Two fans debate over whether Sol Campbell's controversial move from Tottenham to north London rivals Arsenal was a betrayal

Yes ~
The reaction of Spurs fans to Sol Campbell’s decision to join Arsenal has been taken as more evidence of our taste for whingeing. But I’d argue we have a point, and one that should concern all football fans. I’m not condoning the pond life who strung an effigy of Campbell up outside White Hart Lane. But while it’s important to get the reaction in proportion, it’s also vital to see why anger is a justifiable res­ponse to football’s own Shaun Woodward.

Read more…

The global trade in young players is reaching disturbing new levels. Neil Wills details some of the cases that have led to European clubs being accused of abuse and then slavery

In June, a 12-year-old, Marco Quotschalla, was sold by Bayer Leverkusen to Cologne for £60,000. Re­markably, it wasn’t even his first transfer, since Co­l­ogne had sold him to Leverkusen just a year before. Marco’s signing caused a stir in the Ger­man media principally because he is German and there’s a sense that such a thing should not happen to a nice European child. Sadly, much less attention is paid to the thous­ands of youngsters who are being brought over to Eur­ope from South America and Africa in increasing num­bers with promises of big money and stardom.

Read more…

Justin McCurry reports on how the rising political tensions in South Korea and Japan should not affect the 2002 World Cup

Logistically, awarding the 2002 World Cup to Japan and South Korea was a classic FIFA fudge, but it did raise hopes that the countries would put aside their historical differences and co-operate to make the tournament a success. With kick-off less than a year away, however, “football diplomacy” is proving no match for emotions stirred up by events of more than half a century ago.

Read more…

Colin Mansley explains how the club stewards and Chester City fans are united in their opposition to American owner Terry Smith

As Rushden & Diamonds, their place in the League assured, embarked on a lap of honour round the Deva Stadium on May 5, an alternative attraction was staged in front of the main stand. The matchday stewards removed their fluorescent jackets, piled them into a heap on the pitch and, to rapturous applause, unfurled “Smith Out” banners. This was just the culmination of months of protest against Terry Smith, the American who acquired the club from administration two years ago.

Read more…

A lucky escape for Norwich as Giovanni di Stefano, an associate and confidant to the likes of Saddam Hussein and Slobodan Milosevic, was clearly not the sort of buyer they were looking for. Graham Dunbar reports

You can’t fault Giovanni di Stéfano for his frankness. The man with the name that sug­gests he played in the European Cup against Mel­chester Rovers in the late 1970s has of­fered Norwich City fans their traditional slice of midsummer drama.

Read more…