After a great deal of painful deliberation, here is my prestigious top-20-albums-of-2010. Now that it’s up here in cyber-space it’s concrete, definitive, done… but, truth-be-told, the top three albums on this list were so good that they are pretty much interchangeable, and the same goes for the following seventeen records. Also, 20 is such a small number that all the shoe-horning in the world wouldn’t have allowed me to fit all the albums I wanted to onto this list. Consequentially, fantastic LPs by The National, LCD Soundsystem, Nottingham’s own Tindersticks, The Hold Steady, This is Hell, Arcade Fire, Gil Scott Heron, Best Coast, Tigers Jaw, Fang Island and countless others did not make the cut. Also, sorry to any artists who are due to release albums in the remaining weeks of 2010, I’m certain R Kelly would’ve been top 5 if I’d only waited… but nevermind, eh.
1. Laura Marling- I Speak Because I Can
With Alas, I cannot Swim, the teenaged Laura showed a precocious talent, and was often, and unfairly, lumped in with the Nash-es and the Allens that inhabited the charts at that time. Now, at the ripe old age of 20, she has released an astonishingly accomplished album of beautiful pastoral observations, sparkling acoustic flourishes and sweeping moments of orchestral gravity. Quintessentially English, without any of the jingoistic nationalism that sometimes goes with it; Laura Marling has blown the ridiculous genre of “nu-folk” apart and now has her sights set on a place in the “true-folk” canon.
2. The Wonder Years- The Upsides
Regardless of whether you think pop-punk was invented by Descendents in ’82, Green Day in ’94 or New Found Glory in 2000; the fact is, The Wonder Years perfected it in 2010. The Upsides is the Philadelphia band’s second full length and chronicles TWY principle songwriter, Dan Campbell’s battle with depression. Often poignant but never gloomy, The Upsides is 12 tracks of fist-in-the-air positivity and galloping melody that can’t help but sweep you along. Cuts like Logan Circle and the gang chant anthemia of Washington Square Park make this the most life-affirming record you will hear all year.
3. Tokyo Police Club- Champ!
Following the unrestrained, scratchy brilliance of their debut EP, and 2008’s more sedate Elephant Shell record, comes… well, a mixture of the two. Tokyo Police Club were finding the balance in 2010, and the product was this remarkable record, which showed they are equally at ease sound-tracking a quirky Michael Cera movie as Match of the Day 2. Champ is a far more diverse affair than TPC’s previous outings, with Graham Wright’s programmed beats and bleeps taking centre stage on a couple of tunes, and bodes well for their future releases.
4. Kele- The Boxer
Kele Okereke famously beefed up his bod for The Boxer’s cover shoot, and apparently beefed up his sound as well. The electro-rave influence of East London has been bleeding into Bloc Party’s work for some time now, but it took a break from the traditional group dynamic for Kele to truly unleash his vision on the world. Muscular synth beats meet Kele’s familiar lyrical introspections, making the Boxer sometimes ecstatic, sometimes fragile and always jaw-dropping.
5. Caribou- Swim
For many, Dan Snaith’s ethereal third album under the name Caribou went head to head with Four Tet’s latest offering, There is Good In You, for album of the year. For me, Swim was simply far better and, with Odessa, boasts a contender for “opening track of the year”. Listening to the spellbinding Found Out, the album’s forth track, you wouldn’t believe it was created a human being.
6. Tallest Man on Earth- The Wild Hunt
The cover of Kristian Matsson’s latest album says it all; a beautifully desolate prairie with nothing on the horizon, perfect for the mournful, acoustic ballads contained within. The Wild Hunt casts Matsson as the wandering troubadour out in the void, possibly on some sort of quixotic quest to be the new Bob Dylan.
7. Deerhunter- Halcyon Digest
The ever reliable Deerhunter return with an album of production drenched, almost aquatic sounding recordings. Frontman, Bradford Cox’s songwriting sparkles through the malaise as he creates some of his most traditional sounding indie-pop ditties to date… and then distorts the hell out of them.
8. Sufjan Stevens- The Age of Adz
Sounding like a more lyrical Animal Collective, Stevens has come a long way from the understated acoustic balladry of his early albums. At times it feels as if he is pulling out all the stops on his mad electrical flourishes and bizarre changes of pace, but it always works. The Age of Adz might not quite reach the heights of Illinoise, but vintage Sufjan is evident on classic cuts like I Want to Be Well and Too Much.
9. Magnetic Man- Magnetic Man
When dubstep heavyweights Skream and Benga got together the results were always going to be special. The overplaying of singles I Need Air and Perfect Stranger may have momentarily diluted their brilliance, but you’ll be skanking away in clubs to them in five years time, I promise. Tunes like the brilliantly unhinged The Bug and the curveball of Flying into Tokyo make this a modern classic.
10. Ceremony- Rohnert Park L.P
Kicking off with Into the Wayside Part I: Sick is Ceremony’s way of telling you that this is no ordinary hardcore record. Like a stateside version of Fucked Up!, Ceremony are just as venomous, just as dangerous and just as brutal as the rest of the hardcore community, but with too much intelligence to be pigeon-holed. Black Flag for the 21st Century.
11. Jenny and Johnny- I’m Having Fun Now
A harmonious relationship doesn’t always make for the best art, but these lovebirds are the exception to the rule. Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley and The Postal Service fame and solo-artist Johnathan Rice have collaborated before, but this, their first full length together, is a masterful tour through the whisky soaked barrooms and open roads of Bonnie and Clyde Americana
12. Nicki Minaj- Pink Friday
You might get tired of Minaj telling you she’s richer – and generally better – than you, but it’s undeniable that she has one of the freshest sounding deliveries around. A guilty pleasure maybe, but Nikki’s idiosyncratic style and bags of attitude make Pink Friday a solid choice for the top-20.
13. Broken Bells- Broken Bells
Another dream team in the top-20; the delicious production of Danger Mouse and lyrical skill of The Shins’ James Mercer can’t fail but make this a winner. Any doubts about the quality of the project were surely dispelled after one listen to opener, and lead single, The High Road.
14. Terror- Keepers of the Faith
A career best effort from Scott Vogel’s LA hardcore crew, who yet again prove themselves to be one of the most adrenalized bands on the planet. Positive lyrics themes of integrity, honesty and friendship abound on this record, and their old-school ethos of constant touring has made them one of the best live bands on the planet.
15. Phosphorescent- Here’s to Taking it Easy
In contrast to Terror who couldn’t take it easy if they tried, American folkie Matthew Houck’s latest offering is a paean to life in the slow lane. Here’s to Taking it Easy is a sumptuous record; softer and more filled-out than his earlier recordings, it even manages to make an AOR, saxophone driven intro sound fantastic. This man makes gorgeous music and I pray that one day he gets the widespread recognition he deserves.
16. Paul Baribeau- Unbearable
Unbearable is as stripped down as they come; most tracks are simply one man and a battered old acoustic, singing away like his life depended on it – and judging by the way Baribeau’s fragile voice falters on How Could That be True? you would think that it did. The result is a brilliant document of human love at its most pure and non-judgemental.
17. Lightspeed Champion- Life is Sweet, Nice to Meet You
Much has been made of Dev Hynes’ “musical OCD” and the well trodden urban legend of a Domino records representative turning up on his doorstep and asking for the masters for the latest album, only to be given five albums worth of material. How much of this is true is debateable, but what is true is Hynes is a fantastic songsmith, which this admirably ambitious record attests to. Marlene and Sweetheart are two of the tunes of 2010.
18. Bombay Bicycle Club- Flaws
Similarly to Laura Marling way up at number one, BBC showed a helluva lot of promise at a young age, although I Had the Blues but I Shook Them Loose was arguably better than Marling’s debut. The North London quartet followed up their 2009 debut with a massive change in direction, going from fuzzy indie scamps to composed folk-popsters. Contrary to its title, you’d find it hard to pick a fault with Flaws.
