Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué (Wikimedia)

Even though he will not be present on the pitch at the Camp Nou on Tuesday against Arsenal, Gerard Piqué made headlines on Monday as he presented his new autobiography "El Viaje de Ida Y Vuelta" (The Roundtrip).
In this book Piqué talks about his experience from his beginnings at Barcelona's youth academy and his move to Manchester United then his eventual return to Catalunya with a pit stop in Zaragoza.

When you begin your product shilling career as the prince of pastries, there's only so much higher one can go. For Gerard Pique, though, his celebrity trajectory has surprisingly climbed from grocery store royalty to book author. All at the good-looking age of 23.

Right.

'Viatge de anada i tornada" (In English: Round Trip) is actually not Pique's "official" coming out autobiography (that was most likely ghost-written by someone else), though.

Arsenal and French midfielder Samir Nasri lifted the lid on how 5 players including him self, don't talk to Defender William Gallas, but it doesn't effect the teams results he insisted.

By Ollie Irish

The newest cast member of Jersey Shore, avec man bag

There are no gay professional footballers, of course. Not one. That's a fact.

Still, the very heterosexual Cristiano Ronaldo (see photo) is fully behind Portugal's decision to allow same-sex couples to get married.

In 1998, as the French team prepared to play their first World Cup match, they heard singing from the opposing team's locker room. The Bafana Bafana in their first World Cup appearance after the end of apartheid, fielding an integrated team were gearing up to play with song, and as the two team's marched down the tunnel out onto the pitch, they continued singing, sending echoes through the halls.

It was the draw most people were waiting for as Jose Mourinho finally got the chance to return to his old club Chelsea and renew his long-standing rivalry with current Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Always one to speak his mind, the special one has a flair for the dramatic and one of his more spectacular claims during his time as Inter boss has been the "clan" of Italian managers who he says have conspired against him.

When you begin your product shilling career as the prince of pastries, there's only so much higher one can go. For Gerard Pique, though, his celebrity trajectory has surprisingly climbed from grocery store royalty to book author. All at the good-looking age of 23.

Right.

'Viatge de anada i tornada" (In English: Round Trip) is actually not Pique's "official" coming out autobiography (that was most likely ghost-written by someone else), though.

He joins Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson in England's 30-man provisional squad.

It's finally confirmed today that Jamie Carragher will return from international retirement and has been named in England's 30-man provisional squad ahead of the World Cup. The speculation seemingly kicked up out of nowhere in the last week or so we went from absolutely no news to "he's a lock in the provisional, which makes him a lock for the finals.

As an avid reader my entire life my mood toward material is constantly changing. Every couple of months I am into something else. Sometimes it can be non-fiction that includes material on great leaders, real life travel journals, serial killer profiles, organized crime; other times it is fiction that includes Paulo Coehlo, Chuck Palahniuk, Kurt Vonnegut, and Truman Capote.

Late as ever, but as promised the Scottish Football Blog 2010 World Cup quiz. On the night it was won by a man wearing a Spanish top going by the name of Carlos. He narrowly survived despite an unsavoury assault from the team wearing Dutch strips.
Closing date is Sunday 25th July at 11pm.

LONDON, England Chelsea have announced they are not renewing the contract of assistant manager Ray Wilkins and that he is to leave the club with immediate effect. Wilkins, 54, joined Chelsea's coaching staff for a second time in 2008 to work under Luiz Felipe Scolari. He stayed when Guus Hiddink came in and remained [.

So the clock ticks ever closer to the season of goodwill and as a self confessed lover of Christmas, a word of warning for fellow football fans hoping to receive that special something in their Christmas stocking or under the tree. As the years have gone by, I have sometimes received presents based purely on the fact that I am a football fan.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! LTLF is giving you the chance to start the new year with a competition to win a signed copy of Kenny Burns autobiography No ifs or butts. If you managed to get along to the "Audience with Kenny Burns and guests" at The Approach last month then you should already have a copy [...]

