Umbro England Away Limited Edition

Having recently launched the all new England Away kit, Umbro have now returned with a special edition Away set ahead of England’s Euro qualifying game against Montenegro on Friday.

The new Away jersey and Anthem jacket feature a redesigned version of Peter Saville’s Modern England pattern, which Saville designed specially for Umbro, and features interlocking crosses to represent the flag of St George.

The new design features on the collar of the navy Away kit while the Anthem jacket is covered in a tonal navy St Georges crosses print.

The navy Jersey is a big change from the traditional red but it still a very traditional English colour and is a throw back to the traditional suiting colour worn by the England team first in the 1930s. Inspiration was taken from the caps given to England players as well as the original British passports, which were navy in colour.

Lightweight and breathable, the special edition shirt has adopted the same performance benefits as the England Away shirt. The shirt uses mesh technology to increase the airflow to the body, updating a style that was first introduced in 1970. The England shirt is made using full polyester on the inside to help draw sweat away from the body and features a cotton outer to provide a smart appearance.

The new special edition Away set will be available from the Umbro website from tomorrow the 7^th of October.The England Team will debut the special edition Anthem jacket in their last qualifying game against Montenegro.

Boot Spotting 1 - 2 October

Another weekend of brilliant football was produced by the stars of the Premier League. 17 goals were scored on Sunday alone and TRW bring you some of the best boot spots from the weekend’s action.

This weekend saw the new Nike colourways make their debut on the field. We weren’t sure who’s kit the new White/Silver/Purple CTR360 Maestri II colourway would match but it turns it that it goes perfectly with Arsenal’s goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny’s. Szczesny has been outstanding for the Gunners and pulled of some fine saves against Spurs but wasn’t able to keep them all out as his side went down 2-1.

Nike’s Volt/Purple/Retro Superfly III colourway seems to have become an instant favourite with a host of players switching to the new colourway. The most surprising of them was Swansea’s Scott Sinclair. The ex-Chelsea winger has been in White/Black/Pink Superfly I boots for most of the this season and last.

Sinclair scored from the spot and the switched seemed to pay off for Manchester City winger Adam Johnson as well. Johnson made the most of a rare opportunity to turn out for City by getting his name on the score sheet – which made have helped him get his England call up.

One player who may feel hard done by when the England squad was announced is Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor. The Villa striker has been in exceptional form and put in another goal scoring performance this weekend as his side beat Wigan Atheltic.

History was made on Sunday afternoon when Andy Johnson scored Fulham’s first ever hat-trick. The England striker lead the charge as Fulham put 6 past QPR. QPR had no answer for Johnson who scored a hat-trick for the Cottagers in a pair of White/Slime/Blue AdiZero boots.

It was a pretty good weekend for English strikers as Liverpool’s Andy Carroll also found the back of the net. Carroll is yet to truly impress in a Liverpool shirt but would have won himself much favour with the Red’s fans when he opened the scoring against Merseyside rivals Everton. Carrol was in Umbro’s White/Blue Special R boots.

A lot has been said about Frank Lampard and his future over the past few weeks. The headlines this week will undoubtedly read ‘Lampard is back’ after the Chelsea midfielder put in a vintage display against Bolton Wanderers to grab himself a hat-trick. Lampard’s display was pure class, as are his White/Gold/Black Adidas AdiPure IV boots.

There is a lot of great young English talent in the Premier League at the moment. One of the players catching the eye at the moment is Tottenham Hotspur fullback Kyle Walker. Walker’s return from loan has seen him establish himself as the first choice right back for Harry and his wonder goal against Arsenal this weekend will only serve to cement that place. Walker is one of the few people wearing Umbro’s GT Pro range of boots and is currently in the Yellow/Silver colourway.

Danny Welbeck is another player England fans are hoping will help restore the national side’s fortunes. The return to fitness of Welbeck is a major boost for Manchetser United as the lanky striker was instrumental in the fine form United produced at the start of the season. Welbeck has stuck with his Black/Orange Tiemo Legend IV Elite boots.

Our final boot spots of a pair of boots that we have featured a few times on out Boot Spots and arguably one of the most talked about boots at the moment. For a boot that hasn’t even officially been released the Puma PowerCat 1.12 certainly is in demand. Many player such as Barton, Arteta, Carrick, Jones and of course Cesc Fabregas have been spotted wearing white-out versions of the boot and this weekend West Brom’s Chris Brunt was giving them a run out against Sunderland.

