England 3-0 Cameroon: Phil Neville laments shameful behaviour of Lionesses’ opponents at the World Cup June 23, 2019 England are through to the quarter-finals of a World Cup, and yet the post-match talk in Valenciennes was about everything other than the result. “It didn’t feel like football,” fumed Lionesses manager Phil Neville after the final whistle. “I didn’t enjoy it, my players didn’t enjoy it.” Goals from captain Steph Houghton, in-form striker Ellen [...]
Copa America: The reasons behind Qatar’s involvement in South America and what the future holds June 20, 2019 There is something odd about the Copa America this summer. In among the usual suspects – hosts Brazil, holders Chile, 15-time winners Uruguay – sits a jarringly incongruous name: Qatar. The surprise winners of this year’s Asian Cup have travelled 12,000km to play in Group B alongside Colombia, Paraguay and Lionel Messi’s Argentina, who they [...]
Japan 0-2 England: Lionesses pass the test but still have things to work on at Women’s World Cup June 19, 2019 Phil Neville has made clear his desire to shape England into a possession-based side. By this evidence it remains a work in progress. After unspectacular wins over Scotland and Argentina, the Lionesses were faced with their biggest test of the Women’s World Cup against Japan in Nice. They passed the test – but, despite the [...]
Cannes Lions: How culture is catching up with adland’s notorious knees-up June 19, 2019 As the plane touches down on the hot tarmac at Nice airport, the butterflies start to set in. My neighbour, a senior media executive, has given me a disconcerting pep talk. “Trust me, it’s worse than Glastonbury,” he says with a smile. As we disembark, it’s clear everyone is headed for the same glimmering town [...]
Our pessimistic country needs a One Nation housing crusade June 19, 2019 It’s the political equivalent of playing Pac-Man, while nodding your mullet to Wham! – our housing policy seems stuck in the 1980s, like a Care Bear in a leg-warmer. The Conservative leadership candidates have all served as part of a government whose core housing strategy hails from that Duran Duran decade: subsidised social housing sell-offs [...]
The Weekly Grill: Federico Casali talks dogs and the worst thing he’s ever put in his mouth June 18, 2019 Who are you? I’m a 33-year-old easy-going Italian, born with a passion for food and cooking. I could never imagine being anything other than a chef. My style of cooking is fairly experimental but I still make sure that tradition and culture are respected through my dishes. I like to bring back forgotten ingredients and [...]
Fraudsters target children as young as 11 to launder money June 18, 2019 Identity fraud reached record highs last year and criminals targeted children as young as 11 to launder money. Criminals targeted younger people and pensioners, the UK’s fraud prevention service Cifas revealed in its annual report. The figures showed more than 189,000 fraud cases were reported last year with plastic card fraud proving the most common. [...]
Chuka failed – but the centre ground isn’t as empty as you’d think June 18, 2019 It’s been a sad, strange journey for Chuka Umunna. Only a few short years ago, he was being touted as Britain’s Barack Obama, the telegenic answer to Labour’s prayers – at a time when their then leader couldn’t even eat a bacon sandwich without looking like his face was pulling in three different directions. But [...]
London named top city for EU ‘tech for good’ June 17, 2019 London’s burgeoning socially-responsible tech sector has made it the top city in Europe for so-called ‘tech for good’, thanks to stellar support for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The European Digital Social Innovation Index by Nesta, published for the first time this year, found London came out on top in a ranking of 60 EU cities [...]
New ASA rules on gender stereotyping are just the tip of the iceberg June 17, 2019 Last Friday, new Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rules came into force. The aim is to ban companies from including harmful gender stereotypes in advertising that the ASA says could cause serious or widespread offence, and in doing so restrict the choices, aspirations, and opportunities of children and young people, as well as adults. While every [...]