#EnglandPeachy #LetterstothePeachy #SpectacularSportspeople by #MoverandShaker Paul Rejer, FIFA Assistant Referee, Assessor for the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) Exclusive Commentary from England On England's Big Match/Game on Sunday Versus Spain EUFA Euro 24

"I remember as a boy of 12, watching England beat West Germany 4-2 in the World Cup Final on a black and white television. It was 1966 and very exciting, since then soccer has been my life.

Unfortunately since then England (men) haven’t won anything and now I am 70 I was beginning to believe they never would in my lifetime. However after that gutsy and determined performance last night by beating Netherlands 2-1 in the semi final with a last minute winner by Ollie Watkins, England are now on the verge of actually winning a major tournament. Facing Spain in the final on Sunday.

I am in England at the moment and the whole country is gripped with excitement at the prospect and I cannot wait! GO ENGLAND!!!!"

-Mover and Shaker Paul Rejer

Read his 2023 interview in Spectacular Sportspeople

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#EnglandPeachy MANCHESTER CITY NAMED WORLD'S MOST VALUABLE FOOTBALL CLUB BRAND

Manchester City has been named the most valuable football club brand in the world. The Club has topped the Brand Finance Football 50 2023 Report for the first time.

The report details a 34% positive growth in City's brand value since the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Premier League champions overtaking Real Madrid for the top position. This is the first time an English club has held the number one spot in six years.

Manchester City crowned 2022/23 Premier League Champions

A decade of dominance on the pitch and the highest revenue of any of club in the report were outlined as key drivers for City's rise in the rankings.

This comes at the climax of a remarkable season for Manchester City both on and off the pitch. On Saturday, City lifted the FA Cup to complete a domestic double after winning a third successive Premier League last month. The Club will be looking to add more silverware to this historic season as it competes in the UEFA Champions League Final this weekend.

This season the Club has also topped the Deloitte Money League for the second successive year after announcing a record revenue of £613 million and profits of £41.7 million, the latter being more than double the previous Club record. It has also been a strong year for City's commercial portfolio with a number of new partners and long-term renewals announced across the season. City's retail operation has also continued to break records with incredible demand for the 2022/23 season kits and the most recent kit launch seeing a new shirt sold every 12 seconds on the first day of sales.

The popularity of the Club is also reflected in its huge growth and engagement levels across social media, most notably with City being the most popular European club on YouTube for active users and video views this season.

Looking to the future, Manchester City has submitted a planning application to Manchester City Council for the development of a best-in-class fan experience and year-round entertainment and leisure destination at the Etihad Stadium. This project would add a further £300m to City Football Group's investment and regeneration work in East Manchester.  

Roel de Vries, Chief Operating Officer at City Football Group, said: "Being recognised as the world's most valuable football club brand reflects the phenomenal growth story that Manchester City has had in recent years. This achievement recognises the evolution of not just the brand, but the Club as a whole. The Club has been performing consistently and has broken records on and off the pitch this season, whilst operating in a way that promotes financial sustainability.

"As we look to the future, we want to keep investing in the right things – our football talent, the city of Manchester and our local community, infrastructure and fan experience. We have a proven track record of innovation and are excited for the next chapter in this Club's great history."

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Lenovo Kicks off a Global Technology Partnership with FC Internazionale Milano

Lenovo and top-flight world football (soccer) association FC Internazionale Milano, have signed a multi-year sponsorship deal as Global Technology Partner. The deal joins together two iconic brands admired the world over for their shared values, such as performance and innovation.

Inter is one of the most supported teams in Italy and the world, and the Club just jumped into their new era. Inter’s home stadium, San Siro, is one of the largest and most iconic in European football, that’s where the Lenovo name will be seen by a collective attendance of over one million, as well as on the back of the team’s training uniform during the season.

A sponsorship deal with Lenovo, one of the world’s largest technology solutions providers, will supply FC Internazionale with smarter technology including Lenovo servers, storage, software-defined solutions, as well as PCs, laptops and tablets, to manage the large amount of data generated by the Club’s interaction with fans and football enthusiasts. This enables Inter the capability to digitize and store historical archives and current documents for easier data access by fans whenever and wherever they desire. Lenovo’s Professional Services team will ensure Inter’s systems are running to their fullest capacity for the next five years.

Lenovo’s first appointment as club sponsors of the Nerazzurri (Italian for the team’s colors of black and blue) will be the pre-seasonal training camp, followed by a summer tour in Singapore and China.

“Sharing the core values of high performance, innovation, diversity and inclusion, it was natural for Lenovo and FC Internazionale Milano to enter into a partnership,” commented Gianfranco Lanci, Corporate President and Chief Operating Officer of Lenovo. “Inter’s century-long history, prestigious record of honors and wins, and focus on shared values makes the club an ideal partner for Lenovo. With the smarter technology across our wide breadth of offerings, we can help Inter to engage with fans and enthusiasts as well as offer them an even greater experience when accessing information and entertainment.”

“We are pleased that one of the world’s top technology brands has chosen to enter the global football industry with Internazionale,” said FC Internazionale Milano Corporate CEO Alessandro Antonello. “Thanks to Lenovo’s first-rate technological expertise, this partnership will fuel innovation and the pursuit of high performance in this new era at Inter.”

