Interrailing!

My hallowed interrail pass

Interrailing. A plan that had been in the pipeline ever since the 2010 viewing of the film "Eurotrip", finally came to fruition in two magical weeks of contrasting people, styles, cultures, languages, architecture, customs and nightlife. 
So let us delve into this adventure that was pure bloody dynamite, thanks in no small part to great mates, David Bowie's classic "Heroes" and graduating with a 2:1 from Uni, WAHOOO!

A grand total of 636 photos were taken but were whittled down to a mere 14 here. I can just picture a scene showing thousands of archaeological slides led by Rowan Atkinson as the acerbic school master, with his audience slowly nodding off. "This is slide 1411 in the first morning of day 1 of 13. Wake up Plectrum! Detention Haemoglobin. 100 lines on what occurred on slide 836. NIBBLE... LEAVE ORIFICE ALONE!"

Anyway, there were to be four destinations and a company ranging from 3 to 5 to 2. The first port of call was Amsterdam, I couldn't wait!

Amsterdam:
The first thing that strikes you when you arrive at the Dutch capital is the numerous canals, renaissance architecture and above all else the sheer number of cyclists. Oh there were bikes, bikes like you wouldn't believe! Thousands of bikes, great herds of bike sweeping majestically across the planes, the sunlight dancing off the frame,'tis a glorious sight (and barely any fecking cars!). 

Damn!

A mere 2 minute march was all it took to reach our old, rickety hostel; a novelty greatly appreciated after our painstakingly long plane journey of 45 minutes. 
For 3 nights this superbly located hostel would be our humble abode. I say humble abode, although it was rather disconcerting having to sleep in the bunk above a whore chasing druggy.... but apart from that it was just swell. 

Such is the sociable nature of hostels and fellow interrailers, my comrades and I, with relative ease, made friends with several Spaniards and a group of typically exuberant and boisterous Brazilians, cue pandemonium.

Infamous RDL

One cannot however, fail to ignore the dark, all consuming under belly of Amsterdam. The sex obsessed, repugnant, vile and pitiful nature of the red light district, tarnishes an idyllic city that is bursting with vibrancy and colourful sights and sounds; what a pity.

In order to dispel this abiding image of the city, I implore anyone to hire a bike for the day and take a beautiful tour of the city and marvel at its splendour, it really is a must.  

Not bad ey?

On our final day we went to the Anne Frank Museum. I entered the historic sight with a sense of foreboding. Those who know me, know that I am Jewish (although I am a bad jew as I'm an atheist, do not care for religion and one of my favourite foods is bacon). What most won't know is that a great deal of my family were persecuted in the holocaust. 
After this incredible but gut-wrenching experience, I came across a book of thousands of Jews that were taken to concentration camps during WW2. After feverishly rifling through this book, my heart almost stopped. There it was. My mother's surname. Gosschalk. Dozens of Gosschalks littered the page. Without warning, hot, bubbly, irrepressible tears filled my eyes and fell uncontrollably down my trembling cheeks. Naturally I had never known any of them, but after witnessing the Nazi atrocities and the unspeakable truths that occurred in the death camps, I was overcome with grief. I will never forget that moment, it shall stay with me forever.

So after saying our goodbyes to Amsterdam (with the help of some space cake!), after a great "chin wag" with a dutch friend of mine, the now two of us caught the 15 hour long overnight train to Prague and stage two of our journey.   

Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral (Mala Strana)

Prague:
If Amsterdam was very pretty and picturesque, Prague was incredibly awe-inspiring and breathtakingly beautiful. I ran out of superlatives to describe this phenomenal city, so I think the image of me getting jaw cramp from leaving my mouth open for 3 days will suffice.

The architectural feats, ranging from Roman and Gothic to Baroque and Art Nouveau (to name but a few), were majestic. The meticulous attention to detail, the amalgamating and contrasting styles and the inordinate amount of beer consumed by the Czechs was unique. At every turn, every street corner yielded a panoramic view of unspeakable beauty and excessive gasping noises. 

Old Town (Stare Mesto)

As Amsterdam did not particularly have any local delicacies, I was determined to sample some of the local cuisine. A Czech speciality that was both a mouthful to say as well as consume - Vepřoknedlozelo -  was a dish consisting of a pork base smothered in dumplings and sauerkraut. A tad bland but worth a go!

One particular highlight was the free guided tours, which I highly recommend. One particular story that I can recall was the tale of Hitler and his musicians' statue. After discovering that one of his favourite musicians (Heydrich) was Jewish, Hitler sought to tear down the statue that had been erected on top of the music auditorium, the Rudolfinum. However his lieutenants could not discern which statue was the one that needed to be taken down as they had never seen Heydrich. A masterstroke came to one of them, or so they thought. They would measure each statue's nose to see which was the longest, ergo naturally finding the Jewish conductor. Unfortunately for them they cut down Hitler's main composer Richard Wagner by mistake. Maybe that ends that stereotype hmm?

Me and Prague!

Vltava river from Letna

That night my travel buddy and I sought to dive into that melting pot of drunken culture, the dreaded pub crawl. 4 bars, 1 club and 1 hour of unlimited free booze, a recipe for disaster no doubt and a hangover that could slay a walrus! 

In no time at all our last night in Prague was upon us. What better way to conclude this part of our journey than hiring a pedalo for our very own booze cruise, complete with a great deal of merry making, Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean quotes, faaannntasstic!

