks of waiting, the Eredivisie returns today with the match between PEC Zwolle and Willem II, and let those clubs just happen to come up in this final part of the Eredivisie preview (Part 1 can be read here). In this part, we talk about the other nine clubs featured, including title candidates PSV and all three promoted teams and their chances of survival. With that out the way, lets end this preview before the start of the season begins. Also, if you want to follow the league more closely, check out Eredivisie. New subs are always appreciated.
Meaning of Name: Prins Hendrik Ende Desespereert Nimmer Combinatie Zwolle (fusion between clubs Prins Hendrik, and Ende Desespereet Nimmer, a club named after a quote from Dutch officer Jan Pieterszoon Coen, meaning “and never despair”
Captain Bram van Polen probably said it best when at the start of the winter break, that he was done with “dat geile tyfusvoetbal.” Manager John van ‘t Schip never seemed able to pick up the team, and was sacked shortly before the start of the winter break. Former player Jaap Stam would go and pick up the pieces, leading Zwolle to an anonymous midtable position. For a club that's arguably one of the more ambitious of the Eredivisie, that is far from what they hoped. u/Howareyao: Our season was average at best. Fighting relegation most of the season and a new coach that saved us from it. Not too many great players but also not a terrible team. So average.
This Season
Manager: John Stegeman
Stam didn’t end up staying for very long, with him being offered the position at Feyenoord not long after. Zwolle ended up choosing John Stegeman as the new manager, announcing him only two days after Stegeman failed to get Go Ahead Eagles promoted against RKC Waalwijk. Considering Go Ahead is a local rival of Zwolle, this move wasn't really appreciated. Still, Stegeman previously delivered good work as manager of Heracles, so its not a bad choice. PEC Zwolle wants to continue its move to the clubs that play for Europa League spots, but will do so without some of its best players. u/Howareyao: Also average. We lost 2 of our best players (Kingsley and Namli) and got a whole bunch of players back who still need to prove themselves. New coach (again) as well. That said, I think Stegeman is a very decent coach who has proven himself so I'm positive about that. I'm mildly positive about the new season but I don't expect us to be high flyers. If I had to guess I'd say we're going to end between 10th-14th place. Althought it all depends on how the many new players will perform.
Transfer highlights
Player
Type
From
To
Fee(Euro)
Xavier Mous
Permanent
SC Cambuur
PEC Zwolle
600,000
Sepp van den Berg
Permanent
PEC Zwolle
Liverpool
2,000,000
Kingsley Ezihibue
Permanent
PEC Zwolle
1. FC Koln
2,000,000
Younes Namli
Permanent
PEC Zwolle
Krasnodar
2,000,000
Mickey van der Hart
Permanent
PEC Zwolle
Lech Poznan
Free
Players to Watch
Xavier Mous: One of the best goalkeepers in the 2nd division last season. Mous did very well while at SC Cambuur, which made him a target for pretty much every midtable team in the Eredivisie. Will be competing with Bremen loanee Micheal Zetterer for the starting lineup. Yuta Nakayama: Considering he was one of Zwolle’s record signings and is considered a big talent in his native Japan, its kinda weird how little he actually played last season, with only two games. Now that he’s had a pre-season and Copa America experience under his belt, he can show why Zwolle has invested so much in him. u/Howareyao: Iliass bel Hassani is one I'm looking out for. Although it's definitely one of those players that could fail miserably as well looking at his past few years. Also looking forward to Dennis Johnsen. We loaned him from Ajax and have an option to buy, but that's also a player that still needs to prove himself and failed on loan at Heerenveen. Since Van Polen seems to be out for a while his replacement will be Sai van Wermeskerken, who was in the Keuken Kampioen team of the year last season, so I'm looking forward to see how he will do. Kinda curious to see if Yuta Nakayama will get some more playing time as well since apparently Lachman can leave as well. Nakayama earns something like ~400k a year so he's one of our biggest earners.
