When we beat the Mancs last week, everyone including his pet rock was jumping with joy I am certain. Everyone except those in the clueless bandwagon. Then, afterwe lost to Fulham, the dam burst further!

How do some fans miss the obvious I do not know. We have been overachieving with Rafa at the helm and yet these people scream murder and want Rafa to be sacked.

Click to continue reading...

The same way the U20 World Cup generated some analysis, the failure of the U17 deserves even more talk. First of all, being eliminated in group that had Mexico, Switzerland and Japan is a shame. There is simply no excuse.

This pathetic elimination was so bad that no projections for the future can be made.

Click to continue reading...

For once, UEFA President Michel Platini has said something nice about England. Platini has said a lot about the Premier League's spending, which was mainly aimed at Man United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and more recently Manchester City. However he didn't say anything about Real Madrid's spending and other high profile European clubs. Click to continue reading...

I never thought I'd say it, but this is it the eyebrow of seduction is just too powerful. It needs to be reigned in and controlled like a military grade weapon. The UN needs to sanction it and ethics professors need to include discussion of its proper use in their curriculum. This simply cannot go on.

Click to continue reading...

Just as the referees' apparent lack of fitness stole the headlines in the aftermath of Sunderland's last game, their latest encounter – and encouraging performance – was lost amongst the furore surrounding that red balloon.
Journalists, match officials, and former referees were left to scramble through the rule book to work out whether the goal should have been chalked off, as confusion reigned at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. Click to continue reading...

Wow, waking up just to see all those journalists crying on how Bilic (or Markovic rather) picks his friendlies ain't the best way to start the morning. But seriously though, the journalism in Croatia is rubbish. Like fast food. It's all around, lacks the attention & nutrition of a real meal, and in the end will leave you plunging the nearest available restroom.

Click to continue reading...

Wenger says Arsenal are ready this year to compete for titles. Well, technically, he said the following:

I know that we haven't won a trophy for four years, but we have been very close and I believe that this year the team will do it. When I say that, it is not to please you, it is because I am really convinced of it.

Click to continue reading...

Sir Alex Ferguson doesn't have any time for journalists asking him about his most recent FA charge.

""Silly Question Gets No Answer"" was originally published at The Republik of Mancunia. Click to continue reading...

We have had a great deal of discussion this week about officials' bias in CONCACAF towards Mexico. However, I was a bit disappointed that many American fans see the US as a victim in all this. The truth be told, the US benefits from much of the same bias, albeit perhaps from different parts within CONCACAF.

Click to continue reading...

Fans of a bit of blue will be happy with the news that Argentina has now finally booked their place at South Africa 2010.
It's not just on their famous striped shirts however that the blue will be found but also coming from the mouth of Diego Maradona if his latest press conference is anything to go by. Click to continue reading...

One goal and all of a sudden journalists find out he's a great interview. Sean Michelle:

"(Conor) Casey should be worried," [Padula] said jokingly. "We have two games left. I can score eight (in one) and eight (in the other)."
Casey, a striker for Colorado, leads MLS with 17 goals.

Click to continue reading...

Let's get to it:

• Beckham says Milan move is 95% done.
  
• Sunderland teen signs a new deal.
  
• O'Neill not concerned with Heskey rumors.
  
• Barca defends Messi contract.
  
• Adriano would only return to Inter.
  
• That must rule out a Tottenham link.

Click to continue reading...

Congratulations to Switzerland, Slovakia, Honduras and, drum roll please, Argentina on clinching World Cup berths Wednesday!
So that's 23 of 32 teams down.
And, of course, it means Maradona is vindicated. It didn't take him long to slam his country's journalists and even name a couple guys (not Messi) to the final World Cup roster. Click to continue reading...

Late Goal From Supersub Bolatti Puts Argies Into World Cup.
Diego lashes out at journalists:
"They can suck it and carry on sucking it," he fumed in the press conference after the dramatic win. "This is for all Argentines, minus the journalists. Click to continue reading...

• So Argentina qualified for the World Cup and Tevez looks confused. Seriously, though, why does The Dona look like he's being pushed around? How dare you! We can almost imagine the amused look on everyone's faces at the press conference after hearing this : "Our victory is going to all Argentineans, except the journalists.

Click to continue reading...

Well Maradona's boys are on their way to South Africa. To the delight of this football crazy nation, the two time World cup winners (1978 and 1986) managed to pull off a 1 – 0 score. A solitary goal from Mario Bolatti gave them victory over their worthy opponents� at the Estadio Centenario, Montevideo in Uruguay last night in front of a very disappointed home crowd.

Click to continue reading...

1.� We will play two defensive midfielders. (A+) Too easy.

1.� Benny Feilhaber will enter the game around the 65th minute.� I'm going to guess it's for Jozy Altidore this time.� (C-:� Jozy Altidore did not start because of illness, so this one didn't even have the chance to happen.

Click to continue reading...

Now that the United States team has qualified for the 2010 World Cup, the agonizing wait begins until the final draw is held on December 4, 2009. The draw will be beamed around the world, and we'll finally be able to learn which countries will be grouped against each other next summer in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Click to continue reading...

