From the Boys in Green to the Boys in Blue

Auckland was still awash with Irish supporters, though many were either departing back to Australia, or other parts of New Zealand. Many natives must have been confused by the many green and gold and blue jerseys that were evident around town, with the All-Ireland final meaning little or nothing to them.

The Wales Samoa game was very interesting, especially for the knockout stages for Ireland. The Welsh have quite a large contingent of followers out here aswell, and seem to be looking to a 6 Nations quarter final. While watching the England and France games, I was making enquiries as to where we would watch the Kerry-Dublin game, and it seemed like the Munster Inn was the only place showing it, which meant getting in could be tricky. We were there on the first night, and there was a queue. We said we would go there early enough and chance our arm. We arrived at 11pm (match throw in was half 2), and the queue would put Coppers to shame. As they were operating on a “one in one out” system, it was never going to happen. Even the Maori bouncer, showing a better grasp of GAA knowledge than your average Dublin supporter conceded “the Dubs have been in there all day, if they have waited 16 years, there is no way they are coming out”. He did say the other Irish bar up the road, “The Fiddler” might be showing it.

We went up, and the queue was surprisingly small, maybe 20 people, though nobody seemed too sure if the game was actually been shown. The 2 Kerry boys behind us had been waiting for 2 and a half hours in line at The Munster Inn and were taking their chances. With the bar next to an Internet Café, the manager was running in and out trying to buy the feed to show the match. We got in by midnight, and it was looking good. There were 4 screens on with football, but one of them then switched to the last 20 minutes of the minor match. Everyone moved towards that screen, but the feed was very, very patchy. It was only working properly for the analysis and at half-time. After 10 minutes of the senior game, where we were basing scores from the roars of the crowd in Croke Park, one Dublin supporter wisely pointed out that it “was just like the Famine”.

What a dramatic finish, by which the Dubs barely had voices left to chant “Come on you boys in blue”, the full time whistle went to roaring, Irish dancing and drink spillages. The pub was doing great business, though we called it a day after 5 to get some food.

Deciding it would be best to make an early start and visit Waiheke Island, we got up just over 3 hours after going to bed. Immediately I knew the day would be a struggle. It was 45 minute boat journey from Auckland to Waiheke Island, and there were many other rugby supporters making the same journey. The island is home to 8,000 people, but is mainly set-up for tourism. We got the guided bus tour which  was excellent, and after lunch and a quick wander, we got the ferry back. The plan was to get an hours sleep in and then get up and go for dinner, but exhaustion got the better of us, conked until 9 o’clock that night, and then slept through most  lot of the night. The travelling and late hours had finally caught up. Still, should be fully recharged for tomorrow

Aussie Bashing

What a glorious night in Irish sporting history. With victories against Tri Nations teams such rarities, this was a night to savour. The Wallabies were relatively gracious in defeat, not that it really mattered. They had quite a tough night, not only did they have to contend with boisterous Irish, they also had the whole of New Zealand cheering on the boys in green. Many in the ground were Kiwis wearing their All Blacks jerseys with green hats and scarves, which was particularly noticeable every time Aussie outhalf Quade Cooper touched the ball. Born in New Zealand, but moved to Australia as a child, the locals are unforgiving, and the chorus of boos for him was particularly loud at the start of the match.

A shower met us on the way to the stadium, but did not appear to have any effect on the supporters. With transportation troubles on the opening night, we took no chances, and went to the stadium at 6, with kick off at half 8. The nearby bars were thronged and long queues, but we managed to slip in past a barrier, and nestled inside, managed to watch the South Africa game, while all the Kiwis were praising Ireland and informing us we would beat the Aussies and play them in the final.

Our seats were in a good spot, top tier behind the posts where Ireland was attacking in the first half. Surviving the smell at the urinal was a feat in itself, and then we settled down to what was a tense first half. The noise inside was deafening, and the chants of Ole Ole picked up as the second half wore on. The last 20 minutes were nerve wrecking, particularly when the try was disallowed. When the final whistle went it was pure elation, and no-one could hear O’Driscoll’s interview on the pitch afterwards with the fans celebrations. The train back into town was entertaining, Irish fans singing, the Kiwi’s ripping into the Australians with barbed comments, while they just had to grin and bear it. One aggrieved fan made some comment about National Debt, which didn’t help his cause!

The city centre was packed, but we managed to find a bar where the queue was manageable, and enjoyed a great night for Irish rugby. It was good to see the local papers take pleasure in our victory

