Anything Palmeiras is once again a nominee in the “Football Blogging Awards”, an initiative created in England, in 2012, designed to recognise and award the best of football blogging. The awards are decided in two different ways, by the public and through a judges’ panel. There are several categories, Anything Palmeiras this year running in the “Best International Football Blog”. In 2012, Anything Palmeiras was crowned the “Best Football Club Specific Blog”, thanks to the votes of palmeirenses near and far. . .
This year, I am again counting on YOUR vote to promote Anything Palmeiras and help spread Palmeiras’ name across the globe.
There are two ways to cast your vote: using twitter and directly on the FBA website. Instructions below.
On the FBA website 1) Visit the FBA voting page, clicking here (page will open in new window) 2) provide your name and e-mail address 3) scroll down to the “Best International Football Blog” category and enter “Anything Palmeiras” (without the quotation marks) and click the “Vote Now” button
Twitter Post the following: I am voting in @TheFBAs for @AnyPalmeiras as the Best #International Football Blog
Please note, only one vote on twitter and one on the website allowed per person. Please also note that twitter RTs do NOT count as votes.
Voting is divided into two stages, the first ending 26 September. Top five blogs in each category go to the final voting stage.
.
Yesterday, Palmeiras convincingly beat Ceará 4-1 (goals by Eguren – his first, Charles, Alan Kardec and Leandro), severely reducing the chances of the opponent to finish the season in the top four. Chapecoense are already there and Sport, due to yesterday’s away victory over Boa Esporte, idem. Thus, only one spot remains before the final round, with three teams on equal score: Figueirense, Icasa and Ceará. Last of the three, only Ceará plays at home, but against difficult seventh-placed Joinville. Also, Ceará are two victories short in comparison to Figueirense and Icasa. I believe Figueirense are able to bag three points against uninterested Bragantino and secure ascension, regardless of Icasa beating Paraná or not.
Before yesterday’s game, Palmeiras’ directors resumed talks with coach Kleina, presenting a slightly improved offer: instead of his current R$ 300K/month (roughly US$ 130K) he’s been offered R$ 180K in addition to hefty bonuses if achieving pre-set goals (i.e. win titles). In order to reach these goals, Nobre has promised Kleina several reinforcements. And apparently, Nobre intends to implement the same model (lower salaries, attractive bonuses) on newly arriving players and on those in the process of renegotiating their expiring contracts. That second group consists of no less than 13 players, including Patrick Vieira and Mazinho, who are returning from Japan, as the second division season in the land of the rising sun yesterday came to an end.
“Where I come from, this is common practice”, explains club president Paulo Nobre. “Above all, it’s a question of dividing responsibilities. Today, everybody benefits when the club wins, but only the club carries the burdens of defeat.” Nobre is aware that the model will be challenged, not least due to the risk of Palmeiras losing players to rivalling teams that are ready to pay more. Still, he’s convinced that it’s the best way to administer things in the long run.
Coach Kleina seemed very sceptical at first, even offended, but a change of mind can now be detected. “Who knows… This is a new concept. One needs to look into this, understand how it works” he told reporters after yesterday’s game. Also Nobre seem again confident the club will reach an agreement with Kleina. Chances seem fairly good a new contract will be signed in the meeting scheduled for coming Tuesday.
— ooo —
While Palmeiras lifted a trophy, Anything Palmeiras didn’t: the LFC Fans Corner blog – a Liverpool FC blog run by ten lads spread throughout the World – proved too hard a nut to crack, receiving the “Best Football Club Blog” award in the 2013 FBAs. Our sincere congratulations to the winners.
THANK YOU all palmeirenses who voted: even though we didn’t muster the bi-championship, in one way or the other we contributed to place Palmeiras on the map.
— ooo —
As of this week, the documentary “Santo Marcos” go up on screens for those lucky enough to be in São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Campinas, Londrina or Maringá (last two in the state of Paraná). For now, the rest of us can nothing but watch the official trailer, over and over again. .
