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November 30, 2009

Austria: 2009-10 Austrian Football Bundesliga.

Filed under: Austria — admin @ 12:04 pm

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This is the 98th season of top flight football in Austria,  and the 36th season of Austrian Football Bundesliga (the first Austrian Bundesliga season was 1974-75).  Reigning champions are Red Bull Salzburg.

Prior to 1949,  clubs from outside the capital of Vienna did not compete in the professional first division.

Over the years, Austria has been plagued with numerous instances of prominent clubs folding,  declaring bankruptcy and being forced to drop down to lower divisions and/or merge with other clubs.  Which is why the list of all-time title holders in Austrian pro football is so complicated.  The list is at the bottom of the map.

Below are the home grounds of the last 3 champions in Austria…Red Bull Salzburg,  Rapid Wien,  and Austria Wien.  These three clubs also are currently occupying the top three places in the table  {Austrian Football Bundesliga table,  here (fifa.com)}.  

SV Austria Salzburg became FC Red Bull Salzburg when the club was bought by the Red Bull energy drink company in April 2005.  13 months later,  Red Bull (ie, company founder Dieter Mateschitz) bought the MLS club New York/New Jersey MetroStars and rebranded them as the New York Red Bulls {en.wikipedia page here}.  The company has invested heavily,  and Red Bull Salzburg have become a force in Austrian football,  winning two of the last three titles.   The team features 08/09 top scorer Marc Janko (redbull.com profile here},  a Vienna-born Austrian international who got his start at the now-defunct SK Admira Wacker.  Janko netted 39 times last season,  as Red Bull Salzburg won the league,  4 points ahead of Rapid Wien.

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SK Rapid Wien were historically considered the working class club from the outskirts of the capital (as opposed to FK Austria Wien,  who were from the city center of Vienna,  and entertained a more middle class fan base).   The club was originally named First Workers’ Football Club of Vienna.  Rapid Vienna,  as they are also known,  draw the highest in Austria,  with a 15,777 average per game in 2008-09.  Rapid Wien are the most successful in Austria,  with 32 titles,  plus one German title (in 1941,  during the Anschluss).  Rapid Wien have won the Austrian championship in every decade except for the 1970s.  Rapid,  as per their name,  play an aggressive attacking style,  and are spurred on by their fans who have traditionally,  since around 1913,  begun a rhythmic clapping with 15 minutes to go in a match. 

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FK Austria Wien,  commonly referred to as Austria Vienna,  were formed in 1911 by players and officials of the Vienna Cricket and Football Club (which had been formed in 1892).  The club has won the second-most titles in Austria,  with 23,  their last in 2006.  Austria Wien traditionally have been a technical,  slow-paced team,  and they feature a strong defense these days.  They play in a compact,  13,400 seat stadium,  where they averaged 7,672 per game last season.

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Below: Austrian clubs in the 2009-10 Europa League Group Stage…

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There are four Austrian clubs currently in the 2009-10 UEFA Europa League,  Group Stage.   They are Red Bull Salzburg,  Rapid Wien,  Austria Wein,  and Sturm Graz.  Red Bull Salzburg leads their group,  and will almost certainly advance to the Knockout Stage.  The only other Austrian club with a chance of advancing are Rapid Wien.  They travel to Germany to play Hamburg on Wednesday, 2nd December.

Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org {click here (set at 2009-10 Austrian football Bundesliga page)}.   Thanks to E-F-S site,  for the attendance figures {click here}.   Thanks to TGIGreeny, at Flickr.com/groups/stadium panoramas {click here}.   Thanks to Bing.com/maps {click here}.   Thanks to Arne Müssler, at en.wikipedia.org. {2009-10 Austrian Football Bundesliga,  here}.   Thanks to http://austria80.at (FK Austria Wien fansite) at FootballDerbies.com {click here for thread (Vienna Derby, Dec. 2008)}.

November 25, 2009

2009-10 FA Cup, Second Round. The 40 clubs, with league attendances.

Filed under: 2009-10 FA Cup — admin @ 6:34 pm

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On the map this round I have added another column on the far left…percent change in average attendance from 2008-09.

Here are the clubs in the 2009-10 FA  Cup Second Round that also made it to the 2008-09 FA Cup Second Round…Aldershot,  Barrow,  AFC Bournemouth,  Brentford,  Forest Green Rovers,  Gillingham,  Kettering Town,  Leeds United,  Luton Town,  Millwall,  Notts County,  Oxford United,  Port Vale,  Stockport County,  Torquay United,  Tranmere Rovers.  That’s 16 returning clubs.    

