Kicking Rather Than Feeding The Downed Man

For anybody who happens to read my blog, I owe you an apology. I lied to you in my last blog about Christmas at the Estevas/Burnsies. Or should I say, the British Airport Authorities lied to us, which in turn meant I lied to you.

Learning that our flight had been cancelled was no major surprise to us. Learning that there were no possible flights out of the UK until December 30th was. Thankfully it was not quite so drastic and after a while on hold on the phones, and scouring the internet, we worked out a route back via Switzerland. I am now sat in a cold but sunny Nova Scotia and both HJ and I have smiles on our faces.

Of all the inconvenience of two significantly delayed flights, one cancelled flight, and an unnecessary round trip to Heathrow, none of that particularly annoyed me. What did annoy me was how some companies are clearly trying to maximise profits out of the chaos in London right now. We returned our hire car at Heathrow, only to return a couple of hours later to try hire another one to get home, seeing as though the trains to Leeds were all cancelled too. A taxi was slightly ridiculous so we hopped back on the bus to Europcar who promised me a car. They also offered me a great deal. Instead of £350 for hiring a car for one day, they were going to give me a special rate of £232 for the day because I had only just brought a car back – lucky me!

I am particularly stubborn about these things. I have been known to walk six miles from Leeds City Centre to Crossgates at 3am in the morning for refusing to pay what some taxi drivers want. 200 miles was a bit of a stretch this time however and it was -5c, so I had no other option than to pay the money.

Some people may argue that it is a clever business model – taking advantage of the demand and maximising revenue. The thing is, I will not use them for a good long while after this one such is my annoyance. An absolute rip off and they will only lose this one long term. At times like this, companies can really make a name for themselves and make a difference helping people who are having major difficulties. Europcar chose the other route, and I’ll abandon them from now on.

That is enough whingeing for now. I am feeling creative right now and am going to offer Christmas gifts to anybody who reads my blog. The first five people who click like on the Facebook page, and send me their address, will receive a mixed CD from yours truly early in the New Year. You should know what to expect on the CD by now so no complaints!

Happy Holidays folks!

Christmas at the Estevas/Burnsies

Christmas should be a time to relax, to spend and enjoy with your family or friends, and the hustle and bustle of working life is forgotten for a short while. Go to any airport in the UK, and in fact, most across Europe right now, and that seems like a million miles away. On Saturday we flew from Geneva to Leeds, on Tuesday we fly from Heathrow to Halifax. It was not easy, five hour delay, but at the end of the day, we got there in one piece. Tuesday may not be so easy but we’ll give it our best shot and hope for the best.

There was a point in the airport on Saturday when they announced over the system – ‘We would like to announce that all flights to London are now cancelled’. If we were flying to London, I would have been gutted. It was tough to see so many disheartened faces who may not get home, or get to see loved ones. Pretty tough though it will be far worst later in the week, when there may not be alternative flights to jump on.

Even this morning, there are some 70% of flights cancelled from Heathrow…thankfully the flight to Halifax is scheduled to leave on time today so hopefully that will be the same tomorrow. There may be live updates on my FB and Twitter pages tomorrow, though I’ll keep the language fit for children even if the worst happens. I feel sorry for the airport staff – no win situation for them and some seriously unhappy faces to deal with. My vow for the next couple of travels is to be chirpy and smiley to all airport staff.

This Christmas, HJ and I are heading to Freeport, Nova Scotia to spend the holidays with HJ’s mum. Over the last five years, we have alternated between England and Canada for Christmas, and this time, we head to Freeport – the perfect location for a wind down and to spend good quality time with family and a few animals. We are both hugely looking forward to this one as always, and it will surely be another memorable one.

All we can do is hope that the snow comes back on Christmas Day. Everybody loves a white Christmas, but not while one has to travel or work. I am not quite sure still why the UK struggles so much to deal with a touch of snowfall although Greg Dyke made some very valid points on television. It is amazing how the snow and bad weather only ever hits the press when London is bombarded with snow. I find that particularly hilarious. The main point though was that it is virtually impossible to invest in ploughs and other major snow-shifting equipment when we have not had a great deal of snow in the last twenty years, and there are no guarantees it will continue. If we are going to have this every year, then fair enough, let’s do it, but tough to justify the costs for something so sporadic despite the disruption and chaos. I guess the question is, does the disruption cost more than the price of the equipment? That should be the determining factor.

Good luck to any folks travelling this Christmas!

Random Awards 2010

It is usually this time of year that in various industries – sport, music, film - present annual awards to recognise the achievements of individuals in that year. It seems like a random thing to do and I would like to take the opportunity to recognise some friends of mine for outstanding achievements in 2010. I present to you…..the Random Awards 2010.

The ‘Best Emailer’ Award goes to Roob Lockhart. You may not know him, you won’t find him on Facebook nor in a Starbucks, but this gent has pure magic in his fingertips when it comes to comedy emails and never fails to put a grin on any face. Winning this award ruled him out of contention for the ‘Longest Running Thesis Saga in History’ and the ‘Negative Nelly’ awards.

The ‘Weight Losing Champion/Mr Ironman 2010’ Award goes to JP, my colleague at Uefa. Considering that this is something I have made a serious effort with this year, I cannot fail to be impressed with JP. He looks a totally different person and is in fabulous shape after losing kilo after kilo. Utmost respect JP.

The ‘Glue That Holds Group Together’ Award goes to everbody’s favourite Mexican Tacito Vazquez. JVM11 is not exactly unassuming or quiet, but in a certain way he is. He is the cornerstone of a solid group of friends – always in good form even when he is not in good form, always up for anything, and has quietly become the glue. JVM is a rock that every family or group of friends need, and the type that you notice when he is not there. Look out in 2011 for the Glue’s new website!

The ‘Most Exciting Holiday Countdown’ Award goes to Les. Nobody made you feel as excited about somebody else’s holiday as Les did this year as the Steeples hit Florida. Thousands tuned into FB every day to count the days down with Les, and Les didn’t disappoint his faithful by providing photos aplenty of what looked to be one of those classic family holidays that none of them, or us will forget.

The ‘Switzerland’s Got Talent and Cojones’ Award goes to my favourite former flatmate Erika Riedl. ER has taken up the scarifying sport of Skeleton and never ceases to amaze me with her dedication, passion and serious cojones. If anybody I know can succeed in something so random as Skeleton, it is Erika. She just missed out on the ‘F-Bomb’ World Record, narrowly being beaten by her previous bests in 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, and 2005 when she learnt the word. Oh and she needs a sponsor!

The ‘Cool, Calm, Collected but usually Late’ Award goes to Mr Norway himself, JJ. Tour guiding us around Oslo and Kongsvinger, Joey showed that even in his home land, he is the guy we all love and adore. Despite our visit to Kongsvinger’s stadium almost ending in disaster involving me, a steering wheel, 2nd gear, a bold overtaking move, and the longest lorry in Norway, Joey showed us the sights in one of the best weekend trips of the year. For somebody who is not the greatest sleeper (it’s 4.28am), and enjoys the high tempo pace, Joey is a role model for me and how to ease off the pace, stay calm but still produce the goods.

The ‘Happiest Immigrant 2010’ Award goes to Gabor, a gentlemen I met while working in Hungary at the start of the year. A true football man and who I thoroughly enjoy reading on FB and his experiences in Australia and life over there. We all make decisions, many of us have lived and worked abroad, but I cannot think of anybody as cheery as Gabor over in Oz.

The ‘Up and Coming Superstar of 2010’ Award goes to my dear friend Buuude. Larry the News Guy is a staple on the radio, even here in Lausanne, where we can listen to his Sunday show on delayed recording. His achievements have been nothing short of impressive and a reward for working 8 days a week, and greater things lie ahead for 2011.

The ‘Social Media Queen 2010’ Award goes to m for being a truly dedicated blogger, tweeter and genuine social media star. Mallory was the first person ever to write a blog (I think) and she inspired me to get my pen and paper out, so blame or thank her for my random writing.

The ‘Victor Meldrew’ Award goes to another Uefa colleague of mine, AGN. Jimmy is one of the most miserable, bitter, and sulky people you could possibly meet. Not helped by the Redskins spectacularly bad season, nor his own crash and burn fantasy football season, Jim somehow has the ability to make my days shorter and to make me laugh. Thanks Victor and apologies for beating you on Sunday night.

The ‘Pick You Up When You’re Down’ Award goes to Ms Brodeur for her offer of a homemade cake when I had my two laptops stolen. Unquestionably one of the lowest points of my year, the gesture put a huge smile on my face and cheered me no end. I’m still waiting for the cake, but it doesn’t really matter as the warmth of the thought, did just the trick.

The ‘Winter Dream Maker’ Award goes to KK. Already having an amazing time in Vancouver, Kristina came up with tickets for Canada v Russia, possibly my best sporting event of the year, and up there with my all-time best that I’ll remember on my death bed. It was that special, and it would not have happened without Ms KK. Thank you K!

The ‘How to Do It In Genuine Style’ Award goes to a certain somebody in my immediate family who decided to crash into the Chief Exec’s car. Not only was it a Bentley, a £150k Bentley, he had only just got it back from the garage to repair damage the previous week after somebody else had crashed into him. This one is going down in history.

That concludes this year’s awards. I have surely missed one or two people that I would like to recognise, for which I apologise, but thanks to anybody and everybody who played a small, medium or large part of my 2010.

The Same But Different

Amid all the random travel here and there in the last couple of months, it has meant that I have reached two New Bobby World Records of watching movies and listening to music. I am far from being a big movie fan, and my motto has always been ‘Why spend ninety minutes watching a movie when there is a footy match to watch?’ That still applies, but there are limitations on aeroplanes.

