Category: Sport

ASHES 2015: England Win First Test To Take Lead In Series.

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1st Test, Day Four, Cardiff. 

England crushed Australia by 169 runs to take a 1-0 series lead in this year’s Ashes.

In a brilliant display with the ball, the England bowlers dismissed the whole Australian line up for 242 in their second innings. Stuart Broad spearheaded the ruthless performance by Alastair Cook’s men on a fast-paced fourth day.

The result makes England’s dismal performance down under 18 months ago feel like a distant memory, as they produced four days of high quality, exhilarating cricket.

Australia, who were strong favourites to retain the urn, now must regroup and rebuild ahead of the second test at Lord’s next week.

The hosts struggled during the morning session, with Chris Rodgers the only victim heading into lunch. The turning point of the innings was in the final over of the session, when David Warner was trapped LBW by Moeen Ali for 52.

Cook’s decision to allow Ali to bowl the final over was just one of the many masterstrokes the Essex opener made in what was arguably his best performance as England captain.

After the lunch break, England went up the gears, and smashed through the Australian batting line up. Broad took the crucial wickets of Steve Smith on 33, and then Aussie captain Michael Clarke.

Adam Voges and Brad Haddin came and went in quick succession and when Shane Watson was caught LBW to leave the tourists on 151-7, the home fans knew that the result was almost guaranteed.

A brave Mitchell Johnson put up a late fight to keep the Australians in with a shout, striking up a partnership of 72 with Mitchell Starc at the tail end of the order.

However Joe Root, who had batted well earlier in the match, claimed both the wickets of Johnson and Starc.

When Josh Hazlewood smashed a ball from Ali to long on, all the England players, coaching team and supporters erupted with joy.

It was only the third time England had won the opening Ashes test, the last being back in 2013 when they last won the Ashes. In 15 of the last 17 Ashes series, the winners of the first test have gone on to win the urn.

“It was a brilliant performance,” said Cook.

‘This Test couldn’t have gone any better and we’ll enjoy tonight.

“Everyone was talking about what’s gone on in the past, but this is a different side. We had to look forward. We always took the attacking option in this game.

“Joe Root was fantastic and the bowlers were superb.”

New head coach Trevor Bayliss will also be more than satisfied with England’s performance in what was his first match in charge of the team.

For Australia, they have many thoughts to ponder over the next few days.

The main decision to be made whether to drop Watson from the team after being caught LBW yet again (the 14th time against England in 35 innings). His understudy, Mitchell Marsh, scored hundreds in both of the two warm up games ahead of the series and could refresh the middle order for the visitors.

Another worry is the fitness of Starc, who had ankle surgery prior to the first test. Signs of fatigue were clear on the Australian during England’s second innings and the physio’s will hope not to exaggerate any further damage.

“We were outplayed in all three facets,” admitted Clarke.

“England batted well on day one, we didn’t take our catches and our batting let us down in both innings.

“We look forward to making amends in the second Test. I’m sure the selectors will look at everyone’s performance and make a decision.”

ASHES 2015: England leave Australia with ‘Impossible task’ To Take Pole Position in 1st Test.

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1st Test, Day Three, Cardiff. 

England are in firm control of the first Ashes test in Cardiff, although they may now have more than just the Australians to worry about, as they look to take a 1-0 series lead.

Forecasts for Sunday aren’t looking promising, with heavy rain predicted in the Welsh capital all morning. If anything, that should motivate Alistair Cook and co. to get the job done on Saturday.

England are in a great position to win the first test. After dismissing the rest of the Australian batsman in just over an hour Friday morning, they then had a resurgent Ian Bell to thank as they ended the day 411 runs ahead of their bitter rivals.

The visitors themselves began slowly, with Shane Watson trapped LBW by Stuart Broad during the second over of the day. James Anderson also picked up two wickets, moving him up to 11th in the England all-time test wickets list.

Despite losing Cook and Gary Ballance early on, Bell seemed to re-find his form at the perfect moment, scoring 60 runs to build on England’s 122 run lead ahead of their second innings.

He was eventually cleaned bowled by Mitchell Johnson, his first wicket of the match, but the Warwickshire man had caused the major damage to Australia’s hopes of turning the test around in their favour.

The ever-reliant Joe Root and oh so confident Ben Stokes added more gloss to the England scoreboard before a mini collapse from 207-4 to 245-8 had the home crowd on edge.

Step up Mark Wood, who added 32 with his sluggish method to score more runs for the hosts.

