thesentinelamsterdam-vol.5#11 by Consultancy Market Media

vol. 5 #11 – 29 May 2012

The Sentinel Amsterdam

Integrity, heart, humour

FEATURE

SPORT

WATER EURO 2012 BABIES SPECIAL PERSPECTIVES LIFESTYLES TRAVEL OPINION

TECHNOLOGY ART FILM MUSIC

TRENDS HEALTH & WELL-BEING RECOMMENDED SPORT

CONTENTS

In this issue FEATURE

Water babies

P. 04 CULTURE

P. 12 MUSIC

Prague Farewell

John O’Dreams

‘He who controls the food supply ‘The educational benefit controls the people’ of travel ‘

SPORT

EURO 2012 SPECIAL

The groups

P.54 SPORT

‘Irish folk’

P. 74 MORE:

The Sentinel Fantasy Football winners 2011-2012

CAFÉ/BAR REVIEW O’PORTO

THE SENTINEL RECOMMENDED

COLOPHON

e-mail: sentinelpost@gmail.com website: www.thesentinel.eu

Editors – Gary Rudland & Denson Pierre Design, realisation and form – Andrei Barburas & No-Office.nl Webmaster – www.sio-bytes.tumblr.com Webhost – Amsterjammin.com

The Sentinel Amsterdam does not intentionally include unaccredited photos/illustrations that are subject to copyright. If you consider your copyright to have been infringed, please contact us at sentinelpost@gmail.com.

P. 32

SPOTTED P. 38 Where is this in Amsterdam? FILM REVIEW Room 2C

The Sentinel Amsterdam

P. 36

P. 39

P. 40

TRENDS Trendwatch

P. 42

TECHNOLOGY Sheer Price

P. 48

HEALTH & WELL-BEING GOH Romance

P. 52

Contributors: Jules Marshall, Els Engels, Simon Owusu, David King, Dirkje BakkerPierre, Fleur Berkhout, Gijs Smeets and Graham Maywood

FEATURE

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I spent the rest of the summer becoming increasingly obsessed by the whole subject of Transition Towns, food security and off-grid movementsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

FEATURE

Water babies

By Jules Marshall

“Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day,” the old saying goes. “Give him a fishing rod, you feed him for a lifetime.” Rubbish – have you ever tasted anything caught in a European river? Most species are inedible. No, teach a man to farm his own trout and vegetables, anywhere, and you can start to save the world. “He who controls the food supply controls the people.” This quote is attributed to Henry Kissinger. I had a feeling it was the banker JP Morgan. Whoever, it’s true; always was, always will be. So forget climate change. Lack of food will get us first. My most recent contribution to The Sentinel was last summer, when I wrote an account of a sustainability project I’d taken part in at Glastonbury Festival. I spent the rest of the summer (and autumn and winter) becoming increasingly obsessed by the whole subject of Transition Towns, food security and off-grid movements. Not just the problems, which broadly stated are that humanity’s demands on the planet’s resources now exceed its regenerative capacity by 30%, and our dependence on an agricultural model is reliant upon cheap fossil fuel, unlimited water and a stable climate, none of which can be taken for granted for much longer.

‘The food industry uses 10 calories of energy for every 1 calorie of food produced’

The food industry uses 10 calories of energy for every 1 calorie of food produced and this is unsustainable (meaning not just ecologically irresponsible but literally, it can’t continue). Sooner rather than later this is going to impact you, me, our families and everyone else. I was reading longingly about the potential solutions – local alternative currencies, permaculture, forest gardening, urban farming – but all seemed to be happening elsewhere. What could a poor garden-less Amsterdammer do?

‘The Mediamatic cultural organisation announced it was looking for people interested in setting up and running an aquaponics system’ Then in late March, the Mediamatic cultural organisation announced it was looking for people interested in setting up and running an aquaponics system in a derelict factory on Oostenburgereiland, in the east of the Amsterdam. Aquaponics? That was on my list of solutions! So, one Wednesday night I joined a dozen or so graphic designers, hackers, interns, artists – in fact, everyone but farmers – for the first meet up. Our motives were all pretty similar: to do something positive about the multi-dimensional crisis facing the planet, to get out from behind our computer screens and do something practical, and because it sounded like fun.

FEATURE

‘It combines the strengths of aquaculture and hydroponics, while eliminating the weaknesses of each’ Aquaponics is the cultivation of fish and plants together in a constructed, recirculating ecosystem utilising natural bacterial cycles to convert fish waste into plant nutrients. It’s an environmentally friendly, natural food growing method that harnesses the best attributes of aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (water-based, soilless, veg growing), without the need to discard any water or filtrate or add chemical fertilisers. It’s this combination of fish and plants together that is the core idea. Fish produce waste; microbes and worms convert the waste into fertiliser for the plants, which, in turn, filter the water that returns to the fish. It combines the strengths of aquaculture and hydroponics, while eliminating the weaknesses of each (fish waste, high energy inputs, contaminated water disposal). Effectively, we’d be designing and building an artificial wetland ecosystem, establishing populations of microbes and worms in our growing medium, before adding vegeta-

bles and eventually fish, at which point nature would take over; we’d only have to watch over it, like ignorant, myopic gods. Besides enthusiasm, we started with a nominal budget of €3000 and a shitload of space, having the run of one of the five Van Genthallen (around 60 metres long and 15 high). Listed national monuments since 2001, the Van Genthallen had been built at the end of the 19th century and became home to the Nederlandsche Fabriek van Werktuigen en Spoorwegmaterieel which made railways in them.

‘The whole island is very polluted, plus you can barely stick a spade in the ground without uncovering an archaeological artefact’ In fact, the Oostenburger Island is even more historical than that, having been constructed in the 1660s by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) as sort of a weapons and maritime warfare R&D centre. Essentially, it was one of the world’s first industrial zones. Czar Peter the Great spent time there learning about the Dutch mastery of shipbuilding.

FEATURE

It later became the earliest Dutch site of ‘modern’ industry in the 19th century. The whole island is very polluted, plus you can barely stick a spade in the ground without uncovering an archaeological artefact. For these reasons it’s a bit of a white elephant for its housing association owners. Too expensive to renovate and unable to knock it down, why not allow a bunch of hipsters to play with this icon of Amsterdam’s industrial history? We dove in, bought some second hand IBCs (metre-sized plastic cubes used for transporting water), chopped the top third off for the vegetable bed and left the bottom two thirds for the fish, plus a load of expanded clay pebbles as a growing medium.

