Sport Features

SO now we have it.The fans have spoken and there will no European Super League threatening the integrity of the beautiful game.
The fans have won; Chelsea supporters make their feelings felt about a proposed European Super League, which has now collapsedCredit: AFP
It would have been a radical change had the plan for the ‘Big Six’ breakaway been successful.
And it wouldn’t be the first time that football has been changed for the better/good, depending on how you see it.
Here’s seven moments that changed the football landscape (perhaps) forever.
FIRST £1-A-WEEK FOOTBALLER
Today, we’re used to seeing large sums thrown around for star players.
Recently, Kevin De Bruyne inked a deal worth more than £300,000-a-week, which he negotiated himself.
It dates all the way back to 1884 and Preston North End, who were believed to be the first club to pay their players.
After amateur London side Upton Park complained they had an unfair advantage in an FA Cup tie between the two, the FA expelled Preston from the competition saying it was unsporting to pay their stars.
A year later, the FA said it was in the interests of the game to legalise the employment of professional footballers, however there were certain restrictions.
Players could only be paid by the club they played for if they were born or had lived for two years within a six-mile radius of the team’s stadium.
Blackburn Rovers in 1885-86 were one of the first clubs to register as a professional team and play their playersCredit: PA:Empics Sport
Today, footballers like Kevin De Bruyne are getting paid £300,000 plusCredit: Getty
Blackburn Rovers were one of the first to register as a professional club, and they spent £615 on wages for the 1885-86 season.
Big earners were James Forrest and Joseph Lofthouse, who were earning £1-a-week.
FORMATION OF THE PREM
‘It’s a whole new ball game,’ a Sky Sports ad proudly declared to a soundtrack provided by Simple Minds and their cheesy hit Alive and Kicking.
In 1992, the Premier League was thrust upon us with coverage like we’ve never had before.
Forget Elton Welsby presenting The Big Match, it was the time of Richard Keys and Andy Gray who were to become the voices of British football for a generation.
It all started when the old First Division wanted to break away from the Football League (sound familiar?) in the wake of a TV rights deal with Sky.
Teams competing in the Premier League could qualify for the Champions League and Europa League (more on those later) depending on where they finished in the table.
In 1992 the Premier League was formed in the wake of a massive TV deal with Sky
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Man Utd led by Eric Cantona were the first winners of the new Premier LeagueCredit: Getty – Contributor
Promotion and relegation to the Football League made it competitive.
Sky got more subscribers, the clubs made more money and the arguably the quality of football improved with an influx of foreign signings arriving on big wages.
EUROPEAN COMPETITION
Younger readers might not know a life before the Champions League or Europa League.
But we had the European Cup, exclusive ONLY to league winners around Europe, the Cup Winners’ Cup, which was domestic cup victors. and the Uefa Cup, made up of sides who were nearly-rans in their respective leagues.
The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was a forerunner to the Uefa Cup from 1955-71, and a similar idea.
The Champions League was created by Uefa in time for the 1992-93 season. It kicked off with two-legged preliminary, first, and second rounds, until two group stages with the remaining eight teams would decide who meets in a final.
That format has changed throughout the years.
Arsenal stars John Jensen and Alan Smith celebrate winning the now abolished European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1994Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
The European Cup was rebranded the Champions League in 1992 and has become the premier competition for Europe’s best clubs through the yearsCredit: Handout
The Cup Winners’ Cup was abolished in 1999, and domestic cup winners were absorbed into the Uefa Cup.
In 2009, the Uefa Cup was rebranded the Uefa Europa League with an expanded group stage and a change in qualifying criteria allowing cup winners in.
