Live coverage and match report (Premiership coverage for Eurosport - 26 December 2006):
For my minute by minute live coverage of the match click HERE
Ronaldo leads United four points clear
Buoyed by the knowledge that Reading had robbed Chelsea of two points, Cristiano Ronaldo put on a second-half show to help dismantle Wigan 3-1 and send United four points clear at the top of the Barclay’s Premiership.
Second-half substitute Ronaldo struck twice within five minutes of the restart to send Wigan crashing to their fourth successive defeat and enable United to capitalise on Chelsea’s draw with Reading.
The timeless Ole Gunnar Solskaer was on target in the 59th minute to give United a three goal lead. A late penalty for Wigan, converted by young Leighton Baines, was the only downside to what was a sterling performance by Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.
Ronaldo, Louis Saha, Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville were all absent from the starting line up as Sir Alex shuffled his pack once more, safe in the knowledge that, regardless of the result, United would remain top of the Premiership.
With the score 0-0 at half-time though ,Ferguson introduced his trump card to kick start proceedings. He could never have imagined the immediacy of the impact.
Within two minutes of gracing the pitch Ronaldo put United 1-0 up with a thumping header from an early corner. Three minutes later he fed J.S.Park in the Wigan penalty area after fine work down the left. Park was promptly fouled right in front of referee, Mike Riley, for a stonewall penalty. Ronaldo failed to convert from the spot but made sure with the rebound.
United dominated proceedings in the first half but had failed to open the scoring. Wayne Rooney, rejuvenated after his rest against Aston Villa on Saturday, could easily have had a hat-tick. Wigan’s Chris Kirkland was forced to make three exceptional saves from close range in the opening twenty minutes and could only watch as efforts from Rooney and Patrice Evra fizzed wide.
J.S Park and Ole Gunnar Solskaer respectively replaced on form Portugese high diver Ronaldo in midfield and club top scorer Louis Saha in attack.
Wes Brown took over from Gary Neville at right back and revelled in the amount of space afforded him. Darren Fletcher, who replaced Carrick, bossed the midfield alongside Paul Scholes and twice released Brown down the right early on but United failed to convert their chances and, despite enjoying 60% of the possession, allowed Wigan to hang on to a clean sheet as Riley blew for half-time.
Fletcher was pulled to make way for Ronaldo at the break. If Ronaldo hadn’t produced such an emphatic impact this decision would have appeared harsh on Fletcher who had been carving open the Wigan back four with intelligent balls to Rooney and an ever-advancing Brown.
But the game was transformed by Ronaldo. He was everywhere and Wigan had no answer to his trickery. Stunned by the two early goals, the coup de grace came from Old Trafford legend Ole Gunnar Solskaer.
John O'shea won the ball in midfield and flicked it on to Rooney who out jumped Emile Heskey to feed Solskaer. With time to compose himself and pick his spot in the far corner, he drove the ball comfortably home from the edge of the area.
Mikael Silvestre blotted his copy book with a late Christmas present for Wigan with an ill timed tackle in the last minute to gift the visitors a penalty. Baines showed the maturity and confidence that has been alerting bigger clubs to the possibility of his signature by converting the spot kick but the result was never in doubt.
Ferguson will be relishing the fact that no team with this many points at Christmas has ever failed to go on and win the Premiership.
If Jose Mourinho wasn’t in need of some christmas consolation after his side's draw with Reading, he will now.
27 December 2006
22 December 2006
Missing in action – Parting with your Passport
If you haven’t got your word, what have you got? There is a simple answer to this well known maxim: your passport, the single most important part of foreign travel in any way shape or form. You cannot leave home without it, so what happens when it isn’t there?
Some may have experienced this sensation, some may not. It isn’t pleasant. One minute this priceless piece of parchment, emblazoned with Her Majesty’s imprint, her permission to pass and, most importantly, your photo, is where you last left it; the next your identity is gone and your travel plans are in dire straights unless you fancy Butlins as an alternative.
Having established beyond doubt that your passport is nowhere at home, work, parent’s or friends’ houses, having ruled out Butlins as an option, and having traced intricately through its previous use and movements without revelation, there is still the belief that Her Majesty will save her loyal subject.
The Identity and Passport Service as it is now known was established as an Executive Agency of the Home Office on 1 April 2006. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others, a fool learns from his own. The personnel at the passport office have a sense of humour judging from the date of this latest incarnation of their services.