“ITV to show Kettering v Leeds & Northwich v Lincoln FA Cup second round ties”,  {click here (ITV.com/The FA Cup}. 

From the FA.com,  ”Vics target Imps”,  by Michael Ruffles,  {click here}. 

From StainesNews.co.uk,  ”Residents’ fears over Staines v Millwall clash”,  {click here}.   

The FA Cup Trophy Tour“… the inaugural epiosode of EPL Talk’s new video series,  by Laurence McKenna and Max Bell.  First stop:  Millwall’s New Den,  featuring Millwall all-time leading scorer and captain Neil Harris  {click here}.  EPL Talk {here}. 

One of the ties is a West Country derby between Conference side Forest Green Rovers and Conference-South club Bath City.  Forest Green won their First Round replay v. Mansfield Town in Nottinghamshire on Tuesday the 17th;  while Bath City had one of the 3 biggest upsets in the First Round,  defeating League Two club Grimsby Town up in Lincolnshire.   [The other two big upsets in the First Round were Staines Town over Shrewsbury Town,  and Northwich Victoria over Charlton Athletic.  Other notable upsets were Kettering Town over Hartlepool United,  and York City over Crewe Alexandra.  In the asterisk department for upsets would be Oxford United over Yeovil Town,  and Luton Town over Rochdale.  I say this because although Oxford and Luton are in a league that is below Yeovil Town (League One) and Rochdale (League Two),  both Oxford and Luton are historically more successful clubs which have far larger fan bases than Yeovil and Rochdale.]   

Here are highlights of the First Round match:  Grimsby Town 0-2 Bath City,  with Bath City’s Darren Edwards scoring a fine goal at around 0:50 in the video {click here (YouTube via AOL.com)}. 

The Bath City v. Forest Green tie,  along with the Cambridge United v. York City tie and the Oxford United v. Barrow tie,  assures that at least three Non-League clubs will make it to the Third Round in January 2010.  Last season a record 8 Non-League clubs made it to the FA Cup Third Round.  Right now,  there are 12 Non-League clubs still alive in the 2009-10 FA Cup.

From Nedved’s Notes,  a  Bath City fansite,  an article on Bath City’s opponents Forest Green Rovers,  and their supporters,  “The Shiny Happy People from Gloucestershire” {click here}.   From ThisIsBath.co.uk,  [Bath City manager Adie] ”Britton:  City can be the best in the West”,  {click here}.  

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Thanks to Bath City FC unofficial website {click here}.   Thanks to The Amber Terrace {at Flickr.com,  click here}.   Thanks to yuffie city {at Flickr.com,  click here}.   Thanks to BBC Sport/Football/FA Cup {click here}.   Thanks to Bing.com/maps {click here}.

Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org {click here}.   Thanks to King’s Lynn FC-”The Linnets”site,  for Non-League clubs’attendance figures {click here}.   Thanks to ESPN SoccerNet,  for League One and League Two clubs’ attendance figures {click here}.

November 22, 2009

Denmark: 2009-10 Superliga.

Filed under: Denmark — admin @ 1:07 pm

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Denmark,  Superliga table  {click here (Soccerway.com)}.  16 of 33 rounds have been played in the competition,  which will go into its long winter break after matches on 9 December, 2009,  to start up again on 14 March, 2010.

Denmark is currently ranked 16th,  for 2010-11 UEFA competitions {see this}.  That’s up 3 places from the last ranking,  and is indicative of the progress Denmark has been making in football.  The Denmark National Football Team’s recent qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup is another example of this. 

The Danish Superliga is currently playing it’s 20th season.  Reigning champions are FC Copenhagen  (FC Kobenhavn in Danish).  FC Copenhagen won the double in ’09,  with a 1-0 win over AaB in the Danish Cup final,  for their fourth Cup title. 

Like quite a few other football clubs in Denmark in recent history,  FC Copenhagen was the result of a merger.  In this case,  it was between two successful clubs from the country’s capital city,  KB and B 1903.  KB (Kjobenhavns Boldklub)  won 15 Danish titles,  including the first in 1913,  and most recently in 1980.  B 1903 (Boldklubben 1903)  won 7 national titles,  their last in 1976.  The two clubs merged in 1992 to form FC Copenhagen.  The club’s home is Parken Stadium,  which is also the venue for Denmark national football team matches.

