Philip Patrick

Cristiano Ronaldo has almost certainly played his last game for Manchester United after an ‘explosive’ interview which ‘the whole world’s talking about’ (Piers Morgan’s words). ‘The biggest star that football has ever seen’ (Piers again) spills the beans on his cruel and incompetent employers in a two-part interview to be broadcast tonight and tomorrow. Fans will be left wondering how much is hype and where the truth and blame resides.

At least 151 people were crushed or trampled to death in a narrow alley in the South Korean capital Seoul last night. That figure – which is expected to rise – makes it one of the worst peacetime disasters in the country’s history. President Yoon Suk-yeol has declared a national period of mourning. Both Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden have sent messages of sympathy. The victims, many of whom were young women, were celebrating Halloween in the Itaewon entertainment district of the South Korean capital. Details of exactly what happened are sketchy, but it seems that a huge mass of people poured in to one of the area’s narrow alleyways, where panic provoked a stampede which led to those at one end of the street falling over. First came a cascade of partygoers, then a disaster.

There isn’t much that unites the fractious, dysfunctional football family. But in the UK, at least, there is something most fans seem to agree on: VAR – Video Assistant Referee – is awful. The technology, introduced to limit errors and controversy, appears to be having the opposite effect. Critics speak of VAR as if it were a malevolent spirit tormenting players, supporters, and coaches alike. Its frequent manifestations usually involve lengthy pauses resulting in seemingly random judgements. Onlookers – particularly those watching in the stands – are often left perplexed and enraged. This week, in a classic VAR episode, Spurs were denied a thrilling, potentially lucrative, last second winner in their Champion’s League tie with Sporting Lisbon – thanks to VAR.

Several French cities have announced that they will be boycotting the upcoming World Cup in protest against the Qatari state’s human rights record and, for some, the alleged environmental impact of the event. The customary big screens and specially designated fans zones have been cancelled in Paris, Bordeaux, Lille, Marseilles, Strasbourg and Reims. Pierre Hurmic, the mayor of Bordeaux, said public screenings of World Cup matches would make the city an 'accomplice' to a form of crime. French great Eric Cantona agrees:  'I will not watch a single match of this World Cup. This will cost me because since I was a kid it’s been an event that I love, that I look forward to and that I watch with passion.

‘Language please, there are ladies present’, that was the kind of thing you would occasionally hear when some possibly overly refreshed male would forget himself and lapse into vulgarity in the presence of what was then referred to as the ‘fairer sex’. But if you thought such days were long gone, and such interjections now patronising and archaic, then think again. For at least in the sports studios of our major broadcasters it seems men must be as on the alert and careful with their language as ever. Just ask Graeme Souness.

Well, thank goodness for that. Just as it seemed the England’s women’s football team might be about to extend the nation’s 56 years in search of a continental football title, a glorious release courtesy of an injury time winner from Chloe Kelly broke the spell. Saving us all from yet more psychological trauma like that inflicted by Gareth Southgate’s men’s team’s recent near misses, the Lionesses' victory sent the stadium and the country ‘into raptures’. It was a terrific game and crowned what has been a fine tournament. To paraphrase a great war-time patriot, no one would quibble with ‘allowing ourselves a brief moment of rejoicing’.

Be honest, how excited are you about the women’s European football championship? The BBC – which will broadcast every game of the tournament that starts on Wednesday – clearly expects you to be very excited indeed. But is the BBC in danger of overhyping women’s football, and doing it and the players a disservice in the process? Our national broadcaster has form here. The coverage of the women’s World Cup of 2019 was similarly comprehensive and exhaustingly upbeat. Decent games were ‘wonderful’, mediocre games ‘good’; and ways were found to describe stinkers in some way or other positively. There were few poor players, just disappointing performances by hugely talented individuals.

‘The Hungar Shames’ screamed the Sun after England suffered a mortifying 0-4 defeat to the not so mighty Magyars last night. The game was England's worst home defeat since 1928. England now face the humiliating prospect of relegation from Tier B of the Nations League where they may join the likes of Armenia, Montenegro, and Albania. The shambolic, shapeless, performance against determined but limited opposition (Hungary are ranked 40 in the world) came on the back of three consecutive dismal outings (one goal in six hours of play, and that a penalty). England’s second favourite status for the World Cup in Qatar now seems ludicrously optimistic. Ordinarily there would be serious questions raised about the manager’s position after such a debacle.

If there is one thing that could salvage this year’s Wimbledon it would be a decent showing by the tournament’s undoubted star attraction: Emma Raducanu. Engulfed in a controversy of its own making since it banned Russians and Belarussians players in response to the war in Ukraine, and facing the loss of rankings points as a result, Wimbledon 2022 is desperately in need of a feel-good story and some positive publicity. The public will be similarly demanding. The US Open Champion may be expected to bear an especially heavy burden in her second Wimbledon appearance. But is it realistic, or fair, to expect her to shoulder it?

What a mess. With just five weeks to go before the start of the tournament, Wimbledon organisers are having to contemplate a potential fiasco. What in previous years was arguably the world’s greatest tennis tournament is at risk of becoming a fractious, politicised and potentially heavily boycotted iteration of itself.  Following a decision by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to strip the tournament of ranking points in response to their ban on Russian and Belarusian players, Wimbledon could be reduced to a mere exhibition of arrogance, and short-sightedness. The tournament’s reputation may not recover for years. It is an unforced error of epic proportions. Things are now going from bad to worse.

Everton secured their Premier League safety last night, coming back from two goals down to bag a 3-2 victory against Crystal Palace. It was all too much for some of their fans who, having endured seven nail-shreddingly tense minutes of extra time, swarmed onto the pitch at the final whistle. There was at least one unpleasant consequence of the pitch invasion as an Everton fan taunted Crystal Palace manager Patrick Viera, who responded with a kick. This isn’t just a one-off, however. People are seriously starting to ask: are we seeing the return of football hooliganism? Thursday’s League Two play-off match also saw fans on the pitch at its end with punches allegedly thrown at Swindon players.