Andy Murray's (potential) route to (potential) Wimbledon glory

With the Wimbledon championships now only two days away from starting, excitement is at fever pitch among tennis fans, in what is seen as the highlight of their sporting calendar.

Excitement is particularly prevalent among Andy Murray supporters as they hope the man from Dunblane can go on and lift a second men's singles title on Sunday July 12th. After the draw was made yesterday, many have said that Murray faces a tough route if he is to secure another Grand Slam title. It is true that he might have to potentially face Nadal, Federer and Djokovic in the final three rounds if he is to succeed but with his form and a huge crowd backing him, there's no reason to doubt Murray. He can complete a fantastic second triumph as I wrote earlier this week  : http://ewansworldofsport.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/andy-murray-is-primed-for-second.html

With that in mind, here is Murray's potential route to another Wimbledon triumph in just over two weeks time.

Round One: Mikhail Kukushkin (Kazakhstan)

Murray's first opponent on Tuesday will be the World Number 58 from Kazakhstan. It's not an absolutely perfect start for Murray, but he shouldn't have too many problems against someone who does share something in common with Murray in that he is coached by a woman.

Murray has defeated Kukushkin on the two previous occasions the pair have met, both wins coming in a spell in Australia in 2012, where Murray won in three sets in the Brisbane Open, before comfortably beating Kukushkin in the Australian Open fourth round 6-1, 6-1 before Kukushkin retired after the first game of the third set. Murray isn't taking his opponent lightly and rightly so, considering he took a set off Nadal in the third round last year at Wimbledon and also beat Gael Monfils and Viktor Troicki in that run at the Australian Open.

Murray is too clever for this level of opponent though and I'm expecting a straight sets victory with the form he's in.

Round Two: Robin Haase (Netherlands)

Assuming a safe passage is negotiated by Murray through round one, he would most likely face Dutchman Robin Haase in round two. The pair know each other well having met on numerous occasions over the years, with the most famous seeing Murray fight back from two sets down to win in the second round of the 2011 US Open.

Murray has also beaten Haase more recently at the 2014 US Open, though he again was pushed in four sets. He also beat the man from Holland in straight sets in the 2013 Australian Open, with Haase's solitary victory in the match up coming at Rotterdam in 2008.

Haase is a tricky customer on his day but Murray shouldn't have much problems against an opponent who has only reached the third round once in six attempts at Wimbledon and that was four years ago.

Another potential opponent in Round Two for Murray is Colombian Alejandro Falla who almost stunned Centre Court and the sporting world in 2010, when he took a two sets lead against Roger Federer in the first round, only for the Swiss legend to fightback and end his heroic performance. That was five years ago though and Falla is more of a clay court specialist, so Murray wouldn't be overly troubled by him.

Round Three: Andreas Seppi (Italy)

A potential first 'proper' test for Murray would come in the last 32 against experienced Italian Andreas Seppi, who reached the final of the Halle Open on grass last week before losing to Roger Federer. That was revenge for Federer, over an opponent who defeated him in the third round of the Australian Open this year.

That highlights Seppi's skill and he definitely shouldn't be underestimated by Murray. The Italian also reached the last 16 at Wimbledon in 2013, defeating Kei Nishikori en route. He also won the pre Wimbledon grass court tournament at Eastbourne in 2011 and also reached the final of the same tournament in 2012, so Murray will have to play near to his best here.

Rising star Borna Coric from Croatia is also a potential opponent for Murray here and Murray will be wary if he does come up against him as he has already lost to the 18 year old in Dubai this year. You have to feel though Murray would have too much for him, in what is Coric's Wimbledon debut.

Round Four: Jo Wilfried Tsonga (France)

This would be a huge test for Murray as he entered the second week of the championships, particularly if the Frenchman played at his blistering and aggressive best on the day.

Murray does have an excellent record against Tsonga though, winning ten out of their 13 encounters including a semi final victory in 2012, to put him through to his first Wimbledon final. He also won their most recent encounter at the 2014 US Open, at a time when Murray wasn't playing anywhere near his best.

With Murray now in top form, you have to fancy him against a player who whilst he can be brilliant is also prone to a lot of unforced errors; exactly the sort of player Murray likes to play against. Tsonga is dangerous though and defeated Roger Federer from two sets down at Wimbledon in 2011 and loves the grass courts of Wimbledon.

I predict a four sets victory for Murray against an opponent who would face some potentially tough tests to get to the last 16, including a challenge against Gilles Muller of Luxembourg in Round One. Muller produced an incredible serving display at Queens recently against Murray, with Murray having to be a his defensive best to get through the quarter final. Big serving Ivo Karlovic could also be a very tough test for the Frenchman in Round 3. Karlovic might now be 36 but his serve is still a lethal weapon and he recently won a grass court doubles title in the Netherlands. 

Quarter Final: Rafael Nadal (Spain)

Who would ever have thought that we would see a day that Rafael Nadal would be seeded 10th in the draw for Wimbledon? That is the reality though for the Spaniard, who is clearly suffering from a lack of confidence in his game, despite winning a grass court tournament in Stuttgart earlier this month.

He was soundly beaten by Novak Djokovic in their quarter final meeting at the French Open and was also beaten by Murray in the final of the Madrid Masters in May. He couldn't continue his recent grass court form at Queens last week when he lost to Alexandr Dolgopolov in the first round.

