There is a reason why the film industry is based in the U.S. America is the home of the unbelievable story, stories of great triumphs and happy endings that Frank Capra would have baulked at.
As a young country they have an optimism and positive that can often be disarming to us Europeans. But this outlook on life does lead to truly remarkable incidents occurring in all walks of U.S. life.
The two most likely candidates for President are good cases in point. Barack Obama is the son of a Kenyan man and a woman from Kansas and he has come to run for the top job in the country by way of a single parent family living in both Hawaii and Indonesia at various times in his life.
John McCain is more mainstream in many ways but he spent four years in a prisoner of war camp in Hanoi after his plane was shot down during the Vietnam war.
The stories of both these men fit into the template of all great American stories and while here in Ireland a leader from outside Dublin is big news it takes something a little more dramatic to top the news agenda across the Atlantic.
That is why the story of Jon Lester is the big news state-side today. Last night, pitching for the Boston Red Sox against the Kansas City Royals, Lester pitched a no-hitter.
This means he didn’t allow any opponent to make base via a hit through the full nine innings. To do this he dismissed 29 batters in a row.
No-hitters are rare. There have been 256 thrown in the 132 years since the first no-hitter in 1876 and if you manage to do it you are guaranteed to go down in history. Baseball is a game of numbers, statistics and history and Lester feat last night has ensured he is now in the books, for the ages.
But the no-hitter is not even the most dramatic thing in Lester story. In fact, at 24, it is arguably the third most newsworthy thing about him.
In 2006, at the age of just 22, he was diagnosed with Lymphoma following complaints of back pain. Luckily this rare form of blood cancer was caught early enough and after treatment he returned to the Red Sox team in July 2007.
By last summer the Red Sox were cruising towards the play offs once again and were many pundits favourites to win the World Series. The final pairing would pit the Red Sox against the Colorado Rockies.
The Boston team, having shrugged off an 86 year wait for a World Series in 2004 (think Clare hurling 1995) were now determined to cement their place as the best team of the current generation.
Boston crushed the Rockies in the first three games and following an injury to the proposed starting pitcher the responsibility of closing out the World Series was given to Lester by the management who had so carefully managed his rehabilitation for the previous 18 months.
He pitched almost 2/3rds of the game, giving up no runs and was thus credited with the win and the honour of clinching the second world series in 4 years for the Red Sox.
Speaking to ESPN last night Lester said "I can't tell you which one means more to me than the other. The World Series is, obviously, the World Series. How many people get to say they've won that? And a no-hitter is a no-hitter. How many people can say they've done that?
At 24 one wonders what else the Jon Lester story can bring us. He has achieved two feats that most players will never even get close to and as a pitcher with the best team in baseball right now he is in a great position to add many more scenes and set-pieces for the inevitable made-for-TV movie of his life.
However as pitchers can go on until they are 40 a series along the lines of Lost may be needed to fit all the drama in.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Its like Popbitch for football fans....
If you like celebrity gossip then Popbitch is yer man.
The latest on Girls Aloud, the size of Posh Spice's waist and Jennifer Aniston's latest fella are all discussed at length with updates every day on the latest gossip. It's the Internet at its best.
It will have occasional references to Ashley Cole but never along the lines of "Yes he is back to his Arsenal form now", more along the lines of .......well you know yourself.
So if you are a football fan in search of transfer gossip then what are you to do.
Well there is a steady stream of stories in the press, nicely condensed on pages like The Guardian's Rumour Mill http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/series/rumourmill and if you are old school there is always Ceefax page 338.
But the king is the http://www.football-rumours.com/ . Two minutes on this site will give you a dizzying array of new topics to discuss down the pub.
A quick glance today tells us that Robbie Keane is off to Liverpool, David O'Leary is set to take the hot seat at Celtic and Damien Duff will be leaving Newcastle, and that is just the stories with an Irish angle.
Every conceivable permutation of transfer is listed here and the best thing is the source. The rumours are posted by the public so they usually start with "My dad's best mate's sister is the secretary for the head of communications at Anfield and she has seen Rafa's secret transfer target list....."
They then proceed to list 40 players that Liverpool are going to buy in the summer.
However they may be as accurate as anybody else. The first big transfer of the summer took place yesterday. The young Croatian midfielder Luka Modric joined Spurs yesterday for 15.8 Million sterling from Dinamo Zagreb yet Saturday morning's press was full of stories of Modric joining Newcastle.
At least the Modric story was done and dusted in about 24 hours. Over the last few summers we have had transfer sagas that have taken longer to conclude than it takes the Democrats to pick a presidential candidate.
I am sure we all fondly recall the Michael Essien-Chelsea move of 2005, the Carlos Tevez saga of 2007 and the year long move of Henry to Barcelona.
So what will be the move of 2008? Keep an eye on Lampard to Barcelona, Drogba to Inter and Gareth Barry to Liverpool.
It will keep you busy until the next time Nicole Kidman has a baby.
The latest on Girls Aloud, the size of Posh Spice's waist and Jennifer Aniston's latest fella are all discussed at length with updates every day on the latest gossip. It's the Internet at its best.
It will have occasional references to Ashley Cole but never along the lines of "Yes he is back to his Arsenal form now", more along the lines of .......well you know yourself.
So if you are a football fan in search of transfer gossip then what are you to do.
Well there is a steady stream of stories in the press, nicely condensed on pages like The Guardian's Rumour Mill http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/series/rumourmill and if you are old school there is always Ceefax page 338.
But the king is the http://www.football-rumours.com/ . Two minutes on this site will give you a dizzying array of new topics to discuss down the pub.
A quick glance today tells us that Robbie Keane is off to Liverpool, David O'Leary is set to take the hot seat at Celtic and Damien Duff will be leaving Newcastle, and that is just the stories with an Irish angle.
Every conceivable permutation of transfer is listed here and the best thing is the source. The rumours are posted by the public so they usually start with "My dad's best mate's sister is the secretary for the head of communications at Anfield and she has seen Rafa's secret transfer target list....."
They then proceed to list 40 players that Liverpool are going to buy in the summer.
However they may be as accurate as anybody else. The first big transfer of the summer took place yesterday. The young Croatian midfielder Luka Modric joined Spurs yesterday for 15.8 Million sterling from Dinamo Zagreb yet Saturday morning's press was full of stories of Modric joining Newcastle.
At least the Modric story was done and dusted in about 24 hours. Over the last few summers we have had transfer sagas that have taken longer to conclude than it takes the Democrats to pick a presidential candidate.
I am sure we all fondly recall the Michael Essien-Chelsea move of 2005, the Carlos Tevez saga of 2007 and the year long move of Henry to Barcelona.
So what will be the move of 2008? Keep an eye on Lampard to Barcelona, Drogba to Inter and Gareth Barry to Liverpool.
It will keep you busy until the next time Nicole Kidman has a baby.
Monday, April 21, 2008
A little bit of outsider knowledge
There is a new phenomenon in coaching that we should all be aware of.
It is the increasing trend of experts from other sports offering insight or actually taking over coaching in sports other than their own.
Now we don't mean Clive Woodward and his ill fated spell with Southampton. His role as "Special Technical Advisor" consisted of Southampton playing even worse than before he arrived.
Sir Clive now seems the exception rather than the rule though, as inter discipline coaching is proving fruitful for a vast range of sports.
Rugby Union has long been indebted to its long lost son Rugby League. The defensive strategy of all teams is now controlled by ex-Rugby League players and Shaun Edwards, ex Rugby League legend and advisor to this years Grand Slam winning Welsh team is the most sought after coach in Rugby Union right now.
Rugby League in Australia has recently come under fire for hiring wrestling coaches to advise how best to tackle opposition players. A move called the chicken wing, where the arm is twisted behind the back, is the hot topic down under at the moment. The move comes from wrestling and a "grapple tackle", a choke hold style move, has been causing controversy for over a year now. Both are designed to cause maximum discomfort, in the hope of the opponent dropping the ball. The Melbourne Storm are the masters of the grapple tackle, check out this link to see the move in all its grisly glory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSu-uOiUz7E
Kerry manager Pat O'Shea spoke last week about his use of basketball techniques with his Kerry team and now football is about to be influenced by baseball.
Moneyball, the sports book beloved of people who want to the next Bill Gates, is about the Oakland Athletics baseball team and its coach Billy Beane.
The book is about how Beane used limited resources and clever use of playing statistics to drag his team into the top level of the game.
Beane is now part of a group that has purchased the San Jose Earthquakes, one of the Major League Soccer franchises. He plans to use a similar set of processes to identify players for soccer teams. While Prozone and Opta are widely used Beane has devised a system called Sabermetrics, to measure such things as touches of the ball in situations where there is a shot on goal, the number of interceptions and something called "defensive effectiveness".
We will watch the progress of the Earthquakes with interest (OK some interest) but I wonder what other sports stars are secretly employing coaches from other sports.
I suspect Dimitar Berbatov has had some gymnastics coaching, Henry Shefflin has surely taken a ballet class or two and if Ciaran Whelan is not in training for a crack at Joe Calzaghe then he should be.
It is the increasing trend of experts from other sports offering insight or actually taking over coaching in sports other than their own.
Now we don't mean Clive Woodward and his ill fated spell with Southampton. His role as "Special Technical Advisor" consisted of Southampton playing even worse than before he arrived.
Sir Clive now seems the exception rather than the rule though, as inter discipline coaching is proving fruitful for a vast range of sports.
Rugby Union has long been indebted to its long lost son Rugby League. The defensive strategy of all teams is now controlled by ex-Rugby League players and Shaun Edwards, ex Rugby League legend and advisor to this years Grand Slam winning Welsh team is the most sought after coach in Rugby Union right now.
Rugby League in Australia has recently come under fire for hiring wrestling coaches to advise how best to tackle opposition players. A move called the chicken wing, where the arm is twisted behind the back, is the hot topic down under at the moment. The move comes from wrestling and a "grapple tackle", a choke hold style move, has been causing controversy for over a year now. Both are designed to cause maximum discomfort, in the hope of the opponent dropping the ball. The Melbourne Storm are the masters of the grapple tackle, check out this link to see the move in all its grisly glory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSu-uOiUz7E
Kerry manager Pat O'Shea spoke last week about his use of basketball techniques with his Kerry team and now football is about to be influenced by baseball.
Moneyball, the sports book beloved of people who want to the next Bill Gates, is about the Oakland Athletics baseball team and its coach Billy Beane.
The book is about how Beane used limited resources and clever use of playing statistics to drag his team into the top level of the game.
Beane is now part of a group that has purchased the San Jose Earthquakes, one of the Major League Soccer franchises. He plans to use a similar set of processes to identify players for soccer teams. While Prozone and Opta are widely used Beane has devised a system called Sabermetrics, to measure such things as touches of the ball in situations where there is a shot on goal, the number of interceptions and something called "defensive effectiveness".
We will watch the progress of the Earthquakes with interest (OK some interest) but I wonder what other sports stars are secretly employing coaches from other sports.
I suspect Dimitar Berbatov has had some gymnastics coaching, Henry Shefflin has surely taken a ballet class or two and if Ciaran Whelan is not in training for a crack at Joe Calzaghe then he should be.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Grant aid
Am I the only person who feels that Avram Grant is a little bit unlucky and does not deserve the grief he is getting this week?
Ok he is a little dour and wears black a lot. So what. Ferguson is a miserable bastard too and Wenger is hardly a ray of sunshine recently and you don't see them getting picked on to the same extent about their personality.
I don't believe he was involved in "knifing" Mourinho, and he has done a very good job with Chelsea this season.
In previous seasons Jose would moan about losing the spine of the team, be it Terry or Lampard or Cech or Drogba and blame this for defeats. At various stages this season all of these players have missed large parts of the year, often at the same time, and they kept winning.
His one big purchase, Anelka, has been a success and despite poor form in the domestic cup competitions he has done very well in the two big competitions, Champions League and Premier League.
The league may be gone for them now but Champions League is still a possibility, Jose never got them to a final, Grant might.
But even if he won the British Open, Wimbledon and the Rose of Tralee he will not keep his job.
Chelsea are the sort of club now to have a big name manager. Rijkaard may be available, as will Mancini and possibly Ancelotti too.
Poor old Avram can't compete with these guys so will be moved back upstairs next season.
Man City are rumoured to be thinking of ditching Sven after the poor second half to the season his team has had. With agents closely connected to Sven and Abramovich appearing in the papers recently don't be surprised to see the Swedish love machine in control at the Bridge next year.
And Sven loves spending money....a marriage made in agent heaven.
Ok he is a little dour and wears black a lot. So what. Ferguson is a miserable bastard too and Wenger is hardly a ray of sunshine recently and you don't see them getting picked on to the same extent about their personality.
I don't believe he was involved in "knifing" Mourinho, and he has done a very good job with Chelsea this season.
In previous seasons Jose would moan about losing the spine of the team, be it Terry or Lampard or Cech or Drogba and blame this for defeats. At various stages this season all of these players have missed large parts of the year, often at the same time, and they kept winning.
His one big purchase, Anelka, has been a success and despite poor form in the domestic cup competitions he has done very well in the two big competitions, Champions League and Premier League.
The league may be gone for them now but Champions League is still a possibility, Jose never got them to a final, Grant might.
But even if he won the British Open, Wimbledon and the Rose of Tralee he will not keep his job.
Chelsea are the sort of club now to have a big name manager. Rijkaard may be available, as will Mancini and possibly Ancelotti too.
Poor old Avram can't compete with these guys so will be moved back upstairs next season.
Man City are rumoured to be thinking of ditching Sven after the poor second half to the season his team has had. With agents closely connected to Sven and Abramovich appearing in the papers recently don't be surprised to see the Swedish love machine in control at the Bridge next year.
And Sven loves spending money....a marriage made in agent heaven.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Big weekend of sport, not big on excitement
So did you watch it all?
This weekend the more committed sports fans was looking forward to endless entertainment on the box and personally I was more excited than Max Mosley on a day trip to Nuremburg.
However, despite watching something like 30 hours of sport from Thursday night I found it hard to enjoy much or any of the stuff on show.
Top of the bill was the Masters. I must have watched nearly 15 hours of it this year. Sitting in the office today everything still has a deep green hue from staring to long at the lush manicured lawns of Augusta.
But try as they might the coverage was pretty dull. Peter Alliss spent most of his time giving out about how slow the play was. If I want to hear a pensioner moan about how long something takes I will hang around outside the loo in a retirement home.
He had some gems of comments but overall he sounded as bored as the rest of us. At the end Ken Brown suggested it might not be over as Immelman still had to sign his card. Spare us. A dull South African won, there was no magic from anybody or a surge from Tiger.
