Tuesday 14 October 2008

UEFA in plot loss shock

I don't know quite what makes our football organisations make stupid decisions on a regular basis, but the decision to move next week's Atletico Madrid against Liverpool match to a ground over 200 miles away beggars belief.

UEFA have quite rightly sanctioned Atletico for the racist behaviour of their fans. But by forcing them to play 200 miles from their Vincente Calderon home punishes innocent Liverpool supporters more than their own.

The match in Madrid is just eight days away. Yes, eight days. Talk about lack of notice for visiting fans. Liverpool, along with all British clubs, take plenty of fans to all their away matches. 3,000 Liverpool fans will have already booked flights and accommodation for the game.

Why do Liverpool fans deserve such treatment? What have they done wrong?

It's time for UEFA (along with our own FA and FIFA) to start making sensible, thought out decisions, considering all the consequences. Rather than just making knee-jerk reactions. Or is that too much to ask?

Sunday 12 October 2008

Is there any better feeling...

than seeing your side, already down to 10-men having dominated a game 150 miles away from home, come back and score an injury time equaliser to remain top of the league and extend their unbeaten run to 10 games and preventing a miserable trip back?

I'd forgotten what that 10 seconds of complete euphoria after a goal felt like. Although I'm a professional now, I'll always be a fan at heart. That trip to Grimsby was extremely worthwhile.

Were England fans right to boo Ashley Cole?

No, I'm not going to answer that question. Because as far as I'm concerned, that subject is not overly newsworthy. A small minority of fans boo one of their players thanks largely to his obnoxious personality than his footballing ability. Big deal. That subject simply does not warrant hours upon hours of Sky Sports News asking various sporting celebrities their opinions. Presumably Monday's newspapers will be full of that very same subject too. I really don't care.

I'm afraid that Sky Sports News were paying for lack of preparation. With no live Football League matches today, SSN in particular failed to grasp that it would be a slow news day. There were plenty of features they could have used: a look in detail at the lower leagues, it was FA Cup 3rd qualifying round day on Saturday and that barely got a mention anywhere. What about the Premier League clubs? What do players, management, fans, etc do when their team is not playing? Is that good for the game?

But no SSN chose the easy option and it made mind-numbing television. The people working there sadly failed to think outside the box. I await tomorrow's papers with (little) interest.

Thursday 9 October 2008

Something for the weekend

I know a lot of sports journalism students who support their teams every Saturday and expect to do the same for the rest of their lives. They are living in cloud cuckoo land.

When does the majority of sport take place? That's right, the weekend. So sports journalists should expect to give up the vast majorities of their Saturdays and Sundays.

It's either your team or your profession - something that few students actually realise. Giving up watching Wycombe Wanderers regularly is one of the hardest things I've had to do, but it is a sacrifice I have had to make if I want the career I want.

I am therefore delighted that I have a Saturday off. Any late work requests permitting, I will be at Grimsby on Saturday to watch the best team in League Two. It will only be my second Wycombe match of the season. Let's hope the 300 mile round trip is worth it!

Monday 6 October 2008

The Great North Heroes

It was a struggle to get up at 9.30am on Sunday morning let alone do anything else so full marks to everyone competing in the Great North Run - especially those running for charity.

I competed in the 2005 High Wycombe half marathon so I kind of knew how people were feeling post-race. I'm proud of my 2 hours 18 minutes time on what I think was the 3rd hottest day of 2005. And as some of you may know, Wycombe is full of hills!

I said to myself I'd never do a marathon when slumped on the couch the afternoon after that race. I stand by that statement. But I'd love to be fit enough to do a half marathon again!

Friday 3 October 2008

It's Friday!

So that can only mean one thing: Baker's Bets.

Those of you who backed each of my bets individually last week will be quids in. If you backed them in accumulators like me, the bookies won!

I don't have time to tell you why to get on these this week but here are my selections for the Saturday action:

West Brom
Wigan
Birmingham
Aldershot
Luton (this is the long shot of the week)
Morecambe
Rochdale
Rotherham (nap of the week)

And a punt on Hartlepool tonight.

Happy punting!

Thursday 2 October 2008

A brand new gadget

It was home for me last night taking it easy. Sadly so too were Chelsea and Cluj - I had decided to watch the Chelsea game given that I'd watched Liverpool's first Champions League match in full. Big mistake.

Chelsea and Cluj both seemed content with a 0-0. Chelsea dominated the play but just did not look as if they were really that bothered. Cluj had no ambition and were just happy to defend in numbers.

So it was some partial delight that I discovered a new Sky Sports gadget. The alerts function. For those unfamiliar, you can watch any one of eight live Champions League matches and just as a stray John Obi Mikel pass hits the advertisement board again up pops a line: "GOAL! Anorthosis Famagusta 3 Panathinaikos 1. Press red to view."

And so I did - all night. The hope that the likes of Shaktar Dontesk might score any minute was the only thing that kept me awake.

Wednesday 1 October 2008

Champions League - you're having a laugh!

I don't know about anyone else but whenever the Champions League is on, I just have to get away.

The group stages of that competition just don't excite me at all. Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool will all go through to the second stages (Liverpool will score some jammy last minute winner in their final match from Stevie G typically).

So on Tuesday night, I decided to do some more research on a league I do a lot of reporting: the Championship. It was my third trip to Turf Moor this season as I saw Burnley v Watford. Real football and in one of the game's most exciting leagues.

I like Turf Moor. An old ground re-built (in part) successfully and the second best football grub in the world (after Kidderminster Harriers of course).

To come away from a 3-2 home win (after the visitors had led 2-1 at half time) and feel disappointed with it is insane but this was not a brilliant match.

But it was still, I'd imagine, a better alternative to watching Manchester United or Arsenal stuff their foreign opponents.

Sadly there is no domestic action today. So the choice is: flick between Liverpool and Chelsea at home or watch Liverpool down the pub?