It's the final throws of 2013 and I'm sitting here thinking about the year that has just passed. I did my last review three years ago now and so much has changed since then. I'm feeling quite sentimental so I am just going to write down what has happened in 2013, for what a year it has been…
I've got to start with the event I shall remember the most from 2013. I achieved my dream this year - In June, I got my first class honours law degree and no one can ever take that away from me. To think, my 2010 review highlights my initial months at Oxford Brookes University… Kind of cohesive, huh? Blood, sweat, tears, highs, lows, anger, stress, celebrations, luck, great friends, great teachers and so much more went into getting that degree but it was worth every moment. And so, when you get your degree, the next step, is, obviously, graduation!
Graduation in July was an absolute blast. It was fantastic to celebrate with some of my closest friends the three years we had spent together and what the results had been from all our hard work. The weather was good too, which was a bonus! To hear my name called out and to take the stage and receive my certificate which proudly proclaimed 'first class honours' on it was the proudest moment of my life and certainly wasn't something I expected when I sat here three years ago writing my review of 2010! It was a delight to see how proud my family were of me too - that was the main thing. Simply put, 2013 included the best day of my life so far.
I also got really into swimming this year and reignited a passion I had long since forgotten about. I love it, I really do. 64 lengths at least 3 times a week is so much fun and gives me time to think and de-stress from studying. I've got to thank my friend Lawrence for coming with me too - it was great to have a boost on some of those early mornings in January and February where I didn't feel like going one bit! I enjoyed going swimming so much that I thought I would try and put it to good use and so I did a charity swim. It was pretty tough but enjoyable too. In April, I swam 2.5k for Marie Curie Cancer Care, raising £275 in the process. I felt pretty good after that and I do hope that the money made a difference to someone's life.
My summer was one of two halves - I spent the first half applying for training contracts and the second travelling across America. My first half was, as you can imagine, not much fun. However, summer days in the library, again with Lawrence who provided fantastic moral support, were necessary. I had some success and got as far as an Assessment Day with a top 50 firm in London and, although I didn't go any further than that, it gave me a real boost to know that I am really not that far off. Hopefully when I write my next review, I'll be fully fledged in the legal world!
Travelling across America in August was certainly an experience I won't forget and I saw some wonderful sites, like the Golden Gate Bridge, the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas in all its glory. One of my friends who I went with, Will, has written a blog all about it, so I won't go into all the details. Here's the link; http://willjacques.wordpress.com.
September came round before I knew it and that meant one thing… Law School! Phew, what a last couple of months of 2013 they have been! Law school is really testing and pretty relentless but I enjoy it too and it is great that my friend Ghi is there with me too - it would be a very different place without him there! I've met some pretty decent people there - mostly the girls - and I am enjoying it so far, although there is a long way to go yet.
Of course, this year hasn't all been good. Firstly, I've lost my best friend because of events in America and that has been very hard to deal with but hopefully, in time, things will improve. I would like to think our friendship is strong enough to survive… we'll see.
Secondly, leaving Oxford was really sad. Sophie and Hannah, two of my flatmates had begun to feel like family and it was really sad leaving them, particularly Sophie, as I had lived with her for three years and seen more of her than my family in that time! I'm still in touch with them both and I'll be seeing them both in 2014 and beyond, I am sure. Also, of course, it was sad to say farewell to my course mates too. I had really ridden the ups and downs of the roller coaster with my friends on my course and, to you all, I'll never forget my time at Oxford Brookes!
And so, apart from some family event that took place close to Christmas (I'll reveal all in 2016, believe me!), I think that's 2013 in a nutshell, from my perspective. Incredible. Stupendous. Magnificent. The greatest year of my life. And so, with 55 minutes left of 2013, whilst listening to my favourite song of 2013 - Calling by Sebastian Ingrosso & Alesso, I'll end there. Lets see where we are in three years time eh, guys? What a year. You'll never be forgotten, 2013!
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
Sunday, 11 August 2013
Something I've Been Meaning To Do For A While
Dear all,
You may remember, approximately one year ago, I wrote a post ("This Time Next Year" (Or The Hopes And Dreams Of A 20 Year Old)), within which, one of my goals, inter alia, was to achieve a First Class Honours Law degree from my place of study, Oxford Brookes University. Well. I achieved that goal and made it a reality. This post is going to be about the journey of this last year in achieving my dream and what qualities I believe one needs to achieve their full potential and get what they truly want out of life.
I ended my second year at university on a very positive note. I had achieved above and beyond what I thought possible and was very close to averaging a first. At this point, I changed my goals. I was no longer going to be satisfied by achieving the 'status quo' of a 2:1 degree. I decided on that day to strive for greatness and achieve what is statistically the most difficult thing to do within the field of higher education - achieve a First Class Honours Law degree.
And so September and the start of my final year at university ticked round. So far, I had my goal to aim for, now I needed a plan. A dear friend of mine had always set the bar incredibly high when it came to hours spent on work and I believed I should follow suit. Therefore, myself and my friend would spent many, many hours in libraries, computer rooms and cafes working, preparing for seminars and writing up coursework at times when I knew full well that most of my colleagues would be at home relaxing and enjoying themselves. I did this out of choice, I moaned, groaned and got annoyed at times and suffered some pretty low points but I always had 'the goal' at the back of my mind, knowing that every minute of work I put in at this stage would benefit me in the long run. This isn't to say I was an academic drone. I still had time to enjoy myself by visiting the Oxford Union on numerous occasions, successfully completing a taster course in British Sign Language and developing my role as Treasurer of the Oxford Brookes University Table Tennis Society. In summary, my 'plan' was incredibly simple - work harder than everyone else to achieve better than everyone else.
