Laugh is on you now, FA
THE process of appointing Phil Neville reminds me of an old story told by a colleague about a distinguished England player.
After a particular England defeat, the player was asked about the process of reacting to it.
The gist of his answer was: “We analyse it from every conceivable angle, go through the video meticulously, and have in-depth chats etc etc.” And what conclusions did they come to about this loss? “Oh, it was just one of those things, that’s football.”
The FA identified 145 potential candidates for the England women manager’s job, produced a long list of 47, whittled it down to a shortlist of six, then an even shorter list of four … and came up with Neville (above), who had been on none of them.
Sometimes with the FA, you just have to laugh.
“EVERY day I go out, every week I go out, I am going to play the best I can, so that James sees there is a way back. That is my motivation now.”
Seamus Coleman, who returned to action following his own horrific injury, explains how he wants to be an example to stricken Everton team-mate James McCarthy.
As if we needed another reminder… top man.
HERE’S how modern outrage works. Leroy Sane, for some obscure reason, is jeered from minute one of Tuesday’s Carabao Cup game at Bristol City.
Leroy Sane scores. Leroy Sane refers to the pelters he has been getting by putting a finger to his lips.
Leroy Sane gets pelters for his celebration. Arrogant, cocky, etc, etc. No. Just human. And if you dish it out, take it.
AFTER Kyle Edmund’s fantastic run to the semi-finals of the Australian Open, the imposing Marin Cilic was always going to provide a formidable hurdle.
So it proved, although Edmund was not helped by a groin problem.
Having said that, injuries seem to be a given for top tennis players nowadays, underlining their complaints about such heavy workloads.
Surely, there is one small step that can be taken to ease the strain – reduce men’s Grand Slam matches to best-of-three sets.
Would it really make any difference to the excitement levels?
No.