f o e l b a t ent t n co FEATURED INTERVIEW
4
Amy Williams MBE DAVID HUNT JohnnyNelson FEATURED INTERVIEW
6
FEATURED INTERVIEW
8
INTERVIEW
GB Star Eilish McColgan a football brexit Ciaran Clark Rufus Brevett
14
INTERVIEW
18 20
INTERVIEW
21
The North London Divide Who Holds The Cards
22
INTERVIEW
GEMMA WILSON
24
INTERVIEW
brendan rodgers celtic 16
e n o r Ty s g n i M
Y R O T S R E V O C
Designer: Muhammad Ali (itecso@yahoo.com)
28
FEATURED INTERVIEW
Amy Williams MBE 4 Sports News
The Coaching Network
How did you get into Skeleton Racing? I was a athlete first of all, I took part in every sport growing up, then concentrated on athletics, doing 200 and 400m races. however due to shin splits and other injuries I knew i wasn’t at a high enough level to compete for Great Britain, so I looked around at other sports, modern pentathlon and Skeleton as there was a push track in Bath. I went and had a go, and then took myself out to Holland in the summer of 2002 to compete as a guest for GB in a international world push start championships, where i came 2nd. the performance directer of British skeleton said that i should have ago on the ice, down a real track, and so in Oct 2002 i did, i joined in an army ice camp in Lillehammer… then i never stopped! What is your current status in sport since retiring? ell I’m broken all over!! iv got a lot of disc problems in my lower back and neck, & have 4 major knee operations, the last being knee alignment surgery 9 months ago which I’m still recovering from. after retiring i did start a bit of crossfire and loved it, however all the old injuries that made me stop skeleton came back, so now i just do yoga almost everyday, and maybe the odd slow 20min jog, that’s all my knees can manage! What would you say your biggest achievement in sport is? or sure my Olympic medal in 2010, however my World Championships silver medal the year before in 2009 was a hug learning and turning point from which i learn a lot of lessons, which i then developed to help me win in Vancouver. Out of all the coaches/trainers you’ve worked under who do you feel that you learnt the most under and why? wouldn’t say there has been a particular one, you have very different relationships with each
W
F I
The Coaching Network
coach, be it your strength and conditioning coach you see in the gym every day throughout the summer or your winter ice coach who you see throughout the winter. iv learnt from all of them, equally i have always self taught myself and read up a lot to continuously learn as an athlete. What would you say to anyone who wants to get into Skeleton Racing? ive it a go! it is a speed event, so you need to be fast over 30m sprint, then you need great core strength to lye on the sled and driving it down the track. of course adrenaline and the need for speed is essential too! Out of all the tracks you’ve competed on which did you enjoy the most? ach track is very different. It is like F1, each has different qualities to it. in skeleton and bobsleigh, there are tracks that are very fast, high G-Force, big corners and pressures, or there are the technical pushers track, which the start time is very important, they are slower, gliding tracks, but each suit different athletes. I was always good at the fast sports.
G E
Sports News 5
INTERVIEW
Which has been your favourite club to play for? avourite club was Brentford as prior to joining I had fallen out of love for football. We then went on to win the league that season.
F
To what or who do you owe your success in football? owe my success to my mother mainly but also myself for having the drive to be successful.
I
What have you learnt from being in such a demanding and arguably cruel industry? have learnt not to take criticism to heart. I now have thick skin which is great for my new business venture.
DAVID HUNT
I
Which coaches or managers do you look up to in regards of style and philosophy? egarding philosophy I love Barcelona and their ethics/culture of excellence. Passion of Jurgen Klopp, brains of Martinez, Diego simeone is also one to look out for.
R
What made you decide not to go into coaching? didn’t go into coaching because I felt have more to offer/achieve in life than to be the standard football coach.
I I
Would I of been good? n my opinion yes but would I of been paid what I was worth and have the freedom of life like I want? Probably not. With this in mind I decided to cut loose and enter the world of reality.
6 Sports News
The Coaching Network
What ventures will you look to in the future after football? have always wanted to build my own business but playing in the lower leagues meant that I never earn money that would make me be able to invest in anything. Therefore I looked at the model of Network Marketing haven’t looked back since.
I
Who is your dream X1 from past and present players? 1. Neuer
2. Alves
3. R. Carlos
4. Kompany
5. Stam
6. Busquets
7. Xavi
8. Iniest
9. The Ronaldo 10. Messi 11. Ronaldinho
The Coaching Network
Sports News 7
INTERVIEW
Nelson Johnny Today I am joined by former WBO world cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson as we take a walk down memory lane.
L
ets start from the beginning, how did you first get into boxing Johnny? I got into it by accident really. I didn’t actually want to fight I just went there to make friends. The school I went to, there was a certain group from the rough side of Sheffield we got picked to go to a posh catholic school, the majority of us we wasn’t well to do kids so by the time I had finished school the mates that I had, they were rich kids so they would go off to university or to work for their fathers. I wasn’t a brainiac at school so I had to start again. I had my friends that lived on my doorstep but you didn’t really socialise with them that much because you had kind of stuck with your school mate, so once I had finished I thought I need to start again here, do something I can get attached to and it was just to make friends, I didn’t want to box. I had no intention of boxing it was just to make friends down the gym that was it. With that being said Johnny was you not a fan of boxing as a child then Johnny, not have any boxing heros at all? No, not really no. My dad watched it and I would watch it with him but as a young child I can’t say I dreamt of
8 Sports News
being a world champion or God I want to be Ali. I just didn’t think that was going to happen to me. I always just thought it was somebody on television. Some people know their path in life, some people find their path in life and some people trip on their path in life and thats what happened to me, I just tripped on my path in life and eventually it clicked for me but it took a long time. Johnny you made your professional debut March 1986 and went on to lose your first three fights, did that knock your confidence at all? Not at all! I had thirteen amateur fights and only won three! I didn’t care if I won or lost, like I said I just wanted to make friends. I didn’t have big dreams I didn’t care if I won or lost because I had no aspirations of becoming a world champion I just went there to be part of a group, the guys train together, we travel on the bus together we would all train together. They didn’t understand it with me because I didn’t care but they did care if they won or lost. I was the butt of the joke in the gym because I would still carry on coming and keep persisting.
