Sunday 11 November 2012
Thursday 1 November 2012
Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea...
Racism seems to be sticking to Chelsea Football Club like faeces sticks to a blanket:
Football is a game in crisis due to the seemingly endless scandals, which has also led to members of the England under 21 side being charged by the Serbian FA after their team-mate Danny Rose was racially abused.
Those at the top need to start handing out proper punishments to those who overstep the mark. Life bans for those players (fans already receive this) who are found guilty may actually be a deterrent.
- The club captain is currently banned for 4 matches (unbelievably short ban for the offense committed) for calling Anton Ferdinand a "black c**t".
- Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has accused referee Mark Clattenburg of calling him a monkey, with Juan Mata alleging that the referee called him a "Spanish t**t".
- A Chelsea supporter was pictured making monkey gestures to Manchester United's young striker Danny Welbeck.
Football is a game in crisis due to the seemingly endless scandals, which has also led to members of the England under 21 side being charged by the Serbian FA after their team-mate Danny Rose was racially abused.
Those at the top need to start handing out proper punishments to those who overstep the mark. Life bans for those players (fans already receive this) who are found guilty may actually be a deterrent.
Cricket Has Been Busy!
England have just embarked on their tour of India, drawing their first game against a strong India A side who included Yuvraj Singh. Tons for Alastair Cook and Samit Patel, and half-centuries from Matt Prior and Jonathan Trott. The bowlers did pretty well too, although the loss of Steven Finn could be an issue on the unresponsive tracks out there. The cricket was almost secondary to the return of Kevin Pietersen after his texting indiscretions of the summer. Personally I wouldn't have allowed him to ever play for England again, despite him being a good player. He is a disruptive influence in the dressing, and I have never got over the fact that he is actually not English, but South Africans seem to feature in most test nations around the world nowadays.
England will lose the series in India, but the selection of the side will be interesting, with a partner for skipper Cook the main priority. Nick Compton could be the man, but was out cheaply in the warm-up game. The choice of Stuart Broad as vice-captain is shocking though, as the hot-headed all-rounder showed his lack of tactical nous during the T20 World Cup, and was only in the side because he was the skipper by the end.
Other things have been happening though as I read that Surrey have signed Graeme Smith as their captain for the next three years. This looks a great move for the county, but is there really no young English skipper in the ranks? Actually I have no real problem with the announcement as Surrey need a strong character in charge of them after recent events, but I fear for Chris Adams as if this doesn't work out pretty quickly he will almost certainly be relieved of his position. He has spent a lot of money bringing in big name players and must deliver results. Smith's relationship with Kevin Pietersen will be of interest too, as the two have history shall we say. It may not be so much of an issue now that Pietersen is back with England.
Sussex have made some good signings, the biggest of which being former Surrey captain Rory Hamilton-Brown. The guy is potentially a superb signing as long as his mental state is sorted by April. The county have extended the contracts of leg spinner Will Beer and wicketkeeper Ben Brown. Brown is a good player and with the loss of Andrew Hodd to Yorkshire, his signature was a priority. Beer is an interesting one, as he looked to be out of the door when the county signed Michael Rippon, but the South African (another one!) with a Dutch passport has not taken the world by storm as coach Mark Robinson would have hoped. Ed Joyce has taken the captaincy from Michael Yardy who needs to concentrate on his batting, and Luke Wright has established himself as a genuinely world class T20 batsman. All-in-all things look good for Sussex!
England will lose the series in India, but the selection of the side will be interesting, with a partner for skipper Cook the main priority. Nick Compton could be the man, but was out cheaply in the warm-up game. The choice of Stuart Broad as vice-captain is shocking though, as the hot-headed all-rounder showed his lack of tactical nous during the T20 World Cup, and was only in the side because he was the skipper by the end.