World Cup Diary - Irish Bars and Buffet Breakfests

The short snooze after lunch yesterday was cut short in order to go down town for the All Blacks match. I decided it would be best to get an hour in even though I actually felt ok, but when I was awoken, I felt like I hadn’t slept in weeks. After almost gouging my own eyes out and groaning like an old man needing a hip replacement, we went for food and some watering hole to find the match. The night was cold, very chilly walking in the wind, I was not only regretting my decision not to bring a jacket, but to also only have one thin jumper. With a pizza nestled in the belly, we wandered around, seeing where might be good to see the game. Like any good Irish folk worth their salt we decided the Irish bar would do, it was almost kick off and did not want to miss the haka. There is something ironic to travelling half ways around the world to watch the local team surrounded by your own people. The bar was full, but waiting in the queue demonstrated why sometimes Irish folk abroad are just not the sharpest tools in the box. The two bouncers were your typical Maori’s, large and physically striking, they must have been at least 15 stone each. An Irish lad, who I am going to hazard a guess was from Tipp (had the typical checkered shirt, a full pot of gel in the hair, that unmistakeable brogue, and the look of a man that was missing his hurley), leaned up beside him, and asked in a serious tone “Who are you going for in the match?” Bearing in mind the All Blacks were playing Japan, I assumed he was being sarcastic, until he waited patiently for an answer. On hearing the bouncer’s response, he roared out “Up Japan” as if he was in Croke Park and the national anthem was just about to finish. And with that he staggered back in.

The match itself was a bit of a cricket score, and should keep the locals happy for a while, and the media. The papers are quite critical here; one headline read “Halfbacks too slow”, so that will appease them for a while. We then made tracks towards the harbour area, where the general hustle and bustle is. Puma had set-up a Social Bar, which had ping pong tables, pool, basketball throwing, arcades etc, and of course a bar. The added bonus was that it was free in and to play the games, though I won’t be threatening any big guns with my game. When you are spending more time looking and picking the ball off the ground you know there is room for improvement. Then it was a couple of more bars, before off to hit the cot.

Waking up with a mouth as dry as the Sahara was quickly put aside as we remembered that buffet breakfast was waiting below. And what a breakfast it was. I'll have to confess that I have not stayed in many 4 star hotels before, and maybe this is more common that I had thought, but walking into the restaurant where it was held, I felt how a fat kid must feel if given keys to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. Nothing short of glorious. In the bread and pastries section there were 11 different offerings, then onto cereals with a choice of 7, also a good offering of dried fruit (who in their right mind eats dried bananas?), then your usual beans, eggs, rashers, “sausages” (frankfurters in reality). After this is crackers, cheese, 8 different types of fresh fruit, yoghurts. If this is not enough, salamis, smoked salmon and ham can finish you off. The longing to have everything in sight is overpowering, and my first mistake was to park myself at the juice dispenser and throwing back the juice to quench the thirst. This amateurish start only served to bloat me and reduce my capacity. It’s a learning curve and I will know better for tomorrow.

Again, the breakfast is fascinating from a cultural point of view. We went down just after 9, and the buffet is open from 6 – 11, so it was full of Aussie’s, too early for many of the Irish guests. As the Australian mentioned at the table next to us “the Irish are still coming home from last night”. The first thing evident is the difference in the number of plates at the tables. They have many plates, with a slice or two of bread on one, hot food on another, croissants on another etc. The few Irish in the room, and myself included, seem to operate from the “lets fill one plate as high as we can” school of thought. The mentality is that it is either your last meal, or they will be closing in 5 minutes. The appearance of the guests is another. The Aussies, and indeed Kiwis look fresh as daisies, while any of the Paddies in there looked as rough as a bears bum, wearing the same clothes as the night before, beer stains on the jerseys. The other major difference is the contrasting conversation. Our southern hemisphere counterparts are chirpy and loud, very different to ourselves. In fact there is no conversation whatsoever. This is partly due to their overindulgence the night before, but mainly due to the surroundings. When you talk, you cannot eat, and when you cannot eat in a buffet breakfast, you are doing yourself a dis-service. You can talk when you are full!

After dragging myself away, I needed to rest after the food. After this the plan is to us relax for the day, and make our way towards Eden Park for the match. Hopefully it will be a good match, and a win would be great, though with one win against a southern hemisphere side on their home turf in the last 30 years, it is cautious optimism, more in hope than expectation. 

World Cup Diary - Day 1

A trip that started with a half four flight on Wednesday from Dublin finished at 9am local time Auckland, stretching 30 hours and 3 different flights. While it is the trip of a lifetime, a real added bonus was the fact that Dublin- Heathrow was courtesy of British Midlands. A tear was certainly not shed for Ryanair! The flight to Hong Kong was fraught with danger, as within a 10 seat radius there were at least 3 infants. Thankfully they were on best behaviour, and the sleeping tablet I took meant that I could have been oblivious to them anyway. The inflight safety video was novel, featuring the All Blacks players and coaches, a little cheesy perhaps (Graham Henry claiming anyone caught smoking will be dropped), but seeing as it is the only safety video I have actually watched and listened to, it serves it’s purpose.

With only a two hour wait in Hong Kong, I attempted to savour as much of the local culture as possible, so the Double Quarter pounder meal in McDonalds did the trick. The last leg there was little or no sleep, and it seemed to be the same for the other Irish, and the many Welsh on the plane. After getting a taxi from the airport to the hotel, we were told that I was to ring a representative from Puma. Part of the competition was to go to the team hotel and meet the players. We were led to believe the best time for that would be Sunday, after the match against Australia, but no sooner had we arrived in the door, then we were told by Puma that the best time to meet and greet was today before lunch So off we went to the Irish hotel, so much for catch up sleep!