If I.. no scrap that, when I do interrailing again, Prague will definitely be one of the first stops on that new list. I fell in love with the place; indescribable beauty. A fairly shambolic train service left us with a mad dash for our train journey to Vienna (a recurring theme throughout the trip). Thank you so much Prague, I am not worthy!

Vienna:

Statue of Athena

After arriving in Vienna later than I had planned, partly thanks to my travelling buddy who moves slower than a glacier when getting up in the morning (which probably included doing his makeup), it meant that we had one full day to sample as much as Vienna could throw at us. As Samwise Gamgee once said when he and Frodo Baggins went to Vienna on their interrail trip, "now there's an eye opener and no mistake!"

The sheer scale of the city's monuments was something to behold. Vienna was by far the most grandiose, ornate and royal-like of all the cities we visited. Once again jaw cramp set in as I gazed in wonder at the works of the Austria-Hungarian Empire. 

St. Stephen's Cathedral

As we were meandering through the streets of Stephansplatz I was approached by two different Austrian radio workers (who must have realised I was a tourist due to my Boston Celtics hat) asking my opinion on guidebooks vs apps and then the city itself and its residents.
Either both can convey extreme enthusiasm with apparent ease or I gave a damn good answer as both left with a considerable amount of notes and a big smile on their faces as they departed. What can I say, the Austrian people crave my words of wisdom. I am probably famous over there already.....

Hochstralbrunnen fountain &
Russian Liberation monument

Me... being me... with Johann Strauss

After an exhausting and highly satisfying day in the sweltering hot sun, where I think I was able to actually tan, which in my family is unheard of as we usually burn and peel, we returned to our hostel refreshed and raring to go for another night of inebriation!

A spontaneous purchase of cheap wine and offering a group of Americans, Brits and Estonians to pre drinks, including the ever reliable "Irish Snap", we set off in a drunken daze for some sort of nightlife, which was fairly hard to come by unfortunately.

Hofburg Imperial Castle

Nevertheless we soldiered on and continued to drink copious amounts of alcohol (well at least I did). From what I can remember I successfully convinced two Austrians that I could speak fluent French by blagging my way through La Marseillaise and throwing out phrases such as "Ca coute Cher!", "Qu'est-ce que ça veut dir upla?" and "Oh la la la fusée!"

Schonbrunn Palace

The previous nights escapades caught up with me the next morning as I was once again in a very delicate state, but as it was our last day I was determined to see the remaining tourist attractions and boy did I not regret it!
A much shorter train journey lay ahead of us but once again it involved a slightly worried gallop to our carriage, I really do enjoy these nervous times....
Next and final stop Budapest!

Budapest:

Not sure why I did this pose...

Before I had taken 3 steps into our hostel (I cannot speak highly enough about the Blacksheep hostel and all its staff who were fantastic and even cooked us a meal!) I was embraced by a drunk Ozzy who must have ignored my tired and sweaty demeanor. From here on in Budapest was an absolute delight. Never before had I been in a more sociable, buzzing and hospitable place, it was such a treat.

Further encounters involved meeting several Northern Irish travellers (every time we saw each other we made a Sylvester Stalone abstruse grunt after watching the hilarious Expendables 2, my god what an awful film), who spoke at at least 100mph, which rose to 200mph after another pub crawl, leaving the Aussies, Americans, Swedes us English and the Hungarian staff all utterly perplexed.

The Danube!

One particularly memorable moment was sitting on our balcony, with three Germans, where we drank, laughed and played music (my input was to nod my head every now and again) as well as remarking on how lazy us Brits generally are when learning other languages and expecting everyone else to learn ours. This lackadaisical and arrogant mindset infuriates me and I intend to attempt to learn a foreign language post haste!
We spoke well into the early hours of the morning and one conversation that resonates with me was how the current generation is still burdened and tarnished by Nazi Germany, a totally unfair and abhorrent state of affairs, hopefully this changes pronto.

Another free guided tour of both Pest and Buda of Budapest (which as expected was stunningly beautiful), was embarked upon under the scorching sun. It was here that the Aussie numbers swelled to record numbers, a state of affairs that reminded me of the "Mate, mate, mate, mate, mate" seagulls in Finding Nemo!

Ruin Bars

Turkish Baths... in Budapest

Further highlights came in the form of the Ruin Bars (a collection of beautifully lit and atmospheric bars adjacent to one another) and the tranquil and uber serene Turkish baths, which we felt we had earned after a great deal of walking and boozing which can be hard work!

So that is it, the end of my adventures.
Perhaps some of the most magical and unforgettable moments have occurred in this fortnight. A multitude of faces, places, tastes, shapes and sizes, all of whom celebrated the ineffable joys of travelling.
I for one am itching to do it all again.
So Dank U Amsterdam, Děkuji Prague, Danke Schun Vienna and Köszönöm Budapest, I love you guys. 

My day out at SW19.

Perhaps the 1970 Beatles number one hit record, the "Long and Winding Road" was inspired by the long and arduous queue of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships... just a thought.
I embarked upon this journey in that serpentine estuary (at 5am on the opening day of the 127th edition of the Wimbledon Championships), weaving like a spider's web, in and out of the labyrinth of fencing that led to me to the mouth of the river and the holy grail of tennis tournaments; Wimbledon.

For five painstakingly slow hours I trundled forward at a snail's pace towards the front of the dreaded queue. Here I was flanked by three exuberant and boisterous Australian "fanatics" and one extremely garrulous New Yorker who seemed to have an opinion or story on just about everything; maybe I should not have pressed the snooze button at 4:30am, therefore avoiding this international sandwich and ticket number 1810.