Doherty: Will he make it?

A new decade has crept up from seemingly nowhere, just as most of us are still getting used to the idea of a new millennium. At moments like this, we turn to reminisce of the ten years that have passed and reflect on times gone by. Picking an XI of Premier League players for these ten years seems like an unenviable task.

Rino fulfills his lifelong dream: opening up a fish shop. Patience & prudence are Arsene's virtues. (SoccerLens) Brazil now looking for imports. (When Saturday Comes) West Ham fans wonder where the oil is. (The DA) Finally, an autobiography worth reading Steve Savidan's. (ESPN) Robben & Lahm also do lipsticks and handbags.

I recently took a vacation and as always decide to catch up on some reading, or in this case go back into the vault. When I was looking into books for my trip I wanted to find a soccer book to gain some more insight on the game or its history. I came across the 2004 autobiography by David Beckham - Both Feet On The Ground, and decided this was the one.

• A Lion who's seen better times.
• Will it all end in tears?

Yet again, Paul Gascoigne has been in the English media headlines in recent weeks for all the wrong reasons. The 42 year old midfield maestro of yesteryear who looks the worst part of 60 was arrested twice in a week, once for public disorder and then again for being drunk in charge of a vehicle.

The off the field mind games between Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho and Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti might be more enjoyable than the actual games between the two teams.

The two managers are quite open in their dislike for each other. When Ancelotti was at AC Milan the two managers clashed often and Ancelotti took a number of swipes at Mourinho in the autobiography he published last year, referring to the self-anointed Special One as ‘His Speciality'.

The off the field mind games between Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho and Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti might be more enjoyable than the actual games between the two teams.

The two managers are quite open in their dislike for each other. When Ancelotti was at AC Milan the two managers clashed often and Ancelotti took a number of swipes at Mourinho in the autobiography he published last year, referring to the self-anointed Special One as ‘His Speciality'.

Rafael Benitez can't have seen this one coming, surely? After months spent watching the world debate the futures of Javier Mascherano, Ryan Babel and Fernando Torres, he can now expect a raft of questions about one of the pillars of his Liverpool side, Jamie Carragher.
The mere thought of the Reds parting company with such a symbolic figure seems inherently absurd, but the summer promises to be an interesting one at Anfield, whether they finish in the Premier League's top four or not.

A Sp*rs-supporting friend (I know...) of mine told me a good one yesterday. Really, a brilliant joke. "How do you know it's Spring?" he asked me smirking like a twat. "Because Arsenal's season is over".
I should have just punched him; when confronted with neanderthals it is by far the easiest approach.

The following book review was originally published in the excellent Scotzine fanzine The 12th Man Issue 11, available from their website.

Graham Roberts' autobiography is 244 pages long, has two different covers and two forewords - one for Tottenham Hotspur and one for Rangers - the team he played for that made him famous both sides of the border.

As many of you are probably aware by now, David Beckham injured his achilles in a match for AC Milan during the weekend. The injury has removed Beckham from the England World Cup squad and will force him to miss the rest of the Serie A season. If Beckham is able to return at any point this season it would be in the fall for the end of the MLS season with the LA Galaxy.

"You can stick your fucking England up your arse!" the Stretford End chanted at that abhorrent lot on Sunday. Whilst being a United fan and an England fan doesn't have to be mutually exclusive, there are a lot of reds who don't have any time for the England set up.

The 30 man squad for England's World Cup will be announced by Fabio Capello today and reports suggest that Jamie Carragher, who retired from International football, will make a shock return.

Jamie Carragher has admitted he could not turn down the chance to play for England again.
Three years after announcing his retirement from the international scene, Carragher is back, attempting to be one of the 23 players Fabio Capello will rely on to bring the World Cup back to Blighty in July.

Are sportsmen single-handedly solving the world's literacy problems? With the amount of books on store shelves penned by footballers, one would think so.

