When Bobby met Pele

This iconic image is a personal favourite. It was taken after Brazil had beaten England 1-0 in the group stage match of the 1970 World Cup Finals in Mexico, a match which contained that amazing Banks save, Moore's 'perfect' tackle on Jairzinho, Astle's miss and Jairzinho's cracker.  The photo evokes the respect and friendship between these two footballing greats. Here are the brief highlights including Moore's thoughts about what has been described as one of the best World Cup matches.

I bring up this photo as I've recently read that Pele's shirt from this match is currently owned by the Saracens chairman Nigel Wray and 'displayed' in his online museum. The shirt had been framed and hung in a Brazilian bar for 20 years, gathering dust and cigarette stains until Wray bought it and cleaned it up. Also in his 6,000 item strong collection are an autograph book from the 1936 Berlin Olympics containing the signature of Jesse Owens opposite that of Joseph Goebbels, the bat used by WG Grace in his last innings in 1914, a megaphone used by a starter at the 1908 London Olympics and a Springbok rugby top from South Africa's tour of the UK in 1906-07. He's published a book about his collection with the proceeds going to the Saracens Sport Foundation.

Sporting memorabilia is a buoyant market. George Best's European Cup winner's medal sold for £156,000 at auction. Fast forward sixty years - what price for Wayne Rooney's Euro 2012 winners medal? I can but dream...

Euro 2012 Preview

Spain are rightly a best-priced 14/5 to win the final on Sunday 1st July in Kiev. They are the World and European champions, fantastic to watch with some of the world's finest players but they face a tough opening match against the Italians who beat La Roja when they played last August. Spain have also lost recently to England (1-0) and Portugal (4-0), the injured Villa and Puyol will be sorely missed, and watching Chelsea defeat Barcelona in the Champions League with an all hands to the pump, backs to the wall, hit them on the break strategy will give confidence to their opponents. Granted Spain and Barca are two different teams but they play the same passing game, dominating possession. History is against them as no country has successfully defended the trophy, nor won three international tournaments in a row. Fatigue must play a part as three quarters of the squad play for Barca, Real Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, Valencia and Atletico Madrid who all made it through to the Champions League and Europa League semi-finals. For these reasons I won't be tipping Spain to win the tournament, seeing them possibly being dumped out by the injury-ridden underdogs England or the talented French.

Talking of France, they are now undefeated in 20 matches, winning 14 and defeating England, Brazil and Germany in the process. Top form indeed but have they got the temperament and wouldn't it be poetic justice if they were to face Eire in the knock out stages and possibly stare karma in the face for the infamous Henry handball that dumped the Irish out of the last World Cup finals play off?

The expectation for England to do well has been dampened just a little by injuries but they may just surprise us if Roy Hodgson has enough time to organise the team into one that is hard to beat though not scintillating to watch. Think Greece in 2004.

My tip is for the winner to come from the group of death containing Germany, Holland, Portugal and Denmark with the final being contested by the Germans and the Dutch.  The Golden Boot winner may therefore be Van Persie or Gomez. Or for an outside bet, Fernando Torres. The kick off is this Friday at 5 pm on a sofa near you.

The need for speed

"The reason I do it is because if you do it wrong, it will kill you.

If you think it's too dangerous then go home and cut your lawn and leave us to it."

Guy Martin.

Guy Martin fireball 2010

The Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy) practice week has started, with the first race being held on Saturday 2nd June.

It is a race like no other, run on closed public roads and first held in 1907 at a time when road racing was banned on the mainland and the speed limit was 20 mph.  Average speeds are now over 130 mph, with some riders topping 200 mph. Members of the public can ride the mountain section of the course on 'Mad Sunday'.

My 1977 copy of The Oxford Companion to Sports and Games reveals that:

'The Snaefell Mountain Course over which the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy races are run starts at the town of Douglas on the south-east coast, taking on a wide sweep to the west and north to enter the town of  Ramsey on the north-east coast and thence return to the starting point, each lap measuring 37 3/4 miles (60.6 km) and taking in over 200 bends while climbing from sea level to an altitude of over 1,300 ft (396 m). This circuit is the epitome of the natural road course, all the roads used being ordinary public highways closed for the racing and practice sessions. It is generally accepted as the most arduous and demanding (of motor-racing circuits).'

John McGuiness holds the lap record of 17 minutes, 12.30 seconds and also the race record (6 laps) in 1 hours 46 minutes and 7.16 seconds. His average speeds for these records are 131 and 127 mph.