Nevertheless my sleep deprived, Harry Enfield teenager mood did not linger long thanks to the intermittent reading of the beautifully written "Scoop" by Evelyn Waugh, (I can assure you he isn't a girl despite the name) the Two Towers audiobook and at last the promise of movement forwards in the queue over two hours later.

With my spirits rising, I was determined to enjoy the complete Wimbledon experience and that started by partaking in the tennis reflex game (20.4 seconds, not the best to be honest), followed by the serving speed machine where I posted a serve of 89mph, which I was fairly pleased with despite the fact the technique had been replaced with trying to hit the ball as hard as I could!

Finally however by 10:07am, to be precise, I paid the £20 ground pass fee and entered the hallowed turf of Wimbledon. I truly love this place. It is so very picturesque and idyllic. The sights, sounds and smells are unique. It's almost ineffable how much it means to me and only the weather could spoil my untouchable high, thankfully it did not.

After perusing the order of play for the day, I wrote down who I most wanted to see in terms of exciting, attacking tennis; I could not wait.

Before play started however I received my strawberries and cream voucher (courtesy of being an HSBC customer), raced down to the practice court to see Cilic, FEDERER!!!!! (for which I got the thumbs up from for cheering "ALLEZ"), Nadal and Monaco. From up close you really can appreciate and be in awe of their ball striking ability, it is phenomenal.

First on the agenda was Benoit Paire, a flamboyant, erratic, eccentric Frenchman, against Adrian Ungur (I'm a sucker for single handed backhands). Sitting touching distance from the impeccably cut grass of court 10, I loved every minute of this exciting 4 set encounter, allez Paire!
Next on court 3, I sampled some British talent with up and coming Kyle Edmund vs a Pole with as big a game as his 6'8 frame, Jerzy Janowicz. Unfortunately young Edmund, watched by Greg Rusedski and Leon Smith (GB Davis Cup Captain), was overwhelmed by JJ's unrelenting and frightening power in 3 sets, one of many Brits to go out again at the first hurdle.

After that I bumped into an old work colleague from last years Wimbledon and after a good catch up we watched Jo-Wilfred Tsonga vs David Goffin on court 2, a highly entertaining match with some superb shot making and attacking tennis, my favourite!

Digressing back to the complete Wimbledon experience, I spoke to Tsonga's coach Roger Rasheed about the Frenchman's tendency to occasionally hit a single handed backhand, spoke at length with umpire Jake Garner about how he became a top tennis umpire and got a high five from former tennis player Lindsay Davenport; a real mixed bag.

Dustin Brown

Then to my favourite player of the day on court 4, Dustin Brown. The easy going Jamaican style combined with German efficiency served up a real treat of just about everything! Drop shots, lobs, tweeners, serve and volley, power, guile, finesse, passion and a whole lot of dreadlocks! P.S. I got his autograph!

Darcis downs Nadal

Whilst all this was unfolding, on court 1 a huge potential shock was on the cards with Belgian journeyman Steve Darcis, ranked at 135, 29 years of age and possessing a single handed backhand; surely he didn't have a chance against Rafael Nadal. Tennis is a funny old game at times and for the last three games I viewed this stunning upset in front of a raucous Wimbledon crowd. Darcis take a bow!

Finally as my wonderful day drew to a close, I had the pleasure of watching the perennial second ranked Swiss player Stanislas Wawrinka against the in-your-face, battle hardened warhorse Lleyton Hewitt, in a three set win for the veteran Aussie.

So that is about it. When I awoke at 4;58am I was a sleep deprived, irritable queuer and by 8;42pm I was the happiest 21-year-old in SW19; just brilliant.

Recommendations:
1) You may be wondering how on earth I was able to regularly make it onto the show courts with such ease. Well it certainly was not easy and through lack of effort, but I believe the term is "schmoozing". This is where I would be very polite and go to every single gangway entrance to the show court and try to sneak my way onto the court despite not having a ticket. This for me is the best part of the whole experience.
"Nothing in this world worth having comes easy" - Dr. Kelso. "That's goddamn right" - Red, Shawshank Redemption.

2) Sign up to HSBC so that you too can enjoy the luxury of a free bowl of strawberries and cream... delicieux!

3) I didn't get any pimms.... I should have got some pimms!

4) Bring a pen that works. I brought a pen.... but it didn't work; schoolboy error.

SW19 itself!

5) Bring a camera and not a phone that has low battery and not very many pixels!

6) Go to Wimbledon at least once in your lifetime, you won't regret it!

Where are the next Shane Warne's?

Shane Warne hair transplant

No not an overweight Aussie, embroiled with online casinos and hair loss treatments! What is the raison d'etre behind why Australia have failed to produce any world class spinners of note since one of the greatest bowlers to play the game retired in 2007?

This was first drawn to my attention after re-watching England's comprehensive victory down under in the 2010/11 Ashes. As I looked on, with unconcealed joy I might add, what was plain to see was the dearth of quality Australian spin bowlers. Test cricket isn't exactly inundated with brilliant, prolific spin bowlers right now, compared to the recent all time greats of Muralitharan, Warne, Kumble and of course Phil Tuffnell (I kid).
Perhaps I am being too harsh on Australia but the likes of the Singh, Swann, Kaneria and to a lesser extent Narine, Ajmal and Herath have proven to be consistent and effective wicket takers across all formats of the game.
This cannot be said for Australia's spin bowlers with the countries sole optimism surrounding the incumbent Nathan Lyon, who's form of late has been patchy to say the least.

