The Archive

Bohemians of Prague return to the top flight. Frantisek Bouc reports

In mid June, the Czech Republic’s football community had a few significant issues to deal with. National coach Karel Bruckner came under pressure after his team’s mediocre Euro 2008 form continued with a goalless draw in Wales; rumour had it that former German international Lothar Matthäus could soon take over. At the same time, the Czech Under-21 team was taking part in the European Championship in the Netherlands, where they didn’t get past the group stage. However, this was all overshadowed by the return to the top division, the Gambrinus Liga, of one of the country’s most popular clubs, Bohemians of Prague.

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A long-running corruption investigation seemed to be going nowhere fast, until some remarkable claims against Porto’s president were made by his ex-wife. Phil Town wonders where it will all end

Apito Dourado (Golden Whistle) is the code name for an ongoing investigation by the judicial police into corruption in Portuguese football. The investigation has its roots in the 2003-04 season, when widespread phone-tapping was conducted by the police, following up tip-offs from as yet anonymous sources. There has always been a vague notion of a “system” in the Portuguese game, with, depending on your allegiances, Benfica and FC Porto at the forefront of suspicions, but Apito Dourado is effectively skewering actual protagonists left, right and centre.

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Cameron Carter watches Graham Poll's quest for celebrity, and an economist's attempts to get players to cough up for nurses

Becoming a famous referee is an odd way of turning out. It’s a bit like being a celebrity waiter. Acknowledging Graham Poll’s unique position in society, Inside Sport lent him a camera for his last season to give, in effect, a video retirement speech to his public.

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Poulsen punch penalty pitch invasion leads to chaos in Copenhagen. Kasper Steenbach reports

A week rarely passes without Flemming Østergaard making his opinion known in the Danish press, either about his own abilities, or the lack of same in others. But at the beginning of June, the wealthy 63-year-old, who in ten years has turned FC Copenhagen into a Champions League club, was surprisingly quiet. As chairman of the Copenhagen team, and thereby also Parken, the Danish national stadium, Østergaard had much explaining to do after referee Herbert Fandel was attacked by a drunken spectator during Denmark’s Euro 2008 qualifier against Sweden.

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Given the record of British coaches in developing players in the UK, is it a good idea that they are doing well in the burgeoning and highly profitable US soccer market? Mike Woitalla doesn’t think so

One of the myriad American youth soccer programmes declares it uses “soccer as a tool to teach kids about life”. Classes are open to children from 18 months old and, by the time a child is three, the Lil’ Kickers coaches will be teaching them “concepts of co-operation and teamwork”. So now, even for the youngest, it’s not just a game. If it were and kids were simply given a place to kick around in the manner that has created the world’s best players, could Lil’ Kickers promise the indoor arenas that host their classes an annual income boost of £125,000?

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