Bio: If you can’t make a living from playing the game, then make one writing about it. I did my best to tick the first of those boxes, but it was not to be. I have been working hard at the latter for the best part of two decades and joined the collection of international stars that make up team GOAL in 2016. I am now Senior Staff Writer, which means my days are spent covering everything that the sometimes weird and often wonderful world of football has to offer. I have always been a fan of mercurial talents and love an underdog story, which goes some way to explaining why - alongside my East Midlands roots - Nottingham Forest are (for better or worse) my team of choice.
My Football Story: From the local playing field with friends, all through school, representing teams at various levels and facing a number of future professionals, to endless hours spent at the City Ground, a university degree and professional employment that has taken me to iconic venues across the country, football has always been the thread that ties my past, present and future together. I wouldn’t have it any other way and consider myself fortunate that I have been able to pass my passion for the game down to my son, who now finds himself heading down a similar path.
Areas of Expertise:
Nottingham Forest Football Club - with there always a lot going on there
News sourcing and writing - identifying what real fans want to talk about
Interviews - don’t believe those that say you shouldn’t interact with your heroes
Analysis & insight - not just explaining what happened, but how and why
Favourite Footballing Memory: I was too young to have witnessed Nottingham Forest’s European glory years and not yet old enough to have seen them add a third star to that famous Garibaldi shirt, being at Wembley as a 23-year wait for Premier League football came to a close will always be a special experience. I don’t remember much about the game itself, given the nerve-shredding nature of play-off finals, but the celebrations afterwards made enough memories to last several lifetimes.
The United States, Canada and Mexico will split hosting duties at World Cup 2026, with 16 venues set to provide the backdrop to star-studded fixtures as FIFA’s flagship event heads back to the Americas for the first time since 1994
Aston Villa have been credited with interest in Folarin Balogun, but Stan Collymore has told GOAL why Unai Emery is likely to favour another 2026 World Cup star over a United States international that made plenty of headlines at FIFA’s flagship event. The Villans are looking to bolster their ranks from back to front during the summer, with comings and goings being mooted.
Nottingham Forest have “money to burn” following their record-breaking £116 million ($155m) sale of Elliot Anderson to Manchester City, but Reds legend Des Walker has told GOAL why cash in the bank can pose recruitment problems. The former centre-half has also explained why the City Ground faithful have a crucial role to play in ambitious future plans.
Patrice Evra has explained to GOAL why Michael Olise’s “nonchalance” is a good thing, with the enigmatic France international winger being told what the “hardest” part of being a superstar is about to become. The Bayern Munich forward has been in dazzling form for club and country, with World Cup glory currently being chased down on North American soil.
Harry Kane continues to look unstoppable for England at the 2026 World Cup, with former Three Lions star Des Walker admitting to GOAL that kicking the prolific striker may be the only way of bringing him to a halt. The record-breaking frontman has been rewriting the history books, with the benefits of a move from Tottenham to Bayern Munich being explained.
Mikel Arteta is capable of eclipsing Arsene Wenger’s achievements and becoming a four-time Premier League title winner at Arsenal, Stefan Schwarz has told GOAL, as “the hardest one is always the first one”. That box has been ticked by a Spanish tactician at Emirates Stadium, with the challenge now being to build a new dynasty in north London.
Nottingham Forest will be hoping to see Brazilian defender Murillo spend another decade at the City Ground, with legendary former Reds centre-half Des Walker telling GOAL why the enigmatic South American can hit individual targets without seeking a transfer elsewhere. A long-term contract is ensuring that no sale needs to be considered any time soon.
Kylian Mbappe is on a Lionel Messi-themed revenge mission at the 2026 World Cup, Louis Saha has told GOAL, with France’s talismanic striker determined to right a few wrongs from Qatar 2022. Final agony - despite scoring a hat-trick against Argentina - was endured in the Middle East, but positive progress has been made through another major competition on North American soil.
