Michael Walker
@mwalkerfoot.bsky.social
Freelance football reporter at The Athletic and Irish Times. NUJ. FWA.
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill in hospital after undergoing minor operation
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill in hospital after undergoing minor operation
Club thanks supporters for ‘kind wishes’ with O’Neill expected to be released from hospital in the next day or two
irishtimes.com
“He has so many good attributes. Victor is a special talent.” A piece on Victor Ozhianvuna, the 17-year-old signed for a League of Ireland transfer record - and who is carrying the flag for #AFC's longstanding Irish connection. @theathleticfc.bsky.social 🔴⚪️🇮🇪⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/748...
How Arsenal signing Victor Ozhianvuna can renew the club’s connection to Ireland
The north London club have started looking across the Irish Sea for emerging players, re-opening a historic pathway of talent
nytimes.com
Here’s this week’s cartoon for @sport.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/football/pic...
David Squires on … Gianni Infantino clinging to power as his Fifa empire crumbles
Our resident cartoon imagines some of the crisis talks at Fifa as its president scrambles for support after a botched World Cup plan
theguardian.com
Yep. Earlier this year I was interviewed by Sharyn Alfonsi of 60 Minutes about my Epstein investigation. Subsequently, CBS pulled the segment and fired the reporter. The MAGA buyout of media is aiding the Trump administration’s Epstein cover up.
The New Republic@newrepublic.com · yesterdayBanks permitted millions in suspicious transactions tied to Epstein—and former 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi had the story months ago. But the report would never air. trib.al/ZShZlIS
Evocative piece by @leeclayton.bsky.social on West Ham, ten years on from Upton Park-Olympic Stadium move, what gets lost, what endures. Over 50,000 season tickets sold for the coming Championship season. In the name of Alan Devonshire, read on . . .
Lee Clayton@leeclayton.bsky.social · 9h agoAn article for @theathletic.com that I hope captures the value of community in football and explores why it can sometimes be forgotten. As West Ham prepare to mark ten years at the London Olympic Stadium…. taking a cycle ride back in time. www.nytimes.com/athletic/744...
FIFA and Gianni Infantino have performed a U-turn on his plot to sell a stake in its commercial and event operations after widespread condemnation of the plans. Details: nyti.ms/4g2dPex
"As a result of today’s discussion, no UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive." At last. www.nytimes.com/athletic/747...
European nations agree to boycott World Cups over FIFA’s private investment plans
On Tuesday, FIFA confirmed its plans to sell a significant minority stake in a new entity that it is setting up to run its main events.
nytimes.com
AI company Anthropic secretly bought millions of rare and out-of-print books to train its Claude AI model. They used a hydraulic-powered cutting machine to remove the pages for scanning before destruction.
Here’s our go at an FAQ document on Gianni Infantino’s latest wheeze: 💰 Who’s going to invest in this & why? 🤑 Who’s Joshua Kushner? 👑 Why does Infantino want this? ⚽️ What’s all this cash for? 🇪🇺 Who can stop this…& will they? Unlike FIFA, this one’s free… www.nytimes.com/athletic/747...
FIFA’s $4.2bn World Cup stake sale: Who will invest? Who is the money for? Who could stop this? (Gift Article)
World football's governing body could sell a percentage of a new subsidiary that "consolidates FIFA's commercial and event operations"
nytimes.com
As reported by @david-ornstein.bsky.social Eddie Howe set to depart Newcastle United. www.nytimes.com/athletic/747...
Eddie Howe set to leave Newcastle United, Matthias Jaissle poised to replace him
The 48-year-old, who led Newcastle to their first trophy in 70 years with the 2025 Carabao Cup, has made the decision himself.
nytimes.com
When your private-equity-drenched greed makes Sepp Blatter's greed look downright artisanal by comparison, you know the FIFA greed machine has clicked into an alarmingly higher gear.
Matt Slater@mjslater.bsky.social · last wk.Gianni Infantino has flooded the zone again. He wants to put all of the money-making bits of FIFA (ie the World Cup) into a new co & then sell 20% to investors. He thinks it will raise $10bn over next 4yrs. I think we can assume hydration breaks are staying. www.nytimes.com/athletic/747...