Other things have been happening though as I read that Surrey have signed Graeme Smith as their captain for the next three years. This looks a great move for the county, but is there really no young English skipper in the ranks? Actually I have no real problem with the announcement as Surrey need a strong character in charge of them after recent events, but I fear for Chris Adams as if this doesn't work out pretty quickly he will almost certainly be relieved of his position. He has spent a lot of money bringing in big name players and must deliver results. Smith's relationship with Kevin Pietersen will be of interest too, as the two have history shall we say. It may not be so much of an issue now that Pietersen is back with England.
Sussex have made some good signings, the biggest of which being former Surrey captain Rory Hamilton-Brown. The guy is potentially a superb signing as long as his mental state is sorted by April. The county have extended the contracts of leg spinner Will Beer and wicketkeeper Ben Brown. Brown is a good player and with the loss of Andrew Hodd to Yorkshire, his signature was a priority. Beer is an interesting one, as he looked to be out of the door when the county signed Michael Rippon, but the South African (another one!) with a Dutch passport has not taken the world by storm as coach Mark Robinson would have hoped. Ed Joyce has taken the captaincy from Michael Yardy who needs to concentrate on his batting, and Luke Wright has established himself as a genuinely world class T20 batsman. All-in-all things look good for Sussex!
Wednesday 29 August 2012
Andrew Strauss Retires
A sad day for England cricket, but an inevitable one unfortunately. Andrew Strauss retired from professional cricket today citing a lack of form for his decision. And this is fair enough in my view. Strauss has not scored many runs in the last 12 months, and a team cannot stay at the top level based upon sentiment.
Strauss' achievements are superb as a cricketer and captain, but at the age of 35 he feels that there is nothing left to encourage him to rediscover his form. He'd taken England to the summit of Test cricket and in doing so won back-to-back Ashes wins, a huge achievement for English cricket. The trouble is that the only way from there was down, and Strauss knows it. It's time for the England cricket team to introduce new blood in the form of Jonny Bairstow and James Taylor, alongside more established, but still world class players like James Anderson and Steven Finn.
England have rightly just relinquished the top spot in both Test and ODI cricket to South Africa, as Graeme Smith's men are clearly the best team on the planet, so now is the perfect time for Andy Flower and his new captain, Alastair Cook to rebuild.
Strauss has 50 games as skipper, which should have been more because it was only sentiment that gave Andrew Flintoff the role in Australia in 2006/7, and that would have meant no KP as skipper too.
Now is the time to rid the England side of its older members and replace them with young talent. Test and ODI cricket will be dominated for a few years by South Africa, so now is the time to prepare for when they experience a decline so that England are there to step in and take over. Lose the likes of Pietersen and Trott (who aren't English anyway, but have performed well in the colours) and get some young guns in!
Thank you Andrew Strauss - you are a true England cricket legend.
Strauss' achievements are superb as a cricketer and captain, but at the age of 35 he feels that there is nothing left to encourage him to rediscover his form. He'd taken England to the summit of Test cricket and in doing so won back-to-back Ashes wins, a huge achievement for English cricket. The trouble is that the only way from there was down, and Strauss knows it. It's time for the England cricket team to introduce new blood in the form of Jonny Bairstow and James Taylor, alongside more established, but still world class players like James Anderson and Steven Finn.
England have rightly just relinquished the top spot in both Test and ODI cricket to South Africa, as Graeme Smith's men are clearly the best team on the planet, so now is the perfect time for Andy Flower and his new captain, Alastair Cook to rebuild.
Strauss has 50 games as skipper, which should have been more because it was only sentiment that gave Andrew Flintoff the role in Australia in 2006/7, and that would have meant no KP as skipper too.
Now is the time to rid the England side of its older members and replace them with young talent. Test and ODI cricket will be dominated for a few years by South Africa, so now is the time to prepare for when they experience a decline so that England are there to step in and take over. Lose the likes of Pietersen and Trott (who aren't English anyway, but have performed well in the colours) and get some young guns in!
Thank you Andrew Strauss - you are a true England cricket legend.
