Hello everyone.
Just thought I would let you know that I have created a new football blog. It's called Behind The Goal, and will feature news, views and opinions on the world of football throughout the season. Hopefully it will become a site you regularly visit and enjoy.
I'll still keep this blog as well for non-football pieces and for if I ever write any deep and meaningfuls.
Anyway, come and find me at behindthe-goal.blogspot.co.uk
Adam
Sunday, 12 August 2012
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Chelsea's Night in Barcelona
Last night I watched Chelsea reach the Champions League final with in my opinion one of the finest displays by an English team in Europe I have ever seen. Their first leg win was an impressive show of defensive resilience finished off with a killer counter-attacking goal, but they knew doing the same in Barcelona - they were never going to try to win any other way - would be something else.
I didn't give them much of a chance at kick-off, and losing Gary Cahill to injury, and John Terry to his stupid sending off either side of Barca's two goals seemed to spell the end for their hopes. Yet when Ramires stunned the home crowd with the away goal that put them in front in the tie, and then when Lionel Messi saw his penalty hit the bar, I started to sense that it could and then would be their night. I didn't necessarily think I wanted Chelsea to win before the game - I am not one of these fans that automatically roots for the English team in Europe - yet when Fernando Torres put the seal on the win, I couldn't have felt prouder of their efforts.
Sadly it came at a cost. Terry deserved his red card and deserves to miss the final, yet Branislav Ivanovic, Raul Meireles, and Ramires can all count themselves unlucky to all miss the Munich showpiece after picking up bookings at the Nou Camp. Some may say rules are rules, but personally I think accumulated yellow cards should be wiped clean at the semi-final stage to avoid final suspensions. The Champions League final is the biggest game in club football, and it seems a shame that we may see it played by under strength sides.
Roberto Di Matteo prepared for the game last night by making eight changes from the first leg for the Premier League draw at Arsenal last Saturday. That left Chelsea four points behind 4th-placed Newcastle with four games to go. I did think that 4th place represented their best chance of a return to the Champions League next season, but now I'm not so sure. They may be quite content to let the Premier League go if it means they can prepare for the final on the 19th May. I think they have every reason to believe that this year is finally the year they get their hands on the European Cup and get back in the Champions League not as one of England's top four, but as Europe's top one.
I didn't give them much of a chance at kick-off, and losing Gary Cahill to injury, and John Terry to his stupid sending off either side of Barca's two goals seemed to spell the end for their hopes. Yet when Ramires stunned the home crowd with the away goal that put them in front in the tie, and then when Lionel Messi saw his penalty hit the bar, I started to sense that it could and then would be their night. I didn't necessarily think I wanted Chelsea to win before the game - I am not one of these fans that automatically roots for the English team in Europe - yet when Fernando Torres put the seal on the win, I couldn't have felt prouder of their efforts.
Sadly it came at a cost. Terry deserved his red card and deserves to miss the final, yet Branislav Ivanovic, Raul Meireles, and Ramires can all count themselves unlucky to all miss the Munich showpiece after picking up bookings at the Nou Camp. Some may say rules are rules, but personally I think accumulated yellow cards should be wiped clean at the semi-final stage to avoid final suspensions. The Champions League final is the biggest game in club football, and it seems a shame that we may see it played by under strength sides.
Roberto Di Matteo prepared for the game last night by making eight changes from the first leg for the Premier League draw at Arsenal last Saturday. That left Chelsea four points behind 4th-placed Newcastle with four games to go. I did think that 4th place represented their best chance of a return to the Champions League next season, but now I'm not so sure. They may be quite content to let the Premier League go if it means they can prepare for the final on the 19th May. I think they have every reason to believe that this year is finally the year they get their hands on the European Cup and get back in the Champions League not as one of England's top four, but as Europe's top one.
Monday, 27 February 2012
The dreaded D-word
I play darts every week, not at an outstanding level, but I'd like to think I am competent enough. Yet, right now, I have never felt less confident about the state of my game.
For a number of years I have struggled to get my throw absolutely right, and I have persevered with different techniques and styles. But right now, I just can't get it right. There are times when I literally cannot get the darts out of my hand. I haven't wanted to use the dreaded D-word, for fear of it becoming an excuse for not playing well, but I really might have to come to terms that my problems are down to a bout of Dartitis.
