Soccer

All In The Game: Groundhog day for honest Séamus Coleman

New Spanish logo leaves a lot to be desired; Luxembourg claim a very rare away win

Seamus Coleman was forced to give another grave assessment of Ireland’s performance after their defeat Luxembourg. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA

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Mary Hannigan
Mon Mar 29 2021 - 10:00

Groundhog day for Séamus Coleman

Séamus Coleman after Everton were trashed by Wolves last season: “Shocking. Embarrassing. No hiding places. We need to go home, look ourselves in the mirror ...... we need to ask some serious questions of ourselves. Just embarrassing.”

Séamus Coleman on Saturday: “It’s a shocking result. We should be embarrassed. As players we need to have a good hard look at ourselves. There are no words for that. It’s not good enough. It’ll take a while to get over that one because it’s embarrassing, full stop.”

He’s the king of brutally honest post match interviews, but the poor lad must feel like it’s Groundhog Day.

Quote of the week

"There are no words to describe how much I miss Naples. It's so cold in London, they don't even know what the sun is." Chelsea's Jorginho issuing what sounds a little like a very desperate come-and-buy-me-back plea to Napoli.

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Number of the week

1 - That's how many World Cup qualifying games Luxembourg had won away from home in their entire history before Saturday - and that was 13 years ago (against Switzerland). Morto.

A bold new logo for Spain

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) held a glitzy event in Madrid last week to unveil their brand new logo, president Luis Rubiales whipping the audience in to a frenzy with the promise of a “powerful image, one of elegance and simplicity .... a new visual identity that opens the way to a Federation that is more committed, more open, more inclusive, more egalitarian and undoubtedly closer”.

Pablo Coppel raised expectations too, the creative director of the team that worked on the logo revealing that it took 18 months to design and that the result was a “coherent and orderly architecture with which the federation can present themselves and their brand going forward”.

And then the big reveal.

Is that not just four white letters in a red circle?

Word of mouth

"I don't think anybody is going to discuss rocket science with the guys from NASA, but everyone around the world thinks they can discuss football with one of the most important managers in the game." Jose Mourinho demonstrating his humility by claiming that he's only "one of" the most important gaffers in football.

"If you are from Porto, you say Portista. If you are from Benfica, you say Benficista. And if you are from Mourinho, we say Mourinista. I have so many more Mourinistas around the world." Jose again, this time going on about Mourinistas. Nope, us neither.

"If you look at my generation it was harder to get into that team. But nowadays, we tend to throw England caps around like confetti and anyone that shows a touch of form gets in the squad." Paul Ince didn't name names, but Ollie Watkins had his suspicions.

"I have two little ones at home who kick the ball, my wife asks me to tell them to stop but I say, 'no, we can buy new things if they break them.'" Every kid needs a Da like Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

"I think the main reason I came to Spurs this year was to play football first and foremost. Going into the Euros I wanted to be match fit. The original plan was to do a season at Spurs and after the Euros still have a year left at Real Madrid. My plan is to go back." Gareth Bale, not quite kissing the Spurs badge.

"She is the engine room, the architect, the inspiration, the leader .... she is a pocket battleship with skill, vision and a heart the size of a lion. Nothing intimidates her." Let's just say, North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley is rather pleased that Denise O'Sullivan has signed a new two-year contract.

‘If you are from Mourinho, you say Mourinista’ Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA

Rio backs Ashley

Newcastle fans probably can’t remember the last time they were happy with their footballing lot, but they’ve rarely been more disgruntled than they currently are with their team seemingly sliding towards relegation. The chief target of their ire is, of course, club owner Mike Ashley who they would very much like to go away.

Ashley doesn’t have many friends in the media, not least because of the treatment of his employees in his Sports Direct empire, but one voice popped up last week to defend him.

“It’s his club .... he’s the one that’s put the money up and he’s doing what he thinks is right for the club,” said Rio Ferdinand on his YouTube show. “Whether the Geordies don’t like it… a lot of them hate him … round your money up and take over the club then!”

The gist of his message, then, was that only Newcastle fans who can afford to pay around £350m to buy the club have the right to criticise Ashley.

On an entirely unconnected note, Football 365 pointed out that Ferdinand’s “FIVE fashion range is available exclusively at Sports Direct”. Oh.

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