Before the season ended, we sent Alfonso a pair of Nike T90 Laser III’s to test out and review. Here are his thoughts and honest feedback on the soccer cleats.

Breaking In
Let me start by saying that I have never been a player that wears synthetic shoes, I much prefer leather. But when I was asked to test the T90 boot I wasn’t opposed and I thought I would give them a try. Unlike other nike Boots like the CTR360, these boots took about a week to break in. For players like me that choose comfort over style this time-frame is a bit too long – especially when you are training everyday. The main reason they are tougher to break-in is that they are not leather. On a side note. dont expect them to stretch to much.

Sizing and Fit
The sizing on this boot is quite accurate, but again they don’t really stretch much. My advice is to make sure you get the exact size or a size bigger in order to make this boot work for you.

Design and Technology
I am not a big fan of the plastic/rubber on the side of the boot as I feel like the boot doesn’t give you the natural touch you need. Also, I found that when the field is wet the ball seems to get stuck to the boot making it difficult to dribble or pass the ball at times. I am not a flashy player so looks are not at the top of my list. Most people wear these boots for accuracy but the plastic or rubber just bothers me as it doesn’t aid me while playing a sharp ball on to someones feet or put them in behind the defense.

Summary
If I had to choose a boot this one would not be one of them, the only good thing about this boot is its durability and the fact that it keeps water out during rainy days. The soles of this boot also made my feet hurt and gave my big toes blisters. If i would have to rate them i would give them 3 out 5 stars…

Here is where you check out the SC101 review of the Nike T90 Laser III.

What cleats you were wearing before you left?
Adidas Adipure’s

What cleats you are currently wearing?
I changed to wearing Puma King XL

What types of surfaces are you currently training on?
We have grass and artificial turf fields.

What differences have you encountered in games in terms of what you have worn?
The durability of the Pumas are better, but the Adipures are a lot softer.

I assume you are playing in wet and muddy conditions, what steps are you taking to keep your boots in good shape?
I wash my own boots after each training session and i try to once a week and put some leather food on of some sort. But the key thing is to get rid of the mud as fast as possible with as little water damaging the boot’s integrity.

How have games been going, and how is life on Merseyside?
One of the recent games we played was against Sunderland’s reserve team and we tied 1-1. The pitch was completely drenched from the rain and as a result I had to wear studs. They performed very well. I am playing in the middle of the park in more of a holding role as a bruiser. Life in the UK is definitely different than the states, with having to acclimatize to the lingo and manners of people and players alike, but it is definitely a very good experience. In addition, getting used to massive amounts of rain is an interesting transition coming from sunny California.

Thanks for the update buddy and keep us posted on future developments!

Last week, Anton had a solid game against the Man Utd reserves and even had the ball in the United net at one stage:

When United finally broke the deadlock, it came amid Everton’s most fruitful attacking period. Moments after Anton Peterlin’s header had been disallowed for offside, Adam Forshaw nodded against Ben Foster’s post.

Everton Reserves play Burnley on Thursday 03/04, we will have an update on how the game goes.

New Zealand International Tony Lochhead

Name: Tony Lochhead

Current Chivas USA Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy in action

Name: Dan Kennedy
Position:GK
Team History:UCSB 2001-04
Puerto Rico Islanders 2005(USL)
Club Deportivo Municipal Iquique 2005-08(Chile)
Chivas USA 2008-

Cleat size: 10.5
Sneaker size:11

Preferred cleat? Predator firm grounds
In one sentence why? Very comfortable and I like the control I feel that I have with the ball.

What do you look for when choosing a cleat? Color- I usually wear black cleats, Comfort- I do not enjoy blisters, and weight- nothing too heavy

How much would you pay for the perfect pair?
$200 seems to be the standard for nice cleats these days, so I guess I wouldnt pay more than that.

What advice would you give to someone when choosing a new pair of cleats?
I usually have about 4 pairs of cleats, three firm grounds and one soft ground…I like the firm ground cleats to play in when the conditions permit, I also like to train in them. I always have a firm ground broken in and ready to go…for rainy and wet conditions…I usually rotate my cleats using them for games only in the begining, then once they start showing wear and tear I turn them into my training boots. I usually clean and leather food all my cleats the day before the game.

Danny Kennedy is currently one of the leading goalkeepers in MLS. His leadership qualities are well renowned, shown by his captaincy of the 2004 UCSB team that played in the schools first ever National Championship Final game. We thank Dan for sharing his knowledge on soccer cleats with us!

