Article Archive

“Diary writing is one of the most cherished decisions one can make. When someone looks back on the events in their life and the meanings of their achievements, it is wonderful. It seems to make life feel so much better.”

“It is absolutely essential to allow your bodies to have there desired rest time. No is superman and no one is immune to illness at some point.”

“If we are the future, then we must participate in things that prepare us to be the future.”

“When you worry about something small you have to keep telling yourself it is small.”

“Once competitions start offering direct cash prizes to sportsmen, then they suddenly start playing for greed and not as a team.”

“Listen to those who tell you that we should look after the planet properly. Even though we all may disappear, they may still around after we are.”

“The term ‘It’s not over until the fat lady sings’ does not look like applying in this presidential election as Obama holds a strong lead over “That one.”

“In some cases, those who desperately want you to please them are not being pleased by themselves.”

Four days later and the BBC has now decided to suspend Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand.

Brand took this one step further and has now resigned from his Radio 2 show: “The Russell Brand show.”

Why? Ross and Brand took it up themselves to go against not only every rule in broadcasting, but moral values by making a prank call to Andrew Sachs, famous for playing Manuel in Fawlty Towers.

So, what is all the fuss about? A prank call? Has the man lost his sense of humour? It would seem that way, but the story becomes disturbing.

During the call, Ross used abusive language and claimed that Brand had slept with Sachs’ 23-year-old  granddaughter Georgina Baillie.

Their shows have been removed from air while a BBC investigation gets underway.

Amazingly, 18,000 shocked viewers have complained to BBC, while watchdog Ofcom has begun its own investigation. To say that both of these men have controversial pasts is an understatement. I personally am not keen on both men, but I think that arrogance and disgusting behaviour in some quarters is being seen as comedy. Those who agree with their actions, should ask themselves what there reaction would be if they received a call of this nature that their daughter had slept with someone?

What is most surprising is the political reaction that has surfaced out of this story. Yesterday Gordon Brown attacked Ross and Brand for their “inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour.” In typical fashion, David Cameron decided to wade in, calling for the BBC to be more “transparent” about how the programme came to be broadcast.

Earlier today, Director-General Mark Thompson released a statement. His most strongest words were that “it was a gross lapse of taste.” His most eye opening line was that he shared the view “that views expressed by the public that this broadcast has caused severe offence.”

Thomson is under pressure after failing to act as soon as the story broke and as the way this was allowed to be aired in the first place. This is not the first time that criticism has been levelled at Thompson in his time at the BBC. He was heavily criticised over the broadcast of Jerry Springer: The Opera, which saw a private prosecution brought against the BBC for blasphemy.

Meanwhile, Andrew Sachs has accepted an apology from Russell Brand and says that he will not report the matter to the police.

Georgina Baillie says that she is “utterly horrified and disgusted.” Although less than sheltered pictures of her in today’s Daily Mail and revelations that she did sleep with Brand, but wants him to lose his job may make this story rumble on for a lot longer than anticipated.

Russell Brand has resigned, but I would be surprised if his partner in crime Jonathan Ross receives any further disciplinary action. He is one of the highest paid presenter at the BBC with a whooping £6m a year. His show is probably responsible for bringing in some of the corporation’s highest ratings.

Something will probably happen again in the future and the BBC will have to pay a much larger price.

At least in football, if you misbehave on the pitch, the Football Association hand out the necessary fines and suspensions. Whether the punishments always fit the crimes is another matter, but it is clearly is the case here.

It is shocking how this story is at the top of the headline agenda when the world is in financial turmoil, millions are facing malnutrition in Zimbabwe….

Do you condone the actions of Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross? Was Russell Brand right to resign? Should Jonathan Ross resign as well?

“The danger with using role models as an example for others to look up to is that if you do not end up becoming almost a carbon copy of that person, then you may see yourself as a failure.”

“I think that while there is a church for believers of God, there should be seperate places for atheists and agnostics.”

“Barack Obama will go down as being one of the most embarrassing politicians in history, if the Bradley effect ends in a John McCain-Sarah Palin victory.”

“Perhaps if the government explained at what point and how they would pay back their billion pound deficits, it would put people’s minds at rest.”

The winner of this award was never really in doubt.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been rewarded for his sensational form last season by scooping the FifPro World Footballer of the Year, ahead of 54 shortlisted players.

He was also named in the FifPro team of the year, alongside United team-mate and England vice-captain Rio Ferdinand.

He thoroughly deserves this award. Last season he was the stand out architect behind Manchester United winning back-to-back Premier League titles and winning an epic Champions League trophy in the all English final against Chelsea in Moscow. What footballing enthusiast could ever forget that. John Terry certainly won’t.

Despite Ronaldo’s mesmerising dances from one side to the next, which left some defenders wondering whether they were playing football on the same planet, his cool penalties (Except the one in the Champions League final), unbelievable free kicks and ability to weigh in with headed goals, he was not the only architect of the Manchester United side.

