Football is great and I love it. I am talking about real football, not the egg-shaped football that some claim to be the real football. I love NFL, but football edges it just. It has been an interesting week or so in football. Despite Everton’s poor result against West Ham taking the gloss off an otherwise fascinating week of football, there have been some great developments in football and the next week is another hugely anticipated week.
What am I talking about? The transfer window! This time of year, along with the summer, is when every football fan wakes up in the morning, and scours his newspaper and the internet to see which players are being linked with their team. First port of call – the BBC Gossip Column. I would love to know the number of hits they receive on this one page, and I’ll bet it is up there with their most popular pages at this time of year. Then I’ll put Sky Sports News on – if my boys have signed somebody, I will hear about it there first.
I am an Everton fan in case you were not aware. They are skint. They have less than zero money. That is not a good situation to be during the transfer window. There is a far greater chance of one of our players being signed by another team, than us signing somebody and that is not a nice situation to be in. Yet, I still for some unknown reason check the Gossip column and all the fan websites wanting to get a sniff of who we might be signing. We have lost Pienaar and Yakubu this transfer window, yet for some inexplicable reason, I hold out hope that we are going to make a signing of the century and it will propel us up the league.
There is no logic to that at all, but how many people do the same? My guess is a huge percentage of fans in England especially. The media sell transfer stories and speculation to us to sell their newspapers or boost their viewers. This was more common in Spain and Italy historically with teams like Real Madrid deliberately feeding information to Marca to keep their profile at the forefront, unsettle players they are interested in, and to claim an interest in another player when they are bargaining with one club for a different one and trying to force the asking price down.
England and the Premier League has gone one step ahead now. The transfer window was hardly greeted with delight when it first came into action as newspapers had months in which to make up ludicrous transfer stories when general news was quiet. That has all changed now and the media have clearly seen a niche and they put huge resources into promoting it now. Wait until transfer Deadline Day and see what I mean. It is actually pretty enticing stuff – watching SSN or surfing the internet to get all the latest rumours and gossip. Sadly for me, that is what they will likely remain, rumours and gossip. But I will hold out hope until the door shuts. Somehow, hopes and dreams across the world have been raised artificially, and then that big door just slams shut. For most fans, it will close with disappointment after a month of hope and optimism, all of which has magically been generated by the media.
I am not criticising it, I enjoy it as much as anybody. It is just an amazing phenomenon which has developed in the last few years. I shall be tuning in on Transfer Deadline Day waiting to see who my boys will be ‘close’ to signing, who they just missed out on, and who they wanted but could not agree a deal for.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Airplanes
I don’t often have time to sit and watch people. It is actually great fun to do when I do manage to forget everything else in the world and just sit, watch and observe other folks. Humans are random, very random, and if it is not something you do often, I would recommend trying it occasionally.
Today I am people watching. I am sat on a plane and watching people. Most folks don’t really realise I am watching them, but I am. Today, I am Big Brother. People act randomly all the time, but especially on aeroplanes and in airports and you can find all breeds. Today, I am watching the couple with four kids and how effortlessly they manage to deal with the kids and enjoy the journey. How many times have you been on a plane where there is just the one kid and parents and he is causing absolute havoc and upsetting everybody? I have seen plenty. These guys have four and they are all stars.
Airports and planes bring out a nervousness in people, and that is understandable I guess. We are thousands of feet in the air and as much as I learned about how aeroplanes fly and how boats float at school, I think I will always have a degree of awe about how they actually do what they do. You can scour the plane and look around and you will always find one or two people nervously watching out the window or clinging on to the arm rest or their partner when there is turbulence or when landing. I guess over a period of time it becomes normal. I have flown a ridiculous amount in the last four to five years and it is second nature to me now. If you fly once a year or less, it will surely be a bigger deal. I find take off incredibly relaxing and often drift off to sleep. Others are clinging on for dear life. I want to reassure them and tell them that I fly all the time, they have nothing to worry about, and the percentage of me one day meeting my end on a plane is far greater than theirs and I am not worried about it. I then hold myself back as I suspect they will wonder if today is the day.
