Mihir Bose's Blog, page 34
February 4, 2015
RFU chief Ian Ritchie insists this England side is good enough to win the World Cup
London Evening Standard
Just before the 1966 World Cup, Sir Alf Ramsey boldly claimed England would be crowned champions.
Seven months before England kick off the Rugby World Cup here, Ian Ritchie is confident enough to copy Sir Alf.
The chief executive of the RFU tells me: “We’ve got the ability to win, the strength and the depth, the wish and the commitment. I do believe that we can win the Webb Ellis Cup.”
That may be a hostage to fortune given that England lost to the two best teams in the world during the autumn, New Zealand and South Africa. Worse still, the 24-21 defeat by the All Blacks was the fifth on the bounce against the world champions.[image error]
Just before the 1966 World Cup, Sir Alf Ramsey boldly claimed England would be crowned champions.
Seven months before England kick off the Rugby World Cup here, Ian Ritchie is confident enough to copy Sir Alf.
The chief executive of the RFU tells me: “We’ve got the ability to win, the strength and the depth, the wish and the commitment. I do believe that we can win the Webb Ellis Cup.”
That may be a hostage to fortune given that England lost to the two best teams in the world during the autumn, New Zealand and South Africa. Worse still, the 24-21 defeat by the All Blacks was the fifth on the bounce against the world champions.[image error]
February 1, 2015
How Blatter has split Europe
Inside World Football
Whatever happens in the FIFA Presidential election one thing is already clear. Sepp Blatter has split Europe wide open. The most powerful and richest confederation in world football, whose leagues dominate the game and whose prize competition, the Champions League, is the greatest club competition in the world, cannot agree on a candidate to oppose the Swiss. Already 11 of the 54 national associations of UEFA are publicly pledged to three different rivals of Blatter: Michael van Praag, Louis Figo and Prince Ali. If this was a political election, and Europe a political party, we would immediately write off its chances and say Blatter has already won.
So how has this happened?[image error]
Whatever happens in the FIFA Presidential election one thing is already clear. Sepp Blatter has split Europe wide open. The most powerful and richest confederation in world football, whose leagues dominate the game and whose prize competition, the Champions League, is the greatest club competition in the world, cannot agree on a candidate to oppose the Swiss. Already 11 of the 54 national associations of UEFA are publicly pledged to three different rivals of Blatter: Michael van Praag, Louis Figo and Prince Ali. If this was a political election, and Europe a political party, we would immediately write off its chances and say Blatter has already won.
So how has this happened?[image error]
January 23, 2015
January 20, 2015
Barry Hearn: When I sold Leyton Orient I told the new owner to call me for any help. I haven’t heard a thing…
Barry Hearn has no regrets about selling Leyton Orient to Francesco Becchetti, the rich Italian businessman.
“Not for a nano second,” he tells me. “Every day since the sale, I wake up with a smile. I hadn’t realised how much of an effect owning a football club was having on my life.”
The 67-year-old sports impresario is well aware, however, that the sale has devastated fans. Eight months ago, in Hearn’s last match as owner, Orient were leading Rotherham 2-0 in the League One Play-off Final only to lose on penalties. After six months of Becchetti’s stewardship, Orient are only above the League One drop zone on goal difference and the club are on their fourth manager of the season.[image error]
“Not for a nano second,” he tells me. “Every day since the sale, I wake up with a smile. I hadn’t realised how much of an effect owning a football club was having on my life.”
The 67-year-old sports impresario is well aware, however, that the sale has devastated fans. Eight months ago, in Hearn’s last match as owner, Orient were leading Rotherham 2-0 in the League One Play-off Final only to lose on penalties. After six months of Becchetti’s stewardship, Orient are only above the League One drop zone on goal difference and the club are on their fourth manager of the season.[image error]
January 16, 2015
Why Blatter will keep on winning
Inside World Football
So why is it that, with just under two weeks to go, it has not been possible to find a candidate who can seriously challenge Sepp Blatter? Jerome Champagne, after a year of campaigning, may now not even get on the ballot, Prince Ali cannot win his own Asian confederation and, as far as the candidacy of David Ginola is concerned that sounds like a nice bookmaker's wheeze.
The reason for this is that while Blatter has hugely upset the world, indeed at after dinner speaking gigs in Britain you are guaranteed a laugh if you even mention the name of the Swiss, he has not upset the people that matter to him: the national associations, or at least not in sufficient numbers. Blatter knows that and we can be sure he will milk this election as if he is Ronaldo playing for Real Madrid against Granada, the bottom club in La Liga.[image error]
So why is it that, with just under two weeks to go, it has not been possible to find a candidate who can seriously challenge Sepp Blatter? Jerome Champagne, after a year of campaigning, may now not even get on the ballot, Prince Ali cannot win his own Asian confederation and, as far as the candidacy of David Ginola is concerned that sounds like a nice bookmaker's wheeze.
The reason for this is that while Blatter has hugely upset the world, indeed at after dinner speaking gigs in Britain you are guaranteed a laugh if you even mention the name of the Swiss, he has not upset the people that matter to him: the national associations, or at least not in sufficient numbers. Blatter knows that and we can be sure he will milk this election as if he is Ronaldo playing for Real Madrid against Granada, the bottom club in La Liga.[image error]
January 13, 2015
Jerome Champagne: FIFA’s image is so bad under Sepp Blatter that people make fun of them
Evening Standard
Sepp Blatter has always been the ultimate Teflon man. In the last four years, an unprecedented stream of corruption allegations have swept away nearly half of the members of the FIFA executive but nothing has stuck to the 78-year-old.
