Underhanded tactics from Montenegrins will not work

Patchwork in Podgorica for England.

Ahead of England’s vital World Cup qualifier with Montenegro it seems there has been no love lost, with the frightened Montenegrins preparing to douse their makeshift pitch with sprinklers in a lacking attempt to ruin England’s hopes.

It was revealed this week that the Podgorica men will drench their own field in the hope of recreating a similar playing surface to the one England struggled on against Poland last October, managing just a 1-1 draw.

A similar result for Montenegro in their capital tomorrow evening would ensure that Branko Brnovic’s side maintain their place as Group H leaders. They currently sit just two points clear of England.

When tactics are coming down to such lows as ruining the surface of play it is time to admit you are worried about the opposition’s strengths – but instead Brnovic passed the buck.

He told the BBC this week: “We have [Fiorentina striker] Stevan Jovetic and [Juventus forward] Mirko Vucinic. Maybe England are more scared of this game than we are.”

The Montenegro coach also accused the England players of using the conditions of the pitch as a potential excuse in case they are defeated in the game. Although most fans of the national team would usually frown upon the players using the pitch as an excuse, this time they may have a valid point.

But despite the conditions, the Three Lions have enough quality in the squad to easily see off the challenge of Montenegro – especially on the back of a confidence-boosting 8-0 drumming of minnows San Marino.

The England central defensive partnership of Joleon Lescott and Chris Smalling may not have had regular places in their respective teams this season, but they have shown individually that they are both talented defenders, and will relish the chance to prove their abilities to boss Roy Hodgson.

England have moved on since the draw against Poland last year – the most important of these advancements has seen more young talent emerging through the squad – including the likes of Danny Welbeck, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Daniel Sturridge, Tom Cleverley and Kyle Walker.

With this in mind the future for English football is looking brighter than ever - and a drizzly pitch in Southeast Europe is going to be very hard pressed to stop that. Prediction? England win.

Cheltenham: Make horse racing safer, but don’t ban it!

The carnage at Becher's Brook, Aintree in 1989

Following the deaths of five horses at last year’s Cheltenham Festival and further concerns from animal rights protestors ahead of the meeting this time around, the time has come to make horse racing safer.

“Football has Wembley, tennis has Wimbledon, jump racing has Cheltenham.”

Those were the words of Cheltenham Festival aficionado Chris Flavell this week as horse racing fans flocked to the South West for a packed four days of atmosphere, anticipation and action in one of racing’s biggest calendar events.

Last year jockey Tony McCoy won the Gold Cup on the final day aboard champion gelding ‘Synchronised’ – but just months later the horse was led to his death in the Grand National after unseating McCoy at the infamous Becher’s Brook fence.

Obviously such events are a rare and tragic circumstance of National Hunt racing, but they serve to highlight that measures must be put in place to make racing safer and ensure the true sporting spectacle can continue to be enjoyed for many years to come.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals claim that more than 400 horses die racing in the UK each year. Many of these fatalities can be avoided and occur because the courses are too testing on the animals and landing areas are not secure.

Both the courses at Cheltenham and at Aintree, which is used for the Grand National, have been slowly altered over time to increase safety - but these modifications are always too little, too late. It is time for the steeplechase bigwigs to realise we are not living in 1989 anymore and make safety a top priority!

Whipping rules have recently been brought into place, but again these are insufficient. Horses can still be fiercely whipped eight times during flat racing and nine times on the jumps. Horse racing does not need whipping and some jockeys refuse to use whips and still win convincingly. They should be banned altogether.

70,000 spectators will be cheering on the Gold Cup winner this Friday in Cheltenham’s grand finale - let us all hope that horse racing can soon become safer, before it risks facing its own final curtain call.

Mark Clattenburg: The Premier League’s egotistic chump

All hail the Clattenburg

A keen collector of spare media spotlight, Mr Controversy, the celebrity official, the Premier League’s right-hand man, the ruler of the refereeing roost, or even megalomaniac Mark, brand the fame-hungry narcissist whatever you like – but please, NEVER call Mark Clattenburg a competent referee.

Then again, he might well just enjoy it - at least it will give his ego a massage and grab a few lines in the corner of the Sunday Sport. You see, being a man always at the centre of every footballing storm (many of which he himself fashions), Mark enjoys being spread across the mass media more than Sepp Blatter enjoys ‘special handshakes’.

President of FIFA Sepp Blatter shows the BBC's Ore Oduba his 'special handshake'.

And if you don’t believe me, go and watch Mr Battenberg flex his marzipan yourself. Keep your eyes peeled in the build-up to the game he is officiating. Watch those measured pauses as he stops by the touchline during laps around the pitch with fellow officials in his pre-match ‘warm-up’ – there’s always time for a playful smile to the cameras.

