Mihir Bose's Blog, page 55
March 26, 2013
Eddie Hearn v Frank Warren: the fight for survival
British boxing’s biggest battle is outside the ring as an exodus of talent from the old guard to the new sparks a war of words
Evening Standard
Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren do not need to imitate their fighters by donning gloves and getting into the ring. The battle between the promoters is proving more exciting than any recent fight and has the makings of a classic Hollywood script.
Warren, who recently qualified for his bus pass, became a promoter even before 32-year-old Hearn was conceived. Hearn, in contrast, had no thought of becoming a promoter. He was happy looking after poker and other businesses in Matchroom, the family firm run by his father Barry. But, two years ago, after promoting Audley Harrison’s fight against David Haye, he decided to take on Warren.
Evening Standard
Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren do not need to imitate their fighters by donning gloves and getting into the ring. The battle between the promoters is proving more exciting than any recent fight and has the makings of a classic Hollywood script.
Warren, who recently qualified for his bus pass, became a promoter even before 32-year-old Hearn was conceived. Hearn, in contrast, had no thought of becoming a promoter. He was happy looking after poker and other businesses in Matchroom, the family firm run by his father Barry. But, two years ago, after promoting Audley Harrison’s fight against David Haye, he decided to take on Warren.
March 21, 2013
Don’t blame Ferdinand blame the structure of football
Insideworldfootball
The Rio Ferdinand saga has once again raised the hoary old question of club versus country, always a potent question in international football, particularly the English game. Over the years this has generated much heat, except in the case of Ferdinand this old story has taken a very modern, and it must be said, fascinating twist.
In the classic battles between club and country the story often went as follows. A player would be called up to play for England. The weekend before the match, and remember in those days we did not have double headers and internationals were played midweek, often Wednesday, the player after playing in his club match on a Saturday would report injured and pull out. He was supposed to have suffered some tweak to some part of his body, usually a hitherto unknown muscle, and the club would inform the FA that he could not play.
The Rio Ferdinand saga has once again raised the hoary old question of club versus country, always a potent question in international football, particularly the English game. Over the years this has generated much heat, except in the case of Ferdinand this old story has taken a very modern, and it must be said, fascinating twist.
In the classic battles between club and country the story often went as follows. A player would be called up to play for England. The weekend before the match, and remember in those days we did not have double headers and internationals were played midweek, often Wednesday, the player after playing in his club match on a Saturday would report injured and pull out. He was supposed to have suffered some tweak to some part of his body, usually a hitherto unknown muscle, and the club would inform the FA that he could not play.
March 19, 2013
Former Arsenal striker Francis Jeffers is loving every minute of Accrington’s fight for League survival
"Accrington? It's as special as Valencia"
Evening Standard
Few footballers have had such a dramatic change in fortunes as Francis Jeffers. Tonight, he will turn out for Accrington Stanley against AFC Wimbledon exactly 10 years to the day since he played for Arsenal against Valencia in the Champions League.
The two stages could not be more different. Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium seats 55,000 and is the fifth largest in Spain. Accrington’s Crown Ground holds 5,000 and gates this season are averaging 1,500. The club, propping up the Football League, have no training base so players change at the ground and then practise at a nearby school or college. But, unlike that night at Valencia when he came on as a substitute, Jeffers will definitely start tonight’s match.
Evening Standard
Few footballers have had such a dramatic change in fortunes as Francis Jeffers. Tonight, he will turn out for Accrington Stanley against AFC Wimbledon exactly 10 years to the day since he played for Arsenal against Valencia in the Champions League.
The two stages could not be more different. Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium seats 55,000 and is the fifth largest in Spain. Accrington’s Crown Ground holds 5,000 and gates this season are averaging 1,500. The club, propping up the Football League, have no training base so players change at the ground and then practise at a nearby school or college. But, unlike that night at Valencia when he came on as a substitute, Jeffers will definitely start tonight’s match.