In the advent of broad band internet connections, your first port of call is the “I need a replacement urgently” link on http://www.passport.gov.uk/. The crux of your situation is swiftly revealed by the appearance of the following statement: “If you need to travel in less than two weeks you should make an urgent application for a new passport. Your first step should be to call our Adviceline on 0870 521 0410 and make an appointment at one of our offices.”
Personally, I had a little over four hours, and by the time I had concluded beyond doubt that my passport was indeed lost beyond hope it was 2am. Unsurprisingly the Identity and Passport Agency are unable to offer an appointment at that time within that timescale. Surprisingly, given the time in the morning, they still answer the phone.
A gentle voice greeted me and soothingly yet remorselessly informed me that the fastest possible time for obtaining a new passport is seven days after an appointment. The relevant appointment personnel would not be present to accept a booking, let alone action one, until 10am.
There is an “emergency procedure”. In the case of dire business or life and death need, applications can be fast-tracked. The bar is set high though and even if cleared the minimum time in which a passport can be produced is four hours from the time that said bar has been negotiated and photos supplied.
Exceptionally the rules it seems can be overlooked. English pop singer Dido didn’t miss out when it was discovered that a passport was missing on her whirlwind attempt to play three gigs in an afternoon for the charity spectacular, Live8. Sadly the Easyjet’s of this world have slightly more stringent regulations than their private counterparts.
Not all celebrities are so lucky or so expert in their dealings. This summer Pete Doherty missed a concert in Ibiza after losing his passport and the same reason was quoted for the cancellation of a Sugababes gig in Denmark. Spare a thought though for Naomi Campbell's former personal assistant. Amanda Brack has claimed the supermodel attacked her three times, spat in her face and threw her passport in a swimming pool. At least she knew where it was.
By Andy Sloan, author of ‘23 Sweet FAs’, whose original brief was to cover the derby between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, in Istanbul.
Some may have experienced this sensation, some may not. It isn’t pleasant. One minute this priceless piece of parchment, emblazoned with Her Majesty’s imprint, her permission to pass and, most importantly, your photo, is where you last left it; the next your identity is gone and your travel plans are in dire straights unless you fancy Butlins as an alternative.
Having established beyond doubt that your passport is nowhere at home, work, parent’s or friends’ houses, having ruled out Butlins as an option, and having traced intricately through its previous use and movements without revelation, there is still the belief that Her Majesty will save her loyal subject.
The Identity and Passport Service as it is now known was established as an Executive Agency of the Home Office on 1 April 2006. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others, a fool learns from his own. The personnel at the passport office have a sense of humour judging from the date of this latest incarnation of their services.
In the advent of broad band internet connections, your first port of call is the “I need a replacement urgently” link on http://www.passport.gov.uk/. The crux of your situation is swiftly revealed by the appearance of the following statement: “If you need to travel in less than two weeks you should make an urgent application for a new passport. Your first step should be to call our Adviceline on 0870 521 0410 and make an appointment at one of our offices.”
Personally, I had a little over four hours, and by the time I had concluded beyond doubt that my passport was indeed lost beyond hope it was 2am. Unsurprisingly the Identity and Passport Agency are unable to offer an appointment at that time within that timescale. Surprisingly, given the time in the morning, they still answer the phone.
A gentle voice greeted me and soothingly yet remorselessly informed me that the fastest possible time for obtaining a new passport is seven days after an appointment. The relevant appointment personnel would not be present to accept a booking, let alone action one, until 10am.
There is an “emergency procedure”. In the case of dire business or life and death need, applications can be fast-tracked. The bar is set high though and even if cleared the minimum time in which a passport can be produced is four hours from the time that said bar has been negotiated and photos supplied.
Exceptionally the rules it seems can be overlooked. English pop singer Dido didn’t miss out when it was discovered that a passport was missing on her whirlwind attempt to play three gigs in an afternoon for the charity spectacular, Live8. Sadly the Easyjet’s of this world have slightly more stringent regulations than their private counterparts.
Not all celebrities are so lucky or so expert in their dealings. This summer Pete Doherty missed a concert in Ibiza after losing his passport and the same reason was quoted for the cancellation of a Sugababes gig in Denmark. Spare a thought though for Naomi Campbell's former personal assistant. Amanda Brack has claimed the supermodel attacked her three times, spat in her face and threw her passport in a swimming pool. At least she knew where it was.
By Andy Sloan, author of ‘23 Sweet FAs’, whose original brief was to cover the derby between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, in Istanbul.