Nadal might have won this Championship twice in 2008 and 2010 and reached the final on three other occasions, but there can be no doubting the man from Mallorca is not the player he was. Injuries have started to take their toll on him and players are no longer as intimidated by him, even on clay.

Murray has been beaten by Nadal everytime they have faced each other at Wimbledon but he would go into this quarter final meeting as favourite, due to clearly being in the better form. He would also take heart from the fact he beat Nadal on his favoured clay surface recently and know he would be playing a man who in the last three years at SW19 has lost to Lukas Rosol, Steve Darcis and Nick Kyrigos.

Right now, I don't think Nadal will make this stage as he faces tough tests right from the word go with Round One pairing him against wily Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci. It is Round Three I see Nadal falling in to the Serbian Viktor Troicki, who is enjoying a renaissance and got to the semi finals of Queens last week.

Murray's likely opponent if Nadal didn't make it to the last eight would be Nadal's countryman David Ferrer. Ferrer might be 33 now, but he is as spirited as ever and never knows when he is beaten and would likely pose a tougher challenge than Nadal right now to Murray. Having said that Murray beat Ferrer in the quarter finals of the French Open this year, his third win in succession against the veteran and he did win their only grass court encounter, winning in four sets in the last eight of the 2012 Wimbledon championships.

Semi-Final: Roger Federer (Switzerland)

Federer is someone who barely needs an introduction. He has lifted the Wimbledon trophy on seven occasions and has won 17 Grand Slams in all. It's fair to say then, this is hardly the easiest potential semi final for Murray, against a man who defeated him in the 2012 final.

That 2012 final though remains the last Grand Slam Federer has won and as he approaches 34, issues surrounding his energy against younger opponents are coming to the fore more often as seen with his straight sets defeat by countryman Stan Wawrinka in the French Open this year. Federer can never be ruled out on grass though, having reached the final at Wimbledon 12 months ago and he collected another Halle Open title last weekend as a perfect preparation.

Murray would be keen for revenge against Federer for that final and of course did gain a degree of revenge shortly after that final, when he produced a stunning display to defeat him in straight sets and win Olympic gold on the same centre court.  

Federer might be desperate for a record breaking eighth Wimbledon title, but Murray at a semi final stage would be equally motivated to win through to the final and over a five set match, potentially in hot temperatures, Murray at almost six years younger than his opponent has to be fancied to win through.

Final: Novak Djokovic (Serbia)

You would be forgiven for being exhausted even just reading up to this stage about what Murray has to do to reach the final, but he would require one more huge effort to win a second Wimbledon crown against the man he defeated to win the trophy in 2013.

The World Number One has beaten Murray on the eight occasions they have met since that final two years ago, including in the Australian Open final and French Open semi finals this year. However, backed by a huge crowd I think Murray would have the edge over his opponent who does seem to have a weakness when it comes to Grand Slam finals, despite his often flawless performances leading up to finals day. He has lost six of his last nine finals, including to Wawrinka in France when he seemed set to complete the career Grand Slam.

Murray knows he has the beating of Djokovic on centre court and would be motivated to do it again, especially by winning a grand slam title under the guidance of coach Amelie Mauresmo, who Murray feels has come in for some unfair criticism. Murray also produced incredible tennis against Djokovic recently in France to fightback from two sets down in their French Open semi final. Although he lost the match, Murray showed that he is truly at the level again where he has the match and beating of Djokovic and if conditions are perfect like they were in 2013, then we could be in for a case of deja vu.

It all begins on Tuesday for Murray, as he embarks on his 10th appearance at Wimbledon. Come on Andy!

Andy Murray is primed for a second Wimbledon title

Come Monday, the nation will hold it's collective breath for two weeks as Andy Murray sets out on his annual quest to emerge as the men's singles champion at Wimbledon. Of course, in 2013 Murray delivered a truly great British sporting afternoon when he defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets to become the first British male to win Wimbledon for 77 years.

Now the man from Dunblane looks primed and ready to win a second Wimbledon title which would place him alongside current greats like Djokovic and Nadal and legends like Jimmy Connors and Stefan Edberg. So why am I feeling so confident about Murray's chances ahead of the 2015 tournament? A number of factors are in play.

The main one was his stunning week at Queens, which culminated in a victory over the big serving South African Kevin Anderson on Sunday to lift the trophy for a record equalling fourth time. Throughout the match, Murray always looked in total command of the situation, punishing Anderson with a series of aggressive groundstrokes, with his cross-court backhand skidding through the fast courts of Queens at its ferocious best. Add in the fact that he had to come out early on Sunday morning to complete a semi-final win against the wily Viktor Troicki and his win against Anderson becomes all the more impressive.

Not for one moment did Murray look tired on Sunday afternoon; it was quite the opposite in fact. He looked so relaxed and positive on court. Married life with Kim is treating him well as he's only lost one match since their wedding in April. Winning at Queens doesn't mean Murray's automatically going to win at Wimbledon of course as he won the title in 2009 and 2011 and didn't win at Wimbledon, though he did manage the back to back grass court titles in 2013. 

Murray's form this year has also been a cause for huge celebration. He has reached the final of the Australian Open and the semi finals of the French Open in the first two slam events of 2015 whilst he also brilliantly dismantled Nadal to win the Madrid Masters on clay. He also picked up a clay court title in Munich and reached the final of the Miami Masters and helped Great Britain to a Davis Cup win over the USA in March. He really couldn't have asked for a better first half of the year, though regular defeats to Novak Djokovic, particularly in the Australian Open final will be rankling with him heading in to Wimbledon.

