Friday 13 November 2009

Mike Carlson

It's time for that irregular feature here a FJM, a positive post!

Often my friends acuse me of not liking anyone on TV, saying I hate everyone and everything in sports broadcasting. Mostly that is true but there are exceptions.

Mike Carlson is the best pundit working on British TV today. You can read his work at NFLUK.com where he writes a weekly column, and check out his facebook appreciation society where he often comments. But most of all I suggest you tune in, or record Channel Five every Sunday night where Carlson does his thing. I haved watched a lot of NFL over the last few years and the constant adverts on Sky's coverage render it unwatchable unless you have recorded and can fast forward, or are doing something else at the same time. Five's studio show is perfectly done with just enough insight to humour ratio. Carlson's ability to analyse proves you don't have to be an ex-player to be a great pundit.

I beg you to give it a go because he deserves it

Monday 2 November 2009

Poor persecuted Fergie


Rowley Birkin rides again



Jeff Powell has had his cage rattled once again, this time it seems by his own colleagues (although it is always difficult to tell with him).

Sir Alex Ferguson lost top spot at Liverpool and is now public enemy No 1 with referees, but let's remember that he is ... STILL THE GREATEST


Snappy title eh?

This 2009-2010 campaign has turned into open season on the laird of Old Trafford. The rest of our national game is waiting for the mightiest of them all to fall.

God I hate Fergie. Let's make it clear from the outset my opinion on him. A truly great football manager who has consistently shown himself to be a tremendous judge of talent and a great man manager. The man who signed Roy Keane, Dennis Irwin, Patrice Evra, Ronaldo etc because he knew what they would bring to his team. I hold him up as an example of how to manage footballers: from old school players like Mark Hughes and Bryan Robson, through to modern day multi-millionaires like Ronaldo and Rooney.

Such a man would normally have my complete respect. Instead I have nothing but contempt for the man. As a man he fails to earn my respect on every level. Bad losers are good winners of course but Fergie takes it to another level.

The ruffling of authority's feathers and the intimidating of opponents are part and parcel of what it takes to be The Greatest. Ask Muhammed Ali.

Comparing him to Ali is interesting. Does Fergie even have any morals? Going to jail for committing no crime, only for an idea? I suppose Powell could be comparing the two as both are huge figures, dominating their sports with force of personality.
I think however, there is a slight difference between making a rude comment about a referee and refusing to go to war as a matter of principle when you know that you will lose your liberty as a result. Fergie's worst punishment is probably a week's wages rather than a loss of his livelihood at the peak of his career.
Ali was a horrible person a well I guess but I'm sure that's not what Powell means.

Whatever happened, gentlemen, to the freedom of speech which we profess to defend? Where would the stories come from if the leading players in the game of life were silenced? Yet football, in all its many constituents, is ganging up on the manager who keeps heaping more glory on our national game than most of his peers can begin to imagine.

I find this appalling journalism. Football is not ganging up on Fergie. Powell speaks as if Fergie has done nothing wrong, as if he is being persecuted. There is no glory in the way Sir Alex Ferguson treats people. Physically and verbally abusing his players; not allowing them the freedom which Powell so vociferously defends for Fergie himself; constantly belittling, condescending and undermining officials and opponents.

Ask this man which quality he looks for above all others when he recruits a new batch of kids or signs a £50million superstar and he will give you the answer himself. 'Character,' he will tell you. 'Aye, then it helps if they can play a bit. But first attitude, desire, pride, appetite.'

Berbatov? Nani? Owen? Kleberson?

Yet football, in all its many constituents, is ganging up on the manager who keeps heaping more glory on our national game than most of his peers can begin to imagine.

Just because your paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you? Criticising Fergie for talking absolute bollocks about referees, bringing the game into disrepute in the process, is not ganging up at all.

"The pace of the game demanded a referee who was fit. It is an indictment of our game. You see referees abroad who are as fit as butcher's dogs. He was taking 30 seconds to book a player. It was ridiculous."

"I think Howard Webb has a great chance to be the top referee but today was a big game for him and, at times, he favoured Arsenal. Their second goal came from him not giving a free-kick for a foul on Louis Saha on the far side. It should have been a foul for us."

"Everton knew it was a weak referee and they exploited that to the full. I don’t blame them. Right from the first whistle, there was no protection."

Just a few of Fergie's rants for which he never seems to get more than a slap on the wrist. What a way to 'heap glory' on the game this is.

On Wednesday, we came to the laughable point where one Roberto Martinez complained Ferguson wields too much power. Roberto who? For the benefit of the uninitiated, young Mr Martinez used to be the boss at Swansea and is now in charge at Wigan Athletic

I believe Jeff Powell is now moaning about Martinez expressing his freedom of speech. He's probably forgotten that bit already.

Having reacted with dignity in Rome by acknowledging Barcelona's superiority on the night, just as he did at Liverpool on Sunday, he is using the wisdom of his ages in the game to plot life after Ronaldo.

Cherry picking much? I think we have established that Fergie is bereft of both dignity and wisdom by the bucketful.

Anyway this is followed by lots of fawning over the great Fergie. Typical Powell BS.

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