From the 2014-15 season, sides who had finished third in their Champions League group stages were allowed a second bite of the cherry and entered into the Europa League.
RADICAL RULE CHANGES
Over the years, even playing the game changed.
In 1992, the back-pass rule was changed to discourage time-wasting and unduly defensive play, so outfield players could no longer pass it back to their goalkeeper to pick the ball up. He had to use his feet.
In all rule changes, you could say this was perhaps the most successful.
The offside rule has also been altered through the years.
Peter Schmeichel is left flummoxed by the back-pass rule at Euro 92
The offside rule was explained perfectly in this 50 pence coin released in 2011Credit: PA
In 1990, an amendment to the rule allowed an attacker to be onside if he was level with his opponent when the ball was played forward – you used to have to be behind.
Over the years that developed further to players being flagged if they were “interfering with play”. Now, as long as you don’t make a play for the ball, you can still stand in an offside position to confuse opposition defenders.
ALL-SEATER STADIUMS
From the beginning of the 1994-95 season, all-seater stadiums were compulsory in the Premier League, as per the Taylor Report, which gave recommendations to improve stadium safety after the Hillsborough disaster.
The original idea was all standing areas in stadiums of teams in the top two tiers of the league would be banned, while stadiums in the lower two tiers had until 1999 to meet the requirements.
However, a review in 1992 allowed those in the lower two tiers to keep their standing areas.
That same year, bulldozers demolished Manchester United’s Stretford End and Arsenal’s North Bank – taking with it years of history – and replacing them with all-seater stands.
In recent years, there have been calls to bring back safe-standing, but all have been rejected.
Terraced stands became a thing of the past after the Taylor ReportCredit: North News and Pictures
The famous Arsenal mural was erected as work on a new all-seater stand to replace the standing area continued in the North BankCredit: Getty
BOSMAN RULE
It was the rule that shifted power towards the player rather than the club.
Up until 1995, clubs could retain the registrations of players even once their contracts finished, and demand transfer fees for them.
It all started in 1990 when Belgium footballer Jean-Marc Bosman wanted a transfer from RS Liege to Dunkerque, when his contract expired.
But Liege would not release him and docked the midfielder 70 per cent of his wages and dropped him from the first team.
He took his case to the European Court of Justice and sued for restraint of trade.
In 1995, he won his case and all other EU footballers were given the right to a free transfer at the expiration of their contracts, provided that they transfer from a club within one EU association to a club within another EU association.
Players who most notably took advantage of that rule include Steve McManaman and Sol Campbell, who swapped Tottenham for fierce rivals Arsenal.
Jean-Marc Bosman gave players power by letting them dictate their next move when their contracts expiredCredit: Reuters
Sol Campbell famously took advantage of the Bosman ruling signing for Arsenal from SpursCredit: PA:Press Association
VAR
The most divisive addition in recent years, the video assistant referee (VAR) is on hand to reviews decision made by the head referee with the use of video footage and headset for communication.
FIFA officially introduced it at the 2018 World Cup, with the idea it would minimise human errors causing a substantial influence on results.
They are there to help with goal/no goal decisions, penalties, direct red cards or mistaken identity in awarding a red or yellow card.
However, and this is a big however, it has had its critics, including players who play the game.
Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson and Man City star Kevin De Bruyne have been outspoken about it being detrimental to the game, where too many cooks are interfering and getting decisions wrong.
Referees now have assistance from VAR with key decisions during gamesCredit: Getty
VAR has come into criticism from the players who say they don’t understand itCredit: Getty

