Friendly and half-naked internationals

Last training before summer break was yesterday's football golf competition. Once again it's Ailton Almeida's butt we see in the pictures at fck.dk - although this time he won! Last time they said it was because he lost!? (Although to admit it I have always been wondering - how could Ailton have lost a ball juggling contest?)

Other players already left to warm up for the EURO 2008. Just take a look at this beautiful sight...

Article from official EURO 2008 website: Sionko strikes twice to cheer Czechs.

Czech Republic - Scotland 3-1

It's all in above link title. Our Czechs helped beat Scotland.

former Rangers FC player Sionko produced a sudden burst of pace in the box to run on to Zdeněk Pospěch's pass and confidently shoot past Craig Gordon.

Neither played earlier this week when Lithuania was beaten 2-0.

Netherlands - Denmark 1-1

Denmark did much better than feared when drawing with the Netherlands. Goalie Jesper Christiansen played because Sørensen was injured warming up and William Kvist Jørgensen did 82 minutes of right back duty. Former players Lars Jacobsen, Christian Poulsen (goal) and former youth player Niklas Bendtner (assist) played too.

Sunday's games

Atiba Hutchinson will play with Canada who host Brazil.

The midfield presents a lot of options with Julian de Guzman of Spain's Deportivo La Coruna, Dwayne De Rosario of the Dynamo and Atiba Hutchinson of Denmark's FC Copenhagen sure to be in the mix.

Canada looks forward to friendly with Brazil
And Denmark will play Poland. Last time we beat them 6-0.

Goodbye...

Yesterday's match was a goodbye to more than just this season.

...Lyngby

Our opponent will play next season in the 2nd best division. Their last game was pretty much like the rest of their season: attacking but losing. Two goals by Atiba Hutchinson who did an inspired effort on the left wing finished them off.

...Marcus Allbäck

Scored his 45th goal on a competent header at Oscar Wendt's sugar sweet cross in his 120th and last game with us. Will be sorely missed! Good luck with Sweden in Austria/Switzerland.

...Michael Silberbauer

Played his 196th an last game - so far. Good luck in Utrecht (the rumor was fact). Hope to see you again some time.

...fan unity

After the game the players didn't go to the "Sektion 12" at the "B" stand to celebrate. But everywhere else. A very strong message that they really didn't appreciate last week's flame throwing. Urban Crew et al are crying their hearts out. According to this fan's comment club director Jørgen Glistrup has said the idea was the player's own entirely, not the club management's.

The official fan club made a similar statement by this banner:

Reads "We are nothing without football". Copyright FCK and Carl Redhead.

Not as bleeding heart fanatical as it may seem the banner is a direct comment to the "Sektion 12" banner we have been embarrassed with for some time now that reads "Football is nothing without us". A welcome humble message to counter the horribly misplaced arrogance of "Sektion 12". The difference between old time fans at "Nedre C" and the new ultra boys at "Sektion 12" is growing.

...2007/08 season

FC København Fan Club members has voted (I forgot) for the player of the year title and chosen Czech Libor Sionko. Well deserved for his hard work up and down the muddy Danish sidelines. Good luck with the Czech Republic in Austria/Switzerland to you and Zdenek Pospech too.

This post was greatly inspired by Politiken's match review. But obviously much better and more insightful ;-)

Pyrotechnics

Yesterday's derby will be remembered for the pyrotechnics competition between Urban Crew (I assume) and Southside Whatever (I don't know) that got a bit out of hand. Check it out:



I sort of enjoy a bit of crazy atmosphere myself. But any kind of pyrotechnics are banned at Danish stadiums. I suspect this has led to rivalry as to who can break this ban in the most spectacular way. These incidents are a bit overkill visually and must be damn annoying to breathe the smoke from. But what Denmark is discussing today is how to make life harder for us fans, because obviously we're murderous. Because the Copenhagen crowd had a couple of unthinking individuals who tossed the fireworks into the neighboring stand below them (to the right in the first clip of the video)! Now that's idiocy!

I'm a bit satisfied the first thing I see at Urban Crew's forum is people expressing exactly the same sentiments. Here's a Danish course for you:

• Olsson: "At lysene kastes mod en neutral tribune er FUCKING pinligt!" = "That lights were thrown at a neutral stand is F*CKING embarrassing!"