I am currently on another long haul flight and I have just seen The Expendables. I think I realised I was different to most kids when I was young as I was never one for Predator or The Terminator. I would take a comedy or revert to football every day of the week. I just kind of felt that this was something I had to do and would make up for my lack of watching all those other classics which I’ve heard so much about but never seen.

It was reasonably entertaining, and thankfully there was some good humour mixed in with the action scenes. I would even go as far to say that I enjoyed it for a mindless ninety minutes.

This time, I feel like blogging and sending emails but on one other flight recently, I watched five films back to back. Granted, my travel buddy was sleeping like a baby so that made a difference, but still, it was another Bobby World record. From Salt, to Karate Kid, to The Other Guys….I have seen them all. I may have turned the corner and become slightly more normal. Heck, I even have a shortlist of movies I would love to see – Due Date, the little Focker one, and then the one with Tony Soprano called something with the Rileys. I am on movie fire right now.

Music-wise also. Now I get hammered from pillar to post about my music taste. Firstly, I don’t care and secondly, this blog probably won’t help. I am thrilled about the concert prospects for 2011, and I am raring to go. Similarly to the movie situation, maybe this was because I went to something like one concert in the first 22 years of my life. A deprived child one may say, but I never had an interest. In 2011, I have tickets lined up for Bon Jovi, and good old Barry Manilow already and I am not finished! Kings of Leon are on the hit list and I read that The Killers will reunite in April for a new album. Coldplay are planning a new album early in 2011 also, and that is a pretty special list of all my favourites touring or hitting the charts once again.

I did promise my street cred would plummet further.

These days, I have been listening to two new albums – James Blunt and Kings of Leon. Both of which nail it for me. Blunt has always been ok for me and I’ve enjoyed some of his tunes but never in large quantities. This album however is pretty upbeat and I am enjoying it thus far. The Kings of Leon album is another classic from them.

Maybe I haven’t quite turned the corner musically, but I’ll keep plugging away while staying loyal to my favourites regardless of the large number of people it upsets. In fact, one of my missions for 2011, will be to impose my music on certain people and drag them to the Esteva way of thinking. It may not work, but I’m sticking to my guns.

You're Fired!

Aside from financial matters, the biggest decision of any board of a football club is the selection of their manager/coach. In fact, the coach is more important than finances in many respects because if you have the right coach and get the right results, the finances often fall in line with success on the pitch. That is of course unless you are a kamikaze club and try to spend your way to the top with disregard for money/debt.

During my time with Brentford, the decisions regarding the coach – who to fire, who to hire – were easily the biggest decisions I faced as a board member in my three years at the club. I joined just after they had appointed Leroy Rosenior, and it was less than six months later when we fired him. We then gave the role to Scott Fitzgerald – the youth team coach who picked up some positive results while being caretaker and we decided to give him the position….only for him to leave shortly before the end of the season after another disastrous six month spell. I did not get to know Leroy particularly well but I spent more time with Scott and found him to be an absolute gentlemen. After more deliberation, we went for Terry Butcher. English legend and had earned a reputation at Motherwell for bringing on good young talent like James McFadden and Stephen Pearson, while managing the club in administration and with no resources. That move clearly did not work out, and we gave the job to his assistant Andy Scott, for a trial period.

That one paid off well. The first and only one during my three years with the club. As I have mentioned before in my blog, I genuinely feel Andy is destined to be a highly successful coach at a higher level, definitely Championship, and potentially Premiership with a bit of luck. I always asked myself what he did right that the others did wrong. First and foremost, he had the support and respect of the players. Absolutely key in the game today. The club however has been going through a transitional period when I joined….selling some key players to bring money in, and having lost a popular coach. It was only when Andy came in did they start to regain some pride and self belief.

The fact is, for a year or two, it was a job doomed for failure whoever took over. The decisions of who to appoint were tough and there was no specific science behind appointing Andy but he produced the goods. Firing Scott Fitzgerald especially was a painful decision to say the very least though in hindsight, it was the right decision.

I had to admit this week at being truly surprised and appalled at Newcastle’s decision to fire Chris Hughton. In my mind, there must be something behind the scenes that has led to the decision because there is absolutely no logic in it from a footballing perspective. Nothing much that happens at that club is logical I must say, but this one takes the biscuit.

I read an interesting article this week by one of my favoured writers Phil McNulty on BBC. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2010/12/hughton_sacking_shames_newcast.html). I won’t make the same points he does, but it is worth a read.

The easy decisions to make are when the coach has lost the players. Nothing suggests that Hughton did, in fact quite the opposite. Given the arrival of Alan Pardew as coach, I simply cannot understand that decision neither. Had they appointed a big name coach, then that would have been some justification, but it was never going to happen. To give Pardew a five and a half year contract is just as shocking. In fairness, I like Alan Pardew, but I cannot help but feel bitter about how Hughton has been screwed over here.

I have good friends that are Newcastle fans and the reality is that they probably think the same way as me. I hate to say this for them, but I hope Mike Ashley and the club get exactly what they deserve for the treatment of Hughton. It is nothing short of a disgrace and I was pleased to see the League Manager’s Association condemn the club. Bad bad form.

The Devil Is In The Detail

I think we all have an optimum way of working. Some folks like to work in complete silence. Some folks like to work on their own. Some folks like to work in an open plan office space. Some folks like to work in the mornings. Some folks like to whistle while they work. That annoys me. Some folks don’t like to work.

Personally, I enjoy working. I made it my mission when I was a fresh faced but spotty boy from Leeds at school to work in something I loved and enjoyed. I saw my parents work so hard, such long hours, doing work that they didn’t particularly enjoy to give me and my sister a good start in life. I don’t like the fact that they had to, but I am eternally grateful. So I made it my mission to do something I enjoy and that something was sport. Football would be the ideal thing, but sport would keep me motivated to work and to work hard for the long forty-plus year slog we all have to make.

When I was young, I pretty much found my optimum way of working. If it was something I was not interested in, I just did enough to reach the next level. My mum showed me my school reports a month or so ago and it was hilarious to read the comments which are as appropriate now as they were twenty years ago. If it was something I was interested in or could tailor to football such as a random poem or story in English, I excelled.

The other thing I noticed when I was young was that I had a tendency to work best under pressure. That usually meant doing work at the very last minute. In some ways I am incredibly organised and meticulous. In other ways, I only produce my best when the pressure is on. During my working life, the same has always applied. I have always sort the high tempo intensity that brings the best out of me and it is what I enjoy.

In terms of working environment, I am not one to particularly revel in working in silence or on my own. Give me an airport, a room full of people, loud noise and music, all kinds of disturbances, and I am able to find my own silence and solitude in my head to work. I am reasonably fortunate to be able to do that. Given the travel and the hectic lifestyle I have often led, it has been the only way to progress.

I was always a nighthawk and still am. I generally produce my best late at night. Maybe it is another case leaving things until the last minute, I am not sure, but it is something I have always enjoyed. Whether I had to write an essay through the night, research and analyse football matches, or general stuff, the night has always been my friend. I sit here right now at 4.30am writing this blog and I am enjoying every moment. If you are reading this any time before 6am, then I apologise and hope you can go back to sleep.

My other place of great thought and contemplation is the loo. I kid you not. Instead of a magazine, try take a problem or issue to the loo next time, and give it some rational thought. It is amazing what you can come up with sometimes on the throne.

Not everything works for all people. HJ is an early bird and gets more done in the first few hours of the day than I get done before 3pm. My way is certainly not the best way, that I am sure. But it works for me. The devil is in the detail and working out our optimum way to work or live is pretty important for me.

May The Best Man Win

I have mentioned before in previous blogs about a habit of mine calling the next fight – UFC or Boxing – that I am attending or watching as being the best fight of the year. I guess it is a way of justifying it to myself, especially if I am paying to travel and attend. I prefer to think of it more as me being positive and looking forward to the next great fight.

The last fight I went to, that was not the case which is rare for me. David Haye v Audley Harrison turned into something of a farce. You can never predict the outcome of a fight with massive confidence, there are so many factors which can affect the outcome. However, that was one which turned out to be a farce and which it should not have been a surprise, I still expected more from the fight.

The most surprising thing that night however was not the fight itself. It was the show and the hugely poor quality of it. I have been to quite a number of fights in recent years and this not only had an embarrassingly poor undercard, but the production and show itself was awful. Not only were there no big screens in the arena, but there was no music between fights, no entertainment, no nothing. It smacked of being a cheap production and along with garbage fights, the night was a let down for me. You can never be sure of entertaining fights, but the least a promoter can do is put on a show and entertain fans.

The other downside that night was being sat around a bunch of muppets. I joke around as much as the next person, but these kids were really out of order with poor tasting jokes and various racist comments. I was embarrassed to be there with HJ and my parents.

So off the back of that pretty poor experience, tonight is the night of redemption. Tonight is Juan Manuel Marquez against Michael Katsidis. The only downside tonight is not being able to watch Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch, but I can deal with that. This fight has all the makings of a fight of the year – in fact I will go on record now and claim that this will be one of the top three fights this year. The styles are fabulous and this will be a brawl. I am supporting Katsidis tonight for two reasons. Firstly, as there are so many Mexican fans around and attending, that the Aussies will be outnumbered. Even during the Ashes, I can be impartial enough to cheer an Aussie on. And secondly, after the sad death of his brother recently, this fight easily could have been postponed, but he decided to fight. Credit to the guy. I like Marquez too however so I cannot really lose tonight, all I ask for is a cracking fight, and I am 99% sure they will deliver. And even if it does not, we’ll get some music, glitz and glamour just to entertain us a fraction if all else fails. Marquez to win in the 9th round for me.

Men, Women and Other Drugs

I suspect curious creatures exist on all planets. I hazard a guess at other planets, but I know for a fact that there is many a curious creature on planet earth. There have been plenty of random curiosities in recent weeks and I want to share them with other folks to see whether it is just me or others think the same.

