Columns - Irish Examiner

David Shonfield

Fifa’s transfer watchdog gets teeth into Madrid’s two giants

The transfer bans against Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid announced last week show both the strengths and the weaknesses of Fifa’s regulations.

Tue, 19 Jan, 2016

Derby night divides Catalonia

Barcelona and Lionel Messi are again the centre of admiration in the football world and rightly so.

Tue, 12 Jan, 2016

Europe’s hottest seat too much for Rafa Benitez

Football management has always been a precarious business, but never more so than now.

Tue, 05 Jan, 2016

FIFA's corruption web is gradually unravelling

Traditionally it is the Mounties who always get their man, but in pursuing and bringing down Sepp Blatter and now Michel Platini the FBI has done something that for a long time seemed impossible: the web of corruption in world football is gradually being unravelled.

Tue, 22 Dec, 2015

Hint of the predictable for familiar Champions League rivals

As a rule there is nothing more predictable than the Christmas TV schedules. Except the draw for the Champions League knockout round.

Tue, 15 Dec, 2015

Special omens as Chelsea face Porto

Fate has a way of setting up enticing Champions League encounters and Chelsea’s showdown against Porto tomorrow is up there with the best, writes David Shonfield.

Tue, 08 Dec, 2015

PSG dominate in France as rivals can’t keep up — on or off the pitch

Thirteen points separate Paris Saint-Germain from the rest of Ligue 1, and it might as well be 130, given the chance of any of their rivals making a sustained challenge this season.

Tue, 01 Dec, 2015