The brainchild of Leeds born Simon Skirrow in 2004, Australian football boot brand Nomis is one of a number of emerging football boot brands bringing new ideas and technological innovation to the football boot market.

Nomis is based in Brisbane, Queensland, on Australia’s east coast, although the football boot specialist is now distributing its products throughout Germany, Scandinavia, Brazil and the UK in a total of 1200 retail outlets. Nomis is on course to sell 75,000 pairs of football boots this financial year. Next year’s target is 200,000. Indeed, as we previously mentioned on Footy Boots, Nomis’ new Futspeed range is to be released in the UK next April.

Nomis is probably most famous for having Harry Kewell as one of its contracted players. Australian Kewell famously ditched his lucrative football boot deal with Adidas, in favour of wearing Nomis football boots for free. The Liverpool winger famously wore them for the first time in Liverpool’s dramatic European Cup win against AC Milan in Istanbul in 2005. Kewell currently wears the Nomis Spark, a football boot made of K-leather, with a two density outsole offering improved comfort, flexibility and stability.

Skirrow who has been involved in the football boot business since joining Adidas at the age of 17, says it is, “the thrill of the challenge” that drives him to pursue better football boot technology. He says he loves the challenge even more today than he did as a teenager, as the development of new techniques and advanced materials provides more opportunities for diversification.

By the age of 29 he was Adidas’s senior vice-president of global football, overseeing the company’s sponsorship of 70 of the world’s leading teams. One of his greatest achievements was to develop the world’s most successful football boot, the Adidas Predator, alongside Craig Johnston.

Nomis’ goal is to create the most comfortable football boots possible for footballers, while at the same time boosting performance. Skirrow states: “Our aim is to be known as the football boot company. Not an elitist boot. One that is good for Harry Kewell and just as good for my son and your son.”

Nomis football boots retail for between £40 and £120, positioning them at the mid to top end of the football boot market.

The last few years have seen the introduction of increasingly lighter football boots; players often appearing to be running around the pitch in a pair of runners spikes! However the recent spate of metatarsal related foot injuries has highlighted a need for a more protective and supportive style of football boot.

Skirrow agrees that the weight of the football boot should be a consideration, though he cautions that it should not be the main feature. He believes light football boots tend to lack the necessary heel and midsole strength that the foot needs to support itself, which could lead to difficulties or even injury for players.

Click here for further information on Nomis football boots.

Adidas Predator Power Swerve Football Boots

It’s been kicking around since 1994, that’s when adidas introduced the first Predator. Now, 14 years, and 9 editions later, adidas has revealed two new editions to the Predator PowerSwerve family.

The Predator football boots are famed for power, swerve and control, so think of the two new football boots as ‘souped-up’ Predators, with a different performance attribute amplified in each one.

Predator ‘POWER’ Swerve

•    Features an extra 10 grams of additional tungsten powder in the insole
•    “With an extra 10g of Tungsten powder in the Power Pulse I can feel a lot more bang in my boot” – Steven Gerrard (Liverpool and England)

Predator Power ‘SWERVE’

•    Features additional liquid rubber on the medial vamp
•    “You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to work out how to use the swerve zone.  Just follow through the ball and let the liquid rubber ribs take care of the curve” – Anderson (Manchester United and Brazil)

Highlights

The new football boots feature Predator SMART foam on the strike zone to give extra power, swerve and control.  In testing the football boot was found to give 3% more force and 8% more swerve than its predecessor.

The foam also adapts and changes to suit the way you kick the ball so you get maximum velocity, or shock adsorption, depending on your needs.

The dynamic Power Pulse insole features 40g of ‘Tungsten’ powder - which shifts and spreads weight in the sole to where you need it, behind the exact place of impact with the ball to get total weight transfer.

Each football boot comes with two insoles - a ‘power’ and a ‘lightweight’ version - so a simple swap allows you to customise your game.

Players: Steven Gerrard, David Beckham, Anderson, Michael Ballack, Micah Richards and Dirk Kuyt.

Sizes: 6 - 13 (UK)

Available: Now

Price: RRP of £130

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Footy-Boots.com has teamed up with football boot brand Nike to offer one lucky Footy Boots member the chance to win a free Nike iD design session* at London’s NikeTown.