‘We would increase the involvement of the local community and set up compost heaps, worm farms and a restaurant, supplied by up to a dozen grow beds’ The plan was get a simple one bed/one tank system up and running and, based on what we learnt, make a bigger and more ambitious set-up after that. From there, we would

increase the involvement of the local community and set up compost heaps, worm farms and a restaurant, supplied by up to a dozen grow beds. Frankly, we don’t yet know how far it’s possible to take this. But so far so good. Tomorrow, two months after that first meeting, we’re planting our second, more ambitious set-up. The simple one has veg growing and fish babies in it already. At the end of the month we’ll be teaching a workshop on how to build one and by the end of the summer we’ll be eating the safest, freshest fish we will ever taste. With no soil to till, no weeds to remove, no petrochemicals to feed the plants (kills the fish), no antibiotics or hormones for the fish (kills the veg), and being site agnostic (it can be set up anywhere, from a city rooftop to a backyard), aquaponics is one of the key food growing technologies that offer hope for feeding a growing world population. Overstated? Consider that a single acre (0.4 hectares) can produce 45,000 kilos of vegetables and 16,000 kilos of edible fish fillets in a year – compared to a single grass-fed cow, which produces 34 kilos of beef in the same space. Hong Kong and Singapore already produce more than 20% of their own meat and vegetables; Havana is famously near self-sufficient. Amsterdam has only just started, but I’m pleased to say that we’re on our way.

FEATURE

The Small System

Syphon Water drips in growbed

Growbed empties in fish tank

Pump brings water to growbed

Els Engel

FEATURE

Aquaponics Cycle Fish harvest Vegetable harvest

Worms eat food scraps

Fish excrete Ammonia

Vegetables absorb Nitrates

Nitrobacter sp. converts Nitrites to Nitrates

Nitrosomonas sp. converts Ammonia to Nitrites

Els Engel

CLASSIFIEDS

www.yourtuliptour.com

For complete and world class tours of Prague Packages include: • Hidden and playful Prague (for families with young children) • Literary Prague • Prague Architecture through the ages • Religion and the city • The old city at night *These are detailed tours designed for visitors who wish to explore with great detail and not suitable for simply sightseeing tourists.

Day segments and rates: PR: 08:00-12:30hrs / AG: 13:30-16:30hrs / UE: 17:30-21:30hrs All sessions are priced at u 25 per single adult. Group size upper limit = 8. Accompanied children under the age of five are gratis and school aged children pay 25%. Family package rates are negotiable.

Contact:

Jaroslav Cernosek +420 251 620 008 Mail: jcernosek@centrum.cz

JC Tours

CLASSIFIEDS

CULTURE

Prague farewell â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;To also appreciate the art they have evolved themselves, or which they have borrowed in spirit and cherish as their ownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

CULTURE

‘Evaluating the architectural and artistic impact of the almost overwhelming experience of being in Prague’ By Denson Pierre

It is a confirmation of what many openminded thinkers have postulated over the centuries: the educational benefit of travel. Some consider it adventurous or recreational while others, like myself, are more interested in the people you meet and the culture they strive to represent. Part of this attraction is fuelled by the ability to not only experience their natural, day-to-day environment but to also appreciate the art they have evolved themselves, or which they have borrowed in spirit and cherish as their own; sharing the human experience. For me, personally, the most extraordinary thing about visiting Prague with such an eye, sharpened by endless detail, is the astonishing impact it has had on my notion of introspective discoveries. In many ways my own life has given me the ability to contrast, as a means of evaluating the architectural and artistic impact of the almost overwhelming experience of being in Prague, while physically walking through so many centuries of European history, reflected in stone and metal. The first half of my life was spent in the highintensity light of the lush, equatorial tropics, where there is an easier reliance on nature to provide the aesthetic visual-fest. The artistic expression from the land of my birth (Trinidad & Tobago) is immediately and literally ‘carnivalesque’ in its splendour, yet not necessarily made from long-lasting, monumental materials. During my time in Prague I kept experiencing the growing feeling that I was on the threshold of a realisation.

Something within the all-styles layout of the city was leaving me with a tingle at the base of my belly; butterflies on cold spring days? I was only able to eventually break into uncontrollable smiles when our guide, Jaroslav Cernosek (JC Tours, Prague), explained the predominant style around us during our final few hours in the city, on a tour of the breathtaking Prague Municipal Hall. From the tea room-café through to various halls, a cafe-bar and eventually the French Restaurant, the tingling in my stomach had reached a full tremor. Not only are great paintings by Alphonse Mucha himself displayed, along with busts and illustrations of some of the other Czech artistic greats, like Smetena and Dvorak, but the entire superstructure is a capsule of outstanding Art Nouveau design and detail. Eureka! It had taken me all these years and an immersion in the design form to have my senses awakened to the fact that this is my most loved of the surviving display styles, developed primarily by and for European sensibilities. It is cool, angular, vibrant and solid. It plays with light and colour and is beautiful and technically clearly difficult to master, but not in any way wasteful, vulgarly decorative, aloof or detached. Art Nouveau looks like music to me. I do not read music, so what I mean is that the feeling Art Nouveau gives me can be compared to the experience of hearing a piece of original and unique music for the first time. As the brain assimilates the stimulus it provokes a warm feeling of notional love. So, just like slipping on a recording of Lord Kitchener, Jacob Miller, The Stooges, Roberta Flack, Kasabian or Dvorak’s String Quartet #12 should happen often enough to provide mental excitement and relaxation, so too a visit to Prague should be undertaken as often as sensibly possible. Both geographically and culturally, Prague and its residents are truly at the heart of Europe.

‘A visit to Prague should be undertaken as often as sensibly possible’

CULTURE

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Park comfortably and conveniently in our secure garages. Online reservations for covered parking areas available online at discount prices.

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CULTURE

CLASSIFIEDS

Familiar and yet always innovative Marriott! The Prague Marriott Hotel is located in the heart of the city center, a few steps away from historical landmarks, such as the Municipal House, and a short walk from the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. After a decade in the Czech market this Marriott flagship property represents a symbol of superior and dedicated service combined with local know how and expertise. The hotel interior was recently renovated; its rooms and suites now offer even more comfort and luxury. All 293 spacious guest rooms are fully equipped with high speed wired and wi-fi internet, personal safe, mini-bar, satellite TV with LCD screens, movies and music on demand, voice mail, data ports, individual climate control and a comfortable working area.

