English goalkeepers are used to being semi-heroes. See David Seaman at Euro 96. Or Peter Shilton at Italia 90. Neither could save a German penalty in the last four, but, hey, they got respect. There's something about Jordan Pickford that hasn’t hit home with the wider public just yet.The Everton keeper'sshortcomings have been cumulative rather than spectacular, but there’s a creeping sense that every match presents a new opportunity for a mistake rather than a shot at redemption. Divock Origi’s last-gasp winner at Anfield 15 months ago was the tinderbox in a furnace and the 25-year-old is currently pouring more fuel on to the hot ashes.Basics are going wrong. It’s all a bit frantic. Even Sunday’s fantastic double save to...
MORE ON THIS STORYWhat is Covid-19 coronavirus and how is it affecting football? Match and competition postponements, cancellations and closed stadiumsEuro 2020: tickets information, dates, stadiums, groups and coronavirus threat – everything you need to knowThings seemed to be on the up at Chinese Super League club Wuhan Zall – until the coronavirus went and turned everything upside down.The club nicknamed ‘The Nine-Headed Bird’ had their best ever season in 2019, but they have spent the first few weeks of 2020 in exile after their home city became the epicentre of an international crisis.Zall were formed in 2009, months after predecessor club Wuhan Guanggu folded in bizarre circumstances. After a mid-match scuffle involving star man Li Weifeng, the Chinese FA...
The super-rich rarely attract much sympathy, but pity the £100 million signing. He looks an endangered species; if not facing extinction then at least destined to remain exotic in his rarity. The build-up to the summer transfer window always brings hyperbolic headlines and fanciful figures, speculation about supersized fees.And the €100 million men will be few and far between, the £100 million men a still more select band. There may be the odd outlier, a Jadon Sancho who has the talent, the youth, the high ceiling, the nationality and the army of suitors to command a nine-figure sum, but Neymar’s status as by far the most expensive footballer in history ought to remain intact, which at least should appeal to...
Newcastle United are through to the FA Cup quarter final after their win over West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday night.Given what the club’s attitude has been towards domestic cups over recent years, that must be a real novelty. For as long as Mike Ashley has owned Newcastle, a succession of managers have seemingly tried to exit domestic tournaments as quickly as possible. The logic being that the first team squad is so narrow and the club’s focus is so trained on retaining the Premier League broadcasting revenue, that aiming for anything else has been turned into a frivolous pursuit.The cut and thrust (the fun) of cup competitions are a nuisance. An obstacle, even, on the road to gilded stasis.Newcastle are...
As Coronavirus sweeps across the globe, governments and health officials are recommending the next steps, not only for citizens who may be travelling to football matches around the world but to the players and staff of the clubs themselves.With the coronavirus likely to be labelled as a worldwide pandemic imminently, is the virus threatening football as we know it?Has any footballalready been affected by coronavirus?With a number of cases of coronavirus across Europe governments are keen to prevent the spread of the disease as much as possible. As a result, self-isolation and the postponement of major sporting events has been advised.In Italy - where the highest number of cases have been reported in Europe - a number ofSerie A matches...