With Terry Butcher finally being unveiled as Hibs manager yesterday, the Highland club are now on the search for a new manager.
It won't be an easy task replacing the Englishman who leaves Inverness Caledonian Thistle sitting second in the Scottish Premiership and with a second successive League Cup Semi Final against Hearts to look forward to in February.
However, the answer for Inverness could lie with a manager that was tipped at first to take over from Pat Fenlon at Hibs- Kenny Shiels. The Northern Irishman has been out of work since being controversially sacked by Kilmarnock in June but he has been keen to get back into a job and is surely more than capable of keeping Inverness flying high.
Butcher was a man who got the best out of his players by instilling a great team spirit within the dressing room and Shiels did likewise at Kilmarnock. He led the club to a memorable League Cup triumph in 2012, which was the clubs first trophy in 15 years and somewhat impressively, it was done without conceding a goal. And since 1997, only Livingston and Hibs had won the trophy outside the Old Firm duo, showing how hard it is for a smaller club like Kilmarnock to come through the pack.
Shiels also loved to play good passing football at Kilmarnock, something Butcher's players got well used under him. At home in particular Caley Thistle were strong under Butcher, winning five out of their six home games this season. Whilst Shiels only led Kilmarnock to five home wins last season, that shouldn't put Inverness off. This group of players have shown they have a will to win and will believe in Shiels's philosophy and tactics of quick passing and pressing high up the pitch.
And last season did include a memorable win over Celtic, Kilmarnock's first since 1955 at Parkhead. And Shiels also led Kilmarnock to two wins over Rangers during his tenure, showing that he doesn't have any fears of leading smaller teams out against the Glasgow giants, just like Butcher did during his reign in the Highlands. I'm not sure I can imagine the defensively minded Craig Levein doing that or former Caley boss John Robertson either who are also contenders for the hotseat.
Terry Butcher was a manager who somewhat surprisingly came to absolutely adore life in the Highlands and showed this when he turned down a move to Barnsley earlier this year. If Shiels's reign in Kilmarnock is anything to go by then he would do the exact same. There are reasons outwith football as to why a significant section of Kilmarnock fans want Shiels back- it's mainly because in his own words 'he fell in love with the club'.
Sometimes, this admittedly went over the score but on the whole I didn't think Shiels did anything wrong in his passionate backing for the club, the town and the community. Infact, more managers should be like Shiels and Butcher and make sure their clubs are represented positively in the press. Shiels even went as far as saying his clubs League Cup triumph in 2012 made his side the club of the year, despite Celtic reaching the last 16 of the Champions League.
Agree or disagree with his comments, Shiels once again was showing his love for the club and you can well imagine him saying things about Inverness's budget and how they are miles away from the hub of the Central belt of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Again, would a Levein, Robertson or even Paul Hartley be as outspoken as Shiels?
For me Shiels ticks most, if not all the boxes if Inverness want to continue their remarkable rise up the top league in the future. Inverness Chairman Kenny Cameron should be ringing Shiels's number without any hesitation.
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Sunday, 3 November 2013
The final fling: A preview of the ATP World Tour Finals
The world's eight best male tennis players (minus Andy Murray) will be at the 02 Arena in London this week as they compete in the end of season world tour finals.
Murray's absence shouldn't put British tennis fans off as this will be a week full of high quality tennis with lots of interesting sub-plots along the way.
Novak Djokovic will be looking to prove that he is still the best in the world, whilst Rafael Nadal will be looking to win the event for the first time. Can Roger Federer have one final swansong or will Juan Martin Del Potro continue his recent superb form?
With that in mind, let's look at the two groups of four who'll be lining up in the UK capital.
Group A:
Rafael Nadal ( Seed 1). Who could have predicted this time last year that Nadal would be lining up in London as World Number One and the man to beat? You'd have been a brave individual to bet on that. But here we are with Nadal having won two more grand slams this year (the French Open and the US Open) as well as Masters titles in Indian Wells, Rome, Madrid, Toronto and Cincinnati.
He might have lost to David Ferrer in the semi-finals in Paris yesterday, but Nadal will be very happy with his draw. He lines up against three players he has had the beating of on a regular basis over the years.
He has 20 wins out of 25 matches against David Ferrer, 16 wins out of 19 against Tomas Berdych and a perfect 11 wins out of 11 against Stanislas Wawrinka and will be big favourite to top this group.
David Ferrer (Seed 3): Nadal's fellow Spaniard has had something of a breakthrough year in 2013, particularly when he reached his first Grand Slam final at the French Open in June, before losing to that man Nadal.
He also reached a career high ranking of world number three and every player knows they are going to be in a battle with Ferrer when they take him on, no matter the surface. Slightly worrying for Ferrer is that despite reaching nine finals this year, he has only won two and they were both at the start of the year.
More positively, he has a winning record against both Berdych (7-3) and Wawrinka (7-4) so he'll fancy his chances of getting through the group.
Tomas Berdych (Seed 5) The Czech big-hitter is another consistent performer, but the question is- can he challenge the likes of Nadal and Djokovic at the very top here? He has hardly been handed a kind draw with losing records against all players (his 5-7 record against Wawrinka rounding out a poor sequence), but this is his fourth consecutive world tour finals appearance.
Berdych proved at Wimbledon in 2010 that he can beat the best as he enjoyed wins over Federer in the quarters and Djokovic in the semis before losing to Nadal in the final. However, that was over three years ago and you can't say he's kicked on since then. And even Wawrinka could pose a big threat to his chances since the Swiss star beat him at the US Open in August.
Stan Wawrinka (Seed 7) Wawrinka's performances since the summer have been sensational, enabling him to compete in his first World Tour Finals. He showed signs in January that he might finally be stepping out of countryman's Roger Federer's shadow, when he forced Novak Djokovic into a five hour, five set epic at the Australian Open, but he really delivered at the US Open when he beat Berdych, before thrashing Murray in the quarter finals.
And he arguably should have defeated Djokovic in his first ever grand slam semi-final when he had a two sets to one lead. The belief is there now with Wawrinka and whilst he might have prefered a group without Nadal, he can nick in to take the second spot away from the fancied Ferrer.
