For those people that know me well, it might surprise you that football was not the first sport I was interested in; instead at a very young age I became enraptured by the 1994 Tour De France.
This was at the time when Spaniard Miguel 'Big Mig' Indurain was dominating the event winning it five times in a row from 1991-1995. However, it wasn't really until the late 1990s that I got properly into cycling's premier event.
And the reason I started viewing again was down to one man- Lance Armstrong. Even though I was only eight when he won his first Tour I was still mesmerised by the story of Armstrong coming back from near death to win the world's greatest bike race. Hindsight proves that my young self was ridiculously naive but so was my father who had watched the race since the 70s. Armstrong's confession last year that he had doped was truly shocking and I felt let down along with millions of other cycling fans.
However, some of my initial anger at Armstrong's doping has now subsided. And I actually feel he is taking too much heat from the media, cycling fans and fellow riders. This isn't to say I don't condemn Armstrong's cheating. It was abhorrent and has ultimately left cycling in a position from which it will take a long time to recover from.
This week more revelations emerged from the 1998 Tour, which was the most shameful edition of the Tour De France in its 100 year history, so much so that it is referred to as the Tour De Doping. It has now been revealed that the winner of the yellow jersey that year Marco Pantani, the runner up Jan Ullrich and green jersey winner Erik Zabel all tested positive for the banned substance EPO.
Armstrong who didn't compete in the Tour that year because he was fighting cancer, but says he isn't surprised at this weeks revelations. And neither am I. But there has been barely a whimper in the media and that's where my defence of Armstrong comes in.
Due to Armstrong winning in 1999 few questions were asked about his performance apart from the wonderful David Walsh of The Sunday Times and the French media. Instead, the focus was on the miraculous recovery from cancer and him winning the world's toughest bike race. He became the face of cycling and with a celebrity girlfriend in the form of Sheryl Crow on his arm, Armstrong was a worldwide superstar. That's why his confession was such a big story and remains so.
But how many people in the general public could pick out Ullrich in a police-line up or Zabel for that matter? I'm willing to bet not many. However, why shouldn't their crimes be plastered over the back pages of the sports pages? Cycling can't recover from it's shameful past unless every rider who cheated is tackled over their past crimes (admittedly Pantani's crimes have now gone to the grave after he died in 2004).
And what of Eddy Merckx, widely regarded as the greatest cyclist of all time? He still gets an invite to the presentation ceremony every year at the Tour De France, yet he tested positive three times between 1969-1977 and he actually supported Armstrong when he was accused of drug use. Armstrong will be barred from the tour for life and rightly so, but the organisers are being super hyper-critical here.
I am a firm believer in banning drug cheats for life. It might sound harsh to some, but if athletes know they can come back in a few years after taking banned substances, then there is a high chance they can do so again. I cannot fathom how lightly Alberto Contador's comeback to the Tour De France this year has been taken after he is a known former drug user. Contador was heralded as one of the favourites and a top climber. Instead, questions should have been asked if Contador was clean again, especially in this post Armstrong era. Once again, I feel this is because outwith the cycling world, Contador isn't particularly well known unlike Armstrong who I'd argue is one of the five biggest sportsmen of the last twenty years.
As I mentioned, I got properly into cycling in the late 90s and I had numerous heroes at the time including Zabel, Ullrich, Mario Cippolini and Pantani. They have all proven to be drug users yet you would hardly know about them. It is the same in athletics and other sports (how many of you know this week Viktor Troicki, a Serbian tennis player has been banned for 18 months for failing to provide a blood sample). If this was Nadal or Murray, then it would be the talk of workplaces, homes and pubs across the world.
Armstrong did wrong and it is sad that Chris Froome's victory in the Tour De France last week cannot be celebrated without suspicion. Armstrong created a bullying culture that was disgraceful and put the highest pressure on teammates and the peloton to take drugs, which is hopefully a thing of the past.
But Merckx and Jacques Anquetil another five time Tour De France winner who died in 1987 continue to be celebrated despite them openly admitting to doping during their careers. Indeed, Anquetil like Armstrong said you couldn't win the Tour without taking drugs.
This might sound like I'm saying because everyone did it, Armstrong should have been allowed to get away with it. That couldn't be further from the truth. Instead I am asking for a bit of fairnness in the reporting of doping in cycling.
Right now, there is a blank list from 1999-2005 where Armstrong's wins used to be. I reckon they should be making some updates to other years very soon. It would be a welcome step in the right direction.
Sunday, 28 July 2013
Sunday, 23 June 2013
Andy Murray's Route to (potential) Wimbledon Glory
Tomorrow marks that annual time of the year when I will go into a state of angst about Britain's number one tennis player, Andy Murray for (hopefully) the next fortnight. Yes, Wimbledon begins in earnest in less than 24 hours and once again there is a huge air of expectation surrounding Murray's chances of winning the tournament for the first time.
The weight of pressure on his shoulders has undoubtedly become even heavier since he reached the final last year, which he lost to Roger Federer. He then recovered to beat the Swiss great in the Olympic final at the same venue less than a month later, before beating World No 1 Novak Djokovic to win a thrilling US Open in September to finally secure his first Grand Slam.
There is a very acceptable train of thought from many people who believe that winning Wimbledon for the first time is a natural next step in Murray's career.
Here's a look at the route Murray will have to overcome if he is to lift the title on Sunday July 7th at SW19.
Round One: Benjamin Becker (Germany)- World Ranking: 95
Murray begins his quest for glory tomorrow on Centre Court against a much more unheralded German named Becker. Benjamin isn't any relation to 3-time Wimbledon champ of the 80's Boris and whilst he has a big serve, this match should be fairly comfortable for Murray.
He recently beat him in straight sets at Queens before going on to win the tournament and whilst Becker will be keen for revenge he has never progressed beyond the second round of a slam.