19. She & Him- Volume 2
Indie music’s – and cinema’s – most photogenic chanteuse returns with partner in crime M.Ward on another volume of sugar-coated reminiscence. Don’t let the arbitrary description of the band’s name and record title fool you, Volume 2 is captivating stuff.
20. Titus Andronicus- The Monitor
Any album that opens with a quote from Abraham Lincoln’s Lyceum Address is going to make it into my top-20 no problem. However, The Monitor would have made it even without this boost. As rough and ready as the Civil War battleship it’s named after, this sprawling barroom opus is laced with just the right amounts of aggressive swagger and Springsteen-esque melancholy to make it a winner. Just like its name sake, the albums blaze of glory is the epic The Battle of Hampton Roads.
Thursday 16 December 2010
Tuesday 7 December 2010
Mansfield Town Have Ground Repossessed
Managerless Mansfield Town have been thrown into chaos after having their ground re-possessed by a former owner.
Keith Haslam sold the Nottinghamshire club to local businessmen Andy Saunders, Steve Middleton and Andy Perry in 2008, before the trio sold the club on, to millionaire John Radford, earlier this year.
However, Haslam retained ownership of the club’s Field Mill home and leased the ground to the new owners. This lease has now been terminated amid allegations of unpaid rent and fees.
Bailiffs from Burlington Enforcement, acting on behalf of Haslam’s company, Stags Ltd, attached a notice to the gates of Field Mill on Wednesday night, warning people not to enter.
The notice stated that “any attempt to enter these premises without the express consent of the Landlords named above will render those responsible liable to civil and/or criminal proceedings being brought against them”. It also instructed that any communication regarding the action be made via Burlington Enforcement.
This development comes as the Stags prepare to announce the successor David Holdsworth, who departed Mansfield Town by mutual consent on November 18th. The club were also struggling to be ready for a pitch inspection on Friday, ahead of Saturday’s clash with Barrow, which now looks unlikely to go ahead.
In a statement released on Thursday morning, Burlington Enforcement said:
“An initial meeting was held with Mr Radford prior to which payment of the outstanding rent owed by the club was promised. The rent was, however, not paid thereby necessitating the action taken today. Stags Ltd remain willing to engage in a constructive dialogue with the club regarding the future of the stadium”.
Mr Radford was unavailable for comment.
Keith Haslam sold the Nottinghamshire club to local businessmen Andy Saunders, Steve Middleton and Andy Perry in 2008, before the trio sold the club on, to millionaire John Radford, earlier this year.
However, Haslam retained ownership of the club’s Field Mill home and leased the ground to the new owners. This lease has now been terminated amid allegations of unpaid rent and fees.
Bailiffs from Burlington Enforcement, acting on behalf of Haslam’s company, Stags Ltd, attached a notice to the gates of Field Mill on Wednesday night, warning people not to enter.
The notice stated that “any attempt to enter these premises without the express consent of the Landlords named above will render those responsible liable to civil and/or criminal proceedings being brought against them”. It also instructed that any communication regarding the action be made via Burlington Enforcement.
This development comes as the Stags prepare to announce the successor David Holdsworth, who departed Mansfield Town by mutual consent on November 18th. The club were also struggling to be ready for a pitch inspection on Friday, ahead of Saturday’s clash with Barrow, which now looks unlikely to go ahead.
In a statement released on Thursday morning, Burlington Enforcement said:
“An initial meeting was held with Mr Radford prior to which payment of the outstanding rent owed by the club was promised. The rent was, however, not paid thereby necessitating the action taken today. Stags Ltd remain willing to engage in a constructive dialogue with the club regarding the future of the stadium”.
Mr Radford was unavailable for comment.
Nottingham Gun Crime Decrease
This article was recently published on suite101.com.
Nottinghamshire Police have revealed a substantial fall in firearms offences over the past year.
55 incidents of gun crime were reported in the first 9 months of 2010, representing a 43% decrease from the same period of last year. Police say that only a 17 of these incidents involved a gun being fired.
Chief Superintendent Dave Walker is head of policing in Nottingham; he described the decrease as a “testament” to the police’s approach to gun crime, and to their imroved relationship with the local people.
“While enforcement is a crucial deterrent, it cannot be seen as the only solution to the problem.” He said.
“Arresting and convicting people will demonstrate the consequences of carrying a firearm, but it will be a combination of raising awareness, educating young people and working closely with the communities affected by gun crime that will have the real impact.”
Nottingham’s reputation as a city gripped by gun crime came to a head in 2003 when there were four deaths from shootings in the city, as well as 23 injuries. In response to this, the decision was taken to align police city divisions and city council boundaries, with a joint focus on decreasing crime. This change of approach from police, and their increased work with community groups such as the No Gun Organisation, caused overall crime rates to decrease by half.
Peter Moyes, executive director of Nottingham CDP, remains hopeful that this decrease will continue, despite the threat of Government cuts.
“The target is ambitious but not impossible”. He said. “It is incumbent upon us all to drive as hard as we possibly can to deliver the expectations of local people.
Mr Moyes went on to praise the ‘unique’ structure of policing operations within Nottinghamshire, as well as the close relationship between the police, the city council and its community protection directorate, highlighting how city council parking attendants joined in the combined efforts to trace the two children who went missing in Bulwell recently.
The figures have been well received, however, Councillor Jon Collins, Chairman of the Nottinghamshire Police Authority, warned against a complacent attitude following their release.
He said; “While this downward trend is welcomed, there are still too many people involved in criminal activity who go around carrying guns or knives. We need to ensure that those people are caught and we need to educate young people on the dangers, to themselves and others, associated with weapons of this kind.”
Nottinghamshire Police have revealed a substantial fall in firearms offences over the past year.
55 incidents of gun crime were reported in the first 9 months of 2010, representing a 43% decrease from the same period of last year. Police say that only a 17 of these incidents involved a gun being fired.
Chief Superintendent Dave Walker is head of policing in Nottingham; he described the decrease as a “testament” to the police’s approach to gun crime, and to their imroved relationship with the local people.
“While enforcement is a crucial deterrent, it cannot be seen as the only solution to the problem.” He said.
“Arresting and convicting people will demonstrate the consequences of carrying a firearm, but it will be a combination of raising awareness, educating young people and working closely with the communities affected by gun crime that will have the real impact.”
Nottingham’s reputation as a city gripped by gun crime came to a head in 2003 when there were four deaths from shootings in the city, as well as 23 injuries. In response to this, the decision was taken to align police city divisions and city council boundaries, with a joint focus on decreasing crime. This change of approach from police, and their increased work with community groups such as the No Gun Organisation, caused overall crime rates to decrease by half.
Peter Moyes, executive director of Nottingham CDP, remains hopeful that this decrease will continue, despite the threat of Government cuts.
“The target is ambitious but not impossible”. He said. “It is incumbent upon us all to drive as hard as we possibly can to deliver the expectations of local people.
Mr Moyes went on to praise the ‘unique’ structure of policing operations within Nottinghamshire, as well as the close relationship between the police, the city council and its community protection directorate, highlighting how city council parking attendants joined in the combined efforts to trace the two children who went missing in Bulwell recently.
The figures have been well received, however, Councillor Jon Collins, Chairman of the Nottinghamshire Police Authority, warned against a complacent attitude following their release.
He said; “While this downward trend is welcomed, there are still too many people involved in criminal activity who go around carrying guns or knives. We need to ensure that those people are caught and we need to educate young people on the dangers, to themselves and others, associated with weapons of this kind.”
Friday 26 November 2010
Do QPR have what it takes to win promotion?
This article was recently published on soccerlens.com.
As we stumble towards December, Queens Park Rangers remain unbeaten and are, so far, making a mockery of the much touted “most competitive league in the world” tag that the Championship has attained in recent seasons. Do they have the strength to maintain this form right through to May?
Long before Manchester City’s bizarre financial rebirth, Queens Park Rangers were the billionaires’ play-thing du jour. Following a takeover by Formula One tycoons Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone, the club fell into the hands of the world’s eighth richest man, Lakesh Mittal, in late 2007. At the dawn of each Championship season since this takeover, Rangers have been touted amongst the division favourites, only to spectacularly prove everyone wrong by January, and finally limp home in eleventh place. 2007 was no “year zero” for QPR.