Coming through security today, one chap realised he had left his passport at home. Quite how he got that far, I am not so sure, but he managed it as he had hand luggage only and went straight through. Luckily for him, he didn’t live far from the airport. The panic which ensued was spectacular. Rather than just bolting and getting it sorted, they preferred to hysterically scamper around and waste precious time. He is now sat next to me on the plane so it turned out well but only now after an hour have they visibly calmed down.
Some folks decide to get well and truly hammered to deal with their nerves or to have fun with their friends. I have been known to have a beer or two myself. In fact, every time I fly to Canada, it is my ritual to have a Molson Canadian on the way over without fail just to get in the mood. The worst situation I have encountered was on a flight with my parents to New York – the first trans-atlantic flight ever from Leeds & Bradford airport. One Canadian chap was with a few mates, and he was quite a big boy and quite a big drinker. The guy sat next to him was with the party but they obviously did not know each other that well. So, big boy ordered another wine to go with his food and he could not squeeze his table tray past his belly. The chap next time called him a name in jest, and the big boy responded by elbowing him in the face and getting him in a headlock and punching his head. Pretty horrific given this guy was some 25 stone, and was literally sat on the same row as me and my folks. To make it worse, he had a beast of a perm. The other issue was that we were about two hours from any land – if big boy went on the rampage, it would be tough to stop him. Thankfully the air hostess, who looked like she would bite, sorted him out swiftly and calmed things down. I would not like to have been him when I saw the armed police get on the plane in New York to escort him off. Brutal and it did not help any of the nervous folks on there.
Today we have no such shenanigans. Everybody is in pretty good spirits and everybody is looking forward to a great holiday. I’m going home, and I am just as excited to see my girl. I feel as if over the last five years I have had loads of places that I call home. I even called the hotel I used to stay in when I worked in London home. Mum didn’t like that. Those flights are always easier when you have something to look forward to at the other end and as long as there is no meathead causing troubling, they can be quite enjoyable. No need to stress over the kids, nor the lost passport, or the guy next to you cracking rude jokes, just sit back and enjoy the flight.
Today I am people watching. I am sat on a plane and watching people. Most folks don’t really realise I am watching them, but I am. Today, I am Big Brother. People act randomly all the time, but especially on aeroplanes and in airports and you can find all breeds. Today, I am watching the couple with four kids and how effortlessly they manage to deal with the kids and enjoy the journey. How many times have you been on a plane where there is just the one kid and parents and he is causing absolute havoc and upsetting everybody? I have seen plenty. These guys have four and they are all stars.
Airports and planes bring out a nervousness in people, and that is understandable I guess. We are thousands of feet in the air and as much as I learned about how aeroplanes fly and how boats float at school, I think I will always have a degree of awe about how they actually do what they do. You can scour the plane and look around and you will always find one or two people nervously watching out the window or clinging on to the arm rest or their partner when there is turbulence or when landing. I guess over a period of time it becomes normal. I have flown a ridiculous amount in the last four to five years and it is second nature to me now. If you fly once a year or less, it will surely be a bigger deal. I find take off incredibly relaxing and often drift off to sleep. Others are clinging on for dear life. I want to reassure them and tell them that I fly all the time, they have nothing to worry about, and the percentage of me one day meeting my end on a plane is far greater than theirs and I am not worried about it. I then hold myself back as I suspect they will wonder if today is the day.
Coming through security today, one chap realised he had left his passport at home. Quite how he got that far, I am not so sure, but he managed it as he had hand luggage only and went straight through. Luckily for him, he didn’t live far from the airport. The panic which ensued was spectacular. Rather than just bolting and getting it sorted, they preferred to hysterically scamper around and waste precious time. He is now sat next to me on the plane so it turned out well but only now after an hour have they visibly calmed down.
