Mihir Bose's Blog, page 80
November 22, 2011
Vinnie Jones: I've proved anybody can turn a corner
Evening Standard
Vinnie Jones being asked to help tackle anti-social behaviour among the nation's youth is the sort of script that might stretch credibility even in Hollywood.
During his playing career he delighted in causing outrage. His video, Soccer's Hard Men, was considered to bring the game into such disrepute that he was fined £20,000 and handed a suspended six-month ban by the Football Association. Worse still, he then bit the nose of a reporter after an England international.
But here we are in a smart London hotel where Jones is the guest of the Football League and is telling me how the game can help get kids off the street.
Vinnie Jones being asked to help tackle anti-social behaviour among the nation's youth is the sort of script that might stretch credibility even in Hollywood.
During his playing career he delighted in causing outrage. His video, Soccer's Hard Men, was considered to bring the game into such disrepute that he was fined £20,000 and handed a suspended six-month ban by the Football Association. Worse still, he then bit the nose of a reporter after an England international.
But here we are in a smart London hotel where Jones is the guest of the Football League and is telling me how the game can help get kids off the street.
November 21, 2011
The Russian and the Sheikh
PlayUp
Abramovich must learn from Manchester City if Chelsea are to achieve success
Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich, may not need lessons on making money, but he could profitably learn from Sheikh Mansour on how to manage football. The particular lesson he needs to learn is the crucial relationship between owner and manager, always a key to success in the game.
Both Mansour and Abramovich inherited coaches when they bought their respective clubs. Mansour inherited Mark Hughes, Abramovich, Claudio Ranieri. The Emirati made one change and was much criticised for bringing in Roberto Mancini. At first it did not seem to make much of a difference, but two years down the line, we can see what a new world the Italian has ushered in at Eastlands, and how well he has used the Sheikh's money.
Abramovich must learn from Manchester City if Chelsea are to achieve success
Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich, may not need lessons on making money, but he could profitably learn from Sheikh Mansour on how to manage football. The particular lesson he needs to learn is the crucial relationship between owner and manager, always a key to success in the game.
Both Mansour and Abramovich inherited coaches when they bought their respective clubs. Mansour inherited Mark Hughes, Abramovich, Claudio Ranieri. The Emirati made one change and was much criticised for bringing in Roberto Mancini. At first it did not seem to make much of a difference, but two years down the line, we can see what a new world the Italian has ushered in at Eastlands, and how well he has used the Sheikh's money.
November 19, 2011
Debate: Fact or fiction?
Times Now
Can Kambli's hint about possible match-fixing be taken at face value?
Former cricketer Vinod Kambli raised suspicion on the 1996 World Cup semi-final between India and Sri Lanka and said he found "something amiss" in the game, a claim which came in for sharp criticism from Sourav ganguly. Kambli, who scored 1084 runs in 17 Tests and 2477 runs in 104 ODIs for India, said he was suspicious of then captain Mohammed Azharuddin's decision to field first in the semi-final which was eventually awarded to Sri Lanka because of crowd problem. However, Ganguly said just because India batted second in the match doesn't mean that it was fixed and Kambli should back up his claims with solid proof.
Can Kambli's hint about possible match-fixing be taken at face value?
Former cricketer Vinod Kambli raised suspicion on the 1996 World Cup semi-final between India and Sri Lanka and said he found "something amiss" in the game, a claim which came in for sharp criticism from Sourav ganguly. Kambli, who scored 1084 runs in 17 Tests and 2477 runs in 104 ODIs for India, said he was suspicious of then captain Mohammed Azharuddin's decision to field first in the semi-final which was eventually awarded to Sri Lanka because of crowd problem. However, Ganguly said just because India batted second in the match doesn't mean that it was fixed and Kambli should back up his claims with solid proof.
November 18, 2011
Blatter and race
PlayUp
Power is key in the fight against racism
Yes, Sepp Blatter is a 75-year old Swiss who does not know what he is talking about and it is high time he spend more time with the grandchildren rather than run world football.
Such a reaction to his grotesque remarks that there is no racism in football and it can all be dealt with by a gentlemanly handshake, is wholly understandable. A conclusion all the more tempting as these interviews came about as Blatter, rocked by Fifa's corruption scandal, was trying to rehabilitate himself.
He has just acquired a new head of PR and the interviews were clearly part of a plan to promote the new Blatter cleaning up Fifa. With the re-launch now going so badly wrong, you must doubt if the product is worth bothering about. But to think Blatter's departure, which I don't think is likely, will help deal with the enormous problems of racism in the game is almost as absurd as his remarks.
Power is key in the fight against racism
Yes, Sepp Blatter is a 75-year old Swiss who does not know what he is talking about and it is high time he spend more time with the grandchildren rather than run world football.