20 December 2006
A touching World Cup story
In January 2007 the England Women’s Touch Rugby team head out to South Africa for the Touch Rugby World Cup. After a gruelling selection process over the past month, a squad of 24 will be boarding the plane to Stellenbosch via Johannesburg to fly the flag in one of the UK’s fastest growing sports.
Touch Rugby, the summer cousin of Union and League, has seen a dramatic increase in participation in the past few years. Alongside Softball and Frisbee, the nation’s park-lands are now awash with Touch Rugby.
Almost in line with the influx of Australians in London and elsewhere, leagues have spawned, competitions have grown and, in turn, England’s standing in the game has improved. Whilst the England Men’s Rugby Union team have floundered since their epic 20-17 victory down-under in 2003, the England Women’s Touch team are current European Champions.
Touch Rugby’s appeal lies in its accessibility. It lacks the crunching brutality of its cousins but retains the skills and explosive action of the game. Elite players need to be strong sprinters, capable of changing direction in an instant (to avoid a touch or to wrong-foot an opponent) and have the tactical nouse and lightening reactions to work a break in the opposition’s line and capitalise on the smallest of mistakes.
It is a fast, furious game and those who underestimate it are soon left trailing the heels of others. The rules are simple, the work-out complete, and the competition as tough as you want it to be.
As you might expect in a sport fathered and championed in the rugby-mad nations of Australia and New Zealand, there is a distinct Antipodean touch to the current England squad. Nearly two-thirds of the team hail from beyond England’s green and pleasant lands; naturalised after three years of life on these shores.
Newest recruit to the England setup, Natalie Wanrooy, is just one such example. Born in Papua New Guinea and raised in Brisbane, Australia, she grew up playing rugby on the Gold Coast. “It’s a way of life out there,” she explained, tipping her home nation to win in Stellenbosch.
Wanrooy moved to England eight years ago and has been playing Touch Rugby in London ever since her arrival. “I love it” she said, smiling brightly, her enthusiasm for the sport evident in the passionate way in which she has embraced her new role in the England set up. “I’m absolutely stoked to have made the team” she said. “The girls are all amazing and I’m learning so much with every training session.”
Quizzed on the team’s chances against the tournament favourites, Australia, she struggles to retain the same conviction. “Not a chance,” she laughed. “You’ve got to be realistic; those girls are playing 24/7, their squad has been picked and training together for a year. They’re funded and frightening. We’ll have had 4 months preparation by comparison, do a lot of our training individually after work and have to scrape together our own funds for the trip.”
Wanrooy used to be part of the Australian women’s rugby union side before packing up and moving to England. “I wouldn’t have a chance of making the Australian Touch team” she said, “so it’s awesome to have found a way to make the World Cup with England.” Playing down her past brushes with the likes of Australian Rugby legends John Eals and Michael Lynagh, Wanrooy is confident that England can make an impact given a favourable group in January.
With a range of countries from Scotland to Singapore joining Australia, New Zealand and the hosts, South Africa, the competition is set to sizzle. “We’ve got to fancy ourselves against Scotland” said Wanroy, resident south of the border for long enough to recognise the rivalry, “and, no disrespect, but I didn’t even know Singapore had a team.” The England football team may be firing blanks against European minnows but England’s Touch Rugby women hope to sprint through the early rounds against their sport’s equivalent nations and take a punt at the big boys of Australia and New Zealand.
Looking to build on their European Championship success, it just might be England’s turn to shine. Every tournament brings an upset and whilst the odds may be against our girls returning victorious, an appearance in the final is a distinct possibility. Asked if she would turn down a last minute offer to defect and don the Australian jersey once more, Wanrooy was diplomatic; but a mischievous glint in her eye betrayed fond sentiment for her homeland. “Let’s just see how I get on with the English National Anthem” she replied.
Touch Rugby, the summer cousin of Union and League, has seen a dramatic increase in participation in the past few years. Alongside Softball and Frisbee, the nation’s park-lands are now awash with Touch Rugby.
Almost in line with the influx of Australians in London and elsewhere, leagues have spawned, competitions have grown and, in turn, England’s standing in the game has improved. Whilst the England Men’s Rugby Union team have floundered since their epic 20-17 victory down-under in 2003, the England Women’s Touch team are current European Champions.
