The Sporting Rant

Hatton faces his biggest fight yet

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 23:31:00 +0000

Ricky Hatton’s admittance into a rehabilitation clinic is yet another case of a sports star falling victim to the perils of depression, and yet another sad tale of the demise of a former boxing champion.

We’ve seen countless others who have been hit hard by the problem of depression - Paul Gascoigne, Frank Bruno and Marcus Trescothick to name just a few of those.

Now, after recent newspaper revelations of drug use, ‘The Hitman’ faces the toughest fight of his life so far as he tries to battle the demons which have obviously taken over since the 31-year-old realised his career in the ring was finished.

Hatton has always enjoyed his drink between fights so I wasn’t surprised to see he had been making a lot more than his fair share of visits to the pub since he got dispatched of in two rounds by Manny Pacquiao back in May 2009.

But, to see him taking drugs was a surprise and it’s sad to see such a character, a down to earth family man, snorting cocaine in a hotel room.

Replacing the drug that is sport is always a difficult task, especially those who live and breathe their profession. So many struggle and Hatton is just the latest in a long list.

Boxing is a hard sport to walk away from, many hang around in the game far too long and refuse to hang up their gloves, leaving themselves open to physical and mental damage.

Hatton seemed to be coming to his senses, after first speaking about wanting to fight again after his battering at the hands of Pacquiao he recently came out and said that his time in the ring was up despite renewing his licence with the British Boxing Board of Control in July.

A lot of fight fans breathed a sigh of relief that they wouldn’t have to see one of their favourite boxers endure any unnecessary punishment after a long career.

But this declaration came amidst this apparent depression and the sudden realisation on his part may have tipped him to breaking point. If not, the newspaper revelations certainly did.

Ricky can be very grateful he has a strong family around him who have no forced him into rehabilitation as the News of The World revelations may have ruined him for good.

The paper in question was definitely correct to publish the story. They were given evidence in the form of video that a British sports star was a drug user - it’s a no-brainer.

However, with his image in tatters, an already despondent and isolated Hatton could have fallen deeper into depression. We all know what it can do to you but thankfully his family and management have helped him go to rehab.

Despite all of the history of depression with sports professionals, Hatton’s case is one that has surprised me as during his boxing career he wasn’t exactly the type of fighter who devoted himself fully to the ring.

There’s boxers, and other sportsmen and women, who live for only one thing and that’s their sport. They cut themselves off from normal life and push themselves to very limits but when that goes they’re left with nothing but the financial rewards and a name in the history books.

Hatton never quite did that, but that’s not a detrimental comment on what he achieved as he’s won world titles and done very well for himself financially.

However, we all knew between fights he was ‘one of the lads’ and could drink Guinness as good as any Irishman, so he wasn’t a ‘loner’ or cut off from reality but he obviously hasn’t had the right friends around him.

The 31-year-old also had his promotion company to look after which was something to keep him busy and continue his involvement in the sport that he loves but it obviously wasn’t enough for the former world champion.

The BBBofC will now look at his case when they can next meet with him so he could still lose his licence to promote and will almost definitely lose his boxing credentials.

This will no doubt hit Hatton hard, and he’ll need even more support, but let’s hope he can get the help he needs and we will see the ‘Hitman’ sitting at ringside in the future watching one of his protégés claim a world title.

And let’s all hope that when this scandal dies down that the charitable, and utterly likeable Hatton can be remembered in the boxing world as the exciting fighter who thrilled many an audience with his thrilling and aggressive style.

On a side note, the woman involved in the case, Emma Bowe, an Irish National boxing champion (had no fights to win this as nobody else entered her weight so she won by walkover) who decided to sell her video of Hatton snorting cocaine to the News Of The World is just as disgraceful as the former world champion’s actions.

She may have, or may not have enjoyed a line herself, but selling the story about Hatton, who she calls her ‘friend’, to the newspaper is sickening.

The newspaper to publish the article, it was too good to ignore but Bowe’s greed to compensate from her supposed pal’s problem is despicable and something that proves again that some people have no morals.

She believed she was acting in his best interests by revealing his problem but she was just interested in the big pay day, and not what the story could have done to him.

If Bowe was really interested in his interests then why didn’t speak with his family? Or even some of his closer friends?

You can bet she never even considered that, she ran to the nearest newspaper who would bite and she struck gold. I certainly hope my friends are more trustworthy than her if I ever run into a spot of bother.

Cheats steal more than just gold

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:31:00 +0000

The name Pauline Davis-Thompson won’t mean anything to most readers. Even if I told you she was from the Bahamas you probably wouldn’t recognise the name unless you were a big athletics fans. That’s another clue, she was a sprinter. Got it yet? No?

Well Davis-Thompson won the gold medal in the 200m at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. However, she was not crowned champion after her race like most winners - she had to wait until December 2009 to get her medal.

You see the Bahamian sprinter came second in the race, she was beaten to first place by disgraced athlete Marion Jones, but when the American finally came clean about her deceitful career, Davis-Thompson got what she rightly deserved but it’s just not the same.

Davis-Thompson’s name may be down in the record books as the gold medallist but she was denied one of the greatest parts about being a gold medallist – the proud moment when you stand on top of the podium as your national anthem is played out and images of you with gold draped around your neck are sent around the world.

The sad thing is, she is one of many who have had this feeling over the years. In a way she is lucky she even got given a gold medal. So many haven’t.

They haven’t because the authorities failed to catch the cheats in time or at all. In Tom Humphries’ excellent book Laptop Dancing And The Nanny Goat Mambo: A Sportswriter’s year, he speaks about Shirley Babashoff one of swimming’s greatest but never managed a gold medal in an individual event.

Simply because she faced the East Germans in the 1970s, a time where they were so drugged up, it was lucky they didn’t dissolve when they entered the pool.

Shirley never got what she deserved but she did pull off a remarkable feat to win the 4x100m relay with her American team-mates in one of swimming’s greatest races at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Babashoff deserved more, she deserved a level playing field.

More recently, the 1996 Atlanta Games will forever be remembered in Ireland but sadly for the wrong reasons. We all read the stories about Michelle de Bruin (Smith).

We didn’t realise at the time that it’s not possible for a swimmer ranked 90th in the world to jump up to be a three-time Olympic champion in a couple of years, not within the rules of sport at least.

We were blinded by her story, we should have seen through it.

Many berated American swimmer Allison Wagner when she publically claimed that De Bruin was not doing it the legit way. How wrong we were. De Bruin, or Smith as she was then, still holds the three gold medals and Wagner, Marianne Limpert and Dagmar Hase never got what they merited having finished second to a cheat.

There’s too many cases to mention and then there is those who missed out on Bronze medals because of the cheats. I could be here all day. But I won’t bore you no more. I’ll get to my point.

A recent article in The Daily Telegraph, correctly points out that fans are also the ones who lose out to these cheats.

Speaking about Marion Jones and about the recent Pakistan cricket controversy, the make the bid that fans should be repaid ticket costs if events turn out to be fixed or competitors have cheated.

I agree, it’s a fantastic idea and would mean that governing authorities would clamp down on cheating a lot harder if they knew they were going to be out of pocket.
However, they should be focusing on protecting honest athletes, not just their bank balances.

I can only imagine the pain athletes go through after years upon years of dedication, early morning training sessions, sacrifice after sacrifice and put all their love into a sport, only to beaten to a gold medal or a world championship.

But then to have that pain compounded in later years to find out the ‘sportsperson’ who beat them was filled full of drugs, must be life shattering.

They are the real losers and they are the ones who suffer the true heartbreak. They have dedicated their lives to one thing – their sport – and they have been betrayed and let down by the governing bodies.

Fans turn up, pay their money and, while they play their part, they’ll soon get over it if a cheat wins but those who competed against them will never lose that feeling of injustice.

Those in second, third and fourth are not even thought of when drug scandals break out. They never get their moment, they are the ones that need the refund but sadly you cannot give back time and effort, even if they had a receipt.

I feel for any Pakistan cricket supporter that paid money to see their team play against England, I feel for any fan who handed over cash to watch an Olympic final won by Marion Jones but their loss isn’t even comparable to the athletes' loss.

Argie bullies board into sale

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:38:00 +0000

The transfer window slams shut tomorrow evening but not until we have about 12 hours solid of Sky Sports News getting overly excited every time a player gets into his car and we’ll also have the ridiculously false, yet highly amusing, ‘My gran’s best friend’s sister’s cousin’s twice removed aunt just saw Adebayor by a red t-shirt from JJB sports and now he’s off to Liverpool’ type texts.

However, what this window has yet again proved is that players hold all the cards on transfer deals. Unless you have a strong board or manager that is.

The main transfer this year that has conveyed this would be the Javier Mascherano transfer to Barcelona which was finally completed today (Monday) after a summer-long saga in which the Argentine midfielder threw his toys out of his pram and demanded a move out of Anfield.

We thought he wanted to follow Rafa Benitez to Inter Milan, the man who signed him from West Ham and gave him a starring role in Liverpool’s midfield, which, while still not right considering he’s contracted to Liverpool, it may have made more sense.

He excelled at Anfield and became one of the world’s best midfielders. Not saying it was just Liverpool that done it for him, playing with Lionel Messi and co in the Argentina squad would also have helped too, but the Reds paid a lot of money, £17million in fact to prise him from West Ham and that agent player owning agent, Kia Joorabchian and gave him a chance to play at the top level.