Monday 20 August 2012
KP and the Number One Spot
English cricket has been in the headlines this week for mainly the wrong reasons in that they have rightly lost the top spot in test cricket and the Kevin Pietersen affair, apparently undermining his team-mates and particularly his captain.
Firstly, England lost to the better side - South Africa are a terrific all-round side, reaping the rewards of sticking with players until they find their feet at the top level and bringing through talented young players when places appear. One has to remember that the South Africans has been blighted by injuries during this tour, losing their wicketkeeper and a top fast bowler to name a couple. They outplayed their hosts to win the series 2-0, although perhaps 1-0 would have been fairer to Andrew Strauss and his men. South Africa's batting is imperious and their bowling hostile and accurate, albeit with an unpredictable Morne Morkel and a frankly average spinner in Imran Tahir. They have seamers in the bank, but the only real chink in the armour could be in the spin department.
Saying that, they deserve their spot at the top of the tree. Their batting is very powerful indeed and rarely fails to hit 300+, meaning that they are not often going to be in a losing situation. Ok, so England fans will say that England put up a good fight, but having lost convincingly to Pakistan in the winter and now to South Africa at home, can anyone really claim that England are still number one?
If one was to pick a team from England's and South Africa's teams, he majority would be tourists - this is mine:
Alviro Peterson
Graeme Smith
Hashim Amla
Jacques Kallis
AB De Villiers
Ian Bell
Matt Prior
Dale Steyn
Graeme Swann
Vernon Philander
Steven Finn
One noticeable absence, who could have play for either side is Kevin Pietersen. The "England" batsman was dropped for the final test as it was revealed that he sent "derogatory" texts about his England colleagues, particularly Strauss, even apparently suggesting ways of getting him out. Commentators and pundits keep saying that this needs sorting out as soon as possible, but in my view Pietersen should never play for England again. He has tried to manipulate a situation to allow him maximum exposure in the IPL, but then realised that he needs his international career to command his wages in such domestic competitions.
In my view Pietersen should just become a freelance cricketer, playing in the various big money T20 competitions around the world. He is an very good player when his mind is in the right place, albeit a potential changing room splitter having found it difficult to exist in various changing rooms around English cricket.
England would be better to focus their energies on the likes of James Taylor and Johnny Bairstow who both look to be made of the right stuff after a slightly shaky start for the latter against the West Indies.
Firstly, England lost to the better side - South Africa are a terrific all-round side, reaping the rewards of sticking with players until they find their feet at the top level and bringing through talented young players when places appear. One has to remember that the South Africans has been blighted by injuries during this tour, losing their wicketkeeper and a top fast bowler to name a couple. They outplayed their hosts to win the series 2-0, although perhaps 1-0 would have been fairer to Andrew Strauss and his men. South Africa's batting is imperious and their bowling hostile and accurate, albeit with an unpredictable Morne Morkel and a frankly average spinner in Imran Tahir. They have seamers in the bank, but the only real chink in the armour could be in the spin department.
Saying that, they deserve their spot at the top of the tree. Their batting is very powerful indeed and rarely fails to hit 300+, meaning that they are not often going to be in a losing situation. Ok, so England fans will say that England put up a good fight, but having lost convincingly to Pakistan in the winter and now to South Africa at home, can anyone really claim that England are still number one?
If one was to pick a team from England's and South Africa's teams, he majority would be tourists - this is mine:
Alviro Peterson
Graeme Smith
Hashim Amla
Jacques Kallis
AB De Villiers
Ian Bell
Matt Prior
Dale Steyn
Graeme Swann
Vernon Philander
Steven Finn
One noticeable absence, who could have play for either side is Kevin Pietersen. The "England" batsman was dropped for the final test as it was revealed that he sent "derogatory" texts about his England colleagues, particularly Strauss, even apparently suggesting ways of getting him out. Commentators and pundits keep saying that this needs sorting out as soon as possible, but in my view Pietersen should never play for England again. He has tried to manipulate a situation to allow him maximum exposure in the IPL, but then realised that he needs his international career to command his wages in such domestic competitions.