He remained at the crease until Anderson became Nathan Lyon’s fourth wicket of the day, meaning the Aussie is the first spinner from his country to take 150 test wickets.

England were all out for 289, but it means Australia must do the impossible in order to win the match.

Chasing 412 to win, Michael Clarke’s team would need to better the great Don Bradman’s team, who chased down 404 against England at Headingly back in 1948.

“We’re definitely still in it,” said Lyon.

“If we bat two days the result will go our way. There’s no reason why we can’t dig deep.

“We’ve got to learn from our first innings with the bat – be more patient. There were too many 30s in the first innings, so we need to try and push on a bit more and have a couple of our top five get big hundreds.”

The weather seems to be the Aussies’ greatest ally- and if they can still be in the match come stumps Saturday evening, then a draw would be a realistic result.

Right now though, this test looks like England’s to lose.

ASHES 2015: Ali Contributes With Bat and Ball To Give England Upper Hand.

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1st Test, Day Two, Cardiff. 

Moeen Ali justified the England selector’s decision to play him over Adil Rashid with an excellent all-round performance, as England gained the upper hand in the first Ashes test in Cardiff.

After scoring 77 with the bat, Ali also took two crucial wickets as visitors Australia ended the second day on 264-5. They are 166 runs behind England, who were dismissed for 430 all out earlier in the day.

Ali added 51 runs to his overnight total as he raced out the blocks in the early morning sunshine in the Welsh capital.

He then claimed the wickets of Australia danger man Steve Smith and captain Michael Clarke to leave England in a commanding position.

The decision to stick with Ali over Rashid was the toughest the selector’s faced ahead of this test match, but they will now feel more than overjoyed with their decision.

Ali looked in top form, and his wickets today also mean that he now boasts a better wicket per ball average (53) than past spinners Graeme Swann (60), Monty Panesar (75) and Phil Tufnell (91).

After being hit for three boundaries in four balls, the spinner confidently decided to again invite Smith on with a bowl, which read ‘come and attack me’. Smith though could only edge the ball, which was caught by Alastair Cook at slip.

He then caught and bowled Clarke on 38, just as the Australian captain was beginning to find his rhythm.

“In the first innings it was important that we got 430 – and the way we put the Australia bowlers under pressure,” said Ali.

“We are slightly ahead. A couple of early wickets tomorrow would put them under pressure. I would rather be in our position than Australia’s.”

Australia had made a decent start to their innings- with veteran opener Chris Rodgers scoring an impressive 95 before being caught behind from a Chris Wood delivery.

It was the seventh consecutive test fifty that Rodgers had scored for the Aussies, however he has failed to convert any of those half centuries into hundreds.

Following his dismissal, the frustration showed as Rodgers kicked the ground in disbelief and grudged off the field of play in a state of disappointment.

“I started to get some rhythm with my feet and weight. Once you hit some out the middle the confidence comes through,” said Rodgers.

“I’m just disappointed I didn’t make it count.

“The pitch is a bit two-paced now. You saw with the Adam Voges dismissal that kicked a little. It is going to get harder and harder, but if you set your stall out and you are happy to bat a long time there is still the opportunity.

“It has been an excellent day of Test cricket. England maybe have the slight upper hand but hopefully we can get a few more runs.”

If England can get back batting with a lead of 60-100, and then score well themselves in their second innings, they should be able to sneak an early victory over their bitter rivals.

The pitch in Cardiff is becoming more of a batsman’s’ nightmare each passing day. There seems to be less bounce on a wicket, which highly favours the bowlers (both seamers and spinners).

It would seem difficult for Australia to chase anything surpassing 350 in order to win this match, but don’t rule anything out- they are still searching for a first Ashes test victory on English soil for 14 years, that’s more than enough motivation for them to turn this test around in their favour.

ASHES 2015: Root Rescues England On Opening Day Of Test Series.

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1st Test, Day One, Cardiff. 

Joe Root was England’s saviour once again as England ended day one of the first Ashes test in a decent position against rivals Australia.

Before Root’s galvanising performance at the crease, the crowd in Cardiff were watching on in fear as the Australian seamers attacked the stumps with relative success, reminiscent of scenes down under 18 months ago.

Adam Lyth’s Ashes debut ended predominantly when he went for just seven runs early on. Captain Alistair Cook went next for just 20 before Ian Bell came and went with just one run to his name.