Many moons ago, I was party to a speech given by one of our greatest Olympians, Sir Steve Redgrave, at the University of Surrey. Here, he spoke at length about a fellow competitor's tale of how he achieved his dream and broke a world record. At the beginning of the four-year cycle before an Olympic Games, the competitor - a swimmer - was told he needed to improve by well over one second in order to eclipse the record. Superficially, this seemed a very taxing prospect for the athlete, however, his coach adapted the goal in such a way that it suddenly became that little bit easier. Instead of asking the swimmer to break the record in four years time, the coach instead asked for the swimmer to go just a fraction of a second quicker every single training session. This, inevitably, felt much simpler for the swimmer and he quickly improved his time. He did indeed go to the Olympics and... well, need I say more!
This story has always stuck with me and I made sure to put it to good use this year, particularly in those inevitable times of struggle. During my first term I had three 2,000 word essays due in on the same day. This was quite obviously a daunting prospect, however, I managed to break everything down into smaller and more manageable chunks, so not to get overwhelmed by said prospect. Be it setting myself the target of writing 200 words or finding three pieces of academic comment, I ensured I went one step at a time and focused only on a single coursework at any given moment. Oh, and by the way, as you're wondering, I received 77% (1st), 72% (1st) and 60% (2:1) in those three pieces of work. Set yourself smaller targets on the way to achieving your goal. It makes things that little bit more straightforward.
So far I've mentioned my goal, my plan and my method. But why do all this? Why go to this much effort? What drives us on and what inspires us? As a massive sports fan, I had always been inspired by one sportsman or other, be it in cricket or football or tennis. However, London 2012 was something different, something otherworldly. This inspired me on a whole new level. To see the likes of Jess Ennis and Sir Chris Hoy train for four years all for one moment was something quite brilliant and, better still, was something I found I could relate to. All the work I was putting in now was leading up to one final moment; the result of my degree classification. Again, a simple mantra applies: 'Fail to prepare, prepare to fail'. Ennis, Hoy, Farah, Adams, Simmonds, Storey et al certainly prepared and they certainly did not fail. The second part of my inspiration is related to London 2012 - it is the advertising campaign at the time organised by adidas. The sportswear company used two very simple, very trendy yet very emotive tag lines; '#takethestage' and '#allin'. They struck a cord with me. I wanted to 'take the stage' quite literally, at Graduation with a first class degree, whereas I wanted to go 'all in' and give my all to achieving that dream. My colleagues must have been sick and tired of me repeating those phrases by the end of the year! Find your inspiration, it will pull you through when you are tired and think your dream is no longer possible or within sight.
That is 4/5th's of what I believe can make you achieve all that you aim for. However, without this fifth ingredient, the rest are more or less redundant. Determination. One must have the unerring, intense, unrelenting willpower to achieve their goal. One must never give up or throw in the towel believing things to be 'too difficult'. They aren't - one just needs the determination to overcome their obstacles to achieving success. This is something that cannot be taught, I suppose. It is either within you or it isn't. Are you willing to be spending 16 hours a day chasing your dream, as I did on a few occasions? Are you willing to be working 6 days a week at the very least, in order to achieve what you so desperately desire? If not, and you are happy to settle for second best, that is fine. There is nothing wrong with that, but if you wish to truly fulfil your potential and achieve all you can, then these are the lengths you will have to go to in order to succeed. You must give it your all and dedicate and devote your life and lifestyle to this goal. I cannot emphasise enough just how important a role 'determination' played in my success. It is truly the key ingredient in your hunt to achieve your goals.
Goal. Plan. Method. Inspiration. Determination. The five components which helped me achieve my First Class Law Degree on 10th June 2013. By following this path, I achieved my own personal view of 'greatness'. I was one of just ten to receive such a degree and landed, approximately, within the top 3% of my year group. The work pays off, it is that simple. These were the marks I received in my final year:
You may remember, approximately one year ago, I wrote a post ("This Time Next Year" (Or The Hopes And Dreams Of A 20 Year Old)), within which, one of my goals, inter alia, was to achieve a First Class Honours Law degree from my place of study, Oxford Brookes University. Well. I achieved that goal and made it a reality. This post is going to be about the journey of this last year in achieving my dream and what qualities I believe one needs to achieve their full potential and get what they truly want out of life.
I ended my second year at university on a very positive note. I had achieved above and beyond what I thought possible and was very close to averaging a first. At this point, I changed my goals. I was no longer going to be satisfied by achieving the 'status quo' of a 2:1 degree. I decided on that day to strive for greatness and achieve what is statistically the most difficult thing to do within the field of higher education - achieve a First Class Honours Law degree.
And so September and the start of my final year at university ticked round. So far, I had my goal to aim for, now I needed a plan. A dear friend of mine had always set the bar incredibly high when it came to hours spent on work and I believed I should follow suit. Therefore, myself and my friend would spent many, many hours in libraries, computer rooms and cafes working, preparing for seminars and writing up coursework at times when I knew full well that most of my colleagues would be at home relaxing and enjoying themselves. I did this out of choice, I moaned, groaned and got annoyed at times and suffered some pretty low points but I always had 'the goal' at the back of my mind, knowing that every minute of work I put in at this stage would benefit me in the long run. This isn't to say I was an academic drone. I still had time to enjoy myself by visiting the Oxford Union on numerous occasions, successfully completing a taster course in British Sign Language and developing my role as Treasurer of the Oxford Brookes University Table Tennis Society. In summary, my 'plan' was incredibly simple - work harder than everyone else to achieve better than everyone else.
