
Ken Early: Liverpool have crumbled without Virgil van Dijk
- Soccer
- January 18, 2021, 06:00
Liverpool have to be more cautious without defender, leading to a system breakdown

Ken Early: Duff’s decision to walk away the last thing Kenny needed
- Soccer
- January 11, 2021, 06:00
It’s been a tough enough start for the new Republic manager’s regime without this latest setback

Ken Early: To fix Chelsea’s problems Frank Lampard should look at himself first
- Soccer
- January 4, 2021, 06:00
Delusional to think that manager can metamorphose into a Klopp or a Guardiola

Ken Early: Importance of bravery is lost on Mourinho
- English Soccer
- December 21, 2020, 06:00
Rather than gripe, the Tottenham manager should ask why Klopp is getting the plaudits

Ken Early: Manchester stalemate a peculiar relief for both sides
- Soccer
- December 14, 2020, 06:00
United’s counterattacking credentials ensured City opted for discretion over valour

Ken Early: Taking the knee is not just an empty gesture – it never was
- Soccer
- December 7, 2020, 06:00
Booing Millwall fans remind everybody what the knee protests are actually all about

Ken Early: Maradona’s wonder goal a monument to lost freedom
- Soccer
- November 30, 2020, 06:00
We should be grateful that in 1986 there was no video pedant ordering a free kick to England

Ken Early: Roles have reversed for Guardiola and Mourinho
- Soccer
- November 23, 2020, 06:00
Tottenham showed an intensity in their victory that Manchester City could not match

Ken Early: Latest blank has Kenny guessing at numbers and figures
- International
- November 16, 2020, 06:00
Ireland’s goalless run reached farcical levels in Cardiff but remember this too will pass

Ken Early: Grealish walks the walk as Kenny’s wait drags on
- International
- November 13, 2020, 07:30
England’s former Ireland underage midfielder makes his presence felt

Ken Early: City and Liverpool draw shows exhausting toll of Premier League
- English Soccer
- November 9, 2020, 06:00
Excitement in short supply as teams run out of steam in second half and settle for a draw

Ken Early: Hectic pandemic-era schedule bound to take a toll on players
- English Soccer
- November 2, 2020, 06:00
Managers united in condemnation of decision not to persist with five-substitute rule

Ken Early: Project Big Picture endangers cushy position of ‘bottom 14’
- Soccer
- October 19, 2020, 06:00
Contingent of Premier League clubs know leaked plan would come at their expense

Ken Early: Worst thing about watching Ireland has been listening to Mick McCarthy
- International
- October 15, 2020, 06:00
Former Ireland manager fails to follow Jack Charlton’s example while on co-commentary duty

Ken Early: Ireland a work in progress on and off the field
- International
- October 12, 2020, 06:00
Two games into this triple header, Ireland have lost 12 players to Covid-19, close contacts and injury

Ken Early: Fiasco of Aaron Connolly’s absence adds to pain
- International
- October 9, 2020, 06:00
Say what you like about the FAI, they keep finding ways to amaze you

Ken Early: Solskjaer and United seem to be making it up as they go along
- Soccer
- October 5, 2020, 06:00
Manager continues to contradict himself and there seems to be no set plan at the club

Ken Early: Handball ‘crisis’ a timely distraction from the grim bigger picture
- English Soccer
- September 28, 2020, 06:00
Football in eerie, empty grounds has been reduced to a parody of its former self

Ken Early: Kai Havertz already a conundrum for cautious Chelsea
- Soccer
- September 21, 2020, 06:00
Frank Lampard has to play attacking football and must find a way for German to thrive

Ken Early: Aggressive paranoia pushed by Mourinho doesn't foster creativity
- Soccer
- September 14, 2020, 06:30
Everton should finish ahead of Spurs based on performance of Ancelotti’s new midfield

Ken Early: Shane Duffy has a month to adapt to defending a high line
- International
- September 7, 2020, 06:00
Stephen Kenny’s grand ambition to change Irish football’s image won’t happen overnight

Ken Early: New era begins with oldest of old-school equalisers
- International
- September 3, 2020, 23:00
Shane Duffy left it late to make up for his role in Bulgaria’s goal in Sofia

Ken Early: Questions for Messi – Why leave? And why City?
- English Soccer
- August 31, 2020, 06:45
If anyone can maximise Messi’s strengths while covering his weaknesses, it’s Pep Guardiola

Ken Early: all those millions and PSG beaten by one of their own
- Champions League
- August 23, 2020, 23:03
Hansi Flick sticks to his tactics and is rewarded but Bayern Munich ride their luck

Ken Early: Sad truth is Messi has become a problem for Barcelona
- Soccer
- August 17, 2020, 05:00
Allowing the wonderful but slow star to set the tempo for the club has been a disaster

