Mihir Bose's Blog, page 59
November 9, 2012
Keys and Grey Show
talkSPORT
Former Everton favourite Peter Reid sits in for Andy Gray alongside Richard Keys interview the biggest names in sport. Peter discusses the current football scandal and the history of the Premier League and Mihir's new book Game Changer.
Click here to listen to the full programme (Note: click on the tab '1100 - 1130'. The section with Mihir starts at 20:30)
Former Everton favourite Peter Reid sits in for Andy Gray alongside Richard Keys interview the biggest names in sport. Peter discusses the current football scandal and the history of the Premier League and Mihir's new book Game Changer.
Click here to listen to the full programme (Note: click on the tab '1100 - 1130'. The section with Mihir starts at 20:30)
November 6, 2012
Owen Farrell – our South Africans won’t be texting their mates in the Boks dressing room
Fly-half dismisses idea England’s rugby squad could make same mistake as Kevin Pietersen and says his main concern is becoming an even better player
Evening Standard
Edward Griffiths, chief executive of Saracens, tells of the time he tried to comfort a disconsolate Owen Farrell. The fly-half was practising kicking and his effort flew just past the wrong side of the post. As he cursed loudly, Griffiths said: “It’s only a game.” But Farrell angrily brushed him aside and started to kick again.
For those who know Farrell well, this is what marks out the playmaker as a real talent, one who is part of the England squad for the four autumn Tests, starting against Fiji at Twickenham on Saturday. The experts may say he is not blessed with speed or exceptional ability but nobody doubts the 21-year-old’s commitment to becoming an even better player.
Evening Standard
Edward Griffiths, chief executive of Saracens, tells of the time he tried to comfort a disconsolate Owen Farrell. The fly-half was practising kicking and his effort flew just past the wrong side of the post. As he cursed loudly, Griffiths said: “It’s only a game.” But Farrell angrily brushed him aside and started to kick again.
For those who know Farrell well, this is what marks out the playmaker as a real talent, one who is part of the England squad for the four autumn Tests, starting against Fiji at Twickenham on Saturday. The experts may say he is not blessed with speed or exceptional ability but nobody doubts the 21-year-old’s commitment to becoming an even better player.
November 4, 2012
How Terry storm led to Chelsea pursuing Mikel ‘monkey’ claim
Cover-up fear plus employee law were behind the decision to proceed with complaint against referee Mark Clattenburg
The Independent
Chelsea are well aware that should the FA and police investigations show that Mark Clattenburg did not racially abuse John Obi Mikel in last Sunday's match against Manchester United, the club would face an enormous backlash. Referees are already threatening to boycott the club as a result of the allegation.
However, the club felt that they had to make the complaint because otherwise they would have faced the even more explosive charge of trying to cover up alleged racial abuse. More so as Mikel, who was allegedly called a monkey, and Ramires, who also claims to have heard it, felt very strongly on this issue.
The Independent
Chelsea are well aware that should the FA and police investigations show that Mark Clattenburg did not racially abuse John Obi Mikel in last Sunday's match against Manchester United, the club would face an enormous backlash. Referees are already threatening to boycott the club as a result of the allegation.
However, the club felt that they had to make the complaint because otherwise they would have faced the even more explosive charge of trying to cover up alleged racial abuse. More so as Mikel, who was allegedly called a monkey, and Ramires, who also claims to have heard it, felt very strongly on this issue.
November 1, 2012
The coming split in world football
AGI Magazine
Football is so overwhelmingly the world’s No 1 game that that nothing it seems can shake its status. However the first signs have emerged that the world game may be heading for a crisis which could see a major split between club and national football.
The likely causes of this split are the dates being proposed for the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Michel Platini, President of UEFA, the European governing body for the sport, has made it very clear that he wants 2002 staged not in the heat of the summer but in a Middle Eastern winter. This would amount to the biggest change in world football, as all previous World Cups have been staged in a European summer, irrespective of where they were held. But as Platini made crystal clear to me in a recent conversation, “I hope it will be held in winter. We have to go to Qatar when it is good for everybody to participate. What is better for the fans?”
Football is so overwhelmingly the world’s No 1 game that that nothing it seems can shake its status. However the first signs have emerged that the world game may be heading for a crisis which could see a major split between club and national football.
The likely causes of this split are the dates being proposed for the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Michel Platini, President of UEFA, the European governing body for the sport, has made it very clear that he wants 2002 staged not in the heat of the summer but in a Middle Eastern winter. This would amount to the biggest change in world football, as all previous World Cups have been staged in a European summer, irrespective of where they were held. But as Platini made crystal clear to me in a recent conversation, “I hope it will be held in winter. We have to go to Qatar when it is good for everybody to participate. What is better for the fans?”
Schmid on getting more for less, a winter World Cup and managing social media deluges
Insideworldfootball
Last Sunday Marcel Schmid was at Wembley to watch the New England Patriots play the St Louis Rams. Nothing remarkable in that you may think, some 84,000 others were also there as NFL made its annual foray outside its homeland in an effort to reach a worldwide audience.
But for Schmid, chairman of the International Football Arena (IFA), it provided renewed focus for one of the themes that will dominate this year's conference in Zurich on November 12-13. This is a subject that has often puzzled him: how do NFL teams get more out of their sport despite playing a lot fewer matches than most British or European club football teams?
Schmid readily admits he has no great attachment to America's national sport. "I do not find the game very appealing. But what is fascinating is they have a much shorter season, 18 competitive matches in a season. Imagine how many competitive matches Chelsea or Manchester United have in a season: 60/70. These teams have something like 35 home games, NFL teams have just nine."
