PROFESSOR Matthias Lochmann was the driving force behind huge changes in the way that children play football in Germany. He tells TGG the story, which started with a talk by Horst Wein more than 20 years ago.

GERMANY has launched new regulations that will transform the way football is played by Under-11s in the country.

SOME might dismiss Harry Redknapp as a hangover from a bygone age, but Ben Dirs finds the 71-year-old as passionate and thought-provoking as ever about the game he loves.

GERMANY will emphasise small-sided games and the spirit of the streets as they attempt to reverse the recent decline of their national teams.

WHAT links Arsenal, Red Bull Salzburg, LA Galaxy, FC Koln and the German national team? The answer is the US performance company EXOS.

FORMER Premier League footballer (and champion boxer) Curtis Woodhouse tells Ben Dirs why he's learnt so much managing Bridlington Town in the Northern Counties Premier Division.

DESPITE their humbling at the World Cup, Germany are determined to become the world's centre of excellence for football knowledge. At the heart of this is the Think Tank, headed up by Dr Thomas Hauser.

DANNY CIPRIANI is one of English rugby's great talents, but hasn't started a Test for 10 years. He tells Ben Dirs about refusing to fit the mould.

FOR YEARS, the barmaid at The Borough thought the small, grey-haired chap wearing an old England rugby shirt was just another regular. She was right, up to a point.

THERE are five managers in their thirties in the Bundesliga, led by Schalke's Domenico Tedesco. In England, there are none.

TACTICAL decisions during matches will soon be made using positional data and machine learning rather than a manager's subjective judgement, according to the head of scouting and analysis for the German national team.

TRAINING GROUND GURU has been shortlisted for sport website of the year at the prestigious Sport Journalism Awards.

OUR top 10 best-read stories of 2017, ranging from Redfearn to Ranieri.

MARTIN EDWARDS transformed Manchester United from a club in the doldrums into a corporate juggernaut. So why doesn't he get more credit? Ben Dirs went to meet the club's unloved emperor.

GERMANY team manager Oliver Bierhoff says modern players are ‘independent entrepreneurs’ who will not accept the ‘command and control’ style of leadership.

Steph Curry and Danny Cipriani are enthusiastic members of the floating fraternity. We sent Ben Dirs down to Float Level in Manchester to find out what it's all about.

Ex-England striker Alan Smith reveals the truth about his acrimonious exit from Leeds, the injury that almost ended his career and why he is relishing every moment with Notts County.