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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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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Manchester United Old Boys Enjoy Their World Cup

Sir Alex Ferguson must have had some mixed feelings watching the action in South Africa, Many of his current players didnt have the World Cup they hoped for while several ex- Old Trafford stars had a ball at the tournament. Wayne Rooney and Patrice Evra endured a horrific time, while Rio Ferdinand ...

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Ten Handy Facts About The 2010 World Cup

Its all over for four more years and Spain have won the trophy for the first time. Listed here are some of the major happenings and the less well known after five weeks in South Africa, 1. Spain became the first team to lift the World Cup after losing their opening game. West Germany were also beat...

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The Boy's Had A Shocker- World Cup Flops

Not everyone shines on the big stage and below are an eleven who might have enjoyed a happier summer on a beach after their travails in South Africa. Robert Green Keepers had a poor time of it in 2010 and quite a few could have made this selection but no one made a more calamitous error than the E...

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Holland v Spain- A Meeting Of Football Cousins

Holland v Germany would have been a World Cup Final between nations with a bundle of negative history but Carles Puyol has engineered an encounter between sides with a shared footballing culture. Ever since Johann Cruyff moved to Barcelona in 1973, Dutch and Spanish soccer have been interwoven. Cru...

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Germany v Spain: World Cup History

Wednesdays semi-final meeting is only the third time that Germany (or West Germany) and Spain have faced each other at the World Cup Finals. Spain were beaten in both the previous encounters. The rarity of these matches is caused by Spains poor performance in the tournaments. Despite the strength o...

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Holland v Uruguay- A Tough Choice For Football Romantics

If there were two teams (apart from England) I didnt want to come up against each other in a World Cup semi-final it would be the Dutch and the Uruguayans- the two smallest nations to contest a World Cup Final going head-to -head. The first time I ever even heard of a country called Uruguay it was ...

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England: Dawson or Upson against Slovenia – You decide!

Fabio Capello’s honeymoon period with the British Press is well and truly over following two appalling displays from one of the pre-tournaments favourites. Against the USA there was a bit of endeavour, a bit of fight, but the overall display came up woefully short of the standards we know England ar...

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Unofficial World Cup 2010 Songs #15 - England - Dylan, as himself - I hate songs about football

More Billy-Braggness from the moustachioed Dylan going through a range of things that he hates about football from formulaic sports bars to 'soccer' and finding small plastic effigees of players in his cornflakes. Less a song about England, more an anti-song about all the corporate naff-ness that h...

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Unofficial World Cup 2010 Songs #14 - England - Rockin' Jonny Austin - Victory Day

A rocking song with a hyperactive sexagenarian singer may not be the most obvious combination for an England song; but this one ticks all the boxes. It is at heart a decent singalong with an England theme, which is no bad thing. Not my favourite England song to date - but certainly one of the bett...

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England: Who will Fabio axe to make his perfect 23?

That’s the question we all want to know and on Tuesday we will finally discover who the Italian has charged with bringing home the World Cup. Capello has claimed he already has 20 names pencilled in for his final squad, leaving just three places up for grabs, but who will be the unlucky ones watchin...

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Unofficial World Cup 2010 Songs #13 - England - Dulwich Ukulele Club - There May Be Glory

This reworking of 'Let's Face The Music And Dance' with a football theme from the Dulwich Ukelele Club is a lovely summery tune that glides along without resistance. The lyrics are somewhat predictable, but that is fine for a fun song that is not trying to break any moulds. I wasn't expecting to f...

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Unofficial World Cup 2010 Songs #12 - England - The Get - Come on England

A punk style effort with a no-cost video cut-and-pasted from a Google image search by the look of it. Simple lyrics and instrumentals give this a very cut-down feel. Never quite sure if yet another song that has the lyric 'Come on England' at its core is worth reviewing, but this is a decent effor...

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Unofficial World Cup 2010 Songs #11 - England - DiamondFormation - SexyFootballBack/England

Another good song this time recommended by our reader, SexyFootballBack (the song not the reader), is a jaunty indie style sing-a-long that knows its history. Good lyrics delivered in a melancholy style like: "His English is pigeon.. We'll never know if he'd have stuck Wayne Bridge in" make it a so...

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Unofficial World Cup 2010 Songs #10 - Holland - Gerrit & de Kokosnoten - Holland gaat aan Kop

Maybe its because its in Dutch, but a nonsense football song is much more fun if you can't really understand it! This is a chirpy little number, with the words on screen to sing along to (and surprisingly easy to translate!) and bounces along for a couple of minutes and then stops. None of the non...

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Get on side and sport your colours for Shelter this World Cup

In celebration of this years FIFA World Cup, housing and homelessness charity Shelter are teaming up with Nationwide Building Society, Official England Team sponsor, to launch their fantastic footy fundraiser, Strip4Shelter. Shelter is asking people across the country to replace their regular work ...

