Many years ago when I was a teenager I was walking in the Alps and felt embarrassed when a group of hikers came past me at a fast rate of knots. I was labouring my way up a steep gradient whilst they skipped past me with barely a hint of heavy breathing. What fascinated me about this incident was the fact that none of this spritely group appeared to under 80 years of age! Continue reading
There are few corporate logos as universally recognised as the Nike swoosh and perhaps that single little image has been at least partly responsible for the brand’s enormous success. Nike has proved itself to be a trend setting brand with great drive and Nike’s enduring popularity has been really quite something when you think about it. Continue reading
I was really quite excited when I first heard about Channel 4’s new reality show The Jump last year. I am not a great fan of watching Z listers play silly games usually but I am interested in skiing and couldn’t help wondering how they would all fare. I also devilishly considered the fact that snow sports can result in some fairly major accidents so there was bound to be a bit of drama along the way!
For those who have not seen the programme, The Jump pits celebrities against each other in a series of snow sports including skiing, speed skiing, bobsleigh and skeleton. In each round those who finish in the bottom two must brave the ski jump to decide who leaves the competition. Continue reading
Like many people of a certain age I have to watch my weight very carefully. I only have to look at the wrong food and I can feel my waistband expanding. I am studious about what and how much I eat. I run 5 times each week for at least 4 miles and I also play badminton and make regular visits to the indoor ski centre. On the whole things are going well but I am constantly amazed at how many temptations get thrown in my path. It is like walking a tightrope every day and I can easily understand why so many people struggle to lose weight. Continue reading
If you are playing sport then you are limited in what personal items you can take with you. That wasn’t such a problem in the old days as most people’s valuables would be confined to their wallet and car keys and kids wouldn’t even have those. These days, however, it is a different story with the proliferation of mobile phones, tablets, iPods and other gadgets. Most people have quite a lot to carry and also to lose which presents a dilemma. Do you take your things with you and if you don’t where do you put them? Continue reading
Being a football fan I have few fonder memories of my childhood than those centred on my treasured Panini sticker books. I avidly collected the faces of the football stars in my albums and couldn’t wait to invest in the next packet of stickers. When this year’s World Cup started I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing in my life. I was about to witness a footballing fiesta but I did not have a sticker album and I felt an overwhelming desire to get one.
I always look forward to the World Cup with eager anticipation but heaven knows why because recent tournaments have largely been a disappointment. What should be a massive festival of football has often been reduced to a war of attrition with one boring tactical match after another, a truly awful final and many matches decided by nothing more than poor officials.
2014 Continue reading
There is now a spectacular range of golfing attire out there to choose from. Many of the garments utilise new materials and technologies to produce moisture wicking, insulating, lightweight and waterproof garments that will serve you very well indeed. However, sometimes it can be the more traditional clothing that hits the spot for both style and comfort and that is certainly true when it comes to Cashmere. Continue reading
Having taken two skiing holidays you would think that I would have learnt my lesson about the rigours of the sport but clearly not! If you are not in tip top condition skiing can really stretch your leg muscles and it is best to build up your strength gradually. This doesn’t explain why I decided to book an all-day session on the indoor slope having only skied for two hours since the beginning of January! Continue reading
Jose Mourinho
Mourinho could quite possibly be the greatest football manager of all time which is rather galling! If ever there was a man whose failure I would love to celebrate then he is surely that person but he just keeps on winning. The continued success is fuelling both his arrogance and his propensity for controversy and I have frankly had enough of it.
This season’s title chase has proved to be one of the greatest of all time and a surprising development for a league which looked set to be dominated by the biggest spenders. What promised to be a procession has become the closest contest in years as the established order of things has been turned on its head.
Who would have expected Liverpool to make such a big fight of it particularly as they were forced to start the season without talisman Luis Suarez? Few gave Arsenal much of a chance and nobody predicted that Manchester United would fall off their lofty perch in such dramatic style. Chelsea looked set for a season of transition but Mourinho has worked his magic very quickly and so we have a four horse race including Manchester City but not Moyes’ United. Not that the special one is prepared to acknowledge that Liverpool even exist.
Mourinho is quite happy to talk about the threat of Manchester city when questioned about the title but he never mentions Liverpool. It would appear that this is a man who bears grudges and that he still hasn’t recovered from Chelsea’s defeat against the Reds in the 2005 Champions League semi-final. He still contends that the winning goal did not cross the line, conveniently overlooking the fact that there should have been a penalty awarded just prior to the goal and that his team had 180 minutes over two legs to score themselves and failed to do so. He always attributes failure to anything but himself or his team and now he is at it again.
The recent Premier League match against Aston Villa was packed with controversy. Should Willian have been sent off? Probably not but Ramirez’s red card was spot on. Mourinho has been quick to blame the referee for Chelsea’s demise in the game but the fact is his team played poorly even with 11 men and he really should have apologised for the Ramirez tackle which he say was a result of frustration. Clearly it is OK in Mourinho’s world to break someone’s leg if the referee makes a mistake.
I cannot tell you how much I want Liverpool to beat Chelsea at Anfield and finish above them in the league. I am sure that even if they win by six it will all be the referee’s fault or because they cheated. Chelsea couldn’t possibly lose because Mourinho has got his tactics wrong or his players have underperformed. The man wants to take a long hard look in the mirror at home. Yes he is brilliant but he isn’t right all of the time and his ridiculous and often clearly disingenuous outpourings are really provoking. The Chelsea fans clearly didn’t like Benitez and I can tell you that the Liverpool fans don’t like Mourinho much either!
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Article by Sally Stacey