Prediction
1. Nadal
2. Wawrinka
3. Ferrer
4. Berdych
Group B
Novak Djokovic (Seed 2) Last years winner Djokovic has been drawn in a tough group, but the Serb has never been a player to shirk a challenge. He might have lost his number one ranking to Nadal, but there can be no denying he's still had a good year.
He became the first man in the 'Open Era' to win three consecutive Australian Opens when he defeated Murray in January and he also made the finals at Wimbledon and the US Open.
Add in Masters titles in Monte Carlo and Shanghai as well as a French Open semi-final, the Serb has hardly hit a crisis by falling to number two in the world. He might have a losing record against Federer, but would always be big favourite to beat him nowadays whilst against Del Potro he has a record of 10 wins in 13 matches and against Richard Gasquet, it's nine wins from 10 meetings. Like Nadal, I expect the top seed to top the group.
Juan Martin Del Potro (Seed 4) The Argentinian is slowly reproducing his best form and says himself he is playing his best tennis since 2009, when he won the US Open and reached the final of this event.
He has again been hampered somewhat with injuries again this year, causing him to miss the French Open whilst he suffered early exits at both the Australian and US Opens. However, he was brilliant at Wimbledon, pushing Djokovic all the way in a five set thriller in the semis and in recent weeks he has been in great form. He has won titles in Switzerland and Japan as well as reaching a final in China.
His huge forehand and sheer presence of being 6 foot 6 make him my darkhorse to go all the way in London.
Roger Federer (Seed 6) The 17 times record slam winner may have qualified for a 12th consecutive end of season final event, but there can be no doubting he is not as good as he used to be. If you exclude his Wimbledon triumph of last year, he is without a slam since 2010 and has fallen to number six in the world.
Players simply don't fear him anymore and that can be typified by his defeats to Murray, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Tommy Robredo and the unheralded Sergiy Stakhovsky in the Grand Slams of 2013. Indeed, this is the first year Federer failed to reach a slam final since 2002 and his body is definitely slowing down.
He is still capable of moments of magic as he proved last week when he came from a set down to beat Del Potro in Paris, but those days are becoming rarer and rarer and he has only won one title this season.
Djokovic and Del Potro will prove too strong for Federer, so it will be a group stage exit for the fans favourite.
Richard Gasquet (Seed 8) Gasquet will be going out to prove to critics that he isn't simply there to make up the numbers this week. The Frenchman is in London on merit having won three titles this year and he reached the US Open semi finals.
His single-handed backhand is one to behold (like Federer's and Wawrinka's too) and in a shorter format, he can be a danger to anyone. However, with a combined four wins against his three group stage opponents, it's hard to see how Gasquet can get out of the group.
His mental ability can also be called into question, so he'll need to be at his very best to beat three superb players.
Prediction
1. Djokovic
2. Del Potro
3. Federer
4. Gasquet
It all starts tomorrow at 2pm with Berdych and Wawrinka getting things underway before Del Potro and Gasquet take to the court at 8pm. Then on Tuesday it's the ties of Nadal V Ferrer and Djokovic V Federer.
Murray's absence shouldn't put British tennis fans off as this will be a week full of high quality tennis with lots of interesting sub-plots along the way.
Novak Djokovic will be looking to prove that he is still the best in the world, whilst Rafael Nadal will be looking to win the event for the first time. Can Roger Federer have one final swansong or will Juan Martin Del Potro continue his recent superb form?
With that in mind, let's look at the two groups of four who'll be lining up in the UK capital.
Group A:
Rafael Nadal ( Seed 1). Who could have predicted this time last year that Nadal would be lining up in London as World Number One and the man to beat? You'd have been a brave individual to bet on that. But here we are with Nadal having won two more grand slams this year (the French Open and the US Open) as well as Masters titles in Indian Wells, Rome, Madrid, Toronto and Cincinnati.
He might have lost to David Ferrer in the semi-finals in Paris yesterday, but Nadal will be very happy with his draw. He lines up against three players he has had the beating of on a regular basis over the years.
He has 20 wins out of 25 matches against David Ferrer, 16 wins out of 19 against Tomas Berdych and a perfect 11 wins out of 11 against Stanislas Wawrinka and will be big favourite to top this group.
David Ferrer (Seed 3): Nadal's fellow Spaniard has had something of a breakthrough year in 2013, particularly when he reached his first Grand Slam final at the French Open in June, before losing to that man Nadal.
He also reached a career high ranking of world number three and every player knows they are going to be in a battle with Ferrer when they take him on, no matter the surface. Slightly worrying for Ferrer is that despite reaching nine finals this year, he has only won two and they were both at the start of the year.
More positively, he has a winning record against both Berdych (7-3) and Wawrinka (7-4) so he'll fancy his chances of getting through the group.
Tomas Berdych (Seed 5) The Czech big-hitter is another consistent performer, but the question is- can he challenge the likes of Nadal and Djokovic at the very top here? He has hardly been handed a kind draw with losing records against all players (his 5-7 record against Wawrinka rounding out a poor sequence), but this is his fourth consecutive world tour finals appearance.
Berdych proved at Wimbledon in 2010 that he can beat the best as he enjoyed wins over Federer in the quarters and Djokovic in the semis before losing to Nadal in the final. However, that was over three years ago and you can't say he's kicked on since then. And even Wawrinka could pose a big threat to his chances since the Swiss star beat him at the US Open in August.
Stan Wawrinka (Seed 7) Wawrinka's performances since the summer have been sensational, enabling him to compete in his first World Tour Finals. He showed signs in January that he might finally be stepping out of countryman's Roger Federer's shadow, when he forced Novak Djokovic into a five hour, five set epic at the Australian Open, but he really delivered at the US Open when he beat Berdych, before thrashing Murray in the quarter finals.
And he arguably should have defeated Djokovic in his first ever grand slam semi-final when he had a two sets to one lead. The belief is there now with Wawrinka and whilst he might have prefered a group without Nadal, he can nick in to take the second spot away from the fancied Ferrer.