Along with the money came the rumours; the proposed transfer of Luis Figo never materialised, and it seemed as if that multi-million pound saviour of the club was destined to be just a pipe-dream. That was until salvation arrived in the unlikeliest of guises.
21 year old Morrocan, Abel Taarabt was described as a genius by former QPR manager Jim Magilton during his two years on loan at the club from Tottenham, but a mixture of injury and unsettlement prevented the young winger from truly finding his feet at Loftus Road.
His permanent signing by new manager Neil Warnock appears to have galvanised the player’s performances and his 8 goals in 18 games are a testament to that. Taarabt’s devastating power and accuracy on either foot, and dazzling skill and technique on the ball have instilled something into the opposition that has been unheard of since Les Ferdinand’s Premiership glory days- a fear of playing QPR.
Taarabt’s genius doesn’t come without a price however, and the notoriously fiery Moroccan has had more than his fair share of temper tantrums at QPR. Neil Warnock was quick to play down Taarabt’s sulking following his substitution in Rangers’ 3-0 win over Ipswich in September saying “He’ll probably take his shirt off and throw it at me at times- but if I can cope with that, everybody else can as well.”
But such pandering does nothing other than nurture a “bigger than the club” attitude within a player, and it is this temperament that Warnock needs to erase if he is to get the very best out of Taarabt. This is the same Adel Taarabt, after all, who ingratiated himself to the fans of former club Tottenham Hotspur by stating in a press conference that he would rather have played in the red of their North-London rivals than at White Hart Lane. At 21, Taarabt’s career should still be in the ascendency, but this potential will go to waste if his indiscipline is not reigned in.
Warnock is no stranger to big egos, he has been in possession of one himself for sometime now, and maybe it is this awkward dichotomy of two sulky- and it pains me to say this- geniuses that will give QPR’s promotion challenge that extra bit of longevity this term.
After all, Warnock’s summer signings have been low-key but inspired choices, acquired in exactly the opposite manner to the much trumpeted big-money rumours of the past few years. Barring the signature of Taarabt, QPR have made no marquee acquisitions, preferring to doggedly go about signing quality players that fit into Warnock’s tactical vision.
Rob Hulse, Jamie Mackie and Leon Clark all filed in and quietly set about putting together an unbeaten run of 18 games. QPR’s quiet upheaval is illustrated by the 7 changes in their starting eleven for the trip to Nottingham Forest from the corresponding fixture last season, compared to just 3 for the reds.
History suggests that Queens Park Rangers are due a dip in form and fortune after this phenomenal run, but with the quality squad Warnock has assembled, and the almost supernatural skill of Adel Taarabt in the midfield engine-room, there is no reason why Rangers won’t still be in the race for promotion by the time May rolls around. We’ll just have to see if the two egos can hold it together for long enough.
As we stumble towards December, Queens Park Rangers remain unbeaten and are, so far, making a mockery of the much touted “most competitive league in the world” tag that the Championship has attained in recent seasons. Do they have the strength to maintain this form right through to May?
Long before Manchester City’s bizarre financial rebirth, Queens Park Rangers were the billionaires’ play-thing du jour. Following a takeover by Formula One tycoons Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone, the club fell into the hands of the world’s eighth richest man, Lakesh Mittal, in late 2007. At the dawn of each Championship season since this takeover, Rangers have been touted amongst the division favourites, only to spectacularly prove everyone wrong by January, and finally limp home in eleventh place. 2007 was no “year zero” for QPR.
Along with the money came the rumours; the proposed transfer of Luis Figo never materialised, and it seemed as if that multi-million pound saviour of the club was destined to be just a pipe-dream. That was until salvation arrived in the unlikeliest of guises.
21 year old Morrocan, Abel Taarabt was described as a genius by former QPR manager Jim Magilton during his two years on loan at the club from Tottenham, but a mixture of injury and unsettlement prevented the young winger from truly finding his feet at Loftus Road.
His permanent signing by new manager Neil Warnock appears to have galvanised the player’s performances and his 8 goals in 18 games are a testament to that. Taarabt’s devastating power and accuracy on either foot, and dazzling skill and technique on the ball have instilled something into the opposition that has been unheard of since Les Ferdinand’s Premiership glory days- a fear of playing QPR.
Taarabt’s genius doesn’t come without a price however, and the notoriously fiery Moroccan has had more than his fair share of temper tantrums at QPR. Neil Warnock was quick to play down Taarabt’s sulking following his substitution in Rangers’ 3-0 win over Ipswich in September saying “He’ll probably take his shirt off and throw it at me at times- but if I can cope with that, everybody else can as well.”
But such pandering does nothing other than nurture a “bigger than the club” attitude within a player, and it is this temperament that Warnock needs to erase if he is to get the very best out of Taarabt. This is the same Adel Taarabt, after all, who ingratiated himself to the fans of former club Tottenham Hotspur by stating in a press conference that he would rather have played in the red of their North-London rivals than at White Hart Lane. At 21, Taarabt’s career should still be in the ascendency, but this potential will go to waste if his indiscipline is not reigned in.
Warnock is no stranger to big egos, he has been in possession of one himself for sometime now, and maybe it is this awkward dichotomy of two sulky- and it pains me to say this- geniuses that will give QPR’s promotion challenge that extra bit of longevity this term.
After all, Warnock’s summer signings have been low-key but inspired choices, acquired in exactly the opposite manner to the much trumpeted big-money rumours of the past few years. Barring the signature of Taarabt, QPR have made no marquee acquisitions, preferring to doggedly go about signing quality players that fit into Warnock’s tactical vision.
Rob Hulse, Jamie Mackie and Leon Clark all filed in and quietly set about putting together an unbeaten run of 18 games. QPR’s quiet upheaval is illustrated by the 7 changes in their starting eleven for the trip to Nottingham Forest from the corresponding fixture last season, compared to just 3 for the reds.
History suggests that Queens Park Rangers are due a dip in form and fortune after this phenomenal run, but with the quality squad Warnock has assembled, and the almost supernatural skill of Adel Taarabt in the midfield engine-room, there is no reason why Rangers won’t still be in the race for promotion by the time May rolls around. We’ll just have to see if the two egos can hold it together for long enough.
Wednesday 24 November 2010
Scotland's Refereeing Crisis Deepens as Iceland Refuse to Help
This article was recently published on suite101.com
Iceland’s referees will not take charge of Scotland’s Premier League games this weekend.
The Icelandic referees association today voted unanimously to support their striking Scottish colleagues and to not answer pleas from the Scottish FA to referee this weekend’s SPL fixtures.
Sigurder Thorleifsson, head of Iceland’s referees association, had initially approved the proposal, but the union’s members emphatically decided not to travel to Scotland.
Kristinn Jakobsen was the first Icelander to referee a Champions League game, he told of solidarity amongst international referees.
“The referees all around the world are one team, so I think we are going on the same line.” He said. “I expect the same stance will be taken by officials in Ireland, Wales and Scandinavia.”
The Scottish referees strike is the culmination of a long period of tension between referees and the players and officials of football clubs. This came to a head on October 17th when referee Dougie Macdonald apparently changed his mind after awarding a penalty to Celtic at Dundee United, for a foul on Gary Hooper. The Bhoys came away with all three points at Tannadice, but this decision and a series of others have led to a general feeling of anger amongst Celtic’s players, staff and fans.
This bad feeling between referees and football clubs is in no way restricted to the Scottish Leagues- the Respect campaign in England was launched to combat increasing abuse of referees at all levels of the game- but many feel that the abuse suffered by Scottish refs is getting out of hand.
Former referee, Kenny Clark, told Channel 4 news that events in Scotland had reached crisis point;
“This goes far beyond criticism- it is now at the level of personal abuse”, he said. “And not only are referees fearful of their own safety, they are fearful of their families’ safety as a results of threats and emails they have received.”