The lucky winner will spend up to an hour with an experienced Nike iD design consultant in the Nike iD design studio personalising his own football boots. The studio, a stylish two-story glass and steel cube suspended above the centre of the NikeTown store on Oxford Street, gives consumers a hands-on design experience and the power to express their individuality by personalizing their sports footwear.

Once the unique football boot design has been created, the boots are stored in an online ‘locker’, before being individually made and delivered.

Even the professionals are getting in on the act. Earlier this month Footy Boots interviewed Spurs and Ireland Striker Robbie Keane in the Nike iD studio as he designed football boots that he will wear against Chelsea, West Ham and Brazil. In Fulham’s game last Sunday against Blackburn, we also spotted USA’s Clint Dempsey wearing a pair of Nike Mercurial Vapor III’s that he had customised using the Nike iD process.

The London Nike iD studio was unveiled on 1st November 2007, with opening night attracting the likes of Arsene Wenger, Theo Walcott, Michael Essien and even Dustin Hoffman! A Nike iD studio is already up and running in NikeTown New York and pilot schemes have been launched in Paris and Osaka.

The London iD studio hosts four mac stations, each manned by a design consultant, who will facilitate consumers’ designs, drawing on their passions and creativity in a one-hour personal consultation. This puts the consumer in control of the design process and extends the NikeiD experience beyond the computer screen where it has lived since its inception in 1999.

To enter the Nike iD competition, simply answer the following question:

Footy Boots recently interviewed Robbie Keane during his own Nike iD session. What type of Nike football boots does Robbie wear?

To answer this question log into your Footy Boots members account and send a Private Message to Admin with your answer.

To register as a Footy Boots member click here

Closing date for answers: Wednesday 5th December 2007. The winner will be the first correct answer drawn at random.

* Prize includes Nike iD design session and free pair of personalised football boots only. Transport, travel, accommodation and any other costs incurred are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. Competition open to UK residents only.

With the festive season fast approaching, many of you football enthusiasts will have a pair of football boots at the top of your Christmas wish list.

Footy-Boots.com has put together a guide to help you choose the best pair of football boots to make sure you don’t end up with a turkey!

7 Tips to help you choose Football Boots

1. Comfort

Cost and looks may be the most important aspects to you when you are choosing a pair of football boots, but you should really first consider the comfort, fit and practicality of the football boot. Try different brands and models of football boots on. The football boot should fit like a glove on your foot to reduce any possibility of your foot slipping on the playing surface, resulting in a potential injury. Remember, you may have to wear your football boot for ninety minutes at a time so the comfort factor is imperative. Consider the shape of your foot. For example Nike Mercurial Vapors are renowned for not being good for wide feet, whereas Puma football boots tend to be better for the wide foot.

2. Playing Conditions

Make sure the football boot you choose is suitable for the surface you are playing on. Will you be playing on firm ground, soft ground, astroturf/synthetic pitches? Ensure you choose the right set of studs for the right conditions. The astroturf/synthetic pitches require an underfoot that will give a better grip for the foot so the astro turf trainers would be perfect because of their short rubber studs. Screw in studs should be worn on muddy, soft pitches as they provide better grip in these conditions. On dry, hard grass pitches you should wear bladed (mid ground) or bladed studs (hard ground).
View the Football Boots Guide for more information.

3. Type of Leather

The football boot upper can be made of various material. Although budget may limit your choice, the upper material should be considered when choosing a football boot.
Kangaroo Skin
Soft, yet very strong, also moulds to the contours of the foot and is water repellent.
Oil Based Leather
Not quite as soft or strong as the Kangaroo leather, but they are water repellent and age well.
Leather/Polyurethane
This leather material has a polyurethane coating, doesn’t age as well as full leather.
Synthetic Leather
Synthetic leather can be found at both ends of the scale. The cheap end tends to rip and tear easily. Whilst the complex synthetic material found on football boots like the Nike Mercurial Vapor are strong, waterproof, but lack the natural moulding to the foot that you would find with genuine leather.

4. Laces

As technology improves in new football boots, so the lace position moves. Lace position can vary from the traditional top of the foot position, to the side of the boot. Side lacing such as on the Puma V3 is often considered the better option, in order to promote a flat ’sweet spot’ surface on the top of the foot, and reduce nerve pressure.

5. Price

Football Boots may cost anything from £20 to £150 and you generally get what you pay for. Many of the lower price point football boots are less technologically advanced versions of the brands’ more expensive models. If you are on a tight budget, look out for superseded models which are often discounted, but are still great football boots. Online football boot websites such as kitbag.com often sell football boots cheaper than high street retailers.

