When Stuart Broad took the final Australian wicket to seal England’s victory in the fifth men’s Ashes Test it was hailed by many as a fitting end to a pulsating series. Having only announced two days beforehand that he would be retiring from cricket after the match at The Oval, Broad had Alex Carey caught …
Continue reading “Broad, The Ashes and the power of stories”
It was both ordinary and extraordinary. Lionel Messi’s Argentina defeated France to win the men’s football World Cup, having lived up to their billing among the pre-tournament favourites. But they did so in the sort of dramatic circumstances we have hardly ever witnessed, after a Kylian Mbappé-inspired France twice roared back from seemingly nailed-on defeat …
International sport is coming thick and fast right now, with cricket and both rugby codes taking centre stage before the controversial football World Cup in Qatar steams into view. While England’s men’s teams are pursuing the world T20 cricket title and the rugby league World Cup, their female colleagues have been sweeping all before them …
Continue reading “The importance of doing, not just listening“
As a young footballer, one of the coaching tips I can most remember receiving is the safety first defensive strategy of ‘if in doubt, put it out’. The logic behind this was clear: if the ball is in danger of going near your goal and there is no obvious risk-free way to retain possession, then …
Continue reading “Overplaying and the danger of stubbornness”
Surnames are an important part of who we are. Our first names were generally chosen by our parents, but our surnames are handed down by successive generations. They tell us we are part of a family lineage that we may be able to trace back over hundreds of years. And even if we can’t draw …
This is one of my favourite times of the year as a tennis fan. Wimbledon is just around the corner and we can look forward to two weeks of action on the famed grass courts of SW19. There is something magnificent about how pristine the courts are on the opening day and then slowly become …
Have you been bitten by the Wordle bug yet? Hopefully, that won’t be as random a question as it sounds as whenever I log onto social media I find friends posting about it. If you’ve not come across the word puzzle game, you can check it out here. It’s a very simple concept that may …
For one of sport’s greatest rivalries, the latest Ashes cricket series is proving anything but closely fought. After two Tests, England are once again staring down the barrel of a drubbing Down Under, having largely failed to compete with Australia. Having been battered in Brisbane at the Gabba, the tourists did at least take the …
Continue reading “The Ashes, anticlimax and the greatest rescue”
Yet another football manager has been sacked and this time it’s really big news. The axing of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as Manchester United boss led the BBC News website on Sunday and now of course the speculation mounts as to who will succeed him in the short and long term. The writing has been on …
Continue reading “Solskjaer’s sacking and the ‘results business’”
Whatever your views on their aims and tactics, Insulate Britain have certainly been a prominent campaigning force this autumn. Seeking to draw maximum attention to their mission by protesting on motorways and central London roads, the group are demanding the government take greater action against climate change. Their particular focus is on the environmental costs …
Running the Race