FIFA proposes lighter punishment for foul play Posted by Paul Gardner on Feb. 3, 1:16 a.m. Coming up shortly, the next meeting of the International Football Association Board, IFAB, the curiously composed little group that dictates what soccer's rules should be. » 10 Comments
Transfer window closes. Will anyone notice? Posted by Paul Gardner on Feb. 1, 12:17 a.m. All the noise and the breathless hyped-up drama surrounding the closing of the transfer window seem to me to have raised an intriguing question: is the soccer world's superstar market drying up? » 8 Comments
Bouquets and Brickbats for Bruce Arena Posted by Paul Gardner on Jan. 28, 2:04 a.m. Bruce Arena stands out as the coach you always want to hear from. Whatever the topic -- I'm talking only soccer here, though maybe his range is much wider -- his views, not to mention his way of expressing them, are always going to be worth listening to. » 24 Comments
The keys behind Mexico's youth success Posted by Paul Gardner on Jan. 25, 1:11 a.m. To say that Mexican youth soccer had a good 2011 does not even begin to describe the quite exceptional achievements of the Mexican boys. » 17 Comments
Only Beckham the player can help U.S. soccer Posted by Paul Gardner on Jan. 19, 4:30 p.m. For unadulterated drivel you'll have to look far and hard to find anything to beat the sheer hogwash surrounding David Beckham's decision to re-sign with the Los Angeles Galaxy. » 26 Comments
Lows, Highs and Goodbyes -- 2011 Posted by Paul Gardner on Dec. 31, 12:19 p.m. The usual touches of sadness and gladness, accompanied by the glow of excitement and the groans of disappointment come back to me from the soccer year that was 2011. There were occasions ... » 16 Comments
The Suarez Verdict: A Rush to Justice? Posted by Paul Gardner on Dec. 21, 8:20 p.m. A very curious business, this "conviction" of Liverpool's Luis Suarez for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra. » 18 Comments
The Latest Fashion News from FIFA -- or, A Look at the 2012 Rule Book Posted by Paul Gardner on Dec. 20, 6:07 p.m. Reading the soccer rule book -- or any rule book -- is not really anyone's idea of having a good time. But someone has to do it once in a while, so I'll save you the trouble with a quick skim through the latest version of FIFA's "Laws of the Game." I shall call them rules, though. » 9 Comments
Barcelona vs. the best? No contest Posted by Paul Gardner on Dec. 18, 8:17 p.m. Within the last eight days Barcelona has stamped its superiority on world soccer in a way that brooks no argument. Pep Guardiola's team is simply irresistible. » 19 Comments
North Carolina quells Charlotte Frenzy to take College Cup Posted by Paul Gardner on Dec. 12, 12:28 a.m. The most baffling moment of the college final arrived during halftime. Charlotte's coach Jeremy Gunn was telling us that he felt "the first half went well for us" and that what was needed in the second half was "to keep making life difficult for our opponents." Well, fair enough, not exactly the most sophisticated approach you'll ever hear, but I ... » 20 Comments
Bruce Arena exposes fallacy of Euro training for MLS youngsters Posted by Paul Gardner on Dec. 9, 12:11 a.m. Bruce Arena, I'm delighted to announce, has returned to being Bruce Arena. After a season in which his Galaxy gave us game after game of very dull, very un-Arena-ish games, he has now had his say -- a very invigorating, straight-talking, totally Arena-ish say -- on a topic that has long cried out for such a comment. » 14 Comments
More questions about the safety of heading Posted by Paul Gardner on Dec. 4, 7:32 p.m. U.S. Youth Soccer's "official" response -- if that's what it is -- to the latest medical studies on possible brain damage resulting from heading the ball sounds dangerously complacent. » 11 Comments
Remembering Roy Rees - the Welsh Maverick Posted by Paul Gardner on Nov. 30, 10:28 p.m. Roy Rees -- gone so suddenly, so sadly. They say he was 74, but that hardly seems possible to me. I suppose they're right, but Roy, both in mind and body, was always a young man to me. » 8 Comments
Beckham's Galaxy: More boring than scoring Posted by Paul Gardner on Nov. 26, 12:54 p.m. Now that the Galaxy (or as it's far too often defined, "David Beckham's Galaxy") has won MLS Cup, we can settle down to have a bit of a ponder about its manner of claiming the title. Beckham has had his say, "We were incredible" is his modest opinion. » 29 Comments
ESPN - typically - fires the wrong guy Posted by Paul Gardner on Nov. 22, 12:16 a.m. Trying to read any logic -- particularly soccer logic -- into any of the decisions made by ESPN regarding its soccer coverage is barely worth the bother. » 40 Comments
