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.

Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

THE job of being a football referee is becoming more difficult every day and recent controversy over who should and should not be sent off for two-footed tackles is not making things any easier.

Indeed, it's almost becoming a witch hunt by television as pundits pour over, frame by frame, every contentious tackle.

Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

FOOTBALLERS can be really weird and do have some strange habits.

The Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, who is very much an old school type, has apparently lost his rag over his players following the latest Premier League fad of cutting up their socks!

Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

FOOTBALL can be a deliciously wicked game at times.

Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium was awash with celebration before they faced bottom club Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

IT'S the season of goodwill but in football that doesn't always mean that there are wise men about.

Take the Aston Villa and England striker Darren Bent for example. He was unavailable to play for his team in their home game against Liverpool because of injury.

Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

THE Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard got a bit miffed on Saturday.

Not only did he get a blow in the mouth causing him to bleed, but a nasty television cameraman had the nerve to move in for a close-up whilst the England player was receiving treatment on the touchline.