Great captain doesn't always mean great manager!

I was hoping to write a blog this month something along the lines of the 'Martin Johnson factor'.

The great leader of the world cup winning England side turning around the fortunes of a much beleaguered side since the triumph in Australia.

However, after three heavy test defeats to southern hemisphere opposition, the Johnson factor has yet to materialise.

Whilst it has been incredibly evident throughout the home nations that the gap between the twp hemispheres is massive, I can't help thinking Johnson has made some serious selection errors.

Starting in the front row, for me Matt Stevens of Bath has been this countries best prop by a country mile this season, but he started every test on the bench.

This season he has not just been effective in the tight but explosive and powerful in the loose giving his bath backs great go forward.

Onto the second row and Tom Palmer of Wasps was a selection that certainly raised my eyebrows.

And I was proved right after he was dragged off the pitch after half an hour against the Boks.

And for the game against New Zealand, why drop Tom Rees? Probably England's best player against South Africa from a very bad bunch.

But worst of all was the consistent selection of centre Jamie Noon, who offered little if anything in a attack and was left wanting a number of times in defence.

And i still have question marks over Ugo Monye and I don't think Danny Care lived anywhere near up to expectation.

The England side needs injection of new blood, young, exciting players that can add pace to a game.

England then need to change their style of play, it's not dynamic enough, players don't come on to the ball at place and they don't play near enough to the game line.

So maybe Johnson might not be the perfect man for the job, he might be if he forgets his roots, and reacts to the fact the game has moved on massively.

A minor miracle

I don't know if there has been a weekend where not only any of the top five in the premier league won, but didn't score a single goal.

I certainly can't remember one in my short lifetime, can you imagine the monumental odds you could of had on that with a bookmaker, it would of been a case of name your price.

What makes it even more incredible is the fact high flying Liverpool and Chelsea both had relatively easy home games against sides Fulham and Newcastle.

It's a shining example of the strength of the premier league, long gone are the days where there was the regular whipping boy relegated by christmas, that is apart from Derby last year of course.

This season is the most competitive the league has ever been, the three newly promoted sides have looked at home in the top flight. Stoke vs West Brom on Saturday didn't have the feel of a relegation six pointer.

Despite West Brom being rooted to the bottom, it only takes a couple of wins and they will propel up the the table because of the nature of the league.

It is so condensed, everyone on their day is able to beat each other, just look at Hulls miraculous win at the Emirates.

And it genuinely looks like the big four's monopoly and stranglehold at the top of the league is under threat with underachieving Arsenal being leapfrogged by Villa on the weekend.

I hope this just goes to show that the tycoons dominance, flooding cash into the top clubs isn't quite having the same effect as first thought.

And now clubs are being rewarded for genuine hard work and a good team ethos, thats what footballs about, not the money spinning business it's being turned into.

So get down to your local bookmakers and have some money on Blackburn to go down at 7/2, because I've got a feeling we might be seeing Stoke and Hull again next season.

Argentinean FA not quite on the ball, but it's good for the game.

As Diego Maradona prepares his side to take on Scotland in Glasgow on Wednesday night, I just can't help thinking what must go through the heads of the Argentinean FA.

No coaching experience, well known hot head and a man that has been on his death bed a few times is hardly the ideal candidate.

I think it's the equivalent of the English FA replacing Capello with a rehabilitated Paul Gascoigne.

South Americans are well known for their undoubted level of passion and I think this is a quintessential case of how not to vote with your heart instead of your brains.

But do you know what I don't care, I think it's brilliant for the game that someone of his passion and love for his country is in charge.

I can't wait to see little Diego when things don't go his way, immediate touch line ban springs to mind, remember his celebrations at the last World Cup in Germany, jumping up and down in the stands nearly crying when Argentina scored.

I have a feeling we might just see the biggest crash and burn ever seen in International Management, probably resulting in him storming off in a sulk.

Or it could just be that fairytale run of national icon leading his beloved country to World Cup glory, I hope it's the latter.

Terry Butcher has already said he is going to refuse to shake Maradona's hand, great let the controversy commence.

What a breath of fresh air Maradona's appointment will bring to the game, I'm bored of the archetypal expert tacticians that litter the sport at the moment.

I can't imagine Diego has much if any tactical knowledge, but you never know his overt passion and enthusiasm might propel the national side to great things.

I got a sense of what it's going to be like in todays press conference and I think Diego's going to bring a lot of fun to the world of football, but not necessarily quality.

Britains greatest ever boxer!

Now the dust has settled at Madison Square Gardens it's time to reflect on the career of simply a boxing great.

It looks as though Joe Calzaghe will retire within the next couple days and he leaves behind a legacy matched by no other British boxer in the history of the sport.

