The man can do just about anything. Barcelona made light work of their rivals Real Madrid as they won a festive El Clasico 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu. Luis Suarez opened the scoring before Lionel Messi drove home a penalty after Dani Carvajal was sent off for stopping a goal with his hands. Then, just […]

9 years ago

When they get going, they really are a joy to watch. As far as El Clasicos go, it wasn’t the greatest. In terms of the title race, it wasn’t a great outcome either. However, while Real Madrid fans didn’t get the early Christmas present they were hoping for, some of the football Barcelona played in the second-half […]

9 years ago

It was the best of games, it was the worst of games. Arsenal and Liverpool’s 3-3 draw at the Emirates Stadium must be what it’s like if Arsene Wenger and Jurgen Klopp stayed up late one night to play each other at FIFA. In a wild and wildly engrossing peak into the imaginations of two […]

9 years ago

Football management is an unforgiving business. Sevilla have confirmed they have parted ways with head coach Eduardo Berizzo just a month after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The move also comes just three days before Christmas, with the club sitting fifth in La Liga, two points behind fourth-placed Real Madrid but having played two […]

9 years ago

Money, it’s a gas. Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash. When Pink Floyd recorded Money for their seminal Dark Side of the Moon album, released in 1973, professional football was a different ball game. There were no billionaire owners, exorbitant pay packets and clubs like Manchester United were not the global […]

9 years ago

The Argentine could be on his way out in the summer. Doubt has been cast over Sergio Aguero’s long-term future at Manchester City after reports on Friday detailed the striker’s growing frustration playing under Pep Guardiola. Aguero’s relationship with Guardiola was scrutinised last season when City’s all-time top-scorer lost his place to Gabriel Jesus following […]

9 years ago

Manchester United are reportedly preparing a €28million bid for Fulham left-back Ryan Sessegnon. According to The Guardian, Jose Mourinho is prepared to allow Luke Shaw leave Old Trafford as he pursues a deal for the promising 17-year-old. Sessegnon is no stranger to interest from big clubs. The England youth international has been scouted by Real […]

9 years ago

What a line-up. Picking a current El Clasico combined XI was difficult. Picking an all-time one, though, is a different beast altogether. Real Madrid and Barcelona have consistently boasted the world’s best players for decades now, so it means leaving a ridiculous amount of quality out of a combined line-up. But here we are. This […]

9 years ago

The Bray fighter took exception to comments made on 5 Live Boxing with Costello & Bunce. Considering the year she has had, you can excuse Katie Taylor for defending herself over a recent observation from a boxing commentator that she lacks a ‘boxing brain.’ The world lightweight champion extended her professional boxing record to 8-0 […]

9 years ago

Quality everywhere you look. What’s the most wonderful thing about the most wonderful time of the year? The football, obviously. And it starts this weekend, with a cracking few days of action in store, with a line-up sure to turn you into a beer-guzzling, pizza-devouring couch potato even before we’ve reached St Stephen’s Day. But […]

9 years ago

The Hunger Games. Feyenoord striker Michiel Kramer has been disciplined by the club after he was caught by television cameras eating a croquette on the touchline. Kramer could be seen tucking into the hamburger-looking snack during Feyenoord’s KNVB Cup victory over Heracles on Thursday night. https://twitter.com/foetball247/status/943967207788335104 Feyenoord head coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst was not happy […]

9 years ago

The Jackal’s next opponent is a former four-weight world champion. Carl Frampton will fight Nonito Donaire in Belfast on April 7 at Belfast’s SSE Arena. The 35-year-old Filipino, who has won flyweight, bantamweight, super-bantamweight and featherweight world titles in the past, should offer a stern examination of Frampton’s credentials, boasting an impressive professional record of […]

9 years ago

This is a strange one. It’s been a rough few weeks for Manchester United. They’re 11 points behind Manchester City in the race for the Premier League title after losing the derby at Old Trafford, while they have just been dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Bristol City. It probably hasn’t helped, then, that […]

9 years ago

He’s had to take the rough with the smooth. Jose Mourinho endured one of his worst nights as Manchester United manager on Wednesday as his side fell to a 2-1 defeat to Bristol City in the Carabao Cup quarter-final. While Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea all booked their places in the last four, United were […]

9 years ago

It will be another intriguing friendly clash for Martin O’Neill’s men. Ireland’s first game after the disappointment of missing out on a place in next summer’s World Cup will be a friendly against Turkey. O’Neill’s side will travel to Antalya to face Mircea Lucescu’s team on Friday, March 23. The announcement comes a week after the […]