As we made our way to the hotel, our hosts Ciaran and Mike were telling us how strict the branding is during the World Cup. Paul O’Connell has had to change gumshields as the one he had was branded, and the England Rugby Union are facing a hefty fine as the numbers on the back of their jerseys were falling off in the Argentina game, a major faux pas. The team had not finished their training session when we arrived, so we were chatting to a couple of Irish supporters who got wind of the team’s location. After a camera malfunction of our own, we were glad to see that they had one, and managed to take a few snaps for us. First man collared was Ronan O’Gara, who even made a self depreciating comment about being only a sub for the game tomorrow. Was happy to sign a jersey for a fellow Cork man! Geordan Murphy, Tom Court, Mike Ross, Paddy Wallace were next in line. Rob Kearney strolled down the stairs in a towel, cue our two female companions jumping off their seats to get a picture. Sarah seemed pleased enough with herself to get a picture, though she has an insight that a lot of people might not know, he shaves his chest. You heard it here first.

We then got to have lunch in the inner sanctum, with the 30 players and 20 management staff. Firstly, after a diet of aeroplane food, we didn’t need to be asked twice. Quite the spread was laid out. The room is quite relaxed, 6 or 7 round tables, lads popping in and out with the masseuses, a telly and couches in the corner, though the ping pong table seems to be the focal point. Heaslip was ruling the roost at the time. All the management team were very interested in the competition I had won (also, why were in the room in the first place I’d imagine), and Rala, the legendary kitman, was all chat.   

With our Puma hosts having to go back to work, it was time for us to leave, and with our bellies full. A great start to the first day in Auckland. Now to get an hours sleep, and then head down town for the All Blacks match this evening. Hoping the weather picks up, there are frequent showers and it’s windy, so my decision not to bring a jacket looks to have been a misguided one.

Irish Imports Best XV

For every Doug Howlett there has been an Eddie Hekenui on Irish rugby shores. We have mixed some of the sublime, with some of the not so subtle. But who have been our best imports? Kil “my knee’s gone” O’Connor has compiled his best XV. What do you think?

1. Stan Wright (Cook Islands) - The Cook Islander is a hard man and was a worthy signing. He may not be the most talented prop grace our shores, or even the Leinster team for that matter but his contribution to two successful Heineken Cup campaigns make him my first choice. Notable others: Ollie Le Roux, CJ van der Linde.

2. Richardt Strauss (South Africa) - Dynamic and destructive. Unbelievable talent. Here's hoping he declares for Ireland at the end of 2011.

3. Federico Pucciariello (Argentina) - This loveable 'egg on legs' became a Munster legend in his first season. Not always a starter but his ability to play both tight and loosehead made him a great man to spring from the bench.

4. John Langford (Australia) - Superb in the lineout. Combined nicely with Mick Galwey in the engine room. You can be sure this old school pairing had a lot to do with the development of Irish stalwarts Paul O' Connell and Donncha O' Callaghan.

5. Nathan Hines (Scotland) - Good 2010/2011 season with Leinster. Not much else to choose from in the second row to be honest. Easy call between himself and Cameron Jowitt! Easily interchangeable with big Jim at 6.

6. Jim Williams (c) (Australia) - What can I say about Seamus. No question on the captaincy of this side. A fantastic leader, a supremely intelligent player, an all-round athlete and a gentleman to boot. Promising coaching career now developing.

7. Ray Ofisa (Samoa) - Not too many imports at 7 but that doesn't take away from Ray Ofisa's contribution to Connacht Rugby. Tough Samoan nut.

8. Rocky Elsom (Australia) - 2008/2009: Leinster Player of the Year, European Player of the Year, Magners League Player of the Year. 3 MoM performances from 6 wins in the Heineken Cup. 11 MoM performances in the Magners League. Not even Leinster could afford to renew his highly sought after John Hancock for the 2010/2011 season. Enough said.

9. Ruan Pienaar (South Africa) - One season at Ulster and he single-handedly transformed a stuttering and stumbling team. Notable other: Chris Whitaker

10. Felipe Contepomi (Argentina)- Best of a (seriously) bad bunch of imports at number 10 for Leinster. Was hot and cold throughout but when on form he was unrivalled. His injury in the 2009 Heineken Cup semi-final against Munster opened the door for Johnny Sexton. No place for Eddie Hekenui unfortunately!

11. Isa Nacewa (Fiji) - Best season was at full back but was shifted to the wing for this team for the man at 15. 

12. Trevor Halstead (South Africa)- Crash and Bang! Great signing by Munster and a true hero in the 2006 season. Always took out a few defenders to open up channels for his comrades. Notable other: Rua Tipoki.

13. Lifeimi Mafi (Tonga) - Again, little to offer in the way of imports at 13. Mafi is great to watch but is a bit of a liability. Caused many scares for Munster fans down through the years with his indiscipline. He has caused more scares for opposition centres who like to have their heads attached to their bodies! This man has to be included for entertainment alone.