Many moons ago, I was party to a speech given by one of our greatest Olympians, Sir Steve Redgrave, at the University of Surrey. Here, he spoke at length about a fellow competitor's tale of how he achieved his dream and broke a world record. At the beginning of the four-year cycle before an Olympic Games, the competitor - a swimmer - was told he needed to improve by well over one second in order to eclipse the record. Superficially, this seemed a very taxing prospect for the athlete, however, his coach adapted the goal in such a way that it suddenly became that little bit easier. Instead of asking the swimmer to break the record in four years time, the coach instead asked for the swimmer to go just a fraction of a second quicker every single training session. This, inevitably, felt much simpler for the swimmer and he quickly improved his time. He did indeed go to the Olympics and... well, need I say more!
This story has always stuck with me and I made sure to put it to good use this year, particularly in those inevitable times of struggle. During my first term I had three 2,000 word essays due in on the same day. This was quite obviously a daunting prospect, however, I managed to break everything down into smaller and more manageable chunks, so not to get overwhelmed by said prospect. Be it setting myself the target of writing 200 words or finding three pieces of academic comment, I ensured I went one step at a time and focused only on a single coursework at any given moment. Oh, and by the way, as you're wondering, I received 77% (1st), 72% (1st) and 60% (2:1) in those three pieces of work. Set yourself smaller targets on the way to achieving your goal. It makes things that little bit more straightforward.
So far I've mentioned my goal, my plan and my method. But why do all this? Why go to this much effort? What drives us on and what inspires us? As a massive sports fan, I had always been inspired by one sportsman or other, be it in cricket or football or tennis. However, London 2012 was something different, something otherworldly. This inspired me on a whole new level. To see the likes of Jess Ennis and Sir Chris Hoy train for four years all for one moment was something quite brilliant and, better still, was something I found I could relate to. All the work I was putting in now was leading up to one final moment; the result of my degree classification. Again, a simple mantra applies: 'Fail to prepare, prepare to fail'. Ennis, Hoy, Farah, Adams, Simmonds, Storey et al certainly prepared and they certainly did not fail. The second part of my inspiration is related to London 2012 - it is the advertising campaign at the time organised by adidas. The sportswear company used two very simple, very trendy yet very emotive tag lines; '#takethestage' and '#allin'. They struck a cord with me. I wanted to 'take the stage' quite literally, at Graduation with a first class degree, whereas I wanted to go 'all in' and give my all to achieving that dream. My colleagues must have been sick and tired of me repeating those phrases by the end of the year! Find your inspiration, it will pull you through when you are tired and think your dream is no longer possible or within sight.
That is 4/5th's of what I believe can make you achieve all that you aim for. However, without this fifth ingredient, the rest are more or less redundant. Determination. One must have the unerring, intense, unrelenting willpower to achieve their goal. One must never give up or throw in the towel believing things to be 'too difficult'. They aren't - one just needs the determination to overcome their obstacles to achieving success. This is something that cannot be taught, I suppose. It is either within you or it isn't. Are you willing to be spending 16 hours a day chasing your dream, as I did on a few occasions? Are you willing to be working 6 days a week at the very least, in order to achieve what you so desperately desire? If not, and you are happy to settle for second best, that is fine. There is nothing wrong with that, but if you wish to truly fulfil your potential and achieve all you can, then these are the lengths you will have to go to in order to succeed. You must give it your all and dedicate and devote your life and lifestyle to this goal. I cannot emphasise enough just how important a role 'determination' played in my success. It is truly the key ingredient in your hunt to achieve your goals.
Goal. Plan. Method. Inspiration. Determination. The five components which helped me achieve my First Class Law Degree on 10th June 2013. By following this path, I achieved my own personal view of 'greatness'. I was one of just ten to receive such a degree and landed, approximately, within the top 3% of my year group. The work pays off, it is that simple. These were the marks I received in my final year:
- 60%
- 69%
- 64%
- 71%
- 70%
- 74%
I could write what it feels like when, after three years of study, you finally achieve what you have always wanted, but it is a feeling personal to all of us. All I know is that it was the best day of my life and I was totally overwhelmed. Put it this way, it is a tremendous feeling when '#takethestage' becomes '#stagetaken'. Just ask Jess Ennis & co.
Thursday, 4 October 2012
Welcome back, KP?
And so the saga which has dogged English cricket for months takes another twist. Kevin Pietersen is to undergo a 'process of re-integration', or so the ECB has claimed. What this 'process' is, in practice, remains to be seen, in truth. We know the details of what it entails and these need no further comment. But, there are two sides to every story. KP finally seems to be as remorseful as the ECB wanted him to be, having announced he has again apologised to Andrew Strauss, again reiterated his desire to play for England in all forms of cricket, until, at least the 2015 World Cup and again, has seemingly turned his back on the riches and glamour of IPL/Big Bash/ insert t20 competition here. For how long, however, remains to be seen. Yes, that may be a cynical view, but doubts must surely remain as to Pietersen's loyalty. Things said and done cannot just heal thanks to a meeting or two with Giles Clarke and the ECB administration. Rifts take time to heal and only time will tell if Pietersen really is as loyal to the cause as he claims.