March 15, 2013
English football should not turn defeat into disaster
Insideworldfootball
It is always tempting in sport to draw huge global lessons from one defeat or victory. That is a temptation that should be avoided for the simple reason that sporting victories or defeats on their own do not signify vast changes. That only emerges if they are part of a consistent pattern over several seasons.
The most potent example of this was provided by Barcelona. Before their match against A.C. Milan many were prepared to write their obituary. Not only had they lost fairly comprehensively to the Italians in Milan but there had been some bad defeats in the Cup to Real Madrid. Much was made of the effect on the team of the illness of their manager and how from his sick bed in New York he was trying to guide the team.
It is always tempting in sport to draw huge global lessons from one defeat or victory. That is a temptation that should be avoided for the simple reason that sporting victories or defeats on their own do not signify vast changes. That only emerges if they are part of a consistent pattern over several seasons.
The most potent example of this was provided by Barcelona. Before their match against A.C. Milan many were prepared to write their obituary. Not only had they lost fairly comprehensively to the Italians in Milan but there had been some bad defeats in the Cup to Real Madrid. Much was made of the effect on the team of the illness of their manager and how from his sick bed in New York he was trying to guide the team.
March 12, 2013
The heat is on but Alex Ferguson’s ally Paul Nicholls can handle it
Champion trainer is ready for Festival battle with Henderson
Evening Standard
You would not have expected Paul Nicholls to stop for anything over the last few weeks as he prepared for jump racing’s annual show stealer, the Cheltenham Festival, which started today.
But, last Tuesday, he did. Taking his cue from Jose Mourinho that the world would stop to watch Real Madrid play Manchester United, the champion trainer travelled from his yard at Ditcheat in deepest Somerset to Old Trafford. He returned mourning for the man whose horses he trains, Sir Alex Ferguson.
Evening Standard
You would not have expected Paul Nicholls to stop for anything over the last few weeks as he prepared for jump racing’s annual show stealer, the Cheltenham Festival, which started today.
But, last Tuesday, he did. Taking his cue from Jose Mourinho that the world would stop to watch Real Madrid play Manchester United, the champion trainer travelled from his yard at Ditcheat in deepest Somerset to Old Trafford. He returned mourning for the man whose horses he trains, Sir Alex Ferguson.
March 6, 2013
How race can trip us all up
Insideworldfootball
The resignation of Paul Elliott from the FA and other bodies because he used the "n" word in a private text sent to another black player and a business colleague, is both sad and revealing. It is sad because Elliott had, probably still has, the capacity to go from having played the game at the highest level into becoming an excellent football administrator. It is revealing because it shows how attitudes to race, and particularly use of certain racial words, have been transformed in recent years.
Although Elliott did not like being described as an "insider" in many ways he was. This was exemplified by the fact that he advised David Cameron when he held his round table conference on racism in football in Downing Street last February. And in a country like the UK where, unlike many other countries, particularly on the continent, the ex footballer prefers to move from the players lounge to the television studio Elliott was prepared to sit many hours on committees and do his bit for the game.
The resignation of Paul Elliott from the FA and other bodies because he used the "n" word in a private text sent to another black player and a business colleague, is both sad and revealing. It is sad because Elliott had, probably still has, the capacity to go from having played the game at the highest level into becoming an excellent football administrator. It is revealing because it shows how attitudes to race, and particularly use of certain racial words, have been transformed in recent years.
Although Elliott did not like being described as an "insider" in many ways he was. This was exemplified by the fact that he advised David Cameron when he held his round table conference on racism in football in Downing Street last February. And in a country like the UK where, unlike many other countries, particularly on the continent, the ex footballer prefers to move from the players lounge to the television studio Elliott was prepared to sit many hours on committees and do his bit for the game.
February 28, 2013
Will Wenger be devoured by his own revolution?
Insideworldfootball
A revolution devours its own as history teaches us. Arsene Wenger, known as the Professor, should know that. But he seems to be oblivious to the fact that having been the greatest agent of change in English football he cannot stand still and needs to evolve if he is to move forward and not fall victim to his own revolution.
