This week I wrote a story for the Packet about a Facebook campaign trying to get England flags banned in Cornwall and the whole time I was working on it I thought what a terrible idea.
The campaign carried photos of people burning English flags and had backing from the Kernow branch of the Celtic League (although I have to say they did not advocate burning the flags). Both camps kept saying that the reason behind trying to ban the St George's Cross because it was a foreign flag but there's a flaw in that argument .... it's not.
I'm a proud Cornishman but I'm English first and Cornish second and like it or not so are all Cornishmen because officially, despite what any archaic campaign will tell you, Cornwall is county in England. It may be a county with it's own identity and proud heritage, but it's still a county like Surrey, Lincolnshire or Yorkshire - all places where football fans will be supporting England trouble-free.
If we completely separated ourselves from the rest of the country then sport down here would die and that includes rugby - probably Cornwall's most serious sport - because almost every club at a decent level competes against sides north of the Tamar and if we were separate it would be harder to arrange fixtures and take away a healthy chunk of the competitive edge.
You don't hear about sportsmen who have made it to represent England getting slated for playing for the "enemy" and rightly so, because it would tarnish their greatest personal achievement. So why should it be different when football fans here in Cornwall want to support their national team?
There's also a vital flaw in the argument that a campaign not to support England in Cornwall is the same as in Ireland, Scotland or Wales. All of those countries have their own national football teams, it is natural not to support England if you have your own national side to support, but we in Cornwall don't, largely because we are part of England so our national team is, you guessed it, England.
When I worked on the story I was relieved to hear that most people branded the Facebook group as racist and that shops in Falmouth were going to be selling England flags, bibs, balloons and all sorts of other things. I'm looking forward to having World Cup fever and looking forward to supporting England despite what some deluded Cornish nationalists think.
Monday, 24 May 2010
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
Top five memorable moments of the Premier League season
On and off the field, we have certainly had a Premier League season to remember. From affairs, to beach balls, championship races that went right to the wire - this year's campaign has had everything with plenty of memorable moments. Here's my top five countdown.
#5
Arsene Wenger's biblical pose in the crowd
Although Arsene doesn't see much, we certainly saw this. Back in August the Arsenal manager was sent to the stand after kicking a water bottle in protest of a disallowed goal in his team's 3-1 defeat to Manchester United. He took Mike Dean's instructions quite literally and stood on the edge of the stand in front of screaming fans with his arms out asking, "Is this OK?" Arsene could so often be a mixed bag of the same old complaints but this took it to a whole new level and so early in the season it set us up for what we had in store.
#4
Emmanuel Adebayor's goal celebration v Arsenal
There's sparking reaction against your old club's fans and there's this. In a dramatic 4-2 win against the Gunners at Eastalnds in September, after a brilliant goal the Togolese sprinted literally the length of the pitch and slid on his knees causing the Arsenal faithful to have to be held back by stewards as they all tussled to get a piece of him. The celebration instantly became one of the most notorious in Premier League history and countless former players and pundits spoke out aginst it. But people are still talking about it now.
#3
Shake-gate. Wayne Bridge and John Terry
This single moment confirmed weeks and weeks of press speculation. All we had read about was how upset Wayne Bridge was at his former best mate for shagging his ex and then he announced his retirement from England. Everyone was relishing Chelsea and Man City and I went as one of my limited Stamford Bridge appearances. I was sat in the East stand opposite the drama but joined in a collective ooooooooh building up to the moment. Unfortunately no-one could really tell what happened and everyone was asking each other, "Did he shake it? Did he shake it?" And we didn't know and got on with backing John Terry and booing Wayne Bridge (wrongly) and watching the only home defeat of the season. When I watched the highlights and picked up the papers the next day I certainly knew he didn't shake it.
#2
Jimmy Bullard's celebration v Man City
This was a classic from one of English football's favourite characters. In the same fixture when Phil Brown berated his players on the pitch at half time in the 2008/2009 season, Hull's cheeky chappy scored a penalty and brought the players over for an inspired celebration. Afterwards he said it was not his idea but trust him to do it. The fact that it was Jimmy made it all the better. Hopefully he can find himself a Premier League club next season.
#1
Beach Ball at Sunderland v Liverpool
This was simply pure bad luck and a once in a lifetime incident that would happen to a goalkeeper. A shot from Darren Bent deflected in off a Liverpool souvenir beach ball and sent Jose Reina the wrong way, resulting in a 1-0 defeat for the Reds. No-one would have ever thought twice about at novelty items like balloons or beach balls being a factor in football matches before then but they certainly did afterwards, especially Man Utd fans. This also summed up Liverpool's dire season when nothing went their way.
Just missing out was that look from Steven Gerrard when his partner in crime Fernando Torres was substituted by Benitez against Birmingham in April. This also summed up Liverpool's season in terms of the frustration of fans and players alike with Benitez.
One game had a few memorable moments in it as well, Manchester Utd 4-3 Manchester City at Old Trafford in September. The twists and turns made us believe that Utd would drop points against their "noisy neighbours" for a while but in the end the all-to-familiar outcome that bothered all but Utd fans - a late goal - sealed it for the then champions.
So these are the moments that will stick with me about this Premier League campaign. Anything you would put in?