That is according to today's 'Gold Coast Weekend Bulletin' where the 'glamor' club is back page news. But not promoting tomorrow's game. It is Jason Culina complaining about his club's poor job at attracting crowds.
Funny that, some of Brisbane's leading journalists praised Miron's non-attendance and refusal to promote the opening game of the season as an act of marketing genius - by attracting interest to the game(? Click to continue reading...

Them Yankee boys are off the plane and in country. But judging by the amount of guns and journalists around it's not another country, it's another world; no matter how much you follow the American game, sometimes you forget what the game is like in the rest of the world. Click to continue reading...

1.� We will play two defensive midfielders. Too easy.

1.� Benny Feilhaber will enter the game around the 65th minute.� I'm going to guess it's for Jozy Altidore this time.

2.� No matter the result, American soccer journalists will insist that getting a result was never going to be easy because of the extreme difficulty of CONCACAF road qualifiers.

Click to continue reading...

Interesting article from Graham Spiers on the Times website following the Old Firm match on Sunday. Spiersy is wrestling with a dilemma: Should he report the sectarian abuse he heard from a Rangers fan at Ibrox on Sunday?He's in two minds:"But journalists getting involved? It is one thing for someone in my position to report it and comment on it, but quite another to wade in and become an active Click to continue reading...

Henry Winter is one of Britain's most respected football journalists and currently works for the Daily Telegraph. His career started at the Independent and he moved to The Telegraph in 1994. A familiar face on Sky's Sunday Supplement, Henry was been kind enough to have a quick chat with us about himself and football.

Click to continue reading...

Brazil star Adriano had a candid interview the other day about his days in Italy. Apparently his discontent professionally, as well as the loss of his father, pushed him to drink.
And drink a lot.

"I was fine only when I would drink and I had no urge to stop. I went out every night.

Click to continue reading...

One of America's more perceptive futbol journalists. Beau Dure, has a lengthy profile of Landon Donovan in yesterday's USA Today. (No comments on our speed of motion please.)

Aside from the a vintage shot of Donovan with blond hair, I actually learned a couple of things about the front-runner for the Honda Player of the Year award.

Click to continue reading...

Man Yoo marriage gaffe Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson left defender Jonny Evans red-faced when he suggested it was time for the Northern Ireland international to get married. Fergie wasn't aware that Evans' girlfriend, Kate Wathall, was sat among the assembled journalists. Evans said: "I don't really want to talk about that here. Click to continue reading...

Javier Mascherano will be sidelined for Liverpool's Champions League trip to Fiorentina on Tuesday evening due to a hamstring problem, but Rafael Benitez has allayed fears that it will be a lengthy lay-off by implying that the player will be fit for the upcoming clash with Chelsea.
"He was shooting in training and felt something in his hamstring," Benitez explained to journalists at a pre-match press conference. Click to continue reading...

It is interesting that few if any of our so-called journalists are doing a compare and contrast job on Arsenal's wealth and the abject poverty of football clubs like Liverpool and Manchester U. It is as if saving money, planning, and making money legitimately (rather than through usury) is now bad news in the UK. Click to continue reading...

Petulance cant be defined as moved to or showing sudden, impatient irritation, esp. over some trifling annoyance: a petulant toss of the head.
Synonyms:irritable, peevish, fretful, pettish, touchy.
I used to think and feel that Jose Mourinho played the role of an arrogant if not petulant child in order to befuddle his opponents to the point of distraction. Click to continue reading...

Campbell celebrating his goal against Barcelona in the CL final 2006 Sol Campbell.

In recent times he is probably our favourite player with a Spurs connection. 2 league titles, 3 FA Cups and a couple of Community Shield victories. Don't tell me that the latter doesn't count, because to play that you need to win the league or the FA Cup or finish 2nd.

Click to continue reading...

The man favoured by Keith Harris of Seymour Pierce to complete the takeover of Newcastle is said to be within days of finalising a deal. George Culkin, one of the most well respected football journalists, has reported that one of the potential obstacles to the takeover going through, the club's ongoing saga with former boss Kevin Keegan, will no longer stand in the way of Newcastle's future.

Click to continue reading...

The man favoured by Keith Harris of Seymour Pierce to complete the takeover of Newcastle is said to be within days of finalising a deal. George Culkin, one of the most well respected football journalists, has reported that one of the potential obstacles to the takeover going through, the club's ongoing saga with former boss Kevin Keegan, will no longer stand in the way of Newcastle's future.

Click to continue reading...

Raphael Honigstein makes his living as a football interpreter.� Best known in the English speaking world for his columns on German football in the Guardian and participation in that newspaper's well-known football podcast, he plays the reverse role in his home country, acting as English football correspondent for the Suddetsche Zeitung.

Click to continue reading...

A few sources have stated that the TOA (Team Owners Association) is meeting with MLS this week and both groups are trying to make some deal that might create every promotion/relegation lovers wet dream... MLS2. I must point out that no one has come forward and confirmed this news yet. I bring it to you only for the sake of argument and will leave the breaking story (if in fact this meeting took place) to the actual journalists. Click to continue reading...

WPS personnel experts surely know more than overworked journalists, but from first glance here, Philadelphia seems to have put together a ferocious backbone in just three picks. Lori Lindsey is a quiet but effective central midfielder, Jen Buczkowski showed plenty of potential in Sky Blue's playoff run, and Nikki Krzysik is a proven young player. Click to continue reading...