The deals have been done, contracts signed, squads finalised. It is now or never. For the Premier League January Transfer Window slammed shut this week and once again provided many moments for discussion, even if they were not many big-money moves. Love it or loath it (and many managers side with the latter), January is the one opportunity to either strengthen your squad in order to maintain a push for Europe, or more worryingly, try and save your Premier League status.
The day has become synonymous with one individual in particular, and once again Harry Redknapp delivered as he attempts to save QPR in a miraculous Great Escape effort. Having already spent £8m on striker Loic Remy, Redknapp further bolstered his squad on Thursday with the arrivals of Yun Sok-Young, Andros Townsend, Jermaine Jenas and Chris Samba. Samba was the most eye-watering deal; £12.5m spent on an ageing centre-back (his value will only depreciate) with allegedly 100k/week wages seems absurd. If ever there was pinning your hopes on individuals this is the case in point. I struggle to see how a club that has a ground capacity of 18,000 can afford to keep these individuals on their books were they to be relegated. It screams of business suicide, so unless owner, Tony Fernandes, is happy to be subsidising these wages on behalf of the club the transfer seems crazy.
Despite Harry’s activities, he wasn’t the most active manger during January. This can be argued by the transfers of Peter Crouch and Peter Odemwingie never materialising though. Odemwingie’s case has been well-documented, and it smacks of the greedy, player-power driven game that has emerged. He had no right to travel down to QPR without permission, and thanks to Jeremy Peace staying strong and resolute, he ended up looking a fool. I would be amazed if he plays for West Brom again this season and it will be interesting to see if the club try to offload him in the summer, and if so, and what price. His contract length will be shorter, but the club are clearly certain of a price that the player is worth. Will that deviate, or will it be maintained as a means of setting an example to the Nigerian?
As such, Newcastle United were the most active club during the Window. Note already, the two sides that have been spoken about regarding their activity fulfilled spaces within the bottom six of the league. Obviously the top sides see little reason to buy players due to a few reasons. Firstly, the top teams want the top players and they are rarely available in January (although Wesley Sneijder was an exception); secondly, the top teams want these players available for the top competitions, this includes Europe, and rarely will they find a player not cup-tied. Thirdly, the price of players can rocket during this month as clubs are aware the desire to purchase can be an act of desperation. Finally, they don’t need to strengthen. They are at the top end of the table for a reason, why cause acrimony within a happy dressing room by bringing in an influx of individuals? Those players who have done the work through the first half of the season deserve the opportunity to finish the job. Obviously those towards the bottom are struggling and need help. Newcastle, in particular, after a fabulous season in 2011-12, I think were shocked that they were being pulled into a relegation dog-fight. Thus, they scouted out an area where they have had previous success in securing players, France. The club is full of French speakers now, and it has already been proven that not all of them are fluent in English, something I believe needs to happen soon; especially as some of the established players at the club are claiming to be working on their French. I find that bizarre, as although it is a nice way to get the new players settled into the dressing room, out on the pitch, they will want to be speaking in English, and their attempts to help could be detrimental in the speed of this process.
However, their past two results would perhaps dismiss that argument, as the influx of new recruits seems to have inspired and rejuvenated the Toon Army once more. If ever there was evidence of a successful Window, then it appears Newcastle are who you would point to. Likewise, if QPR survive the drop, they will look back to this month as a key moment too. Those that do go down, especially if they have barely strengthened, are likely to face the castigation of their supporters for failing to make the most of a lifeline offered to them. Similarly, if targets that look achievable at the upper echelons of the league are not fulfilled, fans are likely to express their disgruntlement. The obvious example here would be Spurs and their lack of established strikers. You get one chance to affect your squad during the season and it is interesting to note, how as the years go by, fewer clubs take the opportunity to amend their squad. The importance of the summer is clearly critical now for the Premier League clubs and the desire to build, establish and mould a team that will enable the club to fulfil its potential over the upcoming season. It will be interesting to see if this pattern continues, along with if UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations further cull the spending of clubs. So far the indictors are there. Could it be, that after the initial outcry at the Transfer Window, it will get to the point, where the Premier League rarely utilises it, and could become pretty non-existent? Only the future will answer these questions...
PS. Oh and huge credit to David Beckham, who after signing for mega-rich Paris Saint-Germain for 5 months has donated his monthly salary to a local children’s charity. Yes, the move is probably publicity-driven, and he’ll still earn tons through endorsement deals, but the man is a legend and has created a milestone that over-rode all other Transfer Window news! Becks is back in Europe.
Sunday, 3 February 2013
Monday, 31 December 2012
Superstars 2012: I was there!
So as 2012 draws to a close, I am going to reflect one final time on an issue of the year. I felt after the 12 months we have just experienced, it ought to be Olympic or Paralympic based, after all, they have certainly been the talking point and inspiration of this year, so I am going to reflect on the TV broadcast of Superstars that occurred on Saturday evening. The show was a huge hit in the 1970’s and 1980’s, with names such as Kevin Keegan and Brian Jacks being involved in incidents that have forever been etched in sports fans minds. A brief revival occurred between 2002 and 2004 but since then the show has been cast into the archives. This year though, filmed at the University of Bath over a wet weekend at the end of November, 16 British Olympic medallists fought for the female and male titles.
