tap up v. phr.— «Cole was fined £100,000 for being led—”manipulated” in the word of the independent commission or “tapped up” in soccer parlance—by his agent to the meeting while he still had 2½ years...
stiffs n.pl. in soccer, a reserve or second-string team or its players; a league, figurative or real, of such teams. Editorial Note: Usually constructed with the definite article: the stiffs, similar to baseball’s the minors. Etymological Note: This...
staging n.— «On the AFL channel, Buchanan was sprawled on the ground in a posture that used to be associated (sneeringly) with pea-hearted soccer players. Eventually he rose to take his kick and played the game out without apparent ill...
libero n. in volleyball, a restricted, roaming back row player. Etymological Note: From Italian adj. libero ‘free,’ a shortened form of battitore libero ‘free beater,’ a similar position in soccer that originated with a Milanese team in the late...
futsal n.— «Like most South Americans, the Uruguayan midfield genius played Futsal (or Indoor Soccer) ONLY until the age of 17.» —“‘Pay-Up’ Blitz On NSL Clubs” by Johnny Warren Sun Herald (Australia) Sept...
futsal n.— «Short for futbol sala—loosely translated as indoor soccer—futsal is played in soccer-crazed countries all over the world. It is hailed as a teaching tool that develops players’ technical and tactical abilities by forcing them...