However, he certainly hasn't seemed to have let those defeats linger on his mind for as long as he has done previously which again is a positive sign coming into Wimbledon where he knows he can beat Djokovic and other top players. He has just got on with developing his game under the guidance of Amelie Mauresmo and new coaching addition Jonas Bjorkman to the point where it needs to be a Novak Djokovic at his best that is able to stop him.

The draw to be made on Friday may yet throw up some tricky surprises for Murray but when he's playing this good on grass, he takes a lot of stopping. From winning Olympic Gold in 2012 to that Wimbledon triumph, he won 17 matches on grass in a row. For him to say he's playing better now than he was then is sure to worry the other players, but also delight Murray fans.

He also looks hungry for a slam and I get the impression he'd be very, very disappointed if he didn't lift a Grand Slam trophy in 2015 after a 2014 in which he almost felt his way back into top level tennis after significant back surgery. Now he is free of any problems with the back, he's more confident in his own ability again and is producing a wonderful array of shots. Dare I say, his notoriously weak second serve even looks good right now?

Djokovic remains the danger but as Greg Rusedski pointed out recently in an interview with the Daily Mail, he has lost six of his last nine Grand Slam Finals, which shows there is a mental weakness there. The Serb also doesn't react well to a partisan crowd, which it clearly would be against him at Wimbledon for any encounter against Murray, just like it was in 2013. Djokovic didn't play badly that day but to an extent he was always fighting against a rowdy crowd desperate for a Murray win, which did affect his game at big moments. 

Murray can ensure that happens again with an aggressive style which I'd like to see him come out with in Round One in order to send a message to everyone else in the locker room that he's in peak form.

It feels rather strange feeling so confident about Murray going into a Grand Slam but his relaxed nature and positive results this year have ensured that I do feel good about his chances. No doubt I'll get more nervous as the rounds progress, but for now it could be time for more Murray mania come Sunday July 12th on men's finals day.

Mark Warburton is a risk- but it's one Rangers had to take

Life is full of risks and hiring someone for a new job in your company is one of the biggest. When making the decision, you've got to be entirely sure you have the right person for the role.

Sometimes the right person might not be the most qualified or tick every box but they are a gamble worth taking at that time because it will pay off long-term. That's exactly how I feel about the appointment of Mark Warburton at Rangers. He might not have managed or played in Scottish football before, but the time is right for the club to have a fresh start with someone who's going to bring a new way of thinking and a lot of ideas to all aspects at Ibrox.

To put it frankly, 'the journey' over the last three years as Rangers have made their way back up the divisions of Scottish football has been a disaster. The first two league titles might have been won with relative ease, but the football was uninspiring as Rangers suffered embarrassing defeats and draws on a semi-regular basis against part-timers. The squad was also full of players who didn't seem interested for the most part and were only there for a big pay day, leaving fans frustrated when they didn't come anywhere near to earning those wages.

Ally McCoist as a manager simply wasn't good enough either and had no concept of wanting to implement his own style on the team and showed too much respect to teams that Rangers should have been winning comfortably against. In season 2014/15 in the Championship everything came to a head at Rangers as on the park McCoist was completely found out in the games against Hearts and Hibs, as Rangers fell further and further behind in the league. His assistant Kenny McDowall who took over for a spell clearly didn't want to be there before Stuart McCall came to the rescue in March and at least got the club to the play-off final.

McCall must be thanked for his efforts with a squad with severe limitations and desire and his comments upon wishing Warburton and his assistant Davie Weir all the best in their roles showed the class of the man, who will always be welcome at Ibrox.

However, the feeling among the fans was that Rangers heading into the 2015/16 season needed to start completely fresh. A new board was in place and with so many players out of contract, the chance was there for a management team to implement a squad of their own. That's why despite the credentials of Derek McInnes and Stuart McCall, they still didn't strike me as managers capable of completely overhauling the club's philosophy. 

Arguably, either of them would have won promotion and whilst that is clearly Rangers main priority, for me they need more than right now. They need someone who is going to start buying players with an aim that they will significantly improve the squad and be a potential asset to sell on for profit in the future. They need someone who will implement an attacking style so that fans can enjoy coming to watch 90 minutes at Ibrox. They need someone who understands youth players do deserve a chance. And they need someone who isn't afraid to ruffle a few feathers.

Mark Warburton ticks all those boxes for me. The main reason why he's seen by some as a risk is clearly his lack of experience at the top level, even though he is 52. He didn't have much of a playing career, with his highlight coming at Enfield in 1982 when he won the FA Trophy, although he did experience running up the sand dunes under Rangers legend Jock Wallace, whilst the fearsome Scot was managing Leicester.

Add in his only managerial job to date so far has been at Brentford and you can understand why some people are telling me he is the wrong option for Rangers. Dismissing him as only having managed Brentford is looking at Warburton way too simplistically.

His first coaching role came with Watford's academy way back in 2006 where he was given the responsibility for managing the academy teams from the Under 9s to the Under 16s. In his coaching role he brought the skills and mindset he had learnt travelling round Europe and visiting clubs such as Barcelona, Ajax and Valencia, after leaving his job as a city trader.