Again, it is all very well making peace with those at the top of the off-the-field structure, but another thing entirely to make peace with the players. It must be noted that there have been very few, if any, senior professionals who have backed Pietersen in this whole affair in the public sense, and it is doubtful whether they have privately either. Senior pros Swann, Anderson and Cook have publicly backed the coach, Andy Flower and ex-captain, Andrew Strauss throughout the whole affair and rightly so. As I made clear in my previous blog, if Pietersen doesn't want to play for England then let him go to do as he pleases. English cricket is, and always will be, bigger than one man. Nonetheless, it is plainly obvious that a team with (a committed) Pietersen is better than a team without him and Pietersen will, in all likelihood, remain a key component to the England side.
However, that comes with a huge proviso - Pietersen will remain a part of the England side 'if'' his re-integration process is successful. Effectively, he is undertaking a four-month trial period. For a team, an organisation, so keen on consistency and stability, questions have to be asked as to whether this 'trial' is really the correct way of sorting out the problems this summer has created. Consider not only KP and Andy Flower, but the likes of Jonny Bairstow, James Taylor and Nick Compton in the Test arena and the likes of Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler in the limited-overs format who are also affectively in limbo for the coming months. This will almost certainly have a destabilising effect upon these players who have been waiting for any opportunity to break into a very tough England side. Now, for all their efforts, they are in a very rocky place through no fault of their own. It is not to say some, if not all, of these names mentioned won't play for England at some point, but, as previously mentioned, England do not like to chop and change too much and with Pietersen back in the fold, chances will certainly be more limited.
Whilst Pietersen may well be back on terms with the ECB, it is very much doubtful that this summer's big cricket news is over. At the end of the 're-integration' is the time to evaluate Pietersen's loyalty to English cricket. What is certain is that Pietersen has a lot of work to do to convince the senior pro's he truly is one of them, striving for the same goals, as a team.
Again, it is all very well making peace with those at the top of the off-the-field structure, but another thing entirely to make peace with the players. It must be noted that there have been very few, if any, senior professionals who have backed Pietersen in this whole affair in the public sense, and it is doubtful whether they have privately either. Senior pros Swann, Anderson and Cook have publicly backed the coach, Andy Flower and ex-captain, Andrew Strauss throughout the whole affair and rightly so. As I made clear in my previous blog, if Pietersen doesn't want to play for England then let him go to do as he pleases. English cricket is, and always will be, bigger than one man. Nonetheless, it is plainly obvious that a team with (a committed) Pietersen is better than a team without him and Pietersen will, in all likelihood, remain a key component to the England side.
However, that comes with a huge proviso - Pietersen will remain a part of the England side 'if'' his re-integration process is successful. Effectively, he is undertaking a four-month trial period. For a team, an organisation, so keen on consistency and stability, questions have to be asked as to whether this 'trial' is really the correct way of sorting out the problems this summer has created. Consider not only KP and Andy Flower, but the likes of Jonny Bairstow, James Taylor and Nick Compton in the Test arena and the likes of Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler in the limited-overs format who are also affectively in limbo for the coming months. This will almost certainly have a destabilising effect upon these players who have been waiting for any opportunity to break into a very tough England side. Now, for all their efforts, they are in a very rocky place through no fault of their own. It is not to say some, if not all, of these names mentioned won't play for England at some point, but, as previously mentioned, England do not like to chop and change too much and with Pietersen back in the fold, chances will certainly be more limited.
Whilst Pietersen may well be back on terms with the ECB, it is very much doubtful that this summer's big cricket news is over. At the end of the 're-integration' is the time to evaluate Pietersen's loyalty to English cricket. What is certain is that Pietersen has a lot of work to do to convince the senior pro's he truly is one of them, striving for the same goals, as a team.
Tuesday, 4 September 2012
Strauss, KP and a transitional England...
A couple of months ago, just prior to the early season Test series with the West Indies, English cricket had seemed so rosy. Flying high in all formats and, crucially, number one in the world in Test match cricket. The squad was harmonious, and aside from the perennial issue of playing spin on the sub-continent, the only question mark was which of England's embarrassment of riches would take the seamer spot, or spots, alongside James Anderson, Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad. At this stage, in early May, there were few signs hinting at what lie ahead for English cricket and, to an extent, world cricket.
Captain Strauss declared he would not be resigning the captaincy any time soon, and thus, wouldn't be conforming to Graeme Smith's uncanny knack of having removed the previous two England captains, Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussain, from their posts. Strauss had had a rough 18 months with the bat, with, before the West Indies series, his only century coming against the Aussies in the Ashes triumph at Brisbane. However, few were calling for his head at this point. After all, this was arguably the most successful England captain ever. A world number one ranking, back to back Ashes victories and a fantastic partnership between himself and Andy Flower, the coach.
Kevin Pietersen is Kevin Pietersen. Any self-respecting cricket fan knows what you get with Kevin Pietersen. You get ego, you get stubbornness, but most of all, you get natural raw talent. A natural raw talent which helped, firstly, England to regain the Ashes in 2005 with a magnificent 158 to take the game away from the Australians. You then get natural raw talent which helped win England their first limited overs world trophy, the World t20 in 2010, in which KP was crowned player of the tournament. And, most recently, you get natural raw talent which almost certainly saved England's bacon at Headingley with one of the finest innings you'll see in Test cricket, one that had newspaper writers and pundits salivating. However, 'that' press conference after the Test in Yorkshire perhaps opened the cracks that some had began to see emerge in this England team. Pietersen could not say that the third Test at Lord's would be his last or not. KP hinted at other issues too, saying it was 'hard being me playing for England' and that he was in 'discussions' with Andy Flower and that more would be revealed after the cricket was over. This, coupled with Pietersen's retirement from all limited overs cricket earlier in the summer clearly did not bode well. This bolt from the blue hinted at underlying problems, problems that would emerge later on, such as Pietersen's wish to retire only from ODI's but to continue playing for his country in Test match cricket and international T20's, something the ECB simply would not budge on, and rightly so. For players to pick and choose which games to play for their country in this way is unacceptable and sends completely the wrong message to every other cricketer. It is one thing to retire from limited overs cricket entirely, as many have done with no problems at all, including Andrew Strauss, but quite another to attempt such a stunt as Pietersen did.