With the score 43-3, England were in need of a hero, and he came in the form of the ever reliant Root. But it almost wasn’t to be.

When Root slightly edged the ball on zero, England fans’ hearts jumped to their mouths as the world suddenly went slow motion. Seemingly, any England fan praying for his survival had their wish granted as Aussie wicket keeper Brad Haddin dropped the simplest of catches. England fans and players alike blew air from their cheeks. The Australians thought to themselves what could have been.

After the scare, Root was composed, and hit the right shots towards the boundaries left, right and centre. Before long, Gary Ballance and himself contributed 153 runs between them to steady the ship.

Root made it to a half century in just 56 balls and then quickly made it to three figures with a trademark cover drive. His century in 118 deliveries was the fastest ever recorded in the first test match of any Ashes series.

The Yorkshire batsman made it to 137 before he was caught behind, but by then his job was done.

It was another magnificent innings for Root, who is the highest test run scorer in the world in 2015. He has scored 675 runs in 10 innings, with two hundreds and four half century’s altogether.

“I’m really pleased with the way things have gone. I rode my luck at times, especially early on,” said Root.

“It’s a little bit slow. Seeing the first few not carry was a bit of a worry. There’s a little bit there – there are a few little indentations, which could be helpful when we bowl.

“I’m happy to be in the position we are in as a team. Hopefully we can kick on in the morning. The longer we can keep them out there, the better it is for us.

“The guys out there currently are both very capable of scoring big scores – hopefully tomorrow is one of those days where they take it to them and we score 400-plus.”

By the end of the day England, guided by Moeen Ali and Jos Buttler before his late dismissal, surpassed 300 runs and ended on 343-7.

The Australians will still feel that they can turn the tide of the first test should they take wickets early in tomorrow morning. One highlight of their day was the 3-70 bowling figures from Ashes debutant Josh Hazlewood.

Hazlewood dismissed opener Lyth for the first wicket of this summer’s Ashes. He also crucially caught Gary Ballance LBW and got the wicket Jos Buttler late on.

“The game is fairly level at this stage. Hopefully we can clean them up in the morning,” said Hazlewood.

“We were good in patches. We kept it tight for periods but we leaked a few runs. When Root was batting he played fantastically and we need to find a plan for him.

“The wicket is quite slow and nullifies the short stuff but we tried to keep it full and swinging. The Duke ball is good fun – if you get it in the right areas there is always something there. If they get 40 or 50 more I think that’s about par for them.”

French Open 2015 Draw: Clash of The Titans

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Andy Murray has been drawn in the same half as ‘King of clay’ Rafael Nadal and world number one Novak Djokovic in this year’s French Open.

Murray, seeded third for the tournament, faces some tricky looking ties but the draw could have been nastier for the Scot.

The real big talking point is the possibility of a mouth-watering heavyweight Quarter Final between Djokovic and Nadal.

There is a renewed optimism about how far Murray can go in this year’s French Open after what has been an impressive clay season for the 2013 Wimbledon winner. He has a record of ten wins and zero defeats on a surface that has been seen as his Achilles heel for much of his career.

He won his first title on clay in Munich at the start of the month before defeating Nadal in his native country of Spain to win the Madrid Masters just a week later.

“I’ve played well at Roland Garros in the past, but my game wasn’t ready to win there.” Said Murray, following his Madrid win last week.

“I’ve played Rafa a few times on clay, and this obviously gives me confidence. I don’t go in as one of the favourites, but if I play like this I’ll give myself an opportunity and that is all you can ask.”

The Scot will potentially have to get past the likes of the energetic Australian Nick Kyrgios, hard-hitting American John Isner, and the resilient Spaniard David Ferrer in order to make it to the Semi finals, where he will face the winner of that probable blockbuster between Nadal and Djokovic.

Nadal, who has won at Roland Garros an incredible nine times, has beaten Djokovic in two of the last three finals. However the Serb is on a current 22 match unbeaten run and looks set to add the only grand slam trophy missing from his illustrious trophy cabinet come June 7th.

It would be the first time in nine years that the pair would face off at the Quarter Final stage, ironically that match was also played in Paris.

“It’s strange because it hasn’t happened in a very long time.” Said Nadal following the draw.

“But at the end of the day, I have four matches before the quarter-finals and I need to be ready for that first round. I am ready to fight again and we will see.”