Despite the public outcry, VAR is here to stay, according to Premier League executive Richard Masters.
“It was brought in to improve the accuracy of decision-making, and that has happened,” Mr Masters said.
“We’re seeing 94% of key match Incidents being accurate.”
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WHEN Jose Mourinho became Spurs manager 17 months ago, it appeared to be a new dawn.“I am excited to be joining a club with such a great heritage and such passionate supporters,” he announced on his arrival with a more positive outlook back in November, 2019.
Jose Mourinho was appointed Tottenham manager back in November 2019Credit: Getty – Contributor
“The quality in both the squad and the academy excites me. Working with these players is what has attracted me.”
And the Special One, 58, seemed reborn after a disastrous final season at Manchester United, where player fallouts with Luke Shaw and Paul Pogba blighted his copybook (he did win the EFL Cup and Europa League, while finishing runner-up in the Premier League in his first campaign).
He was the star-of-the-show in Amazon Prime’s All or Nothing documentary, with fans warming to his winners’ attitude.
However, like before, his management style wasn’t to some tastes – with the series highlighting a row with Danny Rose.
Fans’ favourite Dele Alli was also frozen out, as the knives began to come out for the Portuguese boss.
Here’s the five reasons it went wrong in North London for Jose.
A DIVISIVE APPOINTMENT
From the offset, many Tottenham fans weren’t sure about an appointment of a manager who some viewed as a spent force.
Their previous boss, the highly likeable Mauricio Pochettino, had turned the club into a top four side (finishing above North London rivals Arsenal) and led the club to a Champions League Final.
And although Spurs had endured a miserable start to the 2018-19 campaign, sacking the Argentine seemed out of the question.
Mourinho was a divisive appointment with Spurs fans who were disappointed with how things turned out with Mauricio PochettinoCredit: Getty
Immediately, the Special One went to work with his new playersCredit: Getty
Alas, Poch was given his marching orders by Daniel Levy and Jose was immediately installed as head coach.
His tenure at Manchester United and his last season as Chelsea boss in his second spell, with the evolution of football tactics favouring a more attacking game, had Spurs fans wondering if it was the wrong move.
ALIENATING PLAYERS
A classic Mourinho ploy, probably designed to get the best out of his stars, Jose demands his players work hard for him.
At Chelsea he clashed with Joe Cole and Eden Hazard. With Real Madrid even Cristiano Ronaldo felt Mourinho’s wrath when he told him he had to track back and help his team defend.
And don’t even mention Paul Pogba, who recently spoke of his harsh treatment under the gaffer.
The pattern continued at Spurs.
Full-back Rose was frozen out of the first team, and when the former England defender wanted to know why it ended in a row in Jose’s training ground office.
Then there was the case of Dele Alli. In his first training session, Jose asked the England midfielder if he was “Dele Alli or Dele Alli’s brother” because he hadn’t seen him emulate the form that made him a Premier League star.
Dele Alli was frozen out by Mourinho, who felt the midfielder was a “lazy” trainerCredit: AFP
Serge Aurier had a fallout with the Portuguese managerCredit: PA
Gareth Bale also failed to impress MourinhoCredit: Getty
After an initial response, with Alli contributing to eight goals in Mourinho’s first eight games in charge, his form dipped and Dele was dropped.
“Lazy” Alli couldn’t get a look-in and was linked with a move to PSG in the January transfer window.
Alli may have been the most high-profile, but the likes of Serge Aurier, Tanguy Ndombele, Gareth Bale and Toby Alderweireld all clashed with Jose.
SunSport exclusively revealed that some players went to Levy to complain shortly before Mourinho was axed.
DIFFERENCE OF OPINION
When Jose was hired by Spurs, it was always going to be interesting to see how he got on with Levy.
At his previous clubs, Mourinho was accustomed to having funds at his disposal, although the Spurs chairman has earned a reputation for being more careful with the club’s cash.
Cracks in their relationship began to show in the transfer window last summer.
The love affair between Daniel Levy and Mourinho, seen on Amazon’s All or Nothing documentary, reportedly cracked after a clash over transfers
Gareth Bale arrived at Spurs reportedly against Mourinho’s wishesCredit: Getty
According to reports, Mourinho wanted to bring in PSG’s defender Thomas Meunier.
But L’Equipe reported that Levy had a difference of opinion on the Belgium international, and he moved to Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer.
It was also alleged that Mourinho didn’t want the club to sign Bale, and wanted them to invest in a centre half instead.
BAD FOOTBALL
It’s easy to forget that Mourinho led Spurs to the top of the table back in December.
In their first 11 games they batted Manchester United away 6-1, defeated Manchester City and Arsenal 2-0.
But still he was slammed by critics for his pragmatic style of football, letting teams have the ball before delivering a sucker punch with Harry Kane and Son Heung-min on the break.
“If they don’t enjoy to watch, then don’t watch. It’s as simple as that,” Mourinho told Sky Sports.