When moving my arm back before the throw I am ok, then after that is where the problems start. Without being able to stop it, my shoulder will move itself up - to the point where my hand is almost above my head - then my hand does not want to let the dart go. Those that have seen my throw have commented on how snatchy and untidy it looks. Every single dart feels like a battle at the moment, and I feel myself really having to fight myself to get them in the board on target. Every now and then I still throw the odd 100 and 140, but it's not nearly as fluid as it should be, and I am tempted to think it is more luck than skill when I do come up with good scores or doubles.
I don't know about anyone else that may have had the same, but I feel like I am in a Catch-22. I don't want to practise because I know I won't throw very well if I do, and to be honest I am not sure I am enjoying it, yet if I don't practise at all, then my game will disappear completely and the problem will get worse.
Has anyone out there suffered from a similar crisis of confidence, and how did you get out of it? Are there any techniques to get a steady and smooth action back, or is it literally a case of just throw and hope it gets better? Or would a break from the game for a week or so be beneficial? Any help would be appreciated.
For a number of years I have struggled to get my throw absolutely right, and I have persevered with different techniques and styles. But right now, I just can't get it right. There are times when I literally cannot get the darts out of my hand. I haven't wanted to use the dreaded D-word, for fear of it becoming an excuse for not playing well, but I really might have to come to terms that my problems are down to a bout of Dartitis.
When moving my arm back before the throw I am ok, then after that is where the problems start. Without being able to stop it, my shoulder will move itself up - to the point where my hand is almost above my head - then my hand does not want to let the dart go. Those that have seen my throw have commented on how snatchy and untidy it looks. Every single dart feels like a battle at the moment, and I feel myself really having to fight myself to get them in the board on target. Every now and then I still throw the odd 100 and 140, but it's not nearly as fluid as it should be, and I am tempted to think it is more luck than skill when I do come up with good scores or doubles.
I don't know about anyone else that may have had the same, but I feel like I am in a Catch-22. I don't want to practise because I know I won't throw very well if I do, and to be honest I am not sure I am enjoying it, yet if I don't practise at all, then my game will disappear completely and the problem will get worse.
Has anyone out there suffered from a similar crisis of confidence, and how did you get out of it? Are there any techniques to get a steady and smooth action back, or is it literally a case of just throw and hope it gets better? Or would a break from the game for a week or so be beneficial? Any help would be appreciated.
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Valentine's Day sucks
Today is the 14th February, Valentine's Day. Or as I prefer to call it, Tuesday. Honestly, how has it become so big?
It is amazing how this day has sucked in, and continues to suck in, couples who think they have to spend money on one day to prove their love for each other. I always think that if you love someone that much, you can tell them any day of the year. I would like to think it means more when she isn't expecting it. I shouldn't have to be told to by the card companies and retailers who, lets face it, are desperate to make some money in that awkward time of the year between Christmas and Easter. They say it is the most romantic day of the year. Nonsense, if anything it is the least.
You may think that this blog - some may want to call it a rant - screams of jealousy on my part due to the fact that I am single, but far from it. I don't think so anyway. Those that know me know that my relationship history isn't the greatest, in fact the last time I had a girlfriend on the 14th February was four years ago - don't ask how that went - and even then I was uncomfortable at the idea of having to splash out on a gift, a meal and a bottle of Pinot Grigio. I would like to think I had enough about me to be able to do that any time of the year, although maybe my discomfort at having to spend some money was the reason she finished with me, haha.
Nothing against those couples who are spending tonight in each other's company, but don't rub it in to the grumpy old singletons amongst us. Besides, I have got plans of my own tonight, I have gone and booked a table at my favourite venue. Now, where did I leave my Snooker cue?
It is amazing how this day has sucked in, and continues to suck in, couples who think they have to spend money on one day to prove their love for each other. I always think that if you love someone that much, you can tell them any day of the year. I would like to think it means more when she isn't expecting it. I shouldn't have to be told to by the card companies and retailers who, lets face it, are desperate to make some money in that awkward time of the year between Christmas and Easter. They say it is the most romantic day of the year. Nonsense, if anything it is the least.
