Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

THERE may not be much football being played at the moment in the run-up to the start of Euro 2012 but that doesn't mean there hasn't been much activity.

Football purists will be delighted by the news that the game's governing body in England, the Football Association, has decided that small-sided formats for certain age-groups will be mandatory from now on.

Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

OH dear, it's all getting a bit emotional at Chelsea.

Despite spending millions and millions of pounds on players and changing coaching staff at the owner's whim they aren't winning every single match 6-0. Isn't that a shame.

Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

FABIO Capello and Harry Redknapp have been the names in the headlines this past week but for the majority of football clubs in England there are more pressing matters.

Apparently those wise men at Fifa are planning to scrap the emergency loan window (whereby clubs outside the Premier League can loan players outside the main transfer windows) in 2014.

Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

TWO of the Premier League's top foreign managers have been upsetting the natives!

Chelsea's Portuguese boss Andre Villas-Boas really put the cat amongst the pigeons by suggesting that top Premier League clubs be allowed to field reserve sides in the Championship.

Sports Diary
by Patrick O’Connor

‘WHO are ya?’ is a popular football mantra, usually followed by ‘We are super…’, depending on which particular team you support.

But the 2012 Olympics has thrown up a particular challenge for those who like to chant.