Crisis is a strong word, but when a 43-year-old Shane "the king of spin" Warne still believes he is good enough to return to the International fold (a view echoed by current captain Michael Clarke), despite being hammered for 41 off two overs in the Big Bash series opener and only claiming for wickets in seven matches throughout the tournament, the alarm bells are surely starting to ring quite vehemently.
For a country boasting the most extraordinary cricketing history, it is quite astonishing that eleven, yes ELEVEN, spinners have failed to make their mark on test level since Warne's retirement.

Surely, after the success of Warne's glittering career, this would have inspired a generation of future top class spin bowlers. What is puzzling is this has failed to eventuate. "Thousands of Australian youngsters have been coached this way but none have made it to stardom" commented former selection chairman Trevor Hohns.

Shane Warne - One of a kind?

Australian legend Allan Border adds credence to this view by suggesting Warne's leg spin action is unduplicable. "Warnie was a freak. He had these big fingers, strong wrists and shoulders and he could do it all off a few paces. I reckon it might be time to try something new like a Kumble who you could reasonably copy." Furthermore in answer to the country's lack of spinners Border commented that, "Batsmen are pretty aware these days. They have heavy bats and use their feet to give them lots of option."
But surely there is more to it than not being able to replicate Warne's style? Just what is holding back a plethora of Australian spin bowlers achieving this stardom?

Sheffield Shield

One obstacle has proven to be the Sheffield Shield, proclaimed as the strongest domestic competition around, which promotes attacking, seam bowler (not spinner) friendly cricket. It's structure encourages an offensive outlook with six points for a win, two for a first innings lead and surprisingly nothing for a draw.
Ground staff prepare "green top" pitches, which are not conducive for spin bowling, (pitches with more grass than usual that reward seamers, batsmen and not spinners) on a regular basis throughout the country. This has been widely and perhaps rightly criticized as players (especially spinners and batsmen) are left,  according to South Australian coach Darren Berry, "unprepared for test cricket due to the conditions".

Green top pitches

Surely this could be solved by introducing a variety of different pitches instead of this current homogenisation of green top surfaces? In any case with the status quo, spin bowlers are not given sufficient time to hone their skills which perhaps goes some way to explaining why so few spinners make the grade.

This leads onto the next point, regarding the much maligned Australian test selectors.
It appears that there is a sense of inertia from Australian selectors in terms of seeking to address the paucity of spin bowlers and when a potential spinner does come along, they are dismissed far too quickly. The likes of Beau Casson, Cameron White, Michael Beer, Jason Krejza and veteran Bryce McGain, who impressed domestically, have a combined test cap total of nine, with White weighing in with a whopping four!.....
Though these spinners hardly set the world on fire, bar Krejza who took an astounding 12 wickets on debut against India, but neither did Muralitharan, Warne or Kumble in their debuts with a collective nine wickets.
The point I am trying to make, is that one test match performance that fails to have an instant impact should not mean the end of your International career, as was the case for many of these Australian spin bowlers.

This partly illustrates the lunacy and impetuous nature of the Australian selectors who seem unwilling to blood new spin bowlers for more than a handful of tests, hardly the best way to encourage and inspire confidence for future spin bowlers!

Jason Krejza

So does the fact that Warne appears to be a one in a million, the "green top" pitches, the preponderance towards seam bowlers in the Sheffield Shield and the impatient Australian selectors, explain the lack of Australia's spinning prowess? Still not convinced? Maybe there is further evidence that requires more digging?

Where does everything in sport begin? At grass roots level of course!
This fanatical sporting nation needn't worry in terms of participation, with a record 880,291 taking part in 2011/12, equating to a 3.54% rise from the previous year. However at the ages of 14-16, successful spin bowlers have become few and far between. Reportedly spinners are generally not being given sufficient time and patience levels are in short supply and Warne believes this is a major cause for concern.
"You need encouragement at junior level, the talent is there but if they get smacked around the park or bowl a few double bouncers the encouragement isn't there, at the moment we aren't encouraging spin bowling."
It may be a bit too easy and harsh to lay the blame at the feet of mid-adolescent captains across the country but who is to blame?

Perhaps there is not one standout reason as to why Australia is failing to produce any top class spin bowlers, perhaps it is because of all of these points? Maybe the demand for spin bowlers is falling and the importance of seam bowlers, where Australia are experiencing an embarrassment of riches, is growing. Whatever the case may be, it appears that, at least in the short term, there are no up-and-coming Shane Warne's but with the way things are going, Australia may not even get close.

The snore-fest of the 2013 Australian Open final.

Unlike this years final, congratulations to Novak Djokovic for winning his sixth slam, I shall try to make this blog as brief and succinct as possible.

2013 Australian Open - the "Happy" slam

After over three hours of this monotonous, tautological match, I am greatly regretting leaving the snug, inviting, cosy confines of my bed at 9 am this morning.
Although a war of attrition is always expected when these two giants of the game clash, (even after watching several of their painstaking matches) I was still not prepared for this god awful slug fest compounded with very defensive, low risk, high margin for error, lack of variety, marathon like, grinding tennis.

Who's Murray and who's Djokovic????