.
Almost a footnote: next Saturday afternoon Palmeiras make the season’s last appearance against Chapecoense, in the state of Santa Catarina.
Graças ao seu voto, chegamos, mais uma vez, na final dos “Football Blogging Awards”. Ano passado, conquistamos o título de “Melhor Blog De Um Time Específico”. Portanto, rumo ao bicampeonato!
Independentemente se já votou ou não, nessa fase final todos podem votar novamente.
Usando sua conta no facebook, clicar no link https://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/fbas13, descer até a categoria “Best Football Club Blog”, marcar “Anything Palmeiras”, e registrar o voto.
Pelo twitter, tuitar a frase “I am voting in @TheFBAs for @AnyPalmeiras as the Best Football #Club Blog”.
Entrar no próprio site do prêmio – http://www.footballbloggingawards.co.uk/how-to-vote.php – descer até o fundo da página, inserir seu email e clicar no botão “Vote Now”. Um e-mail será enviada para você com o link para a página exclusiva de votação. Na página de votação, confirmar novamente seu nome e e-mail, descer para a categoria “Best Football #Club Blog“ e escolher “Anything Palmeiras”. Para finalizar, clicar no botão “Vote Now”.
Em um mundo ideal, certamente faria as três. E ainda indicaria o procedimento para todos seus amigos e familiares: cada voto fará a diferença!
Palmeirense, chegou a hora de mais uma vez mostrar a força da nossa torcida, de contribuir para fazer do Palmeiras um gigante tanto em casa como lá fora. O prazo para votar é dia 17 de novembro. Mas não vamos ficar esperando. Scoppia che la vittoria è nostra!
Anything Palmeiras has, once again, made it to the shortlist of the “Football Blogging Awards“. Last year, your vote helped propel us all the way to the title.
Competition is much stiffer this year, with more than 10.000 votes already cast. Our direct contenders for the trophy in the “Best Football Club Blog” category are: Five Year Plan (Crystal Palace), LFC Fans Corner (Liverpool), The Width of a Post (Bradford City), Sky Blues Blog (Coventry) and This is Anfield (Liverpool again).
Votes from the first phase will still count toward the final score, but anyone who voted in the first phase can now vote again.
The easiest way is through facebook: follow the link https://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/fbas13, scroll down to the “Best Football Club Blog” category, tick “Anything Palmeiras”, and submit your vote.
You can also vote on twitter by tweeting the phrase “I am voting in @TheFBAs for @AnyPalmeiras as the Best Football #Club Blog”.
A third way to do it is directly through the FBA’s website: click on http://www.footballbloggingawards.co.uk/how-to-vote.php, insert your email address and click on “Vote Now”. You will receive an e-mail with a link to the voting page. In the category “Best Football #Club Blog“, tick “Anything Palmeiras”, then submit your vote.
In an ideal world, you’d do all three of them… *hint*.
Spread the word, encouraging friends and family to join in, making Palmeiras the giant it is both home and abroad. Every vote counts towards the deadline, which is 17 November. It’s time to, once again, show the full magnitude of our strength. Scoppia che la vittoria è nostra!
O prêmio “Football Blogging Awards” foi criado na Inglaterra em 2012 para divulgar e premiar os melhores blogs futebolísticos. No ano passado e com muito orgulho, o Anything Palmeiras conquistou o título de “Melhor Blog De Um Time Específico” (“Best Football Club Blog“), graças aos votos de palmeirenses espalhados pelo mundo afora.
Para 2013, a meta é simples: conquistar o bicampeonato! Portanto, gostaria muito poder contar com SEU voto para continuar divulgando o trabalho do Anything Palmeiras e aumentar a visibilidade do Verdão mundo afora.