JT
#5
Arsene Wenger's biblical pose in the crowd
Although Arsene doesn't see much, we certainly saw this. Back in August the Arsenal manager was sent to the stand after kicking a water bottle in protest of a disallowed goal in his team's 3-1 defeat to Manchester United. He took Mike Dean's instructions quite literally and stood on the edge of the stand in front of screaming fans with his arms out asking, "Is this OK?" Arsene could so often be a mixed bag of the same old complaints but this took it to a whole new level and so early in the season it set us up for what we had in store.
#4
Emmanuel Adebayor's goal celebration v Arsenal
There's sparking reaction against your old club's fans and there's this. In a dramatic 4-2 win against the Gunners at Eastalnds in September, after a brilliant goal the Togolese sprinted literally the length of the pitch and slid on his knees causing the Arsenal faithful to have to be held back by stewards as they all tussled to get a piece of him. The celebration instantly became one of the most notorious in Premier League history and countless former players and pundits spoke out aginst it. But people are still talking about it now.
#3
Shake-gate. Wayne Bridge and John Terry
This single moment confirmed weeks and weeks of press speculation. All we had read about was how upset Wayne Bridge was at his former best mate for shagging his ex and then he announced his retirement from England. Everyone was relishing Chelsea and Man City and I went as one of my limited Stamford Bridge appearances. I was sat in the East stand opposite the drama but joined in a collective ooooooooh building up to the moment. Unfortunately no-one could really tell what happened and everyone was asking each other, "Did he shake it? Did he shake it?" And we didn't know and got on with backing John Terry and booing Wayne Bridge (wrongly) and watching the only home defeat of the season. When I watched the highlights and picked up the papers the next day I certainly knew he didn't shake it.
#2
Jimmy Bullard's celebration v Man City
This was a classic from one of English football's favourite characters. In the same fixture when Phil Brown berated his players on the pitch at half time in the 2008/2009 season, Hull's cheeky chappy scored a penalty and brought the players over for an inspired celebration. Afterwards he said it was not his idea but trust him to do it. The fact that it was Jimmy made it all the better. Hopefully he can find himself a Premier League club next season.
#1
Beach Ball at Sunderland v Liverpool
This was simply pure bad luck and a once in a lifetime incident that would happen to a goalkeeper. A shot from Darren Bent deflected in off a Liverpool souvenir beach ball and sent Jose Reina the wrong way, resulting in a 1-0 defeat for the Reds. No-one would have ever thought twice about at novelty items like balloons or beach balls being a factor in football matches before then but they certainly did afterwards, especially Man Utd fans. This also summed up Liverpool's dire season when nothing went their way.
Just missing out was that look from Steven Gerrard when his partner in crime Fernando Torres was substituted by Benitez against Birmingham in April. This also summed up Liverpool's season in terms of the frustration of fans and players alike with Benitez.
One game had a few memorable moments in it as well, Manchester Utd 4-3 Manchester City at Old Trafford in September. The twists and turns made us believe that Utd would drop points against their "noisy neighbours" for a while but in the end the all-to-familiar outcome that bothered all but Utd fans - a late goal - sealed it for the then champions.
So these are the moments that will stick with me about this Premier League campaign. Anything you would put in?
JT
Monday, 10 May 2010
My Wembley experience
This weekend I made a flying visit to Wembley to see my beloved Chelsea go for their first ever league and FA Cup double.
Nursing hangovers after a wedding the night before me and my mate Nootty woke at the crack of dawn to fly from Newquay airport to Gatwick before getting a train into central London and a tube to Wembley.
We arrived at the national stadium some five hours before kick off but it took two hours to find anywhere to settle before going in the ground. The infrastructure around Wembley is terrible. In one direction it was a choice between Wimpy or paying £5 to go in a dive pub. So we opted for the 20 minute walk for a swift pint before taking in the atmosphere. In hindsight we arrived too early and should have done what all the other fans on the tube did, which was get off at Baker Street where there was more to do.
Once 1pm came around the excitement was brewing so we took our seats, took some photos and took in the atmosphere. Faryl Smith was impressive with the national anthem and abide with me, but it proved that nobody knew the words to the FA Cup "anthem." Stomp also added some pre-match entertainment. I used to think Stomp were rubbish and I still do, but at least now I have a live performance to base it on.
Even from quite high up the pitch looked poor, with clear patches of mud. However there was far less slipping over than in the semi-final. In something like that though, you have to go with the players and Terry and Lampard were both very critical.
As kick off drew closer it became very clear we were in the Pompey end, surrounded by flags and shouts of "Play up Pompey." However there were a lot of Chelsea fans around and I sensed a party atmosphere so I thought it was safe to cheer once the Chelsea team was announced. That was a mistake. A bloke behind had words with me along the lines of "F**k off in the Chelsea end" and when the Portsmouth team was read out I was getting consistent wacks on the head by his mate. Nootty and I wondered what we were in for and for the first 20 minutes kept our heads down and watched the game, although to be honest I was not concentrating.
Halfway through the first half the bloke who had words with me left and I began to calm down and enjoy the football. I could not believe how much Chelsea hit the woodwork and thought what do we need to do to score? It was heart in mouth stuff when Cech's reaction save kept the Pompey effort out and my blue-tinted eyes were convinced Drogba's free kick was over the line.