6. Style

You want to look the part when you play football, so the look of the boots is always a consideration. Football boots range from the traditional black colour to crazy wallpaper designs, like the Hummel Pio Sport! Nike iD even lets customers personalise their own football boots so you can make them look exactly how you want.

7. Get Recommendations

You try a football boot on in a shop not out on a football pitch, so it’s impossible to get a real feel for it. Ask your team-mates and friends what football boots they wear and what they think about the football boots. Are they comfortable? Have they had any problems with them? How well they have worn? Are they easy to maintain?

Right then. After taking these 7 tips into consideration, you’re now ready to buy your new football boots!

Visit the Footy Boots Shop

Umbro has cut its 2008 production of England football shirts by two-thirds to one million as the football boot brand’s takeover by Nike gathers speed.

Following England’s failure to qualify for the 2008 European Championships, the Cheshire based football boot brand, which holds a nine year football shirt supply deal with the England football team, has reduced its production of England football shirts to the lowest number since 2001.

More than two million replica England home football shirts are expected to be left unsold this year after the national team’s dismal run of form under Steve McClaren. Umbro’s Chief Executive, Steve Makin, has admitted Umbro are “going to have a tough year” and as such has made the decision to reduce the number of England away football shirts put into the market next year to ensure this year’s stock sells through. The new 2008 England away football shirt goes on sale on February 9.

Meanwhile, sports retailer Sports Direct, already committed to buying two thirds of all England football shirts produced by Umbro, saw its shares plunge 15 per cent following England’s defeat.

Mr Makin is keen to accelerate Umbro’s overseas expansion into countries such as China to help plug the gap created by England’s failure to qualify for the Euro 2008 championship in Austria and Switzerland. The football boot brand of choice for England captain John Terry expects to generate 80 per cent of its turnover from international markets by 2010, up from the present 60 per cent, and is also targeting new ventures in Italy and Brazil.

Despite this latest setback for Umbro, American sportswear giant Nike moved closer to completing a £285 million takeover by posting its offer document to the British company’s shareholders. Nike requires approval from investors holding 75 per cent of Umbro’s shares, and is expected to complete the takeover by 3 March, 2008.

In the immediate aftermath of Nike’s offer to purchase Umbro, JJB acquired a 10% share in Umbro, whilst Sports Direct doubled its stake to 30%. Analysts believe that the two retailers have taken stakes to protect their negotiating positions with Nike and Umbro, two of their biggest suppliers.

Mr Makin said: “You would have to ask Mike [Ashley] about his intentions, but the level of investment that Nike plans to put into the brand has got to be good for everyone. The product development they can bring to bear and the investment means the product will be more fashionable and technically advanced. That will benefit all stakeholders.”

Introducing the Umbro SX Valor

Background

The new Umbro SX Valor is packed full of performance enhancing technology guaranteed to give players of all levels a welcome mid season boost. The Valor is an all round football boot focusing on comfort, safety and control.

The Umbro SX Valor is scheduled to be worn for the first time by John Terry in Chelsea’s away game at Derby County on Saturday, provided the England captain has recovered from his recent injury problems.

Umbro SX Valor

Comfort

The Umbro SX Valor is composed of ultra soft high grade ‘water resistant ceramic duratec kangaroo leather’ for great ball feel and excellent anti-abrasion performance, whilst keeping the player’s foot dry in wet conditions. The football boot’s profile has been developed on the wider comfort fit last to give the foot more space to breathe.

Safety

When it comes to safety the Umbro SX Valor features a lightweight TPU heel counter providing excellent heel protection, as well as an anatomical insock to give high level shock absorption in extreme conditions. The new kontakt outsole with carbon fibre rigidity shank is designed to improve foot stability and protection on soft, firm and hard ground surfaces.

Control Series

The SX Valor is the latest Umbro football boot to feature the Touch, Impact and Motion Control Series:

TOUCH CONTROL enhances physical contact for comfort, feel and grip
IMPACT CONTROL provides protection from opponents and the elements
MOTION CONTROL enhances superior movement and provides stability

The SX Valor has a revolutionary Michelin technology suede vamp and a PU print application and also features a fully shaped leather flip over tongue with velcro fastener.