About FC Internazionale Milano

Founded in 1908, FC Internazionale Milano, or Inter, is globally renowned as one of the world’s most successful football teams. The club has Chinese ownership since Suning Holding Group acquired the majority stake in June 2016. The club’s trophy haul includes 18 Italian league titles, 7 Coppa Italias, 5 Italian Super Cups, 3 UEFA Cups, 2 European Cups, 1 UEFA Champions League, 2 Intercontinental Cups and 1 FIFA Club World Cup. Inter is one of the seven teams to have done the treble – Champions League, national championship and national cup – in the same year (2010), and the only Italian club never to have been relegated in its 110-year history. Inter is a global brand with more than 300 million followers worldwide. Inter’s home is the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, is among the world’s most famous and frequently visited stadiums. The club boasts a cutting-edge, world-famous youth academy. Over the years Nerazzurri youth teams have won more than 55 trophies, producing many full internationals and dozens of other professionals who have gone on to play in the major European leagues.

About Lenovo

Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$50 billion Fortune Global 500 company, with 57,000 employees and operating in 180 markets around the world. Focused on a bold vision to deliver smarter technology for all, we are developing world-changing technologies that create a more inclusive, trustworthy and sustainable digital society. By designing, engineering and building the world’s most complete portfolio of smart devices and infrastructure, we are also leading an Intelligent Transformation – to create better experiences and opportunities for millions of customers around the world. To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com, follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Weibo and read about the latest news via our StoryHub.

LENOVO is a trademark of Lenovo. ©2019, Lenovo Group Limited.

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#MLSPeachy #SPORTYPEACHY #TakeaTriptoEngland Amazon Announces Groundbreaking New Prime Video Series with Manchester City FC

The multi-episode Amazon Prime Original Series will follow current English Premier League leaders Manchester City through their entire 2017/2018 season

The series will launch exclusively on Prime Video next year in over 200 countries and territories

Amazon and Manchester City today announced a groundbreaking brand new Amazon Prime Video behind-the-scenes multi-part exclusive series following the four-time top flight championship winning soccer team, Manchester City, through the current 2017/18 season.

The Amazon Prime Original series will offer fans a glimpse into the historic Club, its legendary coach, Pep Guardiola and the weekly stories that unfold within the lives of the players currently sitting on top of the English Premier League table. Guardiola was one of the best players and coaches of his generation, having won three Champions League titles during his time at FC Barcelona. He joined Manchester City in 2016, coaching stars such as Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus and Kevin de Bruyne.

"This new Amazon Prime Original series will give Prime members extraordinary insight into Manchester City, the top English Premier League Football team and one of the most exciting and respected teams globally," said Heather Schuster, Head of Unscripted, Amazon Originals. "The story behind the coaches and players is fascinating and we are very excited to work with the Manchester City team to deliver an exclusive all access experience to our Prime members."

Ferran Soriano, CEO of Manchester City, said, "We are delighted to begin this strategic relationship with Amazon, one of the world's leading companies. Amazon Prime Video is the perfect home for a groundbreaking project that will offer a unique and authentic inside view into Manchester City's season like never before. This is an extremely exciting time for Manchester City and through Amazon's world-class service, we will be able to share it with football fans all over the world."

This new series will take viewers on a behind the scenes journey through the whole of Manchester City's 2017/18 season from the world-leading training facilities at the City Football Academy, to interviews with the manager and executive meetings.

The series will launch exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in 2018. Prime members will be able to stream the series via the Amazon Prime Video app for TVs, connected devices including Fire TV, mobile devices and online at amazon.com/originals. Members can also download the series to mobile devices for offline viewing at no additional cost to their membership. The series will be a global release and available on Amazon Prime Video for members to watch via the Prime Video app or online at PrimeVideo.com in more than 200 countries and territories.

The show joins Prime Video's growing stable of Amazon Original sports entertainment shows including The Grand Tour, two seasons of All Or Nothing which follows the Arizona Cardinals and The Los Angeles Rams over an entire NFL season, New Zealand All Blacks, McLaren F1, and live streaming of NFL Thursday Night Football and the ATP Next Gen Finals.

Customers who are not already Prime members can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/prime. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.

About Amazon Video

Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers customers the greatest choice in what to watch, and how to watch it. Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:

Prime Video: Thousands of movies and TV shows, including popular licensed and self-published content plus critically-acclaimed and award-winning Amazon Original Series and Movies from Amazon Studios like Transparent, The Tick,Manchester by the Sea and kids series, Tumble Leaf, available for unlimited streaming as part of an Amazon Prime membership. Prime Video is also now available to customers in more than 200 countries and territories around the globe at www.primevideo.com.

Live Sports: Sporting events, including NFL Thursday Night Football and ATP Next Gen ATP Finals, are available to watch live on Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories around the globe.

