When Demba Ba arrived on Tyneside last summer and then started scoring the goals, we found him to be very modest and humble. Papiss Cisse in action against Aston Villa And his Senegal team-mate Papiss Cisse, sensationally signed last month by Newcastle from SC Freiburg for around £9M, seems exactly the same kind of personality, and he has told Newcastle fans [.

Anyone who reads this site and is on Twitter probably knows that Brad Evans is probably the Seattle Sounders top personality there. Not only does he interact with fans, he's also quite funny. On Monday, he decided to "interview" new roommate Michael Gspurning.

Evans solicited his followers for questions to ask his new teammate.

There were two things we learnt about Zlatan Ibrahimovic this week. One was that in his youth, he was "easily in the top five of the most unruly pupils" his school's headmistress had ever seen. The second was that he used to lock himself up in his apartment after a bad game when 50,000 fans whistled at him.

AVB has responded today to claims made earlier in the week from Carlo Ancelotti that in order for Fernando Torres to step out of the shadows, Didier Drogba must be sold.
Let's just remind you of one thing, Villas-Boas very rarely likes to speak of individuals in relation to performances, he always focuses on the team.

Roberto Martinez No-one can say that Roberto Martinez is not likeable, but personality does not a successful manager make. Wigan have now won just two of their last 20 games in all competitions, sit bottom of the Premier League and went out of the FA Cup to League Two Swindon a fortnight ago. In truth [.

You'll like this. The difference between success and failure in football can be minute you need every edge you can get. And when you think about it, so much of football is in the mind. We talk about teams playing with confidence: that's a mental state. We talk about players looking nervous, or not knowing what they're supposed to be doing, or playing tentatively, or showing complacency.

Fascinating comments in the Mirror from former Chelsea boss, and new Paris Saint-Germain boss Carlo Ancelotti about Fernando Torres.

PSG is owned by the Qatar Investment Authority and have money to spend. They are in the market for a center forward and Ancelotti says that he has been offered many of Europe's top strikers including Torres:

"I have received hundreds of phone calls from agents offering me players ever since I signed with PSG.

Inter has tabled a £20.7m bid for the serial wantaway but Claudio Ranieri's statements show he remains unconvinced of Tevez's value to the team.

"There is balance now and the team has become solid. So we need to understand how much this lad can give and how much he can take away.

Almost a year ago, in the Evening Standard of 20 January 2011, Arsene Wenger was quoted at saying:

We have a shared leadership in our team, but I believe Fabregas is an outstanding leader, especially when you consider he is 23 years old, with personality and character and Van Persie as well.

Philadelphia Union assistant coach John Hackworth spoke to reporters via conference call on Wednesday night ahead of today's SuperDraft. He discussed the Union's approach to the Players Combine, the possibility of trades, particularly for an international spot, and how the Union are in a different position going into the 2012 SuperDraft compared to 2010 and 2011.

Patrice Evra is one of a select few foreign players who genuinely seems to get what this club is all about. Whilst Eric Cantona and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will forever be remembered as United legends, I struggle to think of any player who speaks as eloquently about United as Evra does.

Following back to back defeats in the league before an important win over Manchester City in the FA Cup, Evra has claimed that because of the history of this club, we never give up.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has been given the FIFA presidential award for services to football. The United manager was presented with the award by FIFA president Sepp Blatter at the FIFA Ballon d'Or gala in Zurich.

Talking about SAF, Blatter said:

"Elite football is all about results and winning and there is no one better at it than him.

Quick name the top ten players who shouldn't become coaches when all is said and done.

Did Zlatan fall on anyone's list? Or maybe...did Zlatan fall on everyone's list? To say he has a prickly personality would be to call the old Ronaldo, now new Ronaldo, a bit chunky.

And yet.

Manchester City Coach Roberto Mancini has issued a warning to striker Mario Balotelli to stop his outrageous behaviour if he intends to become one of the game's greats.

Balotelli who's controversial antiques both on and off the pitch have in the past landed him in serious problems with his club's and local authorities.