Nadal has struggled since his return to the court following a wrist injury he suffered last year. After that defeat to Murray in the Madrid Masters, the Spaniard lost to Stan Wawrinka in the Italian Open at the Quarter Final stage. His ranking has since dropped to seventh, meaning that this year is the first time he heads into Roland Garros since 2005 without being one of the top four seeds. But bare in mind 2005 was Nadal’s maiden French Open victory. The Spaniard has won the tournament five years on the trot so he can’t be underestimated.

Currently though, the momentum is certainly with Djokovic, which may well be enough to see him over the line. The world number one won his fourth Italian Open this year, beating veteran Roger Federer in the final. The 27 year old is arguably in the form of his life and it will take a huge effort to deny him that first Roland Garros title.

“I don’t know how it will go at Roland Garros, but I’m very confident,” said a very down to earth Djokovic, who knows that it won’t be plain sailing in order to win the tournament.

Federer will also have certain challenges to overcome if he is to win his first French Open title since 2009. The Swiss legend could come up against fellow countryman Wawrinka in the last eight should he make it that far. However, he will also have Ernests Gulbis, the man who knocked him out of the competition last year, in his section. Gulbis was the surprise package at Roland Garros last year as he made it through to the Semi Finals before being defeated by Djokovic.

Federer may also have to deal with both opponent and crowd, as French star Gael Monfils could be a potential fourth round opponent.

Federer though has been quick to say he thinks that his greatest foe will once again triumph in Paris.

“He’s (Nadal) still one of the fittest guys on tour, he’s won Roland Garros nine times and he definitely deserves to be one of the favourites,” he said.

“The guy’s only lost their once in 10 years!”

After being promoted to the Premier League, do AFC Bournemouth and Watford have what it takes to stay in the division next season?

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Bournemouth’s 3-0 win at Charlton earlier today meant that they have now been officially promoted to the Barclays Premier League. To further sweeten what has been a very successful season for the South coast club, they became Champions, as Watford could only draw 1-1 against Sheffield Wednesday.

Eddie Howe’s team weren’t a club many predicted to take the league by storm, however with the attractive attacking football that the team has produced, they have fully deserved to finish the season top of the pile.

They piped Watford to the Championship summit, but the Hornets shouldn’t be too disappointed, after achieving promotion back to the top division in English football last week at Brighton. It has been eight years since Watford were in the Premier League, but similarly to Bournemouth, they have a destructive offense, which makes them very difficult to beat.

Both teams defined the odds to achieve automatic promotion, but have they got what it takes to survive with the big boys of English football?

Firstly, they will have to rebuild their respective back lines to stand any chance. In the Championship, they both overcame teams merely due to scoring more than their opponents. 4-3s and 5-4s aren’t as easy to come by in the Premier League, once a team goes behind it must work its socks off to equalise.

Bournemouth conceded just 45 goals in their 46 Championship games this season. But the problem they face is that none of their defence has any Premier League experience. They need to recruit some players that know the league, and what it takes to remain in it.

Watford conceded 5 goals more than the Cherries, but similarly they don’t have anyone within their ranks with any experience of Premier League football.

Another hurdle both teams will need to jump is the pressure of bigger clubs coming in for their star assets. Ten Premier League clubs are reportedly monitoring Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson. The striker, who joined the Cherries for £3m from Coventry City last summer, has scored 23 goals for Howe’s team this season. Watford captain Troy Deeney scored 21 goals this term and once again is linked with a move to a more established Premier League side.

It’s hard to see why both players would want to leave their respective clubs. Both have an opportunity to show there worth exactly where they are. However football is a strange game and with the ludicrous amount of money players earn nowadays it is easy to twist the minds of the modern day footballer. Look at Raheem Sterling. He plays for one of the biggest clubs in the world (Liverpool) yet he won’t sign a new contract with a six-figure salary.

Wilson and Deeney both need to be tied down with new contracts, as they will both be key in the two team’s survival bids next season.

The future does looks promising for the two teams though, and I do believe that a number of factors will see the teams compete well in the top flight.

Bournemouth’s stadium only has a capacity of approximately 12,000, making it the smallest stadium in the league next year. But the Cherries can use that to their advantage and create a very intimidating atmosphere, like when a team draws a non-league side in the FA Cup away from home. The fans will have a huge bearing on the team next year, as they need to provide the ground with such an atmosphere that it evokes nervousness into their opposition.

Crystal Palace are a good example of this. They don’t have the biggest stadium in the league but the fans make so much noise that it stops the fluency of the opposition. Manchester City (this season) and Liverpool fans (last season) know what that feels like, seeing their teams lose at Selhurst Park at crucial times of the season.

