This afternoon England’s autumn international rugby season ended in an ultimately disappointing 30-22 defeat to New Zealand. Nevertheless, the nature of the defeat ensures that the upward trajectory of the nation’s rugby team remains, just about, intact. Two wins from three games was the minimum required for expectant fans. Although the first half against […]
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Eriksson offer shows football at its most fickle
Today Sven-Goran Eriksson claimed he accepted an approach from Manchester United to replace the retiring Sir Alex Ferguson in 2002. It’s an intriguing admission. Firstly, it suggests Eriksson was willing to break his contract with the FA as England manager in order to take the helm at Old Trafford. Not only does this bring […]
Manchester United’s youth policy requires examination
Many fans at Old Trafford have spent the past week rueing Sir Alex Ferguson’s decision to allow two of the club’s finest youth players to leave the club last year. Although questioned at the time, these decisions are under the spotlight again. Last weekend, Ravel Morrison put in a match-winning display for West Ham after […]
2020 vision not needed to assess the reasons behind Tokyo’s Olympic victory
Common sense has finally prevailed. I have previously written about sports bodies’ poor track record of selecting host cities for major events. On this occasion though, IOC officials, perhaps weary of criticism, have made the right decision. Yesterday, they announced Tokyo will host he 2020 Olympics, ahead of rival bids from Madrid and Istanbul. It […]
Willian signing will test Mourinho’s mettle
Upon his return to Chelsea, Jose Mourinho recognised he had inherited a young, talented but unbalanced squad. Signing Willian from under the noses of Tottenham is undoubtedly a coup, but it remains to be seen whether he was the right signing at a time when owner Roman Abramovich is tightening the purse strings to adhere […]
Competition to host international sporting events has lost all credibility
It is idealistic to believe that politics and sport can ever be separated and the competition to host a major international event will always be fraught with intrigue. But when the months and years leading up to these heralded events spark such widespread anger, the manner in which the bids are selected needs to be […]