What reward did Liverpool get? A situation where they were forced to settle for just £500,000 more than what they paid for the Argentine back in 2008 and that was from Barcelona, as Inter wouldn't even give that.

Now £17.5million is not a figure to be sniffed at but surely if he was worth so much two years ago, he’s worth a few million more this time.

However, Liverpool were left with the dilemma of having a player who doesn’t want to be at the club or getting some money for him now and keep harmony in the squad.

That saying, Roy Hodgson and the Liverpool board could have handled it differently.

Sir Alex Ferguson knew Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to join Real Madrid in 2008 but the Scot managed to talk the Portuguese star into staying another year at Old Trafford – a year where Man United won another league title and reached a Champions League final. He also got £80million for him.

This summer Arsenal refused to be bullied by Barcelona into selling Cesc Fabregas even though the midfielder wanted to join the Nou Camp outfit, they held their stance and Arsene Wenger no doubt talked the Spaniard into staying, for another year at least.

But the problem is with the players. Mascherano should not be allowed to put the board and management under pressure to sell. He signed a four-year deal and is handsomely rewarded for his efforts on the pitch, he should be made to play it out if the club wants him.

Jamie Redknapp spoke about players constantly being ‘tapped-up’ by managers and clubs on Sky Sports a couple of weeks ago and said it’s part of the game. Well it shouldn’t be.

No player should be approached by another club unless they are asking him to sign when his current deal ends or they have permission from his club. That has also led to this all happening time and time again. FIFA need to implement new rules or tighten the ones they have currently in place.

Clubs take financial risks in giving these players huge contracts and, while I’ve always backed players in getting their fair slice of the cake, they’re not doing themselves any favours when they demand to leave with the threat they’ll walk around in a sulk for the season.

Emanuel Adebayor was whinging about the travesty of him having to sit on the bench at Manchester City now that they’ve brought in some more big names, I bet he didn’t even stop to think that would happen when he signed that big contract last summer. Put up with it.

City were always going to buy more players with the war chest that they have, he would have known that but still fancied a nice pay rise to move to Manchester.

Imagine the tragedy that Adebayor will have to endure at City every time he leaves his big house and drives to Eastlands in his flash sports car to earn over £100,000 a week by maybe playing 90, 60, or god forbid, just five minutes of football.

Also, ‘the inhumane’ conditions Mascherano may have had to endured according to international team-mate Messi if Liverpool had not succumbed to his demands. I’d say those people in Pakistan watching their homes being washed away shed a tear for the Argentine.

If players don’t want to be tied down to a club for too long then they should negotiate shorter contracts instead of worrying about getting a big signing on fee so that they can buy a new lamborghini to sit in the drive alongside the Range Rover, Ferrari and Porsche.

Or maybe they should stop complaining, be grateful for the talent they have and be happy that a club is paying them ridiculous amounts of money to play a sport that most enjoy as a hobby. Showing some loyalty would be nice too.

Frampton's refreshing focus

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:09:00 +0000

Carl Frampton’s and his promoter Barry McGuigan’s confidence in the young Belfast fighter has been shown again as he prepares to square up to former European title challenger Yuriy Voronin at the Ulster Hall on September 18.

After just six fights for the man known as ‘The Jackal’, it’s certainly a bit of a risky decision to take on an experienced boxer like Voronin who, despite seven losses, has 27 wins and 18 knockouts to his name.

Voronin also pushed Irishman Bernard Dunne to the limit back in 2005, losing by just two rounds and has drawn one of his European title challenges against France's Cyril Thomas.

However, the Ukrainian lost in his last outing against Manchester featherweight Joe Murray who, like Frampton, had just six bouts under his belt before he faced Voronin back in February.

And at 37-years-old, Voronin is certainly no spring chicken which means it is a fantastic match up by Frampton’s team as it provides him with a credible opponent that may be tough, but is certainly beatable.

There are so many young fighters, too many to mention in fact, that are over-protected by promoters who are keen to ensure they can cash in on their men in the future, McGuigan’s stance is refreshing.

The former world featherweight champion wants his man in against top opponents and is happy to take the chance but there’s no doubt it’s not a silly risk, he’ll know that Frampton is ready for a bout like this.

Moving his fighter on quicker means it keeps people interested in him and there’s enough hype about Frampton already that McGuigan can put him top of the September 18 bill, despite it only being his first eight round contest.

McGuigan is hoping that the ‘The Jackal’ made enough of an impression on the Belfast faithful in his Kings Hall win over Londoner Ian Bailey in June so that he can fill the Ulster Hall this time and the selection of a tough fighter will be key to increasing Frampton’s support.

As McGuigan said at the announcement of Voronin as the opponent, boxing fans in Belfast won’t stand for him putting a dud in front of Frampton.

And he’s right, fans in Northern Ireland have been treated to watching some world class fighters over the years fight in their capital– McGuigan himself, Wayne McCullough and Dave McAuley have all defended world titles in the city.

They won’t settle for seeing a 23-year-old prospect easily stopping another young fighter in the early rounds as top of the bill entertainment and Voronin will provide a good enough fight to excite fans while also giving the Belfast man a chance to show his worth.

Frampton is also keen to take on better opponents and he wants to keep moving quickly and at a young age he’s certainly got the world at his feet.

A win over an opponent like Voronin who is known across Europe would certainly increase the Belfast boxer’s reputation across the continent.

Not only that, but it will show how he can handle a strong, experienced opponent as he continues to learn the ropes in the paid ranks.

It’s certainly Frampton’s biggest test yet but it should just be a small bridge that this exciting fighter has to cross on his way to the top of the super-bantamweight division.

Paul Scholes - Loyalty pays off for both sides

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:13:00 +0000

In the past few days we have seen Paul Scholes receiving plenty of adulation from football fans after two outstanding performances against Chelsea and Newcastle United in the red shirt of Manchester United.

And it’s certainly well deserved as the Premier League’s quiet man continues to churn out top-class performances at the age of 35 and looks set to have a solid season with last year’s Premier League runners-up.

Four-years-ago, Scholes’ career looked like it was declining after a number of injuries hampered his performances, and he wasn’t a regular on the Sir Alex Ferguson’s team sheet.

However, now, as his manager pointed out, he’s had his first season in a long time last year where he remained injury free and that has helped him regain the level of performance that we saw from him in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In fact, some would say Scholes is a better player nowadays. Having had to curb his box-to-box style of his younger days, the Salford born midfielder now let’s the younger legs do the running as he picks out pass after pass with consummate ease.

Analysts, fans and opposition players seem flabbergasted that at his age he can still do it but it’s for the same reason the like of Paulo Maldini could keep going for so long at the top level – a loyalty to one club.

When Scholes was struggling with injuries a few seasons ago, it would have been easy for Ferguson to decide his midfielder’s days were up at the club and sold him on to a lesser club.

But the United boss never even thought of doing such as thing, as he was in debt to Scholes and he had to repay the faith the ginger haired number 18 displayed for Manchester United over the years.

Scholes’ head has never been turned by big-name clubs on the continent and he’s never been tempted to ‘face a new challenge’ as all these top stars seem to say when they sign on the line of a contract double their previous salary.

No, Scholes has stuck with the club he grew up supporting and his challenge has always been to help United win trophies and represent his country before his international retirement, there aren’t many more challenges bigger than that.

If the 35-year-old moved to another club five or six-years-ago, it is unlikely he would be still playing at the top level as other manager’s may have grown impatient with him when he continued to pick up niggling injuries and he could have found himself constantly out of favour.

Ferguson repaid his loyalty by sticking with him and is now reaping the benefits of having Scholes returning to top form as £18million man Owen Hargreaves struggles to get back to fitness.

It’s not been a risk for Sir Alex, he knew Scholes still had the burning desire in him and he knows the ability is still there from the midfielder.

But when you know a player inside out, when you grow a professional relationship with him and when he has helped bring you success in the past, you’ll always give him opportunities.

Staying with the same club also means less moving about, a solid base and not having to constantly adapt your playing style to suit different teams. Scholes knows how Ferguson works and he knows how United play better than most.

The same can be said for Scholes’ team-mate Ryan Giggs too as his loyalty to United has meant he is still being utilised at the top level but you also have to look at how the pair have dealt with the glitz and glamour of a professional footballer’s life – they shunned it and lived a normal life, well as normal as it gets for top class sportsmen.

There’s never been a story of Scholes urinating in the streets of Manchester at 5am or bedding an £800 hooker on a trip away. He’s a family man, and a better footballer for it.

Keeping himself out of the spotlight has helped him live a low profile life with less stress so he can just enjoy his football. And he certainly seems to be having fun on the pitch at the moment.

It is a shame that his interviews are as rare as a well-timed tackle from him, because he has spoken to Sky Sports after his last two games and it just proves how much of an intelligent football man he is.

But it’s all proof that young players living the high life and signing more contracts and sponsorship deals than Nike itself, won’t be around at the top level as long as Paul Scholes and if they are, certainly not putting in performances of his calibre. It’s just a shame he can’t tackle!

It's time to let the wounds heal

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 22:33:00 +0000

Meath County Board confirmed on Tuesday night there will be no replay of Sunday’s controversial Leinster Senior Football final as they have refused to offer Louth an olive branch so now it’s time for the Wee County to put the bitterly disappointing day behind them, even though it feels so very wrong to do so.

For those from outside of Ireland, or anyone who is from Ireland but has been living under a rock for the last four days, Louth were robbed of their first Leinster crown in 53 years thanks to a goal from Meath forward Joe Sheridan that never should have been allowed.

