We have a strong and, I think, unfounded opinion that footballers need to have ‘made it’ by a certain age; and that age keeps reducing due to players like Lionel Messi.
Rinus Michels’ model for Dutch youth development is certainly a marker that this country would do well to reference (even more… 
Defoe’s inclusion in yesterday’s game proved to be decisive as he scored the only goal and England’s general improvement suggests the idea that Heskey brings the best out of Rooney (and England) is not true.
It’s easy to simplify the entire win as a reason to champion Heskey’s exclusion from further England… 
On the back of last year’s high profile departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso and this year’s seemingly inevitable courting of either/both Cesc Fabregas and Fernando Torres, the Premier League is again in danger of losing two world class talents. Despite the coinciding absence of English clubs in the latter… 
1. We made it...narrowly
One horrendous performance doesn’t make us a terrible side. But, equally, one victory doesn’t make us the best. It was a marked improvement from the previous outing against Algeria and, crucially, three points guarantee one more match in South Africa. England pressed better, played with more urgency, and addressed… 
Former colleague Avram Grant expects Real Madrid to change the football philosophy of Jose Mourinho. The new West Ham manager was asked if he had a strained relationship with the Special One whilst at Chelsea and then went on to elaborate on the changes he thinks will occur at the Bernabeu:
“I… 
You’d think we would know what true disharmony resembles at this World Cup: a star striker being sent home, the captain fighting the fitness trainer, a coach lacking any form of public unity with his players and crashing out of the group stages. But France’s antics have been overshadowed, somehow, by… 
The Guardian has today reported that Liverpool are keen to sign Roy Hodgson before tomorrow’s crucial game with Slovenia. It is thought that the current Fulham boss would much rather wait until the outcome of the Slovenia match because it would no doubt mean a vacant manager position for the national… 
When I was steered by a friend to read Piers Morgan’s latest column I was as dismayed as I was unsurprised. Usually I try to avoid his work and refrain from the vitriolic shortcomings of most online commenters but this was a particularly poignant instalment of football criticism; it… 
"I'm not frustrated. Over the years many skilful players have left the club. It was a rare opportunity for any player to play for United, so I am very proud."
As you can guess these aren’t the words of Manchester United’s Park Ji Sung. They are the philosophical… 
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