Prediction
1. Nadal
2. Wawrinka
3. Ferrer
4. Berdych
Group B
Novak Djokovic (Seed 2) Last years winner Djokovic has been drawn in a tough group, but the Serb has never been a player to shirk a challenge. He might have lost his number one ranking to Nadal, but there can be no denying he's still had a good year.
He became the first man in the 'Open Era' to win three consecutive Australian Opens when he defeated Murray in January and he also made the finals at Wimbledon and the US Open.
Add in Masters titles in Monte Carlo and Shanghai as well as a French Open semi-final, the Serb has hardly hit a crisis by falling to number two in the world. He might have a losing record against Federer, but would always be big favourite to beat him nowadays whilst against Del Potro he has a record of 10 wins in 13 matches and against Richard Gasquet, it's nine wins from 10 meetings. Like Nadal, I expect the top seed to top the group.
Juan Martin Del Potro (Seed 4) The Argentinian is slowly reproducing his best form and says himself he is playing his best tennis since 2009, when he won the US Open and reached the final of this event.
He has again been hampered somewhat with injuries again this year, causing him to miss the French Open whilst he suffered early exits at both the Australian and US Opens. However, he was brilliant at Wimbledon, pushing Djokovic all the way in a five set thriller in the semis and in recent weeks he has been in great form. He has won titles in Switzerland and Japan as well as reaching a final in China.
His huge forehand and sheer presence of being 6 foot 6 make him my darkhorse to go all the way in London.
Roger Federer (Seed 6) The 17 times record slam winner may have qualified for a 12th consecutive end of season final event, but there can be no doubting he is not as good as he used to be. If you exclude his Wimbledon triumph of last year, he is without a slam since 2010 and has fallen to number six in the world.
Players simply don't fear him anymore and that can be typified by his defeats to Murray, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Tommy Robredo and the unheralded Sergiy Stakhovsky in the Grand Slams of 2013. Indeed, this is the first year Federer failed to reach a slam final since 2002 and his body is definitely slowing down.
He is still capable of moments of magic as he proved last week when he came from a set down to beat Del Potro in Paris, but those days are becoming rarer and rarer and he has only won one title this season.
Djokovic and Del Potro will prove too strong for Federer, so it will be a group stage exit for the fans favourite.
Richard Gasquet (Seed 8) Gasquet will be going out to prove to critics that he isn't simply there to make up the numbers this week. The Frenchman is in London on merit having won three titles this year and he reached the US Open semi finals.
His single-handed backhand is one to behold (like Federer's and Wawrinka's too) and in a shorter format, he can be a danger to anyone. However, with a combined four wins against his three group stage opponents, it's hard to see how Gasquet can get out of the group.
His mental ability can also be called into question, so he'll need to be at his very best to beat three superb players.
Prediction
1. Djokovic
2. Del Potro
3. Federer
4. Gasquet
It all starts tomorrow at 2pm with Berdych and Wawrinka getting things underway before Del Potro and Gasquet take to the court at 8pm. Then on Tuesday it's the ties of Nadal V Ferrer and Djokovic V Federer.
Thursday, 17 October 2013
Who's Going to Make the 2014 European Ryder Cup Team?
The race for the twelve available spots on the European Ryder Cup team has begun in earnest and the event at Gleneagles, starting on 26th September next year will be here before we know it.
With that in mind, as it stands this would be my twelve men to make up the team and give Europe the strongest chance of retaining the trophy once again.
Ian Poulter (England)
The first name on any European Ryder Cup team sheet from now until his bones give up. His performances at Medinah in last years edition were simply out of this world. Poulter lives for this event and his passion lifts his teammates ten-fold. Even if Poulter doesn't make it in automatically, then captain Paul McGinley simply must pick him. He would be on the backfoot right from the start if he chose not to.
Henrik Stenson (Sweden)
The big Swede has been in sensational form in the latter half of 2013 and if he keeps those sort of performances up he'll be a shoo-in for the team. Winner of the Tour Championship and the Fed Ex Cup last month, Stenson has rocketed to number four in the world and also managed top three finishes at The Open and the PGA Championship in the summer. Blessed with a superbly long driving game, Stenson would be eager to impress in his first Ryder Cup since 2008.
Lee Westwood (Eng)
With McGinley being a relatively young Ryder Cup captain at the age of 47 (when the event starts), Westwood will provide a hugely experienced voice in the players room. 2014 would be the Englishman's ninth successive Ryder Cup appearance and whilst his putting can be erratic to put it mildly, he is a superb leadout man- much in the way Colin Montgomerie became in his later appearances in the competition.
Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)
Whilst McIlroy has suffered a remarkably bad 2013, I cannot imagine the team next year lining up without him. On his day, he is the greatest player in the world and the great thing for captain McGinley is that he doesn't fear any of the Americans. He will surely bounce back next year (he's too good not to) and make sure of his place at Gleneagles.
Justin Rose (England)
This years US Open champion has matured into a tremendous golfer. Long gone are the days of missed cut after missed cut. The Englishman is now a threat in every tournament he plays in and with his fantastic all-round game, particularly from tee to green, he will be a superb asset for the European side. Infact, bar Poulter I'd say he's the one player the Americans wish was on their side.
Sergio Garcia (Spain)
Much like that man Poulter, Garcia lives for this competition. He might still yearn to win an overdue Major title, but nothing quite gets the Spaniard's fires burning as loudly as the Ryder Cup. A great man to have in the players room to lift spirits, he comes into his own, particularly in the foursomes.
Matteo Manassero (Italy)
I'm becoming more and more convinced that the young Italian will be lining up for his debut Ryder Cup appearance next year. He was superb in winning the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in May and was equally impressive in the recent Seve Trophy event, which would have done his Ryder Cup chances no harm. And for the matchplay format, he also happens to have a brilliant short game which is a bonus.
Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium)
Whilst Ian Poulter was the main hero of Medinah, the Belgian's remarkable effort in the last Friday afternoon fourball match to gain Europe a point shouldn't be forgotten. He played round in ten under par leading partner Lee Westwood to effectively say he had carried him through the match. His driving length makes him a superb weapon to have on your side and the fact that he is a former winner of the Volvo World Matchplay ticks another box in my eyes.