And Ian fuckin Poulter got a hole in one. I saw that shot more often than I saw the outdoors this weekend. That fact reflects more badly on me than it does the BBC.
Attempts at finding something of interest in the following also failed;
Bernard Dunne comeback: Boxing from Mayo. Oh dear
Man Utd vs. Arsenal: Arsenal score, give away a stupid penalty then lose. Surprise!
Leinster vs Munster: Leinster win a match against Munster that Munster dont really care about. If they needed to, really needed to, Munster would have won.
The only really interesting event was Queen of the South beating Aberdeen 4-3 in the Scottish cup semi final.
Thats right, drink in that sentence.
I need to get out more.
This weekend the more committed sports fans was looking forward to endless entertainment on the box and personally I was more excited than Max Mosley on a day trip to Nuremburg.
However, despite watching something like 30 hours of sport from Thursday night I found it hard to enjoy much or any of the stuff on show.
Top of the bill was the Masters. I must have watched nearly 15 hours of it this year. Sitting in the office today everything still has a deep green hue from staring to long at the lush manicured lawns of Augusta.
But try as they might the coverage was pretty dull. Peter Alliss spent most of his time giving out about how slow the play was. If I want to hear a pensioner moan about how long something takes I will hang around outside the loo in a retirement home.
He had some gems of comments but overall he sounded as bored as the rest of us. At the end Ken Brown suggested it might not be over as Immelman still had to sign his card. Spare us. A dull South African won, there was no magic from anybody or a surge from Tiger.
And Ian fuckin Poulter got a hole in one. I saw that shot more often than I saw the outdoors this weekend. That fact reflects more badly on me than it does the BBC.
Attempts at finding something of interest in the following also failed;
Bernard Dunne comeback: Boxing from Mayo. Oh dear
Man Utd vs. Arsenal: Arsenal score, give away a stupid penalty then lose. Surprise!
Leinster vs Munster: Leinster win a match against Munster that Munster dont really care about. If they needed to, really needed to, Munster would have won.
The only really interesting event was Queen of the South beating Aberdeen 4-3 in the Scottish cup semi final.
Thats right, drink in that sentence.
I need to get out more.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Player's player of the year
So we all know who is going to win it so lets get onto the real issue.
Why is Steven Gerrard on the list?
Making the case for Ronaldo, Fabregas, Adebayor and Torres is pretty easy, they all had good seasons, that is what the award is about.
David James has been nominated for making less mistakes than usual, hardly a ringing endorsement but tough to begrudge him the nomination after the abuse he has taken over the years.
But Gerrard. Maybe some of his "friends" in the Liverpool area made a few phone calls but it is hard to see any other reason why he has been nominated.
He has not been even close to being good this season and like the story about the best drummer in the Beatles, Gerrard has not even been the best midfielder in the Liverpool team this year, that honour going to Mascherano.
10 assists and 10 goals in the Premier League this season. Stats like that put him behind Berbatov, 11 assists and 14 goals,and no-one would suggest him for the Player of the Year.
However players like Robbie Keane, Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand have allhad great seasons and Gael Clichy also deserves to be nominated as he is now the best full back in the league.
It is worth noting that the two least deserving nominees are English.
Fabio Capello is a brave man.
Why is Steven Gerrard on the list?
Making the case for Ronaldo, Fabregas, Adebayor and Torres is pretty easy, they all had good seasons, that is what the award is about.
David James has been nominated for making less mistakes than usual, hardly a ringing endorsement but tough to begrudge him the nomination after the abuse he has taken over the years.
But Gerrard. Maybe some of his "friends" in the Liverpool area made a few phone calls but it is hard to see any other reason why he has been nominated.
He has not been even close to being good this season and like the story about the best drummer in the Beatles, Gerrard has not even been the best midfielder in the Liverpool team this year, that honour going to Mascherano.
10 assists and 10 goals in the Premier League this season. Stats like that put him behind Berbatov, 11 assists and 14 goals,and no-one would suggest him for the Player of the Year.
However players like Robbie Keane, Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand have allhad great seasons and Gael Clichy also deserves to be nominated as he is now the best full back in the league.
It is worth noting that the two least deserving nominees are English.
Fabio Capello is a brave man.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Munster Rugby, its just different, like
Let me be the first to admit that rubgy is not my area of expertise.
I tend to watch it in a fashion akin to those foreign leaders or film stars who occassionaly turn up at Croker for the All Ireland Hurling final.
I know the rules so I clap and shout when everybody else does and I know that I am watching something very skilful and brave but I couldn't tell you why or how it is happening.
But watching the Munster demolition of Gloucester yesterday you get the feeling that of all the great teams Ireland has produced to represent us in sport, surely this Munster team is the one we should be most proud of.
Euro 88 and Italia 90 teams were special, the Six Nations team of 2007 was great to watch and the cricketers were brilliant last yearbut none gives that sense of pride that Munster does.
I am not even from Munster but to watch the way they work for each other, fight for each other and operate so professionally it is very impressive.
I think they had 12 turnovers to 1 yesterday. Incredible stuff aganst the best team in England.
They face Saracens now after the beat the Ospreys. I think a second Heineken cup is on its way to Munster now.
And if the IRFU do not appoint Declan Kidney then they better pull Jose out of the bag cos we wont accpet anybody else!
I tend to watch it in a fashion akin to those foreign leaders or film stars who occassionaly turn up at Croker for the All Ireland Hurling final.
I know the rules so I clap and shout when everybody else does and I know that I am watching something very skilful and brave but I couldn't tell you why or how it is happening.
But watching the Munster demolition of Gloucester yesterday you get the feeling that of all the great teams Ireland has produced to represent us in sport, surely this Munster team is the one we should be most proud of.
Euro 88 and Italia 90 teams were special, the Six Nations team of 2007 was great to watch and the cricketers were brilliant last yearbut none gives that sense of pride that Munster does.
I am not even from Munster but to watch the way they work for each other, fight for each other and operate so professionally it is very impressive.
I think they had 12 turnovers to 1 yesterday. Incredible stuff aganst the best team in England.
They face Saracens now after the beat the Ospreys. I think a second Heineken cup is on its way to Munster now.
And if the IRFU do not appoint Declan Kidney then they better pull Jose out of the bag cos we wont accpet anybody else!
Monday, March 31, 2008
In defence of the Dubs
Well if I was one of the 6 new sponsors of the GAA I would be getting a bit worried about my investment.
Following the strike, the stupid conclusion to the NHL season and the violence of statisticians (Good name for a Radiohead album that) you now have games being called off just before throw in.
To use a phrase rarely heard, you have to feel sorry for the Dublin supporters. They now have a sizable travelling support and they bring a real atmosphere to away games. They also follow the league better than most counties supporters do and bring in lots of cash for the county boards hosting them via gate receipts.
But their game with Armagh was called off yesterday, just 40 minutes before the scheduled start. Some people I know had arrived in Crossmaglen but had not yet paid in so at least were spared the extra insult of no refunds.
Everybody who had paid in will instead get free admission to the re-scheduled game, Wednesday week. An evening throw in. How convenient for all the Dubs!
Putting aside the fixture congestion and the difficulties for players the Dubs supporters are being very badly treated this year.
That is now three games called off. The pitch inspection was to be at 12 but the ref was late. That simply cannot be allowed to happen. Could he not phone ahead, get some other official to look at the pitch?
I know there will be a contingent of "good enough for em" begrudgers out there. The argument will be along the lines of " We travel up to Dublin for lots of games every year". But at least you see a game, usually in Croker, which is a fantastic stadium.
It used to be said that the GAA was an amateur organisation run by professionals and that the FAI was the opposite. Lets hope the tables are not being turned. Is it too much to ask to have them both operating professionally
Following the strike, the stupid conclusion to the NHL season and the violence of statisticians (Good name for a Radiohead album that) you now have games being called off just before throw in.
To use a phrase rarely heard, you have to feel sorry for the Dublin supporters. They now have a sizable travelling support and they bring a real atmosphere to away games. They also follow the league better than most counties supporters do and bring in lots of cash for the county boards hosting them via gate receipts.
But their game with Armagh was called off yesterday, just 40 minutes before the scheduled start. Some people I know had arrived in Crossmaglen but had not yet paid in so at least were spared the extra insult of no refunds.
Everybody who had paid in will instead get free admission to the re-scheduled game, Wednesday week. An evening throw in. How convenient for all the Dubs!
Putting aside the fixture congestion and the difficulties for players the Dubs supporters are being very badly treated this year.
That is now three games called off. The pitch inspection was to be at 12 but the ref was late. That simply cannot be allowed to happen. Could he not phone ahead, get some other official to look at the pitch?
I know there will be a contingent of "good enough for em" begrudgers out there. The argument will be along the lines of " We travel up to Dublin for lots of games every year". But at least you see a game, usually in Croker, which is a fantastic stadium.
It used to be said that the GAA was an amateur organisation run by professionals and that the FAI was the opposite. Lets hope the tables are not being turned. Is it too much to ask to have them both operating professionally
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Promotion problems...
Every year there is a really crap team in the Premier League.
It is the nature of the gap between the Championship and the top division that it is difficult enough for the teams who win automatic promotion. If you come through the play offs it is especially difficult.
We all love the play offs and if you can stomach the hype that Sky put on it of it being "the most valuable game in world football, 30 million for the winners etc" it is usually a really entertaining game.
But the team that makes it up will rarely succeed. 9 of the last 15 Championship play off winners have gone straight back down, and Derby have now made it 10 out of 16.
Most of those 10 make a better fist of it than Derby have all the same. One win, 23 defeats and 16 goals scored. Roque Santa Cruz has scored 14 Premier League goals for Blackburn, Ronaldo has scored 9 more than the entire Derby team.
Paul Jewell, who it seems may have had other matters on his mind than football this season (Google him and "video" if you have not seen the tabloids) has not been able to turn the team around and has admitted he was building for next season from the time he took the job.
He took the job in November for God's sake. There are a bunch of teams now who visit the Premier League for a year, like Irish people going to Australia, and it is the summit of their ambitions.
And like Irish people they would like to stay longer but they can't do it in the end.
Looking at the top 6 in the Championship this year you would be worried about their ability to stay up in the Premier League. Bristol City, Stoke and Hull would be new names to the Premier League. All have good managers and deserve a shot but it is a million to one shot for them to stay up.
West Brom, Watford and Wolves are old hands at this promotion lark. Problem is they are dab hands at relegation too.
An 18 team Premier League would be best for all concerned, raising the standard and reducing the number of games.
However there is more chance of Hull winning the Premier League next year than chairmen voting for that.
It is the nature of the gap between the Championship and the top division that it is difficult enough for the teams who win automatic promotion. If you come through the play offs it is especially difficult.
We all love the play offs and if you can stomach the hype that Sky put on it of it being "the most valuable game in world football, 30 million for the winners etc" it is usually a really entertaining game.
But the team that makes it up will rarely succeed. 9 of the last 15 Championship play off winners have gone straight back down, and Derby have now made it 10 out of 16.
Most of those 10 make a better fist of it than Derby have all the same. One win, 23 defeats and 16 goals scored. Roque Santa Cruz has scored 14 Premier League goals for Blackburn, Ronaldo has scored 9 more than the entire Derby team.
Paul Jewell, who it seems may have had other matters on his mind than football this season (Google him and "video" if you have not seen the tabloids) has not been able to turn the team around and has admitted he was building for next season from the time he took the job.
He took the job in November for God's sake. There are a bunch of teams now who visit the Premier League for a year, like Irish people going to Australia, and it is the summit of their ambitions.
And like Irish people they would like to stay longer but they can't do it in the end.
Looking at the top 6 in the Championship this year you would be worried about their ability to stay up in the Premier League. Bristol City, Stoke and Hull would be new names to the Premier League. All have good managers and deserve a shot but it is a million to one shot for them to stay up.
West Brom, Watford and Wolves are old hands at this promotion lark. Problem is they are dab hands at relegation too.
An 18 team Premier League would be best for all concerned, raising the standard and reducing the number of games.
However there is more chance of Hull winning the Premier League next year than chairmen voting for that.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Old Firm football
Just finished watching the Rangers vs Celtic match on Setanta.
I rarely watch Scottish football. It seems there is always something better on, like repeats of Jake and the Fatman or an all new "Are You Smarter Than A Ten Year Old"
But I thought what the hell, lets watch it, this should be as good as it gets for Scottish football.
Oh dear, if this is as good as it gets then they may as well shut the entire operation down.
I know derbies generally don't produce great football, and the Old Firm is hardly "El Clasico" but still. Jesus.
Rangers won 1-0. Celtic hardly had a shot on goal. Neither did Rangers. When the stand out players are Samaras, Dailly and Davis, all of whom were not missed when they sloped out of the Premier Lague, you know it is a poor game.
The atmosphere was good, dont think I would want to be there but the noise was phenomenal. That does not make it a good game though.
Rangers would seem to have the title in the bag now, and they progress on in the UEFA cup. They look to be on top now in Scotland and while that will dismay many Irish fans they should be more worried about Aiden McGeady.
While Damien Duff's career seems to be on its way down we need McGeady out of Celtic and playing at a higher level than this. He looked frustrated today and a move for him in the summer is more important to any real Irish fan than how Celtic are doing.
I rarely watch Scottish football. It seems there is always something better on, like repeats of Jake and the Fatman or an all new "Are You Smarter Than A Ten Year Old"
But I thought what the hell, lets watch it, this should be as good as it gets for Scottish football.
Oh dear, if this is as good as it gets then they may as well shut the entire operation down.
I know derbies generally don't produce great football, and the Old Firm is hardly "El Clasico" but still. Jesus.
Rangers won 1-0. Celtic hardly had a shot on goal. Neither did Rangers. When the stand out players are Samaras, Dailly and Davis, all of whom were not missed when they sloped out of the Premier Lague, you know it is a poor game.
The atmosphere was good, dont think I would want to be there but the noise was phenomenal. That does not make it a good game though.
Rangers would seem to have the title in the bag now, and they progress on in the UEFA cup. They look to be on top now in Scotland and while that will dismay many Irish fans they should be more worried about Aiden McGeady.
While Damien Duff's career seems to be on its way down we need McGeady out of Celtic and playing at a higher level than this. He looked frustrated today and a move for him in the summer is more important to any real Irish fan than how Celtic are doing.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Its over
While it is painful to admit, the Premier League title is over for another year. Barring a collapse, which United have never had under Ferguson, they will win their 10th Premier League title in 16 years.
They have some difficult games left. Villa at the weekend are tough and have a good record against United, plus the visit of Arsenal and a trip to Stamford Bridge mean that Ferguson will not be celebrating yet.