14. Doug Howlett (New Zealand) - Announced his arrival to provincial rugby by apologising to media for doing the haka on a BMW in Heathrow Airport. Won the hearts of the fans for his drunken antics before even touching a ball (and it wasn't the last time he had a brush with the law after a few scoops). This was the second time Munster had signed a reigning 'top try-scoring All Black of all time' and it wasn't without trepidation. It was to the relief of all fans that he didn't emulate his predecessor, Christian Cullen.

15. Shaun Payne (South Africa) - Apparently he has only dropped a ball once in his lifetime. He may look like a plastic figurine with a perfectly chiselled chin but he was arguably the best full back in Ireland for many years. The South African's grandmother was born in Sligo which qualified him to play for Ireland but he never really took Eddie O' Sullivan's fancy. Should he have won a few caps for Ireland when the best we had to offer was 'Girve the Swerve'. I think yes. Notable other: Paul Warwick

La Liga v The Premier League

What is the best league in the world? This is a question that provokes a great deal of discussion. It is often based domestic dominance coupled with  European achievement, so English clubs were strong in the late 70’s, early 80’s, Italian teams then dominated, with England and Spain have periods of strength since then. German teams continue their presence in the Champions League, while French clubs have had a renaissance in recent years, with Marseilles, Monaco, Auxerre and in particular Lyon taking notable scalps. However it is seen at the moment as a straight shoot out between La Liga and the Premier League. The styles of football vary greatly, with Spanish clubs generally attempting to copy Barca’s tika-teka football to varying degrees. The Premier League is based more on more direct, not necessarily Wimbledon style long ball, fast football, where technical ability may be inferior, but games are often close and dramatic. There are many different aspects to cover when comparing leagues, but I have looked at only a few to get a flavour of both leagues. 

Domestic League

Many critics are pointing out that La Liga is now just a two horse race, and it is turning out to be something similar to the Scottish League. Since 2004/05, it has been a Barcelona and Madrid top 2 (bar 07/08 when Villarreal finished runners-up to Barca). It has been a Man. Utd and Chelsea stranglehold each year, with only Arsenal and Liverpool’s runners-up positions in 2005 and 2009 respectively breaking up the monopoly. Many argue that the Premier League has a more entertaining title finish, and this may be true for the first few months of the season, but when the dusts settles, it is the same teams that dominate.If we look beyond the top two, we can see that there is a clear gap in the respective leads. If we are to look at the last seven seasons as mentioned, on average, the difference between 2^nd and 3^rd is just over 5 points in England. In La Liga, that gap is 12 points. However in the last two seasons has seen a change in Spain, with these margins 25 and 21 points. While teams are more competitive in England, the notion that the Spanish League is inferior due to the top 2 is slightly diluted when compared to final standings in the Premier League.

Champions League

Historically, Spain has the edge in Europe’s premier competition, with 2 more wins (13) and 2 more losses (9) than their English counter-parts. Looking at the past 10 years specifically shows very contrasting fortunes. Barcelona (3) and Madrid (1) take the Spanish tally to four wins, with United and Liverpool winning one a piece. The competition has had more woe for English sides, losing 6 of the last 7 finals. Interestingly, it is generally accepted that Serie A has fallen well behind Spain, England and possibly Germany in the pecking order, but have had more winners (3) than both the Premiership (2) and the Bundesliga (1).

Finances

Spain comes out on top when it comes to revenues individually. Real Madrid topped the pole this year for money earned with €438m, with Barcelona second (€398m) and Man. Utd third with €349m. In total however, the Premier League generates far more revenue than its Spanish counterpart. During the 2009/10 season, the English league generated €2.43 billion, compared to La Liga’s €1.35 billion, which actually put it behind Serie A and the Bundesliga.

Man. Utd had topped this richest clubs list for almost a decade, but in recent years have been overtaken by the Spanish giants, due mainly the differing television rights that exist in both countries. In Spain there is a major imbalance, as clubs negotiate their own individual deals. In 2006, Mediaproduccion SL struck a deal with Real getting €1.1 billion and €1 billion going to Barcelona. Around 40% of their revenue comes from TV money.

In the Premier League, there is far greater equality. Despite Man. Utd finishing top, and West Ham finishing bottom last season, both clubs received £13.8m each for domestic TV income, and £17.9m each for foreign TV right.  The amount of times shown live on TV (Man. Utd 26 times vs. West Ham’s 14) is the only difference. The Premier League offers £756,756 for each position in the league, so West Ham received this sum, with United getting twenty times this figure, £13.5m.

The difference in TV income is huge, with the big 2 Spanish clubs earning more than 60% more than United, the top earning English team. In fact they receive more than double the broadcast revenue of biggest Spanish rival Valencia and 15 times that of seven La Liga teams. Remarkably, there are discussions underway in Spain discussing a new TV agreement for the 2015/16 season. Under the agreement, the largest two Spanish clubs, Read Madrid and Barcelona, would share 34 percent of all income, Atletico Madrid and Valencia would share 11 percent, the remaining 16 top-tier Spanish clubs would split 45 percent equally, and there would be parachute payments for relegated clubs.