Paul Casey (England)
Isn't it wonderful to see Casey back in some sort of form? Once he was the world number three, before personal and physical problems saw him take a tumbling down the rankings. But a win at the Irish Open in the summer boosted his confidence, and slowly but surely he is showing the form that enabled him to tee up in this event three times before. The fact that he has won at Gleneagles and has a good record in Matchplay events gives him more than a fighting chance of making the team.
Stephen Gallacher (Scotland)
I must admit to a vested interest in this selection- I'm good friends with Gallacher's nephew and as a result I would be delighted to see him tee it up at Gleneagles. That being said, Gallacher is more than capable of being a key player for Europe. A winner already this season in Dubai, he was also 2nd in the Johnnie Walker Championships (at a certain Gleneagles) and tied 3rd on Sunday in Portugal. With his extremely natural ball striking and consistent record around Gleneagles, he could be a secret weapon for Team Europe next year.
Martin Kaymer (Germany)
The man who holed the winning putt in Medinah last year is not the golfer he once was but he remains supremely talented. He is an intelligent golfer who when on form can blow away the opposition. The German also seems to like Scottish courses, winning the Scottish Open in 2009 as well as picking up fine results at St Andrews in the past few years.
Luke Donald (England)
Let me state on record, Donald is in this team by the skin of his teeth. He has had a pretty miserable 2013 by anyone's standards and will really need to buck up his ideas if he wants to ensure he makes a fifth Ryder Cup appearance. So why is he in right now? Two reasons- he's still a phenomenal putter and when looking at this team, he could partner up with just about any of them.
There is great strength in depth in European golf right now, so it was tough narrowing it down to a dozen. A certain Northern Irishman who holed the winning putt in 2010 has some work to do though for me...
Thursday, 12 September 2013
I've Caught The Scotland National Team Bug Again
As I watched Scotland defeat Macedonia 2-1 on Tuesday night, a strange feeling came over me. I was suddenly nervous about winning the game and getting three points, despite Scotland's World Cup qualification chances having long since ended. I cared about the Scotland national team again.
Since Scotland agonisingly lost 2-1 to Italy in an attempt to qualify for Euro 2008, in November 2007 I have really struggled to conjure up much interest in caring about how Scotland did as a footballing nation. That's how much enthusiasm was drained from me during the reigns of both George Burley and Craig Levein.
Sure there were moments over those years where I celebrated with every Scotland fan like beating Iceland twice under Burley or drawing level with Spain under Levein at Hampden. However, by the end of each of the aforementioned bosses I had given up and very much become a club focused man.
And this was tinged with sadness. Growing up I had always struck a balance between my club (Rangers) and my country. I remember as a young lad getting kitted out ready to watch Scotland kick off the 1998 World Cup against Brazil. I cheered beating England at Wembley, was delighted when we beat Holland and celebrated wildly those two brilliant wins over France.
But it wasn't just the fact that the reigns of Burley and Levein were bad. They were catastrophically demoralising for national morale and I can vividly remember when it came to breaking point in both their reigns. For Burley, it was the 4-0 hammering in Norway. I didn't even care that we beat Macedonia three weeks later after that result. For Levein, there were endless moments but the final, final straw was the 0-0 draw against Serbia at the start of this doomed World Cup 2014 qualifying group. It proved I was wrong to expect different from a new campaign with the same manager in charge.
However, let's stop that negativity right now because Scotland are slowly but surely progressing under Gordon Strachan. Three wins in seven games is hardly tremendous for Gordon Strachan's CV but the signs are there that Strachan has got Scotland doing the basics right again and that's what pleases me most. Managing Scotland isn't rocket science which is something Burley and Levein failed to realise which was so frustrating as a fan.
Strachan is slowly finding a system which suits the eleven players he puts on the park. We don't have top,top players. We have some good, perhaps some very good players in the shape of Steven Fletcher, James Morrison and Shaun Maloney but we're not going to do major damage to a lot of teams. However, Strachan knows that with a bit of spirit and easy instructions Scotland are a nation that can rise again on the international arena.
Hampden should be a fortress yet we've scored two goals there in this qualifying campaign. On Tuesday night, admittedly away from home, I saw a system in which the Scottish players understood each other and players from midfield were much more willing to help out the lone striker. On a dodgy pitch Scotland passed the ball well, looked organised and scored two cracking goals. That's the way it should be home and away although with winners coming preferably earlier than two minutes from time!
Now I'm not going to get carried away but away wins over Croatia and Macedonia as well as the performance against England at Wembley should be celebrated. I've said for years Scotland have decent players, particularly in midfield.
All we needed was a manager that was a winner that could inspire them to go above their usual standards. Strachan has shown that we can compete with big nations again and the win over Macedonia was a genuine sign of progress.
Hopefully there is more to come and dare I say it, I'm looking forward to the Croatia game at Hampden next month.
Since Scotland agonisingly lost 2-1 to Italy in an attempt to qualify for Euro 2008, in November 2007 I have really struggled to conjure up much interest in caring about how Scotland did as a footballing nation. That's how much enthusiasm was drained from me during the reigns of both George Burley and Craig Levein.
Sure there were moments over those years where I celebrated with every Scotland fan like beating Iceland twice under Burley or drawing level with Spain under Levein at Hampden. However, by the end of each of the aforementioned bosses I had given up and very much become a club focused man.
And this was tinged with sadness. Growing up I had always struck a balance between my club (Rangers) and my country. I remember as a young lad getting kitted out ready to watch Scotland kick off the 1998 World Cup against Brazil. I cheered beating England at Wembley, was delighted when we beat Holland and celebrated wildly those two brilliant wins over France.
But it wasn't just the fact that the reigns of Burley and Levein were bad. They were catastrophically demoralising for national morale and I can vividly remember when it came to breaking point in both their reigns. For Burley, it was the 4-0 hammering in Norway. I didn't even care that we beat Macedonia three weeks later after that result. For Levein, there were endless moments but the final, final straw was the 0-0 draw against Serbia at the start of this doomed World Cup 2014 qualifying group. It proved I was wrong to expect different from a new campaign with the same manager in charge.
