BLOG POSTS
Posted Nov 9th 2008, 4:50pm
Calzaghe cements legendary status
Joe Calzaghe proved the doubters wrong once and for all last night in his destruction of Roy Jones Jr at Madison Square Gardens.
It seems illogical that a boxer who has just extended his undefeated career to 46 fights should be questioned so readily. The argument he has failed to fight enough quality opponents is not a criticism which should be aimed at the Welshman. It is not his fault his reign as champion fell during a time of limited stars in the middleweight category.
By recovering from another first-round knockdown in New York, Calzaghe showed he has not only the ability of a great champion but the character.
From that point on, there was only one winner as Jones wilted under the spotlight. Age has caught up with the American whereas Calzaghe looked in his prime with a devastating performance of speed and skill. His combinations bled the life out of Jones and it was somewhat surprising the referee did not halt the action due to the American’s deep cut above the left eye.
Though Calzaghe looks as though he could carry on for years to come, there really is no-one out there to add to his legacy. A re-match with Bernard Hopkins has been mooted but the first fight hardly sparkled. Kelly Pavlik was embarrassed by Hopkins last month which rules him out and Jones was pummelled so much last night a second clash does not bear thinking about.
Calzaghe has nothing left to prove. He is a great champion and will go down in history as one of the few unbeaten legends such as Rocky Marciano and Floyd Mayweather Jnr. His comprehensive victory underlines his place among these greats and is the perfect way to sign off a impregnable career in the ring.
Posted Nov 3rd 2008, 10:35pm
Time up for Boothroyd
Aidy Boothroyd’s departure from Vicarage Road has divided opinion but it is the right decision. The Watford manager had taken the club as far as he could and under his leadership there was only one way they were heading.
His record in the last year, of 12 wins in 48 games, was not good enough and the side have been in freefall since last November. It has been relegation form all the way and there was no suggestion he could turn it around if he remained in charge. From a side that looked well place to win automatic promotion last year, what went wrong?
The board have certainly got a lot to answer for. They have effectively tied Boothroyd’s hands by selling Watford’s best players such as Marlon King, Dan Shittu. In that respect I have some sympathy for Boothroyd but the truth is he is a limited manager. His first season was remarkable but he has failed to build on that and his last two seasons have been disappointing. Relegation from the Premiership was no disgrace but the way the team capitulated on their return to the Championship was abysmal. His tactics were one dimensional and he appeared to alienate his players at the end of last season. Losing the dressing room signalled the beginning of the end for the rookie boss.
He also made a mistake in failing to appoint a replacement for Keith Burkinshaw as assistant manager. It was no coincidence Watford’s results tailed off after his sudden exit and Boothroyd should have boosted his coaching staff with much needed experience. Are Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson too experienced to have an assistant? He needed someone to counter him on tactics and man-management. But his decision was a major error.
While the football has improved this season the results have not. It was time for Boothroyd to go but where the club goes from here who knows? The money is clearly not there- whether a cheap replacement can do a better job, with the limited resources, is questionable.
Comments
Posted Oct 25th 2008, 2:42pm
Shambles at Loftus Road
The decision to dismiss Queens Park Rangers first-team coach Iain Dowie after only 15 games in charge sums up the sheer lunacy which exists at the Championship club.
If they think they can simply cruise to promotion by replacing their manager at the drop of a hat they are sadly mistaken.
Dowie is an unspectacular manager with a patchy record and was not the man to take over at Loftus Road. But having been given the job by Flavio Briatore he should have been given the chance to build his own team. Sitting in the top ten of the division with only four defeats is no cause for serious concern. It was a horribly rash move but still came as no surprise when announced yesterday.
The former Crystal Palace boss never got the opportunity to shape his own side and was forced into integrating a group, of talented yet not necessarily suitable foreign signings, into the team. Was Daniel Parejo a good acquisition from Real Madrid or just a marketing ploy to stir excitement in West London? Did he offer anything more than the excellent Akos Buzsaky?
The fact is Luigi De Canio did a fine job, in guiding Rangers away from the drop while introducing an entertaining brand of football, last season. He deserved to keep his job and would have been better suited to bringing the best out of recruits such as Parejo and Emmanuel Ledesma.
