Adidas unveil the new UEFA Champions League ball, the Finale 7.

The draw for the UEFA Champions League 2007/2008 was revealed in Monaco yesterday (see groups below).

At the draw, Adidas and UEFA also unveiled the new official match ball for the UEFA Champions League 2007/2008 season, the “Finale 7“. (order now from the Footy Boots Shop)

The “Finale 7” balls for the 2007/2008 season are now being delivered to the qualifying clubs, ready for their home matches. That is all but AC Milan who will continue to play with the Adidas “Finale Athens” at all their home games in honour of the club’s achievement of winning the Champions League the previous season.

Finale 7 Champions League Ball

The Adidas “Finale 7″ is based on the Adidas +Teamgeist technology, a 14-panel configuration. It reduces the number of three-panel touch points by 60% and the total length of panel lines by 15%.

This helps to create a perfectly round ball, allowing great accuracy and control for for the players. The combination of the revolutionary panel shape, a new carcass construction and the thermal bonding technology provide this Official Match Ball with the best performance qualities ever.

The design of the Adidas “Finale 7″ is based on the widely recognisable UEFA Champions League star ball logo and is available in orange, white and black. You can order this now from the Footy Boots Shop)

The Results of the Draw

Group A
LIVERPOOL
Porto
Marseille
Besiktas
Group B
CHELSEA
Valencia
Schalke 04
Rosenborg
Group C
REAL MADRID
Werder Bremen
Lazio
Olympiakos
Group D
AC MILAN
Benfica
Celtic
Shakhtar Donetsk
Group E
BARCELONA
Lyon
Stuttgart
Rangers
Group F
MANCHESTER UNITED
Roma
Sporting Lisbon
Dynamo Kiev
Group G
INTER MILAN
PSV Eindhoven
CSKA Moscow
Fenerbahce
Group H
ARSENAL
Sevilla/AEK Athens
Steau Bucharest
Slavia Prague

England face two crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers at Wembley next month which could possibly spell the end of the Steve McClaren regime.

England entertain Israel at Wembley on Saturday 8 September and then host Russia four days later.

Though Michael Owen, and his X Boot III, returned to scoring form in Newcastle’s League Cup game against Barnsley, Wayne Rooney remains doubtful following the metatarsal injury he picked up, whilst wearing his Nike Total 90 Lasers, on the opening weekend of the season against Reading.

Further bad news for McClaren occurred last night when David Beckham, sporting his Adidas Predator Absolute Globe football boots, suffered a knee injury whilst playing in LA Galaxy’s Superliga match against Pachuca. Beckham’s latest injury has effectively ruled him out of next month’s qualifiers, meaning that should McClaren’s men fail to qualify for next summers championships it could mean the that “Golden Balls” hangs up his football boots short of his 100th international cap.

With Kieron Dyer suffering a double fracture to his lower leg on Tuesday night against Bristol Rovers, the West Ham man, and his Adidas Tunit 2 football boots, have joined the growing casualty list, severely reducing England’s attacking options.

Steve McClaren, who has looked far from convincing so far as England manager, will be wishing he could wrap the rest of the England players up in cotton wool ahead of next month.

McClaren may have to rely on midfielders, and Adidas Predator Absolute wearers, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, to feed fit again Michael Owen, whilst taking on the responsibility to weigh in with goals themselves. One of McClaren’s surprise weapons could be utilising a fresh Peter Crouch (Puma v.106), who scored in Liverpool’s 4-0 demolition of Toulouse in midweek, but is likely to play a bit part role at Anfield this season.

It will be interesting to see whether next month’s Euro qualifiers provide a stay of execution for the England boss, or will it be Taxi for McClaren?

Reebok has announced the launch of its new colourway Sprintfit football boot.

The Black and Tetra Blue colour way, which Footy Boots exclusively revealed in May, will be available for purchase in September 2007.

Football boot brand Reebok unveiled the Sprintfit football boot as the lightest, most comfortable football boot they’ve ever made. Rather than introducing needless gimmicks, the Sprintfit favours simple, yet intelligent design features. It is designed to have everything a modern player needs and nothing they don’t.