I will start with trousers. Trousers or pants, depending on where you come from. Why do some guys feel the need to wear them around their thighs and fully displaying their boxer shorts? I can understand some fashion though I am far from being a fashion king I have to confess. This one however is too far. I do not want to see other guys’ butts. In fact, I don’t think anybody does. It cannot be comfortable and I just don’t think it looks good. All I see is guys constantly pulling them up to the preferred level and genuinely becoming a distraction. Slightly upsetting but curious.

I shall move on to the fairer sex for my next curious observation. I always enjoy people watching and I have noticed one curious feature this week. I have noticed before but none more so than New York this week. Women rarely look at men in the streets. Nope, instead, they spend their time by glancing and analysing other women. They are checking out what they are wearing and what bag they are carrying. I find it funny but very random. There are not many men who look at other men, and certainly not many who analyse and check out what they are wearing. In New York, every woman is checking what designer somebody is wearing and where they have been shopping. Curious and interesting.

Another curiosity I picked up on this week was wifi on aeroplanes. What an ingenious idea. Unfortunately, it is not available on the plane I am currently sitting on, but it does exist on many internal flights within North America. What does exist on this plane is live television. Granted, it costs $6 but on a six hour flight, it is totally worth the money. I am watching my second Champions League game, and I am happy. Curious but happy.

One of my favourite North American establishments to wine, dine and watch sport is ESPN Zone. They have them scattered around the US, and I have been to the ones in NYC and Las Vegas on several occasions. They have great food, good beers, and millions of television screens showing all kinds of sports. It has always been one of the things I have loved about Vegas. I was gutted to discover in Times Square this week that they have closed down – all bar two in LA and Anaheim. They have closed due to the economic downturn apparently. Now, I am not there every week, but when I am there, they are absolutely rammed full of people, and with a $10 per hour spending requirement, folks spent good money. I am stunned that they have closed down. Stunned, and curious.

The Incredible Sulk

I always look forward to the weekends but I was looking forward to this one more than most. The arrival of the weekend meant the end of a pretty tough week at Chez Esteva/Burns. The highlight of the week was losing two laptops last Saturday night. My work laptop and a personal one. I left them accidentally in the cinema on Saturday night like the true muppet I am, and they were gone when I went back to get them.

Police reports, watching CCTV footage, posting ads on local websites, contacting lost and found, the cinema – you name it, I did the lot last week and whoever has my laptops does not wish to return them. I have reluctantly accepted it now and I am resigned to the fact that they are gone. I genuinely do not care in the slightest about the cost, but the documents and photos are the most valuable loss. Website work, book work, wedding work, real work, photos, personal stuff.....all gone. I am not one to flaunt my emotions too easily, but I have been well and truly gutted with this one.

So to put it mildly, I have been experiencing one major sulk this last week. I am known to sulk every so often, but it doesn’t get me down for too long and I am able to display my bouncebackability. This one however has been one major sulk, an incredible one. The truth is, my emotions have been mixed. From denial, to disbelief to anger. Fortunately for the little hooded punk at the supermarket who pushed in front of me in the queue last Sunday, I was not quite at the anger stage.

To make matters worse, virtually everything else has gone wrong this week. Friday night gone, we arrived in Liverpool after a two hour flight delay only to find I had left my paper part of my driving license in Switzerland. No hire car for you sir. On the other hand, here’s a £150 taxi bill back to Leeds sir, and sleep well.

Bets have gone against me, my team has been going against me, work has been going against me, and the number of times I have found myself caught in torrential rain this week is beyond a joke. I dropped a yogurt at the checkout in the supermarket which splattered everywhere. What can you do other than suck it up and plug on.

I think I am just about over wanting to beat people up now. Having gotten some good exercise over the week and watched some boxing, my pent up anger has been released somewhat. Having spent the weekend with loved ones, and a pretty cool trip coming up this next ten days, this is just what the doctor ordered to remedy the incredible sulk. Reasonable Rob is returning.

Blessing in Disguise

I have written one or two blog posts previously discussing the life of an athlete and how it is so easy to forget the hardships they go through and the short careers they have. This hit home more than ever this week when Real Madrid midfielder Ruben de la Red was forced to retire due to his heart condition.

25-years-old and on the fringes of a fantastic career. I have always had a soft spot for him as player – great technique and rather than suffering when leaving Real Madrid and seeing his career plummet like it does to so many kids when they leave Real, he fought his way back to the top with Getafe and returned to Real and the first team squad. I genuinely think he could have pushed to reach the Spain squad in the coming years.

Two years ago almost to the very day, he collapsed on the pitch in a cup match – similar to what we have seen to other players who have passed away. Thankfully, he recovered, but after two years of tests, doctors have told him it is not safe for him to return to the game.

Absolutely brutal in so many ways but no question that it is for the best. It seems to be a growing trend of heart issues being the cause of serious health issues or death among athletes – De la Red is one of the lucky ones who has survived it and can live a good life. Real have offered him a job at the club, and he will likely go on and become a coach.

It reminds me of Brentford manager Andy Scott. He had to quite the game in his late twenties due to a heart problem. I was fortunate enough to spend quite a lot of time with Andy during my time at Brentford, and I could not fail to be impressed by him. He had a decent career stolen from him overnight, and he responded by preparing meticulously and becoming an excellent manager. I have no doubt in my mind that Andy will eventually manage at a higher level – either with Brentford or elsewhere. I hope and pray De la Red can find something similar.

The $64 Million Dollar Question

A friend of mine put me in an awful quandary this weekend just gone. He asked me a question – the kind of question no man should be subjected to. It is Bon Jovi’s last concert ever….in New Jersey. It just so happens that on the same night, it is the last UFC ever also, the Brock Lesnar v Cain Velasquez rematch fight. Neither will happen ever again. No more Bon Jovi, no more UFC. There are millions of Bon Jovi fans out there, most of which deny or refuse to admit it. You know who you are. As one of the fast growing sports in the world, the UFC is becoming a hugely successful sport. They do not really combine however, I am possibly the only person on the planet to love both of them. They both start at the same time, and they are held in different continents. It wasn’t mentioned, but I suppose the UFC were banned from showing that last one on PPV also. Which do I decide?

I go for the UFC. I have seen plenty of both of them, but I have all the Bon Jovi CD’s just as I have most of the UFC fights on DVD also. The one difference is that you never know what is going to happen in a UFC fight. I know how a Bon Jovi concert is going to go and that is part of the reason why I enjoy them so much. There are other bands I enjoy, while the UFC would leave a fairly major gap for me. It is a tough call but I edge UFC in this instance.

Awful question, but it got me randomly thinking. I think one of the things I enjoy most about the UFC is the unpredictability of the outcome. It is far more unpredictable than Boxing for example. We have a running joke in our household as I describe every fight that is coming up as the best fight in years somehow ignoring the fact that I said it last month, or last week in some instances. I consider myself to be a half full kind of guy rather than half empty, but this is a different concept.

One of the things which I constantly search for in life is potential. In so many different aspects of everyday life, I am analysing things and trying to work out the potential of something. Potential is different to the half full principle – I am not hoping something may work out, I am weighing everything up and deciding whether something is worth pursuing and putting effort into to reach the end goal.

My approach to so many UFC events is excitement. I am excited for the unpredictability and the potential of some great fights – entertainment-wise and technically. The UFC ten days ago fulfilled all of that and more, and while my analysis of the fights was grossly incorrect, I was right in my feel that the potential of this event was huge.

Work and business is a prime example. I am always thinking of ways to develop myself. Ideas that may just work and require time and effort to develop. Some do, and some do not. I am fortunate enough to have a talented partner in crime who I can bounce ideas off and help me further understand the potential of an idea or thought. I can have all the thoughts in the world, but similar to betting, absorb different opinions and views, and then make the decisions. Potential is exciting. Just like a bet though, just because there is potential in something, it may not always be the right decision to go for it. I have millions of ideas coming into my head all the time, not all of them turn out to be worth pursuing or of any value, but I give them all consideration, analyse the potential and pursue or discard as appropriate.

Potential can manifest itself in many different ways. I saw potential in my cousin’s son being an Evertonian despite pretending to support Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo. One trip to Wembley and a Marouane Fellaini wig later, and he was converted to a blue. Perhaps that one is somewhat tenuous but I’m grabbing on to it.

Football and sport is one area which I keenly follow potential. I love nothing more than to follow young talented players and see their development. It is certainly an area which I plan to become more involved with in the future, as well as coaching. I have a good relationship with Ray Hall at the Everton Academy – I know just how proud he is when one of his Academy players makes the breakthrough to the first team. It must be a huge buzz to see a Wayne Rooney or Jack Rodwell come through the ranks and become a major star.

I guess a key element in all things potential is the ability to envision the future and forward think. Unquestionably there will always be factors along the way which can affect the development of some potential, but if harnessed in the right way and with a large spoonful of hard work, passion and dedication, that potential has every chance of succeeding. Some ideas are just not meant to happen, some players just do not get the lucky breaks they deserve, and some cousins may not have an Uncle Rob to take them to Everton games, but giving potential a shot can do no harm.

I have taken a couple of risks/chances in recent years by leaving excellent jobs. Following which, I have had a number of ideas and projects which I have worked on. I am not the only one. There seem to be a number of people I know who have done something similar and decided to take the plunge. It may seem ridiculous to some in this economy, but I think it is all about realising the potential of one’s ideas and abilities. Now, if you do not have the ideas and abilities, then you’re in a tricky situation. However, I genuinely believe that so many people I know have the potential to be successful and to make their own way through life. Inevitably there is a degree of risk in anything like this that the potential will not grow into existence, but one thing is for sure – it won’t if you leave it sat on the shelf.