The format of the 2012 competition differed from those in the past. Seven events were on show, the 100m, archery, kayaking, 800m, swimming, javelin and gym tests. Previously the competition would have 8 to 10 events. Each athlete was pulled out from two (normally one of their own choice, and one by producers – an event most similar to their own profession), although they all had to compete in the 100m and gym tests. The competition was divided into the eight men and eight females who then underwent the gruelling demands of an all-round sporting champion.
I was fortunate enough to be in Bath on the Saturday the competition began. Being an alumni of the university, I knew my way around the Sports Training Village where most of the events took place, and my friend and I soon discovered that the organisation, control and security of the audience was not particularly good, and as such we wandered around to many areas that you would have thought to be deemed out of bounds. In such time we managed to meet Nicola Adams and Christine Ohuruogu. Both were extremely pleasant (especially when you consider we had got ourselves into an area they probably did not expect to be disturbed) and gave off a vibe that they were really enjoying participating in the show. Adams, in particular, with her huge smile and humour, was becoming a bit of a favourite with us. We embraced our time back at the university. Later on we were making banterous comments outside towards Denise Lewis and Gabby Logan as well, the latter of whom, gets a lot of attention before every link she was recorded on. Do they not know how attractive she already is?! Particularly when the spectators were looking like drowned rats outside!
The time we were around for coincided with the 800m, although we got a sneaky peek of some of the archery thanks to the crane camera that filmed most of the athlete’s attempts. However, we eventually succumbed ourselves to the rain outside but positioned ourselves right on the start/finish line, a perfect viewing station, and one where we could pick ourselves out from in the televised broadcast. The ladies emerged first, and Adams was certainly not up for it, based on how much she had wrapped herself up. Ohuruogu was removed from this event (as was Mo Farah for the men), but I was backing Jade Jones, simply because, as I told Iwan Thomas later on, she’s beautiful. Jade came second, with Helen Glover, the eventual winner of the women’s title, running a great race to take the win. It’s perhaps no surprise that Glover was champion. A rowing gold medallist and a former member of the military, the woman was clearly going to possess speed, power and endurance.
The men’s event was one to eagerly anticipate as both the Brownlee brothers were competing head-to-head. I think everyone knew already that it would be a two horse race, and my what a show they put on, with Alistair overtaking Jonathan in the final 100m to beat him by inches. It was an incredible speed that the two men put on throughout, and it would have been interesting to see how Farah would have done against the pair. Unsurprisingly, the BBC knew who to interview beforehand and as Iwan spoke to the pair, you hopefully heard a chant of “Brownlee’s, give us a wave!” in the background. I am proud to say I was a major instigator in that, and for it to be picked up by Iwan in the interview was very cool.
The event and having seen the programme back, whole show, was stolen by Peter Wilson. As a shooter, all he does is stand still in his sport and fire a gun, so all of these events were basically beyond his talents. However, he embraced every one, went out and had fun, and made many others laugh along the way. He was our cult hero for the 800m, and despite knowing he’d finish last we cheered him on all the way, again instigating a “Wilson, give us a wave” as he came down the final stretch which was acknowledged. Afterwards, we were praised by a BBC producer, and Wilson himself came over and gave us all a big bear hug, a moment, I’m gutted missed the final edit. One guy amongst us even got to keep Wilson’s woolly ‘Superstars’ branded hat!
Antony Joshua, the super-heavyweight gold medal boxer was the men’s champion. An unsurprising result when you consider the fitness boxers need to possess, whilst Joshua is a tall, powerful specimen, who even in the 800m, managed to carry his hefty frame around comfortably to take third. The competition is all about consistency, and the big man certainly delivered there. I was particularly surprised that the Brownlee brothers did not feature more prominently towards the top, considering their all-round prowess in their own sport.
All in all though, my day watching the broadcast was great. Yes, we got wet, but the crowds certainly turned out on both days. The television audience too also seems to have reacted very positively. The show dominated the ratings at the time, achieving over 6 million viewers, and hopefully, the success of it all, will lead to the BBC commissioning a regular annual series once more. The athletes clearly enjoyed themselves; their twitter feeds afterwards as well as interviews during the show are proof of this. It is a fun, entertaining television and a different perspective for sport enthusiasts to look at their idols from. Superstars 2012, topping off the best sporting year ever...?!
The format of the 2012 competition differed from those in the past. Seven events were on show, the 100m, archery, kayaking, 800m, swimming, javelin and gym tests. Previously the competition would have 8 to 10 events. Each athlete was pulled out from two (normally one of their own choice, and one by producers – an event most similar to their own profession), although they all had to compete in the 100m and gym tests. The competition was divided into the eight men and eight females who then underwent the gruelling demands of an all-round sporting champion.