The soft ground version features 8 removable studs for use on soft natural surfaces, whilst the firm ground option is comprised of 13 traditional moulded studs for use on firm and hard natural surfaces.

Players: John Terry
Price: £99.99
Availability: November 2007
Colours: Black/White/Saffron
Sizes: 6-12

See the SX Valor Boot Test with Perry Groves

Introducing the Nike Tiempo II.

The Nike Tiempo II, also known as the Nike Tiempo Air Legend 2 football boots, will be pounding pitches very soon.

Worn by Carlos Tevez, Cesc Fabregas and Joe Cole, this football boot has a lot to live up to, as its predecessor the Nike Air Legend has been a traditional favourite of many a player.

Nike Tiempo II Background

During the 1994 World Cup final in the USA there were 10 players on the pitch, including Brazil’s Romario and Italy’s Paolo Maldini, wearing Nike Tiempo football boots.

Designed for the playmaker that relies on touch to control the game, and inspired by the original Tiempo’s classic looks, Nike has reintroduced the Tiempo using modern materials and techniques, while maintaining its clean traditional look.

Nike Air Legend II Research

Nike’s research showed that on average, a player runs almost 12 kilometers in a game. The design and development objective with this football boot was to reduce weight while maintaining strength and protection so the player can run for longer.

This was achieved by reducing the overall weight of the football boot by 15g to 315g by re-engineering the upper and heel counter. This reduces the tongue size, whilst still ensuring it provides great fit and feel for superior performance.

Players: Cesc Fabregas, Carlos Tevez, Joe Cole
Price: £85
Availability: December 2007
Weight: 315g
Colours: black/white and white/black & White/gold
Sizes: 5 - 12

England last night crashed to a 3-2 home defeat against Croatia ending their hopes of qualifying for Euro 2008 and leaving manager Steve McClaren out of a job.

McClaren, who was appointed on August 1st 2006, has never won over the majority of England fans, after serving as understudy to Sven Goran Eriksson during his distinctly average tenure. The former Middlesbrough manager did little to enhance his managerial reputation during his time at the Riverside and most football supporters were mystified when the FA hierarchy appointed him in the first place.

Remarkably the England manager last night expressed his desire to continue in his role, though the FA has this morning acted quickly to end his reign, attempting to regain some shreds of credibility after such a poor appointment. McClaren’s reign is the shortest in the history of the England national team.

With the announcement of McClaren’s sacking the FA continue their recent trend of having to shell out large compensation packages to manager’s who have simply not been up to the job. The FA must have deep pockets, McClaren is expected to receive a £2.5 million payoff, following predecessor’s Sven Goran Eriksson’s pay off which ran into the millions.

We here at Footy-Boots.com have always been vocal in our opposition of Steve McClaren’s appointment as England boss, so much so that we have been stocking a ‘Taxi for McClaren’ t-shirt in the Footy Boots shop. You can celebrate the sacking of Steve McClaren by clicking here to buy your ‘Taxi for McClaren’ t-shirt.

All the blame however should not be laid at the manager’s door. True it was McClaren who picked the internationally inexperienced Scott Carson in such a critical game, whilst leaving out big game player David Beckham, but surely the rest of England’s so called ‘golden generation’ should have been up to the job. It is a manager’s job to motivate his troops, but isn’t playing for your country motivation enough? In short, England didn’t turn up last night, as they haven’t for most of this qualifying campaign.

The new manager, whoever he may be, will first have to address the problem of why so many of these multi millionaire players who perform week in week out for their respective club teams too often fail to perform on the international stage.

England fans, players and the manager are not the only ones crying into their cereal this morning. As reported on Footy Boots over the last few months, England’s failure to qualify for the Euro 2008 championships would have dire consequences for the economy, with British high street shops and companies losing out on a potential £1 billion pounds.

Football boot brand and England football shirt supplier Umbro has more to lose than most and has today confirmed that “2008 sales revenues will be hit by a substantial reduction in expected sales volumes for the new England away football shirt.”

In this week’s Coke Column, Giles discusses his continued recovery from injury and England’s struggle to qualify for Euro 2008.

Hi everyone, since I last spoke to you I have played two further reserve games. I have now featured in three games and I feel that I am starting to regain my match fitness and hope to be involved in the first team reckoning sooner rather than later. When returning from such a long injury lay off, it obviously takes time to regain that sharpness but I am confident that I can develop into a better player under the guidance I am receiving from the management staff at the club.