The point isn't to produce essays, it's to teach students how to think for fuck's sake. The minute you automate that, it's over. You might as well close the course. Which they're also doing. This is an attack on learning, and everyone is just shrugging.
Football is not theirs to sell. Associations need to stand against this now.
The New York Times@nytimes.com · last wk.From @theathleticfc.bsky.social: FIFA has announced plans to sell a large minority stake in the World Cup. Under the plan, FIFA’s total development funding would top $10 billion over the next four years. Unsurprisingly, the idea is the brainchild of FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Football is not theirs to sell. Associations need to stand against this now.
The New York Times@nytimes.com · last wk.From @theathleticfc.bsky.social: FIFA has announced plans to sell a large minority stake in the World Cup. Under the plan, FIFA’s total development funding would top $10 billion over the next four years. Unsurprisingly, the idea is the brainchild of FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
🔴 DONE DEAL: #Boro complete the signing of US international midfielder Sebastian Berhalter from Vancouver Whitecaps. An initial fee of around £900,000, which seems a remarkable piece of business... Read here...⬇️
Middlesbrough complete signing as impressive summer transfer work continues
Middlesbrough have completed the signing of US international midfielder Sebastian Berhalter from MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps
thenorthernecho.co.uk
Malachy Clerkin: Mayo people will never go back. Winning Sam Maguire changes everything
Malachy Clerkin: Mayo people will never go back. Winning Sam Maguire changes everything
Long wait for an All-Ireland brought decades of heartache, but it also strengthened bonds in ways that are now becoming clear
irishtimes.com
Tadej Pogacar greets history with an unsure wave. He is almost its accidental master, but is close to completing it all the same. His fifth Tour de France title was straightforward — and yet still one of his greatest achievements. This is how he did it.
In the midst of his majesty: How Tadej Pogacar won the 2026 Tour de France (Gift Article)
This year's race will be remembered as Pogačar at his most supreme, engaged in a relentless march towards a historic fifth title
nytimes.com
Andoni Iraola and a shared memory of the opening stages of the 1992 Tour de France in San Sebastian in his native Basque country. Contains Miguel Indurain. www.nytimes.com/athletic/739...
Andoni Iraola, Big Mig and the little Basque boy who fell in love with cycling: ‘At 10, you remember everything’
In 1992, the young Iraola watched Miguel Indurain in the yellow jersey win the Prologue in San Sebastian to fire his enthusiasm for cycling
nytimes.com
FT Whitley Bay 2-2 Northallerton Town. Northern League Division 1. Appropriately entertaining game preceded by heartfelt eulogy and applause for Kevin Keegan.
"Fifa must be reformed and Infantino removed." Op-ed for the Times of India. 👇 timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-ed...
David Squires on … Spain winning the World Cup final in the shadow of Trump
David Squires on … Spain winning the World Cup final in the shadow of Trump
Our cartoonist looks back at the final game of the 2026 World Cup as Donald Trump watched Spain triumph again * Buy David’s cartoons | Some of his favourite works * And his latest book, Chaos in the Box: get it now Continue reading...
dlvr.it
A bit about Kevin Keegan, who died today. I was there at his Anfield debut and remember it clearly. A personal piece that asks why he isn’t thought about more highly by Liverpool fans tonyevans92a.substack.com/p/keegan-nev...
Keegan Never Shone Brighter Than During His Six Golden Seasons At Liverpool
Last week, a poll on the club website put King Kev at No 14 on Anfield's best-ever list, one place above Luis Suarez. That's insane. From the early moments of his debut, Keegan's greatness was obvious
tonyevans92a.substack.com
Tremendous personal, North-east tribute to Kevin Keegan from Martin Hardy www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...
Phone call with Kevin Keegan had me punching air — he made Newcastle dream
I rang former Newcastle manager in blind hope while writing book on 1995-96 season but we spoke for over an hour. He stands above anyone in the club’s modern history
thetimes.com
Utterly dreadful news on Kevin Keegan. Hard to comprehend. He changed Newcastle United and North-east football. Believed in it and made it believe in itself. Ambitious for all and so sharp as NUFC manager in those electric years from 1992 to the end of 96. Devastating loss.
