Why the switch in formation makes sense by Brendan Rodgers Everyone reading this blog I would like to assume has played Football Manager, FIFA or Pro Evo. You will of sat in front of that screen messing around with your team formation to try and get the best result possible. Me? I use to love … Read more
Last season began for Milan in one of the most horrid fashions unlike nothing that many fans had ever seen. In fact, it was the worst start in over 80 years, longer than the vast majority of fans—or even their parents—had been alive. Yet, despite a beginning that saw them flirt with relegation, really something … Read more
A couple of decades ago a show called “The Six Million Dollar Man” ran on TV for a few seasons. The premise of said show was fairly simplistic, the main protagonist, Steve Austin, who had been injured, underwent surgery where some of his body parts were replaced by bionic components. Overall his lifesaving operation cost … Read more
Much like the Muslim Brotherhood, militant soccer fans in Egypt and Turkey are fighting for their existence. Turkish police raided the homes of and arrested 72 militant supporters of Istanbul’s top clubs – Besiktas JK, Fenerbahce FC and Galatasaray SK — after a derby between Besiktas and Galatasary was abandoned because fans invade the pitch. … Read more
He was the teenage prodigy of Major League Soccer, once linked with Manchester United and Inter Milan. Now, Freddy Adu is a 24-year-old journeyman. But is his career a failure… or a cautionary tale of hype? On 3 April 2004, Freddy Adu made his professional debut for DC United, coming on as a substitute. He was 14 … Read more
This back owner is probably feeling a touch silly today after Paolo Di Canio's sacking pic.twitter.com/gtpakgirXU — Telegraph Sport (@TelegraphSport) September 23, 2013 It is that picture of that tatoo that summed up best the volatility of football in the wake of Paolo Di Canio’s sacking by Sunderland. Celebrating the belief and optimism that swept … Read more
There are plenty of examples of cities playing host to two football clubs with staggeringly different fortunes, where fans from one team always enjoy the bragging rights and success compared to their rivals. Nottingham in the late 70s and early 80s cannot have been an easy place to be for Notts County fans when Forest … Read more
Reports in the past few weeks about Chris Coleman’s imminent contract extension from the FAW has staggered many Welsh football fans, as it demonstrates a complete lack of ambition from the country’s governing body. Coleman’s year in charge of the Welsh national team has been made up of 13 games, three victories, a forgotten passport, … Read more
As I start writing this, the Three Lions have dropped to 16th in the FIFA rankings, their lowest in 12 years, while the ever so ‘Grumpy’ manager of the National Team has hit back to Gary Linekar over ‘awful’ jibe and has defended his Long Ball Tactics. The Former England striker rightly criticized England’s awful passing against Ukraine, expressing … Read more
In this edition of The Talking Game, our very own Callum Farrell World Soccer columnist Steve Menary. Read on to see what the famous writer his book and football from around the world. There aren’t many sports journalists who can claim to have brought the British public news of footballing communities from the Falkland Islands, Zanzibar, … Read more