Football

27 December 2009 Pim Verbeek, the head coach of Australia’s football team, has hinted heavily that any player wanting to make it into his 23-man squad for the 2010 World Cup finals will need to be playing club football at a decent level in Europe between January and the summer. “On May 11, I will […]

25 December 2009 Jonathan Wilson wrote the book on the evolution of football tactics, and takes a typically fresh and thorough approach in this piece for The Guardian when looking at the future. Wilson suggests the poacher could be all but gone within 10 years . . . or making a comeback. Meanwhile, could North […]

EXCLUSIVE By Nick Harris 24 December 2009 Arsenal have around £35m to spend on transfer fees and wages in January, and this kitty is a result of clauses in Arsenal’s bank loan agreements that compel the club to set aside a fixed amount of income for Arsene Wenger to spend on players. Wenger is almost certain […]

EXCLUSIVE By Nick Harris and Hugh Godwin 20 December 2009 Britain’s foremost PR advisor, Max Clifford, toldThe Independent on Sunday last night that he has represented two high-profile gay Premier League footballers in the past five years and has advised them to stay in the closet because football “remains in the dark ages, steeped in […]

EXCLUSIVE: 9 December 2009 Sol Campbell is not being coveted by Manchester United, according to well-informed sources close to the player, and won’t be offered any deal at Old Trafford, with a source at the club saying the former England centre-half will not be offered even a short-term contract to cover for injuries. Campbell, 35, was […]

7 December 2009 South African police have this evening complained that they are unhappy with reports that ex-SAS soldiers will help protect some top teams at the World Cup next summer. Police spokesperson Sally de Beer described the media reports as “absurd”. Yet some Fifa officials and sponsors will also use private security, according to sources, although […]