The hotel offers 1450 square meters (11 conference rooms in total, some with daylight) of newly renovated flexible conference, reception and banquet space, located on one level. Whether you need to organize a board meeting for 8 participants or a conference reception for 750 delegates, the Prague Marriott will provide a tailored service that exceeds your expectations. The professional event management team will create a successful event you will always remember. Since July 2009 we have incorporated “green events” into our everyday standards. By applying the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle to all events and meetings, we make them more eco-friendly and help guests and meeting planners reduce their carbon footprint on the environment.

CLASSIFIEDS

Café/Bar Review CAFE/BAR REVIEW

‘This is a relaxed and fun bar that makes you feel like a regular (of which they have plenty) after just two visits’

CAFE/BAR REVIEW

Café Oporto

By Denson Pierre

Zoutsteeg 1, Amsterdam

Right in the middle of Amsterdam’s bustling, smelly, tourist drag – in a tiny alley across from the Bijenkorf, in between the touristfocused coffee and smart shops, pizza, falafel, chips and many other fast-food joints – is the surprisingly homely and quiet, real ‘brown’ international café called Oporto. The more than century old, monumental interior packs bags of atmosphere and ambiance, but mainly this is a relaxed and fun bar that makes you feel like a regular (of which they have plenty) after just two visits. The clientele is a true mix of Amsterdammers and English-speaking regulars, who seem to have spent an important part of their lives on one of the bar stools. The lighting is dimmed and the colouring is mainly brown; it is a classic Amsterdam bar and one you could photograph to define the term on Wikipedia.

Ambiance

Oporto is a laid-back, real bar with a great beer selection. Along with Heineken, at the correct temperature and from crispy clean glasses, on tap is Brugse Zot, a great, tasty beer, dark, moody and smooth Guinness and a quality Irish red. The antique interior keeps you entertained as there are so many details to observe: the original ceiling, the ‘drinks-cabinet’ behind the bar, engraved with all the signs of the zodiac, the original fireplace with its antique tiling and the many photographs of Amsterdam. Plus pleasant music mixed and loud banter create a great atmosphere. Rating 5

Staff/regulars

Brian’s vocal talents take care of the entertainment, while Francine makes you feel right at home. The ongoing banter between staff and regulars make for a kind of a contest to keep from spilling too much beer while laughing. The higher art of bar keeping is on display at this bar and everyone is made to feel welcome to stay as long as they like; and they do. The regulars are a mix of interesting characters, all up for a chat with whoever might enter. Rating 5

Televised sport

None and it wouldn’t suit the place. There is a dart board on which regulars play fearsomely. Card games are played at the bar, so the idea of television feels like something from the future in this atmospheric time capsule. Rating 3

Prices

Cheap, especially given its location in the super-expensive centre of town. The neighbours should really take heed! Rating 5

Music

A great music selection is a feature of this small bar. The staff has taste and knows exactly how to grab the mood of the moment. We hear a lot of soul and rock/pop classics rolling by, which make you go back in time or sing along, if sufficiently inebriated. Rating 5

Smoking area provision

Smoking takes place outside in the alley and on a sizeable bench, which also is a great place to make new friends. It might be a little cold in winter and early spring but real drinkers don’t care about such things. Rating 4

Total rating: 27/30

(Ratings from 1-5, where 1 = Very poor and 5 = Excellent)

CAFE/BAR REVIEW

‘A great music selection is a feature of this small bar’

CAFE/BAR REVIEW

‘On tap is Brugse Zot, a great, tasty beer, dark, moody and smooth Guinness and a quality Irish red’

John O’Dre ams MUSIC

‘You almost believe you are listening to Christy Moore himself after a few songs’

MUSIC

‘An encore grabs the audience. They have the great ability to captivate the crowd’

By Magenta Tuunes

Just another Friday night at Mulligans Irish Music Bar on the Amstel, right in the centre of Amsterdam, in a block of houses called the ‘dancing houses’, quickly renamed the ‘drunken houses’ by my partner and I (take a look at them from the other side of the canal and you will understand why). The place is packed, it is hot and people are crowded together in silence. Two guys occupy the tiny space that functions as the stage: John and Ed, otherwise known as John O’Dreams, are performing authentic Irish folk music in the tradition of the legendary Christy Moore. Some say these guys are so good, you almost believe you are listening to Christy Moore himself after a few songs. The original deep voice, buckets of soul, the rousing accordion, great guitar playing and genuine performance; their superb and fun songs will stick with you. They speak to your heart and make you feel warm inside, like drinking a few pints in a pub somewhere on a cold, windy hill, with the wind howling around the antique stone walls. With a blazing fire burning inside and rowdy, half-drunken Irish folk moving along with to the music, telling incredibly long stories, laughing out loud and starting random fights.

When I eventually get around to talking to John, the duo’s charismatic singer, it transpires that he and Ed are not as Irish as they seem. They are, in fact, two regular Dutch guys with a passion for Irish folk music. John and Ed both have regular jobs and don’t need to make a living from playing music. They do it because they love music and love making it themselves. They can’t explain their love for Irish music, it has just been there from the start and it was something they had to try for themselves. The coming together of the two was more by chance than planning, but it clicked and since 1997 they have been entertaining crowds mostly in the Netherlands, Belgium and Ireland. They play folk clubs, theatres, Irish pubs and festivals, and have gained a lot of respect across the Irish folk music scene. A great rendition of the Nine Inch Nails/Johnny Cash’s Hurt as an encore grabs the audience. They have the great ability to captivate the crowd and people sing along to the tunes they recognise. Other songs are full of humour and prompt laughter all around. Folk magazine New Folk Sounds once wrote: “John Flierman is the Christy Moore of the Netherlands”. After this experience, I can only agree. http://www.johnodreams.com/

SPOTTED

Where is this in Amsterdam? Answer to: sentinelpost@gmail.com

FILM REVIEW

Room 2c film By David King

To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) This is no formulaic cop movie but rather a chance to study flawed characters who will descend to whatever level to win. Greed, hatred and revenge drives both criminals and law enforcers alike and, as tensions escalate, the fine line separating them becomes more and more blurred. Featuring one of the finest car chases ever shot and a perfectly scored soundtrack from 80s group Wang Chung this film will enthral you.

