Sport 05/14/2011
It's no secret that I don't care for Sir Alex Ferguson. In much the same way that Linford Christie, Michael Schumacher, or Prince Naseem Hamed, for example, are people whose records have to be admired, there is something about their personality which makes it difficult (for me, at any rate) to warm to them. In saying that, today isn't the right time to dwell on the issue because the Manchester United manager has achieved his long-held ambition of beating Liverpool Football Club's record number of titles in the top division of the English League - and, for that, he is to be congratulated. Add Comment Sport 04/19/2011
Last week, I watched the deeply moving memorial service for the Hillsborough 96 on TV and, during the sequence where homage was being paid to Kenny Dalglish for the remarkable support he has given to survivors and the families of those less fortunate, it occurred to me that for most of my own 72 years, Scottish players and former players have provided the backbone for Liverpool Football Club (LFC). Evidently, right from the start, the likes of Sir Matt Busby played a part in making the club what it became and, during my own lifetime, Billy Liddell, Bill Shankly and the aforementioned (soon to be "Sir", perhaps) Mr. Dalglish have left an indelible impression; not just at Anfield - but throughout the whole city. I was born in Liverpool and, more recently, spent the best part of ten years living in Scotland; so, I'm fairly familiar with both regions and there are a couple of things which strike me as being intriguing. For instance, one might have expected LFC to have a stronger association with Wales than Scotland. After all, Liverpool has been called the capital of north Wales. What's more, it could be argued there are more grounds for rivalry than compatibility between Clydeside and Merseyside. Ship-building, for example, is an industry in which they have competed against each other for generations. Yet, despite differences, a bond seems to have developed - and, in particular, between LFC and Glasgow Celtic FC. It may surprise some in this day and age - but I can recall when someone's religion could be ascertained by asking which football team they supported and, although that sort of bigotry has almost completely disappeared in Liverpool, it still exists in Glasgow. So, I'm intrigued (amused, even) by the strength of the bond between The Reds and The Hoops - especially since Everton FC would seem to be the more likely team with which Celtic fans would wish to be associated.* It can only be supposed that many are not aware of this fact and, in that respect, it might be fair to say that, "Ignorance is bliss". However, if 'ignorance' seems too a harsh choice of words - then, perhaps, 'illogical' might be more appropriate because it is difficult to see any logic in the predominately Catholic Celtic fans forming an alliance with a team with a strong protestant tradition - whilst, at the same time, being part of what is probably the most intense rivalry in UK sport. i.e. with Glasgow Rangers FC. In any event, if the relationship between LFC and Celtic fans goes some way towards reducing the bigotry which I have witnessed, at first hand, when I lived in the west of Scotland, then it can only be seen as a move to the good. Long may it continue. * Religious differences have been cited as a division, with Everton usually placed on the Catholic side; but sectarianism is not a problematic issue. In actual fact, both teams were founded with Methodist involvement, somewhat undermining the notion of a Catholic–Protestant split. Sport 02/19/2011
Following the commendable performance by the players and supporters of Crawley Town Football Club at Old Trafford, I've been rather surprised by the quite vehement reaction from certain elements to the club's relationship with The Sun Newspaper. In making this observation, I was initially inclined to use the word 'disappointed' rather than 'surprised' by the reaction. However, I recognise I haven't been close enough to the place of my birth in recent times to experience the strength of feeling which exist as a consequence of the ill-informed comments the newspaper printed following the Hillsborough disaster. Accordingly, accepting there is no doubt these sentiments are sincere, I'm writing this blog in the somewhat unlikely hope that someone might explain - or justify - to me why the players and the supporters of the Sussex team should be held accountable for decisions made by their board of directors - or whomsoever is responsible for gaining sponsorship for their team. Sport 02/12/2011
As I've mentioned before, given the choice between watching football or rugby union on TV, I have usually chosen the latter in recent times. So, it was no surprise that I had decided to watch England play Italy rather than the Manchester derby this afternoon. My younger son, however, was watching the soccer as I wandered into the lounge to collect something or another and, almost inevitably, I glanced at the TV screen at a time when the sort of incident which has put me off the game was taking place. I can't recall his name - but, the City right back was charging down the right wing and although Paul Scholes was chasing as fast as his little legs would take him, he was fighting a losing battle and (as usually happens in these circumstances) the City player was dragged to the ground leaving the referee with little option other than to show the United veteran a yellow card. Now, clearly, it isn't just Manchester United players who break the laws of