Four Footed Footballer
The sun still shines over beautiful Rutland; the time when we were almost drowning in mud is a long and distant memory. I would almost enjoy the spectacle of the plastic bowl coming towards me. Well perhaps that is going slightly too far. Seriously we badly need rain. Large cracks are forming like giant wrinkles on a once lovely face all along my footpath.
We very much enjoyed the weekend sport, however. Her favourite Spaniard, Rafael Nadal, won easily, it says in the press; but he did so with irresistible style, (according to her anyway). Also Serena Williams, critics like to mock her but she has now passed Billy Jean King and is catching Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert on the Grand slam all time lists, they tell me. It is interesting that both the players mentioned above who won the mens and womens final this weekend have strong family teams involved in their playing camps; as does Andy Murray who I mentioned on Friday, our big hope for the Championship. The Telegraph implies that all things are not well in that camp, but the rumour of sacking his coach is however pure speculation, it is said. His Mum really has to stop all this gyrating when she is viewing a match, from one pushy mother to another, this is not a good look, my scribe says. It is not all gloom and doom for team GB. We had successes and some hope for the future, Farquharson and Broady won the Boys Doubles. It was an all GB game so we had it in the bag from the start, this wonderful situation only happens once in a blue moon I am told. I do wish though that it could all be conducted in the evening, my tennis fanatics don’t tend to eat popcorn in the afternoon.
One last word on the England football camp, (or maybe not if we can find something of interest) players are now saying that it was not the coach’s fault (funny old thing that) as they wing their way off on their hols. Germany’s captain Philipp Lahn was asked if England could now say they were better than Argentina because they had managed to score a goal against England. ‘England was a good team with big players. In both games we were ready and you saw again here that the better team wins against the better players.’ There is that word again, Team. Also according to Henry Winter the Telegraph’s correspondent in Cape Town in the same piece says that England’s problems are rooted in the club versus country tension, and are highlighted by Tottenham Hotspur’s refusal to allow four of their prospects to join England’s Under-19’s at an important tournament in France next week. It is hard to believe this when Harry Rednapp’s tearful face comes to mind being interviewed when England were knocked out of the world cup, but perhaps he has no influence with whoever deals with his developing players. I will send my scribe to investigate. Also worth considering is that one of England’s problems is too many players who are right footed, especially on the left side of the field. Now, I (a talented footballer myself) am four footed how useful could I be, and very proud to boot.
John McEnroe talking to John Lloyd on a Wimbledon commentary this week said, ‘there is nothing more honourable than to play for your country. You should do it every time you are able. It is an honour to be asked.’
I am of course
La Grande Sophie.