Some folks decide to get well and truly hammered to deal with their nerves or to have fun with their friends. I have been known to have a beer or two myself. In fact, every time I fly to Canada, it is my ritual to have a Molson Canadian on the way over without fail just to get in the mood. The worst situation I have encountered was on a flight with my parents to New York – the first trans-atlantic flight ever from Leeds & Bradford airport. One Canadian chap was with a few mates, and he was quite a big boy and quite a big drinker. The guy sat next to him was with the party but they obviously did not know each other that well. So, big boy ordered another wine to go with his food and he could not squeeze his table tray past his belly. The chap next time called him a name in jest, and the big boy responded by elbowing him in the face and getting him in a headlock and punching his head. Pretty horrific given this guy was some 25 stone, and was literally sat on the same row as me and my folks. To make it worse, he had a beast of a perm. The other issue was that we were about two hours from any land – if big boy went on the rampage, it would be tough to stop him. Thankfully the air hostess, who looked like she would bite, sorted him out swiftly and calmed things down. I would not like to have been him when I saw the armed police get on the plane in New York to escort him off. Brutal and it did not help any of the nervous folks on there.
Today we have no such shenanigans. Everybody is in pretty good spirits and everybody is looking forward to a great holiday. I’m going home, and I am just as excited to see my girl. I feel as if over the last five years I have had loads of places that I call home. I even called the hotel I used to stay in when I worked in London home. Mum didn’t like that. Those flights are always easier when you have something to look forward to at the other end and as long as there is no meathead causing troubling, they can be quite enjoyable. No need to stress over the kids, nor the lost passport, or the guy next to you cracking rude jokes, just sit back and enjoy the flight.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Don't Put Off Until Tomorrow....
You are sat at work. You are thinking about dinner tonight. You are thinking about your next holiday. You are thinking about the big game on Saturday. You are thinking about anything but what you are supposed to be doing which in most circles is called work. It may be work, it may be making a decision. I get the feeling that humans are amazing procrastinators and dawdlers when we want to be. I wonder if animals are – does the cat give serious thought to whether he is going to climb the curtains today, or does the bird analyse the scene ahead and deliberate which unsuspecting human he is going to swoop over and poop on? I am not so sure.
We either delay the inevitable, or often take the long route rather than just ploughing ahead and just doing something or making a decision. I remember writing about this subject when I first started my blog and it randomly came back into my head recently. Unquestionably, most folks are at work and spending time surfing facebook and spying on what Little Jimmy has been up to today. They actually have 27 emails sat in the inbox waiting to be dealt with, but learning about what Little Jimmy had for dinner seems far more appealing than replying to them. I suspect many folks are reading this rather than doing something they should be doing – you’ve made the right decision – those emails can wait. Promise!
I have gone down the route recently of setting up a company and working independently. The pitfalls of good old procrastination are more evident than ever when you work for yourself. There is nobody keeping track of what I am doing, there is nobody to report to, there is nobody dangling a bonus at the end of the year if I perform well, and there is nobody to sack my butt when they want to. There are positives and negatives. I can sleep in if I want to. If it is cold outside, I don’t have to go outside. If I am sulking one day, I don’t have to talk to anybody. All of which are positives and negatives – if you work in an office, you will think they are massive positives, but I can assure you it is not as glamorous as one may think. The overriding factor is that for all the time I spend on Facebook, wasting time on decisions I have already really made in my head but have not followed through on, I am not earning money. Effectively, if I don’t get busy, I am not going to eat.
Well that sounded dramatic and is obviously not the case, but the reality is that nobody is going to motivate me other than myself and I have to produce. Some folks would struggle with it. It is certainly not easy, I have to admit, but thankfully I am generally quite motivated to do well and succeed so I have never found it a major problem. Of course I have days where I waste too much time and productivity levels are lower than usual, but more often than not, I know I have to produce and I do. I do not have to worry about what anybody else is doing, Little Jimmy is whingeing about Big Bertha, Judy leaves early every day and I am left having to do her work. I do not have to deal with any of that. I just have to produce.
As I have said, there are good elements and not so good elements to it and so much depends on your personality. I think I was back in high school when one teacher threw out a saying which always stuck with me – ‘Don’t put off until tomorrow, what can be done today.’ It is so true and something that I have always found to be worth remembering. Easier said that done I know, but if you are reading this, and you have a few items on your things to do list that you have been putting off, get your teeth into one of them, and ban yourself from facebook until you do. Don’t be so hasty and stop reading my blog, but give it a try!
