Pandora’s box — The Premier League this week charged Manchester City with breaching over 100 financial rules. While FFP related penalties are not completely unheard of these days, this has created shockwaves. The investigation raises some wider questions. If the charges materialize, and lead to some type of sanction, that would raise even…

Book release — With the FIFA World Cup 2022, on in Qatar, I’ve compiled a Kindle book that looks back at the 21 previous World Cup editions and reflects on what might have been. Featuring original analysis and concise narration, it provides a precis of the fabled winners and near-winners of the FIFA World Cup. Check it out on Amazon Kindle. FIFA World Cup Finals - a retrospection The FIFA World Cup is football's grandest prize. While the winner's name is engraved on the trophy, theirs is often not…www.amazon.com

Underdogs —just bark or also bite? — At Qatar 2022, we saw Morocco prevail in an extraordinary shootout to reach the quarterfinals. Surprise packages and dark horses definitely light up tournaments. But how well have they performed at World Cups? Surprise packages A surprise package is a side that surpasses expectations. Expectations however are relative. …

Point check at the 3/4th mark — The group stages have concluded in Qatar 2022. With 48 of the 64 games, or 3/4th of the tournament played, and just hours left to the knockout rounds, here are my reflections so far. 1. Asian teams have delighted Excluding the hosts, 3 out the 5 qualifying teams from the Asian Federation reached the knockout…

If football is a story, then no narrative is richer than that of Gareth Southgate. — Euro 96 — The first tournament in England since they won in 1966. The omens were strong for a young team littered with talent, Paul Gascoigne, Alan Shearer, David Seaman to name a few. In defence was a well-liked defender, a man who had recently picked up the League Cup…