English cricket, despite the above, still appeared in decent shape going into the much anticipated series against South Africa, to show just who is the best Test side in the world. However, just as quickly as England's bowlers failing to deliver at The Oval, the tenuous harmony of the side was shattered. Media rumours emerged of derogatory text messages sent by that man again, Pietersen, to the opposition, particularly, ODI captain AB De Villiers and the best paceman in the world, Dale Steyn. Any sympathy Pietersen may have garnered instantly vanished upon these revelations. What more needs to be said on this issue? Pietersen was stupid beyond belief to do what he did and these messages, which has caused issues of 'trust and mutual respect' according to Andy Flower, could well prove the tipping point in Pietersen's career. In any other working environment, if an employee conferred key information to a rival firm or spoke badly of their colleague to someone outside of the company, they would be out. No second chances, that person would not return. Why should it be any different for KP? There should be no special treatment given to this man. England, in time, will find his replacement. Someone who'll be as good as, or better, than Pietersen. Cricket, and life, goes on. The ECB and the game is bigger than one player and always will be. The authorities cannot put this at risk and stoop down to football's level of 'player power' by letting England's star batsman return to the fold. His actions and his actions alone have caused this scenario. England has been good to KP and KP has been good to England, but, as a collective, English cricket cannot allow scandals like this and for that reason, KP should be disposed of. If Pietersen wants to join his mate Chris Gayle and become a t20 mercenary, then so be it, England should not stand in his way. However, Pietersen must look at himself too. Would he prefer a Bangladesh Premier League runner up medal and an Australian Big Bash trophy to another Ashes victory? If the answer to Pietersen, or any cricketer for that matter, is 'yes', then the game of cricket is in a lot of trouble. But who can blame the players? No one reading this would reject the chance of untold millions for a short stint in a warm country playing cricket for a couple of weeks. But tradition and history must stand firm over the current trend of t20, for Test cricket must always remain the ultimate aim for every cricketer, no, as in football, to make as much money as possible in the shortest time possible.
Life must go on post-KP however, and post-Strauss, following his resignation (and who can blame him after this most tumultuous of summers?). County cricket is full of promising middle-order batsmen to fill the void. James Taylor and Jonny Bairstow have just begun their Test careers, whilst youngsters James Vince, Joe Root and Alex Hales are touted for the future. Also, the likes of Eoin Morgan and Craig Kieswetter must still be considered for the role. However, the real problem lies in finding Alastair Cook an opening partner. It is an issue I've raised over the last couple of years as there appears to be no real plan from the ECB. Some pundits have talked of moving up Trott or Bell to open, but why move cricketers who have performed so well in their respective positions over the years? For me, only a new face will do. But who? No one truly impresses in county cricket at the moment. Nick Compton has had an outstanding season for Somerset, but is not really an opening batsman, whilst England could, and perhaps should, turn to Michael Carberry, who played a single Test over 3 years ago in Bangladesh. A fantastic athlete and, on his day, capable of great performances, but at the age of 32 and becoming ever more injury prone, is he the man to turn to? What is for sure is that the ECB have a lot of thinking to do and that England must now look ahead to next summer's Ashes and create a settled contented side. With or without KP.
Captain Strauss declared he would not be resigning the captaincy any time soon, and thus, wouldn't be conforming to Graeme Smith's uncanny knack of having removed the previous two England captains, Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussain, from their posts. Strauss had had a rough 18 months with the bat, with, before the West Indies series, his only century coming against the Aussies in the Ashes triumph at Brisbane. However, few were calling for his head at this point. After all, this was arguably the most successful England captain ever. A world number one ranking, back to back Ashes victories and a fantastic partnership between himself and Andy Flower, the coach.
Kevin Pietersen is Kevin Pietersen. Any self-respecting cricket fan knows what you get with Kevin Pietersen. You get ego, you get stubbornness, but most of all, you get natural raw talent. A natural raw talent which helped, firstly, England to regain the Ashes in 2005 with a magnificent 158 to take the game away from the Australians. You then get natural raw talent which helped win England their first limited overs world trophy, the World t20 in 2010, in which KP was crowned player of the tournament. And, most recently, you get natural raw talent which almost certainly saved England's bacon at Headingley with one of the finest innings you'll see in Test cricket, one that had newspaper writers and pundits salivating. However, 'that' press conference after the Test in Yorkshire perhaps opened the cracks that some had began to see emerge in this England team. Pietersen could not say that the third Test at Lord's would be his last or not. KP hinted at other issues too, saying it was 'hard being me playing for England' and that he was in 'discussions' with Andy Flower and that more would be revealed after the cricket was over. This, coupled with Pietersen's retirement from all limited overs cricket earlier in the summer clearly did not bode well. This bolt from the blue hinted at underlying problems, problems that would emerge later on, such as Pietersen's wish to retire only from ODI's but to continue playing for his country in Test match cricket and international T20's, something the ECB simply would not budge on, and rightly so. For players to pick and choose which games to play for their country in this way is unacceptable and sends completely the wrong message to every other cricketer. It is one thing to retire from limited overs cricket entirely, as many have done with no problems at all, including Andrew Strauss, but quite another to attempt such a stunt as Pietersen did.
