Outside the Box – Football on TV: No handshake for Evra and no love lost between the partisan pundits at Sky

Think about this for a second. How many times do you think you have seen Luis Suarez’s hand this weekend? Ten times? Twenty? A hundred? I’m sure I’ve seen his wandering hand more than I’ve seen my own two in the past 48 hours, such has been the swirling media-frenzy since he refused to settle his di...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: Confusion reigns at City as Coleman fluffs his lines

Have you played Football Manager 2012? You may wonder how a game brimming with data, facts and incalculable statistics comes to contain such a dearth of information. Well, in the early stages of the games development, some spotty oik is charged with the task of finding someone close to each of the 7...

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Racism is in the spotlight but what is being done to tackle homophobia?

The FA stamped down on Luis Suarez’s racism towards Patrice Evra. And it’s quite right that they did, isn’t it? For when we look back into the past, and certainly in football’s past, we see things that are shockingly vile. In the seventies and part of the eighties, black footballers were subjected ...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: Stelling and his merry mates bring festive cheer and genuine fear in the absence of any football

If we boil it down, there are two distinct ways to spend the festive period. You either endure the holiday wallowing in a pit of desperate desolation, alone with no hope of joviality, good tidings or communal kinship. Sat crestfallen in front of Eastenders on Christmas night, nursing a bottle of gin...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: A battle of wits ends in defeat for Worthy’s warhorses, but football marches on

Let’s face it. Our footballing heroes don’t have the greatest reputation when it comes to brainpower and academia do they? A cautionary glance at the post-match interviews every week on Match Of The Day show us superstars struggling to grasp the complexity of questions such as, “How do you feel the ...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: A love-in for O’Neill as marvel Martin ruins Rovers’ day

It was clear at 1pm on Sunday what the overriding theme of the day was going to be on Sky Sports’ Live Super Sunday. Ed Chamberlain, growing more and more comfortably into the role of football anchorman, opened the afternoon’s football coverage by loudly proclaiming, “Sunderland’s new era begins tod...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: A test of comedy quizzing is passed with help from the inspiring Irish

Ok, before we go any further let me first congratulate the Irish team on their impressive qualification for the European Championships next summer. There was the inevitable party mood for the second leg of the Republic of Ireland v Estonia match last Tuesday and I’m sure there are not many that begr...

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Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Birmingham: What game would you like to erase from your club's history?

I think it is safe to come out from behind the sofa now. The trick and treaters have gone into 12 months of hibernation, giving the nation’s doorbells time to recover. The BBC can put the series of Halloween movies back into cold storage. Just how many were there? As football fans we too have exper...

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Hibernian: O’Neill, Jefferies, Sturrock or McGhee – who will replace Calderwood at Easter Road?

Colin Calderwood’s appointment as Hibs manager may not have been as strange as Joe Kinnear’s return to the game with Newcastle or as disastrous as John Barnes’ arrival at Celtic, but it was certainly up there. Hibs have a proud history of teams playing expansive and attacking football. Under Tony M...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: ITV begin to repay their debt with a feast of Man City delights

It’s the 12th June 2010. Seven thirty-four on a warm summer’s evening. My friends and I are huddled around my television, just as a million more expectant eyes are doing at the same moment up and down the nation. Then pffft … nothing. A moment’s darkness was followed by some guff about Hyundai cars ...

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Could ex-players as referees ever work?

Ah, referees. Nasty men in black, the forever stern officials of our game, often painted to be rather humourless beings who get out of the house on Sundays to escape their nagging wives and only serve to annoy us. There is a theory, which Roberto Marinez brought up back in January of this year,...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: A bad week for JT just gets worse and worse as the news hacks attack!

It’s been a bad old week for Chelsea and England captain John Terry hasn’t it? The on-going racism row between Terry and his accuser Anton Ferdinand has been front and back page news since the incident occurred a week ago and the story shows no signs of halting. Like most I have seen the footage...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: Mancini’s Manchester magicians spoil the party… and this column

Why always me? This week I was going to talk to you about the light-hearted Sky Sports knockabout quiz Take It Like a Fan. I was armed with reams of faint praise for the show and was readying my keyboard for a glittering review and even a possible recommendation for you all to check it out. But al...

