John Doyle | The World is a Ball

Remember Dimitar Berbatov? He scored one of those Nonchalance goals for Monaco. Outrageous… Continue reading

Spain’s coach Vicente del Bosque holds the World Cup trophy on stage during the draw for the 2014 World Cup at the Costa do Sauipe resort in Sao Joao da Mata, Bahia state, December 6, 2013. (Reuters)

My fast & furious reaction to World Cup Draw

The World Cup trophy is seen in Johannesburg July 11, 2010. (KAI PFAFFENBACH/REUTERS)

Time to consider World Cup Top Four and more. We now know the 32 countries at World Cup. Who’s hot, not & might surprise. An eccentric List

Samir Nasri, Roberto Soldado and Juan Mata have all endured somewhat frustrating starts to the 2013-14 season. Photograph: Sportsphoto/Corbis/AFP

Man City, Chelsea & Spurs spent about $415 million US dollars on players. Man City sits 8th in EPL

Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane

Martin O’Neill, famously cerebral, and Roy Keane, famously always-furious, to co-manage Rep of Ireland team. Announcement expected soon…… Continue reading

Here is Simon Kuper’s picky review of Alex Ferguson’s controversial book.

Here, however, is how things went when Ferguson was interviewed by Channel 4’s Jon Snow about the book and AF’s career…

JS: “The interesting thing about you is you brought on all these incredible star players, Keane, Beckham, van Nistelrooy, and yet you fell out with all of them.”

AF: “Well those three.”

JS: “And Rooney in a sense. And Norman Whiteside . . . and Paul Ince?”

AF: “Yeah, but you have to deal with things as they are at the time . . . control is all.”

JS: “Sounds a bit Stalinist.”

AF: “Jesus Christ!”… Continue reading

Rep of Ireland International Stephanie Roche’s sensational goal goes viral, the world is awed…… Continue reading

The Tables. Sure to make it: Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands. Otherwise, lots of surprises to come… Continue reading

“Lambert, not afraid of a bit of hard work, spent the summer of 2001 working in a beetroot factory, before Macclesfield offered him £50 a week in travel expenses.”

Now he’s playing for England…… Continue reading

The Origins & Heroines of Women’s Soccer in England…(“quite unsuitable for females” it was said). Oh my… Continue reading

Wayne Rooney looks likely to leave Manchester United with Chelsea desperate to secure his services. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

Chelsea “furious.” Wayne Rooney is “angry and confused.” David Moyes is “playing hardball. This week, the EPL is better than Coronation Street and just as disconnected from reality. Wayne Rooney’s value is now a figment of somebody’s imagination… Continue reading

Papiss Cissé, striker for Newcastle United

English Premier League now has 40 Muslim players… the impact.

“Children playing football in the parks of Newcastle have even been spotted falling to their knees as if in prayer themselves after scoring a goal.”… Continue reading

According to John Doyle, Brazil looks dazzling at times but must improve tactically. (Andre Penner/AP)

Brazil not “ready” to win World Cup. Tactics are “jejune”, this guy says… Continue reading

A woman watches the Confederation Cup match between Brazil and Mexico on a television in Rio de Janeiro on June 19. (PILAR OLIVARES/REUTERS)

Television’s coverage of sports is as shallow as it is vast. Protests in Brazil, Turkey & the insult of the spectacle…… Continue reading

You got your Confederations Cup in Brazil. And the protests. And all the big shot players. You got the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey. You got mad money in the European transfer market. And then there’s this: Women’s Soccer in India. A reminder of why the game, in its simplicity and universality, actually matters at all:

http://youtu.be/xkB6_8DAn5o… Continue reading