Round Two: James Ward (GBR- 216)/ Lu Yen Hsun (Taiwan- 74)
There is a potential for an all British tie for Murray to negotiate in round two if his Davis Cup colleague Ward can come through his first round match. Lu is no mug though and famously upset three time Wimbledon runner-up Andy Roddick in the fourth round in 2010. An all British match-up would make for nice viewing, but ultimately Murray would have too much class for Ward, and indeed that matter the World Number 74 from Taiwan.
Round Three: Tommy Robredo (Spain - 29)/ Nicolas Mahut (France -240)
Most previews I have read so far about Murray's chances seem to have it nailed on that he will play Robredo in Round 3. However, I can see Mahut beating him in Round 2 due to his good current form and for the fact the Spaniard is much more comfortable on clay. Mahut defeated Swiss star Stan Wawrinka yesterday in Holland to win his first ATP title at the age of 31 and he has a decent record on Grass having reached the final of Queens in 2007 whilst also beating Murray there last year.
Robredo has a respectable record against the Scot winning two out of their four matches, but the last of those was six years ago. Whoever makes it to this stage should be comfortably seen off by Murray to ensure his passage into the second week.
Round Four: Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia- 14)
This wouldn't be the easiest start to the second week for Murray, but it is far from the toughest either. The Serbian has been as high as number eight in the world and did beat Murray in Dubai last year, but I see this taking a similar path to how Murray beat Marin Cilic at the same stage in 2012. On that occasion, Murray sensed it could be his year and took care of the Croatian in three sets and I think he will do the same to Tipsarevic.
Quarter Final: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France - 7)
The first 'real' danger man for Murray who happens to be my outside tip to win the tournament. With his big serve and huge forehand, Tsonga is capable of beating anyone on his day as he has proven on numerous occasions against Federer in recent years. However, Tsonga has only once tasted victory against Murray and that was over five years ago. He is also inconsistent and struggles to deal with Murray's superb returns. I'd fancy Murray in four sets if this match takes place.
Semi- Final: Rafael Nadal (Spain - 5)/Roger Federer (Switzerland -3)
The fact that Nadal and Federer could meet in the quarter finals at Wimbledon shows the farce of the seedings to me, but it could also greatly benefit Murray's chances of winning the tournament. Despite losing to Federer in last years final, I think Murray would prefer to play him. Federer is approaching 32 now and whilst Wimbledon gives him the best chance of an 18th slam, he now struggles to keep pace with the more athletic pace of the game played by Murray, Djokovic, Nadal and even Tsonga.
Murray has also got an 11-9 winning record against the seven time champion whilst he has lost 13 times out of 18 against Nadal. The Spaniard will be hugely keen to reclaim his Wimbledon crown, especially after the shock of losing in the second round last year. However, a more aggressive Murray with a home crowd backing him certainly can take out Nadal these days but I'd be more confident of him beating Federer.
Final: Novak Djokovic (Serbia - 1)
The final would be rather easy for Murray. All he would have to do is beat the World Number One having beat either Nadal or Federer two days before. Despite his triumph in 2011 at Wimbledon, I still have doubts about Djokovic on grass and I'd go along with 1987 champion Pat Cash's assessment that he's the weakest of the top four on grass. Murray showed at the US Open that he can go five hours against Djokovic and if there is an Olympic style atmosphere at Centre Court, then Murray could finally end 77 years of British hurt at Wimbledon.
I don't want to be bold and admit Murray will win Wimbledon but he has prepared himself superbly and his win at Queens Club last week has buoyed him in terms of fitness and how his grass court play is currently doing.
A second Grand Slam and a first Wimbledon for Murray is very possible, but he'll have to climb some very big mountains to get there. Bring on the nail-biting and hiding behind the sofa over the next two weeks.
The weight of pressure on his shoulders has undoubtedly become even heavier since he reached the final last year, which he lost to Roger Federer. He then recovered to beat the Swiss great in the Olympic final at the same venue less than a month later, before beating World No 1 Novak Djokovic to win a thrilling US Open in September to finally secure his first Grand Slam.
There is a very acceptable train of thought from many people who believe that winning Wimbledon for the first time is a natural next step in Murray's career.
Here's a look at the route Murray will have to overcome if he is to lift the title on Sunday July 7th at SW19.
Round One: Benjamin Becker (Germany)- World Ranking: 95
Murray begins his quest for glory tomorrow on Centre Court against a much more unheralded German named Becker. Benjamin isn't any relation to 3-time Wimbledon champ of the 80's Boris and whilst he has a big serve, this match should be fairly comfortable for Murray.
He recently beat him in straight sets at Queens before going on to win the tournament and whilst Becker will be keen for revenge he has never progressed beyond the second round of a slam.
Round Two: James Ward (GBR- 216)/ Lu Yen Hsun (Taiwan- 74)
There is a potential for an all British tie for Murray to negotiate in round two if his Davis Cup colleague Ward can come through his first round match. Lu is no mug though and famously upset three time Wimbledon runner-up Andy Roddick in the fourth round in 2010. An all British match-up would make for nice viewing, but ultimately Murray would have too much class for Ward, and indeed that matter the World Number 74 from Taiwan.
Round Three: Tommy Robredo (Spain - 29)/ Nicolas Mahut (France -240)
Most previews I have read so far about Murray's chances seem to have it nailed on that he will play Robredo in Round 3. However, I can see Mahut beating him in Round 2 due to his good current form and for the fact the Spaniard is much more comfortable on clay. Mahut defeated Swiss star Stan Wawrinka yesterday in Holland to win his first ATP title at the age of 31 and he has a decent record on Grass having reached the final of Queens in 2007 whilst also beating Murray there last year.
Robredo has a respectable record against the Scot winning two out of their four matches, but the last of those was six years ago. Whoever makes it to this stage should be comfortably seen off by Murray to ensure his passage into the second week.