However, let's stop that negativity right now because Scotland are slowly but surely progressing under Gordon Strachan. Three wins in seven games is hardly tremendous for Gordon Strachan's CV but the signs are there that Strachan has got Scotland doing the basics right again and that's what pleases me most. Managing Scotland isn't rocket science which is something Burley and Levein failed to realise which was so frustrating as a fan.
Strachan is slowly finding a system which suits the eleven players he puts on the park. We don't have top,top players. We have some good, perhaps some very good players in the shape of Steven Fletcher, James Morrison and Shaun Maloney but we're not going to do major damage to a lot of teams. However, Strachan knows that with a bit of spirit and easy instructions Scotland are a nation that can rise again on the international arena.
Hampden should be a fortress yet we've scored two goals there in this qualifying campaign. On Tuesday night, admittedly away from home, I saw a system in which the Scottish players understood each other and players from midfield were much more willing to help out the lone striker. On a dodgy pitch Scotland passed the ball well, looked organised and scored two cracking goals. That's the way it should be home and away although with winners coming preferably earlier than two minutes from time!
Now I'm not going to get carried away but away wins over Croatia and Macedonia as well as the performance against England at Wembley should be celebrated. I've said for years Scotland have decent players, particularly in midfield.
All we needed was a manager that was a winner that could inspire them to go above their usual standards. Strachan has shown that we can compete with big nations again and the win over Macedonia was a genuine sign of progress.
Hopefully there is more to come and dare I say it, I'm looking forward to the Croatia game at Hampden next month.
Sunday, 8 September 2013
Djokovic V Nadal: Who Will Emerge Triumphant in New York?
Tomorrow night will see the world's two best male tennis players go head to head in the final of the US Open for the third time in four years.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic will take on Spain's Rafael Nadal in New York just like I predicted two weeks ago here: (http://www.ewansworldofsport.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/can-andy-murray-retain-his-us-open-crown.html) and it promises to be a sensational encounter once again. As you will see from the above blog, I tipped Djokovic to win the title two weeks ago and despite some doubts I'm going to stand by that statement.
There can be no doubting Rafael Nadal is in the better form and has had the easier route to the final. He is unbeaten on hard courts this season winning three Masters Titles in Indian Wells in March and Montreal and Cincinnati last month.
Those latter two victories were all the more remarkable considering how many people had written him off (including to some extent me) after his defeat in the first round of Wimbledon to unheralded Belgian Steve Darcis.
Nadal has looked firmly back to his best on the courts of Flushing Meadows and has only dropped one set on his way to his third US Open final. In the quarter finals he thumped countryman Tommy Robredo (who had beaten Roger Federer in the previous round) for the loss of only four games before defeating Richard Gasquet with ease in last night's semi-final.
By contrast, Novak Djokovic was pushed to the limit yesterday by Andy Murray's conqueror Stanislas Wawrinka in his semi-final. After over four hours of play, Djokovic finally emerged the winner, 6-4 in the fifth set. You have to wonder how much that has taken out of the world number one, even if he has proved time and again he is a machine.
However, I think being tested like that is an advantage for Djokovic. Andy Murray can bare testament to this when he won Wimbledon in the summer. He may have put himself and millions of fans through the ringer in his quarter final against Fernando Verdasco when he had to come from two sets down to win, but this served him enormously in the long run.
And that's what Djokovic will be telling himself. He was far from his best yesterday and probably deserved to lose against Wawrinka, but he dug deep and is now in the final. He'll be brimming with confidence and keen to cement his position as World Number One over a rampant Nadal.
Another advantage Djokovic has in my eyes is his incredible level of consistency in Grand Slams. This is his third slam final of this year alone and fourth consecutive US Open final. Contrast that to Nadal, who thanks to injuries hasn't been to a slam final outwith his beloved French Open since that epic 2012 Australian Open final against Djokovic. That gives the Serbian the mental edge in my view, despite Nadal's 13 slam titles.
Furthermore, Djokovic will be spurred on by a couple of revenge factors. First of all, he'll want to regain the US Open crown he lost last year to Andy Murray in such dramatic fashion. He's loved the US Open since he arrived on the tennis world and this tournament was the first slam in which Djokovic reached the final of in 2007.
He'll also want to avenge another dramatic defeat from the last 12 months and this time it occurred against Nadal in the semi-finals of this years French Open. In five gruelling sets, it was the Spaniard who won 9-7 in the decider after Djokovic had been a break-up. That was a sore one for Djokovic who was keen to complete a career Grand Slam at Roland Garros in June.
And what about Nadal's knees? He might look fitter and sharper than ever, but as pointed out earlier, they haven't been giving a true test yet this fortnight in the Big Apple. Tests don't come much tougher than a best of five-set match against Djokovic and he'll be looking to put the Majorican under serious pressure from the word go. If it goes to another five hour match between the pair, then I've got to fancy Djokovic's chances.
I could easily have stated a case for Nadal winning tomorrow evening, but I fancy the World Number one from Serbia to win his seventh Grand Slam title and edge out Nadal in a five-set thriller.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic will take on Spain's Rafael Nadal in New York just like I predicted two weeks ago here: (http://www.ewansworldofsport.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/can-andy-murray-retain-his-us-open-crown.html) and it promises to be a sensational encounter once again. As you will see from the above blog, I tipped Djokovic to win the title two weeks ago and despite some doubts I'm going to stand by that statement.
There can be no doubting Rafael Nadal is in the better form and has had the easier route to the final. He is unbeaten on hard courts this season winning three Masters Titles in Indian Wells in March and Montreal and Cincinnati last month.
Those latter two victories were all the more remarkable considering how many people had written him off (including to some extent me) after his defeat in the first round of Wimbledon to unheralded Belgian Steve Darcis.
Nadal has looked firmly back to his best on the courts of Flushing Meadows and has only dropped one set on his way to his third US Open final. In the quarter finals he thumped countryman Tommy Robredo (who had beaten Roger Federer in the previous round) for the loss of only four games before defeating Richard Gasquet with ease in last night's semi-final.
By contrast, Novak Djokovic was pushed to the limit yesterday by Andy Murray's conqueror Stanislas Wawrinka in his semi-final. After over four hours of play, Djokovic finally emerged the winner, 6-4 in the fifth set. You have to wonder how much that has taken out of the world number one, even if he has proved time and again he is a machine.