Home Grown Talent

Barcelona’s recent success has been championed even further due to the amount of home-grown talent in the squad. The side that beat Man. Utd contained 7 Spaniards, and 8 players that came through the ranks, a remarkable feat in the modern era. While this is the exception rather than the rule, it is indicative of the Spanish league as a whole. Over 70% of registered players in La Liga are Spanish, compared with less than 40% English players in the Premier League (as of 2009). This has been used as a reason for many as to why the national teams have performed differently over recent times, and it is certainly a contributing factor. There has been an influx of foreign players in the Premiership in the last 15 years, but England’s international record has been relatively poor (Italia 90 and Euro 96 aside) since 1966.

Jake White - In Black and White

Coach of the Springboks is one of the most, if not the most, political sporting job available. Jake White’s autobiography is an insight into the trials and tribulations of leading the national team, where coaching often takes a backseat to ethnic, political and business issues.

White tells of his upbringing, a non-existent father, and a long distance relationship with his mother, mainly through sport. A keen cricketer and rugby player, he realised he would never turn out to be a top player, so concentrated on coaching to compliment his teaching profession. From the offset, White’s self-confidence (borderline arrogance) is prominent, informing the reader in no uncertain terms that he transformed Jeppe High School into one of the strongest school teams in Jo’burg and Pretoria.

After successful schools campaigns, he decided to leave the teaching profession to become a successful car salesman (naturally, the best in the company), but all the while kept coaching part-time. White then got a break by the South African Union, a coaching role that involved travelling around different regions, giving seminars, training sessions etc. After his stock grew, Nick Mallett took him on as part of his management team in 1997, and while he was part of the set-up as the Springboks broke the record for most consecutive test unbeaten the following year (15 tests), after clashing with Malletts assistant, he was let-go before the World Cup. He later coached the Springbok U-19s, and led the U-21’s to a World Cup victory over the All Blacks in 2002. Some of the players featuring for the two teams included Jean de Villiers, Fourie du Preez, Ricky Januarie, Schalk Burger, Dan Carter, Joe Rokocoko, Jimmy Cowan, Tony Woodcock, even Sam Tuitopou.

In 2004 he took over the senior team, after a poor World Cup the previous year, and South African rugby in a “bad place”. He makes reference to Kamp Staaldrad, a boot camp that took place prior to the World Cup, which caused uproar in South Africa. This was meant to be a “team building” exercise, but some of the activities were highly criticised. Players were made crawl naked on gravel, ordered into foxholes naked and told to sing the national anthem while ice cold water was poured on their heads, and also made spend a night in the bush, where they killed and cooked chickens, but not allowed eat them. White brought the team together, and played Ireland in his first match, the 1^st of the 2 tests they won. They won the Tri Nations that year as well as Team of the Year, with White picking up Coach of the Year, Schalk Burger Player of the Year.

One feature of the book is White’s constant “me against the world” attitude. He cites the media as constantly writing his team, his tactics etc off, and feels almost as if there is a witch hunt against him. The South African Rugby Board come in for high levels of criticism, and you get the sense that there is a lot of information which he may not want to put in the book. One unsavoury incident was how the board advertised the coaching position a month before the World Cup final, which put his assistant in the awkward position of applying during the last two weeks of the tournament.

White highlights the quota system, or “transformation” as he refers to it. In keeping with the unique position South Africa now finds itself, White has to send on all squad selections to the board to approve of, and there are cases where they get involved to make changes. He has found himself in no-win situations. For example, during the 2007 season, leading up to the World Cup, he was under increasing pressure by the board to pick more black players, but as he pointed out, there were less black players in the 2007 Super 14 season than any other previous year, making selection very difficult.

White’s constant berating of the media and board aside, the book is a good read into both a complex rugby environment, but also the mindset of a World Cup winning coach, and how he grew from senior management assistant, to the U-19s, U-21’s and then success with the senior Boks. It throws up many insights, such as turning down the Munster role before becoming Bok coach, that Os du Randt cries like a baby, that Schalk Burger is misunderstood and that he was going to select a player for a squad, Luke Watson, who he didn’t rate, because he was put under political pressure to do so.

Since the book was published, White has continued his criticism of the South African Rugby Union, believing that they should have appointed his assistant Allister Coeetze instead of De Villiers. Indeed De Villiers has come in for strong comments, though that is hardly unique. White has just recently become head coach of the ACT Brumbies for the forthcoming Super 15 Season.

Steve Claridge - The Pundit with More Clubs Than a Golfer

Steve Claridge is far removed from the showbiz lifestyle of Premiership footballers. The 45 year old BBC radio and television pundit finished playing his hometown club, non-league Weymouth two years ago, in a career that spanned 26 years and 21 clubs. Claridge’s story was first captured in his book, “Tales From The Boot Camps” in 1997, when he was in the midst of his only two seasons in the Premier League. Though the book is dated, it is a great insight into the life of lower league football, and the trials and tribulations associated with it.

Claridge’s gambling problem is evident throughout the book, where initially he justifies his spending for a large part of his career, before finally admitting to his problem. He estimates that he has lost over £300,000 in his career. It is far from doom and gloom however, and his chirpy nature is perfectly illustrated in a match he played for Portsmouth against Port Vale. Portsmouth conceded a penalty, and Claridge offers the Port Vale penalty taker, Tommy Widdrington, ½ on scoring the spot kick just before the run up. He has a constant battle to keep penalty points within the legal limits (in 2008 he was given a six month suspended jail  sentence for dangerous driving), and his time keeping is a problem according to every contributer to the book.