An Englishman in LA

Another month of fun and games. Winter has crept upon on us pretty sneakily in October. Some would say Autumn has arrived, I would say Winter is upon us. That is not a negative, I don’t mind either of them. But the bitter cold has arrived in Switzerland, and I’m faced with the reality of some cold feet in bed warming themselves on me which I love.

My latest escapade took me to California last weekend. I seem to be making a habit of these kinds of trips at this kind of year – maybe I subconsciously suffer from a mid-Autumn crisis. Caught up with an old mate, and took in two fantastic sporting events. I have been lucky this month with sporting events as each and every game/ fight I have seen has been pretty darn entertaining. That does not always happen, especially being an Everton fan.

My partner in crime was unable to join me on this one. No trips are the same without HJ. This time, I travelled with a new travel buddy, a cuddly Mexican with warm feet. No HJ, but a pretty good replacement I must admit. Tolerant is another good adjective to describe him as he patiently accompanied me to random stores trying to find a gift for HJ. 5 Bloomingdales, 4 Macys, 3 Nordstroms, 2 Saks and a partridge in a pear tree later, we ended up in Victoria Secret and La Perla.

I am in Los Angeles, nobody here knows me. Yet for some reason, whenever I enter lingerie stores or sections, everybody else seems to leave the vicinity, the staff focus their attentions on me, and the spotlight is firmly zooming in on my every movement. I wander around for a while trying act cool, but they almost always approach me wanting to help this lost puppy on his mission. They ask me questions, they want to help me. I stutter. I stammer: I can feel my forehead starting to sweat. I ask a few questions out of politeness, but I am desperately attempting to escape the conversation and their attentions as quickly as possible. One more lap of the store, and I make my exit. Mission failed.

I cannot quite explain it. None of this stuff embarrasses me. I am no shrinking violet, let’s put it that way. But the whole scene just seems to make me uncomfortable. I have bought various gifts for HJ over the last five years, and have yet to nail this lingerie business. Back to the drawing board.

I ended up bringing home three t-shirts – Marc by Marc Jacobs, Jcrew by Jcrew and Nike by Nike. I was happy with all three, but I somehow cannot help but feel I failed on this one. I am determined to get this right, and I have a couple more good opportunities on my travels in the next two months to succeed in this battle for Christmas. Losing weight was easier than this but I will not be beaten.

It Takes Two Baby

In most countries, football events and statistics are measured in single actions. Tackles, dribbles, shots are all events recorded in games. In one or two other countries, they have a different concept. The duel. Effectively statistics are recorded in for both players – the tackle and the tackled for example.

I’m working on a project right now involving this kind of stuff. It won’t particularly interest most people but it got me randomly thinking about the whole idea.

You take a shot, and somebody saves it. You tackle and recover the ball, somebody loses the ball. You winner a header, somebody loses a header. All duals where somebody wins and somebody loses.

It makes a lot of sense really. Most of events in our lives are duel. There are certainly individual actions in life (there is a joke there somewhere), but so many things we do are duels. Decisions and actions we take so often have an impact on other people.

You accept a job, somebody else doesn’t get the role. You throw litter on the floor, somebody picks it up. You make a joke, somebody smiles. You make an inappropriate comment, it hurts somebody’s feelings. So much of what we do has an impact on other people.

I have a spontaneous side – I do some random stuff sometimes without too much thought. I also often think too much sometimes about how other people will feel if I say of do something. The outcome of the duel. I don’t particularly consider it a negative, though it can either weigh on my mind or possibly affect my decision making, which I do not overly like. I also do not like stumbling across people who do not give any thought at all to the outcome of their duels. They are not hard to find and I don’t give them too much time any more.

I guess a certain somebody has made me more aware of this and maybe I’m getting old. We are also surrounded by a group of special friends who are incredibly thoughtful and sensitive. Some have even decided to use the post office now to pay bills. I know I have worked with stats for some years now but I am far from an expert. I would guess that a rather large percentage of what we do and say affects somebody else. I introduce you to the duel.

Answers On A Postcard

Sometimes, some days, I have more questions than answers. Some days, everything seems as it should. Questions get raised, I have the answers. Today, I have the questions and I would welcome any answers.

I am watching Real Madrid v AC Milan this evening. Did anybody else see the fan run on the pitch in the first minute? He slips on the grass just around the halfway line, and allows the steward to catch him, who promptly kicks him and takes him down. Is that allowed even? Fair enough, it was wrong of the fan, but it was pretty unnecessary of the steward.

I went for a run this evening. Before running, I felt I needed something to snack on so I had a bag of crisps and a small piece if chocolate. I ran strong, just over 8km in 47 minutes and felt very good. Why did I need to eat crap before the race, making me feel guilty for eating it and thus running longer and faster? Would I have run the same if I had a cereal bar instead?

So, today we had the revelation that Wayne Rooney wants to leave Man Utd. I was pretty surprised to be honest at just how fractured the situation seems to be. I cannot remember a player under Sir Alex, a world class player at that, want to leave the club at the peak of his game. The word peak may be debatable based on this season, but you know what I mean. I have met Rooney a couple of times, and I have to say I am not his biggest fan as a person. And nope, it is nothing to do with him leaving Everton – that £30m was essential. So, where does he go from here? I would be amazed if it was Chelsea or Man City, and do Real need him? My guess is Real sign him, and Higuain makes way.

I was at a thoroughly enjoyable Merseyside derby on Sunday. A deserved win for my boys and I was proud of them. Liverpool are really struggling right now and all jokes aside, I do actually feel sorry for Roy Hodgson. He had limited money to spend in the summer in a difficult situation. I accept his signings have not turned out to be successes just yet, but at the same time, I think it is grossly unfair to judge signings when it is still October. Fernando Torres has not been fit for six months and is a shadow of his former self. Hodgson inherited a number of players who were unhappy such as Mascherano and Aquilani and had to be shipped out. The whole situation was far from perfect, and I can’t quite understand the reaction of some of the fans. Would anybody else have done better? Who will Liverpool attract that can improve things? I say stick, not twist.

I was on the receiving end of a pretty blatant fib last weekend and it wasn’t the only one I’ve heard recently. I was in a hotel that I go to fairly regularly, and the lady on reception said that the lift was out of order. It has literally been out of order for the past six months. I don’t really care to be honest, as I am perfectly fine taking the stairs. However, when I made a joke remark about it not working a single time I had been in the last few months, she said it had been working fine. It was a fib, and unnecessary. There are some times when one just needs to hold one’s hand up and accept it. As said, far from major, but why did she need to fib to me?

I read a headline on BBC’s website today – ‘French strikers step up pressure’. Isn’t Laurent Blanc muttering to himself ‘If only’??

A 20-year-old American Football college player was paralysed this weekend after a tackle he made went badly wrong. My heart goes out to Eric LeGrand and I hope he can somehow make a recovery. There was a horrendous collision in the NFL also this weekend with DeSean Jackson coming off worst in a sickening clash. I won’t post links, but you will find both on youtube if you wish. The question of concussions and injuries like this have been hotly debated in the last 18 months in NFL. The NFL have now decided to suspend players committing such tackles. I agree with it, but why does it take such horrific injuries to happen before taking such action? This is nothing new.

Mohave Mirage

It is 3.30pm and I am in the Mohave Desert. I have been walking for days, it feels like weeks, months, years. Little food, little water, I do not really know who I am any more. I don’t feel like my old self, don’t look like my old self. It is an out of body experience that is hard to describe unless you have experienced it yourself. I’m emotional but numb, physically and mentally. I can’t talk. There is nobody to talk to, and I don’t have the energy to talk even if I could. I haven’t seen anybody for miles, nothing living anyhow, I haven’t seen any sign of life or any landmarks or anything. Is there any end to this journey….wait. What can I see in the distance? There’s a building. An old dusty old building. I get closer, I see a sign. The signs says ‘We sell Boddingtons here – barrels and barrels in stock!’ The first sign of life I have seen for miles and they sell my favourite beer. I pinch myself, I am awake. I cannot believe this. If this is the way I leave this world, let the last mouthful I take be a gulp of room temperature Boddingtons. Heck, it could be even be cold, I’d take that after being out in 45c degrees heat for so long. I break into what feels like a sprint but I know deep down it is only a jog. The pub is drawing ever closer and I can see the door only metres away. I stop and pause, can this really be happening. I rub my eyes and re-open them. The pub….the pub is now miles away in the distance. It is getting further and further away.

Me and my girl run once or twice week together. We need to do more, and sometimes run separately if our schedules do not suit. We have one particularly route that we do every so often – our apartment, to Lutry and then back along the lake to Ouchy. It is approximately 9km, and it can be shortened or extended depending on whether HJ feels like Paula Radcliffe, and whether I feel like Hicham El Guerrouj. The first 3km is reasonably pleasant, a fair amount of it is a slow downhill run which breaks my sensitive body into the run slowly. I can deal with that. From around 5-8km, we run along the longest road in the world. The Mohave Desert. We run along the road until we reach a set of traffic lights eventually and we turn left at that point and down to the lake. When I run, I look for milestones and landmarks, it keeps me motivated. On this long stretch of small inclines and bumps, there are four sets of traffic lights. I am struggling at this point and I hope and pray that each and every one of them is the final one, which means the run is almost over and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Disappointment comes with each traffic light which does not signal the left turn. Then, we run round a corner and see the lights. The lights. I see them now. This time, the lights do not disappear in the distance. There is life back in these old heavy legs of mine, and I can see the lights.

Nobody said getting in shape was easy and nobody said running was pleasant. Well, maybe they did, but it wasn’t Robert Christian Esteva. Still, the end point is very enjoyable. Sitting there, having accomplished a reasonably solid run, is a great feeling. It is that final sip of Boddingtons, that is just so sweet after the trials and tribulations to get to that stage. I will be making more regular visits to the Mohave in the coming weeks – don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

Random Sporting Thoughts

Plenty of excitement around the start of the NHL season – I am in my element at this time of year with all my favourite sports up and running. I expect the usual super powers to return to the top and fight for the Stanley Cup this year – I expect a winner from the Red Wings, Capitals and the Penguins. I feel as if injuries really hampered the Red Wings last year, while I believe the Olympics were not particularly beneficial for the other two especially. If pushed, I’ll take a punt on the Capitals.