The Scottish FA have said their meeting with Icelandic officials were part of a contingency plan and that they hope to resolve the issue in talks with the Scottish Senior Football Referees Association on tonight.
Iceland’s referees will not take charge of Scotland’s Premier League games this weekend.
The Icelandic referees association today voted unanimously to support their striking Scottish colleagues and to not answer pleas from the Scottish FA to referee this weekend’s SPL fixtures.
Sigurder Thorleifsson, head of Iceland’s referees association, had initially approved the proposal, but the union’s members emphatically decided not to travel to Scotland.
Kristinn Jakobsen was the first Icelander to referee a Champions League game, he told of solidarity amongst international referees.
“The referees all around the world are one team, so I think we are going on the same line.” He said. “I expect the same stance will be taken by officials in Ireland, Wales and Scandinavia.”
The Scottish referees strike is the culmination of a long period of tension between referees and the players and officials of football clubs. This came to a head on October 17th when referee Dougie Macdonald apparently changed his mind after awarding a penalty to Celtic at Dundee United, for a foul on Gary Hooper. The Bhoys came away with all three points at Tannadice, but this decision and a series of others have led to a general feeling of anger amongst Celtic’s players, staff and fans.
This bad feeling between referees and football clubs is in no way restricted to the Scottish Leagues- the Respect campaign in England was launched to combat increasing abuse of referees at all levels of the game- but many feel that the abuse suffered by Scottish refs is getting out of hand.
Former referee, Kenny Clark, told Channel 4 news that events in Scotland had reached crisis point;
“This goes far beyond criticism- it is now at the level of personal abuse”, he said. “And not only are referees fearful of their own safety, they are fearful of their families’ safety as a results of threats and emails they have received.”
The Scottish FA have said their meeting with Icelandic officials were part of a contingency plan and that they hope to resolve the issue in talks with the Scottish Senior Football Referees Association on tonight.
Wednesday 20 October 2010
Power to the People: The Internet Clothing Label Revolution.
This article was recently published on suite101.com
Far from the cold and drizzly environs of the high-street there is a change brewing in the fashion world, and it is accessible from the comfort of your own home. The unabated rise of the Internet has blown the industry wide open, and not just in terms of new and more convenient purchasing methods.Sites like Myspace have offered people a soapbox to convey whatever they want to the world, be it ideas, music or products. This unprecedented democratisation of the retail industry has led to a boom in the amount of independent clothing labels. Young designers now have a showcase like never before. The Internet has, it would seem, put the power back in the hands of the people.
Owning your own clothing brand, once the preserve of the fashionista elite, is now within the grasp of anyone with an ounce of entrepreneurial spirit and a burgeoning imagination. Labels like Adored and Big Deal found their feet on the Internet and are now usurping the major high-street fashion chains with their low-prices, high-quality and individual styles.
The punk ethos on display is hardly surprising, given that this fashion industry overhaul mirrors that of the music scene several years ago. Underground bands and artists built up a presence on Myspace and other sites, which, in many cases, led to record deals, tours and massive success. In fact Internet clothing labels sprung from that burst of independent creativity.
Underground punk and hardcore bands, impressed with the mouthpiece afforded to them by the Internet, began to set up their own clothing labels using the same sites. Members of bands like Bring Me the Horizon and You Me at Six set up clothing labels that grew so quickly they now stand fully independent of the bands that spawned them.
The Internet is rapidly becoming a one-stop shop for the ‘punk-kids’ on the cutting edge of fashion. Printing sites like Lucky Star Printing are helping to turn myspace into a modern day cottage industry with design, manufacture and distribution all under one virtual roof. There is of course, rampant competition at every level of the production process, which pushes prices way down and allows recession hit customers an opportunity to lay their hands on individual styles by unique designers at wallet friendly prices.
But is this really the future of fashion design and marketing? The decline in popularity suffered by Myspace over the past year has caused many designers to leave the social-network community. Internet traffic monitors, Hitwise have identified a 25% fall in Myspace generated traffic between 2006 and 2009; that is, people who clicked on a music or entertainment site as a result of seeing the link on Myspace. This decline in popularity may have driven the more established online labels to take the plunge and go it alone, but it could dissuade young designers from taking up the challenge at all.
The media that has taken Myspace’s place as the king-pin of social networking are less applicable in the capacity of direct sales, and the sites that are simply do not have the enormous reputation of Myspace in it’s heyday. This is likely to cause the movement to grind to halt.
However, what the independent label boom did show, was the power of the Internet to open doors for those wily enough to exploit them and that in this era of information a spark of creativity can create something amazing.
Just like punk, which burned brightly for a year or two and then was snuffed out, the independent clothing label revolution may prove to be short lived, but there is still time to support independent designers. Get online, grab a bargain and, more importantly, fight the power.
Tuesday 19 October 2010
Unbroken's first ever UK show- ULU October 17th 2010
This review was recently published on punknews.org
Tickets for Unbroken’s long-awaited debut UK show sold out months ago and have been changing hands on internet forums for silly money ever since. It is seventeen years since the San Diego hardcore legends dropped their first full length album, Ritual, a record that reinvigorated the hardcore scene of the early nineties and inspired hundreds of like-minded individuals to get out there and start bands of their own. The list of bands that cite Unbroken as an influence is insane: The Hope Conspiracy, Planes Mistaken For Stars and Modern Life is War have all name-checked the so-cal crew as a catalyst for their musical endeavours- and for that reason alone tonight was always going to be a bit special.
Tickets for Unbroken’s long-awaited debut UK show sold out months ago and have been changing hands on internet forums for silly money ever since. It is seventeen years since the San Diego hardcore legends dropped their first full length album, Ritual, a record that reinvigorated the hardcore scene of the early nineties and inspired hundreds of like-minded individuals to get out there and start bands of their own. The list of bands that cite Unbroken as an influence is insane: The Hope Conspiracy, Planes Mistaken For Stars and Modern Life is War have all name-checked the so-cal crew as a catalyst for their musical endeavours- and for that reason alone tonight was always going to be a bit special.
Whilst half of the early-doors crowd were participating in a ‘mosh-warm-up’ by fighting their way through the merch queues the other half were being treated a strong set from German straight-edger’s Ritual, whose mix of anthemic chant-a-longs and impressive riffage went down a treat with the largely cosmopolitan crowd. It’s fitting that the bill should reflect the multi-national composition of the audience, who seemed to have converged on the ULU from every corner of Europe to see their heroes play.
The main room had filled out by time Ceremony took to the stage armed with a set of tunes design to excite and disturb in equal measure. Currently touring Europe on the back of the excellent Rohnert Park L.P, Ceremony are a band at the height of their creative powers and a breath of the fresh air of originality in what can be a claustrophobic and restrictive genre. Live, Ceremony are a force to behold; frontman Ross Ferrer stalks the stage like a feral, and less muscled-out, Rollins barking out lyrics here and there, addressing the front row and then those up on the balcony in seemingly the same breath. He performs like a vessel of pure music, convulsing and contorting in front of the audience while ideas overflow from him, impervious to the stage-divers charging around him. The site of him standing with hunched shoulders, microphone pulled in close, in the middle of the empty horse-shoe of the mosh-pit like a lost child, while enraptured punters look on in bemusement is a bizarre one indeed. Talk about breaking the forth wall- Ceremony are awesome tonight.
So last but not definitely not least: Unbroken. Leading in with a play-list of brit-pop and UK indie, Unbroken pile into their criminally short, but ecstatically sweet, set like men possessed, wielding their instruments like there is no tomorrow. The crowd respond in kind and politely go “f**king nuts” in the presence of their heroes. Unbroken’s set is hardcore perfection and refreshingly free of bullshit, Dave Claibourne’s clarion call during the set opener sets the tone for the remainder of the show; “We came into this together, lets leave here together… no bullshit”. From then on the band pile-drive their way through 40 minutes of their awesome back-catalogue, which is lapped up by the fantastically receptive crowd. “This will be our last song I think,” says an awestruck Rob Moran towards the end of the evening, “We don’t really do encores”. As if the mere fact that tonight’s show is being played at all wasn’t enough.