It was clear to see for the 48,000or so supporters in Croke Park on Sunday and however many were watching on TV, that Sheridan carried the ball over the line before throwing it further into the back of the net, but three important men missed this – the referee and his two umpires.

The scenes that followed were even more disgraceful as referee Martin Sludden was attacked by a small number of incensed, but still out of order, Louth supporters.

However, on Tuesday both Louth and Meath County Boards received copies of the referee’s report on the game, in which Mr Sludden admits he should not have given the goal but claims he was about to give a penalty, but then realised the ball was over the line and awarded a goal.

I nearly fell off my chair when I read the quotes, if they wanted to rub salt in the wounds they could have waited until they were a little more healed.

The report overlooked the fact that before any issues of penalties or goals, that it should have been a free out for a square ball (you’re not allowed in the small box before the ball, for our UK readers).

Also, that the fact his umpire never raised the green flag to signal a goal immediately after it crossed the line, which is the general rule, should have told the referee something but he seemed to just tell his umpire to raise the flag rather than discuss the situation with him.

The referee claims he ‘saw the ball had crossed the line’, which raises the question, how can you give a goal when you don’t know how it got there?
If Mr Sludden believed it was a penalty, then why not just give it when there’s doubt over the goal?

It is all irrelevant now anyways as the matter has been dealt with. However, Mr Sludden should never get to referee a senior championship game again after Sunday but I feel the GAA will look kindly on him giving the situation he was put through after the final whistle.

The Meath players and management have taken a lot of abuse for the incident but they should not be held to blame for what occurred, they did what any team does and that is do everything you can to win.

It’s the job of the officials to ensure the rules are adhered to but the way ‘goalscorer’ Sheridan conducted his interview afterwards were wrong as they showed little remorse for the Wee County.

Sheridan refused to admit it wasn’t a goal, saying on the Sunday Game that he played the ball over the line when replays and pictures clearly show him over the line with the ball.

He would have done himself a great favour to admit it shouldn’t have been allowed and apologised, even a certain Thierry Henry had enough grace to do that.

And the Meath board SHOULD have offered a replay, as there was little chance of it being sanctioned by the Leinster Council anyways but they would have come out on the moral high ground.

However, they decided not to and that’s where the matter should stop now. Louth are talking about taking a legal route on this but it’s pointless as it is laid out in black and white that what is said in the referee’s report is the result is final, unless the winning team offer a replay.

What the Louth management need to do is get their players focused again, as the campaign is not over yet. Yes, there’s no Leinster title but there’s the All-Ireland qualifiers to comprehend and they are one match away from an All-Ireland quarter final.

It’s not going to be easy to pick themselves up from such a heart-wrenching defeat but if Louth can put in another performance like the one on Sunday and take their chances when they get them, then they’re capable of causing any team problems on the day.

Let’s just hope that an afternoon like Sunday never happens to Louth again but we’ve said that before...

This could be a shocking World Cup but in a good way

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:12:00 +0000

So the World Cup begins today and after much worrying about South Africa being ill-prepared to host the tournament, much worrying about a host of star players picking up injuries and much worrying amongst the players on what colour boots to wear, it looks like it could be an exciting four weeks of football.

Exciting because I feel there is the potential for more than a couple of upsets that will cause a stir and yet again convey the magic of tournament football.

With the favourites, Spain, having a history of bottling it on the big stage, it leaves the race for the coveted crown fairly open.

Along with Spain - Argentina, Germany, Brazil, Holland, Italy and, not surprisingly, England have been some of the nations touted with a strong chance of claiming glory.

However, all those teams have huge doubts about their credentials to go all the way.

Argentina may have one of the most gifted footballers in the world on the pitch in Lionel Messi, but their former great Diego Maradona is in charge and he was, quite frankly, bonkers with his squad selection.

Leaving Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Zanetti at home despite them leading Inter Milan to Champions League glory is more than enough proof that, while it might not be cocaine now, Maradona is definitely on something.

Germany are missing Michael Ballack through injury and with former tournament hotshots Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose not firing on all cylinders this season, the former three time winners may struggle.

Brazil have ditched the flair and Ronaldinho too, with former World Cup winner, now manager, Dunga favouring a more conservative approach. This could be their downfall as their defence is hardly as robust as the Italians’ or the Germans’ but let’s hope stars like Robinho, Kaka and Fabiano defy their boss and bring some of that well loved samba style to South Africa.

Spain have a reputation for bottling it on the big stage but there is one country who are ahead of them in the league of the, eh, bottle jobs and that is Holland.

No matter how much class they have in their ranks the Dutch always seem to crumble under pressure but, with the likes of Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie in the squad, they could have a say.

The reigning champions Italy haven’t been touted about as much as I would have imagined. They were just edged out by Spain in Euro 2008 on penalties so they are far from also rans, but with captain Fabio Cannavaro the wrong side of 30 along, with a couple of other key players, maybe this squad is on its last legs.

Every time England qualify for a major tournament the phrases ‘this is our best chance’ and ‘this is our time’ are echoed around in the media.

Ironically, this year they seem to have tried to dampen down all that pre-tournament excitement and tried to be realistic when this time it is in fact their best chance since 1966.

England have always lacked something at the big tournaments, usually a player with pride, passion and the talent to take a tight game by the scruff of the neck and smash home a goal out of nowhere and this time they have Wayne Rooney, a much improved player over the last four years who is in top form.

However, penalty shoot-outs always have a say in the World Cup and that is England’s Achilles heel which could yet again be their downfall.

So with the so called big boys all with doubts hanging over them here’s hoping to some of the ‘smaller’ teams causing some upsets.

While there was cries of fixes, corruption etc when South Korea made it all the way to the semi-finals in 2002, it was nothing short of fascinating to watch.

The plucky Koreans did their nation proud when they played out of their skins to knock both Spain and Italy out along the way, before Germany finally defeated them.

This year there are a few teams who could cause an upset or two.

Ivory Coast, if they can be counted as an outsider with their surprisingly strong squad, have a superb chance of making a big impact in South Africa.

Serbia are well within their means of taking on the big nations with a number of players with big stage experience, including Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic, Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic along with Marko Pantelic of Ajax and not to mention Inter Milan’s Dejan Stankovic.

If Serbia finish second in their group they could face England and I’m sure Fabio Capello would rather different opposition than the robust and well-organised eastern Europeans.

It would also be a bit of a surprise to me if Portugal perform at this World Cup. Despite having one of, if not the best player in the world in Cristiano Ronaldo, they lack any real firepower up front.

However, the Real Madrid man could find the net enough times to give them an outside chance of success.

If we don’t get a shock with the results, then we’re sure to get a few with during the games as sadly no World Cup would be complete without a controversy.

Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ in 1986, Rivaldo’s despicable play acting in 2002, Maradona’s drug test failure in 1994, the sham game between Germany and Austria in 1982 and Zidane’s head butt in the 2006 final are just some of the incidents that have left a bitter taste over the years.

Will there be controversy in South Africa? Maybe. Diving? Without a doubt. Offside debates? For sure. Video technology? Sadly not thanks to Mr Blatter but that’s a whole different debate.

But let’s just hope there aren’t too many controversies, a few upsets, some moments of magic and more exciting football than you could shake a stick at. Don’t know about you but I can’t wait. Bring it on!

Rooney cannot be calmed if England want success

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 10:58:00 +0000

There’s only two days to go to the start of the world’s biggest football tournament and it seems Wayne Rooney has lost his temper and is a reckless man who could ruin England’s hopes at the World Cup in South Africa.

Rooney ranted at the referee in England’s last warm-up game against local minnows and suddenly everyone is worried that the Manchester United striker is a ticking time bomb ready to explode and blow the World Cup for a nation.

Preparing a scapegoat? Sounds like it. There has to be one after all, why not Rooney? Why not the one who is carrying the hopes of a nation on his back?

The fact remains that in probably every game the England No10 played for his club this year, he swore at the referee, even if it was from afar on certain occasions. Why is it suddenly a big deal?

In fact, John Terry does it a lot, Steven Gerrard also has a go at testing his French skills on a regular basis on the pitch and I’m sure everyone’s loveable giant Peter Crouch has showed his dismay at more than one referee this season.

The referee in question in Monday’s game, Mr Jeff Selogilwe, claimed Rooney said ‘F*** you’ in an outburst towards him. Should he be swearing? No. Will it get him sent off in South Africa? Unlikely.

The reaction to this incident, which would have been nothing if the referee had not spoken to the press, has been over the top.

Suddenly all the enthusiasm and passion Rooney shows on the pitch is now recklessness and stupidity.

Certain members of the media have been claiming Rooney constantly shows his frustration when his, and his fellow players’, performances drop below par. Since Monday’s incident, some are complaining that he is harming morale with his constant berating, some claim he is risking a red card when he jumps into a tackle to regain possession and some say he needs to calm down.

To them people I would say don’t be so inane. As an outsider looking in on the foray surrounding England at South Africa, Rooney’s passion is key, in my view to any slim hopes of success at this World Cup for Fabio Capello's men.

He has led the line for Manchester United all season with that same passion, a fire in his belly that his keeping the hunger for success warm. He lets his team-mates know when they’ve made a mistake, he shows his anger at himself when he loses possession by sprinting 40 yards to reclaim possession and he inspires others around him.

In an age of overpaid players, who couldn’t care less what colour shirt they’re wearing but more about the zeros on the pay cheque, Rooney’s attitude is a breath of fresh air.