PUMA Confirm Cesc Fabregas Signing

Barcelona Midfielder Launches New PUMA Powercat 1.12 Football Boot

PUMA today announced the signing off a long term partnership with Spanish international midfielder Cesc Fabregas, the Barcelona midfielder signing a multi-year contract with PUMA. Cesc will wear PUMA boots on pitch and will become another key performance icon in the sportlifestyle brand’s global football communication. Having unveiled, Sergio ‘Kun’ Aguero, PUMA is delighted to welcome Fabregas into a football family that also includes Thierry Henry, Nemanja Vidic, Samuel Eto’o, Mario Gomez, Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Ibrahim Afellay, Lucas Barrios, Mikel Arteta and many more footballing stars.

Fabregas will lead the global launch of the new PUMA PowerCat 1.12, debuting the boot for the first time on-pitch this weekend when FC Barcelona play Sporting Gijon in La Liga. This new boot features the new PUMA 3D DUO Power Shooting Technology, applied to the kicking area on the inside of the boot. Having tested the boots in recent training sessions, the performance characteristics of the PUMA PowerCat 1.12 seriously impressed the talented young international.

Cesc Fabregas said; “I am very happy about this new partnership with PUMA and I am really looking forward to wearing the new PowerCat 1.12 on pitch this weekend. This boot gives me a lot of confidence to compete physically in midfield which is vital. I need a boot that I am comfortable with, that gives me the power and protection to play at my best. This has been a fantastic summer for me, signing for Barcelona and now for PUMA. This brand has a great attitude and has some very exciting plans ahead which make me feel privileged and excited to be an ambassador for many years to come.”

Christian Voigt, Senior Head of Global Sports Marketing at PUMA commented; “This is a very exciting time for PUMA right now and we are delighted to welcome Cesc Fabregas into our growing football family. Cesc is another fantastic addition to our sports-marketing portfolio and will be a vital asset in global football communication in the coming months and years. He’s a supremely talented young player, who has proven himself consistently in both club and international football. There’s no doubt there are big things ahead for Cesc Fabregas, both on and off the pitch.”

Earlier Fabregas had leaked the news via his YouTube page with this video show off his new boots and sponsor.

(With the launch of Fifa 12 today all eyes will be on Fabregas to see what boots he is wearing in the game.)

Cesc Fabregas Q&A

Q. What are your impressions of PUMA?

A. PUMA is such a strong brand with a positive attitude towards both football and life. From the very first time I met PUMA, it was clear they really focused on the emotion and the joy in sport, not just the result. To me this is an interesting and refreshing approach. PUMA made a great impression on me from the very beginning and it was obvious that this was the right move for me to sign this partnership. I am looking forward to working together and excited about the plans for the coming months and years.

Q. What is your opinion of the PowerCat 1.12 Boot?

A. The boot has seriously impressed me. Playing in midfield is so combative and physical, I need a boot that gives me protection and support, but comfort is also really important and this boot offers it all. The PowerCat 1.12 Boot is without doubt gives me a lot of confidence to perform on the pitch.

Q. What do you think about some of PUMA’s other product ranges?

A. The PUMA performance wear is strong and technically very good, but I also really like their lifestyle clothes. There is a style about PUMA that I’ve always admired, so I’m very happy that they’ve sent me a lot of new clothes!

Q. How do you feel about featuring as a key player for the PUMA brand?

A. For me it’s great. The communication plans that PUMA have shown me are fantastic, so I’m really pleased to be incorporated into these plans. PUMA has similar partnerships with many great footballers that I admire and to join them is also really exciting.

Q. What was the main deciding factor in signing the new partnership with PUMA?

A. The performance elements of the boots were obviously very important – I am of course a footballer and it’s so important for me to be successful in my career. Wearing the right boots is a critical part of this.

The PUMA brand is very inclusive, and I believe in the way they work with players and their campaigns. For me, joy and passion is the most important elements of football and this drives me to continually improve myself as a footballer and as a person. PUMA shares these same values.

It’s really important that I believe in the brand that I partner. PUMA has shown me that they are totally committed to this partnership, and right from the start I have felt comfortable and happy with the way things have proceeded.

Adidas F50 Adizero Micoach Black/Warning/Electricty

The rules of the game are about to be re-written as adidas unveils the world’s first football boot with in-built miCoach technology enabling both professional and amateur footballers to analyse their personal speed, distance and work rate during a game: the ‘boot with a brain’.

The new adidas F50 adiZero miCoach football boot is capable of measuring:

• 360°personal performance data
• Speed
• Distance
• No. of sprints
• Intensity work levels

Available at retail from November this year, the adidas adiZero F50 miCoach football boot is the first boot ever to enable players across the country at every level to analyse their game just like the pro’s and compare their performance to adidas professional players, team mates and friends. Are you the quickest in your team? Do you have the highest work rate? And how do you compare to Leo Messi, Gareth Bale, and Ashley Young?

Messi – instrumental in the design process.

