Football analysis by Mark Payne
Mark Payne is a journalist currently living in Sydney, Australia. He is a weekly correspondent for ESPN's online service and a contributor to a host of business, travel and lifestyle publications.
United wore black armbands on Saturday as a mark of respect to the recently deceased Macclesfield manager Keith Alexander. You only need to take a quick peek at JT’s absurd armband celebration to understand why he is the most dislikeable man in the universe. I am not going to argue that United’s players go home [click to read more]
Initial thoughts on the Wolves match. Article to follow: Diouf really did miss 3 sitters against Wolves. Maybe not a champions league player yet. Diouf really is our back up striking option now. Rooney is, um, important. Gibson looked good, I shall be keeping an eye. Van der Sar earns his money. Scholsie’s head in front of goal is cooler than [click to read more]
A “source” claims the report, says that two “mystery bidders” have offered £1bn+ for United this week but were turned down by the Glazer family. What a convincing story! How brimming with factual evidence it is. Perhaps the more cynical among us would say this is misinformation, a lame attempt at discouraging the Red Knight [click to read more]
Aston Villa pitch themselves as the Ghandi of the Premier League. Randy Lerner is said to be a ‘good, considerate’ owner (although I know nothing about him) and Martin O’Neill is the media darling’s media darling. “He has a law degree don’t you know, how very nouveau football.” And of course they nurture young English [click to read more]
Nothing can stop the man at the moment and the time has come to rank him among some of the greatest players to have worn the shirt. We can certainly admit that he is carrying the team this season and that places him alongside the likes of, Robson, Best (in the 70s), Cantona and indeed [click to read more]
Is this cataclysmic? http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/feedarticle/8958478
It is possible there is intelligent life on other planets, there is a chance Angelina Jolie is merely waiting for me, that super-volcano in Yellowstone National Park could erupt at any minute and destroy the entire planet. If these things can happen then United can still win the league. Whilst there is still hope I [click to read more]
Only an idiot makes predictions but I’m pretty excited about this game so I’m going to be an idiot. 1-1 San Siro with Milan scaring the bejeesus out of us. 2-1 United at OT with Beckham scoring a free-kick and Pato hitting the post twice. Vidic’s head found on a stake outside the ground before the second leg, [click to read more]
This week may well see the demise of Portsmouth Football Club. FA Cup champions of 2008, members of the Football League since the 1800s and an abused plaything for a series of international businessmen. The significance of a top-flight team, and recent trophy winner, facing oblivion cannot be overstated. Portsmouth as a place and footballing institution [click to read more]
History is littered with examples of people making matters worse by being involved in something they don’t really understand. Nobody regards America’s involvement in Vietnam as a triumph, Madonna should never have acted and this week Gary Cook gave us this little beauty. His humungous stupidity acting as the perfect aphrodisiac for all victory celebrations far, [click to read more]