The Coaching Network
The Coaching Network
Sports News 9
and keep Again it wasn’t to become a champion, I thought thats where my mates were. At times I went to a fight and thought I hope my opponent don’t turn up. Thats just how it was. You did then rack up fifteen wins from your next seventeen fights winning the central area and the British cruiserweight titles earning you a shot at the WBC world cruiserweight title against De Leon. You drew that fight and the home crowd turned on you that fight. How did the reaction from that night make you feel? I think that was the beginning of my actual desire to want to box. Up to that point I had won titles and I actually didn’t think I was that good, I just thought everybody else was crap! I had no self belief I just thought they were rubbish and that I was lucky to get in the ring with people that can’t box that well, that was what I actually thought that’s the honest truth. When it came to boxing for the world title I was panicking thinking I am going to get exposed here, everybody is going to realise I am a fraud, they will see I can’t really fight and the guys I have been beating are crap. Not thinking about the other side like the glass is half full, I am actually not bad so when I fought De Leon for a world title in Sheffield I can understand peoples frustrations because they saw I had the ability when I didn’t see it, I didn’t perform because I panicked thinking I am going to embarrass myself in front of people here and get knocked out. In thinking like that I was completely negative. I looked at De Leon’s record and at one point he was the best crusierweight in the world and I thought he is top drawer, I am going to get exposed here and this is how i fought, negatively, not realising that I can do it. So the mind is a very strong tool. The one thing I learnt from boxing is that your mind is your biggest opponent not the man your fighting. So I boxed De Leon and drew and I can understand the frustration of folk because they saw a young man throw away the opportunity to change his life and still the penny hadn’t dropped until then but once that had happened everybody had turned against me it hurt that much that all of a sudden I felt I had to prive something to myself and to those people that turned against me because my friendships changed overnight people who were all over me during the build up to that fight didn’t want to know. This was human nature at its worst and I thought ‘Wow this hurts’ so that affected me and made me want to achieve. That was the beginning of the turn around for me. I didn’t realise it would take almost nine years after that to get the world title.
10 Sports News
You did go on to win the WBO world title which you still hold the joint record of most title defences, thirteen, which you hold with Marco Huck. How much did the world title wins and the record mean to you? Having the record I didn’t actually think about it. To me the reason why I know that I was different to most of the successful guys in the gym was because once I had won the world title I didn’t become complacent. I wanted more, I thought right now I have achieved that but it wasn’t enough, I thought ‘is that it? I want more than this, this isnt it. Each time I boxed I didn’t think I could get complacent then I realised I had the same mentality, not the same ability, but the same mentality of your Alis, Fraziers, all the successful fighters that managed to win titles and unify titles and still fight and put on performances of top level because you got to think to yourself its very hard to motivate yourself once you have climbed that mountain. To me I had got it, I thought I know I won the title but its not enough, I was still hungry and then the belief started to come. I thought I’m different and each time I won I never ever was complacent I always had that hunters mentality. I find with a lot of fighters they win a title because that’s their dream but once they got it they usually lose it in the first or second defence because their drive, ambition and desire is no longer there because they have got what they want. When I got the world title it still wasn’t what I wanted, I wanted more I didn’t know what it was but I wanted more and that’s what drove me on. Creating that record is something I didn’t even think about until I had retired, people would tell me ‘you have created a record.’ I would say ‘oh really?!’ it wasn’t a big deal to me. They made a big deal out of Marco Huck matching my record and that’s when it came to light, but looking at Huck I thought this isnt real, this guy has only boxed on his own doorstep, that’s BS. The record was a bigger deal to everybody else than it was to me because even when I won all those defences I still wanted more it wasn’t enough for me. That is what defined me between a lot of champions who are very similar to me like your Leonards, Haglers, Alis in the way I thought. You see these guys with the millions in the bank and you think what makes these guys get out of bed in the morning, its because their mentalitites are different, it doesn’t matter what they have got or achieved they still want more. When I boxed I always wanted more to prove it to yourself, you got to think selfish like that. You mentioned Marco Huck there, now there was a lot of
The Coaching Network
The Coaching Network
Sports News 11
talk about you two fighting, just how real were the rumours? It was very real! He got offered about £600k and still kept moving the goalposts and kept saying he wanted this, he wanted that. I thought it was an excellent story because both fighters have created a record. Why not put both fighters in the ring with the record at stake, I never lost it in the ring he achieved it in the ring when he invited me out to Germany I told him the truth I told him that he has done well but he is not really a champion because champions are able to box all over the world and come back, he never boxed outside of Germany and they didn’t take to kindly to my words. It was a great story also because of my age and his age at the time its intriguing because they are thinking a young Johnny Nelson would’ve dealt with Marco Huck but how will an aged Nelson deal with him? I didn’t want to come back for a career and I made that very clear and I think that’s what might have been a stumbling block to any promoter who expressed an interest in the fight, I just wanted to come back for that fight. I didn’t want a warm up fight, I didn’t want to pick that fight and have a few more I just wanted that fight, because it takes long enough to get it out of your system it would have taken me six to eight months to get myself back into fight condition, I know I was fit but then there’s fight fit and my 50% fitness is probably Hucks 100% fitness but when I boxed my 100% fitness was never matched because I knew I was fit and knew I could do it and that was the secret to my success, so I said give me six months to get fit and we are on and the fight was almost done but Marco Huck kept moving the goalposts and his former promoters said to me ‘Look Johnny he doesn’t want to fight you, your either going to make him look bad and he wins or you win and his career is over because of your age.’ It would have been an excellent story, but what did he do, he went and boxed in America for around $300k and lost. I thought more fool you. I must mention Brendan Ingle, one of the finest coaches the sport has had. How much did he help you through your career? A complete help, without Brendan Ingle there would be no Johnny Nelson. Without Brendan I wouldn’t have boxed, from the first day I set foot in that gym I knew I couldn’t have boxed if I had walked into any other gym, I remember when I was in school and my mum sent me to London to get a job and I went to a gym there and these guys were in there battering each other and I thought ‘No way, I ain’t doing that man!’ Brendans style of training
12 Sports News
his way of teaching, that suited me. Brendan is not just a boxing coach he is a life coach and he moulded me. He told me ‘Johnny you won’t become good until your in your thirtys.’ and he said this when I was a teen and at the time I thought I don’t want to be boxing when I’m thirty odd. Brendan coached me, he schooled me, he was my friend I trusted him and he still is my friend and he is one person I will always respect. Everybody has that one mentor, that person that guided them, Mike Tyson had Cus D’Amato, David Beckham had Alex Ferguson. Brendan has had many fighters walk away from him and once they walked they never really achieved ability wise what they could have, Naz walked Herrol Graham left and they had never boxed as well as when they were with Ingle. Loyalty to me towards Brendan was everything, I saw people come and go, I saw people mess up, I saw people regret leaving, I saw all that and I thought I haven’t got a problem here I’m happy. I got Brendan and I am a product of his gym because I didn’t have natural ability, I didn’t come from an excellent amateur pedigree, he helped me from scratch, from the start to finish so I represent exactly what the gym is all about. Its about giving anybody and everybody a chance and if you put the work in expect the results. I hope I make him and the gym proud because of that because I know I am a product of the gym. You mentioned Price Naz and Herrol Graham both men are held in high regard within British boxing, did they help you in training and vice versa? The funny thing is you are all in the gym at the same time, Naz is younger than me and Herrol is older, now if you had no idea who all the fighters were and you walked into Ingle’s gym you would not know who was a champion or who was a challenger. I was a gym champion but I couldn’t perform in public and it took a while for that penny to drop to think ‘Johnny you are doing exactly the same as Herrol Graham, your’e doing exactly the same as Naseem Hamed why can’t you do it in public?’ so when we were in the gym we all looked at each other and picked things from each other thinking I would do that or I wouldn’t do that. Naz, I loved his confidence, I loved how he grew but what Naz did in the gym we all did it, when he filpped over the ropes we all did it in the gym but none of us were stupid enough to do it in public incase we fell so Naz was the only one to do it publicly and when he had done it once he had to always do it. When you walk into Brendans gym if you look at the ceiling abouve the ring you will see black marks on the ceiling which is when us bigger guys done it our feet hit the ceiling and you would land nine
The Coaching Network
times out of ten but you would drop and think I don’t want to do that in a fight. Everyone thought Naz was amazing for doing it but we all did it in the gym, what Naz did was he had the courage to do it in public and of course his ability was second to none but Naz knew it, as my mum says ‘a ghost knows who to frighten’ so when in the gym he knows who to put it on and who not to, Naz was an amazing athlete. Herrol Graham was a magician, an absolubte magician. We all developed at different times, at different levels. It were actually very good, very healthy and we all learnt off each other its just how it is. There has been a great production of boxers from Sheffield with the likes of yourself, Naz, Herrol along with Junior Witter, Kell Brook and Kid Galahad currently. Who do you think is the finest boxer out of Sheffield? If you look at what Brendan has done currently out of all of England out of his gym I think he is one of the most successful trainers in the world, you can tally up the amount of British, Commonwealth, European and World champions out of one gym, there is no gym in Engalnd that compares to that because he has made them, he created them, he hasn’t stole fighters asking them to ‘come and fight for em’ he created them. He is the most successful trainer this country has ever had and they will not appreciate what Brendan has achieved for years to come, I think look at the champions he has had look at what he did he did it from scratch, fighters from all different shapes and sizes. Herrol Graham for me was an absolute genius, he was the man. But you look to find flaws in everyone, I think Herrol Graham, brilliant but his mentality when it came to a fight he was like he was running on fear, like he had seen a ghost that’s what Herrol was like in the dressing room he wouldn’t talk to anyone, he was really quiet and really withdrawn but if you look at the flipside of it Naz was loud and there was always music playing, I loved that side of Naz, there was a fighter called Brian Anderson, British champion I loved his mentality because he just wanted to fight. So you start thinking to yourself who do you want to be like, do I want to be like Herrol withdrawn and quiet and then come out and box your fight or do you want to be like Naz blowing up with a lot of energy and let people see that, he intimidates people with how relaxed and happy you are, do you want to be like Brian Anderson who wants to just get in there and get stuck into it. I think Herrol Graham was the best fighter that came out of the gym, skill wise I think Naseem Hamed, if I told you the things he did to fighters of all weights and sizes
The Coaching Network