the game. Jamie Carragher, of my own team Liverpool, for example, would be amongst the front-runners if the title of Master shirt-puller were ever created and, although there is a difference between 'fair' and 'unfair' fouling, the fact of the matter is that all fouls should be subjected to disciplinary action. What concerns me, however, is that referees seem to turn a blind eye to some infringements - until, that is, the offence is so blatant they have little alternative other than to blow their whistle. The effect of this inconsistent behaviour is two-fold. For example, players are quick to recognise weak refereeing and tend to 'push their luck' to the absolute limit. Secondly, if and when a player is eventually penalised for a misdemeanour, it isn't unusual to see an aggressive and, all too often, obscene response - as Paul Scholes demonstrated during the aformentioned incident when he clearly told the referee to, "Fuck off." Sadly, this sort of insolent disrespect towards officials is becoming the norm rather than the exception and, perhaps more than any other single issue, illustrates the difference between association football and rugby union - where the authority of the referee is absolute. Quite frankly, until this problem is addressed, I believe things will only get worse and, sooner or later, even the most blinkered soccer fans (and TV executives) will become disenchanted by behaviour which, at times, is little short of downright cheating. Sport 02/01/2011
I recognise that some might disagree, however, as someone who was born in the city, I have to say that Fernado Torres's decision to leave Liverpool Football Club, whilst unfortunate, is not that surprising. After all, promises which may have been made about where the club 'was going' when he joined, almost certainly haven't come up to his (or the club's) expectations. On the other hand, putting aside his recent lack of form and apparent motivation, no one could deny that his scoring record is a testament to the fact that his contribution and commitment to the club has been outstanding. Accordingly, since the grass is always greener on (or with) the other side, it really should be no surprise that he has succumbed to the goodies on offer at Chelsea - which, by the way, I wouldn't be surprised may have dangled in front of his eyes as long ago as during The World Cup Finals in South Africa - and, if that were to be the case, it would go a long way towards explaining his aforementioned apparent lack of motivation. Anyway, all that is water under the (Stamford) bridge. Furthermore, although it might seem somewhat disloyal to my own heritage, it could be that his decision had nothing at all to do with football - given the choice between a scouse or a southern counties accent for his recently born son (for the more sensitive, that's a joke). However, whatever reason, there is no excuse for Liverpool fans burning replicas of Torres's shirt. That sort of behaviour might be OK in Baghdad or Afghanistan but it's not appropriate in Anfield. Since writing this blog, I've heard suggestions that Sky TV provided the shirts and encouraged 'fans' to burn them. Whether that is true - or not - is a matter for conjecture. What is alarming, however, is the fact that it's entirely believable. Sport 01/29/2011
Now that the fallout from the Gray/Keys controversy is settling down, it appears that, although their language has been cited as the cause for their fall from grace, the real reason for their downfall was their behaviour; and this got me thinking (as they say). Evidently, the thuggish behaviour for which they are now being accused had gone on for years - and yet, until now, it seems nothing was done about it; which begs the question, "Why?" Now, there could be several reasons for this. However, I suspect that one of them could be revealed by examining those who are involved in the affair - Sky TV. In other words, the media - who often seem more concerned with presentation than content. So, this might explain why what was presented to the public was the video evidence of inappropriate language; however, the content is more likely to have been their aforementioned behaviour. "Shimples" - as they say in Meerkat Harborough. The question of why it took so long remains a mystery - for the time being - until, of course, the original 'Mole' makes another move. All very titilating - as Andy Gray may have said (allegedly). Sport 01/26/2011
So much has been said and written since the Andy Gray and Richard Keys saga hit the headlines, that it's difficult to suggest that a particular aspect of the fiasco is more significant than any other. However, putting aside the fact that it could be asked, "Why comment at all?", I couldn't help noticing that one leading character in the affair mentioned something which - so far as I can see - has escaped serious analysis. I'm referring, by the way, to something Karen Brady said. Now, before elaborating on that particular point, I am not in the least bit afraid, nor ashamed, to admit that many of my views are considered Victorian However, I'm not prepared to accept that holding long-established opinions is a sin. Furthermore, I do not have the slightest hesitation in suggesting that many of those who ridicule values which are not in tune with their own, are often just as bigoted as those they choose to condemn. Anyway, returning to Ms Brady. Following the development of the recent controversy, during a BBC radio interview, whilst attempting to put forward her case for 'equality' within football, she seemed completely oblivious to the irony of her claim that, "When I left Birmingham F.C., 75% of the staff were women and, since I joined West Ham all three of the senior executives I've appointed have been women." So much for equality! Mind you, apart from near-identical fortunes in The Carling Cup competition, it might go some way towards explaining why neither club seems to be showing much signs of challenging for a place within the exalted realms of 'the top four'. Sport 01/10/2011