9 years ago

It’s the Christmas present Munster fans had been hoping for. CJ Stander has signed a new three-year contract that will keep him at Munster until June 2021, the IRFU announced Thursday morning. The Munster number eight has been ever-present in the Ireland Six Nations team since making his debut in the opening game of the 2016 […]

9 years ago

The transfer window is a lot of things, but it’s never dull. Today’s transfer rumours involve some serious business. As we edge closer to the January window, clubs are making the necessary arrangements for any deals they hope to make this winter. Rumours are rumours at the end of the day, but today’s rumours range […]

9 years ago

The striker has come in for some criticism for not delivering in big games this season. What’s eating Romelu Lukaku?. After a goal-laden honeymoon period with Manchester United after his big-money move from Everton in the summer, the Belgian isn’t, to use Jose Mourinho’s terminology, in a happy moment. Lukaku has gotten over his first […]

9 years ago

One of football’s longest-running sagas may finally be coming to an end. Barcelona have reportedly taken a huge step towards signing Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool. According to Spanish news outlet Sport, the Catalan giants have agreed a fee of €150 million which, if true, would make it the second most expensive transfer of all time, […]

9 years ago

Martin O’Neill needs them playing regular club football. The January transfer window opens in two weeks and there are a few Republic of Ireland internationals who should consider moving clubs. While a few of the players in the Ireland set-up have impressed at their clubs recently, including Shane Duffy at Brighton and the Burnley trio […]

9 years ago

Webster crashes out in the first round. There was tremendous drama in the first round of the PDC World Darts Championship as 63-year-old Paul Lim beat Mark Webster, edging the former BDO world champion in a five-set thriller. Lim, who first competed in the tournament in 1982, reached the second round for the first time […]

9 years ago

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain showed some true class on and off the pitch today. The Liverpool midfielder was good enough to be named Man of the Match in a 4-0 win, even though he didn’t score, such was the high level of his general play. After the game, the Ox joined Philippe Coutinho in front of the Sky […]

9 years ago

He just can’t stop scoring. Liverpool made light work of struggling Bournemouth as the Reds put on a ruthless attacking display to record a convincing 4-0 win at the Vitality Stadium. Philippe Coutinho, Dejan Lovren and Roberto Firmino all got on the scoresheet for Jurgen Klopp’s men, but much of the plaudits were once again […]

9 years ago

Hard as…

9 years ago

Gary Neville highlighted a striking fact about United’s team against West Brom. Since retiring from football in 2011, Neville has established himself as one of the most astute pundits working in the game. Get him in the studio for Monday Night Football and it’s compelling viewing. The reason Neville has elevated himself above other football […]

9 years ago

Brendan Rodgers’ team have lost a Scottish Premiership game for the first time since May 2016. All good things have to come to an end. For Celtic, the good thing was their unbeaten domestic record and, to be fair, it lasted much longer than anyone could have imagined, stretching to 69 games. But they have […]

9 years ago

It was freezing on the streets, but the Solidarity Sleepout warmed the heart as GAA players were among those sleeping rough on the streets. While many of us were waking up in the comfort and warmth of our beds this morning, hundreds of volunteers across Ireland were coming to the end of a 12-hour stretch […]

9 years ago

One familiar face

9 years ago

Well, at least there were talking points. Manchester City made it 16 Premier League wins in a row after beating Tottenham 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium. But the scoreline doesn’t nearly tell the full story of a match packed with controversial decisions, which were the saving grace of an otherwise forgettable spectacle. Any hope of […]

9 years ago

You can see exactly where he is coming from. It’s been some year for Joe Canning. The Galway centre-forward was named Hurler of the Year in November after helping the Tribesmen to the All-Ireland title in September. After clinching Galway’s first All-Ireland triumph in 29 years, there was an almost unanimous outpouring of goodwill for […]

9 years ago

Eamon Dunphy, a man who has spent his life in football, prefers rugby over football. Apparently. Dunphy has never been one to mince his words and, in recent weeks, he has stayed true to form. After claiming to not rate Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba before lumping Jose Mourinho into the same category as Martin […]

9 years ago

Their days at Old Trafford are apparently numbered. If the latest reports are to be believed, Jose Mourinho will look to shed what he sees as some deadweight from the Manchester United first-team in January. The two players being mentioned are Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Luke Shaw. Both players have had their issues with Mourinho in the […]

9 years ago

Not the card he was hoping for on his birthday. Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi got sent off on his 21st birthday as the Foxes fell to a heavy 3-0 defeat at home to Crystal Palace. With the hosts trailing by two goals, the Nigerian midfielder tried to buy a penalty, falling to the ground […]