A reshuffle at Watford saw Warburton moved to the role of assistant academy manager helping with the U17s to U19s teams enabling players to be ready for first team football. A reported fallout in 2010 saw him leave the club and it was around that time he was instrumental in setting up Uefa's Next Gen series, a U19 club competition in conjunction with the Champions League. 

Warburton's commitment to developing youth players and giving them every opportunity to make it is one of his most impressive qualities and at his press conference on Monday, it was refreshing to her him say the academy should be the heartbeat of the club. Rangers can ill afford to keep paying big wages to players over 30 and who aren't good enough anymore. Auchenhowie needs to be utilised much more as well as bringing in youngsters who can be sold on in the future which makes perfect sense for where Rangers are currently and this clearly seems to be Warburton's ideology.

It is record at Brentford that most impresses me though, especially when you add in the fact he also spent a spell as sporting director at the club. Now I wouldn't have Warburton in charge of every footballing aspect at Rangers but it's heartening to know the club has a manager in charge who knows about scouting, finances, contracts and agents.

When he made the move to the dugout at Brentford in late 2013 he took to it like a duck to water. Having stamped his authority by hiring Weir as his assistant he promptly became the first manager in the club's history to win his first six games in charge. That form continued throughout the second half of the 2013/14 season with Warburton receiving three Manager of the Month nominations. Promotion was secured with three games to spare with Warburton's side finishing with an impressive 94 points.

If people thought Brentford were going to come straight back down then they were mistaken as Warburton set about challenging for the Championship, playing a brand of attacking football. He doesn't bring everyone back at corners and he's only interested in his team scoring more than the opposition. What a change that will be in the Ibrox dugout.

To lead a club like Brentford, who's highest attendance last season was 12,225 into the play-offs was a terrific achievement finishing ahead of big teams like Leeds, Wolves and Derby. Some say this is nothing compared to the task he has at Rangers.

They are correct up to a point. Rangers are clearly a much bigger club than Brentford and he'll need to deliver results every week. But his success down south tells me he is a winner and that is exactly the sort of character that rubs off in dressing rooms. 

I'm glad a club legend like Weir is alongside to guide him but Warburton will be his own man. He's ambitious and very driven to succeed, which comes from his city background. He won't be clowning around on the training ground or taking part in karaoke sessions like McCoist.

Warburton is going to bring back proper standards to the club whilst sending out a team to play attacking football. That alone sums up why I believe like many other fans that the new Rangers board have pulled off a very clever move.

Stan's the Man: Wawrinka's now part of the tennis elite

After the shock of seeing Rafa Nadal dismantled in straight sets in the quarter finals, those watching the French Open men's final on Sunday witnessed another stunning upset.

Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka beat World Number One Novak Djokovic (the man who dismantled Nadal in the quarters) in an incredible display in four sets of tennis to win his second grand slam title, following his win at the Australian Open last year.

Due to Nadal suffering from injury in that final, particularly during the second set when he looked set to retire, Wawrinka never got proper credit for his first slam win. That was harsh on the Swiss star, who had to cope with Nadal's situation and regroup after losing the third set.

Sunday's win though truly showed Wawrinka at his blistering best as he beat a man who had only lost twice this year and seemed finally destined to win the French Open and complete the career grand slam.

An even first set between the pair was lost when Wawrinka served a poor game at 3-3 but he soon hit Djokovic with a barrage of winners that even the greatest returner of all time couldn't find an answer to. His one handed backhand is arguably the most aggressive and potent shot in tennis and it was lethal on Sunday. Although it took him until his fifth break point to seal the second set, he was on top throughout as he electrified the crowd with winners on the forehand side as well as his trusted backhand.

Some utterly outrageous winners followed during the third set, including one which saw him hit a winner round the net post which delighted the Parisian crowd. Djokovic isn't one of the finest players ever to pick up a racquet for nothing and he fought back terrifically well at the start of the fourth set going into a 3-0 lead, as Wawrinka started to make some regular errors for the first time.

Anyone thinking Wawrinka was going to crack were then put in their place. A tremendous mix of defence and attack ensured he levelled up at 3-3. It was Djokovic's turn though for some brilliance as an incredible diving volley put him ahead before he suddenly got three break points on his opponents serve. Wawrinka's game came roaring back though and following some more terrific blows between the pair, it was Wawrinka who seized the opportunity and somewhat appropriately win the match with a blistering backhand.

His win propels him into the top four in the world rankings and he should now be considered as a huge threat in every grand slam. In an era where Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have won 39 slams between them since 2003, Wawrinka is the only multiple slam champion other than Andy Murray in that period.

He dominated Federer and Djokovic in the French Open and he's also beaten Nadal and Murray in grand slams too. What he now needs to find in the slams to stay in the elite is consistency. Last year he lost in the first round of the French, then this year he wins it. A phenomenal turnaround, but also something that would be very unlikely to happen in Djokovic's, Nadal's or even Murray's world.

There is no doubting though that Wawrinka has massively improved since hiring former world number two Magnus Norman as his coach in 2013. He has made him believe he can beat the best and has led him to two slams as well as a semi final in Melbourne this year and at the US Open in 2013. He has turned him into an even more aggressive player, as the 59 winners on Sunday prove.

He might already be 30, but Wawrinka is playing like someone ten years younger right now. That fearless attitude poses a huge threat to everyone else in the men's game and whilst grass isn't Wawrinka's best surface, he can still be a major threat at Wimbledon.