Into the second half and by this time the scary blokes had both gone from behind me and thankfully did not return. When Portsmouth got their penalty I was worried that what my friends and my dad were telling me before the game, that Pompey were destined to win it, was actually going to happen. When the feeble penalty was saved my expectations changed and when we got the free kick on the edge of the box I said to Nootty, "This is it," and so it was. It kicked off a few rows away from us as the pockets of Chelsea fans cheered but we were fine. On the pitch it was far from plain sailing afterwards but even when Lampard missed his penalty I was thinking about how to celebrate.
We disagreed with Drogba's man of the match accolade and thought it should either have gone to Nicolas Anelka, how he was rated four in Sunday's Observer I have no idea he was lively and in the first half created everything, or David James, who had a blinder and staked a claim as England's number one, even if he was a little at fault for the goal because it was on his side.
When the final whistle went we Chelsea fans were drowned out by more cries of Play Up Pompey while Avram and co saluted the Fratton Park faithful. But my eyes were transfixed on how Chelsea were celebrating. We stayed long after the final whistle and as Portsmouth fans left it was clear who in our block were Blues. A woman in front heard me sing along to Blue is the Colour and showed me her Chelsea shirt, saying she was scared to take her jacket off before. The bloke next to me said: "I thought we were going to get our heads kicked in then." But by that point fears had gone and it was party time, especially when two guys in front were dancing along to One Step Beyond wearing t-shirts saying: "Steven Gerrard: Chelsea's 12th man."
I have never been in a better mood queuing for a train than on the way out of Wembley. In a sea of Chelsea fans we regularly burst into song with cries of "Championaays" and another jibe at Liverpool, "We won the double. We won the double. F**k your history. We won the double." We even jumped up and down while queuing for the train.
I kind of wanted to venture into Fulham Broadway to party but was a bit tired and would have spent a fortune if we did. So it was a fairly low key celebration with a gorgeous Wimbledon curry.
The only regret was booking an early train home having not given a thought to the victory parade when planning the trip back to Cornwall. It would have been great to be there and when we stopped at Fulham Broadway to show Nootty Stamford Bridge we could already sense the atmosphere.
It is widely said now that the FA Cup had lost its romance but there was no sign of that being the case at Wembley on Saturday. Maybe it was because either way the match went history would be made with a first Chelsea Double or a Pompey fairytale. Whatever the outcome it would have been worth every penny of the £65 price.
Altogether it was a weekend to remember. Although it was the closest I had ever been to trouble at a football match, I witnessed the team I have supported for 15 years make history with their first Double, enjoyed a proper sing-song and took in an electric Wembley atmosphere.
Thursday, 6 May 2010
What we like to see in a stadium
Big football clubs are always looking to get more people to watch them. It's natural considering that at £40 to £50 a ticket it's a big money spinner. Some clubs like Liverpool are desperate to secure the funds for a new stadium, while others want to build on what they already have.
However it is supply and demand. It's no use having a massive stadium that doesn't fill up and fans may refrain from coming because they don't like the idea of being sat up in the Gods. I beleive that the main thing that makes a good stadium that people want to go to is atmosphere with size and location important factors that add to that.
When you think of the great stadiums of the world, one place often springs to mind. The Nou Camp. It's sheer size, housing almost 100,000 fans make it the second most important structure in Barcelona to the Sagrada Familia, but maybe equal in fame. A lot of its fame is due to the presence and history of the club who play there, but the stadium has its own presence. It even has its own church. Arsenal used to play at Highbury which was one of the few grounds that showed the size didn't matter, because the place was full of character, but they built The Emirates to increase capacity and the move has paid off, I believe that The Emirates is up there with the most impressive grounds in England and it has showed that with a club with a big following like Arsenal, size does matter.
Location of a stadium is important because although you may have an army of fans who will travel far and wide to watch their team, if you are hosting the big event or want more people buying tickets you want to make it as easy for them as possible. I've never been to White Hart Lane but friends who have say it is a nightmare because once you get off at the nearest tube station, you have a long walk or even a bus journey to get to the ground. This is not ideal for first-time match goers. The Millenium Stadium in Cardiff has the perfect location, because it is a stones throw away from the thriving city centre with bars and pubs that fans wil inevitably visit before a match. However, putting a stadium in a remote area is sometimes necessary for planning and strcutual issues, and it can also reveive the local economy. Bristol City's ground Ashton Gate is in a retail park and will no doubt bring more shoppers on Saturday afternoons, while Wembley can do nothing but good for local businesses in North West London.
But any fan who follows their team will tell of their favourite places to visit and while that can be down to location again, because of pubs nearby, it is more often than not because it provides a good occasion. Atmosphere can be releveant to the size of the stadium and the amount for fans it attracts. For example Wigan's DW Stadium is impressive but can have too many empty seats to create an atmosphere while Portsmouth's Fratton Park is bouncing with energy inside an old, derelict stadium. Grounds with character produce a good atmosphere like Highbury used to and Fulham's Craven Cottage - which is old but has an actual cottage in the corner and is situated along the river Thames. That place produces a good atmosphere even though the fans may not be particularly loud, although the big European occasions have got them going a bit more. The perfect atmosphere is at a club with a rich history on a big occasion, for example a Champions League semi-final second leg at Anfield or an El Classico at the Nou Camp.
Size and location are not things that compete with the atmosphere of a football stadium, but rather factors that contribute to it. However the main contributor is not something that architects can design, a fan's attitude towards their club and the big occasion.