A votação acontece por meio de twitter, facebook ou diretamente no site do “Football Blogging Awards”. Para seu voto ser computado, faça o seguinte:
Twitter tuitar a frase: “I am voting in @TheFBAs for @AnyPalmeiras as the Best Football #Club Blog”
Site do “Football Blogging Awards” entrar no http://www.footballbloggingawards.co.uk/categories.php, descer até o fundo da página, inserir seu email e clicar no botão “Vote Now”. Um e-mail será enviada para você com o link para a página exclusiva de votação. Na página de votação, confirmar novamente seu nome e e-mail, descer para a categoria “Best Football #Club Blog“ e inserir “Anything Palmeiras”. Para finalizar, clicar no botão “Vote Now”.
Duas observações importante: RTs no twitter NÃO são contabilizados como votos. E mais: só um voto por conta no twitter/facebook será computado (portanto, não adianta votar várias vezes).
A votação para a primeira fase está aberta até dia 27 de outubro. Os cinco blogs mais votados em cada categoria seguirão para a fase final de votação.
Antecipadamente, agradeço o apoio! Por favor fique a vontade para divulgar e arrecadar votos dos seus amigos e parentes!
I’m trailing behind with my writing and being on the road this week, I’ve decided to keep things short and to the point. Forgive me for cutting corners.
Palmeiras drew 1-1 against SPFC last Sunday in what turned out to be the coldest night this year (Swedish summer, as @Lagrutta will have you believe). The game was played at the Barueri stadium before little more than 8.000 spectators: depressingly low for a choque rei, as the derby between the two is called. More on this later.
Palmeiras, patched up due to the many players in the medical department, came with Bruno; Artur, Maurício Ramos (Maikon Leite – 46′/1st H), Leandro Amaro and Juninho; Henrique, Márcio Araújo, João Vítor and Valdivia; Mazinho (Fernandinho – 42′/2nd H) and Betinho (Cicinho – 14′/2nd H)
Against São Paulo – in the top segment of the Brasileirão and promoting the debut of coach Ney Franco – Palmeiras surprised positively, especially considering the emotional and physical drain of the last few weeks that culminated in the Brazil Cup title. The Verdão took command and maintained it even after seeing Henrique sent off early in the second half. SPFC should be thankful they returned with that one point and didn’t suffer a greater embarrassment. Highlights below. . . Apart from having Henrique suspended in Tomorrow’s (Thursday) game against Coritiba, we also lost Maurício Ramos due to a muscle injury. I’m no doctor but these frequent muscular problems our players are experiencing can’t be normal. Well, at least Barcos is back training after his appendicitis surgery two weeks ago.
Palmeiras are not only losing players due to injuries: the (in)famous Superior Brazilian Sports Tribunal (STJD) yesterday punished Luiz Felipe Scolari with one game’s suspension for “clapping ironically” during a game against Ponte Preta in June. Valdivia received a three-games suspension linked to the incident that got him sent off against Coritiba in the first leg of the finals of the Brazil Cup, thus keeping him out of the two games this week against same Coritiba and Nautico. The way the STJD directly influences the championship is a joke. It’s also a joke how Palmeiras have gone from a respected adversary to a lame duck off the pitch; not long ago we had good lawyers defending and often winning our cases in the STJD. Not anymore. Result: technical assistant Murtosa will command the team on Thursday against Coritiba without Luan, Barcos Maurício Ramos, Román Thiago Heleno (injured) and João Vítor, Valdivia, Maicon Leite and Henrique (suspended). Assunção should however be recovered from his cold. And we might even have the debut of no other than… Obina.
Yes, Obina is back. The 29-year-old baiano, who played for Palmeiras in 2009 scoring 12 goals in 27 matches before being discharged together with teammate Maurício due to a fight between the two on the pitch, has been given a second chance. Upon leaving Palmeiras the striker returned to Atlético Mineiro where he had a very successful season, then transferred to Shandong Luneng (China). After two so-so seasons in Asia, Obina’s wish to return was timed with Scolari’s search for a second striker with a strong presence in the penalty area. Obina comes as a loan until the end of the year and Palmeiras have first option for buying his economic rights at the end of the term. It’s a bit of a gamble, but if enthusiasm and happiness are any measures, Obina will contribute greatly to the squad; it was like the lost son returning home, with plenty of backslapping, jokes and laughter. Welcome back, Obina!
