Self-harming England give Fabio Capello plenty to ponder | Paul Hayward
From Wayne Rooney's temper to an inability to regain control of matches, the national team make life hard for themselvesFabio Capello must now prepare not for one European Championship, but two. At some point in the group stage – after one game or tw...
Newcastle United’s French scouting policy is no laughing matter | Paul Hayward
The recruits identified by Graham Carr, father of the comedian Alan, offer Mike Ashley the chance of the last laughWhen Newcastle appointed the dad of a well-known comedian as chief scout it must have looked like another joke on Tyneside. Instead Graha...
Disorder and demons afflict Wayne Rooney on the international stage | Paul Hayward
The England striker's attempts to be a great player for his country continue to be peppered with problemsTournaments bring disorder to Wayne Rooney's life. And vice versa. Broken metatarsals, red cards and prolonged listlessness pepper his attempts to ...
Carlos Tevez affair takes hammer to love, trust and loyalty | Paul Hayward
Striker's refusal to go on was the perfect demonstration of what happens when players no longer feel allegiance to their clubsWith love tattooed on one set of knuckles – and hate on the other fist – today's Premier League spectator observes the mod...
Paul Scholes: Manchester United’s quiet man breaks cover
Paul Scholes was never one to court publicity but this week spoke out in support of Carlos Tevez. Retirement is certainly bringing out another side of the former midfielderThe next day Paul Scholes's 85-year-old agent, Harry Swales, picks up the phone ...
Carlos Tevez is the purest form of an accident waiting to happen | Paul Hayward
Manchester City and Roberto Mancini are just the latest to fall foul of the Argentinian's endless quest for better termsTwo summers ago Carlos Tevez rang a Manchester City team-mate and told him he wanted to leave Eastlands. "Don't do it. This place is...
Raw Phil Jones still has much to learn about the art of defending | Paul Hayward
The versatile newcomer's pairing with Rio Ferdinand was a union of strangers and the younger stopper was sometimes too clever for his own goodManchester United fans may not like this but Phil Jones shares with another Prestonian a sweet marauding talen...
Arsenal cannot escape conviction deficit despite win over Bolton | Paul Hayward
Arsène Wenger's team operate as a loose collective of individuals rather than the tight fighting force of oldFor more than a minute Robin van Persie was barely visible in a throng of five Bolton players who were clearly not inviting him round for dinn...
Michael Owen: ‘It would be too much of a waste for me to retire early’
The striker has been criticised for coasting at Manchester United but remains as ambitious as everFor such a private man Michael Owen has fought a lot of public battles recently, abandoning his natural reserve to confront widespread condescension. By f...
Boxing’s larcenists must not be allowed to judge at London Olympics | Paul Hayward
If amateur boxing is incapable of fair judging, the IOC should set up their own body for the Games, with people it can trustThese days you can pre-pay for all sorts of advantages, including the right to suffer sooner on an easyJet flight. They call it ...
Kenny Dalglish resolute in pursuing Liverpool’s unfinished revolution | Paul Hayward
There will be no turning back for the Liverpool manager who is convinced his squad are developing a formidable strengthNot all transitions are as smooth as Kenny Dalglish succeeding Kevin Keegan in the Liverpool sides of the 1970s, as the current manag...
Wayne Rooney banished to the role of England’s accidental tourist | Paul Hayward