I was fortunate enough to be in Bath on the Saturday the competition began. Being an alumni of the university, I knew my way around the Sports Training Village where most of the events took place, and my friend and I soon discovered that the organisation, control and security of the audience was not particularly good, and as such we wandered around to many areas that you would have thought to be deemed out of bounds. In such time we managed to meet Nicola Adams and Christine Ohuruogu. Both were extremely pleasant (especially when you consider we had got ourselves into an area they probably did not expect to be disturbed) and gave off a vibe that they were really enjoying participating in the show. Adams, in particular, with her huge smile and humour, was becoming a bit of a favourite with us. We embraced our time back at the university. Later on we were making banterous comments outside towards Denise Lewis and Gabby Logan as well, the latter of whom, gets a lot of attention before every link she was recorded on. Do they not know how attractive she already is?! Particularly when the spectators were looking like drowned rats outside!
The time we were around for coincided with the 800m, although we got a sneaky peek of some of the archery thanks to the crane camera that filmed most of the athlete’s attempts. However, we eventually succumbed ourselves to the rain outside but positioned ourselves right on the start/finish line, a perfect viewing station, and one where we could pick ourselves out from in the televised broadcast. The ladies emerged first, and Adams was certainly not up for it, based on how much she had wrapped herself up. Ohuruogu was removed from this event (as was Mo Farah for the men), but I was backing Jade Jones, simply because, as I told Iwan Thomas later on, she’s beautiful. Jade came second, with Helen Glover, the eventual winner of the women’s title, running a great race to take the win. It’s perhaps no surprise that Glover was champion. A rowing gold medallist and a former member of the military, the woman was clearly going to possess speed, power and endurance.
The men’s event was one to eagerly anticipate as both the Brownlee brothers were competing head-to-head. I think everyone knew already that it would be a two horse race, and my what a show they put on, with Alistair overtaking Jonathan in the final 100m to beat him by inches. It was an incredible speed that the two men put on throughout, and it would have been interesting to see how Farah would have done against the pair. Unsurprisingly, the BBC knew who to interview beforehand and as Iwan spoke to the pair, you hopefully heard a chant of “Brownlee’s, give us a wave!” in the background. I am proud to say I was a major instigator in that, and for it to be picked up by Iwan in the interview was very cool.
The event and having seen the programme back, whole show, was stolen by Peter Wilson. As a shooter, all he does is stand still in his sport and fire a gun, so all of these events were basically beyond his talents. However, he embraced every one, went out and had fun, and made many others laugh along the way. He was our cult hero for the 800m, and despite knowing he’d finish last we cheered him on all the way, again instigating a “Wilson, give us a wave” as he came down the final stretch which was acknowledged. Afterwards, we were praised by a BBC producer, and Wilson himself came over and gave us all a big bear hug, a moment, I’m gutted missed the final edit. One guy amongst us even got to keep Wilson’s woolly ‘Superstars’ branded hat!
Antony Joshua, the super-heavyweight gold medal boxer was the men’s champion. An unsurprising result when you consider the fitness boxers need to possess, whilst Joshua is a tall, powerful specimen, who even in the 800m, managed to carry his hefty frame around comfortably to take third. The competition is all about consistency, and the big man certainly delivered there. I was particularly surprised that the Brownlee brothers did not feature more prominently towards the top, considering their all-round prowess in their own sport.
All in all though, my day watching the broadcast was great. Yes, we got wet, but the crowds certainly turned out on both days. The television audience too also seems to have reacted very positively. The show dominated the ratings at the time, achieving over 6 million viewers, and hopefully, the success of it all, will lead to the BBC commissioning a regular annual series once more. The athletes clearly enjoyed themselves; their twitter feeds afterwards as well as interviews during the show are proof of this. It is a fun, entertaining television and a different perspective for sport enthusiasts to look at their idols from. Superstars 2012, topping off the best sporting year ever...?!
Sunday, 23 December 2012
A fitting finale to an incredible sporting year
This time last week, I was sat amongst a 16,000 strong audience for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2012. What an evening it was. The atmosphere inside the ExCel Arena was fantastic, with many memorable moments. From the opening montage with Emilie Sandé, to the crowning of the charismatic Bradley Wiggins, with the likes of a beautiful Jade Jones and Jessica Ennis along with Bert le Clos’ pride and humour being sandwiched in the middle, the night just served up incredible moment after incredible moment as the unbelievable British sporting year was brought to a close. It is hard to imagine a year like this ever being replicated in our lifetime, and as such, the event was one not to be missed.