Amazon Channels: Over 100 channel subscriptions that Prime members can add to their membership, including HBO, SHOWTIME, STARZ, Cinemax, PBS KIDS, Acorn TV and more, plus Anime Strike - the first curated on-demand subscription by Amazon Channels. To view the full list of channels available, visit www.amazon.com/channels

Rent or Own: Hundreds of thousands of titles, including new-release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental or purchase for all Amazon customers

Instant Access: Instantly watch anytime, anywhere through the Amazon Video app on TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online. For a list of all compatible devices visit www.amazon.com/howtostream

Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range (HDR), X-Ray and mobile downloads for offline viewing of select content

In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited fast free shipping options across all categories available on Amazon, more than two million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with Prime Music, secure photo storage with Prime Photos, unlimited reading with Prime Reading, unlimited access to a digital audiobook catalogue with Audible Channels for Prime, a rotating selection of free digital games and in-game loot with Twitch Prime, early access to select Lightning Deals, exclusive access and discounts to select items, and more. To sign-up for Prime or to find out more visit: www.amazon.com/prime.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

About Manchester City Football Club

Manchester City FC is an English Premier League club initially founded in 1880 as St Mark's West Gorton. It officially became Manchester City FC in 1894 and has since then gone onto win the European Cup Winners' Cup, four League Championship titles, including two Premier League titles (2012, 2014), and five FA Cups.

Under manager Pep Guardiola, one of the most highly decorated managers in world football, the Club plays its domestic and UEFA Champions League home fixtures at the Etihad Stadium, a spectacular 55,000 seat arena that City have called home since 2003. Today, the Stadium sits on the wider Etihad Campus, which also encompasses the City Football Academy, a state-of-the-art performance training and youth development facility located in the heart of East Manchester. Featuring a 7,000 capacity Academy Stadium, the City Football Academy is also where Manchester City Women's Football Club and the Elite Development Squad train on a daily basis and play their competitive home games. For more information, please visit www.mancity.com

#WhomYouKnow covered the inaugural season of NYCFC in 2015.  NYCFC is Manchester City's affiliate team.

Source: Amazon.com, Inc.

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MLS Peachy: New D.C. United soccer stadium to be named Audi Field

Audi of America today announced its commitment to D.C. United as the official naming partner of the club's new Washington D.C. soccer stadium, Audi Field.

Audi Field will be the home for D.C. United, the most decorated franchise in U.S. soccer history and the most successful professional team in the nation's capital. Opening in 2018, the state-of-the-art, Audi branded facility will also host a variety of sporting, music and cultural events along the newly developed D.C. southwest waterfront.

Please read more here.

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READ THIS: SOCCER WITHOUT BORDERS Jürgen Klinsmann, Coaching the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team and the Quest for the World Cup by Erik Kirschbaum Our Coverage Sponsored by Paul Mayer Attitudes

Soccer has made it in the United States. The potential of this great country is unlimited. There are still challenges ahead, but we’re moving in the right direction. SOCCER WITHOUT BORDERS captures the spirit of the changing environment, and I hope it'll provide more knowledge about the growth of this fantastic and extremely emotional sport."

—Jürgen Klinsmann

Paul Mayer's luxuriously, comfortable designs keep women coming back for multiple -- even dozens -- of pairs. Classic, yet contemporary and always comfortable, his shoes are an addiction that we highly recommend. A staple of the Paul Mayer collection is the simple ballet-flat, with true ballerina construction for a perfect fit that comes in a variety of colors and materials. A cult favorite is the cozy, a flat with lavender-scent infused soles adding style and fragrance to collector's closets as Paul's designs emerge in sophisticated design incarnations season after season in the most incredible hues, textures and modern innovations in luxury footwear because we know firsthand how incredibly brilliant he is. Mayer founded the brand in 2004 with partner, Jeff Levy. All shoes in the line are manufactured in Spain’s Valencia region, along the Mediterranean coast by a skilled staff of 12 artisans. They craft each pair of shoes with an old-world attention to detail that includes in-house embroidery, quilting and stitching as well as custom tanned leather. This allows the brand to cater to each retailer’s specific demands in with timely and consistent alacrity, with orders completed in an unheard-of 3 to 5 weeks. When not in New York, Paul can be found traveling to his myriad of stores across the country meeting his loyal clientele or vacationing in his favorite spot, the Royal Hawaiian on Waikiki Beach. 

Paul Mayer is a Mover and Shaker: 

http://www.whomyouknow.com/2014/11/movers-and-shakers-paul-mayer-creative_25.html#.VNQTNZ3F_9s

http://www.paulmayerattitudes.com/

https://twitter.com/PaulMayerShoes

https://www.facebook.com/PaulMayerAttitudes

http://instagram.com/paulmayershoes

***

"To be good is noble; but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble."

-Mark Twain

“It makes me furious whenever I see someone not giving 100%.” –Jürgen Klinsmann

We like this guy! With a statement like that, he should go to Boston College #evertoexcel…S

occer without Borders is the representation of not only the rise of soccer in America, the goal of Jürgen Klinsmann’s life, but also a superlative tale of the American dream being reached, which he has. 

In the current time of Olympics where sports unite the world which experiences such deep divide because of poor political decisions and horrific terrorism, soccer, along with all sports, deserves to be celebrated because of the simple joy and unity it provides as a major positive in the world, where any fights will be called by the appropriate referee (and hopefully his name is Paul Rejer.)

Soccer is clearly on the upswing in America, and women’s soccer in particular leads the way along with NYCFC in New York City (are you reading MLS PEACHY!). We would have liked to have seen more concentration on women’s soccer in this book. For the record, Peachy is not that young; when she was growing up and still today in her town in Connecticut soccer was a huge hit and everyone played, including her. 

