It’s a new week filled with lots to talk about, footy fans, so I’m going to jump right into it! The biggest news today comes out of Scotland, where the Glasgow Rangers are in hot water. And we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention how excited we are for tomorrow, and no, it’s definitely not for Valentine’s Day…the Champions League action is back! Plus, will Carlos Tevez actually return to Manchester City after all the drama surrounding him? That, and much more in today’s Daily Kick Around!
Scottish Premier League
Bad news for Glasgow Rangers and their fans: the Scottish club has lodged legal papers stating their intention to file for administration – the UK’s version of bankruptcy. Their financial woes are the result of a tax bill that the club would be unable to pay. The club has 10 days to declare that administrators have taken over operations. They will also have 10 points deducted from the league standings, but at this point, I think that is the least of their concerns.
UEFA Champions League
Rejoice! The UCL is back in action tomorrow after two months off. The round of 16 is set to kick off Tuesday, with Barcelona facing Leverkusen and Lyon taking on Apoel. For a full list of all the UCL matches, go here!
English Premier League
After spending three months in Argentina — unauthorized — is Carlos Tevez finally returning to Manchester City? Now that the January transfer window has ended, Tevez has run out of options and seems to be set to come crawling back to City and right his wrongs with manager Roberto Mancini. It appears that Mancini will welcome him back with open arms (if Tevez apologizes) but I’m not sure I would. Is he really worth the drama? Plus, how long until he is at match fitness? If I were Mancini, I would think long and hard before giving him another shot.
After their embarrassing 5-1 loss to West Brom at home this weekend, the Wolverhampton Wolves have fired manager Mick McCarthy today. McCarthy has been with the team since 2006, and helped them win promotion to the Premier League in 2009, but has been a disaster this season. With only one win in the last 13 games, the Wolves have slipped into the bottom three of the table.
Unfortunately, we haven’t stopped talking about the drama before, during and after the Manchester United – Liverpool match from Saturday. Despite the poor character displayed from players on both clubs, they managed to avoid any sanctions from the FA. Each club is likely to receive a stern letter reminding them of their responsibilities, but that’s it. Really, FA?
Major League Soccer
The off season hasn’t exactly been a good one for the New England Revolution and their fans. The MLS club said goodbye to three of their top forwards, leaving them desperate for players with attacking prowess. Today, a glimmer of hope, as the Revs signed Saer Sene of the Bayern Munich reserves, a forward who has scored 19 goals in 55 appearances.
Africa Cup of Nations
In a shocking result, Zambia defeated the Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations, winning their first ever continental crown. The incredibly unlikely winners have some wild stats that were stacked against them, including being given a 1.9 percent chance of winning the title at the start of the tournament. Here’s a more in depth look at the statistics behind Zambia’s historic win.
Finally, I leave you with a silly and fun video of the LA Galaxy’s David Beckham goofing around between sets at a photo shoot … and pulling off one of the coolest foosball trick shots ever! He makes it look so easy…but I’m sure if I tried it, I would be hunting down a lot of errant shots!
