The Nike Safari Collection - to take advantage of this holiday-season lull

The Christmas period is traditionally a busy one for football gear aficionados, as the biggest brands duke it out with new launches and clever marketing to earn a place under the playing population's collective tree. Last year's festive run up of November and December saw launches of several football boot launches. Latest incarnations of the Puma v1 speed series, Nike's flagship Total 90 range and Adidas' legendary Predator legacy - but due to this season following the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, every football related company worth their salt made sure their latest and greatest football products were on store shelves in time for June when the World Cup kicked off.
Step forward Nike Football, who are lining up their most audacious launch since the notorious Mercurial Vapor Berry - the Nike Safari Collection - to take advantage of this holiday-season lull. Nike have been keeping the details of this exciting new entry exceedingly close to their chest, but these bold pieces of high-end Nike Tiempo sportswear incorporate a black-and-white animal print, safari style in a manner never seen before. They're sure to be lambasted by old pro's and sniffed at by commentators and pundits but as the Nike Safari Collection is designed for the most expensive player on the planet - Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo - they are sure to be taken to heart by those who know their football gear and those who like to follow the influence of their hero.
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to have been involved in the development of the Nike Safari collection, and the equipment is to his exact specification. With a ringing endorsement like that from one of the world's most regarded professionals - you can bet that despite your better judgment, not to mention your better taste, that you're going to be asked for the Nike Safari collection by the footballer in your life come November. This is not the first time Nike Football have launched a flamboyant football collection. In 2008 Nike broke the tradition of conservative football footwear when they launched a bright pink football boot known as the Nike Mercurial Vapor Berry. Ahead of the release, few would have predicted the consumer interest in this range. The product sold phenomenally well and stockist's shelves were empty within a matter of weeks. Due to the minimal run in production, many consumers were unable to get their hands on the football boots.