However, I think being tested like that is an advantage for Djokovic. Andy Murray can bare testament to this when he won Wimbledon in the summer. He may have put himself and millions of fans through the ringer in his quarter final against Fernando Verdasco when he had to come from two sets down to win, but this served him enormously in the long run.
And that's what Djokovic will be telling himself. He was far from his best yesterday and probably deserved to lose against Wawrinka, but he dug deep and is now in the final. He'll be brimming with confidence and keen to cement his position as World Number One over a rampant Nadal.
Another advantage Djokovic has in my eyes is his incredible level of consistency in Grand Slams. This is his third slam final of this year alone and fourth consecutive US Open final. Contrast that to Nadal, who thanks to injuries hasn't been to a slam final outwith his beloved French Open since that epic 2012 Australian Open final against Djokovic. That gives the Serbian the mental edge in my view, despite Nadal's 13 slam titles.
Furthermore, Djokovic will be spurred on by a couple of revenge factors. First of all, he'll want to regain the US Open crown he lost last year to Andy Murray in such dramatic fashion. He's loved the US Open since he arrived on the tennis world and this tournament was the first slam in which Djokovic reached the final of in 2007.
He'll also want to avenge another dramatic defeat from the last 12 months and this time it occurred against Nadal in the semi-finals of this years French Open. In five gruelling sets, it was the Spaniard who won 9-7 in the decider after Djokovic had been a break-up. That was a sore one for Djokovic who was keen to complete a career Grand Slam at Roland Garros in June.
And what about Nadal's knees? He might look fitter and sharper than ever, but as pointed out earlier, they haven't been giving a true test yet this fortnight in the Big Apple. Tests don't come much tougher than a best of five-set match against Djokovic and he'll be looking to put the Majorican under serious pressure from the word go. If it goes to another five hour match between the pair, then I've got to fancy Djokovic's chances.
I could easily have stated a case for Nadal winning tomorrow evening, but I fancy the World Number one from Serbia to win his seventh Grand Slam title and edge out Nadal in a five-set thriller.
Sunday, 25 August 2013
Can Andy Murray retain his US Open crown?
After the euphoria of his incredible Wimbledon triumph last month, you could be forgiven for forgetting Andy Murray actually won his first grand slam title almost 12 months ago on the courts of Flushing Meadows as he won the US Open.
That Monday night, September 10th 2012 will live long in the memory for anyone who watched Murray's historic five-set win over Novak Djokovic. It represented the culmination of years of struggle for Murray coming to an end as he won his first major title at the fifth time of asking.
Now, after winning Wimbledon to collect a second slam title, Murray can really stamp his authority on the tennis world by defending his US Open crown. However, that will be easier said than done.
The draw hasn't been the kindest to the man from Dunblane, but as we know now you write off Murray at your peril these days in Grand Slams.
Here is Murray's potential route to glory in New York:
Round 1- Michael Llodra (World Ranking-49)
The 33 year-old Frenchman shouldn't pose too many problems for Murray as he kicks off his campaign. Llodra is more of a doubles specialist these days and has had a decidedly mixed 2013 so far winning 12 out of 22 matches.
However, he did reach the semi finals of the Paris Masters last year defeating Juan Martin Del Potro and John Isner along the way. But with Murray thumping him last year in straight sets in the Australian Open, he should do so again.
Round 2- Victor Hanescu (World Ranking- 54)
The Romanian should again be taken care of with relative ease by Murray. Like Llodra, he is now in his 30s and never poses any real threat to the top players.
Furthermore he has never been beyond the second round at the US Open, so if Murray is on-song he should get through to the last 32 without too much fuss.
Round 3- Juan Monaco (World Ranking- 32)
The Daily Mail's guide on Friday dismissed Monaco as a journeyman but I think this won't be the easiest tie for Murray. He's is still an obvious clear favourite to beat the Argentinian, but Monaco was ranked as high as 10th in the world just over a year ago and has twice reached the 4th round of this tournament in 2007 and 2011. Murray should win in straight sets, but I wouldn't be surprises if this goes to 4 sets.
Round 4- Nicolas Almagro (World Ranking- 15)
The World Number 15 from Spain should await Murray in Round 4. It won't be all plain sailing for Murray against a consistent performer, but there can be no doubting Almagro is more of a clay-court specialist having reached the French Open quarter finals three times, including in 2008 when he beat Murray.
However, over the last few years Murray has become accustomed to starting the second week of grand slams in top fashion and I'd expect him to have few issues against Almagro.
Quarter Final- Tomas Berdych (World Ranking- 5)
This is where things start to get a whole lot trickier for Murray. I'm rather worried about this potential match-up as Berdych is a real bogeyman for the Wimbledon hero. He beat him comfortably in Cincinnati just over two weeks ago and has won six out of their ten meetings.
His forehand and big serve seem to really trouble Murray, but the Scot can take comfort in the fact that one of his wins came in last years US Open semi-final.
Berdych can be described as erratic, and Murray has much more big game experience than him. I'd tip Murray to win in five sets if this match-up occurs.
Semi-Final- Novak Djokovic (World Ranking- 1)
What a mouthwatering prospect this is but Murray would have preferred this to come in the final I would suspect. Murray will clearly have to be at his best to beat Djokovic but comes into this knowing that he beat him here last year and the Wimbledon final this year. The two of them have developed a fantastic rivalry and it really is a match that could be decided on the toss of a coin.
If Murray gets his strategy bang on like he did at Wimbledon he will secure a place in the final. But Djokovic is such a machine, that you fancy him to be raring to atone for that Wimbledon loss.
Final- Rafael Nadal- (World Ranking- 2)
If Murray makes his second consecutive US Open final, it is likely he will have to beat the Spaniard who you can never write off. I will happily admit that I thought he was going to struggle again after his shock first-round loss at Wimbledon but he has been in brilliant form in the hard-court summer season so far winning the Montreal and Cincinnati Masters titles.
He would have to get by Roger Federer in a potentially brilliant quarter-final, but I'd fancy the in-form Spaniard to get past the ageing Swiss man.