Ken Early: PSG would be sensible final move for Ronaldo
- International
- August 10, 2020, 06:00
Portuguese star could win another title and concentrate on Champions League

Ken Early: Frank Lampard’s problems start at number one
- Soccer
- August 3, 2020, 06:00
Arrizabalaga has endured a nightmare season behind a clearly suspect defence

Ken Early: Another Mourinho masterclass in going through the motions
- English Soccer
- July 13, 2020, 06:30
The Tottenham manager’s clear lack of enthusiasm is rubbing off on the entire team

Ken Early: Resurgent United can be the top team – in Manchester
- Soccer
- July 6, 2020, 06:00
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side have lost fewer matches in the league than Man City

Ken Early: Why is there so little criticism out there for Frank Lampard?
- Soccer
- June 29, 2020, 06:00
Chelsea boss doesn’t seem to like it when the odd pundit questions his coaching credentials

Ken Early: This Liverpool team is the best and most likeable ever
- English Soccer
- June 22, 2020, 06:30
Jürgen Klopp has transformed global image into a team it’s impossible not to like

Ken Early: It’s time for all sports to jettison racist fans
- Soccer
- June 15, 2020, 06:00
Premier League, Nascar and NFL no longer worried about losing 'traditional fanbase'

Ken Early: Empty echoes are bad but simulated crowd noises are worse
- Soccer
- June 8, 2020, 06:00
Audio-wallpaper crowds are already used by some match commentators on radio and TV

Ken Early: Why international football is fading into obscurity
- Soccer
- June 1, 2020, 06:00
Last 20 years has seen the international game clearly bypassed by elite club football

Ken Early: Liverpool fans, Bamber Gascoigne and a close shave in Istanbul
- Soccer
- May 25, 2020, 06:00
Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League win was memorable for lots of different reasons

Ken Early: Behind-closed-doors could allow football to make some changes
- Soccer
- May 18, 2020, 06:00
Why not have matches on weekday afternoons or evenings instead of the weekend?

Ken Early: Players coming under increasing pressure to play ball
- Soccer
- May 11, 2020, 07:00
TV companies and the clubs share an urgent economic interest in the return of live games

Ken Early: Saipan-style division takes hold as Ireland contest group of death
- Soccer
- May 4, 2020, 06:00
The urge to “get behind the team” appears to others the historic Irish weakness of green jersey groupthink

Ken Early: German ‘ghost games’ could deepen some divides
- Soccer
- April 27, 2020, 06:00
Some fan groups are opposed to the idea but survey shows most fans are in favour of it

Ken Early: Newcastle supporters have full sight of latest exploitation bid
- Soccer
- April 20, 2020, 06:20
Geordie Nation continue to luck out but this time they know what they are getting into

Ken Early: Rewatching old matches shows what the present game has lost
- Soccer
- April 13, 2020, 06:30
Current teams may beat old counterparts 10-0 but the freedom to play was entertaining

Ken Early: Mick McCarthy II was no blockbuster, more of a flop
- International
- April 6, 2020, 06:30
Short-term appointment failed to move the team on from conservatism of O’Neill

Ken Early: Despite coronavirus, Premier League season must be finished if at all possible
- Soccer
- March 30, 2020, 06:00
Voiding the current campaign would leave far too many clubs unfairly treated

Ken Early: Klopp perfectly entitled to have his say on the coronavirus crisis
- Other Sports
- March 23, 2020, 05:45
Covid-19 outbreak has spawned a vast political, ethical and moral crisis which affects us all

Ken Early: Britain marches to the sound of a different drum
- Soccer
- March 16, 2020, 07:00
‘If this Cheltenham stuff was a scene in a disaster movie, it wouldn’t make sense’

Ken Early: ‘Resurgent United’ narrative does not stand up to scrutiny
- Soccer
- March 9, 2020, 05:00
Beating Manchester City may help Solskjær keep his job but it only papers over cracks

Ken Early: German fans take protests to the stands
- Soccer
- March 2, 2020, 07:00
Billionaires at the helm are treated very differently in Germany than England

Ken Early: Guardiola eyeing what could be a last chance for European glory with City
- Soccer
- February 24, 2020, 06:00
Beating Madrid would be best way to convince his players this could be their year

Ken Early: It’s time for Pep Guardiola to embrace diversity of tactics
- English Soccer
- February 3, 2020, 06:00
Is he prepared to work on set-piece weaknesses or would it betray his principles?

