Innehållsförteckning för October 2018 från FourFourTwo UK

For my very first issue as editor, back in May 2015, our cover story focused on Jurgen Klopp. Things weren’t going too well for him at Borussia Dortmund, so we ran a piece looking at whether he was about to swap German football for the Premier League, speculating on which club needed him the most: Manchester City, Man United or Arsenal?! As strange as it might seem now, Brendan Rodgers appeared secure in the Anfield hotseat a season after almost guiding the Reds to a league title. Looking back now, it would seem odd in the extreme for Klopp to be anywhere else: the German has proved to be the perfect fit for Liverpool. Indeed, in this month’s cover feature, former Reds defender Mark Lawrenson suggests Klopp is the ‘modern-day…

“MY AGENT SAID, ‘BERBA, THERE’S ANOTHER TEAM IN FOR YOU.’ BUT I SAID, ‘F**K OFF, WE’RE GOING TO MAN UNITED’” CLUBS 1998-2001 CSKA Sofia 2001-06 Bayer Leverkusen 2006-08 Tottenham 2008-12 Manchester United 2012-14 Fulham 2014-15 Monaco 2015-16 PAOK 2017-18 Kerala Blasters COUNTRY 1999-2010 Bulgaria WAS HE REALLY KIDNAPPED AS A YOUNGSTER? HOW CLOSE WAS HE TO SIGNING FOR MAN CITY? DID SMOKING HAVE AN IMPACT ON HIS CAREER? Sophia Loren, Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor, Sean Connery. Photographs of a host of style icons adorn the walls of the Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge, and one more has just emerged from the lift to greet FFT . Dimitar Berbatov may be a bit dressed down, during a week-long trip to London from his home in Sofia, but he still…

“LEAVING ZARAGOZA TO JOIN CHELSEA AT 29 WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT MOVE OF MY CAREER - LONDON BECAME HOME” Arsenal 1 Real Zaragoza 2 May 10, 1995 Cup Winners’ Cup Final “I picked this game because of the way we won it – Nayim scored the winner in the last minute of extra time. It was the final 10 seconds of the match so he just thought, ‘I’ll have a try from the middle of the park against David Seaman, why not?’ [Laughs] You can’t imagine what lifting that title meant to Zaragoza, and the whole city celebrated at the Plaza del Pilar. Our coach called it the biggest social mobilisation in the city’s history.” Uruguay 1 Brazil 1 (5-3p) July 23, 1995 Copa America Final “People don’t realise how…

While we’d love to say that no animals were harmed in the making of Queen’s Park vs St Mirren, that just isn’t true. An unremarkable Scottish League Cup tie featured no goals but plenty of slain critters, prompting the Queen’s Park Twitter account to divert their attention towards mammals raining down from the skies. “St Mirren keeper Craig Samson has been forced to remove what looks like a dead squirrel dropped onto the pitch by a seagull – entertainment at its best,” they reported. There was more sad news once the match was over and St Mirren had won 5-4 on penalties. “We’re saddened to confirm that one of our well-respected pigeons passed away tonight,” revealed Queen’s Park, with an accompanying picture of the bird motionless on the pitch, after…

“I GET TIRED AT SCHOOL WHEN I ALSO HAVE TWO GAMES A WEEK, BUT I STILL HAVE TO DO MY HOMEWORK” You’ll move to Real Madrid for €45 million next summer. How does it feel to sign for them at 17? Since I was promoted into the Santos first team [last November], I’m still trying to believe what’s happening in my life – I guess I need some more time to really believe everything! [Laughs] I’m so delighted to have signed for the biggest football club in the world. It wouldn’t be accurate to say it was my dream – it’s the dream of any player. I’m doing my best to be ready to make a big impact. Former Manchester City midfielder Elano gave you your debut – how much…