you wouldn’t believe me, he smashed heavyweights they couldn’t touch him, and on his day he was brilliant and Brendan said to Naz ‘you could win titles at four different weights. But unfortunately your going to be like chocolate and end up earing yourself and self destruct.’ He was right. Kell Brook coming through, he has got it! What you have seen of Kell so far is only 60% of what he can do, the kid can fight, and I am not just saying that, I have seen what he can do. Jr Witter can fight on his day but he has had a small window and I think if he had got the big fights against the likes of Ricky Hatton he would have shot up there but he wasn’t a guy who puts bums on seats, he wasn’t a character like Hatton so of course they were going to push Ricky forward because he was like the boy next door and eventually you get disheartened that’s what happened to Witter. There was a another fighter called Fidel Castro Smith who’s fight name was Slugger O’Toole, this guy was absolutely outstanding but Brendan said its never just about ability its about character and if your character is strong enough that will carry you through but your character can make you or break you. Final question for you Johnny is, if you could pick any fighter past or present who would be your dream fight and why? Oh wow! My dream fight for myself I would have liked to have unified the world title, for me I would have like to have boxed, people won’t know these guys, Juan Carlos Gomez, this guy was a Cuban, he was unbelievably brilliant, he was the WBC champion when I was WBO champion, its a fight I would have loved to had because I thought he was a really good fighter and I would have beaten him and beaten him well. If you want to talk about big names, why would I want to fight them?! Why would I want to get in the ring with the likes of Sugar Ray Robinson? Muhammad Ali? These guys were brilliant. These guys are my favourite fighters but I want to look at guys I could beat and wouldn’t mind beating. Jack Johnson, Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard all these guys are my hero’s, I was inspired by them all. These guys are not guys you want to fight, you want to be inspired by them.
Sports News 13
INTERVIEW
GB Star Eilish McColgan 14 Sports News
B
oth your parents Liz and Peter McColgan were athletes, who had successful sporting careers. Did you feel the pressure at a early age to get into athletics and become successful? I didn’t feel any pressure to be honest. Although both my parents were athletes, it was normal to me and I thought everyone’s parents were the same until I went to high school and realised that being a runner wasn’t a standard job. I think because my mums coached me from the very beginning, there’s never really been any pressure. I want to w successful because I love running and she fully understands that. She let me decide what I wanted to do and when I wanted to fully commit to athletics - she was more than happy to help me get there. In 2006 you a silver medal at the Scottish School’s Championships in the 1500 metres and a bronze medal at the International Under-17s Schools Championships. What are your memories from these two early events in your career? If I’m totally honest, I can’t actually remember these races! I’ve done hundreds of races throughout the years and to be honest - my achievements as a senior athlete are the ones I remember. As a junior, athletics was just a hobby and something I did alongside school and then university. Now athletics is my job and so there’s a much greater importance. I obviously remember racing as a junior and I can remember names of the girls I competed against but the actual specifics - I can’t fully recall! Two years later you won a bronze medal in the 2008 Scottish Indoor Championships in the 1500 metres race. You were then selected for the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games in India but suffered a major knee injury from which took you a year-and-a-half to recover. You also missed the 2011 World Championships, held in Daegu, South Korea, after breaking her foot at a Diamond League event in London. How was the long road to recovery and how frustrating was this period in your career? It was obviously frustrating as a junior to be missing the sport I loved but it was nowhere near as frustrating as a senior. Athletics is a hobby and a job and being unable to do your job for over a year has huge downfalls, emotionally, mentally, physically and financially. It’s an extremely difficult period to keep picking yourself up and keeping positive. I broke my ankle last year in January 2015 and had a further 18 months out. It really wasn’t ideal heading into an Olympic year
The Coaching Network
but I’ve worked harder than ever, cross training and doing everything everything that I could to get back into shape again. Your senior debut for Great Britain came in Sweden, where your were initially selected as a reserve to cover a range of different events. You was called upon to compete in the 3000 metres steeplechase, an event which she had only competed in twice before, and ran a personal best. What were your first thoughts when being called upon for this event? It was a brilliant experience to represent my country. It was my first step into the international athletics world. It cemented things to me that this was what I wanted to do. In 2011 you won the silver medal in the 5000 metres at the UK Outdoor Championships. Then you won the gold medal in the 1500 metres at the 2011 Scottish University Championships. Would you say 2011 has been one of your most successful years in your career so far? Not at all. 2011 is nowhere near my most successful years. In 2013, I made the final of the World Championships in Russia running a new PB over the 3000m SC and coming 10th. To be 10th in the world was definitely my best achievement to date. Making the Olympic team in 2012 is obviously quite high up there too. To be honest, this year has been my fastest ever. I’ve ran a 35 second PB And Olympic Q
The Coaching Network
time over 5000m and a 4 second PB over 3000m to run one of the fastest times of all time for both distances. You won two gold medals at the 2012 Scottish Universities Indoor Championships, placing first in both the 1500 and 3000 metres events. In June 2012 at a meeting in Oslo, Norway you ran a time of nine minutes 38.45 seconds to beat the Olympic ‘A’ qualification standard in the 3000 metres steeplechase. What can you remember from this race? I was over the moon to run an Olympic qualifier and make my first ever Olympic team. It was an amazing experience being in London 2012 and one I’ll always remember. You confirmed your qualification for the steeplechase at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London by winning the British trials in a time of nine minutes 56.90 seconds. You were the only athlete to finish in under ten minutes and the only British athlete to have achieved the ‘A’ qualifying standard. How proud of this were you? It had been a really tough year returning from breaking my foot and undergoing surgery. I was proud to have cemented my place on the Olympic team. What are you currently training towards and what are your objectives for 2016? Rio 2016 is my one and only goal. I want to be in that final and racing against the best in the world.
