Barcelona manager, icon and occasional model Pep Guardiola could never be compared to Kevin Keegan or Rafa Benitez physically. Nor would you compare his majestic Barcelona side, lauded by some as the best team ever, to Keegan’s Newcastle side or Benitez’s Liverpool team. But Guardiola’s outburst this week certainly had shades of Keegan and Benitez’s very public meltdowns ahead of vital fixtures for their teams.
Guardiola was speaking during a press conference ahead of his team’s Champions League Semi-Final first leg against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu tonight. He was responding to Jose Mourinho’s accusation that he criticised the referee for correctly ruling Barcelona’s goal during the Copa Del Rey final offside.
“In this room Mourinho is the chief, the f***ing boss. I don’t have to compete with him in here. I try not to play that game off the pitch. He is much better than me off the pitch. I represent an institution that believes this is not the best way to do things.” Guardiola was angrier than any of us had seen him before, on or off the pitch.
It is not the first time that the self-professed ‘Special One’ had got under an oppositions managers skin. In fact it’s not the first time he has got inside the head of a Barcelona manager during a Champions League campaign. Frank Rijikaard lost his usually cool head and actually threw punches following his teams’ defeat to Mourinho’s Chelsea.
Real Madrid are blessed with some world-class players but in Mourinho they have a manger that knows how to win on and off the pitch, and that includes exposing the insecurities and emotions of even the calmest managers.
This kind of psychological warfare is something that is very familiar to Manchester United fans, and their downed opponents.
Sir Alex Ferguson still holds the title of the King of mind games. Not only does he have a track record of getting under the skin of his opposite number but these tactics have a proven track record, with both Keegan and Benitez’s sides wilting under the pressure heaped upon them after their uncharacteristic outbursts.
Obviously these kind of mind games can sometimes have no effect at all or even backfire but when utilised correctly, and as expertly as Ferguson and Mourinho, what effect does it have on the players involved?
“If it affects the manager it rubs off on team 100%” Ex-Manchester United defender Phil Neville explained on Twitter. “What the boss says 24 hours before can win or lose you the game.”
If Fergie is the King of mind games then Mourinho is the rightful heir to his throne. It would appear that it is not just the Portuguese manager’s CV that sees him continually lauded as the successor at Old Trafford after Sir Alex’s reign ends.
The Real Madrid manager is still in contention to be the only manager to win the Champions League with three different clubs, a feat that looked impossible after his star-studded team were destroyed 5- 0 by Guardiola’s men at the Nou Camp in his first El Classico.
But Mourinho has bridged that gap through tactical nous and psychological pugilism since, overseeing a victory in the Copa Del Rey final and a draw in La Liga.
The purists, as they did when Ferguson goaded Keegan to the point where he made his infamous post-match rant, will claim that this jousting has no place in the game and football should do the talking.
But we are so often told that mental preparation is as important as physical preparation so surely these mind games are pivotal to the outcome of a match. After all the aim of football is to win, and winning by any means necessary is better than losing honourably. So why not gain any advantage you can within the rules of the game?
The philosopher Plato exclaimed: "There are three classes of men; lovers of wisdom, lovers of honour, and lovers of gain."
It could be argued that Ferguson and Mourinho belong in any of those three categories but their insatiable ambition and drive mean that both are willing to put aside wisdom and honour in the pursuit of gaining an advantage for their clubs.
Tonight Jose Mourinho’s mind games may not have paid off but maybe Sir Alex can teach his precocious apprentice a thing or two should Ferguson meet Guardiola and his team at Wembley.
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Sunday, 20 March 2011
Bedford Blues: The Reluctant Winners
Bedford Blues rugby club confirmed last week that if they win the Championship play-offs they would not accept promotion to the Premiership.
Fans and players could be forgiven for resenting chairman Geoff Irvine’s decision to deny them a chance to pit themselves against the top teams in the country, but in Bedford that isn’t the case.
The Blues are a family club from top to bottom and everyone seems to share the philosophy that the financial security of the club is paramount if they are to continue to enjoy rugby at Goldington Road for years to come.
And it’s no wonder that they are weary of the pitfalls of success and top-flight rugby.