David McGill in action

Name: David McGill
Position: Center Midfield
Team History: UNC Charlotte 2000-01
UCSB 2001-03
Dublin City 2004-06
Shamrock Rovers 2006-07
Shelbourne 2007-
Cleat size: 9-91/2
Sneaker size: 10

Preferred cleat? Umbro
In one sentence why? Because I have broad feet and they are a broad fitting boot.

What do you look for when choosing a cleat?
A boots comfort is the priority, not its label. If the boot is not comfortable then you will not be able to play to your best. Second would be the leather of the boot, make sure it’s a good quality so it can last more than one tackle!

How much would you pay for the ‘perfect’ pair?
I wouldn’t really have a limit on a price. If I’m comfortable in the boot then I’d pay whatever the price is, be it $20 or $200.

What advice would you give to people when purchasing new cleats?
First and foremost is comfort. I would always have at least 2 pairs of boots, 1 pair of molded and 1 pair with studs, but usually I try to have 2 pairs of each. This is because of the weather conditions here in Ireland. The 4 pairs should do me for the season. To break in my boots I’d ask someone with a slightly bigger foot to wear them in training once or twice. If you can’t get someone that will do that then put on a couple of pairs of socks, soak the boots in water and wear them in training yourself.

Are there any tips you can give for maintaining cleats?
Always look after your cleats by washing them as soon as training or your game is over. A good polish or some leather balm on them when they have dried should also help increase lifespan.

David plays professionally in Ireland for Shelbourne FC. He had a very successful career in college, before turning down the chance to sign for LA Galaxy, opting to sign for Dublin City, who were at that time in the FAI First Division.
He is best known in Ireland for scoring the winning goal in the first division play-off in 2006, helping Dublin City FC win promotion to the Premier division for the first time.

What do you look for when choosing a cleat? Comfort first and then the look

How much would you pay for the ‘perfect’ pair? Up to $200

What advice, from your experience, would you give someone buying cleats?
I prefer to buy my boots a half size smaller and wear them in the shower before I use them to stretch them out. Thats just personal preference because when I buy the correct size and wear them in the rain, they stretch too much and dont fit. I have 2 pairs of firm ground and 2 pairs of soft ground. They are all predators and i use two of them for training and the other 2 for games. I would say once you find a pair you like and are comfortable with dont change them.

Are there any other tips you can give?
Dont put your boots on the radiator to dry them. Use vaseline to keep the leather soft.

Chris Loftus, who currently plays Professional in Sweden, gives his personal opinion about cleats

Name: Chris Loftus
Position: Forward
Team History: Duke University 03-06,
New England Revolution 07-08,
Limhamn Bunkeflo (Sweden) Current
Cleat size: 12
Sneaker size: 13

Preferred cleat? Adidas Predator
In one sentence why? I like to Adidas Predator because it fits my foot best and is a comfortable cleat.

Chris, thanks for taking the time to share advice with our readers.
First, What do you look for when choosing a cleat?
I have very narrow feet so Adidas shoes have always fit me best. The first and most important thing for me when having a cleat is comfort. I also like the end of the shoe near the toe to be more
narrow and pointed like the end of a foot so that I can feel the ball. I’ve found that many shoes like Nike are wide and rounded so it makes it harder to feel the ball. I also prefer leather shoes as
opposed to the synthetic shoes because I feel that the leather molds and forms to your foot better. I’ve also always been a fan of black shoes, but having a comfortable shoe that you can feel the ball and
have a good touch with is most important.

How much would you pay for the ‘perfect’ pair of cleats? $200

From your experience, what advice would you give to people choosing new cleat?
I think it’s always important to have at least one pair of cleats for hard grounds and at least one for soft grounds. What I do when I first get a pair of cleats is to put them on and wear them in the shower. Once they have gotten really wet I wear them around for about 20-30 minutes so that the leather has a chance to stretch and mold to my foot. Alot of players don’t break in their soft grounds until the first time they wear them. This can cause blisters and also hinder your touch on the ball. This shower technique has always worked for me. In terms of taking care of your cleats…if they do get wet make sure to leave them out to dry so that the stitching in the leather doesn’t get too lose. Sometimes I will put newspaper
inside of them to dry them out. Most importantly though when buying a shoe is to buy the one that feels most comfortable.

Finally, are there any other tips you would like to give our readers?
Whenever I get a cleat I usually have it one size smaller than my regular shoes. I do this because it
helps me feel the ball better. I’ve found that when the cleats get wet, especially leather cleats, they will stretch a little.

I would like to personally extend a huge “thank you” to Chris for taking time out of his busy professional schedule to supply great advice for other soccer players!!

Redknapp takes some time to review the newest cleats!

This article comes from the daily mail. Jamie Redknapp is an ex Liverpool and England international, and in this article he reviews several of the newest pairs of cleats.

Jamie Redknapp talks Cleats