But inside his underground lair, as he wakes up in his tarten lined coffin, he knows it is in the bag.
Over his morning cup of warm goats blood he will reflect on a year where he saw off two Chelsea managers, one after just a few games, the other sure to go in the summer.
As his completes his morning Suduko puzzle and strokes his large white cat, fondly called Keane after his favourite lieutenant, he will surely be glad to have driven Wenger to further fury as his team now combine almost as much skill as Arsenal but with a steely defence that Wenger's men have not possessed for 4 seasons now.
A contented Ferguson turns to look at the painting on the wall of Brian Kidd, now aged beyond recognition to ensure Ferguson stays young, and he will recall how he has bought well this season, Nani and Anderson both have added to the team at vital times and Tevez gives them huge flexibility when it comes to picking an attacking unit.
The mirror returns no reflection but in the bathroom brushing his fags he can see on the wall the picture on the 1999 Champions League winners and one of his three hearts skips a beat as he realises he has the best squad left in the competition, will not face English opposition until the final and that this is his best chance yet to emulate Busby.
Before he goes to the garage to fire up one of his four pimped out broomsticks for the short flight to Carrington for training he decides that his greatest achievement this season is the special powers he has bestowed on Ronaldo, enabling him to score more goals than some teams have in the Premier League this season. The sacrifice on top on the Pennines of John O'Shea and Darren Fletcher was worth it after all.
Soaring above the ground he has ruled for almost 22 years now Ferguson lets out a supremely evil laugh, tucks his tail in to stop it getting caught on landing and lands just in time to give Louis Saha the full hairdryer treatment off for arriving to work without his full body armour on.
Life for the undead was good.
They have some difficult games left. Villa at the weekend are tough and have a good record against United, plus the visit of Arsenal and a trip to Stamford Bridge mean that Ferguson will not be celebrating yet.
But inside his underground lair, as he wakes up in his tarten lined coffin, he knows it is in the bag.
Over his morning cup of warm goats blood he will reflect on a year where he saw off two Chelsea managers, one after just a few games, the other sure to go in the summer.
As his completes his morning Suduko puzzle and strokes his large white cat, fondly called Keane after his favourite lieutenant, he will surely be glad to have driven Wenger to further fury as his team now combine almost as much skill as Arsenal but with a steely defence that Wenger's men have not possessed for 4 seasons now.
A contented Ferguson turns to look at the painting on the wall of Brian Kidd, now aged beyond recognition to ensure Ferguson stays young, and he will recall how he has bought well this season, Nani and Anderson both have added to the team at vital times and Tevez gives them huge flexibility when it comes to picking an attacking unit.
The mirror returns no reflection but in the bathroom brushing his fags he can see on the wall the picture on the 1999 Champions League winners and one of his three hearts skips a beat as he realises he has the best squad left in the competition, will not face English opposition until the final and that this is his best chance yet to emulate Busby.
Before he goes to the garage to fire up one of his four pimped out broomsticks for the short flight to Carrington for training he decides that his greatest achievement this season is the special powers he has bestowed on Ronaldo, enabling him to score more goals than some teams have in the Premier League this season. The sacrifice on top on the Pennines of John O'Shea and Darren Fletcher was worth it after all.
Soaring above the ground he has ruled for almost 22 years now Ferguson lets out a supremely evil laugh, tucks his tail in to stop it getting caught on landing and lands just in time to give Louis Saha the full hairdryer treatment off for arriving to work without his full body armour on.
Life for the undead was good.
Managing the management
Looks like we are all set for a bit more Dublin back room staff controversy following the weekend's Parnell Park set to between Dublin and Monaghan.
Everybody knows that the craziest people involved in GAA are the back room teams. Some of them are so deranged they actually believe their team can win the All Ireland!
I am generalising here but they tend to be at the more extreme end of the GAA family. Most sane people play the game for a few years, maybe help out in the local club and that's it.
The lads who go on to be managers, mentors, coaches, particularly at inter county level, have to have a bit of madness in them. The commitment is enormous, the rewards minimal and the weather awful.
But without these mad bastards we would have no inter-county game so we should all be grateful for the failings of the mental health legislation.
It seems a member of the Dublin support staff did strike an opposition player so this is a serious new development. Pillar was involved in a harmless, if rather stupid incident, before the Kerry game last year and the last thing Dublin need is more pressure on them.
Dublin county board has now admitted an incident occurred and are disciplining the person internally.
In this era of massive back room teams, with everything from hypnotherapists to hydro therapists on the sidelines, the potential for someone losing the head and attacking an opponent is greater than ever.
The GAA continues to portray itself as a professional slick machine and in many ways it is. But when on field violence spreads from a schmozzle of players to a melee of management then serious action must be taken against both the individual and the county board.
Everybody knows that the craziest people involved in GAA are the back room teams. Some of them are so deranged they actually believe their team can win the All Ireland!
I am generalising here but they tend to be at the more extreme end of the GAA family. Most sane people play the game for a few years, maybe help out in the local club and that's it.
The lads who go on to be managers, mentors, coaches, particularly at inter county level, have to have a bit of madness in them. The commitment is enormous, the rewards minimal and the weather awful.
But without these mad bastards we would have no inter-county game so we should all be grateful for the failings of the mental health legislation.
It seems a member of the Dublin support staff did strike an opposition player so this is a serious new development. Pillar was involved in a harmless, if rather stupid incident, before the Kerry game last year and the last thing Dublin need is more pressure on them.
Dublin county board has now admitted an incident occurred and are disciplining the person internally.
In this era of massive back room teams, with everything from hypnotherapists to hydro therapists on the sidelines, the potential for someone losing the head and attacking an opponent is greater than ever.
The GAA continues to portray itself as a professional slick machine and in many ways it is. But when on field violence spreads from a schmozzle of players to a melee of management then serious action must be taken against both the individual and the county board.
In a league of their own
Well it seems everybody knew the Cork players strike would adversely affect the National Hurling League, except the GAA.
While they were busy selling off chunks of games to different broadcasters, negotiating with 6 different companies to get sponsorship money and designing a snazzy new logo the forgot about the games themselves.
As a result we now have Cork playing off against Waterford for a qualification spot in Division 1A but Wexford relegated in place of Dublin because of points difference, a system we were told would not be used due to the disparity in games played.
No one can deny Wexford deserve to be relegated and I would agree that Dublin are almost certainly the second best team in Leinster now. After a good start against Waterford, Wexford were awful in the rest of the campaign and if they had played better they would not be in this situation.
However the entire problem was caused by Cork, players and county board. They should not have been allowed back in to the league, and when they were, a points deduction should have been placed on them.
In recent years the league has improved in hurling and is a well established platform for teams to build on now, look at Waterford last year.
But this year a short sighted and frankly stupid dispute was dealt with in an inept way by Croke Park and all the other counties are being made to suffer.
Lets hope whoever Cork meet in the next round, Limerick or Tipp, they are knocked out and end the farce that is there involvement in this years National Hurling League.
While they were busy selling off chunks of games to different broadcasters, negotiating with 6 different companies to get sponsorship money and designing a snazzy new logo the forgot about the games themselves.
As a result we now have Cork playing off against Waterford for a qualification spot in Division 1A but Wexford relegated in place of Dublin because of points difference, a system we were told would not be used due to the disparity in games played.
No one can deny Wexford deserve to be relegated and I would agree that Dublin are almost certainly the second best team in Leinster now. After a good start against Waterford, Wexford were awful in the rest of the campaign and if they had played better they would not be in this situation.
However the entire problem was caused by Cork, players and county board. They should not have been allowed back in to the league, and when they were, a points deduction should have been placed on them.
In recent years the league has improved in hurling and is a well established platform for teams to build on now, look at Waterford last year.
But this year a short sighted and frankly stupid dispute was dealt with in an inept way by Croke Park and all the other counties are being made to suffer.
Lets hope whoever Cork meet in the next round, Limerick or Tipp, they are knocked out and end the farce that is there involvement in this years National Hurling League.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Wood you believe?
Tiger Woods won again at the weekend.
This is hardly news or even a surprise to anybody anymore.
However the run of form he is on now makes watching him even more enjoyable than ever before. Watching a true genius at work is always enjoyable.
Whether it was his enormous drives, his incredibly powerful ripped shots out of the rough or putts from huge distances there was always something in each round to make you gasp.
The great thing about Woods now is that he is stringing these moves together and absolutely destroying the best players in the world.
This weekend he was 7 off the lead after Friday. But two rounds of 66, crushes the resolve of the rest of the field and he wins by one stroke, following a massive putt on the 72nd hole for another birdie.
Now sport is nothing without uncertainty. If the result is pre-determined it is no fun, that's why the WWE isn't covered by Paddy Power.
And of all games golf is one where a single mistake, over 4 days, can knock you out of contention. Which makes it unbearably difficult to play but usually fascinating to watch, a sort of high wire act in a brightly coloured jumper and slacks. So while Woods seems invincible it is still worth watching.
The US Masters is on in 3 weeks. Woods is evens to win it. The next is Mickeson at 8/1. Evens in a race with 70 competitors over one of the toughest golf courses in the world. He is 5/4 for the US open in July and 6/1 for the Grand Slam. These are WWE type odds.
I don't mean that these odds are not justified, without doubt he is miles ahead of everybody else in the world. But watching to see if he can do the Slam could be the sporting highlight of the year, ahead of Euro 2008 and the Olympics.
I can't wait.....
This is hardly news or even a surprise to anybody anymore.
However the run of form he is on now makes watching him even more enjoyable than ever before. Watching a true genius at work is always enjoyable.
Whether it was his enormous drives, his incredibly powerful ripped shots out of the rough or putts from huge distances there was always something in each round to make you gasp.
The great thing about Woods now is that he is stringing these moves together and absolutely destroying the best players in the world.
This weekend he was 7 off the lead after Friday. But two rounds of 66, crushes the resolve of the rest of the field and he wins by one stroke, following a massive putt on the 72nd hole for another birdie.
Now sport is nothing without uncertainty. If the result is pre-determined it is no fun, that's why the WWE isn't covered by Paddy Power.
And of all games golf is one where a single mistake, over 4 days, can knock you out of contention. Which makes it unbearably difficult to play but usually fascinating to watch, a sort of high wire act in a brightly coloured jumper and slacks. So while Woods seems invincible it is still worth watching.
The US Masters is on in 3 weeks. Woods is evens to win it. The next is Mickeson at 8/1. Evens in a race with 70 competitors over one of the toughest golf courses in the world. He is 5/4 for the US open in July and 6/1 for the Grand Slam. These are WWE type odds.
I don't mean that these odds are not justified, without doubt he is miles ahead of everybody else in the world. But watching to see if he can do the Slam could be the sporting highlight of the year, ahead of Euro 2008 and the Olympics.
I can't wait.....
Going down.....
While things are getting tight at the top of the Premier League, so tight in fact Liverpool are being talked up now of being back in it, things at the bottom are more snug than Mido in a freshly washed Boro shirt.
The bottom eight are all in trouble, and with Derby already doomed as the worst team to ever play in the Premier League, there are only 8 points between Fulham in 19th and Wigan in 12th
In their own way they all deserve to go down;
Wigan have a dreadful pitch. And Titus Bramble.
Middlesbrough have been consistently the most boring team in the Premier League for years now.
Newcastle, too many to mention but lets go for Joey Barton for convenience.
Reading, for failing to invest in the summer to cement their position.
Birmingham for their dodgy accents. Yes I mean Scotttish accents.
Roy Keane's Sunderland for spending 40 Million and still being crap.
Bolton for Diouf and resting 11 players from a European game and still losing the league match they were saved for.
Fulham for the theft of Lawrie Sanchez, the purchase of the Northern Ireland squad and for now trying to be the USA team for some reason.
Derby. Goal Difference -50. Enough said.
I hope Roy Keane's Sunderland and Newcastle stay up. They are the most interesting but life is very unfair.
However nobody could predict how this will play out, but expect hours of terrible football, men with no shirts crying and Titus Bramble contriving to lose at least two games on his own.
From the bench.
The bottom eight are all in trouble, and with Derby already doomed as the worst team to ever play in the Premier League, there are only 8 points between Fulham in 19th and Wigan in 12th
In their own way they all deserve to go down;
Wigan have a dreadful pitch. And Titus Bramble.
Middlesbrough have been consistently the most boring team in the Premier League for years now.
Newcastle, too many to mention but lets go for Joey Barton for convenience.
Reading, for failing to invest in the summer to cement their position.
Birmingham for their dodgy accents. Yes I mean Scotttish accents.
Roy Keane's Sunderland for spending 40 Million and still being crap.
Bolton for Diouf and resting 11 players from a European game and still losing the league match they were saved for.
Fulham for the theft of Lawrie Sanchez, the purchase of the Northern Ireland squad and for now trying to be the USA team for some reason.
Derby. Goal Difference -50. Enough said.
I hope Roy Keane's Sunderland and Newcastle stay up. They are the most interesting but life is very unfair.
However nobody could predict how this will play out, but expect hours of terrible football, men with no shirts crying and Titus Bramble contriving to lose at least two games on his own.
From the bench.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Shock to the system
Well we got what we wanted.
We have all begged for a change from the "big four" domination of the cup and now we have it.
The semi final line up is Portsmouth against West Brom and Barnsley versus Cardiff.
Three teams from outside the Premier League in the final four. Chelsea, United and Middlesbrough all knocked out in the quarter finals.
Fantastic.
So while people like us, who sat through all the available games on the BBC, will watch the semis and final, regardless of who is in them, the TV viewing figures for the two games at Wembley and the final will be interesting.
While the entire BBC Football presenting team was out and about at the weekend, you can bet that the managers back at base were not too pleased.
Last years final (Utd vs Chelsea) had peak viewing figures of 12.9 million.
2006 (Liverpool vs West Ham) had peak figures of 9 million despite being a far superior game to last years horror show.
While we may not care about the BBC and its figures the FA will.
Its showpiece game will not get close to those figures this year. Combine this with England's no show at Euro 2008 and the FA will be facing a bleak few months.
The FA cup is also aggresively marketed around the world. While I am sure there are a few West Brom and Cardiff fans in Africa and Asia, for most casual viewers, in Ireland, the UK and the rest of the world, there is no way they will tune into a game between two teams from the championship.
Why should we care?
Well the FA have meddled with the cup before, remember 2000 and the World Club Championship?
Don't be surprised if the campaign for Champions League teams to skip to the fourth round or abolition of replays to be floated before next years competition.
TV drives football these days. Settle down with a few beers on May 17th.
It could be the last "real" cup final
We have all begged for a change from the "big four" domination of the cup and now we have it.
The semi final line up is Portsmouth against West Brom and Barnsley versus Cardiff.