Room 2c film By Gary Rudland

Fight Club (1999) Two 1999 films, The Matrix and Fight Club, both offer dystopian visions but Fight Club’s is set firmly in the present. After a young insomniac professional (Edward Norton) meets a luxury soap salesman (Brad Pitt) on a domestic flight, his life takes one bizarre turn after another. When his IKEA-catalogue apartment blows up, they move in together and Fight Club is born. This wonderfully subversive movie is a rollercoaster of twists and turns with a spectacular climax. Remember… You are not special.

AMSTERDAM Hortus Botanicus 12-05-2012

R ECOMM

EN DED

We find the best, most fun, most typical, exciting, or local favourite restaurants etcetera in Amsterdam and bring them to you; an easy way to feel like a local.

To Be Seen and Tasted

Connoisseurs Delight

Fun, Drinking & Music

Cafe Tisfris Cafe Tisfris is recognisable for its landmarks, funky pillars and terrace. The modern, artistic interior with a warm, bustling atmosphere and inviting music attracts quite a mixed crowd. Tisfris offers a friendly and efficient service and is a great pit stop for “yummy” refreshments.

Opera Prima - Patisserie Bistro Traiteur The best place in town for lunch, exquisite high teas or brunches and all of your luxury catering, both private and corporate!

Mulligans Irish Music Bar Amsterdam’s best address for live Irish music : Five (5) nights a week! Check our agenda for upcoming sessions. Join the friendly atmosphere, have a good pint of Guinness and the good old-fashioned “Craic”

Tisfris Opera Prima St. Antoniebreestraat 142 Amsterdam Kinkerstraat 228 Amsterdam www.tisfris.nl www.operaprima.nl

Mulligans Irish Music Bar Amstel 100 1017 AC Amsterdam www.mulligans.nl

To Be Seen and Tasted

Connoisseurs Delight

Neighbourhood Cosy

Cafe restaurant Edel Cafe restaurant Edel is the perfect place for lunch, dinner or to simply enjoy a drink. Edel is situated in ‘Het Sieraad’ on Postjesweg. It sits in the former clockmaker and jeweller’s academy building and has a large waterside terrace. Edel is a unique place in Amsterdam.

Incanto Incanto is a restaurant with a classic Italian kitchen. Venetian chef Simone Ambrosin is known for his pure and simple style of cooking with feeling for nuance.

Vibes Vibes is a relaxing cafe’/cocktail bar /art gallery with a large selection of coffees, herbal teas and homemade cakes and an amazing card of cocktails, made with fresh fruit, by a professional cocktail bartender of 15 years experience.

The wine list contains over 150 Italian wines.

Enjoy our Italian kitchen in a cosy and friendly atmosphere. EDEL Postjesweg 1 1057 DT Amsterdam www.edelamsterdam.nl

Incanto Amstel 2 Amsterdam www.restaurant-incanto.nl

Vibes Jan Pieter Heijestraat 137 Amsterdam http://www.wix.com/vibes137/vibes

TRENDS

‘People who spend money on shopping or gadgets are less happy than people who spend it on doing fun things’

Trend Watch

TRENDS

By Dirkje Bakker-Pierre

Eating Two-thirds of American adults are overweight, whereas one-third of American kids are overweight. One-third of the US population is currently in a dangerous condition healthwise because of their weight. Shopping

British men spend 26 hours on average per year waiting outside dressing rooms while their girlfriends or wives try on potential purchases.

Spending

People who spend money on shopping or gadgets are less happy than people who spend it on doing fun things with their friends or on holidays with loved ones.

Names

Trending baby name in the US: Adele.

Tourists

The number of tourists worldwide this year is expected to break the one billion barrier.

Bike theft

The bike theft phenomenon reached a new low in the lowlands when a 400 kg ‘work of art’ shaped as a bicycle was stolen from its spot next to highway A28 near Putten and a motorcycle belonging to Jeffrey Polnaja, a round-theworld traveller from Indonesia, was stolen in Amsterdam.

Warmth

Higher sea temperatures around UK mean that blue fin tuna, thresher sharks and anchovies, among others, are increasingly common. Exotic warm-water marine species, such as stingrays, are spreading northwards into British coastal waters, where average sea temperatures are now moving closer to those of warmer southern Europe.

Animals

Food prices

Worldwide food prices have risen by 8% in the first quarter of 2012.

Dutch animal shelters are on average €40,000 – 70,000 in debt. Since the onset of the economic crisis donations to Dierenbescherming (the largest Dutch organisation for the protection of animals) have fallen away.

Shopping part II

Games

On average, a visit to a British changing room lasts about 30 minutes. Men use this time to catch up on football results, eat something or check Facebook while waiting. Sixty-eight per cent of these men go shopping with their wives because they think it makes them happy. Thirty per cent think it is the best way to spend some time together. Twenty-seven per cent have and wish to express an opinion on the clothes that are tried on.

Angry birds has been downloaded 1 billion times.

John O’Dre ams ADVERTORIAL - FASHION

‘You almost believe you are listening to Christy Moore himself after a few songs’

ADVERTORIAL - FASHION

‘An encore grabs the audience. They have the great ability to captivate the crowd’

ESP Jr gives Mini Trinis Turtle Power What do turtles and toddlers have in common? Well, apart from their love of snacks, and cartoons with fishes named Nemo, they’d be tickled turquoise by the new “Mini Trini” and “Tobago Love” T-shirts and onesies (rompers) produced by ESP jr – a Trinidad-based, Caribbean design studio, devoted to creating indigenous content for young audiences. Bold colours, strong graphics, and a confident ‘Caribbeanness’ make this line of clothing for children – from newborns to nine-year-olds – particularly eye catching. Simple, contemporary designs – with the trademarked taglines “Mini Trini” and “Tobago Love” – carry big messages, giving adults the opportunity to let the children in their lives make a statement. ESP jr’s first line features endangered turtles, seen through childlike eyes. “The hope is to create an appreciation for what is ours,” says Jeunanne Alkins, ESP jr’s Design Director. “Mini Trini and Tobago Love strive to make children conscious of the need to protect our endangered species and nurture their pride in cherishing the environment. In a small way, it would be a learning experience for the children who wear these garments that could ultimately lead to them contributing towards a better Trinidad and Tobago.” Merging art, storytelling, and environmental awareness, Alkins, an artist and designer, drew all of the graphics