What generally makes a tennis match exciting is the difference in styles and variety, perhaps an attacker vs a defender, or for old times sake, a Federer vs Nadal encounter if you will.
However with Murray and Djokovic, it is difficult to distinguish any discernible differences between the two.
Let us list their similarities:
a) Both are exceptional movers and defenders
b) Both have scintillating double handed backhands
c) Both have superb, instinctive returns
d) Both have a great reluctance to approach the net (unless there is a simple put away)
and finally (e) Both have a propensity to wait for the unforced error instead of forcing a winner.

I will admit I am perhaps not the most objective viewer in regards to this style of tennis, which can appeal to many, but for me if this is the future of the game, my interest in the sport will be greatly diminished.
The "homogenisation" (yes that favourite term used by members of the 606v2 website) of slower court surfaces, the advanced string technology and the paramount importance of having supreme fitness levels are greatly to blame for this type of tennis becoming an almost regular occurrence in the sport.

This may wow fans, that just watch the slams, as they marvel at a tennis player's athleticism which invariably involves either player hitting miraculous retrievals or a near enough impossible shot from 10 feet behind or outside the baseline.

Nevertheless for the tennis purist it is highly unlikely that they too will set their alarm clock's for 9 am, rush downstairs and turn on the TV with baited breath and great anticipation.
I think they won't set an alarm... they may not even have an alarm for these types of situations!
So the next time these two meet in a final, I think I will just turn over, perhaps briefly checking the score on my computer, and go back to a warm, peaceful, uninterrupted, tennis-free sleep.

Good luck Ross!

On an unrelated note, it was great to again see Ross Hutchins, who recently underwent his second chemotherapy treatment, on the EuroSport couch . Best of luck and wishes to him in making a speedy and full recovery!!!!

The curious case of Fabien Delph

At 19, Fabien Delph was touted as a great talent and a future England player.

Dream move!

After sealing a dream move to the Premier Leagues' Aston Villa in August 2009 from a lowly Leeds United outfit (I must profess to being a long-term Leeds supporter) plying it's trade in League One, it appeared that young Delph had hit the jackpot.
Already in his short career he had earned a handful of caps for the England Under 19's and 21's, been named Leeds players' player of the season and won the Football League's Young Player of the Year. So when the substantial amount of almost £8m was paid to acquire Delph's extremely sought after signature, many onlookers weren't too surprised by the hefty fee.

Another award!

Fast track forward almost three years and the contrast could not be more stark. The now 22 year old Delph's Villa career is hanging in the balance due to an alarming loss of form (admittedly not helped by long term injuries and being played out of position) and most notably a huge lack of confidence in his ability.
(He certainly hasn't repaid the large sum of money Villa forked out for him in the first place in terms of quality performances that have been few and far between.)

After seemingly falling out of favour with their much maligned former manager Alex McCleish, the latest manager to fill the dugout is rising star Paul Lambert who will surely decide Delph's future at the club.
Will he be deemed surplus to requirements or under Lambert's tutelage will he reinvigorate this once precocious talent?

After trawling through vast amounts of forums, topics and articles on Delph, it appears the general consensus for the transfer was welcomed by the Villa faithful to the point of genuine excitement upon his arrival just over three years ago. Unfortunately that enthusiasm and optimism has slowly seeped away, deteriorating into an overwhelming and almost universal disappointment.

With just 34 appearances for the Villains in almost four seasons, many managers would have been forgiven for letting the youngster attempt to seek pastures new.
At times he has definitely not helped his cause as just a few months ago Delph, Chris Herd and former teammate James Collins were involved in a what appeared to be drunken brawl, though the trio claim they were sober, in the early hours of the morning outside a nightclub in Birmingham. Despite issuing a remorseful apology the players were still reprimanded by the Club and fined for their callous actions.
Last season was certainly one to forget for everyone involved at the club, maybe none more so than Delph. So will he and should he be given that second chance?

Perhaps the fact he has had to endure several severe injuries in his short career, Delph is still a bit of an enigma and has not been given sufficient time to blossom, which is why he still remains at the club.

This question was instantly quelled by many supporters who commented that Delph was unable to pass consistently to teammates, make a telling contribution on games and picked up several bookings in the process for needless challenges. Yes he has had a series of debilitating injuries but is that enough to justify his inability to perform the bread and butter facets of the game? Surely not.

England glory days

A 'false dawn' is perhaps an accurate and succinct way to summarise Delph's career at Villa to date, but many still hold high hopes for the former England Under 21 International. Every now and again there has been a spark of promise in a pre-season game for instance, giving fans the belief he might have regained that swashbuckling, bullish and confident character that exhibited his intangible ability to excite, engage and uplift a club that deserves better.
Though it has been said before and it may be said again, now is the time for Delph to really show what he is made of.

Despite rumours of Delph possibly being loaned out for the 2012/13 season according to a source at the Sun newspaper, (not the most reliable source of information it has to be said) this did not come to fruition and Lambert made it clear that he is part of his plans for the club to move forward.
After impressing in pre-season there was renewed optimism that this was the season Delph would finally deliver. Yet again, however, his hopes were dashed after not being included in the matches against Swansea and Newcastle and was an unused substitute against Everton.
What is puzzling is that Delph started the first game of the season away to West Ham, putting in a solid yet unspectacular shift, but since then hasn't tasted any Premier League action. Coincidentally Delph impressed against Tranmere towards the back end of August but surely the outlook for Fabien Delph is bleak if he is limited to just Capital One Cup, formerly known as the Carling Cup, games against lower league opposition.