When he wears the white of England or the red of United, he wants to succeed, he has the passion, so much in fact it has the potential to boil over but Rooney has only been sent off once since the infamous Ronaldo wink incident in 2006.

Rooney has matured greatly since that night in Germany and being managed by men like Sir Alex Ferguson and Capello has certainly helped. The striker has put all that over aggression into his performances which have reaped dividend to say the least.

Rooney needs to be left to let rip, to let that fire breathe and roar like one of these English lions that you go on about all the time. He has the passion that others crave but if Capello tries to stifle it by telling him to calm down then England’s slim World Cup chances will be well and truly smothered.

Khan can't help himself

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Wed, 12 May 2010 22:37:00 +0000

Amir Khan faces Pauli Malignaggi this weekend in New York and is a clear favourite to dispatch of the American in similar fashion to which fellow countryman Ricky Hatton did 18 months ago.

However, while the Hitman was, and still is, a fans’ favourite in the UK, Khan has yet to win a large fan base in this country.

Some put this down to racial prejudice with the Bolton fighter being a strict Muslim from a family which descends from Pakistan but while some bigots may think like that, it is not the reason most boxing fans dislike him.

Prince Naseem Hamed had no problem earning the respect of fight fans this side of the Atlantic despite his arrogance as he brought glamour to the sport in Britain.

But while the British nation cheered a 17-year-old Khan to an Olympic silver medal in the 2004 Athens Games, many were soon turned off the Bolton boy wonder when he turned professional.

Many, including myself, were enraged by his arrogance and the way he put himself about at such a young age. He spoke as if he deserved to be a champion already, when he was just simply a boy in a man’s game.

And when Breidis Prescott knocked him flat on his back within a round in September 2008, fight fans cheered and a fair few smiles were raised.

However, Khan changed, or at least I thought he did, when he started working with coach Freddie Roach. He seemed to focus on his boxing again, just like the 17-year-old amateur that the nation went wild for. I began warming to him and by following him on the social networking site, Twitter, it was clear to see he was focused on training hard and being a top professional.

However, when Carl Froch, who did publically criticise Khan in the past, lost out to Mikkel Kessler last month, Khan made a massive error and showed yet again his immaturity which must have had his promoters cringing.

Khan used both his social networking sites, Facebook and Twitter, to lambast Froch and publically mock his fellow countryman in the wake of the defeat.

Now while Froch is also another fighter who is not liked by many, and had harshly criticised Khan, the Bolton fighter should have had the sense to get past this and not ruin the rebuilding of his reputation.

Boxing is a gentleman’s game and all pre-fight tension between fighters is usually put behind them when the final bell rings (see Mayweather v Mosley) but Khan has no respect for his fellow professionals and there lies the reason why many dislike him.

This was soon followed by a ridiculous claim by Khan that in 12 months time he will be ready to face Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather Jr. Yet again he embarrassed himself.

Khan needs at least three years to get anywhere near the level of those two greats and must yet get past the likes of Juan Manuel Marquez before he could even consider stepping through the ropes to face Mayweather or his gym partner Pacquiao.

It was another case of disrespect from Khan and he wonders why many within the sport don’t respect him or take him seriously. He needs to be told to focus on his boxing and turn the fantastic skill he has into the finished article or he will soon be ditched by promoters, coaches and even those fans that stand by him.

French flop Benzema pays for costly error

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Wed, 12 May 2010 22:19:00 +0000

As Karim Benzema sits down today to book his summer holiday, fresh in the knowledge that he won’t be at this year’s World Cup with France, I wonder will it play on his mind the decision he made last summer to join his apparently ‘beloved’ Real Madrid instead of Manchester United.

The Reds had coveted the talented finisher for a number of years as he led the line for Lyon, who dominated the French League in the noughties.

However, last summer when the United transfer kitty was apparently bulging after the exit of Ronaldo to Madrid, the English club were outbid by the Spanish giants for the French striker.

Benzema had his heart set on Madrid, despite being keen on a move to United the previous year, but I’m sure the extra zeros on the contract at the Bernabeu helped him change his mind.

A lot was expected of Benzema, he cost €35million and it was presumed he would lead the line for the Galacticos with the experienced Raul coming to the end of his illustrious career.

However, he has only featured mainly as a substitute this season with his cameo appearances only bringing 8 goals in a La Liga campaign which Madrid have scored goals for fun at stages.

It came as no surprise to me then yesterday when Raymond Domenech left Benzema out of France’s World Cup squad for South Africa.

Domenech has made some crazy decisions during his tenure as boss of France but, while some may be disappointed by his decision to leave the striker out, the majority will understand why.

Strikers need to have confidence and going into the World Cup they need to be in form, Benzema is not, but it could have been so different.

Last summer he took a professional risk. He saw the money at Madrid. He saw the revolution that was taking place and he wanted in but it proved to be a costly error for his career, if not his pocket.

United had lost a 35 goals-a-season midfielder and were in desperate need of added firepower, Benzema was their target and was seen as an excellent strike partner for Wayne Rooney.

The Frenchman was sure to be a regular starter at Old Trafford, obviously as long as he settled in well, and he could now be heading to meet up with his international team-mates to prepare for the biggest stage in world football.

But yet again we have another footballer who would rather risk sitting on the bench with a fat pay cheque than the guarantee of first team football elsewhere.

It’s not like United are a small club, and maybe with Benzema they would now be celebrating winning the title but, with Sir Alex Ferguson apparently thinking of another attempt to lure him to Old Trafford this summer, maybe he should think twice about trying to sign the French flop, using last year as an eye-opener to Benzema’s real hunger for money rather than football.

Mayweather v Mosley: Creating History

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 19:29:00 +0000

Floyd Mayweather is preparing for what could be his toughest fight yet as he gets ready to face the experienced and powerful Sugar Shane Mosley on Saturday in Las Vegas.

This is set to be a classic fight that could go down in history as one of the greatest - should it be as exciting as it looks on paper.

Two fast-punching fighters going toe-to -toe - one with the tactical know-how to pick apart any opponent, the other with the power capable of knocking out anyone at his weight - is more than enough to whet the appetite of any sports fan.

However, while some fights that have the potential to be classics they don’t always turn out to be, but this bout is sure to go down in history for a another reason at least.

Mayweather against Mosley is the first professional boxing contest to include US Olympic style drug testing in the run-up and aftermath of the fight.

That means both boxers have been subjected to random blood and urine testing during their training camps and any failed test from either fighter will automatically mean the cancellation of the event.

Mayweather was keen to introduce the testing, claiming there are too many fighters dying in the ring due to ‘cheating’ and it led to the breakdown in talks between his promoters, and the representatives of Manny Pacquiao when they tried to set-up a super fight between the pair.

Pacquiao was reluctant to take the blood tests, deeming them likely to weaken him during his training but many questioned his stance, and questioned again if he was using steroids.

However, he would have put himself at risk as if he lost people would have claimed he can’t win without drugs, not everyone but some.

Mosley has no such worries apparently, he is confident of beating Mayweather and he is out to prove he doesn’t need drugs to succeed.

The WBA World Welterweight Champion spoke at the high-profile Balco case and admitted he took, unknown to him, performance enhancing substances.

More videos have emerged in recent days with Mosley admitting he did know he was taking EPO but this is irrelevant for this fight, there won’t be EPO and Mosley can put all that behind him IF he beats Mayweather.

It’s a brave decision by Mosley he is putting himself out on a limb as, like Pacquiao, even if he has been clean, a loss would raise questions.

If for some reason on the night he feels tired, lacks the power we have seen before or does not look like the Shane Mosley who has knocked out 39 of his 52 opponents then people won’t just question his age but also his honesty.

However, Mosley deserves respect for agreeing to the demands of Mayweather’s camp, albeit probably being slightly tempted by the huge pay cheque that comes with facing the self-proclaimed ‘biggest name in boxing’ being part of it.

Hopefully this will set a precedent in boxing and open the eyes of the sport’s authorities and they will enforce more stringent testing in the future.

That remains to be seen but one thing for sure is that Floyd Mayweather Jr against Shane Mosley will go down in history, for one, if not two reasons.

Croker closure is a mistake

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:26:00 +0000

So the IRFU’s time at Croke Park has ended on a somewhat sad note with the defeat by Scotland and the failure to claim the Triple Crown but this disappointment will be nothing compared to what the GAA must be feeling as they look at the accounts.

Since Croke Park finally opened its doors to ‘foreign sports’ back in February 2007 after years of political debate about the issue, it has been a revelation for Irish sport.

The GAA received a massive cash injection thanks to deals done with the IRFU and the FAI as well as any additional gate receipts they took as part of the deal.

The amount the GAA is reportedly to have raised by allowing the use of their stadium is €36million, and this came at a time of financial recession.

It also gave the GAA a use for Croke Park in the winter months when it is rarely used.

If the GAA had not been so stubborn over the past decade, and had they not voted no to a change in ‘Rule 42’ (a rule that only allows GAA sports to be played on GAA grounds) in 2001, then we may have continued to see rugby and soccer played at the country’s best stadium in the future.

The IRFU and FAI were forced to plan the redevelopment of the crumbling Lansdowne Road after the collapse of the Irish governments plan for a national arena and the GAA’s stance on the use of their headquarters.

They spent millions of Euros that could have been reinvested in developing both sports and building a smaller stadium that would be suited to hosting less glamorous internationals, AIB Cup finals,FAI Cup finals, etc.