Three teams from outside the Premier League in the final four. Chelsea, United and Middlesbrough all knocked out in the quarter finals.
Fantastic.
So while people like us, who sat through all the available games on the BBC, will watch the semis and final, regardless of who is in them, the TV viewing figures for the two games at Wembley and the final will be interesting.
While the entire BBC Football presenting team was out and about at the weekend, you can bet that the managers back at base were not too pleased.
Last years final (Utd vs Chelsea) had peak viewing figures of 12.9 million.
2006 (Liverpool vs West Ham) had peak figures of 9 million despite being a far superior game to last years horror show.
While we may not care about the BBC and its figures the FA will.
Its showpiece game will not get close to those figures this year. Combine this with England's no show at Euro 2008 and the FA will be facing a bleak few months.
The FA cup is also aggresively marketed around the world. While I am sure there are a few West Brom and Cardiff fans in Africa and Asia, for most casual viewers, in Ireland, the UK and the rest of the world, there is no way they will tune into a game between two teams from the championship.
Why should we care?
Well the FA have meddled with the cup before, remember 2000 and the World Club Championship?
Don't be surprised if the campaign for Champions League teams to skip to the fourth round or abolition of replays to be floated before next years competition.
TV drives football these days. Settle down with a few beers on May 17th.
It could be the last "real" cup final
Friday, March 7, 2008
Indoor athletics
My mother always said don't run indoors.
Aside from the obvious risk of breaking a nice vase there is always the danger of tripping over the edge of the rug.
So I can only imagine how horrified she would be to tune it at the weekend and see the World indoor athletics championships.
Thing is she would probably be the only person tuning in, certainly from Ireland. While we hardly have a team like the US or the Chinese our few really class athletes are not attending.
Derval O'Rourke and David Gillick, probably our two best known and most talented track athletes have both pulled out of this years World Indoors.
Like vintage music shops, both have good records indoors and like Steven Spielberg, they are citing Beijing as the reason for withdrawal.
The merits of holding this event, less than 6 months before the Olympics has to be questioned. Gillick stated that there was no point peaking for the season in March with the Olympics in August.
The power of the Olympics is undiminished. Expect the papers to be full of horrendous training schedules that these people go through as the Olympics draws near.
In the build up to the Athens Olmpics the Irish Times ran a series on the preparation of the Irish rower, Sam Lynch. It was like a Human Rights Watch report about Guantanamo. I was knackered just reading it.
Without doubt these people love their sport, and are competing for the love of pitting themselves against the best in the world.
However that competition is not taking place in Valencia this weekend, it will be taking place in the Birds Nest Stadium in Beijing in August.
Aside from the obvious risk of breaking a nice vase there is always the danger of tripping over the edge of the rug.
So I can only imagine how horrified she would be to tune it at the weekend and see the World indoor athletics championships.
Thing is she would probably be the only person tuning in, certainly from Ireland. While we hardly have a team like the US or the Chinese our few really class athletes are not attending.
Derval O'Rourke and David Gillick, probably our two best known and most talented track athletes have both pulled out of this years World Indoors.
Like vintage music shops, both have good records indoors and like Steven Spielberg, they are citing Beijing as the reason for withdrawal.
The merits of holding this event, less than 6 months before the Olympics has to be questioned. Gillick stated that there was no point peaking for the season in March with the Olympics in August.
The power of the Olympics is undiminished. Expect the papers to be full of horrendous training schedules that these people go through as the Olympics draws near.
In the build up to the Athens Olmpics the Irish Times ran a series on the preparation of the Irish rower, Sam Lynch. It was like a Human Rights Watch report about Guantanamo. I was knackered just reading it.
Without doubt these people love their sport, and are competing for the love of pitting themselves against the best in the world.
However that competition is not taking place in Valencia this weekend, it will be taking place in the Birds Nest Stadium in Beijing in August.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Cup of little cheer
So its Carling Cup Final time.
As Steve "Stan" Staunton once said, "Can you feel it?"
In this case, yes I can and I believe it is called boredom.
At least this year it is relevant to one of the teams. In recent years it has been the lowest of all consolation prizes.
It was celebrated by Mourinho in 2005 and 2007 but he counted a Community Shield amongst his trophies so he was only interested in silverware, no matter how base the metal.
It was celebrated by Middlesbrough in 2004, mainly by Steve McLaren, who won the only trophy he will ever win, and used the money to get veneers for his teeth and dazzle the FA into giving him the England job.
In 2006 United took it as a consolation for failure in all other competitions.
Only the hardest of hearts would begrudge some of the Spurs players some glory. Good pros like Robbie Keane and Ledley King deserve some silverware in their career and Ramos could win his first trophy in England in the Carling Cup just like Jose.
But so could Avram Grant. However his attitude to the Cup is illustrated by the news that he will possibly rest Terry and Lampard from the final. It was thought he rested them from the Champions League game against Olympiacos to prepare them for the Carling Cup Final.
This is less believable than the plot of "Jumper".
Of course Grant would like to win it but he won't jeopardise his season for it. If fully fit they may play but Grant won't risk them for the League cup.
And perhaps it should be renamed as just the "League Cup" and exclude the Premier League teams from it altogether.
They all complain about it, they all rest players and only Arsenal seem to use it to their advantage.
Why not let the 72 lower league teams battle it out and just have a large cash prize for the winner. Imagine the trophy just stuffed with notes, so as the captain of Wolves lifts the trophy he is showered in used tenners.
It would be more fitting, more real and just more plain entertaining than Chelsea winning another cup.
As Steve "Stan" Staunton once said, "Can you feel it?"
In this case, yes I can and I believe it is called boredom.
At least this year it is relevant to one of the teams. In recent years it has been the lowest of all consolation prizes.
It was celebrated by Mourinho in 2005 and 2007 but he counted a Community Shield amongst his trophies so he was only interested in silverware, no matter how base the metal.
It was celebrated by Middlesbrough in 2004, mainly by Steve McLaren, who won the only trophy he will ever win, and used the money to get veneers for his teeth and dazzle the FA into giving him the England job.
In 2006 United took it as a consolation for failure in all other competitions.
Only the hardest of hearts would begrudge some of the Spurs players some glory. Good pros like Robbie Keane and Ledley King deserve some silverware in their career and Ramos could win his first trophy in England in the Carling Cup just like Jose.
But so could Avram Grant. However his attitude to the Cup is illustrated by the news that he will possibly rest Terry and Lampard from the final. It was thought he rested them from the Champions League game against Olympiacos to prepare them for the Carling Cup Final.
This is less believable than the plot of "Jumper".
Of course Grant would like to win it but he won't jeopardise his season for it. If fully fit they may play but Grant won't risk them for the League cup.
And perhaps it should be renamed as just the "League Cup" and exclude the Premier League teams from it altogether.
They all complain about it, they all rest players and only Arsenal seem to use it to their advantage.
Why not let the 72 lower league teams battle it out and just have a large cash prize for the winner. Imagine the trophy just stuffed with notes, so as the captain of Wolves lifts the trophy he is showered in used tenners.
It would be more fitting, more real and just more plain entertaining than Chelsea winning another cup.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Money Train.
Everybody ready to climb aboard the money train again?
I could be really cynical and go on about how money and TV have ruined football but when the Champions League knock out stages come around, I love what money has done to football.
Over the next two days all the best teams in Europe, and Liverpool, will play each other. For armchair fans this is the best two weeks of the year.
The group stage can be a bit crap with some very one sided matches early on and then some very dull ones at the end when the team is already qualified.
The quarter finals can get very tight and a little dull so this is the best round.
All the ties are worth watching and even those where you are pretty sure of the result there is interest. We all assume Barca will beat Celtic but with such a good home record Celtic could take a lead to the Camp Nou.
United will surely be too strong for Lyon but transfer target Karim Benzema will want to impress Fergie.
Olympiacos face Chelsea who continue to go for 4 trophies. The will surely cruise through and I would almost like to see them win the damn thing just to piss off Jose. Almost.
Arsenal vs AC Milan is too close to call but I will go for Arsenal. Just. Maldini this weekend played his 1000th game for Milan. Yep, 1000 games for one club, at the top of European football for 20 years. Jesus, would hate to see his European career end as Arsenal bang 4 past them at the San Siro. Ah well lifes not fair Paolo, you have won enough.
Liverpool vs Inter looks nailed on for Inter but I stopped betting against Liverpool in Europe after almost ending last season living in a cardboard box and promising my first born to Paddy Power. Should be Inter but......
The non UK based ties are Roma vs Real. Real for that one but expect lots of great football and I would love Totti to win the Champions League for Roma. He never will though.
Fenerbache vs Sevilla puts a side managed by Zico up against the most exciting team in Spain. They have scored more than Barca in La Liga, but conceded the same amount as Murcia who are 19th. Could be win for the Turks.
Only Schalke vs Porto is hard to drum up any interest in but expect Porto to come through.
Some teams seasons will be ended in the next few weeks and the repercussions, both in finance and in job safety, are huge.
Managers like Benitez and Ancelotti are relying on this year Champions League for salvation while others like Grant and Schuster could galvanise a growing reputation.
If I was Teddy Holland I would be waiting by the phone.
I could be really cynical and go on about how money and TV have ruined football but when the Champions League knock out stages come around, I love what money has done to football.
Over the next two days all the best teams in Europe, and Liverpool, will play each other. For armchair fans this is the best two weeks of the year.
The group stage can be a bit crap with some very one sided matches early on and then some very dull ones at the end when the team is already qualified.
The quarter finals can get very tight and a little dull so this is the best round.
All the ties are worth watching and even those where you are pretty sure of the result there is interest. We all assume Barca will beat Celtic but with such a good home record Celtic could take a lead to the Camp Nou.
United will surely be too strong for Lyon but transfer target Karim Benzema will want to impress Fergie.
Olympiacos face Chelsea who continue to go for 4 trophies. The will surely cruise through and I would almost like to see them win the damn thing just to piss off Jose. Almost.
Arsenal vs AC Milan is too close to call but I will go for Arsenal. Just. Maldini this weekend played his 1000th game for Milan. Yep, 1000 games for one club, at the top of European football for 20 years. Jesus, would hate to see his European career end as Arsenal bang 4 past them at the San Siro. Ah well lifes not fair Paolo, you have won enough.
Liverpool vs Inter looks nailed on for Inter but I stopped betting against Liverpool in Europe after almost ending last season living in a cardboard box and promising my first born to Paddy Power. Should be Inter but......
The non UK based ties are Roma vs Real. Real for that one but expect lots of great football and I would love Totti to win the Champions League for Roma. He never will though.
Fenerbache vs Sevilla puts a side managed by Zico up against the most exciting team in Spain. They have scored more than Barca in La Liga, but conceded the same amount as Murcia who are 19th. Could be win for the Turks.
Only Schalke vs Porto is hard to drum up any interest in but expect Porto to come through.
Some teams seasons will be ended in the next few weeks and the repercussions, both in finance and in job safety, are huge.
Managers like Benitez and Ancelotti are relying on this year Champions League for salvation while others like Grant and Schuster could galvanise a growing reputation.
If I was Teddy Holland I would be waiting by the phone.
Friday, February 15, 2008
The real one
The news that Ronaldo was seriously injured and possibly would have to retire was enough to have me scrambling across website to click on the link the other day.
Imagine my disappointment when it was the real Ronaldo, not the Portuguese lad with the magic foot and annoying face. I would not want to see him out of the game for good but out of the game against Arsenal on Saturday would do.
The real Ronaldo gets overlooked these days when lists of great footballers are talked about but for me he is/was one of the greatest ever.
Unfortunately stereotyped as a fat, gap toothed, bad haircut in a yellow shirt, he was in fact an absolute goal scoring machine.
But not just ordinary goals. Headers, volleys, dribbles and long range efforts all came naturally and he did all this at a fantastic pace and with tremendous strength.
Without doubt he was a better player than Romario, a more consistent performer (when fit) than Ronaldinho, and generally less of an unctious git than Pele.
There was talk of AC not renewing his contract this summer anyway and at 31 his best years were surely behind him but if this is the end then we were lucky to see him in at his best.
Surely no-one else has played for Barca, Real, AC Milan and Inter? He won two World Cups, scored more World Cup finals goals than anyboy else and was World Player of the year three times.
Once again Youtube is the place to go. All the hits are there but almost any Ronaldo clip is brilliant. The speed and power is frightening and he was unbeatable when one on one with the keeper.
C Ronaldo is a good player and he is well on his way to being a great player. He was 23 last week.
By that age the original Ronny had won the World Cup, had two of his three World Player of the year awards and was universally acknowledged as the best player in the world.
At the moment only C Ronaldo and Fergie think the new one is the best.
Long way to go son.
Imagine my disappointment when it was the real Ronaldo, not the Portuguese lad with the magic foot and annoying face. I would not want to see him out of the game for good but out of the game against Arsenal on Saturday would do.
The real Ronaldo gets overlooked these days when lists of great footballers are talked about but for me he is/was one of the greatest ever.
Unfortunately stereotyped as a fat, gap toothed, bad haircut in a yellow shirt, he was in fact an absolute goal scoring machine.
But not just ordinary goals. Headers, volleys, dribbles and long range efforts all came naturally and he did all this at a fantastic pace and with tremendous strength.
Without doubt he was a better player than Romario, a more consistent performer (when fit) than Ronaldinho, and generally less of an unctious git than Pele.
There was talk of AC not renewing his contract this summer anyway and at 31 his best years were surely behind him but if this is the end then we were lucky to see him in at his best.
Surely no-one else has played for Barca, Real, AC Milan and Inter? He won two World Cups, scored more World Cup finals goals than anyboy else and was World Player of the year three times.
Once again Youtube is the place to go. All the hits are there but almost any Ronaldo clip is brilliant. The speed and power is frightening and he was unbeatable when one on one with the keeper.
C Ronaldo is a good player and he is well on his way to being a great player. He was 23 last week.
By that age the original Ronny had won the World Cup, had two of his three World Player of the year awards and was universally acknowledged as the best player in the world.
At the moment only C Ronaldo and Fergie think the new one is the best.
Long way to go son.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Who is the dope here?
What do war on terror, Mike Huckabee's bid for the White House and drugs in sport have in common?
Well as well as being the only thing on CNN for the last two weeks they are all hopeless battles, with no winners and lots of losers.
Once again drugs in sport is big news. Roger Clemens, perhaps the greatest pitcher in baseball history testified yesterday in front of the US Congress that he had never taken steroids.
Then his former personal trainer, Brian McNamee came in, sat two seats away from him and testified that he administered Human Growth Hormone to him repeatedly while both worked for the New York Yankees.