9 years ago

It was only a matter of time before either Real Madrid or Barcelona were mentioned. Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has heaped praise on Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah, admitting that he is a player he rates ‘a lot.’ Salah has been in scintillating form since signing for Liverpool in the summer from Roma and is […]

9 years ago

Not the news United fans want to hear coming up to the busy Christmas period. Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has admitted Eric Bailly is facing a lengthy time out with a ‘serious injury.’ The Ivorian centre-half has missed United’s last eight matches and fans were hopeful that a return was on the horizon. Mourinho, […]

9 years ago

What a player. Look at the spine of the Manchester City side that won the Premier League title in memorable fashion in 2012 and it feels very much like a bygone era. Joe Hart is gone, Vincent Kompany is in decline, Yaya Toure is out of the picture (in the first-team anyway), and it looks […]

9 years ago

The real Riyad has stood up. Welcome back, Riyad. The Premier League has missed you. Then again, the Premier League missed Leicester City too, when last season was all ugly sackings and trying to fill the N’Golo Kante-shaped hole in the midfield. Now, there’s a new man in the dugout in Claude Puel and he’s […]

9 years ago

One of the greatest teams the Premier League has seen. Manchester City continued their frighteningly dominant form on Wednesday night with a routine 4-0 win at Swansea City. David Silva scored twice, Kevin De Bruyne grabbed one and Sergio Aguero rounded the victory off with five minutes to go as Pep Guardiola’s side kicked on […]

9 years ago

The Belgian striker was lambasted for his performance in the Manchester derby. It was business as usual for Romelu Lukaku on Wednesday night as the Manchester United forward was back in the goals. After a thoroughly miserable Manchester derby, during which he was culpable in both of Manchester City’s goals while missing presentable chances to […]

9 years ago

He’s been through the wars. Much of the media attention following the Manchester derby has focused on the tunnel fracas, including the cut Mikel Arteta sustained in the middle of it all. However, while the Manchester City coach has covered the wound with his hand in the days since, it’s difficult to imagine that it’s […]

9 years ago

Xabi Alonso has always come across as one of the most intelligent, thoughtful and articulate footballers of his generation. The former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder, who retired this season after a hugely decorated career which included two Champions League titles and a World Cup with Spain, has upheld that reputation in a […]

9 years ago

The pair have history. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has stoked the flames of his long-standing rivalry with Pep Guardiola by calling him the ‘most immature manager’ he has ever worked with. The pair worked together at Barcelona during the 2009/10 season before the Swedish striker left for AC Milan after just one year at the Camp Nou. […]

9 years ago

He could have been playing in white. Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has revealed that he turned down a move to Real Madrid before returning to Old Trafford. United paid a then world record fee to bring the Frenchman back to the club from Juventus in the summer of 2016, four years after joining the […]

9 years ago

What a man. There was a heartwarming moment on the pitch at Goodison Park recently. Francis Conmey, a lifelong Everton supporter with Asperger’s syndrome, met his hero Seamus Coleman. Francis has been an Everton fan all his life and, in August, he almost got over to see his beloved Toffees play Hadjuk Split in a […]

9 years ago

No wonder he’s been out for so long. Ross Barkley has revealed he is closing in on returning to action for Everton after the midfielder posted a photo with the caption ‘not long now.’ The 24-year-old has not featured for the Toffees this season while he has recovered from surgery after rupturing his hamstring in […]

9 years ago

He’s down but not out. One of the more interesting takes on the Manchester derby came from Eamon Dunphy. The notoriously outspoken pundit offered a withering assessment of Manchester United’s performance under Mourinho on Sunday, claiming that the former Real Madrid and Chelsea manager has wasted the club’s money on lavish signings in favour of […]

9 years ago

We’re not surprised. Burnley are doing great things in the Premier League this season. The Clarets are currently seventh in the table, level on points with Tottenham Hotspur, one behind Arsenal and just two off fourth-placed Liverpool. With almost half of the season gone, that’s mightily impressive. Sean Dyche has attracted widespread praise for instilling […]

9 years ago

The statue was unveiled in India on Monday. Diego Maradona travelled to India to unveil a statue of himself and it has attracted ridicule from just about everyone online. The 57-year-old footballing legend was on hand to reveal the 12-foot high likeness in Kolkata, which depicts the moment he lifted the World Cup trophy for […]

9 years ago

Close to the bone

9 years ago

Potentially awkward. Fans of Liverpool, plan Valentine’s Day with your better half accordingly because the Reds are in Champions League action that night. The draw for the last-16 was made on Monday, with Liverpool drawing Portuguese side Porto. The first-leg of the clash will be away at the Estadio do Dragao on February 14th. It’s […]

9 years ago