Paul Murphy

Writer

The fantasy football of Sócrates and Raí

One was a member of the best team never to win a World Cup, the other one of the most pragmatic to. This is the story of Sócrates and Raí

Celtic and the discord of the 1990s

Celtic may be bidding to become the first Scottish club to win ten consecutive titles, but fans will never forget the dark 90s

Names of the Nineties: Paolo Di Canio

Paolo Di Canio was something special. The skill, passion and a face that was permanently of extreme emotion were features idolised by fans in England

Southeast Asia: the last frontier of the football world

THE EYES OF THE FOOTBALL WORLD have been firmly focused on the Far East since Chinese Super League teams began splashing vast amounts of cash on some top European, South American and…

Why Thailand is becoming a new football destination

North America remains the destination of choice for big-name players past their prime looking to prolong their careers in a new environment. China has tried to muscle in on that market and…

The Indomitable Lions and Africa’s false dawn

In 1977, Pelé predicted that an African team would win the World Cup before the year 2000, but this was widely met with scepticism by those who had seen the dismal efforts…