Murray has a poor record against Nadal, only winning five of their 18 matches, but the better news for Murray is that those wins have all come on hard courts. And he did beat Nadal on his way to the 2008 US Open final and if this final did occur, you have to wonder about Nadal's knees after two brutal weeks on this surface.
Prediction: Murray to fall just short after a five-set epic semi-final with Djokovic, who will go onto beat Nadal in the final in two weeks.
Obviously I hope I'm wrong in that prediction.
That Monday night, September 10th 2012 will live long in the memory for anyone who watched Murray's historic five-set win over Novak Djokovic. It represented the culmination of years of struggle for Murray coming to an end as he won his first major title at the fifth time of asking.
Now, after winning Wimbledon to collect a second slam title, Murray can really stamp his authority on the tennis world by defending his US Open crown. However, that will be easier said than done.
The draw hasn't been the kindest to the man from Dunblane, but as we know now you write off Murray at your peril these days in Grand Slams.
Here is Murray's potential route to glory in New York:
Round 1- Michael Llodra (World Ranking-49)
The 33 year-old Frenchman shouldn't pose too many problems for Murray as he kicks off his campaign. Llodra is more of a doubles specialist these days and has had a decidedly mixed 2013 so far winning 12 out of 22 matches.
However, he did reach the semi finals of the Paris Masters last year defeating Juan Martin Del Potro and John Isner along the way. But with Murray thumping him last year in straight sets in the Australian Open, he should do so again.
Round 2- Victor Hanescu (World Ranking- 54)
The Romanian should again be taken care of with relative ease by Murray. Like Llodra, he is now in his 30s and never poses any real threat to the top players.
Furthermore he has never been beyond the second round at the US Open, so if Murray is on-song he should get through to the last 32 without too much fuss.
Round 3- Juan Monaco (World Ranking- 32)
The Daily Mail's guide on Friday dismissed Monaco as a journeyman but I think this won't be the easiest tie for Murray. He's is still an obvious clear favourite to beat the Argentinian, but Monaco was ranked as high as 10th in the world just over a year ago and has twice reached the 4th round of this tournament in 2007 and 2011. Murray should win in straight sets, but I wouldn't be surprises if this goes to 4 sets.
Round 4- Nicolas Almagro (World Ranking- 15)
The World Number 15 from Spain should await Murray in Round 4. It won't be all plain sailing for Murray against a consistent performer, but there can be no doubting Almagro is more of a clay-court specialist having reached the French Open quarter finals three times, including in 2008 when he beat Murray.
However, over the last few years Murray has become accustomed to starting the second week of grand slams in top fashion and I'd expect him to have few issues against Almagro.
Quarter Final- Tomas Berdych (World Ranking- 5)
This is where things start to get a whole lot trickier for Murray. I'm rather worried about this potential match-up as Berdych is a real bogeyman for the Wimbledon hero. He beat him comfortably in Cincinnati just over two weeks ago and has won six out of their ten meetings.
His forehand and big serve seem to really trouble Murray, but the Scot can take comfort in the fact that one of his wins came in last years US Open semi-final.
Berdych can be described as erratic, and Murray has much more big game experience than him. I'd tip Murray to win in five sets if this match-up occurs.
Semi-Final- Novak Djokovic (World Ranking- 1)
What a mouthwatering prospect this is but Murray would have preferred this to come in the final I would suspect. Murray will clearly have to be at his best to beat Djokovic but comes into this knowing that he beat him here last year and the Wimbledon final this year. The two of them have developed a fantastic rivalry and it really is a match that could be decided on the toss of a coin.
If Murray gets his strategy bang on like he did at Wimbledon he will secure a place in the final. But Djokovic is such a machine, that you fancy him to be raring to atone for that Wimbledon loss.
Final- Rafael Nadal- (World Ranking- 2)
If Murray makes his second consecutive US Open final, it is likely he will have to beat the Spaniard who you can never write off. I will happily admit that I thought he was going to struggle again after his shock first-round loss at Wimbledon but he has been in brilliant form in the hard-court summer season so far winning the Montreal and Cincinnati Masters titles.
He would have to get by Roger Federer in a potentially brilliant quarter-final, but I'd fancy the in-form Spaniard to get past the ageing Swiss man.
Murray has a poor record against Nadal, only winning five of their 18 matches, but the better news for Murray is that those wins have all come on hard courts. And he did beat Nadal on his way to the 2008 US Open final and if this final did occur, you have to wonder about Nadal's knees after two brutal weeks on this surface.
Prediction: Murray to fall just short after a five-set epic semi-final with Djokovic, who will go onto beat Nadal in the final in two weeks.
Obviously I hope I'm wrong in that prediction.
Saturday, 3 August 2013
English Championship Preview: Runners and Riders
The English Championship kicks off in earnest at 12.15 today when Burnley take on Bolton in a northwest derby before a whole host of other teams kick off at the traditional time of 3pm, with Derby and Blackburn playing on Sunday.
For my money, the English second tier always delivers season after season in terms of excitement, drama and unpredictability. If I am being honest, it is one of my favourite leagues to watch in the world. With that in mind, here I take a look at some of the teams I reckon will do well this season and those that will be at the wrong end of the table.
The Promotion Candidates
QPR: The Londoners were one of the three sides relegated from the Premier League last season and whilst they have lost some of their squad including Christopher Samba, Djibril Cisse and Jamie Mackie, manager Harry Redknapp has bought pretty shrewdly so far bringing in free-scoring Charlie Austin from Burnley and midfielder Karl Henry from Wolves amongst others. With their spending power and squad, they should win the division. However, I have to question Redknapp's ability to be tactically astute enough to win one of the toughest leagues in the world.
Reading: Reading are my own personal favourites for the league. Nigel Adkins is a man that knows this league inside out, having won promotion with Southampton in the league two years ago. The bonus for the Royals is that they have managed to keep their squad from last season, which has some very good talent in it in all areas of the park. They've also brought in Royston Drenthe, which is something of a coup for Adkins.
