CATHERINE STEEL relishes a compelling novel about Augustus’s right hand man, but misses the politics, the cultural shifts, and more detail about his restoration of Rome
“Sir Alex Ferguson retires #thankyousiralex.” With that tweet at 9.17am on Wednesday May 8 last year, Manchester United confirmed the news many of us had already guessed — Twitter is the dominant media for discussing football.
We may watch it on TV and read about it in newspapers, books and magazines — or watch and read about it on our tablets or smartphones — but when it comes to actually talking about the beautiful game, Twitter’s where it’s at.
The 2012-13 season saw Chelsea use Twitter to announce Roberto Di Matteo’s sacking and the appointment of first Rafael Benitez and then Jose Mourinho. QPR tweeted the firing of Mark Hughes and the hiring of Harry Redknapp and Everton broke the news of Roberto Martinez’s appointment via Twitter.
A World Cup full of memorable moments was also marked by exclusion, exploitation and unprecedented political meddling, writes JAMES NALTON
Pep Guardiola leaving City marks the end of an era of peak modern football, says JAMES NALTON
Claims that digital media has rendered press power obsolete are a dangerous myth, argues DES FREEDMAN