This book is not written by Jurgen Klinsmann; it is written by Erik Kirschbaum, whom we understand has interviewed Jurgen dozens of times and has written about soccer for 20 years.

Though we value his total commitment to excellence, we’d disagree with Klinsmann on college soccer. Nothing is more important than your education. College is first and foremost an academic pursuit and sports are secondary; also you should know there are not many people that sing the praises of college athletics like we do. Peachy wrote on collegiate sports professionally when she was IN college herself. Also we do believe professional sports all should have a season and none of them should be 11 months of the year for games, although certainly the training should encompass that time span.

Jurgen’s personal story is one to be appreciated by all that have a goal and work to achieve it. His modest German beginnings included working in his father’s bakery (and if soccer didn’t work out, he could quite possibly become a baker) and a life-changing moment at age 15 when he made the national team. His value of punctuality and precision is to be admired and evidences why he was captain from 1994-98, winning two titles as an international player. Klinsmann's immense insight into this beloved sport is fantastic to learn about through Kirshbaum's pen, and Whom You Know recommends Soccer Without Borders.

***

It’s not every day a coach gives away his secrets. 

SOCCER WITHOUT BORDERS by Erik Kirschbaum presents Jürgen Klinsmann’s 10-step plan to making the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team the best in the world. But be warned: this program is not for the impatient or faint of heart. World champions are not built in a day, and Jürgen Klinsmann thinks long-term—planning years, decades, even generations ahead. Journalist Erik Kirschbaum has been granted unprecedented access to document Klinsmann’s journey, after a decade of dogged pursuit. 

What emerges is a portrait of one of the most spirited leaders in U.S. sports. Klinsmann is known for his unconventional methods and outspoken nature, and SOCCER WITHOUT BORDERS is the first definitive English-language look at the man who has what it takes to lead the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team to ultimate victory. 

SOCCER WITHOUT BORDERS takes readers through Klinsmann’s career as a player and coach, revealing a man of unswerving dedication, now with a singular vision: to aid the U.S. Men’s Soccer Team in winning the World Cup and to develop a soccer program as formidable as Europe’s best. His methods are controversial, his blunt discourse raises eyebrows, and his every move is scrutinized. Yet there is no denying that Klinsmann knows what it takes to win. 

SOCCER WITHOUT BORDERS is an immersive and unparalleled road map for how to build a winning team in the most competitive professional sport on the globe, as well as an infectious tribute to "the beautiful game" by one of its most adroit students.

ERIK KIRSCHBAUM has worked for Reuters, the Los Angeles Times, and other newspapers from Europe since 1989. A native of New York City, he grew up in Connecticut and studied history and German at the University of Wisconsin. He has covered World Cups and Olympics, and is the author of Burning Beethoven: The Eradication of German Culture in the United States during World War I, Rocking the Wall: Bruce Springsteen: The Berlin Concert That Changed the World, and Swim and Bike and Run: Triathlon — The Sporting Trinity. 

SOCCER WITHOUT BORDERS 

Jürgen Klinsmann, Coaching the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team and the Quest for the World Cup 

Picador Hardcover/ ISBN: 978-1-2500-9831-3/ 400 pages 

eBook ISBN: 978-1-2500-9833-7

Klinsmann’s Ten-Point Plan:

Change the mentality: Bringing the signature American “never-say-die” attitude and style against teams normally seen as invincible. 

Change the youth programs and start early: Offer affordable youth soccer programs, clearing the way for talented players from all economic backgrounds. 

Open up to more players: Open borders mean better players. Mine immigrant communities in the States and recruit players with dual citizenship from overseas. 

Change the programs, connect the dots: Unite the various youth academies and leagues across the country and funnel top level talent to play for the national team. 

Get experience abroad: In many countries, soccer is 24/7. These communities offer valuable social accountability that can potentially make American players sharper, faster, and capable of someday winning the World Cup. 

Help the MLS reach its goal to be one of the top leagues in the world: Increasing the competitive intensity from day one of the season until the end will sharpen players’ skills. 

Tap the fan culture: The U.S. soccer fan base is an untapped source of support. Use the fans to rally the players. 

Think long term and have a multi-cycle plan: Easy come, easy go. There’s no quick fix to the U.S. soccer problem. Winning a World Cup against the best teams in the world won’t happen overnight. Klinsmann’s long-term methods have put the team on the right track. 

Think global: Soccer is a global game. The US can’t approach the World Cup like it’s the Super Bowl. Players—and fans—must think on a global level. 

