A new version of Football Manager is released today, which makes this, in my house at least, a time of hushed reflection. The old era is passing away, the new era is rising up before us. Everything we knew and loved is sliding into the sea, while before us, like a mountainous country, is thrust a terrifying and exhilarating possibility.

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I love starting off the weekend watching one of the big four take it in the rear [post]... apparently so do the Villains and they did just that, causing the Blues their second consecutive defeat away from home! Cop that! Match highlights: Older Aston Villa news: Results – 2nd / 4th May There's A . Click to continue reading...

For many reading this you will be used to my writing, and the site name. For those what is new about the site is the structure and relationship with SBNation.com and Daily Soccer Fix and more sites to come. Sounder at Heart is now part of a network. More than just the one site you are used to you will find news about the beautiful game, American soccer and many teams to come.

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Sorry for the cop-out this weekend, which is the best slate of games the Premier League has to offer so far. I just wrote what felt like a 5,000 word preview for my paying gig and my brain feels like ice cream that was left out in the sun.Let me say this, this is the going to be a fun weekend if you subscribe to ESPN, Fox Soccer and Setanta. Click to continue reading...

Fernando Torres has jumped aboard the 'Liverpool can't compete because of money' bandwagon. Displaying a defeatist attitude in public is bad enough, but blaming the team's lack of trophies on lack of money is worse because, in my view, it just isn't true.
In an interview, Torres said:
"I think we are close to getting a trophy but it's very difficult. Click to continue reading...

There are some differences between this site and others that cover the Sounders, or North American soccer. You'll notice I don't talk about form, or work-rate, but instead focus on the provable and the tangible, on the specifics of what has occurred. Because I think that form is a cop-out for journalists that [. Click to continue reading...

It doesn't get anymore electro-dork than geeking out over Daft Punk's beefy theme to the upcoming Tron sequel. I don't know if I'm more excited about the film or the soundtrack. I guess it doesn't matter since I'll cop both of them on release day and probably spend more time obsessing about both of them than a healthy marriage will allow. Click to continue reading...

Well it was the bottom of the table clash we've been waiting for all season. I walked from the shop, past the Irish Pub on the corner which only had AFL on, and past the two pubs in the mall which also only had AFL on, to the Pig & Whistle on the mall which had AFL on two screens and the A-League on the smallest third screen. Click to continue reading...

Rafael Benitez has once again cited Liverpool's lack of spending power as the reason the club cannot close the gap on Manchester United. I'm sorry, but the use of this lame excuse needs to be outlawed because - as this season proves - money has absolutely nothing to with Liverpool's league success.
In a recent interview, Rafa stated:
"It [Winning the league] is still very difficult when you analyse the financial power of Chelsea, United and Arsenal with the money they can spend. Click to continue reading...

SCANS have revealed that Perth Glory stalwart Jamie Harnwell will miss the first three games of the A-League season due to a hamstring injury.
Harnwell suffered the injury during Saturday's pre-season friendly with North Queensland Fury, minutes after scoring the only goal of the game.
"While is not ideal to cop an injury at any time I guess it is better now where I'll only miss the opening few games rather than during the season where I'd miss a full six matches," Harnwell said. Click to continue reading...

Picture the scene. It is early evening. Two proud parents are seeing their little girl, who has just turned 18, go off on her first night out as an adult.

The proud, bearded and highly, almost psychotically, suspicious of young men father says "Look, kiddo, I know you're 18 and now legally allowed to drink, but don't go crazy tonight, eh?

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Captain Pablo Guinazu has published an open letter to Inter supporters on his official site following Wednesday's Copa do Brasil defeat.
The letter roughly translates as:
I would like to thank the support which was given to the team last night, from the 50,000 supporters and others around the world that appeared in the Beira-Rio for the Copa do Brasil final. Click to continue reading...

Han concluido las semifinales de la Copa Libertadores y los finalistas serán Cruzeiro de Brasil, y Estudiantes de La Plata, Argentina.

En la primera semifinal, Estudiantes venció a Nacional de Montevideo, un equipo que muchos no esperaban que llegara hasta esta fase, pero ahora no tuvieron la suficiente suerte para vencer a unos Estudiantes inspirados, que si bien no rindieron lo esperado en el Clausura Argentino, en la Libertadores si han dado mucho de qué hablar.

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This took me far too long, sorry. Interwebs troubles...#1 - As you may well know the race for free agent USMNT backline cop Oguchi Onyewu has reached a fever pace. We had no less than a half dozen names added to his suitor list today, including (heart beating) Ajax.The same article also outs Parma and Portsmouth, while various Italian reports fingered Genoa, Lazio and Livorno - all of whom have Click to continue reading...

Okay, I've been working on this transfer saga for a couple of days, and this is whhat I have learned:U.S. backline cop Oguchi Onyewu now has three Prem offers (Birmingham, Fulham and mystery meat), two La Liga offers (shrug), one Bundesliga offer (der schrug), one Ligue 1 offer (presumably PSG or Marseille, though Lyon is a possibility) and the seemingly also-ran bid from Fenerbahçe. Click to continue reading...

West Brom are now mathematically relegated. Well, what did they accomplish? Did they enjoy their stay? And despite all the nice touches their midfielders have had, will we really miss them?

Every season one of the promoted clubs takes on their mantle; they will be the promoted side that will play "The Football.

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As expected the red half of Manchester walked away with all three points from this match and yet again, that man C.Ron did part of the damage. That's now 4 goals in the last 3 games and he sure is firing up at the right time!... see, who said a little player slagging wouldn't get results? Click to continue reading...

Call this a cop-out post, sue me. What can you really say after Manchester United eviscerated Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates Tuesday night in the Champions League semifinal?How many different ways can you write that Cristiano Ronaldo is a god in Nike cleats? (What a counter-attack! The stuff of dreams.) If I were every Manchester United supporter in the world, I get on my computer and start splicing Click to continue reading...

In case you missed my brilliant article over Christmas because you were to busy stuffing your face with turkey and booze then here it is again. We've had celebrity teams all year what with footy aid, World Cup Legends and the Masters on, but what would be your all time Cop Show 11. Players who take no prisoners in the tackles and then go home to a tasty bit of fluff. Click to continue reading...