PSV’s season can only really be talked about before and after the winter break. They were downright invincible, starting the season by winning 13 games in a row, including a deserved 3-0 win over Ajax. After the winter break, PSV failed to get their momentum going, with more clubs figuring out their play style and managing to snag points against them. Ajax eventually caught up and ended up 1st mostly through goal difference before PSV slipped against AZ and the title race was over. Their lack of success in the Champions League (thanks to a really tough group) and KNVB Cup left their season trophyless. A lot of youth broke through though, and they’ll likely be hungry for success u/TheDutchTank: For a new coach, as well as with how good last seasons Ajax team was, I don't think we can complain too much about last season, even though we didn't become champion. The football wasn't always fun to watch but Van Bommel was definitely a breath of fresh air, and highlights included the comeuppance of great talents like Malen, Bergwijn and Sadilek. We dropped off in the second half of the season, but I don't think anyone's to blame really. The team had off day after off day and when big players like Lozano and Bergwijn don't perform its going to be hard.
This Season
Johan Cruijff Schaal: Losers
Qualified for: 2nd qualifying round Champions League (League Path)
With Ajax now spending cash like no tomorrow, PSV is going to have a difficult time keeping up. Ajax even flirted with the possibility of buying Steven Bergwijn. Still, PSV will continue to play for the title, and will do so with an extremely talented squad. Luuk de Jong and Angelino are big losses and Daniel Schwaab was also an effective leader in the defense. They’ve spent quite a bit on Bruma and Timo Baumgartl and time will tell whether they’re effective replacements. So far PSV had a false start, losing to Basel and being resigned to Europa League qualifiers as well losing the to Ajax in the JC Schaal. Van Bommel had a season that in most cases would’ve won him the title, and he’ll be keen to go for that again, as well as better performances in Europe and the KNVB Cup. u/TheDutchTank: Honestly, PSV always need to go for the championship. Ajax has had some great signings but we've done quite surprising as well. Bruma could be a huge signing, and so far we haven't lost Bergwijn and Lozano yet, although I feel like we might lose one of them. It's going to be a very interesting year as we lost three hugely important players in our team already, with De Jong, Schwaab and Angelino. De Jong has been our first striker for 5 years now and its going to be bizarre to see another, more agile, player like Malen in its place. It means a complete overhaul in playing style. It'll be an exciting season though, and PSV and Ajax both seem to be getting better the last few years.
Transfer highlights
Player
Type
From
To
Fee(Euro)
Bruma
Permanent
RB Leipzig
PSV
15,000,000
Timo Baumgartl
Permanent
VfB Stuttgart
PSV
10,000,000
Toni Lato
Loan
Valencia
PSV
Free
Luuk de Jong
Permanent
PSV
Sevilla
15,000,000
Angelino
Permanent
PSV
Manchester City
12,000,000
Players to Watch
Sam Lammers/Donyell Malen: Adding both in the same listing because they’re gonna be the players wrestling with Luuk de Jong’s legacy. Malen was the 12th player for PSV, almost never starting but always brought in, and Lammers had an excellent season on loan at SC Heerenveen. Both are young with plenty of potential. Malen for now seems ahead in the pecking order. (edit: Lammers suffered an injury in the Johan Cruijff Schaal game that’ll keep him out for months) Michel Sadilek: A player Mark van Bommel has grown particularly fond of. The Czech isn’t the most fun player to watch, but he’s an absolute fighter who can make any opponent uncomfortable. As it turns out, he can also make a decent leftback. Mohamed Ihattaren: To everyone’s surprise, van Bommel gave Ihattaren plenty of subs and even starts when van Bommel was done with Pereiro. While he didn’t show much in those games, the attacking midfielder is still only 17 and will have an excellent teacher in Ibrahim Affelay. u/TheDutchTank: Bruma is a proven player who has shown to be incredibly dangerous, quick on a counter, and knows how to score a goal. His experience will also help us a lot in the bigger games. I don't think many see Affelay as a great signing, mostly because he's barely played the last year's due to injuries, but he's going to be incredibly important if fit. He's our captain, a leader, and has that creativity that we often miss at the 10 position. Even if he doesn't get fit he'll be of great importance in the dressing room, but I hope he'll have a big impact on the field as well. Guttierez was last to join us last year and hasn't played much since. He's had to acclimate to a new league and the pace of the eredivisie, but that's okay. The guy is immensely talented, has shown that in Mexico, and he has the exact qualities that could make our team tick. This could very easily be his year.