 

From Monday 28th May you can watch the action from the comfort, and safety of your sofa, on ITV4.

Countdown

  

• 21 days to Euro 2012 in Poland and The Ukraine
• 31 days to Wimbledon
  
• 62 days to the Open Championship at Royal Lytham
• 71 days to the London Olympic Games

The football and rugby seasons are drawing to a close. The finals of the Champions League, Championship, Leagues 1 and 2 Play Offs, Heineken Cup and Aviva Premiership all being played out this and next weekend. But when one door closes another opens and so we have an exiting summer of sport to look forward to.

The first test match against the West Indies has started and there are the One Day Internationals against Australia and the test match series against South Africa to come. England's number one test ranking will be put to the test.

The BaBas play England, Ireland and Wales. These teams then head off for tough tests against South Africa, New Zealand and Australia respectively.

You can get 13/1 for England to win Euro 2012, Andy Murray 15/2 to win Wimbledon, Lee Westwood 14/1 to win The Open and Dai Green 9/4 to win the 400 m hurdles. A £10 accumulator bet would return £58,012.

Or, slightly less speculatively, Spain at 5/2, Djokovic at 13/8, McIlroy at 9/1 and Bolt to win the 100m at 4/7 would return £1,433.

Do you feel lucky?

Little Maestro

"Sport is war minus the shooting": George Orwell.

But for the man who could be your Little Brother - Lionel Messi, football is all about the shooting.

In the last four seasons he has scored 38, 47, 53 and now 68 times so far with three games remaining. He's surpassed Gerd Muller's '72-'73 vintage of 67 goals for Bayern Munich and Pele's 66 for Santos in '57-'58. Way ahead of our own Dixie Dean's 63 for Everton in '27-'28 of whom Bill Shankly said "He belongs to company of the supremely great, like Beethoven, Shakespeare and Rembrandt. This Young Master's achievement puts him in the same category, aged just 24. Watch all 68 here:

Messi's goalscoring average for the Argentine national team is worse than his Barcelona average - 1 in 3, compared to 1 in 2 so he's not up there with Ferenc Puskas who almost scored a goal in each international game, or Muller who slightly bettered that. As for all time goalscoring greatness, will anyone emulate Pele's 1281 goals in 1363 matches? Charlton Athletic will win the Premier Leauge before that happens!

100 days to go...

...until July 27th when the Queen will declare the Olympic games open. The first medal competed for will be in the 10m air pistol shooting, though Britain's realistic hope of a first medal will be in the men's cycling road race with Sports Personality of the Year - Mark Cavendish. Here are some Olympic facts to get you in the mood.
 

• 26 Olympic sports will be competed over 17 days
• 20 Paralympic sports will be contested over 11 days
• 14,700 athletes will be competing (10,500 in the Olympics and 4,200 in the Paralympics)
• 3 out of 4 people in the world watched at least some of the last Games
• 302 gold medals will be won
• 205 countries will be involved
• 120,000 people will pass through Stratford Regional train station every morning of the Olympics

Spring marathon season

We've had the North Pole marathon won by Scotland's Andrew Murray (no, not that Andy Murray), and the hardcore  Ultra-Marathon Des Sable (six days, 151 miles = six marathons) is currently in full flow. The Virgin London marathon (good luck GT!) is coming up on 22nd April so it must be Spring Marathon time.

Before that we have Paris, Rotterdam and Boston, the latter of which isn't record-eligible (despite being one of the 'majors' and the world's oldest regular marathon). This is due to its point-to-point elevation drop not meeting IAAF standards - a shame for the Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai who ran the fastest ever marathon there last year in 2 hours 3 minutes and 2 seconds, 36 seconds faster than the official world record of Kenyan Patrick Makau in Berlin last year.

Rotterdam is renowned as a fast course so we may well see a new  men's world record there, or potentially in London where the field is stronger. There is extra pressure placed this year as each country can only supply three runners for the London Olympic marathon. That means that 17 out of the top twenty mens runners last year, being all Kenyan, will miss out!

Good luck to everyone competing in a Spring Marathon. I'll be cheering from the comfort of my armchair, there in spirit, but not body, due to a shot cartilage.

Arrivederci Giorgio

In 1977 the former Charlton Athletic player and manager Eddie Firmani was appointed manager of the New York Cosmos. His players included Pele, Carlos Alberto, Franz Beckenbauer and Girgio Chinaglia, who has just passed away, aged 65. The former Swansea, Lazio and Italy striker retired in 1983 as the leading goalscorer in the North American Soccer League with 243 goals.

