Brian Reade

The Daily Mirror columnist at the heart of football. Read his column on MirrorFootball every Saturday

Why Tottenham outcast Roman Pavlyuchenko will be one of the biggest bargains of the January transfer window

    Brian Reade 05:05 14/11/09

    Is there really no half-decent club out there in need of a striker with £10 million to spare who can't see the potential in Roman Pavlyuchenko? Harry ... Read more+

    Why David Ngog should have saved his dive for when Liverpool take on Arsenal

      Brian Reade 05:04 14/11/09

      If only David Ngog had saved his dive for an Arsenal game, justice would have been done. Virtually all neutrals applauded UEFA for finally getting tou... Read more+

      Why England's disgraceful friendly with Brazil would have even Don Revie turning in his grave

        Brian Reade 05:03 14/11/09

        In the late 70s Don Revie almost changed his name to Dillinger after English football declared him Public Enemy Number One.His crime was swapping his... Read more+

        A surefire way for Michael Owen to make the England squad, and why Celtic and Rangers will never be welcomed by the Premier League

          There is one glaring vacancy in the England squad, outside of goalkeeper: Glenn Johnson's understudy. Luke Young has knocked it back and Gary Neville ... Read more+

          Why Fergie won't sell Nani, potential Everton investor alert, and why Jonny Evans red card escape was result of karma

            Jaap Stam, Roy Keane and Ruud Van Nistelrooy all bad-mouthed Fergie. David Beckham didn't open his mouth but publicly paraded his stitches after a boo... Read more+

            Rafa Benitez is victim of a witch-hunt against foreign managers

              Last autumn it was the turn of Juande Ramos to be burnt at the stake.Well, Avram Grant's corpse had been licked clean, so we needed a new heretic. By ... Read more+

              Sami Hyypia, not Xabi Alonso, is Liverpool's biggest loss

                The general consensus is that a club has never missed a player more badly than Liverpool miss Xabi Alonso. But although he's left a Grand Canyon-sized... Read more+

                Patrice Evra must learn to put le sock in it

                  Every club has a player who likes to mouth off. Quite often he's wrong, and quite often he leaves his fans either cringing or bemused.One such player ... Read more+

                  Alan Curbishley's chequed out just in time for Hull job

                    So Alan Curbishley looks like getting £2 million from West Ham, after he walked away from Upton Park when they sold two players behind his back.It's a... Read more+

                    Losing Jack Rodwell could be last straw at Everton for David Moyes

                      The two Manchester clubs are reputedly set to compete for the signature of Everton whizzkid Jack Rodwell. But if I were in the Everton hierarchy I'd t... Read more+

                      John Barnes' taxing mission to Rwanda

                        On the surface it appears the most bizarre quote you'll ever hear from an agent about an English footballing superstar turned TV celeb: "He has one th... Read more+

                        Stephen Ireland's hospital pass

                          Stephen Ireland thought he was about to die after he took a funny turn and was rushed to hospital during the Carling Cup tie with Fulham.Thankfully he... Read more+

                          Beckham's Law is pain in Spain for Jermaine Pennant

                            Fabulous news from Spain where the government plans to change what has become known as Beckham's Law.From next year all foreign players who move there... Read more+

                            How Clive Tyldesley jinxed Liverpool's Champions League hopes

                              Memo to Clive Tyldesley. I know you're paid to get over-excited about the prospects of English clubs in Europe, and laying on the hype comes pretty na... Read more+

                              Tottenham's David Bentley should take a lesson in perseverance from Robbie Keane

                                The summer before last, two big-money stars blinked into the flashbulbs and declared their life-long love for a pair of birds. David Bentley for a coc... Read more+

                                Sorry Carling... booze has turned your tournament into the Snarling Cup

                                  You've doubtless read this season of the stabbings at West Ham, the mass brawl in Carlisle, and the smashed-up buffet bar at Barnsley.But did you real... Read more+

                                  Freddy Shepherd's bungling has already renamed Toon's home Sid James' Park

                                    Freddy Shepherd has been laying in to his successor at Newcastle after Mike Ashley contemplated selling the naming rights to St James's Park.After pai... Read more+

                                    Players like Diouf in a spit of bother over swine flu

                                      The Health Protection Agency should do a bit more thinking before issuing swine flu warnings to footballers.First, this advice to stop spitting as tha... Read more+

                                      Nothing divine about Liverpool's ponytails

                                        Many wondered why Fabio Capello visited the Emirates on Wednesday when there were only four Englishmen playing. All of them kids with little chance of... Read more+

                                        No surprise to see Royal Mail's Adam Crozier having another bout with strikers

                                          I've always believed football to be a supreme teacher of life lessons.Take the postal dispute, with people asking 'where is the leader of the Royal Ma... Read more+

                                          Rafa Benitez is Alex Ferguson - just 20 years later

                                            One man inside Anfield tomorrow will know, better than any other, the pressure Rafa Benitez is under.Someone who understands just how isolated a manag... Read more+

                                            Shove your sky high wages, I'd rather have been a poor pro in the 70s

                                              I've asked many footballers from the 60s, 70s and 80s if they resent the unbelievable sums of money "earned" by today's players, many of whom are not ... Read more+

