Faculty Originals

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Are Spurs back to their old ways?

Tottenham Hotspur's transformative summer began with significant signings like Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, signaling a shift in strategy after years of frugality. However,…

The Football Faculty · August 11, 2026

FF

Photo of the Week: Aston Villa’s remodelled home begins to take shape

Villa Park’s North Stand redevelopment continues. Image credit via X: @atthevilla1874 Villa Park’s North Stand mid-transformation; the first visible stage of a £100m redevelopment…

The Football Faculty · August 9, 2026

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Chelsea’s record signing, and the wage bill they can’t explain away

Chelsea has made Morgan Rogers the most expensive British player, but faces significant challenges under the new Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) regulations, which measures…

The Football Faculty · August 8, 2026

FF

Liverpool are about to solve a problem they don’t have

Bradley Barcola has won two Champions League titles with PSG but often sits on the bench. Despite Liverpool's need for a right winger to…

The Football Faculty · August 4, 2026

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We said Infantino was shameless. Then he tried to sell the World Cup

FIFA President Gianni Infantino faced backlash after proposing a $20 billion plan to sell World Cup commercial rights to private investors. UEFA's 55 members…

The Football Faculty · August 2, 2026

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Why Newcastle’s summer isn’t about a lack of ambition

Newcastle United's optimism following Saudi Arabia's PIF acquisition in 2021 has dimmed amid financial constraints and key player departures. The club's strategy is shifting…

The Football Faculty · July 31, 2026

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The World Cup was Great. Infantino wasn’t

The 2026 World Cup was deemed extraordinary, culminating in Spain's victory over Argentina. Gianni Infantino took credit for its success while deflecting criticism about…

The Football Faculty · July 27, 2026

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Have clubs outsourced their academies to Manchester City?

Chelsea's recent acquisition of Morgan Rogers highlights the trend of former Manchester City academy graduates joining competing clubs. With six ex-City players now at…

The Football Faculty · July 25, 2026

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Why Tottenham Hotspur’s Academy cash-in isn’t such a bad thing

Tottenham's recent summer strategy highlights the balance between academy development and financial sustainability. The club sold players like Alfie Devine and Tynan Thompson for…

The Football Faculty · July 22, 2026

FF

Why this World Cup broke the rules on transfer business

Historically the end of a World Cup would mark the beginning of a condensed and often frantic transfer market scramble. With domestic concerns on…

The Football Faculty · July 20, 2026

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Photo of the Week: Spain outlast dogged Argentina in New Jersey finale

Ferran Torres wheels away in celebration as Spain finally break the deadlock in the 2026 World Cup Final. Spain were forced to wait until…

The Football Faculty · July 20, 2026

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Tottenham Hotspur’s incentive problem: When players bear too little cost for failure

Tottenham Hotspur are firmly in the mire. On their worst run since the Premier League began and sitting just a single point above the…

The Football Faculty · March 8, 2026

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Photo of the Week: Chaotic protests mar Africa Cup of Nations finale

Senegalese players leave the field in protest following referee Jean Jacques Ndala’s decision to award a stoppage time penalty to opponents Morocco. The African…

The Football Faculty · January 19, 2026

FF

How a World Cup became less about football and more about money

Any remaining hope that FIFA might deliver an inclusive and accessible World Cup in 2026 has been extinguished over the past few weeks. A…

The Football Faculty · December 14, 2025

FF

Party Conference Special: Labour’s game plan for football reform

This is the second in a series examining how the UK’s major political parties approach football policy. In this edition we have taken a…

The Football Faculty · November 3, 2025

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Passport to play: Inside Malaysia’s football eligibility scandal

For years, Malaysian football fans have dreamt of the day their national team would take centre stage. A proud Southeast Asian nation with a…

The Football Faculty · October 14, 2025

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Party Conference Special: The Liberal Democrats and Ed Davey’s fight for the fans

This is the first in a series examining how the UK’s major political parties approach football policy. While many try to keep politics and…

The Football Faculty · October 11, 2025

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Napoli’s Armani partnership redefines how clubs build their brand

Traditionally, the elite of world football turn to global giants like Nike, Adidas, and Puma to kit out their stars. But in 2021, Napoli…

The Football Faculty · October 7, 2025

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Tottenham Hotspur ‘not for sale’—but can we really trust that?

The Board of Tottenham Hotspur were unequivocal in their dismissal of two expressions of interest for the purchase of the North London club. The…

The Football Faculty · September 25, 2025

FF

Photo of the Week: Bodø/Glimt make Champions League history

Bodø/Glimt players celebrate their qualification for the Champions League Group Phase following a 6-1 aggregate victory over Austrian side Sturm Graz. Bodø/Glimt made history…

The Football Faculty · September 23, 2025

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The World Cup of Capitalism: Mamdani takes Aim at FIFA’s dynamic pricing

New York City’s mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has taken aim at FIFA’s use of dynamic ticket pricing ahead of the World Cup in 2026.…

The Football Faculty · September 15, 2025

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Photo of the Week: Independiente disqualified from Copa Sudamericana after violent clashes

Independiente fans scale the perimeter fences as violence mars their Copa Sudamericana clash with Universidad de Chile. Violent clashes forced an abandonment to the…

The Football Faculty · September 10, 2025

FF

Why Aston Villa are proof loan-to-buy deals are taking over football

The Premier League’s recent summer transfer window was like no other. Expenditure eclipsed the £3bn mark for the first time, the British transfer record…

The Football Faculty · September 3, 2025

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Is Daniel Levy’s chairmanship of Tottenham Hotspur built on a fallacy?

Few executives in football create the level of division and debate as Daniel Levy at Spurs. Famed for his hard-nosed approach to business, Levy…

The Football Faculty · August 26, 2025

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