I am genuinely excited about boxing in November and December. Some top class fights scheduled and hoping to get to the Katsidis v Marquez fight which could be an absolute gem. Khan v Maidana should be fascinating, while Froch and Abraham will be a corker too. Then there is Pacquiao v Cheatarito which should be fun to watch also. Happy days.

Commonwealth Games in Delhi. I’m not there, and I do not know anybody who is. That said, the media coverage has been incredible negative and hard not to believe that there are some major issues out there. Hearing the swimmers fall ill due to an alleged contamination of the practise pool is pretty shocking, and that is just one of a number of issues reported. All that in mind, just how important are these games these days? Not very I’m afraid to say.

I was saddened to hear about Rugby League player Terry Newton committing suicide a couple of weeks ago. A great player who was serving a suspension for taking an illegal substance. So sad that nobody seemed to be aware of the troubles he was going through. Maybe a reminder and wake up call for the Rugby Football League and many other federations to improve their care and support of suspended, injured and retired athletes.

Another star cyclist reported to have failed a drugs test, and a handful of other riders also. I have the utmost respect for the UCI and there is no doubt in my mind that they lead the way in sport as the most rigorous and ruthless drug-testers around. At the same time, I cannot help but feel that they are killing cycling. Actually, it is the cyclists who are killing it. How many federations cover up positive drug tests, match-fixing in order to protect their interests? I would guess at a fair number of them. Sad, but very likely to be true.

Looking forward to a Canadian Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday and Week 5 of the NFL season. I’ll go on record and offer my tips – may as well revel in my success or look like a total muppet.
Bengals -6.5
Atlanta -2.5
Texans to win and -2.5
Saints -6.5
Chargers -5.5 (Sorry dude, what do I know?)
Lions/Rams over 42.5 (my favourite bet of the round)

Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word

How many times has the title of that song been appropriate for moments in our lives? I consider myself pretty good at spitting the word out but I won’t pretend it is easy. I don’t think it is easy for anybody, but I do personally feel it is better to say it that not.

One of my favourite bands of all time broke up recently few months back. I consider myself a pretty loyal guy and I stand by my bands and artists regardless of what anybody has to say about them. For some reason Barry and Jon Bon seem to be on the receiving end of a fair bit of stick recently and I cannot for the life of me understand why. Some folks owe them an apology. They have stood by me for years and in turn, I’ll repay their faith and support them. That’s what love is about. So, when I heard that The Killers had broken up a few months back, I felt pretty let down. What had I done to deserve that? It was harsh to say the least.

Thankfully, it seems a temporary break – a Ross and Rachel ‘break’. I was heartened by that news, coupled with the announcement that front man Brandon Flowers was going solo while the other boys took a break. Heartened but concerned. I’ve seen this happen so many times to good people. They get all carried away thinking that can go it alone and produce the goods, and fail miserably. I feared for Brandon I have to admit. Maybe I lost a bit of faith. Jon taught me to Keep It and maybe I lost it.

Brandon I apologise.

Sunday night, HJ and I went to see Brandon in Zurich, and Brandon nailed it. Great energy as you would expect from The Killers chap, but a slight twist of country and randomness meshed in. In a fabulously small and intimate venue called Kaufleuten, it was the perfect setting for a quality gig. The album, Flamingo, is a gem and I have yet to hear anybody say a bad word about it. My favourite tunes, enhanced by the gig, are Magdalena, Jilted Lovers & Broken Hearts and Hard Enough. No complaints about any on the album, and I recommend it.

So the gig was due to start at 8pm which was handy as the last direct train was set to depart at 10.04. Early starts for both of us this morning so it made sense. Well, my naivety and inexperience of these small venues and gigs was exposed. Brandon came on stage at 9.30, ten minutes before we had to leave for the train. Not only would it be a case of leaving early, but virtually leaving after two songs was not really an option especially given my recently tarnished reputation. So we bit the bullet and saw it through and rolled into bed at 2am, cream-crackered but happy. A great gig, and thoroughly enjoyable.

So Brandon and I are back on after our date last night. I feel a bit bad for any doubt I had. I cannot wait for the Killers to rekindle their magic, but solo Brandon is pretty darn good. He moves on to the UK soon, and I would recommend any folks to grab a ticket if you can. Brandon is even heading to Leeds for a gig at the O2 Academy – after my last blog about my library in Leeds, he thought he would make an appearance. And he is going to nail it.

These Days

September has been an interesting month. Interesting and challenging at the same time. I like interesting things, and I like challenges. There’s been travel….from Boston to Denver, and every town in between. Well, not exactly, but it’s a musical reference which only the very special will recognise and acknowledge. Mine reads more like St Tropez to Lausanne, and Basel, Nyon, Liverpool, London, Leeds, Paris and Oslo in between. Fast and fun, but happy to spend a couple of weeks in Lausanne now and recharge.

There’s been plenty of work. Busy times at work with Euro qualifiers, Matchday 1 and 2. A couple of trips to Basel have given me some good experience and met some cool new people. More Basel fun in October and November and I am looking forward to both those visits.

There’s been the birth of a new project. This is a fun one, but one I am very excited about. It is the start of a number of projects that are going to born in the coming months and who knows where they will lead. I almost feel pregnant, it is probably the closest I will come to feeling that way. Giving birth to a number of little babies, watching them grow and hopefully succeed. I don’t like nor deal with unsuccessful stuff, and I won’t stop until these babies bloom. Failure and obstacles are overrated.

I decided to take a new approach in September. I have never been afraid of the principle of change and I am not one to dwell and labour on things which are not working. That is why I decided to cross dress in September. I was fed up with the usual mundane clothes and I thought I would mix things up a little bit and wear HJ’s clothes. The story on Monday actually goes something like this:

7am - Wake up after another average sleep. Sleep is overrated.
7.45am – Packed for Basel, dressed and coffee traveller prepared.
8am – Last minute checks for anything missing for the next two days in Basel. Check, check, and check.
8.15am – Final preparations, and leave the house with HJ.
8.20am – Jump on the bus with HJ to the station for me, to work for HJ.
8.22am – HJ asks me if I am wearing her coat.
8.23am – The label says yes.
8.24am – I come to terms with the fact that I am going on official business in cold Basel for two days, in a lady’s coat.
8.30am – Go to the post office
8.45am – Take the train to Basel

Fast forward two days:

3am – Go to bed after finishing work
9am – Ignore alarm ringing in my ear and roll over
10am – Wake up after another average sleep (sleep is overrated), throw my lady’s coat back on and hit the road

Outcome

Reputation still in tact and potentially enhanced as a new leader in fashion

I am now ready to face October and more challenges. If you’re having a tough time, throw on your lady’s or boy’s coat and ride the waves. It does wonders.

Pain is inevitable, Suffering is optional

If you happen one day to be fortunate enough to be invited to Leeds, or even just a visit to Lausanne, you’ll be afforded the opportunity to see the Esteva library. Don’t expect to see Chaucer, I had more than enough of muppets like him at school. Don’t expect to find the latest crime thriller by Patricia Cornwell – coming from Leeds and having lived in Liverpool and Barcelona, I’ve first-hand experience of that kind of stuff. Apart from the Dexter series, you will find a predominantly sports-autobiography based collection. There are plenty of other gems in there, but either way, it is sport pretty much. That will not surprise most people who know me, and if it does, then we need to get to know each other a bit better and you need to buy me a drink.

I strongly lean towards autobiographies. I am fascinated to learn about the sportsmen and women that I admire and the psychology behind what makes them what they are. I mentioned it in a previous blog post, but my recent reading of Andre Agassi’s book was a real eye-opener, and gave me a completely different perspective of him.

Sat on my bookshelf in Lausanne is one particular book written and given to me by a friend of mine when it came out gift just over a year ago. It is called Englischer Fussball by Raphael Honigstein. In one particular chapter, it details a trait which he argues is very English – the need to suffer unnecessarily, taking the long route, and even taking a subconscious enjoyment from it. Being faced with adversity or some form of pain – physical or psychological – and being able to show that you can truck through it, survive and overcome it. I know there are certain elements that sit somewhere in my mindset along these lines, and I think it is the same with many folks. Whether it is a typically English thing, I am not so sure, I know others who are similar. It is not a case of eliciting sympathy or attention, it is purely a mechanism that works in the brain, probably to build psychological strength. That is my logic anyhow, maybe some folks think differently. Unquestionably some folks like to suffer and then have the hard luck story to tell – it is a similar thing in the sense that telling those stories is just as key to them as anything else and they thrive from it.

It is far from being a positive characteristic. I tend to avoid it at work for example – one would probably be fired in no time for procrastinating and taking inefficient routes. However, it is one which we can so easily fall into and even take some pleasure from. This may sound totally strange to some people also. Why suffer in any shape or form, or waste time, when it is completely unnecessary? There is no real logic behind any of it, I guess it is just how some people are and I know there are random parts of me like that.

The Blues and the Bees

Tuesday night was a pretty special evening for me as Brentford played Everton in the Carling Cup at Griffin Park. To most people, it sounds pretty unglamorous and it was on the whole, but special nonetheless. It was a slightly surreal evening as the team I have supported since 1985 were up against the Bees, where I was a Director on the Board for three years.

I flew back to the UK for the game, and a reasonably unpleasant dental appointment, and it was a fantastic evening. Sadly, the Toffeemen’s woes continue and they were beaten on penalties. It was another pretty poor performance in truth and while they were the better side, the Bees missed a penalty. David Moyes has a fair task on his hands to get this season turned around pretty swiftly. All pretty disappointing from that perspective, but on the flip-side, it was A the Carling Cup and B. there is no other team I would rather my boys be giant-killed by than the Bees. At this point, I should go on about the Cup being a Mickey Mouse competition and nobody being interested in it…..