                                              David Moyes' refusal to blame defeat on injuries shows he is a class act

                                                The next time you hear a manager blame a defeat on injuries (you've only got until tea-time to wait) think of David Moyes. And laugh.His Everton side ... Read more+

                                                Why Arsene Wenger was spot on to turn down Real Madrid

                                                  One manager who was always on his way the second Florentino Perez regained ownership of Real Madrid was Manuel Pellegrini.Now that his Real Madrid sid... Read more+

                                                  England will need bullet-proof vests in South Africa - if they go out at the quarter-finals again

                                                    The German Football Federation has swiftly denied reports that they will force their players to wear bullet-proof vests whenever they leave their hote... Read more+

                                                    Latest opinions

                                                    Blog

                                                    Should France be forced to replay their World Cup qualifier with Ireland? The Saturday Debate

                                                    Mirror Football Blog 05:00 21/11/09

                                                        Every Saturday we'll be addressing the burning issue that you've been arguing about all week in the ... Read More+

                                                        Blog

                                                        Derek McGovern's Liverpool v Manchester City betting special

                                                        Betting Blog 00:34 21/11/09

                                                            Half the Liverpool and Manchester City players who have had 'horse placenta' treatment will be fit f... Read More+

                                                            Blog

                                                            Derek McGovern's Bet of the Day and Macca Acca

                                                            Betting Blog 00:31 21/11/09

                                                                Saturday's Bet of the Day: Get on US Open winner Juan Martin del Potro at 11-5 (bet365) to beat Andy... Read More+

                                                                Column

                                                                Why Rafa Benitez needs to release the handbrake - and thrown in Aquilani - to save Liverpool's season

                                                                Mark Lawrenson 23:02 20/11/09

                                                                    Rafa Benitez needs to drop the handbrake and throw in Alberto Aquilani to put Liverpool’s season int... Read More+

                                                                    Column

                                                                    Placenta treatments for injuries? When I was at Liverpool we didn't even have a physio!

                                                                    Mark Lawrenson 23:01 20/11/09

                                                                        The best cure for injuries at Liverpool was a treatment room without windows. You would get so bored... Read More+

                                                                        Column

                                                                        Why Arsenal face their first major test at Sunderland, and how Henry handball proved we need video technology now

                                                                        Mark Lawrenson 23:00 20/11/09

                                                                            Arsene Wenger faces his first major test in the next couple of games.That test is whether Arsenal ha... Read More+

                                                                            Blog

                                                                            Manchester United are ready to run amok in the Premier League, warns Wayne Rooney: The Big Saturday Interview

                                                                            Mirror Football Blog 23:00 20/11/09

                                                                                Wayne Rooney has warned the Premier League that Manchester United are ready to embark on a trademark... Read More+

                                                                                Blog

                                                                                No More Heroes: The Ashton Gate Eight

                                                                                Got Not Got 21:46 20/11/09

                                                                                    "People should never forget in this city that without those eight players there would not be a Brist... Read More+

                                                                                    Blog

                                                                                    Why Roy Keane is right: Henry's handball is done and dusted. Can't we all move on now? By Martin Lipton

                                                                                    Laptop with Martin Lipton 17:12 20/11/09

                                                                                        The row rumbles on and now Thierry Henry has sought to restore his tattered reputation.But FIFA have... Read More+

                                                                                        Blog

                                                                                        Katie Price is Cristiano Ronaldo's love child, Thierry Henry handball game and Alan Partridge at the FAI - the five best things we've found on the web today

                                                                                        Football Banter 15:28 20/11/09

                                                                                            Thank Crunchie it's Friday and thank Crunchie it's 3pm! Time for our daily round up of the five best... Read More+

                                                                                            Blog

                                                                                            David Beckham in America: 10 things we've learned from Goldenballs' MLS adventure

                                                                                            Mirror Football Blog 14:34 20/11/09

                                                                                                America loves a Comeback Kid and on Sunday night David Beckham could be reborn in the USAEarlier thi... Read More+

                                                                                                Blog

                                                                                                Thierry Henry is at risk of contracting swine flu: conclusive proof that there IS a God?

                                                                                                Football Banter 13:34 20/11/09

                                                                                                    The news that Barcelona have been hit by an outbreak of swine flu - the club today confirmed that de... Read More+

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                                                                                                    Latest blogs

                                                                                                    Should France be forced to replay their World Cup qualifier with Ireland? The Saturday Debate - Mirror Football Blog
                                                                                                      Derek McGovern's Liverpool v Manchester City betting special - Betting Blog
                                                                                                        Derek McGovern's Bet of the Day and Macca Acca - Betting Blog
                                                                                                          Manchester United are ready to run amok in the Premier League, warns Wayne Rooney: The Big Saturday Interview - Mirror Football Blog
                                                                                                            No More Heroes: The Ashton Gate Eight - Got Not Got
                                                                                                              Why Roy Keane is right: Henry's handball is done and dusted. Can't we all move on now? By Martin Lipton - Laptop with Martin Lipton
                                                                                                                Katie Price is Cristiano Ronaldo's love child, Thierry Henry handball game and Alan Partridge at the FAI - the five best things we've found on the web today - Football Banter
                                                                                                                  David Beckham in America: 10 things we've learned from Goldenballs' MLS adventure - Mirror Football Blog