Eamonn Rushe

The major qualm with Jurgen Klinsmann when he was hired by the United States became embodied in Philipp Lahm’s autobiography, where the Bayern legend and former German international portrayed Joachim Loew as the real tactical mind behind the 2006 Nationalmannschaft. Klinsmann dwelled on fitness, never talked about tactics, and left the players to figure out […]

“The club wants to make it clear that Jose continues to have our full support.” That sentence, the first of Chelsea FC’s statement in support of Jose Mourinho, should quiet doubts instead of inspiring them. But that’s not how momentum works, and at this moment – with Chelsea off to their worst start since 1978; […]

Brendan Rodgers' time as Liverpool manager, of late, was a symptom of bigger problems: ideas, but not answers; potential, but no certainty; journeys, but no arrivals. The final chapter of his reign had taken on the same feeling of Roy Hodgson’s short, ill-fated stay with Liverpool, where you knew a good coach roamed Anfield’s technical […]

He is still in pursuit of Raúl atop Real Madrid's all-time scoring chart, but on his way to that inevitable record, Cristiano Ronaldo has passed another milestone. With today's goal in Sweden against Malmo in UEFA Champions League, the 30-year-old icon notched his 500th competitive goal, reaching the landmark in only 753 career appearances. Cristiano Ronaldo […]

Count Gary Neville among the people who were keeping an open mind about Anthony Martial, the Monaco attacker Manchester United made the most expensive teenager of all time in the last transfer window. But having seen the 19-year-old in person three times, and focusing specifically on him this weekend at Old Trafford, the Sky Sports […]

Had Iker Casillas written his own script, his vindication would have been Lisbon, a year-and-half-ago, when he wore the captain’s armband as Real Madrid claimed their 10th European crown. But it’s been a some time since San Iker could author his own fairytales. Over the past five years, a player that was once considered among […]