Only a dogged never-say-die attitude enabled Roy Hodgson's men to fight back and beat Sweden in their second Euro 2012 game. It certainly wasn't down to talent.

Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

LOVE the idea being suggested by a part-time professional league which operates in the north of England.

The Northern League, said to be one the world's oldest professional leagues, is set to introduce “secret shoppers” to spot officials and players who swear during games.

YOU would think that any newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch would be treading very carefully at the moment.

The Australian's media empire is under extreme scrutiny following the phone hacking scandal in the UK and Murdoch himself is seen as having had far too much influence with British politicians over  the past few years.

THE sacking of Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson  on Saturday morning was preceded a couple of days before by comments from the chief executive of the League Managers Association warning that clubs should not be “treated as the playthings of the super rich”.

Hodgson was one of four managers reportedly at risk from the axe along with Gerard Houllier at Aston Villa, Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea and Avram Grant at West Ham.