The build-up to the event was probably the greatest it has ever been at. The shortlist was expanded from its traditional ten to twelve, with major names from the year, such as Laura Trott still being able to be omitted. Although Wiggins was the favourite early on, the likes of Ennis, Mo Farah, Andy Murray and David Weir were all being touted as winners; such was the level of achievement accomplished in 2012. However, I feel it is always worth noting that the title is named as ‘Sports Personality’, and yes, that normally means the most successful as it is the one that inspires the nation. However, in a year when so many Britain’s managed to achieve such a feat, the actual personality of the shortlist I think was a vital determinant to the vote, and my, does Bradley Wiggins have a personality. During his opening interview with Sue Barker, he referred to her as ‘Susan’, joked about Gary Lineker, and pretended to collect the trophy. The man makes people laugh and is keen to be seen as just an ordinary man privileged enough to lead a successful sporting career. He was an athlete who really deserved to win. On the other hand though, if any able-bodied athlete had achieved the feats of David Weir (gold in the 800m, 1500m, 5000m and marathon) they would have been a shoe-in for the title. It is an incredible physical feat particularly with the restricted recovery time. So although this year has once again made the public become more accepting and interested in the Paralympic movement, I would argue there is still work to be done before the athletes are seen on par with their able-bodied compatriots.
Similarly, the likes of Andy Murray, gold medallist, silver medallist, US Grand Slam winner, Wimbledon runner-up would waltz the award normally, such has been the long wait for British male tennis success. Let us not forget Greg Rusedski won the award in 1997 for being the US Grand Slam runner-up! They normally state that winning the award is much tougher in an ‘even’ year and I think that statistic sums it up perfectly. Murray was also a part of one of the most comical moments of the evening too. Lennox Lewis was brought in to present his award, but clearly did not hear his cue through the satellite link from London, which resulted in Murray just taking the award for himself. Poor Lennox must have been hugely embarrassed, but I think everyone could understand. Again though, I anticipate this will be something the BBC tries to address somehow in future years if they have contenders who cannot make the occasion personally. It also said a lot, in my opinion, that the BBC’s Sport Relief charity evening was given a mere couple of seconds mention, such was the amount of sporting stories that had to be crammed into the two and a half hour show, which eventually ran on to three hours. Similarly, the Ryder Cup team missing out on ‘Team of the Year’ as the selection panel broke their own rules in order to reward Team GB and Paralympic GB for those unforgettable couple of summer months. Complaints have also emerged as people struggled to get through to vote for their favourite. The landslide victory suggests it would have made no difference, but it makes me query whether the BBC should maybe open the lines from the start of the show rather than wait until they have interviewed each member on the shortlist. But these are in essence just minor quibbles that have emerged following the night, where I refuse to believe anybody did not enjoy themselves, whether they were a member of the live audience or watching from the comfort of their homes.
One of my unforgettable moments, will be the story, interview, and speech provided by Martine Wright, the winner of the Helen Rollason award. It touched the heart-strings and was inspirational, demonstrating that whilst your heart beats and your brain operates, you should still be able to achieve your dreams. It was remarkable. In the face of such adversity, having been a part of the most disturbing moment in recent British history, she made something special happen. She was always going to be a part of the London 2012 journey, and in the end, managed to participate and what I hope is a huge inspiration to many others. Despite having lost her legs, she was determined to still walk up on to that stage to accept her award. Amazing. As was the moment with Fabrice Muamba, taking the time to embrace all those on stage with him and then to address them to their faces, rather than the camera. If ever there was a man more grateful for his health this year, and of the luck he had with his tragic incident, it would be Fabrice. A time when your health is more important than sport and the career you could have in it.
I will never forget the evening however, my seat did not provide a fantastic view (I got a regular look at Sue Barker and Gary Lineker’s rear-end!) but everyone was just buzzing off the excitement at reliving the year of sport. I was able to watch all the stars walk into the arena right by me, the likes of the England Woman’s Cricket team, Louis Smith, Bert le Clos and Mick McCarthy just to name a few. I participated in a Poznan and was part of many standing ovations, of which each one I thought was justified. I saw many members of sporting fame and saluted the top three, and in particular, ‘Wiggo’, the deserved winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2012.
The build-up to the event was probably the greatest it has ever been at. The shortlist was expanded from its traditional ten to twelve, with major names from the year, such as Laura Trott still being able to be omitted. Although Wiggins was the favourite early on, the likes of Ennis, Mo Farah, Andy Murray and David Weir were all being touted as winners; such was the level of achievement accomplished in 2012. However, I feel it is always worth noting that the title is named as ‘Sports Personality’, and yes, that normally means the most successful as it is the one that inspires the nation. However, in a year when so many Britain’s managed to achieve such a feat, the actual personality of the shortlist I think was a vital determinant to the vote, and my, does Bradley Wiggins have a personality. During his opening interview with Sue Barker, he referred to her as ‘Susan’, joked about Gary Lineker, and pretended to collect the trophy. The man makes people laugh and is keen to be seen as just an ordinary man privileged enough to lead a successful sporting career. He was an athlete who really deserved to win. On the other hand though, if any able-bodied athlete had achieved the feats of David Weir (gold in the 800m, 1500m, 5000m and marathon) they would have been a shoe-in for the title. It is an incredible physical feat particularly with the restricted recovery time. So although this year has once again made the public become more accepting and interested in the Paralympic movement, I would argue there is still work to be done before the athletes are seen on par with their able-bodied compatriots.
