-
![]()
Real Madrid and the Art of Parking Players
Born and bred as the favoured sons of the imperious Spanish oligarchs, given the central, all-inclusive spirit which only the capital city can convey, Real Madrid have seldom encountered any barriers in their quest for global domination. From the times of Santiago Bernabeu to Florentino Perez, the club has churned out success in almost…
-
![]()
Scouting Report: Gian-Luca Waldschmidt
Another day in lockdown and another transfer rumour has come about involving a team expected to have a busy window. Chelsea have been linked with a £20m move for Freiburg striker Gian-Luca Waldschmidt, a somewhat unexpected player and one that most fans won’t know. With Chelsea looking to replace Michy Batshuayi and Olivier Giroud,…
-
![]()
Tactical Profiles: Julian Nagelsmann’s Leipzig
German football has often emulated German culture. There is a priority on the system, on fluidity and smoothness, on the collective mattering above all else. In a country that brought the term “expressionism” to the fore in 1920’s cinema, there is a distinct lack of expression allowed in German football. The team comes first so…
-
![]()
How COVID-19 will affect the Transfer Market
The COVID-19 crisis has reaped unforeseeable havoc in the world. Thousands of people have lost their lives, businesses have gone bankrupt, and sports has been suspended. The total damage of the virus can only be calculated once everything comes back to normal, and one of the things that are set to be impacted heavily is…
-
![]()
Scouting Report: Jérôme Onguéné
The Red Bull Salzburg production line shows no signs of slowing down. The Austrian Bundesliga side are the market experts in buying young, talented players from lesser-scouted regions and selling them on to teams in the so-called ‘Big Five’ leagues for a hefty profit. The German Bundesliga alone has seen an influx of nine Salzburg…
-
![]()
What makes a good grassroots coach?
My name is Charlie and I am primary school teacher and a grassroots football coach. I am a FA level 2 coach and have worked in a variety of clubs and set ups. As a teacher, I would like to think that I have natural keenness to want to help others progress. When my semi-pro/amateur…
-
![]()
Gernot Rohr: The Man from Mannheim on a mission
Gernot Rohr’s announcement as Nigeria manager on August 9, 2016 was met with little fanfare as he was still an unknown quantity in West Africa at the time. It was understandable due to his relatively unsuccessful managerial stints at Niger and Burkina Faso prior to his appointment, but he has certainly made every Super Eagles…
-
![]()
Evolve or Get Left Behind
José Mourinho dubbed himself ‘The Special One’ back in 2004, and no matter what, that nickname has stuck through the good and the bad. He won back-to-back Premier League titles at Chelsea, before winning the treble at Inter Milan, and then challenging arch rival Pep Guardiola’s conquering Barcelona for silverware in Spain. Everywhere he want,…
-
![]()
Why a Breakaway European Super League is Inevitable and Why It Doesn’t Have to Be a Bad Thing
As the nation gets used to life under lockdown, many are rightfully pining for the return of football. When the virus does pass, however, it is worth remembering that there are severe problems rife within the footballing pyramid, many of which can be connected to the pursuit to its very top. Before the Coronavirus…
-
![]()
Six Nigerian players who could get a big move this year
Not since the controversial transfer of John Mikel Obi from Lyn FK to Chelsea for €20 million in July 2006 has Nigeria had a high-profile transfer like Manchester United signing Odion Ighalo from Shanghai Shenhua on deadline day in the January 2020 transfer window. The biggest pandemic since the Spanish Flu of 1918, the COVID-19 outbreak has…
