YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Ryan Bailey

    • Like
    • Follow
    Author

    Ryan Bailey has been a writer for Dirty Tackle since 2009. Formerly editor of lauded soccer blog The Spoiler, Ryan has written about the beautiful game for a host of newspapers, magazines and online titles, and is currently a presenter on YouTube's KICK TV. In a former life he drank protein shakes for Men's Health and dreamt up euphemisms for lady parts for FHM. He enjoys marathon running, guitars and writing about himself in the third person.

    • Zaur Sadayev and Dzhabrail Kadiyev at their unveiling in January (Getty)Zaur Sadayev and Dzhabrail Kadiyev at their unveiling in January (Getty)

      Beitar Jerusalem have strong links to the country's political right, and the club's hardcore supporters — known as “La Familia” — are staunch protectors of their values. As such, there was outrage in January when the Israeli Premier League side signed striker Zaur Sadayev and defender Dzhabrail Kadiyev, who are both Chechen Muslims.

      The decision by Beitar president Arkady Gaydamak (father of not-very-popular-on-the-south-coast-of-England former Portsmouth owner Alexandre) provoked so much displeasure among La Familia that the clubs offices were burnt down when they signed.

      Sadayev and Kadiyev, who are two of only five non-Israeli players ever to play for the club, are routinely booed and jeered by home fans during matches at Teddy Stadium. During Sunday night's match with Maccabi Netanya, 23-year-old Sadayev scored his first goal for the club. The Independent describe what happened next:

      Beitar’s best player, the Argentinian Dario Fernandez, jumped on Sadayev’s shoulders and

      Read More »from Beitar Jerusalem fans walk out when new Muslim signing scores, insist they’re not racists
    • Mila Kunis agrees to go to a Watford game

      A day of answering identical questions about a movie in a fancy London hotel room can prove tiresome for a tremendously well-paid actor, so Mila Kunis seemed delighted to take part in a slightly offbeat interview with BBC Radio 1's Chris Stark while promoting Oz The Great and Powerful.

      The actress famously attended a Marine Corps Ball when asked by a fan via YouTube, so Stark capitalized on her willingness to socialise with the proles by inviting her to see a Watford game with his 'boys'. The game would be proceeded by a trip to Nandos (the greatest chicken restaurant known to man) and would conclude by "boshing a couple of pints."

      Kunis said she was too ill to head to Vicarage Road when the interview took place last Friday (Watford were actually playing in Wolverhampton that evening) but as it's difficult to refuse the advances of a man who uses the verb "to bosh", she promised to come to a game in the future.

      It's not known if the Ukraine-born Hollywood star will be cheering on

      Read More »from Mila Kunis agrees to go to a Watford game
    • How on earth will the fourth fan find his friends when he gets back from the bathroom? (Getty)How on earth will the fourth fan find his friends when he gets back from the bathroom? (Getty)

      In light of the tragic death of a 14-year-old boy who was struck by a flare during Corinthians' Copa Libertadores match with Bolivian side San Jose, CONMEBOL ordered the Brazilian team to play all home games behind closed doors until further notice.

      On Wednesday evening, the Copa Libertadores champions were supposed to defend their title against Colombian side Millonarios with no fans at all in their 40,000-capacity Pacaembu stadium.

      However, four suporters went to court to challenge the South American football confederation's ruling. At the eleventh hour, they were successful and granted access to see the game. The Bangkok Post reports:

      A court ruling granted the four fans access to the Pacaembu arena, where normally at least 20,000 supporters cheer their beloved team.

      Gavioes da Fiel, Corinthians' main fan club, told its more than 96,000 members to comply with the Conmebol decision and stay away from the stadium to avoid any trouble.

      Outside the stadium, which was sealed off, about

      Read More »from Four Corinthians fans defy stadium ban to watch Copa Libertadores game
    • Gael Givet used to wear this kit quite a lot (Getty)Gael Givet used to wear this kit quite a lot (Getty)Once a stalwart of the defence that helped relegate Blackburn, Gaël Givet has effectively been frozen out at Ewood Park, having only played once since December.

      The Frenchman—who is out of contract this summer—says that he is "done" with Blackburn Rovers, and that relegation to the second tier of English football has been "very hard to live with."

      Frustrated by the fact that his club have priced him out of the market when approaches have been made by other sides, the 31-year-old gave an insight into the misery he has faced living and working in Lancashire. The Daily Mail reports:

      'Luckily, I have my wife and two kids,' he said.

      'If left alone in Blackburn, I'd have already hanged myself.'

