Creator
Kevin McCarra
English clubs in pole position
At this time of the year, it can feel as if the football programme is packed with rehearsals while the true drama lies weeks or months ahead.
Manchester’s title decider cannot hide grim truth
There are players at both Manchester City and United with much to offer but that does not disguise a broader truth — a place among the elite.
Torres and Carroll have given January sales a bad name
Torres and Carroll lend credence to the belief that January buys aren’t good business.
League’s tantalising transition
The English Premier League is a local affair once more.
United still have clout, but more tinkering is necessary
United, after all, had been in reasonably good form and the talk following matches with lesser teams was often of regeneration.
Conservatism rules but City could challenge United
As if it was not enough to win the Premier League title once again Manchester United insisted on staying ahead of the pack even in the closed season.
Guardiola determined to go
Pep Guardiola is one of the very few people in football who does not find his Barcelona side irresistible.
The threat to Fergie’s sunset years
A Manchester United without Sir Alex Ferguson in charge feels as much an absurdity as, in the end, an inevitability.
Over the blues
Chelsea are deserved champions four years after they last lifted the English Premier League trophy.
Scramble for the Premiership
As if they were not busy enough striving for trophies, the top four in the English Premier League have to deliver major stories as well.
Drogba revels in new stature at Chelsea
Goals give a player authority. With his commanding drive that delivered a 1-0 win over Barcelona at Stamford Bridge, Didier Drogba played like a leader of the Chelsea team and…
Football minnows are wasting everybody’s time
The advent of micro-countries introduced a new terror to international football. You could beat them and still be humiliated. Fifteen years ago Scotland won 2-0 in San Marino,…
Germany are ghosts of winners past
Should Germany be anything like as bad in this World Cup as they were in Euro 2004, fans who currently protest about his base in California will rant that Jürgen Klinsmann…
The final of fear
Much as Frank Rijkaard and Arsene Wenger will talk of their keen anticipation of the showpiece to come at the Stade de France, the fact is that Barcelona and Arsenal were the…
The manager’s seat gets hotter
Managers dream of honours, but they are almost all fighting a losing battle for survival. Time is shorter than ever and they now last only 1,7 years on average in their posts.…