The atmosphere was fantastic – understandably as this was a huge game for Brentford and Everton brought 2,000 of the 9,000 fans down for this one. In a stadium of just over 10,000, it was almost a sell out and it made for a close intimate atmosphere. Seeing what it meant to the fans and the directors was great. Having been on the board, I know just how important these kind of games are to a club the size of Brentford – every year we prayed that the team could get to the stages of the cup where the Premier League teams joined the competition and that we would draw them for the financial windfall that comes. Beating one of them is all the sweeter – even a diehard Evertonian can appreciate that.

Returning to Griffin Park certainly brought back plenty of memories. It was the first time in 16 months since I resigned from the board that I was going back – and needless to say, I received some glory hunter comments. How anybody can call an Everton fan a glory supporter is beyond me, but I take the point! It also allowed me to see some familiar faces and catch up with two old friends – and I’ll emphasise the old PW, I now know you read my blog!

People often ask me how it was being on the board of a football club. I often say it is far from being as glamorous as it sounds. I suspect being on the board of a top Premiership team has slightly more glamour about it, though I suspect Bill Kenwright and Sir Philip Carter were not thinking that last night. For me, my three years at the club were generally quite passive and I spent most of my BFC time observing protecting the interests of the person I was representing on the board rather than playing a hugely active role. Given I had little time outside of work and commuting, this was my main priority, but it was an incredible learning experience. One which I certainly would not have gone through had it been a Premier League club and one which I would not take back at all. From onions on the burgers to what happens on the pitch, I was exposed to everything. Of course, everybody is most interested in the football side of things, the team, the transfers – everybody playing the role of manager and offering their views on who we should buy, sell, start and drop.

When I joined the club, they were going through a pretty severe rough patch having sold several key players to balance books and replacing them with cheap alternatives. Surprisingly enough, it didn’t work. Things have improved in the last 18 months however since they have received investment. I also note quite a shift in perspective from the fans too – not just from last night, but on the message boards and forums I read. There is much more positivity around and less focus on wanting to shoot the directors. I was always pretty fireproof given that I was representing the main investor at the club, but I was always a little taken aback at some of the criticism some fellow Directors received. Having gotten to know them on a personal level, it was tough to understand – regardless of mistakes being made, there is not a bad person among the current crew with all of them having BFC at heart. I was delighted for them after the game, they deserve it for the time and money they put into the club – with never a hope of getting any of it back out.

Even after the nine hours sleep in the last two days, the toothache, two delayed flights and a miserable loss, I’ve enjoyed the journey and I am pleased for the Brentford boys. Hopefully the result for both teams will spark them in the league where both are in a similar situation and need to improve. The next game cannot come quick enough for Everton and me.

What I have learned this week

Calgary really is an insane city – snow in September already. Easy to think it sounds so cool, but only when you experience do you feel sorry for those who have to survive it.

I have realised that a pair of jeans that fit properly make a massive difference to one’s appearance.

I learned this week that perhaps I do have a slight man-crush on Brandon Flowers – I cannot wait for his concert in Zurich in October.

I realised that I actually welcome injuries to boxers when I cannot go to a big fight that I want to see and one guy has to pull out injured meaning I could possibly go when it is rearranged. I’m not proud of that one but it is true.

I am not one for doom and gloom and I actually consider myself to be quite a positive person. However, when you think something cannot get any worse, the truth is, it can.

I am going to Oslo next weekend and I am genuinely excited. Never been up anywhere up there before, and I cannot wait.

I remembered this week that people often believe newspapers when they want to believe them, and do not believe them when they do not want to.

I learned this week that I do still need to lose some weight and a couple of love handles. Half marathon training starts Sunday.

I learned this week that footballers do cheat on their WAGS, but they are sometimes set up – read Peter Crouch. His credit card was stolen and he was going to collect it in the hotel in Madrid, and it was portrayed as an affair.

I learned this week that there is a new star blogger in town.

Bouncebackability

One trait among athletes and in people in general that I admire the most, is the ability to hold it together psychologically when things are going tough and to fight back. The team that is losing and fights back to get a result, the boxer who has been whipped for 11 rounds and knocks his opponent out in the 12th, the guy down the street who has been diagnosed with cancer and fights through it and survives. The problem however was how to describe the process without too many words – there was no particular adjective to explain it.

A couple of years ago, a new word was introduced into the English dictionary following a campaign on Soccer AM – one of my favourite television shows – and it finally filled the void. Bouncebackability was born.

This was no more evident than on Saturday when HJ and I were on Merseyside for Everton v Man Utd. My boys played quite well apart from some comedy defensive moments, largely due to a poor performance from Sylvain Distan. 3-1 down with only injury time remaining, the Blues somehow managed to bounce back and score two goals in the 92nd and 93rd minutes to draw 3-3. The whole place erupted…or so we heard. I am not proud of this, in fact I am ashamed, but I insisted that we leave on 90 minutes. I was fighting off a cold, and was fed up at 3-1 and figured the boys had no chance with Utd in control of the game. It’s a rule I have always abided by – never leave before the final whistle. However, over the last couple of years, with a fairly fast paced lifestyle, I have developed a rule – I will leave on 90 minutes if there is a difference of two goals or more. Well it well and truly bit my butt this time, and we were victims of a severe case of Bouncebackability.

We experienced another example of Bouncebackability recently. My adorable little niece Mia had her first day at school around ten days ago. The little monkey was so excited about her first day and was having a great first day until she fell off the climbing frame and broke her collarbone. She had a rough day and a half, but then she just seemed so positive and brave about it all. Granted, she was enjoying a sweet and ice cream diet, but I was amazed at how she dealt with it all. She was on good form and she had the ability to bounce back amazingly well. I guess kids have greater recovery powers – I don’t think I would have been so lively as she was.

I would hazard a guess that anybody who has seen the show Soccer AM knows all about Bouncebackability. I would also guess that most folks here in Switzerland and anywhere else outside of the UK have never heard of it. Well, now is the time to adopt it. Throw it into a conversation when appropriate and spread the word.

Snipplings

HJ and I were in Nice airport last week and we people-watched for a while. Some sad farewells and some joyous hellos as folks watched their loved ones depart or arrive. Made me think that Airports are actually Churches – full of ups and downs and not too much middle ground. There is either great delight (weddings, christenings – arrivals) or there is sadness (the funerals and farewells). There are even folks who pray in both too!

So, the UFC have decided what better way to celebrate my 31st birthday than to schedule a huge event in the one place I have dreamed about watching a big fight for years now – December 11th, Montreal. I have no alternative but to go, and direct flights from Geneva make it all the more appealing. GSP on the card….what more could I ask for? Who is coming? I'll buy first round!

NFL season starts on Thursday and I am going to go on record with my Superbowl prediction. Ravens v Packers and I think the Ravens win the shootout.

I worked at the Switzerland v England game yesterday. My observations: Jo Hart showed his first signs of the vulnerability this season – it will be interesting to see whether it is a sign of things to come. Jagielka – I love this guy as much as any, but I think some of the praise is over exaggerated….I do not feel completely comfortable with him at this level and want to see the same against top class international strikers before being convinced by him. Some English journalists are pretty horrendous people. I expected the Swiss more than anybody to clamp down on smoking in the stadium but they were very relaxed about it. First half was one of the best halves I have seen from an England team for some while.

Read a whole lot on holiday last week – I have missed reading in recent months. Book to recommend – Andre Agassi’s autobiography. Very interesting read, but very much based on his psychology and what made him the guy he is. Far more emphasis on that than the actual sport – depends on whether that side of it interests you. It did me. One point in the book where he beat his dad at tennis when he was 9-years-old reminded me of when I used to play badminton with some mates after school with our English teacher who was pretty sharp. He used to hammer us every time, took no mercy, but I gradually started winnings points. After weeks and months of training and practicising and plenty of beatings on court, I eventually beat him and the feeling was amazing. Which leads me on to another book recommendation – this one comes via a colleague. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell – The Story of Success. He discusses the “10,000-Hour Rule", claiming that the key to success in any field is, to a large extent, a matter of practicing a specific task for a total of around 10,000 hours.

Footballers and infidelity – do they genuinely think they can get away with it? I will never understand the logic of some many of them. The irony is, the wives/fiancées/girlfriends are generally prettier than the ones they are cheating on them with. I feel sorry for the intelligent and clever footballers who are honest and loyal but probably stereotyped as being just as thick as so many of their colleagues.

Jim'll Fix It

Having worked into the betting industry for four and a half years and working on a betting fraud detection project at Uefa for over a year, I have a reasonable amount of experience in the area of betting and corruption within football. I say football, but for football you can read virtually any other sport where there is serious competition and decent amounts of money involved. That may be distressing news to some folks, but it is true. Football is the one which grabs the headlines, but it happens in virtually every sport.

North American sports? Barring steroids, innocent and virtuous I hear you cry. I would put my last penny on some NBA, NHL, MLB games being fixed. Three leagues that play over 80 regular season games per team will have match fixing for sure. The misguided view in North America among many sporting administrators is that because betting on individual matches and match events outside of regulated casinos and sports books (online betting is illegal – try access your Betfair account over there) is prohibited, games cannot be fixed. Unfortunately, and this is the case in Europe also, it is short-sighted and they fail to recognise that the big money is floating around in Asia.

