Polyester Is Making Soccer Uniforms Cool!
Once upon a time, in the 1970’s, polyester was the king of cool fabrics, worn by everyone for every occasion. Soon, however, this synthetic material’s popularity went the way of Disco music and the 8-track player used to listen to it on. On the soccer field, however, polyester lives on, and new ways of weaving this durable fabric have made it the material for designing comfortable, easy to care for uniforms.
Soccer uniforms are not simply color-matched clothes for the team to wear while playing the game. These clothing items should be considered as important as the ball choice and the cleats, since a great deal of the player’s ability to give an optimal performance will depend on how their body is reacting to either the heat or to a cold chill. The correct selection of the soccer uniform can enhance or detract from the team’s overall performance, and therefore deserves appropriate attention.
Polyester shares the spotlight with no other fabric on the soccer field. It is lightweight, durable and breathable, and allows for very little color bleeding, if any. CoolMax, designed by Dupont, has taken the old stand by of polyester, and created a hybrid, 4-channel spun fiber that wicks moisture quickly away from the body, and dries in an instant, leaving the player cool and comfortable even in the hottest game of the season. Now the old work horse, polyester, performs like a thoroughbred, making even the most inexperienced player look and feel like a champion.
No discussion on soccer uniforms would be complete without considering socks. Socks must be well fitted, and preferably made of one of today’s high tech moisture wicking fiber blends, designed to help keep feet dry and blister free. It would be a shame to afford no time to proper sock fitting since the best cleats money can buy will not be able to compensate for the discomfort a pair of ill fitting socks can cause.
As in the jersey and short construction, polyester and its hybrid cousins stand out in performance and durability. When choosing soccer socks, look for the blend to list polyester first, or highest, among the named components. You will pay a bit more, sometimes double for soccer socks with a high polyester thread count, however choosing the better socks over those made of say, primarily acrylic, will pay off for you in happier player’s feet. In a game where feet are of supreme importance, it is wise to invest a bit in the proper care and comfort of them.
If you are the parent of a youth soccer player, and for financial reasons the least expensive socks are being ordered for the team, it would be very prudent of you to purchase the upgraded polyester blend socks for your child. Just make sure they are an exact match. Ideally, ask the coach or team manager to order them for your child along with the entire uniform order, explaining you are willing to pay the cost differential.
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Fernando Torres "El Nino" – The Perfect Striker?
Fernando Torres has become one of the most respected of the foreign players earning their living in the English Premier League. Ever since his transfer from Atletico de Madrid in the summer of 2007, El Nino, as he was dubbed early on his career, has impressed English football fans not only with his goalscoring abilities, but by his total attitude towards life in his adopted liverpool.
It couldn’t have been easy for Torres when he joined the Merseyside giants. He was, after all, the undoubted ‘king’ of Atlético; he’d been their youngest ever first team player, youngest ever captain and the talisman of both the team and its supporters almost since his debut in May, 2001. With a following of pop star like proportions, and playing for the team he loved, it was little surprise that he resisted a money-making move abroad for as long as he did.
The time was right, though, in July, 2007, for Fernando to move on. Atlético were in desperate need of money and Torres was beginning to look tired after carrying the burdens of responsibility for so long. July 4th, however, was a highly emotional day when he said his tearful goodbyes to the club he’d loved as a child and for whom he’d scored 91 goals.
It wasn’t straightforward, either, joining a club like liverpool. With a history of great strikers, and a desperation to re-establish themselves as credible championship contenders, Torres would have known that a ’settling in ‘ period would have been out of the question. He had to hit the ground running – and flat out, at that.
To his great credit, that was just what happened. Torres took to the pace of the Premier League game straight away – claiming that it suited his style of play much more than that of La Liga. After opening his league account against chelsea in August, he went on to find the net 24 times in his first season and, despite some niggling injuries, has kept on scoring ever since. At the time of writing, Torres has found the net 60 times for Liverpool in only 96 games – an incredible goals per game ratio that equals anything his illustrious predecessors managed.
Liverpool supporters, of course, think the world of their ‘kid’ – and not just because of the way he brushed Rio Ferdinand aside to score Liverpool’s first goal against manchester united recently. He clearly loves playing at Anfield and has developed a remarkable rapport with the fans, akin to that he had at Atlético. Not that he’s forgotten his former club, or its fans. After scoring the first Liverpool goal in a four nil Champions’ League demolition of Real Madrid last season, Fernando expressed the hope that the Atléti fans had enjoyed watching that match as much as he had enjoyed playing in it!
Let me finish with a little illustration of one reason why, perhaps, Fernando Torres is such a popular figure. In the summer of 2009, he married his long-term girlfriend Olalla in El Escorial, Madrid. This was no elaborate ‘Hello’ celebrity wedding, though. Rather, it was a quiet, dignified, family affair, held without fuss and extravagance. There was only one press photographer there – a local, who was then told by the groom to sell on whatever photographs he wanted to magazines and newspapers.
Apart from being fast, strong, brave and unselfish on the football pitch, Fernando Torres is one of football’s gentlemen off it! He also scored the winning goal for Spain in the final of the European Championships. What more could you want?
Written by Steve Yates. If you want tickets for Liverpool fixtures visit our website. As well as Liverpool you’ll find Premier League tickets for all the top clubs. This article may be reproduced in full providing that the author is acknowledged and the links in the resource box remain intact.