Monday 11 October 2010
Is tough-tackling ruining the game?
This article was recently published on suite101.com
The issue of tackling is becoming one of the most hotly debated in the modern game. A few high profile, and sickeningly graphic, injuries in recent years have led to uneasy discussions about protecting our quicker, more skilful players and retaining the contact element that makes football such an engaging contest.
Tackling is undoubtedly one of the reasons we love football. Think of a perfectly-timed, goal-saving tackle, like Bobby Moore’s inch-perfect challenge on Jairzinho that still lives on in legend 40 years later- it is a thing of beauty, and a criminally under-celebrated element of the game.
Obviously when these challenges go wrong they do so in style and over the years football authorities have introduced tighter controls to reduce the risk of this. Challenges from behind, two-footed challenges, studs-up challenges and challenges with a raised leg all run the risk of earning the perpetrator a straight red- which, lets be honest, is preferable to what the receiver of such a challenge might get.
With these measures in mind it would be madness to say that tackling is tougher in the modern game than it was- say- thirty years ago. Don Revie’s Leeds United would almost certainly not have achieved nine-consecutive top-four finishes if such tackling had been outlawed in the early seventies- but that’s getting into a whole new area of controversy.
Horrible challenges have been around since the dawn of time- ever since man first kicked a football there has been a slightly bigger man ready to wrap six studs round his knee and shout; “got the ball ref!”. The difference today is that we live in the age of information and the internet; now when someone breaks their leg at a football match it’s not just the couple of hundred people in the terrace nearest the incident that see it in all it’s gory realism, it’s whoever watches Match of the Day that night as well, and whoever clicks on the link on the Sun’s website etc etc.
This issue has leapt back to the forefront of debate following a tackle by “everyone’s-favourite-dutchman” Nigel De Jong on Hatem Ben Arfa that broke the young Newcastle midfielders leg in two places.
While it was clumsy challenge, and I wish Hatem Ben Arfa the speediest of recoveries, I do feel that reaction to it was made worse by De Jong’s preceding reputation as a ‘thuggish player’. De Jong has repeatedly shown himself to be a strong and enthusiastic player but also one who needs to rein in his clumsiness. His sickening challenge on Stuart Holden in a friendly (!) between Holland and the USA earlier this year was evidence of a player who challenges first, thinks later.
This sort of mentality is not going to produce elegant, fantastically timed challenges- just clunky, wince-inducing challenges in which one or both players end up hurt. Then there’s the acrobatics from the world cup final in which the bottom of De Jong’s foot was unfairly fouled by Xabi Alonso’s rib-cage, but that’s a story for another day.
Another public scapegoat is Karl Henry, whose so-late-they-had-to-delay-Match-of-the-Day challenge on Wigan’s Jordi Gomez supplied the British public with some much needed Youtube entertainment but thankfully resulted in no injury.
Karl Henry is captain of a Wolves side whose physicality has come under much criticism this season, not least from a bewildered Newcastle boss Chris Hughton who watched an admirably composed Joey Barton get flattened repeatedly by some wayward challenging from the boys in orange.
Henry is another strong and enthusiastic tackler, but he is also a brilliant one whose well-timed challenges undoubtedly contributed to Wolves’ continued status as a Premiership side. However the challenge on Jordi Gomez was rash; Henry committed far to early against an extremely quick player- the red card he then received was produced so quickly that Henry was off the field while Gomez was still airborne.
Teams that are promoted to the Premiership with realistic designs on staying up frequently employ bully-boy tactics against quicker, more skilful teams to ensure they do so, but it is deeply unfair to say that these teams go out with the sole intention of injuring, and possible ending the career of, a fellow professional.
What is true, however, is that the game now is played at a much quicker pace than it used to be. Players in 2010 are such finely tuned athletes that inch-precision in all areas of the game is now vital. This has led to previously excusable mistakes, for example a heavy touch when receiving a pass, resulting in bone-crunching 50-50s as two players scramble for the resulting loose ball.
As a result an innocent but inexpertly timed challenge becomes potentially catastrophic. Two cases in point being Martin Taylor’s challenge on Eduardo and Ryan Shawcross’ tackle on Aaron Ramsey, both of which resulted in horrific injuries to the tackled player. Shawcross’ reaction to the challenge suggested he hadn’t even expected to catch Ramsey never mind inflict such a horrible injury on the young Welshman. These were two challenges totally lacking in malice.
So now the FA is faced with a balancing act; football is in equal parts a game of deft skill and courageous physicality, this must be maintained. Skilful players must be protected but it is up to the tough-tackling defenders and holding-midfielders to take responsibility for their actions and ensure they promote intelligent and precise challenging, or risk losing the contact side of the sport completely.
Thursday 7 October 2010
Valencia v Manchester United: Living in the shadow of debt
This article was recently published on suite101.com
Manchester United's clash with Valencia in the Champions League last week looked on paper to be one of the games of the round. In the event it was a fairly tawdry affair with the visitors from the north of England picking up the three points thanks to a well taken late goal from Mexican wunderkind Javier Hernandez.
The game itself may not have lived up to the hype, but what this contest between two giants of the European stage provided was a fascinating look at two huge clubs coping with equally huge debts.
Valencia’s trophy haul of 6 La Liga titles and 7 triumphs the Copa del Rey has cemented their status as Spain’s third most successful club, behind the near mythical duo of Real Madrid and Barcelona, and earned them the reputation of one of the most formidable teams in Europe.
Ten years on from their sensational run in the Champions League that saw them reach the final in two consecutive seasons, Valencia retain their place amongst Europe’s glamour teams and continue to be extremely stubborn opponents. Chelsea’s victory in 2007 was the first for an English side at the Mestalla in 40 years.
With such a distinguished history it is little wonder that the club’s owners wanted to build a more fitting home for Los Ches. Designed to hold 73,000 fans, the Nou Mestalla, situated in the north west of the city was set to rival the great stadiums of their European rivals, until February 2009 when a sheepish looking board of owners announced that the plans were to be scrapped and production halted, citing the clubs mounting debts as the reason for the project being shelved. Now the stadium lies empty and only semi-complete, serving as a macabre monument to the ambition of a club and to the boom and bust nature of the modern game.
Until the summer of 2010 the debts that plagued the clubs owners had seemed to have little effect on the players’ performances on the pitch. A poor showing during the 07/08 La Liga season being the only major blip in recent years and even that lacklustre campaign was rewarded with the inclusion of a strong Valencia contingent in Spain’s victorious Euro ’08 team.
Then the transfer window opened and the opportunism began. The dawn of the new season finds Los Che’s with a considerably depleted squad. The golden duo of David Villa and David Silva have been sold, along with rangey striker Nicola Zigic and veteran defender Carlos Marchena, in a move that raised £74M for the ailing club. Despite these efforts reports suggest that Valencia’s debt remains in the region of £425M.
Club president Manolo Llorente defended the sales, saying “Our key objective is economic viability, and that means we are obliged to take responsible decisions. One of which is to sell our best players.”
Admirably, Valencia have rallied and at the beginning of October find themselves topping the Spanish league, and, along with Real Madrid, one of only two only undefeated sides in the division. It remains to be seen how long they can maintain this pressure on their title rivals but as it stands the Valencia side of ‘10/’11 have every right to call themselves contenders for the La Liga championship. The fans will keep on smiling as long as the goals and wins keep on coming, but this cannot hide the fact that Valencia is a club in crisis.
While the blue half of Manchester, who benefited from the fire-sale with the acquisition of silky winger David Silva, represent a club in the exact opposite financial situation to Valencia, their rivals in the red half may look upon the club’s predicament with a degree of anxiety.
As Manchester United prepared for their Champions league clash at the Estadio Mestalla last Wednesday, they would have harboured silent concerns that they were being offered a glimpse of their own future.