WINDOW PAINS Shutting the Premier League transfer window in early August was a bit crazy. Can we just put it back again next term? Frank Dolan UNAI INSIGHT I’m 13 and I enjoyed reading FFT 290. The part about North Korea was very interesting, as was the Unai Emery feature. Antonio Harris NOT A WORLD CUP FAN I previously wrote to you to say England should pull out of the 2018 World Cup. I was right – we messed up again. Robert Bartrum THANKS, GARY I was gutted to see Gary Bowyer leave Blackpool. He did an amazing job as manager in really difficult circumstances. Claire Barton WHAT’S IN A NAME? Liverpool’s Alisson has a goalkeeping brother called Muriel. Do they have a goalkeeping sister called Dave? Freddie Stewart LAST…

You made a name for yourself by winning the Golden Boot when England lifted the Under-17 World Cup last year. What was it like? Amazing. Before I scored my first hat-trick, in the quarter-final, I never thought I would win the Golden Boot. I was nowhere to be seen in the list of top scorers. But to score two hat-tricks, then score again in the final and win the tournament, was just amazing. Did Jurgen Klopp congratulate you at the time? He was texting me throughout the World Cup, then he called me after we won to say congratulations. The first time he texted me, I thought, ‘Who’s this? I know one JK and that’s Jurgen – it can’t be!’ He said, ‘It’s the boss’ and told me to save…

Who? A central midfielder who spent six years at Norwich, joining the Canaries from Manchester United’s youth ranks in 1999. Scored a free-kick in just his second game for City, and went on to win promotion to the Premier League in 2003-04. Mulryne also earned 27 caps for Northern Ireland. What happened after retirement? After several failed trials and a stint at King’s Lynn, Phil told the BBC that he’d felt “an emptiness in the way I was living my life”, and was even declared bankrupt. He began formation for the priesthood in 2009 after an invite from the Bishop of Down and Connor. Might I spot Phil in a church near me? Depends where you live. He’s based near Belfast. Mulryne has commented on his “contentment for the lifestyle”…

Jan 1 First episode of TOTP is screened. Feb 9 The Beatles make debut outing on The Ed Sullivan Show, breaking records. Apr 4 The Beatles hold down each of the top five spots in the Billboard Hot 100. Apr 24 Keith Moon joins The Who, aged 17. Aug 4 The Kinks release You Really Got Me. Aug 8 Bob Dylan’s fourth studio album, Another Side of Bob Dylan, hits the stores. PUSSY GALORE US censors refuse to allow Honor Blackman’s character in Goldfinger to appear on promotional material, so the Bond girl is called ‘Miss Galore’ or ‘Goldfinger’s personal pilot’. Snappy.…

“Highbury yesterday was not the place for people suffering with weak hearts. England won by the none too convincing score of three goals to two, after the most frightful intimidation ever meted out to 11 footballers. English players were kicked, tripped, thrown down and punched, yet still managed to get three goals and also missed a penalty. In the end, it was a case of our players concentrating on flying feet instead of the ball. A left hook landed flush on Ted Drake’s left cheek, Cliff Bastin was hooked up from behind, while Eddie Hapgood was led off the field with his face hidden in a sponge. Some of our players gave as good as they received. I am willing to wager that never before have England had to put…

Arsenal did some tidy business during the summer, although arguably their best acquisition wasn’t even a player. The Gunners made the surprise move to hire Mikhail Zhilkin, a crack developer for gaming giant Candy Crush, despite the fact the Russian had no experience working in football. He’s now Arsenal’s data scientist and has to create tailored training and injury prevention profiles for each member of the first-team squad. The idea is that Zhilkin’s interpretation of the data collated from players should help them to lower their injury tally over an entire season. He studied at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, graduating as a Master of Science in Applied Physics in 2006 before joining Candy Crush’s setup seven years later. And the Gunners aren’t the only team to swoop…