So many sports have been infiltrated. Snooker – there have been so many instances in recent years involving key players where they have either purposely lost matches or frames. The same has happened in tennis. Look at the revelation today regarding cricket and it is not even the final result that has to be fixed. The alleged corruption in that game surrounds three no-balls being balled. Somebody has caught somebody out here, but this happens all the time. When you can bet on suck minor details of a game, it creates opportunities for greater corruption which becomes increasingly impossible to detect. Players involved in such corruption are far more likely to become involved in a fix if it not involving the final outcome of the game – imagine the tennis player serves a double fault in the second set and at 4-2 up – would you be able to tell he did it on purpose? That is another misguided view by administrators looking for purely fixed outcomes rather than specific events.

So, the question is, will the States lift their restrictions on gambling over there any time soon with all the potential further corruption it could bring? I’ll bet that they will purely for the financial benefits it brings the country. The big cash is in Asia, but they can take a slice of the pie too. Cynical to think that way, but my guess is that it will happen sooner or later.

There are some pretty good books on match-fixing and corruption. Andrew Jennings book ‘Foul!’ and Declan Hill’s ‘The Fix’ are quite eye opening and a good start to learn how it works. The one issue they do not deal with is how it can be stopped. Cynical Bobby says it cannot unfortunately. There will always be lowly paid or greedy players who want to make a quick buck, and there will always be people out there throwing temptation their way. It is pretty sad to think that way, but I fear it will continue and even more so with the poor economy right now. It is a bit like the crusade against drugs in sport – unfortunately, the culprits will always be that one step ahead of the administrators.

Boxed In

Every day I read up on my boxing news, and I have to admit to having mixed feelings today when I read about Audley Harrison potentially close to sealing a deal to fight David Haye. It is a big fight in the UK but it is a mis-match and shouldn’t really be happening. This comes off the back of Vitali Klitschko signing up to fight Shannon Briggs last week. There are so many fights out there that would be amazing to watch, but so many politics that are preventing them from happening. The dream fight of Pacman and Floyd is the biggest one out there and the one which everybody would love to see but seems unlikely to be happening in the near future. There are so many like that, and it frustrates me intensely.

Boxing right now is in a really difficult situation and is struggling economically. Not only are fans less likely to shell out big bucks to watch a fight in an arena or on pay-per-view, but television companies are not prepared to throw money at boxing any more. At such a difficult time, you would expect those involved in the sport to be rallying around and trying to spark interest by staging the best possible fights. That is not happening. In fact, quite the reverse. The fact is, that while so many promoters refuse to work with others, and some boxers avoid fighting others, it is completely understandable that folks are losing interest.

Think about it from another perspective and one that has become extremely evident in recent weeks and months. The betting perspective. Look at the last 3-6 months of fights, and see how many shocks or surprises there have been. Not many at all. Try predict the outcome of as many fights as possible in the next six months, and I would put my neck on the line and say that I could successfully predict 95% of the fights that will be made. That is not to say I can make money from it – the bookies are not stupid. But what other sport can expect to retain such an interest when the probability of the favourite winning is something like 95%? This has been the secret of the UFC’s success – evenly matching fighters against each other and putting the best against the best.

Try betting on UFC fights – it is not easy at all. That said, there are far more opportunities to pick good bets than in boxing. It is very rare for a boxing fight to be close to 50/50 in the betting market, even 60/40. Many of the fights in the UFC are. I have to admit to not being a big fan of betting on either of the sports however, and it is rare I do. Individual sports are notoriously tough to bet on – how do I know whether a fighter has a stomach bug coming into a fight? It is one example, but there are many pitfalls on gambling on these two sports and I am not a huge advocate apart from betting for fun.

Anyhow, if the promoters and fighters will not put the fights that everybody wants to see together, then I am going to do it – albeit on my blog that nine people follow.

David Haye v Vitali or Vladimir Klitschko – A number of journalists have identified Tomasz Adamek as a great opponent for Haye and I would love to see it too. That said, there is so much history with the Klitschko’s now, it has to happen with one of them and it is the biggest fights out there at Heavyweight.

Manny Pacquiao v Juan Manuel Marquez – I do not want to see Pacman face Margarito or Cotto again, and if it is not going to be Floyd, the Marquez is the only other fighter in recent times who has come close to beating him. Personally, I thought he won at least one of the fights they had, and there is unfinished business between the two.

Amir Khan v Tim Bradley – I fear that Khan will be paired with some more older and slower fighters like Barrera who he will be able to dominate. I would love to see him line up against Bradley and it would be a really close fight. I like Bradley a lot ever since watching him beat Junior Witter. He takes on all comers and is rock solid without being spectacular. It would be a very close fight and a tough one to call.

Lucian Bute v Carl Froch – This will almost certainly not happen until 2011 or even 2012 as Froch is tied up in the Super Six tournament. However, this fight, in Montreal, would be unmissable and a classic fight in my view. I’ve rambled before about my dream to watch a big fight, UFC or Boxing, in Montreal and this could be the one. Bute is a star in Montreal and I would love to catch him against Froch who would bring a decent amount of English fans over which would really spark the atmosphere as well as being a great fight

Growing Pains

One of the things I look forward to the most, after my early season football enthusiasm has died down, (and trust me, it was shot down in flames on Saturday), is spending time with my niece and nephew. I probably see them on average about once a month, and it is amazing to see the difference in them each month. My niece is four and my nephew is going on seven months. Seeing how they grow physically is amazing. There are obvious signs such as a random tooth emerging in Max’s mouth, or Mia’s hair growing ridiculously long, but just seeing them change is amazing.

More so than the physical side, I love to see how they develop psychologically. Mia never fails to make me laugh with some random comment she comes out with and it always amazes me how she can be so savvy at such an age.

That and a conversation I had last weekend made me wonder what moments and experiences we have as children impact you as an adult. The common view is that children learn at a much faster rate than adults and can absorb more in their memories. I am sure that is related more to alcohol consumption personally, but that too is generally related to age.

When I was a child, there were two main incidents that stand out to me and reflect certain things now. The first one was when I was about four years old at my Auntie Francis’ house. Me and my sister were playing in the car park and as I ran around the side of a car, a pitbull flew around the side and hit me front on and sent me flying. It barked and snarled and little Bobby was flat on his back and petrified. It took a long while until I became comfortable with dogs, and even now when I see my lady so natural with them, I know I am not so at ease with them as others even if I am improving.

The second experience was part of the conversation last weekend. When I was eight years old, we went on a family holiday to Ibiza. Now, this was not clubbing Ibiza, and I was only seven, but maybe I just fancied myself as a lady’s man more at that stage than ever after. We met a lovely family and I took a shine to one of the daughters who was about 15. Anyhow, I never liked sunbathing and I never liked swimming or getting wet much – baths and washing were overrated in those days. So little Bobby used to sit in 25c temperatures by the pool, fully dressed – trainers, jeans, the lot. My dad thought it would be hilarious to pick me up and launch me into the water with my clothes and shoes on. I can still picture to this day being under the water for what felt like an eternity and gasping for the surface. Reality is, it was probably about 5 seconds if that, but for a kid who was not comfortable in water, could not swim and drank half of the pool, it seemed far longer. Add to that, little Bobby’s pride was notably damaged at being humiliated in front of this Kylie Minogue lookalike, it was not a highlight in my career. I can swim now and if you threw me in the middle of the Atlantic or Lake Geneva, I’d sure as hell give it my best shot of staying afloat and moving somewhere. It is far from my comfort zone however. Maybe it made me shy in front of ladies too.

So I always wonder what my niece and nephew take in their young lives that they will remember and what impact it will have on them when they grow up. When I took my nephew to the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley 16 months ago, seeing his enthusiasm and awe during that day will stay with me forever. I enjoyed that as much as my boys beating Man Utd that day….probably knowing that that is a moment he will remember for the rest of his life. Funnily enough, I probably wouldn’t switch those swimming pool and pitbull experiences for a Wembley day now. For sure the Wembley day is pretty darn cool, but I guess they all shape who we are. Ask my sister, the pitbull day is probably one of the best moments of her life, so the pain is probably worth it. I guess it is all about sharing them with folks we care about.

Blackburn v Everton

Blackburn v Everton – 14th August, 2010

Everton Squad: Howard, Mucha, Turner, Neville, Hibbert, Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Yobo, Heitinga, Baines, Rodwell, Osman, Pienaar, Arteta, Cahill, Bilyaletdinov, Gueye, Fellaini, Saha, Vaughan, Yakubu, Beckford

Absentees: Anichebe (Injury), Joao Silva, Agard, Baxter, Mustafi (Not Selected)



Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, Tim Howard, Steven Pienaar, Phil Jagielka, Jack Rodwell and Seamus Coleman were all away with their countries this week and returned with from international duty with no injuries reported. Howard travelled to New Jersey in the States and Billy played in Russia so those were the two who travelled furthest. Howard starts for sure, Billy perhaps not. Given the travel, his average form in pre-season, I think Moyes goes with Pienaar and Osman down the wings. The relationship with Pienaar seems reasonable still – we will hopefully avoid a repeat of the Lescott situation of last summer where Moyes excluded him.

Tim Cahill has a slight knee issue but he is expected to play. It was a bonus that the Australian coach left him out of their friendly and I would expect him to start this game just behind Louis Saha. Some fans have shown preference to Beckford being given a start but I consider that highly unlikely. Given the opposition also, Saha is the best option here and I am fairly certain he will get the nod.

Fellaini and Heitinga are in the squad despite limited training. I would be surprised to see both of them start this game. If anything, I think Moyes will leave both on the bench and uses Phil Neville as a defensive midfielder or will sit Jack Rodwell in there. With Neville in that position potentially, I think Tony Hibbert plays at right-back. I have wondered in the last few weeks whether we will see Moyes take a punt and go with the impressive Seamus Coleman. If the game was at Goodison, then possibly so but I cannot see that happening today. One minor thing to note, and there may be nothing to it but Neville is listed among the defenders in the squad announced on the website – almost sure to be nothing in that, but it would be no surprise if he starts at RB and Rodwell or Heitinga at CM.