We either delay the inevitable, or often take the long route rather than just ploughing ahead and just doing something or making a decision. I remember writing about this subject when I first started my blog and it randomly came back into my head recently. Unquestionably, most folks are at work and spending time surfing facebook and spying on what Little Jimmy has been up to today. They actually have 27 emails sat in the inbox waiting to be dealt with, but learning about what Little Jimmy had for dinner seems far more appealing than replying to them. I suspect many folks are reading this rather than doing something they should be doing – you’ve made the right decision – those emails can wait. Promise!
I have gone down the route recently of setting up a company and working independently. The pitfalls of good old procrastination are more evident than ever when you work for yourself. There is nobody keeping track of what I am doing, there is nobody to report to, there is nobody dangling a bonus at the end of the year if I perform well, and there is nobody to sack my butt when they want to. There are positives and negatives. I can sleep in if I want to. If it is cold outside, I don’t have to go outside. If I am sulking one day, I don’t have to talk to anybody. All of which are positives and negatives – if you work in an office, you will think they are massive positives, but I can assure you it is not as glamorous as one may think. The overriding factor is that for all the time I spend on Facebook, wasting time on decisions I have already really made in my head but have not followed through on, I am not earning money. Effectively, if I don’t get busy, I am not going to eat.
Well that sounded dramatic and is obviously not the case, but the reality is that nobody is going to motivate me other than myself and I have to produce. Some folks would struggle with it. It is certainly not easy, I have to admit, but thankfully I am generally quite motivated to do well and succeed so I have never found it a major problem. Of course I have days where I waste too much time and productivity levels are lower than usual, but more often than not, I know I have to produce and I do. I do not have to worry about what anybody else is doing, Little Jimmy is whingeing about Big Bertha, Judy leaves early every day and I am left having to do her work. I do not have to deal with any of that. I just have to produce.
As I have said, there are good elements and not so good elements to it and so much depends on your personality. I think I was back in high school when one teacher threw out a saying which always stuck with me – ‘Don’t put off until tomorrow, what can be done today.’ It is so true and something that I have always found to be worth remembering. Easier said that done I know, but if you are reading this, and you have a few items on your things to do list that you have been putting off, get your teeth into one of them, and ban yourself from facebook until you do. Don’t be so hasty and stop reading my blog, but give it a try!
Monday, January 10, 2011
A Stick Of Gum
Well we are in the second week of January and it is fair to say that Christmas is well and truly over. That may not be quite the case for some folks I know who have a couple more days of celebrating on the beach to go, but for most normal people, it is a distant memory now.
Our Christmas was excellent once we eventually got to Canada. Good times, with good food, good drink, and good friends and family. You cannot really ask for much more. It was a little short after the cancellations and delays, but HJ and I were just happy to have gotten there. That said, waking up on Christmas Day in a hotel was slightly surreal, but the fantastic free cooked breakfast made up for it.
Our return back to Switzerland was less eventful though there was one moment that sticks in my mind. We had to take a shuttle from Freeport to Halifax – a small minibus if you will – that squeezes around eight people including a driver in. The journey was smooth and pleasant apart from an hour in when the chap behind me found a piece of chewing gum in his pocket. I have mentioned before that I consider myself to be a relatively easy going fella, but somebody chewing gum in my ear is one of those things that will bug me until the cows come home. It is irrational in some ways though I have yet to meet somebody who loves the sound of gum being chewed in their ear lug. I well and truly hate it. With a passion. It got me randomly thinking about what annoys other people. If I chew gum in your ear, will that annoy you as much as it does me? And if not, what things really really annoy you?