I played a full ninety minutes against Peterborough last week. This was my first full ninety since the turn of the year and it was a great feeling completing a match. The game finished 1-1 and although I thought I played ok, I was still a bit disappointed as I know I am a much better player than that. I felt I worked hard and felt fitter than in my first comeback game, which was pleasing.

I had another run out for the reserves on Monday night. We ended up losing 5-2 against a Norwich side which featured a number of the first team squad. By comparison, we gave a run out to quite a few of our younger players as the first team were preparing for the FA Cup 1st round replay against Darlington the following night. I thought I played ok against Norwich. I broke into the box on several occasions, which is an area of my game where I feel I can be a threat. I got a few shots on goal, one from about 12 yards out which the keeper pulled off a good save to push round his near post. Unfortunately after sixty minutes, the injury curse struck! A corner was floated over and I lost my man. I went for a diving header and got whacked full on in the face by a defender’s boot. I managed to head the ball towards goal and it was going in but one of our players back heeled it over the line to make sure. When I got up I had blood coming from the top of my head and under my eye. I was taken off and given seven stitches in my head and one under my eye which will probably leave me with a small scar. I’ve got a black eye at the moment aswell, so that’s the modelling career down the drain!! Still, it’s only superficial and if the manager feels that my fitness is now sufficient enough for me to be involved in the first team squad against Walsall at the weekend, I’ll be raring to go!

It will be interesting to see how we go against Walsall at the weekend, as we will also be playing them in the next round of the FA Cup. We got a good 2-1 win last night against Darlington in our replay. I’d actually drafted for this week’s Coke Column prior to the match that I thought we’d win 2-0 and we were very close to that scoreline, with Darlington scoring their consolation in stoppage time. Hopefully we can beat Walsall in the next round and draw a Premiership side in the third round.

I didn’t get a chance to see the Israel v Russia match on Saturday but I think England should count themselves very lucky to be in the position they are in ahead of tonight’s match against Croatia. I don’t think they’ve been good enough throughout the qualifying stages and probably haven’t deserved to go through, as they ultimately have had to rely on another game going their way. I’m not a huge fan of McClaren either. I didn’t think he was the man for the job when he was appointed and I’ve not seen anything so far to change my mind. As a proud Englishman I really hope he can prove me wrong and take the lads all the way at Euro 2008 next summer in Austria and Switzerland. I actually thought Scolari should have got the job. If McClaren ends up leaving after tonight, which I don’t think he will as I can’t see England not qualifying now, I’d go for someone like Jose Mourinho to replace him.

I’ve heard England may line up 4-5-1 tonight with Gerrard, Lampard and Barry in the middle and Joe Cole and Beckham/SWP on either flank, with Crouch ahead of them. I personally think this is a bit defensive and would put either Defoe or Bent up front with Crouch to give him a bit more support and firepower. If it’s not working, then we look to change it. I would also start with Cole on the left, Beckham on the right, and Stevie G and Lamps in the middle. I know Gerrard and Lampard can’t seem to play well together but I feel that Lamps is so consistent for Chelsea and scores for fun that we can’t not play him as he adds a goal threat from midfield, and Gerrard is Gerrard isn’t he, he’s always going to be in my team! My prediction for tonight is 2-0 to England. Fingers crossed!

Speak to you in two weeks when hopefully I’ll have fully completed my comeback from injury.

Your questions:

Hello Giles, I was wondering what is your reaction on Augustin Binya’s (Benfica)’s harsh tackle on Scott Brown (Celtic) in the UEFA Champions League?
As a player, have you suffered from a similar challenge before? And in your opinion, does the stud configuration have an effect on such challenge?
From Phantomclf

I thought it was a shocking challenge to be honest and a six game ban was about right. Only Binya will know whether or not he went into the challenge with the intent on breaking Scott Brown’s leg, but the lad’s amazingly lucky to come out of the tackle unscathed. Luckily I’ve never been on the receiving end of a challenge like that and hopefully never will.

Regarding the debate on football boots, I always wear moulds and I’ve never had any problems. I just prefer the feel and grip of them. I suppose there’s an argument that if you wore moulds in very wet conditions, you could slip and twist your knee, but as I said I’ve never encountered any problems. I’m not sure how they would have an effect on a challenge like that. That was a bad challenge in anyone’s language, simple as that!