Similarly, the likes of Andy Murray, gold medallist, silver medallist, US Grand Slam winner, Wimbledon runner-up would waltz the award normally, such has been the long wait for British male tennis success. Let us not forget Greg Rusedski won the award in 1997 for being the US Grand Slam runner-up! They normally state that winning the award is much tougher in an ‘even’ year and I think that statistic sums it up perfectly. Murray was also a part of one of the most comical moments of the evening too. Lennox Lewis was brought in to present his award, but clearly did not hear his cue through the satellite link from London, which resulted in Murray just taking the award for himself. Poor Lennox must have been hugely embarrassed, but I think everyone could understand. Again though, I anticipate this will be something the BBC tries to address somehow in future years if they have contenders who cannot make the occasion personally. It also said a lot, in my opinion, that the BBC’s Sport Relief charity evening was given a mere couple of seconds mention, such was the amount of sporting stories that had to be crammed into the two and a half hour show, which eventually ran on to three hours. Similarly, the Ryder Cup team missing out on ‘Team of the Year’ as the selection panel broke their own rules in order to reward Team GB and Paralympic GB for those unforgettable couple of summer months. Complaints have also emerged as people struggled to get through to vote for their favourite. The landslide victory suggests it would have made no difference, but it makes me query whether the BBC should maybe open the lines from the start of the show rather than wait until they have interviewed each member on the shortlist. But these are in essence just minor quibbles that have emerged following the night, where I refuse to believe anybody did not enjoy themselves, whether they were a member of the live audience or watching from the comfort of their homes.
One of my unforgettable moments, will be the story, interview, and speech provided by Martine Wright, the winner of the Helen Rollason award. It touched the heart-strings and was inspirational, demonstrating that whilst your heart beats and your brain operates, you should still be able to achieve your dreams. It was remarkable. In the face of such adversity, having been a part of the most disturbing moment in recent British history, she made something special happen. She was always going to be a part of the London 2012 journey, and in the end, managed to participate and what I hope is a huge inspiration to many others. Despite having lost her legs, she was determined to still walk up on to that stage to accept her award. Amazing. As was the moment with Fabrice Muamba, taking the time to embrace all those on stage with him and then to address them to their faces, rather than the camera. If ever there was a man more grateful for his health this year, and of the luck he had with his tragic incident, it would be Fabrice. A time when your health is more important than sport and the career you could have in it.
I will never forget the evening however, my seat did not provide a fantastic view (I got a regular look at Sue Barker and Gary Lineker’s rear-end!) but everyone was just buzzing off the excitement at reliving the year of sport. I was able to watch all the stars walk into the arena right by me, the likes of the England Woman’s Cricket team, Louis Smith, Bert le Clos and Mick McCarthy just to name a few. I participated in a Poznan and was part of many standing ovations, of which each one I thought was justified. I saw many members of sporting fame and saluted the top three, and in particular, ‘Wiggo’, the deserved winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2012.
Monday, 3 December 2012
A ray of light at the end of Autumn
It is probably fair to say that into the lead up of this weekend’s final Autumn internationals, the Home Nations had not had a particularly good time of it. Yet, after one blistering and incredible England display, the final international games of the 2012 rugby calendar have left everyone in a buoyant and optimistic mood ahead of the Six Nations competition in the New Year. That is not to say that the feeling is universal, with the likes of Wales and Scotland having suffered painfully and now holding grave causes for concern.
But let us revel in the stunning England victory over New Zealand on Saturday. It was unprecedented, unexpected, but truly magnificent. The stats and history regarding the game make it even more astounding. It was the biggest winning margin an England side has ever had over the Kiwi’s, whilst the All Blacks have only lost by a heavier score on one other occasion in their illustrious 498 Test match career. They were unbeaten in 20 matches and had not lost an Autumn international to European opposition in a decade, whilst this was the first time this century they had not managed to make a mark on the scoreboard before half-time. To say that England defeated the hot favourites is an understatement. The best side in the world won the World Cup in their own backyard in fantastic fashion this time last year and their juggernaut had been just as forceful ever since. Yet England demolished them with a performance of style, power and determination. They were like a rash over the Kiwi’s and were strong enough to withstand the mini revival just after half-time that brought the sides within a point of one another. Three quick tries later and it was going to be one of England’s truly greatest hours, so much so that Matt Dawson described it as the greatest England victory at Twickenham ever. That was some statement.