Sports News 15
MAIN INTERVIEW
Tyrone Mings
A
t the age of eight you joined Southampton, what were your first memories of signing for The Saints at a young age? My first memories were actually being scouted at a very young age and I turned them down because I wanted to continue to play for my hometown club, FC Chippenham, a couple years later they came back in for me and I accepted their invite and joined their youth set up. My first memories were the annual meeting where we would go down to St Marys and collect our kit for the year, that was a very exciting thing for a 8/9 year old - also seeing all the professional training grounds was exciting
16 Sports News
Unfortunately the youth wage budget was axed and you left Southampton in 2009. After your football scholarship finished at Millfield School you joined non league side Yate Town. In the summer of 2012 you considered quitting football before eventually signing for your home town team Chippenham Town. Why did you consider quitting football and what changed your mind to carry on playing? wanted to quit because I wasn’t enjoying football and I was making more money being a mortgage advisor - also enjoying that job a lot more. It didn’t make sense to keep playing football as I wasn’t seeing any light at the end of the tunnel. I carried on playing because I passed my driving test the day before Yate’s season started so it allowed me to get to and from the games easier, If i hadnt have passed, I don’t know it id have carried on
I
The Coaching Network
After a short trial, you joined Ipswich Town for a transfer of £10,000. How did your time at Yate Town and Chippenham Town help your football career after considering to quit football? on league football is very real, however you obviously have to couple football with a job, a job that usually pays you more money than football does so its very easy to get derailed. It helped me massively though because it gave me a period to grow, it gave me a time to mature as a person, and also taught me a lot about dealing with situations yourself and standing on your own two feet. I feel in academies you get taught an awful lot and sometimes guided through games, in non league its very much learn for yourself, and learn fast.
N
You made your debut for Ipswich in 2012/13 season against Burnley. How good was it to make your debut after being released at Southampton and going through non league football? t was a very proud moment for myself & my family they’re the ones who sacrificed the most to give me a platform to perform so I owe a lot to them and it was good to give something back to them.
I
Following Aaron Cresswell’s transfer to West Ham United you were handed the number 3 shirt. Fans were humbled by your generosity of offering fans new shirts for the ones who already had bought shirts with your old number on. What was your decision for this? t came as second nature, I didn’t want them going the whole season with the wrong shirt number on their back. I was also very humbled that people had bought shirts with my number on the back because I had come out of non league, hadn’t made more than 10 starts for the club and they were already believing in me
I
On transfer deadline day summer 2014, you were subject to a £3 million pound bid from Crystal Palace which was rejected. How did you feel about this bid getting rejected? t the time it felt bitter sweet, I was very flattered and when it was rejected my only thought was ‘I hope I haven’t missed the boat’ but I put my trust in Mick McCarthy to handle my career in the right way, as he had done up until that date, and once again he didn’t let me down. He told me the day after the transfer window
A
The Coaching Network
shut that they’d sell me for 2 or 3 times more than that, and he wasn’t wrong. On 26th June 2015, you joined newly promoted to The Barclays Premier League Bournemouth on a four year deal. How did you feel when you heard Bournemouth wanted you? t all happened so quick I was on holiday and they called saying Bournemouth have had a bid accepted & you need to fly home. So I did, I was over the moon to be given a chance in the premier league
I
Coming from non league football all the way to the top flight of English football! You made your premier league debut in a 1-1 draw with Leicester City but unfortunately you suffered a knee injury six minutes after coming on at half time. It was later confirmed that you’d be sidelined between nine and twelve months. How have you kept your self motivated during your long time on the sideline? set up an interior design & architecture company called KTM design with my business partner, Katie. It has come on leaps and bounds and is really keeping my head away from football when I need it to!
I
You are still currently sidelined with your injury, how is the recovery going and when will you be back playing again? ehab is going really well, Im aiming to get bad as soon as possible however I don’t want to put a timescale on it incase I miss it, or come back early and people think I may have rushed. All I know is I’m trying to get back as soon as possible
R
You eligible to play for England and Barbados. If Barbados offered you the chance to play for them, would you accept or would you wait for the chance to play for England? t the moment I’m just looking to get back fit and play domestically - my long term goal is to play international football, whoever that may be for, I honestly haven’t decided yet.
