The Archive

A version of football has been played in Japan for over a millenium, but no one has managed to win a match yet, as Jon Watts explains

Half a world away from Wembley, a crowd of about 500 people have gathered in the grounds of a small temple on the outskirts of Kyoto. In front of them a group of seven men and women, dressed in elaborately-patterned and brightly-coloured robes, stand in a small circle facing inwards. One of them, an elderly Japanese man, holds in his outstretched hands a round white football.

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Changes for the future of the game with a difference

So we’re ten. And therefore entitled to grant ourselves a few birthday wishes. In no particular order, they are as follows:

The police to be persuaded that the law does actually permit them to eject people from a ground for systematic racist abuse, but that, equally, there’s no need to confiscate someone’s sandwiches, or comb, or glasses case on the basis that they might be offensive weapons; No stands to be named after a team’s sponsors, or fast food franchise holders; 

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Andy Lyons spoke to Jaz Baines, the author of a survey that has challenged some myths about Asian footballers

“There’s a theory they don’t like open changing rooms, their ethics don’t allow it. They do have a problem with their build, which is very slight, and they don’t like the physical element. Their eating habits are also a problem.”
 
The comments are from two League club youth coaches – one of whom went on to become a First Division manager – offering suggestions about why there aren’t more professional footballers from Asian backgrounds. The quotes are from an article in the Sunday Times, reprinted in Asians Can’t Play Football, a report due to be published in April.

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Rob Trent reports on how many rebuilt grounds fail to take into account of the interests of disabled fans

Since the forced implementation of the Taylor Report, top English football clubs, and indeed Southampton, have spent millions of pounds redeveloping their stadia, but some of these same clubs have blatantly ignored the needs of disabled spectators. Manchester United, one of the richest clubs in the country, are nearing the completion of a new stand, raising the total capacity of Old Trafford to 55,000. In this new stand, no spaces have been allocated for wheelchair users, other than in the most expensive executive boxes.

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Manchester City need all the help they can get. In recent matches the referees have not come to their aid. Steve Parish muses on the inconsistencies of referees – and of the TV watchdogs

Alan Wilkie’s penalty award in the Manchester FA Cup derby, and Martin Bodenham’s failure to spot Asprilla’s elbow at work when Newcastle met City at Maine Road the week after, were both well examined by Match of the Day.

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