Ken Early: Klopp adds spice to ‘uninteresting’ FA Cup replays
- English Soccer
- January 27, 2020, 06:25
German will play youth team in Shrewsbury replay while first team go on holiday

Ken Early: Solskjaer’s short-term gambles proving very costly for United
- English Soccer
- January 20, 2020, 07:00
Risking injured players shows loyal club man also motivated by vigorous self-interest

Ken Early: Spurs’ passing game may be a thing of the past with Mourinho
- English Soccer
- January 13, 2020, 07:00
A side that sits back and lets Liverpool have the ball is actually playing into their hands

Ken Early: The game has changed so much it’s time to change match schedules
- English Soccer
- January 5, 2020, 22:05
Players not only have to cover greater distances in matches but also have to do it faster

Ken Early: FAI AGM like a form of group therapy for Irish football
- Soccer
- December 30, 2019, 06:00
Delegates given a chance to ask questions although solicitors were there to vet them

Ken Early: The secret of Liverpool’s success - failure is no longer indulged
- English Soccer
- December 23, 2019, 06:00
Klopp is a rare example of a massively successful professional who is simultaneously humble

Ken Early: United expose gaps made by City’s summer mistakes
- English Soccer
- December 9, 2019, 06:00
Absence of Fernandinho from midfield leaves champions open to counter-attacks

Ken Early: Did Lionel Messi’s team talk help Liverpool beat Barcelona?
- English Soccer
- December 2, 2019, 01:00
Club documentary shows Messi summoning the negative ghosts of Rome in Anfield dressing room

Ken Early: Can City maintain their intensity even when they’re chasing?
- English Soccer
- November 24, 2019, 22:28
Often teams who has excelled under ultra-demanding manager suddenly collapse

Ken Early: Ireland need to embrace power of positive thinking
- International
- November 18, 2019, 22:40
Ireland scored just seven goals in this campaign. Denmark scored three times as many

Ken Early: Thierry Henry, a missed flight, and the invisible hand of history
- International
- November 18, 2019, 06:30
How I ended up missing out on the collective outrage about France’s infamous handball

Ken Early: City ‘superstars’ unconvinced by Pep’s declaration of love
- Sport
- November 11, 2019, 06:30
Some squad members have absorbed much highly strung praise from furious manager

Ken Early: Is Mourinho the perfect man to take charge of what Arsenal is becoming?
- English Soccer
- November 4, 2019, 06:00
With the way things are going at Arsenal, maybe the time has come for a lurch to the dark side

Ken Early: Tottenham’s gradual decline takes sudden dip against Liverpool
- English Soccer
- October 28, 2019, 08:00
Klopp’s 2018 signings made the difference, while Pochettino signed no one that summer

Ken Early: Marrying style and substance still a conundrum for Solskjaer
- English Soccer
- October 21, 2019, 06:30
United fans will lose patience with a team that embraces a counter-attacking strategy

Ken Early: Switzerland exploit flaws in McCarthy’s grand plan
- International
- October 16, 2019, 05:00
Ireland looked like a side trying out a new idea in pre-season against Switzerland

Ken Early: Mick McCarthy’s attitude towards Aaron Connolly needs to change
- International
- October 14, 2019, 06:00
Ireland have been getting away with it in this campaign and their luck could soon run out

Ken Early: Ireland and Georgia have one problem in common - a difficult neighbour
- International
- October 12, 2019, 07:00
Flying 10,000km to watch a match will some day be seen as a mad thing people used to do

Ken Early: Guardiola’s radical collectivism faces sternest test
- English Soccer
- October 7, 2019, 06:00
Manchester City boss needs to avert loss of faith in system after series of setbacks

Ken Early: Lampard’s presence helping to numb the pain of Chelsea’s decline
- Soccer
- September 23, 2019, 06:10
Fans will only continue to back youth policy project if it brings the required results

Ken Early: Owen-Shearer squabble showcases new dynamics of news
- Soccer
- September 16, 2019, 06:00
Squeaky-clean images were a response to the fearsome tabloid machine of their era

Ken Early: Is a new midfield in McCarthy’s plans for Georgia?
- International
- September 10, 2019, 22:17
Perhaps the decision to move Conor Hourihane was actually to experiment in midfield

Ken Early: Irish fans are like elderly Brexiteers – stuck in the past
- Soccer
- September 9, 2019, 07:00
Our football is stuck in the past, and there seems to be no going back to the future

Ken Early: Ireland’s retro football provides a familiar result
- International
- September 5, 2019, 22:38
Mick McCarthy in charge, Roy Keane in the headlines – it felt like little had changed

Ken Early: Spurs fail to frank ambition with marquee signings
- English Soccer
- September 2, 2019, 07:00
Players being offered the opportunity to work twice as hard to stay in the same place

Ken Early: United paying the penalty for Solskjaer’s indecision
- English Soccer
- August 26, 2019, 06:30
Nominating two penalty takers is nominating none, and creating extra uncertainty