Look forward to answering more of your questions

Keep checking in every two weeks to read The Coke Column!

If Steve McClaren’s men fail to qualify for next season’s Euro 2008, it will not only be the England manager who finds himself in hot water.

England’s hit and miss Euro qualification campaign has cranked up the pressure on McClaren and even seen the release of a ‘Taxi for McClaren’ t-shirt, which you can buy here at the Footy Boots Shop.

Whilst the England manager cowered in his bathroom during the final minutes of Israel’s narrow 2-1 win over, the business community contemplated the potential loss of a £1 billion summer bonus.

Involvement in a significant tournament sends the nation’s fervour soaring and that means open wallets on the high street. The British Retail Consortium estimates that last year’s World Cup boosted UK retail spending by more than £1 billion. If England fail to secure a draw with Croatia at Wembley tomorrow and miss out on Euro 2008 qualification, more than £500 million would remain unspent. At the very least, pubs, clubs, off-licences and the advertising and gambling industries would miss out on some £600,000 of spending.

As reported in a Footy-Boots.com article in September, England shirt supplier Umbro anticipates a disastrous 2008 should the Three Lions not make the trip to Austria and Switzerland next summer. The football boot brand expects to lose £15 million of profits if the team do not qualify.

Though the Football Association has the relative security of long-term broadcasting and sponsorship deals worth more than £500 million, it is estimated that a summer off would have cost the FA £10 million through loss of ticket revenue, merchandising and 45 licensee arrangements with commercial partners.

McClaren’s unscheduled dash to the toilet raises the question of whether he can handle pressure situations. Will he crack under pressure if the England team is staring down the barrel of defeat in the last ten minutes of Wednesday’s final Euro 2008 qualifying match?

One of his managerial counterparts, Arsene Wenger, has backed England to qualify provided McClaren is prepared to make some brave decisions, and change his system. Wenger believes England can clinch a place in Euro 2008 by employing a five man midfield, with Steven Gerrard lining up alongside Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry, with David Beckham and Joe Cole on either flank.

The Arsenal manager said: “I know England have most often used 4-4-2 but I feel there could be an innovation on Wednesday. But I’m not Steve McClaren and I leave that choice to him. I personally think it will be 2-0 to England. That will put them top of the group and then you cannot say they have under-achieved!”

Having said that, Wenger believes Croatia’s statistics prove they will be a tough opponent at Wembley and should not be underestimated. He added: “From the outside it looks as if England has an easy task - but it’s not. There are only two factors when a team has nothing to play for: are they very easy to play or are they extremely difficult to play. I would be temped towards the second solution. Croatia just lost a game but are still qualified. There is no special pressure and Wembley has a special aura in the whole of Europe. Nobody wants to miss that kind of opportunity to play a good game. I think it is a very dangerous game for England. Also you cannot go into a game like this only trying to draw it, you cannot give that kind of message to your players. So you have to prepare the game like you want to win it but knowing that a point is enough.”

Will McClaren oversee an England draw or victory to send England through to next summer’s Euro 2008 or will he be the first manager since Graham Taylor in 1994 (USA World Cup) to fail to lead the Three Lions to a major competition? Remember to click here to buy your special ‘Taxi for McClaren’ t-shirt.

Football boot brand Umbro could soon increase its presence in the US soccer market with the news that Premiership outfit West Ham United is looking to launch a team stateside by 2009.

Umbro, who has recently been the subject of takeover speculation, linking it to a buyout by Nike (see article), is dwarfed by Adidas in US soccer, with the German brand owning the exclusive rights for the supply of Major League Soccer clothing until 2017. The England team’s football shirt supplier however own 98 percent of the United Soccer League, the equivalent of the English Football League.

The ground-breaking move would see the Hammers play in United Soccer League One, America’s equivalent of the Championship. Arsenal currently have a partnership with MLS outfit Colorado Rapids, however this would be the first time a British club have agreed to compete in a foreign league in their own right.

And Francisco Marcos, president of the USL, claims West Ham will not be contravening rules. He said: ‘FIFA rules only state that owners cannot have two clubs or teams competing in the same competition, so there’s no problem here.’