Bournemouth scored an incredible 98 goals this season, making them the top goal scorers of any of the top four divisions in the country. Their army of offensive players have eradicated all defences they have faced this campaign. Leading Lieutenants Harry Artur, Matt Richie, Yann Kermogant and Calum Wilson have provided General Howe with nothing but goals, goals and more goals.

Teams will fear the Bournemouth forward line next season due to the sheer power that is at Howe’s disposal. The team shouldn’t change their philosophy now they are in the top league. Instead they should focus on adapting their current style. More wing play and more direct attacking football. They will defiantly get results the way they play.

Both Bournemouth and Watford have very good home records this term, which must be replicated next season. Both teams obtained 46 points at their home grounds (bettered only by Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough). Home form is crucial for promoted teams in the Premier League as away wins are difficult to come by. QPR this season only have two away wins to their name since being promoted back to the top flight last May.

With Bournemouth’s secret weapon being their atmosphere, Watford’s greatest asset is their connection with Italian club Udinese. Matej Vydra, Fernando Forestieri and Almen Abdi are all players that Watford have either signed or loaned from the Serie A side in order to gain promotion.

With Premier League status now achieved, it could be possible that Udinese send over even better players. Players that are more physical and more technical, which can only boost the teams’ survival chances.

So do I think that both teams will stay up next season? Yes. I think both have a great chance. Both team’s philosophies are to play sexy, attacking football and for me it’s the best way to achieve results. I can’t see either team hitting mid table but 15th and 16th? That’s a realistic target I think both teams can hit. The transfer market will be key. Both clubs need to sign good strong centre backs and perhaps a known goal scorer in the division. Going by what I have seen this season of the current bottom seven clubs in the Premier League, Bournemouth and Watford will defiantly compete. Can they turn their competiveness and determination into results? We will have to wait and see.

The Pros and Cons of the Athletic Bilbao Cantera Policy.

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Athletic Bilbao have produced some great footballing talent in the past. Fernando Llorente, Javi Martinez and Ander Herrera to name just a few. The secret behind Bilbaos excellent young talent is through their Cantera policy. The club is unique in the way it only uses players from the Basque region of Spain. They recruit the hottest prospects that the Basque region has to offer and bring them through the ranks before they move on to bigger and better things.

This policy began back in 1912, however it has had to tackle opposition in order to still function today. During the reign of General Franco between 1939-1975, the Basque people suffered terrible oppression; their unique language, culture, customs and style were all banned because they didn’t fit in with the ideal of a one-nation Spain. Support for Bilbao from the Basque region was a vote against Franco.

The fans of the club adore the Cantera policy. A poll in the 1990s revealed 75% of the supporters would rather see the club relegated than abandon the policy. It brings the club its identity. The fans own Athletic, making that link between the team and the supporters that even more special. Los Leones has never been relegated from La Liga (one of only four teams in Spain to hold such a record). This must mean that the Cantera policy works and it makes the side more successful, surely? Top European clubs import foreign players in order to gain success- but somehow Bilbao still fight strong in arguably the best quality league in the world. They finished 2013-14 in fourth position and made it to the group stages of the Champions League for the first time in 15 years.

But as more plaudits come in to praise the system, it also has its critics. As the club only uses regional players, it is believed that this hijacks their chances of success. They haven’t won a league or cup competition since 1984 when they won both La Liga and the Copa del Rey.

Some of the players to have played for Athletic have caused a stir. The policy of using players that were born and raised in Basque country has seemingly loosened up on occasion. Former Centre back Fernando Amorebieta was born in Venezuela but was eligible to play for Athletic because he grew up in the Basque Country as well as his parents being from the area.

Enric Saborit, now 22 years old, was signed by Athletic in 2008. The unusual thing was that Saborit was born in Barcelona. However, his mother is Basque, and that seemingly gave Athletic the right to pursue the player.

Ander Herrera is another who raises doubts to whether Los Leones kept to their ‘strict’ policy. He grew up in Zaragoza and played in Real Zaragoza’s youth system before playing for the senior squad. He could be signed by Athletic because he was simply born in Bilbao.

What does this say about the club? Do they actually deserve the plaudits of sticking to a system that through this evidence has it’s own loopholes? The game is growing each year, meaning more foreign exports are being driven into the major European leagues, including Spain. Can Athletic therefore keep their policy going?