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Unofficial World Cup 2010 Songs #9 - England- Chenille Steele - Come On You Lions

Pole dancer from 'Secrets' Gentlemans' Club breathily talks about kiss-n-tells with Frank Lampard, 'shagging-out' Ronaldo and so on is what should be a man-friendly internet meme by now. But as everyone is wearing a bikini with a big t-shirt over the top, this is less titilating that the average Rn...

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Unofficial World Cup 2010 Songs #8 - England - The Skatoons - The World Cup's Waiting for you

This is more like it! A good fun ska track that bounds along with a catchy (if obvious) chorus. Very reminiscent of Madness in the early 1980s, but properly produced and one of the few songs I've reviewed so far that wasn't compiled by someone in marketing trying to tick a series of boxes. Easily...

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Unofficial World Cup 2010 Songs #7 - England - Denise Happy Mondays - Come On England

Not sure where to start on this one. It's a cover of Dexy's Midnight Runners School Disco dance floor filler 'Come On Eileen' - and although Denise has a great voice I do hope she got paid up front and isn't relying on royalties. The original song is perfect for a terrace chant. This cover, sadly...

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Unofficial World Cup 2010 Songs #6 - England - Joe Harley - Lace up your boots (and bring it home)

Quite like this song which is lyrically different to the usual 'come on england' type chorus. The song is in a Billy Bragg style, with the vocals way in front of a simple guitar / drum backing. Not very chantable, but sung in a melancholic style its pretty memorable - and the video picture of a kn...

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Unofficial World Cup 2010 Songs #5 - England - Rik Mayall - Noble England

Another venture that has had some some money thrown at it sees Rik Mayall (he of Young Ones and Bottom fame) come over all Henry V in managing a pub table football team to a famous victory; although the video is not as funny as that summary may have sounded. There's a pub rock backing to match th...

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Unofficial World Cup 2010 Songs #4 - England - Cliff Portwood & England 1966 World Cup Squad - Up There O'England

An old song (the chorus features England 1966 squad players) that has been remastered and re-released. A very laid back tune in the style of 'Back Home' but without the same discernable hook. According to the blurb some of the players involved were Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Ray Wilson, Roger Hunt,...

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Unofficial World Cup 2010 Songs #3 - England - Gaylord Vincent and The Sweet FA Choir - Watching England Win Again

A slight departure for England World Cup songs this one, with a folksy, Country and Western tune and far too many lyrics this is almost like listening to a real song. I quite like the song itself, but it has far too many beats per minute to be chanted on a terrace (if you can find a terrace) and th...

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An England team not going to South Africa

The England preliminary squad of 30 players has been named, but there are at least two more teams that could have been made up of players that for one reason or another probably felt they would be going to South Africa at some point of the season. Ben Foster - Man United / Birmingham Foster played ...

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Unofficial World Cup 2010 Songs #2 - England - Alfie St George - Come Follow Me

Alfie St George's 'Come Follow Me' is released on 18 May (today as it happens) as the annoying advert that repeatedly pops up during the YouTube video points out. The song has a summery, Stock, Aitken and Waterman feel to it and features a toothy singer and both fat and nubile England clad video ex...

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Unofficial World Cup 2010 Songs #1 - England - UkePunk - Come On England!

Without an official England World Cup song there are dozens of indie songs flying on to YouTube and MySpace at the moment ready to catch the interest of everyone back home this summer. So with a month to go, to make sure we're on the ball, we're going to keep the world in motion with some reviews o...

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Cutting seven is easy enough in predictable England World Cup squad

The provisional England squad for the World Cup contains few surprises, with certainly nothing on the scale of Theo Walcott's inclusion last time. The inclusion of Carragher means that there is cover in the centre and at right-back and is a mild surprise given his international retirement; his incl...

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England: Barry’s injury could be good news for West Ham’s Scott Parker

Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry faces a race against time to be fit for the World Cup in South Africa and his ankle injury is the latest in a long line of problems to have hit Fabio Capello’s plans. Barry has become an England regular over the past few years thanks to his partnership with ...

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Does David Bentley Still Have An Outside Shot At South Africa?

Seeing David Bentley make such a difference to Tottenhams efforts in the FA Cup tie with Fulham, its possible to believe the right winger might still have an outside chance of going to the World Cup. Very much a long shot of course but the England right side candidates are thinning out. David Beckh...

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Arsenal: Campbell for England? You’re having a laugh!

Arsenal’s veteran defender Sol Campbell started the 2009/10 season at Notts County but the former Spurs ace has not ruled out ending the campaign with a place in Fabio Capello’s World Cup squad. Now I’ve heard some ridiculous things come out of the mouths of footballers in my time but this has to be...

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England: Who should Fabio choose as his No 1 for South Africa?

In less than 100 days the greatest show on earth kicks off in South Africa but England manager Fabio Capello still has major issues to resolve before he finalises on his squad who will be given the task of bringing the World Cup home. Who will fill the left-back role if Ashley Cole fails to recover ...

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Is Wayne Bridge right to turn his back on England?

Representing your country in the World Cup is supposed to be every footballer’s dream. Every one bar Wayne Bridge that is. The Manchester City left-back has kicked his international career into row Z due to the fall-out of John Terry’s alleged affair with his ex-girlfriend and mother of his children...