Change the playing style: U.S. Soccer players must act, not react, and create opportunities for their team to win. 

picadorusa.com // twitter.com/picadorusa // facebook.com/picadorusa // @Erik_Kirschbaum

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Mover and Shaker Paul Rejer, Professional Referee Organization (PRO) Training & Development Manager, Shares with Whom You Know Readers His Expert Thoughts on the 2016 Euro Championships-He Taught the Referees Who Called It! Our Coverage Sponsored by R World Media

Mover and Shaker Paul Rejer

R World Media a full service production house, which covers all aspects of the business – from creation, to development to casting to production, editing, marketing and talent representation. Our mission statement is that we believe in hard work, honesty, being up front with our clients and seeing how it would be best to meet their needs. We are known for our capabilities in all forms of media production, film and television and especially excel in the execution of all projects, marketing, sales and worldwide distribution. We are most proud of our honest work ethic and meager beginnings. R World Media is honored to include The New York Film Shop and Greenwich Street Tavern as clients and maybe you have see BEYOND THE RUSH that we did. R World Media sets the standard in Manhattan and beyond for TV/Film and all ancillary multi-media platforms. Robert Sayegh is a Mover and Shaker:

http://www.whomyouknow.com/2016/06/movers-and-shakers-robert-sayegh.html#.V4fjHrgrLIU

and he debuted his Beyond the Rush Screening in Manhattan:

http://www.whomyouknow.com/2016/07/movietime-in-manhattan-mover-and-shaker.html#.V5fSu7grK00

http://www.r-worldmedia.com/

https://twitter.com/RobertSayegh

https://www.facebook.com/rworldmedia

https://www.facebook.com/robert.sayegh.35

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJyXJa3KD-EetvgZtHnt2vA

***

Last season, Peachy Deegan covered every single NYCFC home game starting at Game 3, and that is how she knows Paul Rejer. 

Here is Paul Rejer featured as a Mover and Shaker:

http://www.whomyouknow.com/2015/12/movers-and-shakers-paul-rejer.html#.V5fPhrgrK00

Paul is the Professional Referee Organization (PRO) Training & Development Manager.

He moved to America from England specifically to do this, and MLS decided that no one in America is as knowledgeable about soccer as Paul, and we concur. So he moved over to help lead Americans into the great sport of football, which Americans call soccer.  

If you think Peachy Deegan is a serious critic, and she absolutely does mean business, you should meet Paul. He critiques the play called by the referees in MLS, and we truly appreciate and admire his attention to detail, which is extremely rare at the level he's at.   We know a lot of people in sports but we never knew anyone who legitimately had as a profession the position of telling the referees how do to their job!  And we are confident that he does it nicely.  We bet you all want his job, but no one does it better.

Paul had trained the referees who called the recent Euro 2016 Championship!

Mover and Shaker Paul Rejer comments:

What a great Summer of Soccer we have seen this year with the Euro’s and Copa America almost running simultaneously. 

As expected, England let me down as always.  For some reason, they are consistent when it comes to qualifying for a tournament, but in a tournament environment, they are awful. In the game against Iceland, every single player was terrible and Iceland deserved to win. I actually felt sorry for the coach Roy Hodgson; he did his best and he is a good coach and a good man. My club team is West Bromwich Albion, and unfortunately is another team that has always let me down.  When Roy was coach, we went from a struggling team to top 10 in the EPL (that's ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE for the daft Americans like Peachy!  She's learning though she has seen many more hockey games). He did a great job and thoroughly deserved the England job. 

One team that didn’t let me down was the English refereeing Crew who performed so well that they officiated the final between Portugal and France. I know these guys very well as I used to work with them in England and now they are fulfilling the potential that I saw in them. Referee Mark Clattenburg to me is now the number one referee in the World. His two ARs Simon Beck and Jake Collin are top class officials and together as a crew, they work very well together and are quite comfortable with each other. This is crucially important for teamwork. 

I could see in that final and all their other performances in the Euros that their decision making was of always accurate and consistent. Clattenburg’s fitness and positioning is incredible; he looks fitter than all of the players! 

I am now fortunate enough to work with the elite referees in the USA and nothing would give me greater pleasure than to see one of our guys referee the World Cup Final and in the last World Cup in Brazil, Mark Geiger from New Jersey refereed exceptionally well and I would hope would be a contender. 

If not Mark then maybe the other Mark, either way it would be awesome!

***

Note from the Editor: Thank you to Des Curran, who first taught us all we know about European Sports.  Now Des is with EIR Sport.

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Mover and Shaker Paul Mayer, Creative Director of Paul Mayer Attitudes and Peachy Deegan Give Footballer Alex Morgan a Thirteen Shoe Salute in Honor of Her Number! Go USA Women's Soccer and Orlando Pride #13!

Mover and Shaker Paul Mayer and Peachy Deegan

Our 13 shoe salute with Paul Mayer Attitudes to Alex Morgan, who signed Peachy's soccer ball

Alex Morgan and Peachy Deegan yesterday at this event (to read more, click here)

Paul Mayer's luxuriously, comfortable designs keep women coming back for multiple -- even dozens -- of pairs. Classic, yet contemporary and always comfortable, his shoes are an addiction that we highly recommend. A staple of the Paul Mayer collection is the simple ballet-flat, with true ballerina construction for a perfect fit that comes in a variety of colors and materials. A cult favorite is the cozy, a flat with lavender-scent infused soles adding style and fragrance to collector's closets as Paul's designs emerge in sophisticated design incarnations season after season in the most incredible hues, textures and modern innovations in luxury footwear because we know firsthand how incredibly brilliant he is. Mayer founded the brand in 2004 with partner, Jeff Levy. All shoes in the line are manufactured in Spain’s Valencia region, along the Mediterranean coast by a skilled staff of 12 artisans. They craft each pair of shoes with an old-world attention to detail that includes in-house embroidery, quilting and stitching as well as custom tanned leather. This allows the brand to cater to each retailer’s specific demands in with timely and consistent alacrity, with orders completed in an unheard-of 3 to 5 weeks. When not in New York, Paul can be found traveling to his myriad of stores across the country meeting his loyal clientele or vacationing in his favorite spot, the Royal Hawaiian on Waikiki Beach. 

