The Politics of Sport - Brazil 2014. Was It Worth It?

By Shane Thomas

Now that the trophy has been awarded, the media has gone home, and FIFA has packed away their succubus of a circus, a key question remains for the host nation. It's one that often arises when a major international sporting event concludes. Was it worth it?

Good Pitch? There's Nothing Good About This

By Shane Thomas

When I first began to watch cricket (I was about 12), I would often hear players and commentators talk about a pitch (or wicket) being "good". I soon learnt that a good pitch was one that was amenable to plenty of runs being scored, favouring the batsman, and making it onerous for bowlers to take wickets.

International Football's Changing Face

By Shane Thomas

One of the major narrative threads to come from this World Cup (given that much of the media refuse to acknowledge how the tournament is hurting part of Brazil's population) is how many of the more heralded nations have been below their best. As the business end of the competition begins, the four nations in the semi-finals have been inconsistent in terms of dominance.

The Politics of Sport - Ghosts of Brazil

By Shane Thomas

Let's play a game of word association (a la this scene in Skyfall[1]). I say to you, "Brazil". Your response?

It might not be your first, nor your second, but I'm sure in your top 5 replies would be the word "football"[2]. It's been part of the cultural make-up of Brazil for generations. One could argue that football is the country's greatest export.

World Cup 2014 - And The Winner Is...

By Shane Thomas

When asked to compare the World Cup and the Champions League, commentator Jon Champion opined that the Champions League may be football's gold standard, but the World Cup remains the pinnacle.

So with that in mind, here's a brief rundown (accompanied with ill-advised prognostications) of the teams likely to ascend to the aforementioned pinnacle. So before you ask, no, there will be no look at England in this post.

La Decima - Real Madrid's Favourite Toy

By Shane Thomas

This was a story of wanting. It was made up of persistence, ego, and greed. But ultimately, it was about a want. A desperate, edacious, grasping want.

The Diary of a Pessimistic Arsenal Fan - The Trophy

By Shane Thomas

Arsene Wenger said it began to feel like a curse. Sporting curses are normally a preserve of North America, but given Benfica's failure in the Europa League final, stretching the Bela Guttman curse into its 52nd year, and Liverpool - in part due to Steven Gerrard becoming acquainted with the Anfield turf - falling agonisingly short of ending their 24 year wait for a league championship, it seemed as if football is now getting into the curse business.