West Ham signed a deal with the USL at the end of July, a reciprocal arrangement involving academy players and branding. ‘At that point the option to play in the USL was inserted in the agreement. We’re looking to West Ham for setting a trend in terms of direct ownership,’ added Marcos. This would be very different in terms of responsibilities and commitment, like the difference between renting a flat and owning a house. But Umbro, West Ham’s kit sponsors, also own 98 per cent of the USL and I own the other two per cent, so they will have all the help they need to get set up here.’

Martin Prothero, Senior Vice President of Football for Umbro and Chairman of USL commented: “I am delighted to see this partnership between two of Umbro’s strongest brands. West Ham United’s unique record in developing young players, combined with the USL network of clubs in the United States, Canada and Caribbean can provide very exciting programs and outcomes for both organizations. Umbro has a considerable investment in the USL property and we believe that this partnership will be the first of many successful international ventures between USL and prominent foreign clubs. Umbro is very pleased to be partners with both organizations and looks forward to being an active partner in the West Ham United’s initiatives in the United States.”

A successful US based West Ham United team will surely open the floodgates to interest by further Premiership teams looking to gain a foothold or increase their presence in the US soccer market.

Nike have launched the new Brazil Football Kit

50 years ago in Sweden, Brazil won their first World Cup. Five World Cup wins later and Nike are marketing the new Brazil shirts on the back of this anniversary.

50 years ago, the Brazil football shirt featured a traditional collar, the new Brazil shirt sports a collar built in to the fabric. The Brazilian green features on the collar, the cuffs and a flash on the side. The Brazil crest and the five stars that mark their five World Cup wins, are positioned on the left breast. Inside the collar reads ‘Born to Play Football’, written in Portuguese.

Technical Specification

The new Brazil Football Shirt features a tighter fit and Dri-FIT technology to keep players drier and cooler during play.

The Dri-FIT uses technology that helps keep the footballers drier, cooler and lighter. It achieves this by drawing sweat away from the body to the fabric’s surface for fast drying.

The Brazil shorts are royal blue with a white flash on the side, while the socks are white with a green and yellow band, featuring the five World Cup winning stars running down the calf on one sock and down the shin on the other one.

Debut

The debut of new Brazil Kit will be seen in qualification for the World Cup 2010. In addition, the team will also wear the kit in Beijing, where the team will go after the only international accolade they have yet to bring home: the Olympic Gold Medal.

Footy-Boots.com interviews Spurs captain and Republic of Ireland hero Robbie Keane.

Introduction

Footy-Boots.com was invited to London’s Nike Town to interview Spurs and Ireland striking sensation Robbie Keane, at a specially organised Nike iD football boot design session.

Robbie was personalising his own Nike Total 90 Laser football boots at the Nike iD Studio on London’s Oxford Street with the help of kids from the THFC ‘Kickz’ community project. The striker worked with the kids on three different football boot designs, which will be made into three individual, customised Nike Total 90 Laser football boots, for him to wear Spurs’ Premiership games against Chelsea (Jan 12), West Ham (Mar 1) and the Republic of Ireland’s international friendly against Brazil at Croke Park.

Interview

FB: The football boots you have designed with the kids from ‘Kickz’ look really impressive. How well do you think you will play in the customised football boots?

RK: Yeah they look good. We’ve gone for the white and blue Spurs colours in the Chelsea game, and added in a bit of Irish colouring for the West Ham game. For the Brazil game, we’ve mixed in green, white and orange (Ireland colours). I’ll tell you after the games how well I’ve played in them!

FB: You mention the Brazil game, do you think you can beat them?

RK: Why not. We played well against them last time round and perhaps could have won, so if we play well again, I’m sure we’ve got a good chance.

FB: How long have you been wearing Nike football boots for?

RK: I’ve been wearing Nike football boots since I was at Wolves when I was 18.

FB: What brands of football boots did you wear as a kid?

RK: As a kid, I couldn’t afford the more expensive football boots. My first pair of football boots were made by Gola, which I sold to a girl who lived round the corner so I could by myself some boots for gaelic football! I also remember having a pair of Roberto Baggio Diadora football boots.

FB: What is the most important aspect for you in your choice of football boots?

RK: I think comfort is most important for me. You’re training everyday and then playing in matches so it is extremely important that your football boots are comfortable. The Nike Total 90 Laser’s are so comfortable, they feel like they’re moulded to my feet! They’re also really lightweight.

FB: You used to wear the Nike Mercurial Vapor football boot but now you wear the Total 90 Laser. What made you change?