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Bobby Zamora: Making His Case...

Fulham have a striker whose penny has finally dropped. This season Bobby Zamora has delivered slithers of evidence that he is finally comfortable being a Premiership striker. All this in the same season that Fabio Capello has a very important England squad to pick…As Zamora was leaving his teenage y...

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Will Portsmouth damage David James's World Cup hopes?

There has been a lot of talk that unless David James got a move away from Portsmouth in January his World Cup chances would diminish. But what is that based on? His January options appeared to boil down to sitting on the bench at Spurs or moving to mid-table Stoke to compete for a place. Were eit...

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West Ham United: Could Parker push his nose into Fabio’s World Cup plans?

As we all know West Ham United won the World Cup in 1966 and in seven months’ time in South Africa Hammers’ stars Robert Green, Matthew Upson and Carlton Cole will be looking to emulate what Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters achieved all those years ago. However, could the Irons’ inspiratio...

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World Cup Draw 2010- An Anorak Snippet For Each Group

Group A;Uruguay, France and Mexico were drawn together in the 1966 World Cup with the host nation. South Africa will be hopingthats a good omen. Group B; Argentina, Greece and Nigeria are meeting up again after being in the same group at USA 94. The Greeks were awful in 1994 and yet ten years later...

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World Cup Draw - Quick, instant reaction*

The World Cup draw concluded two minutes ago - here is a quick analysis of the draw: Group A; South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay and France - very tough draw for the hosts Group B; Argentina, Nigeria, South Korea and Greece - Argentina will be delighted Group C; England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia - Eng...

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How the England squad has evolved since 2006 - and why David Beckham will go again

England World Cup squads are an evolution rather than a revolution so on the day England will learn which group of death they will be drawn into (my guess is that it will be horrible and include Serbia, Mexico and Nigeria) the David Beckham question can again be asked. World Cup 2006 Last time Eng...

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Possible England Groups: History, Life, Death, The Queen and Pure Guesswork

There are a fair number of permutations for England's group in the World Cup and all sorts of combinations have an underlying story. In terms of footballing history, the recent clashes that England have had with Portugal surely trump the odd disaster against France. The famous quarter final victor...

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Was the World Cup seeding France's punishment?

The Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke was, today, at pains to reject any notion that France was being punished for the Henrygate incident but in choosing an arbitrary point of time for deciding the World Cup seedings that is the only real inference that can be drawn. From the moment that Fifa de...

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Does Ireland have any chance of competing in World CUp 2010?

After the contentious France vs Ireland play-off game, the news that a replay was not possible, despite Thierry Henry's comments seemed to rule out Ireland's involvement. That the French players were hardly concerned about the aftermath, whereas the Irish players were barely fit to play says a lot ...

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Which 16 English stadiums could host World Cup 2018 and will Merseyside miss out?

It does seem a bit presumptuous to invite cities (and Milton Keynes) to bid for the right to be part of the attempt by the FA to get England chosen as the 2018 World Cup host nation. But given the success of the London Olympic bid there is some optimism that England could get this twice in a lifeti...

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How did the unlucky Ireland team get on after World Cup elimination?

There was much talk of dropping Irish players who were not mentally fit to play after the Paris rollercoaster; but in the end most of the hard-bitten Ireland players turned out. Not everyone was sympathetic to their plight, with Roy Keane especially scathing. But with a replay now not likely - how...

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How did the evil France team fare after Henrygate?

I thought I'd look at the subsequent performances of starting eleven of the France team that eliminated Ireland after 'that' goal by Gallas, after 'that' assist by Henry. There will be no replay of Ireland vs France, as Fifa has no rule to cover 'cheating' - although plenty to cover the 'unauthoriz...

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Would a replay of Ireland v France be fair?

It's hard to watch the replay (after replay) of Thierry Henry's deliberate handball ahead of his cross for the decisive extra time goal for France without wondering about fairness. The circumstances of the fixture were somewhat unfair to start with. Fifa and Uefa somehow contrived to decide that P...

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New Zealand All Whites Reach South Africa

In sporting terms theres very little love lost between Australia and New Zealand but the Socceroos certainly gave their Trans-Tasman rivals a boost when they left the Oceania Confederation. The Aussies chased a World Cup Final qualification place in Asia and it worked out for them- unexpectedly it ...

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Republic of Ireland Can Put FIFA Noses Out Of Joint

We all want to see the best players at World Cup Finals but unfortunately you cant have everything in life- George Best, Ryan Giggs and GeorgeWeah are just three superstars who never made it to the big jamboree. FIFA like to have as much of their cake as possible though, so outrageously they decide...

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Ireland hope for Greeks bearing gifts

Fifa has updated its National Team Rankings this morning (Uefa should update at some time today, but is currently showing slightly different rankings) and Ireland has moved up the rankings to 20th - but not enough to avoid the big guns in the World Cup play-offs. Looking at the seeded teams, Greece...

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Cartoon: Blame it on Rio

Ukraine 1-0 England, Rio Ferdinand, Rob Green...

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