The penalty for lying to congress under oath is 5 years in the big house. Federal big house. One of them is risking a hell of a lot.
In the last few days the winner of last year's Tour de France Alberto Cantador will not ride this year Tour as his team, Astana, have been banned for multiple indiscretions on doping rules.
In the UK the strange witch hunt of Dwain Chambers continues. Yes he took drugs, yes he admitted it. He served his ban and now is back. This is hardly a new phenomenon in athletics. If you dont him to represent Great Britain, chnage the rules and ban him for life. If not shut up and let him run. Reading some of the comments about him in some media he is less popular than Yoko Ono and Heather Mills at a Beatles convention.
But I am as guilty as the rest of them. Come July I will watch the Tour and pretend it is all legit. I will stay up to watch Major League Baseball as soon as it starts and I will support, yep you guessed, the Yankees.
And I will certainly take some time off work to watch the drugs and spandex fest that is the Summer Olympics.
I am an addict, a victim. I have an ability to put all the wrong stuff out of my mind and enjoy the spectacle. I have to hit rock bottom apparantly before I can make a recovery. I am not there yet.
Say a prayer for me Roger. And I will say one for you if you get sent up the river.
Thanks for the good times.
Well as well as being the only thing on CNN for the last two weeks they are all hopeless battles, with no winners and lots of losers.
Once again drugs in sport is big news. Roger Clemens, perhaps the greatest pitcher in baseball history testified yesterday in front of the US Congress that he had never taken steroids.
Then his former personal trainer, Brian McNamee came in, sat two seats away from him and testified that he administered Human Growth Hormone to him repeatedly while both worked for the New York Yankees.
The penalty for lying to congress under oath is 5 years in the big house. Federal big house. One of them is risking a hell of a lot.
In the last few days the winner of last year's Tour de France Alberto Cantador will not ride this year Tour as his team, Astana, have been banned for multiple indiscretions on doping rules.
In the UK the strange witch hunt of Dwain Chambers continues. Yes he took drugs, yes he admitted it. He served his ban and now is back. This is hardly a new phenomenon in athletics. If you dont him to represent Great Britain, chnage the rules and ban him for life. If not shut up and let him run. Reading some of the comments about him in some media he is less popular than Yoko Ono and Heather Mills at a Beatles convention.
But I am as guilty as the rest of them. Come July I will watch the Tour and pretend it is all legit. I will stay up to watch Major League Baseball as soon as it starts and I will support, yep you guessed, the Yankees.
And I will certainly take some time off work to watch the drugs and spandex fest that is the Summer Olympics.
I am an addict, a victim. I have an ability to put all the wrong stuff out of my mind and enjoy the spectacle. I have to hit rock bottom apparantly before I can make a recovery. I am not there yet.
Say a prayer for me Roger. And I will say one for you if you get sent up the river.
Thanks for the good times.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The day we never thought would arrive is here at last.
After months of talk about who should be manager, the method of choosing him, who was to blame for all the delays and talk of players giving up the game we have reached a conclusion.
That's right, the Cork dispute has finally led to Cork being out of the National League in Football and Hurling this year.
It is a sad day for all GAA fans, no matter what view you take on the dispute. There are faults on both sides and while I believe the players should play, keep the show on the road and work in the background to resolve the issue, they are not under contract and are fully within their rights to walk away.
The interesting aspects now for the neutral fan is what impact will this have on the League titles and what knock on effect could it have on the Championship.
Division 1A in the hurling is now wide open. As Sean Moran pointed out in yesterdays Irish Times Dublin and Antrim are now both missing a home game each so their task is now even harder. With Wexford beating Waterford in Round 1 the way seems set now for perhaps Wexford and Kilkenny to qualify out of Group 1A.
Wexford got to the semis last year but the last time they won the league was in 1973. Do you have any idea how long ago that is? Damien Fitzhenry was born in 1974. Thats how long ago.
Only Dublin (1939) have been longer without a league title.
Winning the NHL would be big boost to Wexford hurling and could be the springboard to a championship that without Cork, will be vastly different to every other year.
All bets are off as to who could win Munster. Potentially Tipp have a bye to the final. Even if Cork do get back playing, missing the league will hurt them and they should be off the pace.
Of course Cork players would be more determined than ever to win the Championship if they are back playing but hard to see them managing it without the team training all the other teams have been doing since January or before.
Even if they do build up a head of steam in the qualifiers then eventually Kilkenny will be waiting for them.
Say what you like about Kilkenny, and I will in future posts, but they are a classy outfit and the three in a row looks to be on a plate for them.
Oh yeah the FAI hired a new fella. Some Italian lad. Sure we might come back to him some time, we will see how it goes.
After months of talk about who should be manager, the method of choosing him, who was to blame for all the delays and talk of players giving up the game we have reached a conclusion.
That's right, the Cork dispute has finally led to Cork being out of the National League in Football and Hurling this year.
It is a sad day for all GAA fans, no matter what view you take on the dispute. There are faults on both sides and while I believe the players should play, keep the show on the road and work in the background to resolve the issue, they are not under contract and are fully within their rights to walk away.
The interesting aspects now for the neutral fan is what impact will this have on the League titles and what knock on effect could it have on the Championship.
Division 1A in the hurling is now wide open. As Sean Moran pointed out in yesterdays Irish Times Dublin and Antrim are now both missing a home game each so their task is now even harder. With Wexford beating Waterford in Round 1 the way seems set now for perhaps Wexford and Kilkenny to qualify out of Group 1A.
Wexford got to the semis last year but the last time they won the league was in 1973. Do you have any idea how long ago that is? Damien Fitzhenry was born in 1974. Thats how long ago.
Only Dublin (1939) have been longer without a league title.
Winning the NHL would be big boost to Wexford hurling and could be the springboard to a championship that without Cork, will be vastly different to every other year.
All bets are off as to who could win Munster. Potentially Tipp have a bye to the final. Even if Cork do get back playing, missing the league will hurt them and they should be off the pace.
Of course Cork players would be more determined than ever to win the Championship if they are back playing but hard to see them managing it without the team training all the other teams have been doing since January or before.
Even if they do build up a head of steam in the qualifiers then eventually Kilkenny will be waiting for them.
Say what you like about Kilkenny, and I will in future posts, but they are a classy outfit and the three in a row looks to be on a plate for them.
Oh yeah the FAI hired a new fella. Some Italian lad. Sure we might come back to him some time, we will see how it goes.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Mess
There is a great line in the new Coen brothers movie, "No Country for Old Men"
The sheriff and his deputy arrive at the scene of a drug deal gone wrong and there are bodies littered around the ground. The deputy says "This is a mess, aint it". To which the sheriff replies "If it aint, it will do til the mess gets here"
Liverpool are in a mess at the moment.
They may still capture the dubious honour of 4th place but they are now starting to look bereft of ideas and hope.
Yesterdays game with Chelsea was not the best game to be judged on, I have seen more skill involved on Winning Streak than in the game at Stamford Bridge.
But the malaise surrounding Liverpool now is all consuming. The first rumours surfaced today of Gerrard leaving. Far be it from me to believe the tabloids but they were right about the Chelsea move a few years ago. Like all Liverpoool fans Gerrard believed in Rafa, thought the Champions League in 2005 was just the start and stood by their man. Now though, almost three years after Istanbul, it is Premier league progress they need.
Everybody said at the start of the season this was the year to do it. They spent big and with Mourinho gone, Henry gone and Ronaldo unlikely to have a season like that again this was their year.
What a pity then that Grant has been the equal of Morinho, without the insufferable arrogance.
Arsenal are actually better without a ball hungry, sulky, overpowering, constantly injured Frenchman (who would have guessed!)
And Ronaldo has turned into some sort of goal machine, with powers to swerve a ball in two directions at once, single handly slapping goalkeepers and Isaac Newton upside the head at the same time.
You could deem all of this bad luck for Liverpool but who said professional sport was fair.
Suck it up Rafa, you have been left behind.
The Premier league is no country for old ideas.
The sheriff and his deputy arrive at the scene of a drug deal gone wrong and there are bodies littered around the ground. The deputy says "This is a mess, aint it". To which the sheriff replies "If it aint, it will do til the mess gets here"
Liverpool are in a mess at the moment.
They may still capture the dubious honour of 4th place but they are now starting to look bereft of ideas and hope.
Yesterdays game with Chelsea was not the best game to be judged on, I have seen more skill involved on Winning Streak than in the game at Stamford Bridge.
But the malaise surrounding Liverpool now is all consuming. The first rumours surfaced today of Gerrard leaving. Far be it from me to believe the tabloids but they were right about the Chelsea move a few years ago. Like all Liverpoool fans Gerrard believed in Rafa, thought the Champions League in 2005 was just the start and stood by their man. Now though, almost three years after Istanbul, it is Premier league progress they need.
Everybody said at the start of the season this was the year to do it. They spent big and with Mourinho gone, Henry gone and Ronaldo unlikely to have a season like that again this was their year.
What a pity then that Grant has been the equal of Morinho, without the insufferable arrogance.
Arsenal are actually better without a ball hungry, sulky, overpowering, constantly injured Frenchman (who would have guessed!)
And Ronaldo has turned into some sort of goal machine, with powers to swerve a ball in two directions at once, single handly slapping goalkeepers and Isaac Newton upside the head at the same time.
You could deem all of this bad luck for Liverpool but who said professional sport was fair.
Suck it up Rafa, you have been left behind.
The Premier league is no country for old ideas.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Keane on his heels
The last time Kevin Keegan encountered Roy Keane, Kev was manager at Man City while Keane was the rampaging, all conquering, snarling captain of the champions.
When Kev went off to play golf and set up soccer school in Scotland, Roy was the last thing on his mind.
But since his return he has to be on his mind now. A few weeks ago I wrote here about a big three games for RKS (Roy Keane's Sunderland) and how he could be in trouble if he did not do well in those games and especially so if Kev got Newcastle firing.
Well I know nothing.
RKS took 6 points, against teams also down in the brown stuff, while Newcastle have still to win under Keegan, and yesterday lost 4-1 to Villa, with a defensive display that was more wet than SpongeBob Squarepants.
RKS are just two behind points behind Newcastle now. Keegan hinted at relegation in his post match interview yesterday, which shows it is definitely playing on his mind.
Despite my previous ineptitude in this field I am saying now that this is a crucial 3 games for Newcastle now.
They play United, Blackburn and Liverpool in the next three Premier League games. Hard to see many points there for them. Shay Given is injured. They are only 6 points ahead of Reading in 18th.
Bet you wish you had stayed on the golf course now don't you Kev. Well at least you can turn to massive team of advisors hired above your head in Newcastle. Oh you don't want anything to do with them eh. Well there is always Shearer. Oh, not speaking to him either.
Looks like you are the lonliest man in the Geordie nation.
When Kev went off to play golf and set up soccer school in Scotland, Roy was the last thing on his mind.
But since his return he has to be on his mind now. A few weeks ago I wrote here about a big three games for RKS (Roy Keane's Sunderland) and how he could be in trouble if he did not do well in those games and especially so if Kev got Newcastle firing.
Well I know nothing.
RKS took 6 points, against teams also down in the brown stuff, while Newcastle have still to win under Keegan, and yesterday lost 4-1 to Villa, with a defensive display that was more wet than SpongeBob Squarepants.
RKS are just two behind points behind Newcastle now. Keegan hinted at relegation in his post match interview yesterday, which shows it is definitely playing on his mind.
Despite my previous ineptitude in this field I am saying now that this is a crucial 3 games for Newcastle now.
They play United, Blackburn and Liverpool in the next three Premier League games. Hard to see many points there for them. Shay Given is injured. They are only 6 points ahead of Reading in 18th.
Bet you wish you had stayed on the golf course now don't you Kev. Well at least you can turn to massive team of advisors hired above your head in Newcastle. Oh you don't want anything to do with them eh. Well there is always Shearer. Oh, not speaking to him either.
Looks like you are the lonliest man in the Geordie nation.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Rhianna and the Boys from Brazil
What a pleasant surprise.
Last nights game, while not the best game in the world, was certainly more entertaining than I could have hoped.
As I sat in row H, regretting not listening to Rhianna and her sterling advice on wet weather protection, I thought there were enough signs of a good team there for a good manager to take them quite a distance.
We played our full XI last night, with only perhaps Steven Reid or Steven Ireland who might fit in ahead of Miller. Brazil were playing the game at a leisurely pace but their control of the ball and the natural touch and balance they all have was wonderful to see at close quarters.
But luckily we won't be playing the Boys from Brazil in our World Cup Group.
Italy are a tough task but a good result at home and you never know away from home if we could keep it tight at the back.
As for the rest we have more than enough to beat them. The team was confused in both selection and tactics under Staunton.
A manager who picks the right players, in the right position, with suitable tactics for the strengths we have will qualify this team.
Fingers crossed for Trap.
One last word on the fans last night, the Brazilians were fantastic. I was down near the Hill End (Or North Terrace as the FAI like to call it) and the Brazil fans in there sang, danced and played music for the full 90 minutes. In the rain. It was a memorable sight.
The FAI could have explained the Liam Whelan/Munich Tribute on the screen in Portuguese though. When they did pop up a message about it, it was in Irish so the Brazilians sang through the 30 seconds silence.
Just takes a bit of thinking lads!
Last nights game, while not the best game in the world, was certainly more entertaining than I could have hoped.
As I sat in row H, regretting not listening to Rhianna and her sterling advice on wet weather protection, I thought there were enough signs of a good team there for a good manager to take them quite a distance.
We played our full XI last night, with only perhaps Steven Reid or Steven Ireland who might fit in ahead of Miller. Brazil were playing the game at a leisurely pace but their control of the ball and the natural touch and balance they all have was wonderful to see at close quarters.
But luckily we won't be playing the Boys from Brazil in our World Cup Group.
Italy are a tough task but a good result at home and you never know away from home if we could keep it tight at the back.
As for the rest we have more than enough to beat them. The team was confused in both selection and tactics under Staunton.
A manager who picks the right players, in the right position, with suitable tactics for the strengths we have will qualify this team.
Fingers crossed for Trap.
One last word on the fans last night, the Brazilians were fantastic. I was down near the Hill End (Or North Terrace as the FAI like to call it) and the Brazil fans in there sang, danced and played music for the full 90 minutes. In the rain. It was a memorable sight.
The FAI could have explained the Liam Whelan/Munich Tribute on the screen in Portuguese though. When they did pop up a message about it, it was in Irish so the Brazilians sang through the 30 seconds silence.
Just takes a bit of thinking lads!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Going to Croker tomorrow
Sad to say but not too excited about this one. Brazil generally don't kill themselves during their marketing promotions, sorry I mean matches, and our lads don't look to bothered either.