• hjorte: "...men det gik altså over gevind, uacceptabelt.. Hvis lysene var blevet holdt på tribunen havde det været flot..." = "...but it went wrong, unacceptable.. If the lights had been held up at our own stand it had been beautiful..."


• Etc.

Main stream media has visited the same forum. But quoted quite differently - need I go into details?

Another incident yesterday was Denmark's Olympic 100 meter sprinter and long jumper, Morten Jensen, and his family were attacked by a group of Brøndby hooligans. Beaten up pretty badly it seems, but Morten says he'll still go to China. (Source: OL-kandidat tæsket af hooligans)

Oh and the game? We lost 1-2.

Transfer rumors

A couple of early rumors for you.

"In the absence of truth.
Nothing is true. Everything is permitted."

Michael Silberbauer to Utrecht

A Bosman transfer for the man with the power. Agent Karsten Aabrink confirms several offers has been received from both the Netherlands and England and that Utrecht is one of the interested clubs. Sad to see you leave, Michael.
(Silberbauer synes tæt på skifte til Holland, FCK'er på vej til hollandsk fodbold)

Atiba Hutchinson

Atiba has been outstanding recently and has received some offers to consider. He also reiterates his belief he's ready for a bigger league.
(Atiba klar til udlandet)

Rasmus Würtz back to AaB

Würtz has had a slow season and injury trouble. The rumor he was buying a house in Jylland grew out of proportion. The man himself says he's staying.
(Avis: AaB køber Würtz tilbage)

Jesper Christiansen to West Bromwich Albion FC

"I have always said that I would only move abroad again if a club better than FCK made an offer."
- Jesper Christiansen

(West Brom set to sign great Dane)

Incoming: Espen Ruud of Norwegian Odd Greenland

Personally, I don't see the need for yet another defender. Given we keep the ones we already got. But let us just watch a goal of his:

(Avis: AaB og FCK ser på nordmand)

Aalborg clinched Danish title; Brøndby darby tomorrow

In case you didn't notice...

Aalborg clinched the Danish championship with two matches to go on Thursday, beating Brondby at home 2-0 and opening an insurmountable eight-point lead over last year’s champions, FC Copenhagen.

Most likely final standings include:

1. Gold / Champions League qualification: AaB 68, 69 or 71 points


2. Silver / UEFA Cup qualification: FC København 60, 61 or 63 p


3. Bronze / UEFA Cup qualification: FC Midtjylland 59 or 62 p


4. Fourth / TOTO Cup: OB 52, 53, 54, 55 or 57 p


5. Fifth / n/a: AC Horsens 47, 49, 51 or 53 p

(My emphasis on most probable final points.)

So this season's far from over: Tomorrow we have to beat former rivals Brøndby to put them in place and secure the silverware!

Placed ninth Brøndby looks relatively easy this year and statistics speak of a possible win. But actually they made 28 points at home so far, FC København only 23 away. And averaging this season's scores the tendency is 1.05 - 1.4 which is a bit narrow for my liking - but since 53% of the team's games had less than three goals, that might be a good bet. Significant injuries: Brøndby IF: Mikkel Bischoff, Morten 'Duncan' Rasmussen, Morten Rasmussen and Trond Andersen; FC København: Jesper Grønkjær is recovering from knee surgery while Mikael Antonsson, Niclas Jensen and Rasmus Würtz might soon be playing.

Wild guess: 1-1 draw, our goal scored by Morten Nordstrand ;-)

Aalborg about to take gold

Today's 0-1 AaB win away at Viborg moves Aalborg within effectively just two more wins distance of the gold medal. Still possible for them to miss it, but now unlikely.


My little league predicting Perl script now emits a graph.

FC København, OB and FC Midtjylland are the three contenders for the two UEFA qualification spots. It is also looking more or less inevitable that Lyngby and Viborg will relegate. Computer aided or not, a quick look at the 1st Division tells us Vejle and probably SønderjyskE will gain promotion. Only Herfølge and Silkeborg retain chances of nabbing SønderjyskE's second place.