His convincing points win against Roy Jones JR, 118-109 marked by all three judges, marks the probable end of a run which has seen the Welshman unbeaten in 46 fights.

Calazaghe hit the deck in the first round after he was floored by a right hand from the American.

But a bloody nosed Calazaghe came out in the second and never looked back landing an avalanche of punches to take the next 11 rounds.

Many people have questioned Calazaghes career for the lack of career defining fights, why didn't he fight Hopkins or Jones earlier in his career and why did it take him so long to fight in America.

The critics said Calazaghe was in a no win situation on Saturday, lose and he was never as good as the massive faith Britain and his fans have always showed in him, win and he was only beating an ageing legend well past his best.

But for me the manner in which Calazaghe disposed of the American in his own back yard after being knocked down in the first equaled one of his best ever performances and was his career defining fight.

I hope he goes on to retire now, there isn't such a thing as a fairytale ending when it comes to boxing, rarely does it pay to go on fight after fight.

Calazaghe has built a legacy which means he should go out on top, not many boxers have that chance, Lennox Lewis did it, but so many have had a career tarnished by losing their last three or four fights.

But It won't surprise me if Joe has just one more fight, I certainly wouldn't betting against him winning.

Rugby League - The joke of all World Cups!

I'm an ardent sport's fan, football and Liverpool crazy, Partial to a good game of rugby union and I mean union and I was thrillingly excited by Lewis Hamilton's triumph in Formula 1 on the weekend.

However there are some sports I simply cannot stomach, one of them is cricket, I can't stand the game. A test match I think is about as worse as it gets in terms of a sporting spectacle.

But nothing compares to Rugby League and you only have to look as far as the current World Cup to see what a joke of a sport it is.

It's ludicrous format is the most outrageous set of rules I have ever seen.

Group A of three consists of four teams where the top three in the group automatically qualify for the semi-final.

That's three of the four semi-final spot's taken up and there's still two groups left, what kind of set up is that?

The other remaining two groups which consists of three teams sees the winners from each group face each other in a playoff to qualify for the one remaining semi-final spot, hardly fair is it!

So what do the RFL do? They shove the apparently three best teams (England, Australia and New Zealand) in group A with unheard of rugby league minnows Papa New Guinea who become the whipping boy's of the tournament.

Why don't they just cut the middle man out and put those three sides straight into the semi-finals, it's basically what there doing anyway.

What happened to a good old fashioned random World Cup draw?

All they have to do is beat New Guinea and there you go well done you have reached a World Cup semi final, what a farce!

Whereas Ireland and Scotland have to battle it out winning three games on the trot before they reach the latter stages.

And England didn't even beat Papa New Guinea that convincingly then got stuffed by Australia, maybe the RFL should think about revising the list for the exclusive Group A club.

I'll be watching a lot of Sport this weekend, but the Rugby League certainly won't feature on my agenda, how could it it's the start of the Union Autumn internationals.

British tennis ace?

It really is beginning to look like this country has a genuine tennis star they can be really proud of.

Andy Murray certainly looks like the real deal after another impressive display in the St. Petersburg open where he walked the final 6-1 6-1.

He has already notched up two masters series titles and it was only a rejuvenated Roger Federer that stopped the Scotsman claiming his first grand slam at Flushing Meadows in the US open back in September.

This time a year ago Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal were seen as untouchable at the top of men's tennis, but Murray has accelerated up the rankings and looks every bit as good as those three at the moment.

This is certainly territory this country is not used to; Tim Henman was good but was never going to win a grand slam. He only won one Maters Series whereas Murray has already won two.

Greg Rusedski was in a similar mold, and had Brithish fans up too the early hours of the morning when he contested the 97 US Open final against Australian Pat Rafter.

But again he never came close to another Grand Slam, whereas Murray is now a genuine contender for every Grand Slam he enters.

I have to admit I was one of the first to jump on the anti Andy Murray bandwagon when he burst onto the scene.

He seemed far too passive and way too unfit with fitness levels probably near the same as what mine are.

That is still very much an iconic image of Murray throwing up on centre court because of pure exhaustion in the fifth set against David Nalbandian, in what was the Brit’s first Wimbledon.

Now he is a transformed player known as one of the best athletes in the game, with a superb counter-attacking style lead by the most feared backhand on the circuit.

Murray was also criticized for his temperament but he is now outgunning his opponents on the court thinking cleverly and his mental tenacity on the big points has made him difficult to play against.

I’m pretty sure this time next year we will be talking about the monopoly of the big four in tennis, not the big three.

Andy Murray has joined the party and Murray Mount come June will be roaring with anticipation for a Wimbledon title.

