Soccer's biggest turkeys, figures we're thankful for in 2015
Turkey Day is finally here and we're all relieved.
Roasting is one of the best ways to cook turkeys of all shapes and sizes, and we here at FOXSoccer.com have our fair share of Butterballs ready for basting this Thanksgiving.
The soccer world was littered with headline-grabbing moments in 2015, filled with corruption scandals, arrogant behavior and embarrassing snafus. Simply put: The beautiful game wasn't so beautiful at times.
But we're not Negative Nancys, either. And because we're a grateful bunch — after all, it is Thanksgiving — we're amending our annual bashing party by adding hearty dishes to this year's feast as a way to counterbalance the sluggish feeling associated with turkey coma.
With so many noteworthy candidates to choose from, we narrowed our list to five turkeys deserving of a proper roast and five things we're thankful for this holiday season. Dig in and enjoy!
Turkey 1. Sepp Blatter
Was there ever a doubt?
Public enemy No. 1, the 79-year-old outgoing FIFA president faces a possible lifetime ban relating to the corruption charges stemming from a $2 million payment made to UEFA chief Michel Platini in 2011. Truth is, Blatter's inevitable departure represents the first step in FIFA's reform process.
We might never know the true story behind Blatter's alleged shenanigans but it appears public pressure — and common sense — prevailed in removing Blatter from power. Contrary to his daughter's sorry plea, Blatter only has himself to blame.
Turkey 2. Jurgen Klinsmann
Give credit where credit is due: In Brazil, the USA got out of a tough group before falling in the Round of 16 to a vastly superior Belgian team. But 2014 seems so long ago.
Since then, the Americans have blown the Gold Cup, missed a chance to play in the 2017 Confederations Cup, been beaten up by Mexico -- and have generally underwhelmed. And that's just at the full national team level, the youth ranks look dangerously thin with the U-17s crashing and burning in Chile and the Olympic team now facing a brutal playoff against Colombia to get to Rio next year.
Klinsmann doesn't have a lot of talent at his disposal — his team is aging out rapidly — but he also deserves some of the blame for the USA's swoon.
The Netherlands produced lackluster performances during their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.
Turkey 3. Netherlands
Turkey 4. Jose Mourinho
Call it the "Curse of Carneiro."
Ever since the Chelsea's gaffer's public bust up with his team doctor, the Blues have been in free fall. It's hard to think that just six months ago, the Londoners were the champions of England. Today, they sit 15th and have made one of the worst defenses to a title in history.
Repeating as champs is out of the question; finishing fourth will be a big ask. It's a humbling comedown for the so-called "Special One," who is lucky to still be employed at Stamford Bridge after this fiasco of a season.
Turkey 5. New York City Football Club
After a less-than-stellar inaugural season in Major League Soccer, we had no choice but to include the Big Apple's expansion team on this year's list.
The firing of Jason Kreis after one year on the job was a bit of a head-scratcher, while his replacement, Patrick Viera, raises more questions for the ambitious club. Viera, a former Arsenal legend and respected figure in world football, accepted the position with a high degree of difficulty despite having no coaching experience at the first-team level.
NYCFC have glaring holes — aging stars, inexperienced players, developing infrastructure to name a few — but must hold realistic expectations and identify the best way forward to succeed in the United States.
We're thankful for Carli Lloyd
Between the ongoing turf debate leading up to and during this summer's FIFA Women's World Cup and the pressure facing the U.S. women's national team to deliver a long-awaited trophy, the turmoil and expectations left a big question mark on the women's game. Enter Carli Lloyd.
Lloyd, who one could argue single-handedly put the USWNT and world on her shoulders throughout the tournament, delivered in fine fashion. Who can forget her stunning, long-range goal — one of three! — in the World Cup final? Bottom line: The Women's World Cup helped moved the sport forward, and Lloyd, along with many others, became the role model for hundreds and thousands of young, aspiring athletes worldwide overnight. Kudos.
We're thankful for Leicester City
With Claudio Ranieri's squad riding a wave of optimism after being promoted to the Premier League, Ranieri's "generous" reputation has been spectacularly restored — for now — amid a spell of matches that sees his side flying high at the top of the table a third of the way through the campaign.
Whether or not the renaissance subsists through May is an entirely different question altogether, but the Italian has assembled a team worthy of merit, and it doesn't appear as if the Foxes will go away quietly. The form of striker Jamie Vardy, and the impact of the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Danny Drinkwater or even N'Golo Kante cannot be overestimated either.
One fact rings true this Thanksgiving: The doubters that predicted a torrid for the Foxes are being proven mightily wrong.
We're thankful for Jurgen Klopp
Following the departure of Brendan Rodgers, the arrival of Jurgen Klopp supplied a renewed vigor to Liverpool.
Mixed results in the early going were counteracted by big victories away to Chelsea and most recently Manchester City, and it has the Reds and the faithful on Merseyside feeling a little better. But above all, who couldn't come to love the German's charm, not just in the way he directs his team, but ... well ... his hugs?!
Several Liverpool players have been outspoken about Klopp's hands-on approach to the game and his relationship with his squad, similar to the style he implemented and preached at Borussia Dortmund. For as long as he stays on, we're not complaining.
We're thankful for Sebastian Giovinco
Much has been made of Europeans' transition to Major League Soccer and the adjustment to just about every aspect of footballing life there is to make when moving from across the pond to the States. Whether it's flying from coast to coast or acclimating to the wide range of climates the U.S. has to offer, MLS has had a way of separating the failures from the successes very quickly.
For Sebastian Giovinco, the switch from Serie A football to MLS was painless. The Italian took home the Golden Boot and Newcomer of the Year awards after notching a combined 38 goals and assists, not to mention, he's still in the running for the MVP award.
Who says Europeans can't play in MLS?
We're thankful for Robert Lewandowski
Oh, how it would feel to be in Robert Lewandowski's shoes.
Who could forget his astonishing five goals (in nine minutes!) as a second-half substitute in Bayern Munich's 5-1 thrashing of Wolfsburg on Sept. 22. It felt like a dream, and, to be honest, it's been like that for quite some time for the Polish international, who's been in fine form for club and country.
With the laundry list of No. 9's gracing football pitches across the world in the sport's history, Lewandowski has, by far and away, become the modern template for the position. Keep doing you, Lewy.