The Sprintfit football boot is currently worn by Thierry Henry, Andriy Shevchenko, Iker Casillas and Ryan Giggs.

Available: September 2007

Price: £125

Click here for more information on the Reebok Sprintfit

Order Reebok Football Boots in the Footy Boots Shop

Australian Football Boot manufacturer Nomis have released details of its forthcoming Futspeed Football Boot Range.

The new and exciting Nomis Futspeed football boot range combine the uppers of the top selling Nomis outdoor football boot models with a new light weight, ultra-low profile outsole creating a football boot that commands style and performance both indoors and outdoors.

The top of the range elite Futspeed models, feature the one piece K-Leather uppers of the Nomis Glove and Spark football boot models and the pro Futspeed range features the bovine leather uppers of the Nomis Spoiler and Magnet football boot models. All the supple uppers feature the revolutionary Nomis Control Technology providing superior ball grip and control.

The Nomis Futspeed football boot also features a shock dispersion EVA midsole wedge and EVA sockliner to reduce impact forces and offer improved comfort. Combined with asymmetrical lacing for a cleaner ball strike and great fitting, the football boot helps improve players’ performance and looks stylish, whilst maintaining the trademark comfort of Nomis footwear.

The Futspeed football boot range will initially be released in Australia next week, before hitting the UK in April 2008.

We’ve loved the recent Nomis releases, and we’ll let you know how the Futspeed play, as soon as we get to try them!

Adidas and their use of kangaroo skin for football boots is in the limelight once again. Meanwhile, Adidas are also under fire in Germany, despite resolving their dispute with the German Football Federation.

Adidas and Kangaroo Football Boots

Stella McCartney, renowned vegan, animal lover and Adidas designer, and Adidas are under attack from animal welfare campaigners.

Daughter of Beatles star Paul McCartney, Stella and Adidas are under fire due to their close business relationship. Stella McCartney designs Adidas sportswear for women in Running, Gym, Swim and Tennis.

The fashion designer, a strict vegetarian, has led attacks on the fur industry in the past, and has been criticised for her Adidas by Stella McCartney sporting range, which is due for a début at London’s Fashion Week in September 07.

Animal rights campaigners claim the use of kangaroo leather in Adidas’ football boots is the “largest wildlife slaughter in the world”, see previous report (Beckham Soccer Boots).

Andrew Tyler, director of Animal Aid, said: “Adidas’ use of kangaroo skin is inexcusably cruel. On the question of Stella McCartney’s alleged silence, we know she opposes animal cruelty and presume she is taking the steps she feels appropriate, to press the company to stop the use of kangaroo skins.”

This latest campaign could affect the Adidas range at the fashion show, but is unlikely to change Adidas’ view on manufacturing football boots in Kangaroo skin.

Adidas Seal German Football Agreement

It was announced as the worldwide record deal for football, but now that Adidas have secured their association with the German National Football Federation (DFB), the German Bundesliga clubs have spoken out at their disappointment.

As previously reported (Adidas, Nike German Football Sponsorship), Nike were prepared to offer the DSB significantly more than Adidas had pitched, but Adidas won the day, when it was confirmed last week that they would continue until 2018 as the national team sponsors.

Bundesliga clubs were up in arms, as they receive benefit from the DFB’s sponsorship deals and are now likely to receive £35 million less than they would have under the Nike offer.

The deal sees Adidas paying £13.5 million per year until 2014. During the final four years, that would jump to £17 million. Whilst the Bundesliga is to receive less, surely it is understandable that the Federation is willing to be branded by a Germany company and not an American?

Football boot brands Nike and Puma have today hit back following the row over which brands’ football boots Arsenal and Czech Republic international footballer Tomas Rosicky is contracted to wear.

On Tuesday, we reported here on Footy Boots that Nike have sued Rosicky for breach of contract after he signed a deal to wear Puma football boots. Nike have since argued that they had already declared their intention to re-sign the Total 90 Supremacy football boot wearer by sending written notice to himself and his agent, Pavel Paska.

We reported that Rosicky had been wearing Puma v-Konstrukt II football boots in the pre-season Amsterdam Tournament, though had been sporting blacked out football boots in subsequent premiership games.