With Real Madrid and Barcelona splashing out ridiculous sums of money for players, (Madrid spent £85 million on Gareth Bale and Barcelona spent £75 million for Luis Suarez), it seems that the Cantera will not be able to provide Los Leones with a team capable of mounting a serious title challenge. Fans will therefore need to make a choice. Do they want a team that wins trophies? Or do they want a team that keeps to their tradition, their identity and their pride in sticking with the Cantera?

They haven’t been able to keep hold of their prized assets either. Big money moves have come in for star players. Yes, Athletic need the money as the economics surrounding La Liga means that the lesser teams need to bring in as much income as possible through transfers, merchandise and ticket prices. But this means they start each season back at square one. It’s like a cycle. Over three to four seasons they bring up the talent from the Basque country, finish strongly in the league, and then sell their best players.

Ernesto Valverde for me is an underrated coach. He has a clear philosophy and is taking Athletic forward with clear direction and ambition. Currently the side is on a five match-winning run in La Liga. However the club are eighth in the table, ten points behind Villarreal, who occupy the last European place. Had the players Athletic natured in the past stayed in Bilbao, Valverde would possibly have a competitive team up there with Barcelona, Madrid and Atletico Madrid. They would not just be in the fight for Champions League qualification, but genuine title contenders.

So lets look five maybe ten years down the line. Will Athletic start looking down the table rather than up? It’s hard to tell but personally I don’t think much will change regarding their status. They will still produce the class of players that can play at Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Juventus, Real Madrid etc. It’s a system that has worked for the club for over 100 years. Nobody can scrap a tradition that’s lasted as long as this. The Cantera has been the heart and soul of Athletic Bilbao. It has produced talents for decades and will continue to do so. Yes they will have a tougher battle with the economics and so called ‘globalisation’ of the game, but the supporters are behind the team and the club will fight to continue their excellent standard of bringing up the best from the Basque country. As I mentioned before they have never been relegated from La Liga. That record speaks for itself.

Could English clubs benefit from this? I believe so. Greg Dyke is always moaning not enough home grown players are playing in the Premier League. There are even talks of reducing the amount of foreign payers in a squad down to 13. If a team such as Southampton kept to a policy like the Cantera then they would be a force to reckon with. They have one of if not the best youth system in the country. Gareth Bale, Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott, Calum Chambers, Adam Lallana and Luke Shaw are all players to have come from the academy. Had they all been in the same team we would definitely have Champions League football at ST. Marys.

I for one would be proud to be a Los Leones supporter. I love the way the club goes about things and hope that the Cantera system remains to be successful. It for me is how football clubs should approach the game- with the addition of four maybe five foreign players to boost their chances for success in league and cup competitions.

Keep it up Bilbao!

CAN AJAX EVER REPEAT THE FEATS OF THEIR PAST?

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Amsterdam is flooded with history. Stroll through the Dutch capital, and you will come across famous landmarks that really do represent the country’s culture. The iconic Dam Square, the flowing canals, the illustrious Magere Brug and the buzzing Red Light District all play their part in the epicentre of Holland’s major city.

But no history is found to be more prestigious in the capital than at their football club. Ajax are the most successful Dutch team in history. 33 Eredivsie titles, 18 KNVP cups, 8 Johann Cruijff shields, 4 European cups, 1 Uefa Cup, 2 UEFA Super Cups, 2 Intercontinental cups and 1 European cup winner’s cup fill the illustrious trophy cabinet.

Throughout time since their establishment in 1900, Ajax Amsterdam have had teams that have ruled domestic, continental and world football. With three nicknames, “de Godenzonen” (Sons of the Gods), “de Joden” (the Jews) and “I Lancieri “(The Lancers), they were named joint 5th best club of the 20th century alongside Santos.

The current Dutch champions have never been relegated from the Eredivsie, and are one of only four clubs to have won all three major European competitions.

Since 1996 they have been playing at the Amsterdam Arena found in the southeast of the city. With a capacity of over 50,000 it is the largest stadium in all of Holland- seems about right for the most renowned team in the country.

The youth setup in Amsterdam has always been breath taking. The club have produced many of Holland’s finest ever players. Johann Cruijff, Marco Van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp, Edwin Van Der Sar, Patrick Kluivert, all regarded as legends in Holland, started their careers at the Ajax academy.

Current players Rafael Van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder and Nigel de Jong also have come from the academy.