Manchester United’s debt problems are much more widely known. The storm of protests that met the takeover of the club by the Glazer brothers in 2005 have gathered pace again in 2010 with the “green and gold” movement. Green and gold being the colours of Newton Heath, the forerunners of Manchester United, and symbolic of a return to financial integrity and the purity of the that early side.
In January 2010 Manchester United’s debts had grown to £716M, a figure that continues to rise; the interest on this debt, previously fixed at 14.25% APR, grew to 16.25% in August 2010. It will take more than a yard-sale of big name players to dig themselves out of this hole.
Manchester United continue to keep their heads just above the water on the strength of their global brand; the Red Devils top the table for shirt sales every season between 1.2 and 1.5M shirts sold per season, only Real Madrid come close to matching this.
In addition to this, Manchester United have Old Trafford, a ground capable of holding 75,957 fans, compared to the 55,000 held by Estadio Mestalla. Even the Nou Mestalla’s projected capacity falls short of this mark by nearly three thousand seats. The fact that United play to a full house at most home game’s is a testament to the strength of this fan base.
Even with their huge global presence, Manchester United continues to struggle but the strength of the brand affords them a certain degree of breathing space and allows them to keep their head above the waterline. Valencia just cannot compete with this profile. Los Che’s do not have the level of income required to service a debt of this magnitude.
I do not intend to justify the position of Manchester United however, the practice of using a clubs income to service an ever increasing debt is not only unsustainable it is also grossly irresponsible, particularly when we have seen so many clubs without the luxury of global branding fold and disappear due to mismanagement and debt.
Clubs such as United have been walking a dangerous line with the international football federations for some time and should be wary of possible future sanctions. Uefa have been in talks for some time about barring hugely debt-ridden clubs from European competition.
This means fundemental changes must be made if United are to continue to keep their head above water and keep hold of their big names.
For now, both clubs live to fight another day in the Champions league and continue to challenge for domestic honours in their respective countries, but both clubs are surely aware that they must learn to operate sustainably if this success is to continue in coming years.
Manchester United's clash with Valencia in the Champions League last week looked on paper to be one of the games of the round. In the event it was a fairly tawdry affair with the visitors from the north of England picking up the three points thanks to a well taken late goal from Mexican wunderkind Javier Hernandez.
The game itself may not have lived up to the hype, but what this contest between two giants of the European stage provided was a fascinating look at two huge clubs coping with equally huge debts.
Valencia’s trophy haul of 6 La Liga titles and 7 triumphs the Copa del Rey has cemented their status as Spain’s third most successful club, behind the near mythical duo of Real Madrid and Barcelona, and earned them the reputation of one of the most formidable teams in Europe.
Ten years on from their sensational run in the Champions League that saw them reach the final in two consecutive seasons, Valencia retain their place amongst Europe’s glamour teams and continue to be extremely stubborn opponents. Chelsea’s victory in 2007 was the first for an English side at the Mestalla in 40 years.
With such a distinguished history it is little wonder that the club’s owners wanted to build a more fitting home for Los Ches. Designed to hold 73,000 fans, the Nou Mestalla, situated in the north west of the city was set to rival the great stadiums of their European rivals, until February 2009 when a sheepish looking board of owners announced that the plans were to be scrapped and production halted, citing the clubs mounting debts as the reason for the project being shelved. Now the stadium lies empty and only semi-complete, serving as a macabre monument to the ambition of a club and to the boom and bust nature of the modern game.
Until the summer of 2010 the debts that plagued the clubs owners had seemed to have little effect on the players’ performances on the pitch. A poor showing during the 07/08 La Liga season being the only major blip in recent years and even that lacklustre campaign was rewarded with the inclusion of a strong Valencia contingent in Spain’s victorious Euro ’08 team.
Then the transfer window opened and the opportunism began. The dawn of the new season finds Los Che’s with a considerably depleted squad. The golden duo of David Villa and David Silva have been sold, along with rangey striker Nicola Zigic and veteran defender Carlos Marchena, in a move that raised £74M for the ailing club. Despite these efforts reports suggest that Valencia’s debt remains in the region of £425M.
Club president Manolo Llorente defended the sales, saying “Our key objective is economic viability, and that means we are obliged to take responsible decisions. One of which is to sell our best players.”
Admirably, Valencia have rallied and at the beginning of October find themselves topping the Spanish league, and, along with Real Madrid, one of only two only undefeated sides in the division. It remains to be seen how long they can maintain this pressure on their title rivals but as it stands the Valencia side of ‘10/’11 have every right to call themselves contenders for the La Liga championship. The fans will keep on smiling as long as the goals and wins keep on coming, but this cannot hide the fact that Valencia is a club in crisis.
While the blue half of Manchester, who benefited from the fire-sale with the acquisition of silky winger David Silva, represent a club in the exact opposite financial situation to Valencia, their rivals in the red half may look upon the club’s predicament with a degree of anxiety.
As Manchester United prepared for their Champions league clash at the Estadio Mestalla last Wednesday, they would have harboured silent concerns that they were being offered a glimpse of their own future.
Manchester United’s debt problems are much more widely known. The storm of protests that met the takeover of the club by the Glazer brothers in 2005 have gathered pace again in 2010 with the “green and gold” movement. Green and gold being the colours of Newton Heath, the forerunners of Manchester United, and symbolic of a return to financial integrity and the purity of the that early side.
In January 2010 Manchester United’s debts had grown to £716M, a figure that continues to rise; the interest on this debt, previously fixed at 14.25% APR, grew to 16.25% in August 2010. It will take more than a yard-sale of big name players to dig themselves out of this hole.
Manchester United continue to keep their heads just above the water on the strength of their global brand; the Red Devils top the table for shirt sales every season between 1.2 and 1.5M shirts sold per season, only Real Madrid come close to matching this.
In addition to this, Manchester United have Old Trafford, a ground capable of holding 75,957 fans, compared to the 55,000 held by Estadio Mestalla. Even the Nou Mestalla’s projected capacity falls short of this mark by nearly three thousand seats. The fact that United play to a full house at most home game’s is a testament to the strength of this fan base.
Even with their huge global presence, Manchester United continues to struggle but the strength of the brand affords them a certain degree of breathing space and allows them to keep their head above the waterline. Valencia just cannot compete with this profile. Los Che’s do not have the level of income required to service a debt of this magnitude.
I do not intend to justify the position of Manchester United however, the practice of using a clubs income to service an ever increasing debt is not only unsustainable it is also grossly irresponsible, particularly when we have seen so many clubs without the luxury of global branding fold and disappear due to mismanagement and debt.
Clubs such as United have been walking a dangerous line with the international football federations for some time and should be wary of possible future sanctions. Uefa have been in talks for some time about barring hugely debt-ridden clubs from European competition.
This means fundemental changes must be made if United are to continue to keep their head above water and keep hold of their big names.
For now, both clubs live to fight another day in the Champions league and continue to challenge for domestic honours in their respective countries, but both clubs are surely aware that they must learn to operate sustainably if this success is to continue in coming years.
Monday 4 October 2010
Wednesday 15 September 2010
This is England '86
A TV spin-off of a successful film- it’s always going to set alarm bells ringing. That said, I’m glad Channel Four have commissioned this series, not least because This is England was one of the best films of the past five years and brought deserved mainstream praise to one of the most skilful and consistently brilliant directors in the country, but also because it allows me the opportunity to partake in my favourite past time- spot the East Midlands accent.
It’s not all “eh up, me duck” and “giz a cob”; cinematic history has taught us that even the greatest actors can’t master the subtleties and intricacies of the underrated dialect. Even the great Albert Finney couldn’t quite nail it with his otherwise flawless turn in Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, throwing in a few too many dropped vowels and Yorkshire colloquialisms for my liking. This would’ve been all well and good if Arthur Seaton had been out living it up in the bars and working mans clubs of Leeds, but he wasn’t- it was Nottingham.
So I applaud Channel 4 for giving a soapbox for actors like Vicky Mclure and Andrew Shim, both Shane Meadows stalwarts, to give the accent a long overdue airing, it’s enough to give even the hardest-hearted of Notts exiles a severe kick of homesickness.