However it is supply and demand. It's no use having a massive stadium that doesn't fill up and fans may refrain from coming because they don't like the idea of being sat up in the Gods. I beleive that the main thing that makes a good stadium that people want to go to is atmosphere with size and location important factors that add to that.
When you think of the great stadiums of the world, one place often springs to mind. The Nou Camp. It's sheer size, housing almost 100,000 fans make it the second most important structure in Barcelona to the Sagrada Familia, but maybe equal in fame. A lot of its fame is due to the presence and history of the club who play there, but the stadium has its own presence. It even has its own church. Arsenal used to play at Highbury which was one of the few grounds that showed the size didn't matter, because the place was full of character, but they built The Emirates to increase capacity and the move has paid off, I believe that The Emirates is up there with the most impressive grounds in England and it has showed that with a club with a big following like Arsenal, size does matter.
Location of a stadium is important because although you may have an army of fans who will travel far and wide to watch their team, if you are hosting the big event or want more people buying tickets you want to make it as easy for them as possible. I've never been to White Hart Lane but friends who have say it is a nightmare because once you get off at the nearest tube station, you have a long walk or even a bus journey to get to the ground. This is not ideal for first-time match goers. The Millenium Stadium in Cardiff has the perfect location, because it is a stones throw away from the thriving city centre with bars and pubs that fans wil inevitably visit before a match. However, putting a stadium in a remote area is sometimes necessary for planning and strcutual issues, and it can also reveive the local economy. Bristol City's ground Ashton Gate is in a retail park and will no doubt bring more shoppers on Saturday afternoons, while Wembley can do nothing but good for local businesses in North West London.
But any fan who follows their team will tell of their favourite places to visit and while that can be down to location again, because of pubs nearby, it is more often than not because it provides a good occasion. Atmosphere can be releveant to the size of the stadium and the amount for fans it attracts. For example Wigan's DW Stadium is impressive but can have too many empty seats to create an atmosphere while Portsmouth's Fratton Park is bouncing with energy inside an old, derelict stadium. Grounds with character produce a good atmosphere like Highbury used to and Fulham's Craven Cottage - which is old but has an actual cottage in the corner and is situated along the river Thames. That place produces a good atmosphere even though the fans may not be particularly loud, although the big European occasions have got them going a bit more. The perfect atmosphere is at a club with a rich history on a big occasion, for example a Champions League semi-final second leg at Anfield or an El Classico at the Nou Camp.
Size and location are not things that compete with the atmosphere of a football stadium, but rather factors that contribute to it. However the main contributor is not something that architects can design, a fan's attitude towards their club and the big occasion.
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
Do we like loans?
The loan system seems to be used more and more in English football these days, with the majority of signings in the last transfer window being temporary ones. Players like Chris Smalling (Fulham to Man Utd to Fulham) are even being bought and then loaned back to the clubs who sold them. There must be something in loan deals to make them more popular but as football fans, do we like them and can we see why clubs are using them so often?
If you look at the club you support and the size of the squad, you may see promising young players, have tracked their progress and realise that they will never get a look in for the first team at the moment. That's when the loan system is a big positive, because young players do not spend their time sitting on the sidelines and cleaning boots but go down the divisions and gain valuable experience. Examples include David Beckham, who went out on loan at Preston and the move undoubtedly helped him to set Manchester United and later the whole world, alight. However because it is being used so regularly now more players are being loaned out and even if they are going from big sides they may not get a guaranteed spot in the starting 11 in a Championship or League 1 club. Lots of players who look to have promising futures seem to spend their lives on loan and their career fades away, Scott Sinclair and Michael Mancienne from Chelsea look like prime examples although time is still on their side. Also if young players are sold and then loaned back to the club that sells them, that could have a detrimental affect on the dressing room.
Another reason clubs use the loan system is to save money. But a loan is a short-term solution to what can be a long term problem because although the club pays no transfer fee, they still have to pay a proportion or all of its wages to a club that can have a much bigger wage bill, so the player's wages are higher. Also there may be clauses in the contract that can bite the club on the bum, just look at Dindane at Portsmouth where it took a hastily arranged deal for him to get to play in the FA Cup final. For the outgoing club loans can come back to haunt them, a classic example is Manchester City and Joe Hart, who could not have him back from Birmingham after Shay Given got injured.
City of course got Marton Fulop in on an emergency loan which seems like a bit of a farce because they already had a fit keeper in Gunnar Nielsen. A lot of thoughts have been voiced on the decision by the league to allow Fulop's loan, such as what would Sunderland do if Craig Gordon got injured in their last game at Wolves on Sunday, but the Black Cats must have agreed to it. Another suggestion was that Fulop's loan was allowed to stand but Nielsen should start if fit and ready because Taylor and the youth team keeper were injured, but this is Man City we're talking about, they could buy 10 back ups in every position and the loan them out.
While the emergency loan is quite rare, what has happened in recent seasons is that big clubs have got big players on short-term contracts to make a quick impact. For example Henrik Larsson going to Man Utd and this season Eidur Gudjohnsen at Spurs. Sometimes the gamble does not pay off though. What did Ricardo Quaresma do for Chelsea?
It looks like while small clubs struggle financially and big clubs spend big on foreign talent more and more players will be loaned out, some getting a game and others not.