Such a reaction to his grotesque remarks that there is no racism in football and it can all be dealt with by a gentlemanly handshake, is wholly understandable. A conclusion all the more tempting as these interviews came about as Blatter, rocked by Fifa's corruption scandal, was trying to rehabilitate himself.
He has just acquired a new head of PR and the interviews were clearly part of a plan to promote the new Blatter cleaning up Fifa. With the re-launch now going so badly wrong, you must doubt if the product is worth bothering about. But to think Blatter's departure, which I don't think is likely, will help deal with the enormous problems of racism in the game is almost as absurd as his remarks.
November 17, 2011
Blatter backlash over racism remarks
CNN International
Mihir discusses a call for Sepp Blatter to quit FIFA over his remarks on racism.
Mihir discusses a call for Sepp Blatter to quit FIFA over his remarks on racism.
It's time European sports administrators studied US model to combat match fixing
Insideworldfootball.biz
Britain and Europe have never been easy bedfellows and the turmoil of the eurozone may lead to a further, even permanent, alienation. Yet, ironically, in sport Britain is not on the periphery of Europe, but leading the way.
Nothing illustrates this better than the vote on Tuesday (November 15) in the European Parliament about match fixing. This, as UEFA President Michel Platini keeps repeating, is, "the biggest threat facing the future of sport in Europe".
Britain and Europe have never been easy bedfellows and the turmoil of the eurozone may lead to a further, even permanent, alienation. Yet, ironically, in sport Britain is not on the periphery of Europe, but leading the way.
Nothing illustrates this better than the vote on Tuesday (November 15) in the European Parliament about match fixing. This, as UEFA President Michel Platini keeps repeating, is, "the biggest threat facing the future of sport in Europe".
November 15, 2011
Lord Condon: Every country has fixed matches, not just Pakistan
Evening Standard
There can have been few observers of cricket's spot-fixing trial who have a better knowledge of the threat the issue poses to the game than Lord Condon.
After all, in 2000 he set up the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit, which he chaired for a decade.
We meet in the wake of the convictions of the three Pakistan cricketers, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, who conspired to bowl deliberate no-balls during the Fourth Test with England last year.
There can have been few observers of cricket's spot-fixing trial who have a better knowledge of the threat the issue poses to the game than Lord Condon.
After all, in 2000 he set up the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit, which he chaired for a decade.
We meet in the wake of the convictions of the three Pakistan cricketers, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, who conspired to bowl deliberate no-balls during the Fourth Test with England last year.
November 8, 2011
Steve Redgrave: I'd swap all my medals just for the chance to row at London 2012
Evening Standard
Sir Steve Redgrave may be the bookies favourite to light the 2012 Olympic flame but his advice is to not to put any money on him.
Given that he has kept the opening night free from TV work the assumption is that on July 27 Britain's only Olympian to win five golds will enter the Olympic Stadium with the flame?
"Of course, I'd like the honour but, if you look through the history of the Games, they always try to have somebody who's a little bit more unexpected," he says. "So being favourite is not the best place to be. I think LOCOG [the 2012 organising committee] will do something a little bit different."
Sir Steve Redgrave may be the bookies favourite to light the 2012 Olympic flame but his advice is to not to put any money on him.
Given that he has kept the opening night free from TV work the assumption is that on July 27 Britain's only Olympian to win five golds will enter the Olympic Stadium with the flame?
"Of course, I'd like the honour but, if you look through the history of the Games, they always try to have somebody who's a little bit more unexpected," he says. "So being favourite is not the best place to be. I think LOCOG [the 2012 organising committee] will do something a little bit different."
November 5, 2011
The scourge that threatens the 'birthright of British boys'
FT
Cricket, said the writer J. M. Barrie, is a gift of the gods. Had Mr Barrie been at London's Southwark Crown Court these last few weeks, listening to the evidence that led to the jailing of three Pakistani cricketers for deliberately bowling no balls, he would have had to accept that the game is now controlled by the devil. So damming were some of the real life tales of cricketers lured by money that the creator of the magical Peter Pan books might have found them difficult to believe....Read more.
Cricket, said the writer J. M. Barrie, is a gift of the gods. Had Mr Barrie been at London's Southwark Crown Court these last few weeks, listening to the evidence that led to the jailing of three Pakistani cricketers for deliberately bowling no balls, he would have had to accept that the game is now controlled by the devil. So damming were some of the real life tales of cricketers lured by money that the creator of the magical Peter Pan books might have found them difficult to believe....Read more.
November 3, 2011
Cricket needs to show that it can clean up its act
talkSPORT
The Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast – Sports journalist Mihir Bose tells the Breakfast boys why Pakistan sport-fixing trial is important for the game.
Click here to listen to the interview
The Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast – Sports journalist Mihir Bose tells the Breakfast boys why Pakistan sport-fixing trial is important for the game.
Click here to listen to the interview
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