All posts by h79snht.top

We mere mortals will never fully understand the feeling of being a professional sportsman/woman and dealing with day to day life in the spotlight. Football players seem to deal with the pressure well and don’t let performing in front of thousands of people each week effect them. However in the past few weeks and months, retired players have shown that life after football is anything but easy. If you were to quit your job, you may react differently to others, but what comes with being a professional footballer is hard to replace.

Anybody; like myself; who has not suffered with any mental issues such as depression will always find it difficult to fully understand exactly what it involves to be in that state of mind but it is becoming more in vogue than ever now and the seriousness of the situations are being explained.

There is no confirmation that any type of depression was involved in the tragic and shocking death of Wales manager Gary Speed towards the end of last year but since then more and more ex players have broken their silence regarding mental problems. Plenty of people are still confused about the Speed situation and a lot has yet to be cleared up to allow his supporters to understand exactly what brought him to end his own life.

Over the weekend, another footballing legend Dean Windass discussed how he attempted to kill himself due to pressures of life after football.

“I have cried every day for the last two years since retiring,” Windass told The People. “People outside football think we have it all. But I was in a hole that I honestly didn’t know how to get out of.

“Just over a week ago I hit rock-bottom and decided to end it all. I first took an overdose and when that didn’t work tried to hang myself. I felt so alone and believed I had nothing to live for.

“I need to sort myself out which is why I’m speaking out now.”

He added: “People have this image of me as this big strong man who can take anything life throws at him. But I’m not ashamed to say I wanted to end it after a string of setbacks. I knew I’d been a fool but I couldn’t shake off the depression at feeling what a failure I’d become.”

So, since Windass retired he has been unable to cope with life, something that may be becoming more common in the English football. It seems that football fans struggle to understand how hard it is to cope with a lifestyle that changes dramatically so quickly. For anyone to admit that they are suffering from this type of problem is always sad, but when it is one of your sporting heroes it is tough to watch.

The part-time Soccer Saturday pundit enjoyed a long career, that included a promotion winning goal for his boyhood club Hull City that sent them to the Premier League for the first time and it seems the highs have been hard to replicate since then.

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Freddie Flintoff: Hidden Side Of Sport was on BBC1 last week and gave a heartfelt insight into how he and his fellow sportsman went through a similar situation as Windass while he was the England cricket captain. The stories that he spoke about and the way he was talking about them was so intriguing to watch and brought the situation home to a level where everyone could understand.

Since Speed’s tragic death the subject of depression in sport has finally been promoted and it is now a hot topic that will hopefully give the fans a chance to understand exactly why their idols may be dragged into doing some terrible things. If you get the chance, make sure you watch Freddie Flintoff’s show on BBCiplayer and always seek help when needed.

Do you really understand about depression in sport? What does it mean to you? Let me know on Twitter: @Brad_Pinard

Only a couple of years ago, this sort of fixture would the acid test for Liverpool’s title and Champions League qualification aspirations.

In the current environment, with inconsistency besetting the campaigns of the country’s biggest clubs, this clash has become a gauge as to whether Tottenham, not Liverpool, have what it takes to break the established order at the top of the league.

Coming off a resounding win against Werder Bremen in another impressive White Hart Lane European performance, Spurs must avoid the sloppy display they put in against Bolton after their last night of Champions League exertions if they are to topple a Liverpool side that should welcome back Joe Cole to it’s starting XI.

Even without Steven Gerrard Liverpool will possess some level of threat, and as we saw against Chelsea- Roy Hodgson’s men are always keen for the fight when the big boys are knocking around.

Prediction: 1-1

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Real Madrid could make an audacious last-minute attempt to sign Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, according to Sky Sports.

Fabregas has been linked with a return to his boyhood club for several years and this summer it seems Arsenal might finally be willing to do business. Arsenal are holding out for more than £40 million for the World Cup winner but Barcelona have failed to meet their valuation so far. With the clubs stalling on a transfer fee, arch-rivals Real Madrid could make a last minute move for the 24-year old.

Any move would be anger both Arsenal and Barcelona fans but Real are apparently willing to offer £45 million for the player as they look to bridge the gap on their La Liga rivals. Real had failed to win the title since 2008 whilst it has been nearly 10 years since their last European triumph. Barcelona, on the other hand, have flourished under Pep Guardiola.

