You see it in youth leagues around the world, no matter the sport. The coach’s son plays. His talent level doesn’t enter the conversation. It isn’t limited to youth leagues either. Sir Alex Ferguson kept son Darren in his…

In the 2019/20 Premier League season’s early doors, Manchester United fans went a bit overboard in their appreciation for new right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka. It cannot be argued that the 21-year-old’s defending stood out. His positioning…

Ask yourself why Sir Alex Ferguson signed Robin van Persie. It wasn’t to stick it to Arsene Wenger. That was a bonus. No, he needed someone who could provide balance in the Manchester United attack. Always devastating down the left flank…

When Pep Guardiola arrived at Manchester City in 2016, bringing his ground-based possession style with him, Premier League aficionados were of two minds. The old school boys claimed the Catalunyan manager needed to adapt his game to English…

David De Gea is about to put pen to paper on a £375k-a-week salary. Or, he isn’t. No, he is. Actually, just give us a few more minutes please? We’d like to look over the menu again.  The Spaniard’s to-and-fro with…

Four matches are a flimsy hook on which to hang your hat. The Premier League table tends to be an unrecognizable clutter in the early doors. Nearer ten games, however, things begin to fall into place. The problem is that the media…

Robert Moreno repeatedly insists he has no first-choice goalkeeper in the Spanish national team. His preference for Kepa Arrizabalaga in four successive matches contradicts that claim. The question is whether we should second-guess…

Roy Keane went home to Ireland for one night to appear at a charity event. In the process, he set the Twitterverse alight. The event was a two-hour chat with Off the Ball Roadshow hosts David Molloy and Nathan Murphy in front of a packed audience…

Manchester United have lacked control in games this season, yet forgotten man Fred can unlock Paul Pogba’s talent and bring stability to a thus-far jagged and loose midfield.  United have been disposed the third-most in the…

Fourteen years ago, Manchester United as a corporation decided that women’s football was not profitable. They disbanded the team to avoid taking a loss. Over time, attitudes as well as trends, change. Now, women's football is a potential…

Sit around for two days watching the weather report. Your eyes will glaze, mind wandering to unexpected places without the help of recreational hallucinogens. At the same time, being at the mercy of Mother Nature reconnects you to reality.…

If you count Brazilian-born uncapped Italian international Rodrigo Possebon, 18 South Americans have featured for Manchester United in the Premier League era. As a group, they haven’t fared well. While the Premier League doesn’t…

The problem with VAR is not that it erodes the human element in football. It’s that it leaves it in place. VAR stands for video assistant referee, not assisted review. It’s a person watching a monitor to make a decision. Instances…

Alexis Sanchez enjoyed the brightest days of his career at Arsenal. He was a fan favourite at the Emirates Stadium before swapping the Gunners for Manchester United. After switching to Old Trafford, his career took a different turn.  …

If the Beatles were a football club who would take the penalties? Would it be just one band member? Each of the Fab Four wrote hit singles for the group, including Ringo Starr. In my mind’s eye, I see Ringo more as a goalkeeper, backstopping…