RK: The Mercurial is a great football boot, I just find the Total 90 Laser offers my foot slightly more protection.

FB: Do you keep any of your used football boots as mementos? Did you keep the football boots you wore in the game in which you scored your famous injury time goal against Germany in the 2002 World Cup?

RK: Yes, I keep some of my old football boots at home. I kept the Mercurial’s that I wore at the 2002 World Cup. I actually wore the same pair of football boots throughout the tournament.

FB: Nike ID gives you the chance to customize your own football boots and choose from a huge range of different colours. What do you think about the all the different coloured football boots these days? When did you first start wearing coloured football boots?

RK: I think my first coloured football boots were the white ones I wore when I was about 21. I used to get absolutely slaughtered by the other lads for wearing them! Nowadays it’s the players that wear normal black football boots and don’t wear coloured football boots that get the stick!

FB: How often do you change your football boots?

RK: I usually change them every few months, it often depends how well I’m playing in them!

FB: Thanks Robbie, judging by your current rich vein of form, we’d suggest you stick with your current pair of Nike Total 90 Laser’s!

Nike ID gives consumers a hands-on design experience and the power to express their individuality by personalising their sports footwear, including football boots. To find out more about Nike ID or reserve your Nike ID session, go to www.nikeid.com/londonstudio or call the reservations line on 020 7612 0990

A history of the Adidas Predator - the world’s best selling football boot.

To celebrate the launch of the newest model in Adidas’ Predator football boot series, the Adidas Predator PowerSwerve, Footy-Boots.com takes a look back at the history of the best selling football boot of all time.

History

In the early 1990s following his retirement from the game, ex Liverpool winger Craig Johnston designed and created the prototype for the Adidas Predator football boot.

In 1994, the Adidas Predator was launched, proving to be a revolution in football footwear. Players noticed they had more power, more control and more swerve, and that the shoe allowed them to strike a ball with pinpoint accuracy. Today, the Predator is generally considered the single greatest football boot innovation since the screw-in stud.

In 1995, an update of the Predator model entered the playing field, in the guise of the Predator Rapier. The re-designed rubber fins offered greater ball control and increased power. Moreover, the improved football boot offered a more natural fit. The Predator Rapier was the first Predator football boot to use the fold-over tongue, a detail now synonymous with the Predator boot series.

1996 marked the introduction of the Predator Touch, and the first use of the Adidas TRAXION system, enabling increased grip. The fold-over tongue was given a facelift and returned in Predator red.

To coincide with the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, Adidas launched the Predator Accelerator. With a more anatomically sound and professional fit, the football boot included asymmetrical loop lacing providing a larger, cleaner kicking surface to eliminate missed shots and passes.

The Adidas Predator Precision was launched during the UEFA EURO 2000 championships, with exchangeable TRAXION studs: XTRAXION. A merge between some of the leading football boot innovations ever: the idea of exchangeable studs from 1954 and the Predator and TRAXION technologies of the mid ’90s.

The 2002 FIFA World Cup in the Far East was the launch pad for the Predator Mania. As a much lighter Predator football boot, the Mania featured a split outsole construction. The renewed configuration of the Predator compound allowed players to give the ball even more swerve than before.

The Predator Pulse presented in 2004 featured the new PowerPulse technology for the first time. The PowerPulse unit, relocates only 40 grams of weight to the front of the shoe, achieving an increased power transfer of 3% in every kick. This means increased ball speed and ultimately less reaction time for a goalkeeper when the ball is shot on goal. The Predator once again confirmed its status as the world’s premier football boot, selling well over two million pairs in 2004 and 2005.

Adidas unleashed its most accurate, lightest and most powerful football boot at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany: the +Predator Absolute. The eighth generation of Predator features the revolutionary Exchangeable PowerPulse technology, allowing players to add power to taste!

Adidas’ newest version of the Predator, the PowerSwerve, achieves eight percent more swerve and increases the power behind every shot by around three percent, compared to its predecessor. The dynamic Powerpulse and engineered Predator technology elements shifts weight toward the point of impact as you kick, whilst adding forefoot power (Power Zone), allowing more powerful shots and increased flexibilty. Increased shot and pass swerve is achieved by enhanced Predator technology in the Swerve Zone at the side of the football boot.

Click here to buy the brand new Adidas PowerSwerve football boot from the Footy Boots shop!