Wawrinka has now moved out of Federer's shadow and is now his country's current tennis superstar. For that alone, he deserves massive credit.

England got it wrong with Kevin Pietersen- now they're afraid to go back

People make mistakes. That's just a fact of life. The world of cricket is no different.

Those running English cricket felt they were taking the right course of action in February 2014, when they decided to sack Kevin Pietersen after being whitewashed 5-0 by the Australians in a truly dismal Ashes series. Management including Paul Downton, Ashley Giles ( a man who shared a crease with Pietersen as he led England to the Ashes in 2005) and James Whitaker talked then about not only re-building the team for the future but also the team ethic.

It was clear that many felt that Pietersen was still a divisive figure in the dressing room and were unwilling to put this aside for a man who is England's all-time top scorer in all formats of the game and the man who had been England's top run scorer in the aforementioned Ashes series.

It looked then as if Pietersen's England career was over. That was until incoming English and Welsh cricket board chairman Colin Graves hinted at a softening stance towards Pietersen in March this year. Pietersen was naturally buoyed by Graves's interview and decided to leave his lucrative £250,000 contract in the Indian Premier League to return to English cricket with Surrey. He believed from Graves's words that if he showed form in county cricket, he could make his way back into the England set-up.

Then the madness of this week struck. New director of English cricket Andrew Strauss told Pietersen on Monday night that he would never be selected for England again as long as he was in charge. This came hours after Pietersen had scored an incredible 326 runs in one day for Surrey (he want on to finish on an unbeaten 355 on Tuesday). England cricket fans were furious and confused at the same time.

Strauss's press conference on Tuesday didn't clear up matters at all. In one sentence, the former England captain said that there were trust issues between him and Pietersen, then in another sentence, he revealed he had offered him an advisory role with the England one-day team. How on earth can you offer a role in a team set-up to someone you have trust issues with? It left Strauss open to ridicule and criticism which he rightfully got, only days into his new role.

Some said Pietersen should have accepted Strauss's offer; that he should be looking for any route back into the set-up. With all due respect, this isn't some average player we are talking about here. This is a man who's scored 23 centuries for England and over 8,000 runs in test cricket. He's helped his side win three Ashes in the last decade as well as a Twenty 20 World Cup. He's every right to turn down an offer like that.

He's also right to feel deceived by ECB chiefs. He's gone out and scored the runs they wanted him to. Some scoff and say it was only Leicestershire. The next top scorer for Surrey in that innings was Kumar Sangakkara with 36. Pietersen's 355 was the highest score in the County Championship in the 21st century. Yet England don't feel it's right to pick him.

And that's because they don't want to admit they were wrong.  Deep down they must know they have weakened the team by ditching Pietersen. If they don't then English cricket is heading in a very worrying direction. Look at the names slamming Strauss's decision this week- Michael Vaughan, Alec Stewart, Ian Botham, Shane Warne, Graeme Smith, Geoff Boycott and Sangakkara. All legends of the game who can't understand why such a talented player isn't being picked.

You might have guessed by now I'm a fan of Pietersen. As he burst onto the scene in 2005 with three centuries in a one day series against South Africa I was gripped. His 158 in the final Ashes test in 2005 which secured England's victory in the series remains one of the finest innings I've ever watched.

However, I'm not so naive that I don't accept Pietersen's made mistakes. The insulting text messages to members of the South African team in 2012 when Strauss was England captain were stupid and plain wrong. And he knows that and it's perhaps why there are still issues of trust between the pair. His book last year certainly didn't hold back either, but plenty sports stars have written controversial books and come out the other side. It's called having an opinion.

He's also thrown away his wicket on too many occasions but he's hardly the only player guilty of doing that in the world of cricket. The fact remains is that Kevin Pietersen is one of, if not the most exciting batsman in the history of English cricket and a prize wicket for every opposition bowling attack. The Aussies must be laughing that their Ashes rivals aren't going to pick a man who's just hit a triple century just because there are 'trust issues'.

The best captains and managers deal with players who are perhaps a bit unique and upset the apple cart a bit. Why were Vaughan and Duncan Fletcher able to get the best out of Pietersen in the 2005 Ashes and Peter Moores and Andy Flower unable to work with him in other Ashes series? It's undoubtedly because the former gave Pietersen the freedom to express himself on and off the field whilst the others didn't create a happy working environment, not just for Pietersen but for the whole team.

Look at Paul Gascoigne; he was a maverick and genius in the way Pietersen is to an even greater extent. Managers like Walter Smith and Terry Venables got the best out of him because they understood that he was different, whilst also understanding the huge benefits he gave to club and country. Fall-outs are also part and parcel of team sports. Do you think Sir Alex Ferguson cared that Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole didn't speak to each other at Man Utd? Of course he didn't as they put that aside on the park and helped Fergie's club win the Treble.

If Pietersen wasn't liked by the England dressing room yet he went out and dominated the Australian bowling attack and helped England regain the Ashes this summer , would any lover of the England cricket team care? Of course they wouldn't.

People like Strauss and Cook don't want to admit they have got the Pietersen situation wrong so they are farcically sticking to their guns. Pietersen is one of those players that comes along every so often, that transcends beyond just cricketing lovers. He's like Freddie Flintoff or Ian Botham in that they are larger than life personalities, who need the right sort of management. 

