All logic dictates that Peter Crouch should not have had a particularly successful career. That is not to say he lacks talent – as the old and tired maxim goes, “he’s got…
Tag: spotlight
WALK INTO ANY one of San Sebastián’s famed pintxo bars (tx is ch in Basque) and it is more than likely that you will find framed photos hanging from the walls containing…
On the lengthy walk down the Seven Sisters road to White Hart Lane, there’s a banner outside one of the few reasonably priced pubs that wields a picture of Daniel Levy. The caption…
There can be no doubting that social media is an essential and intrinsic part of modern life. Facebook can boast around 1.9 billion monthly users, just over a quarter of the planet’s population.…
A deluded self-publicist with no money; the man who some doubt even existed; a non-football lover who only bought the club to get his money back; and the Russian subject to a…
Medium sized clubs providing a proving ground for footballing talent is one of the most common features of modern football, and particularly the transfer market. Clubs with promising young players will be watched…
“He has pneumonia,” said the bald-headed surgeon, his eyes narrowing at the patient lying prone in the bed. “He’s on a life support machine. I’m not certain how long he will live.” The…
It was possibly the most significant goal ever seen at Carrow Road, the home of Norwich City. Yet it did not mean a thing to the home team, who by then had…
It’s shortly after 9pm on 1 July 2016 and Wales are taking on Belgium in a Euro 2016 quarter-final match in Lille, northern France. For many, this is a match-up between a…
THE YEAR WAS 1993. Across Britain, radio stations juggled the eclectic sounds of Meat Loaf, Haddaway, Pet Shop Boys, and UB40, cult comedy Groundhog Day arrived in cinemas, Irvine Welsh’s breakthrough novel…
THE NAME Carlos Queiroz provokes disparate sentiments in the minds of supporters of the clubs and countries which he has coached or managed throughout the years. Portuguese fans, in general, view him…
Becoming a professional footballer aged 22, Ian Wright had to contend with numerous challenges before he went on to become a legend at Palace and Arsenal
IN THE IMMEDIATE aftermath of a whirlwind 90 minutes at the King Power stadium, few could have blamed Craig Shakespeare for coming out with some overly-emotive comments. The past hour-and-a-half of his…
FALSE NINE, REGISTA, LIBERO; these are all terms that will undoubtedly be familiar to the typical football enthusiast. As indeed will the players associated with them, the likes of Lionel Messi, Andrea…
In the footballing dictionary, ‘world-class’ is often defined by a player’s ability to prove decisive in a match of high-importance. While other members of the team may take a step back, those…
After 21 years with Arsène Wenger at the helm, as the finish line for the 2016-17 Premier League race for the title comes into sight and the club remains well adrift of…
From the 17th to the 19th century, there existed a custom amongst the British upper class, famously known as the Grand Tour. Considered as a necessary rite of passage for aristocrats, this tradition became…
ON 23 FEBRUARY 2017, Russian side Krylya Sovetov faced Kazakh side Kairat Almaty in a behind closed doors friendly. Kairat won the game 1-0 thanks to a goal from Brazilian Isael Barbosa.…