Claridge is almost at pains to prove to the reader he is more than “workmanlike” and a “team player”, and all the other similar buzz words that give the allude to a lack of skill and quality. It is very similar in that regard to Jamie Carragher’s book, where he feel’s he has also been pigeon-holed and not given the credit he deserves. It is somewhat ironic that Claridge throughout the book is noted for being late, having old gear bags, wearing odd pairs of boots, socks rolled down etc, yet he fails to appreciate why some of his peers and critics never gave him the credit he deserved.

The highlights in his career came with the winning goal in the Championship Play-Off Final in extra time against Crystal Palace in 1996, and the following year in the Coca-Cola Cup Final win over  Middlesborough. This would be as good as it got at the highest level, and in his only full proper season in the top-flight, he took great pride in being the top uncapped goalscorer in the league. Claridge recollects a win over  United team in the Coca-Cola Cup, which included Paul Scholes missing a penalty, and noting at Wolves, that even as a 17 year old Robbie Keane was a cut above the rest of the squad.

While now dated, the book is still highlights the lack of glamour below top-flight soccer. It shows the financial perils players can find themselves in, and the constant battle with boards for contracts. He notes in the book that when Birmingham City were taken over by David Sullivan and David Gold in the 90’s, even though they enjoyed more success, promotion form the Second Division, and appearances in the Auto Windscreen Shields, the club were tight with the purse strings. With Karren Brady at the helm, if they were staying for two nights in London, the club would pay for accommodation for the first night, while the players had to pay for the second night. The book is a good read, and is a reminder of football pre Twitter and extremely lavish lifestyles.

Muck Savage

Like him or loathe him, one would have to respect Robbie Savage for what he has achieved both inside and outside the game. He has played at the highest level of club football for more than 10 years, played 39 times for his country, and unlike many of his counterparts, has his “life after playing” already sorted. Already a presenter on Radio 5 Live on Saturdays, he has gained quite a following on Twitter with his often brash and controversial comments, his analysis following a similar theme to his playing style.

Often regarded as ordinary, Savage held his own in the famous United youth team of 1992, and began his career as a striker. Without playing a game for the senior team he played for Crewe and came to prominence at Leicester. He formed an effective partnership with Muzzy Izzet, and Leicester not only consolidated in the league, as well as achieving cup success. Savage gained a reputation as a diver, and Derby fans ironically were some of his biggest critics, falling in the box during the last minute of a match against County. The converted penalty gave Leicester the three points. In the 1999 League Cup final against Spurs, after making a rash tackle on Justin Edinburgh, the defender reacted and raised his hands, Savage reacted theatrically and Edinburgh was dismissed. Rash tackles were part of the course, and only Lee Bowyer has more yellow cards in league history, though he has only actually been red carded twice in his career. He was fined £10,000 by the FA for using the referee’s toilet before a game, claiming it was an “emergency” as he had an upset stomach, with Leicester also fining him two weeks wages.  His Welsh career finished under a cloud after falling out of favour with John Toshack, but not before serving his country well in every game. 

Despite his reputation, Savage has always been an integral part of every team he has been in. The teams involved may not have been challenging for the league, and probably only supporters of the clubs involved appreciated the part he played. After 3 years at Birmingham, he left for Blackburn in 2005, which had Brum supporters in a tizzy for 2 reasons. Firstly, he left a defensive gap in midfield, which contributed to their relegation, but also because his reasoning allegedly to move closer to his parents in Wrexham, despite the fact the Midlands was actually closer to home!

After Blackburn, he finished his career at Derby, but cleverly began to look at his career after playing. Savage became one of the first footballers to embrace Twitter, and continues to be one of the most public users of the social media. With a following of well in excess of a quarter of a million, it shows that people are interested in his no-holds barred opinions. He is now a co-presenter on Radio 5 Live, and just this month, was recognised as the best newcomer on the airwaves, where his insight, but ability to challenge listeners opinions has found popularity on the station.

Undoubtedly Savage is probably one of the most disliked footballers to grace the games, has in the past conceded that some of the trouble he has brought on himself. Rumours that Busquets bases his theatrical falling on the Welshman are still unconfirmed! Despite not being blessed with the most natural ability, he certainly maximised what he had, and spotted his media opportunities quickly. And with most players, managers and pundits offering repetitive, generic and mundane analysis, no one could accuse Savage of the same crime.

Get Rich Quick!

With recent economic activities unfolding, high salaries in all industries are coming under increased scrutiny. While most attention is fixed on the financial sector, where large salaries and sizeable bonuses were run of the mill, even when incompetence and/or gross misconduct was evident, sport is no exception. Winston Bogarde, the former Champions League winning defender, is perhaps the best example. Signed in 2000, the Dutch international made 4 starts in his first year, and for three seasons did not make a single appearance. In the final season he did not possess a squad number and was training with the youths. Earning £40,000 a week, he proved to be a rather poor investment. Amazingly, he even picked up a bonus after a cup victory, despite not playing any game in that competition. In almost four years, Bogarde earned over £8,000,000, and could not be faulted for his honesty of his situation. 'This world is about money, so when you are offered those millions you take them. I may be one of the worst buys in the history of the Premiership but I don't care.