Even before he was all over the newspapers and on the TV following the Clattenburg-gate/John Mikel Obi saga, the 37-year had long been settled into his certified role of apple-polishing the Premier League’s elite players. If he’s lucky, his favourite stars even offer compliments back – but, of course, Mark fails to hear them over the sound of his own awesomeness.

"Do you fancy a game of kerby later?"

Unlike the run-of-the-mill referee, Mark is not content to finish a game without spending a large part of it having a giggle with Wayne Rooney or chucking a witless anecdote in the way of Frank Lampard. In fact, I'm beginning to feel sorry for Mr Clattenburg, he seems to forget that he can’t have his FIFA-blessed cake AND eat it.

Maybe it is time for Clattenburg to concentrate on doing exactly what he is paid to do – and effectively referee. However, he seems to struggle with that. Let us walk through the destruction left in the wake of Mark’s years of refereeing blunders so far and recall how his rise from zero to zero began.

Back in 2005 it was our very own Mark who failed to spot Manchester United keeper Roy Carroll fumbling Pedro Mendes’ lob well over the line, much to Sir Alex Ferguson’s delight. The Portuguese midfielder’s ‘goal’ provoked widespread outrage as many made a mockery of Clattenburg and his cronies for their lack of, well, eyes.

The ' ghost goal' that never stood at Old Trafford

And in 2007, Mark appeared to take the view of his good mate Steven Gerrard into consideration when taking charge of the Merseyside derby. Clattenburg was initially reaching for a yellow card for Everton defender Tony Hibbert, but after the Liverpool midfielder had stern words with him, keeping his friends close, Mark immediately upgraded the card to a red.

The County Durham-born referee hit the headlines again in December 2009. The press reported Clattenburg had allegedly asked the Manchester City bench: "How do you work with Craig Bellamy all week?" before then booking the Welsh frontman twice, the second for diving, although replays suggested he was actually fouled.

At Old Trafford in 2010 Mark was also in the middle, allowing United winger Nani to take advantage of a peculiar mistake by Spurs goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, who thought his side were awarded a free-kick. Nani tapped the ball into the empty net and Clattenburg refused to rule out the goal.

More recently, the referee was cleared of racial abuse by the FA after accusations made by Chelsea midfielder Mikel following the clash between Manchester United and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last October.

The whole incident developed after Javier Hernandez was allowed to score for United from a clearly offside position and Clattenburg failed to rule out the goal. Earlier in the match the referee had also incorrectly dismissed Chelsea striker Fernando Torres for simulating contact.

Despite his faults, as long as the world of high-class football continues to be associated with glistening Bentleys and diamond-clad watches, one thing is for sure, our favourite referee will be somewhere to be found - batting his eyelashes amidst the glitz and glamour of football’s greatest league.

Let’s just hope that one day, he can start being as fruitful in officiating as he is in tomfoolery.

Ricky Hatton should have quit long ago...

The end of another road for Hatton as Senchenko brings him to his knees in the ninth.

Like many other fighters of his generation, Ricky Hatton should have realised his time in the ring was over – but instead the Manchester boxer met with the blue canvas once more.

After a 48-fight career, the Hitman had become a recognisable household name, reaching the highs and falling to desperate lows, both in and out of the ring.

But when Hatton stepped back into the harsh world of boxing, following a comeback from retirement to fight Ukrainian Vyacheslav Senchenko, he did so with almost every critic doubting his ability, and rightly so.

The 34-year-old may have relished in the roars from his adoring fans as the bout began last Saturday at the Manchester Arena, but even the most diehard of Hatton fans instinctively questioned whether the boxer could rise again.

The only man inside the 20,000-strong packed venue who did believe he could reinvent his youth was the one who wore the blue shorts, etched with Manchester City’s emblem inside the ring – Richard John Hatton.

The Hyde-born boxer had already reached the top of his sport from his rise to fame back in 2005, when the heavy underdog battled to victory to become the IBF Light Welterweight Champion against Kostya Tszyu.

Fast forward two years and four more titles and the Hitman found himself in the Welterweight division preparing for a trip to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas - facing none other than American champion Floyd Mayweather Jnr.

Although the fight ended in defeat Hatton had made it, before the fight he was an undefeated champion and already one of a kind in British boxing. Thousands of fans travelled to Las Vegas to cheer on the man from Manchester and millions more tuned in via TV from home, this for Hatton was as good as it would get.

However, his defeat to Filipino southpaw Manny Pacquiao in 2009 marked the beginning of the end as depression and alcohol use took control of his life. Boxing had taken its toll on Hatton’s private life and he was right to forget the sport, looking back with pride.

By 2011, Hatton had got things back on track and began work as a boxing promoter, managing a host of promising young fighters. This is where he should have drawn the line. At the age of 34 and with his place fully cemented in the sport’s history, there was nothing more to prove for Ricky.