Living abroad has many advantages but Christmas time is always a tricky and difficult situation, filled with highs, and then ultimately the final low. Going home is great, and means the world to most folks. Leaving is tough. Apart from the odd whinge about some attitudes in Switzerland, we are pretty lucky to have the lifestyle that we have. I notoriously hate saying goodbyes however. The worst ever was when my mum and dad dropped me off at Liverpool University back in September 1998, the first time I had ever lived away. The car pulled away as I marched off to my Halls of Residence with my note book and pen and as I turned back, Mum mouthed ‘I love you’ through the window. An absolute killer for me. It certainly gets easier the more I come and go, and it definitely makes seeing my family much more enjoyable when I do get to spend time with them all. But it is never easy and I feel for everybody who goes through it.
I deal with it by thinking of the next time I will see them. It comes as no surprise to anybody to see me online searching for flights, planning my next trip. It is not always possible to do, but if I can have that next trip in mind or booked, it makes the world of difference to know when I will see them again. I would recommend that to anybody to solve the early new year blues. Alternatively, if you cannot afford the flight or have the time to take off work, buy a pack of gum and hand it to the guy sat behind you on the bus, and you will feel a different emotion.
Our Christmas was excellent once we eventually got to Canada. Good times, with good food, good drink, and good friends and family. You cannot really ask for much more. It was a little short after the cancellations and delays, but HJ and I were just happy to have gotten there. That said, waking up on Christmas Day in a hotel was slightly surreal, but the fantastic free cooked breakfast made up for it.
Our return back to Switzerland was less eventful though there was one moment that sticks in my mind. We had to take a shuttle from Freeport to Halifax – a small minibus if you will – that squeezes around eight people including a driver in. The journey was smooth and pleasant apart from an hour in when the chap behind me found a piece of chewing gum in his pocket. I have mentioned before that I consider myself to be a relatively easy going fella, but somebody chewing gum in my ear is one of those things that will bug me until the cows come home. It is irrational in some ways though I have yet to meet somebody who loves the sound of gum being chewed in their ear lug. I well and truly hate it. With a passion. It got me randomly thinking about what annoys other people. If I chew gum in your ear, will that annoy you as much as it does me? And if not, what things really really annoy you?
Living abroad has many advantages but Christmas time is always a tricky and difficult situation, filled with highs, and then ultimately the final low. Going home is great, and means the world to most folks. Leaving is tough. Apart from the odd whinge about some attitudes in Switzerland, we are pretty lucky to have the lifestyle that we have. I notoriously hate saying goodbyes however. The worst ever was when my mum and dad dropped me off at Liverpool University back in September 1998, the first time I had ever lived away. The car pulled away as I marched off to my Halls of Residence with my note book and pen and as I turned back, Mum mouthed ‘I love you’ through the window. An absolute killer for me. It certainly gets easier the more I come and go, and it definitely makes seeing my family much more enjoyable when I do get to spend time with them all. But it is never easy and I feel for everybody who goes through it.
I deal with it by thinking of the next time I will see them. It comes as no surprise to anybody to see me online searching for flights, planning my next trip. It is not always possible to do, but if I can have that next trip in mind or booked, it makes the world of difference to know when I will see them again. I would recommend that to anybody to solve the early new year blues. Alternatively, if you cannot afford the flight or have the time to take off work, buy a pack of gum and hand it to the guy sat behind you on the bus, and you will feel a different emotion.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
This One's For You
As years go for me, 2010 was a pretty good one. The last quarter was a rough one what with one thing or another, but overall, I cannot complain at all. I am not going to ramble on however about last year. 2010 is now placed in the archive and there is nothing anybody can do to change it. 2011 is another matter and another exciting year lies ahead.
This year is going to be a unique year. I am fortunate enough to be marrying my best friend and I cannot wait. I cannot deny it, it is going to be a little strange wearing a ring (I have never worn any form of jewellery ever) and it will be bizarre to be calling HJ my wife and being called a husband. But it fills me with excitement and I am looking forward to August 4th and beyond.
What else lies in store for me this year? A couple of exciting new projects and business ventures are on the horizon and the first quarter of 2011 will be focused on those and getting them off the ground. The website jumpinsport.com is trucking along nicely and that will be developed further and I have high hopes for that one. I will surely be pestering a number of you to help spread the word on that one. The other projects will be coming and you will hear about them in good time I promise!
