Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
This week would have to be called the “Gareth Bale week“, but more importantly the weekend began with some teams in Champions League qualification, to the first “Super Sunday” of the year and two massive derbies in the Premiership, and it was all capped off with the closing of the Summer transfer window.
Adidas chose the Gareth Bale unveiling at Real Madrid as their platform to introduce the newest colorway in the F50 adiZero range. This was already highlighted by Bryan (you can read it here), but for that amount of money in transfer fees and wages, maybe it’s worth covering twice…! Bale is training with Wales at the moment, right after signing on the dotted line. i can bet the folks at Real Madrid have their hands in their mouths, chewing their nails, hoping and praying he doesn’t suffer any sort of injury.
Celtic were one of the Champions League teams involved in qualification this past week, as they looked to come back from a 2-0 deficit against Shakhter Karagandy. The second pivotal goal was scored by Georgios Samaras, and he was oddly wearing the Cristiano Ronaldo trademark Vapor IX – maybe he was looking for a little extra inspiration? Either way, I guess he got it as he got that goal and Celtic squeaked a 3-0 win to go through to the CL group stage.
A lot of the reviewers at Soccercleats101 are becoming quiet partial to the Mizuno Brand, so following on from Carl Jenkinson signature last week I spotted old Spurs player Wilson Palacios in the current White colourway of the Mizuno Morelia Neo.
Steven Fletcher from Sunderland began the week with a tweet during the week announcing he has recently signed with Umbro, no better way to market the new move with a goal on his return to the Sunderland line-up from a long term injury in his chosen Geometra Pro II.
It was with a header nonetheless, but any sort of goal is going to get the media talking about you (as we are). The one thing you might want to consider next, Steven, is flipping the picture of the boots right way round – you are making me dizzy!
Warrior Getting Some Extra Coverage
The other game at the weekend could as been termed “Warrior vs Warrior”. Everton faced off against Cardiff City last weekend with original signing Craig Bellamy, against Nikica Jelavić and also new MUFC player Marouane Fellaini. Three Warrior players on the one pitch in two different silos, I don’t think I’ve seen that since the brand launched into England.
If you missed the US women’s team demolish Mexico 7-0 last night, you probably missed out on seeing a one off boot make its debut and sort of go out of fashion within 11 minutes. Why you ask? Well, they were a pair of custom Nike Vapor IX that Nike created for Abby Wambach and her record breaking 159th goal for the US national team (you can read more about them here). After 11 minutes of Tuesday’s friendly, she bagged #161….and with that the record continues to grow. They were sweet to look at none-the-less, and it is pretty cool to see some custom releases being dished out in the womens game. Just to note, I bet a ton of guys would buy these boots if they were released as a “mens” boot!
Some Extra Bits From This Week
This week we have seen new colorways been taken up by some pros. Zlatan Ibrahimović has taken delivery of his new HyperVenom Phantom in the striking Green and Black colorway, as also worn by Fulham’s loan signing Darren Bent. Manchester United were unable to prize Leighton Baines from Everton, but the new colorway from Adidas will definitely match his Everton kit with the pride blue, orange and white colorway. We will have to watch for him wearing them in the coming weeks.
The Adidas Nitrocharge range has been strategically positioned as the “engine room” boot, I have seen strong uptake recently in these kind of players who play in that postion. Tom Huddelstone has often been referred to as the “quarter-back” of Spurs when he would sit in low lying postions and ping 40 yard passes with ease, he moved in the window to Hull City and has moved from several brands, testing Puma, Under Armour , Nike Legends and was in the Adidas Nitrocharge at the weekends game against Manchester City where he wore Nitrocharge. In that light Joey Barton has coverted from Predator LZs into the Nitrocharge also.
Dream Game
The final shout out goes a little unknown player for Crystal Palace, Dwight Gayle, who two years from the date that he scored a dream goal against Sunderland in his HyperVemons , albeit a lucky penatly, was playing conference league football with Walthamstow. He also bears a slight resemblence to a certain well know CEO for a soccer review website.
Anything we missed or any stories you want to see added to the next edition of the Boot Report? If so, just let us know in the comment section below.
Rickie Lambert has had a quick jump up through the ranks of football, with the injuries England have it looks like he will start both qualifiers for England. Do boot deals differ by club and country or do players have to wear the same boots for both? I'd imagine Rickie wears a classic Puma King in black. Simple but effective!
Clubs have team sponsors, like Manchester United with Nike, Warrior with Liverpool and Under Armour for Spurs. Under the contract they kit out all players and staff with their equipement, but saying that all players will have their own individual contract with a brand. So to take Rickie Lambert who plays for Southhampton, they are sponsored by Adidas, but Rickie is sponsored by Nike and currently wears the Nike CTR range. In the game tonight against Moldova he will be wearing the current Blue/Volt colourway.