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Real boss Jose Mourinho sees Fabregas as the ideal man to add more creativity to the Madrid midfield. Brazilian star Kaka has failed to live up to his transfer fee since his move two summers ago but feels the Arsenal man would be a more than adequate replacement.

What a night it was for Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League last night. They went to the San Siro and not only beat AC Milan, but also kept a clean sheet and go into the second leg at White Hart Lane next month in a great position.

As well as winning, Spurs win clearly got under the skin of their opponents, none more so than Gennaro Gattuso. Rino Gattuso was involved in an amazing scuffle with Tottenham coach Joe Jordan, as the Italian went head-to-head with Harry Redknapp’s assistant.

Afterwards Gattuso said that “I lost control, there is no excuse for what I did. I take my responsibilities for that.” Redknapp made light of the situation saying that “There would be only one winner there – Joe. I’d have my money on Joe. Of all the people to pick on, don’t pick on Joe.” I’d have to agree with Harry…

https://youtube.com/watch?v=jZvI5B5mt3M%3Fversion%3D3

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David Bentley will be sidelined for up to six months after undergoing a knee operation, in a further setback in the Tottenham man’s career.

The midfielder found opportunities at White Hart Lane hard to come by last season, and has not lived up to the £15 million price tag that Spurs paid for him back in July 2008.

Bentley was farmed out to West Ham on a season-long loan in the summer, but he will now be out until April after only making five appearances for the Championship team.

Upton Park boss Sam Allardyce has stated his disappointment at the news, and has wished Bentley good luck in his rehabilitation.

“It is a great shame for David as he had settled in well to the squad. We wish him well and hope he has a speedy recovery,” he told West Ham’s official website.

The injury will be a blow for West Ham’s promotion bid; the Hammers currently sit in fourth place, four points behind leaders Southampton.

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By Gareth McKnight

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Newcastle United have sacked manager Chris Hughton in the wake of Sunday's 3-1 defeat at West Brom.

There has been mounting talk that Hughton would part company with the Magpies, as delays continued over a new contract, and the board have now decided to seek a new manager.

Despite Hughton getting Newcastle back into the top flight and making a decent start to the season, the manager refused to be drawn into a war of words.

The Magpies boss told the Sunday Sun: "What I have always done throughout this period – and I am of course aware of some of the things that have been said regarding my contract – is what I would like to think I do best and that is put my head down and work as hard as I can."

Meanwhile, goalkeeping coach Paul Barron has also left the club and Newcastle say they will immediately seek a replacement.

Hughton guided Newcastle back into the Premier League last season after they were relegated in the 2009-10 campaign.

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Newcastle are currently 11th in the top flight.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy is pleased that Spurs manager Harry Redknapp believes his side is too good to be relegated.”I’m delighted he feels that we’re not going down and I agree with him,” said McCarthy.”Quite a few managers have said we’re too good to go down – we’ve got to prove it.””Harry’s up front and honest and he’d have said that with one hand and hoping he’ll slap us with the other.” The former Ireland boss admires Tottenham’s brand of football and sees no reason why they cannot go all the way in the Champions League. “They’ve done very well so far. I think they have big-match players that whatever big game is thrown at them they can handle that,” he said.”If they get through that, then why not? Who’s to say who will win it?”For some reason Wanderers have done better against the top sides than fellow strugglers. “Maybe it’s to do with us being the underdogs, but there are all sorts of theories,” McCarthy said. “But I don’t think anyone treats us lightly, not after the results we’ve had.”Teams are all bunching up at the bottom and the subject turned McCarthy to song. “It’s like the old song about 10-in-a-bed – the little one said roll over, that’s what it’s like at the minute,” he said. “Nothing’s sorted, nothing’s settled, everyone is scrapping away and that’s the way it’s going to be until May 22.””If Albion, Blackpool and all the others win their next two games, it doesn’t matter, we could still do it.””It might take 40 points to survive, but it’s not about when you get them – as long as you’ve got more than three other teams before the end of the season, that will fine.” Ronald Zubar will not face Spurs due to a back problem and is likely to be replaced by Kevin Foley. Stephen Hunt is out with a calf injury and Wolves have doubts with Steven Mouyokolo, who rocked his knee in training, and midfielders Dave Jones and Dave Edwards who are both doubtful with leg injuries. Jamie O’Hara, on loan from Spurs, is ineligible.

