“The adjective peripatetic traces its roots to the followers of the Greek philosopher Aristotle, who strolled around the Lyceum while the great man pondered the important questions of his time. According to Webster’s New World Dictionary, it means ‘walking or moving about; not staying in one place; itinerant.’ Some synonyms, from Thesaurus.com, are: ambulant, migrant, mobile, nomadic, perambulant, roaming, roving, vagabond, vagrant, wandering, wayfaring.” (NYT)

Petr Rada pays the price as Czech Republic get lost in the desert (Guardian)
“As anybody who’s ever seen Poltergeist would know, it’s never a good idea to try to build on an old Indian graveyard, so perhaps Petr Rada was always doomed in his attempts to replace Karel Bruckner as coach of the Czech Republic. His dismissal yesterday brings to an end a reign that lasted only nine months and has left the Czechs in serious danger of failing to qualify for next year’s World Cup.”

Jose Mourinho’s former pupils turn on style (Times)
“Even Jorge Valdano would have enjoyed this one. Who didn’t — Kopites aside — as Liverpool raced into an early lead and Chelsea retaliated in quite breathtaking, and, let’s be honest, unexpected fashion to underline football’s never-ending capacity to surprise? Perhaps the football did not match Barcelona’s exhibition at the Nou Camp for grace and beauty but 31 shots, the majority from Chelsea, amounted to crazy abandon for these two clubs.”

Drink, women and more drink: When international players go on the rampage (Mirror)
“It’s a well know fact that footballers love the sauce, and we’re not talking HP. Booze and football go together like, erm, gin and tonic, and international duty is traditionally a good opportunity for players to get in a bit drinking practice.”

Forget it Adebayor, your ‘wonder goal’ doesn’t even make it into our top 10 of all time – but Spurs and West Ham do… (Mail)
“Emmanuel Adebayor combined balance, poise and power to score his stunning bicycle-kick goal on Tuesday night. Our man at the game, Neil Ashton, hailed it ‘a masterpiece . . . already in goal of the century territory’.” Video.

Balkan tradition alive and well (FIFA)
“For decades, Yugoslavia produced some of the most admired teams and individual players in world football. Reaching eight FIFA World Cups™ and claiming gold at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament in 1960 and 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship was no mean feat, yet the Plavi’s name became as synonymous with style and skill as it did success.”