Magners League taking over

I think the weekends Heineken Cup fixtures were as pure example that we are likely to see that the Guiness Premiership is being eclipsed by the Irish, Scottish and Welsh Magners league.

High flying sale were dumped in their back yard by a dogged but yet classy and potent Munster side.

Reigning premiership champions and twice winners of the European trophy London Wasps were dismantled by a Leinster side that made it look like men against boys.

And Gloucester were soundly beaten by an upbeat Cardiff side at the Millennium stadium.

Even Baths very hard thought win against Gwent Dragons will be remembered for the unbelievable defensive display from the welsh side.

The only saving grace the English sides can take from the weekend was Harlequins drubbing of Ulster, who have for the record consistently finished bottom of the Magners League.

But the question is why has a league renowned for it's intensity, competiveness and unmistakeable quality fallen so badly to a division generally considered lesser than the Guniess premiership?

For me the English teams haven't grasped the new RFU rules quick enough, whereas other sides have pounced and relished the new playing conditions.

Wasps coach Shaun Edwards said after the game on Saturday: "We are really struggling with the new rules, they are killing us at the moment."

Wasps have always been a side very physical, good pack and dogged in defence, but the new rules favour open expansive rugby, placing emphasis on pace and flair.

If this is the case we may see English teams struggle in Europe for a few more years yet, English sides don’t necessarily win games because of their fluency passing out of hand and their offloads in the tackle.

English sides are good at keeping games tight and seeing them through, playing the territory game with emphasis on kicking out of hand.

The new rules certainly don’t favour that approach and English sides are beginning to be found out, my bold prediction is that England certainly won’t be getting to too many world cup finals in the near future.

Bright future for England

With the influx of foreign players and the significant decline of younger homegrown talent making a stamp in the premier league, you wouldn't be disgraced in thinking the worst for the future of the national team.

Sides such as Liverpool, Arsenal and even Portsmouth barely field three Englishman a game, sparking serious concern over where the next generation of players are going to come from.

That could be because English players simply aren’t good enough or managers prefer to look elsewhere in the market, it may be a combination of both.

However looking at the England U21's who go up against Wales tonight I can only think the future is bright for England.

They seem to have a real mix of exciting talents combining pace, skill and power, something I think the national side has sorely missed.

England have always desperately underachieved because, to be honest, as a team there not that good, all their players are far too similar and the team has always been way too one dimensional.

English players generally love a tackle and can run all day, but they've missed a creative spark or that player that can produce a bit of magic.

England has brilliant individual players that look great in the premier league because they all fit a system around different types of talented foreigners.

The U21's seem to have a different look about them and definitely a more exciting aspect to their game.

They have an excellent side that are uneaten in their last 25 games, the kind of form the senior side could only dream of.

Strikers like Ebanks-Blake, Agbonglahor and Frazier Campbell are proven goalscorer's and they all have an exciting blend of pace and power.

They have an abundance of Premiership midfield talent all proven at the top level with players like Tom Huddlestone, Aaron Lennon and Mark Noble.

And defensively their strong with a twin centre back partnership of Micah Richards and David Wheater.

I reckon that’s a side that would hold their own in the very league where so little homegrown talents are getting the chance to play.

So if anyone tells you the future of out national side looks bleak, just tell them to look at our very own 'younger' equivalent.

Not Again

I live in Gloucestershire, so naturally, I was pleased last night when the cherry and whites beat Newcastle at Kingsholm.

But I couldn't help feeling gutted for one man, this has to be the saddest ongoing story of any player in sport, Johnny Wilkinson injured again.

From World Cup Winning hero and a national icon, Johnny has become a treatment table stricken athlete for the last six years. A scan today has revealed Johnny will be facing another lengthy layoff after dislocating his knee.

I'm not surprised, but your heart has to go out to the man. No one in the game is as focused and committed as Johnny Wilkinson, this must be his equivalent of serving a lengthy jail sentence at the moment.

I can’t think of one athlete in sport that has suffered anywhere near the same fate of recurring serious injuries, no one parallels this man’s misfortune.

Yes there are players who have had a career ended with one tackle, but to be given hope over and over again and then to be knocked back time after time is something only a man of Johnny’s stature could come through.

He lives and breathes rugby, a massive fan as well as a player, but I really don't know how many more injuries this player can withstand and come back from.

Steve Bates director of Newcastle Rugby said after the game: "He has enormous strength of character and I’m sure he will come back stronger."

Thanks Steve but I think we already knew that, it's got nothing to do with strength of character this is just an unbelievable run of horrendous luck.

And for coming back stronger, please! I think we know Johnny will be shattered by this latest setback and it has to be on his mind every time he comes back fit, when am I going to get injured again?