Expected XI

Howard

Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines

Neville

Osman, Arteta, Cahill, Pienaar

Saha


Prediction

I strongly like the look of Everton here. Against the likes of Blackburn and Bolton, I feel that they suit us well in the sense that we can match them physically, but we have greater quality and technique to make the difference. Blackburn will be highly motivated and ready for this one – I just feel that the Blues will have too much for them. The emphasis all summer has been on making a fast start to the season and they will feel that this is a winnable game for them. The feel-good factor is there from Arteta pledging his future with the club and despite the poor performance and result against Wolfsburg, the spirit is high. This will not be an easy game, but I expect a draw at minimum, and I think they can edge this game.

Is The Grass Really Greener?

There have not been enough random thoughts recently – or certainly not enough that I have put down in writing so I am determined to produce more in the coming weeks – especially before the football season starts.

The best news of my summer, from a sporting perspective, was hearing that Mikel Arteta has signed a new contract at Everton. He had two offers from other clubs – clubs playing in European competitions, who undoubtedly offered more money than was on the table at Everton. For him to sign a new five-year deal with Everton was huge. In recent years we have lost some of our better players to teams with bigger budgets than us – Rooney and Lescott to name two – and who could blame them. Arteta’s deal signals a change in that and it is a key season for the club where there are actually some expectations on them for the first time in a long time.

Arteta’s decision seems increasingly rare in football these days. How many players turn down bigger money (he will be on big money at Everton regardless so he won’t be stacking shelves at Asda when he retires) and European competition to stay loyal to the club where he has made his name? The answer is not many. He would have contemplated what was on offer at the other clubs, and if his press conference after signing is to be believed, he has decided to stay at Everton as he has settled in the area and at the club, and is loved by team-mates and fans alike.

It is so easy to think that the grass is greener - something different, something new, or something else that somebody has is better than what you have. I think it is human nature. I wrote my blog regarding big decisions a few weeks back and I completely stand by that. Big decisions can also mean continuing doing the same, not always resulting in a change. Change is not always good, and recognising that is far from easy. I guess it comes down to an appreciation of what one has and what one knows, and clearly that is something that Arteta considered to be most important and the right thing for him.

It was only last weekend that I had this exact discussion with a good friend of mine. We spoke about Switzerland and if and when we decide to move on. It is easy to complain about the cost of beer, our jobs, the weather, travelling etc, but it is only when we think about the alternatives do we realise we have a pretty good gig going on. For me, the time I realise it most is when I go home to Leeds. That sounds awful and I do not mean it in that way. I love Leeds – the city not FC. It is purely when my friends and family ask what I have been up to, that I realise things are good. It is easy to dream about living in a country where a pint does not cost £5, where customer service and hospitality is excellent, and bureaucracy does not weigh you down. But flipping the coin and thinking of the positives of where you live, work, and friends you have, is just as important in realising that life is good. It is often said that you only realise how good something was when it has gone. I guess the secret is to take Arteta’s advice and recognise and enjoy what you have.

Putting the ‘Con’ in Convenience

Do we actually learn a new thing every day? If daily news counts, then I guess we probably do, otherwise I am not too sure. I certainly do find that I learn plenty when we are on our travels and our last one was no different. Over the last five days, we have spent time in one of the most remote places – Freeport, Nova Scotia – I have ever been (check a map if you don’t believe me), and good old Prince Edward Island. So here is what I learned.

1. Mosquitos exist in Canada. Canadian Mosquitos love me. I would prefer a sharp kick downstairs as opposed to 20+ itchy Mosquito bites.
2. I never knew these existed but they have drive thru ATM machines in North America! Talk about convenience. In reality, they are not quite so convenient. I saw one person lean out of their car, almost falling out to press the buttons. The other issue with it, is that if somebody wants to take a chance and mug somebody taking cash out, they can take the cash, card and car if they do it properly. I will avoid this one I think and not one of the thousands of cool North American features that I would export.
3. Tail winds. I am not referring to the human kind. Flying to Halifax was six hours and ten minutes. Flying back took four hours and fifty minutes. Truly insane just what a difference it can make.
4. On checking in with BA to fly from London to Geneva, they asked that I specifically sit in the window seat and Hannah in the middle – reason? There was a minor travelling alone and they men are not allowed to sit next to them. Not once have I heard that before.
5. I did not so much as learn this but it was more a case of stirring memories of just how good Dairy Queen blizzards are. One of the best, cheekiest, desserts around.
6. Drinking alcohol in a car, as a PASSENGER, is illegal in Canada. I can understand the logic of the driver not being allowed to have a swig while driving, but I have yet to meet anybody who has failed a breath test for inhaling alcoholic fumes coming from somebody else’s bottle.

Destination Anywhere

It is 15:21 CET and I am four hours into a flight from London to Halifax. It is usually this stage of a flight where I have eaten, watched a movie, and I become seriously bored. That’s when random thoughts tend to enter my head and today is no different. I’ve made several things to do lists, and I’ve had my two beers – I’m driving at the other end. So, I am going to scribble some random thoughts about overrated and underrated cities and countries that I have been to….and the next few on my hit list.

Top 3 Most Overrated Places

Lisbon – I generally make the best of most cities and countries that I visit, but Lisbon was highly unattractive to me. Down the coast, there were some cool places, but the city itself left me distinctly unimpressed and I thought it was a little scruffy if I am honest. This was back in 2004, and judging by the road works and construction going on, there was a fairly major overhaul of the city going on. The truth is, it desperately needed it. I am prepared to give it a second chance, but I hope it has raised its game since the last time I visited.

Dominican Republic – I cannot be too scathing about this place despite having to spend a larger than usual percentage of my time in the washroom in Dom Rep – I was not the only one neither. It was a fantastic holiday, and so so relaxing. That all said, the advice generally given was not to leave the resort where you were staying which is fairly understandable if safety is a concern and I was not prepared to test my skinny 18-year-old physique against some of the big Dominican boys. The experience in the resort was pretty good, and we had a great time – but for me, rather than fly for ten hours and for a fair amount of cash, I would sooner stay in Europe, find somewhere warm and stay in that resort for half the money, a fraction of the travel time, and spend more time by the pool than in the loo.

Milan – From the outside, you hear plenty about Milan and it being so central to the fashion world. That is not a key factor for me sadly, but I did expect a fair bit more glamour than I was presented with when I spent three months there studying. I accept the history in the centre of the city, but at the same time it is pretty darn scruffy. It probably did not help that the time I spent there and the other visits I have made were in the winter – not many cities look great when it is cold and miserable, but Milan certainly did not. There are many positives to Milan, and it was above average in my ratings largely due to the fantastic eating options, but I consider it to be fairly overrated in the grand scheme of things.




Top 3 Underrated Places

Barcelona – This may not be the case for many people, but I actually think Barcelona is underrated by a lot of people. I only really got to know it intimately when I lived there for a year. It has everything and I defy anybody to come up with a better, more complete city than Barcelona. When I was there, they had major petty crime issues, and that has improved in the last few years at least. Likewise, their football team was garbage when I was there, and they have turned pretty good. Those issues aside, I genuinely believe it has everything – weather, history, culture, beach, nightlife, shopping….the list goes on. Most people think highly of Barcelona, but it beats NYC and London for me, and it is the World City Champion in the Esteva Book.

Germany – This is a fraction bit ambiguous, but I am sticking the country as a whole as I have been to loads of cities in Germany and the truth is I have not found a bad one yet. Is it a huge tourist destination compared to neighbours? Not in the slightest. Would I whisk my lady for a romantic weekend to Germany? Probably not. But it is a fantastic country with plenty of great cities. Plenty of good beers, plenty of history, plenty of greenery to bbq or play football, and a great vibe to cap it off. Did I mention the beers? The people in particular are probably the best thing about Germany. Not many English admit to that but the truth is, the English and the Germans are incredibly similar, it is just that nobody wants to accept it.

Halifax – I’m not talking about the cosy Yorkshire town nearby Leeds, more so the one in Nova Scotia, Canada. This was the first Canadian city that I landed in and spent a short amount of time there, and I love the atmosphere in this city. There is a big student population there which almost certainly contributes to it, but it has a more intimate feeling to it than some of the other vast Canadian cities. It helps that there is a sensational pizza place called Salvatore’s and it helps that I am landing there in ninety minutes and I am famished. But that aside, it is not one of those cities which grabs the headlines, but it is a cool place to visit and to live and for that reason, it strikes me as being underrated.



The Top 5 Unvisited by Rob City/Country Hit List

Montreal – Unquestionably one of the places I have to visit in the next 12-18 months. I will admit that it is partially because I want to see a big boxing of UFC night there and sample some of this amazing atmosphere and spirit. Heck, I would even go watch the Habs for a bit of that. Nobody I have met has had a bad word to say about the city, and I have a feeling that it is a city that I could fall for.

Denmark & Norway – I like cold weather. I like beer. I like hard working football players who are not particularly talented but try their best. Denmark and Norway are on the list.

Boston – Isn’t Boston just a cool city? That is what everybody keeps telling me. HJ and I have talked about a classic American road trip at some point and this would be one of my key cities to spend some time in. I think it is fairly safe to stop at traffic lights in Boston too, which is why it ranks ahead of Baltimore on my list – I’ve watched too many episodes of The Wire. A big sporting city and a bit of Irishness never hurt anybody.

Australia – Another generic one like Germany – maybe there is a theme here. Countries and people who traditionally have big banter and rivalries with England, are ones I enjoy most. I would argue the same here also, I suspect part of the thing with the Aussies is that they are more like the English than they would like to admit and vice versa. This is one honeymoon possibility for me. I could never live there – it is too far from my football team, and errrr….the family. But it is one place I would love to visit and experience despite the massive spiders.

Chicago – Same as Boston – see above bar the Irish influence I guess.