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St Johnstone: Who will replace McInnes as Saints' manager?

Following the success he achieved at McDairmid Park, Derek McInnes was always going to be poached by a club in England. Not only had he guided St Johnstone to the SPL, he did so playing some damn fine football. After leading the Saints to the top half of the table, he has decided now is the right ti...

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Can any player, including Messi, be considered 'the greatest'?

Ah, the Champions League. Bringer of drama, stopper of dreamers, platform for Ray Wilkins to say ‘my word’ 50 hundred thousand times. And there are other things that are nearly always discussed, certainly when seeing the two dominant Spanish sides play. The great debate has moved from trying to ...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: Football on Sky is becoming a fairytale thanks to Wilkins the Wizard

So we were repeatedly told that it was the ‘biggest club game in world football’ as Liverpool and Manchester United met at Anfield on Saturday for the ever-intense North-West derby. The fevered atmosphere was apparent at Sky for Live Ford Football Special and there was an almost fairytale mood in ...

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Scotland: Can Levein’s men shock the world champions Spain?

Scotland’s narrow win over Liechtenstein, combined with Spain’s 2-0 win over the Czech Republic, has given Craig Levein’s men a glimmer of hope of qualifying for their first major tournament since France 98. All they need to do is better what the Czechs do against Lithunia. Unfortunately their oppon...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: You’re On Sky Sports… or should that be Moron Sky Sports?

There are three clearly defined pursuits enjoyed by the average football fan. One, demonstrating the unwavering certainty that they know the best way for their team to play. Secondly, morphing into yob-like tyrants at the very sight of an opposition supporter and lambasting them with vociferous ange...

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Public Enemy No1 - Celtic boss Neil Lennon

The world of football management is tough, but few men have endured Neil Lennons baptism of fire. We are not talking about a home defeat to Hibs or a crippling injury crises. These troubles extend way beyond sporting boundaries. I mean how many managers have to worry about the colour of their car? ...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: Morning Glory could soon be a thing of the past for the guys at Soccer AM

Morning. The time of day when we, as human beings, fall into two distinct categories. On one hand you may be an enterprising, full-blooded marauder, charging about here there and everywhere with an unbounded vitality and zest for adventure. Alternatively, you might be a feckless layabout. Those of u...

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Top 10 bizarre injuries to footballers

Swansea City’s vice-captain Alan Tate is set to miss most of the Swans’ debut season in Premier League after breaking his leg in a freak golfing accident. The versatile defender was a passenger in a golf buggy that lost control and Tate will have to watch the majority of the club’s rollercoaster adv...

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Scots Corner: Is summer football the future for the SPL?

As the nights begin to draw in, getting shorter and shorter, and the weather quickly deteriorating, the age-old prospect of summer football has reared its head again. With the football season only a few weeks old and already the Scottish winter setting in, why not? Last season saw a record number o...

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Scots Corner: Is The SPL Really That Bad?

Scottish football suffered a shock to the system on Thursday night, with all three Europa League representatives posting disappointing results in the first legs of their respective ties. It was the most damning evidence that Scottish football has declined considerably in recent years, as Hearts and ...

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The 10 Worst Opening Day Defeats in Football

Queens Park Rangers returned to the Premier League this season full of optimism and excitement. Unfortunately that was drained out of them after 45 minutes when Bolton’s Gary Cahill delivered a sucker punch just before half-time. Up until then the R’s had looked promising. In the second half though,...

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Scots Corner: What's up with Scottish football?

The last seven days have passed without major controversy, with no major movement in the transfer market and no incidents to spark heated debate, while the SPL saw 18 goals scored in an exciting weekend of league action. What has happened to Scottish football? The national side overcame Denmark 2-1...