While soccer will always have cases of players earning inflated sums of money, they are generally few and far between, certainly greatly reduced in the past decade. Modern day equivalents of Tomas Brolin, Bosko Balaban and Marco Boogers are not as common. While the figures earned can be argued as to whether they merit such an income, they are the most talented players in their profession. One sport which appears to provide a comfortable living for many is golf. Undoubtedly a highly skilled game, it traditionally has been seen as an elitist sport. With its high membership fees, and expensive qualifying schools and entry level tournaments, the game was targeted more towards certain demographics. While this has changed greatly, particularly in Ireland with higher profile players, more courses and more competitive pricing, it is noticeable the amount of players earning “above average” salaries. Naturally, the income is dependent is the golfers ability and form, but it is obvious that you do not need to be challenging for top honours to make a good living. Or anywhere near it infact.

Jamie Elson is a great example. Jamie who?? Most likely you have not heard of him, but the 30 year old English golfer turned pro in 2003. His only tournament win was the Volvo Finnish Open in 2003, netting him a relatively modest €16,000. He has finished in money positions 37 times in his pro career, and currently sits in 67^th place in the European Order of Merit. While his achievements thus far are modest to say the least, he has earned €104,030 this season. That is aside from any possible endorsements he may have. Between the PGA Tour and European Tour, there are 324 players that have earned over €50,000. There are many others up-and-coming, and the Senior Tour is gaining in popularity, and consequently sponsorship.

While golf is a difficult game in which to make a breakthrough in, once/if that is made, then there are financial gains to be made. The other significant point is that a golfer’s career can span longer than possibly any other sport, and many get better with age. Sandy Lyle currently leads the Senior Order of Merit. The 53 year old turned pro in 1977, and has earned over €100,000 this season thus far. He obviously had a lucrative career in golf already, but there are many on the list still earning a very decent living in their 50’s and 60’s.

Unless you are as lucky as Winston Bogarde, if you are budding sports person motivated by money, it would appear golf is the game to keep working at.



High Brow English Journalism

If the recent media circus around the re-instatement of John Terry as captain of England proved anything, if highlighted the most glaring and latest example of hypocrisy of the British tabloids, and the fickle environment in which they work. Sensational writing is part and parcel of the job, but one would have thought a degree of consistency would be the least you could expect in their reporting.

The issue of the captaincy was always going to be a bigger event than in reality it was, primarily due to the fact that he was stripped of the honour so publicly after allegations of an affair with a team-mates ex-girlfriend. Rightly or wrongly, Capello decided he was not a good role model, and stated Terry “would never captain England again” under his reign. That decision in itself raises a number of issues. Firstly, is Capello opening a can of worms by basing a football decision on morals? Where does he draw the line? Wayne Rooney and Ashley Cole have faced similar allegations, and despite not having been captains, they have worn the armband on occasions. Also, Terry has denied the accusations, so do the tabloids have an undue influence on decisions?

Capello (or the FA depending on what you believe) will live and die by the sword of those decisions, but there is little doubt that that the media will take any angle to highlight displeasure at a team or individual. Since the “Capello Index” came to light, where Capello rated players on a blog to highlight how he felt they were performing in the Premier League, the media have slowly turned against him. For a man with one of the most decorated CV’s in football, his reputation has become more tarnished. The Terry affair (if you pardon the pun), poor performances leading up to the World Cup, a disastrous showing   in South Africa with top players not performing, and apparent dissent within the squad, the Italian, in the eyes of Fleet Street, is on a slippery slope. That England have only ever been to semi-finals in major tournaments twice seems irrelevant.

The re-instatement of Terry of captain at the expense of Rio Ferdinand is a case in point of the bias apparent. The papers were dismayed that the Chelsea captain was brought back in, and that Rio was being treated very poorly. Rio was the shining example of English football, and deserved better than this. Rumours that he found out via the media are still neither confirmed nor denied. The fact that Rio has been unavailable for 75% of games since he was made captain was barely given lip service. Ferdinand is, and has been for two years, highly injury prone, and cannot be relied upon to be England’s or indeed Man. Utd’s regular centre-half. What is fascinating is that the accusations thrown at Capello for his handling of the captaincy. Headlines of “No Class” were rife, and were also a dig at Terry’s public perception, conceding himself that he “is not everyone’s cup of tea”. It would be interesting to understand the term “class”, and what exactly it entails.  Ferdinand’s chequered past includes:

·         Missing out on the chance to become England’s youngest cap since Duncan Edwards in 1997 due to a drink-driving arrest

·         Recorded in a sexually explicit video with Premier League players Kieran Dyer and Frank Lampard in Ayia Napa in 2000

·         Four driving bans. The final ban in 2006 led to the magistrate to declare that Ferdinand was a “poor role model for children”

·         A nine month ban for failing to take a drugs test in 2003.