But like many other ageing fighters, the man who grew up on a Greater Manchester council estate wanted one last shot in ring; he felt he still had demons to put to bed.

He couldn't have been more wrong, it was time to call it a day.

Hatton’s last hurrah was finished brutally - with a powerful body shot from Senchenko that left the Briton wincing on his knees during a ninth-round count out. How many people were winking and nudging the person next to them saying ‘I told you so’?

Ironically, the fighter’s new understudy, youngster Scott Quigg, was on the undercard the same night and became the WBA interim champion with a first knockdown on 32-year-old Rendall Munroe. And the final blow? A body shot.

Champions, such as 35-year-old IBF super-middleweight champion Carl Froch, have proven that if the talent and desire is there then age is just a number. But for a man who has fought much of his career under the media glare like Hatton, it was hard to know when to hang up the gloves and shackle those cravings to do the impossible.

Munroe, the former European and Commonwealth champion, was wise to announce he may retire after the defeat by Quigg.

It is hard not to think that this is something Hatton should have done, a very long time ago.

The rising cost of watching football

Football prices have risen by a staggering rate as the prawn sandwich eaters look to drive away real football fans.

Football bigwigs need to get off their high horses and start remembering who puts their oysters and whiskey on that marble table.

Because today’s news that football prices have risen by nearly 12% in the last year is ALL their fault.

The study by the BBC that looked at 166 football clubs found that only three out of 92 English league clubs offer a day out for less than £20, with clubs like Arsenal charging as much as £126 for a match ticket.

Those in power at our clubs may as well slam the stadium gates in our faces as we arrive - because that is exactly what they are doing by hiking the prices of tickets and monopolising stomach-turning food and drink.

Gone are the days when fans could go and cheer on their favourite side and return with change from a ten-pound note. The BBC may have only looked at prices of the average pie and a cup of tea, but that isn’t where it ends. Profit-hungry owners have also increased prices on burgers, hot dogs and confectionary.

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis told the BBC: “There are people who want to watch top class football but for whom price is a factor. That is something we have to be continually conscious of."

Well, thanks for your ‘conscious’ concern Ivan, but when will you start putting the fans concerns over your own worries on how much of a pay rise Arsene Wenger will offer you next year? Earlier this month Gazidis scooped a £2million rise. (I kid you not)

It is clear that those that have chosen to buy into the English game are handing over a lot of their own hard-earned cash. But we never asked for them to choose a career as a football VIP, a gleaming job as a lawyer is still out there. Owners must take responsibility; you made your bed, now lie in it.

Can Edgar Davids stamp his mark on the Football League?

Davids was capped for the Netherlands 74 times.

After a glittering career spanning almost twenty years playing at the highest level of world football, veteran Dutch midfielder Edgar Davids has hit the headlines again by announcing a return to the game as player coach at League Two side Barnet.

For me, and indeed many other football fans, Edgar Davids is a man that epitomises that sentimental admiration we still hold deep inside for the players that were viewed as ‘the untouchables’ throughout the footballing word in the 1990s. Players that were plastered in every magazine, all over the television and even on the packaging of the food we ate.

Because of course, the multi-talented midfielder was not just famous for his skills on the pitch. His famous dreadlocks and later protective glasses to guard against glaucoma also made him one of the most recognisable players in the history of the game.

After leaving Ajax in 2008 following a return to the Amsterdam club where he began his career, Davids slowly fizzled out of the limelight for a while. And it wasn’t until 2010 when the Dutchman resurfaced, this time at Crystal Palace on a pay-as-you-play deal that saw him feature in just six games before announcing his retirement at the age of 37.

Two years on from that and the creative midfielder is back at his local football club Barnet. However, it is a world away from the glitz of Ajax, Juventus, Tottenham and AC Milan, with the Bees currently slumped bottom of the League Two table with a mere three points from their first 11 games.

Davids has signed for the London club in a one-year deal as joint coach with current manager Mark Robson. The club’s website revealed that the contract could see Davids deployed to the field of play and said that Davids had ‘expressed a serious intent to become a member of the playing squad.’

With results escaping Barnet at the moment the arrival of a player with such an illustrious career behind him can only boost morale around the club. Davids will not only bring experience, but will also set a fine example to what is a young Barnet side.

Some may argue that his playing days are over, but at what age does the body decide it is too fatigued to compete professionally anymore? If players like Alessandro Del Piero, Paul Scholes, David Beckham and Ryan Giggs can still compete at the highest level, then surely Davids can make the fourth-tier of English football look like a walk in the park.

In terms of management the 39-year-old is new, but he does hold an important backlog of knowledge learnt under multiple managers, not just in this country but abroad too. If Davids can transfer his expertise quickly then Barnet will find they have discovered a hidden gem.