Following a comment I made on Twitter, recently, which suggested that the current Manchester United manager wasn't fit to the wipe the boots of his predecessor, Sir Matt Busby, I received the following response, "Crap - SAF is one of the few remaining old school managers that respects the tradition of a club." As a consequence of this exchange, I started to wonder (1) how I formed such an opinion and (2) why it should elicit such a response. (1) Although I was born there, it wasn't until I returned to Liverpool after being evacuated to north Wales during WW2, that I became aware of the rivalry which existed between supporters of the city's two leading football clubs. However, putting aside historical (i.e. religious) reasons, the rivalry was almost always good-humoured and very rarely showed signs of resentment. When I left Merseyside, my first job was in Manchester and, although I soon discovered most locals supported the team who played in blue, perhaps because the team who played in red were managed by former Liverpool captain, Matt Busby, I felt an affinity towards Manchester United and that sense of empathy continued for some time. Over the years, however, sadly and for a variety of reasons, 'The Red Devils' have gone down in my opinion. For example - and I don't dispute the fact that promising players were always bought by leading clubs - MUFC were the first to introduce a strategy of 'buying' a football team to this country and, in so doing, set a trend which continues to this day. With few exceptions, skills demonstrated by the likes of Matt Busby and Bill Shankly have become almost redundant. In saying that, by the way, I won't deny Alex Ferguson (and his Academy staff) deserve credit for producing a youth team with Beckham, Scholes, Butt, and the Neville brothers in it. However, that was quite a while ago and, since those days, he has relied more and more on the strength of his chairman's cheque book. Turning, now, to another reason why I became disenchanted with MUFC. Some would say that Mr. Ferguson is responsible for making 'envy' a factor within English football - and I would agree. However, I'm not alluding to other people being envious of him. On the contrary, I mean his envy for the success of the team at the other end of The East Lancs Road. Almost as soon as he arrived at Old Trafford, he declared his desire - as he put it - "to knock Liverpool Football Club off their perch." and, as the years have gone by, he never misses an opportunity to undermine them. Now, at this stage it would interesting (and easy) to hypothesise about the similarities between the type of envy to which I refer and the 'Politics of Envy' so often promoted by those within the political circles with which Mr. Ferguson is happy to be associated. Sufficient to say, like many other champagne socialists, Sir Alex has been well-rewarded for his support. ...............and speaking of support - and referring back to the first paragraph - this brings me to (2). (2) As I mentioned earlier, the rivalry between the supporters of Liverpool and Everton was generally good-natured. There was never, for example, the degree of ill-feeling which exists between the two main Glasgow teams - where, all too often, violence was a factor at 'Old Firm' games. Perhaps it is no coincidence, therefore, that the antipathy which has developed in recent times between the supporters of Liverpool and Manchester United (which absolutely did not exist twenty or thirty years ago) has only come to light since a native of Glasgow took over the reins at Old Trafford. Unfortunately, SAF's vitriol has proved to be infectious in so far his fans are concerned and that might explain the aformentioned response to my criticism of him. So, despite Manchester United's undoubted successes, it's unlikely they would have been achieved without the deep pockets of the chairmen. Accordingly, I feel entirely justified in suggesting that SAF couldn't hold a candle to Sir Matt as a coach. Furthermore, turning to the effect he has had on the attitude and the behaviour of MUFC fans, I don't think anyone would doubt that SAF is the master of what have become known as 'mind games'. Whether, or not, that is to be admired is a matter of opinion and, somewhat inconveniently, not all his fans are as intelligent as he is and they resort to less subtle means to demonstrate their feelings. n.b. From the point of view of someone who has lived in all three cities (Liverpool, Greater Manchester, and Glasgow) and bearing in mind the religious background of all the clubs I mentioned, one of the sweetest ironies of the circumstances which I have described is that a former player of Glasgow Rangers should be promoting the interests of Manchester United at the expense of Liverpool Football Club. Sport 01/08/2011