If there are trust issues between Strauss and Pietersen, then they should be worked out for the good of English cricket. Right now Strauss is coming across very childish; by not picking Pietersen he may even miss out on his number one target as the new England coach, Jason Gillespie, who has hinted he'd want to have Pietersen in his side.

The Pietersen situation has been allowed to develop into a fiasco but people who clearly don't have strong enough leadership skills to deal with a maverick in the dressing room, despite Pietersen still showing he has the talent to play for England. 

For that and the way they've misled Pietersen, England cricket chiefs should hang their heads in shame.

The Americans can stop Rory McIlroy's Masters dream

The 2015 edition of The Masters is finally upon us as the world's best golfers descend on Augusta National, hoping by the end of Sunday night that they will be slipping into the famous green jacket.

The world number one Rory McIlroy arrives at one of the world's most famous golf courses with the expectation that he will complete Golf's Grand Slam and win all four majors at the age of just 25. McIlroy famously had a meltdown on the back nine at Augusta in 2011, otherwise last years win at The Open Championship would have already seen him complete an achievement only managed by five other players in history.

There is no doubting that McIlroy's long and accurate hitting, combined with his wonderfully good iron play and red hot putter on the greens can win at Augusta and he will win a Green Jacket one day. It is a matter of if 2015 is truly the man from Northern Ireland's year to do it. 

And looking at his Augusta record and his form this season, I don't think McIlroy will be leaving with one of golf's iconic images on his back. His best finish at Augusta was tied eighth last year but he was eight shots off winner Bubba Watson and shot a 77 in the second round. In every year since 2010, he has had one horror round (77 in 2010, 80 in 2011, 77 in 2012, 79 in 2013 and a 77 last year) and that shows how McIlroy has struggled to get to grips with the course even as he's progressed to become the best golfer in the world.

His form this season in America has been patchy. Despite winning the Dubai Desert Classic in February and coming 2nd in the preceding Abu Dhabi Championship on the European Tour, McIlroy missed the cut at the Honda Classic and has only shot one round in the 60's in his other two tournaments on the PGA Tour this season.

The Americans have upstaged the man from Holywood this season so far and I believe they are primed and ready to do so at Augusta this week as well. Here's five Americans to put some cash on:

Jordan Spieth (12/1 at William Hill)

Still only 21, the Texan produced a superb performance on his Masters debut last year finishing in second place behind winner Bubba Watson. Spieth led by two shots early on in the final round but bogeys at holes eight and nine meant Spieth was unable to recover a deficit to his fellow American.

However, Spieth now looks even more ready to win his first Major Championship this week. He has been in terrific form since the end of 2014, winning the Australian Open in November last year and then the Valspar Championship on the PGA Tour in March this year, seeing off Patrick Reed and Sean O'Hair in a play-off.

Last week he narrowly missed out on winning the Shell Houston Open but this time he lost out in the play-off to J.B. Holmes. Despite that loss, he arrives at Augusta full of confidence in the way he is playing and determined to go one better this year. His driving distance stats might be below 300 yards on average, but he is still a long enough hitter to cope with Augusta's length and a more pleasing stat on the Spieth front is that he is taking the least amount of putts per hole this season on the PGA Tour.

Jimmy Walker (22/1 at Various)

Jimmy Walker remains a bit of an unknown outside of the golfing world. He was certainly a late bloomer in the sport, only winning his first PGA Tour title in 2013, at the age of 34.

Following that maiden success at the 2013 Frys.Com Open, Walker hasn't looked back and has won a further four times on the PGA Tour since including twice this season at the Sony Open in Hawaii and at the Valero Texas Open at the end of March, where he finished four shots ahead of a certain Jordan Spieth.

Having finished tied eighth on his Masters debut last year, Walker now looks hungry to have a real tilt at winning his first Major on his second appearance at Augusta. He finished in the top thirty of all four majors in 2014, including further top tens at the US Open and US PGA championships which shows his love of the big tournaments.

With Walker regularly hitting the ball over 300 yards and having a devilishly good touch around the greens, you'd be mad not to take those odds on him.

Matt Kuchar (45/1 at Coral)

Regular readers and people who know me, know that I am convinced Kuchar will win a Green Jacket one day. And this year he may well just slip under the radar with many of his other countrymen being talked up ahead of him.

Kuchar has a great record at Augusta over the past three years, finishing tied fifth last year which followed a tied eighth in 2013 and a tie for third in 2012. His great touch around the greens combined with accuracy off the tee and his irons make him ideally suited to the challenge of Augusta National.

If there's one problem with Kuchar, it is that he doesn't seem to have the ruthless streak to win more tournaments than he does, with his last win coming almost a year ago on the PGA Tour. Nevertheless, Kuchar is someone who comes alive during Augusta week and is certainly worth an each way bet.

Brooks Koepka (100/1 at various)

You would usually be declared mad for tipping a Masters debutant to win, but there is something different about Koepka that makes me feel he could be in contention come Sunday.

Firstly, he hits the ball a long, long way, averaging almost 308 yards this season on the PGA Tour which is bettered only by Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson. Long hitting is absolutely necessary to succeed this week with Augusta lengthening every year.

Secondly, Koepka comes into the event in great form winning most recently in February at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, where he held off a challenge from Bubba Watson among others and shot 66-64 over the weekend to win. He also enjoyed a superb victory in the Turkish Airlines Open in November 2014, shooting a final round 65 to edge out Ian Poulter.

