Do The Best Football Boots Really Make A Difference To Your Game

It would be nice to be in the position of a Premier League footballer player like Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney who practically get a new pair of football boots thrown at them almost every week, along with the likes of Beckham, Ronaldo and Messi.

Not many of us have that luxury and actually have to pay for our footy boots, so are the latest football boots, for example Adidas Predator, actually worth paying over 100 for and do they improve our game?

I have played football competitively since I was 9 years old but it was only from the age of about 13 or 14 when I began to understand the importance of a good pair of boots. When I was about 16 I bought myself a pair of Adidas world cup and although they were a quality boot they were too narrow for my feet.

Lesson number one learned sounds obvious, make sure the boots fit. I tend to by boots now that are a little bit tight because after a few games in the rain they stretch a bit.

Next I discovered copa mundial which were a dream pair of boots as long as you were playing on a decent surface as they only came with a molded stud. I always thought they were like slippers that you could play football in, as they were so light and comfortable. The leather was of high quality which I believe is reflected in the improvement in quality of your touch and control of the ball and as there was no excess weight from a metal stud they definitely helped my game a lot.

Since then I think that the high end adidas boots just keep getting better and better although only slightly as the quality now is so good that it must be hard to improve significantly I a short period of time. my latest boots are the adipure. I’ve had about four or five pairs over the last few seasons and for me they are similar to copa’s but with studs which is more suited to the english pitches and weather.

I am yet to sample a pair of Adidas predators so would like to know how they perform and if the technology that is used in them really works.

In my experience then I think that a quality boot is definitely worth investing in as long as they are right for you and are suited to your own particular style of play.

Steps To Buying A Signed Football Shirt

Many people are now purchasing signed football shirts as either part of a personal collection or as a gift for a friend or loved one. There are many things to take into consideration before purchasing as the sports memorabilia market has taken some major criticism in recent years. The important thing is not to let this put you off as there are many very reputable companies out there presently and they are selling 100% authentic memorabilia.

Now is a great time to purchase a signed football shirt as well as various other sports memorabilia items as the sports world is currently full of world class stars who have become very famous outside of the sporting arena. You only have to take a look at the Premier League to see the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Steven Gerrard, Robinho, Fernando Torres and Wayne Rooney.

Firstly it is important to decide exactly why you want to purchase a signed football shirt. Is it going to be part of a personal collection or is it a gift for someone else? You may be purchasing it because it is your favourite player or team or your primary concern could be the items investment potential? If you want your shirt to increase in value then choose very carefully which player or team you want. Obviously signatures of the tops stars like Ronaldo and Gerrard are going to increase in value, but if the market is saturated by these particular players then this is going to have a negative effect.

Once you have decided what exactly you want then be very careful choosing the company you purchase from. Feel free to ask them as many questions as you like before making a decision. If they are genuine then they will be happy to answer pretty much anything. Don’t be fooled by ridiculously cheap items! If something is that cheap then it is more than likely FAKE. A shirt signed by the likes of Fernando Torres or Wayne Rooney should cost you in the region of 139 – 175. There is no point in buying a piece of signed sports memorabilia if it isn’t authentic. If you want the real thing then you will need to pay what it is worth.

Another important part of collecting sports memorabilia and something that is often not taken seriously is how you display it. Many people spend serious amounts of money putting together a great collection and then display it poorly. There is no point buying a beautiful Lionel Messi signed FC Barcelona shirt and then displaying it in a cheap wooden frame. A cheap frame or display case can make an expensive piece of memorabilia look very ordinary! Take as much time in finding and choosing your method of displaying your memorabilia as you do in purchasing the item itself.

In summary please follow these steps:-

Take time to decide exactly which piece of sporting memorabilia you want.
Research different sports memorabilia companies and ask as many questions as you like before making a decision.
Don’t go for the cheapest items as the chances are they may be fake.
Spend as much time on deciding how you are going to display the item as you do buying it.

Important Things To Know When Shopping For Football Boots

Football is a team sport which involves kicking a ball with the foot in order to reach the goal and Football boots are what the players wear while playing football. In such games wearing the right footwear is very important. Although initially they were boots, modern football boots do not cover beyond the ankle.

At the start football was played without any protection to the foot. By 1891 the leather football boots were introduced which displayed rounded studs. These leather studs were permanently fixed to the shoe thus they were not adjustable. Therefore, each player had different pairs which had studs of different lengths. During 1950s Football boots were manufactured with the ability to change the studs according to the weather conditions. However in some countries screw-in studs are banned since they can injure players in the field. The referee has the responsibility of assuring that each players boots are safe to wear in the field. Nowadays football boots are produced by fixing blades in the soles in order to get a better grip but these types of shoes are not allowed in UK since they can cause severe injuries to ones team members and the opposition team.

Football boots are also categorised as soft ground boots and hard ground boots. Soft ground boots are mostly worn on grassy pitches and the shoes contain removable studs. Even if the studs break they can be easily replaced by new studs. You do not need to buy a new pair of shoes. Therefore the soft ground boots have many advantages.

Unlike soft ground boots, hard ground boots have permanent studs fixed to them and they are created for playing on hard fields and artificial turf. The permanent studs are evenly fitted across the entire outsole and provide a good grip. While offering good stability and traction these boots are also durable than other varieties.

Popular brands of football boots include Adidas, Asics, Mitre, Mizuno, Nike and Puma. Famous players such as David Bekham and Steven Gerrard wear and model the Predator range manufactured by Adidas Company. Adidas reported to have record sales during 2006 FIFA World Cup, when the whole German team wore their football boots. Although these were originally made only in black, now theyre available in various colours. Nike is also a big name among professional football players such as Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Although football boots cannot make one a better player, a bad pair can also have a bad impact on the game. If the boots do not fit the feet well it can put the player at unease. As a matter of fact the player will be under stress throughout the whole game with a pair of ill-fitting shoes. Since football is played on grass, the player should have a good, strong pair of shoes which are flexible with each move. The possibilities in the market are endless today. The stores display various types of football boots of popular brands. No matter how popular they are or how good they look on your favourite player, you should select a pair that is most comfortable for you.