and managed the production of the full line by herself – from screen printing, to dirtying and washing t-shirts to make sure that they would last throughout the fun and often stain-filled rite of passage children put their clothes through. She launched ESP jr in late 2011 to a warm reception, selling “Mini Trini” and “Tobago Love” T-shirts at small goods markets throughout Trinidad and Tobago – from Port of Spain to San Fernando. Noticing how quickly shoppers ‘snatched’ them up on the spot, retailers quickly added ESP jr’s onesies and T-shirts to their store displays. Customers can now purchase these eye-catching pieces at Purple Turtle at The Falls (West Mall), Rainy Days at Ellerslie Plaza and at the online boutique Ah Piece (www. ahpiece.com). The line will eventually be available at other retail outlets throughout Trinidad and Tobago, and the Caribbean. ESP jr also plans to expand from apparel design and production to multimedia, education and entertainment material for children. ESP jr is a division of the parent company Everything Slight Pepper (ESP) – a Caribbean design studio committed to telling stories that elevate Caribbean colloquial references to a high design realm. In a world where everyone is moving fast, ESP is determined to make people slow down a bit and pay attention to detail. To connect with ESP jr, visit www.facebook.com/everythingslightpepperjr, or e-mail create@everythingslightpepper.com.

CLASSIFIEDS

TECHNOLOGY

‘I can’t help wondering whether Facebook is really worth US$ 100 billion’

SHEER PRICE TechBit: Sio-Bytes By Simon Owusu

On the eve of Facebook’s Initial Public Offering (IPO), I can’t help wondering whether Facebook is really worth US$ 100 billion. This would make it the third largest IPO in history, after two Chinese banks were valued at US$ 133 billion and US$ 132 billion. However, I think the figure is justified by Facebook’s potential value, even though when the company started eight years ago, no-one had any idea how it would make money. Facebook’s value lies in its potential to dominate advertising, as well as disrupting the internet as we know it. This perceived value is perfect for advertisers and investors in terms of future growth and, more importantly, future revenue. Facebook has more than 900 million registered users, yet only makes around US$ 5 per user from advertising; far less than Google, which makes about US$ 24 per user. However, Facebook has something to offer advertisers that no other competitor can. It knows more about people than any other company and can capitalise on this to create future revenue. Information on people’s likes and dislikes, where they go, who they are with, what they read, music they listen to, films they watch, clothes they wear, things they are interested in, etc. People share their lives on Facebook and, in turn, Facebook can share this

valuable information with its advertising agencies. This gives Facebook the potential to match and even surpass the advertising revenue generated by Google, by creating a network in which you are encouraged to be open and share information.

‘Facebook is now disrupting the internet of old and becoming the new internet’ Looking at its disruption potential, Facebook is valuable in terms of what it is trying to achieve and what it is changing. There was a time when most of your internet life revolved around one company. This company was the gateway to the internet for many people and that company was Google. Through Google Search and Google Apps, like Gmail, Google became the people’s version of the internet. Facebook is now disrupting the internet of old and becoming the new internet; dictating how people communicate with each other online, find out what is happening in the world, what is cool and what is uncool. People co-ordinate events such as parties, rallies, protests, play games, track their connections and share pictures, interests, likes and dislikes, all on Facebook. Over 500 million users go there at least once a day with 532 million status updates occurring in the 4.7 million minutes that

TECHNOLOGY

are spent on Facebook every day. This equates to about 25% of the online time of most internet users. Facebook is very decisive when it comes to protecting the engagement of its users, and rightly so. This was evident in its recent acquisition of Instagram for US$ 1 billion. Instagram is a photo program that allows people to apply amazing filters to their photos and share them. It started two years ago and today has more than 50 million users. Facebook’s acquisition at such a price is pretty straight-forward. Instagram was drawing people away from their quality Facebook time. A picture is worth a thousand words and a billion dollars in Facebook terms. For Facebook to gain control of the internet, people should have all they need within Facebook, and Facebook already has 350 million photos uploaded on a daily basis. To continue to be a dominating photo sharing platform, the Instagram purchase was inevitable. A crucial part of the deal was that, apart from knowing everything about you, Facebook also acquired photos documenting your life in addition to your social information. Sharing photos was big and engaging so Facebook had to buy Instagram. Location sharing was another engagement hog and so Facebook bought Gowalla, a location-sharing company. Gaming takes up a lot of online internet time and Facebook has made a deal with Zynga, the creators of Farmville, Mafia Wars, Words with Friends and Draw Something, to name but a few procrastination games. Facebook wants to make sure that everything consuming

your time on the internet is done via its site. Strategic moves such as these are helping Facebook to become a social version of the internet.

‘A crucial part of the deal was that, apart from knowing everything about you, Facebook also acquired photos documenting your life in addition to your social information’ Facebook is covering all bases to ensure that your whole life can be lived through it and that you stay there as long as possible. Facebook can be an advertising giant and the new internet. It has a huge draw, masses of information, engaging user experiences and is becoming part of everything we do on the internet. From the people with whom we communicate to the information we share with the rest of our world, social is the new mode of operation on the internet and Facebook, at the moment, is in the best position to capitalise on that. If you had to place a value on the future internet, US$ 100 billion is a small amount. This is why Facebook’s IPO is so important and so highly priced.

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EURO 2012 SPECIAL THE GROUPS Denson Pierre, Gary Rudland, Gijs Smeets and Graham Maywood run the rule over groups A to D. Will they reveal things you did not consider when settling on your favourite for the title on July 1st?

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EURO 2012 GROUP A POLAND GREECE RUSSIA CZECH REPUBLIC andrei arshavin

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jakub blasczykowski

By Denson Pierre

It has fallen to me to forecast how teams from this particular group will impress upon the tournament. First of all, it should be an easy group to endure, as the only pressure in terms of expectation is an emotional one with none of the teams here seen as favourites for the title at the beginning of July. This does not mean that one of these teams cannot win it, of course...

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‘It should be an easy group to endure’

‘They have another proven goal scorer who will hope to lead the proud co-hosts deep into the knockout phase’

POLAND

GREECE

For domestic football competitions to be dynamic and consistently nurture top-class players they need money. Since the end of the Soviet era in Poland, football has not really mattered as much as it has in other European countries. UEFA has done a huge service to Poland by granting it Euro 2012 co-host status, providing the stimulus to modernise the country’s public services, transport infrastructure and football administration.

Football is a game for and of the masses, and the vast majority of Greeks has been pre-occupied with a realisation of hardship brought on additionally, but not exclusively, by generations of haphazard fiscal management and tax avoidance pathologies.