To bring the data from playing in the boot to life adidas have created two unique experiences:

• Players can download their stats to their smartphone and directly into a newly created platform that will take personal performance stats and build them into the ultimate gaming experience

• Players can download their data to the miCoach.com online training hub to see graphical representations of their performance, relevant training programs from the best clubs in the world to help improve performance, and ways of sharing and comparing their performance

Now, not only is the adiZero F50 miCoach the lightest boot on the planet, it is also the smartest. So let your feet do the talking on the pitch, while miCoach backs you up off of it!

The new adiZero F50 boot will be available at adidas own retail outlets and specialist retail stores nationwide from the 15^th November, at £200. Additionally, the adiZero F50 miCoach bundle will be available from wholesale outlets at £245 and includes a pair of adiZero F50 boots, a speed sensor and a smart device dongle, miCoach CONNECT, for iPod and iPhone as well as the miCoach CONNECT for PC / MAC.

The new Adidas F50 AdiZero launched in an eye-catching High Energy/Electricity/White colourway which we expect to see on Lionel Messi but this Black/Warning/Electricity colourway will undoubtedly stand out on the pitch as well. Both the High Energy/Electricity/White and Black/Warning/Electricity colourway will be available with a synthetic and leather upper.

Adidas F50 Adizero Micoach High Energy/White/Electricity

Adidas Launches adizero f50 Powered by miCoach – The World’s First Football Boot with a Brain

Adidas have unveiled the world’s first intelligent football boot, the adizero f50 powered by miCoach. Soon to be made famous as the ground breaking ‘football boot with a brain’, the 2011 adizero f50 is bringing smart technology to the field of play.

Football is faster than ever before and the need for speed has never been greater. Now powered by miCoach, the adizero f50 is not only the fastest boot on the planet, it is also the smartest. miCoach turns the adizero f50 into the ultimate digital training tool by letting you track and upload performance data including speed, maximum speed, number of sprints, distance, distance at high intensity levels and time.

The adizero f50 boot includes a cavity in the outsole unit which houses the revolutionary miCoach Speed Sensor. The miCoach Speed Sensor captures 360° movement and measures key performance metrics including speed, average speed (recorded every second), maximum speed (recorded every five seconds), number of sprints, distance, distance at high intensity levels, steps and stride rates. The on-board memory stores all your measurements during your game or training for up to seven hours and then wirelessly transmits the on pitch performance data to your tablet, PC or MAC.

The stats can then be shared with friends on Facebook, introducing a fun and competitive edge to training as stats can be compared between yourselves, or even with adidas professional players such as Leo Messi, as they upload their personal results. The stats can also be uploaded to existing training plans via the miCoach website, which are then built into the personalised coaching programmes that miCoach technology creates specifically for you.

And the revolution continues in 2012 when you will be able to play the miCoach football video game online using your own real-life abilities. Whether online or in the stadium, the adizero f50’s electrifying, speed-inspired looks will leave zero doubt as to who is the fastest.

adidas Vice President of Global Football, Markus Baumann said “We have been working to develop a boot with a brain for some time and what we have produced will revolutionise the football industry. What makes the boot unique is that for the first time you will be able to compare yourself to some of the best players in the world’’.

The launch of the adizero f50 also heralds an exciting new stage of development for miCoach technology. miCoach technology has always proved adidas’ position as market leader in the use of data in sport to enhance athlete performance and the introduction of miCoach in the adizero f50 clearly demonstrates the capabilities of capturing and evaluating every athlete’s performance by making it available to all.

“Data has been monitored and evaluated to increase performance in elite athletes for many years. adidas will now bring this service to the consumer, firstly with the launch of the adizero f50, and then through a further range of intelligent products capable of storing, monitoring and evaluating performance on the field of play” commented Simon Drabble, Director of Interactive Technology at adidas.

The adizero f50 includes other key adidas technologies including Sprintweb, which provides stability during high speed movements, Sprintskin, a revolutionary single layer synthetic for incredible ball-feeling and reduced weight and Sprintframe, which uses geometrics and a new stud construction to offer the perfect balance between lightweight and stability. The adizero f50 is also lightest in class, weighing in at only 165g.

The new adizero f50 powered by miCoach will be available at adidas own retail outlets and specialist stores worldwide from November in High energy/Eelectricity/white at €210. Additionally, the adizero f50 miCoach bundle is available from wholesale outlets at €245 and includes a pair of adizero f50 boots, a Speed Sensor and a smart device dongle miCoach CONNECT for iPod and iPhone as well as the miCoach CONNECT for PC / MAC.

England and Manchester United ace Young said “I’ve been playing in the adidas F5O range for the last few years and I’m amazed by the latest innovation. The new boot will help players be faster than ever and now, with the miCoach technology; they’ll be able to prove just how fast they really are. I can’t wait to wear the boots in November and share my stats with the adidas community.”

