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Win the chance to play FIFA 11 against Wayne Rooney

Wayne is on the look-out for goal celebrations that show the fun and passion of the beautiful game. He wants to see you sit down if you love FIFA. You could create a celebration with your team mates or a friend, on a Sunday morning pitch or at your local 5-a-side centre. Just remember the…

Manchester United After Hamsik, Cavani and Bale? Only in Football Manager…

Rooney has signed a new contract but the tongue-wagging continues – everyone from the 3 Up Front team on this week’s show to your friendly neighbourhood rumour mill – think that Wayne Rooney is out on his way from Manchester United. And even if he isn’t, the ‘promise’ of extra spending on the Manchester United…

Vote Rigging 101: How World Cup Votes Can Be Bought And Sold

The FIFA executive committee that votes on World Cup hosts uses an ‘exhaustive ballot’ system, whereby the candidate receiving the fewest votes in each round is eliminated until a single candidate is chosen by the majority. This method is open to corruption, and I’ll explain how below. Note that this is not a condemnation of…

Fifa World Cup Voters

They’ve got the whole world in their hands…or at least the destination of the next two World Cups, which is still more valuable than 99% of any ‘voting’ privileges you can possibly find, and arguably more valuable than a seat on the UN Security Council. The 24 men who form FIFA’s executive committee are scheduled…

Paul The Octopus dies…can we get back to the football please?

“Paul” the Octopus is dead. If you, like me, were watching the World Cup with all the dread and disinterest of a Manchester United / England fan (there really was nothing for us to see last summer, barring Chicarito), the octopus business was one of the more annoying facets of the World Cup watching experience….

Wayne Rooney – It’s All About The Money, Not Titles

As a lifelong Manchester United fan, Rooney was my favourite United player till last week. It seems almost childish to talk about ‘favourite’ players when you’re a football journalist, but this is no time for keeping up pretenses. Ruud was a legend, but he was gone. Ronaldo was unstoppable, but he wasn’t a fighter. Rooney…

NESV will borrow money for Liverpool, just like Hicks and Gillett

Football club ownership, like politics and any public sphere activity that commands the attention of the masses (i.e. is a money-spinner), is an absolute sham. You’re not only being lied to be the players involved but also by the people you trust to tell you the truth, all at the expense of money and a…

Fifa should ban corruption, not Nigeria

Fifa suspended Nigeria from participating in any international football fixtures after government interference in the game. Fifa rules – and this is a good rule in principle – prohibit any government interference with it’s members. It makes sense – you want sport to stay free from political influences, and from a global perspective having a…

The truth about Manchester United’s contracts and transfers policies

Manchester United’s policy to sign young players – accepting that grooming young players made more economic and long-term sense (and built a team rather than a collection of superstars) has been used by critics to complain about the club’s debts. Never mind that a focused effort on grooming young players is the hallmark of all…

Benitez: Liverpool directors know nothing about football

I like Rafa – I’ve defended him in the past when even the Liverpool fans had turned on him – but he can be terribly transparent when it comes to manipulating the press. So when he says: “The last year at Liverpool I had directors who knew nothing about football and you couldn’t talk about…