Has the sun set on Delph's short and sporadic Aston Villa career? Well not for the foreseeable future at least as his contract runs out in 2015 but will Lambert cut his losses and try to sell him before then or loan him to a club to try and regain any sort of form? The loan route would surely be the sensible option if he is not in Lambert's immediate plans, but Delph appears up for the fight, 'if I get a setback I'm never going to let my head go down and give up, I'm going to keep fighting'. He will need all the fight he can muster as he is currently fighting for his future at the club it seems.

'That Goal' against Brighton

Whatever happens with Fabien Delph, I do hope he rekindles that form where many heralded him as one of the best young talents the country had to offer, that won him all those accolades and a handful of England Under 19 and 21 caps. The form where his elegant but powerful runs left defenders trailing in his wake, the insatiable desire to win the tackle and those goals..... The 30 yard screamers, that audacious long range lob at Stockport and 'that goal' against Brighton, voted goal of the season in 2009, where the then teenager ran a full 70 yards before showing stunning composure and outrageous quality to curve the ball past a hapless, stranded keeper; ah those were the days.
My instinct tells me that Delph may not be a Villa player for too much longer or at least he won't play a big part in Villa's plans this season which would be a bitter pill to swallow. For such a young talented player to not fulfill his vast potential and light up the Villa Park crowd as he did so effortlessly on numerous occasions at Elland Road is a real shame. But maybe, just maybe, he is not cut out for the fast paced and ruthless Premier League and is truly out of his depth, only time will tell.

So will it be sayonara Fabien or will he become very much part of the Villa furniture? I truly hope that the latter will eventuate sooner rather than later.

Isn't it about time a Paralympian won the Sports Personality of the year award?

In light of the recent, spectacular and eye opening Paralympics I have had a change of heart carrying on from the previous thread (where I put forward the cases of messrs Bradley Wiggins and Mo Farah to claim the gong). I feel compelled to write this about our British Paralympic heroes and their respective chances for the coveted Sports Personality award so here goes.

Since the Sports Personality of the Year award's grand inauguration in 1954, 57 proud male and female athletes have deservedly won the most sought after British sporting accolades in recognition of their achievements.

The likes of Sarah Storey, Ellie Simmonds, David Weir, Tanni Grey Thompson, Lee Pearson, David Roberts and Mike Kenny have collectively accumulated an astonishing gold medal hawl of 69, at an average of almost 10 golds per athlete, astounding isn't it? If they were able bodied athletes surely they would have won the award by now.
So why has a Paralympian such as these brilliant athletes never won Sports Personality of the Year?

Who will lift this trophy in 2012?

Exposure for one. Until very recently, a Paralympic athlete will never attract as much media coverage, attention and sponsorship as able bodied athletes such as Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps or Jessica Ennis which is a great shame.
Secondly the Paralympics have, wrongly but undeniably, always played second fiddle to the Olympics in terms of crowds, ticket prices and prestige.
The fact that the Paralympics only became united with the Olympics in Athens 2004 illustrates how little interest there was in the Games until only a decade ago or so. These reasons explain why the likes of Tanni Grey Thompson (she has won the welsh version several times and good on her!) or Mike Kenny
 (the most successful British Paralympian of all time who recently vented his displeasure at being 'airbrushed out' and not given the recognition he deserves with knighthoods being given to many athletes with a far inferior medal tally)
have not held the Titular award but to hardly ever be nominated seems wrong.

Once, twice, thrice, four times a winner!

David Weir, now a British sporting legend, commented on his first Paralympic games in Atlanta 1996 that he 'could only count five people in the crowd at times, it was very disheartening and I fell out of love with the sport'. Luckily the Brit was inspired by the endeavors of the victorious British Paralympians, most notably Tanni Grey Thompson, at the Sydney Olympics four years later and vowed to 'never let himself down again' and boy has he not!

Since the Paralympics commencement in Rome 1960 the event has slowly but surely continued to grow and now the the greatest ever Paralympic games descended upon London, giving the British Public, as the channel 4 broadcasting team brilliantly put it, the chance to 'Meet the Superhumans'. Truer words have never  been spoken right? These athletes really are superhuman.

The Superhumans!

This brings me back to my original point.
Paralympians' achievements are perhaps more remarkable and unlikely as they have had to go through the likes of Amputation, Cerebral Palsy, Visual Impairment and Spinal Injuries, than those who are not handicapped by any physical or mental ailments.
And yet year after year non-disabled athletes fill every nomination with not even a mention for these 'superhumans' (bar a superhuman effort from the then 13-year-old Ellie Simmonds in Beijing who won Young Sports Personality of the Year) which is mystifying and even unjustified.

However finally it seems the rest of the world has got its act together (of course with the wonderful British public's support leading the way) as this years Paralympics was by far the greatest of them all and one none of us will ever forget.
Though Sydney really got the ball rolling with record crowds over 1.2 million, a whopping 300 million viewers tuned in and an impressive 13,000 volunteers turned out to make the Games as Tanni Grey Thompson beautifully put it 'a magical athletic Disneyland'.
Athens and Beijing have helped to build the momentum of the Games further still but it is right here in our own backyard that the Paralympics has snowballed into this colossal phenomenon.

Golds galore!

According to the London 2012 Paralympic website, almost 3 million tickets were sold (almost a million more than Beijing), a record 150 hours of TV broadcasting hours, the highest ever amount of participants, volunteers and countries involved, ground breaking revenues and best of all the most successful Team GB medal haul for over a century.

