News & Comment

Inside News & Comment

Jose Mourinho lifts the European Cup for the second time in his career following Inter's win on Saturday

James Lawton: Special One's school of science is a lesson in substance over style

Monday, 24 May 2010

Internazionale engaged the brain rather than the heart. If it was a form of larceny it was also, in the cold perfection of its execution, worthy of a raid on the Louvre

Two held over World Cup packages 'fraud'

Monday, 24 May 2010

Two people were arrested on suspicion of fraud after an internet company sold football fans costly World Cup packages to South Africa before telling them it had gone bust, police said today.

Cesc Fabregas is put through his paces by Arsène Wenger a year after his transfer from Barcelona to Arsenal

Sam Wallace: Wenger cannot complain when Fabregas goes home

Monday, 24 May 2010

Talking Football: It has been great fun for English clubs to pick off the fruit of Europe'sbest clubs – but the best are proving hard to keep and even harder to replace

<b>Christine Bleakley</b><br/> Frank Lampard's other half could well be making an appearance in South Africa, although she may need to get some time off from her role as presenter of the BBC's One Show.

World Cup Watch: WAGs and celebrities

Monday, 24 May 2010

In anticipation of the World Cup, The Independent is running down the key people and factors to keep an eye out for in South Africa with our World Cup Watch series.

The Blackpool manager, Ian Holloway, raises the play-off trophy at Wembley

Play-offs give smallest of clubs something massive to aim at

Monday, 24 May 2010

Gillingham, newly relegated to League Two, have just reappointed Andy Hessenthaler as manager with instructions to get the club back up to League One. But why stop there?

Wayne Rooney enjoyed being named footballer of the year but it was another chaotic seven days for Fabio as Jamie Carragher said yes, Paul Scholes said no, David Beckham became a coach, and the 'Capello Index' caused a media storm

Matt Gatward: Rooney's worst nightmare becomes an adman's dream

Monday, 24 May 2010

View from the Sofa: World Cup advertising, ITV 1

Lord Triesman 'never phoned me,' said the LMA's Richard Bevan

Very English farce is a load of John Bull

Sunday, 23 May 2010

The Last Word: 'Lord Treason' and other 'traitors' are rolled over by bandwagon of hype – until Ingerlund myth comes shuddering to another halt

Outside the Box: South African singer tries to track down Tractor Boys' pop-picker

Sunday, 23 May 2010

One of South Africa's leading pop singers wants to trace a former fellow trainee at Ipswich Town and invite him to the World Cup as a thank you for putting his career on the right track; towards music rather than football. Elan Lea had trials at Portman Road 10 years ago and was hugely impressed with a player whose name he cannot remember, who was worried Lea would not be taken on. "Now if this guy was concerned, and I remember him being great, then I definitely had a reason to be concerned because I knew I wasn't the next Beckham or Messi," Lea said. He has now signed up with Universal, with a debut single being released in the UK next month, as well as "growing heart-throb status with a top placement in 'Heat' magazine's Manometer". Ipswich triallists, circa 2000, should make themselves known. It may yet prove Darren Bent's best chance of making this summer's World Cup.

Lord Triesman's behaviour became a matter of public interest

James Lawton: Lineker's gesture was understandable but Triesman's loose words were mind-boggling

Saturday, 22 May 2010

A straightforward business you might say, Gary Lineker's resignation as a Mail on Sunday columnist after the newspaper's decision to publish the taped results of Lord Triesman's "entrapment" by a young woman apparently hell-bent on exploiting their relationship.

James keen to be new Pompey manager

Saturday, 22 May 2010

David James, the England goalkeeper, is to be interviewed for the vacant manager's job at Portsmouth, although his chances of landing the post look remote after the club's administrator, Andrew Andronikou, yesterday admitted it might be "too soon" for him.

Cardiff's in-form striker Michael Chopra has thrived at Championship level

Andy Cole: Chopra could make the difference today but DJ can mix it with the best

Saturday, 22 May 2010

Forward Thinking

<b>Charlton Athletic 2 Leeds United 1, 1987</b><br/> In 1986 the play-off concept was given the green light with the intention of making the football league more interesting. And it was Charlton Athletic and Leeds United who found themselves in the first final. Two-legs couldn't separate the sides so a decider was arranged to take place at Birmingham's St Andrews Stadium. The score at 0-0, the game went into extra time and Billy Bremner's (pictured) Leeds drew first blood through John Sheridan. But the The Whites couldn't hold on and the game was won thanks to a double from Peter Shirtliff in the final minutes. With this enthralling battle, 1987 laid the precedent for the fantastic encounters that were to come.

The ten best play-off finals

Friday, 21 May 2010

Blackpool take on Cardiff this weekend in the all-or-nothing Championship play-off final to determine who will be playing in the Premier League next season.

Beckham in surprise visit to Afghanistan

Friday, 21 May 2010

David Beckham spoke of his "admiration" for British troops in Afghanistan as he flew out on a surprise visit to the country today.

World Cup fans 'lose thousands as firm collapses'

Friday, 21 May 2010

Police were today investigating claims by football fans who said they have lost thousands of pounds after buying World Cup packages to South Africa from an internet company which then told them it had collapsed.