Few clubs will have as wild a season as RKC had. They started the season without a manager, until former Dick Advocaat assistant Fred Grim took on the job. After ending 2017/18 in 18th, RKC now managed to secure a play-off spot at 8th position, where they beat NEC, relegated Excelsior and then in the final round faced Go Ahead Eagles. After a 0-0 draw at home, the game in Deventer became absolutely insane, with Go Ahead scoring 4-3 in the 88th minute, securing their promotion, until the 94th minute where Spierings curled it in, which meant that RKC went through. And then they got a penalty shortly thereafter for a 4-5 win. This doesn’t even mention the fact they beat PSV in the KNVB Cup. It was a wild ride to say the least.
This Season
That wild ride to promotion came somewhat unexpected. RKC received a huge sum for them from the Frenkie de Jong transfer (around 4 million) which has been used to replace their artificial turf with real grass, improving their facilities, and keeping the team that promoted mostly intact. One player they’ll miss is Emil Hansson, who returned to Feyenoord after his loan spell ended. Pretty much everyone paints RKC as the club to automatically relegate, so expectations can only go up from there.
Transfer highlights
Player
Type
From
To
Fee(Euro)
Lennerd Daneels
Permanent
PSV
RKC Waalwijk
Free
Emil Hansson
Permanent (Loan ended)
RKC Waalwijk
Feyenoord
Free
Players to Watch
Stijn Spierings: Scored the goal that secured RKC’s promotion, and was pretty good for them in the competition in general with 7 goals and 6 assists. Jurrien Gaari: Wasn’t too long ago when he was still playing in the amateur division. Participated in the Gold Cup for Curacao where he scored an excellent banger against Jamaica.
Following their relegation under Dick Advocaat, it was up to Henk Fraser to get Sparta back into the Eredivisie as soon as possible. Initially they were in first place and won the first period title which at least secured a play-off spot, but they weren’t able to keep that position for long as FC Twente started to gain momentum. Fraser’s conservative brand of football didn’t appeal to fans either, but it was enough for them to reach 2nd. After beating Top Oss, they faced De Graafschap in the final play-off round. After a 1-2 defeat at home, they managed to turn things around in Doetinchem with a 0-2 win, ensuring the oldest professional club in the Netherlands was back on the highest level after just a year. u/Schele_Sjakie: Last season was one with mixed feelings. Sparta was very inconsistent. They won 14/19 games at home with good football beating the Eagles and Almere with 6-1. But at the same playing very uninspiring football away from home with lots of losses and draws. Fraser has really put a Fraser team together. Good defensively and playing smart at times. But also sometimes plain average going forwards while we do have the means to play 'better' football. Of course with the promotion everything was right in the end, but the entire season wasn't that convincing.
This Season
Sparta will likely, just like all other promoted teams, fight for that coveted 15th spot to avoid any relegation battle. Sparta invested a lot in the team to promote in one year, and through that success has only had to say goodbye to a couple of players that were considered unnecessary (bye Royston Drenthe). Important and talented players like Lars Veldwijk and Halil Dervisoglu have so far stuck around, and it’ll be interesting if Fraser’s conservative branch of football will suit the players whilst keeping them in the Eredivisie. u/Schele_Sjakie: I expect Sparta battling it out for the 15th place with a few others. The team will probably stay together for a large part so that's good. But I fear we have to do more attacking wise and Fraser won't do that. I don't think non-Sparta fans will particularly like our style but it's effective.
