Month: December 2010

TheRepublikofMancunia.com asked me to write up a description of my first live Manchester United match for his new project, My First United Game. Being from America, it was always going to be a big ask to get the money together for a trip to see Manchester United, but, finally after I landed first full-time job, I was able to realize that dream in December 2003.

Treat yourself to a listen to the much anticipated 3 Up Front Christmas special featuring host Adrian Clarke, Iain Spragg, Iain Macintosh and special guest, European football expert Andy Brassell….

Earlier today, Manchester United’s flimsy winger Nani traversed out on to a limb and effectively dismissed second-placed Arsenal’s Premier League aspirations by proclaiming fourth-place Chelsea as his side’s only serious…

Two years ago, Liverpool stalwart Jamie Carragher published ‘Carra…‘, an autobiography in which, amongst various jaunty tales of pre-meditated assault, the centre-back ‘questioned’ the work ethic of his former Anfield…

Nani has lifted the lid on what Sir Alex Ferguson told him to help transform him into the most feared winger in the Barclays Premier League, but it’s not what you think. Up until the middle of last season, the Manchester United winger was, and quite literally, waiting on the wings for his chance, but there was simple reason why – he needed to learn how to defend better.

Its summer 2010 and you are the chairman of a massive European club whose glories are becoming a distant memory. You are being overshadowed by your local neighbors and your…

The third club to come under the microscope in this series is Aston Villa. Gerard Houllier has had a tough job to do since taking over from Martin O’Neill. Injuries…

Last weekend snowy weather conditions played havoc with the Premier League fixture list, next week will probably be similar. The recent inclement weather does raise one important issue though as…

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Rafael Benitez’s time at Inter Milan is about to come to an end. If rumours are to be believed, this very night sees Rafa’s…

FIFA awarding the World Cup to Qatar in 2022 has certainly caught the imagination of the footballing public. For the first time ever the competition will make its way to…

Rafael Benitez’s tenure at Inter Milan is over after just six months in charge. The eccentric Spaniard raised a few eyebrows with his audacious quotes and evident obsession to do…

‘Twas only a matter of weeks ago that, courtesy of infamous whistle-blowing website Wikileaks, Manchester United found themselves to have been the subject of a $1bn takeover bid from Than…

Yesterday it seemed that, after just six months in the job, Rafa Benitez was living on borrowed time at Inter Milan as a wave of conjecture began to emanate from…

Up next in this mini-series is Everton. David Moyes has done a fantastic job at Goodison Park since taking over a just beyond eight years ago. However, they’ve found themselves…

In the last few years, and because of all of the greed that has entangled itself within it, football has become anything but beautiful. Manchester United is often seen as the evil empire of the football world that has tampered with the beautiful game, but even that jealousy-filled hatred has taken a backseat to all of the other turmoil surrounding the sport.

Atletico Madrid said goodbye to 2010 in La Liga last night, with a comfortable 3-0 victory over struggling Malaga. 2010 started with the Madrid side in fear of relegation and peaked in…

Mario Balotelli, who was linked heavily with a summer move to Manchester United, has completely disrespected some of his fellow professionals, which will not sit well with anyone involved in football. During his Golden Boy Trophy acceptance speech, the very talented, but clearly out-of-touch, Manchester City player boldly claimed that he did not know who Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere was, which goes to show how already self-absorbed he has become at such a young age.

A fortnight or so ago, debt-saddled (about €430 million at the last count) giants Barcelona announced that news that, for the first time in their grand 111-year history, the club…

By losing out to Everton in the Premier League yesterday evening, Manchester City fluffed a timely opportunity to celebrate wayward striker Carlos Tevez‘s new-found commitment to the cause and threw…

It would appear that the last few grains of sand are about to run through the egg-timer of fate for Rafa Benitez at Inter Milan, with almost every news outlet…

If you’re one of his mistresses then I suppose you already have. If you’re one of those potential Diego Maradona mistresses, then I suppose you’re in the wrong place. Everyone…

We are mere weeks away from the January transfer window and without doubt, a few of the league’s managers will be champing at the bit to get some business done…

Labouring under very flimsy pretences, Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is adamant that agitated striker Carlos Tevez will not receive a hostile reception from the jilted home support, when drop…

The wait is finally over. After 3 weeks of furious campaigning, a record 37k+ votes and an unbelievably positive response from fans, voters and nominees, the 2010 Soccerlens Awards winners…

Sir Alex Ferguson is on the verge of becoming the longest-ever serving manager at Manchester United, and that is solely because he is a one-of-kind visionary. Everyone knows that, “hindsight is always 20/20,” but the foresight that Ferguson possesses is uncanny to say the least, and that has enabled to carry on managing at the highest level for over 24 years.

Just days after convincingly defeating Arsenal, Manchester United head to Stamford Bridge as they brace themselves for yet another epic Barclays Premier League match with current the champions, Chelsea. Sir Alex Ferguson is preparing his team, who missed out on last year’s crown by a lonely point, for another six-pointer at the top of the league table with the club that took all six points off the Reds last season, and at a place where United has not tasted the thrill of victory in their last eight attempts.

Much has been made of Arsenal’s inability to win the big games, and how it may be the undoing of their title challenge. So after Monday night’s defeat at Old…