You may think that this blog - some may want to call it a rant - screams of jealousy on my part due to the fact that I am single, but far from it. I don't think so anyway. Those that know me know that my relationship history isn't the greatest, in fact the last time I had a girlfriend on the 14th February was four years ago - don't ask how that went - and even then I was uncomfortable at the idea of having to splash out on a gift, a meal and a bottle of Pinot Grigio. I would like to think I had enough about me to be able to do that any time of the year, although maybe my discomfort at having to spend some money was the reason she finished with me, haha.
Nothing against those couples who are spending tonight in each other's company, but don't rub it in to the grumpy old singletons amongst us. Besides, I have got plans of my own tonight, I have gone and booked a table at my favourite venue. Now, where did I leave my Snooker cue?
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
The PDC World Championship: My Men of the Tournament.
The Ladbrokes World Darts Championship reached its conclusion on Monday night, and will be remembered for being probably the best tournament ever staged in the 19-year history of the event. There of course could only be one winner, that man being Adrian Lewis, who etched his name further into the game's history books, but there were many more players for which the tournament was a success.
Andy Hamilton’s run to the final was helped in no small part by his belief, will to win, and simply the fact that he is one of the most difficult players on the circuit to finish off. Antonio Alcinas could have had him in the first round, Vincent van der Voort could have put him out in the second, and Simon Whitlock probably should have won their semi-final, but Hamilton is one of the most tenacious guys out there, and only he decides when the game is over. In all honesty, the final was a game too far, but £100,000, a rise to 7th in the Order of Merit, and a place in the Premier League is a decent consolation for a player who nearly didn’t qualify for the Matchplay last summer. Then he looked like a player whose best days were behind him, but how wrong some of us were.
John Part proved once again that class is permanent with a run to the quarter-finals that had the fans reminiscing of times gone by when he really was the man to beat. Part is a master of the set format, and the match against James Wade went a long way to proving it. Few players down the years have won as many match-defining legs as the Canadian has – his 2008 title win was built around how many sets he won on 5th legs – and it only took a sudden death leg to defeat him. He is back up to 24th in the Order of Merit, but most importantly we learned that he has his hunger back for the big matches that are hopefully still to come in his career, that’s if he ever lost it, of course.
Before the World Championship, few had really heard much about Kim Huybrechts. Fair enough, he has had a couple of decent results before - he had reached a European Championship quarter-final - but he was hardly a household name. We all took notice however after he put out Grand Prix finalist Brendan Dolan in the first round. To be fair, Dolan didn't turn up, but Huybrechts put in a mature performance on his Alexandra Palace debut. The London crowd had a new name to look out for and cheer for, and that was before they were introduced to his girlfriend Dana! She unwittingly played more of a part in her man's victory over Paul Nicholson in the third round, after The Asset blamed Sky for giving her too much airtime, which led to a surge in crowd activity on his key throws. In all honesty, that took away from another brilliant win from the Belgian, who in a couple of years could be one of the really big players in the PDC.
The last word has to go to the champion though. Adrian Lewis retained the title, becoming only the third man in the sport’s history, after Eric Bristow and Raymond van Barneveld to successfully defend his first World Championship. There were a number of occasions on which he looked vulnerable, not least in the first round, when two sets behind Nigel Heydon, but champions manage to find an extra gear, and he managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. He looked in real trouble against James Wade in the semi-final, and very few players would have been capable of winning five successive sets – which included all of the final ten legs of the match – to win a sensational encounter 6-5. His missed double 12 for the 9-darter in the final was probably the only thing missing from a job very well done.
The line-up for the 2012 Premier League has been announced as I write. The top 4 in the Order of Merit - Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis, James Wade, Gary Anderson - are joined by wild card selections Raymond van Barneveld, Simon Whitlock, Andy Hamilton and Kevin Painter. After that, the real tournament action begins, where the Hamiltons and Huybrechts of this world will look to build on the very firm foundations they now have following a brilliant World Championship.