Boxing promoter Frank Warren invested heavily in the club in the late nineties and his money secured the signing of many international players, most notably British Lions lock Scott Murray.
With money came success and the Blues were promoted to the Premiership in 1998, finishing as runners-up in the C&G Cup the same year.
But the success was short-lived and they were relegated two seasons later. To compound their misery Warren pulled the plug and the club’s future was threatened.
An intervention from the RFU and a successful takeover from a consortium of Bedfordshire businessmen, headed by Irvine, saved the club and secured the future of professional rugby in the town.
Thousands of supporters and local businessmen bought shares in the club and now the Blues are on a sound financial footing.
But Rome wasn’t built in the day and the board are still building a community club that can cope with the rigors of professional sport whilst operating under a tight budget. And this budget does not allow for a renovation of their stadium to meet the 10,000 minimum capacity required for the Premiership.
“The club was falling apart but the people of Bedford pulled together and saved the club. They’re very smart Bedford, they don’t overspend or waste any money.”
Flanker Sacha Harding has played for the club for over 10 years and has witnessed the club transform itself after near extinction.
“The rugby club is a very family orientated place. It’s a massive part of our town. Bedford is a real rugby town.”
The Blues finished second in the Championship season and have a good chance of progressing through play-off Pool B to secure a place in the play-off semi-finals.
Wherever they finish the players must accept that they will not be playing Premiership rugby with this team next season.
“The reason players come here is because we play good rugby.” Harding explained. “The knock-on effect is that players get picked up by Premiership clubs. Six or seven have gone to bigger clubs.”
Harding is one of only four players in the club’s history to earn a testimonial season but at the tender age of 28 does his ambition mean he will leave the club?
“The last three years I’ve had a lot of interest from clubs within the Premiership and other clubs in the league but my chairman has always talked about my testimonial year. It’s quite a special thing and that’s what has kept me here.
“However I think once this season is done, possibly, I’d be a bit more open to moving on.”
No-one at the club would begrudge Harding a move but with loyalty such as his a rare commodity in sport, and no immediate plans for the development of their ground, Blues fans must wonder how long they can keep their quality players, and with it their hopes for the return of top flight rugby to Bedford in the near future.
Fans and players could be forgiven for resenting chairman Geoff Irvine’s decision to deny them a chance to pit themselves against the top teams in the country, but in Bedford that isn’t the case.
The Blues are a family club from top to bottom and everyone seems to share the philosophy that the financial security of the club is paramount if they are to continue to enjoy rugby at Goldington Road for years to come.
And it’s no wonder that they are weary of the pitfalls of success and top-flight rugby.
Boxing promoter Frank Warren invested heavily in the club in the late nineties and his money secured the signing of many international players, most notably British Lions lock Scott Murray.
With money came success and the Blues were promoted to the Premiership in 1998, finishing as runners-up in the C&G Cup the same year.
But the success was short-lived and they were relegated two seasons later. To compound their misery Warren pulled the plug and the club’s future was threatened.
An intervention from the RFU and a successful takeover from a consortium of Bedfordshire businessmen, headed by Irvine, saved the club and secured the future of professional rugby in the town.
Thousands of supporters and local businessmen bought shares in the club and now the Blues are on a sound financial footing.
But Rome wasn’t built in the day and the board are still building a community club that can cope with the rigors of professional sport whilst operating under a tight budget. And this budget does not allow for a renovation of their stadium to meet the 10,000 minimum capacity required for the Premiership.
“The club was falling apart but the people of Bedford pulled together and saved the club. They’re very smart Bedford, they don’t overspend or waste any money.”
Flanker Sacha Harding has played for the club for over 10 years and has witnessed the club transform itself after near extinction.
“The rugby club is a very family orientated place. It’s a massive part of our town. Bedford is a real rugby town.”
The Blues finished second in the Championship season and have a good chance of progressing through play-off Pool B to secure a place in the play-off semi-finals.
Wherever they finish the players must accept that they will not be playing Premiership rugby with this team next season.
“The reason players come here is because we play good rugby.” Harding explained. “The knock-on effect is that players get picked up by Premiership clubs. Six or seven have gone to bigger clubs.”