On the pitch, anything can happen and this national team will have the famed, emotional force of support once the name and pride of the country needs to be defended. Star players include Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) who, on his own, is sure to save at least four certain goals. Up front the Poles have the leading striker from the recently re-crowned champions of Germany (Borussia Dortmund), Robert Lewandowski, who should be good for two or three goals to help get his team out of the group. In captain and midfield general Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) they have another proven goal scorer who will hope to lead the proud co-hosts deep into the knockout phase.

The Greek squad fields players mostly from the distracted domestic league and the only way I can see them progressing is if their coach (no, not Rehhagel this time, but Greek domestic league legend, Fernando Santos) can again get them rotating as an obdurate unit, able to squeeze the life out of attacking teams and bludgeon a goal or two, somehow.

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‘The threat from the East is ‘With arguably (still) the best very real and Russia is coming goalkeeper in the world, Petr to win the trophy’ Cech, to tip, scramble and block away attempts on goal, they have a chance against anyone’

RUSSIA All the physical characteristics of Europe’s (and the world’s) largest country, along with the way it projects itself, say that Russia will still be in the mix at the semi-final stage of this competition. From there, it takes another three, or so, goals to lift the trophy. Barring one player currently plying his trade in the English Premier League, the current Russian squad members all play at home, in a league UEFA now ranks as seventh. With transitional changes taking place to schedule the Russian league in parallel with the pan-European season, they are out of excuses on that front. With a now very experienced squad, mainly consisting of players who previously lit up Euro 2008, the threat from the East is very real and Russia is coming to win the trophy. Between captain Andrei Arshavin (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow), Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow) and the imposing target man, Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham), they should have enough firepower to score the 13, or so, goals it takes to ultimately prevail. The entire team is formidable and in good form with a large proportion from the current league champions (Zenit), backed up by players from the other giant clubs of the Russian top flight.

CZECH REPUBLIC Bring back Pavel Nedved! Successful international tournament football teams need at least one magical player and a minimum of two additional world-class players in order to impress upon other distinguished national teams. The Czechs, I fear, are in an inter-generational, great player(s) dip. This said, they are not really far off at all. With the sudden re-emergence of their captain, Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal), as chief incisive distributor and with arguably (still) the best goalkeeper in the world, Petr Cech (Chelsea), to tip, scramble and block away attempts on goal, they have a chance against anyone in the tournament in a one-off match. Can Milan Baros, in combination with a couple of the youngsters coming through, provide them with the scoring volume necessary to get them out of the group? I think it will be a huge test but the Czechs always come across as happy and relaxed in their ability as a unit and maybe this, as well as playing just next door on Polish soil, could motivate them to positive results in at least two of their group matches.

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die mannschaft

EURO 2012 GROUP B NETHERLANDS DENMARK GERMANY PORTUGAL

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robin van persie By Gary Rudland

It is now 24 years since Ruud Gullit lifted the European Championship trophy for the Netherlands, in what was then West Germany. Marco van Basten won the golden boot with five goals, scoring a hat-trick against England in the group stage and what many people still consider the finest goal ever (a stunning volley from a tight angle on the edge of the box) in the 2-0 victory over Russia in the final.

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‘The Netherlands boasts quality throughout its squad’

‘Denmark’s campaign looks doomed to failure before it has even begun’

NETHERLANDS DENMARK ANOTHER CHANCE FOR THE NEARLY MEN Having narrowly lost the World Cup final to Spain two years ago, the Netherlands go into this tournament among the favourites. But if they are to repeat their 1988 success, they will have to get off to a good start. Robin van Persie has been picking up plaudits in England for his remarkably high-scoring and, even more remarkably, injury-free Premier League season, but Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was the star of the qualifying campaign, netting 12 times. The Netherlands boasts quality throughout its squad, with names like Van der Vaart, Sneijder, Robben, Afellay and Kuyt all capable of chipping in with goals. If both the Netherlands and Germany get off to a winning start against Denmark and Portugal, respectively, they may both be happy to settle for a draw against each other in their second match, in the hope of renewing hostilities in the final. With Portugal as Holland’s final group opponents, however, this would be a risky strategy for coach Bert van Marwijk to adopt and the Dutch need little excuse to declare all-out sporting war against the Germans.

NO GREAT DANES Everyone expects Denmark to be the group’s whipping boys and, in truth, they will go into all of their group matches as underdogs. Denmark did win their qualifying group, forcing Portugal to qualify through the play-offs, but they lost home and away to Portugal along the way. At just 20 years of age, Christian Eriksen is a play-making midfielder for Dutch champions, Ajax, and has been compared to Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart, not to mention his outstanding compatriot, Michael Laudrup. If Denmark are to progress then it will be up to him and the 33-year-old Dennis Rommedahl to supply Nicklas Bendtner in attack. In truth, however, Denmark’s campaign looks doomed to failure before it has even begun. With quarter finals in prospect against the winners and runners-up from Group A (Poland, Greece, Russia and Czech Republic), whichever two teams qualify from Group B will be optimistic about their chances of reaching the semi-finals. And with Barcelona and Real Madrid both crashing out of the Champions League, perhaps Spain are not the dominant force they have been for the past four years. If the current holders can be vanquished along the way, and no country has yet managed to retain the trophy, I wouldn’t mind betting that the new European Champions will come from this group.

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‘Germany now has a young and exciting squad’

‘Cristiano Ronaldo has maintained incredibly high performance levels since his switch’

GERMANY

PORTUGAL

THE LOEW MACHINE

PORTUGAL’S TIME?

Having gone through a period of transition, Germany now has a young and exciting squad, which is also included among the favourites. The new crop of players already looked a force to be reckoned with at the last World Cup and have had two more years to develop. Germany won all of their 10 qualifying matches, scoring 34 goals along the way and conceding only seven. The ageing but still potent Miroslav Klose (nine goals in qualifying) will be backed up by Mario Gomez, new Arsenal signing, Lukas Podolski, and Thomas Muller, representing a formidable strike force. They are supported by talented and creative midfielders, such as Mezut Ozil and the emerging Mario Gotze. At just 20 years of age (on 3 June), he has already been compared to Lionel Messi and is being targeted by many top European clubs. I fully expect Germany to qualify from the group, which only leaves one more quarter final place up for grabs.