Here's a clip about him from the New York Cosmos film 'Once in a Lifetime'

Volleys from heaven

Seeing Peter Crouch's superlative volleyed goal against Man City has led me to rack my brains for my favourite volleyed goals.

1. Frank Worthington for Bolton v Ipswich in 1979.

2. Marco Van Basten for Holland V Russia 1988.

3. Glenn Hoddle for Spurs V Notts Forest1979. The ball not touching the ground from the keepers kick until it hit the back of Peter Shilton's net.

4. Robin Van Persie V my team Charlton 2006.

5. Paolo Di Canio for West Ham v Newcastle 2000.

What's your favourite?

Jocky on the oche

I've just returned from holidaying in the southern hemispere to the news that someone who was prominent for a time in my sports-mad teenage years has passed away. In the eighties I loved watching the darts world championships on telly. Dad put a dartboard up in my bedroom as I took inspiration from the exploits of the leading players. Jocky Wilson wasn't my favourite player, my favourites were the Crafty Cockney and 'Old Stoneface' John Lowe.

Wilson won the world title twice, to Lowe's three (in three separate decades) and Bristow's five, their combined tally still short of Phil Taylor's thirteen. They had some classic contests. If you haven't seen this 1989 clip yet it may bring back some memories. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/darts/17503460

And yes, darts is a sport not a game, requiring both skill and mental stamina, and to a lesser degree physical stamina, but not one you'll see at the Olympics any time soon to go alongside 'outside darts' - archery.  However, the tug-of-war was once an Olympic event so you never know!

The greatest spinner

Shane Warne has just been inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame.

Currently known for:

 Has been known for:

Best known for:

Match that Murali!

Form is temporary. Class is permanent.

The Russian pole vaulter, Yelena Isinbayeva has been struggling for form since returning from her 2010 sabbatical. A new rival, Britain's Holly Bleasdale has made great improvements - her 4.87m vault in Lyon indoors made her third on the all-time world list.

But last night in Stockholm Isinbayeva showed her class by breaking the world indoor record with a vault of 5.01m. She also holds the outdoor record at 5.06m. Bleasdale came second with 4.72m and if she continues her progress could be a real shout for an Olympic medal.

But, as they say, and Isinbayeva has proved, form is temporary and class is permanent.

Which reminds me of what David Coleman said about Alberto Juantorena at the 1976 Montreal Olympics: 'The big Cuban opened his legs and showed his class'.

For some more Colemanballs: http://www.btinternet.com/~homepage/ballsa.htm

Target 5,000

The World Indoor Athletics Championships begin on 9th March in Instanbul and one of the stand out events is the women's pentathlon. The 60m hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump then 800m will all be completed on the same day.

 Chernova

 Dobrynska

 Ennis

  
The likley competitors have all been in fine form. Jess Ennis running the fastest 60m hurdles this year in Birmingham in a personal best time of 7.87 while World Champion Tatyana Chernova ran 8.02 in the Russian championships. Ennis got a PB of 6.47 in the long jump with Chernova jumping 6.61.

The invitees will be confirmed tomorrow but may well inlcude the Russian Yekaterina Bolshova who recently scored 4896 points and the Olympic champion Natalya Dobrynska who scored 4880 points at the Ukranian indoor championships. Ennis's PB is 4937 points. The world record is held by another Russian - Irina Belova with 4991 points scored 20 years ago.

We could well see a new world record and 5,000 points breached. I think Jess will prevail. Can't wait.

Representing yourself and your country

Boys:

Men:

Nuff said.

Doctor, you cannot be serious!

Happy birthday to the gifted and entertaining John Patrick McEnroe Jnr, 53 today. His career can be remembered for seven Grand Slam singles titles, his superb record in 1984 of winning 82 matches and losing just three and of course his tantrums:

Birthday congratulations also go to #46, The Doctor Valentino Rossi, 33 today. The greatest motorbike rider of his generation, if not ever.

Extremely large wings

Watching the huge rampaging Alex Cuthbert ( 6' 6" and 16 st 5 lb) and George North (6' 4" and 16 st 5 lb) in the Six Nations reminds me of when the even huger Jonah Lomu burst onto the international scene, scoring four tries against England in the 1995 World Cup semi-final.

6 feet 5 and 19 stone 10. Poor Mike Catt didn't stand a chance!

