Simon Hughes

The vanishing of Oscar Pistorius

Oscar Pistorius murdered Reeva Steenkamp. He was released on parole last year. He’s living in Pretoria. I went looking for him. www.nytimes.com/athletic/665...

Liverpool, Everton and the struggle to retain a sense of community

One thing that Liverpool as a city has never done brilliantly is ask itself what does football, culture and living here mean? With Airbnb wrapping itself around Anfield and The Winslow in danger of closing in Walton, the times they are a-changin'. www.nytimes.com/athletic/663...

The Hillsborough Law really matters - and not just to Liverpool

The Hillsborough Law is just about the best thing to happen to Britain in years. Hope everyone feels the same way when it reaches the House of Lords, a setting that will test whether the establishment really wants change. www.nytimes.com/athletic/663...

Is this the end of #FSGOut? The movement to oust Liverpool's owners has gone quiet but it feels unlikely to ever go away entirely

FSG over and #out?

Why the Federico Chiesa chant is making some Liverpool fans very uncomfortable However well-intentioned, the song used to serenade Liverpool's Italian international risks reopening old emotional wounds

A song saluting Federico Chiesa’s decision to leave Juventus for Liverpool has become a staple of the Anfield songbook.

To many, it is a harmless celebration of a cult hero.

To others, it risks reopening the wounds caused at Heysel.

@simonhughes1983.bsky.social on a potentially divisive chant.

Premier League redistribution deal rejected by EFL before football governance bill passed The offer, delivered with the support of the Premier League CEO Richard Masters, was made in April.

The Premier League had a new redistribution deal rejected by the English Football League (EFL) shortly before the bill that ushered in a regulator was passed.

Full story from @simonhughes1983.bsky.social ⬇️

Diogo Jota’s death leaves Liverpool locked in numb disbelief Merseyside is used to tragedy becoming part of its football narrative, but the death of their beloved striker has cut deep

RIP Diogo Jota

www.nytimes.com/athletic/645...

Tottenham Hotspur and another summer of change at the top. Is there more to come? We are not even in July yet and it has already been a summer of profound change at Tottenham Hotspur - and Paratici could still be next in

The summer re-organisation at Tottenham is well underway. My story on the new set-up and why they're not looking for a new chief football officer.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/644...

Donald Trump stunt proves FIFA is happy to play politics when it suits FIFA's insistence that politics and football do not mix feels hypocritical. To use Trump’s phrase, football has largely sold out

Football and politics: totally intertwined, as illustrated on Wed when Juventus players stood awkwardly in the Oval Office as President Trump discussed Israel, Iran and threat of war.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino was there too of course, in the role of nodding dog
www.nytimes.com/athletic/643...

Xabi Alonso’s awkward start at Real Madrid: New hope, little time, big pressure The 43-year-old is taking on one of football's most demanding jobs off the back of the Spanish giants' disappointing European season

Easy start for Xabi Alonso - he needs to build new team with all-new back 4, sort his coaching staff, manage the politics, lift the fans, and win the Club World Cup...

www.nytimes.com/athletic/643...

FIFA drops anti-racism, anti-discrimination messages for Club World Cup The messaging has not been visible during the opening round of fixtures at the tournament in stadiums or on social media platforms.

Exclusive

FIFA has decided not to show videos or signage which explicitly mention challenging racism or discrimination in US Club World Cup venues

FIFA point to statutes - "politically neutral" - when asked if US political climate played part in decision

www.nytimes.com/athletic/643...

The Athletic FC Podcast: Inside South Africa’s super club What happens when the best clubs in world football collide? We're about to find out in as the Club World Cup kicks off in the USA.Big names like Lionel Messi, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich will al...

Ahead of the Club World Cup, I travelled to South Africa to spend four days with Mamelodi Sundowns, the most successful team in the country. Did an audio documentary.

pod.fo/e/2e427e

Inside Mamelodi Sundowns: The journey to the Club World Cup In the second part of our series, The Athletic finds out how Mamelodi Sundowns are preparing for this month's Club World Cup in the U.S.

Miguel Cardoso smokes a cigar. Denis Onyango celebrates his 40th birthday. Grant Kekana paints his nails. Each of these facts are mildly related. This is how Mamelodi Sundowns prepared for the Club World Cup, a tournament you may have heard about.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/640... l

Inside Mamelodi Sundowns: South Africa’s superclub, the home of ‘shoeshine and piano’ The Athletic visited Pretoria, South Africa, to get to know the Mamelodi Sundowns ahead of the Club World Cup

The Athletic spent four days in the Mamelodi Sundowns camp before the they compete at the Club World Cup.