Transfer highlights
Player
Type
From
To
Fee(Euro)
Laros Duarte
Permanent
PSV
Sparta Rotterdam
Unknown
Dante Rigo
Loan
PSV
Sparta Rotterdam
Free
Royston Drenthe
Permanent
Sparta Rotterdam
Free transfer
Free
Players to Watch
Halil Dervisoglu: Pretty much every top Turkish team wants him. The highly rated Turkey youth international has shown a lot of potential with 10 goals and 6 assists, but still has Lars Veldwijk ahead of him because he’s still somewhat raw. Laros and Deroy Duarte: Its always nice when brothers play at the same club. Laros came over from PSV but has now signed a permanent deal at Sparta, and Deroy has stuck with the coveted Sparta youth academy. Both are very solid all round midfielders with lots of potential growth. u/Schele_Sjakie: Halil Dervisoglu, he is the current top talent (19 yo), wanted by every club in Turkey. He's a real rough diamond. Good technique and shot, is strong and fast. Can dribble too and even passes decently. But his biggest weakness are mentality, decision-making and endurance. Those are things that come with age. I expect much from him, but at the same time Veldwijk is undisputed starter. So expect Hilal to be the supersub. Here are last seasons highlights. Laros Duarte, came from PSV in January. Instantly our best player imo. He started every game, he's an allround midfielder who is important in the build up. Good pass and great free kick taker. Abdou Harroui can play as no. 8 or no. 10. Good technique, long shot, insights, mentality. Provides some creativity and often overlooked, also by Fraser. Imo someone who should have started every game last season. Scored some bangers too.
After their debt caught up to them, FC Twente, champions in 2010, were relegated from the Eredivisie. Considering the financial limitations of the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, Twente needed to get out there as soon as possible, cause another season would’ve potentially spelled bankruptcy for one of the biggest Dutch clubs outside the top three. The municipality of Enschede even stepped in and provided Twente with aid. While they succeeded in their plan and ended up 1st, securing automatic promotion, it didn’t go as easily as hoped considering the strength of the squad. Not long after securing promotion, manager Marino Pusic was sacked for some disparaging comments towards the club and local media. u/streep36: Last season was good and really shit at the same time. Yes we reached our goal which was promotion and we saved our club from financial death. But everyone still felt unhappy the way we did it, with a very frustrating 4-4-2. The staff and players butted heads and after making promotion it quickly became very clear that the situation with the head coach Pusic had become unworkable and that he had to be sacked. The club desperately needs to sell players to have some cash to stay in the Eredivisie and there was 0 improvement or player development during last years season.
This Season
Manager: Gozalo Garcia Garcia
Management is now in the hands of the delightfully named Gonzalo Garcia Garcia, who was Pusic’s assistant last year and seems highly regarded by Twente chairman Ted van Leeuwen. Because all revenue goes towards clearing Twente’s debt, they’ve had next to no money to spend, relying on freebies or loans. Even with that disadvantage, Twente has attracted some interesting names. Twente can’t afford to go back to the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, so giving the keys to someone with little experience like Garcia Garcia seems incredibly risky. They’d commit murder for a comfortable midtable spot. u/streep36: My expectation is to not relegate again. If it happens it will literally be the end of this club. So thats our number 1 priority. My hopes for the season is that we're able to improve some players like Aitor, Bosch, Roemeratoe maybe even Pleguezuelo so we can sell them for higher prices in the future. The quicker we get rid of the debt we have (23 million euros) the better. Also I'm hoping we have a good cup run, there's a lot of negativity around the club and I really hope we can get rid of some of it by doing well in the knvb cup (because doing well in the eredivisie is probably not gonna happen).
