Scotland's 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign was a painful experience both on and off the pitch. But Neil Forsyth refuses to be downhearted
Onwards Scotland march. Another major tournament without involvement, despite being in arguably the easiest qualifying group, with senior players picking up a sine die ban for an all-night bender, a manager still trying to convince the public of his suitability and an SFA leadership who increasingly resemble the committee of a provincial bowling club.
Simon Tyers looks at how some presenters and ex-players are not cut out for television
“Kayfabe” is a concept that is not widely known outside professional wrestling. Broadly speaking, it refers to the presentation of fictional or scripted events and opinions as reality. The term needs to be introduced to a wider audience as a way of defining what is going on with the viewer text and email sections that litter The Football League Show like overheating Corsas on the hard shoulder of the M25. You would imagine that the appeal of hearing comments about your club from supporters of other clubs would wither over time. On The Football League Show this sense that people are barging in on your business is heightened when the epithets are being read out by Jacqui Oatley’s co-host, Lizzie Greenwood-Hughes.
The behaviour of footballers on the pitch hits the headlines
From rioting at Upton Park to Chelsea’s dubious youth recruitment tactics to Eduardo’s lack of balance, the first few weeks of 2009-10 have produced ample opportunity for moral outrage. Some gloomy observers have chosen to view this as an unprecedented and apocalyptic period for football. Meanwhile, a general sense of opprobrium has been building around a single club: Manchester City.
The experiment of using additional officials in the Europa League does not appear to be working
This season’s Europa League matches have generated more media interest than is usually given to Europe’s secondary club competition but it has nothing to do with the new league format and silly name change. The games are being watched with keen interest because they involve two extra officials stationed behind the goals.
Down with el presidente! Revolution has come to Newell's Old Boys, in Che Guevara's home town. Joel Richards reports
The city of Rosario’s most famous son would have been proud. The 14-year “dictatorship” of Eduardo López at Newell’s Old Boys came to an end in December. “At last,” bellowed opposition leader Guillermo Lorente upon hearing the news, “Newell’s belongs to its fans.” Che Guevara was a Rosario Central supporter, but he would not have begrudged fans of the rival team this victory.