Grass isn’t always greener — you hear this saying quite a lot in the football world and, in the case of Wolverhampton Wanderers, it’s probably something that has run through the owners’ mind a gazillion times since their decision to relieve Mick McCarthy of his very successful tenure as the manager in February of last year — especially when they are now a further three managers down the line and, going into last night’s game against Watford, in the bottom three of the Championship.

It’s not only Arsenal who are being handed out lessons by the revitalised German giants.

This week we saw the Champions League resume after its winter break with some mouth-watering fixtures as the competition came down to the last 16 teams.

Our columnist reflects on a worthwhile outing against Poland and being named Ireland’s player of the year.

Our columnist on the departure of Mario Balotelli and the extraordinary non-transfer of Peter Odemwingie

Injuries are as much a battle of the mind as the body

This week has been yet another where referees have been at the centre of a lot of controversy.

The transfer window has been glamorised to such an extent in recent years that Sky could probably make the final day of January a pay-per-view event.

Today we face Sunderland in the third round of the FA Cup.

A week in the world of football can feel like a long time, so when I look back at all that’s happened in the last year, it feels like an eternity.