English cricket, despite the above, still appeared in decent shape going into the much anticipated series against South Africa, to show just who is the best Test side in the world. However, just as quickly as England's bowlers failing to deliver at The Oval, the tenuous harmony of the side was shattered. Media rumours emerged of derogatory text messages sent by that man again, Pietersen, to the opposition, particularly, ODI captain AB De Villiers and the best paceman in the world, Dale Steyn. Any sympathy Pietersen may have garnered instantly vanished upon these revelations. What more needs to be said on this issue? Pietersen was stupid beyond belief to do what he did and these messages, which has caused issues of 'trust and mutual respect' according to Andy Flower, could well prove the tipping point in Pietersen's career. In any other working environment, if an employee conferred key information to a rival firm or spoke badly of their colleague to someone outside of the company, they would be out. No second chances, that person would not return. Why should it be any different for KP? There should be no special treatment given to this man. England, in time, will find his replacement. Someone who'll be as good as, or better, than Pietersen. Cricket, and life, goes on. The ECB and the game is bigger than one player and always will be. The authorities cannot put this at risk and stoop down to football's level of 'player power' by letting England's star batsman return to the fold. His actions and his actions alone have caused this scenario. England has been good to KP and KP has been good to England, but, as a collective, English cricket cannot allow scandals like this and for that reason, KP should be disposed of. If Pietersen wants to join his mate Chris Gayle and become a t20 mercenary, then so be it, England should not stand in his way. However, Pietersen must look at himself too. Would he prefer a Bangladesh Premier League runner up medal and an Australian Big Bash trophy to another Ashes victory? If the answer to Pietersen, or any cricketer for that matter, is 'yes', then the game of cricket is in a lot of trouble. But who can blame the players? No one reading this would reject the chance of untold millions for a short stint in a warm country playing cricket for a couple of weeks. But tradition and history must stand firm over the current trend of t20, for Test cricket must always remain the ultimate aim for every cricketer, no, as in football, to make as much money as possible in the shortest time possible.
Life must go on post-KP however, and post-Strauss, following his resignation (and who can blame him after this most tumultuous of summers?). County cricket is full of promising middle-order batsmen to fill the void. James Taylor and Jonny Bairstow have just begun their Test careers, whilst youngsters James Vince, Joe Root and Alex Hales are touted for the future. Also, the likes of Eoin Morgan and Craig Kieswetter must still be considered for the role. However, the real problem lies in finding Alastair Cook an opening partner. It is an issue I've raised over the last couple of years as there appears to be no real plan from the ECB. Some pundits have talked of moving up Trott or Bell to open, but why move cricketers who have performed so well in their respective positions over the years? For me, only a new face will do. But who? No one truly impresses in county cricket at the moment. Nick Compton has had an outstanding season for Somerset, but is not really an opening batsman, whilst England could, and perhaps should, turn to Michael Carberry, who played a single Test over 3 years ago in Bangladesh. A fantastic athlete and, on his day, capable of great performances, but at the age of 32 and becoming ever more injury prone, is he the man to turn to? What is for sure is that the ECB have a lot of thinking to do and that England must now look ahead to next summer's Ashes and create a settled contented side. With or without KP.
Monday, 27 August 2012
"This Time Next Year" (Or The Hopes And Dreams Of A 20 Year Old)
So. Me again. Months on. Pompey still in crisis. Weather still mischievous. But this isn't going to be a dramatic journalistic post about the issues of the day. This is about me. A selfish post!!
So. 3rd year is fast approaching. The big one. The final year. And so it is time to think about the future. And that is what this blogpost is about: The future and I.
Below I am going to list the hopes and dreams I have over the coming academic (and slightly beyond) year. I wonder how many will come true.... (In no particular order)
So. That's me! I'll be the happiest person alive if all of that comes true. Determination and hard work coming up in bucket loads....
So. 3rd year is fast approaching. The big one. The final year. And so it is time to think about the future. And that is what this blogpost is about: The future and I.
Below I am going to list the hopes and dreams I have over the coming academic (and slightly beyond) year. I wonder how many will come true.... (In no particular order)
- To secure a training contract.
- To work at Camp America.
- To secure a place at law school.
- To get to Oxford University.
- To travel. Be it America. Be it Europe.
- To receive a first class degree.
So. That's me! I'll be the happiest person alive if all of that comes true. Determination and hard work coming up in bucket loads....
Thursday, 1 December 2011
In times of crisis: How Portsmouth FC have broken my heart.
I only blog now when a crisis is here. This is one of those times...
Portsmouth FC. The most passionate fans, the most intimidating stadium in England, the most mismanaged club. As I type, Vladimir Antonov and his company, CSI, are under investigation for all sorts of crimes and irregularities. Now, my purpose is not to go into whether he has, or has not, actually committed these 'crimes' and whether he is or not guilty, but to share my experiences of how Portsmouth's continual plight has affected me, subjectively.
I remember the 'good ol' days', the promotion season under Redknapp with Toddy banging the goals in left, right and centre. I remember the Great Escape, Pedro Mendes v Man City on March 11th 2006 - see I still remember the date! - I will never forget that 95th minute strike that changed everything. I remember the days where world class players were bought and it seemed almost natural to the fans, the norm. Diarra, Defoe, Crouch, Muntari, Campbell..... I remember the FA Cup win of 17th May 2008, the greatest day of my life, the only day I've cried at a football match. A day I shall never forget.