FC Copenhagen maintains a big rivalry with Brondby IF (Brondbyernes Idraetsforening),  who were formed in 1964,  and are from the town of Brondy,  which is 15 km. (9 mi.) west of Copenhagen. 

FC Copenhagen and Brondby IF are sometimes called “the New Firm”.  The two have won 11 of the last 16 Danish Superliga titles.   FC Copenhagen and Brondby also draw the largest support,  20,038 per game last season for Copenhagen;  16,908 per game for Brondby. 

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The third highest drawing club in Denmark is the football division of a venerable old sports club from Jutland,  AGF [Aarhus] (Aarhus Gymnastikforening).   Arhus is a city of 239,000 (2008 figure).  It is the second largest city in Denmark,  and the country’s principal port.  It’s unofficial name is the capital of Jutland,  Jutland being the peninsula that forms the mainland part of Denmark.  AGF holds the record for longest run in the Danish top flight,  with 65 consecutive seasons,  a run that ended in 2005-06 (AGF won promotion back to Superliga the following season).  The last of Aarhus’ 5 championships came over 2 decades ago,  though,  in 1986.  AGF have won the most Danish Cup titles,  with 9 (their last in 1996).  Here are two photos of AGF Aarhus’ stadium {click here (World stadiums.com).  AGF Aarhus have a very distinctive,  medieval-looking club crest (see it here}. 

The one club with the most Superliga trophies outside of the New Firm are AaB (Aalborg Boldspilklub),  who are from Aalborg,  northern Jutland.  Aab have won 3 Danish Superliga titles,  their last in  2007-08.  AaB have also had recent success in Europe,  making it to the 2007-08 UEFA Cup Group Stage,  the 2008-09 Champions League Group Stage (where they beat Celtic, 2-1 in Aalborg),  and the 2008-09 UEFA Cup Round of 16.   The club play in a small 13,800-capacity stadium [see it above];  they averaged 7,068 last season in the Danish Superliga.

Current league leaders are Odense BK (they are also referred to as OB).  Odense Boldklub are from Odense,  on the island of Fulan.  Odense is the third largest city in Denmark (158,000; 2009 census).  Odense BK are the fourth-highest drawing club in Denmark,  averaging 10,219 per game last season.  Odense play at the 15,761-seat Fiona Park {panorama view photo,  here}.  Odense has won 3 Danish titles and 5 Danish Cups (last in 2007).  The club’s last national title came in 1989,  2 seasons before the re-organization that led to the Danish Superliga.  Odense came up just short of the title last season,  but the squad look well positioned to take the crown this season.  Odense BK feature the league leading scorer,  Nigerian Peter Utaka (joint lead with Morten Rasmussen of Brondby).  The club just had a big 3-1 victory away to Brondby earlier today,  with Utaka scoring his 12th goal of the season (and Rasmussen netting his 12th in the losing cause).  The result puts Odense 4 points up on Copenhagen and Esbjerg,  and 8 up on Brondy.

Thanks to the Danish Football Association site {click here}.   Thanks to Brondby IF site {click here}.   Thanks to Friis-Moltke.dk {architecture,  including Aalborg stadium, click here}. 

Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org {click here (2009-10 Danish Superliga page)}.

November 17, 2009

Uruguay: 2009-10 Primera División.

Filed under: Uruguay — admin @ 6:38 pm

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The Primera División de Uruguay plays Apertura and Clausura competitions like many Latin American leagues,  but the champion for the season is determined by a two-legged final between the Apertura and Clausura winners,  played in June each year (but in 2009 played in August after fan violence had forced postponements).  Reigning champions are Nacional. 

The Uruguayan football scene has been dominated for decades by two clubs…Peñarol and Nacional.  Like over 80% of the clubs in the top division,  these two clubs are from the capital,  Montevideo.  The fact that Montevideo has the lion’s share of clubs in Uruguay’s top flight is understandable,  given that there is no city in the country larger than 100,000 population other than Montevideo (population, 1.3 million).  In recent years,  though,  some other clubs have won the championship…Defensor Sporting in 2008,  and Danubio in 2007.  And currently in this season’s Apertura,  trophy-less club Liverpool (named after the city in England) are in first place after 11 rounds  {Primera División de Uruguay table,  here}.