After the media circus surrounding his move to Real Madrid, does Ronaldo honestly believe he would have scored 42 goals had he not received service from other architects such as Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Tevez? They give him the licence to do what he does best. I doubt that he could have forged such an understanding as the one he has with Rooney.

Ronaldo has payed tribute to the great Sir Alex, saying that “he is a big inspiration to me.” He must now commit his long term future to the club.

When was the last time Real Madrid won the Champions League? They have plenty of attacking talent, but a very vulnerable back line.

This may sound stupid, but in my opinion I do not think that Ronaldo is the best player on the planet. When Ronaldo plays for Portugal, his performances are good but they do not exactly light up the international stage.

If Barcelona had won the Champions League, it would surely have been Lionel Messi. An outstanding footballer. He effortlessly tears defences to shreds for club and country.

Ronaldo will probably go on to win the Fifa World Player of the Year award and the Ballon d’Or.

The fact that the FifPro team of the year features four players from the Premier league may add fuel to the argument that it is the best league in the world. Incidentally, La Liga has four representatives too.

Cesc Fabregas will get his place in the team soon. Lampard will be disappointed and Kaka will need to rediscover the form that made him a winner in 2007, and Fifa World Player of the Year award and the Ballon d’Or.

It seems that Ronaldo was able to win because Kaka had a very quiet season by his standards and Ronaldinho was pushed into the wilderness at Barcelona before moving to AC Milan.

I cannot start to imagine how it must feel to have more than 57,000 fellow professionals say that you are better than the rest.

Who will be crowned the FifPro Young Footballer of the Year?

“Instead of political infighting over the future of immigrants in Britain, our allies should be doing more to combat this intensifying problem.”

“The Liberal Democrats have star performers such as Vince Cable who are coming up with decent solutions, although they cannot get a look in. Isn’t about time they took steps to start building a base in local elections up and down the country?”

“There is little point in setting very ambitious climate change targets if there is no plan on how we can achieve. 80% carbon emission reduction by 2050? How”?

“A warm welcome sets the mark for a good conversation.”

” It is amazing how we criticise people’s faces when they are indeed masks. We did not create our faces so we should not judge someone on that feature alone.”

Gordon Brown has begun laying his economic plan to haul Britain out of a looming “recession.”

Addressing business leaders and fellow academics at Imperial College, London, Gordon Brown maintained that increasing government borrowing to repair what is a fractured economy was the right and quote “responsible” thing to do.

The government has said that it would be wrong to stop public spending in key areas such as education, training, energy efficiency or tax cuts for “hard pressed families.” A perfectly acceptable statement. After all, who would not want further spending in these vital areas? But the problem is that finances are in a ridiculous state of disrepair, and the government is pulling itself into a deeper, unprecedented pool of debt.

It has not been welcomed with open harms and it is not so hard to see why. It was always going to be hard to sell this one to the public.

According to the Office of National Statistics, the latest quarterly figures have revealed that the government has borrowed £37.6bn. The intentions may be honourable but when will such money be cleared? Is money always the answer?

One thing that continues to harm Gordon Brown is that in his 10 years running the economic show as Chancellor of the Exchequer he said he would end “boom and bust.”  Boom came, but unfortunately bust has ripped into people’s lives.

Yesterday, a group of 16 economists signed a letter to the Sunday Telegraph warning against “misguided” government spending. Another problem is that while negative growth is at worrying levels, Britain have not officially entered a recession. So is it necessary to press ahead in pumping millions of pounds into many different projects?

Opposition parties have also continued to rip into Gordon Brown’s increase in spending.

George Osborne says that “Gordon Brown is a man with a overdraft, not a man with a plan.” His boss, David Cameron said that “he was a man with a plan” at his keynote conference speech, but there has been too much rhetoric and very little specific substance.

Chancellor Alistair Darling is set to use a major speech on Wednesday to get announce the end of fiscal rules such as Brown’s “golden rule” to invest in an economic cycle.

Vince Cable, I want to hear you say more.

The Conservatives are missing a chance to grab the win the hearts and minds of the electorate and undecided voters. Labour cannot really be trusted with people’s money anymore.

What can be done to tackle the recession? Is increased spending the answer? Who out of Brown/Darling Cameron/Osborne and Clegg/Cable has the solutions to face the economic crises head on?

“Do not give up or be frustrated by tasks of a difficult nature. Seek the assistance of any source around you. Once you have solved your problem, the satisfaction will be immense.”

“British politics should have adopted the American seperation of powers political structure.  For one the Labour, Tory and Lib Dem leaders may just be a little bit different.”

“It is extremely important to have a real hobby or interest nurtured regularly, particularly in the times when too much emphasis is placed on exam results and university applications.”