Leo Sandino Taylor, Nike’s UK PR Manager, spoke exclusively to Footy-Boots.com:

“Nike EMEA feels supported in its rights by the decision of the English Court prohibiting Tomas Rosicky from endorsing sports products other than Nike and from wearing boots on which non-Nike branding is visible.

Nike has also commenced legal proceedings against the Czech football player Tomas Rosicky in the Netherlands, arguing that the player has breached his legal obligations with Nike. In particular, he infringed exclusive endorsement rights by wearing competitor products during the English Premier League pre-season. The UK court order will stay in effect until a subsequent decision of the Dutch court, scheduled for September.

Nike respects the rights of athletes and their sponsors and fully expects its competitors to do the same regarding those athletes who have chosen to wear our products.”

To get Puma’s take on the football boot issue, we tracked down Filip Trulsson, Puma’s International Teamsport Business Unit Manager, in Germany. Trulsson was more guarded in his response but had the following words to say to Footy-Boots.com.

“As you can expect, we do not comment on legal issues, especially not, since this is a case between his former supplier and the player. That said, Tomas obviously has our full support since he is currently under contract with Puma.”

This issue highlights the importance football boot brands put in their player sponsorships. With the dispute now being taken to the courts, it will be interesting to see Rosicky’s choice of football boot when he next features for Arsenal.

England play arch footballing rivals Germany tonight in a game that will provide valuable preparation for the crucial Euro 2008 qualifying games with Israel and Russia in September.

England, who have already lost the likes of Steven Gerrard (Adidas Predator Absolute), Darren Bent (Nike Mercurial Vapor III), and recalled Sol Campbell (Adidas Copa Mondial) to injury, will be hoping that Umbro football boot wearers John Terry (Umbro X Boot Destroyer) and Michael Owen (Umbro X Boot III) can provide the impetus to help overturn the 1-0 defeat they suffered at the hands of Germany in the last ever game at the old wembley in October 2000.

The game tonight also pits two football boot brands against each other as sponsors of the respective teams. Coincidentally England are sponsored by English based football boot manufacturer Umbro, while German football boot brand Adidas supply the German national team.

Though England are sponsored by Umbro, this doesn’t mean that Michael Carrick has to dispense with his Puma v-Konstrukt II football boots and swap them for a pair of Umbro Ultra SX football boots whenever he is on England international duty.

However the sponsors of Germany, Adidas, had a clause written into its contract with the DFB (Germany’s Football Association) that all German national team players must wear Adidas football boots while playing for the national team.

This issue was brought to a head last summer when Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann appeared for Germany during the 2006 World Cup wearing Nike Total 90 Supremacy football boots. Here at Footy-Boots HQ, we have even spotted Lehmann training in Nike football boots this morning, ahead of tonight’s match.

The problems between the DFB and Adidas have refused to go away. Indeed, as we revealed on Footy-Boots.com last week, Adidas and Germany’s football association are currently negotiating a settlement regarding their sponsorship dispute, with the DFB keen to adopt Nike as its supplier.

It will be interesting to see which different brands of football boots the German players are wearing tonight.

Arsenal and Czech Republic international midfielder Tomas Rosicky is currently involved in a dispute between football boot brands Nike and Puma.

Last season we saw Rosicky wearing Total 90 Supremacy football boots as part of his two year endorsement contract with Nike. At the end of last season, Nike allegedly sent written notice to both the gunners star and his agent in order to re-sign him for a further two years as part of the option clause that was written into his Nike contract.

Rosicky has since struck a deal with Puma and was seen wearing Puma’s v-Konstrukt II football boots in the pre-season Amsterdam Tournament. Questions have arisen as to whether the attacking midfielder is still bound by his Nike endorsement contract. Rosicky has fought back stating that he didn’t receive Nike’s notice until after the period for giving it had expired, and he was therefore free to enter into a football boot contract with Puma.

Nike have since sued him for breach of contract and applied for an interim injunction stopping him wearing Puma football boots in the meantime. In fact in Arsenal’s opening games this season, Rosicky has been seen wearing blacked out football boots.

Introducing Mizuno’s Wave Power Shoot Pro astroturf football boot.

