I recently caught up with a podcast from NPR’s This American Life show. This one, entitled ‘Continental Break-up’, is based on the seemingly never-ending economic crisis of the eurozone. And oh what a tangled web is weaved, from French dreams of union, via German fear of hyperinflation and a secretive bond trading firm in Southern California, to…
Category: Europe
Heroism
Professional footballers may still be able to inspire us or brighten our days with their skill but are they heroic? Is it possible or even sensible to raise a footballer to hero status? When I was a young child I had a poster on my bedroom wall. It was of Kevin Keegan balancing a ball…
Babel: a Moneyball departure…?
There has been a lot of analysis and speculation as to which kind of players Liverpool will now attempt to sign as they come to the end of the first transfer window under the ownership of the Fenway Sports Group. Luis Suarez and Charlie Adam seem to be prime candidates, although both Ajax and Blackpool…
FC Bayern v Nürnberg – November 2010
T-Mobile “fans”…
Head and shoulders above the rest of the dross…
John W Henry, Linda Pizzuti and Damien Comolli were there, apparently scouts from Manchester United were there, me and my uncle were there too. Our presence is about the only thing we have in common. But we all saw a first class, 45 minute performance from Steven Gerrard. The captain showed again last night that…
Liverpool v Napoli…
In my second week back in England, and I will be heading back to Anfield tonight. I arrived back in the North after a few days down south to find the heavens are emptying themselves all over the streets, houses and fields here. Grey clouds are hanging low over the land, pregnant with North-West water,…
Everyone loves an underdog: Borussia Dortmund 1997
After watching Borussia Dortmund’s latest crazy escapade in Europe, an end to end tie that finally finished 3-4 away to Karpaty Lviv, my mind went wandering back to the great team of the 1990’s and particularly their 3-1 Champions League victory over Juventus. So a small homage to Dortmund and that wonderful team is in…
In Sun and Shadow 