Good day folks.

I would give you a plague update but I fear that using phrases/words like 'coughing up', 'festering' and 'redefine the colour green' aren't exactly pleasant first thing in the morning, Instead I shall crack on with what little there is terms of Arsenal news this morning.

We can start with Per Mertesacker and he's been talking about he needs time to really prove his worth.

Sócrates is dead. It's hard to see how anyone could be surprised. It's also hard not to think that he died because he wanted to, since Sócrates always seems to have done what he wanted to. He smoked incessantly because it gave him pleasure; he seems to have ingested vast amounts of alcohol for the same reason.

Taylor Twellman has had an incredible soccer journey. His scoring accolades served him well in college and led him to what proved to be a remarkable professional career that was cut short due to injury. Soccer fans are now finding him to be a real personality in the world of broadcasting. Putting in time with the Philadelphia Union and finding roles with ESPN has shown the soccer world something that is often lost in broadcasting: a candid, educated approach that brings honesty to the table.

His celebrations are polarizing and his personality even more so, but he's certain to never leave us without a discussion piece.

This weekend against Valencia, he celebrated a late Cristiano Ronaldo goal with a piggyback, to which the Valencia fans didn't take too kindly in the wake of Real's 3-2 win.

Welcome to our weekly Monday Blind Items, where our hardworking sources put forward a (mysterious) football puzzle for you to guess! Here's one that has still remained unsolved, with more hints. Can you guess who we're talking about?

This rather charming football personality (he's no longer playing, by the way) enjoys the Moet & Chandon bottle of premium champagne in his hotel room more than going out to social events, where he's likely to be mobbed.

Courtesy of the Evansville Courier Press, November 7, 2011
When it comes to developing young leaders, helping prepare youths how to deal with adversity is critical in that process.
The definition of adversity is a misfortune – a hardship and suffering, and is normally synonymous with harsh conditions or hard times.

Following Rafael Benitez's bizarre rant about Sir Alex Ferguson in January 2009, our fans got to sing "he's cracking up, he's cracking up, he's cracking, Rafa's cracking up!" from the stands every week. The chant spread to the stands of whoever Liverpool's opponents were, with everyone making fun of the Spaniard who had seemingly lost the plot.

One of the most prevalent myths to arise from the Rafa Benitez era is the improbable notion that former Liverpool Chief Executive Rick Parry signed Robbie Keane. I have argued repeatedly that this was not the case but many fans refuse to accept the truth. Well, finally, we have irrefutable proof that it was, as a matter of fact, Benitez who wanted Keane and signed Keane.

We have to say we've been impressed with the personality of Demba Ba since he arrived on Tyneside. Demba Ba and Leon Best Newcastle strike force Call him Mr. Humble or whatever, but when he gives an interview, he talks in simple terms and is only interested in working hard at Newcastle and doing as much on the field as he can for Newcastle United.

Manchester United star Ryan Giggs has won the Golden Foot 2011 Award. He was announced as the winner last night at a glittering event in Monte Carlo. The Golden Foot is an annual award honouring footballers aged 29 or over who "stand out for their sport results (both as single players and with their team), for their personality and for the esteem of the public and football experts.

The speedy ones, A-Rod and Alex, are back in action with the WNT

The U.S. WNT has gotten a fantastic reception in Kansas City where the folks couldn't be nicer and more excited to see the team, which everyone sincerley appreciates. The squad trained on Monday and Tuesday at the Sporting KC Training Facility at Swope Park and the media, fan and kid turnouts have been excellent.

For those of you not yet in the know, the league's next SSS will be planted in downtown Houston, across the street from the Toyota Center and Minute Maid Park to create a nice little walking Stadium District. The only outlier is, ahem, Reliant, a millennial stadium with very little personality that is inexplicably located on the outskirts of downtown.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has no concerns about Craig Bellamy's bad-boy reputation.
The Wales international could make his debut in his second spell with the Anfield club against Stoke on Saturday after returning on deadline day of the summer transfer window.
Bellamy's previous time at Liverpool lasted just one season in 2006/07, when ex-boss Rafa Benitez decided a lack of discipline did not fit into his tactics.

