I’m running out of time again as usual but I just wanted to point you in the direction of a couple of links.
Firstly, I was very flattered to be interviewed by those good people over at football-shirts.co.uk. They asked me some great questions (which I hope I answered frankly!) and gave me some ideas for new features on my site. You can read the interview at:
http://www.football-shirts.co.uk/fans/john-devlin_6013
Secondly, Umbro have just posted a short piece I wrote for them on the new England kit and how it ties in with Umbro’s rejuvenation as a brand. You can read it here:
http://blog.umbro.com/2010/02/12/england-away-brand-new-thinking/
I will be posting a full review of the England kit on my site very shortly. Its been really interesting reading everyone’s views on my earlier page. There’s some really good points there. I must say I was expecting a dubious response at first that would grow into more approval but so far the reaction has been very positive.
New Scotland kit will be worn for the first time on 3rd March so expect a full review of that as well!
Thanks also to all of you who have commented on your favourite PL and England past kits. I will be gathering the results and presenting it in an article soon. I also have some very exciting news on a similar project…
I aim to finish the 09-10 PL kits soon as well, along with adding Championship outfits (fronts only though I think) along with completing the QPR page and starting a World Cup kits page.
Finally thanks for the help on the Notts County kit I was tracking down.
Right off to Southend vs Tranmere now – before hopefully catching the Southampton vs Portsmouth match! Should be interesting…
On the Tartan Army website John they have said that the new Scotland kit will be a type 2 design. This means Adidas will use an existing design and customise it for Scotland. This temporary kit will be replaced by a brand new completely original and unique Adidas shirt.
They said this will happen in August 2010! You would assume this is a typing error and it will be August 2011. To have a temporary shirt for such a short period seems daft, even by SFA standards!
If this is correct I would save the full review for when the ‘proper’ kit is released.
Cheers,
Willie
That seems odd and sounds as if the deal has been rushed, frrom the videos on the Umbro blog we see that the players got to try on the new England away kit last October.
Just did a quick search on the net and it looks like the NEW UNIQUE kit will not be released until Summer 2011.
Seems like your review in March will be of purely a generic temporary kit John.
Hello Willie, Andrew – I’d still be interested to see how the three stripes suit Scotland. Most of the kits I see for international countries seem to be templates these days – its not the end of the world. I’d rather see a templated but smart kit than a unique disaster!
So want adidas to do the business with this kit. Would love to see a Scottish version of the current Russian home jersey…something strong and bold!
I think the only team using Adidas in the Scotland set will be the first team. All other representative teams will continue to use Diadora until the end of the season. Then all teams will use Adidas from August 2010, so i think the new kit date will be right.
I actually wouldn’t mind seeing the whole of the UK done in the tailored Umbro style – that would be kinda interesting IMO 🙂
Plus from what I’ve seen (a fan made mockup based on rumours) it doesn’t look half bad, just template-like as are many of the kits from Adidas (and I’ve researched it for a project…the majority, if not all are template kits slightly tweaked or not at all).
It should be better than most of Nike’s kits for the WC though…. :/ most of them are shocking!
I don’t think Nike’s kits are too bad actually, it’s just the stupid inflated way that they are illustrated is making them look poor, wait for the real things I reckon!
I hope you’re right Denis – I’m sure someone at Nike is kicking themselves that the kits have been ‘leaked’ due to their registration with a European copyright/patent organisation. I know how particular they are that the kits are unveiled in the best possible way. I feel the designs are lacking some ‘sparkle’ though. Lets hope they look better when worn.
Seems as if Nike are sticking to the simple and functional styling for their new strips. The leaked images do portray them as rather plain but once the shirts have the logos on and are displayed in their official launches they may well grow on me.
For some of the new kits it looks like Nike are taking some inspiration from the 60’s, such as the return of orange and black for the Dutch, and Portugal’s kit apparently will feature white shorts and green socks, like the kit worn by Eusébio and co in 1966. Ironically Portugal’s away shirt looks like something worn by both Chelsea and Mexico as away kits in the 1970’s!
Anyhow, it’s a complete contrast to adidas and all this technical stuff with the TechFit jerseys.
On an Arsenal blog yesterday, it said that the home kit for 2010-11 would be marking the 40th anniversary of their first double, meaning a kit similar to that time, which would be great!
Hello Jon, I hope the Nike designs grow on me too. I’m going to New Zealand later in the year and was hoping to pick up an NZ away shirt so was looking forward to see what it would look like.
Denis – that would be good for Arsenal. I’d heard rumours about a return to the all-red shirt they wore briefly in the 60s but I think another move away from white sleeves wouldn’t be a good idea at this time. Interesting…
Seems to be plausible too – the blog that said it was the first to have news of the white change strip with the pinstripes this season
I hope your right Jon.
I’m guessing everyone saw the same leaks I saw haha
Still though, the leak isn’t exactly like the ones where they’re on a coathanger or flat out on a bed. They should grow on me however 🙂
And the Techfit thing is an odd thing…it ruins the kits IMO – couldn’t they just come up with compression material and leave the strange ‘Powerweb’ designs out? Unless Nike’s going to do that with their National team kits? Who knows – they’re unveiling lots of stuff next week 😉
I love how Villa’s kits never get leaked much unlike others – it makes things suspenseful…in an odd way 😀
The latest response from the SFA on the various hoax designs that are doing the rounds.
http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=128&newsCategoryID=6&newsID=5517
I read that Willie – seems odd that there’s not been any credible leaked pics around. Looking forward to seeing it.
Have to say I don’t like the look of the one on the site…very plain and what’s with the giant question mark on the front? Can only assume it’s in response to the Q ‘will Scotland ever qualify for a major tournament again?’
😉
Lol – nice one Rich! I think you and me may have to have a little chat!!
Opened up Freehand and attempted some simple old school home and away designs myself. (see links below)
As a admirer of the Umbro tailored kits I hope Adidas don’t make them too fussy.
http://tinypic.com/r/2mm7i49/6
http://tinypic.com/r/2hckk94/6
Heh…couldn’t resist 😉
very nice kits willie.
I like that away design very much Willie – a much richer amber. Thanks for posting them.