Euro 2012: How refreshing – England for once does not expect | Paul Wilson
The new manager Roy Hodgson has admitted that far from the strongest squad ever to leave these shores will be going to Euro 2012. Which should help ease the pressureWithin hours of Roy Hodgson naming his England squad for the European Championship, boo...
Roy Hodgson liking John Updike will take some getting used to | Barney Ronay
The new England manager is serious and classy so should he really be reading work by such a frisky author?Refracted unflatteringly through the prism of modern football's revolving idiot-scope, there is a tendency for football managers to dwindle away t...
Roy Hodgson liking John Updike will take some getting used to | Barney Ronay
The new England manager is serious and classy so should he really be reading work by such a frisky author?Refracted unflatteringly through the prism of modern football's revolving idiot-scope, there is a tendency for football managers to dwindle away t...
Chelsea v Bayern Munich: football isn’t immune to national economic fortunes | Stefan Szymanski
If the era of Spanish clubs' profligacy draws to a close, Barça and Real will struggle to find decent competition at homeIt's human nature to see a morality play in the jumble of daily events: as the Spanish economy is tumbling from one crisis to the ...
Chelsea aim to seize their final chance and join European elite | Daniel Taylor
For Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba this could be a last chance, against the odds on Bayern Munich's own groundIt weighs 18lb. "A big, heavy thing," according to Pep Guardiola, the last manager to lift it to the skies. It stands 73cm tall and it took 3...
Premier League final Sunday: 10 matches, 10 issues on the last day | John Ashdown
From the title to top scorer via some wanted and unwanted farewells, there's a lot going on this Sunday1 Title raceThere's no doubt that the main focus on Sunday will be on events at the Stadium of Light and the Etihad Stadium. A win for Manchester Cit...
Europa League finalists typify a tournament that makes Thursdays fun | Kevin McCarra
Athletic Bilbao and Atlético Madrid are the stars in a competition that has debunked conventional football wisdomYour remote has a time‑travel button. It only works on certain days and there is often a need to scour the television schedules to find ...
Blackburn Rovers facing their nightmare scenario | David Conn
Relegation from the Premier League is the result of 18 months under the puzzling and bizarre ownership of Venky'sNo football club executive writes to his paymasters warning of relegation and financial collapse unless he is driven to feel desperate and ...
Blackburn fans focus anger on Steve Kean amid suspicions of fowl play | Paul Wilson
Rovers' relegation confirmed in atmosphere of bitter resignation but Wigan supporters hail Roberto Martínez after team's escapeOn the night, a wet and gloomy one, there was little between the two sides but everything between the two managers and the t...
Yaya Touré, the Manchester City colossus, proves worth every penny | Louise Taylor
Majestic midfielder justifies superstar fee and salary by firing Manchester City to the brink of Premier League gloryYaya Touré cost Manchester City around £24m and earns £250,000 a week. Even in the context of Premier League economics these remain ...
Big relief for Big Sam Allardyce after fortune smiles on West Ham | David Hytner