Fifteen things we learned about sport in 2014

It was the year of KP, Keano and the Kiwis; of Federer, Froch and Phil the Power (no change there then); of Sochi and Suarez; of Rory and Ronaldo; McCaw, McGinley and McCoy (as always). But it was also the year when we learned some very valuable things about sport.

1. For all the boasting about how good the Premier League is, there’s actually only one team in it — which is less than in Italy, Spain or France, or even poor old Scotland. The only country where anything similar is happening is Germany, where Bayern are running away with the Bundesliga, just like Chelsea here. Which only goes to show that Pep and José are, by a mile, the best coaches on the planet — though we knew that already.

2. Americans are not very good at golf, despite the sport being a national obsession. In fact if they don’t start playing a bit better, we will have to give them Australia, Japan, and Mexico for the Ryder Cup. On the US Golf Channel the commercial breaks are full of adverts for Viagra, which might be one reason they’re so rubbish at the game. Or just a sign that the broadcasters know their audience.

3. If someone is so difficult to share a dressing room with as to get Andrew Strauss, the most courteous and diplomatic of England cricket captains, to call him ‘a complete c***’ in an unguarded moment, he probably is — although maybe not a complete one.

4. The best No. 7 in English rugby hasn’t played an international match for five years yet was named European player of the year after helping Toulon to win the double. The RFU has allowed Stuart Lancaster, the head coach, to pick overseas-based players in ‘exceptional circumstances’.