What was previously seen as an event in the Olympics shadow may even be on a par with it but more importantly it is finally getting the attention it deserves. Seb Coe spoke of the Games having a 'seismic shift in shifting public attitudes' whereas others have rightly claimed it as a 'seminal moment for Paralympic sport'.
To once again quote Seb Coe, it would be a 'seismic shift' to see a Paralympian win Sports Personality of the Year.
The statement by UK Sport Chief Executive Liz Nicholl encapsulates this momentous occasion so perfectly. 'The London Paralympic Games will be remembered as a time when we saw ability first and disability second'.
Whoever wins the award deserves it but surely after such an eye opening couple of weeks, a Paralympic athlete should at least get nominated, and nominated more often in the future, and possibly even win it.
It is important to not go down the sympathy route and say 'they should get it as they are disabled'. They should win it because they have worked just as hard, if not harder than everyone else because of their disability, and because they have achieved a staggering amount of success against the very best.

What a team GB makes!

So London 2012 has drawn to a close in an unforgettable sporting summer. Wasn't it uplifting that for once we could talk about this rather than getting bogged down in the economy and the government for example, and instead we have rejoiced and marveled in the wonder of sport. I think we can all safely say that over the last few months we have been oh so proud to be British!

Mo Farah or Bradley Wiggins for Sports Personality of the Year?

The Greatest Team GB ever!

History has been made, a record breaking year for British sport has left us absolutely spoiled with riches over the past few months, with so many incredible triumphs from teams and individuals all across the board. The now dubbed 'Super Saturday' will live long in the memory where three Athletics golds were posted, most notably from the face of the Olympics, Sheffield's very own poster girl Jessica Ennis. Honorable mentions and headline grabbers will go to the likes of Chris Hoy, Ben Ainslie, Victoria Pendleton, Katherine Grainger and Nicola Adams, and those Paralympic superhumans of Sarah Storey, David Weir, Hannah Cockroft and Ellie Simmonds to mention just a handful in a pot of many great champions in this the most competitive sporting year, arguably of all time!

It is wrong to say one achievement is greater than another as the Brits were dancing with the stars this summer but for me two athletes in particular stand out.

Wiggo the time trialing machine!

The all conquering European, World and now Olympic Champion Mo Farah and Bradley Wiggins, Olympic Time Trial Champion and Tour de France extraordinaire!

Lightning Bolt meets the Mobot!

So who will earn one of the most coveted accolades Britain has to offer - the 'Mobot' or sideburns 'Wiggo'?

First to our cycling phenomenon, no not Chris Hoy, (he has already won it!) introducing the brilliant Bradley Wiggins.
To win an Olympic medal is an incredible achievement, to win a gold medal is just monumental but to win 7 Olympic medals, 4 of them gold, defies belief!
Not content with his 6 medals prior to the London 2012 Olympics, 'Wiggo' sought to conquer the grandest and toughest cycling event of them all, the Tour de France.
Wiggins accomplished this with considerable aplomb, dismissing all competition with apparent ease.
Team Sky's controlled and assured assistance helped to increase the margin of victory further still, winning by a commanding 3 minutes 21 seconds (more than the combined total of the past two Tour winning margins) to become the first British winner of the Tour de France in the Tour's 107 year history.

Let us rewind back to 2010, where the picture was far from rosy, an out of sorts and disheveled Bradley Wiggins probably would not have even dreamt of being a Tour de France contender, let alone future winner. Why is that I hear you ask? Well after a very respectable 4th place finish in the 2009 Tour de France, expectations were even higher the following year and now as team leader of newly formed Team Sky the pressure to deliver grew tenfold. Unfortunately these plans failed to materialise as Wiggins had a poor Giro d'Italia coming 40th and an equally disappointing Tour de France finishing in a lowly 24th, almost 40 minutes behind the eventual winner.
A time of reflection and re-evaluation occurred, mainly due to a tongue lashing from Sky Chief Dave Brailsford on the back end of the 2010 Tour. Wiggins it seemed had gone backwards and personally admitted 'I couldn't carry on like that, 2010 was a year of disappointment and public humiliation'. Never again!

Through sheer dedication and meticulous planning involving new training methods (altitude training in Tenerife, increasing power outputs and sophisticated scientific training plans introduced by Physiologist Tim Kerrison, British Cycling doctor Richard Freeman and personal coach Shane Sutton) a reinvigorated Wiggo roared back into life in 2011. After winning the Criterium du Dauphine, the main warm up event to the Tour, Wiggins claimed he was 'in the best shape of his life' exhibiting a boisterous and confident mood ahead of that years Tour.
Lady luck however had other plans. The Londoner's Tour hopes were dashed early thanks to a nasty fall culminating in a broken collarbone effectively ending a distraught Wiggins Tour hopes for another year.