The Wave Power Shooter Pro was released in the UK last month, after becoming one of the most popular Astroturf football boots in Mizuno’s native Japan.

Design: Mizuno’s design aims were to create an astroturf football boot combining fit, feel and function. The function was to be more dependant on traction and cushioning than it would be with studded or moulded football boots. By using the wave technology, prevalent in the brand’s running shoes, they would be able to create an astroturf football boot with the correct balance of stability and cushioning to reduce lower leg injuries that may occur on hard, artificial surfaces.

Performance: The Wave Power Shooter Pro is very much performance orientated. Mizuno have sought to create a lightweight and flexible football boot, which delivers unrivalled power across the astroturf. The outsole is split to help football players balance their weight and improve propulsion through a separate heel and forefoot area. The tread features L shaped lugs to improve traction, and the dimpled outsoles ensure that players will not lose their footing. The Wave Power Shooter Pro offers durability that many astroturf football boots have lacked over the years, which has often resulted in occasional 5-a-side players continually having to invest in new pairs.

Comfort: The DynamicFit Contour ensures the fit is secure and the boots mould to the contours of the individuals feet.
The mesh tongue is layered to provide maximum breathability and make sure your feet do not overheat. The wave technology helps to provides optimum shock absorption, whilst the widened heel gauge compliments the heel counter support offering ankle joint protection.

Analysis: With the release of the Wave Power Shooter, Mizuno have released an astroturf football boot which offers a comfortable fit, cushioning and durability - footwear ingredients which are vital for us footballers to perform at the top of our game.

Price: £50

He can’t do much on the pitch right now, but Rooney is certainly causing a stir in the media business.

Nike are in over drive at the moment, with viral video’s being released left right and centre. Rooney’s Target Practice video has been a huge success, its all over the tabloids, YouTube - it’s even featured in our own Footy Boots video collection …..

We’ve had loads of comments questioning whether Rooney hit the target, or whether it was staged. So Nike come out with a Behind the Scenes look, you can see it on our video collection on the Footy Boots homepage (or click here for the lazy ones).

If this one is legitimate, and we have no reason to doubt it, especially after the Ronaldinho hits the bar video, it goes to show just how accurate the boy Wazza is.

Here’s a look at some Rooney wannabe’s….

Adelaide United V Wayne Rooney
Some of the team try to recreate the video.

Eamon Gilroy
He says “Ya I hit the camera”. His Dad said “You’ve broken my camera”.

letournoi
By his own admission “This was a vague attempt at the rooney nike ad”.

We agree……

Adidas and Germany’s Football Association are negotiating a settlement regarding their sponsorship dispute.

The German Football Association (DFB) and Adidas have been advised to arrange an out of court settlement, over their row about National Team equipment supply.

The dispute stems from Adidas claiming that its existing supplier agreement with the DFB should run until 2014, whereas the DFB believe its expiry is 2011.

The DFB are keen to end the agreement and adopt Nike as their supplier, as they are reported to be willing to pay six times the Adidas offer, see Nike Germany Adidas Sponsorship.

Should Nike land the deal, it will be a major scalp for the American company, as Adidas, a German company, has been the German National Side’s official supplier ever since Adidas founder Adi Dassler first deployed screw-in-studs to the German side in the 1954 World Cup (Adidas, the first screw in football boots).

As football boot enthusiasts, have you ever wondered why players wear certain boots and how much they get paid for wearing them?

Football boot deals are usually conducted behind the scenes, with agents and brands getting involved. We look at a youth player, and an established international boot contract example:

Non Contracted

Sharp eyed football boot fans watching Liverpool’s against Aston Villa on Saturday, may have noticed Jermaine Pennant wearing Adidas Copa Mondial, when in pre-season he was wearing Nike’s Mercurial Vapor III.

An Adidas spokesperson confirmed, “whilst Jermaine is supplied with free football boots, he isn’t contracted to Adidas, and is therefore free to wear whichever football boots he chooses.”

So Jermaine Pennant is choosing to wear Adidas, that’s some endorsement for Adidas. It’s also surprising that Pennant is not tied to a brand of football boot.