Instead we will have the Aviva Stadium, no doubt a fine ground, but it’s 50,000 capacity is too big for the above mentioned finals and too small for Six Nations rugby and crucial soccer qualifiers.

In the past four years, rugby in Ireland has grown dramatically in popularity due to the success of the national team, and Croke Park was the venue as Ireland picked up their first Grand Slam in 61 years as Ireland beat France, England and Italy at GAA headquarters in 2009.

The fact that 82,000 people could watch those events obviously helped raise the interest in the game, while also creating a much louder atmosphere. The smaller attendance in the Aviva Stadium will obviously make it more difficult for fans to get to games and what the atmosphere will be like in the redeveloped, and so called ‘spiritual home', remains to be seen.

The same goes for soccer, while it has always been a popular game in Ireland, the move to Croke Park has allowed many more fans experience a competitive home international match rather than just a meaningless friendly when tickets were more easily available at the old Lansdowne Road. Maybe that chance helped young fans to become more proud of their country’s football team and not just the big English clubs they support.

However, it is not the fault of the IRFU or the FAI that this has happened. Some have said more pressure from them on the GAA may have helped to keep Croke Park open to other sports but it would have been too late - the redevelopment had begun, the investment was made and the GAA had made its bed when the success of the move had become apparent.

Obviously, the GAA would have had to vote again on the issue but given the success of the past few years, it is unlikely they would have said no.

The GAA has shot itself in the foot. They may say they have not budgeted for the additional income from international events but the fact of the matter is rugby and soccer internationals created a massive amount of revenue and also indirectly increased the popularity of Gaelic Games.

When fans travelled from different countries to watch their nations do battle with Irish rugby and soccer teams at Croke Park, many returned to visit the stadium’s museum and no doubt grew to appreciate the importance of GAA to Ireland’s culture.

So now when the likes of Kerry, Kilkenny, Cork and Dublin are not bringing the crowds to Croke Park then the GAA will have to turn to Westlife and Bono rather than Brian O’Driscoll and Robbie Keane to keep the money rolling in at Headquarters.

And it’s a shame that they would rather glitzy pop stars swagger in front of Hill 16 rather than Irish sporting heroes competing against the world's best.

Reds should be wary of the Knights

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:08:00 +0000

So the Red Knights are attempting to ride into Old Trafford on a crusade to apparently save Manchester United from the American cowboys that have slung one of the world’s biggest football clubs into a £700million debt.

The Glazers are reluctant to sell. Mainly because they bought United for one reason, and one reason only - to earn a profit - but they have been unable to do so yet because of the global recession.

Therefore, in any normal business sense, it is too big a loss to ‘cut and run’ yet so they are prepared to ride the proverbial storm until they can potentially reap the rewards of the huge financial risk they took to take the club off the stock market in 2005.

January saw Red Football Ltd, the parent group of Manchester United FC, announce a huge £700million debt that sparked an outcry from Reds fans who were led to believe that the deficit had grown by £200m from the £500m figure that was mooted about when the Glazer’s purchased the club. In fact, the figure has never risen, in fact it has dropped, not by enough but it has.

The ‘Green and Gold Until Our Club Is Sold’ campaign begun and has been of relative success – making a point to the owners that the fans are not happy but also still getting behind the team.

I agree that the Glazers need to be pushed out to secure the future of United as the large debt they have amassed, along with their hit and miss success rate in business, has left the club in a precarious position.

However, are these ‘Red Knights’ the people that can pull the club out of their poor financial state? What are their intentions? Have they got the finances? Will they be able to continually strengthen the team?

These are just some of the questions that fans need to ask before giving them their support and backing them.

Supporters will also have to realise that while these Knights in red shining armour, who are out to rid the club of all things Glazer, claim to be lifelong United fans, if they get invest heavily into the club then their business heads will be put on straight away.

They will be successful business men if they have the cash to stump up an offer for one of the biggest football clubs in the world, thus they will have all the attributes that go with financial success including ruthlessness and the constant want for profit.

So those fans who are thinking that because the ‘Red Knights’ wear the red shirts they will automatically do what every fan wants, think again. Don’t think they won’t raise ticket prices. Don’t think they will buy Kaka. Don’t think they will drop the price of merchandise. They will do what is best for their pockets.

If they have the financial muscle to provide what United fans want then they will be good for the club, there is no doubt about that.

The main worry I have with this consortium is Keith Harris being in control. The financing wheeler dealer who shares the name with the ventriloquist famous for the Orville The Duck puppet has been sounding like a muppet.

In January when the news broke of the apparent increase in debt, Harris was straight in heaping blame on the Glazers and calling for the fans to protest. He also claimed that a group was already set-up to look at a bid to buy the club.

More recently, when Harris spoke out about the ‘Green and Gold’ campaign, he called for fans to do more and start boycotting games.

Boycotting games? Stop buying merchandise? Why? Isn’t it starkly obvious? Harris is trying to remove some of the prestige around the club so that the Glazers will look to sell and at a lower price. Harris seems to be more of the ‘Green and mould’ campaign.

United fans have to remember that the club is not like Manchester City or Chelsea who have been made mega-rich by the owners.

Granted the Reds have always had a strong financial backing that is more than most other clubs but the brand of the club, and the success in the stock markets, was built on the 90’s domination of English football that made United a world renowned successful club that was attractive for investors and sponsors.

Why should fans who have spent a lot of money on season tickets, who enjoy going to a game at the weekend and who have built their social lives around football just stop going to games? It won’t make any difference to the Glazers.

Ticket revenue makes up a fractional amount of United’s huge profits. Sponsorship and merchandise sold worldwide is what brings in the big bucks.

United need continued success to ensure that the sponsorship keeps coming. If fans start dropping off from going to support their team, apart from being unfair on the players, it could also have an effect on results on the pitch.

It seems to be that Harris, who played a pivotal part in the takeovers of Manchester City, West Ham and Aston Villa, has seen the money signs ringing again and has jumped at the chance of adding to his fortune.

He may be a United fan but as mentioned above, he’s an experienced business man and financial success will come first for him.

The Glazers need to go but Manchester United supporter groups should be wary of who they back in a bid to buy them out.

Boxing needs to knock out the cheats

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:02:00 +0000

It’s time all governing bodies of professional boxing began to clean up the sport and dispell any chance of cheats prevailing in the game.

It is amazing how, with so much money ploughed into the sport, that testing is so easy-going in comparison to other sports.

Cycling and athletics are often referred to as ‘dirty’ with the highest rates of failed drugs tests.

However, while at university I produced a drugs and sport publication that, with interviews from across various sports, proved that whilst they may have the most failed samples, cycling has the most stringent of testing procedures.

It’s selective as well as random, meaning that less competitors can miss or avoid testing with both blood and urine samples mandatory.

However, in professional boxing they do not follow similar 'Olympic-style testing' and do not insist on blood samples -instead they just take urine samples in the run-up, and straight after contests.

Cycling has tarnished its imagine by cleaning it up in the hope it will cleanse the sport from the cheats, while ensuring fair and rewarding competitions for honest competitors.

Professional boxing needs to follow cycling’s example and ensure that fans can watch the sport confident that the champions that are being crowned are true winners.

The recent spat between Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao has brought this situation to light and, while I agree it would have been unfair on the latter to submit to the demands put forward, blood testing has to come into play soon.

Victor Conte, the man who supplied Dwain Chambers and many other athletes with performance enhancing substances that for years went unnoticed, has come out and said that professional boxing testing is useless.

“The testing that is being utilised in boxing is virtually worthless," Conte told BBC Radio 5 live. The testing that is being utilised in boxing is virtually worthless," Conte told BBC Radio 5 live.

"I don't believe they want to know how rampant the use of drugs really is," said Conte. "Testing in boxing is completely and totally inept."

While Conte’s comments are not good news, what the head of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), David Howman has said is even more worrying for fans of boxing.

He said: "Professional boxing is not in compliance and has made no effort to comply.

"They give the boxer every opportunity to hide what they may have taken previously and that is not the way the world operates these days."

The fact that professional boxing organisations are refusing to comply may mean that there is plenty to hide.

The governing bodies may be worried what effect a string of failures could have on the sport’s image that has already been tarnished by the amount of corruption prevailing in the game.

However, if they fail to bring in tougher testing then fans are going to start doubting the credentials of the fighters competing, especially after the claims by the Mayweather camp about Pacquaio’s apparent steroid use.

Of course, the amount of money on the line at the top level must mean that the purses are fairly won, but testing should also be much more strict because of the health danger that is carried by participating in boxing.

If a boxer is going into the ring against someone who has used a performance enhancing substance then their life is more at risk due to the fact that the drug may have made the cheating opponent stronger and/or fitter than they should be, thus giving the ability to cause more damage.

It is time professional boxing cleaned up and followed the examples of the amateur side of the game, athletics, cycling and other sports that follow 'Olympic-style testing' for the sake of the promoters that financially back it, the health of the fighters that compete and the fans that pay the money that helps keep the sweet science going.

Not Keane on Celtic move

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:30:00 +0000

Robbie Keane’s loan move from Tottenham to Celtic was a bit of a shock but, while it may have lit up a drab final day of the transfer window, it is not going to reignite the Republic of Ireland captain’s career.

The Dubliner has changed club’s more than most, but while not all his moves have worked out, like joining Inter Milan before he was ready and signing for Liverpool despite Rafa Benitez not wanting him, joining Celtic could be his biggest career mistake.