In my view Pietersen should just become a freelance cricketer, playing in the various big money T20 competitions around the world. He is an very good player when his mind is in the right place, albeit a potential changing room splitter having found it difficult to exist in various changing rooms around English cricket.
England would be better to focus their energies on the likes of James Taylor and Johnny Bairstow who both look to be made of the right stuff after a slightly shaky start for the latter against the West Indies.
Sunday 29 April 2012
Wednesday 4 April 2012
Players Make or Break Managers
It's pathetic really isn't it, but I reckon that the greatest British managers of all time, Alf Ramsey, Brian Clough, Bob Paisley to name but a few would not cut the mustard in the current times.
Why?
Players in the "good old days" would do what their manager told them to, no questions asked. Discipline was key to success. Nowadays players hold all the power and if the manager asks them to do something they don't like, they sulk and refuse, seemingly content to pick up their six figure wage bill without any qualms at all.
We are seeing it regularly with Liverpool, where the players have managed to get rid of Roy Hodgson, a great manager with a good CV, and are now doing their best to get rid of "King" Kenny Dalglish by costing the club a huge amount of money and performing like a pub player. Roberto Mancini will have the same problem at Manchester City, certainly having been undermined in selecting Carlos Tevez because he costs the club too much money not to pick him.
The quicker that the money drops out of football, the better it will be for the game. The current situation isn't sustainable.
Why?
Players in the "good old days" would do what their manager told them to, no questions asked. Discipline was key to success. Nowadays players hold all the power and if the manager asks them to do something they don't like, they sulk and refuse, seemingly content to pick up their six figure wage bill without any qualms at all.
We are seeing it regularly with Liverpool, where the players have managed to get rid of Roy Hodgson, a great manager with a good CV, and are now doing their best to get rid of "King" Kenny Dalglish by costing the club a huge amount of money and performing like a pub player. Roberto Mancini will have the same problem at Manchester City, certainly having been undermined in selecting Carlos Tevez because he costs the club too much money not to pick him.
The quicker that the money drops out of football, the better it will be for the game. The current situation isn't sustainable.
Sunday 25 March 2012
New app
Let's see how "blogging on the move goes". Mixed reviews on the App Store for this one but am happy to keep an open mind. I can see some live cricket updates happening.
Friday 16 March 2012
Sachin Tendulkar's Century of International Centuries
What a terrific achievement from the Little Master - to achieve one hundred international centuries is unlikely to be surpassed, although they said that about Courtney Walsh's Test wickets record, and that's long since bitten the dust.
One does wonder how long he will now play for, and whether getting to the milestone against a weak Bangladesh attack on a flat pitch is really the way he wanted to do it. I reckon a hundreth ton on a green one at Lords last summer would have been the best way to get past the post.
If I were him I'd retire - he has nothing left to prove. Great player, go out on a high.
A clip of his first tour in England that I'll never forget, and it's one of him taking a catch:
One does wonder how long he will now play for, and whether getting to the milestone against a weak Bangladesh attack on a flat pitch is really the way he wanted to do it. I reckon a hundreth ton on a green one at Lords last summer would have been the best way to get past the post.
If I were him I'd retire - he has nothing left to prove. Great player, go out on a high.
A clip of his first tour in England that I'll never forget, and it's one of him taking a catch:
Thursday 16 February 2012
Why Are England Stuffing Pakistan In The ODI Series?
They are playing against the same bowlers and batsmen, so why are England totally outplaying Pakistan in the 50 over game?
Ok, so some of the players have changed, but the ones who played in the test series are actually better players than those playing the ODI side, in theory. Bopara has essentially chucked an egg in Strauss' and Flower's faces for not picking him for the test series, and good on him, although I'm not entirely sure he'd have fared any better than those who did get the nod.
The bowlers have changed a little, but the bowling was fine in the tests.