Paul Mayer is a Mover and Shaker: 

http://www.whomyouknow.com/2014/11/movers-and-shakers-paul-mayer-creative_25.html#.VNQTNZ3F_9s

http://www.paulmayerattitudes.com/

https://twitter.com/PaulMayerShoes

https://www.facebook.com/PaulMayerAttitudes

http://instagram.com/paulmayershoes

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New York City FC Acquire Federico Bravo

New York City FC announced that the Club has acquired Federico Bravo from Boca Juniors on loan until the end of the 2016 MLS season. The loan is pending ITC.

Bravo, a 22-year old defensive midfielder, has made 37 appearances for the Boca Juniors first team since 2013.

“This league is growing rapidly and is an exciting place to play.” Bravo told NYCFC.com. “My position is defensive midfield, but I can also play in central defense. I will give 100% on every play and support the team wherever necessary.”

“This is a great club to be part of, I can feel that already. I joined up with the group a few days ago and everyone is focused, working hard and looking forward to the start of the season. We hope to have a good year.”

New York City FC Sporting Director Claudio Reyna believes that Bravo is another promising young addition to the team.

“Federico is a good passing defensive midfielder who can shield the back four. He’s played over 35 first team games for Boca Juniors in a very competitive league. We’re getting a player with good experience that can provide depth and qualities we need.”

“He’s also another young player that we’ve added to the team during this window. It’s been one of the focuses of our offseason recruitment to make sure we added some youthful energy into the squad – and with the additions of Ronald, Diego, Ethan, Jack, Mikey and now Federico – we have added a good amount of quality under the age of 25.”

Head Coach Patrick Vieira believes that Bravo can bring versatility to the defensive makeup of the roster.

“He’s a holding midfielder that can also play at the back, I like this versatility. He’s got good technical ability and importantly his game understanding is really good. He’s already fitted well into the group and trained with the players for the first time yesterday. He is fit and ready to play”.

http://www.nycfc.com/

https://twitter.com/NYCFC

https://www.facebook.com/newyorkcityfc

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New York City FC vs HB Køge: Recap

New York City FC scored two goals in the final 10 minutes of their match against HB Køge and defeated them 2-0 on Saturday night. Khiry Shelton opened up the scoring in the 84th minute and David Villa drilled a penalty kick in the 88th minute to help secure the win. This is New York City FC's fourth consecutive preseason victory. 

The first 20 minutes New York City FC controlled most of the possession.

In the 29th minute HB Køge’s Kristian Pedersen delivered a header off a corner, but Josh Saunders made a nice diving save to keep the game scoreless. 

HB Køge’s Lee Rochester streaked past the New York City FC defense and rocketed a shot at net, but Saunders made another diving save to keep the game even in the 34th minute.

To open the second half, Patrick Mullins fired a shot but it just went above the bar in the 54th minute.

In the 69th minute, Diego Martinez sent a nice cross into the box to Mehdi Ballouchy, Ballouchy delivered a strike toward goal, but was denied by the HB Køge goalkeeper Frederik Due.

PHOTOS: New York City FC vs. HB Køge

New York City FC will be back on the pitch at IMG Academy on Feb. 24 as they take on FC Cincinnati.

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YES to Launch Second Season of New York City FC

The YES Network will launch its second season televising New York City FC Major League Soccer matches, beginning with New York City FC’s season-opener on Sunday, March 6th (at Chicago).

YES is the exclusive regional TV home of New York City Football Club. All New York City FC matches televised by YES will be streamed live via the FOX Sports GO app to authenticated YES viewers whose operators have streaming deals with YES (currently Cablevision Optimum, DirecTV and Time Warner Cable). Play-by-play man Joe Tolleson and analyst Ian Joy will return this year, with former MLS and U.S. Men’s National Team player Janusz Michallik also handling some analyst duties.

2016 New York City FC Telecast Schedule*Sunday, March 6 at Chicago 2:00 pm YES Tickets

Saturday, March 26 New England 3:00 pm YES Tickets

Saturday, April 16 at Columbus 7:30 pm YES Tickets

Saturday, April 23 at Philadelphia 5:00 pm YES# Tickets

Saturday, April 30 Vancouver 4:00 pm YES Tickets

Wednesday, May 18 at Toronto 7:00 pm YES Tickets

Thursday, June 2 Real Salt Lake 7:00 pm YES Tickets

Saturday, July 30 Colorado 3:00 pm YES Tickets

Saturday, August 13 at Columbus 7:30 pm YES Tickets

Thursday, September 1 DC 7:00 pm YES Tickets

Saturday, September 10 at New England 7:30 pm YES Tickets

Saturday, September 17 Dallas 7:00 pm YES Tickets

Sunday, October 16 at DC 5:00 pm YES Tickets

Sunday, October 23 Columbus 4:00 pm YES Tickets

*all times ET; schedule subject to change 

#will be shown on tape delay at approximately 5 pm, immediately following YES’ Yankees-Tampa coverage; the actual New York City FC-Philadelphia match will start at 4 pm ET and will be streamed live via the FOX Sports GO app.

