Football Diary
by Patrick O'Connor
A vision of football in the future emerged last week and although on the face it seemed a miserable prospect, there could be a hidden bonus.
The president of Spanish giants Barcelona Sandro Rosell was quoted as saying that the English Premier League needs to be cut by four teams to help the Champions League.
Football Diary
by Patrick O'Connor
“ME mam says I can come out to play.”
No, this isn't the throw-away line from a young kid as he skips to the park with his mates but the likely conversation between Mason Bennett and Championship football club Derby County.
Football Diary
by Patrick O'Connor
LIKE many people I thoroughly enjoyed watching Spain again demonstrate the art of possession football in their European Championship win over Scotland.
But Neil Warnock, the outspoken manager of Premier League side QPR, isn't a fan of what he describes as 'tippy-tappy football.'
Sports Diary
by Patrick O’Connor
YOU might think that British Members of Parliament have enough on their plate at the moment dealing with the phone hacking scandal that has engulfed the country but far from it, some of them want to sort out football.
The House of Commons culture, media and sport committee has suggested that the Football Association tackles financial instability and debt in the game.
IN what appears to be a very brave piece of marketing spiel, a Championship club is offering supporters a ‘money back guarantee’ on their season tickets if they are not happy with the summer transfer activity.
Derby County are owned by a Stateside company and their American chief executive Tom Glick told the club’s website that they are committed to investing in the first team squad in the close season to mount a challenge for a top six place next season.
A good friend of mine is currently awaiting news of whether he will lose his job. He works for a local authority which employs over 7,000 people and is looking to axe 600 by the end of March. That scenario is being acted out in both public and private organisations throughout the country as the financial crisis sweeping the UK tightens its grip.