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Spurs: 10 handy facts on Heart of Midlothian

Tottenham were a breath of fresh air in the Champions League last season and Harry Redknapp is desperate to bring Europe’s elite club competition back to White Hart Lane. However, having failed to finish in the top four last season, Spurs have had to make do with the Europa League this season. ...

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Scots Corner: Hearts broken by Jefferies' shock dismissal

The SPL has had a hectic week, with domestic, European and friendly action, as well as the first managerial casualty of the season. Following Hearts 1-0 home defeat to Dundee United last Sunday, extending their winless streak even further, manager Jim Jefferies and assistant Billy Brown were sacked...

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Will the new season throw up any shocks across Europe's top leagues?

Here we go again ... Its that time of year again. Your club has had some embarrassing/great results in pre-season friendlies and the anticipation builds up as the new season approaches, but what can we expect from the big leagues around Europe? Some countries, of course, have already kicked off, su...

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Newcastle and Hearts take note - This is how to run a football club

Over the past few years, we have seen many football club owners neglect their club financially, for instance the Glazer family at Manchester United. Under their stewardship Uniteds debt grew to more than £1 billion! On a smaller scale we had Munto Finance at Notts County, who allowed signings like S...

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Squarefootball's Fantasy football invitation

There is less than two weeks to go until the start of the 2011/12 Premier League season and time is running out for you to enter the Squarefootball fantasy football competition. Last season more than 100 teams competed for the Squarefootball title, which was won by P Oxenby and his team FC Poxo. He...

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Who is your club’s greatest signing?

It is time to dust out the sheepskin coat and training gear with matching initials. Yes we will soon be picking our fantasy football teams. The right signings will determine your chances of becoming the next Ferguson, Mourinho or Hiddnk. The chequebook has certainly assisted those who play for real....

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What five things would you do before the season starts?

Isn’t it normally New Years Eve when you get a top 100 favourite moments of the year or top 500 best movie credits or some other poor excuse for a programme? Well I thought I would also use it as a poor excuse for an article, but rather than boring you all with a list consisting of 100 or more items...

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Preview to the 2011/12 SPL season

The Scottish football season gets under way tomorrow lunch time, with reigning champions Rangers hosting Hearts in an unusually early start to the SPL campaign. Just under ten weeks have passed since the final ball of the league season was kicked, and the early beginning has caused a stir amongst th...

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SPL: Who will win what this season?

Tomorrow afternoon the Scottish Premier League season gets under way as the champions Rangers start their defence of the title at home to Heart of Midlothian. Ally McCoist’s men will be desperate to keep the title out of the grasp of Celtic’s Neil Lennon, whose Bhoys kick -off 24 hours later away at...

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Scandinavian tests in store for Scottish pair

The recent draws for the third qualifying rounds of the Champions League and Europa League have thrown up the prospect of visits to Scandinavia for both Rangers and Hearts. Rangers look likely to be facing Malmo after the Swedish club had a comfortable 2-0 home win over the Faroese side HB Torshavn,...

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Rangers: Would you welcome Miller back to Ibrox?

Scotland striker Kenny Miller left Glasgow Rangers in January for a new challenge in Turkey with Bursaspor. However, despite hitting the back of the net five times in 15 outings, the former Hibernian and Wolves man has failed to settle abroad. This has alerted Ally McCoist to the possibility of brin...

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Would you like to write for Squarefootball?

Do you live, breathe and sleep football? Do you have a passion for writing and want your views to be read by a potential audience of millions? Then we at Squarefootball Towers would love to hear from you. Whether you follow Aberdeen or Accrington Stanley, West Ham United or Wolfsburg, we can offer ...

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Hibernian: Who will replace Hughes in the dugout at Easter Road?

Hibernian parted company with their manager John Hughes this morning (October 4) following an awful start to the 2010/11 season. The Hibees, strongly tipped to challenge the Old Firm, have failed to win since the opening day of the season, were knocked out of the CIS Cup by Kilmarnock and currently ...

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Predictions: Who will be 2010/11’s main winners and losers?

