This afternoon I was watching a league match from Costa Rica (San Carlos-Herediano), and I couldn't help but notice the condition of the grass field at San Carlos' stadium. I think I've seen potato patches in better condition than the field in San Carlos. It looked absolutely awful on TV and probably played even worse. Click to continue reading...

On the pitch and among the fans, Celtic and Rangers may be the fiercest of football rivals. When it comes to the business end of things, namely the mission to maximize their financial potential by fleeing the Scottish Premier League, the Old Firm pair are partners in crime. Like any good rivalry, Celtic and Rangers need each other.

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Just a few short weeks ago, Chelsea appeared the strongest team at least squad-wise in the English top flight. How quickly things can change.

Following this weekend's international break, the list of those on the treatment table has grown exponentially and not simply from lining up for their respective countries.

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It's back to league action this weekend as Gateshead make the long journey south to play Stevenage in a fixture which was last played in 1998 with the 'Tynesiders' winning the game 2-1 at the International Stadium. Boro though won the reverse fixture earlier that season 6-1, so I doubt the Gateshead fans have that fond of memories of Hertfordshire.

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Maddy's Note albeit to Maddy's Post: I generally write a post in about 40 minutes. This however is the maximum thought I have ever put in into any piece of writing (yes, it includes my examinations as well). Forgive me, but this is a dissertation sized post. You have been warned.

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World Cup winner George Cohen fears his old club Fulham may lose manager Roy Hodgson if Liverpool decides to part company with Rafael Benitez.
Reds boss Benitez is under intense scrutiny following just one win in their last nine games in all competitions.
The Anfield club is out of the Carling Cup and is on the brink of elimination from the Champions League, as well as being 11 points off the pace set by Chelsea at the top of the Premier League. Click to continue reading...

If Week 14 of the 2009/10 Ligue 1 season took a little while to warm up in terms of 'goals scored', it was well and truly ablaze by the time it ended.
And end it did with the most dramatic game seen in the French top flight for many a long year. Lyon and Marseille faced each other having gained important UEFA Champions League results last week (a 1-1 draw for Lyon over Liverpool and a 6-0 thrashing by Marseille over FC Zurich) while looking to keep pace with Bordeaux at the top of the Ligue 1 table. Click to continue reading...

The Premier League has rejected a plan to bring Celtic and Rangers into English football's top flight. Click to continue reading...

The big news for the Premier League today is that Premier League clubs have rejected a proposal to admit Scottish teams Celtic and Rangers into the English top flight.
It is being reported that over 14 of the Premier League chairmen have rejected this idea. Click to continue reading...

It's human nature for us to take things for granted. When they're taken away from us, we moan and complain. But while we have them, we often don't appreciate these things as much as we should.

The same goes for footballers and football managers. Years from now, we'll look back and talk incessantly about "the good 'ol days" when so and so was in the Premier League.

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Rafa interested in Samba Star.

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Interest is mounting for Brazilian hot property Hernanes who is strongly linked with a move to Italy but has also attracted the interest of a number of Premier League sides.

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Guido Erhard, who also struggled with depression

Big Story
The suicide of Robert Enke has shocked German football, with the country cancelling its friendly with Chile this Saturday and tributes pouring in.

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In August 1992, on the opening day of the inaugural Premier League season, 22 teams took to pitches up and down the country with just 11 players born outside the British Isles named in the starting line-ups. 17 seasons later and with the foreign invasion showing no signs of slowing down, English born players have become a minority in their own top flight.

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The forthcoming season of world football is set to be the most thrilling in recent history concluding with one man holding aloft that hallowed golden trophy in Jo'berg next summer.

As top-flight action kicks off around the globe, who should we be looking out for? Which players are capable of bursting on to the international scene and emulating the famous exploits of an adolescent Owen during France '98?

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The International Break is a Welcome One for Top Squads

The 1-1 Inter-Roma draw this weekend highlighted the risk for top flight Serie A clubs participating in international tournaments; Inter has played three matches this month already and eight in the past 22 days.

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Robert Enke worked very hard over his career for his spot on the national team, playing in Portugal, Spain, Turkey and finally in the Bundesliga, for Hannover 96. He won eight caps for Germany, and was in position to be the country's #1 keeper in the upcoming World Cup. Enke committed suicide on Tuesday, November 10th by throwing himself under a train. Click to continue reading...

Q. Where do you see Chester City FC and Steve Vaughan in 5 years time?

A. Chester City in the Championship or even the top flight. As for myself, still chairman unless of course you know something I don't! Are you the VAT man, or the Taxman or maybe even the police?

In October 2004, Stephen Vaughan was interviewed by the independent Chester City website "Blues Mad" and volunteered that answer to a question from a supporter of the club.

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When it comes to the Premier League, the arguments could go on all night. The debate could turn ugly. The question even secretly burns in the mind of true believers.Which English top flight club has the most cumulative cool in the way of celebrity supporters?The four of us went off to research five clubs each, then came back with the data, made our individual tables and then averaged them out. Click to continue reading...

