Jump to content

Uniform Uniforms - Good or Bad?


Mimglow

Recommended Posts

Hi gang...

am I the only one who thinks it's absolutely ridiculous for National Teams to have quasi-identical uniform styles when they are sponsored by the same company?

Here are the new Nike shirts, showcased in the USA - Netherlands match last week:

145655_600X400.jpg

Now all countries with Nike as a sponsor will have identical shirts, except for colors. For crying out loud, even the ball has the same style.

Gotta love globalisation. No more identity.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes they do. And I find that just as silly. These companies make billions of dollars. Can't they afford to alter the designs of their shirts to give National teams identities, or is it just a branding exercise?

Nike, Adidas and all the rest must feel that they are creating brand loyalty by showing their might over these countries soccer jerseys.

Nike exec.: Hey, let's make all the jerseys the same style. That way, people will immediately recognize the shirt as Nike, and love us.

Nike exec. asst.: Yeah, but boss, it will be like having brands play each other instead of countries.

Nike exec: Brilliant!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nope. Don't like it either. It definately has to be part of the sponsorship package and NTs seem to be willing to put up with it.

And you'd think there would be enough clothing manufacturers in Canada that the CSA could get a domesticly made and designed product on our lads/lasses which would be distinctive and sellable. Sporting apparrel is still big biz in this country.

But of course I have no idea what else Adidas brings to the table. Or if they'd be willing to still bring most of it without the cookie cutter NT kit requirement.

(I still say go retro! With all these cute clean kits out there some God awful 30s-40s kits (maybe styled up a tiny bit) would stand right out and the kids would love them. Sell like hot cakes. Adidas triple stripe down the arms? Maybe something could be worked out? Just a ramble...)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Which is why, as ugly as they are, I like Croatia's uniform. Peru as well. I tried for about a year to get Roots interested in sponsoring Canada - more than just a uniform issue BTW, suggestes $$$ as well - but I din't even get a single reply. Not even a FO&D letter. Got a little flack from some "purists" on the board as Roots wasn't "traditional" enough, however. But I don't recall cookie cutter uniforms ever being traditional.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Somewhere I have an article I stole from a French magazine in Grade 8 about the process of designing a national team uniform. I think they were working on the new Cameroon strip for the African Cup of nations. It was a design house in Paris (might have been Coq Sportif, I really don't remember). They came up with five or six unique designs (obviously incorporating the green top, red shots, yellow socks) for the Cameroon FA to look at. They then picked one with very few moderations. Apparently that was rare and often the FAs guided the designers.

Now that's gone a complete 180. There isn't much I feel sorry for Americans about, but they go and adopt red as their national team colour. The fans wear it in the stands and then just before WC02, Nike decided they like blue all of sudden.

I hate the cookie cutter designs as well, they remind me of rollerball. Identical uniforms in different colours. Blah. What's Score doing these days. I didn't mind those early 90s kits, though at least with Adidas you know you can find them in stores.

cheers,

matthew

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rollerball, great movie, the ORIGINAL Rollerball with James Caan, , from the 70's directed by canuck Norman Jewison, not the latest horrible "re-make". Very prophetic in many ways about the commerciality and globalization of world sports.

I agree, the generic nature of cookie-cutter uniforms is gawdawful, especially the circled number on the front. Looks like a cattle brand... maybe the Calgary Mustangs should use them :).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:Originally posted by bettermirror

let's be thankful that clubs like Italy, Peru, Croatia, and Jamaica (to an extent) are still around.

Do you read what you post or are you into a Ginsberg "stream of consciousness" thing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The style does not bother me too much. What bothers me the most is the the huge number with a circle around it, posted on the front of the shirt. For some reason it makes the team less threatning. Maybe that is why Brazil only drew with Ireland recently.

For that I am grateful we have addidas. They have made some smart jersey's for Canada in recent years. Nike just doe not understand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like everybody else I detest the Nike Jerseys They are all the same,

especially the old Dutch National team shirts. wHAT KIND OF oRANGE is that. people Iknow who are Dutch just hated them. Even Belguim also had that Icky orange. Yuck.

I remember when World Cup 1994, At least all the teams that were with Addidas had different styles. Like Germany which I think was the best, Spain, were totally different from one another. That was cool.

At least Italy always keep it simple, no matter who the Manufacture is

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't like the cookie cutter very much. I guess it's somewhat understandable when you consider how many nations and clubs there are in the world, but for high profile sides you'd think they could do more to make them unique.

I don't mind the adidas ones - the new style or the WC02 style - as most of them is fairly plain and traditional. At worst it is boring... These Nike ones are a disgrace though. I didn't think it was possible to make uglier kits than what they created for WC02, but these new "billiard ball" ones are a billion times worse. It looks like there is a bib on the front and the number in a circle is absurd looking. Furthermore, the back is just as bad... check out the nameplate:

camisa2.jpg

Nike is a plague on football. They design decent enough hockey uniforms (particularly Finland and Slovakia).. they need to sack everyone in the football department.

England's new change kit is pretty nice (and original):

0,,2004071176,00.jpg

Oh, and Iceland's kits are quite nice. The concept probably could have been executed a bit better but it's a great idea and I love that it's unique. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:Originally posted by röda stjärna

I don't like the cookie cutter very much. I guess it's somewhat understandable when you consider how many nations and clubs there are in the world, but for high profile sides you'd think they could do more to make them unique.

I don't mind the adidas ones - the new style or the WC02 style - as most of them is fairly plain and traditional. At worst it is boring... These Nike ones are a disgrace though. I didn't think it was possible to make uglier kits than what they created for WC02, but these new "billiard ball" ones are a billion times worse. It looks like there is a bib on the front and the number in a circle is absurd looking. Furthermore, the back is just as bad... check out the nameplate:

camisa2.jpg

Nike is a plague on football. They design decent enough hockey uniforms (particularly Finland and Slovakia).. they need to sack everyone in the football department.

England's new change kit is pretty nice (and original):

0,,2004071176,00.jpg

Oh, and Iceland's kits are quite nice. The concept probably could have been executed a bit better but it's a great idea and I love that it's unique. :)

Not really replying. Just wanted to see those cute pics again.

Ta,

Metro Eddie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Jeffery S.
quote:Originally posted by Ed

Do you read what you post or are you into a Ginsberg "stream of consciousness" thing?

"I've seen the best minds of my generation

destroyed by madness"

Allan Ginsberg, HOWL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...