Harding is one of only four players in the club’s history to earn a testimonial season but at the tender age of 28 does his ambition mean he will leave the club?
“The last three years I’ve had a lot of interest from clubs within the Premiership and other clubs in the league but my chairman has always talked about my testimonial year. It’s quite a special thing and that’s what has kept me here.
“However I think once this season is done, possibly, I’d be a bit more open to moving on.”
No-one at the club would begrudge Harding a move but with loyalty such as his a rare commodity in sport, and no immediate plans for the development of their ground, Blues fans must wonder how long they can keep their quality players, and with it their hopes for the return of top flight rugby to Bedford in the near future.
Sunday, 27 February 2011
Life and death of a racing driver
A new Formula One season is nearly upon and as debate rages about the Bahrain Grand Prix (or the lack there of) and we are bombarded with sponsors’ adverts featuring Hamilton and Button it would be easy to forget it wasn’t always like this.
Motor racing wasn’t always this glossy, it wasn’t always this affluent and it wasn’t always this safe.
And whilst race fans may relish seeing two British drivers with very realistic title ambitious they should remember the efforts of a champion who did not have the helping hand that pampered drivers are given today.
Graham Hill was the epitome of a racing champion. He came from nothing, lived fast and died young.
But the playboy tag that is so often banded about when it comes to drivers of yester year would do a disservice to Hill’s passion and dedication to the sport.
He was born in to humble surroundings in London and rose from freelance mechanic to World Champion.
Hill’s passion had been ignited by a track day at Brands Hatch, paying five shillings for each lap of the track. He was hooked after his fourth lap.
“I’d never been to a motor race or seen a motor race until I was in the first one I was in!” Hill later exclaimed about his first race in the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix.
His party lifestyle off the track was a distance cry from his meticulous approach on it. “He was such a lot of fun yet frightening when he was serious,” explained his friend, and rival, Jackie Stewart.
Hill was a race fans dream but an engineer’s nightmare. He kept records of every car he drove and was constantly pushing for more.
The intensity brought success, and the success brought with it a more extravagant lifestyle.
The champion’s parties were legendary amongst the F1 fraternity but unlike so many others, enjoying the trappings of fame and fortune did not affect his burning desire to race, or win.
Still the only driver to have won the Indy 500, Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix he has to be one of the greatest drivers of all time.
Ironically the winnings from the Indy 500 bought the plane that Hill would later crash and tragically die in 1975.
But watching the BBC’s Graham Hill documentary Driven doesn’t just document an F1 legend but also the evolution of the sport and how the fear and stark reality of death shaped the glitzy world of racing today.
Driven’s fascinating depiction of a time when F1 was dealing with over a death a season makes Hill’s achievements all the more impressive and reminds as all that racing isn’t all about the glamour, money and celebrity.
Motor racing wasn’t always this glossy, it wasn’t always this affluent and it wasn’t always this safe.
And whilst race fans may relish seeing two British drivers with very realistic title ambitious they should remember the efforts of a champion who did not have the helping hand that pampered drivers are given today.
Graham Hill was the epitome of a racing champion. He came from nothing, lived fast and died young.
But the playboy tag that is so often banded about when it comes to drivers of yester year would do a disservice to Hill’s passion and dedication to the sport.
He was born in to humble surroundings in London and rose from freelance mechanic to World Champion.
Hill’s passion had been ignited by a track day at Brands Hatch, paying five shillings for each lap of the track. He was hooked after his fourth lap.
“I’d never been to a motor race or seen a motor race until I was in the first one I was in!” Hill later exclaimed about his first race in the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix.
His party lifestyle off the track was a distance cry from his meticulous approach on it. “He was such a lot of fun yet frightening when he was serious,” explained his friend, and rival, Jackie Stewart.
Hill was a race fans dream but an engineer’s nightmare. He kept records of every car he drove and was constantly pushing for more.
The intensity brought success, and the success brought with it a more extravagant lifestyle.
The champion’s parties were legendary amongst the F1 fraternity but unlike so many others, enjoying the trappings of fame and fortune did not affect his burning desire to race, or win.