That Wenger has been the greatest revolutionary in British football cannot be doubted. This is all the more remarkable because English football, before Wenger, was intensely insular. So insular indeed that when the directors of Manchester United considered appointing Alex Ferguson as their manager their main worry was that no manager brought up in Scottish football had succeeded in England. Matt Busby and Bill Shankly were Scots but they had had a through grounding in English football. In contrast Jock Stein, perhaps one of the greatest managers these isles have produced and Ferguson's mentor, failed to make it in England.
A revolution devours its own as history teaches us. Arsene Wenger, known as the Professor, should know that. But he seems to be oblivious to the fact that having been the greatest agent of change in English football he cannot stand still and needs to evolve if he is to move forward and not fall victim to his own revolution.
That Wenger has been the greatest revolutionary in British football cannot be doubted. This is all the more remarkable because English football, before Wenger, was intensely insular. So insular indeed that when the directors of Manchester United considered appointing Alex Ferguson as their manager their main worry was that no manager brought up in Scottish football had succeeded in England. Matt Busby and Bill Shankly were Scots but they had had a through grounding in English football. In contrast Jock Stein, perhaps one of the greatest managers these isles have produced and Ferguson's mentor, failed to make it in England.
February 14, 2013
Football is no longer a game but a driver of growth and business
Insideworldfootball
Last weekend's English Premier League match between Sunderland and Arsenal does not on the face of it merit much attention. A regular Premiership match, one of the rare ones played at 3pm on a Saturday, it ended in that classic score: 1-0 to Arsenal, after the Gunners weathered a late Sunderland assault.
Yet it is what happened in a committee room next to the Stadium of Light, followed by discussions in the one of the executive boxes of the stadium, that shows how the game has radically changed. This proved that football is no longer eleven men against eleven men on a park, but a vehicle of commerce and business. Not just in this country, but all over world and, in particular, Africa.
Last weekend's English Premier League match between Sunderland and Arsenal does not on the face of it merit much attention. A regular Premiership match, one of the rare ones played at 3pm on a Saturday, it ended in that classic score: 1-0 to Arsenal, after the Gunners weathered a late Sunderland assault.
Yet it is what happened in a committee room next to the Stadium of Light, followed by discussions in the one of the executive boxes of the stadium, that shows how the game has radically changed. This proved that football is no longer eleven men against eleven men on a park, but a vehicle of commerce and business. Not just in this country, but all over world and, in particular, Africa.
February 12, 2013
Warren Gatland: I won’t do Lions like Sir Clive Woodward
Evening Standard
Warren Gatland will not make the same mistakes as Sir Clive Woodward when he leads the Lions this summer.
Sir Clive’s touring team crashed 3-0 to New Zealand in 2005 but it was not just on the pitch there were problems for England’s World Cup-winning head coach.
Warren Gatland will not make the same mistakes as Sir Clive Woodward when he leads the Lions this summer.
Sir Clive’s touring team crashed 3-0 to New Zealand in 2005 but it was not just on the pitch there were problems for England’s World Cup-winning head coach.
Warren Gatland: If I choose too many Englishmen it could put pressure on Lions
Head coach warns that 'circus' surrounding Red Rose squad could limit his thinking regarding which men he will take Down Under this summer
Evening Standard
Warren Gatland limps in to meet me at a hotel in Cardiff. He is still nursing the ankles he broke falling from a ¬ladder while cleaning the windows of his beach house in Waihi in New Zealand last April.
But, while his footsteps are hesitant, the mind of the head coach, who will take the Lions to Australia in June, is crystal clear. He knows all about the potential problems of picking too many Englishmen for the three-Test tour.
Evening Standard
Warren Gatland limps in to meet me at a hotel in Cardiff. He is still nursing the ankles he broke falling from a ¬ladder while cleaning the windows of his beach house in Waihi in New Zealand last April.
But, while his footsteps are hesitant, the mind of the head coach, who will take the Lions to Australia in June, is crystal clear. He knows all about the potential problems of picking too many Englishmen for the three-Test tour.
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