“The people that have been made redundant should form their own breakaway political party, and make a real stand against what is going on in Westminster.”

Wayne Rooney returned to Goodison Park in search of his 100th career goal. On the ground where a virtually unknown Rooney scored a thunderbolt of a strike, which left David Seaman flat faced and ended Arsenal’s thirty-match unbeaten run, very few would have bet against Rooney failing to achieve this historic landmark.

Rooney’s temperament has always been documented since he burst onto the scene and it clearly would have raised some questions. During being substituted by Sir Alex Ferguson, to avoid being sent off, after being booked for a foul on Everton’s Mikel Arteta, Rooney kissed the Manchester United badge, in view of the Everton fans.

The exact reasons why he did this I do not know, but Rooney regardless of his unquestionable ability, ends up becoming a useless and stupid member of any team when his manager is substituting him merely to an even worse occurrence.

Luckily, the Football Association have decided to take no further action.

Something which may have escaped the attention of some was that it was a return against his former club for Louis Saha and American keeper Tim Howard. Despite his recurring injuries that left him on United’s treatment table, Saha was a very good player for us who had pace, some physical strength, wasn’t the most consistently prolific striker but managed to score 42 goals in 120 appearances. Particularly at Old Trafford, he provided some timely assists to allow those around him to place the ball in the back of the net.

Signed from American side Metrostars, keeper Tim Howard made a promising start to his Old Trafford career, but when the usual goalkeeping blunders which have blighted so many United keepers (Ask Massimo Taibi) crept in then there was only one way his career was heading, when Ferguson signed Holland stalwart Edwin van der sar.

Rooney has been in scintillating form in every single game I have had the pleasure of watching him play.

Despite the fact that Everton are quite a formidable side at Goodison Park, with the roaring support of the Scouse fans, this was a game against non-title contenders, but a team always vying for a UEFA Cup spot that United were expected to win resoundly.

It turned out to be another case where Manchester United dominated the first half and failed to put the game beyond doubt come the second half. Darren Fletcher, an unsung hero in the United squad, and United man of the match opened the scoring after a pass from Ryan Giggs.

With the case with some keepers, they can be brilliant and be not so brilliant. Tim Howard demonstrated flashes of this during his time at Old Trafford and kept his side in the game with a series of fine saves.

So, today was not to be for Manchester United. Ronaldo, Nani, Giggs, Rooney and Berbatov could not find a way through a very physical Everton side who fully deserve grabbing a point from the champions. Everton will be given a lift after last week’s 3-1 demolition away to Arsenal.

I was also having a look at Everton’s squad. £15m record signing from Standard Liège and Belgian international midfielder Marouane Fellaini headed the equaliser and looks to be a useful addition. The Everton board chose to sign him rather than sign a quality striker for the £10.5 million received for Andrew Johnson. Everton do not have £15m lying around so if he can shine and link up with the skillful Arteta and attacking Osman then Everton may be capable of maintaining the top six position, providing the likes of Lescott stay strong and Yakubu gets the service he requires. Once Cahill returns they will be stronger.

Liverpool ended Chelsea’s 86 match unbeaten run to climb to the top of the table and move eight points ahead of United in the league. But we will be the least of their worries. We are sixth. Unbeaten Liverpool are normally at least ten points out of the title race at this stage? For the first time in a long time they may be contenders as they have already beaten Sir Alex’s men in the league. But they were lucky on both occasions to see off United and today Chelsea, without really controlling the game.

Hull’s sensational start to life in the Premier League has to be applauded several times over, and there are United’s next fixture at Old Trafford next Saturday. After humbling Arsenal at the Emirates, just a few weeks ago there will be no hint of fear in Phil Brown’s boys. No matter what Ferguson says, there is no slip up for error now as the usual three house race, may have just become a four house race. Hull fans may argue that it is a five house race.

I would also like to congratulate Tottenham on their first win under new manager Harry Redknapp. Chairman Daniel Levy has made a bold and much needed decision to fire the director of football Damien Comolli who was seen as the main architect for the way that things have turned out at White Hart Lane. Spurs have always been a team to sign a bucketload of strikers, with no idea of how to play them all. Redknapp must find very good defenders and a forward thinking midfielder to salvage their season.

While, I am a Manchester United fan- well done to Manchester City and Robinho for a great performance at home to Stoke City.

The on and off the field antics justify why the Premiership is like no other.

“It is better to live within your means because once you get into debt you will live below what you could have lived if you didn’t overspend.”

“Rather than spend time talking about politicians meeting Russian billionaires, someone should meet the Russian billionaires and get there side of the story.”

“Once you attack the suggestion of another, you are indirectly saying that you are bringing a better one to the table.”

“All good records come to an end, but set about making an even longer one.”

“The definition of hard work is not necessarily working for eight-nine hours per day.”