If everything I predicted 12 months ago came true I would be a very rich and happy man right now. Unfortunately Arsenal let me down in the league, West Ham failed me in the FA Cup and letting my heart rule my head in the SPL by putting £10 on my beloved Aberdeen to win the SPL really was a waste of ...

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Predictions: Who will be 2010/11’s main winners and losers Part 2

Well you’ve heard what our Panel members have had to say for themselves, now it’s time for the “experts” to have their say. We’ll start off with writer Hugh Larkin. He loves the underdog but he thinks Chelsea are just far too strong for anyone to cope with and thinks Arsenal and Spurs are going to...

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Glasgow Celtic: Lennon eyes success at Paradise

Neil Lennon didn’t win many friends in Scotland as a player. Not that the former Leicester City midfielder will care as he looks at his trophy cabinet gleaming with winner’s medals. Celtic fans will be hoping that he sticks to his winning formula as a manager in order to bring back the glory days ...

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Sol Campbell: Arsenal, Celtic, Sunderland or West Ham United – Where does his future lie?

Twelve months ago Sol Campbell was preparing for life in League Two with Notts County. Today he has four top class clubs chasing his signature. Campbell shocked the football world last summer by agreeing a five-year deal with Notts County but it only took one game for the former England internatio...

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Glasgow Celtic: Who will be the next Bhoys manager?

Despite being a former Celtic captain, the appointment of Tony Mowbray as Celtic boss turned out to be an unmitigated disaster. The former West Brom manager signed too many average players, his touchline demeanour failed to inspire the fans and the 4-0 drubbing at the hands of St Mirren in March was...

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Tottenham Hotspur: Will Robbie Keane’s exit cost Spurs fourth spot?

Celtic boss Tony Mowbray stunned the world of football last night by securing the sensational loan signing of Republic of Ireland star Robbie Keane. Everyone expected a striker to exit White Hart Lane on deadline day but most people assumed it would be the Russian ace Roman Pavlyuchenko, not Robbie ...

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The Old Firm: Premier League? You’re having a laugh!

Martin Luther King famously had a dream of racial equality and an end to discrimination. I too have a dream but sadly it isn’t as prophetic as that. I just want to live to see Aberdeen crowned as SPL champions. Now that may sound ridiculous to many of you given the Dons’ recent lack of silverware bu...

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McGeady Pays The Price For A Week of Diving Hysteria

It was good to see Dermot Gallagher- a referee noted for a common sense approach to the game- pointing out on Sky Sports that some perspective is needed on the diving debate, otherwise the game will become farcical. Gallaghers point is that every time someone hits the deck in the penalty area refer...

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Hearts a solid bet to repeat third-place finish

A turbulent summer for the SPL as a league has had a knock-on effect for a number of clubs, however peace reigns at Tynecastle where boss Csaba Laszlo is preparing for his second season in charge. So often a byword for instability in recent seasons, the Jambos can now boast a solid looking set-up...

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Motherwell: Is Gary McAllister the man to fill McGhee’s boots at Fir Park?

Former Motherwell, Leeds United, Liverpool and Scotland midfielder Gary McAllister has emerged as the bookies’ favourite for the vacant manager’s position at Motherwell and the club hopes to appoint their new boss sometime this week, but is McAllister the right man for the job? McAllister enjoyed a...

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Falkirk: Who will be the Bairns’ next manager?

After six relatively successful seasons at Falkirk John Hughes felt he had taken the Bairns as far as he could and opted to take over from Mixu Paatelainen at his former club Hibernian. Hughes was admired by many in the game for his philosophy of playing swift, attacking football on the deck althoug...

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Aberdeen: McGhee’s the right man, say Dons fans

The Aberdeen board were in no doubt as to who they wanted to take over from Jimmy Calderwood at Pittodrie and on Friday morning the former Dons legend Mark McGhee was officially unveiled as the club’s new manager. McGhee, who left SPL rivals Motherwell to return to the Granite City, enjoyed the mos...

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