The Archive | When Saturday Comes

Party music

Jack Lang argues that since his big-money move to Flamengo, which angered his hometown club, Ronaldinho has not profited as expected

“Don’t throw coins at Ronaldinho: he’ll only start collecting them” read one handmade sign. Hundreds of others simply bore the words “crook” and “mercenary”. Some pioneering fans even went to the effort of printing fake R$100 notes with his face on them. This was not the homecoming Ronaldinho had hoped for, but he could have expected nothing less. His return to boyhood team Grêmio in October was always going to be a tense affair, following his decision to snub the club earlier in the year.

Sunday, April 1st, 2012 - The Archive

Club v Country

Mike Bayly on why England’s warm-up match against non-League opponents might not have been the best way to prepare for Euro 88

One of the more curious international friendlies of recent times took place in June 1988. England had just qualified for the European Championships in Germany. A year earlier, on the return journey from a qualifying match in Turkey, the journalist Frank McGhee had approached Bobby Robson, suggesting England play a non-League team in their build-up to the tournament.

Sunday, April 1st, 2012 - The Archive

Alexander Hleb

Damian Hall tells the sorry tale of a a fragile winger who valued the art of passing over the business of winning and made a mistake leaving Arsenal

Alexander Hleb was a classic Arsène Wenger signing. He was relatively unknown in England, technically excellent, yet cursed with a pathological preference for a pass over a punt at goal. When the six-time Belarus player of the year and sometime captain of the national team arrived in 2005, he did not look like a footballer. Hleb was scrawny, too thin for his shirt – which always went untucked – with socks around his ankles. But he could play.

Sunday, April 1st, 2012 - The Archive

Black and white world

It is important to consider the position of black Liverpool fans in the aftermath of the Luis Suarez race row, writes Janice Allen-Brade

I am a football fan, I have lived in Liverpool for 14 years and I am black. The controversy over the racist abuse case between Luis Suárez and Patrice Evra has made me rethink my feelings towards the city and Liverpool supporters. But that is nothing compared to the dilemmas faced by Liverpool’s black fans. In all the debate about this issue their perspective has been overlooked.

Thursday, March 1st, 2012 - The Archive

Penalty Goals

Awarding spot-kicks from open play breaks the law of cause and effect, argues Ian Plenderleith

Since being appointed manager of Iraq last August, Zico has repeatedly made it clear that his principal aim is to guide the troubled nation’s football team to the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil. Despite being well positioned to lead the 2007 Asian champions to the tournament in his homeland, the 58-year-old has discovered that winning over the Iraqi media is a more complicated issue.

Thursday, March 1st, 2012 - The Archive