Only 24, he also enjoyed top three finishes in 2014 at the Dubai Desert Classic and Omega European Masters and subsequently won the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year title on the European Tour. No Masters debutant has won the green jacket since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979, but Koepka's great driving and fearless attitude gives him a chance to break that long standing record.

Zach Johnson (100/1 at various)

The 2007 winner is well worth an each way bet. He might have only had one top 20 finish at Augusta since winning the tournament eight years ago, but Johnson is one of the most solid golfers of the last decade or so and loves a good challenge.

He might not be the longest off the tee, but he is accurate and that always leaves you with a chance at Augusta considering other players go wild off the tee. He remains one of the games greatest putters particularly from short-range and has always been someone who looked like he had no trouble with the pace of Augusta's greens.

He might not win a second green jacket this weekend but at odds of 100/1, 39 year old Johnson with his experience and temperament is more than capable of pushing towards the top of the leaderboard.

The Americans are hungry to wrestle back control of golf Majors from Rory McIlroy and there are plenty more names not on this list who it wouldn't be surprising to see lead the American charge at Augusta.

It's time to sit back and enjoy four days of brilliant golf from the world's best. 

Andy Murray- 500 Not Out

Last night Andy Murray achieved history as he became the first British male tennis player to win 500 career matches.

He reached the landmark with a hard-fought three set win over South Africa's Kevin Anderson in the fourth round of the Miami Masters, a tournament he has won twice.

In many ways, the victory was similar to many of Murray's previous 499. He played well in parts, particularly in the first and third sets, but let his opponent back into the match as Anderson won the second set. His returning was also excellent for the most part, but his slow second serve continues to cause the man from Dunblane problems.

However, Murray won in the end and 500 career victories is a terrific achievement and one that should be cause for big celebration.

Having followed Murray since he first properly burst onto the tennis scene in the summer of 2005, I have seen many fantastic Murray wins, whilst also witnessing a fair share of his losses. But this is a positive article about Murray and with that in mind here are my five favourite Andy Murray wins to date.

1. 2013 Wimbledon final- Murray beats Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 6-4

I wouldn't have forgiven myself if I had chosen any other victory from Murray's 500. Murray was simply phenomenal against the man from Serbia as he made history on the centre court at Wimbledon.

Basking in roasting hot sunshine, from the word go Murray played as if he believed this was his time to finally become the first British male player since Fred Perry in 1936 to lift the coveted trophy. Whilst the scoreline doesn't reflect the true nature of the match (Murray was down 4-1 in the second set and 4-2 down in the third), he produced a brilliant display over the course of over three hours of tennis taking the match to Djokovic with a series of incredible ground strokes.

The match displayed Murray at his dogged and determined best and once that epic twelve minute final game had finished thanks to a Djokovic back hand into the net, the waiting was over.

Murray had delivered what people had been dreaming about for generations and for him to handle the mental pressure of the occasion, particularly after his emotional defeat to Roger Federer in the final on the same court the year before, this victory is Murray's best in his 500.

2. 2012 US Open Final. Murray defeats Djokovic 7-6, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2

Closely behind the Wimbeldon final victory in the list, is another tremendous victory over Djokovic from Murray, this time at the 2012 US Open final.

This victory of course brought Murray his long awaited first Grand Slam title, at the fifth time of asking in a slam final as he withstood an onslaught from Djokovic, who was the defending champion at Flushing Meadows.

In a truly epic match lasting four hours and 54 minutes, the pair played some of the most pulsating tennis you are ever likely to see. The first set alone took 87 minutes (including 24 minutes for the tie-break) and involved a 54 shot rally at one point. Murray edged the tie-break 12-10 and that was hugely significant for him as he'd never won a set against Djokovic in the Grand Slam finals they had played before that night in New York.

Murray's tennis early in the second set was an absolute joy to watch as he raced into a 4-0 lead against the stunned Serb, but Djokovic isn't a multiple grand slam champion by luck and he fought back to level at 5-5.

However, Murray showed fantastic courage to hold serve and then attack Djokovic's serve as he went two sets to love up without the need of a tie-break. His fans inside the stadium and those at home including me felt sure that this was his moment to break his slam duck as he was now only a set away.

Djokovic wasn't quite done yet though and he took his tennis up several gears as he won the next two sets 6-3, 6-2 and suddenly he was in with a chance of completing a remarkable comeback.

Murray went off court before the end of the fifth and final set and psyched himself up with a pep talk in the mirror telling himself that this was his moment to win and that he wasn't losing this time. His words of wisdom worked a treat as he broke Djokovic's resistance and after almost five hours of tennis, he won the fifth set 6-2 and was finally able to call himself a Grand Slam champion.

I'm not ashamed at all to admit I was in tears at the sight of Murray holding the trophy aloft. After seven years of following him, I was so delighted but also so relieved that he'd finally overcome that hurdle which could no longer be used against him by critics. A performance that will stay with me forever.

3. 2008 Wimbledon 4th Round- Murray defeats Richard Gasquet 5-7,3-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-4

Talk about a match that put me through the ringer.  2008 was the year when people first truly started to believe on a wider scale that Murray was capable of winning a Grand Slam title.