With the much-needed home victory over Manchester City on Monday night and the assured performance in the Champions League last week, have Chelsea turned a corner and has Andre Villas-Boas finally got the side looking like genuine title contenders?

Along with the introduction of new players, a new style of play and a Portuguese manager still finding his feet in a vastly superior Premier League, do recent performances suggest there could be optimism and that the recent losses to top four contenders are a thing of the past?

Yes, Chelsea are still a side with their problems: the departures of a number of former key figures in the squad is needed to necessitate the smooth transition in style of play, the bedding in of young players who are experiencing the rigors of a top-flight league for the first time, yet possess the talent to succeed, and, of course, the small matter of Fernando Torres.

But while these difficulties may have been at the fore of Andre Villas-Boas’ side in the past, Chelsea have managed to put in two very convincing performances and have done so with the means they have available to them. The previously overlooked Didier Drogba, who is clearly not going to play the number of games of previous years, looks more than capable of continuing to offer the same kind of threat and power. His desire to help his team on Monday night was telling as he battled to retain possession in the dying minutes and caused a number of problems for the Manchester City defence.

Similarly, Frank Lampard’s match-winning penalty seemed almost scripted. A player who has offered so much to the club has had to take on a peripheral role as Villas-Boas now looks to players he believes are more capable of implementing his style of football. But the 33-year old England international is exactly the type of player that helps a club win matches such as this, and, in the long run, he will be seen to be a vital asset to a club with any future title ambitions.

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But what we’re seeing on the pitch is of greater interest; do Chelsea look like they are adapting to Andre Villas-Boas’ demands for possession football? The high defensive line we’ve been accustomed to seeing looks to be gone as the Chelsea defenders looked to drop much deeper and remain compact against the Manchester City attack. David Luiz’s reckless play in defence seems to have been addressed by the manager and the side are looking to eradicate gifted goals to the opposition.

At the same time, Oriol Romeu has shown just why he was coveted by a number of top European clubs over the summer. The former Barcelona midfielder has adapted well to the Premier League and has excelled at the pivot-role in the Chelsea midfield. His ability to win the ball back, play his way out from the back and initiate counter-attacking moves are qualities that are reminiscent of his former team-mates at the Nou Camp.

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But perhaps one of the biggest catalysts for Chelsea’s re-emergence as top four and title contenders are the performances of Daniel Sturridge. While asking to be accommodated in a more central role, Sturridge has performed exceptionally well from the wide right, finding room to cut inside, due to the work Didier Drobga puts in centrally, and contributing greatly to Chelsea’s threat in-front of goal. Juan Mata has done well to link up with Sturridge on a number of occasions – the England international’s pace and ability to go past the full-backs have been used to great effect in the final third.

However despite this, the job is not done for this Chelsea side. There will need to be a balance in juggling fringe players and maintaining a good run of form. The Champions League knock-out stages are luckily still far in the distance and there is the comfort of the January transfer window to continue the rebuilding process. But what is certain is that, despite only two home victories, this is a side who appear to have turned a corner and have put in the necessary performances to see off two very good sides whilst under pressure.

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Let’s start off with a statement of the obvious – football is great. Right, that’s that over with. But however great it may be, there are always things that could be better, in anyone’s opinion. So as we crawl painfully towards the start of the season, fuelled only by David Beckham interviews and friendlies from the other side of the world where rampaging gunmen and phone hacking scandals are pushed off the front page because a footballer tried a back heel that didn’t come off, here’s a few things I dream of seeing to make the sport we love that little bit better in the coming years. Almost all of it will never happen.

First off, ban Monday night football. Sky think we all love Monday night football. I recall Richard Keys at the beginning of last season exclaiming in what seemed like a constant loop, “Monday night football is back!”

Well yippee. Get the bunting out, dust off that bottle of Asti Spumante you’d been saving for a special occasion, this is the news we had all been waiting for. Great if you are at home on the most boring night of the week, but for match-going fans it is utter rubbish. My team’s season-opener will be on a Monday night, instantly killing the buzz of the opening weekend. Thanks for nothing Rupert Murdoch.