JT
If you look at the club you support and the size of the squad, you may see promising young players, have tracked their progress and realise that they will never get a look in for the first team at the moment. That's when the loan system is a big positive, because young players do not spend their time sitting on the sidelines and cleaning boots but go down the divisions and gain valuable experience. Examples include David Beckham, who went out on loan at Preston and the move undoubtedly helped him to set Manchester United and later the whole world, alight. However because it is being used so regularly now more players are being loaned out and even if they are going from big sides they may not get a guaranteed spot in the starting 11 in a Championship or League 1 club. Lots of players who look to have promising futures seem to spend their lives on loan and their career fades away, Scott Sinclair and Michael Mancienne from Chelsea look like prime examples although time is still on their side. Also if young players are sold and then loaned back to the club that sells them, that could have a detrimental affect on the dressing room.
Another reason clubs use the loan system is to save money. But a loan is a short-term solution to what can be a long term problem because although the club pays no transfer fee, they still have to pay a proportion or all of its wages to a club that can have a much bigger wage bill, so the player's wages are higher. Also there may be clauses in the contract that can bite the club on the bum, just look at Dindane at Portsmouth where it took a hastily arranged deal for him to get to play in the FA Cup final. For the outgoing club loans can come back to haunt them, a classic example is Manchester City and Joe Hart, who could not have him back from Birmingham after Shay Given got injured.
City of course got Marton Fulop in on an emergency loan which seems like a bit of a farce because they already had a fit keeper in Gunnar Nielsen. A lot of thoughts have been voiced on the decision by the league to allow Fulop's loan, such as what would Sunderland do if Craig Gordon got injured in their last game at Wolves on Sunday, but the Black Cats must have agreed to it. Another suggestion was that Fulop's loan was allowed to stand but Nielsen should start if fit and ready because Taylor and the youth team keeper were injured, but this is Man City we're talking about, they could buy 10 back ups in every position and the loan them out.
While the emergency loan is quite rare, what has happened in recent seasons is that big clubs have got big players on short-term contracts to make a quick impact. For example Henrik Larsson going to Man Utd and this season Eidur Gudjohnsen at Spurs. Sometimes the gamble does not pay off though. What did Ricardo Quaresma do for Chelsea?
It looks like while small clubs struggle financially and big clubs spend big on foreign talent more and more players will be loaned out, some getting a game and others not.
JT
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
The best sporting days out
Part of the reason we all love professional sport is because it provides a good day out. If we didn't enjoy the experience of going to sport, we would all be confined to watching it on Sky Sports and the like rather than paying money to go ourselves. The long suffering League 2 fans who go and watch their teams on cold wet Tuesday nights in November, often on long away trips, should be commended but while their primary cause is to support their team, they must also get some enjoyment out of it.
Living in Cornwall it can be a logisitic nightmare to get to a lot of big sporting events and I respect my neighbours who go regularly, though they probably have bigger wallets than I do. But where I am means that when I do get to go to the big occasion it makes it all the more special.
If you have a limit on where you can go, in terms of money, time off work and other commitments, where would you go? Missing out trips abroad, because that's more than a day out, here's my top three.
#3
A European football night
As I said before away days do not count in this chart but still a top European night in the Champions League, preferably in the knock-out stages and preferably a second leg, is always worth waiting for. Whether it is at The Emirates, Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford or historically Anfield but next year either White Hart Lane or Eastlands, you are always guaranteed twists and turns, an exciting game and an atmosphere to match. Even the most boring of 0-0s can get your emotions going, because of what might have happened in the first leg. If your team is cruising to victory it creates a party atmosphere and if their going out then you know you're witnessing the end of a collective team effort in Europe's biggest competition - although at the time that could be little consolation.
#2
International rugby at the Millennium Stadium
I appreciate rugby and its sporting values (minus Bloodgate) but I am no big fan. However I would never ever pass up the opportunity to go and watch Wales play another major nation at their national stadium. The Millennium Stadium is at the very heart of one of the most vibrant cities in Britain, the Welsh side are always going to give it a bloody good go in front of their home fans but that is the main thing that provides the attraction, the fans. In the crowd you'll be submerged in a sea of daffodils, you won't be able to hear Katherine Jenkins sing Land of My Father because the crowd will drown her out and they will provide an amazing atmosphere for the entire 80 minutes.
#1 A day at the Test
This chart is about days out and a day at the test is a proper day out. You are queuing up at the ground from about 9am and, weather permitting, will be there until 6pm. You get you're own personal moments of suspense waiting to see if your hidden alcohol stash, which could included vodka injected into a watermelon, gets past the security staff. Once you are in, with or without booze, you are set for a day of the most traditional of sports in its most purest form. If you are at the Test you are seeing two of the world's top nations battling it out. At some points it will be gripping and you will not be able to take your eyes off it, like if a fast bowler is trying to topple his batting counterpart towards the end of the day, and there may be boring parts but the crowd respond and keep each other amused. I have heard stories of midgets being passed through the crowd and have heard the most hilarious and genius songs that would put the hardest football fan to shame.
There are of course one-offs each year like an FA Cup Final or even rarer like an Olympics or World Cup and those memorable days out that the game, the venue and of course the occasion can make it extra-special. But I believe that these three events, which you can catch several times a year, are always worth every penny.
JT
Living in Cornwall it can be a logisitic nightmare to get to a lot of big sporting events and I respect my neighbours who go regularly, though they probably have bigger wallets than I do. But where I am means that when I do get to go to the big occasion it makes it all the more special.