Still the only driver to have won the Indy 500, Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix he has to be one of the greatest drivers of all time.
Ironically the winnings from the Indy 500 bought the plane that Hill would later crash and tragically die in 1975.
But watching the BBC’s Graham Hill documentary Driven doesn’t just document an F1 legend but also the evolution of the sport and how the fear and stark reality of death shaped the glitzy world of racing today.
Driven’s fascinating depiction of a time when F1 was dealing with over a death a season makes Hill’s achievements all the more impressive and reminds as all that racing isn’t all about the glamour, money and celebrity.
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Caged fighters are tamed
Excruciating cries of pain coming from colossus figures as they manipulate each other’s limbs to breaking point instantly make me regret my decision.
The world of mixed martial arts comes with certain brutish connotations that the Rough n’ Ready gym in Northampton is doing nothing to dispel as I nervously enter for my first, and probably last, MMA training session
Rough by name, and rough by nature, the large steel security door and rickety stairs up to the gym do nothing to settle my nerves. The walls, adorned with pictures and newspaper clippings of previous fight events leave me in no doubt that this is the real deal, I’m about to train with proper fighters.
I’m there to meet semi-professional fighter Jorden Curran. He is keen that I see beyond the blood and gore that some so-called fans revel in, to see the real sport behind the muscles and violence.
“It was scary the first time I stepped through the door because this place was full of huge guys beating each other up.” He jokes.
“I was worried that I would be looked down upon because I was smaller than the rest but everybody was really friendly and welcoming.”
Jorden is a muscular six-footer. To say he is the smallest tells me all I need to know about my training partners for the next two hours.
Mixed Martial Arts encompasses different fighting styles and disciplines from across the world. Its popularity is growing fast. Fights can take place in a ring or a cage, depending on where you are in the world.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship, with their caged octagon ring and superhuman fighters, has bought the sport to the masses. They have transposed the underground cage fighting world and now their fighters have become stars, touring different continents to showcase sell-out events. There is even a video game franchise.
The popularity of the sport continues to rise in the UK. British fighters, such as Michael Bisping, are prominent fighters in the UFC and gyms, like Rough n’ Ready, host events across the country to present the fighters they produce.
I am greeted by trainer Ewen Campbell in the main gym, surrounded by ground mats and pads. Unsurprisingly he is a 6ft 3’ mountain of a man and his thick Glaswegian accent is exactly the kind of rugged voice I expect to hear.
‘Don’t worry you can sit-out and join in whenever you like.’ He reassures me upon hearing that I have never fought, boxed, grappled or even hit a punch bag in anger in my life.
My apprehension dissolves as each fighter greets me and the close-knit group involve me in the jokes and camaraderie prior to the warm up. It’s the calm before the storm.
Ewen’s laid-back demeanour disappears as the training session begins. He baulks orders as the large speakers pump out adrenaline inducing music. We start with fitness. A lot of fitness.
There are jogs and sprints mixed with rolling and cartwheeling. I’m surprised by the agility of my fellow trainees, most of which would not look out of place on a Viking battlefield.
Then we move on to the pads with 100’s of punches and kicks. I try in vein to keep up but I have to sit out.
Finally comes the moment I have been dreading, grappling. We are paired with other fighters to attempt the Jiu Jitsu holds that Ewen has demonstrated.
I pick Jorden in the hope my friend will go easy on me and luckily he does. Then we are told to swap. This isn’t what I bargained for.
I’m paired with Mo. The most experienced fighter and ex training partner to some of most infamous UFC fighters. I excrete an uneasy laugh: ‘Go easy on me’. I’m not joking!
Kindly he gives me advice on how to defend myself, restraining the brute force and lethal skill he had displayed with his previous partner and only inflicting monetary pain during our grapples.
As we warm down I ache everywhere. I’m too busy concentrating on not being sick to ask any questions about the upcoming fights that Ewen is trying to match them for.
When I leave the gym I’m left in no doubt that MMA is a sport. It’s as much about athleticism and skill as it is about power. And whilst the fights can be violent, and fans can be bloodthirsty, the fighters are disciplined and display the kind of control that means I can leave this training session unhurt.
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