Touch Rugby’s appeal lies in its accessibility. It lacks the crunching brutality of its cousins but retains the skills and explosive action of the game. Elite players need to be strong sprinters, capable of changing direction in an instant (to avoid a touch or to wrong-foot an opponent) and have the tactical nouse and lightening reactions to work a break in the opposition’s line and capitalise on the smallest of mistakes.
It is a fast, furious game and those who underestimate it are soon left trailing the heels of others. The rules are simple, the work-out complete, and the competition as tough as you want it to be.
As you might expect in a sport fathered and championed in the rugby-mad nations of Australia and New Zealand, there is a distinct Antipodean touch to the current England squad. Nearly two-thirds of the team hail from beyond England’s green and pleasant lands; naturalised after three years of life on these shores.
Newest recruit to the England setup, Natalie Wanrooy, is just one such example. Born in Papua New Guinea and raised in Brisbane, Australia, she grew up playing rugby on the Gold Coast. “It’s a way of life out there,” she explained, tipping her home nation to win in Stellenbosch.
Wanrooy moved to England eight years ago and has been playing Touch Rugby in London ever since her arrival. “I love it” she said, smiling brightly, her enthusiasm for the sport evident in the passionate way in which she has embraced her new role in the England set up. “I’m absolutely stoked to have made the team” she said. “The girls are all amazing and I’m learning so much with every training session.”
Quizzed on the team’s chances against the tournament favourites, Australia, she struggles to retain the same conviction. “Not a chance,” she laughed. “You’ve got to be realistic; those girls are playing 24/7, their squad has been picked and training together for a year. They’re funded and frightening. We’ll have had 4 months preparation by comparison, do a lot of our training individually after work and have to scrape together our own funds for the trip.”
Wanrooy used to be part of the Australian women’s rugby union side before packing up and moving to England. “I wouldn’t have a chance of making the Australian Touch team” she said, “so it’s awesome to have found a way to make the World Cup with England.” Playing down her past brushes with the likes of Australian Rugby legends John Eals and Michael Lynagh, Wanrooy is confident that England can make an impact given a favourable group in January.
With a range of countries from Scotland to Singapore joining Australia, New Zealand and the hosts, South Africa, the competition is set to sizzle. “We’ve got to fancy ourselves against Scotland” said Wanroy, resident south of the border for long enough to recognise the rivalry, “and, no disrespect, but I didn’t even know Singapore had a team.” The England football team may be firing blanks against European minnows but England’s Touch Rugby women hope to sprint through the early rounds against their sport’s equivalent nations and take a punt at the big boys of Australia and New Zealand.
Looking to build on their European Championship success, it just might be England’s turn to shine. Every tournament brings an upset and whilst the odds may be against our girls returning victorious, an appearance in the final is a distinct possibility. Asked if she would turn down a last minute offer to defect and don the Australian jersey once more, Wanrooy was diplomatic; but a mischievous glint in her eye betrayed fond sentiment for her homeland. “Let’s just see how I get on with the English National Anthem” she replied.
06 December 2006
Spurs put on a show to squeeze past 'Boro
On a barmy Tuesday night in December, a visitor to London could have done no better than to have entertained themselves at last night’s dubious looking fixture of Spurs v Middlesbrough at White Hart Lane.
It may have been a clash between last season’s UEFA Cup finalists and this season’s potential finalists but it was also a clash of mid-table mediocrity. Gareth Southgate has hardly set the world on fire in his fledgling months as manager of Middlesbrough and Martin Jol’s Spurs have frankly failed to build on the promise of last season, currently languishing 11th in the Premiership, rather lower than their aspirations of the fourth place Champions League spot allow.
Yet this encounter served up a treat of all that is good in English football. Three goals, two red cards and various bouts of fisty-cuffs was content enough to satisfy a television audience but such action on the pitch also had the effect of stirring the various sections of the crowd into a classic contest of their own.
“Stand up if you hate Arsenal” was a swift and unsurprising chant early on in the game by the Tottenham fans to which the Middlesbrough faithful promptly responded with, “3-0 to the Arsenal”, rejoicing in reminding the occupants of the south stand of Tottenham’s miserable defeat to their north London rivals three days prior.
Not to be outdone, the inventive north Londoners retaliated with “You’re just a small town in Scotland” and, on sighting a man in a flat cap and barber jacket who seemed rather quiet, “you only sing when you’re farming”. This verbal jousting must have fascinated any foreigners present, an insight into life on the English terraces. Forget a year in Provence; a year in the south stand at Spurs will provide a cultural education of its own.
