“When you are an international coach, there is always somebody out there who knows better than you.”
Those were the words of the man leading England’s bid to bring home the Rugby World Cup from Japan, Eddie Jones. But that does not apply only to international bosses.
One coach who knows the truth of that better than most – assuming he follows social media forums – is Barrow Raiders Paul Crarey. Naturally, relegation is bound to bring out the critics but if it is any consolation to Crarey he is in good company this week.
Did you know, for instance, that it is time for Manchester City to sack Pep Guardiola? Or that Brendan Rodgers is getting it wrong at Leicester?
If not then you are clearly not a listener to Radio Five’s 6-0-6 phone-in.
When it comes to demands for a change in manager, there always has to be a first and leading a campaign to sack Pep – and obviously the only member – was a guy called Nigel (surname withheld), who did achieve one thing… he almost succeeded in keeping Chris Sutton speechless.
Guardiola, winner of eight national league titles (Spain, Germany and England), two Champions Leagues (both with Barcelona) and countless cup finals does not, according to our Nigel, have what it takes to lead City to Champions League glory.
Eventually, Sutton managed to regain his voice. “Is this a wind-up? Tell me it’s a wind-up.”
Nigel insisted that he was serious
A Leicester fan suggested that Rodgers had picked the wrong team for the trip to Manchester United but at least he did not think that was a sackable offence.
Guardiola and Rodgers both suffered their first defeats of the season on Saturday. Lord knows what’s in store for them when they lose for a second time.
Meanwhile, Eddie Jones gave another insight into life as a top coach with the view that winning is fine but it cannot be described as enjoyable because you are always looking towards the next game.
For the England rugby union coach, that comes on Sunday in the World Cup opener against Tonga.
Anything less than a huge win in Sapporo will have armchair experts out in force and it won’t be just the Nigels of the phone-in world who will be after the Australian’s head.
*If you think there is nothing special about holing a six-foot putt on the 18th green tell that to Suzann Pettersen. She is a 38-year-old Norwegian who did exactly that to do what the best known sporting cliché covers: grab victory from the jaws of defeat.
The putt gave Europe a single-point victory over the USA in the Solheim Cup, the women’s version of the Ryder Cup and although the crowds may not have been large enough to spill over on to the fairways of Gleneagles, it matched the men’s version in every other way.
“With the team around you, nothing tops this,” said captain Catriona Matthew after Europe won the final three matches to win back the trophy.
Pettersen, a wildcard pick ranked 635th in the world after playing in two tournaments since 2017, had one more parting shot: “This is it. I’m done with professional golf.” What a way to go.
It would be nice to report a successful Sunday as a bumper day in another women’s sport supposedly on the edge of a boom following the World Cup.
But after crowds of 31,000 and 24,000 at last week’s matches it was back to reality in the Women’s Super League.
The five games played over the weekend attracted a total of 4,938 spectators and produced eight goals.
One of them was at the Hive, the Barnet home of Tottenham, who beat Liverpool with a first half penalty.
The verdict from Liverpool boss Vicky Jepson sounded all too familiar: “I know referees will make mistakes at any level. No one is perfect, but there has to be a consistency across the league. Today the official wasn’t good enough.”
It seems we have heard that somewhere before.
*Jack Brown is an 18-year-old midfielder on the books of Scottish Championship side Inverness Caledonian Thistle who has become the hero of this column’s Highland League favourites Fort William.
After a run of 73 matches and over 882 days without a League win, the Fort have ended their 29-month famine by beating Clachnacuddin 1-0.
Jack is one of seven Caley Thistle players sent out on loan to the club described in a TV documentary as ‘the worst team in Britain.’ Not any more thanks to Brown’s goal that was hailed by somebody who was clearly a rather excited Fort fanatic as ‘a goal that would have graced any arena.’
I can vouch for the fact that it was indeed a cracker and following their recent win in the first round of the North of Scotland Cup, there is every hope that the fortunes of the club who have finished bottom of the League in 11 of the last 15 years are on the up.
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