Injury heartache

Wiggins, who had shed 6kg after ending his track career to concentrate on the Tour in 2009, lost a further 2kg ahead of the 2012 season in an effort to improve his optimal power to output ratio in the lead up to the 2012 Tour de France despite a strong 3rd place showing at the Vuelta a Espana.
The 2012 season started with an ominous warning shot to his rivals as he became the first man ever to win the prestigious European events of Paris-Nice, Tour de Romandie and the Criterium du Dauphine titles on the spin.
This undoubtedly enhanced his Tour de France credentials and he was billed as the hot favourite to win the holy grail of cycling trophies, the Maillot Jaune or the Yellow Jersey. And he didn't disappoint did he?
Wiggins turned on the style to win the biggest cycling event in the world at a canter as the opposition were left trailing in his wake. Not only did he win by over three minutes to second placed teammate Chris Froome, who played a huge part in making this victory possible, who rode with him every pedal turn of the way, Wiggins won both time-trials with apparent ease to boot.
Tour de France Champion. Let me say that again, TOUR DE FRANCE CHAMPION! It really does not get any better than that surely. The amiable, bloke-next-door, family man has now joined the cycling legends of Armstrong, his hero Indurain, Hinault and Merckx, a phenomenal achievement.

Right, that is it; I am convinced he deserves the award. Wait there is more?

Victorious!

Of course there is! Bradley's golden, or should I say yellow, summer wasn't setting just yet.
Once again this cycling machine rode away brilliantly from his competitors to cap off an incredible few weeks by winning the gold medal in the Olympic Time Trial in front of the British masses. Let us not forget that this was not even a fortnight after his lung busting victory at the Tour which makes this feat all the more impressive.

So there you have it; from doom and gloom just two years ago to Tour de France and Olympic Time Trial champion. Can anyone match this feat?

Enter Mo Farah.
Like Wiggins, Mo Farah has come on leaps and bounds in an extraordinary career.
The first time Farah came into the public's consciousness was by bursting onto the scene in 2006 when he agonisingly lost out on a gold medal in the European championship 5000m but redeemed himself later that year by storming to the European Cross Country Championship. Finally it seemed, Mo Farah had arrived.

At just 24 years of age many tipped this precocious Somalian born athlete, now British International, for greatness after a stellar season. This greatness however was put on hold during the biggest year of racing in Mo's life, the Olympic year.
The Brit toiled in the clammy, humid conditions of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and disappointingly failed to make the 5000m final. Understandably Mo cut a dejected and forlorn figure as he exited the Bird's nest with his tail between his legs but, like Wiggins, for Mo Farah, although it didn't seem like it at the time, the only way was up from here on in.

Off season altitude training in Africa

What followed in 2009 was a rejuvenated Farah breaking the long-standing British indoor record in the 3000m, a 3000m gold medal at the European Indoor Championships and strong performances in the European Cross Country and World Athletics Championships. Undoubtedly what aided his improvement during another impressive season was his prolonged training in Kenya with the world's top athletes. An optimistic but deflated man entered the hot bed of long distance running and the man that returned was a supremely fit, confident individual primed and ready to make an assault upon the best the world had to offer.

He did not have to wait too long as Mo struck gold twice just a year later by claiming the 5000, 10000m double at the European Athletics Championships, only the fifth man in the competitions 66 year history to do so.
Mo Farah had destroyed all his closest challengers by some margin and there was no question that he was the best...... in Europe, that is.
Despite his fantastic victories many still considered him to be out of his depth when facing the African giants,
an issue Mo sought to address immediately. Although the Brit was a very talented, world class runner he wasn't quite the finished article.

Mo constantly talked about crossing the divide and finally ending the Africans long distance running stranglehold over this distance. An impossible dream? Mo certainly didn't think so.
Before we embark on the long steps Mo took to achieving Olympic gold, let us just consider the mountainous task Mo was about to undertake.
He was attempting to beat the Kenyans and Ethiopians at Long Distance Running, where African athletes have only failed once in the last 30 years to claim gold, an event which has become synonymous with both countries. This is like trying to beat the New Zealand All Blacks in their own backyard, the Jamaicans at sprinting, Canadians at Ice Hockey or an American at a hot dog eating contest. It really is almost impossible!

In the boldest move of his career, Farah split from long term coach Alan Storey in 2011 and acquired the prestigious services of former marathon runner Alberto Salazar, uprooting his family in the process to Oregon in the States. Mo said the reason behind it was to 'find that extra one per cent' that would take him to the next level.
Salazar sought to address Mo's lack of physique through strength training on which he commented Mo 'was the weakest I had ever trained' but 'has more heart, more guts and more soul than any athlete I've ever seen'.
Salazar's tactical astuteness came to the fore as he urged the Brit to go from 600-800m out as the Africans tend to leave the sprint to the last lap which was their greatest strength but also a sign of weakness.
The new partnership was soon put to the test and despite a slow start at the Istanbul World Indoors the pair gathered momentum ahead of the 2011 World Athletics Championships where Farah blossomed into one of the best athletes in the world winning a gold in the 5000m and silver in the 10000m.

Double Olympic Champion!

And the rest, as they say, is history.
Mo Farah not only became the first Britain ever to win a long distance gold at the Olympics, he is now an exclusive member of the now seven man club to win the 5,000 and 10,000m double at a single Olympics, equalling what Kenenisa Bekele, considered by many as the greatest long distance runner of all time, achieved four years ago. You run out of superlatives to describe Mo's stunning achievements this year, the icing on the cake in a glittering career, but a Sports Personality of the year award would go some way to explaining what a monumental accomplishment it has been.

So there you have it. Two sporting legends who conquered the world respectively. Both have come such a long way in a relatively short period of time. So who deserves it more?
We really do need a photo finish for this one but I think Wiggins just shades it perhaps by just a tyre width.

And just as I finish writing this, Andy Murray brilliantly wins the US Open. Well that will certainly put a spanner in the works, talk about timing!