However, this seems like a lifetime ago now.... so much has changed. We are a different club entirely. Of course, any club has good times and bad, even Man Utd and suchlike. However, no club has been on a roller coaster as much as Portsmouth.
The sad thing is, every time a new owner came in, I had faith, I had belief that he was 'the one'. He, be it Al Fahim, Al Faraj, hell, even Chanrai, would save us. They would stabilise the club and build future foundations. The administration saga (part 1) nearly destroyed my love for Portsmouth. Everything became a joke - Daniel Azoughy, Marc Jacobs etc etc... All these shifty characters who had nothing to do with football suddenly running our club. This club wasn't the one I had grown up supporting. It wasn't the one I had watched from the same seat in the North Stand for seven or eight years. If the team of 2010 hadn't had that FA Cup run, beating Southampton, beating Spurs, I cannot be sure I'd still be supporting the club. This isn't to say I'm not a diehard fan, but I believe I simply wouldn't have been able to do it any more. My club meant so much to me, it was killing me to see it torn apart and I really can't see how I could have been a part of that anymore. Nonetheless, I stayed. Purely through hope I think. Hope of a bright, better future.
That hope arrived, or so I believed, through CSI on 1st June 2011. Mr Antonov and Mr Dubov were the men with the plans. A 'five year vision' was introduced. Foundations were built for the academy, the training ground had a revamp and money was (finally) spent on quality acquisitions such as Luke Varney and Greg Halford. We were set for the future.... Yet it all comes crashing down. Again. Everything has gone wrong again. The free flags given out at the home game against Brighton in August stated, 'A new era. Everything is possible'. I don't think it was meant the way it has turned out.
The crux of my view is, can I handle this whole saga again? I'm not so sure. Old men, who have been supporting their clubs all their lives don't see one administration. I'm on the verge of seeing two in a couple of years. This may tip me over the edge. Again, I must reiterate, I'm not a 'fairweather' fan, I've been to over 150 games, home and away, however, things are getting too much. Talk of 'Phoenix' clubs are being brought up again, as is the 'Pompey Trust' or whatever it is called. Be realistic, these 'initiatives' won't make one spot of difference.
Manager, Michael Appleton, a bold appointment in itself, has revealed how he has basically been 'duped' into the 'vision' of CSI as well and that things are going to have to change from that already, just days after becoming manager of the club. This prime example illustrates just how mismanaged the club is and has been.
Now, of course, Portsmouth FC has a large role to play in their ownership and financial meltdown but lurking in the shadows is the Premier League and the Football League. They have been grossly negligent in their duties. The fit and proper persons test has failed for the 4th time, and that's only Portsmouth! Forget Shinawatra and his ilk! The Premier League were all too happy to deduct the club 9 points, but they were also too happy in letting anyone who walked off the street being able to own Portsmouth. Not once had they met or spoken too Al Faraj before he took control of the club. Yet since those days of 2009/2010, what has changed in their approach? Nothing. How so? Because the exact same thing happened with Antonov and CSI! The football league passed CSI as 'Fit and Proper' to control Portsmouth yet the Financial Services Authority, General Motors (when CSI tried to purchase Saab) and the European Investment Bank were not so happy to have dealings with such a company. Again, I suggest the Football League will lurk in the shadows until the issue of a points deduction comes about, will say they will hold a review into CSI's ownership and will wait for the fuss to die down. The Football League have many questions to answer, yet who will hold them to account?
So, I believe the end may be nigh... not for Portsmouth, but for me. I have (nearly) had enough. This season will make or break it for me. I will not shed more tears or worry any more about my club going through the whole ownership saga again if it goes beyond this season. It is too much of a burden. I genuinely think Portsmouth will survive. Tough years are ahead, but Portsmouth will keep fighting and, if and when they are on a more stable footing, I'll have a little smile to myself. After all, I still have those memories of AC Milan, of beating Man Utd regularly, of 4-1 twice against Southampton! If Portsmouth go, my memories won't.
Portsmouth FC. The most passionate fans, the most intimidating stadium in England, the most mismanaged club. As I type, Vladimir Antonov and his company, CSI, are under investigation for all sorts of crimes and irregularities. Now, my purpose is not to go into whether he has, or has not, actually committed these 'crimes' and whether he is or not guilty, but to share my experiences of how Portsmouth's continual plight has affected me, subjectively.
I remember the 'good ol' days', the promotion season under Redknapp with Toddy banging the goals in left, right and centre. I remember the Great Escape, Pedro Mendes v Man City on March 11th 2006 - see I still remember the date! - I will never forget that 95th minute strike that changed everything. I remember the days where world class players were bought and it seemed almost natural to the fans, the norm. Diarra, Defoe, Crouch, Muntari, Campbell..... I remember the FA Cup win of 17th May 2008, the greatest day of my life, the only day I've cried at a football match. A day I shall never forget.
However, this seems like a lifetime ago now.... so much has changed. We are a different club entirely. Of course, any club has good times and bad, even Man Utd and suchlike. However, no club has been on a roller coaster as much as Portsmouth.