If you have a limit on where you can go, in terms of money, time off work and other commitments, where would you go? Missing out trips abroad, because that's more than a day out, here's my top three.
#3
A European football night
As I said before away days do not count in this chart but still a top European night in the Champions League, preferably in the knock-out stages and preferably a second leg, is always worth waiting for. Whether it is at The Emirates, Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford or historically Anfield but next year either White Hart Lane or Eastlands, you are always guaranteed twists and turns, an exciting game and an atmosphere to match. Even the most boring of 0-0s can get your emotions going, because of what might have happened in the first leg. If your team is cruising to victory it creates a party atmosphere and if their going out then you know you're witnessing the end of a collective team effort in Europe's biggest competition - although at the time that could be little consolation.
#2
International rugby at the Millennium Stadium
I appreciate rugby and its sporting values (minus Bloodgate) but I am no big fan. However I would never ever pass up the opportunity to go and watch Wales play another major nation at their national stadium. The Millennium Stadium is at the very heart of one of the most vibrant cities in Britain, the Welsh side are always going to give it a bloody good go in front of their home fans but that is the main thing that provides the attraction, the fans. In the crowd you'll be submerged in a sea of daffodils, you won't be able to hear Katherine Jenkins sing Land of My Father because the crowd will drown her out and they will provide an amazing atmosphere for the entire 80 minutes.
#1 A day at the Test
This chart is about days out and a day at the test is a proper day out. You are queuing up at the ground from about 9am and, weather permitting, will be there until 6pm. You get you're own personal moments of suspense waiting to see if your hidden alcohol stash, which could included vodka injected into a watermelon, gets past the security staff. Once you are in, with or without booze, you are set for a day of the most traditional of sports in its most purest form. If you are at the Test you are seeing two of the world's top nations battling it out. At some points it will be gripping and you will not be able to take your eyes off it, like if a fast bowler is trying to topple his batting counterpart towards the end of the day, and there may be boring parts but the crowd respond and keep each other amused. I have heard stories of midgets being passed through the crowd and have heard the most hilarious and genius songs that would put the hardest football fan to shame.
There are of course one-offs each year like an FA Cup Final or even rarer like an Olympics or World Cup and those memorable days out that the game, the venue and of course the occasion can make it extra-special. But I believe that these three events, which you can catch several times a year, are always worth every penny.
JT
Sunday, 2 May 2010
Do European competition formats work?
The Champions League is a holy grail for every team in Europe which is why Wednesday's match between Tottenham and Manchester City is so crucial, but European competition has been re-jigged a bit over the years, so just how competitive is it?
There is a lot of debate about whether it is a true "Champions" League because the top three/four from the biggest leagues take up the places and the winners in smaller countries have to go through qualifying rounds. But if you want to see the best against the best then this is the most effective method because everyone knows the fourth bet side in England is a world apart from the top side in Bulgaria. Even so the competition still doesn't get exciting until the knock-out stages unless you see a few upsets in the first round, like with Liverpool this season. That's why it was a great decision to get rid of two group stages. The best way to make it more exciting from day one is to do away with seedings and separating teams from the same countries and do the groups randomly, but then fans of the big teams (who bring in the money) may lose interest early on because their team has been knocked out, the knock-out stage my be less competitive if smaller teams qualify and one side may find themselves in an easier route into the final.
This of course is the first season of the revamped Europa League and it has gone down a storm in England, not because of it's rebranding but because of Fulham reaching the final. Given that they began in July at the start of a very complicated competition format shows that it is still a bit of a joke, mainly because too many teams are in it. I think they should do away with fair play places, because it's ludicrous that we could see relegated Burnley playing in Europe next season, and the sides that fell at the group stages of the Champions League should not be rewarded for failure with a chance to win an easier competition. France and England are the only countries that have a place as a prize for the league cup winners and I think it is important that stays the same, so that teams still want to win the league cup. However I don't know why they scrapped the Cup Winners Cup and UEFA should bring it back for the domestic cup winners. It was a prestigious competition where teams who have proved they are good in a knock-out format would face each other. The only danger is that it could be full of semi-finalists because the cup winners and runners up may have won Champions League places. That's why it would be no good offering a Champions League place for the FA Cup winners.
JT
There is a lot of debate about whether it is a true "Champions" League because the top three/four from the biggest leagues take up the places and the winners in smaller countries have to go through qualifying rounds. But if you want to see the best against the best then this is the most effective method because everyone knows the fourth bet side in England is a world apart from the top side in Bulgaria. Even so the competition still doesn't get exciting until the knock-out stages unless you see a few upsets in the first round, like with Liverpool this season. That's why it was a great decision to get rid of two group stages. The best way to make it more exciting from day one is to do away with seedings and separating teams from the same countries and do the groups randomly, but then fans of the big teams (who bring in the money) may lose interest early on because their team has been knocked out, the knock-out stage my be less competitive if smaller teams qualify and one side may find themselves in an easier route into the final.
This of course is the first season of the revamped Europa League and it has gone down a storm in England, not because of it's rebranding but because of Fulham reaching the final. Given that they began in July at the start of a very complicated competition format shows that it is still a bit of a joke, mainly because too many teams are in it. I think they should do away with fair play places, because it's ludicrous that we could see relegated Burnley playing in Europe next season, and the sides that fell at the group stages of the Champions League should not be rewarded for failure with a chance to win an easier competition. France and England are the only countries that have a place as a prize for the league cup winners and I think it is important that stays the same, so that teams still want to win the league cup. However I don't know why they scrapped the Cup Winners Cup and UEFA should bring it back for the domestic cup winners. It was a prestigious competition where teams who have proved they are good in a knock-out format would face each other. The only danger is that it could be full of semi-finalists because the cup winners and runners up may have won Champions League places. That's why it would be no good offering a Champions League place for the FA Cup winners.