Palmeiras have also signed with 21-year-old, left footed midfielder Netinho. A former Vasco da Gama and Santos player, Netinho left Brazil at the age of 16, played two years in Europe and has spent his last three years at Al Wakrah, Catar. Netinho will regain physical form and adapt to Brazilian football at Palmeiras B before eventually taking the step up to the main team. His contract runs for three months but can be extended with at least three more.
Back to the topic of the Barueri stadium. This week, The Brazilian Football Federation released a ranking of teams in the Brasileirão, based on their average public during home games. Palmeiras were to be found in the very bottom, with a 8.600 heads average, about a third of the average of top three teams Corinthians, Grêmio and Sport. Yet another indicator of the hefty price Palmeiras are paying for the unreasonable decision to call Barueri “home”.
Unfortunately, we might be looking at the tip of the iceberg. Adopting the Barueri in the final stages of the Brazil Cup due to superstition, players feeling more at ease, the smaller stadium diminishing pressure or whatever: all this and more could be tolerated to increase chances of winning the title. With mission accomplished, priority number one should be finding the way back to the Pacaumbu stadium and the home crowd, not least because important games are bound to take place there in 2012 and 2013. Imagine the frustration when we instead learn that Palmeiras’ directors have requested that the only two home games in the first half of the Brasileirão not scheduled for Barueri – Bahia and Flamengo – also be played there? It’s wrong beyond the comprehension of the word “wrong”. Idiots.
— ooo —
The 2012 Football Blogging Awards were announced last Saturday and Anything Palmeiras won the Best Club-Specific Blog category. My most sincere THANK YOU to everyone who voted for me on facebook and twitter; this award is YOURS!
Below, a list of all winners. If you want to check out my acceptance speech video, as screened during the awards ceremony in Manchester/UK, click here.
It took seven rounds, but Palmeiras finally won a game in this year’s Brasileirão (check out the tables to the right). The 3-1 against Figueirense came at an important moment to release at least some of the pressure: everyone can focus on the Brazil Cup final with a victory vibe.
Not that it was an easy game. Palmeiras, featuring Deola back in the starting lineup (12 games absent due to Bruno’s better form), came with Cicinho, Thiago Heleno, Maurício Ramos (Román – 19′ 1st H) and Fernandinho; Márcio Araújo, João Vitor, Felipe, Daniel Carvalho (Valdivia – 22′ 2nd H) and Felipe (Mazinho – 26′ 2nd H); Maikon Leite and Barcos. Plenty of traditional bench warmers, but what we got was an open game with plenty of chances being created on both sides. Figueirense could have walked away with victory had they taken better advantage of theirs, but in the end the pendulum swung in Palmeiras’ favour, honouring the hard work of front men Barcos and Maikon Leite. Not an unjust result but perhaps slightly misleading. Highlights below. . . Maurício Ramos felt his left thigh already in the first half, leaving way for Román, but today received positive news from the medial department and trained in the afternoon before leaving with the rest of the squad for a hotel in the northern parts of São Paulo. Coach Scolari has anticipated the seclusion and will conduct secret practice sessions as of tomorrow. . .
Palmeiras’ squad is complete with the exception of centre-back Henrique: as these lines are in the making, he’s defending himself in the Supreme Tribunal of Sports. It will take a miracle. IF (in major capital letters) Henrique escapes – and he should if any higher justice remains – I’ll let you know a.s.a.p.
— ooo —
Off topic: the voting for the 2012 Football Blogging Awards closed last Friday and so it happens that Anything Palmeiras made the shortlist in the Best Club Specific Blog category. Winners will be announced at the official Awards Ceremony talking place in Manchester (UK) on 14 July. The ceremony will have live comments on twitter (@TheFBAs) while pictures and videos in due time should appear on the FBAs official facebook page.
.