Behaving more like a monarch than an elected president, Blatter has consistently refused to accept responsibility for any FIFA wrongdoing. Indeed, convinced he is indispensable, he has even gone back on his word to retire this year and will seek a fifth term.[image error]
Sepp Blatter has always been the ultimate Teflon man. In the last four years, an unprecedented stream of corruption allegations have swept away nearly half of the members of the FIFA executive but nothing has stuck to the 78-year-old.
Behaving more like a monarch than an elected president, Blatter has consistently refused to accept responsibility for any FIFA wrongdoing. Indeed, convinced he is indispensable, he has even gone back on his word to retire this year and will seek a fifth term.[image error]
January 7, 2015
Joe Marler: In football it is too much about the celebrity lifestyle – in rugby we play for the enjoyment
Evening Standard
After England won the Rugby World Cup 12 years ago, they were treated as heroes on their return from Australia with hundreds of thousands of fans hailing them during a victory parade in London.
Should Stuart Lancaster’s men emulate the class of 2003 this autumn one can only imagine the way their triumph will be greeted given that the tournament is in England. After all, Team GB’s success at London 2012 was all the sweeter for it being on these shores.
The public profile of the players will rocket and there will be many chances to embrace the celebrity culture that has boomed in recent years.[image error]
After England won the Rugby World Cup 12 years ago, they were treated as heroes on their return from Australia with hundreds of thousands of fans hailing them during a victory parade in London.
Should Stuart Lancaster’s men emulate the class of 2003 this autumn one can only imagine the way their triumph will be greeted given that the tournament is in England. After all, Team GB’s success at London 2012 was all the sweeter for it being on these shores.
The public profile of the players will rocket and there will be many chances to embrace the celebrity culture that has boomed in recent years.[image error]
December 31, 2014
Why football management is no different to any other form of management
Inside World Football
The season of good will and cheer is always the season of the sack and the managerial changes we are seeing in the Premier League should come as no surprise. However Alan Pardew's decision to leave Newcastle for Crystal Palace has raised many an eyebrow. The argument, much touted on twitter and the airwaves, is why move from a great club to one whose ambition can be never higher than to hope for a sustainable place in the Premier League? And even this, given Palace's current position, must seem like fantasy.
However such speculation shows that discussion of managerial changes in football is driven by unrealistic fan expectations leading to a lot of misleading publicity when, in essence, a manager changes clubs for most of the same reasons we change jobs, money of course but also getting back to ones roots or doing a job which is likely to be more manageable and, therefore, more satisfying.[image error]
The season of good will and cheer is always the season of the sack and the managerial changes we are seeing in the Premier League should come as no surprise. However Alan Pardew's decision to leave Newcastle for Crystal Palace has raised many an eyebrow. The argument, much touted on twitter and the airwaves, is why move from a great club to one whose ambition can be never higher than to hope for a sustainable place in the Premier League? And even this, given Palace's current position, must seem like fantasy.
However such speculation shows that discussion of managerial changes in football is driven by unrealistic fan expectations leading to a lot of misleading publicity when, in essence, a manager changes clubs for most of the same reasons we change jobs, money of course but also getting back to ones roots or doing a job which is likely to be more manageable and, therefore, more satisfying.[image error]
December 14, 2014
Two cheers for Indian football
Inside World Football
On the wall outside DYPatil stadium in what is navi Mumbai, the city that has been developed beyond the narrow confines of the south of the island where I grew up, there is a poster which reads: Come on India, let's football.
The last time I was at the stadium was back in 2008 to see the final of the first Indian Premier League. Then it was packed to the brim and testified to the Indian love for cricket. Last week with the Indian cricket team in Australia I had come to see Athletico de Kolkata take on Mumbai City in the new Indian Super League and the contrast was evident.[image error]
On the wall outside DYPatil stadium in what is navi Mumbai, the city that has been developed beyond the narrow confines of the south of the island where I grew up, there is a poster which reads: Come on India, let's football.
The last time I was at the stadium was back in 2008 to see the final of the first Indian Premier League. Then it was packed to the brim and testified to the Indian love for cricket. Last week with the Indian cricket team in Australia I had come to see Athletico de Kolkata take on Mumbai City in the new Indian Super League and the contrast was evident.[image error]
December 8, 2014
Transfer Fees – The Forgotten Mystery It’s time for Fifa to come clean on transfer fees
Atthematch.com
Everyone agrees, even Sepp Blatter President of FIFA that sports should be clean and like Caesar’s wife above suspicion. Many of us may not believe that Blatter means what he says as the utter mess his organisation has made of the probes into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids show. Blatter’s supporters argue what can the poor man do? He appoints a US attorney, evidence is taken under conditions of secrecy and the full report cannot be published because FIFA may face legal actions from the persons named in the report.
That argument has some merit in the sense FIFA is a private organisation not a state body with none of the judicial power a state has. The state can compel those within its jurisdiction to give evidence, cases are heard in open court and when it comes to pronouncing judgement judges are like stage artistes savouring their moment in the sun.[image error]
Everyone agrees, even Sepp Blatter President of FIFA that sports should be clean and like Caesar’s wife above suspicion. Many of us may not believe that Blatter means what he says as the utter mess his organisation has made of the probes into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids show. Blatter’s supporters argue what can the poor man do? He appoints a US attorney, evidence is taken under conditions of secrecy and the full report cannot be published because FIFA may face legal actions from the persons named in the report.
That argument has some merit in the sense FIFA is a private organisation not a state body with none of the judicial power a state has. The state can compel those within its jurisdiction to give evidence, cases are heard in open court and when it comes to pronouncing judgement judges are like stage artistes savouring their moment in the sun.[image error]
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