Richard Dunne was saying at the weekend why should the team try as the FAI have not been able to organise a manager for the game. Lord help us, if one of the good guys, and senior player of the year, is saying why bother, for a match at home to Brazil, then it is no wonder the fans are not too enthused.
When we played them 4 years ago the buzz was far bigger than this and it is not just down to some of the big name Brazilian players pulling out. We are the only national team in Europe without a manager.
We have only three friendlies, including the Brazil one, before the WC Campaign begins. The new guy will have then just two games to look at his squad and pick the group for the campaign. I know we don't have a huge group to pick from but there are a few worth a first call (Noel Hunt), a few worth a re-call (Morrison) and a few worth a phone call (Ireland). If these are to be integrated back into a new look team then the process must start now.
If Trap can only start in the summer he is worth waiting for and he can work with Givens or his assistant to get things moving and convince the lads it is worth the effort, we are serious about qualifying.
Sarkozy managed to run France, meet a supermodel 12 years his junior and marry her in the time it has taken Don and the lads to interview some of the worst managers ever to put on a tracksuit with their initials stuck on in little crappy letters.
Richard Dunne was saying at the weekend why should the team try as the FAI have not been able to organise a manager for the game. Lord help us, if one of the good guys, and senior player of the year, is saying why bother, for a match at home to Brazil, then it is no wonder the fans are not too enthused.
When we played them 4 years ago the buzz was far bigger than this and it is not just down to some of the big name Brazilian players pulling out. We are the only national team in Europe without a manager.
We have only three friendlies, including the Brazil one, before the WC Campaign begins. The new guy will have then just two games to look at his squad and pick the group for the campaign. I know we don't have a huge group to pick from but there are a few worth a first call (Noel Hunt), a few worth a re-call (Morrison) and a few worth a phone call (Ireland). If these are to be integrated back into a new look team then the process must start now.
If Trap can only start in the summer he is worth waiting for and he can work with Givens or his assistant to get things moving and convince the lads it is worth the effort, we are serious about qualifying.
Sarkozy managed to run France, meet a supermodel 12 years his junior and marry her in the time it has taken Don and the lads to interview some of the worst managers ever to put on a tracksuit with their initials stuck on in little crappy letters.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Incredible
Just incredible.
What a comeback!
They said it couldn't be done, they said it was a hopeless cause. But last night the world was proven wrong.
Steve Staunton is back in football.
Yes the Giants beating the Patriots was incredible, more on that later, but waking up to find Stan as assistant manager of Leeds is like waking up and finding that Lazarus is not only alive, but he is downsatirs making brekkie.
Perhaps the European qualifying campaign did not make it into the Yorkshire press, or perhaps John Delaney gave Ken Bates a reference that was less trustworthy than a French trader with a gambling habit.
Whatever the reason he's back. It will certainly make things more interesting for us over here and we will all keep an eye on them now. Don't expect a rush of Irish people getting season tickets though.
The other big shock was the Giants winning Superbowl XLII. Like Staunton, Giants quarterback Eli Manning has been on the receiving end of some tough press criticism and he was said not to have the skills or the smarts to get his team to a championship.
But last night, under incredible pressure, he took his team down the field and threw a touchdown pass with just 35 seconds to go to win the game.
Tom Brady, the Patriots quarterback and the biggest star in the US right now, had a tough night, his defence being breached repeatedly, his passing game not hitting the mark, and he ended up being sacked 5 times.
Stan has only been sacked once so far. Any takers on when number 2 will be?
What a comeback!
They said it couldn't be done, they said it was a hopeless cause. But last night the world was proven wrong.
Steve Staunton is back in football.
Yes the Giants beating the Patriots was incredible, more on that later, but waking up to find Stan as assistant manager of Leeds is like waking up and finding that Lazarus is not only alive, but he is downsatirs making brekkie.
Perhaps the European qualifying campaign did not make it into the Yorkshire press, or perhaps John Delaney gave Ken Bates a reference that was less trustworthy than a French trader with a gambling habit.
Whatever the reason he's back. It will certainly make things more interesting for us over here and we will all keep an eye on them now. Don't expect a rush of Irish people getting season tickets though.
The other big shock was the Giants winning Superbowl XLII. Like Staunton, Giants quarterback Eli Manning has been on the receiving end of some tough press criticism and he was said not to have the skills or the smarts to get his team to a championship.
But last night, under incredible pressure, he took his team down the field and threw a touchdown pass with just 35 seconds to go to win the game.
Tom Brady, the Patriots quarterback and the biggest star in the US right now, had a tough night, his defence being breached repeatedly, his passing game not hitting the mark, and he ended up being sacked 5 times.
Stan has only been sacked once so far. Any takers on when number 2 will be?
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Lets clap Trap
Lord knows it may be too early to confirm it but it does seem that the FAI have, whisper it now, done a good job this time.
The consensus now seems to be that if he wants it, Giovanni Trapattoni will be named as the new Ireland manager. He would then appoint Claudio Gentile or Liam Brady as his assistant.
This is really good news so fingers crossed it is true. We have never had manager with a proven track record like his. He has won trophies at levels, as a player and manager and was unlucky not to win something when he was Italian national manager. He has won titles in 4 countries and has a worldwide reputation as an knowledgable and tactically sound manager.
The news about Gentile and Brady is also good. Each would be a good candidate, would be a bridge between the manager and the players and both have excellent records working with young players.
Usually now I would make some smart arse remark about the man, the FAI or the process. But whatever method they used and however long it took if they can have Trapattoni on the bench for the World Cup qualifiers then this fan is happy.
After all the false dawns, false idols and false press releases lets hope that we now have our man.
The consensus now seems to be that if he wants it, Giovanni Trapattoni will be named as the new Ireland manager. He would then appoint Claudio Gentile or Liam Brady as his assistant.
This is really good news so fingers crossed it is true. We have never had manager with a proven track record like his. He has won trophies at levels, as a player and manager and was unlucky not to win something when he was Italian national manager. He has won titles in 4 countries and has a worldwide reputation as an knowledgable and tactically sound manager.
The news about Gentile and Brady is also good. Each would be a good candidate, would be a bridge between the manager and the players and both have excellent records working with young players.
Usually now I would make some smart arse remark about the man, the FAI or the process. But whatever method they used and however long it took if they can have Trapattoni on the bench for the World Cup qualifiers then this fan is happy.
After all the false dawns, false idols and false press releases lets hope that we now have our man.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Green issues
So the boys in green are back in action this week.
I don't mean the managerless failures we call a football team, I mean the managerless failures we call a rugby team.
At least the FAI are saving money by not having a manager for three months now, 250K Euro by my reckoning.
The IRFU are paying Eddie and his management team God knows how much. After the unmitigated disaster that was the Rugby World Cup he picks almost the same team as the one that trudged off the field in France with Puma bite marks all over them. The changes are almost all forced, either from injuries (O Connell, Horgan), retirements (Hickie) or suspension (Flannery) with only Eoin Reddan being a new, and long overdue, addition to the starting 15.
The argument being spun by the IRFU is to give the players a chance to prove to the Irish public that the World Cup was a blip. There is some merit to this but with the next World Cup being 4 years away and with trips to Twickenham and Stade de France in this Six Nations surely now would be the time to rebuild.
I am not saying change for changes sake or advocating Stephen Ireland to be called in just to annoy Don Givens but surely this year was a perfect chance to give fringe players, or players performing well for their province, a run at international level and build the team.
We might lose some games, but we are getting used to that, and at least there could be something learned from those defeats.
We still don't know what happened at the World Cup, despite all the work Phil Collins and the lads did on that report.
Perhaps Eddie fears he will get the boot if Ireland have a poor Six Nations. If they did not bite the bullet after the World Cup, they have to stick with their man through this campaign.
He had a fair bit of credit built up before the World Cup. That is now gone.
A few good performances with a fresh hungry side would be acceptable. Another series of one-dimensional defeats by the same group of players would not be.
I don't mean the managerless failures we call a football team, I mean the managerless failures we call a rugby team.
At least the FAI are saving money by not having a manager for three months now, 250K Euro by my reckoning.
The IRFU are paying Eddie and his management team God knows how much. After the unmitigated disaster that was the Rugby World Cup he picks almost the same team as the one that trudged off the field in France with Puma bite marks all over them. The changes are almost all forced, either from injuries (O Connell, Horgan), retirements (Hickie) or suspension (Flannery) with only Eoin Reddan being a new, and long overdue, addition to the starting 15.
The argument being spun by the IRFU is to give the players a chance to prove to the Irish public that the World Cup was a blip. There is some merit to this but with the next World Cup being 4 years away and with trips to Twickenham and Stade de France in this Six Nations surely now would be the time to rebuild.
I am not saying change for changes sake or advocating Stephen Ireland to be called in just to annoy Don Givens but surely this year was a perfect chance to give fringe players, or players performing well for their province, a run at international level and build the team.
We might lose some games, but we are getting used to that, and at least there could be something learned from those defeats.
We still don't know what happened at the World Cup, despite all the work Phil Collins and the lads did on that report.
Perhaps Eddie fears he will get the boot if Ireland have a poor Six Nations. If they did not bite the bullet after the World Cup, they have to stick with their man through this campaign.
He had a fair bit of credit built up before the World Cup. That is now gone.
A few good performances with a fresh hungry side would be acceptable. Another series of one-dimensional defeats by the same group of players would not be.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Becks appeal waning
Everyone likes a 99. Delicious ice-cream, crunchy cone and then the cheap thrill of a Cadburys Flake. What could be better.
What's that David.
You don't like 99. You want 100. Marketing deals you say. Centurion Meal at Burgerking. Ton Up aftershave. 100 Caps but still great Hair Hair Gel.
Oh.
I have a feeling Fabio missed the memo from marketing on that one. He is alleged to have told Beckham that he is not fit enough for the friendly against Switzerland but that he is still in his plans.
Lets face it. Playing in the US is not going to help his case.He is training with Arsenal but I reckon he is just helping Adeboyer to braid his hair.
It is extremely rare for a non Premier League playing player to make an England team these days, never mind somebody who plays in Major League Soccer.
As England only have meaningless friendlies for the next 6 months I am sure he will be brought into one of the squads and get his 100th cap.
But it shows Capello is not a man to bow down, either to press pressure or star power. McLaren dropped Beckham from his first squad too but soon Fleet Street's finest were picking the team and Becks was back.
If Beckham comes back this time it will have to be on merit. Capello brought him back into the fold at Real Madrid last year and he was a success. With Wright-Phillips, Bentley and possibly Agbonlahor ahead of him in the pecking order at the moment, it may be a long road back.
Now where did I leave that double sided T shirt, it had 100 Caps for Becks on one side and Rudy for the White House 08 on the other
What's that David.
You don't like 99. You want 100. Marketing deals you say. Centurion Meal at Burgerking. Ton Up aftershave. 100 Caps but still great Hair Hair Gel.
Oh.
I have a feeling Fabio missed the memo from marketing on that one. He is alleged to have told Beckham that he is not fit enough for the friendly against Switzerland but that he is still in his plans.
Lets face it. Playing in the US is not going to help his case.He is training with Arsenal but I reckon he is just helping Adeboyer to braid his hair.
It is extremely rare for a non Premier League playing player to make an England team these days, never mind somebody who plays in Major League Soccer.
As England only have meaningless friendlies for the next 6 months I am sure he will be brought into one of the squads and get his 100th cap.
But it shows Capello is not a man to bow down, either to press pressure or star power. McLaren dropped Beckham from his first squad too but soon Fleet Street's finest were picking the team and Becks was back.
If Beckham comes back this time it will have to be on merit. Capello brought him back into the fold at Real Madrid last year and he was a success. With Wright-Phillips, Bentley and possibly Agbonlahor ahead of him in the pecking order at the moment, it may be a long road back.
Now where did I leave that double sided T shirt, it had 100 Caps for Becks on one side and Rudy for the White House 08 on the other
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Kevin help us
Well, 3 games into the Kevolution at Newcastle and they are making Allardyce's team look like Brazil.
3 games, no wins, no goals, two shots on target in 270 minutes and out of the only competition they had a chance to win. Usually a new manager inspires the team to at least play a bit better. Look at the effect Gary Megson, the "Ginger Mourinho" had on Bolton.
Unfortunately Keegan has inherited a talented but utterly not bothered bunch of footballers. It looks like no new players will be brought in during the transfer window now either (28 hours 49 minutes until it closes, watch the countdown on Sky Sports News) so this motley crew will have to do.
Arguably Tommy Lee and the boys would be better. Newcastle are 12th, on 27 points. A few more dropped points and they could get dragged into a relegation battle that is more open than it has been in many seasons.
They play Middlesbrough on Sunday. If Boro win they go ahead of Newcastle and Sunderland are only 4 points behind after last nights win over Birmingham.
Keegan allegedly makes players feel either 20 feet tall or 10 feet tall, depending on which of his ex players you listen to.
If he could just make them feel like playing a bit and trying a bit it would do for now.
3 games, no wins, no goals, two shots on target in 270 minutes and out of the only competition they had a chance to win. Usually a new manager inspires the team to at least play a bit better. Look at the effect Gary Megson, the "Ginger Mourinho" had on Bolton.
Unfortunately Keegan has inherited a talented but utterly not bothered bunch of footballers. It looks like no new players will be brought in during the transfer window now either (28 hours 49 minutes until it closes, watch the countdown on Sky Sports News) so this motley crew will have to do.
Arguably Tommy Lee and the boys would be better. Newcastle are 12th, on 27 points. A few more dropped points and they could get dragged into a relegation battle that is more open than it has been in many seasons.
They play Middlesbrough on Sunday. If Boro win they go ahead of Newcastle and Sunderland are only 4 points behind after last nights win over Birmingham.
Keegan allegedly makes players feel either 20 feet tall or 10 feet tall, depending on which of his ex players you listen to.
If he could just make them feel like playing a bit and trying a bit it would do for now.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Cup of the usual
Well, after my rant yesterday about the big teams using the FA Cup as insurance we will now get a chance to see how seriously United and Arsenal are taking it.
United are at home and have to be favourites. The game is also being played the weekend before the Champions League resumes. Arsenal have AC Milan while United have their usual easy draw against Lyon. If United win it and have a good result in the first leg against Lyon, which I think they will, then the treble talk will become unbearable.
I wonder have people forgotten how lucky they were in 1999. Even if you exclude the Champions League final and the incredible collapse of Bayern, they were very lucky to get past Arsenal in the semi final of the cup.
Giggs should have been stopped for "that goal". It will be shown hundreds of times now again in the build up to the 5th round match at Old Trafford so watch it again here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1r3bGm9YzQ
He pretty much runs into at least two defenders and they just fall out of his way. Then he beats Seaman at the near post, I believe he mis-hit it but that's just me.