Round Four: Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia- 14)
This wouldn't be the easiest start to the second week for Murray, but it is far from the toughest either. The Serbian has been as high as number eight in the world and did beat Murray in Dubai last year, but I see this taking a similar path to how Murray beat Marin Cilic at the same stage in 2012. On that occasion, Murray sensed it could be his year and took care of the Croatian in three sets and I think he will do the same to Tipsarevic.
Quarter Final: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France - 7)
The first 'real' danger man for Murray who happens to be my outside tip to win the tournament. With his big serve and huge forehand, Tsonga is capable of beating anyone on his day as he has proven on numerous occasions against Federer in recent years. However, Tsonga has only once tasted victory against Murray and that was over five years ago. He is also inconsistent and struggles to deal with Murray's superb returns. I'd fancy Murray in four sets if this match takes place.
Semi- Final: Rafael Nadal (Spain - 5)/Roger Federer (Switzerland -3)
The fact that Nadal and Federer could meet in the quarter finals at Wimbledon shows the farce of the seedings to me, but it could also greatly benefit Murray's chances of winning the tournament. Despite losing to Federer in last years final, I think Murray would prefer to play him. Federer is approaching 32 now and whilst Wimbledon gives him the best chance of an 18th slam, he now struggles to keep pace with the more athletic pace of the game played by Murray, Djokovic, Nadal and even Tsonga.
Murray has also got an 11-9 winning record against the seven time champion whilst he has lost 13 times out of 18 against Nadal. The Spaniard will be hugely keen to reclaim his Wimbledon crown, especially after the shock of losing in the second round last year. However, a more aggressive Murray with a home crowd backing him certainly can take out Nadal these days but I'd be more confident of him beating Federer.
Final: Novak Djokovic (Serbia - 1)
The final would be rather easy for Murray. All he would have to do is beat the World Number One having beat either Nadal or Federer two days before. Despite his triumph in 2011 at Wimbledon, I still have doubts about Djokovic on grass and I'd go along with 1987 champion Pat Cash's assessment that he's the weakest of the top four on grass. Murray showed at the US Open that he can go five hours against Djokovic and if there is an Olympic style atmosphere at Centre Court, then Murray could finally end 77 years of British hurt at Wimbledon.
I don't want to be bold and admit Murray will win Wimbledon but he has prepared himself superbly and his win at Queens Club last week has buoyed him in terms of fitness and how his grass court play is currently doing.
A second Grand Slam and a first Wimbledon for Murray is very possible, but he'll have to climb some very big mountains to get there. Bring on the nail-biting and hiding behind the sofa over the next two weeks.
Saturday, 25 May 2013
A Procession for Rafa?: The French Open Men's Singles 2013 Preview
For the next two weeks, tennis lovers will have their eyes firmly fixed on Paris and in particular the clay courts of Roland Garros. Many believe that the men's tournament already has Rafael Nadal's name written on the trophy and you would be easily forgiven for sharing that opinion.
The Spaniard has a remarkable record at the French Open, having only lost one match since making his debut in 2005. That came in 2009 against Robin Soderling, but on that day he was suffering badly with his troublesome knees whilst his parents were also going through a divorce. He won four consecutive titles before then and is currently on a run of three successive wins at Roland Garros, having secured a hard-fought win over Novak Djokovic last year.
Nadal quickly earned the title 'King of Clay' after his exploits as a 18 year old in 2005 and there is very little doubt that he is the greatest clay court player of all time. He has won 41 of his 56 career singles titles on his favoured surface and these include a record eight consecutive wins at the Monte Carlo Masters and seven victories in the Rome Masters both of which are always played in the run-up to the French Open.
Worryingly for his opponents wanting to challenge him, Nadal has been in blistering form since returning from a knee injury in February which kept him out of the second half of last years tennis season as well as this years Australian Open. He has already won six titles since February and last week he destroyed Roger Federer 6-1, 6-3 in the final of the Rome Masters.
However, Nadal can be beaten but it will take some effort. World Number One Djokovic achieved that when he beat Nadal in Monte Carlo in April this year to stop Nadal's run of never losing there since 2005. Djokovic is certainly the most likely man to beat the Spaniard at Roland Garros, but with the way the draw has worked out, it looks as though he will have to do it at the semi-final stage. The Serb did give Nadal a real scare in last years final and he has also beat him on clay in the past at the Madrid and the Rome Masters. He also has the added incentive of knowing that if he wins he will complete the set of winning all the Grand Slams at least once.
And what of Nadal's fellow Spaniard David Ferrer? With Andy Murray ruled out through a back injury, he is the number four seed and is on line to meet Roger Federer in the semi-finals. He will never get a better chance to finally reach a first grand-slam final at the age of 31. Federer may have won the French Open before and reached four other finals (losing to Nadal on all of those occasions), but Ferrer shares many of his fellow Spaniard's qualities on the clay-courts and nowadays I would predict Ferrer to have the edge over Federer. He has won ten career titles on the surface over the years and it can be argued that he is currently the best player without a slam to his name. However, his record at the French Open is rather patchy despite reaching the semi-finals last year. On his day, he is a match for everyone in the draw and he will relish the route to the semi-finals he has over the first ten days.
The real outside bet for this tournament is Stanislas Wawrinka. He has lived in the shadow of his countryman Federer for most of his career, but his clay-court form this season has been superb. He beat Ferrer in Portugal to win his first title in two years whilst he also beat Jo Wilfried Tsonga and Tomas Berdych in Madrid before succumbing to Nadal in the final. Wawrinka possesses an incredible one-handed backhand and is a real danger to all of the top players if his mind is fully focused.
Come the 9th of June, Rafael Nadal should be lifting an eighth French Open title and with the form he is in, it is very hard to see who can stop him over the next fortnight. Tennis is a curious game though and major upsets have happened before. You only need to mention Lukas Rosol to Nadal to confirm that.