Things aren't so great for Lomu now, as he needs a second kidney transplant after the first  one he had in 2004 failed. Good luck with your search for a donor, big boy.

Skeleton Champ

Well done to Shelley Rudman for becoming the Skelton World Cup Champion 2012 after her third place at Calgary in the last of the eight events. Britain is in a strong position in this sport with Lizzy Yarnold winning in Canada and Amy Williams being the reigning Olympic gold medalist.

The Skeleton bob sleigh event is not for the faint-hearted - face down, head first on a slim sled with no brakes or mechanical steering and minimal protection, at speeds of up to 135 kmh for between 1 and 1.5 km, pulling G forces of plus 5, steered by shift in body weight and aerodynamic profile in union with the track physics.

Good luck to the GB team at the World Championships starting on 30th March at Lake Placid.

The case for the defence

Which football team has the best defence in the country? Man City? No, it's Charlton Athletic, currently leading League 1 by seven points with a game in hand over second-placed Sheffield Wednesday. Man City has conceded 19 goals in 24 league games at an average of 0.79 goals conceded per match. Charlton has conceded 20 in 28 league matches - an average of 0.71.

George Graham turned Arsenal around by the theory of having a stable and solid back four as the foundation of a winning side. Build from the back. For Dixon, Adams, Bould and Winterburn read Solly, Taylor, Morrison and Wiggins. While the goals have dried up from Bradley Wright-Phillips the miserly defence has provided the platform to edge out narrow wins. That wasn't an issue for Chelsea in 2004/05 when just 15 goals were conceded all season in the league. 72 were scored as they romped to the title under the stewardship of Jose Mourinho and the captaincy of the man who is rarely out of the news - John Terry. Barcelona has conceded just 13 league goals this season proving that a mean defence does not infer mean football.

Charlton has the reputation for being a team that stops playing in March, usually when safety from relegation was ensured though this has continued in recent seasons. It may be different this time, as the manager Chris Powell commented after the late equaliser against Bury:

“It only takes a second to score and we always tell the players it is 90-plus minutes in a game. They have got that in their head and know they have got to keep going - so it is part of our psyche and make-up. My players showed from minute one right to the very end that they won’t give it up. It is great to have that spirit and character in our armoury."

It's great to hear an up and coming manager draw inspiration from the legendary Brian Clough.

Laureus World Sport Awards 2012

The Laureus awards are the sporting equivalent of the Oscars in that they are annual awards, voted for by academy members with votes counted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Not quite the same heritage as the first Laureus awards were in 2000, compared to 1929 for the Oscars. 

They decide on the previous year's best sportsman/woman/team and have categories for breakthrough, comeback, disability, action, lifetime achievment and sport for good.

The unstoppable Novak Jokavic won the best sportsman, meaning that a tennis player has won this gong six times out of thirteen. Female tennis players have won the equivalent award four times, making tennis the most decorated sport, followed by athletics, then golf.

Just one Breakthrough winner has claimed the best sportsperson award - Rafael Nadal. Will Rory McIlroy, this years winner make it in years to come?

Will any make it to the Lifetime Acheivement award? Previous winners include true Great Sporting Stars - Sergey Bubka, Pele, Sir Steve Redgrave.

My tips for nominees who missed out this year but should feauture next year include Usain Bolt, Petra Kvitova and Mo Farah. Go Mo!

There for the taking

There for the taking

Every team has something to prove in this year's Six Nations. New managers. New players. Revenge in mind.


France, with three home games, a saner coach and the experience of being the best team in the World Cup Final justfy their favourites tag. 

After some great World Cup performances the Welsh will on a high. 

The Irish must be confident based on the performance of Ulster, Leinster and Munster in the Heineken Cup. 

The Scots will be difficult to beat but must make the most of their home games. 

The Italians are maturing and may well pull off another surprise.


The English are in transition but will grow in confidence if they make a good start.

Players to make a name for themselves/enhance their reputation? George North, Owen Farrell,Wesley Fofana, Richie Gray, Robert Barbieri and Conor Murray.


Winners? France.

Great Sport

"Sport is human life in microcosm" Howard Cosell

Sport inspires and demoralises, excites and depresses, binds and polarises, gives pleasure and pain. 

It moulds our identity. It influences society, media and economy. Playing, watching, reading or listening. 

Everybody has a chance, with hard work, discipline, sacrifice and focus, to make a difference.

Sport matters. Great sport matters.