Having struggled to cement a place in Tottenham’s starting line-up since returning to White Hart Lane 12 months ago, a move away was a good idea, and a loan move an ideal chance to impress Harry Redknapp.

However, while Keane may believe he can score plenty of goals in the SPL and impress Redknapp, or maybe another Premier League manager, while also helping Celtic stage a dramatic comeback in the title race, he is kidding himself on both accounts.

First of all, no matter how many goals he scores, he won’t suddenly force Redknapp to change his mind and put the Dubliner in front of Defoe or Crouch.

Secondly, Celtic lie 10 points behind Rangers in the league table and have been far too inconsistent this season to stage a realistic title challenge. Wayne Rooney, even in his current form, would struggle to save The Bhoys.

The growth in the gulf in class between the SPL and the Premier League over recent years means scoring goals in Scotland is not as impressive as it once may have been.

In truth, Keane would have been better off joining Sunderland or another club in the Premier League who are not competing with Tottenham for fourth spot.

It’s doubtful that Celtic are coughing up Keane’s £65k a week wages, so he was surely affordable to other clubs.

Going out and scoring vital goals to keep a club in the Premier League would have been far more impressive - and a much tougher challenge that would improve him as a player.

And if it was Keane’s dream to wear the hooped shirt, then he should have followed in the footsteps of his namesake and gone to Celtic Park at the end of his career.

For the sake of the Republic of Ireland's chances of qualifying for Euro 2012, let's hope I'm wrong.

Khan makes Golden choice

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:06:00 +0000

Amir Khan has made a shrewd decision leaving Frank Warren’s camp and moving to Golden Boy promotions, another good move since his humiliating defeat at the hands of Breidis Prescott back in September 2008.

The first move after that loss was getting rid of a few hangers on, who were giving him so called advice, and recruiting one the world’s greatest coaches in Freddie Roach.

Roach has coached multiple world champions, many of them taken with only raw potential before being turned into top class boxers and was the perfect man to save Khan's career.

After getting back on track with four straight wins, most notably the defeats of Marco Antonio Barerra and Andreas Kotelnik, Khan has now made the boldest, and probably best decision of his short career so far by ditching Warren.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m no fan of Khan, I find him to be too arrogant for his own good and his defence is still poor, nowhere near good enough to be talking about being on the same level as stablemate Manny Pacquiao or Miguel Cotto.

However, he does seem to have grown up a lot since the Prescott defeat, and has seen that what Warren will offer is nothing compared to what Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions can.

Money is obviously going to be a huge factor but Khan only has to look close to home at Hatton and Joe Calzaghe to see what many years spent fighting in the UK against below calibre opponents can do to a career.

While Calzaghe was fortunate enough to still be at the peak of his game when he finally got his break in the US, Ricky Hatton has no chance of recovering from big defeats in Las Vegas to Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Five years earlier, he could have.

Khan’s decision will see him get big fights in the US, which despite the hopes of British promoters, is still the stage to prove you really are the best, and he will also get advice from a man who has done it all in the ring - the Golden Boy himself, De La Hoya.

Whether Khan will be able to prosper is another matter, it remains to be seen if he can handle taking big punches and he will have to improve tactically but his career seems to be going in the right direction.

There have been a few rumours circulating as to why he has made the decision; Racism, money and a fall-out with Warren. Let’s just hope it was purely a boxing decision made by Khan and his coaching team.

Premier League Picks November 7

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:18:00 +0000

Well thought I would get some regular Premier League picks going. To tell you the truth, I have been doing accumulator bets for the last 4 years and I have won only once so probably best not to use this as your tips for the weekend but let’s see if I can get at least one right over the course of the season.

Saturday

Aston Villa v Bolton
Villa dropped points at West Ham on Monday night but Bolton are also coming into this game on the back of a defeat - a much heavier one. After a 4 goal mauling by Chelsea, a visit to Villa Park is not the ideal place to get back on track. Verdict: Aston Villa 2-0 Bolton

Blackburn v Portsmouth
Looking at the fixture list about 3 weeks ago, Rovers fans would have been relishing this encounter after two tough games and expected defeats to Chelsea and Manchester United but Portsmouth are starting to settle and a good win last weekend will give them more confidence going into this game. Verdict: Blackburn 2-2 Portsmouth

Man City v Burnley
This is an interesting encounter with Manchester City looking to get a win after four straight draws and Burnley looking to get their first point on their travels in the Premier League. However, despite the Clarets only trailing City by four points in the league table, the home side are clear favourites for this one - especially with the return of striker Emmanuel Adebayor. Verdict: Man City 3-0 Burnley

Tottenham v Sunderland
This is going to be a right tweet for Darren Bent as he returns to White Hart Lane for the first time. The striker, who criticised his former club for their handling of his transfer to the Stadium of Light in the summer on social networking site Twitter, will be looking to let his feet do the talking this time and show the Spurs faithful what they are missing. Tottenham have had a tough run of late after a disappointing home defeat to Stoke and a hammering at the hands of rivals Arsenal last week so they will be keen to get back to winning ways. Verdict: Tottenham 3-2 Sunderland

Wolverhampton v Arsenal
The home side will be looking to take their second-half performance against Stoke last week through to this game but they will be up against much stiffer opposition. Arsenal have been outstanding of late with a comprehensive win over Tottenham last week followed up with the comfortable victory over AZ Alkmaar on Wednesday and will have no problems keeping up the pressure on Chelsea and Man United. Verdict: Wolverhampton 0-3 Arsenal

Sunday

Chelsea v Manchester United
The top of the table clash is, as usual, billed as an epic battle but, as usual, will most likely be a tactical encounter. Chelsea are favourites, and rightly so as the Blues have been in good form of late in the league and the Champions haven’t exactly been setting the world alight. United can’t really afford to fall too far behind their title rivals but it looks like five points will be the difference come 6pm on Sunday. Verdict: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United

Hull v Stoke
Phil Brown’s job is apparently still on the line and he will surely have his troops fired up for this one but they were turned over by Burnley last week and Stoke, despite a terrible second half performance, have been looking impressive. It does not look like an exciting game on the tin and it will be exactly what it says. Verdict: Hull 0-1 Stoke

Fulham v Wigan
It must be frustrating to be a Latics fan at the moment, they have been the most inconsistent team this season. They managed to beat Chelsea and Aston Villa, get a draw with Manchester City but suffered disappointing defeats to Burnley and last week’s demolishing by Portsmouth. Fulham had a tough outing in midweek against Roma but, after going the month of October unbeaten, they will be looking to keep their good league form intact. Verdict: Fulham 2-0 Wigan

West Ham v Everton
The Hammers had a great win on Monday night over Aston Villa and boss Gianfranco Zola will be hoping that form continues and they can move away from the drop zone. A win could take them above their opponents Everton who have been struggling of late. David Moyes has been complaining about fixture congestion but they are not the only team with European commitments so they need to get on with it and focus on getting three points. Although, I doubt they will do that on Sunday. Draw for me. Verdict: West Ham 1-1 Everton

Monday

Liverpool v Birmingham
Last week’s defeat to Fulham has left the Reds’ title hopes hanging by a thread and with their chances of Champions League success looking even more precarious, the pressure is on boss Rafa Benitez. Birmingham done well last week to hold Manchester City to a point at St Andrew’s but a trip to Anfield, despite Liverpool’s poor form, will prove a lot more difficult. Verdict: Liverpool 2-1 Birmingham

My Game:
I will do a verdict every week if I am reporting on a game and this week is my first FA Cup assignment.

Oldham v Leeds
Leeds are finally looking good for promotion in League 1 this season and have won their last two games against Yeovil and Bristol Rovers 4-0 but form goes out the window in the Cup as everyone knows so Oldham are without a doubt in with a chance, especially at Boundary Park. However, I think Leeds will just have enough to make it into the second round draw. Verdict: Oldham 0-1 Leeds

Haye to tame 'The Beast' in bore-fest

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:20:00 +0000

I’m back and I am promising to be more regular with my rants, oh sorry blogs. Been a long time due to the summer, work and various other commitments but now with the cold and wet winter nights setting in I have nothing better to do!

This weekend many British boxing fans will pay £15 or thereabouts to watch David Haye square up to Nickolai Valuev in what will only be a moderately interesting encounter because of the size difference.

Most are probably interested because of the comedy factor they have seen in this size difference and are expecting either Valuev destroying Haye (not going to happen) or Haye in true ‘Rocky Balboa’ style defying all the odds and knocking out Valuev.

However, I see a tactical encounter with Haye keeping his distance, being cautious and only attempting to go inside on selective occasions. Valuev will, most likely, attempt to keep Haye at bay with his extremely long reach, strength and limited boxing skills. In all a tactical 12 round contest is what I am betting on.

People who pay will complain if they don’t see a war, these are the same people who moaned when they paid to see Ricky Hatton get knocked out in the second round by Manny Pacquiao, when Floyd Mayweather gave Juan Manuel Marquez a boxing lesson and when he dismantled Hatton.

These were advertised in the UK as being epic encounters and they were, but not in the way that most people wanted. True boxing fans were in awe but punters baying for blood were disappointed.

However, I don’t think boxing purists or those looking for an out-and-out scrap will be pleased with what will be on show on Saturday night.

Haye has the opportunity to breed new life into the heavyweight division that has been struggling over the past decade so for the sport’s popularity I hope the Londoner conquers the ‘Beast From The East’.