Having just turned 21 by the time Wimbledon came around, he had shown great improvement in his maturity and in his technique as an all round player. He had performed well in his opening three matches at Wimbledon 2008, defeating experienced campaigners Fabrice Santoro, Xavier Malisse and Tommy Haas respectively in the opening three rounds which set up a second week Monday clash with Frenchman Richard Gasquet.

Murray had lost his previous two encounters with the Frenchman who was seeded four places above Murray, so he knew he'd be in for a tough test despite optimism starting to grow among the British public.

Little did they know they were about to witness a thriller which ended up finishing in near darkness at 9.30pm. Murray produced an incredible comeback from two sets to love down for the first time in his career, sending the crowd wild as he flexed his muscles on centre court.

Gasquet had grabbed the first set 7-5, by breaking Murray's serve in the 12th game of the set at the fifth time of asking as his pressure told. That seemed to deflate Murray and the crowd and on the other hand give Gasquet, who had reached the semi-finals at SW19 the year before a huge confidence boost.

He was the better player throughout the second set, taking the game to Murray and eventually winning it 6-3. There appeared to be little sign of a comeback from Murray during the third as Gasquet remained composed. That was until the crowd pressure told as Gasquet failed to serve out the match and suddenly Murray had hope.

In a third set tie-break that he had to win, Murray produced what remains one of the most extraordinary winners of his career as hit a backhand winner on a point where he was outside the tram lines. That galvanised the whole crowd into chanting his name and this time it was Gasquet who was deflated.

Despite being a naturally talented player, Gasquet's mental confidence is always in question and the momentum was now all with Murray. He raced through the fourth set in little over 20 minutes to level the match and he then broke at the beginning of the fifth set.

A clearly rattled Gasquet asked about the light after failing to break back, but there was no way the officials were going to stop the match. Eventually at 9.29pm, in near darkness Murray ensured his place in the quarter finals after an unbelievable match.

This match was so good I got up the next morning and immediately watched the highlights of it on Yesterday at Wimbledon. A match that first showcased Murray's fighting qualities on a mesmerising scale.

4. 2008 US Open Semi-final Murray defeats Rafael Nadal 6-2, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4

I'd argue, that even seven years on this remains Andy Murray's finest victory for a number of reasons. Nadal was world number one at the time and seemed unbeatable. He had won the Olympic Gold and Wimbledon titles during the summer and the French Open earlier in 2008. He had also thumped Murray in the quarter finals of Wimbledon that year and boasted a perfect record from their previous encounters.

The match was also rain-delayed with Murray leading by two sets to love so he effectively had to beat Nadal twice, in what was his first Grand Slam semi-final.

But Murray thrived on being the underdog in New York and blew Nadal away for most of the match with some truly breathtaking tennis. Murray's serving was absolutely impeccable as he took charge early on and gained the upper hand winning the first set 6-2. The second set might have taken a tie-break to have it settled, but it was Murray who ensured that he was in total command of the match by winning it as his forehand never seemed to miss.

Then came the rain delay after Nadal had got an early break in the third set. That delayed the match into a second day on the Sunday, when it was moved to an even bigger stadium, the Arthur Ashe stadium. It seemed as though Nadal had turned the match in his favour when he converted a set point to win the third set.

Murray was back to his best in the early stages of the fourth but Nadal somehow saved seven break points in game two before he immediately stunned Murray by breaking him to love. That seemed the cue for Nadal to take it into a 5th, but his opponent wasn't thinking along the same lines as he broke back to level at 3-3 and forcing mistakes from the Spaniard.

He eventually won the match with a superb backhand pass on the Nadal serve to reach his first Grand Slam final, where he was beaten by Roger Federer. The win over Nadal was the moment when I thought Murray proved he had all the attributes to truly make it at the top of the game, giving it a place in my top five.

5. Murray defeats Roger Federer, 2006 Cincinnati Masters 7-5, 6-4

A surprising choice for many people perhaps, but nine years on this match remains fresh in my memory for the way Murray brilliantly performed against Federer that day.

Only 19 at the time, Murray had come through a first round match against Tim Henman to set up the clash with a man who had only been beaten by Nadal in 2006 and this was a tournament taking place in August.

Murray wasn't to shirk the challenge though as he showed from the word go he wouldn't be intimidated by the then World No 1 who had reached 17 consecutive finals before being beaten by Murray.

Murray's ground strokes throughout the match took Federer aback time and time again as he took the game to the man from Switzerland. He seized an early break in Federer's second service game as he forced him into an error on his usually reliable backhand.

Instead it was Murray's backhand which was on form and despite allowing Federer to break back at 5-4 when he had served for the set, his backhand created another chance for him to win the first set 7-5.

It was a similar story in the second set as he pressurised Federer at every opportunity eventually forcing him to crack at 4-4, as he broke his serve for a remarkable seventh time. Murray held his nerve to secure what was then the biggest win of his career.

Federer in 2006 was arguably at his imperious best and Murray was one of only two men to beat him throughout the whole year. For that reason alone this win deserves a spot in my top five.

Other victories that came very close to my top five included his Olympic gold medal win against Federer in 2012, a five set win over Stan Wawrinka in Wimbledon's first roof covered match in 2009, a stunning victory over Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2006 and a 2008 Cincinnati Masters final win over Djokovic.

Murray goes for win 501 tonight against Austrian youngster Dominic Thiem and he'll be looking to keep on climbing the list after becoming only the 46th male player in the open era to win 500 matches on court.