The Sporting Press Former ESPN creative director and veteran magazine art director Neil Jamieson illustrated this month’s cover. “There’s no doubt that with their side’s transfer activity, Liverpool fans are excited! I wanted to convey energy and passion.” Martin Bowyer The Denmark-based Mancunian really brings the game’s more unusual stories to life, which is why FFT asked him to illustrate our rundown of the maddest European Cup moments. “It was great fun to work on. I loved the tale about Kenny Burns’ false teeth.” Alec Fenn FFT’s Performance guru headed to north London to visit the non-league pyramid’s newest club, Hashtag United. “They are unique because they basically started life as a YouTube channel – now they’re just nine promotions from the Premier League!”…

1 ‘WHEN THE SEAGULLS’, PART II France Marseille When Eric Cantona shared an image of himself with spaghetti on his head during the World Cup, it looked like his usual deal: do something weird while a tournament’s on, then disappear for two years. How wrong we were. Since then, he has posed online with an upturned chair around his head; in a swimming cap; buried up to his neck in sand; diving into a bath; cycling in a swimming pool; and holding a sign that read, ‘F**king algebra’. None of it made any sense. Never change, Eric. 2 GROWING PAINTS Slovakia Trnava A new season arriving means pristine green football pitches... but in Trnava, Slovakia, the surface was too green. Spartak Trnava’s pitch was suffering from mould problems ahead of…

“I’M PART-DUTCH AND I WISH MY NAME WAS DEAN VAN ASHTON” Hi Dean. Do you ever use the laughing emoji even though you didn’t laugh? Hi. Yes, all the time. It’s hard enough for me to crack a smile at the best of times, so the emojis have come in very handy. They make me seem much more jolly. Both of your names can be first names or surnames – would you like to have been called Ashton Dean? I would be so much cooler if my name was Ashton Dean! Ashton seems to be a relatively new development as a first name but I really like it. I also wish that I’d been called Dean van Ashton, as I’m part-Dutch. That would have been cool. What kind of guy…

Answers 1) Ibrahim Afellay; 2) Jesper Blomqvist; 3) Goran Pandev; 4) Luiz Gustavo; 5) Steffen Freund; 6) Seydou Keita; 7) Sebastiano Rossi; 8) Finidi George; 9) Oriol Romeu; 10) Abedi Pele; 11) Djimi Traore; 12) Denis Cheryshev; 13) Carsten Jancker; 14) Catilina Aubameyang; 15) Jeremy Mathieu; 16) Angelo Peruzzi; 17) Dong Fangzhuo; 18) Ivan Campo; 19) Marek Jankulovski; 20) Carlos Alberto X-RATED Bristol Rovers promised to investigate after TV screens in their bars were switched from Sky Sports News to Babestation during half-time of the clash with Crawley…

Kaiser! Rob Smyth (Yellow Jersey, £9.99) With his swagger, his Speedos and his sexy, sexy mullet, Carlos Henrique Raposo did look the archetypal 1980s Rio footballer. But he wasn’t. At all. ‘Kaiser’ was on the books at all of Rio’s Big Four – Vasco da Gama, Fluminense, Flamengo, Botafogo – and yet he never kicked a ball in his professional ‘career’. Instead, football’s greatest conman was too busy organising parties for players in Rio’s best nightspots, schmoozing with club directors, networking on the beach and philandering around town in ‘love motels’. It was easier to avoid playing altogether, by feigning injury in training after picking up his signing-on fee. Smyth points out the scam wouldn’t have worked in the modern game with its saturated global media coverage, and MRI scans…

Off the mark Scores his first senior goal in January this year – a last-gasp winner as Santos beat Ponte Preta in the Campeonato Paulista – two months after his first-team debut. Record breaker Becomes the youngest Brazilian to score in the Copa Libertadores, netting an individual effort against Nacional of Uruguay at the age of 17 years, two months and six days. Galactico call Agrees to join Real Madrid on a six-year deal starting in 2019, for a fee of €45m that matches what Madrid paid Flamengo for teenager Vinicius Junior last year.…