'Der Wahnsinn liegt auf dem Platz' is Jens Lehmann's attempt at an autobiography, and we have absolutely no idea what the title means or if the pages in between the front and back covers contain words, hieroglyphics or paint by number puzzles.

Are sportsmen single-handedly solving the world's literacy problems? With the amount of books on store shelves penned by footballers, one would think so.

'Der Wahnsinn liegt auf dem Platz' is Jens Lehmann's attempt at an autobiography, and we have absolutely no idea what the title means or if the pages in between the front and back covers contain words, hieroglyphics or paint by number puzzles.

For some, the end of Rio Ferdinand's World Cup also sent a blast across the bows of English hopes of winning the trophy. One of the squads truly great players being forced out simply weakens the side is the consensus, but me I'm not so disillusioned by the news. Yes it's a blow and I feel dreadfully sorry for Ferdinand, but thankfully, England have something as good as to fall back on.

On This Day In Spurs History: 10th June

1981 After winning the FA Cup, our boys went on a post-season tour that saw them travelling to Bahrain, Kuwait and Turkey. On this day in 1981, we beat Trabzonspor 4-0, with goals from Mark Falco, Ossie Ardiles, Ricky Villa and Garth Crooks.

Brian Kidd spent 11 years wearing our shirt, after progressing through the ranks, winning two league titles, the FA Cup as well as scoring in our 1968 winning European Cup final. Sir Alex Ferguson then brought him back to the club in the 1980s to work with our youngsters, before promoting him to assistant manager in 1991.

In January 2006, Manchester United had their backs up against the wall. The press told us our club was in decline and after winning nothing the season before, not even seriously competing for the title the season before, we were in desperate need for a trophy.

We'd enjoyed a relatively easy run in the League Cup, knocking out Barnet, West Brom and Birmingham, before being drawn against Blackburn in the semi-finals.

Robbie's off for his "Savage!" autobiography signing at Waterstones, Derby. We kind of love his outfit. You? Image via Robbie's twitter a/c.

Wes Brown has announced his retirement from International football after making 23 appearances for England. Fabio Capello chose to call up retired Jamie Carragher, who confessed he wasn't all that arsed about his performances for his country in his autobiography, with Glen Johnson as the only natural right back in the squad.

The recent publicity regarding the newspaper sting carried out upon the Pakistan cricket team during their test match against England and the ensuing debate over the completion of the test match between the two countries has led EJH to wonder why, when something similar happened in football, no action whatsoever was taken.

There's no truth to the rumor that Jon Szafranski is stalking David Beckham.

"It was more of a joke," the Madison 56ers goalkeeper explained when asked about his Facebook status update that mentioned looking for the icon.

"My girlfriend kept making fun of me because I had just bought his autobiography – I usually buy a book when I'm travelling.

At 10.30 last night RoM posted up news that The Sunday Mirror would be publishing a story in the morning which claimed Wayne Rooney had slept with a prostitute when his wife, Coleen, was pregnant with their son Kai.

At around 11.15 last night, The Mirror had the story up on their website.

From the sounds of this brief excerpt, it sounds like Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti's recently released autobiography might be worth reading:
Quote: "There are times when I stand up in front of a full-length mirror and act like a contortionist. I twist my neck and I stare at my ass.

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The following book review was originally published in the excellent Scotzine fanzine The 12th Man Issue 11, available from their website.

Graham Roberts' autobiography is 244 pages long, has two different covers and two forewords - one for Tottenham Hotspur and one for Rangers - the team he played for that made him famous both sides of the border.

It's not everyday you get a footballer releasing a book.

Oh wait, yes it is. Fortunately this one's not your standard variety "I hated my coach, I considered quitting, my life was so difficult, and this is who I shagged" footballer's Dickensian memoirs.

Though it has the potential to be just as bad, I suppose: Theo Walcott's moonlighting as a children's author.