If we consider Nike and Adidas, generally considered the two leading football boot brands, they know that players will wear their boots out of choice. Therefore, while they are happy to provide free pairs of football boots to Premiership players, they may only have those players who are likely to add real value to the respective football boot brand, as contracted and paid brand endorsees.

Our insight looks at two examples of players that football boot brands would offer endorsement contracts to: The rising Premiership youth academy player and England youth international player; and the established Premiership and England international player.

Premiership Youth Academy & England Youth International

Why contract an English academy player? He may be capped as an England youth, but there is no guarantee he will make it as a Premiership player, let alone a future England senior international.

Well, football boot brands are no different to football clubs; they are all trying to find the next Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney or Theo Walcott. Contracting a youth player on a simple gift of kit deal will not make a huge dent in a football boot brands grassroots budget, and who knows he may possibly be the next rising star of English football.

Youth players contracts may entitle them to £2,000 of free kit per season for themselves and their family or alternatively they may receive three kit drops per season, with the opportunity to top up on football boots if they run out. If they are very lucky or very good, they may even receive a small retainer around the figure of £1,000 per year and receive small bonuses for England youth appearances or goals.

Premiership and England International Player

Lets say a top England international player is contracted for three years to endorse a leading football boot brand. Firstly he will receive a retainer - that is a guaranteed yearly payment, which increases year on year. In year one he may receive anything from £100,000 to £200,000 which may rise to £500,000 in year three. The player would also receive a bonus schedule, similar to what he may have written into his club contract.

This may include payments for the following: international appearances, goals, clean sheets, progression in and winning of cup competitions, qualification for Europe, winning the Premiership, winning international tournaments and award bonuses.

Finally the football boot brand may ensure that they have first option on tying the player to a new endorsement contract once his current contract has expired.

Less than three months have passed since AC Milan defeated Liverpool 2-1 in the Champions League Final in Athens. Tonight, however, both the Anfield club and Arsenal kick off their quest for European Cup glory in the third qualifying round against Toulouse and Sparta Prague respectively.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is expected to name an unchanged side following Sunday’s 2-1 Premiership victory against Fulham, in which Adidas Predator Absolute Power wearer Robin Van Persie and Alexander Hleb (Puma V.106) opened their new season goal accounts. The North London club will be hoping that Nike Mercurial Vapor III duo Nicklas Bendter and Theo Walcott can come off the bench to give added firepower to the strike force, which is lacking the injured Eduardo da Silva (Nike Mercurial Vapor III) and Emmanuel Adebayor (Adidas +F50 Tunit)

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is likely to continue his rotation policy by recalling Puma V.106 wearer Peter Crouch, possibly at the expense of Dirk Kuyt (Adidas Predator Absolute) or Fernando Torres and his Nike Total 90 Lasers. We here at Footy-Boots.com believe that Benitez would be wise to use Andriy Voronin (Adidas Predator Absolute) to unlock a Toulouse defence which kept a clean sheet in its defeat of French Champions Lyon on Saturday.

Adidas Predator designer and former Liverpool FC player Craig Johnston has warned that change is needed in order to reduce the growing spate of foot fractures in professional football.

Johnson believes that it is only a matter of time before a player gets so badly injured that he sues a major football boot brand.

Over the years football boots have evolved from being traditional leather with standardised stud patterns to being more high-tech, lighter and dynamic, containing traction controls and cooling systems as well as anti-roll bars on the soles.

Johnston’s opinion differs to other critics, stating that football boots are almost offering too much protection rather than too little.

“Football Boots are so well designed , the weave of the pitch so tight, and the players so powerful and quick that huge forces are going into the human bone structure.”

The Australian, is of the opinion that current football boots engage too much with the turf with little give, and that football studs are part of the current problem.

He has recently called on FIFA to outlaw certain types of studs, stating that some of the material is especially dangerous, and could lead to serious facial injuries.

“I was in the business of designing football boots with more purchase on the ground, but now football boots need more release because players have evolved into super athletes.”

“Not enough is being done to protect players, I’ve been saying it for many years. I can’t understand the major sportswear firms not taking it more seriously.”

“Forget all the fancy designs, we need to get back to football boots and studs that protect players’ welfare.”