The Spaniard has a remarkable record at the French Open, having only lost one match since making his debut in 2005. That came in 2009 against Robin Soderling, but on that day he was suffering badly with his troublesome knees whilst his parents were also going through a divorce. He won four consecutive titles before then and is currently on a run of three successive wins at Roland Garros, having secured a hard-fought win over Novak Djokovic last year.
Nadal quickly earned the title 'King of Clay' after his exploits as a 18 year old in 2005 and there is very little doubt that he is the greatest clay court player of all time. He has won 41 of his 56 career singles titles on his favoured surface and these include a record eight consecutive wins at the Monte Carlo Masters and seven victories in the Rome Masters both of which are always played in the run-up to the French Open.
Worryingly for his opponents wanting to challenge him, Nadal has been in blistering form since returning from a knee injury in February which kept him out of the second half of last years tennis season as well as this years Australian Open. He has already won six titles since February and last week he destroyed Roger Federer 6-1, 6-3 in the final of the Rome Masters.
However, Nadal can be beaten but it will take some effort. World Number One Djokovic achieved that when he beat Nadal in Monte Carlo in April this year to stop Nadal's run of never losing there since 2005. Djokovic is certainly the most likely man to beat the Spaniard at Roland Garros, but with the way the draw has worked out, it looks as though he will have to do it at the semi-final stage. The Serb did give Nadal a real scare in last years final and he has also beat him on clay in the past at the Madrid and the Rome Masters. He also has the added incentive of knowing that if he wins he will complete the set of winning all the Grand Slams at least once.
And what of Nadal's fellow Spaniard David Ferrer? With Andy Murray ruled out through a back injury, he is the number four seed and is on line to meet Roger Federer in the semi-finals. He will never get a better chance to finally reach a first grand-slam final at the age of 31. Federer may have won the French Open before and reached four other finals (losing to Nadal on all of those occasions), but Ferrer shares many of his fellow Spaniard's qualities on the clay-courts and nowadays I would predict Ferrer to have the edge over Federer. He has won ten career titles on the surface over the years and it can be argued that he is currently the best player without a slam to his name. However, his record at the French Open is rather patchy despite reaching the semi-finals last year. On his day, he is a match for everyone in the draw and he will relish the route to the semi-finals he has over the first ten days.
The real outside bet for this tournament is Stanislas Wawrinka. He has lived in the shadow of his countryman Federer for most of his career, but his clay-court form this season has been superb. He beat Ferrer in Portugal to win his first title in two years whilst he also beat Jo Wilfried Tsonga and Tomas Berdych in Madrid before succumbing to Nadal in the final. Wawrinka possesses an incredible one-handed backhand and is a real danger to all of the top players if his mind is fully focused.
Come the 9th of June, Rafael Nadal should be lifting an eighth French Open title and with the form he is in, it is very hard to see who can stop him over the next fortnight. Tennis is a curious game though and major upsets have happened before. You only need to mention Lukas Rosol to Nadal to confirm that.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Volvo World Matchplay Championship Preview
This week sees the European Tour's golfers head to Bulgaria for the first time ever to compete in the prestigious Volvo World Matchplay Championship.
If the name sounds familiar to you, that's because it was the tournament that was played every year from 1972 until 2007 at Wentworth and saw dominant winners such as Ernie Els, Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman. In 2009 and over the last two years, it was played in Spain, but now the tournament will be taken around Europe each year.
According to the legendary Gary Player, the course he designed; Thracian Cliffs, "Is unlike any other golf course on the planet." With that in mind, the 24 players who will tee-it up from tomorrow onwards at "The Cliffs" will face a trip largely into the unknown. The format sees eight groups of three, with the top two in each group progressing to the last 16. From then on, it will be a straight knock-out competition, before a champion is crowned on Sunday.
Here are four men I fancy to do well this week:
Graeme McDowell (8/1): The Northern Irishman only just lost out last year when he was beaten by Nicolas Colsaerts in the final, but he could well go one better this year. He is in good form, having just won the RBC Heritage in America last month and his short game is a huge asset in this matchplay format. Memories of his winning putt at the 2010 Ryder Cup for Europe always come flooding back on weeks like this and if he can channel some of that spirit, McDowell could take some beating.
Nicolas Colsaerts (9/1): The Belgian may have suffered a hiccup in his preparation when his clubs didn't arrive in Bulgaria when they were supposed to, but that hasn't deterred me from looking at generous odds for this weeks defending champion. He is a huge hitter and seems to relish the matchplay format, having proven himself superbly as a debutant in last years Ryder Cup. He does have a tough opening game against South African Branden Grace, but Colsaerts is more than capable of seeing him off to kick-start a run in his quest to keep hold of the trophy.
Brett Rumford (25/1): No-one in the field is currently in better form than the Australian who has won the last two tournaments he has played in South Korea and China. His putting has been superb in both of those tournaments and these odds are simply too high to discard for a player who is full of confidence right now. If he can get through a tough group, where he has been drawn alongside Gonzalo Fernandez Castano and Jamie Donaldson, then Rumford could be picking up his third successive winners cheque on Sunday.
Stephen Gallacher (33/1): A surprising choice perhaps, but don't rule out the Scot picking up a second victory of the season this week. He was superb in winning the Dubai Desert Classic at the start of the season and was recently tied 6th in the Ballantine's Championship in South Korea. He seems to have been dismissed because he is in a group with McDowell and Chris Wood but he is more than capable of holding his own. His putting has improved greatly and he is one of the purest ball-strikers in this weeks field. Ignore Gallacher if you wish, but it might come back to haunt you.
Matchplay is my favourite format of golf and this weeks tournament promises to be four days of thrilling golf, with a number of the European Tour's hottest players teeing up in Bulgaria. And it will be fascinating to see who handles a brand new course to emerge as the latest winner of one of the best events on the European Tour.