Transfer highlights
Player
Type
From
To
Fee(Euro)
Julio Pleguezuelo
Permanent
Arsenal
FC Twente
Free
Paul Verhaegh
Permanent
Wolfsburg
FC Twente
Free
Keito Nakamura
Loan
Gamba Osaka
FC Twente
Free
Oussama Assaidi
Permanent (contract expired)
FC Twente
Unknown
Free
Players to Watch
Aitor Cantalapiedra: Won the Keuken Kampioen Divisie Player of the year. The pacy Spanish winger has been compared by ElfVoetbal to former Twente player Dusan Tadic, and has provided important goals and assists. Joel Drommel: Regarded as a talented goalkeeper by Twente, he was often mocked in the Eredivisie for some egregious errors in the year that they relegated. Redeemed himself in the KKD, winning the prize for Goalkeeper of the Season. Fans will hope that now he’s ready for the Eredivisie level u/Streep36 I think Javi Espinosa can thrive under our new coach Garcia Garcia's way of playing, which is more similar to the dutch school of football as opposed to Pusic' brexitball. If he stays fit Hans Vuckic is definitely a player you need to watch out for. Strong, good on the ball and a very high workrate IF he stays fit. Last but not least I think Drommel can finally have his breakthrough season and really impress people in the eredivise. Hot take: I predict that he's gonna be a higher rated talent than Scherpen at the end of the season
Utrecht had the dubious honor of being the first club to sack their manager. Doubts already existed about former club icon Jean Paul de Jong, and after only 4 games the situation became untenable. On came Dick Advocaat, looking for redemption after relegating Sparta. While his side wasn’t all that fun to watch and lacking in standout players, Utrecht performed well as a cohesive team, reaching 6th and with it the Europa League playoffs. They won those after beating both Heracles and Vitesse. u/BloodyTjeul: Crappy start with De Jong reminded me of the old FC Utrecht before ten Hag. Team played like they didn't care. Advocaat came in and slowly but surely started grinding out results, even winning the play offs. The football he played was boring and stale, little chance for youth players and generally no changes in the starting xi. Conservative subbing as well. He won the play offs but I'm glad he's gone. He's like a poor man's Mourinho.
This Season
Manager: John van den Brom
Europe: 2nd qualifying round Europa League
Utrecht surprised by appointing John van den Brom as their new manager. Van den Brom has delivered good work while at AZ, so to see him take what is arguably a lower step is surprising. But Utrecht has shown a lot of ambition, having signed Adam Maher and Adrian Dalmau, two players who had a very good season last year, as well as talents like Vaclav Cerny and Justin Lonwijk. Utrecht is looking to attack on clubs like AZ and possibly even Feyenoord to take the 3rd/4th spot, and it will be interesting to see whether the investment is effective. Sadly its already over in Europe, continuing the unbelievably terrible track record play-off winners. u/BloodyTjeul: I'm hoping for a 3rd spot or possibly winning the cup, but I'm expecting to make it to the play offs and hope to win them. Spot 4-5 seems realistic, fighting with AZ and Vitesse for it. I'm expecting some attractive football and more chances for youth players with former AZ coach van den Brom when compared to Advocaat. Worried about a stale 433 every match though. We've got a strong midfield, solid attack and a relatively poor defence. We lack a good left back, with the sale of Gavory, Janssen is getting older, Bergstrom is injury prone and Klaiber and Troupee also tend to be injured often. We only have two real CBS and the rest is vd maarel (midget) and youth players (editor: They recently signed defender Justin Hoogma on loan).
Transfer highlights
Player
Type
From
To
Fee(Euro)
Adam Maher
Permanent
AZ
FC Utrecht
Free
Vaclav Cerny
Permanent
Ajax
FC Utrecht
750,000
Adrian Dalmau
Permanent
Heracles Almelo
FC Utrecht
700,000 + Dessers
Timo Letschert
Permanent (Loan ended)
FC Utrecht
Sassuolo
Free
Nicolas Gavory
Permanent
FC Utrecht
Standard Liege
3,100,000
Players to Watch
Adrian Dalmau: Scored 19 goals in his Eredivisie debut season at Heracles Almelo, so Utrecht getting him could be considered a big coup for a club like Utrecht to get him. Adam Maher: Had somewhat of a career revival after returning to AZ. Now more of a playmaker, Maher could be the essential engine of the team. Justin Lonwijk: Didn’t want to play for Jong PSV anymore and decided to take a step back at Utrecht. Played a lot more than expected thanks to injuries from Bahebeck and has delivered in pre-season. u/BloodyTjeul: Adrian Dalmau: netted 19 for Heracles last season. Simon Gustafson played insanely well in the play offs. I'm expecting Adam Maher to play for him as a supporting box to box midfielder. Maher isn't a #10 anymore. Youth: Lonwijk scored six times in the pre season, also expecting debuts for defenders Tommy st Jago andChristian Mamengi, as well as midfielder Rayan El Azrak. St Jago has been called a raw diamond by ten Hag so I have high hopes.