ALISSON For 17 years, Gigi Buffon was the most expensive goalkeeper in history. Then, two buys three weeks apart obliterated his £33m fee: Chelsea’s £71m Kepa and fellow record-setter Alisson before him. At £67m, Alisson cost Liverpool more than a million pounds per appearance for Roma. The sum reflected that, while the Reds did urgently require a reliable No.1, clubs are finally valuing keepers in line with outfield players. It’s no longer the one position that can exist outside of team tactics – and they can be the difference-makers. Expected goals (xG) stats suggest Liverpool could’ve finished 2nd with a gloveman performing in line with expectations, while runners-up Manchester United could’ve been 6th without David de Gea working miracles. The Brazilian’s pace and positioning mean he’s quick to close down…

“I DIDN’T KNOW MANY ARGENTINA PLAYERS, AND THEY CAN’T HAVE SEEN TOO MUCH OF ME BECAUSE THEY PLAYED RIGHT INTO MY HANDS” When Kylian Mbappe picked up the ball against Argentina this summer, went on his amazing run from inside his own half and won France a penalty, all I could think was, ‘That’s me’. A run like that and performance like that, against the same team and also at the same stage of the World Cup – there were so many similarities. I couldn’t help but think, ‘Oh my God’. When I scored my goal against Argentina in 1998, I didn’t immediately realise how it was going to transform everything for me. If you stopped to think about it during a game, you would think about a thousand things.…

“Fetch the loo roll” Can someone tell Ray Clemence not to curl one out on the pitch? Hoopy loopy Take a quick look at the Barcelona badge, lads. It’s stripes, not hoops. “This is fine, right?” Want to appeal to more women? Just find a sash and oggle away. David Pleat’s reading corner Curb your enthusiasm, everyone, and settle down for story time. Phoning it in Sweaty Spurs players! Big yellow phones! Call now for more! Do it! The eyes have it “I, Christopher Roland Waddle, take you, Paul John Gascoigne...” Blue (and white) is the colour In case you thought Nantes was in Rutland, Spurs have your back. Daring to do Garry Brooke plays the Spurs way. Pass, pass, then pass some more. “Ah, just go big on the…

“GOAL! I THINK...” Major arguments over whether or not a goal had been scored were common until the 1890s. The catalyst was Everton’s 2-2 draw at home to Accrington in October 1889, after the Toffees’ winner was wrongly adjudged to have gone over the crossbar. DEEP POCKETS Everton fan, and civil engineer, John Alexander Brodie was so angry that he found a solution. After looking at his trousers, he decided “a huge pocket” fixed to the back of the frame would keep spectators off the line and catch balls entering the target. TRIAL, NO ERROR Having tested it out on Stanley Park, Brodie convinced the FA to use his invention at a North vs South match at Nottingham Forest’s Town Ground in 1891. Toffees forward Fred Geary was the first…

1 GUNTER NETZER The unpredictable German playmaker was a sex icon yet devoted to his goldsmith girlfriend, and owned a bar while teetotal. Declared: “I’ll go and play now,” during his Borussia Monchengladbach swansong before coming on to settle the 1973 German Cup Final. 2 STAN BOWLES A laconic No.10 as talented as Blighty has ever produced. “You can trust me, Stan,” QPR gaffer Tommy Docherty told him in 1979. “I’d rather trust my chickens with Colonel Sanders,” deadpanned Bowles. 3 GIORGIO CHINAGLIA A bull of a centre-forward, the Lazio legend used to carry a revolver wherever he went. The Italian, who started out at Swansea, enjoyed winding up Roma supporters, once screaming: “Look at me. I’m Chinaglia. I beat you!” at the Curva Sud after scoring in the derby.…

You’re the Premier League’s youngest captain – was it a surprise to be given the armband so soon? It’s a massive achievement. I thought it would be a big task in terms of pressure and the expectation of the role, because Newcastle’s fans demand the best. But the backing of Rafa Benitez and advice from all of the coaching staff has helped me to adapt quickly. Has it been a challenge giving orders to players with a lot more experience? Probably more so in the 2016-17 season as we had more experienced players at the club. Last season the average age of the squad came down, so quite a lot of the lads were a similar age to myself or a couple of years older. I think I’m a big…

