PUNCTUATED BY LIFE AND DEATH
The Northern Echo, UK
Oct 10 2006
[parts omitted]
Almost unnoticed amid the English breast beating, Armenia held Finland
to a goalless draw in Group A of the European Championship on Saturday,
before a crowd of 7,500.
The modern day Armenia is reckoned the likely site of the Garden of
Eden. For Ian Porterfield, it was probably only half way to paradise.
Sunderland’s goal scoring hero of the 1973 FA Cup final is continuing
his global football education, as we noted the other week, by becoming
Armenia’s national coach.
The Armenian league has just eight teams, three of which are
contemplating academies. There’s not a lot of choice.
"Armenian football is relatively new," says Porterfield. "The
future, if not the immediate future, is bright. It would be an
unbelievable feat for us to finish in the top two; I’d just like us
to be respected."