Lord Triesman 'never phoned me,' said the LMA's Richard Bevan

Triesman deserved to go, says head of League Managers Association

Friday, 21 May 2010

Lord Triesman showed "very poor judgement" as chairman of the Football Association and England 2018 and should be replaced by someone from the world of business, according to League Managers Association chief executive, Richard Bevan.

<b>THE PERFECT TREBLE</b><br/> <b>Celtic, 1967, Scottish Football League, Scottish Cup, European Cup</b><br/> Celtic became the first British team to win the European Cup after they beat Inter Milan in the final. As well as the two most prestigious domestic trophies, they also picked up the League Cup and Glasgow Cup as they swept aside all before them.

Treble treble: The teams that won the treble

Thursday, 20 May 2010

When Bayern Munich and Inter Milan battle it out in this weekend's Champions League final, not only will they be fighting for Europe's top prize, but will also be aiming to complete an historic treble.

<b>Diego Maradona (Argentina)</b><br/> However Argentina perform, Diego Maradona will be a major story at this World Cup. The tournament is synonymous with the pint-sized Argentinean and he returns as manager of the national team. Appointed in 2008, presumably on his reputation alone because he had no managerial experience, the former No 10 has already caused quite a storm. Argentina had a terrible qualification process and made it to South Africa by the skin of their teeth. Along the way, Maradona made bizarre team selections, marginalised Lionel Messi, saw the team equal their worst result in history and fell out with star player Juan Roman Riquelme (who's now retired as a result). When Argentina secured qualification, Maradona celebrated as though he was still a player, performing a forward dive on to his oversized belly. When he spoke to the media after the match, he told them to "suck it and keep on sucking it," in response to heavy criticism and was banned from all football activity for two months. But now he's back and he promises to be one of the stars of the show in 2010.

Maradona yells insults at injured cameraman

Thursday, 20 May 2010

Argentina coach Diego Maradona yelled insults at an injured cameraman after accidentally running over his leg following his World Cup squad announcement.

Linekar: 'this story goes against the national interest because the country is behind the 2018 bid'

Gary Lineker gives up his 'Mail on Sunday' column over paper's Triesman expos�

Wednesday, 19 May 2010

Gary Lineker is to stop writing his Mail on Sunday column in protest at its expos� of Lord Triesman which led to his resignation as chairman of the Football Association and England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup.

<b>JUAN SEBASTIAN VERON</b><br/> <b>Age:</b> 35<br/> <b>Club:</b> Estudiantes<br/> <b>Country:</b> Argentina<br/> The experienced midfielder will probably be remembered for his £28.1 million move to Manchester United and his failure to display his ability on a regular basis in England. Veron to his credit continues to dictate the midfield for his current club and country, despite his age.<br/> Argentina manager Diego Maradona has established Veron as a key player in his side, rewarding him with the playmaker role rather than to Lionel Messi. Veron has the important task of ensuring Messi gets plenty of time on the ball despite the close marking that will be employed against the Barcelona star.<br/> Despite his unsuccessful period in England, Veron has had a distinguished career in Argentina and Italy, winning four league titles. La Brujita (Little Witch), as he is known by Estudiantes fans, has also played for Boca Juniors, Sampdoria, Parma, Lazio and Inter Milan.

World Cup Watch: Blasts from the past

Wednesday, 19 May 2010

In anticipation of the World Cup, The Independent is running down the key people and factors to keep an eye out for in South Africa with our World Cup Watch series.

Fabregas has reportedly told Wenger he wants to join Barcelona

Wenger must take blame for Fabregas exit demand

Wednesday, 19 May 2010

James Lawton: The likes of Messi and Rooney know what it is to win the big trophies. Fabregas has only scraps

<b>1. Spain: &euro;303m</b><br/> Andres Iniesta (&euro;44m) and Fernando Torres (&euro;43m) are the most valuable Spanish players.

Which World Cup team is worth the most?

Wednesday, 19 May 2010

Research suggests that Spain will have the most valuable starting XI at this summer's World Cup.

World Cup bid remains strong says Coe

Wednesday, 19 May 2010

Sebastian Coe has reiterated his belief that the Lord Triesman affair has not inflicted terminal damage on England's 2018 World Cup bid.

Michel Platini said that he 'had a good relationship' with Lord Triesman and he will help him 'in his bad moment'

Platini stands up for Triesman and insists 2018 bid 'can recover'

Wednesday, 19 May 2010

The Uefa president Michel Platini has waded into the Lord Triesman controversy by offering his support to the peer who was forced to resign as chairman of the FA and England's 2018 World Cup bid after secret recordings were published.

Gary Lineker (right) and David Beckham at Wembley in support of England's 2018 bid

It would be hypocritical of me to take payment from the MoS

Wednesday, 19 May 2010

Exclusive: Gary Lineker: This story goes against the national interest because the country is behind the bid.

http://www.dream-2022.jp/en/index.html

Japan woos World Cup with high-tech

Wednesday, 19 May 2010

A state-of-the-art stadium will host the opening match and the final of the 2022 soccer World Cup finals - as long as Japan wins the right to stage the tournament when the decision is made on December 2.

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It's just like watching brazil...


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