This is England ’86, after rescuing itself from a dodgy bit of slo-mo camera work in the intro and a Skins-esque playground tear-up, has the all the potential to become a top-quality show. However, to do so it must avoid the pitfalls of pastiche and actually say something- all that big hair and playful banter won’t hold the audiences’ attention for the duration.
The original was all mouth, making comment after comment about the increasing division of society under Thatcher, about the links between economic failure and racial unrest and, on a cultural level, the incongruence of racism within the skinhead movement- but it also had teeth. Two episodes in and TIE’86 is just beginning to find that bite, but it is the distinct feeling of more to come that can’t help but suck you in and keep you there for the long haul; a testament to the genius of Meadows’ creation. Let's hope it continues.
It’s not all “eh up, me duck” and “giz a cob”; cinematic history has taught us that even the greatest actors can’t master the subtleties and intricacies of the underrated dialect. Even the great Albert Finney couldn’t quite nail it with his otherwise flawless turn in Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, throwing in a few too many dropped vowels and Yorkshire colloquialisms for my liking. This would’ve been all well and good if Arthur Seaton had been out living it up in the bars and working mans clubs of Leeds, but he wasn’t- it was Nottingham.
So I applaud Channel 4 for giving a soapbox for actors like Vicky Mclure and Andrew Shim, both Shane Meadows stalwarts, to give the accent a long overdue airing, it’s enough to give even the hardest-hearted of Notts exiles a severe kick of homesickness.
This is England ’86, after rescuing itself from a dodgy bit of slo-mo camera work in the intro and a Skins-esque playground tear-up, has the all the potential to become a top-quality show. However, to do so it must avoid the pitfalls of pastiche and actually say something- all that big hair and playful banter won’t hold the audiences’ attention for the duration.
The original was all mouth, making comment after comment about the increasing division of society under Thatcher, about the links between economic failure and racial unrest and, on a cultural level, the incongruence of racism within the skinhead movement- but it also had teeth. Two episodes in and TIE’86 is just beginning to find that bite, but it is the distinct feeling of more to come that can’t help but suck you in and keep you there for the long haul; a testament to the genius of Meadows’ creation. Let's hope it continues.
Wednesday 8 September 2010
Does the 25-man squad rule have a future?
With the dawn of another premiership season comes the familiar debate about the increasingly cosmopolitan make-up of our top teams, an issue so divisive that almost no one seems to be able to formulate a clear opinion on it. Of course there are the hardliners who would prefer a return to the glory days of brown lace-up footballs and Danny Blanchflower, and would happily see the Premiership as a foreigner free zone- then you have Arsene Wenger who decrees that the sheer mention of foreign players in the Premiership is tantamount to racism (although he has kept the old guard happy by ensuring that we have players with proper names, like Jack Wilshere and Henry Lansbury).
Such needlessly inflammatory statements aside, it should be noted that in recent years the FA and Premier League have been discussing options intended to nurture and safeguard “home-grown” talent whilst retaining the over-seas maestros that have helped cement the Premiership’s position as arguably the best league in the world. For this season the Premier League has unveiled the 25-man squad rule, which not only tackles this issue but also a the equally pressing issue of super rich clubs hording players that smaller clubs would give their right arms for.
Presumably accelerated by Manchester City’s 33-man squad of last season and by a desire to save Roberto Mancini the anguish of devising a system with 6 holding midfielders in it, the rule serves to limit squad sizes and promote a healthy youth academy. The main points of the ruling are outlined below.
· Basically, each Premiership club must have a registered squad of 25 players at the end of each transfer window, including at least eight ‘home-grown’ players.
· This 25-man squad can then be added to with an unlimited number of players under the age of 21.
· A ‘home-grown’ player may not necessarily be a British player. The official ruling is that a ‘home-grown’ player must “have been affiliated to the FA or Welsh FA for a period of three seasons or 36 months prior to 21st birthday". This is irrespective of age or nationality.
· Changes can only be made within transfer windows, excluding emergency loans.
So the new rules will increase the amount home grown talent gracing Premier league pitches each week, but I’m unconvinced whether such knee-jerkery will have much effect on the woeful performances of the national side. I think the problems of facing the Three Lions run somewhat deeper than Jonny Foreigner squeezing our up-and-coming talent out of the limelight, maybe the FA’s money would be better spent taking the national squad away on a team-building weekend, or enrolling them on a course in ego management.
The new system has also come under fire from those who arguably stand to gain most from it; Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp, whose team are looking to galvanise their position as a top four club, expressed concern that the rulings may force injury prone players such as Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King into retirement.
To an extent I agree with Harry here; with only 25 players at your disposal, what manager would take a chance on a player who may only play one game in five, or even spend the whole term on the treatment table? Even the massing Championship clubs eager to snap up a loanee from the Prem might baulk at that prospect.
We are still very much in the early stages of a new season, but it will be interesting to see how the new rulings stand up to the rigours of practical application. Come May, we could see the FA breaking out the red pen and making some amendments to stave off the flood of Bosman-esque ‘restriction of trade’ lawsuits. Or it could be the saviour of English football. Only time will tell.
Such needlessly inflammatory statements aside, it should be noted that in recent years the FA and Premier League have been discussing options intended to nurture and safeguard “home-grown” talent whilst retaining the over-seas maestros that have helped cement the Premiership’s position as arguably the best league in the world. For this season the Premier League has unveiled the 25-man squad rule, which not only tackles this issue but also a the equally pressing issue of super rich clubs hording players that smaller clubs would give their right arms for.
Presumably accelerated by Manchester City’s 33-man squad of last season and by a desire to save Roberto Mancini the anguish of devising a system with 6 holding midfielders in it, the rule serves to limit squad sizes and promote a healthy youth academy. The main points of the ruling are outlined below.
· Basically, each Premiership club must have a registered squad of 25 players at the end of each transfer window, including at least eight ‘home-grown’ players.
· This 25-man squad can then be added to with an unlimited number of players under the age of 21.
· A ‘home-grown’ player may not necessarily be a British player. The official ruling is that a ‘home-grown’ player must “have been affiliated to the FA or Welsh FA for a period of three seasons or 36 months prior to 21st birthday". This is irrespective of age or nationality.
· Changes can only be made within transfer windows, excluding emergency loans.
So the new rules will increase the amount home grown talent gracing Premier league pitches each week, but I’m unconvinced whether such knee-jerkery will have much effect on the woeful performances of the national side. I think the problems of facing the Three Lions run somewhat deeper than Jonny Foreigner squeezing our up-and-coming talent out of the limelight, maybe the FA’s money would be better spent taking the national squad away on a team-building weekend, or enrolling them on a course in ego management.
The new system has also come under fire from those who arguably stand to gain most from it; Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp, whose team are looking to galvanise their position as a top four club, expressed concern that the rulings may force injury prone players such as Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King into retirement.
To an extent I agree with Harry here; with only 25 players at your disposal, what manager would take a chance on a player who may only play one game in five, or even spend the whole term on the treatment table? Even the massing Championship clubs eager to snap up a loanee from the Prem might baulk at that prospect.
We are still very much in the early stages of a new season, but it will be interesting to see how the new rulings stand up to the rigours of practical application. Come May, we could see the FA breaking out the red pen and making some amendments to stave off the flood of Bosman-esque ‘restriction of trade’ lawsuits. Or it could be the saviour of English football. Only time will tell.
Thursday 2 September 2010
San Jose's trapped miners: Psychological trauma
The San Jose mine in northern Chile has been under intense scrutiny over the past month as the world watches the painstaking rescue of 33 miners trapped half a mile below the earth’s surface.
The miners, trapped since August 5th, were discovered alive and well, or at least as well as can be expected, on August 22nd by rescue workers drilling a bore hole into the mine. However, experts have estimated it may be January 2011 before the stricken men can be returned safely to the surface. More recently, NASA scientific advisors have been drafted in to help prepare the men four their impending four months of isolation.