Watford: Gianfranco Zola's side will be looking to put last seasons play-off final and final day heartache by mounting a promotion charge this season. There seems to be controversial questions constantly surrounding the Hornets over their agreement with Udinese, but I have never really seen the fuss to be honest. Football is all about marketing these days and I think Zola should be applauded for bringing new talent into the Championship. With that in mind and backed with a good style of football, they can go very close this season.
Wigan Athletic: I'm still tipping Wigan to do well despite losing manager Roberto Martinez to Everton in the summer. New boss Owen Coyle has had his problems in recent times, but he did an excellent job with Burnley in this division and has a squad capable of beating most teams in the Championship. Led by new striker Grant Holt, they should make the play-offs at least.
The Dark Horses
Bolton: I think Dougie Freedman's side could surprise a lot of people this season. The Wanderers finished last season very strongly and will be going into the new season full of confidence. I rate Freedman hugely as a man-manager and in attacking terms, he has a lot to choose from including new striker Jermaine Beckford.
Nottingham Forest: Another side who finished the previous campaign strongly and in Billy Davies, they have a manager who is something of a Championship specialist. Jamie Mackie is a great signing for this level and you have to fancy them to reach the play-offs at least.
Ipswich Town: Mick McCarthy's men are my real outside bet, but are worth keeping an eye on. It's pushing it to say they can win the league after finishing 14th last season, but they've shown good form in pre-season and McCarthy is certainly confident- saying they are aiming for the top six.
Relegation Strugglers:
Yeovil Town: It will be nothing short of a miracle if Gary Johnson's men stay up. They did remarkably well to get promoted last season but surely this is a bridge too far. However, they love fighting against the odds, so you never know they might just surprise everyone.
Doncaster: The League One champions will be at the wrong end of the table despite signing One Directions Louis Tomlinson in a bizarre stunt on Thursday. New manager Paul Dickov did well at Oldham, but faces a big test of his credentials especially if they get off to a slow start.
Barnsley: The Yorkshiremen have hovered around the relegation zone for a number of years and only avoided dropping down to League One on the final day last season. Expect a season of struggle for David Flitcroft's side.
My 2013-2014 Championship Table
1. Reading
2. Bolton
3. Watford
4. QPR
5. Notts Forest
6. Wigan
7. Ipswich
8. Leicester
9. Brighton
10. Leeds
11. Derby
12. Middlesbrough
13. Blackburn
14. Birmingham
15. Blackpool
16. Charlton
17. Burnley
18. Millwall
19. Bournemouth
20. Sheffield Wednesday
21. Huddersfield
22. Doncaster
23. Barnsley
24. Yeovil
For my money, the English second tier always delivers season after season in terms of excitement, drama and unpredictability. If I am being honest, it is one of my favourite leagues to watch in the world. With that in mind, here I take a look at some of the teams I reckon will do well this season and those that will be at the wrong end of the table.
The Promotion Candidates
QPR: The Londoners were one of the three sides relegated from the Premier League last season and whilst they have lost some of their squad including Christopher Samba, Djibril Cisse and Jamie Mackie, manager Harry Redknapp has bought pretty shrewdly so far bringing in free-scoring Charlie Austin from Burnley and midfielder Karl Henry from Wolves amongst others. With their spending power and squad, they should win the division. However, I have to question Redknapp's ability to be tactically astute enough to win one of the toughest leagues in the world.
Reading: Reading are my own personal favourites for the league. Nigel Adkins is a man that knows this league inside out, having won promotion with Southampton in the league two years ago. The bonus for the Royals is that they have managed to keep their squad from last season, which has some very good talent in it in all areas of the park. They've also brought in Royston Drenthe, which is something of a coup for Adkins.
Watford: Gianfranco Zola's side will be looking to put last seasons play-off final and final day heartache by mounting a promotion charge this season. There seems to be controversial questions constantly surrounding the Hornets over their agreement with Udinese, but I have never really seen the fuss to be honest. Football is all about marketing these days and I think Zola should be applauded for bringing new talent into the Championship. With that in mind and backed with a good style of football, they can go very close this season.
Wigan Athletic: I'm still tipping Wigan to do well despite losing manager Roberto Martinez to Everton in the summer. New boss Owen Coyle has had his problems in recent times, but he did an excellent job with Burnley in this division and has a squad capable of beating most teams in the Championship. Led by new striker Grant Holt, they should make the play-offs at least.
The Dark Horses
Bolton: I think Dougie Freedman's side could surprise a lot of people this season. The Wanderers finished last season very strongly and will be going into the new season full of confidence. I rate Freedman hugely as a man-manager and in attacking terms, he has a lot to choose from including new striker Jermaine Beckford.
Nottingham Forest: Another side who finished the previous campaign strongly and in Billy Davies, they have a manager who is something of a Championship specialist. Jamie Mackie is a great signing for this level and you have to fancy them to reach the play-offs at least.
Ipswich Town: Mick McCarthy's men are my real outside bet, but are worth keeping an eye on. It's pushing it to say they can win the league after finishing 14th last season, but they've shown good form in pre-season and McCarthy is certainly confident- saying they are aiming for the top six.
Relegation Strugglers:
Yeovil Town: It will be nothing short of a miracle if Gary Johnson's men stay up. They did remarkably well to get promoted last season but surely this is a bridge too far. However, they love fighting against the odds, so you never know they might just surprise everyone.
Doncaster: The League One champions will be at the wrong end of the table despite signing One Directions Louis Tomlinson in a bizarre stunt on Thursday. New manager Paul Dickov did well at Oldham, but faces a big test of his credentials especially if they get off to a slow start.
Barnsley: The Yorkshiremen have hovered around the relegation zone for a number of years and only avoided dropping down to League One on the final day last season. Expect a season of struggle for David Flitcroft's side.
My 2013-2014 Championship Table
1. Reading
2. Bolton
3. Watford
4. QPR
5. Notts Forest
6. Wigan
7. Ipswich
8. Leicester
9. Brighton
10. Leeds
11. Derby
12. Middlesbrough
13. Blackburn
14. Birmingham
15. Blackpool
16. Charlton
17. Burnley
18. Millwall
19. Bournemouth
20. Sheffield Wednesday
21. Huddersfield
22. Doncaster
23. Barnsley
24. Yeovil
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