Sir Bobby Robson - Not just a football legend

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:55:00 +0000

Well it’s been a while, too long in fact, since my last blog. With holidays, decent weather (I say decent, I really mean there’s some breaks in-between showers) and a few other things that kept getting in the way. Anyways, I felt it fitting to begin again with a small tribute to a legend – Sir Bobby Robson.

It was only when I watched the fantastic BBC tribute programme to the former footballer and manager that I realised how much good work outside of football that he actually did.

Doing so much charity work while also balancing his career and battles with cancer –beating the disease four times before it eventually got the better of him last Friday – is truly amazing.

During this time it was likely that by associating his name to his and other cancer charities he indirectly saved many lives, a success that outshines any trophy he ever won.

One other thing that I never knew about Robson, was the torment he went through with the English media during his tenure as the national coach.

Caught in the middle of a tabloid war at the time, The Sun and The Daily Mirror used him as a pawn in their readership battle.

In a way it wasn’t personal, as whoever was the manager at the time would have received the same shocking treatment but it was harsh and a lot of it over the top.

However, it was the way in which he dealt with it that proved again what a terrific person he was.

Maintaining a good relationship with other members of the press and attending lunches put on for him by the media after the 1990 World Cup, showed he could still show respect, maybe not to the reporters and editors who hung him out to dry, but to the others who didn’t. Too often today people involved in sport tar all journalists with the same brush.

How fitting that the last game of football he was to ever attend was an England win over Germany with the winning goal being a penalty, even if it was only a charity match I’m sure he enjoyed a win over the Germans.

Sir Alex The Great

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:54:00 +0000

Let’s put all biased opinions aside. Let’s talk about facts. Let’s talk about the greatest manager of all-time – Sir Alex Ferguson.

An emphatic 11 Premier League titles, two Champions League crowns, five FA Cups, three Carling Cups, one European Cup Winners Cup, one Super Cup and one World Club Cup are the list of honours Sir Alex has picked up in his 23 years as manager of Manchester United.

Then put that with the three Scottish Premier Division titles, four Scottish Cups, one European Cup Winners Cup and one Super Cup that he won at Aberdeen. The greatest ever? Without a doubt.

It’s hard to find the superlatives to describe the feats the Scot has achieved during his career. However, his eleventh league title at Old Trafford may just be the sweetest of the lot.

Why? It’s simple, because it marks one of the greatest sporting comebacks of all-time. When Sir Alex took over at Old Trafford, United trailed Liverpool 18-7 in league titles. In 23 years at the helm, Ferguson has equalled it and is now looking to surpass it.

United and Liverpool fans constantly argue what was the greatest comeback – the injury time turn around in the Nou Camp by Fergie’s men over Bayern Munich in 1999 or the Merseyside club’s amazing recovery against AC Milan in 2005 when they were trailing 3-0 at half-time. 18-7 wins hands down in my opinion.

To make it even sweeter for the Scot was that this one had Liverpool as the challengers and, more importantly, Rafa Benitez as the chasing boss.

The pair made no attempt to hide their dislike for each other this season and even after Rooney, Ryan, Ronaldo and Rio lifted the Premier League trophy high into the Manchester sky, Benitez refused to congratulate his rival. It could be seen as disrespectful, it could be seen as poor sportsmanship, it could be both but I don’t think Sir Alex was worried anymore.

Have no doubt, as the Spaniard rubbed his goateed chin on Saturday night wondering what could have been, Ferguson would have been popping the cork of his favourite red wine and wondering if his rival understood the phrase – “stick that in your pipe and smoke it”.

For once he wasn’t infuriated and ready to give the hairdryer treatment, he was smiling and happy, and Benitez was the one left smouldering.

Ferguson loves challenges, loves rivalry and loves winning even more, especially when there’s a special personal edge to it.

When Ferguson started out at United, he was entering into a voyage unknown, just like Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan did when they conquered the new world.

Trailing 18-7, the Liver Bird was singing from its perch but Fergie was hoping to make it squeal in agony.

He was famously quoted back in 2002: “My greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool off their f****ing perch”.

He was bold and brave just like the explorers and he wasn’t afraid to meet the challenges that stood before him.

Ferguson tracked down Liverpool and planted the United flag firmly in the history of English and world football.

The angry man that all United fans have grown to love has built team after team that follows his way of rage, brilliance, thoughtful ambition and, for most of the time, football played at its most beautiful best. His philosophy of success and joyous football seeps through to his squad and the results follow.

But let’s be honest, it hasn’t all been plain sailing for Sir Alex, it took a while to settle in, he nearly got the sack but he was given time - six and a half years in fact - to take United to the top of English football. How every manager nowadays would love that amount of time. Ferguson had it, he used it and he’s never looked back.

However, blows have come along the way, but even Columbus and Magellan had their obstacles to pass, and for Sir Alex one such which was Arsene Wenger who came strutting into English football with new mentalities and unknown foreign star players. They tested Fergie, they beat him but they couldn’t withstand the backlash and now they lie on the ropes, barely making it into the Big Four.

Then the Russian tycoon arrived, armed with money and ploughed it into Chelsea and the ‘Special One’, Jose Mourinho. They tested United. They fought, they won two battles but after that their leader walked out when the fightback had begun and Ferguson led his men to victory in the war, winning three titles in a row and beat them in the Champions League final.

This year saw United and Ferguson come under pressure from their fiercest rivals in Liverpool. And what a year to equal the record.

The Merseyside club would stop at nothing to keep United away from their precious record and Benitez understood this but for some unknown reason started a war of words with Ferguson. Big mistake!

Challenging the master of mind-games when you already have his back against the wall, as Liverpool did with their seven point advantage back in January, is nothing short of lunacy. It backfired and it backfired spectacularly.

United not only closed the gap but flew past quicker than a Formula 1 car at full throttle, creating a seven point lead that proved, despite a minor blip from the Old Trafford outfit, unsurpassable.

So as United swept past Arsenal on Saturday and into the history books, Benitez and his team cannot feel anything else other than that they were overpowered by a greater force, outwitted by a man with far more experience and shown they have still a way to go before they can pick up the illustrious crown again.

The worrying thing for them and other would-be challengers is that Ferguson has by no means lost any hunger along the way, he is not happy yet.

“I’m not looking at equalling anyone, winning more titles with this team resonates with me far more than that,” he declared as the title celebrations ensued.

“More titles can mean anything but this team is young enough to win more. I am always looking, that’s the way I am. I am never really happy.”

If Columbus had this hunger, he might have gone on to find the real India.

Hatton plays the game wrong against Pacman

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Sun, 03 May 2009 15:10:00 +0000

So I stayed up into the early hours of Sunday morning to see five minutes and 59 seconds of boxing action which might seem not worthwhile but it certainly was worth ruining my sleep pattern for.

What was seen was one of the greatest boxers of this generation, as Manny Pacquiao dismantled Ricky Hatton with unbelievable ease.

Never before have I seen the right hand jab of a southpaw used with such ferocious precision, Hatton seemed to miss them though because he got caught flush with 80 per cent of them.

I knew what to expect from the Philippine, having been first introduced to the 'Pacman' when he blitzed Marco Antonio Barrera back in 2003. You know he's going to come out throwing shots faster than the eye can see.

However, that was the shock for me because Hatton didn't seem to know what was going to happen and despite all his pre-fight talk of using his jab, having composure and moving his head to work his way in, the Hitman approached the fight as if it was like he was back in the MEN five years ago, fighting some other journeyman that Frank Warren pulled off the street.

With his head down and hands low he went at Pacquiao time and time again, in the aggressive nature that Freddie Roach had predicted, and planned for.

Right from the opening bell Hatton flew at his opponent and right from the opening bell Pacquiao landed his jab straight down the middle.

Hatton kept coming in a straight line, head still and just looking for the power shots. It would have been harder for his opponent to miss.

The British boy brought the crowd but he didn't bring his pre-fight tactical plans to the MGM Grand which, I imagine, will make Floyd Mayweather Sr decide to step down as his coach if he wasn't going to already.

Whoever thought in the Hitman's camp that the Philippine did not have the power or the ability to maintain his ferocious speed at the light welterweight division, should also quit.

He just destroyed one of the legends of the ring in Oscar De La Hoya, and even if the Golden Boy was off colour or past it, that was at welterweight, why could he not do the same at a lower weight?

In fact I would have been more worried that Hatton would not have the power after yet another draining training programme to make the 10 stone limit.

Let's not take anything away from the pound-for-pound champion, Pacquiao was superb.

He and Roach got the tactics spot on and used Hatton's over the top aggression against him.

It was Roach's words after the fight that signified the simplicity in their preparations.

"Every time Ricky throws his left hand he pulls it back and cocks it and he's wide open for a short right hook on the inside from a southpaw stance.

"I knew it was over because it seems like Ricky doesn't have the ability to adjust.

"He fights the same way over and over again. I've watched him for the last two-and-a-half months. I know him pretty well."

It may seem obvious to watch the tapes and find the weaknesses but in the professional game with all the hype, money and pressure for excitement, it's sometimes forgotten.

The way that the tactics were employed, worked to utter perfection. It could not have worked any better.

It typifies Roach, a pure perfectionist that makes sure his fighters are ready for whatever lies ahead.

He took on Pacquiao as a decent slugger and turned him into a boxing master who's record of beaten opponents now reads like a Hall Of Fame list.

Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales, De La Hoya and now Hatton are just some of the greats he has beaten.

In my opinion he should only fight once more before calling it a day as a true ring legend and turning his attention to the world of politics.