This latest incident has highlighted appalling safety conditions in Chilean mines, although it seems that the relatively small San Jose mine had fallen below par even by these low standard. Record’s show that San Jose has seen three fatal accidents since 2004, while Vincenot Tobar, a former risk management officer at the mine, has told press of 182 injuries in 2006 alone, 56 of them serious.
If there can be one positive from this situation it is that the Chilean authorities can no longer turn a blind eye to the conditions that their miners must endure. On August 11th Chilean president Sebastian Perina very publicly flexed his political muscles by sacking the heads of the national mining regulator Sernageomin. This followed rumours of countless incidences of negligence on the part of Sernageomin including the allegation that an escape ladder that could have initially led the trapped miners to freedom was only installed one third of the way up.
Injuries and even fatalities may be nothing new in Chile’s mines, but this latest accident is unprecedented in its nature and has left authorities woefully under-prepared. It is this lack of preparation that led to the bizarre situation of a group of men trapped half a mile away from their rescuers is being kept alive by scientists trained to deal with ultra-long-distance space flights. As we set foot into the unknown severel troubling questions are posed; how likely is it that rescuers will be able to keep these men alive for four months in isolation? And what long term trauma will this isolation cause?
Speaking to the Guardian newspaper Chilean health minister Jaime Manalich told of how his team was dealing with the challenge of keeping the men alive and well for as long as it takes for them to be rescued; “We have been preparing for possible medical emergencies, "How do you treat appendicitis without surgery? Our staff is scouring the old medical texts to find ways these kind of conditions can be treated without intervention, only using painkillers and other remedies."
One of the miners has also been designated as ‘doctor’ and will carry out minor treatments and health-checks on his fellow miners. However one problem that has been encountered is how to effectively deliver medication and other medical equipment to the miners through such a small aperture.
"[12 centimetre in diameter] is the size of the tube by which we can supply them," said Mañalich. "Everything we develop must be this size or smaller."
A team of doctors is also on hand on the surface to study images relayed back to them by the camera and check remotely for any physical or mental abnormalities.
Psychologically, however the miners and their rescuers are in uncharted territory. Rodrigo Figueroa, a leading Chilean psychiatrist, compared the men’s plight to a space mission or being trapped behind enemy lines, before admitting that he had scoured the medical text books and found “no similar situations like this, they simply don't exist." All this is indicative of a team pushing the frontiers of rescue operations and of human psychology.
Throughout the operation the rescuers have striven to keep the 33 men’s minds active and stimulated, whether it be by setting daily tasks such as the cleaning of the refuge or the arbitrary dismantling and re-assembling of mining machinery, or by giving the miners individual roles, such as the aforementioned doctor role given to one miner. Michael J. Poulin PHD is a published authority on human responses to stress and adversity- he has been following the case and believes that up to now the psychological well-being of the miner has been successfully safeguarded.
"There are few direct parallels to their experience," he says, "but we know, first of all, that the have been greatly deprived of control over their environment, which laboratory and field research indicates is highly stressful. Media reports suggest they are coping with this in some effective ways -- by taking control of what they can: organizing their living space, choosing leaders, relying on their religious faith and fashioning games and toys out of the materials available to them,"
But what of the lasting effects of this drawn out trauma? Will the miners be able to re-adjust to normal life on the outside after their ordeal? Scientists training astronauts for prospective Mars missions have identified that the only key to surviving such prolonged periods of isolation mentally intact is to maintain a healthy psychological routine; basically, rigorously acting out mundane tasks, such as those listed above, day in day out. In doing so the miners will retain a sense of purpose and, above all, hope. This will stave off depression and despair and keep tensions within the group to a minimum. However, unlike a Mars mission, these men have not been specifically selected for their psychological resilience and compatibility with one another as a unit and as the months unfold it will be up to them to keep up morale both individually and as a whole. This will be the key to coming out the other side unscathed.
The miners, trapped since August 5th, were discovered alive and well, or at least as well as can be expected, on August 22nd by rescue workers drilling a bore hole into the mine. However, experts have estimated it may be January 2011 before the stricken men can be returned safely to the surface. More recently, NASA scientific advisors have been drafted in to help prepare the men four their impending four months of isolation.
This latest incident has highlighted appalling safety conditions in Chilean mines, although it seems that the relatively small San Jose mine had fallen below par even by these low standard. Record’s show that San Jose has seen three fatal accidents since 2004, while Vincenot Tobar, a former risk management officer at the mine, has told press of 182 injuries in 2006 alone, 56 of them serious.
If there can be one positive from this situation it is that the Chilean authorities can no longer turn a blind eye to the conditions that their miners must endure. On August 11th Chilean president Sebastian Perina very publicly flexed his political muscles by sacking the heads of the national mining regulator Sernageomin. This followed rumours of countless incidences of negligence on the part of Sernageomin including the allegation that an escape ladder that could have initially led the trapped miners to freedom was only installed one third of the way up.
Injuries and even fatalities may be nothing new in Chile’s mines, but this latest accident is unprecedented in its nature and has left authorities woefully under-prepared. It is this lack of preparation that led to the bizarre situation of a group of men trapped half a mile away from their rescuers is being kept alive by scientists trained to deal with ultra-long-distance space flights. As we set foot into the unknown severel troubling questions are posed; how likely is it that rescuers will be able to keep these men alive for four months in isolation? And what long term trauma will this isolation cause?
Speaking to the Guardian newspaper Chilean health minister Jaime Manalich told of how his team was dealing with the challenge of keeping the men alive and well for as long as it takes for them to be rescued; “We have been preparing for possible medical emergencies, "How do you treat appendicitis without surgery? Our staff is scouring the old medical texts to find ways these kind of conditions can be treated without intervention, only using painkillers and other remedies."
One of the miners has also been designated as ‘doctor’ and will carry out minor treatments and health-checks on his fellow miners. However one problem that has been encountered is how to effectively deliver medication and other medical equipment to the miners through such a small aperture.
"[12 centimetre in diameter] is the size of the tube by which we can supply them," said Mañalich. "Everything we develop must be this size or smaller."
A team of doctors is also on hand on the surface to study images relayed back to them by the camera and check remotely for any physical or mental abnormalities.
Psychologically, however the miners and their rescuers are in uncharted territory. Rodrigo Figueroa, a leading Chilean psychiatrist, compared the men’s plight to a space mission or being trapped behind enemy lines, before admitting that he had scoured the medical text books and found “no similar situations like this, they simply don't exist." All this is indicative of a team pushing the frontiers of rescue operations and of human psychology.
Throughout the operation the rescuers have striven to keep the 33 men’s minds active and stimulated, whether it be by setting daily tasks such as the cleaning of the refuge or the arbitrary dismantling and re-assembling of mining machinery, or by giving the miners individual roles, such as the aforementioned doctor role given to one miner. Michael J. Poulin PHD is a published authority on human responses to stress and adversity- he has been following the case and believes that up to now the psychological well-being of the miner has been successfully safeguarded.
"There are few direct parallels to their experience," he says, "but we know, first of all, that the have been greatly deprived of control over their environment, which laboratory and field research indicates is highly stressful. Media reports suggest they are coping with this in some effective ways -- by taking control of what they can: organizing their living space, choosing leaders, relying on their religious faith and fashioning games and toys out of the materials available to them,"
But what of the lasting effects of this drawn out trauma? Will the miners be able to re-adjust to normal life on the outside after their ordeal? Scientists training astronauts for prospective Mars missions have identified that the only key to surviving such prolonged periods of isolation mentally intact is to maintain a healthy psychological routine; basically, rigorously acting out mundane tasks, such as those listed above, day in day out. In doing so the miners will retain a sense of purpose and, above all, hope. This will stave off depression and despair and keep tensions within the group to a minimum. However, unlike a Mars mission, these men have not been specifically selected for their psychological resilience and compatibility with one another as a unit and as the months unfold it will be up to them to keep up morale both individually and as a whole. This will be the key to coming out the other side unscathed.
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