When you add in the penalty missed by Bergkamp which would have put United out then United were more blessed that year that Tony Blair will be next time he drops round the Vatican for a chat.
Tonight Arsenal have the chance to go back on top of the league when they host a revitalised Newcastle side (One shot on target in two games under Keegan, way to entertain, Messiah!).
January will end with United and Arsenal level in all competitions. I suspect February will end with one of the teams season in shreds.
United are at home and have to be favourites. The game is also being played the weekend before the Champions League resumes. Arsenal have AC Milan while United have their usual easy draw against Lyon. If United win it and have a good result in the first leg against Lyon, which I think they will, then the treble talk will become unbearable.
I wonder have people forgotten how lucky they were in 1999. Even if you exclude the Champions League final and the incredible collapse of Bayern, they were very lucky to get past Arsenal in the semi final of the cup.
Giggs should have been stopped for "that goal". It will be shown hundreds of times now again in the build up to the 5th round match at Old Trafford so watch it again here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1r3bGm9YzQ
He pretty much runs into at least two defenders and they just fall out of his way. Then he beats Seaman at the near post, I believe he mis-hit it but that's just me.
When you add in the penalty missed by Bergkamp which would have put United out then United were more blessed that year that Tony Blair will be next time he drops round the Vatican for a chat.
Tonight Arsenal have the chance to go back on top of the league when they host a revitalised Newcastle side (One shot on target in two games under Keegan, way to entertain, Messiah!).
January will end with United and Arsenal level in all competitions. I suspect February will end with one of the teams season in shreds.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Same old, same old...
FA Cup Fourth Round.
Yawn.
As I write we have 9 teams from outside the top flight in the 5th round, it will be 10 if Sheffield United can beat Man City. If the draw is favourable it is possible that a good percenatge will make the next round too and then be a few games away from winning it. What a story!
But they wont win it. Thats why it is boring.
Of the the 6 Premier League teams, 4 of them are the Champions League teams. They use the FA Cup as an insurance policy against a trophyless season.
Arsenal have had two barren seasons, so Wenger would love to win the FA Cup if the other competitions prove to be beyond his team.
Avram Grant probably has the Carling Cup locked up (Spurs will fold at Wembley) but the FA Cup as well would be a nice two fingered salute to those who derided his appointment.
Rafa may hope winning the cup will keep him in his job, it won't, but bless him for trying.
Only Man United genuinely dont care about it, and won't unless they get to the final with the treble on the line.
Best we can hope for is for one of the smaller teams to make the final like Milwall in 2004 against United.
Remember that game?
Exactly.
Yawn.
As I write we have 9 teams from outside the top flight in the 5th round, it will be 10 if Sheffield United can beat Man City. If the draw is favourable it is possible that a good percenatge will make the next round too and then be a few games away from winning it. What a story!
But they wont win it. Thats why it is boring.
Of the the 6 Premier League teams, 4 of them are the Champions League teams. They use the FA Cup as an insurance policy against a trophyless season.
Arsenal have had two barren seasons, so Wenger would love to win the FA Cup if the other competitions prove to be beyond his team.
Avram Grant probably has the Carling Cup locked up (Spurs will fold at Wembley) but the FA Cup as well would be a nice two fingered salute to those who derided his appointment.
Rafa may hope winning the cup will keep him in his job, it won't, but bless him for trying.
Only Man United genuinely dont care about it, and won't unless they get to the final with the treble on the line.
Best we can hope for is for one of the smaller teams to make the final like Milwall in 2004 against United.
Remember that game?
Exactly.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Rugby, rugby everywhere...
Schools Rugby.
A valid competition and important to develop our young rugby players.
But why does it get so much coverage in our national press?
There are pages of preview in todays Irish Times and tomorrow's Sunday papers are all trailing large previews. I dont know anybody who is interested in it, but thats maybe the circles I rotate in.
I am sure that the parents and friends of those inolved are interested and even past pupils keep an eye on their alma mater but still, how many people does that appeal to?
The schools gaelic football and hurling competitions, which are far more relevant to most of the country, get minimal coverage. The minor hurling and football don't get this level of coverage either. Even the Sigerson and Fitzgibbon cups do not get the coverage that the schools rugby gets.
16 schools are involved in the Leinster Senior Cup and 8 are involved in the Munster version. There must be something else to fill the sports pages. All editors can't have gone to these schools can they? Oh, maybe thats it.
One more thing, I can see full odds in the paper so you can bet on this competition. I like a bet as much as the next man, unless the next man is Paul Merson, but should we be betting on a competition for children? I could find no odds on the minor hurling and football championships so why for the rugby?
A valid competition and important to develop our young rugby players.
But why does it get so much coverage in our national press?
There are pages of preview in todays Irish Times and tomorrow's Sunday papers are all trailing large previews. I dont know anybody who is interested in it, but thats maybe the circles I rotate in.
I am sure that the parents and friends of those inolved are interested and even past pupils keep an eye on their alma mater but still, how many people does that appeal to?
The schools gaelic football and hurling competitions, which are far more relevant to most of the country, get minimal coverage. The minor hurling and football don't get this level of coverage either. Even the Sigerson and Fitzgibbon cups do not get the coverage that the schools rugby gets.
16 schools are involved in the Leinster Senior Cup and 8 are involved in the Munster version. There must be something else to fill the sports pages. All editors can't have gone to these schools can they? Oh, maybe thats it.
One more thing, I can see full odds in the paper so you can bet on this competition. I like a bet as much as the next man, unless the next man is Paul Merson, but should we be betting on a competition for children? I could find no odds on the minor hurling and football championships so why for the rugby?
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Rebels without a clue
First let me say that Cork GAA and its politics are the most complex in the GAA family.
In fact, they are probably more complex than the average Bertie Ahern statement on the few quid he has lying around the house.
However the current player dispute is complex on the surface but simple in the end.
Like the average GAA supporter I backed the players strike in 2002 and it improved facilities for all inter county players.
I believe the GPA is a good thing and the grant payments are a measured and deserved scheme. Like most fans I would know a few players and the sacrifices they make to play for the county.
However this dispute has felt different from the start.
The board decided that that it wanted to choose the selectors, not the manager. A deal was brokered to get through this year and look at it for next year.
Not good enough say the footballers, we wont play for Teddy Holland.
He is the man chosen, by their clubs, and while we all miss Billy Morgan, they need to get on with it and play for him.
You have been murdered by Kerry repeatedly under Billy. As one of your most famous sons once said "To keep doing the same thing and expect a different result is the definition of stupidity"
A poll on An Fear Rua, the best GAA site on the web, is 2-1 in favour of the board on this one. The fact that the average non-Cork supporter would choose Frank Murphy's view ahead of Nicholas Murphy's view is telling.
Player power is the heart of this and if no Cork team plays in the league the focus will be elsewhere. No games means no sponsor money and no gate money. This will affect the entire Cork GAA family, not just the elite players.
Time for the players to shut up, play and leave the politics to the politicians.
In fact, they are probably more complex than the average Bertie Ahern statement on the few quid he has lying around the house.
However the current player dispute is complex on the surface but simple in the end.
Like the average GAA supporter I backed the players strike in 2002 and it improved facilities for all inter county players.
I believe the GPA is a good thing and the grant payments are a measured and deserved scheme. Like most fans I would know a few players and the sacrifices they make to play for the county.
However this dispute has felt different from the start.
The board decided that that it wanted to choose the selectors, not the manager. A deal was brokered to get through this year and look at it for next year.
Not good enough say the footballers, we wont play for Teddy Holland.
He is the man chosen, by their clubs, and while we all miss Billy Morgan, they need to get on with it and play for him.
You have been murdered by Kerry repeatedly under Billy. As one of your most famous sons once said "To keep doing the same thing and expect a different result is the definition of stupidity"
A poll on An Fear Rua, the best GAA site on the web, is 2-1 in favour of the board on this one. The fact that the average non-Cork supporter would choose Frank Murphy's view ahead of Nicholas Murphy's view is telling.
Player power is the heart of this and if no Cork team plays in the league the focus will be elsewhere. No games means no sponsor money and no gate money. This will affect the entire Cork GAA family, not just the elite players.
Time for the players to shut up, play and leave the politics to the politicians.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Whats Another Year?
Johnny Logan won Eurovision in 1980 with the sing along classic "Whats Another Year"
Liverpool won the league that year too. Between that and Logan's next win in 1987 they picked up another 4 titles.
The future was red and the 15 year dominance of Liverpool seemed set to continue into the 90's.
While Ireland picked up the pace and won another 4 Eurovisions, (younger readers may not understand the value we used to place on Eurovision wins) Liverpool picked up just two more titles, the last in 1990.
The 2-2 draw at home to Aston Villa last night pretty much consigns Liverpool to looking forward again to next season as they will not win the league this year.
14 points behind Arsenal and Manchester United is a chasm at this stage of the season and the fact they are only 7 points clear of West Ham with the same number of games played is more telling about their status.
Last night the fans were exercised with making clear their views on the American owners but what is happening on the pitch is far more important than what is happening in the boardroom.
Liverpool fail to kill off teams, rely too much on Torres and Gerrard and Bentitez erratic selections do unnecessarily compromise the team.
The gap to the league leaders continue to grow, in both points and poise and off field distractions need to be avoided like the Mater Accident and Emergency ward.
For all football fans a return to the top of a Liverpool team would be welcomed, if only for the novelty value it would bring.
The changes needed to make that happen are small but as Al Pacino once bellowed "Its a game of inches". At the level of the game Liverpool are trying to play there is no room for errors and they still make too many.
Logan wrote another Eurovision winner in 1992 and perhaps Rafa sings a few bars of "Why Me" to himself each day.
If it does get too much, call McDonalds, they will put you in an ad anyway.
Liverpool won the league that year too. Between that and Logan's next win in 1987 they picked up another 4 titles.
The future was red and the 15 year dominance of Liverpool seemed set to continue into the 90's.
While Ireland picked up the pace and won another 4 Eurovisions, (younger readers may not understand the value we used to place on Eurovision wins) Liverpool picked up just two more titles, the last in 1990.
The 2-2 draw at home to Aston Villa last night pretty much consigns Liverpool to looking forward again to next season as they will not win the league this year.
14 points behind Arsenal and Manchester United is a chasm at this stage of the season and the fact they are only 7 points clear of West Ham with the same number of games played is more telling about their status.
Last night the fans were exercised with making clear their views on the American owners but what is happening on the pitch is far more important than what is happening in the boardroom.
Liverpool fail to kill off teams, rely too much on Torres and Gerrard and Bentitez erratic selections do unnecessarily compromise the team.
The gap to the league leaders continue to grow, in both points and poise and off field distractions need to be avoided like the Mater Accident and Emergency ward.
For all football fans a return to the top of a Liverpool team would be welcomed, if only for the novelty value it would bring.
The changes needed to make that happen are small but as Al Pacino once bellowed "Its a game of inches". At the level of the game Liverpool are trying to play there is no room for errors and they still make too many.
Logan wrote another Eurovision winner in 1992 and perhaps Rafa sings a few bars of "Why Me" to himself each day.
If it does get too much, call McDonalds, they will put you in an ad anyway.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Patience....
While the FAI still search for an new manager an interesting trend is visible in the Premier League.
As we speak only one of the top ten changed their manager so far this season (Chelsea) and only one other has changed manager in the close season (Manchester City).
The rest have had managers in situ well into their second season or even longer, up to Ferguson and his 21 year reign at Old Trafford.
Does this mean that standing by your man will lead to success?
Well lets look at the bottom half of the table. Seven of them have changed manager this season. With only three to go down at least four of them can say that the change "worked" and relegation was averted.
In fact the three that have stuck with their manager (Middlesbrough, Reading and Sunderland) are all right in the relegation battle and it is feasable that two of them could go down.
Even when relegated it seems staying with your man is best. Bolton stuck with Sam Allardyce and he brought them back up, Birmingham stuck with Steve Bruce and he brought them back up and Aidy Boothroyd looks like he will get Watford back up this season too.
On the whole it seems patience is the biggest virtue a chairman can have. While some are more indecisive than a Green Party member looking at the Lisbon Treaty, those with continued success have stuck with their choice and reaped the reward.
The calls for Roy Keane to come under scrutiny have not started yet. However they are still in the relegation zone with 15 games to go. The next three games include important home games against Birmingham and Wigan, with a trip to Anfield in between. If they come out of those still in the bottom three, and with local rivals Newcastle surfing on a wave of Keegan optimism the knives may start to come out.
I hope that Niall Quinn and the Irish consortium see the big picture and stick with Keane, it would be the brave and correct thing to do.
Unless he wants the Irish job, then let him go Niall. Thanks.
As we speak only one of the top ten changed their manager so far this season (Chelsea) and only one other has changed manager in the close season (Manchester City).
The rest have had managers in situ well into their second season or even longer, up to Ferguson and his 21 year reign at Old Trafford.
Does this mean that standing by your man will lead to success?
Well lets look at the bottom half of the table. Seven of them have changed manager this season. With only three to go down at least four of them can say that the change "worked" and relegation was averted.
In fact the three that have stuck with their manager (Middlesbrough, Reading and Sunderland) are all right in the relegation battle and it is feasable that two of them could go down.
Even when relegated it seems staying with your man is best. Bolton stuck with Sam Allardyce and he brought them back up, Birmingham stuck with Steve Bruce and he brought them back up and Aidy Boothroyd looks like he will get Watford back up this season too.
On the whole it seems patience is the biggest virtue a chairman can have. While some are more indecisive than a Green Party member looking at the Lisbon Treaty, those with continued success have stuck with their choice and reaped the reward.
The calls for Roy Keane to come under scrutiny have not started yet. However they are still in the relegation zone with 15 games to go. The next three games include important home games against Birmingham and Wigan, with a trip to Anfield in between. If they come out of those still in the bottom three, and with local rivals Newcastle surfing on a wave of Keegan optimism the knives may start to come out.
I hope that Niall Quinn and the Irish consortium see the big picture and stick with Keane, it would be the brave and correct thing to do.
Unless he wants the Irish job, then let him go Niall. Thanks.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Euro 2008, bet early and often
The regular Saturday visit to the bookies was as uneventful as usual.
Fill in the coupon, convince myself that Carlisle are bound to win at home to Crewe (8/13), go to the counter, lad behind the counter stifles a laugh, takes my money, and then go home, watch Soccer Saturday and discover that Carlisle are leakier than the Mahon Tribunal.
But this morning the Euro 2008 slips were out. So I had to have a look.