What’s so disheartening is that Johnny plays some great rugby for Newcastle, he was instrumental against Northampton this season kicking a very impressive 23 points.

You can't help but wonder if Johnny was given a long clean bill of health he could eclipse that form that won him a world cup winner’s medal seven years ago.

But that will never happen, I hoped it might, but I’m completely resigned to the fact Johnny's career is quickly ending.

I'm sure science will tell you there’s only so many pulls, strains, knocks and twists the human body can take.

All I can say is get well soon Johnny!

Keep your hand out of your pockets.

Recession, what Recession? The world of football knows no such word; it seems just about everyone has been affected apart from the multi-millionaire takeovers.

How ironic this morning that the front page of the Mirror read as an economic 'World of pain', whereas the back page was news of the latest tycoon to launch a huge takeover bid.

Everton are now the latest team to be caught up in this money spinning debacle with the worlds 6th richest man in talks to buy out Chairman Bill Kenwright.

We have seen for the first time this year football clubs being run not by the manager but the owner himself medalling in on transfer targets.

I would have no complaints if this massive influx of money was directed in a footballing sense.

Instead money has transcended out onto the playing field and manager’s powers are diminishing by the game with filthy rich owners wanting to make club decisions on all fronts.

Football clubs are being taken over by the wrong people; they’re not football men but egotistical top brass trying to make a quick buck.

Football, I’m afraid to say, is now a business and all the world’s richest want a slice of very profitable premier league pie.

Without sounding like I have prejudices most of the takeovers have been by businessman in Asia or America who don't have a clue about the traditions of the Premier League and certainly no idea what it takes to run an English football club.


Even Mike Ashley a Newcastle fan thought he knew better than manager Kevin Keegan.

Bill Kenwright is one of those few archetypal chairmans left with all his intentions in the right place and for the good of Everton, it will be sad to see him go.

Everton fans will probably be pleased that they are the target of a latest takeover when the press start brandishing transfer targets like Kaka and Messi.

But in my view the future of the very game is tenuous and these businessmen are best served well out of our fabulous game.

Goodnight Ramos

After the weekends football I know whose odds on favourite to be the next premiership manager to be given the boot.

For Juande Ramos and Spurs Sunday was a huge game at Portsmouth and they simply didn't deliver. After the midweek exploits at St. James's park Spurs had to get a result on the weekend and they didn't.

The pressure on Ramos is now huge and I don't think he's up for the challenge. We just might be seeing the autumn of the Spaniards short reign in charge only seven games in to the new season.

He's even resigned to losing his job, when challenged at the post match press conference whether his job was safe, he muttered: "It's up to the board."

In my opinion that's not the answer of a man ready to fight tooth and nail for his job and is certainly not the talk Spurs fans want to hear.

It has been a disastrous start for Spurs not winning any of their premier league games this season and if they don't win any of their next three I’m sure Ramos will be shown the door.

That's not if Ramos himself walks out, he has struggled to handle the British media and hasn't endeared himself at all to the press.

I haven't seen one post match interview that Ramos hasn't palmed off to his all too enthusiastic assistant Gus Poyet.

The press have been quite fair on him up to now, but I get the feeling the papers aren't going to be so kind in the coming weeks and will be rife with speculation over the ex Seville man’s exit.

I'm not so sure that is pressure he can handle and it wouldn’t surprise me if we see the Spurs boss walk out.

'Adios Ramos' were the headlines on Monday and if Spurs lose again they will get worse.

I don't think he has done himself any favours in his handling of the press, part of modern day managing is developing a relationship with the media and keeping them onside, Ramos has failed to do that.

I don't know if he's taking English lessons, if he his he's certainly not a fast learner, maybe Spurs should take a hint, he isn't cut out for the premier league.

Logistically on the pitch they have been dire and the draw at Stamford Bridge is their only creditable performance.

On Sunday they put in another shocker giving the ball away far too many times and wasting decent opportunities in the final third.

There is no balance in the team, when you compare them to rivals Aston Villa they are a mile behind in terms of organisation and knowing their strongest team.

Ramos hasn't a clue his best side yet constantly tinkering with the midfield, big summer signing Modric was left out on the weekend.

Their biggest mistake though was selling Berbatov and Keane. How a side can sell the players that gave them almost all their goals last season is beyond me.

I knew it was a massive error at the time and it looks like they have been punished for it.

I'm not convinced with Pavlyuchenko and Bent and Campbell aren’t in the same class as their predecessors.

Spur's arent a team at the moment, they're just a bundle of talented individuals which wins you nothing on the football pitch.

The next couple weeks is crunch time for Ramos and the club, it won’t be too long until Spurs fans find themselves embroiled in a relegation battle.

And no Spurs are not too good to go down.