Big names are predictably linked with the hotseat but with the current regime at QPR no-one will raise an eyebrow if we are discussing the latest vacancy at the club within the next six months. Money can buy you only so much- it does not guarantee the stability and shrewdness to ensure success.
Comments
Posted Sep 23rd 2008, 6:14pm
The imaginary goal
Watching the goal that never was on Saturday was undoubtedly the most surreal moment I have witnessed at a football match. There have been plenty of strange episodes at Vicarage Road, including seeing poor Pierre Issa dropped from a stretcher, but Reading's first 'goal' against Watford was something else entirely.
It still baffles everyone how a linesman and referee could get something so obvious so badly wrong? The decision was laughable but Watford certainly did not find it funny after dropping two points.
Calls for the game to be replayed are wide of the mark and just not realistic. But a full apology from the officials is needed and the two players, Jobi McAnuff and Will Hoskins, deserve to have their bookings in protest rescinded. To my mind, after an appalling decision like that, it was surprising that the protests by Watford's fans and players were so restrained.
Stuart Attwell and linesman Nigel Bannister should have explained the decision publicly rather than hiding behind the governing body. And they can expect lengthy demotions and possible suspension.
One thing is for sure - it was a remarkable occurence and one that is unlikely, and hopefully, not going to be repeated.
Comments
Posted Sep 11th 2008, 11:58pm
Walcott the wonderful
Theo Walcott's arrival on the world stage also marked the moment when Fabio Capello's Brave New England found an identity. The long suffering fans have been waiting years for something to excite them on the national stage. Now it appears the long wait is over.
England's outstanding win in Croatia demonstrates what they are capable of. In Walcott, the nation has a right sided attacker who can thrill the fans for the next decade and beyond barring injury.
In Capello, England have a world class coach who will deliver a successful team. There is little doubt they will qualify for South Africa but the true test will come at the World Cup itself.
No one should get carried away. England have not become a great side over night. But the potential is there, alongside additions such as Ashley Young and Micah Richards, for a team that can finally offer the opportunity to challenge for honours in major tournaments.
Comments
Posted Jul 7th 2008, 5:18pm
Classic match
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal served up an absolute treat yesterday in a sporting classic. Their five-set tussle in the Wimbledon men’s final will live long in the memory and brought casual sports fans together for one unforgettable tale.
The epic had absolutely everything and the sheer quality of the play was beyond even the lofty expectations going into the clash. Nadal held all the aces in the opening two sets but Federer showed his class by taking the match into five sets and making it an unrelenting drama. But the Spaniard had the edge and is deservedly now recognised as the unofficial best on the planet. The rankings might take a bit longer to confirm this, but he is the man to beat now after following up his demolition of Federer in Paris with a sensational win on grass.
The result heralds the start of a new era in tennis with Nadal the new top dog. Federer is only 26 and should not be written off. Far from it, he is one of the greatest players ever and will remain a threat wherever he plays. But the air of invincibility he carried to the court for the last five years is over and it will be a huge challenge for him to respond after his agony in the last two finals.
There is no doubt this heavyweight showdown is up there with the best matches in history. The fact tennis legends such as John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg have acclaimed it as the best ever just shows how highly it must rank. Quite simply this was pure sporting theatre at its finest.
Comments
Posted Jun 30th 2008, 4:56pm
Spain finally make talent count
The age old question of Spanish potential being fulfilled was finally answered last night after a comprehensive defeat of Germany in the Euro 2008 final.
The scoreline may only have read 1-0 but the difference between the sides was insurmountable. Spain completely outclassed the leggy, mediocre Germans and should have cantered home by three goals. The Spaniards have been the overwhelming success story from an excellent tournament. The only shame was Germany’s undeserved appearance in the final. The Croats defeated them and would have done so again had they got the chance. The Portuguese had an off day but only lost to them after gifting them two free headers from set pieces. And the Turks’ second string totally outplayed them and only poor finishing let them down.
The final would have still gone to Luis Aragones’ deserving winners but the competition was denied the classic finish it merited.
In Casillas, Fabregas, Senna and Torres the Spanish had the best spine of all the teams. The rest of their squad backed them with outstanding performances and a unity too often absent from the perennial chokers. The win over Italy on penalties was a breakthrough and one that would have gone against them in previous years. Not this time and they look well placed to dominate the global stage for the next six years and beyond. South Africa 2010 already looks the ideal setting to underline their status as a world class team.
Comments