It’s not just this that has brought them such success, scouts in Europe look for the new uprising starlets from neighbouring countries too. Jan Vertonghen, Thomas Vermaelen and Christian Eriksen all moved to Amsterdam as teenagers.

For Ajax, their supremacy started in the late 1960s going into the 70s. They were named European Team of the year 4 times between 1969-1973. They won the European cups three years on the bounce between 1971-73.

This was at the time Johann Cruijff was without doubt the best player on the planet. His ‘new’ turn, which is used by pretty much every footballer today, baffled defences. He was the man every Ajax fan went to see during his time there.

In the 1980s they won 8 domestic league and cups, with the likes of Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard and current Southampton manager Ronald Koeman in the side.

But the best team ever produced by Ajax was that of 1995. That same year they were named the world’s best team and you could understand why. Their starting XI made up the national side. Van der Sar, Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Frank de Boer, Marc Overmars, and Patrick Kluivert. The list could go on.

They won the European cup in 94/95 as well as the Intercontinental cup and the Super cup. Throughout the 90s they won 6 domestic league and cups.

Recent times haven’t been as illustrious though. 1995 was the last time they won a European trophy. The club still has produced players like Klass-Jan Huntelaar, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Luis Suarez, who have gone on to bigger and better things, but they couldn’t help Ajax become the force they once were.

Frank de Boer, the current manager of the club, has seen them win four domestic titles since taking charge in 2010. But that next step on the European stage proves illusive.

Every season they make it to the Champions League group stage, and each year they seem to fail to progress. This season they finished third in their group behind Barcelona and PSG, and will enter the Europa League as a result.

What’s changed then? Well the game certainly has since the 60s and even 90s. Billionaires are becoming more common in the game, and compared to Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Chelsea and PSG, Ajax just cannot afford the big players.

The best Dutch players don’t stick around either. In the 90s, most of the Ajax team were the main core of the national side. Nowadays, most of the squad play their trade abroad. Goalkeeper Jasper Cillissen, and defenders Daley Blind and Joel Veltman were the only Ajax players to feature in Holland’s 23-man squad for last summer’s World Cup in Brazil. Blind has since moved to Manchester United.

The club are a team that are well regarded in Holland, but for the world to acknowledge them, they need to at least get as far as the last 8 of the Champions League.

They remind me of Celtic. Again, the Glasgow club are constantly in Europe’s elite competition, but they also fail to stamp their mark.

Ajax are a club that is proud of it’s history- who wouldn’t be? But the question is, do they want to be remembered for back then, or remembered for the now?

The Life of Seve Ballesteros: Part 7 ‘Regain and Retain’

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After looking at Ballesteros’ life off the course yesterday, today I wanted to look at his final Ryder Cup years, 1995 and 1997…

Part 7: ‘Regain and Retain’ (1995-1997)

“It was so fantastic that the only way I can describe it is “the miracle of Oak Hill!”

After the disappointment of 1993 at the Belfry, Europe bounced back to retain the Ryder Cup in 1995.

Seve wasn’t in the greatest form, and insisted to play first in the singles as he felt he was better off taking on one of team USA’s strongest members. He lost his singles match to Tom Lehman.

Philip Walton was the hero that day, sinking a chip shot on the eighteenth to seal victory.

“I thought it was wrongheaded to continue to play Ryder Cup matches in England. I believed that the cup would have disappeared many years ago if it hadn’t been for the participation of mainland Europeans.”

From the late 1980s, the European Tour had considered hosting the Ryder Cup in other European countries rather than just Britain. The decision that the 1993 edition was to be played at the Belfry was the last straw. And Ballesteros took to the press to push for a Spanish Ryder Cup in 1997.

In 1994, Spain was announced to become the first country in Europe to host the Ryder Cup other than Britain. The question now was which course. Seve wanted to be played at a course he was developing (Novo Sancti Petri). However, the committee announced that it was the Valderrama Golf Course, one of the most prestigious and elitist golf courses not just in Spain but also in Europe.

“Initially I objected the offer, but after consulting my brothers, I had a change of thought.”

Schofield asked Seve to be Europe’s next captain for the 97’ Ryder Cup. At first, he rejected the opportunity, stating he very much wanted to play in his home country. Schofield did state that a captain could possibly play as well, but we all know you can’t be a good captain and play to the best of your abilities at the same time. And after talking it over with family, Ballesteros made a U-turn and became Europe’s captain.