After a positive honeymoon period during this year’s Six Nations, Stuart Lancaster has recently been on the receiving end of less positive comments from supporters. No-one was calling for his head, but question marks were being held about some of his decision-making and inexperience. Interestingly enough, the same concerns were also directed towards his team as defeats to South Africa and Australia demonstrated that the rollercoaster England fans have endured their team on over the past decade was still in full flow. Long gone are the days of the World Cup winning XV in 2003, this side is full of youthful, fresh individuals looking to make their stamp on the international game. Beating New Zealand has shown that they can be up to the task and that Lancaster could actually be moulding together a great side. Like all successful teams he is going to need time, but Saturday’s performance has provided a fantastic indicator as to the pathway they are on. Now they just need to show they can consistently put on such performances. It is all well and good defeating the All Blacks when you have nothing to lose, but it is against the other Six Nations sides that the next step will either be demonstrated or shown to be a flash in the pan. After what we have seen over the past month, you would have to say that Ireland possesses the greatest threat in the New Year, but England must now fancy themselves and be looking to reclaim the title.
At the heart of this England side now is Manu Tuilagi. The powerful centre may not have been awarded the Man of the Match award on Saturday but he played a pivotal role in the victory, scoring one of the tries and assisting two others as he drove through the Kiwi defence. He is, in my opinion, the key and most impressive member of the side nowadays and has the potential to carry this mantle for some time. But like the rest of his team-mates, he needs to demonstrate a high level of performance consistently before he can be touted as a world-class star. Though, as Dan Carter demonstrated on Saturday, even the best in the world can have a shocker every so often. The highest point scorer in international rugby managed to miss two simple kicks in the match, which at the time could have maybe affected the momentum of the game. Owen Farrell on the other hand, was a picture of composure as he kicked seventeen of the 38 points. The country also used to rely on a certain Mr Wilkinson, could Farrell become the man to now be as consistent as the man with the stance?!
So we approach Christmas with England’s rugby hopes far more optimistic than after the South Africa and Australia games which determined that the country would be in the pool of second seeds for the World Cup draw (the fact a draw takes place many years before the event in 2015 is bizarre though I must say). Having said that the Grand Slam winners of Wales are in the third pool after losing to both Samoa and Argentina, opponents they would be hoping to despatch, particularly in the Millennium Stadium. Scotland are in a catastrophic situation though. Now manager-less, the country must be relieved to still be in the third pool after defeat to Tonga, arguably one of the most damaging results they have suffered in their history. For a country with such a rich rugby pedigree, they will hope to not be sat in this slump for too much longer. After acquiring the wooden spoon in the Six Nations this year, I expect they will fulfil the same position again in 2013. England on the other hand will be entering the competition on the back of one of their best ever results. The All Blacks defeated. Not just defeated but thrashed, trounced, humiliated. Let us hope this is the start of something special once more.
But let us revel in the stunning England victory over New Zealand on Saturday. It was unprecedented, unexpected, but truly magnificent. The stats and history regarding the game make it even more astounding. It was the biggest winning margin an England side has ever had over the Kiwi’s, whilst the All Blacks have only lost by a heavier score on one other occasion in their illustrious 498 Test match career. They were unbeaten in 20 matches and had not lost an Autumn international to European opposition in a decade, whilst this was the first time this century they had not managed to make a mark on the scoreboard before half-time. To say that England defeated the hot favourites is an understatement. The best side in the world won the World Cup in their own backyard in fantastic fashion this time last year and their juggernaut had been just as forceful ever since. Yet England demolished them with a performance of style, power and determination. They were like a rash over the Kiwi’s and were strong enough to withstand the mini revival just after half-time that brought the sides within a point of one another. Three quick tries later and it was going to be one of England’s truly greatest hours, so much so that Matt Dawson described it as the greatest England victory at Twickenham ever. That was some statement.
After a positive honeymoon period during this year’s Six Nations, Stuart Lancaster has recently been on the receiving end of less positive comments from supporters. No-one was calling for his head, but question marks were being held about some of his decision-making and inexperience. Interestingly enough, the same concerns were also directed towards his team as defeats to South Africa and Australia demonstrated that the rollercoaster England fans have endured their team on over the past decade was still in full flow. Long gone are the days of the World Cup winning XV in 2003, this side is full of youthful, fresh individuals looking to make their stamp on the international game. Beating New Zealand has shown that they can be up to the task and that Lancaster could actually be moulding together a great side. Like all successful teams he is going to need time, but Saturday’s performance has provided a fantastic indicator as to the pathway they are on. Now they just need to show they can consistently put on such performances. It is all well and good defeating the All Blacks when you have nothing to lose, but it is against the other Six Nations sides that the next step will either be demonstrated or shown to be a flash in the pan. After what we have seen over the past month, you would have to say that Ireland possesses the greatest threat in the New Year, but England must now fancy themselves and be looking to reclaim the title.
At the heart of this England side now is Manu Tuilagi. The powerful centre may not have been awarded the Man of the Match award on Saturday but he played a pivotal role in the victory, scoring one of the tries and assisting two others as he drove through the Kiwi defence. He is, in my opinion, the key and most impressive member of the side nowadays and has the potential to carry this mantle for some time. But like the rest of his team-mates, he needs to demonstrate a high level of performance consistently before he can be touted as a world-class star. Though, as Dan Carter demonstrated on Saturday, even the best in the world can have a shocker every so often. The highest point scorer in international rugby managed to miss two simple kicks in the match, which at the time could have maybe affected the momentum of the game. Owen Farrell on the other hand, was a picture of composure as he kicked seventeen of the 38 points. The country also used to rely on a certain Mr Wilkinson, could Farrell become the man to now be as consistent as the man with the stance?!