The sad thing is, every time a new owner came in, I had faith, I had belief that he was 'the one'. He, be it Al Fahim, Al Faraj, hell, even Chanrai, would save us. They would stabilise the club and build future foundations. The administration saga (part 1) nearly destroyed my love for Portsmouth. Everything became a joke - Daniel Azoughy, Marc Jacobs etc etc... All these shifty characters who had nothing to do with football suddenly running our club. This club wasn't the one I had grown up supporting. It wasn't the one I had watched from the same seat in the North Stand for seven or eight years. If the team of 2010 hadn't had that FA Cup run, beating Southampton, beating Spurs, I cannot be sure I'd still be supporting the club. This isn't to say I'm not a diehard fan, but I believe I simply wouldn't have been able to do it any more. My club meant so much to me, it was killing me to see it torn apart and I really can't see how I could have been a part of that anymore. Nonetheless, I stayed. Purely through hope I think. Hope of a bright, better future.
That hope arrived, or so I believed, through CSI on 1st June 2011. Mr Antonov and Mr Dubov were the men with the plans. A 'five year vision' was introduced. Foundations were built for the academy, the training ground had a revamp and money was (finally) spent on quality acquisitions such as Luke Varney and Greg Halford. We were set for the future.... Yet it all comes crashing down. Again. Everything has gone wrong again. The free flags given out at the home game against Brighton in August stated, 'A new era. Everything is possible'. I don't think it was meant the way it has turned out.
The crux of my view is, can I handle this whole saga again? I'm not so sure. Old men, who have been supporting their clubs all their lives don't see one administration. I'm on the verge of seeing two in a couple of years. This may tip me over the edge. Again, I must reiterate, I'm not a 'fairweather' fan, I've been to over 150 games, home and away, however, things are getting too much. Talk of 'Phoenix' clubs are being brought up again, as is the 'Pompey Trust' or whatever it is called. Be realistic, these 'initiatives' won't make one spot of difference.
Manager, Michael Appleton, a bold appointment in itself, has revealed how he has basically been 'duped' into the 'vision' of CSI as well and that things are going to have to change from that already, just days after becoming manager of the club. This prime example illustrates just how mismanaged the club is and has been.
Now, of course, Portsmouth FC has a large role to play in their ownership and financial meltdown but lurking in the shadows is the Premier League and the Football League. They have been grossly negligent in their duties. The fit and proper persons test has failed for the 4th time, and that's only Portsmouth! Forget Shinawatra and his ilk! The Premier League were all too happy to deduct the club 9 points, but they were also too happy in letting anyone who walked off the street being able to own Portsmouth. Not once had they met or spoken too Al Faraj before he took control of the club. Yet since those days of 2009/2010, what has changed in their approach? Nothing. How so? Because the exact same thing happened with Antonov and CSI! The football league passed CSI as 'Fit and Proper' to control Portsmouth yet the Financial Services Authority, General Motors (when CSI tried to purchase Saab) and the European Investment Bank were not so happy to have dealings with such a company. Again, I suggest the Football League will lurk in the shadows until the issue of a points deduction comes about, will say they will hold a review into CSI's ownership and will wait for the fuss to die down. The Football League have many questions to answer, yet who will hold them to account?
So, I believe the end may be nigh... not for Portsmouth, but for me. I have (nearly) had enough. This season will make or break it for me. I will not shed more tears or worry any more about my club going through the whole ownership saga again if it goes beyond this season. It is too much of a burden. I genuinely think Portsmouth will survive. Tough years are ahead, but Portsmouth will keep fighting and, if and when they are on a more stable footing, I'll have a little smile to myself. After all, I still have those memories of AC Milan, of beating Man Utd regularly, of 4-1 twice against Southampton! If Portsmouth go, my memories won't.
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Summer
Hey everyone/anyone ....
Summer is here (it is raining though, as usual...) and i will be working/playing/holidaying etc etc...
So here are my plans... >>
I plan to work quite a bit, continuing on with the job I held down during college for over 2 years. I've been doing some holiday work over xmas and now have some shifts sorted for summer, so that will take up some of my time.
Elsewhere, I am going on a family holiday to sunny Lanzarote at the end of July. It will be good to go abroad again, as I haven't had a proper holiday since Barbados in 2009 - last year was just too busy!
Also, what is summer without a festival or two?! I'm off to Guilfest for the day, with the highlight being a Pendulum DJ set, which are always enjoyable. Plus, being just 20 minutes away, it is pretty handy. Although I have a Reading ticket in my possession ( well, in the post), I am selling this on, as I have other plans that weekend and I'm attending a different festival in London called SW4; a more Dance/DnB/Dubstep based affair.
Along with plenty of cricket, plenty of relaxing and plenty of money being earned ( i hope!), those are my plans for Summer 2011!
Summer is here (it is raining though, as usual...) and i will be working/playing/holidaying etc etc...
So here are my plans... >>
I plan to work quite a bit, continuing on with the job I held down during college for over 2 years. I've been doing some holiday work over xmas and now have some shifts sorted for summer, so that will take up some of my time.
Elsewhere, I am going on a family holiday to sunny Lanzarote at the end of July. It will be good to go abroad again, as I haven't had a proper holiday since Barbados in 2009 - last year was just too busy!
Also, what is summer without a festival or two?! I'm off to Guilfest for the day, with the highlight being a Pendulum DJ set, which are always enjoyable. Plus, being just 20 minutes away, it is pretty handy. Although I have a Reading ticket in my possession ( well, in the post), I am selling this on, as I have other plans that weekend and I'm attending a different festival in London called SW4; a more Dance/DnB/Dubstep based affair.
Along with plenty of cricket, plenty of relaxing and plenty of money being earned ( i hope!), those are my plans for Summer 2011!
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