Whether Ferdinand is the appropriate role model as England captain is a judgement call, but for the media to question Capello’s class in relation to his removal of England skipper merely illustrates that fact goes out the window where there is an agenda in place.

David O'Leary : Glorious fall from grace

Ten years ago, Fianna Fail had 76 seats in government, the Twin Towers were still standing, and the Euro had not come into currency. A decade is a long time too in sport. As the Champions League is currently in half ways through the quarter final stage, it is easy to forget that in 2001, Leeds United were at this stage, having come through two group stages including teams such as Barcelona, AC Milan, Lazio and Real Madrid. Under Despite reaching the semi-finals, that was as good as it got for David O’Leary’s team, as they became a symbol of financial mismanagement, lost their best players, and dropped down three tiers of English football. If an insight as to how this occurred was needed, O’Leary’s book, “United on Trial” gives a clear insight.

The book was released in controversial circumstances, after a number of Leeds United footballers went to trial twice over the serious physical attack on an Asian student. The book alienated O’Leary from the changing room, and within a year he was sacked as manager. O’Leary is pre-occupied with informing the reader that the irresponsible actions of a number of players were in no reflection on the club, and that those individuals were detracting from the good name of the club. Yet paradoxically, it is titled “Leeds United on Trial”

A common theme from the book is the total lack of accountability. Every single negative is backed up with an excuse “we were denied a famous victory over Real Madrid by a deliberate handball by Raul”, and even after Leeds are beaten 4-0 away to Barcelona, he is more concerned at the conduct of their hosts in the media zone, where he felt “their conduct was an utter disgrace” The consistent references to injuries also grates after a while. Maybe a deeper problem was the fact their youth academy was producing only average players at best.

What is palpable throughout is a heightened sense of self-importance. Four pages are taken up with how he spoke to Alex Ferguson to assure him he had not spoken to anybody about the Man. Utd job. Further afield he claims of suitors “It seemed that Lazio had been enquiring about me in their search for a long term replacement for Sven”.

The book helped bring an end to O’Leary’s reign at Leeds United, and after a 2 year stint at Aston Villa, he has drifted into managerial obscurity. It will be difficult for him to shake off the tag as an over-spender. Some what ironically, he is now in the UAE managing Dubai based side Al Ahli, in a country where money is no object.

Astute Guardian Readers

A look at various media shows that most agree, generally, on top performing players of last weekend, with some tight calls in the back-row and front row. The readers of the Guardian seem to disagree, and have 11 English players in the team of the weekend. Some interesting picks. Even though Ireland - France was clearly the stand out game of the weekend, and the only match of a decent standard, only one player makes the cut, French centre Rougerie. Only one "outsider" makes the pack, Welsh flanker Dan Lydiate, curious given the fact that Sam Warburton and Thierry Dusatoir were both named as the stand out performers in their respective games.

Planet Rygby

15 Luke Fitzgerald

14 Chris Ashton

13 Aurelien  Rougerie

12 Jamie Roberts

11 Shane Williams

10 Toby Flood

9 Morgan Parra  

8 Imanol Harinordoquy                                                                             

7 Sam Warburton

6 Sean O'Brien                                                                                         

5 Tom Palmer                                                

4 Paul O'Connell                                           

3 Dan Cole                                                   

2 William Servat
1 Cian Healy

Sportingo.com

15 Luke Fitzgerald

14 Chris Ashton

13 Aurelien  Rougerie

12 Jamie Roberts

11 Shane Williams

10 Toby Flood

9 Morgan Parra  

8 Nick Easter                                                                             

7 Sam Warburton

6 James Haskell                                                                                         

5 Tom Palmer                                                

4 Paul O'Connell                                           

3 Dan Cole                                                   

2 William Servat
1 Alex Corbisiero

Sky Sports

15 Sean Lamont
14 Chris Ashton

13 Aurelien  Rougerie

12 Jonathan Davies
11 Shane Williams

10 Toby Flood

9 Ben Youngs  

8 Imanol Harinordoquy                                                                             

7 Sam Warburton

6 Thierry Dusatoir                                                                                       

5 Tom Palmer                                                

4 Paul O'Connell                                           

3 Mike Ross                                                  

2 Matthew Rees
1 Alex Corbisiero

Irish Examiner

15 Sean Lamont
14 Chris Ashton

13 Aurelien  Rougerie

12 Jamie Roberts

11 Mark Cueto
10 Toby Flood

9 Ben Youngs
8 Sergio Parisse                                                                             

7 Sam Warburton

6 Thierry Dusatoir                                                                                         

5 Julien Pierre                                                

4 Paul O'Connell                                           

3 Nicolas Mas                                                   

2 William Servat
1 Paul James

Guardian Readers

15 Sean Lamont
14 Chris Ashton

13 Aurelien  Rougerie

12 Jonathan Davies
11 Mark Cueto
10 Toby Flood

9 Ben Youngs  

8 Nick Easter                                                                             

7 Dan Lydiate
6 James Haskell                                                                                         

5 Tom Palmer                                                

4 Louis Deacon                                           

3 Dan Cole                                                   

2 Dylan Hartley
1 Alex Corbisiero