Andy Hamilton’s run to the final was helped in no small part by his belief, will to win, and simply the fact that he is one of the most difficult players on the circuit to finish off. Antonio Alcinas could have had him in the first round, Vincent van der Voort could have put him out in the second, and Simon Whitlock probably should have won their semi-final, but Hamilton is one of the most tenacious guys out there, and only he decides when the game is over. In all honesty, the final was a game too far, but £100,000, a rise to 7th in the Order of Merit, and a place in the Premier League is a decent consolation for a player who nearly didn’t qualify for the Matchplay last summer. Then he looked like a player whose best days were behind him, but how wrong some of us were.
John Part proved once again that class is permanent with a run to the quarter-finals that had the fans reminiscing of times gone by when he really was the man to beat. Part is a master of the set format, and the match against James Wade went a long way to proving it. Few players down the years have won as many match-defining legs as the Canadian has – his 2008 title win was built around how many sets he won on 5th legs – and it only took a sudden death leg to defeat him. He is back up to 24th in the Order of Merit, but most importantly we learned that he has his hunger back for the big matches that are hopefully still to come in his career, that’s if he ever lost it, of course.
Simon Whitlock’s broken left ankle kept him out of the Grand Slam and the Players Championship finals, and there were doubts over whether he would be in any fit state to compete at the Worlds. So much so, that bookmakers suspended betting on his first round tie with Dennis Smith, for fear of either an upset or a withdrawal. They needn’t have worried. A near flawless showing with a 105 average meant that the beard really had to be feared. Few expected him to beat Gary Anderson in the quarter-finals, least of all in the devastating fashion in which he did, but he proved that he was just as dangerous is two years before, where he reached the final. Only a spirited Hamilton revival denied him a second crack at the title, but I think he would have taken a last-four place three weeks ago.
Before the World Championship, few had really heard much about Kim Huybrechts. Fair enough, he has had a couple of decent results before - he had reached a European Championship quarter-final - but he was hardly a household name. We all took notice however after he put out Grand Prix finalist Brendan Dolan in the first round. To be fair, Dolan didn't turn up, but Huybrechts put in a mature performance on his Alexandra Palace debut. The London crowd had a new name to look out for and cheer for, and that was before they were introduced to his girlfriend Dana! She unwittingly played more of a part in her man's victory over Paul Nicholson in the third round, after The Asset blamed Sky for giving her too much airtime, which led to a surge in crowd activity on his key throws. In all honesty, that took away from another brilliant win from the Belgian, who in a couple of years could be one of the really big players in the PDC.
The last word has to go to the champion though. Adrian Lewis retained the title, becoming only the third man in the sport’s history, after Eric Bristow and Raymond van Barneveld to successfully defend his first World Championship. There were a number of occasions on which he looked vulnerable, not least in the first round, when two sets behind Nigel Heydon, but champions manage to find an extra gear, and he managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. He looked in real trouble against James Wade in the semi-final, and very few players would have been capable of winning five successive sets – which included all of the final ten legs of the match – to win a sensational encounter 6-5. His missed double 12 for the 9-darter in the final was probably the only thing missing from a job very well done.
The line-up for the 2012 Premier League has been announced as I write. The top 4 in the Order of Merit - Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis, James Wade, Gary Anderson - are joined by wild card selections Raymond van Barneveld, Simon Whitlock, Andy Hamilton and Kevin Painter. After that, the real tournament action begins, where the Hamiltons and Huybrechts of this world will look to build on the very firm foundations they now have following a brilliant World Championship.
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
2012 World Darts Championship preview
The 2012 Ladbrokes World Darts Championship gets underway this Thursday, as 72 players prepare to battle it out for a winners cheque of £200,000, the biggest prize in the sport, and a place among the all time greats. Can Adrian Lewis defend the title he won for the first time in 2011? Will another new face lift the famous trophy? Or will Phil Taylor win his 16th World title on the 2nd January?
The Power is obviously the man to beat despite last week's failure to win the Players Championship finals. His loss to Mervyn King and earlier wobble against Terry Jenkins suggests that he isn't unbeatable, but this is the Worlds, where the long format really plays into his hands. The Stoke ace faces what looks like a comfortable passage into the 2nd round with a game against either Haruki Muramatsu or Dennis Nilsson, but Taylor has been around long enough to know that no game is a gimme, and if it is to be the Swede, he will give Dennis Nilsson the respect he would give Dennis Priestley. The vast majority of fans, pundits and indeed players, would fancy him to reach the quarter-final, where he is seeded to meet his old rival, the 8th seeded Raymond van Barneveld.
