Robert E. Hinson GIVEN that most football clubs are now global brands, it is surprising that very little literature has focused on how football clubs’ brands are built over time. Controversy exists in the current marketing literature over the use of branding in sports. Some scholars argue that supporters are likely to reject the idea of their football clubs as a brand. On the other hand, branding assists football clubs to create opportunities for people to identify with them and feel like they are a part of the club’s story. It gives football teams a personality that their fans identify…

DANIEL GALLAN IT WAS football, just not as we know it. On 16 May, top-flight action returned to Germany as the Bundesliga peeped above the parapet and trudged into an unknown future. There were no crowds. The audible thump of the ball leaving the players’ boots reverberated off the yawning stands. The play was understandably ponderous and sloppy at times. But it was football, and for those who care about the fate of a ball it was welcomed like rain after a ceaseless drought. It was not without complications though. Tactics and atmosphere aside, a worrying statistic emerged. From the…

The South Africa-hosted Fifa World Cup was supposed to be the moment in which African football teams finally came good. But even with the cards stacked in their favor, they disappointed. MARK GLEESON The old palace in Cairo, Egypt, was an appropriate metaphor for African football as it gathered together all its national team coaches, just months after the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa, to reflect on the tournament. Spectacularly perched on the banks of the Nile, the Gezirah Palace basks in promise, but the tatty facade hides its potential and drab thinking spoils its capability – a…

The German coach of Nigeria’s national football team has had a tumultuous relationship with the country’s football federation – and it looks set to continue for a few more years. OLUWASHINA OKELEJI NOWHERE is the shifting nature of loyalty in football more apparent than in the relationship between coaches and administrators. The current state of affairs between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and national team coach Gernot Rohr perfectly illustrates this.  It’s an uneasy alliance that New Frame can confirm will continue until the end of the 2022 Fifa World Cup should the German sign the new contract he has been offered.…

DAVID STOREY SPORT is a useful prism through which to explore aspects of national identity. This is particularly so with football, given its popularity and global reach. International teams are often portrayed as the embodiment of the nation for the duration of a match. They carry the nation’s hopes and dreams. Yet it’s becoming common to see footballers competing for a country other than the one they were born or raised in. The regulations allow this if they are eligible for citizenship of the country. This raises questions for those interested in issues of identity, citizenship and belonging. An investigation…

TO MAINTAIN a strong national cricket side, the building blocks have to be laid at school level to meet the required standards when schoolboy cricket players develop and transcend to provincial and national levels. In South Africa, the legacy of apartheid segregation is still prevalent in many sports. Race, class and the historical neglect of black schools continues to play a part. Habib Noorbhai It’s in this context that I conducted research into how many of South Africa’s national men’s cricketers attended boys-only schools. There are very few boys-only schools in South African townships (rural or lower-income areas in South…

SPORTS CORRESPONDENT THE AFRICAN awesome foursome of two strikers, a midfielder and defender played crucial roles that assisted Liverpool to win its first English Premiership league in 30 years. Senegalese superstar Sadio Mane and Egyptian super striker Mohamed Salah played starring roles and scored goals that steered Liverpool to their historic league run - one loss in 31 games - which ended with the champions trophy.  Guinea’s best player Naby Keita and Cameron defender Joel Matip made major contributions from the back and middle of the field to assist Jurgen Klopp's men to follow up their 2019 UEFA Champions League…