The South African champions call themselves "The Brazilians” because of their colours but also the expectation to deliver attacking football.

@simonhughes1983.bsky.social

Inside Mamelodi Sundowns: South Africa’s superclub, the home of ‘shoeshine and piano’ The Athletic visited Pretoria, South Africa, to get to know the Mamelodi Sundowns ahead of the Club World Cup

Ahead of the Club World Cup, I went to South Africa to spend time with Mamelodi Sundowns. Lots of grumbling in Europe about more football this summer but the mood is different elsewhere. First of a three part series here. Audio documentary to follow. www.nytimes.com/athletic/639...

Why Tottenham sacked Ange Postecoglou, the manager who ended their 17-year trophy drought The inside story behind Levy's decision to sack Postecoglou, after a historically bad domestic season but also Europa League glory

Farewell Ange Postecoglou. The most original, surprising and distinctive Tottenham manager I’ve covered. And the one to deliver Spurs’ greatest moment for a generation. Wrote this on his tenure and dismissal:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/640...

A letter from Philippe Auclair - josimarfootball.com The reality we at Josimar face is stark. Should we fail to raise € 50k by 1 July, the world's only investigative media dedicated solely to football will cease to exist.

A message from @philippeauclair.bsky.social

The reality we at Josimar face is stark. Should we fail to raise 50 000 euro by 1 July, the world’s only investigative media dedicated solely to football will cease to exist.

josimarfootball.com/2025/06/03/a...

UK government faces inquiry into appointment of new independent football regulator chair David Kogan was revealed as the preferred candidate to be appointed new independent football regulator chairman in May.

British government faces inquiry into appointment of new independent football regulator chair. David Kogan likely to be interviewed, along with secretary of state, Lisa Nandy.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/639...

Walk On: A show about Liverpool FC: How Liverpool’s Premier League title parade turned into chaos James Pearce and Simon Hughes are alongside Tony Evans to reflect on the sad scenes at the end of Liverpool's title parade on Monday.The panel discuss the incident that has led to a 53-year-old wh...

Latest Walk On podcast and not the one we hoped to do. Very sombre in the aftermath of yesterday. Me, @jamespearcelfc.bsky.social and @simonhughes1983.bsky.social pod.fo/e/2db1e5

'It destroyed a perfect day' - How Liverpool's Premier League title parade turned into chaos

The authorities in charge of safety on Merseyside have serious questions to answer. Primarily, how the car that ploughed into so many people was allowed to tailgate an ambulance into a road that was supposed to be blocked off to non emergency vehicles. www.nytimes.com/athletic/637...

‘It destroyed a perfect day’ – How Liverpool’s Premier League title parade turned into chaos A 53-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving offences and driving while unfit through drugs

Liverpool fans had flocked to the city on Monday to celebrate their Premier League title success.

But, at around 6pm on Water Street, the day descended into chaos.

@simonhughes1983.bsky.social, @jamespearcelfc.bsky.social, @caoimhesport.bsky.social & @greggevans40.bsky.social

Liverpool won the league

Liverpool: The title they never saw Podcast Episode · Walk On: The Athletic FC's Liverpool show · 25/05/2025 · 39m

My audio documentary about Liverpool's last trophy lift in 2020. I've spoken to the families of supporters who did not get to see it due to the very unusual period we were living in. The last month has triggered some painful memories.

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/w...

Last night I witnessed the death of a banter era.

My piece from Bilbao

www.nytimes.com/athletic/637...

Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League win is a triumph of management for Ange Postecoglou So long a byword for banter, this is the story of how Spurs became laser-focused on European success at the epense of the league

My piece from Ange Postecoglou's surreal night of vindication.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/637...

Liverpool’s lost fans and the title they never got to see

Spoke to the families who lost loved ones before Liverpool lifted the title in 2020. The last month has been strange, conflicting period for them.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/635...

TAA is on his “personal journey.” Many fans are on theirs, though I’m not sure they’d describe it that way. Bottom line is, Liverpool have lost a fine player. Any club would miss a footballer of that quality. And any fanbase is entitled to be unhappy about it.

Obviously some are furious (at least they are online) but I don’t see much of that in person. Fans can feel how they want about such issues. They love their team. They don’t have to be reasonable. It’s a big moment in the club’s as well as the player’s history.

Today’s news from Liverpool being an example. Some wish TAA well. Others are disappointed, sad and wonder whether he might be making the wrong decision. Most will not boo him in a Liverpool shirt. Others might if he shows up at Anfield representing someone else. Those are the rules of engagement.

Would be very useful for everyone’s sake if impressions of the way things are and the way people feel aren’t taken from social media in absolute terms.