A televised tournament win has eluded Barney for four years now, and apart from perhaps the Premier League, where he lost a tight semi-final to eventual winner Gary Anderson, he hasn't looked like ending his run. If he is indeed to challenge in the later stages, he will most likely have to defeat Paul Nicholson in the 3rd Round before the Taylor quarter-final. There is no doubt that an in-form and a happy van Barneveld is capable of winning both of those ties, indeed the whole event, but the man we usually see is far removed from that. If only we could get the Barney of 2007 back to give Taylor a game we remember like that final five years ago. Time will tell which turns up.
I expect the seeding to take its course, which means a 3rd round encounter between van Barneveld and Nicholson, but the Geordie-Aussie, who now lives in Chorley, will have to be at his very best against Mensur Suljovic in Round 1. The Austrian may rarely feature in the big tournaments, but when he does, he gives the big boys real tests. In my preview for last year's Worlds, I said it would not surprise me if he reached the 3rd Round by defeating James Wade. He did just that, so Nicholson will be on his toes. Win or lose however, The Asset will surely be one of the most talked about players at the Alexandra Palace, as his Marmite image and personality continues to divide the fans.
The likely semi-final opponent for Taylor, van Barneveld or Nicholson (in fact I would be shocked if anyone else won the second quarter of the draw) is Gary Anderson. Last year's runner up and the 2011 Premier League champion has had a kind draw in the first round, against Jyhan Artut of Germany. Colin Lloyd or an improving Scott Rand could await in the 3rd Round, but an in-form Scot should have enough over a long format for those, and he has been helped by the fact that Simon Whitlock, who he would play in the last 8 if it goes according to seeding, is struggling with an ankle injury that has kept him out of the Grand Slam and the Players Championship finals. The Aussie will be desperate to not only compete, but to at least reach a clash with Anderson. Some may say he has to get that far, if not further. He is defending runners-up money from 2010 and a slip down the rankings awaits should Anderson, or Steve Beaton or Mervyn King (his seeded 2nd and 3rd Round opponents) put him out. He has been given the longest possible recovery time by the organisers; his tie with the veteran Dennis Smith is on the final day of first round play.
As for the bottom half of the draw, Adrian Lewis is 5/2 favourite with the sponsors to reach the final. If he shows anywhere near the blistering form of last year, he should easily make his way into a last 16 encounter with probably Wayne Jones, who has had a couple of iffy tournaments of late since his terrific rise up the rankings in the last 12-18 months. After that it ought to be Wes Newton, whose brilliant year, including a UK Open final, has put him in the reckoning for a Premier League place in the new year. Jackpot gave us the highlight of the event in the final, with a magical 9-darter in just the third leg against Anderson, and no doubt he will fancy his chances of at least one more during the event. His tournament win featured a record 60 180s in total, and he could go close to that landmark as well.
If Lewis does reach the semi-finals, and I think he will, Mark Webster or James Wade will provide a very tough test. They are scheduled to meet in the last 8, and have already had some very tense games this year, notably the UK Open semi-final, where Wade edged the Welshman out in a deciding leg. Webster has arguably the best record in the Sky majors in 2011 - although without a win, he is the only player to reach at least the quarter-finals in all of them, and in addition, was runner-up to Kevin Painter last week in Doncaster. He is nothing if not tenacious and difficult to beat, yet perhaps lacks the killer instinct that Wade has when it comes to key, game-changing doubles.
The Machine added the UK Open to his trophy cabinet this year, although he is continually targeted by those who insist that somehow they aren't 'real' victories because he hasn't knocked out Phil Taylor to win any. He is desperate to put that right and defeat The Power in the final, yet he would take beating whoever it takes I'm sure. He is however sometimes prone to losing games he should win (see Suljovic last year, Scott Waites in the Grand Slam final). If he gets his head for the game right, he is as dangerous in every form of the game as is necessary to win his first World title.