Liverpool Football Club's recent problems have prompted these thoughts............. There used to be a time when the principle motivating force behind those responsible for the administration of any football club was an allegiance to the club itself. The board of directors, for example, was usually made up of local people who had achieved success in business and could afford some of their time and money to, in effect, represent their fellow fans in a shared interest. In recent times, however - especially since the formation of The English Premier League - some football clubs have become little more than playthings for the incredibly rich - many of whom are not English and even fewer of whom have any allegiance whatsoever towards their 'investment'. Sadly, some might say, the loss of home-grown influence in the game has not been restricted to those who own the clubs. For example, the percentage of foreign players in this country is said to be the highest in the world; so, it's hardly surprising that 'allegiance' to the clubs they represent isn't a priority. In fact, whereas loyalty may, in the past, have been a factor at almost all levels of the game, personal gain (i.e. money) seems to have replaced it. Disappointingly, the proliferation of self-interest - as opposed to the principle of team effort - hasn't been confined to owners and players. Without naming names, it isn't too difficult to identify managers who originate from beyond our own shores who could be accused of putting their own interests ahead of their teams. Furthermore - and somewhat alarmingly - there is evidence of English-born managers blatantly blowing their own trumpets in futile attempts to become manager of the national team. Putting aside the obvious fact that few are worthy of the honour, this is not only disloyal - but extremely disrespectful to their current employers. So, in turning to Liverpool Football Club's current dilemma, I believe the new owners have been given an opportunity to examine and, perhaps, experiment with a system which has been successful in many sports over several generations - a committee. Now, I know that it has been said that a camel is a typical example of the work of a committee (it had been asked to design a horse, by the way) - but that committee (as in many golf clubs, for example) would have been composed of people who were not familiar with the fundamentals with which they were dealing. LFC, on the other hand, have access to several very well-qualified - and to return to the original theme of this post - people of proven allegiance. For example, Kenny Dalglish, who has already been appointed manager, could be joined on the bench (and, perhaps, in the boardroom) by former players. I believe Ian Rush, Ian Callaghan, and David Fairclough already contribute towards the day-to-day running of the club and former university graduates, Brian Hall and Steve Heighway, may also play a part - as might Sammy Lee and Roy Evans - both of whom have considerable experience of management. The point I'm endeavouring to make - without discrediting Roy Hodgson, by the way - is that all these individuals (and there are several more, I'm sure) would bring with them a history of loyalty and, perhaps more importantly, an understanding of what it takes to make the LFC what it used to be - and, by that, I don't just mean success on the filed - but harmony throughout the club. Sport 12/24/2010
The recent discovery of some trophies I won during the time I was involved with The Golf Club Stewards' Association in England and The Clubmasters' Association in Scotland reminds me that - in much the same way people remember where they were when President Kennedy or John Lennon were killed - I can pretty well recall the highlights of my golfing life. For example, I got my first (and, perhaps, only) eagle at a club called Mickleover near Derby. I had actually gone there to act as caddy for a professional friend in a Pro-Am tournament. However, they were short of an amateur (and here's a bit of name-dropping for you) Dai Rees, the former Ryder Cup captain, had just returned from the John Letters factory in Scotland and had three or four sets of new clubs in his car boot. So, he let me play with his 'old' set and I holed a long iron to quite a long par four. You don't forget that sort of experience. So far as aces are concerned - although I have achieved one myself (at The Glasgow Golf Club whilst I was Clubhouse Manager there in the eighties) - the hole-in-one which I remember best is the first one I ever saw. It was at a par three at the Cavendish golf club in Buxton and, although I'm ashamed to admit I can't recall who did it, I suspect the reason I remember it so well is that it was a complete fluke. The tee shot was 'topped' and, without ever leaving the ground, the ball ran down and across a valley, up the other side, completing almost an entire circuit around the back of the green, before trickling back across the green and into the hole. Magic! Most golf club stewards' competitions involved playing with a partner and, although I may have been runner-up a time or two, I don't recall winning one. I did, however, win the only singles stroke-play competition one year - and that was at Grange Park golf club near St. Helens. What was especially notable about the occasion was that I deliberately left my woods in the boot of the car and, as a consequence, hardly missed a single fairway. I was also using an old hickory putter my grandfather (a former county golfer) had used in the nineteen-twenties! My final memory is the one and only time I completed a round in less than eighty strokes. I was playing off twelve (the lowest handicap I ever achieved) and went round a golf course in Newton Mearns near Glasgow (I think it was called Whitehill) in seventy-nine strokes. | Welcome:
|
Create a free website with
Weebly