Portugal may not have performed at their best at the 2010 World Cup (only reaching the last 16 teams) but they are able to call upon a vast array of talent, including ‘the world’s second-best footballer’. Cristiano Ronaldo has maintained incredibly high performance levels since his switch from Manchester United to Real Madrid. Having lost to Greece in the 2004 final, he and his compatriots – including front-man Heidar Postiga and Man Utd’s dangerous winger Nani (17 goals between the three in qualifying) – will be desperate to prove that they can achieve on a European level. Portugal beat Bosnia convincingly over the two legs of their play-off match to reach the tournament, but they will have to step up another gear if they are to escape a group containing Germany and the Netherlands.

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EURO 2012 GROUP C SPAIN ITALY CROATIA IRELAND iker casillas

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robbie keane

By Gijs Smeets

At first sight, Group C may look like a foregone conclusion but it might just spring a few surprises.

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‘A choice of Sergio Busquets, ‘Italy has only ever won one Xabi Alonso, Xavi Hernandez, European title’ Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, David Silva and Juan Mata for four or five positions’

SPAIN

ITALY

Together with Germany, the defending champions are favourites for this tournament and for good reason. They have dominated the international game for the past four years, during which they won both the Euro 2008 Championships and the 2010 World Cup. This time round, though, despite their 100% record during qualification, there are a few question marks surrounding the squad. David Villa and Carles Puyol have been crucial in Spain’s last two campaigns but both look likely to miss out through injury this time round. If any team can cope with the loss of two of its most influential players, it’s Spain – with coach Vicente Del Bosque having arguably the most talented pool of players to choose from. In midfield, he has a choice of Sergio Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, David Silva and Juan Mata for four or five positions, which is a luxury most managers can only dream of. Spain should stroll through the group phase and we have to assume that their competition will really start in the quarter finals.

Having said that, Italy has proven to be a bit of a bogey team for the Spanish, who have only ever beaten Italy once in a competitive match, and that was on penalties during Euro 2008. The group’s opening game, on 10 June in Gdańsk, should be a tight and exciting contest.

Group C Predictions: Spain 1–1 Italy R.O.I 0–0 Croatia Italy 1–1 Croatia Spain 3–0 R.O.I Croatia 0–2 Spain Italy 0–1 R.O.I

Surprisingly, having been world champions no less than four times, Italy has only ever won one European title. This year, at odds of 14/1, the Italians are not expected to add to their trophy cabinet. They are, however, always a dangerous team once they make it to the knockout phase. A lot will depend on midfield maestro Andrea Pirlo, who has enjoyed one of his best ever seasons at the age of 32, playing a key part in securing a first league title in nine years for his club, Juventus. The problems for the Italians seem to be in the front line. With both Giuseppe Rossi and Alessandro Cassano out injured, the Italians are hoping manager Cesare Prandelli can pull a Toto Schillaci-like surprise out of his hat. Antonio Di Natale might be just that man. Even though he is not one of Prandelli’s favourites, the Udinese striker looks likely to make the squad. If the Italians are to do any better than in their last outing, they will need a marksman who can be trusted to bang in the goals.

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‘The Croats have proven that, on their day, they are capable of beating any team’

‘Ireland’s biggest weakness may well be manager Giovanni Trapattoni’s notoriously negative tactics’

CROATIA

IRELAND

The Croatians have been ever-present on the European stage since their first tournament in 1996. They have managed to reach a World Cup semi-final and two European quarter finals since then. This is impressive, considering the country has a population of only four million. Slaven Bilić managed them through Euro 2008, beating Austria, Poland and Germany before losing on penalties to Turkey. They left that tournament as the neutral supporter’s favourite, their passion and attacking style of play winning over many a fan and pundit.

A mixed and sometimes fortunate qualification campaign, but a plum play-off draw against Estonia means that the Republic of Ireland are back at Europe’s top table for the first time since 1988.

During qualifying for this year’s tournament Croatia only managed second place in its group, behind Greece, but in the resulting play-off they confidently cast aside the same Turks who beat them four years before. The Croats have proven that, on their day, they are capable of beating any team and with the likes of Luka Modric, Vedran Corluka, Eduardo, Ivica Olic and Mario Mandžukić in their squad, they should not be underestimated.

While the Irish lack the squad depth of the stronger nations, they do still possess some quality players. Shay Given has shown signs of regression this season, but is still a safe pair of hands between the sticks. John O’Shea and the inspirational Richard Dunne have seen it all and will be key if the Irish are to snuff out the threats posed by the Spanish, Italian and Croatian attacks. Damien Duff and Aiden McGeady are the likely starting wingers for the 10 June opener against Croatia in Poznan, but both will need to be at their best. Youngster James McClean’s stock has been soaring after a mightily impressive debut season for Sunderland, which has seen him net six times with a further five assists. Robbie Keane captains the side and you only have the look at his goal-scoring record to see how important he is to this team. One of a select few players to have broken the fifty-goal barrier at international level, Keane was crucial in qualifying, netting seven times in all – a total bettered only by Germany’s Miroslav Klose (9) and Holland’s Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (12). Ireland’s biggest weakness may well be manager Giovanni Trapattoni’s notoriously negative tactics. Much criticism has come the way of central midfield duo Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews for their lack of creativity. But Andrews, in particular, has shown at club level that he’s a player who can get forward and score goals (11 in 26 league starts this season), which suggests the fault lies at the manager’s door. Trapattoni led his native Italy to a hugely disappointing Euro 2004 campaign, which saw them fail to advance beyond the group stages. With the draw seemingly so unkind to Ireland, it would take a brave man to bet against the same outcome for The Boys in Green in 2012.

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zlatan ibrahimovic

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joe hart By Graham Maywood

EURO 2012 GROUP D UKRAINE SWEDEN FRANCE ENGLAND

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‘Ukraine really have nothing to lose and should just go out and enjoy themselves in their group games’

‘Revels in its underdog status and more often than not progresses further than most predict’

UKRAINE

SWEDEN

As co-host, Ukraine has not played a competitive game for two years. This is likely to be their downfall and there may be little for the home support to cheer about.

Boasting a respectable record when it comes to appearances at the Euro finals, this will be Sweden’s fourth consecutive qualification. The country revels in its underdog status and more often than not progresses further than most predict. Their best performance in the Euros came in 1992, when they hosted the event. Sweden made it to the semi-finals, losing to Germany, only to be even more sickened when the Danish were crowned champions, despite having failed to qualify for the tournament (they became the default entry after Yugoslavia was banned). Helvete!