Jude Bellingham enjoys being a “show-off” and England’s “main man”, Des Walker has told GOAL, with the Three Lions superstar considered to have joined fellow generational talents Wayne Rooney and Paul Gascoigne in an exclusive “big head” club. Bellingham is said to boast positive “arrogance”, with that self belief allowing him to thrive at the 2026 World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo has already run “1,000 marathons” over the course of his career, but Louis Saha has told GOAL that the Portuguese GOAT may have another left in him at the 2030 World Cup. At 41 years of age, the evergreen frontman is currently gracing FIFA’s flagship event for the sixth time. Said tournament will be heading to his homeland in four years’ time.
Oliver Glasner will be next through the managerial revolving door at Nottingham Forest, but how long will he last? Reds legend Stan Collymore has admitted to GOAL that the Austrian’s decision to link up with enigmatic Greek owner Evangelos Marinakis is “not a marriage made in heaven”, with his reign likely to be another that is measured in months rather than years.
Michael Olise is said to be attracting admiring glances from Real Madrid, with the Blancos reportedly prepared to pay a world record transfer fee of €223 million (£191m/$255m) for the Bayern Munich winger. Is he, or anybody, worth that kind of money? Former France international Louis Saha has endeavoured to answer that question for GOAL, with some “crazy numbers” flying around.
Harry Kane has become Lionel Messi-esque for England in terms of his value to the collective cause, with Stan Collymore explaining to GOAL why that is a good thing and how the Three Lions’ record goalscorer is benefitting from a mindset that others have lacked. The prolific Bayern Munich frontman is leading another bid for World Cup glory at present, with a star-studded squad often being carried on his back.
Cristiano Ronaldo retains the ability to make “people shut their mouth”, Louis Saha has told GOAL, with a former Manchester United team-mate of CR7 explaining why the Portuguese superstar attracts more criticism than fellow GOAT Lionel Messi. Both men are currently on 2026 World Cup duty, with more questions being put to an evergreen European frontman than his eternal South American rival is facing.
Former Arsenal and Sweden midfielder Stefan Schwarz has told GOAL that while Viktor Gyokeres may not be a “classy attacker”, he is finding his feet in the Premier League - as a title winner - and should be closer to his “best” during the 2026-27 campaign. The powerful frontman enjoyed a productive debut campaign at Emirates Stadium, but continues to see more forwards linked with big-money moves to north London.
The France national team are no strangers to World Cup soap operas, with some bizarre headlines being made down the years, but Louis Saha has told GOAL that Rayan Cherki’s apparent snubbing of head coach Didier Deschamps is “not drama”. The enigmatic Manchester City playmaker has seemingly not taken kindly to the lack of game time being passed his way at FIFA’s flagship event.
Kylian Mbappe is capable of completing a clean sweep on the trophy front in 2026, Louis Saha has told GOAL, with the France international in contention for World Cup, Golden Boot, Golden Ball and Ballon d’Hor honours. The Real Madrid forward has been starring on the grandest of stages, with the perfect response being delivered to some “strange criticism”.
Tony Cascarino has admitted to GOAL that “big players have always moved”, but the former Aston Villa striker is still annoyed at the slightly baffling situation that sees Morgan Rogers generating intense transfer talk. The England international is seeing a big-money move to Arsenal speculated on, with the Villans needing to sanction sales in order to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
While Kalvin Phillips’ bank balance will be “looking well”, fellow Leeds United academy graduate Matt Kilgallon has told GOAL why the Manchester City flop risks finding himself in a position where “nobody wants you”. The former England international has become stuck in a serious rut, with the right call needing to be made this summer in order to get his career back on track.
Phil Foden has seen his career slip into reverse at Manchester City, Tony Cascarino has told GOAL, with the England international being informed that a summer transfer to Aston Villa could be a “great move”. The Villans may soon find themselves in the market for another creative player as Morgan Rogers continues to generate intense exit talk in the West Midlands.
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