*All odds supplied by William Hill.
If the name sounds familiar to you, that's because it was the tournament that was played every year from 1972 until 2007 at Wentworth and saw dominant winners such as Ernie Els, Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman. In 2009 and over the last two years, it was played in Spain, but now the tournament will be taken around Europe each year.
According to the legendary Gary Player, the course he designed; Thracian Cliffs, "Is unlike any other golf course on the planet." With that in mind, the 24 players who will tee-it up from tomorrow onwards at "The Cliffs" will face a trip largely into the unknown. The format sees eight groups of three, with the top two in each group progressing to the last 16. From then on, it will be a straight knock-out competition, before a champion is crowned on Sunday.
Here are four men I fancy to do well this week:
Graeme McDowell (8/1): The Northern Irishman only just lost out last year when he was beaten by Nicolas Colsaerts in the final, but he could well go one better this year. He is in good form, having just won the RBC Heritage in America last month and his short game is a huge asset in this matchplay format. Memories of his winning putt at the 2010 Ryder Cup for Europe always come flooding back on weeks like this and if he can channel some of that spirit, McDowell could take some beating.
Nicolas Colsaerts (9/1): The Belgian may have suffered a hiccup in his preparation when his clubs didn't arrive in Bulgaria when they were supposed to, but that hasn't deterred me from looking at generous odds for this weeks defending champion. He is a huge hitter and seems to relish the matchplay format, having proven himself superbly as a debutant in last years Ryder Cup. He does have a tough opening game against South African Branden Grace, but Colsaerts is more than capable of seeing him off to kick-start a run in his quest to keep hold of the trophy.
Brett Rumford (25/1): No-one in the field is currently in better form than the Australian who has won the last two tournaments he has played in South Korea and China. His putting has been superb in both of those tournaments and these odds are simply too high to discard for a player who is full of confidence right now. If he can get through a tough group, where he has been drawn alongside Gonzalo Fernandez Castano and Jamie Donaldson, then Rumford could be picking up his third successive winners cheque on Sunday.
Stephen Gallacher (33/1): A surprising choice perhaps, but don't rule out the Scot picking up a second victory of the season this week. He was superb in winning the Dubai Desert Classic at the start of the season and was recently tied 6th in the Ballantine's Championship in South Korea. He seems to have been dismissed because he is in a group with McDowell and Chris Wood but he is more than capable of holding his own. His putting has improved greatly and he is one of the purest ball-strikers in this weeks field. Ignore Gallacher if you wish, but it might come back to haunt you.
Matchplay is my favourite format of golf and this weeks tournament promises to be four days of thrilling golf, with a number of the European Tour's hottest players teeing up in Bulgaria. And it will be fascinating to see who handles a brand new course to emerge as the latest winner of one of the best events on the European Tour.
*All odds supplied by William Hill.
Tuesday, 7 May 2013
Why I want Wigan to remain in the Premier League
At 7.45pm tonight Wigan will take on Swansea in a massive game at the DW stadium. Then again, Wigan fans have become accustomed to watching these sort of games at this stage of the season over the last few years.
Every year, Wigan Athletic almost deliberately seem to put their fans through the mire as they slip into an inevitable relegation battle, before somehow performing great escape after great escape under the management of Roberto Martinez. Should they lose to Swansea tonight though, the Championship bells would be ringing in their ears a lot louder. Currently they sit on 35 points with a game in hand on the sides above them on 38 points; Newcastle, Norwich and Sunderland. A win for Wigan tonight and suddenly Newcastle are in the bottom three on goal difference. But if Swansea manage to beat their old manager's side, then surely Wigan will be joining Reading and QPR in the Championship next season.
However, I really hope that Wigan remain in the Premier League and not just for this season. I should point out that I am not a Wigan fan and never have been. Instead, I have merely developed a liking for a club that I believe are one of the most attractive in England's top division.
One of the main reasons for this is the aforementioned Martinez. Still only 39, the Spaniard is an extremely affable man who is nothing but charming and honest in his interviews before and after matches. He has even shown himself to be a very knowledgeable pundit whilst working for the BBC and ITV among others over the last few years. Of course, there is more than one way to set up football teams and managers such as Sam Allardyce and Tony Pulis have proven that filling your team with 'big men' can work, but Martinez has always wanted to play football the 'right way'. And this has been the case since he started managing at Swansea in 2007, whom he would lead to the League One title. In many ways, he laid the foundations for the Welsh club's success that they've had since he left under Brendan Rodgers and now Michael Laudrup.
Another reason to admire Martinez and Wigan is his (and therefore the club's) ability to scout new markets for players to bring in on the cheap. And they also tend to take a chance on players others wouldn't. Just look at Martinez's record of looking at players in the SPL. Whilst Scottish fans recognised the young talents of James McCarthy and James McArthur at Hamilton whilst they were in the top division, there were more than a few eyebrows raised when they were brought to the club in consecutive seasons. However, they are now mainstays in the team and McArthur scored a goal against West Brom on Saturday that may yet prove vital to their survival.
And what about Shaun Maloney? He may be frustrating to watch as a Scotland fan, but right now he is genuinely one of the most in-form players in the Premier League. He has been the catalyst for Wigan's latest battle to survive after scoring a tremendous free-kick against QPR a few weeks ago and played out of his skin against West Brom on Saturday. Martinez took a gamble on the former Celtic man because he had failed in England before with Aston Villa but he has certainly got the best out of the little Scotsman.
Martinez has also used his contacts in Spain to brilliant effect for Wigan. Whilst it is hardly an unknown league, not many would have heard of strikers Arouna Kone and Jordi Gomez as well as defender Ivan Ramis who have all played their part this season before they came with Kone scoring an impressive 13 goals in his debut season in England.