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Copa America Draw: US national team to face Colombia, Costa Rica & Paraguay in group stage

The US men's national team will face Colombia in the inaugural match of the 2016 Copa America Centenario on June 3 at Levi's Stadium as Jurgen Klinsmann's squad learned all three of its group opponents in the tournament's official group stage draw on Sunday night.

In addition to Colombia, the USA will also match up against CONCACAF rival Costa Rica (June 7, Soldier Field) and Paraguay (June 11, Lincoln Financial Field) in Group A, which many are already considering the Group of Death.

The 2016 Copa America Centenario Draw was conducted in a nationally televised event at New York City's famed Hammerstein Ballroom with MLS legends Carlos Valderrama, Alexi Lalas and Jorge Campos among the celebrities charged with pulling the team names out of the four pots.

If the USA can finish as one of the top two teams in Group A, they would advance to the quarterfinals where they would face a team from Group B, which includes: Brazil, Ecuador, Haiti andPeru. 

In other highlights from the Draw, 5-time world champions Brazil meet debutants Haiti in Group B, Mexico take on Jamaica in Group C in a rematch of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup final and Argentina will meet defending Copa America champions Chile in a heavyweight battle from Group D.

The Copa America will be staged outside South America for the first time in its history as the tournament celebrates its 100-year anniversary. The June 2016 event is expected to be the biggest soccer tournament on US soil since the 1994 World Cup.

The event will take place across 10 cities in the USA, including in three MLS stadiums. Fans can buy Copa America Centenario tickets on Ticketmaster.com.

Group A (Santa Clara, Orlando, Chicago, Pasadena, Philadelphia, Houston)

A1: USA

A2: Colombia

A3: Costa Rica

A4: Paraguay

Group B (Seattle, Pasadena, Orlando, Glendale, East Rutherford, Foxborough)

B1: Brazil

B2: Ecuador

B3: Haiti

B4: Peru

Group C (Chicago, Glendale, Philadelphia, Pasadena, Houston, Santa Clara)

C1: Mexico

C2: Uruguay

C3: Jamaica

C4: Venezuela

Group D (Orlando, Santa Clara, Foxborough, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle)

D1: Argentina

D2: Chile

D3: Panama

D4: Bolivia

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DAYLIGHT: TAG HEUER “CONNECTS” WITH SOCCER IN NORTH AMERICA BY ANNOUNCING NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER, U.S. SOCCER FEDERATION AND PROFESSIONAL REFEREE ORGANIZATION PRO Referees to Feature TAG Heuer’s Connected Watch In-Game During All MLS Matches; TAG Heuer to Act as the Official Timekeeper of U.S. Soccer #DontCrackUnderPressure

Alex Morgan, Footballer


  Don Garber, Commissioner of Major League Soccer, The Soccer Don

Peachy Deegan is wearing Julia Jordan.  Though she once played, today she is much better at writing on soccer than playing it!  Thank you to Tag Heuer for including us.

TAG Heuer yesterday announced a landmark, long-term partnership agreement with Major League Soccer (MLS) and the U.S. Soccer Federation. The partnership, which commences on the first day of MLS’ 21st season, March 6, 2016, will further establish TAG Heuer’s standing as a worldwide timekeeper for The Beautiful Game and challenge consumers and athletes alike: #DontCrackUnderPressure. 

The partnership is also inclusive of the Professional Referee Organization (PRO), the organization responsible for managing the referee and assistant referee program in professional soccer leagues in the United States and Canada. 

Mover and Shaker Paul Rejer, this picture's for you!!!

Peachy Deegan wearing Geiger with Peter Walton, General Manager of the Professional Referee Organization

During MLS games, PRO referees will wear a Connected Watch, the innovative and newly launched smart watch in the TAG Heuer collection and a favorite among athletes. Each MLS referee will also be branded with the TAG Heuer logo on their uniform. Additionally, TAG Heuer will provide and be visible on the substitution board used on the sideline. 

As a premier luxury sports watchmaker, TAG Heuer will act as the Official Watch and Official Timekeeper of MLS and PRO. It will act as the Official Timekeeper of U.S. Soccer. Through the partnership, and by leveraging MLS’ and U.S. Soccer’s passionate and growing fan bases, TAG Heuer strives to further elevate its global status as a worldwide luxury watch brand and provider of unparalleled fan engagement. 

“Soccer is the fastest growing sport in the United States; and it is also most popular amongst the youth demographic, a generation we aim to connect with.” said Kilian Muller, President of TAG Heuer North America. “TAG Heuer is proud to already have a fruitful partnership with Bundesliga, the Professional Association Football League of Germany, and we are very proud to be a part of such an exciting new partnership within the United States and Canada. I am certain that together we will make Major League Soccer and U.S. Soccer louder, stronger, and faster. As a team we won't crack under pressure.”

“We are excited to welcome TAG Heuer to the North American soccer family,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “This is a premium, world-class brand that has already aligned with other top leagues around the world. We think this partnership can be a catalyst for innovating how time-keeping works in global football. We look forward to working with them for many years to come.”

“TAG Heuer has a long-standing connection to sports and an impressive history of creating precision watches used by high-level athletes across the globe,” said U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati. “We’re looking forward to the opportunity to work closely with one of the most innovative luxury brands in the world.”