A
Many Thanks
Sports News 17
A FOOTBALL A FOOTBALL BREXIT? A NON-POLITICAL LOOK AT WHAT DID EUROPE EVER DO FOR US? I was recently asked what effect an exit from the EU would have on our game. Would player transfers stay the same? Could managers and coaches operate freely around the continent and what might happen to the domestic and international tournaments between nations? I had no idea! So I researched on-line…….I still had no-idea! So I contacted a couple of people who might know. After talking to them, I now have two completely different ideas as to what will happen. So, still really no real idea. Transfers will still be in play but work permits might be an issue to obtain. Wages and taxation laws when playing abroad, even for a single match could come under more scrutiny but football will still be football. Like most typical, everyday folk I’m left guessing along with the experts on just about everything regarding a referendum and what MIGHT happen. So, like any coach should, I realise the topic isn’t getting the outcome I’m looking for and will adapt the session. In a football sense, what has Europe ever done for us? My awareness of Europe began in the late 70s and early 80s. Back in a day where a country’s identity was defined and their football was one of type. England were the Bulldogs. All hard work and graft. Running up stadium steps and living on Steak and Chips. Defenders ‘getting
18 Sports News
it away’. Never say die, never give up. Italy, passionate and over emotional. Defensively dogged and hard. The blue shirted guys on the TV on their knees, pleading for a different decision. The ‘efficiency’ of the stereotypical German, always a team with a common purpose and the emerging Dutch, the first European team to show the skill and movement until now reserved for the South Americans. These are my memories as a kid. Each team with its own DNA and type of playing. Cruyff, Rossi and later, Pearce make for a good set of highlights but was the football really any good? Did the European Football family grow closer and did the game evolve over time to become what we know today? Strong argument that England struggled to evolve. Not quickly anyway. Workmanlike players were still the norm and those with bloodied bandages (heroes as they are) became icons. Pundits were delighted to see players like Dunga star for Brazil and later Makelele and Busquets because they typified the ‘holding’ role which we hold so dear, giving us an excuse to play our own. Batty, Ince and others were great Premier League players and typified that English DNA of the time (it means something different now) but other teams were evolving and their workers could also really play. Current commentators and Pundits (some who were doing the job in the 70s) still like to Stereotype nations at times. Italians dive? South Americans cheat? Germans are a machine? But as I grew up watching tournaments on TV, cul-
The Coaching Network
tures started to change. Players started to travel and sample the different attitudes. The Dutch team finally win a tournament in 1988, with a team still trying to play their ‘Total Football’ but adding some other influences into their game. Were there players and coaches better travelled now? Players produced and taught to play beautifully by the respected Ajax and PSV set ups were now found in Italy, Spain and even England as they grew. The transfer market had gone international for many nations. Germans in Spain and Italy. The Dutch playing all over. South American influences coming to the continent for the cash but bringing so much more. England lagged behind, sticking to the old principles up to the mid 90s when a change started to occur. Sir Bobby Robson (one of the real greatest) had done OK. With Venables, we still had the grafting players but suddenly we were talking about ‘Christmas Tree’ formations with players alternating positions mid game. Strikers were dropping deeper (Sheringham) and full backs were given more licence. Creativity had been added as a concept rather than the preserve of a Gazza or a Beardsley. History judges Sir Bobby really well but how much better would he had been as England Manager if he’d taken the helm AFTER his managerial tour of Holland, Portugal and Spain? Our domestic game was starting to be heavily influenced by foreign coaches and ideas. Arsene Wenger and Gerard Houllier (the latter having plenty of input into the French Football Revolution) started to bring ideas across the channel. Sir Alex has had a number of foreign coaches on the staff. Foreign imports flocking to the cash cow which is the premier league would bring new ideas, diets and habits which would catch on. As Europe got closer together in a football sense, then our game became more appealing and better to watch. Where we went then depends on your point of view. Sven was unlucky with injuries and personal intrusion but still had us playing well, comfortably qualifying and only losing to extremely good teams when it mattered. Capello had a similar time with an English manager sandwiched between them. Is it a coincidence that I went to see En-
The Coaching Network
gland play under that manager at Old Trafford at that time, watching us use a skilfull, intelligent striker by pumping it high because he was 6’7”? When did we last fail to qualify for a tournament and was that manager experienced enough in different styles of the game? Always physically strong and fast but never without flair. Their coaches and players also sampling other types of football. The Germans seemed to add to their game and I can think of a couple of top German strikers who piled their trade in Italy, improving their game where defending is considered the best. Belgium are now rising, with players learning all over the continent, sharing experiences and learning. Spain are perhaps the exception, relying more on their own massive clubs and their youth academies, alongside a committed coaching programme. Would they be developing better if they tried another league, playing abroad in a different style? Teams know more about each other and can vary their styles accordingly. Even England if we’re brave enough. Our manager is no stranger to the continent but perhaps has the weight of journalists and broadcasters, all still stuck in the past on his shoulders? Creativity and ideas is still frowned upon. The FA are promoting a new type of DNA. How much of the old one, if any should be retained? I’ve spoken to many well travelled coaches as they’ve sampled academies, clubs and tournaments abroad, observing coaching and habits. Session types, motivation techniques, nutrition and behaviours. Some have loved the experience. Some have some darker stories to tell but each and every one of them has learned something from the experience and used it to better themselves. The game is for sharing. It belongs to us all. Are we better for sharing it with the rest of the world? If it’s not, perhaps it’s time for a run up the stadium steps! I’ve no idea about the Referendum! Thanks for reading this rare trip into the Pro game!