Had they not won the right to co-host the finals, the fact that they have not qualified in their last four attempts provides a glimpse of the nation’s current status. Ukraine lies 50th in FIFA’s latest rankings, marginally better than 65th-placed co-host, Poland. Meanwhile, England, France and Sweden are ranked 7th, 16th and 17th, respectively. Most would agree that FIFA rankings are pretty much irrelevant (the Netherlands was ranked top earlier this year, for example) but surely the gulf is too much. Add some political turmoil and bomb scares into the equation and you can’t help thinking that Ukraine really have nothing to lose and should just go out and enjoy themselves in their group games. Oleh Blokhin, a former Dynamo Kiev striker whose own international career set many records for the former USSR, manages Ukraine. He began his coaching career in Greece, was appointed head coach of Ukraine in 2003 and led them to the quarter-finals of the World Cup 2006. He was re-appointed last year after a period of club management with FC Moscow. Ukraine’s squad seems too extreme in its mix of youth and experience, and unlikely to gel as a balanced side. Young players who should shine if given the opportunity include midfielder Yarmolenko and winger Konoplyanka. Older heads include Rotan, Gusev and Voronin. Even the 35-year-old Andrei Shevchenko may feature, if he recovers from injury. On the positive side, Ukraine has some truly beautiful stadiums and women. They will enjoy their nights in the limelight, especially when they host the final at the 83,000-capacity Olimiysky Stadium in Kiev on 1 July. Verdict: 4th – zero points but 10/10 for hospitality

Since 2009, Sweden has been managed by Erik Hamren, a coach with considerable experience of Scandinavian club football. He brought Sweden to qualification as the best group runner-up, a mere three points behind the Netherlands. Looking at the squad, one obvious player grabs all the headlines: Zlatan Ibrahimovic. While his goals are often decisive, Sweden is certainly more than a one-man team. In midfield Anders Svensson and Kim Kallstrom will dictate much of the play. Up front Zlatan will be looking for assists from Johan Elmander, while Hamren will trust Olof Mellberg and Andreas Isaksson to marshal his defence. Sweden will be based at the Koncha Zaspa Training Centre in Kiev. Should you be in Kiev on match day without a ticket, a city full of beautiful Ukrainian and Swedish girls might just ease the pain. Personally, I’d happily sell my ticket. Verdict: 2nd – a hard fought draw against England and better goal difference prove crucial

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‘France qualified for Poland and Ukraine unbeaten’

‘Joe Hart was unlucky to miss out in South Africa but this will have done him no harm’

FRANCE

ENGLAND

France is one of the most successful nations at the European finals, having won in 1984 and 2000. Recent performances at major finals haven’t been so good, though – particularly Raymond Domenech’s catastrophic World Cup campaign in South Africa two years ago. Since then, Les Bleues have appointed the more refined Laurent Blanc, who has introduced some Gallic harmony back into their squad.

Where to begin with the world’s most over-hyped, perennial under-achievers? Finally, a manager has been appointed and thankfully to the dissatisfaction of the UK’s tabloid newspapers. Roy Hodgson is a technically competent coach who earned his badges managing Halmstads BK to two Swedish championship titles in 1976 and 1979. Whilst not enjoying the most glittering years in terms of silverware since then, he has progressed from national coach of Switzerland, Blanc, nicknamed ‘Le President’, was a distinguished to Internazionale, Blackburn, Fulham, Liverpool and, and stylish defender, often playing the sweeper role. most recently, West Bromwich Albion. More imporHis playing career started at Montpellier and went tantly, his peers and fellow professionals respect him. on to play for Barcelona, Napoli, Internazionale and It is also unlikely he will accommodate the fractious Manchester United, among others. His coaching career egos that continue to pervade his national team. began in 2007 at Bordeaux and, after Domenech’s managerial debacle, the FFF accepted Blanc’s personal So, what about Roy’s possible squad for their East application for the role of head coach. European adventure? Well, it certainly isn’t a bed of roses and with any luck Terry will be on gardening France qualified for Poland and Ukraine unbeaten. leave to attend the Chelsea Flower Show. Joe Hart In the past two years they have become more attack was unlucky to miss out in South Africa but this will minded and now, arguably, pose the strongest threat have done him no harm. He has had a fine season and in Group D. Blanc’s midfield is his biggest concern, will most certainly rise to the occasion. He’s a future perhaps because he has too many options. Some England captain who will also have a busy competiplayers are not yet seasoned at international level but tion should England progress, only to be knocked-out this is a wonderful dilemma to have. Just look at the by an inevitable penalty shoot-out. players who feature in the Premier League and you can see the plethora of talent throughout the squad: England’s defence will have enough experience but Clichy, Evra, Kaboul, Koscielny, Cabaye, Malouda, perhaps not enough recent games for the ideal four Nasri, Ben Arfa; the list is endless. Then consider playing together. The old-guard midfield has an Lloris, Mexes, Abidal and Ribery. Sacre Bleu! The one opportunity for one last hurrah but asking them to to look out for, though, is Yann M’Villa. A highly rated play together will depend on whether the WAGs are 21-year-old holding midfielder who could form the invited and which brands are in the local shopping barrier in Blanc’s defensive strategy. All in all, Blanc malls. now has the strongest French team since they last hoisted the trophy in 2000. Up front there are opportunities for new blood to come into the fray, in the absence of Shrek (Wayne Rooney) Verdict: 1st – maximum points and France comfort- for the first two matches. Welbeck, Sturridge and Carroll ably continue their 15-year unbeaten run against could all be on the plane and their careers could take a remarkable trajectory, if they have the desire. Unless the Premier League hasn’t burnt them out, that is. Verdict: 3rd – an opportunity for Hodgson to wipe the slate clean. New blood needed.

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Sentinel Fantasy Football winners 2011-2012 By Denson Pierre

< Craig Adani collects August MoM on behalf of Damien Coughlan

> Freshly arrived from Australia Shane Brady receives MoM December

< Dave collects the first of James Myersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;three MoMs

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75 < Steven Fockema keeps up his average with MoM February

Matt Parker enjoys MoM April

Max van Gelder SFFA Cup winner 2012

Three for James

< James Myers.

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More pennies for James

Damien Coughlan finally arrives to collect his second place SFFL prize in person. MoM September Jonathan Wheeler hangs to the right

Shane and Michiel ponder what the second half will bring

Damien and new favourite man

< Tension

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77 < Bayern Munich score

After penalties time for the coin twirl to decide the FFG-CL

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The Golden Envelope

Heads it was and Simon Owusu is congratulated by Graham Maywood

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