With the winner of Floyd Mayweather Jr versus Marquez in July getting the privilege of facing the Philippine to decide who really is the true pound-for-pound champion and probably the greatest fighter of the last decade.

Good is not good enough

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:58:00 +0000

Last night in Bari Irish fans witnessed a fantastic result for their national team as the Republic picked up a 1-1 draw with World Cup champions Italy, but was it really a good result?

Before the game a point away from home against Italy would be a great result for most nations but when the home side go down to 10 men early in the game (even though it was a ridiculous red card) then it gives you a chance and it’s a chance which should be taken.

Ireland dominated the game from the moment they kicked off after Italy’s goal, yet it took until the 87th minute again they got that much-deserved equaliser .

Everyone seemed happy with the result yet I couldn’t help but feel that we had missed a great chance to cause a real shock.

Don’t get me wrong, I know Ireland are nowhere near the level of Italy but any team with a man less will struggle and we had them on the back foot for at least 70 minutes, yet could only score until the final three minutes.

It’s disappointing in my view as we would have gone top of our World Cup Qualifying group and it would have given us a real chance of automatic qualification, never mind the play-offs.

However, the country was delighted today as we drew with the World Champions. So what? We could have won.

I would see this as two points lost but even Giovanni Trapattoni was happy. It seems things still haven’t changed since Roy Keane’s days in a green shirt.

The Corkman was always agitated by his fellow countrymen’s attitude of ‘we gave it a good effort and did well’.

‘Well’ was never good enough for the fiery midfielder and I echo his sentiments.

Last night proved that attitude still exists even though I thought the experienced Italian manager had filtered it out.

The Republic of Ireland football team have always seemed happy just to be there, to be in Italy playing the World Champions seemed good enough, just as it does every time we get to a World Cup.

With a 10 men Italy and us dominating the game with the majority of the possession, nothing but three points and moving to the top of the group should have been satisfying.

We saw what happened when Keane stood up against this mentality so I doubt anyone else will dare, let’s just hope the dropped points doesn’t hamper our qualification chances.

Jealousy is a terrible thing

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:41:00 +0000

Last weekend saw one of Ireland’s greatest sporting achievements, as our rugby boys clinched a long-awaited Six Nations Grand Slam.

I don’t claim to be a huge rugby fan, however, I wouldn’t consider myself jumping on the bandwagon of our recent success as I remember watching, as a child in the early nineties, Ireland pick up their fair share of wooden spoons so I have been there for the bad times as well.

After one of the most tense sporting occasions I have witnessed in recent times, I felt proud of our rugby team and more importantly I felt proud for my country.

So your probably thinking where is this going? Well here’s my point, strangely the small shop around the corner from my flat stocks The Sunday World, an Irish Sunday tabloid newspaper that I always read back home (I live in Preston if you don’t know).

So on Sunday morning, bleary-eyed from the night before, I went to pick up the paper expecting celebration pictures, the match report from an undoubtedly ecstatic rugby correspondent and in-depth analysis from the experts.

All of which I did find but after being engrossed in the four or five pages of rugby I found myself through to the GAA pages (Gaelic Football and Hurling for our English readers) where I would expect them to report the sport that was in the shadow for that day.

What I did find shocked me and proved to me the amount of bitterness that lies in some quarters of the GAA world towards Ireland’s successful international sports.

Pat Spillane, a GAA pundit and schoolteacher, described in his weekly column how he felt that the skill and excitement of rugby played the day before was no better than a Junior League Gaelic Football match.

For those of you who don’t know the GAA system the level he was suggesting is roughly the standard of Sunday League football in England, maybe the lower levels of non-league if it was two top teams.

Spillane then went on to suggest that rugby has had an advantage of being a professional sport with money to hire coaches to come to schools where GAA is lacking.

Well, that is there own fault, first of all the GAA’s ignorance towards professional sport has left them behind on some fronts of development of young players. Secondly the GAA can afford to pay coaches to travel to schools to teach rugby, they just don’t want to cough up.

The pundit did mention that he was supporting the Irish team in their success but that he doesn’t see the appeal of rugby as a sport. I’m sorry but you won’t find many things as thrilling as a player having one kick that could either win the game or lose it, which is the position Wales’ Stephen Jones found himself in at the death last Saturday.

There’s also the charge Ireland made straight after the Welsh drop-goal, not exciting? Try telling that to the Irish fans that nearly took the roof off the Millennium Stadium when Ronan O’Gara returned Ireland’s lead with his drop-goal.

Nevermind the skill or the excitement, it doesn’t matter what sport it is, for a small nation with limited resources everyone should be proud of success whether it be rugby, soccer, GAA or even tiddlywinks.

The fact that Spillane would begrudge rugby their day before our summer is full of ‘his’ GAA is nothing short of disgraceful. Shame on him.

Why aren't you Cup for it?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:20:00 +0000

Why Martin O’Neill decided not to bring a full-strength squad to Moscow last Thursday for Aston Villa’s UEFA Cup tie still confuses me.

Never before have I questioned the man’s decision making, I believe he is one of the best in the business but not going out there to win was a massive mistake.

O’Neill wanted to concentrate on the league and their push for a Champions League spot but surely the chance to win a European trophy would be something an ambitious manager like him would want to take on?

And the rest that their top players got hasn’t seemed to help in their bid for fourth spot, in fact it may even have hindered them as a disappointing draw against Stoke on Saturday was followed up by a 2-0 defeat away at Manchester City tonight, which has allowed Arsenal to narrow the gap between them.

Villa are even off away on a break this weekend with no Premier League action due to the FA Cup ties taking place, which they have been eliminated so this makes it even more mind boggling that they sacrificied their UEFA Cup campaign.

I have never understood the problem about playing two games in a week anyways yet managers and players constantly complain about fatigue, even at the beginning of the season.

It’s 180 minutes of playing football, if a player is tired then why not just give him a break from training the next day? Maybe footballers should try some of the more rigorous training that other athletes endure then they would know what it’s really like to be tired.

Fair enough, Aston Villa’s squad has not got the depth that maybe Manchester United’s or Chelsea’s does but, in my opinion, if you don’t want to play in Europe, don’t bother qualifying.

So say if Villa do finish in the top four and manage to get through to the last-16 of the Champions League next season, and they are in a similar position in the Premier League, will they just send their reserves out like they did last Thursday?

O’Neill’s decision didn’t go down well with the Villa fans that paid out to travel all the way to Russia only to see a weakened team crash out of the UEFA cup, it’s a tough enough time financially so you can understand their disappointment.

I think O’Neill’s attitude to the competition proves that there is a waning interest and importance of the UEFA Cup for clubs like Aston Villa who are chasing the big money-spinner that is the Champions League.

Next season the UEFA Cup will change its name to the UEFA Europa League next and the competition is also to be extended but more games is not the answer when clubs are complaining that there schedules are too hectic.

The only way I can see this competition being revived and becoming more attractive is to offer a Champions League spot for the winners or maybe even both finalists.

Hopefully the spot in Europe’s most coveted competition and the extra financial incentive would make UEFA Europa League more attractive for the likes of Aston Villa as it is a good competition for the smaller teams who can’t match the financial powerhouses in England and on the continent but will the governing body realise this?

If it ain't broke don't fix it

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McKenna) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:51:00 +0000

The British Amateur Boxing Association's (BABA) first major decision after being set up to improve Britain’s Olympic boxing team was to sack head coach Terry Edwards just months after he trained the most successful Olympic team to date.

In an unbelievable move they have decided to get rid of the experienced coach who has been involved with the British team for the last decade and has been officially at the helm for the last two years which has seen England and Britain win their first World Championship gold medal in 2007, when Frankie Gavin made his name, and their first European gold medal since 1961 when hot prospect Luke Matthews won on home turf in 2008.

Of course their was James DeGale’s gold medal as well as David Price’s and Tony Jeffries’ bronze medal wins in Beijing. It was starting to look like Britain could be overtake Cuba as the world’s best amateur country.

However, BABA chief Derek Mapp decided to axe Edwards as they apparently look to further improve on their success. He said in a statement:
"Terry Edwards has made a huge contribution to British Boxing resulting in a record success of medal haul in Beijing. However we now need to further improve upon that and, as importantly, work to create a legacy of success demonstrated by the development of our boxers, coaches and support team for generations to come."

Have they ever heard of the saying ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’? Did British Cycling axe their head coach? Would Manchester United have sacked Sir Alex Ferguson after they won the treble in 1999 just cause they wanted someone younger? No because even if we ignore the fact of how unfair it would be, it also doesn’t make sense to sack somebody who has just brought such a massive success.

Edwards was even more shocked, having just spoken to the new chief about the future of British boxing a few days before, he would have expected to be preparing for the World Championships this year but now he may move, like his medal winners, to the professional game as Frank Warren seems interested in getting him to coach some fighters.

Something stinks with this issue, whether it be a bitterness from rival trainers or people within this new organisation or his, in my opinion, correct decision to send Frankie Gavin home from Beijing, it’s an absolute disgrace and this upheaval can only upset the mood in the camp.

They probably thought they would be clever and wait until all the talk about Beijing died down but the people that it will affect the most are the young boxers with dreams of stepping into the ring at the London Olympics in 2012 and they will know their chances have been reduced unless BABA have an exceptional replacement. However, the best man for the job will now be either earning big money coaching the pros or enjoying his retirement.

A ridiculous decision that will could set British boxing back a few years, lets just hope it doesn’t effect the many impressive talents that are coming through the ranks and that Britain can emulate the Beijing team in 2012.