After suggesting switching the foursomes and fourballs events around on the timetable (a move which has now stuck in every Ryder Cup since), Ballesteros made what he recalls “the toughest choices I have ever made in my life” by choosing his pairings for the first two days.

Unlike captains before him, Seve personally asked each team member to name who they would feel comfortable playing with. This proved to be the right move as by the end of the Saturday session, Europe were winning 9-4.

Needing just 4 points from the 12 singles matches, Seve was secretly confident that his team could win and retain the Ryder Cup. However things didn’t go too smoothly. Olazábal lost his match as well as Nick Faldo.

But good old reliable Colin Montgomerie, in the pouring rain, sunk the final putt. Europe had won again, for Seve, “his proudest moment in his career.”

A moment that touched me most about the 1997 Ryder Cup was the post match conference, where Jose Maria Olazábal burst out in tears whilst describing his injuries, which ruled him out from playing for 18 months.

Seve response was this…

“He didn’t disappoint, he made a great contribution. He won two and a half points for the team out of a possible four. For me, Jose Maria Olazábal has been and always will be one of the greatest Ryder Cup players of the modern era.”

This was to be the last Ryder Cup Seve Ballesteros was to participate in as either a player or captain. With five Ryder Cup wins, he was key in Europe’s success at the back end of the twentieth century.

The Life of Seve Ballesteros: Part 6 ‘The Lady Pleaser with a Sore Back’

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Part six of my bio doesn’t really go into Seve’s golfing career on the course. This segment looks more into his problems with his back, his ‘playboy’ manners and his other hobbies off the greens of the golf course.

Part 6: ‘ The Lady Pleaser with a Sore Back’

“The real burden for my back was the physical pain that became even more annoying and crippling.”

For all of Ballesteros’ success on the golf course, he suffered physically. After an accident as a young boy left him hobbling around for a couple of weeks as well as caddying at the Padreña club, Ballesteros’ back was taking its toll.

Ballesteros admitted he struggled through his major wins and Ryder Cup triumphs. And in 1993, he had enough.

The Spaniard and his family travelled to Scottsdale, Arizona, for treatment. He undertook the treatments for a couple of months with no significant improvements.

This wasn’t the first time he suffered a set back in dealing with his back problem. In 1977 after the Spanish under-25 championship, Seve went to see Dr. Carbajosa. He advised Ballesteros to give up golf for a year.

Seve admitted that if he listened, he might not have suffered again with back problems. But the thought of no golf for a year was unbearable. And arguably he wouldn’t have been as successful as he was if he listened to the Madrid doctor.

In 1995, Ballesteros went to Florida to have an operation on his back. Again this failed to sort out the problem.

Seve even travelled to Germany to meet Dr. Hans-Wolfgang Müller. The German doctor had treated the likes of Boris Becker, Linford Christie, Michael Owen and the Bayern Munich football team. Even his treatments didn’t make any improvement on Seve’s back.

In the end, Seve gave up on treating his back, and instead looked to workouts and swimming to at least numb the pain.

“When a lad has pretty girls following them around the golf course. It gives them extra motivation. More then once I tried to impress them. They seduced me.”

Before marrying his wife, Ballesteros was seen as a slight playboy by his peers. He recalls seeing ‘Miss Texas’ or Christy. When they travelled together Christy was impressed on how people looked at Seve. However reality it Ballesteros would remind her it wasn’t him they were making googly eyes at.

Seve also saw an unnamed princess from northern Europe. They would spend a lot of time together when their paths crossed in Barcelona. They went sightseeing and the princess even suspended a flight home to spend more time with Ballesteros.

But no one was as close to Ballesteros than his wife, Carmen. She was his “true love.”

“I liked hunting, as it was a popular sport in Northern Spain. I also liked boxing and football, as most Spanish men do.”

Seve had hobbies outside golf. He admired Muhammad Ali, like the millions who did watching him in the ring.

He also was a supporter of Racing Santander football club, a yo-yo team in the Spanish first and second division. He would go to as many games as he could when he was home.

Seve had better connections though with the biggest club in the world, Real Madrid. Offered the best seats in the house, a trip to Madrid was regular for the football fans of the Ballesteros family.

Away from golf, his life wasn’t too shabby. He spent more time with his family from the mid 90s. He won his last title in golf in 1995, and from then, began to fall slowly away from the top of the golfing ladder.

Seve admitted that if he listened, he might not have suffered again with back problems. But the thought of no golf for a year was unbearable. And arguably he wouldn’t have been as successful as he was if he listened to the Madrid doctor.