Sports News 19
Villa captaincy up in the air
A
Ciaran Clark 20 Sports News
ston Villa’s 16 year-long servant Gabby Agbonlahor was stripped of his captaincy duties in late April. Villa’s longest serving player last appeared for his home town club in mid March, and since being omitted from the squad controversy has since rained over the former and England front man. Central defensive pairing Micah Richards and Joleon Lescott obtained the armband with Agbonlahor missing, and it is still unclear who will carry the team for the 2016/17 campaign. As the case with the majority of relegated sides, there is bound to be a major overhaul of the playing squad. No decision has been reached over who will manage the West Midlands club. Roberto Di Matteo and former Brighton boss Oscar Garcia seem to be high in the running order with the bookies, but I feel there are many more twists and turns to come. It is likely that the next manager to test the Villa Park hotseat will make a decision on Agbonlahor’s successor, but here are a few names I would be considering. If Micah Richards decides to stay put despite playing Championship football for the first time in his career, he would definitely be a sensible option. A vocal attacking full-back who, although may have been slightly out of his depth at centre half this term, could cut the mustard at Championship level. Despite the amount of experience that players such as Richards and Lescott could bring the side, a side relegated from the Premier League for the first time should surely be looking to the future. If this is the case Ciaran Clark would fit the bill. A fully fledged Irish international, Clark has been on the clubs books since the age of 12, and with this he will carry the heart and courage a captain should personify. Well there’s my view, feel free to let me know who you think should become the next Aston Villa captain below!
The Coaching Network
INTERVIEW
You started your career at Doncaster Rovers playing 109 games scoring 3 times before moving to QPR in 1991. What are your fondest memories during your time at Doncaster Rovers? etting to The FA Youth Cup Final was amazing and playing for Billy Bremner and Dave Mackay, I loved every minute of my time at Donny!
G
You made your debut for QPR away to Tottenham and played 153 times for the club scoring one goal away to Southampton in the premier league. What can you remember from your goal away at Southampton? he goal was at home against Southampton I just remember Kevin Gallen shooting and I followed up scoring from 5 yards.
T
After QPR’s relegation from the premier league, you later moved to Fulham who were Division One of English football. In your five years at Craven Cottage, you played a total of 175 games. What games stand out from your time at the club? hen I joined Fulham we were in league 1. Winning two promotions and captaining Fulham when we won a European trophy!
W
Rufus W BreS vett
You then spent two seasons at West Ham United before moving to Plymouth where you spent a season at the club. How do you feel your time at theses clubs went? est Ham United is a great club but the 2nd season I was out for a year through injury which was really hard! Before retiring from the playing side of the game, you had a spell at Leicester City and Oxford United. During your time at Oxford United, you were on a month to month contract which lasted a whole season. How did you feel about this and what impact did it give you?
How a club is run from the inside, it was really a great experience for me. ince then, you’ve had management roles in non league with Arlesey Town and your current the manager of Hanworth Villa. How are you finding the management side of the game? I really enjoy the management side of the game!
The Coaching Network
Sports News 21
The North London Divide Who Holds The Cards 22 Sports News
W
ell, what a crazy Premier League season that has been! Leicester win the title, Mourinho gets the sack from Chelsea, West Ham finish 7th, Aston Villa getting relegated after being as limp as out of date lettuce and Man Utd fail to qualify for the Champions League. But listening to the media chat, the biggest headline dominating the news is the story of Arsenal finishing above Tottenham‌..yes‌.the biggest headline is Arsenal finishing above Spurs! Not long ago, that would have not even been a headline let alone dominating the media chat on radio and social media. I have read tonight, barrage upon barrage of comments on social media from Spurs fans, saying how Spurs need a huge clear out after losing to Newcastle 5-1 (which is a ridiculous overreaction I might add). Not only this but Arsenal fans cheering from the rooftops having toppled Spurs on the last day of the season So what exactly has happened in North London?! Well admittedly, its a fairly genuine headline, as Spurs should have cemented a 2nd place spot after being at least 3 points ahead of Arsenal for a fair part of season. Sadly for Tottenham fans, Spurs crumbled like a rich tea biscuit after being subjected to 2 dunks in a hot cup of tea. But despite this, under the radar Spurs have been progressing, whilst Arsenal have stagnated.
The Coaching Network
But what are the possible outcomes for the next few seasons…and who is in the best shape to push forward as things stand at the moment? On balance, in my humble opinion you would have to say Spurs. Spurs have the youngest squad in the league, which probably explains their lack of experience in the last 3-4 games, sacrificing a 2nd place finish. Nevertheless, it means Spurs have a great platform to develop as a team without having to majorly overhaul their squad. Spurs are due to move into a brand new stadium in the next few seasons, which will incidentally be larger than their north London rivals. Those who have tracked Arsenal’s progress since moving to the Emirates will argue that Spurs will suffer Arsenal’s fate of a lack of expendable cash following the building of their new stadium. The obvious counter would be to that is that: 1) Spurs have put in place a talented young squad that can be developed rather than relying on major signings 2) Arsenal have long had cash in the bank, but simply haven’t spent it. This is due to the Arsenal board desiring profit over success and Wenger either being unwilling or unable to spend the money that sits in the clubs’ bank account. The argument of Arsenal’s lack of available cash is not only tired but simply not true. They have one of the largest stadiums and the highest ticket prices. A restricted cash flow simply is a non argument. As I said earlier, over the last 10 or so seasons Spurs have slowly progressed, whereas Arsenal have stagnated. Yes Arsenal have won a few FA Cups, but from a club who once went a season unbeaten winning the league in the process, how have they progressed as a club since then? Arsenal finished 1st with 90 points in the 03/04 season. Spurs finished 14th scoring a poultry 45 points. At the end of this, the 15/16 season, Spurs finished 3rd on 70 points and Arsenal finished 2nd on 71 points. Even in the last 5 seasons of the champions league, Spurs have finished higher than Arsenal. I fear that for Arsenal, finishing 2nd this year above Spurs, is just yet another season of papering over the cracks. Arsenal’s record over Spurs in the league is very impressive in relation to finishing position. However over the last 10 years, Spurs have progressed as a club, all be it slowly. Arsenal have stagnated. This should have been Arsenal’s chance to take the Premier League title, as Man City, Chelsea and Man Utd faltered. But unfortunately they just don’t have that killer edge when they needed it, either mentally or
The Coaching Network
physically. Unless something unusual happens, such as Sunderland coming from nowhere to challenge for the title, then I think Spurs will continue to progress. Arsenal’s recent history suggests they may add one or two players but not enough to really push them forward. Spurs will probably finish above Arsenal next season, stranger things have happened…just look at Leicester!