As always, the quality of the field gets higher and higher, and the number of players knocking on the door of the top 32 is growing. Some seeds, in my opinion, are in big danger of pre-Christmas exits. They include former finalist Mark Dudbridge, who faces rising star and former Lakeside finalist Dave Chisnall. Vincent van der Voort will have to be at his best to beat Mark Hylton. Andy Hamilton could have had easier ties than Antonio Alcinas, and Colin Osborne, a player who has had a difficult year, faces Michael van Gerwen, who will surely prove why he has been lauded as a wonderkid for so many years now.
All the action is on Sky Sports HD, and I can't wait for it to start!
The Power is obviously the man to beat despite last week's failure to win the Players Championship finals. His loss to Mervyn King and earlier wobble against Terry Jenkins suggests that he isn't unbeatable, but this is the Worlds, where the long format really plays into his hands. The Stoke ace faces what looks like a comfortable passage into the 2nd round with a game against either Haruki Muramatsu or Dennis Nilsson, but Taylor has been around long enough to know that no game is a gimme, and if it is to be the Swede, he will give Dennis Nilsson the respect he would give Dennis Priestley. The vast majority of fans, pundits and indeed players, would fancy him to reach the quarter-final, where he is seeded to meet his old rival, the 8th seeded Raymond van Barneveld.
A televised tournament win has eluded Barney for four years now, and apart from perhaps the Premier League, where he lost a tight semi-final to eventual winner Gary Anderson, he hasn't looked like ending his run. If he is indeed to challenge in the later stages, he will most likely have to defeat Paul Nicholson in the 3rd Round before the Taylor quarter-final. There is no doubt that an in-form and a happy van Barneveld is capable of winning both of those ties, indeed the whole event, but the man we usually see is far removed from that. If only we could get the Barney of 2007 back to give Taylor a game we remember like that final five years ago. Time will tell which turns up.
I expect the seeding to take its course, which means a 3rd round encounter between van Barneveld and Nicholson, but the Geordie-Aussie, who now lives in Chorley, will have to be at his very best against Mensur Suljovic in Round 1. The Austrian may rarely feature in the big tournaments, but when he does, he gives the big boys real tests. In my preview for last year's Worlds, I said it would not surprise me if he reached the 3rd Round by defeating James Wade. He did just that, so Nicholson will be on his toes. Win or lose however, The Asset will surely be one of the most talked about players at the Alexandra Palace, as his Marmite image and personality continues to divide the fans.
The likely semi-final opponent for Taylor, van Barneveld or Nicholson (in fact I would be shocked if anyone else won the second quarter of the draw) is Gary Anderson. Last year's runner up and the 2011 Premier League champion has had a kind draw in the first round, against Jyhan Artut of Germany. Colin Lloyd or an improving Scott Rand could await in the 3rd Round, but an in-form Scot should have enough over a long format for those, and he has been helped by the fact that Simon Whitlock, who he would play in the last 8 if it goes according to seeding, is struggling with an ankle injury that has kept him out of the Grand Slam and the Players Championship finals. The Aussie will be desperate to not only compete, but to at least reach a clash with Anderson. Some may say he has to get that far, if not further. He is defending runners-up money from 2010 and a slip down the rankings awaits should Anderson, or Steve Beaton or Mervyn King (his seeded 2nd and 3rd Round opponents) put him out. He has been given the longest possible recovery time by the organisers; his tie with the veteran Dennis Smith is on the final day of first round play.
As for the bottom half of the draw, Adrian Lewis is 5/2 favourite with the sponsors to reach the final. If he shows anywhere near the blistering form of last year, he should easily make his way into a last 16 encounter with probably Wayne Jones, who has had a couple of iffy tournaments of late since his terrific rise up the rankings in the last 12-18 months. After that it ought to be Wes Newton, whose brilliant year, including a UK Open final, has put him in the reckoning for a Premier League place in the new year. Jackpot gave us the highlight of the event in the final, with a magical 9-darter in just the third leg against Anderson, and no doubt he will fancy his chances of at least one more during the event. His tournament win featured a record 60 180s in total, and he could go close to that landmark as well.
