EPL: Hammers hammmered by rampaging Swansea

  Swansea 3-0 West Ham   What an amazing start to the season for Swansea. Eight goals in their first two games after managing just 44 last season. West Ham was humiliated in their second outing back in the big time. Early on it was the Hammers making all the running as Swansea continually turned [Read more]

City continues where it left off

By Tom Clarke Fans have barely regained their breath from the extraordinary ending to last season. But it is back again. Tom Clarke makes his Almanac debut as the EPL kicks off for Season 2012/13. He’ll keep us up to date with the world’s most popular League and invites comments and questions from readers. If [Read more]

Out of control

The fracas at West Sydney’s first (practice) “rivalry” match raised eyebrows. How do you promote “enemy” and avoid its escalation to violence? Here’s the extreme of “fan” power and danger…from Argentina http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/the-beautiful-game-breaking-bad/311/

Back to basics: Local sport in 3 parts

BACK TO BASICS Local sport in 3 parts There’s nothing like local sport to help you connect with the community. Corporate demands, overly structured game plans and totally rip-off prices go by the way to be replaced with a cheery welcome, lots of space, family friendly prices and much good humour. It’s good just to [Read more]

La Furia Roja

Last comments on 2012 European Championships by Lee Hugh McGowan Final Spain 4 -0 Italy Great final. Exhibition football from Spain, Italy played well too, but no team on earth can compete with the Spanish when they are on the form they displayed in the game that clinched their third international title in a row. [Read more]

The (recent) Brisbane (Football) Riot

Riots in Brisbane?   Very late coverage of the 2012 European Championships by Lee Hugh McGowan   Semi Final 2 Italy 2 -1 Germany Such was the surprise and exuberant outpouring on the streets of Brisbane yesterday morning, one of the local radio stations reported news of a riot. There were a few blindingly shocked [Read more]

Cures for insomniac supporters

Sleepy-headed coverage of Euros 2012 Semi-final 1 Spain 0 – 0 Portugal (Spain trudge forward on penalties 4-2) This very stalemate would’ve whittled the edges from the even the keenest footballing enthusiasm. We were right to expect a show. Portugal and Ronaldo were improving with each performance. They’ve played exciting, attractive, passing, attacking football; the [Read more]

Unfair dismissal?

Less than objective Euro 2012 coverage by Lee Hugh McGowan QTR final 4 England 0 – 0 Italy (Italy 4-2 on penalties) The score puts off those whose sympathies lie with other codes, but this was a compelling viewing for football fans. A game of skill and wits matched, of expectations met and, in the [Read more]

Fever pitch

For the past 14 months I have been searching for the quintessential English experience. I have drunk in pubs older than Australia, saw the Queen in her Diamond jubilee and rambled along the raw British coastline, but nothing has seemed right. Nothing that is until tonight. Tonight was the Euro 2012 quarter final between England [Read more]

Less Bleu, more Roja

Euro 2012 coverage QTR Final 3 France 0 – 2 Spain Spain will play Portugal in the first semi-final early Thursday morning. Les(s) Bleus, who played in white – the colour of their surrender – will head home after losing their second consecutive match. They looked every bit the unsettled team the press would have [Read more]

Two goals for the price of one

Euro 2012 coverage by Lee Hugh McGowan QTR Final 2 Germany 4 – 2 Greece The highest scoring game in the tournament was a far cry from the austerity being discussed by their governments. The Greeks continued their nation’s form for giving away the goods and the Germans, generous to a fault, gifted them two [Read more]

All quiet on the touchline techonology front….

Hush-toned Euro 2012 coverage QTR Final 1 Czech Republic 0 – 1 Portugal Before we get to the yawn fest from this morning. I wanted to offer some thoughts on the digital cloud hanging over the group stages. I’ve been waiting for vociferous English support of the Ukraine’s stricken goal. Long before their game the [Read more]

Viking strike

Wet-blanket coverage of Euro 2012 Group D England France _______ Ukraine Sweden England 1 – 0 Ukraine Sweden 2 – 0 France What? What! Zlatan Ibrahimovi? scores one of the best goals of the tournament and puts really dull England (Boo!) top of the group. Even the commentators nodded off in the first half. The [Read more]

Euro 2012 – Day 11: …you were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off…

Group C Spain Italy ________ Croatia Ireland Italy 2 – 0 Ireland Spain 1 – 0 Croatia It was never going to be a rerun of their match in the 1994 World Cup, but the Irish played their best game this morning. And their fans gave their best of some very good performances. It didn’t [Read more]

Disgrace

    Disgrace… Loose-fit Euro 2012 coverage from Lee Hugh McGowan   Group of Death B Germany Portugal ______________ Denmark Netherlands   Portugal 2 – 1 Netherlands Germany 2 – 1 Denmark Denmark have been my favourite team in this group, if not the tournament so far. The German machine rolls on, but the Danes [Read more]

Hard work and rewards

Euro 2012 Group A Czech Republic Greece ________ Russia Poland Greece 1 – 0 Russia Poland 0 – 1 Czech Republic Anything can happen and did. The teams I’d so flippantly dismissed have qualified for the next round. And I have to say I’m really glad they did. The Czech Republic did not quite roll [Read more]

Scandinavian sunsets

Euro 2012 Group : France 2 – 0 Ukraine; Sweden 2 – 3 England (Boo!) This group really came to life last night…except for Sweden, for whom it really came to death. In the first game, France looked robust and every bit the potential champions the bookmakers have made them. A storm delayed play, but [Read more]

Euro 2012: Going home early

Group C Spain 4 – 0 Ireland Italy 1 – 1 Croatia I wouldn’t be surprised if the Irish boys find a beach and lie on it for the next few days. Have a look at the line up when they play Italy see how their tans are. Their tournament is officially over. They have [Read more]

Euro 2012 – Day 6: Sulky Dutch, silky Deutschland

Sulky Dutch, silky Deutschland Euro 2012 coverage by Lee Hugh McGowan Group (of Death) B Denmark 2 – 3 Portugal Germany 2 – 1 Netherlands Portugal made football look easy for a wee while last night. The Danes helped obviously. They played well for the first two minutes of the first half and then slept [Read more]

The madness of marches and referees

  Euro 2012 coverage by Lee Hugh McGowan Australia 1 – 1 Japan Before we get to it, let’s have a wee minute for the Socceroos performance. It was brave, it was hearty and arguably it was against a much better side. A side coming off the back of a couple of big wins. They [Read more]