This Sunday was fairly familiar for me. I was sporting a cracking hangover and woke up wondering what happened the previous night. The ‘Big Clash' of the day, as usual, didn't match the hype that it was given. Patrice Evra failed to remember he's a great left-back against Chelsea and an angry Scotsmen made more comments about a referee.

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by CARL ELDRIDGEÂ The goal-hungry Gunners are on course for a record-breaking ton of Premier League goals.

And this merits mention in today's Press with the Daily Mirror telling us that Arsene Wenger's men notched four more goals at Wolves to take their top-flight tally to 36 already in just 11 games.

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Hull City face another critical game this afternoon in the Premier League as they welcome Tony Pulis' tough tackling Stoke City to the KC stadium. Hull manager Phil Brown is under immense pressure to deliver 3 points following the recent boardroom shake up which has left the Tigers boss with a highly uncertain future at the North East club. Click to continue reading...

It's Ask the Oppo time again and this week Carl Eldridge talks to Molineux regular Peter Hayes ahead of the Gunners' trip to Wolves in the Premier League...

CE: Wolves are back on the big stage after such a long and painful period so life in the top flight must be enjoyable?

PH; Yes it certainly has been a journey supporting the Wolves over the years and yes we are loving it, it really is the place to be.

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Just when Rafa Benitez thought things couldn't get any worse, a study published by Foster's today reveals the Liverpool manager is officially one of the most worried managers in the Premiership.

The leading Aussie beer brand analysed the interviews and statements from every Premiership manager since the beginning of the season using its Ozometer, an algorithm developed specifically to analyse language and word sequences to determine how worried or carefree a person is.

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It's about time we shone our Jeu du Jour spotlight on Auxerre as we look back on Week 11. The only team never to be relegated from France's top flight started off this season as though that might all change, but after a defeat in each of their first three games, they now find themselves unbeaten in eight and up to fifth in the table. Click to continue reading...

I know I just talked about Liverpool yesterday, but now I'm not done.

Steven Gerrard has been quoted (recently) as saying that Xabi Alonso is the "difference in us from last year."Â {If you are not aware Xabi Alonso is an excellent midfielder who jumped ship and went to to [you guessed it] Real Madrid.

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It is difficult for a team to recover after losing few games in a row so you can imagine how Grenoble players feel after losing 12 straight games. The League Cup defeat to Lorient probably wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for 11 defeats in as many Ligue 1 games this term.

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After a decade in relative anonymity at the wrong end of the English football league pyramid, you would think Hull City fans would be enjoying their spell in the limelight. But given the worrying nature of the headlines over the past few weeks, you could forgive them for wishing for a return to the peace and quiet of the lower leagues.

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He was given a stay of execution by his new chairman but I still fear Phil Brown's days are numbered.
Adam Pearson returned to the club two years after his departure, replacing Paul Duffen, who saw the club join the Premier League under his tenure but also accrue alarming levels of debt at the same time. Click to continue reading...

Reports over the weekend linked former Boro favourite and now Peterborough forward George Boyd with a £6m move to Tottenham. Boyd has been arguably the Posh's best player in their first season in the Championship so far and his recent form is thought to have alerted Premier League clubs to making an offer.

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Ivorian considers his long term future.

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Emmanuel Eboue has announced his ambition to turn out for Paris St Germain at some stage of his career.

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The Barclays Premier League may be the most popular sports league in the world, but it is not the most popular football league in the United States. That distinction would fall to the Mexican League. But now, we have empirical data that the EPL is trailing our own top flight domestic league, Major League Soccer in interest, awareness and support.

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Pompey mount revival. Following a miserable season start of 7 losses, conceding 13 goals and netting just 3 in the process, the South Coast club, rooted in last place, were everyone's early season pick for relegation. But how quickly things change in football. In the last 4 matches, Portsmouth have scored 10 goals, conceded just 2 and amassed 7 crucial points on the way to Premiership survival.

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Let's remind ourselves of the roller coaster ride that the fans of 1. FSV Mainz 05 have been on during the summer of 2009. In March this year, the Mainzer were forced to say goodbye to their influential midfielder Markus Feulner who had signed a pre-contract deal with Borussia Dortmund after impressive displays for the second tier side.

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A Halloween weekend for the 11th matchday saw tricks and treats for various clubs, players and managers. In honor of the holiday, we will take a look at those who got their candy this weekend and those who got toilet papered.

Treat: Inter Milan on Top

An expected win by Inter over Lavorno coupled with a Juventus loss to Napoli and Sampdoria tie with Bari has left the Nerazzurri seven points up on the top of the table.

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Burnley's scintillating 3-3 draw against Manchester City at the Eastlands wasn't just any old point for Owen Coyle's men. It was the Clarets first point collected on their travels in the top flight of English football since their 1-0 victory at Newcastle United on 17 April 1976.

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