Mourinho relied on Harry Kane to implement his strategyCredit: Reuters
After 11 games Spurs marched to the top of the league with Mourinho emphatic that his way of playing was the right wayCredit: EPA
“I’ve been a pundit myself for a couple of months and I learned to respect them even if I don’t agree.”
However, an over-reliance on Kane and Son was always going to bite them in the backside.
A run of poor form, culminating in a shocking exit in the Europa League at the hands of Dinamo Zagreb – despite having a 2-0 first-leg lead – left Mourinho’s job hanging in the balance.
FANS TURNED
Spurs fans might say they were right all along, although Jose did get Spurs into the EFL Cup Final (their last domestic final was in 2015).
Disgruntled by results, a safety-first style which was very un-Spurs, and that Europa League performance the Tottenham faithful were calling for the boss’s head.
Former player Jamie O’Hara even riled up supporters on Sky Sports when he called the 3-0 capitulation in Croatia “a sackable offence.”
He added: “One game to save your season right, they have to beat Man City.”
But Jose didn’t get that opportunity.

Spurs were humiliated by Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa LeagueCredit: Reuters
Mourinho was given his marching orders a week before the EFL Cup FinalCredit: Getty

Not even a comical press conference over the sponsorship of Dulux and the famous sheep dog could save Mourinho’s bacon.
Spurs will look to Chris Powell and former Spurs youth star Ryan Mason to be their saviours in the short term.
It’s All or Nothing for their season now.
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SINCE signing for Arsenal, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been a big hit in front of goal.The 31-year-old striker, who revealed he caught malaria on international duty, comes from a footballing dynasty, his father was a football legend in Africa and his brothers still play.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang isn’t just any old footballerCredit: EPA
Incredibly, despite representing Gabon, he was raised in Milan where his father is a scout for the Rossoneri.
And if that’s not enough, Aubameyang might’ve worn the black and white of Newcastle had Alan Pardew had his way.
Let SunSport welcome you into the untold story of Arsenal’s star man.He lived an affluent life in Milan…
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had an affluent upbringingCredit: Instagram @aubameyang97
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has a close bond with his mum Margarita Crespo AubameyangCredit: Instagram @aubameyang97
Growing up, Aubameyang didn’t want for anything and grew up in Milan and not Gabon, who he plays internationally for.
His father Pierre Francois Aubameyang was a scout for A.C. Milan, while his mum Margarita Crespo Aubameyang ran a trendy boutique.
Aubameyang was actually born in Laval, France, which is around 190 miles from Paris.
He had a cultured existence as a youth, well before his rise to fame in the game.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s dad was a scout for A.C. Milan and his mum owned a fashion boutiqueCredit: Instagram @aubameyang97
Aubameyang’s dad was rated the finest defender in Africa…
Being good at football runs deep in the Aubameyang family and it all started with Pierre-Emerick’s dad.
Pierre Francious, affectionately referred to as “Yaya”, was highly thought of as a player himself.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s dad was one of the finest defenders in Africa
He played 80 times for Gabon and was a key member of their 1994 and 1996 African Cup of Nations campaigns.
In a career that spanned 20 years, from 1982 to 2002, he played for Laval, Le Havre and Toulouse to name a few clubs.
After a fine career he continues to scout for AC Milan.
In a career that spanned 20 years Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s father played 80 games for GabonCredit: Instagram @aubameyang97
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s dad is the driving force behind the family’s footballing successCredit: AFP – Getty
Which is where he placed his sons…
Before Pierre-Emerick became the £70m-rated superstar he is today, he was just a young pretender at AC Milan.
He was at the San Siro with his two older brothers Catalina and Willy after their dad got them a gig at the club.
Only Willy played a competitive game for the Milanese giants, with all three eventually moving on to pastures new.
Catalina Aubameyang played for AC MilanCredit: Getty – Contributor
Catalina Aubameyang was a journeyman player playing for various Italian and French teamsCredit: Getty – Contributor
Catalina, now 37, appears to be without a club. He was last known to be playing in Gabon after a journeyman career that took in various Italian and French clubs.
Willy, 34, most recently played for non-league German club FC Kray.
He played for Kilmarnock in Scotland 2011, but after 6 games he moved on.

Willy Aubameyang celebrates with Kaka in a preseason friendly in 2007Credit: Getty – Contributor
Willy Aubameyang, seen here playing for Milan, had a spell in Scotland at KilmarnockCredit: AFP – Getty
He could have already been a Premier League star…
After impressing at Saint Etienne, Aubameyang’s talents caught the eye of Alan Pardew.
‘Pards’ wanted to make the Gabonese striker the focal point of his attack and was very close to signing him.
When he was banging in goals for fun for Saint Etienne Newcastle tried to buy himCredit: AFP
It came between a straight decision in 2013 to who he wanted to choose – Dortmund or Newcastle.
On the advice of his old man, Pierre-Emerick opted for Dortmund breaking the Geordies’ hearts.
To be fair, it was the right decision.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang snubbed Alan Pardew for a move to Borussia Dortmund insteadCredit: AFP – Getty

And one more thing…
Now, we know Aubameyang is obsessed with former Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo.
He loves him so much he has a tattoo on his arm that reads, ‘Crespo for Life’ emblazoned on his arm.
But it has been reported that Aubameyang’s mom is actually related to the Serie A legend.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has a tattoo on his arm that reads ‘Crespo for Life’Credit: Getty – Contributor
It has been reported that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s mum is related to Hernan CrespoCredit: Reuters
While this hasn’t been confirmed, Aubameyang waxes lyrical about Crespo whenever he gets the chance.
“Crespo is dynamic, strong in the air, technically-gifted and a giant of a player,” he once said of his idol.
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