This blog, and any subsequent blog for that matter, is dedicated to my son Shaun who is probably my only regular reader. He’s learned a couple of things about his dad and grandfather by reading some of my meanderings which makes the occasional blog worthwhile.
So where was I? Last month I was intrigued by the response from America to the death of Nelson Mandela. Some hack in the Deep South called him the greatest African American who ever lived. Think about it folks. Then was the case of the sanctimonious TV reporter who quite correctly stated that Mandela was instrumental in ending apartheid in South Africa, but conveniently forgot that while slavery was abolished in America in 1865 it would take almost a hundred years for civil rights laws to be passed, and subsequently an additional couple of decades for the Black man living in America to have anything approaching equal rights.
This conveniently brings me onto Barack Obama, the first Black president of the United States who has tried his level best to bring this once great country to its knees. Excuse me; I digress. Not wishing to miss an opportunity to bolster his ego Obama was giving a eulogy at Mandela’s Memorial Service. Standing a mere three feet away was a gentleman producing sign language for the deaf whom the Establishment later discovered was a load of gibberish. It also transpired that the gentleman signing gibberish to a worldwide audience had a criminal record. Obama later distinguished himself by self-photographing with his arm around the Danish Prime Minister who just happened to be a blonde bombshell. Michelle Obama’s body language sitting alongside the hapless President was priceless. She resembled a bulldog licking urine off a stingy nettle.
I know it wasn’t supposed to be amusing, but again American TV news stations concentrated on the fact that Mandela was instrumental in bringing the Rugby World Cup to South Africa in 1995, and latterly the FIFA World Cup in 2010. Maybe I was reading it wrong but it kind of trivialized Mandela’s accomplishments in uniting a divided nation. Mandela was truly a great man, and one feature that impressed me was the fact he was incarcerated for 28 years, but never held a grudge or sought revenge against his captors.
And now for something completely different: I have been a lifelong supporter of Tottenham Hotspur which is no mean achievement when you consider Spurs have not won the title since 1960-61. They have had many great players over the years, but somewhere in the depth of White Hart Lane there is a self-destruct button.
Following Tottenham’s humiliating 0-5 defeat at home to Liverpool last Saturday the much maligned manager Andre Villas-Boas was fired after just over a year in charge. My gut reaction was to whole heartedly endorse his sacking, but now I have to question whether the right man was held accountable.
Spurs have adopted the ridiculous European management system where they employ a Director of Football (Paolo Bandini) who is responsible for signing players. He assembles a squad and then hands them over to the team manager (Andre Vilas-Boas) to produce a successful formula on the field.
In the summer Spurs reluctantly agreed to sell their best player, Gareth Bale, to Real Madrid for $100 million. Spurs spent the money on signing 7 new players. The Portuguese manager asked his chairman to buy Hulk, Moutinho and David Villa as he planned for life without Bale, but none of whom were signed.
On the contrary, Villas-Boas objected to the acquisitions of Lamela, Chadli, Ciriches and Eriksen, a quartet who cost Spurs a total of $85 million, but his judgment was overruled. Villas-Boas became the fifth managerial casualty in the Premiership this season, and soon to be followed by Malky Mackay who has upset his demonic Malaysian owner at Cardiff City.
Finally a word about my home town team Swansea City; I watched them recently struggling to take a point off lowly Hull City at home and it was like watching paint dry. They enjoyed 67% of the possession in the first half and failed to have one shot at goal. Admittedly they are recognized as a passing team, but they don’t appear to have the personnel who can pass with purpose and tempo.
Coming soon; I will be publishing my review of 2013. I know I’ve whetted your appetite but control yourself and chill out over Christmas.
I think I might lay a claim to being your second most loyal reader – I’m certainly the main source of comments!!
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