I also love Wigan for the way they continually punch above their weight. If we were going on attendances alone,Wigan would always be in the bottom three. This season, their average attendance is currently 19,192, which is only good enough to beat fellow strugglers QPR. Last season on average, they only filled 74% of their ground for their 19 home matches. This is a team which regularly sees its attendances beaten by teams in the Championship and even League One. Many feel this shows they don't deserve to be in the Premier League. What nonsense. Wigan are a great story of a team rising through the leagues and they have rightfully earned their place to fight against the 'big boys', just as they will do when they take on Manchester City on Saturday in the FA Cup final.
And their continual survival is made all the more remarkable when you consider Wigan is historically and in many respects to this day, a rugby town. The people of Wigan love the rivalries against St Helens in Rugby League and a lot of them wouldn't dream of going to the DW Stadium for a football game. Every other club in the top league (with perhaps the exception of Swansea) plays in a place where football is king.
My final reason for my growing love affair with Wigan is the fact that everybody writes them off season after season. On Saturday night, Alan Hansen claimed on Match of the Day that "everyone had written them off". I have news for you Alan; I hadn't consigned them to relegation and I bet those words will have fired Martinez's men to avoid that fate even more now.
Every underdog has its day goes the saying but perhaps Wigan have had theirs already considering their past escapes. But I hope that they are going to play up to another animal cliche and use up another one of their nine lives and take their place in the Premier League next season.
Every year, Wigan Athletic almost deliberately seem to put their fans through the mire as they slip into an inevitable relegation battle, before somehow performing great escape after great escape under the management of Roberto Martinez. Should they lose to Swansea tonight though, the Championship bells would be ringing in their ears a lot louder. Currently they sit on 35 points with a game in hand on the sides above them on 38 points; Newcastle, Norwich and Sunderland. A win for Wigan tonight and suddenly Newcastle are in the bottom three on goal difference. But if Swansea manage to beat their old manager's side, then surely Wigan will be joining Reading and QPR in the Championship next season.
However, I really hope that Wigan remain in the Premier League and not just for this season. I should point out that I am not a Wigan fan and never have been. Instead, I have merely developed a liking for a club that I believe are one of the most attractive in England's top division.
One of the main reasons for this is the aforementioned Martinez. Still only 39, the Spaniard is an extremely affable man who is nothing but charming and honest in his interviews before and after matches. He has even shown himself to be a very knowledgeable pundit whilst working for the BBC and ITV among others over the last few years. Of course, there is more than one way to set up football teams and managers such as Sam Allardyce and Tony Pulis have proven that filling your team with 'big men' can work, but Martinez has always wanted to play football the 'right way'. And this has been the case since he started managing at Swansea in 2007, whom he would lead to the League One title. In many ways, he laid the foundations for the Welsh club's success that they've had since he left under Brendan Rodgers and now Michael Laudrup.
Another reason to admire Martinez and Wigan is his (and therefore the club's) ability to scout new markets for players to bring in on the cheap. And they also tend to take a chance on players others wouldn't. Just look at Martinez's record of looking at players in the SPL. Whilst Scottish fans recognised the young talents of James McCarthy and James McArthur at Hamilton whilst they were in the top division, there were more than a few eyebrows raised when they were brought to the club in consecutive seasons. However, they are now mainstays in the team and McArthur scored a goal against West Brom on Saturday that may yet prove vital to their survival.
And what about Shaun Maloney? He may be frustrating to watch as a Scotland fan, but right now he is genuinely one of the most in-form players in the Premier League. He has been the catalyst for Wigan's latest battle to survive after scoring a tremendous free-kick against QPR a few weeks ago and played out of his skin against West Brom on Saturday. Martinez took a gamble on the former Celtic man because he had failed in England before with Aston Villa but he has certainly got the best out of the little Scotsman.
Martinez has also used his contacts in Spain to brilliant effect for Wigan. Whilst it is hardly an unknown league, not many would have heard of strikers Arouna Kone and Jordi Gomez as well as defender Ivan Ramis who have all played their part this season before they came with Kone scoring an impressive 13 goals in his debut season in England.
I also love Wigan for the way they continually punch above their weight. If we were going on attendances alone,Wigan would always be in the bottom three. This season, their average attendance is currently 19,192, which is only good enough to beat fellow strugglers QPR. Last season on average, they only filled 74% of their ground for their 19 home matches. This is a team which regularly sees its attendances beaten by teams in the Championship and even League One. Many feel this shows they don't deserve to be in the Premier League. What nonsense. Wigan are a great story of a team rising through the leagues and they have rightfully earned their place to fight against the 'big boys', just as they will do when they take on Manchester City on Saturday in the FA Cup final.
And their continual survival is made all the more remarkable when you consider Wigan is historically and in many respects to this day, a rugby town. The people of Wigan love the rivalries against St Helens in Rugby League and a lot of them wouldn't dream of going to the DW Stadium for a football game. Every other club in the top league (with perhaps the exception of Swansea) plays in a place where football is king.
My final reason for my growing love affair with Wigan is the fact that everybody writes them off season after season. On Saturday night, Alan Hansen claimed on Match of the Day that "everyone had written them off". I have news for you Alan; I hadn't consigned them to relegation and I bet those words will have fired Martinez's men to avoid that fate even more now.
Every underdog has its day goes the saying but perhaps Wigan have had theirs already considering their past escapes. But I hope that they are going to play up to another animal cliche and use up another one of their nine lives and take their place in the Premier League next season.
Monday, 29 April 2013
The Rise and Rise of Ayrshire Sport
I may not have been born in Ayrshire but I have lived in this part of Scotland almost all of my life. And since a young age, sport has been one of my biggest passions.
This last year has seen an incredible rise for Ayrshire sports teams and individuals and their success deserves every bit of respect from the wider public. When people mention Ayrshire in relation to the world of sport, usually people think of golf and rightly so considering the world-class courses in the area including Open venues Royal Troon and Turnberry. And whilst Ayrshire are still producing talented golfers such as Jack McDonald and Michael Stewart, it is in other sports where Ayrshire has been even more successful in the last 12 months.