If Lewis does reach the semi-finals, and I think he will, Mark Webster or James Wade will provide a very tough test. They are scheduled to meet in the last 8, and have already had some very tense games this year, notably the UK Open semi-final, where Wade edged the Welshman out in a deciding leg. Webster has arguably the best record in the Sky majors in 2011 - although without a win, he is the only player to reach at least the quarter-finals in all of them, and in addition, was runner-up to Kevin Painter last week in Doncaster. He is nothing if not tenacious and difficult to beat, yet perhaps lacks the killer instinct that Wade has when it comes to key, game-changing doubles.
The Machine added the UK Open to his trophy cabinet this year, although he is continually targeted by those who insist that somehow they aren't 'real' victories because he hasn't knocked out Phil Taylor to win any. He is desperate to put that right and defeat The Power in the final, yet he would take beating whoever it takes I'm sure. He is however sometimes prone to losing games he should win (see Suljovic last year, Scott Waites in the Grand Slam final). If he gets his head for the game right, he is as dangerous in every form of the game as is necessary to win his first World title.
As always, the quality of the field gets higher and higher, and the number of players knocking on the door of the top 32 is growing. Some seeds, in my opinion, are in big danger of pre-Christmas exits. They include former finalist Mark Dudbridge, who faces rising star and former Lakeside finalist Dave Chisnall. Vincent van der Voort will have to be at his best to beat Mark Hylton. Andy Hamilton could have had easier ties than Antonio Alcinas, and Colin Osborne, a player who has had a difficult year, faces Michael van Gerwen, who will surely prove why he has been lauded as a wonderkid for so many years now.
All the action is on Sky Sports HD, and I can't wait for it to start!
Thursday, 10 November 2011
Newcastle United: Controversial or Canny?
Newcastle United have renamed their St. James' Park ground the Sports Direct Arena, in a move which many will see as controversial, yet others may possibly understand and even embrace.
While sponsored stadiums are hardly rare these days, they have usually been restricted, at the top level at least, to newbuild stadiums such as Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, and renaming has so far only been done by Manchester City, whose Etihad Stadium, formerly the City of Manchester Stadium has only been home since 2003. Newcastle have played at their home for 119 years, so they are removing as much a part of their history as the black and white stripes. But they will be earning hundreds of millions of pounds to do it, and in this billionaire era of football we live in, any means of gaining a financial advantage has to be looked at. If it means being controversial, then so be it in my opinion. For Newcastle, that money could be the difference between merely existing in the Premier League and having the clout to really challenge at the top end of the table again.
If fans do not want to use the new name, they don't have to. How many fans of Bradford City (Coral Windows Stadium), Leyton Orient (Matchroom Stadium) or Stevenage (Lamex Stadium) use their sponsored names? At a guess, I would imagine they would mostly still refer to their homes as Valley Parade, Brisbane Road and Broadhall Way. Yet are they all grateful for the extra money in the coffers those names bring? What do you reckon?
I would not mind, within reason, what my team's ground was called. The money it generates, and stability that can bring is worth more than a name.
While sponsored stadiums are hardly rare these days, they have usually been restricted, at the top level at least, to newbuild stadiums such as Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, and renaming has so far only been done by Manchester City, whose Etihad Stadium, formerly the City of Manchester Stadium has only been home since 2003. Newcastle have played at their home for 119 years, so they are removing as much a part of their history as the black and white stripes. But they will be earning hundreds of millions of pounds to do it, and in this billionaire era of football we live in, any means of gaining a financial advantage has to be looked at. If it means being controversial, then so be it in my opinion. For Newcastle, that money could be the difference between merely existing in the Premier League and having the clout to really challenge at the top end of the table again.
If fans do not want to use the new name, they don't have to. How many fans of Bradford City (Coral Windows Stadium), Leyton Orient (Matchroom Stadium) or Stevenage (Lamex Stadium) use their sponsored names? At a guess, I would imagine they would mostly still refer to their homes as Valley Parade, Brisbane Road and Broadhall Way. Yet are they all grateful for the extra money in the coffers those names bring? What do you reckon?
I would not mind, within reason, what my team's ground was called. The money it generates, and stability that can bring is worth more than a name.
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