As Novak Djokovic licks his wounds in the aftermath of his defeat to Andy Murray in the Wimbledon final, another player will also be wondering what might have been. For while Djokovic lost in three, admittedly tortuously tight sets, Juan Martin del Potro would have been playing in the final himself had he been able […]
Blog
Everyone wins as Courtois’ loan is extended
So often in the football transfer market, deals are made with an element of compromise. Even the elite sometimes have to turn their attentions elsewhere after failing to land their preferred target. For example, when Neymar signed for Barcelona rather than their rivals Real Madrid, their efforts were redirected to make Gareth Bale their desired […]
The Special One not especially happy to be back
Jose Mourinho doth protest too much. Despite announcing on his return that he was now ‘The Happy One’, the adulation of the Chelsea fans is insufficient consolation for a manager who is widely believed to have sought the Manchester United job. When he talked last season of leaving Madrid to return to the Premier League, […]
Will money buy Ranieri happiness this time around?
Most football managers dream of their club being bought by a wealthy owner or consortium. Certainly, few get the chance to spend a war chest in excess of £100m to improve their squad. Yet even those who have the opportunity to do so often find the experience unfulfilling. After taking Chelsea into the Champions League […]
Schalke interest a backward step for Benitez
It looks increasingly likely that Jose Mourinho will return to Stamford Bridge at the end of the season and replace interim manager Rafa Benitez. The Special One may be renowned for his sky-high levels of self-confidence, but the faith he has in his own abilities is matched by the Spaniard. Upon taking the Chelsea […]
PFA Team of the Year open to debate
Before criticising the selection of the players deemed to be the greatest in the Premier League, let me first congratulate the PFA for correctly selecting Gareth Bale as the most deserving candidate, as I predicted at the start of March. This year, most of the players included in the team of the season practically […]