PREVENTION PHYSIO Injury reduction If you struggle to stay injury-free, check out this Twitter account for expert tips, opinions and videos. Twitter: @PreventionPhys SOCCER PULSE Player readiness monitoring Coaches can use this app to assess their squad’s fitness and training intensity by rating the sessions. Twitter: @SoccerPulseApp SANJEEV PARMAR Youth coach The Canadian youth development guru’s creative methods will give your team the best education. Twitter: @parmarsports…

Great footballers don’t always make great managers, but France’s 1998 World Cup-winning side continue to buck that trend. Zinedine Zidane – who scored twice in the 1998 showpiece – captured his third consecutive Champions League crown as Real Madrid supremo in May, before Didier Deschamps became only the third person to win the World Cup as a player and manager a couple of months later. Laurent Blanc has also enjoyed his fair share of success on the sidelines, guiding both Paris Saint-Germain and Bordeaux to the Ligue 1 title. So it’s easy to see why Patrick Vieira could follow in his fellow countrymen’s footsteps. The 42-year-old ex-Arsenal and Inter midfielder was named Nice coach in June, after spells in charge of Manchester City’s elite development squad and New York City…

EDWIN VAN DER SAR “We played together both at Ajax and with the Dutch national team. Edwin was the complete goalkeeper, with an extra skill not many people paid attention to in that era – he was very good with the ball at his feet. We often called him our 11th outfielder. Keepers never used to play like that but now it’s a normal part of the game, so Edwin was years ahead of his time. He was always a great guy to have around the dressing room – he brought so much positivity to the place.” MARCEL DESAILLY “We were team-mates at Milan for a year, although I came up against Marcel many times. He was a strong and quick defender and really difficult to beat. He won everything…

Wales vs Rep of Ireland September 6 The UEFA Nations League begins: Ireland won in Wales last year to reach the World Cup play-offs England vs Spain September 8 The Three Lions’ Nations League opener is also Luis Enrique’s opening match in charge of Spain Tottenham vs Liverpool September 15 Wembley now hosts the Premier League clash, as the new White Hart Lane isn’t ready in time Sheffield Wed vs Leeds September 28 Marcelo Bielsa heads to Hillsborough with his magic bucket and whispering interpreter in tow Real Madrid vs Atletico September 29 Labelled a ‘rat’ by angry Atleti fans, Thibaut Courtois faces his old club in the Madrid derby Juventus vs Napoli September 30 In a brand new edition of The Cristiano Ronaldo Show, last season’s top two square…

THEY SAID: “Of the kids I’ve worked with at Benfica and Sporting, he’s the most talented” – Jorge Jesus. THE STORY SO FAR: Born in Cape Verde, Gelson joined Sporting at 15 and became known for stretching defences, causing major problems when one-on-one with a full-back. In 2016 he showed his potential by tormenting Marcelo in a Champions League fixture at the Bernabeu, and within months he was making his debut for Portugal. Since then, he’s won 19 caps and made a cameo at the 2018 World Cup. End product had previously been an issue but he provided 13 goals and 13 assists for Sporting last term, before joining Atletico Madrid. Martins and several team-mates terminated their contracts after fans attacked the squad in training; Sporting want his release clause…

When Aston Villa brought Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe back to the second city in August, there was understandably real excitement: he was now a world record breaker! Not only had they lured one of the best names in the English game back to Villa Park for a second loan spell – after his five-match stint last season – but also the best Hungry Hippos player on the planet. Axel perfected the art of eating marbles with a mechanical hippo during United’s pre-season tour of the US this summer. Suitable for anyone aged two and above, the 20-year-old got so good at the game that he earned a spot in the Guinness Book of Records, clearing the board in a rapid 17.36 seconds on a day when the Red Devils’…