Sports News 23
GEMMA WILSON 24 Sports News
The Coaching Network
The Coaching Network
Sports News 25
INTERVIEW
How did you get into football and at what age were you? My interest in football started when I was just a toddler, my dad would take me to Roker Park to watch Sunderland and it all grew from there, standing in the Fulwell End. As long as I can remember I have had a ball at my feet and the first team I joined was when I was 6/7. Before I joined Sunderland aged 9/10
W
hat was your most memorable match you played in and why? Possibly the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea. As a Sunderland fan playing at the Stadium of Light was one thing but for it to be an FA Cup Semi final was on a whole other level. Going into the match we were massive under dogs, we were in the league below Chelsea and nobody expected us to give them a game never mind win. But we dominated the game from start to finish, and it was one of those games where everything just comes together and the effort we put in and the spirit in that squad was unbelievable. Seeing the score board read 3-0 knowing we were in the FA Cup final was a dream come true. How long did it take you to decide on whenever to retire or not in November? I lost my dad just before he season started last year. He worked for the men’s club for 10 years and being around the training ground was really hard. It put a lot into perspective for me. Working full time travelling around the country and then training and travelling 4/5/6 times a week for football was hard, I had given everything to football and to Sunderland over the years and I felt I was ready to focus on other career goals before it was too late to retrain. Since retiring from the playing side of the game. Have you been looking to get into the coaching side of the game? I don’t have any plans to coach at the minute I am still trying to overcome some injury issues I picked up playing last season, but I want to become a Paramedic so that’s where my ambitions are going to take me. If you had to pick your Best XI of team mates you have played with in your career who would they be? Best 11 on their day would be: Carly Telford, Lucy Bronze, Stephanie Bannon, Emma Redhead, Demi Stokes, Jordan Nobbs, Jill Scott, Claire Bridgett, Natali Gutteridge, Melanie Reay, Beth Mead.
26 Sports News
The Coaching Network
The Coaching Network
Sports News 27
28 Sports News
The Coaching Network
brendan rodgers celtic The Coaching Network
Sports News 29
Having been appointed so early in the summer, Brendan Rodgers will have the entire summer to make the changes he feels are necessary to his squad, and will also have a full pre-season to work with his players. Despite the excitement at his appointment, Rodgers will be under no illusions about what needs to be achieved in his first season at Celtic, as anything short of winning the league and qualifying for the Champions League group stage will be seen as a failure.
30 Sports News
The Coaching Network
Brendan Rodgers
h
as been appointed the new manager of Scottish Premier League champions Celtic. Rodgers has signed a twelve month rolling contract at Parkhead and replaces Ronny Deila, who left after two years in charge. Rodgers appointment is a massive boast to Celtic following what has been a disappointing season by their standards. Despite winning the league title, their fifth on the bounce, Celtic were knockout out of both domestic cup competitions at the semi final stage, to Ross County and Rangers respectively, and were eliminated from Europe before Christmas, without winning a game. Despite the return of their domestic rivals to Scottish footballs top table, Rodgers’ first objective, which many will argue is also his most important, is qualifying for the Champions League group stages. Celtic have not reached the group stages of European footballs premier club competition since the 2013/14 season. Although Celtic won the league by fifteen points, the style of football played under Deila was not pleasing on the eye, which was reflected by the number of empty seats seen at Parkhead during his final campaigns to the club. Under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers, both Swansea City and Liverpool played a very entertaining brand of football. Celtic fans will be hoping that Rodgers will be bringing the same style with him to their club. If he does, not only will there not be an empty seat in the house, Parkhead will be rocking. Rodgers first season at Celtic is likely to be their toughest in recent season. Rangers have returned to The Premiership and both Aberdeen and Hearts, who were Celtic’s biggest challengers last season, will strengthen over the summer.
The Coaching Network
Sports News 31
Need a Finance Director but can’t afford a full time one? Look no further! Affinity FI offer a bespoke Finance Director service for small, medium and large organisations. In addition, we offer fully managed finance functions.
∞ Finance Team Development ∞ Cost & Profitability Reviews ∞ Fully managed purchase ledger, sales ledger, credit control, book keeping and payroll func tions ∞ Cash Management ∞ Change Management ∞ And the usual bits accountants do…..Financial Statements, Tax returns, management ac counts, payroll.
With experience from owner managed to blue chip organisations, including financial services, our team are well equipped to deal with your needs.
Contact us at: Email: emma.burrows@affinityfi.co.uk Tel: 01952 432266 or 07487755903 Web: www.affinityfi.co.uk Twitter: @affinityaccount