JT
Football telly coverage winners and losers
Where we watch our football on TV is dominated by money and rights but we do get a mix with matches, highlights and football discussion on five different channels, but what are the pros and cons of each.
BBC
We don't get too much on the Beeb these days but we do have their World Cup coverage to look forward to. Nobody dramatises sport and create imagery through montages, music soundtracks and storylines better than the BBC. Gary Lineker is a good presenter although I do wonder that maybe he should be answering questions from the likes of Mark Lawrenson rather than asking them because he is a bigger name. Match of the Day is a classic and is the winner over Sky's Football First while Football Focus and MOTD2 offer that fun element. The Football League Show with Manish is good although there is too much going on in that studio and I think it's on a bit late so it's a good move putting it on all day on the red button. Their live coverage of occasional Football League matches is OK but I hate listening to Mark Bright as a pundit. Score is a poor copy of Sky's Soccer Saturday and it misses the fun element of Jeff Stelling's show. But you know we will have some first class coverage of the World Cup this summer.
Sky
People moan that everything is on Sky but it is important to remember that without them the league would not attract the best players, although some clubs may have been a bit more careful with their money in that case. Nevertheless the coverage is good. 24-hour sports news may seem a little over the top but I always watch it, so I shouldn't really moan. They have given us the chance to watch the league unfold more and more every year and now give us the new element with 3D (http://jamestoseland87.blogspot.com/2010/04/3d-football-coverage-not-quite-green.html). I love Soccer Saturday particularly because of the fun element to it and I recommend Jeff Stelling's book, it's a good fun read. Sky balance the unprecedented Premier League coverage with lots of Football League games which is good because it is the core of English football. I quite like Jamie Redknapp and he will help pull in the female viewers and Martin Tyler is one of the best in the business. I don't like Richard Keys and Andy Gray, they don't seem to have a good rapport for a pair that have worked together for 20 years and Keys still doesn't seem to have learned anything about football. Gray just bangs on about how the league is the best in the world and plays around with his touch screens. I do think that he has a slight Manchester United and Liverpool bias as well which is strange since he played for Everton. Their Champions League coverage is good, although I think they should mix their pundits around a bit, but it's better than ITV. Their Spanish football programmes are good with insightful news about a great league and although they only really show Barcelona and Real Madrid, that's all anyone really wants to see. Soccer AM is not what it used to be but Max Rushden and Hells Bells are good together and it still is a winning formula. Football First is no good because people don't want to see extended highlights and it is up against Match of the Day which has the history. You often hear Phil Thompson and co on Soccer Saturday saying: "You'll see it on Match of the - sorry of Football First later."
ITV
When ITV lost the Premiership highlights and they went back to MOTD it was a blessing because it was one less thing to watch on ITV. On occasions their coverage is a joke, just think of when they cut to an advert when Dan Gosling scored the winner for Everton against Liverpool in the cup. They always bang on about the romance of the FA Cup and try and dramatise it but like I said before, no-one does that better than the BBC. They are fronted by a big name in Steve Ryder but Matt Smith is a poor substitute and I think he would be better placed in a entertainment show than sport, he doesn't seem to know much about the game. They rarely get big names in on their punditry and the likes of Robbie Earle, Andy Townsend and Jim Beglin do not command respect and it's hard to take their points as gospel like you do with Alan Hansen. The commentary is not great and although they have a seasoned pro in Clive Tyldesley all he and the other commentators seem to do is say stat after stat and a lot of them are rubbish. I'm just waiting for: "This is the first time Manchester United have been 1-0 down in the first 37 minutes against a Portuguese team with a T in their name when it's raining."
ESPN
ESPN is a breath of fresh air from Setanta and it's coverage is good. Stubbsy and King Kev have a better rapport than Keys and Gray and Keegan is a better pundit than I expected. I never liked Jon Champion before but watching more of him he actually comes out with memorable quotes and good points. Often you pick up a newspaper and one of his lines is quoted to set the scene of a big game. "Nobody's perfect but some are more imperfect than others" was a favourite before the Chelsea Burnley game the day the John Terry scandal broke. I'm not too sure about Joe Royle and Craig Burley as summarisers however, again they don't command respect. Their Talk of the Terrace programme is quite good but it's a bit of copy of Soccer AM. They also show the Bundesliga and Serie A which gives us the chance to watch two great leagues.
Five
I don't see too much on Five these days because I only got interested in the Europa League from the quarter final stage but Guardian Fiver readers will know that I love Colin Murray and I'm looking forward to him hosting MOTD2. I love the fact that he is a football fan and wants to know what the fans want to know. Pat Nevin makes good points but I'm not too sure about his analysis in what looks like Andy Townsend's tactics truck. Stan the Man is also a better pundit than I expected but he carries baggage around with him from his past that means people don't really respect him. It's far cry from their old Cup Winners Cup coverage with Jonathan Pearce going absolutely mental, but I used to quite enjoy that.
