Recently crowned SJA Sports Journalist of the Year for the second time in three years, @AdamCrafton_ is @theodelaney's brilliant guest on the latest pod (out Monday). Before the end he had some very kind words for the show with shout outs for @TheDesKelly and @JNorthcroft 🙏🏻

One for @simonbarneswild

All the humiliations that I'm aware of so far have been inflicted on Latino, Black or Muslim-origin teams/referees/fans

In his fascinating book ‘How To Fly’ @simonbarneswild examines all aspects of aerial life. On @LifeGoalsTD the former Chief Sports Writer on the @thetimes is equally insightful on footballers who have scaled the heights including Cruyff, Zidane and Haaland theodelaney.com/life-goals-l…

Amazing this

Love it! #worldcup

Here's my latest Substack, 'Anyone who thinks these are 'hydration breaks' needs to find the definition of gullible. World Cup matches are no longer two 45 minute halves but four quarters, with ad breaks in between.' simplysaid.substack.com/publ… There’s been an awful lot of anger directed at the BBC for using a studio in Salford for its World Cup coverage (although the commentators are in the US at the matches), not least from Kevin Hollinrake, the Conservative Party chairman. “The @BBC has its World Cup presenters in a Salford studio whilst ITV will be live from New York. Licence fee payers deserve better”, he posted on X. “The BBC has trebled the number of people earning more than £100k in the last 5 years. Any good business would make cuts to senior management, not the viewer experience.” I’m one of the first to jump on the BBC when it messes up but I really don’t think this is a big deal - or even a small one. And Hollinrake’s logic is odd, criticising the BBC’s excessive spending at the same time as criticising them for not spending more. I understand the apparent contradiction between the way it is covering the World Cup and, say, its coverage of Glastonbury. Last year the BBC sent 550 people to cover a music festival of interest only to a minority of viewers. The World Cup, on the other hand, is a global event that all but a minority of viewers are interested in. That argument, though, is the wrong way round: the point surely is that the BBC sends far too many people to cover Glastonbury, not that it needs to exercise similar largesse in ensuring that a few talking heads are actually on site in the US rather doing exactly the same thing in Salford. But while I think this is misplaced anger, there is one aspect of World Cup TV coverage which is enraging (although the BBC is in no way to blame for this): the ad breaks. The rules of football were first codified by the Football Association on October 26, 1863. There have been many tweaks since then but two fundamentals have never changed. Each team consists of eleven players and each half lasts 45 minutes. I never thought I would see a major tournament – or even a minor tournament, come to that – which did not observe those rules. I obviously underestimated the role of greed when it comes to FIFA decision making. For this World Cup, games are no longer two 45-minute halves but four quarters of 22, 23, 22 and 23 minutes. After each quarter the teams break for adverts, then resume. Ostensibly these are ‘hydration breaks’ so the players can have a drink, but anyone who thinks that’s the main purpose rather than as ‘ad breaks’ would be well advised to look up the meaning of the word gullible. There have always been breaks for water when conditions demand it; these are breaks in every one of the 104 matches, irrespective of the weather conditions. This matters because it fundamentally changes the nature of matches. We’ve all seen games when our team has been on top at half time – after 45 minutes, that is - and we’ve cursed the ref’s whistle when it comes – or correspondingly when we’ve been holding on against a team on the rampage and have been desperate for the ref to blow the whistle so we can regroup. That whistle now comes after 22 minutes and it’s already changed games. On Saturday Brazil were 1-0 down to Morocco, who were well on top and threatening to score again. Within six minutes of the second quarter starting Brazil equalised. As manager Carlo Ancelotti said afterwards, the ad break gave him the opportunity to change his system and give players new instructions: “[You can] make a tactical adjustment that can be very good.” Similarly, Canada equalised soon after an ad break - this time after the third quarter - on Friday. And Scotland scored their winner against Haiti just after the first ad break. FIFA has long been a by-word for greed. Its president, Giovanni Infantino, makes long speeches about the spirit of football but it’s all sophistry. FIFA is about money. Look at how the World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams. It’s now almost more difficult not to qualify than to qualify. The idea that this is about growing the game is as spurious as the idea that the ad breaks are hydration breaks. But is anyone surprised?

World Cup’s ludicrous ‘quarters’ are disfiguring football. Column telegraph.co.uk/football/202…

Dick Turpin wore a mask and Gianni Infantino wears a grin. These “hydration breaks” at the World Cup are a sham that change the very nature of the game. Comment piece on that charlatan’s latest contribution to football: dailymail.com/sport/football…

Ex-Chief Sports Writer on The Times @simonbarneswild is as authoritative on Wildlife as he is on football. On Life Goals he tells @theodelaney his contrasting passions bring him similar joy as they discuss a connoisseurs selection of goals (and saves)! theodelaney.com/life-goals-l…

Amazing scenes. @theodelaney was in the ground. So was the brilliant @simonbarneswild who selects the free kick as one of the eight goals of his life on the latest Life Goals, out Monday. It’s an instant classic, just like the free kick.

Tell it Ruud! This is what Canada is. Unlike some countries, that will remain nameless, we embrace other cultures and people’s differences. 🍁 🇨🇦

Congratulations to the incomparable Garry Richardson on his MBE. He is brilliant on @LifeGoalsTD podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcas…

The Breakfast Show at @RockNGoalRadio with @theodelaney - it’s on

This man was banned because of his nationality and for no other reason. FIFA did nothing to help him, not even lodge a protest. Ugh bbc.co.uk/sport/football/art…

My @LifeGoalsTD guest Terry Butcher was a fearsome centre half but when you meet him he exudes kindness and humility. His work with veterans' families is as inspirational as it was on the pitch. The moving 'Invisible Wounds' is on ITV4 at 10 tomorrow night and then on ITVX

The compelling 'Butcher - Invisible Wounds' is on ITV4 tonight at 10pm and on ITVX thereafter to screen free. Don't miss it. #ITFC #Rangers #England

As much a pre-World Cup staple as stories about the movement of the ball

If someone buys you World Soccer’s World Cup edition as a present, they’re a proper friend. Roy Keane is a real one for that.

Terry Butcher excelled in three World Cups for England. ITV’s ’Butcher - Invisible wounds’ looks at his remarkable playing career, the tragic loss of his soldier son Chris and his work with bereaved veterans’ families. He joins @theodelaney on Life Goals theodelaney.com/life-goals-l…

Dream team! #WWFC #portsmouthFC