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The blueprint for the European Cup was laid down in pre-war Budapest, Vienna and Prague. Cris Freddi recalls the mayhem and magnificence of the Mitropa

The name derives from Mittel Europa (central Eur­ope) and the Cup was the baby of Hugo Meisl, international referee turned secretary of the Austrian FA and manager of the national team. After the Second World War, it couldn’t compete with first the Latin Cup, then UEFA’s three major club competitions and, al­though it staggered on in one form or another until 1992, ended up no better than an Intertoto.

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Strength in depth – quantity over quality?

Amid the general admiration for Bobby Robson’s achievement in taking Newcastle to the top of the Premiership table at Christmas, it was widely asserted that he did not have a strong enough squad to make a serious challenge for the championship. That may well be true. However, Newcastle currently have no few­er than 40 players under contract who are considered near enough to the first team to be given a shirt number.

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Sam Beckwith remembers the 1997 Czech cup final between Dukla Prague and Slavia Prague which started Dukla's fall from grace

There’s a growing trend to sentimentalise the years of communist rule in the Czech Republic, with pro­paganda-bedecked cafes popping up on Prague streets and old newsreels running on TV. So far, however, Dukla Prague have escaped the trend. One of Czech football’s most famous names disappeared in 1997 with more of a whimper than a bang, and there are few signs that it’s about to be rehabilitated.

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World Cup shocks in Concacaf so far include a win for Barbados and a daring bid by the confederation to change its awful name. Mike Woitalla marks your card

Costa Rica reached their first World Cup in 1990. The joke going around the nation at the time went some­thing like this: Costa Rican players ask their coach if they could, when setting up the wall during free-kicks, turn their backs to the ball. The coach says, “Are you frightened of getting hit in the face or the crotch?” The players explain, “No. We just don’t want to miss any of the Brazilian goals.”

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Monday 1 Wimbledon’s owners heed the advice of their players and part company with Egil Olsen. Just in the nick of time? 

Tuesday 2 West Ham face an FA enquiry after angry scenes at Highbury where Emmanuel Petit appears to handle the ball before scoring Arsenal’s injury-time winner. “I’m not one for chasing referees but everything he gave went their way,” says Harry, getting his breath back. John Fashanu wants the Wimbledon job: “I’ve decided to go for it. If you cut me open I would bleed Wimbledon through and through.” And Vinnie Jones follows suit: “Olsen was useless. Give me and Joe Kinnear the job and if we stay up, give us £200,00 each.” A club spokesman is unimpressed: “I wonder if Vinnie intends to donate the fee he got for slagging off the club to charity? Somehow I doubt it.” Jimmy Quinn is sacked by Swindon.

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