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

THE Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich must thinking that football is a puzzling sport.

Since taking over the Stamford Bridge club nine years ago, the Russian has coughed up million and millions of pounds and has casually sacked a host of high-profile managers for failing to come up with the present he wants the most – a Champions League trophy.

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.

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.

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.