While Vitesse had been under Russian influence for quite some time, this was the first time the club had an actual Russian manager. It was still seen as a big deal that someone with that big a name would go manage a side like Vitesse. With that in mind, there’s a bit of disappointment and the feeling that more could’ve been achieved. especially since they lost the play-offs against Utrecht. An obvious highlight was Real Madrid loanee Martin Odegaard, who really shined at Vitesse and became the only non-Ajax/PSV player with a spot in Eredivisie’s Team of the Year u/snekarmy619: For me, last seasons was one of ups and downs. We had great ups (being really important in the battle for first place by playing 3-3 against PSV) but even bigger downs (a huge wave of injuries, and losing the play offs against FC Utrecht). Last season started out hopeful, we had great players but I think the team wasn't consistent. We did have Odegaard though, which was a great thing! But in the end, I see 2018-2019 as a wasted season, and it shows in season tickets sold. They sold 2000 less than last year from what I've heard (I do have a season ticket though ;)).
This Season
Odegaard is gone, but besides Besides that, Vitesse has kept most of their important players (Linssen, Karavaev), while getting rid of some of their deadwood (Buttner). The annual Chelsea loan-off has only taken form in the return of Charly Musonda, who actually was at Vitesse last season but only played one game due to injury problems. The signing of Bazoer is also a very interesting one, even if he was only kinda there while on loan at FC Utrecht. Vitesse has all the tools to once again make it to the Europa League play-offs, and even if the team could be more entertaining, at least Leonid Slustky himself provides a good laugh, unless you’re Serdar Gozubuyuk, then I’d watch out. u/snekarmy619: This season, I hope for more consistency. No more playing great against a high ranked team this week, and struggling with FC Emmen the next week, but I want them to play as good against PSV as against Emmen. I hope for a 4th place, but more realistically I think they will end somewhere between 5 and 8.
Transfer highlights
Player
Type
From
To
Fee(Euro)
Riechedly Bazoer
Permanent
Wolfsburg
Vitesse
Unknown
Armando Obispo
Loan
PSV
Vitesee
Free
Charly Musonda
Loan
Chelsea
Vitesse
Free
Martin Odegaard
Permanent (loan ended)
Vitesse
Real Madrid
Free
Players to Watch
Charly Musonda: Wasn’t too long ago that he was considered one of Chelsea’s and Belgium’s biggest talents. If he can reach the levels he did back in his first loan to Betis, then Vitesse has a very strong Odegaard replacement Riechedly Bazoer: Another midfielder once considered one of the best talents in their country, Bazoer’s downfall has been frustrating to watch, but it's also easy to forget that he’s still only 22. u/snekarmy316: Musonda and Bazoer are players to look out for. But I think Vyacheslav Karavaev and Matus Bero will do great as well! Kara really developed for the better the last 2 seasons, and now I personally think he is one of the better defenders in the Eredivisie. Bero is a very talented midfielder who, I think, will make quite some goals and prove to be very useful for the team. I think Tanane might develop to be good as well, but only if the attitude is there!