 Here are galleries of Peñarol,  Nacional,  Defensor Sporting,  and Danubio…

Peñarol vie with Nacional for the postion as the biggest club in Uruguay.  A 2006 survey showed that 45% of fans in Uruguay supported Peñarol,  while 35% supported Nacional.  Peñarol won the first 2 Copa Libertadores competitions,  in 1960 and 1961.  Their fifth and last Copa Libertadores title was in 1987.  During all this period,  and in fact from the start of the professional era in Uruguay in 1932 straight through to 1975,  there were only two different Uruguayan champions,  Peñarol or Nacional.  In total,  Peñarol have amassed 4 amateur titles (last in 1929),  and 36 professional titles (last in 2003),  and their original club, CURCC amassed 5 amateur titles,  making a total of 45 titles for the club.  Most everyone counts this number as Peñarol’s total national titles,  except for some Nacional supporters,  who insist CURCC were a different club than Peñarol.  Peñarol have been enduring financial problems for a number of years now,  and have not won a Uruguayan title in 6 seasons.

Peñarol’s roots lie in the the national railways union.  The club originated in 1892 as the football branch of the Central Uruguay Railways Cricket Club (est. 1891).  Peñarol was the village 10 km. from downtown Montevideo where the football club played.  The club took as it’s colors and kit design the black/yellow striping of railway signs and warning barriers.  CURCC won 5 titles betwen 1900 and 1911,  during the early years of the amateur era in Uruguay.  Fan violence led the Central Uruguay Railways company to disassociate itself with the football club,  and Club Atlético Peñarol was established in early 1914.

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Club Nacional de Football was formed in 1899,  the result of an alliance between the Uruguay Athletic Club and the Montevideo Football Club.  The implicit point about the club’s name is that they are the national club for Uruguayans,  as opposed to,  say,  a football club that was formed by workers,  many foreign,  at a foreign-owned company (ie, CURCC/Peñarol).

Nacional have won 3 Copa Libertadores titles,  their first in 1971,  their second in 1980,  and their third in 1988.  Domestically,  Nacional have won 42 titles,  11 in the amatuer era,  and 31 in the professional era.   Nacional have won 3 titles (2005, 2005-06, and 2008-09) since their rival Peñarol’s last championship.  Nacional also had an impressive showing in the Copa Libertadores earlier this year,  making it all the way to the Semi-Finals.  One of the cool things about Nacional is that unlike Peñarol,  they still play many of their games in their own stadium,  the seething cauldron known as the Parque Central,  which still has parts of the stadium that date back to it’s opening in 1900.  Here is a YouTube video about Pargque Central’s rebuilding in 2004,  which starts off with some nice shots of Uruguayan football circa the 1900s to the 1920s…I’m guessing that one of those elements of the stadium that still exist from the original design a century ago can be seen at the 0:45 point in the 10:29 video  {click here (YouTube, ‘Gran Parque Central-nuestra casa’,  by jonasuy1, May, 2008).

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Defensor Sporting Club was formed in 1913.  The club won their first Uruguayan title in 1976,  breaking a  44-year title domination by Peñarol and Nacional.  They won that title with a solid defensive style,  and to this day they are known for their ultra consevative style.  Defensor Sporting has won one title in each decade since then,  with their fourth coming in 2007-08.  Earlier this year the club had a successful run in the 2009 Copa Libertadores,  beating Boca Juniors in the Round of 16,  to make it to the Quarter-Finals,  where they lost to eventual champions Estudiantes de La Plata.  Defensor Sporting Club are one of the few first division clubs in the world with a stadium that has a sea view.

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Danubio was formed by Bulgarian immigrants,  in 1932  with their name referencing the Danube River.  The club plays in the working class neighborhood of Jardines del Hipódromo.  Danubio won their first title in 1988,  their second title in 2004,  and their third title in 2006-07.  Danubio are regarded as having one of the best youth set-ups in the country,  providing many players to the national under-17 and under-20 teams.

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Leading scorers gallery…

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Thanks to Rodolfo Vergendad for asking for a map of the Uruguayan Primera División in the comments section.

   Thanks to Footiemap site,  for info on club location {click here}.   Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org {click here},  and at es.wikipedia.org {click here}.

Thanks to TodoPorLaMismaPlata site {click here}.   Thanks to Panoramio.com {click here (set at Henrique von Hertwig’s photo of the Centenario}.   Thanks to Parque Central official site {click here}.   Thanks to TodosNacional fansite {click here (translated)}.   Thanks to World Stadiums.com {click here (set at Stadiums in Uruguay)}.   Thanks to Flickr.com {click here (set at search: Defensor Sporting Estadio Luis Franzini)}.   Thanks to Virtual Globetrotting.com {click here}.   Thanks to Danubio fansite LosDanuStones {click here}.   Thanks to FutbolMania12 (El blog del hincha No. 12) {click here}.  