Ken Early: VAR in danger of descending into pointless pedantry
- English Soccer
- August 19, 2019, 07:00
Bad call that cost City victory against Spurs highlights a problem with how VAR is used

Ken Early: Lethargic Liverpool may have turned up just in time
- Soccer
- August 5, 2019, 06:54
Taking the plaudits is great, but now it’s time for City and Liverpool to get back to work

Ken Early: Hard to believe Neymar snr did not approve of son’s move to PSG
- International
- June 24, 2019, 07:00
Neymar’s two unhappy years in Paris have been lucrative for one family member in particular

Ken Early: What if Maradona had been more like Messi?
- International
- June 17, 2019, 00:00
The style in which Diego Maradona did things inspired passionate devotion

Ken Early: England’s attempts to play like City are doomed
- Soccer
- June 10, 2019, 06:00
Leave the high-end stuff to the Champions League. At international level, basic is best

Ken Early: Plenty of positives as Ireland again frustrate the Danes
- International
- June 7, 2019, 22:29
Technical shortcomings aside Ireland already look an improved side under McCarthy

Ken Early: Prospect of facing Ireland again will do little to inspire Eriksen
- International
- June 6, 2019, 20:20
Midfielder will struggle to be motivated after Champions League heartache with Spurs

Ken Early: Klopp’s way has something extraordinary about it
- Champions League
- June 3, 2019, 06:00
The mass celebrations in Madrid and Liverpool were no mere happy accident

Ken Early: Alisson in Wanda land completes fairytale season for Liverpool
- Champions League
- June 2, 2019, 00:05
Brazilian goalkeeper made the big saves when Tottenham’s pressure rocked Liverpool late on

Ken Early: Universal energy to decide fate of Spurs and Liverpool
- Champions League
- June 1, 2019, 07:00
Pochettino has a big decision to make on Kane, Klopp is trying to arrest dismal final record

Ken Early: Coutinho becomes a convenient scapegoat for Barcelona
- English Soccer
- May 27, 2019, 06:00
Reality is club failed to identify a suitable role within the side for the talented Brazilian

Ken Early: Guardiola’s joy will be tempered by Champions League regret
- Soccer
- May 13, 2019, 06:00
Premier League a testament to City manager – but defeat to Spurs will surely rankle

Ken Early: Klopp must find way of improving his finished product
- English Soccer
- May 6, 2019, 07:00
Should fairytale title finish not materialise, Liverpool boss facing a real conundrum

Ken Early: Football’s new age neutralises philosophies of the past
- English Soccer
- April 29, 2019, 06:21
Analysis based on yesteryear is pointless in game that has changed unrecognisably

Ken Early: Solskjær is neither miracle man nor complete disaster
- Soccer
- April 22, 2019, 06:00
He has inherited a Manchester United squad of limited mobility and uncertain character

Ken Early: How Delaney remained as FAI chief for 14 years
- Soccer
- April 15, 2019, 06:00
When it comes to winning respect of provincial leagues, nothing beats giving them money

Ken Early: Barcelona’s reliance on Messi gives Man United a chance
- English Soccer
- April 8, 2019, 06:00
A decade on from Pep, they are just a normal rich team with the best player in the world

Ken Early: City are the best team but Liverpool are winning ugly
- Soccer
- April 1, 2019, 06:30
Lloris’ error left Klopp celebrating rather than irritably justifying a failed team selection

Ken Early: From Delaney drama emerges some Irish positivity
- International
- March 26, 2019, 22:42
Is it too much to suggest that the former FAI CEO deliberately took spotlight off the team?

Ken Early: John Delaney’s Rolls-Royce running out of road
- International
- March 25, 2019, 05:30
Stepping aside of Irish football’s dominant figure will be seen as overdue by most fans

Ken Early: Republican slogans strangely back in vogue in the sporting realm
- International
- March 23, 2019, 06:00
Daily drip-drip of horror easily forgotten by a young Rice or the crowd at Madison Square Garden

Ken Early: Luck will not always be on Solskjær's side
- Soccer
- March 11, 2019, 07:00
Dazzling start has so far only transformed a disastrous season into a merely bad one

Ken Early: VAR could further undermine soccer's integrity
- Soccer
- March 4, 2019, 06:00
Video assistant referee could further undermine soccer's integrity

Ken Early: Klopp must exude the confidence which guides Liverpool home
- English Soccer
- February 4, 2019, 06:00
Supporters still struggling to make the leap of faith that all will end well this season

Ken Early: peace for Frenkie de Jong as Barça switch is completed
- Soccer
- January 28, 2019, 06:38
Big transfer sagas are so lengthy that by the end the player will do anything just to make it stop