The best thing that can probably be said about VVV’s season is how uneventful it was. With one of the smallest stadiums in the league and going into their second season after promotion, fans were worried if VVV could slip into becoming a relegation contender, but that never turned out to be the case. In the first half of the season they did well, with a bit of a free fall in the 2nd, but nothing that put them in danger. Steijn’s kick and rush style football may not be the most fun to watch, but has proven effective in a league where almost all clubs want to play attacking football. u/ZlatanPower: Last season we started really good, even being able to joke about European football. It became mediocre after Christmas, and after carnaval it was absolute dogshit (as always). Our players have little quality, and our chemistry and fitness kept us in due the points gained before carnaval. Unnerstall leaving is a big problem, if Kirschbaum is half the quality I will be happy.
This Season
Manager: Robert Maaskant
After resisting the call from bigger midtable teams, Maurice Steijn wasn’t able to resist that oil money, leaving VVV to join Emirati side Al Wahda. As his replacement, VVV got Robert Maaskant, which was surprising since he stated he was retired from football management after relegating with Go Ahead Eagles. Besides that, VVV has also lost some important players in Mlapa and Unnerstall, and those aren’t going to be easy to replace. VVV will have their work cut out for them to continue their comfy midtable existence. u/ZlatanPower: My expectations for next season will be that we stay up. At first I was negative about Maaskant's appointment, but seeing the first 20 minutes against Panathinaikos made me actually hopeful. If they keep up that level, VVV can become 11-12th.
Transfer highlights
Player
Type
From
To
Fee(Euro)
Haji Wright
Permanent
Schalke 04
VVV Venlo
Free
Tobias Pachonik
Permanent
Carpi
VVV Venlo
Free
Peniel Mlapa
Permanent
VVV Venlo
Al Ittihad
2,500,000
Lars Unnerstall
Permanent (loan ended)
VVV Venlo
PSV
Free
Players to Watch
Haji Wright: Wasn’t able to break through at Schalke 04, so moved about an hour away to prove his mettle in Venlo. The American youth international has an buyback clause, implying Schalke still has faith in the attacker Evert Linthorst: One of VVV Venlo most talented players from their youth academy, the midfielder picked up a few games last year and is hoping for a starting spot now. u/ZlatanPower The only player who seems really outstanding is Tobias Pachonik, who we picked up from Serie B. He is the one I put my faith in.
Willem II's Wild Ride was turbulent to say the least. Under Adrie Koster, Willem II never really came close to the relegation zone, largely thanke to beloved striker Fran Sol. However, Willem II basically lost their entire frontline in the winter break, with Sol being sold to Dynamo Kyiv and both Donis Avidjaj and Araz Ozbiliz getting sacked for misbehavior. Luckily, Willem II struck gold with the loan of Alexander Isak from Dortmund, effortlessly replacing Sol with 13 goals. Along with the competition, Willem II reached the KNVB Cup Final for the first time since 2005. While they were easily beaten by Ajax, that was still quite the achievement. u/OrangeSevens: Last season was turbulent, but showed the possibilities we have as a club with new management. We started the season with Özbiliz, Avdijaj and Sol up top and ended with Pavlidis, Vrousai and Isak. Sol was sold, Özbiliz and Avdijaj were sent away, and it looked like we were done for. But the management really covers alot of options and brought us the VIP front three with incredible quality and Vrousai and Pavlidis are here this season too. We dropped of late in the season for EL playoffs, because everything went into the cup final. Sadly, that required a miracle to win and in the end the season left fans with a feeling of hope for the future.
This Season
It was pretty much impossible to keep Isak after the season he had, so Willem II is back to square one and perhaps even further, with players like Anita, Tapia, and Palacios all returning to their clubs, as well as the sale of Dan Crowley to Birmingham City. This has left Willem II with a very small group of players, with the club having done little investment despite the Frenkie de Jong millions (around 7 million). Still, its relatively quiet boardroom wise, which is a nice change of pace from seasons past. Once Willem II invests in more players, a midtable position should be at reach. u/OrangeSevens: This season we have more changes in upper management, but the same coaching staff. On top of that the Frenkie de Jong (even though the internet likes to claim we made the dumbest deal in history for him) and Sol sales made us quite a profit and that money goes into improving the club all around. I believe this season we should aim for place 9 or 10 and show ambition to improve and become a steady midtable club once more. We still have some moves to make on the market, but we already have a few good players in who can make magic happen.