So we approach Christmas with England’s rugby hopes far more optimistic than after the South Africa and Australia games which determined that the country would be in the pool of second seeds for the World Cup draw (the fact a draw takes place many years before the event in 2015 is bizarre though I must say). Having said that the Grand Slam winners of Wales are in the third pool after losing to both Samoa and Argentina, opponents they would be hoping to despatch, particularly in the Millennium Stadium. Scotland are in a catastrophic situation though. Now manager-less, the country must be relieved to still be in the third pool after defeat to Tonga, arguably one of the most damaging results they have suffered in their history. For a country with such a rich rugby pedigree, they will hope to not be sat in this slump for too much longer. After acquiring the wooden spoon in the Six Nations this year, I expect they will fulfil the same position again in 2013. England on the other hand will be entering the competition on the back of one of their best ever results. The All Blacks defeated. Not just defeated but thrashed, trounced, humiliated. Let us hope this is the start of something special once more.
Sunday, 11 November 2012
“Leave me alone, I know what I’m doing”
Firstly, I should apologise for my lack of blogging over the past few weeks. Life has been rather hectic and finding the time on a Sunday or following days in order to note my thoughts on a certain sporting topic has been more elusive than anticipated. I hope though, that you are keen to read a new post!
It is probably of no surprise that after one of the most exciting races of the Formula 1 season in Abu Dhabi, that stories associated with the weekend have continued to unfurl over this week. What made it all the more remarkable was that the race has more or less sewn up the Drivers’ Championship for Sebastian Vettel, despite when the lights went off last Sunday afternoon, it seemed pretty unlikely that he would be in such a position. Like I said, the race was one of the best of the season.
Arguably the biggest story following on from the weekend was the warning issued by the FIA towards drivers needing to conduct themselves better during interviews after both Vettel and Kimi Raikonnen swore during their live interviews on the podium. Naturally, this led to a number of complaints and the FIA are keen to nip it in the bud quickly, rather than send the sport into disrepute once more, thankfully, something that seems to have been avoided in the main during the 2012 season, unlike in more recent years. No punishment has been handed out to either driver, although the warning did state that anyone caught in future is likely to face action against them. This is all fair enough, though the governing body did state in its letter that there are many sport-stars who are interviewed soon after competing whilst still pumped full of adrenaline and the like who avoid such coarse language. With such reasoning applied, you have to feel that both Vettel and Raikonnen have managed to escape any further action with some luck. If, as a governing body, you agree it is possible to avoid, then why excuse individuals straight away? They may have said future misdemeanours will be punished, but the lack of discipline against the two drivers last weekend is a precedent that could hamper them in the future.
At least Vettel apologised. Nothing from Kimi however, yet because of his personality and demeanour, I doubt there are few that are surprised by that. The ice man has never had a particularly warm glow; instead he portrays himself as a man doing his job, and never was that more obvious than during the Abu Dhabi race. Raikonnen at one point stated on the team radio to “Leave me alone, I know what I’m doing”, and later on, came out with the quote, “Yes, yes, yes, yes. I'm doing it all the time. You don't have to remind me every second”. These were met quite comically by the BBC team covering the race, although I am sure his Lotus mechanics may have felt slightly embarrassed and arguably even annoyed that they were spoken down to in such a manner. Thankfully, Raikonnen appears to have shown he does have a humorous side by getting t-shirts with the former quote emblazoned on them for each member of the Lotus team. However, despite his cold, singular stance, you would never have noticed he had been away from F1, after delivering some superb performances in this, his comeback year. He is likely to finish in 3rd place in the Drivers’ Championship, ahead of the likes of Hamilton, Webber, Button and Massa. Yet, after securing his first victory in 2012, the man proclaimed the victory was of more importance to the team, rather than for him. However, the victory has told the rest of us that Kimi Raikonnen is back, and he means business.
But despite all of this, the season is beginning to have a sense and air of inevitably about it, with the likelihood of a triple-world champion about to be crowned. Sebastian Vettel has certainly not had it as easy as in 2010 and 2011, but since about mid-season the Red Bull dominance appears to have come to the fore again and taken him ahead of his nearest challengers. Last Sunday he displayed an excellent driving display, as he started from the back of the grid and returned there after his first pit stop as well. To eventually finish second demonstrates an incredible driving performance, something that some have doubted him over, claiming the car does the work for him. He has quashed that thought now though; he holds a 10-point lead over Fernando Alonso in the Championship, with only the USA and Brazil Grand Prix’s to go, and although that makes it very much possible for Alonso to still steal the trophy, it would take something incredible, or some horrific bad luck to befall the German and let the Spaniard come out on top.