However, it may just be another tale of a player who is tired of twiddling his thumbs after leaving the beautiful game. For Barnet’s sake at least, let’s hope Davids is made for management.

Nottingham Forest Season Review 2011/12

The 2011-12 season has proved to be an emotional one for the Reds both on and off the pitch, and although it ultimately led to Forest securing their Championship safety, it was far from a walk in the park for both players and supporters.

The season may fail to rank high in the memory of most Reds fans, and understandably from a campaign that was marred with stumbling blocks and left the club looking all but relegated at one stage. Furthermore it was often hard to hide from the fact that failures on the field of play did at times lead to some hostility amongst the supporters.

In addition, the heartache on the pitch was coupled with the sad passing of Chairman Nigel Doughty in February, leaving a huge void at the City Ground and bringing the financial future of the club into question.

However, spirits did improve at the back end of the season and in turn the squad united under manager Steve Cotterill, who helped the Reds to secure another opportunity at Championship football next season.

A season that began with a play-off semi-final defeat to Swansea still fresh in the minds of many Forest fans was eased slightly with the appointment of Steve McClaren, yielding fresh hope following the departure of Billy Davies.

However, things failed to go quite to plan for the former England boss who managed only two wins during his 111 day stint in the hot seat. McClaren eventually resigned in October with the Reds dangling just a point above the relegation trap-door. And in turn Nigel Doughty stepped down as Chairman after ten years in charge at the City Ground.

Although McClaren made five signings during his time at the club he was criticised for some of the players he decided to bring Trent side, and his most memorable match during his short spell at the helm was the League Cup win over Notts County. McClaren’s best work behind the scenes was acquiring the services of former Reds legend Andy Reid from Blackpool, who later proved a vital cog in the midfield engine.

Former Reds player and manager Frank Clark was appointed the new Chairman by Nigel Doughty and his first job was to appoint Steve Cotterill as boss. Things began brightly for the former Portsmouth manager, not only did he solve the long running left back crisis by bringing in Greg Cunningham on loan from Manchester City, but he also won his first game in charge against Middlesbrough.

Cotterill’s men then went on to move clear of the drop-zone winning three of their next five games. Frontman Marcus Tudgay finding good form at a time when it was vital he did so. But the success failed to be maintained and the Reds soon found themselves victims to a string of seven games without a win or even a goal.

Forest’s New Year began well at the start of 2012 when they ended their dreadful streak with a win at Ipswich, but this proved a blip of good form as they went on to lose to both West Ham and Southampton before a crushing defeat to local rivals Leicester in the FA Cup.

In January it was time for the transfer revolving door to swing into action with Wes Morgan leaving for Leicester and youngster Patrick Bamford securing a dream switch to Chelsea. In the other direction Cotterill secured four loanees; Danny Higginbotham, Adlene Guedioura, George Elokobi and Scott Wootton.

On the 4^th February the Reds were shocked by the tragic news of the death of Nigel Doughty, a man who had provided huge financial support to the club saving it from the claws of administration. Tributes were left outside the City Ground and the squad united promising to remain in the division to honour Nigel.

Although the Reds only managed a draw against Watford in a game dedicated to Nigel Doughty, they did grab all three points a week later against Coventry, a match which began the goal-scoring prevalence of a man who would go on to win player of the season – Garath McCleary.

Cotterill’s men then went on to beat Birmingham against the odds with Dexter Blackstock back in goal-scoring form. However, the Reds had what looked to be a hiccup when they were defeated by Doncaster at home before securing a win at Millwall the following week. But fans were left deflated again after the Reds were beaten by a single goal at Pride Park against Derby, despite a closely contested match.

The game that followed was not only the game of the season for the Reds, but also contained the goal of the season, a 7-3 victory away to Leeds at Elland Road finished with McCleary finding himself on the score sheet four times. And the winger did indeed score a couple of great goals, but none quite as sweet as the 30-yard drive from Adlene Guedioura that sailed straight into the top corner, eventually winning the supporters goal of the season award.

Two draws then followed against Brighton at home and at Leicester before a trip to Selhurst Park which led to Radi Majewski having his chance to shine - the Polish midfielder scoring a hat-trick in the 3-0 drubbing. However, the Reds were left with a difficult end to the season after defeat at home to Bristol City left them only four points clear of relegation with five games remaining.

A vital three points away at Peterborough along with a point at home against Blackpool was enough to leave Forest to face a trip to Reading with the chance of being able to secure their league survival. Although they lost the game the Reds put on a fantastic performance and results elsewhere left them mathematically safe.

And the season came to a climax with a poignant game at the City Ground for Steve Cotterill against his former side, the already relegated Portsmouth. Forest ran out 2-0 winners with two Blackstock strikes and the players ended a disappointing season with some fleeting comfort of staying in the Championship.