Transfer highlights
Player
Type
From
To
Fee(Euro)
Che Nunnely
Permanent
Ajax
Willem II
Unknown
Vangelis Pavlidis
Permanent
VfL Bochum
Willem II
250,000
Alexander Isak
Permanent
Willem II
Borussia Dortmund
Free
Dan Crowley
Permanent
Willem II
Birimingham City
800,000
Players to Watch
Pol Llonch: One of Willem II's more experienced players. A really hard to play against midfielder who can be difficult for any opponent. Has become one of the leaders of the Tricolores Che Nunnely: Another FM favorite who wasn't able to do the same thing IRL, Nunnely stalled in his development and wasn't able to make the step from Jong Ajax to Ajax. A very pacy winger who should be able to provide some important assists. u/OrangeSevens Pavlidis: Looks like a targetman, plays as a nr. 10. He is one of those super annoying players who won't give up possession even under heavy pressure. His size is misleading, because he can pull off a quick turn or move out of nowhere. Quite decent finisher too. Vrousai: Quick, agile and capable of creating his own chances. Vrousai is a true winger and gives his all. Already proven his worth last season and has the potential for even better. Nunnely: Just came in from Ajax this window. Ajax youth products tend to do just fine with our playstyle so high hopes for this guy. Looks eager to prove himself. There are a few more players I could name, but I believe these guys are gonna make magic. --- Alright, that's going to do it. This has been quite the colossal effort but I'm really happy with how it turned out. I really want to thank everyone who contributed and gave their insight as to what they expect from their club. The Eredivisie may not be the biggest or high quality league, but there's always entertainment value to be had and an ability to see the future grow into the next big thing. Hope you enjoyed it.
Groningen and Feyenoord face each other in a highly-anticipated game at Euroborg in what is expected to be a very exciting game. Groningen have been producing much better showings at home than on travels of late, with the team beating Den Haag on home soil, while losing to both Vitesse and Heracles on the road. Which, therefore, has raised a lot of questions from soccer fans all over the world to find perfect solution by searching the best prediction site that provides 100% guaranteed football predictions.. Many football fans all over the world are tired of losing their bets as a result of not seeking guidance from reliable football prediction site like ours . Looking for best paid soccer prediction sites? You`ve found the right place! Here you`ll get best predictions to grow your bankroll fast! Start winning today! 1960Tips is the best football prediction sites in the world with free soccer prediction, football betting tips, analysis on over and under 2.5, btts, corners, cards, sure odds and more free soccer prediction and best football tips, visit us @ 1960tips.com now Spain-FA Cup Italy-FA Cup Netherlands-FA Cup England-FA Cup Portugal-FA Cup France-FA Cup Brazil-Serie A Belgium-FA Cup Austria-Bundesliga Greece-FA Cup Croatia-1. Division Slovenia-Prva Liga Cyprus-1. Division Turkey-FA Cup Paraguay-Division Profesional-apertura Romania-FA Cup Chile-Primera Division Scotland-Premiership Switzerland-Super League Uruguay-Primera Division Clausura Costa Rica ... About Blog Best Soccer prediction website with over 70% accuracy everyday. bet on favorite soccer leagues : premier league, ligue 1, serie A, Bundesliga, UEFA champions league, Europa league, etc. Our predictions are based on statistics and team news provided by in-depth analysis by our experienced pundits using smart and intelligent algorithms. Holland Eredivisie Tips and Predictions. View our Holland Eredivisie tips for the next games below. Select any game to view our detailed analysis on each game. We provide soccer results and predictions since 1999. Choose soccer league and you will find statistics, picks, tables and information for all your betting needs. All football information on this site is free. You can choose a football game by date or select league from the country list. For detailed information about match click into score link. Find free Football Predictions and winning Football Tips of today here. Our team of experts show you how to win big with your next football bets! 🏆
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