Alex Morgan and Peachy Deegan

"PRO and its officials are delighted to be associated with a brand of integrity and accuracy,” said Peter Walton, General Manager, Professional Referee Organization. 

For more information on TAG Heuer and their partnership with MLS and U.S. Soccer, please follow us on Twitter, @TAGHeuer, visit the Tag Heuer Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TAGHeuer, check out our Instagram @tagheuer, or visit our website: http://us.tagheuer.com. 

About TAG Heuer

The Swiss Avant-Garde watchmaker since 1860. Avant-garde is in our culture and philosophy. Our unique heritage is built on pushing boundaries and breaking rules: harnessing mental fortitude to overcome technology restraints and create daring watches with real racing spirit and a performance touch. The brand has marked the history of watchmaking, especially in the field of luxury chronographs with an unequalled mechanical accuracy and establishing our first luxury smartwatch, the Connected Watch. 

The new models reveal a new dynamic in terms of both the fast lead times and a completely transformed environment. TAG Heuer is currently one of the world’s rare watch brands to be able to communicate in the four different worlds: Art, Lifestyle, Sport and Heritage. Our ambassadors, the Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer team, tennis superstar Maria Sharapova, living football legend Cristiano Ronaldo, it-girl Cara Delevingne, electronic music icon David Guetta, and NFL’s powerhouse quarterback Tom Brady, they all reflect common core values of mental strength, disruptive attitude and ambition. Our slogan #DontCrackUnderPressure is far more than a claim - it is a mindset.

About Major League Soccer

Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer features 20 clubs throughout the United States and Canada. The 2016 season marks the second year of the most comprehensive U.S. media rights partnership in the history of the league, as eight-year agreements with ESPN, FOX Sports and Univision Deportes have commenced. For more information about MLS, visit www.MLSsoccer.com. 

About U.S. Soccer

Founded in 1913, U.S. Soccer is the non-for-profit, governing body of soccer in the United States and has helped chart the course for the game for more than 100 years. During this time, the Federation’s mission statement has been clear and simple: to make soccer, in all its forms, a pre-eminent sport in the United States and to continue the development of soccer at all recreational and competitive levels. To that end, the sport’s development and growth in the United States during the past 25 years has been nothing short of remarkable as U.S. Soccer’s National Teams have continually succeeded on the world stage and, with the assistance of its members, the fan support and participation in the game continues to reach new heights. For more information, visit ussoccer.com.

About Professional Referee Organization

The Professional Referee Organization (PRO) is the organization responsible for managing the referee and assistant referee program in professional soccer leagues in the United States and Canada, working alongside the U.S. Soccer Federation, Major League Soccer, Canadian Soccer Association, the North American Soccer League, United Soccer League PRO, and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

The organization’s targets are to increase the quality of officiating in U.S. and Canadian professional leagues, develop more professional-quality officials at a younger age, and produce officials who will represent the United States and Canada in FIFA competitions.

Photography by Peachy Deegan 

All material is property of Whom You Know. Copyright 2016 Whom You Know. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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New York City FC launch Chinese website and social media platform Our Coverage Sponsored by Stribling and Associates

For over 30 years, Stribling and Associates has represented high-end residential real estate, specializing in the sale and rental of townhouses, condos, co-ops, and lofts throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn, and around the globe. Stribling has more than 200 professional brokers who use their respected expertise to provide personalized service to buyers and sellers at all price levels. A separate division, Stribling Private Brokerage, discreetly markets properties over $5 million, and commands a significant market share in this rarified sector of residential real estate. Stribling is the exclusive New York City affiliate of Savills, a leading global real estate advisor with over 200 office in 48 countries. 

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Check out their listings: http://www.whomyouknow.com/2016/02/remarkable-real-estate-listings.html#.VrIov7IrLIU

& their most recent State of the Market:http://www.whomyouknow.com/2013/12/remarkable-real-estate-stribling-fall.html

Whom You Know Congratulates their new President, Elizabeth Ann Stribling-Kivlan: http://www.whomyouknow.com/2012/12/breaking-manhattan-real-estate-news.html

***

In conjunction with Lunar New Year, New York City FC has expanded its global online footprint with the launch of its new Chinese website and social media platform, Weibo.

These are the only Chinese-language digital platforms in Major League Soccer (MLS). 

In addition to the Club’s official site in English and Spanish, the Chinese website and Weibo will allow the Club’s growing fan base from across the globe and in New York City to access to its digital content in real-time in their native language. 

New York City FC President, Tom Glick, said:

“The Chinese community is important to New York City FC as we continue to gain supporters from New York City’s local Chinese groups and increase our global fan base from locations abroad. We are proud that our new platforms will allow us to interact with our Chinese speaking supporters.

We are also fortunate that our home is New York City, a place where one million Chinese tourists travel every year. We are seeing ‘soccer tourism’ increase tremendously so we welcome these visitors to come to one of our matches at Yankee Stadium while they are enjoying the world class shopping, dining and sightseeing that New York City has on offer.” 

Chinese website nycfc.com/china

Chinese Weibo weibo.com/u/5627774744

Spanish website www.nycfc.com/es

English website www.nycfc.com

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