The BBC are number one for me but they could learn some lessons from Sky on their Score programme. The main thing is they have pundits like Hansen and Shearer who you respect and listen to what they say. Sky rely too much on Gray and I get fed up with him, while I'm warming to King Kev on ESPN but I have no time for ITV and only watch it if it's the only place to watch a game.
JT
BBC
We don't get too much on the Beeb these days but we do have their World Cup coverage to look forward to. Nobody dramatises sport and create imagery through montages, music soundtracks and storylines better than the BBC. Gary Lineker is a good presenter although I do wonder that maybe he should be answering questions from the likes of Mark Lawrenson rather than asking them because he is a bigger name. Match of the Day is a classic and is the winner over Sky's Football First while Football Focus and MOTD2 offer that fun element. The Football League Show with Manish is good although there is too much going on in that studio and I think it's on a bit late so it's a good move putting it on all day on the red button. Their live coverage of occasional Football League matches is OK but I hate listening to Mark Bright as a pundit. Score is a poor copy of Sky's Soccer Saturday and it misses the fun element of Jeff Stelling's show. But you know we will have some first class coverage of the World Cup this summer.
Sky
People moan that everything is on Sky but it is important to remember that without them the league would not attract the best players, although some clubs may have been a bit more careful with their money in that case. Nevertheless the coverage is good. 24-hour sports news may seem a little over the top but I always watch it, so I shouldn't really moan. They have given us the chance to watch the league unfold more and more every year and now give us the new element with 3D (http://jamestoseland87.blogspot.com/2010/04/3d-football-coverage-not-quite-green.html). I love Soccer Saturday particularly because of the fun element to it and I recommend Jeff Stelling's book, it's a good fun read. Sky balance the unprecedented Premier League coverage with lots of Football League games which is good because it is the core of English football. I quite like Jamie Redknapp and he will help pull in the female viewers and Martin Tyler is one of the best in the business. I don't like Richard Keys and Andy Gray, they don't seem to have a good rapport for a pair that have worked together for 20 years and Keys still doesn't seem to have learned anything about football. Gray just bangs on about how the league is the best in the world and plays around with his touch screens. I do think that he has a slight Manchester United and Liverpool bias as well which is strange since he played for Everton. Their Champions League coverage is good, although I think they should mix their pundits around a bit, but it's better than ITV. Their Spanish football programmes are good with insightful news about a great league and although they only really show Barcelona and Real Madrid, that's all anyone really wants to see. Soccer AM is not what it used to be but Max Rushden and Hells Bells are good together and it still is a winning formula. Football First is no good because people don't want to see extended highlights and it is up against Match of the Day which has the history. You often hear Phil Thompson and co on Soccer Saturday saying: "You'll see it on Match of the - sorry of Football First later."
ITV
When ITV lost the Premiership highlights and they went back to MOTD it was a blessing because it was one less thing to watch on ITV. On occasions their coverage is a joke, just think of when they cut to an advert when Dan Gosling scored the winner for Everton against Liverpool in the cup. They always bang on about the romance of the FA Cup and try and dramatise it but like I said before, no-one does that better than the BBC. They are fronted by a big name in Steve Ryder but Matt Smith is a poor substitute and I think he would be better placed in a entertainment show than sport, he doesn't seem to know much about the game. They rarely get big names in on their punditry and the likes of Robbie Earle, Andy Townsend and Jim Beglin do not command respect and it's hard to take their points as gospel like you do with Alan Hansen. The commentary is not great and although they have a seasoned pro in Clive Tyldesley all he and the other commentators seem to do is say stat after stat and a lot of them are rubbish. I'm just waiting for: "This is the first time Manchester United have been 1-0 down in the first 37 minutes against a Portuguese team with a T in their name when it's raining."
ESPN
ESPN is a breath of fresh air from Setanta and it's coverage is good. Stubbsy and King Kev have a better rapport than Keys and Gray and Keegan is a better pundit than I expected. I never liked Jon Champion before but watching more of him he actually comes out with memorable quotes and good points. Often you pick up a newspaper and one of his lines is quoted to set the scene of a big game. "Nobody's perfect but some are more imperfect than others" was a favourite before the Chelsea Burnley game the day the John Terry scandal broke. I'm not too sure about Joe Royle and Craig Burley as summarisers however, again they don't command respect. Their Talk of the Terrace programme is quite good but it's a bit of copy of Soccer AM. They also show the Bundesliga and Serie A which gives us the chance to watch two great leagues.
Five
I don't see too much on Five these days because I only got interested in the Europa League from the quarter final stage but Guardian Fiver readers will know that I love Colin Murray and I'm looking forward to him hosting MOTD2. I love the fact that he is a football fan and wants to know what the fans want to know. Pat Nevin makes good points but I'm not too sure about his analysis in what looks like Andy Townsend's tactics truck. Stan the Man is also a better pundit than I expected but he carries baggage around with him from his past that means people don't really respect him. It's far cry from their old Cup Winners Cup coverage with Jonathan Pearce going absolutely mental, but I used to quite enjoy that.
The BBC are number one for me but they could learn some lessons from Sky on their Score programme. The main thing is they have pundits like Hansen and Shearer who you respect and listen to what they say. Sky rely too much on Gray and I get fed up with him, while I'm warming to King Kev on ESPN but I have no time for ITV and only watch it if it's the only place to watch a game.
JT
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