"Pardon my French, but Cameron is so tight that if you stuck a lump of coal up his ass, in two weeks you'd have a diamond." -- Ferris Bueller's Day Off This isn't time to beat a dead horse, as it were. Bob Bradley got enough criticism from U.S. fans throughout his tenure, whether rightly or wrongly; informed or knee-jerk.

So it's been what, a week since the U.S. roster was announced? Where is the good, deep "So who is this Fabian Johsnon" article? If there is one out there please forward it on. Otherwise I'm going to be forced to play make believe and create a personality for him. A very youthful, "Taylor Gang or Die"-American personality.

Scratch beneath the surface and there really isn't much at all; this has to be the weakest Arsenal squad that I can remember. The sad thing is, its not just weak in terms of the lack of experience, there is a lack of quality too.

Potential is vital in any squad, you always need young players you have high hopes for it has to be balanced though, there is a severe lack of that balance in this Arsenal squad.

Chelsea's Andre Villas-Boas, the youngest manager in the English Premier League at the age of 33, finds himself under the spotlight himself as the Blues seek to regain their EPL title.
''I just want to be first,'' said Villas-Boas, who arrived from Porto. ''We look for excellence and look to win back the title that escaped us last season.

Is this what you want?

My Worry is German Soccer

Everyone knows Germany is a consistent international power. They're always a contender.

Gary Lineker* once said:

"Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans win.

When one thinks of Manchester United, Sir Alex almost immediately comes to mind. He represents, passion, pride, intellect, desire and most of all - winning. For most United fans, the idea of the Red Devils being coached by none other than the Scot is just simply unthinkable. Since 1986, Sir Alex's tenure with the club has been rich in great achievements featuring some of the best players ever.

Why are so many clubs queuing up to sign bad boy Barton?

He is a football riddle, wrapped in a business mystery, inside a ­personality enigma. The biggest puzzle about Joey Barton, though, is why a player who has so often been a sporting pariah and apparently shouldn't be touched with a barge pole, is wanted by so many Premier League clubs?

My SI.com article got quite a bit of response, and I've posted a few emails here that are pretty representative overall.


From M.S.:
C'mon Andrea, everyone knows what a mean and nasty bastard Wynalda is -- he's lucky to still have a job on the air with his bitter criticism of everyone and everything always leaking out all over the place.

I have to admit for the first time in years i am giddy at the prospects of a Roma season.And admittedly it has more to do with manager then the owner. Despite understanding it all starts at the top. I am so intrigued to see how Roma play stylistically,how they adjust to stress tactically and then how the players react and respond.

Every supporter reacts to their team's successes and failures in different ways. Some are loud, outgoing, boisterous folk who can barely stay seated throughout an entire match. Others are laid back and quiet, more comfortable beating themselves up rather than a piece of furniture. Of course, there is no right or wrong way to support your club.

The next to final mention of soccer in the ESPN history book is on page 715, courtesy of writer/personality Bill Simmons.
Now, I can appreciate that Simmons is a new fan to the sport of soccer, but honestly, nothing makes me roll my eyes more than a) Those who act as if Americans, not English, invented the word "soccer" for the game b) Those who act as if the sport needs to change to appeal to Americans.

The next to final mention of soccer in the ESPN history book is on page 715, courtesy of writer/personality Bill Simmons.
Now, I can appreciate that Simmons is a new fan to the sport of soccer, but honestly, nothing makes me roll my eyes more than a) Those who act as if Americans, not English, invented the word "soccer" for the game b) Those who act as if the sport needs to change to appeal to Americans.

Former Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins says Andre Villas-Boas' biggest challenge as Chelsea manager will be to win over some of the high-profile names in the Stamford Bridge dressing room.

Wilkins told BBC Five Live:

"He is a young man who has done exceptionally well but it is a massive test coming in at Chelsea as they have big players and big personalities in there as well.