Last Sunday Marcel Schmid was at Wembley to watch the New England Patriots play the St Louis Rams. Nothing remarkable in that you may think, some 84,000 others were also there as NFL made its annual foray outside its homeland in an effort to reach a worldwide audience.
But for Schmid, chairman of the International Football Arena (IFA), it provided renewed focus for one of the themes that will dominate this year's conference in Zurich on November 12-13. This is a subject that has often puzzled him: how do NFL teams get more out of their sport despite playing a lot fewer matches than most British or European club football teams?
Schmid readily admits he has no great attachment to America's national sport. "I do not find the game very appealing. But what is fascinating is they have a much shorter season, 18 competitive matches in a season. Imagine how many competitive matches Chelsea or Manchester United have in a season: 60/70. These teams have something like 35 home games, NFL teams have just nine."
October 30, 2012
Oh, would that Patel could bat!
OUTLOOK India
Indian cricket at 17 was like a teenager who had ‘come out’, free from her governess, and could roam the world at last. By 1949, India in world cricket was no longer India vs England.
In its first 15 years as a Test-playing country (1932-47), India played just 10 Tests, all against England. Barring some unofficial tours, cricket largely comprised matches between Hindus, Muslims, Parsees and the Rest, which had done much to nurture the game here. Just before independence, these matches, seen as a manifestation of communalism in sport and condemned by Gandhi, were stopped. However, by 1949, India had taken steps to become like other Test-playing countries with regular official home and away tours. In 13 months between January 1948 and February 1949, India doubled the number of Tests it had played in the past sixteen years.
Indian cricket at 17 was like a teenager who had ‘come out’, free from her governess, and could roam the world at last. By 1949, India in world cricket was no longer India vs England.
In its first 15 years as a Test-playing country (1932-47), India played just 10 Tests, all against England. Barring some unofficial tours, cricket largely comprised matches between Hindus, Muslims, Parsees and the Rest, which had done much to nurture the game here. Just before independence, these matches, seen as a manifestation of communalism in sport and condemned by Gandhi, were stopped. However, by 1949, India had taken steps to become like other Test-playing countries with regular official home and away tours. In 13 months between January 1948 and February 1949, India doubled the number of Tests it had played in the past sixteen years.
Paolo Di Canio, ‘I tell my players – don’t be stupid like I was’
With tensions between referees and teams in the spotlight, the Italian at the centre of one of British football’s most infamous moments talks of the importance of everyone keeping their cool
Evening Standard
Paolo Di Canio is an unlikely football missionary, particularly when it comes to preaching about good behaviour on the pitch.
After all, this is the player who, in his second season in England in 1998, pushed referee Paul Alcock to the ground at Hillsborough after being shown a red card. He was banned for 11 matches.
Evening Standard
Paolo Di Canio is an unlikely football missionary, particularly when it comes to preaching about good behaviour on the pitch.
After all, this is the player who, in his second season in England in 1998, pushed referee Paul Alcock to the ground at Hillsborough after being shown a red card. He was banned for 11 matches.
October 26, 2012
Game Changer
Evening Standard columnist and former BBC News sports editor Mihir Bose talked to Gorkana about his new book to mark the 20th anniversary of the Premier League, how the advent of the new league influenced the UK media landscape and the communications challenge it faces over transparency.
Gorkana
It is twenty year since the launch of the football league. Few would have predicted how it would become such a global brand or the extent to which it would dominate the cultural agenda but for Mihir Bose, one image earlier this year sums up the Premier League’s journey.
“It is in Chicago at the time of the Champions League final when the front pages had a picture of David Cameron, Angela Merkel and Barack Obama all watching the final in Munich. It’s inconceivable that Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher would have shared a moment like that.”
Gorkana
It is twenty year since the launch of the football league. Few would have predicted how it would become such a global brand or the extent to which it would dominate the cultural agenda but for Mihir Bose, one image earlier this year sums up the Premier League’s journey.
“It is in Chicago at the time of the Champions League final when the front pages had a picture of David Cameron, Angela Merkel and Barack Obama all watching the final in Munich. It’s inconceivable that Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher would have shared a moment like that.”
October 25, 2012
Loughborough honorary doctorate
What a great honour and privilege it was to return to Loughborough University on 13 September and receive an Honorary Doctor of Letters (Hon DLitt) for outstanding contribution to journalism and the promotion of equality.
When I came to study Industrial Engineering from India, I could never have imagined this. I have such fond memories of Loughborough, having been elected president of the Student’s Union soon after I arrived. The University has grown and the changes to the campus are quite astonishing. Facilities for the students and the Union are now very different and I cannot imagine the present day Union being racked with disputes over the choice of bands invited to perform at the Saturday night dance.
When I came to study Industrial Engineering from India, I could never have imagined this. I have such fond memories of Loughborough, having been elected president of the Student’s Union soon after I arrived. The University has grown and the changes to the campus are quite astonishing. Facilities for the students and the Union are now very different and I cannot imagine the present day Union being racked with disputes over the choice of bands invited to perform at the Saturday night dance.
October 23, 2012
Keys and Gray Show
talkSPORT
Richard Keys and Andy Gray bring you unmissable debate and exclusive interviews from the biggest names in sport. Mihir discusses football and the recent cycling scandal with Richard and Andy.
Click here to listen to the full programme (Note: To hear the section with Mihir click on the '1030 - 1100' tab. Mihir's section starts at 06:50)
Richard Keys and Andy Gray bring you unmissable debate and exclusive interviews from the biggest names in sport. Mihir discusses football and the recent cycling scandal with Richard and Andy.
Click here to listen to the full programme (Note: To hear the section with Mihir click on the '1030 - 1100' tab. Mihir's section starts at 06:50)
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