Summer Transfers 2013: Best free transfers so far…

The best things in life are free but don’t forget the six-figure contract or the agent fee. Okay, so Janet and Luther didn’t quite sing it like that but when Monaco is flashing the big bucks along with PSG, Manchester City and Chelsea like spoilt rich kids, it’s left to the rest to strengthen on a budget.

Marcelo: Why the Real Madrid man is key to Brazil’s 2014 World Cup hopes

If Marcelo dreamt of making his debut for Brazil, he probably envisaged a backdrop more glamorous than a dreary Tuesday evening in North London. White Hart Lane will now forever be in the memory of the Real Madrid left back as the ground where he first laced those boots up to step out for the  Seleção. I was there that night in 2006 to see the Brazilian supporters out in full force and a game that Brazil were worthy of a 2-0 win.

Croatia vs Scotland: 5 Things Gordon Strachan can take from World Cup qualifier win

Reasons to be cheerful have been few and far between for Scotland supporters in recent years especially during Craig Levein’s fateful reign in charge but his replacement Gordon Strachan is doing his best to restore the faith in the national side when it is at an all time low. His first win as Scotland manager came in the largely uneventful friendly against Estonia earlier this year, but it’s his first competitive win away to Croatia in a World Cup qualifying campaign that was already over when he replaced Levein that suggests there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Fergie Retires: Manchester United players past and present react on Twitter

It’s a rarity to be posting twice on one day but thought it was worthy to round-up what Manchester United players that have played under Ferguson managed to squeeze into 140 characters what they made of the United manager stepping down and the impact the Scot had on their careers. There’s some great pictures in there as well.

Ferguson Retires: The day I met Fergie

Twitter timeline, Facebook news feed, radio phone-ins, Sky Sports yellow ticker, front and back page of the Standard. For Manchester United supporters Wednesday May 8^th 2013 will be remembered as the day one of the greatest football managers to have graced the game decided that it was time to call it a day.

Champions League goals 2012-13: Memorable strikes from men at the back

Just as the world debated over whether Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s acrobatic strike was better than Maradona’s jinking run in ‘86 or Zidane’s volley against Bayern Leverkusen in the 2002 Champions League final, Milan’s French centre back Phillipe Mexes scored an overhead kick to rival the Swede’s finish and give the Rossoneri faithful something to smile about this season.

Future Premier League stars on temporary leave

When you’ve got the money in the bank you can invest in a squad that can deliver almost immediate success.  That extra financial clout also means being able to cherry pick the prodigious young talents that can will form the foundations of a dominant side for years to come.