Beckham will not celebrate scoring against Man Utd
David Beckham is on loan at AC Milan from LA Galaxy
English Premier League News – BBC Sport : David Beckham will not celebrate if he scores for AC Milan against Manchester United in the Champions League.
He will face his former club for the first time since leaving in 2003 when AC Milan host United on 16 February.
Beckham told Inside United magazine: “I do not think I would celebrate. I respect the supporters and the club.
“To me they are the best fans in the world and the support they gave me week in, week out was incredible. Nothing will ever better that.”
The midfielder, who is on loan at Milan from LA Galaxy, still remembers and appreciates the support given to him by United fans after he was sent off while playing for England against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup.
“The relationship I have with the fans is still important to me,” he said. “I went through some difficult times but they never stopped supporting me.
“I would not have got through everything without them.”
Beckham played 394 times for United over eight seasons, helping the club win six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the Champions league.
“I always wish I was part of Manchester United, it is just in me. Even though I am not there any more, I am still a huge fan,” he said.
“Coming to terms with not being a United player was certainly the toughest thing I’ve ever had to deal with.
“When you are a Manchester United player and a Manchester United fan you never want to play for any other club.
“I always want them to do well and be successful because the club still means so much to me. I’ve still got season tickets and I will always keep them because I love to watch every game where possible.
“I would love to take my sons one day. United will always be such a special place to me, so we will just have to see what the future holds.”
Beckham will go back to Old Trafford for the first time as a player when Milan travel to Manchester for the second leg of their Champions League clash on 10 March.
“When I was at Real Madrid it just never felt right to come back to Old Trafford. The thought of playing against United always gave me that sick feeling because I missed the club so much,” he said.
“But when the draw was made this time it felt as though it was the right time to go back. I felt really emotional.
“It will also be extremely emotional for myself and my family on the night. I met so many amazing people during my time there, on and off the pitch, that I am looking forward to seeing everyone again.”
Source: English Premier League News, BBC Sport.
Wayne Rooney as good as Ronaldinho says David Beckham
Beckham (left) and Rooney (right) are England team-mates
English Premier League News – BBC Sport : AC Milan midfielder David Beckham believes Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is now as good as two-time world player of the year Ronaldinho.
Beckham and team-mate Ronaldinho will face Rooney when United travel to Milan for Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final first-leg match.
Asked if England team-mate Rooney was comparable to the Brazilian, Beckham said: “Without a doubt.
“I’ve always said Wayne is one of the best goalscorers in football.”
Rooney has scored 23 goals in 32 appearances for United this season as the club seek to retain their Premier League crown as well as progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League.
The 24-year-old has shouldered much of the goalscoring responsibility following world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo’s £80m departure to Real Madrid in the summer.
And Beckham insists Rooney is on a par with Ronaldinho, who twice won the Spanish league with Barcelona and the World Cup with Brazil in 2002.
“He is at a great club like Manchester United and he’s doing what he does best – scoring goals,” said the 34-year-old, who is on loan at Milan from LA Galaxy.
The match at the San Siro represents an emotional occasion for Beckham, who joined United as a youngster and won six Premier League titles and the 1999 Champions League before leaving for Real Madrid in 2003.
Robert Heenan
“It’s one of the biggest games for me personally. But the most important thing is the team going through and beating United which I hope we do,” explained Beckham.
“United are on fire, they’re playing well. Wayne is scoring goals like he can. It’s going to be a tough game.”
Like United, Milan lost a prized asset – Kaka – to Real Madrid in the summer, as well as coming to terms with the retirement of legendary defender Paolo Maldini.
Their performances this season have been inconsistent – Friday’s victory 3-2 win over Udinese ended a run of four straight defeats – but Beckham feels the Rossoneri can still match favourites United.
“Obviously there are a couple of players not here but the team is just the same, they’ve got this great team spirit within the squad and that’s definitely not changed,” added Beckham.
Arrests warning for Southampton and Portsmouth fans
Two hundred and sixty officers were on hand to control the situation
English Premier League News – BBC Sport : Police have warned there may be further arrests over violence in Southampton after the FA Cup tie against rivals Portsmouth.
Bricks, bottles and chairs were thrown by fans outside St Mary’s stadium on Saturday afternoon, with 11 arrests.
Investigations are continuing into incidents across the city, including violent scenes in Britannia Road.
Despite the trouble, Ch Supt Matthew Greening said the police operation to limit violence had been a success.
Previous clashes
Hundreds of fans clashed with police outside St Mary’s, in what Mr Greening described as “ugly scenes”.
Some fans suffered injuries such as bloodied noses, and cars were vandalised.
Officers were also involved in breaking up skirmishes across the city.
The clubs had not played each other for more than five years, but previous games had also seen clashes and arrests.
Two hundred and sixty officers were on hand to control the situation
The police operation was planned for weeks in advance with 260 officers, including mounted police, on duty.
Thousands of Portsmouth fans were escorted to and from the stadium, through Southampton, by officers.
Special trains were laid on to transport them between the two cities.
Southampton’s city pubs also shut for two hours after the game and a special metal security barrier was brought in to help keep fans apart close to the ground.
Two people were arrested before the game when fireworks were thrown while police were escorting two Portsmouth fans from a police station to the stadium.
Mr Greening said he thought the operation had gone well, and that the majority of fans had behaved themselves.