Thanks to Quenonino.com.uy (Deportes Uruguay) {click here (click here for translated)}.   Thanks to Danubio Fútbol Club site {click here}.

November 13, 2009

Brazil, Campeonato Série A: attendance map for 2009 season, up to 12th November (17-18 home matches per club).

Filed under: Brazil — admin @ 7:16 am

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From Pitaco do Gringo’s Brazilian football blog,  ‘São Paulo are the new leaders in the Brasileiro’,  from 8 November,  by Jon Cotteril {click here}. 

Campeonato Série A table {click here (SoccerStats.com)}. 

Although Palmeiras regained the lead Wednesday night,  with a come-from-behind 2-2 draw with Sport Club do Recife,  São Paulo FC look well positioned to grab their fourth consecutive Brazilian title.  There are 4 four rounds to go,  and all of São Paulo’s matches are against clubs lower than 9th place.  Current form table leaders Flamengo (6-1-1 in last 8 matches) are in hot pursuit,  though.  The Rio de Janeiro giants have been propelled by former FC Internazionale striker Adriano,  who is joint leader of goals scored (tied at 18 goals with Martins Diego of Atlético Mineiro).  Flamengo are only 2 points off the pace.  Surprise-of-the-season Atlético Mineiro are three points off the pace,  and really packing in the crowds in Belo Horizonte’s Mineirão,  drawing a league-high 40,000 per game at the municipal stadium they share with local rivals Cruzeiro..  Factor in surging Cruzeiro,  who are 5 points back (6-1-1 in last 8 matches),  and SC Internacional,  who are 6 points back,  and you have a great race for the 4 remaining Copa Libertadores spots.  [Passage to the preeminent South American tournament goes to the Copa do Brasil winner (Corinthians,  this season),  and the top 4 places in the Campeonato Série A. ]

The RambleBlog at The Football Ramble.com: ‘Campeonato Brasileiro heading for exciting finale’ {click here}.

Southamericanfootball.co.uk/ Brazil page {click here}.

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Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org {click here}.   Thanks to the CBF site,  for attendance figures {click here,  and go to ‘Estatísticas da competicão’ [7th line in column on right],  then see ‘Bloco 2-Público por clubes mandantes’}.

Thanks to Alexander Magno Barreto Berwanger,  for sending me the 1971-2008 accumulated average attendances in Brazil {click here}.

November 9, 2009

Portugal: 2009-10 Liga season: Map, with 2008-09 attendances.

Filed under: Portugal — admin @ 6:35 pm

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Reigning champions are FC Porto,  who have now won four straight Portuguese titles.  Porto have won 24 Portuguese championships overall,  second only to the 31 titles won by Benfica. 

This season,  Sporting Braga are the surprise club so far,  though the northern club just lost ground Monday to Portuguese giants Benfica,  who beat Naval 1 May 1-0,  to go even on points with Braga.  Braga had defeated Benfica 2-0 on 31st October,  so they remain in first,  because tie-breakers in Portugal are head-to-head results,  not goal difference (like in Spain’s La Liga)  {click here for ‘Tie-breakers for football teams on level points’, by Daryl at The Offside.com}. 

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Porto and Benfica both draw very well…38,700 per game for Porto last season;  35,700 per game for Benfica.  The third club in the Portuguese big 3, Sporting CP [Lisbon] drew 26,500 per game last season.  Sporting CP haven’t won a title since 2002.  The only other two clubs that have decent sized fan bases are Sporting Braga,  and another club from the Norte region’s greater metropolitan area of Minho {see this},  Vitória [Guimarães].  Guimarãres drew 16,500 per game last season;  Braga drew 10,500.

Attendances are up this season 4.5%,  but it’s still early  {2009-10 attendances,  here),

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Porto are in the 2009-10 UEFA Champions League Group Stage,  and have clinched passage to the First Knockout Round.

There are 3 Portuguese clubs in the 2009-10 UEFA Europa League Group stage…Benfica and Sporting CP look set to clinch spots in the Round of 32,  while the small Madeira Islands club Nacional will most likely miss out on advancement.  Nacional punched above their weight last season,  equalling their best-ever league finish,  fourth place.  The club only draws in the 2,000s.

Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org {click here (set at Portuguese Liga 2009-10)}.   Thanks to the E-F-S site,  for attendance figures {click here}.   Thanks to www.demis.nl ,  for the base map.

Thanks to  http://redboys1992.blogspot.com

November 5, 2009

2009-10 FA Cup, First Round Proper. The 80 clubs, with attendances.

Filed under: 2009-10 FA Cup — admin @ 6:10 pm

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‘Vics cause shock of first round’,  from ESPN Soccernet {click here}.    ‘Northwich barman leaves Charlton feeling punch-drunk’,  by John Ashdown at Victoria Stadium {click here}. 

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FA Cup round-up A-F {click here (Sky Sports.com)}.  FA Cup round-up G-O {click here}.  FA Cup round-up P-Y {click here}.

FA Cup fixtures {click here (BBC/sport)}. 
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Thanks to Pyramid Passion.co.uk {click here}.

From The Guardian.co.uk  {click here (‘Paulton Rovers live the dream as Norwich and TV come calling in FA Cup’,  by Stuart James,  on 6 November ’09)}.

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 Thanks to the Paulton Rovers site {click here}.   Thanks to Matthew Bissex Architectural Design Limited {click here}.    Thanks to This Is Somerset.co.uk  {click here (set at ‘Lacey living Cup dream’,  from 5 November,’09)}.   Thanks to Ilkeston Town FC site {click here}.   Thanks to Staines Town site {click here}.   Thanks to the Zamaretto League site {click here}.   Thanks to Norwich Evening News 24.co.uk {click here (set at Sport)}. 

Thanks to ESPN Soccernet, for League One,  League Two,  and Conference attendance figures {click here}. 

Thanks to the King’s Lynn FC (“The Linnets”) site, for attendance figures {click here}.

Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org {click here (2009-10 FA Cup/First Round Proper)}.

Thanks to Bing maps {click here}.

November 2, 2009

Turkey: 2009-10 Super Lig.

Filed under: Football Stadia,Turkey,Zoom Maps — admin @ 7:06 pm

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This is the 52nd season of the competition.  Reigning champions are Besiktas JK.   SuperLig table {click here (SoccerStats.com)}  [note: Ankaraspor was demoted on 15 September,  due to conflicts of interest on the club's board with respect to local rivals Ankaragucu,  {see this article (from WorldSoccer.com)};  {see this article  (from TurkeySuperLigBligspot.com)}.].

On the map,  I have included a photo of each club’s stadium.  If possible,  I selected an exterior shot of the stadium,  to give a view of the surroundings of each location.  Kayserispor’s Kaydar Has Stadyumu is brand new;  the photo I used is from last winter,  and shows the now-completed structure about three-quarters finished.  Here is a photo of the interior of the stadium {click here (TinyPic.com; photo by Serkam Erdogan)}.   The stadium will be one of the main assets in Turkey’s bid for hosting a European Championship in the future. 

Also on the map is a list of the largest cities in Turkey,  with population figures.  The cities with 2009-10 SuperLig representation are shown in bold, with the clubs’ crests displayed alongside.  Here is a forum thread with photos, ‘Stadiums in Turkey’ {click here (SkyscraperCity.com)}.   Here is an article from http://www.insidefutbol.com , ‘Turkish Super Lig Stadium Report’, by Volkan Agir, from October, 2008 {click here}.    This is a English-language blog on the Turkish Super Lig that I just found {click here (TurkeySuperLig.blogspot.com)}.

Below are two galleries.  The first shows the top Turkish internationals who are currently plying their trade in their homeland.

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The second gallery shows the young Turkish-born players most likely to be future stars.

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Thanks to The Stadium Guide {click here}.   Thanks to World Stadiums site {click here}.   Thanks to www.flickr.com {click here (set at blackbir/dk’s photo of the Ataturk Olimpiyat Stadi)}.   Thanks to ImageShak.com {click here (set at photo, unattributed,  of Galatasaray’s Ali Sami Yen Stadyumu )}.   Thanks to www.panoramio.com .   Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org {click here (set at Super Lig 2009-10 page). 

Thanks to PC Lion FC blog {click here / translated, click here},  and Aceto Balsamico site {click here / translated, click here},  for the many links to posts of mine.   Thanks to Ugur at PCLion FC blog for help in selecting the lists of players in the two galleries.

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