Rugby has always been played in the area to a very high standard and in recent years Ayr Rugby Club have taken that to a whole new level. After winning the Premier 1 Championship in 2008/2009 after 104 years of winning nothing, they have gone from strength to strength. This season they have captured the Premiership title again holding off a strong challenge from Gala by winning 16 out of 18 games in the league.
And on the 20th April, they became only the third Scottish side ever to do a league and cup double when they beat Melrose 28-25 in an unbelievable final at Murrayfield. They needed extra-time to secure the trophy and then some. They fell 25-23 behind in added time and time was actually up when the score remained that way. But they won with the final play of the game with replacement winger Cammy Taylor diving over in the corner. This summed up the incredible spirit that Kenny Murray has brought to the club and with three RBS Scottish Cup wins in the last five seasons, it is hard to argue against the fact that Ayr are one of the best club rugby sides in Scotland right now.
Another rugby club definitely on the up are that of my old school Marr College, in Troon. Whilst I never played rugby myself, I was always aware of the fantastic rugby programme the school had as well as the senior side who also play in the town. Two days ago the senior side completed a remarkable campaign by beating Helensburgh 24-22 to ensure a 100% winning record in RBS West Division One and to show their dominance, they finished the season with an incredible points difference of +687. A week earlier they had joined in celebrations with Ayr at Murrayfield when they won the RBS Shield in front of 1,000 of their loyal fans by beating Livingston 30-15. And if that wasn't enough, the schools side won the U18 plate final last Tuesday with a 21-13 victory over Galashiels. The future is all set to be wonderful for my old school.
But it isn't just with an oval shaped ball that Ayrshire is celebrating success in. The teams playing the round version have done very well this season too. Auchinleck Talbot have recently reached their third Scottish Junior Cup Final in succession and will be looking to atone for last season's defeat when they take on Linlithgow Rose on the 2nd June. They are also on the brink of winning the Super Premier League Division and haven't lost a game in the league yet.
Drop down a division and the Ayrshire sides are outdoing their Glasgow counterparts there also with Hurlford, Kilbirnie and Largs occupying the top three spaces in the First Division with the first two well set to be promoted to the top league in the next couple of weeks.
And my hometown Troon have also shared in this success by gaining promotion from the Ayrshire League with 51 points from 22 games, playing some nice football along the way and forging close links with local senior side Ayr United. The club are certainly not short of ambition and won't be ruling out another promotion next season. The senior sides in the area Ayr and Kilmarnock have struggled this season, but the juniors have promoted the area to a superb degree.
And in the so-called minor sports Ayrshire are excelling as well. The bowls scene in the area is continuing to flourish and Troon man Paul Foster is a stick-on to feature in the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games after winning a pairs gold in the 2006 event. He is also the proud holder of four World Indoor Singles Championship. And he achieves all this whilst still running a taxi firm!
And what about North Ayrshireman Robert Thornton from Ardrossan who is fast becoming one of the best players in the world at darts. After winning the prestigious UK Open last year beating Phil 'The Power' Taylor in the final, he has really kicked his performances up a gear. With that win, he received an invite to the 2013 version of the 'Premier League' and with two weeks of regular fixtures left he has every chance of making finals night where the top four will battle for the trophy and prize money. If Thornton keeps this form up, he has to be considered a real contender for the World Championship later in the year.
Finally, not many of you will be aware I suspect of an American Football team being based in Troon, but not only is there a team, they are a very good one. Last season they gained promotion after winning nine out of ten games in the British American National Football League Division 1 North and they were extremely unlucky not to win the Brit Bowl at the end of the season. They got off to a poor start on Saturday when they lost their first game in the Premiership against the Birmingham Bulls, but I saw enough to fully believe that they will have no problems holding their own in the league.
So let's raise a glass to the teams and individuals doing Ayrshire proud right now and punching above their weight. Long may it continue.
Wednesday, 10 April 2013
Masters 2013 Preview: Five Golfers to Watch at Augusta
With the Masters now only one day away, excitement has reached fever pitch amongst golf fans around the world, as they eagerly await the first major of the season to tee-off.
For many people, the Masters each year represents the start of the golfing season, but already in 2013 we have seen Tiger Woods regain the number one spot by winning three tournaments in America, Rory McIlroy struggle for form with his new clubs and for us Scottish golf fans, a win for Martin Laird in Texas last week.
Having regained the number one spot, Woods is the clear favourite to win The Masters and if he does so he will be pulling on his fifth green jacket, which would move him one behind Jack Nicklaus's record of six wins at Augusta and only three behind Nicklaus'sall-time record of eighteen Major wins.
But what of the other contenders this week? Here I look at five other men who could have to make some room in their wardrobe for a new item come Sunday.
Rory McIlroy (12/1) The Northern Irishman has endured a difficult start to 2013, having lost his spot at the top of the World Rankings and he also struggled to adjust to his new Nike clubs. However, he bounced back last week with a second place finish at the Valero Texas Open and it looks to have been the perfect warm-up for him.
Whilst memories of his meltdown on the course in 2011 as he led going onto the back nine in the final roundwill be fresh there is no doubting McIlroy has all the attributes to succeed at Augusta. He is a beautiful ball-striker and has a lovely touch around the greens. And it must not be forgotten that the previous two occasions he has won Majors, he has been soundly written off beforehand, then gone on to romp to victory. Keep that in mind.
Adam Scott (22/1) Scott is someone who should have picked up a Major Championship long before now. He threw The Open championship away last year when it was in his grasp with four holes to play. Seven other top ten finishes in Major Championships shows that the Australian loves being at the front end as Majors draw to a close.