Football games should only be played on a Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday (except for Tranmere, who can play on a Friday).

Trial video technology. No in-depth analysis here, as you will already be bored senseless by the debate. The average football game only has about 60 minutes of play – to claim it will slow down games is nonsense. The FIFA viewpoint that if it is not available to everyone then no one can have it seems ridiculous to me. Better some have an advantage than no one – it is 2011, not 1970 – and the world’s biggest, most popular game is one of the few sports still stuck in the dark ages. The whole technology might not work, I accept that – but that’s what trials are for.

Get rid of the rule that an injured player has to go off the pitch – it was introduced in good faith, hoping to eradicate the feigning of injuries. It hasn’t, and it punishes genuinely injured players. It is stupid, pointless, and annoying.

Speaking of which, allow players to be treated on pitch while play continues, like they do in rugby. Should lead to a good bloopers video, if nothing else.

Whilst we’re at it, get rid of the equally stupid rule of a yellow card for taking your shirt off. Unless there’s a pointless message on a white T-shirt below.

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No one who is a club chairman or even on a club board should have a position of influence at the FA. Impartial? Yeah, right.

Ban all player interviews, on camera and in print. They are undoubtedly boring, and will be misquoted to gain a story anyway. I can live without hearing Wayne Rooney tell us how he is over the moon, and just stuck it in the onion bag, ya know? I really could not care one iota whether Patrice Evra thinks Samir Nasri would be a good signing, or have the slightest interest in David Beckham commenting on how Ferguson should get Wesley Sneijder, or about anything he has said, ever. This is not news. Save it for the ghost-written autobiography. Summers are so boring without football.

No substitutions should be allowed in injury time (unless replacing a player unconscious on a stretcher).

Change the red card for a professional foul (or whatever they call it now) that also results in a penalty – it is totally unfair to dispense a double punishment for a genuine attempt to make a tackle – a red card and a penalty seem too harsh a punishment for the defending team, though I should add I am not sure what the solution is.

Sin bins – trial them for acts of dissent. I am probably in the minority here, but I have always liked the idea of sin bins. I don’t think referees will ever have the nerve to show yellow cards for every act of dissent, as it will decimate the number of players on the pitch (at least for a short while). But sin bins provide an alternative, as 10 minutes a man down should hopefully force the players to keep their mouth shut (eventually).

A proper “Fit and Proper” test. Make it live up to its name – if you want to buy a football club, there must be assurances about financial security, plans for the club, and rules in place to prevent the selling off of assets.

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If that’s possible.

More money to trickle down to the lower leagues, grass roots football, and for hiring greater number of coaches in this country. Secure the future of the Football Supporters Federation using some of this money rather than have its survival rely on the whim of Peter Scudamore and a few of his cronies.

But – get rid of the ridiculous levels of money swimming around the Champions League that has turned it into a cartel that preserves the power of the status quo, and make it a straight knock out too, so that we are rid of all the dreary and fairly predictable group stages. At the very least remove the back-up of 3rd place teams falling into the Europa League. Of course there is more chance of me being trapped on a bus with Sandra Bullock that will explode if it goes under a certain speed, but ultimately I end up being saved due to the bravery and cunning of Keanu Reeves.

And finally, hope that no one has been counting how many points I have made in this article.

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Tottenham’s defensive crisis has worsened, as Michael Dawson will be out for two months with an achilles injury.

The centre back picked up the knock in training, and missed the London side’s 2-0 win over Wolves at Molineux on Saturday.

The news is a real blow to manager Harry Redknapp, who is already missing a number of key defensive players, and has a congested fixture list to contend with, as his team face PAOK in Greece on Thursday and Liverpool at home on Sunday.

“The whole situation is a nightmare, I have no idea what team I will be able to play,” he told The Daily Mail.

“I will sit down and see who I can take out to Greece. It may well be a chance for some of the fringe players to take their chance. I really don’t know who will be ready for Liverpool,” he admitted.

William Gallas is believed to be on the recovery trail however, as a calf injury has sidelined him for the start of the campaign.

The 34-year-old, who featured heavily in Spurs’ Champions League run last year, has started light training.

Although he is doubtful for the Liverpool clash on Sunday, Harry Redknapp hopes to have him available for their game against Wigan on September 24th.

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