By Alan Duffy

Who would want to be the England manager? It seems far more trouble than it's worth. The Three Lions' new caretaker boss, Stuart Pearce, is now feeling the heat from the nation's press, after his brother's far-right views were once again highlighted by the newspapers.

By Alan Duffy

Who would want to be the England manager? It seems far more trouble than it's worth. The Three Lions' new caretaker boss, Stuart Pearce, is now feeling the heat from the nation's press, after his brother's far-right views were once again highlighted by the newspapers.

With increasing confusion in the Premier League over which tackles should or should not be punished, an attempt to teach players what is acceptable is being made in home video form. "How to tackle" DVDs will be sent to clubs next week because if there's one thing professional footballers will pay attention to, it's instructional videos.

Hull legend Dean Windass has attempted suicide twice in recent days, he has revealed. The Tigers' Wembley hero confessed he had tried to end his life as booze and depression took their grip after a series of problems in his personal life. The Soccer Saturday reporter said: "People have this image of me as this [.

The inaugural UK Football Academy (UKFA) symposium at Emirates Stadium on February 8th has been renamed The Gary Speed Football Congress by UKFA founder, Raymond Verheijen as a tribute to the manager alongside whom he worked last year to elevate the Wales football team to new heights.

As a player and a manager, Gary Speed was a model professional who embraced a forward-thinking approach and modern methods.

This is the second part of my analysis of BBC Radio 5 Live's coverage of the interview with PGMO chief Mike Riley. The BBC's Mark Chapman also talked to Tony Hibbert who is a match delegate and an ex-Wolves player, the delegates are affiliated to the LMA and PFA. Tony Hibbert felt we have the 'best officials in the world' and that all our referees were 'there on merit'.

What would premier league teams look like if they became sovereign nations, with their size dictated by their net worth?

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Dalglish backs Mancini over fixtures pile-up

Liverpool boss says the Premier League need to work with the PFA on the fixture list

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2012-01-02 22:47:36 from: The Mirror

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

It's a special time of year. A time of year for gathering with people you hardly see and don't really know all that well, getting inappropriately drunk, and reminiscing about all the time you've wasted over the past twelve months that you're never getting back. If it's an especially good year, it won't end with you weeping softly to yourself in a corner somewhere.

Luis Suárez case: 'It was key the FA produced an emphatic judgment'

The former Chelsea captain praises the Football Association for taking the chance to establish the boundaries of acceptability and send out a message of zero tolerance of racism Clearly this was an extremely complex and sensitive case, but it was key that the FA demonstrated it could organise an independent, transparent and fair process, and produce a clear and emphatic judgment.

Gordon Taylor: Luis Suarez racism ban 'is a strong but correct message'

Chief Executive of the PFA Gordon Taylor says he is surprised by the severity of Luis Suarez's ban but it will deter other players from using racist language.

View the full story here: The Telegraph

A news article on 2011-12-21 14:49:26 from: The Telegraph

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Two bits of A-League off field brilliance to make you weep this festive sesason.
Marcos Flores is brilliant - and still United couldn't win the league - well lets sign the Coach up for four years and let Flores go.....
Loving the A-League business minds working hard around the country prior to the season and now the chooks have come to roost.

The Smith Report outlined what we already know:
The FFA are a financial management basket case - similarly the PFA.
How else to explain the loss of player wages, clubs and owners in the last 7 years?
In 7 years football has received and earned more money than ever, and yet the professional A-League clubs have spewed out more money, more owners and more clubs than we could ever have imagined.

Chelsea seek to avenge the Barclays Premier League defeat to Liverpool when the two sides take on each other in a Carling Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday.
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is set to make changes to his team for the game – with Fernando Torres expected to be handed a start against his former side after sitting on the bench the last time the two sides met.

Jose Enrique insists playing twice in 48 hours can be no excuse if Liverpool are knocked out of the Carling Cup by Chelsea, after manager Kenny Dalglish described the scheduling as 'irresponsible'.
Liverpool drew 1-1 at home with Premier League leaders Manchester City on Sunday and travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea in the cup quarter-final on Tuesday.

In the wake of malignant comments vomited out yesterday by herculean halfwit Sepp Blatter, the Premier League has (predictably) responded with a gutless, cowardly statement that disgracefully fails to directly reference or condemn Blatter's damaging, outdated views on racism in football.

What are the odds on Joey Barton beating I'm A Celeb's Mark Wright in a fight? Derek McGovern's Bets of the Day

Carlos Tevez is an example of what can happen when a footballer is owned by a third party. Manchester City have been damaged by it and Mario Balotelli wants to know why he wasn't invited to it.

Hello there.

A very quick Saturday round-up for you.

And there you go. Thanks for stopping by.

It is a bit like that, really. Very little in the way of Arsenal news. Last night the teams too terrible qualify for Euro 2012 had at it and it worked out pretty well for Ireland, by all accounts.

Ever since Carlos Tevez's shocking behaviour more than a month ago during Manchester City's Champions League loss to Bayern Munich, the Argentina has experienced a run of misfortune that could make any superstitious person cringe in fear. Of course, all this has been brought about by his own undoing.

For the first time Sportingintelligence has published the average basic weekly wages, division by division, of footballers in England for the past 25 years. And it makes fascinating reading.

One thing to keep in mind as you are reading the post is that these wage numbers represent basic pay; wages typically increase by 50 to 100% with appearance money and bonuses.

For the first time Sportingintelligence has published the average basic weekly wages, division by division, of footballers in England for the past 25 years. And it makes fascinating reading.

One thing to keep in mind as you are reading the post is that these wage numbers represent basic pay; wages typically increase by 50 to 100% with appearance money and bonuses.