      It's a ill-judged comment that Givet apparently gave in jest, but it's probably not going to sit very well with his employers, nor the Blackburn tourism board. That said, I did once visit Blackburn for a few days of work, and it is a little like being at Disney World. Except there are no rides, no

      Read More »from Out of favor defender Gaël Givet says he would have “hanged himself” if left alone in Blackburn
    • Joey Barton reminds Zlatan Ibrahimovic that he has a big nose

      Joey Barton took time out of his busy schedule of defaming people on Twitter to participate in this week's second edition of Le Classique, the derby between Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille.

      Much was made of the English midfield battle between David Beckham and Barton before the Coupe de la Ligue match started, but our favorite pacifist philosopher actually got on the wrong side of Zlatan Ibrahimovic instead.

      After losing out in a header to Ibra—who is six inches taller and has the power of a thousand dragons being ridden by an army of Jason Stathams swinging Thor-style hammers—Barton reminded him that he has a big ol' toucan beak on his face. Which is a bit mean.

      Oversized schnozzle aside, Zlatan scored both goals on the evening, making it three against Marseille this week.

      Read More »from Joey Barton reminds Zlatan Ibrahimovic that he has a big nose
    • After a mildly disappointing midweek Champions League display against Schalke, Galatasaray got off to the worst possible start in their Turkish Süper Lig match on Monday night. At the sixteen-minute mark, goalkeeper Fernande Muslera's attempt to punt the ball downfield only made it as far as midfielder Selçuk İnan, who opened the scoring with an own goal without really knowing about it.

      Gala then went into the half-time break 2-0 down after conceding a penalty, but rallied in the second half to a 4-2 victory, including a brilliant strike from Sneijder and a superb vindicating effort from Selçuk.

      See all the goals with a terrible dance soundtrack below...

      Read More »from Galatasaray midfielder Selçuk İnan scores very unfortunate own goal
    • The stadium was emptier than a Rafa Benitez appreciation convention (Balestier Khalsa Facebook page)The stadium was emptier than a Rafa Benitez appreciation convention (Balestier Khalsa Facebook page)

      Times are hard for the S.League, the top flight of professional football in Singapore. Despite some clubs having a rich histories that extend back into the nineteenth century, average attendances of the twelve-team league dropped to a pitiful 932 last season.

      The former British territory is passionate about football, but as someone who visited recently, I can attest to the fact that the locals are primarily concerned with watching the English Premier League. The domestic game, therefore, is neglected like a ginger stepchild.

      After the S.League Supergals somehow failed to draw in the punters, Balestier Khalsa FC have taken matters into their own hands. The side from Toa Payoh have sent their players out into local neighborhoods, knocking on doors to try and encourage new fans.

      Club chairman S Thavaneson is quoted by Reuters:

      "The more often the players go knocking on doors, the higher the chances of them becoming familiar with residents," Balestier chairman S Thavaneson told Monday's

      Read More »from Singapore S.League side Balestier Khalsa go door-to-door asking people to come to games
    • Dutch second division sides De Graafschap and SC Veendam were tied at 1-1 with a few minutes remaining of their match on Friday night.

      De Graafschap hit the post in the dying moments, gifting the ball to Polish striker Piotr Parzyszek three yards from the goal, with absolutely nothing obstructing him from scoring and claiming the glory for three points.

      It would have been much harder to miss the giant target in front of him, but somehow Parzyszek managed to put it over the bar, denying the promotion-chasing side a valuable two points. Understandably, the home fans were in a booing mood when the final whistle blew.

      Video via 101gg

    • The poor fans were drowned out by the deafening din of flags (Getty)The poor fans were drowned out by the deafening din of flags (Getty)

      Borussia Dortmund fans love nothing more than waving huge flags on the Westfalonstadion's famous Südtribüne terrace, and few people complain. When those flags get displaced to domestic residences, however, it seems our German friends like to lawyer up.

      According to German newspaper Der Western (also known under the hilarious acronym "WAZ"), a married couple are taking legal action because a Borussia Dortmund flag in a neighbor's back yard is disturbing them.

      The chief complaint about the black and yellow flag,—which is about two meters wide and is held up by a five-meter pole—is the fact that it makes too much noise, and prevents them from reading in peace. Seriously.

      The Guardian reports on the grumpy couple from the town of Hemer, on the outskirts of Dortmund:

      They said the sound of the black-and-yellow banner flapping prevents them from reading a book in peace. "I couldn't care less what is hanging there, it's a nuisance," [the wife] Jutta H told the newspaper.

      Her husband said the

      Read More »from Germans go to court after Borussia Dortmund flag in neighbor’s yard “makes too much noise”

    Pagination

    (476 Stories)