The whole problem is in the mind - the longer game means that players feel that they have to be more watchful. The field can be spread more in test cricket. agreed, but only so much. The England batsmen all went into their shells against the Pakistan spinners (who are pretty good, I hasten to add) during the test series, but when the overs are limited, they are forced to go after them. And it generally works. Ok, so Ajmal got 5 for in the first game, but England won handsomely.
Why not just try to smash these guys out of the attack? They can't do any worse than they actually did.
Ok, so some of the players have changed, but the ones who played in the test series are actually better players than those playing the ODI side, in theory. Bopara has essentially chucked an egg in Strauss' and Flower's faces for not picking him for the test series, and good on him, although I'm not entirely sure he'd have fared any better than those who did get the nod.
The bowlers have changed a little, but the bowling was fine in the tests.
The whole problem is in the mind - the longer game means that players feel that they have to be more watchful. The field can be spread more in test cricket. agreed, but only so much. The England batsmen all went into their shells against the Pakistan spinners (who are pretty good, I hasten to add) during the test series, but when the overs are limited, they are forced to go after them. And it generally works. Ok, so Ajmal got 5 for in the first game, but England won handsomely.
Why not just try to smash these guys out of the attack? They can't do any worse than they actually did.
Tuesday 14 February 2012
Thursday 9 February 2012
Bye Bye Fabio, The Pleasure Was Your Bank Manager's
Fabio Capello has resigned in the run up to a major international football, leaving behind his £6 million per year pay packet, although with a little financial sweetener by all accounts. He's resigned over the FA stripping John Terry of the captaincy due to the England defender's pending trial for the alleged racial abuse of Anton Ferdinand.
Most of the papers and many fans are saying that Fabio didn't have a leg to stand on but I have some sympathy for the Italian. Terry hasn't been found guilty yet, and those newspapers who whinge about Capello are the same papers that will resolutely defend the right of someone to be considered innocent until proven guilty, assuming that it will sell papers - stuff the individual if it doesn't. If found guilty then Terry should probably never play for England again and certainly not captain the side.
Brighton manager Gus Poyet, who has a recent record of only opening his mouth to change feet (remember Suarez's incident with Evra?), made a valid point in that the FA have pleased no-one with this decision. Either you do nothing or you ban him totally from representing his country. What the FA have actually done is go halfway, which is utterly (and predictably) spineless, although it has saved them a packet in Capello's wages.
John Terry will still be in the squad for the Euros, whether you think he is guilty or not, so this symbolic "stripping of the captaincy" is totally pointless. Unless of course, the point was to provoke Capello into resigning. We will almost certainly never know.
Most of the papers and many fans are saying that Fabio didn't have a leg to stand on but I have some sympathy for the Italian. Terry hasn't been found guilty yet, and those newspapers who whinge about Capello are the same papers that will resolutely defend the right of someone to be considered innocent until proven guilty, assuming that it will sell papers - stuff the individual if it doesn't. If found guilty then Terry should probably never play for England again and certainly not captain the side.
Brighton manager Gus Poyet, who has a recent record of only opening his mouth to change feet (remember Suarez's incident with Evra?), made a valid point in that the FA have pleased no-one with this decision. Either you do nothing or you ban him totally from representing his country. What the FA have actually done is go halfway, which is utterly (and predictably) spineless, although it has saved them a packet in Capello's wages.
John Terry will still be in the squad for the Euros, whether you think he is guilty or not, so this symbolic "stripping of the captaincy" is totally pointless. Unless of course, the point was to provoke Capello into resigning. We will almost certainly never know.
Saturday 4 February 2012
A Young Lutters Helps Out At The Australian Open
Sign him up for the Australian cricket team! Great snaffle!
Arguably the best bit of the match!
Monday 30 January 2012
England Cricket Debacle
Sunday 15 January 2012
Fire In Babylon
This is fantastic footage - not wearing helmets either:
Can't wait for it to come out on DVD
Can't wait for it to come out on DVD
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