Euro 2008 will be interesting, with no teams from these islands involved it makes the betting market true, in the sense that there will be no patriotic money skewing the market.
The obvious thing that jumps out at you is of course Group C with Italy, France, Holland and Romania. Bookies have Holland as third favourites but I am not so sure France can perform this time.
In the overall market Germany are 4/1 and I think I will get on this now and steadily invest over the next 6 months. They are in a very easy group with Croatia and then arguably the two worst teams in the tournament, Poland and Austria.
Winning the group lines up Portugal or the Czechs and they will avoid Spain, France, Italy and Holland until the final.
With the Germans record in tournaments and their ability to win penalty shoot-outs is is hard to see past Joachim Loewe's men.
So next Saturday I will start the investment, hand over the money and wait. The final is on June 29th so I hope the lads behind the counter are ready on June 30th.
It should be me laughing that day. In the meantime fingers crossed for West Brom at home to Cardiff (4/6).
Fill in the coupon, convince myself that Carlisle are bound to win at home to Crewe (8/13), go to the counter, lad behind the counter stifles a laugh, takes my money, and then go home, watch Soccer Saturday and discover that Carlisle are leakier than the Mahon Tribunal.
But this morning the Euro 2008 slips were out. So I had to have a look.
Euro 2008 will be interesting, with no teams from these islands involved it makes the betting market true, in the sense that there will be no patriotic money skewing the market.
The obvious thing that jumps out at you is of course Group C with Italy, France, Holland and Romania. Bookies have Holland as third favourites but I am not so sure France can perform this time.
In the overall market Germany are 4/1 and I think I will get on this now and steadily invest over the next 6 months. They are in a very easy group with Croatia and then arguably the two worst teams in the tournament, Poland and Austria.
Winning the group lines up Portugal or the Czechs and they will avoid Spain, France, Italy and Holland until the final.
With the Germans record in tournaments and their ability to win penalty shoot-outs is is hard to see past Joachim Loewe's men.
So next Saturday I will start the investment, hand over the money and wait. The final is on June 29th so I hope the lads behind the counter are ready on June 30th.
It should be me laughing that day. In the meantime fingers crossed for West Brom at home to Cardiff (4/6).
Friday, January 18, 2008
Compromised Rules
It seems the GAA and AFL (Austalian Football League) are meeting next week to discuss the resumption of the "International Rules" series.
The arguments you will hear is that the players really enjoy representing their country, it increases the profile of the game internationally and is a reward for players from some of the smaller counties to play at a higher level.
While there is some validity to the above arguments I dont think they outweigh the negatives of this doomed series.
The main problem is the game itself. It is not very skillful, exciting or good to watch. I have attended a few of the games and they are largely very boring. While Gaelic Football and Aussie Rules are great to watch, the combined game is not.
The violence of the encounters in recent recent years is certainly another downside and there is little that could be done about it when you have 30 physical and fit players, playing a full contact, high speed sport that they only have limited time to practice for. Add to that referees who are similarly inexperienced and it is a recipe for disaster.
The life of a professional Austraian Rules footballer is already appealing enough for young men here, God knows you would not begrudge anybody going over to try it.
So I would rather Nickey Brennan was meeting the Australian authorities to ensure clubs and counties who invested in young players here were compensated adequately for their time and effort rather than give our best players the opportunity to get seriously injured on an annual basis.
The arguments you will hear is that the players really enjoy representing their country, it increases the profile of the game internationally and is a reward for players from some of the smaller counties to play at a higher level.
While there is some validity to the above arguments I dont think they outweigh the negatives of this doomed series.
The main problem is the game itself. It is not very skillful, exciting or good to watch. I have attended a few of the games and they are largely very boring. While Gaelic Football and Aussie Rules are great to watch, the combined game is not.
The violence of the encounters in recent recent years is certainly another downside and there is little that could be done about it when you have 30 physical and fit players, playing a full contact, high speed sport that they only have limited time to practice for. Add to that referees who are similarly inexperienced and it is a recipe for disaster.
The life of a professional Austraian Rules footballer is already appealing enough for young men here, God knows you would not begrudge anybody going over to try it.
So I would rather Nickey Brennan was meeting the Australian authorities to ensure clubs and counties who invested in young players here were compensated adequately for their time and effort rather than give our best players the opportunity to get seriously injured on an annual basis.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
One down, how many to go?
So David O'Leary does not want the Ireland job.
Don't worry Dave, the feeling was mutual.
Even from a list of has-beens, never-beens and Mr Beans he was never a popular option so was never a realistic option.
Tellingly O'Leary claimed that he felt the job was destined for Venables so no point having the interview.
It does seem the front runner is the name that keeps coming up and he does fit all of John Delaney's criteria of experience, at both club and international level.
But if you think Bertie has an interesting banking history you should read "Broken Dreams", Tom Bower's book on football corruption. El Tel features heavily and while these matters do not directly relate to managerial ability, they do show a man with an obsession with having many fingers in many pies and you would have to question his commitment.
At a time when we bemoan the players lack of commitment, early retirement from international football and at times disinterest in even turning up, we need a manager who really wants to succeed.
You get the feeling that Venables, a man who always has an eye out for a good opportunity to make a few quid, may have fallen on a handy pension fund top up only an hour from London.
Don't worry Dave, the feeling was mutual.
Even from a list of has-beens, never-beens and Mr Beans he was never a popular option so was never a realistic option.
Tellingly O'Leary claimed that he felt the job was destined for Venables so no point having the interview.
It does seem the front runner is the name that keeps coming up and he does fit all of John Delaney's criteria of experience, at both club and international level.
But if you think Bertie has an interesting banking history you should read "Broken Dreams", Tom Bower's book on football corruption. El Tel features heavily and while these matters do not directly relate to managerial ability, they do show a man with an obsession with having many fingers in many pies and you would have to question his commitment.
At a time when we bemoan the players lack of commitment, early retirement from international football and at times disinterest in even turning up, we need a manager who really wants to succeed.
You get the feeling that Venables, a man who always has an eye out for a good opportunity to make a few quid, may have fallen on a handy pension fund top up only an hour from London.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
The Magnificent Seven
Good things come in sevens.
Dwarfs, Samurai and Deadly Sins are prime examples.
Perhaps now we can add to this a top seven in the English Premier League?
Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea continue to battle for the title but with 16 games left 4 more teams are huddled together on 39 points.
While neither Liverpool, Everton, Aston Villa or Manchester City will win the league this year there is little between them in terms of progress and prowess at the moment.
While Liverpool have gone backwards the other three have come on this season, through solid management and wise investment in good players.
It has been expensive, especially in City's case, but in the hands of Moyes, O Neill and Eriksson a "Big Seven" is possible and a more exciting, varied and interesting Premier League could be on the way.
Bad things also come in sevens.
S Club, Secret and Seas Cod Liver Oil are all prime examples.
This putative "Big Seven" could be the final push to discard the rest of English football and set up a proper European League.
This would eliminate what shred of integrity is left in big time football and permanently exclude Irish teams from European competition.
The proposed All-Ireland football league would improve the standard and facilities here and give us a base on which to build a few teams capable of succeeding in Europe.
We watch the games, applaud the noble efforts of Villa and Everton ( I find it hard to feel much warmth for City and it's recent source of wealth) but if a group of seven get a chance, they will definitely get hitched to Euro League.
Like brides for brothers.
Dwarfs, Samurai and Deadly Sins are prime examples.
Perhaps now we can add to this a top seven in the English Premier League?
Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea continue to battle for the title but with 16 games left 4 more teams are huddled together on 39 points.
While neither Liverpool, Everton, Aston Villa or Manchester City will win the league this year there is little between them in terms of progress and prowess at the moment.
While Liverpool have gone backwards the other three have come on this season, through solid management and wise investment in good players.
It has been expensive, especially in City's case, but in the hands of Moyes, O Neill and Eriksson a "Big Seven" is possible and a more exciting, varied and interesting Premier League could be on the way.
Bad things also come in sevens.
S Club, Secret and Seas Cod Liver Oil are all prime examples.
This putative "Big Seven" could be the final push to discard the rest of English football and set up a proper European League.
This would eliminate what shred of integrity is left in big time football and permanently exclude Irish teams from European competition.
The proposed All-Ireland football league would improve the standard and facilities here and give us a base on which to build a few teams capable of succeeding in Europe.
We watch the games, applaud the noble efforts of Villa and Everton ( I find it hard to feel much warmth for City and it's recent source of wealth) but if a group of seven get a chance, they will definitely get hitched to Euro League.
Like brides for brothers.
FA Why?
Welcome to the first post on the newest sports blog in Ireland.......ok now I am probably not the newest.....damn typing speed.
Anyway the topic that finally inspired me to start this is the search for a new manager by the Football Association of Ireland.
Steve Staunton left the job on the 23rd of October. That's 12 weeks this Tuesday. In those three months such august entities as the English FA, Fulham, the Liberal Democrats in the UK, the good people of Georgia and the African National Congress have all chosen a new head honcho.
The only people taking longer than the FAI to choose a new boss is the PDs and they are now thinking, "why bother, lets just jack it in, nobody will notice"
Is that the plan? Has John Delaney decided that we don't need a boss? No embarrassing press conferences, no expensive contract pay offs, in fact, think of the money we could save if we didn't bother entering these annoying tournaments at all.
We will be without a manager for the World Cup fixture meeting this week and it looks increasingly likely we will be without a manager for the Brazil friendly on Feb 6th.
If you had any faith in them you would hope they were waiting for the right man (all suggestions gratefully received) to be come available.....if you had any faith in them.....if you had any faith in them....
Anyway the topic that finally inspired me to start this is the search for a new manager by the Football Association of Ireland.
Steve Staunton left the job on the 23rd of October. That's 12 weeks this Tuesday. In those three months such august entities as the English FA, Fulham, the Liberal Democrats in the UK, the good people of Georgia and the African National Congress have all chosen a new head honcho.
The only people taking longer than the FAI to choose a new boss is the PDs and they are now thinking, "why bother, lets just jack it in, nobody will notice"
Is that the plan? Has John Delaney decided that we don't need a boss? No embarrassing press conferences, no expensive contract pay offs, in fact, think of the money we could save if we didn't bother entering these annoying tournaments at all.
We will be without a manager for the World Cup fixture meeting this week and it looks increasingly likely we will be without a manager for the Brazil friendly on Feb 6th.
If you had any faith in them you would hope they were waiting for the right man (all suggestions gratefully received) to be come available.....if you had any faith in them.....if you had any faith in them....
Crosby, Skills and Cash
Want to know why "Soccer" will never take off in the United States?
It has nothing to do with David Beckham and little to do with their lack of understanding of the finer points of offside.
The reason is Ice Hockey and the player who makes it one of the best games on Earth right now is Sidney Crosby.
While American Football, Baseball and Basketball are all more popular, Hockey was the sport that the US soccer authorities targeted as vulnerable to being overtaken in the hearts of US Sports fans.
However when Sidney Crosby joined the National Hockey League (NHL) in 2005, Major League Soccer may as well have given up.
The Canadian was the first pick in the first round draft in 2005 and joined the Pittsburgh Penguins. Widely regarded in amateur hockey his appearance in the professional game was hotly anticipated.
He did not disappoint. He broke the record for most points in a rookie season with 102 (Points for players are scored in hockey with one for each goal or assist ), finishing with 39 goals and 63 assists.
Last season the 20 year old scored 120 points, (84 goals, 36 assists) which led the NHL, and he also won the Most Valuable Player award and the Outstanding player award for 2007.
This season he is joint top points scorer and leads the NHL in assists.
But stats don't do this guy justice. You know when you watch Roger Federer or Michael Jordan or Diego Maradona and they seem to be playing an entirely different game to everybody else?
You know these people were born to do this and thank God we are around to see it.
Last night the Penguins played a struggling New York Rangers team. Crosby was incredible, gliding past defenders, setting up two goals and generally being mesmerising to watch.
You know how good watching Tiger at Augusta or Shefflin at Croker is? Well Hockey clubs play 100 plus games a year. Crosby averages 20 minutes a game but it's a wonderful, all action 20 minutes.
Ice Hockey is in many ways a faster, more violent and graceful version of "soccer". There is no diving, more goals and non stop action.
For being the doyen of his sport "Sid the Kid" earns about 8.7 Million US Dollars a year. Even allowing for endorsements from Reebok and others he probably clears 10 Million Dollars a year.
Beckham is reportedly on 50 Million a year from the LA Galaxy.
Pay for US Sports Channels, stay up late, go into work bleary eyed and tell them you were watching a master in action all night.
The US Sports public don't want Beckham right now, they have a legend being made to watch.
It has nothing to do with David Beckham and little to do with their lack of understanding of the finer points of offside.
The reason is Ice Hockey and the player who makes it one of the best games on Earth right now is Sidney Crosby.
While American Football, Baseball and Basketball are all more popular, Hockey was the sport that the US soccer authorities targeted as vulnerable to being overtaken in the hearts of US Sports fans.
However when Sidney Crosby joined the National Hockey League (NHL) in 2005, Major League Soccer may as well have given up.
The Canadian was the first pick in the first round draft in 2005 and joined the Pittsburgh Penguins. Widely regarded in amateur hockey his appearance in the professional game was hotly anticipated.
He did not disappoint. He broke the record for most points in a rookie season with 102 (Points for players are scored in hockey with one for each goal or assist ), finishing with 39 goals and 63 assists.
Last season the 20 year old scored 120 points, (84 goals, 36 assists) which led the NHL, and he also won the Most Valuable Player award and the Outstanding player award for 2007.
This season he is joint top points scorer and leads the NHL in assists.
But stats don't do this guy justice. You know when you watch Roger Federer or Michael Jordan or Diego Maradona and they seem to be playing an entirely different game to everybody else?
You know these people were born to do this and thank God we are around to see it.
Last night the Penguins played a struggling New York Rangers team. Crosby was incredible, gliding past defenders, setting up two goals and generally being mesmerising to watch.
You know how good watching Tiger at Augusta or Shefflin at Croker is? Well Hockey clubs play 100 plus games a year. Crosby averages 20 minutes a game but it's a wonderful, all action 20 minutes.
Ice Hockey is in many ways a faster, more violent and graceful version of "soccer". There is no diving, more goals and non stop action.
For being the doyen of his sport "Sid the Kid" earns about 8.7 Million US Dollars a year. Even allowing for endorsements from Reebok and others he probably clears 10 Million Dollars a year.
Beckham is reportedly on 50 Million a year from the LA Galaxy.
Pay for US Sports Channels, stay up late, go into work bleary eyed and tell them you were watching a master in action all night.
The US Sports public don't want Beckham right now, they have a legend being made to watch.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)