So, as the end of another motorsport season comes to a close, the FIA can look back and probably feel a great deal of satisfaction with all that has happened. Yes there has been the odd issue, with the new USA track failing to be ready for 2013 being one of the most inconvenient stories to unfurl, however, on the track the cars have been competitive and made for an enthralling year. Already the shake-up of drivers for next year has created some interesting choices, with Lewis Hamilton’s decision to leave McLaren for Mercedes being the major headline, and as such, with lots of new drivers in different cars, next season too could make or break many individuals’ careers in Formula 1. What would be fantastic though is a season full of races like Abu Dhabi, with comical moments from Kimi on the radio, and blistering drives from the likes of Vettel. Yes, the poor language would be best left alone now, but let us see if someone can go out and break the Red Bull and Vettel stranglehold should they once again reign supreme by the end of the month in Brazil.
It is probably of no surprise that after one of the most exciting races of the Formula 1 season in Abu Dhabi, that stories associated with the weekend have continued to unfurl over this week. What made it all the more remarkable was that the race has more or less sewn up the Drivers’ Championship for Sebastian Vettel, despite when the lights went off last Sunday afternoon, it seemed pretty unlikely that he would be in such a position. Like I said, the race was one of the best of the season.
Arguably the biggest story following on from the weekend was the warning issued by the FIA towards drivers needing to conduct themselves better during interviews after both Vettel and Kimi Raikonnen swore during their live interviews on the podium. Naturally, this led to a number of complaints and the FIA are keen to nip it in the bud quickly, rather than send the sport into disrepute once more, thankfully, something that seems to have been avoided in the main during the 2012 season, unlike in more recent years. No punishment has been handed out to either driver, although the warning did state that anyone caught in future is likely to face action against them. This is all fair enough, though the governing body did state in its letter that there are many sport-stars who are interviewed soon after competing whilst still pumped full of adrenaline and the like who avoid such coarse language. With such reasoning applied, you have to feel that both Vettel and Raikonnen have managed to escape any further action with some luck. If, as a governing body, you agree it is possible to avoid, then why excuse individuals straight away? They may have said future misdemeanours will be punished, but the lack of discipline against the two drivers last weekend is a precedent that could hamper them in the future.
At least Vettel apologised. Nothing from Kimi however, yet because of his personality and demeanour, I doubt there are few that are surprised by that. The ice man has never had a particularly warm glow; instead he portrays himself as a man doing his job, and never was that more obvious than during the Abu Dhabi race. Raikonnen at one point stated on the team radio to “Leave me alone, I know what I’m doing”, and later on, came out with the quote, “Yes, yes, yes, yes. I'm doing it all the time. You don't have to remind me every second”. These were met quite comically by the BBC team covering the race, although I am sure his Lotus mechanics may have felt slightly embarrassed and arguably even annoyed that they were spoken down to in such a manner. Thankfully, Raikonnen appears to have shown he does have a humorous side by getting t-shirts with the former quote emblazoned on them for each member of the Lotus team. However, despite his cold, singular stance, you would never have noticed he had been away from F1, after delivering some superb performances in this, his comeback year. He is likely to finish in 3rd place in the Drivers’ Championship, ahead of the likes of Hamilton, Webber, Button and Massa. Yet, after securing his first victory in 2012, the man proclaimed the victory was of more importance to the team, rather than for him. However, the victory has told the rest of us that Kimi Raikonnen is back, and he means business.
But despite all of this, the season is beginning to have a sense and air of inevitably about it, with the likelihood of a triple-world champion about to be crowned. Sebastian Vettel has certainly not had it as easy as in 2010 and 2011, but since about mid-season the Red Bull dominance appears to have come to the fore again and taken him ahead of his nearest challengers. Last Sunday he displayed an excellent driving display, as he started from the back of the grid and returned there after his first pit stop as well. To eventually finish second demonstrates an incredible driving performance, something that some have doubted him over, claiming the car does the work for him. He has quashed that thought now though; he holds a 10-point lead over Fernando Alonso in the Championship, with only the USA and Brazil Grand Prix’s to go, and although that makes it very much possible for Alonso to still steal the trophy, it would take something incredible, or some horrific bad luck to befall the German and let the Spaniard come out on top.
So, as the end of another motorsport season comes to a close, the FIA can look back and probably feel a great deal of satisfaction with all that has happened. Yes there has been the odd issue, with the new USA track failing to be ready for 2013 being one of the most inconvenient stories to unfurl, however, on the track the cars have been competitive and made for an enthralling year. Already the shake-up of drivers for next year has created some interesting choices, with Lewis Hamilton’s decision to leave McLaren for Mercedes being the major headline, and as such, with lots of new drivers in different cars, next season too could make or break many individuals’ careers in Formula 1. What would be fantastic though is a season full of races like Abu Dhabi, with comical moments from Kimi on the radio, and blistering drives from the likes of Vettel. Yes, the poor language would be best left alone now, but let us see if someone can go out and break the Red Bull and Vettel stranglehold should they once again reign supreme by the end of the month in Brazil.
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