Travel plans are pretty limited next year for that reason. There were vicious rumours of a canine arrival in 2011 which I would still not rule out, and along with the new projects, we have nothing much planned for travel at the moment barring a couple of trips to Canada. I am sure that may change here and there knowing HJ and me.
As for resolutions, I have the classic old one – lose weight. I have had a pretty extravagant last two months of 2010 in terms of eating and drinking, and I’m determined to get back on track and in shape. If I am going to fit into a decent suit or something for the wedding, these love handles will have to go. So, alcohol is cut. Not totally, but two days per month. Holy Cow burgers and all that stuff is gone too. And back to running and football.
Not sure I really have many other resolutions, though I always enjoy hearing about other people’s and some of the more original ones.
I will end by making some predictions. Nothing too controversial but just some random thoughts.
If Michael Vick and Asante Samuel stay fit, I can see the Eagles putting a crazy run together for the Superbowl.
I was surprised by Arsenal’s win over Chelsea and the manner of it, but I am still not convinced by them at all. They may win the League Cup but that is it.
This is going to be a huge year for British boxing. There are going to be some majorly exciting fights for David Haye, Amir Khan and Carl Froch this year, and I am particularly looking forward to a major heavyweight fight for the first time in years.
August 4th is going to be a beautiful sunny day!
The UFC is going to become more and more mainstream this year. Events in Toronto and Rio are just the start of a major year, and I will take a punt that I will convert more of the non-believers.
This one is a bit bold and one that comes from nothing but pure feeling…..I see the Washington Capitals winning the Stanley Cup this year.
I have a good feeling that is going to be a great year! Happy New Year folks!
This year is going to be a unique year. I am fortunate enough to be marrying my best friend and I cannot wait. I cannot deny it, it is going to be a little strange wearing a ring (I have never worn any form of jewellery ever) and it will be bizarre to be calling HJ my wife and being called a husband. But it fills me with excitement and I am looking forward to August 4th and beyond.
What else lies in store for me this year? A couple of exciting new projects and business ventures are on the horizon and the first quarter of 2011 will be focused on those and getting them off the ground. The website jumpinsport.com is trucking along nicely and that will be developed further and I have high hopes for that one. I will surely be pestering a number of you to help spread the word on that one. The other projects will be coming and you will hear about them in good time I promise!
Travel plans are pretty limited next year for that reason. There were vicious rumours of a canine arrival in 2011 which I would still not rule out, and along with the new projects, we have nothing much planned for travel at the moment barring a couple of trips to Canada. I am sure that may change here and there knowing HJ and me.
As for resolutions, I have the classic old one – lose weight. I have had a pretty extravagant last two months of 2010 in terms of eating and drinking, and I’m determined to get back on track and in shape. If I am going to fit into a decent suit or something for the wedding, these love handles will have to go. So, alcohol is cut. Not totally, but two days per month. Holy Cow burgers and all that stuff is gone too. And back to running and football.
Not sure I really have many other resolutions, though I always enjoy hearing about other people’s and some of the more original ones.
I will end by making some predictions. Nothing too controversial but just some random thoughts.
If Michael Vick and Asante Samuel stay fit, I can see the Eagles putting a crazy run together for the Superbowl.
I was surprised by Arsenal’s win over Chelsea and the manner of it, but I am still not convinced by them at all. They may win the League Cup but that is it.
This is going to be a huge year for British boxing. There are going to be some majorly exciting fights for David Haye, Amir Khan and Carl Froch this year, and I am particularly looking forward to a major heavyweight fight for the first time in years.
August 4th is going to be a beautiful sunny day!
The UFC is going to become more and more mainstream this year. Events in Toronto and Rio are just the start of a major year, and I will take a punt that I will convert more of the non-believers.
This one is a bit bold and one that comes from nothing but pure feeling…..I see the Washington Capitals winning the Stanley Cup this year.
I have a good feeling that is going to be a great year! Happy New Year folks!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
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!
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!
Monday, December 20, 2010
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!
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!
Friday, December 17, 2010
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 ‘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.
Monday, December 13, 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.
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.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
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.
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.
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