Players across the World, including Lionel Messi, Gareth Bale, Ashley Young, and Samir Nasri, will wear the boot on pitch from November 2011. Judging by the fact that Messi wore this colourway a little while ago for Argentina in a friendly against Nigeria, we expect him to have exclusive rights to this colourway in La Liga – like he has at the moment – while the rest will wear the Black/Warning/Electricity colourway.

Stars and Strikes Viral

Betfair have released a new viral advert for their 40 pins, 40 seconds challenge. The ‘Stars and Strikes’ video features some of Manchester United’s biggest names as they took part in a one-off game of ‘football bowling’.

Ashley Young faces off with Dimitar Berbatov and Patrice Evra, are they are joined by football fan Chris Weber who’s odds are not favourable in the race to knock down as many pins as possible in 40 seconds. Darren Fletcher and Andres Lindegaard also make an appearance as the stars use Nike’s Seitiro football to wreck havoc in the bowling alley.

Reflecting on the challenge, Young said: “It was harder than I thought it would be because of the weight of the ball and having to strike it so low over a relatively short length of space. Hats off to Patrice and Berba; they showed unbelievable skills. And all I can say about Chris is ‘he tried his best!’”

Yaya Toure Spotted in PUMA v1.11 Boots

The Puma revolution continued last night as yet another high profile name was spotted in Puma’s new V1.11 boots. Puma have already grabbed Manchester City star Sergio Aguero and now seem to have added his teammate Yaya Toure to their ever growing, impressive list of stars.

We think it is about time Yaya Toure switched out of his rather worn looking black-out Nike T90 Laser III boots – which, interestingly enough, he was wearing during training. If Toure has officially joined Puma he joins Tieery Henry, Steven Pienaar, Sergio Aguero and Radamel Falcao (and possibly Cesc Fabregas) all of whom have joined since the start of the season.

Falcao with PUMA....

PUMA today announced the signing, on a long-term contract, of Radamel Falcao. Hot on the heels of Sergio Agüero, Falcao is the latest international star striker to join PUMA’s growing football player portfolio, meaning the sportlifestyle brand has signed two of the top three football transfers of 2011. Atlético Madrid’s record signing has chosen to wear the PUMA v1.11 Speed boot in the lead green colourway, and debuted the boot on pitch this weekend during Atlético Madrid’s game against Barcelona.

(Interestingly Falcao wore the V1.11SL for his first official game as a Puma player)

Falcao will feature prominently in PUMA’s global football communication as another top tier asset spearheading communication around the PUMA v1.11 Speed boot. With his pace, skill and trickery, he has made an explosive start to his La Liga career – scoring five goals in four games already this season, these attributes make him the perfect player for this marketing programme. Falcao joins Sergio Agüero, Samuel Eto’o, Mario Gomez, Ibrahim Afalley, Loic Remy and other lead players who have chosen the PUMA v1.11.

Speaking about the new partnership, Falcao said; “I have made two great moves this past couple of months, one to Atlético Madrid and the second to sign this partnership with PUMA. Both are big steps towards moving my career forward and achieving my goals. I have always had big ambitions in football – I am proud to be playing in La Liga, and working with PUMA on the global marketing campaigns they have developed is very exciting for me. I fully believe in the plans they have developed, and love the PUMA v1.11 boots.”

Christian Voigt, Senior Head of Global Sports Marketing at PUMA commented, “Falcao is another fantastic addition to our player roster in football. He is such an exciting talent, the impact he has made in La Liga already speaks volumes for his ability and determination to succeed. He was the top scorer of the Europa League last season and is quickly establishing himself as one of the top strikers in the game. PUMA has some big plans for Falcao in the coming months and years, which we’re very much looking forward to working on.”

The PUMA v1.11 Speed Boot that Falcao will wear is amongst the lightest football boots PUMA has ever made. It is the third generation boot that uses the special UNI technology, where the upper material is stitched rather than glued to the sole, providing the perfect fit by perfectly replicating the unique PUMA Aptolast. In addition, the v1.11 enables greater playing stability, through an external heel counter and a Pebax frame that provides support to the outsole. This increased stability also enables an optimal traction as well as manoeuvrability, provided through the pointed stud configuration featured on this new boot. The PUMA v1.11 also features a super soft premium lightweight microfiber upper material. A carbon fiber composite in the forefoot helps provide optimal pressure distribution, reactivity and flexibility.

"Super Cristiano Ronaldo"

 Without spoiling anything, you are about to watch one of the most interesting videos ever as Castrol looks into the ‘Why’ behind Cristiano’s skill.






Who’s better though… Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? You decide.