Arriving at the back post

PayPal Park’s 10-year anniversary is fast approaching. The 22 nd  March 2025 marks a century of San Jose Earthquake stagnation then regression married with a constant ability to underachieve even when expectations were seemingly rock bottom.  Last season they achieved a record-breaking fifth wooden spoon. It is hardly the way to enter the decennial year. There is little to cheer about and few reasons to show support. However, there is one pocket of the PayPal Park, located in Section 117-118, that adds vibrancy to the stadium, which has often been missing on the pitch. They are the Earthquakes’ ultras group, San Jose Ultras. Dan Margarit was Romanian born and an ardent Steaua Bucharest ultra who moved to California and wanted to spread the European fan experience to his new side, San Jose. Margarit, who is one of the founders of SJU, said: “After I moved to the States, I wanted to support my local team, which was San Jose Earthquakes. I started attending their games, and was p...

Sir Alex Ferguson has rarely been proved wrong when it comes to football, but Burnley currently seem to be debunking his claim that “attack wins you games, defence wins you titles”. It has been 1,100 minutes since a Championship side has breached James Trafford in goal in a spell that dates back to December 21 st  when Kwadwo Baah struck for Watford in a 2-1 win for Scott Parker’s side. This barren run for opposition attacks has resulted in a Championship record of 11 consecutive clean sheets and throughout the season, Burnley have only conceded in nine games, with a sole goal being the most they have let in on any occasion in the league. They are, by a considerable distance, the best defensive side English football has ever seen. The Clarets concede 0.27 goals per game, while the next sternest defence in EFL history was Gillingham in 1995/96, who registered 0.47 goals per 90. The closest figure to Burnley’s currently tally is Liverpool’s 1978/79 season with 0.38 across 42 games an...

Moments. That’s what makes a football match. A near-perfect game can be forgotten in a flash if one defining moment results in a loss. 70 rushing yards racked up through 15 carries, 27 passes amounted to 304 yards, three rushing touchdowns and an arrowed pass to A.J Brown who put the Philadelphia Eagles ahead in the second quarter. Those were Jalen Hurts Super Bowl stats two years ago. But among all that, there was a fumble and that was Hurts’ moment. One that, no matter the level, will play on your mind. His drop into the path of Nick Bolton allowed the Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton to race away and level the Super Bowl, with the Eagles on top in the second quarter. On Sunday, the rematch. Patrick Mahomes vs Jalen Hurts. Mahomes and Co. are looking for an unprecedented three-peat, which started with that win against the Eagles in 2023, Hurts is looking for a validating maiden Super Bowl ring. Only this year, it isn’t just Hurts. There is more to the Pennsylvanians' arm...

  Under the famous Wembley arch on July 7 th  2021, the England fans, who largely dominated the stadium, fell silent. Stunned by a free-kick that viciously swerved and dipped past Jordan Pickford to put Denmark ahead in the Euros semi-final. But for three years after that free-kick, it seemed he had lost his way and was unable to replicate the ability he had shown on that day, and for Nordsjaelland in the Danish Superliga, before he moved to Sampdoria the year before the Euros. The gauntly teen hit 11 league goals in the 2019/20 season for Nordsjaelland, a club that has been synonymous with producing exciting talent. Toke Theilade, the editor-in-chief at Vilfortpark, said: “He was always considered a big talent, and impressed at all levels. “He was versatile at a young age, and although he mostly played in the midfield, he was also tried as a striker. Generally moved around a lot and never really struggled anywhere. “Nordsjælland aren't afraid of giving young players early deb...

James Rodriguez once again finds himself secluded from the footballing world and searching for a new opportunity after Rayo Vallecano called an end to his five-month spell in the Spanish capital, which in total culminated 136 minutes. This feeling has been a far too regular occurrence in the past five years for one of the current game’s purest and underappreciated entertainers. After falling out with Zinedine Zidane, the Colombian seemed to embark on a pitstop tour, and on many occasions, it was as quick as an F1 tyre change. Directly after being cast away by Real Madrid due to Zinedine Zidane’s hard shoulder, he reunited with Carlo Ancelotti and Everton, which at the time seemed like the wildest of fever dreams. And for some Toffee fans, it must have seemed like a fantasy the way he started in Merseyside, but James’ hopefully start dwindled and his appearances on the pitch were sparse, as Ancelotti went back to Madrid and Rafa Benitez came in. Qatar was next and less than a year later...