An Old International

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Writing is fun and it should remain that way. For almost five years I have now explored football, culture and history and there is more to come for sure. I do not intend to pack it in.

I have started this blog with the intention of keeping my English as fluent as possible since I was no longer living in England but needed English on a daily basis and was also researching for a PhD thesis. This has been successful. The thesis has been accepted by DeMontfort University, Leicester and I can now call myself Dr. Wagner.

However, having achieved this I practically do not need to continue this blog? Wrong! I do want to continue but I need your help. While still researching for my thesis I could not have envisaged a blog becoming a source of income. And yet, this is what has happened over the last year and a half. It began with a request for paid content from a third party to be included in the blog. These are still regular features and I will continue to post them if the topic is interesting. Yet, these are too unreliable to call them an income and more often than not I feel I am cheating on my readers in posting something that i haven’t written in my name.

Here is where you, my dear readers, can help me. Support this little blog of mine that has seen more than 240 posts in almost five years of its existence.

I do have ideas what to cover but I know that more research is required for that. Therefore, I have included a pop-up window that will re-direct you to pay pal to leave a tip or something more substantial. Moreover, i also would like to see the content being shared in as many networks as possible. Tell people that you have supported An Old International and why.

Thank You!

The Watney Cup – A Preview

This video clip from 1971 shows how Halifax Town beat Manchester United, THE Manchester United with Law, Best and Charlton, 2-1 at The Shay in the first round of the Watney Mann Invitation Cup. This competition had a life span of only 4 editions but was revolutionary nonetheless. This clip however, is a little teaser for things to come here.

Moving in Circles

Yesterday’s 1-0 defeat of Manchester City against the Spanish giants Barcelona, saw the last English club eliminated from UEFA’s top competition. Once again, the soul searching has begun. Read more →

Steven Gerrard will leave Liverpool as a Legend

Liverpool are one of the most successful clubs in English football, not least in European football. To date the club have won 5 European Cups, 3 UEFA Cup and as many UEFA Super Cups. Though out of European competition for this year, the end of season will be emotional for The Reds. Read more →

Alsatians or Choucroute? Colmar testing Red Star

The German Shepherd Dog is also named Alsatian in some regions. The breed is known for its reliability but also its aggressiveness. Choucroute meanwhile is a regional dish in the Alsace region, also known in English as white cabbage or Sauerkraut. The visitors tonight Colmar from that very region, without a win in their last 5 games, were to be judged whether they were keeping Red Star in check like a dog does with a herd of sheep or whether they were taken apart, just like raw Sauerkraut. Read more →

Red Star FC 93 – Paris FC

The Paris derby. Or what counts as a derby in the City of Light. Moreover, it was the top game of the division this weekend as the visitors from the South of Paris came as leaders of the National, France’s third division and the hosts who are two places behind them. Read more →

Money, Money, Money

Money was said to be funny in a rich man’s world. According to ABBA at least. However, in an ordinary man’s world money means quite a lot. It means continuing the work that has been established over the last four and a half years. This is the idea: keep the blog going and improve the quality of the writing, the research, the topics. Therefore, a little questionnaire has been compiled which i would kindly ask you to take a few moments to complete.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world’s leading questionnaire tool.

Thanks!

image credit: taxcredits.net under CC BY 2.0

Money League

For years it has been debated whether or not the European top clubs should form a united Super League in which the best clubs of Europe play each other on a regular basis. It seems this has already been established. The difference, this Super League does not play on a regular football pitch but in a Money League. Each year Deloitte, a financial consulting company compiles a list of the 20 richest football clubs in Europe.

deloitte-football-money-league-2015-infographic

At the top, Real Madrid; they have held the top spot for ten years now – coincidentally, they have won as many European Cups. Just as Real top the table, the Premier League dominates the top 20. No less than eight English clubs are among those chosen few. Interestingly, two new entries Newcastle and Everton are from England. The television deal translates directly into promotion to the Money League. However, both the Magpies and the Toffees are unlikely to win the European Cup.

Interestingly, there is only one club from outside the Top 5 Leagues of Europe: Galatasaray from Istanbul. It underlines the notion that European Football at the top is a closed shop and it is increasingly difficult to break into the top 20, never mention the top 30 or 50.

The report thus further confirms that top football in Europe is already organized in a Super League, albeit in a league dominated by revenue from television, merchandizing and other sources.

Read the full report:

Deloitte Football Money League 2015

Christmas Killjoy

Christmas is meant to be a time of joy and warmth. The lights spend a warm glow which is reflected with anticipation in children’s eyes. Christmas markets invite to enjoy a mulled wine or indulge in Christmas sweets. The lottery booths are a death trap for parents’ purses and a well for joy for the kids. Read more →

The Year 2014 in the Rearviewmirror

This has been a turbulent year for FC Magdeburg. It was also a very important one. Firstly, history played an big role as the Club remembered the 40th anniversary of their biggest triumph: winning the Cup Winners Cup vs. AC Milan in Rotterdam in 1974. In the previous decades, this trophy proved to be a burden. Before 1989 Magdeburg never came anywhere near a final of any of the European Cups, not to mention winning it. Chances are minimal this will change in our life times. The celebrations this year were according to the situation the club is in: sober but proud. Read more →