The first half wasn’t entirely pretty as both sides managed to convey why they continually fail to trouble the top of the table. Jonathan Woodgate, formerly of Real Madrid, Newcastle and England, belied his pedigree by completely misjudging a simple defensive header for Middlesbrough early on and Jermaine Defoe, having won a rare recent start proved profligate to the extreme, seemingly unable to pull the trigger early and fire home, despite numerous chances.
On 47 minutes Dimitar Berbatov stepped up to the plate and broke the deadlock with his second league goal of the season. Game on. As the fans increased their volume in celebration and renewed taunting of the farmer, so the match spread out, the pace quickened and the challenges stiffened.
The ‘Boro fans were thrown a lifeline on 80 minutes when Steward Downing curled in a corner which, after a short bout of pinball in the Tottenham six yard box, was slammed home by Robert Huth. Their joy was short lived. Robbie Keane joined the fray in place of Steed Malbranque and four minutes later struck home from 25 yards following a quickly taken free quick.
Middlesbrough frustrations boiled over leading to a cynical challenge on Pascal Chimbonda which prompted unnecessary intervention from Didier Zokora and his midfield counterpart George Boateng who, after having exchanged pleasantries in a scuffle against the advertising hoardings, were both given their marching orders by referee Mark Halsey.
The fans were then treated to an inexplicable five minutes of added time before the final whistle granted the Middlesbrough section leave to commence their long trek north and Southgate to mull Keane’s suckerpunch. Martin Jol may well have aged in the process of earning these three points, but they will be three points well received from what was essentially a pantomime of a performance.
It may have been a clash between last season’s UEFA Cup finalists and this season’s potential finalists but it was also a clash of mid-table mediocrity. Gareth Southgate has hardly set the world on fire in his fledgling months as manager of Middlesbrough and Martin Jol’s Spurs have frankly failed to build on the promise of last season, currently languishing 11th in the Premiership, rather lower than their aspirations of the fourth place Champions League spot allow.
Yet this encounter served up a treat of all that is good in English football. Three goals, two red cards and various bouts of fisty-cuffs was content enough to satisfy a television audience but such action on the pitch also had the effect of stirring the various sections of the crowd into a classic contest of their own.
“Stand up if you hate Arsenal” was a swift and unsurprising chant early on in the game by the Tottenham fans to which the Middlesbrough faithful promptly responded with, “3-0 to the Arsenal”, rejoicing in reminding the occupants of the south stand of Tottenham’s miserable defeat to their north London rivals three days prior.
Not to be outdone, the inventive north Londoners retaliated with “You’re just a small town in Scotland” and, on sighting a man in a flat cap and barber jacket who seemed rather quiet, “you only sing when you’re farming”. This verbal jousting must have fascinated any foreigners present, an insight into life on the English terraces. Forget a year in Provence; a year in the south stand at Spurs will provide a cultural education of its own.
The first half wasn’t entirely pretty as both sides managed to convey why they continually fail to trouble the top of the table. Jonathan Woodgate, formerly of Real Madrid, Newcastle and England, belied his pedigree by completely misjudging a simple defensive header for Middlesbrough early on and Jermaine Defoe, having won a rare recent start proved profligate to the extreme, seemingly unable to pull the trigger early and fire home, despite numerous chances.
On 47 minutes Dimitar Berbatov stepped up to the plate and broke the deadlock with his second league goal of the season. Game on. As the fans increased their volume in celebration and renewed taunting of the farmer, so the match spread out, the pace quickened and the challenges stiffened.
The ‘Boro fans were thrown a lifeline on 80 minutes when Steward Downing curled in a corner which, after a short bout of pinball in the Tottenham six yard box, was slammed home by Robert Huth. Their joy was short lived. Robbie Keane joined the fray in place of Steed Malbranque and four minutes later struck home from 25 yards following a quickly taken free quick.
Middlesbrough frustrations boiled over leading to a cynical challenge on Pascal Chimbonda which prompted unnecessary intervention from Didier Zokora and his midfield counterpart George Boateng who, after having exchanged pleasantries in a scuffle against the advertising hoardings, were both given their marching orders by referee Mark Halsey.
The fans were then treated to an inexplicable five minutes of added time before the final whistle granted the Middlesbrough section leave to commence their long trek north and Southgate to mull Keane’s suckerpunch. Martin Jol may well have aged in the process of earning these three points, but they will be three points well received from what was essentially a pantomime of a performance.
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