I have enjoyed watching Manchester City play football. At their best, they have been inventive, disciplined and almost impossible to contain. Whatever happens in the Premier League’s financial case, the players still had to win matches. Money can assemble a squad; it cannot make eleven people play like a team. Manchester United offer a useful… Continue reading Manchester City, the Price of Success and the Price of Fairness
Tag: football
Build the Sport Before You Build the Stadium
In 2021, Papua hosted Indonesia’s National Games—PON XX. For a few weeks, Papua possessed what appeared to be a magnificent new sporting landscape: an international-standard stadium, an aquatic centre, indoor arenas, shooting facilities, hockey pitches, cricket grounds and other specialist venues. Billions of rupiah had been invested. The facilities looked impressive, the opening ceremony was… Continue reading Build the Sport Before You Build the Stadium
Football has a problem. -Protecting Young People from Negative Influence
We live in a world where influence has become increasingly powerful and difficult to recognise. Advertising, political messaging, social media and artificial intelligence can all shape what people believe, fear and value. History has shown that whole populations can gradually accept ideas and behaviours that clearly offend basic morality. This does not usually happen because… Continue reading Football has a problem. -Protecting Young People from Negative Influence
What is it with professional football?
Every week we are bombarded with news of managers being sacked and stories of their inability to control their dressing rooms. Perhaps the most disturbing, are the stories of managers/coaches who insist on playing a specific system, that either doesn’t suit the playing roster or the competition that they are playing in. Worse still, there… Continue reading What is it with professional football?
Olympic Games and World Cup in America?
The USA is scheduled to host the World Cup in Football in 2026 and the Olympic Games in 2008. In the light of recent behaviour by the Trump administration, that clash significantly with the values of Olympic Sport Organisations, the question arises, should the USA be allowed to host these major sporting events? The Olympic… Continue reading Olympic Games and World Cup in America?