Okay, if the next England manager has to be English, who do we choose? Here are some of the English manager currently employed as football managers (seems like a good filter), in order of preference (some rational, some not):

Alan Pardew hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Lee Clark knows how to win, was a good player, should be a dark horse, but ideally would have managed and succeeded in the Premiership.

Reports emerging claim that Manchester City are preparing to sell Tevez in the January transfer window for £25 million. The PFA's decision to cut in half Tevez's 4 week wage fine seems to have been the last straw for Roberto Mancini.

The club has always maintained that Mancini has the last say in the Tevez saga and with the Italian maintaining that Tevez would not play as long as he was coach of City, Tevez could be on his way out of the Premier League.

The Carlos Tevez saga took an interesting twist Thursday when the Professional Footballers Association made its decision to half Tevez's 4 week wage fine handed to him earlier by the club claiming they were disappointed with City's decision.

The club on the other hand, revealed that the PFA's decision to back Tevez on the matter was shocking and generated a conflict of interest.

PFA's Evra-Suarez peace plan is blocked

Attempt to mediate between Liverpool and United stars failed admits union boss

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-10-27 21:30:57 from: The Mirror

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

• Kop That: Stoke 1-2 LFC: 7 great videos http://t.co/JEx3jhRS 22:57:09, 2011-10-27
• Kop That: EXCLUSIVE: Liverpool target Toon's Coloccini http://t.co/hoyOfGnc 22:42:35, 2011-10-27
• Kop That: PFA's Evra-Suarez peace plan is blocked http://t.co/Clf5KE72 22:42:32, 2011-10-27
• Kop That: EXCLUSIVE: Fed-up stars may boycott anti-racism campaign http://t.

If there is one thing that we know at Dexy's Den, it's that we love a nice cold beer.. Chang Beer that is. What makes it even better is their new on-pack promotion for two lucky winners to win the once in a lifetime chance to Live The Life of a premier league footballer for a whole weekend.

Thomas Vermaelen has signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal believed to be four years. It is brilliant news for all Gooners after so much talk of players wanting to leave in the summer and the eventual departure of both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri.

TV5, who is said to be close to full fitness said: "I am really happy to have signed a new contract with Arsenal.

PFA's Taylor ready to mediate in Suarez-Evra race row

Professional Footballers Association chief executive Gordon Taylor says he is ready to act as a mediator following Patrice Evra's accusations of racism against Luis Suarez.

View the full story here: BBC

A news article on 2011-10-17 16:36:52 from: BBC

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

PFA's Gordon Taylor offers to mediate in Luis Suárez-Patrice Evra row

• 'It's something we've done in the past,' says chief executive • Liverpool want Evra ban if race claim is groundless The Professional Footballers' Association chief executive, Gordon Taylor, has offered to act as a mediator in the Luis Suárez-Patrice Evra race row .

Why English football DOES need a Rooney Rule

Any initiative that tackles racism will have my total support. That's why I am right behind the PFA's ­attempt to import the so-called Rooney Rule into English football. It was the paucity of black coaches in ­America's NFL that led to legislation framed by Pittsburg Steelers' owner Dan Rooney to change the status quo.

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(From Yesterday's QPR Photoshoot (No Championship Trophy - at least in this photo!)
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Bushman's 1936-37 Photo Archives
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- Throughout the day, the QPR Report Messageboard has news updates, comments and perspectives - even links to other board comments of interest re QPR matters (on and off the field) along with football (and ONLY football) topics in general.

Here's the final installment of this Seasons Prem Wars trilogy sans the Lightsabres and Orks although the Death star does get a mention. This is how I fancy the top tier of the English league to look come May 2012. I'll also have a punt on the Champions League. Barcelona...no surprise there then.

Part 2 of my season preview sees me look at the chances of the mid tablers. If it pans out anything like last season, these predictions could be all over the shop and separated by just 8 points come May. I'm on a hiding to nothing really ain't I hey?

We continue....

14 Bolton

The Trotters disappointed me last season, I thought Owen Coyle really had something but the longer the season went on, the worse they got.

It's here at last, sort off, some games may be re-scheduled, due to the terrible rioting the country has seen over the past week, but hopefully things will run smoothly over the coming weeks. Back to the footy, there have been untold comings and goings in pre-season on and off the football field.

Despite reports suggesting otherwise, Gerardo Bruna's move from Liverpool to Blackpool will be on a permanent basis, we understand.
And the deal is very close to completion, as the Blackpool Gazette also reported yesterday.
Sky Sports and the PFA's website have both published articles in the past few days stating that the Argentine`s transfer to Bloomfield Road would only be on loan.

David Gill has today spoken about the FA's treatment of Manchester United last season, claiming that they singled us out for harsher punishments because we're the country's biggest club.

Wayne Rooney was given a two match ban for swearing at the camera, despite the laws of football making no distinction between any sort of swearing.

The Sunday Mirror is reporting today that Neil Taylor is taking legal advice about whether to sue Swansea City for breach of contract. Neil Taylor has lodged inquiry with PFA Neil was on Tyneside for a few days after returning from his vacation in Spain, but no deal has yet been announced by Newcastle, [.

10 Sunderland (16)
Bruce & his Black Cats seemed to be the cats whiskers doing well until he found out that he's daughter was seeing Darren Bent. I'm sure Bruces face was picture ....a nasty picture with that mush. Bent was on his toes in no time with a big move down to the Midlands with Houllier where he continued to keep scoring.

With a week to reflect on the last 10 months of footy I can safely come to conclusion that it was a belter! This 2010-2011 brought us the tightest Premiership in yonks with just the cats whiskers separating the top teams from the bottom. Some people are preaching that it was a very weak league compared to others of the past but surely the smaller gap points means that it is improving as a whole with the so called smaller fish giving the big whales a run for their money.