Steve Eade Recruitment director, 40 James Justin Defender, 20 Q: In what year did Luton last play in the top flight? SE: Definitely 1992. ✔ JJ: I want to say 1992. It sounds right to me. ✔ 1-1 Q: Who is the club’s record goalscorer? SE: Gordon Turner. ✔ JJ: I don’t know... I can’t think! ✖ 2-1 Q: Who scored the last goal of Luton’s 2017-18 season in League Two? SE: It seems a while ago, but I’m pretty sure it was Pelly Ruddock. ✔ JJ: I should know this one! Err... Oliver Lee? ✖ 3-1 Q: Southend were Hatters boss Nathan Jones’ final club as a player – true or false? SE: False! ✔ JJ: Nah, I reckon that one’s false. ✔ [Correct answer: Yeovil] 4-2 Fan wins…

@BurnleyOfficial TRAVELLING SUPPORTERS | The following items are not permitted into the stadium tonight; torch, sharp objects, cans, scissors, umbrella, selfie stick, gun, power bank, phone chargers, lighters, knife, alcohol, baseball bat, camera, backpack, perfume, coins and flammable objects. @bodenknights Actually heard Derby County referred to today as Derby County, not Frank Lampard’s Derby County. Still waiting on Steven Gerrard’s Rangers... @garethpenrose My money is on the live wolves. @Jon_Mackenzie Are Burnley’s centre-backs great or is it just Mee? @kylewalker2 Thanks for the #GoldenTweet award #BetterThanMendy @benmendy23 Ahahaha I leave you that I keep the world cup. #itscominghome *If the current product is out of stock, a similar model of equal value will be sent instead…

During your time at Manchester City, you helped them to win their first league title for 44 years. How keen are you to lead the Reds to their first since 1990? Liverpool have an amazing history and that’s why I wanted to come here in the first place. The club have won so many trophies, but maybe not as many in recent history as we’d have liked. Arguably, a trophy is the only thing missing for us at the moment, and I want to be part of starting that again here. Liverpool came close to winning the Champions League last term, but it’s six years since the club last lifted a trophy. What lessons can you take from your Manchester City career? At Manchester City, winning the FA Cup was…

Acluster of England players are squashed together just inside Panama’s 18-yard box like a pack of impatient commuters shoving their way onto the Tube. As Kieran Trippier whips the ball in, they scatter in different directions, as if they’ve just heard over the Tannoy that their train will now be departing from another platform. Anibal Godoy can’t pin down Harry Kane, so he hangs on to the Tottenham striker like a leopard desperately trying to ensnare an escaping gazelle. The referee points to the spot and Kane blasts a penalty past Jaime Penedo to make it 5-0 to the Three Lions. England manager Gareth Southgate stands proudly on the touchline sporting a dashing, form-fitting waistcoat, flanked by a former model and Macclesfield Town frontman. Southgate’s handsome colleague is Allan Russell,…

You could almost hear the cogs working inside the minds of local snappers when diminutive playmaker Benito Carbone swapped Inter for Sheffield Wednesday in 1996. “He’s Italian, right?” they (probably) said. “And they all eat pasta?” So the Owls’ £3 million man duly posed holding sauceless spaghetti in the Hillsborough centre circle. “He’ll be exciting fans here for years,” said manager David Pleat. Three, to be precise. Benny joined Aston Villa in 1999.…

Ascoli 1987-88 kit Who wore it better, Juventus or Ascoli? Surely the latter, especially when sported by Hugo Maradona, brother of you know who. White hankies Watching Spanish football in the ’90s was odd: fans waved them if they wanted a manager sacked. The bogey-stained rags have since been replaced by fierce whistles. For shame! The Golden Vision Ken Loach’s 1968 Everton film about football fandom, its impact on daily life and the idolisation of their star Scottish forward Alex Young is a powerful watch.…