So can he win the Green Jacket this year? He has finished in the top ten the last two years in The Masters, including tied 2nd in 2011 and is yet to miss a cut this season. He has improved his putting hugely, but due to his mental fragility, I would not go putting the mortgage on him.
Louis Oosthuizen (28/1) The South African was so unlucky to lose out last year at Augusta in the play-off to Bubba Watson and will be keen to go one better this time. The 2010 Open Champion must have thought he had one arm in the green jacket when Watson's drive found the rough in the play-off, but then the American played one of the greatest shots ever seen at Augusta.
However, Oosthuizen will have put all that behind him now and with finding the fairways key at Augusta, Oosthuzien is well worth some of your money. Blessed with a great short game as well, don't be surprised if he adds his name to the South African winners in recent years.
Matt Kuchar (40/1) The American is my top tip this week to win the 2013 Masters and is priced remarkably high at the bookies. Until he bogeyed the 16th in the final round last year, he was right in contention before finishing a very respectable tied third. He has already tasted victory this season in the WGC Matchplay and confirmed to me there how fantastic his touch around the greens is.
He also hasn't missed a cut this season and I have a real sense that it is Kuchar's time to win a Major having featured in the top ten of all four Majors over the last few years.
Nicolas Colsaerts (110/1) The Belgian is my real darkhorse this week as his odds would suggest. Colsaerts is playing in his first Masters tournament so it would be remarkable if he won on Sunday, considering only one debutant (Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979) has done so in 77 years.
However, he is certainly worth a couple of quid of your hard-earned cash. He has spent time in the company of Jack Nicklaus going over how to play the perfect shots on each hole and his huge distance off the tee certainly gives him a chance. And don't go thinking Colsaerts can't handle the big occasion. He was one of Europe's key men in the incredible 2012 Ryder Cup victory and also won the Volvo Matchplay championship that year. Winning a Major is different than showing off blistering Matchplay form, but he could spring a surprise this week.
Whatever happens, it promises to be four days of thrilling golfing competition. Of the 93 players lined up, everyone will step onto the first tee tomorrow thinking they can win. Unfortunately, only one of them will require the services of a tailor come Sunday night.
*All odds supplied by William Hill at the time of writing.
For many people, the Masters each year represents the start of the golfing season, but already in 2013 we have seen Tiger Woods regain the number one spot by winning three tournaments in America, Rory McIlroy struggle for form with his new clubs and for us Scottish golf fans, a win for Martin Laird in Texas last week.
Having regained the number one spot, Woods is the clear favourite to win The Masters and if he does so he will be pulling on his fifth green jacket, which would move him one behind Jack Nicklaus's record of six wins at Augusta and only three behind Nicklaus'sall-time record of eighteen Major wins.
But what of the other contenders this week? Here I look at five other men who could have to make some room in their wardrobe for a new item come Sunday.
Rory McIlroy (12/1) The Northern Irishman has endured a difficult start to 2013, having lost his spot at the top of the World Rankings and he also struggled to adjust to his new Nike clubs. However, he bounced back last week with a second place finish at the Valero Texas Open and it looks to have been the perfect warm-up for him.
Whilst memories of his meltdown on the course in 2011 as he led going onto the back nine in the final roundwill be fresh there is no doubting McIlroy has all the attributes to succeed at Augusta. He is a beautiful ball-striker and has a lovely touch around the greens. And it must not be forgotten that the previous two occasions he has won Majors, he has been soundly written off beforehand, then gone on to romp to victory. Keep that in mind.
Adam Scott (22/1) Scott is someone who should have picked up a Major Championship long before now. He threw The Open championship away last year when it was in his grasp with four holes to play. Seven other top ten finishes in Major Championships shows that the Australian loves being at the front end as Majors draw to a close.
So can he win the Green Jacket this year? He has finished in the top ten the last two years in The Masters, including tied 2nd in 2011 and is yet to miss a cut this season. He has improved his putting hugely, but due to his mental fragility, I would not go putting the mortgage on him.
Louis Oosthuizen (28/1) The South African was so unlucky to lose out last year at Augusta in the play-off to Bubba Watson and will be keen to go one better this time. The 2010 Open Champion must have thought he had one arm in the green jacket when Watson's drive found the rough in the play-off, but then the American played one of the greatest shots ever seen at Augusta.
However, Oosthuizen will have put all that behind him now and with finding the fairways key at Augusta, Oosthuzien is well worth some of your money. Blessed with a great short game as well, don't be surprised if he adds his name to the South African winners in recent years.
Matt Kuchar (40/1) The American is my top tip this week to win the 2013 Masters and is priced remarkably high at the bookies. Until he bogeyed the 16th in the final round last year, he was right in contention before finishing a very respectable tied third. He has already tasted victory this season in the WGC Matchplay and confirmed to me there how fantastic his touch around the greens is.
He also hasn't missed a cut this season and I have a real sense that it is Kuchar's time to win a Major having featured in the top ten of all four Majors over the last few years.
Nicolas Colsaerts (110/1) The Belgian is my real darkhorse this week as his odds would suggest. Colsaerts is playing in his first Masters tournament so it would be remarkable if he won on Sunday, considering only one debutant (Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979) has done so in 77 years.
However, he is certainly worth a couple of quid of your hard-earned cash. He has spent time in the company of Jack Nicklaus going over how to play the perfect shots on each hole and his huge distance off the tee certainly gives him a chance. And don't go thinking Colsaerts can't handle the big occasion. He was one of Europe's key men in the incredible 2012 Ryder Cup victory and also won the Volvo Matchplay championship that year. Winning a Major is different than showing off blistering Matchplay form, but he could spring a surprise this week.
Whatever happens, it promises to be four days of thrilling golfing competition. Of the 93 players lined up, everyone will step onto the first tee tomorrow thinking they can win. Unfortunately, only one of them will require the services of a tailor come Sunday night.
*All odds supplied by William Hill at the time of writing.
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